Frank has sense

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3:46Pete Donaldson: Here come the hot stepper, everybody. Welcome to the Football Ramble! Spurs beat Man City again and Hill Dickinson is up and running. It's Monday 25th of August. I'm Marcus Speller. I'm Jim Campbell. I'm Pete Donaldson. And I'm the Dishina Huggoraja.

4:10Pete Donaldson: Hello everybody. Welcome to the August Bank Holiday Special on the Football Ramble. That's right. You're not working, but we are Pete Donaldson. We are. We are not members of a bank, but if we were, it'd be stuffed with money.

4:23Marcus Speller: Right. You really should become a member of a bank. Yeah.

4:26Pete Donaldson: You're more of a building society type of guy. I'm debanked. I'd put all my money in a stocking underneath my bed. Yeah, okay.

4:33Marcus Speller: You occasionally put on that stocking, though. And also sweet NFTs.

4:37Pete Donaldson: Remind us of your home address again and your hours where you're in an hour. I think it's quite easy to figure out where I live. Probably. Dropped so many clues. Yeah, good. eye on it. Google Maps has got you, got a little pin for you as well, doesn't it? Yeah, I mean, look, it is Bank Holiday Monday, but sod those banks, Vish. What have they ever done for us? We're coming into work.

4:54Marcus Speller: Yeah, that's a good point. We haven't forgiven them for 2008. We shouldn't, really.

4:59Pete Donaldson: Genuinely shouldn't. Yeah. Although I would be dead without their overdrafts.

5:03Jim Campbell: So there is that, isn't there?

5:04Pete Donaldson: Thanks, overdraft. Oh, dear. Well, before we begin, everybody, we've got some exciting news. Saturday marked the very first episode of our brand new monthly series called Games Gone available exclusively on Amazon Music. Every episode we're celebrating our favourite matches, players and moments from football history and with the Premier League back in full swing we had to start with Eric Cantona the man who made Vish fall in love with football and Manchester United and Frenchmen. So head over to Amazon Music and search Football Ramble and you'll find episode one of Games Gone. The link is also in today's show notes get involved it's a belter it is it's a belter I'm popping my collar in tribute to the great man and Jim's kung fu kicked a man he's only just met

5:47Marcus Speller: I'm wearing a grandad shirt so I don't actually have a collar can't pop your collar no but then I haven't forgiven him for getting me into Manchester United do you have any collars anymore have you cut them all off in protest

5:59Pete Donaldson: well Vish being a Manchester United fan surely you could get behind Manchester City 0 Spurs 2 oof ooo eh I was worried after that first game of the season with my declaration that Man City under Pep had done. Oh, ho, ho, ho.

6:15Marcus Speller: I felt like you were enjoying it, at least because of the Paulinho goal as well. Oh, come on. Pep Guardiola's 10th defeat against Spurs. It's so weird. It's a real weird borgie team to be borgied. It is.

6:26Jim Campbell: It doesn't seem to matter how badly things have been going for Spurs. Well, they've been 4-0 last season. This is progress in many ways for Man City. Yeah, I suppose so.

6:35Pete Donaldson: You could spin it like that. I mean, it was, yeah, it's such an odd thing. Another clean sheet for Thomas Frank's men who, let's be honest, you know, there were people, myself included, who were impressed with him against Burnley, but thought, you know, defensively. Burnley, yeah. Yeah, exactly, Peter. And Burnley create chances and blah, blah, blah. But the one thing I think a lot of people also thought was, with Thomas Frank in charge, his tactical nous and flexibility. His frankincense. Exactly. I like that. something for us to mull over there, even though it's not the season, but still. Is he going to field a new midfield every week?

7:13Pete Donaldson: Why not? Why not? If it works. He's almost got the resources to do so. But what I find funny, though, is that, I'm sorry to do this, Steve, Ruben Amarum has taken how long to try and get a load of players to play a particular system? Thomas Frank seems to be able to get his players. They're not his players. They're not even his players now. Yeah, exactly. he's got them playing really effectively against PSG completely switched up against Burnley they're away to Man City it's like every time they've taken to the field under him which of course is only in three competitive games you would say they know the jobs they look robust they look creative

7:50Jim Campbell: they look very good they look very very good and what I think is really impressive about it is they look obviously they look way more secure and having Van Der Ven and Romero fit is a huge huge thing and they would have been much better last season if those two had been fit the whole time I'm pretty sure of that. It would have looked a little better. Sure. Who knows? Doesn't matter now, does it? But they are defensively excellent all over the pitch. He's got them really, really kind of well drilled already. And they're really sort of just committing to being the more energetic team. They kind of press City really, really well.

8:22Jim Campbell: Very, very impressive performance from all over the place, really. And they were really the antagonists, I suppose. They really looked like they were the only team that were going to win it. and they were top of the league for just over 24 hours they were yeah but I think what's really important for them this season is to essentially turn last season's league performance into a sort of fever dream into one of those weird like side notes where all you remember is that they won the Europa League but yeah and then the league that you know they have to go and do much better in the league this season so that just becomes an irrelevant weird thing that happened and they're well on course to doing that already

9:00Pete Donaldson: yes what did you think of Frank's tactical setup Vish starts with the midfield three of Papisar, Big Joao Polina and Rodrigo Bentecourt. My goodness, they look good.

9:11Marcus Speller: Yeah, you know, you said the Ameren thing at the start and I suppose what... No, it's fine, but what Frank's doing is tailoring what he's done previously at Brentford but to the squad he has. Yes. He's dealing with the players that he actually has in front of him rather than the ones he wants or what he wants to fashion them into.

9:27Pete Donaldson: Which is why pragmatist is not always a dirty word.

9:31Marcus Speller: No, but I also think that undersells what Frank does really but with regards to that midfield three they were incredibly energetic and the fact is that they kept going right the way through and they were harrying and pressing but they were also making good decisions when they had the ball Ali McCoy said quite a nice line about Pape Matej Saar that he thought he'd been plugged in at half time and it really did seem that way, they just kept having it even Mohamed Kudus who isn't necessarily known for his work without the ball he worked so hard yesterday sorry on the weekend and he he did so in a way that one of the hardest things for Spurs last season was the bigger picture because it was almost like they had blinders on with the way that Ange Pottskogli wanted them to play and it was almost like you've got to disregard everything including the results there is a reason we're doing this and it's amazing that you can it's not easy to do this but now they're basically doing both.

10:34Marcus Speller: And I think Ange deserves, not necessarily deserves credit, but I think the players who played under Ange last year deserve credit, such as Bergval and Archie Gray, but also someone like Pedro Porro and Christian Romero, two players who were like, God, maybe these two are actually rubbish, are they just a waste of time? And they had brilliant games on the weekend.

10:51Pete Donaldson: Yeah, they did. And Brennan Johnson scored Peter, as he tends to pop up with one. Nice to see him among the goals, but so did Joao Polinha capitalising on a rather flimsy and floppy error from the new man and goal, James Trafford. Yeah, well, it seems weird that he would be chosen to be like the main man, second game of the season and stuff. So you do sort of think, what's exactly going on there? Well, he started the first game as well. Yeah, if rumours are to be believed, they're obviously in for Donnarumma as well, which is, again, quite a strange decision from Pep Guardiola. Is he just trying stuff out?

11:25Does he want to simplify the way that Manchester City play? They're a team in transition and the way that they kind of went about this game was that they're not quite there yet. It's going to take a little bit of time. And I think Pep's probably got enough in the bank to do that. But it annoys me because I predicted them to win the league. So they need to sort of... Early days. But they always lose to Spurs, don't they?

11:44Jim Campbell: It's a very early days.

11:46Pete Donaldson: It was very early days. I mean, I know Luke's had mentioned about James Trafford and saying, is he properly ready for the Premier League?

11:56Marcus Speller: To be fair, I think we were all, during that first Premier League season with Burnley I think we all had our various reservations about I suppose he's very young but there was certainly like a lot of people around this table who were a bit like I'm not entirely sure if the hype is worthy just yet there's clearly a lot of talent there and bear in mind that season ended with him being replaced by Murevich who genuinely can't use his feet beyond standing and so they obviously but Burnley made a decision to go with a shot stop rather than a ball player. Seems like Pep might be doing the same thing.

12:31Marcus Speller: But I think the most instructive thing for Pep wasn't necessarily the misplaced pass, it was his reaction to it. If you look at some of the best ball player goalkeepers in the league, let's say, David Rea has won, and David Rea has an incredible ability of forgetting his, you know, a right pass or mistake, and just, I don't know how he does it, but he's able to almost goldfish it and go again. He probably just thinks he's an outfield player, though, doesn't he? That's what happens in outfield. It's almost a bit like the outfield player thing of like, if you keep a tally in your head of positive and negative actions, you're more encouraged to do positives after you've done a negative.

13:05Marcus Speller: Whereas Trafford, after the mistake, was just hoofing the ball. Like it would come to him and he wouldn't necessarily take a touch or he'd rather, he'd play a pass that he sees early or he would, yeah, at times just hoof the ball long and just get it as far away from him as possible. And I wonder if that actually is more instructive to Pep to say, right you know if it's not Edison it is someone who has to come in and actually take their heat off this youngster because he's not quite there yet

13:30Pete Donaldson: yeah I was surprised that yeah they went back in for him I think I got on the hype train a little bit because obviously Burnley was so incredible defensively last season and also playing well for England at age cap level and all that kind of stuff

13:45Marcus Speller: but he's worthy of that hype it's just it's quite a big thing to be starting for Manchester City yeah you're going from

13:50Jim Campbell: a championship club to a team that will you know feasibly be competing for the Champions League are you going to the very top of the game?

13:57Pete Donaldson: Yeah, but I mean, even if he went to say, I mean, Newcastle were looking at him as well. You know, I thought, oh yeah, get him in there. He'll be absolutely fine. And again, it's early days.

14:05Marcus Speller: It's a simpler task of Newcastle goalkeeper as well, with all due respect. Maybe, yeah.

14:08Pete Donaldson: Okay, fair enough. I just think with the error that he made, it is almost like, and this is why some people get annoyed at kind of the more system-based approach or whatever you want to say, is the pass just wasn't on. and it was like that's where you have to make that decision to go right well I'm not making that even if it is a hoof or something or if you hang on to it for a little bit longer and you make a different decision anything but that but it's always that pass isn't it we know how it plays you play it you play it kind of straight and then that person plays it immediately out and that's how you get out quickly

14:39Jim Campbell: yeah we see it all the time where the passes look risky and you go actually these are just really good footballers and you only notice it when it goes awry so that will happen again to plenty of ball playing goalkeepers this season I think the scary thing for Trafford is presumably he's coming to Man City at this stage of his career thinking he's going to be the number one, right? I'd be very surprised if you moved there to be a number two when you've established yourself. So if Donnarumma does come in, that is a real kick for him and also for the entire Premier League because that's like Harland in goal.

15:08Jim Campbell: That's another monster. That's out of order. Yeah, exactly.

15:11Pete Donaldson: When people say, well, he's not good with his feet and so on. It's like, yeah, but what he is good at is keeping the ball out of the net really really effectively.

15:19Jim Campbell: and he's deliberately giving it to you so you can have a shot. Yeah. He wants to get in your head.

15:25Marcus Speller: He's getting his numbers up. And Edison didn't mind a smash downfield, did he? I mean, do you need to be that delicate about it?

15:31Pete Donaldson: No. Well, it looks like Edison's going to be on his way. Galatasaray, is it? That's one of the teams, yeah, that's looking into him. But Joao Polina pounced and lovely to see him score. Lovely to see him at Craven Cottage for the Fulham Man United game. Was he there? Oh, that's lovely. he made a brilliant

15:48Jim Campbell: interception as well at one point I mean we've been talking for a while now about what a difference he's going to make to Spurs midfield and it's a very obvious thing to conclude isn't it and it's just happened that way straight away he's really really making a difference in there and I think I was very interested by City's performance when they went 2-0 down and I think possibly it's because they've got so many new players in there but they were so predictable they didn't look like what we expect from Man City at all they look like just this sort of normal run-of-the-mill Premier League team.

16:18Jim Campbell: There was nothing particularly special about them that suggested they were ever going to score. As I said, I do wonder if it's too much change at once and perhaps Guardiola will go back to starting Foden and Rodri if he's fit enough to start now and those more established players while the newer ones can bed in a bit more.

16:37Marcus Speller: Was anyone else confused by their starting line-up? I thought it was a bit absurd to play to start Shirky in that position essentially as the number 10. when I thought Bernardo Silva could have done that job and done it in a less risky way that you don't lose that much attacking verve if you do that especially if you've got Reinders behind you but yeah I thought I'm not going to say like it was Pep doing a Pep but it felt a bit more like he was setting up a team for last year's Tottenham rather than I appreciate it's only one game that had gone but I go to Thomas Frank Spurs that's what you said though it's a two goal improvement on last season yeah fair you know baby steps a team in transition Vish show some respect if he'd have said that

17:21Pete Donaldson: in the post match that would have been so so good celebrated it yeah I wanted a reaction I got one

17:27Marcus Speller: Pep Guardiola has been rushed to hospital after accepting a 2-0 defeat as an approval on last season

17:33Pete Donaldson: a word on Richarlison Vish lovely

17:39Marcus Speller: to start with not as technically good as Dominic Solanke not as good a finisher as Dominic Solanke, but did all the things that gets him ahead of Dominic Solanke on the weekend.

17:51Pete Donaldson: He's better at volleys.

17:53Marcus Speller: Yes. Yes. Sideways.

17:56Pete Donaldson: He's playing like a man reborn.

17:57Marcus Speller: But he's working hard. The thing you could always say about Richarlison is he works hard. He can sometimes get a bit distracted when things don't necessarily go his way or when he's got a bit of a vendetta against the defender he's up against. But he works, at his best, he works damn hard. Although at his worst,

18:13Jim Campbell: he's a dog with a zoomies, isn't he? There's no kind of sense to it.

18:18Marcus Speller: Like when he got in trouble for doing kick-ups. But that was the real... Look, Solanke should be on the bench and watching that performance and be like, that's what he does better than me. And it's not necessarily that he's got a great touch or that he is able to hold off and roll defenders. He's just a nuisance. Solanke's got that in him. Solanke's good at pressing. He does. And his work rate's good. But it's different, isn't it? I know what you mean. Richarlison yeah Solanke is good at pressing Solanke does work hard Richarlison works harder I know what you mean he puts himself about more I always think the thing with Richarlison that sometimes irks me a little bit because of just how I like consuming football but he's so unpretentious that sometimes he plays in quite an ugly looking way and I'm like you definitely know the laws and you've definitely played this sport before but did you just pick it up three years ago.

19:13Pete Donaldson: You've definitely drank at this pub before and I've seen you around here but every time you look like you're on the edge of violence. Why are you drinking

19:20Marcus Speller: a pint out of a straw?

19:22Jim Campbell: It's fine

19:22Marcus Speller: but why are you doing that? Exactly.

19:24Jim Campbell: There's not a thought in his head that doesn't pass across his face is there? That's a great way of putting it. A very good way

19:31Pete Donaldson: of putting it. Look, again, great result for Spurs. It's all boding well for them. Again, early days, blah, blah, blah, blah. Even Vicario getting involved making some saves. Spurs fans were singing We Want Levy out though. He can't catch a break. They weren't singing that

19:45Marcus Speller: at the end. They were definitely singing at the start.

19:46Pete Donaldson: Well, yeah, it was at the start of the game. Obviously, a tough week for them saw them miss out to Eberechi Eze from Arsenal. I mean, in the words of David Ornstein, Spurs did all they could. Yes. Although there was some of the detail before that made me wonder why maybe Ornstein ended his chat with that. But still, you know, Eze, the Arsenal fan, Arsenal come in with a big beard. It's frustrating, but you know Morgan Gibbs why you know the Palace fans certainly they have their version of events as to why he stayed at Nottingham Forest it is annoying for Spurs I do get that but surely the start of this season shows you that actually with Levy I understand their gripes and I'm not telling them not to have gripes but from a neutral a very neutral point of view you've got to give Levy credit for getting Frank in and they have made a few signings

20:36Marcus Speller: look at that squad look at that squad I can understand like the Levy out isn't necessarily because solely of the as a transfer that wasn't but it's been building up for a while and it is emblematic of an issue Spurs fans or great Spurs fans have with Levy and Enoch as well but if you look at that team Van de Ven Romero actually to a point even getting in Paulina now Kudus smart and then you go into like Archie Gray, Bergwahl, Solanke actually to a point as well.

21:11Jim Campbell: Porro had a really good game. Yeah. And has a lot to his game.

21:14Marcus Speller: But they're like, the signings they've made in the last two, three years and they're coming to the fore now. Like, I'm not saying that the Spurs fans shouldn't be annoyed with Levy. I just feel, you know, for now, certainly because of their start, I'm a bit like, he's done a fair few good things in there as well. You still get the feeling that Spurs never spend the right money at the right time. Yeah. That's the issue, I think, for a lot of fans. They just hold off, don't they?

21:37Jim Campbell: When they could take that step further. I think the frustration is that they just don't quite do enough when there's an opportunity for them to do so.

21:44Pete Donaldson: Clearly getting the right manager in has been a thing for a little while now. And again, it's very early days under Frank, but when they got him in you just thought, experienced Premier League operator can make a lovely meal about whatever you've got in your cupboard kind of thing. And I think they're on for a good season. I don't think it's a ridiculous prediction.

22:04Marcus Speller: Yeah, and it's important to differentiate between the Morgan Gibbs-White transfer and the Eze transfer. Morgan Gibbs-White, yeah, they probably should have got that over the line, but ultimately, like, Forrest chucked money at him, Maranakis may or may not have had a gun to his hair filming that video, and he ends up staying, and he'll probably get a bigger move, or an equivalent move, next summer.

22:28Pete Donaldson: After he's won the World Cup.

22:29Marcus Speller: Yeah, exactly, yeah. That's when all the boys are moving, aren't they? Eze he calls up Mikel Alceta on Wednesday and asks like look are you sure you don't need me I mean that's you're dealing with a completely different thing I agree with you I hear your little boy's got an injury

22:45Pete Donaldson: well Peter let's move on to Arsenal 5 Leeds United 0 as I said Spurs were top of the league until Arsenal got that fifth goal right at the end of the game although they would have been top on alphabetical order is that right I believe anyway quality of goal Let's not get into that. But yes, Eberetri Eze, as Vish predicted, looks fabulous in that Arsenal kit. Unveiled before the game. Were you there for the unveiling?

23:09Jim Campbell: I was there for the unveiling. It was an incredible, like a really, really emotional thing. I've never seen anything like that, really. I think the only thing I can compare it to is Dan Byrne, really, in like someone who's got this connection to a club that they've always supported their whole life, always wanted to play for them. Yeah, Shearer, I suppose, is another one, yeah. Yeah, Shearer's a way better example. No, it's a more, more. But Dan Byrne's a bigger example. It's just the emotion of it is unreal. I've never kind of known anything like that. And obviously the kind of story around the signing when it first happened, a lot of it was about the kind of gazumping of spurs and kind of laughing at them and all of that stuff.

23:48Jim Campbell: But the real story is this stuff, is what it means to him, is the kind of emotion around it. And it's a fantastic signing when you take all that away from it as well because it just adds so much depth. I think that was the real feeling from the game on Saturday. It was an expression of the depth Arsenal now have. And he's someone they've pulled the trigger on where I feel like in previous windows, they've maybe kind of kept their powder dry when they shouldn't have done. And this is a play that can give you a lot of options in a lot of different positions. And he's probably going to walk straight into the first team on that left-hand side.

24:19Jim Campbell: But it really, it is a really, really exciting and invigorating signing. Yes. And what I liked about it,

24:25Pete Donaldson: and I may have mentioned this obviously at the time when they apparently gazumped Spurs. It's when Arsenal have so many footballers when they were young, watched Arsenal and liked Arsenal. And that is something that plays a part in cashing in on that. And we've seen that with Mboumo and Kunia,

24:43Jim Campbell: really, really wanting to go to Man United. Exactly, yeah.

24:44Pete Donaldson: So you have that, the Arsenal have that pulling power. And Eze's there for the take-in. And it was as if Arsenal just went, yeah, let's use the size of this club. Let's use everything we've got. We'll have you, pal.

24:57Marcus Speller: Yeah, even, I think... They need to do that more. I think from online to in-person, that is one of the most emotional signings that I can remember for a long time. I thought the video they did, I know we're not necessarily here to talk about the culture of football, but I thought the announcement video they did was perfect. I think getting Ian Wright to do it was cheating, if I'm honest. Well, you went from Palace to Arsenal. Mr. Reze, someone said you were... Someone says you're off to Spurs. Someone said the transfer was dead. But then when he comes out and you can tell he can't believe what's going on.

25:36Marcus Speller: He keeps looking over his shoulder and like shaking his head.

25:39Pete Donaldson: Expecting Daniel Levy to turn off and go, ah, ah, the extrode.

25:43Marcus Speller: But there was, there's also that thing. And it's, it might have happened once or twice before, but I can't, nothing is speaking to mind now. being able to spend a big whack of money to bring someone home yeah it's such a big thing and like given the way football is at the moment you kind of just certainly i'm speaking as a man's united fan here you throw money at things they come you're excited for the player and you hope the attachment is there as you said with kinyurin and bumo they were man's united fans growing up but with this there's so much more to it the roots are already there yeah the love is already there and it's just like the fact that he might be the final piece as well it just made I didn't believe Arsenal were gonna win the league and I still am sticking with my shout of Manchester City but it feels like even just on the grounds of emotion that they are closer to it the universe is working in some way in their face

26:41Pete Donaldson: it's made my pick slightly less of a banter and like you said though Marcus that this was an opportunistic sort of signing I think they probably would have wanted to lose a couple of players before they brought in such a huge amount of money but the injury just made it clear that they just need to be isn't that not a great situation for Arsenal to be they've got a bit of cash floating around and they can just go in when they need to

27:06Jim Campbell: yeah so apparently the outline for this deal was actually agreed on the 10th of August so it wasn't they didn't swoop in and just go what's in that contract yeah just we'll do the same but just with a different club's name on it it was like get your finger out exactly yeah and I think they were trying to sell some players first, but the injury and the fact that he was just about to go somewhere else. I think genuinely that made a difference as well. Apparently he was calling around his friends in the England squad that play for Arsenal, obviously. And trying to... Yeah, exactly. Very much that.

27:34Jim Campbell: And I think they were impressed by that and impressed by... Luckily none of them play in his position. None of them sort of do. But yeah, apparently they were also impressed with how much Victor Jokeres wanted to join the club. and I think that gives you an energy, doesn't it? And that energy was very, very present in the game yesterday.

27:53Pete Donaldson: Well, let's talk about Jokoriz. He scored his first goals for Arsenal. The first one, I thought, he looks like a tank.

27:59Jim Campbell: Yeah. So there was a point in the first half where Leeds made a mistake and the ball came to him really quickly and he slashed at it. And that would have been a gif by now if it's not already. But that would have been the story from him. Yeah, he didn't realise how much time he had and it was really, really bad. And there's a sense, I think, that him and his teammates haven't quite gelled yet, and that's understandable after two games and probably not that many training sessions. But yeah, his first goal was like, I'm just going to do this one myself. He is a psycho when it comes to that stuff.

28:29Jim Campbell: Looks like it. He hits that ball like it's kidnapped his family. The penalty as well was well dispatched.

28:34Marcus Speller: Did you see Pascal Stroik? He was like, you know, a solid defender. He went to show him like, basically he just went to like stand him up. Well, you know where he's going. Yeah, but they started running and he went, I do have a family. There was a little bit of... Go on, say it. A bit of early Drogba. Okay. Do you remember Drogba's first season at Chelsea? He was a bit all over the place. He'd obviously just come from Marseille. He was a bit all over the place. And then every now and again, he was just like, what if I just ran really quickly at one of them?

29:06Pete Donaldson: What if I use everything I have and I am? Yeah, it's pretty effective.

29:09Marcus Speller: What if my entire force... If force equals mass times acceleration, I've got two of those things. damn right definitely

29:14Pete Donaldson: yeah well of course he got the penalty because 15 year old Max Dailman won the penalty Jim what a fucking loser playing football at 15 he went down very softly he's a little diver he's a little diver he's 15 of course he did he's tiny he went down like a child

29:34Marcus Speller: it's pathetic do you know what right

29:36Pete Donaldson: if I was one of the Leeds defenders I would I would say to him I'd say look I appreciate you you know your second youngest player to ever play in the Premier League. They may not have known it at the time, but it's written in front of me. I'll be honest. I would have just said, look, pal, I am just going to boot you up in the air. I can't be embarrassed by a 15-year-old. Do you know what I mean? I know you can't really do that so much these days, but you're just like...

30:00Marcus Speller: I know your dad's a mate of mine, but I'm going to have to kick you.

30:04Pete Donaldson: It's my livelihood as well. Can you imagine him coming on the Leeds defenders? You're already a few goals down. The game's only going one way. You're just like, I can't have this lad embarrass me.

30:12Marcus Speller: I wonder what the football equivalent, you know like when, if you're on a bus and you've got like 15 year old kids who are like listening to their music out loud on their phone, you're like that's a bit annoying. What are the annoying traits of a 15 year old in a Premier League game?

30:23Jim Campbell: He was carrying his phone.

30:27Marcus Speller: He played million crocs.

30:29Pete Donaldson: He's just got little earbuds in listening to music the whole time. Yeah, and then back to Stree now aren't they?

30:34Marcus Speller: Exactly. Yeah, that's a bit annoying that.

30:35Pete Donaldson: Teammates can't get messages to him and everything, but there we are. So yeah, I mean incredible from him. He looked great.

30:41Jim Campbell: He did. there was a point where Declan Rice absolutely should have shot but he was like

30:46Pete Donaldson: I want to put him through amazing amazing balance as well

30:50Marcus Speller: yeah

30:50Pete Donaldson: got a couple of injuries Saka and Odegaard although not as bad as first apparently there's always something isn't there six injured players already already ridiculous

31:00Jim Campbell: but apparently those two aren't that bad and actually for me the story of the day was the depth so Saka goes off Maduaki went over to the right and looked really really good yeah immediately

31:09Marcus Speller: like already had a better game than when he was on the yeah absolutely as we all know but yeah

31:13Jim Campbell: Wigneri came on for Odegaard and looked really really at home took responsibility was really good in that role that I think he's going to play in a lot more that season and then of course you've got Ezza not even in the squad yet indeed

31:24Pete Donaldson: they're going to win the league coming up after this Crystal Palace welcomed Nottingham Forest with open arms

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32:33That's BetterHelp.com slash ramble. In 2023, a source sent me a tip. It tied baseball's biggest star to a vast, illegal sports betting operation.

32:48Marcus Speller: Shohei Otani! But then someone surprising confessed to me. His best friend. I'm Epey Mizuhara, and you do have permission to record me. From 30 for 30 Podcasts, this is The Betrayal of Shohei Otani. Listen now, wherever you get your podcasts.

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34:13It must be difficult for him as well to shut out all the noise.

34:18Jim Campbell: Have you spoken to him and is he dealing with it all okay? It's more difficult for me, honestly. Because I also have to speak to you.

34:27Pete Donaldson: Olly Glass. Palming off, so to speak, Gary Cottrell from Little Walligan. thanks to friend of the ramble Jimmy to the B of course Crystal Palace fan and our what would you call him archivist

34:39Marcus Speller: archivist yeah

34:39Pete Donaldson: sort of scorer

34:40Marcus Speller: FIFA

34:41Pete Donaldson: he's at FIFA yes

34:42Marcus Speller: his grass is what he is

34:46Pete Donaldson: for sending us that clip thank you very much on Discord Jimmy to the B you can become a friend of the ramble too for just five bucks a month my goodness you'll get every episode of the ramble up front and on the content completely ad free and access to the Football Ramble Discord where you can chat with us and other ramble listeners and remember if you sign up for an annual subscription before this Sunday, you will get 15 % off. Search patreon.com forward slash football ramble to get involved. Now then, Crystal Palace won, Nottingham Forest won. The sort of, it was more in the stands where, I don't think there was violence, I mean, but the chanting and the banner, the banner.

35:25Pete Donaldson: The banner was detailed. It was very strong. It was strong, wasn't it? It was emotional, it was strong. it was like researched researched

35:33Marcus Speller: incredible piece of work

35:34Pete Donaldson: Peter

35:35Marcus Speller: a banner by committee is quite a strange thing in a football stadium not had a legal eye over it one might suggest but you know that's for others to decide isn't it really well yeah

35:44Pete Donaldson: so the banner was displayed in the Holmesdale end which showed Evangelos Maranakis holding a gun to Morgan Gibbs-White's head the FA have said they will investigate it right investigate what? I know I love that it was definitely there yeah well hang on it's not AI we need to detect Was the gun loaded? Was it cocked? Yeah. You're right, Pete. It was an amazing banner.

36:05Jim Campbell: From a neutral. From a neutral. Yeah. He's done well there. Yes. He's left one in on Maranakis there, hasn't he? If there's anything in the banner you don't understand, just Google any of the words in it. The man has backstory. Yeah. Shall we say? But I would say that it was a spicy old banner. And obviously like a big fixture for the television companies. companies we were all looking forward to it but they didn't even show the banner show the banner cowards come on

36:35Marcus Speller: if you were the producer go on show it show the banner show the banner pan to him where is he he's not here just get a photo of him up we can mock our own thing I think Maranacas has shown

36:47Pete Donaldson: he's quite effective when he with what Palace fans have suggested that Forrest played some part in making sure that Palace got this punishment. So I think Sky are a bit... I'm not going to get involved. You know, well, that's fine.

37:03Marcus Speller: They've already banned Gary Neville.

37:06Pete Donaldson: It'll pop up on social media.

37:07Jim Campbell: It'll get done. A draw is an annoying result in terms of those of us neutrals who want this rivalry to really, really explode. I think it might be one of those things that just sort of carries on forever, sort of like Brighton and Palace. And years down the line, it's like, why do they hate each other again? And this could be the beginning of a beautifully hateful relationship. There's enough of it. There's enough there.

37:26Pete Donaldson: I think it's been said about Palace though, despite losing Eza, and we'll come to Mark Gay in a moment, it does look like they're going to continue the good feeling under Glasner and all that and carry it into this season. He did say that they're going to need some signings. With Forrest, so far in the league, you think, okay, they're going well. Oh, hang on, what's this? And suddenly it looks like Nuno could be off soon. I mean, this must be so frustrating if you're a fan at the time of recording it hasn't happened pre-match Nuno talked about his relationship with Maranacus and said our relationship has changed it's not so close it's not good sure a lot of people saw that and it sounded like it it sounded like he was saying yeah you know it's it's pretty damning people then started saying that that there's a problem with Edu and Nuno and and is Maranacus going to have to choose between one of the two yeah and people are

38:21Jim Campbell: saying that Nuno's the aggressor in that as well yeah which is interesting so very odd and then

38:26Pete Donaldson: rumors if he could be sacked Nuno said well where there's smoke there's fire and then asked if he'd still be forest manager after this month he said I cannot answer that question but what I know is that I'm working and trying to do my job the best I can of course the situation has to be resolved has to be solved um and and so it does seem odd the way Nuno has kind of gone on the front foot really, certainly in front of the cameras with this kind of thing, because normally managers are a little bit more aloof and politician-like, understandably so, but he's been as explicit really as a manager gets in these kind of situations and with these kind of questions.

39:04Marcus Speller: But then his post-match on Sunday he was talking about, oh, you know, it's all a bit overblown.

39:09Pete Donaldson: Yeah.

39:10Marcus Speller: I was like, yeah, because you overblown. Well, because

39:13Pete Donaldson: when asked, you know, Maranakis and and the hierarchy of the club said they were baffled by Nuno's words. Because he started a fire and started pointing at the smoke, effectively. Well, yeah, so it's quite an extraordinary situation, really. Normally, a manager wouldn't wade in with this, which is why some people were saying, is he trying to get sacked? Yeah, but I mean,

39:31Jim Campbell: he's said that that's ridiculous, but of course, he has to say that, doesn't he, in that situation. I think it's to do with the signing, doesn't it? They've signed eight players this summer. He's saying the squad's imbalanced. Some of those are really good players. Apparently, he doesn't want Douglas Luiz. Douglas Luiz yeah I mean superb player well indeed

39:48Pete Donaldson: I mean clearly the way he wants to play and what not he'll have his reasons for that I was surprised because we were all pretty gassed before his fans you know when Douglas Luiz was announced but those new players

39:58Marcus Speller: will unsettle his favourite players won't they yeah the players that he started with over the last 18 months it's all about the tradition of that kind of buffer zone between Maranakis and him that he doesn't want there he wants to be this kind of like old school manager that manages everything and now he's got anyone there yeah It sounds like he's a bit paranoid, really.

40:17Pete Donaldson: You would be under Maranac.

40:19Marcus Speller: Mega Watford, isn't it?

40:21Pete Donaldson: Mega Watford.

40:22Marcus Speller: Yeah, it's a bit that. Because managers often, like, they don't tend to like directors of football because they're a bit closer to, like, the owner or the chair.

40:29Pete Donaldson: Yes.

40:31Marcus Speller: And it feels like he's already suspicious of that. So, as you say, he's created this fire.

40:35Pete Donaldson: Going on the front foot with it already.

40:36Marcus Speller: Yeah, because even at the end of the game, he went up to the Forest fans and, you know, they were singing his name and chanting and he was, you know, being encouraged by some of the players to go off and get this ovation. So there's clearly a bit of politicking going on on both sides. And certainly Nuno, you know, he's more front facing because he does two press conferences a week. Yeah. And we see him on the touchline. So I suppose he's, you know, we see that a bit more and we're seeing his side of it. But yeah, it doesn't sound particularly great.

41:06Pete Donaldson: Yeah, it doesn't really, does it? Right then, let's move on to Hill Dickinson Stadium where Everton beat Brighton 2-0. They got off to a perfect start at that shiny new home. It does look great. It looks brilliant. I obviously haven't been there. I mean, I've been to the area. I know exactly where it is in Liverpool because it's painfully obvious. But the way that you see the stadium and the fans I just thought, oh, I must get up there at some point soon because the setting looks great.

41:32Jim Campbell: It looks... I don't think I've ever seen a stadium like this before that actually looks like the artist's impression of stadiums. It looks really futuristic. It looks like they've nailed it. Apparently there were long queues for the bars and all.

41:43Pete Donaldson: Get those self-pouring pint things.

41:45Jim Campbell: Yeah. You know the ones? Don't they pour from underneath, though? Yes. So if you've got a habit of fiddling with your pint glass, then you spill beer all over yourself. Well, stop fiddling away. Stop fiddling with your pint glass. Yeah, exactly, Jim.

41:56Marcus Speller: If you're anxious, have another pint.

42:00Jim Campbell: Well, you're going to have to, because you've poured the last one all over your shoes. Have a drinking pint for when you're drinking. There you go.

42:07Pete Donaldson: Anyway, maybe they're only selling yards of ale. That has taken ages. It's like, stop doing that. Get on the shots and get on with it.

42:15Marcus Speller: Imagine someone carrying four yards of ale

42:17Pete Donaldson: for his face in one of those borders. Shots would make more sense. Shots. At football matches. Just don't mind up. I love it. Pete's agree with it. Can you imagine football fans taking shots?

42:28Jim Campbell: There's a man who doesn't drink.

42:29Pete Donaldson: Shots would make more sense. Don't make more sense. Get their tequila. No, because you can't be in the ground, as in in the stands, so we're drinking pints, can we? No. You've got to do them outside, so people would probably do them quite quick

42:41Jim Campbell: and you could have people walking around with the little trays actually like you do in nightclubs exactly the queues would go quicker

42:48Pete Donaldson: people would drink more responsibly and yeah

42:53Marcus Speller: that's why shops are so popular people are like you know I just want a little bit actually just want a little drink

42:57Pete Donaldson: actually yeah

42:57Marcus Speller: a concentrated version of that

42:59Pete Donaldson: no but it would be like you know you know in Italy where not that I drink coffee but you know with the espresso kind of culture you go in dump down it and off you go it's such a beautiful view

43:09Marcus Speller: of the world

43:10Jim Campbell: It's exactly the same as that, Martin. I'm just saying, if I want a Fanta,

43:14Pete Donaldson: I've got to queue up with all these piss-ends. Get your shots down there. That's what you want. Imagine the espresso bar setting

43:21Marcus Speller: of someone going up, looking like a real flash dandy, going up for a shot, and you know what? Sometimes they'll have a little cookie or something. Just a small little line with your shot, and then off you go, on with your day for 10 minutes. I mean, that's basically the setting you're envisioning.

43:40Jim Campbell: I have a friend who, when we were much younger, she didn't really like the taste of any alcohol. And for financial reasons, because of deals that were on in the various pubs and bars around town, she would start the night with four or five shots of tequila. And she'd be like, I'll just get all my drinking done now. It saves me money. And then I'm full of energy and stuff like that. And then obviously the rest of us, we're like two sips into our first pint and she's hammered just immediately like an absolute liability and everyone would do that. Everyone would do that just before the game and at half time.

44:17And could you rule out because if I go in and I'm drinking some Kalpol from a little cup that's allowed from view I can tick I can have a bit of ibuprofen gel in my mouth and then but like it would be confusing if you're allowed to I reckon you could get away with shots in view of the actual pitch because there's actually not that much drinking in it is there? Get a slippery nipple down your mouth.

44:39Pete Donaldson: Slippery nipple. Anyway, Everton, despite the cues for the bar, they enjoyed themselves beating Brighton 2-0. Iliman Njai is now a quiz answer, isn't he? Scored the last goal at Goodison Park, the first goal at Hill Dickinson. And he very much enjoyed it, which is great. And it was a lovely guy. It sort of pinged off his body. And the assist was by that man, Jack Grealish.

45:04Marcus Speller: It was a very England 2021 assist, wasn't it? Germany. Germany. It was, wasn't it? A little cut in on the left. Oh, he's only right footed. No, he's not. Oh, he can ping that ball across. It's a bit of a swinger, but he will hit it really hard at you.

45:17Pete Donaldson: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Go on, Harry or Illiman. Get on the end of that. Yeah.

45:20Marcus Speller: It was really nice. Did you see his interview at the end of the game where he was chatting with the interviewer with NDI as well? And he said, oh, you know, Moyes has not trained us together. they've not been on the same training team so he was like oh but we want to play together more and he was like yeah we should that was a lot of fun wasn't it and he was like yeah it was great it was a really lovely moment as well you know we spoke before about like new stadium we need someone who can stand up to that responsibility and that was it on opening night well indeed

45:53Pete Donaldson: if he carries on like this he's going to be a cult hero for them and at the age of 29 it's not ridiculous to think if he has a good season he enjoys himself there that you think to yourself, do you know what? Actually, after that... I'll pay the 40 million myself. There we go. There we go, Peter.

46:09Jim Campbell: And that's just David Moyes talking. What's so nice about it, I think, as well is that... But it's early days. Well, it's early days, but we've not... It's early days. You know, it's been a while since we've seen him play regularly for City, but he sort of... He immediately now looks like the sort of calm, responsible leader rather than the boy wonder who's just aged a little bit. He looks like a senior figure and he's going to be that reference point for all of that team and they're quietly putting together a quite exciting squad obviously Tyler Dibling looks like he's coming in Dewsbury Hall's a good player and so like just three players who play with their socks rolled down there that's enjoyable straight away that's really good links with Nathan Ake as well which would be a really good signing if they can get that over the line

46:51Pete Donaldson: I think with Grealish though I mean obviously the attention's going to be there and I know Sky Sports had him down as man of the match but I think Moyes gave him a lot of praise after the game and he also said he's given him licence to take on players you saw that with the first assist great to see but also he spoke about Grealish's ball retention and the calmness and also just driving forward with it and those are the things actually to hark back to Grealish not getting into the Euro 2024 squad I think a lot of players were a bit like well hang on why have you done this now Sir Gareth because Grealish is takes that responsibility with the ball if you just need a bit of pressure taken off the defence and someone to just get it.

47:31Pete Donaldson: But also, if given license, to go and take somebody on, he can provide those moments. And I think Everton are going to benefit from that enormously because with Everton, sometimes, when you're playing against a better opponent, you can be pinned back in your own half. Moyes often accused of being a little bit too negative or defensive. And you even saw that at Leeds, particularly in the first half, for crying out loud. But with Grealish in there, he is that type of player that can ease that pressure and get you up the pitch a bit more. They'll benefit from him. And the important thing is, as he has done for the vast majority of his playing career, by the way, looks like he's got the bit between his teeth and he's going to roll his sleeves up and roll his socks down and get involved.

48:10Pete Donaldson: He revealed after the game that David Moyes convinced him to join over FaceTime. Yeah. Which is quite nice. Yeah.

48:16Marcus Speller: A lovely little detail. Yeah. I mean, it's not that weird, is it? Yeah.

48:19Pete Donaldson: Do you think Moyes just went to call him and he pressed the wrong button? He was like, oh, well, you're here now.

48:22Marcus Speller: But he was on holiday, wasn't he? And someone, I think Alan Starks was involved. He wanted to check up on him. Yeah. Is that what he was? Yeah. On FaceTime. Just to see where you are. Is that Wayne Lineker? Jack, is that a pint? No, no, I'm just doing shots. Oh, thank God. See you later.

48:37Pete Donaldson: I've just popped into an espresso bar.

48:42Marcus Speller: The intriguing thing to come will be, because it's Jack Grealish, he's immediately going to get a lot of attention from opposition players. And it would be how Everton deal with that if they decide to flood Grealish aside and not give him any space.

48:56Pete Donaldson: Or just lay it off to James Garner.

48:58Marcus Speller: Simple as, yeah. Sorry, what was I worried about? Continue.

49:01Pete Donaldson: What a hit that was. Yeah. Come on. That was class. Excellent. I love the fact that... Oh, is that where you're going with that? Yeah, yeah. I love the fact that everyone was talking about the two assists and I was like... I mean, Garner did a lot of the work for that. He really, really did. But Brighton missed chances, though, in the game. Did they not vision? Danny Wilbeck. Yeah.

49:20Jim Campbell: Really, really should have been putting that away. He was rather annoyed, though, that the ball was...

49:23Pete Donaldson: It wasn't the best pass. No, it wasn't. Yeah, it was slightly behind him.

49:26Jim Campbell: so maybe it's not fair on him that he should have put that away. That was a really, really big chance. Obviously, Jordan Pickford saved a penalty as well. It's not been a brilliant start for Brighton. Yeah, I mean, they should have beaten Fulham, really.

49:38Pete Donaldson: And look, they'll be okay but I think Brighton fans want to hit the ground running a bit more because last season I think they grew into the season more and had they have done that a bit earlier they may have been challenging more for European places but great start though to that new stadium. They get a couple of goals, one of them a beauty and Pickford saves a penalty. Coming up after this, West Ham got a Friday night gubbing.

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51:42Pete Donaldson: Yeah, sorry West Ham fans, but we are going to talk about it. West Ham United 1, Chelsea 5. they were 1-0 up though they were and what a goal it was lovely goal it was a decent hit as I was going to say from Bakhita it was people might say the keeper might have done a touch better but still from Bakhita's point of view it was a great goal

52:02Marcus Speller: it was like a nice training ground move that they excelled at

52:06Pete Donaldson: when that goal went in I thought bloody hell that's what you need you know you saw the stadium you know first goal of the season

52:16Jim Campbell: can't even bring yourself to defend and then it unfolded as it did. But so obviously, you know, Chelsea score pretty soon after that from a corner. First of three goals from a corner, more on that in a bit. But then West Ham scored again with a really fractionally offside decision. I knew when Nicholas Falkrug was doing a silly little dance, I'm like, that's getting chalked off. That is just how reality works. That is definitely getting chalked off. But then as you say, it was a gubbing and like 34 minutes into the first home game of the season people are people are leaving but by the hour mark an angry fan has tried to get on the pitch it's like this is not the continuation of the feeling from last season that anybody wanted there and Moyes has got a happy job at the moment so he can't go back

53:05Pete Donaldson: and sort it back out you know who's

53:06Marcus Speller: Allardyce is about is he

53:09Pete Donaldson: I mean do you know Sean Dyche is circling the Sean Dyche wagons are circling right now

53:14Jim Campbell: He loves Clouton Blue. But I mean, like, you know, we've all done our predictions for who's going to be the first manager to go. But, you know, Graham Potter looks a really, really good candidate for the first manager to lose his job because I think he's got nine points from his first ten Premier League home games now, which is the fewest for a manager in West Ham's history. And obviously, part of the problem goes way beyond him. The squad is terrible. The squad's not great and the board don't seem to listen to their managers ever. They seem to think they know better, do what they can, try to, in terms of trying to sort of save money and cut corners.

53:43Jim Campbell: and it's, yeah, it is really, really messy there. And it was just so poor for them. Conceding three goals from corners, I think has to be on the manager though, right?

53:54Pete Donaldson: Well, yeah, they just look very soft. And that image of Potter, when you can see the fans pouring out behind him and the focus on him, like, you know, at a human level, you've got to feel sorry for the guy because how lonely and awful must it feel when that's happening to your team? He's had time. That's the thing. I know they've made a few signs they haven't made many and they're annoyed about that a lot of West Ham fans but Manchester United have improved under Amarim this season already with a load of money spent though with a load of money spent you're absolutely right Peter and it's important to make that point but there are signs of improvement we'll see I don't think that again early days with West Ham this is a continuation of last season and that is the worry when you don't see any kind of improvement and like we said against Sunderland, barely a ball had been kicked in that second half and you think, is this just another season where it's like, oh crap, we've got to get somebody in to try and steady the ship.

54:54Pete Donaldson: Last season, when Potter was signed, when he went there, I remember thinking, okay, I see what they're trying to do maybe for the longer term because the bottom three, it was just so poor. They were never going to get relegated. You can't do that this season and go, well, yeah, we should be okay. the promoted sides are looking and thinking who can we reel in West Ham are definitely one now yeah West Ham are the only teams to have lost their first two games and it's again it's just so soft I mean when when Travis Chalabar scored on 58 minutes it was they are so firmly beaten it was like they're playing you know a side divisions below them in the FA Cup and it's like ah yeah we're just enjoying it taking it easy that's a Premier League fixture Carl Palmer was kind of injured in the warm-up as well, so you've not even got their most creative player there.

55:44Pete Donaldson: I mean, apparently at full time, there was like 4 ,000 or 5 ,000 fans left in the home end, people were saying. You know?

55:51Jim Campbell: But it's understandable, though, isn't it?

55:52Pete Donaldson: No, it is understandable. I'm not criticising that.

55:55Marcus Speller: And the only reason you're staying is taboo.

55:57Pete Donaldson: Yeah. Or just, you know, I'll meet my mates a little bit later. Yeah. I mean, what do you do? I've got the shopping centre next to that. Could have gone that big slide. There you go. But it's just so shit. And for a side who won the Europa Conference League a couple of years ago, you know, good run in the Europa League and so on, you think, right, kick on. That is all just distant now. They're just jettisoned

56:20Jim Campbell: too many decent players, haven't they? They just haven't replaced them with any sort of quality. See, that's the problem as well. Actually, it's not even always the players that are particularly good they're not replacing. So Edson Alvarez is a really interesting kind of case in point in this. So he was, I think he's on about 115 grand a week. So they need, he's gone on loan to Fenerbahce now. He came in as part of the replacement for Declan Rice started quite well then it just kind of went awry a bit and his performances were a bit lacklustre he fell out with I think Moyes and I think Ben Potter as well so he's gone out the door that's handy in getting him off the wage bill but do you look at those owners and think they're going to get a decent replacement in?

56:57Jim Campbell: The profile of player that he is maybe not the reality of the type of player he's been for them is exactly what they were missing the other night I'll tell you how bad it is for West Ham

57:05Pete Donaldson: I quickly looking at the fixtures I quickly thought oh when a Fulham play in them and I went ah end of December or something like that and I was a bit annoyed because that's three points sitting there that's how crap it is and is it going to get any better right now under this current manager I'm not sure I think it's very unlikely and so they are going to have to make a decision at some point you would imagine unless it miraculously starts to turn round and the decision is do you go for someone who you want to be a bit more progressive or do you quite literally go for Sean Dyche and go, well, we just need to stay up now.

57:42Pete Donaldson: So depressing at West Ham at the moment. Good win for Chelsea though. Yeah. I mean, they hadn't scored of course in the league in the first game and they got five of the buggers.

57:50Jim Campbell: Yeah. And I think one of the focuses they've been talking about is being better at set pieces. And obviously they get three there. Esteval, what a debut. I know he made a mistake that led to the Pacatau goal, but you know, he's going to have that. He's 18, but he looks a really, really bright talent as we were kind of all expecting. Shame he didn't give Rhys James, an early contender for assist of the season. Oh my God, yeah. That was absolute sort of laser-guided pinpoint through ball. It was brilliant. We've seen a few of those like the Elliot Anderson one against Brentford. But this one would have probably been even better had he finished it off.

58:21Jim Campbell: Unbelievable. Really, really good. They look really strong and obviously there's potentially Garnaccio and Xavi Simons to come as well. Simons, Simons, I don't know. I'll just say it differently every time. Chelsea are the world champions. That's been my plan. They are the world champions. They're the world champions

58:35Pete Donaldson: and the Europa Conference Champions League champions as well. Yes. They're shifting even more players this week. Apparently, Axel De Sassi shared a picture of the Chelsea rejectees dressing room on his Instagram. The bomb squad. The bomb squad. It looked thoroughly depressing thing, but some of those players will probably be moved on. And if you're in that dressing room, the tiny little room. It's really small. It looks like... It reminds you that there's still footballers getting changed in changing rooms. Do you know what I mean? You're like, oh, that looks like a changing room I would get changed in.

59:03Pete Donaldson: Yeah. Mad, isn't it? But I mean, that looks like it hurts to sit on. They are trying to push them out the door. Definitely. You know, that's what's going on.

59:09Marcus Speller: It also just looks like a pure gym. Yeah. I'm like, why have you got your boots on, lads?

59:14Pete Donaldson: Don't worry about it. Yeah, indeed, yeah. Before we move on very quickly to the National League, we've got to mention Burnley. They got a win. They got a bloody win. It was too early to call it a must-win match, but the fact is we mentioned, uttered the word must-win match, suggested it was an important one. They beat Sunderland 2-0. It's a long week. They needed to carry that momentum in the next match. needed something yeah so it means that all three promoted sides have won in their first two games for the first time since the 2016-17 season which is terrible news for the likes of West Ham

59:45Jim Campbell: but it's good news in general right yes it suggests the bucking of the trend I know it's extremely early there are 36 games to go yeah but that's welcome you'd have to have a you'd have to have a heartstone

59:57Pete Donaldson: or support a particular club to not want Burnley yeah Blackburn Rovers

1:00:01Marcus Speller: that's the club you're thinking of correct yeah

1:00:03Pete Donaldson: I couldn't think of it off the top of my head

1:00:04Marcus Speller: or the other two

1:00:06Pete Donaldson: clubs might go down indeed it's a great win for them nice to see Scott Parker having a moment celebrating away in his finery nice for Josh Cullen to score a nice little curl in the corner got an assist as well for Anthony who finished well he knew he was going to have to lift it but when that happens we've seen them go over the bar but when it caught inviting yes the top of the net and the whole stadium erupted I thought it was lovely lovely lovely right then I'd like to finish by talking about Morecambe They got a win. Yes. They got a win. They still exist. They still exist. I mean, that's the first thing to celebrate, isn't it?

1:00:41Pete Donaldson: Being bought out on the brink of extinction. They completed an incredible week with a 2-1 win against Altrincham. The first game of the season after the opening three fixtures were suspended. That's how bloody bad it was. A 98th minute winner by Daniel Ogwuru Ogwuru. He signed for them the night before. Roy up in those stuff. A little bit, yeah. so a mention for Morecambe because obviously they, you know, we mentioned them the other week and the dire situation which they seem to have got out of now and to get a first win with a 98th minute winner, come on, yeah, come on. With an assistant that's never had a professional footballing job.

1:01:19Wow. Which is amazing.

1:01:20Pete Donaldson: There you go. You know, unless you're a fan of, you know, Morecambe City, you know, you would have... Wise Town. Very good, Jim. Not a fan of the Sikhs. Yeah. For some reason. If you spent your weekend And painting a flag on the floor. Yeah. Weekend. Weekend. They're much quicker than that. Anyway, let's get out of here. Thanks very much for listening to the Football Ramble, part of the Acast Greater Network. Myself and Jim are back tonight for the first Ramble Reacts of the season, and it's straight after Newcastle United versus Liverpool. It promises to be a belcher. It will. Apparently, he's actually going to be in the stadium.

1:01:58Make him turn up. Make him turn up.

1:01:59Marcus Speller: But which shirt is he wearing? Oh, no. he's carrying a T4 oh god oh god he's drawing a very good Kalashnikov there lovely don't mean he's staying because of the Andy Cole photo yeah it was a tribute to Andy Cole this Kalashnikov

1:02:16Pete Donaldson: there you are in the meantime follow us on xTikTok Blue Sky Instagram and YouTube by searching a football ramble thank you Jim thank you thank you Peter bang bang thank you Vish thank you and thank you Alexandries

1:02:36The Football Ramble is a Stack Production and part of the Acast Creator Network.

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