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3:49Pete Donaldson: Hi, everybody. Good to have you with us on this wonderful Wednesday. Thanks to Friend of the Ramble, Jeff Frazier, for giving us that intro line. Nice one, Fraz. If you want to submit an intro line for a future episode to get an extended edition of today's show, then become a Friend of the Ramble on our Patreon. It's that simple. Also, Peter, if you sign up to our Patreon, you may well be able to get tickets for our England versus Croatia World Cup watch-along right now. You can join us at 40 Foot Brewery. in Black Horse in North London for pints of my fizzy aunt. Yep. Exclusive merch. Bit of live chat before the game.

4:25Pete Donaldson: I'm Russell and Marcus. If you like. If you fancy it. Some proper naughty food. Proper naughty food. And hopefully more e-e-sies than you can wave a stick at. Is it going to be big plates of chips with wee on them? Like the very best pub experiences from the 80s. Where were you going to the pub? The 80s. South End. Piss chips. Piss chips. Now we're going to have proper street food And as discussed Marcus is going to arm wrestle everybody And we're going to have a bloody good time And I'll tell you what I was saying this on the Luke and Pete show yesterday I've been to some watchalongs Where you can't see any blooming screens But I'll tell you what Even if you fall over Through too many fizzy aunts You're going to be able to see a screen Because there's screens on the scene And not guaranteed But there are big screens everywhere And I'm very excited about it And the piss chips Not piss chips I bring me on piss chips Well yeah you have to provide your own piss You can go on Luke's shoulders If you're struggling to see Because he's such a mighty tall man who likes to show his strength, that he'd be up for that.

5:19Pete Donaldson: So, Patreon subscribers can get early access to tickets right now. And if you're prepared to wait until they go on general sale, if there are some left, then they'll be out this Friday at 10am and you can get them by heading to our socials. Remember, numbers are limited, so head to patreon.com forward slash football ramble to get yours before they go. Too late, too late will be to cry when the man with the ramble watch-along tickets passes you by. Right. Get involved, everybody. Right, gentlemen, let's turn our attention to the Premier League. All Brighton 3, Chelsea 0. If I was to sum up Chelsea and their performance last night, I would say oof.

5:58Pete Donaldson: Oof, there it was. They are piss poor. They are in free fall. It's a fifth straight defeat in the Premier League without scoring a goal for Chelsea. Their longest run, five straight defeats without scoring a goal, since November 1912. Yeah. Two World Wars since then. Yeah. Fine. And one World Cup to complete the song. A few excursions in the Middle East as well. Well, Peter.

6:27Marcus Speller: Just keeping the British end up.

6:29Pete Donaldson: A couple of Euros finals as well. Yeah. And a Le Tournois. It's a long time since this has happened.

6:35Marcus Speller: A lot of people mentioning that it was the year after the Titanic sunk. Was it the year the Titanic sunk? Nice. I like that. You like that, do you? I believe that Man United I didn't give you the stat, I couldn't remember it, but you liked it. Man United lost the fixture just after Titanic sunk, the first Man United fixture.

6:50Pete Donaldson: Really? Yeah. Why do you know that? Some reasons. Yeah. Well, you may have clawed 12 points back, but... You were the first one to lose after Titanic. But yes, that was the year the Titanic sunk in 1912. That's when Leo died. R.I.P. Yes, indeed. That door. Him on the bloody door. Now he's come back as a vampire after young blood. Anyway, Chelsea. Much like Chelsea. Much like Chelsea, yeah. They're very much the Leonardo DiCaprio. No one over 25, please. You've aged out of the squad. You've got to get in that bomb squad. My goodness. Do you think that's why Leo keeps his exes? Yeah, do you reckon Leo's got a bomb squad of exes?

7:33Yeah. Who have to wonder what they've got to do. I don't like you anymore.

7:36Marcus Speller: Go train with the reserves. That's true.

7:38Pete Donaldson: And all we need is, what's his name? Bolsonaro to point it all out. and then we're there. But sorry for the bollocks, everybody. Let's talk about the bollocks at Chelsea because my goodness, Fish, that club, it's been like this for a while and I think that because of the trophies, you know, we say the trophies, the Europa Conference League and the Club World Cup that happened last season slash this season depending on where you put that Club World Cup and the fact that they were for a while probably looking good for a Champions League spot certainly in contention Maybe the wider football fan base has not had too much focus on Chelsea and not really kind of seen how bad it's been there and aware of it.

8:23Pete Donaldson: Well, certainly in recent months, perhaps since Maresca's gone, but definitely in this run of five games, probably before that, it is plain for everybody to see in stark reality that Chelsea Football Club right now are in absolute disarray and the fans are thoroughly pissed off as they have been for a long, long time. And that performance last night was symptomatic of it all.

8:47Marcus Speller: Yeah, yeah. It is the performance usually reserved for the end of someone's tenure as manager, isn't it? Yeah. It's proper kind of, you know, downing tools. They didn't even have tools to down. No, it's true, but there was... They had tools. They weren't really waving them around though, were they? No. There was like a level of insolence to that performance. It was like, God, you really don't like Liam Rossini. Yeah. You really lost it with him. He sort of said that they lacked conviction. It's like, well, I mean, you saw that quite early in the match, so why not do something at half-time, possibly?

9:21Pete Donaldson: But when you say that about they don't like Liam Rossini, I'm not going to push back on that. No, but it's all relative, isn't it? No, but what I was going to say is that after the game, there were some Chelsea fans in that way and saying that Enzo Fernandes went over to applaud them and someone was holding up an anti-blue co-sign and he apparently pointed to it was nodding and going, yeah.

9:40Marcus Speller: Well, I mean, obviously there are two different sides to it. There is the more consistent side over the course of the last year, which has been this anti-Blue Coast sentiment. There was a big protest ahead of the Manchester United game on the weekend at Stamford Bridge that was well attended, well organised, not even the first of the season. That has been prominent throughout. There was that sign, it was like 1.6 billion spent and I miss Victor Moses. That kind of spoke to how bad the recruitment has been. and yeah like yesterday was a product for of that and it's always going to be more of on the pitch isn't it like how bad the club is you don't necessarily go into the boardroom and be like well you know the administrators are underperforming today we get to boo them you only get to boo the team you only get to boo the manager and it just so happens that Liam Rossini is at this point where it's interesting isn't it I think a lot of the criticism at the start of which I was part of was about this um you know like high performance bullshit and I still maintain that it is bullshit but it is interesting that as it gets more emotional as he feels it a bit more all that's kind of gone yeah and he is just a human being you know struggling to get a tune out of these other human beings and doesn't really know where to turn and he has a go at them last night i think the worst thing as well for chelsea is i think they've given over the last four years maybe they've given brighton 283 million for their players and they get turned over like that and It's a bit like, it's one thing, you can't keep falling for the wallet inspector trick when you're dissold, when you're World Club champions.

11:11Marcus Speller: It's just, yeah, everything about it is damning. I appreciate neutrals wouldn't have too much sympathy for Chelsea in the way they've spent money. I'm surprised they're not singing the don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got until it's gone about Maresca. I mean, that's, everyone was all over that with Pardew, weren't they? Yeah, that's true, that's true.

11:28Pete Donaldson: You're going all the way back to them, are you? That's where we're going with that.

11:32Marcus Speller: you finally get your say

11:35Pete Donaldson: he's kept pretty quiet I've survived Corbett for this blimey O 'Reilly

11:41Marcus Speller: it's a shit show isn't it it is a shit show

11:44Pete Donaldson: you're absolutely right and Luke mentioned on the last pod on Monday that without going into too much detail because it would be quite boring and we'd get all tangled up if you look at those who are writing about Chelsea's finances at the moment and so on they are in quite a bit of bother it's fair I said recently that it's almost like that they are a better performing Tottenham Hotspur. And I realise that that is quite a spicy statement. But that's kind of like what it's feeling like. I mean, look, it is within the realms of possibility, very much so that Chelsea, who have lost five in a row...

12:18Pete Donaldson: Can still get in the Champions League. Well, that, but actually I was going to say the opposite rather. Because, you know, fifth spot, they are seven points off it and Liverpool have a game in hand. they are closer to Newcastle in 14th there were six points below them Chelsea at the moment if this carries on will probably end up finishing in the bottom half of the table and for that for the amount of money they spent it's not good enough that is piss poor how the differences between Rosinia and Mureska have sort of dealt with things Mureska had a better defence and had a much better back end of last season which got them in the position that they got themselves in and obviously they won the Club World Cup as well and Rossellini just doesn't have that kind of level of protection.

13:02Moresca's a far superior manager to Rossellini. He is, but all he seemed to do is marshal a defence and just made them look a bit tidy at the cost of, you know, the attacking football just wasn't there and the Chelsea fans really didn't enjoy that. Enjoy watching that last season and well, this is what you get when you step down and then you bring Rossellini in and it's a completely different situation.

13:23Pete Donaldson: Yeah, that Moresca, yeah, I don't... You're right. Moresca had his critics. We don't have any sort of... grown up players to sort of stand up and be counted because everyone's just too young, too inefficient and too inexperienced in the squad inside. But mentioning Maresca though, Maresca was starting to just have a go at the ball, didn't he? I mean, that's probably what cost him his job, really. That he wasn't the company man that they wanted and then they get in Rosinha. And Rosinha, who was doing pretty well in France, you know, he was nicely getting on with things and... He was quite

13:53Marcus Speller: literally a company man, wasn't he?

13:54Pete Donaldson: Well, he did. And with Rosinha, you know, being offered the job at Chelsea, he's not going to turn that down, really. And was he even able to turn it down in a sort of a, I say that in a sort of a, within the realms of reality and work, if you see what I mean. Yeah, the information there being like,

14:13Marcus Speller: if he'd said no to that, would he have then been susceptible for the sack at Strasbourg? Yes, exactly. If the whole thing is, you know, planning or like tiering your teams to level up to Chelsea, the struggle is part of that. And if someone refuses to go up, and you're like, well, what are you doing here? Yeah.

14:27Pete Donaldson: And I appreciated that he had a good start. But, you know, now Chelsea fans are chanting fuck off Rosinha from the away end. And that's where I feel sorry for the guy. Because how many managers have we seen come into Chelsea and it's been all over the shop? And he's not in control of signings. He's not in control of actually changing the makeup of the squad further than, you know, a few PowerPoint slides. It's really difficult for him, isn't it? Yeah. And when the, what's his name? You know, on the board says, you know, we think we back him or whatever it was you know there was hesitation in the in the centre it tells you everything and that performance last night was piss poor yeah was like

15:05Marcus Speller: really bad to the point where Brighton were good but they didn't have to be that good it felt like

15:10Pete Donaldson: this felt like Brighton are strolling you know they are they're already where they want to be and they're playing a side who are either doomed to relegation or a side who've not got much to play for it's only a couple of games left you would never think that Chelsea were above them in the table or I stress work as Brighton are now sixths who are on a good run of form Brighton it's like when they're in possession their boots just become concrete they were like we've got the ball now let's not bother moving around

15:39Marcus Speller: no one wants the no one really wants the ball do they which is a problem when you it is a bit of a problem the Brighton thing is so fucking weird by the way I remember I think it was maybe about a month ago and maybe a little bit longer than that, we did a mailbag and one of the questions was who's been the biggest disappointment of the season? And I put Brighton in there because I was like, I know they're not like special in terms of like, no one looks out for them at the start of the season thinking, I wonder what they're going to do. Certainly the last couple of years. But they were having quite a disappointing time.

16:09Marcus Speller: They weren't really doing anything. And I think they were in a kind of like, if you don't mind me saying, a bit of a Fulham stasis where it was like, well, we're not going to get relegated. Who knows what's going to happen here? They get these results and now they're like, fucking hell, we're going to get in the Champions League.

16:21Pete Donaldson: They've gone on a hell of a run. They really have. You know, I mean, you're going back to, say, February, where they were on a bit of a stinking run. They lost to Fulham. They drew with Everton. Okay, fair enough. They lost to Palace. They lost to Villa. They were dumped out of the FA Cup by Liverpool. And then, since then, they've really turned it around. Okay, they lost to Arsenal 1-0 around that time. But otherwise, they've been keeping clean sheets by and large. They've been winning games. You know, they haven't lost. I mean, that game that they lost to Arsenal on the 4th of March is the only game they've lost since February.

16:55Pete Donaldson: So it shows you what a run of form they've been on. They've gone slightly under the radar, perhaps, again, to the wider footballing fraternity. But they're in good form and they're scoring goals and they're playing nice stuff. And it was always pleasing to see Danny Welbert come off the bench and score, particularly against Chelsea, Peter. He does enjoy that routine. He does, yeah. Newcastle and Chelsea are his boys, really. Yeah, indeed. lovely finish as well I mean and they could have had more again it doesn't matter if Chelsea aren't going to have a single shot on target you're not going to score a goal either well it is 90 minutes of football there were times when I thought it was almost shooting practice there was I forget who it was a glorious chance to score in the first half where it was cleared off the line I thought Kukurea was very lucky not to have a penalty given against him when he let in with the handball but look we're saying that Brighton might have had more blah blah blah in a 3-0 win to Brighton there was a point in time where Chelsea when they seemed like they were trying to win football matches they'd at least get a player sent off which they don't seem to want to do yeah

17:57Marcus Speller: they've won more games with 10 than they had with 11 haven't they I mean lots of fouls from Brighton

18:02Pete Donaldson: yesterday because they wanted it and Chelsea didn't and Brighton if you look at them as I say they're in 6th place on 50 points you know they lead that pack and now Chelsea are in that pack of teams with you know they've got Brentford Bournemouth Everton Sunderland you know and I might stretch that but my dear old boys, Fulham, as well, who are in contention for European places. There's a distinct possibility now that Chelsea, as I say, could finish in the bottom half of the table, or if not, miss out on European football altogether next season, which seems remarkable, considering that they won the Europa Conference League last season.

18:38Pete Donaldson: It is a European trophy, but they didn't need that pathway into Europe because, of course, they qualified for the Champions League. They did it fairly late in the day, but they did it. Can we take it now then? Yeah, can we bank that? Yeah, we bank that. Whereas now, again, yes, of course they're still in contention. It's mathematically possible, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. But you go five games losing without scoring a bleeding goal. No one's going, ah, but the last four games we're going to really turn it up. My goodness. And you think about what that does for the finances for the club as well.

19:09Pete Donaldson: Yeah. Et cetera and so on.

19:11Marcus Speller: The whole financial plan is ultimately built around success. Success of players that you're able to sell on when you're not necessarily giving them game time and, you know, eating at the top table. Champions League. With extra games in the Champions League as well now. You miss out on that, it is huge. Obviously, who knows, by the time we step out of the studio, he might be gone. But in terms of Europe and in terms of saving the season, they're playing Leeds in the FA Cup semi-final this weekend. Obviously, they're favourites for that. They'll probably go through and then they'll have Man City.

19:42Marcus Speller: I don't know. If they lose it this weekend, that's damage. That might be, we might be talking about Rosinia having gone on Monday's show.

19:50Pete Donaldson: But if you're Leeds United, you know, back-to-back victories in the Premier League,

19:54Marcus Speller: Leeds will be licking their lips at this game. Leeds are basically safe. Yeah, I can't see Leeds going down there. And so, yeah, the liberation of that going into this tie, yeah. But again, to your point, Marcus, about them, Chelsea being a turbocharged Spurs, they're also one of those clubs where you leave a club and your reputation isn't tarnished. So Rosinia might be absolutely fine coming out of this one. that are going, well, crazy club, can't sign any players under my own steam, so what are you going to do?

20:21Pete Donaldson: Possibly, possibly. We think he can be successful long-term, is what Egbali said.

20:26Marcus Speller: He didn't necessarily say here. Yeah, yeah.

20:28Pete Donaldson: I mean, what an ambiguous statement that is. I mean, and Rosini as well, you sort of mentioned it earlier. After the game, he's saying, you know, we've got to look at ourselves, I've got to look at myself. He's desperately trying to almost sort of speak it into existence. And that's where I feel quite sorry for the guy, because the away fans are chanting and he's telling him to F off and all the rest of it. And I just think, you know what? If you walked right now, which he's not going to do in a month of Sundays, but if he did, I'd go, yeah, I respect that. Do you know what I mean? I would get it.

20:58Pete Donaldson: I mean, he'd be an idiot.

21:00Marcus Speller: The compensation package would be insane. Yeah.

21:02Pete Donaldson: What a moron. I know. Sometimes reputation... That's not very high performance. Reputation is very much more important than money for the vast majority of cases. But anyway, he's not going to, even though he said the puck stops with me. Now, Mark Cagreia mentioned him a few moments earlier. Did you see that his barber leaked Chelsea's team news ahead of the game? Is everybody he interacts with just becomes a shithouse? Or is it the company you keep on? What's going on here? It's just unhelpful, isn't it, I suppose. Yeah. The barber posted the news to X earlier in the day saying, Palmer and João Pedro both injured.

21:35Pete Donaldson: There's your exclusive alongside a picture of Cagreia having his hair cut.

21:39Marcus Speller: It was quite recently where Liam Rossini was looking for a mole wasn't he yeah not in the head of Cougarere a mole in Cougarere's head yeah yeah yeah and is that the one well I mean evidently whatever team news leaks it's always usually like agent or friends of players yeah and I think that goes for like literally all sports yeah but the idea that why would this barber do that you're skewering yourself yeah you're not working again with probably any other footballer really yeah what an idiot and I mean to be fair he probably doesn't work that hard for his money if he's cocking Marco Correa's hair.

22:15Marcus Speller: It's three hours out of my day, Mark. Come on. Can you give me an exclusive or something? Yeah, I don't know.

22:21Pete Donaldson: I simply do not know. Well, yeah, it's doom and gloom for Chelsea, but it is doom and gloom for Wolves as well because coming up after this, they are heading to the Championship.

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25:34Pete Donaldson: Woo! Strand Larson, woo! If you're Newcastle, you ain't have him. You're not going to buy him off ifs, no. All about the football ramble, everybody. What a songwriter. Peter, do you feel that they had the last laugh? No, because I like that footballing question. Okay. Let's lagging off your Newcastle boys. I'm doing it too, so I can't really complain, can I? Okay, joining forces. Well, on Monday night, Crystal Palace drew 0-0 with West Ham United. and that meant that Wolves have been relegated to the championship. Yes. I think it's been coming. Yeah, I think it's fair to say they've seen the right and the wrong.

26:16A slight uptick.

26:17Pete Donaldson: Do you give them credit for lasting this long mathematically? Yeah. For just five games left of the season, bearing in mind... They've looked better. They've looked better in the world.

26:26Marcus Speller: It's such a nothing thing because Rob Edwards said, didn't he, about this back part of the season that people have got to play for their own things now. If you're playing for yourself, fine, play well. Playing for the club, great, play well. For your next move, whatever. And it was only that that brought them together so that they'd be relegated on April 20th. It's quite damning. They've obviously got loads of good players who decided not to play well for the start of the season. The idea that that squad is the first in Premier League history to be in the bottom three all season is wild.

27:01Pete Donaldson: That's crazy, isn't it? Yeah. That really is. But again, Wolves, not been greatly managed. It's been managed decline, a lot of people say, selling a lot of your best assets, not really getting...

27:10Marcus Speller: Not replacing... So Jimenez, Jota, Ruben Neves, Cunha, Aitonori, all moved on to... Jimenez aside, all moved on to... I knew you were going to... I had to, didn't I? You're looking at me. But yeah, obviously, he went to a better club. That's obvious. but the idea of like getting rid of all of them, especially Cunha and not replacing him when Cunha was so integral to them staying up last season, almost on his own. And at no point did they think... Yeah, but he was a bit...

27:41Pete Donaldson: You said about Cunha, yes, of course he played his part, but there was always a bit of tension there with Cunha.

27:47Marcus Speller: No, I mean purely as a footballer, when he was clearly an island unto himself. At no point did they look at that thinking, he's definitely going to go, we'll get decent amount of money for him, maybe we should reinvest it and I thought you know what no what if we keep it

28:02Pete Donaldson: yeah well they've gone and Rob Edwards will find himself in the championship again presuming that he will still be in charge which I imagine he probably would be we imagine they'll probably keep him won't they yes what about West Ham though Peter talking of relegation and what not they remain two points clear of the zone they have a worse goal difference than Tottenham who are below them and Nottingham Forest who are above them and Karen Brady has announced that she's stepping down after 16 years as vice chair of West Ham United. What do you reckon at all? I mean, how's your man, Frank Champion, feeling about it?

28:34Well, I've not spoken to him. I've been away for a week. But, yeah, obviously huge news in West Ham's world. It looks like our last act was sorting out some kind of share deal for the Czech guy who's now going to be pretty much 50-50 with Sullivan, isn't it? So that's going to be interesting to see how that one pans out because Sullivan had a first refusal order on a lot of gold shares, I think. So it sounds like she has managed the club, managed herself out of the club and basically hands the shares or has managed the share transfer to the Czech businessman. So, yeah, it's a huge bit of news in West Ham world and, you know, testament to her that she broke through in that kind of environment in the 1990s with the Dildo brothers.

29:25Keep your enemies close There won't be many West Ham fans That are sad to see her leave though Because she's left the club with a A club with a massively high ceiling In London That should be able to attract really good players With a hundred million dollars worth of debt And a stadium that nobody wants And in the relegation zone pretty much

29:44Pete Donaldson: Whatever one may say She can be a divisive figure She can be yeah But that's people who run football clubs all over though, isn't it? And certainly football clubs that have been underwhelming for that length of time. Yeah, I think that's fair. I mean, she's very much got her applauded stuff from people. I mean, the Times Chief Football Correspondent, Martin Samuel, said that Brady's departure is a loss for all of football, not just West Ham.

30:10Marcus Speller: Don't know that that's true. She's been awful for a long time. Yeah, I think the glass ceiling... But she broke a lot of glass ceiling. Yeah, the glass ceiling element is quite an important part of it, because I think it's also that thing of... you know, progress can be measured in so many different ways. That's always my argument. But I think one of the ways it probably isn't measured enough is people's opportunity to be a bad owner, for example. Yeah, exactly. And I think she almost prided herself on being divisive because it's almost like if men in football can be divisive, why can't I? And she's made a lot of tough decisions.

30:50Marcus Speller: She's made a lot of correct decisions. She's made a lot of bad decisions. I think fundamentally she has taken the game quite far to the point where West Ham, you know, you can be disliked by Birmingham City fans or West Ham fans and I think people within football who've worked with her speak of someone who's like ruled with quite an iron fist and basically like grafted for everything she's got. And in that regard, like she makes it easier for the next woman who comes through and so on and so forth. That stuff really matters and gets passed down. But it'll be really interesting to see what she does next.

31:21Marcus Speller: I don't think she's going to completely move out of football. There's rumours that she might not even be completely working out of moving out of West Ham, but it's all up in the air. Sullivan is the only one left now, and Kratinsky's in the wings, obviously, and he doesn't look like he wants to relinquish any control. So it's not going to change hugely. In an environment where teams like Brentford, teams like Crystal Palace are doing quite well, with the same resources, in the same location, it's not great for West Ham fans. Yeah, fair It's also It's crazy I feel like she's been around For our entire Footballing lives I know what you mean

31:54Pete Donaldson: It's been a long time I mean 16 years Yeah Nearly as long as The Ramble has been going Wow There we go And of course We can't forget That she was One of those Who flanked Sir Alan Sugar On The Apprentice Along with

32:11Marcus Speller: Nelson Mandela

32:13Pete Donaldson: Well played Yeah, nice Nick Hewer Everybody Nick Hewer So But turn our attention back to... That's why you mentioned it. And she's married to a man who looks like you. I'm surprised it took you that long to say that. Paul Pesky Salido. Something for everybody, you see, when we talk about Karen Brady. Can you do a Pesky Salido impression? What's that all about, Karen? I love you, Karen. How about that?

32:39Marcus Speller: He's Canadian. I appreciate you wouldn't have got that from the accents.

32:45Pete Donaldson: Karen, eh? now West Ham the two points above Spurs as I said but Peter yes that point against Crystal Palace when you look at the fixtures they have Everton at home next West Ham Everton going for a European place Brentford away then they've got Arsenal Newcastle United away Leeds at home on paper that Palace game was well with the exception to Leeds Leeds are home and horse don't they well they probably would be he probably would be at that point Newcastle are a joke and so there's your six points fine but Newcastle are still a better side than Palace though you might say even though they occupy very very not the way they're playing but yeah I agree they should be better I mean Palace are a point above Newcastle but if you compare and you love the league table that's your metric for everything the eye test does not exist for Marcus Speller it's the numbers test I think the league table especially at this stage of the season isn't a bad thing to go by but you know call me old fashioned whereas Spurs they've got Wolves next you see then they've got Aston Villa tricky one Leeds at home Chelsea away I thought that Chelsea might relegate Spurs maybe Stalford Bridge is the place where Spurs stay up that's maybe the way it's looking like and they're never to know so with that point against Palace you know I wonder if West Ham fans will really rue that because surely Spurs will beat Wolves away you would think although as I say that I'm a bit like I'm a bit like You cannot say that this season.

34:15Pete Donaldson: I'm predicting Spurs to go football. I just think the way that they played against Brighton, they'll be better. Yeah. So therefore, how do you feel about West Ham's chances of survival now after that point against Palace? Is it a precious point or is it two points dropped ultimately? I think at this point in the season, the way they have conducted themselves over the whole season itself, I think a point away from home is absolutely fine. I think that shows that you've got some fighting, yeah? whereas teams like, well, Arsenal don't seem to have it, but more in a time, Newcastle don't seem to have it, and Leeds don't, and Leeds will be home and host by the time it gets to the 24th of May, and I think they'll be, I think they'll be okay.

34:55It's that goal difference, isn't it, that's the big, it's the big problem, which could have reversed, could be reversed by the time it becomes important. Yeah.

35:03Pete Donaldson: I tell you what, it's been a fascinating season for North London. It really has. Are Arsenal going to lose the title of goal difference as Spurs go, stay up on goal? I don't know, we're getting tangled up here. Well, Before we go for a break, gentlemen, I want to bring Arna Slott to our attention. Old Arnold, the reports about him claim that he's set to stay as Liverpool manager next season, which comes as a little bit of a surprise to me. These are just early reports, early ramblings, early chitter-chatter. But it does seem quite positive for old Slotty.

35:35Marcus Speller: Yeah, I wonder how much of it is keeping up appearances. I think if you're a club of Liverpool stature, especially having won the Premier League last season there is an element of not looking too desperate too trigger happy like Liverpool's reputation is not built on being impulsive it's not built on you know ultimately any big club the thing you want to purvey is structure and integrity and this that and the other all the things that basically Chelsea are losing

36:03Pete Donaldson: yes

36:04Marcus Speller: and so this is a way of showing that it's like yeah it hasn't gone into plan there's going to be a bit of a turnover we thought he was the right man for the job before we were in the Premier League he wanted to Premier League he still is the man we want in the dugout I don't necessarily have a problem with it I do believe at least from afar that it seems that he hasn't shown those qualities this season that might change with certain people leaving the dressing room and maybe a bit more structure in players that he brings in and probably winning back a bit of some reputation given what he did last summer with transfers and how strange the team has looked.

36:48Pete Donaldson: It's been a strange season.

36:49Marcus Speller: Yeah, and we mentioned it quite a lot at the start, but the passing of Diogo Jota, maybe another year of that, it's still something you have to deal with, but it won't be as immediate, and therefore maybe it will be easier to, I suppose be a bit more business-like this summer but we'll see you're getting a huge striker back as well in this shape of Alexander Izak I mean come on

37:15Pete Donaldson: well I think

37:15Marcus Speller: yeah

37:17Pete Donaldson: I think that they do need to strengthen in certain areas there's no doubt about that with Liverpool

37:21Marcus Speller: Diaz was a huge miss obviously him leaving and maybe readdressing that because Gatko to me is not up to scratch but yeah you sort of get this I was trying to find out because for me the eye test and my memories of Liverpool this season is they seem to lose a lot of points either going for the win late on in matches or just losing it outright. So I think his record would be a lot better if he could have managed his team to sort of concentrate over the full 90 minutes. And I think that's probably an accusation you can level on most Premier League managers. But they are the Premier League champions, so I think it's a fair point.

37:52Pete Donaldson: But also as well, they are just early reports. The club have not come out and said he's definitely going to be in charge that season. But he comes at a time when they are looking good for fifth spot. At least fifth spot in the Premier League. now those last couple of wins Chelsea just falling away

38:07Marcus Speller: probably softens it a bit doesn't it yeah they have a game in hand

38:09Pete Donaldson: on Brighton I don't think that's hugely surprising either

38:13Marcus Speller: I think it's also important to say that whenever there is positive news I suppose for Liverpool like other clubs they are quite good at briefing that stuff out to journalists just to get them a bit ahead of the game so yeah I wouldn't be surprised if he's in the dugout in August I mean do you reckon he'll still be there in December?

38:35Pete Donaldson: Well, that would be the question, wasn't it? I think that if, you know, he's very much in the spotlight for those owners. Okay, fine. That first season, very, very impressive. You have to say, all things considered, yeah, people could say, oh, it was basically Klopp's team. There's obviously a bit of truth in that, but I think you have to give him an enormous amount of credit for his first season in the league, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. This season, for reasons you've stated, it has been a bit strange. I think that, I think that you can accept qualifying for Champions League football having had a bit of a poor title defence if the quality of the football is still there.

39:09Pete Donaldson: The quality of the football has not been there and it's been pretty pedestrian. And I think that is what he will ultimately live and die on as Liverpool manager. And as the months go into next season, presuming he is there, recruitment's important. But, you know, the recruitment by and large has been pretty good at that football club over the years. I do think it was a bit of a strange summer, you know, spending all that money on Isak and so on, but they've done it. And as you say, Peter, if they can get him up to speed and injuries and whatnot and reshape the team because Salah's not going to be there.

39:34Pete Donaldson: And I do think that is going to be a plus for slot in particular, but generally speaking, the club, because of the season, the way it's gone, as the months go, you know, we saw at the start of the season when they were picking up results and scoring late winners and whatnot. He has to, the brief is obvious. You've got to play more attacking, more football on the front foot, a little bit more free flowing and more attractive because that is what I think, results as well, but the style I think is very important for a club like Liverpool and rightly so rightly so alright coming up after this Marco Rosa is a cherry

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41:46Pete Donaldson: Welcome back, everybody. and now Marco Rosa has been appointed Bournemouth manager at once Andoni Iriola Bagasov We don't know where he's going but we do know where Rosa is heading to He's heading to the south coast of England Pete, before we get to that Luke Moore said something I would say rather foolish on the show recently He said that Bournemouth is overrated Have you ever met anybody who's really talked Bournemouth up to you that when you went there you went I think they're wrong No, it's one of those places that you hear about people sort of going on holiday too but it's very much people not since the 80s well that's what I mean from the 80s people used to talk about going to Bournemouth quite a lot and now they go to East Bournemouth well we did a live shot in Bournemouth and I was surprised how lovely it was so for me it has I agree with you it has no kind of reputation for anyone nowadays but when you go there it's like bloody hell this is nice it's like Norfolk yeah it's backhand a compliment I don't think I've been to Norfolk to be fair but I hear it's lovely I highly recommend it according to you.

42:49Marcus Speller: What is Norfolk? Stanton and stuff.

42:52Pete Donaldson: Is that Norwich? Norwich, yeah. You're not far from Norwich, yeah. Come on, think Alan Partridge.

42:57Marcus Speller: Yeah, I know it from Alan Partridge. It's next to Ipfok. Yeah, but where is it on the map? It's sort of like... It's the East.

43:05Pete Donaldson: When I say it's near Norwich, it's obviously Norwich is in Norfolk. Yeah, right. I'm thinking of the Norfolk broads, you know, more specifically. But anyway, back to Bournemouth. I think Bournemouth's a nice place.

43:14Marcus Speller: That looks shit, by the way, Pete. I don't know what you're talking about. Where to Bournemouth?

43:17Pete Donaldson: I think Bournemouth is alright I think it's rated accurately Well I agree I completely agree What I will say Is that I cannot get behind Any manager That looks so much like Guardian Zoom podcast Host Mr. Max Rushton Does he look like Max Rushton? I think he does a little bit What if he had That's what he wishes What if he had an assistant That looks like Larry Glenn Denny That would be enjoyable What is this about

43:41Marcus Speller: Marco Rose is going to manage The team over Zoom this season

43:45Pete Donaldson: Well he will officially take charge In the summer We're just giving it the big licks Because there's a tube strike on today And we all got here

43:52Marcus Speller: Yeah The earliest we've got here Despite the fact that None of the trains are running What does that say about our time There's a lot of people On the old line bikes today Who have not ridden a bike For some years I tell you what None of them None of them have done their rospers Like I did back in the 80s The aforementioned 80s Did you do that in Bournemouth? I don't know Fall off a cliff wouldn't you? It's in Norfolk probably

44:15Pete Donaldson: yeah there's no cliffs the north cliffs of Dover there has to be some cliffs in Bonnett there has to be why does there have to be where does the sea start there's got to be on the beach there's got to be rocky outcrops somewhere isn't there onto the beach

44:27Marcus Speller: there's something weirdly flat earther about that where does the sea start where does the sea start there must be cliffs where does the sea start Letizia having a go at the chemtrails on the internet today at Grok where does the sea start where does the sea

44:40Pete Donaldson: become the land we don't know

44:43Marcus Speller: Shall we get back to Kissed from a Rosa? We should.

44:46Pete Donaldson: Enjoyable, bitch.

44:47Marcus Speller: I always have a bit of envy when teams are able to hire managers and just sign players without any fuss and for them to be good.

44:57Pete Donaldson: Speaking as a Man United fan. Exactly.

44:59Marcus Speller: And the idea that I was reading up about him and it's probably the ideal managerial career, like a bit of early schooling you know like knock off Leipzig club whatever they're called Locomotive Leipzig and then that's where he started yeah gets in the Red Bull system and he's at Salzburg and he ends up at Dortmund as well there's like loads of good things and they've got him and he's handsome and it's annoying and it's it's obviously speaks to just like how they do their due diligence and basically they've planned they've planned there's a bit of forefoot but why aren't all clubs allowed to do that because not all people are like that because there are more clubs that are more moneyed let's say history and also yeah and have more enemies in the media yeah this is I mean we don't need to revise for this exam yeah basically

45:50Pete Donaldson: basically Man United are more punk rock than Bournemouth has always said

45:53Marcus Speller: people have always said that I've always said that exactly

45:56Pete Donaldson: and you should enjoy that Elios is very yeah it's the epitome of of of rebellious isn't it against the man yeah and all that kind of stuff well look Rosa yeah Yeah, you're right. I mean, obviously, he's been a Red Bull man for a little while. He's had some success for all the Red Bull teams, Salzburg and Leipzig. He hasn't been in a job since March 2025 where he was sacked by RB Leipzig. But what I can tell you is that when Iriola was at Raya Vercano, he said of Marco Rosa's Borussia Mönchengladbach team that they were one of his favourite teams.

46:33Marcus Speller: So that's a really cool thing. That is quite good. I like that. Because it also hints at the idea that Arreola was part of the succession planning. Well, potentially. Because I wonder if with the dealing, because of the way Arreola is with the club, I wonder if he was like, right, obviously contract up, you're going to go, who do you reckon would be good to get in? And presumably when they sorted that out, which is when they were like to Arreola. Yeah. Okay, you might as well announce now that you're going then. So even all that seems really clean. It's annoying that. Give us some dirty laundry Lovely sea air

47:09Pete Donaldson: Clearing their heads The reason why he left Borussia Middard Club Was because he got The Borussia Dortmund job So maybe that was You know that was You know very That was a very good Moment in his career But he will be managing In the Premier League Next season No doubt about that Bournemouth play Leeds Tonight of course At the Vitality And Bournemouth Going for European football Iriola could do Rosa and everybody At Bournemouth a solid By delivering them European football for next season it wouldn't be bad would it? it wouldn't be bad at all I'd love to watch a bit of European football in Bournemouth on Canford Cliffs a suburb of Poole in Dorset yeah okay I wouldn't mind I wouldn't mind seeing that sounds lovely everything about Bournemouth sounds lovely where the sea starts the sea starts when the Europa League begins that's what it happens it's only a town it's not a city but that's I mean these sort of these teams that are kind of going for like European football would you believe it?

48:03these teams at goal for year-round football this year. It's been a... We'll probably look back at the seasons that I've got. It's been a really bloody good season.

48:10Pete Donaldson: I've been saying that all through... I like the fact... No one can scoff a shit, but it's been a good season. I like the fact, Peter, that whoever the top two are playing, they've got a chance. That leads us neatly on to Burnley v Man City tonight. Can Scott Parker, the former Spurs man, throw Arsenal a bone tonight with his Burnley side?

48:28Marcus Speller: And he can't even throw Burnley a bone.

48:30Pete Donaldson: Well, true. Man City will go top of the Premier League with a win against Burnley, of course. I mean, that is damning, isn't it, really? I've been away in Las Vegas at WrestleMania this week and I've come back to this nonsense. I know. Utter nonsense. Utter nonsense. Silly sausages. Even if Manchester City were to win just 1-0, they would go top on goals scored against Arsenal. They would have the same goal difference. I think if you're an Arsenal fan, you might well take a Manchester City two-goal win tonight because we are getting into the goal difference territory now, really aren't we with a man you've got six games obviously Arsenal got five and they are on paper winnable games by definition they are winnable games because they are the top two letting loose the dogs of war well I I I don't I think Manchester City should against Burnley because this is a chance if they win 3-4 tonight I don't mean that's the score by three or four goals then then suddenly you go into those five games and you are two or three goals ahead of Arsenal in the goal difference.

49:33Pete Donaldson: Every little counts at this stage of the season. And it puts pressure on Arsenal to go, all right, we'll do the same. And what Guardiola would want is, because obviously the teams are similar with their goal difference and the amount of goals scored. So overall in the season, that's been the case. But as we know, Arsenal are not scoring a lot of goals at the moment. And they have to, you see, I said this after the Man City game, they need to kick up the arse. And they need to go into every game like, right we need to batter this lot they have to do that none of this oh we're going to nick it 1-0 bollocks and Man City they could really put a bit of pressure on Arsenal not just winning the game everyone expects them to win the game but win it well and they're in a position where they're scoring goals

50:14Marcus Speller: yeah in any contest whether it's like individual or team sports you've basically won if you can convince your opponent to do something that's unnatural to them and so if Man City go out and slap Burnley they'll be in a situation where Arsenal have to do something that they, as you rightly point out, they're not particularly good at doing. They're uncomfortable at doing in going out and not just trying to win games, but trying to win them well. And that gets you into kind of almost a Cristian Bull situation

50:42Pete Donaldson: where, you know,

50:44Marcus Speller: you basically just like lose the thread of yourself as a team. Your entire system falls apart because you're so focused on just like goals. We just need more goals. We're never winning. We're never happy.

50:54Pete Donaldson: And who in the Arsenal team is scoring goals at the moment?

50:56Marcus Speller: Yeah, 100%. I mean, I thought the way you analysed the game on Monday was perfect really like a lot of the things that I thought in terms of how well Arsenal did but this becomes a whole different kettle of fish when they they might prefer to be the hunter rather than the hunted but if you've got to step out of your comfort zone to attain this Premier League title when it was in your hands in the first place yeah that is the extra psychological blow that Man City can land in and the other thing is

51:21Pete Donaldson: it's still in both of their hands but that is that will go to the goal difference I suspect when's Mikel Marino coming back that's the question they need a striker don't they he's on the trail indeed one thing we do know Peter is that John Stones is going to leave by all accounts at Man City at the end of the season I say we know that it's very much expected where do you feel I feel he is a nailed on budget Aston Villa by I just feel he could go down the greelish highway do you know what with all the Barnsley-Beckenbauer chat and you know being a a very cultured English defender I would love I know I think much higher because basically in Man City midfield stalwart in Fulham's side for the next five years I would love that but realistically considering what he's achieved in England he's done it all why not go and just knock the ball around at Barcelona for a couple of years he may not like it he may do an Ilkheim don and go this is actually pretty this is not what it used to be I'm going back Have any of you been paid?

52:25Pete Donaldson: What's going on here? Is it It's not unfair Feeding Anthony Gordon In Bayern Skirt Colours maybe Oh now you're talking Yeah that's wild You go to a league

52:33Marcus Speller: Where That's nice isn't it Like Javi Garcia Do you remember When he went to Barcelona Yeah Yeah I really like I think like Italy Or Spain Do you know what I mean Just a bit of like In that You've earned your sunshine Yeah I know I know like Premier League football Has moved on Tactically But you know There was definitely A period where it was like You'd watch European football or certainly in certain leagues and be like what position's that? We don't have that over here. That's got three syllables. Traquois-East. God, this is delicious. There's Coke as well. You know, there was that thing where he'd be able to play the sweeper role and it's like we don't do that over here.

53:15Marcus Speller: That's crazy. Something like that. Yeah, rewarded. I was trying to look up Get yourself a Napoli lad. Eating lovely tomatoes. No, no. Go on. Villarreal. Villarreal almost like do you remember Marcus Senna

53:27Pete Donaldson: yes

53:27Marcus Speller: like obviously John Stones can't bang it like he did but like that that kind of like defensive midfield

53:32Pete Donaldson: I appreciate Villarreal going very well but I would still think a little bigger

53:37Marcus Speller: I'm telling you I like that Vissal Corbett

53:40Pete Donaldson: not yet not yet five years

53:43Marcus Speller: stay away from MLS just enjoy yourself yeah because I think people underrate how good he is at football in Europe I don't think he's underrated in England no I think no one realises how I suppose how good Guardiola has been for him but how much of it he's taken on yeah maybe Everton have been tipped to make a move I don't know well he'd never play with midfield

54:07Pete Donaldson: would he yeah exactly yeah teaming up with Jack Grealish maybe who knows anyway gentlemen let's finish with something quite sad Leicester City have been relegated to League One they were officially relegated to League One after their two-wheel draw at home to Hull City last night. It comes just 11 days before the 10-year anniversary of them winning the Premier League. Yeah. Call off that party. Well, I mean, at least I saw a bit this much and at least they sort of try in the second half. Is that where we are? That's where we are. They tried a little bit in the second half. But you get the sense of Leicester, you're allowed three band managers, but you can't have four in a row.

54:46You do three, fine. Okay, you'll stay in the league.

54:49Pete Donaldson: Four, get out, get out. yeah I mean five years ago they won the FA Cup as well which is crazy in European football blah blah blah

54:57Marcus Speller: Champions League quarter final yeah yeah

54:59Pete Donaldson: a little bit further back but yes and even then when they went down to the championship they then came right back up in impressive fashion under Maresca quite clearly they need Jamie Vardy involved in that football club otherwise it all goes to pop well come in Agent Vardy Nigel Pearson's on the mend I think I think he's back walking again so good get them both in get them all back together

55:18Marcus Speller: lovely

55:18Pete Donaldson: Leicester were deducted six points his son's not invited Nigel Pearson let's be clear about that what happened to that guy? they were moving on swiftly you're travelling I do want to move on they were deducted six points after being charged by the Premier League for a PSR breach in the three years up to 23-24 season of course that's all a manager up here well I mean the club has not been managed well I know the guys on the second tier podcast said that they are they believe that Leicester City are the worst run club in the country and that takes some beating but they will play third tier English football for only the second time in their 142 year history because again one might think oh but Leicester obviously they won the league and in recent years it's been a mad rollercoaster going out winning the Premier League which I still think is the greatest achievement in the history of sport winning the FA Cup was great as well and then they go down and it is their temptation to think ah but obviously this can happen to sides obviously this is a particular extreme as soon as Lineker puts his pants back on he never talks about them anymore does he Well, he doesn't, thank goodness.

56:20Pete Donaldson: Not to us anyway. But only the second time in their 142-year history playing third-tier football. That shows you actually that this is seismic. And Leicester, they are all over the place. And they're going to really struggle because they've struggled financially this season in the Championship, which the Championship, the money you're going to get there is obviously, I think it's like double what you get in League One. The parachute payments will filter through still a little bit. It won't, because they're apparently£35 million worth of parachute payments have already been pretty much paid out.

56:51I think they've only got three million left of that. Because they're borrowing against... Because they're borrowing a lot. Right, right.

56:55Pete Donaldson: So there's not much there. You are going to see a mass exodus in the summer because of pure necessity. Now, there will be plenty of players, Harry Winks being an obvious one, where I'm sure the fans will be very happy to see some of those players go. But this really, really is damning for Leicester City. And it's extraordinary that a side who won the bleeding Premier League not that long ago and still were playing. You know, if you remember when Brendan Rodgers was there, they were so close to getting back into the Champions League and so they have that FA Cup win and even when they went down, they come back up.

57:28Pete Donaldson: It's an absolute shit show there and they are in real trouble and those Leicester fans understandably were thinking, bloody hell, are we going to be hanging around in League One? Could it be even worse than that? Which again, seems unthinkable but that's where they are.

57:44Marcus Speller: Yeah, yeah, it's not the, they're not the first club we've seen in free fall. But this one,

57:49Pete Donaldson: because of that Premier League title, it seems...

57:51Marcus Speller: I think there are similarities between the situation...

57:54Pete Donaldson: Bolton and Reading and Blackburn, you know, all these, even Coventry, they never played Champions League, did they? Well, Blackburn did, to be fair, but it took a while, but yeah. Yeah, yeah.

58:02Marcus Speller: But like, you know, there are similarities to Leeds United in the start of the 2000s in terms of the wages that they were paying out and compared to what was coming in, like I think they're spending over 100 % of their incomings on wages. if that makes sense but I think it's also important not to conflate the way they won the Premier League with the situation that's going on now like that was such, as you said it was one of the great, if not the greatest story in sport the FA Cup was also built on quite sound structure, essentially the rebuild that they were able to do off the back of that league win and the mismanagement has been yeah, totally avoidable I think the tragedy that struck as well with the death of their owner and also, you know, I think we can also mention his son and the decisions that he's made in part because it's not just been about managing a club, it's been about his father's legacy and he's made quite a few glaring errors in his time as well.

59:04Marcus Speller: I also think it's not too dissimilar to what we were saying with Wolves earlier in terms of like big players going and just not being replaced. I didn't realise that all of Yuri Tielemans, Johnny Evans Iose Perez Kelechi Iannaccio and Kyle Garciuncu, they all left on freeze? They got no money for any of them? Like it's wild that that's what happens when you take your eye off the board as Pete mentioned, the number of managers they've gone through, hiring Van Nistel was fucking dumb and they've you know, that's just one of the many errors that they've paid for since

59:41Pete Donaldson: yeah absolutely there are a handful of fixtures in the championship tonight which is interesting Ipswich way to Charlton they are going for for automatic promotion but currently in the automatic spots we know Coventry are going up and they got a thumping one last night Millwall a second yeah you're you're loving a bit of Millwall action aren't you this could happen I just I I still can't picture them in the Premier League Millwall West Ham is going to get fucking policing but in which league Peter that's the amazing thing that fixture could happen in the top table or the child's table Millwall and the Premier League my goodness they've got two games left Ipswich have got two games in hand on them so they will be very much hoping that child beat us tonight but bloody hell keep your eyes on the top of the championship it's always very very interesting there we are everybody thank you very much for listening to the Football Ramble part of the Acast Creator Network friends of the Ramble do not go anywhere you stay right where you are and keep listening for Ramble Uncut.

1:00:41Pete Donaldson: And if you're not a friend of the Ramble, head over to patreon.com forward slash football ramble to sign up now. And of course, get some of those tickets to our World Cup party. Lovely old job. Right. Thank you very much, Vish. Thank you. Thank you very much, Petey. Goodbye. And thank you, the Town of Bournemouth.

1:01:05The Football Ramble is a Stack production and part of the ACAST Creator Network.

1:01:46Immersing yourself in all things soccer ahead of this summer's World Cup? I'm Alex Abnos, senior sports editor from The Guardian. And whether you're a soccer beginner or you know the game inside and out, we've got you covered.

1:01:57Marcus Speller: Read, watch, and listen as our journalists connect the dots between the games, the cultures, and this political moment. We'll have daily newsletters throughout the tournament, reporters on the ground with all the big teams,

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