Mauled with panache

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3:27Marcus Speller: From 30 for 30 podcasts This is The Betrayal of Shohei Ohtani Listen now wherever you get your podcasts

3:40Vithushan Ehantharajah: Hollow in the Rinse and Sound everybody Welcome to the Football Ramble The Premier League is back with a bang. It's Monday, 24th of August. I'm Marcus Speller. I'm David Cartlidge. And I'm Vinicius and I'm Hunter-Rajer.

4:04Vithushan Ehantharajah: Hello, everybody. It's a magnificent Monday here at the Football Ramble. We've had nearly a full round of Premier League fixtures because the West London derby is tonight. more on all of that goodness that we saw on the weekend in a moment but football's back a new season also means brand new football kits just like your favourite football club the Football Ramble launched our brand new home Annaway kits this summer in partnership with Admirable Admirable with Admiral a lot to admire about Admiral wouldn't you agree Vish?

4:36Marcus Speller: I would, I would maybe they need a rebrand soften them a little bit perhaps, perhaps thank you for making our kits by the way

4:43Vithushan Ehantharajah: We do appreciate that. After the initial release sold out, we've now restocked both kits. So you can get your hands on a home or away shirt today and look incredibly sexy and appealing. Just click the link in the show notes and grab your shirt now. My goodness, fame, stardom, and sex appeal are yours. The kits are nice, Vich. They are very nice. So stop scoffing.

5:07Marcus Speller: No, no, I have both of them and I love both of them. You dirty little scoffer. I was going to posit maybe a third. Yeah? What happens when we break Europe? Yes, exactly. I've said that.

5:17Vithushan Ehantharajah: We also need a pre-match kit.

5:19Marcus Speller: Yeah.

5:19Vithushan Ehantharajah: Half-time kit.

5:20Marcus Speller: Yeah. I would like a London Underground tribute kit as well.

5:25Vithushan Ehantharajah: There's loads of stuff we can do. There's an enormous amount of stuff we can do. We need some American investors for us to truly realise our... Nah, let's go right to the source.

5:34Marcus Speller: Saudi, can you hear us?

5:36Vithushan Ehantharajah: They're talking to Ollie Watkins. Yeah. We're going to get in the queue. Silence. Silence is golden. Silence, as you and I said. Indeed. indeed right then what a weekend of Premier League action David eh it's back class unbelievable really good opening weekend honestly it's a great opening weekend and who better

5:52Marcus Speller: to have on it than a Sunderland and a Manchester United fan yes it's nice that we're together they usually keep me and Vish apart so you know yes well it's because

5:59Vithushan Ehantharajah: Vish found out all the stuff you said about him yeah exactly

6:02Marcus Speller: he fucking mailed a letter to me about it yeah oh he means it and then I got put in handcuffs as well yeah you did yeah what is it with people in the North East getting put in handcuffs on the weekend no idea I can't put my finger on it.

6:15Vithushan Ehantharajah: David did tell us that he was once put in handcuffs before the show started.

6:19Marcus Speller: I reckon check with him before mentioning that.

6:21Vithushan Ehantharajah: Let's move on. It was a good weekend. Let's move on. One for uncut. It didn't happen on the weekend. It happened on a weekend many moons ago. On this weekend, just gone, Hull City beat Manchester United 2-0. Welcome back to the Premier League, Manchester United.

6:36Marcus Speller: I was having a lovely summer. I thought the worst thing that could happen to me was this inexplicable farmer's tan I have. And then, you know, on the weekend, summer finished, didn't it? Yes. It was a bit colder and Man United started playing football again.

6:50Vithushan Ehantharajah: But things were heating up at the KC Stadium, the new camp of the north, where Hull City were quite simply magnificent, recorded a win in their first Premier League game since a 7-1 home defeat against Spurs in May 2017. I mean, even Spurs beat them 7-1. Yeah? You know, a while ago, but still.

7:08Marcus Speller: Yeah, yeah. The thing to say straight out the gate was it was a great start to the Premier League weekend. You know, disregarding Arsenal because if you're going to do it on a Friday, you're not part of the weekend. But it was a great game and Hull were great for it. I think it was interesting that having got promoted through the playoffs and then, you know, I think maybe too much has been made of people predicting them to get relegated because someone has to go down. And I don't think it's outrageous to think the three, you know, the three promoters will be in pole position to go down.

7:47Vithushan Ehantharajah: I think that they have been disrespected quite a bit. I mean, I know it is, who was it? Joe Cole they were particularly annoyed with. When, which is hard to be annoyed with Joe Cole, but I think didn't he say something like that he was either going to go down. And then he said, oh, if he was, if he was sent to this game, he turned his phone off, what was the point, or something like that.

8:08Marcus Speller: That's a bit much.

8:09Vithushan Ehantharajah: But I think he said it joking around on a podcast or something like that. But either way... Cannot joke on a podcast. No, no, no, exactly. You won't find that from us. But there were other people who were sort of... I think they were so quick to be dismissed. It was, well, they're obviously going down. They're the whipping boys, and so on and so forth.

8:27Marcus Speller: And I suppose it's in people's interest to do that if they're like, well, don't I have to learn about another new team, do I?

8:33Vithushan Ehantharajah: I mean, I can't stress enough, it's early days, okay? And big Sergei Yakorovic did say that as well. He said there are 37 games to go. But this was a statement of intent from Hull City, David. It was a great performance. And all that chat about everyone tipping them to be relegated, ourselves included, that obviously served as some motivation for them because they were straight out the traps and they smelt blood. They were outstanding. they were outstanding look newly promoted side first game at home against Manning United who aren't Manning United anymore have a go just basically what we were saying on the preview show we said these clubs have got to have a go they did that got in United's faces didn't let them wear any second balls aerial duels ground duels they were into Manning United and just said we're going to rattle you straight from the outset and it was interesting as well Jekirovic actually went for that back five and he threw Middlesbrough off in the playoffs and Millwall by doing that as well.

9:32And interesting, I was reading, I think it was Bruno Fernandes after the game, he was saying basically they trained the entire time with them thinking of him playing a four. And I'm like, and Carrick got the job, did he? Yeah.

9:44Marcus Speller: It's a really good thing. Did he plan for that? I was watching that game and thinking that Hull were so much quicker to the ball and on the ball than Manchester United. And to me, I was amazed how undercooked Manchester United were, not least given the continuity from last season and the noises at preseason, which I appreciate you take with a pinch of salt, but still. And I thought when Bruno said that, I was like, so they're trying to prepare. They're just revising for the wrong exam. Exactly.

10:15Vithushan Ehantharajah: Yeah.

10:16Marcus Speller: And also I thought it was quite interesting. I love it. I love it.

10:18Vithushan Ehantharajah: If not one team in the Premier League played in the back four.

10:22Marcus Speller: Is that all we've got to do? We were looking at, you know, some video of Leeds United the other week. Viduka didn't play this game. No, he did not. Mental. What are they doing? They're using our own tactics against us. We were studying some footage the other day. None of them were in long johns. No. We thought one of their lads in the back was going to pick the ball up and run all the way to the other end. He didn't do that.

10:44Vithushan Ehantharajah: Look, I appreciate this sort of thing happens. Football managers try to outfox other managers with surprising and so on. But this did feel, with some of the quotes, it did feel a little bit like back in the early 50s when that great Hungarian side played England. and the numbers on the back of the Hungarian shirts didn't correspond to where the England players thought they should be playing. But they've got like a number seven playing in an inside wing forward. Normally they play on the other side. I don't understand what's going on here. I mean, there was chat that they copied or at least took some inspiration from at Ruben Amarim's team, which is absolutely brilliant, by the way.

11:19Vithushan Ehantharajah: Dean Holden on Match of the Day, who was excellent, more of him, please, on TV, he said, oh, no, no, no, we'd already planned to do this, which is, as you say, David, in the playoffs, they did that. But he did say they watched clips of that. And I think the manager was saying, look, this is how you get at them. This is what we want to try and do. Down the sides. Using Amarim's old tactics against Man United. It's bad enough. That's glorious. It is absolutely glorious. It's bad enough, right? You've got Hull fans doing the whole mauled by the Tigers thing at you. Do they know how crap that is? I think that adds to it.

11:52Vithushan Ehantharajah: They obviously do it piss-taking. Of course they do. But honestly, when you've been beaten by them and they start doing that. Yeah, fair play. Head's gone. Head's fallen off. Yeah, yeah, indeed. I mean, it's the... What is the back three, back five, whatever you want to call it? What is it about that formation? It seems to stir up so much controversy. If you do it and it doesn't work, it seems like you've played without a goalkeeper or something ridiculous like that. And when you deploy it, it's like, oh, yes, well, we actually put an extra man on the field and nobody noticed. It's so odd.

12:26Marcus Speller: But I think that's a stylistic thing in terms of how much enjoyment you can get from the game when someone is playing a back five. Because if you play a back five and it's quite conservative, all the width goes out of one team. But Hull didn't do that. No, Giles and Coyle were positioned really high up. And Jukovic actually said they did it because we thought Luke Shaw would play quite high up and we wanted to reduce that, basically. And they did that absolutely perfectly. And the narrative that United's now switched, it's gone from we need midfielders to now we need fullbacks.

12:59Vithushan Ehantharajah: Well, it's a funny one. But I mean, you know, the panache that they played with in that first half, or passion as one reporter. Was it Scandinavian reporter?

13:11Marcus Speller: I think it was... Was it Fjatov? Fjatov, yeah.

13:15Vithushan Ehantharajah: He interviewed Michael Carrick after the game. He loves doing...

13:19Marcus Speller: I mean, he's a bit of a shithouse, Fjatov. No, yeah. He is. No, he is. But I think he sometimes uses his, like, he almost plays up, almost in a Louis Theroux way. They're like, well, you know, English isn't my first language. As soon as Carrick snapped at him, he explained it perfectly. Yeah. It was like, no, but some people would say that Hull played with a passion.

13:38Vithushan Ehantharajah: Well, I think a fine old boy. Yeah. But actually, yeah. Carrick wasn't happy. Yeah, he was being interviewed and Yang Argo Fjortov, former player and obviously current broadcaster in Norway, said, you know, did Hull play with more passion. I think passion was the word that got...

13:54Marcus Speller: He suggested that Manchester United played without passion. Yes. And then he clarified saying Hull played with more passion.

14:01Vithushan Ehantharajah: Yeah, I mean they definitely played with... Intensity, I think, was another word he used, which was more accurate, because they did play with more intensity. I think that Hull were revved up and ready to go. Yeah.

14:09Marcus Speller: I think you got it spot on with panache. Well, there you go. Genuinely, they were so good for it. But also, if you can get Olly McBurney playing like the best version of Jal Felix... Oh my goodness. He's like, what are you gonna do? Little line breaking passes. I was like, is that Arlie McBurney? I've never seen him play like that. I feel like we've seen a lot of him in English football, particularly in the Premier League, previously. I've not seen him play like that. He might still have a chip on his shoulder from his work experience at Money Night as a kid. He could be.

14:37Vithushan Ehantharajah: Do you think he's slightly better than me? Because you think of McBurney as the target man or a nuisance value and all that kind of stuff. But Big Sur guy's like, no, I've got another job for you.

14:44Marcus Speller: But I think he did all that stuff as well. Yeah. He's obviously a very unpretentious player. He doesn't mind doing the dirty work. And I think probably his goal numbers suggest that, that he knows his job is away from right in front of goal. But, you know, the other point to a five, the other part of playing five at the back is you need help in midfield. And they got that in spades from Crooks and Slater, or rather, you know, people in midfield. But he did his bit as well when he jumped back. Because otherwise you end up in a situation where they weren't necessarily defending too deep. But if you've got five defenders back there, than there's only so many people who can affect a counter-attack.

15:19Marcus Speller: So he's got to drop deep, and that little run where he gets it with his back to goal, like halfway inside his own half, takes it out the byline, spins back, runs all the way through, and ends up setting something out down the left. Yeah, that was genuinely lovely to watch.

15:34Vithushan Ehantharajah: Do you think it helps, though? You've got John Egan at the back there, who, of course, played for Sheffield United, and much was made of...

15:40Marcus Speller: I feel like half this lot played for Sheffield United.

15:43Vithushan Ehantharajah: but much was made of how Chris Wilder would set up his defence as well and Egan was a part of that so in a game like this again if you want to play that back five you want to play it a different way so that kind of helps matters I suppose yeah massively so I mean we've just been talking about passion, panache wherever we want to be I honestly don't think that was a case of Manning out not having it I just think Hull was set up so so well knew their roles knew their jobs so well and then obviously all the exterior things of the energy what they had the aggression that they had was all there as well that's why they won the game They wanted it more.

16:12Vithushan Ehantharajah: It's definitely a message, though, isn't it? The Hull have sent everybody, saying, oh, if you're going to be knocked around a bit, then you've got another thing coming. It is early days, I stress. I mean, Sergei Yekhorovic said, with regard to people tipping Hull to go straight back down, he said, it's easy to say we will be 20th if you're so convinced you can bet on it, earn a lot of money or lose. Every prediction is against us. Even for me, it's normal. I don't like to see this disrespect of worth against us.

16:37Marcus Speller: I mean, I suppose technically you wouldn't, unless you lumped a load of money on it, you wouldn't get a load of money back because the odds were quite short to be relegated. That's what he's saying.

16:47Vithushan Ehantharajah: Yeah. Yeah, well, money where your mouth is. Manchester United, though, they're not going to be helped when Harry Maguire is marking his own players at corners, though.

16:57Marcus Speller: No.

16:58Vithushan Ehantharajah: Yeah, if you haven't seen this, it was the opening goal, I think. It was the opening goal, yeah. It was a bit of a scrap in the box. Maguire seemed to think, he seemed to be sort of rooted to where he was stood. I thought, well, you know what I'll do is I won't be completely inactive. I'll hold back one oh it's one of my own players

17:13Marcus Speller: he was holding both of them at one point and Masraoui was marking Simi Ajayi and then when the ball broke after the McBurnie shot and save from Lammons they let go of Ajayi Brian Mbouma Brian Mbouma so he kept hold of at the start he had hold of Ajayi and Mbouma and when the ball broke he let go of Ajayi and kept hold of Mbumo.

17:41Vithushan Ehantharajah: Yeah. If I can't get it, neither does he get it.

17:44Marcus Speller: It don't make me look bad.

17:45Vithushan Ehantharajah: Yeah, if I'm going to get the blame for this.

17:46Marcus Speller: It felt like Mbumo thought he was in a dream because he's like, oh, I can't really get to him. Yeah, because your own man's holding you.

17:54Vithushan Ehantharajah: I've never seen so much ball watching before in my life. I think Maguire was trying to guide him. Like, you be here. This is your position here. Well, I'm Patrick Swayze in Ghost. Yeah, exactly that.

18:04Marcus Speller: Yeah, yeah.

18:07Vithushan Ehantharajah: I thought you were going to say the dirty dancing but either work I suppose yeah

18:11Marcus Speller: is that when he lifted him over his head ultimately guiding someone yeah that might have been more productive in that situation I think Maguire's done this a couple of times before I think he pushed over Luke Shaw once maybe towards the ball no away from the ball he thought he was a striker

18:28Vithushan Ehantharajah: that would be a handy thing to do actually and it's something that I've not seen in any league Little in the Premier League where defenders actually you should push your own men towards the ball because it can't be a foul Are you worried a bit, Vish, in terms of have Hull given people a blueprint about United and how to play behind them and behind the fullbacks? This lot sniffer back through whether they're playing it or not. They just come out in hives, they can't deal with it, and it all goes all to pot.

18:57Marcus Speller: Am I worried that they see this as a blueprint?

19:00Vithushan Ehantharajah: Admit you're scared for the listeners. Come on. It's what they want to hear on the first time you're back on the program.

19:07Marcus Speller: I am scared. You're shitting it, aren't you? Also, I like the idea that, you know, it would be this game, but not any of the evidence over the last three, four years. Five years, 15 years. Don't worry, we're going to get to Spurs in a bit. I think it's the fact that they had a summer to address very clear issues that everyone knew about.

19:24Vithushan Ehantharajah: But I mean, look at the two boys in midfield, Tielemans and Santos. I know it's early days. Very, very, very aware of that. That's fine. You can say, well, they're going to adapt, they're going to... Yeah, fine. But we're talking about this game. and it was bad.

19:37Marcus Speller: But you look at the, for example, Tielemans is a good example to use. If you look at how, say, Aston Villa at their best would have fought in a game like that, never feels like Tielemans is rushed in the way that he was. He plays a little bit further forward. He's got fucking hard workers around him as well. It's not going to get that here, which is why, obviously, the only thing that Manchester United can be grateful for coming out this weekend is, according to reports, they'd already agreed the price for Belaber. Because if they hadn't, Brighton could be like, weird, just add another 10 million on that now.

20:14Marcus Speller: If you want him that badly, if you need him that badly.

20:17Vithushan Ehantharajah: Yeah, yeah, indeed. Marcus Rashford came on at half time. We're talking about Manchester United. We must mention Marcus Rashford did not have an effect on the game because no Manchester United players. He looked lovely in the kit. It was nice to see him back, was it?

20:31Marcus Speller: Yeah, yeah. I mean, I think so.

20:33Vithushan Ehantharajah: I did really think he was going to score. I thought to myself, oh, here we go. And Hull City thought, no, today's our day. Today is very much our day. There was a massive cheer from Hull when they scored both the goals, obviously. There was also a similar cheer from the crowd when it was announced that trains back to Manchester had been cancelled. Premier League's back, big boy.

20:53Marcus Speller: It is, yeah. What's Burnham doing? Come on, mate.

20:59Vithushan Ehantharajah: He's not mayor of Manchester anymore.

21:02Marcus Speller: He's now mayor of Hull. Hum is my new best friend now. Andy Gray and Richard Keezer is your best friend. He was pictured with Andy Gray at the weekend. The little forward walker. Oh, well, um... Burnham and Gray, yeah.

21:15Vithushan Ehantharajah: Burnham and Gray unleashed. Yeah, oh. My goodness.

21:18Marcus Speller: Imagine if he brings him into the cabinet.

21:21Vithushan Ehantharajah: I can't imagine that.

21:22Marcus Speller: Minister of Dark Forces. Yeah!

21:25Vithushan Ehantharajah: Well, well, well, if Minister of Dark Forces, obviously, Keezer would be Minister of Banter.

21:28Marcus Speller: Yeah.

21:29Vithushan Ehantharajah: Which is a role I think I should be up for, if that ever is created, which it should. So yeah, it's a brilliant start for Hull, it's a terrible start for Manchester United.

21:38Marcus Speller: Objectively, did you think, were you surprised at how bad or how lacking Manchester United were in various departments?

21:46Vithushan Ehantharajah: Do you know what? It's easy to say this afterwards. No, I was pleasantly surprised how good Hull were. And I understand Michael Carrick's points that Hull score a couple of goals. Yes. All right. So when I say I understand his points, I get that maybe on another day, Manchester United, a few more openings. They're a bit more cutting edge in the final third. And I don't get the point that, well, Hull scored from two set pieces as if that shouldn't count as much, because famously set pieces are a part of the game. But I get the... I understand his point of, look, let's not panic. But as David said with regard to this Manchester United side, it wouldn't shock me if they win their next game 3-0.

22:27Vithushan Ehantharajah: There's such a Jekyll and Hyde side. I think they'll be totally fine. Yeah, look, they finish third. They've got a lot of football to come, European football and so on and so forth. I think anybody suggesting Manchester United were in with a title challenge, which is very, very few people. Our own Pete Donaldson is one of them. I just do not see that at all. No, I don't see that at all. If they finish, there's a lot of teams you can apply this to, by the way, but if they finish with Champions League football for next season, then I think that's a decent season. That's what matters to them. From a financial angle, that's what they'll always look at.

23:01Vithushan Ehantharajah: Because it will mean they finish in the top five or they've won the Champions League. And you'd have to say, that would be a good season. Certainly at this point, Vish, I don't think anybody could deny, but hey, Hull City, could they finish in the Champions League next season? You know what? They're currently on for it. Also, another newly promoted side started with a victory. It was Ipswich Town. Gary O 'Neill, in the hot seat, took over from Kieran McKenna of course over the summer, the much loved Kieran McKenna. Big job for Gag, he's got a win Vish straight away.

23:32Marcus Speller: Yeah, yeah. They look more equipped for the Premier League, they've obviously signed really well, they've signed quite a few players, I think maybe four of them have previous Premier League experience as well.

23:42Vithushan Ehantharajah: Julio Nciso, on the base of that is the best player in the league. Turned into prime Pablo Aymar. He was spinning off the top, we could not handle him at all. It was incredible. It was so good. Yes, of course. It's which beat Sunderland 2-1. Yeah, David Sunderland. Indeed.

23:59Marcus Speller: I made a mind who is an Ipsos fan about the game said, and maybe you agree with this, David, that they definitely benefited from Sunderland's sloppiness. Definitely. Yeah, Broby missed a lot of chances that he didn't miss last year, basically. So I think they're trying to get up to speed in that sense. And yeah, I'm just so glad football is back, that your former fan favourite, Jack Clark, comes back and finishes you off. I was just so glad to have football back. It really is nice. But to be fair to him, he did celebrate. If he'd done the whole muted celebration, I'd have been like, oh, come on.

24:30Vithushan Ehantharajah: It was put to him after the game, you know, does it get any better than against your old club? And he didn't take them up on that little bit. He sort of said, oh, you know, it's a great victory or whatever. I can't remember how he left Sunderland. It was amicable, wasn't it? It was good circumstances. We got good money for him and we needed that to reinvest. So there was nothing bad there. Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

24:49Marcus Speller: It was like 30 odd million wasn't it? Yeah, it was good money at the time.

24:53Vithushan Ehantharajah: Lovely goal he scored and he came on for NC so of course. So yeah, but I mean it was superb. That run when he made the goal. But honestly the way he was jinking and dancing around, I thought yeah why? Because he left Brighton, I mean he went on loan to Ipswich when he was at Brighton and then he went to Strasbourg where he would have worked with Gary O 'Neill, would he not? Because obviously O 'Neill was there.

25:12Marcus Speller: Gaggers.

25:12Vithushan Ehantharajah: Yeah, old gaggers and gaggers said that they were gagging to get him to sign and he's there. So again, a great start for Ipswich because the vast majority of people I think have got them to go down. They have spent a lot of money. And, you know, when you... Because, you know, we saw what happened last time. Much was made of that where they had a lot of their championship players in there, and even some League One players, because they went up quickly under McKenna. They have, say, thrown money. They've spent a lot of money. Obviously in Premier League terms, it's not a huge amount. But I suppose for newly promoted sides, it's a lot.

25:44Marcus Speller: Was it 150 million? 149 million? I think they've got 10 players for that as well Yeah

25:51Vithushan Ehantharajah: They're doing it But that is a great start for them And yeah Lovely goal from Jack Clark as well So gags up and running Ipswich are My goodness

26:02Marcus Speller: They've got Manchester United away Next weekend Lovely

26:05Vithushan Ehantharajah: Lovely old job Another 9-0 But to who too?

26:12Marcus Speller: That would be great I'm never coming in again If it was

26:15Vithushan Ehantharajah: If Ipswich beat Manchester United 9-0 in Old Trafford, will you stop supporting Manchester United and finally start supporting QPR or Brentford? Or Fulham? No. 9-0. Why not? It's a war Arsenal then. Why?

26:33Marcus Speller: Because they're good aren't they?

26:34Vithushan Ehantharajah: You're a West London man.

26:35Marcus Speller: It doesn't matter.

26:36Vithushan Ehantharajah: It does matter.

26:37Marcus Speller: Remind them I'm a West London fan. I'm a Manchester United fan. They already don't like me. Don't do that.

26:42Vithushan Ehantharajah: If Ipswich win 9-0, you're saying, no, no, I'll still support Man United. Are you Paxman now? Will you resign? You're not answering the question, Vish. I want you to be vaguer than that. I want you to be the opposite of what politicians normally are. I've already answered this one. I've talked about 9-0s before.

27:01Marcus Speller: I don't think the Mersey-Nighted fan base needs another gimmick predicated on United losses. They've already got the lad who won't cut his own hair.

27:08Vithushan Ehantharajah: All right, coming up after this, Brentford battered Spurs.

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30:11Marcus Speller: What a match day this was. It's been a pretty huge football with a smug of goals scored by the likes of Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Sporting, Lisbon and Manchester City.

30:23Vithushan Ehantharajah: Well, back to the football ramble, everybody. That was Pete Donaldson doing an impression of Jamie Carragher doing an American accent. Do you know when Jamie Carragher was on the show, a lot of people thought for the first couple of minutes that was Pete doing a Jamie Carragher impression. Really? Apparently, that's a lot of people. Maybe it was about three people. And didn't question it. Did not question it.

30:41Marcus Speller: Well, carry on listening because this is what Pete does.

30:44Vithushan Ehantharajah: That's what we expect from the Ram on there. To pretend to be a former England international. Also played for Liverpool as well. Alright, Brentford 3, Spurs 0. More of the same from Brentford, more of the same from Spurs, David. or this I mean with Manchester United they have got Champions League to look forward to we know that they're going to be better are you convinced that Spurs are going to be better because you know it's this I honestly couldn't believe what I was seeing here like just nothing wow you were quite positive about them last week when we were doing the preview show you were quite you were having a go at me for being quite down on Spurs yeah week's a long time though isn't it this is like A lot...

31:30Vithushan Ehantharajah: Brought receipts. Eh? Brought receipts? I've got another receipt in this section as well, so I'll leave you finished off. Well, fine. Okay, so all the egg is on my face as well as Tottenham Hotspurs. Because... Okay, fine. Did you think there was anything positive Spurs could take from the game? No. Right. There we are. Generally, there wasn't. They didn't have far to travel. Didn't have far to travel. Yeah. I mean, this was piss poor. It was more of the same. But that's what I mean. With Manchester United, again, similar sort of... No, in fact, Spurs were a lot worse than Manchester United. With Carrick and Co., you would think, okay, they've been caught cold, they'll improve, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

32:09Vithushan Ehantharajah: With Spurs, you're thinking, I mean, this is a side who has spent roughly£235 million this summer. They're close to signing Omar, Mamouche and Savinho for lots of money as well. They are lobbing money at this problem. De Zerbe's in and on the basis of this and it is only one game it is early days etc etc and all that old fanny this is this is worrying for Spurs is it not? Yeah and I mean look did you see De Zerbe's comments after they played Hoffenheim as well and he literally just admitted and he said we're not going to be ready no he did he was explicit about it and he said look we're not going to be ready it's going to take us a while before we get up and running so he's How long?

32:50Another season? We don't know I don't know Have Man City got any more players That are not making the scores Is there anything other They can buy I don't know Look They'll improve from last year Of course Because last year was diabolical They absolutely will But the idea That now I've seen people Putting them in Champions League positions Come on Get a grip

33:08Vithushan Ehantharajah: Yeah I put them quite high In the league table I hate doing the old Predicted league table It's awful I just I'm a bit like They've got They've got players To come back in Yeah I put Hallett 21st Get really good odds on that You're going to get more at the end of the season Look, they've got players to come back in They've got players who'll get fitness up and running But look at that team Connor Gallagher in the 10 position Come on This is something else we disagree on Connor Gallagher You think he's great

33:44Marcus Speller: Do not have a go at an England boy in this room You were trying to get him on the plane

33:50Vithushan Ehantharajah: I was trying to get myself on the plane. Yeah, that's true. No, with Gallagher, he can play a number of positions in midfield. But how many of them really well? I think he's a jack of all trades, but not a master of any. Right. Right. So I think that with Gallagher, he's thinking, right, we need a bit of bite in midfield. So I get why he would put him in there. But I think the midfield was the problem for Spurs last season, among other things. But it was quite stark how poor and soft they were, which is probably one of the reasons why they signed Gallagher, because, you know, again, you think of Gallagher, you think of his industry, you think of his engine, you think of that bite he gives you.

34:25Vithushan Ehantharajah: And this is the problem for Spurs. Tonali the same. You know, Tonali, I think, is a better player. But you sign these players to give you a bit more craft and a bit more, like with Fernandes, and a bit more, you know, all that kind of good stuff. And when you see that they're just succumbing to being Spurs, that's the worry. Yeah. It doesn't matter who's in the shirt. they just melt away who they are and they just, as I say, succumb to being this soft player who is overrun completely by a Brentford side who looked all the opposite to Tottenham. They were brilliant. They were magnificent. They're really, really good.

35:02Vithushan Ehantharajah: And look at their new man who came in. Oh, Sangare. I mean, how good was he? Yeah, he... I'll tell you why. Because he turns up and he goes, right, what's going on here? And Keith Andrew goes, well, allow me to explain. This is how we play. This is what we're going to do. that's what we want of you do you think you can do that well absolutely good because that's why we signed you we're all agreement there this is what we're going to do we're going to train we're going to be ready for match day and when we're going to when we're going to do it we're going to let the opposition have it and they do absolutely it is the stark opposite to Tottenham Hotspur yeah and look a lot when we talk about De Zerbi everybody always says about the pressing he likes to press he likes to do this Brentford's pressing was far far far far more organised planned Jensen and Thiago were really really good just basically couldn't pass an angle out putting pressure on Van Hecker.

35:47Vithushan Ehantharajah: They're an absolute machine. Yeah. And I'm going to go back to Sangari as well because, again, I said in the preview show, look, I love this guy. I think he's going to be brilliant. He's going to be one of the signs of the season. Tell you what's really nice. Get that receipt as well. Yeah, yeah. Bringing them all out here. Don't worry, I'll get loads of them the rest of the season. I'm just enjoying this moment at the moment. Look, and I tell you what's really nice. We talk about, you've just been talking about Gallagher there about positions he plays and what have you. We get so locked in to what certain position a player can play.

36:13Sangara is so good, he's comfortable everywhere. He was operating, I think, six, eight, he was moving up in advanced areas as well. Comfortable in every position. Receiving the ball, giving the ball, out of possession, in possession. He was fantastic and it was just nice to see a player who's that good that he's comfortable everywhere rather than this, he needs to play the eight, you know. You won't see the better if he doesn't play the eight position. No, if you're bloody good, you'll play well anyway.

36:38Marcus Speller: Yeah, spot on. I think the, like, Like Mark Gay. Yeah, in a way. The comparison with Gallagher, probably unfair on Gallagher, given we're speaking after the event and he had a poor game. Yeah, to highlight just one player as well. Sure, but I suppose it speaks to a bit of rigidness with De Zerbe. He's like, if you want to play a number 10 and you don't have a number 10, maybe don't play a number 10. If Madison's not up to fitness, like Matias Fernandes had to start on the bench because he picked up a knock in pre-season, try and do something different then. Especially, there can't be many worse places to start your season than away to Brentford, given the level of continuity they have.

37:20Marcus Speller: And play a back three, they wouldn't be expecting it, crying out loud. That's a good point. But tell a wing back, yeah? Because they and Brighton are very similar in that way of, they're almost the great, like, you know, people talk about algorithm robustness, and you can create an algorithm, but then you put it to a test, and the test finds the flaws. Brentford and Bryson are a bit like that. If you have a fault in your system, they will find it. Yeah. They're meticulous about that. They're meticulous about finding your flaws.

37:53Vithushan Ehantharajah: I mean, when he says they're not ready, you know, three of the back four are new signings. You know, Van Hecker, Sonesi, and Robertson for Spurs. Tonali in front is obviously a new signing as well. Mikey Moore's back from his loan spell

38:07Marcus Speller: Should have done better with those two chances I thought

38:09Vithushan Ehantharajah: Yeah But I mean Brentford probably won about 5 or 6-0 Yeah I'm just saying though

38:18Marcus Speller: The opportunities he got in the second half I just thought I'd add to that very quickly

38:23Vithushan Ehantharajah: And say Brentford also could have had more goals And perhaps should have done That would be the only criticism That you could have of Brentford here but Spurs have now lost 40 league games since the start of the 24-25 season only Wolves have suffered more Premier League defeats in that time period it's the same chat the season's a day old it's the same chat the same issues are there under De Zerbe I think that's eight games in charge now for him he's conceded ten and they've only had two clean sheets in that period I know they survived and what have you but look because again I'm willing to say it's early days for everybody we're going to talk about Aston Villa in a second I'm willing to say it's early days for them with Spurs I mean I suppose by you know in the interest of fair practice you have to say it's early days but my goodness it is the softest of the earliest of days with them because this is I mean you can't panic after one game of the season but I tell you there'll be a lot of Spurs fans right now who are going oh crap here we go again surely not and with the again early days with two of the newly promoted sides putting in performances like that and Coventry City more to come from them you would think despite their loss at Arsenal.

39:40Vithushan Ehantharajah: Bloody hell. Will they clinch 17th place this season, Fisher?

39:43Marcus Speller: I mean, I think when their ball players come back they'll be... I was going to take a little bit. No, I know, yeah. But when their ball players come back they'll be much better. Much better? Well, yeah, because they were appalling. They couldn't carry the ball forward.

39:56Vithushan Ehantharajah: But again, I kind of agree with you and I want to kind of go yeah, they will be much better. surely yeah they'll be much better than that but it's like surely they'll be better the bar was so low previously that's why you think they will be better and they will be better I'm not too sure I can't remember from the top of my head where I predicted them before but 11th, 12th something like that maybe you know what I went way too much fair enough and there's a couple of players and I mean Bergvall's been linked with a move away all summer and he's starting the first game and then more of a concern is probably you give Kinski a brand new deal you say he's our number one we're backing him Vacario is off and then again he looks he looks at his old tricks there, I think, as well.

40:30Yeah, yeah.

40:32Vithushan Ehantharajah: Bloody Nora. But I'll tell you what, great stuff from Brentford, though. They were chanting at Spurs, you're going down with the Fulham. Ooh, that's nasty, isn't it? Well, we expect that from a spiteful bunch like them. But it would be, I think it would be a surprise if Spurs and Fulham went down, but it would mean that only the commentary and Ipswich had survived then. Only joking, Hal. You got my backing. and that's all you need but yeah so Spurs absolutely battered brilliant for Brentford but it wasn't the biggest victory of the weekend that goes to Brighton well unless Fulham batter Chelsea tonight but Brighton 4 Aston Villa 0 Villa dominated I'd say the first 7 minutes who put that in the running order

41:18Marcus Speller: that's mean

41:19Vithushan Ehantharajah: they should have I mean was it Buendia missed a good chance Buendia yeah but then the rest of the game then happened not even the rest of the game the rest of the half the rest of the half happened Villa dominated the first seven minutes Brighton were four up after 31 minutes Those two things are true A mad Mad game this And Villa who have sold Everybody other than Emi Martinez who didn't play In the game People were wondering how they were going to do They looked good in the Super Cup final against PSG Sadly Brian Maggio got injured He's not a bet, we're really looking forward to seeing him Unai Emery has been talking them up but what do you think of this David?

41:58Vithushan Ehantharajah: Is this just a complete blip? Brighton's press was ferocious there were obvious mistakes Joao Gomez had an absolute mare or do you think are you worried about Villa and their lack of signings and a lot of players leaving? It's just been a really unsettled period for them and it's in no way of relenting because now we've got the Oli Watkins issue and injuries there's a lot of excitement about Stryker as well Maggio there's been a lot of excitement about him and he goes and gets injured. So it's been really unsettling. I think this is just absolute freak result. Like it's the nature of it. I can't see Villa's season being this.

42:36Vithushan Ehantharajah: That would tend to be my thought as well. They'll get better. I think they'll get a bit. Because the mistakes were so sloppy. I mean, Xiao Gomez was, I've seen some really bad debuts in my entire time. Worst than Woodgate? Woodgate of Real Madrid is the gold standard. Of course it is. It is when you talk about bad debuts. Yeah, yeah. I think it's up there. And I felt sorry for him. But he's not going to play that bad again. Oh, surely not. No. And I mean, then Pau Torres, who's been fantastic, just knocking a nonchalant pass across his own penalty area. These things just... And then Lov go, no, it's not gone in, I'll give you a help with that.

43:08Marcus Speller: Yeah, it was... No, but for that... It was calamitous, wasn't it? Yeah, for that to be the first goal you can see, they must have thought, oh no. Yeah. It's not now. They'll find a bit of stability. They've got Goretzka coming in as well. Yeah. You know, they've got Goretzka coming in. You know, they'll get settled, I think. They'll calm down. and I think they need to know where they're going to stand with walk-ins as well and what they can do with any money that they have brought in because they've brought in a lot of money so yeah there's more to come from Villa

43:32Vithushan Ehantharajah: but it's funny though isn't it how we're saying it'll calm down it'll settle all the rest of it we're saying about Manchester United Spurs and Aston Villa I'm not saying that about a whole lot of Ipswich you know like it's been it's been a crazy weekend it's been a great opening weekend but João Gomez yeah I mean like everyone saw what an absolute nightmare he had and to the point of I felt sorry for him even when he kicked out you can see what happened and the frustration is there. Everybody is, you know, the eyes are on him for the mistakes he's made. He then gets bundled over and he kicks out.

44:00Vithushan Ehantharajah: What I thought was good was McGinn walks him off the field to say, look, come on, and then Emery sort of grabbed him. Presumably wasn't having a go at him. You absolute dickhead. Don't ever do it. I would imagine he was a bit more compassionate and encouraging than that because I genuinely felt for Joel Gomez. I know some of the Villa away fans might have not felt for him in that way, and I get that, but yeah, an absolute disaster. but I mean yeah that first half Brighton could not believe their luck the relentless press Villa that's where you kind of go one of you just hoofing just get it out of there like they are this is an army swarming you know to get up the hill kind of thing this is just this is mad I mean Hinshelwood could not believe his luck

44:43Marcus Speller: he celebrated more for the second goal than he did for the first goal which was a minute previously dog with two dicks

44:49Vithushan Ehantharajah: was Hinshelwood when he could see the ball drop into him and so on and so forth.

44:56Marcus Speller: I'm always a little bit wary when we criticise teams for playing out the back because naturally we just focus on the times it goes catastrophically badly, like that fourth goal.

45:05Vithushan Ehantharajah: I'm saying in that moment, you've got to do something different.

45:07Marcus Speller: This is what I was about to say. Because you can think it's your best route of getting back into the game for 3-0 down. It's also the quickest route to go 4-0 down.

45:18Vithushan Ehantharajah: Yeah, as it proved to be. Yeah, I think after 3-0, just for the next five minutes, hit the channels or something. Do you know what I mean? Nothing silly lads keep a count. Exactly, yeah, yeah, yeah. Maybe that makes me sound a bit old-fashioned or whatnot, I don't know. You mentioned Oli Watkins, though, was not there. Unai Emery was asked about this and he said this. Supporters will see there's no Oli Watkins in the squad. What can you tell them about that? Is that the end of his time here?

45:46Vithushan Ehantharajah: Silence. Also said you have to ask Ollie Watkins. I mean, I've not seen a manager be very, I suppose, un-politician-like in such an answer before about a player like that. Because David, he's basically saying Watkins has been a little shit. Yeah, it's frosty. Yeah. Honestly, I think... He's basically saying, oh yeah, Watkins didn't fancy it today. It's what I interpret. No, no, he's...

46:12Marcus Speller: I mean, it's... Do you not think? No, no, he's saying something that managers said previously. You'll have to ask him.

46:19Vithushan Ehantharajah: But when he was asked why was he not in the squad and all that kind of stuff?

46:22Marcus Speller: Yeah, but like, we know why, don't we? It's very common for players... But he could have been in the squad. He could have still been there. Nah, it's a bit different, isn't it? Especially given the summer they've had and... It's been very apparent from everything in the media that he has told people that he wants to go. Yeah. And he wants to go to Saudi Arabia. If he doesn't get that move, then it's on Watkins. I definitely envisage a situation where if Watkins doesn't go, he'll be playing immediately. He'll give an interview to Football Focus Talking about I'm just here to knuckle down I want to give my all for Villa Blah blah blah Get a TU extension and leave later Maybe Emery's a bit annoyed by the timing of it Maybe he thought that Watkins could have done this earlier Something could have been sorted out earlier And now he's in this position now Where there's a couple of days left Of the transfer window Oh great, I'm going to have to find a new centre forward now So I think that's probably He's pissed off with him Yeah, and I understand why I would But at the same time, I get where Watkins is coming from.

47:18Vithushan Ehantharajah: Do you? Yeah, he's probably got one more big contract in him. Probably he wants to get that. I totally get it. I mean...

47:26Marcus Speller: No, look, I'm... We all agree. I don't... Yeah, I get the sigh. I was suppressing the sigh.

47:33Vithushan Ehantharajah: Never suppress a sigh. Yeah, no, no. Look, okay. Look, he's at that age where he's got one more big contract in him. I think that's where he wants. But when you say big contract, you're talking literally about money. That's it. Yeah. No, I'm not, by the way, I'm not saying... I know you don't. Yes, I'm looking through the lens of Oli Watkins, a footballer who wants to look after his generational wealth. Yeah. Right? And again, look, we've talked about this. I forget who the last player was.

47:59Marcus Speller: Reinders?

48:00Vithushan Ehantharajah: Yes, I think it was Reinders. Yeah, and we were saying he's playing for AC Milan and obviously Man City didn't quite work out and then he's off. Oli Watkins is 30. He, you know, when he plays for England, He goes to a tournament and he plays about 10 minutes, you know, what he did in the World Cup. So I understand he's probably thinking, you know what, I've had a good run in the national side. If going to Saudi means I'm not going to play, and it didn't seem to harm Tony, by the way, so that may be in the back of his mind, maybe he thinks, okay, fine. As you say, he's not going to make the kind of money anywhere else that he would in Saudi.

48:35Vithushan Ehantharajah: But he's playing at a huge club. He's not going to be on a pittance. He's playing for a Champions League side as well. Again, the football, the naive purist, and I do stress naive because some people think I sound like an absolute dickhead saying this the naive purest football fan in me who's never been anywhere near a professional football pitch so I take all that I understand I just look at that and I'm like it just leaves leaves you a bit cold leaves me sad and cold no I get it look I really like Ollie Watkins I'd love him to stay in the Premier League I like watching him but I understand at the same time why he is doing this you know what we could do Go on.

49:14Go on.

49:16Marcus Speller: Well, if Watkins goes to Al-Hilal, which is the club he's linked with, one of their strikers, I think we're going to find out today if he's going to be on the move, come to the Prem, Karim Benzema.

49:28Vithushan Ehantharajah: Really? That would be interesting. I forgot he was out there. Yeah.

49:32Marcus Speller: I think he did as well. He hasn't rocked up. Preseason or whatever it is. Retired. But yeah, so they want rid of him. I don't know. A good villa sorts me out. Can't they just get John Duran back? I really miss John Duran. That was, yeah. Can you remember, though, it was Watkins versus Duran at one point, like, oh, who starts? You're going to start one of them, and then now suddenly they're both.

49:54Vithushan Ehantharajah: Maybe Watkins saw that Super Cup final with Maggio and thought, yeah, I'm off. I'm off before he goes ahead of me. Wouldn't it be amazing, though, if someone actually came clean about going to Saudi, they didn't go, well, obviously I'm going for the money. Watkins went, I just want to play. I just want to play.

50:10Marcus Speller: I couldn't even get in the squad last weekend. He spun it.

50:14Vithushan Ehantharajah: Totally spun it round. I'm really worried about that

50:17Marcus Speller: EuroNation League squad at the end of September.

50:21Vithushan Ehantharajah: Oh dear. Right, coming up after this, Alexander Isak gets the treatment at St James' Park.

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53:56Vithushan Ehantharajah: emotional. I know I was, you know, obviously Keegan died, you know, recently and, and that was very sad. And this just brought it all back that, yeah, Keegan is, he's gone. Do you know what I mean? I know it sounds ridiculous, but the, the footage of him, you know, when he was a player and he was, and the, the, every interview he gives and then obviously a manager and so on, just such a marvellous, likable man. And the, the, if you, you know, the, the, the, the tributes that he was given the TIFO, the banner, the quote, everything in the stands that was there. Unless I'm mistaken, I've not seen anything like that.

54:34Vithushan Ehantharajah: We see people with tributes for people who have meant a lot to certain clubs and to football fans in general, but this was such an outpouring of love and affection for a man who has transcended so many decades, whether he was a player, as I say, a manager, or just a media personality. and look we've you know we we love Keegan obviously he's given us a lot of laughs over the years and so on and so forth but it was always with affection you know uh and and yeah I that really got me those those tributes I don't know what you chaps felt but it was I thought it was spectacular really would in in in a sort of a weird way to say and use that word and also and again I know this is a you know a stupid thing to say but it is like I wish you could see this.

55:22Vithushan Ehantharajah: Yeah. Just how much people love that man.

55:26Marcus Speller: Yeah. And the affection towards him, so much of it is based on how he viewed football, which is almost, you know, to go from Saudi Arabia and the things we were lamenting there to talking about someone like Keegan. That's the, it was the soul he had. Yeah.

55:40Vithushan Ehantharajah: It was almost like a sort of, there was a pure soul to him. He knew what football meant to certain people. And he always wanted to keep it with them. He was very good. And I did that clip on the Ramble tribute show about him as well. He was always really keen to keep football as close as possible to the people. Yeah. Because he knew that's who it meant the most to. And that's what I loved most about Keegan and why he meant a lot. He means a lot to everyone, not just up north, Newcastle, Liverpool as well. So fitting that this was the fixture as well. Yeah, really, really nice. There it was. But just wasn't an incredible human being.

56:17Yeah. Honestly.

56:18Vithushan Ehantharajah: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Lots of former players were there, of course. to see this game. Tino Asprea was there in his bucket hat, which was quite enjoyable as well. And the game itself was a great spectacle. Newcastle so close to a victory, so close!

56:32Marcus Speller: Can you almost see Keegan sliding behind that advertising board in the sky? Yeah, that was gutting. But could I throw something out there? It might be ludicrous. But I think Lewis Hall was doing that thing that really, really clever defenders do, where they feign to dive in on someone and don't, and then basically trigger them to dive, because they're desperate in that moment, and then they dive and you essentially get the ball back and completely disappear. A risky move. And it was risky because he was too close to him, because then his knee goes into his knee.

57:10Vithushan Ehantharajah: Yeah.

57:11Marcus Speller: But I think his intention was always to feign to go and not go. Interesting Yeah Because his leg never comes out Sorry So from his knee down It never comes out It's only his left knee That goes across I did think it was a penalty

57:22Vithushan Ehantharajah: Yeah it was a penalty And I think that's what he was trying to

57:24Marcus Speller: But I think that's what he was trying to do Yeah because he's better than that Yeah exactly He was The minute that foot is planted And you use that That then suddenly becomes obstruction The player goes into that It's only going one way And that's how they view things

57:37Vithushan Ehantharajah: Yeah Indeed Both sides obviously We've got new managers as well It seems to be in vogue in the Premier League, everyone with a new manager. Who do you think would be the happiest of the two? I thought Newcastle looked pretty good against the side who played. We saw elements of Iriola's style on Liverpool there. And the way playing a highlight, trying to push forward and so on, as we saw his Bournemouth teams play. I thought Newcastle by and large played pretty well and looked pretty good on the break. And I think Yeisler, bearing in mind you know, unknown quantity in the league. Newcastle missing, well, they've sold some big players as well.

58:18Vithushan Ehantharajah: I thought the way they moved and came forward and so on, I thought it looked pretty promising, actually. I think they've got reason to have a bit more hope than they did before this game happened. I thought they were very good. A lot of encouraging signs there. If they can get a few more players in as well and get players back, then, yeah, I think it shouldn't all be doom and gloom. I think they've showcased there in that one game why they should be encouraged towards the rest of the season. But on the break, though, I mean, obviously the first goal, but look at, you know, Alanga Barnes, Osula works his socks off.

58:49Vithushan Ehantharajah: Whisser looked pretty comfortable in that role.

58:51Marcus Speller: Where's that come from? Yeah.

58:53Vithushan Ehantharajah: I mean, you think of Whisser being a little bit more further forward. It's odd. Maybe as his finishing has sort of deserted him as he's gone to Newcastle, because obviously at Brentford scored loads of goals, and he's struggling to put the ball in the back of the net a bit for Newcastle. You think, ah, let's play him a little bit further back. A little bit of a reduced role, and it worked well. And with Dedic as well Getting forward as well We expected that from him Alanga looked a different player Yes

59:17Marcus Speller: So much more confident Didn't he I've never seen him I didn't see him last season Take three touches in a row Yeah And that was a lovely finish as well That was what he was at Forest Yeah totally So I think after

59:28Vithushan Ehantharajah: Again it's only one game Etc etc But I think Newcastle fans Might have a little bit more hope After that They absolutely should I said this before I think there's a lot To be encouraged about And I really like Yassel I think he's got a lot he can offer and look, I think some teams are probably going to deny Newcastle that space in behind the more that they get figured out but still, there is a lot to be encouraged about the way that they moved the ball how quick they moved the ball and just how expansive they were it was just really, really interesting to watch What about Liverpool, Vish? Well, it's just the same, isn't it?

1:00:04Vithushan Ehantharajah: Do you think? Yeah I thought there was maybe just a I mean, look, yeah we mentioned obviously on the previous show that according to the athletics, optimism, pessimism table, Liverpool fans, negativity towards the season had put them bottom of that table, which is a table. We'll find out how that important it is as the season goes on.

1:00:23Marcus Speller: That's the opposite of a super computer. That's a super heart, isn't it?

1:00:25Vithushan Ehantharajah: Yeah, I think so. But I thought there was,

1:00:28Marcus Speller: there was just elements of it.

1:00:29Vithushan Ehantharajah: I can see maybe the Eriola's trying to put his stamp on this team.

1:00:33Marcus Speller: I think you've got, you've got to, you know, have the players lose or forget or, you know, get some of the previous behaviours out of their system. That looked very similar to me to Liverpool last year under slot. Particularly, you know, also what, you know, Jack A for Canate, he didn't really feel like there was all that much difference. I don't know why they keep persisting with Frimpong as a right back. I just feel like he, given the role required of him, he's just a little bit too limited. And I think it would be right to judge him against Trent Alexander-Arnold because, you know, he just offers so much more.

1:01:06Marcus Speller: There's so many times with Freem Pom, as it was at the end of that game against Newcastle, where he's on the right and you know he's just going to try and cut back onto his right foot. It doesn't matter if he gets space on his left. And everything slows down whenever you get him. Because ultimately, if you've got that kind of fullback, you need him to be really decisive and immediate in his ballplay. But he just isn't. I feel like they need a defensive midfielder. They absolutely do. That was my main takeaway from this. And I've got my notes. I'm saying there is just a huge gap. They need a controller.

1:01:36They need somebody just to swizz it about a bit. I think Sabozlai is a very, very good player, but he's not a torn attempt or setter in a game.

1:01:43Vithushan Ehantharajah: Gravenberch is not that either. He needs somebody beside him.

1:01:46Marcus Speller: He really, really does, yeah. They lucked out when Gravenberch did that role really well in Slott's first season when they won the league. But I think part of that was because they had so much of the ball, and every time they had the ball, they were always going forward. Teams just stand off them now, and they end up dragging their back line forward, which in this case allowed Newcastle to get in behind them

1:02:07Vithushan Ehantharajah: I mean do you think McAllister who was on the bench does he make a difference in that midfield?

1:02:10Marcus Speller: I think his legs have gone up yeah yeah I don't think he's the same player as he was really they needed something fresh they needed I think they needed either Alex Scott somebody who could kind of pour across the press but also you could have looked this is why I think there's such big issues in the midfield they also could have done with a different profile of player Boudi who looks like he's gone to Man City or has gone to Man City yes again but what's going on with Liverpool in terms of recruitment, I'm not too sure whether the money is there to buy somebody for that amount of money. I'm not too sure.

1:02:40But then, you go to what Vicious just said, there's clearly no place, I don't think, in this set-up for Frimpon.

1:02:46Marcus Speller: Yeah, strange. So why not sell him and reinvest it in perhaps an area of the team that you need depth more?

1:02:53Vithushan Ehantharajah: Yeah. Yes, indeed. Alexander Ezek up front for Liverpool didn't have too much joy against the girls in the United, which was to be expected. he looked like when some players if you boo them they think don't do that it'll rev them up he looked the complete opposite and I think the Newcastle United fans knew that he only had a couple of touches in the box you know in the first half if that didn't take the penalty I've got a massive issue with that as well what? that he didn't take the penalty? outrageous he denied everyone a great moment it was a win-win moment he bags that he can then give something back to the fans and go hey I think he would have done Yeah, and then if he misses Newcastle fans get their chance to pile on We've been denied a huge moment Yes On the first weekend of the season That's true I'm a bit annoyed about that I'm now furious about that Good He's not thinking about the ramble, is he?

1:03:46Marcus Speller: No, but I was a little bit relieved For like the state of the world That like maybe it would have been Knocked off its axis If he'd stepped up to take it Regardless of how it finished It would have been so mad If he'd have stepped up to take that

1:03:59Vithushan Ehantharajah: No chance

1:04:00Marcus Speller: Especially from the angle where they were with, who was it? Gakpo had the ball initially, didn't he? And was on the spot. Or maybe it was always Subasly. But in the background, I was only focused on the background and it was just Izak there lurking. Like something out of Insidious. And I was like, don't. Don't need a jumpscare. I was willing to, I was like, do, do, do. Please just pick, I want him to grab the ball of someone, cause a bit of a scene there. I'm always about embracing the chaos. So whatever creates, whatever is the most chaotic outcome, allow it. He denies that.

1:04:30Vithushan Ehantharajah: So Bozly, I said, look, don't worry, I'll sort this out.

1:04:34Marcus Speller: Don't worry, there is a part in the roof of the net that no one has ever accessed before, and I'll find it.

1:04:39Vithushan Ehantharajah: Yeah, we all know what side he's going to go, but you can't stop it.

1:04:42Marcus Speller: It wasn't even top corner, it was top shelf.

1:04:45Vithushan Ehantharajah: Yeah.

1:04:45Marcus Speller: It had that, there was, yeah.

1:04:47Vithushan Ehantharajah: I know what you mean, I've not seen the net move like that for a penalty. It was so silent. Yeah, there was power, but it almost like it clipped it as well. Yeah. It was a brilliant arc, I understand. Absolute beauty. So the game ended 2-1. The game ended 2-1. Iriola's former club Bournemouth lost 2-1 to Manchester City couple of late goals and that man Ryan Cherky who Vish have you got down for him player of the season? No that would be

1:05:10Marcus Speller: Phil Foden that I put down Oh you? Oh right Phil Foden who nearly How did he go on?

1:05:14Vithushan Ehantharajah: Well he nearly Lovely flick Nearly registered one of the best assists you'll ever see Yeah But unfortunately I forget who it was didn't put it away Rico Lewis Yeah Someone's put down Ryan Cherky as player of the season he came off the bench and made a difference to be fair Mark Gatty in the centre midfield are we having that? Don't like it Yeah

1:05:31Marcus Speller: Don't like it

1:05:32Vithushan Ehantharajah: I prefer Uncle Mark at the bank

1:05:33Marcus Speller: If you've got so much money You shouldn't be playing Mark Gay in Turn of Midfield Marescu was doing The old Harry Redknapp Is that what he's doing? That's what he was doing Come on

1:05:41Vithushan Ehantharajah: Is that what he's doing? Yeah Oh okay Playing Mark Gay In the centre of the pitch Bringing on Jack Grealish as well Like come on We need signings here people Oh please Can I have some more? Yeah Kovacic and Grealish Coming on Grealish was That was Yeah Mark Gay in the centre of midfield Yeah I'm with you It's a proper Harry Redknapp

1:05:59Marcus Speller: Is that Scott Carson warming up? In an outfield shirt? David James? I got a bit sad when Greedish came on because it looks like kind of a... At this stage for Man City, it looks like a Love Islander doing like a university tour. Just go to another club and feature for them.

1:06:20Vithushan Ehantharajah: I really wanted him to go back to Everton. Yeah.

1:06:22Marcus Speller: Where would be a good fit for him now? Would he go back to Villa?

1:06:28Vithushan Ehantharajah: I mean they need reinforcements

1:06:31Marcus Speller: Garnatio and Grealish should be a very oh no my word

1:06:35Vithushan Ehantharajah: the disgusting brothers the disgusting yeah I'd hate to

1:06:41Marcus Speller: I'd like to think I'd like to think they wouldn't get on just one thing what did you make of Mareska at the end of the game by the way with his little pep yeah his little me moment yeah

1:06:54Vithushan Ehantharajah: it's fair I quite like the fact that it's... He just... For obvious reasons, the way he looks, it's just kind of like, yeah, get someone who looks sort of fairly similar to Pep. It's just, you know, there's so much change going on. I like that that's just minimalized the change, you know? So, I hope he doesn't descend into just wearing like baggy hoodies and stuff like Pep did towards the end. Pep was just a bit like, you know, when someone's just like, I'm done here, you know, turn up. It's not Mufty Day, you know, kind of thing. Are you calling... Were you calling Pep a slob? Yeah. Yeah. Okay.

1:07:24Yeah, yeah.

1:07:26Vithushan Ehantharajah: He looked topless in that... Yes, I agree. So when Erling Haaland obviously had his hair cut, he did a thing on socials, as is all the rage these days. And he was phoning various people, Noel Gallagher included, obviously, it's Man City, and Pep Guardiola, and saying, look, Zlatan Ibrahimovic as well, and it was like, look, I've had my hair cut, what do you think? And Guardiola was there, and he was topless, wasn't he? Just chilling, having a great time. Yeah, yeah. Ibrahimovic was annoyed that he'd had his hair cut. He's like, what have you done? Have you lost a bet? And all those kind of cliches.

1:07:56Vithushan Ehantharajah: What do you think of Harlem without his hair? Has he lost his strength? Is he like Samson?

1:08:02Marcus Speller: Samson. I don't know. I don't like it.

1:08:05Vithushan Ehantharajah: On the basis of what we know,

1:08:07Marcus Speller: I think you have to say yes. He's lost his strength and his finishing ability. He clearly hasn't decided on the hairstyle because he's got it cut short enough that I think at some stage when it grows out, he'll decide that's going to be his hair. Because his previous hair, I remember Salzburg was, he basically had like spiked up, kind of like faded, spiked up. Then he had curtains at Dortmund and then went for the long hair. Didn't mind the curtains. Look, maybe he's going to go back to that.

1:08:36Vithushan Ehantharajah: Well, is that any of you who isn't like it? He said, you've lost a bit of what? Block me and erase my number. Seemed quite severe, didn't it? From a man who obviously has sported long hair before himself.

1:08:46Marcus Speller: He still has long hair now, doesn't he? Yeah.

1:08:48Vithushan Ehantharajah: Long-ish. Long-ish, right. Long-ish. Don't forget the ish. this was Bournemouth's first defeat in any competition since January ending their club record 18 game unbeaten run Rose are out

1:08:58Marcus Speller: yeah yeah they were so good they look more of the same lovely yeah

1:09:03Vithushan Ehantharajah: I think Bournemouth fans will be pleased with that despite obviously losing they'll be pleased after defeat but in terms of the performance in terms of how they set up they'll be reassured reassured maybe

1:09:13Marcus Speller: that was a lovely pass from or cross from Evan Nielsen for Tvernia's goal who might have one of the best left foots in the league and yeah I feel like they could have I'm only saying this

1:09:25Vithushan Ehantharajah: because they lost the game well they lose late on as well but Man City were turning the screw

1:09:28Marcus Speller: but they could have they could have punched a couple well they could have at least gone 2-0 up I thought if they'd made a few smarter decisions on the break in the first half I thought Bontz could have done more I thought they sat back a little bit too much and Rose was just like I don't want to get an absolute thumping a year on the first day of the season I thought and kind of like set a bad tone going ahead but look they're going to be fine and they've probably done it again with another nice signing silver at the back that they got from Benfica alright it's important for Man City

1:09:55Vithushan Ehantharajah: to win because they keep up with Arsenal

1:09:58Marcus Speller: and Hull

1:09:59Vithushan Ehantharajah: and Ipswich and Brentford and all the other teams that won and hopefully Fulham tonight thank you very much for listening to the Football Ramble part of the Acast Creator Network I'll be back tomorrow alongside Jim to talk about the West London Derby happening this evening and remember to get your Ramble admirable football kit home or away Admiral Admiral Did I do admirable again? Ridiculous behaviour Well I Yeah So much admiration For admiral I just get it all mixed up But Football Ramble Home and Away kits Are there for you So if you want to look If you want to be The talk of the town Quite frankly And you want to be admired For your admiral kit Then do Get involved So yeah I can't recommend that Enough Thank you very much David Thank you very much Marcus Thank you very much Vish Thank you.

1:10:49Vithushan Ehantharajah: And thank you.

1:10:59Marcus Speller: The Football Ramble is a Stack Production and part of the Acast Creator Network.

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