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3:03Luke Moore: You've made an excellent choice everybody. Welcome to the Football Ramble. Port Vale and Southampton calls cup sets for Chelsea March on. It's Monday 9th of March. I'm Marcus Speller. I'm Luke Moore. And I'm the Dushan of Hunter Raja.

3:27Luke Moore: Hello, everybody. Good to have you with us. It's back to it. It's Monday. We've got FA Cup action to talk about. And my goodness, a couple of cup sets as well. Now, if you haven't listened to last Friday's Jackson Cyclopaedia yet, I recommend you check it out as soon as possible. Agree? Hard agree. It was a belt out. If you haven't listened, take your headphones out for a minute or fast forward. I'm about to give you a spoiler. Luke Moore is the new champion of Jack's Encyclopedia. The mighty Luke Moore. Look at him over there. The prize bull himself. He will never be let out. Bring your cows around this field.

4:03Luke Moore: He's going to give them all one. He ripped the belt off Vish on Friday. So if you want to join the Luke Nation, then you can.

4:11Marcus Speller: Can I just dish out a few, just a mere handful? of the comments on the YouTube video of Friday's quiz after Vish's behaviour, Marcus. Presumably you'll be in favour of that.

4:21Luke Moore: Well, I believe we're going to talk about that on the mailbag tomorrow. We'll have a few questions come in about that.

4:25Marcus Speller: This must be a three-match ban for Vish for impeding the integrity of the game, with his real-missed answer. Bringing the game into Vish repute. I don't mind that. Fully enjoying how rattled Vish was. Generational head loss from Vish. So satisfying to see Vish fall.

4:42Vishnu Vakkalanka: Someone DMed me saying that he's going to drag me in front of the court of arbitration in sport.

4:48Marcus Speller: Yeah, that's right. Absolutely right.

4:50Vishnu Vakkalanka: They went to our Man City, but they'll get to this straight away. You get the verdict quicker.

4:55Luke Moore: Production staff create a good round and then that happens. I'll leave you this one. And it's thrown away.

5:00Marcus Speller: Just stunning performance on behalf of Luke Nation.

5:02Luke Moore: Yeah, well, I was going to say footballramblestore.com and buy yourself a Luke Nation t-shirt.

5:08Marcus Speller: I'll definitely do that.

5:09Luke Moore: Yeah. Marcus, you're saying that under duress, surely? If you mean a gun held to me, then yes I am.

5:14Marcus Speller: Listen, the enemy of your enemy is your friend. We achieved it together, didn't we? We did. Because there were one or two comments saying that you took a long old time to press the countdown button, which I appreciated. There was also some controversy I didn't know about. Oh yeah. Apparently. That's why I'm saying Vish has got very lucky in recent weeks. Well, I've been accused of stealing an answer from your notes.

5:33Luke Moore: Yeah.

5:34Marcus Speller: A Chris Wood answer weeks ago. I genuinely have no memory of that.

5:38Luke Moore: We were both going to say correct. Again, I feel very unlucky at the moment. I'm just a little horse, but you are. you know tiny little cock yeah but that will grow in time to its former glory once again

5:50Marcus Speller: former glory yeah I don't remember that

5:52Luke Moore: oh I do the memory remains I'd love to see you

5:55Marcus Speller: mount Vish it'd be great love that

5:58Luke Moore: not going to do that in the studio again no but there's been a massive

6:00Marcus Speller: recruitment campaign for the Luke Nation since Vish's Behaviour on Friday so it's been an amazing pamphlet for me yeah

6:06Luke Moore: do you regret it

6:08Marcus Speller: colonising the ramble

6:10Luke Moore: yeah I mean the way you're acting you'll be fleeing to Russia soon

6:14Marcus Speller: he messaged me over the weekend after that Real Madrid answer saying are we still okay? are you and I still okay?

6:21Vishnu Vakkalanka: we've made office jokes about sinners

6:23Marcus Speller: yeah that's true that is also true oh nice to see there's back and forth a little bit here and there Bruce doesn't normally reply to me but he did this time which is great

6:30Luke Moore: footballramblestore.com is the only place where you can get an official Luke Nation t-shirt and rightly so don't if there's people bootlegging them don't listen to them don't get involved there was someone outside

6:40Vishnu Vakkalanka: on Friday selling half and half scarves

6:43Luke Moore: I know I know but if you go to any of the any of the famous and infamous markets around the country they are not official Luke Nation t-shirts or official Ramble merch there's plenty of good stuff at footballramblestore.com quarter zips are all the rage Luke

6:59Marcus Speller: yeah

6:59Luke Moore: they are all the rage so much so I don't own one

7:02Marcus Speller: not with me but do you know what I might do

7:03Luke Moore: because there's a lovely football Ramble one on there great stuff you know what I mean footballramblestore.com for that I might get involved in the quarter zip revolution

7:09Marcus Speller: the quarter zip revolution I'm here for it Will I be buying one? No. But you should at footballramblestore.com.

7:17Luke Moore: There you go. Right, let's finally get to that FA Cup action. Port Vale beat Sunderland 1-0. What a result that was. My goodness. Incredible. Incredible. Currently bottom of League One. They have reached the quarterfinals of the FA Cup for the first time since 1954.

7:37Marcus Speller: Fantastic.

7:38Luke Moore: 1954. Ferentz Pushkash was playing football. That's the era of pushed gas fish. Yes. Very, very good. How about that? Hungary were thrashing England. I know they did that only a handful of years ago as well. Maybe that doesn't date it as much. I went too far with that. But yes, a fabulous victory for Port Vale in those sponsorless, lovely 150th anniversary kits that they were wearing. Absolutely. The day belonged to Port Vale. Did anybody see Robbie Williams? He wasn't there, was he? Yeah. He spared us of that, didn't he?

8:12Marcus Speller: No, Jules did one of the most, I mean, I love Jules and I think she's the best of those live football presenters, genuinely, but she had an absolute reach on that broadcast.

8:20Luke Moore: Why, what happened?

8:21Marcus Speller: We can't find Robbie Williams. So here's the second most famous Robbie, Robbie Savage. And he was on Co-Con.

8:29Luke Moore: No, I thought, look, admittedly, because Savage is the, you know, that's the destination, it's disappointing. But I think that's okay from Jules. I don't mind that at all. I think she can do better. I thought you were going to say Johnny Wilkes or whatever his name was oh yeah Jonathan Wilkes Jonathan Wilkes is he a Port Vell no but if you don't go to Robbie Williams you get I see it's like if you can't afford

8:51Marcus Speller: Ted Danson you get Steve Guttenberg yeah right right

8:54Luke Moore: we've got Robbie Williams at home exactly surely Barlow could have subbed in for him

8:58Marcus Speller: I don't think Barlow's playing second final to Robbie Williams where's Mark Owen or somebody

9:03Luke Moore: I don't know anyway Robbie Williams wasn't there but Port Vell bloody well won it Luke Moore a proper cup set it was brilliant amazing stuff to see a side who are again they're not a high flying league one side and even if they were but they're bottom of league one they're a very low

9:16Marcus Speller: flying league one side I mean some might say

9:18Luke Moore: some might say subterranean league one side they are you could argue they're effectively a league two side

9:24Marcus Speller: soon to be league two side Port Vale

9:25Luke Moore: but to beat Sunderland who are going well yeah what a victory what a victory

9:30Marcus Speller: it was an absolutely brilliant game it's perfect for that those of us who love trying to spot those FA Cup upset potentials and sitting down in front of the telly on the weekend and watching the FA Cup was brilliant. The pitch was a massive leveller which I bloody enjoyed. That should be happening a lot more in my view. Given the amount of times that football league clubs have been routinely fucked over by the Premier League they should be churning their own pitches up in my view to try and get an advantage. I'm not saying Port Vale did that but the pitch was a leveller and it was a great game.

10:03Marcus Speller: I mean Port Vale were very good value for it. There was an amazing incident with Luke O 'Neill, which I think spawned probably one of the saves of the season.

10:13Luke Moore: It's a passenger play you've never seen.

10:14Marcus Speller: Exactly. And I think that the... So when you guys were talking the other week about Jordan Pickford's save, which was fantastic, what I was hearing from goalkeeping experts was like, look, the instinctive ones can sometimes be the easier ones, right? This one, he has to be clever enough to understand that he can't use his hands. Or if he does, he's going to be punished. He has to get in position with his feet really quick and he has to get a strong head on there at full stretch to get over the bar or they're going to concede against a lower league team in the FA Cup. It was a fantastic save and it really set the scene for like, we're going to get a lot of action today.

10:50Marcus Speller: I was delighted for Ben Wayne as well. Why not? Delighted for the Porto Bell fans who've obviously been through a lot. Yeah, it was just a great affair all the way around.

10:57Vishnu Vakkalanka: The header, by the way, which led to the corner for Ben Wayne's goal was reminiscent of, do you remember Gregory Coupe against Barcelona yes I do one of the greatest saves all time as well he headed it on to the bar he headed it on to the bar and then saves the follow up yeah down low to his right it was brilliant that's what that reminded me of and also just as Luke was saying because of the pitch and it was it was so bad it was somehow affecting both keepers wow because Gauchi and Elborg had pretty ropey games all told and I think it just like the chaos of it was contained within Sunderland clearly thinking we probably shouldn't have enough here and realising very quickly that the ground meant they didn't.

11:42Vishnu Vakkalanka: They had no idea what they were getting into.

11:44Marcus Speller: I wonder if there's an element to that and this might be a stretch but let me know what you think. I sometimes think with these pitches in 2026 as we sit here now I think they sap the energy of the Premier League players. I think it feels like it's much harder to if you're not used to playing on it you're just not conditioned in that way. I know they're fit and they're probably fitter overall, but I think it's just something different about it. It does seem, it felt to me towards the end of the game that Sunderland were, they just looked quite leggy. Now, maybe it's because they play a lot of football, but they don't play more football than Port Valor.

12:20Marcus Speller: They certainly don't play more football in a kind of much more demanding way in terms of pitches. And I think it played into their hands that they were used to it. They packed the midfield, obviously played five at the back as well, made it very difficult for Sunderland, very sticky. And it basically worked. Having said that, Sunderland were unlucky not to score I think but that's how it goes that's how it goes

12:40Luke Moore: Ben Wayne of course boyhood Newcastle United fan much was made of that in his Alan Shearer-esque celebration it was great

12:46Vishnu Vakkalanka: was it a Shearer celebration?

12:49Luke Moore: the hand was up the hand was up let's let him have it Vish we discussed the comments he made on Friday preview show ahead of the game when he said that words to the effect that he couldn't believe his luck that they were facing Sunderland and you said Ben, you're going to get pumped, mate.

13:06Vishnu Vakkalanka: I didn't say that. It was one of many dud calls I made on Friday. But it wasn't in response to him saying, I'm really looking forward to this. Would you like to apologise? I would actually, yeah. I think that's an incredible I do apologise to Ben Wayne for that. He's not watching. He's probably still pissed. If he's got anything right with him. Also, just on the relegation stuff, when they interviewed John Brady at the end of the game, he was obviously like full of beans and clearly quite emotional. The scenes in the sands were incredible. Yes. And they were like, you know, they talked to him about this historic thing he'd done and what may lie ahead in the next round.

13:47Vishnu Vakkalanka: And then the person interviewing said, you know, and obviously you want this form to, uh, to filter in the league as well. And he almost went, he could tell him internalizing, be like, don't bring that up. I don't want to talk about that now. Exactly. Yeah. A week off from that.

14:01Marcus Speller: Absolutely. And they've, this is a team, Port Vale, not that long ago a few weeks ago they lost four and then at home to Stockport County in the Johnstons paint

14:09Luke Moore: yes

14:10Marcus Speller: yet they can lift themselves for this they have been better in recent weeks under Brady he's not been there that long it's obviously a gargantuan effort for them to stay in the league it's probably not going to happen but what an amazing story this is it'd be great to see who they get next

14:23Luke Moore: it'd be incredible yeah

14:24Marcus Speller: it'd be fantastic

14:25Luke Moore: yeah

14:27Marcus Speller: do you think Ben Wayne will do the business in the World Cup group phase if he's called up which presumably he will be

14:33Luke Moore: well if he's not called up then you know I don't know what's right

14:36Marcus Speller: Egypt and Belgium in their group it was going to be Iran but we're led to believe they're not going to play anymore so who knows who's going to replace them

14:42Luke Moore: anyone on oh because Wrexham lost yeah we thought Wrexham might go through it could be people haven't listened to Friday's show they go what on earth they're going into

14:51Vishnu Vakkalanka: the World Cup plate

14:52Marcus Speller: aren't they Port Vals Ben Wayne be confident it's getting a goal against Wrexham in the World Cup for sure

14:58Luke Moore: yeah yeah yeah I love the fact that Ben Wayne played for Plymouth Argyle did he really which is of course where Rory Fallon played and Rory Fallon in the 2010 World Cup it was before the BBC pundits used to actually really do their job wow

15:13Marcus Speller: in the World Cup they don't really still

15:15Luke Moore: but it was whenever New Zealand played it was like how many seconds before Rory Fallon and it wasn't as if well you know what his capabilities are it's like well obviously they've got Rory Fallon at Plymouth Argyle that was it that was it

15:27Marcus Speller: I undefeated that World Cup as well well they were three draws wasn't it

15:30Luke Moore: exactly I think I was

15:32Marcus Speller: Rory Fallon pressing from the front. Exactly. All the way from Plymouth.

15:35Luke Moore: I get Wayne in there.

15:36Marcus Speller: It's the well-trodden New Zealand to Plymouth pipeline.

15:39Luke Moore: It is. But it is now. It is, actually. It's a long side as well, isn't it?

15:43Marcus Speller: Yeah, it's a long way round. Oh, dear.

15:45Luke Moore: I'm just stalling everybody. Fulham nil.

15:47Marcus Speller: Southampton won! Yeah, I was very disappointed. Luke, who's more upset with this?

15:51Luke Moore: You or me?

15:52Marcus Speller: I was fucking pissed off. Okay. I'll be honest. I'll let you have your say in a minute. But the reason I was pissed off is because of the obvious. Because Southampton have this kind of semi-regular habit of going on cup runs and I can never fully relax until they're knocked out of all competitions in the cup arena. But I was also pissed off because I said last week that Fulham under Marco Silva overlook easy games, which they fucking do and there's more evidence. And Marcus agreed with you, I think, didn't he? No, he got pissed off. Oh, did he? You're joking, yeah. He took it personally, which is how Marcus tends to go about these things when it comes to Fulham.

16:27Marcus Speller: And the other thing is, Marcus, I want you to justify this, but listen, you took issue with me last week you need to take your medicine now I want you to personally explain why Marco Silva has made nine changes off the back of a league game

16:38Luke Moore: I mean I can't explain that because they were shit

16:40Marcus Speller: against West Ham as well exactly it was one of the worst performances of the season

16:43Luke Moore: that's why he did that I mean look nine changes were all the rage this weekend Chelsea did it and Leeds did it

16:49Marcus Speller: we made no changes from Friday no stuck with the winning team didn't we

16:52Vishnu Vakkalanka: also Chelsea pushing for Champions League in the Champions League Leeds fighting against relegation right yeah what's Fulham's excuse

17:01Luke Moore: they don't have one really other than they were utterly dreadful against West Ham I mean if you look at

17:07Vishnu Vakkalanka: which actually is reason enough to start again absolutely yeah

17:09Luke Moore: it's embarrassing it's if you look at the Fulham line up against

17:15Marcus Speller: they should have had enough

17:16Luke Moore: well indeed all credits to Southampton and we will talk about them in a moment disagree because I mean the amount of chances Southampton created I mean if Fulham had in the end won it you know if Sessegnon doesn't smash it off the keeper's face which is a wonderful save from Perets you have to say and Fulham saying Nicky they have the lion's share of possession and blah blah blah I'm not that any of that but the Sarabas were

17:37Marcus Speller: devastating on the break they were absolutely brilliant on the break well they should have

17:40Luke Moore: been up before they scored that penalty and we'll get to the decisions in a minute even though I don't really have too many complaints but if you look at the Fulham side I mean the goalkeeper Lecomte is the cup keeper so okay not the starting keeper but I don't think that's the reason why Fulham went out you know he was the hero you know when he was in one of the shootouts in an earlier cup.

18:02Marcus Speller: He got very close to the penalty, by the way.

18:03Luke Moore: Yeah, and he's a decent shot stopper, but obviously there was no stopping that. But the back four of Castagne, Anderson, Cuenca and Sessignon, I mean those four players, now Cuenca's not your first choice centre-half, but he's played there recently and he's debutised pretty well when he's been called upon. So that back four is not sort of experimental or anything. It's not the strongest, but it's not bad. Like if that side, if that back four starts a league game, I don't think many people bat an eyelid too much. Rodrigo Munez up front, again, he's coming back from injury. This is the type of game where you think, right, let's get you back up to it.

18:37Vishnu Vakkalanka: Decent header, didn't he? And then it just went over.

18:39Luke Moore: And he tried another. Never, by the way, non-Fulham fans probably wouldn't notice because it never makes the highlights. Rodrigo Munez is an absolute bastard for an overhead kick. I love it. I mean, I've not seen him put one away, but he'll always try that. and then it's the midfield where you're looking at so Chuck Wasey I think he can start games for Fulham absolutely Smith Rowe can Oscar Bob is in there as well Oscar Bob big signing he's got quality we know that he was a man sitting there not until that long ago okay there's a reason why he's playing for Fulham

19:14Marcus Speller: he was very quiet in this game but he was very quiet

19:15Luke Moore: I think with Reid and Kearney in there that's a little bit lightweight Reid very rarely plays and you know I love Tom Kearney and I'll defend that man's honour

19:23Marcus Speller: he's not mobile these days

19:24Luke Moore: but he was you know he's of a certain age and again against West Ham, Fulham were very poor, particularly in midfield. I was surprised that Marcus Silva went for him and Reid in there. And I think you're right, Luke. I think he has overlooked this game and thought, well, we should have enough. And in one sense, you know, that conviction is perfectly fine because they should have had enough. But actually, in the bigger picture, Southampton are going well. They, you know, the way the game panned out, Silva, another criticism of him is he takes a long time to make substitutions. Well, quite clearly, Southampton were getting more joy than Fulham, despite the possession Fulham had.

19:59Luke Moore: He waited until the 65th minute to bring on Alex Iwobi. And he often does wait for like an hour, however the game is going. He only makes two more changes, Josh King and Rahimenez. Now, he didn't have too many attacking options off the bench. But still, from a Fulham fan point of view, you're thinking, right, well, in the league, there was very, very tentative chitter-chatter and whispers about, could Fulham push for a European place? West Ham at home. That is the type of game you have to win if you've got to do that. Now, even if they did win it, they would be up on the same points as Everton.

20:30Luke Moore: And they're still, you know, it still would be quite unlikely. But, you know, get yourself in the conversation at least. So it felt like after that loss, it felt like, yeah, I don't think this is happening. Another mid-table finish. Well, okay, fair enough. The FA Cup, you're at home to a side who, yes, equip themselves. And Southampton, we will give you credit in just a moment.

20:51Marcus Speller: Wow.

20:52Luke Moore: Well, I certainly will. At least they'll be fucking hasty. But you're in the hat. You've got to draw at home against the side who are division below you. And yes, Southampton are going pretty well, but it's not like Fulham are struggling in the Premier League. They're doing okay. If Fulham get through to the next round, you're in a quarterfinal, which doesn't happen that often. It has happened a couple of times under Silva, admittedly, last season as well. And okay, Fulham would be the fifth, maybe sixth favourites for it, even at that stage. But my goodness, the club have never won a major trophy.

21:21Luke Moore: Look at Palace last season. You know, you look at all that and you think, how have you let this slip through your fingers? It's maddening. Absolutely maddening.

21:29Marcus Speller: I think, and also, Silva's done a good job, right? Yeah. He's been backed, but he's done a good job.

21:34Luke Moore: He's been backed to a degree, but...

21:35Marcus Speller: They've not... I just think, I can't get out of my head the idea that Marco Silva just thinks he's better than this. And it doesn't mean he's not done a good job. It doesn't mean that, you know, he doesn't deserve to be loved by the Fulham fans for stabilising them as a manager in the Premier League and for the moments they've had and they've had some good results and there's been some seasons to hang your hat on for sure. But your Crystal Palace thing is absolutely spot on. There's no reason that can't happen to Fulham. But it's not the first time, I'm not just talking about this season, it's not the first time that they just lose games they should win.

22:15Marcus Speller: And I always get the impression, and I don't watch Fulham as closely as you, but I have watched him a fair amount and I've been there a fair few times too, when I see Fulham play at home to a big team, not with that exception, but generally speaking, I look at them and I watch, as someone who's watched hundreds of football games, I go, they've been working so fucking hard all week about this. The shape is good. They look exceptionally well coached. I remember, I keep going back to it. I remember the first day of the season, a few seasons ago, when they drew two or were Liverpool and they were a better team.

22:47Marcus Speller: And this was when Liverpool were fucking great, by the way. And you thought, yeah, brilliant. I've seen them turn out some absolutely fucking stinking performances at home against teams they should have beaten and it happens all the time and this is another example of this

23:01Luke Moore: it's a signal for the fans

23:02Marcus Speller: I'm frustrated and I don't even support for it so you guys must be really frustrated no but that's right

23:06Luke Moore: because again you're looking at it and you're thinking it's a rare old thing and of course you need the stars to align and look the draw for the quarter final hasn't been made yet but I mean imagine they've got

23:17Marcus Speller: Port Val at home

23:18Luke Moore: that's what I mean you've got

23:20Vishnu Vakkalanka: That's the point of it, isn't it? Yeah, totally.

23:22Marcus Speller: I tell you what, if Southampton draw Port Vale in the next round, I'm going to start needing to make emotional pleas to Port Vale. You've done super well, but you need to go back to the well again because you need to get a result here.

23:33Vishnu Vakkalanka: You could potentially be in a situation there where Arsenal draw Man City and one of them are taken out.

23:38Luke Moore: And it's all that, Vish. You're absolutely right. But look, Southampton are now in that situation and you're right because if Southampton gets a slightly kinder draw, they could well, you know, anyway, I don't want to get...

23:49Marcus Speller: The credit you've got to give to Southampton is since Eckert took over, if they've not been top of the form table in the championship, they're going to be right up there. They've been brilliant. They've only lost twice this year, I think, and that was in January. Both of those games were in January. They're on an amazing run. And I was really worried for the South Coast derby, which eventually ended up in a one-all draw, thankfully, because I thought, Portsmouth aren't doing that well, and Southampton are flying. And so from that point of view, sometimes it happens. Fulham had 24 shots. maybe we're just reading too much into it maybe it's one of those games I bet none of them

24:22Luke Moore: were particularly I agree Southampton had the chances I agree

24:25Marcus Speller: but they have to set themselves up better than this and I think the midfield selection as you touched on was a mistake because

24:32Luke Moore: Fulham's midfield

24:33Marcus Speller: yes Kearney can't get around the pitch he just can't get around

24:36Luke Moore: I mean Sander Berger I mean look at some point you've got to think to yourself

24:39Marcus Speller: and Reid he didn't do too badly actually he just doesn't play I think that's it

24:45Luke Moore: I think it's a lack of and there is an element of overlooking this game as you've talked about there. But had Fulham have won this game, I think they would have thought, oof, we got away with that. Southampton, though, a great performance from them, ultimately. They keep a clean sheet. And yeah, Fulham had a few moments, but really good on the break. And as I say, had they have not won the game, they would have been absolutely pig sick. Much was made of that decision that disallowed the first Fulham goal. Well, actually, technically, the goal wasn't disallowed because the referee blew before. the referee blew early now a lot of people differing reports on this former Fulham boss Chris Coleman on TNT Sports says I have to say the ball was not rolling the ball had stopped it was really hard on Fulham Sam Matterface called it a hell of a spot other players you know reading elsewhere they were like well the ball looked like it had stopped but then on match of the day Ellen White and Glenn Murray both were like well you can see the ball slightly moving there to me at the replays it did look like it was ever so slightly moving

25:44Marcus Speller: I thought it was

25:45Luke Moore: yeah the fact is I don't have any complaints the fact is the referee blew up very very early yeah okay when it hit the players back I forget which player it was and he goes down well the referee I'm not like I say the referee's blown early I think the ball probably was moving slightly you can argue the toss about that the referee's done he's made a decision he's made it very very early I think at best

26:05Marcus Speller: it's just a nice fig leaf for Fulham to be able to say well you know indeed the penalty

26:10Luke Moore: maybe slightly soft but again not a ludicrous decision I don't have any issue with the penalty yeah I think do you know what a lot are made about VR and I know Fulham have been on the end of a few this game to me it's not about the referee it's not about VAR and all that kind of stuff it was about what we've already spoken about and I think with Marcus Silva who's usually very punchy after a defeat especially if he feels that they've been on the wrong end of a few decisions he looked more deflated I think and I think that even he said you know I take some of the blame here and I think he's looking at himself going yeah I've bollocksed this up really bollocksed it up but there we are great for Zalhampton they're in the next round Great for Ross Stewart as well, who had been injured on the ground before in a previous match when he was playing for...

26:51Luke Moore: Was it Sunderland he was playing for? Would have been, yeah. And, you know, gets a penalty, pressure penalty. That's how you dispatch them. You know, beautiful, beautiful one. And they're in the next round. So fair play to Southampton, those Saints.

27:05Vishnu Vakkalanka: No mention for England's Harwood Bellis from you. Taylor Harwood Bellis. Yeah.

27:10Luke Moore: Played very well.

27:11Vishnu Vakkalanka: Could he? I think it's unlikely. I'm just trying to bring you in here to the Southampton way.

27:17Luke Moore: Fine. And you've failed. Coming up after this, it was almost a famous night for Wrexham.

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29:40Marcus Speller: It must be difficult for him as well to shut out all the noise. Have you spoken to him and is he dealing with it all OK? It's more difficult for me, honestly. Because I also have to speak to you.

29:52Luke Moore: Well, back to the Football Ramble, everybody. Oliver Glasner, pieing off Gary Cottrell there. Always enjoyable. And thanks to Friend of the Ramble, Jimmy to the Bee, for sending us that clip. You can become a Friend of the Ramble too, just like Jimmy to the Bee is. Search patreon.com forward slash football ramble. Click that Join button on YouTube to get involved. Let's go to Wales. Wrexham 2, Chelsea 4, AET after extra time. What a game. It was a great game. What a match. What a cup time.

30:18Marcus Speller: You don't hear people saying AET either, which is a lot of initialism in football, but that doesn't seem to be one of them. It's never taken off.

30:23Luke Moore: No, obviously Chelsea coming back from behind twice and getting those goals into extra time. But Wrexham, my goodness. Liam Rosina made nine changes for this game and it did show a bit.

30:35Marcus Speller: I feel like this will be thinking of Pete talking before the break as you were about people being pig sick I wonder if Rex will be a bit sick about this because it was almost a bit of self-immolation I know what you mean yeah it was sending off it was well not just a sending off which was he should have enacted the Garnaccio clause there so he could have got that downgraded back to a yellow but it's him it's a yellow the vase gone it's red because it's dangerous and reckless and out of control he then out of his back pocket pulls out a card with just Garnaccio's face on it the referee goes fair enough he is a cunt back down to the yellow it also works for Cucurella it works for most Chelsea players

31:12Luke Moore: to be fair I think Dobson could have said that yeah re-watch re-watch Devar oh I see what you're saying one of the Chelsea goals

31:20Marcus Speller: was also pretty fortunate so I think overall the reason I'm saying this is because the Wrexham project is as we know it is and it drags in a lot of gravity from all around the football league and you know there are different ways of looking at it. I would say that overall, because of the ecosystem that football has built for itself, i.e. you need wealthy people to make it happen, as sad as that is, it shouldn't be like that, but it is. If we assume that is just the case, then the way that Wrexham have gone about it, to me, looks like at least it's really helped to regenerate a very, very down on its luck area.

32:02Marcus Speller: It's been amazing what they've done. That's a good thing, right?

32:04Luke Moore: And they're handsome, rich men. They are, they are, absolutely.

32:07Marcus Speller: They are, they also, so you obviously can relate to that, Marcus. It makes it more reliable for you, you and Vish.

32:11Vishnu Vakkalanka: I don't think I've got either of them. They speak our language as well. They do, yeah, English.

32:15Marcus Speller: They do, they've made the effort to assimilate, haven't they? Presumably they're not taking any kind of benefits on them. I tell you what,

32:21Luke Moore: if they did the post-match interview in Welsh, that would be awesome. That would be lovely. That would be lovely. You know?

32:26Marcus Speller: But I wonder whether... Prince Charles-esque. They would have been looking at the...

32:30Luke Moore: Sorry, everybody from Wales. He's the king now. but he was Prince Charles when he did that speech he was

32:34Marcus Speller: but he's now the king

32:35Luke Moore: right

32:36Marcus Speller: so a little bit of respect Marcus if you still want that MBE like Sir David Beckham what that night is

32:42Luke Moore: every time I email them it says this is not a this is not a monitor email address

32:46Marcus Speller: stop trying to leak your own emails but this was Marcus wants the MBE so bad he's got his son doing cooking cooking TikToks like David Beckham just a little mushroom one mushroom anyway

33:00Vishnu Vakkalanka: you don't need to take a photo of it no one could see it

33:02Marcus Speller: was this not an opportunity for Wrexham to really announce themselves on the proper big stage because I can't think of a time they've beaten a team of this size Nottingham Forest? It's not as big in terms of Not the world champions True the publicity Is Nottingham Forest a bigger club than Chelsea? It's a conversation for another time yes but but this was a massive chance for them to really announced themselves and they blew it. They self-immolated it. Well, that's one way

33:35Luke Moore: of looking at it. The other way is that they gave Chelsea a bloody nose and actually a lot of people who have heard about the project, that bloody word that we use now so often in football or they're aware of it but maybe they've not seen much of the championship or, you know, whatever. I think they got a very good look and thought, oh, okay, fair enough, Lance. So one sense they blew it. But I don't think taking the world champions into extra time is blowing it. I take the point on another...

34:04Marcus Speller: It is blowing it because they went ahead twice, Marcus.

34:06Luke Moore: I take the point that they went ahead twice.

34:08Marcus Speller: And they got a man sent off just before extra time.

34:10Luke Moore: I understand the fact that they went ahead and they also had chances then to at least equalise, at least maybe try and force penalties. But look, I think that they can come away from this game with their heads held high, quite frankly.

34:25Marcus Speller: But I think both those things can be true. Well, let's let them be true. Vish, is it fair to say that they

34:30Vishnu Vakkalanka: probably blew it but they can also be proud of what they did i think the way this game pans out uh is beneficial for the story arc uh i so i'm gonna start with i don't have a problem with how they've gone about it okay it's not a fairy tale but it's still a very interesting story and a very interesting case study about as luke said how you need to get what the only way of like growing yourself as a football team because of the ecosystem that we've created or certainly let concoct around us.

35:03Luke Moore: Very briefly, just jump in. By the way, if you get a lot of, you know, people come in with a lot of money, it doesn't always work. I take the point that that is the way...

35:11Vishnu Vakkalanka: That's why I think it's a good story, because of the way it's been done. And, you know, the way they rejuvenated the area as well. But I also think you kind of, the reason people have come out against what they're doing is because, purely from a rival fan perspective of finding it annoying That always happens That always happens And this adds a bit more character I suppose into it I see what you mean It's the idea of like That could have been something I think it does, with all due respect to Chelsea fans I like It does help that it's against a broadly quite unpopular big team I don't necessarily think this is a total missed opportunity in the way that Luke does.

35:59Vishnu Vakkalanka: Yeah, she probably agree with me. Because I think so much of the presentation of their story, whether it's through Disney, ESPN, or even just the socials of Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, is done with that underdog spirit. And as soon as they become top dogs, it's just not the same story. But they're not going to become top dogs.

36:20Marcus Speller: They'll become a Premier League team, they won't know, eventually. Indeed, but they'll still market themselves.

36:24Vishnu Vakkalanka: Yeah, but within, I mean, look at, every time they post about a win, you'll have someone from right now, a rival championship team, talking about how they've spent the most in the championship this season. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That kind of stuff, you know.

36:37Luke Moore: Yeah, I think that's well. But, I mean, Rob McElhenney on TNT Sports certainly was channeling the under - He said the F word.

36:46Marcus Speller: I know, I saw that.

36:47Luke Moore: It wasn't live, of course.

36:48Marcus Speller: These bloody, oh, these bloody yanks, eh? They are playing by their own rules. typical Uncle Sam yeah

36:53Luke Moore: more on the actual game itself though I mean it was the first goal from Rexham was a lovely finish beautiful touch and finish that great stuff from Old Smith and the second goal his name's not

37:05Marcus Speller: Old Smith is he?

37:07Luke Moore: from Old Smith from Young Smith

37:09Marcus Speller: he's only 28

37:10Luke Moore: fine youngish Smith well anyway the moment Callum Doyle scored when he flicked it's a beauty Rexham in front that is classic FA Cup stuff yeah it's great stuff And it's such a shame for the neutral and Wrexham fans, obviously, that Achimpong scores a lovely finish. That was a beauty as well. Just a few minutes later. Yeah. Because when Doyle does that, again, it's such a lovely goal.

37:31Marcus Speller: Can I have a little mention for the Achimpong goal because I think that was a goal of amazing Premier League quality because all that happens is the Wrexham centre-back takes one step out, leaves a little gap, they're not in line, so Achimpong isn't offside, he cuts inside and before you even know it, blink of an eye, he's rifled it in. Yes. And that is, as someone who's watched their team play in the Championship, League One, League Two, and the Premier League, between the Championship and Premier League, that is the main difference. Their chances are taken. They're taken so quickly. And a lot of the time, if you're a Championship defender, you don't even know you've made a mistake, but you have.

38:07Marcus Speller: And that is why a lot of strikers in the Championship find it very hard to post anywhere and like the numbers in the Premier League of strikers because the defending is just so much better. So that was a real kind of eye-opener, I expect, for Wrexham, that they could see the goal of that type. And it happened so quickly after as well.

38:27Luke Moore: I agree with you. And when you're saying about in the different leagues, well, those Wrexham fans have seen that in the last handful, you know, last few seasons. And so that's why this game was quite, you know, not an eye-opener, that's not what I want to say, but it was a reminder of just, you know, how good Premier League sides are. Into extra time, I mean, I think we can all agree that George Dobson's was a sending off despite what old Phil Parkey said. Well, I mean, he's only just scraped his shin.

38:54Marcus Speller: We do that all the time in the championship.

38:55Luke Moore: Yeah, it was quite low. Yeah.

38:57Marcus Speller: He's Alejandro Canacho. Yeah. Anyone thought about that?

39:02Luke Moore: Yeah. That was a red card in any league in any era. Not any era, but, you know, any era that I've been alive, I would say.

39:12Vishnu Vakkalanka: 80s. What about that scrap they have in the middle of that square in Florence?

39:16Marcus Speller: Yeah, Coucho Storico,

39:17Vishnu Vakkalanka: I remember that

39:19Luke Moore: despite being a part of it you won it didn't you? single-handedly the guns out I don't know then obviously Chelsea can't act to himself scores but even down to 10 men Wrexham still gave a great account of themselves I mean Kiefer Moore's little flick

39:36Vishnu Vakkalanka: that's the thing I found strange about it like what were Chelsea doing?

39:40Luke Moore: well I think because of the atmosphere and because of the way the game's gone I think they're ahead and it's like right let's just let's kind of cling on here I mean it's the only thing I can think they put a cherry on top

39:49Marcus Speller: at the end didn't they Jao Pedro and he will do that

39:51Luke Moore: but that one that was chalked off for a very marginal offside like it's offside the signal is would it have gone in

40:00Marcus Speller: yeah I couldn't see an angle where you could tell on that he kind of nips at the back post to make sure which I guess all players you should do that

40:07Luke Moore: oh look he did the right thing because if he leaves that you can't and again because it was so marginal you can't just go oh well and the other thing Marcus

40:14Marcus Speller: Because even if he leaves it, there's still an argument to be had that he's interfering because he's affecting how the goalkeeper reacts to it. And it may not have been. So he has to go. I would say that Chelsea have got through that there. They've kind of escaped with one given the nature of how the game went. A couple of talking points, I say talking points, we might not talk about them, but just a couple of things I noticed was a couple of young lads came off the bench. Dario Asugo did really well. I'd not seen him play before and he looked pretty bright. young Derry came off the bench as well to have a go at things and the other talking point I would just say is another like really strangely anonymous performance from Liam De Lappe

40:52Luke Moore: yeah there was a couple of moments where I thought oh there you go there's the player yeah you're right and he comes off

40:58Marcus Speller: and Jao Pedro comes on and scores

41:00Luke Moore: well and this is it it's like an Eka Tika Isak thing it's a tricky one because when De Lappe went to Chelsea I did think he's a decent striker you know I wanted old Fulham to go in for him I wonder if more a mid-table Premier League side would have been better where he's going to get played. He's going to be the main man. With Chelsea, look, you understand why he's gone there totally, but again, there have been flickers and there's been a few flashes and he's had his injuries, but...

41:25Marcus Speller: He's flopping, mate. Yeah, I do. You can't get around it. I don't take any pleasure in saying it, but he's flopping.

41:30Luke Moore: Hey, he's a Chelsea player. He's young. Loan him out to the Eredivisie.

41:33Marcus Speller: Yeah. Loan him out to Fulham.

41:35Luke Moore: Well, mate. That happens. Now you're talking. Yeah. Now you are talking. If it's good enough

41:37Marcus Speller: for Romando Broyo it's good enough for Liam DeLapp

41:40Luke Moore: as I always say as the old wives tale goes now as I mentioned Wrexham there was a couple of VAR decisions that went against them the fans were unhappy they chanted fuck VAR which is of course what Rob McElhenney said on TNT Sports not live Rob's much better than that

41:55Marcus Speller: it's fair enough

41:56Luke Moore: this is minor though compared to some of the scenes we saw in Germany this weekend a fan jumped on the field and unplugged the VAR system while the referee was having a look against Hertha Berlin causing a big old lengthy delay. That's what it's all about.

42:10Vishnu Vakkalanka: Why does it cause a lengthy delay? Just plug it back in.

42:14Luke Moore: No, but it's like an old computer that takes ages to reboot. God, he's got the password. Yeah.

42:18Marcus Speller: It's a fingerprint. Who's fingerprint is it?

42:22Luke Moore: They're using an old BBC computer. Oh. It's got Granny's garden on it. Some people are saying, what, a BBC computer? Trust me, kids. That was a thing. I had one. I had a BBC.

42:30Marcus Speller: It was my first home computer, that.

42:31Luke Moore: I was more of an ITV computer guy. Banter.

42:34Marcus Speller: Just banter. Yeah. Bands that no one gets. The kind of stuff that Ramble specialises in.

42:41Luke Moore: And yet here we are still. I do like that. It's a bit like a friend of mine. We were in one of the old, back in the Shires, a provincial nightclub. And he was rather well sourced. Song came on and it was like the third song in a row that he hated. Went in to talk to the DJ, leaned over and turned the whole thing off. Got chucked out. But what a moment it was.

43:03Vishnu Vakkalanka: I like...

43:06Marcus Speller: It's proof of Prince William energy, that.

43:09Vishnu Vakkalanka: Don't you... The justification of it was a third on the row he didn't like. Yeah.

43:13Marcus Speller: First is a mistake. Two, okay. Three's becoming a habit.

43:17Luke Moore: Who can name three Peter Andre songs? You know what I'm saying?

43:21Marcus Speller: Didn't Steven Gerrard hit a DJ?

43:23Vishnu Vakkalanka: Yeah, he did, yeah.

43:25Marcus Speller: Over a row of Phil Collins. It's a Phil Collins song, wasn't it? Is that right? Could I just put out there, this might be the start of a movement. Oh. You know, there's been a lot of protests. I was thinking about the TJ thing. Which part? No, the fuck VAR star. Oh, right, okay. I'll try and wrestle it back. Oh, right.

43:40Vishnu Vakkalanka: I predicted two years ago when we were doing, I think from our pre-season... Here we go. This is Marcus Pellett's Specialist. Two years ago. You know, like our something, you know, penis will be seen category in our predictions. Oh, that was, I mean, that was a long time ago. I wondered if someone would come on and beat the shit out of the VAR screen, like, you know, in Short Circuit, where they do the robot in.

44:00Luke Moore: Yes, Short Circuit.

44:01Vishnu Vakkalanka: Yeah, but I'm plugging it.

44:02Marcus Speller: That's a bit softer, isn't it? Imagine though, a thought experiment, if you will, I'm not encouraging this, but imagine if every single game that had VAR, a fan took it on them to unplug it every time. And so they kept doing it.

44:15Luke Moore: I feel that that is the type of vigilante behaviour we don't want to see. I don't like this decision. I think it's going to be given. I'm going to unplug it.

44:20Marcus Speller: No, but just every single, no, every time it happens, just do it. I don't want to see it. They have to stop VAR. They'd have to change how they did things. Don't want to see it, mate. Surely they'd be able to hack the system though. There you're talking. Yeah. Just like scramble it. A scramble that. Yeah. Do you know why Marcus likes that and not the unplug? Because he's by nature a coward. That's anonymous. That's anonymous doing it hacking-wise, isn't it? It's like a deep fake

44:41Vishnu Vakkalanka: of a different... Well, actually, it seems to be a penalty the other way.

44:45Luke Moore: Because a TV doesn't unnecessarily get bashed up with the hacking.

44:48Marcus Speller: I just said unplug. I didn't bash.

44:50Luke Moore: I just said unplug. Okay, all right. Well, fine. Whichever... Choose your poison.

44:54Vishnu Vakkalanka: My prediction was it would be bashed rather than unplugged. Oh, okay.

44:57Marcus Speller: It could be the start of a movement is all I'm saying.

44:59Luke Moore: Fair enough. Would it be a movement

45:00Marcus Speller: that I'd be behind? it would be interesting

45:01Luke Moore: it would be interesting during the World Cup yeah

45:04Vishnu Vakkalanka: imagine it yeah

45:05Luke Moore: VAR yes

45:07Vishnu Vakkalanka: it's going to go against us and we are saying us yeah and then someone hacks it are you in favour for that no cyber terrorism no let me increase the state

45:17Marcus Speller: the second group game that we simply have to win after a disastrous opening game

45:22Luke Moore: a draw a draw in the opening game it's not going to happen like that I'll tell you how it will happen is that the US will be maybe in the get out the group and in the next round I don't know they're playing I don't know what the permutations are but let's say they're playing like Argentina or Brazil or something like that right and it's a bad decision and the Donald is not happy with it he sends down Vance to unplug it that's what's going to happen Vance reduced to that I was going to say would he not do it would he not do it yeah exactly right it's something like

45:50Vishnu Vakkalanka: Leslie Graham wouldn't it

45:51Marcus Speller: Leslie Graham Lindsay Graham Lindsay Graham Leslie Graham I was going to say it's like a soap act of the 80s I don't know

45:58Luke Moore: any of these people all I know is they're in charge. Much like Daniel Farker at Leeds, despite not being on the touchline, but it was the Farker derby. They beat his old club, Norwich City. They made nine changes, but easy peasy. Nice to see Farker wearing a headset. It was very nice to see that. Was he trying to hack VAR? Do you think that's a part?

46:16Marcus Speller: It's amazing they found one big enough to stretch all the way around.

46:20Luke Moore: No, I think they had to...

46:21Marcus Speller: How far away was the mic from his mouth?

46:23Luke Moore: They had to merge two together and then get rid of the bits. They did.

46:26Marcus Speller: It was actually fairly easy work for Leeds. Norwich had a bit of a spell in the second half. But generally speaking, they changed it up quite a lot and they did really well.

46:35Luke Moore: But that's it though. Put those games away. They're in the hat. Exactly. They're in the hat and good luck to them.

46:41Marcus Speller: They're in Daniel Farker's massive hat.

46:42Luke Moore: Yeah, well, there's plenty of room for all of us even though Marcus Silva doesn't fancy it. All right, coming up after this, Mansfield Town made life difficult for Arsenal.

47:00Marcus Speller: Okay, I have to tell you, I was just looking on eBay where I go for all kinds of things I love, and there it was. That hologram trading card. One of the rarest. The last one I needed for my set.

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48:39Luke Moore: Mansfield Town won Arsenal 2.

48:41Vishnu Vakkalanka: Sorry, I've just spilled water all over myself.

48:43Luke Moore: Oh dear. That's staying in. Arsenal overcame a brief scare at Mansfield Town to reach the FA Cup quarterfinals. The quadruple's still on. It's still on. because Man City went through as well. No, two teams go for the quadruple. What times we live in. This is what Mikel Arteta, though, had to say about the match.

49:05Marcus Speller: Great to Mansfield, the stadium, the atmosphere that the fans created. It was a bit of banter. Is he normally of that opinion, Mikel? He seems like a person who doesn't want any kind of sense of humour infecting any of his stuff.

49:16Vishnu Vakkalanka: It's like he's been briefed. He's like, I know you hate banter, but it is necessary. Okay, can I just repeat that?

49:21Marcus Speller: A specific amount of banter is necessary.

49:23Luke Moore: When we beat a lower league side in the FA Cup, we turn up and we win, you know. It's fine.

49:28Marcus Speller: Because Calafuri got the brunt of it, didn't he?

49:31Luke Moore: The brunt is a bit over the top, isn't it?

49:33Marcus Speller: He got it from the fans. He got it from the official Mansfield TikTok after the game. Oh, did he? He got all sorts.

49:39Luke Moore: No, but that was from a particular fan who called him a wanker.

49:42Marcus Speller: No, but I think everyone's really let into it.

49:44Luke Moore: Oh, right.

49:45Marcus Speller: Because Calafuri was caught on the TikTok shouting at the camera, going, why, why, why?

49:50Luke Moore: Well, no, it was a kid, wasn't it, in the stand? Oh, okay. He was shouting his name. The kid was trying to get anybody's attention when he was walking past. And Calafiore looks over and he waved. He looks over immediately and waved and smiles. The kid did a wanker sign, apparently. Jay from the in-betweeners energy, that is. Yeah, but the thing is with Calafiore, if you actually watch it, he's not going, why? Why? I don't deserve it. He's laughing, going, why? I think he's finding it quite funny.

50:13Vishnu Vakkalanka: Yeah, it's the kind of kid being a kid and him being like, don't call me a wanker.

50:18Luke Moore: The idea that a professional footballer who's made it to Arsenal's level has never had any abuse from the crowd. Yeah, exactly, yeah. oh, we got to him, we did him. I think you'll be alright. Molly Coddled in Italian football. Yeah, and the Premier League. Yeah. Take away the velvet rope, look at them, don't know what to do with themselves.

50:33Marcus Speller: Have you ever said that? Mansfield did give a great account of themselves. Not the point I was making. Far better account of themselves than most Premier League teams do.

50:40Luke Moore: Yeah, they did. They absolutely did. Was the atmosphere, the stadium, the pitch and everything a leveller, do you think?

50:47Marcus Speller: Well, possibly.

50:47Luke Moore: I mean, there was a lot of changes. Talking of changes, Arsenal, in a bit of bloody back three

50:50Marcus Speller: they were playing. I know. And Arteta was showing off about that as well, wasn't he? We trained with it for about 10 minutes, he said.

50:56Vishnu Vakkalanka: He did. You're absolutely right. I didn't even study for this exam. Oh yeah, you're hard.

50:59Marcus Speller: You're hard.

51:01Luke Moore: Yeah, I asked if they'd been practicing that. He said, yeah, once, 10 minutes. Still went through.

51:06Marcus Speller: Disrespectful, isn't it? He's a bit disrespectful. To a proud Nigel Clough, Mansfield. Yeah.

51:10Luke Moore: Yeah, I know. I know. I mean, and he started, what, two 16-year-olds in there. with Marley Selman and Max Downman. Yeah, who... I mean, Downman's a proper player. We know that.

51:19Marcus Speller: It's absolutely ridiculous how good Downman is. Yeah. And I can't believe... I mean, I think he's 16. Is he 16 until, what, New Year's Eve? I think he's at the end of this year. So he's not even that much of a 16-year-old. He's not even like he's nearly 17. Do you know what I mean? He's still... He's not 17 for ages. Yeah. But he just looks... He just looks sensational. And the way you could look at this three at the back from Arsenal is you could use it as a compliment to Mansford who play three at the back. and say they've tried to match him up. They don't quite fancy it otherwise.

51:47Luke Moore: Yeah. Probably not true. Yeah, it seems doubtful.

51:50Vishnu Vakkalanka: Also, he makes it sound like the three at the back was really secure. Mosquera had a very strange game.

51:55Luke Moore: They never lose on Mosquera.

51:57Marcus Speller: By which you mean he was shit. Yeah. Because he was shit. Yeah. I mean, he found it very difficult. Has he only been training for 10 minutes?

52:04Luke Moore: Maybe.

52:05Marcus Speller: What was really weird, when Arsenal went to front of the park and obviously won pretty handsomely, weirdly enough, their fullbacks really struggled. and I think Mosquera struggled here I know he's playing the back three but he struggled when he was being pulled out to wide areas he sold himself very easily it was almost like he hadn't considered what it would be like to play this type of football and he made himself look quite shit I don't know what Arsenal fans generally opinion of him is I know he hasn't played an awful lot and I know he's still pretty young but yeah he didn't shower himself in glory and I thought Marley Salmon found the physicality of it quite hard as well but I thought Max Dowman looked brilliant I think he's some talent I mean he is some talent

52:46Luke Moore: he's brilliant by the way I should just say that stat I saw from Optigeo earlier Arsenal haven't lost any of their 14 games when Christian Mosquera has been named in the starting 11 fair enough 1-12

52:55Vishnu Vakkalanka: despite his best efforts yeah 1-12

52:57Luke Moore: drawn to the best unbeaten record of any Premier League player when starting in all competitions this season shows what I know

53:03Vishnu Vakkalanka: doesn't it well I mean

53:04Luke Moore: you're not wrong to

53:06Vishnu Vakkalanka: he was very poor I thought he could have actually closed down the goal he could have yeah Salmon throws it short but then he backs off even further I'm not entirely sure why

53:15Luke Moore: had they started someone else they might have had 14 wins

53:17Marcus Speller: you said the game he started

53:20Luke Moore: yeah in all competitions yeah but it was a good cup tie he came on against Spurs

53:26Marcus Speller: that doesn't count

53:26Luke Moore: no it doesn't count

53:27Marcus Speller: it was a great cup tie

53:30Luke Moore: because when Evans scores that goal you're thinking oh bloody hell here we go that's probably stuff I've glossed over Noddy Maddowek's goal there by the way very nice goal that goal and also the Eze goal. Yeah. That's your Premier League quality.

53:42Marcus Speller: Eze goal was like a fuck off.

53:44Vishnu Vakkalanka: Yeah, as you said about taking opportunities quickly, it's also just, sometimes it's just hitting the ball really hard.

53:49Luke Moore: Yeah.

53:50Vishnu Vakkalanka: Yeah, it is. And that is the difference.

53:52Luke Moore: Top pins, top pins. There we are. But I mean, we had a worker's goal as a beauty, but yeah, Eze, I mean, sure.

53:56Vishnu Vakkalanka: Yeah.

53:57Luke Moore: That is one of those moments where, again, the ground just goes.

54:01Vishnu Vakkalanka: Yeah. There was that sigh of like, oh, if they're going to do that.

54:04Luke Moore: We can't do that.

54:05Vishnu Vakkalanka: Yeah. If you're not going to let us kind of roll around, if you're not going to roll around in the dirt with us what's the point of this

54:10Luke Moore: what is the point of this you know Mansfield though again equipped themselves very well they made it a great tie the fans got involved as well trying to help their team a fan held up us an Arsenal shirt with number 7 on the back and it said Saka Shit

54:23Marcus Speller: he's had that made special yeah it's for that specific game Saka Shit he probably knew you were playing yeah

54:29Luke Moore: Saka posted that on social media saying I love you too or whatever he said they won't be saying that when the World Cup happens will they no they'll get that shit taken off they probably will

54:37Marcus Speller: that's probably part of the plan

54:38Luke Moore: yes hopefully

54:39Marcus Speller: riling our boys yeah

54:42Luke Moore: indeed indeed well Arsenal I said hey the quadruple is still on but the quadruple is still on with Manchester City they beat Newcastle United 3-1 at St James' Park we played so good said Pep he was purring after the game he said it's the best performance that Man City have had at St James' Park under him at Manchester City

54:58Vishnu Vakkalanka: and they've had a few

55:00Luke Moore: this season they've had a few he loves it doesn't he Vish

55:03Vishnu Vakkalanka: he does yeah great performance from Savino one of the weirdest

55:07Marcus Speller: goals you'll ever see

55:08Vishnu Vakkalanka: what was that about

55:08Luke Moore: yeah

55:09Marcus Speller: do you actually know

55:10Luke Moore: what he was trying to do there well I because I don't think it's when someone some people's suggestion oh he didn't think it was going to come to it no he definitely did he definitely did he watched it all the way indeed I think he has just thought I'm going to do a little fancy finish here and like just let it bounce off me and in

55:25Vishnu Vakkalanka: yeah

55:25Luke Moore: I think what you saw is what he meant to have I'm so happy to have ever seen that before no I don't think I have as well I would say if I was his manager I would encourage him to maybe put a little bit more on it next time

55:33Marcus Speller: strike it properly yeah

55:34Luke Moore: Because I mean, look, it goes in comfortably. But the fact is, it doesn't hit the back of the net and the goalkeeper still thinks it's alive. It's like, you've scored, but just a little bit more

55:45Marcus Speller: on it next time. Yeah. I thought it was very strange. I couldn't really work out what he had done.

55:49Luke Moore: I know. But Guardiola, he made 10 changes. Yeah, he will do that though.

55:53Marcus Speller: He's the end of the level boss of making changes, isn't he? He's basically ruined everyone's fantasy Premier League experience for the last fucking 10 years.

56:00Luke Moore: Yeah. Man City, very, very good. I mean, Omar Mamouche got the headlines didn't he? That second goal. You're talking about Premier League quality. Oh no, Newcastle. But that second goal he scored. Come on, that's how you finish a game. I know there's about half an hour still to go but woof.

56:15Marcus Speller: I feel like it's not enough is made of the fact that Guardiola has been the standout manager of our generation and possibly any generation. You know, some people would say he's been the best club manager of all time. You know, he's definitely part of the conversation. Not enough is made of him being able to do that yet still being actually even at this point pretty unpredictable. Yeah. With his team selections and stuff I know that a lot of managers make changes for cup games. We've spent half the show today talking about it but you never really know what he's going to do. So if we were to when Man City play Arsenal in this big what might be a big title decider in a number of weeks time I don't think any of us could say we would really know what side City Well look at what they did

56:59Luke Moore: at the Emirates early in the season. Completely unpredictable. Agreed. I know what you mean, yeah. It was weird. Very close to getting three points with that.

57:06Marcus Speller: Yeah, but they played in a way you've never seen them playing a game like that before.

57:11Luke Moore: I think that's partly out of where he finds himself in this stage in his career and the team he's got and so on. But still, your point totally stands. Do you mean not having a set first 11? Well, even that. I mean but yeah like so when they played as they did in the Emirates at the Emirates earlier this season in previous seasons there's no way they're going to set up like that yeah yeah they get the early goal and then they so that's kind of the point I'm making but the fact is though as I say Luke's saying that he mixes it up all the time they did mix it up so there's your point kind of thing but look they were very good in this game they were very good value for the victory having had a disappointing draw against Forest at home and despite making 10 changes they are going to against a side who, you know, have been good in the Cups this season so far and they win fairly comfortably in the end.

58:02Luke Moore: You know, you have to give them credit and, you know, Barnes scored, you know, it was a nice finish to get them going but Man City, they march on and it is quite strange, isn't it, that the top two in England, they're both on for the quadruple. They're both, it will be them who are going for the title. Who's on the verge? Do you know what? I don't know. I would still probably suggest Arsenal but it wouldn't shock me in that League Cup final if Man City get the better of them. I would probably have Man City to win the League Cup final. How that will then affect the psychology of the rest of the season.

58:30Luke Moore: I don't think Man City will win the Champions League. But my goodness, like I say, it is odd for both sides having been not that inspiring. They've been decent, obviously, because they're in those competitions and still are. But for both of them to still have all four trophies to play for.

58:47Marcus Speller: And I think it's a measure of how far, how much we have rated City or Undergraduate over the years that they could feasibly, it's actually fairly likely they might win both domestic cups and people still be like, oh, yeah. That's not the way that Gwadriner wants to bow out. Sure. You know, yet to basically any other team in England, really, at this point, winning both domestic cups in the same season would be massive. Yeah. Even Arsenal, it would be massive for them.

59:12Vishnu Vakkalanka: We had that with Liverpool a bit, didn't we? Well, when the clock did it. A few years ago, yeah.

59:15Marcus Speller: I know Arsenal want to win the league more than anything else, but if you look, the simple fact remains that Arteta has not won trophies at Arsenal very often. Two domestic cups.

59:24Luke Moore: Yeah, and it was a while ago, yeah.

59:24Marcus Speller: And so two domestic cups in the same season would still be a big season. I think people would still shoot them down a little bit for that.

59:30Luke Moore: Oh, I would. It doesn't mean that it's not a big season. Indeed, indeed. But one thing you have to say about Manchester City under Guardiola, their appetite for winning trophies is just unprecedented. Even in, people often talk about, oh, the League Cup to the big teams. City are always there. Even last season, they were in the final of the FA Cup. And again, it was a disappointing season for them. but they absolutely love it. They can't get enough of it. So again, fair play to them. A good victory. And potentially another record because Pep Guardi is now facing a two-game touchline ban after being booked for the sixth time this season.

1:00:06Luke Moore: They're on the book and he said, I will tell you something. We have all the records in this country. All of them. We have the record of the manager with the most yellow cards. I want all the records and now I have it. Two-game ban now and I will go on holidays the next two games. As if. As if that man. a herd of wild horses couldn't get him away from a game of football last week he was talking

1:00:26Marcus Speller: about all his players having capperinas and stuff he loves it he's an absolute merchant for it he does love it

1:00:30Luke Moore: he does absolutely love it to know it

1:00:33Marcus Speller: West Ham host Brentford we did performance on Friday we couldn't be bothered to talk about this on Friday and we said we'd talk about it today and we're an hour in

1:00:41Luke Moore: and we have and we have thanks for listening to the Football Ramble part of the ACOS Creator Network we're back tomorrow for the Mailbag until then thank you Luke Moore thank you thank you for doing your head to Rajal thank you Oh, and thank you, Port Vale.

1:01:01Vishnu Vakkalanka: The Football Ramble is a Stack production and part of the Acast Creator Network.

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