Respect the brawl

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3:03Jim Campbell: this advert can you provide some astute analysis i think arsenal are going to win the premier league And there you are. For more hot takes like that, watch or listen to Football Weekly wherever you get your podcasts.

3:38Hello everybody, welcome to a magnificent Monday here at the Football Ramble. Vishy's on the pod, Jimmy's on the pod, and we're going to be talking about the Premier League. How about that, gentlemen? Are you excited, Jim? Yeah, I am. Good. Despite everything. Brighton 3, Arsenal 0.

3:54Jim Campbell: Yeah. Have that, you pecky person. I was expecting, oh, Jim. It's actually nice that it's been such a long time since we've started an episode of the Football Ramble with that sort of tone. But that was terrible, unless you're of a Brighton persuasion, in which case it was incredible. I think, yeah, I was talking at Brighton, saying, could Brighton surprise people and maybe finish in the Champions League spots? They've heard me. They have. I think that's probably what motivated them, yeah, because they were absolutely first to everything. They were better than Arsenal in every department on the pitch.

4:27Jim Campbell: Kit-wise? The kit was brilliant, wasn't it? Did you like it? Yeah, I really liked it. I would have gone with a different colour sock. yeah but isn't the point that it's the same colours that they wore in their first ever game I would have gone with a different colour sock but I like the all sort of blue out kit so 125 years ago you would have gone with a different sock and therefore I would have done

4:47Marcus Speller: you've got to remember as well 125 years ago was before fashion was invented I've done a lot of things differently 125 years ago that I wouldn't do now I've gone back and killed Hitler's great great great Exactly. At the risk of sounding like a murderer. Easier than killing a baby, isn't it? Yeah, I suppose so. Nobody does. Nobody does. Yes, it was 125 years of Brighton and Hove Albion. They beat Arsenal on their big day to knock them off their perch, quite frankly. There's a new bird in town and they pecked the crap out of them. Yeah, I mean, it seemed strange to see Arsenal getting biffed like that, Vish.

5:29so good at the back I mean we've seen them struggle through a few games before we've even seen them getting beaten you know not that long ago of course but like this yeah they

5:41Marcus Speller: for a while it feels like Arsenal have been the only team able to lose a game and still win 1-0 and this time they actually lost the game on the result as well it felt like they were uncharacteristically bad at all the good things they do outright like in their sleep almost you know protect in front of the box good at set pieces, play through the middle. They were particularly slack on that last bit. Surprisingly so, maybe. But then, like, it's the B teams you've got to worry about. It's Brighton, it's Brentford, it's Bournemouth. The other one I nearly forgot. Barnsley. Barnsley. Encasing the cup.

6:19Marcus Speller: Yeah, Barcelona with all their levers. Bayern Munich. Bayern Munich, they're quite good. BSG. Yeah, BSG. Liverpool. Leeds United. Yeah. And Bahrain. Football in general. Yeah. But the other side to it was, beyond Pascal Gross being this evergreen, brilliant footballer. King of the league. Yeah. If Brighton are going to insist on selling players for a lot of money, and bringing in people who don't really exist, but believing in them so much that they come to life, like Costoulas, then what chance has anyone got? He's lively, isn't he? He really is. He's good for a good goal as well. He's here for a good time.

7:05Absolutely.

7:06Marcus Speller: I think he, just very quickly before passing back to Jim and watching him cry more, got such a clean strike on him. He does. And also... He's after the goal of the month and it's a stiff competition for goal of the month. Yes, it is actually, yeah. But he's clearly quite style conscious. There's a reason he rolls his socks down. There's a reason he looks as immaculate as he does when he walks out to play professional sport. But he's also not afraid to just run down alleys, chase balls. And I suppose that comes with being 19, you know, all the enthusiasm of playing in the Premier League and starting for a Premier League club.

7:40Marcus Speller: But he's got a little bit of everything. Yeah, really nice. He does. I mean, yeah, it was so one-sided, this game. If that alien that we often reference, you know, the sort of representative of the aliens, came down and had no idea which teams, who these teams were and what the history was. They would think, oh, well, Arsenal are one of the poorer sides in the league. Yeah, yeah. It was comprehensive. It was so comprehensive.

8:00Jim Campbell: And again, as I mentioned earlier, every department, it was the physicality, the passing, the off-the-ball stuff, the way they shut down Arsenal's passing lanes, the vast majority of the second balls they defended and attacked set pieces better. Brighton were just better in every department on the day. And I think the most frustrating thing for me, or one of the most frustrating things, was the manner of both goals in the first half were very, very avoidable. Because you've got Gabriel and Calafuri and then Gabriel and Esri Kansa, both sort of sitting off a player who is clearly going to take a shot.

8:36Jim Campbell: Now, Arsenal are quite happy for teams to have shots from distance, because what they value is getting everyone behind the ball, so that then, if you do it quick enough, that shot from distance becomes quite like a low value chance. But the execution of that was really, really poor there because they're essentially, they've got a free shot at goal. And Brighton have specialists in that department. We know that Pascal Gros can do that. And he didn't score on the day, but Yassini Yari is someone you don't want anywhere near having a chance like that. And it almost felt like a little bit of a ghost in the machine that allowed those chances just from the sort of tactical choices that Arsenal make in those decisions.

9:11Jim Campbell: And I think Gabriel in particular should really have kind of gone out and closed both players down. Especially if they had a warning with the first one. Exactly, yeah. Absolutely. It's particularly bad. Arteta was saying after the game, really, that he could tell from minute one, from the first throwing, that something was off. And another frustrating thing from my perspective was how it was just exactly the same in the second half. You know, you really need to... There was no reaction, really. No, there wasn't. And I think even the substitutes felt like Hail Mary's. They didn't feel like an attempt to truly change the game and establish some control in it.

9:42Jim Campbell: And I think we were all very excited, those of us on Arsenal persuasion, to see Rice, Gimaraes and Odegaard together for the first time as a starting. And it was really disconnected. So that's clearly going to take a little bit of time to get used to. And yeah, I mean, you've just got to credit Brighton. But again, the worrying thing is, as good as they are, Arsenal will face teams who are as good or better. And they've got to correct this. And I think that's been exposed there is the lack of pace on transition. This was something everybody was worried about when Martinelli went without someone coming in to replace him.

10:13Jim Campbell: It leaves really Nonny Madueke as the quickest player, who's someone who isn't likely to start. So it's going to be something teams target, and Brighton did it so well. Yeah, they did. I mean, obviously they beat Aston Villa 4-0 on the opening day of the season, and took Villa apart, but there were clear individual errors with Villa there. Brighton, fantastic value for that victory. But they're clinical though. Not everyone manages to take advantage of those mistakes. Indeed. And so in this game, it was that type of performance and they win 3-0 against the champions. So even without the individual mistakes, they're scoring goals.

10:48And as you say, Jim, they're clinical. And they've got goals everywhere in that team. Pascal Gross is playing like a man possessed. Four goals in his last five games here. 35? Yeah, 35. I mean, it's not just the goals. The goals are obviously a big part of it. the way he dominates the game. It's phenomenal stuff from Gross. But again, it's not just him. You look around that team. We've mentioned Kostoules. You've got De Kuyper as well who's doing it. Jairi Gomez is involved. The defence, Struick at the back. Luka Voscovic. One of the signings of the summer.

11:20Jim Campbell: Everybody sort of predicted that that would be the case, but he's hit the ground running. Well, again, we're so used to their recruitment being so good, but that doesn't mean to say we shouldn't praise it constantly because that would be ridiculous. So again, looking around at that side, everyone's doing what they should be doing and more and Herzl has got them going and I tell you what again the way they've started yes we have seen teams in the past start very well and of course then the size of squads and the quality and all the rest of it gets going again but Brighton you know aim high like that yeah why not again come you know come April sort of May if they're still up there you know this is a real chance of season for a team such as themselves to try and break into that top five.

12:03It's very early days. I know. Conference League games to come as well, right? Which is obviously going to be a factor. There are. There are. Well, I tell you what, so they've got at least Europa League next season then, because they're going to win the Conference League. I mean, doing this, what they did to Villa and Arsenal, do that against, you know, whoever's in the Conference League.

12:20Marcus Speller: Yeah.

12:21Jim Campbell: FC Bomsk. There you go. Yeah. Might have made up. Might be in it. Can't remember. But it could be their third away trip of the campaign. Yeah.

12:30Marcus Speller: Or Bidgetland. Yeah. The thing is what they're going to have to do as time goes on, if they play that high pressing, you know, real full-blooded stuff is when the tiredness sets in. But I don't know. That's for another month. Yeah, but I don't necessarily know it's going to set in in the way that it usually would with other teams because they're so well organised. And also the reason Pascal Gross is playing so well is A, because he's a good player, but B, have you seen the age of the people around him? Yeah, yeah. Gomez is 23. Chimo Andres is 21, Ayari is 22, Vuscovic is only 19. Like, there's so much energy there.

13:05Is he like Wayne Lineker? He thrives with younger people around him. Yes!

13:08Marcus Speller: And a lot of them are very tanned as well. And that's Brighton's on the coast as well, near the sea. It all makes sense now. Get down to Lineker's. Get down to Gross's. Brighton. Which is probably a more fitting name, actually. They should swap names, yeah. But there we are. But yeah, Brighton. They're currently the Premier League's top scorers with 16 goals. They love it. Again, the goals are from everywhere. Absolutely everywhere. You've just got to now think, do I put Pascal Grosin with fantasy team or if the goals are dried up? Leave it another week. God, no! I could have had that one. He's quite old.

13:41Marcus Speller: Getting to winter, his hip might be a bit iffy. Do you think so? Yeah. If his central heating doesn't work, he's in trouble. Yeah, it amused me when he was asked about the title and he just went, no. Just shut up. Shut up. It's just a stupid question to ask, isn't it? But Champions League is not stupid. No. Thank you. Even so. I mean, it's five games. How does this make you worried about Arsenal? Because it's just, I suppose, the manner of it. Again, you can lose a game of football against a very good side. But it really was piss poor. I mean, my, you know, where I'm sitting, Jim, I would like to think that Saka and Konza and Rice, you know, they're just thinking, all right, let's get this out of the way and then we can focus on the nation's league.

14:23But some people may not agree with that. How are you feeling about Arsenal?

14:27Jim Campbell: I'm obviously not going to panic. Not in your nature. No, but certainly, I mean, the old cliche after a result like this, isn't it? That it's a blueprint to play against a certain team. I think as good as Brighton were, this was also a really, really bad performance from Arsenal. Very, very well short of the Fogginer standards that they usually kind of meet. Arteta said that himself. I think a narrative that's likely to emerge, certainly if there's another result like this or another game like this and possibly anyway is comparisons to Liverpool last season and how defending a title was very difficult from sort of trying to get the first one in a while it could have been down to a little bit of complacency there could be all kinds of different factors to it I'd be surprised if Arsenal are regularly as bad and sloppy as that again the passing in midfield in particular was really really different from what we've come to expect from them I am concerned about the lack of pace up top to be honest Kai Havertz had a chance he should have put away as well and that's a it's a good save from the goalkeeper but it favours the strike and he should score it it's an absolute sitter the way the ball bounces up he has got the whole goal to choose from

15:35Marcus Speller: he's even got the option to go over the keeper yeah I think the reason why I think that's quite a damning miss is because that is such a low confidence effort despite having like an alright start to the season he's had a very good start yeah I've done it and it was Victor Yocaro's

15:48Jim Campbell: best moment of the season which now goes completely wasted because he's getting criticism already. Poor old Vic. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, obviously you're right, it'd be madness to panic. I just, I look at that and I think, you compare, say the Arsenal performance against Sunderland, Sunderland is a different team to Brighton, it's a totally different game. I think Arsenal are happy to get into that sort of... Grind. Grind is the word, yes. And Brighton gave him a bit of bump and grind. Yeah. I think it's a bump that they struggle with, but I think with that grind, that sort of, you know sort of test of strength sort of wrestling kind of match Arsenal are going to come up on top of that because they're so potent with set pieces because they've got the quality they've not scored a set piece this season alright but you know in the past they very much have and they have a moment of quality which Bruno Gimera has brought out against Sunderland so they're happy to kind of go toe to toe with that kind of thing and make it a bit of a war of attrition because nine times out of ten they're going to win those games Brighton didn't do that Brighton just went at it And I get what you're saying about the blueprint.

16:49I mean, Man City in the League Cup final last season showed what you can do. Now, there was a few personal changes there. Kepperingo rather than Ryan. Ryan's with his feet. And some other reasons. And you thought, okay. But it's difficult to implement these things. And when people talk about have Brighton found the cheat code, I don't think there is necessarily a cheat code. But what we may see from one or two other sides is they may try and get under Arsenal's skin a bit more and sort of ruffle a few feathers. Again, much easier said than done because that sometimes plays in Arsenal's favour.

17:26Marcus Speller: I think you can only do that with the ball. I think the reason Brighton beat Arsenal, I personally think, is they did all that that you said. They held with them physically. And every time they got the ball, they just moved it quicker and better than Arsenal did. And Brighton are one of the few teams that can actually do that to Arsenal.

17:43Jim Campbell: They're really, really good at that. But essentially pressing us high when you know that there's not a lot of pace up top is... I mean, that is something... It nullifies the outball. And you need more from Saka. Brighton took confidence from that, absolutely. Saka is not having a good time. No, I mean...

17:57Marcus Speller: Was he not simply bad on the weekend?

17:59Jim Campbell: Well, actually, I think so. This is one of those things where statistics don't tell the full story. Arsenal actually beat Brighton on XG. So have that, Fabian. That's what the mainstream media won't tell you. That's all based on that Kyle Haberts chart. to the back is that Brian had a couple from break. Saka had one really good ball I thought to Crystal Solis and Vyskovic closed him down really really quickly which is again another example of where pace would help but yeah he wasn't great. I mean he's been very good at sort of poaching instincts this season got a couple of goals from that and he's looking I think it's been a little bit overstated that he's not looking great I think he's been better than people have made up but after a good start I think he's perhaps slid to a kind of bit of a more average kind of level of performance.

18:46Jim Campbell: So I'm sure 5 ,000 minutes for England, well. Yeah, indeed. Yeah. I think if Arsenal are, say, not to win the Premier League, they're not to go on and have a particularly good season or whatever, I think it will be people will look at their lack of options up top. And that was the issue last season. You know, when it was still kind of in the balance, people were saying, have Arsenal got the attacking prowess to get this over the line because you look at that front line you probably don't you probably don't swap any of those players into Man City's team and this is perhaps um one of the worries of the transfer window playing out that there wasn't enough pace you know they didn't bring in enough kind of options up front and and they lost too much so these are the narratives that are going to come up when these results happen and that leads me to think are we going to see a lot more of Max Dailman this year i mean he came on didn't he when Nani Nani Madueke was there and Nani Madueke is not going away for the international break as well, so that was a good chance to sort of, you know, basically run him into the ground for 20 minutes.

19:47Jim Campbell: But I mean, Damund's performance against Ipswich in the Carabao Cup was such that, you know, he's an option for now, isn't he? So I'm not surprised that he came on, to be honest. No, I'm not. Should Declan Rice have been sent off? Of course not. That's why I asked Fish. Yes.

20:02Marcus Speller: Actually, no, because then England can't run him into the ground if he was sent off. I don't think that affects the Nations League. that's a good point actually that would be outrageous wouldn't it you had five or six yellows for Arsenal you can't play against Spain I mean he was he avoided a red card I think I would put it by kicking Malik Yelkure it's an off the ball

20:21Jim Campbell: silly incident he shouldn't have done it but he was booked

20:24Marcus Speller: it's technically a police matter then Jim and we couldn't possibly comment a VAR review categorised the late kick out as petulant at best I can't even believe which is what I always said Beckham's was on Simeone Yeah, I agree. I want that red card stripped from the record. Go back, replay the game. Same players. Yeah. Imagine Simeone doing that now. He'd be worse, wouldn't he? Yeah, he would. He'd be a bear trap. Yeah. That's what he wants. No, let's leave it as it is. Vish, should Dexter Rice been sent off? No, no. I didn't think so. Oh, because he's English. Is that what you're favouring him?

21:00You'll get at least one comment for that, I'll just say. Yeah, okay.

21:03Marcus Speller: Corruption. We'll put this version out in the UK. We'll geoblock it. Okay, good idea. And ask me again for the EFR foreign audience. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Do you think Declan Roy should have been sent off? Si. Yeah, you go. Si! Joining in with the languages. Just one language. Yeah. You subbed that one in for any French people wanting to know. Okay, right. Yes, so Arsenal. They're still second in the league. Okay, so... They are terrified. Jim's probably got his Arsenal pod later where they're going to really lay into him. I think he's worried. I think he's worried. Well, yeah. So they're still within touching distance of Manchester City who beat Sunderland 5-3 in an eight-goal thriller.

21:47A game, that was. Yeah. I was concerned for Erling Haaland that he wasn't going to score, but he got the fifth. He did get the fifth. He's now scored against all 25 of the teams that he has faced in the Premier League. I love that Sunderland were the last ones left and he got the fifth in a 5-3 victory when there was goals galore. Erling managed to just about help himself at the end. Do you think at this point

22:06Marcus Speller: he's just like looking through the football pyramid like it's a wine list being like, oh, I've not done that before. I could try that. That'd be nice. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But you've got to have the best wine first, of course. And then when it all starts, so I've heard, when it all starts to taste the same, that's when you can, you know, look forward to the third round of the FA Cup. No, I've had red before. Have you got anything else? Have you had Charlton Athletic red? Yeah, that's a good point, yeah. Brian Broby's first goal, very Andrew Cole. Yeah. That kind of takes it with his right foot and then laces it with his right foot.

22:34Marcus Speller: Yes, I love that you called him Andrew there. As he would want.

22:37Jim Campbell: That's what Andrew wants. You've got to be gutted if you score a hat-trick there and you're not on the winning side, right?

22:42Marcus Speller: I don't know, is there a little bit of like... I did my job. You're in the dressing room and you've lost and you can't concede five goals, blah, blah, blah. He's got the match... Sorry, can you all sign this? Not now. Wait till the... Wait till the... Wait till the... Wait till the Briss has gone. Because the Man City players have already signed their bit. He's bringing the mood down a bit, talking about the five goals. Yeah, I think he'd be delighted with his day's work on Brian Broby. I mean, and so he should be as well. He's such a good player. Yeah. Well, it's... Yeah, it's... I... I didn't realise he hadn't scored, although it is early days.

23:13But he did very, very well. I'll tell you what, Enzo Fernandes got the game going. Brilliant. A lovely goal. Brilliant. Is he winning you over, Jim?

23:18Jim Campbell: I was won over by him already. Yeah, I've never had an issue with Enzo Fernandes. What, really? This goal against England won you over, was it? Oh, I see. Yes, that ice over. You always got to think about this, haven't you? No, do you think he's a nice chap now? My opinion on what I suspect he's like as a person has not changed. Okay, that's what I wanted to hear.

23:40Marcus Speller: That's generally what I thought Marcus was asking you the first time. When you immediately were like, yeah, it's fine. I was like, ooh. I'd have him in my crew. I just needed to clarify if you changed their vision. Yeah, Enzo Fernandes, a beautiful goal for Manchester City. And then the goal, I tell you what, Antoine Semenya had a lovely time, didn't he? He really, really did. And that's the thing, with Manchester City, they are going to concede more goals than Arsenal, you would think. Although they've only conceded just one more thus far. But I am duty-bound to remind everybody that it's early days, okay?

24:13But they're going to score a lot of goals.

24:15Jim Campbell: Yes, they really, really are. They look like they're having fun as well. I think this has been the criticism of Maresca previously, isn't it? Certainly at Chelsea, that it can get a little bit conservative and a little bit kind of pragmatic. Sideways pass. Yeah, but when you've got that squad, you don't need to play like that. So I'd be interested to see if that sort of creeps back in. Well, try and tell Cherky and Anton Semenya to sideways pass. They just won't know what you mean. And nor should they. Nor should they.

24:38Marcus Speller: How good is Semenya's weaker foot, by the way? I don't think he has one. Yeah, he's a very two-footed player, isn't he? He's incredibly two-footed. And he is... Just such a player, you know, like, it's amazing the journey he's been on. Like, how well he played, obviously, for Bournemouth, especially, obviously, towards the end, hence his move. But, I mean, he's, you know... He came through the English system. Like, he's played at quite a few low levels. Well, he has, indeed, you know, and he's 26 as well. Yeah. So, I... He's basically second striker for them, really, isn't he? Yeah, I... Would you call him a late...

25:13Jim Campbell: Maybe you could call him a late bloomer, but bearing in mind that... Now that players start younger, maybe a late bloomer is not 25. If you're not world-class by 19 and then you're done for, sort of thing nowadays.

25:22Marcus Speller: Especially the number of players in the league who, if they're not playing for Man City, have come through the Man City Academy, like someone like Morgan Rodgers, for example. Yes. Liam DeLapp. And I genuinely feel this is relevant to the conversation, so please don't. But four years ago, obviously, he made his debut for Ghana. And like, just think about it, if he was playing this sort of level, he'd be in the England squad. Yeah, without doubt. You know what I mean? So I think... Semenyo, Haaland, Moussialo. We could have had them all. We could have had them all. I do stress that maybe he, you know, maybe he had no ambition to play for England.

25:50So obviously there's that side of it. But certainly England would have made more of a play for him. You would think, you know, if he was playing like this four years ago or maybe more. But anyway, I've had my moment. But yeah, great win for Manchester City. Who have, as you say, Jim, very enjoyable to watch the season because of the goals and the jeopardy. The fact is that Sunderland can go there and score three goals. So they are top going into this very long international break. Who's bottom going into the international break? Well, coming up after this, another tough day at the office for Roberto de Derby.

26:32I always appreciate when thoughtful and luxurious design can help change the way a space feels. that's why i love how the 48 inch panoramic display stretches across the entire dashboard in my lincoln navigator suv it helps make it easy to stay connected while giving the cabin an open expansive feel whether i'm juggling errands or just enjoying some quiet time this feature brings a fresh perspective and helps elevate even the everyday moments visit lincoln.com to learn more Hi Pod fans, Max Rushton here from the chart-topping Guardian Football Weekly Podcast. Don't like to crow. If you enjoyed the World Cup with us, you'll be glad to know we're back for the new Premier League season.

27:15Expect three episodes a week, questionable predictions, and the biggest stories in soccer from the Premier League to the Champions League and beyond. Watch now on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts. So you're not worried about hosting the whole family for the holidays? Why would I be? Wayfair had everything I needed to get the house holiday ready. What if Mike brings his cheerful dogs? My tree has tons of five-star reviews telling me how sturdy it is. But what if everyone's plus one brings a plus one? We'll see how extendable this extendable table really is. And extra chairs are on the way.

27:43Okay. What if there's a blizzard and everyone has to sleep over? Ready to go with extra bedding and towels. From guest-ready essentials to holiday decor you can trust. Wayfair delivers. This episode is sponsored by ZocDoc. Have you been putting off a doctor's appointment or need a dentist and you don't know where to start? We've definitely been there and that's why we use ZocDoc. Actually, over the holidays, Michael had a dental emergency and seemingly every office was closed. But we hopped onto ZocDoc, found an in-network dentist, had great reviews, saw real-time appointments available, which was key.

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28:57And towards the back, Cabango's up. Cabango scores. Cabango, Cabango, Cabango, Cabango, Cabango, Cabango, Cabango, Cabango.

29:10Marcus Speller: He's a defender, a bank bridge defender. Quick coin, Cabango.

29:18Incredibly enjoyable stuff there. That was great. From Livingston's commentator at The Weeknd. Up the livy. Thanks to friend of the ramble, James, for sending us that clip. You can become a friend of the Ramble too. Search patreon.com forward slash football ramble or click that join button on YouTube to get involved. A team from North London did score some goals for a change on the weekend in the Premier League. Tottenham Hotspur got two of them, but Aston Villa got three. I felt a bit like Richard O 'Brien there at the end of the Crystal Bates. Yeah, I enjoyed it. Yeah, Spurs are bottom of the Premier League with just two draws going into the international break.

29:50The team that spent over£300 million this summer, Vish, are bottom. They are winless. They've only got two points. much like my beloved Fulham, who did not spend over£300 million in the summer. On players. On players. Yeah, we all spent that on cuisine. It was a hell of a night. Amazing what you can get for over£300 million in a restaurant. But dessert was not included. But Spurs, yes, they, I mean... I really don't get it. They started well. They were lively. They created chances. And then they went 1-0 down.

30:25Marcus Speller: All the things you're supposed to do when you play football. Apart from the main one. Yeah. They, I just, a lot of the first half, it felt like they were up for it. It felt like they had an idea of how to go at Aston Villa, who had been shaky at the start of the season. Suzuki was called upon a few times. Yeah. But in that, I suppose similarly for some of those opportunities, it felt like they were just doing the things that you generally do when A, you're out of form, and B, you feel like the universe and the gods are against you. As you snatch at chances, there's a little bit of, God, why is this still happening to us kind of thing, but otherwise they were fine.

31:09Marcus Speller: And then Andy Robertson does the stupidest thing I've ever seen Andy Robertson do in preventing that corner. I mean, disregarding the fact that he joined Spurs a few months ago, the stupidest thing he's done on the pitch. but it was just and then even the way the ball but even the way the ball gets to Manzambi for that goal there are so many little things that could have gone their way like it takes a deflection on the cross that goes through someone's legs that ends up at Manzambi's foot

31:35Jim Campbell: they had Van de Ven off the pitch at that point and they were down

31:38Marcus Speller: their captain as well which is really unlucky

31:40Jim Campbell: but there were at the same time there were three players in the immediate vicinity of Manzambi and he gets away from all of them I think the problems look the same as they were last season right they can play relatively well or they can play however really, but they go a goal down and you see that they've mentally lost the game. And I think it's obviously very difficult to get out of that mindset. There's a lot of new players there, there's a new manager there. It is a fascinating sort of study of psychology, isn't it? He's not that new anymore. He's not that new anymore.

32:10Marcus Speller: He's not that new, but his hatred for the club seems very new. Right, yeah. Well, yeah. Whatever it is, you know, in that first half, on the opening day of, or the opening weekend of the season when they got hammered by Brentford, I was like, oh my goodness, this looks like it's going to happen again with Spurs. And a lot of Spurs fans were like, hang on a minute, hang on. It actually wasn't that bad, even though they lost 3-0. You can't say that. And a lot of Spurs fans understand to be getting very annoyed at people. You know, we're often accused of hating Spurs. And it's like, again, we are just, saying what we see and what's going on.

32:47And in the last few games, the Liverpool game in the Cup being one of them, I thought, okay, you can see there's a bit of something here and I think it will eventually click. Now, when I say click, I don't think the clicking will result in Champions League football next season. I think it may end up with a sort of mid-table finish. We were arguing, you and Luke were saying, spending that amount of money in mid-table finishes is not good enough. you've got to be at least top 10. Whatever it is, I think, and I still think they'll finish mid-table. I don't think they're going to finish 17th. I think they'll finish higher.

33:20And I do still think at some point they will start to put some performances together and get some points on the board, obviously. But it's, you know, and this international break, maybe it's come at the right time because even if they'd have won this game, which they just, as I said, when they go a goal down, it's just not happening. They're so fragile, which is a word that Deserby himself used. I just... There needs to... I don't know. An exorcism, as Big Pav said of the club. Something. Because it's the same. It is the same, same, same. With a little bit of a flicker of good play here and there.

33:56Which any team in the Premier League is capable of doing. Any team. Because every player playing in the league is a good player. Right? That's just a given. That's the level of football they're playing. Spurs have got some really good players in there. They've got absolutely no cutting edge at the moment, but you would think, again, that's going to come. They'll sharpen up a bit at some point. Omar Mamouche knows where the goal is. Dominic Solanke knows where the goal is. There will come some goals. But my goodness, De Zerbi after the match says, in my career, 14 years as a coach, I've never seen one team like us.

34:30So fragile, so inconsistent. You're good or you're bad. He chose not to speak to his players in the aftermatch of Saturday's defeat. this is early in the season for this to be happening

34:40Jim Campbell: yeah well for him to not to speak to the players is very very interesting because I think part of the challenge he has is so much of it is about mentality you look at where they were when he came in obviously it was a disaster under Frank it had been really sort of tumultuous and confusing under Ange Postacoglu not in the first season no but in terms of the sort of the environment that he came into they are fighting a very real relegation battle that is humiliating and emotionally draining and it feels like the sort of the scars of that are still there and that is a big part of the modern manager's job right is to is to overcome a mentality and that can take a long time so it's a massive massive challenge for him and i think i don't know perhaps the tough love of just kind of letting the players go away and think about what they've done is is the right thing in this situation because if you you look at how they played in that first half.

35:34Jim Campbell: They had a lot of shots. They were pretty good on the ball. Defensively, they looked pretty good. They were kind of pressing Villa up top and they made, if Suzuki wasn't so good with his feet, they might have got something out of that because he was up to that. He nearly got it through his legs. Again, it's those little moments to build the confidence. And I think that's it. You know how good some of those players are and you know De Zerbe is capable of producing a good team in the Premier League. It just surely is confidence here. Yeah, it's confidence as well. like I think and this is true of so many teams in the league there are new players that need to gel right and need to understand their partnerships and their teammates and you know new tactical set ups there's a lot of unfamiliarity in the league as well because we've seen so much change like people talk about that as something that is an advantage to the more settled teams because there's so much of it it means preparation is perhaps a little bit harder but yeah it's just more of the same I think the the real takeaway from this game though is surely that this could be a bit of a launch pad for Villa.

36:32Jim Campbell: This is more like it, isn't it? This is what's been sort of needed from them. I think that's a takeaway. I think the other takeaway is Spurs doing the same thing. But we've had that takeaway so many times. We've had everything on the menu in every possible combination from that. We're drowning in prawn crackers. Well, I think, yeah. I mean, look, Spurs scored a couple of goals. It was late in the game when the game was already done. At least they've done that, I suppose. But yeah, let's give Spurs fans a bit of a rest and hopefully they could enjoy the international break, not watching Spurs play.

37:01But Aston Villa, on the other hand, who were not scoring goals in the Premier League up until this point, had not won a game, of course. They got a very, very good victory. And 3-2 completely flatters Spurs. It doesn't tell the story of the match. I mean, Pete said on Friday's preview show, Villa can't do it now, then when? Well, they did do it. Manzambi scores, obviously one of their new signings. But Nicholas Jackson took his goal superbly well, I thought.

37:27Marcus Speller: Very Nicholas Jackson, I thought, because the ball over to him, that long pass forward, he completely miscontrols. And it happens to fall in Manzambi's path, who gives it back to him. And he just manages to get it, and then has the presence of mind to take a touch. But the touch is lovely. It's a really nice touch. It's damning on Van der Ven as well, who basically gets done twice in the space of a second, really. But it's good. Jackson has a little bit of has always had a little bit of that about him in that he's clearly really willing but he likes trying things as well and that was a great indication I think because of the way the pattern of the game had played out there was probably an element of why not there I've literally just miscontrolled the ball I might as well try and do something more interesting with it so if they're getting that side to him and we've seen a lot of willing from him at the start of the season that he's put in the work and getting in good positions and yeah And obviously naturally he scores that goal and celebrates like he does it all the time.

38:29Marcus Speller: Yeah.

38:29Jim Campbell: He had a couple of moments where he probably should have passed but shot. He's one of those strikers who's always, always thinking about scoring. And it was a lovely finish. I thought Matteo Ruggieri was very good as well. Nutmeg Kudus at one point, which is obviously quite eye-catching, but he was very defensively sound as well. I think, you know, they've got a good player there. And Yohan Manzambi obviously is going to get a lot of headlines because he's probably the kind of one of the most exciting players they signed in the summer. but you can see if he gets space, he always looks like he's able to make something happen.

39:01Jim Campbell: Yes. Emi Buendia joined the race for the goal of the month. Oh, lovely. Come on. Lovely stuff. Come on.

39:06Marcus Speller: He's had a hell of a career in England. Like, starting with Norwich City in the Championship, getting them promoted, moving to Villa, almost looking like he was on his way out when he had that loan at Leverkusen and then comes back and he's just a magician. On the Europa League, obviously scored in the final, another lovely goal. yeah he's he is he's brilliant and when he can produce moments like that he's so good at it it doesn't surprise you even though obviously you should always get off your seat for unless it's you're a spurs fan but you know always unless you're a spurs defender yeah um i i i was going to be harsh on madison and say he was kind of a bit slow to get out to him but maybe that's then maybe i am sort of nitpicking because again if you're going to hit one from sort of 25 it's quite it's quite far out.

39:47Marcus Speller: It is, yeah. You can understand. Maybe that's unnecessary to say that, but what a goal. And again, it's funny because if you get torn apart by a team, obviously that is like quite damning. But when it's a goal like that, it shows the confidence of the opposition and you just look at that and you go, well, what are we to do? There's something really humiliating about the final strike,

40:10Jim Campbell: the final blow being a goal like that. Villa couldn't believe it. Emery was loving it on the touchline as you could imagine. But, you know, Villa needed something going into the international break and they got it. And a really, really positive performance from them. I mean, they've still got a fair few players that need to come back from injury. I mean, I'm still dying to see Brian Maggio after that performance in the Super Cup final. I appreciate a very young player and has not played much at all from them. But, you know, Pau Torres is, you know, he's out at the moment. Leon Goresco, we should not have seen him in a Villa shirt.

40:40Mattson as well to come back and Amadou Inanov with that terrible injury that he picked up. Huge loss. Yeah, indeed. So, you know, we thought Emery would, you know, we've seen Villa start slowly. It is only one victory. We're going to have to wait a little bit of time to see them play again.

40:54Jim Campbell: John McGinn started out wide as well. He's a proper Swiss Army John McGinn when needed. Before we move on from this, can we just talk about Emi Buendia being interviewed by Jules after the game and looking roughly the same height? Jules is tiny. It's really hard to overstate that. Unless there was some sort of perspective trick going on. I can't quite wrap my head around it.

41:17Marcus Speller: She wears like foot-long heels, doesn't she?

41:21Jim Campbell: Emmy Buendia is about the same height as Vish and me. Right. Maybe it's a perspective thing then. I believe we're going to talk about short players on tomorrow's mailbag. Looking forward to it. Vish and I will have perhaps a different perspective than you, Jim.

41:31Marcus Speller: Yeah, you wouldn't get it. Speaking on behalf of our people. Right. What can we go to now? Oh, my goodness. Something that happened on the weekend. former Spurs man Andros Townsend was run over by a pitch roller when warming up for a game where he's in Thailand now, isn't he? Yes. I don't know whether it's a sort of a welcome custom or something, but he was... I mean, it was quite... And when I say a pitch roller, it's not like some bloke with a sort of rake sort of style sort of thing. He's driving it. It's like he's in a golf buggy. It's a light roller they use on cricket pitches. Yeah, it's like a soft steam roller.

42:09Jim Campbell: You fully expect Andros Townsend to be flat when he comes out the other side of it.

42:13Marcus Speller: Very kind of who framed Roger Rabbit. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, but he was... The moment where it starts to go up his leg, he's a bit like,

42:20Jim Campbell: oh, what's... Oh, golden... And he's down. And the guy driving it is completely nonplussed. Like he does this all the time.

42:27Marcus Speller: He does well, though, because he jumps off knowing obviously his weight would make it worse. Yeah. He did well, didn't he? Yeah. What reactions. Yeah. Yeah. You know, eventually. Also, with all due respect to the Thai League, why are they rolling the pitch? Yeah, while the players are on it. Why are they playing on like a Subutio mat? I was like, oh God, we forgot to wind this. Why are they rolling the players? Yeah. Well, I mean... It's not like he needs to lose weight. We know he's in diets, impeccable. He's a great show athlete. As I think Pete said on the Ramble WhatsApp, Did he? Maybe it's all that raw meat that's keeping his bones strong enough to resist a roller.

43:01Jim Campbell: And if there's anyone in that group who would know about that... Yeah. He should do something on social media, right? What can Andrus Townsend withstand? Here's a car at 10 miles an hour. It'll go wrong straight away.

43:13Marcus Speller: Because someone will suggest COVID. And then, oh, God. Why do you have to talk about COVID? Because we got rid of that years ago. Yeah, but someone will bring up something nefarious. Nefarious. Oh, dear. Well, I look forward to it when they do. Speaking of nefarious things, before we go to a break, I want to squeeze this in. Former Spurs manager Jose Mourinho. He's at Real Madrid. Just to remind everybody, he is currently the Real Madrid manager. and they lost 2-1 to Atletico in the Madrid derby yesterday, which was a surprise. And I thought to myself, oh, we're going to get some good Mourinho stuff.

43:46And I was looking around, I was waiting, and I thought, no, we're not. Oh, yes, we did. Yes, we did, everybody. Because Real Madrid went down to 10 men. Dean Hoyssen was sent off, gave away a penalty in the process, which put Madrid 1-0 down. And Mourinho turned up to his press conference with a printout displaying images of the two incidents he thought should have been a red card. He was like, this is why we're... No, no, no. Let's not bother with the press conference. This is what we should be talking about. You know, print off of it. Superb. Do you have any sympathy for him?

44:16Jim Campbell: Because I think he's dead right with one of them. I think it's very hard to tell from the printouts. Yeah. I love that. I'll go on the printout. I think he has a very strong argument for the second one. So Jude Bellingham goes in with Christian Romero. And you're in your... It's a fair comment to think that in a sort of 50-50 where Jude Bellingham wins and Romero ends up sort of studding Bellingham's knee as it's Christian Romero.

44:42Marcus Speller: You can just say Christian Romero. There you go. Although it looks like he does try to play the ball and he may even nick the ball first. So you can, there's the follow through, but I think the way the incident plays out, if he goes for it, I understand it. If he stays on the pitch, I understand that as well.

44:59Jim Campbell: Marcus, I think for our purposes, it doesn't matter if Mario's right or not. The printouts are the star here. But Lee Kang in on Fede Valverde. That one's a red card! It is an insane decision that he was still on the pitch. I have... This is why I'm rambling this point. It's a rare day where I'm going, Mourinho is spot on! He is right to go mad. He has every right to bring that printout to that press conference. How has he not been sent off for that?

45:29Marcus Speller: No, I don't know. But the thing I was more impressed with, with the Mourinho side, was whoever did the printing off, getting the two JPEGs on the same page. Very good. Because that's quite hard. It's difficult. With Real Madrid you expect high standards. You do, yeah. You probably don't think it's your job to do that. But, yeah. Was it Iker Casillas printed it for you? Don't print it on both sides, because it'll come, you know what, you won't be able to tell. If I hold it up, then we'll see. No, you can't use two different sheets. Put it on one sheet. You haven't laminated it. oh dear anyway good win for Diego Simeone this is in black and white you can't tell who's who Diego Simeone said at the end it's important that obviously emotions run high but you know we need to respect everybody and all the rest of us I love it he can't believe his luck this is great what must you think of you know your king's shithouse anyway yeah you've beaten Real Madrid as Atletico manager because Marino when Marino was Real Madrid manager before because obviously Simeone's been Atletico Madrid since the Romans Marino would always get the better of it yeah So it's a rare victory for Simeone.

46:29Marcus Speller: And often the losing manager does their press conference first because the winning manager ends up doing more press. And the idea of being like, oh, what's he said? He's gone in there with a printout. We're fine. Lovely. It's music to his ears. Yeah, yeah, yeah, totally. Well, I mean, again, Simeone, it's fair to say, probably thought I'm not going to get another crack at Jose Mourinho in Liga when I'm Atletico manager, especially for Real Madrid. But he's come around and he got it. And he very much enjoyed his press conference, I think it's fair to say, after the match. All right, coming up after this, Frankie Lampard gets his first league win.

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48:45Welcome back to the Football Ramble, everybody. Before we talk about Coventry City, we've got to talk about Brentford. It happened on Friday night. They battered Chelsea 3-0, secured their first home league victory over Chelsea since 1938, the year Italy won the World Cup.

49:01Jim Campbell: There's so much World Cup and international football chat just sneaking in, isn't there?

49:05Marcus Speller: Yeah, who remembers the last time Italy were at a World Cup? He's so frothy about the Nations League. It's not a memory of mine, it's just knowledge of mine. It happened, I read it. I know, I saw it. Jordan Henderson who was alive during that World Cup made his Chelsea debut he's younger than me by a fair few years he made his debut for Chelsea against his former team of course first game since breaking his arms celebrating that England victory in the Azteca Stadium not having not played and been booked yeah

49:38Jim Campbell: on an evening again I I probably said this at the time but I see how it could happen the way Dan Byrne so easily strides over that advertising board you think yeah I'll just follow oh god Yeah, interesting to see him and Barker in the centre of the pitch. Yes. That little sausage. They were in there. He got a little bit of booing, which is nice. That's just going to keep going, isn't it? Yes, yes it is.

50:02Marcus Speller: Because Hendo and Bellium are best mates, aren't they? They are. Maybe that, yeah. Chelsea's defensive struggles continue. And is that because of the dynamic in the centre of the pitch? Yeah. He's like, well, I'm not talking to him. He's like, please. Just let him know where you are. Javi Alonso's like, I'm not taking the ball off you, mate. Javi Alonso's like, I'm on the World Cup with Piquet and Ramos behind me. You two can make up, okay? But a stunning victory for Brentford. You know, Brighton have continued and some from last season under Herzl. So much managerial change, of course, in the Premier League.

50:36Much has been made about that. Who are the sides that are stable? Leeds United are benefiting from that. But bloody hell, Fish. Brentford were brilliant last season and they've carried it on. They are scoring a lot of goals, playing great football. Nobody wants to go to Brentford and play because it's stunning. They're up and forth at this early stage of the season.

50:55Marcus Speller: I would go as far to say that they had performances last season that were much better than this one. They really didn't have to do much. They were just very professional, very thorough. They knew the goals were going to come. It wasn't until the 61st minute. I think also they seem to know that, look, this is actually quite naive Chelsea side defensively. A great example was the ball through to Kevin Shada. He eventually goes through on goal, having broken the offside trap, has a shot, which is saved, and Thiago puts it in. But the ball through to him, Levi Colwell, for some reason, decides to try and intercept the pass instead of step up.

51:33Marcus Speller: It was a clear moment to step up and play Shada offside. And he goes to the ball in the way that an amateur player would. And it's just, to me, it spoke to the naivety across their backline, their defensive structure. And yeah, I mean, they were just, they fell apart. You know, Gary Cahill was talking on Sky Sports about them being fragile. And it's hard to disagree with that. I want to read out this stat because it's interesting to see Xabi Alonso's name in among some of these other footballing greats. So he's only the sixth manager to see his side can see two or more goals in each of his first five games as Premier League manager.

52:09The others are Big Mick McCarthy, Sammy Lee, Terry Connor, Slavica Yikanovic. Oh, but what a time it was in the championship. And the same could be said for the last one, Scott Parker. I think we can all kind of get behind Alonso's legacy

52:21Jim Campbell: being similar to those men, right?

52:22Marcus Speller: Yeah. Ah, I see, Jim.

52:25Jim Campbell: Yes, you do.

52:26Marcus Speller: No, I agree, yeah. If they make it, much like Mick McCarthy, if we get a meme out of Shabby Alonso this season, we've done well. Well, I mean, the idea of Chelsea challenging for the Premier League title seems even more unlikely now. Really, as the weeks have gone by. Because the defence is so shoddy. Sure.

52:45Jim Campbell: But it's, again, it's worth pointing out. Early days? Yes, because the form table is judged over five games, right? So this is simply one go-around of the form table. Now, you're not wrong that Chelsea's defence looks like a massive problem in terms of what their intentions are this season. But there is so much football to play. There are months and months and months of it. Here we go. The balance team. I don't see that. I was with you on that. You always do this. You say you have a dig at Javi Alonso and then you quickly run back up. Wow, there's a lot of football. Jim, they are so bad at the back.

53:15Jim Campbell: It's not a dig at Javi Alonso. It's a hope. I was feeling quite... What a defence. I'm going to use that.

53:21Marcus Speller: Yeah, I was quite encouraged by Jim's initial bit there about it's only five games. It's his form and I was looking at Manchester United and then he said there was months and months more of it. Yeah. There's loads of it. Everyone forgets this every year. It goes on for fucking ages. But in terms of... but what I said in the context of was, was challenging for the title. Yeah. There's a lot to sort out there. It's a blow. Yeah. And that's the point. The early signs are not good. You know, compare Chelsea to Arsenal, despite Arsenal obviously being battered three nil themselves. But you compare Chelsea to Arsenal and Man City, who are going to be the two front runners, you would think, even compare them to Liverpool, because good clean sheet and a win.

54:01Defensively, they're, they're, they're miles off it. They're good going forward, but they didn't score here. and if he's starting Henderson and Barker and Barker's new to the league as well and look you know me I love Jordan Henderson but starting him in a game away at Brentford where at some point in the game you are going to get overrun they are going to swarm you and they're going to do what they do I was

54:23Marcus Speller: getting swarmed by the bees there you are pun intended I was you know it was a personality I don't know but I think there's a lot for Chelsea to sort out I think they're going to be very very enjoyable to watch. I think they've already been enjoyable to watch because there's going to be goals at either end and that front three, you know, when they're playing and I appreciate that Joao Pedro wasn't there, but, you know, it was obviously well back up top, but that front three is irresistible. It's going to be great and, you know, they've got a new goalkeeper. They've got La Croix still finding his feet at the back.

54:57There's all that kind of stuff, but I think there's a lot for him to sort out Xabi Alonso going forward. I think it's going to be, as I said, enjoyable season, I think they probably will end up with Champions League next season, which would be a good return for a new manager in the league. But I think in terms of the title, I think that's quite fanciful.

55:13Jim Campbell: And I think a lot of Chelsea fans were saying that before a ball game. Yeah, of course, yeah. I think Mois Caicedo is a massive miss when he comes back. I mean, it's a lot rests on him because of this exact issue that we're talking about now. But I mean, they are going to be a lot better with him. It's worth knowing as well. How big can Brentford dream though, Vish?

55:33Marcus Speller: I don't know because I feel like they're in a great spot to basically maintain the positions that they've held this season Europe might be a little bit of a stretch in part because there's so much congestion around them Do you feel without the old adage of if you can just put it in every week and not have to worry about the European trips again this season is one where they just missed out last season. Yeah, yeah. It's more of the same from Brevard. That has to be a target. Yeah, yeah. I suppose with the uncertainty around teams like Newcastle United and Villa, there is an element of them being able to jostle with them for, I don't know, let's say like sixth, seventh or eighth.

56:22Marcus Speller: Well, seventh or eighth, really. I suppose you'd ask questions of their squad, but I mean, yeah, like at home, they'll be solid. I think... Well, look at the front line they've got. Obviously, Thiago, we know, is quality forward. Leading the line. Jadon Anthony, who scored. Really canny signing. Very, very good. Dam's guard, we know, and Shard is already up and running this season. I'm surprised he missed that chance, actually, but obviously Thiago got the rebound in. And then who do they bring on? Well, Sangare's not a different type of player, but again, he's done well. But that's a good example of squad depth, actually, that Sangare, who a couple of, what, about a month ago, we were saying, brilliant signings.

56:59Marcus Speller: Well, not today. We'll start the bench. Exactly, yeah. So I think they've got... That forward line is pretty damn good. And if they can get Fabio Carvalho as well, he adds something to it. And of course, scoring the late goal. So bones are very, very well for Brentford indeed. Gentlemen, before we move on from Brentford and Chelsea, if you will, I want to talk about a former Chelsea manager. I wouldn't call him a legend. I would call him Liam Rosinia though. He sparked an on-pitch melee after his Paris FC team beat his old club Strasbourg 2-1. Was that to respect the brawl? I think so. I think so, Jim.

57:34Very nice. Yeah. He was seen pointing his finger, slapping his chest and raising his arms towards the travelling Strasbourg fans after the final whistle. After he claimed the Strasbourg fans were disrespecting his family, he was saying, for me to celebrate in that way was a message. A message to a group of people who never wanted me to be successful at that club. Yeah, he's got his right of reply.

57:55Jim Campbell: He does. And I absolutely love the way he took it. Yeah. It's great. Get stuck in. He's quite leery. Brentford was quite tasty, isn't it? And yes, he is. He is an underrated leery man, I think, Liam Rosinia. Because of, you know, maybe at Chelsea it was like such a big job he was trying to be a bit more sort of... Forceful, maybe. Whatever it was. But yeah, he was giving it plenty. And look, as you say, if you're disrespecting someone's family or whatever, if what he's accusing them of was true, then damn right give it back. Absolutely. Up your Strasbourg. Team Rosinia. Team Rosinia for a change.

58:27Come on. The Blueco man is in the right. Gentlemen, let's talk about Frank Lampard and Coventry City. They beat Nottingham Forest at the City ground 1-0. Has a goal in the Premier League this season been so enjoyable? It's so loud.

58:42Marcus Speller: The reaction was so loud. It was so good to see those Coventry City fans get that goal because, I mean, the way it was taken by De Silva was stunning. The touch, Munoz would be a bit disappointed with himself perhaps, but the touch and delightful finish to send them all into absolute raptures. I was so pleased for them. And that's not a patronising thing. I think that their play, they've been a bit unlucky. And we always said there's more to come from Coventry. But a big victory after that absolute shellacking against Brighton. Obviously, they're down to 10 men, I know. But Vish, you've got to love those scenes in the away.

59:13And Lampard, you know, running down and getting involved at the end of the game. Glorious.

59:17Marcus Speller: Yeah, it's kind of, because of how proficient they were last season, you wondered how that would reapply across the Premier League and it's been interesting seeing Hull City have a lot of success playing the way they did last year despite all the criticism they had for being so direct and their underlying numbers being bad and yeah, maybe this is just one of the few bright spots that Coventry will have in this season but what an incredible moment because there'll be people in that crowd who were there the last time they scored a Premier League goal just like such a wonderful atmosphere and also it just really kind of fed into Nottingham Forest general story about oh yeah they could do something good they've got a few good players they have a few decent results they beat Villa obviously that was a huge result through Liverpool and then they lose to Coventry well Forest are not having a good time at home in the league this season so far it's pretty stark and they've not been great at home in the Premier League really for a while you would say it's their away form often is the better but Coventry vital victory Lampard was full of praise, obviously.

1:00:24He talked about his team's adaptability and this, to keep a clean sheet and win massive after they've just been hammered by Brighton as well. But I think what they did against Forest, I think you can replicate that. I think that's probably something that will please Lampard because they do have a bit of pace on the break. They do, you know, they can be reasonably solid at the back. I mean, Forrest will think, you know, they had a lot of possession. They kind of dominated the game, but they didn't create an awful lot. And I thought Coventry ultimately were pretty good value. I mean, there was that moment in the game, Forrest had that goal chalked off for the foul.

1:01:04Well, it was given as a foul by Igor Jesus, which was quite a controversial moment in the game. I mean, I suppose Jesus does, there is contact on the foot, which I think is enough normally for a foul. But the fact that Jirenki then takes a few steps, and then he kind of takes a little bit of time to go down... Was it enough?

1:01:28Marcus Speller: Well, he's impeded, so yeah. Do you think it's a foul? Yeah, yeah, yeah. A little bit soft, maybe? Yeah, a bit soft, but I think it was fine, wasn't it? Okay. You're right, yeah. You don't think so, then? Again, there's so many decisions that are made, that I'm like, I'm just... When I say I'm glad I'm not a referee, it's not like, you know, you're picked by society, you know? You have a... I do imagine. Actually, that'd be better. Do you know what? It would Jim because a lot of people would be like, you know, this is tough. And soon we would want the referees back. Because basically... And we'd have a new appreciation.

1:01:59Marcus Speller: Yeah, but also... Although everyone would have still got the goal chalked off correctly for Erling Haaland at Old Trafford. So maybe it might work for some of those... Well, basically what happens is people don't want to be referees because of all the abuse they get. And obviously at the start, when you're called up for referee jury duty, people will just abuse you when they see you in the pub and stuff like that, walking in the street. Yeah. But then by... Eventually, everyone does it. But then they'd have to respect you, because you'd go, go on, keep going, talk to me like that, right, you'll see what I'm gonna do on Saturday.

1:02:28Marcus Speller: Yeah, exactly. Maybe the rest should take that kind of approach. Yeah, be more vindictive, you're saying. Yeah, it's a good idea. Yeah. But basically, if everyone does it, everyone will appreciate it, and like, you know, you can't... You'll kind of max out your level of community hate. It was a good win for commentary. Yeah, it was a great win for commentary. Well it is, because again, we did expect more from them, because like not scoring goals and doing anything in the league. I don't know that I did. When I say more, I'm saying a little... I'm not saying they're going to suddenly, you know, I'm not saying their ceiling is as high as Tottenham's is, with those kind of players.

1:03:04But I don't see them being whipping boys. I don't think anybody's going to be whipping boys. There's no voucher emerging yet, isn't there? Thank goodness.

1:03:11Jim Campbell: I thought there was a Fulham voucher on the horizon. but again early days early days maybe just one go around the form merry-go-round isn't it yeah true but I think you're right I don't think there's going to be a voucher available this season you know we'll see we'll see

1:03:27Marcus Speller: there's a little bit there's a there's a voucher derby at the on the other side of the international break with Manchester United and Spurs is that right yeah maybe Spurs is the voucher I don't know

1:03:36Jim Campbell: I thought Lampard's comments were really interesting what he said about players being promoted and playing their first in Premier League football we said not everyone's a Wayne Rooney and all these superstars who just own it and I guess it's something because you know we look at football as such a sort of privileged profession that you don't necessarily think about that I mean imagine we came in one August suddenly everything's harder you've got to check your facts you've got to pronounce things properly yeah you're looking at Dave Jones instead of me you'd be in trouble exactly yeah suddenly it's on TV I'm in the bin it's embarrassing if it doesn't work out that's a big step up it's hard Luke and I've got our own show on GB News.

1:04:16Jim Campbell: Little Luke, can you? Maybe. He's over here. He's still there.

1:04:19Marcus Speller: It's the first time I've seen him in passing.

1:04:20Jim Campbell: I've got horribly used to it.

1:04:22Marcus Speller: Yeah, it's unsettling. Part of the furniture. Yeah, I know what you mean, Jim. It's all very well for Lampard to say that being a former Premier League superstar. A lot of these players, they haven't scored, I don't know, as many goals as I have in this league. Not even the strikers.

1:04:36Jim Campbell: I wasn't even a striker despite my record. Yeah, not everyone's a Wayne Rooney. Yeah. No, seriously, Frank Lampard.

1:04:44Marcus Speller: Yeah, but no, obviously, moving into the Premier League, a lot of these won't see Champions League, but I have seen that. Really close up, actually. But I think he's doing a good job, though. Yeah, I think he is, yeah. And he can enjoy the international team. I think regardless of whether Coventry City go down, I think we can say that his time at Coventry City has been A, productive, and B, good for him, and good for his stock. Well, it's early days. Let's see what happens for the rest of the season. How badly can this go? He's like, right, we're taking that back as well. where's your Champions League medal and the runners up one yeah yeah one of my favourite kits though in the Premier League this season started off with Brian's kit we're going to end with me giving praise to that Coventry City kit there we are thank you very much for listening to the Football Ramble part of the ACAST Creator Network we'll be back tomorrow with the mailbag we're still talking Premier League in the mailbag tomorrow before that lovely big juicy beefy succulent international break begins hit subscribe so that you never miss an episode Ah, there we are everybody Thank you very much Vish Cheers Thanks Jim Thank you And thank you the Premier League

1:05:56The Football Ramble is a Stack production and part of the Acast Creator Network

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