The Preview Show: Flintstones cops

0:00Vishnu S. P.: Gotta get jiggy with it everybody. Welcome to the Football Ramble Preview Show. Anja's under pressure and Chelsea host Liverpool tomorrow. It's Friday 3rd of October. I'm Marcus Speller. I'm Jim Campbell. And I'm Dinesh Nhatarajah.

0:24Vishnu S. P.: Happy Friday everybody. We've made it again. Come on. And today is a good day. It's not just a Friday, but of course, it's an England squad Friday. That's right. The beautiful man Thomas Tuchel is announcing his England squad today. Now, we haven't seen the list yet, so we won't be talking about it on today's episode. But do not worry. The three of us are going to be sharing our thoughts about the squad on the Football Ramble YouTube channel later today. We'll just make sure to have a look who's been selected first. Search for Football Ramble on YouTube now and hit subscribe so you do not miss it.

0:56Vishnu S. P.: Or you can click the link in our show notes. We'll see you on YouTube later for some England chat. Now then, crashing back down to earth, Nottingham Forest 2, Michelin 3. Yes, Europa League happenings, Jim Campbell. Ange Postacoglu's wait for the first win as Nottingham Forest manager goes on. They were chanting you're getting sacked in the morning. He looked dejected. He recognised that the fans are disappointed. He said they were allowed to have their opinion. I heard their opinion.

1:24Jim Campbell: It's not looking good for Big Ange. It's really, really not, is it? And it was one of those post-match interviews where this has sort of crept into modern football. I feel like a lot of post-match interviewers are really subtly, like, just straight-up mean now, essentially to the point where the interviewer might as well have been going, Ange, that was terrible. You must feel like shit. Do you? And he's just sort of like, yeah, yeah, pretty much.

1:50Vishnu S. P.: Wasn't good enough, was it, Ange? Don't get any points for that, do you, Ange? Do you understand why everyone hates you right now? Yeah, I kind of, yeah, I suppose I do. It's tricky. I mean, do you know what? It's funny. I thought to myself in that moment watching the interview, I thought, how would I have gone about this? It was indeed.

2:05Marcus Speller: I think managers actually tend to prefer that approach rather than the pussyfooting around. Yeah. Oh, that's another defeat, Ange, isn't it? It's not great, is it? I mean, was it the result you wanted? No, it wasn't. Is it difficult because you're Australian, Ange? Is it different? Did you think that you were kicking into bigger posts wider posts. Look at me, Ange! He's the squareness of the field and the fact that it's not a huge fucking oval off-putting Ange. But you've won trophies elsewhere, Ange. You're not going to win the ashes.

2:39Vishnu S. P.: Oh, Ange, a satisfying night for Crystal Palace. Yeah. Yeah. You'd have to have a quite a hardened heart not to have felt sorry for him. Yeah, absolutely.

2:52Jim Campbell: He looked really He did, and it was a really frustrating performance because they've conceded goals that are pretty soft, really. And it's the exact kind of Achilles heel that he had at Spurs that they seem to be a lot better equipped with dealing with in the Europa League. And this really felt like the game, didn't it? Now, obviously, you've got to respect the opposition. Not that much, though. Yeah, I mean, we have to respect the level of the opposition when talking about them. Obviously, they're a decent enough team that they've not turned up and just got rolled over. But as a Forest fan, possibly as a Forest player and possibly as a Forest manager, definitely as a Forest owner, you're looking at this one thinking, yeah, this needs to be the first win.

3:33Vishnu S. P.: But that picture of Maranakis up in his throne where he's looking all sad. I mean, Vish, what are your thoughts currently on Postacoglu, Nottingham Forest and their Europa League?

3:46Marcus Speller: I think it's everything that Maranakis deserves. I think it is quite funny that he's not had to leave the country and yet he's still seen two of his teams beaten in the last couple of days. One more understandable than the other. Yeah, 100%. I feel for Ange, as I think we all do around this table, because he's never going to say no to the job when it comes up. No, it's a good job. Yeah. And I feel particularly bad for Forest players and Forest fans, especially given that this is how they're following up their best season in 30 years with the guy who is an important part of it. sacked and now all that ill feeling lumped on immediately to Postacoglu and would have probably been helped if there was a bit more of a search for him if that makes sense if he had a week even between or maybe even like two games which means he doesn't take charge of the Arsenal game for example yeah you know

4:38Vishnu S. P.: sort of not even into a caretaker manager

4:41Marcus Speller: yeah but if there was a week where he was able to like if anything the ill feeling from the stands was able to be focused purely on Maranakis then Maranakis doesn't have that well he speaks Greek so he's fine by me he loves his spanicopata that's a big part

4:56Jim Campbell: of the problem it just feels like he's doing his mate a job

4:58Vishnu S. P.: at the time when he said oh yeah he speaks Greek and when he won the Europa League with Spurs it promoted Greece and I remember reading that going oh no this is not good it seemed ill thought out in terms of the gear change in tactics we all love Uzo

5:12Marcus Speller: yeah probably you don't yeah but it's a lovely thing after a dinner sometimes you don't want it you love all the

5:18Vishnu S. P.: the boozo. Yeah. Yeah.

5:20Marcus Speller: But I think, actually he was always terrible. I hate it. But you know, it was something to say.

5:25Vishnu S. P.: But you will drink it. Yeah.

5:26Marcus Speller: If it's put in front of you, it's fine. Let me tell you the same, rubbish.

5:29Vishnu S. P.: You can only drink what's put in front of you. As the old ad is. See, you get it. You're coming around to the idea. I don't know. But you know, I don't know. There's always water in front of me, so maybe I miss out. But, so that we, we, we were concerned about all this. Everybody, everybody saw it. And, And last time when we were talking about Ange, which may have been Monday off the top of my head, I was thinking, you know, I mean, he deserves that. Any manager deserves a bit of time. Looking at this, it seems like the writing is on the wall in block capital letters.

6:01Marcus Speller: Yeah.

6:02Vishnu S. P.: Because you... Of course it's within the realms of possibility he turns it around. But the problem for Forrest fans you've just highlighted there is that off the back of their best season for 30 years, in the Europa League, there is still a chance that Forrest can win the Europa League. Yeah. or at least go very, very far. Villa have not had a good start to the season. They've got two wins in the Europa League. So with Forrest, you think, well, when's the next time you might be in this competition? You want to give yourself a bloody good chance at it. Right now, they've lost... Sorry, they drew away Real Betis, which was a better performance, and now they've just lost home to Michelin.

6:41Vishnu S. P.: They're not going anywhere at the moment under Ange Postacoglu. Do you wait for it to turn round, if indeed it does. Because right now, I think that, I mean, I know there's an international break that are coming soon, but I don't think he'll be there at Christmas. I mean,

6:57Jim Campbell: if it carries on with this trajectory, yeah, absolutely not. But, you know, he needs to turn it around quickly. Because you can't throw away your chance at Europa League. This is it, isn't it? And I think it's about more than that. It feels like Maranakis has got to the point where he's absolutely taken Nottingham Forest's extremely newfound status as a European club for granted and just seemed to think, oh yeah, I'll bring Ange in, he'll get us back into Europe again as if it's as straightforward as that, which obviously everybody knows isn't, particularly with the way the league season went with Spurs last time around.

7:27Jim Campbell: So it's a much bigger gamble than he seems to have acknowledged. It's such a baffling, baffling situation. I will say, I was very surprised that there wasn't a foul given on Callum Hudson-Odoi for that third goal. So this result could have been slightly different, but that doesn't tell the story of how they've gone about and lost it

7:48Vishnu S. P.: and I respect that about Ange when he's asked about some of the refereeing decisions and he just goes yeah but that's not and he just bats that away I do genuinely respect that and I find that refreshing and it was a foul and I had to enjoy the goal which you understood but they're all ready to the game is you know the previous results the performances have not been great I mean Vish you know Sam Allardyce currently holds the record for shortest reign for a Premier League manager which is 30 days now of course that was a very specific situation where he was brought in to manage Leeds United for the last four games, was it?

8:17Vishnu S. P.: On a short contract. Yeah, four games on the season. They parted ways mutually at the end of the season. So it's slightly misleading to say that. But that is in the history books, if you like.

8:26Marcus Speller: And he'll hate that, which is also funny. Yes, indeed. So we should keep saying.

8:30Vishnu S. P.: Especially because he agreed to it. Yeah, perfect. Posse Coglu's been Forest manager for 24 days. I would imagine not many Forest fans would complain or moan at all if he was relieved of his duties today, as harsh as that may seem on some level. But you're looking at this vision, it's just such a shame because with Forrest, as you say, where they've been in recent seasons, to get in there, you win this competition. I know it's a big ass to win the Europa League, so it's not taken for granted. But genuinely still, because they're in it, and they've got a point, there's a long way to go, win that competition in your Champions League.

9:12Vishnu S. P.: and suddenly the club is in a different stratosphere. So that's what I mean by, but it's not just about winning it, it's about having a good go at this competition, which can raise your status, which can attract players. It's all good for the club. And to me, it's all just kind of falling by the wayside. And right now, this is relegation form.

9:29Marcus Speller: Yeah, it's not just limited to what they're doing midweek. It's there in the weekend as well. I think the, yeah, you're right. Obviously, I mean, they spoke for themselves on Thursday night, Forest fans, when they were chanting sacked in the morning to Ange. I think the thing is, though, this doesn't end with Ange. This isn't like, you know, we lost our favourite, we've gotten someone who's a terrible manager, now we need to get rid of him. If you look at their transfer dealings over the summer, you know, there's some good players in there. I don't think any of them were first choice, apart from, you know, keeping Morgan Gibbs white.

10:03Marcus Speller: And because of that, like the squad is a bit disjointed in that you don't really know what their best team is. You know what their best midfield is to a point, but you don't necessarily know what all the pieces around them do. And that was something that was there with Nuno as well. The background noise from the end of last season, when Maranakis comes on the field, that was always going to have an unhappy ending. We just didn't think it would be as soon as it was, I suppose. And I don't really know that someone else comes in and does a better job. Bear in mind that Maranakis immediately just liked Postacoglu because of his nationality.

10:43Marcus Speller: I would say it's a better job. Yeah, I would agree.

10:46Jim Campbell: They've lost games across three different competitions.

10:48Marcus Speller: I know that much. But what I'm saying is there's not going to be a remedy to the underlying issues about this. Yes, they will win games. You know, it's not ridiculous to... It doesn't even need to be said, really, that a different manager gets better results. because obviously it's just nothing is working with Andz there. What I'm saying is getting rid of him doesn't alleviate all those issues. You don't go back to square one. This isn't suddenly a clean slate when you get rid of Andz. There are clearly loads of issues there that just aren't being addressed. And Baranakis, to be fair to him, which is not a phrase I thought I was going to say today, he has done a lot for Nottingham Forest.

11:26Marcus Speller: When he took over in, it would have been 2017 now, if it was eight years ago. and you know look where they've come under his chairmanship. It's a fair point because

11:36Vishnu S. P.: of how he is and operates and all I say is some of the articles written about him you know you are immediately and understandably always ready to criticise the man but under him under his ownership hook or by crook whatever you want to call it they are in European competition

11:54Marcus Speller: but like jeez there have been some fuck ups along the way that he's been able to ride out. I don't know that he is going to be able to ride out the sacking of Nuno, though.

12:06Jim Campbell: There's always been a sense of throwing a lot of things at the wall to see what sticks with his approach to the dealings at Forest. And that's been the story of a lot of their time in the Premier League. They managed to settle down a squad with a lot of churn in it. And obviously Nuno did a really, really brilliant job there. And that is the really sad thing about this for me, that that incredible work that he did and that they did as a club and as a group of players, it looks like it's just being undone immediately. And I feel sorry for Ange Postacoglu in this as well because he's just the next guy, isn't he?

12:37Jim Campbell: I don't even think it's particularly personal with a lot of those fans. They're just still reeling from the completely sort of unnecessary drama of the situation with Nuno.

12:45Vishnu S. P.: But I mean, what did Luke say on the pod the other day? A manager is also, you know, in a sort of de facto sense, judged on their ability to pick a good job. And I understand that if Posta Coglu is raring to go and he wants to work and a Premier League job comes up with a Europa League campaign, obviously a competition he knows well and has bloody won it. I get the temptation of that and obviously he's gone there so I'm not going to criticise him too much but again, it just seemed a funny fit for all the wrong reasons.

13:22Marcus Speller: I also think too much was made of his comment at the start of like, I'll have them play my way by Wednesday. I think he's just defined in the media. It's fine. That side of it is not a problem. It's just the idea that he was ever going to do what he was doing at Spurs in the best bits with that Forest side as well.

13:40Jim Campbell: Especially without any sort of pre-season, with a squad with a lot of new players in it, which is a little bit all over the shop.

13:48Vishnu S. P.: It's a big ask. You go into the season, hopeful, they're out of the League Cup, so that's already gone. to a side not a Premier League side and now the Europa League this game at home to Michelin again no disrespect to them they're heavy favourites they are and they're now worried about that what are they going to do in the league this season you know I just it was such a shame in the light of last season also

14:12Jim Campbell: inherited a really good defence which is what's so confusing about this

14:17Vishnu S. P.: so shoddy I mean Michelin I understand you know they're pretty handy at set pieces because according to reports, they're sort of acting as a pseudo-academy for set-piece coaches, which is quite interesting. Arsenal's Nicholas Jova and Aston Villa's Austin McPhee both spent time there learning with their set-piece routines and so on.

14:36Jim Campbell: These guys, these boffins, are responsible for all of this kind of set-piece stuff that's happening right now.

14:42Marcus Speller: Yeah, I imagine one of the posters on the wall is that meme of, go in there and make it all about you. Yes!

14:48Jim Campbell: Indeed. Austin McPhee's a funny one, isn't he? Why? Aston Villa set-piece coach, Portugal assistant manager. What?

14:55Vishnu S. P.: Yeah.

14:56Jim Campbell: Just strange.

14:57Vishnu S. P.: Worst news for Nottingham Forest is they travel to Newcastle on Sunday. I was going to say at 2pm. They're not going to travel at 2pm. That's kick-off. Who knows?

15:07Jim Campbell: Under Maranakis. Even they should know. Yeah, I mean, Newcastle really clicked in the week, didn't they? This feels like it could be a really, really tricky afternoon for the old trees.

15:17Vishnu S. P.: Is the last thing you want to see is Anthony Alanga going, that defence looks a bit shaky thank you very much

15:24Jim Campbell: Chris Wood being marshaled out of the game

15:27Marcus Speller: that is probably like yeah that would be two ex-girlfriends beating you up

15:32Vishnu S. P.: and with the Forest fans singing Nuno's name Newcastle United fans there's a chance for banter again promising to be a brilliant weekend for Crystal Palace we'll come to Palace in a short while before we move on to Villa though former referee and Noddington Forest employee Mark Clattenberg has accused Howard Webb of having an agenda. They don't even hide it. No, Clattenburg's been piping off a lot recently. Yeah, he has his name. Piping up a lot. Piping up, piping off. Yeah, all the pipings. Clattenburg's feelings against Webb seem to have started after Webb went to a party without him at Euro 2012.

16:07Jim Campbell: Yeah, this is amazing. So the actual quotes about this are, I've seen it and Clattenburg is presenting it as if like, can you believe how outrageous this guy is? What a dickhead. but it's one of those kind of boomerang kind of insults where it just comes back on him. Says, I remember being the additional assistant behind the goal with Martin Atkinson and Howard Webb and his two assistants. After the match, we'd all arranged to go into one of the rooms and have a few beers as we always did after every international but that night, they all disappeared. The next day, I asked, what happened? I was told they'd gone to bed early.

16:36Jim Campbell: That was the line but actually, they'd all gone out to a party. Yeah. This is why. You're the one being mugged off here, Mark.

16:43Vishnu S. P.: This is why, Mark. This is why they did it. This sort of thing is why. He said, I respect Howard for what he's done as a referee and manager, but as a person, I can't respect the man.

16:51Marcus Speller: That's why he doesn't want to go to parties with you, isn't he? Yeah, yeah. This is a great example of Klattenberg's career at the moment, whatever you want to call it, whether it's a career in the media or as a mouthpiece or whatever, rent a quote, is that he should really be annoyed at all the other people involved in that story as well, but he's picking the highest profile person to lift himself. he's genuinely quite a pathetic man and I always think this with the call for players to be referees is that actually it's not workable because they're used to being adored and they don't want to put themselves whatever issues they might have doing it anyway where they need to do it financially it is putting yourself in a quote unquote lower social well you know lower down on the social pyramid to what they're used to which they find difficult but then I also think people who aren't as big a losers as Klattenberg should also try and be referees there's no reason to be this pathetic after your career or even during your career as he's spoken about some of his comments

17:55Jim Campbell: about Jürgen Klopp recently have been absolutely ridiculous

17:57Marcus Speller: he doesn't think about you mate leave it

18:00Vishnu S. P.: it's a bit of a shame because Klattenberg refereed in the Champions League final he was a very good referee

18:05Marcus Speller: yeah totally

18:06Vishnu S. P.: with a massive chip on his shoulder and a little lizard tongue yeah it's just like he'll have of lots of interesting things to say about the game. And I've no doubt in these interviews, he probably does say bits and pieces, but silly sausage. Right, Aston Villa won in the Netherlands yesterday, 2-0 away to final. Good win for Villa. Two wins out of two in the Europa League this season since the return to major European competition. Only Real Madrid, PSG and Bayern Munich have won more games in Europe than Aston Villa. 16 wins. How about that? They returned, of course, in the 23-24 season. So they've got pedigree.

18:40Vishnu S. P.: and was impressive in the Champions League last season. Did beat PSG at some point, but obviously not on aggregate. But this game perhaps will be remembered for some controversial refereeing.

18:51Jim Campbell: Yeah, they were pretty lucky to have a goal disallowed. Against them. Against them, yeah. I'm not massively clear on why that actually happened.

18:59Vishnu S. P.: Well, I think he thought that Matty Cash was fouled. This is referring to Ayase Ueda's headed goal where Bizot nearly saved it. Yeah, the ball went over the line. But I think it was Maddie Cash was judged to have been fouled. But the referee... He's very soft. Yeah, the referee, according to Robin Van Persie, apologised to him at half-time, which is quite something because Van Persie confronted him and I think the referee realised. So interesting sort of dynamic for the second half. I mean, he didn't sort of give them any shockers. I mean, I suppose you could say that when he stuck with his on-pitch decision to not send off the defender who fouled Olly Watkins, you just gave him a booking I mean I thought that was a red card all day long it was very clearly

19:46Jim Campbell: a dog's o wasn't it dog's o day afternoon

19:49Vishnu S. P.: the idea or maybe the the thinking was was Watkins going to get the ball

19:58Jim Campbell: I guess they were quite close together weren't they so I mean that's the only possible defence of it but he just fouls him while he's through on goal

20:06Vishnu S. P.: well yeah I mean The ball wasn't smashed in front of Watkins. It wasn't like going out for a goal kick or something. The ball was there to be won. And I think Watkins, there was a chance. He's strong enough to win it, right? Yeah, exactly. I mean, maybe 50-50 with him and the goalkeeper who's going to get there. But I couldn't believe that wasn't a red card, personally.

20:21Marcus Speller: Do you reckon he was like, oh, God, Robin's watching. But that was in the first half. Yeah, oh, that's true.

20:28Jim Campbell: It was about, what, 13 minutes in or something? But I mean, it didn't matter for Aston Villa, though, Jim. It didn't, because Emi Buendia and John McGinn stepped up again, as they did at the weekend. and a few players like that have been really, really key for them getting through this sticky period of form. And it's three wins in a row now, isn't it? Which is great. And as we mentioned the other day, I think certainly on paper, this is the toughest of the fixtures they've got in the Europa League group stage. They've still got to go away to Fenerbahce as well. But you think this one's probably the sternest test and they've come through it really well.

21:00Jim Campbell: It's not a classic and a couple of slightly controversial moments that we mentioned, but just getting it done is the most important thing.

21:10Vishnu S. P.: Emi Martinez wasn't in the starting line-up because he picked up a knock in the warm-up. And I thought to myself, my goodness, much was made about Aston Villa in their 1982 European Cup final win at that ground. And of course, one of the stories of that European Cup final was Nigel Spink. Shagging the European Cup? Not quite. Well, I don't know, ultimately. I doubt it, but I don't know. So I don't want to...

21:36Marcus Speller: A few cameras around then so they wouldn't have caught it.

21:38Vishnu S. P.: Yeah, there could have been some spink spunk after the game for all I know. You said it, Jim. I really didn't. You just said he was shagging the trophy. No, he didn't say spink spunk.

21:48Marcus Speller: You said that and now I've said it.

21:50Vishnu S. P.: First of the month.

21:55Vishnu S. P.: So anyway, of course, Nigel Spink, sorry, was brought on after nine minutes in that game. and so again with second choice goalkeepers coming into the Villa side at that ground it was of course going to be an Aston Villa victory and he had a great game you have to say, proceeded to make eight saves during the game shows you that it was a keenly contested match, so well done Aston Villa who host Burnley at 2pm on Sunday I think you would have them down as favourites so three wins on the bounce for Villa

22:33Marcus Speller: not a great start

22:34Vishnu S. P.: and they've got Burnley at home which again heavy favourites for put that away suddenly the picture's looking a lot more rosy

22:40Marcus Speller: I think it's already a lot more rosy I feel like it's you know it feels a bit more familiar to the Aston Villa under Emery that we've seen I think Morgan Rogers got a bit of joy back which is nice for club obviously he had a bit more joy for country did one of his turns didn't he he did and then he dived yeah that's true as well actually yeah but I think it's they basically rectify the problem that we spoke about you know when they were going through that run in August they'd seemingly lost all their width which meant players like McGinn and Morgan Rodgers had to do a bit more away from their favoured more central spaces and now they've been pushed back in I thought Mattson was really good yesterday I kind of always end up wanting a bit more from him partly because of how good he was during that low spell for Dortmund where you saw him as a bit of a marauder from deep.

23:33Marcus Speller: And he's doing more of that now. He's certainly doing more of it on Thursday night. And I think he... I mean, I can see... Obviously, Luka Dina is very good for the way Villa play, which is stretching teams. And he can do that with his passing and certainly with his crossing from deep as well. But I just think Madsen gives him a bit more thrust. And so that's something they've got to look at going forward. Or certainly Emery might look at going forward. But yeah, the green shoots are there. a much better place than they did a month ago.

24:04Vishnu S. P.: Absolutely right. Coming up after this, Crystal Palace get a big win in Europe.

24:19Jim Campbell: So sorry about the... I hadn't pressed the button. I went away for a job at half-time. Excuse my term of language and stuff. A wee bit of poop.

24:30Vishnu S. P.: I mean it's the second one isn't it yeah after apologising for the language

24:34Marcus Speller: yeah exactly

24:34Vishnu S. P.: the first one you kind of go okay alright there we are you've had your the intrusive thoughts have absolutely won out there haven't they yes indeed so were Hamilton Ackeys right to sack him then Jim Hamilton Sackies

24:49Jim Campbell: yeah sure

24:51Marcus Speller: this happened like three years ago stand by my opinion man

24:53Jim Campbell: I don't really have a strong opinion on it either way okay so don't accuse me of not standing you buy it right

25:02Vishnu S. P.: Dynamo Keeve zero Crystal Palace two Crystal Palace win their first ever game in Europe not including preliminary rounds which they ridiculously had to play in but they got past it and they got past Dynamo Keeve which it's you know proper opponent really you would say they've got a club record 19 games unbeaten what a way to do it in Europe as well Jim a place where they're not used to playing games.

25:30Jim Campbell: And that's part of it, isn't it? Because as we mentioned again the other day, European away fixtures are a very, very different type of atmosphere. You're often playing against teams who are used to setting the agenda in their games and sometimes it can kind of catch you a little bit cold, be something you're not as necessarily prepared for as you would be against the Premier League team. And that was essentially an irrelevance for Palace. They controlled the game. They played with a lot of verve. I think they probably could have won by more goals as well. They really sort of, they were really the dominant team in it.

25:59Jim Campbell: So dominant. And they're going to be in most of the games in this competition, but they also have to approach it in a way where they take advantage of that and they get used to that as well because there are, deeper into the competition, there are a couple of teams in there, there's Fiorentina and Strasbourg in particular. Fiorentina always there. Exactly. Yeah, it's their competition. It doesn't matter where they finish.

26:19Marcus Speller: They just won't win it.

26:20Jim Campbell: Well, that's the danger though, isn't it? That's the tricky thing for Palace and it's also the tricky thing for Fiorentina where and to a degree Strasbourg you think we're going to put most of these teams away but there's like there's one we could come unstuck against and if you do it's gutting it's absolutely gutting to sort of breeze to the final and then essentially sort of trip over your own shoelaces at the end is how that would probably feel so yeah I thought Palace played really well their approach was exceptional they seemed to really enjoy it the second goal was superb Eddie Nketiah was quite unlucky to have a marginally offside goal he looked sharp it was offside but it was a lovely finish and his actual goal that stood was a sharp finish lovely work from Jeremy Pino to he had a great game putting a lovely lovely cross with the outside of his boot and then deft finish from Nketiah he did have a great game he was low-key a really good signing actually I think because it happened quite late people it just was quite far down the news agenda because of who left

27:19Vishnu S. P.: well indeed I mean it's sort of really a replacement for Ebreche Eza so the type of player Palace can realistically attract is not going to be like for like in terms of the profile of him so that's why but he started life at Palace really really well in fact we know they're strong on the flanks you know the wingbacks Mitchell Munoz as well great header as well lovely header yeah we've seen him do in the top corner yes please yeah absolutely right Jim what a start to the campaign Mateta obviously came off Nketa came on and he's having a great time Vish old Eddie but a silly sending off for Soza.

27:57Vishnu S. P.: What are you doing, man? You're cruising. No need for it. Two yellows. Come on.

28:02Jim Campbell: Both of them were really silly as well and so close together. She just got excited.

28:05Marcus Speller: You know, we always keep on yellow card and suspension watch around Christmas. We need to factor in all holidays, don't we? Is the Croatian Christmas coming up? What's this? Well, we should look into that. Maybe I should have looked into it before bringing this to the table but I thought it was a collaborative process. Okay. But yeah, no idea. Maybe just one of these midweeks back.

28:27Vishnu S. P.: Is that what it is?

28:27Marcus Speller: Yeah.

28:28Vishnu S. P.: Half terms coming up? What are you getting at this?

28:30Marcus Speller: Yeah, maybe.

28:31Vishnu S. P.: Cool. Maybe.

28:31Marcus Speller: Footballers don't really like the kids, do they? Actually, no, half terms is still a few weeks away. No, it's just Ruben Amarin. Yeah.

28:36Vishnu S. P.: No, I think we've looked into it enough. It was just a Darth sending off. Bad process, guys. Bad process. Very, very bad process, Jim, indeed. But great win for Palace. They are the favourites for this competition because they have Premier League money. But they're also a very, very good side. And what was also good, you were talking about it there, Jim, was we're used to Palace playing really well against teams that are better than them and how do they then take the game to the smaller teams is often one of the things highlighted this season even with home draw against Sunderland for example and so on whereas they looked very comfortable in possession of the ball didn't they?

29:11Marcus Speller: But they always do don't they? So not in possession

29:13Vishnu S. P.: I didn't mean that as in they look very comfortable in just taking the game to them and creating a lot of chances

29:17Marcus Speller: That's part of the reason Glasner's been so successful is because it's the same players who do the dirty work also do the flash stuff as well.

29:26Vishnu S. P.: Yeah, that's a fair point. Well, Glasner himself is in the spotlight as well, not for his team's performances, but his contract which runs to the end of the season. The BBC have reported that he was offered a new contract early this summer, but he preferred to wait until the end of the transfer window before making a decision as he wanted to see how committed the club were to strengthening the squad. But where's your commitment now?

29:48Marcus Speller: Well, I mean, that's the thing, isn't it? Like, as good as this unbeaten run has been as remarkable as the last few months have been for Crystal Palace, this is the big thing, keeping him. And, you know, I suppose he's wanting them to see what ends up being the situation with Mark Gay, and he'll have a better idea of that in January. I wouldn't be surprised if he walked, because that's just the nature of football now. Like, it happens.

30:13Vishnu S. P.: He would have to be offered a really plumb job. Yeah. And I think that...

30:16Marcus Speller: He just will be offered a plumb job, won't he?

30:18Vishnu S. P.: He will, but will he be realistically, during the season because again what does it have to take to get him away from Palace it would have to be something significantly better and more attractive

30:28Marcus Speller: and what would it take to keep him at Palace it would have to be significantly better and more attractive it would have to be signing players it would be actually building on this and it's really hard to do I know sometimes we think rightly like we celebrate teams for getting into Europe and like right this is the start of the rest of your lives but it takes so much work to maintain that league position full stop and keep investing in your squad and this is the first time Palace have really been in that situation because they got away with losing Elyse to a point because they had Eze losing Eze obviously you know we mentioned Pino there but like there's a way of building on that and we might this might be a very different conversation we have in two months time maybe just after the Christmas period where all these games suddenly start racking up in the legs of those players and Palace play a different way and results go a different way and Pino's then That's definitely true

31:18Vishnu S. P.: I mean I think for what it's worth my prediction would be he'll be there until the end of the season quite clearly if they won the Europa Conference League they are favourites to do it it's not given of course you're in the Europa League so you've got European football back what then can the ball do blah blah blah blah these are conversations as you say we will have throughout the season and very much at the end of the season I would be very surprised if he left during the season barring disaster or exceptional circumstances because it's so good there right now that and also his reputation will only get better as the season goes on if they can still keep performing and they can do something and they can win something again then it's reputation whereas why jump ship in November when Man United almost certainly will sack Ruben Amorim to me that'd just be yeah

32:03Jim Campbell: seeing out this conference league campaign in particular seems like a smart thing for him in terms of his career and his CV as well if he does end up leaving I mean it must be frustrating for Palace fans whenever anyone talks about them they start linking the manager elsewhere but if that is how it plays out they have real opportunity here actually to if they identify the right kind of profile of up and coming manager who is not too dissimilar from Glasner I know Glasner had won the Europa League and it was a bit of a coup to get him but they can position themselves as a club where you can come into the Premier League show what you can do and then maybe get a move elsewhere and like there are there are worse positions to be in

32:39Vishnu S. P.: definitely now before we talk about some of the fixtures in the Premier League this weekend and we depart from European football did you see Roma losing 1-0 to Lille last night.

32:50Jim Campbell: Yeah.

32:52Vishnu S. P.: Lille's goalkeeper, Berkett Ozer, saved three penalties in that game. But of course it will only go down as one penalty because it all happened in the same phase of play, if you like. Stunning stuff. He saved two from Dovbic, but he was off his line both times. Or no, there was encroachment I think for the first one. Whatever it was, the first one was definitely off his line for the second one. like a sprinter almost in the old days when you had two full starts before you were chucked out. It was like, well, I've got to be on my toes. And he went. And the guy, the penalty was put in the same position.

33:26Vishnu S. P.: It was a carbon copy. Both times you think, that is outrageous. And then it's like, no, you came off your line. So Matthias Soule then steps up and says, oh, I'm going to have to sort this out. And he bloody missed that. He saved it again. Amazing.

33:40Marcus Speller: I think if you miss, if you happen to get a penalty retaken, the person who took it has to retake it.

33:46Vishnu S. P.: I think I would tend to agree with you.

33:48Marcus Speller: Yeah, I think you enter that contract almost when you both step up and put the ball down and the keeper's on his line.

33:54Vishnu S. P.: Although, if it is the goalkeeper or the opposition ultimately being penalised, then I think they should have to kind of take whatever... I think if it was the taker, if the taker did too much of a... I mean, I don't know what a penalty taker would have to do to get it on. I suppose it'd be

34:13Marcus Speller: encroachment, wouldn't it? Or smoking. Those get disallowed, yeah.

34:18Vishnu S. P.: Smoking. Yeah, if he did that, that would be disallowed.

34:20Marcus Speller: Yeah, if he had a, using his horn in a built up area after 11pm, that'd be...

34:25Vishnu S. P.: See, there you go. But anyway, extraordinary, do check that out because, yeah, he earned his clean sheet last night. Don't think

34:34Marcus Speller: missing the first two was, I watched that and I was like, that is a living nightmare.

34:38Vishnu S. P.: He's a good player as well. Yeah.

34:40Marcus Speller: But the thing is, two shit penalties.

34:42Vishnu S. P.: But the first ones aside fighter, right? You kind of go, that can happen. You don't get the connection you want. And it goes... I bet I'll do that again.

34:46Marcus Speller: Exactly the same.

34:48Jim Campbell: He was doing the old sort of star jump tactic to put off the penalty takers and it really worked.

34:53Marcus Speller: It did. Yeah.

34:54Vishnu S. P.: Bloody hell. Right then. Premier League starts, well, it starts tonight, but on Saturday, the games get going at 12.30, Leeds United versus Tottenham. Leeds welcome Spurs to Elland Road, which is becoming a bit of a fortress. They haven't lost there in, is it, 23 league matches, I think. Obviously, the majority of them being in the championship. But so far, pretty good at home. And that's exactly what people were saying about Leeds United. They sit 12th in the table, two wins, two draws and two losses so far. And that's decent, Vish. It's a topic that Daniel Farker will be pleased about.

35:31Marcus Speller: Yeah, he will be with his big Easter Island head. I really like Daniel Farker and I really regret saying that. sorry Daniel yeah they've done well so far I think you could argue that they

35:45Vishnu S. P.: he's not often he's not often repentant about something he's done no he's not all the time yeah but we don't live with you

35:53Marcus Speller: but usually save it for Mondays yeah

35:55Vishnu S. P.: and your columns yeah what you're a journalist

35:59Marcus Speller: I don't mind here are some of the here are some of the terrible things I've done this weekend I'd like to see that that would be a good column though

36:07Jim Campbell: yeah in like a tabloid or the Daily Mail or something. That'd be brilliant.

36:10Marcus Speller: I'm on ESPN Crick Info, a cricket-based website.

36:12Jim Campbell: I'm trying to get you more work.

36:13Marcus Speller: Here are some of the terrible things I've done over the weekend due to drink. I'm trying to get you more work.

36:18Vishnu S. P.: You're actually getting me less work. And I'm trying to get us more material.

36:22Marcus Speller: He's certainly done that, yeah. You've not finished your limoncello.

36:29Marcus Speller: So Daniel Farker, yeah. Daniel Farker. Big hair Daniel Farker, yeah. Could fit a lot of liquid in that bonce, couldn't he? It's not where it ends up, is it?

36:37Vishnu S. P.: No, this is what we want.

36:39Marcus Speller: This is what we want. Okay, that's true. He'd make quite a good ornamental jug, wouldn't he?

36:46Vishnu S. P.: He's got a bit of a Toby jug look, actually, isn't he? Would you like to put him in the dentist's chair and pull alcohol down and he's gone?

36:55Marcus Speller: No, I wouldn't do that. No? No.

36:57Vishnu S. P.: That's where you draw the line, is it? Yeah, that's too far.

37:00Marcus Speller: Yeah. Shouldn't be against his will.

37:03Vishnu S. P.: I think you misunderstood what I was saying, but fine, okay. No, no, I get it.

37:08Marcus Speller: yeah go on I think Leeds are done well as you said you could argue they probably played Everton at the right time first game of the season definitely they weren't quite the Everton that we know and Newcastle yeah it's one and Newcastle so as far as I'm concerned

37:24Vishnu S. P.: they didn't win any of those games properly

37:26Marcus Speller: yeah exactly why did I do that accent as well yeah

37:30Vishnu S. P.: I went more Neil Warnock there I did the Bright Club you did yeah yeah he's been in the dugout as well both Leeds ex-leeds manager Do it again with a bit of Farka thrown in. I couldn't, Jim. I need a proper run-up at that. Vish, go on.

37:42Marcus Speller: You know, at the start of the season, and it's been quite a big topic on a lot of the shows we've done, including the Mailbag, about promoted teams, the likelihood of them staying up, and this, that, and the other. And I think the point we made about all the promoted teams was because of how few points you need now compared to 15 years ago, say, to stay up, beat the teams around you. and they have kind of done that in the way that they dragged down Wolves and beating them 3-1 I think it was and even the performance against Bournemouth obviously the big kicker was conceding late on but getting a draw against Bournemouth is a good result these days

38:20Vishnu S. P.: I thought Bournemouth were going to turn up there

38:22Marcus Speller: and give them a shoe and that's more of my

38:26Vishnu S. P.: reflection on Bournemouth by the way

38:27Marcus Speller: sure yeah and I'll be honest I think Spurs have been under the radar a bit naff

38:34Jim Campbell: Well, yeah, they've drawn three and four. They won in the League Cup, but that was against Doncaster, which obviously you'd expect them to win handily. So there's a little bit of a sense of maybe some teething problems at Spurs. And Farca has quite a good record against Thomas Frank. And again, a lot of that is in the Championship and a different team. So it's possibly not a relevant comparison to draw. But Leeds look really at home in the Premier League, I think, because you say particularly at home. Look, Sunderland have got a lot of the plaudits, haven't they? And it's perhaps taken a bit of credit away from Leeds, with them.

39:04Jim Campbell: Their style has been really, really good and they don't look overawed. They're sort of very physically competitive in these games as well and this is an interesting one.

39:13Vishnu S. P.: I was quite impressed with them when they played against Fulham at Craven Cottage. It was a bit of a boring game nil-nil but that's kind of the point.

39:21Marcus Speller: That's the kind of leads they are or rather that's the team they are. I think I assumed that when they came up with some of their forward players they were like oh this is quite exciting but actually they're just very functional now.

39:32Vishnu S. P.: Well I think you've got to be in those kind of games because, again, it's early in the season. And I don't know if Fulham are one of the best teams in the league, but they're obviously better than Leeds and they're an experienced Premier League side with an experienced manager. So when Leeds came to town, as a Fulham fan, you're thinking, OK, it's a real good chance for three points here. Leeds didn't give them anything. Very disciplined, as you say, functional performance. And in fact, they probably had more sniffs at goal than Fulham. So, you know, I think that's it. I think the hangover of last season is oh well the newly promoted sides just get hammered this is, we all sincerely hope that this season that kind of chat is actually not put to bed because obviously it renews every year but if it really can be a proper relegation fight you know, between a handful of sides it would just bode very very well and Leeds have given themselves a great chance and Farker again a lot of Premier League experience looks like he's learning from it

40:30Marcus Speller: yeah, a lot of Premier League experience but it's been negative largely exactly yeah

40:35Vishnu S. P.: but this time around it's a bit of a different feeling so I know what you mean with this and with Spurs as well you know I've been talking about Frank a lot and I'm still a good manager and he's got Spurs in a much better place than they were last season despite that Europa League win but you're right though Jim maybe there are a few little teething problems and there's you know he's still you know Spurs can be a bit of a funny side as we've seen the last few seasons to manage still stuff to iron out there and so on so a fascinating game at Ellen Road I think we can all agree. All right, coming up after this, Liverpool are off to Stamford Bridge.

41:17Vishnu S. P.: It's a Saturday tea-time treat at 5.30 between Chelsea and Liverpool. Varying fortunes for these two teams in the Champions League this week. Obviously, Liverpool lost 1-0 away at Galatasaray. Chelsea beat Jose Mourinho's Benfica 1-0 at home Vish Chelsea versus Liverpool what are your immediate thoughts and opinions on this game

41:39Marcus Speller: my immediate thought is that when they rocked up to Cobham their training ground on Friday that Mourinho was there and he just met them at the door and was like please let me stay for this game I'll be out of your hair at the end of the weekend just let me stay for this game you'll need me yeah it is like a it's probably natural in the way that Chelsea in particular have changed over the few years. But this feels a very different game, doesn't it? It feels like Liverpool are going there to have a prank pulled on them by quite a mischievous and unpredictable Chelsea side. And that's the thing to avoid.

42:12Marcus Speller: But really and truly, this should be a game that's actually quite comfortable for Liverpool because Chelsea aren't a team. They're a set of individuals and a rotating cast of wide men.

42:22Jim Campbell: Who already have a decent amount of injuries, especially defensively.

42:26Marcus Speller: And Liverpool are, for all their mistakes, is still very much in control of things. And yet this feels like it could be like another Jenga block popped out of the Arna Slott building.

42:44Vishnu S. P.: The Arna Slott building. I want chaos, Jim.

42:48Jim Campbell: Yeah, I think we all do. I do think this is just a really good opportunity for course correction for Liverpool, isn't it? Because they've essentially had two bad games and everyone's sort of gleefully looking to write them off. and I don't think anyone's seriously suggesting that ooh but it's not actually that good but no I know it's not but obviously they've got those results in the other games and I think people are possibly overstating quite how bad of a situation Liverpool might find themselves in because obviously they have so much firepower and they have a very good coach and they have every opportunity to turn this around here I think there is a quite high possibility for chaos Mark Cucuray is on the pitch that's always an agent of that and Chelsea are just sort of it's they're kind of good for that aren't they?

43:33Jim Campbell: They're very very unpredictable I was going to say it's never dull there sometimes it's extremely dull but often it's very dramatic even within that Yeah

43:41Vishnu S. P.: I get what you're saying I mean Chelsea need to not get a red card in this game that would be a start

43:46Marcus Speller: They need all the players they start the game with to finish the game well certainly the same number of players Same number definitely yeah

43:52Vishnu S. P.: Enzo Maresca spoke about Chelsea needing to stop getting players sent off and said sometimes it's better to concede the goal or the chance because then it's 11 versus 11 and you have more minutes to play. I mean, that's obviously for Robert Sanchez, whereas Gerard Pedro is like... Yeah, that was a really weird one.

44:06Jim Campbell: Do you think it's frustrating for him to have to go that much back to basics? Just, can you stop getting sent off?

44:12Vishnu S. P.: Yeah, well, it seems to be. I don't know. Now, this is something that we can all get behind. And I felt this at the time. Chelsea fans in attendance at their win over Benfica weren't happy about the club's decision to play goal music after Chelsea scored. And I totally agreed. because I remember thinking to myself, they don't normally do this at Stamford Ridge. It was obviously Chelsea dagger that they played. But I remember looking around going, what's this about? That's not... Because you just, I mean, we've talked about it.

44:39Jim Campbell: It kills the atmosphere. Yeah, it's one of the best moments of the whole sport. You know, someone's celebrating a goal. Why would you piss all over that?

44:46Vishnu S. P.: You see your team score a goal, you don't need anybody in any sort of formal guise to go, right now, get excited.

44:53Marcus Speller: Yeah. Applause. Yeah, do you know what I mean? Yeah, absolutely. Exactly that, isn't it?

44:57Vishnu S. P.: but yeah madness

44:59Jim Campbell: so yeah is that a dig from Oreska who's spoken about the atmosphere a couple of times in the past

45:03Marcus Speller: oh that's really interesting I wonder if they run it by managers for that very reason that is an interesting point does he get to pick the song that would be great as well just put that on shuffle sorry guys

45:13Vishnu S. P.: it was my choice yeah yeah you want to I mean if you if you wanted so if you've got a manager or even a DJ really wanting a track but fans don't want it can't they play something which is just sort of quite quiet in the background so they get to press their little button and the fans don't hear it. Everyone's happy.

45:31Marcus Speller: Oh, I see what you're saying. Like giving them an unplugged controller.

45:34Vishnu S. P.: Yeah. Oh, that would be better.

45:36Marcus Speller: Yeah. What would be the worst and absolute vibe killer of goal music?

45:40Vishnu S. P.: Oh, that's a good one.

45:41Marcus Speller: Immediately I went to Colorblind by Counting Crows.

45:45Vishnu S. P.: How does that go? It's dreadful. It's very maudlin

45:47Jim Campbell: and it's saccharine. You know it from about a thousand different TV shows. Oh, yeah.

45:54Vishnu S. P.: But surely though, sort of a because you know in some train stations they play sort of calm classical music

46:00Marcus Speller: yes yeah

46:01Vishnu S. P.: which I actually

46:01Jim Campbell: in that that is in some cases to stop antisocial behaviour

46:05Vishnu S. P.: which might be ideal

46:06Jim Campbell: no no yeah

46:08Vishnu S. P.: so I was going to clarify my comments Jimmy you've kind of already done it for me but you know so that has its benefits right but not when a goal goes in yeah

46:17Marcus Speller: yeah what if they played the national anthem

46:19Vishnu S. P.: always up for that yeah always up for it

46:21Marcus Speller: see you change your tune haven't you because they've changed their tune yeah I mean but to go back to the point I wonder if Mareska gets the final say on that because surely you would as the manager he sort of falls under your remit doesn't he

46:35Vishnu S. P.: not on the track the manager can't be picking the track for goal music however if he is he's doing too much but when you say that Vish I kind of think surely you must have it that is just I've never thought about it

46:46Jim Campbell: like that yeah I mean again I know I mention this at every opportunity and I make no apology for that you have a lot of power with this sort of thing because Bayern scoring a goal then having Fred Flintstone shout yabba dabba doo and playing the can can is one of the funniest things in world football

47:00Marcus Speller: Sturm Graz I watched the Rangers game yesterday because I was rubbernecking Sturm Graz had classical music after each goal

47:06Vishnu S. P.: but like upbeat classical

47:07Marcus Speller: not really though was it? it sort of yeah that's interesting it was like if you heard it in the underground you start running remember that we're Austrian yeah exactly yeah we've got culture yeah

47:20Vishnu S. P.: that is to be fair

47:21Jim Campbell: Bayern is the anomaly it's brilliant It's such a dick thing to do. Especially when they're battering someone 6-7-0, which they do every season. It is essentially, you are entertainment for us. You are here to be toyed with.

47:33Vishnu S. P.: Kane scores his fifth penalty of the game, an 8-0 win.

47:36Jim Campbell: Yabba dabba doo! That bit always gets forgotten as well. That bit is, why have they combined those two things? What?

47:46Marcus Speller: I love the idea that the Hanna-Barbera Estee, every now and again, they, you know, regularly, like a certain time of year they get this check from Bayern Munich football club what the fuck is this

47:58Jim Campbell: we're happy to accept it there's eight separate payments on this day

48:04Vishnu S. P.: it is yeah it's the exception it is the exception such a knobby fuck off

48:13Marcus Speller: it's so funny

48:14Vishnu S. P.: like ruffling all the hair on the all the heads of the players oh my goodness but do they not leave though they leave a bit of a gap though for the cheer they do I feel like I hear cheers

48:24Marcus Speller: whenever they do that

48:25Vishnu S. P.: yeah so they have the celebration and then they go into it so if anything even they have recognised

48:30Marcus Speller: Keystone's was released between September 30th 1960 and April 1st 1966

48:38Vishnu S. P.: they are you see all makes sense

48:40Marcus Speller: really Keystone cop stuff isn't it

48:44Vishnu S. P.: oh dear me now at the time of recording Liverpool still top of the Premier League by two points however after last weekend the bookies now have Arsenal as favourites to win the league the bookies have joined me in saying that Arsenal are the favourites for the Premier League Jim you must be very excited

49:03Jim Campbell: I'm thrilled again home straight it's one result isn't it so I'm trying to keep my feet on the ground I'm happy for you to you to get carried away though I'm trying to give you a footy yeah get off the ground I like it down here

49:17Vishnu S. P.: it's safe it's safe Vish what do you think of that?

49:21Marcus Speller: It kind of makes sense doesn't it?

49:23Vishnu S. P.: Man City not even mentioned

49:24Marcus Speller: I had quite a tricky run in I mean I think Man City are going to win the league still you still think that? Yeah yeah that's it you double down you double down son Have you seen what Phil Foden's been cooking? The person I picked to be player of the season Oh that could still happen Has Erling Haaland

49:36Jim Campbell: got 17 goals already is it? Something like that for club and country yeah a lot of can-carning Tijani Rinders oh my god yeah that can never happen he can never join them they'll bankrupt themselves

49:46Vishnu S. P.: paying Hannibal Barbera

49:48Marcus Speller: Kane's already doing that isn't he Kane and Haaland

49:51Vishnu S. P.: it'd just be an episode

49:53Marcus Speller: of the Flintstones wouldn't it

49:54Vishnu S. P.: it would be yeah Optostats have Liverpool as second favourite for the Champions League which is surprising behind Arsenal what's going on Opto loving Arsenal at the moment they are yeah I mean I know you know okay fair enough Real Madrid got hammered by Leti so maybe that's kind of influenced it perhaps I don't know although

50:12Marcus Speller: Real Madrid do as a banker they do look a bit rubbish but then it feels like they've just been replaced by PSG. Yeah. And also,

50:20Jim Campbell: Real Madrid are, Real Madrid, aren't they? How they're playing now might be irrelevant in Rey. In Rey? In May.

50:25Vishnu S. P.: I mean, this is Optus stat, so it's not, you know. We know it's not predicting the future. Yeah, but I'm just surprised that,

50:32Marcus Speller: you know. Well, I still have been, like, thereabouts for the last couple of years. Yeah, no, no, I don't think it's outrageous.

50:37Jim Campbell: Part of it is the defensive record as well.

50:39Marcus Speller: Yeah, true. Also, it's not unreasonable to say that the favourite, the team that you also picked to win the Premier League might end up winning the Champions League

50:47Vishnu S. P.: so the bookies have got them to the Premier League but the Optus stats have got the Arsenal you predicted a treble the other day as well I think we're going to

50:55Jim Campbell: miss out on the caribou that's Fulham's sure

50:58Marcus Speller: and what a win for need the money it's also a bit rich of you to say that considering Sunderland are on the verge as well

51:03Vishnu S. P.: of what?

51:05Marcus Speller: the Premier League

51:05Vishnu S. P.: oh are they now that's you saying it not me he used to like the verge he did I didn't take the piss with the verge

51:12Marcus Speller: trying to walk the league into the net

51:16Vishnu S. P.: oh dear me right before we go Vish Man United hosts Sunderland at 3pm on Saturday still on the verge are they they're on the verge of a win there you can be on the verge

51:27Marcus Speller: of a cliff as well

51:28Jim Campbell: true true Man United are in this running order as a sort of and finally they've quite literally fallen down the pecking order too good too bad

51:36Marcus Speller: at the end of the day too

51:37Vishnu S. P.: before you enjoy your weekend do remember that your football team's playing

51:42Marcus Speller: Man United though they're playing at 3pm on Saturday. Yeah. There's no possible way I could follow it or watch it.

51:49Jim Campbell: Well, you could go to Paris, watch it in the train station, legally. Oh, yeah, that's good. Be on telly there.

51:55Vishnu S. P.: No, because if you were in Paris, you'd just want to enjoy yourself. Yes, exactly. You'd be like, there's a lot of different stuff here to rather get miserable or watch it. Imagine death by gout. There you are. Neil Warnock posted on X to say that Man United should give him a call in January and he would play a 4-3-3.

52:10Marcus Speller: Even your heart's not even in that. That used to be prime ramble fodder That's right Because it's so consistent

52:17Jim Campbell: You're like, oh fine, if I must And he's said it in a way Like he's reading something off a list Yeah Which he's not

52:22Marcus Speller: Yeah

52:24Jim Campbell: And hand on heart

52:25Marcus Speller: Oh go on then, more truffle then if we must Hand on heart

52:28Vishnu S. P.: It would genuinely be better

52:30Marcus Speller: Yeah, probably, yeah

52:32Vishnu S. P.: That's the thing

52:33Marcus Speller: This is the most expected Quote-unquote upset of the weekend, surely Sunderland getting something from Old Trafford

52:42Jim Campbell: Man United have got quite a good record at home against promoted teams under Ruben Amaroom. So there's a bone.

52:48Marcus Speller: Yeah, but we've spoken about, haven't we, how shit promoted teams have been recently.

52:52Jim Campbell: Eat your bone.

52:53Vishnu S. P.: Now, today's episode of... I'm putting my hair like...

52:57Marcus Speller: Is it Betty Rubble?

53:02Vishnu S. P.: Very Flintstones heavy there. Very. Today, everybody, we've got my biddy aunt. It's Vish versus Jim. it will be available later this afternoon of course so make sure you subscribe to the Football Ramble on your podcast app so you do not miss it thank you very much for listening to the Football Ramble part of the ACAST Creator Network remember to join us again also on YouTube later on for our thoughts on the England squad so that's my biddy aunt after this one and then YouTube for England chat it's Vish you've got a question?

53:33Marcus Speller: yeah sorry I should clarify that Betty Rubble did not have a bone in her head I know we're going to get a lot of comments about it as well, and like a legal letter from the HB estate.

53:40Vishnu S. P.: Oh, suddenly there was a bit of the Mandela effect there because I thought she did have a bone in her head. Yeah.

53:45Marcus Speller: In her head.

53:45Vishnu S. P.: That would have been... She's got a bone in her head, obviously, we all do. You know, more than one. But, so who had the bone in the head? She's still got nothing in her head. Rocks in her head

53:53Marcus Speller: and she's married to that loser. That little, short little mug.

53:58Vishnu S. P.: Yeah. Didn't he have a camera phone way before everybody though? That's a good point. You know. I don't get that. What do you mean? They did. They were, do you remember? Oh no, it's the Jetsons. Same thing. It's really not. In many ways they're the opposite. Thanks Jim. You're welcome. Thanks Flintstones and the Jetsons. Have a lovely weekend. We'll see you later for my video.

54:25Jim Campbell: The Football Ramble is a Stack Production and part of the Acast Creator Network.