Spurs silence the banter, plus the Bundesliga and Serie A return

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1:00Musa Okwonga: Good morning all. Good morning Ryan. How are you doing? I'm alright, X-Men. How are you? Very well indeed, man. Very well. Very well.

1:07Ryan Hunn: We just abandoned the proper intro now. Yes we have.

1:10Musa Okwonga: Listen, we're going rogue. Listen. Free spirits.

1:14Ryan Hunn: Moose has got a free role. He doesn't know how to handle all of this freedom. I used to be a pass-first striker. That's how I've been played as number 10.

1:23Musa Okwonga: Never been a pass-first. No, no, no, that's not true.

1:25Ryan Hunn: That's not true. I'm just sitting at the base midfield being like, guys, need a bit of help on transition.

1:30Musa Okwonga: Yeah, cool.

1:32Ryan Hunn: I want a yellow after five because I had to make a tactical foul on the halfway leg. Good luck with that, bro.

1:39Ryan Hunn: We hope everyone's staying safe and well. Welcome to another week, the second week of Stadio, the new era. Second week of the new season for us as well. So we hope everyone's staying safe and well. We have to do a bit of admin. Yes. this week, like we mentioned last week, the podcasts. We're switching over to the new format, so you get every Monday free on this feed, if you like, if you're listening to it on the free feed. Any other show that goes up on this feed, you'll just have like a clip, and the full versions are available every Monday, Thursday minimum, if you sign up for the Stadio podcast membership.

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2:47Ryan Hunn: If you're like, Hey, look, I have all of this money and, um, you know, I don't hate these guys. So, and we'll, we're using as much of those memberships as well to subsidize some lower income memberships. Um, cause you don't want people to miss out. Um, but yeah, we really appreciate everyone who signed up so far. The response has been really cool. And yeah, if you want to hear more pods and connect with the stadio community online and in person, go join up. So today we're going to very, very quickly just shout out the returns of the Bundesliga and Serie A. We're going to focus on the Premier League a little bit because Spurs winning away at Man City again.

3:26Ryan Hunn: Great result for Spurs. Second to Arsenal only on goal difference at the top of the league. We're going to talk about Everton. New stadium. Great day for Everton. A couple of other results from the Premier League. Some other bits and bobs. and then we had a couple of questions and some emails but we're going to hold them probably for Thursday. So there was a lovely one about Eze signing for Arsenal and the emotional component because obviously he was unveiled ahead of the Leeds game. But yeah, think about emotional transfers. So we might save that for later in the week and also some emails from people about the jobs that you'd like to do in football.

4:04Ryan Hunn: So we'll save those maybe for Thursday.

4:09Ryan Hunn: This is Nick and Jack

4:40Ryan Hunn: We'll be right back. business account today at business.walmart.com.

4:47Ryan Hunn: Shall we just quickly shout out the Bundesliga?

4:50Musa Okwonga: Yes.

4:51Ryan Hunn: And Serie A because both were back this weekend. Yeah. Not the best game for the Bundesliga to launch free to air in the UK. It was not.

4:58Musa Okwonga: It was not.

4:59Ryan Hunn: However, not the RB Leipzig of three or four years ago either. No, no, no. Sightly finished eighth last season in a very strange, like, do you know what? Oli Werner is my one to watch situation this year because you know when you see a manager leave a side and then you and then you actually fear for both of them yes yes because I'm worried about him and now I'm worried about Werder Bremen they got hammered 6-0 by Bayern on Friday night Bayern looked very very good although I don't think this Leipzig side is great no and it hasn't

5:28Musa Okwonga: been for a while I feel actually you know it's the last time I felt I worried about both clubs was actually Marco Rosa leaving. So I thought he was onto a good thing. And he's never really found a fit since he left Gladbach.

5:42Ryan Hunn: They had the momentary boost under Domenico Tedesco as well.

5:47Musa Okwonga: They did, they did. But they haven't been a team you can count on, really, in my opinion, for a good while. Bayern, very impressive. And they're absolutely stacked. Luis Diaz is there. I mean, you add him to the mix. I know, I know. It's scary hours. And Michael Alisa is not. There are some players who've started the season with exactly the same energy they left the last one, which is impressive considering how much football they've had in between. Michael Alisa is very much now in the, like his ascent to the superstar bracket is, it's wild how fast that happened actually. Yeah, yeah. But he's there.

6:27Musa Okwonga: He's in that category.

6:31Musa Okwonga: Elsewhere, Eintracht beating Werder. Looking very good indeed. Look, that Eintracht forward line at this point, to be honest, for the last 10 years, Eintracht Frankfurt's forward line has just been a lock in terms of looking at players that could do genuinely exciting things, either in the German league or elsewhere. And their hiring policy is just unbelievable. They've got, I think, their front three, three or four, their front three are like sort of early 20s. like they're just they're just Ansgar Knauf is there in the mix as well I mean it's just genuinely Eintracht a one to watch as well this year in terms of a club that are doing exciting things I think there are a few

7:06Ryan Hunn: in the Bundesliga man like Augsburg are one as well I'd say Augsburg are definitely in there they beat Freiburg 3-1 on the weekend and Sandro Wagner's first Bundesliga senior job you know they picked up some good signings they picked up Elias Saad from St. Pauli which I think is a great signing but Freiburg had this last season where they were really really impressive and then they had that like you know they lost 3-0 at home to St. Pauli but then that felt like more of an outlier in terms of their home form so I'm wondering if this is just like first game of the season rust couple of other quick roundups so Leverkusen losing 2-1 at home to Hoffenheim in Eric Ten Hag's first game in charge despite being 1-0 up thanks to Gerald Kwanza's goal on his debut on his Bundesliga debut for Leverkusen and he did the Diogo Jota PlayStation celebration as well

7:55Musa Okwonga: That's a bad loss for Leverkusen though. I think the party at Leverkusen is over. It is in its current form just because, look, look at the huge losses and absences. If Vietz goes and Alonso goes, then it's a new Leverkusen. That's fine.

8:12Ryan Hunn: And Jacka.

8:13Musa Okwonga: They've lost a lot. They've lost the core. And that needs to be remembered when assessing Leverkusen this year. It's only fair to give them that grace that it will take time. But that, look, even with those losses and those absentees that's a bad result that's a bad result yeah I agree

8:30Ryan Hunn: Wolfsburg beat Heidenheim 3-1 at Heidenheim Union good result for Union 2-1 at home against Stuttgart they were 2-0 up two goals for new sign in Elias Anser also shout out for the confetti choreo thing that happened that went into the goal and it took ages for them to clear it up a couple of these

8:48Musa Okwonga: Bundesliga girls looked like World Cup 78

8:49Ryan Hunn: didn't they it was like the Bundesliga was back it was so back don't you know what I mean it was like oh the Bundesliga is Bundesliga-ing.

8:55Musa Okwonga: 400 % Bundesliga.

8:58Ryan Hunn: The top Spiel de Vocca at the Millentour on Saturday night, St. Pauli had a late comeback coming from 3-1 down against Dortmund to draw 3-0. And Eric Smith equaliser in the 89th minute. Great strike. I mean, Eric Smith, I think, only really scores bangers. He's like the Uri Tillemans of the Bundesliga.

9:18Musa Okwonga: Pedri too. Pedri only scores bangers. We'll get to Pedri actually in a bit. But yeah. Certain players just lace up you know but it's funny because when those players do it it's almost like the thing i love about those players that score only bangers is they're very often very selfless they're like nothing else is on all options are closed off you know what i'm just gonna let fly that's what i love about it might as well union brandt by the way just quickly quick shout for his goal the touch there's very few players you don't feel like like badgers to just pluck the roberto badgers pluck the ball out of the stadium lights the perfect first touch brand is like one of those players like there's like this i'm sure there's some like stats or like optics category like you know players that like most often kill the ball like perfectly with like a 40 yard through or whatever brand is like in that very small category like that guy's touch is just yeah unreal if you had to watch a player and just forget stats forget game state whatever and just watch a player for fun for 10 minutes at a time julian brand is probably the guy that a lot of players bring up as like just just an artist man beautiful goal

10:23Ryan Hunn: yeah a good result for Haas Fowler on their return they drew 0-0 away at Gladbach good point man yeah it is and their first home game of the season is going to be the Derby on Friday night at the Volkspark Stadion

10:37Musa Okwonga: St. Paulie like they've really got an extra start to the season actually

10:40Ryan Hunn: Dortmund at home and then the Derby away bangers only yeah I am going to be there oh my goodness yeah I'm going to be there and I'm going to be at the Dortmund Union game on Sunday so I've got a big Bundesliga weekend run up Love that The other game on Sunday was Cologne beating Mainz 1-0 away So the Bundesliga is Good win there Against Mainz that Mainz Yeah I mean Mainz very impressive last season Cologne coming back up and Cologne just need to stay in the league this year They just need to keep it quite quite low key you know a nice boring 11th place finish for Cologne Sorry sorry you're keeping it

11:22Musa Okwonga: telling Khan to give it no drama. No, no, no.

11:24Ryan Hunn: Yeah, what the hell? Quickly, let's go to Serie A. Ciao, Serie A this weekend. Any results? I think Napoli, obviously.

11:35Musa Okwonga: Yeah. Oh, yeah. McTominay, De Bruyne. McTominay with the opener. Great header for the opener and then hit the bar. Kevin De Bruyne with his opener as well. The promptness of his passing. It's just, I mean, obviously, as people have watched a lot of Napoli, Like they, as great as Napoli have been, they haven't seen him. No one's seen anything like that really for a while in Serie A. Just there's a couple of passes that he played where I'm like, wow. Like almost the player receiving it, there was like a gratitude. You see the first touch and the player's like, oh my God, wow. The speed that came in and then bang, like I love it.

12:14Musa Okwonga: So De Bruyne looks great for them. Roma Bologna, quick shout for Roma. They got a 1-0 win. They're going to be super fun this year.

12:20Ryan Hunn: can't believe you haven't shouted out Cremonese game of the weekend Cremonese back in the league 2-1 at San Siro against Milan on their first game back

12:28Musa Okwonga: when I was locked do you know what no shade to Cremonese I was locked in on the Roma Bologna just because I wanted to see Evan Ferguson who looked really really good he looked really good like didn't score

12:39Ryan Hunn: you know our topic of suiting the kits he very much suits the kit

12:43Musa Okwonga: that is exactly you know it was so funny you mentioned this like his presence they're going to love him there man and like what Gasparini's going to bring. They looked really good, Roma.

12:52Ryan Hunn: Yeah. Quick shout, Juve beating Parma 2-0, Atalanta drawing one all at home to Pisa as well. That's a good result for Pisa coming back up as well. Yeah. We'll talk about La Liga a little later. Yeah, yeah. But we should probably go to the Premier League. Let's do it. And we need to talk about Spurs. Yes. Because, as we mentioned at the top of the show, quite a difficult week for Spurs with the Eze sign-in to Arsenal and it looking like they had him kind of locked up. But going to the Etihad, winning again.

13:24Musa Okwonga: This is a really bad loss for City because the thing is, City don't really have an aura yet because they have so many new players. They don't have that kind of relentless winning machine. You know, that kind of thing where City would turn up and you'd be like, we kind of feel subconsciously already a goal down and we're not going to get the ball for ages and it'll be miserable. Whereas, you know, the 4-0 win over Wolves, I felt... As great as that performance was, I was honestly feeling I still got to see more. I've got to see more. And nothing I saw against Spurs made me think any different. Spurs got exactly the game they wanted.

14:00Musa Okwonga: They got everything. They got as much as the ball they wanted. They didn't let City hurt them in the most dangerous areas. And when they had to clamp them, they were hunting them in all the close spaces. There were clearly peers of the game and parts of the pitch where Spurs were like, we're going to be exceptionally aggressive here, here, and here. They knew, for example, that Trafford did not have the best chemistry with his centre-backs. They must have identified that as a spot. That's not a knock on Trafford. It's more like a new setup. They're always thinking, where are the weaknesses? Where are people not necessarily in chemistry yet?

14:30Musa Okwonga: And they were so aggressive in pursuing them. I just thought they were so impressed. And the thing that was dangerous, I think, for City is that this is now a blueprint. Whoever now plays City is like, we know where the weaknesses are. and just because they've got a ton of the ball we can keep them at bay quite well now in city's defense before we get back to praising spurs there's a lot that i liked about this performance actually funnily enough i really liked um holland being a bit more expansive coming a bit deeper taking more touches being more of a playmaker actually him and marmouche combined really well i like the way that they actually swap with each other where sometimes marmouche will drop into the nine and holland's more withdrawn i really really like that and i think he's going to be great for them.

15:10Musa Okwonga: Cherky looked good as well in patches. I still feel Stones is slightly wasted in a centre-back role, but I get why he's there because it gives you some solidity.

15:20Ryan Hunn: He's not going to play anywhere else though now. Not with Nico Gonzalez and then Roderick. Not with Roderick, yeah.

15:25Musa Okwonga: But I just feel like they lost a bit in terms of ball progression. But that's my own little view there. But back to Spurs, I thought the midfield was spectacular. Oh my God. dude let's get let's get you talk about the midfield because you mentioned them before but

15:40Ryan Hunn: they are they were yeah i really like this now i know spurs uh i think they could probably do with a little bit more creativity in there because they can't they're not going to get away with playing this way maybe like at home all season right they didn't do that on the first game of season but that midfield three of ben tanker pauline jao paulina and then sarr in front of or kind of like dropping in as well that three is so like it's so it's so uh dynamic and physical

16:08Musa Okwonga: it reminds me a little bit of the check at andrick for um for by a labor who's in slightly less progressive passing but i actually think benton core's got he's got goals in him i think if he can increase that side of his game then that that that that defensive hub is so strong i think and not to like I'm not bringing this up to like annoy Spurs fans it's more like that creative element in front of those two is really really important and funnily enough I know that Chelsea going for like a Xavi Simons but a player like that actually in the mix is a good look for someone like that because the thing about Spurs what they've created in that team it's such a good platform now for a creative player to come in and just like conduct the attack what I will say too with Spurs Richarlison looking fantastic pulling wide creating, pressing well and every bit the player I've always enjoyed watching at his best and Brennan Johnson just there were like four or five players for Spurs that could have been play of the match could have still been a great show I think the really

17:08Ryan Hunn: encouraging thing is if you're talking about it from a midfield point of view the only person who started both games was Saar and they set up that midfield last you know we talked about it last week the average age of that midfield was really young right because you had Gray, Bergwahl and Saar Saar was the eldest in there at 22 and I think this is such a bonus for Thomas Frank to be able to have these different configurations of midfields that you can rely on for different problems because Spurs were just like max they felt like they were maxed and stretched in terms of personnel for so long last season now if you can have essentially like one and a half to two to two and a half different midfield combinations that you know or configurations that can work for specific problems that allows Spurs the versatility that they feel like they haven't really had for a while and I think that part of that is down to Thomas Frank.

17:56Ryan Hunn: He's a different coach to Ange Postacoglu. We love Ange Postacoglu and we've gone to bat for him, I think, over the last couple of years because I think he's been given a really, really rough time by the press. I don't think he's ever been as one-dimensional as everyone has made out, right? Ever.

18:09Musa Okwonga: Agreed.

18:10Ryan Hunn: You cannot get away with being a coach at that level without having way more strings to your bow than maybe you let on, right? Now, with everyone coming back fit and I think a really, really good summer for transfers for Spurs, I think they've signed really well. we talked about this a little bit when we mentioned Eze last week that even without Eze it was a really good window totally it just looks a lot more balanced from back to front and front to back what was cool about the city game was that it was a very different performance stylistically to the Burnley game but there were moments in game where Spurs were like you know when they came back out for the second half and they were just like look we don't need to chase this they also they reset they reset to like the um the first half or as the start of the first half it's like okay

18:53Musa Okwonga: we were a bit more aggressive we're pushing really high up we're hunting them on their own goal line at one point and now we're going to withdraw we don't need to get in the mix we don't need to be carried away and buccaneering and give them any looks and they didn't get looks really they had a couple of free headers Haaland and Rodri from set pieces but that was fun and those are going to happen but fundamentally that was it actually well I mean Spurs you know

19:15Ryan Hunn: 39 % possession but outshot City had more shots on target created more big chances more good looks exactly yeah they weren't getting good value for it. I mean, it wasn't like a smash and grab by any means. Do you know what I mean?

19:28Musa Okwonga: We'll look at the two goals in the first half that came and just like the context of them. So you have, um, the counter. So they basically spring the trap on them. Richarlison breaks really well. They think it's offside, but he was, he was well on. Um, and then Brennan Johnson, whose movement is just excellent. And it's always, always like hungry, always looking like cutting a great finish from him. And then you have Richarlison and, and that sort of Spurs press just like, again, hunting Trafford down when he plays out, putting pressure on the centre-backs, ball breaks, lovely dummy by Richarlison, and then Pallina thrashes it in the corner.

20:03Musa Okwonga: There's a player that looks good in that kit, by the way. And actually, to be honest, can I just remember that Black Spurs? So good.

20:09Ryan Hunn: It's incredible. Also, shouts for the Chelsea one from Friday. The only thing that's really bad about the Chelsea thing is that gold Club World Cup badge looks, like basically ruins that third kit. because that third kit is so so good.

20:24Musa Okwonga: Chelsea were the gold standard against West Ham we will get back to them in a sec actually because they look really good uh West Ham struggling I think

20:30Ryan Hunn: it's fair to say but um but but on Spurs rival fans are always going to like just kind of go overkill on the banter especially when something like Eze happens last week but the fact that after two games now look I mean like the Burnley game you can be like well it's a newly promoted side whatever kind of thing but going to City and looking like that assured they look good two games yeah no goals conceded scored five I don't think you could have asked for a better start from Spurs

21:00Musa Okwonga: it's awesome yeah it's fantastic and really I'm really excited to see what they do this year are we worried about anything

21:05Ryan Hunn: from a City point of view or is it just a bit like you know Rodri's coming back he's going to take him a little bit of time to come up to speed he had that little setback didn't he so I don't think he's he's not fully fit

21:16Musa Okwonga: I think worried I mean they are not clearly not the City of Old the thing that I think I find interesting about City is their wide players Marmouche I think is a lock but they really have kind of worried worried they've concerned me a bit in terms of their wingers the interchangeability of them Foden on the bench there Bob looked decent he was decent he was good but Doku and those players as wing as they bought in recent years haven't really taken the leap. Savino too. And I think that's because if you're a winger under Pep, unless you're an absolute standout goal scorer and you're like second striker, nine, you're asked to do a lot.

22:01Musa Okwonga: And I think it's, it's dulling some of the creative edge there. I think the midfields can take a while to gel. I think anointing Reinders as De Bruyne was unfair after that first amazing game he had against Wolves. I think I guess I would just plead patience with him because I think he's a fantastic player but there are games where with that aggressive press he'll be finding his bearings also like he came from Milan and the amount of ball pressure you get in Serie A at that very very top level is not quite the same to what you get in Premier League week in week out so he'll be adjusting to that City will be fine I'm just not sure they will be the primary title threat I think they'll be part of the I think City this year will be part of the chasing pack but that's my view on it.

22:48Ryan Hunn: Yeah I mean if they had a bigger rebuild under Pep I think so.

22:53Musa Okwonga: But look those players all age at the same time that's the thing about I'm not Pep I think the executive level you can clearly see this is a club that's had a change of board a substantial board change because the hiring processes as executives on the way out of a club hiring processes freeze get messed up mixed up and the one problem city have had is just that that incredible core of players just kind of all aged at the same time that's really it like they're going to be fine they're going to be dangerous i'm not saying they won't win the title but they're not they're not my sort of title favorite if that makes sense but that would bother them very much so yeah they'll be fine they'll be fine basically

23:37Ryan Hunn: I think they're you know top four definitely yeah yeah of course and look at those players you just never know with City like all last season people were waiting for the run to happen and it did actually come but it just came way later in the year and they were too far behind at that point but anyway Spurs level on points with Arsenal second on goal difference at Arsenal who beat Leeds 5-0 on Saturday evening there were some positives some negatives the massive positive was obviously the Eze's announcement or unveiling before the game. It seemed to really energise Arsenal. They started really well, put Leeds under a ton of pressure, were really good value.

24:13Ryan Hunn: I mean, Raya made that one good save from Pascal Strike. But other than that, it just felt very, very comfortable. And positives, obviously, Jochores getting two. Getting that first goal, I think, because that's a goal that he scores. The penalty was obviously a nice moment as well Max Downman coming on and creating absolute havoc at 15 completely fearless

24:39Musa Okwonga: completely unbelievable that guy did not care that man was in a hurry he was in a hurry he won the penalty you know can I say on Jokaris very quickly yeah this is a bit hipster but the goals weirdly enough were not even the most impressive part of his game the self-sacrificial running the entire time the amount of trouble he creates he's just on you all the time like it's not as fast as this man Dembele, who is, but his aggression on the press is right up there. Absolutely. And that the intensity, I mean, the way that Arsenal started, and this is a good Leeds team. I actually had to write and shout out to Tommy, who I know listens to this now and again.

25:18Musa Okwonga: He was like, yeah, we go again. I was like, dude, like Arsenal are going to hand out a few of those this year. They're going to hand out a few. And as a Leeds fan, as a fan of a very good football team, you can just say you got yours out of the way early because the way that Arsenal started this game I thought Maduweke was fantastic really aggressive running well into spaces unafraid of taking a play into isolation Bogle had a very very tough afternoon one of the toughest still have in the division this year I think and just the midfield looked well balanced to the point where look I know you've got that big game against Liverpool coming up Arsenal fans but the absence of Odegaard and Saka potentially through injury would have been something to put you into crisis mode in previous years.

26:05Musa Okwonga: Now they're merely two big absentees. This is not existential.

26:10Ryan Hunn: Latest reports on that but neither injury is as serious as first feared.

26:16Musa Okwonga: The depth, goodness me, the depth. Just very quickly on Arsenal because I know this is not an Arsenal podcast but in terms of what I saw I was just really impressed by the options. Timber was phenomenal.

26:27Ryan Hunn: a player so good man so good and but i want to shout out martin zubomendy again because i think he's he's the one man like that sign in is dude both games i feel like you know he and in pre pre-season he has just been might not even be like super super duper eye-catching some of it but just like wow this is a guy who's never in the wrong position nudging the ball through the gaps and

26:54Musa Okwonga: And the passing too is ambitious.

26:56Ryan Hunn: He's low-key a little bit bigger than people realise, I think, as well. Great at winning the ball back. One-touch passing, variety of passing. If it needs to go long, it goes long. If it needs to go short, it goes short. If it needs to be circulated, it gets circulated. It's just like elite decision-making and positioning. He's incredible. He's amazing. My God. From a lead point of view, I think for them, it's just a good one to get out of the way.

27:19Musa Okwonga: It's just the intensity. Again, they had a great win over Everton. who've signed a really good player on Tyler Dibbling by the way Dibbling and Grealish as attacking options in that stadium they're going to have some fun afternoons and evenings in that stadium the atmosphere the energy you just heard it with the goals when they went in we'll get back to everything in a sec but just on Arsenal and Leeds Leeds look I think it's one to forget and I think it's a case of just it's a bad defeat yes but not to spiral still got one win from two games all good just one more shout quickly for Max Dowman because his touch is absolutely locked in.

27:58Ryan Hunn: You know, Arsenal had a comfortable lead and he was allowed to go and cook a bit. And he did, and he still contributed and he still won a penalty and he still caused absolute havoc. I think his first time he got the ball, he drove down that right-hand side and got fouled. He's already twisting defenders and they're just like, he's 15. What the hell? The cool thing about him being able to play now is that you can play him in a Carabao Cup game and have no worries about it. Or you can bring him off the bench for 20 minutes give a bit more rest and rotation and that's something they didn't have last season because of the injuries.

28:30Musa Okwonga: Anyway. That bench is unbelievable by the way. Mosguera coming off. The Arsenal bench is, the last thing I'll say on that is the Arsenal bench, I looked at it during that game at 4-0 and I just thought, my God. It's absolutely stacked and squad depth I think will make the difference this year. I mean it does every year but this year in particular and I think this is with that squad they're a problem for for any any tournament but yeah Everton yes what a good day

29:03Ryan Hunn: for Toffees

29:04Musa Okwonga: yes yes yes Tommy Flea Wood winning his first

29:07Ryan Hunn: because he's obviously won many many times on the DP World Tour after playing some amazing golf this season and being in contention quite a lot he won his first PGA Tour event at the Tour Championship the day that Everton won their first game in the new stadium

29:20Musa Okwonga: now I'm not as much a golf follower as I used to be but I don't I can't remember I mean obviously with the exception of McIlroy who's more famous but I think Podrick Harrington was the last time I saw a player so universally beloved as like when they won like the title yeah yeah in terms of like in terms of the love that you're seeing like for that so yeah shout out to him and to Everton brand new spank breath spanking new stadium and with football to match you know this was really strong win against the Brighton team who couple of big losses you know in recent years have gone out the door and who they haven't really replaced the loss to Jorau Pedro started this season well during the summer was another big loss because he's looked great at Chelsea immediately basically he's fitted right in and Everton just kind of again rather like Spurs getting what they wanted from this game and Dye really enterprising early on and Grealish just looking so comfortable.

30:23Musa Okwonga: It felt like, actually, you know, we said this about the Leeds game. It felt like Moyes left that team under construction, waiting for Grealish to be slotted in. And the moment he was in, he just looked completely part of it. And you can kind of see how they're going to play this year. Grealish is going to be the main creative outlet and then you're going to have Dibbling as the deputy and they're going to be solid as a base and they're going to make chances and they're going to hurt quite a few teams. I got a got a message from a very excited Everton fan let me just quickly get this out I hope he doesn't mind being embarrassed Aaron Durand wrote to me and said Low Sox FC coming to a top 10 finish near you

31:01Ryan Hunn: yeah man front to back as well love it love it Low Sox FC two assists for Greenwich on his debut looking like right at home another penalty given away for Everton for handball by Dewsbury Hall I mean this was a wild one because he didn't you couldn't really do much but it was Ontario not a good penalty from Danny Welbeck combined with a zoomed in Pickford shot of Pickford's bottle afterwards

31:27Musa Okwonga: Pickford pointed his head Pickford pointed his head afterwards Pickford's like

31:31Ryan Hunn: we might have to we might have to bring the Pickford scale back this season new stadium so extra new stadium new scale same Jordan exactly new stadium

31:43Musa Okwonga: but definitely not new me

31:47Ryan Hunn: new ground old me yeah great win for Everton great way to open the new stadium a good win for Burnley as well like beating Sunderland 2-0 it's the old cliche

31:56Musa Okwonga: but these are the ones they're the ones on the fixed list you're like yeah we have to win these head to heads yeah for sure

32:00Ryan Hunn: yeah I mean especially after last week where everyone was just like whoa Sunderland looks sick and then like Burnley winning that

32:06Musa Okwonga: every team that's come up has won yeah they've all won

32:08Ryan Hunn: already which is amazing love that yeah Bournemouth beating Wolves 1-0 Wolves spent the last most of the second half down to 10 but an early goal for Bournemouth was enough from Tavernier we mentioned Chelsea quickly do you want to talk about Chelsea West Ham because there was a Lucas Pacatá unbelievable goal before the thrashing

32:27Musa Okwonga: yes yes after the time he's had as well he's had a pretty grim few months of it all but he's back now but Chelsea just particularly that first half hour like super impressive Pedro Neto a player I love just super efficient great movement at the far post for their second after Pedro opened up then Enzo Esteval the Esteval show setting up Enzo for the third three they three went up like after base about half an hour and it was it was done by then and then two more in the second half Caicedo and Chalaba Chelsea just picking up where they left off from a few months they've just been on a run for the last I would say like few months obviously the Club World Cup and the Conference League confidence is really high they've signed really well Xavi Simons might come in as well who I believe they need I know I don't want to sound churlish but I think them getting another creative option especially in games they're more ball dominant is the key in the central area and I think Xavi Simons is a great get for them potentially yeah I think well I'm rooting for as I root for all young players and I think he's an option they need I feel like he's someone that can take them on another level but we'll see anything else from Prem I think oh well Manchester oh yeah Sunday

33:45Ryan Hunn: one of the other Sunday games well first of all Palace Palace and Forestry won all

33:50Musa Okwonga: a good game actually won all and I think pretty much a fair result Sar giving Palace the lead and Hudson-Odoi with the equaliser really really nice finish just that man is just such a pure technician maybe Palace should be slightly frustrated and annoyed they didn't claim the win because they had enough to get the job done but you know

34:14Ryan Hunn: we move we move Manchester United well Fulham drawing 1-0 with Manchester United Emil Smith-Rowe coming off the bench to equalise for Fulham

34:23Musa Okwonga: I thought United started well rather like they did against Arsenal not the greatest amount of midfield control and my overarching feeling in the first half at least was oh this United team are like they're not a joke they're like they're resilient they've got something about them not the most creativity i think that actually at a certain point i think bruno and mason mount should probably swap positions at some point just because i think mount gives you more at the base of midfield that allows bruno to like flourish more in an attacking sense but they just kind of ran out of ideas not necessarily intensity but amirim said like they sat deep bruno's missed penalty he said he was anxious he was nervous and I think yeah which felt I mean

35:09Ryan Hunn: that was

35:11Musa Okwonga: surprising revelation I don't I don't think we need to know all of that detail actually one of the best things about Amarim is the clear communication but every now and again I don't think you should let that stuff out because it's a small thing but it's almost like there's clearly players at United that are like desperate to get it right they bought some really good players Kunio looked good again I thought he looked

35:39Ryan Hunn: Yeah I mean that opening 10 minutes or so it just felt like United were unbelievable This is it Genuinely the best that I'd seen Manchester United move the ball for ages

35:47Musa Okwonga: This is why I'm almost thinking like people please don't catastrophize

35:50Ryan Hunn: like Well there's a lot of stuff there's a lot of stuff going around about win percentages

35:55Musa Okwonga: I don't have any look United was such a mess last year that this year look what's the situation you've drawn a game at Fulham and you've lost at home to Arsenal. This is not a catastrophe. I'm not buying it because they don't tell you anything about the underlying mess that squad was in. They don't tell you anything. You had off the field, if you had the board level, the sackings, it was an absolute mess. It was a mess. They were herding cats behind the scenes. You had brilliant players that wanted away. All of it, it was a total, a total, like, it was a catastrophe. And what have you had this year?

36:34Musa Okwonga: a very good performance against Arsenal on the first day that made a very good team look like it was struggling for fluency in the final Arsenal were lucky

36:42Ryan Hunn: to get out of that with a win I thought

36:43Musa Okwonga: Arsenal was struggling for fluidity I think it's fair to say and got a great win a win that will age well

36:49Ryan Hunn: yeah I mean Ian said that as well and he was on with Andrew right he said that win is going to age very well indeed

36:54Musa Okwonga: I just don't know I'm not convinced I should be catastrophizing about this I'm just not convinced

37:01Ryan Hunn: I'm not saying you should either the great thing about football right completely new season everyone starts at zero and I think while a win would have probably been expected for Manchester United away at Fulham I think performance wise as well I don't think it's been I don't think it's been as bad as last season already and there's only two games right as soon as they pick up that first win I think that they'll be fine right so they've got Grimsby in the cup in the league cup this week and then they've got Burnley at home.

37:34Musa Okwonga: I mean, then it's tough. Then you've got City, Chelsea and Brentford. Those are three tough games, I think, in terms of good sides. But again, look, I think United are short in goal and I think they're short in midfield, but that's known. But fundamentally, yeah, it's disappointing, but it's a bad draw. It's a bad result. It's two drop points because they were good enough to have claimed that. And these are the types of games that should be winning. but also fundamentally kind of okay. I think this is fine. But anyway, that's just my views.

38:14Ryan Hunn: Moose has sat there saying, this is fine. This is fine.

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39:01Ryan Hunn: do you want to very quickly shout out anything in la liga before we bounce yeah i was just

39:08Musa Okwonga: intrigued well okay first of all levante barcelona wow very quickly wow like levante giving barcelona the business to business the absolute business going to nil up um and then pedri just pulling everything back together. See, that is the guy. That is the guy. You talk about me sitting there going, Valendor. You talk about me sitting there and going, this is fine. Pedri sits there in a burning room and goes, this is fine. And he's actually fine. That's the difference. A player, when everyone else is literally just like running, as the great basketball player Vernon Maxwell said, running and scrambling.

39:47Musa Okwonga: Everyone else is running and scrambling. Pedri, I think,

39:50Ryan Hunn: is one of the world's best, like in football, is one of the world's best troubleshooters. He just has a lot of process. The wolf. Incredible. Actually, right, right, what's up here? Right, we need to do this, and we've tried this, and we've tried this, and we've tried this, and we've tried this. Right, we've got a solution. Let's go.

40:04Musa Okwonga: The only thing he was missing at the weekend was a hard hat. Really, in terms of just five yards, ten yards, bang, okay, you go there, you go there, spread the ball there. Yep, yep. Lemme and Yamal, I think, is in a kind of groove at the moment. He slightly, sounds strange to say this, slightly forcing it, actually. I think he's slightly forcing the game as is Rashford I think as well I think Rashford did some good things but I think needs to get more involved in the action I think more dynamic when he's not on the ball that's just then I think he was taken off at half time to that extent two very heavy shirt numbers by the way at Barcelona 10 and 14 no totally yeah totally but Pedro carrying it he was exceptional exceptional he scored a banger he's just amazing Slight deflection for his goal back.

40:55Musa Okwonga: But then his comment was so good, he was like, you know, it went quite well that I shot. Maybe I should try more of that. I'm like, yeah.

41:03Ryan Hunn: God, can you imagine if Pedri all of a sudden starts scoring 15 goals a season? It's just like, terrifying. Terrifying. Oh, no.

41:10Musa Okwonga: So yeah, that was a great comeback. Elsewhere, Real Oviedo back in the top flight. Wonderful to see them. So look, they acquitted themselves. I thought they were going lucky, actually. They acquitted themselves really well against Madrid. The intrigue from this was Mastantuono starting ahead of Vinicius. Rodrigo on the left flank and they're playing a 4-3-3. And I mentioned before, Arda Gouler kind of really as a 10 ahead of Chiumania and Valverde. Valverde, so energetic, he's like a 6-8 rolled into one. But Mastantuono is starting over Xabi Alonso. And Xabi Alonso had been praising him the moment he arrived at Madrid from River Plate.

41:47Musa Okwonga: Fantastic player saying, this guy could start immediately and he's doing it. and Bappé again just looking the absolute business wearing the 10 and looking all the happier for it I would say he's got 3 now I think in the first 2 he's flying Vinicius got the last one but on the fringe of the action already I'm not sure what that means in terms of Madrid's season but it's interesting that Chabby's gone with that so quickly Villarreal top they beat Girona 5-0 with an eye-catching result there so yeah top of La Liga let's see

42:23Ryan Hunn: yeah not a not a good result for Girona at all I think we're going to leave it there for today yes and what we will do is Eze sign into Arsenal and the emotional component of it and have that for later in the week and we're also going to read out some of some people emailed us with the jobs in football that they would have because Moussa Moussa the intermediary

42:46Musa Okwonga: that's like your that's my wrestling name the intermediary oh no

42:54Ryan Hunn: that's Musa Aguanga's music the intermediary

42:58Musa Okwonga: that's Musa Aguanga's music the go between

43:02Ryan Hunn: so we'll do those later in the week we're going to do a quick show on Tuesday for Patreon subscribers if you are signed up to the podcast tier or the social club tier we'll do one about Liverpool Newcastle on Tuesday I reckon that'll do us for today though huh

43:17Musa Okwonga: yeah we're good

43:18Ryan Hunn: if you want to head over to patreon.com forward slash stadio sign up for either the stadio podcast membership where you get ad free podcasts at least twice a week this week you'll get three on that feed and then the stadio social club feed which you get an extra podcast a week you get access to the discord all of a load of other benefits that we're going to roll out properly very very soon once more people have signed up you get 15 off all memberships if you sign up for a year and if you sign up to the social club membership for a year you get a membership pack that we're announcing soon as well which includes a membership card with a squad number on it so yeah patreon.com forward slash stadio all right so we're going to be back tomorrow with the bonus podcast until then don't forget to check the stadio out just play this on spotify speaking of which we're playing out on a track by bill converse called sea bearing anything you'd like to add musok wonger nothing further all right everyone much love back with you tomorrow see you then

44:28Thank you.

44:52Thank you.

45:23Thank you.

45:54Thank you.

46:18Thank you.