S15E01 - That Boy Vušković

0:00Before the season even kicks off, soccer fans are already making predictions. Who wins the league? Who qualifies for Europe? And who's lifting the trophy at season's end? On Calci, America's number one prediction market platform, you're trading against peers in a live market, meaning there's no house. And as the probability changes, you can buy in and out of your position. For a limited time, download the Calci app and use code CUP26 to get$10 when you trade 10. K-A-L-S-H-I, Calci. Trade the beautiful game. 18 plus only restrictions and eligibility requirements apply. Event contract trading involves risk and may not be suitable for all investors.

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1:11Faster quotes. Start at the Lowe's Pro Desk. Got a material list handwritten on a sticky note or saved as a photo? Perfect. Bring it to us and get a quote in minutes. And if you don't see what you need on the shelf, we'll help you get it. You can access thousands of products beyond what's available in-store or on Lowe's.com, right from the Lowe's Pro Desk. Build quotes faster and source the materials you need to keep your jobs moving. Just like that, at Lowe's. It's the fighting. It's the fighting. Cock! It's the fighting. It's the fighting. Cock! Come on, shut up! Hello and welcome back to another episode of the Fight Court Podcast.

1:59today I'm joined by Ben Bowman and we've got Cal. How are you doing boys? Yeah very good thanks mate. We are back. Yeah of course we're back. Obviously beating Reading. This is all that was necessary. Proof that Thomas Frank and his band of merry little twinks are marching on. There's some good looking young lads there. That's all I'd say. What kind of damage do you think Vuscovich and van der Ven would do on a night out in Shoreditch. Serious. Serious numbers they'd be racking up there, I think. Likes. Yeah. Just... Sorry. Just objectively, from an outward looking in, Vuscovic, what is he, 18?

2:47Yeah. He looks about 24. And he might be like, you know, just like this isn't anything in this. Don't read too much into this. But one of the best looking blokes you'll buy on to see out there anywhere. added to van der Ven I mean I know this isn't important and you know Arsenal won the league with Tony Adams and Mike Keown in team so being good looking has no direct correlation to winning trophies but there isn't a better looking centre about pairing in world football than them two no I don't think there is I think I mean you could chuck Romero into that as well I think it's quite under what a little handsome I think not as much as Vyskovic and van der Ven it's obviously you know I think everyone I always get it like if I'm watching Spurs and like your missus is watching it and she's like oh who's that like Van der Ven is always that one you know I don't like Vizcovic yeah he's a handsome boy I don't rate the Romero shout but I'm obviously I'm not sort of as qualified as you Ben to understand these things yeah that's fair obviously I'm an expert in this field so have you been down to Shoreditch as well it's very hipster like it's a very hipster place and so you imagine them on a night out down in Shoreditch they'd probably bump into a couple of vegans wouldn't they and they'll be like oh I'm a vegan and you're this good well not anymore you can't get that down

4:04last time I went to Shoreditch mate it wasn't hipstery at all it was overtaken by you know quite a lot of you know just help me out here boys I was a little bit intimidated I've got to say I was a little bit intimidated it was a big change from when I went alright I reckon they're more like diverse I reckon our lot are more likely to clean up around like sort of Soho kind of way where it's like all the like, it's where like the people in quarter zips go for their after work drinks on a Thursday. Like they've just finished their like corporate job and like Shoreditch is a bit more. I reckon like you stick Van der Ven in like a quarter zip with like a t-shirt underneath.

4:45It's a quarter zip. Like, you know, those jumpers that all have like, like a quarter zip jumper, like business, like smart business casual. like what's that bit I just googled it I know what you're talking about yeah are they a fashionable are they you look decent in them do you for like yeah it's like corporate fashion like smart casual if you don't wear a suit you wear like a a shirt and a quarter zip over the top and then you start van de ven outside what's the pub in what's the public well I'm trying to think of a pub that everyone goes to after work 6 30 Thursday work drinks you'd have to clean up I think yeah

5:25good sorry I've been waiting for a message to come through for the last four hours and then it just came you would have heard a ding ding then so apologies for that so Ben you was at the game on Saturday Reading yep what did you make of the performance overall it was decent to see wasn't it it was some nice little performances Vuskovic again with an assist and his finish was like I mean that's like something van der Waart would have done in his prime at times yeah what did you make of it all who stood up for you I'll level with you right now I didn't see either of the goals cheers didn't have to say that I was at no it was at the bar still and I mean we scored two goals in the first five minutes of the second half and just enjoying the pint so I missed both the goals but obviously saw it back the first half I thought I thought yeah I thought the whole thing to be honest was fairly impressive it was nice to see us kind of play with a little bit more more of a solid structure, but also still look to play aggressive front-footed football.

6:25I think, obviously, there were definitely players that stood out in terms of individual performances across the whole game, like Vyskovic being one of them, Koudis obviously being another one. He had a few really nice flashes, that little dribble on the touchline with that little bit of combination play with Spence and he got away and made the cut back to Donnelly. There was a few nice little flicks as well. He just looked very confident. Every time he got the ball, he looked to impress. I thought there was, yeah, I thought there were some good individual performances, but you can't take too much away from that.

6:53But what you can kind of take away is how the players are being used, I think, and what roles that they're being asked to play and what does our structure look like and all these kind of things. Because those are things that will obviously then translate to whatever opposition and you can obviously get excited about how those things could scale up, maybe more so than the performances, given the lack of quality we were playing against. But you can still be excited about them for sure. But yeah, I enjoyed the... But it was interesting because I think a lot of the things that we thought Frank might do, he did do in that game.

7:23Like in terms of build-up, definitely more of a double pivot in Benzincor and Saar. A doggy kind of staying a lot more high and wide. Poro kind of tucking into a back four. We spoke about that elbow back four, didn't we, Flav, on the episode of the lab that we did. Did you see it? We just saw that he might explore. Yeah, yeah. It was Poro kind of tucking into a right-sided centre-back role and then a doggy as like a wing-back, which massively I think suits the profiles that we've got on the left-hand side like Son, Tell both want to operate kind of in that space coming in off the flank rather than being stuck out on the touchline you want to get them closer to goal more obviously like Tell and Son in more of a shooting capacity but more in a more creative kind of way I think you want him kind of floating in between the lines a bit so it bodes well for them definitely that kind of the way that a doggy was used and it flipped in the second half and we kind of saw the opposite on the other side was Spence high and wide Davis more reserved and then that meant that Kudus could come in off the right into central pockets a lot more which is where he best operates as well so yeah it was like there was some definitely some good individual performances but I think it was more interesting to look at how we set up and how we kind of play because I think he's been we've been getting these little clues and it was nice to kind of see it come to come to life um Carol did you watch the game yeah I watched it at home yeah yeah what was your takeaways from it do you did you feel more comfortable I mean I know he's pre-season it means absolutely nothing yeah it didn't it wasn't there wasn't obviously because of the level of the opposition because of where we are in pre-season it wasn't anything drastic I didn't think but like Ben said a lot of like really good individual performances there Basuma loves playing against dog meat teams absolutely loves it.

9:01I think we've seen that through his career at Tottenham, haven't we? If we're playing dog meat, perhaps die him. Yeah, yeah. That's probably why he did so well in the Europa League, and he was probably our best player on the pitcher when we played Tamworth last season. Just like, yep, this is a bit of me. He was the only one. Yeah, was he? Yeah, he was just up. He just loves it. He goes, oh, these lot work at Screwfix. I'm going to fucking start just winging away around them. Why couldn't they all think, like, they all work at Screwfix. all of our players have that kind of dogged mentality that one against, it doesn't matter who I'm playing that I'm giving 100 % but especially when they're shit yeah Werner got locked up by a bloke that works in River Island I remember I remember that moment when I was watching it and I was, because I defended Timo Werner for a long time saying if he had a fucking brain if he could just find a pass and finish, he would be genuinely one of the best players in Europe but all he can do is run fast, past people, and kind of take up a decent position.

10:03And then I was watching that game against Tamworth, and I was just like, oh my god, he's awful. This guy's won a Champions League, and look at him against Tamworth. And he was looking around like he didn't realise it. He didn't realise where he was, that he was on a football pitch. I think he probably realised about 60 minutes into the game that it was AstroTurf. It was just, the guy was he is an enigma that man I just just unreal but yeah Europa League winner though Europa League winner and therefore de facto club legend I don't make the rules he's won more than our entire club like that's depressing he's won more than our entire club he's won more than Spurs he's done more in Europe he has more European pedigree in both Tottenham and Arsenal combined.

10:58Yeah. I can see him in 20 years walking back in as director of football just this absolute brainiac just somehow becomes the most powerful man in club football. No chance. He'll get hit by a bus, isn't he? He'll get hit by a bus at some point.

11:14But yeah. Yeah, Ben Tencourt. I thought Ben Tencourt was good as well, actually. Yeah, I thought he was really tired. It's an interesting situation his, isn't it? Because he's got a year left and there was talk about, you know, maybe going to Athletic COVID that's gone really quiet. and you'd think you'd lock him up really because we don't have a proper six, do we? And I think he's the closest one to it. So I thought he was really good on Saturday. He's consistently been pretty good, actually, I think, even the back half of last season. So hopefully we keep hold of him. Yeah, yeah. I think one of him or Basuma won it, I think.

11:45I think they've both got one. Yeah, yeah. I think they've both got one year left on their contract. It feels like, I don't know, Benton Corp is probably worth more money to Spurs. I always like playing this game. What is Benton Corp worth to Tottenham with one year left? 20 mil? I was going to say 15. Yeah, around that. 15. 15 feels low. Probably a little bit lower than that, I reckon. Just with one year. Yeah. Yeah, they're worth more than that, both in terms of their quality. But just, yeah, the contract situation, that's... I think they'll re-sign one of them, I think it will be. And I think it'll probably be more likely to be Benton Corp.

12:20A lot of people talk have been made about Frank, in an ideal world, needing a kind of ball-playing deep midfielder. Or deep-lying ball-playing midfielder. And we don't have one of those, do we? Could you see a possibility of him creating one? Because we've been linked with Paulinho today, who isn't that, as we've established. but Ali Gold said that if we were signing Paulinho or another player, we have to sell another midfielder because it's kind of packed with similar profile players at the moment. Yeah, that's the thing. I think Paulinho ticks so many boxes for Spurs in terms of experience. He's that destroyer that we also probably don't have, but I think the players that we've got in the squad are probably easier to mould into someone that can do that rather than someone who can be that passing defensive midfielder that we're looking for.

13:15because Saar's good at winning the ball back, Bergvail's good at winning the ball back. They're not elite at it yet, like someone like Paulina probably still is. You think about the conversations that were being had around Paulina when he was leaving Fulham. Bayern tried to sign him for a hell of a lot of money the year before he did go, Fulham tried to get him to sign a new contract. Because he is one of the best breakers-up of play in the world. He is genuinely, it is that, and he showed that in the Prem. But I do think if you were to sign him on loan, maybe, I still think you need another midfielder on top of that to be that progressive passer because I think one it's an area it's a player that we don't really have but also it puts so much responsibility I think on Romero to be that ball progressor and if he gets injured like he has obviously got form for doing then you lose so much without kind of really being able to replace him in any other way obviously you could bring in another centre-half but if you've got like a pass in number six you can kind of replace Romero in the aggregate by putting him in midfield for a game and getting your ball progression that way maybe him dropping into the back line to kind of make those passes we don't really have anyone that's capable of doing that really so I think Paulina despite the fact that he adds so much I think he the key the key thing that we're looking for is what's missing and that's probably why I would maybe avoid I think unless you brought someone else in as well well they're talking about Spurs want him alone as opposed to buying him which kind of makes sense there because if you see the player at Fulham, he was imperious, he was just so difficult to get around he broke up play, he was just playing Fulham in that season where he was in his pond was a nightmare and that has been largely under Marco Silva and part of the reason why he got a move to Bayern Munich but it kind of seemed bizarre it was almost like they were ready, he didn't end up going in the first instance but Bayern Munich were ready to pay something like 60-70 million pounds for him and for him to just not just be frozen out because he can't pass the ball and what were they spending the 60 billion million pound on anyway or was it just they brought company in at a later date and it just it doesn't fit like i just think as a body in the box i'm sorry a body in midfield having a specific skill set that generally our players are more sort of well-rounded midfielders rather than specifically brilliant at anything i think the idea of bringing in paulino in isn't a bad thing at all and perhaps if we can offload Bissouma or Bentancourt although they do different very different things that might be a way of freshening up the dressing room freshening up the mid the midfield and having a specialist player as opposed to one that a bunch of players that do everything okay or well I don't know yeah but it isn't it doesn't solve the problem with the deep line that's the thing midfield creator I definitely like I totally agree what you just said in terms of like if you could if it was a one in one out like adding a uh someone that can do what paulina does into the squad bear in mind he could probably do it better than any of the other midfielders we've got would be a really valuable thing but i feel like i feel like it's going to be especially if we did sign morgan gibbs white as well who can play deeper in that eight i feel like it's only going to be one midfielder like on top of gibbs white if he comes so i feel like the need for a passer is probably more prevalent considering that gibbs white's defensive numbers are really good as well for someone who can play a little bit further forward so it's it's a really in an ideal world if we had a little bit more wiggle room with the squad as well like and it was a we were getting rid of both paulino and sorry getting rid of both benson core and basuma which could happen then i think it makes way more sense but it's a it's a yeah it's a difficult one you mentioned gibbs white there what why i don't see what the fucking point is what's the fucking my phone's ringing I think it's Maranakis at the pure mention don't talk about my plan are you under the assumption that this is going to get done Ben I don't know I ain't got a clue I'm kind of checked out a little bit to be honest yeah so it's a shame because like we had that you mentioned this on the WhatsApp group the other day Cal we had one day of it feeling like we were like Spurs were back and then just nothing which made me laugh but he kind of like yeah go on go on no because that's what it was it was because a lot happened that day it was like kudos was announced um and then gibbs white we got the here we go on gibbs white from romano and then there was all this stuff about a big sponsorship deal saudi investment and then we had like not even i'm not even sure if it was 24 hours but we probably had 12 18 hours of like we're fucking rich we're going to be everything yes we're buying Adam Wharton we're buying Gibbs White we was even talking about Jamal from Barcelona like yes we're going to buy everybody and then within like 24, 48 hours it was all over and it was back to sell to buy Tottenham again we've got well we've got to get Prasuma out first really we've got to sell Richarlas out first really it's like oh fuck we're back again back to normal who said that?

18:16just general Twitter chatter just general yeah well look the deal So the deal for the stadium, if you believe what you read, is that they'll be done... Well, it's either coming from an American investor or an investment group or Saudi money. But either way, it feels like we're relatively far down that route. And it's going to be for like 25 years to the tune of 500 million pound or something. That's right. What? Fuck, though. But what if it's that really shit? Yeah. I think you have to accept the fact it's going to be shit. What if it's Chappie dog food for 25 years? I hope they don't have the financial pockets to get involved in this conversation.

19:04I'd be totally worried if they did. I mean, would you take Chappie if it was a billion for 25? We'd still be... Levy would still find a way to make us sell to Pye Tottenham, wouldn't he? We could have all the money in the world and we'd still be worrying about oh, but the club train issue, how are we going to fit them all in? Go and buy everyone and break the rules. It doesn't matter. So, yeah, we were in a situation where both Pratt was going to sign both Kudus and Gibbs White in the space of 25 minutes, 25 hours, 24 hours. And obviously it came out and Marinakis being who he is decided that he didn't want to sell Gibbs White and didn't want to honor the release clause.

19:47And then, so we're back to square one. Now, obviously, if you're still interested in the player and he wants to come and all of the details regarding his joining Spurs have been sort of sorted and it's just dealing with this maniac, then it isn't a surprise then that transfer news has dried up, is it? Because the money's been allocated to Gibbs-White. We don't buy another one. So I guess the question is, do we just walk away? but I mean it's getting to a point where if he genuinely wants to leave he's got to do something because that release clause is only enforceable if he makes it enforceable if he bows to Marianakis and just goes do you know what I'm not going to take him to court I'm not going to take him to the PFA because I'm scared of him or because actually I don't want to upset the Forest supporters if that's important to him then just we need to walk away I guess at that stage because he bends or Marienakis bends, who isn't going to bend.

20:49The Spurs are just sat there waiting for something to happen. Yeah. Also, it's kind of complicated even more by Gibbs-White going through a bit of an obviously personal situation at the moment with his fiancée, who is quite high-risk, heavily pregnant. So the fact that is the right thing to do from his point of view at the moment really push for a move when there's obviously a lot of stresses kind of going on in the personal life anyway. That's obviously why he's not gone on the pre-season tour. It doesn't really seem like that's the thing that he's going to do right now. Maybe Maranakis should look at his situation and go, do you know what, do I want to put him through this stress right now?

21:23You'd like to think so. You'd like to think there's an element of compassion and care from all sides in it, really. But Maranakis hasn't exactly... I don't know. You'd like to think so. He stormed on the pitch to have a go at Nuno and then actually said it, no, really it was about the forward who nearly died. It weren't. It was never about him. No, I hate him. I hate them like I've really I've really like when Forrest first came back up I was like oh it's really nice to see like a club you know who've been out of it for so long they've obviously gone through a lot like great to see proper club back in the Premier League proper stadium and all that now I really hope they get relegated I mean like I think Nuno gets sacked early doors and it all goes tits up and they get relegated Forrest have hated us for years years and years and years I mean they I had an episode of the lab lined up when Gibbs with a Forrest fan and we talked about their hatred for us.

22:15Like they, they look to actually get Paul Gascoigne, you know, how he essentially destroyed, went about trying to destroy Forrest. And there's other bits and pieces, taking Teddy Sheridan from them, you know, there's other bits that they're particularly... Andy Reid. Andy Reid, Michael Dawson, yeah. And generally, that they still feel like they're, they genuinely feel like, because it's been fed into them, that they're one of the biggest clubs in England. That's mad. And you know what I found also, I've been doing, for some reason, I've been getting into arguments with Newcastle fans through the proxy of having this other website, other podcast called Football Between the Lines.

22:56Because I'm getting quite irritated with them. And then like, there is a clutch of teams who think they're bigger than Spurs. Villa, Newcastle, Forest, and probably that's it. Where they think the entry into this big six in inverted commas is about just finishing above Spurs when it just isn't about that. And the European Cups you won, I know what people say, oh no, the European Cup won, they won them in the 80s? Yeah, I think so. They won them in the 80s, it hasn't been as much relevance as Spurs winning the league in 61. The fight in cock 11 could beat that European Cup team. That's how bad the standard was back then.

23:42They didn't even have offside. It was just goal hanging. Yeah. And shit, honestly. They did on the offside rule. Before the season even kicks off, soccer fans are already making predictions. Who wins the league? Who qualifies for Europe? And who's lifting the trophy at season's end? On Calci, America's number one prediction market platform, you're trading against peers in a live market, meaning there's no house. And as the probability changes, you can buy in and out of your position. For a limited time, download the Calci app and use code CUP26 to get$10 when you trade 10. K-A-L-S-H-I. CalShe.

24:13Trade the beautiful game. 18 plus only restrictions and eligibility requirements apply. Event contract trading involves risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices, values, and available markets may differ from those mentioned. For more information, see calshe.com slash regulatory. Propel Fitness Water with Gatorade electrolytes, zero sugar, and vitamins. Propel hydrates better than water to help you get the most out of your workout and get back to your best self. What propels you? Propel with Gatorade electrolytes. Now at Lowe's, faster quotes start at the Lowe's Pro Desk. Got a material list handwritten on a sticky note or saved as a photo?

24:51Perfect. Bring it to us and get a quote in minutes. And if you don't see what you need on the shelf, we'll help you get it. You can access thousands of products beyond what's available in-store or on Lowe's.com, right from the Lowe's Pro Desk. Build quotes faster and source the materials you need to keep your jobs moving. Just like that at Lowe's. did they back then yeah they could do back they could if you go one they're actually like honestly ridiculous yeah I mean those teams probably wouldn't but then you go you'd go like obviously the playing surface now that means that you know Trevor Francis probably would be the best player in the world if you remember watching him play but you picked a good year to start a podcast with a Palace fan didn't you because it feels like Tottenham and Palace are kind of uniting at the moment over their hatred for Forrest because they're going through it with the Europa League yeah absolutely Obviously, by sitting down and sitting with a Palace fan who isn't an absolute cock, although, as he expresses to me regularly, there's plenty of people on Twitter that do think he's a cock, but I can categorically state that he isn't.

25:54And so you do, especially when Palace are going through this instance where they've been demoted for things that are just really not worth them being demoted for and don't give them any advantage at all. and then you've got Marienakis preventing Spurs from really kind of progressing and Gibbs White being an excellent addition to the squad just because he doesn't want to and he's been a crybaby about it yeah I think there's a deserved sort of kinship here brewing ZZ Osmond says is there a world where Levy and Marienakis plan this drawn out of an affair we compete on deadline day Levy can use this excuse that we couldn't buy anyone else as we spent the summer working on bringing an MGMGW.

26:39Maranakis can tell the Forest fans we couldn't replace him so late in the window. Do you like that conspiracy theory that they're actually teaming up? It's not bad. It's not bad. Is it is it less or more realistic than the reality that we believe right now? I think it's probably I think it's possible sorry it's possible anything kind of possible these days but I think what's more realistic is that Forrest are trying to line up two or three players to buy. First of all. And because this does just feel like a massive PR exercise. If it's what's true that they're trying to tout him to City as well, because they don't want to sell to Tottenham or whatever.

27:24I think the reality is that they're trying to line up two or three sign-ins that they'll sell Gibbs-White, they'll announce that very quietly, or we'll announce it very loudly. And they'll announce two or three players to lots of fanfare I imagine is what will happen Yeah and look is there a world where Gibbs, Wyatt and Koulis would be our major business for the summer? Essentially I actually don't £120 million which would be about on par with what we generally spend in the summer Yeah I don't think we need I do obviously to kind of circle back to what we said earlier I do think that need for some sort of defensive midfielder where they do decide to go down the route of a more progressive passer or it is a kind of Paulinho on loan, which again, I'm not, despite the fact that I wouldn't like, I'm not massive on it.

28:16I wouldn't be against it necessarily either. I think Tottenham don't need to do loads. But I do think that what happened last season in kind of a, you'd like to think was a freak anomaly, anomaly bad season in terms of finishing 17th. I think as, not necessarily Spurs fans, but I do think is from when you listen to the way that other fans talk about us has massively warped people's perceptions about how good or bad this team actually is and I think that there's a lot of like I keep consistently saying this I'm really excited about Kudus really excited about him I'm really excited about the prospect of Gibbs White as well if he comes through and like yeah a couple more bits that need to be done but I'm kind of more excited about the players that are already here because I think like I do like I do think that we've got a much better squad than people give us credit for there's obviously a few little bits that need to be done for sure but I don't think we need to do massively major business outside of Gibbs White and Kudus a Wharton or Belieber would be absolutely unbelievable and that's the sort of player that we need and I'd be running around my living room with my top off if that happened but I don't think we need to do loads more necessarily, it's a good squad and with a good manager I don't think we need loads Yeah, fair Kudus did look brilliant in flashes, that little link up play with Jed Spence down the right hand side where he just looked like he had gone down a blind alley and turned a little bit, just a feint to the right, played into Jed Spence and just lit the afterburners.

29:46And he just went. And it was like he took out his entire midfield. I am increasingly excited about what we might see at Spurs the next season from him. On either side as well. Was you in the stands for that bit, Ben, or was you still in the bar? no I saw that are you sure because what did where did we even go I don't even think he was there because it was a laugh it was funny it was good to be good to be back it's like honestly Reading's the worst place on earth I've ever been Reading's the worst place on earth anyway but even watching the stadium's so weird it's so far it's such a pain to get to yeah and you walk through this bit you get off at Reading Green Park or at the stations you walk through this bit that looks like America like all these houses that are like by the river and you walk through like this park and this massive car park that looks like an airport and you get to the stadium it's it's i mean it's yeah it was it i don't know i'm going to lute on saturday which is obviously even more of a you know i mean that's you could say that's a proper stadium you know one talked about the away end when they're in the prem didn't they can't wait to see that up close and personal for the first time but yeah i would like to stress we literally the only bit of football that we missed were both the goals.

31:00Like, it's literally, we're walking back up as Voskovic was about to whip that ball into the corner. So I saw, yeah, saw Kudus' nice bits of skill. He was good. Houston Review, he says, he says, what positions do you feel still need to strengthen after getting MGW touch wood, if we do? So this is what he wants in a dream world. I reckon a six, a nine, an LCB-LB hybrid. but it's for too much to ask. Fucking... I'm fine. I think if Richarlison was to go, then yeah, which I think could be likely. Do you see that rumour that apparently Fluminese wanted to pay 55 million pounds? Oh my God. Because they have the money, right?

31:44They're a part of the Club World Cup. Yeah, they've got loads of money. I'd be all right with... I'd be all right with Richie going, Sonny going. I'd be devastated if Sonny went, but he looks washed, and he bless him. but Richie Sonny and then Solomon Hill them two and then I think Gibbs White Paulina I think Thomas Frank sees Terb Tell as a nine I don't think he sees him as a left winger I don't see him as a left winger I barely see him as a footballer to be honest but you know we've got him now be interesting to see on Saturday because he obviously wasn't he was that's so harsh he's talking shit that's why he's just seen it for Flamstack He's just looking for his face.

32:28That was the reason I said it. I know that. I know that, Kel, right? But these are kind of conversations that grow in the WhatsApp group that no one's privy to. I can't tell sometimes if you're being serious or not. I don't mean it. He's a good player. But I think it'd be interesting to see, because obviously Tel, Odebeer and Gray weren't involved on Saturday because they'd come back from the under 21 Euros and stuff. so Tell will be there on Saturday against Luton so it'll be interesting to see how he kind of does use him because Richarlison wasn't involved at all either and apparently that wasn't injury related so maybe it'll be one half a Solanke one half a Tell but I do think like I said earlier I think with um the way that a doggy was kind of being used in that first half as a more of a wingback that does suit Tell more if he's going to play on that side rather than being stuck out on a touch line like he was under under Ande but I think as well one thing I was thinking about a left back left centre back hybrid is that obviously we've got a lot of centre halves I think that would be a good position to invest in we've also got Spence that can play out on the left but when I was watching a doggy as much as I think that role does massively suit him because it was like slow build up out from the back and then they just fire that ball out to the left and then he run and then what he'd try and do was play a little one two with Mikey Moore and then try and get him around the back and cut the ball back across for Johnson which is all well and good but you have to mix it up sometimes I think a doggy isn't a massive crosser like whatsoever and I feel like that is one thing that he's going to have to massively improve if he's going to nail down I think he will nail down that position to be fair anyway but like if he's going to really like that that is an obvious attacking weakness I think in his game he definitely likes just whipping the ball across and there were so many situations where like Solanke's in the middle I think about how Robertson used to whip the ball in on the left hand side for Liverpool and Firmino would get across and glance it in the near post or someone would get there like I feel like he's missing that and if we could get a left back who could maybe play at centre half who could do that as well, I think that'd be nice.

34:20You know you talked about that elbow, would you call it the elbow? Yeah, yeah. Right, which is essentially you've got a back four and then one full-back's responsibility is an outlet to provide attacking threat. Mourinho did it regularly and we talked about that and it was Reguion that offered that service. And in this instance it was a doggy that was in that position. But is it fluid, do you think? Will it be fluid? When he was at Brentford, was it particularly balanced in one side of the pitch or can, in the right circumstances, a doggy adapt as a third centre-back and Poro go forward? Yeah, definitely.

34:57I think from what I remember at Brentford, it was more about... It would be a shame that Poro doesn't get his opportunity to get forward because he's technique and his finishing ability and he's crossing and it's second to none in the club, I think. Yeah, I think so. And also there'll be moments where the team are naturally much more squeezed high up the pitch anywhere where Poro is going to get those opportunities to cross from out wide or more central. So it's not just... it's more like when you're building up from, not from like a goal kick or anything like that, but it was more like when we were kind of a bit more settled, just playing inside their half, it would be Porro was a little bit deeper.

35:28But there will be moments for Porro to go forward, 100%. And you could use Spence maybe as that, because he's got the physicality on the recovery as well, to be like a right-sided centre half, then a doggy on the left. Or a doggy could definitely tuck in on him as well. Last year, I think Spence is definitely suited to that. I think we've got a lot of, like you were saying, and I know people won't want to hear it about not buying loads of players in and that we have a lot of talent there. Since Frank came in I've been banging that drum that this squad is much better than what we saw last year and we will see progression.

35:57The bookies have got us seventh next season. I think that's fair. Yeah, it's fair based on what's happened thus far and Frank as a manager is unknown at this side. Yeah, it's a fair thing to say. But genuinely it's good players and there's a clutch of players that are adaptable and can be used across several positions you know have we bought a player in kudos that will make a difference yeah perhaps do we need a couple more that aren't just about fitting their system but can do something special like van der ven can do stuff special you know romero can do stuff special um and it's about buying those players are that push you forward which isn't easy to do but generally i just think you're going to see a much more accomplished performance from tottenham across the board and like you say you've got jed spence who can offer that he's perfect in that hybrid role because he can play so the back and Van Der Ven as well I think when you just said about him just then I think you could see it quite a lot where you have Romero, Danso and Van Der Ven as like a back three with Van Der Ven tucking in or playing Van Der Ven playing as the left back and he kind of shuffles across and then Porro can go on the other side or Spence maybe I think we've got the profiles to make it work to allow both either full back on either side from either game to game or switch it up in game for both of them to attack at different points because like you said I think it would be a bit of a waste to not use Poro further up the pitch at times but he also suits this kind of role as well I think but that's why I think you could see Van de Ven play as a left back to kind of to allow us to do it on the other side yeah do you want to hate Maranakis a little bit more boys yeah what's he done now so this is Alex Crook I find immensely irritating anyway Alex Crook of TalkSport he said Nottingham Forest are hoping that Manchester City come in with a rival bid for Gibbs-White Gibbs-White told Maranakis that he would only leave Forest for a certain level of football club, the Forest owner does not believe Spurs fit that category, hence his fury over his potential move to Spurs.