EFL EXTRA: Southampton climbing, Burnley sinking and Middlesbrough magic

0:28Hey, we're Nick and Jack, hosts of The Best One Yet. That's G-O-O dot G-L-E slash Workspace with Gemini. The youth mental health crisis is growing, and social media is a major driver. Kids are spending up to nine hours a day on screens, often unsupervised, and studies show a direct link to anxiety, depression, and even suicidal thoughts. That's where Gab comes in. Gab offers safer phones and watches for kids with no social media, tailored to every age, offering the right tech at the right time, or tech in steps. From GPS tracking enabled watches for younger kids to phones with parent enabled apps for teens, each device allows kids to more safely grow their independence.

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1:30Hello and welcome to the Game Football Podcast from the Times and Sunday Times. This is our Football League Extra Show every week with me, Tom Clark, and the former Football League defender, Gregor Robertson, looking at some of the best and worst and craziest and most brilliant moments in the Championship, League One and League Two. And there is no more brilliant place to start, Gregor Robertson, is there, than Middlesbrough, currently top of the Championship, 5-1 winners at Bolton Wanderers on Friday night some absolutely stunning football we often mention on this show listeners go and check out this goal check out this moment and goodness me did you see that cock up just go and watch the highlights to this what a performance Gregor some joyous football yeah just some of the patterns of playing particularly the first two goals and actually in particular the second goal I think it was Lancashire's first were just an absolute joy to watch like Bolton were just chasing shadows and being stretched all over the pitch and then cut through at will and then, you know, just manipulating space to get someone in an opportunity to play a cutback and goal.

2:35So it was like, really was Middlesbrough, Kim Hilleberg at their very, very best. Some brilliant, brilliant performance. I mean, Lancashire obviously getting another couple, 11 goals in 12 league games this season, I think, 13 in all comps. But Riley McGree and Aidan Morris were just in absolutely exquisite form. I think Riley McGree got a couple of assists but Aidan Morse was often playing the pass before the assist which as I say when there's these kind of brilliant passing moves is also a really important kind of action in these goals a really important contribution so it's just so dominant, there were 31 shots at goal 19 in the first half alone I think it was like 4.16 something like that, expected goals so you know, the Bolton goalkeeper Gavin Bizzuno actually had a decent game like it could have been more and when Bolton scored at the end of the first half you know, them already being 3-0 down that kind of gave them a flicker of hope but it was completely misplaced hope because they were so dominant and probably sounded a bit like a broken record for regular listeners over recent weeks saying I think there's more to come there's more to come but when you look at Middlesbrough's stats like that's part of the reason for it but it's also just the way that they've shipped more goals than it feels like perhaps they should have or you know, actually I think their goals conceded for goals conceded they rank 13th in the league but they've got the second best expected goals against in the league so even that we could expect to improve but in every sort of attacking metric their goals per match second average possession only Cardiff have more expected goals are top of the league expected goal difference top of the league shots on target top of the league big chances second accurate passes top crosses second and touches an opposition box first.

4:25Every underlying metric as well suggests that this is really the best team in the league. So whether they can sustain it or not is the big question. They were brilliant in spells last season, got to some big, big games, like big clashes towards the end of the season and they faltered a little bit. So whether that'll stand them in the good stead or that's sort of a mentality flaw, time will only tell, but they're brilliant and so is their manager and so is so many of their players. Yeah, I'm really enjoying as well. We've mentioned some celebrity fans on the show this season already with Elton John chiming in about Watford's struggles.

4:58I've really been enjoying Bob Mortimer, of course, a massive, massive Middlesbrough fan. Every game on social media, I don't know if you've seen this, he gives a star rating to his top three players. Like three stars, two stars, one star, and that's it. Just absolutely loving it. Will Lanxier in there basically every time, as is Ryan McGree, but Morris in there as well. Just to explain for listeners, Gregor, I think that XG point is interesting. It's a stat we often trot out these days, but our colleague Hamza, and you reference it, and Tom, all not on the regular show. Expected goals is often now seen as a good barometer for whether a team is running hot, as we've said on recent shows.

5:33Are they outperforming their XG with the goals they're scoring? But the fact that Middlesbrough, they're basically absolutely hitting their expected goals, shows A, they've got a brilliant striker in Will Lancashire, and B, that no, this isn't overhyped. This is exactly how good they are, isn't it? that's the kind of indicator that you get with xg yeah i'm like expecting goals difference as well is quite uh it's quite telling because that's that's obviously the difference between the two and and the top of the league by some distance on that yeah like the obviously the quality of chances you're creating against the quality of chances that you're conceding and you know when they're they're actually running below that and and uh in terms of defensively then that suggests again there's more to come so look it's not it's flawed like i don't uh you know i don't live and die by it it's something that that you know game state can affect and there's been a lot of games in fact when as we've said in recent weeks when middlesbrough have gone behind and had to chase the game and that kind of that alters the game state as well and they really have to throw the kitchen sink at it so that that's something to consider but there's no question that they have one of if not the best attacking line-ups in the division.

6:47We saw it. The eye test is always the best. It's always the best test. And my God, did we see that against Bolton. Yeah, absolutely. A brilliant, brilliant performance. And as I say, I stress again, just go and watch the highlights. Bolton weren't even that bad. I just think Middlesbrough was so, so good in this game. Looking at the top of the table then, Gregor, and just bringing in another big result from the weekend. Southampton winning 3-2 at West Ham interesting watching this game and I've spoken to a few West Ham fans who are listeners who've been in touch to say it was just one of those days where everything felt like it was falling for Southampton and you do get that sense with James Bree's amazing strike, I mean he ain't going to score many more like that is he, bouncing upwards and then keeping it down into the roof of the net on the angle, there was some goodness, there was a lot of good strikes in this game, that was a peach, obviously Kel Walker Peters scored a beauty as well, right in the postage Sam and then Max Killman rattled one off the bar that was another kind of volley we had to get his leg over it that was almost a great goal as well so a lot of really good go mouth action in this and yeah like Southampton they're up there with the middle spot if it wasn't for their points deduction they would be second so five wins in seven for them the kind of the cloud that was hanging over them has been dispersed yeah they even heard James Breeze saying it kind of explicitly after the game they want to win the league and it's not beyond the realms of possibility.

8:08It's interesting. So I'd pose that question then and just bringing in West Ham, maybe this kind of result, maybe don't over-interpret it because much like Middlesbrough, they are hot on Middlesbrough's heels if not beating them for a lot of those statistical metrics that you mentioned. So probably a good indicator that they are right up there. Wolves in fourth. It's quite interesting following some of their fans on social media this weekend. A lot of them saying, how on earth are we fourth? I don't even think we've played well yet this season. So you wonder whether the doubts are still around Cesar Pesotto and that really talented squad.

8:37But just thinking about those two teams, West Ham and Wolves, in contrast to Middlesbrough and Southampton. Middlesbrough and Southampton, of course, in a different world, would have been the playoff final last season. Two hugely exciting teams last season. They kept their manager. Southampton have got through that controversy. They got away with Tonda Eckhart not being further banned this season. Do you think then that Middlesbrough and Southampton, having had that championship experience last season, kept their squads together are potentially better placed or as well placed to challenge Wolves and West Ham for those top two places?

9:11I think with West Ham there's very little in it. West Ham have abundance of particularly attacking riches as well. And even if you look at yes, there were some screamers of goals in this even if you look at the underlying numbers. West Ham, clearly they're at home and playing on the stadium with 20 shots, 52 touches in the opposition box, they had some chances as well, and going behind going 2-0 behind early on in the game also changed the dynamic of it dramatically so West Ham are going to be up there, it would be very surprising if they're not I think there's not much between them and Middlesbrough and Southampton I kind of agree with Wolves fans I would say that they absolutely pummeled Watford at the weekend, it was more than a 1-0 but Watford are in a dire state but yeah they've not done quite as much to convince so far so Watford still have as any team should and I'm going to come on to talk about Burnley in a minute you have to do something really badly wrong to not be in the conversation of winning promotion after being relegated from the Premier League even with the turnover of players that we spoke about at the start of the season and the disruption that can cause your financial advantage is so vast that you've got to do something really badly wrong.

10:30I don't think Wolves are doing anything really badly wrong. They've just not really hit their stride in the same way as West Ham. I've kind of threatened to. It might be time to talk about Burnley, is it? I think it probably is, yeah. We're trying to do a bit more of a deep dive on some big teams and some big issues and incidents from the weekend. And yes, it is time to talk about Burnley, Gregor. I was there for this one, for the end of Nicky Hayen's reign. And I've got to tell you, I would be worried if I was a Burnley fan. it was the most obvious end of a manager's reign mid-match I've ever seen.

11:02It was a really poor first half, both teams, Lincoln obviously haven't been in great form in the last couple of matches, but there were just so many little signs that made you feel, even as a fan watching, and I try to step away and be a little bit dispassionate at times. Burnley took the lead from a corner, bit of a nothing first half, obviously weather conditions, you felt like both teams a bit nervy. But for a Burnley side, you just think, right, get in at half-time now. and right on half time Lincoln have a long throw we've scored from long throws this season and it comes in all the way through the box it bounces in the penalty area and nipping past Kyle Walker 90 odd England caps Burnley captain won every single trophy under the sun with Manchester City our forward Ben House just nipped past him he's just stood there you've watched it I mean you tell me if I'm wrong it looked like he was pondering what he was having for his tea that night or something it was extraordinary I was trying to think about it, I watched it several times because you said you need to see Cal Walker because again, most weeks now he's doing something that's costing his team a goal it was one of those where the throwing comes in and because it kind of came through a thicket of bodies, you can understand you probably wouldn't expect it, it was going to make it through, without anyone making any contact, it bounced and then came through to him but still as you said he's laid out there he's getting close to 100 England caps he's won it all you've got to be on your toes you've got to at least know and have the awareness about where your opponent is and he was just rooted to this spot he's also the captain of this struggling team he's the captain of this struggling team I mean I take your point about the bouncing ball but there's also Lincoln had a lot of players grouped at the front post and a couple at the back post which is where the goal comes from they had no one in the middle where the ball bounces so it's not just Kyle Walker there are a couple of other Burnley defenders as well and I thought it was quite interesting Kyle Walker substituted off at half time maybe it was an injury but it struck me, we'll obviously be talking in the main show about Michael Carrick and other Premier League managers under pressure it struck me as the last kind of act of defiance from Nicky Hayen of a man who knew that maybe this was the end because the end was evident in that second half display, they just wilted not even speaking as a proud Lincoln fan, I'm delighted that we won 4-1.

13:21It was a good performance in the second half. I've seen Lincoln play better than that this season. Lincoln didn't even need to play that well to beat Burnley 4-1 and that's probably the most worrying thing for a Burnley fan. We should say, very quickly, as a lot of Burnley fans may be listening to this, they have got an absolute stack of injuries. An unbelievable, nearly a full team's worth of injuries and Amanda Broha hobbling off in the 13th minute here was again another sign. Hay and Mustardons have been sat there going can I catch a break? Can I get a break at all in this one? Burnley fans themselves singing at 3-1 or maybe 4-1 with half an hour to go.

13:57You're getting sacked in the morning. And he didn't even last till Sunday, sacked not long after the game. But I would say, and I don't know what your view is on this, when you think about Leicester and other teams in the championship that have gone down and then gone down again. It was quite striking at the end, Lincoln fans celebrating and things. But the biggest noise was coming from the away end. There was a banner unfurled against American-owned Alan Pace. you know get out of our club etc really really vociferous boos it wasn't just like head down let's get on the coach let's get back to Burnley there's a storm on the way it was like absolutely giving it to them pelters and that after 12 games is much harder to turn around than just a bit of bad form for whoever comes in next isn't it well the thing that they have in common with with Leicester is that there are kind of financial issues rumbling or rumbling away in the background and that's part of, like it's been masked by the fact that Vincent Kompany and then Scott Parker had remarkable seasons in the Championship, got to the Premier League twice and then both, obviously, both sides withered in the Premier League and it only rears its head again really in the bad times.

15:08But I think those two seasons and that kind of the effect of the yo-yo takes its toll. It takes its toll on some of the players and it takes its toll on the fans and they are reminded that the way ALK Capital took control at Turf Moor through a kind of Glazer-style leverage buyout in 2020 with, I think, a£65 million loan, and it's just accrued enormous interest over that time, that was a really uneasy feeling for the club. The club was, you know, for so long, roamed by local businessmen. It was a bit of a throwback, and despite all that, they made it to the Premier League and they invested all their money in a gleaming new training ground, they did all the right things even if it wasn't looked at as an uber modern club with Sean Dijcher at the helm and what not they did everything right and then they sold the club to the epitome of what you don't want what fans do not want their owners to be now, basically an ownership group who are taking money out of the club so all of that has been rumbling around in the background for a long long time but obviously it becomes much louder when your team is shocking on the pitch and they have been shocking I mean they've conceded 25 goals in 12 games 1-1 1-1 of their past 24 league games in all like going back to last season it's a year since they won at home it's really really it's been really turdied for a long long time and as I say Hayen was a left field appointment at least you know Vincent Kompany and Scott Parker had experience of English football in different ways Hayen had won the Belgian title with Club Bruges but there's even there was a view even then that he got the job as a caretaker initially and he wasn't even really seen as proper managerial material within the club and where did they go from here?

17:08I think they've got a new technical director Diego Lopez arriving some big names being linked already like Steven Gerrard Carlos Corberan Rob Edwards in different ways the return of Sean Dyche as well possibly yeah he looks to be pretty happy in his new kind of social media the game's gone to everyone yeah podcast role but you wonder if he'd be tempted but that but just to come back to the idea of the state that they're in and the state I saw them in on Saturday it was so striking that you know come out after half time Lincoln had a bit of a rocket and the Lincoln managers admitted this afterwards that they said they were there for the taking which whatever you want to say about positions in the league that is quite damning for a newly promoted side to be saying that about Burnley and as soon as Lincoln got the second it became evident to everyone in the stands all the Lincoln fans were shouting come on kill them kill them they just wilted they're completely wilted and Link as I say Lincoln ain't that good we ain't that good but it was so easy how hard is that to turn around when as players you just go into yourself.

18:12You've been in good dressing rooms, bad dressing rooms, good times, hard times. Whoever comes in, that ain't a quick fix, is it? No, it's a very hard environment to turn into a positive one after, as I say, so long. Because it does encompass the back end of last season as well. Almost all of last season. There were flickers in the early part, but the second half was a torture, surely. Second half of the season in the Premier League. And, you know, they have always been able to respond to that. But as I say, I just feel like it's taken its toll. You think about Norwich, you know, yo-yoing up and down between the Premier League and the Championship.

18:53And I think that becomes wearing for the supporters and for the club as a whole. And for the players that stick around. There's obviously, as we say, there's an overhaul each time that happens. But it becomes kind of, I feel like it sort of saps the energy and happiness within the club. so you looked at the goals in the second half too I mean they were shambolic too there was one where I think it was Hatati who was trying to hack the ball clear and he kicked off his team mate and it just fell to Lincoln Player to sweep it in and then everybody's throwing their hands up in the air we spoke about this in the main pod about Manchester United and how terrible a look it is when everyone's body language is so negative and like you're almost kind of moaning at each other and moaning at the state of affairs and it's a horrible look and it's very, very hard to turn around.

19:41So I feel like they need someone who's going to be a bit of a force of nature, really. And even then, there's no guarantees. Yeah, a disastrous missed penalty as well from Marcus Edwards right at the end, summing things up. I think I would have even saved this one. Marcus Edwards. Marcus Edwards is a really good player. And he's like... There's some good players. There's some good players. He's not even holding down a starting place. And some of it's mysterious. Yeah, really interesting to see which way they go. It's a big appointment for Burnley though. There's the two clubs getting deep dive treatment on the EFL Extra Show this week.

20:16Two results I wanted to pick out, Gregor, for Cannavate, maybe mini mentions. QPR's 5-0 win against Swansea City. Fascinating for both sides. This back-to-back defeat for Swansea. Proof as ever of the power of the time sport jinx. It is alive and well this season as ever. I've been banging on about how good Swansea are. We had Joe Harston talking about them as well. Dominic Akeboye writing about them. and then they lose two on the spin. Apologies to Swansea fans. So let's get into that game in just a second as well. I wanted to mention Portsmouth winning against Millwall. Quite fortuitous in this one.

20:49But just a bit of credit due, I think, to John Moussinho and Portsmouth. A great example of how he can survive in this championship with all the competition, Greg. Two sides, two games I wanted to throw at you there. Take it whichever way you like. We'll start with QPR. I mean, that was a remarkable scoreline. We spoke last week about Swansea. they lost against West Ham and it shouldn't derail their season and then now I think they conceded 8 goals all season before this one and then they were 3-0 down after 15 because of a Richard Coney hat trick lovely kind of stat in Bill Edgar's column this morning in the game about where that ranks I think they're only two quicker Ginger Richardson playing for West Brom against West Ham in 1931, he scored in the 5th 7th and 9th minutes and Alan Warboys, who scored in the second, fourth and ninth minutes for Carlisle United in 1971.

21:43They're the only two known league hat-tricks that have happened in quicker time. Ginger Richardson and Alan Warboys sounds like something Bob Mortimer would make up. Sounds like he said, Bob, make up a few footballers from the early 1900s and he'd be like, yeah, Alan Warboys and Ginger Richardson. Honestly, Bill Edgar, where does he get it from? But as you say, brilliant for Richard Kone, who's had a difficult season. Amazing to score a 15-minute hat-trick when he hasn't scored all campaign. Yeah, I mean, he wasn't even making the score earlier in the season. You know, and he was one of the names we picked out at the start of the season, alongside Rumaan Burrell, who is like, you know, they've threatened to be one of the kind of most exciting potential partnerships up front in the league.

22:31And that's not really, they've not really played together all that often. Burrell got injured last season Coney's sort of as I say fallen out of form but they've got a bit of an injury crisis Nicholas Madsen, Burrell, Elias Shear all are injured and he's come in and he answered the call emphatically Jimmy Dunne getting the other two goals they're only three points behind Swansea now that surprised me, you know QPR we know they've been doing well but obviously you lose a couple of games in the Championship in the space of a week and you're getting caught up pretty quickly so great result for QPR Portsmouth yep like this was an ugly game my goodness the goals were ugly everything about it was ugly even John Monsignor afterwards admitting that this was ugly and I think he basically said this is the first win in this really positive run we haven't deserved like Nicholas Schmidt with an absolute howler for the first goal just passed the ball straight to Jenson Metcalf there was a few of them actually watching all the highlights over this weekend in every league questionable goalkeeping decisions Linden Dykes with like a bizarre own goal near post from a corner and then Waddingham scoring the winner after basically getting the ball kicked at him by Jake Cooper so yeah horrendous stuff but not the poor Smith will care there on a really positive run I think only but I've picked up more points than them in the last five games, three wins and a draw Southampton was the only defeat and I think they've only lost once at home since the opening weekend so Fratton Park becoming a bit of a fortress, they're not playing freewheeling stuff, they're grinding out wins but that's something they've really struggled to do since they've returned to the Championship after so long away and John Misenio's one of the great survivors in the division so we speak about the financial advantages of other clubs Portsmouth are a club who have made it very clear what they think of the financial madness of the league and how much they are at a disadvantage given that they're not willing to risk the future of the club again.

24:40And so for them to survive or to even have a season and comfort in mid-table would be a huge step forward for them. Yeah, absolutely. John Moussino, three years and 279 days, the second longest serving manager in the Championship after Phil Parkinson with his over five years at Wrexham. You do wonder whether that five years is under threat if he keeps losing games. Wrexham struggling this season to maintain any consistency or form beaten at the weekend by Blackburn Rovers. Blackburn, who are surprising everyone, me included, who thought they might be down the bottom of the table, Tony Mowbray, working his magic.

25:14Thanks to Andre Goodjonsson. Two more goals for him. I think it's eight this season. Might be even more. That might be an out of date. Two really brilliant finishes. Brilliant first one as well, I think, as well. He takes the ball and hits it so cleanly, doesn't he? We've talked a lot on the show recently about pure strikers of a football. He's right up there in the Championship. He's having a brilliant season, yeah. And his second was a beauty after really good work by Todd Cantwell, who's also having a fine season. I think Tony Moby, I've gone to some reports, laid into his players a bit after that kind of capitulation against West Brom last week, let them know that wasn't good enough, particularly defensively.

25:54and they responded I think and I read and I noticed that they only they only won four home games in the whole of last season they've already done that in October so yeah like surprising everyone and Tony Mowbray perhaps we shouldn't be too surprised because Tony Mowbray is a welly old horse and there are only two points behind QPR like everyone everyone thought they were going to be among the candidates for relegation this season it could still change they've got a very thin squad they've got some players who perhaps might be prone to injury and yeah I don't think they're going to be a team that are going to be able to invest a lot in January or anything there's always a bit of discontent rumbling away in the background too in terms of Venkies and their ownership but all that will be quieting down when they're getting wins on the pitch and that's what they're doing brilliantly so far.

26:45Tony Mowbray at it again and wonderful to see everyone in football loves Tony Mowbray and wants him to do well just a couple of other results to mention Gregor Norwich back on track and showing some of their goal-scoring form at Charlton, winning that game 3-1. There's a report in the game section of the Times today from Dominic Akeboya, who says he's pretty confident Norwich won't be like Burnley and may be dragged into a scrap near the bottom of the table. We should also mention another great example of the jinx being on Gregor. Last week, we gave big praise and big focus to Birmingham City.

27:18They follow it up with a 1-0 defeat at Cardiff. good win for Cardiff City and Brian Barry Murphy really showing their up for a fight in the championship this season after promotion and I wanted to finish Gregor with a mention for another pound maybe two in the no var jar after an absolutely bonkers refereeing decision in Preston won West Brom won a much needed point for Graham Alexander but maybe should have been more because he's quite frankly should have had a penalty and a red card for West Brom I don't know what else to call it is a karate kick i don't know what else to call it have a look on social media it wasn't included in the official highlights i just spotted it on social media how on earth it's not a red card and a penalty i will never know it's one of the most dangerous tackles i'd seen from a west brom player flying in frustration for preston fans in this one but don't worry at least there's another quid going in the charity novajar on the game efl podcast we'll take a break we're going to come back and do our awards in league one and league two stick with us

28:46We'll see you next time. Get AI tools for work. Upgrade to Google Workspace with Gemini at goo.gle slash workspace with Gemini. That's goo.gle slash workspace with Gemini. The youth mental health crisis is growing, and social media is a major driver. Kids are spending up to nine hours a day on screens, often unsupervised, and studies show a direct link to anxiety, depression, and even suicidal thoughts. That's where Gab comes in. Gab offers safer phones and watches for kids with no social media, tailored to every age, offering the right tech at the right time, or tech in steps. From GPS tracking-enabled watches for younger kids to phones with parent-enabled apps for teens, each device allows kids to more safely grow their independence.

29:32Visit gab.com slash getgab and use code getgab for an exclusive of offer. That's G-A-B-B dot com forward slash get Gab. Gab, tech in steps, independence for them, peace of mind for parents.

29:55Welcome back to the Game Football Podcast from the Times and Sunday Times. This is our Football League Extra show every week with me, Tom Clark, and the Football League legend Gregor Robertson And we're diving into League One now With our weekly awards Let's start with our Performance of the weekend Gregor Robertson Take it away Mansfield Town 4-1 win at Blackpool Blackpool are having A difficult time of course But Mansfield are Unbeaten in six Michael Smith Grabbed his sixth Sixth of the season He's in great form There was some comedy Defending I must say From Blackpool in this But some Lovely finishes by Resolts and Tyler Roberts And Yeah I mean Blackpool are really plummeting down the table Mansfield two points off the playoffs now and Nigel Clough continues to work his magic so it's been a brilliant run for them some more difficult games coming up but yeah fantastic win for Mansfield Town Great win for them and a great win for Plymouth I was tempted to give it to Huddersfield Town again Gregor 2-1 winners against Wigan but I'll go for Plymouth 3-2 winners at Cambridge an absolute thriller this one Plymouth back on track after two defeats but Cambridge still plenty of reason to cheer and the main reason for picking this Gregor is that I'd had a great email in the week after last week's show from Steve a Cambridge fan who sent these thoughts before this defeat but on their season in general and he said Tom football fans are really satisfied but Cambridge Unite is in such a good position at the moment I felt I had to give a fan perspective from near administration selling the stadium and being stuck in the National League for a decade to fourth in League One we're in our best league position since 2000 and with our luck the potentially the best finish since 1991 manager chopper neil harris scored a goal against us in that 2000 season and now he's pushing us further we're more tactically aware and adaptable than ever the backroom had massively settled the club we now own the stadium again and most importantly on the pitch we're scoring goals for fun by our standards football is never without problems but with a core from last season in league two some really promising signings and some wizardry from Shane Lavery we are in a fantastic position I cannot believe how far we've come four losses in the last 42 league games is simply magic so there you go even though they've made it a fifth it was a great game and lots of positivity really great to hear from any of you fans out there Steve thank you very much for getting in touch that was really great to hear another game we could have picked out Gregor for the performance of the weekend was Doncaster two nil winners at home against Sheffield Wednesday but I will pick it out now because it proved to be the end for Sheffield Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen we're end of October Gregor is it sacking season it's the second sacking after the weekend we're mentioning on this show we've got a few league one games to come this midweek as well does feel like it's getting to that point doesn't it to 11 12 games in to a league season you've got a good barometer of where a manager is.

32:50How do we feel about this one, though? A difficult situation he's had to manage at Sheffield Wednesday, but are we seeing the cutthroat nature of life in League One? Yeah, and look, particularly life of Sheffield Wednesday after the takeover back in the last season. There's a feeling that Pedersen acted with real integrity last season, despite all the struggles there, the massive points deduction. but was he going to be there was a sense he was going to have to hit the ground running if he was going to keep his job because the ambitions of that club have been transformed and Simon Wilson came out afterwards the fans turned a bit in recent weeks they lost against Nott's County last week then obviously this game against Nolgast Rovers are two teams who are near the bottom of the table and the top and they're only I don't know if two points outside the playoffs but I think Sheffield Wednesday expect to be competing for the automatics and yeah as I say Simon Wilson who was appointed Sporting Director came from Stockport in the summer you know he tried to say all the things that the club should say that he's acted with great integrity but we need to see something more now we want an identity we want a kind of style of play we want to look to the future and I would be astonished if Dave Chaloner is not the man who's going to be appointed to lead that next stage in Sheffield Wednesday's future There you go, you heard it here first, it would be a really smart choice I think Dave Chaloner Dave Chaloner's probably like the Football League Eddie Howe isn't he this season, he's just kind of sat there waiting, waiting for the right job, the right opportunity a hugely talented manager at the level you know, what do you reckon to that analogy?

34:41Yeah in my view you know I think he should have been in conversations for championship jobs and I think he was in the conversation for the Blackburn job briefly in the summer before Tony Moabrie decided to come back but you know he's been in the I think he was in kind of if Leicester were to make a change he would be the name in the hat for that you know a very big league one or a championship I think he deserves to be tested at the championship but Sheffield Wednesday are a club he can take to the championship and yes I think the link between Wilson Stockport link makes that quite likely Yeah, interesting to see a hugely talented squad and they had some good moments this season, Sheffield Wednesday, they're only in eighth they're only two points off the playoffs just shows how cutthroat it can be in League One, let's get back to our weekly awards then Gregor your goal that listeners must go and check out this weekend I'm going for Leighton Orient's Alex Gilbert, they lost 2-1 to Burton Albion another brilliant brilliant win for Burton Albion who are you know another team are confounding expectations but this was a great goal one of those where I think probably 45 yards out free kick everyone is expecting the ball to be crossing at the box but what makes it a bit more unusual you know he caught out Corey Adai the goalkeeper you know he was caught on his heels expected he was trying to come for the cross and he caught him out at the near post but it was further out than usual you know I've we see that goal a few times a season but maybe a bit more around the box he was kind of I don't know 45, 50 yards out so to whip it in at the near post and fool everyone including a die was a beautiful finish unfortunately didn't get him any points Yeah, a recurring theme of this season listeners and of this show Gregor Robertson taking a 45 yard goal to mention I'm left with something of a tap in but I'm going to go for Adama Sidibe's goal for Stockport mainly because he's a player I really like Gregor.

36:43Saw him last season against, I think he's bustling, quick, aggressive, strong, good one-on-one. And as he proved with this goal, I think he gets a little push. He's actually falling on the floor as he manages to turn it in for Stockport to get a point at Notts County, keep them in second place in the league and continue their brilliant start to the season. And as I've said before, I absolutely love their Illuminous Coral away kit. It is one of the best of many pink shades in the league this season but a really interesting play if you do get a chance to watch Adama Sidibe I think he's a real talent Gregor your moment of the League One weekend I'm going for the first senior goal for Vernon Massara

37:25nicked a point against Bromley for Peterborough Peterborough making a bit of a habit of that under Robbie Savage did the same against Burton last week in the 96th minute but mainly this is for the sheer joy that you saw it was a great finish as well, he looks like a kind of a bustling physical centre forward he's only 19, I think he came through in Burnley's academy and this is as I say his first senior goal in the 93rd minute, brilliant work by Oweyra Edwards who kind of chested the ball down and set it in for him but he did brilliant to kind of change the angle and take it past the goalkeeper and whip it in from quite a tight angle and then ran away with like absolute delirium so uh you love to see that kind of thing even if it is for robbie savage's

38:18yeah i mean you kind of i saw this and was like both oh that's lovely and then i was also like oh for god's sake there's gonna be robbie savage charging down the touchline again again but listen fair play to him he's obviously engended a real belief in that struggling peterborough side a lovely moment there. I'm going to go for other late drama. Kenilworth Road this time. Leicester, their comeback under Russell Martin. They'd had two wins on the spin going into this one. They thought they'd snatched a late point with a really good curling finish from Liam Cullum in the 90th minute, but four minutes later, deep into added time, Luton's Callum Marshall bundles it in at the back post.

38:55Absolute bedlam at Kenilworth Road and a big win for Jack Wilshere. We want to see him do well. Luton have had an indifferent start to the season. They're currently 10th they seem to either win or lose only two draws so far this season but two back to back wins for them really lovely to see let's get into league two gregor performance or should i say performances from you of the weekend you've got potentially three that you can pick it's just very hard to choose between uh chesterfield who you might you know i'm sure you'll point out two of these teams are my former teams again uh chester don't need to anymore you have to you You have to own up to it.

39:31It's shameless. It's shameless at this point. Crew come in. There are good reasons for it. There are good reasons here. He'll work Northampton in, you know, every single time. Make it Christmas is coming. He wants that hamper from the fan base, you know. Yeah, it works. Chesterfield 5, Crew 1. I mean, Crew were unbeaten until last week and they were 5-0 up at half time. Just some brilliant football. They're playing the speed with which Paul Cookside were moving the ball around and almost everything they were hitting seemed to be going in the back of the net. they hadn't won in any of the last three games either Grimsby hadn't won in an age and they won 4-1 at Gillingham some cracking goals in that as well but I think I've probably got to pick up Akron and Stanley who are just kind of rising under the radar about 5-0 at Rochdale Rochdale are obviously struggling managed to get a couple of wins in recent weeks but I think Akron and I'm beating in 7 now won three of the last five and again some brilliant brilliant goals again some comedy defender and goalkeeping by Rochdale but Accrington punished them emphatically so I'd say of the three I'll go against my I'll go off brand and I'll go for Accrington because they're quietly despite again being chosen among relegation favourites by most EFL onlookers.

41:01John Doolan's getting a tune out of his players and they're up to ninth. Yeah, some really big wins. You've taken all the good ones, so I'll go for Cheltenham. Beating Newport 1-0, ending Newport's unbeaten run 1-0 and a penalty save from Will Stanway that keeps Cheltenham in third. Don't have to score a lot of goals to get my vote for the performance or win of the weekend. Gregor, though, your goal. And again, listeners, do you know what? He's taken the best one. Your goal that you must check out. It was beautiful, wasn't it? It was so good we could have both picked it, do you know what, to be honest?

41:34But you tell them all about it. Luca Woodhouse, it's just a beautiful kind of, what do you call it? What do you describe it? It's like a shimmy of his feet. Shimmy. I'd go shimmy. But it's one of those where your movement, without actually touching the ball, completely bamboozles the defender. You know what I mean? he kind of stepped so far one side of it that the defenders almost fell over and then nipped through a little gap to open up the pocket of space just outside the box and then whipped in a brilliant finish with his left foot it was the kind of it was the skill without actually manipulating the ball it's body movement that sold the the defender so so emphatically which was the really kind of joyous thing and then just skipping between the two defenders so yeah like Exeter won four of the last five really brilliant turnaround for Matt Taylor up to eighth a two on one against Fleetwood but look at Woodhouse's finish stole the show absolutely definitely definitely go and check that one out absolutely wonderful wonderful goal I'm going to go for Dylan Morgan a good strike in their game for opening the scoring for Crawley in this one one of many you saw so many goals this weekend that began with a mad swirling cross in the air that defenders and attackers are looking up at going where the hell is that going to drop in this win but when it did Dylan Morgan with a brilliant strike into the roof of the net as I say opening the scoring for Crawley but they couldn't hang on part of the reason for mentioning this is that it gives me chance to also mention Colin Kazin-Richards sacked as Crawley manager bottom of the football league as I say maybe his sacking season we're going to see a couple more this week Kevin Blackwell in charge in interim charge for now big job on his hands not able to get a win, but a point to stem the bad run that they had been on.

43:27Gregor, let's finish with our moment of the League Two weekend to wrap up today's show. What are you going for? Well, we wax lyrical about moments of beauty and skill and all that kind of stuff. And sometimes all you need to do is punt it all the way downfield as Julian Eyestone, the Rotherham United goalkeeper, did. Find Paul Mullen, who's always willing to run on the shoulder and a little deft lob with the outside of his right boot route one direct quickest route to goal why not there was definitely a bit of wind swirling going on in this one in defence of those defenders there was a lot I think if you'd have been under that ball you'd have been going what the hell do I do with this not easy to defend and it was a feisty game 3 all over Shrewsbury that was the first of two goals for Paul Mullin he scored 8 goals this season it's a kind of mini renaissance for him considering he's playing for a team near the bottom of the table who's kind of really struggled rather than United so but yeah I just like I'm absolutely there for it I think the quickest route to goal is always the smartest route to goal and that was this was an example of it yeah absolutely nothing wrong with that and nothing particularly spectacular about my moment of the weekend but it's just to give a nod to all those fans out there who made long journeys in that horrible stormy weather that we had so I'm going to shout out Mike Fondup's last gasp equaliser for Oldham Athletic Oldham struggling near the bottom of League Two.

44:53They went all the way to Barnett, one of the form sides, one of the more impressive sides in League Two. And Mike Fondup got a header from a corner in the 94th minute. One of those many lovely videos that we've seen so far, Gregor, this season from away fans. And huge respect. Actually, not that mad about people who filmed during the games, but huge respect to the Oldham fan who did film thinking, maybe we'll get an equaliser here. Maybe we'll get an equaliser here. And so they did. and they went absolutely mad, the Oldham travelling fans. I can tell you, you don't need a geography degree to know that it's a long way from Oldham to Barnet, especially on a stormy Saturday.

45:29So wonderful stuff for Oldham. Barnet pegged back, but still having a great season. We'll wrap it up there. Loads more still to come this week from the game podcast and we'll be back with another EFL show next week. But Gregor Robertson, thank you very much for joining me as always and thank you too for listening. We'll see you very soon.

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