EFL EXTRA: "Wolves and Southampton look scary"

0:00Who says Halloween only lasts one day? With Wayfair, one night of Halloween becomes a whole season at home. From larger-than-life yard decor and moody lighting, to festive accents for every room in the house, Wayfair has what you need to make Halloween feel like magic all in one place. Because the best Halloween memories aren't made in just one night. They're made all season long. Shop Halloween decor now at Wayfair.com. That's W-A-Y-F-A-I-R dot com. Wayfair, every style, every home.

0:30Gregor Robertson: Healthcare can feel complicated. That's why Optum uses technology to connect the people and processes that make healthcare easier, more affordable, and more effective. We're making it clearer for you to know exactly what your benefits cover. And to help you better manage your health, we're coordinating care between your doctors and your technology. We believe better, simpler healthcare is always possible. That's healthy optimism. That's Optum. Visit Optum.com to learn more.

1:07Hello and welcome to the Game Football Podcast from the Times and Sunday Times. This is our EFL Extra Show. Every week you've got me, Tom Clark, and the former football league legend, Gregor Robertson, looking at the best and worst of the championship, League One and League Two. Now, Gregor, if the regular listeners thought there were loads of goals in the Premier League this weekend, Just wait until the run through that we have got today. I also got to say, I really enjoyed this weekend. It felt like football season is really here. We had pouring rain, slightly mad weather. We had managers in jackets and coats and tracky bottoms on the touchline.

1:44And today, listeners, this is the first show of this season where we plead leniency with our opinions and hot takes because there's a full list of midweek action starting tonight on Tuesday. so if we slaughter your team and then they win 5-0 in the midweek just give us chance remember we're back every week this season so we'll be back next Monday and we'll try and see if we can correct ourselves but Gregor loads and loads to discuss loads of goals as I mentioned what caught your eye I like opening the floor to you to kick us off what what match should we start with I think

2:15Gregor Robertson: it's got to be Southampton 5-1 against Millwall um Millwall obviously back-to-back wins the start of the season, five goals without reply so a major, you know, back to earth with a bump afternoon for them and Alex Neal kind of bemoaned afterwards, he thought his team didn't compete in quite the way that they normally do and when that happens against a team of the quality of Southampton, you're going to get punished because I mean, some of the goals were brilliant, Kyle Lahrens in particular, his little flick over defender's head and smashing the volley with his left foot was an absolute beauty Leo Sienza as well turned on the afterburners I think that was to make it 2-1 lovely little dink for Fina Zaz to tap in so there were some lovely goals in there and then you just look at the kind of you know even Tom Fellows coming on after the bench coming off the bench to score you look at the strength of the bench I mean it's extraordinary really you've got Mubama, Tom Fellows Lewis Dobbin even Samuel Adozi I think there's a player in there so yeah Ward Prowse for the experience coming on at half time yeah after signing coming on for Flynn Downs you're just like Christ this team this team is packing really packing I mean after the weightiness of the opening day and you know we were you know not the only ones to say to raise the kind of question about how much last season's Spygate affair would affect them it started to damp the noises started dampening down a bit now obviously there's still more rumbling on in the background that might re-emerge, but they've wiped out the four-point deduction now, and I would be very surprised if they're not climbing the table very, very quickly.

4:00As you say, there's still the little lingering doubts about Eckhart and charges and things, but this was scary Southampton, wasn't it? I think we're going to come on and talk, I'm sure, about Wolves. We mentioned them on last week's show going, wow, this team is packed. and as you say, just watching Sienza, that little jinking run, you realise they've got some of the very best players in the Championship, which is one of the more remarkable things given what happened. They kept this squad and this team together and Laren's goal, the second one, the flick, it's a team that looks like it's kept a lot of that vibe going from last season, which is kind of remarkable despite everything that happened, isn't it really?

4:40They were the form side in the pyramid, basically, with the form that they had going into the playoffs. It looks like they've kept that together. on Laren Tonda Eckhart mentioned a few weeks ago that he was the best striker in the championship kind of hard to argue I was trying to think of other names that you could put in there but in terms of form in terms of what he offers good with it all the cliches good with his feet big guy holds it up good in the air tick tick tick tick tick he's just going to get a hat full of goals isn't he I'm trying to think can you think of another one that kind of competes well there's

5:09Gregor Robertson: Zan Vipotnik at Swansea for now again this is at the time of recording you can see the same about Zian Fleming for now but you know I think these two players are in demand between now and then the transfer window like Raul Jimenez could have a really decisive impact on Wolves' season as well, it's possible Joel Pirro coming back to West Ham so there's a few but like for form and you know, even last season I think there were so many games where his impact was pretty much immediate after joining on loan in January, he scored 8 goals in 16 championship games and you're right they're all different types of goals he's big he's strong he can hold up he can really run him he loves running him behind um and then as he's demonstrated with that second goal he has a great technique too like just brilliant little touch and clinical finish so yeah he's been a great addition to the championship um and he's right up there where should we go next then where should we go because we mentioned a couple of teams mentioned walls we mentioned strikers so we could bring in borough and will langshire in the goals again yeah let's go let's go with borough that was a big game as well West Brom had a really impressive start obviously and I think they were good in the first half of this game as well until Helberg gave Middlesbrough a bit of a rocket at half time and then they kind of blew West Brom away in the second half and you know we're talking about really good strikers Lancashire's start has just been I don't know it just reeks of a striker with incredible instincts you know every goal is just following to him on you say on a plate but it's not it's not on a plate sometimes they're kind of the finishes you have to finish but as well you have to be there you have to sniff out the parts of the pitch and the areas of the box where the ball might fall and that was the case in the first goal, Morgan Whitaker cut on his left foot, a brilliant strike they hit the post and there was Lancashire he had to finish it on the either volley or a half volley in the first time so it was a decent finish but he was Johnny on the spot and he did that again for 2-1 after Jimmy J Morgan's equaliser which we have to say was a brilliant little piece of play by Isaac Price who was also outstanding against Newcastle in midweek great little chip to the chip into the box for Morgan good header but again Lancashire just there was a shot a cross come shot from Joseph I think it was and it was palmed out and there he was on the spot again to where it happened so I could think only one in fact the winner against Lincoln was a really good piece of centre forward play in that he made the run to the near post and it was timed perfectly and his finish was like, you know, the blink of the eye and it was in at the near post.

7:44Gregor Robertson: That was a great piece of centre forward play. This is great centre forward play but it's kind of much more on flashy and just kind of, you know, if he does this throughout the season he's going to be prolific and it's been a brilliant start to his time on the Riverside. If you think about this Middlesbrough team as well, maybe with like Whittaker, Sarmiento as well, players around him, this is the kind of final piece of the puzzle, isn't it? This is why they spent so much money because they have a team that will create so many chances. You just stick him in the middle and go, you just stay there, the ball will come and the ball will drop and you just be ready to put it in the back of the net because I think that sometimes with this Middlesbrough team, they've got so much creativity around the box.

8:23They just needed someone in there the whole time. So they just have to hope he stays fit. He could score absolutely bucketload of goals. And in terms of, you know, our colleague Johnny Northcroft wrote a piece about English strikers and things in terms of the future and Harry Kane and stuff. hopefully he can keep scoring loads and loads of goals. I should say as well, Jimmy Morgan, one of the favourite moments of the weekend, we always do our moments of the weekend in the second half of the show. Did you see him correcting his quiff after he'd scored the header?

8:49Gregor Robertson: No, I missed that. He like runs over celebrating and he just does a little swipe of his quiff. He's like, I'm about to get photographed here. I've just scored. Just going to make sure I've got the quiff. Just make sure I've got the quiff right. Good saves by both keepers in this game as well, I thought as well. It's really good fun, this one. Should we go on to Wolves next? Yeah, go on. It's scary, isn't it? It's really, really scary. Goal for the new signing James, two for Rodrigo Gomez. I thought Mane looked good in this game. Last week, we were talking about Fir Lopez. You've mentioned Raul Jimenez.

9:22Again, it's like Southampton. You look at their team and go, you're just listing endless, endless players in the championship that are really, really, really strong. And as a fan of a team in the championship, that Southampton result and Wolves' results are a reminder of how tough this league is and you're like there's some really, really good teams in this league.

9:44Gregor Robertson: Yeah, and look having said that Gallagher's goal after 90 seconds was an absolute yes, screamer for Stoke so they started really well and then they were gifted Wolves were gifted the first goal to be honest I'm not usually going full Alan Hansen but I'm ripping my hair out with some of the defending this weekend watching the games because i've been waiting i didn't know which game you'd bring it up in because there's some stinkers there's a few there's also if you it's just as interrupt if you watch this goal you think that stoke were attacking with the way the play the play is moving and he's actually running back towards his own goal yeah i think it was i think it was boca at the stoke left back and he was running inside with the ball and his own defensive third and it's like you know you could just about do that if you're just going to turn it upfield with your right foot or if there's a clear open pass but there was a full high press against them and possession was robbed, Jimenez's shot was saved and Rodrigo Gomez fired in the rebound it was mental defending and from that point, yeah Mane, lovely little shuffling cross for Gomez's second Jimenez with a pen and then lovely little kind of classy simple but classy assist by Fer Lopez for Jordan James to get the fourth.

11:03Gregor Robertson: I said last week, Jordan James will be a big player for them as well. He was great in a bad Leicester team last season. I think he's got a big future, actually.

11:15Gregor Robertson: Again, at the time of recording, there could be more additions to their squad and some of the teams with parachute payments. We'll see how strong they all look after the window shuts. They'll be pleased when that day arrives. Yeah, I think there are a lot of players and teams, aren't there, that have question marks over them, some of which we'll mention. And some teams you're starting to wonder, oh God, what if they lose their best player? Just quickly on Stoke as well. I mean, it's the first time they've lost. They're opening their three games in 16 years. Matt Robbins, there's always just been this question mark covering over him without Eddie Vivash as his assistant.

11:54Gregor Robertson: I think the fans are starting to get a bit antsy. Stoker just the problem that seems impossible to solve even the manager who last season started so well and you know you thought you thought that could potentially be the year he might be the man to turn it round and then they fell away drastically really really really tough start and you know they sent George Hurst up front and I think they spent a lot of money I think it was like 6 million possibly rising to 10 million I don't know if you need the goals he's the man to hang your hat on so So, yeah, just a club that's kind of lost its way, I bet.

12:31Yeah, we're talking about some big teams and rightly praising Wolves, seven points from the first three games, but there's only one team with three wins, Charlton Athletic. I mean, we talked on the regular show about the surprise of Hull City winning their first two games in the Premier League. I don't think anyone had Charlton winning three from three at the start of the Championship. Is it sustainable, a 1-0 win against Preston? It wasn't pretty. Preston probably one of the you know Paulie's poorest starters so far this season so a 1-0 win at home not to get carried away but they're brilliant against West Ham can Nathan Jones keep it going?

13:03We should say as well that we kind of put the hex on them last season by sending you down to interview them and it all went horribly wrong so maybe they don't even want us to talk about them what do you think? Can he keep it going?

13:12Gregor Robertson: Well you're right they started really well last season they'd finished 19th like it really was an awful fall away in the second half of the season I think they've got more a bit more firepower this year like Carlin Grant he's had a difficult few years but you know I think I said at the start of the season you look through when you've got him milling at Charlie keeping Myles Leiburn fit would be huge because he's really struggled with injuries they've got Tyrese Campbell's just signed a new four year contract they've got players who on their day and on their game are good players at the championship level if one or two of them have a good season then I think it'll make a big difference for them and Carl and Grant like his goal was in this, the winner in this was a deflected finish but he did really a really sharp piece of movement to get the shot off actually, he kind of got back to goal, threw his shoulder down one way and dummied back the other to get just a half a yard of space on his left foot and got the shot off and he wriggled in at the near post with a deflection but that was a good piece of movement so yeah like look I don't think they're going to be up there personally they've got a bottom six budget ultimately as we always say money tends to tell in the end there might be one club in the championship where it's slightly different that can really kind of punch above their weight and I'm not sure it's Charlton this year they also had a really kind of tumultuous week obviously they beat West Ham last week then they were hammered by Spurs in the cup lost three defenders to injury in one day in one game they've signed Tyler Binder on loan from Forest to kind of try and make up the numbers but that was a bad night for them yeah I think they could be a team that's kind of mid-table and with the extent expanded playoffs might be in with a hope I don't think they're going to struggle in the same terms as last season that's my hope as well yeah I think it's probably a big ask as you say I agree with you but a great start and they'll be delighted Norwich 4, Burnley 1 was another result that caught my eye in terms of both Norwich getting cooking, going on this one, but also Burnley.

15:25Are we worried about Burnley and Nicky Hayen? It's not been the best start for them. Just a point on the board so far from the first three games. Some of the defending in this game, I presume as well, is where you're going to draw your attention to next. Kyle Walker for the third goal at the corner, suddenly looking very, very old. I mean, you talk about him losing a yard. in the last two years in the Premier League. He looked like he could barely get up after blocking the ball, trying to get it out of his feet. It doesn't look good for Burnley, does it?

15:54Gregor Robertson: Yeah, there's been some slightly unfavourable videos from behind the goal doing the rounds on social media. Kyle Walker barking at his defenders before the corner came in and cajoling everyone around him and then standing like a statue. Then the ball fell to him. As you say, he couldn't move his feet and just basically laid it to Toure to bundle in. so it was a pretty tough moment that for Walker Amit Hodzic who I think will be a good side in had an absolute howler for Moturi's first in the I think it was in the second minute absolute howler so yeah some of the defending was even actually for 2-0 Andre Brooks got them just napping completely again you know Burnley actually had some decent openings even at 3-0 down they created some decent chances Josh Lauren pulled one back with a nice strike then he got second book in the second half and was sent off a bit harsh I thought that actually looking back coming in from the side, toe on the ball a little harsh for me yeah maybe a little bit obviously they're not ideal there's not won yet, they're dominating possession without turning it into points essentially they are creating some chances and then there's still the uncertainty about the line-up and whether they're going to have Zian Fleming between, sorry, for the rest of the season or not.

17:16Gregor Robertson: So yeah, not a good start for Burnley, but much needed for Norwich after a difficult start for several reasons, even if they've suffered from a couple of dodgy decisions. Much needed win for Norwich. Yeah, absolutely. Should we give a quick mention to Andre Brooks with a flicked goal and then a front flip celebration as well? Two things I could definitely not pull off, even if I practised very, very hard. Speaking of teams with, or matches, sorry, with defensive errors, some absolutely defensive stinkers and also teams that maybe need to strengthen and make some transfers before deadline day passes.

17:47Watford won, West Ham won. West Ham. We talked so much in that preview show, the long preview show we did with Joe Harsin and Kit Shepard about teams like West Ham and Wolves. And we had a bit of a debate about could go either way. And it feels like for Wolves, it's clicked and all those players are kind of settled. And for West Ham, just doesn't seem to be there because in actual fact, watching this back, they could and maybe should have lost this game.

18:12Gregor Robertson: Yeah, I mean, again, West Ham dominated a lot of the ball, but they didn't turn it into any real clear openings. Not many anyway. And actually they were gifted the goal with the most calamitous bit of defending of the weekend and possibly of the season. My goodness. Kevin Kebin, so good they almost named him twice. My God, he got the ball on his own byline and kind of, again, a defender that turns inside as opposed to outside towards the touchline turned inside, started running across along his own byline and just kept going and Tati Castellanos on his shoulder, hustling him and hustling him eventually Tati robbed him, squared it for Bowen two yards out and Matty Pollock desperately trying to cut it out smashed it into his own net, it was calamitous like shambolic slapstick defending and that gifted West Ham the point after Amin Navizanda scoring another absolute cracker after his goal on the opening day with that surging run.

19:13Gregor Robertson: This was a beauty. Great feat to open up a bit of space cut inside and then there was a little chip into the far top corner. Brilliant stuff from the academy graduate. The definition of sublime to disaster this one. Definitely go and check it out if you've not seen it. And if anything bad happened to your team this weekend, go and watch that goal Watford conceded. It's the fact that he almost runs the ball out for a corner and then desperately tries to keep it in. He must have been thinking, just boot it out for a corner. Just start this whole thing again. This is a disaster. Just quickly on Nuno.

19:44This was one of those, it was one of the days that I mentioned at the start where, you know, torrential rain, you're like, the football's back. A couple of times, panned to him on the touchline, just stood there absolutely sopping wet. We talked about players, you know, does he really fancy this? Because it's a big job. It's a big job. It's a big task. He's done it before. He's got nothing to prove. He's a manager of a good pedigree. Does he really want to be slogging it out in the championship? A really competitive championship. We've talked about Wolves are going to be good. Southampton are going to be good if it all stays together and doesn't end in drama.

20:18Middlesbrough are going to be good. Other teams are going to challenge as well. I don't know. I just, you know, you think back to those talks that we reported, Matt Lawton and Gary Jacob reporting those talks about whether he'd stay or whether he'd go. And you just start thinking, does this really fit? I don't know. Maybe I'm being cynical. What do you think?

20:34Gregor Robertson: I was surprised this did. Like, from both perspectives, from the clubs and from his... And look, let's be honest, when you cut to Noura on the touchline, even in the Premier League, when they started to find a bit of form last season, you rarely see much that gives you any emotion or a smile even. Yeah, like, it's probably a bigger job than you imagined. I mean, actually, you've got to go into it with your eyes wide open. You know that there's going to be a huge amount of coming and goings and sort of movement and unrest and stuff, until the transfer window closes. I'm sure he probably would have liked a few more additions.

21:10Gregor Robertson: They're starting to come now, but I don't know. It's just everything about West Ham at the moment just feels kind of stuck. Just looking actually at a few stats earlier on and looking at the sizes of attendances and they're double. They're double any other team in the championship. Double. and the weight of expectation and pressure and all that that's going to be on them. I know they're playing away at Watford there but everyone expects West Ham. Everyone did their pre-season predictions. We were a bit more sort of conservative and cagey about West Ham but you look at a lot of predictions and it's the West Ham are going to be up almost walk it and it's not going to be the case.

21:53Gregor Robertson: I think they'll improve undoubtedly. Nuno's a good manager and even if they change manager they have enough good players at a level to improve a lot and to compete, but it's been very, very difficult for them so far. Yeah, really interesting to see what happens in the next coming hours as well, whether they make even more reinforcements at West Ham. They certainly need to get their act together and pick up some wins. Where should we go next, Gregor? I think Swansea, Swansea's 3-0 win at Derby. I think Swansea have looked really impressive at the start of the season. And actually, you know, when you pan out a bit and look at since Vitor Matos was appointed they've got the I think the fifth highest points hall of all current championship teams like just everything about so on just now again this is a club that for a long time like felt like they were in a bit of a rut and for some of that time kind of drifting a bit but now they've got energy they've got investment they've got smart recruitment we mentioned in the previous shows they're the team in the championship now to benefit from Tony Bloom's Jamestown Analytics and one of the sign-ins Joseph Apoku Ghana winger has made a really good start scored after 90 seconds in this game Ji Sung Yeom who's in flashes last season showing how much talent he has played a big part in the opener and then bundled in the second before half time and then their Brazilian winger Ronald made it 3-0 in the 91st minute Derby didn't even have a shot on target it's a dominant dominant win and you look at everything about like you know how many goals they've considered how many they've scored and the sort of dominance of games look at underlying data they've had one of the most impressive starts of any team in the league so I think it could be an interesting season for Swansea Yeah lovely kit as well really lovely away kit really original really enjoyed that a lot in terms of things to go and check out we've managed to get about 20 minutes in we've not mentioned maybe the goal of the season so far.

24:00It's up there with Don Ballard in my book. Yo-Yo Morishita for Blackburn.

24:04Gregor Robertson: I thought you were going to say Lincoln. Sorry. I misread that. That's coming in a minute. I'm taking this job seriously for now. What a goal. What a goal. Unbelievable. It's kind of Tony Yeboah-esque. Absolutely fantastic. Do you know the thing I liked about it most, Gregor? He was absolutely buzzing afterwards. Absolutely buzzing. Ran to the crowd, beaming, grinning on his face. None of this kind of false pretense of strutting and I've just scored a brilliant goal but I'm not going to smile. Which, you know, I get it. You want to be the big I am. Sometimes just look buzzing. And he absolutely did.

24:40It was a high point for Blackburn Rovers in that game though. QPR, QPR, quietly good. QPR, 2-1, 2-1. Another win for QPR. Good start to the season from them. You've mentioned them, Gregor. Should we go there next? Come on then, tell them all about it.

24:55Gregor Robertson: Your first win, your first win in the championship for, what was it, 600 years? Six billion years, yeah. And I'm excited to tell you, actually, a lot of listeners, you know, we always like feedback on the show. A lot of listeners got in touch during the World Cup to say how much they enjoyed the live reporting from the grounds, you know, the on-the-ground action. And in fact, you know, people within the business, the head of podcasts, got in touch with me after the World Cup, said, that's brilliant, Tom, you need to feed that approach to your reporting into the show. So I'm delighted, listeners, to offer the first 2026-27 post-match from the ground bit of reporting.

25:30And here it is. I'm Tom Clarke. This is Sports Report coming to you live from the Tough Sheets Stadium where there has been a daylight robbery. Full match report in just a minute. But first, it's over to Richard Clarke with the classified football results.

25:43Gregor Robertson: Bolton Wanderers nil. Lincoln City won. The mighty Imps are off and running three points on the board in the Championship. Was it the most wonderful performance of football? Probably not. Did Ben House score a header from two yards from a long throw? Absolutely. Should Bolton have been 3-0 up by that point? Maybe. Do we care? Not a bit. Dad, any thoughts you want to add? Well, firstly, credit to Gregor for being the only one, well, apart from Thomas, to say we are staying up this season. And secondly, what a performance. I never see them win at Bolton, so credit to the lads. Credit to the lads.

26:17He never sees them win at Bolton. And these truly are special times. And that is the first time I've ever been called Thomas on the game podcast. Back to you in the studio. There you go, mate. There you go.

26:28Gregor Robertson: Thank you, Thomas. That was a fantastic synopsis of the game. Not at all giddy. Really enjoyed your dad as well. Thank you. Yeah. It's James Alexander Gordon impression. Faultless. But yeah, I'm not sure I'll live that one down being called Thomas. Look, listen, delighted. It was one of those brilliant afternoons of being a football fan of where me and my dad, I think we genuinely sat there and hated every single minute of it because it wasn't a great performance, particularly in the first half. I think Bolton fans would be disappointed they weren't in the lead. Bolton are going to be decent, I think.

26:58They've got pace and flair on either wing, Illing Jr. and a couple of their other wide players. It's just whether Sam Dolby, their striker, he missed a really good chance. He missed another couple of opportunities in the box. We defended quite well. Whether he's quite good enough to convert the chances they're going to create because they dominated possession and everything like that. And as I mentioned in my bit of live reporting, it wasn't the best goal you're going to see this weekend. It was from a throw-in. It was very on-brand. It was a ball that was allowed to bounce and it was from about five yards out.

27:27But listen, do we care? Not one bit, as I said there. So listen, we're off and running. We're off and running. Three points. Three points. And I should say, I don't know whether I actually said this on the show, but I definitely said it to you in private, that actually if we finish this season with six points after beating Bolton home and away. I'd be delighted. So technically, technically the boys are doing everything we can. We shall see. We have just signed, Lincoln City, a 6 '7 striker.

27:54Gregor Robertson: That's on brand as well. Listen, we are consistent, if nothing else. Speaking of promoted sides, doing quite well. Cardiff City, 2-2 against Sheffield United. Three goals very, very early on in this one. Jack Moylan, former Lincoln player, scoring after two minutes with a good finish. He's really started very well after his£5 million move to Cardiff. A good start for them. In terms of the promoted sides going up, obviously Lincoln getting a win, Bolton have got some points on the board as well. Cardiff, it's an encouraging start. We had this conversation on the regular show about Hull and Coventry and Ipswich.

28:30It's good to see, isn't it, from your point of view, I'm obviously completely biased, but from your point of view, a bit of competition down at the bottom because unlike last season, And as we discussed on the previous show, there's not a Sheffield Wednesday. There's not yet a Leicester. It's going to be a very tight relegation scrap, isn't it? And for those three sides that have come up, they're going to have to work really, really hard.

28:53Gregor Robertson: Yeah, I mean, Cardiff, you know, Cardiff snaffled a point against Wrexham in the opening weekend with a very, very late free kick. Drew at Derby in the second game and drew with Sheffield United. So that's a pretty positive start for them. you look at all the, again, it's having a glance it's early days, but all the numbers, and they're the most possession dominant team in the league, they've completely taken their dominance in that respect from League One into the Championship, and I don't know what that's going to whether that's going to translate to points, but it means that they've got an identity, they know what they are not a lot has changed actually, they've not made that many signs, obviously Moylan, that was again his first championship goal and he was the one kind of real big bit of investment.

29:44Gregor Robertson: I bet that might change between now and the window closing but in the previous show I was saying that I think they looked a bit short and I still think that might be true over the course of the season but they have a lot of talented youngsters that Brian Barry Murphy's been happy to place his faith in and he seems still happy. He's not as happy. The noise is coming out in the summer where we need to add to this group now. But he has the Colwell brothers and Began left back and several more. Actually, Robertson as well, although he's not an academy graduate. He's someone who was really good last season and has been good in the championship in the past too.

30:25Gregor Robertson: There's another bit of shock in defending. He gifted the ball for O 'Hare's second goal, Sheffield United's second goal, which was in the seventh minute. I think it was like the earliest time that there was three goals. I think there's only been three occasions where there's been that many goals in the first seven minutes or something like that so yeah, it's been a positive start from them and Lincoln getting the first three points on the board, very positive as well I should say, just to stick up for my boys getting a bit of abuse for the old long throws Birmingham and your mate Tom Wagner didn't bother them, they scored from crosses into the box 2-1 winners on Friday night against Wrexham big lads in the box, headers Wrexham don't mind a bit of that as well I mean if you look exactly look at all the chances there was a decent chance for Kiefer Moore as well that was well saved yeah big Phil Newman with two goals in this one Callum Doyle with a goal from a great lose or Ryan Cross to make it one all I get like these two clubs clearly the expectation levels are sky high Birmingham had a really really bad one in midweek getting smashed by Brentford Wrexham are winless yeah but they were seconds away from beating Cardiff and watched that game and they would have been deserving winners really.

31:38Gregor Robertson: Drew with Watford last weekend with a better team. So I don't think Wrexham have anything to worry about. Birmingham feel a wee bit more edgy. Like they don't, I don't feel like their recruitment and the scale of their resources has really transferred into the kind of performances that Chris Davies and Birmingham fans would like to see or expect to see on the pitch. So a big win to get some pressure off his shoulders actually. But I think, I'm not sure, I'm not sure that Birmingham are going to have the season that they expect either. Yeah, speaking of managers needing a win, Michael Scobala getting a first win for Bristol City 2-1 against Portsmouth.

32:14It was interesting in his post-match chat, Gregor, listening to him as a former Lincoln City manager, he talked about Laurent Toya's goal coming from a transition and then the winner coming from crosses into the box. And I'm like, hey, hang on a minute, that's what you did last season. So listen, manager's on brand. We'll see if it works for him at Bristol City in the long run, but great to see him get off the mark with a win. And Tola as well from Plymouth, a big signing, great finish, lovely first time. Yeah, great run, great whipped finish into the roof of the net. That wraps up the Championship.

32:45Is there anything we've missed? Anything you want us to look at next week? And as I say, if we've had a stinker once the midweek matches come around and you want us to correct ourselves, do get in touch with me, tom.clark at thetimes.co.uk. We're going to take a quick break and we'll be back with our awards, our weekly awards in League 1 and League 2.

33:28We'll see you next time. Now at Wayfair.com.

34:02Gregor Robertson: on YouTube.

34:05Here's a tip for you. There's a podcast out there with fans waiting to be your next customer. They tune in every week. They trust the host. And that host wants to talk about brands like yours in their own words to their audience. The problem is, you just haven't been introduced yet. We're Acast, where that introduction happens. As the world's largest podcast marketplace, we let you browse shows, see who's listening, and book host-read sponsorships or run your own ads all from one platform. Transparent pricing, real-time data, complete control. Start advertising on podcasts by visiting acast.com slash advertise.

34:54Welcome back to the Game Football Podcast from the Times and Sunday Times. This is our EFL Extra Show with me, Tom Clark, and the former Football League defender, Gregor Robertson, running through the best and worst of the action in the Championship, League One and League Two. We've done a deep dive, a lengthy deep dive into the Championship after a big weekend. Now it's time to dish out our weekly awards in Leagues One and League Two. Every week we're going to pick our win of the weekend, our goal that you must go and watch, and our moment of the weekend too. So Gregor, let's kick us off in League One.

35:24What's your win of the weekend?

35:26Gregor Robertson: there's a lot of contenders for this award this week I'm going for Stalkport 5 Wycombe 1 I just think they've had a very impressive start really really impressive start went to Plymouth on the opening day Plymouth one of the favourites for the league 1-3-1, deserved winners they lost at home to Blackpool last week and you might think why they had an impressive start they battered them and I mentioned last week Bailey Peacock-Farrell had surely one of his best performances ever in goal for Blackpool they rattled the woodwork twice, they had something like 60 odd touches in the Blackpool penalty box, it was a miracle they didn't win that game and then they smashed Wickham who have had a bad start but are one of the well-backed promotion hopefuls in the league and they were totally dominant again, totally dominant and actually if you look at, again it's only three games but you look at all the underlying numbers in terms of goals and XG the amount of chances they're creating possession levels almost everything, they look like one of the best teams in the league and I know it's early and I know McNulty's kind of just getting his feet under the table but it's been a pretty impressive start I think from them and some really good goals as well, Jack Diamond with a lovely run across in particular and sort of think, I think it might have taken a small deflection but that was probably the pick of the bunch and Wooten getting a couple as well so big win for Stockport and I think they look really impressive so far.

36:59Yeah definitely a good contender for the win of the weekend and as you say there's plenty that we could cite we'll try and give a mention going on for me an honourable mention for Notts County a win for them at home after two good draws I've bigged them up a couple of times so I was delighted to see them get three points but my win of the weekend goes to Blackpool. 4-0 winners at home against Peterborough United. Producer Neil was there. He said to us before we recorded this show, if one of you doesn't pick Blackpool, I'm not going to edit the show. So that was the stipulation. So I've got to pick it, but it is impressive.

37:29A good win for Blackpool. I asked him for his views and he said the most kind of telling thing this season versus last season was that when they got the lead last season, they would sit off. Not so this time. They took the lead and they kept going. And I thought that was evident from the highlights that I watch. You know, there's bodies in the box. There's balls going into the box. Sounds simple. Sometimes football can be a simple game. Goals coming from crosses into the box. A 4-0 win for them. Producer Neil also saying they look fit. They look firing. It's a great start for them. And listen, they are one of many clubs, many, many clubs, about half the league in League One that think they should be up there.

38:06But they definitely are one of those clubs that could and should be up there. So it's a great start for Blackpool. Gregor, your goal that listeners should go and check out?

38:14Gregor Robertson: I'm going to go for Mansfield's Louis Reid. He has a pretty impressive back catalogue of goals, actually. We should say. In particular, he scored some worldies, including, I think, a couple of free kicks in Mansfield's cup run a couple of years ago. This one's different. It's not as spectacular, but you look at the technique of it and it's brilliant. Absolutely brilliant technique. He's kind of making a run to the edge of the box. ball's cut back from the right hand side but it's in the air and he strikes it with his right foot across his body so he's having to catch it across his body into the far corner, just sort of instinctive as well because the ball came firing at him it was a brilliant strike, volley into the bottom corner and what a result 5-0 up Mansfield were against Luton Town, Luton Town one of the favourites as well, in the 56th minute before Naki Wales got a couple of consolation goals for for Luton Jack Wilshere's Luton brilliant brilliant win for for Mancilla and a brilliant goal by Louis Reid Louis Reid who's you know a diminutive midfielder who's got some magic in his boots yeah absolutely mine is definitely not the best goal you will see this weekend but it's a clever way of me shoehorning in Sheffield Wednesday 7 Bromley 2 you could go and watch all these goals because they're all good fun and it's a sign of a very strong side none of them particularly striking but I've picked out Louis Barry's second, which I think was their fifth.

39:43The way he just passes the ball into the top corner, it's a ball that comes back across. He drops deep. I think Bromley have got the goalkeeper and at least two players on the line. Louis Barry still manages to scoop it into the top corner, a sign of a very class player at that level. He will get goals, as will Sheffield Wednesday, especially if they keep going like that. Greg, I'm going to go first with my moment because I think yours is better. I've picked out Huddersfield's win and Joe Taylor's double. he's a player that will definitely definitely score goals at league one if he's fit and if he can play but there are some rumors linking him with a potential deadline day move away so if Huddersfield can keep him and if they can keep him fit they've got a chance for promotion because in this game they were one nil down at Cambridge with 10 minutes left Joe Taylor scored two in the final 10 minutes to get them the win that was my moment of the weekend Gregor yours well I've got two

40:32Gregor Robertson: actually because one's associated with with that game so I'll start with that one it's Neil Harris's interview afterwards in which he said they're mugged off and then he went muggedoff.com and I know Neil Harris he was a teammate of mine at Nottingham Forest and he's a great character and he's a really good manager as well and he repeated it in two interviews as well so it seems to be like a saying that he was determined to get out maybe sort of lightening the tone of what is a pretty. Should we introduce a new category the Neil Harris muggedoff.com award of the weekend maybe maybe we'll keep it in the back pocket for a rainy day because as you see they were they were pretty dominant and then Taylor scored to equalise and then ran away won a penalty which was a little bit questionable and put away to steal the points so he felt they were mugged off.com so that's one but also I have to say Russell Martin the footage of him trying to get on Leicester City's team bus where you know over what appeared to be kind of borderline flood water at Stadium MK after a goalless draw, still without a win, Leicester City, and climbing over a metal barrier to try and get over onto the coach without getting his feet wet was just like, I don't know, another thing that probably Russell Martin doesn't need.

41:53It's that kind of story at the end of the season when Leicester have got relegated and Russell Martin got sacked in December after they've still not won. that'll be the anecdote that someone starts a big long read about the disaster of Leicester won't it when Russell Martin wouldn't get his shoes wet I mean you're a man who likes his clobber but I think you would have you would have definitely taken a puddle wouldn't you after no wins in the first three games

42:14Gregor Robertson: it did look deep it could have been up above his ankles it could have been I don't know maybe he could have walked round it I don't know I don't know it was a tough one for a guy maybe but I should say as well I like Russell Martin like we're always quite you know there's a there's kind of I don't know narrative building up about him and his football and I think a lot of it's misguided but I think as a guy he's actually a good guy and I really hope that he gets some points on the board for Leicester quickly because otherwise you know where does he go next where does he go from there I've done a lot of podcasts with you mate and I think that was my favourite Gregor Robertson come on let's do it did look deep it did look deep to be fair to him it did look deep very very good let's move into League 2 Gregor, what's your nomination for your win of the weekend?

43:04Gregor Robertson: Rotherham 2, Chesterfield 1. It's the Gregor Robertson derby, everybody. Gregor Robertson derby. And, you know, it was the first league meeting for 13 years, so I had to do some quick maths and just to double-check I wasn't playing in that one, but I wasn't. 1-1 in the 90th minute. Callum McFadzen, who's, crikey, he must be as old as me now, played a pass inside to his fellow centre-back, Jack Simpson, who slipped allowed Paul Mullen to go racing through and goal, Paul Mullen of Wrexham fame, who joined the club in the summer of course swept it in clinically, ran to the corner and started shouting that's what I do, that's what I do so it was kind of a cinematic moment as well as a big win for Rotherham and what is a I can attest, quite a you know, feisty derby actually and was Rotherham's first home league win for six months.

44:00Gregor Robertson: So on several levels, that was a big win for Rotherham United and Alex Bruce, the manager. Yeah, really significant. There's a couple I could have gone for. I could have gone for York City. They're in third, Gregor. After all that chaos, we keep mentioning another win for them this weekend. A brilliant start to the season. But I'm going to go for the team in second. And Walsall fans, I'm sorry, we're doing it already. Walsall are second. They won 3-2 against Accrington Stanley. it's been a good start to the season from Walsall we're on the EFL Extra show saying it again I'm really sorry I really enjoyed Aaron Presley's great hanging leap for the header in this one it was like really stretching and straining just to get enough on it to turn it into the goal but a great win for Walsall I'll say no more, I'll leave it there Walsall fans, we'll say no more of course, new listeners maybe don't get what the joke I'm making Walsall may or may not have had two great starts to the season in the last couple of years and fallen away one historically great one pretty pretty staggeringly bad but we won't go into that again to upset any Walsall fans they're my win of the weekend a goal that you think people should go and check out Gregor it's a free kick Tom James free kick for Bristol Rovers in their 2-0 win against Crowley but it was an absolute peach it could have graced any level as they say and there's one great angle Bristol Rovers Twitter account I've posted on their feed which I would urge anyone to check out it's kind of from the side and you just you look at from the goalkeeper's perspective how hard that would be to save like flashes in off the underside of the crossbar in the top corner and you're like wow so yeah great win and a good start for Bristol Rovers who are the kind of the league's great entertainers under Steve Evans so far Yeah definitely good fun always watching Bristol Rovers I've gone for Shaquille Gwengui's last minute equaliser for Newport it's not a classic goal listeners I've deliberately maybe in homage to Lincoln City he's two yard goal from a long throw and I'm deliberately picking slightly crap goals for my goal you should check out but it's a long throw into the box, flicked on and he does really well to like flick it on the half volley into the roof of the net it won't win any goal of the season awards but it's a good point for Newport Gregor, your moment of the weekend Again, I'm going to have to kind of bundle two together because they both happened in the space of five minutes at Underhill which was Barnett's comedy defending and like occasionally I don't, you know we're not here to take the mickey because the Football League is magnificent and the Championship League 1 and League 2 have great goals and great football but occasionally there are moments like these and Barnett conceding two goals I think on the 60th and 65th minute that turned a 1-0 lead into a 2-1 deficit against Cheltenham.

46:46Gregor Robertson: You have to see them to believe them. You just don't know how that can possibly happen in a football match, even a League 2 level. They still nicked a point. they've scored more goals than any other team in League 2 since the start of last season, something like I think it's close to 80, 78 maybe so you know, Dean Brennan's team look the business they're still top of the table despite these two calamitous moments and if anyone knows anything about Dean Brennan perhaps he saw his viral teeth bearing sort of rant on in-house club TV a few seasons ago when they were in the National League I'm sure he gave them it tight in the changing room afterwards so yeah go and check that one out Want to be a flyer on the wall, Gregor I'm going to go for another manager who perhaps was a little bit more cutting than even he was in the post-match interview Peter Klamofsky, Salford City manager, three games no wins, no points one goal scored, five conceded losing 1-0 against Shrewsbury this weekend.

47:53Listen, listeners, by the time you listen to this, they might have thumped Newport at home on Tuesday night, but it is not the start that Salford would have expected from this season in his post-match interview. He talked about that's how ruthless football can be. Mentioned some criminal missed chances. You start to get a little bit worried for them. It could turn all around, but they've spent an awful, awful lot of money, and no points from three is not where they would have expected to be after the opening to the season but it could all change as could a lot of the things that hot takes we've mentioned on this show because there's a big full round of mid-week action and then there'll be more action at the weekend so maybe by the time we speak next Salford will have six points and they'll be up and running we will leave it there as I always mentioned do get in touch with me if there's anything we've missed there's loads of new categories this this year you can mention your moments or goals or players that you've seen that you think we should check out get in touch with me tom.clarkatthetimes.co.uk but we'll leave it there Gregor Robertson thank you all as always for joining me and offering your expert insight thank you too for listening we'll be back with the regular show on Thursday we'll see you then

49:05who says Halloween only lasts one day with Wayfair one night of Halloween becomes a whole season at home from larger than life yard decor and moody lighting to festive accents for every room in the house. Wayfair has what you need to make Halloween feel like magic all in one place. Because the best Halloween memories aren't made in just one night. They're made all season long. Shop Halloween decor now at Wayfair.com. Wayfair, every style, every home. Times Radio just gained a brand new perspective. We're now available to watch live on YouTube, direct from our new and improved studio. Congratulations on your swanky new studio.

49:44Oh! The first rule of the new studio is you don't talk about the new studio. Watch breaking news, expert interviews and intelligent conversation every day. It's radio with a view. Well, the cat's out of the bag now, isn't it? Watch Times Radio live today.

49:57Gregor Robertson: Search Times Radio on YouTube.