The game’s gone ! Hair pulling !

Joel and Nige are back after the International break (a trip to Barbados and Tenerife)

Can Manchester City REALLY still win the league ? Another trip to Wembley too

Why did Manchester United look so ropey against Leeds ? 

The big talking point - “hair pulling” - 3 match ban for “serious violent conduct”

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Things are looking good. Rodri, has he gone? I can just see there being a couple more twists. How is that violent conduct? Webley, get a webplay!

SPEAKER_01 0:10

Welcome back to This Is the Season podcast. It feels like ages and ages. A lot's been happening. I'm Joel, I'm a Man United fan. I'm Nigel Wingman and I'm a City fan. Right, so yeah, it's it's all been happening. And we said right at the start of this podcast, right, we've got to keep it weekly at the same time. Maybe do bonus episodes, but we have been off for three weeks because I'll just I'll just say it now. Man United didn't play, and that's all I care about.

SPEAKER_00 0:34

And also, it was the international break for most of it. So we're pretty much back when the Premier League has kicked off.

SPEAKER_01 0:40

Yeah. So you've been in Barbados. Yes. I saw all your pictures online where it looked quite cloudy.

SPEAKER_00 0:45

It was absolutely gorgeous. It was stunning.

SPEAKER_01 0:48

Yeah, all right. I went to Tenerife where it was cloudy. Cloudy. Cloudy. I spent most of the time in the airport waiting for Ryanair.

SPEAKER_00 0:53

Fair play. Well, listen, honestly, the weird thing is as well, when you're on holiday, one of the best things about being away is when the match is on. But it was international break, so there was no football at all in Barbados. Oh, I watched.

SPEAKER_01 1:04

I watched the England Japan game.

SPEAKER_00 1:06

Right, no, time difference and all that didn't happen with us.

SPEAKER_01 1:09

Yeah, and also, was it an all-inclusive?

SPEAKER_00 1:10

Yeah, well, all inclusive, but we popped out now and again.

SPEAKER_01 1:13

Now and again, just to see how the locals live, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:15

But that's that's your excuse to get out of the gaff as well, isn't it? Oh, I've got to go and watch the football. I didn't even have that.

SPEAKER_01 1:20

Yeah, I went to Dominican Republic and they said um straight away, they go, uh, whatever you do, don't leave the complex. So to me, I'm leaving the con leave the complex. I'm wearing some $399 flip-flops from Liddle. Yeah, and this fella comes up to me and he's like, uh, clean shoes, clean shoes. And I'm like, No, I'm good, chase, thanks. And he and he he was kept going, no, I'm good, chase, thank you. Anyway, he cleaned me flip-flops for me. Brilliant. And I walked away saying, Thank you. And then he pointed to a sign that said $120. Wow. And then like five of these lads came out. Wow. So do you know what? I took them all night. Yeah. Took your flip-flops off and started flip-flopping. Yeah, or did I just get hundred dollars out of my uh wallet?

SPEAKER_00 1:58

I think you did, didn't you? Yeah, I think they walked you to a cash machine and you uh that was your holiday over. No, it's dead safe. Barbados is great, you can walk around all over the place, it's lovely. It's an amazing place. You need to go.

SPEAKER_01 2:08

Is this where you say thanks to? Visit Barbados.com for my free trip.

SPEAKER_00 2:12

Yeah, exactly. You get upgraded. They're the official sponsors of the podcast today. Any uh any celeb spots? Uh there were a few people there. Who did we see? Uh I can't the entire Man United team, Casamira at the Or You Can Eat Buffet with Luke Shaw. There was there was there was a few people. I can't I can't remember. You've put me on the spot, mate. I can't I can't remember, but I did do a bit of celeb spotting. Right, they were really memorable.

SPEAKER_01 2:33

Oh, right. Really, yeah. I bet your missus saw someone from like Love Island or something. You're like, who's that? Exactly. That's Tasha from Love Island, series full. Yeah. Alright, back to business then. Should we start with Manchester City? Because uh and I never doubted you for a second.

SPEAKER_00 2:49

I think we have to, with obviously what's coming this weekend. It's now become an absolute huge, huge game. I mean, it has been ages since we've done that. We since we've done the podcast. We have won a cup, we've won the League Cup. What'd you want? Well, that's just the the first trophy in the bag. Who'd you beat for that? Uh we beat Arsenal, yeah. Uh which was again, it was one of those games that we said on the podcast ages ago: whoever wins that game, their heads could fall off. If you lose that game, your heads could fall off. The winner obviously takes a lot from that game. And also, we've we always knew that Arsenal had this gap. I mean, how we're even in this situation is crazy. There were 12 points clear. Uh, there was always a game in hand there, but they've had a couple of shocking results, including the one at home against Bournemouth. Is it Bournemouth, you're not Redford? 2-1 against Bournemouth. Who'd have seen that come in at home as well? Um, a lot of people saying that they've bottled it, the wheels have fallen off. Um, we're recording this before the Champions League game they play tonight in the Champions League. That could give them a little bit of confidence going into the game against City on Sunday. But I mean, just to be in the situation where it's now in our own hands, we've got a game in hand, we play them. That would obviously pretty much equal up the goal difference. It's going to be very, very, very uh, very, very tight at the top. However, if Arsenal win or draw, is it all over? Maybe it is. Arsenal have still got to play West Ham at West Ham as well, and they are scrapping for their lives after the Leeds game and the Leeds result.

SPEAKER_01 4:23

Yeah. Oh, that was a mental game. You were we were away for it. It was actually one of the best games of the season. Yeah. Um, because we I was at the in-laws, and I was going to go and play football with the lad outside when it was 11 minutes of added time, and I thought, hang on, this is this is this is Leeds and West Ham here. Anything could happen. It was brilliant, it was brilliant. And then the keeper got injured, they had to put the kid on. It was oh, it was brilliant. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:45

Well, let's let listen, let's talk about the City Chelsea game that's happened this weekend because nearly every pundit said that this was going to be the game that City obviously everything, everything they lost basically, and everything, all the hope was ended going into that Arsenal game. Um, obviously, all the uh sky are just loving it. They they love that it's come become to this because it's just gonna be it's a huge game on Sunday. But yeah, Chelsea game first, Nico O'Reilly again, what a season he's having. He's got to be a contender for young player of the season. I mean, I'd just give it him now, to be honest with you. He's been exceptional.

SPEAKER_01 5:21

I'd give it him now because he has been in my fantasy football as well, and he's down as a defender, so he's scoring some goals as well. So uh, yeah, I'll give him that. Is he injured now? Uh well he's got a yellow he's got a yellow triangle on fantasy football.

SPEAKER_00 5:31

He's seen training, doing light training this week. So there we go. I don't think City would give anything away to Arsenal anyway as to whether he's starting or not, because it really does have a key factor in in our formation and how we set up to play against us from an Arsenal point of view. So I think it'd be stupid at this stage to let them know that he is or he isn't in the team because it keeps Arteta guessing, and we all know what happens there. But basically, I also want to talk about um Ryan Cherkey. The guy is incredible. That these are the footballers that we used to see years ago who are just pure talent, incredible, just really skillful players. You don't know what they're gonna do next, and he's not only just full of trickery, he's also coming up with the goods. His assists are just on point. That pass through to Mark Gaye was exceptional. What a ball! He took he basically ran across the he took two players out of the game and then slotted a ball through. It was it was just a perfection, honestly, to Mark Gay. You still had work to do. He's turned and he's put the ball in the far corner. It was an amazing finish, a strikers' finish from Mark Gay. It's just really good. And for our confidence to win away at Chelsea, things are looking good. It reminds me of who?

SPEAKER_01 6:48

Um Anthony. You know what I mean, though. I really don't know what you mean. No, I don't. Is it yeah, he's it it's it's starting to click now, and I hate saying this, it's not a claim. He's classic.

SPEAKER_00 6:57

I mean, again, he could be up there with the players of the player, but he's the signing of the season. I would definitely say that for the amount of money he cost and how good he is, comparing to Verts, I mean, it's ridiculous. Like a fraction of the cost. And he's he's he's he's week in, week out now, he's coming out with the goods, and a lot of the time it takes a season to become the player that you are when you move from a different league to the Premier League. It's it is a completely different league, the Premier League. He's doing it already. How good is this guy gonna be next year? It's scary.

SPEAKER_01 7:29

Can I ask you a question then? Right, and I don't want to burst your bubble. Now you're starting to go, you're about cloud seven at the minute. You're not on cloud nine, you're about cloud seven.

SPEAKER_00 7:35

Well, I'm a realist as well. We're still six points behind. We've got a game in hand. Obviously, we've played them this weekend. A win this weekend against Arsenal, who are, by the way, gonna park the absolute bust.

SPEAKER_01 7:47

Oh god, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:48

It's just gonna be 1-5-5. That's that's the there's gonna be no one up top.

SPEAKER_01 7:52

You're like watching Tony Pulley's stoke again, won't it? You know what I mean? Right, two questions. Uh, question number one, and he has been the best way, he's a Ballon door winner, isn't he? And you don't give it to a defensive midfielder. Rodri, yeah, has he gone?

SPEAKER_00 8:07

Nas, yeah. Do you mean is he leaving the club?

SPEAKER_01 8:09

No, I don't mean no, no. I mean has he?

SPEAKER_00 8:11

It's one of the reasons that we are absolutely insane at the minute.

SPEAKER_01 8:14

The the the You don't need to be all defensive, it's just a it's just a question. It was like watching Casemiro the other night, and he has been half decent this season, but he was running through Treacle. Rodri, is he is he on the is he sallaring it?

SPEAKER_00 8:26

All you need to do is look at the goals that we've conceded, right? And how little we are conceding. The difference, he's a completely different player to Casemiro. I know that you I mean Casemiro's he a lot older as well. Rodri's still got uh one huge paycheck signing left. Hopefully it's at City. I really hope no, not at all, he's too good for that. Hopefully it's at City, and I think that obviously there's no coincidence, like I've just mentioned, the bat that we're not conceding goals, and the reason is Rodri. He just breaks everything up, he is such an important player to uh for our team. He's he's he's amazing.

SPEAKER_01 9:03

What about James Trafford?

SPEAKER_00 9:04

Having him back is incredible. James Trafford has been brilliant in the in in the cup competitions, but Donna Rummer as well, he starts every time. We've been through this. It's heartbreaking and gutting for Trafford because when he signed, he he he really did think he was going to be number one. But as we've said on podcasts gone by, when Donna Rummer, a player like Donna Rummer comes available, you have to sign him. But I I just hope that he goes out on loan next year and that they don't sell him because uh he's he's he's just too good to let go again. Obviously, we've we've done that once. Yeah, probably the second time around. I mean, um it's another bogba. We can't end up buying the biggest.

SPEAKER_01 9:46

Right, okay. And finally, for me, my question. Uh Bernardo Silva. A A, where's he off? B, why's he off? And C, why do you announce it when it comes to this critical time?

SPEAKER_00 9:58

Everybody knew Bernardo Silva was gonna leave. Now, I think it's also gonna come out soon that John Stones will leave because I think John Stones and Bernardo Silva both deserve a legendary send-off at the end of the year, and this is why these players do it. He's a very humble guy, he would have just got on with it, he wouldn't have got the send-off that he deserved unless he'd made an announcement. I mean, it is scary because he'll probably he is that good, he'll probably end up going to a Barcelona or something like that, who it could come back to haunt us in the Champions League. But I'll tell you something, he's an absolute Manchester City legend, he's the club captain, and I hope an extra reason why I would love us to lift that league title this year is because I would love to see him. It was great to see him lifting uh the Carabao Cup. It would be amazing to see him lift the FA Cup and the uh and the Premier League as well on his on his final season. It's what a player like that deserves. He is amazing.

SPEAKER_01 10:54

Who's your captain next season then, Rodri?

SPEAKER_00 10:57

Don't know. It depends. It totally depends on who's there. Um manager, is your manager is your manager going to be there? I don't know. I don't know, Joe. Rather, I don't know. Do you do you know? There are other things that there are other issues at the minute and other things that my head's focused on, and that is winning this league or staying as close as we can to Arsenal and just pushing it till the end. Because I still think I don't think City will win every game between now and the end of the season. I think City might lose again or draw again, right? So City draw, I can just see there being a couple more twists. I know there's not many games left. The only game we cannot win, uh cannot lose, sorry, is this weekend against Arsenal. It's a must-win for City if we're going to win the league.

SPEAKER_01 11:41

Normally you see a thing on Sky and it's like Super Sunday, and it's you know, Wolves against, I don't know, you know, Brighton or something like that is that Super Sunday this weekend it's the uh Merseyside Derby and Arsenal and City. Now, would you prefer to lose the league by five points or to lose it on goal difference by one goal?

SPEAKER_00 12:01

I don't know. I mean it would be it'd be heartbreaking that. I'd yeah, but watch it. It's a bit like backing a horse. Would you prefer your horse to be second or last? As a fan, I I mean I don't want to even talk about losing, but if we if we were to lose on goal difference, at least it means that that excitement and that run has has lasted till the very last game. So uh obviously I'd rather that than five five points.

SPEAKER_01 12:22

Now you were saying that uh Man City keeping everything close to the chest. Our Tessa's been out going that um Declan Rice major doubt for tonight, anyway, in the Champions League, and also a doubt for the weekend.

SPEAKER_00 12:32

They are they're nowhere near they're they're not the same team without Declan Rice at all. Like without him, they're they're just a completely different side. It's weird.

SPEAKER_01 12:43

And my arse is going as well now because uh on podcast number one, I predicted that Arsenal would win the league. I've backed Arsenal to win the league. I thought it was home and hose, and people going, but it's Arsenal, the the the worst than Spurs, they'll bottle it. They're gonna bottle it. I'm like, no, no, there's no way they're bottling this. And you have every week coming here going, no, we're still gonna do it. I'm thinking, is he does he really mean this? But now, you know, and everyone's going like the peps there, yeah, the pressure.

SPEAKER_00 13:10

We've been here before, Arsenal have been here before, and and they they they they they always bottle it. It's a weird one. Back to what we were just talking about there, though. The weird thing is last year when Odegaard wasn't playing for Arsenal, they weren't the same team. Yeah, yeah. This year, it's Declam Rice, they've they've because they've changed the way they play, like they're not as good going forward as they used to be. They're very heavily relying on set pieces, they are defensively ridiculously strong. Sunday is gonna be it's all about breaking them down and getting a goal. It could be a very frustrating game because they're literally, and also then there's the danger of one of City's weaknesses is a counter-attack, and they are gonna play so so deep, they're gonna be they're gonna be set up in a ridiculously defensive way. So there is that that that that worry of um of a counter-attack. But this is why having cushion off there, he's just his pace, he is such an incredible player, and since he's you know been playing at centre half, that kind of um overlapping attack, you know, he's he's just there, he's on the counter, he's absolutely brilliant. He's such a class, world class, I'd say, soon to be world-class defender.

SPEAKER_01 14:24

All right, and and what about uh Haaland? Is he is he you know people still back in blind, don't they, to score at any time because at one point he was just knocking him in and he won't spread the goals around. It was if you scored, it was him, wasn't it? Yeah, it was him, or Foden's uh at one point. You know, is he getting a little cheesed off that he's not?

SPEAKER_00 14:43

Harlan, Harland, Haaland is or is he a team player?

SPEAKER_01 14:46

Is he is he not so Ronaldo?

SPEAKER_00 14:48

I think to be honest with you, Harland's Harland's work rate is a lot more than it was. I mean, he used to literally just stand on the halfway line and put the put the uh you know the ball in the net. That was him. He's he's here, he's everywhere. And the other thing is as well, because he is such a goal threat, he takes out two, three defenders and gaps open up for our other amazing players. So it's mate, it's good, it's really good. It's uh yeah, I knew that we were going to be there and thereabouts. You wrote City off a long, long time ago. And I didn't put it on full enough. If this is a rebuild season for City, then oh my god, it's scary. I'm I'm already looking forward to next year, regardless of who potentially is the manager and what's happening. This team will have played with each other for a season. They've already won a cup. I mean, I'm I'm off to Wembley again next week, mate. I'm down there hosting the. It's absolutely ridiculous. Wembley again or leave! Oh my blood. Wembley again or lee. It's absolutely crazy. So back there for the semi, which again I think is a bit of a it's a bit of a shambles at the semis, obviously, at uh down at Wembley. It takes away a bit of the shime from the from the final, but that's gonna be a difficult game as well against Southampton. They're absolutely on the charge, you know. They're on the charge.

SPEAKER_01 16:09

You know what's gonna happen, they're gonna get promoted and get straight back down again. Because they were brilliant when they came up last time. They were brilliant in the championship, and then they looked like not will beaters at all when they came up.

SPEAKER_00 16:21

Southampton have always been a bit of a bogey team for City as well when they're in the Premier League. They they really have. Um now, I'm not I'm not worried about Southampton, but I don't think it's a it's a taken-for-granted win at all. There's still work to do there, and he'll also obviously use that uh to rest a few key players, and uh it's a bit worrying because you know that's what who did they that's what Arsenal did, and they were out.

SPEAKER_01 16:46

I thought it was coming when uh when I saw Arsenal 1-1. Yeah, I thought I know what's coming here. Added time, five-minute goal, and it's gonna be set piece, Declan Rice's head or something like that.

SPEAKER_00 16:56

Who do you think is gonna win the league? Arsenal. Do you? And do you think Arsenal will win this weekend? Yeah. Do you? What score?

SPEAKER_01 17:02

Uh 3-0.

SPEAKER_00 17:04

Absolutely. Can tell by your face, you just rewind him. Do you know what? Arsenal are gonna win 3-0. Where's that coming from?

SPEAKER_01 17:10

Because I mean, look, Arteta has got to pull out in a pep, hasn't he? He's gotta he's gotta sit there and he's gonna scream and shout, and you, you know, we can't do this again. We can't throw this away. He said it for the last four years. But yeah, but this is finished second for four years on the bounds. But we said if he doesn't win the league this year, I think he'll either jack it. I think he'll he'll jack it in or he'll get binned. Arteta. Because you can't, you know, it's it doesn't make him a bad manager for finishing second, but throwing it away like this and going all Spursy, he can't do it again. I don't think his head'll be able to take it either. You know, and it's his mentor that's done it again.

SPEAKER_00 17:51

The thing is with Pep, Pep, when Pep Pep never uh Pep Pepe Pep pep pep pep pep pep pep pep doesn't play defensively to get a draw out of a game because he just needs a point. I mean, it's backfired in Europe this year when he's not done that. We oh the only the only thing we needed to do against Real Madrid was stay in the tie after the first leg, but they had a few injuries and he just went for it. Um if we'd have won, he would have been a genius, but he never he never plays for a point. Whereas since Arsenal have started to do that a little bit, it's all fall it's all falling to bits. They were playing amazing football at the beginning, first half of the season. It's not been the same this this second half of the season, and they're they're not gonna come to City. If they come to City and try and have a game of football and and and attack and try and win, I think City will better them.

SPEAKER_01 18:40

All right.

SPEAKER_00 18:40

We'll beat them.

SPEAKER_01 18:41

Okay. Let's go to the other side of Manchester. I know it's a forgotten team uh that we've not heard of for a few weeks. Let's go to Manchester United. I was Monday night. Not horrendous. Because I'm in a I'm in a group with a load of Leeds fans.

SPEAKER_00 18:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:55

And I remember watching, was it was it FA Cup or League Cup, whatever it was? I've I've I've taken it off me uh off my mind. Uh when Beckford scored. Right. And I got I got the mug, I got the mouse mat, I got me. It was just like I mean, so I'm in a group with these leads fans. I I thought we'd steamroll January three weeks off. I thought we'd steamroll Leeds, maybe 6-0. We come back all fresh and everything. Leeds had that hard game, uh, the battling for the lives, so to speak, and I thought leads were unbelievably good, and I thought Man United were absolutely shite.

SPEAKER_00 19:32

See, this it's not done Carrick any favours for getting the getting the gig full time because Leeds, like you've just said, Leeds for had something to fight for, but you have as well. Champions League football, you know, you need you the the lack of fight from from United was was appalling, really bad. And I mean, you know, you had to resort resort to hair pulling, right?

SPEAKER_01 19:57

Right. So we we've got we're gonna start with this. We've got what maybe 20 minutes in, and we haven't got to this bit yet. And I'm glad we recorded this today, it's being Wednesday. If we record it yesterday, I I was in that category of games gone, mate. I am so sorry, right? But Martinez facing a three-match ban. Yeah, we've got to appeal it. But a three-match ban for violent conduct. So you just you just see that in 10 years' time. Oh, we got a three-match ban for violent conduct. What did he do? Oh, he pulled the ponytail of Dominic Calvert Lewin, but it wasn't just that he pulled the ponytail. What makes it worse is he pulled the bobble out. Right, and you know, we've seen, you know, two feet off the floor and it's a yellow card. We've seen all that. It's and it's not going to get overturned because it's happened to Kukarea, hasn't it?

SPEAKER_00 20:46

It's a rule that they that that that they inform everyone and informed everyone ages ago that you can't pull someone's hair. It doesn't matter if you're four foot against a seven-foot giant. You can't use it as a gym rope to pull yourself up and get win an edder.

SPEAKER_01 21:00

Well, Gary Neville was on the commentary, you know, giving his unbiased commentary. And he he he was he was saying, you pull the shirt, you know, pull the shirt, you might get a yellow, you know.

SPEAKER_00 21:08

He didn't have to pull his hair though, did he?

SPEAKER_01 21:10

But how is that violent conduct? For me, right? It's a three-match ban for pulling somebody's hair, by the way. It does hurt when you pull someone's hair, yeah. But we've got short hair. So do you not think now that everybody's gonna start growing their hair? It's gonna have Andy Carroll's everywhere. Cookarea, he's at it all the time. You know, it was but but um who got a three-match ban? Was it your man at Southampton? Um what's his name? Jack Stevens or what he's called. Didn't he get a three match ban for pulling Kukarea's hair? The thing is, it is it's it's a it's a rule. A lot of shit rules. It's a bollocks rule, Nigel. Yeah. There's no way that you get a three match ban for pulling somebody's hair. And also, Dominic Calvert Lewin would look much better with a with a little trim.

SPEAKER_00 21:58

The other thing I'd say about this. If you look at his eye line, he doesn't eyeline. He doesn't look for hair to pull. His head is over his shoulder, looking for the ball. So when he jumps, it's not like he's looked to look where the hair is, grab hold of it, and pull himself up in his defence. If he was looking at it and he pulled his hair to pull himself up, then it's a bit more like intentional, is what I'm getting at.

SPEAKER_01 22:26

I will say as well, I'm not looking for excuses.

SPEAKER_00 22:29

It's funny though.

SPEAKER_01 22:30

Right, I'm not looking for excuses because Man United were horrible. And if I had to pick a man in the match, I couldn't. I couldn't give anybody more than a 4.5 out of 10. Um Martinez saved us from being 3-0 down before getting himself sent off for serious violent conduct. Yeah. It's just outrageous. But one of their goals shouldn't have stood anyway, because in the build-up to it, there was elbows and faces and all that. But I'm not, I I thought we we played better with 10 men, as we always do, and we started going for it. And I just everybody looked, what's the word, rusty, tired. How can you be tired after that much time off? Right. Well, many people have talked about this, right? So we've got this world-class training facility, right? That yo come would you like to come and have a look at our world class training facility? There's been no bugger there for three weeks. They've been in Dublin, right? They've been in Dublin. But loads of people also said there are teams that are out of the Champions League or out of Europe. Why not have a couple of friendlies with your mid-table Spanish teams or Italian teams or something? One of those, you mech a few quid from you know the stadium. Do any, you know, do one here and do one in uh Italy or Spain or somewhere, and you've got three weeks to do that. You mech a few quid, you see the lads, and the lads are sharper. I thought they would come out and just absolutely steamroll leads, but they came out, they were slow. It was like a pre-match, a pre-season friendly. And you can always tell with Casemiro and Luke Shaw when they come back because they always take four or five games.

SPEAKER_00 23:56

Without Casemiro, to be fair, since Karrick's taken over, you'd be doomed. He's he's been your star man, he's been Karrick's star man. Um I just I just think I mean Sheshko is a super sub. That's his job.

SPEAKER_01 24:09

He shouldn't be starting. Well, that that was it. It's it's but how do you say that to someone, you know, when it's going out, you know, and Benjamin Sheshko is chasing. And you're like, but he's great coming on at 70 minutes and scoring the scoring the goal. That's that's what that's what he does. And and and if that's your job, then that's your job. And if you're not happy with it, mate, you're still getting the same amount of money, you've got to go somewhere else because that's his job. And and playing players out of position again. It was had a bit of the amarims about it that game. You know what I mean? Just as and and and also we've not got a lot to play for, right? As long as we don't royally mess this up, right? We'll get Champions League next season, right? Right? So so we'll we'll get that as long as we don't mess up against Chelsea and and whatever. It's it's gonna be more difficult to cock this up from here, right?

SPEAKER_00 24:53

Listen, Joel, there's some shoes that put put them put them shoes on. There, you're now um, you are now your gaffer. Is he getting the job or not full-time Carrick? What's happening? You I know Mr. Jim Ratcliffe.

SPEAKER_01 25:06

Are you giving him the job? I've said from day one. Well, if I'm Jim Radcliffe, yes, I guess I am, because he's cheap. Um I've said from day one, he won't, you know, he won't get the job full-time. It didn't, it wouldn't matter if we'd have come second in the Premier League now. It would it wouldn't make any difference, and he'd won every game. He wouldn't get the job. He's not gonna get the job. They want an experienced person for the Champions League. And looking at history, and we've talked about this every week.

SPEAKER_00 25:29

Moise.

SPEAKER_01 25:31

But this is it, but you you you put somebody in, it's an Oli. It's a no no managing of Champions League experience, yes. Play of the Champions League, and he was such a great player, but they uh they are wanting somebody of that Carlo Angelti uh uh the Carlo Angelotti level. Carlo Antonotti. They look they're looking at somebody uh uh of of that level. We ain't gonna get him, but you know, there's there's there's there's a few out there, and I just he doesn't do himself a lot of favour, Carrick, because he looked a little clueless on on the touchline and he had the the guys coming down and whispering something to him. He didn't make the changes when he should have made the changes, and it's all great, you know, and it was the best thing in the world, like you know, three, four weeks ago or whatever it was. But I I've I've always said he ain't getting the gig. He's not he's not getting the gig.

SPEAKER_00 26:18

Why did he not start Big Bry?

SPEAKER_01 26:20

Because obviously, obviously Sheshko has been has been knocking the goals in, and and that's what happens, isn't it? Uh you know, so you know, he'd and people, you know, Rio's podcast and all these ex-footballers' podcasts, and they're going, he deserves a start, he he deserves a start, he deserves a start. Well, you give him a start, and he you know, he nearly scored one, but them 20-minute blasts off the bench are so much better. And Big Briar looked sharp when he came on. We saw about the old Cunya as well, didn't we? No, no, no, no, I mean, no, I mean the when he was at Wolves and he had that attitude, yeah, he had some um, he was always already on a yellow and he had some uh fine words to say to the referee, which yeah, if you're very good at lip reading through them veneers, you know, he was um yeah, he um so I don't know, it's not as rosy as it was.

SPEAKER_00 27:08

It's not. I mean, it's it's really, really not. What do you do do you think it's a guaranteed Champions League footballer?

SPEAKER_01 27:14

Yeah, I as long as we don't, you know, I don't think we don't mess it up. Uh I just look, Chelsea. And Enzo Fernandez is bad because he got too much bam for saying naughty things or something. Uh he was uh flirting with Madrid. Yeah, and then uh Kukarea, Michael Carea came out again saying that he was playing Spain or whatever.

SPEAKER_00 27:31

So listen, let's go, let's move on to this weekend's game. Let's do you first. So it is, of course, on Saturday, the late game, 8 pm as well. Um we don't like night games. You've got Chelsea away at Stamford Bridge. Uh exact the exact same game that we had last week. We we won 3-0 away at Chelsea. What do you think?

SPEAKER_01 27:53

I do know what I couldn't call it because Chelsea haven't gotten really out to play for, have they really? And we've got an out to play for. Both Champions League football. Yeah, but but you know what it's uh I'd go one-one. You know, I think it's the first time I've said, we're not gonna lose. No, I'd I'd I'd I'd go one-one and I think it'll be a drab, drab game. Which is me hoping now that it's gonna be like 5-4 or something like that, or 4-5 or something. I I'd I'd go I'd go 1-1 and um I'd I just I think well, uh a draws, it draws a good result now.

SPEAKER_00 28:21

The reason why, yeah, it draws a good result. You just can't lose that game because you're on 55 points, they're on 48 points. So you'd say if you get a draw or a win, I reckon that's Champions League football absolutely guaranteed.

SPEAKER_01 28:35

I think if we got a draw against Leeds, I think that would have I I expect I expected us to to beat Leeds and then just just just just kick on from there, and you know, everyone's on the beach, and um next season here we come.

SPEAKER_00 28:46

I think it will be 2-1 to Chelsea, if I'm honest. I do. I think they've got the you've got to beat Man United at home if you're Chelsea, especially after last week's performance. So let's see what happens with that. Right, listen, moving on to the big game, super Sunday.

SPEAKER_01 29:02

Nigge, you are such a dick.

SPEAKER_00 29:04

Super Sunday.

SPEAKER_01 29:05

You are such a dick. So you're on tellings at eight o'clock.

SPEAKER_00 29:10

Right, here we go.

SPEAKER_01 29:11

The big game on Sunday.

SPEAKER_00 29:13

Here we go, here we go. So, obviously, all eyes on the Etiad on Sunday. City against Arsenal. Just to just to let you know exactly what's going on. City are on 64 points, but with a game in hand, obviously Arsenal on 70. If we What's the goal difference? The goal difference at the minute is City have got 35, Arsenal have got 38. But if we beat them, then that's a bit of a goal difference shuffle, and we've got that game in hand as well. That obviously we've got to win if we're gonna be in have a chance of winning the title. So, I mean, it's it's it's pretty well, it would be pretty much neck and neck. I think if you're pep, you if you're pep, I think this is the tactics. Arsenal, they're very aggressive at corners, aren't they? Very, very aggressive at corners. Yeah, um, a lot some of the things they get away with for just pulling people to the ground. Don't pull people's hair, right? Don't pull people's hair. Well, this is what I'm gonna say. I'd say Pep needs to get Haaland to wear his hair in bunches and have two inviting ponytails, one on either side, hoping that uh cheerleader.

SPEAKER_01 30:20

We've all had that dream.

SPEAKER_00 30:21

One of them from one of their one of the just just literally leave two dangling carrots there on either side for them to grab hold of at least one or the other and get sent off.

SPEAKER_01 30:31

Just have himself leaning back. So who's who's the Arsenal player that's stupid? Who's an Arsenal player that's stupid that'll fall for it?

SPEAKER_00 30:37

Well, I mean, the the the Arsenal, I don't know who's who's injured at the minute for Arsenal or I'm on about defensive wise. So you've got let's have a look at the team that started against Bournemouth. So their centre backs were uh Saliba and yeah, Gabriel. So what you do is you invite them both, you jump up for a corner, Saliba gets one ponytail, Gabriel gets the other, they both yank you, and then you get two cents off. That would be that that's the dream in the first five minutes. You've you've Googled this in pornho, haven't you?

SPEAKER_01 31:14

You've been sitting in bed at night and you've been going through that estimate your age scan, which my mate told me about, by the way. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. Um, so you've got have you got two games this week? Uh yeah, so City above. So once you got beat by Arsenal 3-0.

SPEAKER_00 31:28

Yeah, City, City play again on uh no, it's Champions League, isn't it? It's Champions League. So our next game after this is against is is is Wembley, and then we play the Tuesday after Wembley.

SPEAKER_01 31:40

Oh, all these games. All these games, nice. So anyway. What's your score prediction?

SPEAKER_00 31:45

I I just think if you sit here and you've been given this opportunity, you can't waste it. You're at home, the crowd are gonna go nuts. If we get an early goal, it could be 3-1, something like that, because they've got to go for it then, and that's when it will just become a very open game. Could be like a 4-2 or a 3-1 City. However, it's just gonna be really hard to break them down. I I think it could be a 2-1, it's gonna be quite tight, I reckon, just because of how I don't know. An early goal, it could be 3-1. Without an early goal, it could be like a 1-0 or a 2-1 city. I don't think we'll lose.

SPEAKER_01 32:22

I am listening to you. I'm just making the artwork for this podcast. So I've got Haaland dressed the cheerleader with Gabriel and Saliva pulling his hair on either sides. Tell you what, you make a good burning one.

SPEAKER_00 32:33

Exactly, exactly. No, honestly, what you've said 3-0. You genuinely think Arsenal will win 3-0. Yeah. Right, okay.

SPEAKER_01 32:40

They've got a big one coming. Yeah. I'm going Yokarez Hatrick.

SPEAKER_00 32:43

Well, this is it. If you're Arsenal, win this game. You've won the league. It's as simple as that.

SPEAKER_01 32:46

That's your Yeah, but you won't you won't come in next week. You won't come in next week and go, you know, um, you get beat 3-0, Yokarez hat trick. You ain't gonna come in and go, oh, it's all over now. No, but mathematically, it's still not.

SPEAKER_00 32:59

Yeah, no, it's not because I do think there's gonna be a couple more twists. I just don't know. City have got I don't I always said I don't think City will win every game between now and the end of the season. Uh, as long as it's not the Arsenal game, we're still in with a slight chance. But because of that game in hand, I don't think they'll beat West Ham away, Arsenal. I think they'll lose that game. Like you've just you've just played against Leeds, a completely different game. I didn't play against them, we just turned up. Well, this is what I'm saying. When you're battling for Premier League survival, it's a different, different time to play. If you'd have played Leeds at home first couple of weeks of the season, you'd have batted them. Well, probably not under handle.

SPEAKER_01 33:34

Yeah, yeah. Um, we're not sponsored by anybody, but you have got some freebies. Exactly. So look, look. Right, you can have these. Um, so my mate Beck works for Pringles. Right, cheers, Beck. Right, so she she sent you some um Burger King Pringles, Chicken Royale, and Burger King bacon double cheeseburger XL flavour.

SPEAKER_00 33:52

Right. I love I love the bacon double cheeseburger XL flavour. Or do you get one of each?

SPEAKER_01 33:56

I've got shitloads here.

SPEAKER_00 33:57

Right, okay.

SPEAKER_01 33:58

I'm thinking about taking them down the market later on. I love it. Come on! 14 of each, please. I don't even know if they're out yet, by the way. So you could be dead cool if you're walking down Deansgate later on in Manchester, you know, it's just uh, you know.

SPEAKER_00 34:10

People used to go up and down Deansgate when it was before it was pedestrianised with the roof off the car, like absolute knobs just driving fast with the music blasting. Was that you?

SPEAKER_01 34:19

That was me and Tavas been warning by BMW's headphones.

SPEAKER_00 34:22

In your heyday, just before the radio won dream.

SPEAKER_01 34:24

All right, Dick Dead.

SPEAKER_00 34:25

Thanks for listening.

SPEAKER_01 34:26

Have a brilliant week. Come on, United!

SPEAKER_00 34:29

Come on, City! Webble again, a little bit