What Does A Wide Open Premier League Demand

We Are Back For Premier League

SPEAKER_03 0:13

Oh my god, it's missing the point, and we are so back. And by back, I mean returned. And by we, I mean football fans, soccer fans, to be specific for the American audience. I'm here with Leah Clark, my wife, and podcasting partner when it comes to all things football. Hi, Leah.

SPEAKER_01 0:33

Hi, Dave.

SPEAKER_03 0:34

We are so back. After Arsenal finally got over the line last year and won the league, and we had to suffer as Liverpool fans through RNA slot ball. Very grateful that he won us the league in his first year in charge with Club's team. But he had to go. I couldn't keep watching that. The illusion of control, I would call it. It wasn't good enough. It was detergent, tragic football to watch more closely indoor. And I didn't like it. And I'm glad we don't have to do it anymore. So we're gonna talk briefly about the rest of the league, but as we are both Liverpool supporters, Leah. Hardcore. We're gonna spend most of the show talking about Liverpool.

SPEAKER_01 1:19

So we woke up at 4 30 a.m. to watch slot ball.

SPEAKER_03 1:27

Yeah, every time. And that's saying something, honestly. That was that was an impressive feat. Leah, a couple of quick questions about the overall league. And then we'll get more specifically into Liverpool, and then we'll visit some interesting um islands across the rest of the English

Who Wins The League This Year

SPEAKER_03 1:44

Premier League. I'm gonna ask you to just make a few predictions to start so we can get them on paper. Who wins the league this year?

SPEAKER_01 1:52

Oh dear. I mean, I want to say Liverpool every time. I think we're an unknown. Um I think the odds on favorite are probably Arsenal.

SPEAKER_03 2:04

Yeah, they probably are the favorite to win again, but I don't really want to see that. No, they're not fun. I wonder if they're gonna start actually like um doing a better job of policing how they manage the goalkeeper interference, because it seemed like that was the case in the in the World Cup, but it doesn't always necessarily translate over.

SPEAKER_01 2:26

It doesn't, but sometimes if it's being set in international competition, that standard, then it starts to filter down through the individual leagues as well.

SPEAKER_03 2:36

Okay. Let's see. I'd I'm probably gonna say, I mean, Manchester City looked pretty bad in their preseason game this today, but I kind of find it hard to bet against them. I'm gonna go with City.

Was Sacking Slot The Right Call

SPEAKER_03 2:50

Um let's go into the Liverpool deep dive. What the fuck happened last year? We went from champions in 05, or 25-26, excuse me. Um, or 24-25 champions, 25-26, slot ball, fifth. Summer 2026 new manager. Now, this is the whole conversation. Slot won the league in his first season. He was gone one season later. Liverpool finished fifth despite the enormous investment in the squad. Iriola now inherits a talented group, I would say, that never really kind of coalesced into the machine that we wanted to see. Here's my opening question for you. Was firing slot harsh? Or does a club with Liverpool's ambition simply have to react when that much investment produces fifth place?

SPEAKER_01 3:35

I don't think it was harsh. I think that him winning the league his first season in charge was largely due to the team that Klopp built and the carryover. I think that he lost the locker room in his second season to lose the faith and dedication of such talented players. We have seen the veterans succeed, we have seen the new signings, potential, and he could not impose himself on the team and on the dressing room. And once you lose that, you either have to scrap the project and start over with the players or the manager. And I think the manager was the correct answer.

SPEAKER_03 4:27

Just to play devil's advocate, we did have Zotta dying in the summer before last season. A lot of changeover in personnel, as you mentioned. And I have to agree, like it did sort of seem like the dressing room game gave up, but there was a pretty massive drop-off from some of the personnel as well. I I mean, namely, Salah didn't exactly cover himself in glory. Was that tactical? Was that that the players lost faith in the manager, or did he actually genuinely go down a level alongside the likes of McAllister and Frimpong, and um I'd say Virgil had a kind of a worse season than his standard would kind of normally hold. Um Cody Gakpo fell off a cliff completely. ESAC never really got going compared to the heights at Newcastle. I'd say responsibly you can lay m lay a lot of this at the manager's feet, but he was dealt some tough hands, and I wonder how much patience we're gonna have for Iriola because of what we just experienced last year. There's gonna be some growing pains. We're gonna have to let this guy sort of build the team up, and we know we're short in certain areas right now.

SPEAKER_01 5:36

Yes, but we were short in certain areas when Klopp started as well. Yeah. What you want to see is the team and the club moving in the right direction. You can forgive setbacks, you can overlook periods of poor performance, and we've had a lot of injury setbacks on this team. Um we're starting the season with a number of notable ones. Um, but you need to see a vision from the manager. You need to see that the players can will support it, will work together. And yes, I do think Salah dropped off. I think that um McAllister's legs went.

SPEAKER_03 6:19

But he looked alright in the World Cup.

SPEAKER_01 6:21

He did. So was he just not willing to do that?

SPEAKER_03 6:26

Was it a system problem, I wonder? Like was he asked to was he being asked to cover a lot of ground that he shouldn't have been being asked to cover, like at his age. Um what w was Slot getting the best out of that midfield? I don't I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 6:38

I don't think so. Um he certainly wasn't getting the best out of Cody Gakpo, who I don't know if I can sit through another season watching him start. He's a very frustrating player. Love him when he comes on. He's obviously skilled, but starting him's not the answer.

SPEAKER_03 7:02

Yeah, I think starting him um in fucking Tottenham would be the answer, to be honest with you. I'm completely fine with him not playing for Liverpool anymore. He annoys the shit out of me. I was alright with keeping him before we watched that preseason game today, and he did a couple of those dinks to the back post that the keepers just catch really easily, and it never works, and I don't know why he's addicted to that terrible like loop and cross, but he is.

SPEAKER_01 7:23

It would be so strange seeing Rabbo and Gakpo on the left side for Tottenham.

SPEAKER_03 7:28

That's fine. We just don't have to watch Tottenham games, except for when they play Liverpool. Um, alright, that's fair. I I largely agree with you, honestly. It's like it's difficult to say who was who's what was whose fault, but now we have a new manager, and it sounds like he's at the very least gonna play exciting football. The

Iraola Style Pressing And Growing Pains

SPEAKER_03 7:45

the lows of the Iriola era will uh will likely consist more of defensive frailties, perhaps more due to personnel. Um, you know, we're we're gonna be playing high octane football again, and that's what we all sort of fell in love with in the Klopp era, so at least they'll be pressing. It was very frustrating

New Center Backs Around Van Dijk

SPEAKER_03 8:02

to watch them not press at all last year.

SPEAKER_01 8:04

Speaking of the defense, though, new pairing at the back for Virgil.

SPEAKER_03 8:08

Man, that Jeremy Jacquet. Jackets, that's we're gonna call him from now on. Jackets, he was uh Jaquet, is that how you say it? I think that's right. Jackets, it is. So Jackets and Van Dyke. Yeah, looks like a pretty decent center half partnership. I mean, he's young, and I don't want to go completely bananas based on that performance, but he looked quite calm. He looked like he knew what he was doing, he looked like every bit the business athletically. He looked big and strong.

SPEAKER_01 8:36

Big and strong.

SPEAKER_03 8:37

Um he did a lot of things that I really liked. He he I think his passing range looked pretty good, and he scored a fucking goal. He popped up with a little poachers goal at the end. I know, really smart. Great, great little ball into him as well. I thought it was ESEC at first with the with the way that he made the run to the back post. Real strikers run. Uh real goal poacher uh we have on our hands at center center half. But um, yeah, I'm excited about that. That's actually really good news that that we have someone to play alongside Verge because it looked like we were really, really light defensively. I think that uh Arujo guy as well looked pretty good, to be honest with you. Like I I don't think he had um I don't think he was in in any way deficient. I know we were playing Como. I I do get that. Uh it's you know, you there there seemed to be some celebration in from Barcelona in their ranks when he left. They were like, ah, thank God, we don't have to watch that guy anymore. Now, that's not immediately to say he's not gonna be good for us. Maybe a fresh start, a new manager is exactly what he needs. It's difficult to succeed in Barcelona.

SPEAKER_01 9:35

New country.

SPEAKER_03 9:35

Yeah, new country. His standards are quite high where he came from, especially for passing, and apparently there was a lot of kind of bone-headed passes. That was the sort of um general consensus of of criticism from from the Barcelona faithful. They thought he was kind of stupid. Um that being said, if he can just play inside the system and and he's really, like we kind of saw today, only serving as a backup at center half while we get Leone.

SPEAKER_01 9:57

Um and I believe a backup at right back.

SPEAKER_03 10:00

Yeah, he's a little more versatile. He can play at right back as well, I'm told. So that will have that remains to be seen, but we'll we'll take a look, right? Um Alright, I mean, yeah, fine. The defense is improved. You know, I I think that I think that that Jacques guy, I think I'm happy with him instead of Kanate. I think Kanate was really pissing me off, uh, especially last season, but he always had a bit of a rick in him, to be honest, and I I think it was time to move on from him. You know, good luck to him.

SPEAKER_01 10:25

In fairness, he didn't have a personal tragedy last season.

SPEAKER_03 10:29

That's true. That's true, but he was still annoying me. So um left back, right back, I think people kind of think we're deficient in. I'm fine with Zimikas and Kirkz, and I've said this to you a few times, I'm fine with Zimikas and Kirkes being the uh being the two left backs.

SPEAKER_01 10:43

I like Kirkz. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 10:44

I he was the only one last year that seemed to give a shit. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 10:47

I wasn't a fan of him when he first started playing for us. Um I thought he was the most improved player throughout the season last year. I agree. I appreciate his willingness to run. There were a few times I thought he wasn't making the smartest decisions, but I think that improved as well. So I'm totally fine

Fullbacks And The Bradley Injury Debate

SPEAKER_01 11:08

with our left back situation.

SPEAKER_03 11:10

Right back. Very unfortunate about uh Connor Bradley. Um I know I told you this, but we haven't talked about it on the pod. Apparently Martinelli picking him up after he got his injury and moving him made the injury a lot worse. So I think somebody is gonna have to two-foot Martinelli at some point out there in the world because that's really fucking annoying to hear. Uh, you remember when he when he was hurt and Martinelli picked him up and dragged him off the field, it messed up his knee even worse, according to doctors.

SPEAKER_01 11:39

Now, here's the thing there were no repercussions for that.

SPEAKER_03 11:42

I know.

SPEAKER_01 11:43

Because the current rules in the league deem that as happening outside of play because the game was stopped. That needs to be a red card offense. He sustains serious injury after the injury itself because of that. Now, that was luckily his knee. And I hate to say just a knee, but just a knee. Like, if someone has a neck injury or a back injury, that's a good point.

SPEAKER_03 12:15

They tell you not to be a good one. And that's done, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:17

You could cause them to be paralyzed.

SPEAKER_03 12:20

Yeah, he could have paralyzed Connor Bradley, I agree. What a piece of shit Martin Elliott is. Somebody should two-foot him. Um, no, I mean, yeah, it's I think it's it is true, and uh, and like it did it's I'm sure he was aware it was a knee injury and not a spinal injury, and that I'm not saying he would would have done the same thing if it was a spinal injury, but you really shouldn't be able to move guys who are hurt. And it's another reason to try and get being fake hurt out of the game. You know, it's it's another reason to stamp that shit out because then guys who are really hurt don't really get treated properly, right? And they get moved around by Hugo Martinelli, and it's very annoying.

SPEAKER_01 12:52

Um But yeah, right back.

SPEAKER_03 12:54

Yeah, I would I would, I don't think we're going to, but I would like to buy a right back, to be honest with you, somebody who could do a job because I don't know if Frim Punk can stay healthy for the whole season. And I don't I have never seen the Zuruho guy play right back. He looked he looked built like a center half to me.

SPEAKER_01 13:06

He did look built like a center half.

SPEAKER_03 13:09

He didn't look built like a right back to me. At least when Gomez plays there, he's kind of tall and skinny.

SPEAKER_01 13:13

But he's hurt again too.

SPEAKER_03 13:14

And he's hurt again too. I mean, you just straight up can't rely on him. That's just that's just I really like him as a player.

SPEAKER_01 13:19

I wish we could.

SPEAKER_03 13:20

I love Joe Gomez. I I think I think there's a real what could what could have been with Joe Gomez. You know, like I'd say the absolute best of Virgil's partners at their peak are him and Joel Matt Tip. And I think that the highest ties, even though they were short-lived, were between Gomez and Van Dyke because we had such fast inner halves when both of them were playing at their peak, you know. Like Gomez was when he was He was young. When he was young and when he was healthy, he was so fast.

SPEAKER_01 13:45

I know.

SPEAKER_03 13:45

And it's just that's why he could also play right back as the thing. So then I I'm a little skeptical uh skeptical of this Aruho guy, and I just don't I don't want to spend the whole season watching Dominic Sabasli or Curtis Jones or someone fill in over there. That was painful. That was a that was a real uh painful addition to the already painful slot season last year.

SPEAKER_01 14:03

So it's just depressing to a baseball out of the mid.

SPEAKER_03 14:06

Yeah, you gotta have a Sabasli in the midfield. He's your best midfielder.

SPEAKER_01 14:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 14:10

Right? And it's just depressing to watch him fucking run up and down at right back, you know. Like I know he can do a job there, but it's just it's I just don't like it.

SPEAKER_01 14:16

You lose so much when you have to put him back there.

SPEAKER_03 14:19

I agree.

The Case For A True Number Six

SPEAKER_03 14:20

Um that being said, uh moving on to the midfield. I really, I would really like to buy Adam Warden from Crystal Palace. He he looks like a true number six, a real deep-line playmaker, a guy that can get the ball from defense to the attack. You know, he can spray passes out to the wing. We've been heavily linked with him. We've also been heavily linked with Curtis Jones going away. If we replace Curtis Jones with Adam Warden, that's a huge upgrade. We'd have to pay a little bit more, we'd have to pay a bit of a difference in their transfer fees, just a bit. But I think, uh to me, I think it's it's a no-brainer if that's what you're trying to do. If you're trying to fund the Wharton deal by selling Jones, you go get Adam Wharton, he's a good tackler, he's a right place, right time guy, he's smart. He's not the fastest, but uh he's a defensive midfielder. And when you watch his sizzle reel on YouTube, he's got a bit of the old go-go gadget legs like Fabinho had. There's a lot of like, wow, how did he stick that leg out that quite that far? That's actually kind of crazy. Yeah, it's just being a good fucking defensive midfielder, isn't it? You know, like that's just what it is. Be in the right place at the right time. I I think Gravenberg is a good like deep line box-to-box guy, but him and Zebusla are runners. You know, they're they're they're up and down guys, you know, and I like Gravenberg as a player, trust me, I do. I I just don't think he's like a true like deep line playmaking number six. It's not his game. I think he's a good tackler, I think he gets himself about, I think he's smart, I think he's a good passer, but he's again he's kind of a two-lane box-to-box guy, and you can sort of tell that that's what Ariola sees in him as well. You know, he doesn't see him as a true six, I don't think. So we'll have to see. You can't really play McAllister in that position. I really think it'd be helpful if we could get a like a uh a jobber there at least, or if we really want to spend on some class, I think Warden is class. So any thoughts?

SPEAKER_01 16:05

Uh I think that swap would make a lot of sense. Kudo out, warden in.

SPEAKER_03 16:11

Um it's gonna be tough for you because you have tough with T's and D's. So you did just turn Wharton into Warden, and we're not in a prison, Leah. Okay?

SPEAKER_01 16:21

Trouble with R's and T's.

SPEAKER_03 16:22

Yeah, trouble with R's and T's. And Doli Ariola. Uh you know, it's a tough one. Um the optimistic case for the the entirety of the team as we move in to talk about the

Replacing Salah And Fixing The Wings

SPEAKER_03 16:35

rest of the midfield and the attack, is that we're gonna be playing really good attacking football. That being said, it looks like Barkala's close. He's class, he's a really good left winger. I really think he will add a shitload to our attack. We've tried Rio out on the right today. I don't think that was an accident. I think that was obviously like let's see if you're saying it the whole match. Yeah, let's see if he can do a job on the right because we want to get him more game time and we want Bradley Barcala to come in and play left wing, you know, to really truly be the Luis Diaz replacement that we didn't have last season.

SPEAKER_01 17:07

There was a real lack of dynamism on the left wing last season.

SPEAKER_03 17:11

Yeah, because it was Cody fucking Gakpo.

SPEAKER_01 17:14

Well, and coming off of Luis Diaz, and before that, Sadio Mane, like really dynamic players, guys with who you want to have the ball at their feet. You never know what they're gonna do. They can create. And Cody Gakpo is the antithesis of that.

SPEAKER_02 17:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:35

So I think, yeah, I'm excited about the prospect of Barkala. I would love to see that happen.

SPEAKER_03 17:42

Mohammed Salah out Um End of an era, obviously. It's sort of strange to think about. I remember where we were standing when I told you that we were pretty close to signing him, and I showed you a little video of his goals and skills and highlights from his days in uh Roma before we bought him. And I was like, he's absolutely sick, you're gonna love him. And he really hit the ground running, you know, he scored in his debut. Um he moved Sadio Mane out of position, which which we were both sort of annoyed about, but then it turned out Sadio Mane was like absolutely electric on the left wing.

SPEAKER_01 18:21

He could play anywhere.

SPEAKER_03 18:22

So it didn't really make a difference, right? Um the start of the best attack I've ever seen Liverpool have by far, not even close.

SPEAKER_01 18:31

And the most fun.

SPEAKER_03 18:32

So fun to watch. Those two absolutely electric. It really is the end of an era. There's only really two guys left from that era that played all the time in Virginia Alice and Gomez as well, and like a couple of there's a smattering, but but they're not the temp poles.

SPEAKER_00 18:45

These guys were the tempoles of that team.

SPEAKER_03 18:47

No, and you know, Robertson, Robertson Levin and Salah Leave in, it's it's it's the last of that great club team, you know. I mean, it was almost 10 years ago, it was 18-19, you know what I mean? Like we're coming up.

SPEAKER_02 18:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 18:58

We're coming up on the 10-year anniversary of that. Like, life's passing a little bit too fast. It's making me kind of sad. But off goes Mo Salah, Bradley Barcla, not a direct like-for-like replacement, but if you can start basically have a right wing rotation of Rio, see if Cody can do a job there. Victor Munoz seems pretty direct and decent, but these are all really young guys, so I but I don't mind trying stuff out on one of the wings. Yeah. As long as you're not stuck to one guy all the time that's not working like we did last year by not playing Rio ever, right? And not and really not giving him a proper chance to show us what he can do.

SPEAKER_01 19:34

But a rotation of young guys is ideal. You play them when they're hot, and if they start to have some trouble, you can rotate them out. Yeah. They're all developing, they're all getting meaningful minutes. It's an ideal situation on one side.

SPEAKER_03 19:51

Yeah. But then Brad Bradley Barclay comes in and you just give him the left wing.

SPEAKER_01 19:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 19:55

And he basically becomes the ideal third point of the trident with what I'm going to come on to talk to now and talk about now, which is the Isaac Verts

Making Wirtz And Isak Click

SPEAKER_03 20:06

question. Now, neither of these players for different reasons really got fully into their stride last year. I don't think Verts was utilized properly. I think that putting him off the left, moving him around the midfield, making him come deeper to get the ball, uh, in a much rotated and not very well stacked attack is a situation that's not going to get the best out of him. That being said, I still saw flashes of really, really high-level talent last year in Florian Verts. I already see flashes of a connection between him and and Alexander Isak, which another thing where it's like he didn't get a preseason, he came in super unfit, got hit with an injury, never really looked sharp, never really got it going. Ekatique started the season well, but he's a young player, so he sort of faded off as the as the season went on, and he's injured now. I'd really like to see Verts and Isak hit the ground running, and I think a proper a proper pair of wingers is the way to do that, to be honest. Um What have you made so far in the preseason of that connection, and what do you think the getting the best out of Verts and Isak actually looks like in the Ariola era?

SPEAKER_01 21:11

I think I saw flashes of the best today. I really loved um there seems to be an understanding developing between Isak and Verts where Verts can lay off a really well-weighted ball to him in the box. And Isak didn't cash it today. I think it's a matter of time before we see that as a reliable connection. Um I think Verts playing a little bit higher up suits him really well. Uh he's really creative. I love his passing, I love his movement. So I'm really positive about that moving forward.

SPEAKER_03 21:54

Okay. I guess I'm positive too. It's easy to be positive in the offseason when nothing's Actually happened yet, but I'm gonna choose to do it. I'm gonna choose to do it. I think we're the best team in the world, according to me, right now, when nothing's actually happened. I think Pep leaving man well, let's keep talking about Liverpool before we start to move around the rest of the league. I'll stay organized here. Sorry for jumping around. I think when you look at the squad as a whole, we still really do need some additions. Barclaw comes to mind. There's another winger whose name I forget on the right, he's like 18 or 19, and Baye or something, I think his name is, that we're looking into buying. That would be cool to as a rotation option and the attack, and then I think we might be all set there. There's PSG as well. Yeah, yeah. He's on the right wing over there. And I think that um I think that the the I have a worry a bit about striker. Uh I hope I hope that Isak can stay healthy until like a TK gets back and firing again because But that's gonna be so long.

SPEAKER_01 22:49

I don't think we can count on Esac.

SPEAKER_03 22:52

I kinda wanted to bring Darwin Nunez back for that reason. Like I thought he could do a job, you know what I mean? But he went to Travz on sport with Salah, so they're back together. Um it's annoying, but sell three players. That's the game we're about to play.

Three Players Out Three Players In

SPEAKER_03 23:07

You pick three players to sell. I pick three players to sell. We'll see if they're the same, and then we'll do a three-player dream wish list, and we'll see if those are the same. So you go first. Pick three players to sell.

SPEAKER_01 23:21

I pick Cody Gakpo.

SPEAKER_03 23:27

Yeah, see ya. My on my list too.

SPEAKER_01 23:29

The first one. Number one with a bullet. Uh Curtis Jones.

SPEAKER_03 23:34

Sorry, Curtis, but you're a bit boring. You're on my list as well.

SPEAKER_01 23:41

Umardesh feeling.

SPEAKER_03 23:44

I was gonna say that too. Yeah, I think our list is the same. We actually really do. We didn't talk about that when we were going back to front, but we really do need to find cover for Allison that's better than it's gonna be. I mean, Uriola managed him at Brentford, and they seem to get along well. So I I don't know if we have a buyback clause or whatever, but I think he's the perfect guy to take over from Allison personally.

SPEAKER_01 24:02

He just wanted more game time. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 24:05

Yeah, which is understandable. And he's probably even better now that he's played, like, you know, he's got a full season of uh meaningful Premier League footballer under his belt. Yeah, come on, let's get him back. This March Vidi guy's no good. We can tell he's no good. He's not he's lacks confidence. He reminds me of Simon Mignele.

SPEAKER_01 24:20

His positioning's not good.

SPEAKER_03 24:21

It's not great. He makes he makes kind of spectacular looking saves, but if you look at Allison over the years, Allison hasn't made that many spectacular saves because he's always in the exact right place, so he doesn't need to go way out of his way to make a big save. He's always just there and doing it correctly, so it's not a big highlight reel for him because he makes it look easy. This guy's sort of the opposite. I think he's made some really good saves, but it's like maybe he made that look harder than it needed to. Also, he needs to catch the fucking ball, not punch it a lot more. It's really annoying. I hope maybe his spell on the on the bench under Allison. Hopefully Allison can stay healthy this year. Um will will improve him. Um, but I don't think he's the guy going forward. I think we need a better goalkeeper. Uh my sell list is the same. The buy-in three players, I'm I'm predicting our our buying three players is probably the same too. Adam Wharton as a six, Bradley Barkala, and then hopefully so I don't have a name, but some sort of right back.

SPEAKER_01 25:14

You know, I I really see I think I'd prioritize striker over right back.

SPEAKER_03 25:19

Yeah, I just don't know who's out there. I wonder if Victor Munoz can play in the middle. He's pretty young though, you know. We got a really young team again, which I can I can see what they're doing. I can see what they're doing there. And it's smart, but and a lot of these guys are gonna probably grow and and and have a lot of potential, but I just worry. Alright, that was an interesting experiment. Let's just talk before we go about our floor and

Liverpool Floor Ceiling And Best Case

SPEAKER_03 25:39

our ceiling. What's the absolute worst place you think we can finish under Iriola this this year? What's what's with this group of players as talented as they are, with the veterans that we have throughout the throughout the team, and we do, um, with the exciting young talent, say we do get Barkala, say he's in officially. Who would you say uh what what position would you say is our floor this season?

SPEAKER_01 26:02

I think our floor is sixth.

SPEAKER_03 26:05

That would be pretty tragic if we if we came in sixth. I I was gonna say fifth, but like we're about the same. I I would I don't want to finish below fifth.

SPEAKER_02 26:12

No.

SPEAKER_03 26:13

I hope that I hope that we finish in in Europe for sure. That would be pretty diabolical to not. I think you that gets you fired.

SPEAKER_01 26:20

If you don't finish in the Champions League for I mean, yes, last year was a nail biter.

SPEAKER_03 26:24

Yeah, was right, and even though we got in, he still got fired. So the standard has had slipped pretty pretty badly, you know, from from winning the league to that. It was an absolutely turgid, terrible title defense, you know. Like it and it that does add context to it. It was, yeah, that does add context to it. Um ceiling league. I mean, why not? Champions of Europe. Yeah, uh, you'll never sing that. Alright. I really like jackets. I think he looks to business. Uh I hope we get Barclay. Yeah, I'm really hoping in the next 24 to 48 hours that this podcast ages and uh we just have already signed Barclay because I'm kind of already decided that we have him. He didn't play in PSG's preseason game at all, neither did the right winger guy. So if we bring those guys in, I'm starting to really hot up and be happy about this transfer season.

SPEAKER_01 27:11

I like the trend of adding more French players.

SPEAKER_03 27:14

Yeah, get more Frenchies in.

SPEAKER_01 27:16

More French, less Dutch.

SPEAKER_03 27:18

Yeah, there was a lot of Dutch in there. Although Virgil van Dijk's been our best player for the last time.

SPEAKER_01 27:21

I know, but the type that like that type of player is great as a center back, not as your left winger.

SPEAKER_03 27:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 27:30

Not where you need creative.

SPEAKER_03 27:33

I mean, did you see that French attack in the World Cup? I sure did. They were absolutely electric, and every time somebody came off, another world-class guy came on. Yeah. I know they didn't win, but that was just because Spain, I think, played a really, really smart game against them, and they were they were defensively so, so sound.

SPEAKER_01 27:46

They were. And I think that That was a great game, though.

SPEAKER_03 27:48

It was a great game, and I think that that French attack was absolutely electric. I was honestly so surprised they didn't win the World Cup.

SPEAKER_01 27:53

It was they were so much fun to watch every time.

SPEAKER_03 27:57

Alright.

Promoted Clubs And Tricky Early Fixtures

SPEAKER_03 27:58

Um Welcome to the Premier League. We're gonna go around uh a little bit and talk about our new additions to the league. Um I do always like to look at who came up from relegation because I are from promotion from the championship after three teams get relegated, because there's times a year that's not good to play those guys when one of those times a year is early. You know, like you don't want to play them right away, they're all ripoar and ready to go, and they were just used to being the best teams in their league last year. So there's a lot of confidence left over, and they've often invested a good amount in their squads because they make money coming up to the Premier League. So you don't really want to get hit with one of those promotion teams early. You want to have the other teams kind of beat the shit out of them for the whole season and reduce their confidence and reduce their ability to think that they can actually play against the big boys, and then they come to Anfield and they shit their pants, right? That's what you want.

SPEAKER_01 28:46

So And you want to get them at home first.

SPEAKER_03 28:49

Yeah, of course. That's I mean, definitely. Um Welcoming to the Premier League, first off, Coventry City. This is a romantic story. They're back in the Premier League for the first time in 25 years, they won the championship under Frank Lampard. They it's pretty incredible considering where that club has been. Financial disasters, they had a stadium disasters, they went down to League One, they were playing home games away from their home ground, and now they're in the Premier League, and the reward is they're playing the title winners Arsenal in opening night uh at the Emirates. So perfect.

SPEAKER_01 29:19

Um But hey, maybe they can uh carry some of the buzz of promotion into that match. A bit of a wild card match for Arsenal.

SPEAKER_03 29:29

I don't know if I believe in Franklin Lampard as a manager, but that's because him and me have a bit of a history because I watched him as a player and I remember people trying to say Steven he was better than Stephen Jarrett when he just factually wasn't. So it's just I got a I'm a bit annoyed with him Chelsea through and through. Yeah. He wasn't able to do much with Chelsea, but that doesn't necessarily mean much because I've seen really good managers fail at Chelsea because the time limit is very low and the expectations are high because the investment is high, and it's a strangely it's been a s sort of strangely run club over the past few years when uh you know the Russia thing kicked off and Abramovich had to sell and there's been a carousel of managers there, so it doesn't necessarily mean you're a bad manager if you're not uh uh succeeding at Chelsea, right? But I don't know, Lampard, I I just something about him. I just don't I don't I don't see it. If I was going up or down for Coventry, if they stay, I'm gonna say they're probably gonna get relegated again.

SPEAKER_01 30:24

You I think that's probably true. I don't know there's much about them, but I love a romantic story.

SPEAKER_03 30:33

Yeah, I mean they've been through a lot, so as a as a club, I I hope that they succeed, but as a manager, I hate that guy. Ipswich Town are the boomerang. Uh they've been in the Premier League before, we've seen them, they got relegated, and they're back again right away. Uh that gives them something most promoted teams don't have, which is recent Premier League experience throughout their squad. They know what the jump feels like, they know which players survived it, they had a bit of parachute money, and presumably they're better equipped to avoid making the same mistake twice. They were opening up against Sunderland. Um Sunderland obviously promoted two seasons ago and uh they got qualification for the Europa League. So, you know, anything can happen with promotion uh teams, to be honest. And this to me is the team that I kind of see being able to scrape into that 13th ceiling, 16th floor sort of area. I actually think they do they do have enough Premier League experience and they've been through this already, that they don't want to have to go down and fight their scrap their way back up again. I think they're they're probably here to stay for one or two more seasons. What do you think about Ipswich? I I know the Coventry of the Champions, by the way, everyone that was listening. I know I understand that they weren't, you know, Ipswich weren't the best team in the championship, but that doesn't automatically mean that they're gonna they are or are not gonna be the best team in the Premier League translation-wise. You know, it's a very, very different league, and it's it's more about how you're equipped to play in this league than how good you were in the championship.

SPEAKER_01 31:52

And they understand Ipswich understand that. I think that they have enough Premier League experience to make a go of it, and by go of it, obviously, I mean just staying up and hanging out for deal dear life. Um Yeah, I mean it's there's potential there. Probably the most likely of the three to stay up.

SPEAKER_03 32:17

Yeah, I would say I would say it's it's Denver Coventry because you know, moving on over to Hull City. A team I do like the Tigers uh being in the league. Andy Robinson came from there. I do remember on a relegation year for them, I believe. Uh I remember them being in the league when I was a kid, and there's something romantic about having Hull in the Premier League, I think. Um that being said, I think they're by far the most likely candidate to go right back down. Um they're a bit of a chaos team, um, but they definitely just have the lowest percentage chance of staying up. They got Manchester United Saturday lunchtime to start their their uh tough draw. Yeah, it's a tough draw, man. I mean, I'm not a huge United fan due to rivalry, but they have been improving, um, especially under Michael Carrick. I'm interested to see what that team does this year, but I I think they're gonna win their opening game. I'll tell you that much. So sorry, Ipswich, we're not giving you

Arsenal City And The Post Pep Era

SPEAKER_03 33:06

much chance. Um we'll talk about the top end of the Premier League uh here before we we call it a night. Um Arsenal, the champions, their entire psychological dynamic has changed because it was the buttlers, the butlers, the butlers, the butlers, and then they didn't bottle it. Or Manchester City sort of let them not bottle it, if we're being honest. I think there was Manchester City teams of Yore that would have just come in and won the league pretty easily on the trot in the last nine to twelve games. They wouldn't have dropped any points and Arsenal wouldn't have been able to do it, they would have been second place again. I think there's Liverpool teams of Yore, not too Yori ago, that would have come in and probably won that um won that league. I I I don't think it was the most prestigious title in the world. I think there was a lot of teams around them letting them be good, and I I hope, I think, that those teams won't allow for as easy of a title as 85 points. Now, I know 85 points is a perfectly respectable amount of points to to win the title with, but I also my brain is a bit skewed and broken from the 99 point, 100 point league days of your with the Manchester City and Liverpool fighting it out at the very top end of possible points earned in the Premier League.

SPEAKER_01 34:11

So how many points did we have that season and still lost to City? Remember?

SPEAKER_03 34:15

99. Um and then was 97 we lost the league with one 1.2. So it's just it's tough. It's it's a tough um it's a tough memory to think back on, uh, especially when you're seeing Arsenal win the league with 85 points. You know, it was it's it it was it was it was difficult. But Arsenal just smashed City 3-0 in the community shield. Um Calafiore, Havertz, and Odegaard all scored. They just bought Bruto Gimaraish, who I wanted Liverpool to get. I really like him as a player. He's really scrappy. I think he's gonna be um he's gonna add a lot to that midfield that's already good. Um I think they've got a great foundation, Arsenal, over there. I think that you know they brought a lot of players back that are champions now, you know, and I think that changes the mindset. We'll see what kind of a title defense they can mount, honestly, because they are probably best positioned to win the league again, like you said. I'm going city because I always go city. I know Pep's not there anymore. We'll come on to talk about that, but City to me are just always the most likely to win in my head.

SPEAKER_01 35:05

Um Arsenal defensively sound, yeah. A midfield that can dominate, hold the ball, move it around.

SPEAKER_03 35:14

I mean Are they better this year, though, than they were last year? Or are they the same, roughly? Maybe a little better.

SPEAKER_01 35:20

I think they're roughly the same.

SPEAKER_03 35:21

Yeah. We'll see if there's any teams that can kind of come up and really make a proper challenge. I mean, Jabby Alonso's Chelsea are gonna be interesting to watch. Um obviously Manchester City are gonna be interesting to watch. They always are. They're you know, they've got so much money, and and I don't think their manager is necessarily bad, Moresca, but he's not Pep Guardiola, right? You know, you lose a clopp or you use a Pep or you lose a Sir Alex Ferguson, like this is the kind of these are the kind of things that can really like cater like really cater to disaster, you know what I mean.

SPEAKER_01 35:49

Creates a bit of a feeling of a vacuum at the club.

SPEAKER_03 35:52

A power vacuum for sure. An influence vacuum, a um uh charisma vacuum, you know. Like this is I liked Pep Guardiola. Now that he's gone, I can say it. I liked him. He's a very likable manager, based as fuck.

SPEAKER_01 36:02

Very talented manager.

SPEAKER_03 36:03

Charismatic, you know, a bit eccentric. Uh he was a great footballer in his day, and uh and he was a I mean, he's one of the best managers. I some would argue, maybe the best manager of all time. He imposed his style on multiple teams and made them play his way, and his way really, really worked. Yeah. Um and I'm I'm glad for him, honestly, because he pushed those Liverpool teams to be as good as they were. You know, he was the one making Man City so good that Klopp had to make Liverpool as good as he made them.

SPEAKER_01 36:32

You know, what an exciting era of football it created. Yeah, totally. Those two managers, so charismatic, with such talented teams going head to head season after season. I mean, those games were marquee games every year.

SPEAKER_03 36:49

They added Elliott Anderson, it's a good signing. Uh, Bernardo Silver and John Stones are are are gone. I kind of wanted to sign John Stones. I know he's a bit of an injury liability, and we'd have the same issue as we would with Gomez, but he looked pretty good in the World Cup. He's a he's a pretty class defender and he's available on a free. I don't know, I didn't really get it. Um Community Shield doesn't really mean all that much, let's be honest. That's it's still the preseason.

SPEAKER_01 37:09

And it is Man City have a new manager. They're just getting players back from the World Cup. They really haven't had a good runway. So I don't think it's telling for the season. It might be telling for the start of the season, but a lot of matches.

SPEAKER_03 37:26

Without with Pep Guardiola, Manchester City's floor was probably second. Maybe third, maybe, I don't know. Did he ever finish third? I can't remember off the top of my head, but like maybe second was there was their floor. Without Pep Guardiola, could we see a fourth, potentially a fourth place Manchester City team?

SPEAKER_01 37:43

I was gonna say four is their floor.

SPEAKER_03 37:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 37:45

Yeah. Especially in such a transitional season.

Chelsea United And The Top Four Race

SPEAKER_03 37:49

Chelsea. Got Jabby Alonso, the manager I was sort of calling for to replace slot because I have a history with him. I loved him as a midfielder for Liverpool and the 08-09 team is one of my favorite teams with some of my favorite memories watching the watching the club. He did great, obviously, with Leverkusen, went on an historic unbeaten run, coached Verts. So like that would have been uh, you know, I would I would be sitting here saying he's gonna get the best out of Florian Verts, and that's a big deal. But not to be. He wanted more control than the Liverpool hierarchy were willing to give. Doesn't sound like he was ever really a viable candidate, um, as the stories have come out. He's gonna play three at the back, I think, at Chelsea, which I think they have the the squad to support. But there's also signing Jordan Henderson, like to a top-level English football club in the Premier League, seems strange to me because I was surprised to see that. I mean, I love him as a leader and everything, and and I wonder if that's why, you know, I wonder if the his influence in the dressing room and on the bench are are why they signed him, because I think his technical ability has dropped off pretty significantly, and it was never he was never, you know, the most perfectly technical midfielder. He was just he was a he was a really good player for Liverpool and a great servant for the club, the best captain I ever saw, um, just as a pure from pure leadership uh standpoint. But it's it is a bit weird to me the signing, so I wonder what the thinking is there. That being said, I think Jabby Lans is a good manager, and I think Chelsea are finishing top four this year. I'm really gonna be interested in seeing how they play. They've got really good young talent, they've got a giant folk in squad, which I don't like, but whatever. But there's also giant expectations on on Chelsea every year. This is what we were talking about earlier with the manager Carousel. His reputation is big enough that Chelsea can't simply treat him like another disposable coach, though. They're gonna have to give him some time to bet in. Are they a genuine title contender? Let's talk sealing for them.

SPEAKER_01 39:33

I I don't think they are. I don't see them as taking it all this year. Um, they could be building toward that, but I don't see it this season. I think their ceiling is I guess two.

SPEAKER_03 39:47

Yeah, I could see them finish in second year third, honestly, but I could also I think they have the widest range. It's the team we kind of know the least about because of this Shabby Alonso edition. I could see them finishing as low as sixth, you know. I could see them shit canning him because it doesn't go well quickly right away, whatever.

SPEAKER_01 40:01

They can be very good. It happened for him, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 40:02

I mean, it happened for him at Real Madrid that players just really wouldn't listen to him, wouldn't run for him. I think he's got enough young players in there that he can really start to build and mold, and I think they will respect and listen to him. I think he's got a really good reputation. I was surprised that that happened to him at Real Madrid, but that can happen to anyone at Real Madrid. That happened to Jose Mourinho.

SPEAKER_01 40:19

I feel like at Real Madrid, you you get players who have already found a lot of success and believe their own hype. And they are very talented, but they're harder to manage. Um, a lot of individuals. Now, with a younger team, I think that there's a better chance for him to be able to build them up.

SPEAKER_03 40:43

Yeah, I have to agree. Um moving around the rest of the league, I guess we should talk about Manchester United as much as I'm loath to do so. Um very quickly, Michael Carrick, is he actually good or was it a new manager bounce, a guy that knows the club and obviously played there for a million years and um came in and and maybe everybody wants to see him reinstitute the Manchester United way? Since Ferguson left, they really haven't been able to hit even close to those heights ever again. They're not the Manchester United of of Yore, of of knocking Liverpool off their fucking perch, as uh Ferguson's famous quote goes, they're just not that same team anymore, so they're not the best they haven't been the best team in Manchester in some time. So is he actually good? I don't know. We have he's essentially a new manager's first full season in charge. Between Chelsea and United, I think it's an interesting conversation. I would be I would lean more likely Chelsea finish higher than United. Um if we're talking ceiling floor, if we're if I I mean I could see United finishing as as low as fifth, sixth, or seventh. I could see them finishing as high as second. I don't see them winning the league. What are your thoughts?

SPEAKER_01 41:51

Um very similar to yours. I think that I don't I definitely don't see them winning the league. I do see them improving year on year. Um I think they're slowly building back to being a better team. I hate it. I really enjoyed them languishing mid-table.

SPEAKER_03 42:12

Yeah, it was great.

SPEAKER_01 42:13

Um those were great days. But yeah, I don't see them winning it. I think two is their absolute ceiling. I'm leaning more toward three. Um floor, I would say seven, because I could see the wheels falling off.

SPEAKER_03 42:29

Yeah, same. Especially with that kind of X player, new manager thing. Like, are we sure he's really a good coach? Like it remains to be seen. I'm not saying he's definitely not, but it does remain to be seen. Yeah. Uh running around quickly, rapid fire for the rest of the league to

Rapid Fire Picks Around The League

SPEAKER_03 42:43

round us out. Tottenham. Sign Edny Robertson. I like them, I like them more now than Andy Robertson plays for them, to be honest. Um Champions League, yes or no, I'd say, is the question for Tottenham.

SPEAKER_01 42:54

I mean, they need yes. They need it.

SPEAKER_03 42:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 42:57

Um they're gonna be fighting for it, but I'd be surprised. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 43:00

They're right around the same level, I think, of an Aston Villa. Um should they be considered a permanent member of the European conversation, not necessarily Champions League, but I mean these are two teams that are probably gonna make some form of Europe next year, right? So sort of the extra spot and like, you know, the uh the way we've been playing. I I never minded when Aston Villa were there or thereabouts. They always in my head are a sort of a fifth day place team, and I think that's roughly where Tottenham are right now, too. Tottenham could surprise us. I think they've made some shrewd signings. If they would like Cody Gakpo, they are welcome to him. And uh we'll see how that goes.

SPEAKER_01 43:36

We'll gift wrap him.

SPEAKER_03 43:37

Yeah, I drive him to the airport tomorrow. Um train station, actually.

SPEAKER_01 43:41

Um Newcastle Bus Station.

SPEAKER_03 43:44

Another new manager, another transition. Uh for a team like Newcastle. I think we saw them hit their heights qualifying for the Champions League, and then that being the following season, very detrimental to them. We'll see them kick off against Liverpool at the very start of the season. New manager, it was probably time.

SPEAKER_01 44:01

A lot of that this season.

SPEAKER_03 44:03

Yeah, I don't think they're quite ready to finish above Villa or Tottenham. I think they're in the sort of new uh Newcastle, Sunderland, and Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest are all sort of in that next tier, I would say, if we're going by tier. Bournemouth only because of how well they did last year. They'll be an interesting watch for us because we have to see how much of that was the Iriola effect.

SPEAKER_01 44:21

I'm very interested in that.

SPEAKER_03 44:23

Yeah, like if they still keep playing as well as they are and we kind of suck, maybe it wasn't the manager and we made a mistake, you know, or the opposite happens and we're like, oh yes, we got this guy and his brand of football to come and and and do the damn thing at Liverpool. We love that. Um Nottingham Forest have made a managerial change. Uh Bournemouth obviously have. Um Sunderland qualified for Europe, for God's sake, last year. They're they're a fascinating non-big six club. Is it sustainable? That remains to be seen, I suppose.

Final Hopes For The New Season

SPEAKER_03 44:49

Um, but overall, honestly, I'm just really excited for the Premier League to come back. I'm really glad we've been able to wash the taste of RNA slot's brand of football out of our mouths. And as much as I'm all I will always be grateful to him to delivering a league title and that success to us, I and I genuinely mean that. I could not watch that brand of football anymore. I couldn't watch the players I really like getting misused. I couldn't watch the big signings that we made um waste away their talents by not being appropriately managed and put in positions to succeed. And honestly, I can't wake up that early to watch football, that shit, Leah.

SPEAKER_01 45:23

No, no more of that. At least if we fail. If we fail trying.

SPEAKER_03 45:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 45:29

And right.

SPEAKER_03 45:30

Playing attacking football.

SPEAKER_01 45:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 45:32

Pressing. Pressing. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 45:33

Jesus Christ, please press the damn ball.

SPEAKER_03 45:36

Yeah, it looks like we're gonna.

unknown 45:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 45:37

Uh the preseason games have been really encouraging. I hope we sign a few more players at least. Um the ceiling and floor conversation sort of across the whole team, uh, all these teams is all you can do is really put us in a range. Can we win the league? I mean, I'd like to, but I would be kind of surprised.

SPEAKER_01 45:55

I think we always can.

SPEAKER_03 45:58

Yeah. But I think it's more wide open than it has been now that Pep Guardiola owner and Klopper no longer in the world. I think there's more parody. Yeah, there's definitely more parody at the top, so we'll see. Could be fun. Remains to be seen. We'll check in on this subject, uh, more specifically, Liverpool when there's more meat to actually talk about. A lot of speculation in the offseason. You know, that's that's the sort of nature of the off-season, and then she's a fickle bitch. But once we actually have something to stink our teeth into, we'll be back to talk Liverpool and the surrounding teams in the Premier League. But uh happy football season, everybody. Enjoy watching your favorite team or my favorite team, but just most of all have fun. Uh, to me, Christmas morning and the morning that the Premier League kicks off are the two my two favorite mornings of the year. So I'm really looking forward to it. Uh, thanks so much for listening to our very first soccer show, actually, Leah. Congratulations on being uh kicking that off. Um, and we'll see you on the other side.