Football Weekly — "A Nine-Goal Thriller at Fulham and Romero Rescues Spurs"

Podcast: Football Weekly by The Guardian
Episode Date: December 3, 2025
Host: Max Rushden
Panelists: Barry Glendenning, Johnny Liu, Will Unwin, Clive
Special Guest: David Conn

Episode Overview

This Football Weekly episode dissects a wild Premier League weekend, including the astonishing 5–4 Manchester City win at Fulham, dramatic late action as Romero saves Spurs, Newcastle’s ongoing struggles, the Premier League relegation scrap, an irreverent look ahead to the World Cup draw, and a deep, heartfelt segment on the continuing lack of justice for Hillsborough. The trademark Football Weekly humor, sharp insight, and lively debate are ever-present.

1. Fulham 4–5 Manchester City: The Nine-Goal Mayhem

Timestamps: [01:29]–[12:05]

Key Points & Discussion

• The panel marvels at Fulham's spirited near-comeback after being 1–5 down, the quality of most goals, and a frantic finish that almost witnessed a historic draw.
• Both Barry and Max share their personal goal rankings, agreeing that Doku’s was the worst.
• The effect of Craven Cottage’s home crowd is noted:
  • “You go to a game like that… every fan who was at that game is going to remember that forever.” — Clive [04:46]
• Discussion on City’s defensive frailties, squad rotation, and whether Pep Guardiola's ‘pacing for the season’ is softening technical edge:
  • “There’s just a little bit of, I don’t want to say laziness, but there’s a little bit of laxness to them.” — Clive [05:40]
  • "Guardiola keeps saying he can smell good things are going to happen... but I think unfortunately the overriding smell of shit in the defence might be problematic for him eventually." — Will [08:02]
• Haaland’s historic 100 Premier League goals in just 111 games draws awe and statistical context:
  • “Erling Haaland is literally twice as good [on strike rate] as some all-time greats like Ronaldo and Drogba” — Clive [10:20]
  • “His job is to score goals and he does. You can't really criticize the rest of it when your scoring rate is so incredible.” — Will [12:05]
• Barry provides historical context for Haaland’s feat:
  • “Dixie Dean got his century of goals in 105 games and Arsenal’s Ted Drake did it in 108. So Haaland, for me… is fourth on the all time list. Not top but there you go.” — Barry [13:58]

Notable Moment

• Max and Clive humorously recount Johnny’s household interruptions during discussion, adding a light touch to the stats talk. [11:28–11:51]

2. Newcastle 2–2 Spurs: Romero’s Slow-Mo Overhead and VAR Drama

Timestamps: [14:41]–[25:12]

Key Points & Discussion

• Initially bleak first half; a brighter second tempered by lack of attacking threat from both.
• Focus on Christian Romero’s last-gasp overhead kick—hilariously slow and unintentionally brilliant:
  • “An overhead kick ever been slower than Romero’s? ... he does well to get up … but the amount of time it takes to go in is sort of hilarious.” — Max [17:05]
  • “…the sort of, you know, grandmother overhead kick. I like to describe it as.” — Johnny [18:36]
• Tottenham’s midfield struggles to protect the defense, with injuries and form under scrutiny. Calls to avoid calls that Thomas Frank is ‘out of his depth’ as premature.
• Contentious penalty for Newcastle—most guests and referenced pundits (Carragher, Woodgate) did not think it should have been awarded.
  • “I thought this was really, really harsh and that sort of consistency thing you sort of think… maybe it shouldn’t be a penalty.” — Max [19:58]
  • “It's very much six of one, half a dozen of the other… it did look, by the end of it, Byrne had him in something of a headlock.” — Barry [19:58]
  • “You had Jamie Carragher… Jonathan Woodgate… two of the best centre backs… probably know a bit more... and they said it wasn’t a penalty.” — Johnny [22:39]
• Newcastle’s persistent struggles without Bruno Guimarães—stat referenced that Newcastle have never won in nine games he’s missed.

Notable Moment

• The group joke about overhead kicks possibly becoming Romero’s trademark, injecting their usual lightness into the analysis.

3. Bournemouth 0–1 Everton: A Relegation Six-Pointer in the Shadows

Timestamps: [28:27]–[30:51]

Key Points & Discussion

• Barry, after enduring the whole match, describes a drab encounter lacking quality but praises Everton’s improvement and resilience.
• Bournemouth’s poor form highlighted: four losses, one draw in last five games.
• Everton’s striker woes:
  • “Those three are working… let’s not give the ball to him because he is not going to do anything.” — Barry [30:12], regarding Tierno Barry.
  • Panel jokes about the improbability of either Everton’s or Barry’s own goal drought ending soon. [30:51]

4. World Cup Draw Preview & Infantino–Trump Oddities

Timestamps: [31:03]–[35:04]

Key Points & Discussion

• Johnny reflects on Gianni Infantino’s coziness with Donald Trump and the politicization and ‘price gouging’ surrounding the upcoming World Cup in North America.
• Bittersweet anticipation for the draw—excitement for fans, but disillusionment with the tournament’s organization and cost.
  • “It is increasingly beginning to look as chaotic as everything else. To be honest, while I'm looking forward to the draw, I'm looking forward to the tournament. I won't be going next summer.” — Clive [32:43]
  • “This is how FIFA get their money and then they dole their money out to… the people that support [Infantino].” — Max [33:51]
• Panel riff on the surreal entertainment lineup (Village People, Andrea Bocelli, Robbie Williams).
• Jokes about panelists being barred from America by costumed Village People.

5. Justice for the 97: The Ongoing Hillsborough Tragedy

Timestamps: [36:50]–[48:29]

Key Points & Discussion

• David Conn provides authoritative, emotional, and accessible context to the latest (and likely final) chapter in the quest for justice after the Hillsborough disaster.
• The police watchdog’s new report confirms no officers will ever be brought to justice, with families left angry and betrayed:
  • “We will never get justice… Nobody’s ever going to go to prison for killing them, so we’ll never get justice. And we knew that.” — quoting Charlotte Hennessy [36:50]
  • “It really makes you very, very angry … it is a disgrace.” — quoting Margaret Aspinall [36:50]
• David explores the “catastrophic failings” of police and the legal system:
  • “There is a legal finding that no behaviour by Liverpool supporters contributed to the disaster.” — David Conn [43:19]
  • “The failure to dispense justice and to leave the families with this like unbelievable, like ludicrous outcome… 97 people have been unlawfully killed, but nobody is responsible for the unlawful killing.” — David Conn [40:19]
• Panel discusses the demoralizing effect of 36 years of campaigning, how even well-supported families have been let down, and the legal loopholes that have allowed police to avoid accountability.
• Final reflection on whether public naming and shaming of responsible officers brings any solace:
  • “I don't think the families feel that they are living in disgrace and as pariahs. I think…they've had comfortable retirements on full police pensions and that the point about never facing accountability is, is that there hasn't been accountability.” — David Conn [46:41]

Notable Quotes

• “This was the game to which I devoted the least attention… I sat through Bournemouth nil, Everton one in its entirety.” — Barry [02:59]
• “City’s defending…there’s a little bit of laxness to them.” — Clive [05:40]
• “Guardiola keeps saying he can smell good things are going to happen this season… but the overriding smell of shit in the defence might be problematic for him.” — Will [08:02]
• “Erling Haaland is literally twice as good [on strike rate] as Ronaldo and Drogba in terms of goal rate.” — Clive [10:20]
• “His job is to score goals and he does. You can't really criticize the rest of it when your scoring rate is so incredible.” — Will [12:05]
• “It was undeniably a shinner and it bounced on its way in… everything slowed down as this ball poodles inexorably into the back of the net.” — Barry on Romero’s goal [17:32]
• “36 years without justice. So think about just a lone family fighting a terrible injustice… it makes you fear that there's a huge amount of injustice in the system that isn't being acknowledged.” — David Conn [44:18]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:29] Fulham 4–5 Manchester City: The Game, Goals, and Comeback
• [08:46] Fulham’s Standout Young Players & Haaland’s Historic Feat
• [14:41] Newcastle 2–2 Spurs: Romero’s Overhead Kick & VAR Penalty
• [28:27] Bournemouth 0–1 Everton: Relegation Dogfight Analysis
• [31:03] World Cup Draw Preview & Infantino–Trump
• [36:50] Hillsborough Injustice Explored with David Conn

Conclusion

This episode captures the very best of Football Weekly: lively, funny debate of Premier League storylines (from wild goalfests to comic defending and dodgy penalties), a dash of irreverence about global football politics, and real emotional depth on the sport’s most grave injustices. With diverse viewpoints and trademark panel banter, it’s an essential listen—for both laughs and reminders of the issues that matter most.