Arsenal make the Carabao Cup final. Is the quadruple on? – Football Weekly

Summary

Football Weekly – Arsenal Make the Carabao Cup Final. Is the Quadruple On?

The Guardian Football Weekly | Episode Date: February 4, 2026
Panel: Max Rushden (Host), Barry Glendenning, Lucy Ward, Jordan Jarrett-Bryan

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Episode Overview

This episode dives into Arsenal’s tense victory over Chelsea to reach the Carabao Cup final, sparking a debate about whether an unprecedented quadruple is genuinely within their reach. The panel analyses the tactical battle at the Emirates, the outlook for both clubs, and wider football news, from Sunderland’s remarkable home run to the complexities of Pep Guardiola’s recent humanitarian statements. The show rounds off with discussion on the transfer window’s quiet end, issues at Crystal Palace, and notable events in both men’s and women’s football on and off the pitch.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea: Carabao Cup Semi-Final

– The Match (01:22-10:38)

• Arsenal came into the second leg a goal down but managed a late winner by Kai Havertz to book a spot at Wembley.
• Both teams exhibited cautious tactics; Arsenal defensively solid, needing only to keep Chelsea at bay.
• Chelsea’s game plan was criticized for its conservatism; even when trailing, they remained negative.
  • Quote, Barry Glendenning (01:49):
    "Chelsea's approach was kind of interesting. They started with a back five and little or no ambition beyond not conceding... but they never really looked like scoring."
• Chelsea’s peculiar corner routine is debated. Arsenal, well-prepared for defensive solidity, managed to blunt whatever attacking moments Chelsea had.
• Arsenal’s reaction going through showed the importance of reaching a major final after years of near-misses.
  • Quote, Lucy Ward (14:03):
    “The reaction of the players and the staff... shows you one, how difficult Chelsea made it and two, that, you know, getting to a Cup final is massive.”

– Chelsea’s Tactical Choices and Medical Politics (04:46-07:37)

• Discussion on how injury management dictated team selection for Chelsea, restricting players like Cole Palmer to limited minutes.
• Tactical gambits at corners (drawing Arsenal’s defenders out of the box) get dissected.
  • Lucy Ward (08:36):
    "That first one was... obviously took Arsenal by surprise. But then it's like, hang on a minute, you just... You're taking away the blockers..."

– Arsenal’s Quadruple Dream (09:22-14:40)

• With this win, the supposedly outlandish possibility of a quadruple is considered mathematically possible, but the panel remains skeptical.
  • Max Rushden (09:58):
    “It's probably the first time I can remember Arsenal being in February and favorites for all four competitions.”
  • Jordan Jarrett-Bryan raises doubts about calling Arsenal’s display a tactical masterclass just because they advanced.

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Pep Guardiola’s Humanitarian Comments (16:03-20:23)

• Guardiola’s pre-match statements addressing war victims in Palestine, Ukraine, Sudan, and US school shootings were highlighted.
  • Pep Guardiola (quoted, 16:42):
    “I will stand up always. I will be there always. Completely kill thousands of innocent people. It hurts me.”
• Panel reflects on the power of football managers to address global issues, the contradictions of club ownership (UAE-Man City-Sudan context), and whether Guardiola’s message was genuinely political.
  • Barry Glendenning (18:08):
    “They are not controversial opinions...it would be very easy for him to pull the 'I am but a humble football coach' card... but he has chosen not to.”
  • Max Rushden (19:41):
    “A very intelligent way of making a political point without it coming across political.”

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Sunderland’s Sensational Premier League Form (21:28-25:43)

• Sunderland remain the Premier League’s only unbeaten home side, drawing comparisons to Forest’s 1977-78 title-winning season.
  • Barry:
    “That Forest team went the whole season unbeaten at home. So that's something to aim for.” (21:28)
• Sunderland’s success is attributed to excellent recruitment and the rapid tactical integration under Regis Labrie.
  • Lucy Ward (23:24):
    “Recruitment combined with Regis Labrie and his tactical nous is just incredible. But the recruitment is everything...”

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Transfer Deadline & Crystal Palace’s Big Gambles (28:10-34:44)

• Deadline day was unusually quiet.
  • Jordan Jarrett-Bryan (27:50):
    “Putting the dead in deadline day.”
• Crystal Palace set new club records for transfer spending but the signings are seen as high-risk for the sake of retaining top-flight status.
  • Max Rushden (28:32):
    “It's a lot of money on, as you say, okay players… probably hoping between those two they can rustle up 10-12 goals between now and May.”
  • Lucy Ward (29:23):
    “Palace are a cautionary tale for clubs who get into Europe. If you stand still, you may as well go backwards.”
• The personal toll on players/families is illustrated with the failed transfer of Dwight McNeil, with Lucy offering insight into the life of player partners.
  • Lucy Ward (36:47):
    “It's a harder life than you think being a professional footballer… you have to perform every single week, otherwise you don't get a contract.”

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Other Notable Football News

• Liverpool sign Jeremy Jacquet for £60m—panel notes the oddity of reinforcing for next season, not the current Champions League campaign (37:01).
• Calvin Phillips moves to Sheffield United on loan to revive his career; Lucy hopes he gets a fair run:
  • Lucy Ward (37:39):
    “It's been so disappointing for Cal the last few years. I genuinely think that City got him so that somebody else didn't get him…”

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Infantino, FIFA, and Russia (41:11-42:50)

• Infantino hints at lifting the ban on Russia, claiming existing sanctions achieved nothing. The debate around sporting engagement and the complexity of international conflicts is weighed.
  • Barry Glendenning (41:47):
    “I don't think Russia should be allowed back, but… it does seem slightly odd or unfair that Russia are subject to this ban when other countries aren't.”
• Infantino’s penchant for power and problematic comments is widely panned.
  • Lucy Ward (42:24):
    “He has got absolutely pissed on the power that's been afforded to him.”

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The Women’s FA Cup Format Row (43:18-45:07)

• FA proposed changes to Women’s FA Cup to “ensure best teams get to the final,” likely via seeding—seen as undermining the cup’s spirit.
  • Lucy Ward (44:00):
    “The FA Cup is the FA Cup. It's not broken for 99% of clubs, and they look like they're trying to change it just for the future... Honestly, it's not good.”

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Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On Chelsea’s tactics:
  Barry Glendenning (01:49):
  “Did they think there was a third leg?”

• On Arsenal’s defensive performance:
  Lucy Ward (04:46):
  “It was a clean sheet masterclass from Arsenal. It doesn't have to look good, they just need to get through to a final...”

• On Sunderland’s recruitment:
  Lucy Ward (23:24):
  “What makes a good manager? Good players. That is so key.”

• On footballers’ lives:
  Lucy Ward (36:47):
  “It is a harder life than you think being a professional footballer. You have to perform every single week...”

• On Infantino and FIFA:
  Lucy Ward (42:24):
  “He has got absolutely pissed on the power that's been afforded to him.”

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Segment Timestamps

• Arsenal vs Chelsea & the Carabao Cup: 01:22–14:40
• Guardiola’s Political Comments: 16:03–20:23
• Sunderland’s Success: 21:28–25:43
• Transfer Window & Crystal Palace: 28:10–34:44
• Player Welfare – Dwight McNeil Story: 32:55–36:47
• Liverpool, Calvin Phillips, and Wolves: 37:01–39:06
• Infantino & FIFA Politics: 41:11–42:50
• Women’s FA Cup Changes: 43:18–45:07

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Conclusion

This Football Weekly offered sharp tactical debate, skepticism of football’s grand narratives, and a panoramic tour through timely issues shaping the domestic and international game. From somnolent Carabao Cup action to far-reaching humanitarian and governance dilemmas, the panel balanced informed analysis, dry wit, and the human side of football.

Transcript

[Max Rushden]

This is the Guardian.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

Hello and welcome to the Guardian Football Weekly. And after Monday's Football is Amazing episode, a tougher gig for today's panel. Can we get a good 20 out of. Arsenal won Chelsea nil. A goal down going into the second leg. Liam Rossinha had a plan to keep it tight for 60, but bring on some attacking flair and wait for a moment to come. In the end, Chelsea kept it tight for 60 and then kept it tight for another 30. Did they think there was a third leg? Kai Havertz sewed it all up and Arsenal are at Wembley. If they're going to bottle it this season, they're making sure they do it in a spectacular fashion. At least the transfer window was explosive as ever. Pray for your Gary Cotterells and your Jim Whites. You can't roll 10 hours of Jurgen Strand Larsen coverage in glitter. Sunderland's unbeaten home record is something to discuss, the only one in the Premier League. An easy win over Burnley. The latest on Monday with discuss Pep discussing the horrors of war and bring you the good news that Gianni's ready to let Russia play football again. Invade a country for long enough and, well, it gets boring, doesn't it? Why not have a match win against the Donbass? There's some EFL changes to the Women's FA Cup. Your questions, and that's today's Guardian Football Weekly. On the panel today, Barry Glendenny. Welcome.

[Barry Glendenny]

Hi, Max.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

Lucy Ward. Hello.

[Lucy Ward]

Hi, Max.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

And good morning to Jordan Jarrett. Bryan.

[Max Rushden]

Good morning to you too, sir.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

Let's start then at the Emirates. Arsenal 1, Chelsea nil. Arsenal into the Carabao Cup Final. The quadruple is still on. Mike says cancel the pod. No one should ever have to talk about that. Colm says, no questions, just sympathy that you have to review that Dross and Rich says, tactical Masterclass or utter, utter, utter, utter shite? Question mark. I didn't hate this football match, Barry, but equally, I'm looking forward to finding out how you lot filled 15 minutes on it.

[Barry Glendenny]

I didn't hate it either. It wasn't great. I mean, it was bad. It was a bad game. But I thought Chelsea's approach was kind of interesting. They started with a back five and little or no ambition beyond not conceding a goal for the first hour and. And hoping for the best. And that kind of went well for them insofar as they didn't concede a goal until the 98th minute. But they never really looked like scoring one. Enzo Fernandez had one shot on target that needed saving. Sent Two over the bar. I think Mark Cucarella sent one over the bar from distance and Wesley Fana had a halfish if. If even a half chance with a flick at a corner that went wide. And that was about some of their endeavors and it wasn't enough. Arsenal were similarly lacking in ambition, but they didn't need to be ambitious because they didn't need to score. Chelsea were the ones who were behind in the tie, so Arsenal kind of kept them at arm's length throughout and then hit them with that very late soccer punch from Kai Havertz. Good goal on the counter, which didn't really matter in the cosmic scheme of things. Was nice for Kai Havertz, obviously, because. Because he scored against his former club and there was no non celebration celebration there. He was delighted with himself. Arsenal are through to the final of a competition they haven't won since 1993. I think they've lost three finals since then and they're in their first finals since 2020, so they are delighted with themselves. The quadruple is still on, I presume. We'll have to start talking about that at some stage until is isn't on anymore. It would have been interesting if Chelsea had got a goal when Lemur Sr made the changes. One, one change he did make is he removed his spectacles because. I presume because it was lashing rain in London last night and he probably couldn't see through them. Yeah, if. If they had got a goal then and somehow nicked the tie in the end, in extra time or whatever, we'd be talking about Arsenal's positive ambition and Michael Arteta being overly cautious again. But Arsenal didn't need. You know, it worked out fine for them in the end. So it's. It's Rossignior who's getting Pelters.

[Lucy Ward]

Yeah.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

Yeah, it's interesting. I don't know if Racing is getting Pelters, but he's getting some criticism, I guess. Lucy, Joe says, have Chelsea not heard of getting it launched? Hoop says, if six big men are in the box, but you never actually put the ball into said box, were those six big men ever in the box at all? Like we were waiting. It felt like the first half of the plan was good, wasn't it? Stay in the tie, stay in the tie. And then. But nothing came. And maybe that is just a testament to how good Arsenal are defensively. Cole Palmer split the lines a few times, but they didn't. That didn't seem that urgency.

[Lucy Ward]

No, I think it was a clean sheet masterclass from. From Arsenal, it doesn't have to look good, they just need to get through to a final. I think that's it. It doesn't, you know, it doesn't need to entertain us, does it? But just a couple of things I picked out. It looked like Chelsea were just trying to make it a 30 minute game or a 20 minute game. And, and I still, and I've talked about it on the pod before, it's amazing that Chelsea are still playing players for a certain amount of minutes that the medical department. So I did Napoli last week, I did Napoli Chelsea last week and he played three at the back. I think trying to be a little bit too clever because there was actually only one center back amongst the three center backs. So they really struggled at the start. And then he brought, I think it was Cole Palmer on at half time because obviously Cole Palmer could only play 45 minutes. I'm presuming otherwise why not play Cole Palmer from the start? But still didn't bring a center back on. But Napoli were shattered. They had loads of injuries so they ended up winning with a bit of magic from Joao Pedro. But yeah, it's quite an interesting dynamic around that. He obviously, if he was in complete control, I think some of the decisions he wouldn't make. But obviously he's forsaking some of that because he's managing Chelsea. The players that came on with half an hour to go obviously could only play half an hour. Rhys James couldn't play anything at all. Which obviously is a problem for Chelsea because luckily they've got Joao Pedro who, who is excellent, probably one of the best forwards in the. Just because he's so clever. He had Saliba doubting whether to go drop with him or you know, wherever he went they were trying to create a little bit of space. Getting Fernandez running beyond and lap out wide. I think it's one of those finally balanced. If they had have got a goal, they'd gone to extra time, then it would have changed. It nearly worked, but it didn't work. And so therefore people are saying, well you needed a goal. Why did you not try and get a goal right, right, right from the start when you've got actually players on the, on the pitch that can do that. The other point that the corner routine that everybody was treating like he was the messiah of thinking about this corner routine, if you do take that many defenders out of the box, then it just creates a little bit more space and less blockers for the, for your headers of the ball for Arsenal. So it doesn't actually it isn't all positive because it's. Instead of it being chaos with loads of bodies in there, there's hardly any bodies in there. So if you get a good ball in, then, you know, and you've got the. So there's. There's various.

[Max Rushden]

We almost scored.

[Lucy Ward]

Yeah, exactly. That first one the ball went in, I'm thinking if I'd have scored there, I would actually have laughed because it was like, wow, this is brilliant. What's going on here. They take. How clever's that? Oh, you've conceded, but he's obviously an excellent coach, but he just feels like he has to build his part up because everybody's sort of saying, what, how on earth have you got that job? Even though you're obviously an excellent coach, blah, blah, blah. So I think he. To sort of say things that are a bit different, do things that are a bit different, but ultimately he is absolutely hamstrung by what head of medical is saying about his players.

[Barry Glendenny]

Just one thing about the corners. That's something Shea Givens suggested at a Match of the day on Saturday or Sunday night that teams should try to take Arsenal players out of the box by putting three men on the halfway line. And I think Marseille did it before against Chelsea or some team in Europe did it against Chelsea or against Arsenal. And it, you know, worked up to a point, but it's not a new novel idea.

[Max Rushden]

BBC have literally got on their homepage something like, chelsea take Match of the Day's Corner on their website right now. So they're claiming credit for it, but.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

It'S definitely had it before. I think the. The interesting thing about that is, you know, how far can you push it? Like, you know, obviously, but if you leave 4 up, at some point, do you, you know, at some point it becomes a. An odd situation where Arsenal would just say, well, we'll just. We'll gamble. Because if you've got six back and seven up or whatever, then it doesn't make sense. So, three, could you go four?

[Lucy Ward]

It's because of the quick decision Max, that was the issue, because they waited and waited and waited and then ran and then all of a sudden you've got to make a quick decision as an Arsenal player. Once they do it.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

Yeah, that's interesting.

[Lucy Ward]

You'll be. Then be ready for the next. That first one was. Was. Was obviously took Arsenal by surprise. But then it's like, hang on a minute, you just. You're taking away the blockers and the blockers are the most difficult thing to get past because the blockers will stop.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

Yeah.

[Lucy Ward]

You know, play. Just getting a little bit of space and a free header on the ball. So, yeah, it was interesting, though.

[Max Rushden]

I think it must be. Arsenal score so many goals from corners. We must try something different. It might not be a great idea. I'm with Lucy. I think there are flaws with this particular tactic, but I'm imagining the thinking is, well, nothing else is working, so we might as well try something different.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

Yeah, I think. And fair enough. I just got the idea. If you. If you. If you run away too late from the box, you're just leaving four people unmarked. Like, you should go before the kick is taken. Look, Jordan, the quadruple is still on, right? Barney wrote a piece saying, look, no one wins the quadruple. It doesn't happen. But like, Arsenal are now in a position. And he wrote it down. Eleven more League wins, six domestic cup games, one of which is the Carabao Cup Final. Another is Wigan in the FA cup next four rounds of the Champions League. That's what you have to do.

[Max Rushden]

Well, when you break it down like that, it definitely sounds and feels a little bit more.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

Sounds achievable, doesn't it?

[Max Rushden]

It does sound achievable. He's right. I was thinking about this the other day. It's probably the. It's probably the first time I can remember Arsenal being in February and favorites for all four competitions. I mean, even with Arsenal winning leagues, they weren't favorites for all four comps. They were in that they. There are favors for all four, in my opinion. So, yeah, it's a really nice breakdown from. From Barney there because as an Arsenal fan myself, makes me think, actually this isn't quite as hard and you haven't got a win all those League games. We might touch on the games on the weekend against Barry's lot, Sunderland, but this title could get wrapped up pretty soon if results in the next couple of weeks. Go, go Arsenal's way.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

Ju.

[Max Rushden]

Just on the game itself last night. I mean, it was a hard watch, I think, for most people for sure. But I've just got back from the G. I've listened to a couple of. What one podcast.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

What a humble brag that is.

[Max Rushden]

I mentioned that to say that I listen to a podcast. That's the reason I inserted the fact that I was in the gym. God, for the people listening, it's what time in the morning? It's 8. 1001. 1002.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

Anyway, don't do that, Max.

[Max Rushden]

Don't do that. And my point being, some of the reports I've read overnight and the po. Listen to this morning. I've been quite critical of Leon Rossinia and quite praising of Arsenal's tactics and I think the other way around. I know Arsenal got the result they wanted and the ended, as Barry said earlier on, with Kai Havitz. Getting the winner in dramatic fashion was brilliant from an Arsenal perspective. But I was thinking to myself, it's only one goal. And if Arsenal, if. Sorry, if Chelsea get that first goal, their tales are up. This could be oh for AR once again. I don't think AR play that very well in that particular first half. And okay, they didn't need to score a goal, but it's. There's only one goal difference. So I'm. I'm not so sure the way Arsenal played it is as good as people are making out. I just wonder if. Because they went through it looks like it was a. It was. It was a master class. But I think there was. It's another flex for Arsenal to showcase their strength in depth. You know, no Saka, no Califiori, no Odegaard, no Raya. Therefore, starters that would have been in that 11 had it been a Premier League game. You'd have thought they were. They were missing and Arsenal still managed to get the job done. And I do want to credit the referee on the penalty decision that was in the second half because had that been the penalty and it wasn't given, I'd be on this podcast saying, referee had a shocker. Referee done us over. Referee Adam Mayor. But he got it right and in real time to spot. That I thought was a really, really good call. What?

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

The chaliba challenge.

[Max Rushden]

The chaliba one? Yeah. Did you think it was a pen?

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

I thought it might be a pen. I think it feels like two. Is it. If it's one movement or two movements because he gets the ball, but then he does the ball is then move. If it's another, we're back to phases of play. If then getting the ball. The ball is still in Martinelli's path, I think. And then he lifts his leg and takes him out. I wouldn't have been surprised had been given. I sort of think whichever way it goes, keep with that decision on the pitch, which is. It's imperfect, but football is imperfect, right? It is why we love it. I had an offer. I was trying to think of, you know, the sensing, the nervousness of Arsenal fans or whatever. What about this for an offer, Jordan, which is.

[Max Rushden]

I'll take it.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

Okay. No, no, no. You don't know what it is. Yet.

[Max Rushden]

Okay.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

The Premier League is what you really want. Okay. So I'll give you this. You have to beat a win on the last day of the season gives you the Premier League, right? And your game is palace away, but you're two nil down to Tottenham in the half. At half time in the Champions League final. That's the situation. I know chronologically it doesn't quite work, but like, I'm giving you the Premier League if you beat palace away in May. But you are, then. And obviously it's as hypothetical as it gets. Right. Tottenham are getting the Champions League final. But that's what I. I'm trying to put that in your mind as an Arsenal fan. Do you take that ludicrous hypothetical offer.

[Max Rushden]

As opposed to playing the season out now as it. Yeah. As it Currently.

[Barry Glendenny]

Yeah.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

She could win both.

[Lucy Ward]

You could win the Champions League, clear the season out.

[Max Rushden]

I'll put a season out. Yeah.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

Yeah, okay. Yeah, fine. So that's fine. I don't really have any other interesting things to ask about this. This game.

[Lucy Ward]

What it meant to Arsenal was quite interesting because we know our. Our vision of Arsenal at the moment is they're a dominant force and can they win? They've been good the last few, but the reaction of the players and the staff and the subs about getting through shows you, one, how difficult Chelsea made it and two, that, you know, it's getting to a Cup final is massive. You know, getting the first trophy for, you know, six years or whatever it is. They were. Look. And they were also pleased for Havertz. I just think that that collective reaction was actually rather than, job done, well done, we've got. It was a real sort of visceral reaction to getting through to a final, which I thought was really interesting.

[Max Rushden]

I'm glad Lucy mentioned that because I think. I totally agree. I think that felt like the culmination of this has been 3, 4, 5 years of work to get to final. They got to win the final, Right. So, as Roy Keane says, you only enjoy a final if you win it. But they're there and they deserve to be there. And after last year's semi final against Newcastle, the two legs where they were pathetic, I thought, in both legs, I think to come back a year later and somewhat cruise to the final, I would say, I think feels like a moment. I don't subscribe to this idea that winning the League cup, there's a direct link with winning more trophies. I think Jose and Pep, because they took it seriously, make us think that this is the prelude to to a treble. Most. More teams. Most teams win the League cup, don't win anything else. So I think. I don't buy that. But I think ahead of a big game on the weekend against Sunderland, I think that if Arsenal can beat Sunderland on the weekend and Liverpool beat City, which they often do at Anfield, I think nine points feels like a lead that even I have to concede. I think that's it. Even. Even in February. Max is nodding his head, but I think I just don't see them making up nine points. And I think this game last night, I think really blocked into that game on the weekend, thinking we've got a Cup Final bagged. Let's go and wrap up this league. Let's go and smash river in the Champions League, beat Wigan, the FA cup and win the quad man.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

City, Newcastle tonight. City two up from the first leg. Perhaps more interesting. He's off the pitch. Pep Guardiola saying he wants to use his position to speak up to be a better society. He missed media duties last Friday after speaking in support of Palestinian children at a charity concert in Barcelona. Before the Newcastle game, he spoke passionately about children being killed. This is from the BBC. And injured in conflict, saying the footage he sees hurts me. He said he referenced the conflicts in Palestine, Ukraine, Sudan and the shootings by ICE in the United States. He said, today we can see it. Before we could not see it. It hurts me. If it was the opposite side, it would hurt me. I'm sorry. I will stand up always. I will be there always. Completely kill thousands of innocent people. It hurts me. It's no more complicated than that. No more. I cannot imagine how anybody cannot feel that when you see the images every single day, the fathers, mothers, kids having what happened, their lives being destroyed and people cannot feel a little bit of being attached. I'm sorry, I cannot feel it. And. And I think Barry, you know, saying that in good faith, I. I applaud him for speaking out. And not enough people do speak out or use their position. And he has a position of. Of some power here. The interesting country that he brought up was Sudan, because Sudan is taking the uae, who are the owners of Manchester City, to the International Court of Justice, accusing it of supporting Sudan's paramilitary rapid support forces, the RS rsf in civil war. Khartoum argues that the UAE is complicit in the genocide of the Masalic community in West Darfur through its military, financial aid and political backing for the rsf. The UAE has strongly rejected Sudan's allegations, calling the case a Cynical publicity stunt. Since that war began in April 2023, both the RSF and the Sudanese army have been accused of committing atrocities. And that context, I think is important, Barry, given who pep's employers are. But that doesn't ne, I don't know how much that takes away from his, his whole point, which is seeing this kind of stuff is incredibly upsetting.

[Barry Glendenny]

Yeah, they are not controversial opinions, are they? Although some suggest he's talking out of turn. I think last year the Jewish Representative Council referred to remarks he made about Palestine as being shame or about Gaza being shameful. But again, nothing he's saying is controversial, at least not to me anyway. And it would be very easy for him to pull the old I am but a humble football coach card and say that he only wants to talk about football, as others have done, but he has chosen not to. And he is very politically tuned in and has been, you know, for as long as I've been aware of his work. Some will accuse him of virtue signaling and I don't think that's fair. He mentioned as well, migrants, you know, drowning as on when they're crossing the channel on both and, and said, you know, that shouldn't be happening. I, I guess by the law of averages, quite a lot of people in Manchester City's fan base will be very much against or in favor of stopping the boats. So maybe they might take notice of what he's saying and it might maybe force them to have a think about them, their views. But again, yeah, I don't think he's saying anything even remotely controversial.

[Max Rushden]

I don't think it was controversial, but I think it was a very intelligent way of making a political point without it coming across political point. I think I, I gather where his politics on this conflict or the conflicts are, but it was dressed in a way of, you can't really argue with him. Nobody wants to see what they're seeing. But I think there was a kind of inherent thrust through that point where I, I, I know what he's trying to say. We've become numb to it. I work in a newsroom where I see some of the most horrific images you will ever see. So I, I, I'm glad that he's flagged this. I don't think anybody would disagree with it, but I think it was a very skilled point without it seeming like a political point.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

Yeah. And there is, there is so much bad faith everywhere in this when people are discussing it. And I know that from whatever conversation we have that some people will accuse certainly me and other People in the panel and the Guardian etc of you know, being very politicized or not really understanding various things. And I, I think if we take him in good faith then you know, we need more people talking good faith saying this shit is bad. And I agree with both of you. It's not, it is not controversial to say it is sad to see these horrific images that we see every day. All right, that'll do for part one. Back in a tick. Welcome to part two of the Guardian Football Weekly. Back on the pitch then. Barry Sunderland 3, Burnley nil. The only side with an unbeaten home record in the Premier League. 12 games. Longest unbeaten start to a top flight campaign by a newly promoted side since notting forest in 1977-78 who went on to win the league. So if anything you are underperforming.

[Barry Glendenny]

I think, I think that Forest team went the whole season unbeaten at home. So that's something to aim for.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

Yeah, teams I'm beaten at home in the top five leagues apart from Sunderland Athletic, Napoli, Juve, Barca, Dortmund and psg. It's extraordinary, Barry.

[Barry Glendenny]

It is extraordinary. Yeah, they're a really good side. I mean I suppose you have to caveat any analysis of this game with by saying Burnley were absolutely atrocious. I mean so even by their own fairly low standards they were diabolically bad. And I've seen, you know, Burnley just aren't a very good Premier League side but they have a goal most of the time and they do have moments of quality. But there were none on show at the Stadium of Light on Monday night. Regis Labri has got a really good side together. The AFCON boys are back and Massimo Talby, Habib Diara were brilliant on Monday. Brian Brabbies been a great find from IAX probably. We are obliged. And yeah, they're up to waves now. They're not that far off the Champions League places. I mean if, if England gets six, if the Premier League gets six or five places at suddenly four points or fifth. So you know, dare to dream. Yeah, I'm so surprised I, I did not see this out because I, I would repeat again, I moaned at length last season saying that I didn't particularly want Sunderland to get promoted because I thought they'd do with Southampton and just go, you know, stink the place up for a season and go straight back down. But boy have I been proved spectacularly wrong.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

What have they done so well, Lucy?

[Lucy Ward]

Recruitment, I mean recruitment combined with Regis Labrie and his like tactical now is just incredible. But the recruitment is everything, you know, like what makes a good manager good players, you know, that is so key. But what he has done is, is molded them really quickly. I mean, I watched Brian Brobbie. Brobbie, Brobbie at Ajax against Villa. I think it was last season in the, in, in Europe and I, and when I went to watch him and I was thinking, I knew that the clubs in England were looking at him and I'm thinking, yeah, he looks, you know, it looks like he's got, he's got something but he didn't really show that much in the game that. But it's amazing where sometimes you just get lucky. You get a player like that who's a goal scorer, who then turns into something that even probably the Sunderland hierarchy didn't expect. But they've got everything right. The recruitment is perfect. They've. They've taken teams by surprise and they need to make the most of this season because then, you know, you look into next season and, and, and how, you know, teams will look at them and think, right, we know a little bit how to play, maybe have the best players taken off them. So absolutely enjoy this season because you never know, you know, Europe, who knows? And if they Europe, then the, you know, you're in a situation where you probably can keep that structure in place and. But yeah, recruitment has been absolutely key and having a coach that can manage and coach those is. It sounds simple and, but not everybody gets that right.

[Max Rushden]

I have a question for Barry. What would Labrize have to do or where would he have to finish, do you think, to win Manager of the Year?

[Barry Glendenny]

That's a good question. I. Well, in the very unlikely event they finish in the top five, I think then he has to get it. Well, this. It also depends on whether Arsenal win the League, don't. Doesn't it? Because I guess I, I'd imagine if Arson won the League and someone else got Manager of the Year, apart from.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

Our test of bottles. Manager of the Year after winning the Quad, after winning the Quadruple, it wasn't worth it. Is that what you.

[Barry Glendenny]

I could see that going down badly among Gooners, but I don't know.

[Max Rushden]

I think if he gets top five, top six, I, I've. Even if I was to win the League, I think the job he's done is absolutely phenomenal.

[Barry Glendenny]

Good job. It's an astonishingly good job. I don't really care whether he gets Manager of the Year or not, to be honest. It's.

[Lucy Ward]

You do.

[Barry Glendenny]

No, I don't. It's a, it's a team sport.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

Yeah.

[Barry Glendenny]

I'M not forced about but yeah, I suppose if he got them into Europe as a newly promoted side from the playoffs, having completely overhauled the squad in one summer, then you got to give.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

It to him, Bernie. Meanwhile, without winning 15 and they've already played Dr. Tottenham so they don't have that to look forward to. They play West Ham on Saturday so that is an enormous game for them, isn't it? And for West Ham. But it's looking pretty bleak for them. They didn't look good in this game actually Lucy. But like you know, before that they drawn with spurs, they drawn with Liverpool, hadn't they, at Anfield. Right. They, they're just not quite good enough. They made some interesting signings at the in the window, James Ward Prowse, but it's just not quite. They always give it a go but it's just not quite good enough.

[Lucy Ward]

Yeah I think you know that they were always better at one end of the pitch but obviously when you move up to the Premier League then you, you need your, your attackers to sort of take the pressure off the defense and that just that balance just hasn't worked. There's absolutely no poke whatsoever on on Monday night in fact I looked at the XG was 0.06 which was probably all the kickoffs that they had just passing the ball forward combined to make 0.06 because how can you go into a game against. So I mean I know Sunderland are strong at home etc but they didn't any sort of quality chance they didn't they create so they weren't taking risks. You know they didn't, they didn't penetrate anywhere up the pitch and I think the the worrying things for Burnley fans is just the lack of the look like to be a lack of fight and a bit of desire bit passive and I think that sometimes lack of confidence manifests itself where you it looks like people are not trying but actually it's a complete lack of confidence. They are trying. They just, they're just bereft of any sort of belief that anything can happen that's positive.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

A terrible day to be a Sky Sports News journalist outside a stadium or a deadline day. Live blogger Sanny did a gallery of images at Elland Road his day at Elland Road to Mad World by Gary Jules Nothing really happened as Joel says. Putting the dead in deadline day.

[Barry Glendenny]

Crystal.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

Palace I should steal these lines for myself, shouldn't I? Yeah you have to credit the writers by the team of writers. The writers room was amazing this morning. Crystal Palace Jordan have signed broken their Transfer record twice this window. Brendan Johnson, 35 million. Jorgenstrand Larson, 48 million. So it's more than 80 million pounds on two players who are kind of.

[Max Rushden]

Okay, yeah, it's a lot of money on. On, as you say, okay, players. I think whilst I think those fees are slightly inflated from, you know, what my opinion is worth, I think their thinking is just to stay in the league. I think we just. If we've got to spend a little bit extra to get into players that we think. I mean, they're probably hoping between those two players, they can rustle up 10 to 12 goals between now and May. That could be the 10 to 12 goals that keeps them in the league. And then they kind of get a new manager in the summer and they go again. It's been. They've gone from having their best season ever to, if it goes wrong, what could be one of their worst. So I think for them are just thinking, we'll take the hit, spend. Spend the money on these two attackers, stay in the league, and then, you know, we'll reset and go again. But, yeah, those do seem like quite inflated prices for two. Yeah, okay. Okay. Attackers.

[Lucy Ward]

I do think that palace are a cautionary tale for a lot of clubs that. That. That could get into a Conference league or Europa League because they got into Europe, they won, you know, they won the FA cup, but they didn't evolve the squad quick enough. They absolutely hung Glassner out to dry in summer in terms of not supporting him. Lost key players momentum. You know, you. You can reach Europe, but you. If you stand still, you may as well go backwards. If you reach Europe, you then have to build a structure around it, recruit properly to then kick on, because it's. You know, those Thursday Sundays are an absolute killer. And in the Conference League particularly, and you travel into, you know, places that I can't even spell, then, you know, it's. It is very, very difficult. And it tests your structure of your club, not just your. Like, the players on the pitch. So for ambitious clubs who want to get into Europe, it's like a little bit like, well, we're gonna have to. Then if we do get in, then, you know, you can't just go, yeah, this is brilliant, because next season actually might test your Premier League status.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

So it depends how good your spelling is. Lucy, where was the last European. What was the last European city you were sent to?

[Lucy Ward]

Oh, Ference Varosh.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

Okay, that is tricky. Fair enough.

[Lucy Ward]

Yeah, fair enough.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

I was really hoping you just said, you know, Paris. Okay, we know where the level Is. Sorry, Jordan, I interrupted you.

[Max Rushden]

Sorry. No, I interrupted you. I was going to ask. I wonder if Lucy, you think that the teams like palace, it might sound crazy, but they still have concerns about going down just generally, right? So if they spend a lot of money on players, on big wages, they're only, you know, three, four months of bad form away from being dragged into relegation zone. You don't want to be in the championship with players on 50, 60, 70, 80 grand a week. So I wonder if they still have that kind of. We want to spend to compete in Europe in the league, but we don't want to spend too much because if we go down we're going to be lumbered with, you know, huge, huge, huge salaries.

[Lucy Ward]

If you think about it, John, this, in, this, in summer, you wouldn't have ever put Crystal palace anywhere near last summer relegation. That wouldn't have even been a consideration other than in, in various players contracts because they have to be there, but because they didn't build then they lost the manager. They have then struggled in Europe at times. I've done quite a few palace games in Europe and they struggled with rotating. Yes, he likes a small squad, but he still wants these two or three that he brings on on the bench to be, you know, as good as the ones on the pitch. And I just think this could absolutely have not needed to happen. What's happened with Palace Glasner going if they would have supported him back in the summer. And I don't blame him, I don't, I honestly don't, don't blame Glasner because I just don't think that he's been, been helped at all.

[Barry Glendenny]

I, I, one presumes that in bringing in Johnson and Strand Larson, I, I can't believe that fee for Strand Larson, but I think didn't weren't Newcastle going to pay even more for him during the summer and then palace didn't let him go. But he did have a good first season. 14 and 35 Premier League appearances, but he's only got one so far this season. I think he was carrying it a fairly bad ankle injury for quite some time, so maybe he deserves a pass. But I haven't been impressed with him at all this season. I know he's been playing in a bad team, but he is part of that bad team and part of the reason they're really bad. But one presumes they were expecting to offload Jean Pauli Mateta and that move to Milan fell through because he failed his medical.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

So yeah, he's got an Inflamed knee. They concluded he needed surgery to fix that. And the obvious solution, I guess, is him to get surgery. But he could be in the French squad for the World Cup. He did. He wasn't a front line with Ekatike and Kunku Akilush in the last international. Tobin Barkala, Turkey all came off the bench. There's Mbappe. Elise didn't feature. So, you know, I don't know if I just get the surgery and say I probably won't start for France in the World cup, but, you know, somebody made that joke about Mateta 10 years.

[Barry Glendenny]

Ago and he was very.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

It was Wilfried Zaha, wasn't it? He was very upset about it. So don't come at me, Jean Philippe, when you score the winning goal in the World cup final with your dodgy knee. But, yeah, it'd be interesting to see what happens with him and Strand Larson. Big man, big man up front. But they need depth. You need depth. They tried to get Dwight McNeil and it fell through due to late paperwork, which always seems a weird reason for something to fall through. Dwight McNeil's partner, Megan sharply said the midfielder got radio silence from palace on social media. She said a four and a half year deal had been offered and the Bear had, quote, prepared to move our life hundreds of miles away before having it torn away without explanation. We live in a world where everyone is aware of how big a problem mental health is in football. Why do we find it acceptable? Because these young men are on a lot of money and that's okay. To mess and toy with their mental health and that it's just part of the job. We all deserve to be treated with respect, kindness and Fairly. The last 48 hours have broken my heart to see how the football world you love so much can be so cruel to you. To have something promised to you, to have been dragged along on an emotional roller coaster and to be toyed with until the final minute. For that to be torn away from you at the last second with absolutely no explanation, go from everything to radio silence, no phone call, no communication, and be left broken hearted with nothing but confusion has hurt more than I can say. I'm Lucy, you're a footballer. You're also the wife of a footballer, Neil Redford. And I, I don't know, a wag you are. I don't know when you got.

[Lucy Ward]

Is exactly what.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

Yeah, when you got together. And I presumed, I was thinking before I looked at his Wikipedia that he'd have refused to leave Yorkshire, but he had a couple of spells at Watford and Charlton, didn't he? So I don't know if you had to uproot your life or not or you were part of this sort of, this thing that we don't really think about, of just, oh, we're off here. I've signed for them. Kids and family, blah. Go.

[Lucy Ward]

Yeah, I mean, I completely understand how people read that who are not involved in football and think, oh, God, first world problems, you know, like, well, your millionaire husband and your nice lifestyle. However, right. She's obviously fiercely loyal to, to him. So when, when things happen, it's very difficult because it's. Unless you live in that world, it's. It's very difficult to understand that you're actually at the whim of. Of. Of, you know, a team from hundreds of miles away that you could absolutely change your life. And obviously your life is. Is. Is her life will be around him and, you know, and, and the kids and which school they're at. But it's difficult, you know, it's. It is. And people be listening to this and going that, you know, it's. It is a harder life than you think. I think being a professional footballer because you have to perform every single week, otherwise you don't get a contract the next time. But I, I mean, Neil was a manager by the time. Or a coach by the time we met and even then, you know, anything that happened negative against him, I was ready to fight everybody. You know, it's like you just think about your own situation and your own, you know, your own partners and, you know, people come out with things about them. You will be fiercely, you know, in your own private life, you'd be fiercely loyal. So sometimes when that plays out, it's very difficult to sort of stay quiet, but it is tough. And when you were reading out, thinking, yeah, I can imagine they were thinking, right, we're going to go to palace. This is great. Well, we'll, you know, we'll have to move to. We'll get everything ready. Then all of a sudden, last minute, it was like, no, you're not. And he's obviously not playing that much at Everton. So, yeah, it's tough and I think. But if you're not part of that, you really can't get your head around that.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

No. I remember doing a radio show with Kevin Nolan on Talksport and him telling the story of when he. I think he signed for Newcastle from Bolton and he didn't really know how to tell Mrs. Nolan. So literally one day as he was leaving for training, he just as the front door.

[Max Rushden]

He's at the front door.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

He says, I've just signed for Newcastle. Bang, shut the door and then got in the car. Perhaps not the best way of dealing with these things. Anyway. Liverpool have agreed to sign center back Jeremy Jacquet for 60 million from Ren. There was a tweet sort of named Bob Mortimer would make up, but. Yeah, but he's coming in in the summer, isn't he? And I think quite a few people are saying Liverpool needed to strengthen now if they want, you know, to try and compete in the Champions League this season. Your mate, Calvin Phillips, Lucy is joined Sheffield United on loan from Manchester City for the rest of the season. And look, it'd be great for him to get some minutes, wouldn't it?

[Lucy Ward]

Yeah, I just play football. I just think it's been so disappointing for, for Cal the last few years. I genuinely think that City got him so that somebody else didn't get him. You know, if you saw the way that he played for Bielsa. So I think it's a little bit of a slight that Guardiola couldn't get him to play like that. You know, that obviously it won't all be everybody else's, everybody else's fault. But I do think if it had gone somewhere else, he'd have played a lot more. He struggled with injuries as well, but he's actually just a genuinely good kid, you know, who wants to play football. And even when he went on loan, it just. Everything just didn't work out. He got sent off for West Ham. That didn't help. And then he sort of became a figure where people sort of laughed at him that he. But he, you know, he deserves a little bit more respect than that. And I really hope that he gets some minutes, he gets himself match fit and he gets himself back up to the level that we know because it's. I don't know, it's just, I think genuinely nice people you want the best for. And I do think he's been in terms of City being stiffed over a little bit at the start. I think if you'd have gone somewhere like Liverpool, I think he'd have played a lot more at that particular level when he was, you know, regular. Probably the best England player around that time when he, when he moved and you know, that's it. And this is what happens with footballers. Circumstance, opportunity, injuries. You just never know which way it's.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

Going to go and such a short career, isn't it? And it can be, you're right, the highs and lows are pretty extreme and can happen pretty fast. Angel Gomez has signed for Wolves. They now have four Gomez's. How many Gomezes can you have in a squad? But yeah, at least they were self aware enough to say, you know, room for another Gomez in their social media post about it all. That'll do for part two. Part three we'll do some Jani Infantino on Goodyear welcome to Part three of the Guardian Football Weekly. Andy says is Infantino now preparing the ground so he can award next year's Peace Prize to Putin? Ukraine's sports minister has called the FIFA president irresponsible and infantile for saying that world football's governing body will look at lifting a ban on Russia. Russian national teams and clubs were suspended from all competitions by FIFA and UEFA in February 2022 after the country's second invasion of Ukraine. The war is still going on, of course, infantino said. This ban has not achieved anything, has just created more frustration and hatred. Having girls and boys from Russia being able to play football games in other parts of Europe would help. That is coupled with the International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry saying throughout the campaign and in many of our conversations since, I've heard the same message from you. Focus on our core. We're a sports organization. We understand politics, we know we don't operate in a vacuum. But our game is sport. That means keeping sport a neutral ground, a place where every athlete can compete freely without being held back by the politics or divisions of their governments. General understanding, without mentioning it directly, is that she's referring to Russia's exclusion ahead of this Winter Olympics. I don't know what you think, Barry. I mean the flip side argument is there are, I know, 116 conflicts going on in the world, I think, and you know, FIFA doesn't get involved in all of them, hasn't got involved in Israel. I don't bond, you know, but I don't know if Infantino's given back his medal of for whatever it was that Putin gave him.

[Barry Glendenny]

I I'd hazard a guess he probably hasn't.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

Probably.

[Barry Glendenny]

Maybe he gave it to Donald Trump.

[Lucy Ward]

Nestor Rats.

[Barry Glendenny]

Yeah, I could see both sides. I don't think Russia should be allowed back, but I also think other countries should be also be banned. And it does seem slightly odd or unfair even that Russia are subject to this ban when other countries aren't. And beyond that I don't, I don't really know what to say to be honest.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

That's okay. It's complicated situation. Infantino did apologize to England Football fans over comments he made at Davos when he said that the World cup in Qatar in 2022 had been special for the first time in history, no Brit was, he said, I need to apologize. It was meant more of a light hearted remark to show actually that the World cup in Qatar was a celebration, a peaceful event and everyone came together in a peaceful way. Having English fans, real fans coming in a peaceful way and enjoying cheering for their team is something that is fantastic. I think we've all learned from many of Infantino's speeches that he shouldn't attempt humor.

[Barry Glendenny]

To be fair, I think that was quite amusing.

[Lucy Ward]

But you know, there's a saying that, I mean, and it's, it is absolutely typifies Infantino. He has got absolutely pissed on the power that's been afforded to him. He's just got completely carried away with, with everything and just, you know, I don't know that that award for Trump, you know, it's just crazy. Nothing would surprise me. But he is completely pissed on the power that FIFA has afforded him.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

Yeah. In Fitbar, Hearts lost last night away at St Mirren. Celtic away to Aberdeen. Tonight Rangers host Kilmarnock. Both can move to just within three points of the leaders of a three way title race in Fitbar. We'll do a proper Fitbar corner soon and go to the jazz bar, of course. Lucy, potential changes to the Women's FA Cup. Reported by Tom Gary and the Guardian yesterday exclusively. What are they? Are they good?

[Lucy Ward]

Yeah. They basically want to make sure that the best two teams get to the final by just by excluding some tier. The tier 7 clubs are. Some tier 7 clubs are quite good. You know, the ones around the big cities like London and Manchester. But it's like it. The FA cup is the FA Cup. It's not broken for 99 of, of. Of. Of clubs and they look like they're trying to change it just for the future. And it's quite interesting. Back in the day when I played, obviously the draws for the FA cup were held in secret for the Women's FA cup and you just knew that they tried to get the best two teams in the final because you knew.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

That's amazing. That's amazing.

[Lucy Ward]

Honestly, it was incredible. Allegedly. But so say there was four teams in the set and we'd got to the semi final, they would make sure the two better teams would play the two worst teams so that they make sure, honestly. And we managed to get to the final ones and actually proved why that is because we got battered. But that, you know, that's by the by. But it used to, we say, I used to be like, why on earth are these, why are these draws made in secret? It's like, oh, the FA cup semi final draw on the FA cup quarterfinal draw for women is an in. Each tie is a better team than the one in. And it's like, what are you doing? So that I don't know whether they want to, but they want to seed teams which will be the top four of the WSL to make sure then that the last 32 will be like that bracket style. So you, so you could follow your map of your club to the final. That's why they want to do it. They want to increase, make it more appealing for commercial sponsors. But I'm not being funny, but you can't exclude. The whole point of the FA cup is that everybody could play in it and everybody could get as far as they possibly can. And honestly, it's, it's, it's not good.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

Producer Joel writes, I'm sure the FA would deny that. Yeah, but yeah, the FA Cup's the FA Cup. You, you know, the draw is the draw, right? I agree with you. Honorable mention to Luton Town and their median team media team. Their 2026 calendar is 31 days old and already five of the 12 players have left the club. This is pretty impressive stuff. And regards Barney, who had a very. Had a brilliant Monday pod. I think surely we need a Squire's masterpiece of Erling Harland hugging Barney while they make pottery together at the while they sit at the potter's wheel to Unchained Melody. I have sent the message on to Squires so fingers crossed he can do his best work.

[Max Rushden]

Yes, Jordan, Can I just do a Barry impersonation, if you will. I got a LinkedIn message a couple of months back from a listener, Joe McCormick, his director. I won't name the company because I'm not sure if we're allowed to name brands on this podcast. He's director so he earns a lot of money. Clearly. This is two months ago. Hi Jordan. Hope you are well and don't mind me messaging you on LinkedIn. I tried to find an email but couldn't. My friend Ewan is getting married on New Year's Eve. Both of us are big fans of the Football Football Weekly and regularly discuss episodes with each other. You're the pundit he mentions the most, especially your villa takes any chance you would have a chance to record a brief good luck message ahead of his wedding day? It would be class to be able to surprise him. So, obviously I'm two months late and.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

The wedding has come and gone, which isn't LinkedIn. You're meant to be really ahead of the game. I thought that was sort of like the MO of LinkedIn. Here we are. Hopefully they're still together, but.

[Lucy Ward]

Yeah, yeah, it might be divorced.

[Max Rushden]

They could be by now. Just to say, big up, Mrs. And Mrs. Ewan, hope you had a lovely wedding and I wish you. Wish you eternal love, commitment and lots of great times ahead.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

Beautifully done. Thank you, Jordan. And, you know, if you would like to message us on LinkedIn. I don't. I don't. I don'T believe we're on LinkedIn, but you can go buy Jordan. Jared Bryant. Yeah, yeah. If you want to link to us, you have to link with Jordan. That's the way it works. Thanks, everybody. That'll do for today. Thank you, Jordan Gordon.

[Max Rushden]

Cheers, mate.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

Thank you, Lucy.

[Lucy Ward]

Thanks, Max.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

Cheers, Baz. Thank you. Football Weekly is produced by Joel Grove. Our executive producer is Danielle Stevens will be back tomorrow.

[Max Rushden]

This is the Guardian.

[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

This is Ayo Akemolere from the Athletic FC podcast. Buying a car should be exciting, not exhausting. And if you're looking for a gleaming.

[Max Rushden]

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[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

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[Max Rushden]

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[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

Just go to autotrader.com and get picky. Search through dealer listings for the make.

[Max Rushden]

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[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

Then just drop in your info and.

[Max Rushden]

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[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

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[Max Rushden]

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[Jordan Jarrett-Bryan]

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