Football Weekly – Liverpool Look Limp Against Galatasaray and Spurs Steal a Point at Bodø/Glimt

The Guardian | October 1, 2025
Host: Max Rushden | Guests: Barry Glendenning, Nicky Bandini, Jonathan Wilson

Episode Overview

This episode dives into a turbulent midweek in European football, focusing on Liverpool’s limp defeat to Galatasaray in the Champions League and Tottenham’s fortuitous draw away at Bodø/Glimt. The panel explores tactical and squad concerns at Liverpool, marvels at the underdog atmosphere in Norway, and recounts notable results from around the continent. Jose Mourinho’s latest return to Stamford Bridge, Real Madrid’s response after their derby defeat, and early verdicts on recently promoted Premier League sides also feature.

Liverpool's Troubles at Galatasaray (02:17–11:34)

Galatasaray 1–0 Liverpool: Night to Forget for Slot's Side

• Galatasaray End Home Drought
  • First CL home win in 7 years ("Galatasaray hadn't won at home in the Champions League for seven years..." – Max Rushden, 02:23).
• Nicky’s Dark Horse Prediction
  • Justified faith in Galatasaray after summer additions (Osimhen, Leroy Sané, Gundogan, Icardi).
  • "There’s a lot in this team, especially going forward... when they go at you, they can go at you." (Nicky Bandini, 02:45)
• Atmosphere & Game Summary
  • Game described as "noisy, hot, angry and just in your face" (Nicky, 03:23).
  • Liverpool gave away an early penalty after defensive confusion.
• Liverpool Deficiencies Dissected
  • Szoboszlai exposed at right back; Salah rested or dropped, Alisson injured.
  • Defensive shakiness and lack of midfield chemistry.
  • "Far too many of their players are out of sorts." (Barry Glendenning, 04:37)
  • New signings (Frimpong, Kirkhes, Wirtz) still settling; only Alisson, Ekitike, and Szoboszlai in (midfield) have impressed.
• System and Balance Issues
  • Loss of last season’s structure—moving from 4-3-3 to 4-2-3-1 hasn’t clicked.
  • "I wonder, weirdly, if they’re missing Alexander-Arnold for the way he tucks into midfield more than what he does at right back." (Jonathan Wilson, 06:59)
• Salah and the Switch in Fullback
  • New right backs (Frimpong) change dynamic for Salah—no more "quick 30, 40 yard passes."
• Settling-in Struggles
  • New faces not fully integrated, leading to a slower, less instinctive buildup.
  • "It’s not that these are suddenly terrible players… but it’s that fraction of a second slower." (Nikki Bandini, 08:41)
• Victor Osimhen Discussion
  • Surprise at seeing him in Turkey, given elite talent.
  • "I think he’s one of the absolute best number nines on the planet... astonishing that no one [in the Premier League] went for him." (Nikki, 10:00)

Notable Quotes & Moments:

• "The Guardian headline called it a hellish night for Liverpool. I couldn’t work out if that was a play on 'Welcome to Hell'..." (Max, 04:13)
• "Dominik Szoboszlai did okay at right back in a couple games this season. He was horribly exposed last night." (Barry, 05:21)

Penalty Incident

• Szoboszlai’s foul on Yilmaz for the match-winning penalty debated: "Not a travesty if it wasn’t given, but not a surprise that it was." (Barry, 11:45)

Spurs Survive at Bodø/Glimt (12:35–18:45)

Bodø/Glimt 2–2 Tottenham: A Tale of Two Halves

Reporting live from Norway: Jonathan Wilson

• Glimt's Dream Night
  • Home atmosphere described as "moving," town of 50,000 "can’t believe" hosting CL group stage.
  • Glimt "startlingly dominant" first hour; missed penalty "one of the worst ever seen." (Jonathan, 12:53)
  • "If that netting hadn’t been there, [the ball] would have gone over houses on the other side of the street." (Wilson, 13:09)
• Hauge's Double
  • Jens Petter Hauge scores two sensational solo goals, each created from the left, turning Pedro Porro inside-out (14:33).
  • "For him to score those two goals in their first ever home group game, it obviously meant a huge amount to him." (Jonathan, 15:44)
• Atmosphere & Tifo
  • Unique, "wholesome" tifo compared to usual aggression: "We're all here and we're all a family kind of thing." (Nikki, 15:44)
• Tottenham's Fortunate Escape
  • Spurs lucky with a late own goal to snatch draw; missing key creative personnel (Kulusevski, Maddison, Solanke, Romero).
  • "They were very lucky in this game... Glimt should have won at a canter." (Barry, 17:10)
• Artificial Pitch?
  • Surface didn’t impact game significantly: "To the lay person in the stand, it really wasn’t obvious it was making a difference." (Wilson, 19:16)

Notable Quotes & Moments:

• "Paddington... often gave people a hard stare. He took no business." (Jonathan, 16:42)
• "Goes back to bed." (Barry, on producer Joel, 12:31)

Jose Mourinho Returns (Part Two: 21:28–25:20)

Chelsea 1–0 Benfica: Jose Steals the Show

• Jose the Attraction
  • "Jose Mourinho isn’t really a coach these days, he’s a portable human fame event." (Max quoting Barney Ronay, 21:28)
• Narrative Fatigue
  • Eighth return to Stamford Bridge for Mourinho, now Benfica manager after being sacked by Fenerbahce.
  • "He was being simultaneously a bastion of humility and bigging himself up." (Barry, 22:04)
• On the Pitch
  • Dull match, settled by an own goal—Chelsea also have another player sent off.
  • "The game was pretty grim watching, so it was probably good to have Mourinho there." (Barry, 22:53)
• Relevance of Mourinho's Style
  • Debate over Mourinho's defensive tactics possibly cycling back into vogue: "A more sophisticated version of Jose Ball we’re seeing now... he’s the Mark 1 version." (Wilson, 25:20)

Around Europe: Goal Fests & Standout Performances (26:24–36:14)

Champions League Highlights

• Real Madrid Respond
  • 5–0 win at Kairat Almaty after weekend "tonking" by Atleti (26:24).
  • Mbappé scores hat-trick; young keeper Kalmirza, "looks a young eighteen," concedes 9 in two games but already has a penalty save against Sporting (Nikki, 28:13).
• Atletico Madrid Bounce Back
  • Raspadori, summer arrival, scores for Atleti; Griezmann’s 200th for Atleti, "with an extraordinary mullet" (Nikki, 29:27).
• Frankfurt’s Goal Bonanza
  • Notorious for chaotic scorelines: "Either scoring five goals or conceding five goals every game from the seams of it." (Nikki, 28:13)
  • Four Atleti goals come from crosses, fifth is a penalty; "really good Panenka" by Julian Alvarez (Barry, 29:27).
• Marseille Hit Ajax for Four
  • Igor Pachow (new signing from Feyenoord) scores twice in style. Ajax’s woes continue.
  • "Full De Zerbi just never stop… Pak Chow looked electric" (Nikki, 30:29).
• Bayern & Kane
  • Kane scores two in a 5–1 over Paphos; a clause could allow him to return to the Premier League next summer—debate on goal records (Wilson/Barry, 31:19).

Notable Stat-Shaming:

• “That record [Premier League goals] is just so bogus…” (Barry, 32:04)

Serie A & Bundesliga Check-In

• Atalanta Beat Club Brugge 2–1
  • Comeback win, important morale boost for Urich’s side.
  • "It felt like one of those goals that meant a lot to the team." (Nikki, 34:11)
• Inter Brush Aside Slavia Prague
  • Still hard to read post-Inzaghi Inter, but "comfortably, comfortably even comfortably under Celtic" (Nikki, 35:38).

Premier League & EFL Round-Up (Part Three: 37:12–42:42)

Nuno’s West Ham Debut (37:12–41:36)

• Everton 1–1 West Ham
  • Everton unlucky: "I agree with you and producer Joel is an idiot. Everton very much left this one behind them..." (Barry, 37:27)
  • West Ham toothless, rescued by another Bowen moment.
  • "I don't know how Nuno will fit in with fans’ expectations... I fear it’s gonna be a pretty attritional difficult season for them, whoever they got in charge." (Wilson, 39:42)
  • Survival debate: "It’s still not the point to make the universal [relegation] call... It’s six games in." (Nikki, 40:16)
  • Jonathan suggests safety line may be high this year: "I think this season it might be 36, 37." (41:06)

Lower League Notable

• Chris Wilder Sent Off
  • For "booting a ball at a fan"—oversold: "I think he just saw a ball and went, I’m gonna kick that." (Barry, 42:26)
• Dramatic Draws
  • Wednesday drop points with 99th minute equalizer from Birmingham.

Listener Moments & Show Closer (44:38–47:24)

• Heartwarming email from Callum (Australian Arsenal fan) about Football Weekly becoming a bond with soon-to-be brother-in-law Tom—leading to a comedic riff doubting Tom’s enjoyment: "Are you okay, Tom? Would you like...do you need help?" (Max, 45:21)
• Listener spotted Barry on the Tube, leading to slight social awkwardness.
• Closing banter and self-deprecation—trademarks of the Football Weekly tone.

Memorable Quotes

• "I think he’s one of the absolute best number nines on the planet." – Nicky Bandini on Osimhen (10:00)
• "There are so many players who have scored more goals in the top flight than Shearer, but just because they didn't score them in the Premier League..." – Barry Glendenning (32:04)
• "Jose Mourinho isn’t really a coach these days, he’s a portable human fame event." – Max, quoting Barney Ronay (21:28)
• "If that netting hadn’t been there, I think it would have gone over the houses on the other side of the street." – Jonathan Wilson on Glimt’s penalty miss (13:09)
• "It wasn’t sort of Loftus road in the 80s..." – Jonathan Wilson on Bodø/Glimt’s pitch (19:24)
• "I think we might have to stop talking about newly promoted sides just rolling over..." – Nicky Bandini on the Premier League's competitive bottom (40:16)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Liverpool’s defeat at Galatasaray: 02:17–11:34
• Tottenham at Bodø/Glimt: 12:35–18:45
• Jose Mourinho at Chelsea: 21:28–25:20
• Real Madrid/Kairat Almaty, Atleti/Frankfurt, Marseille/Ajax: 26:24–36:14
• Everton v West Ham/Nuno’s debut: 37:12–41:36
• Lower Leagues, Chris Wilder incident, and listener stories: 42:42–47:24

Tone & Style

As ever, the panel delivers informed punditry, sharp tactical breakdowns, historical context, with plenty of light-hearted banter and trademark self-effacement. The listener interaction and off-topic riffs, from paddington to tube etiquette, add warmth and distinctive Football Weekly flavor throughout.