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Football Weekly
Saints stun Arsenal and what now for Slot after Liverpool’s painful exit? – Football Weekly
00:56:00
Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, Dan Bardell and John Brewin to discuss the weekend’s FA Cup Quarter-final games
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- [00:00]
A
This is the Guardian.
- [00:10]
B
You're listening to this podcast, so I know you've got a curious mind. Here's a helpful fact you might not know yet. Drivers who switch and save with Progressive save over $900 on average. Pop over to progressive.com, answer some questions and you'll get a quick quote with discounts that are easy to come by. In fact, they 99% of their auto customers earn at least one discount. Visit progressive.com and see if you can enjoy a little cash back. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. National average 12 month savings by $946 by new customers surveyed who saved with Progressive between June 2024 and May 2025. Potential savings will vary.
- [00:54]
A
Hello and welcome to the Guardian Football Weekly. Southampton knock Arsenal out of the FA cup to set up a SEM. Manchester City, Shai Charles side, footing into the net with five minutes to go. They were the better side for almost all of it. Hands up. If you'd heard of Leo Sienza before the game, he was brilliant. So that's half the quadruple over for Mikel Arteta. The two big ones to come, but people are readying the bottle gifts. A huge test of the Gunners mentality. Now is it time up for Arnold Slot? Liverpool swatted aside at the Etihad. They had a couple of chances early on, but once City led from another Virgil van Dijk mistake, they had nothing. Their big players aren't performing and rightly or wrongly, it'll take something extraordinary for Slot to keep his job. Now, you might have looked at West Ham Leeds on Sunday and thought, not for me. But it was probably the game of the round. An incredible comeback and a debutant in goal for penalties. And in the end, the first semi final for Leeds since 1987. They'll play Chelsea after Portvale held out for 64 seconds or something before opening the floodgates. Also today, Fitbar's getting tight. Will Millwall be in the Premier League next season? And a wild rumour begins that could change Barry's life forever. We'll do all that, answer your questions. And that's today's Guardian Football Weekly. On the panel today, Barry Glendenning.
- [02:02]
C
Welcome. This is. This is insane. Can we skip straight to the end, please?
- [02:07]
A
I was gonna say you'll be a wreck for the whole of the pod. John Bruin, welcome.
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D
Hello, Max.
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A
And welcome Dan Bardell.
- [02:13]
E
Hello, Max.
- [02:15]
A
Ian says, is the quadruple bottling on? Oliver says, are Arsenal doomed? Could this be their worst season ever if spurs stay up? Southampton 2, Arsenal 1. It was a brilliant game, Barry. And we'll of course get to the Arsenal bit, which I suspect neutrals are foaming at the mout here. But should we begin with Southampton? Because they were absolutely brilliant in this game.
- [02:36]
C
Yeah. And those of us who don't pay a huge amount of the attention to the Championship are used to Southampton. You know, haven't seen them last season when they were absolutely diabolical. I was completely shocked to see how good they were. I think this is now their 16th game unbeaten. I think they've won most of those games, maybe 12 of them or 11 of them. And I was so, so impressed with what I saw. You mentioned Leo Sienza in your intro. I'd never heard of him before a Saturday, but he left a very good impression on me and on Arsenal over the course of the 90 minutes of this game. I was delighted. For Ross Stewart, the Loch Ness Drogba. He's a former Sunderland player who didn't really get a chance. His Sunderland career was sort of ruined by injury, but the. The club made a nice few quid out of him when they sold him to Southampton. And I think Southampton were, you know, totally worth their win. They. They gave Arsenal plenty to think about. Tonde Eckhart is a really interesting guy. I think they've a real star management star of the future there at St. Mary's for anyone who hasn't read it yet, Ben Fisher did a great interview with him not too long ago. He's got a good backstory and he's very young and I'd say Southampton will do well to hold on to him for much longer. But yeah, really, really good win for them and thoroughly deserved, I thought.
- [04:19]
A
Yeah. Appleton says, as a Saints fan, should I be annoyed now everyone knows how good Leo Sienza is. I mean, Dan, he wasn't the only good player on the pitch for Southampton. I just thought they. The way they passed the ball everywhere was brilliant. But he looked like a total superstar.
- [04:33]
E
Yeah, Looked like a. Like a special talent. First time I've seen him play like, like Barry, I thought he was absolutely excellent, but it was. It was just a really, really strong team performance. Southampton, last time they're in the Premier League, looked like a championship side in the Premier League. Watching them on, on Saturday night, they look like a. Like a Premier League side that's currently playing in the championship. And as Barry just alluded to, the run that they're on right now is incredible. I thought they used the conditions to their advantage really well in, in the first half. Caught Arsenal a little bit cold. And even in the second half, like the game management to be able to respond to being pegged back to, to 1 1, the substitutions that the manager made, like, I just liked everything about them. It was a really, really fun game. And Southampton looked. Looked a really fun team to watch, which was all the wrong reasons why they were a fun team to watch when they were last in the Premier League.
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A
Yeah. And John, like, as Dan mentions that as soon as he goes 1:1, you're a bit like, ah, they played so well but they're gonna lose now. So to. To get the impetus back. And it's such a. It's a lovely run from Fellows, but it's a brilliant finish from Shay Charles.
- [05:40]
D
Oh, yeah, yeah, Shay Charles. Sheffield Wednesday listeners will know his talent. He was a big, big hero to people up there. And yeah, Southampton have had a troubled recent few years, haven't they? They're one of those clubs that have tried to do the Brentford, Brighton, Bournemouth model and it's not worked out for them. They've had a few experiments. The reason Tom De Eckert is in the job is that it didn't work out with Will. Still, they also had, you know, Rishi Sunak wishing them the best. I think I was at the game where they got rele and Rishi Sunak was there and then had to sort of not leave early. We'll get onto leaving early later, I would have thought. Yeah, we will. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And so they've had a troubled time, but. And the Will Steel experiment did not happen. They tried to be progressive and have hit on Tonda Eckert and have been on that great run and anyone just thinking, oh, Arsenal are going to roll over. This Championship team hadn't paid attention on what a good run Southampton are in. They've got a decent claim to being the best team since in 2026 championship. So it proved they were absolutely brilliant on the night. Brilliant atmosphere, the FA Cup. It's the best, isn't it, when it's like that? And also a mention, of course, for a couple of Irishmen that had had a terrible week last 10 days or so. You know, Ryan Manning, Finn Azaz, they played the part as well. So well done, Southampton. Fantastic.
- [07:06]
A
Okay, here we go then, Barry. Arsenal then. Quite often the pod is very. Arsenal dominated. It isn't today, you know, but I imagine it's one of those podcasts that Arsenal fans are probably not listening to. That is two big defeats, isn't it? The Carabao Cup Final. And this. And it's not just defeats, Barry. It's two pretty flat performances.
- [07:30]
C
Yeah. Look, far be for me to repeat myself on this part, but I said before a ball would hit this season that Arsenal have the best squad in the Premier League and the only thing stopping them from winning the title would be potentially a lack of mental fortitude, which they've been accused of having. Those accusations are bubbling to the surface again now. People are. You know, the bottle memes and gifts were all over social media on Saturday night. An awful lot of people were reveling in this Arsenal defeat. And they've had two bad performances, got knocked out, two cup competitions in two games. I suppose if you're an Arsenal fan and looking for positives to cling to, you can say, well, it's. It's one less competition to worry about. And they're only inverted commas, the cops. It's the Premier League and the Champions League, that one or both of them that really matter. And I think they're right to say that. But those two defeats, they were bad defeats. Manchester City really pulled their pants down in the Carabao Cup Final. And Southampton, I would say, pull their pants down on Saturday night as well. And they're a championship team. I. I didn't realistically expect Arsenal to. To have any trouble with this type, but that's my own ignorance of how good Southampton are. They entertained Bournemouth in the Premier League at the weekend after their match against Sporting. It's a big week for Arsenal Sporting. They're presumed to have the easiest quarterfinal draw. But Sporting have been playing well and scoring a lot of goals recently, and Bournemouth on their day could well be Arsenal. So this is a big, big week coming up. And I think if they were to lose both those games, then accusations of a potential bottle job it would be. Have a certain amount of validity. The thing is, Arsenal have seven Premier League games left. If they win, five of them draw one, they are Champions no matter what Manchester City do. And that should be doable for them.
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A
They should. I mean, apart from the City game of the Etihad, their. Their running is nice. I'm trying to think of the analogy of if City pulled their pants down, can then Southampton pull their pants down if their pants are already down? Or are you presuming during the international break, they pull their pants back up again only to have them pulled back down? I mean, I guess, Dan, Arsenal fans will point to the fact that, you know, David Rare didn't play in this game either. So Kep has played in both these Cup Games, they were missing Declan Rice as well. Who's. Who's hugely important to them. And there is a sort of ridiculousness to the bottle narrative, which is if you go far in all the Cups, you may get knocked out in the cups late on, which is. Which. You know, you have to do well to get this narrative. If they'd gone out in the first, you know, the, the third round of the cup, of the FA cup, and earlier in the Carabao, then this conversation doesn't really happen as much.
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E
Yeah, I guess it's the, the timing factor, isn't it, If. If Arsenal get knocked out the. The FA Cup a few months ago or at the, at the start of the journey, the narrative now is probably not. Not as strong. It's the fact that they've been knocked out of two cups in, in a very. Quadruple's gone from a quadruple to a treble to now a potential double very, very quickly. And now suddenly you look at the games that are coming up in the Premier League, you look at the Champions League game midweek, which felt like they were comfortable favourites to me. Now you start to think, well, actually, have the players got the mentality to see this through? Like, what's going to happen to this club now? Gabriel's going off injured on Saturday. He's a massive player. The image of him just sat down on the floor. Does that suddenly become an image that defines their season if they have a bad night in the Champions League week? I guess it's just the timing of it all, all amalgamating together. But no one, you couldn't have seen them getting knocked out by a championship side. I guess it's the nature of being knocked out by a championship side. I mean, they got stick for losing a cup final to Manchester City, who are obviously a very good side. So if you're going for a treble now and you're getting knocked out of the FA cup, which is a winnable competition by a championship side, look, questions are always going to be asked, aren't they?
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A
I suppose mentality is such an interesting thing, John, for all these elite sports people, because they've all got such great mentality to have got where they've got right, you, like, it's. You have to be so mentally strong to have got to Arsenal. Right, so it seems it is a valid question, but it is the levels of. It's not. You have zero mentality. You know, it's, it's, it's fine. It's a cliche, but it is the Fine margins of it.
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D
Absolutely. Obviously, the weekend I was sent a series of mems. Memes. I never know how to pronounce that word anyway.
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A
All right, Granddad.
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D
It's true. No one's ever. It's like Bowie and Bowie. You know, it's. How do you pronounce it?
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A
But.
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D
But my favorite was of the film poster, one bottle after another, which I think is very cruel, but. Yeah, and his mentality. Absolutely right, Max. That we are discussing. But there is another element, and this is the one chatting to someone who deals quite closely with us over the weekend. They're talking about physicality. Another word that is sort of coming to the lexicon in the last few years is that they're tired, they're being put through too much, you know, they're loading. And so someone like Declan Rice has to sit out the game. You know, David Raya maybe needs a rest. So that's why Kep is about. I suppose the thing is, when we talk about mentality and we talk about how you win trophies, in my mind it's always about clutch moments and big players coming through for you, particularly in the forward line. And I suppose at this point, are we asking questions of Arsenal's forward players? Martinelli. Oof. That was not a great performance by him, was it? Yokerez, who essentially powered Sweden to the. To the World Cup. You know, they brought him on late. Gabriel Jesus took a lot of stick from Arsenal fans over the weekend for his little cameo there. It was not a great performance by their forward line. You know, Saka's dropped out of form and at this point, we think of big moments and big players coming through and supplying and nailing down and you know, go Haaland and people like that. Where City's. Where are Arsenal's big players here? Who is going to step up? Gabriel, as Dan mentioned, is such a big player for him, as he's injured, you know, it's about leadership and that's part of the mentality thing, isn't it? Mikel Arteta has been in charge for a considerable amount of time, but there's still questions over his leadership, aren't there? He's not really been. He's been in this position where that, you know, they were not expected to win a league. This one's different, this one is different. And we're going to have to see how he can do it.
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A
Yeah, I mean, they. They still should win it.
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D
They should.
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C
They. They should win it. But I. I think when those players look across to the touchline and see Michael Arteta having one meltdown after another in his technical area. I can't see how that's helpful. I've mentioned it before, but. And we talk about Arsenal having bigger fish to fry in the FA cup and fielding a below strength team. But Southampton too have bigger fish to fry. They're trying to get promoted back to the Premier League. They were missing their captain, Jack Stevens on Saturday and Shay Charles and Samuel the Dozy both started on the bench so they were rotated out. So, you know, it wasn't just Arsenal who were resting players and have their eye on bigger prizes.
- [15:44]
A
On the last pod, Dan Jordan was talking about how Ben White should go to the World cup because he's fresh. But he didn't look that fresh, did he, in this one? Poor guy. Like I said, it's Barry on the radio yesterday. Like he gave away so many fouls and he looked, so. He looked as frustrated with the ref as like a teenager on holiday with their parents on their own. He's just like, oh God, just. He's just like, oh, so embarrassing. And then like, that is a, that is a big mistake for the first goal as well.
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E
Yeah, a serious misjudgment from him. I remember watching him play loads of times this season for Arsenal, so I guess the fresh point is true. But I thought by the end of the game he looked absolutely terrified and this is, this is Southampton, so God knows what's happened happening if you, if you go into a World Cup. It was a, it was a truly difficult game for him. I mean, he had the. Probably the best Arsenal player on the pitch playing in front of him in, in Max Dalman. But it just looked like the week with England had completely taken its toll. It was like going back to the times when players used to go and play under Fabio Capello and that they'd come back and look shell shocked. I thought he just looked by the end of the game completely bemused by everything that was happening. Ben White had the armband on as well. But by the end of the game, real nasty. Horrible week for, for Ben White.
- [16:58]
A
It really was, Ian says, just an interesting bit of context. In their invincible season, Arsenal got knocked out the FA cup semis and the Champions League quarters in the space of a week. To Man United and Chelsea. They were called Butlers. We know what happened next. There's form here. It's just not what people think. Whoever.
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E
That's the most positive way of looking at it.
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A
Yeah, the Southampton social media person had a nice time. You know, enjoy your quadruple pal. It said to some Arsenal fan quote tweeted Piers Morgan. But I, you know, with a picture of Shay Charles looking happy. But I don't need to mention him particularly. But yeah, well done Southampton. And they go on to play Manchester City, which takes us to City 4, Liverpool nil. And look, we've, we have probably stuck up for on a Slot, John, more than most people have, I'd say over the course of the season given the, the turmoil and the tragedy of Diogo Jota. I mean it's not, it's not up to us whether Slot keeps his job and how much grace you deserve for winning a title. But this was a disaster for him, wasn't it?
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D
Absolutely. And it being preceded by a week of let's call them briefings from out of Liverpool that you know, the Arne Slot was seen as the man to take the club forward and maybe there might be a reshuffle behind the scenes or whatever but you know, Arne Slot is the man and then that performance happens. And it was a fairly watching Arne Slot's press conference after the game. He talked and I think this is fair. Until Liverpool conceded. They were probably really playing quite well. But then they conceded. Yeah. Oh God. And, and you know, Virgil van Dijk is it the fourth penalty is conceded this season, you know, having continued.
- [18:41]
A
So Andy Hunter had that 4 in 46 games and he'd previously given away 4 in 319.
- [18:47]
D
Well, there you go. I mean, you know that, that statistic shows you a player who is perhaps struggling, you know, another player given an expensive new contract. Like Mohamed Salah. Salah's performance. Oh, you know, painful to watch. But he wasn't the only painful player to watch. Curtis Jones, do you see that bit where he started doing some sort of, you know, Brazilian style flick just before I think things started to go very, very wrong. And it's like what is the. What, what's the thinking here? Why, why are you doing this? Because it was quite an entertaining game. Both teams played quite nice football. But you know, leave that to Ray and Turkey, he's better at it, mate. And then just City just took them apart and it was an awful performance from Liverpool. Painful. Another. Another mention of people leaving early. There was that footage, wasn't there, of the Liverpool fans peeling out of the Etihad. And then afterwards a player that I praise an awful lot and I think deserves praise for performances, Dominik Szobozzlai, given it the big one to the fans and has now made himself a pariah, which is it just Shows you that a club is turning in on itself. And what's happened to Liverpool. I mean I accept the mitigating factors you mentioned start but it is a disaster for Slot and this was preluded as 14 days that will define the arnay slot regime. Well, day one did not start well, did it?
- [20:21]
A
No, it didn't. And Dan, you wanted to talk about Van Dijk because up until John's right, you know Salah has a good chance, a really good chance. Ekatiga has a decent chance. But that challenge like I know it's a great turn from O'Reilly but even if O'Reilly does the normal what you expect which is just hold the ball, there's no way Van Dijk can get that ball. It's such a. And it's so odd seeing someone who's been so brilliant make challenges like that.
- [20:49]
E
The reaction to it as well like complaining like there's some form of injustice against him as well. The whole passage was absolutely staggering. Liverpool and Van Dijk let the game get completely away from them as well. At the moment I saw a Liverpool fan writing on social media that there's no team in the league that responds to adversity as bad as Liverpool. Now Tottenham fans might have something to say about that at the top end. I think that that's probably fair because in minutes terms in the game it went from nil nil to 3 nil. I think in 14 minutes these are just massive collapses from Liverpool. And last time I was on I said that they're so weird, like so passive. The distances, the gaps between the midfield and the defense, the gaps between that the defenders like absolutely everything looks off about Liverpool and I'm repeating myself from the last time but Slot just doesn't look like he knows how to rectify it. I thought it was. It's quite funny Pep Linda's on the sideline for Manchester. Manchester City who obviously bought a book out when he was Liverpool assistant manager called Intensity. The sequel at the moment passive from the Liverpool term right now it's just the complete opposite of everything you associate with Liverpool. And to get dismantled 4 nil in a. You know, one of the only things you've really got left this season because I can't say that they're going to do anything in the Champions League. I think PSG might have a lot of fun with them mid midweek to go out the way that you have. It's a really, really difficult look for slot in Liverpool.
- [22:20]
A
And it's difficult Barry, because I don't know if Liverpool would appoint Jabby Alonso but the fact that he's sort of he looming somewhere puts pressure on Slot because if you get rid of Slot you have to get someone else in the summer and that is someone who you really could get.
- [22:36]
C
It looks like it. I mean there's every chance they're already have approached Alonso or in talks with him or have arranged for him to succeed Slot. I think the worrying thing for Slot is there seemed at best among certain sections of Liverpool fans they seem completely indifferent to whether he stays or not. So he doesn't seem to have any firm support among the fans and quite a lot of them want him gone. But there is no point getting rid of him unless you have an upgrade ready to step in and take over. There's going to be a lot of managerial churn in the Premier League and elsewhere after the World cup and I. I'd be surprised if Slot is in charge at the start of the next season. It could be argued he may not be in charge at the end of this season if things go really badly against psg. So we shall see.
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A
Yeah. Meanwhile, John City were excellent. Erling haaland has scored 46 goals in 50 games for club and country this season. So it strikes me that he's not had a great season either.
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D
Yeah. Do you know what? Yeah. This is out of form Erling Haaland, isn't it? Because he had been. He had a slightly since the turn of the year he's not been quite himself. And the thing is what is himself himself is a guy that scores. I mean Forgive me the 26 hat tricks or whatever it is. He's just an incredible footballer, you know of a. The plundering. And it is plundering because that sort of fits his image, doesn't it? Of just someone just raiding and just destroying. And the header is just this.
- [24:19]
A
Some good Viking cliches here.
- [24:21]
D
Yeah, exactly. All that stuff, you know, in a long boat just coming in and just destroying and rampaging and you know, slicing through villagers as he scores another hat trick against Liverpool. Yeah, I mean, you know, even the, you know, it was like a fairly fast out finish but he still lashes it with this. Yeah. And it just looks amazing. And we've seen actually recently a City team that wasn't. It wasn't quite as reliant on Haaland and they did slump a little bit when he wasn't at his best. But if he started to hit form then, you know, Arsenal's wobbles may. May get even more wobbly. And then I Mentioned actually for a player. I don't know if you have this in the running order but Pepe Linda's mentioned after and I don't think anyone really knew this, that Bernardo Silva would leave at the end of the season. Yeah, I do think he has been a brilliant player. Like, you know, obviously everyone knows how good Bernardo Silva is, but he's some underrated because he's a player that just knits that team together. He was signed as a flair player from Monaco, you know, like a number 10 and he just became like an ultimate midfielder that can play at any of the three midfield positions. And just I've had this argument before like if I was. If I was talking favorite Silvers to play for for Manchester City, mine would be Bernardo over David who was a brilliant player. Let's just not set that. So I think Bernardo is. He's my type of player and the master of just getting into the. Into midfield sometimes. The rather professional in his fouling, it's fair to say but you know, the ultimate professional. City will miss him, I have to say. Don't you? You have to say that.
- [26:08]
A
Is it a good 5 a side team? David Bernardo Marco probably plays a bit
- [26:13]
D
Long John and I'm out.
- [26:15]
A
Well, I mean. Okay. Yeah, okay.
- [26:17]
D
Thiago Silva maybe Long John Silversa.
- [26:19]
A
Maybe Long John's Long John on the bench, I guess. Easing nets. Yeah.
- [26:25]
C
So 40 pieces. It is Easter.
- [26:29]
A
Yeah. Harlan's got 12 hat tricks across all competitions since his city debut in 2022. The most across Europe's big five leagues. Moving at one clear of Harry Kane and Turkey as well. Dan is worth mentioning. I mean I like he. We talked about knitting it together. I thought Turkey was so good in this game.
- [26:46]
E
Yeah. The. The Weekly Sharky and obviously had the adversity with the. With the shirt once it. Once he got substituted but he found that wasn't it. It's Everything about him is funny. Such a brilliant player like just completely let off the leash which Manchester City are a team that's based so heavily around structure and what they do on and off the ball. Like many teams I guess, but shaky. Just seems like a complete wild card, doesn't he? I guess that's why he doesn't play every week for Manchester City because maybe Pep doesn't quite trust him on the absolutely massive occasion to be able to keep his discipline and do what he's asked to do. But he just buzzes around that football pitch. He's such. Such a delight to watches and they both. Both footed full of trickery. So incisive with, with what he does as well.
- [27:32]
A
I love watching Ryan, Sha and and also Barry. I mean the, all the goals were, were lovely. I mean penalty aside. But the Semeno finish, that is so hard. He just made that look effortless and that is not easy to do.
- [27:46]
C
Well. He, he ran on to this beautifully weighted pass in behind from Turkey. I don't think he even looked at the goal. And just this nonchalant flick over the keeper with his left foot and he knew it was going in. There was no question. He, it was a splendid finish. Just. Yeah, really, he's like just hit the ground running as a City player. It was. Took him no time whatsoever to bed in and he looks like he's been there for years.
- [28:18]
E
Should he be PFA player of the year? And I don't know whether anyone's ever won it playing for, playing for two teams but a massive part of what Bournemouth did at the start of the season. And if City were to win the league, he'll have ended up being a massive part of that as well.
- [28:30]
A
He might have played more because he won't have played everybody the same number of times to get his votes in. You know, he might get double votes from people, obviously. Harry Wilson.
- [28:38]
C
Well then you'd have to give it to Mark Gay because he's played and beaten Liverpool five times this season.
- [28:44]
A
That's a good point. You were coming in, John.
- [28:46]
D
I was going to say, yeah, Turkey, Guehi and Semeno, all players that Liverpool heavily linked with and didn't sign. That's painful, isn't it, really?
- [28:58]
A
Yeah, that is, yeah. Well, a big week for Liverpool. They play psg, of course. We'll cover that on the midweek pods. And that'll do for part one. Part two we'll begin at the London Stadium.
- [29:10]
B
You're listening to this podcast, so I know you've got a curious mind. Here's a helpful fact you might not know yet. Drivers who switch and save with Progressive save over $900 on average. Pop over to progressive.com, answer some questions and you'll get a quick quote with discounts that are easy to come by. In fact, 99% of their auto customers earn at least one discount. Visit progressive.com and see if you can enjoy a little cash back. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates national averaged 12 month savings by $946 by new customers surveyed who saved with Progressive between June 2024 and May 2025. Potential savings.
- [29:56]
A
Welcome to Part two of the Guardian Football Weekly. West Ham two Leads two leads. Winning four. Two on penalties. John, this was brilliant, this game, wasn't it?
- [30:05]
D
Oh, the true cup of dreams, the cup. The magic of the Cup. It's funny you said start with that. I just thought this game would never end. That. That's part of it. And I didn't want it to end either. Yeah, it had it all, didn't it? And funny enough, when you actually looked at those two team selections, you thought, do these managers up for this? But what we saw from both sets of players and managers is both going at it cup style, throwing everything into the match and producing a classic comeback. Obviously, the thing that will be on the back of the newspapers this morning is the pictures of West Ham fans locked out, having departed, which is absolutely magnificent. I mean, you know, was. I saw one of them. One fan was showing it to his mate on FaceTime. So his mate is outside the ground and he's watching through his mate's FaceTime, which is wonderful. Technology is wonderful, isn't it, at a time like that? And it just. It was so good that we are introduced to someone we've never seen before, someone who didn't even have a Wikipedia page. Finley Herrick. But it being the FA Cup.
- [31:25]
E
Yeah.
- [31:25]
A
I mean, for the narrative, he needed to win. He needed to, you know, that save needed to mean more. I mean, AJ does say, did anyone tell Barry who the West Ham keeper was at the end of the match? You would be forgiven, Barry, for not knowing. Like, if this is Hollywood, he needs to win the shooter.
- [31:42]
C
Yeah. When he came on, I presumed West Ham would prevail and he'd be the hero. Obviously, he saved the first one from Joel Pirro and you're going, oh, what? What a start to your career. You know, this is. He's more or less his first action on his debuts to save a penalty in an FA cup quarterfinal shootout. But sadly, it ultimately wasn't Finley's day and it wasn't West Ham's day. But this match was absolutely terrific. I couldn't really get my head around why the West Ham fans were leaving, because even though they were two nil down, they never look quite out of it.
- [32:22]
E
No.
- [32:23]
C
And I. You know, I wouldn't have left if I was a West Ham fan. There was. They didn't look down and out or dead or buried by any means, even though they were 2 nil down. And I'm. I'm just wondering, I'm not sure was Danny Dyer at this point.
- [32:42]
D
He's got more screen time than he did on EastEnders, didn't he, I mean,
- [32:47]
A
yeah,
- [32:50]
C
so yeah, Danny, obviously Jared Bowen's father in law was at the game and TNT's obsession with cutting away to him was almost bordering on the creepy by the end of it. But yeah, a fantastic game of football and I think neither manager will have been too fast ahead of the game. Neither manager will have been too fussed about winning it. But by the end of it, I'd say West Ham's players, if not Nuno, were definitely gutted to lose it.
- [33:28]
A
Do you think Leeds deserved it, dad? It's also hard to tell. You know, you're tuning up in the 92nd minute, you sort of feel like you've deserved to win it. But like every time the game was basically cutaways of Jared Bowen hitting the post and then Danny Dyer and then Jared Bowen hitting the post again. And you know, Lucas Perry had a brilliant gaming goal. I know he's part of the team. Do you think Leeds just about deserved that?
- [33:48]
E
It's a tough question because it did feel like a West Ham hit the post every five minutes or if they weren't hitting the post, they were having having a goal disallowed. I mean, Bowen's a very prolific finisher, isn't it? But it just wasn't his day at all yesterday. In, in, in the game, I think when you turn it up and you, you chuck it away with the amount of time that there was left, I think it's difficult to say play that, that you, you deserve it. But out of the two teams, I think it's less of a distraction for Leeds. They're better placed in the, in the Premier League. And if West Ham get to that semi final, does that become a little bit of a distraction to them staying up? I expect Leeds with a couple more wins or even just one more win in a few draws will be okay. I think it's a, a really, really nice thing for Leeds and Daniel Farker. I've actually really enjoyed watching them all season. It seems a strange thing to say about a Leeds team, but I found them quite likable this season under him. They've got an honest set of players that really work hard and play for the badge. They recovered from adversity really, really well at the start of the season. Both the players and the manager. The manager was in a lot of trouble and the players rallied and got him out of it and they managed to string like a consistent run of form together and I thought at one point they were going to comfortably stay up. I still think they will stay up and Stay up and maybe have one or two trips to Wembley as well. I think Leeds have had a. A really, really brilliant season and the players and the manager deserve a lot of credit.
- [35:12]
C
I. I think Leeds are far from safe. I'm not saying they'll go down, but they're really in it.
- [35:16]
E
I think I just about have enough.
- [35:18]
C
The only thing is that they lost Anton Stack yesterday and Joe Roden don't know how serious those injuries are. Stack who has been brilliant for them this season, looks like that could be him gone for a few weeks. I'm not sure how. That wasn't a penalty by the way, that Max Kilman challenge on Stack. It was so late. I mean it's because he got his shot away, isn't it?
- [35:43]
D
Yeah, he made up for it. He really wanted to give away a penalty. Whatever. I mean, you know. Yeah, I mean that he got. That was a penalty, wasn't it? The first one and then the second one. There could be no doubt.
- [35:54]
A
Does anyone else think. Sorry. That Disassi was a high foot like I think was it strike. I can't remember who sort of pretends their heads hurt. But if he really goes down like a ton of bricks, I think that goal is disallowed because his foot is. I mean I'm glad it was given but like I think it's a hype
- [36:09]
D
for was not the clarification which I think hilariously Peter Walton I think messaged Fletch during the commentary to tell him why it had stood. We don't get to see. We don't get to hear Peter Walton on the telly anymore. But him and Fletch are still great mates. And they're still tight, are they? Yeah, yeah. Still tight. Yeah. But I think the word is that because the. The high boot was in front of the head then it can stand. Okay, so it wasn't. So it hit. It hit the high boot first. So there you go, Leeds. I was going to talk about Leeds being in the FA cup semi final for the first time since 1987 and I just about. Well, I do remember that because he played Coventry which is the 87 FA cup final was probably if you're old enough was the all time classic, wasn't it? But I was looking at the team and you know I buzz off this stuff but the Leeds team of that day where they lost 32 classic day. Aspen, Adam Styles, that son of Nobby Styles. Ashurst, Ormsby, Ritchie, Sheridan, Pearson, Baird, Rennie. Now Leeds fans of a certain age will get. Will feel shivers Thinking of that team. Billy Bremner was a manager, you know. Oh, that. That is the classic. And then that's when Leeds are in the Second Division and trying to fight their way back. Yeah. Very evocative. Very evocative.
- [37:40]
A
I cried after the 87 cup final. Yes. Sorry, John.
- [37:43]
D
Despite being at Manchester United, as you know, I always have a sort of sneaking admiration for sort of the Leeds thing, you know, just the fervents of that sort of Yorkshireman thing. But, yeah, I'm delighted that. That'll be a big day at Wembley, won't it? Chelsea, Leeds.
- [37:59]
A
Yeah, really good. It. Yes, absolutely. That's. That's a great tie. Yeah. Ian says how, as a West Ham fan, how do you bounce back from a loss like that? I just want to take my son Daniel to one big game before I'm no longer able to. His GCSE calendar made Prague a no go of all the exams to clash. It was maths and he wasn't allowed to go. And I really thought an FA cup semi would be the big game I'm looking for. I'm pretty down having been denied the opportunity. It was so close. You'll understand when Ian Rushton is in full Cambridge kit at a Papa John semi final in a few years, but to get me over the angst this evening, can Barry tell me to man up and point out that Friday's game at home to Wolves is just as big a game and we should bond at that before the sun goes back to uni the following day? You guys have helped put smiles on faces in very difficult times. This isn't one of those, but the pep talk from you guys will be the perfect medicine. Go on then, Barry. I mean, it is. To be fair, Wolves on Friday is absolutely enormous for West Ham.
- [38:54]
C
Yeah, I. I don't really like that phrase, man up, but I. I would not take my son to. To the Wolves game, because if you're taking him, if it's the first time you're taking him, they will lose. And obviously we don't want West Ham to lose that game.
- [39:15]
A
I don't think it's the first time. I mean, his kids studies gcse. You presume they've been before. I mean, maybe it might be wrong.
- [39:21]
C
I don't know.
- [39:23]
E
That was. I didn't read into it that it was his. His first ever game.
- [39:26]
A
No, no.
- [39:27]
C
Okay.
- [39:27]
A
Just. He wants a big one. He wants to take him to a big West Ham game, which is, you know, they're all big. You know, actually just have a nice time. But yeah, I would love it, I would love it if Wolves beat you because I, I'd rather turn them weren't in the relegation zone when they go to Sunderland on Sunday. Let's go to Stamford Bridge. Chelsea 7, Port Vale nil. Dave says can you please talk about Port Vale as little as you did on the preview show on Thursday? And what you want, Dan, from a lower league side is tough hold out and battle and keep it tight. And this was, this was done after a minute.
- [39:58]
D
It.
- [39:58]
E
Yeah, it's a, it's a dismal start, isn't it? The whole week goes out the window with, with that start. Obviously you expect Chelsea to, to beat Port Vale. I don't really have much to say on it. They just got completely outclassed, didn't they? The, the levels of the two team showed. I mean Chelsea have spent 10 billion pounds or whatever they've spent and Port Vale haven't spent anywhere near that. You would expect Chelsea to, to batter Port Vale, but the whole game is. Is dependent on the start and, and Port Vale start was just absolutely, absolutely awful. The goalkeeper who's actually on loan from, from my team, Villa, he had a, he had a horrible day. If Emmy Martinez departs in the summer, I hope it's not Villa's plan to, to put him in goal. I don't think it would be because he had a. Had a real tough day at the office, didn't he? I just completely outclassed Port Vale. Chelsea were very, very, very comfortable. It's just what Rossini needed, I guess, off the, off the back of the time that they've had race and I
- [40:53]
C
think Liam Racing, you really missed a trick in this game because after all the grief he got following Chelsea's exit from the Champions League, I think when Chelsea went six and seven nil up, he should have started performatively sending notes out onto the pitch with instructions for his players.
- [41:13]
E
That's a big mistake from him.
- [41:15]
A
Yeah, I suppose the interesting story with Chelsea, John, is the suspension of Enzo Fernandez. You know, drop for two games. I don't think that happened when we did the pod on Thursday. I think we talked about Enzo and Cucarella sort of saying, I might be happy playing for a big team in Spain. But it's quite interesting they didn't just drop him for one, isn't it? You know, they could have easily gone. He's dropped for this game because we take this seriously. But they dropped him for the Man City game as well. And they are in a, they are in a fight to get into the Champions League.
- [41:44]
D
Yeah. I think the biggest problem for Chelsea is that they won this game too well. So that they actually watch the focus on. Ah, we'll go back to the Enzo thing because that's a bit more interesting than rolling over a struggling EFL team.
- [41:59]
A
Is that like a. That's. That's one step beyond hitting it too well. It's a whole game of winning it too well is what you're saying. It's a new.
- [42:07]
D
Yeah.
- [42:08]
A
Footballing thing. Right. Okay.
- [42:10]
D
If anything, Clive would have won that too. Well. Yeah.
- [42:13]
A
Clive. Yeah.
- [42:14]
D
Yeah, yeah. If anything, Max, they've won that too well. And it meant that. Yeah, we returned to the. If they bought an FA cup classic, plucky Port Vale, the Vale throwing it down to them, maybe the Enzo cloud would have dissipated. But it remains over the club, of course, because he can't play against Manchester City next week. I don't understand this decision. I don't understand why you would seek to harm your team by dropping one of your best players. It seems fairly unprecedented to me. I mean, you've had stuff in the background where, you know, famous old managers have taken players out, but they've not formally told the press. This guy's out for two matches and, okay, you missed the Port Vale game. No one would have noticed that. Could they not just given him a big fine, you know, or something like that, and just. He's been internally disciplined and we all know that. That it. It just. And the other thing is it being Chelsea, who made that decision? Who? Who? You know, and. And. And Liam Rossini, as is the case. We've talked about this quite a lot. No one else comes out and explains the decision. Liam Rossini has to explain decision that possibly, in fact, very probably wasn't his decision. So, yeah, collectively, we've got. No, come on, who's made that decision? It speaks to a club where, you know, we don't know who's running it because there are so many people that are putting A in and it looks weird. And also them falling out with Enzo Fernandez, you know, presumably there was an idea that they might sell him. Well, how. What does that do for the price? You know, so it just. I don't understand the decision at all.
- [44:04]
A
Yes, but, you know, it being Chelsea, it will be a year of everyone on podcast saying, we don't understand Chelsea, and then they win the FA cup and qualify for the Champions League. That's sort of the most Chelsea thing to do here, Barry.
- [44:17]
C
When Everton spanked Chelsea before the international break, Enzo was really bad. He didn't play well at all. He kept giving the ball away. He's very performatively criticizes his teammates on the pitch and I'm not sure he'd be that big a loss in the game against City, to be honest.
- [44:40]
A
Right.
- [44:40]
E
This is not where the Chelsea model falls down. Just, just a little bit. So they buy these players and then they expect them to grow in value. Enzo Fernandez was over 100 million. Like you're not going to make a profit on that player. And certainly if you're operating with internal bans, which is one of the strangest things I've ever heard. It's almost like Chelsea thought, we've not been in the news for a few days. Should we just announce that we've got an internal disciplinary procedure going on? There's a reason that nobody else else does stuff the way that Chelsea do it. And another example for me, there's two arguments there.
- [45:14]
D
One is that Enzo was bought in that initial phase of the blue Coat ownership where they just splashed a load of cash and then they changed their approach. They don't really do that anymore. And then the other thing is, and this is the accountant's answer is that his amortization level will be. I'm falling asleep already when I'm thinking about it. You know, it's the accountancy principle that actually we can make a profit on him because his amortization level is, or whatever it is, you know, that they can flog him. But I agree done it is it, you know. Yeah, it is silly. It's silly.
- [45:50]
A
All right, that'll do for part two, by the way. Download the Guardian Women's Football Weekly tomorrow reaction to the Women's FA cup quarterfinals, including Arsenal getting done at home by Brighton. And we will begin part three with a bit of fitbar.
- [46:06]
B
You're listening to this podcast, so I know you've got a curious mind. Here's a helpful fact you might not know yet. Drivers who switch and save with Progressive save over $900 on average. Pop over to progressive.com, answer some questions and you'll get a quick quote with discounts that are easy to come by. In fact, 99% of their auto customers earn at least one discount. Visit progressive.com and see if you can enjoy a little cash back. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. National average 12 month savings by $946 by new customers surveyed who saved with Progressive between June 2024 and May 2025. Potential savings will vary.
- [46:52]
A
Welcome to Part three of the Guardian Football Weekly. It's a Fitbar corner then. And Barry, it is very tight at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
- [47:00]
C
It is indeed. So Rangers beat Dundee United on Saturday, 4:2 to go. Top of the league on goal difference, ahead of Hearts, having played one game more. Fast forward to Sunday lunchtime when Hearts went to bottom club Livingston and could only draw 2 2. So that took them a point above Rangers. But I'd imagine Hearts would very much view that as two points dropped. It was a weird game because it started in lovely spring sunshine and ended in lovely spring sunshine. But at some point in the middle, it was basically a snowstorm storm.
- [47:43]
A
Dave arrived. Yeah, yeah.
- [47:47]
C
And I think when, when Hart scored their second goal to go, I think they went 21 up. Yeah, there was sleet, snow, sideways rain, the very best of Scottish weather. But that abated and. And it was grand again at the end. And then later yesterday, back in third place, Celtic went to Dundee. It was their fourth match in the city of Dundee this season. They'd lost the previous three under three different managers. Brendan Rogers, what's his name? Wilfred Nancy and Martin O'. Neill. But they finally got one over the line yesterday. So they beat Dundee 2 1. Made heavy enough weather of it again. Kalichi Nacho came up with the winner in the 81st minute. And so Hearts are topped by point from Rangers and Celtic are two points further back. Everyone's played 32 games, so after the next round of games, I think it is, they have the split, so top six, bottom six and everyone has five games left. So it's going to go right to the wire. It's looking like Rangers are gonna to win it, but who knows? Who knows?
- [49:05]
A
Yeah. Also like Easter is big in the efl. Full round of fixtures happen on Good Friday, full round of fixtures today. So we won't necessarily preview them because the most results will happen by the time it's out. But. But John Roy Hodgson winning his first game in charge of Bristol City, beating Charlton 21 at the Valley afterwards, he said there were a few five minute periods where I thought this is fantastic. And there were a few periods where I was saying, what on earth are you doing here? Charlton did miss a lot of chances, writes producer Joel Charlton fan. But even he was pleased for resplendent Roy in sunglasses on the touchline.
- [49:38]
D
Oh, he looked amazing, didn't he? My previous favorite wearer of sunglasses on the sideline was Louis Van Hart. I think Norwich about 10 years ago, you know, the elder statesman of football, you know, needs to wear his shades in a sort of Spring day, doesn't he? Welcome back, Roy. Though I'm not sure Bristol City fans were necessarily. Their longing for him had been particularly strong. But hey, I still can't get my head around that story other than Roy's continuing love for the game. But, but well done, well done.
- [50:15]
A
Yeah, there was a really brilliant tweet, you know, someone, some football account tweeted, you know, roy Hudson wins his first game as Bristol city manager in 44 years. And someone quote, tweeted and says, just shows the value of giving a manager time, which I just really, really enjoyed. Millwall scored a late winner against Middlesbrough to put them into the top two ips, which have got games in. But what an amazing achievement it would be for Millwall to get into the Premier League. Coventry beat Derby 32 on the late game on Friday. So they are 11 points clear with six games to go. Oh, do you know, we didn't do. Which we should do. We, we touched on it. But the, the, the, the Cherokee Ekatike uh, shirt debacle, Barry. Because I mean of, of all the meltdowns people have had, I mean I did like the fact he put a Liverpool shirt on while sitting on the bench while the game was happening. That in itself is funny. But I do like the obsession of, you know, it is, it is just the biggest crime in football to swap shirts until long after the game has finished.
- [51:22]
C
Yeah. So if you swap shirts with a player after a game and he puts on your shirt and you put on his, that's perfectly acceptable, I think. But apparently if you're both substituted and swap shirts, even if you're mate to play for the same national team, putting on your opposite number shirt while the game is ongoing and you're sitting on your team's bench is very much a no, no. And that's what Ray and Shirky did. He put on Ekitika's shirt. Someone sitting behind him. I think it was one of the medical staff had a word and then he promptly took it off again. But it, it did prompt quite the meltdown from fans of both clubs, I think. But for this outrageous act of disrespect, I thought it was kind of funny, to be honest.
- [52:14]
E
Is it not just him saying the game was done? It's like the game, you're saying we can't do it until, until the game is finished. I think that game was probably finished, yeah. At the time he did it.
- [52:24]
A
Yeah. Probably. Some fun. Samir Nazri news. Thanks to lakeep for this. I don't know if you've seen this. Samir Nazare is a tax resident in Dubai where taxes are virtually non existent. He is suspected by the French tax authorities of actually residing in Paris. According to an investigation by Les Echo. The detail that led to his arrest. More than 200 home meal orders placed through the Deliveroo app. Producer Rob Joel writes Did somebody say justice? Which you know is quite a good play on words. Thank you Joel for that. It does remind me of. I can't remember which army. You know some secret submarine, you know, nobody knows where it is and then it was. They found out because someone just some I think it was a French sub some in the Pacific some soldier on Strava gave it away by just doing a really odd run. Yeah this submarine was just sailing through the Pacific Ocean position. Italian football fans are being encouraged to put their national teams World cup qualification failure. Wow, this is exciting on earth happened there?
- [53:33]
D
That was me. I sat on the remote control and it suddenly started belching out some sort of.
- [53:38]
A
What were you playing?
- [53:40]
D
I don't know Pop.
- [53:41]
A
That was really good. Is that the sort of way of saying the pod is done? That's your way of saying. It's a bit like Ray and Cherokee putting a shirt on, isn't it? It's just saying I've had enough this. Let's put the music on and maybe they'll finish. Oliver on Superstition says very surprised here. Sunderland fan Barry goes out of his way to be polite to magpies. Kmax says Barry's thoughts on the Irish Hurling League final. What did you make of it, Barry?
- [54:03]
C
I didn't see it and I don't know who won. So they are my thoughts on the National League final.
- [54:10]
A
Yes. Guardian Hurling Weekly shitting bricks with that kind of review. And Owen, this is good from Owen, if you could stand by your phones please, gentlemen. Specifically the Football Weekly WhatsApp group. Dear Football Weekly team says Owen, obligatory thanks for all the content over the past years. Although I have no plans for a vasectomy, I have recently been referred to an orthopedic surgeon for what my GP calls a surgical solution to your knee issues. So I do plan on keeping a pod to see me through it should it be a minor procedure. However, those platitudes are not the reason for this email. Full disclosure, I have had some correspondence with Barry in the past about some pedantic corrections to his minute by minutes, my corrections and advice on the best water holes in Burr. His advice where I regularly find myself at work in this situation. Though I do not have confidence in the email actually reaching the remaining members of the team. Should I send it directly to his account? To the meat of the matter, while watching a TV show here in Ireland. I guess the show is irrelevant, but it was a home renovation show where the person involved is a primary school teacher, hence the footage of him with his pupils. A young figure appeared from a school in Kilkenny. Given the popularity of Kilkenny as a stag and hen destination, I immediately wondered if Barry had potentially passed through the town at some st. Own a wild oat or two, and perhaps has a relative in the area. I shall leave it to the team to decide on the level of likeness, which I felt was uncanny. And hopefully this young man has a long and storied career ahead of him as a sports journalist, chicken slaughterer, amateur athlete. Regards, Owen McGrath. And he sent us this photo to which we have to ask, is this. Is this the unknown son of Barry Glendenning? Your thoughts please, gentlemen, Gentleman.
- [55:50]
E
Wow.
- [55:53]
D
Wow.
- [55:54]
E
That is incredible.
- [55:56]
A
This, isn't it? Young Baz must be, what, 11 years old? What do you reckon? Somewhere about 11 in there. Yeah. Or maybe a bit primary school, probably 10. 10 years old.
- [56:06]
C
I was actually sweating a bit there, Max, because I have been on a SAG2 in Kilkenny.
- [56:14]
A
Okay.
- [56:14]
C
Where I may have made a new French.
- [56:17]
A
Okay, okay.
- [56:18]
C
But it was way more than 11 years ago, so.
- [56:21]
A
Right, okay, I see.
- [56:22]
C
If that friendship had yielded, shall we say, dividends, the child in question would be very much an adult at this point. And I think. I think I would have been careful anyway, so. But yeah, I was starting to get very nervous. That story built up.
- [56:42]
A
Producer Joel sent it to me and I was like. He was like, this is fine for the end of the pod, I think. I think it's fine. Unless this is. Is Barry's son. And then you had a fictional one for a while, but, you know, now it's good to put a face to your fictional son. Anyway, that will do for today. Thank you, everybody. And, you know, you've got a lot of. All that money you've raised for the marathon has to now go on child support, Barry. So, you know, it's still helping the children in a way.
- [57:06]
C
It is going on child support, Max. I'm supporting sick children.
- [57:11]
A
Of course it is.
- [57:12]
C
Not that I like to talk about.
- [57:15]
A
No. But we're above 50 grand, so. I mean, you, not we. You are above 50 grand.
- [57:18]
C
We very much a we effort.
- [57:21]
A
Yeah. Thank you, everybody. And that'll do for today. And we'll be back for the Champions League Wednesday and Thursday. But for the time being. Thank you. Thank you, John.
- [57:29]
D
Thank you, Max.
- [57:31]
A
Thanks, Dan.
- [57:32]
E
Thank you very much.
- [57:34]
A
Welcome to fatherhood. Thank you, Barry.
- [57:37]
C
Thank you.
- [57:38]
A
Football Weekly is produced by Silas Gray. Our executive producer is Joel Grove. We'll be back on Wednesday. This is the Guardian.