Football Weekly – "The Sorry Spurs Spiral Continues"

Date: February 11, 2026
Host: Max Rushden
Panel: Barry Glendenning, Jacob Steinberg, Mark Langdon

Episode Overview

This episode of Football Weekly, hosted by Max Rushden with Barry Glendenning, Jacob Steinberg, and Mark Langdon, dives into Tottenham Hotspur’s ongoing crisis after another defeat, this time to Newcastle. The panel analyses the depth of Spurs’ problems, the seeming lack of fight, and the relegation threat, while also reflecting on managerial options. The discussion shifts across the Premier League, reviewing West Ham’s gutting draw, Chelsea’s defensive implosion, and the fortunes of Everton, Bournemouth, and others mid-table. The show is as ever both informed and irreverently funny, with time for “Haircut Man” and football’s weightier issues, like VAR.

Tottenham Hotspur: A Club in Crisis

Discussion begins: 00:29

Spurs' Defeat to Newcastle & The Desperate Mood

• Run of Form: Spurs are winless in nine league matches and have just two wins from their last 18 (02:18). Newcastle’s dominance in the recent 2-1 win crystalizes Spurs’ decline.
• Table Trouble: Spurs sit only three points above relegation. Max asks: “How real is the threat?” pointing out teams like Leeds and West Ham are showing more fight.
• Managerial Uncertainty: Thomas Frank’s future is a central theme. He reportedly seemed “thousand percent confident he would not be sacked,” but a pre-recorded note from Max hints otherwise (05:03, 00:08).
• Lack of Fight:
  • Barry: “Spurs are showing no fight at all ... relying on someone else getting fewer points” (05:03).
  • Jacob is critical of Spurs’s effort: “It looked like they had no real desire. … there’s no heart in that team at all” (08:15).

Managerial Replacement Debate

• No Obvious Solution:
  • Jacob notes: “There’s not really anyone obvious to come in” (07:09) and shares dark humor about caretaker John Heitinger, recalling how Ajax fans serenaded his exit with “Off John” (08:15).
  • Mark quips about the suggestion of bringing back Harry Redknapp, “He’s nearly 80 … I think he’s more interested in his horses these days” (09:52).
• Longer-Term Options:
  • Talk of Pochettino, Glassner (from Crystal Palace), and Amarim, but no consensus emerges (11:32).
  • Mark: “They probably need to think about what do they want sort of for next season ... but they probably can't wait that long anymore” (11:32).

Notable Quote

• Barry:

  “You don't have easy games when your players convey the impression they think they're above this kind of struggle … Spurs are showing no fight at all” (05:03).

Newcastle’s Perspective

• Turning Point:
  • Barry: “This was probably as Dr. Tottenham gets… Newcastle completely dominated. They should have been much further ahead by the break” (12:42).

Offside & VAR Chat

• Disaffection with VAR:
  • Jacob: “It’s not really in the spirit of the law, is it?” (14:12).
  • Barry proposes a cricket-style appeal system: “Give each manager/captain two appeals per game and it’s up to them … when and if to use them” (15:20).

Round-Up: Key Premier League Clashes

West Ham 1–1 Manchester United

Segment begins: 17:39

• West Ham’s Frustration: Jacob, a West Ham fan, details the anguish of losing two points to a late Sesko equalizer.
  • “It’s just really gutting … that’s the second time in … three weeks … they’ve let in a couple [of] damaging goal[s] in stoppage time” (18:55).
  • The sale of Paqueta is seen as clarifying the team’s style and improving performances, while Fernandez’s midfield impact is praised (19:55).
• Atmospheric Change:
  • Mark: “There’s a togetherness you couldn't have anticipated a month ago … the atmosphere was positive and really noisy” (22:32).
• United’s Wobble:
  • Barry: “Probably their worst performance under Michael Carrick … but a decent point for both sides” (24:05).
• Haircut Man: Group discusses the viral figure refusing a haircut until United win five in a row and the oddity of footballing folk heroes (25:03).

Chelsea 2–2 Leeds

Segment begins: 28:12

• Chelsea’s Self-Destruction:

  • Jacob: “They were good for an hour … and then just completely imploded … they lack the consistency through games to see it through” (28:23).
  • Defensive frailties and youthful inexperience are highlighted: “When you have Chalabar and Fofana together, they’re pretty good, but they just don’t have that all the time” (35:53).

• Missed Opportunity:

  • Max and Barry dissect Cole Palmer’s extraordinary late miss: “The ball squared across the face of goal. He's two yards out…Indicative of Chelsea’s evening” (33:14).

• Race for Europe:

  • Mark: "I feel like Chelsea will get in there ... just getting rid of defensive mishaps is easier to do than suddenly start creating chances and scoring goals" (34:25).

• Discussion on Rossini (Chelsea manager):

  • Jacob explains the nuance in reactions to Rossini's start:
    “He’s had moments where he’s messed up the starting lineup and then he’s fixed it after halftime … all in all, you can’t really argue [with the start]” (37:33).

Everton 1–2 Bournemouth

Segment begins: 41:47

• Everton Inconsistency:
  • Barry: “They seem to be much higher in the table than their results and performances suggest … indicative of bad Everton” (41:47).
  • Defensive lapses: “The second goal was just a shambolic defensive effort from Everton … not a good performance” (43:51).
• Bournemouth’s Stability:
  • Mark: “For Bournemouth, that’s a good season … Iriola is definitely one of the best in the Premier League for what he gets out of his team” (44:11).

Other Topics & Notable Moments

VAR: The Perennial Debate

• Mark on VAR: “People would find some way of messing it up or gaming it,” skeptical about the proposed appeal system (16:14).

Social Media Football Heroes

• On “Haircut Man”:
  • Max: “He was like doing an advert with Piqué and a pair of scissors the other day … it feels harmless to me” (26:23).
  • Barry, dryly: “Fair play to him if he’s making a few quid out of not getting his haircut. Great.” (28:06).

Relegation Run Scenes

• Leeds’ Home Advantage:
  • Mark: “Elland Road probably keeps them up ... they didn't play well at Chelsea, but it's a big point for them” (40:56).
• Fixture Watch:
  • Extensive look ahead to key fixtures for relegation and European spots (46:31–49:17).

Humour & Light-hearted Banter

• On Management Options:
  • Mark: "Might need Scott Parker, Max, because he's good in the Championship" (45:56).
• Cake or Theatre?
  • Barry: “I’m not as against cake as I am the theatre … I’ll generally try a bit of cake if I’m at someone’s birthday or wedding or whatever. … If I never had cake again, it wouldn’t cost me a thought” (50:39).

Key Timestamps

| Topic | Speaker(s) | Timestamp (MM:SS) | |---------------------------------------------|--------------------|---------------------------| | Spurs' latest defeat and crisis discussion | Max, Mark, Barry | 00:29–12:22 | | Newcastle’s win analyzed | Barry | 12:22–13:56 | | VAR & Offside debate | Jacob, Barry, Mark | 13:56–17:22 | | West Ham–Man United review | Jacob, Mark, Barry | 17:39–25:03 | | Haircut Man & footballing folk heroes | Max, Mark, Jacob | 25:03–28:12 | | Chelsea–Leeds collapse | Jacob, Max, Barry | 28:12–35:53 | | Chelsea’s defensive issues & Rossini | Jacob, Mark, Barry | 35:53–40:36 | | The relegation battle fixtures & Leeds | Mark, Max | 40:36–41:31 | | Everton–Bournemouth review | Barry, Mark | 41:47–45:53 |

Memorable Quotes

• Jacob Steinberg:

  “It looked like they had no real desire. … At the first goal … no heart in that team at all.” (08:15 – on Spurs)

• Barry Glendenning:

  “You don’t have easy games when your players convey the impression they think they’re above this kind of struggle … Spurs are showing no fight at all.” (05:03)

• Mark Langdon:

  “Harry Redknapp … he’s nearly 80 … I think he’s more interested in his horses these days.” (09:52)

• On Haircut Man:

  • Max: “He was like doing an advert with Piqué and a pair of scissors the other day … it feels harmless to me.” (26:23)
  • Barry: “Fair play to him if he’s making a few quid out of not getting his haircut. Great.” (28:06)

• On Everton:

  • Barry: “They seem to be much higher in the table than their results and performances suggest they should be … indicative of bad Everton.” (41:47)

• On cake vs. theatre:

  • Barry: “I’ll generally try a bit of cake. ... If I never had cake again, it wouldn’t cost me a thought.” (50:39)

Tone & Language

The episode maintains Football Weekly’s hallmark of informed, witty, and self-aware punditry. There’s a blend of sharp analysis—especially surrounding struggling teams and tactical failures—with plenty of absurd banter (Harry Redknapp jokes, “Off John” Ajax song, “Haircut Man,” and cake vs. theatre debates).

Summary

This week’s Football Weekly captures the existential gloom and dark comedy of Tottenham’s crisis, running the rule over likely survival (or descent), managerial merry-go-rounds, and the ways even massive clubs flirt with disaster. The panel’s honest critiques—especially around effort, fight, and leadership—are paired with quips that engage both hard-core and casual listeners. The episode is essential for anyone needing both insight and levity about the Premier League's midseason drama.