Wolves ditch Vítor Pereira and are Liverpool back on track? – Football Weekly podcast

Summary

Football Weekly – "Wolves Ditch Vítor Pereira and Are Liverpool Back on Track?"

The Guardian, Nov 3, 2025
Hosted by Max Rushden, with Barry Glendenning, Jonathan Wilson, Philippe Auclair

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Episode Overview

This episode digs deep into a dramatic week in the Premier League and beyond, with expert panelists dissecting the immediate sacking of Vítor Pereira by Wolves, Liverpool's unconvincing win over Villa, tactical shakeups at Manchester City, West Ham's surprise victory, Tottenham's ongoing woes, Arsenal's march at the top, and more. True to Football Weekly’s trademark style, you get sharp analysis, gallows humour, irreverence, and well-informed takes on management, clubs, transfers, and even football benches.

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Key Discussions and Insights

1. Wolves Sack Vítor Pereira: Justified or Scapegoat?

[01:27–08:22]

• Barry Glendenning: Shocked by how badly Wolves performed against a struggling Fulham, noting “They were absolutely walloped. It was an embarrassing defeat not helped by Agbadoo’s red card.”
• Ownership and Deeper Issues: Wolves' fans’ anger goes beyond Pereira: “Their transfer policy seems to be an absolute mess. They keep selling their best players, and it's catching up.”
• Jonathan Wilson: Suggests Wolves (among others) complacently relied on always being better than promoted clubs: “You can't keep cutting costs…” Also sees the ‘Nuno effect’ – past connections dragging teams down.
• Philippe Auclair: Points out the real problem isn’t so much sales, it’s failure to buy adequate replacements; additionally, “George Mendes’s influence has definitely diminished … when he used to bring in managers and players, they used to be good.”
• Managerial Replacements:
  • Shortlist Uninspiring – Gary O’Neill, Rob Edwards, Brendan Rodgers, Michael Carrick.
  • Barry: “I’d look at it with a giant shoulder shrug and meh… I imagine Wolves fans do too.”
  • Max Rushden: “We just don’t know how ‘thick’ the Wolves dressing room is, do we?” (on Carrick's punditry skills vs. coaching ability)

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2. West Ham’s Revival, Newcastle’s Energy Crisis

[08:22–13:23]

• Jonathan Wilson: West Ham rallied from early disappointment, overcoming VAR drama and an early goal: “Everything looked set up for a miserable afternoon… then they spoiled it by playing really well.”
• Newcastle Issues: “They just look knackered—five games in 15 days. …Eddie Howe’s way relies so much on energy, and once that drops...”
• Barry: Singles out Anthony Gordon as “diabolical” in this game; Newcastle “so bad, difficult to remember a worse performance under Howe.”
• Philippe: Puts more blame on Newcastle’s dysfunction than West Ham’s brilliance — issues run deeper, “never really got going all season.”
• Freddie Potts Praise (Barry, [12:09]): “He made a massive difference, brilliant… gave West Ham much-needed steel and speed in midfield.”

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3. Manchester City 3–1 Bournemouth: Haaland, Turki, and New Tactics

[14:31–21:48]

• Wilson: Notes City still dominate but warns about susceptibility on the flanks – “They probably conceded more chances than Guardiola would like.”
• Turki/Rayan (sometimes referenced as 'Cherki' or 'Turkey') gets huge praise, especially for tactical variety and assists for Haaland.
  • Philippe ([17:14]): “Absolutely magnificent player… skill, superb vision… perhaps now finally in the right environment to become the player we all know he can be.”
• Max: Touch of humour on the names: “Whenever I hear Turkey’s name, I think of Christmas dinner at the Carragher household.”
• Arsenal as City’s Real Rivals: Emerging consensus that only City can chase down Arsenal, but even then, Arsenal look very strong.

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4. Liverpool’s Flat Win: Are They ‘Back’?

[22:38–28:15]

• Philippe: Cautious take—Liverpool’s victory over Villa shouldn’t be overhyped: “I don’t think Liverpool were particularly good, but Villa were particularly bad. … It’s a win, but it doesn’t say much about Liverpool’s progress.”
• Wilson: Points to “the most expensive bench in the world.” Still looks like the same old Liverpool, with little integration of the summer’s big signings: “At some point you have to fit in Wirtz and the two fullbacks and Isac.”
• Philippe: “Liverpool’s problems aren’t just individual adaptation, but collective – the system isn’t functioning.”
• Max Rushden: Side-diversion into the world’s most expensive (furniture) benches.

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5. Tottenham 0–1 Chelsea: Dour Dawdle in North London

[28:15–33:36]

• Chelsea’s Dominance, Tottenham’s Timid Effort:
  • Barry: “Spurs were awful… an XG of 0.05!” Chelsea press lauded, but focus on how Spurs can never beat Chelsea at home.
• Manager Thomas Frank Not in Crisis but Spurs’ Recruitment Questioned: New signings not making a difference despite big spend.
  • Philippe: “One of the main problems—with huge spending, can you see a difference? Not really. …I’m puzzled how mediocre they’ve been.”
• Wilson (on injuries): “Kulusevski, Maddison, Solanke all injured…it just seems none of the new signings are ready or quite right.”
• Barbs about Xavi Simmons’ ‘massive entourage and documentary crew’—is he focused?
• Barry’s Dad’s Memorial Bench ([34:00]): “Did not cost anywhere near as much as either Florian Wirtz or Xavi Simons.”

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6. Arsenal’s Relentless Run

[34:38–37:39]

• Philippe: “Actually, I’d be very disappointed if there were no parade.” On Gabriel: “He butts it some 40 yards, absolutely extraordinary.” Declan Rice gets big praise—“pretty much the perfect game.”
• Injuries are the only caveat: “Muscular injuries keep on happening…at some point even their deep resources will be stretched too far.”
• Barry: Taunts for hubristic Arsenal fans; Max—Arsenal just “good.”

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7. Forest 2–2 Man United and the Never-Ending VAR Debate

[38:01–42:29]

• Mad corner decision hands United a goal:
  • Philippe: “We have goal-line technology for goals—why not the whole goal line? It drives me nuts!”
  • Wilson: Pushes back: “It’s about cost, logistics, and frequency. Sometimes referees make mistakes—just defend the corner.”
  • VAR scope, ‘clear and obvious’, and frustration with mission creep.
• Ahmad’s goal: “Struck beautifully,” “brilliant block on the line from Murillo.”

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8. Palace, Brighton, and the Rest

[43:30–47:11]

• Palace 2–0 Brentford:
  • Mateta’s header admired for power and conviction ([43:54])
• Brighton 3–0 Leeds:
  • Yakubi Minto lauded; Danny Welbeck gets the “should he be on the England plane?” treatment
  • Wilson: “Who’s better than him at the minute, after Kane and Watkins? He’s intelligent, likeable…Tuchel has no remit to look to the future.”
  • Philippe: “Welbeck increases the likability factor of England by at least 12.3%!”

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9. EFL, Lower Leagues & Miscellanea

[49:29–52:05]

• Will Still sacked by Southampton (“bubble burst rather quickly”); debate about his future
  -FA Cup shockers: Gateshead boss Alan Armstrong, big upsets in the cup; Raegan Lilly’s hattrick for Carlisle gets a shoutout as a “game of the round.”
• Bench Watch: On the Hudson River, a 20-year bench dedication is $100,000; more banter.

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Notable Quotes and Moments

• On Wolves and Transfer Policy:
  “They keep selling their best players summer after summer…and it's finally catching up with them.”
  —Barry Glendenning, [02:03]
• On Vítor Pereira’s Fate:
  “The key is don’t employ him for more than a year. Well—they haven’t, to be fair.”
  —Jonathan Wilson, [05:07]
• On Newcastle’s Burnout:
  “They just look knackered...Eddie Howe’s way of playing is so based on energy that if the energy declines, the drop-off is sharp.”
  —Jonathan Wilson, [09:20]
• On City’s midfield setup:
  “The five in midfield, four under 1 meter 80, three under 1 meter 75…Guardiola has changed, but not that much.”
  —Jonathan Wilson, [15:10]
• On Liverpool:
  “It’s the kind of win which I’m sure is more than welcome, but it doesn’t say much about Liverpool…they just found an opponent who basically gifted them the game.”
  —Philippe Auclair, [25:00]
• On Tottenham’s limp loss:
  “Tottenham were awful. It was as comfortable a 1-0 as you’ll ever see.”
  —Barry Glendenning, [28:48]
• On Arsenal’s Title Hopes:
  “Actually, I would be very disappointed if there were no parade.”
  —Philippe Auclair, [35:12]

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Memorable Humour

• On players adapting:
  “Are the Wolves dressing room as thick as you, Barry? We just don’t know.”
  —Max Rushden, [08:22]
• Furniture Tangent:
  “The badminton chest at $36.7 million is the most expensive piece of furniture. But you know, I don’t know if producer Joel could get to it…”
  —Max Rushden, [26:44]
• On Barry’s Dad’s Memorial Bench:
  “It did not cost anywhere near as much as either Florian Wirtz or Xavi Simons.”
  —Barry Glendenning, [34:00]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Wolves sack Pereira: [01:27–08:22]
• West Ham-Newcastle analysis: [08:22–13:23]
• Man City-Bournemouth & City tactics: [14:31–21:48]
• Liverpool-Villa & ‘back on track?’: [22:38–28:15]
• Tottenham-Chelsea & Spurs signings: [28:15–33:36]
• Arsenal’s control at the top: [34:38–37:39]
• Forest-Man Utd & goal-line VAR: [38:01–42:29]
• Palace/Brentford & Brighton/Leeds: [43:30–47:11]
• Lower leagues, FA Cup, benches: [47:12–52:05]

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Summary

This Football Weekly episode offers a wry, unflinching look at a chaotic Premier League weekend. Wolves’ trauma is seen as deeper than just a coach’s failure, while City’s technical evolution and Liverpool’s muddled present get smart analysis. Tottenham’s problems, Arsenal’s relentless parade towards the title, and Newcastle’s slide are each explored with expertise and sharp humour. Lower-league action and weird football benches round out another classic panel show—light on cheerleadery narrative, heavy on nuance and wit.

Transcript

[Philippe Auclair]

This is the Guardian.

[Max Rushden]

Hello and welcome to the Guardian Football Weekly. And while Arsenal's procession to the title continues, there's drama at the bottom. First the points, then the pints. Which means Vitor Pereiras had two pints before being relieved of his duties at Molineux. Getting hammered by out of form Fulham, the final straw. Meanwhile the other terrible side, West Ham win and pretty convincingly against Newcastle. Who saw that coming? The highest quality game was that the Etihad. Looks like Ray and Turki might help Erling Haaland score even more goals. A 31 win for City over Bournemouth, who had their moments. Liverpool needed a win to go in off their backside and they got it home to Villa, who were desperate to give Dana Slotsman a win. Fifth and two points off second. But a Spurs really bad. A woeful performance at home to randomly good. Sometimes Chelsea. An XG of 0.05 seems like not enough XG. There's Ahmad's wonder strike in a dodgy corner at the City ground as Forest and Man United share the points. Elsewhere, a great header from Arteta. And another goal for Danny Welbeck. Get him on the plane. We'll do some FA cup first round giant killings. And Zielinski scores the perfect goal ever for Inter. As always, we'll answer your questions. And that's today's Guardian Football Weekly. On the panel today, Barry Glendenning.

[Jonathan Wilson]

Hello.

[Barry Glendenning]

Hi, Max.

[Max Rushden]

Welcome. Jonathan Wilson.

[Jonathan Wilson]

Morning. How you doing?

[Max Rushden]

I'm very well. And bonjour Sava. Philippe Auclair.

[Philippe Auclair]

Bonjour. Max Hodgson.

[Max Rushden]

Let's start at the bottom. And the sacking of Vitor Pereira after the game against Fulham. Barry. He said his team were technically, tactically and physically not good enough. I do wonder if. Was that the first time the owners had noticed when Pereira said it himself.

[Barry Glendenning]

Hands up for a start. I actually thought Wolves would win this game. I thought I'd seen enough from them to suggest they would have enough about them to beat a Fulham side that had lost four in a row and weren't showing a great deal. And boy was I wrong about that. They were absolutely walloped. It was an embarrassing defeat. Obviously not helped by the fact that Agbadoo got sent off for denying Josh King a clear ish goal scoring opportunity. I would say it's no great surprise that Pereira has been sacked. He was relieved of his duties yesterday around lunchtime. I think we got the news and I think Sam Johnson, the Wolves keeper who was probably the only Wolves player to emerge from the game with any credit, said it best after the game when he, he looked genuinely traumatized and, and said we should be embarrassed. And I know it's not what they want to hear, but, you know, we need to apologize to the fans for that performance. I mean, the problems that Wolves seem to go a lot deeper than just the coach. Their transfer policy seems to be an absolute mess. They keep selling their best players summer after summer after summer, and they're. It's finally catching up with them. The. The fans were chanting against the owner and, and the regime in charge of the club long before they were chanting for Pereira's head on Saturday. But they. When the final whistle went, they were singing sacked in the morning. And they were. Prediction was only, you know, an hour or two out. I think it was after noon when he went, yeah.

[Max Rushden]

It just doesn't quite scan, does it? You're getting sacked in the afternoon. Just doesn't quite fit. I mean, he did do a really good job last year, Wilson, I mean, I guess he did. There were three teams that were going to get relegated, so it made a dramatic recovery. The same. But they, you know, they were in a similar position last year, but Barry's alluded to it. If you look at who they've sold in the last few years. Kunya Ait, Nori Neto, Kilman, Nunes, Ruben Neves, Nathan Collins, Morgan Gibbs White. Okay, it's over a few seasons. They haven't really replaced them with players of remotely that kind of quality.

[Jonathan Wilson]

Yeah. I wonder if there's almost a degree of complacency crept in amongst the sort of bottom 17 of the teams who have not been the promoter clubs in the last two seasons. There's all been this sense of, well, we'll be better than the promoter clubs. We can cut costs a bit here. Yeah. The truth is, Napoleon, you can't keep cutting costs. And, you know, some of them got themselves in this cycle of they, you know, the finance would look terrible. They cut costs over summer and then the January got a mad splurge to try and survive. And the danger then is when you finally do go down, you go down pretty quickly and pretty far. I wonder as well, is this a sign of George Mendez's declining influence with. I mean, it's, it's, to an extent, it's coincidence and there's different issues at each club. And Nuno hasn't been at West Ham for very long, but it is three Nuno teams in the bottom three. Or maybe Nuno is just a terrible toxin, given how Tottenham are at the minute, but Nuno just drags everybody down eventually. I, I think, I mean, Wolves fans I think could probably see it coming last season and then, yeah, they had that great bump under Pereira, but Pereira's career, this is what he does. He comes in, he has an immediate impact, it goes well for a few months and then it collapses and he moves on. That's his job. The key is don't employ him for more than a year. Well, they haven't, to be fair. Don't apply for more than. More than the season he's in.

[Max Rushden]

He's like the littlest hobo. I mean, actually.

[Jonathan Wilson]

Much like Sam never had a relegation on his record until he went to Leeds.

[Max Rushden]

The Georges Mendes thing is interesting, Philippe, isn't it? I hadn't thought about that.

[Philippe Auclair]

Well, that's the one I was actually looking at the. I mean, I think the problem is not so much who they have sold, it's who they haven't bought because you can sell and sell a lot and sell very well, like Brentford and Brighton have done in the past. I know we always use these examples, but in the case of Wolves, as to George Mendes influence, when you look at the players who came in, I actually think that I'm not so sure which ones are part of the Justifoot stable and I can't think of one. I think. So his influence has definitely diminished, certainly in terms of the players and the quality of players he brings to the clubs. Because one thing you could say is that, yes, when he is involved in the running of a club basically, and especially in the recruitment, one thing is that he used to bring his players, but they used to be good. Or his managers, but they used to be good. And now it doesn't seem to be quite the case that they are as good as they should be. And I was wondering, I don't know, are there any Portuguese managers who are currently looking for a job who would carry on this great tradition of Wolverhampton Wanderers looking to Portugal for a head coach? I can't think of one straight away.

[Max Rushden]

But I suppose maybe George Mendes. Once you run out of good jowls and good Nevis's, you know, or you put. You get one jowl Nevis and then he takes all the good jowl Nevis ness out of things. So then to the next possible manager. Brendan Rogers was definitely touted yesterday, Barry. Now it looks like, well, Gary o' Neill is the favorite with some bookmakers. Rob Edwards as well being mentioned. Interesting. If o' Neill went back there, it would.

[Barry Glendenning]

Would it be interesting? And I'm not sure it would. I mean, isn't he the guy who got them into the mess that Pereira had to get them out of last season? I would imagine Wolves fans would be pretty underwhelmed by that performance or by that appointment if it came to pass. Brendan Rodgers again seems an underwhelming choice. Would he even want the job because he's just sort of left one bin fire? Would he want to walk straight into an even worse one? I don't know. Michael Carrick was a match of the day last night. He's apparently in the frame. I think he's a very good pundit, by the way, the way he explains things to a thicko like me. Really good. If he could bring that kind of clarity to the Wolves dressing room, it might help. But I would have to say, looking at the list of likely contenders, I would be just look at it with a giant shoulder shrug and a meh. But I don't really care who ends up managing Wolves. But I imagine Wolves fans are looking at the shortlist or the apparent shortlist and also going, yeah, bit. Bit meh.

[Max Rushden]

Yeah, I agree with you on Carrick. I mean, I suppose it does depend. Are the Wolves dressing room as thick as you, Barry? And we just don't. We don't know that, do we? Let's talk about the other terrible team, west ham, who beat Newcastle 3. 1. They hadn't won a league game at home since the 27th of February. You know, their fans do not enjoy going to that ground and that is a long time to wait. However, you know, however, the lasting toxins of Nuno are. Wilson. He was dancing and smiling at the end of this one.

[Jonathan Wilson]

Yeah, I mean, to go behind that early. Everything seems to be set up for a classic sort of West Ham afternoon of misery that, you know, they hit the post early on, they go behind, they have a penalty given and overturned by various. That was all in the first 12 minutes, I think. So you sort of think, oh, this is going to be a classic West Ham afternoon. And then they spoiled it by playing really well and winning deservedly. And Newcastle were as bad as they've been for. Well, this season, certainly. I mean, they just look knackered. They have had five games in 15 days and Nick Voldemort has started all of them, which maybe doesn't help, but that was. I think one of the problems they have is that Eddie Howe's way of playing is so. It's so based on energy that if energy declines, the drop off is pretty sharp. But yeah, and they were. They were absolutely awful. I mean, you've got got athletic coming up on Wednes in the Champions League, so they need to. They need to get that sorted quickly.

[Barry Glendenning]

Well, Newcastle seem to be able to rouse themselves for the big games. It's the games like this that they're letting themselves down. I mean, we, we've eulogized Anthony Gordon on this podcast for his England performances. And when Newcastle lost against Barcelona in the Champions League, he was really good, but good God, he was diabolical yesterday. Absolutely awful. And it's probably unfair to single him out because pretty much everyone in a. A green Saudi Arabia shirt was dire. They were so bad, it's difficult to remember a worse performance under.

[Max Rushden]

How is it possible, Philippe, that West Ham made them look bad? Because we've talked a lot about West Ham not having any legs, but they definitely look like they had legs yesterday.

[Philippe Auclair]

Yes, and they use them to good effect. But I think that it's a lot about Newcastle more than about West Ham in some ways. I mean, if you look, it's been one of those stop, start, stop start, stop start seasons for them. I mean, from very beginning. And I don't know if it's just about the energy because it's something we have seen since the very first day of the season when they drew against Villa, they lost against Liverpool, and then they drew at Leeds United and then they won against Wolves and so on. And you look at it and you think, well, it's naturally never got going. Never got going. And you have to wonder the impact the Isaac affair had on the club as a whole and what it showed as well of the dysfunctions within the club. And then we thought, oh, yeah, but they got Voldemado and Voldemado is wonderful and so forth, but no, it hasn't quite gelled the way it should be. And they've never got going at all. So I think it is more about Newcastle United than about West Ham. Or is it about Nuno Espirito Santo as well? You know, the way that he's taken this team and suddenly has given them some belief. I have to say I'm not exactly surprised as to what's happened in Newcastle United, but the extent to which they look dysfunctional, that's what surprises me, rather than the actual phenomenon that they're stuttering.

[Max Rushden]

I've tried three times to ask a question about West Ham. I'm gonna. Barry, you want to come in? Is it West Ham related?

[Barry Glendenning]

I think the inclusion of Freddie Potts yesterday made a massive difference in West Ham's midfield. He's a young kid, 22. His dad, Steve, played for the club over 500 times and is now on the coaching staff. We had Sam Delaney, big West Ham fan, on the radio yesterday and he said that there might have been a reluctance to start him because it might be seen as nepotism. I think that's what he said. But he was thrown in yesterday and he made a massive difference. He was brilliant and I think he got player of the match. But he gave West Ham some much needed steel and some speed in that midfield area where steel and speed has been sorely lacking. So I expect he will start for the foreseeable. But he. He was a huge plus for them yesterday. Obviously winning the game was also a huge plus for them when they started so badly. As. As Jonathan pointed out, it looked like it was going to be another one of those days, but I would say West Ham deserve an awful lot of credit. But Newcastle made them look like world beaters, which is some dude.

[Max Rushden]

I mean, I guess on. I guess on Freddie Potts, if you are a fan base that have got nothing to be happy about, like the son of a legend, like coming in and being great and, you know, like they'll. They'll start thinking, could he be the, you know, the next Mark Noble, this guy, and be a sort of total West Ham legend? There was a lovely moment when he scored, it was disallowed, but, you know, his dad's on the coaching staff trying to look as professional and actually did a very good job of not looking like he cared, you know, going, that's my son scoring his first goal for West Ham. I really enjoyed the Suchek goal, just because as a fan you'd have known for so long that that's going to go in the ball's, you know, just sort of there and he's going to take everything in with him and what a moment to be like, yes, we've won this game. And of course, we would never criticize Robin Cowan, but on Match of the Day, she did say, regards, West Ham. There's never a dull moment supporting this club. And I thought, I'm not sure, not sure about that, Robin. Anyway, the other game yesterday was Man City 3, Bournemouth 1. You were there, Wilson. I thought this was the one game this weekend where you had two really good teams and a game of really high. City were obviously better and deserved the win. But two really high quality teams going against each other.

[Jonathan Wilson]

Yeah, I mean, I think from a moment they took the lead, although they then conceded the lead. I don't think there was any ever Any doubts that you were going to win? They were better. It felt from a neutral point of view, sort of drifted the final 20, 25 minutes because it was so obvious City were going to win. But yeah, it was a high quality game and interesting the way that Guardiola City, the only team this season yet to score in the Premier League, yet to score from a set play. You look at this, the five in midfield, if that's how you want to describe it, four of them are under 1 meter 80, three of them are under 1 meter 75. So I Guardiola has changed, but he hasn't changed that much. But where he has changed is he now lets his team play balls in for Erlingholm to chase. And it turns out he's really, really good at that. So the first two goals are both Turkey laying it on for him. Turkey looks really useful drifting in from the right. The one thing I'd say about that is your docu stays wide on the left. Foden's done it now Turkey's doing it coming in from the right. I do think they are vulnerable down that side when teams break on them, but they leave symptoms a little bit exposed. So while City were always looked like they were going to win that game, they probably did concede more chances than Guardiola would ideally like. And then he was quite annoyed afterwards with the refereeing. And I sort of think he semi has a point about the Bournemouth goal.

[Max Rushden]

It's one of those, isn't it, where, you know, it's sort of that rule where if you hold onto someone's arm but you let go early enough, then it's fine and it is. I think you're probably right, it is a foul. I agree with you.

[Jonathan Wilson]

So I mean, yes, he's. I don't know why Donovan make such a mess of it because Brooks has let go, but equally his balance is probably affected. And the reason I really don't like this, and it might be why we're getting so many goals from set pieces, is that because of the way bar is applied, the rule is asynchronic. So you saw that in the Manchester United Fulham game, for instance, where there was two fouls happening in the box simultaneously, one by a Fulham player, one by a Manchester United player. But it's the one that can concede a penalty is the only one bar's allowed to look at because the other one would only be a free kick to a defence. And that's nonsense. Forwards can basically commit fouls with impunity because even if it is given. So what's a free kick, you know, 120 yards from your goal, whereas if a defender commits that foul, it's potentially a penalty.

[Max Rushden]

Yeah, no, I agree with you. And I think the law that I would have is if there is a foul being committed by an attacker anywhere, that should over that should sort of trump a foul by a defender, because I don't want lots of penalties. On the subject of no set piece goals, it would be great if, you know, at some point this season we discover that Bernardo Silva can hurl the ball 600 yards into the box. I wanted to talk a bit more about Turkey, Philippe, because, you know, we know about Haaland, but like he did. Look, both those assists are really clever.

[Philippe Auclair]

Actually, he's an absolutely magnificent player. Still very young and he's always been a bit of an enigma because I remember very well when my friend at Lyon started to talk about Rancherki and they all said, you'll see, we've got this player. Dion has produced some exceptional players in the past. We've produced Karim Benzema and so forth. He's really one of them. And then for some reason, some people say, because of his temperament, perhaps he hasn't been well, he hasn't been quite what we expected from him. There was also problems with his agents at one point, interestingly enough, he was supposed to be managed by Kylian Bappe's mother, Faisal Amari, to be the only other player that she would be looking at. And it didn't quite happen in the end, but there was always a lot of frustration. But now people are talking a lot about him in France, about what is happening with Manchester City after this particular game and wondering if he's finally found the manager or the environment in which he can become the player we all know he can be because he's got the skill, he's got absolutely marvelous vision. Where you saw the assists for Erling Haaland, they were just magnificent. Now the question is, is he going to have a run in the side? Because he was in the starting lineup against Tottenham, wasn't he? Beginning of the season he was taken off and then he got injured. And so again, stop, start. And here what we are hoping is that he's going to get a run in the side in that particular role and he's going to be the round shaky. We think he can be, which he hasn't been so far. I insist on that. But if he does, that would be an absolute blessing for Didier Deschamps and for the French team as well, as for Manchester City, because we do not have any other player with this kind of profile. We don't who is a pure creator.

[Max Rushden]

Sure. Hang on, couldn't Rabiot could do his job there, couldn't he?

[Philippe Auclair]

Yes, he could, I suppose, yes. Rancherki is the risk. Rancherki is the answer to the Rabiot conundrum. Maybe that's what it's supposed to be. He's never been particularly prolific, by the way, in his career. He's more of a creator. He's full of imagination, full of tricks, full of skill and again, he has absolutely superb vision. But we've never quite seen him do what we thought he would be able to do. Only by bursts here, a pass here, a goal there, you think, wow. And then it doesn't quite happen. So let's hope and pray that's the case this season.

[Max Rushden]

City up to second. Barry, of course, you know, Sunderland could overtake them tonight.

[Barry Glendenning]

Sunderland will go second in the table after 10 games when they beat Everton tonight. It's so, so mad. I, I, I don't think I've ever looked forward to a game more. They probably get thumped, but.

[Max Rushden]

Well, yeah, I mean, football has a way of biting you.

[Barry Glendenning]

I have to say, whenever I hear Turkey's name, I do, I immediately think of Christmas dinner at the Carragher household. You know, pasta, tiki. Who wants some turkey?

[Max Rushden]

I was going to ask, I was going to ask if you, you know, they're six points behind Arsenal, there's a lot of season left. You know, they, they're starting to look a bit more balanced. Their fullbacks look like they know what they're doing. Midfield is, you know, coming together. So they could be the, they are the most likely team, right, to stop Arsenal.

[Barry Glendenning]

You say that or commit. You just commit. I was watching this game live and I kept going. Why are Docu and Cherokee, they're spending all their time in the center circle or, you know, they're not out in the wings, they're in the middle of the pitch. And that is where Michael Carrick came in. So he, he explained how City were playing deliberately, narrowly trying to play through the Bournemouth press. The number of players they had in that area, the pitch meant that the Bournemouth centre backs were getting sucked in and then leaving space for, for Holland to run into. So a brave tactic, Mr. Carrick explained. But one city are one of few teams good enough to, to pull off because you're risking Bournemouth, you know, launching one of their lightning fast counter attacks. So I thought that was interesting. I can't see past Arsenal at the moment, but I would certainly have City as the most likely team to catch them. I think Liverpool's win over Villa was massive, but for them. But yeah, City with Haaland, of course, if he stays fit, are obviously going to be a threat.

[Jonathan Wilson]

Yeah.

[Max Rushden]

Oh, well, let's talk about Liverpool's victory over Villa at the start of part two. Knock knock.

[Philippe Auclair]

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[Jonathan Wilson]

Okay.

[Philippe Auclair]

It's just that when people say knock knock, there's usually a joke to go with it. Like I said, this isn't a joke. So the knock knock was just you knocking? Yeah, that's how doors work. Get the new iPhone 17 Pro delivered and set up by an expert wherever you are. Delivery available for select devices purchased at boostmobile.com, terms apply.

[Max Rushden]

Welcome to part two of the Guardian Football Weekly. The Sizzler writes. Good evening, Max. Just want to say, as a Liverpool fan, last night's results and performance made me feel as elated as a worker in a lion enclosure whose supervisor has just come back from a day off and their understudy has been mauled while he was off. The lion keeper analogy has been very popular on Instagram and it did prove wise, Barry, for Arnoslot to rest players midweek. I mean, ahead of this game, Liverpool had six defeats in seven. Villa had won four on the spin. But Philippe, you know, Villa just handed this to Liverpool.

[Philippe Auclair]

I thought, I'm a little bit surprised at the way that this win has been described in some quarters. And I see Mohamed Salah being celebrated and of course he should be celebrated. 250 goals for Liverpool is absolutely extraordinary, but as if it had been. As if the performance had been of the level you could expect. And I mean, did we see the same game? I don't think Liverpool were particularly good, but what I think is what I saw, that Aston Villa were particularly bad. It's absolutely extraordinary. And I don't know if Michael Carrick was on call to explain that, but one thing I'd like to understand is that if you're playing against a team like Liverpool, which is known to have at the moment huge problems against long balls and second balls, why do you insist to play from the back with players who are obviously not feeling quite at ease doing that? And you gift the first goal that way. I have to say I don't quite understand that Liverpool hate chaos being thrown in their part of their half of the pitch and Villa didn't do that. And also you're wondering well what if you know that shot from Morgan Rodgers doesn't hit the bar but goes in as well. Villa created loads of chances. There's absolutely nothing. And Liverpool created a few and it was a bit, it was a game between two not very good sides, is it all right to say that. Or actually maybe two very good sides but which had no control over what they were doing. So I think yes, I mean to use that expression we use all the time in French. It's the tree that hides the forest. It is the kind of wind which I'm sure is more than welcome. But it doesn't say much about Liverpool having suddenly gone into being in the face of convalescence or whatever. They're not much different than they were last week. This time they just found an opponent which basically gifted them the game.

[Max Rushden]

Yeah, it was interesting Wilson that maybe Arnas Slot had said so many times that they didn't like long balls that Unai Emery thought it was some kind of double bluff despite having seen all the games that Liverpool had conceded these goals. Because it wasn't just that Salah goal which I actually thought was quite a smart finish even if it was an open goal like they, they'd been warned already.

[Jonathan Wilson]

Oh I mean a number of times they lost the ball trying to play out from a back. I, I, I have no idea why they were trying to play out. I mean the other thing, you know, in terms of caveating you the idea Liverpool might be back 10 of that 11 were. It was Liverpool from last season. Yeah. Akat for, for Darwin basically.

[Max Rushden]

But that's fine, isn't it? I mean they're still the part of the, they're still the squad.

[Jonathan Wilson]

Well yeah, but, but the, you know, you then do have the question of Remind me why you spent that 450 million quid in the summer on, on the most expensive bench in the world. You know, it's, you know, it's, you would assume that the plan is to integrate the new players. They haven't just been signed, you know, to look nice on the bench and they don't seem this, this, this win. No, it's, it's, it's, it was essentially one, it was essential that they, you know, they stopped the rot and confidence can, can do huge things in football if, if that sort of helps Shore that Up well, well, great. But in terms of moving to the. The new future, moving to. To. To, you know what, whatever new Liverpool is meant to emerge after the summer, they don't really feel any closer to that. It. It's sort of you're going back to absolute basics. But what comes next? Because at some point you do have to find a way of playing Virt and the two fullbacks and Isac.

[Max Rushden]

I was actually Googling the most expensive bench in the world. As in a bench that someone could sit on. But I ended up at Lux habitats 10 most expensive pieces of furniture in the world to which the badminton chest at $36.7 million is the most expensive piece of furniture. But you know, I don't know if some. If producer Joel could get to it and find how expensive the most expensive bench is. Back to probably more important matters, Philippe.

[Philippe Auclair]

Well, no, I'm just making a point that a lot of people are talking when we're talking about the most expensive bench in football of problems of adaptation, players take time to adapt to their new environment, etc. Etc. In the case of Liverpool, I don't think it's a case of a problem of individual adaptation. It's a problem of collective adaptation which is a completely different thing. Because if you look like Florian Wirtz who is a super player, wonderful player, I think the problem of his adaptation is not so much him as the players around him and the communication which is happening. Communication works both ways. Which is why I do think that Liverpool's problems are a little bit more serious than we think. Because if it was just a matter of a couple of players struggling to find their marks, that's completely understandable. But I think the problem is more that the actual system which is in place, the adaptation is not happening at a collective level and there's a big difference.

[Max Rushden]

Speaking of teams that aren't working, Tottenham Nil Chelsea 1 Jan says is Thomas Frank just Nuno Mark 2 overachieving mid table manager who makes his name with compact teams who were efficient in the final third. Can't transition to a team which enters most games as favorites. I mean I thought Barry Chelsea were really good in this game. They pressed relentlessly. Should have won by a lot more. The story does feel to be more about Tottenham with an XG of 0.05 which as producer Joel says sounds like it could have been achieved by just kicking the ball forwards once their lowest ever in the Premier League.

[Barry Glendenning]

Well, I think that.05 was a very weak Muhammad Kuda shot which sort of rolled Gently towards Robert Sanchez. So that, that's where that came from. Tottenham were awful in this game. It was as comfortable a 1 nil win as I think you'll ever see. And they were I think the third in the table going into this game. If you looked at the games they'd won, they'd beat Manchester City, but the other teams they'd beaten weren't, you know, all that. I suppose if you're a Spurs fan, you're going, well, at least it's not as bad as last season when we were just lost half our games. But I, I think it's too early to start judging Thomas Frank. I think he's a good manager. I think he'll sort them out. But this was a dismal performance and spurs seem utterly incapable, or they are utterly incapable of beating Chelsea at, in their own stadium because they've never done it. I think they've lost six and drawn one against Chelsea at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium. It's clearly some sort of issue and on another day Chelsea could have won this by 3, 4 or 5 nil. Gishins missed a sitter how Pedro missed a few chances as well as scoring one. But. And then the, the catalog of defensive blunders in the build up to Chelsea's winner was just comical. My man Xavi Simmons, he wasn't, he didn't cover himself in glory.

[Max Rushden]

Having a great time for sure.

[Barry Glendenning]

He, he came on for Lucas Bergwell. Well done by the way, Tottenham medical staff for making sure he went off and then got subbed off again later and was awful during his time on the pitch. But yeah, it was a bad day at the office for Spurs.

[Max Rushden]

I mean, yeah, Philippe, they're fifth, two points off, second. Three points off. Second after Sunderland's victory, of course, unbeaten in the Champions League. And you know, they have tightened up the back, but the vibes are not great. I mean that's. And you know, I agree it's too early to judge Frank and you know, there are all sorts of personnel issues there and there's a lack of creativity. But it is interesting how sort of dour it appears and to be honest.

[Philippe Auclair]

It'S a kind of dourness that you wouldn't associate with Thomas Frank. He's not a dour manager. His Brentford was actually quite fun to watch in a different way. But I think one of the, one of the main problems is I was looking, you know, you were talking about the most expensive bench in the world. You look at the players who've come in this season at spurs, it's huge spending by spurs, you know, standards. I mean, over what, 150 million? Over that, actually. And you're wondering, well, can you see a difference? Not really. I'm a little bit puzzled, to be honest, how mediocre they have been. I mean, as a fan yourself, I mean, are you not expecting Max more from the players you've brought in? Precisely. Mohamed Kudus, Matti Stell Simons.

[Max Rushden]

I think Kudus has looked good, but now it's just, get it to Kudus and there's no other plan. I don't know what you think, Wilson. You know, they have a real problem up front with no Solanke with Tell Richarlison, Kolo Muani. They have no service. But you have to. The way they're playing. They need Drogba, they need someone who can hold it up and get in behind. But there seems to be a real lack of creativity.

[Jonathan Wilson]

I mean, you know, Kulasevski and Maddison being injured obviously doesn't help. Solanke being injured, and that's a Solanke injury. I don't. Tottenham seem to specialize in this. The injury said, oh, it's fine, be back in a couple of weeks, and before you know it, two seasons have gone past and he hasn't played. So he got injured in, what, the City game? The second game of the season. And he has had a. I think. I think they're keen to say was a procedure, not. Not surgery on the ankle. Was the ankle. I think. Was it the ankle? But, you know, he doesn't seem to be any close to coming. Seem. He is close to coming back, but he doesn't seem imminent. So, yeah, who. Who knows what's going on there? I mean, Thomas Frank, you know, earlier in the season was. Was talking about those three issues. Obviously, Sarn has been such a big part of spurs for years and then it's gone. So, yeah, there's. There's adaptation there. But equally, as Philippe says, they've spent a lot of money and none of the players they brought in seem quite ready or quite right. I mean, Xavi Simmons looks so lightweight. I'm always slightly skeptical of a player who's followed around by a documentary crew as well. But you do wonder just how focused he is on what actually matters about football.

[Barry Glendenning]

Is Xavi Simmons being followed around by a documentary crew?

[Jonathan Wilson]

Yes.

[Barry Glendenning]

Oh, I didn't know that.

[Jonathan Wilson]

And has a massive entourage generally for his boy.

[Max Rushden]

Surely you have to take a look at your entourage when you've been that bad. And he's. I mean, I agree. This is.

[Barry Glendenning]

I.

[Max Rushden]

You can see he's a good player. Right. It's a bit like Wirtz. I'm not necessarily comparing those two as players, but, like, just physically aren't there at the Premier League. And. And some players don't ever get there.

[Jonathan Wilson]

And.

[Max Rushden]

And some do.

[Barry Glendenning]

On. On the subject of expensive benches, Max, by the way, my dad has a memorial bench in the grounds of Burr Castle, and I cannot stress enough, it did not cost anywhere near as much as either Florian Verts or Xavi Siemens.

[Jonathan Wilson]

What about that £31.6 million bench that Max was talking about before?

[Max Rushden]

The badminton chest? No, no. Edison, DL Stones, Rodri Gundogan, Silva Grealish, Kevin de Bruyne and Erling Haaland when they played Chelsea, beat them one nil in 2023. He's worth about 500 million pounds. Then I told Joel I met.

[Philippe Auclair]

What's a memory you've got?

[Max Rushden]

Well, then I tell Joel I met an actual bench. And he said he found a story about Torbay Council charging a family £12,000 for a bench. But that may have been miscre. Miscommunication. Who knows? Anyway, but Arsenal don't have any of the problems that Tottenham have. Elite. They want two nil at Burnley. You know, it was routine. They are good. Declan Rice is brilliant. Gabriel is sensational in both boxes. Nine consecutive wins in all competitions, seven clean sheets in a row. It's like one shot they faced on target in about 25 years. Are you, you know, are you getting ready for the parade?

[Philippe Auclair]

Well, I wouldn't go that far, but I'm certainly. Actually, I would be very disappointed if there were no parade. That's the way I would put it. Do you know any defenders who loves to head the ball out of the box with as much pleasure, enthusiasm as Gabriel? It's. It's phenomenal. He can butts the ball. He butts it some 40 yards. Absolutely extraordinary. But I don't think I would describe this as a routine win, because I don't think I've seen them play that well in the Premier League this season, as in the first 45 minutes in the Champions League, Atletico, the performance was fantastic, but in the Premier league, the first 45 minutes were the most complete I've seen, because not only did they defend extremely well what they had to defend, not only did they score, obviously, on another set piece by Gurkerus this time, but what they created, the number of chances and how they created them, was absolutely magnificent. As to Declan Rice. Yeah, I mean, what can you say? Pretty much the perfect game, I would say pretty much a perfect game in which he showed absolutely every single of the qualities we know he has and put that in a perfect little package. I mean, the only thing about that routine win is the routine injuries again, which are affecting Navig, Tokyo, Kores and Zubimendi, and we don't know how serious these are, but it's quite remarkable that so many players got so, you know, muscular injuries like Arsenal players have had this season, especially when they had been rested for the previous game. You know, it's just. It's very, very, very odd. And actually the one a little bit not worrying, but concerning the fact that these injuries keep on happening, and even if Arsenal do have the second most expensive bench in the Premier League or something, and sometimes the first, as they had in the League cup, there's one moment when the resources they have, the incredibly deep resources, will be stretched a little bit too far. And I'm just. That's probably the only caveat that I would have. Other than that they've got absolutely everything to go all of the way in the Premier League and it's only 10 games. I know, but I mean, I would be surprised if they didn't. I mean, is it a bit. Is it hubristic to say that.

[Barry Glendenning]

Oh, please be hubristic. Who doesn't love a hubristic Arsenal fan? But, I mean, you talk about those niggles or injuries, but you've got Odegaard, Madaweke, Gabriel, Jesus and Kai Havertz all close to returning. So the Lord give it and the Lord take it away.

[Jonathan Wilson]

Yeah.

[Max Rushden]

To the city ground. Forest 2, Manchester United 2. The only game on Saturday of the seven that really had any jeopardy and where both teams scored. Manchester United took the lead from that Casemiro header from a corner that shouldn't have been a corner. Second week in a row that this has happened to Sean Dyche. I mean, firstly you said scandal, so I'll go to. For your exercise. More exercise, it appears, than the other two. I mean, the referees assistant has possibly the worst view in the ground. There's a goal in the way, right? There's a big net and some posts in the way. It's obviously a bad decision.

[Philippe Auclair]

No, it's shocking and it's a horse I've been flogging far too much. But I do not understand. We have goal line technology. We can tell when the ball goes past the line, crosses a line. Why don't we have it for all of the goal line, right, so that we can find out, if indeed the ball has been out of play. It absolutely drives me nuts.

[Jonathan Wilson]

Well, no, I was sorry. How on earth could they do that? The reason it works in a goal is that you have cameras in the post and the bar, but you can't.

[Philippe Auclair]

Do exactly use exactly the same system.

[Jonathan Wilson]

You couldn't have a bar going along the goal line to look down. You could. What do you want? And you can't have a post sort of beyond the corner flags.

[Philippe Auclair]

No, but you don't have the Hawkeye system, you mean? Yeah, but you could have cameras in the stadium which would actually be focusing solely on the goal line and trigger a signal, some kind of audio signal, if the ball goes past the line. It's absolutely possible.

[Jonathan Wilson]

I think it's incredibly dependent on the stadium. I think it works in a goal because the goal is the same size. I think it's relatively easily calibrate because it's in the same position. It's the same in every stadium. The cost for something that happens. When was the last one that was significant? When Arsenal concedes at Newcastle that last week.

[Philippe Auclair]

Last week, yes. Twice in two weeks.

[Max Rushden]

You're listening to the Guardian Photo Calibration Weekly.

[Jonathan Wilson]

I mean, the cost, the effort, the time for something that just. Referees make mistakes, things happen. Just get on and defend the corner. Stop moaning about it.

[Max Rushden]

I, I just, I, I would argue.

[Barry Glendenning]

Jonathan, I, I take your point and largely agree with you, but just for the sake of being nitpicky, we know the ball didn't go out of play, so, and we knew very quickly that the ball didn't go out of play, so surely Var could have stepped in or something like that.

[Jonathan Wilson]

Well, yeah, but in, in this one, one instance. But you know, there'll be other times where there's three or four players blocking the view and he, it then takes you, you know, 10 minutes to sort out, you know.

[Philippe Auclair]

For what?

[Jonathan Wilson]

For throwing on the halfway line. I mean, it's, you know.

[Max Rushden]

Yeah, I, I, I, I take that point and I guess there will always be a vague moment where it's like. But if you said, look it, if in the time it took for whoever to wander over and take the corner, the fourth official could just whisper in the ref's ear and go, actually, mate, that's not a corner.

[Jonathan Wilson]

But then where does it stop? That's the problem with far, it creeps.

[Max Rushden]

I agree with you, but it's sort.

[Jonathan Wilson]

Of, that's why you have to have been very definitive. That's why get rid of it entirely.

[Max Rushden]

Yeah, so I agree. I would get rid of it entirely. But it creeps just so exponentially differently in different ways. So this thing that we all know, fine, but then it'll exponentially creep for like two hours over a handball that we don't want.

[Philippe Auclair]

There is no personal judgment involved in this particular case. It's not about a judging. Like what happened, for example, at the Fulham game where the red card was given because they deemed that Josh King hadn't touched the ball with his arm, which he had, by the way. They deemed it was just the top of the shoulder. But anyway, this is not what we're talking. It's not about personal opinion. It's about a fact. The ball went over the line or didn't go over the line. If technology is able to assist the judges, the officials, in taking the right decision in preventing a team like Forest, whose whole season might depend on a couple of decisions like that, that's what we've got to understand. What's the problem? It's not creepy.

[Jonathan Wilson]

Because the problem is, although this one is obvious, there will be other cases that are not obvious. And how do you judge what is and what isn't obvious? There is no obvious ometer.

[Philippe Auclair]

In which case, if it's not obvious, it's not obvious, it just doesn't intervene.

[Jonathan Wilson]

But we know that referees that ponder to fans can't tell what's obvious. We have the word clear and obvious in a regulation that nobody knows what it means. Obvious in itself a subjective term.

[Barry Glendenning]

I really want to get into it with Philippe over the Josh King handball, but I'm not going to for the good of this episode.

[Max Rushden]

Anyway, Ahmad struck that volley beautifully, didn't he? Just, you know, it's. And a brilliant block on the line, actually from Murillo, which meant that the guy with the hair still has the hair.

[Jonathan Wilson]

All right, good.

[Max Rushden]

Well, that'll do for part two. Part three we'll round up the rest of the Premier League.

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[Max Rushden]

The Guardian Football Weekly. Palace 2, Brentford NIL. So palace followed up their win over Liverpool in the League cup with another win in the Premier League. And they've not been on a great run until this. That Mateta header, Philippe, is just so good. I mean I've seen a lot of League 1 goals like this. Boot to the far post, head across goal and then headed home. But it's such a great header, isn't is rather lovely.

[Philippe Auclair]

I must say it's a very metatash thing to do. You know, I was talking about players who've got conviction when they hit the ball, when they butt the ball in defense. Well, he does that too. But this time to propel it into the net. Absolutely superb.

[Max Rushden]

Yeah, yeah. Nathan Collins had a less good. Did come from a long throw.

[Barry Glendenning]

Yeah, well, you see what's happening here is there's an international break. So this is Nathan Collins switching into Ireland mode. Nathan Collins, he had a shocker.

[Max Rushden]

He's unlucky, isn't it? I mean it's bound to happen eventually.

[Barry Glendenning]

No, but he. There was that and then there was one. He gifted possession to Schm. Somehow missed I think because Collins was sort of hanging out of his shirt and got away with it. But yeah, Sar hit the post when scoring looked far, far easier.

[Max Rushden]

In the final game, Brighton beat Leeds 3 nil. I thought Yakubi Minto was brilliant in this game, but the story I guess is Danny Welbeck Wilson getting another goal. Is there a serious conversation about getting him on the plane? Thomas Tuchel doesn't mind bringing in old people.

[Jonathan Wilson]

Yeah, I mean they certainly should be. Yeah. England are not blessed with a huge number of center forward options. Yeah, Ollie Watkins I guess is back up to Harry Kane at the moment. But if the squads are going to be 30 for the world cup, which I think we're led to believe they will be, I mean even at 26, it's worth having, you know, three center forwards there and who, who's better than him at the minute, you know, Kane Watkins, who else? So I think he's an increasingly intelligent player. I think he, in some ways he plays not unlike Kane in that he likes to drop off the front line, which it's obviously useful to have players who play in similar ways. By all accounts he's a lovely bloke. So I don't think there'd be any issues with him not starting games or maybe not getting any minutes. I think he'd be sort of diligent and useful in training, sort of be good around the group as they say. So. And yeah, Tuchel has no remit to look to the future at all. So if he's not being considered, that would seem very strange.

[Philippe Auclair]

To me, Danny Welbeck's presence in the England squad immediately increases the likability factor of England by At least 12.3%. At least. He seems to be one of the nicest people around. And you have to see also, one thing I absolutely love about him is that when he celebrates a goal, he doesn't do like what Joe Pedro does, which is absolutely ridiculous. When he does a tap in, you see, he immediately went, I can't remember. To the player who actually offered him that goal. There is a sense of genuineness about him in the way that he approaches his job, his profession, which also in itself increases the likability factor by another 0.7% to reach the 13% bar. And I think England would be all the better for Danny Welbeck being on the plane.

[Max Rushden]

All right, you convinced me it was Mats Viffer who passed it to him. You know, if anybody is interested in that. Sunderland play Everton tonight. We'll cover that victory for Sunderland on Wednesday's pod.

[Philippe Auclair]

I just wanted to add one thing for Brighton, the excellent game of Georgina Ruta. He was, I thought, absolutely superb. And I mentioned that in the, in our chat, is the fact, I do think that when a player faints and deliberately doesn't touch the ball so that the player in a better position can score, I think this should count as an assist.

[Max Rushden]

I'm with you. The dummy is one of the greatest skills. After the side foot pass. After the side foot pass, the dummy is the greatest skill in football. Speaking of side foot passes, has everyone seen Zielinski's volley for Inter against Verona in Serie A yesterday? It is one of the greatest goals I think I've ever seen because Tanaloglu takes the corner and absolutely the way he fizzes that ball. It's the Scholes volley from a corner goal. But the two kicks, Wilson, are two kicks of absolute technical perfection.

[Jonathan Wilson]

Oh, yeah, it's a lovely goal. It's, it's slightly spoiled when you see the angle from behind the goal. It's not actually that close to the corner, do you think? Yeah, I, I, I.

[Max Rushden]

That is splitting hairs. Okay. You want it in off the bar, right? You want it in the stanchion.

[Jonathan Wilson]

It's two great touches to the ball. I would just like it to have been a yard further to the left for, for something closer to being totally perfect. I'm not entirely clear why Verona watching him rather than making some effort to close him down as well, but it's two incredible strikes for the ball.

[Philippe Auclair]

I think that you're speaking because I think we've had too many angles for that goal. I think the best angle is the one which actually concentrates on. Which is sideways, where you actually see the movement as well from the delivery has also got curl on it, which makes it even more beautiful. It's absolutely unbelievable. And the conjunction of the two lines, I think that's what makes it so beautiful. The volley is amazing, the pass is amazing, but it's the conjunction. It's actually. You're looking. It's almost as if it were only one shot. It's like a bull ricocheting on the billiard table or a stone skipping on the lake. And it's absolutely. It's two movements but one. And it's absolutely, absolutely extraordinary.

[Max Rushden]

Southampton have sacked Will still sat their 21st in the championship. Three points above the bottom three. Won only two of 13. Do you reckon he'll go back to Ligue 1?

[Jonathan Wilson]

Philippe?

[Max Rushden]

He's a very good reputation there.

[Philippe Auclair]

Well, he had. I mean, when he was with Reims, that's when really basically he made his name and people said, well, we've got a fantastic young manager coming from Belgium in this case. I think that the bubble burst rather quickly. He's apparently not the easiest of managers to play for and to play with. And I don't know if this has anything to do with him, you know, having a problem. Another problem here. Maybe it's got more to do with the actual club, which is going precisely nowhere.

[Max Rushden]

Hedonistic says, can you ask Jonathan Wilson to talk about Gateshead fc Alan Armstrong and the importance of FA cup money and exposure, please, before the third round? Yeah, they won two nil at Wimbledon, Won a number of teams who beat sides in a higher league, including Brackley, Boreham Wood, Oldham, Chesterfield, Salford, Cheltenham, Swindon and Carlisle, which was an amazing game. But we'll get to that. Talk about Gateshead Wilson.

[Jonathan Wilson]

I don't know really what I meant to say. I mean they were the mid table in, in the National League. They sort of, yeah, struggle along. This is their biggest result in years. Alan Armstrong. Alan Armstrong must be pretty much the same age as me. Maybe he's a year old, but he was at Newcastle. I remember seeing him in a. In a reserve team game. So yeah, I reckon he may be. Maybe he's 50 now, but obviously he had a career. Where was he? Middlesbrough, Stockport, Ipswich, Darlington. Did he finish out? I don't think he ever played a league game for Newcastle. Yeah, he's gone back home, I guess and it's great that he's got this result, but I'm not going to pretend I know a huge amount about Gateshead.

[Max Rushden]

That's okay. I mean, Cambridge shattered their Football League dream in 2014. 14, I believe. They had John Oster pulling the strings in midfield. But we won at Wembley. He is 50, so well done. Yeah. Reading two, Carlisle three was the game of the round. Carlisle are non league and they were two nil down and Raegan Lilly scored one in the 93rd minute, then equalised in the 98th minute and then in extra time scored in the 94th minute. So before his equaliser, he scored the winner to get a hat trick and put them through five teams from the sixth tier in the second round. Slough Town, Chelmsford City, Western Super Mare, Macclesfield and Buxton. There is a bench, everybody on bench watch. On the Hudson river, you can get a 20 year dedication on for $100,000. Roughly 850 benches situated throughout the Hudson river park, each offering a peaceful perch and unique viewpoint for enjoying the park's riverfront beauty.

[Jonathan Wilson]

A hundred grand?

[Max Rushden]

Yeah. For 20 years. Yeah, 20 year dedication.

[Jonathan Wilson]

But I guess five grand a year, you get like a debenture at Surrey for that or something. Why would you?

[Max Rushden]

Yes, but I mean, perhaps if you are, you know, a rich New Yorker, a debenture at Surrey doesn't really mean much, you know, to your old nan. It's a spirit song. Teak Bench. The elegant craftsmanship of the unique spirit song Teak Bench evokes the waves of the majestic Hudson and natural waterfront winds. I mean, it is nice, I will grant you. I wouldn't. You know, I'm going to say, Barry, whichever one of us passes from this mortal call first, the other one does not have to donate a 20 year bench for 100 grand, however beautiful is on the Hudson River.

[Barry Glendenning]

You're already saying that because you're convinced I'll die before you.

[Philippe Auclair]

It's.

[Max Rushden]

No, it's.

[Barry Glendenning]

It's been a long held view of yours. I'm a clean living man now, Max.

[Max Rushden]

I run.

[Barry Glendenning]

I don't. I haven't had a fag for over 18 months.

[Max Rushden]

Right.

[Barry Glendenning]

I'm coming for you.

[Max Rushden]

Yeah, like you should die before me, but I don't know if you will. That's what I'm saying. You know, I'm less confident than I was, but I hope the running's going well. And that'll do for today, of course. Thanks, everybody. Thank you, Philippe.

[Philippe Auclair]

Thank you very much. Max, I didn't have a chance to say that this is the closest league race that we have in France for at least 10 years, but goodbye.

[Max Rushden]

Goodbye. Au revoir. Cheers.

[Jonathan Wilson]

Wilson and I didn't have a chance to talk about Stefano De Carlo becoming River Plate's youngest ever present to the first one. I mean won the election on Saturday.

[Max Rushden]

But yes, goodbye and Barry, I said.

[Barry Glendenning]

Everything I wanted to see and more.

[Max Rushden]

Football Weekly is produced by Joel Gro. Our executive producer is Danielle Stevens. Chavin seeks so we'll be back on Wednesday. This is the Guardian.

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