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- [00:00]
Reuben Pinder
When you're a forward thinker, you don't.
- [00:02]
Advertiser/Announcer
Just bring your A game, you bring your AI game.
- [00:05]
Reuben Pinder
Workday is the AI platform that transforms the way you manage your people, money and agents so you can transform tomorrow Workday, moving business forever forward.
- [00:15]
Hannah Berner
Hannah Berner Are those the cozy Tommy John pajamas you're buying?
- [00:20]
Keris Jones
Paige de Sorbo? They are Tommy John. And yes, I'm stocking up because they make the best holiday gifts so generous. Well, I'm a generous girly, especially when it comes to me. So I'm grabbing the softest sleepwear, comfiest underwear and best fitting loungewear.
- [00:36]
Hannah Berner
So nothing for your bestie?
- [00:38]
Keris Jones
Of course I'm getting my dad, Tommy John. Oh, and you?
- [00:41]
Hannah Berner
Of course it's giving holiday gifting made easy.
- [00:44]
Keris Jones
Exactly. Cozy, comfy, everyone's happy. Still need a last minute gift.
- [00:48]
Reuben Pinder
Don't panic.
- [00:49]
Keris Jones
Tommy John is on Amazon. Get cozy Comfy gifts delivered fast just in time for the holidays. So search Tommy John on Amazon and thank us later.
- [00:58]
Hannah Berner
Tired of presenting to tuned out rooms? Research says you've got 47 seconds before your audience gets distracted. AHA slides turn sleepy Slides into engaging experiences. Instead of talking at people, you make them part of the moment with live polls, quizzes and word clouds that wake up the room and keep their attention. Try it now. It's free for audiences of up to 50 people. Go to www.ahaslides.com aha slides what will you do with all the engagement?
- [01:33]
Matt Davis Adams
The Athletic fc Welcome to the preview from the Athletic fc. It's the show where we get you set for the weekend's Premier League action. This week we're looking ahead to Tottenham Hotspur versus Liverpool. And joining me today, we've got Ruben Pinder back with us. How you doing, Ruben?
- [01:53]
Reuben Pinder
Yeah, not too bad, thanks.
- [01:54]
Matt Davis Adams
And another Athletic staff member who's probably sick to death of having to do podcasts with me, it's Keris Jones. How you doing, Karis?
- [02:00]
Keris Jones
I'm good. I'm never sick of doing podcasts with you, Matt.
- [02:02]
Matt Davis Adams
Thank you.
- [02:03]
Keris Jones
Yeah, I feel like there's some projection going on there.
- [02:06]
Matt Davis Adams
Well, let's see where we are at the end of the season. We're going to get into some of the other big games on matchweek 17 too. But first let's get to our feature presentation, the down in the Dumps Derby. Then the good process Classico. Perhaps spurs wise, the Athletics Jack Pitt Brook has reported that Thomas Frank has the backing of Tottenham's owners following discussions amongst the hierarchy that despite spurs winning just one of their last seven Premier League games. Lucky for Frank then, that there's absolutely no precedent for a sacking to follow, a backing in the history of the Premier League. The dreaded vote of confidence Barclays Heritage, if ever there was. Kerry spurs finished 17th last season externally. Do expectations need to be managed of what they can achieve this season? Does the fact they're in the Champions League kind of muddy the waters to that extent?
- [02:55]
Keris Jones
I think when you're talking about their expectations, that depends on what you think their problem was last season. If you think that their problem last season was just Ange Postecoglou, then by all means raise your expectations, because he's not there. If you take a wider view with what happened last season being a consequence of a lot of injuries impacting a squad that is already not as strong as other teams that are trying to compete for the same Champions League places as them, I think it becomes a different conversation. I think you can see that from how Thomas Frank's getting on. Frank and Postecoglou are very different managers. So if things don't seem to be going quite right under either of them, does that mean neither is the right fit or does it mean that there's problems beyond the manager? I would argue the latter. So I would say expectations probably do need to be managed just because their squad is, I don't think personally at the same level as a lot of their competitors. They. But I would say that still doesn't excuse some of the performances they're putting out, which have been pretty, pretty dire.
- [03:55]
Matt Davis Adams
Yeah. Most notably Ruben at Forest last weekend. Is it kind of the quality of the performance or maybe the style of play that is particularly galling for spurs fans? Maybe more so than the results themselves even.
- [04:07]
Reuben Pinder
Yeah, certainly the performance levels and the style of play which play into each other. If you look back at their recent games, they're putting up less than one expected goal in four out of the last five. Two against Brentford in that two nil win, which was a bit of an outlier. A big relief for Thomas Frank to not have that loss against his former team added to the already quite strong narrative. But yeah, the underlying numbers are not pretty for them. They're missing a couple of key attackers which might make their squad look a little bit better. But I agree with Kerris, the level of player that they have and the kind of approach that Thomas Frank has taken in contrast to how they played for a lot of the time under Anjepostecoglou. Obviously he changed his approach in Europe, which a lot of people use as a reason to explain their 17th place finish. But kind of underdog football that Frank is used to coaching at Brentford, taking that into a club which doesn't really know where it stands. You know, they're meant to be one of the big six, but you know their squad is not quite there and their manager is playing kind of the football of a bottom half team. So yeah, all of those things combined make it quite, quite a miserable and uncertain time to be a Spurs fan, I would imagine, given their previously lofty expectations.
- [05:23]
Matt Davis Adams
And if Frank's got the backing of the board, Caris, that's good. But it doesn't seem like he's got it from the Tottenham support at the moment. It's an unusual situation, isn't it, for him? Because normally it was Daniel Levy. You'd take all the criticism when results weren't great. But the spotlight is kind of very much on Frank at the moment. So it'd be incumbent on him to get a positive result here, particularly given it's a home game where they've been so poor.
- [05:47]
Keris Jones
Yeah, exactly. But I think this is when it comes back to the performances more so than the results. It leaves the new leadership at spurs in a tough position because I think they know the manager isn't the only problem. But they also know that particularly with the home form being so bad, there is a real danger of it. Just like that stadium just becoming a kind of echo chamber of negativity. So how long the relationship between kind of the fans and the manager endures, I think depends on when the sides start to put out performances that just give the fans something to look at. You know, under Ange, the football wasn't always great, but it was entertaining. You know, the results weren't always great, but you could sort of see what they were trying to do and sometimes it would work. Doesn't feel as much like that at the moment. I think that's, that's the problem that Frank has is he hasn't given fans something to buy into.
- [06:42]
Matt Davis Adams
Liverpool have had their own issues of late, primarily with Mohamed Salah. Their form though has picked up a bit. Spurs have only won two of their last 25 Premier League games against Liverpool, and one of those was the aforementioned. Good process, lads. Gateway Luis Diaz incorrectly judged to be offside by var. Liverpool are going to this one as heavy favorites. Ruben favorites at least.
- [07:05]
Reuben Pinder
Favorites at least. Yeah, for sure. It's difficult to call them heavy favorites at the moment given the kind of volatility of their form and the chaotic nature of their games. They're still giving up Too many chances I think to opposition teams conceding three goals to Leeds from 1.5 xg is not the defensive form of champions. They looked quite chaotic in that game. Obviously promising result against Inter and Arneslot trying a few different methods to become more solid. Whether that be a diamond with both Ekateke and Isak or kind of playing a five man midfield with no wingers. Szoboslayer has been working really well on the right. Ekatike seems to be rediscovering some of his early season form. You know spurs like we said are not threatening a lot in attack. So for those reasons I would say Liverpool are definitely favorites. But given their bizarre form this season, you never know.
- [07:59]
Matt Davis Adams
Karis, they do have injuries at the moment. Liverpool and some of those in attack. But even despite the lack of numbers, do you think it might be a bit easier for Arne Slot to not have to be answering questions about Mohamed Salah and if he does or doesn't play?
- [08:12]
Keris Jones
Yeah, I mean I think what's really positive for Liverpool is the fact that they had that game against Brighton where you know, Salah did feature. Like I think that helped not draw a line under the situation because it was obviously it's something that I'm sure we'll continue to hear about and continue to kind of hear what the ramifications might be for his future. But the fact that they had the opportunity to to at least partially kind of bury the hatchet, it helped clarify that he's definitely not like completely frozen out. We're not going into this period of him at Afcon with has he played his last game for Liverpool? I don't think, you know, it's clear that he's not been kind of bomb squatted so to speak. He's not frozen out. It'll help I think Slot to kind of have that narrative taken away for a bit. But obviously that then does bring a danger that if results don't go Liverpool's way while Salah is afcon and then Salah comes back and continues to not play so much that then I think leaves Slot in an even more difficult position because if he then starts bringing Salah in, you know, people will wonder if it has anything to do with the comments that he made and wanting to avoid that public fallout, rightly or wrongly. And if he doesn't bring Salah back in even when results are. Even if results were not going so well, then it risks the whole situation erupting again. So it's still volatile but they've sort of put a pin in it for.
- [09:39]
Matt Davis Adams
Now, yeah, schlot said in his press conference on Friday. I said last week, actions speak louder than words. We moved on. He was in the squad and was the first substitution I made. All right, next we'll have a look at who's going to be available for this game and where both sides will look to hurt each other.
- [09:59]
Podcast Producer/Announcer
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- [11:00]
Keris Jones
Foreign.
- [11:06]
Reuben Pinder
When you're a forward thinker, you don't.
- [11:08]
Advertiser/Announcer
Just bring your A game, you bring your AI game.
- [11:11]
Reuben Pinder
Workday is the AI platform that transforms the way you manage your people, money and agents so you can transform tomorrow Workday moving business forever forward.
- [11:21]
Advertiser/Announcer
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- [11:58]
Podcast Producer/Announcer
This is the Athletic FC podcast, proudly.
- [12:01]
Matt Davis Adams
Sponsored by Betfair, but only bottom of the table Wolves have made more errors leading to goals than Spurs 5 so far this season. What are these mistakes down to Caris, and how does Thomas Frank go about eradicating them? I guess if you can come up with an answer here, there's a job for you on Tottenham's coaching staff.
- [12:20]
Keris Jones
Yeah, I do think it's a cliche, but part of it is they do feel like they have a tendency to panic at the moment. They know that they can be outmuscled by attackers when they're under pressure and they want to get the ball away quicker, which leads to those sor rush decisions that you can see there's just that little lack of quality and lack of clarity in the decision making sometimes. I think that's mostly what it comes down to as to how Thomas Frank fixes it. Again, he's not exactly going to be standing up and applauding my answer here, but stringing together a run of positive performances to build the side's confidence back, which obviously devolves into a bit of.
- [12:57]
Matt Davis Adams
A catch 22 a lack of quality in spurs midfield. Ruben is something that's been talked about a lot. He's kind of got rid of that double defensive pivot, hasn't he, in recent games? Bring in Archie Graham, but then he makes a mistake for one of Forest goals last week. Is that area of the pitch the one that gives you the most concern from a Tottenham perspective at the moment?
- [13:17]
Reuben Pinder
Yeah, it's they've certainly not quite nailed the balance there. I think it was a bright idea to try Archie Gray in there next to Bentancour, but it's not necessarily just personnel but more kind of how they're deployed. John McKenzie did an interesting video on this on the Athletic FC's social channels this week based on their Forest game and he kind of noticed how Forest under Dyche were braver in their out of possession play by pushing Elliot Anderson forward than spurs were by keeping both of their central midfielders back to ensure a numerical advantage at the back. I think that approach is kind of indicative of why they're maybe not quite as successful as they'd like to be, whether that be making mistakes. So I'd say yes, central midfield, they're not quite got the balance yet in attack. I think they miss Solanke, they miss Kulusevski, they miss Maddison, they miss a superstar in the mould of son. Obviously he didn't have his best season last year. But the quality of their attackers has slowly depleted over the last couple of years to the point now that if they weren't spurs and you looked at their front four you wouldn't necessarily say that it was a front four befitting of a team that big. So I think creating chances and their attacking players is kind of potentially more concerning.
- [14:30]
Matt Davis Adams
Liverpool's midfield's been the subject of debate as well this season carries, but it's looked a bit more settled in recent weeks. Arne Slot praising Curtis Jones this morning for his contributions. Do you think they're going to win this particular battle in this game?
- [14:43]
Keris Jones
I think so. Just because of what Rubens touched on on there and previously SOT's been trying a few different things in midfield and it does feel like that's helped them get their mojo back a little bit. I think it's a combination of the fact that they have more adventurous and more creative bodies in that midfield and spurs feel like they want to set up more defensively which again, part of it's the approach but part of it comes back to I think that lack of confidence which I've alluded to with the errors as well. So there are some, some good players in there but it just doesn't. It doesn't feel like a unit in the same way that that Liverpool's does. And I think it lacks physicality as well. And it'll be an area where. Where Liverpool can probably run the game.
- [15:27]
Matt Davis Adams
What about an attack then? Hugo Ekatike, four goals in his last two in the Premier League. He's ahead. Is Nii Karis of Isaac in the queue at the moment and he might be wondering why he was ever dropped in the first place.
- [15:39]
Keris Jones
Yeah, definitely. I think, you know, I've been really impressed with. With Akateke when I've seen him play. Had he been the only striker signed then there probably would have been that burden on him to. To carry the team forward in terms of goals. But instead that's fallen very squarely on Isak and he obviously kind of hasn't delivered on that yet. He's definitely ahead in the pecking order at the moment and that's a really. It creates a really interesting situation. I think it's a strong position from Slot. To play your attacker, it sounds incredibly obvious but to use your attacker who is in form rather than to try and play a very expensive player into form. Liverpool are not in a situation where they can afford to wait for someone to come into form even if you paid that much money for them, if they're not doing well, then you have to turn elsewhere.
- [16:29]
Matt Davis Adams
Yeah, it's a good job that Ekatike's actually found some form really Ruben, isn't it? I mean there was a lot of talk about Liverpool having an excellent transfer window. He's about the only one who's provided any return on investment so far. Certainly likes of Wirtz and Isaac yet to show us what they can do. Maybe this would be the weekend for them.
- [16:46]
Reuben Pinder
Yeah, they'll certainly hope so. With the benefit of hindsight, their summer transfer window has seemed a bit FIFA career mode Y or EAFC as it's now known. That kind of obvious signings of fullback, of oh, he was good for Bournemouth. Let's sign him. He played with Wirtz before. Let's sign Frimpong. You know, Wirtz, Isak Ekatike, all wonderful players. But when you watched how they kind of started the season, the idea that there was a plan of how to fit them in together became quite far fetched. It wasn't obvious. You know, there's nothing wrong with having two excellent strikes strikers. It's a luxury but it does help if they can play together. You know, like Liverpool's forwards before the likes of Mane or Diaz could play on the wing or up front. You know, that kind of versatility that allows more rotation and less political chaos. That's kind of the issue with trying to supplement a starting 11 at an elite club is that you have to keep people happy. Everyone wants to play, everyone's got an ego. You know, spurs suffered for years trying to sign a backup to Harry Kane because nobody wanted to do that job because they wouldn't play. So they're in a weird position now where there's nothing wrong with signing two strikers when you need two strikers, but when the one that's twice as expensive is playing half as well, it does become quite tricky. So yes, like Kera said, I think Slot's made a bold and correct decision to kind of stick with Ekatike for the moment. And Isak, like Salah, because he hasn't been playing well, will have to play himself back into the team by impressing off the bench.
- [18:13]
Matt Davis Adams
What about spurs attack wise carries? We mentioned the players that they're missing and that is a massive caveat to their season, isn't it? But who's going to get their goals here? Richarlison and kind of enigmatic. Quite a streaky player. Xavi Simons little flashes from him, but nothing particularly inspirational so far.
- [18:30]
Keris Jones
Yeah, there's a few of them like Simons, like Richarlison, who like you said, have shown glimpses this season. But the problem is that spurs have lacked creativity so much that there has not been a chance for any of their goalscorers to play themselves into form. Like, there's just not been the, the supply line from which they can kind of build their confidence. So it just means that you're not really looking at anybody thinking, yeah, you, you look like you're ready for this encounter. I think Kudus, I still think he was a really good signing. He's looked bright, but again without always the end product. And that's, that's the problem for a lot of these attackers. I mean, richarlison is probably the one you would look to as the most likely source of goals, but a lot of that relies on the battle in the midfield, which is an area that I think spurs are going to really struggle.
- [19:20]
Podcast Producer/Announcer
This is the Athletic FC podcast, proudly sponsored by Betfair.
- [19:24]
Matt Davis Adams
This is the part of the show where with the help of our partners Betfair, we show you how you can play in a different league this season. James Mackey's with us. James, we're talking about your boys again. Seems to happen every week. Spurs against Liverpool. Back to back wins for the Reds. You've got to be feeling confident going into Saturday. I mean, it's at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium for one thing. Which way do you, and more importantly Betfair see this one going?
- [19:49]
James Mackey
Yeah, don't say it too loudly, Matt, but we're not back, are we? We'll see at the weekend. But the Betfair Sportsbook has the home side spurs as the 21 to 10 outsiders to win the game on Saturday evening. And you can see why with spurs having won just two of their last 25 Premier League games against Liverpool and have been less than impressive at home this season, haven't they? I know they've had some upturn recently, but overall it's not been what Thomas Frank wants to see. Liverpool starting to put a bit of a run of form together. There are the even money favorites to take all three points at the weekend. Liverpool have won both Premier League meetings with spurs last season by 6, 3 and 5. 1Scorelines have scored in 25 of the last 26 Premier League games against spurs, including in 19 in a row. It's safe to say that they absolutely love playing against spurs whether it's home or away. The draw is priced 11 to 5 and the last time these two played out of Stalma was back in 2022, which was nine games ago. So it normally turns out Matt, that one of these sides beat each other and normally it's Liverpool.
- [20:49]
Matt Davis Adams
All right, we can't have a market on the hilarious VAR blunder as we've seen in the past in this fixture sadly. But we can have a bet builder. We've been talking about Hugo Ekatike a lot on the show.
- [20:58]
James Mackey
I believe he features oh he definitely doesn't. He's the man at the moment really. Obviously Liverpool have had this Salah saga Wayne over their head but that seems to have passed and Ekatike has been popping up with goals and center. So the bet builder this week he's very Liverpool heavy. It's a three legged bet that starts off with Liverpool's man of the moment. Ekatike has scored four goals in his last two Premier League games. Net embraces against Leeds and Brighton. He has seven goals in 10 Premier League starts this season and he's just been the shining light of this Liverpool team alongside Sir Bosley. So he's six to four to get on the score sheet anytime again on Saturday and I thought that represented a little bit of value with the form he's on at the moment. So he's going to be the first leg of the bet builder. We'll move on to Ryan Gravenberch who has conceded two plus fouls in four of his last six Premier League appearances including three last time out against Brighton. He's eight to five to commit two or more fouls in this game and that to me looks a nice bit of value as well. And finally to round it off as I alluded to Liverpool love playing against spurs winning four of their last five games against them and at even money in the Matros 90 market. I'll be hoping they can do the same on Saturday so they'll be going in. So overall those three selections of Ekatike to score anytime, Gravenberch to make two or more fouls and Liverpool to win the game comes out around 152 in the bet builder mat and the beauty of the goal scorer and the commit foul legs mentioned is that they have say sub attached to them meaning that if those legs haven't won and those players come off the player that replaced them carries on that leg of the bet. And even more so like I mentioned we're back in Liverpool in the MatchOS90 market. That means if they are winning at 90 minutes Betfair will be paying out regardless what happens in added Time. So two great features. Take advantage of match.
- [22:36]
Matt Davis Adams
Nice. Love it. James, thank you very much. Enjoy the game and the wonderful weekend of sport.
- [22:40]
James Mackey
Thanks, Matt. You too.
- [22:42]
Podcast Producer/Announcer
This is the Athletic FC podcast, proudly sponsored by Betfair.
- [22:46]
Matt Davis Adams
Now, Aston Villa have won just one of their last 26 Premier League home games against Manchester United, who head to Villa park on Sunday. Keris, that Monday night game against Bournemouth. Game of the season so far. Perhaps you think we'll get similar drama here. And then was Monday about as good as United have looked under Ruben Amarin in spells at least?
- [23:06]
Keris Jones
I think the first 25 minutes, half an hour was as good attacking football as I can remember Manchester United playing in a really long time. The issue then comes at the other end of the pitch. And that made it a superb game for the neutral. For me, it was the game of the season so far because any sort of. You could have taken any kind of 10, 15 minute slice of it and it would have been entertaining rather than if you look at City, Fulham or Leeds Liverpool, they were entertaining upsets or almost upsets, but they were characterized by kind of one big swing at the end rather than having that back and forth throughout. So a really good game. Unfortunately, I think Villa are probably a bit too sensible and grown up to let something like that happen this weekend, which is a shame for everyone involved because it would have been a lot of fun. But the question for United now is that they've shown the attack that they can bring. They've shown that they can create. It's now how do they do that without the players who are going off to afcon who've been really important to them. And also it's a question of can they start to actually build some consistency and build a bit of a run of form because they have been so volatile and so streaky. That's not something that I think they've really put together yet.
- [24:24]
Matt Davis Adams
Yeah. Amadd and Bryan and Bermo both away for the next few games at afcon, so big players for them to replace. We keep asking whether Villa are in the title race. They keep coming up with an answer. The answer being, well, yeah, we are at the moment nine wins on the bounce for them. Reuben Morgan Rodgers has been key to this, right. Like his team that started the season slowly, but he's their star man, right? Most goal involvements in the league for them thus far.
- [24:49]
Reuben Pinder
Yeah, 100%. In speaking to some Villa fans to try to get to the bottom of this, this his turnaround in form, there doesn't really seem to be an obvious Answer Emery just him kept playing him and while, you know, at the start of the season, his touch was seemingly bouncing off him the whole time and attacks were breaking down when they got to him. He's now their key man again. That's great management from Emery. His direct dribbling is going to cause United quite a lot of issues. And you know, the way Emery kind of placed three number tens, two of them out wide as like fake wingers, that will maybe disrupt United shape a little bit with the outside center backs maybe not sure when to follow how to track those players. So absolutely expect Rodgers to cause them a lot of problems.
- [25:33]
Matt Davis Adams
Do you think, Caris, that Villa might go into the market in January like they did last year with Rashford and Asensio? You know, if they think that they can genuinely challenge for the title, obviously they've got Europe as well. Maybe they'll add a couple or maybe they don't have the wiggle room psr wise to do that.
- [25:50]
Keris Jones
I think it comes down to that and I think Villa have been kind of public facing, very honest about that. I think Villa's squad is not quite there at the moment. That's not to diminish kind of what they've achieved and how they've played so far this season at all. But at the moment they don't quite have the depth and the wiggle room to compete over the course of the full season with City, with Arsenal, it just doesn't seem that they've got the financial room to go after it. I think if they would, they could. I just can't see it happening.
- [26:22]
Matt Davis Adams
Do you think this is going to be another occasion, Ruben, where United somehow get a result at Villa Park? Or is this the day that if the hoodoo finally ends.
- [26:31]
Reuben Pinder
I find United impossible to kind of analyze and predict at times, given, you know, we're talking about them playing their best football under Amraam and they still conceded four goals against Bournemouth. And like you mentioned, Mburmo and Ahmad not there. That's their entire right side, which, you know, at the start of the season I wasn't convinced would work necessarily because they're both like left footers who like to cut in Amad, not a natural defender wing back. But it has been working and now they're going to have to find a new solution to that right side. I wonder if we see Mason Mount go over there, Cunha go further towards the left and maybe Sesko play a bit more. All logic suggests Villa will win, but yeah, you never know with this chaotic United team.
- [27:11]
Matt Davis Adams
The weekend's action kicks off Saturday 12:30. Kerris is following Chelsea all the way up to Newcastle for the early kickoff. Now, on Thursday, David Ornstein exclusively revealed that Enzo Maresque is high on Manchester City's list. In the event of pep guard exit, which could come at the end of the season, Maresca might be the man to replace him. You can have a listen to Thursday's FC for more on that. Caris this broke after we recorded this week straight out of Cobham. We spent a lot of time on that talking about Enzo Maresca's mood. We didn't see this link coming, I don't think. What do you make of it?
- [27:45]
Keris Jones
It makes a lot of sense from City's perspective if, if they're looking for a successor to Guardiola. I think that. So the natural question is, well, if what City have done under Guardiola isn't broke, don't fix it. And fortunately his influence has been so widespread that he does have these little kind of disciples that have learned from him at various clubs around Europe. Maresca would be an obvious candidate. Now, it's worth pointing out that as we record on Friday morning, Enzo Maresca came out in the press conference and kind of promised that he would still be at Chelsea next season and kind of tried to pour water on these links. It's bad timing. There's a danger of kind of putting the two of this link coming out and the two of Maresca's comments about having his worst 48 hours at the club of putting those together and making five, that the two were related when I don't think that that's necessarily the case. It could just be a case of poor timing that those have happened in the same week. But it just means that there are going to be even more eyes on him. And as someone who generally in a lot of Enzo Maresque's press conferences you don't get very much and this week has kind of been a Christmassy exception.
- [29:02]
Matt Davis Adams
Yeah. He was asked whether he'd be at Chelsea next season and he said absolutely yes.
- [29:07]
Reuben Pinder
Again, I have a contract until 2029 and this is speculation 100%. So I don't have nothing to add because again, I don't pay attention and if we continue to talk about that, that means that I'm paying attention on that.
- [29:21]
Matt Davis Adams
Chelsea ran out 31 winners in Cardiff to book their place in the Carabao cup semis. Newcastle also there. They beat Fulham at St James's park on Wednesday. And that was massive, actually Reuben, wasn't it? Given how Poor. They were in the derby against Sunderland last weekend. Nice way to put that behind them, particularly given the nature of, of the winner, a local hero in stoppage time at the Gallagher end. Good way to quiet down the nut.
- [29:45]
Reuben Pinder
Yeah, absolutely. Huge moment for Lewis Miley who's, you know, getting more minutes now. Well, he's going to have to get more minutes now given their injury crisis than he had been at the start of the season. Great moment to bounce back from more performance that seemed to spark some kind of existential crisis among, among the fan base. I guess when you wait that long for a derby and then don't really turn up to it, it's. It's a bit soul crushing. But yeah, Eddie Howe will be very grateful that Lewis Miley's hitting some form. Obviously he's filling in at fullback, I think, and Wisse getting back to fitness and being able to start up front, get his first goal. His profile of striker obviously is very different to Valtomada, so should give them a different dynamic in attack. Jacob Murphy should enjoy playing with him a bit more. He's a bit closer to the profile of Isak, even if not quite the same level of player. And maybe Voltimaru and Wissa can play together which might help Eddie Howe rotate as he tries to juggle that classic festive injury crisis that a lot of teams seem to be going through.
- [30:44]
Matt Davis Adams
Yeah, the players they got out is crazy. Nick Pope, Dan Burns, Fenn Botman, Kieran Trippier. Emil Kraft could also be missing. Former Chelsea Patino Liveramento and Lewis hall as well. So all out attack maybe for the Magpies. Big injury list for Newcastle, then Kerris. But for Chelsea, one significant returning. Moises Caicedo back from his Premier League ban. And you and I know just how important he is to Chelsea.
- [31:09]
Keris Jones
Yeah, usually. So they've tried a few different kind of options without him. Rhys James has been really impressive in the midfield, but they have really missed, I think Caicedo's playmaking. When I was at their game against Bournemouth, it was really noticeable how deep Cole Palmer was dropping off just to try and link play coming out of Chelsea's defensive third, which is something that usually Caicedo can kind of carry the weight of and obviously does really, really well. Again they've had a midfield of say James Palmer and Fernandez, Enzo Fernandes dropping deep. Again you lose some of his goal threat. So I think that having someone who has the playmaking ability and the creativity of Caicedo a bit deeper will just help balance the midfield back out. Again and it will be a huge boost for them considering the quality that Newcastle have in their midfield. To be able to match that with I think pretty much what is now their first choice Midfield three for the first time in who knows how long is really important.
- [32:12]
Matt Davis Adams
Villa have taken Chelsea's mantle over the last few weeks. Ruben of are they in the title race? Chelsea's games over the Christmas period, Newcastle Saturday, then Villa and Bournemouth at home and man City away. I guess once those are all out of the way we'll have a decent idea of what Chelsea's ambitions are this season.
- [32:30]
Reuben Pinder
Yeah, I like when we look through fixture lists in the Premier League and the conclusion at the end of them is always oh, tough runner games. There are no easy games in the Premier League as the cliche goes. I mean we did an episode on the Athletic FC's YouTube channel recently kind of looking at who's going to finish fourth because of the congestion of the kind of upper mid table and the assumption was that Chelsea would finish third. Obviously Aston Villa are in that conversation now. Maresque is obviously there's a reason that City are targeting him to take over from Guardiola. He's done really well at Chelsea over the last couple of years, especially given the circus that follows that club and their constant transfer activity. But he seems to have found a real balance and kind of settled on a style which. Well, I say settled on a style. I think it's evolved over the last year or so with the kind of more dynamic nature of the league. So I wouldn't worry that they're going to fall away. They'll be competing with Villa for third and fourth for the coming months. New products to launch, new people to develop, new goals to crush. Workday Go is designed for small and mid sized businesses. By bringing HR and finance together on one AI platform, you'll have everything you.
- [33:48]
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Reuben Pinder
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- [34:09]
Keris Jones
But not the socks he picked. I know, I'm putting them back.
- [34:12]
Reuben Pinder
Hey Dave, here's a tip. Put scratchers on your list. Oh, scratchers.
- [34:16]
Matt Davis Adams
Good idea.
- [34:16]
Keris Jones
It's an easy shopping trip.
- [34:18]
Reuben Pinder
We're glad we could assist.
- [34:19]
Matt Davis Adams
Thanks random singing people.
- [34:21]
Reuben Pinder
So be like Davis Holiday and give the gift of of play scratchers from the California Lottery.
- [34:27]
Keris Jones
A little play can make your day.
- [34:31]
Advertiser/Announcer
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- [34:34]
Matt Davis Adams
Twas a cold winter's night and without any heat. I wore Bombas socks so they'd warm up my feet. Yay. My feet cried. These socks are the best. So cushy and warm I can finally rest. But don't rest, I said. There's more if you please. Bombas also makes underwear, slippers and tees, and for each thing you purchase, they donate one new to someone who needs it. So they're cozy too. Everybody deserves to feel good all the time. So gift Bombas this season. That's the end of this rhyme. Go to bombas.comaudio and use code audio.
- [35:03]
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- [35:42]
Podcast Producer/Announcer
This is the Athletic FC podcast proudly sponsored by Betface there.
- [35:47]
Matt Davis Adams
Elsewhere, Manchester City could be top of the table before Arsenal's evening trip to the Dick. If City beat West Ham at three o' clock on Saturday, they will go top Everton Arsenal's eight o' clock on Saturday night. So pressure then on Mikel Arteta's side. Carrie so are they in a better place to manage that pressure from Pep's peeps than they have been in previous seasons?
- [36:08]
Keris Jones
It feels that way. I think the bench is contributing more and this comes with a huge caveat of it's Wolves, but the fact that they came back to secure all three points against Wolves rather than rather than drawing. I think it shows the determination to hold themselves to that really high standard. You could see that in sort of their reactions when they conceded Villa's late winning goal the other week. So their internal expectations to me feel higher than they ever have been and I think they are now in a position where they have the squad to back that up. So I would say that I think they're in their strongest position that they have been at this stage of the season and now the proof will be in if City do start piling on the pressure, can Arsenal just keep clear heads and keep doing what they're doing, focus on themselves and continue to move.
- [36:59]
Matt Davis Adams
Away from them Everton their opposition, then on Saturday they'll be without Illiman and Jayous on AFCON duty with Senegal. They could also be missing kin and Dewsbury hall and Jack Grealish through hamstring injuries. Big worry for David Moyes if he's without all those three players. Could be an opportunity there Ruben for Tyler dibling to do some dribbling over the festive period like an elderly relative given unfettered access to the sherry.
- [37:23]
Reuben Pinder
Yeah, it's a bad time for Moyes to lose all three of those attacking midfielders. He could probably survive without one like Alcaraz and Dibling as you mentioned are fine as backups and they can service, but Grealish obviously leads their numbers for progress. Progressive carries, that's what he does. And in the style that Everton play, having a player like Grealish who can drive the team up the pitch before then, you know, combining with Njaya and Juiceri hall, which is kind of the main way they score goals this season, not having access to that will be a big change because beyond their starting 11, Everton's squad does look quite lacking in quality. So yeah, great opportunity for dibling. Like you say, he's only played 88 league minutes this season if I'm not mistaken, so I don't really know what to expect from him. I know a certain aesthetically he goes for a similar look to Jack Grealish, but whether he can replicate the impact on the pitch we'll have to wait and see.
- [38:19]
Matt Davis Adams
Probably the only time I'll ask this all season carries but might David Moyes take a page out of the Wolves playbook in terms of how to play against Arsenal?
- [38:28]
Keris Jones
Potentially, I was definitely as impressed with admittedly again quite a low bar, but I thought that was Wolves most impressive performance of the season against Arsenal to manage to hold them out for so long considering how porous they've been. It felt like the first kind of like chinks of light under Rob Edwards, which is a massive positive for them and their fan base. But yeah, in terms of Everton, I think that they can learn quite a lot from how Wolves approach the game defensively and the upper hand that they then have is that they have more attacking quality to go and cause a threat on the counter. Obviously they've got Those players that are unavailable that we've spoken about, that their attacking quality still kind of outstrips what what Wolves were able to offer. So they can go into this game with that blueprint from what we saw in Arsenal's game last weekend with an idea of how to attack it. I don't think it'll be enough, but it makes for a much more interesting contest.
- [39:28]
Matt Davis Adams
All right, let's go. Rapid fire through the rest of the weekend's game. We'll start with Manchester City against West Ham. Oh, here's one off the top of my head for you, Reuben. What's more likely? City win the title, West Ha get relegated or both?
- [39:42]
Reuben Pinder
Oh, well, thank you for offering me the. I think it's a bit of both cliche there. I don't know. City, obviously, always. They're still there, aren't they? I think a lot of people kind of decided the title was done a couple of months ago. But City do this thing to us every season where they. They start a little bit slowly and then they get better and better and more consistent and they. They don't drop points when other teams start to drop points. So I'd say both of those things are equally likely.
- [40:07]
Keris Jones
I also think if, and it is still a massive if with City, if this is to be Pep Guardiola's last season, and that is kind of communicated internally or externally very soon, the galvanising effect that that could have is massive in terms of them really getting the bit between their teeth and going after Arsenal and combined with what we've already said about how even without that extra incentive, they've shown that they can chase and they can put the pressure on the sides above them. I would be very concerned if I were Arsenal about that possibility.
- [40:39]
Matt Davis Adams
Yeah, that's a great point. Didn't really happen with Jurgen Klopp, did it? They kind of used it as an excuse as to maybe it got a bit too over emotional. But Guardiola is a slightly different character, I guess. Wolves against Brentford. Keris, Wolves have got to win a game at some point. I'm going to continue to push my agenda that Brentford are actually in trouble and are going to be in the relegation battle. Is this the weekend it finally happens for Rob Edwards?
- [41:02]
Keris Jones
I'm looking at West Ham. I think that's Wolves. Like I said before, they've started to kind of show that improvement. I think this one comes a little bit too soon. But I think West Ham in January, that's their mark. Your calendars for that's our first possible win. Of the season.
- [41:19]
Reuben Pinder
Tomorrow morning on the Athletic FC's YouTube channel, we actually have a relegation episode going up in which we do address are Brentford as safe as people think? There's a great breakdown from Alex Barker on their long throws and the sustainability or lack thereof of that strategy. And John takes on Wolves. Are they going to be the worst Premier League team ever? Quite possibly. But yes, in this given Brentford do have that weapon still back in Brentford to pick up at least a point here.
- [41:48]
Matt Davis Adams
Okay, Brighton versus Sunderland. Seagulls against black cats. I wonder, Reuben, what are you most fearful of? A black cat crossing your path path or a seagull nicking your chips?
- [42:01]
Reuben Pinder
As a Crystal palace fan, not scared of seagulls ever. No. Yeah, definitely a seagull stealing my chips.
- [42:07]
Matt Davis Adams
I would like to mention away trips. That has a long old one for Sunderland supporters. Well done if you're making that particular journey. Bournemouth against Burnley, both sides without a winning seven. Burnley have lost all of those seven. Therefore Kerry, is Scott Parker facing the possibility of getting P45 if he loses at the last Premier League club to sack?
- [42:26]
Keris Jones
It does sort of feel as though he might be reaching a problem there. I don't think you can draw like kind of a straight equivalence between Bournemouth and Burnley's performances despite both of them have been on poor form. But I think Bournemouth look much more like a team with the capacity and quality to turn things around than Burnley do. And whether that starts to reflect poorly on Scott Parker I think is something that feels increasingly possible.
- [42:52]
Matt Davis Adams
There are two Saturday 8 o' clock games this weekend. The other is Leeds against Crystal Palace. Ruben 2, 2 in the conference League. Entirely rotated team. Was that Glassner pointing at the board and saying see, it's a roostathon lads. This is why I asked you for some new players.
- [43:07]
Reuben Pinder
Partly, yeah. I mean he made that point a few weeks ago, didn't he? And you know, it was very valid. And Steve Parish said as much in his interview with Matt Woosnam on the Athletic yesterday. It's less about sending a message to the board and more about the fact that that in a bizarre set of circumstances, Crystal palace play Thursday night, Saturday night, Tuesday night in the League cup on 23rd December against Arsenal as well. So he said that nobody who started against KUPS in the Conference League would start against Leeds in the Premier League which led to the debut of like four academy players, the most impressive of whom was Joel Drake's Thomas, 16 years old playing as a left sided forward. And Glasner will just be relieved. I think that he'd got no more injuries.
- [43:53]
Matt Davis Adams
All right, one team for the Koops, one team for the league, for palace then. Finally, Monday Night Football is Fulham against Forest. Forest have lost all three of their Premier League away games against Fulham by an aggregate score of 9 1. Give me some hope then, Keris, going into this one.
- [44:08]
Keris Jones
I will actually, because Fulham very nearly managed to bottle their lead against Burnley, which would have been quite the feat. So, like they might be impressive going forward at the moment. I think Harry Wilson has been like one of the standout, I guess, like breakthrough players this season. He's been super impressive. Obviously watched a lot of him with Wales as well, so he's been superb. So they might be really good going forward, but defensively they are no great shakes at the moment. They can concede a lot of goals. So, you know, just have some hope, Matt. It's fine.
- [44:39]
Advertiser/Announcer
All right.
- [44:39]
Matt Davis Adams
They don't have Basse, Iwobi and Chukwese as well, which is something that Forest can play on, hopefully, from my perspective at least. Right, that is where we're going to leave things for today. Loads of great games to look forward to this weekend. My thanks to Keris and to Reuben and to producer Jay for their company and mostly to you for listening. Enjoy the football. We'll catch up with you again soon.
- [45:01]
Podcast Producer/Announcer
You've been listening to the Athletic FC podcast. The producer was Jay Beale and the presenter was Matt Davis Adams executive producers are Abby Patterson and Adey Moorhead. The Athletic FC podcast is an Athletic media company production and proudly sponsored by Betfair.
- [45:27]
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