Welcome episode #230 of the Squeaky Bum Time podcast! Host Laurent Courtines is back to provide you with all the latest Premier League news and analysis.

In this episode, we'll be covering a range of topics including the recent Champions League Round of 16 results and Manchester United's thrilling comeback win over Barcelona. Here's a breakdown of what you can expect:

• Liverpool stunned by Real Madrid: We'll be discussing Liverpool's recent loss to Real Madrid at Anfield, where they conceded 5 goals. What went wrong for the Reds and what does this mean for their Champions League campaign?
• Real Madrid's impressive performance: We'll take a closer look at Real Madrid's dominant display and highlight some of the key players who stood out.
• Man City held to draw at Leipzig: We'll also be discussing Manchester City's recent draw against RB Leipzig in the Champions League. Was this a missed opportunity for City and what does this mean for their European aspirations?
• Analysis of the match: We'll break down the key moments from the match and highlight some of the standout players from both sides.
• Man United's comeback win over Barcelona: One of the biggest talking points of the week was Manchester United's stunning comeback win over Barcelona in the Europa League. We'll be providing a detailed analysis of the match and discussing what this means for United's season.
• Tactical analysis of the match: We'll take a closer look at how United were able to come back from behind and highlight some of the key players who made a difference.
• Javi Gracia returns to the Premier League: In other news, we'll be discussing the recent appointment of Javi Gracia as the new Leeds United head coach. What can we expect from Gracia and how will he fare in the Premier League?
• Gracia's managerial history: We'll take a closer look at Gracia's previous managerial stints and discuss how this experience could benefit Leeds.

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TIME STAMPS

00:00 Intro and rundown.

01:00 English teams in Europe having issues

06:15 UEFA Champions League Recap

07:00 Liverpool are gone. Real Madrid END THEM 2-5

13:50 The weight of Real Madrid lifts players

17:45 RB Leipzig 1-1 Manchester City 1-1

20:00 A City fan perspective

23:12 On the Penalty no-call v Leipzig

24:50 Manchester United 2-1 Barcelona

26:27 Old Trafford was alive. I love football

30:35 We whisper... its the Europa League.. But Fred and Casamio were ANIMALS

31:45 Europa League roundup

33:15 Premier League Preview

34:50 Javi Gracia takes over Leeds United

38:00 The League Cup Final preview Manchester United v Newcastle United

39:30 Premier League Table Run down

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0:00

hello and welcome to the squeaky bum Time Podcast presented exclusively on

0:07

the chop Sports channel of the premiere streaming Network we are recording this on Thursday February 23rd I am your host

0:14

Laurent courteans in this episode Liverpool collapse

0:20

City our listless and United approve their medal in the Europa League but

0:25

first what is going on with English teams

0:32

in Europe very strange some housekeeping please like subscribe share join the show join

0:40

our WhatsApp group join the Facebook group just search for the squeaky bum Time Podcast anywhere you get your

0:45

favorite podcast And subscribe or on YouTube under Laurent corteens and please subscribe it means everything to

0:53

me please get involved I enjoy it share it with your friends share it with your family share it with your mother so

1:01

what's going on with English teams we have a weird situation here where the

1:06

English teams Chelsea in Europe Chelsea Manchester United Manchester City

1:12

Liverpool Spurs are having a hard time the

1:18

dominance that we've been so told uh is going on in Europe isn't showing up

1:25

and a lot of the arguments for oh the English Premier League is too strong or

1:32

oh the English Premier League has all the players are just

1:37

um there are great players and great teams all around Europe

1:43

there are great managers and just because The Narrative of money changes

1:49

and breaks everything is generally true

1:54

that does not translate on the pitch there's pressure there's Freedom there's

2:02

injury there's how much is this amazing League the Premier League actually

2:09

taxing does the pressure from being in the wealthiest league in the world affect you does it damage you are you

2:16

able to perform at your best when you are supposed to be the best league in the world

2:23

I think fundamentally these are these moments where institutions come in

2:30

um I think about teams and clubs and leagues and where they are in their

2:38

growth I don't think the Premier League thinks of itself or English football in

2:43

general thinks of itself confidently as though it belongs in Europe some clubs

2:48

do I think Liverpool as an institution I mean I'm not saying this or clop or

2:54

whatever Liverpool carries itself and we're going to talk about it running into the immovable object of the most

3:00

confident club uh carries itself as though it has a divine right to be part

3:05

of Europe um and Manchester United we saw today did play

3:12

as though they felt the moment Rising to the occasion and I got moved by that but

3:19

in general I don't really buy this narrative that money wins everything now you could say

3:26

oh Laurent you're just a Manchester City fan you have all the money in the world but actually my team is an example of

3:32

money not buying everything um it doesn't work you do have to have history you have to have cohesion you

3:41

have to have all the parts in place to win in Europe you need history you need

3:48

players you need coaching you need your ground you need your fans it's all of it

3:55

together and that's why we see so few teams breaking through it's the same

4:00

teams it's the teams with confidence it's the teams with sense of belonging

4:05

sense of levels you must be this way you must play this high that that survive

4:14

tough European games and tough European Knights because when you're empty inside and you're empty and you don't have a

4:21

gear you've got to start feeling the pressure you've got to be like that

4:28

Champions League music I'm at this club for this reason to win this game

4:34

everything about my season is for this right now and not every Club has that and I don't

4:41

think the premier league has it um if we look through the last few years

4:47

especially I think the Europa League is a good example Real Madrid is still winning champions

4:53

leagues the Europa League has been won by Spanish teams in general

4:59

um there's something about Europe that English teams have a hard time with and

5:05

even with all the money that is in place there's some thing

5:10

institutionally about English football that does not translate to European

5:16

success and I think we're seeing it again um you know it may be just a blip of

5:22

games but to see Chelsea stumbled one nil to Dortmund

5:27

against the yellow wall to see City go into a hostile environment in Leipzig

5:33

now Leipzig don't have History either but in Germany and find it hard to see Real Madrid come in to anfield

5:42

and really boss a game at a level that hasn't been seen in history is another

5:49

one and then we see even in even down the line Benfica the feeding Club Bruges away now is Club Bruges a great team no

5:56

but Benfica has history or inter at home pulling it out against Porto so these

6:02

these teams carry something there is a an expectation and a belief and a need to win these games

6:10

win these games and I'm going to bring it all back

6:15

together so let's recap let all this leg of the round of 16 in the Champions

6:21

League we have Bayern on a one goal lead uh beat PSG last week it

6:28

AC Milan B Tottenham Benfica beat Club Bruges Dortmund have a one goal lead

6:33

against Chelsea at home Real Madrid five Liverpool 2 Napoli to enter great

6:42

for nil city 1-1 as they go to Germany and Porto behind on inter one nil the second legs

6:50

will be next week but we should go to Liverpool

6:57

so what happened this is a Monumental event

7:04

um for the uninitiated Liverpool went up 2-0

7:09

uh for 20 minutes they looked like themselves they had come off

7:16

a 20 minutes where they look like themselves against Newcastle not so much in the second half

7:22

but the power and strength and know-how and now of

7:31

Real Madrid that they would keep playing that they had Modric that they had been

7:36

there before all the scars all the energy everything that they could possibly bring to bear

7:44

um they did and Real Madrid was able to that

7:50

goals get themselves back in the game relatively quickly so

7:55

um first goal was amazing from um from Darwin Nunez a flick from Salah

8:01

early on a beautiful goal then Sala got another one on a howler by

8:06

um by courtois playing out from the back he bangs off his chest then off his knee Solace there anfield is rocking you

8:13

cannot imagine how loud it was and and that institutional strength of this is

8:19

anfield this is Liverpool this is what we do even in our bad Seasons hearkening

8:25

8:33

get the tickets will be there um but in this case

8:39

Liverpool just couldn't control how the events would have would unfold after

8:45

Salah got his goal then Vinnie Jr an amazing player comes down the wing

8:53

he scores an amazing tic tacky ball of course on Alexander Arnold's side that's

8:58

not important fires it in then and bizarre era from Allison who I had

9:06

already called the best goalkeeper of the league on 36 so this game goes in 2-2

9:12

beautifully tied I think Liverpool were shaken but still in this game at 2-2

9:18

everything seemed okay but then

9:24

for Liverpool I think the goal that killed them was the military goal so

9:30

there's a foul on the edge of the box and Liverpool are lining up it's a it's an odd place for a free kick Modric is

9:37

on the outside of the box but towards the byline and he and milital just have

9:42

a connection military Town runs across the front of the goal on the six yard

9:48

box and Modric just plays a really nice flat ball right to Miller towel's head

9:55

and he bangs it in no one picks him up no one goes with him all the

10:00

body shape of Liverpool is off they're not really looking at the ball they're not really prepared and that goal

10:07

completely deflates anfield to a place that I've not heard it that way it just went quiet it

10:15

went sad it went to a place I mean as a city fan I fear anfield because I don't have

10:24

anything like that I can't I can't go to any memories of City

10:30

pulling something out against uh against

10:37

uh Liverpool when you're at anfield you feel all of it and Real Madrid just

10:43

didn't they had calm they had cool they had Modric they had kamavinga

10:51

and they just played it very cool and and then

10:57

uh fedes Fernandez feder Fernandez oh I got his name wrong um let me just make sure I get his name

11:04

right because he was so so good yeah valve sorry Valverde Modric and camavinga just

11:10

bossed this game entirely I think Alaba going off and nacho coming on really

11:16

locked up um the joy that Liverpool were having and

11:22

after that third goal Liverpool died it was like a funeral and then

11:29

the the power of the mid of the Madrid Midfield just started picking things up and it just started going boom boom boom

11:37

boom boom uh and then late goals a goal by Benzema on 55 and 67 really good

11:43

goals really easy stuff and Liverpool were dead um just kind of

11:50

a sad State of Affairs for what we had I think there was there was hope that

11:56

Liverpool Liverpool's problems they've had defensively

12:03

with Joe Gomez and Trent Alexander Arnold would not translate into the

12:08

Champions League that the issues they've been having in the league and the power

12:15

the powerlessness of the Midfield would not translate to the Champions League that they could lift themselves up and

12:21

find this thing again that they could find fabinho again and find Jordan Henderson again and that energy in the

12:27

Midfield would come back and they would be able to press and do all the things that they've been able to do but

12:33

the same things um that have plagued Liverpool all year plagued them still they can't press from

12:40

the front and defend the Midfield can't get around the park to disrupt things in the flow

12:46

and they still play The High Line assuming that all the things they used to do would still get done

12:52

and so they just got cut to pieces and Benzema is the best finisher in the world and in his later years has been

12:59

shown to be one of the best players of all time he's up there he's in the group and it was a really good performance by

13:07

Real Madrid and I should talk about them a lot more but I'm not as familiar obviously because I don't watch them

13:12

every day I know that in the league they're just doing okay but for an institution like Real Madrid

13:21

the champions league is their season it is what they measure themselves against and as we saw last season when

13:28

they came back again and again and again against Chelsea against PSG against City

13:34

against Liverpool and cortos stood on his head in the final

13:39

they have an Institutional strength that is beyond

13:45

anfield they do not accept losing it is not allowed

13:52

when you put on that madrista shirt that white shirt of DeStefano

13:58

a Figo of Raul of Cristiano

14:04

of of Zidane of all the players who've come before of Roberto Sanchez of all of

14:11

them that have come before you feel the weight of every one of those trophies and if you can't match it

14:19

you're not on the squad that you just get bent you disappear but if you can you carry that strength with you and the

14:26

ghosts are with you as opposed to against you so the ghost of anfield versus the ghost of Real

14:32

Madrid clash and it was real Madrid that came out on top now none of this is

14:39

none of this is it's not it's not that it's not real it's just that these things are they come out in the wash and

14:45

whatever great you have to have talent you have to be there you have to be a great coach but I think at these levels of football where these teams are really

14:52

good you get exposed for your biggest weaknesses and basitic being 18 years

14:58

old and trying to be in the Midfield of the biggest game in the world going against Luca Modric he started he lost

15:04

control of the game a little bit Gomez lost control of the game a little bit and the moments just were bigger than

15:11

them in in this game and I think this is the end of Liverpool as

15:16

klopp's first wave these games happen on occasion uh I

15:22

think of I think of uh PSG getting killed by

15:28

Barcelona and that being the end when when Neymar was still good and they just got slaughtered uh the

15:35

I don't know it has it has a name um and then Barcelona getting killed by Liverpool on the comeback and that just

15:43

meant Messi's time was done they were done or or Bayern getting killed and and

15:49

pep being like I can't with this team so there are things that happen in Europe that your team has seminal moments that

15:57

they can't come back from and I think for Liverpool this is it this is the end of this group and I don't think anyone

16:03

can pretend that it's not uh it's not to say everything that Liverpool has done doesn't matter or that they're done or

16:10

clock needs to be fired but this group this version of Liverpool

16:17

with I'd say let's call it the Jordan Henderson version of Liverpool maybe even Van Dyke has to change as well is

16:24

over and um they have to look very hard in the mirror and see where they want to go

16:30

see if they can't compete and see if they can be a part of an of a rebuild uh

16:36

klopp has not done that before many managers have it this isn't a knock-on clop

16:41

um it's just it's really hard to go again and go to the studs and back up again

16:47

um City have done it sort of but it was already being done and they sort of

16:52

reloaded there's like the first half of peps group and now this is the back half and we're trying to redo it again so

16:58

that's where they are uh Liverpool just take it on the chin and have

17:04

the worst loss in Champions League at anfield ever

17:11

and that's just a fact like they gave up five goals and uh Madrid fans were doing Oles

17:16

that happened that's real and so they they're hurting this is one of those moments of do you need to suffer in this

17:23

case Liverpool have done their suffering in one this is now okay we can't around we're done we need to start again

17:30

so that's where Liverpool are um and it does sort of take me into my

17:35

themes around where English teams are because City

17:41

also Drew in a game against Leipzig and this was a little bit different I don't

17:47

think City are necessarily in trouble the way that um

17:53

City aren't in trouble the way that the way that Liverpool are but they're they state they're having the same problems

18:00

over and over again in this game City completely control the first half to the point that you're just like oh they're

18:07

bossing this game they've got it under control Riyad mahrez fire City ahead in the first half and it's it's an easy

18:14

game City doing that weird thing with Bernardo Silva as a fullback again but a

18:20

little bit different it's um it's Diaz okay akanji

18:28

yeah still no oh and Kyle Walker so Kyle it is a regular back four sorry I didn't

18:34

see how the formation was weirder so it's a regular back four and you know but no de bruyne uh de

18:41

bruyne had a tough game on the weekend Rod uh Bernardo was in the role of bossing this thing and running around

18:47

and he did everything he was supposed to this game's narrative was why don't City play in Ireland Holland it's another

18:54

referendum another moment of just like what are City doing why don't they ha

19:00

they have a it's like we have a nuke and we don't use it so all through the first

19:07

60 55 minutes of the game City we're in complete control of this

19:13

game I don't even think I'm just looking here um Leipzig did not take their first shot

19:18

on target until the end of the first half

19:24

and then all of the second half is really Leipzig

19:29

until they get their goal and then they shut it down again um the thing is you could see it again

19:35

what I talked same sort of thing that I talked about with the Nottingham Forest game

19:41

Leipzig bring on Fresh legs um it's of course is Guardiola on a

19:46

header on 70. they bring in on Cuckoo and Hendrix and you could see Leipzig

19:52

getting control of the game and all the city fans are just like pep do something play the ball to Holland do anything

20:00

that's not nothing and again City don't make any subs and the fresh legs of

20:06

Leipzig and the lift that they're getting from these new players on the pitch City just don't respond to it and

20:13

pep comes back with the same thing oh we played great we had control of the game yada yada the same thing

20:20

um from a city fan perspective we just see our team not reacting to energy

20:27

being lifted up uh not reacting to you know it's is it is Pep tinkering not

20:33

reacting to erling Holland it seems everyone on city is afraid to play the

20:39

ball to Holland it's as though there's two competing things inside the mind of

20:44

Manchester City one is we've got to control these games and we saw that first half City completely control this

20:51

game not even a kick for um for Leipzig

20:56

second half they lose a little bit of control but then don't react to that loss of

21:03

control by attacking they sort of keep trying to get control of the game again but

21:10

they're they've lost some legs and we don't see the ball into Holland so as a

21:15

city fan you're just like where is the attacking impetus it's not there where is it so all these players on the bench

21:22

we see we've got Calvin Phillips Julian Alvarez Phil

21:28

foden Cole Palmer Rico Lewis amazing players that just don't come on they can

21:33

change a game and they don't there's barely a ball played to Holland uh if I look at his

21:39

stats he does not he takes one shot and

21:45

only has 21 touches and it was a good shot he was the actually number one in

21:50

expected goals for City I know that's not true Riyad mahrez obviously he scored a goal so he gets that half a

21:55

half a point for a goal but City didn't even create anything they weren't really even trying for the my

22:03

proverbial favorite stat of uh shot creating actions they're very low they didn't really do much the number

22:10

all the passes were in the back it was slow um and as you go from front to back

22:15

there's less and less touches uh gundogan had opportunities to to play in

22:20

Holland he doesn't even pick his head up Roger I mean sorry Bernardo Silva doesn't even put a Paul forward and it's

22:27

unfortunate because you know City should have won this game and didn't and now there's a little bit of that

22:34

stagnation again a little bit of that doubt creeping into the team and peps

22:39

again having to list lift this team up um it seems that the only player who

22:45

defies pep is kdb but when he defies him too much or it doesn't work

22:51

um he gets benched like as though he's tired so he had a seven shot game none

22:57

of them on target didn't score a goal and then he gets benched in a Champions League he did look exhausted by the way

23:02

at the end of the Nottingham Forest game but he seems to be the only one who's got the guts enough

23:08

to play balls into Holland for fear that they may not work another thing here

23:14

and I hate VAR and I'm not really interested in what happened uh on it but

23:21

City had a on the goal by Garfield

23:27

he jumps on top of Ruben Diaz okay fine he uses him as a pogo stick okay fine I

23:34

don't want that penalty to be I don't want that goal to be chopped off and then on the 92nd minute a final cross

23:40

before the whistle's blown there's a clear handball um that's just not called

23:46

it just is uh the player bats the ball with his hands and it's just not called

23:52

they don't go to VAR so I don't want those calls so VAR you know I'm anti-var

23:57

it's just one of these things where you're just like oh if it's there

24:03

at least look at it at least tell me what the reason is but

24:09

city did not lose draw this game because of VAR they drew this game because there

24:15

is something about this team that can't Square the concept of control

24:20

and playing in Holland that just can't jibe that when he runs forward they

24:26

don't play the ball to him so they they'd rather keep the ball circulated play the fence with the ball then play

24:32

in Holland lose the ball and have counter attacks I can't explain it it's bizarre I hate it

24:40

uh I don't know how I don't have a better way to put it uh but you know and

24:46

then we should go to what was the game of the day

24:51

um I have to say that and and I don't want to admit it but

24:57

Manchester United played Barcelona at Old Trafford uh

25:04

first half was tough for United they had a hard time um ten hog went again with um

25:14

with um uh Vault Vegas up front uh that didn't quite work again

25:21

but city did get the get the win 2-1 on aggregate uh

25:27

down in the first half on a not dubious penalty if you watch it uh Bruno does pull uh the defender the player's arm uh

25:35

Robert Lewandowski looks completely nervous almost misses the penalty but then does end up getting it done then on

25:42

the second half after the changes uh off comes off comes Val Anthony comes on

25:48

changes how United play they just become much more attacking with impetus and

25:54

power and strength and energy and speed exploiting the weaknesses of Barcelona

26:00

and Fred and casemiro just stuff the

26:05

Midfield of Barcelona in their pockets they're full of running they're full of energy old trafford's lifted up on

26:12

Fred's amazing goal then on 73 Anthony scores one because he comes on for Vegas

26:17

from the wing and the place erupts I can talk about it and get goosebumps and I

26:23

know uh Christian I'm not supposed to get excited about other teams but I love football and I love to hear what what

26:30

what drives me and what makes me happy about football is the energy that the

26:36

fans give I feel that Humanity that in unison that Joy of 60

26:45

000 people all feeling it at the same time you can't help but get swept up in it uh it's a little bit like Nuremberg

26:52

to me you know when you're at Old Trafford you know they might be something fishy but you do get lifted up

26:58

and you do feel it and you do sense the moment and you do especially with at Old Trafford

27:05

especially with these Legacy clubs like Barcelona and and and and Liverpool and

27:11

Real Madrid and and Bayern Munich and and and AC Milan and Inter and these

27:17

clubs that that have history it does matter I'm not naive you can feel it and the momentum can go

27:25

against you and Barcelona did start to Will um but again like Real Madrid they did

27:33

pick themselves up they were able to get back into the fight and and there was a

27:39

moment right at the end where um

27:44

Lewandowski had a shot and it was saved off the line so I mean Varane was

27:50

immense um early in the game you know Barcelona created chances they're gonna

27:55

they're gonna Rue not winning this thing and they're going to talk about the chances they had that they didn't take

28:05

but for Barcelona you know they

28:12

they just don't they're not Dynamic enough and don't have the legs in these games

28:18

to lift themselves up to to win a game like this so

28:23

I'm trying to find the box score of this game oh here we go uh sorry about that it's just a little bit funky on the old

28:30

FB ref because I get that nerd on uh it says the XG was the same I don't

28:37

necessarily buy it but if I look at the first half there was some really big

28:42

opportunities uh that the hey has saved I'm just trying to find the right one

28:50

at least the one at the end doesn't even show up this is this might

28:55

not be the right game this might be the other game anyway United win it was amazing uh very good

29:03

very strong performance and again this is more about feelings this is more about two big clubs who lift themselves

29:10

up and and have a level of passion and and lift that other clubs

29:17

don't have uh I loved what ten Hogg did he went for it takes off wambasaka who

29:23

is defending for his life brings on garnacho takes off our horse on 45 brings on Anthony and all that young

29:30

legs and energy is what drives United forward because you know this is these

29:36

are the things that and and Dalo coming on for um for wambasaka and just sort of

29:42

changing things up um these are the things that lift up a team these are the things that make

29:50

things happen it's the youth this is what Alex Ferguson always talked about is you've if you have young players they

29:57

have a different thing they they elevate a crowd and I think um ten hog being from iax he knows that

30:05

intrinsically they've been a team that has lived on young players they mix it up but fundamentally

30:12

it's a side that um lives off its Youth and and that energy of its crowd so uh

30:19

just an amazing game a lot of energy a lot of positivity I know John uh John

30:25

Santana was living was on over the moon with this and just a great performance and just just another moment for United

30:33

to sort of feel good about where they are now

30:39

they're in the Europa League they're not in the big dance they're in

30:44

the little dance but they was two big boys in the little dance so uh this was an odd game and an odd heavyweight

30:51

matchup in the Lesser division so I do have to get my digs in this is the Europa League you're not uh you're not

30:57

so badass uh you're in your league but I want to call out two players casemiro and Fred just fantastic

31:04

just so good just kicking the out of people taking the ball off people Just Energy and moving the team forward

31:12

casemiro's got to be the signing of the season for any club just a great player and Varan as well just that Real Madrid

31:20

DNA in these players in the context of another strong Club they understand these moments and these nights they've

31:26

been playing for these games their whole lives so just an amazing performance and I probably said the same thing over and over again but just great energy just

31:34

what you love football for frankly two big teams on a European night with good

31:40

fans uh just really good stuff exciting and United move on

31:50

I should probably go through the rest of the Europa League scores just because it's a weird competition I talked about

31:56

the um the previous scores Europa League has way too many

32:01

games Salzburg one nilove Aroma Barcelona two two that was like IX they'll know Union Berlin that was the

32:07

previous thing oh we were all these were all second legs so PSV takes out

32:14

Sevier do they I can't even tell uh sporting go past michiland labor cusin

32:21

beat Monaco on penalties um uvae go past na uh Roma Pass red bees

32:29

Red Bull Salzburg and the Great and Powerful Union Berlin take out Mighty IX

32:34

shakhtar Don yes oh good for you but sad stodd renz loses on penalties on a last

32:40

minute shank shot by an 18 year old and United passed through um

32:46

against Barcelona so friends

32:51

we now leave Europe for now return to the friendly confines of the

32:59

Premier League and uh just want to go through the schedule just to get everybody back on

33:05

side because we had this exciting European nights but we have this league that we're all in that we have to get

33:12

back to Meanwhile in the Premier League um we have to pick up back where we were

33:18

and uh we have a game on Friday tomorrow Fulham V wolves you know Fulham

33:27

pushing for European places good stuff there very exciting and we move through

33:33

that game and then we're going to talk about a new friend a new old friend returning to the Premier League then we

33:39

have Newcastle versus Brighton that's a Saturday early game Leicester versus Arsenal away at the king power Everton

33:47

and the mighty fighting dices take on the wound licking Aston Villa after they

33:52

lose to um Arsenal West Ham Nottingham Forest I don't think that West Ham thought this

33:59

was a relegation six pointer Forest don't have to win this game West Ham do Forest not great on the road we'll see

34:05

what happens and the Great and Powerful Leeds United with their new manager Javi Gracia take

34:13

on Southampton born with play Manchester City this is a recipe for City

34:19

getting healthy and kicking the out of somebody please then Palace play Liverpool at home Palace secretly

34:27

terrible this is might be just what Liverpool need then Chelsea on Sunday played

34:32

play Tottenham at Tottenham Chelsea we talked about earlier in the last episode while do they need a win than City

34:40

host Brentford and we have more midweek makeup games but that will take us

34:46

through the week's matchups I'm gonna go on to Javi Gracia last scene as manager

34:53

of Watford there are many many many uh Watford managers

35:00

um he was good uh when he was the manager

35:06

of leads I actually liked him quite a lot of of um

35:12

Watford and I think that they made a mistake in letting him go uh he's a good coach I think he's

35:19

a 442 coach uh and he's gonna probably be a little bit more

35:25

structured you know these Spanish coaches they are very good that he's gonna bring he's more

35:32

he's more unai Emery than bielsa

35:37

a good coach a capable coach again the Premier League just is the

35:45

place that good coaches go and he will try and whip

35:52

he will try and whip um

35:57

leads into shape his previous job he was in Saudi Arabia at al-saad and he had

36:04

after Watford went to Valencia Valencia being a club that's really in bad shape he spent a season in Valencia

36:12

um you know a lot of draws didn't really do much he was doing really well in al-assad so

36:18

but he's a good good manager he was the manager of Watford when they were runner-ups

36:24

to city in the FA Cup and famously lost 6-0 uh and then they only gave him like

36:31

a handful of games to print the next season and farm right away uh right he

36:36

was sacked in September of that season so

36:41

and then he sort of was and Valencia had an okay season finished 14th and was

36:48

dismissed but he's a decent coach um not a guy who's won any trophies but

36:53

37:00

got a steady hand probably a bit of a firefighter we'll get uh we'll get leads defending and hopefully you know it's

37:08

got 430 matches 15-year career just gets coaching and he'll be fine for leads

37:16

it's not a sexy appointment He's like the eighth Choice appointment for leads but leads

37:23

just need a coach they need something to get themselves moving again there's plenty of time there's plenty of games

37:28

you know we know someone's gonna go down we just don't know who it is uh you know

37:35

I think about Southampton playing leads Southampton had that amazing win against Chelsea uh with uh James Ward price but

37:41

at Ellen Road this is about his must win a game for leads as they've had since

37:46

the last must win game last season but uh we'll see where that goes oh I do actually have to mention I made a

37:53

mistake here Brighton and Newcastle are not playing Newcastle is not sorry Newcastle is not

37:59

playing Brighton Manchester United are not playing Brentford they have the League Cup Final so we have the first

38:05

trophy of the domestic season Newcastle versus Man United on Sunday at Wembley

38:11

sorry about that folks just got a little bit uh ahead of my skis there uh I think

38:16

I like this as a Newcastle opportunity after United put so much effort on that

38:22

Thursday night Newcastle should be rested yes they're missing something but how's

38:28

how's United supposed to get up after this Thursday game so I think United

38:33

would have been favorites especially the way ten hog has been coaching especially the way the team has been going uh I did

38:40

see rashford pull up a little bit I don't think he was injured but you know they had been running hard those are

38:45

intense night games and we'll see what level this this Thursday game does

38:52

make it a more even match up for Newcastle and we know that jordy's will come out and force for The League Cup

38:59

Final so apologies there I did seem to miss that game so the League Cup Final coming in

39:06

for Newcastle versus Man United on Sunday um but that's really it I don't think

39:13

I've got too many other things that I need to hit on uh was feeling a little bit tired a little bit jaded for this

39:20

episode but yeah League Cup Final Sunday uh big games reset for Liverpool and

39:28

City needing to get back in action and get themselves back together let's just

39:34

make sure we're aware of what the standings are and where we are in the league right now

39:40

um Arsenal on top Five Points clear of Manchester city is

39:46

that no two points clear of Manchester City Arsenal have a game in hand United

39:51

three points behind city city will now have an extra game United will have to

39:57

make up that game then there's a gap of seven points to Tottenham in fourth then New Castle on 41 Fulham

40:04

on 38 in six three points behind them is Brighton on 35. Liverpool also on 35

40:11

exactly tied with Brighton so just to give you a sense Brighton and Liverpool

40:17

are in exactly the same space even on XG they're close together so uh XG

40:24

difference for Brighton is nine and a half XG difference for Liverpool is plus eight but Brighton don't have a nine nil

40:31

in that group so Brighton have actually been better than Liverpool then Brentford unbeaten in seventh on 35 three teams

40:39

tied on 35 Liverpool Brighton and Brentford then a little Gap Four Points

40:44

to Chelsea and 10th who are desperate for a win the poor Grand Potter experience is not going well then you

40:50

have 10 hog coming in just a few months before yes he had a preseason but doing so well uh Aston Villa

40:58

in 11th on 28th Crystal Palace on 26 how they're staying there I don't understand but uh Nottingham Forest in 13th safe

41:06

for now for six points above the red allegation Zone Leicester on 24 wolves on 23

41:12

Everton on 21 Bournemouth on 21 West Ham on 20 leads on 19 and Southampton on 18.

41:19

so the relegation battle is still really really close uh really really

41:26

close not anyone Cut Loose uh again I keep saying that West Ham shouldn't go

41:32

down and they are plus two in XG which is shocking

41:38

um but they are where they are because they have not scored the goals you would

41:43

expect them to amazing amazing stuff but that takes us into the weekend

41:51

that was the squeaky bum Time Podcast with your host Laurent cortines we are

41:58

the football wing of the chop Sports Network and presented exclusively by the premiere streaming Network we record on

42:04

Tuesdays and Thursdays so be sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcast so you never miss an episode and if

42:10

you're listening on Apple or any other podcast producer please like and review the show it means everything to us thank

42:17

you and good night [Music]