The Game

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Molly Hudson, Gregor Robertson and Casey Stoney.England shocked many with an 8-0 thrashing of Norway on Monday night. Was it a case of England playing well and Norway having an off day? (00:00)Beth Mead scored a hat-trick (11:53) and there were also goals for Ellen White (14:50). Casey gives us her opinion on them both. Northern Ireland are out after a 2-0 loss to Austria. Should they be disappointed and what does the future look like for the team? (26:25)Casey and the team look ahead to the other games coming up, ahead of England vs Northern Ireland on Friday (33:05)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Molly Hudson, Gregor Robertson and Casey Stoney.England got their Euros campaign started with a 1-0 win over Austria - but after the convincing nature of the warm up matches, should fans be a little disappointed? (00:00)Northern Ireland play their first match tonight against Norway and we take a look at the fixtures over the weekend (17:53)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Molly Hudson, Gregor Robertson and Casey Stoney.Former England captain Casey Stoney joins us for Euro 2022, but what’s it like to be a player preparing for a major tournament? (00:00)Ahead of the start of the tournament, how has Sarina Wiegman been received so far? Is she under pressure to win back-to-back championships? (13:38)England go into this tournament with a lot of hope, but which players are most likely to impress and which players should make the starting line up? (19:35)Northern Ireland are in England’s group and Gregor has been looking at their squad in detail. What will they be aiming for this summer? (35:35)With England’s eyes firmly on the prize, which other teams will pose them problems and who are the favourites? (40:48)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, Gregor Robertson and Tom Roddy.England’s disastrous Nations League games ended with the most disappointing result of the break - but does Gareth Southgate really deserve the abuse he’s getting? (00:00)Premier League clubs are already doing business with some big strikers on the move - but who got the better deal? Also, what’s going on with Romelu Lukaku? (22:00)We take a look back some of our good, bad and hilarious predictions from earlier in the season. Gregor’s team to watch is a particular favourite (38:00)Who doesn’t like to end the season with a quiz? Hugh and Tom both came prepared! (45:15)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegamei Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, Alyson Rudd, Gary Jacob and Michael Grant.The Nations League games continue and England once again failed to impress against Italy. Are the squad tired and is the manager in need of a rest too? (00:00)Gareth Southgate changed things around for the game against the European Champions - which players showed they deserve more of a chance in the starting line up? (09:45)Scotland have had a disastrous start to their Nations League campaign. Michael Grant joins us to discuss their current slump after watching them lose 3-0 in Dublin (23:16)Wales showed more promise, holding Belgium to a 1-1 draw in Cardiff. Gareth Bale edges closer to becoming a free agent, but is there any indication of where he’ll end up? (32:52)Everton have signed a record shirt sponsorship deal with a betting company - but with these kinds of sponsorships looking like they’ll be banned, was that a foolish decision on several levels? (43:42)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Jonathan Northcroft and Matt Lawton.England did a lot better against Germany than they did previously in Hungary - but what questions have been left to be resolved? Will Jack Grealish ever be in the first XI or should he embrace being a super sub? (00:00)Scotland bounced back from their World Cup disappointment against Armenia. What’s next for Steve Clarke’s side and has a new phase begun for the national team? (23:10)Matt Lawton joins us fresh from Munich, where he’s been looking into policing on the continent and how it differs from our own in the UK (32:20)We take a look at the latest transfer rumours with Liverpool’s attack potentially getting an overhaul and what Arsenal need to get done before the start of the season (51:40)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Alyson Rudd, Gregor Robertson and Tony Cascarino.Wales are going to the World Cup after they went one better than Scotland by beating Ukraine. How much credit do their stars deserve and where does the job Rob Page has done rank in terms of managerial achievements? (00:00)With ageing stars, how will Wales get on in Qatar and how likely are we to see both them and England progress to the knock-out stages? (18:53)England lost in Hungary - but what are the bigger things to come from a game that saw James Justin and Jarod Bowen make their debuts? (22:17)We bring you our long-awaited End of Season Awards. Which players, managers and teams have done well (or not so well) this season? (36:17)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, Michael Grant, Gary Jacob and Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero.Scotland came up short against Ukraine, who go on to face Wales on Sunday for a place in the World Cup. Michael Grant joins us to discuss what went wrong and where Steve Clarke’s side go from here (00:00Wales will have had a good look at Ukraine ahead of that game. Gary Jacob weights up what could be Gareth Bale’s last match for his country, should they lose and miss out on the finals (18:21)Paul Pogba is leaving Manchester United. Not a huge surprise, but was his time at the club a success or was he not given what he needed to thrive? (28:32)Gareth Bale is also on the move with his deal at Real Madrid ending next month. Is the Welshman the best British export ever? Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero joins us to weight it up (36:55)..and with Tom Clarke on holiday on Monday when we’ll hold our end of year awards, we let him pick some of his winners a few days early (45:49)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Alyson Rudd, Tom Roddy and Charlotte Duncker.Liverpool lost out on the treble, days after the quadruple slipped through their hands. Did they deserve to lose the Champions League final to Real Madrid? (00:00)Sadio Mane looks likely to leave Liverpool - can they continue in the same way going forward? (25:20)There were huge issues getting into the stadium with reports and video of police tear-gassing supporters, despite them appearing to have legitimate tickets. Alyson was there and tell us her story of the night (29:17)Nottingham Forest will play in the Premier League next season. Charlotte Duncker was watching at Wembley Stadium as Steve Cooper finally got promotion through the playoffs (50:18)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Alyson Rudd, Paul Hirst, Charlotte Duncker and Ian Hawkey.There’s good news for Liverpool ahead of the Champions League final with Mo Salah saying he’s staying for at least another season (00:00)Will they get revenge on Real Madrid after what happened in 2018 and will Gareth Bale have an unlikely role to play in his final game for Madrid? (14:20)Alyson is lucky enough to be going to the final as a fan. She tells us what it means to be able to watch Liverpool in Europe after growing up listening under the covers (18:49)Roma have won their first European trophy after victory in the Europa Conference League Final. How important is this trophy for Jose Mourinho? (27:14)Kylian Mbappe’s new deal blows many out of the water - but it’s not the money that’s the most concerning detail (36:07) Paul Hirst met new Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag on Monday. What did he make of the man tasked with turning things around for the Red Devils? (44:10)Nottingham Forest could return to the Premier League for the first time in over two decades on Sunday. Charlotte Duncker joins us to preview the Championship playoff final (52:30)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Alyson Rudd, Tom Roddy, Paul Hirst and Tony Cascarino.Manchester City are champions, but didn’t make it easy for themselves on the final day. Should Pep Guardiola be applauded for his game-changing substitutions or criticised for his starting line up? (00:00)With the title race going right down to the wire - are we watching two of the greatest teams the Premier League has ever seen/ (20:38)Both Chelsea and Manchester United are already looking ahead to the summer and beyond with different outlooks on the horizon. Will they be challengers next season? (27:04)Leeds managed to pull a win out of nowhere while Burnley fell apart. Is Jesse Marsch the right person to take Leeds forward and are Burnley doomed? (33:09)Spurs took the final Champions League spot despite Arsenal being favourites as recently as March. What does this mean for the future of Antonio Conte and Harry Kane? (53:26)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Alyson Rudd and Tom Clarke.Pitch invasions have been seen in games every night this week. One man has been jailed, Patrick Vieira kicked a supporter after he was goaded. How can this be stopped as quickly as possible? (00:00)Everton managed to escape the drop with a 3-2 win at home to Crystal Palace. How much was down to Frank Lampard and how much was thanks to the fans? (27:02)Either Burnley or Leeds will exit the top flight this season. Burnley hold the upper hand with a much better goal difference, but can Leeds surprise everyone and find some form when it matters? (37:16)We know all of the teams involved in the EFL playoffs. Do Nottingham Forest have what it takes to make it back to the Premier League after so long away? Will friend of the show, David Stockade be celebrating with Wycombe or will Newcastle’s new wealth spur Sunderland on to close the gulf between them both? (45:40)The final day of the Premier League season is almost upon us - we give our predictions on what might happen at the top and the bottom (56:22)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion and Middlesbrough manager Tony Pulis joins Hugh Woozencroft and Matt Lawton for a special podcast from The Times.While talking some time away from the game following his departure from Sheffield Wednesday in 2020, he's been tracking the progress of his grandson; a talented eight-year-old enjoying the benefits of a category one academy at a Premier League club; a product of the Elite Player Performance Programme (EPPP) that was launched 10 years ago to produce more home grown players for the country’s top clubs. It is, however, a system that Pulis believes is in need of a complete overhaul. Pulis also gives us his thoughts on the best young managers in the UK and whether negative comments about his style of management ever get to him.Read the full article here: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/tony-pulis-most-academy-kids-are-never-going-to-play-football-not-enough-is-done-for-them-rjz2n3z6t Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Alyson Rudd, Molly Hudson and Tony Cascarino.Lots to discuss after a goalless FA Cup Final that was decided on penalties. Who stood out for each team and who wasn’t up to it? (00:00)Chelsea have now lost two cup finals to Liverpool this season - what does the future hold for Romalu Lukaku and why is Andreas Christensen not available? (19:44)Molly Hudson joins us to discuss some Chelsea success after their women’s side did what the men couldn’t and lifted the trophy a day later (30:19)The Premier League title race took another turn as Manchester City could only manage a 2-2 draw with West Ham. Did City pick the wrong penalty-taker? (37:44)Lots more to discuss in the Premier League including questionable handballs, red cards and a lifeline for Leeds? (55:45)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke and Jonathan Northcroft.Kevin De Bruyne made it very clear he knows where the back of the net is in Manchester City’s 5-1 win over Wolves. Will he continue to flourish with the new arrival this summer? (00:00)..but how will Erling Haaland fit into Pep Guardiola’s side? (13:54)Leeds are in real trouble and following last night’s result, they’ll have to play the rest of the season without Dan James. Are they doomed? (21:!5)Celtic have won their 10th Premiership title in 11 years. The gamble on Ange Postecoglou has paid off, so what next for both the club and the manager? (31:16)Ahead of previewing the FA Cup final this weekend, we’re joined by Richard Whitehead to discuss his book: ‘The Cup: A Pictorial Celebration of the World's Greatest Football Tournament’ (41:25)Chelsea have an opportunity to get their own back on Liverpool in the FA Cup final this weekend, but what will they need to do differently if they’re not to suffer a repeat of the Carabao Cup final? (48:40)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the second part of this special podcast from The Game, we're joined by Wycombe Wanderers goalkeeper - David Stockdale. Now he's through to the League One playoff final with Wycombe Wanderers, David talks about the excitement of playing at the national stadium and shares his thoughts on interacting with fans, calling out abuse from the stands and who his favourite teammates have been throughout the years.Wycombe play Sunderland in the League One playoff final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 21st May 2022. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, Molly Hudson and Tom Roddy.Manchester City have the advantage in the Premier League title race after Liverpool dropped points against Spurs. Will they really drop any points themselves? (00:00)Hugh is banned from mentioning M*nchester Un*ted, but somehow we end up discussing them after probably their most disappointing loss of the season at Brighton (15:23)Leeds dropped into the relegation zone after a self-destructive performance against Arsenal, while Everton got three valuable points away at Leicester. Has Frank Lampard finally got them playing to their potential? (20:50)Leicester have been off the boil completely in the second half of the season. Are the players to blame or should Brendan Rodgers be getting more out of his squad? (28:33)Brighton beat the team that Hugh can’t mention - should they be worried their manager Graham Potter could be tempted to move elsewhere? (35:38)Molly Hudson joins us to talk about an exciting final day of the WSL season that saw Chelsea win their third title in a row. What’s next for some of the other teams in the league? (43:48)The Championship and League Two finished over the weekend and there’s one result that really stands out to everyone (56:40)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, Ian Hawkey, Martyn Ziegler and Owen Slot.Manchester City. What on earth happened last night!? (00:00)Were Pep Guardiola’s substitutions to blame? Do you take Kevin De Bruyne off in that situation? (15:23)Liverpool are through to the final, but they survived a scare against Villarreal. Did Liverpool’s squad depth rescue them? (28:40)Looking ahead to the final - what chance do Liverpool have against Real Madrid in Paris? (38:09)The Times’ Chief Sports Reporter Martyn Ziegler joins us with an update on the sale of Chelsea and how the latest developments could affect which bid ends up being successful (48:15)The League One playoffs get started this evening. Could it be Sunderland’s moment to return to the Championship? (55:35)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special podcast from The Game, we're joined by Wycombe Wanderers goalkeeper - David Stockdale. The Yorkshireman talks us through his rollercoaster route into football and the ups and downs of his first few years as a young professional. We also hear how he came to learn he was moving to the capital to play for Fulham and how prioritising his family saw him potentially miss out on a longer stint in the top flight.Wycombe play MK Dons in the League One playoff semi-finals on Thursday 5th and Sunday 8th May 2022. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Roddy, Matt Lawton and Tony Cascarino.Everton have given themselves a huge chance of survival with a win over Chelsea. Can they still stay up? (00:00)Chelsea has been less than impressive in recent weeks - if Roman Abramovich was still running things, would Thomas Tuchel be in danger of the sack? (11:05)Roy Hodgson is highly unlikely to save Watford as they’re all but down. Did the former England manager ever stand a chance and is this his last job? (16:40)Nottingham Forest could jump ahead of Bournemouth with a win tonight in their penultimate game in the Championship. Can they do it and return to the top flight and how will Champions Fulham get on this time? (22:34)The Times’ Chief Sports Reporter Matt Lawton joins us with an update on the sale of Chelsea and how things are potentially more complicated than they seem (28:40)Following the passing of Mino Raola, we explore the situation around ‘super agents’ and their impact on football (33:51)After Gillingham manager Neil Harris’ brutally honest interview following their relegation, we discuss the most brutal moments in football (48:52)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke and Ian Hawkey.Manchester City vs Real Madrid will go down as a memorable Champions League semi-final - but how will it finish back in Spain? Were Real flattered by the scoreline given City gifting them two of their goals? (00:00)Liverpool looked unbeatable in their first leg against Villarreal. Are Jurgen Klopp’s side actually unstoppable this season? (18:36)Sadio Mane has been Liverpool’s standout player in recent times. Where does he fit into the conversation for the Ballon d’Or? (25:38)PSG have secured the French title, but what does the future hold for manager Mauricio Pochettino? (35:22)Changes are being proposed to the semi-final stages of the Champions League. With other changes already incoming in the Champions League - is there any need to mix things up? (46:44)The Europa League semi-finals begin tonight, so we end with Hugh’s favourite feature - The Game predictions (51:14)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke and Alyson Rudd.Liverpool got the win they needed over Everton but it didn’t come without some controversial moments. Divock Origi scored his annual Liverpool goal - but do we actually know how good he is? (00:00)Burnley have got themselves out of the relegation zone since Sean Dyche departed - but what’s changed? (12:51)Arsenal beat Manchester United as many predicted, but were either team any good? Should Ralf Rangnick still move upstairs at United? (22:04)The Times’ Paul HIrst joins us to discuss his trip to Amsterdam to find out more about Erik ten Hag. You can read his conclusion on The Times website (39:57)Oldham became the first former Premier League team to drop out of the EFL - we speak to The Times’ Adam Millington about the disruptive scenes at the weekend (48:46)After Joaquín lifted the Copa Del Rey for Real Betis aged 40, we have a think about our favourite veterans in the game (56:28)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke and Jonathan Northcroft.Manchester United have a new manager as Erik ten Hag will take over in the summer until at least 2025. What kind of job does he have on his hands and what does he need to turn things around? (00:00)Arsenal showed they’re up for a fight for fourth place with a 4-2 win over Chelsea on Wednesday night. After two goals, is Eddie Nketiah finally showing he’s the man to lead the Arsenal attack? (12:25)The Times’ Northern Football Correspondent Paul Joyce joins us to pick apart Liverpool’s demolition of Manchester United (28:12)Following on from what Paul had to say - how important have certain members of the Liverpool squad been and has Sadio Mane ended Roberto Firmino’s Liverpool career? (35:18)Everton managed to snatch a point from a game they should have won against Leicester. Is Frank Lampard likely to stay at Goodison past the end of the season? (42:20)Fulham will be a Premier League side again next season, but Derby will play in League One. We look at both ends of the Championship table (48:40)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Alyson Rudd and Tony Cascarino.Liverpool are into the FA Cup Final at the expense of Manchester City. Did Pep Guardiola overthink it again? (00:00)Jurgen Klopp’s side are still on for the quadruple - but will they actually win it? (12:15)Chelsea are Liverpool’s opponents at Wembley for the second time this season. Did Crystal Palace play into Thomas Tuchel’s hands in the semi-final? (23:09)Sean Dyche left Burnley after a decade in charge - but were they right to make a change without a plan in place (35:48)Spurs and Arsenal both slipped up over Easter - does anyone actually want fourth place? (47:20)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke and Ian Hawkey.Chelsea started well but came up short against Real in their Champions League second leg. What changed to swing things back into Real’s favour? (00:00)Villarreal will take on Liverpool after they knocked Bayern Munich out. Why is Unai Emery so good in Europe and Constantin Eckner joins us to discuss where next for Bayern (14:02)Manchester City are Real’s opponents in the semi-finals after they ground out a result against a fiery Atletico side. Did Pep’s team finally show they know how to finish the job in Europe? (27:08)Dutch football expert Arthur Renard has written about Erik ten Hag in The Times and joins us to discuss the Ajax manager who’ll soon take over at Manchester United (40:20)European semis are put aside this weekend when the FA Cup semi-finals take place. But who will go through and will Liverpool make a raft of changes? (49:02)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, Paul Hirst and Alyson Rudd.The battle of the top two teams in the Premier League really was a battle - did Liverpool play it right by being more aggressive and who does the 2-2 draw favour most? (00:30)Aston Villa are struggling for form with four losses in their last 5 matches. What’s up with Steven Gerrard’s side? (26:14)Arsenal came unstuck at home to Brighton making it back-to-back defeats. Why aren’t they putting up a fight for fourth? (38:16)Are Manchester United a former great team? Should they even be featured on Super Sunday? (46:40)Burnley missed an opportunity to put the pressure on Everton even more as they lost to Norwich. Does that result mean Everton are now safe? (59:29)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Jonathan Northcroft and Ian Hawkey.Chelsea came unstuck against Real Madrid as Karim Benzema scored back-to-back Champions League hat tricks. Is there any way back for Thomas Tuchel’s side? (00:00)Villerreal stunned Bayern Munich in the other game on Wednesday night. Is Unai Emery a tactical genius? (15:10)Atletico didn’t impress in their loss at Manchester City. Should Diego Simeone be considered a world class manager given his tactics? (19:55)If Manchester City fail to win the Champions League this year, should their season be seen as a failure? (28:30)In the run-in for the Premier League title - who are the favourites and who are most likely to slip up? (36:24)Burnley are now just a point from safety after their victory over Everton on Wednesday. Can they rely on their experience to drag themselves out of danger? (45:50)Hugh is excited to attend West Ham’s Europa League quarter final against Lyon this evening. Could they realistically lift the trophy? (55:35)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke and Alyson Rudd.Brentford stunned Chelsea and Thomas Tuchel was stunned by Alyson’s question about Christian Eriksen after the final whistle (00:30)Tottenham have made it back to fourth place with a comprehensive thrashing of Newcastle. How much of their recent good form is down to the January signings? (15:55)Do Everton realise how much trouble they’re in at the bottom of the Premier League? Is Frank Lampard saying the right things to make his team fight for survival? (27:36)Molly Hudson joins us for an update from the Women’s Champions League and the WSL, which will feature Liverpool next season after they clinched promotion on Sunday (42:52)Following a fiery Old Firm derby, The Times’ Scottish Football Correspondent Michael Grant joins us to discuss the run in for the Premiership (50:10)Now we know the World Cup draw, Hugh is adamant it’s a poor draw for England. Does he have a point? (57:20)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke and Alyson Rudd.Gareth Southgate changed things around and gave us a chance to see more of players including Jack Grealish and Raheem Sterling against the Ivory Coast. Does that game affect who might make the World Cup starting XI? (00:30)Jude Bellingham has been widely praised for his impact on the side. Is he in line for a starting place or has he been overhyped? (11:53)Ollie Watkins says he can’t do much more to claim an England place - but does our panel agree? (21:23)The Premier League is set to make a u-turn and agree to five substitutions per team from next season. Is this decision good for the future of the game? (35:10)Ask Alyson - this time, Alyson gives us the behind the scenes story on her interview with aspiring Premier League manager Yaya Toure and players who’ve only touched the ball once in their top flight careers (44:18)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, Tom Roddy and Tony Cascarino.England won their first friendly of the international break - but what did we learn from the 2-1 win over Switzerland? (00:30)Conor Gallagher looked good in midfield, but will he get a fair chance with the other players England have in the middle? (15:04)Wales will have to wait until the summer to find out if they’ll play in the World Cup. Does this play into their hands and is Gareth Bale the best British export ever? (20:17)The Times’ Matthew Syed has been causing a stir with the idea of a combined British football team. Could it ever happen? (36:12)There are thought to be four preferred bidders on Chelsea’s shortlist for the sale of the group. The Times’ Chief Sports Reporter Matt Lawton joins us with the latest state of affairs (44:25)Roberto Mancini has failed to take Italy to the World Cup, so could he be a shock candidate to take over at Manchester United? (56:00)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, Jonathan Northcroft and Molly Hudson.England are preparing for their friendlies during this international break - but how many players are already untouchable in the starting XI? Will Harry Maguire’s place be in doubt given his bad form? (00:30)One of the first names on the England team sheet is Declan Rice and it’s been reported this week that West Ham would want £150m for any move this summer. At 23, is he worth that figure? (17:54)The sale of Chelsea continues to rumble on, but are one of the prospective buyers already fighting a losing battle? (26:43)The first legs of the Women’s Champions League quarter finals have taken place. Arsenal scored a late equaliser to go back to Wolfsburg at 1-1. The Times’ Molly Hudson joins us to discuss the results in more details (37:40)The Times’ Northern Football Correspondent joins us for the latest on the managerial situation at Manchester United with Erik Ten Hag the first prospective manager to be interviewed (46:02)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Roddy, Alyson Rudd and Tony Cascarino.Crystal Palace blew Everton away to set up an FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea. What’s the secret to their success and how much of an influence has Patrick Vieira been on their development? (00:00)Everton’s fortunes haven’t exactly turned around since Frank Lampard took over. Does the former Chelsea boss already regret accepting the job given how messy things are off the field? (10:56)Alyson watched Southampton host Manchester City and ended up getting some grief for her comments in The Sunday Times. Do fans really care about their owners or are they just happy for success? (29:47)Nottingham Forest gave Liverpool a good run for their money at the City Ground. Should Jürgen Klopp’s side count themselves lucky? (38:30)Tottenham beat West Ham 3-1 as both sides fortunes have flipped. What can Spurs realistically hope for this season? (51:43)Following a strange Steven Gerrard interview, we end with our favourite cringe moments when players or managers are grilled by the media (59:34)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, Ian Hawkey and Martyn Ziegler.Chelsea joined Liverpool and Manchester City in the quarter finals of the Champions League after victory in Lille. Ian Hawkey reflects on the win fresh from the Eurostar while Hugh continues to be frustrated by Manchester United (00:00)Juventus are also out of the Champions League. Was it another Unai Emery masterclass or did the Old Lady come up short? (10:45)We’re still waiting to find out who the next owners of Chelsea will be. The deadline for bids is Friday, so things could start to move quickly in the next few days. The Times’ Chief Sports Reporter Martyn Ziegler joins us with the latest off the pitch at Stamford Bridge (20:16)Liverpool have closed the gap at the top of the Premier League to a single point. Do they have the momentum to keep their form going or will there be another blip in their title challenge? (35:36)Rumours suggest Erling Haaland could have settled on Manchester City as his next destination. How likely is this deal and would he actually fit into the existing setup? (46:10)The FA Cup quarter finals take place over the weekend, so we end with our predictions. Can Nottingham Forest knock out another Premier League side? (54:58)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Alyson Rudd, Matt Dickinson and Matt Lawton.Elland Road erupted when Leeds scored an added-time winner against Norwich. With Patrick Bamford back - are Leeds about to ‘do a Newcastle’ and accelerate away from the bottom three? (00:00)Watford got a much-needed win at Southampton over the weekend. Does Roy Hodgson’s team have what it takes to stay up? (08:36)Alyson is adamant Brentford shouldn’t be included in our relegation-threatened teams list, however Everton are a different matter. Does Frank Lampard have what it takes to turn things around? (13:14)The Times’ Chief Sports Reporter Matt Lawton has been looking into the ongoing situation at Chelsea and joins us to discuss the sale and longer-term impact on the club (19:46)On the pitch, Chelsea scored a late winner against Newcastle. Alyson was at Stamford Bridge and was interested by the atmosphere (41:12)Their opponents - Newcastle - have had lots of questions about their ownership recently - but is it right to keep asking them to Eddie Howe? (45:20)Cristiano Ronaldo is now the (unofficial) top professional goalscorer with 807 goals. Does this settle the argument that he’s the best player ever? (53:32)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, Ian Hawkey and Tom Roddy.Real Madrid showed their European experience as they overcame the challenge of PSG in the Spanish capital - but as much as they were impressive - how badly did PSG blow it this time? (00:00)Have the events of last night lost Mauricio Pochettino the chance to manage Manchester United? Will he survive the season with PSG? (14:38)Liverpool suffered a rare defeat at Anfield but still progressed over Inter Milan. Did Alexis Sanchez’s red card save them any embarrassment? (22:35)The news that Roman Abramovich’s assets have been frozen will have massive knock-on effects on Chelsea. As the story develops, our (newly three-time) award winning journalist Martyn Ziegler joins us with the latest (25:3)Marcus Rashford could be on the move - but is leaving Old Trafford the best option for him? (38:02)With some older gentleman still performing at the top level in the Champions League, we discuss our favourite footballing veterans (51:35)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, Alyson Rudd and Tony Cascarino.Arsenal beat Watford 3-2 which didn’t impress manager Mikel Arteta. Is this a good thing for the supporters? Tony gives his thoughts on Bukayo Saka’s future as his contract renewal gets closer (00:00)Crystal Palace are tenth after taking seven points in their last three matches. How much further can they make their way up the table and what’s the secret to their good form? (18:10)Christian Eriksen is in the starting lineup and Ivan Toney is finding the back of the net. Are Brentford about to pull away from the relegation battle? (22:50)Newcastle notched up another win at the weekend - have the improvements been the difference? Brighton were the team they beat - do they need a new striker? (27:38)Manchester City came out of the Manchester derby with every positive. A win, four goals and 69% of possession. Was anyone actually surprised, though? (38:42)Chelsea fans have been criticised for singing Roman Abramovich’s name during a minute’s applause for Ukraine. Has it been blown out of all proportion? (50:24)The first ever Ask Tony - where the former Chelsea and Republic of Ireland strikers gives us his thoughts on a range of topics (53:44)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Roddy, Jonathan Northcroft and Matt Lawton.Roman Abramovich is selling Chelsea but how easy will this be and how quickly does he want it done? The Times’ Chief Sports Correspondent Matt Lawton joins us after his detailed look into the situation in The Times (00:00)How did the Russian change the way English football is run and how will he be viewed once he leaves the sport completely?(18:10)Manchester United are still on the lookout for a new manager and with reports of a new name on the shortlist, The Times’ North East Correspondent Paul Hirst joins us (35:02)Bill Edgar looks into the history of scoreline in English football in The Times this week. We share our favourites, with one team in particular featuring in a lot of them! (54:50)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, Alyson Rudd and James Restall.Liverpool have won the first domestic trophy after one of the most exciting goalless draws you’ll ever see at Wembley. Was Thomas Tuchel to blame for their loss after putting too much pressure on Kepa and can Liverpool add to the silverware this season? (00:00)FIFA have been criticised for the action they’ve taken against Russia so far. The Times’ Chief Sports Reporter, Martyn Ziegler joins us to discuss the likely repercussions and what could happen next (26:44)Leeds have said an emotional goodbye to the man who got them back into the Premier League, Marcelo Bielsa. Was it the right decision or had he earned the right to leave when he chose to? (43:42)Handballs are the topic of conversation in the Premier League this weekend. Do we even know what the rules mean these days? Also, Christian Eriksen finally makes Brenford debut - but did Alyson cry? (1:02:37)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, Ian Hawkey and Jonathan Northcroft.Burnley are showing some fight - but can they avoid the drop and who is most likely to replace them in the bottom three? (00:00)After beating Manchester City at the weekend, how did Spurs end up losing the next game to Burnley? Following Antonio Conte’s comments after the match - what’s next for him and the club? (05:50)Leeds continue to drop down the table after a 6-0 loss at Liverpool. Do they need to go down to keep Marcelo Bielsa in the dugout? (21:18)Manchester United were once again dysfunctional. Is Anthony Elanga the one shining light of the Rangnick tenure? (31:00)Chelsea got the result they wanted against Lille without having to put Romelu Lukaku in the spotlight - does he start the League Cup final? (41:00)Aleksandar Mitrović has broken the Championship scoring record and it’s not even March - but is he good enough for the Premier League this time? (45:58)Two Manchester United legends are back in management with Paul Ince at Reading and Mark Hughes at League Two side, Bradford. Is the desire still there for them? (49:36)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, Alyson Rudd and Henry Winter.Tottenham grabbed an unexpected win at Manchester City on Saturday. Does the 3-2 victory mean the title race is back on, or is this just a minor bump in the road for City? (00:00)Henry Winter joins us after watching Manchester United beat Leeds at Elland Road with thoughts on whether Leeds can avoid being dragged into the bottom three and whether Manchester United are making progress (22:45)Some of the teams at the bottom of the table got good results this weekend, so how does the relegation battle look to be shaping up? (34:02)After Liverpool women’s player Meikayla Moore scored a perfect hat trick of own-goals for New Zealand on Sunday, we share our favourite unfortunate accolades in football (53:32)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke and Ian Hawkey.Liverpool struck late to gain a healthy 2-0 lead over Inter Milan going into the second leg of their Champions League tie. Surely that’s them through? (00:00)Manchester City are all but through too - so does this make them the favourites again? (7:11)Kylian Mbappé settled the first leg of PSG vs Real Madrid - but has he progressed from the title of ‘wonderkid’ yet and if not, what does he need to do to become world class? (15:29)The Times’ Constantin Eckner joins us from Munich to discuss Bayern’s shortcomings against RB Salzburg last night (19:22)The Times’ Chief Sports Reporter Martyn Ziegler has been looking into the mothballing of the Owner’s Charter. What’s next and could we see talk of the Super League returning? (26:22) The new-look Barcelona play in Europe tonight. How will their success in this tournament affect their summer plans? (30:35)Is the Europa League a better competition than the Champions League? Hugh tells us why he thinks it is! (36:59)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, Alyson Rudd and James Restall.It’s Valentine’s Day, so we’re showing some love to some of the clubs who don’t get a mention as often on the podcast.Wolves find themselves in the hunt for a European place in a season where many wrote them off. After a 2-0 win at Spurs on Sunday, what’s the secret to their success? (00:00)You can’t say Southampton don’t throw up entertaining performances - but can they change the way they play to tighten up some of the areas that let them down? (13:26)Brighton are ninth in the Premier League and while everyone jokes that they love a draw, they’ve been quietly getting results - the latest being a 2-0 win at Watford. How far can they go with Graham Potter in charge? (25:57)Newcastle look more likely to avoid the drop after a smart January transfer window - how have they pulled away from the bottom three and how much of a blow will Kieron Trippier’s injury be? (37:21)Chelsea are the Club World Champions - The Times’ Tom Roddy was there and joins us to discuss whether it’s actually much of an achievement when the European team wins (43:28)Kai Havertz is a Chelsea legend thanks to his winning goals in both the Club World Cup and the Champions League finals - but who are your club legends for individual moments when it mattered? (49:02)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, Matt Lawton and Jonathan Northcroft.The Times have investigated the rise in violence at football in the UK and the link to drug usage. Matt Lawton led the investigation and joins us to discuss his weekend with police in Nottingham (00:00)There’ve been some classic and exciting matches in the Premier League this week - The Times’ Chief Football Reporter, Henry Winter was at two of them and joins us to discuss Everton’s relegation worries and the six goal thriller between Aston Villa and Leeds (21:00)The fallout from the Kurt Zouma video continues as people question West Ham for including him in their starting line up on Tuesday evening. Did they play it right or should they have suspended the player while it’s looked into? (31:45)Norwich and Burnley both added to their relegation escape effort with a point - but have they left things too late? Manchester United still aren’t performing under Ralf Rangnick - have the players decided who they want instead of the German? (45:38)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke and Alyson Rudd.There were some shocks and some near-shocks in the FA Cup this weekend. Non-league Boreham Wood pulled off the biggest surprise with a win over Bournemouth and will face Everton. Could they keep the run going? (00:00)Plymouth took Chelsea to extra time and things could have been very different had Ryan Hardie scored his penalty. Kidderminster also came close against West Ham (9:21)Nottingham Forest took Leicester City apart at the City Ground. The Times’ Chief Football Reporter Henry Winter joins us to discuss what went wrong for Brendan Rodgers and why Forest are such a strong side under Steve Cooper (21:57)Middlesbrough’s win over Manchester United throws up a discussion over handballs and the quality of Chris Wilder teams (29:17)Harvey Elliott made his return for Liverpool in their 3-1 win over Cardiff and Hugh makes some big predictions over the rest of his 2022 (44:24)Mo Salah didn’t get to take a penalty in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations - which leads to the debate of ‘should your best player take your final penalty?’ (47:53)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke and Tom Roddy.Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has finally left Arsenal to sign for Barcelona. How well was his situation resolved at the Emirates? (00:00)Spurs have seen a number of incomings and outgoing - but was their January window enough for Antonio Conte to be satisfied? Which other clubs will be pleased with their dealings? (10:50)West Brom are looking for a new manager after Valerien Ismael’s departure. Steve Bruce has been linked with the job - but is he the best choice for the club? (22:35)Celtic have overtaken Rangers at the top of the Scottish Premiership after a 3-0 win on Wednesday night. The Times’ Scottish Reporter Michael Grant joins us to discuss the title race (36:14)Alyson Rudd joins us to discuss her exclusive interview with Brentford manager, Thomas Frank. Amongst other things, discussed the arrival of Christian Eriksen and his return to football (46:25)The FA Cup is back this weekend - which games standout to us and are there still potential upsets likely? (55:00)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, Alyson Clark and Tom Roddy.Frank Lampard is the new Everton manager, but who is the appointment better for? Him or the club? (00:00)We’re seeing a fair amount of transfer activity on Deadline Day. Spurs look to be one of the busiest teams - will Antonio Conte be happy? Have Liverpool done well in hijacking their deal for Luis Díaz? (15:08)The Times’ North-Eastern Reporter Martin Hardy joins us to discuss how successful Newcastle’s much-anticipated transfer window has gone (22:52)Sunderland have fired their manager Lee Johnson whilst sitting second in the League One table. Was this harsh on him? (35:48)While the Premier League had a break - there was still a lot of football over the weekend. We look at the big results and our favourite matches (43:12)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, James Restall and Jonathan Northcroft.Roy Hodgson has returned to management with Watford. Should he have been given the job instead of Claudio Ranieri in the first place? (00:00)Vitor Pereira did a television interview in the middle of having talks to become the new Everton manager - simply put, why? (15:02)We take a look at the current crop of young managers in the Championship with the likes of Nottingham Forest impressing under Steve Cooper and Wayne Rooney doing a remarkable job under tough circumstances at Derby County (21:36)We take a look at League One and James thinks he witnessed the worst game he’s ever seen - but which game was it? (37:44)With terrible games in the back of our minds (thanks to James) we end with the most boring games we’ve ever been unlucky enough to witness (48:35)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft, Tom Clarke and Alyson Rudd sit down with Matt Lawton to discuss his article in The Times on Derby County's future.What's actually going on behind the scenes?How much money do they owe?Who is to blame for their demise?How realistic are their chances of survival?Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke and Alyson Rudd.Norwich have surprised many recently - not just our journalists - and are out of the relegation zone. Can they keep up the great escape? (00:00)Watford are one of the bottom three and it isn’t look good for them. What are their chances and will Everton get dragged into a relegation battle? (10:29)Martin Hardy joins us to discuss the latest at Newcastle. The team have flown to Saudi Arabia for warm-weather training - but what’s going on behind the scenes and will we see more incomings (14:45)Chelsea got one over on Spurs again - but is the race for fourth place any clearer? (27:35)VAR has once again thrown up some interesting talking points over the weekend - should there be a referee at Stockley Park? (48:52)Derby County’s situation isn’t a pretty one. Matt Lawton joins us to look at just how serious their financial situation is and what’s likely to happen next (54:40)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, Ian Hawkey and Tom Roddy.Spurs showed some fight as they shocked Leicester City at the King Power on Wednesday night. Is this the biggest sign so far that Antonio Conte’s side are most likely to take fourth place (00:00)Cristiano Ronaldo was less than impressed with being substituted against Brentford. Does that show passion and desire or is it a sign that he views Manchester United as Ronaldo FC? (11:26)The Premier League have announced they’ll review how games are postponed going forward - the Times’ Martyn Ziegler joins us to discuss the latest (24:48)Graham Potter is continuously linked with other Premier League jobs, but is the Brighton manager likely to jump ship any time soon? (32:32)Fabrice Muamba joins us to discuss Christian Eriksen’s impending return to football and whether he thinks it’s a wise choice to play on (42:08)Ian Hawkey brings us the latest from Spain with the big three clubs linked with a range of transfers during this window (50:22)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.