The Game

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Jonathan Northcroft.We’ve got one all-English European final with Chelsea and Manchester City facing-off in the Champions League - how did Guardiola and Tuchel get their sides there and should the game be moved to England? (00:00)We’ve seen a huge fallout in Spain, not so much over Real Madrid’s loss to Chelsea - but Eden Hazard’s post-match laughing and joking with his former teammates. Was he out of line at Stamford Bridge? (27:48)Derby County and Sheffield Wednesday go into a big weekend with both sides sweating over their Championship status for next season. Which side would suffer the most from a trip into League One and what’s next for Wayne Rooney? (33:44)Home fans will return for the last two Premier League matches of the season. Is it fair on away sides to let 10,000 people or 25% of the stadium’s capacity, suddenly return? (50:19)Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Matt Dickinson.The Times’ Paul Hirst joins us to discuss the reasons behind the Manchester United fans protest that saw their Premier League game at home to Liverpool postponed on Sunday. What will happen next at the club and is there any likely response from the Glazers? (00:00)The discussion continues with the wider impact of owners running clubs as businesses first and do fans’ morals change when it comes to having spending power? (12:30)After a thrilling Women’s Champions League semi final between Chelsea and Bayern Munich, The Times’ Molly Hudson joins us with lots to say about Emma Hayes’ side (38:02)Following Peterborough’s unlikely comeback to win promotion against Lincoln, we end with our favourite last-minute heartbreaks - including a calamitous night in Atletico Madrid’s history (48:48)Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Jonathan Northcroft and Ian Hawkey.There’s a big possibility we could see an all-English Champions League final. Which players stood out in the semi-final first legs and which stars could be showing signs of fading? Did Pep Guardiola overthink the game against PSG and were the French side too reliant on Neymar? (00:00)After a tough season for Liverpool - will we see any drastic changes at the club? Does Jurgen Klopp still have the owners’ trust? (29:21)With rumours Marcelo could miss out on Real Madrid’s trip to Stamford Bridge because he’s been called up to monitor a polling station during local elections - we finish with the best reasons players (or teams) have missed a game! (40:55)Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Roddy and Alyson Rudd.Manchester City secured their first trophy of the season on Sunday - but did Spurs make it easy for them at Wembley? Does that performance make Ryan Mason’s appointment even more puzzling? Is this the deciding moment in Harry Kane’s future? (00:00)We saw more protests at club owners over the weekend, largely following the failed Super League plan - but what do fans want from the ideal owner? What do the clubs owners need to do to reconnect with the fans? Will Arsenal have a new owner in the short term after Spotify founder, Daniel Ek threw his name into the takeover mix? (21:15)English football has announced a 3-day social media blackout to highlight the abuse and discrimination online. What will this achieve and does this kind of response give the trolls a sense of victory? What other methods could be used to eradicate this more effectively? (41:13)Chelsea and Manchester City have Champions League semi-finals coming up this week - but who has a better chance of making the final? What are the chances of an all-English final and will Olivier Giroud have the last laugh once again? (47:13)Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and James Restall.Did the owners of proposed Super League clubs actually think their plan would work? Has the power shifted as a result of this failed breakaway league? Does Boris Johnson actually care or did he get involved for his own benefit? (00:00)The Times’ Chief Football Writer Henry Winter joins us to add his thoughts on the last few days in the game. Now The Super League is seemingly dead, does the threat of the big owners looking to line their own pockets go away? Will the six Premier League clubs involved ever have full trust of their fans again? (22:43)We discuss the latest Champions League reforms - with more teams, a new format and a lot of critics (34:26)Looking ahead to the League Cup Final on Sunday - did Jose Mourinho at least deserve to lead Spurs out for the final he got them to? Was Ryan Mason the first choice to lead Tottenham until the end of the season? And West Ham host Chelsea at the weekend in a game that could be massive for the race for the final Champions League place - but can the Hammers keep up their good form? (48:14)Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Matt Dickinson.As football makes all the headlines with the proposed Super League causing massive controversy, the man who broke the story - The Times’ Chief Sports Writer Martyn Ziegler - joins us to discuss how it came about and what the clubs who’ve signed up are hoping to get from it (00:00)We look at the wider implications of the proposal and how fans have reacted - with leagues, players and even Governments having their say on whether it’s the future of the sport or yet another greedy move by rich club owners (13:16)As the show was recorded, we got news that the manager of one of the clubs involved in the Super League - Jose Mourinho had been removed from his position at Tottenham. Was this a result of the proposal or a case of smart timing by Daniel Levy? (38:15)We end with the good work a potential candidate to replace Jose - Brendan Rodgers - has been doing as Leicester set up a League Cup Final against Chelsea. Also - how will the rest of Manchester City’s season go now they’re not playing for the quadruple? (48:41)Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Roddy and Jonathan Northcroft.Chelsea and Manchester City will represent the Premier League in the semi finals of the Champions League. Can City finally win the trophy they’ve been missing and will their season be seen as a failure if they only win the Premier League? (00:00)Gary Neville has encouraged players to run their own social media after Phil Foden’s social team posted a taunt aimed at Kylian Mbappé that was quickly deleted. Should players look to be more authentic online and which players are making a positive impact on social pages? (21:13)Chelsea will have to topple Spanish giants Real Madrid if they’re to make the Champions League final. What are their chances given Real’s history in the competition? Does Chelsea’s record in reaching the semi-finals of the competition give them the upper hand? (28:32)Slavia Prague’s Ondřej Kúdela has been handed a 10 match ban for racially abusing Rangers’ Glen Kamara in a Europa League match in March. Kamara was handed a 3 match ban for assaulting Kúdela in the tunnel. Does this punishment actually change anything going forward and should the club see more of a comeback from this? (37:40)We end with our favourite red cards following Ukraine’s Natiya Pantsulaya somewhat cynical dismissal against Northern Ireland in their Euro 2022 qualification playoff (50:16)Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Matt Dickinson and Alyson Rudd.Which teams are out of the Champions League running following the weekend? Could Jesse Lingard be in the running for player of the season? Why do Manchester United need to go behind to pull out performances like the second half against Spurs? (00:00)It’s not VAR under the microscope, but the actual human decisions using the technology. James Tarkowski’s challenge against Newcastle causes a difference of opinions between our panel and how does that go unpunished while Spurs had a goal chalked off against Manchester United? (17:32)Leeds provided the big Premier League shock of the weekend with a win at Manchester City - but where do the club go from here? How do they avoid the same fate as Sheffield United as teams work out how to play against them? What do they do if Marcelo Bielsa leaves? (33:53)The race for the Championship playoff places is hotting up, with Barnsley in the mix after a remarkable season at Oakwell. Brentford missed out on promotion last season - is this season their time? Can Bournemouth or Reading afford not to go up this season, given their massive wage bills? (41:16)Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, James Restall and Jonathan Northcroft.Chelsea came away from their Champions League quarter final first leg with a two goal lead, but there are still questions over their German summer recruits. Are Kai Havertz and Timo Werner running out of time? Liverpool have it all to do in their second leg back at Anfield after a lacklustre performance at Real Madrid - but are people wrong to write them off? (00:00)Manchester City also go into their second leg tie against Borussia Dortmund with an advantage. Eyes were on Erling Haaland, but was another young star the pick of the talent on show? (18:09)The Times’ Chief Football Writer Henry Winter joins the conversation to discuss the young English talent we’ve seen in the Champions League this week and get his opinion on whether Gareth Southgate is any closer knowing how to include them in his England squad for the Euros (32:35)Rebecca Welch made history by taking charge of a men’s league match on Monday. Sunny and Bhupinder Gill will become the first Asian brothers to officiate in the same game the coming weekend. We discuss how these role models can help improve the diversity of match officials (43:54)After Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting replaced the injured Robert Lewandowski in PSG’s tie against Bayern Munich, we end with our favourite questionable stand-ins (49:47)Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Alyson Rudd. The Premier League returned after the international break and so did the surprise results.. or were they a surprise? Are West Brom hard to play against because they have nothing to lose? Did Chelsea show signs of the Chelsea of old? What on earth happened to Spurs? (00:00)Liverpool have now won three games in a row - will their Premier League form lead to them saving their season by winning the Champions League? Are Real Madrid as fearsome as they used to be in Europe? (22:07)Manchester City and Chelsea are England’s other hopes of European glory - we rate their chances and contemplate whether Pep Guardiola might be telling us the truth when it comes to their transfer budget this summer (31:21)We end with our favourite passionate press conferences after Real Sociedad manager Imanol Alguacil gave his vocal chords a workout following their Copa del Rey triumph (47:54)Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Roddy and Jonathan Northcroft. As Sergio Aguero announces he’s leaving Manchester City in the summer after a decade at the Etihad - where does he rank in the table of greatest Premier League strikers and who could replace him? (00:00)Scotland had a positive international break - our Scottish duo break down the progress they’re making under Steve Clarke ahead of the Euros (13:45)England won all three qualifiers in this international break - but are the performances worth celebrating? Which players have played themselves into Gareth Southgate’s Euro squad and who could miss out? (27:23)After calling the England U21’s job ‘impossible’ - is it impossible to see a way back for manager Aidy Boothroyd? Are games at this level preparing the players for the senior team or are they being set up for failure? (39:05)After Germany’s embarrassing loss to North Macedonia, we recall our favourite World Cup shocks (58:48)Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Alyson Rudd. Gareth Southgate’s formation against Albania gets the England conversation started, particularly in defence. The stats are strongly in James Ward-Prowse’s favour for a surprise role in the side, but will it happen? Has Jordan Henderson’s makeshift defensive role for Liverpool affected his England chances of starting for his country? The Times’ Irish Football Reporter Paul Rowan joins us to discuss Ireland’s disappointing loss to Luxembourg over the weekend and where they go from here. After Thierry Henry quit social media in protest over how the platforms deal with abuse, we discuss whether other high profile names doing the same would cause change. We end recalling some of our favourite footballing tantrums after Cristiano Ronaldo’s minor meltdown for Portugal. Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Roddy and Jonathan Northcroft. Norway’s players protested against the human rights record in Qatar before their first World Cup qualifier last night, so we look at whether footballers should feel the burden is on them to speak out or whether bigger gestures are needed. This week, the BBC documentary ‘Football's Darkest Secret’ aired, looking into the child abuse scandal in football. We discuss the bravery shown by those who came forward and what needs to happen next to ensure this never happens again. Gareth Southgate says his England squad are discussing whether they wish to take the knee going forward and will make a unified decision. Could we see a player kneel during the national anthem and how would that be received? Cesare Prandelli left his job at Fiorentina this week citing his mental health in a remarkable open letter to fans. We look at the positive impact this could have on other people involved in the game. We end by looking at players who perform better for their country than their club. Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Matt Dickinson. After the defeat at Brighton, Steve Bruce remains defiant at Newcastle but have things become too personal? Do the Magpies stand a better chance of survival with a different person in charge? Leicester City impressed in the FA Cup - are they proper contenders and no longer living the ‘fairytale’? Spurs bounced back from their Europa League disappointment with a win at Villa - but is it the beginning of the end for Jose? Women’s football is set for a huge boost with a landmark TV deal - will this take the women’s game to the next level in the UK? With the World Cup qualifiers coming up and some interesting squad selections from Gareth Southgate, we look at which players need to impress the England manager in the coming days. To celebrate the beginning of spring, save fifty percent on full digital access to The Times and The Sunday Times for six months and stay well informed on the latest stories: thetimes.co.uk/sale/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Molly Hudson. With eight teams left in the Champions League draw, we work out our dream draw and which teams are most likely to go all the way this season. The Times’ European Football Correspondent Ian Hawkey joins us to talk all things Real Madrid which leads to a sharing of our favourite Los Blancos memories. Molly brings us the latest from the women’s game with the Champions League last eight draw decided and Fran Kirby back on form for Chelsea. This episode was recorded before Gareth Southgate announced his England squad for the World Cup qualifiers. We weight up the potential inclusions and what level of success he needs to achieve at the Euros to be deemed a success. Scotland are also preparing for the delayed tournament and Gregor has some thoughts on who he’d like to see in the squad. The conversation turns to switching allegiance and whether the current rules protect the smaller nations. We end the episode picking that one player from another nation that we would have loved to sneak into our national team. To celebrate the beginning of spring, save fifty percent on full digital access to The Times and The Sunday Times for six months and stay well informed on the latest stories: thetimes.co.uk/sale/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Roddy and Alyson Rudd. False nines are becoming more and more common, so are they here to stay? Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was dropped for their win against Spurs on Sunday - is there a leadership problem at the club? On the pitch, should Arsenal’s winning penalty have been awarded? As Chris Wilder departs - what are the problems off the pitch at Sheffield United? Sunderland have finally broken their Wembley jinx - is the future bright at the Stadium of Light? Kelechi Iheanacho scored his first hat trick against Sheffield United - is this the start of him achieving his full potential? Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Jonathan Northcroft. There’ll be no Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo in the Champions League quarter finals this season - will either ever win another European trophy? Manchester United have restructured their positions above Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s head - what impact will this have on their performances? It’s 20 years since Daniel Levy took over at Tottenham, but what will his legacy be? Barnsley are in the Championship playoff places, they’ve just been held to a draw after 7 straight wins - what’s the secret at Oakwell? Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Matt Dickinson. The Times’ Scottish Football Correspondent joins us from the off to discuss Rangers’ title win after a long journey back from the fourth tier of Scottish football. Steven Gerrard has impressed massively north of the border, but could he soon make his way to the north west? Fulham became the latest team to topple Liverpool at Anfield as the defending champions’ home form stretches to six losses in a row. How far is Scott Parker’s stock rising with this return to form? It seems like every episode this season has included a conversation on VAR and this is no different with the latest handball change. Manchester United won the derby, but was Luke Shaw the real winner after his MOTM performance? Is he now England’s best choice in that position for the Euros? We look at what your team’s best or worst run of form, given Manchester City’s 21 games unbeaten and Liverpool’s current plight at Anfield. Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Jonathan Northcroft. Leicester City and Manchester United both dropped points last night, so we start by taking a look at the race for the top 4. Which teams have run out of steam? Who has more to get out of their squad in the run-in? How will it finish? The international break is coming up - will it be a well-needed break for some teams and a selection headache for others? Could we be heading for a club vs country row? The surprise bid for the 2030 World Cup is up for discussion - but is it just a distraction from the Government? Newcastle are looking like the most likely team to drop into the bottom three, especially with Fulham unbeaten in 5 games. Can Steve Bruce turn things around and with reports of a training ground bust-up, has he got the support of the players? Alyson Rudd joins us to pay tribute to the late Ian St John. Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Tom Roddy. We delve into the world of football conspiracy theories, which seem to be increasing while we’re all sitting at home! Surely the transparency of VAR discredits some of the more believable theories? Ole Gunnar Solskjær referred to an article on the Chelsea website potentially influencing the referee - is this one of the most baffling claims we’ve heard!? After another weekend with more baffling confusion between VAR and referees - are the officials losing control? Brighton are slowly drifting down the table - are they sleepwalking towards relegation? One of the teams to have taken 3 points home from the AMEX are Crystal Palace - should Roy Hodgson get another contract? You can read Tom Roddy’s article on football analyst Jack Lyons and his route into the game thanks to Brendan Rodgers - he gives us more around the piece and we ask our resident former pro, Gregor Robertson what part these roles play in modern teams. After Dean Smith banned his players from playing Fantasy Football, Alyson Rudd enlightens us with her thoughts on the matter and why she thinks it should be banned all together! Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Tom Roddy. Neil Lennon has finally parted company with Celtic after a disastrous season in the Scottish Premiership - but was it his decision? The Times’ Scottish Football Correspondent, Michael Grant joins us to give us the inside view from north of the border as we debate who could be the best fit to replace him. It’s an age-old discussion, but do Scottish teams need to join the English league system to compete going forward? We take a look at the knockout stages of the Champions League as Chelsea and Manchester City both got wins in the past couple of days - but can anyone match Bayern Munich this season? After Pep Guardiola’s ‘brave’ Manchester City-emblazoned jacket made an appearance, we recount the worst fashion faux-pas in football history. Remember the Manchester United ‘lads on the town’ look? Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Matt Dickinson. Things are looking good for Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea, but after the Callum Hudson-Odoi incident at the weekend - is he too abrasive for the club? On that note, is there anything more humiliating on the pitch than being substituted as a substitute? Our resident ex-pro gives us his insight on the matter. Things are going less well for Jose Mourinho at Spurs following another loss, this time to West Ham. Is it time for him to change his approach and go all out? Alyson still thinks Gareth Bale is a myth, despite his sudden return to form. West Ham are currently in the Champions League places, but are they entertaining and is anyone taking their silent quest for Europe seriously? Fulham are on the charge and look more likely to stay up - but will they? Sheffield United look all but down, Gregor sets out his argument for keeping his former boss, Chris Wilder in charge at Bramall Lane no matter what. Bournemouth and Bristol City have new short-term managers - are they the right choices for each club’s needs? Following the Merseyside derby, we pick which style of manager we’d prefer out of ’stubborn’ Jurgen Klopp or ‘practical’ Carlo Ancelotti. Have a guess who Alyson chooses.. Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Roddy and Jonathan Northcroft. The Champions League is back - Kylian Mbappé turned it on in Messi’s back yard and Erling Braut Haaland blew Sevilla away - is this the moment the next generation take over? Are Mbappé and Haaland the new Messi and Ronaldo? The Times’ European Football Correspondent, Ian Hawkey joins the conversation to give his insight into current situations at Barcelona and PSG. We play fantasy football to place world-beating players into curveball sides - Mbappé to Leicester City anyone? Referee Darren Drysdale has been charged with improper conduct by the FA after appearing to square up to Ipswich’s Alan Judge in their game against Northampton this week. Gregor gives us his unique insight as a former player and questions whether it’s any surprise an official has finally reacted to player pressure. The Merseyside derby comes around again this weekend with both sides in need of a win - could we see a classic at Anfield? Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Tom Roddy. While people focus on the Manchester clubs and City’s lead at the top of the table, Leicester City have quietly gone about their business with some impressive results. How much will they miss James Justin after his injury and will they finish in the top 4? Liverpool have seen their season drift and after three losses in a row, remarkably some fans have been suggesting it’s time up for Jurgen Klopp. He’s dealt with personal grief this past week with the loss of his mother, could the German take some time off while lockdown restrictions allow him to be with his family back home? VAR, one again causes some debate between the panel - do we need to see the lines and should something similar to ‘umpire’s call’ in cricket be tested? Fulham pulled off an impressive win over Everton on Sunday - is there any hope of survival for Scott Parker’s side? We discuss the worst pieces of club merchandise after Spurs’ less-than-inspiring range of Carabao Cup final tat and end with our favourite misquotes, after we mis-quoted our very own Jonathan Northcroft on the last episode! Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Jonathan Northcroft and Tom Clarke. There have been some weird football matches in the FA Cup this week. Some beyond dull, some 9-goal thrillers (see Everton vs Tottenham) and some featuring youth players who may never play for the first team again. Today, we ask - what’s up with the Cup? Are the players tired and not up for the games and should the competition have just been rested for this extraordinary season? What’s up with Donny Van Der Beek? He’s not shown any signs of being the player he was touted as - does he just not fit at Manchester United or does he just need time? Mike Dean and Lee Mason won’t be involved in the Premier League this weekend, but the bigger issue is the abuse that lead to this decision. How do football authorities and social media companies tackle this problem and have referees lost control? The bottom three of the Premier League hasn’t changed for a long time - are those teams doomed? We end with our favourite impact substitutions in honour of Daniel Amokachi’s heroics in the FA Cup back in 1995. Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Matt Dickinson and Tom Clarke. Liverpool’s title hopes look all but over following the defeat to Manchester City - but what’s gone wrong? Are they bad Champions and should some blame be put on manager, Jurgen Klopp? On the other hand, Manchester City have been in scintillating form - are they nailed on to win the Premier League this season? Has Pep Guardiola’s precise and patient development of Phil Foden created a generational talent and could his club form continue for England at the Euros? Harry Kane is back and instantly Tottenham’s fortunes improve - but could he be about to face the biggest decision of his career in order to win a trophy? If Kane was to leave - who would be the buyer? As the Culture Secretary promises new laws to make social media companies have more responsibility to tackle online abuse - we discuss the recent racial abuse aimed at footballers. Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Jonathan Northcroft and James Restall. Southampton were reacquainted with an old friend - the 9-0 loss . What did we learn about Ralf Hasenhuttl’s side and what does this tell us about Manchester United’s title aspirations? Another week in the Premier League gives us more questionable VAR decisions to discuss. Were Jan Bednarek and David Luiz unfairly dismissed and is there a good argument for another rule change? Leeds United have been entertaining so far this season, but are they showing too many signs of recklessness? The Time’s Paul Joyce joins us to give us a behind-the-scenes look at Liverpool’s deadline day dealings as Ozan Kabak and Ben Davies were added to their squad. Manchester City have won their last 13 games in all competitions - how will the defending champions get on against them on Sunday? Brighton have beaten Spurs and Liverpool in the space of a few days - is Graham Potter the most unflustered Premier League manager ever? Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Alyson Rudd. Liverpool’s ‘crisis’ doesn’t seem too serious if this past weekend’s result is anything to go by - are they back to their best? Has Jurgen Klopp’s positivity been the key to the turnaround in their fortunes? Tottenham’s form is going in the opposite direction - do Jose Mourinho’s tactics make sense? Is the loss of Harry Kane to blame? Gareth Bale still hasn’t shown signs of being a worthwhile signing for Spurs - will he ever get up to speed? Former Marseille striker and Times columnist, Tony Cascarino joins us to talk about his experiences of the extreme fans at the Ligue 1 side amid recent tension. Patrick Bamford and Eberechi Eze continue to impress in the Premier League, leading to a discussion around the best players to make that step up from the EFL. On transfer deadline day, we finish with those players we’d love to see announced for our clubs and players who could be on the move in the Premier League. Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Tom Roddy. United won at Old Trafford last night, but not the United anyone really expected. Is this the start of a miraculous escape for Sheffield United and what went wrong for Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s side? Arsenal are next for Manchester United on Saturday and with the momentum behind them, will Mikel Arteta’s team get a result at the Emirates? Thomas Tuchel has already taken his first game for Chelsea - are the squad in for a culture shock under the German manager? What does the future hold for the young players at the club? Burnley came from behind to win against Aston Villa in possibly the best Premier League game this week - do they deserve more credit for their stubbornness? Sean Dyche loves to compare the cost of their squad with their opponents - does he deserve more backing in the transfer market? Martin Ødegaard has come into the Arsenal squad still looking to fulfil his potential - can Mikel Arteta unlock his talent? We end looking at other young players who were hyped in their teenage years and how their careers have gone since. Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Alyson Rudd. Liverpool are out of the FA Cup and off the pace in the Premier League - are the wheels starting to wobble for Jurgen Klopp’s side? After consistently playing midfielders in defence - are the defending champions in dire need of defensive reinforcements or can they ride it out? Phil Foden continues to impress for Manchester City while at Leicester, James Maddison is back to his best. Can England become a creative force with the two exciting, young players? Frank Lampard’s departure from Chelsea was announced while this episode was being recorded. Is this another example of Chelsea being impatient or did the club have to make the change to get more out of their summer signings? What next for Frank Lampard - will we see him managing in the Premier League again? We end with the Final Word, which takes a look at the possibility of a European Super League. Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Roddy and Jonathan Northcroft. Chelsea have won two out of the last eight Premier League matches - is their form finally leading to serious questions over Frank Lampard’s future? Should the club legend leave Stamford Bridge, who could be in line to replace him? Across London, West Ham are seeing somewhat of a resurgence under David Moyes. After losing Sébastien Haller without replacement, is under-investment going to hamper their further development? Robert Snodgrass didn’t play in the Hammers’ match against West Brom this week due to a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ between the clubs - were rules broken and should anyone be punished? Paul Pogba was the hero for Manchester United in their win over Fulham - is he finally showing his potential in a United shirt and will he still be there next season? Aston Villa were left feeling frustrated by Manchester City’s questionable goal on Wednesday night - is this another ludicrous rule in football that should be changed? Phil Neville has moved Stateside to take over at Inter Miami. Has his decision damaged the women’s game and was he a success with the Lionesses? Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Matt Dickinson. Liverpool vs Manchester United was the predictable goalless draw a lot envisaged but was it a missed opportunity for Ole Gunnar Solskjær? Liverpool haven’t scored in their last three Premier League matches - are the players tiring at the same time? Leicester and Southampton entertained, but what does the rest of the season look like for two of the best-coached sides in the league? Chelsea are the next visitors to the King Power on Tuesday evening - did we learn anything from their slender victory over Fulham at the weekend? As Mesut Özil looks to be finally on his way out of Arsenal - is it a fond farewell or good riddance? Tanguy Ndombele scored a goal that should be filed under ‘Screamer’ at the weekend, so we share our favourite stunning goals from outside the box. Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Jonathan Northcroft. Tottenham have once again dropped points from a winning position - is Jose’s cautious style at fault? Would Spurs winning the League Cup buy Mourinho more time to win the fans over? Has Gareth Bale been worth the money they’re paying him when he’s just sitting on the bench every week? The Times’ North-east writer Martin Hardy joins us to talk about the problems at Newcastle after their loss to bottom side, Sheffield United. Is Steve Bruce the man to try and pick them up or has the job ground him down too much? The Premier League have written to clubs reminding them about Covid protocols after recent breaches - should players avoid celebrating goals? If players have tested negative, surely everything on the field should be left unchanged? Manchester United are top of the league, but can they go all the way? We preview their next game against a well-rested Liverpool and round things off by discussing who the best English manager is - following Pep Guardiola’s praise of Graham Potter. There’s a slight curveball brought to the table..Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Matt Dickinson. The FA Cup third round threw up some shocks, but was the third round as special without fans packed into grounds? Gregor was at the game as Leeds were humbled by Crawley Town, so no one was better placed to explain what went wrong for Marcelo Bielsa’s side. Positive Covid test results have given us a chance to see a lot more of a number of younger players - but how many of them will we see again? Marine didn’t get the result they dreamed of, but with their virtual tickets they did secure a huge financial boost for the club’s future. Dele Alli was given a rare start against the non-league side, but will he remain at Spurs past the end of January? Could Mauricio Pochettino’s arrival at PSG add fuel to the fire that he could move to the French capital? Recent flouting of the guidelines has again called into question whether football should continue during the lockdown. Are further rules going to ruin the game? We end by discussing - how far would you go for your football club?Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Jonathan Northcroft. Manchester United fall short at the semi-finals again, but what stopped them making the final this time? Manchester City are looking everything United wish they were at the back - are John Stones and Rúben Dias the best centre back pairing in the Premier League? Now the teams are decided, how will Guardiola vs Mourinho go down in the Carabao Cup final? The PFA have announced they’ll start testing EFL clubs twice a week from Monday - but why only now? Should the criteria for postponing games remain the same and is there a real risk the FA Cup could be cancelled completely? As John Stones is back in form and starting for Manchester City, the team end this episode by picking their favourite footballing comebacks.Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Matt Dickinson and Tom Roddy. Happy New Year! Hopefully football gets back to it’s best in 2021 - and it looks like Manchester City are finding form again. Is this the turning point for Manchester City? On the receiving end of Pep Guardiola’s masterclass were Chelsea - with their poor form, should Frank Lampard be starting to get worried? After several Premier League players broke social distancing rules over the festive period - how should we react as fans and should the FA get involved? Things fail to improve for Sheffield United after another pointless weekend - are Sheffield United one of the most unique clubs in Premier League history? Hugh thinks Mauricio Pochettino joining PSG is a pointless appointment and he’s not afraid to tell you why and the team remember the best football failures after Timo Werner’s impressive corner flag routine at the weekend!Get your digital subscription to The Times half price for 6 months: thetimes.co.uk/thegame (ends 05/01/21) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Tom Clarke. Liverpool once again end the calendar year on top of the Premier League, but not with the final two results they’d have hoped for. What’s causing the stutter to their season? After another cancellation in the Premier League - are we heading towards a fixture nightmare thanks to the new variant of Covid-19 and are teams being treated equally when it comes to postponements? After one of the strangest years ever, we bring you the end of year awards including a heated debate about ‘Manager of the Year’ and The Times’ stat-man Bill Edgar asks the questions with his special end-of-year quiz of 2020!Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Matt Dickinson. Chelsea haven’t had a great festive period - are they complacent or are there other issues that need resolving? Why does Frank Lampard keep playing Timo Werner out of position when it’s clear it’s not working for the German striker? Arsenal benefitted from Chelsea’s problems but how do they build on this win? After the initial promise, Spurs’ title challenge has faltered with their style of play coming in for a lot of criticism - are the Tottenham fans right to be frustrated with Jose Mourinho’s approach? Spurs weren’t the only side to drop points this past weekend - Big Sam worked his magic at Anfield once again as West Brom took a point against Liverpool. Is this the start of their survival bid? After yet another weekend of VAR decisions, where are we at with the technology at this stage in the season and are the people operating it good enough? Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Jonathan Northcroft. Leicester upset Jose on Sunday and everything is starting to click - but how long can their good form last? While people over-indulge - do footballers actually enjoy Christmas? Our resident former pro gives his take on what it’s like to be a player during the festival period. A year on from Carlo Ancelotti’s arrival at Goodison Park - have Everton got what it takes to be a top four side? Leeds lost 6-2 to Manchester United yet both teams were praised - is it acceptable to love something in sport unconditionally, especially in the case of Marcelo Bielsa’s side? Nuno Espirito Santo came out and made some strong claims about the quality of refereeing in their loss to Burnley - was he just deflecting his disappointment at the result? The last episode before Christmas ends on a positive note with our reasons to be cheerful - including how close the top half of the Premier League table is this year and how having sport while we’re all in this situation can’t be taken for granted.Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Jonathan Northcroft. Did the best team win as Liverpool and Tottenham swapped places after last night's match at Anfield? Slaven Bilić is out and Sam Allardyce is in - but was this the right decision for West Brom? The Times’ Chief Sports Correspondent, Matt Lawton drops in to tell us how the story broke before their game at Manchester City. Leeds United continue to be involved in thrilling matches - are they the most entertaining team promoted to the Premier League? Norwich have won their last four Championship games 2-1, so we end with the panel’s most predictable things to happen in football.Get your digital subscription to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Alyson Rudd. Fans continue to trickle back into stadiums, but has the 12th man shown any advantage to teams in Tier 2? Arsenal’s poor run continued with a loss at home to Burnley - is Mikel Arteta starting to show the signs of a manager under pressure? Fabinho’s non-penalty gets The Game VAR treatment with mixed opinions and it leads to a bigger discussion on whether this season is actually any good!? The Final Word takes a look at footballers hugging after matches - should opponents be interacting like this on the pitch!?During the recording of this podcast, we heard the sad news that former Liverpool and Aston Villa manager, Gérard Houllier had passed away. Alyson Rudd shares her favourite memory of the man she worked with, while she reported on Liverpool during his time at the club.Subscribe to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A bonus episode, originally appearing in the Stories of our times feed.All this week, rainbow coloured bootlaces and armbands are being worn by football players nationwide. This is to mark the Premier League's annual 'rainbow laces' campaign in support of the LGBT+ community. As well as being a celebration of inclusion, the campaign serves as a reminder of the absence of openly gay professional male footballers in the sport. Why is this still the case?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.Guest: Rebecca is a sports reporter and feature writer for the Times and Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana. Clips used: Football Daily, Kick It Out, BBC Three, ITV. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Tom Roddy. Manchester United have crashed out of the Champions League after a poor showing in Leipzig - is time finally up for Ole Gunnar Solskjær or should United fans have lower expectations? On the subject of United - is Paul Pogba worth the hassle? Sticking in Manchester and with the derby coming up - how are City getting on so far and how important is Sergio Agüero fitness to their success? With Millwall and QPR coming together in solidarity and the events in the Champions League in the week, the discussion on racism continues and Matt Dickinson joins to share his memories of Paolo Rossi after his sad passing at the age of 64. The team pick their favourite ever World Cup golden boot winners since Italy’s World Cup 1982 hero.Subscribe to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Matt Dickinson. Mikel Arteta going back to Arsenal as manager was meant to be the romantic appointment in North London, but it’s Jose Mourinho that’s falling in love with his club. Why are Spurs players buying into his methods and are they happy in the process? How do Millwall deal with the section of fans who chose to boo players taking the knee at the weekend? And with VAR studying fouls in the box more than ever - are players encouraged to go down on contact and is that unsportsmanlike?Subscribe to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Tom Roddy. The day after limited numbers of fans returned to select games in the EFL, Hugh and Tom share their experience of Wycombe vs Stoke. Oliver Giroud scored the perfect hattrick, then won and scored a penalty for Chelsea against Sevilla - but is he more than a good substitute? Aside from that, should a World Cup winner be happy playing a bit-part rule at Chelsea? The new rules applying to football clubs after Brexit are out - what impact will it have on the clubs? And a year on from Unai Emery’s sacking - are Arsenal in a better place heading into this weekend’s North London derby?Subscribe to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and James Restall. Edinson Cavani came off the bench to turn Manchester United’s day around, but now faces potential FA action over and ill-judged social media post - do clubs have a duty of care to educate their players on cultural differences? As Raul Jimenez suffers a fractured skull in Wolves’ win at Arsenal - why is football lagging behind other sports when it comes to head injury protocol? Sheffield United are breaking all of the wrong records in a disastrous start to the season - should they stick with Chris Wilder? Was Jurgen Klopp bringing the game into disrepute with his outburst following Liverpool’s game at Brighton, or was he just using his profile to highlight the frustration with fixture scheduling? Subscribe to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Jonathan Northcroft and Matt Dickinson to pay tribute to Diego Maradona, who died on Wednesday at the age of 60. An infamous World Cup winner in 1986, who inspired Napoli to become a double title-winners against all the odds before publicly struggling with his demons off the pitch - we celebrate The Golden Kid.We also get the mood in South America with The Times’ Latin America Correspondent, Stephen Gibbs and in Naples, with the Times’ Italy Correspondent, Tom Kington.Subscribe to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Matt Dickinson. Spurs are top of the Premier League table - are things coming together for Jose? Manchester City are way off the pace in the title race already - what’s going wrong for Pep? Did Arsenal make an expensive mistake with Nicolas Pepe? Liverpool look impressive despite the injuries and what constitutes a handball these days!?Subscribe to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Jonathan Northcroft. The Scottish celebrations continue despite missing out on Nations League promotion and what did we learn from England’s dead rubber against Iceland? John Terry and Wayne Rooney are strong contenders for the Derby County job - but could they do the job at Pride Park? Today marks a decade since Venky’s took charge of Blackburn - have they learned from their initial mistakes ten years on? The team end by discussing the most loved club owners in the top four leagues.Subscribe to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Alyson Rudd. England’s defeat to Belgium seems a lot more of a positive thing than the scoreline suggests - but why? Does Gareth Southgate know his best line up with only a handful of games left until Euro 2020? The team share their memories and pay tribute to the late Ray Clemence, who passed away on Sunday aged 72. The Times’ Scottish Football Correspondent, Michael Grant joins the conversation to discuss Scotland’s EURO2020 qualification and the panel pick their favourite penalty save in honour of David Marshall!Subscribe to The Times and get a month free: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.