The Game

Gregor Robertson, Tony Cascarino and Alyson Rudd join Tom Clarke for the Monday edition of ‘The Game.’The postmortem on Man Utd v Brighton takes centre stage. Brighton were brilliant, a well run well managed club playing great football. Manchester United were the polar opposite in almost every sense. Will matters improve?Are Liverpool title contenders. Gregor and Tony are far from convinced but Alyson is a convert.Chelsea have stalled, no identity, injury prone and yet they have spent a billion pounds. Where next…?Tinkering from Arteta, resilience from Spurs and what are Everton? Finally Alyson caught up with Roy Hodgson to ask if he is becoming a national treasure. Man Utd v Brighton1’ Mystic Tony. Tony Cascarino predicted the result and the score of the Man Utd game. No one was surprised by the result. Was it brilliant Brighton or woeful Utd. Or both. Are the problems on the pitch or off…or both. 7’ Gregor Alyson and Tony all agree Man Utd are a club in chaos. In stark contrast to Brighton. “Man Utd are paying people to attend their party, Brighton just throw a good party.” 12’ off field trouble leaking on to the pitch? Tony thinks there could also be an issue around the type of football that Ten Hag wants to play.Liverpool…title contenders?17’ Gregor is so sure. He was at Molineux for Wolves v Liverpool. They are erratic, very poor first half, low in energy. But they have a wealth of riches on the bench and a manager willing to take risks. He thought second half they effectively played 4-2-4, throwing caution to the wind. But is that sustainable? What is their midfield balance. Can Trent defend and is Robertson being shackled? Alyson is convinced. On a bad day Liverpool still got the job done and she sees enormous potential. 25’ Tony doesn’t think they will challenge.  27’ Gary O’Neil gets a bit tick. Sleepy Sunday29’ A slow day on Sunday. Alyson was at Bournemouth v Chelsea. A dull nil nil. The two managers cancelled each other out. One creating ordered chaos, the other well-structured and a bit negative.  Chelsea didn’t have an identity.32’ lots of injuries at Chelsea, 12 well known players out. But are those players all important, Gregor isn’t so sure.AI and injuries33’ Injuries are not just bad luck. In an interesting take Alyson quotes the use of AI to predict potential injuries. She isn’t sure the injury list at Chelsea is just bad luck.34’ Tony, as an ex blue says the club is in transition. Lots of new players and staff. Everton38’ “Everton are a poor version of Dyche’s Burnley” Tony is worried by Everton, a team unsure which way they need to play t get a result.Arsenal - Ramsdale or Raya?Is Arteta tinkering too much? Gregor thinks modern football has changed and perhaps interchanging a goalkeeper isn’t that unusual. Interesting all three prefer Raya to Ramsdale. West Ham – diving headers46’ Tony loves a diving header. Scored a few, but also talks about the technical benefits of a diving header, not giving the keeper time to get set. Spurs v Sheff Utd49’ Heart break for Sheff Utd. But is there a quiet Ange revolution going on at Spurs? 51’ Has Paul Heckingbottom been harshly treated by the media? Villa comeback56’ “Villa now look so dynamic.” “Diaby is a real player.” Roy Hodgson1’00” Alyson recently chatted to Roy again, before he fell ill. He talked about taking a surprise job on, gaining new fans and giving his players freedom.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gregor Robertson, Tony Cascarino and Martin Samuel join Tom Clarke for this episode of The Game.The team address the criticism surrounding Harry Maguire. Tony Cascarino says the situation reminds him of one of his former international colleagues. They go on to discuss the fans response, Maguires reaction and how the player rebuilds his confidence.Looking at England and Judge Bellingham in particular, have England ever had greater strength in depth in the middle of the park? Paul Pogba’s situation is briefly discussed.As Brighton head to Old Trafford, with many expecting them to win, Martin secured a rare interview with Brighton chairman Tony Bloom. Brighton are doing more than challenging on the pitch, off it, they are now a set up admired throughout Europe.Finally – lies, damned lies and football stats. Are they worth the paper they are written on?Times:Harry Maguire1’-14’ Is the treatment Harry Maguire has had from fans fair?4’ – comparisons with Mick McCarthy and his contrasting club and international career6’. Managers trust certain players and stick with them until they let them down.14’ Do the media have a case to answer. Are they making Maguire’s situation worse.Maguires mum has commented on social media.15’ Gregor on Harrys mum.England strength and Jude Bellingham18’ Jude Bellingham shone for England at Hampden park. But Gregor says it isn’t just physical ability, it is his mentality and mindset which sets him apart.20’ Bellingham’s positioning for Real and for England. Might England still not be getting the best out of him.22’ England’s strength in depth, especially in the creative positions.27’ Kalvin Philips. Not playing for city but still getting picked for England. Another case of a player Southgate trusts and continues to use.30’ Paul Pogba. Is his career heading down the ‘lost talent’ route? With a provisional suspension what happens next. Brighton v Man utd32’ Big week for Brighton who play Manchester Utd and then head to Athens in Europe. Martin has been speaking with Brighton chairman Tony Bloom. On the pitch they have beaten Utd the last four times they have played, they have a coveted centre forward and an international centre half. They go into the game – at Old Trafford – as favourites. A sign of how far they have come.38’ How far can Brighton go? How to make the step up from being viewed as a ‘smaller club’ dealing with Europe and the squad strength following the loss of their two main midfielders.48’ And what about Man Utd. If they lose is Ten Hag under pressure?“Nice kit, but doesn’t look like Man Utd, but neither do the team.”49’ Lies, damned lies and football stats.Are football stats worth the paper they’re written on Martin wrote a piece addressing possession stats in particular.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Saudi's football giants - How the signings work and will the spending continue? Tom Clarke is joined by regular Monday panellist Alyson Rudd and debutant Tom Kershaw. Messrs Martin Hardy and Michael Grant drop in to give reaction and updates from England and Scotland perspectives. Alyson Rudd gives her reaction to the resignation of Luis Rubiales. Tom Kershaw gives a fascinating and unmissable insight into Saudi sport, how it operates, its fans, culture and the plans in place for the future. 02’.00 – An emotional night as Ukraine fans travelled to see their team play England in Poland. On the pitch - disjointed England. Reaction to England’s less than inspiring performance against Ukraine. How to make the most of the talent on offer, why did the two form players – Bellingham and Maddison appear restricted? 12’00– Are England about to poach a player from the Scottish ranks? Newcastle’s Eliot Anderson could be about to cross the border…Martin Hardy wrote the story. 18’30 - England have the chance to spoil Scotland’s party yet again…” Scottish football correspondent Michael Grant is optimistic this time could be different. Michael updates on the Scotland camp. Are the tartan army booking their tickets to Germany next summer? And what does Michael make of the potential switch of two players from Scotland to England.25’00 - England Scotland predictions. Will it be a match to remember or a bore draw. Alyson Rudd predicts an underwhelming nil nil.30’10 – Discussion and reaction to Luis Rubiales resignation. Is it a case of sorry not sorry? Has the Spanish world cup victory become a post script, with the Rubiales incident being the focal point?33- Tom Kershaw gives a fascinating insight in to Saudi sport. Tom has been to the country on a number of occasions in recent times. he discusses Saudi fans, the atmosphere they create at games and how there are attempts to use football to generate a sports culture, energise the young male population in a country with high rates of diabetes. 36’ atmosphere at matches in the Saudi pro league. Fan culture and behaviour. 41’ the heat and humidity and the effects it has on foreign players.43’ what are the training facilities like in the pro league?47’ is this a flash in the pan, will the money dry up. Or do the league and the financial backers have a long term plan…?49’ What is the financial structure, how is a player signed to play in the pro league. It is different the transfer deadline day type bidding wars we are used to seeing in European leagues.52’ will the bubble burst. Alyson thinks it might. Tom is sure it won’t. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Game Tom Clarke is joined by Matt Dickinson, Matt Lawton and Martin Samuel to discuss the weeks footballing news, this weekend’s international fixtures and a few very funny stories of runs ins with former England managers and captains. 1.10: Roy Keane incident/sports pundits.  Was the Roy Keane incident an accident waiting to happen. Martin Samuel discusses the loss of impartiality in sports broadcasting. Wider comments on ex-players as pundits. Is their perceived fan loyalty detracting from their in-depth knowledge.15.30: Anthony/Greenwood/Man Utd. Tough times at Manchester United off the pitch. In light of the Anthony allegations have the club set a precedent in the way they have handled the Mason Greenwood situation.20.00: Jordan Henderson. Was the former Liverpool players interview a good idea? Were his responses to his critics believable? The discussion broadens out to Saudi influence on sport. Matt Lawton highlights the vast amounts of money involved. All agree that Saudi Arabian influence, across all sport, not just football is an unstoppable force. 35.50: England. Do managers or journalists learn anything from friendlies? What areas of the England team need to be looked at.39.00 – Gareth Southgate. Is he still under pressure? Is he tactically astute enough? What does the future hold for Southgate. Matt Lawton is adamant that the FA can not let him leave the FA. With his knowledge he must be retained in some way. Should he be the most important and influential person in English football? 50.00: The writers discuss their best stories of run ins they’ve had with England managers of the past. Should journalist be told the team ahead of time? Tales of Roy Hodgson, Fabio Capello, Sven Eriksen and Glen Hoddle follow. 1’.08: Which England captains have the writers worked with, who have been engaging, who have been reluctant to work closely with the journalists. The press pack take on David Beckham. The Spice Girls and Beckhams Mohican.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gregor Robertson is joined by Tony Cascarino, Tom Roddy and Alyson Rudd to look back at the weekend's Premier League action.They start by reviewing Arsenal's 3-1 win over Manchester United at the Emirates and ask just how significant it was for the Gunners. They also reflect on Jadon Sancho's statement released on social media and how damaging it could be for his career. (00:00)Chelsea's woes continued with a 1-0 defeat at home to Nottingham Forest, what can Mauricio Pochettino do to solve their problems in attack? They also debate how important that win was for Nottingham Forest, and discuss their hopes for the season. (17:35)Spurs continued their unbeaten start to the season with a 5-2 victory at Burnley. Just how important is James Maddison if they are to achieve any success season? How influential has Ange Postecoglou been in their start to the campaign? (28:45)Brighton rounded off Saturday afternoon with a 3-1 win at home to Newcastle, with Evan Ferguson starring with a hat-trick. How far can he go in his career, and how exciting is Brighton's season with Europa League football to come? They also debate if Newcastle fans should start to worry after 3 defeats in their first 4 games? (41:46)Mohamed Salah stars for Liverpool as they thrash Aston Villa 3-0 at Anfield - but will he still be at the club by the end of the Saudi Pro League transfer window? They also hail the performance of Dominik Szoboszlai. (55:54)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.

Gregor Robertson is joined by Jonathan Northcroft, James Restall and Martin Samuel in The Times office.Chelsea are close to signing Cole Palmer from Manchester City for a fee of around £45m. Should City have found a way for him to fit into their side and is a move to Stamford Bridge the best option for someone who wants minutes? (00:00)Ansu Fati looks like he’s on his way from Barcelona to Brighton on loan. Is this a sign that Brighton are about to step up their spending? (11:00)Harry Maguire looks like he’ll be staying at Old Trafford after a move to West Ham failed to materialise. Given his projected lack of minutes, should he still be in the England team? The same question could be asked of Jordan Henderson after his move to Saudi Arabia (16:52)Luis Rubiales is still in a job as the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, despite calls from all corners to resign over his conduct at the Women’s World Cup final. How will this situation conclude and how damaging has this saga been for women's football? (34:26)We’ve seen some Premier League teams slip up in the League Cup second round. Sheffield United went out against Lincoln City and Tottenham dropped out thanks to Fulham. We round up the latest results and ponder whether pundits should work on games where the team they support are playing (45:40)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.

Gregor Robertson is joined by Alyson Rudd, Tony Cascarino and Martin Hardy in The Times office in London.Liverpool’s Darwin Núñez came off the bench to score twice late on for ten-man Liverpool against Newcastle United in a modern classic at St James’s Park. The Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp ranked the victory among the most special of his career, but just how big a missed opportunity was this for Newcastle?Manchester United also produced a stirring comeback, after going 2-0 down in the opening four minutes against Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford. But has Old Trafford lost its fear factor?Following a series of high-profile stories involving the mistreatment of women by men working in football, including the recent suspension by Fifa of the Spanish Football Federation’s President Luis Rubiales, we ask: is football, as an industry, failing women?There was more late drama at the Emirates as Arsenal conceded an 87th minute equaliser against ten-man Fulham. The Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, is trying to evolve last season’s title challengers, but does he need to? And Manchester City took advantage to go top of the table with a late winner at Sheffield United, much to the relief of Erling Haaland — and Kyle Walker.Following impressive wins for West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur, inspired by two new recruits familiar to the Premier League, could the relatively unheralded signings of James Ward-Prowse and James Maddison respectively be the summer’s most inspired transfers?Finally, after Joachim Andersen equalised for Crystal Palace with what can only be described as a slide tackle through the legs of the Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken, Tony Cascarino talks us through a goal he scored for Aston Villa that was so bad it won an award.Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: themes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom Clarke is joined by Gregor Robertson, Jonathan Northcroft and Martin Samuel in The Times office.Mason Greenwood will leave Manchester United imminently, but how easily will he find a new club and where in the world could that club be? (00:00)Manchester City are being forced back into the transfer window later than they usually would. Are they starting to panic or just simply reacting to the injury to Kevin De Bruyne? (06:38)Aston Villa are practically through to the group stages of the Europa Conference League after a 5-0 first leg win at Hibernian. How much does this European involvement mean to the club and why do Scottish clubs struggle to compete at this level? (18:22)Everton have started the season badly and look like they’ll struggle for goals. Is this the season they finally go down and how important is moving to their new stadium in the search for fresh investment? (27:15)Martin Samuel has written in The Times about Bruno Fernandes’ captaincy at Manchester United and why managers choose certain players to lead the team. As a former pro, Gregor has some thoughts on his favourite skippers he’s played under (38:31)A mention of Ben Foster’s second retirement leads to a conversation about the difficulty players have getting into elite sides and how the quality of the football pyramid is improving as a result (49:31)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.

Tom Clarke is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Tom Roddy in The Times office in London, with Molly Hudson in Australia.The Lionesses came up just short in the World Cup final on Sunday - Molly Hudson joins us from Sydney to look back on a close game against Spain and look ahead to a future with or without Sarina Wiegman in charge. (00:00)In the Premier League, it was a disastrous weekend for Everton who won’t forget their visit to Villa Park in a hurry and Chelsea won’t be overly keen on the London Stadium after a 3-1 defeat to West Ham. How long will it take Mauricio Pochettino’s side to fully gel and what can realistically be expected of them this season? (11:40)Tom Roddy gives us an insight into his exclusive conversation with former Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who left the club for AC Milan in the summer. You can read the full conversation on The Times website (25:24)Tottenham began life after Harry Kane with a 2-0 win over Manchester United. Have the club finally found the right manager to give them a clear identity and vision? As for United, are they still quite a way off where they need to be or was it just one of those days? (29:44)Manchester City overcame Newcastle without Kevin De Bruyne, who is out for several months through injury. Phil Foden stepped up to fill in, but did he impress? (46:00)We round up the rest of the weekend results as Fulham and Brentford share a similar problem in attack, while Brighton end the weekend top of the table despite their summer outgoings (52:05)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.

Tom Clarke is in The Times office in London and he's joined by Molly Hudson and Owen Slot in Australia at the Women's World Cup.The Lionesses are now just one win away from lifting the World Cup trophy. Molly and Owen share the latest from the England camp down under as Sarina Wiegman prepares her squad for the biggest game of their careers.Lauren James is available to play after serving her two match ban - but should she come straight back into the starting line up? We debate this huge decision with a little help from former Lioness and Times columnist, Casey Stoney.Spain are tough opponents with a lot of quality, but behind the scenes they're a team in turmoil. Molly shares tales of striking players, a coach that doesn't connect with the squad and how the team are looking to write their own history on Sunday.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.

Tom Clarke is joined by Jonny Northcroft, Gregor Robertson and Martin Samuel. In today’s pod Manchester United beat Wolves but how did they look? Wolves lost, but how did they look.Manchester United have more than on field issues to worry about as they are poised to make a decision about the future of Mason Greenwood.A London derby as West Ham face Chelsea, which team has a plan and which one doesn’t?Jonny Northcroft has been to meet the premier leagues first black official in fifteen years, Akil Howson.Could there really be a title decider this early in the season? And some funny stories about scary managers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Tom Clarke is joined by Alyson Rudd, Tony Cascarino and Gregor Robertson. On the agenda is a scintillating start for Newcastle and a tough start for the three promoted clubs Luton, Sheffield United and Burnley. The team hear from Molly Hudson who is following England as they prepare for a semi-final against the Matilda’s at the Women’s World Cup. They then move on to address Spurs without Kane and Gregor finishes the pod with a fascinating take on the other impending one hundred million pound transfer, that of Moises Caicedo. Gregor recently visited Caicedo’s first club in the mountains of Ecuador, he describes what life is like for many young footballers in a country deeply affected by poverty.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Premier League season is back and The Game podcast previews the new season with a special two-part show. In Part 2 Tom Clarke, Alyson Rudd, Gregor Robertson and Tom Roddy discuss the rest of the teams in the Premier League. They are joined by Paul Hirst to discuss the Community Shield, debating the title hopes for Manchester City and Arsenal as well as discussing Manchester United's pre-season preparations. They assess whether Brighton and Brentford can hit the same heights and share some concerns over Everton, Fulham, Bournemouth, Wolves, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace. Aston Villa, Newcastle and Liverpool are the big clubs with big talking points to conclude the show.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Game: Season preview - part one The Premier League season is back and The Game podcast previews the new season with a special two-part show. In Part 1 Tom Clarke is joined by Alyson Rudd, Gregor Robertson and Tom Roddy to talk Luton, Sheffield United and Burnley and their hopes of survival as the League's new arrivals. The team also tackle some London clubs going through change this summer: West Ham, Chelsea and Tottenham. Finally they react to England's penalty shootout victory against Nigeria in the Women's World Cup.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom Clarke is joined by James Restall in London and Molly Hudson in Australia to discuss the latest from the Women's World Cup.Sarina Wiegman has shown she's not afraid to make changes in this tournament - is this key to England's success? Lauren James has been the standout player for the Lionesses so far, but which other players deserve praise? (00:00)England take on Nigeria next - what kind of challenge do they pose? Former England defender and Times columnist Casey Stoney has her say on which Lionesses will play a huge part in how the rest of the tournament will play out for England. (22:45)In the second half of the show, Gregor Robertson and Willis Bennett join Tom Clarke to look ahead to the brand new EFL season. The Championship begins on Friday, but which teams are predicted to have a positive season in the 'toughest league' to progress from? (35:25)Leagues One and Two also get started this weekend - and you might be surprised to find out which team in the latter are expected to shine this season! (55:06)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 and Tom Clarke to look back at the week's Euro 2024 qualifying action, and discuss the week's biggest stories.The Times' Deputy Sports Editor James Restall joins the show to look back at England's 7-0 win over North Macedonia in their Euro 2024 qualifying group. They discuss what we may have learned from the game, and ask if England are now ready to win a major tournament. (00:00)The Times' Scotland Reporter Martin Grant joins the show to reflect on Scotland's 2-1 win over Norway which sees them top of their Euro 2024 qualifying group, and they also preview tonight's game with Georgia. (16:10)Wales suffered back-to-back defeats this week, but should the pressure now be on their manager Rob Page? Did they make a mistake at the World Cup by still playing the likes of Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey and Joe Allen? (24:30)Bournemouth have sacked manager Gary O'Neil and replaced him with the former Rayo Vallecano manager Andoni Iraola, but was it the right decision? Are the owners showing ambition by having a plan in place for next season, or will Iraola's lack of experience in the Premier League cost them next season? (34:25)The panel reflect on Darren Moore's sacking as Sheffield Wednesday manager and what next for him? Hugh Woozencroft also says his goodbye as the presenter of The Game Podcast. (44:55)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 and Tom Clarke to discuss the week's biggest stories, and look ahead to the weekend's International football.The Times' Chief Football Writer Henry Winter joins the show to look ahead to England's Euro 2024 qualifier against Malta on Friday, and discuss some of the selection headaches for Gareth Southgate. He also discusses Harry Kane's future and whether he will leave Spurs this summer. (00:00)Jude Bellingham has been unveiled as a Real Madrid player following his move from Borussia Dortmund. How significant is this transfer for English future, and what can we expect to see from him in Spain in the coming seasons? (14:30)The Times' Scotland reporter Michael Grant joins the show to preview Scotland's trip to Norway in a huge game in Euro 2024 qualifying. He also discusses Ange Postecoglou going to Spurs, and a possible return to Celtic for Brendan Rodgers. (31:15)The transfer window has officially opened, the guys discuss their dream transfers this summer! (42:15)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 and Alyson Rudd to look back at the Champions League final, as Manchester City complete the treble with a 1-0 win over Inter Milan in Istanbul.The Times' Manchester Correspondent Paul Hirst joins the show to reflect on the game, and discuss how Inter Milan made it so difficult for Manchester City. We also discuss the off-the-field issues in getting to the stadium on the day, and look at how Pep Guardiola has transformed the careers of some of his players. (00:00)What does Manchester City's treble victory mean going forward? How big of an achievement is it for Pep Guardiola's side to do this, or should they have won the Champions League sooner? (22:30)The Times' Chief Sports Writer Owen Slot joins the show to reflect on his recent visit to Abu Dhabi. He discussed what it was like there to watch Man City win the Champions League, and whether Abu Dhabi have embraced Manchester City and if the locals now support the club. (44:30)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 Gregor Robertson, Tony Cascarino and Alyson Rudd to look back at the FA Cup final and discuss the week's biggest football stories.West Ham have won their first cup competition since 1980 after winning the Europa Conference League following a 2-1 win over Fiorentina in the final - can the club push on from here, and will David Moyes be at the helm to do so? (00:00)The West Ham co-owner David Sullivan has confirmed that captain Declan Rice will leave the club in the summer, but where will he end up? And despite this, is the future bright for West Ham with a season in the Europa League to come? (17:16)Manchester City are 90 minutes away from completing the treble this season - but do we give Inter Milan any chance of an upset? What will they need to do to defy the odds to win in Istanbul? (27:20)Real Madrid are set to sign the Borussia Dortmund teenager Jude Bellingham after the two clubs agreed a fee for the England international. How good will it be for him to go to La Liga, or is this the right move for him? Lionel Messi is set to go to Major League Soccer to play for Inter Miami, and we also react to Liverpool signing Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton. (37:30)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 Gregor Robertson, Tony Cascarino and Alyson Rudd to look back at the FA Cup final and discuss the week's biggest football stories.Manchester City remain on course for the treble after beating Manchester United in the FA Cup final. The Times' Paul Hirst joins the show to reflect on the game, discuss how important Ilkay Gundogan is for Man City, and debate how United can compete with their neighbours in the future. (00:00)The Times' Senior Sports Writer Matt Dickinson joins the show to discuss his book, and also reflect on his piece with the Manchester United legend Brian McClair, in which they look back at the United treble-winning side of 1999. (26:10)Real Madrid announce that Karim Benzema will leave the club at the end of the season after 14 years in the Spanish capital, but should Spurs striker Harry Kane replace him at the club? We discuss Benzema's legacy, and also discuss what Kane should consider if he makes the move. (36:00)Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou is the favourite to take over as Spurs ahead of the new Premier League season. We'll discuss if the step up will be too much for him, and whether he can cope with managing in one of Europe's Top 5 leagues. (46:15)Alyson reflects on her interviews with the Southampton owners Sport Republic, and the Brentford manager Thomas Frank, and looks back on her key findings from both conversations. (58:45)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 Gregor Robertson, Tom Roddy and Molly Hudson to discuss the week's biggest football stories.Jose Mourinho misses the chance to win the Europa League after a penalty shoot-out defeat to Sevilla in Budapest, but will he stay in Serie A next season, or will he make the perfect International manager? (00:00)The Times' Manchester Correspondent Paul Hirst joins the show to preview the weekend's FA Cup final as Man United face Man City at Wembley, how motivated will United be to stop City winning the treble? How important a day is it for Manchester United? (09:25)Gregor, Tom and Molly continue building up to the FA Cup final. What type of game will we expect to see? Will City's complacency cost them with their eyes on the Champions League final? What do United need to do in the summer to strengthen? (24:30)Manchester United have reportedly agreed terms with Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount - how disappointed should Chelsea be to lose another homegrown player? What can Mount add to the Manchester United midfield? Will Declan Rice be a good signing for Bayern Munich? (34:45)Molly looks ahead to the start of the Women's World Cup, as Sarina Weigman names England's squad for the tournament this summer. Will their injuries catch up with them? When will the off-the-field problems such as broadcasting rights etc be solved? (46:55)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.

Gregor Robertson is joined by Tony Cascarino, Tom Allnutt and Alyson RuddThe curtain comes down on another Premier League season and the final day saw Leeds & Leicester drop down to the Championship.Despite survival is Sean Dyche the right man to keep Everton out of trouble and push them up the table?Where did it all go wrong for Leicester? Premier League and FA Cup winners drop down to the Championship after 9 years in the top flight.After going from Bielsa to Allardyce where do Leeds go from here? Spurs won't be playing any form of European football for the first time in 14 years despite victory on the final day. We discuss whether Ryan Mason should get the job permanently and of course what happens with Harry Kane.Aston Villa will be playing European football next season after Unai Emery's transformed them post Steven Gerrard. Why couldn't Gerrard get out the best from this squad?And we review the season as a whole which has seen the Premier League season break mid way through for the World Cup and and a record number of managers losing their jobs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, Jonathan Northcroft & Gregor RobertsonAfter Leicester parked the bus against Newcastle to pick up an all important point we ask the question is it too little too late for The Foxes?How important will the fans be at Elland Road, King Power & Goodison Park as all three have must win home games on the final day.The panel predict who they think will drop out of the Premier League.Newcastle United will be playing Champions League football next season. What does that mean for their summer transfer plans?What is going on at Spurs as yet another manager turns down the club. Feyenoord boss Arne Slot has revealed that he plans to stay in the Netherlands.And we look ahead to the Championship play-off final between Luton Town & Coventry City. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Tom Roddy to look back at the weekend's Premier League action and discuss the biggest stories of the week.Nottingham Forest have secured their Premier League status for another season after beating Arsenal 1-0 at the City Ground. They discuss just how well Steve Cooper has done this season, and ask if the owner Evangelos Marinakis deserves credit for showing faith in him. (00:00)Manchester City win the Premier League for a third consecutive season, how has Pep Guardiola been able to maintain the consistency at the club whilst also managing a number of world-class players? Will their dominance continue in the years to come? (14:55)Pep Guardiola's side have now won 5 Premier League titles in the last 6 seasons, but why do fans still not consider them to be one of the greatest teams in history? We'll ask if the 115 alleged breaches of financial rules from the Premier League has tarnished their legacy in how they are viewed. (26:05)Leeds United's Premier League status is hanging by a thread after losing 3-1 at home to West Ham. They have now lost 25 points from winning positions this season, so was it too late to make a change in the dugout? We'll also reflect on Everton's late equaliser at Wolves and why that makes them favourites to stay up heading into the final day. (45:35)Brighton have qualified for Europe for the first time in their history, with it looking likely they'll play in next season's Europa League - but how do they cope with the step up? What's their plan to be able to deal with the Thursday-Sunday schedule next season? (54:30)Roberto Firmino received an emotional send-off after his last home game as a Liverpool player - we discuss the legacy he has left behind and where he ranks amongst the greatest No.9s in Liverpool's history. (1:02:20)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 Gregor Robertson, Ian Harkey & Tom Allnutt.Man City produce a masterclass against Real Madrid to book their place in the Champions League final with some billing it as the best performance by any English side in European historyWe compare Pep Guardiola's Barcelona with his Man City side and ask why his current team lacks the romanticism of his previous success.England and Brentford striker Ivan Toney has been hit with an eight month ban after he was found guilty of betting charges.Is the ban harsh and does football and gambling have an unhealthy relationship?And we discuss the latest in the Championship as Luton and Coventry prepare to face each other in the play-off final. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Alyson Rudd, Tom Roddy & Gregor Robertson.Arsenal's title bid finally comes to an end as they lose at home to Brighton by three goals.Are Brighton the best team to watch in the Premier League and are they the story of the season?How long can Brighton hold on to their star players and their manager Roberto De Zerbi with sharks already circling.We discuss Leeds and the impact that Sam Allardyce has made since joining on a short term deal until the end of the season.With Champions League qualification now mathematically impossible do Spurs even want to play in the Europa Conference league?Frank Lampard tells the Chelsea players they need to take a look at themselves after they dropped more points, this time at home to Nottingham Forest.And with Southampton's relegation finally confirmed we pick a part where it's gone so wrong this season for The Saints. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Jonathan Northcroft, Gregor Robertson & Ian Hawkey.Following the 1-1 draw at The Bernabeu are Man City now heavy favourites or just favourites to reach the Champions League final.Kevin de Bruyne scored the goal for Man City as he continued his fine form but does he need to win the Champions League to go down as one of the all-time greats?In the other semi-final Inter Milan took the bragging rights and one foot in the final after a 2 nil win over AC Milan.Is Edin Dzeko the most underrated striker in Europe following his exploits at the San Siro?Inter Milan had the opportunity to make it 3 nil after they awarded a penalty in the first-half however the referee decided to overturn his own decision after consulting VAR. Was that the correct decision?As we head into the Championship play-offs who are favourites to make it to the promised land of the Premier League?In-form Sunderland's injury issues continue and take on Luton, who aim to become the first team to go from the National League to the Premier League.After all the issues Coventry have had in recent years would Mark Robins guiding the Sky Blues to promotion be the story of the season? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, Alyson Rudd, Gregor Robertson & Charlotte DunckerWas Everton's win the most bizarre result this season? A team that played more like champions elect as opposed to relegation threatened.Is Brighton's season tailing off and now in danger of missing out on European football next season? Following Nottingham Forest's thrilling win over Southampton does that put them in pole position to stay up this season? Are Leicester "too good to go down"? A 5-3 defeat to Fulham at Craven Cottage leaves the foxes in the bottom 3 and in real danger of losing their Premier League status.Arsenal playing Newcastle at their own game. A frustrated Eddie Howe complained about the time wasting from Arsenal although the stats show that it is Newcastle who have been the worst culprits of the dark arts this season.And finally what is going wrong at Manchester United with just 4 wins from the previous 10 games. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom Clarke is joined by Gregor Robertson and Tom Allnutt to look back at the week's Premier League action and discuss the biggest stories of the week.The Times' Chief Sports Correspondent Matt Lawton joins us to reflect on the news that Sam Allardyce has been appointed the new Leeds manager until the end of the season. He discusses what he can bring to the side, and explains why his long-standing assistant Sammy Lee won't be with him this time around. (00:00)The panel continue to discuss Sam Allardyce's appoint at Leeds and try make sense of it all. Gregor Robertson believes the appointment has no logic to it, whilst Tom Allnutt says Leeds no have identity, so he could understand why they have made the decision to bring him in. (08:10)Leicester drew 2-2 with Everton in a huge game at the bottom of the table on Monday night, they reflect on this result, and explain why a point may not be the worst result in the world for both teams as they look to stay in the Premier League. (18:00)Arsenal keep their slim hopes of winning the Premier League title alive with a 3-1 win at home to Chelsea in midweek, but just how bad have things got at Chelsea, and how much of a job does Mauricio Pochettino have on his hands if he were to be appointed the club's new manager? (24:00)Erling Haaland breaks the record for the most Premier League goals in a single season as his 35th helped Man City brush aside West Ham - they discuss that result and also reflect on Liverpool's 1-0 win at home to Fulham on Wednesday night. (34:20)Molly Hudson joins the show to reflect on Arsenal's defeat to Wolfsburg in their Champions League semi-final second leg at a sold-out Emirates Stadium, and also reflect on the news of a 4th Arsenal player picking up an ACL injury in just 6 months (47:15)We end the show by discussing Lionel Messi's future after he took some unauthorised leave from PSG, and we preview the final day of the Championship season, with so many teams still in contention for a possible play-off place. (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 Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Tony Cascarino.Spurs once again started very poorly, but this time managed to almost salvage a point against Liverpool. How do they even begin to fix their shortcomings? (00:00)Possible red cards and Jurgen Klopp’s actions on the touchline also came up in our thorough analysis (14:18)Bournemouth are surely secure now, but Leeds are deep in trouble. Where can they get the points they’ll need to survive? (33:39)Forest could have given themselves a huge chance of staying up, but let Brentford snatch all the points in West London. Did Steve Cooper get his tactics spot on, though? (45:30)Southampton are sure to be playing in the Championship next season - but are they the next club to free fall down the leagues? (50:55)Crystal Palace have been a joy to watch since Roy Hodgson came back - but where do they look after the season is over? (60:54)Brighton are within touching distance of Europe - what have they got so right that other clubs have struggled so much with? (70:02)Erling Haaland is on the verge of breaking the Premier League scoring record, but is there another gem starting to shine at the Etihad? (74:38)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.

Hi all, The latest episode of The Game podcast was released earlier:Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Allnutt & Jonathan Northcroft.Title decided? Following Man City's comprehensive 4-1 win against leaders Arsenal does that mean the title is once again heading to Manchester.What is wrong at Chelsea? Has Frank Lampard's reputation been damaged during this so far unsuccessful interim spell. With Mauricio Pochettino looking likely to return to the Premier League is this the right job for him and is he the right man to turn around the clubs fortunes.Leeds & Leicester battle it out in a relegation 6 pointer but should Leicester be disappointed not to take all 3 points and is Dean Smith the man going forward?"Spurs are a mess of a club" but who really is to blame for the seasons shortcomings? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tony Cascarino and Tom Clarke to look back at the weekend's Premier League and FA Cup football.Arsenal drop 2 more points after drawing 3-3 at home to Southampton on Friday night, but can they recover from this blip and regain control of the title race? Manchester City sweep aside Sheffield United in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, can they now go on and win the treble this season? (00:00)Spurs are thrashed 6-1 away at Newcastle, but does the culture need to change if they are to become successful, and who would join the club as their new manager if results continue like this? What additions should Eddie Howe make to his squad with Newcastle set to qualify for next season's Champions League? (25:30)The Premier League relegation battle takes another twist, as Leicester move out of the relegation zone with a 2-1 win at home to Wolves, and Leeds lose at Fulham. Bournemouth are thrashed 4-0 away at West Ham, and Nottingham Forest lose 3-2 against Liverpool at Anfield, but who will go down this season? (47:00)Manchester United book their place in the FA Cup final after beating Brighton on penalties, and both Wrexham and Leyton Orient secure promotion from their prospective divisions. (1:02:55)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 Ian Hawkey to look back at the midweek Champions League action, and look ahead to the weekend's football.Manchester City book their place in the semi-finals with a 4-1 aggregate victory over Bayern Munich, but is this the year they finally go all the way in Europe? They dissect the performance at the Allianz Arena and also discuss a potential new contract for Erling Haaland (00:00)Chelsea's season is all-but over after losing 4-0 on aggregate to Real Madrid in their Champions League quarter-final tie, can things get any worse for Frank Lampard? What do they make of the owner Todd Boehly going into the dressing room to speak to the players? (12:00)Can history repeat itself with Real Madrid knocking out Manchester City in a Champions League semi-final? They discuss the threat posed by the Spanish club, and also discuss the other semi-final, with sees AC Milan face Inter in a Milan Derby. (28:15)Molly Hudson joins the show to look back at a crucial game in the WSL, as Manchester United beat title rivals Arsenal to go top of the table. They also discuss the injury to the England captain Leah Williamson, and how it may impact both Arsenal and England. (38:15)The FA Cup semi-finals take place this weekend! Can Sheffield United cause an almighty upset and beat Manchester City? Is this also Brighton's best chance to reach the final? Do they have enough to beat Manchester United? (47:30)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 Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Tom Roddy.Arsenal dropped more points in the title race at the weekend. Are they struggling under the pressure and will the title come down to the result of the game against Manchester City? (00:00)Ollie Watkins continued to impress for Aston Villa as they put Newcastle in their place. Could Unai Emery’s team make Europe? (17:28)Brighton have a knack of finding exciting young players with Julio Enciso the latest to impress - scoring the winner at Stamford Bridge. Tom Roddy has more about his exclusive story on the likely identity of Chelsea’s new manager (26:20)Dean Smith’s 600th game in management didn’t go to plan - with Leicester losing to Manchester City. Do the Foxes have a better chance of survival under him, though? (39:02)Bournemouth showed they’re up for the fight with a stunning victory against Spurs. Are the Tottenham fans losing focus on the action on the pitch? (49:22)We round up the rest of the games across the weekend - with several teams fighting for their lives in the Premier League (65:59)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 Tony Cascarino and Tom Clarke in London - and Gregor Robertson in Ghent.Chelsea have it all to do in their Champions League second leg against Real Madrid. Was Frank Lampard the best choice and did the club wait too long to part company with Graham Potter? (00:00)Manchester City have a lot less to worry about against Bayern Munich. Have they found form at the right time and will they finally achieve European glory? (22:07)Dean Smith is in at Leicester City. Is he a good choice and did the club miss a trick in keeping the faith with Brendan Rodgers for so long? (40:30)Liverpool are said to have cooled their interest in Jude Bellingham and Gregor tells us about his trip to Wrexham as we round up the other big stories of the week (52:26)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 Gregor Robertson and Alyson Rudd to look back at the weekend's Premier League football and discuss the biggest stories.Arsenal draw 2-2 away at Liverpool in a thrilling game to round off the weekend's football, but with the gap now just 6 points between them and Manchester City, are they still favourites to lift the title? What did the panel also make on Trent Alexander-Arnold's new position and his performance in general? (00:00)Aaron Ramsdale pulled off a string of fantastic saves in the draw at Anfield, but should the Arsenal goalkeeper now be considered England's Number 1? (18:30)What punishment should Assistant Referee Constantine Hatzidakis receive for his altercation with Andy Robertson? We discuss that and also how behaviour towards officials need to change, and what punishment will allow those changes to happen? (24:10)VAR was again the talking point at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, as Brighton lose 2-1 to Spurs in an incident packed game. The PGMOL have since apologised to Brighton for their error in not awarding them a penalty, but how can we stop the constant scrutiny on VAR decisions? (46:45)Bournemouth moved out of the relegation zone with a 1-0 win at Leicester City, they discuss the job Gary O'Neill is doing on the South Coast and ask how worried fans should be about Leicester's bid to stay in the top flight? They also look back at a huge win for Crystal Palace against relegation rivals Leeds United. (54:50)Frank Lampard began his second stint in charge of Chelsea with a 1-0 defeat at Wolves, but what is the point of re-appointing him if they don't beat Real Madrid in the Champions League? (1:06:15)Ian Hawkey joins the show to look ahead to the week's Champions League action, and discuss how Bayern are faring ahead of meeting Manchester City, and how important it is to have the likes of Napoli and AC Milan in the latter stages. (1:10:30)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 Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Tom Roddy to look back at the midweek Premier League football and discuss the biggest stories.Frank Lampard has return to Chelsea as their interim manager until the end of the season, but was it a right decision? Will that galvanize the players ahead of the Champions League, or should they have stuck with Potter if there permanent replacement will be appointed in the summer? (00:00)West Ham were thrashed 5-1 at home to Newcastle on Wednesday night, as the pressure ramps up on David Moyes. Should the club stick with him, or do they make a change to try and keep them in the league? (28:20)Are Newcastle now favourites to finish in the Top 4? How much credit does Eddie Howe deserve for recovering from a mini-blip last month to lead them to third in the Premier League table? (34:40)Nottingham Forest show their support to under-fire manager Steve Cooper, but if their eight-match winless run continues, should the club make a change, or is peer pressure from the supporters stopping the owners from sacking him? (38:00)Leicester City are still without a manager as they lost at home to in-form Aston Villa - do we consider Aston Villa to be a threat next season under Unai Emery? Who should replace Rodgers at Leicester, Martin O'Neill or Rafael Benitez? (44:56)Fulham's Aleksandr Mitrovic has been banned for 8 games for a push on referee Chris Kavanagh in their defeat to Manchester United last month, but is that the right amount of time, or does he deserve stronger punishment? (53:23)We end the show by looking ahead to huge games in the EFL and National League, as Burnley can be promoted back to the Premier League this weekend, and Wrexham face Notts County in a huge game at the top of England's fifth tier. (1:00:30)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 Gregor Robertson, Tony Cascarino and Alyson Rudd to look back at the weekend's Premier League football.Graham Potter has been sacked as Chelsea manager after just 7 months in charge, we discuss where it went wrong for him, whether the ownership were at fault for hiring him in the first place, and who could potentially replace him at Stamford Bridge. (00:00)Aston Villa go to Stamford Bridge and win 2-0, and with the points tally since Unai Emery was appointed only bettered by 3 of the Top 4 in the Premier League, can they make a late charge for Europe? (25:25)Manchester City maintain their pressure on the league leaders Arsenal after dismantling Liverpool at the Etihad, but how poor were Liverpool, and should they start to conceding selling players such as Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold? (28:50)Manchester United hold a dressing room inquest following their 2-0 defeat to Newcastle, but is Erik ten Hag already ahead when it comes to his long-term project at the club? Was this defeat a gentle reminder of how much work needs to be done before they're challenging at the top again? (45:40)Brendan Rodgers leaves Leicester City by mutual consent - what can we do to ensure Premier League clubs are not just firing managers so frequently? Who do Leicester appoint in the interim? (59:48)We end the show by discussing the weekend's other Premier League football, as West Ham beat Southampton, Bournemouth beat Fulham and Brighton and Brentford share the spoils in a six-goal thriller. (1:11:09)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, Tom Roddy and Jonathan Northcroft to look back at the weekend's International football, and look ahead to the return of the Premier League.Scotland stun Spain with a 2-0 win at Hampden Park to top their Group after the first 2 games of Euro 2024 qualifying, how much credit should we give Steve Clarke for the job he has done with the national side, and what did we make of Rodri's comments about Scotland's style of play? (00:00)Wales begin life without Gareth Bale with 4 points from their first 2 games - but has the team now been allowed to express themselves without having to fit around his style of play? (16:30)What's going on at Spurs, and what's next for the club? They discuss the news that their Managing Director of Football Fabio Paratici's ban from football has been extended to worldwide. They also assess the job Daniel Levy has done at the club in the light of this story. (20:00)Roy Hodgson returns to the Premier League as Crystal Palace manager at the age of 75 when they host Leicester on Saturday, but have the club made a step back with his appointment, and what would the ramifications be if they were to be relegated? (39:20)The guys end the show by previewing the other big games and the bottom, and look ahead to a huge game at the top between Manchester City and Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium. (48:30)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 Gregor Robertson and Tony Cascarino to look back at the weekend's International football.Spurs have parted company with Antonio Conte, was it always a marriage in hell? Does Daniel Levy deserve the criticism that has come his way? Is it more than just recruitment that's to blame? (00:00)The former Bayern Munich manager Julien Nagelsmann has been linked with the role, but will he be a good appointment, or shall they appoint someone left-field such as Vincent Kompany (19:55)Harry Kane surpasses Wayne Rooney to become England's all-time record goalscorer - is he the greatest England striker of all-time? (32:20)England begin their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with two wins from two - they reflect on a 2-0 win for England against Ukraine, and praise the performances of Bukayo Saka and James Maddison. (42:26)The guys reflect on the weekend's other International football, as Wales leave it late to secure a point against Croatia in Split, Scotland start their campaign off with a 3-0 thrashing of Cyprus, and the Republic of Ireland beat Latvia. (59:48)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 Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke, Michael Grant & Matt LawtonMatt Lawton joins the show from Naples ahead of England's European Championship qualifier plus he gives an update on the protracted takeover of Manchester United.Is Gareth Southgate under pressure despite qualification for Euro 2024 not even underway?Michael Grant discusses Scotland as they play their first competitive fixture since September.And after Mesut Ozil announcing his retirement how should he be remembered? A Premier League legend or a wasted talent? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke & Tom Allnutt Antonio Conte lets rip at his players after throwing away a 3-1 lead at Southampton. Should Conte keep his job? And was his rant directed at the board or the players?Following the sacking of Patrick Vieira we discussed if that was the right decision. Still in 12th and after a tough run of fixtures should Vieira have been given more time?Leeds picked up a huge three points as they won at fellow relegation rivals Wolves.With Alexander Mitrovic losing his cool and being shown red for his actions at Old Trafford what should Mitrovic's punishment be?Paul Heckingbottom continued to work wonders at Sheffield United with promotion back to the Premier League on the cards and now an FA Cup semi final.Have Brighton unearthed another gem in Evan Ferguson? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Ian Hawkey and Jonathan Northcroft.Erling Haaland scored five goals in little over an hour for Manchester City in their 7-0 win over Leipzig. Can we finally put to bed the theory that he’s made their side worse? (00:00)Liverpool are out of the Champions League after a comprehensive defeat over two legs against Real Madrid. How much of a rebuild do they need to be back challenging in Europe? (21:50)Trent Alexander-Arnold is in the spotlight again after comments from Jamie Carragher. Is he reaching a crossroads in his career? (30:46)Hugh gets his random Champions League quarter finals generator out to see how the teams left in the competition could get matched up and could we see a new name from Italy on the trophy this season? (39:12)We share our favourite individual performances in the history of the Champions League, with a couple of surprise suggestions in the mix (45:00)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 Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Tony Cascarino.Gary Lineker will return to MOTD this weekend after everything that transpired over the last few days. Have you ever seen football presented in such a miserable way as they did on Saturday night? (00:00)Liverpool followed their thrashing of Manchester United with a 1-0 loss at Bournemouth. Can the south coast side stay up and will Liverpool bounce back to shock Real Madrid? (08:42)Everton got a much-needed win over Brentford. How can they stay in the Premier League and how important will Goodison Park be to them? (27:04)It’s been suggested that Ivan Toney is in line for another England call up - but should he be involved with the possibility of a lengthy ban on the horizon? (35:42)Leeds battled to get a point against Brighton - was Roberto De Zerbi’s disappointment a sign of how far Brighton have come? (39:36)How important was West Ham’s point against Aston Villa in their survival hopes under David Moyes? (46:17)We round up the rest of the weekend’s games with big wins for Chelsea and Spurs (53:13)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 & Tom Allnutt Is Graham Potter beginning to turn things around at Chelsea following back to back wins and Champions League progression?Another disappointing evening for Spurs as they crashed out of the Champions League against AC Milan.Is it time for Antonio Conte to leave and for the emotional return of Pochettino?Another year passes without Harry Kane winning a trophy. He is now approaching the final 12 months of is deal at Spurs so what of his future?Premier League preview as sides chasing Europe come up against sides at the other end of the table fighting relegation.After hitting Man United for 7 last week can Liverpool back it up with a big win over Bournemouth? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd & Matt DickinsonHistory is made at Anfield as Liverpool hit Man United for seven as the race for the top four hots up.Arsenal hitting back like champions? Reiss Nelson scoring late to seal a 3-2 comeback at The Emirates.Would missing out on the top 4 be an opportunity missed for Newcastle? Defeat to Man City sees them drop down to 6th.In how big trouble are Crystal Palace? Without a win since December!Despite a 4 nil defeat at Brighton why is David Moyes still safe at West Ham?Stay of execution for Graham Potter at Chelsea after a narrow 1 nil win at Stamford Bridge against Leeds. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Molly Hudson and Jonathan Northcroft.Grimsby triumph as Southampton reach and even lower low. Gregor’s former side are celebrating a famous cup win - but are the Saints doomed? (00:00)Sheffield United shine to knock Spurs out of the FA Cup. Despite better results, are Spurs actually playing any better at the moment? (15:58)Manchester United continued their good form to brush West Ham aside. Can they add a second domestic cup to their haul this season? (24:10)Liverpool made slight improvements to beat Wolves - but are they going to be shown up by United at the weekend? (30:57)Everton were blown away by Arsenal in the league. Will Sean Dyche be able to turn things around and if so, how? (36:12)Leeds United go to Chelsea looking for points against a side who can’t find form. Would a loss at the weekend be the final straw for Graham Potter? (42:14)The Continental Cup final takes place this weekend with Arsenal facing Chelsea. Molly tells us why Lauren James could be the key to a Chelsea win (50:45)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 Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Tom Roddy to review the footballing weekend.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, Ian Hawkey & Tom AllnuttWhat is wrong with Liverpool at the moment? A heavy defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League first leg leaves their season in tatters.Is Erling Haaland the problem for Man City? Struggling for goals and drawing away to RB Leipzig in the Champions LeagueJavi Gracia returns to the Premier League. The former Watford manager has signed a 'flexible contract' with Leeds.And we look ahead to the Carabao Cup final as Manchester United take on Newcastle United. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke & Tony Cascarino. The title race continues to hot up as Arsenal score two late goals to secure the points against Aston Villa, whilst Man City can only draw at Nottingham ForestIt's another defeat for Chelsea and Graham Potter..how many more can he oversee before the dreaded axe is dropped?Wins for Bournemouth, Everton & Southampton made things even tighter towards the bottom as West Ham dropped back into the bottom 3. Should David Moyes keep his job? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.