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In this episode, the hosts discuss Manchester United’s loss to Fulham, Bruno Fernandes’ performance, Arsenal’s victory over Newcastle, and Liverpool’s Carabao Cup win against Chelsea. Liverpool’s victory in the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea showcased their strong performance and the impact of key players like Virgil van Dijk and Wataru Endo. The success of Liverpool’s academy system and the legacy of manager Jurgen Klopp were also highlighted. The age and experience of the teams were compared, and controversial refereeing decisions were discussed. The difference in mentality between Klopp and Chelsea manager Poach was evident, as Liverpool’s young players stepped up in crucial moments. Despite missing key players, Liverpool emerged victorious. The conversation covers topics such as Chelsea’s A-Team, the consistency of their lineup, and the uncertainty surrounding their starting lineup. The discussion also touches on Brighton’s players, the impact of Liverpool fans at Wembley, and Klopp’s legacy. The conversation then shifts to Tottenham’s loss against Porto and Arsenal’s performance against Porto. The need for an out-and-out striker for Arsenal is discussed, along with the upcoming second leg against Porto. The lack of excitement in Champions League games and the potential for interesting matchups in the later stages of the tournament are also mentioned. The conversation covers topics such as Porto’s consistent performance in European competitions, the unpredictability of Porto, managing player rotation in key matches, injury concerns and player availability, Inter Miami’s overexposure, Inter Miami’s performance and frustrations, Messi’s performance and Inter Miami’s hype, MLS challenges and growth, St. Louis City’s performance and lack of identity, evaluation of St. Louis City’s games, concerns and expectations for St. Louis City, fixture congestion and lineup changes, analysis of St. Louis City’s response to conceding goals, predictions for St. Louis City’s next game, and closing remarks.

Takeaways

Manchester United’s performance has been inconsistent, and there is mounting pressure on manager Ten Hag.
Bruno Fernandes needs a break to regain his form and make better decisions on the field.
Arsenal’s recent performances have been impressive, and they are climbing up the Premier League table.
Liverpool’s win in the Carabao Cup against Chelsea showcased their strong team performance and depth.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Check-ins
06:17 Manchester United’s Loss to Fulham
11:29 Bruno Fernandes’ Performance
27:13 Liverpool’s Carabao Cup Win against Chelsea
28:12 Liverpool’s Performance and Virgil van Dijk
29:21 The Impact of Wataru Endo
30:38 Klopp’s Legacy and the Liverpool Academy
32:05 The Importance of the Carabao Cup for Liverpool
33:12 Age vs. Experience in the Teams
35:21 Controversial Refereeing Decisions
37:48 Chelsea’s Performance and Managerial Decisions
44:15 The Difference in Mentality between Klopp and Poach
45:13 The Impact of Young Players on the Game
46:12 The Absence of Liverpool’s Key Players
46:18 Discussion about Chelsea’s A-Team
47:58 Analyzing Chelsea’s lineup consistency
48:26 Debating Chelsea’s A-Team
49:35 The uncertainty of Chelsea’s starting lineup
51:14 Discussion about Brighton’s players
52:16 Praise for Alexis Mac Allister and Connor Bradley
53:28 The impact of Liverpool fans at Wembley
54:02 Klopp’s legacy and the significance of the Carabao Cup
55:26 Tottenham’s loss against Porto
56:19 Arsenal’s performance against Porto
57:45 The missing link for Arsenal in games like these
59:16 The need for an out-and-out striker for Arsenal
01:00:13 Analyzing Arsenal’s performance against Porto
01:02:29 The upcoming second leg against Porto
01:03:05 The lack of excitement in Champions League games
01:03:32 The potential for interesting matchups in the later stages of the Champions League
01:03:56 Porto’s Consistent Performance in European Competitions
01:04:16 The Unpredictability of Porto
01:05:01 Managing Player Rotation in Key Matches
01:05:31 Injury Concerns and Player Availability
01:06:20 Inter Miami’s Overexposure
01:06:34 Inter Miami’s Performance and Frustrations
01:07:19 Messi’s Performance and Inter Miami’s Hype
01:08:03 MLS Challenges and Growth
01:10:07 St. Louis City’s Performance and Lack of Identity
01:13:52 Evaluation of St. Louis City’s Games
01:15:10 Concerns and Expectations for St. Louis City
01:18:20 Fixture Congestion and Lineup Changes
01:19:17 Analysis of St. Louis City’s Response to Conceding Goals
01:21:01 Predictions for St. Louis City’s Next Game
01:21:59 Closing Remarks

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Hen (00:00.914) We are live. Gentlemen, welcome back to another edition of the Mecca of Banter podcast. I am this week’s host, Henry Wynd. You can find me on Twitter at Henry Wynd. It’s a great week to be a Manchester United fan. I’ll get it out of the way early. We’ll revisit it halfway through the episode and we’ll forget that I said it by the end of the episode. So we’re here and gentlemen, we have a great episode for everyone today and we have a very Very special guest. We’ll get to him in a second. But let’s check in with the fellas. Connorson Dobry, how are you doing today, brother? Dobes (00:37.912) What’s going on, fellas? I’m happy to be here, you know? It’s been a tough weekend. Both the teams I support have zero identity and zero style of play. So we’re here though, you know, Bielefeld did ties. So that’s another positive result for my direction. Flanders, good to see you, good to have you here. Yeah, excited for this one, I guess I could say. At least the banter is gonna be a little bit between Chelsea and Liverpool to take the heat off United. But you know, I’m willing to take it this week. I’m willing to take it this week. So good to see you, fellas. Hen (00:51.59) Point to point. Hoov (01:02.748) Yeah. Hen (01:03.631) Yeah. I dig it. Thanks for being here. Lucas Winkleman, check in brother. Winks (01:10.132) What’s up boys? It’s good to be here. Yeah. Hen, I respect you were in the Barcelona kit after so Henry and I watched both of those games at the same time on Saturday and only one of his teams like you said or I guess rather like Dobe said had an identity so glad you’re wearing that but no I agree. I feel like you know with Dobes (01:13.608) This is getting old. Hen (01:15.219) Hahaha Winks (01:35.311) With the Carabao Cup final this weekend, there wasn’t a whole lot of prem games between us. So excited to hopefully dive a little bit deeper into the games that did happen, including the Mighty Arsenal. Hen (01:44.122) Yeah. Inclusive of that. We’ll talk about a massive Champions League fixture, you know, massive, choosing the, you know, the opposition of choice of FC Porto. So we’ll dig into that. Andy Hoover, check in. These are my favorite episodes when Hoover doesn’t have to talk about spurs, but he just gets to stir the pot. So how are you doing today, man? Hoov (02:05.813) I’m full of hot takes today, lads. I’m doing good, happy to be here. Only one of my teams disappointed me this week. The other one didn’t even have the chance. So yeah, I’m happy about it. I got to watch the football matches that mattered this weekend for sure. And I do have some takes, 100%. So looking forward to it, let’s get into it. Hen (02:28.19) Excited to have you. Nick Haeflinger on the losing side of the Care About Cup. But check in first, how we doing? Hen (03:05.582) And last but not least for the first time ever we have the Liverpool lads Plural but you you’re not alone this week, but we’ll start off with you. How are you feeling? Welcome back to the pod my friend Bootchie Mane (03:17.846) I’m doing okay, man. Hanging in there. Girls soccer started today, so my season’s back on the grind. I’m ready to go back on the field and start coaching. And obviously after seeing Klopp and the boys sing you’ll never walk alone yesterday after a 1-0 win. It was a fantastic feeling. I’m sure Flans can go on that when we introduce him. But another trophy to Klopp’s trophy cabinet. Dobes (03:37.289) This is horrible. Hen (03:46.29) Gag me. And last but certainly not least, the man himself, Mr. Flannery, welcome to the pod brother. Check in for the people, tell them who you are and yeah, introduce yourself. Bootchie Mane (03:46.698) Life is good, life is good. Flans (03:48.125) Hahaha Flans (04:00.288) Thank you all for having me. Glad to be here. For those who don’t know me, Brian Flannery. They call me Flann the man, aka Flanns, aka Flann Bobby. I got a couple names out there. You can find me B Flanns on all socials though if you really want to get after me. But yeah, long time Liverpool supporter as in my whole life. It’s religion for my family. Sundays are not church, it’s the Prem. Hoov (04:07.265) aka flans aka flam pob aka flam ez Hen (04:11.053) Hahaha Flans (04:29.712) Whole families Liverpool supporters Born and raised and yeah yesterday come off a big high lift another trophy all kinds of emotions Klopp said it was his most His most meaningful trophy yet, which and a guy who’s coached for that many years. I think is impressive So yeah, I’m riding high man. Monday was easy glad to be here Hen (04:53.498) Happy to have you brother. Well fellows if you did or did not know 2024 is here in full swing and that means it’s time for a New Year’s resolution check-in with our friends at Manscaped. Newsflash, it’s never too late to level up your grooming game and keep your bush tamed. Manscaped’s new Lawn Mower 5.0 Ultra is every man’s cheat code to look good, feel good, and turn the page on confidence this year. Whether you’re going for a trim or that clean shaven look, this trimmer has you covered. Trusted by over 10 million men worldwide, now is your time to get a grip on your grooming with our exclusive offer. Go to manscape.com and use code MEKKA20, that is MEKKA, M-E-C-C-A, 20, for a 20% off and free shipping. The ball has dropped, but don’t drop the ball on your balls. Gentlemen, every time we get to talk about Manscaped, I’m stoked. So shout out Manscaped, yeah, sponsoring the pod this episode. Hoov (05:42.031) Ayyy Dobes (05:43.788) Thank you. Flans (05:44.992) That’s a good promo. Hoov (05:45.396) I love it. Hen (05:49.774) But let’s jump into the weekend recap. It’s a short one. It’s a really short one. Um, as you know, three of the teams on this pod didn’t play due to the carabao cup final, um, but Connor, we got to start off with Manchester United’s loss to Fulham at home. It was a two to one loss, uh, for the lads. I want to hear your thoughts, uh, what went wrong and where do you stand now that you’ve had a couple of days to sink it in? Dobes (06:17.396) First off, I made it to what’s today’s date, February 26th in 2024 before being just absolutely pissed off with United. We started off 2024 undefeated. Going into Fulham, obviously the missing of Hoylan Luke Shaw is massive, but at the same time, it’s Manchester United at home. We’re playing at home and I’ve said this how many times in a row I’m going to sound like a broken Winks (06:24.866) Thank you. Dobes (06:46.42) the winner loss doesn’t necessarily matter to me. It’s more so what does the performance look like? Can we command a game? Can we command the ball? And especially at home. Like to me, it’s one of those things you go on the road, you play at tough places, you may want to give up a little bit of the ball a little bit of times and play on the counter attack. But to me, this game was, you know, the games that we won beforehand, all the ground that we caught up on top four and in the fifth place spot, that’s gotta be important, doesn’t matter unless you beat Fulham. Like it truthfully doesn’t because instantly we saw Aston Villa take three points, get a win, and all of a sudden that gap to fourth is back. Um, and so, so when you look at the game as a whole, like firstly, starting at the lineup, we saw Forsen 19 year old come in, come into the 11 with Rashford up top and like instantly, I think all of us know how bad Marcus Rashford is at playing as a number nine. Hoov (07:33.453) He’s locked that in. Yeah. Dobes (07:35.42) Like it’s, it’s never ever, ever worked with him as a nine. And I said it before the game and you guys may think I’m crazy. Like I think we should have played Scotty as a nine. Like I think we should have played Scotty’s nine as crazy as it sounds. We have Rashford who’s finding some decent format left and Garnacho who’s been electric outright. And the fact that we instantly put Rashford up top just changed that dynamic completely. Um. Hen (07:35.599) Hahaha Dobes (07:59.764) But yeah, I mean, you have to give credit to Fulham in this game. Like Fulham 100% deserve to win. Like we scored a goal off of kind of nothing. Like it was, you know, like Harry Maguire probably maybe could have scored earlier, should have scored earlier with that just right outside the six. But then we did score a goal and get back in the game. And truthfully, if you watch this Manchester United team over the past two months, when we score and there’s probably eight minutes left, like we’ve typically found ways to go on and score and win games. And so I did think that was going to happen. What you did see is just, you saw that when you, you leave a counter, a counter forward and Harry McGuire on a yellow who can’t take a, who can’t take a foul. And all credit to, to Triore. Triore came and ate Linda Loft’s lunch, ate McGuire’s lunch, played a great ball on that will be in boom, all of a sudden it’s two to one. We have nobody else to blame but ourselves. Um, a lot of people are sort of at this point right now where they’re trying to blame 10 Hag. I am still firmly, you can’t necessarily blame 10 hag when you have a fourth, fourth choice center back playing as a left back, you don’t have a healthy striker, it sort of changes the way that you want to play. I do think that the pressure is mounting though. Like it’s, it’s mounting, even though we started off undefeated in 2024, the pressure has to be there just because if you listen to surgeon Radcliffe, the new honors interview, he sits and he talks about how there’s no manager that’s been successful at United in the past decade, and it’s not necessarily the manager’s fault. But what he also filed that up by saying is that champions league and playing in Europe is important. Not only for, um, not only for just, of course you want to be in it, but for financial reasons for the club to move forward. And so I think that I don’t necessarily want to come out and say that is going to be the benchmark for if he keeps his job or not, especially with injuries. But I do think if we keep sort of this moving backwards in the table, and it sounds crazy because there’s the first loss of 2024. But it just shows how much pressure he has on him. That one loss like that all of a sudden were six points farther than that off of fourth. And all of a sudden the pressure is massive for him. So obviously I have to give credit to Fulham. We looked like shit complete throughout the entire game. There’s a few guys that don’t necessarily deserve to be lumped into that. I think like even Maguire played well, DeLowe played well. I thought Onana did everything that he could in that game. Like there’s guys that played well, but as a collective, we still haven’t been able to put together. Dobes (10:10.736) I think that’s still my biggest concern is we haven’t had a solid performance in 2024. Undefeated, or I guess we’re undefeated, but we didn’t have a solid performance in that entire time. Winks (10:12.239) Thank you. Hoov (10:21.628) Dude, my favorite version of United is the one where Maguire’s the best player on the pitch. I think it’s fucking hilarious, bro. Winks (10:27.145) Yep, on a burger every time. Hen (10:27.25) Yeah. Dobes (10:30.924) I mean, yeah, he has been, and that’s what’s so funny is people were talking so much shit on him, but now that he doesn’t have the pressure of the armband and he doesn’t have the pressure of being that guy, he’s been solid, which at the end of the day, what’s important is the fact that if he’s playing well, we’re gonna be able to get 45, 50 million for him in the summer, and if he’s not playing, I think that’s the only positive too. But if we’re playing well, we can actually try. Hen (10:38.014) percent. Hen (10:54.194) Well, very true. Now, Dobbs, I’m curious. Like, we gotta talk about Bruno. Bruno has been one of the most, you know, it’s funny talking to a podcast full of non-United fans. It’s like Bruno’s probably the biggest bitch in all of the prem, but you can’t deny his output since he’s come to the prem, but for the last, I don’t know what, three, four months, it has not been there. He doesn’t look good. And I know that you’re a Bruno Fernandez truther. Dobes (11:01.253) Have to. Dobes (11:22.415) I don’t think it’s been three or four months. Hen (11:24.614) But give me your thoughts on where Bruno is at the current moment and what needs to happen. Dobes (11:29.052) I think one of Bruno’s best qualities is his ability to stay on the pitch. And the fact that he’s only missed three games over the last, like five or six years from injury three. And the other couple that he’s missed is because he’s been sick. Like that, that’s a great quality to have, but I do think we’re getting to the point where we don’t have anybody else that can play in that spot and he needs a break, like he, he truthfully, like you see him overplaying and you see him trying to play this hero ball. in moments when you’re playing Fulham at home, just put your foot on the ball. Like get some combination play going with Casimir, get some combination playing going with Kobe Mano. That’s what they’re best at. And every moment to where it seems like, all right, we have the ball, we put a couple of passes together, we find Bruno. He’s one of the best players in the world. I will say it. Of the ball comes to him hitting that one touch long ball and finding a runner behind, finding Rashford, finding Garnaccio, finding whoever it may be in terms of that sort of. instant counter-attack third ball. There, he might be the best in the world at just that ball, but it doesn’t mean you have to try that every single time you get it. And so many times it’s just put your foot on the ball. Let’s get a foothold in the game and let’s ping a little bit. And that is what we have been missing. Kobe Maynard was great. He’s our best player on the ball in the midfield with the ball at his feet. But we use him as sort of a box to box midfield and putting in tackles rather than use him for his best skillset and keeping the ball. And a lot of that starts with Bruno because we do find him in those spots where he’s dangerous. But even if you’re dangerous, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to play that Hollywood ball. Like you see with a Kevin De Bruyne, you see it with an Odegaard. There’s times where they just put the foot on the ball. They go backwards and then reset and they say, all right, you know, we’re going to reset. We’re going to keep the ball for a little bit and suck the air out of the game. And it’s just Bruno hasn’t had that capability over the last month. And in turn, we give the ball right back to Fulham and Fulham’s a team that can keep possession. And then all of a sudden, we’re defending for three, four, five minutes again, trying to chase a game. And so he’s been killing us. Hoov (13:21.433) We talked about it last week, but to a certain degree, there’s gotta be some instruction there on that. The best chances you guys had against Luton and here were those sweeping balls to a quick counter. That’s obviously the direction that you have, and we’ve talked about how many injuries and whatever, that is kind of just the style you need to play at the moment, but that all filters back to 10-hack for me. It’s gotta be the mindset that they have it’s got to be like the instructions He’s been given to a certain degree or else there would be some interchange like that. It just didn’t look like ever Hen (13:57.604) Mm-hmm. Dobes (13:59.324) Interchange for who? Hen (14:02.19) I don’t know, like, but I understand what you’re saying. Like I understand what you’re saying that like, yeah. Dobes (14:04.5) Nick Tommaday? At the 10, though? Hoov (14:04.557) Mano Kid’s pretty good. No, I’m not saying in his position. I’m saying in the game. Like, like he, Rashford can make a couple quick passes and get out on a break. Like, I don’t know Jack about this forcing cat, but you can do the same with Garnacho, but you know what I mean? Like it, there’s no sense of slow down. It’s pick up and go. Flans (14:29.16) Yeah, but I mean I’ll play like a little bit of devil’s advocate like You’re saying like the injuries mean that you got like United has to play this way, right? Because I do agree It seems like the like United’s way of playing right now is sit a little deeper and then play fast on the break through Their their pace on the wings, which they have a lot of um, but like In the I mean i’ll point to Liverpool because we had a lot of injuries and the thing is like We don’t compromise the ball that we play when we lose certain guys. We just next man up in the position, we play the position. So at what point is it the injuries that is causing United to play this way? And what point is it just Ten Hogg just wants to play it this way? Hen (15:03.134) That’s I get that. Yeah. Dobes (15:13.74) I will say, I do think it’s a combination of the two. Like I will say, I think some of this has to fall back on 10 hat, like I’m by no means saying that there’s no blame to be put on him at like at all. Because like the moment that you see like Forsen, it’s like kids 19, obviously we want him to have that like garnacho type impact, that mano type impact instantly come in, but like it wasn’t working. And I do think there’s some of that where you have to recognize like 10, 15 minutes in the game. We’re casual soccer fans. Obviously we’re diehard, but we can sit there and watch that. Like this isn’t fucking working. And so why not try to slide force and as a false nine, burrows a false nine and switch something up. I do think there is some of that to the, the ability to like in game, adjust and change things. And yes, I think injuries more so play, play a way that we are affect the way that we play out of the back and play the way that we’re like, where we set our line and, and like where we set our press. Hen (15:46.578) Mm-hmm. Dobes (16:08.028) And I also think that some of this is like, you guys have to realize, like when you look at Harry Maguire, like not, not a 10 hag signing, when you, when you look at like all of these players around the field, they’re not 10 hag signings. And so yeah, yeah. So, so basically to me, it’s like, he had, he’s dealing with players that if you look at manage past managers and past managers, like they’ve been there, like Matamane is at the club because of Jose Mourinho, like Jose Mourinho calls him my boy and he stayed at the club through this. And so. Flans (16:16.192) That’s true. You have a point. He had a window, a window basically, yeah. Flans (16:35.978) Baller. Dobes (16:37.36) And so I do think, I do think part of it is he’s trying to, and this is again, back on 10 hag, you have to be able to like, as any good coach, like Butch will sit there and say, the way that we played last year, the way that we played last year as a Lafayette team is going to be completely different from the way that we’re going to have to play this next year based off the personnel we have. And so I think that’s what 10 hag is struggling with massively is how to get the best out of this group, because it hasn’t worked. He’s, he’s made attempts at this counter-attacking football. And it hasn’t worked. And so that’s why I think the pressure is as big as it is right now. I mean, there’s people calling for his head if we lose the forest this week, which you can’t really blame any of us if that does happen, you know, which I think is unfortunate because I think a proper window and I think proper players, I think we can play a style that, you know, is a pretty brand of soccer and sort of has that United DNA. We just haven’t seen that in. Aside from glimpses in forever. Hoov (17:28.801) Yeah, the only reason you have basis on that too is because he did do it at IX. Like, we’ve seen it. There’s evidence, there’s clips, there’s the team and squad he had at IX would play really well in the prem this year, you know what I mean? Like, those cuts were good, so that’s the only ground I’ll give you to your ride, I think. Hen (17:34.322) Mm-hmm. Flans (17:50.42) Did it take him a few years to build a squad at Ajax? I think the problem with the prem, and obviously in the big four clubs, is if you get brought in as a manager and you don’t have instant success, especially nowadays, they’ll just rip you. And most of the time, ownership will just take you out of the seat within a couple months. Most managers don’t get a lot of leeway. So I think in some of the other leagues, and mid-high table teams, Dobes (17:50.633) M- Hen (18:04.378) Yeah, totally. Dobes (18:10.88) Yeah. Flans (18:19.528) You can get a couple years to build it. But like in the prem, when you come in, you have to perform right away. And I think the big issue is like, as we said, like I don’t even know who this cat was who was playing on the wing for y’all, but your $100 million signing is on the bench because he’s so bad. Like, and that’s a 10-hour signing. That’s what I’m saying. So like he had a window with a budget for $100 million and went and got a guy that you’re willing, you’re gonna play a 19-year-old over because he’s that bad. Hen (18:33.09) Mm-hmm. Yeah. Dobes (18:33.928) Yep. That’s a great point. Yeah. Hoov (18:34.973) And that was a 10 hag signing like which sucks Flans (18:49.116) Like that, I feel like that, that type of stuff does not sit well with me as like just a fan who like sees a manager and see it’s like, okay, he’s got to have responsibility for that. Like that is his guy that he brought in and he was off. Dobes (18:59.439) Ugh. Oh, I agree. I do think part of that though is like the a hundred million. Does it happen if 10, 10 hag cannot be the only person to make decisions. And I think that’s what he was last year. And I, I do think the pressure that where the pressure mounts is because. And he knows is coming in with this sort of like fresh regime of like that. They, they want a fresh start and they want to style that they’re going to know and understand. And from top down, that’s what they want to build. And I think if. Flans (19:13.609) Hmm. Dobes (19:31.296) Ten Hag wasn’t in the United job right now and Ineos is looking at managers. Like Ten Hag would be the manager I would go get. And I think the problem that we’re going to have now is going to be, I don’t really think there’s another manager out there right now that I would like. Jump over backwards to go get besides maybe Javi Alonso and he’s not coming to United. And so that’s where it’s like, we keep going through the cycle of blame the manager, blame the manager, blame the manager, blame the manager, blame the manager, and finally we’re fixing the internal problem. Hen (19:37.255) Totally. Dobes (19:58.872) I’m just hoping they give him enough leeway to get to the summer, get rid of a ton of the deadwood and then we can possibly build. But that’s not the premise, the thing, you know? It’s like Flann said, it’s like everybody wants instant success. Hen (20:04.53) That’s exactly how I feel. Like if we can get there, yeah. But it might be Ineos, like that’s the thing. Like I think Ineos have made it clear and we don’t need to harp on Manchester United for all of this podcast, but I think Ineos in every single interview that they’ve done, every outward facing thing, they’ve been really strategic about the internal. They actually haven’t had any rumors of players, like at all. there’s been zero talk about people being linked. And I think that SerGym can look at it and see it for what it is of like the whole internal thing has to be changed and it doesn’t matter. Like you said, Dobs, it doesn’t matter what manager you bring in. It could be a caretaker manager and they’re gonna perform the exact same way until you address what you need to address. Bootchie Mane (20:50.274) Thanks for watching! Hen (20:54.462) If it were me, I don’t think that Ten Hog is faultless. And Flann, I think you bring up a really good point of the style changes so much depending on the personnel, and I don’t love that either. But if it’s me, I’m backing Ten Hog at least through the summer, because I just recognize with all of the other stuff going on inside the club, he’s still the person that I wanna have. I don’t want another manager to come in, and then this summer be the summer of, well, I just need, I need the summer to assess the players, and then we’ll do business in January. make me blow my brains out as a United fan. So don’t need that. But but Lucas, you know, we’re talking about this fresh start needed, you know, with Manchester United and Arsenal was another club that needed a fresh start midweek after coming off of a disappointing loss. But it looked like you didn’t give a fuck. Hoov (21:26.984) Hahaha Flans (21:29.268) Yeah, fair, agreed. Hen (21:45.21) because you stomped Nudecastle 4-1. So while you still can’t do anything in Europe, it sounds like the Premier League is, you’re picking up right where you were last year. Hoov (21:47.12) Hehehehe Bootchie Mane (21:51.519) Thank you. Winks (21:53.523) Baby, don’t take your anger out on me. There are two legs to this thing, second legs at home. It is gonna be a fucking 180. Just wait. Hoov (21:56.197) I’m gonna go. Hen (21:58.302) cute. Hen (22:01.958) Um, but y’all killed new castle and I want to hear your thoughts on the game But but what is this now 22 goals in the last four games or whatever. It’s been like It’s outrageous Dobes (22:11.968) Yeah, outrageous. Winks (22:13.119) I think it’s more than that, but yeah, man, it’s, I mean, moved within two points of Liverpool, one within City at the table. So obviously it’s a close race right now. But yeah, what can you really say? I feel like we’re so fucking fun to watch right now. Six straight wins in the prem in 2024. I feel like the story is continuing for us this year. We’re scoring a lot of goals. Those goals are coming from all over the field as far as who’s scoring them. Speaking of which, our backup left back now has… three more goal contributions than your hundred million dollar winger, which is really exciting for us. But a quick note, Dobbs, Nate and I were talking about best bets for this game on Saturday morning and we agreed on the over and then Dobbs had a pick for a soccer scoring. So yeah, bang on that. That’s what I’m saying. Yeah, appreciate that. Hoov (22:50.749) Thanks for watching! Dobes (23:01.74) So let me know what you guys need and I’m here for you. I’ll help you guys out. Hoov (23:04.844) Hahaha. Winks (23:06.735) And I think you said, you had said that day that you even bet the over on United’s game. So even when you lose, you win or something like that. I was like, that was, that was such a line. Um, but no, we put on an absolute clinic. Yeah. New castle kind of has the injury bug right now and look miserable the entire game outside of their 84th minute consolation goal. Um, but although they looked awful partially due to their own, you know, turmoil, we, that’s also partially due to the way that. Flans (23:13.333) Yeah Dobes (23:13.693) Yes, sir. Winks (23:35.083) we were pressing and the energy that we brought to that game, I think, at home. In the first half especially, they had trouble stringing together more than a couple passes because of the way that our guys pressed and defended as a unit. So that was super exciting to watch just as much as it was watching us put up four on the tune. I think for us, set pieces continue to be a huge point of success as well. Two goals from corners in that game. leading the league leading the Premier League give us the trophy for Four goals from set pieces even excluding penalties But I think one of the big things I want to take away here now that it’s been you know enough games Consistently that we’ve been you know scoring goals. I think we have like at least two goals in like seven straight halves Which in the Premier League, which is a crazy stat too, and I think is a record for the competition as a whole, but last year and a few of the games early on in the year, you know, we were traditionally winning a lot of our games in tight manners, like in extra time or, you know, late in the second half, whatever the case was. But right now we’re winning games easily. And I think that that’s a huge sign of kind of how the system is finally coming together, but also how our summer signings are really starting to fit into the team. Kai’s, you know, been consistently way better than he has since we signed him. And I know. Dobes (24:57.696) That chant is unbelievable, by the way. I hate it, but it’s unbelievable. Winks (25:02.299) Kai Havertz scores again. Um, and then on top of that, the drastically low, you know, XGA that we have when, when we play these teams too. But you know, there, there’s not too much else to talk about this game. I think in a similar way to what Citi did to us last year, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, but it’s crucial to, you know, win games that you should win and then put pressure on the teams that are in front of you and capitalize on those opportunities. And you know, we, we did that in a, in a phenomenal way. on Saturday so super happy right now. Bootchie Mane (25:33.794) Thanks for watching! Hoov (25:33.794) Dude Newcastle is the type of team right now to get pressed and just vomit on themselves Like they have zero ability to play out of a press and it’s Hen (25:33.959) Yeah, no. Hen (25:39.102) Totally. Winks (25:42.763) And I hate Bruno G so much, so watching that was like even better. You know, every time he received the ball in turn, Declan Rice was fucking all over him. And it was electric. Hen (25:58.198) Yeah, he’s been great. I’m kind of surprised that Eddie Howe hasn’t been dropped as a manager, been sacked as a manager. Newcastle’s, I mean, they’re not doing well. Winks (25:58.671) It was a lot. Winks (26:05.851) What are they in like 10th right now? Hoov (26:08.733) Last year was a fluke. Dobes (26:09.461) They had a ton of injuries this year though too. Winks (26:10.543) Or is that Chelsea? Yeah. Hoov (26:12.125) Last year was a fluke. Hen (26:12.399) I get that, but… Flans (26:13.892) They got hammered like early year, mid year. I think right now their squad is honestly like they’re getting back to what they were. So like even more props to you. ESEC is a huge part of their team. Almiron’s back. They have Loris Karius. So as a Liverpool fan, good luck to them. But yeah, I mean, most of our squads honestly back, but I think they love him in Newcastle. Like it seems like the like they back him hard. Dobes (26:16.234) Yeah. Hoov (26:21.223) ESAC backs huge. Hen (26:31.78) Hahaha Dobes (26:31.811) Oh Hoov (26:32.133) Hahaha Flans (26:42.332) And like almost felt like extreme sympathy for him when he had that, those issues early season, mid season with all the injuries. So. Dobes (26:49.18) I hate Newcastle, fuck Newcastle. Hahahaha Hen (26:49.614) Yeah. Yeah, literally like. Winks (26:51.035) I know. Yeah, were you happy? I know like lately you’re getting tired of the way that we’ve been playing dobes, but are you happy that we pounded them? Or would you, obviously for you guys in a perfect world, probably a tie would have been ideal, but knowing how much you hate Newcastle. Dobes (27:01.686) Uh oh. Dobes (27:07.584) Brother, brother, I am anyone but Liverpool City one in the league. So I told you, you guys have my allegiance. You guys have my allegiance. Flans (27:12.064) Disgusting. Ha ha. Hen (27:13.93) He said disgusting fans Well Lucas, we’ll get back to you in a second when we talk Champions League, but let’s move to the main attraction fellas The Carabao Cup which if you’ve been a fan of this podcast for any amount of time You know the absolute reverence that we have for the Carabao Cup on this podcast we hold it up there in the highest regards along with the leagues Cup and You know the yeah, you know so Winks (27:15.599) My boy. Winks (27:28.315) Here we fucking go. Dobes (27:38.164) The Champions League. Flans (27:39.424) Top Club World Cup, Carabao Cup. Pretty close. Hen (27:43.066) the club world cup, all of them. So for those of you that didn’t watch the game, Liverpool won in a one nothing game against Chelsea in extra time. And what was the headline? It was Klopp’s kids beating the billion dollar bottle jobs. I think that’s how the title read. And honestly, I don’t know where to start with this, but I think with Hoov (27:44.369) Yeah. Hen (28:12.04) With this special guest, Flan Butch, I think we’ll give it to the Liverpool guys to start off this game. Bootchie Mane (28:18.518) Flayn, I’m gonna let you kinda start it, cause I got to watch the first half on the way to the… Dobes (28:25.448) I got something to say to Butch and Nick at the end of this. So yeah, go ahead, Butch. Bootchie Mane (28:28.094) Okay, I was just gonna say I’ll let our special guest kind of rip it. I watched the whole first half, but then we had to tee off. So I was kind of like in and out of watching the rest, but I was refreshing my. My FATMA. Hen (28:28.624) Hahaha Dobes (28:31.948) Thank you. Dobes (28:38.345) Unbelievable. Hen (28:40.722) Fake ass fan, are you kidding me bro? What are we doing? Dobes (28:42.324) Fake ass fans. You could give me Augusta national or a cup final for United. And I’m taking the cup final 10 times out of 10. Hen (28:50.279) Yeah, Jesus! Bootchie Mane (28:52.015) Okay, I was committed to playing golf, but… Dobes (28:52.864) Oh. Winks (28:54.48) Ha ha! Flans (28:55.876) I’m having to kick us off. I had a couple thoughts. So I’m gonna rip them off real quick The ones that y’all want to pick at or hey, I know you’re gonna be pissed off at some of them. So all we can tackle them as we want but First note that I had like immediately following the game Virgil van Dyck was robbed of a Ballon d’Or He is in top form He is in top form this season Dobes (28:57.861) Thank you. Dobes (29:10.336) kick my feet up. Hoov (29:12.067) Yeah. Dobes (29:17.388) I’m going to go. Hoov (29:18.637) Oh my god, oh my god, that’s where we go, that’s where we start. Hen (29:21.35) He’s coming out swinging, bro! What are we talking about? Dobes (29:25.343) I was actually, I was gonna, I was gonna compliment him too, yeah, fuck! Flans (29:29.239) Absolute colossal performance. He’s played in four finals, won four men of the matches. He played really well yesterday. I thought it was like a statement game for him. Hen (29:37.134) Wait, is that a true stat? Four out of four for men of the matches? Damn! Flans (29:41.364) I don’t know if it’s every final he’s been in, but he’s definitely played in four finals and won four men of the match performances, yes. Including the last Carabao Cup, which we won two years ago. So yeah, I thought it was a big game for him for multiple reasons, especially like the fact the youth in the squad, I think like it was a real game for him as one of the senior players to really shine. First time lifting a trophy as a Liverpool captain, so sort of like solidifying himself as a Liverpool captain. I thought that was huge. Hen (29:47.786) Oh. Flans (30:10.28) But yeah, I mean, he scored the same goal twice, just as like an emphasis of like, I’ll do this shit again, we’re gonna win this game. So amazing performance there. Wataru Endo, we’re talking about signings and the importance of like good signings. 16 million pounds for that guy was absolutely absurd. I do remember actually like funny enough, Klopp put out a video after we signed him, like asking Liverpool fans like, please like trust me on this one. Like I know, like we’re missed out on Kaisato, we missed out on Enzo, like what were they calling him? Chelsea called them like the LFC midfield because we lost Fernandez, the guy who hasn’t played at all from, I don’t know, Lavia, and then Kaisato. We missed out on all three of them. We bought this, get 31 year old when like we just sold our whole team because they were 31, 16 million from like some German club. Dobes (30:47.741) You dodged a bullet. Hoov (30:53.262) Latia. Hen (30:53.302) Oh yeah. Uh huh. Latvia? Yeah. Dobes (30:54.665) Love you. Flans (31:07.7) But that guy is absolutely incredible. He’s 13 points. Yeah. I think the undervalued captain of Japan, I think any time you captain a good national team, you’re somebody. So that should speak to it already. But yeah, he’s been lights out with us. We haven’t lost a game that he started all year. I think he’s started now 16 games. We’ve won 14, tied 2, and have a plus 36 goal differential in those games. So. Dobes (31:11.072) He’s a baller. Hen (31:11.462) Yeah, he’s old. Hoov (31:11.619) Yeah. Flans (31:37.084) He’s an absolute machine. Yeah, like props to him. He goes by his business quietly, but fantastic player. Uh, I think as cop was saying, like maybe one of the best trophies he’s won. Definitely at Liverpool. Obviously it’s care about cup. So like, you don’t want to overstate it, but, um, just like in a season where we felt like we should have no excuses, like there were so many excuses we had for this game, uh, we come into the match missing six starters. We instantly lose like our, like one of our decent midfielders and have to bring on a kid like within 20 minutes. So it just felt like, holy shit, like we’re gonna be, we knew we were gonna be subbing on 16 year olds once we got like late in the game. Of course it goes extra time. So like. Of course it goes extra time, so we have to bring in more teenagers and academy players. I just feel like that, to pull it out against a squad that has a lot of talent, there is a lot of talent on Chelsea. They haven’t had to put it together this year, but there is a lot of talent on the Chelsea team. So I felt like it was just a huge trophy, a huge trophy for us to win. I think this also just… Hoov (32:23.165) Thanks for watching! Dobes (32:46.196) Don’t make me do it, Nick. Just don’t make me do it, man. Flans (32:51.16) speaks to Klopp’s legacy. Like, as far as speaking of 10 Hog and like the ability to really like build a program, like I think this speaks to the fact that, and I sort of thought about this when you were mentioning the fact that you only had a window is because we’ve had Klopp for eight years, we can bring on Academy players and bring up Academy players because top to bottom, the club is playing the same type of football. Like we have a system, we have implemented it across all of our youth teams so that we can Hen (33:12.386) Yeah, it’s a system. Yeah. Hoov (33:13.905) Yeah. Dobes (33:13.993) Yep. Flans (33:20.396) from our U-21s, U-18s, if they’re stars shining and put them into the senior squad. I felt like he made the right substitutions as he always does. I felt like he made the right tactical changes as he always does. Yeah, just absolutely incredible. Hoov (33:36.525) Dude, I mean, some of these kids could have been 12 years old when he started at the club. So like you’re 100% right. You literally go out and you can start to be nitpicky on youth players you’re bringing in because you know that this is gonna happen. Flans (33:41.564) Actually, yeah, yeah. Flans (33:50.16) Yeah, yeah. Hen (33:50.33) Yeah, I also think that something that’s cool about the Liverpool Academy, so like all of those guys that came on, none of them were like… the next big thing. Like we talked about with Forsen coming on in like at United, when we’ve had Maynard, we’ve had Garnacho come through even, you know, earlier on, you can go even go back to like the Yanu’s eyes and all those guys that have come through at United. I feel like whenever an Academy guys gets into the first team, they have to be the class of 92 and they have to be the guy and they have to be all this stuff where you just saw Liverpool field six of them at the same time. And none of them have to be the next Steven Gerrard, but they all are bought into the system. They’re all bought into the identity. And so, yeah, just like you said, I think that that’s, it’s such a cool testament to how a club can be run when you trust a manager to do it. So. Hoov (34:39.513) I want to know what it’s like, dude. I just want to know Hen (34:41.69) Yeah. Flant, do you think that should have been a red card for Gravenbirch injury? Flans (34:43.525) God, we’re gonna fucking lose them. Jesus. Flans (34:52.308) To be honest, no, because I don’t think it was really an intentional challenge. I think that is a big part of the role, is the intent. What is the intent? Was he going in trying to make a really hard challenge? No, I do think he was going in trying to make a challenge. I think it’s a yellow card without a doubt on the pitch. I think it’s at least a foul, but I feel like the referee honestly kind of butchered that game both sides. I just feel like he kind of lost the plot a little bit. was just missing things. I mean, it was boiling up between people, between Chillwell and Bradley in the 12th minute. He had no handle on it. So yeah, I feel like they just sort of missed that one. So I didn’t expect Vieira to come back and red card it, to be honest. It felt more like they were running next to each other and he stomped on them, unfortunately, as he was sort of pulling out of the challenge, less so of a slight tackle. So I don’t hate it, but I don’t. Hen (35:41.08) Mm-hmm. Hoov (35:50.285) Not to call it a foul or a yellow though, it’s pretty wild to me. Flans (35:50.857) I don’t love it. Dobes (35:53.952) That’s insane. Hen (35:54.046) Yeah, it’s pretty sus. The two. Flans (35:54.084) Yeah, pretty egregious in my opinion. Yeah. Like that part of it was like. Dobes (35:58.12) I don’t mind in no red, especially in a final too. Like I think that, like we say this, I do think finals should be refereed a little bit different than your average game, but the fact that there was nothing there was just insane. Hoov (36:00.614) Yeah. Hen (36:09.05) It’s insane. Yeah, I think you’re right to call out Van Dyke also for a colossal performance. But two people that I want to call out on your end, Luis Diaz played a great game. He was so dangerous. I’m surprised he didn’t bag one honestly. I mean, he was just he was everywhere for the whole game. He was everywhere. I thought your keeper was just great. I thought he was really good, made some huge saves, was commanding of the box and Bootchie Mane (36:19.695) Mm-hmm. Hen (36:37.058) Obviously you always feel more secure with Allison and net, but man, he that kids, he’s a good, good player. Um, yeah, that was great. Flans (36:44.956) Yeah, 100% agree. I think we’ve even had, I mean, he was our man of the match club gave it to him. I think rightfully so. Um, he’s always, he’s once again, like Academy kid, been in the, been in the program for a little while. Um, we always let him play the smaller cups until the finals. Uh, so he’s always like training and like ready for the best. Um, but he had an absolute performance. Like he usually plays well, but that was in Allison at his prime level performance. Like. Stopping some of those chances that Chelsea had, I thought was really incredible. Couple of those goals, Cole Palmer should have had one for sure. Without a doubt, I think Gallagher should have had one, probably two. But yeah, like not necessarily all their fault, just good saves. Like really, really stellar performance kept us in that game when we maybe didn’t deserve it. Like there were times we were definitely getting played off the pitch and we looked like we were not in the game, but. Hen (37:24.615) Mm-hmm. Hen (37:30.226) Mm-hmm. Flans (37:42.48) I think the opposite kind of happened for Chelsea once we hit the extra time periods, which was interesting. Hen (37:48.122) Yeah, totally. Nikki, thoughts? Hoov (37:50.054) Nikki. Hen (38:07.844) I want to die at myself first. Dobes (38:09.978) P-Poach shit to bed? Hoov (38:54.582) Yeah. Hen (40:16.754) Can’t before we before I don’t I don’t want to I don’t want to breeze over that comment too fast. What Academy guys are in your team that have been playing so much that we know their names? Just curious. Not an Academy guy. He’s an England international. He’s not an Academy guy. Flans (40:29.888) Gallagher as an academy? Bro, like, Nick, hey-fee, hey-fee. Okay, there’s a difference between a guy who came from your academy and like built up into a senior career and a guy who you pulled from the academy last week because you needed him today. Hoov (40:32.438) No, not- Flans (40:48.18) Colwell was rumored to be a $100 million signing earlier in the season. Hen (40:52.35) Gilchrist, yes, I’ll give you Gilchrist. Gilchrist definitely is an Academy guy. Hoov (40:53.937) Yo Chris. Flans (40:54.024) Gilchrist, okay, did he play? Okay. Dobes (41:01.716) Did Gilchrist play? Hen (41:02.818) You silly, silly boy. I don’t think so. I don’t think you got me. Flans (41:03.828) Did Gilchrist play? Dobes (41:05.329) No, he didn’t play. Flans (41:06.996) I mean. Bootchie Mane (41:10.918) Nick. Flans (41:10.944) I’m not giving you Gallagher, that’s absurd! He’s your… I’m not giving you Colwell either. Hoov (41:13.06) Hahaha Hen (41:13.902) That’s insane! Dobes (41:15.022) I’m not giving you any of them. Bootchie Mane (41:16.69) next Dobes (41:19.976) Well, they- But these guys have international caps! They have England caps! We’ve played at World Cups! Flans (41:21.566) Yes, but- Bootchie Mane (41:21.625) AYE NIGGY Flans (41:24.148) They have international caps, they have experience, they played in the prem, like all of these guys, every guy you brought on in that game or played in that game has played 10 plus, probably like definitely 10 plus Premier League games. Bootchie Mane (41:37.138) Hey Nick. Bro. Hoov (41:37.489) They’re still young? Yes. Flans (41:39.616) They’re young, but they’re seasoned. Bootchie Mane (41:42.43) Bro we brought on this… Hold on a second, we brought on this chap and he looks like little Jimmy in my first hour. James McConnell. Hen (41:54.909) Play center midfield. Bootchie Mane (41:54.986) Bro, he’s…look how young…he looks like he’s 12. Flans (41:58.804) James McConnell definitely has less than 90 minutes of playtime total in his career in the Premier League. Jaden Danz’s second, Jaden Danz’s second ever senior game was the Carabao Cup for Liverpool. These guys are actual like kids who don’t play for us, actual Academy players. Like sure your team age is lower, but as I just shocked you with, Endo’s 31, that jacks our average up a ton. Virgil van Dijk 31, jacks our age up a ton. Hen (42:15.086) Academy players. Yeah. Dobes (42:18.238) to me. Hen (42:23.314) Yeah. Flans (42:31.9) Yes, I’m telling you, age is the age is an experience are extremely different things here. Like as far as your team’s experience, you brought on Mikhail Mudrik, who was like a star signing, a hundred million dollars supposed to be great. We’re bringing on Jayden Dans. Have you ever heard his name? No. Has he ever played for football? Yes. Once before he got 10 minutes in the previous Premier League game. That’s his only senior experience. Like those subs are. Dobes (42:32.672) Yeah, so some age and experience are two different things. Dobes (42:44.108) 100 million. Hoov (42:51.305) Hahaha Flans (43:01.704) Very different. That guy with the headband who is not that good, but has a lot of hype around him. That guy’s played a lot of Premier League games. Like that guy has Premier League experience. He has senior team experience. He’s been with the senior team all year. That’s a very different sub than McConnell. Dobes (43:19.148) wrote to me this game. It comes down to age aside. When you look at the two managers and the way that this game was handled towards extra time. That’s the difference for me. Chelsea, Chelsea had Chelsea had this game by the scruff. They were playing against inexperienced. I’m not going to say young inexperienced Liverpool players playing in a final at Wembley and all of a sudden. Liverpool comes out and these kids had a few minutes in the game and they’re like, Chelsea’s sitting off. Let’s go take this. And so much of that is clop coming out in between, like in between and being like, all right, boys, we can like, let’s go for this. Why not? And as you’re sitting here describing, this game could have meant everything for Chelsea, everything, Conference League final, you name it. And then Poach comes out after the game and said, oh, we were tired playing for pens. Like that to me is just like, obviously, I firsthand seen the mentality issue. Hen (44:03.215) Everything. Dobes (44:15.944) Like that to me is the difference in the game. It’s Klopp being able to inspire players and Poach not having a clue what to do in that moment. Like to me, that’s the difference in the game because Chelsea for 90 minutes, like we said, probably should have won, regardless of experience, regardless of age, regardless of everything, they probably should have won. Then the moment gets down to the nitty gritty. Like it looked like the Chelsea players were shitting themselves in extra time, getting the game taken to them by teenagers. And to me, that’s the difference in the game. Hen (44:23.058) Mm-hmm. Hen (44:36.999) Mm-hmm. Hen (44:44.486) I think Connor Bradley making a challenge on Chilwell early in the game and getting under Chilwell. The thing is, Chilwell is your captain and you get him ruffled by a kid who’s however old he is. And it doesn’t really matter the age, but I think it just shows that one of your more senior players in Ben Chilwell should be this captain figure and he gets ruffled right off the bat. Yeah, but he’s your captain. It doesn’t matter. That’s a thing. Dobes (44:48.401) Oh, electric, electric. Hen (45:13.926) You know, if you have, choose any. Flans (45:16.224) Wait, Showel is 27, isn’t he? Hen (45:19.782) Butch, can you confirm the date? But like one of your young guys, just for example, one of your young guys does that to Van Dyke. Van Dyke is probably hitting them with like a too small and like whatever. Bootchie Mane (45:20.354) Mm-hmm. Yes, 27. Hoov (45:24.59) Hmm Yeah Hen (45:47.078) Yeah, and I forgot that we were comparing them to what should have been balloon to our winner van dyke Jesus Christ flan Um, but fuck me. No, no, bro Dobes (45:51.785) Hahaha Flans (45:52.52) Yes, thank you, Robbed. Hoov (45:52.68) Yeah, so wild. Dobes (46:12.46) Brother, brother, brother. Brother, if you’re a Chelsea fan, if you’re a fan of any team, any team in here, any team in here, and you could hand pick players that would be out for Liverpool before you play in a final, the only person missing is probably Van Dyke that you could say is, that you won out. Everybody else was missing. Every single other player was missing. Slow motion, slow motion, slow motion, I saw it. Everybody was missing. Hen (46:14.234) We got her. Hoov (46:18.417) Ha ha! Hen (46:35.317) Hahaha Flans (46:36.706) Yeah, yes! Yeah Dobes (46:40.564) Like to me that it doesn’t matter. Like if I can hand pick a Liverpool team to play against, I’m playing that Liverpool team on Sunday. That’s it, bottom line. Maybe Van Dyke I’d wish was out too. But besides that, like you can’t ask for much more to find. Hen (46:53.21) Yeah. I did love, I did love like late in the game, they panned to like Sala, Shobla’s Lai, and someone like in the stands watching the game. And they just looked like a couple of local lads just enjoying the game, which I love. I’m like, yeah, they were just getting after it. Hoov (47:03.822) Yeah. Dobes (47:05.14) Just chilling ready for some blevies, man. Hen (47:18.306) and just pick a group of the 47 guys you have contracted. Yeah, absolutely. Flans (47:29.996) I mean to be honest the lineup that you guys played had a pretty decent string of games Together in the Premier League that resulted in wins outs No, the only positions that have changed a little bit in the past like few weeks I went back and I looked at the lineups because I know you were gonna bring this up I looked at the Chelsea lineups the front three the front three of Cole Palmer Nicholas Jackson and Sterling has been fairly consistent the whole year certainly in the past three four weeks Dobes (47:30.908) I think you’re pretty close. You’re pretty close. Hen (47:35.819) I think that’s your A-Team. Hoov (47:35.983) Yeah. Dobes (47:50.048) Go on, Flann. Go on, Flann. Flans (47:58.284) And you’ve gotten results with that lineup. Gallagher has been in there consistently as well. Caicedo consistently, Fernandez consistently. Gusto has been an absolute rock star right back. And to be honest, I think Diaz takes over that game even more if Gusto doesn’t play the way he does. Gusto had an absolute man of the match performance against City, was on an island all game, and absolutely showed out bald. Dizasi also had himself a game against City. Honestly, he’s been in and out though. Your two center backs have definitely changed. Cole Will. Yeah, but you but the guys you want there are the guys you played you want Levi Colwell like Dobes (48:34.965) But you tell me what you would have. That’s what I’m saying. Hen (48:45.714) Bro, this is it. This is the A-Team. Flans (48:46.524) I think you just saw them play Sunday. Yeah, this is the 18. Hen (48:54.598) But who would you, genuinely, who would you replace? Hoov (48:54.845) Who… yeah. Flans (48:54.88) OK, so who would you replace? Dobes (48:56.1) I- Rhys James- Rhys James might be the only one, and Gusto has been unbelievable. Hen (49:06.95) They could. Flans (49:08.072) No, but yeah, but I’m saying who is your A-Team? Flans (49:35.424) That’s cope. That’s insane cope. There’s no way. Like that’s outrageous. Hoov (49:39.789) I think if we if we take a step back from if we take a step back from the injuries and you look at The game itself in the weeks that you’ve had leading up to the game this has been some of the best football that we’ve seen from Chelsea and I This year this year. I think so 100% consistently. So I think if you look at this game and we’ve talked about it We don’t have to beat a dead horse Hen (49:39.925) He said, that’s insane. Hoov (50:04.033) You wanted to win this not only for the things that were on the table, but also because this is a weak Liverpool side. And like, when we say weak, we mean pretty weak. So, at the end of the day, who would you switch in? But like where, but what players in this game, even if they were uninjured, who would you have wanted instead of Colwell or, you know? Flans (50:44.34) You put in Livia over Gallagher, Caicedo, or Fernandez to start this game. Hen (50:53.958) Gallagher played well. Flans (50:55.284) Galkers was one of your better players. He’s been good for you weeks in and weeks out. Hen (50:57.454) I thought he played well. Hen (51:03.346) Well Butch, you’ve been pretty silent during this, but do you have any thoughts on this game or what this potential trophy means to Klopp’s legacy that I want to throw up about? Or how are you feeling? Dobes (51:11.606) Thanks for watching! Bootchie Mane (51:14.735) I mean, I’m flying you hit it you hit all the big points man The only thing I want to add is that I think Alexis McAllister is a fucking baller Dobes (51:23.497) Hahaha Flans (51:24.68) Yeah, he played very well. Bootchie Mane (51:24.874) Like he, you know, Nick keeps saying like this guy’s a big signing, like I think Alexis is a phenomenal signing and great piece of business and he’s been really consistent for us, especially with a few guys banged up. You know, Tiago again, hasn’t played in forever, right? So you’re relying on, huh? Yeah, exactly, right? I mean, you kind of forget he’s even around, you know? But McAlister. Hen (51:42.578) Who? Hen (51:46.686) I’ve never heard of him. Who’s that guy? Flans (51:50.144) He’s a player coach now. Bootchie Mane (51:51.838) McAllister is fantastic. And then the only other thing I want to say is I think Connor Bradley is going to be a future star he’s going to be a Hen (51:51.875) Yeah Dobes (51:52.003) Oh man. Flans (51:58.08) Yeah, agreed. Hen (51:58.235) Mmm. Hoov (52:01.089) Yeah, Nick said that. I’ll give you credit. He’s hit that drum. Bootchie Mane (52:01.098) He’s gonna be a star. Flans (52:03.54) Yeah, yeah. I could see Bradley playing right back for us in the future and we move trying to the mid without a doubt. Dobes (52:05.6) The goal. Bootchie Mane (52:09.459) Yeah, I mean Dobes (52:10.72) The goalposts moving is crazy, man. The goalposts moving here is insane. I’m mind blown. Hen (52:15.346) Hahaha Bootchie Mane (52:16.426) Bradley I Also think you know I don’t know if a lot of people notice but like Bradley 20 minutes in got moved to center-mid Like he played a cup a cup final at a position He’s never played on the biggest stage and he played a great game so Shows to his talent and versatility so I’m excited to see his like stardom in the future I think he’s gonna be phenomenal, but that’s the only thing I wanted to add flan You know flans our guests and he hit everything on the head, man Hen (52:26.832) Oh yeah, uh-huh. Hen (52:33.766) Mm. Flans (52:45.32) I want to make one more note. First being, I think it was towards extra time, it was definitely late in the game, but Wembley is a 50-50 split stadium for the final. When the LA started raining down from the Liverpool end and absolutely just filled the stadium, it gave it an Anfield-esque feel. And I really felt like that, like the fans could see that we’re like, Dobes (53:09.128) Lit a fire. Flans (53:14.812) Everyone’s legs were shot. You know, like they’re playing 140 minutes of football. And yeah, like I felt like that pushed the team on honestly. So like just a shout out and a testament to like the Liverpool faithful. Flans (53:33.396) I don’t know. I would love if he will full Wall Street did it at the end of the year I think if we win more trophies without a doubt, I think he does But we’re still like actively the club is making moves on job You’ll answer that has become abundantly clear and expecting Klopp to leave I think he will probably honor it but I am also just as far as Klopp’s legacy like Just so glad that we got a trophy because now we they already announced it but we’ll do and like open bus tour Hoov (53:37.661) Yeah Hen (53:37.982) I’m gonna fucking leave it. Dobes (53:42.382) I’d be fuming. Flans (54:02.46) at the end of the season to as like a cop send off. If the carabao is all we have with us, a little bit of a yikes, but regardless, I think he deserves the send off. So I’m happy for him, very happy for him. Hen (54:09.726) Hahaha Hoov (54:10.278) Yeah. Dobes (54:11.378) Hey, that’s a successful season, man. Hen (54:17.25) Yeah, I, you know, when he, when he came out in the post match and said that it was like the hardest trophy or the most meaningful trophy, I was like, gag me that on the documentary is going to make all these Liverpool moms cry. And I’m like, Dobes (54:28.409) With the kids though, you get it though. Like with the kids, it makes sense. Yeah. Hoov (54:31.593) Yeah, the circumstantial situation for sure. Hen (54:33.922) I don’t give a fuck bro. You’re telling me that when they won the prem after not winning it for years and years and years that this carabao cup is more important? Get fucked. Flans (54:42.901) I think because the Prem was an empty stadium, actually a little bit maybe. I do think that took away a little bit from the Prem winning. I think if the Prem winning had been Anfield in full voice, nothing’s beating that. The 30 year drought ended, no chance. Do I think this is more significant than Champions League? No, but maybe is it like, I think as a feel good trophy, maybe. Yeah. Hen (54:47.284) Oh, true. Hoov (54:48.374) Yes, that’s it. Yeah. Hen (54:55.518) Totally. Totally. Hen (55:06.534) Yeah, instant nostalgia. Yeah. Hoov (55:07.981) If we’re talking about, you know, former things that shouldn’t have happened, that Champions League’s up in the air, if Musa Sissoko doesn’t get an wrongly called handball, brother, change the game, throw the minute, shouldn’t have happened. Flans (55:13.248) Thanks for watching! Dobes (55:16.492) I knew this was coming. I knew this was coming. Hen (55:17.894) Brother, this makes three pods in a row that Hoover’s brought this up. Three pods in a row. Flans (55:21.592) Uh… Okay. Hoov (55:24.305) Shut the f*** up, all. Dobes (55:26.123) Pheww Winks (55:26.623) Tottenham doesn’t even play this weekend and somehow still get fucking brought up. Henry said gag me earlier, I just want to double down on that. Hen (55:29.094) Yeah, it’s unbelievable. Champions League is a great segue to, you know, Lucas suffered a loss, one nothing loss against Porto. And again, 100%. We would handpick anyone in this round and it’s Porto. Yeah. Hoov (55:29.437) I’m gonna be a- Well, uh… Flans (55:29.629) Yeah. Dobes (55:39.34) That was fun. That was fun. Winks (55:44.21) Hmm. Hoov (55:48.221) That was a good video, Nicky. Winks (55:53.115) I’m going to hand pick them in the second round too. Yeah, the result was disappointing, but not awful for me. I definitely think we went into it with an attitude that it was going to be a lot easier than it was. Probably a game that in last year we would have gone into going against a burn myth or a leuton or whatever the case might be. It was honestly super boring to watch. Hen (55:56.914) Sure. Hen (56:19.279) It was. Hoov (56:20.125) It sucked. Winks (56:21.099) The momentum was set in a really weird direction when Rice got that yellow card like just over a minute into the game, but two total shots on goals between both teams. The first time we’ve been held to zero shots on goals in on goal in a minute. It was weird. Yeah, we lined up the same way we had the last few games. Hen (56:39.314) I like that you said two total shots on goal from both teams and then that you had zero. That’s unbelievable. Flans (56:42.497) between the teams. Winks (56:46.183) Spin zone, baby. And then I shot myself in the foot. No, but no, just to say like the fact that it was a boring game, there were only two shots on goal collectively and that we were also held to zero. So we had lined up the same way that we had the last few games where we were scoring four and five goals a game. Had plenty of possession, but for those of you that watched it, like almost all of that possession was played in front of Porto. So like, whereas the last handful or more games a lot of we’ve had the majority of possession, but so much of that was playing in between through the lines and behind different things like that. And we just like didn’t threaten in the final third whatsoever compared to the way that we had in prior games outside of a few little moments from set pieces that you know didn’t go on goal. So I don’t know we started to like get any rhythm going or passive. I really don’t know what to say because it was so drastic. We look so drastically different than we had. any other game in this calendar year. Galeno’s goal, yeah. Flans (57:50.909) I was just gonna say, I’m curious about your thoughts, because I feel like with the current team and with Arteta, obviously you guys have insane talent, you’ve been actually bagging goals in and around this Porto game, but I feel like these types of games happen or can happen and it’s the only thing that’s stopping Arsenal from leading the league right now or… You know, like really being contenders in Europe. What do you feel like is like the missing link for when these type of games happen for the gunners? Winks (58:27.503) uh, an out and out striker. Um… I did, yeah. But, but, but all, but, but- Dobes (58:30.28) Or you got Kai. Hen (58:31.214) Remember last week when Lucas was like we don’t we don’t need a striker when you have everyone else performing like they have bro Fuck fucking clip it up, bro Unbelievable say it Lucas say it say it Hoov (58:32.058) Didn’t wait for my class week. Oh, come on. Dobes (58:34.44) YEET Winks (58:45.095) But also last week I had said that we didn’t need a striker. Flans (58:50.221) There you go, there you go, that’s fair. Dobes (58:50.282) Yeah. Winks (58:50.407) Thanks for letting me finish. And, um, so, so I said that last week, but I had also said that there’s going to be a point where this, this whole, you know, not even a roller coaster, but this whole upward trend, like comes to a stop and then we’re going to need to look for one. And like, this is an example of that. Granted, we like came back from that with what we did to Newcastle at the weekend. But I think that like, that is an example of a moment where if like. If one of the other several players that have been scoring multiple goals throughout the prem season, like can’t do anything. This is one of those instances where we need an out and out striker that we can play the ball, like with the ball in and is going to, you know, jump over everybody or that we can play it to their feet and they can turn and put something on that. But we just like, we couldn’t, we just like had no, had no rhythm. And I think that, you know, they defended our set pieces really well. Pepe had his back line. Lock the fuck down. They were you know, they were they were playing a high line and doing it really well Um, so I think that defensively shouts to porto because they played us really well Um, you know, they knew what our strengths were and outplayed us and they probably should have had another goal in the first half Uh, you know galeno, you know Missed that missed that one wide. Um But then but then he came back in an extra time in the second half and it was an insane finish from outside the box Hoov (01:00:04.625) That was wild. Winks (01:00:13.199) I do think Raya wasn’t in his best position for that, but it was an insane goal either way. But, you know, that’s why there’s two legs, like I said earlier. I genuinely believe this one’s going to be a complete 180 and Henry, you can clip the fuck out of that. But I’m really looking forward to it. We’ve played Porto in the Champions League like six times and we’ve never lost or drawn at home. So the trend is pointing in the right direction. Flans (01:00:29.141) Yeah Hen (01:00:29.783) I can’t wait. Can’t wait. Hoov (01:00:29.94) Hehehehe Dobes (01:00:40.308) Winks, curious your thoughts. And this is kind of talking about the nine. Obviously you guys play Sheffield and Brentford before you go back to Porto, but kind of like Flann said, like these, these tournaments, there’s like one game, you know, it’s one game. You put out your 11 and get a result. Like right now is Havertz that nine or like, who were you like, who in your opinion, are you playing there? Cause I mean, obviously we saw him at the weekend, but I do think it’s that one game, like you need somebody like that to score, who are you going to play that? Winks (01:01:04.216) Yeah. Yeah, man, it depends on what our Teta does to adjust the strategy and how Porto defended us Because you know in most situations I would I right now i’d probably want trissard there as from the guys that are healthy but I also Love so much the energy that he brings off the bench when he comes on in the 60th minute or a little after Yeah, dude, like when he’s a sub, I think he’s one of the best subs in the premier league to come off the bench for any team so Dobes (01:01:28.328) Yeah, he’s a super sub. Winks (01:01:37.679) It’s tough because he just does a lot of things differently than Kai does and a lot of things better. But also if the strategy is to whip more balls in, Kai seems to always be at the back post, always making back post runs. So I don’t know. I don’t have an answer. That’s why I’m not the manager. But I think it depends on what they work on over the next couple of weeks ahead of this game and how they want to try and combat how Liverpool… Or sorry, Jesus. so tired of talking about them, how Porto is playing defensively. Rent free, rent free, rent free. God bless it. Old. Flans (01:02:13.172) Sorry, did I hear Liverpool? Did we say something? Sorry, so Virgil van Dyck. Hen (01:02:13.957) The flan said, yeah, are we back? Are we back? We’re so fucking back. Dobes (01:02:21.256) haha Hen (01:02:22.554) Uh, Lucas, what do you have? Is it next week or is it two weeks from now? Hoov (01:02:24.355) Did. Winks (01:02:29.383) That’s such a good question. I think it’s a couple of weeks. Yeah. Dobes (01:02:31.092) They play, they play the, I think like Wednesday, Saturday, then next week, I think is what it is. Hoov (01:02:36.477) Dude, this game is like, it was the definition of why did we get rid of away goals. Like, just put something on the table for them to be able to score, bro. And like, it’s not like you guys didn’t have a plan. It was just that no one really was wanting to give up any positions to try and go get one. Like, I don’t think, I’d truthfully, you know, kill me, kill me now. I don’t think you guys did. Hen (01:02:44.062) 100%. Dobes (01:02:44.819) Yeah. Hoov (01:03:05.297) Don’t go through, I think you go through. I would be shocked if that actually happened at the Emirates, but I think you come back to the Emirates with a 1-1 and you can, it’s a cakewalk, you can sleepwalk that thing. So I hated that and it’s been very evident in all of the Champions League games, not just this one. They’ve been not nearly as fun to watch, in my opinion, this year, and there’s not been good draws and go on and on, but add some Jeopardy to it. Winks (01:03:32.563) I think that the thing, the one thing I want to point out though about how the draws for this round have been boring, I think that that’s going to set up really, really interesting, assuming that the teams that should go through go through, that’s going to set up a really interesting set of quarterfinals, semifinals, and final games as far as matchups go, because that means that a lot of the powerhouses aren’t getting knocked out. What’d you say? Dobes (01:03:51.816) Also, don’t count out Porto. I said, don’t count out Porto. Like we keep, we say, no, I’m not saying you, but I just mean like every year, like Porto seems to be one of these teams that are in these games. Every single year, they’re one of these teams that are, that are somehow in the quarterfinals or the round of 16. Winks (01:03:58.724) I’m not. Winks (01:04:10.22) They can finish third in the Portuguese League, but show up to… Hoov (01:04:13.374) of DUDE Dobes (01:04:16.372) That’s what I mean. Like one game, like when like Pepe, you know, like they, they just have something about them that like they, you never know always, always. Hoov (01:04:21.401) I hate playing Portuguese teams in general. Brother, any of them. I hate it. Hoov (01:04:30.237) That’s a good point, yeah. Winks (01:04:32.583) I mean, we played our dogs in the first leg, so it’s… Dobes (01:04:43.924) What was the age difference between the average age of Arsenal and Porto? That’s what we need to know. Hen (01:04:47.487) Hahaha Winks (01:04:49.06) I think Pepe brings that age up about five or six years. Hen (01:04:51.162) The average whip. Dobes (01:04:51.208) Hahaha! Hoov (01:04:52.897) Pepe the median. Flans (01:04:54.688) Dude, Peppa is like 50. How old is that guy? Winks (01:04:58.2) sake. Hoov (01:04:58.237) Fuji, 40, yeah. Ooh. Dobes (01:04:58.685) Uhhh… Hen (01:04:58.759) I think he’s 41. Bootchie Mane (01:05:00.182) 40. Winks (01:05:01.359) But thankfully, the weekend before we play near relegation Brentford side, so maybe that’s a game where we rest a couple of them and have that knowing that we’re going to have to play all the dogs for sure, man. And I think on top of that, we’re pretty healthy. We’re going to have Urien Timber back by that time. Party should apparently be back by that time, but maybe that Brentford game is a game that he plays since he hasn’t played Flans (01:05:01.364) 41, oh my god. Hen (01:05:12.604) Yep. Dobes (01:05:15.04) Good problem to have. Hen (01:05:16.199) Yep, 100%. Winks (01:05:31.239) forever. But I think that with the guys that are coming back from healthy, Zenchenko should be back, Gabriel Hazu should be back. So, I don’t get to say this often, but we’ve been very fortunate in the injury department to be majorly whatever the word is, words are hard today apparently, but we’ve been fortunate that I haven’t had to complain about injuries this year. So, we’ll see. Dobes (01:05:33.193) Got a plan in? Hoov (01:05:51.558) Hehehe Hen (01:05:51.87) Tough, tough. Hen (01:05:57.474) Yeah. Well, gentlemen, the MLS is back. We we had we had two games. We had a CONCACAF Champions League game and we have the MLS match week one. But before we dive into St. Louis City, is it just me, fellas? Are we fucking sick of Inter Miami being plastered everywhere? And it’s on everyone’s tongue. It’s the most ludicrous thing I’ve ever seen. Hoov (01:06:20.177) dude. Hoov (01:06:27.813) Go make your money, right? Like I guess, bro, but dude, give it a break. Dobes (01:06:28.617) it. Dobes (01:06:34.632) It’s the most frustrating thing in the world, excuse me. Frustrating thing in the world with them. One, like watching, I watch an entire game, watching an Alesso concert in the middle of an MLS game. And not only that, but it’s like you watch Inter Miami, and I mean this like nicely, they are terrible. Like they are terrible. And the fact that it’s like. Hen (01:06:52.528) Hehe Dobes (01:06:56.648) The galaxy should have won that game and not to like detail this game. Galaxy should have won that game by like four or five goals. But sketch should have been sent off two or three times. Like the bias that inner Miami is getting. And I understand it. That’s the messy. It’s the money he’s getting revenue from Apple TV signups and all this different shit, but like at the same time, it’s not like they’re going to, I don’t think that they’re going to walk into any stadium, at least with a Suarez who’s sitting there, but literally limping every single time he, he runs, like he’s still playing. Hen (01:07:19.662) Mm-hmm, hobbling. Hoov (01:07:19.769) Uh, yeah, two times I’ve seen him. Dobes (01:07:22.452) But he has, he has a limp and he can’t press. He can’t do anything. You got Campana on the bench. It’s like, and Busquets does what he does on the ball, but he’s a liability in defense. It’s just like, obvious. So I love Messi and that he had that moment of magic where him and Jordi Alba were like, fantastic. But the, the Dick writing has got to stop, like not just for Messi, but Inter Miami as a whole, because they’re, they’re truthfully, they’re not good. Like from the games I’ve watched, even preseason, they have not played good soccer at all, not a single time. Hen (01:07:45.435) Mm-hmm. Dobes (01:07:56.584) Yeah, baby. Well, I watched a fire game this weekend. I watched a New York game this weekend. Hen (01:07:56.718) Yeah, doves, look at you, bro. Yeah. Yeah, bro. Yeah. Hoov (01:07:57.567) Hey, hey, Flans (01:07:58.56) Okay. Hoov (01:08:02.216) Hehehehehe! Flans (01:08:03.66) See? This directly helps my point though because like, okay, in America, us seven sitting here are the minority. As in, we religiously watch footy, we understand footy, like very much so. Some of us more than others, hey, if you’re still learning. And we played at a very high level. Hen (01:08:23.058) Some of us more than others for sure. Hoov (01:08:27.613) Hahaha Hen (01:08:28.02) Hahaha Winks (01:08:29.883) He hasn’t been a fan that long. He is, he is still learning. Hen (01:08:32.018) Yeah Hoov (01:08:32.037) Hey. Flans (01:08:32.627) And we played like at a high level or like competitively. So. Dobes (01:08:33.049) Didn’t even watch a cup final. Hoov (01:08:36.077) Yeah, dude, the co-league beer league team I was in at Missouri State was huge. We could have all gotten signed, brother. Continue. Flans (01:08:39.832) Exactly. Like, okay. So regardless, the point of the MLS, like the bigger our biggest gripe with it is that it’s been like bad, right? And it’s not very good, high quality soccer at all, like in any way, shape or form. And so I think their biggest struggle has been finding talent, like being able to attract talent basically to the league because Dobes (01:08:40.416) Hahaha Hen (01:08:40.57) Hehehehehehe Flans (01:09:08.412) it’s not getting a ton of viewership because historically it’s not been that good. So I think the M.O., like the Miami situation is sort of, it’s sort of necessary. So for us, it’s annoying because right? Like the footy is terrible. We see like a wash Suarez, we see Bousquet’s absolutely not in his prime. Messi can still play like incredibly well and still is like obviously probably eight time Ballon d’Or winner or whatever for a reason. But, um, Hen (01:09:23.325) Mm. Flans (01:09:37.212) I think it has to happen because for the MLS to draw more eyes, they have to make these signings because there’s a lot of people that would not watch if it wasn’t for these people being in the league. And that starts at least the first phase, which is getting viewership numbers up, which then gets sponsors more interested, which then brings money to the game, which then hopefully has a cascading effect bringing more talent to the league. So while I feel like it’s like definitely, I mean, I shit you not. I’m in Africa and I’m seeing people wearing… Miami FC like kits like literally in Tanzania people have like Kits on from my and I was like, okay, this is outrageous But the reach is broad and so like bringing those eyes and that amount of eyes to the MLS I do think is a good thing in the end and hopefully Results and like more money in the league and then better talent in the future Hen (01:10:07.922) Hahaha Hoov (01:10:07.994) Yeah. Dobes (01:10:08.392) Yeah, that’s insane. Hoov (01:10:12.669) That’s wild. Hen (01:10:13.17) That’s insane. Dobes (01:10:24.992) will say if St. Louis didn’t have a team, the only MLS game I would ever watch would be Inter Miami. Like that, I guess that, I guess that is the double edge. Like if St. Louis didn’t have a team, I would only watch Miami. Hen (01:10:30.419) That’s true. Hen (01:10:34.446) I just want the announcers to stop talking about it during other games. I just want it to be like, you know, we’re obviously watching Miami and LA Galaxy and you have Ricky Pooch or whatever the fuck his name is, such a wank. But the whole game, it’s just like, here’s Ricky Pooch against his former Barcelona teammates and it’s like, shut your, shut up, shut up about this. Flans (01:10:38.377) Hmm. Dobes (01:10:39.176) Oh yeah, yeah. Hoov (01:10:49.917) That’s what I did. Dobes (01:10:50.161) Who bald by the way, he bald, he bald. Hoov (01:11:00.81) Dude, here’s my issue and Flan’s right on every point he made. The biggest problem to me is that I don’t trust the MLS to actually spend the money in the way that it should be spent to actually grow the league. I think the owners are, they’ve got Garber’s nuts just in a vice grip and I don’t think he… Flans (01:11:12.704) Hmm. Hen (01:11:13.533) Yeah. Dobes (01:11:21.856) I had a meeting about this yesterday. Hoov (01:11:23.697) They had a meeting about expanding roster rules or whatever, which if that was what happened, then great. But I have a hard time thinking that was actually the case because there apparently was no progress on that over the summer, even though Miami is stacking together Barcelona in their old age. All that stuff drives me up a wall. Alesso’s booking fee was six figures. That’s public record. You can go look what it costs to book Alesso for something and we can’t pay the refs. We literally can’t pay the shitty reps that we had last year that we all hated so much. And now we’re watching guys from USL and Costa Rica come up here and try and rep the professional games. So that’s my biggest gripe. I’m glad it’s happening, but it’s the trickle down is not going the places that I thought we all thought it was gonna head. That’s the that’s the kicker. Hen (01:11:53.881) Hahaha! Flans (01:12:13.103) Hmm. Hen (01:12:15.954) Yeah, grow the game is not necessarily happening, that’s for sure. Yeah. Hoov (01:12:18.237) Go to the league, yeah, well… Flans (01:12:20.212) Well, there’s definitely still a huge gap. I mean even like shit this weekend ESPN broadcast has the rights to the care about cup right first of all that desk could not be worse like by far like Mute during halftime during extra time for sure Hoov (01:12:22.49) Yeah. Hen (01:12:30.479) Yes, 100%. Hoov (01:12:36.358) Hate it. Dobes (01:12:36.389) Craig Burnley is like my arch enemy. I hate him so much, dude. Yeah. Hoov (01:12:38.981) I hate Shaka his slop too. Bro, I hate them all. Flans (01:12:39.284) Awful. But like, so I feel like that’s a big gap though. It’s like, they just, like the leadership behind soccer in the United States still has a huge gap. Like I hope it’s people more like us or ex players who feel like they have a better understanding of the game. But like I’m watching the broadcast, watching Virgil van Dijk give like a post game interview and they just chopped it and started running ads. And I’m just like. Like what’s the point of having the broadcast? What’s the point of it? Like there’s definitely still a huge gap at the top level without a doubt. Dobes (01:13:05.161) Yeah, that’s a great point. Dobes (01:13:10.912) You got Taylor Toman saying players to watch, Lionel Messi. Hey, thanks, man. Hey, thanks, dude. Hoov (01:13:13.997) Oh, you don’t think TT, bro? The guy’s won everything ever. We’re gonna forget to watch him, bro. Hen (01:13:14.318) And you’re like… Yeah! Oh word? Yeah. Flans (01:13:16.885) haha Hen (01:13:23.618) Gentlemen, we came off of a week with St. Louis City having two games, a win and a tie. So starting off with the 2-1 win over Houston at home at City Park in the CONCACAF Champions League and then we finished the week with a 1-1 tie at City Park against Real Salt Lake. With two big matches coming up this next week, what were your thoughts on what you saw over the first 180 minutes of St. Louis City this week? Dobes (01:13:52.116) Sure. I’ll go. It’s like watching Man United. And I mean that in the worst way possible, but there’s so many similarities to where, I know we talked about a little bit about the Houston game earlier and just the lack of identity, but the finishing did end up there and we did score goals. More so moving to the game this weekend. Like it was almost even worse in my opinion. Like, yes, it took one moment of magic from Big Sam, but- Winks (01:13:56.135) Thank you. Hoov (01:13:56.305) Hehehe Hen (01:13:59.258) Hehehehe Dobes (01:14:19.372) We saw our stars not really be stars. And even like we talked about the ability to put your foot on the ball and control a little bit of a game. We don’t have a single player on our team, at least this past weekend that even attempted that. Like Lewin played a great ball over the top and last year, you know, when this team was humming that we were at our best, it was everything was running through him. He was finding the ball, he was playing to feet a little bit of one and two touch. And yes, then he did sort of have those, those balls behind that were, um, that made things happen. But from back to front, like there were some good performances. Nielsen was good. Yaro was good. Um, of course, Tottenham was good again, but other than that, there wasn’t too many bright spots in, you know, I’m extremely concerned going into Houston again, one because injuries, but two, even if you want to call pressing our style of play, so to speak, or counter pressing or G-Gen pressing, whatever you want to say, we’re not really even seeing that work successful. So going into Houston, I’m extremely concerned. Hoov (01:15:10.429) There’s not been a lot of gigging in the press, yeah. Dobes (01:15:13.308) Yeah. Hen (01:15:15.738) Yeah, definitely not. And I think that lack of identity is certainly there. It’s early, you know, it’s 180 minutes in, but we just can’t really see anything happening. Our team looks allergic to possessing the ball. Tim Parker was our most composed player last game and he only lasted 30 minutes because of the yeah, he only lasted 30 minutes because of the injury. But Like, yeah, I just get really nervous. Like our midfield is really absent in the game. It looks like every time they get the ball, they want to release it as quickly as possible. And they also don’t care where it goes. It could go to our team or it could not. And they just don’t really care. Dobes (01:16:23.083) Thank you. Dobes (01:16:59.516) I was excited about the lineup too. Like I was really excited once I saw the lineup. Hen (01:16:59.86) The goal. Hoov (01:17:01.815) Me too. Hen (01:17:04.086) The goal for Real Salt Lake happened because of exactly what you said, Nick, where, where Nurensky was in, didn’t, didn’t track the runner. He got turned, could have fouled them, didn’t like it, it’s just, it comes down to split decisions whenever you play defense and you have to just make that choice, even going back to the United game of like McGuire’s on the yellow, like you could have taken the yellow there, been out for the next game, but then we would have held the result and just is what it is. So yeah, it’s, it’s certainly frustrating. And yet again, we, that the Klaus and Sam partnership doesn’t work in that first game and then they didn’t even get the chance to try it in the second game because as soon as Sam came on it was for Klaus and I think the fixture congestion is a little bit interesting you know two weeks in having four games it’s a lot and so I think that you know, is a little bit of the reason for the substitutions in the last game as early as they were. But it kind of makes me nervous going into this next game against Houston on Tuesday, where, you know, we signed Michael Wenzel to a short term deal at the center back position. That tells me that he’s probably going to play on Tuesday night. You know, we did the same thing with Bartlett last year where we signed Bartlett to a short term deal and it ended up being through the end of the season. But like, we did that. And then Bartlett played the next like. six, seven, eight games. So I don’t know, maybe we see a world where Hoov (01:18:23.421) Winks. Go ahead, sorry. You winks was, what did, go ahead. Winks (01:18:26.679) No, you’re good. You’re good. You’re good. I was just going to play Devil’s Advocate for a super quick second. I agree with everything you guys said, but because we got scored on first, I was only able to watch the second half, but I was interested to see how this team would respond when getting scored on first and being down. And so I will say, you know, one good thing was that, you know, we scored within five minutes of being scored on. Granted, that was Hen (01:18:53.734) True. Winks (01:18:54.747) due partially to Sam’s moment of magic, but, you know, Lewin assisted it and, you know, we didn’t sit back and continue to play that we had the, you know, based off listening to you guys and watching highlights based on how we did the first half. So one bright spot, we didn’t like, you know, sit back on our heels after getting scored on. And I was happy to see that. Flans (01:18:58.193) Yeah. Hoov (01:19:24.477) The last 15 minutes were the best. Like, it was the only time we looked threatening the entire game, so I’m 100% credit where it’s due on some things. Hen (01:19:27.378) Mm-hmm. Of the whole game. Dobes (01:19:33.86) I also think RSL deserves a ton of credit. Like that midfield three and Luna slide in there as well. They were fantastic. Like the way that they could keep the ball. I know it’s not like in our DNA and the way we’re gonna play, but they have all three players in that midfield that could kind of interchange and move different spacing. And the way that they kept the ball and move through their progressions was fantastic. I do think they’re gonna do some damage this year in the league as well. So like taking a point, obviously it’s not what you want, but like you guys said, it’s a good point, Winks. Like devil’s advocate is, is we are injury ridden. Hoov (01:19:36.017) They were good. Yeah. Hen (01:19:56.955) Mm-hmm. Dobes (01:20:03.168) Lohan, Nielsen didn’t get a preseason and we did come out of there with a draw. We’re still undefeated. So Hen (01:20:12.103) We came to the point where now a tie feels like a loss, which is high praise for a second year team, but we definitely want to see better results going into this next phase of games. I’m not even gonna pretend I know what the next, if we move… Flans (01:20:22.132) Yeah. Hen (01:20:35.066) Pass this round of the CONCACAF Champions League if we beat Houston and we and we go on I have no idea What the schedule is going to be but it is going to be something to watch of playing like a midweek game Playing a weekend game and trying to fit that all in with an MLS schedule and we’re not normally used to that. So Um, I don’t know. Does anyone want to give like a an early shout for prediction on Houston? 9 30 kickoff game, which what the fuck but 9 30 on Tuesday night Dobes (01:21:01.928) We need a Cardinal Masterclass. That’s all I’m going to say. We need him to get this right. Hoov (01:21:04.189) 1-1 draw. Yeah. Hen (01:21:08.173) What? One-on-one draw and we advance through that? Yeah, here for it. Dobes (01:21:12.376) Yep. I would like to see Durkin and I texted this to Hoeven Hen. I do think I know he’s young. He’s going to be needed eventually. Like, but Kojima is one of the few guys throughout all of preseason that I saw could put his foot on the ball and be willing to, um, play some progressive passes and slow it down. Durkin as well. I don’t necessarily know if Cardinal has that trust in them yet, but I do think that that’s where we need to get to in order to be successful. Here we go, baby. Hen (01:21:26.418) Slow down. Hoov (01:21:35.965) We’re about to trust a SuperDraft center back though, so… Hen (01:21:40.566) Ain’t no thing baby ain’t no thing. Well gentlemen that wraps for this week’s episode of the Mecca banter podcast. Want to thank you all for listening. Again shout out Manscaped Mecca 20 for 20% off and free shipping at manscape.com. And from all of us here at the Mecca, cheers. Hoov (01:21:59.741) Thanks, Flann. Hell of a performance. Winks (01:22:00.179) Cheers, boys. Dobes (01:22:01.789) Yeah, cheers, Flynn. Flans (01:22:02.368) Thanks for having me. Hen (01:22:03.422) Yeah, big shots, Flynn. Well done. Cheers, fellas. Hoov (01:22:06.72) Yeah. Winks (01:22:06.919) Cheers.