The Game

  As Villa cement their place in the top three just how good are they? Do they have the squad depth to last the course? Is their star midfielder Morgan Rogers now elevating himself to world level? David Moyes thinks Declan Rice is the best midfielder in the world. Is he…and if not, then who is? Dominic Calvert-Lewin has found form and fitness at Leeds how far could it take him and his club? S...

Chelsea are through to the semi-finals of the League Cup, but behind the scenes there is more chaos. Manager Enzo Maresca is unhappy, but no one quite knows why. The fans chanted his name but are the board happy? A day in the life at Chelsea… Man City are looking ominous, could they be considered title favourites by the new year? One of their shining lights is number ten turned left back Nico O’Re...

Arsenal are still top of the Premier League but are Manchester City favourites for the title after this weekend? City beat Palace convincingly but Arsenal wobbled against Wolves. Elsewhere Aston Villa kept up the pace and we ask - just how good is Morgan Rogers? Is he on the same level as his friend Cole Palmer? On this show we also discussed Sunderland's win against Newcastle and why the pro...

Liverpool got a much-needed away win at Inter Milan, but their hundred million pound star striker looked lost - why? Off the pitch will Mo Salah still be a Liverpool player come January? It was a good week for English clubs in Europe with Man City beating Real Madrid and Spurs and Arsenal also winning. Are the English teams starting to dominate, is the pace and physicality of the Premier League an...

Leaders Coventry suffered first defeat in sixteen games at Ipswich. Wil the result create doubt in Frank Lampard’s squad, or was it just a blip? For Ipswich the result takes them fourth in the table and a season which started falteringly is starting to gain momentum. Southampton and Sheffield Utd had dreadful starts to the season, but after managerial changes both are now looking at the playoffs –...

  Mo Salah dropped a bombshell on Saturday evening. After starting on the bench for the third game in a row he gave an incendiary interview after the match claiming to have been thrown under the bus, a scapegoat for recent poor form and said he had no relationship with coach Arne Slot. So, what happens next - will it be the end of Salah or Slot at Liverpool? Can any player be guaranteed a pla...

  After what felt like a nine hour draw England will face Croatia, Ghana and Panama. Scotland will face Haiti, Morocco and Brazil. Is there a group of death? What are the potential routes to the final? Over to Tom Clarke, Gregor Robertson and Jonathan Northcroft Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a goal packed set of midweek fixtures what has changed? Chelsea’s title credentials were checked as a buoyant Leeds put three past them at Elland Road. Man City won but looked anything but assured. Villa are now only six points off top spot and play Arsenal at the weekend. And as for Arsenal - no change there, while others toil they won again. Elsewhere is Cristian Romero a defender or a str...

Arsenal went to Stamford Bridge without both first choice centre backs and took a point. Chelsea played the league leaders for sixty minutes with ten men and without their best player and took a point. Who will be happier? Liverpool finally won again and dropped Mo Salah in the process. Is this straight forward squad rotation or the beginning of a transition which doesn’t include the club legend?...

Arsenal are dominating the Premier League and now they’re doing the same in Europe. Can they win both the big titles? Gregor Robertson thinks their success is built on a rock solid defence. Chelsea are looking equally effective in Europe; their game against Arsenal at the weekend is set up for the blues marauding wingers to take on Arsenal’s galloping full backs. It was another tough night for Spu...

More new managers in the Championship as Swansea, Middlesborough and Norwich all appoint. In South Wales Vitor Matos wants to bring back the DNA of the club…but what does that mean? Are Birmingham starting to find their feet in the Championship? Off the pitch they have unveiled ambitious plans for a new stadium and redevelopment of the surrounding area. Coventry continue their free scoring run, wi...

Eberechi Eze scored a brilliant hat-trick to win the North London derby for Arsenal and proved he is now a certified star at the very top of the Premier League.  Arsenal are six points clear but the 4-1 defeat leaves Spurs in ninth and further questions about Thomas Frank's suitability for the big job at Tottenham.  Elsewhere Leeds missed another chance to pick up points at home as Morga...

A quick reflection on an epic night for Scotland, a big win for Wales and some of the surprises who have qualified for World Cup 26’ Then it’s back to the Premier League. How much will Arsenal miss Gabriel? They have strength in depth but are any up Gabriel’s tag of ‘defender of the season’ ? Predictions; first for  the north London derby and Liverpool v Forest and then a much longer term - &...

There was magic in the air said Scotland manager Steve Clarke as his team won a dramatic winner takes all qualifier against Denmark at Hampden Park. The victory means Scotland are going to a World Cup – for the first time in 28 years. It was a night which will never be forgotten and that’s before mentioning the three worldie goals that were scored. Tom Clarke is joined for former Scotland under 21...

Tom Clarke and Gregor Robertson with all the latest from the EFL. It has been a mad fortnight for managers in the Championship with Norwich, Swansea, Southampton and of course Middlesborough just some of those undergoing a change at the top. Who is in line for the vacancies and how will the teams respond? League One is proving why it’s arguably the toughest division – with six points separating th...

He's back in the squad but can Jude Bellingham cement his place in the England team by next summer? Tom Clarke is joined by Tony Cascarino, Tom Allnutt and Gregor Robertson to discuss why the Real Madrid star continues to clash with the England manager Thomas Tuchel, and to debate the other starting spots in the England squad that are up for grabs.  They also discuss Ireland's heroics after s...

Thomas Tuchel has boldly declared he won’t play Foden, Bellingham and Kane in the same team. The key question is will he be brave enough to stick to his decision? As Rob Edwards leaves Middlesborough after only ten months in charge to return to Wolves, is there any loyalty in football? Martin Samuel has met with David Kogan, the new chair of the independent football regulator. And amid the furore...

Manchester City blew Liverpool away and closed the gap at the top of the table to just four points - can Pep Guardiola challenge his old friend Mikel Arteta and will this be his last season? Or does he have renewed energy?  Sunderland's late equaliser denied Arsenal but was this an example of an exciting finish to a poor game of football? We debate whether the new, more direct style is killin...

Tom Clarke is joined by former football league professional Gregor Robertson to discuss all the latest for the EFL.   The Championship is thriving this season. Very competitive, tons of goals and arguably the top eight are all surprise packages. Stoke and Coventry can’t stop scoring and Preston and Charlton are confounding the pundits by threatening the play offs. Southampton had a much-neede...

  There are four English teams in the top eight qualifying spots of the Champions League, Spurs and Chelsea are just outside. Are English clubs starting to dominate Europe again? Although Qarabag did try to derail the narrative. Trent alexander Arnold was booed on his return to Liverpool, is anyone really surprised? Is booing anything the new normal. Gregor Robertson asks the question - ...

Is Thomas Frank under pressure already? Another home defeat for Spurs against Chelsea and a stale performance had home fans making their views clear on Saturday. He needs to silence some critics with two more home games to come.  Tom Clarke is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Allnutt and Alyson Rudd to discuss Frank's future -- and other big stories. Also on the agenda this week: Pep Guardiola...

Was Arne Slot right to play the youngsters? His Liverpool team have now lost six of their last seven games – are there similarities with Man City from last season? Chelsea beat Wolves but had another man sent off, do they have a discipline problem? North of the border an ugly row has broken out between Celtic share holder Dermot Desmond and ex manager Brendon Rogers…where does the truth lie? Final...

Administration, points deductions and the hunt for new owners - it's been a huge couple of days for Sheffield Wednesday and on this special episode of The Game we analyse the latest news and ask what might be next for the Championship club.  Paul Hirst, a football reporter for The Times and Wednesday fan, joins Tom Clarke to outline the grim realities facing the club now and the brighter hope...

What was the most significant result of the weekend? Burnley beating relegation rivals Wolves? Leeds doing likewise to West Ham? City losing again, Liverpool losing again? Arsenal going clear, Sunderland beating Chelsea at the Bridge or Bournemouth going second? And Man Utd looking resurgent. This season seems to be different. Arsenal aside – we’ll come to them – anyone can beat anyone. And it is...

Liverpool returned to form with an impressive win in Frankfurt. A new formation and no Salah. Was it a one-off experiment or the start of a new look Liverpool? Arsenal kept yet another clean sheet as they beat a normally tough Atletico Madrid; just how good is this Arsenal back four? Would any get into some of the best in Premier League history – Arsenal 98’, Man Utd 08’ , Chelsea 04’ and Liverpoo...