The Game

The ‘Unfashionables’ are still going strong in the EFL. Coventry top the Championship with a goal difference not seen at this stage of the season since Fulham in 2000/1. They are closely followed by Middlesborough who reminded Ipswich that points don’t come cheap in the Championship. Also up there are Stoke and Millwall. In League One despite losing, Stevenage are still in the top two. They lost t...

Manchester United win at Anfield for the first time in ten years and Liverpool lose four on the bounce for the first time since 2014. So, has Amorim finally turned a corner and is Arne Slot facing a blip or a crisis? Nottingham Forest sack Ange Postecoglou seventeen minutes after the final whistle at the City Ground, will he be back or is that the end of big Ange? And who is in line to replace him...

After another good win for Thomas Tuchel’s England which places are still up for grabs in his starting eleven? The full backs, number ten? Lots of listeners offering up cult heroes from their clubs; from Alan Hutton and Stan Bowles to John Kaye and Terry Hurlock. Were Tony or Gregor cult heroes at any of their clubs? Gregor has been to see how former players are progressing as they become referees...

What makes a great cult hero – amazing skill, trying hard, being a bit weird or relentlessly dependable. From Tony Hibbert to Jay Jay Okocha via Lee Trundle and Dimitar Berbatov…we want to know your favourite cult players.  Alyson Rudd has a theory – England don’t need a manager, certainly not one on five million pounds a year. England have some much quality they would have to work hard not t...

Is it different this time…? Is the Premier League as open as it appears – Bournemouth, Sunderland, Palace and Everton are in the top ten. Has the power balance changed, or will it revert to type and by Christmas it will be the same old top four and the promoted clubs in the relegation zone? Who has been the signing of the season so far? Kudos, Truffert, Mosquera, Grealish? As England prepare to pl...

Tom Clarke and Gregor Robertson with all the latest from the EFL. Coventry City top the Championship and Stevenage top League One…did anyone see that coming? Frank Lampard has his team scoring for fun, and they’re not the only surprise in the Championship with Preston, Stoke and QPR all flying high. Does it sign post a change in football style or will the money and ‘progressive’ football of I...

Chelsea beat Liverpool to send Arsenal top. The top ten are separated by six points and it seems anyone can beat anyone. It could be a vintage season or will it revert to type? Moises Caicedo was at the heart of Chelsea’s performance, how good is he? For Liverpool where do the problems lie? How will Arsenal respond to being front runners? Elsewhere, Ange Postecoglou is under pressure having not wo...

Is Arne Slot facing his biggest test yet as Liverpool manager? After back to back defeats is his team in transition or in deeper trouble? Many felt the period of transition should have been after Jurgen Klopp left, but has it come 12 months later? Martin Samuel wonders if there is another factor at play, one perhaps being over looked. Arsenal won again and are gaining momentum, but people don’t se...

As Brentford, Brighton, Sunderland and Palace beat the so-called bigger clubs has the Premier League ever been stronger? Crystal Palace could have won by more as Oliver Glasner once again showed he knows how to beat the Champions. For Arne Slot and Liverpool does he have a problem with one of his marquee signings? While Chelsea and Man Utd came unstuck, Arsenal showed championship winning mentalit...

Plus: Forest, Villa and Liverpool’s striker problems Nottingham Forest returned to Europe with an impressive draw away at Betis, are Forest fans warming to Angeball? Was Hugo Ekitike stupid or passionate? Do his actions speak to the wider cult of young players, looking for Instagram moments and perhaps thinking less about the team? After the break Jonathan Northcroft outlines his thoughts on the c...

What has happened to the really Pep Guardiola, he put out a team which ended with his lowest even percentage of possession. But a cautious Mikel Arteta didn’t set his side up to capitalise so in the end who should be happier with the point shared at the Emirates? Liverpool won again, but again they looked shaky towards the end of the game. Is it the sign of champions, a team in third gear or a pro...

Tom Clarke and Gregor Robertson return with all the latest from the EFL. Will Chris Wilder – and all his coaching staff – return to Sheffield United be enough to arrest the slide at Bramall Lane? Did anyone predict that Middlesborough, stoke and Bristol City would be at the top of the Championship after five games – will any of them stay the course? In League One Bradford City are making the most...

Liverpool left it late again, is it a winning habit or a worrying trend? Or to quote Gregor, can both things be true? With Isak making his debut after his record-breaking transfer Liverpool now have a array or attacking options but with Wirtz, Ekitike, Salah and Gakpo all wanting to start could they have problems ahead? Harry Kane scored two against Chelsea, is he the best striker in Europe? For A...

Manchester City won the derby. Ruben Amorim took the blame. Is he really the right man for the job. Manchester reporter Paul Hirst thinks he looks like he wants to be as far away from it as possible. If Amorim doesn’t change his football philosophy will he still have the job by Christmas. For City it was a return to form for Foden and Rodri. As the Champions League returns which of the English tea...

Thomas Tuchel knew what he was doing all along...didn't he? After an impressive five nil away win without many of his 'big names' will the England manager have the nerve to keep playing the likes of Rogers, Madueke and Gordon in place of stars like Bellingham, Saka and Foden? With Reece James playing so well at right back is Trent now in reserve? The Premier League returns this weekend and so does...

Have England gone backwards under Thomas Tuchel, does he know his best starting XI? The team pick their best teams if the World Cup was starting tomorrow…is there a case for no Kane or no Bellingham…? After the break could football be facing a doping problem. In a special report The Times Chief Sports correspondent Matt Lawton joins the pod to discuss if football’s drug testing systems are fit for...

With the window shut what difference will it all make? Who has done the best business, who has done panicked business. Martin doesn’t think Arsenal can win it from the back this season, they’ll need to score more goals. But with Isak still to come who can outscore Liverpool? Did Villa panic on deadline day? Have Chelsea had a lucky or a good start? With player power in the spot light Gregor has sy...

It was a high spending end to the transfer window in the Championship with Southampton, Ipswich, Birmingham and Middlesborough all spending big. Wrexham finally flexed their financial muscle with a net outlay at nearly thirty million pounds.   On the pitch Rob Edwards has his new Middlesborough side top and looking very strong, Frank Lampard has a free scoring Coventry team with a home to cal...

Liverpool edged past Arsenal in a top-of-the-table clash, thanks to Dominik Szoboszlai’s stunning free-kick - but will Mikel Arteta ever win at Anfield?  Plus, we break down the biggest transfer news as Liverpool finally land Alexander Isak in a British-record £125m deal - can Arne Slot’s team be stopped now?  Elsewhere, we analyse Manchester City’s defeat to a fearless Brighton, as 39-y...

Manchester United suffer one of their most humiliating defeats in years, crashing out of the Carabao Cup on penalties to League Two Grimsby Town - but what does it mean for Ruben Amorim’s future? We also head to St James’ Park with The Times ’ Northern sports correspondent Martin Hardy, to unpack Liverpool’s dramatic 3–2 win at Newcastle, and the latest on the Isak saga. Plus, we analyse West Ham’...

North London’s on top - but can Tottenham’s fast start under Thomas Frank last? Arsenal’s 5-0 win over Leeds showcased their squad depth and a 15-year-old wonderkid, but with this firepower, surely there can be no excuses for Mikel Arteta this season... We also look at Jack Grealish’s dazzling debut in Everton's new home, Chelsea’s mauling of West Ham, and Gregor takes us inside one of the Premier...

As Arsenal swoop in to hijack the Eze deal from Spurs - we break down how Mikel Arteta’s side sealed a £67.5m move for the Crystal Palace star. Plus, the latest on the Alexander Isak saga at Newcastle: will the striker force a move before the transfer window closes? We also bring you reaction to Leeds’ 1–0 win over Everton on Monday night, and take a closer look at the brazen ownership style...

Only two weeks into the EFL season - but that’s time enough for Tom and Gregor to start reading the runes. Could this finally be the year Stoke City turns things around under Mark Robins? Winger, Million Manhoef and forward, Divin Mubama have both put in star performances, putting the team at the top of the Championship. But they’re not alone: Middlesbrough and West Brom also boast perfect starts,...

Maybe the Premier League isn’t a closed shop after all. Before the season started the talk was could any of the promoted teams buck the trend and stay up. Well straight away Sunderland thumped West Ham. Could it be the year the promoted clubs have a chance? Man City looked reinvigorated; Manchester United looked better, Brentford looked worse and are there areas for concern at Arsenal and Liverpoo...

The new season is nearly here! On the eve of the first game who will be fighting for the title, who’ll be the surprise package and who will be scrapping at the bottom? After a season of some surprises will we revert to type this season? Almost a billion pounds has been spent in the transfer market, the Isak affair rumbles on and Arsenal finally have a number nine. Will any of the promoted clubs ma...