The Sound of Football

In the constant hunt for marginal gains, the introduction of dedicated set-piece coaches has allowed otherwise lower-mid-table clubs to thrive with goals from corners and long throws. But now the bigger clubs are following suit, is this development damaging the entertainment value of the Premier League? And, if so, should the lawmakers do something about it? And talking of lawmakers, in yet anothe...

Palace fans have had their fill of Oliver Glasner now he's told them to stay humble. Terry was at Selhurst Park at the weekend to see for himself how humble the fans feel like being right now. Meanwhile Tottenham fans are facing up to the reality of being in a relegation scrap after another home defeat, this time in the North London derby. Also this week, we welcome back Gary Andrews for his thoug...

Last week Nottingham Forest became the first Premier League side ever to sack three permanent managers in the same season. Less than 24 hours before Sean Dyche was relieved of his duties, Thomas Frank's time in charge Spurs came to an end. Will the new men in charge fare any better in the fight to avoid relegation? Also this week we discuss the weekend's FA Cup fourth round, which saw Mansfield co...

The chaotic scenes at the end of the weekend’s match between Liverpool and Manchester City laid bare one of the most fundamental problems with VAR: it may make the game more correct but it also makes it less joyful. Why then is it such a surprise to those who support VAR, like Gary Neville, that it sucks pleasure from football? Is there a place for “the smell of the game” in a wo...

Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin's last-gasp winning goal against Real Madrid must go down as one of the greatest moments in Champions League history. But is it enough to prove to the doubters the entertainment value of the new format Champions League? It certainly reminded everyone that Jose Mourinho is still one for the big occasion. Also this week, we discuss the close of the winter transfer...

With Graham, Terry and Jan’s teams all losing this weekend, the last thing we wanted to discuss was football. So we don't. Instead, before the final round of fixtures of the League phase of the Champions League, we discuss the growing perception that the new format is less exciting. We also try to work out how many subscriptions fans in the UK will need to watch their team now that Paramount...

The final of the Africa Cup of Nations descended into chaos when the eventual winners Senegal left the pitch in protest against some questionable refereeing decisions that benefitted the hosts Morocco. But that was only the start of the drama. Also this week Terry has opinions on Oliver Glasner and his seemingly unilateral decision to make public that he won't be staying at Crystal Palace at the e...

It should probably go down as the biggest shock in FA Cup history: the holders, Crystal Palace, crashing out to non-league Macclesfied FC in the third round. But Palace fan Terry saw it coming and we have the audio to prove it! Also this week, in the immediate aftermath of Xabi Alonso being relieved of his duties at Real Madrid, after just seven months in the role, we discuss why he would be unsui...

The start of the year is a time when many people choose to give up something that isn’t doing them any favours. Chelsea, Manchester United and Celtic have got into the spirit of this by all getting rid of their managers — a simple action that doesn't even require you to subscribe to an app. Chelsea have already replaced Enzo Maresca with Liam Rosensior, who just so happened to be the h...

Every year we celebrate the festive season with our special advent calendar episode of the podcast. Join us as we open up all of the 24 doors and discuss the people and subjects behind them. Who and what will be the burning issues of 2026? Of course, as it’s Christmas, we have some friends along to help us out. Chris Nee, Clare McEwen, Ian King and Sam Whyte are here to get into the festive...