Football Writers Podcast

Mike Calvin, Miguel Delaney and John Cross dwell on the pros and cons of Manchester City's dominance. Newcastle will have to get used to similar levels of envy and resentment, Southampton's model makes them upwardly mobile, Everton are arguably the most dysfunctional club in the Premier League, but the platform the FA Cup provides emerging players must be cherished. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mike Calvin, Adrian Clarke and Seb Stafford Bloor assess the cult of individualism at Manchester United. They praise the managerial authority of Thomas Tuchel, expect a clear out at Spurs, but have sympathy for Claudio Ranieri and Rafa Benitez. They also name their potential FA Cup giant killers. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mike Calvin, Jordan Jarrett Bryan and Dominic Fifield take an insightful, occasionally light-hearted, look back at football in 2021 There is good and bad news for Spurs, praise for the game's local heroes, and criticism for Arsenal, who made the most disappointing signing of the season. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mike Calvin, Dominic Fifield and Jordan Jarrett-Bryan assess the challenges football faces in the current public health crisis. They expect Manchester City to eventually run away with the Premier League, suggest Aston Villa have a lot to look forward to in 2022, and, amidst a spate of poor refereeing performances, call for an immediate revision of VAR. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mike Calvin, Richard Amofa and Glenn Moore use the precarious state of Leeds United's season as an example of the perils of a "big club " mentality, Expectation may also be counter productive at Newcastle, while Burnley are fighting the law of diminishing returns. At a time of renewed uncertainty, the panel also discuss worryingly low vaccination rates amongst players. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mike Calvin, Paul Hayward and Tony Hodson analyse the re-drawn last 16 in the Champions League. Liverpool and Manchester City have marginally tougher assignments, but Chelsea will be happy to be facing Lille. Instead of the projected Ronaldo-Messi shoot-out, Manchester United must overcome Atletico Madrid's pantomime villains, Diego Simeone and Luis Suarez. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mike Calvin, Anne Marie Batson and Seb Stafford Bloor assess a critical six match sequence for contenders for the Premier League crown. Chelsea need to provide the right service to Romelu Lukaku, Manchester City require more from Jack Grealish and Liverpool can't be distracted by the Stevie G love in. The panel also look at Everton, Newcastle, Arsenal, Leicester and West Ham. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mike Calvin, Miguel Delaney and Glenn Moore assess the balance of power in European club football as the Champions League enters its final round of fixtures in the group stages. They look at the relative merits of the Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga and Serie A before choosing their eventual winner from a widely-accepted elite group of four teams.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mike Calvin, Miguel Delaney and Glenn Moore question the wisdom of Rafa Benitez's decision to join Chelsea, and suggest he is a victim of generational change in football management. They examine Newcastle's plight, reflect on the dominance of the top three in the Premier League, and look forward to the women's FA Cup final between Arsenal and Chelsea on Sunday. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mike Calvin, Jordan Jarrett Bryan and John Cross look forward to a hugely significant Merseyside derby, and suggest Rafa Benitez may be a prisoner of previous regimes at Goodison Park. They believe relegation would not necessarily be a bad thing for Newcastle, and wonder whether Manchester United are already being managed remotely by Ralf Rangnick.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mike Calvin, Paul Hayward and Dominic Fifield welcome Ralf Rangnick's arrival at Manchester United, but wonder whether he will be allowed to reshape the club in his own image, They praise Chelsea's youth development ,foresee problems for Antonio Conte at Tottenham, and believe the fan-led review of the game has the potential to be the catalyst for positive change. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mike Calvin, Seb Stafford Bloor and Tony Hodson analyse Manchester United's long term problems, which may be too onerous, even for Mauricio Pochettino They praise the ruthless efficiency of the Premier League's top three, and, in Champions League week, highlight Xavi's shrewdness in taking charge of what could be another golden generation at Barcelona. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mike Calvin, Adrian Clarke and Richard Amofa consider the consequences of change in the Premier League. They believe Steven Gerrard and Dean Smith are a perfect fit for their new clubs, Aston Villa and Norwich, but have reservations about Eddie Howe's impact at Newcastle. Leicester's Brendan Rodgers would be a significant managerial upgrade for Manchester United.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mike Calvin, John Cross and Miguel Delaney assess football's sacking season. They suggest Ole Gunnar Soskjaer should be put out of his misery at Manchester United, feel Dean Smith was the victim of the cruellest cut at Aston Villa, and believe Norwich City, rather than Newcastle United, would be the best fit for Eddie Howe. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mike Calvin, Glenn Moore and Anne Marie Batson examine the challenges Antonio Conte faces at Spurs, and the realistic limits of his ambition this season. They suspect Rafa Benitez would have been a better fit at Newcastle than Eddie Howe, and have sympathy for the struggle of Jadon Sancho to establish himself at Manchester United. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mike Calvin, Ade Oladipo and Seb Stafford Bloor analyse the departure of Nuno Espirito Santo after only 17 matches as Tottenham manager, and the initial links with Antonio Conte. They believe Aston Villa should stand by the under-pressure Dean Smith, and discuss another critical week at Manchester United for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mike Calvin, Paul Hayward and Adrian Clarke suggest the plight of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is a symbol of Manchester United's failure to move with the times. They highlight the contrasting fortunes of two former United managers, David Moyes and Jose Mourinho, and look at the limitations of Marcelo Bielsa's approach, at Leeds United. They also welcome the unanimous support for Australian player Josh Cavallo's decision to reveal his sexuality. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mike Calvin, Dominic Fifield and Richard Amofa call for change at Old Trafford, following Manchester United's humiliation by Liverpool. They believe the gap between the top three and the rest of the Premier League will continue to widen, with clubs like Norwich simply unable to cope. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mike Calvin, Jordan Jarrett Bryan and Tony Hodson discuss the dehumanising nature of football management, and the pressure exerted on managers like Steve Bruce and Ole Gunnar Solksjaer. They examine Liverpool's chances of victory at Old Trafford, consider a challenging period for Thomas Tuchel, and suggest that coaches like Thomas Frank and Graham Potter have the ability to thrive at the biggest clubs. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mike Calvin, Miguel Delaney and John Cross look forward to the return of the Champions League, and discuss how it may eventually be reshaped by the financial and political pressures of modern football. They call for change at Manchester United, suggest Mo Salah's future should lie with Liverpool, and believe all is not well behind the scenes at Newcastle United. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.