You're listening to the Footglish Podcast. Love football, learn English.
Tottenham 3, Liverpool 6. How come 9 goals were scored in this extraordinary game?
Which team is the biggest threat to Liverpool's title challenge?
Who would Liverpool fans want to keep out of the trio?
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah.
And what does team-rolling someone mean?
Hello everybody, welcome to another episode of the Footglish Podcast.
What's Footglish Podcast, I hear you asking.
Footglish Podcast is a podcast for people learning English.
It's a podcast about football.
And yeah, that's what it is.
Merry Christmas to all our listeners and viewers on the YouTube channel as well.
And I've got a present for you. So make sure you listen till the end.
Actually, I have two presents.
One of the presents is you, Paul.
Okay, yes.
A Christmas present.
I didn't ask you whether you accept this title.
I don't know if I'm going to get any Christmas presents this year.
I think you already got one, Paul.
I think you got it earlier than expected.
So actually, yes, yes.
Your team is in the first place, yes,
and will definitely stay there no matter what happens on the boxing day.
I think you will stay there for longer than that.
Probably throughout January, February and maybe even longer.
No, you never know, Zenech. It's very early in the season, I think.
We'll still come strong.
Chelsea, Manchester City have fallen away a little bit, haven't they?
I don't know about them this year, but definitely Arsenal and Chelsea are still in the race.
Arsenal have lost Saka.
He's now injured, so he is the best Arsenal player.
And I'm saying this because I'm hoping I jinx it for you, yeah?
Because obviously I would like Arsenal to win, not Liverpool.
But you look very good.
And we are here, of course, to talk about your game against Spurs at Wighthart Lane.
It happened this Sunday and there were nine goals in this game.
OK, they should have all been for Liverpool, but Liverpool could have scored nine goals.
But they scored six, which is easy.
You will take it though, right?
Yeah, definitely I will take it.
It's always a difficult match going to Wighthart Lane.
We usually have a terrible refereeing decision.
Over the last three seasons, there has been one in each of the matches.
But this time it wasn't. This time it was a bit easy, really.
I think Spurs are really struggling. Playing an 18-year-old centre-back who's not a centre-back is madness.
But I was trying to think what else could they do?
Could they put a more experienced midfielder in centre-back and put him in midfield?
Possibly Sar or Besuma.
But yeah, I think Spurs are what I love about the show.
Yeah, well, Spurs, this is Spurs, you know.
They are just Spurs of the late under this manager, Ange Postekoglu,
whom I quite like as a character.
He's a good fan in the press conferences, in the interviews.
I'm not a Neutro fan, but I can assume that Neutro fans like the football that he plays with his team.
Kind of Gang Ho, all guns blazing, attacking football.
But his defence is very leaky.
Yeah, after watching that match, it's amazing how they beat Manchester United three days before.
It shows you where, well, it's not amazing when you think about Manchester United's results.
But I can't believe they have won some games recently.
Tottenham, they've had some good results and they looked in a totally different league to Liverpool.
They're inconsistent and they're just sort of like a random team.
I think they also have this sort of title of Robin Hood of the Premier League.
So they take points from the big teams and then they drop points with the weak teams.
So that's why I was hoping they could rob you guys, but they didn't.
Yeah, I think people watching that match like Arsenal fans, Chelsea fans, I think everybody could see.
Even Gary Neville in commentary was saying how good Liverpool looked.
And it's been a really good season for Liverpool and in every position, Van Tijk is playing unbelievable.
The full backs have been like Trent is really good.
Robinson played well yesterday, I thought, even though he in a slight decline possibly.
Mittfield has been outstanding. Gravenberg is unbelievable.
He's like a one man midfield.
He's a number six or something.
He plays everywhere. Yeah, he's like they have two holdings.
So him and McAllister usually or maybe Jones.
McAllister has been a little bit off this season, I think, but he's still a good player.
But Gravenberg, it doesn't matter because Gravenberg was really good.
So Bosley yesterday was outstanding.
So Bosley probably his best match for Liverpool.
He scored two goals, I think, right? Two goals.
I think he's assisted. Yes, I don't think he's definitely at least one.
Maybe isn't it maybe McAllister's goal where he and McAllister scored with his with his head.
Right. Yeah. So maybe I think supposedly had to assist one goal and he scored two.
Right. And Salah won. Salah scored.
Oh, I don't know. Actually, Salah had two plus two.
Salah had two goals.
One. McAllister had one.
So Bosley had one.
It sounds like every player of your team has scored at least a brace.
To be honest, your attacking players had a field day yesterday.
Yeah, true. Attack players are really good.
And there's also like Jota and Nunes waiting in the wings.
But I think Slot prefers these three.
And instead of playing Gakbo as a number nine, he's playing DS as the false nine.
And Gakbo on the left. Gakbo looks more comfortable.
He's a good player. Gakbo links up well with people.
Strong. He can score goals. DS works so hard. So Bosley works so hard.
Salah not so much. Doesn't work so hard, but he doesn't need to work.
He doesn't need to. Yeah. He's just he uses his experience very well, I think.
Definitely. Now. Yeah. Yeah. He's become so creative.
And like, yeah, it's so nice. It's just where he should be.
He's there when the important moments come and his decision making is as good as it always has been.
And obviously now, when Liverpool are on top, it's very important that a star player of his quality is doing well.
Because imagine, just imagine for a second if he had an off season or something, he wasn't scoring goals.
Even like how his mood could transfer onto the onto the whole team because he's such an important figure.
Right. So I believe when when you have a team and your star players work like a well-oiled machine,
that's when you can achieve big things. But when there's like, let's say, a star that is unhappy,
you know, it might create some rifts in the dressing room or things like that.
True. No, I think it's interesting what's going to happen, isn't it?
Because the three players are out of contracts. Right. Salah, Trent and three best players.
Really, we have fun. But they are a big part.
Fondayk as well. Van Dyck, Salah and Trent Alexander.
OK, I'm sorry. So I have a very important question for you, Paul. So if you were to pick one to stay,
if I know it's a terrible question to ask, but let's let's ask it anyway.
So if you were to pick one to stay. Sorry, I think, yeah, sorry.
The club is that is thinking about this now, isn't it?
I don't think the club can afford the three of them to stay. So I would pick Van Dyck, though.
I think most people would. He's been incredible this season.
And the follow up question, if you could pick two out of three.
People would say Trent because he's younger. It's so difficult.
It is so difficult because they're all like they all play in different positions and they're all such a big part of the team.
How can you say not seller when he is he is at the most incredible season so far?
Yeah, yeah. Like I think the thing is, I think Salah wants to stay. I don't think it's up to the club.
I think a lot of people say like, come on, get the money about get the money out.
But it's not that it's the players have power.
And if the player wants to run his contract down and see what options that are and see if he can get like
Trent Alexander-Arnold could get like a 30 million pounds euro, whatever.
50 euro, 50 million euro signing on fee.
Instead of going to Liverpool, he's going to get given 40 million pounds.
It comes down to money at the end of the day. Right.
So but imagine so imagine a hypothetical situation when, of course, these players are too expensive for the Liverpool board
and they might sort of hope that the player them players themselves would be happy to decrease their salary.
But that's never going to happen. It's kind of disrespectful and sorry.
You're right. It's I don't it's human nature.
There's no if Trent Alexander-Arnold. OK, it's his boyhood club. He's been here since he's been there since he was six years old.
But if somebody's offering you I don't know how much 20, 30, 40 million pounds.
There you go. Come join our club. Yeah.
And even if even if you win the title, because let's let's be honest, you now have a massive chance to do it.
I know there is Chelsea and Arsenal, but you're still in that pole position and Manchester City are what they are.
And let's be honest, for everyone else, they have been that team.
They have been in everybody's way. Let's be honest.
Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Everybody's way. Yeah.
So so if you win the title and if I'm someone like Salah, I'm like, OK, what else can I achieve here?
Really? Like, I can achieve like this is the moment you might want to leave.
Really? You get more money. You you you leave as legend.
They will build his statue. Come on. They win.
Like he's achieved so much at your club. True. But I don't think he wants to leave.
He does want to stay. It's not like I don't sell it doesn't want to leave. I'm not sure.
I'm Van Dyke. He's been very quiet, but like he's the captain and Kat Kat Van Dyke talks about legacy.
When he gets asked, what do you want? He said, it's always been the same legacy.
He wants to be a great. And I think he can achieve that at Liverpool.
I Van Dyke wants every trophy. It's not just the Premier League. He wants the Champions League.
He wants the FA Cup. You saw them in the League Cup final last year.
He was incredible in the League Cup final against Chelsea last year.
And he wants everything. And. Yeah, I just hope he gets it.
So, yeah, I want. Yeah. But this is the last season for this team.
Because those three players are not going to be at Liverpool next year, I think.
And they are a really big part of this team. Wait.
So you really believe they are all going to leave? Not all of them, but the three of them.
Like they're running out of the contract. I think Trenton. I do.
I think Trenton. Where would he go? Where do you think he would go?
Ramadjit, like Ramadjit. Yeah. Really? Ramadjit needs a right back.
His mates there, Jude Bellingham. They offer him loads of money. I think he's gone.
Why? I don't know why he would run his contract down. The other two.
The only reason you'd run your contract down is to go. Really?
Like with Salah and Van Dyke, it's more with the club a little bit.
Do we offer them two years, three years? There's a bit more. But with Trent, I think Trent's been offered.
And he's like, no, I'm going to see. I'm going to see what's happening.
Made up his mind. Yeah. I think so.
Yeah. Well, if they leave, there will be someone else.
So you still have an amazing team, even without these players.
The club goes on. That's why, though, I hope that this season something happens.
That would be great, right? Yeah, I do hope. For you guys?
Yeah, just because they are so good and have been unlucky in the past.
There's all different circumstances. You look at Klopp's, Reign, and they won one Premier League and one Champions League.
But you only need to change four results. Four football matches from draws to wins or whatever.
You only need to change four results for that to be three Premier Leagues and three Champions Leagues.
And it's only one. And it's such a good team.
So I think Van Dyke is a big part of that.
And before he goes or before he retires or whatever happens, before his decline sets in, I'd like to win more.
Well, he would like to win more. Yes, to decorate him as a legend.
Well, he's already a legend, but he would be even a bigger legend after that.
And so I need to ask you, so who do you fear the most? Because it's not Manchester City.
Surely not. Like out of 12 games, they only won one. Again, they lost a game.
They lost to, of course, Aston Villa now. So.
Oh, it's definitely Arsenal, I think, and even in the last couple of weeks, it's been Arsenal because of Manchester City's results.
I suppose with Saka going, it's still Arsenal. Not Chelsea. What about Chelsea?
Chelsea are really good, but I fear Arsenal more than Chelsea just because of, because they're a better team and a better squad, really.
But yeah, with Saka being injured, you never know what's going to happen.
Jesus has been playing. If they play at that, Jesus on the left, Jesus would be better.
Jesus has been resurrected and it's Christmas. It's still Christmas.
This should be happening at Easter.
Jesus has been born again, reborn, like a phoenix, phoenix out of ashes.
And you never know something, Arsenal might hit on something.
If Odegaard is still there feeding somebody else.
And yeah, I still think Arsenal are the biggest threat and Arsenal have had the toughest matches.
They've played a lot of teams away from home. That's true.
And you expect them to win every game.
And yeah, I still fear Arsenal. The defenders are really good. The midfield is powerful.
Yeah, I still think Arsenal.
They don't have a bad team, I agree with you, but we will see.
You know, it's still a lot of games to go, obviously.
It's only 15, 16, 17 games.
I still kind of feel a significant chunk of the season, especially the way some of the results have gone,
the way some of the teams have underperformed, obviously referring to City, but also Manchester United.
Did you know, Paul, that Manchester United is in the 13th place?
Which is absolutely horrible. They are bottom of the league, but they are only five points apart from their City rival, Man City.
Oh really?
Whenever I've watched Manchester United in the past, what, three, four seasons, they've been awful.
They've been awful, actually. So it's no surprise because of the football that they play.
Yeah, exactly. They were hoping with this new manager, something would change.
I'm looking at their current form, right? So out of the last five games in the Premier League, they won only two games.
One of them against Manchester City. Everyone is beating Manchester City. And the other one against Everton.
They were lucky to beat Manchester City though.
Yeah, that's true. That was a big win for them.
It means nothing if they are losing to Bournemouth, 3-0 at home.
Yeah, it's such a tough league. It's such a tough league.
I think teams like Manchester United, they're not as good as teams like Bournemouth.
Bournemouth have better attacking players.
They have Bournemouth in the fifth place now.
Yeah, even Nottingham Forest beat them.
They want to have better defenders and better team.
What about Leicester City? Because that's your next opponent on the box team.
Leicester have been awful. Since Ruud van Nistel took charge and he's put Conor Cody in best of guard as centre-backs.
Conor Cody, I feel like, he's gone. The football has left Conor Cody, I think.
And he's alongside best of guard, who's not the most mobile player.
Hopefully they play. If they play against Liverpool.
I'm always worried with Liverpool. I'm always anxious. It's the Premier League. Anything can happen.
If Leicester City are struggling.
If you keep increasing this cushion of points, there will come a time when you will not be worried.
You will become complacent and that's our chance.
Yeah, and that's Liverpool last season when Manchester United beat us in the FA Cup.
It was too easy for Liverpool and they became complacent.
In this Spurs match, it was too easy. So they just switched off.
It's a little bit of arrogance. It's complacency.
It's human nature, Paul. It happens to the best of us.
So you think you will steamroll Leicester City then?
I would never say that. There's always a part of me that thinks we will get beat and I'm quite anxious whenever Liverpool play.
It's a home game. Come on. Their best player is Jamie Vardy. Come on.
That's true. But it's a football match and you never know. You never know.
It's a football match as you know. You play football. Anyone can be football.
Now these days I play pickleball, Paul, because my football career is over.
I hung up my boots a few years ago and now I only play racket sports and swim and go to the gym.
So you never know with football?
Arsenal have a good switch, don't they? So you expect Arsenal to win.
I expect Arsenal to win every game, to be honest.
Everton have done Liverpool a good little bit of credit for Everton taking points off Arsenal, taking points off Chelsea.
You still yet to play Everton. I think you have one game in hand as well against Everton in your Mercer side derby.
Yeah. It's nice having that game in hand, I think.
Yes, it's a good game as well.
Especially if we were behind and we had a game in hand. It's not good. But now we're ahead and we have a game in hand.
Four points ahead, I think. And then on top of that you have a game in hand.
Is this it? OK.
Something like that. Let me check.
I think it's four points. You're four points ahead of Chelsea. You're on 39 points. Chelsea have 35. Arsenal 33.
OK, so six points ahead of Arsenal.
Yes, and one game in hand. So potentially nine points ahead.
Potentially. But as you said, it's Everton away, which is a tough match.
Yeah, but Everton, they have been shit in the last few years.
But they just took points off Chelsea. They just took points off. They would. They love playing Liverpool.
They would love that match. They beat Liverpool near the end of last season at Cuddleston quite easily, to be honest.
Like they have a way of playing. They just win free kicks. They get off the pitch. They set pieces. They keep it tight.
Win another free kick. Jordan Pickford takes it. Jordan Pickford trots up.
Pickford picks it up, then falls to the ground with the ball and then all of this.
Yeah, it starts up again. Yeah, what can you say?
Anyway, Paul, thank you very much for joining me on this Christmas episode about your team, Liverpool.
I thought you would be the perfect guest because you just beat Tottenham 60.
Very happy. Yes, I'm sure you are.
So enjoy your Christmas present. And thank you very much.
I hope it doesn't stay very long, but enjoy your Christmas at least. Enjoy your Christmas.
Yeah, thanks. Take care. Bye bye.
Welcome back to the language corner. As always, in this part of the show, I'm going to do my job.
I'm an English teacher, so I should do some teaching here, shouldn't I?
But before I get into that, first of all, very Merry Christmas again.
Thank you very much for listening to the podcast. Thank you very much for being part of the family.
If you want to support this podcast, you can do so by clicking the link in the description.
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So if you're upper intermediate, advanced or even proficient English learner, then you might be interested in this.
Again, there is a link in the description of this show, and this link will take you to a Google form.
It's basically a quiz, which I created for you, a Christmas quiz where I test your knowledge of this podcast.
I have come up with five questions, very easy questions.
All I want you to do is to answer these questions, and then I will pick, let's go for three winners.
I'll pick three winners who get a monthly free membership, I should say a free monthly membership in my group.
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We practice English in all sorts of different ways there, but I used to run a football event there every week.
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Anyway, this is my gift for you. I hope you guys like it.
So once again, head over to the description where you can fill out this quiz.
Now, this is the language corner, and we haven't done much clarification, much vocabulary clarification here today yet.
Well, let's do it now. I only have one piece of vocabulary here today.
I asked Paul in the interview, do you think you will steamroll Leicester City?
Leicester City is next Liverpool's opponent, and well, they are in the relegation battle.
So everyone expects Liverpool to thrash Leicester City, right? To destroy them.
To steamroll kind of means something similar. You know what a steamroller is?
It's that kind of vehicle that moves forward on a large and heavy wheel in order to make a road surface flat, right?
So when you are making a road surface, I don't know what they use these days, concrete, I suppose, asphalt, I don't know.
Then you need something to make it nice and flat. And for that, you use this heavy machinery type of vehicle called steamroller.
But it's also used as a metaphor, as a verb to steamroll someone, to steamroll another team means to defeat someone or forced someone to do something using your power or authority.
So the team steamroll their way to victory, for example, is one of them.
And it's similar to the phrase to stamp your authority, I suppose, which means to show that you have power over someone or something or in a particular situation.
So obviously you would expect big teams to steamroll the small teams in the Premier League.
Let's see what happens on the Boxing Day. It will be quite interesting to watch these games, of course.
And yeah, that's it for today. I just wanted to explain this one little item of vocabulary, and that's the verb to steamroll someone.
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Thank you for listening to the Footgrish Podcast and I will speak to you soon. Take care, everyone. Bye bye.