You're listening to the Footballish Podcast.
Love football, learn English. Was Soboslai's
free -kick a moment of brilliance or bad goalkeeping
in the Liverpool -Arsenal game? Is Peter Schmeichel
right in calling Arsenal ugly? Is Florian Wirth
living up to his price tag yet? And what does
it mean when a player hasn't set the world on
fire? Hello and welcome back to the FootGlish
podcast, a podcast where football meets English
and where the beautiful game gives us plenty
to talk about, argue about and maybe even learn
from. I'm your host Zdenek, a long -suffering
Arsenal fan who is still recovering from the
weekend's result at Anfield. Yes. I have to say
this. This is what I have to start with. Liverpool
1, Arsenal 0. Thanks to a Sobolslai screamer.
And I would rather not watch that and talk about
that ever again. But you know what? To make matters
worse, I'm not suffering alone. In fact, this
person is definitely not suffering. Joining me
today is Paul, a proud Liverpool fan, who is
here to rub salt into... my wounds and gloat
about that clean sheet of theirs that they produced
in this game and probably remind me that Liverpool
are still the team to beat this season. Welcome,
Paul. Welcome back to the Footgrish podcast.
Hi, Zenek. Thank you for having me. Yes, I feel
you are a bit of a sadist inviting me on to talk
about this match. I hope you enjoy it. I wouldn't
call myself a sadist, but obviously in terms
of football, I am, yes. In my private life, I
don't think I am. I think I'm just a normal dude,
not a psychopath, not a sadist. But when it comes
to football, yes, I'm a glutton for punishment.
That's for sure. Yeah, but I also like challenges
and I don't mind inviting someone when they beat
my team because I feel like, why not? Why not?
Make things interesting. So let me start with
this question. Was Soboslai's free kick pure
class brilliant or should our goalkeeper have
done better? What do you think, Paul? Oh, I think...
I think Raya admitted that to the match. A little
excuse he gave was that he needs to get used
to the new Puma balls. It's been Nike for such
a long time. I saw an interview. He said they
have been using Nike footballs for a long time
and now the Puma balls move differently and he
needs to get used to it. But I think when it
was a match, bereft of chances there wasn't many
chances so when the free kick was given there
was a sense of anticipation because it was going
to be a shot at goal and there wasn't many shots
at goal in the match but let's be honest what
was the distance that was like how far was it
like two meters over 32 yards 82 meters come
on what's the xg of that even yeah it's very
low it was very central wasn't it But I noticed
Arsenal had three people in the wall, all tall,
like Calafiori, I think Jokeres possibly. And
it went over Calafiori's head and he jumped.
And he jumps high, Calafiori, and it went over
his head. So the ability to get it up and over
with power and curl from Sobber's lay. People
have seen it before for Hungary. We haven't seen
it for Liverpool. It was an incredible free kick,
I think, yeah. No, I definitely agree with you.
I cannot blame the goalkeeper. The game was boring,
in a sense, so that was like a bright moment
in that game, moment of brilliance, and at least
something happened. I know Arsenal are on the
receiving end of it, but at least if you're a
neutral fan, at least you saw something. It was
an amazing free kick. Top bins, right? In the
83rd minute, was it, as well? So near the end
of the match. Late winner, yeah. No, an incredible
moment. And he's been so good this season. So
I was like, started in the field, then he's played
right back for the last two matches and been
man of the match in both matches. Great stuff
from the Hungarian international, for sure. Yeah.
Liverpool kept their first clean sheet in eight
league games or something like that? Possibly.
Something like that. So did Arne Slot fix the
defence in one week or did Arsenal just make
you look good? Well, it was interesting because
Arsenal had a lot of corners where they are most
dangerous. I think you actually play for corners.
That's true. But we didn't really have... any
corners and long throws though i can't remember
any problems from them really um so liverpool
defended them well van dyke was really good cornate
probably had his best game for liverpool this
season i think yeah i think liverpool defended
well and yeah but arsenal didn't take many chances
i feel as well yeah yeah they didn't take many
chances to push forward or chances to put Liverpool
under pressure so much. The thing is, we didn't
create much because even Jamie Carragher reckons
that Arsenal's problem is creativity and not
finishing. Do you agree? Or is this just another...
Yeah, you didn't miss any chances. I suppose
Eze had got away from defenders. It was a lucky
ricochet, I think, and he got in. And he never
got a shot at goal when he should have. Yeah,
I think there wasn't many chances that you created.
So if I ask you to be honest, you were not really
worried at all during that game because defensively,
Arsenal didn't give Liverpool a sniff? I don't
know. I think the game was tense. I think both
teams played it really cautiously because they
knew one slip -up and the other team could be
in. So Arsenal were quite cautious, but also
were Liverpool. I think Liverpool were cautious.
And when Liverpool did try a couple of times
in the first half, they broke both teams. It
wasn't just Arsenal that were cautious. I think
Liverpool were cautious too. Peter Schmeichel
apparently called Arsenal's football ugly and
annoying to watch. Did you find us that bad?
No, I was scared. Sorry, yeah, I think I read
that and I think that's a bit of an overstatement.
I think Arsenal played well. I think Arsenal
came to Anfield. They were missing Saka and Odegaard,
two of their most creative players. Odegaard
was on the bench, yeah. Yeah, so they added Madaweke
for Saka, which is a bit of a step down. And
then they added Mourinho for Odegaard. I'm playing
Mourinho as a... attacking midfield. He's not
the most creative player. He's not a bad player,
but he shouldn't be a starter. He's not creative,
is he? It was out of necessity. I think Arteta
was trying to be cautious with Odegaard because
he got injured in the previous game. So eventually
Odegaard came on as a substitute. but i think
arteta was just trying to play play it safe because
yeah but i think you have players you haven't
one year one really should play he's a really
good player i think one year you also have trust
possibly or yeah and they could have started
but that is true um maybe there's some kind of
hierarchy there or i don't know Maybe because
he's Spanish, right? Arteta is Spanish, Mourinho
is Spanish. So I think Arsenal played well and
it was a free kick. Liverpool didn't look like
scoring, I thought. They had a couple of half
chances, but there were always Arsenal bodies
in the way. Maybe it was a plan to get a draw
from Anfield. If he had got a draw, it would
have been a great result. So I don't know what
to think about this. Yeah, so I don't think...
I thought Arsenal played well and they look strong.
They've got an amazing squad. And they could
have won. True, true. So what about the new signings?
Are you impressed with anyone or how are you
finding them? So far for Liverpool, I'm impressed
with Aki Tike. And I watched the video... Yeah,
I think Aki Tike has been... Even yesterday,
I thought he did well. He was against two defenders
and he looked... He has a real enthusiasm. He
looks quite hungry to score goals. He looks disappointed
when he's taken off, which is natural when the
match is nil -nil for a striker to be taken off.
And also Wurz of Wurz has come in, which I was
really excited about. And I just think he's struggling
to find space in the midfield. He's playing within
a midfield three. So he's doing a lot of running.
I think he's not stopping running. He's running
around a lot. He's trying to find space. But
it's so tight in there, especially on Sunday.
I feel he's doing well. I think he's being asked
to do a lot of running because he is the most
forward player of the three. So he's doing a
lot of pressing. He's trying to find space. And
maybe this is affecting him when he does eventually
get the ball. But I think... He's doing well
without actually setting the world on fire. Hopefully
in a few more games when he adapts to the league
and adapts to the team a bit more. But I don't
know. I think the role that he's being asked
to do, he's required to run a lot. That is true.
But at the same time, I think there is a lot.
a lot here to unpack because obviously he's a
german wonder kid with an amazing reputation
from the bundesliga a german international like
the best player in years in from germany and
now he's coming to the premier league i think
with a massive price tag i think there's a lot
of pressure on him as well and subconsciously
subconsciously it has to get to him in some way
in my opinion so i'm not surprised he's not exactly
hit the ground running yet but at the same time
i don't think he has been a massive uh disappointment
or anything like that yeah no and he's 22 i think
as you said coming in from a different league
to the Premier League, the physicality and speed
of it. I think he's up to it. I think he will,
but at the same time, he is still young. It may
take six months. It may take more than that.
It will take less, in my opinion. I think he
will start showing his skills and what he's about
very soon. Sometimes it just takes one goal to
undo this. he will be as good as he was before.
And I'm sure it's about the entire Liverpool,
to be honest with you, because the three games
that I saw, I can't say that I watched the always
90 minutes, but I saw glimpses of that game.
And that game against Newcastle, I thought Newcastle
were the better team, even though you were...
obviously playing in XI against 10 Newcastle
men. I thought Newcastle were the team to praise
there, not you. And in that first game also,
something weird happened. You were 2 -0 up, right,
or something? And then Simeoneo scored two goals
or something. Right, right, right. So also, yeah,
but... Despite all this, this is a mark of a
great team, a mark of a champion. Despite all
these little teething problems or difficulties,
maybe a little bit of a hangover from the excellent
previous season, despite all this, you collected
nine points, which is the most from all the Premier
League teams. Yeah, it's unusual. Manchester
City who dropped points twice already. So what
can you say? Amazing start for Liverpool, in
my opinion. Can I just add about... Wirtz as
well, I think. So Liverpool haven't changed their
formation, really. So they've changed the people.
Now Wirtz is in place of Sobbeslai. You've got
Kirkaz and maybe Frimpong on the right. But Wirtz
is in the same position as what Sobbeslai had
last year, really. And Sobbeslai didn't score
many goals, didn't get many assists. The people
who get the goals and assists for Liverpool are
Salah. And now the centre -forward or the left
-weight or Gakpo on the left. So for Wirth to
be considered successful, everybody judges these
players on goals and assists. But I cannot see
him getting many goals and assists in the current
role that he's playing. So maybe we need to judge
him in different criteria. And that's what I
did today when I watched the video with him.
I just watched on how much he is running, how
much he is... trying to get in space, how much
he is pressing, and he's doing well, I think.
Yeah, I'm sure he can only get better. But let
me ask you one final question, and then we can
call it a day for today, because honestly, I
don't want to dwell too much on this game, which
I think you'll understand. Okay, yeah. But I
have to do my job here as the FootGrid podcast
host. Arsenal fans are always told to be patient,
right? All the pundits say, oh, you have to be
patient, all that. It's difficult for Arsenal
because obviously the Invincibles, there is history
under Arsene Wenger. We did some stuff and then
for a long time, we won nothing. All we got was
like, if each time we got into top four and had
the Champions League football, that was maybe
a few FA Cups, but that's it. Liverpool fans
are told they are still top dogs. Do you actually
think that Liverpool are favourites for the title
after just three games? Or are you getting ahead
of yourselves? Mohamed Salah was interviewed
this week and said that Arsenal are the favourites.
He's just being humble and he's just being respectful.
Yeah, they could be like reverse psychology a
little bit. Like bluffing. Like Alex Ferguson
used to do. Also, I think... I think his point
was that they have been with the manager for
five, six seasons. The squad have been together
for that long. They've added to the squad well.
He feels Liverpool is a new team and a new process.
So that's why he feels Arsenal are the favourites.
So I think Liverpool are the favourites. Everyone
is saying Liverpool are the favourites this year,
which is a little bit... Unusual, really. We
haven't been the favourites. You said the same
last year after Klopp had gone. So I think you
are the favourites and you should accept it.
Everybody's saying that. It doesn't even bother
me that much, Paul, because I respect Liverpool
and I'm OK with this. You are only three points
behind Arsenal. What really bothers me is how
much better you are at fantasy. Premier League,
because to be fair, I have started off really
awfully, just as I played the previous season.
Honestly, I don't know what's going on, but every
single game week, I was below average. It's starting
to really traumatise me a bit. Any tips for me,
Paul, how I can turn it around? I haven't looked
at your team, I haven't scrolled down the league
long enough yet. Tips? I don't know. I think
pick players from teams that you think are good.
I think sometimes people pick players who maybe
are not so good. Teams, possibly. I had Mohamed
Salah, for example. Salah's good, yeah. Yeah,
he's good, but he's not really amazing. Oh, you
had him as captain this week. Not this week.
This week I had Watkins, which is even worse.
Yeah, and form is important as well. I think
just Villa dropped off a little bit at the end
of last season. They're bottom of the league
now, Villa. Even West Ham have more points than
Villa now. Wow. So, anyway, if any of you want
to honestly... Have a go at me. If any of you
wants to take the mickey out of me in fantasy
football, you can still join the Footgrish podcast
mini league. The link is in the description of
this video. So it's very easy to join and see
yourself right above me many places ahead. So
just enjoy that. It will probably last for the
rest of the season. with the way I started. But
anyway, Paul, thank you very much for talking
to me today about this great result for Liverpool.
Not such a great result for Arsenal, but it is
what it is. It's football. It can be different
next time. Thank you, Zene. It's a pleasure to
talk to you. Welcome back to the Language Corner.
Those of you that have been listening to this
podcast for a while know exactly what this segment
is all about. It's all about me being me. It's
all about me being an English teacher because
that is my job. And here I am for you, for the
world to clarify, to explain some vocabulary
that appeared in the interview with Paul. Let's
go. Paul called me a sadist at the beginning
of the episode. A sadist is someone who enjoys
inflicting pain on others, sometimes in a sexual
sense. But this was rather a joke, obviously,
from Paul. And a sadist also, I guess, can inflict
pain on themselves. And I used a similar phrase.
I said, I'm a glutton for punishment, which means
the same. You enjoy being punished. That's why
I invited a Liverpool fan after a defeat, as
an Arsenal fan after a defeat against Liverpool,
right? Liverpool beat us and I invited him to
talk to me about this game. So I'm a sadist,
I'm a glutton for punishment. Then we were describing
the goal Soboslai scored. It was an amazing free
kick and I said it was top bins. Top bins is
another way of saying... that the ball ended
up in the top corner of the goal, right? So that's
what you call top bins in British English. I
think both teams were cautious, said Paul. Very
good word, cautious. They played with caution.
They were careful. They didn't want to make a
mistake, right? If you're cautious, perhaps you
attack in fewer players. You know, your formation
is a bit more defensive. The way you play is
a bit more defensive. You don't want to throw
the kitchen sink at it, as we say. You just want
to wait maybe for the mistake that your opponent
makes first. You are cautious. You have a cautious
approach, careful approach. What do you think
about the new Liverpool signings? I asked Paul
and then I followed that up with this question.
How are you finding them? So this is a good verb
that we normally use to talk about something
that we lose. We lose, I don't know, we lose
our mobile phone and then we find it, right?
Later on, hopefully. But also I can ask someone
about someone's opinion. In this way, I can ask
you, hey, how are you finding this new signing
that Liverpool got? How are you finding Florian
Wiertz? Which means basically, how do you feel
about this signing? How does Florian Wiertz make
you feel? What's your opinion? And he's doing
well without setting the world on fire, was Paul's
response. If you set the world on fire... it
means you do well. But normally in English it's
used in the negative sense. If somebody isn't
setting the world on fire, there's a similar
phrase if a player isn't pulling out any trees.
If you don't pull out any trees, if you don't
set the world on fire, it means you're not exactly
brilliant. You may not be underperforming, you
may not be terrible, but you're not certainly
brilliant. Perhaps the expectations were a little
bit higher than that. And I responded to that
by saying, I'm not surprised he hasn't hit the
ground running. If you hit the ground running,
you start really well. You start off really well
when it comes to your new job, new team you join
as a football player, any kind of really job,
usually. When we talk about the job, if you...
Don't set the world on fire. Sorry, if you don't
hit the ground running, it has a similar meaning,
really. It means you don't start particularly
well. And then Paul was defending Florian Wirz
and he said, I think he's up to it. The physicality
of the league, he was talking about that. And
he thinks that Florian Wirtz is up to it. If
you're up to it, it means you're ready. You're
ready for that challenge. You have what it takes.
You can do it. You have the potential to do it,
to be successful. You are up to it. Yeah? Okay.
And I think that will be it for today. Guys,
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