Football Daily - PL Review: Hull glorious & Spurs dismal

Episode Date: August 24, 2026

After a bumper first weekend of Premier League football, Rick Edwards is joined by The Telegraph's Northern Football Writer Luke Edwards and former Southampton and QPR striker Charlie Austin to sum up the weekend's football. Plus, they're joined by special guest Hull Assistant Head Coach Dean Holden who reflects on beating Manchester United after nine years away from the top flight and whether the doubters are spurring Hull onto more success following promotion last season via the play offs. TIMECODES 2’00 - Luke's injury 3’23 - Kevin Keegan tributes at St James’ Park 5’12 - How Isak was received by the Newcastle fans 16’24 – Dean Holden reflections on beating Man United 17’49 – Do the doubters give Hull motivation? 18’57 – How important is McBurnie? 22’45 – What is the owner like to work with? 28’47 – Spurs losing to Brentford

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. Get more with BBC podcasts, wherever you listen. Be the first to listen to your favourite shows, like evil genius, good, bad billionaire, and You're Dead to Me, with a subscription to BBC Podcasts Premium on Apple Podcasts. You can also enjoy a range of our podcasts ad-free with an Amazon music subscription. Hello and welcome to the first Premier League review of the season. A bit of a bumper first weekend, actually.

A few surprise results, few shocks in there. Arsenal looks the real deal on Friday night, beating Comptory 3-0 at the Emirates. City turned it around late against Bournemouth to win 2-1 in Envo Mereska's first match. Everton, Ipswich, Leads, all off to winning starts. We're going to get into how Spurs lost 3-0 to Brentford after spending £237 million pounds this summer.

And we're going to speak to whole city. assistant Dean Holden after they beat Manchester United 2-0. Joining me on the pod is the Telegrasn Northern Football Writer Luke Edwards and former Premier League striker, Charlie Austin. Now, I was going to ask how both of you are, but I'm just going to start with you, Charlie, because we already know how Luke is. I'm okay, thank you, mate. I'm okay.

I'm glad football's back. I'm glad the Premier League is back. A little bit after today's result, a little bit frustrated. But other than that, I'm glad football's back, mate. Luke, you sent us a little picture, I think, sort of fishing for sympathy earlier. Was it yesterday, two days ago, I've lost track. Friday, Rick. You've hurt yourself?

No, let's get one thing straight here. There are two people in my life who I'd never go to for sympathy. One of them is my wife. The second one is you. I did not want sympathy. I wanted to explain while I might be a little bit below par on this podcast on Sunday. Yes, I've broken my... I thought, hang on. You don't usually text me before to say why you're going to be below

far. This is a one-off. It's new season. I better start the season. Start the season. Okay. Yeah. No, I've broken my foot playing football three weeks before I suppose to be doing the Great North Run. It's very, very embarrassing. You're training going that badly for the Great North Run? I've broken my foot to get out of it. No, I'm absolutely devastated about the Great North run. But yeah, I was going to wipe somebody out. I wasn't going to get there. in a rare moment of human decency. I pulled out to the tackle

and managed to go over on my foot and the momentum has cracked the chip to the bone at the top of my foot. So to be clear, this is a quite a bad injury, a foot break with absolutely no contact. No contact. I touched the ball once in the game before that moment as well.

And when you did the injury, what, in like the 70th minute? Yeah, Luke, before. It probably was about 17 minutes, actually. Yeah. Luke, before you answer that, I feel like it's one of them where when people think they can play and score goals in the football league and score in the pro league and we can do X, Y and Z, I feel like you're the example, you can't. No, you can't. Well, I was never very good anyway, and I think I've got to the point where at my age, it's time to stop.

Just retire. It's walking football. It's walking football. Doing walking football from now on. But it means that you weren't at, presumably, you'd do. didn't make it to St. James's Park? No, no. I can't walk without crutches and I can't actually walk any length of distance at the minute,

even in my protective boot. Well, that's slightly disappointing. I did want to start there, actually. Mainly with what happened before the game, which was the Kevin Gigan tribute that was really, it's, you know, generally speaking, opposing fans are respectful of these things, with some exceptions,

but it's not often that you get one of those tributes where both set of fans are almost equally invested in that person. And it was, yeah, it was really lovely, I thought. One of football. Well, football's shown it's really nice side, isn't it? And bringing those two clubs together that meant so much to Kevin Keegan, the unity, the love, the affection there was for him.

It was the perfect fixture in that respect in English football to pay their sort of joint respects to one of the great figures in the history of English. football as well. Younger listeners might not quite fully appreciate how special he was. But Kevin Keegan was, you know, the first real big celebrity football after George Best. An icon transformed Newcastle as a manager and a player, one of Liverpool's most successful players as well. And that 10 minutes before kickoff, actually, that was really, really special

and a really fitting tribute to the man, as was the game, actually, in the end. Yeah, yeah, yeah, very right. Also, I did enjoy the massive contrast because it's not always the case that someone who has been at one club and there's another club is well received. And Alexander Resex reception was exactly. And it was a fantastic moment. I don't know if you heard it on the TV coverage where every time he touched the ball, he was getting dogs abuse and booed. But there was about, I think, 25 minutes in the mic just picked up perfectly,

just someone saying, ASAP, you're a... And then the most basic agricultural term you can use. And it was clear, Isabel. Rick, like on that, and the same with you, Luke, like before the game, it was amazing, right? And to see that as a fan sitting at home and watching it, but also from a player's perspective, when you walk out and see that what that player meant to both clubs

is absolutely amazing. and you go on there and you see it all and you can't help but feel that, well, one person has this effect on two football clubs, like an amazing person. As soon as that whistle goes, however, no, it's game on.

And it flipped, Charlie. Yeah, and it flips, but we go to Alexander Isak for argument's sake. Poor bloke. Now, as a Liverpool fan, I watched him today, and I just felt like he was in his shell. He was scared. Every time he touched the ball,

someone booed him. every time he tried to make a turn, they booed him. Every time we got tackled, they cheered. It was one of them that today wasn't the day for Alexander ESAC to play against Newcastle. However, if he scores a brace, then all of a sudden it's welcome to Liverpool, welcome to the Premier League. Yeah, but he didn't. No. No.

And he didn't really, yeah, one chance he kind of snatched out and put over the bar. Rick, I don't think that's a chance. So as a former player forward, the left footer, I don't like XG, right? But the ball comes back to him and XG would say, like, that's the position. He's guys, that's one of them. It's a half chance. If it goes in, amazing, it doesn't.

Yeah, okay. Overall, he wasn't in the right positions to score any goals today. But is that not just him now? Is that not just what he's been like since he went to Liverpool? I mean, I know it's a tough, it's a tough, it's a tough assignment today to go back to Newcastle, knowing that everybody in that stadium hates you. You know, you force your way out of a football club in the most acrimonious and antagonistic way that you possibly can do by going on strike.

You were adored, you were loved, and then you know you're going to go back. You know you're going to get that reception. For him to go into his shell, I don't think that's great either, because I'm more about Charlie, what, does you not use that as motivation? Yeah, that's what I was going to say, Luke, like you would use that of, as a, a player, you've done what you've done. You know what you've done to get to Liverpool. Yeah. And you left the football club that adores you. Yeah. You know every fixture list, you're going to see Newcastle home and away. Now, I'm going to show you, you're going to use

that as a motive. But today, he went the opposite way and the Newcastle fans were sat there thinking, we are so happy we sold you for 125 million. You mentioned XG there, Charlie. And it was a interesting because at the end of the game they put up all of the stats and pretty much on every stat Liverpool had a ton of shots XG was twice Newcastle's got where it was exactly more possession what sort of you know more everything yeah the weird thing was having watched the game it didn't feel like that at all to me I thought a draw in the end will feel tough on Newcastle but probably was a fair result. It didn't feel like Liverpool were pushing and pushing

and Newcastle were up against it. You sort of think about, you know, Amisera, by the way, I thought it was excellent. That best game is out for Newcastle, from what I've seen. But he should have, I mean, there's that one where the ball comes across to him near post, you just think.

But I would always say, Rick, I would always say stats can be used however you would like it to be used. But the only stat that matters is the one in the top left-hand corner, right? So you can have all the ball, everybody can have all the ball, and you can move and do nothing with it. Prime example, anti-Langa scores that goal. Liverpool for five minutes, a dominating possession.

Ball goes over top, Alanga scores. So it actually doesn't matter. You can have all the shots in the world in the right places, but if you don't put that ball in the net, it actually doesn't matter. Yeah. I mean, was it a fair result in the end, Luke, for you? The circumstances of it

with it being the last kick of the game penalty and Newcastle looking like they've done enough to win it, it felt harsh at the time, but when you've just had a little bit of time to reflect, I think, yeah, too all is probably fair because Liverpool were dominating possession, they were dominating territory for long spells. Newcastle's game plan was to play very direct,

which is the sort of new style of play that Yisler's, the Materia Islisle has brought in. They were very direct and they were very, very good on the counter. And they did have some big, big chances. Fissor had two really as well, then he had the one at the near post where he completely misses it. And that's the one-on-one when he goes through. Decent safe from Alice in that, but yeah.

It's safe, but they were big chances to make it free one and then it's game over. But I don't think Liverpool were ever out of it. And I think at the end of the first half, start the second half. It was Liverpool doing the pushing, most of the pushing, not doing much with it, but they were doing most of the pushing. And Newcastle's second goal, actually, if you remember, brilliant goal, with a absolutely phenomenal what he does,

picks the ball up inside his own half, turns away from three Liverpool defenders. I think, well, you counted them, Rick. I think were there five or six Liverpool players, around two Newcastle players and Willick scores. So that came, at that moment, it felt like that came a little bit against the runner play. So I think to all is decent.

I think what it did for me is it shows that Liverpool have got big problems, all the problems we've seen in preseason. They're too open. They're easy to play against. I know Charlie's got some points to make about the midfield, but they're too easy to play against those long balls over the top. Every team in the Premier League's to be looking at that. Diagonal boys in, balls in behind your fallbacks.

Every team is to be looking at because Newcastle exploited that over and over again. So I think there are problems, but they've got to point away from home in a tough game. And I think for Newcastle, after all the concern of the summer, all the worry, they've lost the four best players in the space of 12 months. They've lost Eddie Howe, the most successful manager for 70 years. We didn't know what we were going to get from Matthiasia Eisler. They've talked a good game for the last three weeks, talked about the optimism and the positivity

and how he's re-energized the place. And you're sort of thinking, great, brilliant. You know, my job, I listen to this all the time. And then actually we just wanted to see something. And I think we did see something. We saw a new style of play. We saw a really energetic team. We saw a really committed team.

We saw a dangerous team. And so to all, at home to Liverpool, opening game this season, I think on that basis and what I saw today, I think Newcastle could be a lot of fun. There's been some wild takes. Luke, adding to that, Luke adding to that, Liverpool were delighted to have a point. Obviously, last kick of the game, they steal a point.

Newcastle would be disappointed. They didn't take all three, right? Absolutely, yeah. They'd be disappointed. My thing is, like we said earlier, I see the whole pitch. Newcastle lost their spine. They lost Bruno, they lost Tonali.

Liverpool, for me, had no middle of the pitch, nor did Newcastle. So everybody went through the middle of the pitch. But Newcastle exploited that better than Liverpool did. And that was my biggest eye-opener. Today reminded me of when Liverpool opened the season against Bournemouth and Semenyo went at Kerkers every single time. Yeah. Today, Alanga went a Kyrkhas every single time.

The ball over the top was Kerkers' size. And for the goal, five minutes in, I got back to it. Gravenberg should have shot on the edge of the box. I would have rather than put it in the stand. So it's a goal kick. He doesn't. He tries to pass. It gets intercepted.

Alanga gives Kerkas five yards chaps. And then gets two yards the other side. Now, from watching it from a fan perspective, you're like, how does that happen? But from a player's perspective, you know the quick players. You know what is coming. That ball went over the top,

and the moment he got the other side of Kerkers, that gave, that gave, not only did he score, but that gave every time we got the ball as Newcastle, we can turn it round the corner to the left-hand side. Because we might get a corner. We might get a throw-in, but Alanga's got Kerkers every single time.

And that was, my thing with Kirk has coming from Bournemouth. Bournemouth, brilliant team. Everyone says, Bournemouth are this, that and the other, but we only see that as a spotlight because Bournemouth are a mid-table team. When you're playing for a top six side like Liverpool, the spotlight's on them every single week.

And for me, I don't think at the moment, Kirk is at the level that's needed. And you'd be hoping that Iriola coming in, obviously managed him at Bournemouth. You would hope there would be an upturn in his form, really, but we didn't see much evidence of that. It was a good game. I said it, you know, in passing at the start,

but that is what Kevin Keegan would have wanted. And I think that's my overwhelming kind of takeaway from it. It was end to end. There was lots of drama. Okay, there wasn't like the four-free that we've seen in the past or even the three-frees we've seen more recently. But there were two goals each, drama right until the end. It had you on the edge of the seat.

And it felt like, yes, this is Premier League football back. This is, it is back. Charlie, you said that start. That is Premier League football. And it was two teams going at each other, contrasting styles of play, both come away from a point, unlike some teams this weekend, it isn't an early season disaster.

And I just really enjoyed it. And from a purely Newcastle's perspective, I think we have seen what Mattairce Isles, Newcastle's going to look like. And actually, yeah, I can buy into that. I think they showed a lot of promise. And Yoan Visser, who was absolutely dreadful last season, by the way, injured in September, never looked fit.

I haven't seen that performance from him, but I thought he was the best player on the pitch today. I thought he was electric. Get more with BBC Podcasts, wherever you listen. Be the first to listen to your favourite shows, like evil genius, good, bad billionaire, and You're Dead to Me, with a subscription to BBC Podcasts Premium on Apple Podcasts. You can also enjoy a range of our podcasts ad-free with an Amazon music subscription.

Five Lights Sports. So here's the first ball of this series. All the cricket you laugh. Shagrel we don't. Lips on BBC sounds. Smash straight back down the ground. This girl. by ball coverage of the biggest competitions on the domestic and international circuits.

It's a fourth weekend and it's the huge run. Tricot, settle down. It's a song ring. Cricket on five-life sport. Oh, I've living every ball of this. Listen on BBC Sound. On the Football Daily podcast, Premier League review with Rick Edwards. Whole city stunned Manchester United on a dream return to the Premier League after nine years away.

Beat them two-nil. first time they've ever beaten them in the top flight. Delighted to say that Hull assistant head coach, Dean Holden, joins us now. I mean, you must just be absolutely elated. Bad worst weekend, Rick, I'll be honest. It was a great, obviously, great result for us. Fans, the stadium was packed, as you'd expect.

The noise was incredible. And it's been a long time coming, obviously, for the club to get into the Premier League in the first place. But since then fixers come out, it's sort of seemed really real. So we had longer to prepare for this. We had a month to prepare for United. We only had 48 hours for the playoff final, I remember, with the SpyGate. So we'd done our own work.

We had a decent enough game plan we felt, and it was about the players going, activating it on the day, and I thought we deserved it. I thought we overran them at times in the midfield. And to be honest, we knew we'd have a load of the ball. We wanted them to have the ball in areas where it wasn't going to hurt us. Sounds really simple, not easy to do. And it was making sure that when the ball came into that sort of mid-part, middle part of the pitch, the lines were tight.

We were compact, front-to-back, and side-to-side, and then we got to work, and that's where we stole the ball so many times in those key areas and we're dangerous on counterattack. It was a big threat for us last season, so that's how we thought the game would go. We created chances doing that. I've just been talking to Chaz Offair there about that. And it ultimately won it from two set pieces,

which our record last year on set pieces was really poor, so something we've worked on strong. And the first one was, to quote a commentator off the training ground, it was a brilliantly well-worked. Corner, great ball, Regan Slater, with two assists. So lots of pleasing things for us. I've been dying to ask you, because there's been a lot of talk about,

being disrespected a little bit in the build-up to their game, being written off, insulted even by some people about their right to be in the Premier League. Is that something, I mean, I know what I would be like in that situation if I was in that dressing room, but is that something you're using as a positive for you? Is that giving you extra motivation? Do you quite enjoy the fact that people are writing you off? Personally, yeah, I know the manager does as well. It was mentioned in our team meeting on Friday morning, some of the comments that you've spoken about.

Personally, I don't take it too serious, to be honest. I think Joe, we've talked about specifically Joe Cole. I think he was having a bit of a laugh on a podcast. I think it possibly, if he looked back, maybe did come across a bit disrespectfully to the players. And that was Sergei's point, because they've been players themselves, they know how difficult it is, Charlie will agree to not only become a professional in the first place, but to get to the best league in the world. So you can't fluke getting promoted.

Yes, last season we were on the wrong side of XG, and there's been a lot talked about that. But one thing that you, unless AI gets old of this in the future, one thing that you can't get with data is personality and character. And we've got spades and spades of that. So the players have proved in that final against Middlesbrough and yesterday that they can stand up to the biggest pressure moments. And that's going to be huge for us, I think. Yeah, Dean, I was, that's what we was talking about off air.

And I feel like you can't, you can't, it doesn't matter how much money you spend. You can't bring in personality. And I asked you about Olly McBurney. Now, everybody can have their opinion about him. But what I see yesterday, for me, he is pivotal to hole. And I don't know what your game plan was or whatever it is, but what a link man he was for the rest of the team yesterday. Yeah, for sure.

Leader on the pitch, fantastic in the dressing room character, always something happening when he's around. Everybody loves him to bits and really surprised. They didn't get a shout for that World Cup, to be honest with you. But he's freshened up over the summer. Yeah, he was linking the play. We spoke, didn't we, just about the two chances before we scored the first goal, where one was a header

and one was a great clearance from Masrawi back post where Ollie's come in our own half to link it and then he's got on his bike and he's ended up getting on the end of the cross on both occasions

so he can do most things can Ollie he's obviously a very very good goal score as well but he's got that aggressive streak to him as well but sometimes in games it's a little bit flat

similar to I remember you playing Charlie you'll go noise someone nice someone up a little bit and get you know how I had a spirit yeah I would add to it as well I don't think people realise how hard that is

to link the play and be the pivotal point for the rest of your team, but also look at it trying to get in the box. Because like you say, the keep makes a great save. Maswari flicks one away, makes a great defensive area. But he's in them positions. So not only is he linking the play for his team, he's trying to get on the end of them crosses. Yeah, goal scores instant, in it, Charlie.

He sniffs it. He's combat fit. He looks far fit. He carried a lot of niggles. He played nearly every game for us last year. and carried the team at times in fairness and he's come back. He's obviously freshened up

which just touched on there. We're not being in the World Cup squad. I think it's helped him. He looks as fit as he ever done to me. Was he annoyed about missing the Scotland? I don't know if he'd have to ask him I spoke to him around the time of it and I think he was a little bit mystified maybe.

I know he rang, I think he said it publicly, didn't he? Yeah, he rang, well he rang Steve himself, didn't he and sort of asked him what the reasons were that they'll stay between the two of them, I'm sure, unless Ollie wants to bring a book out at some point. but I mean it's disappointing for us as a club because I think we had two there. One with Canada, Liam was with Canada

and we had a boy that was on loan from Bashitasi who went out with Bosnia. So the more you can get the better. But for us, looking back, I think it's definitely benefited us. Ollie being nice and fresh and ready to go, maybe prove a point again. Dean, you've got the whole team

and you're going into the first game of the season. You see it's Maine United. Everybody's so safe writing you off, like laughing. I've been in the team where you get promoted from the championship to the Premier League and every game is an excitement, you get up for all the big games, etc.

But to beat Manchester United on the first game in the season, two-newer at home, with a packed-out home stadium, morale tomorrow morning, Monday morning, the rest of the week, going into the second game of the season

must be so high without trying to get ahead of yourselves. It's interesting because we were underdogs in a lot of games last season as well, as you'll remember, so it's not something that's going to catch us by surprise. I actually think our style on the way we did it last year might help us.

When I look at some of the promoted teams in the past, they might have come up. I remember Scott's team at Burnley. They're coming up. They're coming up there. You don't want to change your style. You've got to play to a style that suits the players. You've got, of course.

But when you're playing your game against Amant City or your game, you're trying to out Chelsea, out Chelsea Chelsea or it's going to be difficult. We play a, we're happy without the ball. We had most, sorry, least possession or one of the least possessions in the league last season. So that actually helps us because we're used to that type of game. You know, if we try and play the Man United game on their terms yesterday,

I think we get beat. So we've got to be smart, you know, we do it. A slight tangent. What's the owner like to work for? Because we're looking for podcast favourites. We're always on the lookout for podcast favourites. And I think he is an early candidate because how can I put this? He's a bit of a character, isn't he?

You know what? He's a top fella, Asian. So generous with his time, with his real. resources comes from a I don't know if you know his story his parents died in a fatal car crash when he was when he was young so he's come from nothing he's built he's got he got himself a couple of media channels over in Turkey to use his own words he's a show man he loves it the fan certainly could never say he doesn't communicate if you remember through the summer with his with our transfer dealings as going on that up going on X and I'm getting messages

it's not it's not it's something we're not used to in this country I've obviously worked in Turkey as did Turkey last last season before last and it's a culture thing as much as anything else but they do things differently abroad and that's why it's been great to work about because you get, I think I just struggled working at times last season there's sometimes as 30, 40 people walking around the training pitch

just watching like, honestly, it's not something you're not used to in this country but again in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, it's normal. I think that's the thing, did you know, we're on this, I don't think you can actually explain that to people. People are saying, what do you mean 30, 40 people are walking around the training pitch and watching you.

That's just normal. But we're like, no, absolutely not. When we're doing anything at training, there is nobody watching training, right, other than your own coaching staff, etc. Yeah, when I was manager, I just wanted the people that could affect the session there. I didn't want any angers on

or any people from departments that didn't need to be there. I want the focus for the players. But again, he's brilliant. Me and my wife, Danielle, last international break in March, Sergei and the staff went back to Croatia to see family and they couldn't make it, but he invited me and my wife out to his place out in the Dominican Republic,

would you believe, on his private jet? We ended up, we had eight days of him, and he films this show over there called Survivor, which is probably like, I'm a celebrity in the jungle, that one. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, but they're there for six months. So we went and filmed that and watched that being filmed, and honestly, the most generous felt you'll ever meet, but he's, he never gets involved in the tactical side of the game with Sergey

or asking, you know, picking players or anything like that, so he's got a really nice balance, I think, He's front and centre, but he knows that the football is up to them. Not quite, how important is that to you and the coaching staff, that as much as you've got the relationship with the owner, football side is just down to you guys and the tactical side. Yeah, for sure. I mean, I've experienced that on a personal level in the past.

Most notably at a child, I would say. So it's not much fun when you're having to have certain conversations around that. But you have to stick to your mouths, don't you, I suppose? and the other way of it is that you get like an owner that's maybe silent and you've got to go through sporting directors and chief executive. So, you know, he's there most weeks. He was there on Friday. We had a staff game.

Six o'clock at the training round that he plays in. We took us out for dinner Friday night after the game, all the staff. So does that real – and that's not just because it's Man United. He was there all the last season doing exactly the same thing. So, yeah, I think that chemistry that you can see between – from the owner through the fans, the manager of the players, I think he's massive. He spoke the owner to Aaron Paul after the championship playoff final and said that he thinks Hulk could sneak Europe this season

what do you reckon? Well, it'd be interesting this week Chasmu, you talked about the training ground tomorrow just be keeping everyone's feet on the floor you know what I mean? It's a fantastic start for us but one thing we won't be doing no way under Sergei or myself or any of the players that we've got in fairness there's a real humble group so there's no way anyone's going to be getting carried away

but talk like that. that question, Rick. He avoided that question, I know. It was skillfully done. He did. He did. From a player perspective, how many players have played in the Prem before in the squad? Do you know how many of played in the Premier League in your squad? But the reason why I say that is

this is the first time that the others are going to realize Saturday night, our past 10, Sunday morning, I'll pass 7. Every paper, like, it's the Premier League. It's As much as you try and be humble, X, Y, and Z, you play in the Premier League,

and it's hitting you every angle you ever look at. So as much as someone that's playing the Premier League before, you actually can't tell of anybody else that's never done it, what the experience is like. So then players, Dean, that you said that has not played in the Premier League, how do you keep their feet on the ground? Because for me, it was the first time, it's arguably impossible.

You know what? I think it comes down with personality. it comes down to your leadership style. I think, Sergis is very open and honest with the players. Honestly, Chaz, you'd love playing for him. It's black and white. Black and white. No spinning people into corners.

He's just straight conversation. You're not in the team because of this. Last season, he'll hook someone at half time. They'll be back in the team at the weekend. It's just what it takes to win that next game. So if anybody comes off at any point, he'll sniff it. And they'll be off the training pitch inside five minutes. And you don't want to mess with a big man's all six foot five of him.

Yeah. Yeah, I've seen it. I've seen it. I think we'll leave it on you. You don't want to mess with a big man. It's a good motto for life. All right. Cheers, Dean. Congratulations again. Good luck for the rest of the season. Cheers. So we've got to talk about Tottenham, I think. Out of all of the managerial changes, obviously, De Zerbe has had the longest time to work with his group had the most time to get things right, I suppose. and they spent a lot of money, 237 million pounds this summer, so far,

broke their transfer record twice, and they got their trousers pulled down and absolutely spanked by Brentford, Luke. Absolutely spanked. They did. I mean, I do love this time of year because anything seems possible, doesn't it? We go into the August of the first few games of the season,

and everybody is exciting. It doesn't matter who you support. Tottenham support. were probably some of the most excited, that, you know, the big change, the levyomics had gone, they'd been spending all this money, they got to Zurbia's manager,

stayed up the end of the last season, big spenders, reestablishing their big six credentials, going to smash it this season. And then they went to Little Old Brentford, and Brentford smacked them on the end of the nose and gave them one of the most brutal opening day reality checks, I can remember,

because Tottenham were abysmal. No character, no fight, no organization particularly, should have been more than three. Brentford, plucky little Brentford, constantly punching above their weight in the Premier League, absolutely did a job on them and could have won four or five nil. So as reality checks go,

that was like a train slamming into a buffer at full speed because, you know, it is very, very early days. And you know me, Rick, I never like to leap to major early, you know, huge early, early. Panic stations, spurs fans, panic stations. But it was just worrying. And it wasn't so much that you can lose a game. It was the manner in which they lost it.

And, you know, Sandro Tonali, a player I know well, he was never a hundred million pound footballer, but I can guarantee you Spurs fans. When the chips are down at 2-0, do not expect Sandro Tanali's come and rescue you and turn the game around. He's just not that sort of footballer. They are going to get better.

They've got a lot of injuries. Savigno is going to come in from Manchester City. That's going to take their spending to 300 million. They're still trying to get Marmouche, which I think they need a centre forward. That is the big glaring hole in their squad now with Richarlison not really doing it, and Slanky,

always tended to be injured. So they need a centre forward, they need Marmushin. It will get better, but I think all of that over-excited talk about maybe top four, they got a lot of... It was defensively that they were kind of shambolic, really, Charlie. But also, it was all over the pitch. It was all over the pitch. Like, they just looked like the same old Topman,

the same old goals they would concede. they would get done by people not making the tackle. Now, the ball comes into Rich Arlinson, big number nine, hold the ball up, gets moved out of the way. But the ball goes in a 50-50 scenario. Bergvale tries to roll his foot over instead of winding through. Don't do that 30 yards from the ball. Not there, mate.

Not there. The ball is in the back of the net, right? Yes, you can say whatever you like about the goalkeeper scenario. Is he your number one? Is he going to get you to the top four? Luke says, is going to get in European places? I don't think so. Overall, as much they spent the money, I just don't see it with Tottenham. They don't strike fear into teams anymore. Put it this way, people want to play against Tottenham to win. And know when they play Tottenham, it's one of them

games that you go into and you don't fear playing them. Years ago, you feared playing Tottenham because Harry Kane playing down in the middle. Now, find me someone that's going to put the put the scares up you. Nobody. There's not leaders, there's not leaders, Charlie. They've got an 18-year-old captain. Yeah, but I'm with you on that loop.

I mean, that tells you a lot. And I'm fully with you. But wearing the armband doesn't always mean that you are the leader. They've got Andy, but no, but no, but you say no leader, but they got Andy Robertson that plays left back. That's one every trophy there is going. There is leaders in the team.

However, I'll go back to your point regarding Tanali. No, that is true. He got no goals last year. for Newcastle. So I'm all four paying 100 million for a player, if they got 15 plus goals and assists, etc., from centre midfield. They didn't.

I always said for the last two years, you can never replace Harry Kane, but what you can do is try and put someone down the middle that's going to put the ball in the back of the net. And Rich Arleson is not that person. No, and I mean, I guess Marmouche might be, but yeah, you looked at that, you looked at that performance,

and it really could and should have been more and you always when we have these conversations very aware you have to give a lot of credit to Brentford who were excellent

but there's it just looks like there's an awful lot to do across the entire team and you look at the recruitment and Brentford signed Sangari for 35 million

35 million yeah you can put that across everyone Luke you can put that across everyone could you yeah yeah the big six club in England But they've changed tax, haven't they, this summer, where they've gone, right, we're going to go out and get established stars, because we've done the whole buy, low, sell high model for a while, and it almost got us relegated twice. But, you know, no manager has had this financial backing in Tottenham's recent history. I mean, I bet there's a list of Toplin managers.

Luke, I didn't get this financial backing. None of them have had Harry Kane. Yeah. No, very true. But the fact, they've had plenty, there's plenty of money out there to replace him now. They haven't had Harry Kane. Of course. covered from the hurricane sale.

But that is a long time ago now, though. And the pressure's on this season, because they have spent all this money. So look, it's the first game in the season. We'll get a better test, a better reflection of where they are. Why do you say that, Luke? Because they're in the similar mould,

so we can no longer say Spurs are in this so-say big six. So we'll take them away from that. So now they'll play Newcastle in the second bracket, or the third bracket, because where do you place Brentford then? So how can you say that we'll get a better look on it? What I mean is it'll be the second game in the season. Newcastle are coming off a decent result.

Forget about the status of where the clubs are. But you could put it in that respect in that Newcastle have been disruptors. Newcastle, what I'm saying in terms of that weekend is Newcastle have had an encouraging performance today against Liverpool. They've looked like a half decent team. And they're going to go to Tottenham. Tottenham's home form has been atrocious for ages. So we will have, if they lose at home to Newcastle next weekend, then I think there will be more alarm bells ringing.

At the moment, it's an opening day, heavy defeat. They haven't got all their players in. It's a new group of players. It's still a relatively new manager. But I think we'll just find out a little bit more about the team when they're at home in front of their own supporters against a half-decent-looking Newcastle team. Well done, fellas.

That's all we've got time for. Cheers, Luke. Cheers, Charlie. Thank you. Pleasure. More analysis and debate coming up on the Monday night club. This goes beyond what the KGB did back in the days. Conspiracy theories in the Football World Cup.

Is there ever one without the other? Well, I've been digging into one of the very best back in 1994. Guy from Iraq gets a red card for a, you know, a dubious tackle. I'm James Montague and from BBC 5 Live, this is Sports Strangers Crimes Presents, Shadows on the pitch. Listen on BBC Sounds. Get more with BBC podcasts, wherever you listen. Be the first to listen to your favourite shows.

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