Football Daily - The Commentators' View: Arsenal’s wobble & ‘in the hat’

Episode Date: February 20, 2026

Conor McNamara joins John Murray & Ian Dennis to talk football, travel & language. John reflects on his trip to Baku in Azerbaijan. There’s a railway reunion of sorts and ‘sleepgate’ continues. The guys look ahead to the Premier League weekend, including Tottenham-Arsenal. Plus unintended pub and film names, Clash of the Commentators and the Great Glossary of Football Commentary. Messages and voicenotes welcome on WhatsApp to 08000 289 369 & emails to [e-mail]01:10 John back from Baku! 07:10 John overcomes a bad cold! 10:45 A railway reunion… 13:00 Update from the sleeping listeners… 14:50 5 Live commentaries this weekend, 16:55 Tottenham-Arsenal preview, 23:00 Bodø in strong position to progress, 24:50 Music in commentary… 26:20 Unintended pub names, 33:55 Clash of the Commentators, 43:00 Great Glossary of Football Commentary.5 Live / BBC Sounds commentaries: Sat 1500 Aston Villa v Leeds with Ian & Leon Osman (starts on Sports Extra), Sat 1500 Chelsea v Burnley on Sports Extra 2 with Mike Minay & Rachel Corsie, Sat 1730 West Ham v Bournemouth with Conor McNamara & Rob Green, Sun 1400 Nottingham Forest v Liverpool with Vicki Sparks & Pat Nevin, Sun 1400 Sunderland v Fulham on Sports Extra 2 with Lee Blakeman & Danny Collins, Sun 1400 Crystal Palace v Wolves on Sports Extra 3 with Chris Coles & Matt Jarvis, Sun 1630 Tottenham v Arsenal with John Murray & Clinton Morrison.Great Glossary of Football Commentary: DIVISION ONE Agricultural challenge, Back of the net, Back to square one, Bosman, Bullet header, Coupon buster, Cruyff Turn, Cultured/educated left foot, Dead-ball specialist, Draught excluder, Elastico/flip-flap, False nine, Fox in the box, Giving the goalkeeper the eyes, Grub hunter, Head tennis, Hibs it, In a good moment, In behind, Magic of the FA Cup, The Maradona, Off their line, Olimpico, Onion bag, Panenka, Park the bus, Perfect hat-trick, Rabona, Roy of the Rovers stuff, Schmeichel-style, Scorpion kick, Spursy, Stick it in the mixer, Target man, Tiki-taka, Towering header, Trivela, Where the kookaburra sleeps, Where the owl sleeps, Where the spiders sleep.DIVISION TWO 2-0 can be a dangerous score, Back on the grass, Ball stays hit, Beaten all ends up, Blaze over the bar, Business end, Came down with snow on it, Catching practice, Camped in the opposition half, Cauldron atmosphere Coat is on a shoogly peg, Come back to haunt them, Corridor of uncertainty, Couldn’t sort their feet out, Easy tap-in, Daisy-cutter, First cab off the rank, Giant-killing, Good leave, Good touch for a big man, Half-turn, Has that in his locker, High wide and not very handsome, Hospital pass, Howler, In the dugout, In the hat, In their pocket, Johnny on the spot, Leading the line, Leather a shot, Middle of the park, Needed no second invitation, Nice headache to have, Nutmeg, On their bike, One for the cameras, One for the purists, Played us off the park, Points to the spot, Prawn sandwich brigade, Purple patch, Put their laces through it, Reaches for their pocket, Rolls Royce, Root and branch review, Row Z, Screamer, Seats on the plane, Show across the bows, Slide-rule pass, Steal a march, Straight in the bread basket, Stramash, Taking one for the team, Telegraphed that pass, Tired legs, That’s great… (football), Thunderous strike, Turns on a sixpence, Walk it in, We’ve got a cup tie on our hands.UNSORTED After you Claude, All-Premier League affair, Aplomb, Bag/box of tricks, Brace, Brandished, Bread and butter, Breaking the deadlock, Bundled over the line, Champions elect / champions apparent, Clinical finish, Commentator’s curse, Denied by the woodwork, Draught excluder, Elimination line, Fellow countryman, Foot race, Formerly of this parish, Free hit, Goalkeepers’ Union, Goalmouth scramble, Honeymoon Period, In and around, In the shop window, Keeping ball under their spell, Keystone Cops defending, Languishing, Loitering with intent, Marching orders, Nestle in the bottom corner, Numbered derbies, Opposite number, PK for penalty-kick, Postage stamp, Rasping shot, Red wine not white wine, Relegation six-pointer, Rooted at the bottom, Route One, Sending the goalkeeper the wrong way, Shooting boots, Sleeping giants, Slide rule pass, Small matter of, Spiders web, Stayed hit, Steepling, Stinging the palms, Stonewall penalty, Straight off the training ground, Taking one for the team, Team that likes to play football, Throw their cap on it, Thruppenny bit head / 50p head, Two good feet, Turning into a basketball match, Turning into a cricket score, Usher/Shepherd the ball out of play, Walking a disciplinary tightrope, Wand of a left foot, Wrap foot around it, Your De Bruynes, your Gundogans etc.

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. If there was a big rent button that would just demolish the internet, I would smash that button with my forehead. From the BBC, this is the interface, the show that explores how tech is rewiring your week and your world. This isn't about quarterly earnings or about tech reviews. It's about what technology is actually doing to your work, your politics, your everyday life. And all the bizarre ways people are using the internet. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts. Commentators view on the Football Daily with Alistair Bruce Ball, John Murray and Ian Dennis.

Hello, this is the Football Daily. I'm John Murray. And this is the commentators view where we five-life commentators talk about the football, the language around the game and our travels around the continent. Ian Dennis is with us. Hello John. And in the absence this time of Mr. Alastair Bruce Ball, who is on assignment, we welcome back, Conner McNamara.

Hey, very nice to be here. Very nice to see you guys. Yes, and you've had a bit of a rarity, Connor, this week, a few days off. I have. I've been abroad and I've not been watching football. Do you know what? I recommend this, John. So what you do is you go and you eat lots

and you've an occasional drink and you sleep. been in the mornings and it's I highly highly recommend it. What about that, Ian? Well, when Connor says that, the only difference to him normally being away is that he hasn't watched the football because had he been watching the football, he would sleep lots, he would eat a lot, he might have the odd drink, but he'd watch a game. So apart from that, his schedule hasn't changed. Too shamed.

And talking about travelling the continent, John, you are back from Baku. Yeah. I don't think it's possible actually to travel more of the continent. that I have, having this week gone to the very far eastern edge of Europe to Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, walking along the Caspian Sea coast. And actually, where we were in Baku, if you look out across the Caspian Sea, the next land you would come to would be Turkmenistan across the other side of the Caspian Sea. So I have to say, that's been quite an experience. to go there with Newcastle United.

Honestly, I can't believe. Something like 1,800 Newcastle fans made that journey, which, as we speak now, I only got back late last night, and that involved two flights of round about four hours in order to traverse the continent. So you've been Ian, haven't you? Because I think we were there together, weren't we? We were.

It was a World Cup. No, it was a Euro Qualifier. It was a World Qualifier. this because I checked it. Oh, right. Okay. With Northern Ireland? Yes, and I'd already been with Wales, the previous.

This was 2004, so I've not been to Azerbaijan for 22 years. And I remember the first time I went there, it was to watch that Wales World Cup qualifier. And I remember leaving and thinking, well, I'll probably never come back here again. And as it turned out, Wales and Northern Ireland were in the same group. And when I got back, almost the first thing it was said to me, did you enjoy that? And I said yes. And they said, actually, we want you to go back again next month with Northern Ireland, which we did Ian. Yes, we did.

And the other thing about that was. And the match was played in the Toffig-Bakramov Stadium, as was Newcastle United's match this week. More on that in a moment. But also, it was an Azerbaijan team that was managed by Carlos Alberto. And I interviewed Carlos Alberto back then, who was Brazil's 1970. World Cup winning captain, but also scored one of the most famous goals that have ever been scored, the fourth goal against Italy in the World Cup final. Yeah.

Sadly, the game was not so memorable. It was nil-nil, wasn't it? That was nil, either that was nil-nil and the Wales match was 1-1 or the other way around, I can't remember. Yeah, Northern Ireland was definitely nil-nil. I remember it being an awful game. Wales was 1-1, and I don't think that was much better either. Have you had the, as a Bajon experience?

I've asked that question, because I know you have. Yes, at least twice So I remember a long time ago And I'll never put a year on us Other than John Hartson was in the squad So that'll give you a rough idea of the era But Wales played Azerbaijan And it was in the days when we used to fly on the

The team plane So I went to Cardiff, got on the team plane And I remember it was a relatively small plane Not a tiny one, but a relatively small one For such a long journey And we just stopped to refuel I mean you don't get much of that these days We stopped in somewhere

Somewhere in Germany or somewhere And we stopped and we refueled And then we went on and did the rest of it. But in more recent times, I remember being there for the Europa League final in 2019, which was the all-English Chelsea Arsenal. So a bit like when you're saying about all the Newcastle fans there, John, I mean, my sort of most recent experience of Baku was full of fans in Premier League shirts. And obviously, you know, fans would come from different countries in supporting those teams.

But it was all Chelsea Blue and Arsenal red. and I do recall our much-loved colleague, Rob Dibble, having one of the most stressful assignments, I would imagine he's had in his radio career with a piece of equipment. I wouldn't say it wouldn't work. I would say a colleague left an important part of the equipment in the hotel, and it was too far a journey to go back and get this piece of equipment.

So older viewers will remember MacGyver, and Rob Dibble is very much a MacGyver character, so he was able to bend a different. few wires together and stick a few antennas onto things and get our equipment to work. But boy, it was skin to the teeth. It was just before kickoff that our transmission was enabled. By a strange quirk, Rob Dipl was our engineer this week as well in Baku. He's our man in Azerbaijan. He is. And things worked a little more straightforwardly for him this time. And actually there was a Baku-based engineer who was in the commentary position and the, and the,

media area with us and he was very very helpful so there's a little bit there's a little bit of initial synergy yeah there was between the two of them and there were a few initial problems but they were very quickly ironed out but um i think ian when you go to places like this and we've had a few of them haven't we this season we've been very fortunate some of the places that we've ended up covering football this season Azerbaijan is definitely won before christmas remember we were in Albania, Serbia we've had this season, Riga, and I find that places like this, when you see, it's like seeing how the other half live, isn't it?

Well, it was like when Mark Chapman introduced you because it was an early kickoff, obviously, on Wednesday, wasn't it? And you were in crystal clear quality. The atmosphere is a little different. I'm disappointed, John. Your line is really clear. I was hoping this would be, I would have had the equivalent of listening to Brian Butler in the 80. That's what I was hoping.

When you go as far as Azerbaijan, that's what I feel it should sound like. Yeah, well, as you said that, I looked to my left to engineer Rob, who about an hour ago was fearing it wasn't going to be as clear as it is. It's great. I mean, the trips, I mean, you've mentioned the Arctic. You haven't mentioned the Arctic Circle.

And Buddha, of course. Absolutely. But that wasn't half a story, though, was it? Because there was an element of doubt about your presence in Azerbaijan. Because you had to pass a fitness test. Yes, it's been quite a hectic couple of weeks, I have to say, with one thing and another. And when I was covering the Nations League draw, one of the big stories of which was Thomas Tuchel signing his new contract extension with England.

And by the time I interviewed him, my voice was absolutely almost on its last legs. And then it was FAA Cup weekend. So I had to pull out of the Burton West Ham Thai last weekend when Ali Bruce Ball stepped into the breach. but I was okay to go to Birmingham the next day. It was just about okay for the Birmingham City Leeds tie. But it is the classic occupational hazard, isn't it? It certainly is. When you know, you know, when you just know the voice is not there.

Yeah. Yeah. And I've had enough in recent years to know that if your voice is sore, that is when you cannot commentate. That's when you have to draw the line, isn't it? You strain the vocal cords. Yeah. Do you remember years, and I'm talking 20 years ago,

in TVC that they organised for a voice coach to come in and talk to us. Have we discussed that? No, I don't think we have you yet, have we? No. So this lady came in who was an opera singer and she was used to working with performers on stage of that regard,

and I'm sure you were both there. Delia, you were at that, weren't she? Yes, I was, yeah. Yeah. And it was a mixture of radio and TV commentators with BBC, and I remember the city came in, she was a lovely lady, and she'd obviously a beautiful voice,

and she was talking to us and she said, you know, you should warm up your voice. And she gave us these exercises. It was all to do with, you know, how, once we come to this stage that John has had this past week,

how we prevent that happening. And she gave us these exercises to warm up the voice. And I'll always say, it was like, you know, making these deep noises or long noises that went on forever like this. But then the other was to go, really, really is as high-pitched as you possibly can.

Which definitely helped me in my swashbuckle career later on, by the way. But I remember that. There's like 15 of us in a room just squealing to the loudest pitch we possibly could. And she said, yeah, you're going to do that every time to warm up. And of course, you can imagine walking through a football concourse to get to the gantry and making these squealing noises. You're probably going to rest it.

But then the other thing I remember she said was she said, never perform in the cold. The cold is the absolute villain of a good voice. So if conditions are cold, refuse to perform. that was, you know, bring up your buses and say, it's cold, I can't go on, which definitely had a few smirks around the table at the notion of that. Although in actual fact,

you remember last Saturday morning, the morning of Burton, where I was a little bit, I was a bit touch and go for Burton. And in the end, I decided the best thing was not to do it. But if you remember, last Saturday,

it was a spectacular Saturday morning, but it was also very cold. And I was outside and I thought, I can feel that. I can feel that in my throat. Right decision. Can you remember? remember what that lady suggested was good for the throat.

A first-class traveler, I remember. She said that. She said, don't be in crowded cabins on aeroplanes and trains. You know, demand to be first-class, which I think we all looked at the buses. An adulterated luxury? Chocolate. Was it whiskey, Den, or chocolate? She said a Mars bar will help you with your throat.

Other brands are available. A couple of very exciting developments on the email. this week. Let's start with this one after John gave a special mention to a railway worker who helped him on his travels to Chelsea. Let's have a little reminder. When I was approaching Leeds Station, I found that all trains south had been cancelled. I thought, uh-uh, this is trouble. And a very friendly member of LNER staff, one of the people who wear those long red coats, came up to me and said, can I help you? And I explained the situation and he said yes absolutely get on that train there which will take you to peterborough and then at peterbra you can get a bus to bedford

and then get back onto the line which would take me to st pancras and so i said thank you very much i was just about head to the train and he said you're john murray aren't you and i said yes sir he said i was listening to you this morning so he was he was listening to the podcast this morning and uh the one thing i wish i'd did i should have got his name. I didn't get his name. But he was very helpful, and I would not be at all surprised if he was listening to this now as well. So thank you to him. Was he walking his dog at the time? He was not walking his dog. And this week, we've had this voice note. Hello chaps. Sam here from LNER at Lead Station. Just a quick one to say hi to John.

It was good to meet you the other day on the platform. I trust you made it to Stanford Bridge OK for that epic game with Chelsea and West Ham. It'd be good to see you again whenever you're popping through. Keep up the great work, guys. Always good, fun listening to the pod. Often listen on my way into work. Not with a dog. But yeah, keep it up. Thanks, guys. See you soon.

That is Sam Hanson, who has also got in touch with me via email. And as you say, Ian, he works as a dispatcher on the platform. And he certainly dispatched me in the right direction. So well done. And thank you, Sam. and also, I don't know about you, he sounds as though.

He's got quite a good voice, hasn't he? I will definitely be looking out for him next time I'm passing through Leads station. I bet you will. You've got like a mea cat. We've also had an email from Tranmere fan Mike with the title, A Sleeping Update. So this was after Mike and Caroline told us they put the podcast on at night as they're drifting off to sleep. and wake up each day in debate where they got up to in the episode before they dropped off. Well, this week, Mike says,

Hello, all. Just got a quick update on the great falling asleep to the podcast saga. I can confirm Caroline woke me up on Saturday evening to announce with great excitement that you were discussing our longstanding tradition of drifting off while listening to your weekly ramblings. I've never felt so proud to be mentioned on national radio for having the sleep discipline of a toddler However, the real twist, roughly five minutes after you'd finished talking about us, Caroline was fast asleep. Meanwhile, I was wide awake trying to listen to the rest of the podcast while battling the surround sound experience of her snoring. So that's this week's sleep report.

Anyway, he says, it's getting late. Caroline and I are about to put Chapman and Sutton on. We fall asleep far quicker to their voices than yours. So if you're looking for performance feedback, there is. is keep up the good work and one day hopefully we'll hear one of you commentating on a research and tram me a side ideally before I need a hearing aid all the best Mike brackets and I better put Caroline so I don't get told off end brackets so I think you Mike I think the fact that Mike has just told the the audience that

Caroline snores I would suggest that you might be getting told off anyway yes I would strongly suspect that so thanks very much for that and any other emails of a similar nature, TCV at BBC.com.uk and WhatsApps and voice notes as Sam sent us to 08,289-39369. The Five Life Commentary is coming up this weekend. Ian, you are heading for Villa Park on Saturday afternoon for the 3 o'clock commentary. I am, but the first half will be on sports extra because of the rugby and the second half will be on Five Live once the rugby is finished between England and Ireland.

Okay, but at the same time, the 3 o'clock option, which is new this season, there is a choice of Premier League commentary on a Saturday afternoon at 3 o'clock. That will be Stamford Bridge, Chelsea Burnley, on Sports Extra 2 on your BBC Sounds app. And then, Connor, 530 for you, the commentary on 5 Live? Yes, West Ham against Bormouth. I'm looking forward to being alongside Rob Green. And I don't do this regularly, but I can give listeners a spoiler alert. This game is going to finish as a draw. So I can tell you that in advance.

How do you know that in advance? Because it always does. Is that right? If you look back in recent years, it virtually almost always is a draw. Wow. Okay. So it was in November 2-2, the Vitality, 2-2 last season at London Stadium, Season before, 1-1 of the vitality,

season before 1-1 in both games. Always a draw. Okay. But it'll be an exciting draw, so you'll enjoy listening. Yes, tune in. 5.30, West Ham Bourne with Rob Green, who I probably thinks I'm avoiding him because I think I've pulled out of quite a number of commentaries

that I was due to do with Rob, which was including Burton last weekend. So, that is Saturday, Sunday. 2 o'clock, Nottingham Forest Liverpool, with Vicki Sparks and Pat Ness. who was with me in Baku this week, Pat. But with it being the weekend after European matches, big choice on Sunday.

There's also Sunderland Fulham at 2 o'clock on Sports Extra 2. And also at 2 o'clock Crystal Palace Wolves on Sports Extra 3. And then the small matter of Tottenham against Arsenal when Clinton Morrison will be with me as he was at Birmingham City last Sunday. What a match this promises to be with Tottenham, for the first time under Igor Tudor against Arsenal, who it's being widely suggested, Ian, that they're having a wobble.

Well, they are having a wobble if you look at their results. The performance against Wolves in Midweek at Molyneux was below their usual standards. You'd still expect them once they got to 2-0 to have seen that out. You know, and that was a really, really bad result for them to drop two points. And bearing in mind, they've still got Manchester City to play. At one point when you're thinking they could go what, was it the other week, you're looking at going nine points clear, was it? Yep.

And now that gap has been seriously reduced. And Manchester City have now got the destiny in their hands, haven't they? Because if they were to beat Arsenal and win the game in hand, then they would go above Mikhail Arteta's side. I think, Connor, you and I were both at the match, weren't we? when Manchester United won at Arsenal. And Arsenal were poor that day. And I think that was one of the points

where people thought, oh. But the response to that was excellent. But now they've got to respond again, haven't they? Yeah, I think the reason why it feels, look, obviously, it famously, Arsenal themselves two decades ago did it, but it's incredibly, incredibly rare a team goes invincible through a season.

You're going to have little patches. and the great pef cordiala teams that have won four in a row, they had spells in those seasons where people said, oh, they're wobbling and standards have slipped. It in itself doesn't have to be the end of the world. What I think is creating the noise around Ars at the moment is the manner of how they're dropping points. So it's not like a game is nil-nil-nil and staying-nil-nil-nil-nil or that they're losing 1-0.

It's games that they go ahead in, and I think seven points, the last five games, they've dropped seven points from being in front. So I think that that creates this wobble mentality. It's not that they're not getting over the line to win the game. It's that, oh, everyone thinks, oh, they've won it. They're 2-0 up. It's over.

Oh, hang on. Whoa, they've let in two goals. So I think that sort of late slip is sort of increasing this narrative on them. And I'm going to be there with you as well on Sunday, John. I'm looking forward to it. Igor Chudor's first game in charge, which I don't know if you saw this one, but in his last five spells as being a manager at clubs, he's always won his first game in charge.

Hadrick split, Verona, Marseille, Lazio and Juventus first game in charge, he always won. Is it an omen? And yet you saw them, Ian, last time it was discussed that they might be having a wobble when they went to Ellen Road and won brilliantly. Yeah, I know where the narrative comes from. And at times, I think some of the Arsenal supporters, because it's been waiting so long, they get jittery as well. but I still I'm still back in Arsenal because I think over this period of time they've shown the consistency and I still think

they'll do all right I still think they'll go they'll win it I might be come May I might these words might prove to be rather hollow but I'll still back Arsenal because I think that

every time they've been asked questions like you say John they have bounced back and that was a test going into that game at Ellen Road you know, Leeds, intimidating atmosphere, that was a real test for them. But Arsenal that day, just brush Leeds aside. I know it's a different thing altogether, a North London Derby, a bit more unpredictable. But I think Arsenal will respond.

So, listen to that. On 5 Live, Sunday afternoon, 4.30, Tottenham against Arsenal. And if you're a regular listener to the Commentator's View podcast, as I always say, Ian, you might enjoy what we do on here but what we're supposed to be best at is actually football commentary so that is the it's claimed the best place to listen to us

talking of Aston Villa as we were when we were running through those matches the Aston Villa match this weekend that you're going to be at Ian this from season ticket holder Dom who watches Aston Villa high gang he says the talk on the last episode of children

taking wooden steps onto terraces back in the day so they could see reminded me of my own childhood at the halt end terracing at Villa Park. The club used to leave upside down plastic beer crates on the terraces so smaller children could stand on them to see. But my dear granddad, Charlie, went one better and made me and my older brother Warwick a bespoke wooden step. He painted it claret and blue and it even had two levels so once you grew taller, you could move down to the lower level. Needless to say, it was the envy of the other boys on the whole end. I do not know what became of the step

once we became tall enough to watch the game without it, but I daily wish I had it today. Love the podcast, Dom. So... Isn't that lovely? What a great story. Yeah. Brilliant. In an era where everything is so disposable, I love the

idea of building something like this so that there's another step for when you grow taller. You know, this is a long term project. Love it. That's the kind of thing, Connolly, that you'd come up with, isn't it? Thank you very much. Some sort of contraction.

Well, also, with, I mean, yours are probably a little, just sort of get into the point where they'd be past that, wouldn't they? Yeah, one of my favorite photos is I brought the middle child to the open one year and he was up on my shoulders to get a view, which, of course, at the open. Once you have any elevation at all, you get a brilliant view. But there was a photographer of the Times, just, you know, not knowing who I was, whatever, but he took this photo where the kind of silhouette of my son high up above the crowd looking down.

and I couldn't see anything. You know, I'm just hearing the roar or whatever, but that's one of the great things of parenthood and fatherhood, isn't it, being the elevation for them to get the better view. Yeah. One of the other big scorelines of the week, as we've had a connection, haven't we, with Norway on this podcast, and Buda glimped after Ali visited there last season.

I've been there this season last month, actually, for the Manchester City game. What a result that was, Buddha winning against Inter this week, and have got a real chance to get through now to the round of 16. Well, Mark in Gateshead has emailed this, TCV at BBC.co.com. And he says, if there's any more mileage in Buddha stories, brackets, yes, there is, Mark, perhaps you'll enjoy this one.

On the evening of the Buddha Manchester City match, I was on holiday in Grand Canaria. In a local restaurant, the couple next to us were increasingly animated as they regularly checked a phone. No longer able to contain herself, the woman declared to us that Buddha had won. They were Norwegian, and although not great football fans, national pride drew them into the Buddha story.

Mark says, I'm a Newcastle fan and took some delight in city losing. We had an additional drink with our new friends, and one of the Norwegians had a fancy Spanish brandy to mark the occasioning. I wonder if that was called Quantra Tres, which is a Spanish liqueur that you can have with either a dash of pineapple or a dash of orange. It's got 43 different spices in it. It's very nice. Well, Mark and Gateshead will have to let us know.

By the way, I told you you got away with it lightly when you went to the Arctic Circle. I don't. Yes, absolutely. Did you see the levels of snow that they had there? Yes, I did. Yeah. That's what I was hoping you'd have got landed with. Yes, I bet it was.

Well, that was quite uncharitable of you here. And something we've not had on the podcast before is music in Coventry, but we've had this from Mike on the Wirral Ian who says Hi TCV gang listening to the Liverpool versus Manchester City game and John gave us a lovely bit of commentary on an Echatee chance to the tune of for he's a jolly good fellow have a listen Salah's able to get away from Ait Nuri then past the ball just slightly behind Virtue might get it back might still have it plays it square Gatpo Echitke

across the face of goal and wife. Mike says, needless to say, and so say all of us, stayed in my head for the rest of the night. Thanks for a great podcast, and I hope this gives you a chuckle. Indeed it has.

Love that. He's going to, no, he's not. The rise and the fall. Brilliant. I remember years and years ago, our colleague Tim Peach was producing breakfast, and when did Habit Bay play for Newcastle,

I would say, late naughtys? And to the tune of the TV show Happy Days, he took a bit of my commentary saying Habi Bay. And it was like, Monday, Tuesday, Happy Bay. Wednesday, Thursday, Happy Bay. Which I think was then adopted by Newcastle fans as a song. But I always remember that little clip on Five Live. He has just been announced as the new Marsebos.

That's he? That's right. That's right. I was wondering how did that name come to my head so quickly. And I've obviously read that this week. Yeah. replacing Roberto Deserbie. Yes.

Time for the unintended pub names. Always a popular part of the commentators view podcast. And this is where we ask you to listen out during football commentary, sports commentary, for phrases that you think could actually work as pub names, unintended pub names. Last week we had the Into the Mixer bar with its double up offers, cocktails and pitchers, We also had, after I slipped over in Buda, the tumbling Murray, and on that note, Gilbert has written in and says,

Good day, fellas, I'm a regular listener of the podcast from Adelaide, South Australia. Adelaide strikes again. For some reason, Connor, Adelaide seems to be a real hotbed of listeners to the commentator's view. And here's another one from Gilbert. it, he says. I thoroughly endorse Ed's suggestion of The Tumbling Murray as a great pub name. What Ed failed to mention is that the Murray is the longest river in Australia and its mouth is just outside Adelaide. As such, I imagine that the Tumbling Murray would be a grand old Australian pub with a large veranda on the banks of the river. Its clientele would predominantly comprise weary sheep farmers

drinking West End Draft, which is Adelaide's equivalent of a Fosters, and well-to-do Adelaide families coming in for a schnitzel and chips after a day of water skiing on the river. Most would assume that the name of the pub referred to the gentle flow of the river waters, only the rare, traumatised Mancunian or Nordic traveller with a hint of a smug smile would know its true origins. Cheers, Gilbert. P.S.

The fact there is. is an Australian Murray River is surely a divine indication that the world tour should come down under Ian Gilbert you've took the words right out of my mouth Adelaide would be I mean that's our dream destination yeah I mean you can just permanently base the part in Adelaide really you know the the world sounds fantastic as well doesn't it water skiing the longest river in Australia and the longest in height of football commentators sharing a name i enjoy that and ashley in north herrifordshire an unintended pub name from the liverpool city game sunday afternoon not long after the start of the second half cat pooh a critique across the face of goal and wide of the far post as he looked at it that was a near thing

across the face of goal yeah he were very uh very melodic yeah enjoy of spring. That was. Maybe it was. That was the match before my voice started going. So there could be a coincidence.

Yeah, maybe. Anyway, the point that Ashley was making was that he says the far post would be a potential pub name.

He says, a Regency Inn, formerly on the busy male coach line, now a quiet backwater where the large limestone

in, caters to romantic weekends and the occasional business conference in the former stables. Large menu with a shiny silver post horn on display in the restaurant where efficient waiting staff in uniforms deliver overpriced traditional English fare.

I do enjoy the suggestions of what the pubs could actually be. They're very good, aren't they? Yeah, they are. Also, Anne in Bournemouth. Hello, Anne, says, Check out the coverage of the Olympic snowboard event where the competitors are being described to the viewer. Look about God now.

44 years of age. He's like burnt caramel. He can't get rid of this guy. Lorenzo Somerriva, the 32-year-old Italian. Absolutely no stranger to a World Cup finals board of cross race. Evan Bichon, the 27-year-old Canadian, just changed the board there. And he's got the first choice against Filippo Ferrari. the prancing pony in gate four

and they're off the prancing pony as an unintended pub name is the suggestion from Anne in Bournemouth can absolutely see that and also an email from 13 year old

Noah who says hi guys I was watching match of the day when I heard Connor McNamara's commentary on the Burnley West Ham match discussing whether the ball that hit the defender's arms. I thought the defender's arms would make a great name for a family pub where you could watch every game. Always love listening to the pod. Unintended pub names from 13 year old Noah, Connor. Yeah, well, good man, 13 year old Noah watch a match of the day and

surely somewhere there will be a defender's arms. That's actually one of the best suggestions we've had for now. That's a good one. So, yeah. And to be fair to Noah, he just say it's a family pub. He does, absolutely, yes, we should hastily add. Also, David, in Largs Bay, South Australia. In the TV commentary on Macclesfield, Brentford, the Brentford goalkeeper was referred to as the under-employed Valdemarsson. Perhaps only signwriters might go to this pub at having supported their income, the under-employed Valdemarsen.

And another one from down under, Spurs fan Simon in Wellington in New Zealand. I was watching the highlights from Brighton and Home Albion versus Crystal Palace this weekend with match commentary by Gary Tapphouse. There's a commentator with his very own unintended pub name. Do you fancy joining me for a pint of real ale at Gary's Tapp House? Love the show, Simon. And don't forget, if you spot an unintended pub name or a film name or a song in any commentary, then do let us know TCV at BBC.co.com.

WhatsApp to 08,000, 289-39369. A quirk in Gary's Taphouse would be there. Everyone has to take off their shoes and put their feet on a blanket, which is what commentator Gary Taphouse does in cold weather. He takes off his shoes and he stands on a heated blanket. Does he say? Which is his quirk. That's a fascinating.

That's a quirky quirk. What a fascinating Gary Taphouse first. My name's Steve Bradnell, a sister manager of Royal Oak FC. You may have seen me online. Vinyl. Vinyl sensation. And now the BBC have given me the chance

to set the footballing world banter rights. This could be a great opportunity for us, lads, a podcast for the BBC. Can I just say, what's a podcast? Brilliant. Right, start.

Well done, Bob. Brilliant. We can completely show utter transparency to Royal Oak fans. I'll use my charm. Gift at Gab. Games gone.

The Steve Bracknell podcast. Watch on YouTube. Listen on BBC Sounds. If there was a big rent button that would just demolish the internet, I would smash that button with my forehead. From the BBC, this is the interface, the show that explores how tech is rewiring your week and your world. This isn't about quarterly earnings or about tech reviews.

It's about what technology is actually doing to your work, your politics, your everyday life. And all the bizarre ways people are using this. the internet. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts. The commentator's view on the Football Daily. Listen on BBC Sounds. Before we do clash of the commentators, Matt in York has got in touch.

He says, thanks for the best football podcast on the airwaves. P.S. he says, I hope the standard of officiating in BBC Sounds quizzes improves after the two recent debacles. In my view, both should be voided to maintain BBC. see's reputation for integrity. Well said, Matt. Well said. John would support that.

Well said. It's about time someone else spoke up on that subject. He's a lone voice whistling in the wind. He's not a long voice. That's been proved. That's one for regular listeners. And I just feel that the weight of opinion is now swinging behind me on that one. We've been able to geotrack where that message was sent from.

It was the platform at lead station. waiting for a train to Stanford Bridge. Aiming to avoid a hat trick of debacles, I feel with some trepitation that it is time for clash of the commentators. So two of us take turns to answer a question and

give as many correct answers as we can in 30 seconds. Last time out, Ali beat John on Premier League penalty scorers, which left John rooted. Rooted, it says here, at the bottom of the table. But a chance for redemption today as John takes on the 10 from 12 leader

the five-match winning streak enjoyer, Ian Dennis. So, Ian, top of the table, 10 from 12. Champion, reigning champion alley in second place, five from 13, and languishing, heading towards relegation. Bottom of the table, John, with four from 13. Who wants to go first today, guys? Well, if you don't win this one, Ian, when I've spent all day yesterday, traveling back from Baku,

there's something seriously wrong. Is that your attempt at mind games? Yeah. Okay. It is. Well, I think I expected better from you, really, to be fair. Did you really? I did. I doubt you did. So I was going to give you the choice, but I might now decide I might go first.

Okay. Feel free. I might see if I can have a little snooze while you're doing that just to try to re-invigorate myself. Okay. Are we ready to go, Denno? Yeah, ready. Okay. Nottingham Forest Liverpool is our 2 o'clock commentary on Sunday on 5.

Live live. Now, Forest are the second club to see three different permanent managers leave during the same Premier League campaign, the other being Watford in the 2019-20 season. I want you to name any of those Forest or Watford managers, and it's easier than you think, because indeed, name any Premier League manager to have left their post this season. So any of the Forest or Watford managers during the seasons when they've had three different permanent. leaving the same campaign or any Premier League manager to have left their post this season. Your time starts now.

Dietch Poster Coglu, nuno Espirito Santo, Potter, Havigratia, Kiki Sanchez Flores, Walter Matsari, who else has left this season? I've had a mind blank. I've gone.

Started so strong. strongly there, trying away a bit, but it's not, you still got six, Denno, very good initially. Isn't it funny?

It's the, it's the more recent ones that you don't, you know, that this season's ones are harder to, to bring to mind a short notice.

I couldn't think, Lenzo Moreska. I was thinking, I'd had Chelsea and I just for the life of me. I had just brain freeze. I much prefer being on this side of the

commentators. All right, we'll say no more till the big man comes in. Hello? I got there you back. Just thought of another one as well. I should read the question the exact same way that I did today.

Do you know what? I actually had to, because I can't completely mute my iPad for whatever reason. I actually had to leave the room there completely. Oh, you've been listening in. I haven't been listening in. And so what I did was... There's already a Stewards inquiry. More BBC's shame.

What I did was, first time ever, I actually went and did a domestic chore during that. I actually unpacked the dirty. washing from my bag from Baku and put it in the washing basket. Never waste a second that. I know, yeah. That's impressive, John. That's impressive. Okay, are you good to go? Yep. You'll win this, by the way.

No pressure. Well, let's see about that. Nottingham Forest, Liverpool is our 2 o'clock commentary on Sunday on 5 live. Forrest of the second club to see three different permanent managers leave during the same Premier League campaign. The other team being Watford in the 2019-20 season.

I want you to name any of those Forest or Watford managers and indeed any Premier League manager to have left their post this season. So any of the Forest or Watford managers who were dismissed when they had three permanent managers leave during the same season

and any Premier League manager who has left their post this season. Okay. Your time starts. Now, Harvey Gracia, Anjpussicoaglu, Nuno,

Sean Deich, Thomas Frank, Inzo Moreska, Ruben Amarim, Graham Potter. He scrapped over the line. Does when he says Nuno, I mean, we could all do Christian names. He says Nuno.

Are you suggesting he's never known as Nuno? No, I'm just saying that, you know. And also, was Graham Potter? Was that in time? Yeah. I still think you've won anyway. The music was still going. So I'd suggest that was in time.

Yeah. I had a complete brain freeze. I could think Chelsea in my head, and I didn't get Moreska, didn't say, Amar it, didn't say Thomas Frank, complete utter brain freeze. You've won at least two.

So the score. is that Ian Dennis had six correct answers. Matt Sari was incorrect. Ian, it was correct that he was sacked, but it was the wrong season. He was dismissed in 16, 17. And John, you had eight correct answers, and everyone that you went for was correct.

You didn't have any wrong. Grazie, Nuno, Deutsch, Frank, Mariska, Ruben Amram, scraping him with Potter there at the end. So, congratulations, John. A rare victory. When was it last time I beat you? That was a long time ago.

Yeah. Who were the three for Watford then out of interest? Happy Gracia, which you got, Deno. Kike Sanchez-Floris, which you got. Nigel Pearson, who was sacked with two games to go. Watford lost their last two games and were relegated in 2020. And the managers who have left this season, Nuno Spir de Santo, to give him his full name, Deno.

Graham Potter, Ange Poster, Angiolu, Vito Pereira, Enzoberesca, Ruben Ambrim, Thomas Frank, Sean Deich. Actually, I bet you, because it's very often the way with Portuguese people, I bet you, Nuno's Spirit of Santo

is not necessarily his full name. I bet he's got another one in there as well. Do you know what I mean? I do. Yeah, that's definitely worth looking off. And actually, I have just remembered the last time I did beat you, Ian, was the win that was cruelly taken away from me.

Oh, let it go. So it's Nuno, Orlando. Simoneses Spirito Santo. There you are then. So you didn't say it either then, Ian. So take one off him. So what does that do to the table now then? It still means you're bottom.

And it still means I'm top. Yeah, but if I do actually get that other win back that I should have, I wouldn't be bottom any more. I wouldn't be bottom any more. You can have it. I'll still be top. Can we clip that up, Nathan?

Ian just said I can have that win. No, no, I was joking. Good, right. So that is Clash of the commentators for this week, which has given everyone new heart, hasn't it? So I'm now back level with Ali. So we've both won five, and Ian has ten. So you're still just about within reach there. Is it a wobble yet? Yes. So we will finish this week with a few suggestions for our great glossary of football commentary. and we are looking here for commentary terms and phrases, which you may have heard on the radio or wherever in football commentary.

And remember, you can find our entire glossary in the episode description on BBC Sounds on the app. So here's how it works. We put into Division 1 football exclusive terms, and we put into Division 2 terms used in football commentary, but also used in other sports. Last time we added into Division 1, version 1, 2-0 can be a dangerous score, back of the net, stick it in the mixer and in the

middle of the park. But Gareth from Pomeroy in Ireland says, just in regards to your middle of the park suggestion, this is actually a very common phrase in Gaelic football. Each team has two midfielders, and it would be normal to say that a certain player is playing in the middle of the park, or the ball has been launched into the middle of the park. etc. P.S. I resonated with the sleepy couple from last week. I'm currently living in Australia. Not in Adelaide, surely. So the podcast comes out late on Friday night here. I love heading to bed and falling asleep to your soothing voices, then finishing off the podcast on a Saturday walk. Also, Chris in Newcastle, Australia says, listening to the latest episodes and the proposal of middle of the park,

This is a phrase I've heard a number of times utilized in Australian rules football. Jair in Ireland says, I think in the middle of the park should be relegated to Division 2, as it's commonly used in Hurling. And Oxford fan Hamish, I think Middle of the Park should be in Division 2 because you could have it in rugby. So, Middle of the Park relegated into Division 2, Connor, you are well placed to rule on a couple of those. Yeah, definitely, yeah, the Gaelic football thing. Park is quite granted. You'd have to hear middle of the field, but like absolutely middle of the park. It's kind of an oasis space where you don't score from.

You've got to be close because it's a bigger pitch. You've got to be closer to it. So the middle of the park is definitely a, yeah, Gaelic football and hurling, I would vouch for that being a thing. So it sounds as though middle of the park is dropping into Division 2. And we've also had messages from Canada about 2-0 as a dangerous score, which we put in Division 1. Darrell has sent us an article from Ice Hockey Central titled, Why is 2-0 the worst lead in hockey? Unveiling the most feared advantage.

Darrell says, The article argues that a 2-0 lead in hockey can be more dangerous than it seems because it often creates a false sense of security for the leading team. And David in Vancouver says, folks, I always enjoy the podcast every week despite not owning a dog, but I can confirm that the danger. of a 2-0 score are not unique to football but are also notorious in North American ice hockey. I would respectfully suggest that references to the dangers of a 2-0 score line properly belong in Division 2.

Another demotion. Yeah, looks like it. It's hard to argue with that. That's complete evidence, yeah. Yeah, it is. The FA Cup fifth round schedule has been released. The BBC will be showing Wrexham Chelsea on BBC 1 and eye player on Saturday the 7th of March 545 kickoff. And also, Wals, Liverpool on the Friday night.

and Peter in Holmfirth has a cup theme suggestion. Love the pod and am part of, unlike you, John, the loyal 100% club having listened to every episode. I would like to submit an entry for the great glossary. After F.A. Cup fourth round weekend, I would offer the classic in the hat for the next round, which is regularly used despite hats not being used for as long as I can remember,

seemingly replaced by a velvet draw bag or perspex jars. I would accept that it could theoretically be used in any other sport where a draw takes place, but is it actually used in those sports? I submit that it isn't. And after extensive checks, at least three internet searches, I can't find any evidence of use in another sport. As such, I would respectfully submit it should be eligible for Division I. company. The pod provides on many dog walks.

P.S. Read it. Read it. Read it. Read it. Read what he says. Sorry. Yeah, that was it.

I fully back John Murray's arguments on Munchgate after the clash of the commentators and look forward to seeing the case appear on the Court of Arbitration for Sport in 20206. Hashtag justice for John. Hashtag let it go. Let it go, Peter. Well said, Peter. You know, you can get a job in American TV

when they have those adverts from medications and you've got to quickly. So this could cause death, could cause your head to fall out, because. You could definitely get that job. So in the hat for the next round? That's probably, you could probably, you would probably say that, wouldn't you? I don't know, rugby league?

Well, have you seen we've got David from Linlifgo in West Lothian? In all your years of covering football or indeed any other sports, have you ever seen a cup draw take place from a hat? In actual fact, yes, I have. Because in the various and many, many, many different game, sports, things that I played growing up, we would very often do it in a cup format with the family. And we would always do the draw out of a hat. Very often, my farmer dad's flat cap.

Yeah, but in answer to David's question, he says any other sports, I'm not, I don't wish to be disrespectful. They were sports. They were sports and games. Sports and games. Yeah. I mean, I feel as you know, well, though, I'm no cricket affectionate, but like something a cricket World Cup would you be in the hat for the draw for the quarterfinals or, you know.

And then the only thing I wanted to ask was, and maybe it's early the morning I'm getting this wrong. So obviously the draw can come out of a hat. But say it was something like, you know, they're deciding who's the next, you know, leader of a political party. Do you put your hat in the ring? Yeah. He's put his hat in the ring. So you put your hat.

So to get into the draw, you're putting your hat into the draw. That's interesting. Yeah. You have a lot of hats in there. Yeah. So I think it's a great phrase. Definitely.

It's worth going in the glossary. But in the hat for the next round is very much a division two, isn't it? Yeah. While we're on the FA Cup and hats, Oxford fan 593 sent us a picture on WhatsApp of a supporter up a tree in the car park

at the Qasam Stadium watching Oxford United against Sunland in the FA Cup brackets we do not condone climbing trees to watch football and there it is I've got the picture in front of me and also Oxford fan Phil in Nottingham

says have you been to the Qasam Stadium and if so is it your favourite three-sided ground And in my memory of being there is very often, people would actually stand on vehicles and look over that low wall or stand in the back of a truck. I think I've seen that there. Yeah.

I mean, I have to say Braga is jumping to mind. Braga springs to my mind. At one end. With the rock face behind the goal. There's another one as well. In actual fact, when we went to Riga earlier this season, was that not a three-sided ground? Yes, it was.

was. But I think Braga. The athletics track but there was no end to the left. Yeah. But Braga would be the favorite

three-sided grade. Yeah. One of my favorite, well, not favorite, but most memorable games was actually at the Kassam Stadium.

It was 20 years ago. Last day of the season in the fourth tier and Oxford played late in Orient and it was three two to Lake Norient.

I did it with David Preet and there was so many permutations that day about who could get promoted and who could get relegated and late norient clinch promotion and i'm sure pretty sure that oxford united got relegated that day it was a very very dramatic and my head was spinning with all the permutations but it's still it's this day it's a it's a day that myself and david pleat still remember fondly very good and we obviously wish david well at the moment yes on the in the unlikely event

that david would be listening to the podcast but you never know you never know who's listening do you I'll have found Gary from Yulville who's been listening. He says, Dear T CV, love the podcast. I have a suggestion for your glossary, which Ian Dennis used during the Arsenal-Sundland match. Saliva has been booked for Arsenal. Harrogate Town have got a second goal against Cambridge United. That could be a real coupon buster.

It's going to be a free kick for Sunderland. Gary says, surely coupon buster has to be Division 1 as it's a football pools reference keep up the good work coupon buster is actually on our list in the unsorted sections of old suggestions accepted before we brought in division one

in division two you love you love a coupon buster Ian don't you I do I would say that's got to be Division one yeah I'm not I'm not a player of the pools or never have been was well

is there pools that didn't involve football no my When I say a coupon buster, I don't think of the pools. I think if you'd go out on the morning of a game and you'd fill out your coupon for your home wins and your away wins or you had to perm two from a certain section. And there's always invariably one that will let you down. And then therefore it's a coupon buster. Sounds like it existed any. Yeah, well, exactly.

I was just going to say, would that exist in any form now? Can you have a coupon buster in horse racing? Surely. It depends if you find a way to beat the system, Connor. I don't think the coupons exist now, do they? I mean, I think that we have done all together. Accumulator. Yeah, that one.

What's the difference between an accumulator and a coupon? So if we had that accumulator and you'd gone for a lot of favorites and then 100 to one horse wins and finishes it off, that would be your coupon buster, wouldn't it? Well, I guess it is a coupon, but... No, sorry, maybe I'm misunderstanding things. Is the buster the thing that lets down your coupon? Yes.

As in the surprise. Yeah, that is the coupon buster. Oh, no, what you mean. So you haven't gone for this 100 to one shot. You've gone for the favorites. You've gone for all the favorites. Yes, yes, correct. That's like Harrogate Town, and Ian's commentary there were the coupon buster,

because that was an unlikely win. Yeah, they hadn't won in about 20-odd games. Cambridge were unbeaten about 12. You'd have back Cambridge to have got the win. I was there, Ian. Were you there? I was there. I witnessed it.

I was there to see the coupon buster. It's been a catalyst for them as well, hasn't it? They picked up in that. They were actually picked up before that. Yeah. Yeah. Anyway, there we are. That is the last contribution to this week's great glossary of football commentary.

So the summary for this week is that we have dropped into Division 2, middle of the park, and two Nellers' Dangerous score, and we've put in the hat for the next round into Division 2. and, well, for the time being at least, we're putting coupon buster into Division I. So there we are. And I must also, I must just thank our BBC colleague Kiefer McDonald, who I had a lovely chat with this week, who's written a piece about all of the very, or many of the various football grounds that I've commented on this week, during which Ian,

I suggest that I must have commented at over 200 grounds. you reckon you've commented on nearly 300 grounds? Well, our good friend Richard Walker, who used to work at Watford, was messaging me during the week, and he's found this app, and you can basically submit every ground you've been to across the world,

and I'm currently up to 284 grounds. That's incredible. Maybe I'm up towards 300 as well. I thought so. Yeah. I would have thought, John, your Gilded career, you've been out to so many the premium upper end Elise

grounds, whereas myself Adeno worked our way through the modern nettles. Anyway, let me do the finish bit here. Do keep the unintended pud names and glossary suggestions coming in to TCV at BBC.co. UK or as a message or voice

notes on WhatsApp to 08,289 369, which we absolutely love. And thanks again to Sam Hansen for his, which I particularly enjoyed. And that is it for this episode of the Football Daily and remember you can find each and every episode of the commentator's view by scrolling down your Football Daily feed. I thought you were going to then say hey hey we're the monkeys? No no because that's the finish bit for goodbye. You said let me just do the finish bit. Terrible. Terrible.

Five live sports. The six nations rugby's greatest championship. Nations it's been live commentary of every match on BBC sounds just a stunning school one of the all-time great tries the rugby weekly podcast will be daily throughout the tournament with all the best insight and analysis and the biggest names in the game the six nations listen on BBC sounds if there was a big rent button that would just demolish the internet i would smash that button with my forehead. From the BBC, this is the interface, the show that explores how tech is rewiring your week and your world. This isn't about quarterly earnings or about tech reviews. It's about what technology is actually doing to your work, your politics, your everyday life, and all the bizarre

ways people are using the internet. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.