Football Daily - The Commentators’ View: Euro success & Carol or Rachel?

Episode Date: May 8, 2026

John Murray, Ian Dennis & Ali Bruce-Ball react to European success for Arsenal, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace. Clash of the Commentators returns with Ian nearing the league title. There’s an ��unintended food kiosk’ from sport commentary. And suggestions always welcome for the Great Glossary of Football Commentary - messages, questions and voicenotes on WhatsApp to 08000 289 369 & emails to [e-mail]00:45 Villa beat Forest to reach Europa League Final, 04:10 Scottish title race hots up, 06:40 John uses his ‘mini Arsenal season-ticket’ again, 15:05 Commentaries of Man City & Arsenal this weekend, 18:45 TCV goes snooker loopy, 24:05 Unintended pub names from sport commentary, 31:20 Clash of the Commentators, 40:20 Breaking ‘Reece’ news, 42:05 Great Glossary of Football Commentary, 47:20 Rachel Riley or Carol Vorderman?5 Live / BBC Sounds commentaries: Sat 1200 Aston Villa v Arsenal in WSL on Sports Extra, Sat 1500 Sunderland v Man Utd, Sat 1730 Man City v Brentford, Sun 1200 Celtic v Rangers, Sun 1400 Nottingham Forest v Newcastle United, Sun 1400 Burnley v Aston Villa on Sports Extra, Sun 1400 Crystal Palace v Everton on Sports Extra 2, Sun 1630 West Ham v Arsenal.Great Glossary of Football Commentary: DIVISION ONE 50p head Agricultural challenge, Back of the net, Back to square one, Backside and elbows, Booked, Bosman, Bullet header, Channel of joy, 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, Lollipop, Magic of the FA Cup, Managerless X, The Maradona, Off their line, Olimpico, Onion bag, Panenka, Parachute payment, Park the bus, Perfect hat-trick, Postage stamp, Put his cap on it, Rabona, Roy of the Rovers stuff, Schmeichel-style, Scorpion kick, Spursy, Stick it in the mixer, Sweeper keeper, Taking it to the corner flag, 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, Asterisk, Back on the grass, Ball stays hit, Banana skin, 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, Champagne is on ice, 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, Drop zone, Drubbing, First cab off the rank, Giant-killing, Goalkeepers’ Union, Good leave, Good touch for a big man, Half-time in the tie, 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, Lackadaisical, Leading the line, Leather a shot, Mazy run, Middle of the park, Needed no second invitation, Needing snookers, Nice headache to have, No-look pass, Nutmeg, On the beach, On their bike, One for the cameras, One for the purists, Piledriver*, Played us off the park, Points on the board, Points to the spot, Prawn sandwich brigade, Purple patch, Put their laces through it, Queensbury rules, Reaches for their pocket, Relegation six-pointer, Rolls Royce, Root and branch review, Row Z, Screamer, Seats on the plane, Sent into raptures, Show across the bows, Sleeping giant, Slide-rule pass, Staving off relegation, Steal a march, Sting the palms, Straight in the bread basket, Stramash, Taking one for the team, Telegraphed that pass, Tired legs, That’s great… (football), Thunderous strike, Tricky winger, Turning into a cricket score, Turns on a sixpence, Twisted blood, Walk it in, We’ve got a cup tie on our hands, We were right behind that, Yo-yo club.

The Commentator's View on the Football Daily with Alistair Bruce Ball, John Murray and Ian Dennis. Hello, it's The Football Daily. I'm John Murray and this is the commentators view, where we five live commentators talk about the football, the language of football commentary, and the places it takes us to. Alistair Bruce Ball and Ian Dennis are here. Ian's just arrived. He's a stickler for being on time, but we'll forgive you this time. I actually was on time. Were you?

Yes, I don't think you were. Anyway, we'll forgive you this time, regardless of all that, because you had a very late night having been at the all-English Europa League semi-final. So that was quite an occasion, wasn't it? It certainly was a great occasion. And I've got to say, the noise at Villa Park. I remember listening to you during a Champions League game last season. And when I was listening and the goal went in,

and you just heard this explosion of noise. And I don't think that from actually being at Villa Park, I've actually heard such a noise level from inside that famous stadium, from a personal point of view, once they turned it around. It was, they just swept Forrest aside. It was a great noise pre-match. And then during the game, the Villa supporters, and quite rightly, Unae Emery paid tribute to them in his press conference after the game

because they played a huge part, I thought, last night. Yeah, I listened to you before the game, Ian, and you predicted a response because Aston Villa were absolutely dreadful at the weekend, weren't they? But we know how good Una Emery is in that competition. I thought the second half was a classic example of, I mean, swept aside is exactly right, but a team being absolutely powerless to do anything about what was happening to them. You know, Morgan Gibbs White, out injured, obviously that was a big blow for Nottingham Forrest. But it was just felt like momentum totally with Aston Villa at home. nothing Nottingham Forrest could do. Well, I fancied Villa anyway, Ali, because of that reason.

It was such an insipid performance against Tottenham, where they lacked the desire, they lacked the fight. And I know that both managers had made the changes going into the game, but I just thought there's got to be a reaction. So I fancied Villa anyway, particularly with their European home form. But when I'd heard when I arrived that there was no Gibbs White, I just thought that's a huge blow for Forrest. and the fact that he was on the bench, along with Murillo, along with Andoy, and along with Sangari,

and yet after the game, Vitor Pereira has already said that that quartet are out of the Newcastle game this weekend. It was clearly there. It was just to think as a morale-boosting exercise because they weren't fit. Murillo came on, but they're not fit. They're already out of the Premier League game this weekend. And I think Gibbs White, that's a huge blow for Forrest because he was so influential in the first leg. and they had no answer and I don't think anybody can have any complaints

about the outcome. Do you know my thought was, I wonder if he's actually put Gibbs White on the bench just in case it went to penalties because he could have potentially brought him on right at the end of extra time to take a penalty, couldn't he? Yes, he could.

Yeah, yeah. I think Dion might have if Dion didn't mention it in the commentary he might have mentioned that off there as that potential sort of like Avenue if you like for Gibbs White and his participation. But the fact that Vitor Pereira has already ruled him out of the Premier League

and also looking at the gash and the stitches that he's had. I mean, you did wonder, how on earth could he possibly play? How could he head a ball? He was wearing a face mask in training, but I mean, any impact could potentially open up a wound. I'm no medical expert.

But that's what one would have thought. And I was going to say, And you've had a real range of matches, haven't you, over the course of the last week? Yeah, because, so after the last week, I drove down to London, did the recording in central London last week, stayed down and did Brentford, then travelled up to Edinburgh to do hearts against Rangers

on the bank holiday Monday, and then the return leg. I've got to say, and I know, Ali, you're going up to Scotland very, very soon, I did enjoy my Tyne Castle experience. It was in a different commentary position as to normal, previously I've been in the main stand but we were at the back of the wheatfield stand opposite the main stand it was a great great view

and the noise inside Tyne Castle I mean that is I think it's a gripping story the fact that the title race is going to the wire and Rangers seven points behind with three to play mathematically they're still in it realistically you'd say they're not but I'm glad that we did that game

because I just think there's a lot of interest south of the border. It's not just confined to Scotland. You know, I had journalists it's a great football story. It is a great football story. So I was really pleased that we were there. I had got a lot of good comments from various colleagues as well about the commentary

and we'll wait to see what the next installment is. Yeah, I was listening to it and actually I heard, you know, I were a BBC colleague from BBC Scotland, Tom English, he said that he thought it was, I think he said he thought it was possibly the best atmosphere he'd ever experienced

I heard that it was on Radio 4, wasn't it, when he said that? Yeah, I heard him. Yeah. And do you remind me, what's the capacity at heart? It's about 20,000. 20,000, creating the best atmosphere. I mean, that's amazing. Yeah, yeah.

And also, what is it, 41 years the last time a non-old firm side won the Scottish title. That is a significant story. And if you recall when Tony Bloom, the Brighton owner, invested into Hearts, he predicted that Hearts within the next decade would win a title. They potentially could win it in his first season. It'd be a massive story. Yeah. And you mentioned, Ian, in terms of the next instalment,

so obviously next Wednesday, we're going to have full commentary of one of the games. But actually before that, this weekend, Motherwell play Hearts 8 o'clock Saturday night, so Hearts get to go first, the leaders. And then on Five Live Sunday, midday, full commentary of Celtics. Rangers. And Motherwell are a good side. You know, if you speak to Chris Sutton and Pat Nevin,

they will tell you that they're probably the best footballing side in Scotland. So that's not a gimmy as far as hearts are concerned at Fir Park. So, yes. In saying that, your week's not exactly been too shabby, has it? Well, no, I would go along

with that. I've continued using my mini-Arsonal season ticket. I've lost count now of how many Arsenal matches in a row it is that I've commented on. But I've got another one coming up this weekend. But on Tuesday night, that European semi-final, you know, it wasn't a thing of great beauty by any means,

but it was full on. And the experienced atmosphere at the Emirates Stadium, I know Tom said that about Time Castle. I'm not sure I've experienced the Emirates that loud. And I know you had the Real Madrid match last year, which probably rivaled it, I would have thought, in terms of atmosphere and everything that happened. day, but I think particularly outside the ground on Tuesday night, the way that the thousands

of people gathered, you know, I've seen that at other grounds. I can't remember seeing that at Arsenal. Yeah, I don't recall them getting such a greeting for the Real Madrid game. So I would, and judging from speaking to Arsenal supporters and seeing various comments on social media, I think that's possibly, that tops it. The Diego Simeone side show, which was happening right in front of us. I mean, I've seen it before, but. But it is an extraordinary, the way that he reacts and the way that he carries on. And all credit to him as well, when he came in and spoke in the media conference afterwards, he said, no complaints, no winging, no complaining.

We got beaten by the better team. You know, so he does that. But then whatever he says behind closed doors might be completely different. But, you know, he doesn't make a fuss about it. He just says, right, you know, that's it. Anyway, so we've got three English teams and three different European. finals the first time that's ever happened before it year as you were pointing out last night in the same season well i'd done my research ali you'll quite like this because i'd done my research

now i was 99.9% sure that it was correct and i don't know what it's like with you with you two when you get a stat and you double check it and you triple check it but you're thinking i still so i text john i said do you agree with this and john went let me check so So, anyway, John said, yep, it's happened before British sides. That was with Rangers, wasn't it, in 67? 1967. Rangers, Celtic and Leeds United. Yes.

Or reached the European finals in that year. I then texting back saying, don't worry, I have done it again. I'm convinced. But, I mean, it is significant. I mean, 2019 you had, it was quite unique when you had UEFA Cup, or Europa League and Champions League, four finalists getting there. for the two finals, but never before. You know, and you think when the times when English sides have ruled Europe in the 80s,

never before as it happens, so it's quite a unique occasion. Yeah, I made a bit of a mess this morning, didn't I? Because I asked the question on our TCV WhatsApp group and then outed myself as basically not having listened to the commentary from Villa Park last night because you were talking about it because I'd started doing all the workings out this morning because that's the kind of thing that, you know, just, interests me and I wasn't across the British thing that John pointed out because I've forgotten about the the intercity's fairs cup. The other thing that it brought up though was looking at

other nations that have done it because I would have thought right Spain in recent years must have done that but but they haven't. Spanish teams did do it in 1986 but only won one of the three but that Italian domination in late 80s early 90s so 1990 Italian teams won all three A.C. Milan winning the European Cup. Juventis actually beat Fierntina in the UEFA Cup finals. So you had two Italian teams in that competition and Sam Doria won the Cup winners cup.

But 89, 90, 93, 94, they had teams in each of the three major UAFA finals. Is that right? That doesn't half underline, does it, the strength of Italian football at that time? So the Germans have never done it? No, not as well.

If you talk amongst yourself, I'll look that up because I've actually I've got a Rothman's yearbook sitting next to me here, which I was looking at something else in. Talking about your Rothman's, John, so I had a bit of time off midweek, and my wife and I, Lucy, ended up in Bath, and we wandered into an old bookstore.

No, Bath, the City, wandered into an old bookstore where I spotted on the shelves, a Roy of the Rovers holiday special, which I just could not resist, purchasing, partly due to this pub, but partly because I remember the Roy the Rover's popping through my letterbox as a kid. And how much did that retail for in 2026?

I got that, oh, in 2026. So back in the day it was 30p. I got it for five pounds. Yeah, I got it for five pounds. I don't know if you remember Johnny Dexter, the hard man. Do you remember that story in Roy the Rovers? Yeah. Yeah.

So the manager of that team, I can't remember. The manager of that team, though, was called Victor Boscovic. That's right. Do you remember he was a short, dumpy bald fella? It was always in a track suit. Yeah, so enjoyed that. Enjoy picking that up. Excellent.

Well done. Well done. So, what I can tell you is that I have now listened to the John Helm episode of the Commerator's View. I'm going to ask you about that. Yeah, I've listened to that this morning. I very much enjoyed that. That was excellent, wasn't it? I'd really recommend anyone going back and having listened to to when John Helm appeared.

And I was delighted to hear that you did ask him about. about going into the dressing room, the Dutch dressing room, after the 1978 World Cup final. So full marks for that. Yeah, that almost landed me in bother, though. I got that impression. Yeah, it did sound as though it might have done. So if you do want to get in touch,

TCV at BBC.co.uk or voice notes on the WhatsApp to the football daily number, which is 08,289-369. And first and foremost, we want to send our... best wishes to Forrest fan Jim in Nottingham who says, Hello there, gents. I'm a regular listener. At present, I'm lying in hospital bed at 1am, having had a suspected heart attack. To get me through the night, I've started with your first podcast, and I'm gradually working my way through them. Many, many thanks for drowning out the noise in the ward with your hugely entertaining chat, and also for your

excellent radio commentaries which provide the canvas and allow the listener to paint their own picture. Cheers, Jim. Well, that's quite touching, isn't it? And I hope you're making a good recovery, Jim. Yeah, get well seen, Jim. Yeah, wish you all the best, and I hope last night's result hasn't upset your recovery too much. And actually, he says he was listening to your commentary on Thursday night, Ian, yeah. So, but I suppose now it'll be about whether for are able to stay in the Premier League this season and they've certainly got more than half a chance haven't they? Yeah. Have you also seen that bit

at the end where he says, I'm afraid if I stay in hospital much longer, you're going to have to do two pods a week to keep me entertained? Well, we can tell you, Jim, exciting developments because on Tuesday night on Five Live, the three of us will be with Kelly Kate's

in Radio First commentators view special when we will go through our choices of our own personal matches of the season. And that's going to be released as a Football Daily podcast on Wednesday, along with our usual episode on Friday. And this is absolutely no offence whatsoever to Kelly,

but it's a real shame that Hare Chapman is not presenting the TCV first live special on Five Live, because he'll be sorry to miss that, I think. Do you think that ever would have been a possibility? Nope. He'll be washing his hair that night. Yeah. It was great. We actually had Kelly with us at the Emirates on Tuesday night,

which was very night. We very rarely see them face to face, don't we? So that was nice. We have this weekend, commentaries coming up, on Saturday, Aston Duller against Arsenal in the WSL is on Sports Extra.

That's a 12 o'clock kickoff. Arsenal having drawn at Brighton on Wednesday, to Hand City, their first WSL title in a decade. Ian, Saturday 3 o'clock, where are you going to be? Sunderland Manchester United, and normally I would say the usual goal service, but because the Football League is finished, it's going to feel like a little bit of relief, because I won't be as busy as I normally am on a Saturday afternoon,

because I think there's only one game in the league, one playoff semifinal, Stephen Hitch Stockport, and then a handful of games in the Scottish Premiership and two elsewhere in the Premier League. So in comparison to previous Saturdays, it will have a rather relaxed nature. The last few Saturday, 3 o'clock, I know because I've been sitting there listening, waiting to do the commentary at 5.30, they have been absolutely hectic. Yeah. So you'll be able to kick back this weekend.

I will. At the same time, Fulham Bournemouth, 3 o'clock Saturday, the commentary on that is on Sports Extra. And, Ali, this weekend. Five Live is the place for commentary on both of the Premier League matches involving the top two because... Yes, notes in front of me, John. I'm headed to Manchester to the Etty had for Manchester City, Brentford. So that's the Saturday 5.30.

So having dropped a couple of points against Everton on Monday night, and that always looked like it was going to be a tricky fixture for Manchester City. I didn't necessarily expect them to drop the points in the way that they did. I didn't expect a sort of three-all thriller with them scoring too late. late ones to come back into it. We'll have to wait and see how important the late Docu Equaliser is. But John, if Manchester City failed to

beat Brentford, and Brentford, you know, they've got plenty to play for themselves, then Arsenal would only need two wins from their remaining three games, the first of which you're at on the Sunday. So a very, very important game for Manchester City on the Saturday night. Goes without saying. Yeah, so do not miss that

and naughty Michael Brown is going to be with you, 530, and then the Arsenal match. Sunday at 4.30 when I'll be at West Ham alongside Rob Green. Believe it or not, this is the fifth consecutive weekend that I will have commentated with Rob Green, having not commentating with him at all all season. I don't know how that has happened in that way, but it has. You're in a good moment, John.

Also, not exactly a purple patch, but a green patch. Green touch. Also on Sunday, as one of you mentioned, Celtic Rangers, 12 o'clock. So 12 o'clock starred, early start to 5 live sport. The commentary will be a simulcast with BBC Radio Scotland. And then all of the Premier League matches. Sunday at 2, Nottingham Forest against Newcastle, Connor McNamara and Clinton Morrison. Been quiet recently, Clinton.

See, I've seen Rod Green. I've hardly seen Clinton for weeks. then Sunday 2 o'clock, Burnley Aston Villa is on Sports Extra, Sunday 2 o'clock Crystal Palace Everton is also on sports extra. And I must tell you as well, you just sort of sparked a memory from last Monday night. When I was preparing at home for the second leg of Arsenal Athletica Madrid, I was keeping an eye on Manchester City against Everton on one screen and watching the World Snooker Final on my phone.

All at the same time. It was quite a hectic night. I was doing exactly the same thing, John. And I think what happened as well? Something else happened in our household that meant I had to record the final frame of the snooker, switch every other device off in the house, particularly my phone, because I was in sort of text conversation with other people about it, and then watched whatever we watched and had to come back to watch that final frame

after it had already played out in... But the semifinals as well, John. The semifinals were absolutely sensational. weren't they? So anyway, that was last Monday. By the way, sorry, just tell you about very quickly. So our little game, you know we play Clash of the commentators on here, on the FPL pod from BBC Sport, we play Sutton Death. So Chris Sutton last week decided

to come up with world snooker champions, which I actually, I would have fancied myself on that, but it fell to Stapman Dave to represent the podcast. Okay. And don't tell me he's not a massive snooker. Not a massive snooker fan. He plucked... Who did he plucked? He plucked quite a random one. It wasn't Luca Bressel. It was quite a random one.

But then completely forgot that we'd had former world champion Neil Robertson on the pod the week before. Failed to name him. Failed to name any other snooker world champion and promptly lost the game. I can't remember the one he got, though. It was very funny. Did you see the interview, Hayes-Lervyn's interview with Wu Yizza? Yeah. That was really...

I was in tears again for that. Yeah. What do you say about his parents? Yeah, it was really touching, wasn't it? Yeah. You were in tears. Yeah. I didn't think you did the emotion.

Well, I did for that. Well, I've got to say, that's a confession in the heart. Well, I'll tell you what, Ian. I mean, John might not want to bring this to the pod, but you were talking about young tears in front of football, John, before we started recording, which surprised me. That's quite a confession. It surprised me.

Because it was really, again, it sparked a memory, Ian. because I was looking back at Arsenal's European finals. And when I got back to the 1980, it was a cup winner's cup final, wasn't it? 1980 Cup Winners Cup final when Arsenal lost on penalties to Valencia. Graham Rick's missed. Yeah.

I suddenly remembered I was in tears when he missed that penalty. Young schoolboy John Murray in tears. Yeah, but if you recall, we did something at Burton at St. George's Park Road in the season. And there was a series of questions that were asked by the social media team. Who's the emotional one? the two of us and you went him.

Yeah, which you are. Well, I am, but I don't, I don't try and hide my emotions. I am emotional. I think there's nothing wrong with being emotional. Well, I don't try and hide my emotions. Just, just, before, before this gets too emotional, just going back to the post-match interviews as well, John, from the snooker. Mark Allen's interview, after he lost and missed, you know, for them,

what was a sort of tap-in black, wasn't a gimmie black, to win his semifinal. And then the Sean Murphy interview, the pair of them, having lost massive, The interviews they gave, I thought, were absolute class and could teach a thing or two to many other different sports people in different fields about dealing with, you know, triumph and disaster and treating both impostors the same. I thought they were so impressive those two. Anyway, after that diversion, and going back to West Ham, where I will be on Sunday, Simon has sent us an email with the subject, Una Problema Matrimonial. And it says, hello chaps, I don't have a dog to walk, but I am having a problem that I was wondering if my fellow listeners are also experiencing. My wife has told me that if I do not stop singing, nuno Espirito Santo, brackets badly, she's going to leave me. Does anyone have any advice for me? P.S. Justice for John.

Thank you very much, Simon, for that. Simon, until that last comment I was with you, but basically now after that last comment, just deal with it. And I'm siding with your wife. I must mention as well, I got an email from David Woods who... What, the Dave Woods? No, no. This was... Sorry, this was David Wood. I got an email from David Wood.

Not to be confused with Dave Woods. And David Wood said he always enjoys when we reference Dave Woods. And he said that his dad, who's also called David Wood, is going to Madrid. And he asked for some suggestions about where his dad should go, because he heard us talking about Madrid and the sherry bar. So I've sent the details of where to find the sherry bar to David Wood, who's passed it onto his dad. And he's going to let me know when he comes back.

He's going to let me know what is dad. thought of it. And have you also told David Wood Jr. to tell David Wood Senior to keep a hand on his wallet on the back of him. Yeah, very much so. I've given him some, I've given him full advice on what to do and how to stay safe on the Madrid metro. Right on now to the unintended pub names. A couple of unintended pub names from sports commentary for you. Before we return to league action and clash of the commentator. last week we had and just to explain this is where you hear a phrase that's used in football commentary sports commentary and you think actually that sounds like an unintended pub name last weekend we had

the fluctuating fortunes and the chorus of booze we also had a film name goal side of heaven and we asked you for your plot suggestions so thank you for those we're just going to read out our favourite one and it comes from Liverpool fan Adam who says. First time emailing in, the goal side of heaven, I feel, would go a little like this. With debt racking up and the cost of living through the roof, a struggling village church minister notices a football tournament with a cash prize. Attempting to create a team out of the congregation, the vicar realizes he needs more than faith to create a tournament-winning team

from the aging parishioners. So can he turn water into wine and save the church? Very good. And with that plot line, would you watch it? Of course. Because yesterday, last week you were dismissive of watching a film called the Gold Side of Heaven. Oh, yeah. But that's got a bit, that's a little bit more quaint British film.

Yeah, it feels like it's going to have the vibe of sort of calendar girls or something like that about it, doesn't it? sort of British comedy with your classic British actors in. Yeah, no, I think I'd watch that. That sounds good. We've got a new pub name suggestion here from Julian in Hastings, who is listening to Matt Upsen on commentary with John

as the teams came out for the second half of Arcel against Athletico Madrid. I can tell you that Diego Cimeone has been sitting on his padded red seat on the side of the pitch behind the technical area. He sent us players out Earth. and Matt Upton, I would say he is simmering. Simmering Simmering Simone.

The Simmering Simeone would be a simply decorated pub serving a range of tapas, coal beers and decent wines, functional, sturdy wooden tables on stripped down wood floors under the direction of the no-nonsense short-fuse management. You're advised not to complain about the food and there is a decent chance of a lock-in if you play your cards right. Thanks and best wishes to all at TCV. Excellent. Very good. And what about this one from Adam in Waterford?

Dear TCV, last Friday evening I was watching my local team, Waterford FC play Galway in the Irish Premier Division. At the end of a dire first half for my team, a fellow spectator showed me the screen on his mobile telephone, which conveyed the information that the XG for Waterford was 0.04. We joked about whether that was gained during the pre-match handshake. Anyway, on the way home, I thought that the XG would be a good pub name. Football themed drinks, including Chelsea, for which the recipe changes every few weeks. Tottenham, horrible to look at, but goes down in the end. Liverpool only served to groups, as you'll never walk alone.

Thanks for the excellent podcast, it's lovely to hear guests of the calibre of John Helm, Vicki Sparks and Connor McNamara and good news for Waterford they equalised with the last kick of the game drama at the regional sports centre. Thank you Adam. I've never been to Waterford. Have you been to Waterford?

No. Quite like the sound of that. And the XG is actually a very good suggested pub name, isn't it? That would attract a certain crowd, wasn't it? Let's do this one before we move on. It's from John in Narangba. Hey, gents, love the pod, particularly the banter.

An unintended pub name from the TV commentary of Arsenal v. form. Slice by saliva. I see this one as a pop-up pizza food truck appearing outside Bottamade clubs only during the last few games of the season. It would charge exorbitant prices for each slice. But most importantly, drinks would only be sold in cups, not a bottle in sight. Keep up the great work. you could give a hat tip to my indoor and six-a-side teams, total ham and dirty yellows.

That would be appreciated. Of course, total ham and dirty yellows. Good luck this weekend to those two and sliced by salivah. That's a very good call, isn't it? It's got a great delivery, hasn't he, John? Yeah, yeah. And actually, dirty yellows in sliced by saliba. Well, let's hope not.

And on a similar-ish theme, I've seen over the course of the last. 24 hours. Have you seen the promo for the World Cup from the Brazilian beer company? Is it Brahma? It is Brahmi. No. Yeah. Have you seen that yet? No. You will absolutely love that.

I mean it's about five minutes long. Wow. And I sent it to a friend of mine who then said, have you seen the Adidas World Cup advert? Have you seen that? No. And that also, it features Timothy Shephymed. Salome, Timothy Salome, and other stars. But honestly, they are both. And I hope they're showing them at the cinema.

I'd love to see them on the big screen. Does the Brazil one, John, then just feature lots of classic Brazil World Cup footage? So I'm thinking immediately what John... I won't spoil it. But yes, it does. But it's done very, very well. You will both love it. Look it up.

Have we had any correspondence? respondents from Brazil. Do we have any listeners in Brazil? I think we have. I think we have. Sal Paolo, possibly. Anyway, there's a, there's a challenge for you if you're listening in Brazil. And if you spot an unintended pub, film or food kiosk name, thank you, John. In any sports commentary, do let us know at TCVI at BBC.co.uk or WhatsApp messages to 08,000, 289.369. The boxing grades.

We're very fragile beings, so we ought to be gentle with ourselves. Do the ring's current superstars? I want to take their soul, and I just want to get the drop-dust. Plus analysis and previews. Well, the whole buildup was being madness, and the fight was a little bit mad as well. Everything boxing, every single week, crammed into just one weekly podcast. I won my first national title as 16. And I was burnt out by the time I was 20.

Five Live Boxing with me, Steve Bunce. What's next? With new episodes every week. Listen on BBC Sounds. The Commentator's View on the Football Daily with Alistair Bruce Ball, John Murray and Ian Dennis. Right. On to Clash of the Commentators. So not played this for at least a couple of weeks on the pod.

It's where two of us take turns to answer a question and give as many correct answers as we can in 30 seconds. last time out was the Blackburn Burnley one John that you and I did where I managed to nick it I managed to nick it we've not actually discussed that with Ian have we did you hear that Ian I did yeah and I actually think that I would have struggled with Blackburn players but I think that I would have I would have probably beaten you both through

Burnley yeah I wouldn't have got many but I would have I'd have mentioned Jack Cork, I think you both failed to mention. Yeah, we did. I've got to say it was a tricky one. It certainly was. That was a horror. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I think today's is less tricky. I managed to nick that one on a John Dahl-Thomas and tiebreaker. Anyway, this is the current league table. So after my win there, John is bottom, six wins from 15 games. So that is well below a 50% win percentage. I'm in second on seven from 16, which is also below a 50% win percentage. And Ian, flying high still, 10 wins from 14 games. But he has lost.

He's lost his last two, John. Yeah, I'm not in good form. You know about that? That Burnley Blackburn's finished me off, Ian. But I've now got to win this for Ali. I know. But what I did enjoy about that Burnley Blackburn one is the fact that you were sort of like hammering it up saying, if I win, then the title race could.

could be on and all of a sudden you fell flat on your face that tickled me okay right so this is Ian against John today who's up first who's going first well John's the challenge I'll let him decide okay I'll go first then get it out the way okay as they used to say on the generation game so Ian's unplugging I think you but yeah he's unplugged he's gone I think you're both gonna like this um so I can't like it any less than Burnley Blackburn no you'll definitely like it more than that um we've been discussing it in the pod already this week. Palace Villa Arsenal,

all through to major European finals. So I want you to name any player to have featured in their side's previous major European final. So obviously Crystal Palace aren't involved in that, John. We're looking for Villa players from the 82 European Cup final. Yeah. Or Arsenal players from the 2006 Champions League final.

So obviously, Arsenal have been in other European finals. We've discussed that. But for this category, we're looking for 2006 Champions League final and Villas European Cup final in 82. So the two European Cup finals. A little clue for you. I don't think you'll need this clue, John, but I'm going to give it because I'm going to give it to both men.

Both matches involved goalkeeper substitutions. Your time starts now. Lehman and Almunia. Saul Campbell, Thierry-Henri, Fabragas, then I'm going to go, Jimmy Rimmer, and Nigel Spink, Dennis Mortimer, Tony Morley, Gordon Cowens, Peter with, Gary Shaw. Yeah, that's good, that's good.

I think that's competitive, John. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. So that's 12 answers. given. I'm just going to wait and see. Yeah. Well, also, do you know what I think? Ian's just commentated on two legs of Villa Forreys,

so he will have looked back to that European Cup final, won't he? So I think he's going to go heavy in there. Mind you, I look back at the Arsenal. I look back at that Arsenal final team from 06. Yeah, that's true. That is true. Okay. I think they're all correct, John.

Okay. I think they're all correct. I think you'll get 12. Okay. Okay. Let's give him a wave then. Let's give him a wave unless he's falling asleep

after his late finish last night. Here we go. Here we go. Right, so in terms of me trying to catch Ian and John as well, but I could really do with you winning this, John. Anyway, here we go.

Without further ado, this is all on major European finals following our discussion about Palace, Villa and Arsenal all through to the major European finals this season. So we need you to name any player to have featured in their side's previous European Cup final. So obviously Palace aren't involved in this year,

and we are looking for players from Aston Villa's 1982 final against Bayern Munich and Arsenal's 2006 final against Barcelona. Little clue for you, I know you don't need it. Both matches involved goalkeeper substitutions. Your time starts now. Okay, on 82 would be Rimmer. and Spinks, or Nigel Spink, layman for Arsenal,

you'd have had Morley, you'd have had Shaw, you'd have had Peter With, Mortimer, McNaughton, Evans, Alan Evans, um...

Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, so, answers given one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, I think nine, answers. Minor controversy, but in fact, not controversial. Is it Ken McNaughton or Ken McNaught? Ken McNaught? So McNaughton we cannot allow, just being counted up at the moment. Ian, what are you thinking? Are you confident or not here? I couldn't, I focus more on Villa. I don't know why it is with my mind. I can remember things from

40-odd years ago that I struggle to remember from 20 years ago. And I remember Layman, I should have probably gone Saul Campbell as well but I just decided to focus on Villa. I think John will have beaten me. Okay. Okay, well I can tell you Ian, you gave

nine answers and got eight correct and actually the villa names you rattled off were very similar to the ones John rattled off at the start, but John actually gave 12 answers, all of which were correct. Yeah. So that is a third defeat in a row for our leader and John, you move level on

me, you move level with me, on seven wins from 16. We are both seven from 16 and Ian is 10 from 15 and in terms of the other names not mentioned there Kenny Swain Kenny, I couldn't think of the left back. Gary Williams Denner did either of you? Oh you both said Mortimer.

Yeah. Cowan's Desbremna. Did you say Desbremna? No, no. Sure with Morley and Spink and then the Arsenal team Lehman, Almunia came on for him after he was sent off Emmanuel Buoy, Colo Torre Sol Campbell Ashley Cole Perez

Gilberto Silver Fabragas Hleb I would love it if one of you said Alexander Hleb Ljumberg and Tieri Oh no John you said Henri didn't you Yes you said Henri Flamony and Reyes came off the bench

So I win for you John What's the look? Well congratulations John Thanks Ian well deserved I could tell that you'd and Becky, I could see that knowing grin on your face. What's the league table, by the way? So you're 10 from 15 and we're both 7 from 16.

Are we going to... It's probably not planned, but we... I still don't think I can be caught. Well, it depends, doesn't it, if Justice was done, that would be 9.8. It would be 9.8. But also, do we have a definitive,

when is our last episode of the season? Are we playing a game of clash of the commentators in our live episode next Tuesday? Are games towards the end of the season worth double points? There's all sorts of questions to be answered there. Yeah, but I've technically got a game in hand and I'm still three clear. Every week, no, listeners now saying justice for John. Well, they've realised, actually, they've realised that if they want to get on and get a mention, then they go, hashtag Justin Pinyon.

Coming tiresome. Anyway, let's move on because we've still got the glossary. We've still got the glossary to do. And also, I quite like this. And actually, listening back to the John Helm edition, I did hear, the original piece of correspondence, I think it was, or the latest piece of correspondence from one of our listeners called Reese. And we have some more Reese news,

because Reese in East London has sent us a WhatsApp to 08,000. 289369 and then says, DSTCV, I'm writing to respond to the lovely message from my fellow Reese that you read out last week. I absolutely agree that it's wonderful how your podcast has brought your listeners together. And I love their suggestion of the two of us being like Venger and Ferguson, even more so when you suggested we both hang out in the Reese's Rolvers pub, which I hope is a reality somewhere in the world. In answer to Ian's question of who we support, I'm a West Ham fan, says this, Reese, and have been since I was a kid in the 90s.

I can just about remember signing the likes of Teddy sharing and Ian Wright, and when Dagenham Motors used to be the front-of-shirt sponsor. So perhaps going forward, I can be the 90s West Ham, Reese. I can't wait to hear who my fellow Reese supports, unless it's Tottenham. How awkward. from 90s West Ham, Rees. And then, lo and behold, look who sent us a voice note. Hi, guys, this is the other Rees from East London here. Thank you for featuring the correspondence between myself and my namesake on the podcast

over the last couple of weeks. Who knows there may be more Reeses from various parts of London or the country out there who want to join our TCV Rees Collective. Ali, thank you for asking. I am a West Ham fan, which has been quite torturous over the last time. couple of weeks. Hopefully, yeah, he may also be a Hammers fan. How about that? They are both West Ham fans, both East, both East London, both West Ham fans and both probably from the 90s or thereabouts. How are we going to distinguish between them? We're going to need them to get back

in touch. Maybe they've got different hair colour, different shoe size. Well, surnames. surnames could be one way of distinguishing them year of birth year of birth could be another one that's true yeah so there we are good like that that's good that isn't it bringing people together Jim we are yeah we are the world

now it is time for the great glossary of football commentary as we add commentary terms and phrases to our collection and you can find the entire glossary if you look when you find it BBC sounds. It is in what we call the episode description. So if you scroll down, they are all there, all of the terms. So we go division one for football exclusive terms, and division two for terms used in football commentary, but also used in other sports. So last week we put lollipop and half time in the tie into division one. We were struggling

to think of other sports with two-legged matches where you might use half-time in the tie. Craig and Ayesha has sent us this. Hi guys, big fan of the podcast, love the commentator's view, but I'm going to need to be that guy, I'm afraid. As a writer and commentator in British ice hockey, it's actually used for cup ties in our sport too. In the Elite League Challenge Cup quarterfinal in semifinals, then later in the play of quarterfinals, the ties are played at a home and away basis, with the winner decided on aggregate. So I'm really sorry to be a party pooper on this one,

but it's got to be a Division 2 entry based on that. Thank you very much, Craig. And similarly, Doncaster fan Matt also says, I want to bring to your attention the oft-overlooked world of ice hockey where the Challenge Cup semi-finals and the playoff quarterfinals are both played over two legs.

There's a huge Sheffield Steeler supporter. It's not uncommon for me to hear head coach, Aaron Fox, or in-house commentator, the wonderful Jonathan Fernley described the end of the first leg as being half time in the tie. The phrase must therefore, unfortunately, be demoted to Division II,

keep up the good work. That is top work from our listeners, keeping us bang on track. Just shows you how difficult it is to get something into Division I. Chris in Bournemouth has got in touch as well and says British Speedway Cup meetings are over two legs. And he says, shout out to my dad Shads, who's been texting the results of each heat

for over 20 years of the British Speedway Cup meeting. So, you are saying there, Chris, that half-time in the tie, yeah, comes into the Speedway too. Have you ever been to Speedway? No. I haven't.

No. But I think in my early days, certainly in local radio, we would do the Speedway results. And I think in my early days when I did the Bulletin's on Five Live, I think we included the Speedway scores in there as well. Really?

Can you remember team names? Cradley Heath. They're not called the, you know, the somethings somethings. Oh, what's the one that I'm thinking of? Oh, hang on, there's one a pit. Peterborough Panthers, apparently. That's the kind of thing I was thinking of. Yeah, yeah.

Peter Panthers, yeah. That would have been a low-scoring clash of the commentators, I think. New suggestions. Will from St. Andrews, beautiful St. Andrews, says, listening to the commentary of Bournemouth versus Crystal Palace on Sunday John Acres used a phrase to describe the effort by Lurma to try to defend Evan Nielsen's header. I'd be really disappointed with that Crystal Palace

to concede from a set piece, free header for Evan Nielsen really poor from Jefferson Lurmer. I mean you're right Danny, that was extraordinary, wasn't it? You know, you talk about, it's a bit of a 50-p head job, isn't it? I mean, what is going on? It's just headed it in completely the first. wrong direction. Danny Gabbard on with John Acres and Will says

I don't know if 50P head is already in the glossary but I can't think of it being included in commentary and of any other sport could also be a pub name much like the Queen's Head pub 50P head. I like 50P head. I like it because it just

it describes it perfectly doesn't it? You're trying to head it in one direction but it's obviously come off the edge of the coin and gone flying the other way I think it's I mean that's that is division one isn't it Would we use that anywhere else? I can't. No, I can't think. Using it in any other sports?

So probably Division I won. Can I lob a couple in? One's not strictly glossary, but it tickled me. So I was listening last Saturday. I was listening to Mark Weber, who was doing updates from one of the League 2 games as that season finished in dramatic fashion. And obviously with lots of permutations going on,

in his preview piece, he said, you don't need to be Rachel Riley to do the maths on this one, dot, dot, dot, which brought a smile to my face because I would always go, and Rachel Riley is obviously the right name to use there, because she's been on countdown for a long, long time. Now, is the incumbent, it has been for a while, but I would still say Carol Vorderman. So which is the correct one? Is there a correct one?

Or does that just depend on, I mean, which would you go with? Or are we just showing our age? Because, you see, I would say you don't need to be Carol Vorderman, but, but you should probably say you don't need to be Rachel Riley, but what do you think? I would go Carol Vorderman. Yeah. That's a little bit like they're being stopped for speeding, isn't it? Who do you think you are?

What, ready or new? Ready on New? I wasn't necessarily thinking ready on it. You know, it would be who do you think you are based on which was the leading British driver of the time? That's right, yeah. Who do you think you are? Sterling Moss? Who do you think you are?

James Hunt? who do you think you are Nigel Mansell that's right that's right yeah I do enjoy those or calm down so and so whichever field

you're purporting to be an expert in alright calm down whoever it is yeah those are good those are very good the other one it would currently cause who do you think

you are Landon Norris you haven't hold on John you haven't you haven't nailed your colours to the mast yet would you go Rachel Riley or Carol Vorderman um

do you know that's a real you could go, yeah, I think you could go either there. Because they both did for such a long time. Johnny Ball.

Johnny Ball, John for you. Think of a number. The other one, the other one I must bring up his set. I'd probably, it would probably be Ford of one then, yeah. Okay. By the way,

I very much enjoyed getting a mention in for my favourite weather forecaster Louise Leah the other night. Where did you do that? Because, do you remember when we went to well you do because it was only a couple of weeks ago

Madrid and we had the doom laden forecasts and it was like a big issue the night before there was a storm warning from Madrid this could have major implications for the first leg of the semi-final there could be thunder lightning torrential rain there was nothing apart from a slight breeze so I suggested that maybe they need to do some work in the Spanish meteorological office

and that in Spain they're no Louise Lear or Carol Kirkwood or Carol Kirkwood Well so there you go There's a good clash of the commentators category TV weather broadcasters Forecasters

No but the other one I wanted to bring up Was Phil Zentner Our engineer Phil Who always lobbed brilliant things Into this podcast And the one he said to me the other day Was The word managerless

So you describe a football club As being managerless But we never use that in any other walk of life. You know, and the example Phil gave to me was, if your local supermarket was sort of looking for a new manager, you wouldn't describe it as the managerless Tesco, would you? Where else do we use managerless?

Is it only in football? That's a really good observation, I think. I'm happy to put that into Division I am. Yeah. I mean, it might be other sports. Would you use it in other sports? Probably. Probably.

Okay, let's put it in there for now. Let's put it in there. Yeah, let's do it. Because they wouldn't have said that. Because it seems like now we're the only ones, aren't we, who talk about managers, as opposed to coaches. You know, abroad, they always talk about coaches. So in other sports, they probably talk about coaches rather than managers. So we'll put it into Division I.

And let's round off with this lovely voice note from Liz, who is a Liverpool and Coventry fan from Warwickshire. Hello, John, Ian and ABB. It feels rather strange to be messaging having finally caught up with your back catalogue. mostly while out for a run or on a walk with our dog Harvey, the cavapoo. I did wonder what I'd let myself in for when the first episode I heard was with John Hunt and it gave me an earworm for the whole of my long run. Despite that, Nuno Risperito Santo really made me smile and have been a fan ever since. Your words and stories nowadays have filtered into our family life

and my eight-year-old daughter Phoebe often exclaims flipping eggs when something has gone a bit wrong. I found myself listening to Saturday afternoons on Five Live through different. ears knowing Claire and her team will be working so hard in the background and I've even listened to golf commentary not being a golf fan and really appreciated the craft of you and your colleagues locally much of the talk and excitement has been about Coventry's longer waited return to the Premier League and their success despite the lack of a parachute payment despite not being perhaps an actual commentary term could it be a contender for the glossary perhaps even entering the top tier

like the Sky Blues will be I leave that to your expert opinions. P.S. John, you were robbed. Munch, consume and the others you said were all excellent choices and you were right to be annoyed. Hopefully you can get your own back next season. Bye. Well Liz, it's not over yet this season. You were enjoying that Ian, weren't you, until... Yeah, Liz's let herself down there. No, that was lovely Liz, wasn't it? It was. It was. Thank you, Liz. Yeah, much, much appreciated. Part from the last bit. enjoy hearing flipping eggs again. Flip an egg.

Yeah. That comes from Rossio in Mexico. Did it? That's well. Yeah, she, yes, who speaks brilliant English. But just got hold of flipping egg. Couldn't work out what flipping egg was and thought it was flip an egg. So she used to say flip an egg and then it's just stuck because it's just so good, flipping egg.

It's so much better than flipping egg. So it's thanks to her that we've got that one. Very good. Right. So, to summarize the glossary for this week, half time in the tie

has very much been relegated to Division 2. Parachute payment would probably have to be Division 1, isn't that? I don't think you'd have

parachute payments in any other sport? I doubt it. Probably couldn't afford it. And 50P head and managerless are being put into Division 1.

Hooray! So that's about it from this week, although our producer Nathan has been beavering away, and he's been looking up listeners from Brazil, and we have Zhuao from West London, who grew up in Brazil. We've had Corey, who at the time of writing, was currently studying in Brazil, and we've had Adam in Rio de Janeiro. So, yes, we have had Ian at least one listener. in Brazil. So watch them now, though. We'll get a torrent of correspondence from Brazil. But didn't you say one of them was in London? So we've had a two in Brazil.

Yes, but I grew up in West London. Grew up in Brazil. By the way, I've just, I've just googled what, I didn't know what flip was in Spanish. Voltaireuevo is flip an egg in Spanish. With an egg. Voltairevo. Do keep the unintended club names and glossary suggestions. coming in to TCV at bbc.co.uk or you can send us a message or a voice note on WhatsApp to 08,289-289-369. Do as many listeners have done and tell people about the commentators view if you enjoy it recommend it to them, suggest they listen and of course as we always say you too you may enjoy this but we like to think we're

supposed to do our best work when we're actually commentating on football matches. So at this very exciting time of the season, do have a listen to the various commentaries that we are providing on Five Live and BBC Sounds. But 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. And I sent it to a friend of mine who then said, have you seen the Adidas World Cup advert? Have you seen that? No.

And that also, it features Timothy Chalibur. Not Chalibah. Is he related to Nathaniel and Trevor? There are actually three Chalabas. Did you not know that? Who's the third one? Timothy. Nathaniel.

Well, there's four in there. Timothy Chaladette. Five live sports. BBC Women's Football Weekly. The latest news, insights and analysis from across the women's game. Dame Serena Vigman. Are we including Dame in your title now? You know how much an honour that is?

I'm Israel! You want to play in a way that they can show their skills, so that's what we're trying to do. Win the World Cup. It's a dream. Listen. With the BBC Sounds app.