Football Daily - The Commentators' View: Hospital pass & boxing is back

Episode Date: November 28, 2025

Ian Dennis returns alongside John Murray & Ali Bruce-Ball to talk travels, football and commentary. Steve Bunce joins the pod with boxing returning to BBC primetime television this weekend for the first time in 20 years. Clash of the Commentators returns. Plus your unintended pub names and the Great Glossary of Football Commentary. Suggestions welcome on WhatsApp voicenotes to 08000 289 369 & emails to [e-mail]01:10 Ali excited about his new purchase 03:40 The In-Form Ian Dennis 05:40 Premier League commentaries this weekend 09:35 Champions League format ‘not right’ 14:15 Where is Liverpool’s next win coming from? 20:25 Unintended pub names from sport commentary 26:35 Steve Bunce joins the pod to talk boxing 35:35 Clash of the Commentators 42:20 Great Glossary of Football Commentary 49:30 An observation from Jamie and Oliver5 Live / BBC Sounds Premier League commentaries: Sat 1500 Man City v Leeds, Sat 1500 Sunderland v Bournemouth on Sports Extra, Sat 1730 Everton v Newcastle, Sun 1405 West Ham v Liverpool, Sun 1405 Aston Villa v Wolves on Sports Extra, Sun 1405 Nottingham Forest v Brighton on Sports Extra 2, Sun 1630 Chelsea v Arsenal.Glossary so far (in alphabetical order):DIVISION ONE Bosman, Couldn’t sort their feet out, Cruyff Turn, Dead-ball specialist, Fox in the box, Giving the goalkeeper the eyes, Head tennis, Hibs it, In a good moment, The Maradona, Olimpico, Onion bag, Panenka, Rabona, Schmeichel-style, Scorpion kick, Spursy, Tiki-taka, Where the kookaburra sleeps, Where the owl sleeps, Where the spiders sleep. DIVISION TWO Ball stays hit, Business end, Came down with snow on it, Catching practice, Cauldron atmosphere Coat is on a shoogly peg, Come back to haunt them, Corridor of uncertainty, Easy tap-in, Daisy-cutter, First cab off the rank, Good leave, Half-turn, Has that in his locker, High wide and not very handsome, Hospital pass, Howler, Johnny on the spot, Leading the line, Nutmeg, One for the cameras, One for the purists, Played us off the park, Purple patch, Put their laces through it, Rolls Royce, Root and branch review, Row Z, Screamer, Seats on the plane, Show across the bows, Stramash, Taking one for the team, That’s great… (football), Thunderous strike. UNSORTED 2-0 is a dangerous score, 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, Coupon buster, Cultured/Educated left foot, Denied by the woodwork, Draught excluder, Elimination line, Fellow countryman, Foot race, Formerly of this parish, Free hit, Goalkeepers’ Union, Goalmouth scramble, Good touch for a big man, 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, Park the bus, PK for penalty-kick, Postage stamp, Put it in the mixer, Rasping shot, Red wine not white wine, Relegation six-pointer, Rooted at the bottom, Route One, Roy of the Rovers stuff, 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, Towering header, 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, We’ve got a cup tie on our hands, Winger in their pocket, Wrap foot around it, Your De Bruynes, your Gundogans etc.

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. Bring more gear, carry more passengers, face greater challenges. Welcome to the world of Defender, with seating up to eight, ample cargo space and legendary off-road capability. It's built to make the most of every adventure. Learn more at landrover.ca. The commentators view on the Football Daily with Alistair Bruce Ball, John Murray and Ian Dennis, Hello, welcome to the Football Daily. I'm Ian Dennis, and this is the commentators' view where we five live commentators talk football,

our travels and the language of football commentary. And after a two-week break, I am back, but the ever-present's remain. Ali Bruce Ball and correspondent John Murray. Well, it's nice to have you back. It feels like a long time that you've not been with us. You had that big gap at the start of the season as well, didn't you? Did I have a gap at the start of the season?

so yeah. It feels like quite a long time since we've recorded one of these podcasts and it is because the one we did last week with Jonathan Agnew we recorded right at the start of the week so it comes out on a Friday but we recorded it on a Monday so it's almost been two weeks since we actually recorded one of these and obviously

England managed to lose the first test in the space of two days. That's right, he passed under that bridge between the time we recorded it and when it actually went out and by the time that it went out it felt like ancient history Here's a question for the pair of you at the start of this podcast. What purchased do you think I've just made that connects to our job that would have me rather excited? So I've not replaced this item for, I think, a good four or five years, but a new one has arrived yesterday and it's going to get its first runout at West Ham Liverpool on Sunday. A pair of slippers? I would suggest it's something heated. It's close. I don't go for the heated version. It is just a new coat, a new winter coat. I've

not replaced my winter coat for a long time and that's so important to a football commentator and I'm so excited about it are you and you're trying it out at west ham for the first time yes okay yeah yes well I might wear it around the house John before that just to snuggle in it but is it a sheepskin cold no it's not I knew you were going to ask that no it's very it's very boring it's very functional it's dark blue like most of my clothes it's warm we have we're very knee-length, he's not silly. You and I are very much the dark blue brothers, aren't we?

We are, yeah. The other thing is... Our producer Gary here, you say that. He thought he was part of the Czechier twins. Because the two of you're forever wearing Czech shirts. The thing I've learned about buying new coats is that in our job, I don't know about you,

you cannot have a coat that's too big. Because so many commentary positions, are tight. If you have a coat that's too big and also the summariser is wearing a big coat, there's not enough space. That's true. I agree with that. Altrafford, which is possibly one of the tightest commentary positions, especially if the presenter decides to present from there as well. We're all squeezed into a row of six. And if I'm wearing my big, thick, chunky, padded coat, I actually can get quite irritated because I feel restricted. You'd feel restricted, yeah. It's not the presenter. who decides whether to present from there,

incidentally. It's the editorial team. Well, I'm not sure about that. There are some presenters who think they're editors. Really? Yeah. I'd not heard that. Well, that's quite a statement, Ian. Yeah. Anyway, you can send your WhatsApp and your voice notes

to 08,289-369. We've got the emails, of course, to TCV at BBC.co.uk. You didn't do clash the commentators last week, but that will be back by popular demand on this episode, and we will also, of course, be doing our unintended pub names. And speaking of which, Ross, H.M. Ambassador to Estonia, greetings from the Baltics.

I bet it is Baltic as well there. Still loving the podcast. For your accidental pub names, how about one you previously mentioned on the pod in Clash of the Commentators, the Informed Ian Dennis. I've attached an AI mockery cup, I think it's nicely

meta to have a pub name from the show itself. I've got to say that doesn't look anything like me. Do you not think? I think that's a good likeness. It looks like the character out of pretty woman. You know, the lawyer for Richard Gere, what was he called?

Yeah, I do know who you mean. I'm struggling to think that. Yeah, I'm struggling to look at that character. That's a random look like you pick there. Yeah. Do you not think that looks like him, Alley? Well, he hasn't got a stubble. He's not got grey hair. He's got more hair than I've got, actually. And he's chubbier than I am as well.

He looks, the image, I mean, he looks like you are in. He looks like a genuinely lovely, welcoming, comely fellow. It does. You know, I think they've definitely got that bit right. I think it's the spitting image. Can we rewind the bit where I said he's chubier than me as well, that you meant to say, yes, he is? Because I just looked on the Zoom session.

Ali, you were motionless. And John, you just started giggling. I thought it was quite funny how close a likeness Ross had managed to find to you, that's all. Anyway, Ian, who, you were in great form

in Clash of the Commentators before your mid-season break and you were at the top of the table but you have lost the last two both against Ali and the in-form Ian Dennis falling on hard times we might soon have last orders

at the inform Ian Dennis. Well, if you're drinking in there I'm going to start calling closing time very soon. Anyway, before we talk about our adventures and the games we've been to in the week, let's just run you through our five live Premier League commentaries this weekend. I'll be joined by Chris Sutton for the 3 o'clock commentary in the usual Gold Service, Manchester City against Leeds United.

You must show the pub sign to Chris and ask him if he thinks that it looks like you. That's a good idea. Yeah, okay, yeah. Remind me to do that, not. Sundland-Bormouth is the alternative on Sports Extra also at 3 and then Everton, Newcastle is our commentary after Sports Report at 5.30. Ali, you're joined by Clinton and your new coat.

West Ham United against Liverpool. What a huge game that is. That's at 5 past 2. We'll also offer Aston Villa Wolves on Sports Extra and also at 5-past 2 on Sports Extra 2, which is a streaming service through BBC Sounds, Nottingham Forest against Brighton and Hovalbion and then the small matter of

Chelsea against Arsenal John and Tat Nevin Well maybe we'll talk about that in a moment But why five past two suddenly Because isn't there an earlier game You're right, there's a midday kickoff And so the TV bosses would have decided That they want that to finish

A little bit of buffer Before going into five past two Not that the schedule of course is dictated by television at any point. Perish the thought. Yeah. I think,

incidentally, on Tuesday and Wednesday night on Five Live, we will be around the grounds because there's midweek Premier League action on Tuesday and Wednesday, so we'll have that covered as well on Five Live. I think Chelsea Arsenal is a Premier League match

that I'm looking forward to more than I have won for quite a while. You mean that particular matchup between those two clubs? Yeah. Yeah. So do you think, John, because you've just watched Arsenal

steamroller Tottenham in the North London Derby and do a really good job on Bayern Munich in the week. So do you think Chelsea will have enough to stand up to Arsenal? Well, at the same time, Ian, you saw them put in a very, very impressive display against an admittedly disappointing Barcelona on Tuesday night. But even so, winning 3-0 against Barcelona means that, I mean, they're in pretty good shape, aren't they coming into this match? And the margin of victory could have been far greater as well.

I thought they dominated, they controlled the game, and I have to say, and he scored a terrific goal, but Esteval, every time I've seen him in the flesh, and I heard Connor and Pat Nevin rave about him from the summer, and yet every time I've seen him, he hasn't disappointed. But they don't have a good record, do they, against Arsenal? They've not won, I think, in their last six. Yeah.

At home against Arsenal. Mind you, you know, that's history, isn't it? Yeah. That is history, and we're looking at, you know, I think looking at where they are now, but I just think whatever happens in this match it's going to be a really interesting outcome because obviously if Arsenal going

put in another statement performance there and stretch their lead at the top of the table I think just the belief as well that they'd get from doing that and you know to have a week where you've played the North London Derby possibly the best team in Europe right now the previously unbeaten by Munich

and then Chelsea at Stanford Bridge if they come out of those three with flying colours then I think the feel on Monday day morning will be well and it's not but the feeling will be well that's that then yeah the thing is about arsenal is that and you'll have seen it at first hand

in midweek is the strength in depth you know he made changes didn't he to take saccar off when it was still 1-1 yeah I just which you could do which you could do on wednesday because it wasn't even though that did again really enhance

their position because of the way that they won it in the powerful performance in the second half particularly. You know, really, as we said at the time in the commentary, I'm sure that was a planned change to make Bukkary Osaka to make the change because of the match coming up on Sunday. And I think that's what we're saying in the Champions League, isn't it?

With Harlan not starting for Manchester City, Volta Mata not starting for Newcastle. I think they all think, well, you know, this is, actually the Champions League is the opportunity to shuffle things around a bit. Yeah. And I heard you make the point, that very point, John, on Thursday morning,

on Five Live Breakfast, about the fact Arsenal, five wins out of five. Now, with the last three games, we'll use those games, to get players like Erdogard and Yoccarez and Havert and all these players who haven't even been playing for Arsenal in the last few weeks sort of back up to speed. And Madiwake, who's now back as well. So you're right, Ian.

I think this week they just keep proving at Arsenal. And Mikhail Artetta gets asked the question, doesn't he, after every game, is this the season? Are you going to go on and win this, win that and the other? and he keeps saying, well, as any football manager would, you know, we've got a tough week ahead and let's deal with what we've got in front of us. They just keep proving the point this season

and I don't see them being pipped at the Premier League title. And on a wider point, looking at the Champions League now, we're now into the second season of this league phase. I feel more strongly than ever before that it's not quite right this. And I don't think you'll ever get an ideal scenario in that the matches before you get to the knockout stage, however you do it, whether you do a league phase,

whether you do one group, two groups, I don't think you'll ever reach the kind of competitiveness that your wafer are looking for. It's almost like they want something to be resting on every match. But this is not ideal. And I think recently we've seen examples

where in the World Cup groups of four, how groups are four can be incredibly exciting. And also, they pit like Scotland, Denmark, groups of four will pit you matches against each other when everything's on the line that you won't necessarily get in a league of 36. And, you know, it's not gripping me. And also, at a point that I've always made,

it's not as fair when you have a league system and you don't play every team. And again, on Wednesday night, I was left thinking, as I have been, in this system thinking I'd love to now at some point see the other match

where Bayern Munich are at home to Arsenal and you don't get that in the league phase No but if Arsenal and Bayern Munich were in a group of four those two at this stage now would have already qualified

Well you say that Probably yes that is the case But were one of them to lose In a group of four Against one of the Inverted commas lesser teams Then you are chasing your tail Yeah I think

John, that's more likely to happen in international football, like you say, in qualifiers and at World Cups. I think the likelihood of those sort of results where the so-called bigger nation gets turned over is more likely to happen in international football. My memory of the group stages before

we got into the league phase was exactly what, as Ian was saying, was once you got halfway through a group, you know, or four games in, four out of six, the top two teams have won their first four, they're coasting. I accept that. I agree with that there's not an ideal, there's not an idea solution. I accept that in many of the

groups that was the case. But there would always be a couple of groups where it would be exciting. I think if the Newcastle group in the last season of groups of four, do you remember when they were in with PSG, Milan and Dortmund, I mean that was a thrilling group. Yeah. And it went to the last night

and Milan and Newcastle were playing each other. But that was the exception, wasn't it? Yeah, but I still think that that's better than what we have now. But if you think about Liverpool, they've still got work to do. They've got to go to Inter Milan. They've got a tricky away game in January in Marseilles. They're not home and hosed yet. So you don't think they're going to make it,

do you? Well, I think they might struggle to get the top eight. Yeah, well, but they will progress. Yeah, but there's, I mean, look at Juventus. Juventus are another team. There will still be, I think, come January, whatever it is, the 28th, 29th, there will be more jeopardy going into that final night than there would have been had we been still stuck with the previous format. There will around the point of 24 in the league. Yeah, but nobody wants to play those two additional games come February. Yeah, not just 24 John, but imagine, you know, sort of 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 trying to get into that top 8 as well, possibly. I'll tell you what, there's a question as well.

I mean, you talk about Liverpool definitely going to finish in that top 24. Where do you see Liverpool's next win coming from, John? And I was listening to you. In fact, I was reporting on PSG Spurs on Wednesday night while you were commentating. And as those goals were going in in the second half at Amfield, the surprise in your voice that I registered and I think everyone, it's not surprised now actually. It's not again, surely not again at home. Well, I was listening to Ian commentate on them capitulate against Nottingham Forest. Yeah.

I tell you what, Sunday will be an eagerly awaited day on five live because before, for that game that you're doing, John. Ali, you're going to be at West Ham. Yeah. And Liverpool go into that game on their worst run for 71 years. Arna Slott saying he will fight on. But he is under real scrutiny now. 90 defeats in 12.

The most defeats over a 12 game spell since the 1950s. Yeah. I was looking at this, just doing a bit of prep for the game. So the last time you would say that Liverpool found themselves in a situation like this in terms of questioning the manager's position was the second season after Brendan Rogers had come very close to winning them the title. So he got another season after that, but Louis Suarez had gone and they finished sixth. And then the season after that, he was on a run of one win in nine games. They drew a

Merseyside Derby against Everton and that was that. They made the change and Yergen Klopp came in. So that's 10 years ago. So it's not since then that they've been in this sort of position where they're on this sort of run that has you asking questions like that. I think the thing that strikes me, well, there's definitely a loyalty thing as in can you really, can you really get rid of a manager

who's won you the title only a few months ago. But the other thing that strikes me is he keeps coming out after matches and saying, and I've seen it as well Ian, and you saw it against Nottingham Forest first half hour, we're playing well in patches.

And that there are, there are bits in games where Liverpool are playing well. But as soon as they go behind at the moment. I mean, Stephen Warner picked up on it in the BBC analysis on Wednesday. Last couple of goals they conceded against PSV. I mean, giving up is too strong, but just the collective belief, desire, spirit, everything just seems to have sapped out of that team. Well, they've lost three consecutive games in all competitions by a margin of three or more

goals for the first time since 1953. And there must be something wrong with the confidence levels of the players. Because if you look at their record, they've played 20 games this season. They've scored first in 10, and they're unbeaten when they've scored the opening goal. And indeed, they started well, as you say, Ali against Forrest last week. McAllister had a shot, good blocked by Anderson. In the 10 games where they've conceded first, only on one occasion have they come from behind to win, and that was Eintrack Frankfurt. So that tells me that Once they go behind, there's something wrong with the confidence levels of the players. There has to be something fundamentally wrong for them to be so brittle, so fragile, so vulnerable when they concede first.

But didn't Liverpool have a big drop-off in the season after they finally won the title again in 2020? So 20-2020. And, you know, I've had to look back at this. And it is not unusual by any means for a club at a team. to have a significant drop off the season after they won the league. And it happened to Manchester City. You know, in recent times, it's happened. You know, if you think back to when Leicester City won the league,

the way that it dropped off for them, the way that if you go a little bit further back, Blackburn, Leeds United, I remember, you know, I remember Leeds United, the season after they won the league, the question being asked, and with Blackburn, you know, whether they were actually going to be able to stay in the top division the season after. And I think sometimes you underestimate the effort and what it takes out of a group of players

to put in the kind of season that they did last season. Then you throw in the death of Diego Jota, which, you know, I do feel always has to be mentioned with this. And then clearly the manager, you know, which at the time we thought was going to make them the strongest team in Europe by a million miles when they spend 400 million pounds plus on new players. you know, it's just been, all of that has led to where we are. Yeah, you're right, John. There's a huge combination of factors there. And also, actually, just looking at the backline at the moment,

you know, Allison's missed nine of the last 10 games. Trent Alexander Arnold is left. They haven't got to fit right back. So that's Jones or Sobisly playing at right back. Kerkers hasn't settled, but has started most of the Premier League games. And Karnate and Van Dyke, I wouldn't just say Karnate, Karnati and Van Dyke have not been at their best. well the drop off for Van Dyken Sala

to the most important players cannot be understated either yeah I also don't understand why Joe Gomez isn't being played it right back I think to keep putting Saboslai or Jones in at that position I think just not only you haven't got a recognised defender

in that position but it also weakens the midfield because Savoslai has been possibly one of Liverpool's better players this season so in this instance do you guys feel that so West Ham away on Sunday In every game they go into now, you know, big eyes on it because, crikey, when are they going to get the win? When are they going to turn this around?

Let's say they do get a win. Do you see them suddenly clicking into gear and putting five or six wins together? Or do you think this is going to be a season where they are just going to go up, down, up down, all the way through, possibly get top four? I don't know. How do you see it playing out? I just feel they are too – something will happen. They are too good a group of players not to find some form. somewhere this season and as I mentioned on five lives during the course of the week were they

even to find a way through into the knockout stages of the champions league they could yet be dangerous opponents in that competition when the league when the league has gone for them and the champions league is something they can really focus on we actually might hear some of the Liverpool forest commentary here as we venture into our unintended club names from sport commentary once again we have been inundated with these so thank you very much the WhatsApp and voice notes to 08,000, 289369, the emails to TCV at BBC.co.uk. Last week's highlights, the flying so-check,

the naughty chair, and the commentator's view, which I actually quite like that one. This week, let's start with this one, which has come in on the old WhatsApp thingy. This is Matt from Dersley in Gloucestershire, the swiveling Gakpo. A swiveling Gakpo with a header that drops off target and out for a goal kick.

That would be, I think, a cheeky little wine bar, lots of Malbex. Definitely somewhere I would go. The Swivelling Gakpo, I have an image of one of those high barstool, sort of like just, you know, no other tables. You've just got to sit at the bar. Yeah. On a swiveling gapo? On a swivelling gagpo. Craig says, I always enjoy hearing the unintended pub names.

I have one for you from the Preston Blackpool. Burn game when Preston were attacking. The commentator referred to the Preston Repost, which I thought was quite clever, and would work with the pub being in Preston and being the main place for the locals. Keep up the good work. The Preston repost.

On the mention of Preston, our colleague Paul Fletcher got in touch with me this week on the unintended pub names, Preston fan, and he says, by the way, it's not quite the Phantom Whistler. So do you remember the Phantom Whistler was one of our pubs? But there is a pub in Preston,

named after the peerless Tom Finney called the Phantom Winger. Of course, yeah. That is a genuine Preston Pub, the Phantom Winger. There we are then. By the way, who says that we don't appeal to a younger audience? 15-year-old Ewan has been in touch from Hartford, so thank you, Ewan, for listening.

Hello, Ali, John and Ian. I was listening to Ian's brilliant commentary of Nottingham Forest v. Liverpool, and I couldn't help but notice an unintended pub name. We're inside the last 60 seconds. Sala gets away from a stumbling Williams and Sala in the area and he actually goes towards the near post with the outside of his left boot. He says, I imagine the Stubbling Williams as a packed high street club in the city of Nottingham, popular after a hard-fought win at the city ground. Love the pod, keep it up.

Ed in Maidstone says there was an unintended club name from Alistair Bruce Ball on Sunday in the Leeds Villa match. Coming up to 13 minutes played, Luca Dean is there, Bwendoia is there for Aston Villa. You can see Buendia's shirt just being tugged in the chilly breeze in Yorkshire here this afternoon. Leeds have one man in the bright white shirt down as the draft excluder behind the wall. Lucas Perry is trying to...

So Ed continues, the chilly breeze. Somewhere to take refuge from the weather with a roaring fire. The chilly breeze. Do you enjoy your trip to Ellen Road, Ali? I love going there, John. I love going there, yes. It is a very atmospheric football ground.

And actually, it is somewhere. have a lot of space, isn't it, up on the gantry, where we're a little to the left of the halfway line. And the opening goal that was scored in that game, our monitors weren't working, and it was a way to the right. And I think I had three goes at the goal scorer before I actually got it correct. But I did get the right team scoring. So I do like it there, John. I do like it. I mentioned it there, by the way, it's the draft excluder. Have we proposed that? How have we not said that one yet? The draft excluder. we've mentioned this already last week of course was our ash's special episode with jonathan agnew and you can still catch that on the football daily feed in reference to that tim from northern ireland's written in i love the pod and i enjoyed listening to the most recent episode whilst driving down to the aviva stadium in dublin with my dad to watch island play south africa in the rugby they couldn't sort their feet out was put forward as a possible glossary injury and jonathan agnew mentioned insamam or hack famously getting his feet tangled up whilst batting at headingly describing him going down

like a felled elephant. In Zamammalhack famously did so at Headingley one time and went down like a felled elephant. I couldn't help but think that this would make an excellent pub name. I'm heading down to the felled elephant for a pint of bitter.

Keep up the good work and thanks also to Gary in Ireland who sent that one in. Definitely, definitely. If you couldn't sort your feet out you'd end up in the Stumbling Williams. And couldn't sort their feet out last week came from Richard in Stockport. and Richard has got back in touch and says, Thank you for making my Friday.

Just listen to the episode with Agers and was absolutely chuffed to hear you run, couldn't sort their feet out past him. I'm an absolute cricket badger, says Richard. And to hear my suggestion be dismissed by Agers was brilliant. And a huge footy fan as well, he says, Love Your Commentaries and the podcast. And Steve in Chelmsford, listening to Day One of the Ashes,

I heard about a great pub down in Western Australia when Steve Smith was in a spot of bother. He is bowling well. Pass the umpire now. To bowl to Smith and Smith ducks underneath that one. A flapping duck, Smith. Shut up. The bat was up periscope.

Quick. Sometimes it hits it on the way through, but actually it's just a bit wide over his back and through to the keeper. We've gone from a cricket badger to a flapping duck. And if you spot an unintended pub name in football or cricket, the commentary, then do let us know. TCV at BBC.com.com.

or WhatsApp to 08,000, 289-39369. And I must just mention, Ian, one that I heard the other night from Chris Coles after the Newcastle match. Barnes' goal had given Newcastle the early lead, but within five minutes of the game restarting after the break, Newcastle were behind, or Bamayang twice, rounding a reckless Pope for the first, poking in at the front post for the ultimate winner.

The reckless pulp. I thought, that is a pub name. The reckless pulp. I've got to say you've just gone and ruined my link name. because I was about to then say if you hear an unintended pub name in football, cricket or indeed boxing because this weekend

we've got live professional boxing returning to BBC primetime television for the first time in 20 years and Five Lives Boxing. Steve Bunce is with us to tell us more. Morning boys and girls. One thing, in boxing we wouldn't necessarily have pubs

but we'd have kind of, I don't know, sort of trendy bar sort of brazzery-style places. Yeah, no, no, just in a way, not really. Now, we try and move on from there in a ridiculous way because we believe we can move on. So we'd have things like, we're back. Back with you.

Old friends reunited. I mean, we don't go for sense with things like the Nax Head or the Jockey. No, we'd have something silly like that. We'd ruin it. Let's put it that way. What was that great pub you took me to just south of the river? In Lambeth. Yeah.

I think it was called the pineapple in, Lambeth Way, not to be confused with Lambeth Walk, and it was a stone's throw from where William Blake, the great poet and seditionist from the late 18th into 19th century live, because if you're going to go to a boxing pub, if you're going to go to a boxing pub in the inner London, at least go to one close to where a guy wrote fine poetry. That would be my reasoning, you understand.

Steve, tell us about this heavyweight title clash that you're going to be watching in Derby. BBC boxing back, 2005 was the last fight, but we're back in a new arena about, 4,000 people in Derby for the vacant British heavyweight championship. And that's a great old bell. And it's a belt very much associated with BBC TV. We had all those years of Henry Cooper and different guys through the 70s.

And in fact, we even had Lennox Lewis and Gary Mason in 1991 at Wembley fighting for the British heavyweight title. It's a crown that still means something. And it's between a man just down the road from Derby in Bertrand, Fraser Clark, and a guy called Jamie TKV from London. And it's one of those, it's an old-fashioned fight. So there's not a lot of glamour, there's not a lot of glitz associated with it.

And in fact, it might be the ideal fight, the perfect pitch to reintroduce BBC viewers to boxing. 8 o'clock till 10 o'clock on a Saturday night, sandwich between all sorts of things. I guess all sorts of those famous Saturday night shows, match of the day for God's sake. I think that's a great spot and a great slot. However, I think it's true as ever, isn't it, Steve?

That, you know, if you are putting your face, on Terrestrial Television, you will become better known. You know what? Some of the people associated with some of the other companies that show boxing every Saturday night globally. They're really envious because they know we're just going to get this massive audience for this fight. And they're trying to play it down.

But as I've explained to people, lots and lots of times, the two men fighting for the British title aren't necessarily the best two men in the country. And that's how it's been traditionally, certainly since early 1970. Because the best man at that weight is generally in the running for a world title fight or perhaps involved in a world title fight. So you can't kick this fight in the teeth, so to speak, by saying, oh, they're not the best

too heavyweights in the country. So what? It doesn't work that way. Do they match up? Is there a bit of chemistry? Is there a little bit of needle? Is it genuine? Yes.

And is there a little bit of full Fraser Clark got a bronze medal at the Olympics in Tokyo, the odd Olympics that took place in 2021? So, I mean, we could get a massive audience. This could be the biggest audience of boxing since 2005 on any form of British television. Now, I don't know about you, but I'll fancy that. I tell you, this is the first time ever, ever, that I'm actually thinking about what I'm going to wear, whereas generally I just throw something on. Leave it undone to stir them and do my business.

Now I'm having to think about it. I was just about to say to you, Steve, do you change your style for television rather than radio? But I was thinking more from a broadcasting point of you rather than your attire. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, for a start, I always try and stand a little bit, you know, sideways, give them a little bit less to see. Rick Edwards is presenting it, and I've spoken to Rick, and I said, Rick, what I think you need to do, and I'm not teaching you to suck egg some, because you're a good presenter, is you need to take a leaf out of the John Invedal book.

Now, when we lasted boxing on the beat, John Inverdale was the presenter. And one of his famous questions to me was after an Audley Harrison win. Audley Harrison had dispatched somebody in about, I don't know, four rounds. hadn't taken a shot and the guy had fallen over like a sniper had got him from the top from Rose Ed

and John turned to me and it doesn't necessarily make good radio but you three guys might appreciate it and John turned to me and all he did was this and look of astonishment

on his face he raised his hands looked me in the eyes it was a question that said Buncee what did you make of that now I know that was a bit short as a question

but it perfectly summed up what needed to be said I could see Invidel doing that can't you see him doing it John yeah and also speaking of Italian Rick's going to have to have a little bit of a thing, isn't he? Well, I've told Rick, if he shows up without socks on,

which is famously popular at the moment, I will be bringing a pair of socks for him to put on. I'm not doing boxing shows with a sockless man. Let's put it that way. Should you just say as well that the coverage is from 6 o'clock, isn't it, Steve, on the eye player, before 8 o'clock on BBC 2? Absolutely.

We've got three, I think it's three or four fights on the undercar. Then we go live. Just on the commentator's role in boxing, Steve. So I absolutely love listening to my boxing on the radio, but you've got to be super quick to keep up with the action there and try and get the detail and decide what you're going to include and not include and when to bring the summarizers in and all of that. Does doing it on television actually make it slightly easier in...

I mean, it's a different scale, I know, but you can bide your time and let the pictures tell the story and then come in with the sort of the Bon Moe. Yeah, you should do, you know, it needs to breathe. You remember when Mick Costello, 4 million this parish, left us and went to the zone a few, you. years ago he was having to really think and so he was listening to some of the masters from the 70s and even from the 60s and how they dealt with television and especially as some of those

commentators had worked in radio before so he was trying to work out to change his pace but the one advantage that we have in boxing remember is something that you guys don't have you talked early on about being up in a way up in the stands we are there you know we do a thing where we hit the canvas to show how close we are so we can hear people if we're in one position we can generally i can reach my right arm out on my left arm out and touch the ankle of the boxer when he's sitting down in the corner so we can actually hear instructions we can we can see cuts men no further than say seven or eight or nine feet away from my eyes working on cuts so we so as much as we have to be faster and quicker and it's really it's in your face action we have got a terribly privileged seat

that's just staggering and stunning. And any of you guys that have ever been to fights or worked on fights with us, you get that close, and you sense it, you smell it, and you can really feel it. I mean,

certain positions, you know, in my 20, 30 years ago, when I was flying around or buzzing all over the country, covering the football, the lower leagues. I mean,

I was the king of McElsfield and stopped Paul. And you sent me a team that's gone into liquidation. I covered them in the 90s. trust me, so it's ridiculous. And I think about some of the positions that you're in there and some of the press seats that weren't really presses.

In boxing, you're there. Well, Steve, thanks for joining us. Hope it goes well. And once I'm back from Manchester City, I might just tune in and just to see what your attire is, let alone watch the action. So I hope you scrub up well. I'm thinking of a little green number.

Are you going to get a special haircut as well? No, there's no need for that. Well, you can see Rick Edwards, Steve and the team from 8 o'clock. That's the main broadcast. That will start on BBC 2, 6 o'clock on the BBC IPlayer, and there will be live text commentary as well from 7.30 on Saturday via the BBC Sport website and app. There's no commentary, incidentally, on 5 Live, but there will be commentary available on the radio as well.

BBC Radio Derby, which you'll be able to find through the BBC Sounds app as well. On the boxing grades, we're very fertile beings. we ought to be gentle with ourselves. To the ring's current superstars. I want to take their soul, and I just want to get the job done and walk out. Plus analysis and previews. Well, the whole build up 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 at 16. And I was burnt out by the time I was 20. Five live boxing with me, Steve Bunce. Drop done, what's next? With new episodes every week. Listen on BBC Sounds. To embrace the impossible requires a vehicle that pushes what's possible. Defender 110 boasts a towing capacity of 3,500 kilograms,

a weighting depth of 900 millimeters, and a roof load up to 300 kilograms. Learn more at landrover.ca. The commentates its view on the Football Daily with Alistair Bruce Ball, John Murray, and Ian Dennis. It is now time for a trip to the Informi and Dennis, everyone, because it is Clash of the Commentators, where two of us take turns to answer a question

and give as many correct answers as we can in 30 seconds. A bit like a cross between countdown and Mr and misses, for those who remember that. I thought we'd establish that I wasn't in form. It's actually Ali who's in form. Ali has won each of the last three matches to close within a point at the top of the table. So I'm five from seven. Ali, although he has admittedly played a game more,

four from eight, and John remains rooted to the bottom with two from seven. And in fact, I am rooting for John today. I need John to win this, even though he gets one closer to me, because then Ian doesn't get too further ahead. So the Mr. and Mrs. element to this is one of you is going to have to unplug

while the other one gives their answers. So it's Ian versus John today. I get to sit out. Who's going to go first here? There's a lot of pressure on Ian in this one, isn't there? Oh my goodness. I'll tell you what, I'll let you go first. Okay.

Okay. I'll unplug. No, actually, no, I'll change my mind. Okay. I'll go first. Oh, love that. I can tell you very much in two minds here. You're in a bit of a tiz.

I think this is going to be tight. Wait for a little plug first of all. No, I know. I'm not giving it. this is not going to be a landslide either way this is going to be tight i think this is going to be tight this one okay so i'm going to unplug now go away there we go i heard the click yeah headphones socket and john is showing it to the camera it is unplugged we're ready to go so this is ian in clash of the commentators liverpool ian we've been discussing them on the pod nine

defeats in their last 12 games their worst run since the 1950s liverpool at west ham is our first five live commentary of sunday afternoon and i need you to name any player to have scored against Liverpool in the last 12 games. In the last 12 games, so they've lost nine out of 12, but in any of those 12 games, and you will have commentated on a couple, I think, any goal scorer against Liverpool. Your time starts now.

Well, Marillo, Gibbs White. I can't think you've got the other goal. Harland. I'm not doing it well here. I can't think about a mental block. I think this is difficult. I saw this when I read this today and I thought, because we keep talking about 9 in 12,

but actually thinking of the specifics of those defeats, they don't come automatically. So let's wait and see what John does. I still don't think you're out of this, by the way. I still don't think you're out of this. Right, let's give John a wave. I'm back. Right, here we go, John.

Okay. We've been talking about it on the pod. Liverpool on their worst run since the 1950s, nine defeats in their last 12 games. Liverpool at West Ham is our first five live commentary Sunday afternoon. Clash of the commentators today, you need to name any player to have scored against Liverpool in that run of 12 games.

So they've lost nine of them but any player to have scored against Liverpool in those 12 games

okay? Your time starts now. Score against them. Try to remember who have seen that play against them? Oh

so Forrest last weekend Marillo did Hudson Adoy score last week and Own goals, of which there may be several.

Oh, God. I'm going to score against the... Well, I knew. I knew how difficult that was going to be, because when I saw that, I thought I would not do well on this, because we think about the running general. He's seen a lot more of their recent defeats than I have.

I didn't do well. Ian has won by getting three correct answers. how many own goals have they been? No, I don't think... The own goals aren't down here, actually, John, so I'm not sure there have been any. So Ian said Marillo Gibbs White, both from last weekend in the game that he did,

and Harland, which you must have done that game, John. He did. Man City being Liverpool 3-0, yeah. And, John, you said Marillo, but Hudson Adoy didn't score. It was the other double barrel. It was Gibbs White. And Savona, Ian, scored.

I'll be honest, I had a mental block I also couldn't think. And it was Till who used to play under slot, but I couldn't think of his name. And then after that, I was actually trying to think who else has beaten them in recent weeks. Exactly.

I know. It's difficult because the run goes back away. So if we go back, so Chelsea beaten 2-1, Cicado and Estavow scored, Manchester United won 2-1 at Anfield, and Bumo and Maguire scored. Liverpool won 5-1 at Frankfurt.

Christensen scored against them. If you got that one, I'd have given you the money myself. Brentford beat them three, two, Watar, Sharda and Tiago. I actually did the Palace game in the League Cup. Ishmael Sars scored two and Jeremy Pina. Might have got those possibly. Harland, Nico Gonzalez and Docu, doku with that wonderful right-footed curler from the edge of the box

to get the third in the city, Liverpool. Then the forest game, Marillo, Savona and Gibbs White. And then Perisich with the penalty on Wednesday night in the Champions League, Till Dreuech or however you pronounce that Dries

Disappointingly no on goals then I don't think so John I don't think so but even that wouldn't have been enough

because that would have only given you another Yeah but if there'd been three on goals No No you couldn't have

just said own goals and expected In fact Ishmael Sars scored against Liverpool in the league because Pallas

beat them two ones Sarant and Ketia and Victor Ossiem with a penalty for Galatasarai which you would have witnessed Ian

I did I did that on you yeah but what it means is the in for me and Dennis rediscovers his winning form

and moves too clear at the top of the table. I've got to say, that felt more like a stumbling Williams than an inform Ian Dennis. That was a really tricky question, wasn't it? Because you naturally think of Liverpool rather than the teams that have scored against them. Well, it means I extend my lead at the top as we jump straight to the great glossary of football commentary

where we add listener suggestions of commentary terms and phrases to our collection. Division 1 is for football exclusive terms, Division 2 for terms used in football commentary, but also used in other sports. Last week, our Division 1 entries were Johnny on the spot and couldn't sort their feet out. However, Ben from Cheltenham has written in. I am an avid listener to your excellent podcast, but I'm emailing regarding last week's glossary suggestion of Johnny on the Spot.

I am currently watching the Philadelphia Eagles play the Dallas Cowboys and Tom Brady, working as the summariser for Fox has just described Eagle's defensive player read Blankenship as Johnny on the spot due to his frequent key defensive plays

as a result I think this means we are now in firm division two territory up the Robbins so does Johnny on the spot get relegated Yeah I mean if for it so if the great Tom Brady is using Johnny on the spot

then then it's definitely got to go in division two That's brilliant I've never heard that in NFL To me, that that clearly came from America. That might be. Have you heard of Reed Blankenship before, John? Read Blankenship. That is, what a great... I wish...

If only he played in the Premier League. I remember being... This is many, many years ago. Unless I misremembering this, I remember a weather forecaster coming on in Florida and saying, hi, I'm Flip Spiceland. And I just think that's one of the best... That's one of the best...

The best names I've ever heard. Reed Blankenship gives that a run for its money though. Yeah, it does. Dave in Kingston, when a goalkeeper makes a save where they make themselves as big as possible, often in a leaping starfish style extending every limb, commentators nowadays often refer to this as a Schmichael-style save. This was actually used by Paul Robinson at Anfield

in the final moments of Forrest's great win on Saturday afternoon. Division 1, surely. Murillo's taken a really painful one. You can imagine where he's taking it, but it's a clear shot. Keezer actually and Marillo just throws himself in front

and Matt sells like a great big star Peter Schmeichael style takes one right in the midrift incredible block from the Nottingham Forest Central defender yeah he'll be wincing and his eyes will be watering

he was struck in the unmentionables and actually on the subject of Paul Robinson and you will enjoy this you too this week and I can't remember exactly why but I watched the original video of Shakira's World Cup 2010 song, Waka, Waka.

And you weren't in a karaoke bar, but who should appear in the official video of Waka Waka, Paul Robinson. It's briefly, briefly in it. Dancing? No, it's a piece of footage from Paul as England goalkeeper. What acclaimed to fame. What acclaim to fame that is.

and I cannot wait to mention that to him. Yeah, yeah, good. Don't worry, he listens. He does listen, John. Yeah, he does listen, he'll hear it. Will from Hampshire says, Hello, gentlemen, love listening to the pod each week while cycling.

I have an addition I would like to propose for the great glossary. A hospital pass. When someone passes the ball with not enough pace or accuracy, putting their teammate into a position where they have to stretch or wait for the ball, giving defenders time to close in, This results in the receiver, losing possession or being hit or tackled strongly, which can result in injury.

Keep up the good work and I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this edition. Also, Sally says, I love your podcast and look forward to listening while I'm walking. I heard the phrase hospital pass used by Ian Dennis and Paul Robinson. I wonder if this is a division one. And we've also had hospital pass from Kent Farmer Karim. Andy in Sweden Ian in California Matt from Michigan

and Adrian from jump in Barnsley It's Div 2 isn't it Because automatically rugby union Rugby League You'd have a hospital pass wouldn't you Where actually the end result Could be more painful Because if you get the wrong ball

You know if a centre gets lobbed a ball By the fly half And the opposition fella comes flying in at 100 miles an hour Then hospital passes definitely there But I think we even use it We could use it in broadcasting. If you get asked that, you know, that sort of nasty question you don't particularly want from the presenter?

Should Arna Slot be sacked? That sort of thing. You think, oh, thanks, thanks very much. That's a right hospital past that. Thank you. It's definitely Division II because my brothers were rugby players, rugby union players. And I remember my next brother up, Hamish, actually when I was a little boy and we would sort of mess around playing rugby, he would actually throw me the ball

or whatever it was that we're playing with and he would shout hospital pass as he would come crunching into me and taking me out so I remember hospital pass from very, very young days and it is definitely division two. We also noticed a lovely variation

on the hospital pass from Paul Robinson talking about Paris Saint-Germann Tottenham on Wednesday night's Champions League debrief podcast. 62 minutes they went toe to toe and then inexplicable defending the way that they tried to play out from the back Vicario's initial pass to Romero

and then he gives Sara a pass with a blue light on it into the centre of midfield easily dispossessed straight into Fabian Ruizu finished I heard that live that's good he's getting his own feature here Paul isn't he Paul's not only a regular listener he's a regular contributor Port Vale fan Dan gets in touch

while watching Manchester United against Everton on Monday night football on the telly Gary Neville described Everton's first goal as receiving the ball on the half turn, which made me think is the half turn a candidate for the rare double of being added to the great football commentary glossary and being an unintended pub name. Well, Dan, there's a question. The half turn. I think it would be division two though, wouldn't it? Half turn? Yes. Where else are you using that then? Would you know what was that in rugby as well? No, not that. No, no. Because you don't receive

the ball in rugby with your back to the tri-line, do you? You're always moving forward. The half-turn is receiving it as you're turning, isn't it? Sort of, you know, maybe hockey, maybe. I was just going to say the fallback here is, well, it's probably hockey. Well, it's such a similar sport to football, hockey, I think, in the way it's... Yeah, maybe. Maybe it's...

So in summary, Division 2, Johnny on the spot has been relegated from Division 1. We've got Hospital past the half-turn, and into Division 1, Schmechle style? I think so. Yeah. And let's finish with this from Jamie and Rotherham. An observation that both me and my brother Oliver have noted, particularly during John's

commentaries, is when he refers to the referee as a referee and then his surname. For example, referee banks and referee Brooks. It always makes us smile and if one of us is listening to a commentary and notices it, will often then message the other one as part of an ongoing trend. My brother, whilst listening to the Manchester City Liverpool game, recently messaged me during the match to tell me that John had just informed the listeners

that referee Kavanaugh was in charge of the match. Keep up the excellent work. That's a great spot that. I've never thought about that, but you do do that. It's very distinctive about your commentaries. I'm now going to be really self-conscious about the boats saying that. You won't. I don't think you will because I just think

that's so natural. Yeah. It's like you're talking about a judge. Yeah, it is. Yeah. And I think, I was actually thinking, why do I do that? And I think it might, you'd never do that on the television. And I think I do it with perhaps less well-known referees.

So you're not necessarily going to do it with Michael Oliver because you think, well, people know that they're the referee. But if it's one of the slightly less well-known, just to reference the fact that this person that you are referencing is the referee. But also, I don't think you'd do it with referee turpan in the challenge either, would you? You wouldn't. I think you'd only do it with UK refs. Referee Morschiniak.

I'm now going to do that on purpose. And I must say I'm quite touched by the fact that Jamie and Jamie and Oliver are the brothers. Yeah. But do you know what, though, I also think, John, just to finish on that, I do think that is the power of radio, isn't it? And just, you know, those brothers might live miles apart, continents apart, but have this thing that they share that revolves around you saying, I love that. I love that. I love that when that's sort of into families and into friends, that sort of thing. That reminds me, actually, when I heard this, when I read that, immediately took me back to the playground. when I was at school

and my school friends we would listen to Peter Jones commentating on the radio and whenever Peter used the phrase just over the bar which he did he used that a lot and we would come into school

the next day and we would say he said it last night just over the bar do you know Richard at West Hamer used to be at Watford Richard I had a night out with him recently did you so Richard and I think he's the only person that's...

No, I think Gary Flintoff, actually, our producer Gary, has also picked me up on it, but Richard used to enjoy it, is that apparently I always used to say, but I've cut it out now, leads by the goal to nil. Whenever he sees me, he says, ah, the goal to nil,

rather than a goal to nil. And I don't, I don't do it anymore, but that was one like that, the goal to nil. I don't think I've done that for ages, but... I always used to enjoy Roddy Forsythe, saying, nothing's a piece.

Yeah, that's a good little category actually, commentators, little peccadillos, foibles. Jamie and Oliver are going to be on Ref Watch this weekend when John does the top of the table clash. So thank you gentlemen for today. Don't forget you can keep the glossary suggestions coming in and remember if you hear an unintended pub name in a commentary, you can send it to TCV at BBC.com.

By the email, the voice notes on WhatsApp to 08,289-369. That's 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. On that image, I'd go into that pub. I'd think, yes. Yeah, I'll have a pint in there in the informy and dinner. I'd go into it, definitely.

Well, you'd go into most pubs. Oh, well. This winter, cricket's oldest rivalry is reignited. All right. Small is first ball. England and Australia, Do battle to compete for the Ashes. That is extraordinary.

Hear live ball by ball commentary on Five Sports Extra. And get analysis and reaction of every day's play with the Test Match Special podcast. The Stamps out of the ground. Test match special at the Ashes. Listen on BBC Sounds.