The Sound of Football

Defeat for Arsenal at the Etihad, has handed advantage to City in the title race. Is the dream over for the Gunners or are there still twists left in this season? Also this week we discuss the appointment of Marco Rose at Bournemouth (once Andoni Iraloa leaves in the summer), Marie-Louise Eta’s first game as Union Berlin’s interim head coach and the prospect or relegation to League One for Leicester City, just a decade after they won the Premier League. For more information on the podcast and links related to the subjects discussed, check out the Show Notes on our blog. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_651.mp3 What's in the Weekend Boxset? The FA Cup semi finals have the potential to be classics with resurgent City facing a Southampton side in unstoppable form, and a repeat of the 1970 final as Chelsea face Leeds. You can also see Marie-Louise Eta’s Union Berlin take on RB Leipzig on Friday night. Get our FREE weekly newsletter in your email by signing up to the Weekend Boxset today.

The Premier League has restarted after a lengthy break for internationals and the FA Cup with the run-in in full swing. With almost everyone in the top flight having something to play for, who is in the best shape to cope with a squeaky backside? Also we congratulate Jack Wilshere on his Luton side winning the EFL Trophy at the weekend, a competition some would say is blighted by top flight development sides taking part in it. This week the FA announced that it’s looking into allowing development teams in the Women’s National League, the tier below WSL2. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_650.mp3 What's in the Weekend Boxset? City look to pile the pressure of Arsenal's title chase when they host the Gunners on Sunday. There's also huge games at either end of Championship and a World Cup qualifier for the Lionesses. Get our FREE weekly newsletter in your email by signing up to the Weekend Boxset today.

How have four-time winners of the World Cup Italy got themselves into a position where they have failed to qualify for three consecutive tournaments? With UEFA also now questioning the country's suitability to co-host the 2032 Euros, how deep are the issues in Italian football? Also, after a weekend that saw Arsenal dumped out of the FA Cup to Championship opposition, fans of other clubs are hopeful that this signifies the Gunners are in meltdown. Why do so many neutral fans want to see Arsenal fail when the alternative is Manchester City? pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_649.mp3 What's in the Weekend Boxset? City can put pressure on Arsenal at the top of the table by getting the better of a fragile looking Chelsea, while Fulham look to take advantage of a Liverpool side in disarray. Get our FREE weekly newsletter in your email by signing up to the Weekend Boxset today.

Roberto De Zerbi has been given the task of saving Tottenham Hotspur from relegation, after Igor Tudor's time in charge of the club came to an end after just 44 days. The decision to hire De Zerbi has already proved unpopular among fans; is the club really that low on choices? Also this week, we discuss Roy Hodgson coming out of retirement to take charge at Bristol City until the end of the season, a club he previously managed 44 years ago. There's also the findings of the FSA's latest survey into fan dissatisfaction with VAR. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_648.mp3 What's in the Weekend Boxset? FA Cup quarter finals dominate the Easter weekend along with crunch ties in the Championship promotion race. Get our FREE weekly newsletter in your email by signing up to the Weekend Boxset today.

This week the Premier League handed Chelsea a £10 million fine for years of financial cheating under the ownership of Roman Abramovich. The fine equates to the difference in prize money for finishing one season in 12th instead of 8th. Retropsective punishment is a tricky thing, and there are definitely wrong ways of doing it. This week we saw Africa's governing body controversially strip Senegal of the Afcon title they won two months ago and hand it to the hosts Morocco. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_647.mp3

A crushing home defeat to Crystal Palace has pushed Tottenham closer to the edge of relegation. They are one of the most financially successful clubs in the world and were one of the driving forces behind the creation of the Premier League in 1992. Relegation seems unthinkable but is a very real possiblilty. But could there be a way out for them? If they do go down, at least it will be easier to finish among the play-off places in the Championship. From next season six teams will be involved in the post-season knockout. For more information on the podcast and links related to the subjects discussed, check out the Show Notes on our blog. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_646.mp3 What's in the Weekend Boxset? After an insane evening in Madrid, Spurs go to Liverpool to try and turn their league form around. Get our FREE weekly newsletter in your email by signing up to the Weekend Boxset today.

In the constant hunt for marginal gains, the introduction of dedicated set-piece coaches has allowed otherwise lower-mid-table clubs to thrive with goals from corners and long throws. But now the bigger clubs are following suit, is this development damaging the entertainment value of the Premier League? And, if so, should the lawmakers do something about it? And talking of lawmakers, in yet another move to change the laws to make VAR more palatable, Arsene Wenger's suggestion for relaxing the offside law is to be trialled in the Canadian Premier League, a league that doesn't even have VAR, let alone semi-automated offside detection. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_645.mp3 What's in the Weekend Boxset? It's FA Cup fifth round with Wrexham v Chelsea, Newcastle v City and Leeds v Norwich among the games on offer. Get our FREE weekly newsletter in your email by signing up to the Weekend Boxset today.

Palace fans have had their fill of Oliver Glasner now he's told them to stay humble. Terry was at Selhurst Park at the weekend to see for himself how humble the fans feel like being right now. Meanwhile Tottenham fans are facing up to the reality of being in a relegation scrap after another home defeat, this time in the North London derby. Also this week, we welcome back Gary Andrews for his thoughts on the upcoming Women’s Asian Cup in Australia which will boast a galaxy of WSL stars. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_644.mp3 What's in the Weekend Boxset? There are some big title race matches across the weekend, with Arsenal hosting Chelsea, an Old Firm derby and Dortmund trying to close the gap with Bayern in Der Klassiker. Get our FREE weekly newsletter in your email by signing up to the Weekend Boxset today.

Last week Nottingham Forest became the first Premier League side ever to sack three permanent managers in the same season. Less than 24 hours before Sean Dyche was relieved of his duties, Thomas Frank's time in charge Spurs came to an end. Will the new men in charge fare any better in the fight to avoid relegation? Also this week we discuss the weekend's FA Cup fourth round, which saw Mansfield coming from behind to beat Burnley at Turf Moor. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_643.mp3 What's in the Weekend Boxset? Tottenham's new interim head coach Igor Tudor goes straight in the deep in with the North London derby. Get our FREE weekly newsletter in your email by signing up to the Weekend Boxset today.

The chaotic scenes at the end of the weekend's match between Liverpool and Manchester City laid bare one of the most fundamental problems with VAR: it may make the game more correct but it also makes it less joyful. Why is it such a surprise to VAR supporters like Gary Neville that it sucks the joy from football? Is there a place for “the smell of the game” in a world of VAR? For more information on the podcast and links related to the subjects discussed, check out the Show Notes on our blog. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_642.mp3 What's in the Weekend Boxset? This Valentine's weekend has all the romance of the fourth round of the FA Cup. Get our FREE weekly newsletter in your email by signing up to the Weekend Boxset today.

Benfica goalkeeper Anatoly Trubin's last gasp winning goal against Real Madrid must go down as one of the greatest moments in Champions League history. But is it enough to prove to the doubters the entertainment value of the new format Champions League? It certainly reminded everyone that Jose Mourinho is still one for the big occasion. Also this week, we discuss the close of the winter transfer window, Arsenal Women becoming world champions and Rodri's problem with referees. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_641.mp3 What's in the Weekend Boxset? Will City have better luck with the referee at Anfield on Sunday? Probably not. Also, Spurs look to take the positives from their comeback against City to take on a resurgent United. Get our FREE weekly newsletter in your email by signing up to the Weekend Boxset today.

With Graham, Terry and Jan’s teams all losing this weekend, the last thing we wanted to discuss was football. So we don't. Instead, before the final round of fixtures of the League phase of the Champions League, we discuss the growing perception that the new format is less exciting. We also try to work out how many subscriptions fans in the UK will need to watch their team now that Paramount+ has secured rights for the Champions League from 2027. In other news, the FA has decided to give the FA Cup a “sonic identity”. We get into the spirit by offering some helpful suggestions. Anything but think about the weekend's results. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_640.mp3 What's in the Weekend Boxset? There’s more than vital points at stake when Crystal Palace visit Forest. I predict now that travelling fans will be singing the same song for the whole game. Also Arsenal Women have the chance to become World Champions. Get our FREE weekly newsletter in your email by signing up to the Weekend Boxset today.

The final of the Africa Cup of Nations descended into chaos when the eventual winners Senegal left the pitch in protest against some questionable refereeing decisions that benefitted the hosts Morocco. But that was only the start of the drama. Also this week Terry has opinions on Oliver Glasner and his seemingly unilateral decision to make public that he won't be staying at Crystal Palace at the end of his contract. For more information on the podcast and links related to the subjects discussed, check out the Show Notes on our blog. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_639.mp3 What's in the Weekend Boxset? Palace face a tough task to break their winless run against Liam Rosenior’s Chelsea. There's also a derby in Hamburg and Michael Carrick tests his revitalised United side at Arsenal. Get our FREE weekly newsletter in your email by signing up to the Weekend Boxset today.

It should probably go down as the biggest shock in FA Cup history: the holders, Crystal Palace, crashing out to non-league Macclesfied FC in the third round. But Palace fan Terry saw it coming and we have the audio to prove it! Also this week, in the immediate aftermath of Xabi Alonso being relieved of his duties at Real Madrid, after just seven months in the role, we discuss why he would be unsuitable for the vacant position at United. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_638.mp3 What's in the Weekend Boxset? It's a baptism of fire for interim manager Michael Carrick as his United side host City. There's also the Afcon final. Get our FREE weekly newsletter in your email by signing up to the Weekend Boxset today.

The start of the year is a time when many people choose to give up something that isn’t doing them any favours. Chelsea, Manchester United and Celtic have got into the spirit of this by all getting rid of their managers — a simple action that doesn't even require you to subscribe to an app. Chelsea have already replaced Enzo Maresca with Liam Rosensior, who just so happened to be the head coach of Chelsea feeder club Strasbourg. Darren Fletcher meanwhile has been put in temporary charge at United, but many think the club will be moving to get Oliver Glasner to take the job permanently. As permanent as the role ever is these days. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_637.mp3 What's in the Weekend Boxset? It’s the third round of the FA Cup! We'll be previewing four ties including the holders Palace away to Macclesfield. We also have two of the quarter finals from Afcon. Get our FREE weekly newsletter in your email by signing up to the Weekend Boxset today.

Every year we celebrate the festive season with our special advent calendar episode of the podcast. Join us as we open up all of the 24 doors and discuss the people and subjects behind them. Who and what will be the burning issues of 2026? Of course, as it’s Christmas, we have some friends along to help us out. Chris Nee, Clare McEwan, Ian King and Sam Whyte are here to get into the festive spirit. Merry Christmas! pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_636.mp3 What's in the Weekend Boxset? Our final Boxset of the year has a Welsh derby, Tottenham looking for their first league home win in four months and the opening fixture of Afcon 2025. Get our FREE weekly newsletter in your email by signing up to the Weekend Boxset today.

A calculated play or a moment of madness? What does Mo Salah hope to achieve from his explosive post-match interview which made public the issues he's having with Liverpool head coach Arne Slot? Also this week we look back at Friday's World Cup draw in terms of what it means for England and Scotland, and the decision of the Frauen-Bundesliga to split from the DFB. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_635.mp3 What's in the Weekend Boxset? The big game this weekend is the first league North East derby at the Stadium of Light in over a decade. Get our FREE weekly newsletter in your email by signing up to the Weekend Boxset today.

The Africa Cup of Nations kicks off in Morocco in less than three weeks time, but many of the players won't make it out there until just a few days before with clubs desperate to hold on to them for as long as possible. Sunderland are likely to be the most affected Premier League side with potentially seven players missing for up to a month. Also this week we discuss the new trend for long range goals, and the special prize FIFA will be handing out at this Friday's World Cup draw. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_634.mp3 What's in the Weekend Boxset? It's FA Cup second round weekend with teams hoping to get through to play against a big name in the next round. Get our FREE weekly newsletter in your email by signing up to the Weekend Boxset today.

From the earliest days of the podcast we have celebrated the draws for major tournaments by holding one ourselves. Why would we do such a thing? Because it’s tremendous fun! It also helps you get an idea of who could get who in the real thing on Friday 5 December. With 48 teams in the tournament and three hosts, it’s our most ambitious fake draw yet. Can we keep track of all the constraints? Listen and find out. Remember though - it’s fake! pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_633.mp3 What's in the Weekend Boxset? Are Arsenal and Chelsea in a title race or did Spurs just make them both look good? There’s also an all-Brazil Copa Libertadores final between Flamengo and Palmieras. Get our FREE weekly newsletter in your email by signing up to the Weekend Boxset today.

England have completed a perfect World Cup qualifying campaign; winning all eight games in their group without conceding a goal. In fact, the national side are so good right now even Jude Bellingham is struggling to hold down a place in Thomas Tuchel's starting eleven. Are we as good as the results suggest or are we in for a rude awakening next summer in North America? Also this week, we discuss the plans for MLS to become a winter league from 2027. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_632.mp3 What's in the Weekend Boxset? If you like your derbies local you're going to have a busy Sunday with the big games from Sheffield, North London and Milan. Get our FREE weekly newsletter in your email by signing up to the Weekend Boxset today.