Sam's Army Samuel Army
-
- Sport
The wild and wonderful world of soccer from an American perspective. Samuel Army and a rotating cast of fans, athletes and athlete fans discuss all the relevant goings-on from both sides of the pond. Headlines and a weekly recap plus previews and predictions with an emphasis on the Premier League and Champions League, along with the US men’s and women’s national teams, and just enough from the rest of Europe, MLS and NWSL to be dangerous. Episodes also typically feature candid interviews with players, coaches and other people of interest from in and around the sport. We aim to keep things light and entertaining but with enough analysis to appeal to fans new and old. Many people are calling Sam’s Army Podcast the best podcast they have ever listened to – not me, but many people. Note: true believers in #b2bwcw are eligible for a 22% to 26% discount at checkout. Holler!
-
Ep 2.261: EPL Spending Cap, Klopp vs Salah & Spurs No-Win Run-In + Chicago Fire/USMNT's Kellyn Acosta chat
HEADLINES: risks and benefits of the spending cap that the Premier League will vote on this summer; FIFA on verge of a 2025 Club World Cup broadcast deal with Apple TV; MLS may put down roots in Indy Eleven's backyard and La Liga's USA plans
WHAT IF: Salah vs Klopp cage match... who ya got?
PREMIER LEAGUE: North London Daerby talking points and what Spurs fans will be rooting for in all-important game against City; Liverpool's no good very bad week plus reaction to Arne Slot news; and weekend preview f/t two massive relegation-related games
ROUND THE WORLD: Champions League semifinals leg 1 preview plus Columbus Crew's big week in Concacaf Champions Cup
STOPPAGE TIME: Ivan Toney's Best Bets and GOAWs -
Ep 2.260: FA Cup Replays/Madness, Deduction Dærby Drama + North London Dærby Preview
HEADLINES: FA and Premier League agree to scrap FA Cup replays -- much to the chagrin of the EFL which was not even consulted; England looks unlikely to get extra (automatic) Champions League spot after no good very bad week in continental cups and Vitesse's "blast from the past" naughtiness
WHAT IF: the Big 7 decided to leave the Premier League to join a Super Duper League... would a new "Big 4/5/6/7" emerge (if so, who) or would it usher in a period of parity?
PREMIER LEAGUE: postmortems of FA Cup semis f/t Chelsea's missed opportunity vs City and the United vs Coventry City craziness; we break down the controversies from the Deduction Dærby (Everton vs Nottingham Forest) and preview this weekend's North London Dærby
ROUND THE WORLD: Champions League recap and some flowers for Leverkusen, Real Madrid and Bologna
STOPPAGE TIME: Ivan Toney's Best Bets and GOAWs -
Ep 2.259: Bayer's Unreal Season (Best Ever?), Arsenal/Liverpool Recriminations & UCL Preview
HEADLINES: MLS unveils yet another ultra-conservative update to roster rules and EFL has a "heartwarming" welcome home gift waiting for Sheffield Utd
WHAT IF: you had to vote for the Premier League's POY right now... who's getting your vote?
PREMIER LEAGUE: Mitch and Tyler struggle vociferously to accept the new (but not entirely unexpected) reality after Arsenal and Liverpool both stumble at home putting Pep's Petrostars in the driver's seat; plus Nuno grows a brain and plays Gio Reyna and do we have a (Cole Palmer-driven) FA Cupset brewing?
ROUND THE WORLD: MLS hit-it-n-quit-it minute; we wax semi-poetic about one of the best week's of Champions League knockouts in recent memory and look ahead to this week's return legs
STOPPAGE TIME: Ivan Toney's Best Bets and GOAWs -
Ep 2.258: EPL Luxury Tax, MLS vs USL, United/Liverpool & UCL Previews
HEADLINES: why a Premier League (fresh off deducting two more points from not-Man City) "Luxury Tax" is problematic, more incredible Turkish Super Lig drama and Luis Rubiales is back in the news for more (alleged) bad deeds committed as president of Spain's soccer federation
WHAT IF: you were named all-powerful USL commissioners tomorrow... what changes would you implement to better compete with MLS?
PREMIER LEAGUE: big talking points from United holding Liverpool to a 2-2 draw, coming around on Luton Town and the Tweedles' anxiety levels of about Arsenal facing Villa on Sunday
ROUND THE WORLD: Tommy's take on the Korbin Albert situation and positives from USWNT beating Japan plus preview of this week's Champions League quarterfinals (1st legs)
STOPPAGE TIME: Ivan Toney's Best Bets and GOAWs -
Ep 2.257: Fenerbahce, Korbin Albert, City/Arsenal Recriminations & Ode to Klopp
HEADLINES: Fenerbahce voting this week on whether to withdraw from Turkish Super Lig in response to postgame attack by Trabzonspor fans plus Korbin Albert finds herself at the center of USWNT drama after some ill-advised social media-ing
POP QUIZ: MLS undefeateds
PREMIER LEAGUE: blame is assigned for the City vs Arsenal shmershmortion and start missing Klopp before he is even gone; plus wildly different vibes after close saves by Tottenham and United; Power Rankings plus weekend preview f/t Liverpool visiting Old Trafford
ROUND THE WORLD: brief observations from MLS, US Open Cup and NWSL plus who is to blame for Bayern Munich's looming capitulation for Bayer Leverkusen
STOPPAGE TIME: Ivan Toney's Best Bets and GOAWs -
Ep 2.256: Wenger's Offside Rule, City/Arsenal Preview + USMNT 2-0 Mexico Breakdown
HEADLINES: IFAB approves further testing of major change to offside rule championed by Arsene Wenger; FIFA quietly loosens restrictions on multi-club ownership groups participating in European competitions and Biden administration backs Relevant Sports' in bid to host official La Liga matches in the US
WHAT IF: an MLS Best XI competed in the Premier League... where would they finish?
ROUND THE WORLD: reaction to USMNT's rollercoaster week featuring dogcrap "win" over Jamaica's B-team followed by domination of LLL Triste's A-team (for what that's worth at the moment); MLS hit-it-n-quit-it minute
PREMIER LEAGUE: preview of Sunday's big huge massive City vs Arsenal game
STOPPAGE TIME: Ivan Toney's Best Bets and GOAWs