The Game Football Podcast The Times

On Friday Erik Ten Hag was supposedly out of a job. By Saturday evening the jury was out again. After a gripping FA Cup final, with a performance and result which surprised almost everyone could Ten Hag still be the man for the job?
A very busy Manchester reporter Paul Hirst joins James Gheerbrant, Gregor Robertson and Tom Clarke to look at what happens next at Old Trafford? There seems to be a four-man shortlist, but none of the candidates convince the panel…
Gregor was at the richest game in football as Southampton beat Leeds in a tight play off final. Will Russell Martin be in contention for any of the managerial vacancies?
Finally, who is on Chelsea’s shortlist? McKenna was, now he isn’t; but would any ambitious young manager want to step into the chaotic situations at Manchester United, Chelsea or Bayern Munich?

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Two minutes in and player of the season Phil Foden puts City one up. Title race over. Great player, great team. Tom Clarke, Alyson Rudd, Tony Cascarino and Gregor Robertson consider why City are so good, how other teams can compete and if Foden and Bellingham can play together for England.
After a very good season, where do Arsenal go next, a striker, a left back…?
Gregor is off to watch the championship play off final, often a cagey affair; will Leeds Southampton buck the trend?
After the break a thorough look at some big impending managerial changes. De Zerbi leaves Brighton, could he end up at Man Utd or will Ten Hag be given more time. Poch appears very unsure of his future at Chelsea and how will Slot compare to Klopp…?
 
We’re having a break on Thursday. We’ll be back on Monday to review the FA cup final and play off final.

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When is a fan not a fan? Tom Clarke, Tony Cascarino, Martin Samuel and Gregor Robertson discuss the bizarre atmosphere at the Tottenham stadium on Monday night as some Spurs fans struggled to cheer on their team against Man City.
After Spurs didn’t do Arsenal a favour, could West Ham in the final game? In a word the universal opinion is… no.
Premier League clubs meet next week to discuss the future of VAR…Martin has a simple solution; we need better humans. The discussion gets heated, proving the point that it is a very subjective business.
Finally, Tony belatedly offers his alternative team of the season.

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Arsenal have taken the title race to the final week of the season. But as Man City find their form on the run in, will it matter…?
Aside from the title race Manchester United kept the score respectable at Old Trafford, but it was yet another lamentable performance from a club in the doldrums. What now for Casemiero et al?
Tom Allnutt is confident that most Spurs fans will not want them to beat City, so handing Arsenal the title…Alyson Rudd isn’t so sure.
Gregor Robertson witnessed the discontent at the City ground as Forest stay up but almost because of three worse teams then because of their own efforts.
After the break it is ‘Tom Clarke's fun time’ as he makes everyone pick an alternate team of the season with a player from eleven different teams…which one player will make it from City and Arsenal and where will the other nine come from…?

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Madrid do it again. Do they have better players, a better coach? Is it the ground, their history or all of it rolled together? Martin Samuel, Jonathan Northcroft and Gregor Robertson join Tom Clarke to look at just how special Real Madrid are.
Mbappe ends his time with PSG with a whimper, where now for the French star?
Domestically Crystal Palace are reborn under Oliver Glazner. Which of their team have a chance of the euros, Olise, Eze, Wharton..? On the receiving end of the Palace trio were a sorry Manchester United. With a cup final on the horizon, is there any hope for Ten Hag and his tenure at Old Trafford?
Lastly, a reflection on David Moyes parting of the ways with West Ham

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Tony Cascarino and Alyson Rudd took a road trip to see Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp’s penultimate home game in charge. Whatever happened in the car stays in the car. Tom Clarke and Gregor Robertson quiz them on Spurs’ alarming dip in form, and the performance of Harvey Elliot. Tony finally got to ask Klopp a question…
In the title race Haaland and Rice are purring, Gregor is very impressed with the all round contribution of Declan Rice on and off the pitch. Tony thinks Haaland leaps like a salmon!
Elsewhere Chelsea are starting to look like a real team…will it last? And West Ham have agreed personal terms with Julen Lopetegui…
Is relegation now all done and dusted…? And what does it take to survive in the Premier League for promoted teams? 

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