Football Weekly podcast: A nightmare debut for Fernando Torres

It’s an all-star line-up for your brand new edition of Football Weekly, with AC Jimbo joined by Sean Ingle, Barry Glendenning, Barney Ronay and Gregg Roughley in a packed pod.

We start by dissecting Fernando Torres’s miserble debut for Chelsea as the Blues went down to resurgent Liverpool. Is the Spaniard the new Chris Sutton? Wiser people than us seem to think so.

Also in the podcast, we look back on the rest of the action from an amazing weekend in the Premier League. Manchester United’s unconvincing cloak of invincibility cames to an end with defeat at Wolves, Arsenal showed their title-winning credentials by throwing away a four-goal lead at Newcastle United, while another defeat for West Brom saw the Baggies part company with Roberto di Matteo.

Elsewhere, Sid Lowe fails to give us a La Liga round-up without going doolally about Messi and Ronaldo, and we hear about the rather tearful end to Fabrizio Miccoli’s afternoon against Lecce.

And mixed in with all that, like particularly juicy sultanas in a moist fruit cake, there’s discussion about Hi-NRG disco, James’ neighbour – who is dating a top Premier League footballer – and our favourite stadium caterers. According to Barney, journalists at Villa Park even get sweets and cakes. Can anyone beat that?

Have a listen and post your feedback on the blog below, or tweet us here.

James RichardsonBen GreenSean IngleBarry Glendenning

Football Weekly: Gyan tonics all round as Sunderland crush Chelsea

On today’s Football Weekly, James Richardson is joined by Barry Glendenning, Barney Ronay and Gregg Roughley.

Up for discussion this week: how much can we read into Sunderland’s demolition of Chelsea? Why can’t Roy Hodgson manage an away win? Is Roberto Mancini trying to get the sack at Manchester City? And how did Bolton Wanderers get into so much debt?

Abroad, we ask how much longer does Rafael Benítez have at the San Siro after Internazionale lost the Milan derby – more on this in Paolo Bandini’s Italian football blog of course – while Sid Lowe brings us up to date on things in Spain’s La Liga.

Finally, we look at the England squad and wonder, is a front two of Carlton Cole and Jay Bothroyd really as good as it gets?

Tell us what you think on the blog below, and keep up to date with us on Twitter and via our tea-time email, The Fiver.

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Football Weekly: Guts and goals galore in the fight for the title

With just two weeks left of the Premier League season, it’s still all to play for at the top. Chelsea went goal crazy (again) to stay in control, but Manchester United put in a gut-wrenching performance – at least for Patrice Evra and Nani – to beat Tottenham Hotspur to stay in the hunt. James Richardson and his Football Weekly chums are hear to analyse it all.

Spurs remain favourites to finish fourth – espescially now Manchester City’s Champions League aspirations are held in the hands of the finest goalkeeper in the Faroe Islands – but Aston Vila are still in with a shout, and could Liverpool sneak into fourth after all? Real-life Scouser Gregg Roughley tells us how it is (la), and John Ashdown urges a bit of caution wihout resorting to the words ‘calm’ or ‘down’.


Rafa Honigstein
brings us news from Germany, where Bayern Munich face an injury crisis ahead of the second leg of their Champions League semi-final with Lyon, and Hamburg travel to Fulham in the Europa League with a new manager and a leaky defence. Meanwhile Sid Lowe gives us the skinny on Barcelona’s plans to beat Internazionale, and Atlético Madrid’s chances of keeping Liverpoool quiet at Anfield.

Post your comments on the blog below, get your footballing fill every teatime with the Fiver, and find us on Facebook and Twitter.

James RichardsonBen GreenRaphael HonigsteinJohn AshdownGregg RoughleySid Lowe