Compared to their recent high standards, Manchesters United and City were humbled this week – which suits James and the Football Weekly … Extra team well, considering all the humble pie they’ve been choking on in recent weeks.

Barry Glendenning, Sean Ingle and Paolo Bandini wrestle with the questions that matter: where should Blackburn’s protest march begin and end? Is Edinson Cavani hunky enough to ‘turn’ a straight man? Can Sid Lowe avoid ending up on the cutting room floor?

Also in the pod: your comments, the occasional rant, a preview of this weekend’s matches in the Premier League and our annual mention of the SPL.

Jimbo’s off to compete in present the World’s Strongest Man in the USA next week, but hapless Soccer AM gibbon Max Rushden will be deputising for him on Monday. In the interim, leave us your feedback on the blog below …

James RichardsonSean IngleBarry GlendenningPaolo BandiniSid Lowe

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

In a line-up that’s every bit as unsurprising as the top four in the Premier League, James Richardson is joined in the pod by Barry Glendenning and Sean Ingle in another rip-roaring edition of Football Weekly.

The pod squad analyse Chelsea’s demolition of Arsenal, Liverpool’s bruising battle with Everton, and Tottenham Hotspur’s snoozefest with Aston Villa and ask: why are we getting another dose of the same old same old?

Also in the show – and lest we be accussed of Big Four-centricity – we discuss Hull City’s recent revival now that Phil Brown ditched the earpiece and the goatee.

Plus, we ponder whether Fabio Capello’s done the right thing in stripping John Terry of the England captaincy. And we get dewy-eyed about those Brat Pack movies of the 1980s.

Finally, our favourite Teuton Raphael Honigstein brings us news of a rift in the German national team and the latest from the Bundesliga; Sid Lowe brings us up to date with Spain’s La Liga; and Jimbo tells us about Lazio’s mounting woes in Serie A.

Have a listen and post your thoughts on the blog below. We’re also on iTunes, Facebook, and Twitter, and if you like this type of juvenile humour, get your daily dose with our tea-timely email, The Fiver.

James RichardsonBen GreenRaphael HonigsteinSean IngleBarry GlendenningSid Lowe