Why the Arsenal players will be LAUGHING at Arteta behind his back!
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Hello, everybody. This is your It's All Kicking Off weekend preview show. Chris Sutton is here and smiling. I'm surprised he isn't wearing a Celtic shirt. Come on, I'm impartial. Brendan Rodgers' team are into the knockout stages of the Champions League for the first time since 2013. Squeaky win against young boys of Bern. When I watched you on...

BBC highlights show on Wednesday evening Chris you looked as though you'd lived every moment of that

Oh, I nearly had a heart attack, Ian, just because of the nature of the tie. Young boys, the bottom team, no points, three goals scored going into the game, 22 goals against. They were the whipping boys. This was an open goal for Celtic, but they had to win because a draw would have put them in a precarious position to qualify. And

And first off, they actually played pretty well, controlled the game, had a couple of goals disallowed, missed a penalty. And then I just started to wonder, you know, Celtic in Europe, they have had a history. And I was part of that history at one time of stuffing things up when you didn't expect them to. But they got over the line. God.

God, let's say one of the roughiest goals I've ever seen. Jammy as anything from Adam Eder. And then he had the audacity to stand on television after and claim the goal. He actually went through, got his shot off.

And the goalkeeper saved it with his left boot. And when the goalkeeper saved it, it cannoned off a defender who was running back to retreat the situation and went in. But you know what? Who cares? That's a massive, massive moment for Celtic. And Brendan Rodgers and a massive moment for Scottish football. Yeah, I said that Brendan had made a mistake going back to Celtic because he'd never do anything in Europe. Humble pie. Yeah.

Sorry? Humble pie. Well, let's see if they get through. Let's see if they get through the next round. But no. Well, they're already through. Okay. If we talk about humble pie, yeah, let's just say I'm nibbling at the crust. I'm nibbling at the crust of the humble pie right now. But fair play to Celtic. Great job. Qualification to this stage, if you add all the money together that you get for getting into Champions League and then winning games and then getting into this knockout stage, yeah,

at the moment for Celtic, comes to around about €30 million. They'll get another €9 million if they actually qualify through the next stage and get into the last 16. I mean, that does show really why, or one of the reasons why, the gap between Celtic and Rangers is so large now in the SPL. Rangers in the Europa League Thursday night against Manchester United do not have access to that Champions League pot. Celtic do have

And when people say, why aren't they competitive anymore? Why aren't Rangers competitive? Well, there is one of your answers. Anyway, Celtic will continue in the SBL. They lead, of course, handsomely at the moment. They're at home to Dundee this weekend. Rangers away at Dundee United on Sunday. South of the border, Manchester City may not qualify for

for the last 16 of the Champions League. They may not qualify for the knockout stage of the Champions League. Let's just explain how it works quickly. The new format means that the top eight teams go through and the next 16 go into a one-off knockout game

to join the top eight and that will make the last 16. Does that make sense? I've got no idea. Are you a fan of this new format or not? Because it doesn't sound like it when you try to explain that and maybe you don't understand the new format. Let's just explain where Manchester City are. Manchester City are...

I can't believe I'm saying this, are in danger of not even qualifying for that middle section. They lost 4-2 in Paris Wednesday night against PSG. They're at home to Bruges next weekend. If they don't win that one, they'll finish in the bottom section. And those teams don't even go into the Europa League. They go out. They go home. It's embarrassing, isn't it? Champions of Scotland already qualified, Champions of England...

struggling all the money they spend I think it's embarrassing for City regardless what the champions of Scotland are doing it's just it's just it's embarrassing surprising shocking they fell apart for sure 2-0 up in Paris they fell apart not the first time this season

to lose convincingly in the end. Let's talk about the form. I think it, well, without a doubt, it helps the big teams. If you don't finish in that top eight section, there's a huge safety net. The next 16 teams all go into these knockout games unnoticed.

and City look like they might just about get the right side of that line if they can beat Bruges. It's a huge safety net for the big clubs. I suggested as such on Twitter on Wednesday night, just before I was going to bed and woke up this Thursday morning to find that Jamie Carragher was disagreeing with me, saying that no big teams ever struggled in the old format. Something had to change and this format has been brilliant. All I will say, I'll ask this question of you, Chris.

Given that this is supposed to be European football's elite competition, does a team, and this is City, does a team that loses 4-1 at Sporting, 4-2 at PSG, 2-0 at Juventus, and draw 3-0 at home to Feyenoord still deserve to be in with a chance of qualifying for the next phase? I know exactly what you're saying, but they're...

There are arguments for and against this new format, aren't there? So I do know what you're saying, but I quite like the new format. Because with the older format, okay, lesser games, but...

It did get to the stage, Ian, where the big guns were all qualifying anyway, basically. I can't remember too many of the so-called elite teams not finding a way to qualify. But I quite like the fact that it's freshened up. Of course, the volume of games allows the bigger teams a greater chance to qualify. But I quite like the fact it does seem...

that in this new format, we are going to the wire in a lot of the games. It was never going to be perfect. And also for the fan experience, playing eight different clubs, I think that that's pretty refreshing. But there is a lottery element to it as well, isn't there, in terms of the teams which you get. But I suppose that's always the case in a draw.

That's a fair point. That has freshened it up. Teams playing, not playing teams home and away, playing seven different opponents. That has freshened it up. I would say that, yes, there was something did have to be done about the old format when you just had groups of four and the top two going through. But the reasons that that became predictable was because they were seeded.

If it had been an open draw, so you could theoretically have ended up with Manchester City and Barcelona and Juventus all in the same group, then there would have been some jeopardy. But UEFA don't want that, of course, because what UEFA want more than anything is for their big clubs to reach the end of the season.

phase of the tournament and I'm sure that's what will happen again this time. I just, I'm repeating myself and you've made some two, three very cogent points there, Chris. I absolutely get it. The fan experience is also very important. Of course it is. However, does a team that's lost 4-1 at Sporting, 4-2 at PSG, 2-0 at Juventus and drawn three all at home with Feyenoord deserve

to be in with a chance of progressing in what's supposed to be UEFA's elite football competition. I'm not sure. Anyway, City have responded to their problems in the Premier League by spending money. They've signed two defenders. Let's test my pronunciation here. Abdou Kadobe. That's not a great start.

Not a great story. Let's try again. It's great. Come on. Abdou Kadir Kouzhanov, a defender from Lens, and Vita Reis, a defender from Pimeras. And as actually we are speaking, I've just had an email from Manchester City this Thursday morning, a press release. They're

transfer of the Frankfurt striker Omar Mahmoud has also been completed. City have brought all of their summer transfer business, planned summer transfer business forward into January to try and dig themselves out

of the hole that they're in at the moment. They're at home to Chelsea at the weekend. And what is clear at the moment is that they really do need to finish in the top four because they need to get, they don't look like they'll win the Champions League this season. Ooh, you wouldn't rule them out. They have a heck of an effort from here.

Heck of an effort if they do, Vermeer. Currently 25th out of the 36 teams in the competition. But they need to get back in it next season and need to finish in the top four.

Question, Chris. City are also trying to sign a young defender called Youmar Bar from Valadolid in Spain. He's an 18-year-old from Sierra Leone. He's been refusing to train as he tries to push through his transfer to City. Valadolid have said this. We consider that Manchester City are behind the player's decision and appear to have advised him to take this route. That's quite an accusation.

It is quite an accusation. So, I mean, you know, they must be on pretty sure footing to come out in public, you

and say this. So, you know, I suppose the question is what do you do if you're, if you are the player? Put yourself in the player's position. What would you do if you were playing for them? I wouldn't do it. And Manchester City had tapped you and wanted you to go there and you have a great chance, not just the financial aspect, but playing for a team who are competing at the

at the, you know, the top end of the Premier League and, and, you know, the top end of, uh,

of European football as well. What would you do in that position? Very difficult for the young player. Yeah, it sounds like he's been put under an enormous amount of pressure. Of course, Manchester City haven't commented publicly on this suggestion by Valadolid, by the way. I wouldn't do it if I was a player. Whatever pressure I was put under, I just couldn't. I don't think I couldn't. I just couldn't do it. I don't think I could sleep at night if I did it. It just wouldn't be for me. Very quickly,

Also, if I was trying to sign that player and I knew that he was prepared to go on strike, not train, to come and join me, I maybe would then wonder whether I wanted him in the first place. Because if that's the type of thing he'll do, then what's to stop him doing it when he's playing for us? Hang on a minute. You can't have it both ways, can you? Well, don't. If it's claimed by Valadolid that Manchester City have tapped him up and then...

and then said to him, well, you know, you need to down tools so you can come to us. You know, they're showing that they want the player. They can't have it both ways. You know, I don't think it's not a game in that sense. So, yeah, I mean, that's just daft from you, really. Thank you. Liverpool are home to Ipswich this weekend. That, of course, was a fixture that they started with back... Can I just finish on Manchester City before we go on to Liverpool as well?

The pickle which they've got themselves into in the Champions League now, even if they beat Club Bruges, it's those two extra games, isn't it, which is going to take the toll. And the next stage is also seeded, so they'll end up with a very, very difficult tie in the next round. They'll probably have to play their home game first as well, I would imagine. Liverpool, no such problems, of course. They're top of the Champions League standings at the moment after their victory in midweek.

home to Ipswich this weekend. Curtis Jones, Liverpool midfielder, has had an interesting week. Been hammered on socials by some Liverpool fans for suggesting in an interview with Rio Fernand that he thinks the former Chelsea and Real Madrid winger, Eden Hazard, is a better player than Mo Salah. I think he's entitled to that opinion, is he not?

How dare he have an opinion on who his favourite player is? It's interesting, yeah. Because Henry, our producer, said before we came on air that he thinks it's a bit off that he should choose another team's player ahead of one of his own. But I would just say it depends whether you want an honest answer or a political answer.

Absolutely. Yeah, that's twerpism of the highest order from Henry. Twerpism, great word. You're asked the question of who your favourite player is and you give an honest answer, but you can't say that because you're not being loyal to that particular team you play for. Really? And we criticise players for giving bland and predictable answers, don't we? And then they give an interesting one, this is what happens. Yeah.

And he gets panned by his own support. That is ridiculous, isn't it? Tribalism gone mad. Twerpism. Twerpism and tribalism.

At the same time. I mean, look, we're laughing. It's not actually been that funny for Curtis. He's had an awful lot of unpleasant things said about him on social media this week, which he's never... But is he on social media? Let's hope he's not on social media. Why would you go on social media if you are a current player? Very good point. One of the things I was thinking about was if, say, another Liverpool player, say Ibrahim Kanate, had made this point,

say, or say Darwin Nunes had made this point, there wouldn't have been half the fuss, would there? I think it's because Curtis is a local player. He's a Liverpool fan. I think it's harder for local players. Generally, I think they're held quite wrongly to different standards. You played for your hometown club, Norwich. What's your view on that?

I agree with you, held to a different standard. It seems to be the dream for clubs. Well, it is the dream for clubs that they nurture players up through their academies, homegrown players, and then they roll them out into the first team. That's the dream. That's the model of most clubs or the model most clubs want it to be.

But it always seemed to me that players who are local often get a harder time. And that surprised me. I didn't get too much of it at Norwich City, in fairness. But I'll give you an example. At Celtic, Aidan McGeady, who is a brilliant talent, had a great career, Aidan. He used to get so much stick from the Celtic fans. And I thought that was really...

where I think that there's this, I don't know whether it's, it's a bigger pressure or whatever it is. But I don't quite get the mindset of fans who jump on local players or players who have come through the ranks, their backs, but it does, you know, it's the norm, I think, at most clubs. And one of the reasons, of course, why Trent Alexander-Arnold is getting more stick for being,

six months from the end of his contract, as opposed to the stick that Mo Salah's getting or Virgil van Dijk's getting at Liverpool. A couple of comments on the back of Monday's show here on Spotify. Stu on the Manchester United situation says very abruptly, Ruben Amrum is a fish out of water. Stephen Douglas also commenting on Manchester United. What sort of fish? Indeed, a dead fish.

Also have to look, Stephen Douglas also commenting on Manchester United, but he's looking at the board. You only have to look at what Ineos have done since taking over Team Sky, the most successful cycling team for a decade, to see what path Manchester United will be on. Ineos have run Team Sky into the ground. And Hitesh Jethwa says,

tells us on Spotify, great podcast, very funny. You two are the best double act since Laurel and Hardy. Not sure who the fat one is. Who would you be? Not sure who the fat one is. Do you not know which way round they are? So, yes, yes, Stan Laurel was the fat one. Yeah. Yeah. I'm allowed to say fat? I'm not even sure I'm allowed to say fat. Am I? Bigger one. The larger one. Portly. Larger frame.

Ample. I'm not sure you're right about that, Stan. Stan Laurel. I think you're wrong. Well, you think Stan Laurel was the slender one, the slimmer of the two gentlemen. Yeah.

We'll have to find out. We'll have to find out. Oh, I don't know. Yeah, I used to watch it as well. That's poor for me. Let's not dwell on it. Have I got something else wrong? Last week it was Adders. Now it might be iconic comedy duos. Anyway, Stan Laurel. I'm right. I'm going to tell you why I'm right. Because Oliver Hardy used to say, what a fine mess you've got me into, Stanley. So?

And he was a big one when he was saying that. And I remember, and they used to do a funny face like that. Right, so you're going to put... Which isn't great for a podcast, but... So you're putting your neck on the line with that one. Well... Stan Law was a thin one. That's what you're saying. Well, I think I'm obviously wrong because you're looking delighted. I don't know. I think I don't know. Anyway, anyway, let's... Is any listener old enough to let us know?

Great show, though. What, that or this? Wolves against Arsenal this weekend. Arsenal strolling it in the Champions League at the moment, not so much in domestic competitions. Now, they have been... Well, Mikel Arteta has been employing some unusual tactics once again in training this weekend. Maskenada, which is...

A composition by Sergio Mendes. Those of you who've been around a little bit longer might remember that was the soundtrack that Nike used for their rather famous World Cup

advert ahead of the 1998 World Cup in France. It featured the Brazilian team, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, etc., dribbling footballs around the airport. You might remember it. Anyway, the reason that we raise it is because Mikhail Arteta has been playing that at training this week.

Chris. Arteta says, this is something we've done for many years now. It's part of training. We use music to build the energy and change certain purposes that we want in the session. I think the players enjoy it. I know what I would be doing if I was a player. Dancing?

And absolutely, absolutely not. I think the players will be mugging this right off behind Mikel Arteta's back.

In the nicest possible way. You know, I love a bit of innovation thinking outside the box. But does that really make a difference? Does that really inspire players listening to a certain type of... They'll be having a laugh about it. You don't like... Maybe even gesturing behind the manager's back. You gesturing behind the manager's back? Wow. You don't like innovation. You're like me. You wish that the world is... I like that...

No. Do you wish the world was still the same as it was 20 years ago? No internet. 30 years ago, sorry. No internet, no mobile phones. That would suit you down to the ground.

I wish the world was still flying. Yeah, well, is it not? Anyway, Arteta's been here before, hasn't he? He played You'll Never Walk Alone over the loudspeakers at Colney before Arsenal played a game at Anfield a few years ago. They got hammered after that one. He's done the thing with light bulbs in the dressing room. The thing about him is that he's not afraid to do it. He knows he gets ridiculed because every time he does, people are like,

you and I chuckle about these things, but he is prepared to do it. I think one of the other things he's done in the past is have staff throw tennis balls at the players while they train to see if it puts them off their stride. He's had them train in absolute silence when no one's allowed to talk to each other. And he's also had them training without a ball. What about the pickpocket thing? Oh, of course. Of course, you explained that one. Remind us quickly, quickly.

Well, so he got professional pickpockets, didn't he, while they were out at an event or having a meal to take the wallets off them? I mean, that's absolutely ridiculous because what would be your natural reaction, and especially you coming from up north, if somebody tried to nick your wallet and you caught somebody with their hand in your pocket, you'd turn around and headbutt them, wouldn't you? You'd knock them out. I mean, that could have ended in tears where you wouldn't reach. I'd have headbutted him in the stomach. Yeah.

Yeah, but you've got to remember... I mean, that's a ridiculous idea, isn't it? You've got to remember that my wallet is attached to my trousers by a piece of string.

So he wouldn't have been able to steal it. Anyway, there we go. I think, look, producer Henry, a big Arsenal fan, Arsenal's season ticket holder, said to us before coming on air, what was it he said? He said that everybody laughs at new ideas until everybody does it. So I made the point, yeah, but nobody ever copies Artes' ideas. He never gets a point where everybody's doing it.

That's what it is. Twerf, isn't it? Anyway, if Arsenal win at Wolves on this weekend, then nobody will care. Wolves, after a bit of a bounce under Vito Pereira, their new manager, have gone a little bit back to type, I'm afraid. They've conceded three goals in each of their last

three Premier League games. Pereira has responded to this poor run by calling out his best player, Mateus Cunha, for what he thought was poor body language in the defeat against Chelsea on Monday night. Pereira said, I don't like this body language. I want someone trying to help the team running, suffering, fighting. This is something I can understand. Next time, I will not understand. Well, put it right on the line there.

Cuckoo. Absolutely bonkers. What's he doing, Pereira? I'm not saying... He may be...

He may be right in what he says, but why on earth, when your team is in a relegation battle, do you call out your star man publicly? He scored a third of their goals, Kunja. So their best chance of staying up is by keeping him and keeping him onside, those two things. So that is one hell of a risk. Now, Kunja may respond,

He may be a strong enough type to think, well, do you know what? The manager's absolutely right. I'll knuckle down and get my head down and start playing. But there's the flip side of that where he might think –

sod the manager here I'm not going to be spoken to like that all I've done for this club yeah and there seems to be a little bit of that about Wolves there has been all season there have been incidents after games haven't there Pereira's predecessor Gary O'Neill was not shy of nudging some of the blame off his own shoulders onto those of his players as well Pereira who came in with all smiles and was

fist pumping with the crowd after a couple of early victories seems to have reached a kind of rather desperate stage already, like you say, Chris, of calling out his players. I'm not sure it'll work. Nostrum Forest, by the way. He did a strange thing as well last week. Just quickly, he did a really strange thing, I thought, on the television by showing everybody how his team played tactically.

Which, is it such a big deal? Well, people can work that out. But I thought that was quite odd. Again, it's one of those things that nobody bats an eyelid if you win a game. And if you lose a game, people can, like yourself and myself, can cite it as a reason. Cunha, by the way, may not be at Wolves much longer than Ottingen Forest wanted by him. They've also got interest in the Brentford...

for Johan Wisser as well. Forest looking, forest looking to make hay while the sun shines at the city ground. Flying, of course, in the Premier League. They're away at Bournemouth this weekend. Right, that's it, everybody. Thanks for being with us as usual. We've got through a lot in a short amount of time. Remember, let us know what you think on today's

today's stories. The Champions League format, is it fleshy or is it fit for purpose? Do Man City deserve their final chance at home to Bruges next weekend? Uma Bar, the Val de Lid defender, should he be going on strike to get his move to City? Is that acceptable?

behaviour or not. Curtis Jones getting it in the neck from some Liverpool fans, that seems a bit harsh. Is it harder for local players? Chris and I tend to think that it is. Lowell and Hardy, don't need to say anything else about that. Which is which? For goodness sake, we should know, but we don't know. And Vito Pereira, was he right to call out Matthias Kunja for his attitude in the defeat?

to Chelsea is we always call for honesty on this podcast but maybe that is a step too far let us know what you think we've been enjoying your we've been enjoying your comments on Spotify and indeed on X but please those of you listening on Apple where are your comments where are your questions where's the love we don't get enough of it on that platform all you got to do is go to the bit where you get the show description scroll down and there's a slot right there while you're at it go

hit the follow button and leave us a review. Right, my Laurel, my Laurel to my Hardy, whatever which is which, it's time to say goodbye. You're the one who's down on sleep, I'm the one who's sounding like it. I'll see you on Monday.