Clash of Clubs [Ep. 42]: Palace Win the FA Cup & CL All to Play For

In Episode 42, Mila, Dylan, and Grant react to a historic moment as Crystal Palace lift the FA Cup, capping off an unforgettable cup run.

Then, the guys break down a massive Chelsea win over Manchester United, setting up a dramatic finish in the race for Champions League football.

They wrap the episode by previewing Chelsea’s must-win clash against Nottingham Forest, with everything still on the line.

🎧 Tap in for elite analysis, top takes, and all the Premier League drama you need.

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Oh yes, he is still alive here. Balotelli Aguero special. Beyond special best player in the Premier League, Captain Marvel Doney. Oh, wonderful. That is one Diamond. Ladies and gentlemen, it’s M day. [Music] What’s going on, guys? Welcome back to Clash of Clubs, episode 42. Palace have won the FA Cup. We’re recording directly after that so that we could get this out and then later in the week post something only about United and Spurs. Um, but we will talk about Chelsea in this one as they got much closer to Champions League spots as they um they control their own destiny for sure now against Forest on the last day. So, we’ll talk a little Chelsea United and then uh Chelsea Forest and then we’ll get out of here. So, hopefully a shorter one. But since we are recording directly after, this is Mila’s team that was in the final. Uh Mila, you can start us off and kind of give us your thoughts on the game. And yeah, I’ll I’ll throw up to start. Yeah, go throw that up first because I I think this is [ __ ] These ratings are not not correct. Um, overall I thought we were sloppy at times. Easy passes, just going to the to the man, not checking your shoulder. They’re just running up from behind and grabbing the ball off him. Uh, midfield non-existent defensively at least. I thought KDB looked lazy on defense. Granted, he did create basically everything for us outside of Etevy in that 10-minute stint. I don’t know. The the wingers were terrible first half. I think they showed a lot more in the second, which is why their ratings are decent, but we we need a better showing from them from the start. Sabio looked like he could get something going in the second half, but first half he was a non-factor, and we were all talking about him getting yanked at half. I’m surprised he was on. I have no idea how um I don’t know why Holland didn’t take the penalty. That’s super confusing. Yeah. Yeah. Uh I’m just going to go over the city things first and then we can we can talk about the the general game. Yeah. Uh, on the topic of Holland though, I do think a victim of that midfield when De Bruyne’s playing so deep and he’s that only outlet basically. Can’t really do much. Marmush wasn’t great and he missed the penalty. Uh, it was a poor showing overall. I can’t really say much going into the game though. If Crystal Palace won, fair play to them. They [ __ ] deserve it. And this is the FA Cup. This is what it’s about. So I I don’t think I would have been too upset had we just lost normally, but the conditions of which we lost in that dino [ __ ] here. Yeah. Put it up. Uh this is unfortunate, man. I I don’t like to complain about the refs ever. I I feel like you guys don’t really hear that from me much, but this is this is something else. Stupid. It’s really stupid. But I mean I my understanding of it regardless of the position of the player it’s a hand ball and he’s the last defender like regardless of the justification agree that like they said because he was going wide it wasn’t a goal. No I I understand like the reasoning doesn’t make sense though. He’s going wide because the ball was hit wide by the goalkeeper and you could see it in real time too like he fluffed his lines. He thought he’d be able to kind of see it back into his box. You have to be decisive in that situation. He needs to once he committed to it, you’re out. Just boot it. And especially the way we saw them play the game, we saw the approach even before they get the goal. They weren’t planning on keeping the ball. So what’s it to you to really keep it just to boot it back up anyway? So that was really the crux of it. But yeah, again, to your point, Mila, if I’m a City fan, I’d feel like you should still score a goal. You need to score to win the game. So, it’s not undeserved like you said with Palace, but to lose in that to lose in that fashion. It’s just 23rd minute though. If you’re down the match in the 23rd minute, a man down, I think we could score a goal. He would like to think we could score a goal. Yeah. It’s funny cuz you texted like, “Oh, now we’re even.” Cuz honestly, I thought Bernardo flopped after all the replays. Yeah, it’s still not even because Dino makes the same like he’s the goalie. He’s on the pitch and because I mean yeah like I saw I mean we we’ll talk about Chelsea later but there’s refereeing is very inconsistent but the one thing that you would think is consistent is oh he touched the ball with his hand. I that’s very confusing. Th this still is the most damning still I’ve ever seen. And I think still at least let the referee on the field take a look. He didn’t even get to look at it. They didn’t even say, “Oh, we think this isn’t a denial, but you should look at this cuz he does handle it.” I just I mean, this should be the only talking point really of the game for me. Like, obviously, it’s going to be the Palace won it, but like this is such a a fail that we created that it it just brings up more V questions and I’m so what’s the point of V? Yeah. Like, actually, what is the [ __ ] point? It’s very clear right here. Like it’s one of the most clear things in football is that the hand cannot touch the ball outside the box. It’s a hand ball. Yeah. Right. He’s the last man in a goal scoring situation. He’s off the [ __ ] He’s the last man. That’s not a question. If Munos came over and smacked the ball down, he’d be off the [ __ ] pitch regardless of where the ball was on the like over there. So like Yeah. Also, they always say context doesn’t matter. It’s also Erling Holland who’s on the end of this chance. Exactly. He’s going to beat [ __ ] Munoz to the ball if he gets past Hendo. I’ve seen lesser strikers put the the chance away when they get past the goal. Respectfully, did Faron not score the same goal in the Copa del Rey final? Was it? Remember Cartswall came out kind of got stuck and it was always kind of a tough angle and he just puts it away first time and Farah’s a good player. He’s not Holland. Well, that’s a very similar situation. They just clear and that’s the line. But the the reason it’s not scored the same goal in a cup final. Farane scored the same goal in a cup final. I just it’s it’s becoming very difficult for me to understand how that wouldn’t be a clear clear goal scoring opportunity. Like even if even if the ball is going wide there, he’s got an open net. It’s 18 yards away. 23 minutes into a game in a final. They don’t want City running away with it 4-0il and against a 10-man palace and that’s the only selfishly as a neutral I was like, “Oh, I’m glad it’s 11 v1.” Of course, you guys are in terms of in terms of justice of the game like that that is a hand ball outside the box. Like it’s that simple. There’s nothing that can handles it outside the box. Yes. If this wasn’t an FA Cup final and City weren’t in it to lose it, this would have been called match week 18 at Palace. Any of them. [ __ ] any of them. It could have like I I don’t understand this. This this was appalling and like I said, we needed to do better regardless, but it’s almost a this leaves a bad taste in my mouth. You’ll see it around all sports cuz like even in the UFC for example, I’ll hear people say like, “Oh, you need to beat the champ to beat the champ.” Like you can’t win a close decision. Like so because it’s a championship fight, we’re changing rules. Like if if someone gets outpointed, they they they lose. Like I don’t care what the situation is. So to your point, in a normal game, that’s it’s a red card. Why isn’t it a red card? Why are we changing the rules? It it’s it’s it’s so puzzling. It it’s crazy. It puzzling is the right word because when we look at like the momentum chart and all this stuff, like this is what City did with 11 men. This is what City did with 11. Southampton did the same thing. Could you imagine with 10 on on the wide pitch at Wembley? Like the game is completely different. Well, they wouldn’t have had the out ball to Mateta because he wouldn’t had anyone up top. It would have probably just been a 54 block and just hope we get to penalties, which could have happened, right? But their best case scenario is getting to Pens where it’s 50/50. Yeah. No, it it sucks because my my vision of this game is tainted now. And all they asked for was a good game, but even knowing the result and being a United fan, like sure, City lost, that makes me happy, but it’s not I don’t feel right. This doesn’t feel right to me. It feels cool to see the the Palace fans uh celebrate at the end like that. You could see how much that meant like that that cool to see. Awesome. Awesome. Did you guys see their special for me? Uh was it just their logo? No, no, it was the It was two two brothers and their dad. Uh nice back in the day. The kids are like our age now, but they were freaking out about that. It was cool to see. It’s It’s a magical game. It’s a magical tournament, but like Dylan’s saying, this is just tarnish. Yeah, we don’t want to take anything away from the the Palace win. Like, obviously sounds like that’s what they’re doing. It’s not a palace thing, though. If if [ __ ] They don’t have control over that. Like, I can’t. They’re playing the game they’re being told to play. Yeah. Yeah. It’s not like he went out there and went, “I’m going to hand ball this on purpose.” It was and then went, I got away with that. Like, no. He did it by accident and he was like, “Oh, thank [ __ ] I got away with that.” Yeah, that’s fine. All credit to Palace. They got here, won a first big trophy with this new ownership with the manager. Fantastic. First major. Really good job. Yeah. Um I mean, it’s a huge deal. I I do want to talk about the good things that we saw from City at least. There’s not much to talk about. Um, but I I think u 19 years old debut taunt FA Cup final and he looked like our best player and that was crazy. You called that before you you can you can say that out loud if you want. I mean you’re texting I thought like they’re not going to give this kid who’s never made an appearance a debut in a cup final. I that’s I the only reason I thought they might was because that they took off Mcate and Rico from the squad to put Edge into the squad. So there has to be a reason to throw him in there. Clearly knowledgeable at 19. He has an IQ. He’s directing the play. Not physically with the ball, but directing every [ __ ] senior player on the pitch. Pass here, pass there. That’s when we started building stuff at the end. He gets into good possessions. He gets the ball. Almost has that chance to put it away. I’m not going to fault him for it. Like I said, 19-year-old debutant in an FA Cup final. And I think the same goes for O’Reilly’s chance, he is a kid in his first final for his club. So, as much as I want to say like, yes, he should be putting those away. A lot of our chances fell to our least experienced players. Um, and I think that can even go for Doku as well. They kind of just let him open up his hips and shoot and Henderson makes a great save on one of them. Yeah. But he’s gonna have to pull out something magical and that’s just we haven’t seen that yet. So the palace setup to make us play to them was was perfect and I think had been in the game a little longer, we probably could have seen more and hopefully convert one of those xG. Um, but yeah, overall lack of [ __ ] passion in the first half. I think he brought the passion and I think he look really good, man. Yeah, I think he could definitely be an important player next year and especially if we don’t [ __ ] take care of business and make Champions League cuz we’re not getting worse if we don’t make Champions League. That performance though makes me a little more with that um with that outcome because he definitely has he’s 19. Um if we can’t afford to go get someone that’s Champions League caliber or wanting Champions League then we are going to have to adapt and it’s nice to know that we have someone that can can make a impact. Yeah, I just thought City like all in simple terms just looked off it. They didn’t look even towards the end like you have 10 minutes of injury time. Not once did it feel like oh they might break down the door like no it just felt so tentative. It didn’t it didn’t even feel like oh there’s there’s three minutes left. Why are we just back and forth back and forth like no one really wanted to do something like even just rip a shot from outside the box put it in the mix or like something something might happen. If you don’t hit it you don’t do anything. There’s a 0% chance. If you whack it, [ __ ] goalie might deflect it, put it into a bad area. There’s something there. You know what I mean? Like just something. So yeah, it just felt like they were going through the motions and didn’t get out of second gear and like you didn’t even realize like from him. Yeah, very came on and he was not afraid to get a shot block. He knew what the score was. He knew what the situation was. I I don’t know. Everything that I disliked about our performance from a a squad point of view, he was the opposite. And that that is the only reason I’m not [ __ ] super pissed off right now is cuz we got something out of that match. He might start reminded me this might be a crazy analogy like if Paul George could be a cup final performance like as a team it was that it’s just like you you left me like desiring so much more. Like you did not give it your all. I I knew we know the issues with this team though and we just we went back to the 4-33 and I think that needs to be talked about. I mean, yeah, it looked like our setup against a five back because obviously we’ll get into our game later, but you had the three Bernardo pretty much by himself when you had the ball and then six up. You had Nico Marmush De Bruyne as 10s and then the wide players. Like I like the idea, but it also kind of looked like us against a lot. It looked like us against a lot of low blocks just moving it side to side and having a lot of trouble breaking it down even with a target in the middle obviously just um no one moving the ball around slow not really breaking cuz that defense like there were a few times in the second half even where you guys won the ball back and there was a shot at it’s like oh we you’ve got numbers for a bit they have five players up and they decide not to transition back for the first time all game and we give away the ball in open space it’s really Yeah, you give them you give them 5 10 seconds. Everyone’s behind the ball. Like do they gave them time to set up and you didn’t take players out of the spaces that needed to be covered. You weren’t pulling people away. No one really moving off the ball. Eti or etchari towards the end I kept seeing him making lots of runs. He’s willing to make the runs. He’s just trying to at least move someone out of position. Like make something happen to your point. And he was making [ __ ] out of nothing. That Goku shot that got blocked. He he literally almost got a goal off of it. And yeah. Yeah. I don’t know. I can’t say anything more about Etchevi other than what I have. Uh we didn’t really get to see much, but I I do hope in the rest of the games, start phasing out the midfield. It’s clear why we’re picking up the guys we’re trying to pick up. We We need a Gibbs White in the midfield carry the ball. We didn’t have a ball carrier in midfield. Every time they tried to [ __ ] dribble, lost the ball. Rinders is one of the best creative eights in the world right now. Granted, he can’t do much defensively, but we need that creativity right now. Once Rogers back, I think we’ll be fine defensively. We’ll shore up the defense, but the lack of creativity, we’ve been talking about it all [ __ ] season in the final. You still create some things, but it’s they’re not clear-cut chances. Yeah, Holland had the one chance early, that crazy acrobatic side foot. I mean, other than that, I mean, nothing for him. Mhm. It wasn’t our day. But yeah, again back to Palace, like great job. Defense was great winning headers. Wharton had a good shift. Will Hughes closed it up at the end. I mean, Munoz all year been running up and down with three, four lungs. Uh Mitchell defensively did well as a difference maker. Add that quality, right place, right? Like that’s that’s what he’s there for. Like that’s the player you want that chance falling to. and he’s got that quality to just side foot that first time, no questions asked. I mean, I can’t stand I can’t I can’t stand that he plays for Palace. He’s been the one guy that’s just like always been like, “Please just get him to a big six club. Let’s see if he can actually if he can hack it at one of the big n Spurs. I don’t want that.” Well, even if he wants the Spurs, it’s like a Madison situation. I just want to see if he can hack it. I I think he’s class and Yeah, absolutely. We’re going to see him play in Europe. Palace got European money now. Palace about to get some European money. That’s the That’s what makes that so cool. Like they had a lot to play for and now that it’s a huge deal. Do they keep he now? He has one year left on his contract. Maybe they reup him. No, this is this is fantastic for the Prem and it’s a it’s been a I think this is a great kind of um sponsorship of the Prem. Like this is what this season has been all year. It’s what it’s been all year. What was that? I don’t I still think they won’t be able to keep Wharton. That’ll be a tough ass. I don’t They might be able to keep it, guys. Gay. He’s got a year left. He’s expensive. Orton’s going to cost a lot and I don’t see him going outside the Prim. So, I I don’t know. Liverpool might try to go after him. That would be I just think these these guys even if they get over Champions League is calling like they might want out and I think Palace they’ve they’ve got this is this is the biggest day in their club’s history. Oh, it’s an amazing achievement and it’s Yeah, it’s And I think that regardless of whatever the players want to do, like they’re going to respect their wishes and probably have a parade. They’re going to have a great time, man. Congrats. No, I mean, like I said, just a great sponsorship for the Prem. This has been all season. We’ve been talking about these teams from like the middle of the pack to the end of the pack that have jumped up this season. Our Forests are, you know, our Brightons. And for the team that’s in 12th who’s I mean to show how good the 12th best team in the in the Prem is this year. Th this is this Paliside is not bad. Got talent all over the place. They played the game exactly how they needed to play to win it. Um it it’s it’s really a special day for for for the club and like I said I think they’re going to get poached but super cool moment um for them. I don’t really I I it’s funny because I don’t really have much to say about their performance. They defended for I mean they just stuck to a game plan. That’s what that’s a that’s a quality team right there. I think just that’s all it is. That was that was one unit. They stuck to the game plan. They executed. Their first counter was the goal and then they resolute the rest of the game. Yeah, that finish was just a plus an execution. Yeah, they let their best player be their best player in one moment and then they they shed up shop. I I thought for sure they were going to end up conceding at some point. And yeah, Dino made the saves. Lacrosse was really good. And Richard’s Richards did a really good job on the back post. It was clearly a game plan to get back. He’s really good in the air. He’s really good in the air, man. USA. It’s too bad. No, honestly, I had it on before and I just kind of forgot that he was playing and then I I He threw on Palace colors as well. Milo, this guy’s a prick. I’m not No, look. Look, I put the Basel jersey in the back because they won the their league for like the first time in eight years with Shakiri, which is really Yeah, that’s And then obviously I’m a big USA fan, so of course there’s there’s nothing else here that would make me The colors of the shirt didn’t influence you to throw it on. No. Okay. Yeah. I just happen to throw this on myself. Um, yeah. I don’t really Yeah, for City, you guys got to get Champs League just for the the sake of like the bigname players will come with Champs. I don’t think it’s like the end. I think it’s just words. It’s just words. No one else we’re linked to will not will say no to us if we don’t have champs. I guess that’s fair cuz Ronders isn’t going to be in the Champions League. They’re terrible. I mean, also, I don’t think these guys are expecting us to stay out of Champions League. So, it’s a one-year detour. You get to go play with a Ballador winner. I I think there’s still appeal for to bring You’re not coming to the 12th place Chelsea or 16th and 17th Tottenham, whichever one doesn’t. You’re just not going to go get those like big Galactico signings. It’s just not Wartz isn’t going to if he has a chance to go play for Bayyron, he’s not going to wait. But like at the same time, it’s not like City is the end of the end of the world. Liverpool are not going to spend the money that it requires on him. I just don’t see it happening. He’s not even in there. I’m seeing the reports. I’m seeing a bunch of it. They might be in the reports. They were also in the reports for who was it? Oh, I don’t think they’re going to end up with them. I’m just saying they’re in there. Oh, I know. All the players that cost over 100, they just get outbid apparently. So, Oh, they out bid us and then KA rejected them. You hate to see it, man. That’s what I’m saying. I don’t know. I I I it’s it’s just been a really weird season. This this game kind of picked it up for or like encapsul every all these trophy droughts. We’ll talk about that in our next video. What did What did um what did Tenhog say? Oh, that game didn’t count because the red card got rescended. Yeah. No. Um I mean, do you have anything else you want to say about the match or anything? Are you good to segue over to Chel? No, I think he keep talking about it. at your very hattick against Bournemouth. Yeah, I think he wants to rewatch that game in 0.5 speed. Five point two5. Watch the handball on slow-mo again. Cool. Yeah, Chelsea and United played. What a what an exciting exciting game that was. Um you call it I’ll let let me talk about United real quick because it it doesn’t matter. Good tuneup game for the final. Um, yes. Yes, definitely. You know, Casemro got 70 minutes on his legs. Uh, Bruno got 80 and didn’t die. That’s good. Hand is awful. He’s awful. Um, center forward. Was that his worst performance of the year, Dylan? Cuz I I slate him all the time and I was still dumbfounded at how awful it was. Man, I dude I don’t I don’t know. I don’t know how anybody could be that bad this consistently in the Premier League as a striker. Send him to something happen. I send him to anywhere they can give us money for him. I don’t really care. You got to loan him to a bad team and hope he does something. I would just take money for like I’ll take the loss too. Yeah. You you let some Italian club make a mistake. Um and then he’ll end up he’ll he’ll be good there because he’s a big physical athlete and that’s literally all that league demands. Yeah. is making a living over there, man. That’s what I’m saying. Um, Dorgu was good. Um, Magguire was good. Great. Uh, and Ahmed got a full 90. Uh, which I don’t think he’s done since he’s returned. So, I’m gladly not hurt during that full 90. I hope gladly not not hurt. Scary moments. The I thought Mount put in a decent shift. I it this this game just showed me that like Amram’s going to have to do something with Hland up top and and I would just not start him. I would play something to do what they did to old yeller. That’s what they got. Look, if he comes on at the very end, like I get it. Like sure. Yeah. Manu or Garnach. Someone’s got to play up literally anybody. It cannot be bro. You’re playing with 10 men. I would play with Muzzi up top, but that finish he had was really back. That’s the only half her shoulder. He was off by half. It was even less than that. It was like so two inches. The margin on that was crazy. Like if there was if V hadn’t gone to that that type of tech yet, it’s a goal. Yeah. And you know what the funniest part is, too? Like when we’re talking about Hland, like we talk about the age, the experience. Look at the other striker if you will. uh a 19-year-old winger who’s uh making his Premier League debut uh in terms of starting for the first time out of position. And yeah, he didn’t have his best night by any stretch, but he’s again a 19-year-old making his making his first start out of position in a huge game. Uh I mean, six is not bad. Exactly. So, my point being like he he can hold his head he can hold his head high. I mean, he did and he put in a shift. Uh George did. So, I mean it’s Yeah, Hland’s just been embarrassing, man. And again, he is young. Maybe there is a decent player still there. He’s not going to be worth that price tag, all that. And just mentally, I can’t even imagine where he’s at. You just got to get out of there. He’s He’s banging He’s banging average. Unfortunately, I think like he was just overhyped. And the sounds like Holland the the lights. It’s unfortunate for him. I feel I feel for him as a as a human. Like that’s got to be super tough. I couldn’t imagine being a striker in that type of I mean he even scored the other day and it was still like you suck. Um, so tough tough, but let’s let’s transition to Chelsea. We’re going to get into more of the United stuff on Monday with Nick. So, yeah, more more importantly, Chelsea picked up three points. So, very importantly, man, I think that first half was embarrassing. Uh, we were really bad. Um, United had so much space out wide. Um, Dorgu just kept getting the ball all by himself. kind of felt like Maseri’s taking up a lot of the inside positions on the right hand side and Ahmad was out wide which I don’t know I thought Ahmed almost got lost out there in a sense like in terms of not being able to have as much of an impact because I mean I think he got past Kucharella once towards the end that near post shot he hit Sanchez uh got down to it but not as impactful but again you see how dangerous he is when he gets into those positions like you feel something you’re like oh [ __ ] you know versus a garnacho let’s say where you’re not as worried Ahmed’s quality. Um, so I’m glad he was able to be neutralized. But I think United’s approach was really good. To your point, Dylan, uh, in terms of like a rehearsal for the cup final. They went manto man and they they did really well. Um, Moresca said it in the postgame uh, interview that um, he watched, you know, like six, seven of their games. They’ve never gone man-to-man like that. And I think they executed really well. You saw how bad we looked on the ball in that first half. We really couldn’t get settled. Um the goal thankfully was offside. Uh but it felt deserved even only 15 minutes in. Um like I was alluding to earlier with City today, we were in that sort of 316 shape. Palmer right in the middle and then Enzo on one side of him, Cucarella on the other side of him, Mawke Netto out wide. Um George up top. Um Palmer two big chances created. I thought he was pretty good in that game considering the lack of movement. I mean, he’s gotten a lot of slack for the lack of output, but I still think he’s been pretty good. And Kaisedo in that game, I mean, obviously, I’m wearing the the shirt backwards to have him up right here, but he’s unbelievable. I I always say it, but every time I do, I feel like the level just keeps getting higher and higher. He’s in the midfield by himself pretty much that game. I’ve seen Enzo Fernandez have better games, you know? I mean, I don’t think he was bad, but for what we paid for him, right, you you’d expect a performance like we get from Kaisedo every week, he’s unbelievable. Most dribbles, won the most tackles, won the most fouls. Like, yeah, about It’s about right. It’s about right. I mean, I just have some good stats. 232 DS won in the season, not the game. I was like, wow, that’s a lot of DS in one game. 223 possessions, won 111 tackles, most out of any midfielder for all those stats. Like he just does everything. And I mean, I think in this game we were able to see his ability on the ball, too. I mean, pretty effortlessly pinging the ball around, turning people really early in the game, drives 40 yards, pass five people, lays it off to Palmer. I mean, he’s unbelievable. He didn’t get nominated for player of the season, which I don’t really care about because it’s going to be Salah’s anyways. But I mean, it’s he’s unbelievable. He is so good. Um I called the Cucarella goal. Did it call in the group chat? Um I laugh I laughed at it because it was funny and I agreed that it but it’s true. Yeah, it was it was not a joke like because in these type of games because again I think United were pretty good defensively. Um Reese James showing tech a moment of brilliance. I mean from that right center back position, but Fakundo is always on us about it. The the flexibility to be able to move around a little bit more in the final third. You see Reese James step forward. Netto finds him and then just improvises. Gardacho does absolutely nothing and just kind of lets him turn him like that. Perfect ball in. Doesn’t even look up. Cucarella on the end of it. He knows where to be. Um, he has the most goals for us in 2025 in the Prem. It’s four. That’s crazy. I mean, Cucarella is our highest score in the league in this calendar year and we’re one game away from potentially being back in the Champions League. So, I think a lot of credit needs to go to him. Um, other than just the goal scoring, I mean, I put him in my team of the year. That was my vote when we had our little combined 11. But for this reason, he’s just so invaluable. I mean, he’s had multiple games against really difficult attackers like an Ahmad, a Salah, a Sacka, and he’s come out of those really well with his head held high. To go along with this output, to go along with how high up he presses. You would think he’s a left winger at times if you didn’t know who was playing. He presses all the way up. And if he doesn’t win that, he runs all the way back. I mean to think we almost loaned him to Man United last year and we were playing Colewell at left back or Chillwell at left back and if we cup tied him he would have went to United. Um could be a lesson on patience for some players. Um cuz I was I was one I was totally fine with getting rid of him. I mean I he didn’t have a great first year with us and again in hindsight probably pretty difficult to settle into that 22 23 Chelsea team but I mean all the plaudits deserve to go to Karella he’s been fantastic for a while now as has Kaisedo um Palmer victim of his own standards but again there’s a reason we hold him to those standards we know what he’s capable of he knows what he’s capable of so hopefully we get that against Forest but I’m glad how professional we were in that game to to be able to see that game out. Uh things we kind of asked for for a while. Um picking the right times to make those defensive substitutions. Just even going to the corner flag in like the 85th minute. I’m like, “Oh, this team’s learning.” It’s a process. Again, I go back to I always said I wanted to fast forward this year. Like just let’s move on to next year 25 26 Estausen. Like no, but these are the growing pains and we’re starting to see it pay off. These guys are learning. Um the destiny is still in our hands and like that’s all we could ask for. We’re going to get what we deserve and you go beat a Nottingham Forest team you should beat. You’re in. I mean it’s all you could ask for. Um, and I think with what we’ve showed, I’d like to think we can get that done, man. Um, Forest might also be out of the conversation by um, the time match week 38 comes. If if they don’t pick up points against West Ham, which I think would more than likely they’ll at least get a draw out of that. But if they don’t do that points on Tuesday, then they’re out. But that’s the way I see it. If they drop all three points for us, they’re not even in their seventh. I agree. seventh. So, they might not even have anything to play for. Yeah, but they’ll still be playing. Oh, no. They can’t get Europa. Nope. They’re just locked into seventh if they lose tomorrow. Mhm. So, that’s an interesting scenario. But either way, Forest are still a difficult team to break down. So, like I’m not going to look too much into that because again, you should be confident in beating this team given their current run of form. Uh, I took a screenshot. They have one win in their last seven. Four of those are losses, two draws. draws are to Palace and Leicester. But yeah, they’ve been in horrible form. I mean, we should be able to beat this team. I’ll tell you what’s going to happen in that game. And I Gibbs White dominance and you guys will still win 3-1. Dude, I I’ve got I’ve got major concerns to say the least. I that about Chelsea still. You guys only put away one chance from your left back against that United side who’s been That’s what they’re doing though. Like that’s that’s just their goal score right now. It’s kind of like that’s the game plan. But Forest game plan is literally just to sit in behind and not do anything and then just hit but that’s that’s where the Curella coming in. That’s where Sancho comes in. Possessions like comes into play. I think like they yes they set up in this defensive setup but it’s those like shadow runs I guess you can call them. the guy that’s not supposed to be up there behind the defenders and gets the chances. So, we talked about it. Fakuna’s definitely talked about it, but you guys can’t break down the low block. This is how you do it. This is this is the way you figured out how to do it. And it it’s obviously not going to be consistent. He’s not going to score a goal every game, but you’ve definitely found a way to make him useful in your guys’ struggles to to get He’s been brilliant, man. And I think Forest, it goes one of two ways because we’re either setting up with the 325 or the 316, right? Depending on if they got the five back or not. If they go with the fourback, you would think, does Kaisedo go back to right back? Do you then go Lavia Enzo cuz Reese was unbelievable? And that’s when obviously you posed that question a few weeks ago and I said Lavia, but to me it just depends on the setup, right? Because yesterday, you know, United are that five back. We don’t need two in the middle there. We know that’s not how we’re going to set up. So, it made sense. Let’s go Reese. And he proved why he’s worth, but is there a way to get both of them in? Because obviously we’re missing Jackson. So, are you able to throw Enzo as the 10, Lavia, Kaisedo, Ree at right back? Like, now you got to think about that. That’s something that Enzo needs to think about because we don’t know how Forest are going to approach this game. They’re probably going to want to try and win. They might need to win to still salvage Champions League. I don’t know what the scenarios are going to look like, but it’s going to be interesting because we now have some options. We got a bit of selection issue with one game left, but um I’m I’m confident. I’m confident. Uh I’m scar I was almost scared to say that, but I think Cole will also deserve some credit. I’ve I’ve slagged him off a little bit. Nothing crazy, but I’ve just pretty much said I want my defender to defend a little more. He’s absolutely stepped up to the plate in terms of that. I’ve seen a lot more of really good last ditch defending, resolute defending, smart defending from Kwell being a lot more strong in the duel. Um, I don’t want to speak too much on Tosen because it was Hland, but he he looked like Van Djk yesterday. And again, I think we might have to give more credit to Hland for that, but Tosen definitely had a really good game, too. Um, Netto was pretty hit and miss for me. I was also kind of frustrated with the tracking back at times. I don’t think our press was really organized, but United were just able to get the ball out wide with so much space, it felt like all the time. And if this is a better United team with better players in these positions, I I think they take advantage of a few more of those opportunities. But um I think there’s some there’s definitely we’ll talk about the final that next episode, but there’s some positives to take for United. No doubt they gave us a tough game. They always do against big six teams. even this year. Yeah, they’re a tough team to beat. But it’s the one glaring thing with Amarim’s like sides where I’m like, “Oh, he tactically is up to par with all the other big six managers.” He’s proven that. It’s just like the guys that are playing for him or whether it’s that or how he gets them up for the game, whatever it is, he he’s up for the challenge. However he does it, he’s proven that. Sure. In a lot of previous managers, it’s always been the inverse. like we’ve been able to beat the bad teams which has gotten us like within the realm of European football but then when we get to these points where we need to start beating like if it would be like an Arsenal or Liverpool we’re not up to the task we can’t do it we’re just like tactically outmatched where like now I go into these games and I just feel like there’s something there like this United team had zero zero business being in this game and I think like the mentality and the idea of like going for a tuneup and rather than like just resting Everybody was really interesting. I I would have probably rested everybody, but knowing this manager, he needs to get them all. I thought it was a great dress rehearsal. I thought it was a very good dress. Do you guys think that them running rolling out that lineup and putting so much effort into the game, threw Chelsea off? Absolutely. Do you think Yeah. Like I think we’re just so tactical, which again it’s a critique that we’ve heard from. We focus so much on our game plan tactically like, “Oh, here’s how they’re going to come at us and here’s how we’re going to counter it.” If they don’t approach the game the way we anticipate it, I think we saw what what happens. They look That’s I That’s not what I mean, though. I mean, do you think your players went into that game thinking would just be a walkthrough? Like there was a human nature element of it. Well, they I think they knew how important that game coming after a loss. I think they knew how important that game was. Well, if you guys had dropped points, it would have been out of your control. So, Chelsea should have been up to the task, which is honestly part of that was part of my concern at the end of the 90 was like it took a lot out of Chelsea to get to that point. They get over the line, but then at the same time, I have to play devil’s advocate myself where it’s like they did get over the line and it took like your guys best players like Kaisedo and Cucarella, your most consistent players all year along with your captain to get you over the line and that’s like that’s what a whole team thing is. We’ve been talking about deputies. The defense was immense all year and like that’s what came to your best and Robert Sanchez again. One more. One more for me, King. What do you got? Because I think he didn’t have much to do. Oh, [ __ ] no. And he still gave the ball away a few time a few time few times too many, but um not in horrifically dangerous positions and he made some important saves. Amad Ahmad ripped that near post. That was a great and it was a great save. Well, you guys just started playing to his strengths. We’ve been talking about it all year. Like you guys have been play Yeah. You guys have been playing to his feet and asking him to play. He can’t do that. And then now it’s just why we signed him, which is hilarious. But I know I’ve looked at his stats like the last four games. It’s like three of 16 long balls. It’s like, “Oh, perfect. Just [ __ ] boot it.” No, but he always tries, dude. He’s like Gusto. He tries to get it onto his weaker foot. What are you doing? Infuriating. But um uh one more stat for some Palmer prop. First Chelsea player to create 70 plus chances from open play in the league season since Hazard 1819. Yeah, he’s fine. Um yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Less pens. Honestly, that’s literally what the It should have been a pen too based on um that was awarded today because it looked very similar. I don’t should have been Yeah. But my whole thing with that, I don’t think we deserved a penalty for that. My whole thing is goes back to the consistency thing. It’s so inconsistent. Stop trying to rationalize it. Same thing with the hand ball. I would have felt hard done by if we got that hand ball the other way around. I’d also kind of get it. It was ripped on target. We just need to know the rules. Lay them out for us. However you call the game, because I’ve seen that called before. Heaven at the end of the game, right? Heaven with Gusto. I don’t think that’s a red. I’ve seen Gusto get sent off for it. I just want to know. Please lay it out for us. There’s just like you’re saying. Yeah. They don’t want to admit that the context of things has a huge role to play in V. Yeah. And like look, if they were to just come out and be like, you know what, they’re humans and the context of things matter. Like in today’s game, it was a final. They all had [ __ ] super anxiousness and 20 minutes into the game, the ref shot his pants. like long before we get a freeing and then that’s what’s gonna happen. Yeah. Yeah. Basically, and it’s going to be the Grock monitor for a very long time. That’s strike zone. We know what the strike zone is. Let’s just say no. I just got a text in a group chat. Oh, wow. Palace one. That’s elite. What phase are they in? No, it’s a great I’m just happy that my club is professional. We We’ve got some professionals now because the past two years all it’s been about is oh, we’re going to concede again. We need another one because it’s going to happen. But we’re starting to see games out and it wasn’t a good performance all things considered. You would think uh going into 16th place United at home last game of the season, pepper him 34. Like that’s what you need to do. But at the end of the day, it’s business. End of the season. get the points. Yeah, I’m much happier with the points than if we kicked ball and looked good and drew. Um, yeah. No, I’m so happy. So, so, so happy. Uh, throw the graphic up, Dylan. Oh, throw the graphic up. I’m almost out of stuff to talk about, but I got one more thing. This is important. And you do need to add, devil’s advocate. We’ve been horrible on the road in this calendar year. Let’s not act like that hasn’t happened. We’ve won two game or one or two away from home in the league. But this is important and I think also the seven goals conceded is really the takeaway I get from it because what we went from last year conceding 63 goals throughout the year and being this fun transitional team. We’ll concede them but we’ll score them. When we talk about processes and tangible growth in terms of a a project, these are the type of things we look at or at least what I like to look at because yeah, we heard some things about Palmer’s better in the the chaos ball, right? Transitions like we need to have more transitions. It’s a fun watch and Palmer probably would have better output, but um that’s not going to win you leagues. That’s not going to win you trophies. You know what I mean? What’s going to get you there is having a resolute team that also has the ability to score goals. And I think one is starting to progress a little faster than the other. But I’m honestly fine with it. Um to see us, especially with the personnel in that defense, put up the numbers they have. I’m really proud of that. Um and I think that can be built on especially same thing goes for our goal scoring numbers, which haven’t been bad, but there’s absolutely room for improvement. I think the eye test says that just when we watch a lot of Chelsea games and asking where that goal comes from. Um I mean we literally just talked about it. [ __ ] Cucarella’s got the most goals in 2025 for us. So I think there’s lots of room for improvement. But I’m more than happy with the growth from this team. But I think Champions League should still be absolutely the goal and let’s take care for us, man. Yeah. I I had to I had to run through the 10 games. What are Spurs, Everton, Southampton, Leicester, Liverpool. Oh, I it’s it’s a very it’s it’s it’s it is a it’s a hand pick. You took care of business at home. I thought the only problem I have with professional now they’re professional now. Last sentence is a stroke inducing tweet. They conceded. Yeah, it is pretty badly written. Holy [ __ ] As you can imagine, reading it, I was like, “Yeah.” No, it’s a crazy one. But again, it’s just the growth and what we’re doing as a team. I’m happy. Oh, yeah. No, it’s it’s definitely it’s it’s a cherry picked stat. Oh, the stat itself. Yeah, it was more of a reminder for me to speak. It’s It’s Yeah, it’s still a good It’s a good step in the right direction. If it was the other way around, you’d be [ __ ] Yeah. I mean, you remember last year like the United uh Chelsea game at the bridge last year, that 4-3 crazy game. I don’t want to watch those every week, but it’s my team involved. I don’t want to be conceding a brace to Garnacho, Anthony Trella, assists. No. Defend, score, simple. You know what I mean? So, I’m happy with where how far we’ve come. Yeah. I mean, a lot less goals scored this year. We got 63 this year. Yeah. I think last year, which you go into the summer knowing exactly what you need, right? And I think we got to talk real quick. Jackson, I mean, we missed him up there regardless of whether or not he’s been [ __ ] I mean, he’s a striker and he makes the runs. He ended the season on 10 goals. I mean, he had 14 in the league last year. 10 goals in the league. Um we we talked about it uh when we were in a title race, right? He was putting away chances. He looked really good in front of goal and we were kind of saying at the time if that’s really him, they can they can absolutely keep doing this. It’s it was not him in front of goal. No, he’s he’s an important miss. Like people are going to underplay that. But we saw what happened when he when he left when he got hurt. We we saw the stretch of form, which is honestly that’s my biggest concern going into this next game for you guys is just not having that that type of thing. But this is what it comes down to. Yeah. Yeah. The final day of the season. Um in the craziest top five finish I’ve ever witnessed in my in my life like with every team still having to play on the final day for everything. Like there’s so many different things that can be talked about like on the final day. And we didn’t even talk about City. City still got to win, you know, another two tough games and then Arsenal is not technically out of it yet. Like that’s so crazy. That’s so crazy that Newcastle are probably good. No, Newcastle. They’re not because they only got 66 points. If they lose, you’re right. Anything can happen. You are right. between third and seventh as of today after the final can finish between third and seventh which is it’s bonkers. Um I do want to get a prediction just so that we can have a clip for Friday or whatever. Makes my life easier. Gives me something to actually post. Never mind. I don’t want to do it. Um so yeah, we’ll do that. Let’s let’s do a prediction for Chelsea versus Nottingham Forest to ultimately see who goes to the Champions League. I already gave my prediction, so I’ll just throw it back up. It’s going to be 3-1 Chelsea. Gibbs White will be immense. That’s just what’s been happening. Yeah, they’ve been they’ve he’s been playing phenomenal and they’ve been losing or drawing. So, yeah. Um, I’m going to go 2-0. Um, and I think player to watch or X factor is going to be Ree because I think it tactically it’s going to be very interesting to see how we approach it. Whether or not he ends up starting, I think he plays a part in the game regardless. So whether it’s him, Lavia, I guess reach Lavia, whatever dynamic, however we approach this game, it’s going to be very interesting. So, two no. I think we get one one in the first, one in the second. It’s so con This is such a hard one because I know how bad Forest have been playing, but I have such concerns over the striker and not having one and I just like at least it’s not in Kungu. Yeah, it’s not in Kungu. Um I think this is going to end in a draw. I think that going to this it’s a city ground, right? Mhm. Yeah, going there and having to deal with that environment for the same the inverse reason of the stat that we threw up earlier. Like if you guys don’t, you know, show up with the requisite amount of like tactical discipline and you aren’t able to get a few goals like it could be really tight butthole for both teams. Yeah, I mean we know we know what we’re going to get from certain players, right? Like the Cucarellas we’re talking about Kaisedo. We know what we’re getting. Even to an extent Palmer, not necessarily if he’s gonna have some output, but we know what he’s going to give you. Yeah. Comes down to again tactically Enzo or Lavia or Reese or Lavia, but I think Enzo again uh show up, man. I mean, it’s a big game. Poch beat him last year. Had a little comeback. Beat him 3-2. Um so we we’ve we’ve come back from adversity at that tough ground with little time to spare. It’s been done before by what I would say is a lesser team, but again, it’s a tough ask. It’s not an easy place to go no matter what and with the troubles we have with the resolute defensive teams. It could get dicey because it got dicey for me even in the United game 60 minutes in it’s like okay we need a goal we need one. Yeah. There’s so much pressure mounting on both teams. It really comes down to who scores the first goal for me. Like if Chelsea score the first goal I think that Chelsea go on to win it. But if Chelsea don’t score the first goal and it goes to Forest I think that either Forest is going to their game plan. Do they lose it? Yeah. Do they have that disappoint they begin to just sit back back all the way they but all guys, you know, behind the line and then eventually break it down or do they get impatient? I think that they that’s that’s where I’m seeing the draw. I think it’s going to end 2-2. I think there’s going to be I have no idea why I think there’s going to be enough goals in there for that, but yeah, I was going to say I didn’t I don’t know about that. 22. I think they’ll hit they’ll hit on the counter. Your heart’s tough. Morris gets the first goal, but then it there’s so much pressure on both these teams that it’s just going to it’s going to neutral each other out. Like I know I’m I’m confident in what I’ve seen lately. Like they’re mature. These these guys are growing up. I don’t know if mature is necessarily the right word, but you’re seeing growth in that picture. Exactly. So, uh I’d like to see us see that out and really put the cherry on top. Um obviously we got that final um the day after, but if gun to my head and I had to pick one, we got to get these three points. We gotta get these three points, man. We got I My star player is gonna be Chris Wood because I think you they have to score goals. They He’s got to get one of those. And yeah, is Verilla fit? He wasn’t. We didn’t play in this last game, so I’m not sure because I think he did his hammy. Yeah, him and Hudson Adoi both say late May. Yeah, Hudson Adoi hasn’t played in in a little bit. Yeah, so they’re probably He already got his revenge goal out of the way last year. We’re good. Yeah. Yeah, those are those are our predictions, though. So, it’s going to be bonkers, but that’s okay. You guys good to end it? Yeah. Yeah. All righty. Well, we’ll be back on Monday to talk with Nick about United and Tottenham in the worst European Cup final in the history of the sport to ultimately see whose team can get a um start on a rebuild. From the three of us, we’ve been Clash of Clubs. This has been episode 42 and we will see you guys in the next one. Words for him deeper engraving. Glorious goal reads in red. We’re really seeing the most extraordinary finish here on this day of he just magnificent potentially life changing. That’s football. The minute you let it under your skin, then you begin to make it better.