The way in which they talk about, say, the resignation of an Arsenal suit, as though it’s a serious even momentous piece of news worthy of the deepest “analysis” and 35 (!) minutes of pompous and rather smug blether is why I wonder whether this is meant to be a joke. Shades of the Day Today maybe. If so it’s not funny enough. Get better writers. Ornstein is a brilliant performer - give him the material he deserves!

Who is a great host, great questions, the podcast is great

It would be cool if you encouraged your contributors to talk about strategy and tactics rather than just reacting to stories and vibes, which anyone can do.

Ayo is hands down the best facilitator on any soccer pod I’ve listened to. The guests are thoughtful and interesting, and I’m always learning more about the wide world of football through this show. Cheers!

The guests aren’t journalists they’re engagement farmers. Don’t bother. Go next

I used to listen to this show a couple years ago with Dan Bardell, and it would cover every game of the weekend, with predictions…. Now the show spends nearly the entire hour on just one match? Why???

We need Dan Bardell back. He’s so much better and voice so much smoother. Ayo’s great but Friday’s just aren’t listenable anymore.

Can the athletic please hire journalists that aren’t so smug or off putting thank you!

Fútbol exists beyond Europe

The level of analysis is so lazy and so poor it’s really not what you would expect from the Athletic. The best quality of the athletic is that you have experts talking about teams they know…. These guys are absolutely clueless. They rely on headlines and cliches to get them through the pod cause they simply don’t enough about the game or the premier league. It’s truly shocking how bad these guys are. If I want to know about a specific team, I’ll look up the guys who cover them for the athletic. Not listen to these guys guessing and coming to absurd assumptions based on headlines they’ve read from the sun and daily mail lol do better It’s as if the word nuanced doesn’t exist in England. Every statement and argument is black or white. A team wins a match and they’re the best team in the world, they lose the next non and you guys are talking about a “crisis at the club”. It’s not just the athletic either, it’s the problem with all UK outlets. Carl Anka is an absolute clown

Best football podcast for getting into the details of the game. Great contributors.

I refrain from giving this show a five-star rating only because of the weekend preview which is unlistenable. Awful. I haven’t finished a single episode. I loved the odds on last season show (even though I’m not a betting man) and especially the weekend quizzes which I always paused the pod to try and answer. I literally looked forward to Fridays. Bring Dan Bardell and the crew back, please. Ayo’s hosting has been consistently excellent. He brings in the right guests and maintains a positive atmosphere, although at times he could delve deeper into challenging questions. While most journalists associated with the show are impartial, there are a couple of exceptions. George Caulkin’s comparison of Newcastle’s history to Manchester United’s and Simon Hughes’ assertion that Liverpool winning the Premier League would rank among the greatest achievements ever has to be one of the worst takes for me. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions though.

I love Ayo’s energy and enthusiasm - he’s been a great upgrade for the podcast

Way better than the garbage you get on TV. It is full of informed and unbiased information and it is my go to football podcast that isn’t specific to my team.

Garbage podcast, a bunch of homers who only talk about City and United. Report on the teams with true fans.

They say they report on the world of football yet every episode is focused on the Premier League. Instead of reporting on news from other big leagues they resort to reporting on dull news from the premier league.

Ayo is a decent replacement for Mark Chapman on the daily show, but please bring back Dan Bardell for the weekend preview. I really looked forward to the weekend preview when Dan hosted it, but it’s pretty much unlistenable now. Way too much crap banter.

They always have a new take that I hadn’t thought of. Everyone is top.

I listen to the daily shows and the weekend review. Hosts for both shows are really good and makes for an enjoyable listen.

Got me focused in football

I think that this is a really good podcast for background noise, and I can pop in and out whenever I want. But it immediately lost a star when I heard Nick Miller say that Kovacic looks more comfortable in 2 games at City than he did during 5 years at Chelsea. Kind of a ridiculous statement made by someone who sounds like Daniel Radcliffe and is their social media guy on TikTok. Those aren’t good takes.

I listen to this podcast each episode, but without Mark Chapman as host I’ve noticed the conversation becomes more “banter” and less journalistic and insightful. I can understand if I’m in the minority - my favorite era of this podcast was when Mark and Matt Slater hosted the business of sport every Thursday on this channel (intro music included) - but think the feed could use some more long form or in depth coverage in that vein (which may just mean we need more Adam Crafton)

This show is appointment listening for me each morning, in no small part because the conversational production style. The latest episode seemed to be experimenting with a presentation like ‘The Daily,’ with annoying, unnecessary musical interludes and tv coverage sound bites. Don’t wreck this show by trying to turn it into ‘The Daily: Football!’ Please! These production elements add nothing to the shows they are used in other than distraction.

I started listening to the Athletic for the stats, but found that I missed the characters and people, so I was very happy that Mark Chapman hosted. Unfortunately, he has left and so will I as soon as I finish this 5-star review and hit unsubscribe. ‘We are the Bears Shufflin’ Crew…’

The music is great and very educational about big topics in the footballing community and world. Wish there are less ads and shorter add breaks

Good work lads, nice pod!

you think you’re listening to a football show and then they start talking about betting lines in these smooth transitions so you barely notice they’re actually talking to you about gambling. it’s pathetic. find writers and podcasters you can trust and follow them. don’t listen to this garbage that is just here to facilitate a gambling partnership.

Love the show, and I'm unsure if you all even control this, but the optics of bashing Qatar (rightfully) just to have the show sponsored by Emirates and featuring commercials from Aramco is interesting...to say the least

These guys act like Man City, Man United, Chelsea, and Liverpool are the only 4 teams in the league. There are countless other stories and clubs you could mix in for some conversation. Unfortunately it’s just like every other podcast or show. Same 3 takes on the same topics regurgitated over and over. Hard pass

Perfectly good journalism ruined by selling out to betting companies. Running their ads is bad enough but having one of their employees on as a “guest” to shill for gambling throughout the show? Get a grip.

It’s disrespectful (and racist) to change people’s names to English just because you don’t know how to speak other languages. Be more cultured and make a real effort to say JORGE Mendes, since that’s his REAL name.

From an American - Keep to Football and drop the Socialist commentary. Unsubscribed and not coming back.

Really enjoy the pod really informative

Some weekly shows are great and very in depth, others are basically a review of the betting odds for 45 minutes

This podcast is riddled with betting odds, bookie specials, gambling tips woven through the content which is obviously taylored to accomodate these endless gambling promotions. Then every episode an expert who happens to be fully employed by the gambling industry quickly tosses out some worthless facts before delivering the real content - upcoming odds and special for the weekend games. A billion dollar industry trying every trick in the book to pray on the weak and vulnerable. Unsubscribe. They took the dirty money, they have no autonomy over content. It's a gambling marketing podcast and always will be.

Dan Bardell asked for a review, so here it is. This is not a football podcast, it is a gambling podcast. They way the “commentators” shill for the horrible gambling industry is unconscionable. And what they offer as analysis is shockingly bad (evidenced by their preview of the 2021-2022 season) until you remember they are shilling for bookies who make more money when people take bad advice and make stupid bets. #unsubscribed

England played well, young emerging talent is exciting... post match show was like three professors discussing a dissertation and deciding is was worth nothing more than a 2:2. Liven it up - or I’m not listening again

Can’t listen to jack while he’s eating , awful ,

C’mon guys. You can find better sponsors. Gambling and football is as big of an issue as anything you guys discuss yet you willingly advertise and therefore contribute to its growth.

Loving these views into the other side of the game. Keep them up!

Can you please tell us why is Mesut Ozil being left out in the cold once again? Is this a tactic to just get rid of him or has there been words exchanged? Does this show Ozil lack of sporting ambition that he still won’t go to another team just to get his high wages? Some clarification would be highly appreciated?

This was literally the worst episode of this pod. Your panel admitted that prices stay low due to tv yet complain about fans not having power... it’s the most whingy joke. The match day fans don’t pay the freight yet feel less included... it’s just reality. Say something intelligent on the subject

For once Chappers interrupts less; Ornstein his usual erudite laid back way; and guests with inside knowledge of clubs and football. Great listen for an Arsenal fan in Fishersville, a village of 3500 in southern Virginia, US Thank you!

The best podcast in soccer with incredible insight into the behind the scenes action of the sport

Chappers really brings the best out of David. Enjoyed the first episode! More Arsenal please