Federico - he's here to win S7 E4

Welcome dear listener to First State Kopites. The podcast of the Premier League Champions. It's the fourth podcast of season 7. I’m Paul, joined by Sean and Daz. The new season started Friday night - we will reflect on the game against Bournemouth, look ahead to Newcastle and take a sideways glance at what went on elsewhere.

Part One: Bournemouth at home:

• Acknowledging Diogo - beautiful from start to finish; NBC with surprising empathy. Lovely celebrations (inc Luis Diaz). Bournemouth fans had a Diogo banner

• At 36 minutes, Dixon says that Bournemouth have quieted the crowd - Hugo scores in the 37th

• They kept going on about the atmosphere at Old Trafford - Robbie Mustoe was great in calling out how special Anfield is

• No room for racism people

• Theme #1 - Defensive woes?

• Bournemouth physicality and Taylor’s light touch

• The left back story - Kerkez being targeted? Semenyo certainly played down that side. On replay he actually looked OK. Frimpong was relatively safe. 

• 3 big chances given up - only 17 given up in the 17 home games before we won the title I read. All from transition.

• At set pieces - they had a line of Gakpo, Etitike, VVD, Szobozlai and Ibou - Konate won a lot of headers.

• Theme #2 - Attacking riches

• So much verve and what could have been once these guys have even more time together

• Hugo Ekitike - the movement, the ability to play between the lines cf Gyokeres

• At 2-0, looks like a third is coming

• Chiesa - the song? the finish

• VAR - Michael Oliver and ‘a terrible excuse for a poor decision’

• Theme #3 - control vs. greater risk

• Subs made us look worse - until we settled down

• Mac Allister - Wirtz - Ekitike, boy is that exciting, but could mean greater risk

• Ali’s 300th appearance

Part Two: Newcastle away on Monday night

• Team selection? Gravenberch, Macca, Bradley?

• Newcastle’s industrial midfield and wingers in attack

• Is a point a good result?

Part Three - Looking ahead at our ‘rivals’

• Arsenal and Man United - Hot takes

• Man City - they are back…

• Chelsea - ‘World Champions’ (insert throwing up emoji).

We’ll be back with a review of the Newcastle game. Thanks to Daz and Sean for joining me, Paul. And most of all, thank you dear listener for joining us.
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