Ranks FC - A Football Podcast

Hello Rank Squad! We're in the heart of an onslaught of Champions League weeks, but on the one breather we have, we decided it was time to bring back a Ranks classic, in the form of Sacking or Saving Europe's Under-Fire Managers, for the SIXTH time. Once a year, we sit down and analyse those managers currently on the hottest seats, and try to work out whether they need time or the chop. Before we get into it though, we discuss Monday's Ballon d'Or ceremony in London, where Harry Kane defied the glitz and glamour to become the first English player to lift the trophy in 25 years. We hand out some well deserved flowers to a man who feels like a throwback in the modern era, as well as talk through a couple of other bits from the ceremony - Fabian Ruiz finishing 10th, a lovely redemption arc for La Reina, Alexia Putellas, and Joan Laporta just completely getting it wrong when at the podium to speak. Then it's onto our list of managers on the hot seat, starting with the big one from the Premier League - the future of Michael Carrick at Manchester United, especially in the light of the club giving him a stay of execution for the time being. From there we also discuss Pierre Sage's situation at Crystal Palace, as well as Sunderland's Regis Le Bris, Fulham's Álvaro Arbeloa, and Coventry City's Frank Lampard. Then we head xontinental, as Jack takes a look at who's under it in Europe - visiting three big hitters in Italy in the shape of Maurizio Sarri at Atalanta, Max Allegri at Napoli, and Luciano Spalletti at Juventus; as well as Rui Borges at Sporting CP and the seemingly doomed Manolo González at Espanyol (who might already be gone by the time this is out, but who was a brilliant story in his own right and we will miss!)It's Ranks! And remember, if you’d like more from the Rank Squad, including extra podcasts every Monday and Friday (including our weekly Postbox taking a look at the whole weekend of football) and access to our brilliant Discord community, then why not join us here on Patreon? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hello Rank Squad!Champions League Takeaway returns for Matchweek Three of this season's League Stage, to look back at all of Wednesday's action from across all nine games. We begin with the marquee matchup between Bayern Munich and Arsenal at the Allianz, where the spoils were shared 2-2 after a game that both teams will take plenty of positives from. From there it's onto Real Madrid, who won 4-1 for the second time in four days, and who finally appear to have found some feel of balance ahead of El Clásico this weekend. This was another positive result and performance for Jose Mourinho, who might have just worked out how best to deploy his vast array of superstars.  In Part Two we discuss another chastening night for Michael Carrick and Manchester United, who were soundly beaten on the banks of Lake Como by the latest rising power of Italian football, spearheaded by Nico Paz and Martin Baturina, who were a delight - unless you're a United fan. Carrick remains firmly on the hot seat after a bleak night, summed up by Bruno Fernandes' pretty stark comments after the full time whistle. There's also a little bit of time to chat through Inter's 1-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk which provided relief but no answer to the questions that plague the Italian Champions. As ever in Part Three we round things up with everything else, starting with two teams who remain perfect: Aston Villa - after their routine 3-1 win over Viking; and Real Betis - who beat Feyenoord 1-0 in an electric La Cartuja to continue their excellent start to this season. We round up with wins for Club Brugge over Lens, LASK over Sporting, and Galatasaray over Lille. It's Ranks! And remember, if you’d like more from the Rank Squad, including extra podcasts every Monday and Friday (including our weekly Postbox taking a look at the whole weekend of football) and access to our brilliant Discord community, then why not join us here on Patreon? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hello Rank Squad! Champions League Takeaway returns for Matchweek Three of this season's League Stage, and we returned to plenty of goals and fun across all nine games on Tuesday. We open up by talking about the big one between PSG and Barcelona, where the Parisians laid down a marker with a 4-2 win after a truly brilliant game of football between two highly entertaining teams. From there we discuss Stuttgart and Atleti's 1-1 draw where the Germans truly gave Los Colchoneros a fright, before heading onto a couple of seven goal thrillers. In Part Two we discuss them both - Liverpool's 4-3 win over Villarreal and Napoli's 4-3 win over Bodø/Glimt, where there were positives and negatives for both of the victors. Liverpool will be buoyed by the excellent performances of Trey Nyoni and Rio Ngumoha, and Napoli by the return to goalscoring form of Scott McTominay - but not everything is rosy for either.As ever in Part Three we round things up with everything else, including Phil Foden's hat-trick as Manchester City beat AEK Athens 5-1, Roma's 4-0 win over Slovan Bratislava, a big win for PSV as they went to the Dragão and beat Porto 1-0, Borussia Dortmund's 2-1 win in Azerbaijan over a resilient Sabah, and Fenerbahce throwing away a 2-0 lead over Slavia Prague to draw 2-2 in a game that will undoubtedly rile their fanbase no end. It's Ranks!  And remember, if you’d like more from the Rank Squad, including extra podcasts every Monday and Friday (including our weekly Postbox taking a look at the whole weekend of football) and access to our brilliant Discord community, then why not join us here on Patreon? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hello Rank Squad!Champions League Takeaway returns for Matchweek Two of this season's League Stage, and if Tuesday was fun, Wednesday was an absolute madhouse. We open up by talking about Real Madrid's 4-3 win over Roma, from being 3-1 down with 15 to play, and not having played particularly well for much of it. A tale as old as time, but one that threw up plenty of food for thought.  From there it's onto Liverpool, who scored six against LASK - including a hat-trick from Bradley Barcola - but left something to be desired defensively. Plenty of positives, but much to discuss as well in terms of where Andoni Iraola's are and what they need to do going forward. In Part Two we discuss PSG's incredible first half as they dismantled Manchester City at the Etihad - going 3-0 up before the break in their most complete performance of the season. City did rally in the second half, but it was nowhere near enough - their midfield balance needs addressing if they're to go far in this competition, and yet it was PSG's performance that took the plaudits on their best night in a while. We also discuss Feyenoord's 3-2 win over Como, in a result that may raise some eyebrows, but probably shouldn't - this is a very exciting Feyenoord side in an electric atmosphere at De Kuip.As ever in Part Three we round things up with everything else, which leads on the chaotic game between Real Betis and Porto in Seville which gave us a bit of everything as the hosts won 3-2, Aston Villa's comprehensive 6-0 win over Fenerbahce which saw their new boys really starting to click, Stuttgart winning on the road at Slovan Bratislava, Shakhtar's 3-1 win from behind against AEK Athens at their temporary home of Stamford Bridge, and Bodø/Glimt going back to being giant-slayers as they beat a disappointing Borussia Dortmund in the Arctic Circle. It's Ranks! And remember, if you’d like more from the Rank Squad, including extra podcasts every Monday and Friday (including our weekly Postbox taking a look at the whole weekend of football) and access to our brilliant Discord community, then why not join us here on Patreon? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hello Rank Squad! Champions League Takeaway returns for Matchweek Two of this season's League Stage, and we returned to plenty of chaos and action across all nine games on Tuesday. We open up by talking about Manchester United's 2-0 loss to Atletico Madrid and how predictable it felt that United performed in the manner that they did - Michael Carrick's seat looks hotter and hotter by the game at the moment. From there it's on to a less predictable story, because in Stavanger in Norway, Viking welcomed one of the pre-tournament favourites in Bayern and played out a very entertaining 3-3 draw in one of the bigger turn ups for the books so far - whilst Michael Olise made a Melon of the Week case. In Part Two we discuss Arsenal's ability to control games and turn up the pressure when they need to - something that was very evident in a 3-0 win over Lille with three second-half goals; as well as Barcelona's come-from-behind 4-1 win at Galatasaray, where they rode a touch of luck and pressed it home with a multitude of class. Lamine Yamal is doing some absolutely extraordinary things with a football right now. As ever in Part Three we round things up with everything else, which leads on the chaotic game at San Siro where Club Brugge beat Inter 4-3 thanks to a hat-trick from boyhood Milan fan Nicolas Tresoldi - narrative always rides on the wind. We also discuss Sporting's win at Lens, Villarreal finding some form with a 3-1 win over Napoli, Sabah's first ever Champions League win, and Brajan Gruda's screamer as Leipzig beat PSV 1-0. It's Ranks!  And remember, if you’d like more from the Rank Squad, including extra podcasts every Monday and Friday (including our weekly Postbox taking a look at the whole weekend of football) and access to our brilliant Discord community, then why not join us here on Patreon? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.