Episode notes
Manchester United were an outlier in a summer of lavish spending. In a sea of nine-figure signings, the new arrivals at Old Trafford were brought in on more modest fees as a number of targets moved to rivals. Gone are the days when United were top of the food chain, Premier League titles are now firmly in the rearview mirror and Manchester City are the dominant local force. So with another reboot ongoing under Michael Carrick, who are are Manchester United in 2026? Jack Pitt-Brooke is joined by John Brewin and Rory Smith. P1: (00:31) P2: (33:04) -- It's STILL Wilson Month! Anyone signing up…
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E161 · 28 Sep 2026 · 59 min
161 | The Manchester City Verdict: A Stain On The Premier League
The arrival of the news that Manchester City had been found guilty of the majority of the more than 115 charges brought against them by the Premier League upended a sleepy international break weekend. It is the biggest story in football in recent memory and has huge implications for English football and beyond. Miguel Delaney and Tariq Panja have been tracking this story for years, John Brewin asks them to try and put the news into context. P1: (00:37) P2: (35:59) -- Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in via [email protected] Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Join our Discord…
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E160 · 25 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 1 min
160 | What Makes Spain So Dominant?
Spain are World and European champions (again), but is there more to the country's success than their clearly defined set of football principles? Why has this set of players succeeded where the post-2012 generation fell short? James Horncastle is joined by a very Spanish Miguel Delaney and Rory Smith to discuss. P1: (05:45) P2: (34:15) -- It's the final day of Wilson Month! This is your last chance to sign up for SC Libero and get the opportunity to enjoy our member benefits of bonus content on the end of every regular show and a weekly bonus episodes with 30 days of access for FREE. The…
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E159 · 22 Sep 2026 · 57 min
159 | Klopp, Zidane And The Latest Batch Of Big Name International Managers
Jurgen Klopp and Zinedine Zidane will be among some very familiar faces in the dugout during the upcoming Nations League fixtures as they become the latest high-profile coaches to make the move into international football. They join a number of high-profile peers, including as Thomas Tuchel and Carlo Ancelotti, in trying their hand coaching a national team, but what is behind this raft of big-name arrivals on the international stage? John Brewin, James Horncastle and Miguel Delaney go through the new faces. P1: (00:26) P2: (37:41) -- It's STILL Wilson Month! Anyone signing up for SC Libero…
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E158 · 18 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 3 min
158 | Why Are So Many English Players Going Abroad?
Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane are the most high-profile, but they are from the only English players currently plying their trade on the continent - there are three at Inter Milan alone. This trend is certainly a break from tradition over the past 20 years, where outside of a few high-profile exceptions Englishman kept it strictly Premier League and there was a feeling the foreign clubs weren't particularly fussed about going after them. Why is this changing now? Tracking this phenomenon are Rory Smith, James Horncastle and Jack Pitt-Brooke. P1: (00:35) P2: (33:28) -- It's STILL Wilson…
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E157 · 15 Sep 2026 · 58 min
157 | Jamie Carragher, Gary Neville And The Rise Of The Partisan Pundit
Sky Sports has changed football more than once since the outset of the Premier League and the latest development has elevated star pundits such as Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher to figures that dictate the discourse well beyond the broadcast. Driven by social media, technology and changing consumption habits, this is increasingly taking the form of partisan analysis. Rory Smith, Jack Pitt-Brooke, and Tariq Panja track the key moments in the modern evolution of football broadcasting and what impact it's having on the whole ecosystem. P1: (01:26) P2: (31:03) --- It's STILL Wilson Month!…
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E155 · 8 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 2 min
155 | Champions League Preview: Are Barcelona Ready To Win It Again?
The Champions League begins this week with some enticing fixtures and a pool of potential winners that may be as small as six teams. PSG have plenty going in their favour but much of what benefits the defending champions in terms of a lighter domestic workload also holds true for a resurgent Barcelona. And what of the English clubs? Is this the start of a long-previewed era of Premier League dominance in Europe's top competition? Rory Smith is joined by Miguel Delaney and Tariq Panja as we hit play on the Champions League anthem again. P1: (01:09) P2: (30:47) -- It's STILL Wilson Month!…
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E154 · 4 Sep 2026 · 56 min
154 | Is The Premier League's Transfer Bubble Ready To Burst?
The Premier League's clubs have spent just over £3.4bn this summer. Several clubs have paid fees exceeding £100m, Manchester City have done it twice. It feels like less a player trading system than an over-financed arms race, but is the league in a financial bubble? In this episode, Rory Smith, Miguel Delaney, and Jonathan Wilson analyse the complexities of the modern football transfer market, the impact of financial regulations, and the broader economic forces shaping the Premier League, as well as explore whether the game is immune from the economic headwinds on the horizon. P1: (02:13)…
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E153 · 1 Sep 2026 · 57 min
153 | This Premier League Knows The Cost Of Everything But The Value Of Nothing
The Premier League's summer transfer window has had too much going on. The volume of intra-league deals is unprecedented, the fees are excessive and it seems as if no one is asking 'does it make sense?' To try and unpick it are Jack Pitt-Brooke, John Brewin and Tariq Panja. P1: (00:54) P2: (31:28) It's Wilson Month! What does that mean? It means anyone signing up for SC Libero over the next four weeks has the opportunity to enjoy our member benefits of bonus content on the end of every regular show and a weekly bonus episodes with 30 days of access for FREE. We didn't tell your generous…
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E152 · 28 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 3 min
152 | What Are Liverpool Now?
Liverpool under FSG have been at various points held up as the model for a modern football operation. They were good sellers and squad builders. The owners generally believed that the best way to run a Premier League club successfully was to achieve success where people can see it, on the field. Now, with a cohort of powerful individuals that includes Amazon founder Jeff Bezos buying a significant shareholding, the motivations of the ownership could be about to change at a time when the team needs to rediscover its sense of direction under a new coach. What does the arrival of new money at…
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E151 · 25 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 2 min
151 | Premier League Kick-Off: Awarding The Trophy And Other Overreactions
The 2026/27 Premier League season is underway. So is it too early to hand Arsenal the trophy? Miguel Delaney was at the Emirates on Friday night, while Jack Pitt-Brooke and Jonathan Wilson had to watch on TV. They discuss what we learned from the opening weekend, and how much of an advantage it is to go into this season with an established manager. The three big losers this weekend were Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Aston Villa, but how much should those fans be worried? But maybe finding answers to those questions is just asking one round of league games to bear too much weight.…
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