Champions League Takeaway: Chelsea's Young Guns Fire, Liverpool Bite Back, Spurs Struggle & Real Madrid Eke It

Hello Rank Squad! Here's another new idea we're trialling here on Ranks FC - following on from our Deep Dive episode last week, this week we're turning our hand back to an old favourite - Quick Ranks. We're looking at the players and teams who have disappointed us across the course of 20233 - from Brenden Aaronson to Richarlison and Jordan Henderson; and from Norway's National Team to Ajax and Chelsea. We hope you enjoy this new format, which we'll be looking to bake into the rotation.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.

24 Nov 202341min

Hello Rank Squad! We're coming to the end of the last international break of 2023, so we thought it was time to sit down and explore the early favourites for the two tournaments running simultaneously next summer on either side of the Atlantic Ocean - Euro 2024 in Germany, and the Copa América in the United States. First we explore the European side of things, with Dean picking his top five - we talk through the hosts Germany, a Spain side with lots to offer, whether England can break the duck, how Portugal's depth is staggering, and if anyone can stop France. Then it's off to the Americas, with Jack leading the charge and discussing the USMNT, Colombia, Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina - and why each are in with a shot. We finish with some targeted Hot Takes on this very topic - looking at Ecuador, Hungary and the future of Gregg Berhalter. It's Ranks! If you'd like to get involved with our Patreon free trial for an extra two episodes a week from Jack & Dean, why not click here? 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.

22 Nov 20231h 12min

Hello Rank Squad!Welcome to the first of a new series here on Ranks FC - the Deep Dive. Every few weeks we're going to take a look into a specific club that interests us right now, for good, bad or indifferent. First off - Manchester United, who dominate the back pages with on and off-field actions right now. Dean ranks five things that are going to change once Sir Jim Ratcliffe is confirmed to have taken his 25% stake in the club, and control of the sporting wing. We discuss the power he will have, the potential appointment of Jean-Claude Blanc as new CEO, who will come in to be Director of Football, the security of Erik ten Hag's job, and the ins and outs that we can expect on this pitch in January and beyond. 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.

16 Nov 202350min

Hello Rank Squad!We're delighted to welcome back Ranks FC Head Coach Harry Brooks for today's episode, in which we're taking a look at the Premier League's current Top Five teams and examining which player is the most important for each of their respective ambitions this season.It's a journey that takes us through all parts of the pitch, with Harry analysing why each of his picks is the most important member of the team for Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City respectively.There's also a discussion on why it's hard to pick one for Manchester United, and a look at some other players who are very clearly the MVP on their own teams.There's a Things We Love first, where Dean discusses the call-up for Cole Palmer to Gareth Southgate's England Squad, and Jack goes deep on why Girona's incredible start in La Liga could be something more - and why it should be given more respect.And we wrap things up with a bit of a play on Hot Takes, examining a viral tweet from the weekend which picked the Best XI in World Football right now on both talent and form.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.

15 Nov 20231h 13min

Hello Rank Squad!It's time for another Champions League Takeaway - a midweek bonus meal on all the week's UCL action. The biggest competition in Europe returned for Matchday 4, and we’re amongst it to take a look at the action from both Tuesday and Wednesday nights.We start with Wednesday's action, with three big takeaways on Manchester United's visit to the Theatre of Nightmares in Copenhagen, Benfica coach Roger Schmidt being in trouble, and Brahim stepping into Bellingham's boots at the Bernabeu, before rounding up the rest of the action.Then in Part Two, we take a look at Tuesday - talking the sheer chaotic fun of Group F after it flipped on its head when Borussia Dortmund beat Newcastle, Antoine Griezmann being a class apart as he tore apart Celtic, and Barcelona having something of a wobble, and then run through everything else that happened too.It’s Ranks!If you want to take advantage of our free trial going on on Patreon right now, why not join us at patreon.com/ranksfc? 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.

8 Nov 202353min

Hello Rank Squad!We're back to look at something a little more abstract this week, having a look at the season so far and seeing where we think records might be broken in the year ahead. There's a discussion on whether Harry Kane could break Robert Lewandowski's Bundesliga goal record (or a more obscure one currently held by a former Japanese international), when Erling Haaland will become the fastest player to score 50 Premier League goals, whether Nice can become the best defensive team in Ligue 1 history, which plaques Lamine Yamal will next add to his already-ridiculous records haul, and if James Ward-Prowse will overtake his hero David Beckham for the most PL free-kicks scored. Before all that, we take 15 minutes to break down the madness that occurred on Monday night between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea; and in Part Three, there's a Gibberish spin on the main ranking, with Jack finding some fun obscure records that you might not have heard of. 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.

8 Nov 202358min

Hello Rank Squad! There's some new names firmly in the transfer conversations as we speed towards the end of 2023, with previously unavailable players and ones who have emerged as major talents now amongst the most coveted targets on the planet. We discuss what the future looks like for Victor Osimhen, Arthur Vermeeren, Aaron Ramsdale, Florian Wirtz and Serhou Guirassy, and which clubs lead the way in terms of their interest. And, of course, after Lionel Messi won his 8th Ballon d'Or yesterday, there's time for us to reflect on the ceremony and the rankings, throw around some entertaining Messi facts, and for Jack to bring back the poems for another Ode to the King. 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.

1 Nov 20231h 6min

Hello Rank Squad!It's time for another Champions League Takeaway - a midweek bonus meal on all the week's UCL action. The biggest competition in Europe returned after the international break, and we’re amongst it to take a look at the action from both Tuesday and Wednesday nights.We start with Tuesday's action, with three big takeaways on La Masia powering Barcelona once again, Newcastle & Dortmund giving us a UCL game for the ages, and PSG moving through the gears against Milan before rounding up the rest of the action.Then in Part Two, we take a look at Wednesday - talking Manchester United's problems despite the win (and some positives), Gabi Jesus turning on Champions League mode, the emergence of Brais Mendez for Real Sociedad, and then run through everything else that happened too.It’s Ranks!If you want to take advantage of our free trial going on on Patreon right now, why not join us at patreon.com/ranksfc? 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.

25 Okt 20231h 6min