The Overlap

This week on The Overlap, Rob Draper and Jonathan Wilson begin a four-part series revisiting England’s 1966 World Cup win. Part one focuses on Sir Alf Ramsey’s background - and the conservative England setup he inherited, including the FA selection committee and a poor early World Cup record. We'll look at how a trip to Brazil in 1964 helped to change things for Ramsey - and we'll see the emergence of his core players - who would go on to become England legends.If you want more, subscribe to It Was What It Was. Plus - if you want early access to the entire series - join our Patreon now. There's loads there - and a great community too!00:00 Meet Alf Ramsey01:49 Ipswich Miracle Title03:28 Ending Selection Committees05:20 England World Cup Woes06:50 Dour Yet Radical09:23 Xenophobia And Origins14:14 Was 1966 A Curse17:28 Ramsey Playing Roots20:36 Ipswich Tactical Experiments24:38 Brutalism And Football27:27 Brutalism Meets Football31:21 Ramsey Blueprint Emerges33:02 First Camp Shock Therapy36:43 Early Results and Doubts40:05 Brazil Trip Reality Check40:43 Curfew Crackdown46:16 Tactics Shift and New Spine47:51 Jack Charlton and Stiles Debut53:19 Foundations of 1966 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this exclusive episode of The Overlap, brought to you by Sky Bet, Ian Wright sits down with his former Arsenal teammate Dennis Bergkamp for a special catch up and proper football chat.The two look back on their time at Arsenal, sharing memories from one of the club’s greatest eras and what life was really like in that dressing room. Dennis also gives his thoughts on the current Arsenal side, the pressure that comes with a title challenge, and how today’s game compares to when he was playing.They talk through Dennis’ career, from moving to England and working under Arsène Wenger, to the art of finishing, the strikers he admired, and whether he thinks his game would suit modern football.There’s also a look at international football, the Netherlands team, and the managers who had the biggest impact on his career.Let us know your favourite Bergkamp moment in the comments and don’t forget to like and subscribe so you never miss an episode of The Overlap.00:00 - Intro09:48 - Goalscoring28:38 - Teammates46:09 - Managers Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to The Fan Debate, brought to you by Sky Bet.We start with the biggest talking point as Paul Scholes is challenged on his criticism of Lisandro Martínez, sparking a heated debate about pundit responsibility and whether players are judged too harshly.The focus then shifts to the title race as Arsenal continue to fly and Manchester City look to close the gap. Arsenal fan Matt backs his side’s chances and makes the case for Declan Rice as a Ballon d’Or contender, while questions are also asked about Pep Guardiola and City’s tough January.We also look at Manchester United, where Michael Carrick is in the spotlight, and debate whether he could earn a permanent role, plus where Bruno Fernandes ranks among the club’s greats.Elsewhere, managerial pressure builds across the league with Chelsea, Spurs, Palace and West Ham all under discussion as fans give their views.Are pundits too harsh on players? Let us know in the comments and don’t forget to like and subscribe so you never miss an episode of The Overlap.00:00 Intro11:29 Arsenal are now title favourites25:07 Manchester City's Recent Struggles31:17 Carrick’s instant impact40:03 Is Bruno Fernandes in United’s top 10 players of all time?43:25 Rory’s Rosenior Rant59:58 Thomas Frank and Spurs’ issues01:08:05 Liverpool and Arne Slot01:22:43 Crystal Palace and Glasner01:26:50 West Ham's Relegation  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.