# Ep 3499: Chelsea Respect The Ball, Pep's Annus Mirabilis, Max Power, Anfield Slot Changed, Save Us Didzy

An episode of [The Second Captains Podcast](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/647893016), 16 Mar 2026, 1 h 07 min.

Audio: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/627a2e8f84f3d50012cf11fb/e/69b81489cad04b6222c17817/media.mp3

Is the future like a black highway at night? What does it really mean to 'respect the ball'? And is there anything in the game with such universal appeal as an implausibly aged footballer? We pick the likely player of the year candidates and discuss why Manchester United's transformation under Michael Carrick is Arne Slot's biggest problem in more ways than one. Rory Smith and Rich Jolly join us to talk about the weekend's football. Max Dowman brings joy. Has this been Guardiola's worst week? And are Liverpool really serious about backing Arne Slot all the way through to 2027? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shows are listed from Apple Podcasts' charts and directory, and Podcast Index where it is used. Every show and episode belongs to its publisher and plays from the publisher's own feed; this site hosts none of them.