Episode 242: Teo gonna Teo, River slump and Estudiantes still lead

The two hundred and forty-second episode of Hand Of Pod brings together Sam and Andrés to talk about a weekend in which the football was overshadowed in many press pages by Teo Gutiérrez once again being Teo Gutiérrez. The Rosario Central forward was sent off for his goal celebration during a 1-1 draw in La Bombonera. Elsewhere, River Plate lost 1-0 away to Newell’s Old Boys, and there are rumours beginning that Marcelo Gallardo could leave the club if he fails to bring home the Copa Argentina (the semi-finals of which will be played next week). Estudiantes still lead the league, and have found a replacement for injured goalkeeper Mariano Andújar at last, while the relegation situation is beginning to clarify a little even with twenty games still to go (we’re sticking our necks out now and saying Atlético de Rafaela will go down). There’s also news about the television rights negotiations.

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Mystic Michael’s eleventh round predictions (last week Mystic Chris got 4/14)
Temperley v Lanús
Talleres v Arsenal
Colón v Newell’s
Tigre v Quilmes
Banfield v Estudiantes
Atl. Tucumán v Belgrano
Rosario Central v Olimpo
River v Huracán
Aldosivi v Vélez
Sarmiento v Godoy Cruz
San Lorenzo v Boca
Racing v Independiente
Defensa y Justicia v Patronato
Gimnasia v Unión
San Martín v Atl. Rafaela

Episode 241: We are six! From despair to relief for Argentina, and returning to league action

The two hundred and forty-first episode of Hand Of Pod sees Sam and Andrés celebrate the podcast’s sixth birthday by discussing two Argentina matches; last Thursday’s awful defeat to Brazil in Belo Horizonte, and Tuesday’s much-improved win over Colombia in San Juan. Does the national team need a clearout? If so, who should be the new names coming in? We also round up some of the main stories from the last week, including Argentinos Juniors arguing with River Plate over youth recruitment, and suggestions that Argentina’s next World Cup qualifier, at home to Chile in March, could be played at La Bombonera. Oh, and there’s a return to league action this weekend to look forward to.

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Mystic Chris’s round 10 predictions (two weeks ago Mystic Hugh got 5/15)
Arsenal v Banfield
Estudiantes v Colón
Godoy Cruz v Tigre
Lanús v Atl. Tucumán
Unión v Temperley
Huracán v Racing
Quilmes v Aldosivi
Belgrano v Sarmiento
Independiente v San Lorenzo
Boca v Central
Atl. Rafaela v Talleres
Newell’s v River
Olimpo v Gimnasia
Patronato v San Martín

Episode 240: Boca finally win away, and previewing Brazil v Argentina

In the two hundred and fortieth episode of Hand Of Pod, Sam and Andrés discuss a weekend of Primera action in which River Plate improved somewhat from recent showings to draw with top of the league Estudiantes, and Boca Juniors won away in the league for the first time since February. There was also an impressive win for Racing against Newell’s Old Boys, while Independiente dominated but still couldn’t score against Rosario Central. The main course of this week’s podcast is of course a preview of Argentina’s World Cup qualifier away to Brazil in Belo Horizonte on Thursday night, with a switch to 4-4-2 and the return to Lionel Messi the main talking points in the Argentine camp.

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Episode 239: Estudiantes continue to impress, and River’s defence continues to disappoint

In the two hundred and thirty-ninth episode of Hand Of Pod, Sam and Andrés discuss the main talking points from last weekend’s Primera División action, including yet another three points for an Estudiantes side who continue to lead the league, and yet more goals conceded for River Plate, who threw away a 2-0 lead against the worst team in the Primera to draw 2-2. There’s also a look at Boca Juniors’ demolition of Temperley and San Lorenzo reserves’ very entertaining 2-2 draw away to second-placed Newell’s Old Boys, ahead of the first team’s Copa Sudamericana semi-final first leg, which kicked off seconds before we finished recording. As well as all this, we consider what grounds the Bolivian football federation have for appealing the sanction that, on Tuesday, resulted in Chile being handed a 3-0 walkover which leapfrogged them above Argentina in the World Cup qualifying table.

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Mystic Hugh’s ninth round predictions (last week Mystic Chris got 4/15):
Temperley v Olimpo
Quilmes v Godoy Cruz
River v Estudiantes
Sarmiento v Lanús
Colón v Arsenal
Racing v Newell’s
San Martín v Vélez
Banfield v Atl. Rafaela
San Lorenzo v Huracán
Tigre v Belgrano
Talleres v Patronato
Central v Independiente
Gimnasia v Boca
Aldosivi v Defensa y Justicia
Atl. Tucumán v Unión