Hand Of Pod
495 episodes - English - Latest episode: 5 days ago - ★★★★★ - 29 ratingsThe English-language Argentine football podcast, fuelled by fernet since 2010
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Episodes
Episode 489: The Copa de la Liga quarterfinals are upon us
April 19, 2024 17:45 - 1 hour - 150 MBThis week Sam, English Dan and Chris review an entertaining end to Group B in the Copa de la Liga and a really thrilling climax to Group A. They also look ahead to this weekend's quarterfinals, which include a superclásico between Group A winners River Plate and Group B fourth-placers Boca Juniors on Sunday.
Episode 488: previewing the last round of Copa de la Liga group games
April 13, 2024 06:07 - 1 hour - 177 MBThe Copa de la Liga group stage ends this weeke— well, in the first half of next week, actually, and Sam, English Dan, Santi and Chris are here to run down which teams need which results to make it into the quarterfinals, with only runaway Group B winners Godoy Cruz already knowing which position they'll finish in. We also look at the first couple of rounds of Copa Libertadores group games and have a bumper postbag of listeners' questions.
Episode 487: Garnacho's first Argentina start and more
March 30, 2024 07:20 - 1 hour - 130 MBThis week Sam, English Dan, Andrés and Santi look back on Argentina's two comfortable friendly wins over El Salvador and Costa Rica in the United States, which included Alejandro Garnacho's first start – a performance Sam has some thoughts about. There have been a bunch of Copa Argentina games since we last recorded, and listeners' questions include who's playing in this year's edition and how the very bottom league of the pyramid has gone so far.
Episode 486: The Copa de la Liga takes a week off
March 23, 2024 06:16 - 1 hour - 143 MBThis week's pod was delayed by two days due to rain, so Sam, English Dan, Andrés, Chris and Santi met up on Friday evening to talk about last weekend's Copa de la Liga matches – including a win for River Plate, defeat for Independiente and not much else of real note – and to have a look at Argentina's squad for their friendlies against El Salvador (played right after we finished recording) and Costa Rica, as well as the Copa Libertadores group stage draw.
Episode 485: Delusional Demichelis and tactical Tevez
March 15, 2024 07:40 - 1 hour - 141 MBThis week Sam, English Dan, Chris, Andrés and Santi look back on a Copa de la Liga weekend that saw an awful lot of draws, including one between Independiente and River Plate that gives us a chance to discuss both managers' 2024s so far. Wednesday evening saw River claim another (minor) trophy, and we also discuss national team news, including new kits and Lionel Scaloni's decision to call up Lisandro Martínez even though he's not back from injury yet.
Episode 484: Godoy Cruz finally lose and a lower-league roundup
March 08, 2024 06:38 - 1 hour - 128 MBThis week Sam, Dan and Andrés round up the last couple of rounds of Copa de la Liga action, which saw Godoy Cruz lose for the first time (domestically) this year, leaving River Plate – who ended a run of four straight draws by beating Independiente Rivadavia on Wednesday – as the last unbeaten side in the competition. Boca Juniors aren't much good, Carlos Tevez is a conspiracy theorist and we have a short roundup of the lower leagues so far, now that they've mostly kicked off.
Episode 483: Reviewing the clásico weekend
February 29, 2024 06:49 - 1 hour - 155 MBThis week's episode follows one that we recorded last week and that, due to a combination of tiredness and busyness, Sam never uploaded. You'll be able to hear it if you head over to patreon.com/handofpod. Here, though, Sam, Chris and Andrés review last weekend's clásicos, which saw a draw between River and Boca, away wins in Rosario and Avellaneda and plenty more besides.
Episode 482: a great week for Racing and Argentina's Under-23s
February 17, 2024 06:09 - 1 hour - 131 MBThis week we look at two rounds of Copa de la Liga action that saw Racing score eight and concede only one, River have a good game and a bad one, and Vélez Sarsfield win late on not once but twice. And Javier Mascherano's quest for a third Olympic gold medal is still alive, because Argentina Under-23s have qualified for the football tournament at Paris 2024.
Episode 481: the Copa de la Liga continues
February 09, 2024 06:29 - 1 hour - 121 MBThis week Sam, Dan and Andrés discuss a long 'weekend' of Copa de la Liga action that saw two thrashings, one fine turnaround and not an awful lot more excitement. There's also chat about Franco Mastantuono, who on Wednesday broke Javier Saviola's record as River Plate's youngest ever goalscorer, and an update on how the Olympic qualifying competition is going.
Episode 480: Independiente's perfect start ... after a less than perfect preseason
February 03, 2024 04:06 - 1 hour - 155 MBThis week Sam, Andrés, Dan and Santi bid farewell to Tony, who's hosting us as he appears on his final episode (at least as a regular panelist). We discuss the opening two rounds of the Copa de la Liga, which included two wins from two matches for Santi's team Independiente, who had a chaotic/hilarious/mysterious story in preseason that we forgot to tell you about last week.
Episode 479: previewing the 2024 Copa de la Liga
January 26, 2024 06:46 - 1 hour - 149 MBThis week Sam, English Dan, Andrés, Chris and Tony preview the Copa de la Liga, which kicked off moments before we started to record. We take a look at the main moves in the transfer market, tell you the acceptable ways to shorten club names (and how to tell all the Central Córdobas apart), ask whether Argentina's Under-23s are rubbish or not and answer some listeners' questions.
Episode 478: wrapping up the 2023 Copa de la Liga and Copa Argentina
December 21, 2023 06:52 - 1 hour - 120 MBThis week's episode is our last one of 2023, and Sam, English Dan and Andrés meet to discuss the Copa de la Liga semis and final, which saw Rosario Central emerge victorious, and the Copa Argentina, which was won by Estudiantes. Boca Juniors have finally held their elections, as have Tigre, San Lorenzo and Colón, and Sam is worried about whether he'll be older than every player in the top flight when the 2024 season kicks off.
Episode 477: the Copa de la Liga quarterfinals and more Boca electoral nonsense
December 08, 2023 06:28 - 1 hour - 147 MBThis week Sam, English Dan and Chris review last weekend's Copa de la Liga quarterfinals, which saw three ties decided by shootouts. We also discuss Riestra's promotion to the top flight and the ongoing court wrangling that continues to delay Boca Juniors' presidential elections.
Episode 476: Copa de la Liga group stage ends, and Colón go down
December 02, 2023 16:38 - 1 hour - 139 MBThis week Sam, English Dan, Andrés and Chris look back on the final weekend of the Copa de la Liga group stage action and Colón's loss to Gimnasia on Friday evening in the relegation tie-breaker. There's also a lower division update and some chat about Boca Juniors' presidential election, which currently looks unlikely to happen.
Episode 475: Argentina lose to Uruguay but beat Brazil – again
November 23, 2023 05:04 - 1 hour - 147 MBThis week Sam, Dan, Chris and Andrés discuss a mixed international break for the Argentine national team, as their perfect start to World Cup 2026 qualifying came to an end with a loss to Uruguay on Thursday but they followed up by handing Brazil their first ever home defeat in WCQs on Tuesday night. After that match Lionel Scaloni hinted he might not hang around much longer, and we also consider some of the possible reasons behind that statement.
Episode 474: previewing Argentina v Uruguay and Brazil v Argentina
November 15, 2023 20:50 - 1 hour - 181 MBWe're back! Sam's returned from Europe, and Dan, Andrés and Chris fill him in on the main points of everything he's missed during the Copa de la Liga group stage. We also discuss the Copa Libertadores final (which Sam did watch), in which Boca Juniors lost to Fluminense, and preview Argentina's two upcoming World Cup qualifiers at home to Uruguay on Thursday and away to Brazil on Tuesday.
Episode 473: a post-clásico, mid-trip roundup
October 04, 2023 00:44 - 1 hour - 46.7 MBFirst, sorry for the poor sound in this episode. Second, sorry for the fact that Sam had to scat the theme tune. In the middle of Sam's holiday, we have a catch-up episode in which he, Dan and Andrés review the recent round of clásicos and the Copa de la Liga group stage so far and take a look at how the early qualifying stages of Argentina's World Cup defence are going.
Episode 472: Previewing the 2023 Copa de la Liga
August 25, 2023 06:25 - 58 minutes - 109 MBThe Copa de la Liga got underway last weekend, but because Sam's phone app lied to him a couple of weeks ago about when it would be, we'd already penned this week in to record the preview episode, so here it is. Recorded along with Chris, Andrés and English Dan. We also look back on the first leg of Boca Juniors v Racing in the Libertadores quarter-finals, among other things. This will be the last regular episode for a little while, as Sam's off on a trip, but regular (much shorter) episodes ...
Episode 471: Two Argentine teams left standing in the Libertadores
August 19, 2023 21:45 - 36 minutes - 66.9 MBIt's a short episode this week, with Sam, English Dan, Andrés and Chris reviewing the Copa Libertadores exits of River Plate and Argentinos Juniors and the qualifications of Boca Juniors and Racing. The latter two will meet each other in the quarter-finals, which start next week.
Episode 470: Reviewing the 2023 Liga Profesional campaign
August 05, 2023 07:09 - 1 hour - 184 MBWe've got plenty to get through this week: Sam, English Dan and Andrés review the 2023 Liga Profesional campaign and decide on the best players who weren't playing for River, look at the biggest transfer stories of the winter so far including Edinson Cavani finally signing for Boca and River bringing Manuel Lanzini home, lament Argentina's frustration at the Women's World Cup and marvel at the continuing tactical bravery of North American club sides in their stalwart refusal to bother even tr...
Episode 469: plenty of league goals, and Argentina's women lose their World Cup opener
July 28, 2023 06:42 - 1 hour - 126 MBThis week Sam, English Dan and Andrés look back on a weekend that saw plenty of goals in the Liga Profesional, including a first domestic home defeat of the year for San Lorenzo and a 3–3 draw in Rosario. We also review Argentina's agonising 1–0 defeat to Italy in their opening match of the Women's World Cup (followed up with a 2–2 draw against South Africa shortly after we recorded this episode) and Lionel Messi's first couple of appearances for Inter Miami (or what we've seen of them, which...
Episode 468: ¡River campeón!
July 22, 2023 00:29 - 1 hour - 150 MBRiver Plate have been crowned champions of Argentina again, and this week Sam, Andrés and English Dan look at the key players in their campaign and reflect on a good start to life as a first-team manager for Martín Demichelis (hours before Talleres put River out of the Copa Argentina). We also look forward to the Women's World Cup kicking off and discuss the financial sustainability (or otherwise) of Argentine football clubs.
Episode 467: River edge closer and the Sudamericana playoffs begin
July 14, 2023 06:51 - 1 hour - 131 MBThis week Sam, English Dan and Andrés can't quite give you the confirmation that River Plate have won the title, but Martín Demichelis's men are now nine points clear with nine to play for, so it doesn't seem like it'll be much longer. We also discuss Lionel Messi's first day at Inter Miami, the Copa Sudamericana playoffs beginning and more.
Episode 466: River on the brink of the title
July 09, 2023 05:51 - 1 hour - 135 MB(This week's episode is a little delayed being uploaded, but while River Plate have played since we recorded, they're still not champions yet: they drew with San Lorenzo on Saturday, meaning they'll only take the title if Talleres lose on Monday.) In this episode Sam, Andrés and Dan discuss them reaching the brink of the title, Racing continuing to disappoint (and bidding farewell to Paolo Guerrero) and much more.
Episode 465: We interview Sophia Braun, and the Libertadores groups come to an end
July 02, 2023 05:56 - 1 hour - 160 MBThis week's HOP is a little different from normal, because Sam and Tony met up on Thursday to interview Club León and Argentina midfielder Sophia Braun ahead of the Women's World Cup. After that, on Friday, Sam went to Dan's place, and the two of them reviewed last week's action in the league (the main results since then before this pod went online were that River lost and Talleres were held to a draw on Saturday, cutting River's lead to 9 points) and the closing matches of the group stages i...
Episode 464: Relegation goalposts moving, and Argentina beat Australia
June 17, 2023 07:24 - 1 hour - 155 MBThis week Sam, English Dan and Andrés look at a week of Liga Profesional action which saw River Plate maintain the gap at the top even as Talleres leapfrogged San Lorenzo into second. Elsewhere, Uruguay claimed the Under-20 World Cup, beating Italy in the final in La Plata, and Lionel Messi scored his 103rd international goal – and the earliest goal of his career – and Alejandro Garnacho made his international debut as Argentina beat Australia 2–0 in a friendly in Beijing.
Episode 463: Lionel Messi packs his bags for Miami
June 10, 2023 06:24 - 1 hour - 131 MBThis week Sam and English Dan round up last week's league action (including tragic news from the Monumental) and the midweek Libertadores and Sudamericana results, and have a chat about Lionel Messi's move to Inter Miami. Will it extend his international career? When will he make his debut? And will we down here actually be able to watch any of his matches? All these questions and more are answered. Or at least speculated over.
Episode 462: José Sand extends his record
June 02, 2023 06:24 - 1 hour - 145 MBThis week Sam, English Dan and Andrés look back on a weekend that saw River Plate held to a draw that still allowed them to extend their lead at the top of the league thanks to a shock defeat for San Lorenzo earlier in the round. Boca Juniors actually played well for once, Argentina (and England) are out of the Under-20 World Cup ... but most importantly of all, José Sand broke his own record as the oldest player to score in Argentina's top flight through a stoppage time penalty for Lanús aga...
Episode 461: San Lorenzo close the gap and the Under-20 World Cup is underway
May 27, 2023 07:34 - 1 hour - 148 MBThis week Sam, English Dan and Andrés look back on a couple of weeks of action during which San Lorenzo have closed the gap slightly on River Plate at the top of the table, River's prospects in the Copa Libertadores aren't looking good, and the Under-20 World Cup has begun ... and Argentina aren't awful.
Episode 460: Late superclásico fighting and Racing in a slump
May 13, 2023 05:23 - 1 hour - 137 MBThis week Sam, English Dan and Andrés look back on last weekend's superclásico, which ended in a 1–0 win for River Plate after a stoppage time penalty Boca Juniors weren't happy about. Dan has cause to lament Racing's recent form, we update you on Independiente's influencer-led fundraiser and more.
Episode 459: Superclásico preview and a continental roundup
May 06, 2023 07:39 - 1 hour - 160 MBOn this week(end)'s HOP, Sam, English Dan and Andrés round up a good week for Boca Juniors and a bad one for River Plate – the latter of whom, all the same, go into this Sunday's superclásico still six points clear at the top of the league. As well as previewing River v Boca we go over last weekend's Liga Profesional matches, give you a roundup of Argentine teams in both continental competitions so far this year and discuss Argentina's squad for this month's Under-20 World Cup, held in ... Ar...
Episode 458: San Lorenzo cling to River's coattails
April 29, 2023 03:00 - 1 hour - 138 MBThis week, Sam, Andrés and English Dan look back on last weekend's Liga Profesional action, which saw San Lorenzo get a vital late winner to remain six points behind River Plate. Delays in uploading mean we're a little out of date, because on Friday evening River were held 1–1 away to Atlético Tucumán, meaning the chasing pack have a chance to close the gap a little. Elsewhere, Racing and Boca are poor, Independiente's financial struggles continue and Argentina Under-20 boss Javier Mascherano...
Episode 457: River lead the way, unrest in Avellaneda and Boca aren't happy
April 21, 2023 07:13 - 1 hour - 160 MBAfter an enforced break, we're back, and Sam, English Dan, Andrés and Santi get you caught up with what's happened in the three rounds of Liga Profesional action since we last recorded: River have streaked out in front in the title race, Boca didn't end up appointing Gerardo Martino as manager, no one ended the clásico de Avellaneda in a very good mood and San Lorenzo are as good as they've been for years. Oh, and Argentina will be hosting the Under-20 World Cup next month!
Episode 456: Argentina's victory tour and all change at Boca
March 30, 2023 06:16 - 1 hour - 119 MBThis week Sam, English Dan and Andrés review Argentina's first two friendly wins as world champions, 2–0 over Panama and 7–0 over Curaçao, which saw Lionel Messi pass 800 career goals and 100 international goals. We also discuss the managerial situation at Boca Juniors, who've sacked Hugo Ibarra as manager and – if the media can be believed – look set to replace him with Gerardo Martino.
Episode 455: Gimnasia win the clásico, and previewing Argentina's first games as world champs
March 23, 2023 06:32 - 1 hour - 151 MBOn this week's Hand Of Pod, Sam, English Dan, Andrés and Tony have a HOP first to review: a win for Gimnasia over Estudiantes in the clásico platense, something that last happened a couple of months before Sam moved to Argentina. There were two hilarious penalties awarded in Independiente v Colón, a win for Instituto in the Bombonera and one for River Plate in Junín that takes them top of the table. And we preview the international break, as Argentina play their first matches as world champio...
Episode 454: San Lorenzo cut loose and Argentina sell out
March 17, 2023 17:05 - 1 hour - 131 MBIgnore Sam's confused numbering at the start: this is episode 454, not 444. He's joined by English Dan and Andrés to review a league weekend with an awful lot of 1–1 draws and only four red cards, in which San Lorenzo finally decided to cut loose and get a big win. Tickets for Argentina v Panama went on sale the day we recorded this and had (predictably) already sold out, and we discuss the format for the 2026 World Cup and the CONMEBOL qualifying process.
Episode 453: Lanús slip up and it's tight at the top
March 09, 2023 07:18 - 1 hour - 136 MBWhat a difference two weeks makes! Since we last recorded Lanús have gone from played four, won four to played six, won four, lost two. Sam and Dan review two weeks that have resulted in a mere two points separating the top seven teams.
Episode 452: Yet more red cards!
February 25, 2023 06:02 - 1 hour - 122 MBIn this week's Hand Of Pod (recorded on Wednesday, but Sam's only just getting the time to upload it on Friday night), Sam and Andrés discuss a fourth round of action in the Liga Profesional which saw more red cards to add to the already high tally (and, since we recorded, round five has kicked off with one in the second match of the weekend). Lanús continue to lead the way with a perfect record, but the other relegation strugglers aren't in such good form.
Episode 451: Lanús win again and the Monumental is ... more monumental
February 17, 2023 05:29 - 1 hour - 112 MBOn this week's episode Sam and English Dan look back on a third consecutive win for early table-toppers Lanús, a drab defeat for Boca in Córdoba and an entertaining – and controversial – first match for River in the newly expanded Estadio Monumental, which is now the largest stadium in South America.
Episode 450: River's good luck charm? Pablo Vegetti strikes again
February 10, 2023 05:43 - 1 hour - 135 MBThis week Sam, English Dan and Andrés look back on the second round of action in the Liga Profesional, which saw a remarkable coincidence: Pablo Vegetti, who was the first person to score against Marcelo Gallardo's River Plate back in 2014, became the first person to score against Martín Demichelis's River Plate, as Belgrano beat River 2–1 in Córdoba. Lanús are among the early leaders as their attempt to escape relegation gets off to a promising start, and the match we told you not to watch o...
Episode 449: The 2023 season is underway
February 03, 2023 07:07 - 1 hour - 169 MBThis week, Sam, English Dan and Andrés look back on the first weekend of action in the 2023 Liga Profesional season and discuss Enzo Fernández's big-money transfer to Chelsea (including what it means for River Plate's finances). When we started, it didn't feel like there'd be much to say, but we managed somehow ...
Episode 448: Previewing the 2023 Liga Profesional season
January 27, 2023 06:51 - 1 hour - 156 MBIt's a new year on Hand Of Pod, and Sam, English Dan and Andrés are here to preview the 2023 domestic season for you, as we come down from the high of Argentina's World Cup win last month. Boca Juniors, Racing and River Plate have probably had the best transfer windows, but who else should we look out for? And what's the relegation struggle going to look like this year?
Episode 447: ¡ARGENTINA CAMPEÓN DEL MUNDO!
December 20, 2022 07:02 - 2 hours - 279 MBThis is it: the episode we've been building up to for twelve years. In the four hundred and forty-seventh HOP, Sam, English Dan, Santi, Julián and Chris take in, and try to dissect, the fact that Lionel Messi's Argentina have finally won the World Cup. This is our longest episode ever by a distance, and we make no apologies for that. Enjoy whichever holidays you're celebrating (if you are), and we'll see you in the new year.
Episode 446: Reviewing the World Cup group stage
December 02, 2022 07:08 - 1 hour - 166 MBIn a bumper episode this week, Sam, English Dan, Santi, Andrés and Remi (remember Remi?!) look back on Argentina's false start but eventually encouraging qualification from Group C at the 2022 World Cup, and we have a bit of a chat with Remi about the Netherlands, who Argentina MIGHT meet in the quarter-final.
Episode 445: the 2022 World Cup preview episode
November 18, 2022 20:37 - 1 hour - 204 MBThis week Sam, English Dan and Andrés run the rule over Argentina's World Cup squad and their chances. We've sprinkled a little bit of club football talk in as well, but mostly it's a bumper chat about Argentina and just how little Sam knows about any of the other teams involved.
Episode 444: ¡Boca campeón! and far more surprisingly, ¡Patronato campeón!
November 04, 2022 05:23 - 1 hour - 165 MBIn the final CLUB football HOP of 2022, Sam, English Dan and Andrés look back on two weeks that have seen Boca Juniors clinch the league title after a deciding day on which neither of the title contenders managed to win and, far more historically, Patronato de la Juventud Católica become the first non-directly affiliated club in Argentine football history to win a top-level national trophy by beating Talleres in the Copa Argentina final, meaning they'll play in the 2023 Copa Libertadores from...
Episode 443: Previewing the last weekend of the 2022 Liga Profesional
October 22, 2022 01:21 - 1 hour - 200 MBThis week Sam, English Dan, Santi and Andrés gather to discuss three rounds of Liga Profesional action and preview Sunday's two title-deciding Big Five clásicos – will Boca Juniors lift the trophy as expected, or can Independiente get a result in the Bombonera which could put Racing's title hopes in their own hands as they host River Plate? We also look at the Independiente presidential elections of a couple of weeks ago with Santi's wisdom, and discuss the news that Marcelo Gallardo is stepp...
Episode 442: Atlético Tucumán STILL lead the race ... just about
October 07, 2022 06:56 - 1 hour - 131 MBAtlético Tucumán remain top of the league by the skin of their teeth: this week Sam and Dan review two rounds of matches in which the leaders lost one and won one, but currently sit atop the table due to Gimnasia v Boca, which kicked off just after we finished recording, having to be called off due to heavy-handed policing (seemingly after too many tickets were sold). We look back on bucketloads of goals in Racing's matches and give an explanation of the relegation system for anyone who's joi...
Episode 441: Two more wins for Argentina, and reviewing the Copa Argentina quarter-finals
September 30, 2022 07:17 - 1 hour - 150 MBThis week Sam and English Dan look back on Atlético Tucumán once again rising to the challenge of maintaining their league leadership, wonder which players have made a case for inclusion in Lionel Scaloni's World Cup squad during Argentina's 3–0 wins over Honduras and Jamaica, and review the Copa Argentina quarter-finals, which we didn't want to turn into just talking about River and Boca's matches ... but which did anyway because those two were really good and the other two frankly weren't.
Episode 440: Atlético Tucumán still lead, and previewing Argentina's friendlies
September 23, 2022 06:31 - 1 hour - 134 MBThis week, Sam and Andrés are joined by English Dan, who's back from holiday. We fill him in on what he's missed – including several changes of leadership in the league, even though Atlético Tucumán currently lead the title race just as they did when he left. We also give a preview of Argentina's chances in their friendlies in the United States against Honduras and Jamaica (we're sticking our necks out and predicting two victories).