Overview of The Totally Football Show episode: Chelsea appoint Alonso, Salah lets loose and West Ham woes worsen
This Sunday-night edition of The Totally Football Show covered a chaotic end-of-season football weekend: West Ham’s collapse at Newcastle, Manchester City’s FA Cup triumph, Xabi Alonso’s expected move to Chelsea, Mohamed Salah’s explosive social-media post after Liverpool’s defeat, and a wild Scottish title-race finale between Celtic and Hearts. The panel also wrapped up the Premier League’s European and relegation battles, with several clubs still facing huge stakes in the final week.
Biggest talking points
West Ham’s relegation anxiety deepens
- West Ham lost 3-1 at Newcastle and are now in serious danger of going down.
- The panel blamed Nuno Espírito Santo’s poor initial setup for making West Ham too passive and easy to play through.
- Newcastle were praised for looking sharper and more fluid, especially once they got into their attacking rhythm.
- A late West Ham consolation came via a spectacular long-range volley, described as one of the best goals of the weekend.
- West Ham could be relegated as soon as Tuesday, depending on Spurs’ result against Chelsea.
Xabi Alonso to Chelsea: optimism, but major doubts remain
- The show discussed the breaking news that Xabi Alonso is set to become Chelsea manager next season.
- A key theme was that Chelsea appear to be giving him more authority than previous hires, with “manager” rather than “head coach” seen as significant.
- The panel saw logic in the appointment: Alonso has proven himself with a young, coachable squad, and Chelsea’s squad is young enough to fit that profile.
- But there was also skepticism:
- Chelsea’s ownership has a poor record of coherent long-term planning.
- Their squad building has often looked geared toward resale value rather than winning.
- Even an elite coach may struggle if the club doesn’t commit to stability.
- There was a broader frustration that wealthy clubs can repeatedly make bad decisions and still recover by hiring top managers.
Manchester City win the FA Cup again
- City added more silverware under Pep Guardiola, with the panel highlighting his astonishing trophy haul at the club.
- The winning goal was described as a moment of real quality and confidence, even if the final itself was not a classic.
- The discussion focused less on the result and more on what it says about City’s sustained dominance and Guardiola’s legacy.
Liverpool’s crisis deepens after Aston Villa defeat
- Liverpool’s 4-2 loss at Aston Villa brought more scrutiny on their season, their identity, and the squad’s direction.
- The panel argued that Liverpool have lost clarity about what kind of team they want to be.
- Mohamed Salah’s Instagram post was interpreted as a blunt criticism of the current setup, especially Arne Slot’s approach.
- Alarmingly for Liverpool, the panel noted that many players appeared to like the post, suggesting a real dressing-room problem.
- The verdict: this is not just a bad run of results — it looks like a broader structural and tactical mess.
Premier League weekend round-up
Manchester United 3-2 Nottingham Forest
- A lively, open match with several standout individual moments.
- Bruno Fernandes was central again, and his assist total drew him level with the Premier League all-time record.
- The panel praised Fernandes’s playmaking but lamented United’s wastefulness.
- There was also debate over a contentious handball decision in the build-up to one of United’s goals.
- Luke Shaw scored his first goal in years, and the panel discussed whether his form and minutes could make him a squad option for England.
Brighton, Brentford, Everton, Sunderland, Wolves, Fulham, Palace
- Leeds 1-0 Brighton: a late winner for Leeds amid frustration for Brighton, who created more but lacked sharpness.
- Brentford 2-2 Crystal Palace: a lively draw; Adam Wharton scored his first Palace goal and Brentford scored from a beautifully executed long throw.
- Everton 1-3 Sunderland: a painful defeat for Everton, with Seamus Coleman’s emotional farewell overshadowed by a late error leading to Sunderland’s third.
- Wolves 1-1 Fulham: Wolves remain in miserable shape, with their season officially becoming their worst ever in the league.
- Fulham’s equaliser came from a coolly taken Anthony Robinson penalty.
- Sunderland remain in the European hunt, which was described as one of the season’s most remarkable underdog stories.
Scottish title race: Celtic edge Hearts in controversial finale
- The title race between Celtic and Hearts ended in chaos, with a final-day match at Celtic Park decided amid a pitch invasion and confusion over whether the game had actually finished.
- Hearts had led for long stretches of the season but ultimately lost ground earlier in the campaign by dropping points in games they should have won.
- The panel credited Celtic with relentless finishing form, but also criticized the ugly scenes that followed.
- There was strong concern about:
- Pitch invasions
- Players being exposed to confrontation
- The lack of clarity over whether the match had been properly ended
- The discussion highlighted that Scottish football’s recurring crowd-control problems need urgent attention.
Key takeaways
- Chelsea may be set for a major reset under Xabi Alonso, but the club’s deeper issues remain unresolved.
- Liverpool look mentally and tactically adrift, with Salah’s post acting as a public flashpoint.
- West Ham are in real danger of relegation after another poor defensive display.
- Manchester City keep adding to Pep Guardiola’s extraordinary trophy collection.
- The Scottish title race was thrilling but ended in a deeply messy and avoidable way.
What to watch next
- Chelsea vs Spurs: crucial for both the relegation race and Chelsea’s mood heading into the summer.
- Arsenal vs Burnley and Man City vs Bournemouth: decisive in the title race.
- The final Premier League weekend, with European places, relegation, and managerial futures all still in play.