An entertaining group stage has finished and the knock out phase is already providing some surprising outcomes.

Guest hosting along side Woody this week, it's the return of Milad as the lads react to the biggest talking points of the tournament so far, before assessing Australia and England's chances in the next round.

Plus some predictions of the remaining Round of 32 matches to round out the show!

The final day had plenty to dissect as Tottenham Hotspur avoided relegation, with West Ham United going down, and Sunderland qualifying for the Europa League!

Finally, the Champions League final looms for Arsenal as a date with destiny awaits Mikel Arteta's squad, but can they do it?

Two weeks left of the 2025/26 campaign and as much at stake at both ends of the table as their has been for for quite some time.

Arsenal hold a slender lead to Manchester City in the title race, while as many as eight teams still have a chance at qualification for European football next season.

Wilbur asks Woody if his beloved Arsenal can stay the course, and Woody tries to convince Wilbur that Everton can push for a Europa League place. 

Finally, the relegation battle is almost certain to come down to the final day, who do the boys think is staying up out of Tottenham and West Ham?

Having parted company with interim manager Igor Tudor, who lasted 44 days in the job, Roberto De Zerbi has been tasked with keeping Spurs up. Is he the right man for the job?

How has it all gone so horribly wrong for a club that has for so long considered itself a part of the seemingly untouchable "Big 6"?

How do the North London club stack up against the teams fighting around them to avoid the drop, and just how real are their chances of playing Championship football next season?

Mohammed Salah has announced he will be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season, and what will that mean for the remainder of this season for the Reds?

Meanwhile, on the blue side of Merseyside, Everton are hitting form at the right time and find themselves pushing for a European spot next year. 

Could the Toffees potentially finish above Liverpool in the Premier League?

Plus, as it's the first international break for a while, there is of course some discussion around Thomas Tuchel's selection of his 35 man squad for this pre-World Cup camp.

Just past the halfway point of the season, and with the winter transfer window closed and the European group phase finished, it's as good a time as any for a mid-season review. 

Are Arsenal terrible title frontrunners? Can Man City pull it together to chase them down? Does anyone take Aston Villa seriously in the title race?

All this and more to come, along with some mid-season awards!

Out went Enzo Maresca replaced by Liam Rosenior on a long term contract, and Ruben Amorim followed suit shortly after with Michael Carrick now interim head coach till the end of the season.

So what will it mean for both clubs moving forward?

Will Rosenior be allowed to succeed within the current set up at Chelsea, and do Manchester United even have anything left to play for this season? 

What has followed has been nothing short of a rollercoasted of fortunes for the Red Devils, but how are their prospects looking a year later?

Have United turned a corner, or are the same issues still as prevalent as they were when Amorim took over?

The lads weigh the good and the bad before assessing the outlook for the rest of the season. 

Meanwhile, Mohammed Salah's outburst to the media after being left on the bench for the third straight game against Leeds has whipped the football media into a frenzy. Will it have serious implications or is it all being blown out of proportion?

Liverpool are seemingly in a nose dive down the league table at the moment, seemingly for a multitude of reasons, and manager Arne Slot so far doesn't seem to have any answers.

The optimism around the appointment of Nuno Espirito Santo has quickly evaporated after some poor performances in must win matches. Are they facing a relegation scrap?

Finally, after a disastrous start to life at the helm at the City Ground, Ange Postecoglu was sacked and Nottingham Forest are now on their third manager of the season with the appointment of Sean Dyche. Will it work out, or are Forest's decisions at the top going to cost them?

The two sit down for a chat solely focussed around the seemingly increased scrutiny on managerial styles and systems. 

Why is so much importance placed on a managers style in today's game, and why are some managers so stubbon in refusing to deviate away from their system even when results are not forthcoming?

Also since last episode the UEFA Champions League has returned and Ange Postecoglou has taken the reigns at Nottingham Forest After Nuno Espirito-Santo was relieved of his duties. 

There is some discussion about how Pep Guardiola seems to be having another evolution in his system as Manchester City showed a new side to their game at Arsenal on the Sunday. 

Finally, the lads reflect on what has been a fairly positive start to life in the Premier League for all three promoted clubs. Can they sustain it?

Then, as it's time for the first international break of the season, they take stock of the first three game weeks of the Premier League and give their thoughts on who has impressed and which teams have underwhelmed to start the season.

Before beginning to talk all things Tottenham, however, they address the very serious topic of the charges against former Arsenal player Thomas Partey and how Arsenal handled the situation. 

Later in the show, Jasper and Tom reflect on Ange Postecoglu's sacking and his time at Tottenham, before looking ahead to what new manager Thomas Frank can look to build during his tenure at the helm of the Lilywhites. 

Then it's time for Jasper and Wilbur to each present their annual Premier League team of the season! Some of their choices might raise an eyebrow or two...

2:37 - Championship Play-off Final
11:10 - Champions League Final
15:18 - Premier League Team of the Season

The lads discuss the immediate aftermath of the Europa League Final, and what it means for both Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United moving forward.

They reflect on Crystal Palace's first every major trophy in the club's history and how Manchester City have been left trophy-less for the first season since Pep Guardiola's first in charge. 

Finally, theres a brief look ahead and a prediction for next week's men's Champions League Final between Inter Milan and PSG.

The two discuss the performances from both their sides before looking ahead to the semi-finals.

The focus then switches to the final six games of the Premier League season, as Champions League spots look to be hotly contested right down to the final day. 

Each team from third to seventh in the table has differing strength of fixtures, and how could that all play out as the season winds to a dramatic finish.

They then turn their attentions to the the Premier League as the race for the top five spots and Champions League football is looking as it if it will come down to the wire. 

Speaking of the Champions League, with the draw for the quarter-finals all set, the boys go through each tie and give their predictions for how they might unfold. 

Is it just new manager bounce or has the return of the figure that oversaw so many good years on Merseyside just what the doctor ordered for Evertonians?

Looking ahead to next season, is there hope for a return to the top half of the table as the new era in the Bramley Moore Dock stadium begins?

Jasper and the boys begin the show by reacting to the conclusion of the UEFA Champions League group stage in its first season under the new format. They reflect on whether or not the new look UCL passed the vibe check, and on the surprising finishing places in the table of some big names in European football. 

The crux of the show shifts the focus back to the Premier League as, from first-placed Liverpool down to bottom-of-the-table Southampton, the lads discuss who the most crucial name on the team sheet is for each of the 20 top flight clubs. Some of the answers may shock you...

0:59 Champions League reactions

18:00 Premier League team's most important players

He jumps in for a chat about yet another incredibly tough season for the Red Devils and the task the Ruben Amorim has ahead of him as he looks to build the squad in his image. 

There is also some brief discussion about Arsenal's struggles of late, before Woody and Milad finish by questioning the current implementation of the handball rule, after some head scratching decisions in recent weeks have left fans confused again by the seemingly ever changing stipulations of ball to hand/arm contact. 

The boys are back to discuss the breaking news of Julen Lopetegui's sacking by West Ham United, and the club's subsequent appointment of Graham Potter as its new manager. 

They also take a look at the other new managers that have been appointed so far this season for Leicester, Southampton and Wolves before moving on to Newcastle, who are enjoying a mid-season resurgence after a slow start.

Finally the conversation finishes with the fairytale story of this campaign so far, Nuno Espirito-Santo's third-placed Nottingham Forrest. Just how far can they go?

Ruben Amorim has finally started his tenure at Manchester United, and what do Jasper and Wilbur think will become of the Portuguese manager? Will he finally light the spark that ignites this United side, or will he go the same way as many of his recent predecessors?

Premier League referee David Coote has been stood down after some controversial footage came to light, which has once again raised questions about the PGMOL and the standard of refereeing in the top flight. As an Arsenal fan, Jasper is a bit quicker to criticise and speculate than WIlbur is. 

Finally, Manchester City's form continues to slide, as their Balon d'Or-winning talisman Rodri watches from the stands. Is this the season that finally ends the historic run for Pep Guardiola's side?

Life sometimes can get in the way of things like a sports podcast, especially when the two hosts are not paid to produce it. However, with Jasper now settled in London, a new era of The 40 Yard Switch can begin! For this return episode, Woody is joined by Yannick Hansen, in person for the first time, as we conduct a review of the 2023/24 English Premier League season. We go through all 20 sides, assessing how their season transpired, for better or worse. Then to mark a triumphant reemergence, we put up the fourth iteration of our End of Season Awards, with some picks that may shock you...

Timestamps:
02:50 - Tottenham vs Chelsea
14:57 - Newcastle vs Arsenal
22:40 - Luton vs Liverpool
28:56 - The sanctity of the game
52:00 - Examples of leagues and teams operated more sustainably