Pat, Mario and Devon were provided a homework assignment. To look back on the shit year that was 2020 and find one Soccer story that made them say "What the Fuck?". Shock and awe is hard to come by these days, now that we live in a world where you can successfully convince an adult that you can buy a child off Wayfair using rudimentary knowledge of Photoshop. Or that a person will decline a vaccine fearful of surveillance but won't leave home without their cellphone in their pocket, trigger finger on the Facebook live button. The soccer landscape has also changed dramatically as International tournaments were postponed, live fans were replaced with cardboard cutouts and elbow bumps replaced post game handshakes. But the one story that united the boys in audible what the fucks is a tale as old as time...Man buys sex. Kyle Walker breaking his pandemic quarantine to have an escort sex party is a reminder that even when faced with a global catastrophe, footballers will stay the same. The 2020-21 Premier League season has been just as odd as the year, with no clear number one team and surprise upsets every week, Pat and the boys discuss if parity in the Prem is the norm moving forward. They also pour out a half gallon of ale for Super Frank Lampard, recently sacked by Chelsea and predict the future for his replacement, Thomas Tuchel. Big Sam returns to the Prem, the crew elect Europe's toughest players with a notable face in goal and more on The Set Piece. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let’s be honest, 2020 has been a dumpster fire on top of a shitshow. It’s revealed that uniting against a common enemy for the greater good is an adage that no longer applies to large swaths of the country. Unless that enemy is racial equality, democracy, police accountability or science. But at least we have sports, sure we’ll pump some canned audio to help you forget fans aren’t allowed because 3,000 people died today. Let’s forget about Keyontae Johnson collapsing on the floor or Journey Brown being forced to retire due to myocarditis because we need March Madness and Ohio State v. Michigan. Or the fact that you have to forgo a rapid COVID test because Matt Stafford and his family are using them all. On November 25th, a cherry shaped meteor crashed to top this dumpster fire of a year as the football world lost a real one. Diego Maradona, passed at 60 due to a heart attack in his condo while recovering from brain surgery. Pat, Mario and Devon do their best to explain why this diminutive man had such a gargantuan effect on the soccer world, take a trip down memory lane and add even more respect to the moments that made him legend. Good bad or otherwise. You can expect all that and a little fan racism with a splash of John Madden on this installment of The Set Piece. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mesut Özil once had the world in the palm of his hand. He was a World Cup winner and the talisman for Arsene Wenger’s dynamic but underachieving Arsenal squad, making 350,000 a week with a skillset expected to age well. Now, two years later, he's been exiled after the club spent months trying to offload him. The guys discuss his quick fall from the pinnacle of the sport and if he has a shot at coming close to the level he was before. Since joining Liverpool in a January transfer, Virgil Van Dijk solidified his status as a world class defender and was an integral part in the Reds outrageous run of wins and trophies the past couple years. But after leaving the Merseyside Derby early due to an extremely bad challenge from Jordan Pickford, Liverpool fans spent the remaining 70 minutes of the match holding their breath and when he left the stadium in crutches it was hard not expect the worst. The announcement that Van Dijk suffered ACL damage and would be out for the foreseeable future was a gut punch no one was prepared for. Pat, Mario and Devon discuss the fallout and what this means for a team who's success depends on the familial like chemistry and bro hugs. We also discuss the scores from the first week of the Champions League and how CBS is broadcasting one of the greatest competitions in the world. A progress report on Gonzalo Higuain's MLS journey, Pele turns 80, Covid mucks up the Milan derby and more on The Set Piece. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we sit in Europe's first international break and watch players jetset all over the world without the 14 day quarantine, the Premier League table looks a little different. New look Everton and their dynamic front three sit atop while the Manchester clubs both sit in the bottom half while they sort themselves out. Match day 4 was the week of the ass kicking where multiple teams had video game scorelines put up on them. The defending champs were not immune from a beating as they suffered a 7-2 drubbing from Aston Villa, a club that just survived relegation a few weeks prior. Manchester United welcomed back former manager, Jose Mourinho, who's Tottenham Hotspurs have definitely been paying attention in his Dark Arts class. 45 minutes and a Lamela bitch move later, Ole and his boys were heading into the dressing room losing 4-1 and a man down. The boys break down the two losses and discuss whether they were just a bad day at the office or signs of trouble ahead. The fall transfer window has come to a close but it wasn't without some last day excitement. Pat, Mario and Devon cover all the notable moves from a period that saw the Premier League spend a billion dollars during a pandemic. The USMNT celebrate a Barcelona milestone, an Israeli club finds out why you don't taunt Harry Kane, Cocaine D takes PPE to infinity and beyond and more on The Set Piece Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In France, domestic club football has returned after a long vacation due to the pandemic but Paris St. Germain, fresh off falling short of Champions League glory, are hungover. Maybe they didn't have enough time off, they are still nursing their wounds or still recovering from a wave of Covid infections but they are not lighting the league on fire at the moment. Which makes this a perfect time for Le Classique, a fiery rivalry between Marseille, a club that lacks the talent to match PSG on the pitch but make up for it with an abundance of assholery. The game lacked goals but made up for it with the best scrape you'll see in any of the major European leagues. 5 Red Cards, spit and a racism claim later, Neymar was suspended for two games and Marseille got all 3 points at the Parc des Princes for the first time in nine years. The Premier League is also underway and Jose Mourinho's resting bitch face is already in peak form. He seems underwhelmed despite the investment in new talent and could already be losing the locker room. The guys take a look at the Maturing Bros and try to predict when the inevitable implosion begins. They also look at the rest of the league after the first few matches and determine which clubs are forreal at the top half of the table. Gareth Bale, fresh off of an excellent year of golfing and hair maintenance in Madrid has returned to the Premier League. Back to Tottenham on a season long loan, the club where he became a superstar not so long ago. The Spurs hope that this move propels them back to the top of the league while Bale gets to put the drama with him and Real Madrid behind and get back to balling. With his return from injury in the coming days we'll all find out if this was genius move by the Spurs brass or if this is the beginning of the end for Bale and Jose. Elsewhere, Covid 19 is still undefeated as it claims the USMNT friendlies and the Ginger Zombie. Luis Suarez proves he's the ultimate scumbag by trying to cheat on the Italian citizenship test, Neymar spurns Nike for Puma and Mario finds an early favorite for Golazo of the year, on The Set Piece. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As soon as Leo Messi sent the burofax with his intentions to leave Barcelona, the media was in a frenzy, using all of their cache to burrow into his entourage so they can get an answer.  Does he genuinely want to leave?  Is he trying to force leadership change?  Is his family influencing this decision?  We all were expecting a LeBron's "Decision" style interview and we got one thanks to Goal and Ruben Uria.  The guys start by dissecting the 20 minute sit-down and discuss whether he came across as a spoiled athlete or an example of the power clubs hold over players, even the best in a generation.  The Premier League kicked off this weekend in empty stadiums across the UK even though the country has covid under better control than ours, allowing mouth breathing hillbilly patriots to trickle into venues all across the United States.  Pat, Mario and Devon provide a casual breakdown of the new faces, clubs and European contenders in what should be a wild, spicy ride complete with extremely early relegation and top four predictions.  The crew also trade in their sweats for scrubs to discuss why some of the best players in the world decided that contracting covid was how they wanted to spend their summer vacation.  Erling Haaland gets kicked out of a nightclub and receives the most Norwegian punishment ever while Phil Foden causes an international incident in Iceland and more on The Set Piece. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we last left, the boys just finished watching PSG's dramatic Champions League win against Atalanta. In between Thomas Tuchel's primal screams, we were getting our popcorn ready to watch the assumed Manchester City v. Bayern Munich semifinal. Bayern took care of business by disrespectfully dispatching Barcelona, a beatdown which led to a tidal wave of sadness, liquor and spice. Pep Guardiola's cautious tactics, some poor luck and a plucky Lyon squad came through and fucked that dream match all the way up. After predictable semifinal wins we had the Parisian superclub versus the formidable, jacked ,Bavarians. The first 45 minutes of the final was a back and forth affair with each team having numerous chances to go up but the halftime break caused the tightening of some PSG buttholes and that was enough for Kingsley Coman, the former Paris youth player, to put Bayern up 1. That lone goal, Bayern's constant pressure and possession was enough to ensure Champions League victory and a few pictures to add to your Neymar crying collage. Barcelona fans thought a reckoning was coming after the Bayern beatdown but I don't think they expected this, Papa Messi sent burofax to the club asking to leave....for free. The crew breaks down what led to this impasse, the legitimacy of his desire to leave and landing places for the 33 year old legend. The guys also give a tip of the cap to Chelsea who appear to be all in on the Super Frank redemption project and keep up with all the transfer pickups and rumors. Ronaldinho puts his legal troubles behind him while Harry Maguire's has just begun, Aubameyang's guady car collection makes it to TMZ and more on this week's installment of The Set Piece Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In order to cram in the 2020 Champions and Europa league, UEFA, decided to get rid of home and away ties and go single elimination. That choice has turned both competitions into August Madness, with the matches coming so fast and furiously, you’re just wrapping your head around Juventus being sent home and PSG is down 1-0. The boys recap the quarterfinals best moments and preview the semifinals in both competitions. Recorded prior to Barcelona v Bayern and Manchester City v Lyon, there’s some foreshadowing Barca’s troubles and a glimmer of hope for the French club who finished 7th in their league. Willian’s move to Arsenal, a check in on how Covid’s affecting the beautiful game, we see what Gareth Bale was up to during Real Madrid’s Champions League loss and more on this week’s installment of The Set Piece Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's been quite a while since you've last heard from the Set Piece and the world feels a bit different right now. But after a long training camp filled with intense intrasquad matches and a few friendlies, the boys are back! We haven't been saying much but we've been watching it all, from the first awkwardly silent, rusty matches in Germany to the empty stadium trophy celebrations and we have some thoughts. After a rough start, the Premier League's restart kicked into high gear. Liverpool went into the quarantine with their first PL Championship in 30 years all be sewn up and Norwich City was well on their way to being the first club relegated. With their fates confirmed weeks ago, we went into Championship Sunday with several open spots for the Champions League and three clubs that could end up relegated. The boys discuss the final standings and if they were surprised with who ended up in the Champions/Europa League spots and also pour a little something out for Bournemouth and Watford, who's successful runs at the top flight came to an end. They also touch on Leeds and West Bromich's successful promotion from the English Football Championship, Crissy and Sergio Ramos lifting trophies and perform a welfare check on Kylian Mbappe's ankle. All that and a Champions League preview on the long awaited return of The Set Piece. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jermaine Jones is one of the USMNT's most revered players. A dual national from Germany with European football experience, he was an integral piece during the Klinsmann era. He brought athleticism, technique and supplied the bit of crazy that every team needs to be successful. Sports Illustrated was lucky enough to catch the retiree during a taco break and he gave us all the spice. Coaching, his divorce, AR 15's... Nothing was off limits.  In England, we check Liverpool, who's dipping performances culminated in a 3-0 defeat at Watford and a loss to Chelsea in the FA Cup. The crew discuss this rough patch and if the Reds can get it together in time for Atletico Madrid. While one British superclub struggles, Manchester City is peaking in Champions League play after a ferocious fifteen minutes period leads to a 2-1 win at Bernabeu and second leg without Sergio Ramos. Can Pep and the boys keep this momentum in the midst of their beef with UEFA? Arsenal is eliminated from the Europa League and find out they're broke in the same week, John Bond is loving solitary confinement, we check out all the new Adidas kits from the MLS and more on a packed installment of The Set Piece Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices