In short
ESPN FC Podcast Notes
Episode Title
Arbeloa's First Big Test Episode Description The FC crew discusses Álvaro Arbeloa's first big test in La Liga this weekend when Real Madrid visits Villarreal. Additionally, discussions include the implications of Pedri's new hamstring injury for Barcelona and a preview of an action-packed Premier League weekend with league leaders Arsenal hosting Manchester United.
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Key Discussion Points
Álvaro Arbeloa's Challenges at Real Madrid
- Mixed Results: Arbeloa faced a mixed start with Real Madrid, including:
- A 6-1 victory over Monaco (seen as a possible turning point).
- Defeats in the Copa del Rey and against Levante, leading to fan discontent.
- Managerial Confidence: Arbeloa highlighted the urgency for improvement while expressing confidence in the players, particularly Jude Bellingham, whom he praised for his character and leadership.
- Next Match: The upcoming match against Villarreal is deemed a significant test. A positive result could foster optimism among fans regarding the team's direction.
Reactions to Monaco Match
- Fan Dynamics:
- Fans showed a different response at the Champions League match compared to La Liga games, indicating they were more supportive during the Champions League.
- The support fluctuated based on performance, particularly applauding good moments while simultaneously expressing discontent over some players, notably Vinicius Jr.
- Issues of Player Performance: Discussion reflected on whether certain players are "uncoachable," with some believing that the club's culture affects their adaptability to structured gameplay.
Pedri's Injury Impact on Barcelona
- Injury Details: Pedri’s hamstring injury is expected to sideline him for about a month, which poses significant challenges for Barcelona.
- Impact Assessment:
- While Barcelona has "easier" fixtures coming up, the long-term effects on the season are concerning.
- Pedri's role in the team is critical due to his creativity and ball-handling skills.
Premier League Preview
- Arsenal vs. Manchester United:
- Arsenal leads the table and hosts United, who are coming off a recent victory against City.
- Conversations centered around tactical approaches, with expectations that United must replicate their strong intensity from the previous week to compete effectively against Arsenal.
- Predictions: Most analysts predict an Arsenal victory, citing the need for United to demonstrate resilience and adaptability.
Villarreal vs. Real Madrid Analysis
- Villarreal's Season:
- Villarreal is performing well domestically despite struggles in the Champions League.
- They boast a strong squad capable of competing with the top teams in La Liga.
- Expectations for the Match:
- This match is anticipated as a critical test for both teams, with both looking to assert dominance in La Liga standings.
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Key Takeaways
- Álvaro Arbeloa's position as interim manager of Real Madrid is precarious and requires immediate success against Villarreal to solidify confidence.
- Pedri’s injury could drastically affect Barcelona's midfield dynamics and performance in upcoming fixtures.
- The upcoming Arsenal vs. Manchester United match is framed as a crucial psychological battle for both teams, with implications for the title race in the Premier League.
- Villarreal is emerging as a competitive force in La Liga, capable of challenging the top teams while struggling in Europe.
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Additional Notes
- The podcast episode encapsulates the dynamic nature of football management where immediate results are crucial.
- The emotional and psychological aspects of fan reactions and player performance under scrutiny are significant considerations for clubs.
- The discussions about player injuries highlight the physical demands placed on athletes and the impact of their fitness on team success.
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This structured summary highlights the essential discussions and insights from the episode, providing an overview of the main themes and arguments.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOAlvaro Arbeloa's Mixed Start at Real Madrid
0:45 to 2:12
Discussion on Arbeloa's performance as Real Madrid's interim manager following a recent victory.
“He has had a mixed bag, I think it's fair to say, since he's over at Real Madrid, of course.”
Expectations and Tests Ahead
2:12 to 3:35
Analyzing the challenges Arbeloa faces in upcoming matches, particularly against Villarreal.
“We're talking about the Monaco match being a turning point.”
Crowd Dynamics and Player Performance
3:35 to 4:50
Exploring the relationship between fan support and player morale during matches.
“And you do get a sense of people coming for the Champions League games as an occasion rather than turning up for a routine league match.”
Cultural Challenges at Real Madrid
4:50 to 7:42
Examining the cultural and structural issues affecting team performance and player management.
“And the fans were chanting Vinicius' name.”
The Importance of Team Structure
7:42 to 10:34
Discussing the need for a solid structure within the team to ensure consistent performance.
“Now, that's not to say that's necessarily a bad thing.”
Villarreal's Surprising Performance
10:34 to 14:04
Analyzing Villarreal's unexpected success in La Liga despite struggles in the Champions League.
“and you walk out the next game and you think, we'll just do the same.”
Injury Impact on Barcelona's Pedri
17:27 to 19:55
Explore the ramifications of Pedri's injury on Barcelona's season.
“It is a long list of injuries, isn't it, for someone so young?”
Mallorca's Ownership and Future
19:56 to 22:11
Discuss the strategic developments under Mallorca's American ownership.
“And so I think there's a degree of excitement.”
Upcoming Matches and Predictions
22:12 to 23:02
Get insights and predictions on upcoming key matches in football.
“What games are you going to this weekend, Zed?”
Arsenal vs Manchester United Preview
23:04 to 28:00
Delve into the tactical expectations and player performances for the Arsenal vs. Manchester United match.
“I meant to say it's Arsenal sitting top of the table as they play host to Manchester United who come into the game of the back of that win, obviously, against City.”
Show all 19 chapters
Arsenal vs. Manchester United Preview
28:00 to 30:00
Discussing the upcoming match between Arsenal and Manchester United, including strategies and predictions.
“They won last year at the Emirates in the FA Cup when Amorim was the manager and they didn't look like winning any games.”
Manchester City’s Recent Struggles
30:00 to 32:00
Analyzing Manchester City's lack of form and team spirit after recent poor performances.
“Elsewhere, a game that we shouldn't really be talking about but we are because of the form of the host.”
Issues in Manchester City’s Squad
32:00 to 34:30
Exploring the structural problems and lack of creativity in Manchester City's squad affecting their game.
“It gives the opposition loads of encouragement.”
Bayern Munich Overview
37:31 to 38:40
Providing insights into Bayern Munich and their rich history in football.
“But to really understand this club, you have to come to its home.”
Karaoke Stories and the Traitors Show
42:03 to 43:21
Listen to light-hearted tales of karaoke and discuss the popular show 'The Traitors'.
Ranking Wing Pairings
43:21 to 45:26
A debate on the best current wing pairings in football and their impact on teams.
“Robbo, rank these following wing pairings on the basic of their current form.”
Premier League Quality Debate
45:26 to 46:53
Discussion on the current strength of the Premier League compared to previous seasons.
“side of that isn't that it hasn't been as entertaining as late yeah I think it's a great debate and we've said it many times on the show and I really believe it this is not a very good Premier League season.”
Analyzing Midfield Players for Manchester United
46:53 to 49:27
Evaluate potential replacements for Casemiro at Manchester United considering budget constraints.
“Yeah, and there's also a theory that a lot of the teams down at the bottom don't really come out and play.”
Upcoming Weekend Football Matches
49:27 to 51:01
Hosts share their weekend football plans and upcoming matches to watch.
“I think this is the value for a player like him.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:28So good, so good, so good.
0:34Welcome to the show, I'm Dan Thomas, joined by Stevie Nicholl. It is very intimate today, but that doesn't mean it won't be very special. Special, of course, for Alvaro Abuelo at the moment. Terrible link. Let's do that again. He has had a mixed bag, I think it's fair to say, since he's over at Real Madrid, of course. The latest, the 6-1 victory over Monaco, but it all started with that defeat in the Copa del Rey that saw them eliminated from the Spanish Cup, and that rather poor performance against Levante, which of course the Bernabeu booed both Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham. Big test this weekend as they take on high-flying Villarreal.
1:07Here is the Real Madrid manager. In the 10 days I've been coached with what I've seen, I want the Monaco game to be a turning point.
1:24Obviously, we have a lot to improve and work on, but from day one the players wanted to work and that's what gives me confidence.
1:35In the games and trainings, Drew Bellingham has shown me his ability as a player, his technical ability, his leadership, his personality, his character.
1:48I believe the effort he made the other day along with the teammates against Monaco was tremendous, marvellous. a player with a winning mentality that's everything a Real Madrid player needs.
2:03Yep, Alvaro Abelhoa saying everything expected of him as the Real Madrid interim. Sid Lowe is here, as is Sir Robson. Sid, you'll be at the game tomorrow. We're talking about the Monaco match being a turning point. It's only a turning point, obviously, if you get a good result against Villarreal.
2:21Yeah, exactly. and obviously you look at the first games in charge for Alvaro Abaloa, you expect to win Alba Fete, they didn't, you expect to win against Levante, they did, and you expect to win against Monaco, which they did, but they scored six goals, which I think does change the emotional sense around Real Madrid at the moment, but you're absolutely right that away Villarreal is a proper test and if they were to come through this, then I think there would be a kind of a feeling of optimism that would come back, now we shouldn't overlook something here, which is that Xavi Alonso won five out of five before they went to the Super Cup and so this isn't a team that was necessarily struggling to get results.
2:55It was a team where the dynamics didn't feel good, a team where they weren't getting the results against the biggest sides and they weren't playing particularly well. Now, obviously what Monaco does is not just register as a victory but register as a game in which they performed and in which in particular Vinicius, who was a big part, of course, of the problem with Xavi Alonso, performed so well. So is it fair to say, and it's interesting a point that Alex brought up, the Champions League crowd is a bit different to the Santiago Bernal crowd normally for a La Liga game. So the fact there were no whistles wasn't a great indicator that he suddenly won the crowd over.
3:27That's going to take a lot of time, isn't it?
3:32Yeah, I mean, look, I think there's a couple of things here. And I think that first point is an important one, that they are slightly different crowds. Not entirely, but slightly. And you do get a sense of people coming for the Champions League games as an occasion rather than turning up for a routine league match. I also think that one of the ways to judge this is to look at the first few minutes of the game against Monaco. or indeed look at the warm-up in the game against Monaco. When the teams came out to first come out onto the pitch and look around an hour or so before the game, there was a kind of a sense of, well, we had our protests at the weekend and I think there was indifference more than anything else.
4:06Then, of course, as the game went on, there were moments in which Real Madrid started to play well and that increased the enthusiasm and took away some of the whistles. And for me, there was a couple of really key moments towards the end of the first half. One of them was when a pass fell behind Jude Bellingham and he fell on the floor and there was kind of applause. kind of a supporting thing that said, all right, come on, we can do this from the crowd. And then a moment after that, Vinicius Jr. did what I'm afraid to say was a rather pointless attempt at a pirouette, which went wrong. And there were some whistles of him.
4:34But that was immediately met by the rest of the crowd with applause and cheers. And I think there was a conscious sense from the fans at the Bernabeu midweek. OK, we said what we wanted to say at the weekend. We've got to put that behind us. And now we play a part in encouraging this team. And then on top of that, of course, you then get the really, really good performance in which Vinicius is involved in four goals. Now, that changes things. And the fans were chanting Vinicius' name. But again, worth pointing out, that was from the fans behind the goal who are, I don't know how best to describe them.
5:02If you like, kind of a state-sponsored supporters club. They are the ones that have got the club behind them. And they kind of do the things that they have to do. And some of the other fans joined in, but not all of them. I think almost as significant, Dan, is the fact that Vinicius, when he celebrated, very pointedly did it without the supporters. He wasn't yet prepared to share this moment with them because, of course, he feels victimized by some of what's happened. Sid, what do we read into what has happened over the last year? Ancelotti's final season, final half of the season was disappointing.
5:33Obviously, we know what happened with Xavi Alonso. Now we're going to see what happens when this team is basically in the hands of Arbaloa. Is there any sense that some of these players are uncoachable?
5:45Yes, absolutely. And of course, look, I think it's really important this, and I'm not sure how much focus there's been on this point, which, as I say, I think is absolutely central. When you look at the whistles, or you listen to the whistles more to the point, in the game against Levante, I think those whistles were about obviously underperforming players, obviously a sense that Madrid weren't where they should be, obviously a sense that they hadn't constructed the squad as well, but I think as much as anything else, they were about the sacking of Xavi Alonso. Now, that's not to say that the fans were all saying, it's terrible, we shouldn't have sacked him.
6:16But I think there was a feeling amongst a lot of Real Madrid fans that an opportunity had been lost. It's not just that he'd lost Xavi Alonso, an opportunity had been lost. And why do I say this? Because last year was fairly disastrous. For most of the season, Ancelotti was talking about effort, he was talking about attitude, he was talking about essentially there being a lack of commitment. And with the arrival of Xavi Alonso after Carlo Ancelotti, who was wildly successful, and we should never lose sight of that, there was a sense that here's the chance to construct something, to build a structured team, to build something that's done by a manager, that has a model, that has a changing culture, that has a step into the right direction.
6:52And at the risk of simplifying it, a kind of a sense that this is something a bit more modern. This is something that's a bit more in tune with the way football's going at the moment. And I think that when he was sacked, it wasn't just that people thought Alonso's gone, it's thought, ah, there was our chance to build something coherent and structured, and it's gone. And what that, I think, speaks to is an idea that, and to answer your question really directly, that perhaps there is a culture at the club in terms of the way the players feel about their own power, in terms of the way the players approach the game, that they're not necessarily uncoachable, but that if you try and impose a system on them, if you try and impose a model on them, rather than, and Jude Bellinger himself used this phrase, I think in the first season under Ancelotti, we play off the cuff a bit.
7:35And rather than doing that to try and have a structure and a constructed model, I think there's a sense from a lot of the fans that that's broken down. Why? Because the culture at the club kind of wasn't really inducive to it. Now, that's not to say that's necessarily a bad thing. Who knows? They might go and win the Champions League now. They won three Champions Leagues in a row with Zidane in a period in which lots of people said, there isn't a structure, there isn't a model, there's lots of really great players. And then you've got Carlo Ancelotti and people said, well, what's Carlo Ancelotti's footballing philosophy?
8:00What's his identity? Well, his identity is, I've got lots of good players, let's help them play. Robbo, what do you make of all of that? Well, the trouble is when you have players that just want to do what they want to do and you have great players and you say, just go and play. That's OK when you're doing well and they're all playing well and you're scoring goals and you're beating the opposition who sit back and let you play. The problem is when you're not playing quite as well and that will happen over a course of a season and have bad spells. What do you do when you're not playing well? Where's the structure?
8:29You have to go back to basics. You know, even the team that Stevie played for when Liverpool were at the top. Yes, they had great players, but when things weren't going well, They had to dig in and they were good defensively and they closed the ball down. I was watching the game against Monaco and we had an English couple of commentators on the television that I was watching. And somebody that hasn't seen them very often said, Real Madrid don't really close down, do they? They don't go and defend. Monaco, I've got so much of the ball here. I can't believe this. And that was a game they won 6-1 and that was in the first half.
8:58That was someone who hadn't seen them play very, very often. And obviously we see them play a lot. We talk about that. But at the moment, if they get a win, everything's hunky-dory. the players love it because they're playing the way they want to but when things start to go wrong that's when you need discipline that's when you need work rate that's when you need a defensive structure if you haven't got that at some point you will come unstuck so it's not below what a glorified babysitter stevie maybe maybe i mean considering the the managers that this team have had and nobody looks as though they've figured them out really to get them as a unit.
9:37Never mind anything else, get them together as a unit. And then, of course, you've got Vinny sabotaging the crowd getting behind them. And I like Sid's point about, you know, the crowd for the Champions League being different because I think Sid's talking about hope. but it seemed like the crowd had not only had the hope for Alonso, but they so wanted it to be so good. They really wanted him to do really well. And when you get one player in particular who's scuppering all that and looking and was always sabotaging it just because of his ego, then it'll be interesting to see what crowd does turn up the next time because I don't think it'll disappear so easily.
10:20And the fact that they're not a unit, it just takes a couple of mistakes or things to be going wrong as they've been doing. And that crowd's going to go on their back again. That makes it twice as hard. So, yeah, it's fantastic when you win 6-1 and you walk out the next game and you think, we'll just do the same. Don't always work out that way. But how can this work with regards to, this is a team, like we're talking about them as if they've been terrible for ages. They won the Champions League two years ago. Mbappe comes in. Right. And obviously it's not down to him, but everything just seems to fall apart.
10:52But you look at the team that played against Monaco, there's still a lot of Champions League winners within that side. How can things turn? Because you have to play as a team to win the tournament. Of course you do. You have to win to win La Liga. How can a team, how can individuals who know what it takes to go all the way not put that sort of effort in? Because surely at the end of the day you're a winner. You want to stay a winner. Well, because if there's no structure, it doesn't matter how hard you try, it's not going to work. You know, you could have 11 players given absolutely every single thing and they might win games because of their ability, but in terms of being a unit, if there's no structure, then you're wasting energy.
11:30You know, you're talking about, Rob was talking about no closing down. Well, the problem is when one closes, the rest are not closing in behind. That's the kind of structure that Rob and I are talking about. You know, somebody is the key. So the first guy goes and then everybody follows in behind. They don't have any keys. They don't seem to understand that when one person goes, the other one has to go and then it's a domino effect so with no structure you're relying on just ability alone and that's why they're struggling it is of course sid a top of the table clash although people who have watched Villarreal in the Champions League they scratch their head and ask how on earth is a team that isn't going to qualify for the next round sitting third in La Liga yeah and everyone in Spain is asking the same question Villarreal are quite literally or at least joint the worst team in the champions league and yet here they are in spain the only team close to madrid and barcelona they've had a fantastic first half of the season the best in their history they've got a game in hand so they've had the opportunity they will have the opportunity to close that gap even further they've been beaten four times all season and those four are madrid barcelona atletico and then against betis two weeks ago away now those are all games you can lose and the weird thing is from my point of view as an analysis of via Real in La Liga, I think they have strongest squad outside the top three.
12:51I think they have the best starting 11 outside the top three. And I think they have a very good manager. And I think actually, if you look at their results, they have won the games they should win and they've not won the games that maybe you would say, well, yeah, maybe they shouldn't win those. Madrid, Barca, Atletico, Betis away. And then you go to the Champions League and think, but that's not what's happened in the Champions League. Because you could look at this and say, well, the Champions League level is higher than La Liga. And that would be true up to a point. And it would be true up to a point what their manager has tried to claim, which is that in Champions League, they've been pretty unlucky.
13:17The way they drew with Spurs, sorry, the way they lost to Spurs with an own goal very early on, the defeat, the draw, I think it was, with Juventus. Yes, Man City came and destroyed them, but City were just another level. But then what happens is they start to fall away in those games where you do expect more. They get beaten by Papos. Now, it's a bit of a fluke, and it is Papos' only shot on goal, but they get beaten by them. And so it's trying to find an explanation for that. And it's really, really difficult to find one to be honest because in La Liga they've been efficient they've been incredibly good on the break they're an athletic team they're a strong team they're a tall team and really and truly you look around the league from fourth downwards and there's no one who can touch them obviously week by week there might be games when they don't win but there's no one who can touch them consistently but in Champions League they've just been awful well they'll be hoping for a better performance of course tomorrow in a match that you can see live on ESPN plus It's Fieri Hour.
14:09Again, so Real Madrid, our coverage starts at 2.30 Eastern.
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17:35They think for about a month, Sid Lowe is still with us. Sid, this is, state the obvious, a huge blow for Barcelona and a huge blow for people who just love football.
17:49Yes, absolutely. Yeah, I don't think you have to support Barcelona to love watching Pedri play, the smoothness with which he plays, the intelligence, the creativity, the inventiveness. And it's a real pity. I think it's a pity as well because there's been a sense over the last, essentially since Flick took over, but maybe a little bit, going back a tiny bit beyond that, of Pedri starting to get things right in fitness terms. And as you say, he's had a career with a lot of injuries. A lot is always said, and I think rightly so, about that first season in which he played the Olympics and the European Championships, being very young, had I think over 70 games that calendar year and it was just too many.
18:24And inevitably there were muscular problems that came with that and a series of them. But over the last 18 months or so, he seemed to have continuity. He seemed to be able to avoid most of those. He's playing a lot of minutes. He's covering a lot of kilometres. He's being in a slightly deeper position, which he's asked to do, in theory at least, a more physical role than the one he had before. And he was coming through that. So this injury is a problem. I think if you look at the game that we covered last Sunday in San Sebastián against Real Sofidat. At the end of it, he was exhausted. And I just wonder if maybe there would have been a temptation to have not played him the whole game in midweek in the Champions League.
18:59But, of course, from Barcelona's point of view, away in Prague, it was a vitally, vitally important match. Rob, I suppose when you take a look at the fixtures coming up, it's not the worst time to lose Pedri. Relatively easy on paper. But the concern is the knock-on effect for the rest of the season, obviously. Absolutely, he's a key player for them. He had a difficult game in midweek against Slavia Prague because they actually man-marked him. And for the first 30 minutes he had the worst game I've seen him have for quite some while. He had the ball pinched off him two or three times. So maybe he was struggling with a slight injury when he started the game and he couldn't quite get out of that malaise he was in.
19:36And the kicker had the ball pinched off him and it was a shock when he came after about 35 minutes when he came off with a hamstring injury. yes it's a decent time but it's never a decent time to have an injury you'd like to be able to arrest him for a week but when somebody gets a hamstring injury you've got the rehabilitation you've got to make sure he's fully fit when he does come back and they're going to miss him you know Frankie de Jong came to the fore in that game against Slavia Prague he was absolutely magnificent on a on a pitch that was icing up so he did really well and stood up but missing Pedri is a big blow for him and the team let's face it though it's only Oviedo this weekend so stevie could play in that and uh they'd be fine uh speaking of sid's loves basketball now is very much his new love if you haven't checked it out uh be sure to read his article about talking to the ownership group of mallorca it's 10 years since they took over and said it's interesting seeing your discussions uh with the likes of steve kern steve nash how are they received from a Spanish point of view?
20:37Well, I think that, and actually it's one of the things that Andy Goldberg, the president, says, he talks about the idea that when he took over, despite having been a professional tennis player, there wasn't necessarily a sort of an excitement around him, that the excitement in Spain is around Steve Kerr and around Steve Nash, and the idea that these were people who would kind of help give the project gravitas, help give the project that, if you like, that sense of a sporting status. And so I think there's a degree of excitement. And of course, what they would love, the Mallorca fans, is for these guys to be able to be on the island all the time.
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21:06But then beyond that, when you strip that away, more than that, it's about the lived experience. And obviously, I think one of the things that they've been keen to stress, and Andy in particular talking very clearly about this, is that part of what you see as your development project for Mallorca is the introduction, if you like, of American-style approach to sport as entertainment. So things like VIP areas in the stadium, things like lounges where you can see the game from a different perspective. They've got this pitch side club thing and the tunnel club where you can get really close to the players on the way out.
21:37And of course, those are VIP packages. But he said that perhaps differently in Europe to in the US, you have to make sure that that doesn't get in the way of your legacy fans. It doesn't get in the way of the core group who are there all the time. And I think there's a certain satisfaction because of the redevelopment of the stadium. It had a running track. the two ends were a very long way from the pitch they brought that closer so I think it's been successful so far in both terms not just in terms of kind of if you like chasing that extra investment that an island like Mallorca can give you but also trying to ensure that this doesn't mean disenfranchising your legacy fans.
22:12What games are you going to this weekend, Zed?
22:16So I will be at Villarreal Real Madrid on Saturday and then I'll be getting the train up the coast to see that game that you I don't like your tone Dan Thomas suggesting that it would be easy for Barcelona and if it's a good time to lose Pedri, it's when you play against the might of Real Oviedo. You're not taking Charlie, are you? Your son's not going to put him through that, are you? Barcelona Oviedo? Well, of course I am. He's spent his entire life watching Oviedo in the second division. You get the chance to go to the Camp Nou. Poor kid. All right, Sid, thank you very much. Just to remind you, you can see a lot more of Sid in the Football Americas special reflecting on 10 years the ownership of Mallorca.
22:55That's available now on ESPN+.
23:02Right then, here we go. It is Manchester City who's in second at the moment. I don't know why I went for them first. I meant to say it's Arsenal sitting top of the table as they play host to Manchester United who come into the game of the back of that win, obviously, against City. That is the big game in the Premier League this weekend. As we welcome in, Robbo is still with us. Julianne Laurent joins us as well. Jules I imagine the vibe going into this from a United perspective is a lot more optimistic than it was a week ago yeah absolutely a lot of positivity obviously after the win in the derby last weekend the whole week as well to prepare for this game at the Emirates Arsenal remember when Michael Carrick back in 2021 first had his interim period as a United coach he also went to the Emirates and beat Mikel Arteta by the way on that day so let's see if he can do it again on Sunday but it's obviously a luxury usually clubs like Manchester United don't have a whole week to prepare for league games because they're usually in Europe that's not the case we've mentioned that many times on the show it's a big advantage for them I don't expect the game plan and the tactics to change much from what we saw against City to be fair I still think Carrick would pick the same system that 4-2-3-1 probably even the same 11 that worked really well and probably play with the same block and in transition because that worked really well against City and I think he would work as well at the MLS against Arsenal so very interesting tactical battle because we also know already apart from maybe who's going to be the number nine what Michael Arteta and Arsenal will do if United play like they did last weekend Robbo will they get something from this game is it as simple as that I think last week they played very well and and Jules just said it but they played with intensity they played with an understanding what they were trying to do they sometimes press the ball they sometimes dropped off but they were also helped by a Man City side that the back four weren't particularly comfortable on the ball so they didn't cause United any problems when they had the ball at the back and were coming out and when Manchester United did go and press them they won the ball back quite simply and they played very well on the counter-attack as you can see with this goal they've got four players that are racing forward so it was a more athletic side it was a more disciplined side players played to their best level and it was a very good performance but can they do that against a very good Arsenal side I think it's going to be more difficult for them I don't think they'll be able to play with the same sort of ability to counter-attack I don't think they wouldn't will win so many balls back because I'll snort the moment are playing very well and they're playing some great football at times I know you think there's sometimes boring but they're playing very efficient football at moment thanks Sarah and overall what does he need to change then to address that from Arsenal carry yeah carry has to somehow get them in the same frame of mind they were in last weekend at home and he somehow has to change their mentality because last week they never got punched in the nose by City.
25:53You know they're going to get it against Arsenal because Arsenal will absolutely be on their toes considering what happened last week against City. So the key for Carrick is he'll find out how strong mentally this team is. Was it Ten Hag? Was it Amarine? Is that where the problem was? It wasn't the players. Well, we'll find out because Arsenal absolutely are going to give them a punch and we will see whether last week is just a one-off or whether there's actually some substance to what they did last week. I'm not so sure Man United are going to produce what they did last week. I think it's a one-off.
26:31All right. Wow. Let's take a look at the predictions then. So, obviously, Stevie, you've gone for an Arsenal victory. A convincing victory? I think so. 3-1. Listen, Man United were absolutely gassed. Yes, it was a great performance, but they were running out of steam. They've had a week to recover. Arsenal have had a game against Marseille midweek. Aye, aye. But this is all about the mentality of Man United. Because we know what Arsenal are going to be like. That is the key. Let's see what happens when Arsenal... If Arsenal go ahead, will this Man United side do what they've been doing for the last few years and not have the stomach for it and just get completely outplayed.
27:14I just think, Robbo, you've gone for 3-1 as well. What we've seen from Arsenal in big games is that they don't exactly then push on. The exception, of course, being Aston Villa. But apart from that, it seems when they play big teams, they're 1-0 up and then they kind of sit on that. They don't really go for it. For them to score three goals would kind of go against the trend, wouldn't it? I wouldn't say that's the case. They've done it in Europe against some of the big teams. They've done it against Aston Villa, as you've just said. There's been one or two games against Man City when they've been quite defensive.
27:43Against Liverpool on occasions they've been quite defensive. But I just think Arsenal have enough about them to break Manchester United down. And Steve is absolutely right. It all depends on the attitude of Manchester United. Manchester United on one-off games. They won the cup final against Man City with a performance that you hadn't seen from any stage. They won last year at the Emirates in the FA Cup when Amorim was the manager and they didn't look like winning any games. so they can put out a one a good performance every so often can they do it two weeks on the trot I'm not sure I can and I think Arsenal have just have too much for them they will play a two higher tempo they will win the ball back quickly and I'll and a man United won't be able to plan the counter-attack as they did so easily against Man City last week you know Jules as we know has got a big allegiance to Arsenal so this is just calling your bluff in it Jules one one no what worries me the most is that you and I have the same prediction which is It can't be good on my side, obviously.
28:35Hey, Jules, it's all right. We know better than these former players. What do they know? The Regions. I think the thing I think about, the quite fascinating thing about this game as well is what Arteta's approach. We know how much he loves the control. We know, and we saw that against Liverpool, for example, really recently, where I think at times he would prioritize making sure you don't lose the game instead of trying at all costs to win it and expose yourself defensively maybe and risking to losing it. And I wonder if in this game, for example, because he will fear the transitions of United as we've just explained, as we saw against City, but the boys are right.
29:15This is a much better Arsenal team than the City team, and especially in defense. But I think he might be a little bit risk-averse with the ball, which already, as we've also said, is not this season the biggest asset to go for it and put a lot of body forward for example and I wonder if to make sure that Bruno can't find a pass that Ahmad or Mbomo or Dogu can't run in behind if he would be a little bit more cautious from the start maybe a bit differently in the second half but maybe from the start and that's why I think he might even be satisfied I know you play to win all the time obviously but let's see how the game goes and I think there could be a draw in here yeah Robbo that's what I said well you did say but then what do you know anyway Jules I trust but you know I'm not sure I asked them might not win the game in the first 20 minutes what I still do quite well is they grind teams down and eventually when they get that goal up they do against Aston Villa where it took them a time to get that first goal and then they play with confidence then they steam forward then the players sort of release themselves almost at times and they look at an excellent side they have they do have periods in the game where you think they run out of steam they run out of ideas but when they get their confidence and they have a good moment in the game they then start to really put pressure on the opposition and I think they're going to do that against Manchester United.
30:33Elsewhere, a game that we shouldn't really be talking about but we are because of the form of the host. Is Manchester City against Wolves? Surely, surely not. Considering what's happened to City of late though, it does have us asking the questions. Here's Pep Guardiola. Absolutely, the best team right now in the world. So look in Champions League, look in the Premier League, look in the FA Cup, in Carabao This is the best team right now. Hopefully we can be close and get better and get better. Give us one chance to catch them. You mentioned recently the spirit is there in the team. Is that still the case?
31:13Is that still what you're seeing in the squad? Are they all upbeat and happy? I have an extraordinary team and an extraordinary group of players. and we are all together, we are a fantastic, fantastic football team. I don't have any doubt about that.
31:34Which pit doesn't suit him? Sarcasm. Don't shoot him. You think that's it? He was talking about Arsenal being the best team in the world at the moment. That may be a discussion for another show. But I want to talk about this spirit, Robbo, and it's something that City fans have questions, given their lack of oomph, if you like, in the derby. obviously the way they lost in Norway as well yes is there a lack of team spirit is a lack of determination they were very poor against the boat over they I'm in glint they just didn't perform and it's again the same back for almost that played against Manchester United and if if you have struggles defensively and Manchester City had in both those games where they just didn't look athletic enough they were run past too many times there was too many spaces in between their defenders there was too many spaces between each block of defenders.
32:24It gives the opposition loads of encouragement. And then you start to wonder, you know, do I close down? Do I drop off? We talked about structure earlier on in the show. There was no structure about Manchester City in the last two games. And when that's the case, you're easy to play against. And they've been easy to play against in the last two games. So it looks as though you're not trying. I don't think any players are not trying. There's a lack of spirit. They just haven't played very well. And there's not been enough structure when they haven't had the ball. Yeah, I can't argue with that. Yeah, holes in the middle of the park and holes at the back.
32:54I mean, you ain't going to win games, regardless of the opposition. If you're consistently leaving holes in the middle and the back, and all you're doing is encouraging the opposition to get at you. Because as soon as you've turned the ball over, they're all rubbing their hands. They can't wait to get at that perceived weakness, which is the back four. What are they saying about Pep, Jules, back in the UK? That sarcasm. It's funny that Stevie talked about the sarcasm because we could have showed more clips from his press conference today. He was full of it. He said at some point, oh yeah, Manchester City are not allowed to lose games.
33:29We can't lose, right? We can't lose. Nobody said you can't lose. We're just saying that you've been rubbish lately. That's all. You can only beat Exeter 10-1. But it's not about you're allowed or not allowed to lose. It's that right now, as the boys explained, there's problems everywhere. And the issue, a bit like last season, Remember when they had that really bad stint between October and December, really, it was, and again, they lost their football. It's the same here. He doesn't seem able to find the solution. So whether it's too many injuries at the back and they can't much he can do anyway, or he's just, again, he's struggling to find solutions and answers to the problem that are pretty obvious to see for all of us, really.
34:10And it's not just the midfield and the defense where there's holes everywhere. Some players are not good enough. It's also the lack of creativity up front. You can have Semenyo and Doku, as we saw against Bodo Glimp, and they don't do much. Foden has disappeared for the last five games. Shecky is maybe the only one trying. And then Haaland is one goal in eight games, and that was a penalty. So it's just everywhere on the page there's issues. And, I mean, he has to find answers to all those issues very quickly. Otherwise, this is going to unravel very quickly as well. A lot more questions about the Premier League over on Extra Time.
34:46As always, you can check that out over on our YouTube channel. Just a reminder of all the fixtures that are coming up this week. All starts with West Ham, Sun, Burnley, Spurs. Oh, more problems for Spurs. Fulham Bryant, Bournemouth against Liverpool Sunday. Of course, he's a whole host of matches that our director doesn't care about. YouTube then is our place for Extra Time. Be sure to have a look. I like things my way. My coffee, my schedule, and my treatment. So I talked to my doctor about self-injecting with the Vivgard Hytrulo Pre-Filled Syringe, which contains F-Gartigamide Alpha and Hyaluronidase QVFC.
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37:17Breakfast that delivers. Snack that delivers. Find Kodiak frozen waffles and flapjacks in the frozen aisle at your local grocery store. They're the ones with the bear on the box. Everyone thinks that they know FC Bayern. But to really understand this club, you have to come to its home. And this home is a temple of football. Fit for giants of football. Welcome to Munich, a city of tradition. This city is built on its legacy.
37:55Beer halls that have stood for centuries. Tradition, resilience, all of that put together, and out of this, Bayern Munich was born. Oh, my God! This is Discover Club FC Bayern. Mia san mia!
38:20If you haven't seen that, be sure to check that out. That's available in its entirety now on our YouTube channel over on ESPN FC.
38:30Just a reminder, it's an early start for Bayern. They take on Augsburg, that's at 9.30. Dortmund's our late game tomorrow against Union Berlin at 12.30. That is it then. That brings us to the end of today's show. Be sure to stay tuned. No Jules and Robbo and back Stevie as well to answer some of your questions including who would survive the longest on a reality TV show. There we go. Stay with us. Addressing all the big ones.
38:59Welcome into the latest edition of Extra Time. Stevie with us. Jules and Robbo as well to answer some of your questions. It was interesting, ESPN FC showed a clip of Madweke being asked which of the players were most likely to sit next to their coach at lunch. And it was Saka and Odegaard. And I'm just wondering, of our lot, who would be that player? And Robbo's got to be close, hasn't it? Robbo's got to be close, so, you know, being nice to the coach, sucking up a vent. Depends who the manager was. Yes. Depends who the manager was. Well, you hit one of them, didn't you? So that's not bodes well.
39:32It wouldn't be bothered. Well, no, he was the coach at the time. It wouldn't be Bobby Gould, it wouldn't be Phil Neal, and it probably, no, it'd be about it. Terry Butcher I got on well with, Terry Neal I got on very well with, and Don Howe I got on very well with. Oh, there you go. George Graham, not quite so well, but that didn't last very long, so yes. Probably they'd come and sit next to me rather than the other way around. That's what I said anyway. That's interesting, because I was thinking, Stevie, did you notice it when you were a coach, players trying to be a bit teachers petty? Kind of coming to sit next to you, coming to chat to you more or anything like that?
40:01No. No? No, most people didn't want them sat next to them. Yeah. Because they would get that tag. Yes. Oh, yeah. So most people would stay at the road. Oh, that's fair enough. Yeah. Jules Gabb would be sat right there at the top when they're telling the coach what to do. He would actually take... You know when you put the chair up for the guy to sit? Like, to make sure he's right by him. He'd say, here you go. I even put the chair for you to be comfortable. Yeah, exactly. Who would survive the longest on a reality TV show? What reality TV show were going? Robbo would be terrible at all of these things I think because you don't really get on with people Robbo.
40:37Yeah I would. No I'd get on with the people and I'd be alright but I wouldn't get on with the snakes and spiders and I'm a celebrity or something like that. Okay if we put you in a jungle survivor. What other ones are you talking about? No I wouldn't like that either. I might do a cooking one I'd be alright on that. I'd do okay on that. Oh yeah a bit of master chef. If you remember I'd beat Frank LeBeouf didn't I in the last year's croissant. making competition. What about Dancing with the Stars Robbo? I can't remember if I've seen you dancing. You have seen me dance once and I saw you dance. You got told off for taking the mickey when we were in Ukraine and we had to do the national dance.
41:15Yeah that was good fun actually. That was very good. Dancing with the Stars. Yeah but you got told off for taking the mickey out of it. I get told off everywhere. At home, at work. It doesn't take much. Shaka. Shaka would be the one. what I am yeah that's true Chaka would just Chaka just has to be Shaka yeah but they would they wouldn't even notice Chaka he would just blend in and just be there and they would get to the end and it'd be like very likeable I want yeah no that's true oh you'll be alright dancing with the stars Stevie I've seen you I would have been oh yeah perhaps hips are good yes that's yeah Mars singer you'd be good at I never go at that yeah yeah yeah I'm we're all but with the jungle yeah I can't imagine yeah well there's no mints in the Charles name man Shepard's party I think that could be a big note Dan yeah I think we saw Stevie as a masked singer that time in Spain didn't we when he was beautiful that was in Liverpool that's when he was singing you'll never walk alone at six o 'clock in the morning karaoke he had a mascot at the time Jules would you ever be Ted Jules you're on enough TV shows you don't need any more do you know though as you know in England there's a very popular show now called the traitors I don't know if you have in them in the US or not but I wonder from the team who make the best traitor so the guy who lies in your face making you believe he's your friend he's a faithful and actually he's lying and stab you in the back I don't know barely probably would be a great traitor I don't know no I'm gonna be able to not tell everyone yeah no shaker again you would not you know i'd never retreat no exactly and then i wouldn't like it living in a house with other people yeah angry that would be good cleaned it properly yeah shak is cruising here you're painting a very bad picture of me dan very bad picture it's true if people hadn't cleaned up or done their washing up or left some food out that would get you going oh yeah i'd have a go at them for that yeah i'd tidy up after them you'd make sure they you know wash the taps and clean the bath and all that sort of stuff yeah get the hair out the plugs Well, it's not Robbo.
43:18Yeah. Right, there we go. Absolutely. Robbo. No, I wouldn't. No. Robbo, rank these following wing pairings on the basic of their current form. Martinelli Saka, Diaz Elise, Rafinha Yamal. Oof.
43:37Every time I'd have to go, because I see them a lot, Rafinha Yamal. When they're on form, and I think they have been on form in recent weeks, Rafinha wasn't very good in midweek in the Champions League but and obviously Jamal was suspended but those two players have turned Barcelona into such a an attacking force they can score at will almost at times that's not why they they don't win as many games they should every so often they can see bad goals but as a front pair in the wide areas they have been magnificent for a year and a half so I'd go with them and then second and third I like well I like them all but the Saka and Martinelli because I'm not a great fan of Martinelli I love Saka I thought he was again brilliant against Inter but they'd be at the bottom and the Diaz-Olise pairing because they're in the Bundesliga they scored so many goals and create so many goals against some weaker sides at times but I'd have to put them in second.
44:31Jules where would you go?
44:35I think right now in the current form and the form this season I think Luis Diaz and Michael Olise have been have been the best, really. And it should be Trossard and Saka, not really Martinelli and Saka either from the Arsenal point of view. So I will go first with Diaz and Olysee, then Rafinha and Lamine are second, and then I'll have Martinelli and Saka third. And with Robo. Yep. Yep, Rafinha, Jamal, now Diaz and Olysee. Now, we discussed this a bit, it turned into a bit of an argument between you and Craig regarding the strength of the Premier League. Right. And whether or not Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs, Newcastle and Chelsea are all in the top eight of the Champions League so does this reflect the relative strength of Premier League sides in Europe the kind of edge to this question Jules was the discussion as to whether or not the Premier League has got stronger and therefore that is evidence in the Champions League but obviously the flip side of that isn't that it hasn't been as entertaining as late yeah I think it's a great debate and we've said it many times on the show and I really believe it this is not a very good Premier League season.
45:38Last season was not a very good Premier League season either outside of Liverpool. This season probably outside of Arsenal and I know City and Villa are not far but I don't think it's a vintage season at all. I don't think the quality is there and yeah maybe teams are trying to control things more but the stats are really strange. For example we've never had in the history of the Premier League so few goals from number nine from strikers. Goals don't come from number 9 nowhere not just Arsenal but any other team in the Premier League and yet the Premier League is still by far the best league in Europe that's why their teams are doing so well in in the Champions League because by the way the other leagues are not that great either if you take Bayern away from the Bundesliga it's not great in France if you take Launce out even PSG and Marseille it's not that great in Italy it's not that great and as we've seen in Spain Villarreal somehow second from bottom in the Champions League if they beat Real Madrid tomorrow they're four points behind and if they win the game in hand they're a point behind Real Madrid.
46:41So I think it shows that everywhere the level hasn't been that great this season. That doesn't mean that the leagues are not fun to watch, they're still good games but overall I think the quality is not very much there. Is there an argument to say Robbo that the lower teams have got better players now, a better coached, a better organised so therefore it's harder to break them down and maybe the games aren't as entertaining? Yeah, and there's also a theory that a lot of the teams down at the bottom don't really come out and play. They want to make it as difficult for the, as you understand, for the big teams as they possibly can.
47:15So you don't see a free-flowing game. I mean, I watched a game between Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest and I was, I'll use it, disgusted by the way Nottingham Forest played the game. I think they only had about 20 % possession. They hardly got out their half and the manager at half-time when it was noon and was really happy with it eventually lost the game but that that can't but the fans that go to those games cannot be pleased with what they're seeing from their team they need to see their team being more adventurous they need to think that their team have got a chance of somehow winning the game it's all about survival though isn't it robo it's all about keeping that premier league money of course yeah but i think you've also got to you can you can do that by attacking teams as well as long as you keep your structure at the back you've got to give you've got to cause other teams problems you've got to cause the big teams problems you've got to have some sort of fluidity going forward otherwise you can't just rely on defensive quality and keep getting point here and there because that'll get you down anyway Stevie do you believe that the next season we might see the best versions of the Eketiki and Kirk as they're already looking much better than when they arrived at Liverpool I think much I hope she'll stretch the hope so goes well I mean I think you can take a critique But yeah, I mean you'd have to think that between now and next season and the slot in particular figures out the best place for people like Vels.
48:35And obviously Isaac when he comes back. So yeah, I mean there's not been an awful lot to talk about so far with all of them. So yeah, it has to be better next year. Final question. Jules Casemiro is now officially leaving Manchester United this summer. which realistic and budget-friendly non-premier league top midfielder would you recommend to replace him wow i mean i'm not really sure what budget friendly means there's no if you want a world-class midfielder there's that doesn't exist you're not going to get a world-class midfielder for 20 or 30 million pounds it's impossible if you want to go and get elliot anderson for example who is the one outstanding really that I think would improve this United team straight away, for example, that could play well with Mainu or somebody else next to him, that would cost you at least 80 million.
49:26But that's the value. You would not overpay. I think this is the value for a player like him. If you prefer Carlos Baleba, although he's not having a season as good as the one he had last year or the one that Anderson has, for example, again, it would still cost you a lot of money. Same with Adam Warton. If you want that quality, you have to pay for it. So I think all three are realistic for United. I think they should be the targets, and I believe they are the targets. It's just down to if they have the money, and if they want to spend that money on one player, that will cost you a lot, but can make a difference, as we saw with Rice and Arsenal, for example.
50:02That's it. Robbo, what are you doing this weekend? What games have you got for us? I'm doing Villarreal versus Real Madrid tomorrow night. It should be a good one, of course. Top of the table clash as Joel mentioned before. Joel, which games are you going to? Arsenal United on Sunday. And we know what you'll be doing, Stevie. Continuing your auditions for Dancing with the Stars. Correct. Of course, you were trying out earlier today. Just, there he is. There he goes. Just... Amazing.
50:33I don't know why you're talking about that. There he goes. Ah, yes. Beautiful. It's got win all over it. I think so. It's got win all over it. You would certainly go on though. You do bet them a franc. Well let's face it, they do bring in one old geezer every year, don't they? Yes, they do. So I could be that old geezer. I think so. Let's get that campaign going now, Stevie. Yeah, get that statue in. That is it then. We will return tomorrow to reflect on Villarreal against Real Madrid and everything else that's going on across Europe.
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From the publisher
The FC crew discusses Alvaro Arbeloa's first big test in LaLiga this weekend when Real Madrid visit Villarreal. Plus, more reaction on Pedri's new hamstring injury, how will Barcelona cope with his absence? And, the guys look forward to an action packed Premier League weekend with league leaders Arsenal hosting Man United.
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