Aston Villa secures Champions League!

20:32Stewart Robson:Well, there's more than one bad apple in that dressing room. Right. and just because you're a great player doesn't mean you're you could be surplus to requirements and again i go back to the model of psg and even man city here tomorrow they're not it's not the best version of man city at the moment it's one that's probably going to finish second in the premier league but over the years with guardiola when they won what four out of four out of five titles in a row they won the champions league they won the caribou cup the fa cup uh they played great football but they worked hard and this model at Real Madrid I think is broken and you know okay you have to have these galacticos to call them but I do think the game has changed in a sense the way the game is played with the pressing and the dynamism and I think gone are the days where you can be as successful as you were in yesteryear by having passengers and by that I mean when you don't have the ball and I think if they had anything about them Real Madrid they would seek out the troublemakers they would get the most money for them and they would change their model but I don't think they will I don't think they will and that's going to be a problem for the next incumbent in this job

21:41Craig Burley:Focusing on this Mbappe what's interesting since Abelho has come in basically when Real Madrid have done well he said it's the players when they've done badly it's all on me so he's not someone you can imagine who's there really to stir the pot so what has Kylian Mbappe got to gain by coming out and saying these things what's he trying to achieve? I really don't know to be honest because I think from my perspective it seems as if Mbappe's coming back from injuries so the manager's made a decision that you can't start this game for his own sake.

22:06Stewart Robson:Well, he was in Italy or Spain wherever we were to. If you've been out for several weeks or three or four weeks you usually come back from the bench. Don't get me wrong, there is a sense of ego of any player that when you come back into training you believe that you are fit and ready to go but the manager has the final say, does he not? So, hold on, one second. Let's get the time frame here. That classical we did was last Sunday? Yep, last Sunday. This game we're talking about was Thursday night. Thursday night. Yes. So I think looking at it, even from our below, there's a bit of saying, well, you're telling me you're ready to go Thursday, but you weren't ready to even put your hand up for the classical and to even help out, which I told you would be the case at the time because Kylian Mbappe, certainly this year, Real Madrid, they're in the rearview mirror.

22:55Stewart Robson:He's given up on them. he's got a world cup to think about with france and the hamstrings and all of that sort of stuff so real madrid are playing second string at the moment which kind of sometimes you can you get that as a player because you know you think there's a world cup coming out i want to be fit for it but i don't think it goes and it goes back to being on holiday when the bernard baird was crashing and burning yes and he was off sunning himself this is another example of just not reading the room i just don't understand but he also went one step further when he said we were doing really well under a good coach Xavi Alonso, the manager that they tried to get rid of the players we were doing really well under them and then it all changed you didn't say when Arbeloa came in when Alonso went so hang on, one minute you're slating the manager the previous manager because he wanted more discipline now you're saying the new manager, it all went wrong because we appointed him

23:44Craig Burley:is it as simple as saying we're going to sell Mbappe in the summer? well listen, to who? well, that's interesting

23:50Stewart Robson:the only place he can go I think money wise is Saudi Arabia or back to PSG and PSG don't want him. You may have noticed. How much would you want him? Here's the deal. If PSG can be better without Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar, Real Madrid can be better without him. It's not a stupid comment to say, well, he's one of the greatest players that's playing the game. I don't argue with that. But when you have the French national team coach, Didier Deschamps, and they've had success. of course they've won the World Cup and all that but Didi Deschamps has admitted because Julian Moron our colleagues has told us this that he has to accept the fact that Kylian Mbappe won't chase back and that's international football so if he won't chase back for France what are you going to do if he got up?

24:41But you're not asking him necessarily to chase back but go and close the ball down and just be part of the defensive unit because he might be the first person he's got this season

24:49Craig Burley:for a rubbishy old Real Madrid side but he also

24:52Stewart Robson:He had those goals for PSG, but it didn't make them a team. But he also, the manager or the coach has to build the whole team around where he isn't. Because he's a centre-forward. That's where he's playing in the team. He's playing as a centre-forward, but he's hardly ever there. He goes out to the left wing, he goes out to the right wing. He's almost saying, I'll do what I want to do. So the manager, when he's doing his tactics, how do I fit other players around that and get people getting into the box? How can I do this? Because Mbappe does what he wants to do. And you can't run a team like that.

25:20Stewart Robson:He's a great individual. he's a absolutely, I don't mean as a person, I don't know him as a person, as a footballer. I don't talk about people personally because I don't know, apart from the fact when they go on holidays during the season when everybody else is getting stick. But in terms of on the field, he is an absolutely brilliantly talented individual. You have to ask yourself the question when you have a football club, do I want a bunch of good players with a supremely talented individual here or there, or do I want something that fits the mould of my team? Right. And that's where Real Madrid have to ask themselves the question, what direction do they want to go?

26:02Stewart Robson:Mr Man City.

26:03Craig Burley:Hello. If they offered him a cut price over the summer? It's crazy to say, but no. Isn't that mad? No, but I think Craig made the point. Stevie said he wouldn't have him at Liverpool. This is such a ridiculous conversation. No, just because Craig made a great point at the start, which is where, well, obviously. You don't know personally. Yeah, of course. But you made the point that everything nowadays is about the collective. Football today, you look at the teams that were, say, top of the Champions League group, you're looking at Arsenal, you're looking at Bayern Munich. Supremely talented players, the collective, the work rate, the graft, being almost impossible to play against at times.

26:38If you have someone like an Mbappe, you can score all these goals, like a finisher, score all these goals. But when you're defending, you're defending with nine players against a team that will do everything as a collective. When do you think it changed in football where your great players don't have to work? Because the great players in the past... It's called their money. They still had to work and they had to close the ball down. The defensive side of the game as well. I think even what we were saying there, we said, for example, Mbappe won't come back. If Mbappe won't come back, it means that immediately the manager's undermined.

27:08Because that same manager is going to look to someone and say, no, but you have to run back.

27:11Craig Burley:So is it just the case of having a strong manager? Luis Enrique. Mourinho is going to come in at Real Madrid. If he comes in and says you are running or you're not

27:20Stewart Robson:playing. Well I'll tell you the argument against that. As one of the best greatest man managers of the modern era, Carlo Ancelotti, even with the success he had at Real Madrid, and his final season must have been headbutt on the wall. Not pointing out Kylian Mbappe, but he had to tell. Remember when he had to basically say to Vinicius Jr. on the sideline, if you don't start running, I'm going to take you off. Imagine having to tell an elite level, multi-millionaire footballer playing at the highest level he has to run. As Robert said, that's the first basic. Hard work is the first basic of any sport.

28:04Stewart Robson:So if Carlo Ancelotti struggled with it, and he by the way he can put out fires better than anybody Mourinho's a strong manager but he doesn't put fires out he chucks gasoline on them so I don't know how that's going to work I think the defensive side of things as well there's obviously different ways to do it and you're asking your forwards to try and win the ball back you're not asking them to defend against like another striker or to be in defensive areas like there is the ball go and work hard to try and win it back you don't even have to win the ball back we're going to force them into the area if you're the centre forward and it goes to the left side and send a half you say well you're not going to play it across to the right side.

28:37You don't have to do that much work. We're going to force it to the left back and we're going to close down there. And now you've got a shape to your defence. But you have to have a team to do that.

28:44Stewart Robson:And you've got to have the player to do that. People watching this, right, and honestly, Real Madrid fans watching this going, these guys haven't got a clue. They're just absolutely bonkers. They're talking about getting ready Mbappe. The argument will be that nobody on the planet thought getting ready Messi and all these players at PSG was going to make them better. But that is the blueprint. A manager who is strong-willed in what he wants and a club that backed him. They backed him. He said, look, great players, but if we're going to be successful, we need to do it a different way. And the argument for Real Madrid is, do they think they can do it the historical way going forward or do they feel they need to do it in a more progressive way?

29:24Craig Burley:Of course, Barcelona have clinched the title, but there's still a lot to be decided at the other end of the table. You've got teams fighting for survival over the next couple of weeks. And of course, you can see all those games live on ESPN+.

30:03on the Thumbtack app. Download today.

30:06Craig Burley:Evan Cohen here. Game day brings the excitement. Your stay should feel just as memorable. With Marriott Bonvoy, official hotel partner of the NCAA and U.S. soccer, you're connected to a portfolio of brands designed for how you travel. Some offer complimentary breakfast. Others give you room to spread out, space to stay productive, or extended stay comforts. So whether you're a traveling fan or part of the team, Marriott Bonvoy celebrates the moments that live on before and after the game. Marriott Bonvoy, where game day checks in. So the bookies have Manchester City as the favourites going into the tie.

30:43Craig Burley:Of course, they're looking to add the FA Cup to the Carabao Cup that they won earlier in the season. Chelsea looking to bookend their season after, of course, being crowned world champions in the summer, looking to end the campaign with a win in the FA Cup. That's why we're all here. That's why we're standing here on a Friday night. Wembley arch behind us. Beautiful.

31:00Stewart Robson:They should really be a fine of a week's wages for you even mentioning Club World Champions.

31:04Craig Burley:They are the Club World Champions. That is it until the next tournament. That's where they are.

31:08Stewart Robson:They both of them had a lay-up in the semi-finals. It's certainly made hard work of it against them. Yes, they did. Chelsea had a lay-up against Leeds. I don't know if the Leeds gets looked at for them. They're the fault. It's struggling. Chelsea had a lay-up against Leeds. Setting up is a bit tougher. I think, I might be wrong, I think they might have went to a back three at Liverpool. This is all very boring. Never stopped you before. I think they might have went to a back three at Liverpool last week so the tactical side of it could be interesting tomorrow how they go and how they set up but yeah if City play to their level it could be a tough day for Chelsea Chelsea have still got some good players if you look around the squad the defenders are coming back into the side which is Gauville going to be fully fit I mean James I think is an excellent addition to their back four.

31:58But Neto is a good player. You've got Jao Pedro's a good player. Fernandes will make runs into the box. Caicedo's a good midfield player. If they can click together and they can play well and play at their very best, they can still cause Man City problems. Because Man City, although they're at the moment, I think the best team in the Premier League in terms of their form, they still look vulnerable when teams hit balls in behind them. They still look vulnerable on the counter-attack every so often. And if Chelsea play at their very best, they can cause them problems. I still think Jao Pedro

32:26Stewart Robson:to me he is almost a level above what's at Chelsea at the moment in terms of the way that he thinks and how he sees the link up play and his hold up play.

32:36Craig Burley:That was evident when we had the semi-final wasn't he? He was the leader on the pitch trying to sort everything out.

32:40Stewart Robson:Yeah well you saw the difference in the balls going up to Calvert-Lewin which weren't as good of balls in terms of quality but anything that went up to Joe Pedro that was only half decent he was able to sort of hold a defender off, bring it down and flick a he's just a very talented player. Robbo's right. And I missed Cole Palmer out, sorry. Yeah, that's what I was going to say, Cole Palmer. Now, they played a bit better last week at Liverpool. But is that Liverpool? So it was a little bit better than it was because it's been dreadful. It was at six straight defeats. But as Stuart said, they have good players, but they've got a lot of good players who haven't played particularly well, certainly of late.

33:18Stewart Robson:But I think they've also got a lot of top players and big names that are disillusioned. Disillusioned with what's going on behind the scenes and that's translated onto the field. So they have got a performance in them. Whether it's going to be tomorrow out here or not, I just don't know. I think, awkwardly, the odds that you showed at the start of that piece were the same for last year when they played Palace and the year before when they played against United. Don't know. Do not remember. But from a City perspective, this in some ways reminds me of the game they played against Spurs in the Carabao Cup final a few years ago, where Ryan Mason was on the touchline for Spurs in that game.

33:54I think Mourinho might have just been sacked not too long before that. I think he was sacked two days before that. Yeah, literally. And I think City, as you said, they arrive in a better moment. You know, they have the confidence to be winning games of football. To be honest, Chelsea haven't. You know, they won the semifinal here against Leeds, which many of us thought they'd probably struggle in, but they managed to do that. And they do have the belief, but you've still got to back City. and also just to say that semi-final was actually top of City because Southampton have got a really good scouting network.

34:21So in reality they actually did very well. You know exactly what meant City? They did very well to hold them off.

34:27Stewart Robson:Send a scout up to see what Ryan Cherky and Ellen Allen do.

34:31Craig Burley:Shall we get some predictions? What's the final? It should be a fun final. In theory if both teams play at their best it should be entertaining.

34:37Stewart Robson:No it should be but I don't see any reason that either team would and certainly City won't. I don't see any reason that either team will try and sit in and shut up shop. They'll both try and play. How much City can dominate and get it out to the wide players remains to be seen. If it's Semenu against Cucurella, that should be fun. There's all these little battles. Cole Palmer, if he plays, and Rhys James, will he play? He could play in midfield, you know what I mean? He's such a talented individual. He could do that. So there's lots of subplots. And the other one is, come on, you must be in the know.

35:14Stewart Robson:Guardiola's going isn't he I don't know what you're talking about

35:20Stewart Robson:no my point

35:22Craig Burley:why'd that take so long I wanted a drink no my point my point my point being is

35:27Stewart Robson:with such an illustrious career right he'd want to end it on a high 100 % at the FA Cup this is a big game Daniel yes I know I understand he wants to end his season he's probably not going to win the Premier League yes he's definitely not going to win the Champions League this will be a swan song I think personally this is a swan song for him okay That doesn't give you any guarantee you're going to get a victory, but I just feel that's an extra inspiration for him and his team. Bernardo Silva's leaving the start. He's been absolutely brilliant for this football club. So I think there's lots of reasons that City might just want it a little bit more, which sounds strange because it's an FA Cup final.

36:02Stewart Robson:But this Chelsea side, as I said, they've had some players that are a little bit disillusioned. So, yeah, I think City win this game tomorrow. Do you want a scoreline? Yes, I would, Mr Burley, please. I'm hoping for a really, really good game. And I'm going to say 3-2 to Manchester City. Oh, you can say 3-2 as well? I was going to say 3-2, yeah. Hey, you can say 3-2 as well. No, I can't. I'll say 4-2. I'll say 4-2. I'll take that. 4-2? 4-2, yeah. Oh, wow. I'm going to go, if Chelsea play without fear, and put the two centre-halves under pressure, both with their runs in behind, and also when they press the ball, I'm going to go for a tool draw.

36:34Yeah. And you're going to go to penalties, and I'm going to go for Chelsea to win on penalties.

36:38Stewart Robson:And is there any sign of, you're just desperate to get the extra time. But listen. Oh yeah. To be fair I've been told It's all about you Dave. Why always me? Why always me? To be fair all the bars are closing to half ten so we're going to go for another round and a half here. Is there any chance some of these players that haven't been fully fit for City are going to play tomorrow? Any surprises? Which ones? Which one are you thinking of? Guardiola, Diaz, Rodri. I'm going to say no, no, no. There we go.

37:03Craig Burley:Glad you asked that. That was worthwhile. Well you didn't ask it. Well I didn't need to. You didn't need to. I didn't know what the answer was.

37:09Stewart Robson:There's people at home going, wonder if Rodri will play tomorrow. No, I don't think so.

37:14Craig Burley:Did you say the dismissive why you said that? FA Cup final live on ESPN2 and ESPN Plus tomorrow. Our coverage starts. Why is the 9am bit? That's when we're on. That should be large. 9am Eastern is when it starts.

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38:34Craig Burley:so the emma award-winning series returns rob mack and ryan reynolds continue navigating running the third oldest professional football club in the world it great obviously leading up to this be sure to check out the latest documentary season that is it that brings us to the end of today's show it's been a lovely evening so far and i tell you what why don't we continue it with extra time Apparently you're leaning out of shock Craig, 35 years in television. I've just been moaning about you putting your on other programs. Tell the producer just to go on with them.

39:11Craig Burley:Welcome in to the latest edition of Extra Time. We are outside Wembley ahead of the FA Cup final. Or should we say Bonjour Craig? Craig was telling me earlier, the granddad that he is, he can't change the language on his rental car and everything is in French.

39:27Stewart Robson:I've been using a lot of colourful French language shouting at the screen. And every time I go above the speed limit by one mile an hour the bloody thing bleeps. That's good, that's what it should be.

39:36Craig Burley:You should follow the law.

39:37Stewart Robson:I like breaking speeds.

39:41Craig Burley:Right then, let's go. Sorry, I've got to get to the... Just send that text, yeah. Yeah, just send that text. It's great to be back at Wembley again. We watched the Villa game in my hotel room. I didn't. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I didn't. No, but we did have a little room beside you. Yeah, it was very strange to start with, yeah. Very strange to start with.

39:58Stewart Robson:Did you really watch it in your room? Yeah, we did, yeah. I came to my room to watch it.

40:02Craig Burley:I didn't. Well, you weren't invited? Yeah. It's quite sad, really, isn't it? How's Wembley Craig these days? Chirpy. Definitely chirpy. I've noticed a big difference between chirpy Craig when he's at Wembley and that miserable bloke we get in. Yeah.

40:19Stewart Robson:The thing is, there's no denial from anyone here, Robert. It's not even Craig. No, exactly. that is like the mass murderer over there talking to the serial killer because of his jacket and kettle listen it's nice when I get a bit

40:36Craig Burley:of fresh air yes it's amazing to get out of that studio Craig even if Spurs survives this season are they eventually going to get relegated if nothing is done at the club no you think that's fine this is a blip an anomaly yeah

40:48Stewart Robson:but last year they struggled as well but they weren't near the relegation in the end. No. No. Because of Deserby? Would you look at that sports squad and say that's relegation material? Haven't seen them play much of the season. They look terrible. Yeah, no. I think Deserby will make them better next year. Yes, if they keep on. Yeah, I agree. I think Deserby is probably the right fit now. Do they not have two tougher games than West Ham? Oh, there's no guarantee. No, not necessarily. Basically, they need one more point if West Ham are away to Newcastle this weekend. Chelsea. Depends how this game goes tomorrow, doesn't it?

41:29I'm not sure Tottenham will get another point. No. Yeah, Chelsea and Everton at home. Chelsea and Everton Tottenham got... Did you see Spurs against Leeds? I was expecting them to play like they did against Ville. I thought their confidence would be up. They were really poor. Who would you rather be, though? Would you rather be the team two points above? I prefer to be the team, yeah. I still don't think Spurs will get a point. They might not need to.

41:48Craig Burley:Fernadham. Would you sell Savino to Liverpool if they came a-knocking? He's failed to convince and Liverpool need anybody not named Fringpong at right wing.

41:59No, I'm going to say no to that one, just because there needs to be something coming the other way to say, yeah, let's just go and do that. I think if everybody's fit, I can see why he wouldn't play. But it's still also, it's like 22 years of age, so this is technically still time.

42:13Craig Burley:If Maresca was fired in November, would Chelsea be battling for relegation? if Maresca was fired in November would Chelsea be battling for a legate? it wasn't it was? it wasn't? what? I don't want to get that one because under Maresca ah ok right I get that explain it to me so they've struggled they've struggled since so if you gave it more time for them to be able to struggle then would they be lower down? so he got sacked in December oh he got sacked in January right I understand if he was sacked two months earlier would they have lost even more games?

42:45Stewart Robson:why are we letting that can he stupid question? I know the boss chose it, it's just over there. Why am I letting that stupid question? Sacked in the morning.

42:56Craig Burley:I think it's a great question. I think it's a really good question. It's probably the best question we've had so far. We've had a bad question. Good luck. Nice working with you. Final question. Mr. Burley, have you ever filled a World Cup sticker album? Of course the Panini sticker's coming out. What do you mean filled it? Well collected it all got it all on all but I signed a lot recently yes, it is a limited edition. It's not embargoed is it?

43:26Craig Burley:So you signed limited edition panini stickers which people can find in a panini We're not getting sponsored by panini by the way, but this is yeah, so your picture in the panini Did you have blonde hair and no?

43:37Stewart Robson:Well, was it the normal well? I can I can do either if you want No, it wasn't. It was actually just a little sticker and I had to sign, did I say how many, was it? 3 ,000. 3 ,000. Which I thought was going to be...

43:48Craig Burley:He was moaning about it, Robbo, a lot. I can imagine.

43:51Stewart Robson:I thought it was going to be an obvious task. Yeah. It turned out a lot quicker than I thought.

43:57Craig Burley:Yeah. And do you know which picture they're using? Is it the no teeth? Is it when you got sent off? Once the money's in the bank, they can use any picture they want. That's it. Okay. I don't know. I've still got my 1986 World Cup Panini sticker album, which is full. Exactly. It's got Stevie in. Of course it's got Stevie in. Yeah, yeah, exactly. The end of the night you open it up, go, Stevie!

44:22That's exactly what I do. Mayden, do you still have your old stickers? No, no, I don't. I'm afraid, no. I had a little bit of action in France 98, but it's a long time ago now. Oh, you got me? I guess I might do, yeah. I'll look into it.

44:34Stewart Robson:Oh, sign that if you want.

44:36Craig Burley:I'm charging. It's not cheap, though. No. Finally, Robbo, did you collect any sticker out? Can you imagine me collecting stickers? Can you really imagine me collecting stickers? No, I didn't. No, you didn't encourage your kids to do it? No, absolutely not. No, you punished them for doing it. Didn't your parents run a corner shop? Surely they would have had stickers, wouldn't they? Not in the 70s. Oh, no, there were no stickers. In the 60s and 70s. No, I didn't have stickers in those days. I didn't know this. Yeah. Your parents had a shop. Yeah, there were two shops at one point,

45:02Stewart Robson:and we used to live above it. Where'd you live, Roy? And you never felt that that could have been your vocation in life? Behind the counter? No, no. You're meant to be friendly to me. Oh, no, Susan, do you want the tires again? Whenever somebody walked in the shop, get out! I'm going to buy something. I'm very upset that you think I'm miserable and aggressive.

45:24Craig Burley:You're just judging everyone, coming in, buying shots. Oh, yeah, I judge everyone. You can't. You want that? No, what they used to say is, because we had an off-license as well. You could tell all the women that were coming in and getting their bottle of gin and taking it back up. You know, oh dear, not good. No, there we are. On that note. On that note. That is it. We'll, of course, be back live tomorrow for the FA Cup final. Tonight we'll have more stories from Rob's Corner Shop.