Liverpool's Lethargic Late Show

22:18And what a first touch, by the way. I know the finish with the other four is good, but for me, the first touch makes all the difference, obviously. But again, and then in the second half, nothing. When Haaland came on, nothing. And I don't know, the expected goal is less than one and they had 11 or 12 shots. That's not much, really, when you think about Pep Guardiola's side. So it shows good to win, but there's clearly still a lot of issues to sort out. The reason that a guy like Semenyo stands out currently at Manchester City is because what you notice from him that is not noticeable from others is change of pace.

22:53It's a guy that in a tight area or even over distance, there is a first touch that gets away from defending, and we're seeing something different. We're seeing a guy who can create some separation, And it stands out because everybody else is just like, from point A to point B to point C, even when Doku comes on the field, he pushes the tempo and then eventually comes back to his right foot and plays the ball backwards. And so, again, it stands out because obviously he's individually a very talented player. But it wasn't just the goal. There was a sequence in the second half in which he hits it off the crossbar, which is very similar to his goal where, again, he cuts to the inside.

23:29There's a change of pace. People can't stay with him. And he hits it off the crossbar and out. Now, he's the only one doing this. The rest of the team is just either not capable or not willing. And to the point about this game being over, while I agreed that it was over after Manchester City scored early, I would also say that I never got the sense that Wolves were afraid of playing Manchester City. At Manchester City, they just don't have the talent. They just don't have the players. But there were moments in which they were playing through Manchester City, and you go, this is too easy. It's too easy.

24:02A team like Wolves, in their condition, in their situation, should not be doing this. They just don't have anything in the attack. Anything to read about Haaland on the bench, Stevie? No, just getting him a break. Just resting him. Ah, just getting him a break. Just to Ali's point there, you know, Semenyo is playing with a freshness and an enjoyment that everybody else isn't. Yeah, that's true. They all look as though they're running around with fog in their head and just trying to make sure they don't lose it or they don't give it away or don't do that. It's almost like don't do that, don't do this.

24:31instead of Semenyo's about getting me, I'm going to go past somebody or I'm going to score or I'm going to make something. The rest of them need to get the fog out of their brain.

24:39Craig Burley:More problems to Thomas Frank, he can only manage a 2-2 draw against Burnley. Van der Vent would open the scoring to make it 1-0. Burnley then equalised, Stevie. Yeah, pretty much the first time they've been up the field in that half. Foster then will make it 2-1 to Burnley, but it'll be a late equaliser for Romero to make it 2-2. This is what Thomas Frank had to say after the match. It's extremely frustrating that we are standing here doing a lot of things right. Not perfect, but a lot of things right. More than enough to get a lot more points than we've got. Just a reminder how things look for Spurs so far in January.

25:14Craig Burley:And it's not pretty reading for Tottenham Hotspur fans. I promise you that. You can see just the three points. Yet to register a single win. And you look at that. Burnley, West Ham, Bournemouth, Sunderland, Brentford. teams you're expecting Spurs, of course, to do a lot better against. Yet this is where Spurs are. Where's Thomas Frank? When's he exiting this club, Jules?

25:40I don't know. I mean, I think the most difficult for me is that between what he says and what we see, it doesn't add up to me. He keeps saying every week after every game, we're doing so many great things. And I'm watching the game and I'm like, really? because today I don't think they defended that well. I don't think they attacked that well. I don't think the midfield were that strong. And they were seconds away from losing away at Burnley who haven't won a game since November or October, who are one of the worst teams in the league by far. And they were 30 seconds away from losing that game.

26:17And I'm just like, okay, against Dortmund in the Champions League, it was a bit better, but they played with 11 men against 10 for an hour. and yet they won 2-0 okay, it could have been a bit more maybe, but apart from that, from the league form that we saw, his new back three this is his new idea, I'm not sure this works better than what they had before by the way and they conceded two goals again today against a team, that is really bad I don't know, I don't see what he sees but maybe I'm the one in the wrong here If there was one game where you can't have a goal at the manager is this game.

26:57It should have been 3 or 4-0 at half time. The Bravka has had the game of his life. He's probably made three world-class saves, another four great saves and three or four other decent saves. I mean, seriously. The guy was standing on his head. You can't look at this game and criticise the manager. You can't. The fact that they never won this game is just nonsense. I mean, I said it during the highlight. That was the first time Burnley had got near the goal, right before halftime. It had been Spurs battering them. So this would not be the game to judge the manager on. However, they didn't win the game, and that doesn't help.

27:43OK. But we're keeping Thomas Frank in the Steve Knuckle world? Listen, you can only talk about what you saw. And in this game, Spurs absolutely should have battered Burnley. OK.

27:53Craig Burley:All right. Let's just take a look at the rest of the results, shall we, from the Premier League this weekend. Good result for West Ham early on, of course, looking to survive. That's two on the bounce now as they have beat Sunderland at 3-1. Fulham coming from behind to beat Brighton at 2-1 as well. What's that mean at the bottom? Obviously Wolves are gone. Burnley, despite that point, are in big trouble. West Ham, though, have closed that gap. I remember I think it was seven points when we were talking just last week. It's now down to two points. Forest leads. Are they the two that are sweating the moat?

28:23Craig Burley:Are the rest okay, Stevie?

28:28Do you know what? Crystal Palace need to be very careful. Yes. They need to be very... I think from Crystal Palace down, you've got to be on your toes. I think everybody else after that is okay. Right. But yeah, Palace down. And particularly Palace, they're worrying, they're falling around.

28:45Craig Burley:Meanwhile, Arsenal against Manchester United tomorrow. My side-off and Jules are going for a win. everybody else going for an Arsenal victory. We'll of course be reflecting that game on the next edition of ESPN FC, of course as well, talking about Barcelona. 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 FGAR Tegamon Alpha and Hyaluronidase QVFC. It's injected under your skin subcutaneously. It means I can inject in my space on my time. It's my treatment, my way. Visit VivGuardMyWay.com.

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30:07Craig Burley:Bayern Munich suffered their first Bundesliga defeat of the season, losing at home against Augsburg by two goals to one. Let's get some post-match reaction from Munich. This, I'd imagine, is the kind of day that you dream about as a coach. How is it in reality? Yeah, it was the headline of the meeting before the game. And the headline was, we want to create a day to remember, where we meet in five, six years. And when we meet, that you have some situations like this, where the players and me say, do you remember the 24th of January 2026 something happened there and I think we created a day to remember.

30:52A first Bundesliga defeat of the season is obviously going to hit everyone hard I guess on an emotional level.

30:59Craig Burley:How did you see the game? Yeah I mean it's hitting everyone on emotion and let's not be over dramatic. I mean, it's football, it's life, we lost the game. And I think too often it's thought that the Bundesliga is easy. It's not. And in a moment like this, it shows that every other point you got before, you had to fight for it. And it was an achievement. So for now, I think we have to congratulate Augsburg. I think they did a really good game day. I think the first half was quite stable from our side it wasn't it was the type of performance in the first half that could give you a win and then you go home and you move on to the next game but in the second half we just weren't able to produce the same energy and they became more dangerous and therefore won the game and we have to congratulate them How the heck did this happen Ali?

32:00Well, I must say, if you watched the first half of Bayern Munich today against Augsburg, and tours the latter part of that first half, you were beginning to see that I believe Bayern Munich got bored. They got disinterested. It was all too easy to begin with, and it almost felt like they took it for granted. And again, they went on autopilot, and this is how we're going to win the game. and we're usually really good in second half, so we're going to explode. We'll score a couple of goals. We'll finish 3-0. We move on with our lives. This team is not good enough to really trouble us. Now, it's one thing that we may think that from the outside, but it's a completely different thing that this team actually, if you watch the second half, it felt like they truly believed that they were too good for Augsburg and they didn't have to show up and they took it for granted and they were disinterested, and it was an indifferent performance in the second half.

33:00Now, as a manager, part of your job is to read that these things are about to happen. It's to smell that these things are potentially going to happen. And as I said, towards the end of the first half, you could see the interest of Bayern Munich disappearing from this game. They go into halftime, you're thinking, well, if you're Vincent Kompany, you go in there and say, hey, listen, we play to a certain standard and we evaluate ourselves and hold ourselves to our own standard, regardless of who's in front of us. We are not meeting that standard right now. Second half, we have to be better in this, this, and that.

33:35I don't know whether that was the message or not, but the second half came around and somebody unplugged this team. He talked about how there was no energy. Well, but why? Why is the reason that there is no energy and can you not address it as a manager? Is this not something that can be addressed? Even going into the match, there's been signs of this coming for Bayern Munich. And it goes back to an initial point that we've talked about this team. They are in a class of their own in Bundesliga. And so they are the only team that can beat themselves. And that second half today was proof positive of what can happen when you're not actually engaged in the game.

34:12They were not engaged. It was a careless performance in the second half.

34:15Craig Burley:Yeah, no invincible season then, Jules. no not for them i mean it shows as well what xabi alonzo and bayou lakuzan did two seasons ago was pretty special right because even this team can't do it but i completely agree with ali i thought exactly the same watching that game i thought they took it for granted they stopped playing but but but company said in the interview with archie just now he said he said this is the kind of game where talking about the first half you know with the first half you score and then you go home with a win and then you move on to the next game, well, that's not good enough.

34:48And clearly tonight was not good enough, or this afternoon was not good enough. Again, his suspicions didn't work in our second half, they never really managed to get that energy back again, and they conceded a goal on set-piece, which is what they are vulnerable at. Remember the game they drew at Union Berlin, for example, where it was a different game because they were away and they were more under pressure, but the two goals they conceded that day, two goals on set-pieces, and that's something that they are vulnerable on. but I think he spoke straight after the game. I think tonight at home, re-watching the game, he'd be fuming because this is a game they should never lose.

35:20Craig Burley:Let's just check out what else happened in Germany today. The aforementioned Union Berlin taking on Borussia Dortmund. This is in the late game on Saturday night, seven minutes in, and it would be Dortmund who get an early penalty here. Fabio Silva does well. Yep. Yeah, just gets the GS before the keeper. It's a clear penalty. By the way, that's Eugira C that draws that penalty. You were giving wrong information, Dan. It's not your fault. It's not your fault. That's awesome, man. Into the 53rd minute we go. Schlotterbeck makes it 2 now. Goalie should never get beat there. That's horrible. That's Shaka's traffic is what it is.

36:01Craig Burley:It is. Six minutes to go. And Dortmund make it 3-0. What's a finish that is? It's a tight angle and you really have to hit it well. And he does so. Maxi Bayer with a good fin and good result for Borussia Dortmund. Yeah, great result for Borussia Dortmund for some second in the table. Just the eight now off Bayern Munich. That is it. That brings us to the end of today's show. We apologize for any trees that may have been damaged in this show because we have a lot of paper. But it was all needed for today's show to take you through the roller coaster ride that it has been around Europe. Be sure to stay tuned.

36:37Craig Burley:Extra Time is next.

36:45Craig Burley:Welcome in to the latest edition of Extra Time. Julianne Laurent is here, as is Ali and Stevie. We had quite a lot today going on. It was my fault because I said there was a problem with the papers, so he just printed them all again. So there we are. But did they print it right? That's not the point. Oh! So the answer is no. Is Stevie hashtag slot out? No. No. So whatever happens between now and the end of the season, you keep him in the job. Yes. Yeah, pretty simple. Yeah, lose every game, doesn't matter. Well, I think the fact he won the Premier League, had he not won the Premier League last year, had they finished fourth or something, then you might have got a different answer.

37:28OK. But the fact is he did win the Premier League. What's the difference now? Well he's had a lot of injuries. That team on the field today should be good enough to beat Bournemouth who have had a rotting... Well I was going to follow up with he's had a lot of injuries but he's also had a lot of players. Listen the coach can do a lot of things right but what he can't do is when you've got your best players having a shocker. Making the most simple mistakes. You've got Van Dijk making the most basic error that a 12-year-old you would expect to make. And you've got your goal scorer who right now doesn't look as though he knows where the goal is.

38:09In fact, he doesn't know where his teammates are because he never seems to be able to find them either. So the coach isn't responsible for that. Yes, yes, he can do certain things, but come on. and then you go and spend 150 million on somebody and he can't play for the rest of the season. You spend another hundred on another player who doesn't look as though he's in tune yet with the pace of the game. So it's all the players' fault? Well, no, I'm just giving you reasons why you shouldn't get rid of slot because a lot of it is on the players. The majority has to be on the coach because ultimately he carries the can.

38:46So the majority has to be on the coach? Well, if it's 60-40 on the coach, then... Right. Right. 40 % is the players. Yeah, but still the 60%.

38:56Craig Burley:60 % on the coach. But that's not enough. So he could lose every game until the end of the season and you would still have him as your coach? Well, that's a stupid question. Right. Which isn't a surprise come for you. Oh, boy. Yeah. What? Are you looking for an answer for that stupid question? No, is there not an argument to say... It sounds like you want to... I've already told you no. What do you want? Where do you want? Is there an argument to say that if things continue in this way, you get knocked out of the Champions League? You tell me, Dan. No, I'm just asking. I don't know why you're getting prickly.

39:29Craig Burley:You always get prickly when I bring this up. Well, I've already answered your question. No. Yeah, but you said, and then I said, what if they lose every game, you call me an idiot. And then I'm just trying to find little ground here. So you get knocked out of the Champions League. They call you stupid. Not idiot. Is there not an argument to say to bring in Xavi Alonso a little bit towards the end of the season so you can have a look, know what you've got, and then move on in the summer. We'll change that clock. Okay, that's fine. We do know that Dan is certainly... That much of a... Hashtag slowdown.

39:59Craig Burley:No, not at all. I'm absolutely not. I don't have a horse in this race. It always amazes me how prickly you get on this subject. Don't bite. Don't bite. Don't do it. The reason I get prickly, I'll be honest here, the reason I get prickly is that... It's just what I said. You can do a lot of things and you're responsible for a lot of things as a coach. But when you've got players on the field who, on paper, have a certain skill set, and the majority of them are not close to that, there's not an awful lot you can do about it. Wasn't that an argument, though, when you were calling for Amarine's head?

40:39Craig Burley:Those players should have been playing a lot better, yet it was all on him and not the player. But he had 18 months of absolute drivel and rubbish. We've had six months from on the slot, so that's not enough. Yeah, dribble and rubbish. That's fair enough. Jules, is there an argument to say they shouldn't have wasted their money on Florian Wirtz and kept Diaz?

41:00Diaz wanted to leave, so they're two completely different things here. They really believed in Wirtz at the time, they still believe in him. I think we've seen him being much better the last few weeks than he was the first two months of the season. He's an incredible talent. He feels more and more this is his team again. And I think it would be fantastic for them. There's no doubt. For Diaz, it's always the same debate. You want to keep a player who doesn't want to be there, first of all. And second of all, could you refuse that kind of money when you've spent a lot and you were about to spend even more and you needed to bring some money in?

41:37Darwin had gone. And I think they also wanted to recoup a bit of money. and Diaz was offering that. So the two combined made that departure inevitable, really. I didn't hear anybody complaining when Diaz left for 70 million, by the way.

41:55Craig Burley:Hindsight is a marvellous thing, Steve. 2020, I believe. Sorry, Ali, another question for Stevie. Why can't Liverpool figure out how to play against teams who sit deep and counter? It's been like this all season. What's the adjustment they need to make to start breaking teams down and create better chances. Again, we've got to look at the individuals. You know, we've been talking about the manager. Well, the manager, in the last few games, has gotten the forward players plenty of ball. And that's all they can do. You know, yes, you'd love the multi-chipping goals, but at the end of the day, you've got three players whose job is to go forward and be effective in the final third.

42:37And the players haven't done it. I mean, what's that saying, Dan, about leading a horse to water? You can't make it drink it. You can't. It's like leading you to the salad bar. Yeah, exactly.

42:48Craig Burley:That doesn't work. Ali, if Barcelona can make one big money signing in the summer, should they look to go all in and break the bank for a proper Lewandowski replacement like Alvarez? Or should they stick with Ferran Torres and make a couple of top-class signings to solidify the back line? You solidify the defensive part of the game if you're Barcelona. Scoring goals is not an issue for Barcelona. It hasn't been an issue, and it will not be an issue. We're talking about this off air, how much fun it is actually to watch Barcelona play, because you know that they're going to score goals, but you also know that the other team has an opportunity as well.

43:26So the reason the other teams have an opportunity, you can point at the high line if you so desire, the fact that you're not putting enough pressure on the ball, but you also are having difficulties in defending 1v1 situations, which is what you're exposed to do, and you have to do really well when you play as high a line as they do. It really exposes your center backs and outside backs to be able to defend 1v1 situations. You need to solidify that. Goals is not a problem for Barcelona, and I don't think you throw all that money to whatever this number nine may be at the expense of not solidifying what's going on behind you.

44:04Craig Burley:Yeah. Start at the back, Stevie. Correct. Does Franco Massantoano provide more balance to the Real Madrid squad, Jules?

44:15That's a good question. It's a funny season, isn't it? Because he started well with Xabi Alonso, then had a bit of an injury, then disappeared completely. Nice coming back. I don't know if he makes much more of a difference than having, I don't know, Brahim Diaz, for example, on that right-hand side, or even Rodrigo when fit. I think the issue, as we saw tonight in the first half, for example, where they still lack creativity, and if you only rely on Vinicius' dribbling or Arda Goula's vision or passes now and again, it's still not enough, really. So I'm not sure if Maston Tuano makes that much of a difference.

44:57I thought he was good tonight in the second half, but I still don't think he makes that much difference. There's other issues to Sota in terms of creativity all around the pitch.

45:05Craig Burley:I'm going to put a little twist on this because your answers may be very good to the initial question I've decided. All right, okay. For the panel, today is National Compliment Day. What is the best compliment you've ever got? So obviously no one's going to say anything interesting, so let's turn it around. Well, I've got something. Oh, okay. Yeah. When I went to Liverpool, after a couple of years when I'd solidified, Bob Paisley. Now, when Bob Paisley speaks, people listen. He said, I had the perfect mentality for professional football. Wow. I always remembered that. Oh, Stevie bragging away.

45:42One of the few things that I was like, I like that.

45:46Craig Burley:Oh, wow, OK. I wasn't expecting this to go in this direction. That's very nice, Steve. Never a shame. Exactly, yes. Ali, the best compliment you have, then, as we're continuing this. Not too long ago somebody pulled me aside and actually said that I was a lot like my father. Oh very nice Ali, oh my goodness it's gonna get this emotional. Nice one. There you are. Follow that Jules. That's my heart. Can we get a custard pie from the kitchen? Look at this guy over here. You lot are never good at this bit, you've been really good for some reason Jules.

46:26I don't know I don't know I promise you this is generally not because no no no not because Steve and Ali are on the panel I promise you this is true I got a message the other day that said that the three of us were the best pundits on ESPN FC

46:41Craig Burley:that's generally true I swear to you I swear to you and Ali you don't text much I know I sure don't that brings us that brings us to the end of today. I was going to ask what's the worst thing you've ever been called? Because that's the way I take it. That's just sad. There's plenty of that too. National Cup. Well, more of that. Anyway, extra time is over. ESPN FC returns tomorrow battling the snow. Stevie will be in the studio on all-site break. Hope you're going to be alright. Unless we lose power. Make sure you shut the garage door. Oh, shut the guys door. Keep the taps, get the water running.

47:20Fill the bath up. Why are we doing that? It said so. We're putting a water from the last time.

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