Spurs' Relegation Battle Continues

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0:45Hello and welcome into the latest edition of ESPN FC. Kay Murray, Shekia Hislop and Stevie Nichol here in the studio kicking things off in the Premier League where Spurs were hosting Leeds. Interesting game in the end. Matisse Tell curling in a stunner to put Spurs ahead in the 50th minute. However, Dominic Calvert-Lewin would then put in a penalty after VAR stepped in after a tell high boot on Ethan Ampadu. Kinski made an incredible save to deny Leeds late on and Spurs had a penalty appeal turned down in added time. 1-1 this game finished. And so it does mean that Spurs are two points ahead of West Ham.

1:26Spurs in the 17th spot just outside of the relegation zone. I played Stuart Robson was watching this game for us as well what stood out to you Stuart in this one I suppose Spurs will be upset that they didn't get the win but points are points still at this stage of the season it is but this is a game they wanted to win this is the game that I think could have kept them safe I know there's six points still to play for but this was the game that would have put West Ham under lots of pressure and until Tell scored the goal the game was very tepid neither side played particularly well Spurs didn't play with the energy that I thought they might play with There was no understanding of how they were going to get the ball from back to front when they did go from back to front quite quickly.

2:06They didn't win the first ball. The midfield players weren't pressing. When they tried to play out from the back, there was a lot of rotation and they didn't seem to know how they were going to get it from there into the midfield and then into the front players. It was a very poor first 50 minutes, but it all changed with the penalty and the equaliser. That last 20 minutes or so, it was some good football. It was played with passion. It was played with a bit of tempo. And in the end, probably just about the right result. one all but it's not I don't think good enough for Spurs because they've got I think two tough games coming up now.

2:35Just before I bring it back into studio Robbo because we heard that both of the guys agreed with the Leeds penalty there. Are you on the same page as these two? Absolutely. Tell it's a it's a terrible mistake by Tell because first of all the ball's up in the air for a long time and Stevie said you know he didn't see anybody around wasn't aware he needs to be aware he needs to have a little look over his shoulder see what's coming he didn't do that and once he saw that the centre midfield player was going to jump and go for the ball, he's got to try and head it. He's got to head it away. That's the only thing he could do.

3:06By doing a bicycle kick, there was only going to be one outcome and that was a penalty. It was the right decision in the end. It was Ethan Ampadu. You said it straight away as well, Shep. Yeah, it was a penalty. No question. And then to the point, why does Tell try to go for a bicycle there? This is a Premier League. The game is far too quick to expect a ball to drop in the box from that height. Lesson learned for Matthias Tell, it may prove to be a very costly lesson in terms of what happened between now and the end of the season, but it was an awful decision to start with. Then, though, I have to say, why does it take us as long as it does for VAR to come to that conclusion?

3:46You could see that with one replay. Stevie and I were sitting there, you saw one replay, and it was as clear, apparently, as ever. But for some reason, and I do not understand why this has to be, there are looks at it from about three different angles, four, maybe five replays from each angle, to then tell the referee, go to the monitor. And as a result, everybody's standing around for God knows how long. We have 13 minutes added on the end of the game. These are the things that I think that are most frustrating about VR. I know we'll have a whole lot of conversations about VAR and its impacts, but these are the things I think that force people to question VAR and what they're doing and why.

4:36Let's get to the other penalty that wasn't. James Madison brought down very late on, like, well, Mecha, but you said it straight away, Stevie, with this one. There had been that slight touch on the ball. Yeah, and as I said, when you watch the replay, and to be fair to the referee, he's called it straight away because at the time I thought it was a penalty. And then I'm thinking, well, it's Madison, so you know he's going to go down. But then when you see the first replay and you watch the path of the ball, it does change when the defender puts his leg out and it does move the path of the ball.

5:08And so, yeah, it's an incredible first-time spot from the referee, but it is the right decision. Here's the run-in then for the relegation battle, obviously. It is Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham in 17th and 18th as it stands right now. Next up for Spurs at Chelsea on May 19th. And then it's Everton for the final game of the season for West Ham. They're away to Newcastle on May 17th. And then it's Leeds on May 24th to round things out. What stands out to you here, Stuart? Well, Chelsea away has always been a tough place for Spurs to go. And I thought after their game against Aston Villa, when they played some really good football, they looked to have an understanding.

5:48There was some combination play. I was expecting the same again today. But having watched that first 50 minutes today, I'm not sure where Spurs are going here. I'm not sure. And Deserby's been a good manager, but he's not going to be able to turn things around in such a short space of time and get his style of football. So I think he's caught between the two, between trying to play out from the back by trying to go long. And at the moment, the players look low in confidence. The two wide players tell he scored a good goal, but Mouane just didn't look as though he had enough play. And the centre forward, Richarlison, I'm not quite sure what he gave the team today.

6:20And the same with Gallagher. Gallagher couldn't get in the game. So I'm looking at Spurs and saying, it's going to be a tough couple of games for them. And with West Ham having a bit of momentum, even though they lost the game against Arsenal, I think they would get some confidence from that game and they might just get something at Newcastle. What are you thinking, Xhaka? I'm with Jordan on Spurs running. difficult games, Chelsea, despite Chelsea being who they are, final home game of the season, London derby. I'm struggling to see Spurs get anything there. And then they finish off half at home to Everton.

6:55And given how nervy they were, particularly in the closing minutes of this one, and who Everton have shown themselves to be recently, I can see Spurs losing that one quite easily as well. Maybe it's because I've got my West Ham glasses on here. But for West Ham, I don't see them getting anything at St. James' Park. Last home game again for Newcastle. I've been there for those. It's going to be like nothing else. But I made the point going into the Arsenal game. West Ham have lost once at home since early January. Since they lost to Nottingham Forest at the London Stadium. And then you see the effort that they put up against Arsenal.

7:34to finish off the season at home to Leeds who are safe whose holidays are booked and those two games being played simultaneously I could see West Ham winning at Leeds and if Spurs go and lose those two, this two points dropped becomes, well, defining Can you put in a little call as the Mayor of Newcastle? I can I'm not sure anybody will answer but I'll... I mean, was that a Leeds on holiday tonight? No. Not on holiday yet. No, Leeds are not... Not on holiday yet. No. They'll be on holiday in two weeks' time. No, we... That's what it is. We saw exactly what Leeds are and what they will be in that last game against West Ham and the problem for West Ham is there's two points behind Spurs and I don't disagree that where's Spurs...

8:28Where's the win coming from? but they've got a two-point advantage over West Ham so I think it's more important we go where's the points coming from West Ham and I don't see where the points come from them either so the fact that Spurs are two points ahead right now absolutely 100 % they are in pole position and meanwhile at the other end of the table obviously Arsenal are riding high as it stands right now but this does bring us to talk about West Ham given what happened in the game between Arsenal and West Ham yesterday with the Callum Wilson disallowed goal in the 95th minute and yet another lengthy VAR process.

9:05So, Shaka, I want your thoughts on this, what we saw here. It's a fall on Raya. Pablo has his arm across Raya. I think once the referee, once the VAR sees that, he gives that as a fall. But there's a lot more to this. Pablo is tussling with Trossard. Trossard, who is not even facing the ball. So does that have an impact on where Pablo's arm ends up? And this is the thing for me. Well, maybe they don't see Trussard clearly enough in the melee that's going on. But there's just so many questions here about the awarding of the foul. Again, as a standalone incident, I have no problem with the referee blowing as he did or they are intervening.

9:54but there are so many questions around that and again Declan Rice is wrestling with somebody in the far post I can't remember who but the bigger point for me is especially since the foul was called on Pablo Trossard is not looking at the ball in the slightest wrestling with Pablo does that have an impact on him so does that precede the arm coming across Raya and if so should it have been a penalty you disallow the goal but then should it have been a penalty i i just find i i find um i i can't help but wonder if that is the big issue here so maybe you saw yesterday's show craig burley was talking about wanting a law change because he says you've always got these eight nine ten people around the keeper to stop the players encroaching into the six yard box Do you agree with Craig on this?

10:47I don't mind the idea because what it will do is it will absolutely get rid of the scrum on the goal line with the goalkeeper. It will mean everybody's outside the six-yard box and certainly the attackers are outside the six-yard box and it will be way easier for the referee to see what's going on. But the first thing I would do is I would encourage referees to be given fouls all the time. Give a foul all the time. If a defender has got his arms around somebody, give the penalty. If it's the other way around, give the free kick. Because eventually the penny will drop and coaches and players and everybody else will figure out that, well, if I do anything here, the ref's going to give it.

11:35So I would prefer that the referee started giving penalties or free kicks for defenders. But I don't have too much of a problem with what Craig said because we can't keep watching this. It's getting old and it's frustrating to watch and it's spoiling again. So, yeah, I would prefer the referees start to give him penalties and free kicks. I will say, one of the most frustrating aspects to this, and we've had this conversation a lot of the last couple of weeks, I remember myself saying, as players, all we want is consistency. Now, when you see that, that's that incident, you say it's a foul fine but if we're getting those calls with any kind of consistency during the course of the season even if you just want to put it down to Arsenal we have not I off the top of my head Arsenal Chelsea comes to mind where you had Rice wrestling with I think it was João Pedro I can't remember who it was exactly and there was no call there there wasn't as much noise about it because Chelsea scored from the resulting free kick but time and time again you've seen these things kind of happen dismissed even under vr review and then in moments like this you see it given and i'll keep saying we may disagree with the law or not as players whether we disagree with the law or not all we ask for is consistency and i just don't feel we've we've got enough maybe it's because of um how congested the the box is but we've just not seen it Robert what did you think about Craig wanting the law changed here I don't think you have to change the law you have to change the way the players behave within the law and I've heard Stevie now for probably 16 17 years and it's the most sensible thing I think he's ever said I mean he's absolutely right you know the referee if he starts giving penalties every time somebody there could have been three penalties given against Arsenal on that one ball played into the box and the referee didn't do so so then then there's the foul on the goalkeeper which he eventually gives but there was three fouls before that you know and I'm not saying it wasn't a foul on the goalkeeper but if the referee starts giving penalties you'll get defenders trying to mark in a proper manner you should be watching the ball you should be in front of your player but not grabbing hold of him the defending now at set plays is I just don't understand it I don't understand the coaches who are telling them to do this because that must be the case it's it's just ridiculous so that's that's what's going to change the referee says okay i'm not going to give you any warnings if that ball comes in the box and you're not looking at the ball and you're grabbing hold of somebody in the box it's a penalty simple as that you know and var will be looking at and say yeah you should you should go and have a look at the monitor somebody's grabbing hold of somebody in the box yeah penalty and i'll tell you what they'll soon stop it all right robber where are you on the title race right now then uh arsenal we're going to win it there's no question about it the one game i thought might cause them a problem would be the west ham game because of the atmosphere that would have been at west ham what they were playing for i just can't see arsenal dropping any points against burnley and crystal palace have been fairly poor in the last three or four months so arsenal are going to get maximum points they win the title and that game against everton was the one that let man city down unfortunately for them let's get into the title race yeah oh this is same for me i i thought i thought this game against West Ham at the London Stadium was always going to be a tricky one and once Arsenal navigated that they'd be crown champions.

15:08I don't see them dropping points in their last year. If Arsenal cannot beat Bonley and Palace, my goodness. I mean, on three different occasions this season we've said that Arsenal are now in a position where the title should be done and three times they've messed it up. They can't mess this up. If they do mess this up my goodness okay well we'll find out very soon let's talk about some of the news from the premier league there is a report out there a few reports out there actually that chelsea have made contact with shabby alonso and have been reaching out to put him in the position robbo can you see this happening do you like it uh i'd like it if uh javier alonso i think it's a good manager he showed that at by leverkusen wasn't able to show it at real madrid because the players didn't let him show it but is he going to have full control you know we've heard from Chelsea that they tell him tell the manager when they can pick a player when they can't pick a player who's got a rest who's not got a rest you've got a team rotation you've got to do this you've got to do that you don't have any say in who's coming in or who's going out I don't think somebody like Xavi Alonso would want that sort of management he wants to run the show himself he tried to do it at Real Madrid wasn't able to do it and in the end went so I don't think it's a good move for him it might be a good move for Chelsea but not a good move for him I don't think.

16:28Stevie if he goes to Chelsea it would mean he's not going to Liverpool It would but if Xabi Alonso hasn't learned anything from Real Madrid then he deserves all he gets if he goes to Chelsea because the problem he had at Real Madrid was he didn't have control and so if he goes to Chelsea because there's no way possible that the owners, the people in charge at Chelsea are all of a sudden going to turn around and go, you know what, we were 100 % wrong on your goal, yeah, it's yours. That's not happening. So Xabi Alonso, if he goes to Chelsea, deserves everything that's coming to him. In terms of Liverpool, if Xabi Alonso goes to Chelsea, then I think absolutely Slot will be Liverpool at the start of the season.

17:17And you're okay with that? You have to be. I could get on with it. I wouldn't say I would be delighted. I just don't see how Arnaud Slott changes there's so many problems with this Liverpool team, squad situation, fans you name it I don't see how he changes this because number one he's not going to get a full summer with the players because guess what, there's a World Cup going on so he's not going to have he's not going to have any time with the majority of the players. So how does he change everything? We hear the classic, well get them on the trading field and we'll work with them and all that.

18:03Well he's not going to get on the trading field with them because they're all going to be at the World Cup and then they're all going to be on holiday. So, listen, I'm

18:14I get on with it. That's about as positive as it can be. That's the most underwhelming endorsement I've ever heard in my life. Well, there's nobody else. The juicer said, like, his fire, I'll get on with it. You've got no other choice. You've got to get on with it. And a slap. All one and the same. Make sure to check out the latest. Don and Joel, show look at that. Don just being a troll and being very annoying with the Arsenal top on. Hence, Hammersdon. Make sure to check that out wherever you do get your podcasts. Are you looking to rebound from your high-interest credit card debt? A SoFi personal loan can help you get back on track.

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19:39Bucked Up is so confident you'll love their drinks. They're giving away an island vacation just to prove it. That's the kind of brand this is. No purchase necessary. Giveaway ends May 30th. Enter and find your closest Bucked Up at BuckedUpEnergy.com. Grab a Bucked Up and feel like a million bucks. Here's a reaction from the night before in Spain. Marca going with celebrations without a rival. Celebrations without an opponent. Barcelona, of course, winning their 29th La Liga title. As for sport, they say champions and a historic party. of party that took place at the Camp Nou after beating Real Madrid to clinch the title.

20:21It also came amidst the news of Hansi Flick's father passing overnight. Hansi Flick continuing to lead the team out yesterday so the players feeling even more so that they wanted to do it for their coach and so this is the scenes and these are how things are looking as Barcelona secure back-to-bike titles and a third Liga title in four seasons. All of this with a 14 point gap over Real Madrid. Alex Kirkland joining us now to talk more about it. Stuart Robson still with us. Alex, tell us a little bit about the reaction over the last 24 hours in both parts, shall we? Barcelona and Real Madrid. Yeah, as you say, Kea, a huge party in Barcelona today, their bus parade.

21:02Five hours, it lasted hundreds of thousands of Barca fans on the streets and they've got every reason to celebrate because Like you say, it's a big title win. It could be a historic title win as well. If Barca win their remaining games with maximum points, they'll get 100 points in the league. That's only been done twice before, once by Barca, once by Madrid just over a decade ago. The record for the, you mentioned the gap with Real Madrid, the record for the gap is 15 points. So if Madrid don't pick up points in the rest of the season, Barca could break another record there. And it's been a really impressive campaign from Barca.

21:34By far the best team in Spain. We saw that in the Glasgow. We've seen that all season. You mentioned Hansi Flick. It really feels like Flick's victory, I think. Flick's triumph. He's built this team. The contrast with Barca having a coach who they have backed and supported and brought into his ideas and let him do what he wants to do, and Madrid, where they're soon going to be looking for a third coach in just over a year, is pretty stark. The reaction from Madrid, by contrast, of course, is despondent, basically, and wanting to move on as quickly as possible, forget about this season, and start to build towards the next one.

22:08And some huge questions, of course, at Madrid, not just the manager, Mourinho the favourite right now, but also how much change they can make in the squad in terms of ingoings and outcomings and any other sort of changes needed as well. Robbo, winning La Liga two years in a row under Hansi Flake is impressive, isn't it? It certainly is. And it's not just winning the league, it's the way they've done it. Remember under Ronald Koeman, under Xavi, they would play slow football, passing football. It wasn't dynamic to watch. Xabi had a bit of success. But Hansi Flick has come in and we give him criticism for his high off sideline.

22:41But their football has been magnificent. You know, the way he's changed Rafinha into this player that runs and runs and keeps getting in behind the opposition. The way he got the best out of Lewandowski. The way that Ferran Torres has scored a goal. Jamal has been obviously outstanding for them. For other players, Firmin Lopez, the movement, the passing. They can break anybody down. Even when they go two or three goals down, you still expect them to get back into the games. they are one of the best three teams to watch in world football at the moment PSG, we've had Bayern and we've got Barcelona they are head and shoulders above everybody else in terms of entertainment about attacking football they're great to watch and he deserves so much credit they are a fun team to watch aren't they Stevie?

23:20yeah, no there's no question and they're a fun team to watch because of the way they go forward but they're also a fun team to watch because of the way they defend so regardless of which way you lean whether you like defensive displays or you like attacking football. You're getting both. You can't take your eyes off both. So, yeah, absolutely deserve it. And, yeah, long may it continue. But it came like we were hearing yesterday in the celebrations as well, Stevie, and let me talk to you as a coach. They were talking about just that trust that they have in Flick for him, wanting to do this. And even when the players have felt like, I don't know if I want to do that, they've trusted him and they've gone and followed his actions.

23:56Well, they have that mentality that we accept what happens behind us because we know that the coach wants us to have expression and he wants us to play and he wants us to enjoy it and he wants us to score goals. And so he has a mentality in the squad that regardless of how many times the ball hits the back of their net, they somehow just push it aside and we go, OK, we're going that way and we'll make up for that. The problem he's going to have is if that ever goes, because if that goes, then the thing falls apart completely. But right now, they don't care. They just think about creating and scoring goals.

24:36What does that Liga title mean to Shaq's power rankings? Well, you'll have to wait until Thursday, Key. You know better than that. I don't know anything about your power rankings. I can never try to guess them. You know better than to try to pre-empt the algorithm, is my point here. You just have to wait to find out, Key. They're worthy winners, though, right, Shaq? Absolutely are. And to Stevie's point, you've seen this team kind of grow on the Hansi Flick in terms of trusting this, in my view, rather ridiculous high line. But as exciting as it is, it's brought them success. And now, which side of the coin does this fall on?

25:12Does Barcelona's high line and exciting football deliver the success because Real Madrid are kind of spiraling or are Madrid spiraling because of Barca's success? once you continue winning games you can get players to buy into things and that's what Hansi Flick has enjoyed because they've won games because they've now won two league titles in a row it's easier for the players to accept playing this high line this dangerously high line and find success with it the big challenge here though is you've got knocked out of the semi-final Champions League last season this season is a quarter final how does that high line translate to European success which Barcelona ultimately want to achieve Robbo yeah what we have to also say yeah we we all criticize it and it's fundamentally wrong at times but they've still got the best defensive record in La Liga we assume they let in loads of goals but they don't let in loads of goals they've still got the best defensive record in La Liga where Xhaka's just absolutely right against the very best teams in European football in the Champions League that's where they're going to have to just improve it and be better at doing it because otherwise they're not going to win the Champions League.

26:24Alex, as you mentioned earlier on in La Liga there's a million different little awards that it feels like aren't actual physical awards that the teams are always going for. History, how many points between them, whatever it was. The 100 point mark is one that often comes off, isn't it? Yeah, it feels kind of psychologically like a huge barrier, right? The first team to do it was Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid actually. talking about Mourinho, maybe coming back to Spanish football. Mourinho's team, the team of the records, they call it broke the 100-point barrier. I think it was back in 2012, 2013 or 2011, 2012, I think.

26:57And then Barcelona, the very next season, they did it as well. So those are the only teams in back-to-back seasons to get to 100 points, Madrid and Barcelona. Now, of course, that kind of point tally, you can attribute to two things. You can attribute it to the team that does it being very, very good. Or, you know, you could make the case that maybe it's something about the weakness of the rest of the league, of the other teams, of a lack of competitiveness. And like I say, Barca, they've got to win their remaining games to get to 100 points, which when you've won the league, it isn't always easy because it's so easy to switch off, especially, I guess, in a World Cup year.

27:30Players start to think about that. Maybe aren't going to go all out to winning their remaining games. We've got midweek fixtures. This week, Barca have had a bus parade today, so the players might not be in optimal condition for their midweek games. So let's see if they can get to that 100-point barrier. But like I said, if they do so, it's a big deal. Just the third team ever to do it.

28:14That live on before and after the game. Marriott Bonvoy, where game day checks in. As you know, managing maintenance, repair, and operations is never easy. But for the ones who always rise to the challenge, Grainger has your back. From professional-grade products you can count on to fast, dependable delivery, they're there to help you keep things running smoothly. Plus, their technical product specialists are here to help answer your toughest questions. And because Grainger knows safety is always a priority, They're committed to being your partner and protecting both your people and your facilities.

28:46Call 1-800-GRANGER, click granger.com, or just stop by. Another thing that was a big deal was Marcus Rashford scoring in the game in the Clasico yesterday. Our team caught up with him after the game to talk about his future. Could you have pictured this before you came to Barcelona? You know, I said to my brother, I think like two years ago, I will play here and I want to win here. So I believed it would happen and I tried my best to make it to this team. And this is the perfect and the way I want it to end. So I'm very happy. And like I said, I just want to enjoy today. You know, it's perfect.