Too Little Too Late for Man City?

27:54This Chelsea side are just trying to play football without a real emotion. And the energy around the crowd, you can hear it. So how much does a manager come in and change that? Well, I think the right manager can absolutely do that. And the reason I'm saying that is because I've just seen Deserby doing it. Oh, my goodness. If you watch Tottenham at the weekend, You wouldn't... If nobody had ever seen them before and somebody turned around after that game and told a person for the first time seeing it that this team could get relegated, they would think you were off your head. So, yes, a manager can make that big a difference.

28:32But unfortunately, they don't have a manager. And between now and the end of the season, we're going to see the same gutless performances from this team. To that point, Dan, absolutely, yes. A manager does make a difference. And on that list, there are a couple of names who I don't think get the job. Felipe Luiz, I don't think he gets a job. Frank Lampard, I don't think they go back there. But to your point, if it's Xabi Alonso, I'm not sure you want this job. You want to have Champions League football? But not only that. Listen, managers maybe would embrace an opportunity to kind of build this club back up to where Sydney Chelsea fans believe this should be where we've seen them.

29:12But given the dysfunction within this club, particularly in leadership, the changing of managers, the signing of players, the nine-year contracts, everything that comes along with it, I still think that Xavi Alonso's reputation is solidly in place, despite Real Madrid. despite that uncertainty and everything that came with it. You go into Chelsea, or Xabi Alonso goes into Chelsea, is met head-on with this dysfunction, and goes the way of Enzo Mareska. I think his reputation takes a really huge hit. As we sit right now, I think Xabi Alonso is still first on any number of club lists, very well-run clubs, who have money to spend, and will back him without question.

30:06I'm not sure you can see that about Chelsea Mario, with your Chelsea hat on who would you appoint? Look, look, okay the way Chelsea wants to play the game Alonso would be the perfect fit, right? Because the way they want to play they want to play the beautiful game they want to be, you know, like the way they see themselves playing and with all the individuals that they brought to the club are all very talented but they are very talented but you ask yourself you need an experienced head. Someone that really turns up and says, when things go wrong, right, I don't want a guy that whispers in the other one's ear and the other one whispers in the other one's ear and telling like, oh, he should do this.

30:47No, you need one guy in the team that clearly just stands up and just tells you right in your face. And I don't know if they have that. You know, the guy that just calls you out and tells you just straight up, like I'll give an example. The time I was at Chelsea, it was like that, you know? It's like one points a finger in the dressing room. He's the leader. He just tells you, hey, listen, if you don't step up, you're not going to win the game or you're not going to score or what are you thinking you're doing? So everybody was pumped up. And sometimes you get angry because sometimes someone calls you out.

31:17You get that passion. You get that anger. But it doesn't matter because that anger and that passion is probably what you're going to carry on to the field. And I feel like that's missing. So whoever takes the job that's going to take control of this club, One, they have to have a good conversation with the people that are up there, what they really want. And if this manager is capable of listening to them, because they clearly have their own strategy, but they now have to make sure, if you want to make this cup bigger than what it is already, you've got to understand that you're going to bring a man that has his philosophy, and you have to make sure that it fits in your philosophy.

31:51But if it's just only your philosophy, it's not going to work. The club cannot think like that. They need to go two ways. meanwhile fair play to Forrest goodness me four managers down and it looks like they will be safe mathematically of course they can still be caught but they look in a great position and especially Nadam when everyone looked at that team sheet they thought oh they throw in the game because they're worried about the Europa League well that's shut everyone up yeah and those people are I'm talking about mostly you I'd imagine but um yeah fair play to them I think the form that they're in.

32:24I think it's been a long time since they lost the game domestically and this is off the back of them winning you know by quite a few goals away at Sunderland a side who early in the season had one of the best home records in the whole division so fair play to them and obviously the model for staying up in the Premier League is to go in the Europa League and have four managers every season that is the key and if you're not doing that are you really trying but yeah like I say the changes that they made and even the result midweek against Aston Villa I was impressed by that and they know that they are informed they're a tough side to play against.

32:53I think Stevie was saying as well, like they knew what they needed to do as a collective and they'd do it. And even the manager himself, he said, we may change this today, but the spirit will remain the same. And that's exactly what it is. Those players, they have the belief, they have the quality at this moment in time. And, you know, right now you can say they're as good as pretty much anyone in the division. So more power to them. If you want more on this game, I invite you to my garden. As I was joined by Don to reflect full time for Forrest's victory against Chelsea.

33:24Chelsea, of course, involved in the FA Cup final against Manchester City. There's a game you can see live on ESPN2 and ESPN+. Our coverage starts at 9am Eastern. Confetti craze five-hour energy tastes just like the best birthday cake ever. Vanilla, buttery, frosting vibes. It's basically a party in a bottle. And here's the best part. All cake, no sugar. So you get that big birthday energy without any sugar guilt. The bottle's small, easy to toss in your bag, and perfect when you need a quick, tasty caffeine boost to cake-ify your day. The Funfetti flavor is back on 5hourenergy.com or Amazon. Crack open a Confetti Craze 5-Hour Energy shot today.

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34:43Right then. Champions League action returns, of course, on Tuesday. everybody, everybody has got Arsenal going through to the final of course 1-1 it was in the Spanish capital and pretty much I don't know what else to say, I was going to go to someone who's got something different to say but nobody really has. You're different you said something different from everybody else have a chat with yourself Dan. Well Dan you and Jurgen Klinsmann were often said in the same sentence extra time and penalty I think we're that sort of game. It was Frank when you need him Sorry? It was Frank. That's also something that we don't say very often either.

35:21Are we expecting something similar to what we saw in the first leg, Mario?

35:28Yeah, I mean, look. You know what the key thing is going to be now? The way I saw Arsenal, right, this weekend, I expect the team, they might not go as hard as how they went, but I still think they want to make sure that they're in control because Atletico is a team that never gives up. So you want to make sure that they don't come to your stadium and surprise you because the way he sets them out is like, I played against him. And playing against him when I was a young boy, he was ruthless and dirty. So I feel like if Arsenal doesn't take control and leads the game from the get-go, they don't have to worry about that.

36:10But if not, it becomes a game that now they have to worry about. Oh, they're going down too early, or they're trying to get us a free kick, or they're trying to kick us. All those little titty-titty things, if they want to stay away from that, they've got to make sure they take charge from the get-go all the way to the end. Nalem? Yeah, I think for me I'm going Arsenal just because in that first leg, I thought Arsenal were good in the first half, but in the second half they really suffered against Atleti. But the fact that Atleti couldn't continue to break through, and then, you know, Arsenal obviously had their penalty claim and so on.

36:43I thought that was Atleti's best chance. If they would have been taking a lead to Arsenal, then it's a different type of game. Maybe you could go back to a classic old school like Atleti dark arts type game. But Arsenal at home playing in their conditions, playing with the belief that they have, with the win that they've had at the weekend, the happiness that's probably come from seeing Man City drop points today. I think the atmosphere in there is going to be absolutely electric and I personally don't think Atleti is set up for that. Obviously Simeone has made changes again in the league at the weekend and this is their focus.

37:10but I think the style that Atleti have isn't going to be enough to win this game on the road away at Arsenal so I'm going for Arsenal to make him to the second final Saka of course grabbed the headlines as he returned against Fulham in some style a lot of talk about what he did to Raul Jimenez which made us think as we're surrounded by defenders on today's show who was the player that did this to you? Let's start off with you Mario

37:37You know what's so funny I had one time with Cristiano. Oh, who's that? I played at Manchester University. Hey, Ronaldo, we know. So he comes at me and he cuts inside. And I think he's on his right foot. So you overcommit. And when you overcommit, you get done like that. And I overcommit. But I was so fortunate. And I thank God till today. One of my teammates read the situation and tackled the ball. And the ball went out. But if not, I'm telling you that. You know, I went to go and eat everything. You know how I love Nando's? I was right inside Nando's, eating everything at Nando's. I was even thinking about Stevie, but Stevie wasn't there.

38:16I was eating for Stevie. That's how far I went. Cristiano Ronaldo, not a bad start. What about you, Nadeem? Well, mine's more of a cult hero. So there's a bit of backstory to mine. And it was in my first or second season. And we were playing against Portsmouth when I was at Man City. And I was playing centre-half and I got dragged out to the left wing. and I had Lamarna Trezoloualoua in the corner. He was facing away in the stands and then I blinked and he was running towards my goal. And I still to this day don't really know what I did wrong that meant that I was basically just a hologram in this moment.

38:51But I think what made it worse was to go back to another little cult type thing. If we remember Soccer M, if we disregard the controversies around it, they used to do the showboat every single week. And every year around Christmas time, they used to release this DVD with showboats and I was in it because of that incident for seven years in a row. Seven years? So, yeah. You've got no royalties on that. Because every year, none whatsoever. So every time someone would get that DVD, be like, oh, I saw you in this DVD. I'm like, yeah, I know. And I wish to never see it again. But what player he was, he was like, the player that he played now looking back, he's so off the cuff.

39:29He's like a mix of like JJ Okocha, like a Doku type, super strong. Will go in any direction. Like I say, I had him in the corner. I was in control. He was then running towards my goal. And to this day, I don't know how he's managed to do it. So fair play to him. Watch your DVD. You can find out. Yeah, exactly. We know what to get you for Christmas. That's what's it. Stephen? No, I've never been putting my backside like that. However, I've got to say, I'm going to have to stick up for Raul Jimenez here, by the way. It doesn't count when you do that to a centre forward. Okay. Because he has no idea what he's doing.

40:06He doesn't get his feet in any sort of position. He has no understanding of what Saka is going to do. It's just a little bit of fun, Stevie. You don't have to take it serious. It's just a little bit of... Well, when the question is who put you on your backside, and then you're going to embarrass Raul Jimenez... I don't think we're embarrassing Raul Jimenez. I think he's comfortable. I think if he sees this... Raul Jimenez is going to be on Saka's DVD now. Look at his feet. Look at his feet. I have no idea what he's doing. So it doesn't really count. Can't even ask something. Why are you so angry?

40:40No. Why are you so angry? But, Stevie, you know yourself. If you play, if you are, like, that's how attackers are smart, right? Because they also watch who they're facing. If they face a striker, he's definitely going to take them on. He knew that. The way he cut him, it felt like he was all planted at it and saying, like, okay, this is my moment. Well, the only way Jimenez has been smart is because the coach is going to go, don't ever come back there again. And he'll be like, all right. Just a reminder, a lot more on Arsenal and Saka on the latest edition of the Gab and Jules show. That is available to listen to now.

41:17Meanwhile, a huge game at the bottom of La Liga today. Sevilla taking on Real Sociedad, the host for the opportunity to get themselves out of the relegation zone. And that's exactly what transpired. it would be Sanchez who would score the winning goal. Talk about turning back. What's your goalie doing there? He's been beat for pace, Steve. How does he end up in his back? Celebration then for Alexis Sanchez. How old is Alexis Sanchez? 43. Wow. No, he's not.

41:52And that takes Sevilla then out of the relegation zone with four games remaining. Meanwhile, Fulham Mendy, of course, came off at the weekend in a Real Madrid's clash against Espanyol. And it is horrible news for the full-back. He'll be out for up to five months. Mohan, who, of course, has seen his career plagued by injuries since making the move to Real Madrid. He is out for the summer and, of course, will miss El Clasico. El Clasico, of course, is live on ESPN next weekend. and ESPN plus Barca with the chance to clinch La Liga against their biggest rivals. Our coverage starts at 2.30 Eastern.

42:38Meanwhile, I forgot my script for the watch party. However, is it the torch? You can watch that. Make sure you click on the QR code. You've got legends like Carlos Puyol and Eden Hazard in attendance. If you'd like to go, be sure to register.

43:21that. Account with PayPal is required. Not available in all regions where PayPal operates. Ian Fitzsimmons here. Now, when you move from the country to a big city, you want to try and bring part of home with you. And that's where my wife found fast-growing trees. From fruit trees, privacy trees, flowering trees, shrubs, houseplants, fast-growing trees has every single bit of it. She's ordered lemon and lime trees, blueberry bushes, and they are absolutely amazing. The privacy trees, man, the neighbors can't look in. All you have to do, click, order, plants get delivered right to your door. And right now, they have great deals on spring planting essentials, up to half off on select plants.

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44:37Welcome in to the latest edition of Extra Time. We've received a letter. We'll get to that a little bit later on. But let's start off with, see Dan, there are no layups. This was when I was suggesting yesterday that Arsenal had a rather lovely run-in with Crystal Palace and Burnley. And they're obviously suggesting that I said Everton as well, which I did not. I did not say it was going to be a layup. You didn't. I'll tell you what you didn't say. You didn't go, oh, that's a tricky fixture for City. Oh, I wonder what happened when we previewed it yesterday and I said, does anybody think City are going to drop points?

45:10And nobody said, yes, I think that they will. What's that got to do with saying something's a layup? But I never said it was a layup. Why would anybody say everyone's going to beat them or drop them? Well, because you said... In the same way... In the same way... Hold on. In the same way... In the same way, we're going to say... Well, nobody's going to say that Arsenal's going to lose to West Ham or Burnley or Palace. They're not. Right. But that doesn't mean the lay-ups. Right. Thank you. OK. Premier League's still boring. What do you think? Who said it's been boring? Not today. Not today? Not today.

45:45No? Shaka? No, I don't know where that comes from. I just... Rajan just seems to be far. No, I think there's been a lot of boring games within the Premier League. I think that's a fair statement, isn't it? Not today. Just not today. Oh, goodness me. Right, Mario, do you want to add anything, please? No, because, come on, guys, we are being excited. Look, two teams are fighting to win the title, the other ones are fighting to get in Europe. Yes. And then we got the relegation. We got three spots. No, man, come on. That person is not watching football the way he should. Oh, right. Shaka, would you have been able to run up and down the pitch four times like Donnarumma did today?

46:21You went up for two corners, didn't you? That wasn't doing that. No? No. After the first one, that's it. I'm giving you one. One. That's it. Mario, does Chelsea's performance this season highlight the irrelevance of the Club World Cup?

46:39Oh, man. Yeah, I mean, look, when I saw that Club World Cup, I was excited. because I thought like, this is something special going to happen. But what they've been showing me lately, I'm not as happy as I was at the beginning of the season. And also the big change, of course, guys. You know, Marasca left. They changed. Lin-Rosinha took over. They didn't give him the time. If it was good or bad, it was still too quick and everything. Man, they got to slow down there because I'm worried. If they keep on dismantling this team, it's not going to get better because people are start disappointing everybody then.

47:18Nadem, were any of the panel relegated with numerous games to spare? And if so, what was the atmosphere around the team and dressing room like? It's funny that you said Nadem. Well, yeah, sure. That's definitely happened to me before. And one thing I think the lowest points that I had was maybe like 24. But for most of the season, like you feel like you're in the mix, then all of a sudden it's like, oh, we're going to win this game. We're going to win this game. you don't win the games because you don't win games full stop but I think it was the second relegation I had we were playing against Reading against Reading at the Majewski and it was on Sky for some reason it was on TV don't know why it was on TV but both teams needed a win to continue their chance of survival and the game finished 0-0 and we both went down on the same day so in terms of like vibes, a nil-nil draw in a game where you needed to win to sort of prolong it.

48:12Yeah. And then for the last three, four weeks, all it was was talk about, you're going to show your pride because you need to show to the fans who are going to turn up every week. You know, they deserve the effort and we need to start making plans for next season. So it was a weird position to be in, but ultimately, you know, he's still a professional, so you have to do your job. Mario, have you been in that situation?

48:34Yeah, we relegated. I think how many games you have to play left but it was Nadem said you know look when that happens man I'm telling you then it's not even the games that you still have to play you know what's the hardest part you know you go on holiday but you're on holiday but you only think about what happened because it's not it's not that like people sometimes think like it's the easiest way right when you relegate oh he forgets about it they don't even know man you as an individual you really suffer. Those are one of the lowest moments in your career. So relegation, I don't wish it for no one.

49:09You're in a game at Notts County. Mine was a really strange situation because they were pretty much doomed very, very early on. I joined them in January. Right. And it wasn't official, but it was pretty much a kind of wolf situation. And the reason I'm saying it was a strange one because Howard Kendall who took the job a couple of months before I got there, what he did was he got rid of all the moaners, all the whingers, all the cancers, everybody who was just walking in every day and just trying to be horrible. He stuck them all in the away dressing room and everybody who he thought was trying to do something and obviously a lot of guys were looking to get a contract or to stay with the team right and he got them all in the first team's restroom so basically what he did was we separated all the pests and had nothing to do with them they came in for training but they were way over the other side out kept out the road and told to just keep away and so there was a decent atmosphere i mean when you're getting relegated and you know you're getting relegated There is, there's obviously going to be a little bit of sadness around, right?

50:30But we kind of negated it. There wasn't that toxicity that maybe there was... Not in the one dressing room, however the other dressing room... Oh my... It was full up! You could hear them moaning through the walls! Chuck, you never really get that, were you? No. No, you are. Me neither. Good, right. Final thing, now we received a letter, we received... Well, we've got one more. OK, sorry. I was going to do the letter. OK. That's two false starts, Yvonne. Well, if Marc Gahey and Arsenal end up winning the Premier League, how would you cope? If you're Marc Gahey, how would you feel, Mario? You talked about obviously relegation playing on your mind.

51:14Did you ask me that? Because I couldn't hear you. Yes. If you're Marc Gahey, how do you get over making that mistake today if Arsenal win the league?

51:24Look, you know, if Arsenal win, like, one of the key things for him, you understand, because coming in, like, I think prior to the show we said that, he changed a lot of things for City. So it will be sad for him then to be seen as the guy that stopped them from winning it, because he stopped so much. Even in the game, if you saw the tackle that he made, you understand, one of the Everton players that broke through, he went to go and help Silva and made a tackle, and if not, it was a clear goal chance. So for that, I mean look, football is a game about mistakes and I don't think he has made enough mistakes for me to highlight them and say like hey, because of him they didn't win it.

52:03Because they still have a running to do and now we have to make sure that Arsenal win all the games and then we can say something like okay, they dropped it earlier because I don't think this was the only game they could have won. but no I will not give it to him no man Marge I like him as a player I would not do that to him and Nadem as a player would you carry these things with you I think he'll be thinking about it tonight but then in fairness he's like halfway towards some level of redemption because City didn't end up losing their game so he's probably going to give Jeremy Docky a pat on the back and say thank you for giving us a little bit of hope at least but I think between Nani and the end of the season he's going to probably play the last four league games and maybe playing in an FA Cup final.

52:48So if he gets a chance to lift silverware again after winning it with Crystal Palace last season, then yes he'd be disappointed that City haven't won the league but he knows it's never really down to any particular moment. You know he's an experienced player and when the season's done, if Arsenal win it, credit to them, but he'll also probably be done in a tracksuit to go across to the United States to try and win a World Cup. So I get the feeling he will be just fine. You had that big miss obviously which cost Scotland a place in the knockout stages of the World Cup. Do you still carry that with you, Stevie?

53:17Well, you don't forget it. And he won't forget this. People keep reminding you. But at the same time, it's not going to take him long. Right. Because had this been the last day of the season, and they lost 1-0, and he did that, that's a different ball game. But the one thing that he will carry is the next time, or every time between now and the end of his career, when he's that same situation, I bet he doesn't do it again. Right. Because your brain kicks in straight away and everything happens so quickly and he'll remember it and he'll make sure he does everything correctly between now and the end of his career.

53:53I'll bet you. Goalkeepers live with this. You live with it every week. Yes, Dan. Yes, I did. But he's not a goalkeeper. No, he's not. You don't have to be noticed. I'm receiving that. I think this bothers him. I think he carries until the point and listen, I know there's an FA Cup for him to come and a workup until City win a title with Gehi in it, I think it's in the back of his mind. Right, last thing. We've received a letter. Dear ESPN FC, my name is Chris Takeuchi and I'm from San Diego, California. I've been a long-time fan of the show and used to participate in Extra Time. I'm getting married on April 3rd and I was wondering if it would be possible to have some of the pundits and hosts to sign something.

54:35I don't know how many autographs request Dan Thomas gets, but I hope he has the time. He also mentions that we're welcome to long to the wedding. Unfortunately, the wedding was April the 3rd, but we will definitely sign that for you. And he got us thinking out of everyone, who would be the best guest at a wedding? Mario's got to be up there. Mario would be great. I vote for Steve. I vote for Stevie Nicole. I vote for Stevie Nicole. It's a free bar. Yes. Yeah, I think me. You said me. The free bar said me. He's paying a lot. I think you'll be entertained. On the city he's not, I mean the ambassador.

55:13No, no, no. You think Shaq's an ambassador? Why are you declining the wedding? The ambassador, yes. Shaq's an ambassador. No, I'm not. I'm not. I'm not the wedding type. Why? Look, Nadam, definitely not the wedding type.

55:27Nadam doesn't carry that sort of vibe. I can see Nadam doing a conga line with the bridesmaids. The power rankings of life of the party. Nadam's with Nadam, Nadam's with Robbo and Gab.

55:41Oh boy! Definitely. You're crazy. You definitely have Mario, I think definitely at the top. Frank. Frank. We've got a good winning list. It would be all pretty good, wouldn't it? Kay and Alexis would be good value as well. Yeah, yeah. Even if it was a divorce party, we could send bowling. Then you say to me, I wouldn't be the best party. A divorce party. For me to go there, I gotta tell you. If the kitchen ain't rocking, I'm not coming. They better rock that kitchen. Mario will go to the meal and go. They better. You know, look, sucker. Whatever happens, I got to eat something. Yes, Steve. I got to eat something.

56:23I got to turn up. Mario will bring his own nab doors. Mario will bring his own nab doors. They're not ordering. That's it. Well, congratulations on your wedding. We will sign that for you. Absolutely. And we'll be sending on Burley to the divorce. Go! Oh, you're so bad. You're so bad, no. Good luck, big man. Go and enjoy it, and your princess. Good luck when he's married. Lots of luck. Lovely, well done. Congratulations. Craig's back tomorrow. Speaking of divorce. Meeting of misery. Be sure to join us.

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