A mischief of rats

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3:25Luke Moore: Dear Henrietta, we're just three lonely boys. Welcome to the Football Ramble. Liverpool are out and Arsenal are up tonight. It's Wednesday, 15th of April. I'm Marcus Speller. I'm Luke Moore. And I'm with you, Shida Hump the Roger.

3:49Luke Moore: Hello, everybody. Good to have you with us. Thanks to friend of the Ramble, Jeff Markman, for giving us that intro line. If you want to submit an intro line for a future episode and get an extended edition of today's show, then become a friend of the Ramble on our Patreon. Just head to patreon.com forward slash football ramble to get involved now. Gentlemen, they've done it again. They've done it again. It could be anyone. Do you know what, right? It was a huge tie last night. 2-0. A vital victory. I didn't think they were going to do it. But Pompey beat Ipswich. They did, exactly. Come on. Get up, you Oxford.

4:27It was great, wasn't it? I couldn't believe my luck. Two goals just before halftime. Lovely. It was fantastic. Who would have thought that? I know, exactly. Promotion chasing Ipswich and Pompey. And if you want to listen to our take on the Champions League games last night, You better sign up to the Patriot Because that's going behind the paywall, bitch Within 45 minutes on Pompey Yeah, that's it It was great I like the idea that As soon as West Brom's financial issues came to light Pompey have almost been Or even when they were brewing behind the scenes Pompey were like We know how this goes They might not get a points deduction here Let's win them ourselves Yeah, exactly And Leicester did get a points deduction Which basically took us out of the relegation zone So everything's coming up Pompey for now It is, for now We'll see

5:06Luke Moore: For now, four points above the relegation I managed to get a mention We did a Ronaldinho episode for something that's coming up, and I managed to get a mention. Oh, Amazon Prime. Yeah, and I managed to get a Fratton Park mention into that profile as well. It was relevant, though, Osley. It was, because he scored. He played a... He scored. Yeah. Scored out Fratton Park in a competitive fixture. Yeah. There you go. There we are, Steve. Now we're beating Ipswich and celebrating. Because this is now a Pompey show. Yes. You know who had a brilliant game that night? Who? Glenn Little. Yes. I tell you who else had a brilliant game that night.

5:34Bel Hodge. Nadir Bel Hodge, yeah, yeah. He was fantastic. Oh, I love that guy. It was a brilliant game.

5:39Luke Moore: One of Ronaldinho's former clubs was Paris Saint-Germain. Ronaldinho? They played Liverpool last night. Did she do it? Ronaldinho Gaucho. There you go, he did the Gaucho. Gaucho. He wasn't playing, but a lot of the other stars, current ones, did. They beat Liverpool 2-0, 4-0 on Ag. They've done it again, second season in a row. Paris Saint-Germain have knocked Liverpool out of the Champions League. They love beating English sides in the Champions League. knockouts. They're not bothered by that first phase, are they? They're like, you know what? Yeah, we'll lull you into a full sense of curiosity.

6:13Luke Moore: You can beat us there. We don't care. When it comes to the binnus end, we're going to do you all. And there's something in that, isn't there? There's something in peaking at the right time. You know, you talk about tournament play, which it effectively is, and it's a long old tournament at the Champions League these days. There's nothing wrong with getting up to your full speed around this point. And there's also something in, you know, not having that much of a competitive league. well having such an uncompetitive league that when it gets to the business end of the Champions League you can be like you know what we're going to take our annual leave from the weekend exactly yeah we got some new day save from the start of the season I'll work the whole back holiday thank you very much I'm sorry gangomp but we'll see you in a couple of weeks exactly yeah if you are a real team yes that farmer's quote he said follows him everywhere it's like yeah but you being as fresh as daisies as the Champions League goes on does kind of prove the point as well but there we are they are They are on for it again.

7:05Luke Moore: But joking aside, that all being the case, they are a much better team than Liverpool at the moment. I don't think anybody could argue that. I mean, what did you think of the game, Luke? Because Liverpool, look, they lost 2-0. The goals come, particularly the second one obviously comes right at the end. I thought all things considered, Liverpool did all right. Yeah, they did. They were okay. They played with a bit of intensity and a bit of tempo. I just feel that they were almost devastatingly poor in the attacking penalty area the final third they didn't know what to do this is no cutting edge at all and you know PSG played a blinder really because I keep my arms length you know the quality they've got they know they can suck a punch which of course they did it was an absolute gut punch the first goal because that's the end of the tie basically but Liverpool had it all to do because of the first leg and they had a I sometimes feel like when you're a team that's in the malaise that Liverpool are in, having a really solid understanding of your assignment is really helpful because you're right.

8:09We've got effectively nothing to lose here because we shit the bed in the first leg.

8:13Luke Moore: Because you've already lost it. Yeah, we've basically got to go out there and do something and that's the only thing we've got to focus on, right? And I think up until they got into, as you said, the final third, they were actually fine and there was a few key, I thought there was a few key moments, right? One was the amazing last-ditch tackle from Marquinhos. which made a huge difference. I mean, if that's a goal, which it would have been, then it's a completely different tie and who knows what would have happened because it's Anfield and it's Liverpool and they've got quality. The second was the devastating injury to Hugo Katika, which we've come on to.

8:43And the third one was the penalty decision. All those three things effectively in different ways go against Liverpool and all those things would perhaps have gone the other way for them to have had like a famous night at Anfield. And ultimately, it's just the story of their season. It just comes up a bit short and they go out with a whimper and that's the end of it. I thought this an amazing turnaround in this game and a decent run to the final of the Champions League or something would have been the only thing that could have saved Slott and now he's definitely going to lose his job I said he would last week anyway I thought he would last week I definitely think he will now they're less than the sum of their parts and they were beaten by a better side it all ends up although the performance last night wasn't anything to be embarrassed about that's how I'd sum it up yeah I think that's fair the Slott thing is is interesting because starting Alexander Rezac really spoke to well I mean essentially it was a Hail Mary because it you know it manages in that situation for that kind of tie would lean on players that they trust and have ultimately been good to them that they've seen like brilliant things from and they know in those moments you can pick them and I mean he hasn't seen that in in Izak.

9:54But evidently he hasn't seen it in someone like Salah. But also like, probably the biggest nail in the coffin wasn't necessarily starting Izak and not starting Salah. I would say it wasn't starting Ingmar Mauer. Completely agree. After what he did on the weekend. To not even just collate the two and be like, he's flying. People have been calling for him to start all, pretty much all season. He comes on and looks really bright anyway.

10:14Luke Moore: Fans were chanting his name. Yeah. And in that moment he just thought, no, he didn't have the courage of any convictions really to be like, he's the one player I could actually bank on to do something. I also think, I think it's spot on. And I think the thing about Ngomou is it slots in quite nicely into how they want to play anyway, because Virch can play really anywhere in that three behind the striker. He could just play, he could have played Ngomou off the left and he could have played a critique out front and he could have left Izak on the bench. It's like, I think it was like a real example of just not being able to get out your own way because you don't know exactly what your best team is now and you're a lame duck manager anyway.

10:55And that definitely compounded the issue. But having said that a little bit, I don't think they played that badly. No, but I mean, it just felt like... The cutting edge thing was probably what you get. Yeah, yeah. I think also it's interesting that like, I think we mentioned this after the first leg, but we kind of spoke of this idea of like, when there is, say, you know, a long read about where it went wrong for slot, this PSG tie is going to feature in some part as when he maybe lost more of them. Because evidently there are people in that dressing room.

11:24Luke Moore: Do you mean this one or the previous one last year? But now this tie as a whole, I think. Because there'll be a lot of things that will be conflated from the last... The last tie, as Luke Lillity there, that was a much bigger faux pas than what happened last night. But it all speaks to the disconnect between him and the squad now, doesn't it? What do you think of the game? Well, I mean, I echo your thoughts. The only thing I would say is that with this PSG side, they're so good that I think even if Liverpool had scored, you know, Van Dijk gets there and Marquinhos doesn't make that brilliant tackle.

11:53Luke Moore: I think even if they score, you're right, you know, their tails are up. And I was obviously cheering Liverpool on and I wanted that to happen. And it would have been great to see. I think this PSU side are so good that they're not like other sides who if they go away and think, right, we're going to shut up shop and we're going to defend, it's difficult to get yourself out of that mindset, particularly if you're into the second half, and then to go, right, okay, we've got to go. Whereas, PSG, I think that they could have switched it around if they wanted to. I think they're that good and they're that well-drilled.

12:23It was more of an arm's length thing rather than the kind of we're going to defend.

12:25Luke Moore: Well, it was, and that obviously worked. But my point is that had that have gone in, I think that they would have gone, right, okay, maybe we need something. Afterburn is on, you reckon? Yeah, I honestly think they've got that. There's more space in there for Liverpool to push a bit more. Yeah, the only thing I would have said is that if Alexis McAllister's penalty was given, because it was obviously denied after review, I wonder at that stage in the game what would have happened but they were I mean they're so deadly on the break as they proved so I mean it's all ifs and buts with regard to the penalty I thought it probably was a penalty I know that's one that divides a lot of people here a lot of people thinking because you didn't think it was a penalty did you?

13:00No I thought it was pretty calculated and pretty soft and I was a bit surprised that he gave it it's one of those ones though as I keep saying or we all keep saying you know it felt like it was in that slot that if he gave it then he wouldn't have overturned it because there was contact but I mean it was actually quite surprising that he overturned it but I didn't think it was a penalty but I think

13:18Luke Moore: with the overturning stuff if he gets a chat in the ear he's going to look at it he's not going to go well I've given it yeah but he's supposed to say oh I've made a real bad fuck up with it yeah but that's bollocks though it is but that's what's supposed to happen of course look but I think the referee to kind of go I have given it and there is contact on second thought I don't think it probably is a penalty what do you think Vish I thought it was a pen did you yeah I did as well I don't disagree with you about him making a meal of it. Because I think he oversold it when he didn't need to. He did, yeah.

13:45And I think that played a part in the referee overturning it.

13:47Luke Moore: He was very clever where he's put his foot. Top players do that a lot. They know they can get there first. They're really good at getting their body in the way. It's almost the ball always becomes incidental. He's not bothered about the ball at that point. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So look, it could have gone either way, I suppose. The good news is that VAR is getting rid of all these controversial things. It is. Don't worry about it. I've actually felt reassured when I saw the replay and thought, I think that's a pen, but there's due process there. So that's why I'm at it. I've been a bit more admin so I feel more comfortable.

14:13Yeah.

14:13Luke Moore: Absolutely right. You, when we talk about Liverpool's performance and say, you know, they did okay and so on, you know, and then obviously, you know, moments earlier you were talking about Slott's job, Luke. I think you're right. I think he will lose his job because look at how we're talking about this. Yes, PSG are still the European champions and a lot of people would imagine they'll go on to defend their crown if they don't. I think we can all agree that this is a phenomenally good PSG side as they showed last season. So in that sense, there's no shame in going out to them. But Liverpool have just been beaten 4-0 on aggregate.

14:49Luke Moore: Ultimately, it was a very convincing victory, particularly in that first leg. And then they did what they needed to do in the second leg, and they still run out 2-0 winners. And here we are. But Liverpool, they didn't embarrass themselves, they did okay. And that's where we are. Against arguably, as you say, Europe's best team. But look, you're framing it compared to last season. Last season, they would have probably argued that they were on another day. They go through. That was more life and death. That was difficult. That was a coin flip, really. Indeed. But you're talking about... You get what I'm saying here.

15:18There's a bit of didn't they do well to the defending Premier League champions. Sure, I understand. I accept that.

15:22Luke Moore: And that is just... With a team like Liverpool, or specifically Liverpool with their standards, as you say, defending Premier League champions, there is absolutely no title defence in the league this season. the Champions League nobody gave them even a prayer against this PSG side compare them even to if I may be a bit slightly cheeky here Arsenal last season who were you know pretty pedestrian some might say this season as well they are top currently at the time of recording but last season even Arsenal when they played PSG in that semi-final actually gave a decent account of themselves all things considered it was a far more contested tie it was an exact reflection of where Arsenal are at they're a really good team PSG are better and that's that But Arsenal were very competitive, yeah.

16:06Luke Moore: Indeed. And again, framing that, or referencing that against Liverpool last night, yeah, I agree. They did all right and fair enough. And you can clap them off at the end, but I don't see them improving under slot anymore. And also the jury, he's come in and he's done a brilliant job and he's taken them to the league title and that's massive and you can't forget that. But football is a funny old business. A year is a long old time in football. Well, it is. And if the jury's still out about you, which it is because of some of the things you've said and some of the decisions you've made and going into bat against one of the best ever players for the club and not really being convinced of that with results.

16:42And then you go into a key part of the season where you're trying to convince people that it's your job to keep and you're going to deliver Champions League football. And two months ago, we were saying on this show that if he delivers Champions League football, I think he'll stay. And they go and stink the place out and lose four of their last five. Basically the most important part of the season, including going out to Champions League and the FA Cup with a whimper at best the right hand's on the wall

17:06Luke Moore: and they've got the Merseyside Derby at the weekend as well I was just going to say away but it was a good night of European football though I enjoyed it yeah of course one thing we didn't enjoy was seeing Hugo Eketike stretching off after 31 minutes and it's been confirmed he'll be out for nine months with a ruptured Achilles tendon oh man sadly you could see it as soon as it happened because that nature of that injury awful if you see I don't recommend people do watch it back because it's horrible but if you do see it again you'll see that he goes down with no one around him and he's looking around and the reason he's doing that is because when you snap your Achilles it feels like someone's basically shot you and he thinks it's been kicked or something like that and then he just knows and then you see the PSG players they know as well terrible news for him he's been in their top three players this season for sure he's their far and away their top scorer and he was obviously excited to go to the World Cup with France which is, you know, football can be really cruel sometimes.

18:02I think for a young lad, he's equipped himself well in a new country. I feel very, very bad for him.

18:08Luke Moore: Yeah, I do as well. Mo Salah came on for him. Yeah, looked about three yards off it. I think that if I was a Liverpool fan, I would be thinking, I can't wait for the season to end. And Mo, I can't wait to remember the good times. Yeah. Because his ability to do something in the final third, his decision, it's just deserted him. And it's very strange, considering the season he had last season. This is not a kind of a slow fade-out kind of thing, or a slow decline. For whatever reason, perhaps it'll come out in the wash in the summer or beyond. I think we already know it, don't we? Last season was so much about that contract renewal, about saving face and being motivated by that.

18:54And the fact that this season he hasn't been playing well, the moment there is a hint of, probably, you know, one of the more impressive things Slott has done this season as a manager is basically take him to one side and put him on the bench. Then he kicks off in a, you know, in a mixed zone. Ellen Road, like, I'm totally with you about, it's not just Liverpool fans. We should all remember how great he has been in the Premier League. But watching him now, and certainly the way he's behaved at certain parts of this season, I think you're like, mate, you're doing yourself a disservice here. I mean with the contribution he's made since January and the way he's behaved you're better off just leaving in January and just burnishing his reputation by the absence of because what I mean it's easier said than done of course that is a huge simplification of an issue but just to illustrate a point if he leaves in January and Liverpool carry on the way they're going given that he's not really played that much anyway people are like fucking hell Salah

19:51Luke Moore: with Salah it could have been so different and to leave on that no I mean like I said I don't think it will take much and I don't think much time will need to pass for everybody to remember what a great player he was for Liverpool because it was only a matter of months ago when they won the league of course and so on and even what he has left in the league is like someone else's a Liverpool fan's chance to see him for the last time yeah so I want to stress that point for crying out loud but you know hindsight's 2020 vision and all the rest of it you know it's almost a shame that he didn't leave in the summer I understand how mad that would have been from Liverpool's point of view to let him go when he's been by far and away your best player in the league or best player of the season and to let him go on a free as well when you had all that business with Trent Alexander-Arnold.

20:36Luke Moore: So I get that, but I thought he was going to leave last summer. He hasn't, he stayed. I think they've had two rats last summer. Exactly. At what point does it become a colony? What's the... The rat king. Yeah. When they get tied together. What is the collective noun for rats? Yeah, well, have a little goog. I'm doing it right now. Is it a shoal? It's a colony. Oh, it is, yeah. I thought you were right. Well, there's four options. You can choose which one you like. Okay. Colony, as I've already said. A pack. A pack of rats. I think a pack is... The rat pack, of course. A plague of rats. A pack of rats.

21:05But a plague of rats, that seems a bit...

21:08Luke Moore: That's a bit harsh. Yeah, that's a bit... The final one, my personal favourite, a mischief of rats. Brilliant. Yeah. So it would have been a mischief of rats. I think that one, that pack would have been particularly mischievous. Yeah, it would have been. That would have been there. Yeah, so I mean... Anyway, fuck off, Salah. Yeah, he's gone. Get out of the club. That's the clip. I'm just kidding. But it was really noticeable. You know, when they're pushing against a top side and there was one or two incidents that I could think of where the bit of intricate play around to the right-hand side of the penalty area and the touch is so heavy.

21:38He's on his heels, you know, the stuff you don't associate with him. But he's not tired.

21:42Luke Moore: That's what I mean. It's really noticeable. He's still got his legs. It's not like you're looking at a guy and you're thinking, like, that guy's exhausted. You're not looking at him thinking, oh, he's maybe... Last night, he's maybe disinterested. Yes, he has been perhaps at times this season, but he came on and I felt with Salah, he was like, right, I'm going to really try and do something. And he just couldn't. That's what I find. I understand confidence is a huge thing. And if all season you've been unhappy and for whatever reason, and blah, blah, blah, you suddenly come up against PSG and you're not going to suddenly go, ha ha, I'm Salah of last season.

22:13Luke Moore: I get that, but it was just so stark to me. Yeah, but isn't that the thing of like, so much of what he does is at pace. And we talk about this when players lose it, essentially, is that it feels like it happens overnight, but it doesn't. It's infractions. Basically, every week, let's say. But with Salah, because he does, at his best, he does things at such pace, when he loses one thing, there's almost a domino effect on everything else. So it's like his first touch is bad, and so he tries to make it up by doing something a bit different. But by then, he's already been closed down. I feel like a lot of this season, we've been watching Salah look at the ball as he takes the first touch.

22:51And also, Vish, at the very top level, which this is, this is out of the Champions League against the European champions. The margins are so fine. The margins between, it's like, you know, watching the Masters last weekend, I was saying to a friend of mine, you know, at the very top level of golf on that course, the difference between a good shot and a bad shot is probably centimetres. And it's the same at the top level of sport and football. The difference between what, I sometimes now, obviously I was a terrible footballer, but I sometimes see a touch, it's a bad touch in the Premier League, I'll be really happy with that.

23:20Luke Moore: I'll be delighted with that. You touch it from miles up in the end, it goes two yards in front of you. Great. For them, it's not good enough. So the margins are really noticeable. If I hit the ball a yard wide from 30 yards, I think it's a bloody good strike. Good effort. Yeah, exactly. Absolutely. If I hit the ball 30 yards in total these days, that's a very good strike. There we are. Anyway, PSG are through. It's going to take something to beat them. Can Harry Kane's mob, or will it be... Let's get excited now. Or will it be Real Madrid? Because it is genuinely quite difficult to call it. If someone said to you, who are the favourites for the Champions this season, you can make an argument for Bayern.

23:59You can make an argument for Real Madrid. Is it still Arsenal? You can make an argument for PSG. Look, we'll come on to Arsenal. I don't think many people will be surprised.

24:05Luke Moore: I don't know if they still are, but they were the favourites. They were, yeah. They were. But when you look at the other side of the draw, the winner of Bayern on Real Madrid plays PSG. Tasty. That is the big side of the draw, that. Yeah. That's the house party you want to be going to. The other side of the jaw is the fucking in-betweeners. Fuck. Before we go for a break, can I give you, can I bring you some news from Mosela's homeland of Egypt? Is it news? Oh, it is. Is it breaking news? Of huge importance? Well, you know it's not breaking news, no. So there's a national bank, the wonderfully named national bank, beat Mosela's former club, Al Mokulun, 2-1 on Monday.

24:45Luke Moore: and Osama Faisal scored the winning goal, which was subject to a long VAR check for offside. When the goal was given, National Bank's Ahmed Ufa kissed the referee on the head, who, it's fair to say, looks unimpressed. Yeah, surely that's got to be a card. It has to be, doesn't it? I want to remain sensitive to the cultural differences of that part of the world, because I've never visited, I don't know what's good and what isn't. Kissing referees is not part of the Egyptian culture. It might be like a quick handshake for all I know. Not referees. No, but I don't think you should be doing that. I don't think you should be kissing people on the head unannounced anyway.

25:17Anyone. You've got to respect some boundaries. I think you do. But the referee just looked... You say he looked unimpressed. I thought he just looked confused. Well, I don't think anything had prepared him for that moment. The referee thinking, look, well, you know, twice, one on each cheek or not at all. He just kissed me on the head. I'd like him to have booked him and Ahmed Ufa to have gone frigid as he walked off second yellow. That was affectionate.

25:41Luke Moore: I'd like Gabrielle Martinelli who got booked for pushing the referee out of the way he did which I thought he got sent off but Paul Gascon got booked for giving the referee a booking I mean that was particularly piss poor yeah it was really poor really poor it's almost like was that an old firm I don't think no I don't think it was old firm but it was certainly around the era when like Hugh Dallas of this world were getting hit with paper coins and stuff like that so the referees probably had their patience probably wearing thinner with people at that point those coins weren't paper by the way no they weren't Yeah, and also that time...

26:10Luke Moore: It was a legal tender, though. And that ludicrous decision to send Mitrovic off for shoving the referee at Old Trafford as well. Anyway, coming up after this, Leeds win at Old Trafford.

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29:49Moisey, how was your head? Moisey? Yeah, okay, well, don't think we're that close.

30:00Luke Moore: What about the football ramble, everybody? It's the laughter for me in that. It's the kind of really sinister laughter. He's laughing for way too long. And the reporter shouldn't be saying that. Moise is a toughie. Yeah, I think so, yeah. He wants everyone to know he's a toughie as well. Oh, I don't think he's that bad, is he? I like Moise. Are we going to do a deep dive on Moise? I think he has a reputation of being exactly as he came across on that. clip. Right, Atletico Madrid went through last night. They lost 2-1 to Barcelona on the night. 3-2 on Ag though they go through. They've reached their first Champions League semi-final since 2017, which is a reminder of how long Diego Simeone's been in that job.

30:40It is. And it's a surprising number. What a win. And I think it is a massive, massive win for all the obvious reasons, but also to consider that it's eluded him, hasn't it? Yeah. The job he's done at Atletico Madrid is amazing, and everyone knows that, right? But people are going to have to be reminded of it unless they win the Champions League. If they win the Champions League, because they've been to finals, it's just going to be burned into history forever. I just feel like if they don't win it, which of course there's a very good chance they won't, but if they don't win it, you're going to need to be reminded of how good Simeone was.

31:11If he does win it, you'll never forget it.

31:13Luke Moore: Oh my goodness. I mean, they've been so so close, and he's thinking to himself, perhaps one of the few people that if Atletico did make the final, which they've got a chance by the way of course they have I mean look if you're an Arsenal fan you're thinking okay recent results but sporting at home you're 1-0 up you know we'll talk about them in a minute but the thought of playing at Let's Go Madrid but then for Let's Go Madrid to spin it the other way it's up for grabs the problem for those teams is they do have to play a final against one of the other teams on the other side of the draw can we not stay on this side?

31:46Luke Moore: we'll do our own final you do yours and then we'll pull it good kill yours the plate yeah exactly without the cut but there's one thing that Simeone will be hoping for is Real Madrid don't bloody make that final because they're so close against those buggers. But look, a fabulous victory against Barcelona. They know how to beat Barcelona in the Champions League. It has been a little while. But this one, particularly considering how fast Barcelona started, I mean, within the first minute, Jamal's already testing the goalkeeper. Moussa. Juan Moussa in goal for the injured Jan Oblak, who makes a great save.

32:18Luke Moore: And after four minutes, Vish, it's 1-0. and you're thinking, oof, Atletico... And it's an error, crucially, as well. Yes. They are at sixes and sevens for the first half an hour of that game. I think the wonderful, underrated thing about Simeone's Atletico is how many times they do shit the bed. Yes. And last night, the start of that game, really felt like, oh, you're doing it again. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're absolutely doing it again. Because they're under so much pressure all the time. But it's also like, you know, I think that's when someone like Griezmann comes into his own because he's almost, obviously he's been part of the team for so long by a brief stint at Barcelona, but he is so clearly like attuned to Simeone.

33:03Simeone loves him. And yet he operates outside of what they do best. And I think in that moment yesterday, there was certainly a point where he was like, lads, we need to grow up here.

33:15Luke Moore: Yeah. Like, you know, there was that moment where he gets fouled, and basically pushed off the pitch and he reminisce with the referee, comes back on and he's just like running around. The ball goes out of play and he basically turns around to everyone and is like, everyone needs to chill out here. And he's like, you were the one complaining. The old Pickford. The old Jordan Pickford. But he almost like forgot himself and was like, no, sorry, I'm the sensible one. I've got to be calm here. I'm the dad. He's 35 now. Very much the dad of a football team. I mean, you know, moments change games. They go two nil down.

33:44Luke Moore: And then was it Torres who had a wonderful chance. And again, the goalkeeper makes a fantastic save. It's one of the saves of the season. Absolutely. It's a Peter Schmeichel. Yeah, because I watched the Liverpool game, so when I'm watching the highlights of it back, when the ball goes in, I'm thinking, they only scored two goals tonight. But this is going to be a brilliant save. He also managed to blood up the player as well. I mean, that is, how proud would Simeone have been of his keeper at that moment? It's a stunning save. Exactly how I've coached you. Leave one on him at all times. yeah but yeah anyway but that man Adam Oda-Lukman for the big occasion there he is again to score an absolutely crucial goal the boy from Wandsworth he makes he makes unbelievably good runs from the left hand side Lukman yeah he's like the proper textbook way of playing as a wide forward when the ball's down the other side of the pitch he's always there or thereabouts he's such a big contributor but he's so positive yeah and so quick and so difficult to play against and And it's just really interesting watching him because all the attention is on Lamin-Yemal.

34:49And rightly so, because he's a phenomenon. I mean, for him to hit the ground running like he did last night, score that goal straight. I mean, the way he finishes as well, so good. He gives the keeper the eyes. He, at that speed, at that age, shapes his body to show that he's going to put it in the other corner and just slots it. It kind of reminded me of a weird way of where the Rooney goal in Euro 2004. Yeah, that kind of way of doing it. Against Croatia. Yeah, yeah. and they're up and running. I thought this was an amazing game. It's full of incident. There's so much going on. I also love, and this is an obvious thing to say, but just two points I wanted to make about Simeone's Atletico.

35:25One is that the amount of work they get through. You're playing against Barcelona. This Barcelona team are good, by the way, as everyone knows. You're playing basically a flat 4-4-2. The two central midfield players are essentially outnumbered, but they get through so much work that it doesn't matter. and then the other thing I would say you mentioned it a bit earlier just as we started talking about them the two Champions League finals that Atletico under Diego Simeone have been to were in 2014 and 2016 yeah like 10 years ago and 12 years ago

35:58Luke Moore: with Koke involved in there but the point being Gabby still playing in the side but the vast majority of this is a complete reinvention of the side so you talk about Wenger building the side you talk about Ferguson building in maybe three sides at his time at United. Simeone's built a couple at least and they're still competing. You would be a brave person to go against them getting to the final this year. So to do that with such a big gap with the same manager, I think he's basically almost unheard of in modern football. And they're way off the pace in the league. I mean, they're fourth. There's a huge gap between fourth and fifth.

36:34Luke Moore: But there's an enormous gap between themselves and Real Madrid in second and Barcelona are running away with it now. so it's far from a vintage side I mean to be honest with you we haven't seen a vintage Simeone side probably since those that second Champions League final you could argue maybe when Luis Suarez turned up and won the league with them and even then that was the little bit of when Sir Alex Ferguson signed Van Persie a little bit it was like can you just help us for a bit yeah can you also chuck into the mix as well a thought for Conor Gallagher absolutely yeah well he's been part of the story of course do I get him who's this but actually that's weird that's weird it's linked back to what I was going to say.

37:12Why did he go? But you know, you know that they've moved stadiums to a completely new part of town, right? I mean,

37:19Luke Moore: I don't know a while ago. It was, but it's still under the same tenure. Yeah. And that could be so difficult. It could be so difficult. But how much of a fortune was their old stadium? Yeah. And he's managed that as well. Yeah. The job he's done has been phenomenal. It's been absolutely remarkable. Because they were the nearly men for so many years. Yeah. And you cannot gloss over how big a move that would have been. And he's managed that too, and they're still competing at the top end of the Champions League. It's incredible what he's done. You know the thing that Trippi has said recently about him, that when Sibioni went out and signed him, got him to Atletico and said, you're not a very good defender.

37:52And it's like, you literally got brought me here. What are you talking about? We need to really work with you. It's like, you signed me. You could have just given me a call and said that, and we'd all be happy. It's nice in the way, though, because he's like, I can see something in you. We can work on this together.

38:05Luke Moore: Yeah, I mean, that's clearly, yeah. Because, you know, you said about, like, the turnover. I think of that with someone like Marcus Llorente. He clearly just went into the academy and thought, mad cunt who run a lot, anyone? Yeah. Brilliant. Come in. Hate suntan lotion? You're in. Just shut up. Just keep running. You've got your kids wearing 3D glasses? That's my guy. There we go. And it's great because Marcus Llorente runs all day because he's very desperate to cover every blade of grass on the flat earth of which he occupies. Good to know. He's running around doing his own research. He is. He is.

38:40Luke Moore: It's not going to fall off in a minute. But I mean, Atletico Madrid were helped by Barcelona committing two acts of dog zone in each leg, an act in each leg. It was, yeah. Of course, Eric Garcia was the man this time. What did you make of that dog zone? Was it a dog zone for you? Jules Koundé is doing his very best, isn't he? Yeah. To get around there. I think it probably was. I think he gets a shot off. And a shot is by definition a goal scoring opportunity. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I think it mattered. Because I think some people mistake Dogso with they're definitely going to score a goal but that's not what it is but you know what you've got to take your chances and let's be honest if the sending off in the first leg doesn't happen does the tie play out well it doesn't matter it did and that's the thing with Atletico Madrid is that in some of these games I remember when they played Arsenal in the Europa League semi-final and Arsenal battered them in that first leg and Atletico Madrid got out of there with a one-all draw and it like Arsenal should have been two or three up and then of course what do they do they beat them one-nil in the second leg and it's a lovely old job.

39:40Luke Moore: They will, this is the thing for Atletico, they can look forward to that semi-final without fearing the opponent. Of course, I did Simeone say in the lead up to this game about how, when he was asked how Barcelona are going to play and press high and try and catch them offside or whatever and Simeone was like, well it doesn't matter because we're not going to attack. I'll tell you what, they bloody needed to. Suddenly you're 2-0 down, nearly 3-0. It's like, come on Diego. I think that's the thing and maybe I'm jumping ahead here but Atletico play Arsenal if we expect Arsenal to go through, right?

40:08fucking hell that's going to be a game isn't it yeah there will be people out there though Vish who will be like rubbing their hands together because it's not Barcelona yeah careful what you wish for is what I'd say

40:16Luke Moore: well hey they've got to get through the second leg to the moment yeah more on that later yeah gentlemen let us go back to Monday evening okay we're finished with the Champions League for now let's go back to the Premier League Manchester United won Leeds United 2 first time Leeds beat Manchester United since 2002 I mean it says a lot about where Manchester United are and how bad everyone is around them, that they were so bad and yet I didn't hate it. There we go. There was no, there's no like league jeopardy anymore because everyone's in the Champions League now. Exactly. You've got a seven point cushion.

40:54Luke Moore: Get a load of that, Brentford and Everton fans. Yeah, everyone's in the Champions League this season. Yeah. They could be. We haven't taken the time to realise just how revolutionary it would be if Brentford got into the Champions League. They're five points off it. Or one, if Villa do the honourable thing. Yeah, exactly. But to me, at least... Britain's Aston Villa. Yeah, as a neutral, Man Utd-Leeds is a classic Premier League fixture. It is a classic. And for Leeds to win it at this stage of the season to go six points above 18th spot, currently occupied by Tottenham Holtz, but lest we forget.

41:30Luke Moore: It's a massive win. For them winning at Old Trafford, it's been so long. I mean, the first win in the league at Old Trafford in 1981, before I was born, for crying out loud. So, you know, you put all that into the pot. But, of course, such a crucial victory at this stage of the season. Farkham was on his knees at the end celebrating. It's like, bloody hell, come on. We said that, you know, for a team like Tottenham to get relegated from the Premier League, so many different things need to happen in unison. Yeah. They're fucking happening. They are. I mean, West Ham won easily. Leeds won at Old Trafford, which you'd have to say, if you're a Spurs fan, you're being emotionally honest with yourself.

42:06You're hoping that you think the Maynard are probably going to win that. Oh, of course you would. Yeah, and so it's a devastating blow for them as well. And the thing about Leeds is they stick in there. We talked about this over, I think it was over the Christmas period. They've drawn, I think, more games than any other team apart from Bournemouth and the league this season. They are quite hard to beat, Leeds. Yeah. Right, they've lost far fewer games than anyone below them because they stick in there. Yeah. And against this Maynard side, which is still very soft-centered, you know you can get something because we've seen and I was absolutely delighted at how pissed off Roy Keane was I know it was a bit of a kind of lowest hanging fruit Roy Keane's angry

42:42Luke Moore: lowest hanging man bum but I still love it I still love it yeah I mean I thought they were really good for it they were brilliant well they were and I mean they spent roughly just over 100 million quid last summer which for a Premier League side isn't an enormous amount of money I mean it's it's not peanuts of course they've got rid of Somerville as well. Yeah. Got rid of him. Yeah. Get that guy out. Yeah. That's a bad way of putting it. But yeah. He left. Yeah. But if you consider like when they went down, there was so much talk about all the players that they were going to lose. The fact that Monto's still there, but also not playing speaks to like, we somehow kept hold of a depreciating asset.

43:20Yeah. Exactly.

43:21Luke Moore: But if you're looking at the squads around them, go from Spurs, Spurs, West Ham, Forest, above them, Newcastle, Palace, Fulham, you know, and then you're into proper mid-table with Bournemouth. All those squads you would take over Leeds. They've all been in European competition in the last two years. Barring Fulham, yeah. So, you know, that's where they are. I don't think they're going to finish higher than Newcastle United. I think 15th will be as good as they get, but my goodness, if they finished 15th, if they finished 17th. But, you know, I'm so pleased for Daniel Farker because so many people say, oh, but the experience you've got of the Premier League is largely negative.

43:56His reward for getting them promoted was basically a whole summer of him, Lynx were being sacked. That was basically the whole thing.

44:03Luke Moore: He was on the verge, the unwanted verge. It might be... Now they're on the verge of staying up. It's like a verge with dog shit all over it. Exactly, yeah. You slip off it and then you go on. It's just a flat earth thing again. One side is great, the other side is. That's right, that's right. Rubbing the dog shit on his face because he doesn't want to use suntan cream. Clean your eyes. The other thing about Farker was that he is not afraid to be totally emotionally led when things go well. Yeah. And I think you've got to enjoy that. You have to enjoy it. But can I just pull you up on something very quickly?

44:35Go on. At the risk of derailing this, everyone keeps saying that Spurs' squad's really good. I mean...

44:40Luke Moore: No, no, I said it was better than Leeds. Yeah, okay. I don't think... I tell you, let me say something now as well. We should have pushed back on that. And if you... Well... Not even Farker. He'd bite your hand off to have Spurs play. Spurs were a Champions League side not that long ago. They were. In fact, yeah. Months. Yeah, literally. Not even months. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But one thing I would say, because you mentioned the man bun thing, is there is, I would have sympathy for Spurs in this context when you look at, say, what Brian Brobby did and doesn't walk for that. Yeah. And yet. Do you think that's because the referee maybe thought not a straight red second yellow, but you can't do that with, yeah.

45:19Which is wrong. I mean, it's.

45:20Luke Moore: I thought, if the referee sees that, I think he gives him a second yellow. Because Martinez goes for something that is, okay, fine. If he has to go for it, he has to go for it. If that's the law specifically, then fine. I don't care about that. But what I do think is lost in this debate we constantly have about referees is that the referee's foremost, there's two kind of jobs a referee has to do. One is obviously to enforce the laws of the game, but it's also to protect the safety of the fucking players. And there needs to be a punishment for that if Brian Broby does what he does. He's basically put Romero out of the World Cup and he possibly could have really badly concussed Kinski.

45:54and he was already on a yellow card. Like, to me, if you're going to complain about anything, that Brian Broby doing that is not why Spurs might get relegated, but it's particularly galling when you watch the next day and that shit happens. I mean, that's a red card, is it? It's stupid. It's totally stupid.

46:09Luke Moore: Yeah. Did you think it was a sending off? Much has been made about this. He pulls Calvert-Lewin's hair a bit. He would argue that maybe he was fouled by Calvert-Lewin. He doesn't even really pull the hair. He pulls the... The bun. The scrunchie, essentially. Scrunchie. Just say hairband. Yeah, hairband. I knew what you meant. I'll go with scrunchie. Just the idea that Cavillers was playing with it around his wrist. I should probably do my hair in the last second half. Why is he pulling the hair anyway? Is it like an instinctive thing? I think he's just gone like that, hasn't he? To almost put his hand on the...

46:37Luke Moore: He's an Argentinian defender looking to get an advantage. Yeah. Won't be needing that. That's what Keane was most annoyed about. Why are you doing that? Keane would rather you punched him. Yeah, he would. Get your money's work. Because there's an honesty about that. Yeah, exactly. I want to know that you really disliked me. Bruno Fernandes alluded to this by the way he channeled his in of Mourinho didn't he he said I thought he was spot on he said if I talk about the ref I'm going to get in big trouble because the rules are different for everyone so it's better that I don't say anything but they are they are different for everyone and that's the biggest contention of all this stuff when you say that go on unpack that just for a moment because I think the problem is VAR has tried to codify something that referees you know referees don't referee they've never really refereed the game in that way so they've You get a feeling for a game.

47:24The best referees, so that's what I always used to say way before VAR, if people want to run the tape, they can, although I'm sure they've got better things to do. I used to say all the time, I remember, the things that confuse me about complaining about referees before VAR was people would call for two things. They'd call for common sense and they'd call for consistency. And you can't have both. No. So the common sense thing is, I'm going to referee a game in this way.

47:44Luke Moore: Yes, absolutely right. And if you listen to Howard Webb talking about how he refereed the World Cup final in 2010, he's talking about it in a very thoughtful way. I don't want to give a yellow card very early because it sets a precedent and what I did is I did do that and I kind of lost control of it you can't just apply that alongside a VAR coding or a consistency coding of how things are done because VAR is saying if this happens you must do this and the referee doesn't always whether they admit it or not the referee doesn't always agree with that because he thinks well I'm in it I know what's being said I know what's happening I'm in control you also know some of the players as well because when it was highlighted that Peter Crouch likes to I think it was before the 2006 World Cup it probably would have been and I said you watch him because when he goes up for it there's another he likes to pull or he likes to do this and he got away with one he grabbed a Trinidad and Tobago player's hair and he got away with it because the referee didn't see it of course and so you sometimes highlight different players quite clearly if I don't know Adam Ola-Lukwin does a twofer right you think that's a bit out of character you know if it's one of Simeone's other players you know you kind of go yeah there's probably a bit more intention there or something you know Simeone runs on the pitch himself I mean, poor, you know, examples there, but that goes into the feeling.

48:57Luke Moore: It's not saying that, oh, okay, fine, you know, Frankie de Jong is allowed a fly kick to the chest, whereas Nigel de Jong, yeah, we're going to give you a red card. Clearly, there are some things that a player does, you know, that's the rule for everybody. But I do think that, going into your point, particularly in league games where you referee the same players over and over again, it goes into that idea of a bit of a feeling and a bit of a using your instincts, really, as a referee. Ironically, if I was going to be supportive of VAR, it would be to protect a player's safety, like that Brian Broby incident.

49:29If the VAR can't intervene on that and go, by the way, what he's just done there is really dangerous and he should be sent off for it and there should be a potential chance for a longer ban, if you feel that way, that's fine. Because ultimately, the player's safety is the most important thing. And if you can't intervene on that, then the whole thing is redundant anyway. If you could intervene on someone tagging on someone's hairband and send them off. Why can you not, through some weird kind of loophole, because it's a yellow card situation, why can you not intervene on that? I mean, Christian Romero is going to miss the World Cup, probably.

50:02He's definitely going to miss the rest of the season because of that behaviour. And if you're a Spurs fan, you're going, what the fuck have we got to do to get a decision? You know, it's just crazy. And also, it's not like, you know, this needs to be approved and run to like the House of Representatives to get like, their sign off. Just do it. Yeah, just do it. Yeah,

50:17Luke Moore: for crying out, just do it. Now, coming up after this, Andoni Irreola has announced he will leave Bournemouth this summer.

50:49World Cup coverage that gets into the winners and losers on and off the pitch. Read, watch and listen as our journalists connect the dots between the games, the cultures and this political moment. We'll have daily newsletters throughout the tournament, a global perspective and a squad of Americans, including me, on the ground with the U.S. national team. Plus, if you want to test your soccer knowledge, try On The Ball. It's a game in the Guardian app and it's really, really fun. And if you're into stuff like this... Well, I think the problem is if you give footballers an inch, they would take a mile.

51:18Is it too much when it's this close? It's a bit much. It's a bit too real. Maybe you could just talk with a slight delay. Be sure to listen to our Football Weekly podcast for on-the-move expert analysis. The Guardian, bringing you the whole picture on soccer. Search Guardian Soccer for more. If you work in university maintenance, Grainger considers you an MVP because your playbook ensures your arena is always ready for tip-off. And Grainger is your trusted partner. Offering the products you need all in one place from HVAC and plumbing supplies to lighting and more, and all delivered with plenty of time left on the clock so your team always gets the win.

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52:53Luke Moore: Welcome back, dudes. Now, yeah, news from the South Coast that broke yesterday. Andoni Riaola is to leave Bournemouth at the end of the season. What do you think of this, fishy baby? be? I think objectively it is understandable and also a bit sad. I think it's kind of similar to, I suppose, the way teams like Bournemouth lose players. And it's sad because I feel like he was central to a lot of the reasons why they were such a watchable team. I also think he has kind of reached probably the end anyway, I think. And I think in terms of how far he could have taken them. Thank goodness he didn't go to Spurs last summer.

53:36Yeah, I think he's probably thinking that as well. Probably just every morning when he wakes up.

53:39Luke Moore: Yeah, well, I mean, a lot of people thought he might leave last summer. He thought, you know, I'm going to stay and I'm going to really be coveted. Yeah, yeah. And it's also, it's funny because I think if you look at what Glasner achieved with Palace last year, you're like, that's the peak of it. That's brilliant. What a way to do it. And then you see the way he's, you know, I feel like he's kind of turning around a little bit with the Conference League. But the way he's been acting out, a lot of Palace fans are like, fucking hell, mate. Just at least hide something. Don't ruin everything that we had.

54:09Whereas I think Iriola would absolutely take a trophy like that and getting that kind of moment. And at the same time, I think Bournemouth fans adore him and the football that they've played. Yeah. I don't know his next move, though.

54:22Luke Moore: Well, the next move is tricky. What he has done, though, is he's put Bournemouth on the map for a lot of people. And I think that's something that Bournemouth will hopefully benefit from. because you look at that squad and someone else coming in and being like thank you mate this is class it's a proper team and you know the reality for a lot of teams for most teams wherever they play their football is ultimately you are whether overtly obviously or traditionally you're a stepping stone of a club because there's only a handful of teams that are at the top you know and even if you are at the top in certain leagues they will go to the Prem or La Liga or Bundesliga or wherever so I think Bournemouth fans they knew at some point he would leave.

55:04Luke Moore: If you perform really, really well, then you're going to get offers. And with Iriola staying this season, I think that some fans, certainly I thought, it's a season longer than I thought he would stay. And I'm really pleased for him and them that that happened. But whoever comes next, as you say, Vish, you've got a good squad, a squad that's ready to challenge any side in the Premier League on any given day. And it's an attractive proposition. Yeah, I've got a theory. And the theory extends to, at first glance it's quite confusing as to why he's agreed or announced this now given the league is wide open they've never been in Europe before he could deliver them European football and because he's got such a kind of big reputation because he's got so much power because of the job he's done he could have just stayed quiet until the end of the season and if they got European football he would have been in the box seat for negotiating a contract even a short one He could have taken Bournemouth into Europe for the first time and really kind of gilded that lily.

56:05And he's chosen not to do that. And I think the reason he might have chosen not to do that is I think he might go to Athletic Bilbao. That's what they're reporting on there, yeah. I think he might feel the pull of that. They've had a relatively poor season. He's a Basque man, isn't he? He is. And I think that's a big part of people's identity and all the rest of it. And we know all about that. And I think perhaps given that he was a player there and he's passionate about that part of the world, He might want to go home and manage there. The other side of the way of looking at it is that there is only a certain amount of things to do in Bournemouth.

56:37It's a bit overrated as a place.

56:41Luke Moore: Overrated? Microclimate, isn't it? It is, and that's fair enough. Who's overrating Bournemouth? I think people just automatically think it's brilliant. They do, because they talk about the beach, and they talk about the microclimate. It's a lovely beach, but he's been there three years now. It's the best of the month. He's from Spain. He's from Spain. No, I know that. It's the best of the moths down there. Disagree. It is, Ben. Come on. Marcus, you cut to the core of why he said that. But, it kind of depends on what... Everyone's overrating Bournemouth. What are you into? They're going there, rather than...

57:13What are you into? If you're into stag and hen weekends on the beach, yeah, it's better.

57:16Luke Moore: Right. If you're into culture, history, impactful, impactful history of their contributions... Then go to Guayama. It's not on the South Coast. I don't know where he is. It's in Norfolk. He's a Londoner. Is it near water? Yes, it may as well be on the coast. What do you mean, what zone is it in? It's not in a zone. Yeah, they're all on the south coast, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, they're all down there, the south coast of England. Yeah. Bloody hell. Hop on the train to Basque Country. Totally fine. I don't think that anybody would argue... He's just basically missing an afternoon nap, isn't he? It's frowned upon here.

57:52Go to Eastbourne. But do you understand my point about how the only reason... No, the first one, the serious one, about how the only reason you would announce this now is if you had something like that. It was such an emotionally led thing.

58:06Luke Moore: That, or he's putting himself massively in the shop window because he's thinking Man United job. But Marcus, that doesn't matter, does it? Because he's out of contract anyway. So everyone knows he's available. But he's not announcing a new deal, but he's available. But I wonder if there was a lot of stuff. Do people know that though, Luke? Do the powers that be at Man United know that? I don't imagine Man United do. But I always wonder with this kind of stuff, I totally agree with you. There doesn't seem any sense in mentioning it now or saying that he's going to leave at the end of the season because, as you say, it's been widely reported anyway that his contract expires at the end of this season.

58:40But I always wonder if there is an element of like a conversation happens behind the scenes and they want to see something. You know, if you're really... It could be that Bourbon could have put Forster at his hand, basically. Yeah, but even like an other club in a chat with his agent or with him directly, be like, if you're really serious about leaving them, We would like to see something publicly here.

59:01Luke Moore: Also as well, generally speaking, yes. Never underestimate, though, how those at the top of football clubs don't always know what they're doing. Oh, I think that's fair. Yeah, that's fair. And so I think surely they'll be aware that his contract's up and all the rest of it, as you say. But this also could mean that the people who make decisions at the top of the football clubs, they do sometimes scan fan opinion. And I don't think necessarily that's a bad thing, by the way. But they can do. So if Irreale suddenly says, you know, I'm free, it reminds everybody, or indeed highlights, that, oh, he is, you know, there's a very talented manager who people thought, people think is going to go far in the game.

59:38Luke Moore: He's only 43, so he's not spring chicken, but he's still pretty young-ish as a manager. And suddenly, I think you will have fans of other Premier League clubs singing in a minute here. That's not, is it ridiculous to think, you know, I know that he's had the backing, but is it ridiculous for Newcastle fans to think, well, actually, hang on a minute, maybe Man And United fans. That is a lot of bad shots. You could even say Liverpool fans. I know the whole Xabi Alonso thing, but we're not sure if they're that gone on him or not, the board. So there's a number of huge jobs. I mean, our man David Kartlitz said, he messaged or tweeted, saying that he thinks that he'll stay in the Premier League because he said the athletic Bilbao job will always be there for him.

1:00:18Luke Moore: Yes, fair. Athletic club, should I say. Fair, yeah, fair. So you're right, Luke. I mean, it would always be there. However, how often does that job come up? I think that that would be a decent bet if you think he was going to go there. Either or, he is going to go to a huge club. He's not going to main night because Jim Ratcliffe literally won't be able to pick him out of a line-up. But if he turns up for the interview in the reception, and Jim Ratcliffe walks down there and there's more than one person in the reception... Are you a member of staff? Because if you are, why are you here? You should have been main for a dozen years ago.

1:00:48Why is the count from Sesame Street here? He's going to give him a lunchbox with a fucking sandwich in there. He's not going to give him that. I said something we know. Season drinking here too. He's like, you pay for that. By the way, you've also got to talk about it from Bournemouth's point of view. It's a very trepidatious time for Bournemouth fans as well. The next appointment they make is vital. It's vital because he's been so good for them.

1:01:09Luke Moore: I think that Iriola, I think, if the athletic job's there, then that absolutely makes sense. And I think he would be brilliant for them. I think he'd be brilliant wherever he goes. And I would like to see him stay in the Premier League if I'm being a little bit selfish. because I think he would do a brilliant, brilliant job wherever he goes. Of course, he's never managed a huge side like you mentioned in Man United and slightly cheekily Liverpool and one or two others. Man City United, that's not the same job though. No, no, no, true. Chelsea, I mean, there'll be a vacancy there. I would strongly recommend he doesn't go there.

1:01:45Luke Moore: Sorry, sorry. I mean, I know you're saying about a big club, but Man City United aren't the big club job that it was. And I think it... he would be able to look at him and be like, you know what, I don't need that. But he would also, fine, but he would also look at that and go, I'm 43, I'm Andoni Arreola. If May and I are at the top of their game, I'm not getting near that job anyway. Yeah, yeah. So it's about circumstance. Well, it is. And also, you know, they will probably be in the Champions League next season. That would be a huge pull for a lot of people. I mean, Chelsea, you know, for reasons that we haven't got time to go into now, because there's Champions League to talk about tonight, Chelsea's a time bomb.

1:02:21It is. It's an absolute time bomb. But it makes you rich, baby. Well, it only makes you rich if it doesn't go off in your face.

1:02:28Luke Moore: Yeah, true. Your reputation might be scuffled. Or is it? I don't know. You can end up at the World Cup like Graham Potter. But I imagine if Irola goes there and he's with that squad and Todd Burley's like, yeah, we thought we'd sign loads of exciting young players and sell them, but it's not really the market for it. And Irola, having come from Bournemouth, is like, mate, loads of people are buying players. That's true. It took half of ours. Oh, dear. Well, it is conceivable to think that Iroyana may be managing in the Champions League next season. If he goes to Athletic, then he won't be. But he could stay here in the Premier League.

1:03:01Luke Moore: Anyway, let's get back to Champions League action. Arsenal host Sporting tonight. They're 1-0 up from the first leg. Ooh, how do they go about this one? Declan Rice missed Arsenal's open training session yesterday. Arsenal have been missing Duran Timber, Bukai Saka, Martin Odegaard and Riccardo Calafiori in recent weeks. so Luke Moore is this a disaster waiting to happen I am I enjoyed your guys assessment Monday of Arsenal I thought it was I thought it was spot on I think I felt the palpable sense of Jim's like despair I think my only thing I'd add to it is just that and you guys touched on it but didn't go into it in detail I would just add that they need to essentially start playing players that aren't so systemic because the system is the problem Dalman yeah and you know it's Dalman it's Eze it's to an extent Madueke the difference between their season being a total car crash that's going to be remembered forever and them actually limping over the line in the league or getting to a final of the Champions League or whatever is they need to find a way of letting some of these players that historically Arteta has been reticent to sign anyway he's always traditionally liked to sign these good little boys who'll do whatever he says the problem is the system, the edifice is crumbling.

1:04:20And the only players who are going to get you out of this are these players who play with reckless abandon, who try things in the final third, and who aren't systemic players by nature. And like I say, it's Eze and it's Dalman, and it's possibly Madueke as well. He needs to give them license. They're already a goal up. Regardless of all that's gone on in the last few weeks, they're a better side than Sporting. He needs to inject some confidence in the team. And the way they're going to do that is by throwing the shackles off. And a lot of these players, they aren't capable of doing that because they don't play like that.

1:04:50You know, Rice doesn't play like that. Zubemene doesn't play like that. Gokeres doesn't play like that. Trossard doesn't play like that. You know, a lot of these players... Odegaard stopped playing like that. Odegaard has stopped playing entirely. Yeah. And some of the other players are injured. And I would argue actually to be a little bit more cheeky about what I'm saying, part of the reason Saka has been so below his level is because he's being asked to do this. Right? Saka's not traditionally a player like that but he's been kind of made into one. and we've lost something with him, then there could be other reasons for that.

1:05:19So I think in summary, they need to find a way of throwing the shackles off, and this is an ideal place to do it. And I know that sounds a bit counterintuitive because the quarterfinal of a Champions League is a big game, but you're playing at home against a side you're better than, and you're already a goal ahead. Play with some confidence. Just say to, I know this is really simplistic, but like it's the old thing about, you know, George Best back in the day, just give the ball to George, and the rest of us are just slotted around him. Now, ESA isn't George Best, obviously, but he is a player who at this stage of the season traditionally can really do something it'll pull something out of the fire and if you've given Like he did against

1:05:54Luke Moore: Bayer Leverkusen Exactly Stunning goal Both of the goals Exactly That first half just be like don't watch the fucking TikTok reels watch that and be like look this is how we are It's becoming way too overthought and you can see it a mile off Arteta can't get out of his own way Well hang on he did say yesterday I feel fire I'm on fire I'm dreaming so much I've done He just simply has to stop talking. Stop talking. He's like, stop talking. Go and do a short quote. And you couldn't let me get to the end of it. Every press conference, every media thing he does now is basically like, well, would someone who's rattled say this?

1:06:30Yeah, he would, yeah. Exactly. He would. Yeah. Almost after a while, he just goes really red and starts crying. Go and do a pre-req interview with Stephen Bartlett and don't let it be out to the end of the season and get it all off your chest. Do it there, right? Take a fine for not answering any questions for any journalist. Just do that. You can afford it. You'll feel better for it. You almost shrink that podcast. It's like, look, this is a bullshit amnesty. Just go in there, say whatever you want to say. Yeah, exactly. Do the hand of the heart or the heart fucking the brain and whatever. Just, you know, your spleen sucking off your nose, whatever.

1:07:04And just get it out of your way. Just put it in there. That's how I feel about it. I don't know if you guys share the thoughts. Ultimately, the system has become the problem. and if you completely enslave yourself to this system it has shown repeatedly to not be good enough and it's all very well beating half decent teams in November right that's fine you're good you've got to do that if you want to give yourself a platform to go on and win stuff right that's fine but you know Jim said it on Monday I think or certainly someone did Arteta's record when it fucking counts i.e. April is a key month it's diabolical by his own standards.

1:07:43There's got to be a reason for that. Has to be a reason for that.

1:07:46Luke Moore: It has to be. He hates Easter. Might be, yeah. Oh, dear. Well, Arsenal be sporting. It is a huge, huge evening. I'm excited for the game, I haven't said all that. In North London. And elsewhere in the Champions League, the aforementioned Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. Yes, fucking brilliant. You're loving that. The first leg was so good. Yeah, it was brilliant. It just, yeah. You think to yourself, Bayern Munich winning their 2-1 and how good they've been and how sloppy Madrid have been a little bit and so on. Surely it's, nah, You can't say that, can you? I get a fee in though, honestly, and this could come back to bite me.

1:08:16I totally understand your guys' excitement. There's a good chance that Bayern Munich just take the game away from that. I'd like to see that. But the way they would do that, I feel like it kind of happened in the first leg, and it has been happening throughout the season, but there is going to be an Elysée game, isn't there? Where it's like... He's had a few of them. But there's going to be like a... It's kind of this stage of the Champions League type game, or maybe a game in the World Cup,

1:08:38Luke Moore: where he rips his top off when he scores and he's got an England shirt underneath. He's going, don't worry boys, I'm back. Or should I let that go? No, I like that. Especially at the world, yeah. Do you guys? I'm a secret agent. I've been playing both sides. It's a cold war all over again. I'm fucking it. Agent Zigzag, come back. But basically the point I'm going to make is like, he has like, that kind of, that might be the best player in the world. I see what you mean, yeah. We know he's trending towards it, but this might be the night where he's like, good lord. It would be Charles de Gauling.

1:09:12And I also wonder whether the absence of Chiuameni might be a big blow for them. He's played, I think, every Champions League game. He's been good. And he's suspended. It's a big night at the Champions League tonight. It is. But I feel like Bayern might take the game away from Real Madrid tonight. I think it might just be a bit kind of open and shut.

1:09:29Luke Moore: We shall see, sir. Yeah. We shall see. Oh, briefly, while we're talking about Real Madrid things, have you seen that Carlos Quiroz is back in business? He's the new Cardiff manager. He'll be at the World Cup. Of course he will be. Gun for hire. Come on. Danny Glover you gotta love that yeah one last job Carlos great stuff you got to love that do we feel for the Ghana air manager that qualified them we do I feel for all of Ghana with this news quite frankly but again what's good what's good what's good for the realm may not be good for your country I haven't I'll be honest with you I haven't bothered to check why there was a vacancy there so I don't actually know he went what was his name Otto Addo yeah they didn't like this style of play Carlos Kiroz It's great.

1:10:12Luke Moore: I don't remember. How many of the slides - When you word it like that. Listen, with Karl's curious, we're trying to get the job. How many of the slides in the presentation deck had Alex Ferguson in them? How many pictures of Alex Ferguson? If it's a 20-slide deck, I reckon 10 of them were Sir Alex. Oh, here he is with his arm around me on holiday. Here he is that time when I passed him that note. He's gonna be sucking his - oh no, sorry. You weren't meant to see that one. Also, just going through his CV and being like, You spent eight years as manager of Iran. I was like, yeah, didn't like it.

1:10:42You went back in 2022. Yeah, it was not bad, is it? Yeah.

1:10:46Luke Moore: Blimey, O 'Reilly. Oh, dear. His 10th international side. What a long show, by the way. Yeah. Hour and five minutes. Champions League. Yeah. Carlos Quiroz. Yeah, exactly. So denied as Yogi Love, by the way. Pompey win. Pompey win. I think I speak on behalf. Some Bournemouth slander as well. Overrated Bournemouth. Exactly. People are always going on about Bournemouth. I just think people... There's one for uncut. Thanks for listening to the Football Ramble, part of the Acast Creator Network. Friends of the Ramble, don't go anywhere. Keep listening for Ramble Uncut. We're going to be talking about Bournemouth.

1:11:17Luke Moore: We're going to be talking about Vish's bow tie that he wore last night. If you're not a friend of the Ramble, what are you doing with your life? Head over to patreon.com forward slash football ramble to sign up now. There we are. I didn't realise that in that quote you said earlier about Mikel Arteta, he ended the quote by saying, zero fear, which is exactly what a scared person would say. Yeah, zero fear. Yeah, yeah. Not scared of you, Mr. Lion. Actually, if you punch a shark in the nose, no, fuck off. Just get out of the sea. Get out of there. I'm not mentioning Pep Guardiola. Why are you mentioning him?

1:11:46I've never fucking heard of him.

1:11:48Luke Moore: Thank you, Luke Moore. Thanks. Thank you, Vish. Cheers. And thank you, the people of Portman.

1:12:01The Football Ramble is a Stack Production and part of the Acast Creator Network.

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