Forest Draw Needs More Credit! | Focus On All of Amad’s Positives | I LOVE Van Dijk Being Prickly

0:00You want to get your backyard summer ready, but you don't want to break the bank? Wayfair gets it. Planning on dining al fresco or relaxing poolside? Wayfair has everything you need to prep your space. Shop now and save up to 70 % off during Wayfair's 4th of July clearance. Score huge deals on outdoor furniture, area rugs, and more. We're talking thousands of products for every style and budget. Plus, surprise flash deals July 6th. Don't wait. Shop Wayfair's 4th of July clearance now through July 6th at Wayfair.com. Wayfair, every style, every home. Last season, we lose that game. Two goals away from home in quick succession, the ground up, their team lifted as well.

0:41We probably lose it three or four won. And I threw myself into when I was in change rooms, when you were fighting for the leagues, which is different, I know, but you still, there has to be someone in there that sets that tone that can really kind of adjust the mindset.

1:01Yes, guys, we are back with another episode of Rio Presents, backed and presented by no other than Crafted, our partners. And you know what? I've got to say, I'm really happy to have Joel Baer with us today because Arsenal win and I know the confidence is going to be sky high. And I'm really looking forward to seeing how Stee has taken a draw away at Nottingham Forest because I've had mixed reviews. You know what, Joel, let's go Joel first because is humble difficult for you? It's very humble. It's very humble. Now, because you know what? Yeah, let's just lay it out. I was talking to producer George.

1:35What, when you've had the success, David? We're eight points clear at the moment of Man United. I remember last week, it was like, oh, we're only six points behind. Listen, every week we're running away from the pack and no one's talking about it. Where's the articles? Where's the fact that we've only conceded one shot in the whole of October? We need more props, guys. No trophies, no mini trophies, no cigars. But end of the day, people need to recognise this is the best Arsenal team that we've had since the Invincibles. That's serious. We're going to get into Arsenal a little bit later, Rob, but you can't say you're the best Arsenal team since the Invincibles.

2:09You've not won nothing. You've had a good couple of months. I've seen them on for doubles and trebles all the way into like February, March before it all inevitably crumbles. Now, I'll be honest with you, you're going to win the league this year. That's right. Say it again. Say it again. You're going to win the league, right? So what? look who you're up against you're up against City who don't know their arse from their elbow go on Rio one thing I would say it don't matter who your opponents are you've still got to win the league it's still hard so I think if they win it they deserve all the props that they're going to get and all the gloating that they're going to be doing they're going to deserve it but what's different between now and the last three years the last three years they probably had a better opposition that they were going up against but you've started exactly the same way you had the last three years nah we're a better team now Steve look we're going to talk about Arsenal later let's keep it to Man United and they're a fantastic draw on the weekend.

3:00Go on, you guys kick it off. The first thing that I thought was what tone is the manager going to set in that change room when he walks in there? Because there's no doubt the guys, they've won a couple of games on the spin, rebuilding confidence and trying to build some momentum, which is fine. And then drawing a game at Nottingham Forest where people were going, you know what? They should beat Forest. They expect to beat Forest. New managers come in, et cetera. The tone that the manager sets once he gets in that change room when they leave that ground was vitally important. And the tone that I was suggesting that he has to set is this isn't two points dropped.

3:34This is a point gained. And I threw myself into when I was in change rooms when you were fighting for the leagues, which is different, I know. But you still, there has to be someone in there that sets that tone that can really kind of adjust the mindset. Because I think it can quite easily get into a position where you come in and you go, oh, we should have won that, man. And we expected to win that. That disappointment then, it hits the nervousness in the change room. It creeps back into being a bit negative. You can't have that when you're on the trajectory that we're on at the moment where you're trying to build and you're trying to put the pieces in place to build some confidence.

4:11Last season, we lose that game. Two goals away from home in quick succession, the ground up, their team lifted as well. We probably lose it three or four, one. we hung in there got to the end of the fight and got our point we got our point and I think that's one you have to take it like that and I think the way you draw a game sometimes you win it late like that and even Ahmad had another chance at the end saved off the line so hopefully they went into the change room a bit more positive and feeling that you know what we can show resilience we have got resilience and actually we're building a bit more confidence and we're a different team to what we were last year.

4:56I think in the past, if you can see the goal when you're flying, like when Rio was playing and we were good, you could score against United and you could see it in the opposition eyes. It didn't matter. You knew United was going to throw the kitchen sink at you and probably score and probably level it up and maybe still beat you anyway. Like, this United team doesn't have that. We aren't that. And we don't have that confidence and that ability. And Agafa's right. in previous seasons we'd concede and we'd be like well that's that then you're playing against a Sean Dyche team you know exactly what's going to happen he's just got in front at home he's going to put everyone behind the ball he's going to play time wasting he's going to send it out for throw-ins he's going to put it in the channel he's not going to do anything to risk that result and even with those circumstances we still managed to keep creating chances and we didn't change the plan we didn't throw the kitchen sink at it we just kept doing our thing and it paid off and Bruno's at the post they've had one cleared off the line and I think the disappointment comes because we feel like we turned a corner you know you look at that run that we've been on through Sunderland you know getting a point three points away at Anfield we felt like we'd really started to motor in the right direction and yeah if you zoom out and look at it you go in that run getting a draw against Forrest isn't the be-all and end-all.

6:20And it's not the worst thing that you could have done. It'd have been nice to get three points. They haven't been in great form though, Steve. And I'm just, I have to be honest with you. Yeah, we can say Forrest have been solid in previous seasons, but this hasn't been their best season. No, it's not. And that's why they got rid of the manager. But that's the first home game they've had under Sean Dyson, is it not? That's what I was going to say. I would agree with you, Joel, if the previous manager was still there. But when you get a new manager in his first home game, That place is going to be bouncing.

6:48And as a player, you don't want to be going, his first home game, no, no. I'd rather someone else take that fixture than us. It's difficult. It's difficult circumstances, especially when they go 2-1 up as well, the way that they did in quick succession. You can imagine, I wasn't there, but you can imagine how that place, the roof, if it had one, would have lifted off, I'm sure. Rocking, rocking. What about Rio? The difference this season? What are the ingredients in giving Amirim and his squad that different feeling? That the front three are a different proposition. the ball's going up is sticking.

7:18The ball's going up and we're getting chances. The ball's going up and we're creating stuff. The ball's going up and we're putting the opposition defenders on the back foot. This wasn't happening consistently last season. There's a consistency with that that enables you to get a bit of confidence in the game. And also, as a defender, thinking from that perspective, I know the ball's going up there. We're going to cause them problems. I can be on the front foot a bit more. I can be a bit more aggressive in my actions. And so I think the impact of the front three takeaway goals, I think, is a huge, huge uplift on what we had last season, 100%.

7:52And that's almost normally the platform for good performances is the defence. But I think as much as that this season will be the front three. And I think the goalkeeper has a huge credit to take as well. That confidence that he's bringing through, a quiet confidence as well that he's bringing through the team, which is, I think, immeasurable. No, agreed. and I think Kunya has a lot to do with that, you know, up top Rio. I think when you look at him, the way he keeps the ball, I've been pretty impressed with him, I have to say. Stee, Ashley Williams on Match of the Day, right, he said that Amarim's next conundrum is working out how to give Ahmad the defensive help he needs to thrive in that wing-back role.

8:31Now, I think he was a little bit harsh on Ahmad. I think people have been a little bit harsh on Ahmad on that game. What's your thoughts when you heard Ashley Williams say that? I think Ahmad does a hell of a lot of grafting defensively. And he's actually usually pretty good in the air. I think it was just unfortunate timing. I think Jor-O and him, probably a little bit naive in experience, not being able to recognize or maybe not having dealt with a ton of crosses coming in from the areas that they were coming in for and looking for the sort of thing that they were looking for. And them happening twice in quick succession.

9:09I don't know I'd be more annoyed at Deleuze's reaction if anything else Deleuze standing around on his heels like not you know not having a bit of a red zone thinking about it as the balls come into that area and want to clear it Forrest have just reacted better than us in both of those circumstances they're both preventable goals but I think that they'll learn from it I think Amad will learn from it we've already seen Joron make mistakes in the league and then not make those mistakes again which I think is such a great trait that he's got like he's been roasted and then doesn't get beat in the same manner again and I think that's all that's all experience is right is just seeing stuff recognising where where you went wrong with it and then improving on it but Steve I think Steve just back to Amadon that's the set piece especially there's there's cultured renowned defenders that get beat in those scenarios week in week out do you know what I mean that a set piece when you misplay you misplace timing or whatever it is there's nothing that's going to be able to improve him drastically in that situation, and I don't expect him to.

10:12I just think sometimes we get too caught up in what players can't do. He has given us so much going forward. His partnership and his telepathy with Mbouma has been... I think even defensively, Rio. He is grafting. He puts in the work. That's what I'm saying. A set piece. I don't think you look at him and go, you know what, actually, I have to look at someone. What he's given you going forward and what he's telling the opposition winger, they're having to chase him after time that's what you want he's putting other teams on the back foot I just think he's a wonderful footballer would he be better as a right winger I think he would be but that's not detracting away from what he's doing I think as a right wing back I think he's just what this team need in this position right now I'm more worried about the left hand side than the right so am I I agree even with even really can you elaborate why quickly please Steve I think Deleuze probably had two good games since Amarim's been here and I can't really understand why.

11:12I don't know why he still keeps getting picked. He's had some really, really sloppy performances. The problem that you've got with this wing-back system, especially when you play a team like Nottingham Forest under Sean Dyche, like people were going on about how quiet Sesco had a game. I think he's still got three shots off. If that's a quiet game, then I can't wait for him to have a busy one. Away from home as well. Yeah. Again, Sean Dyche. The Sean Dyche big striker Sean Dyche's manner is a big target man So he knows exactly how to play against your big target man So I didn't expect him to have anything And the entire forward three were pretty quiet still I thought Cunha was still probably the best of the three But it was all pretty quiet Which means that you've got to go wide And that's why Ahmad found loads of joy We did find a lot of ball on the left-hand side as well It's just not been the final ball is not coming from there but those are the people that are ending up in space he's going to go narrow and compact 4-4-2 which means that those wing backs are going to be the extra outlet every single time and we did go through those i thought bruno and casemiro had a great game finding those players in the wide spaces i thought it was fantastic switches of play coming from both of those we just couldn't find that final ball but guess what when people defend the box as diligently as they're gonna when it's Sean Dyeshoos on the sideline, it's hard to break down.

12:33I don't think in open play, I've got much problem with Ahmad. I think his effort and his intent is there. Yes, there's things that he can learn and timing, but that's time on a training pitch and time in that position and seeing the pictures consistently so he knows he's not thinking about when to press, when not to press, when to stand off, when to engage. Again, I'm looking at what he gives us in a positive mind frame rather than thinking about him defensively. Same thing with Trent. People talk about Trent and always harp on about what he can't do. But we've seen this season, they're missing what he can do with the ball in the Liverpool team.

13:11And I think it's just trying to find a balance where one's not outweighing the other massively. And there's no way that I look at Alain and go, oh, he's not defending. He can't defend so many different moments in the game. But he is doing really well with the ball. No, I think he's probably 90-10 in terms of percentage ratio. He's doing really well. How many handballs he's had? Do you know why he's been getting all these handballs against him? Because he's in the box trying to defend. The attitude on him is absolutely perfect. He is an absolute bulldog. He gets amongst it. He might get beat in the air because he's only as tall as he is.

13:47But he's got the perfect attitude to be an absolute terror of a player. I love him. That was Eric Ten Hag's biggest crime in my opinion. Still playing the likes of Anthony over him. Do you know what his biggest crime was? Was allowing Alvaro Fernandes to not get any games Signed Molassia and now we're watching him Rarsing it up at Real Madrid Top bins at the weekend Right in the stanchion He was always good enough Rio Always good enough He went and got player of the year on loan In a championship which is hard to do as a teenage A teenage defender gets player of the year In a championship you know that that's something special And he goes yeah cool story nerd I'm going to go sign Molassia that's his biggest crime that and signing Highland actually do you know what he's got a lot of crime he's got a charge sheet and a half I'm bringing Kareem Ten Hag Ten Hag has got a few crime sheets man right man we've got loads still to come right on this pod but we'll be back shortly after this you want to get your backyard summer ready but you don't want to break the bank Wayfair gets it planning on dining al fresco or relaxing poolside Wayfair has everything you need to prep your space shop now and save up to 70 % off during Wayfair's 4th of July clearance.

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15:54Andy Mitten wrote in an article saying that the Zerbi was the first choice to replace Sen Haag but he asked for too much money so the club pulled out. Rio, what did you think when you saw that article? Who cares? We're in the moment where Amirim is starting to find a bit of positivity and then we're writing about someone who could have or should have taken the job over a year ago. It's just nonsense really. I just think it's... I knew that ages ago but there's no what's the point like it's and I listen De Zerbe was one of my first choices if I would have been looking to recruit a manager back then he would have been one of my first choices so that's history that's gone yeah Rio in the in the last couple of weeks there's been some quite strategic sort of talking from the United hierarchy I thought Jim Ratcliffe now in hindsight coming out when he did in the international break saying Judge Amirim after three years absolutely quieting down so much noise and probably helped contribute to that run that we've just gone on I thought that was a master stroke and also I know you would have seen Jason Wilcox's little piece that he did which I'm sure there was no coincidence that comes out on the back of three wins but I liked what he said in that and I like what I'm hearing about him around the club as well Yeah well I know Jason Wilcox obviously I played with him at Leeds and great guy first and foremost honest as they come straight as you like which is great but he's got a clear clear plan an idea of how he sees things progressing at Manchester United.

17:20And I think they're going to be like, not stubborn is probably the wrong word, but they're going to be like, this is what we're doing. And very little is going to change in that aspect. And a result or two here or there isn't going to change their approach. And I think they've shown their true colours in that respect because when United have dipped in a bit of form, a lot of noise has been coming around the club and the manager's job, et cetera. And they put their flag in the sand and said, listen, this is what we're doing. And I agree with you. So Jim Radcliffe's comments at that time, I think in time, could go down as a moment where you go, that was probably the time where things kind of changed and looked like every player had to get behind the manager because the hierarchy is saying he's going nowhere.

18:08I have to ask Steele, yeah? It's been one year since Amarim has been in charge at Man United. We're 10 games into the season so far. What grade are you giving him overall? I think last year it was poor It didn't have to be poor I don't think That's not an excuse to say like Oh maybe it had to be poor No it didn't have to be poor But it was poor But I think that He understands the club I hope he understands the league a lot more My issue with him at the start of this season And I did lose faith in him this season was that we were seeing the same thing and the same mistakes, and we'd seen it all the way through pre-season.

18:49I was thinking, if we're seeing this from pre-season, and I'm still seeing it five, six games into the season, we're not going to change. This is what we're going to do. But a month ago, the Sunderland game especially, we started to see different shapes, and almost overnight, United stopped pressing so aggressively from midfield. and we started to see different shapes and a lot more compact shapes. And we became a lot happier to kind of play off the back foot at times and let you have the ball rather than always try and take it off you at all times. So all we wanted to see was that, was learning and evolution.

19:30So I feel like if you looked at it chunk for chunk, we haven't actually overtaken what Zen Haag did at United yet. We dipped so far that even though we're on an upward trajectory now, we still probably not quite got back to baseline. I agree. United's aim is not to win the league this year. We at the start of the season, we was probably talking like, Oh, maybe eight, maybe nine where we sit right now. I think we're coming top six. I don't know where in the top six, maybe six, but we will take that as progress from 15. I said to Rio, that should have been the aim. And I know Rio said that it was top eight and I was fighting the case.

20:08I was saying, nah, you should still be going for top six. and I can see that happening for Man United this season. I can. You can see it happening, yeah, but I don't know if you could have said you have to go from 15th to top six. That's a mad swing. It's just being realistic. That's an incredible swing. It's being realistic, which is hard for some Arsenal fans to be, which I understand. But I think we'll finish top six based on what I'm seeing right now and I'll be content with that massively. But I think we've got to move on to Arsenal. I think you guys have started the season so well. 10 games into the season, six points clear.

20:42Liverpool at this stage of the season last year were three points clear of Man City and went on to win the league. I'll say this to you, Joe. Can you see Arsenal losing it from here? Not the league, no. I think it's going to get tough because no one wins the league in November. But I think what we have this year, Rio, is we have the tools, man. And when you break it down, the defence has gone even better, right? You've got the likes of Califuri, Lewis Skelly covering that left-hand side. Timber looking like one of the best right-backs in the world. And everybody knows what our centre-backs can do and our backup centre-back, by the way.

21:17And then you've got Rice playing as good as ever. You've got the likes of Havertz that still need to come back. You've got Gokoresh, who it doesn't look pretty, but he's doing what he has to do. And that's not including Eze and Martinelli, everybody putting in their bits. Just you mentioned Gokoresh there. What do you feel about him, Giocares? Are you happy with him? I've seen some of your fan base and some actually just people in the media talking about, oh, he doesn't look pretty. Look, he's an ugly player the way he plays. I've seen a few memes about him. What do you make of him? He's not the player that we thought we were going to get because let's be honest with you, a lot of people don't watch the Portuguese league inside out.

21:59They would have seen flashes of him in the Champions League. When you think of Giocares, you're thinking 97 goals in 102 games for Sporting Lisbon. You think of this Harry Kane type goal scorer. Then you see him. He looks a bit hench. It's not as smooth. It's not as clean, you know. So people might not really be having him because it's not the Arsenal way, I should say. Whereas when you, it's true. If you look at our strikers, that's why people didn't like Giroud in the beginning because they weren't used, they were used of Henri. What's the Arsenal way? just a smooth type player. You had that once in Henri.

22:35Yeah, no, once. But if you look, a lot of our players could play football, whether it be Canu, whether it be, you know, players in the past, Bergkamp, Van Persie. We have a particular style of strikers that we usually go for. Now, when you look at Gokhiresh, let's be honest with you, that's not the case. But Rio, he bullies defenders and he makes space and opens up space for other people to do what they have to do. I'll give him that. Yeah, I don't agree with all this. sorry, he's a flat-track bully, etc. Well, you know what? Who cares if he is? That might be just what you need. Listen, of all the great strikers who've played in the Premier League in yesteryear, none of them were just players that you went, they scored most of their goals against the biggest teams.

23:16They scored loads of goals against the biggest teams. They didn't. When you win the league as well, the big games against your title rivals, them games take care of themselves normally, right? Because there's nothing to worry about in terms of mental preparation for those games. Everyone's focused. Everyone's tuned in, all right? A lot of the time, most of the time, you lose your games when you don't beat the teams you're meant to beat. You drop points. Where did you drop points back in the last season? It was the smaller teams, I would say. Smaller teams, yeah? Yeah, yeah. The West Hams. If he's the type of player that's going to go and bully those type of teams, you guys should go and win the league then.

23:51That's the missing part of the jigsaw you were looking for. So all of this, oh, yeah, but he can't do it against the bigger teams. Who cares? Someone else in your team will find a way. You guys have got 11 different scorers in the Premier League. Nobody else has more than that. That tells you you're sharing enough goals around. If he can bully them rubbish teams and them average teams, you lot are onto something and I think you're going to win the league. And I think a big part of it is that when the going gets tough, sometimes people sit there and go, but Arsenal will just lose a bit of concentration.

24:19One of those teams will be a banana skin for him. If he's playing and he's doing what he's doing right now and he plays to type from what we're seeing now. You guys get them games won and you win the league and you'll be forever thankful for someone like him. No, I agree. But I don't know if that's going to cut it next season and we are yet to see what that looks like. Why are you thinking of next season? Win it this year first. We're going to win it though, Rio. We know we're going to win. It's in the bag. It's in the bag. This is why no one wants you to win. Clip it up. You're up against Liverpool and City.

24:49The whole country should be behind you. Clip it up. Because you're a witch, this is what you get. Clip it up. put it on crafted socials everywhere. Yeah. But also Rio, I have to say, we're going to see what, what, what his strengths near the latter end of the season. You know, when we get to the latter stages of the champions league, when we're, you know, further on, hopefully in the FA cup, when that for me is when we should start judging him right now. No qualms. No qualms. Told you though, you lot all thought you needed a 25 goal a season striker. Told you you didn't. It's not the way you play.

25:21I still think he gets 25 goals a season though, Steve. I think he does. I think he will. I think he could do. I would not be surprised if he does because he's going to get the opportunities. He's going to get the chances to do it. It's whether he's clinical enough to finish him. But I agree with us. I saw Arteta talking about him. He gives him something different. I think Steve said that. He was harping on about that before. He's a different profile striker that's going to free up others. So, listen, I think he stays fit. You guys, I think you win the Premier League. Before I move on, Rio, Steve, what are your thoughts on Gio Koreshin and what he brings tactically?

25:58Because at the start, you were saying, you did say that we didn't need him and it could hinder us. But from what you've seen so far, what's your thoughts now? I thought the Arsenal fan base, as it usually does, looks at, we just need a striker that's going to score loads and loads of goals. But that wasn't what Arsenal were good at. What Arsenal were good at and what Havertz was good at was getting involved in the build-up play. He was a false nine, really. He was a target man that played as a playmaker. It was a really bizarre sort of position, but I think he enabled how you play. Jokeres plays it a little bit different, but I think the likes of Eze have probably been more impactful than him because of what they deliver.

26:38And I also do think that Arteta has evolved how yous lot play slightly. It's all about goals, guys. And speaking about goals, I have to say, the hot strikers in the world right now, Rio, we've been going back and forth in the group chat who's the best in the world Mbappe, Haaland or Kane have you got their stats Rio? you can't pick three more different strikers even really that's exactly what I was going to say I think it all depends on what team and structure and style of football you want to play if you want to be a team that just sits back plays on the counter a little bit Haaland's your absolute man for that.

27:19Even Mbappe could probably go Haaland in that sense, right? Or if you're going to go, right, just be the man to stay in the box and just get on the end of things. Right? Haaland's probably your man for that as well, right? But if you're going to say, listen, I'm going to go out there and just play off the cuff a little bit and just find a way to score a goal, Mbappe. Mbappe's that guy. If you want a guy to dictate the play, you want someone to be on the end of things, you want him to play make as well, right and if a chance does finish in the box invariably if it falls to him he'll put it in the back of the net then it's Kane as well there's so many different ways of playing football if you want a bit of freedom to be able to move out and go wide at times and be a bit more of a maverick Mbappe's your man for that so I think there's too many variables in who you'd have in your team but Pick one Rio today right now on Rio Presents who you're picking I'm going to go this way right if I'm paying to go and watch one of those players play, it'd probably be Mbappe.

28:20Yes. Because their explosive speed, he's dribbling power, he's now finishing like ridiculously well again. Like, all of that, I think, I'd probably just, it'd just pip it for me. But the other two, there's something about Haaland, even I watched his goal the other day when he ran again from the halfway line and just thought like, there's something about him, he just can grip the stadium and take over the stadium with one moment. Nice. And I think the difference with Kane is he produces moments throughout the game that you go, no one else can do that on the pitch as well. In terms of it's a pass from 40 yards, he can run back, win a ball on the edge of his box and then all of a sudden create a chance from that moment.

29:01But he can also produce a finish that's almost like a golf swing. And you can see there's reps that he's put in. It just looks like the fundamentals are perfect. They're all great, man. Yeah, we need to clip that bit up, Rio. that was a really good summary there well done i like that um steve if you had the choice to see any of those free strikers in a manchester united shirt which one would you pick

29:29don't disown harlan because he plays for city by the way i want i'm probably i would probably lean towards harlan because of the way we play at the moment he would probably work the best in our system if you get kane you've got no one that's going to go up kane probably will too to be honest with you because if you had Kane and Buma and Cunha are going to run on beyond him I think that would work really effectively um if you have Mbappe I wouldn't play him as the nine I'd probably play him on the left hand side where Cunha is at the moment and it all works wouldn't it it all work yeah do you know what I'll take third pick whoever you two are whatever's left over I'm not asked because they're all class nah you gotta let us know in the comments what you think people who are you picking is the best striker in the world right about now but really Harlan, by the way, just before, Harlan is a monster, isn't he?

30:13He's a monster. Centre-arfs are just, I can see him quaking in their boots when he starts running. I can feel it. How are you defending him? Are you getting tight or are you giving him space? There's no way I'm allowing him to run in the way he is in these games. The other day, I forget the centre-arfs name, he actually ran out of the area. You know Harlan lives and breathes in. He ran out to go to a playoff. And I was like, defend the space, do not let your man run. Bounce him before he starts running. get you haven't got don't try and get physical because he's mauling these centre-halves just bounce him put him off a little bit like mate give me a dark heart Rio one I can give the lads what's what we're saying we're going to grab a hand we're going to what we're going to push a hip what we're saying yeah push push to go round one side come the other like little things before the ball's even coming before before the referee's looking at where the ball's going you're there earlier you've given him a little nudge out of the way all of a sudden he's looking at you his focus has gone from the game, he's never going to get a pass.

31:10Do you know what I mean? Like little things where you're just taking his eye off the game. Make him lose concentration. Make him think, what's he doing, man? Like you've got to distract these guys because he's that good that he gets a moment and gets a chance. He's punishing you. And the last thing you do is you vacate an area where he wants to live and breathe in, which is blimmin' where there's loads of grass. That's what they're doing at the minute. It's crazy. But this City team do pull players about and I would give them credit for that as well. Rio, how would you play against Giocares? the flat-track bully apparently.

31:39How would you defend against him? It's different with him. Well, not different, but Arsenal are really kind of dominant, aren't they? They're right up against you and they're pinning you back. Listen, he's someone physically you don't want him to pin you and get too tight. Him and Haaland, I'd let them take their first touch with their back to play. Let them take it, then hit them. I'm not fighting for that first touch unless I feel it's a bad ball and I can get it. But once they take the first touch, I'm looking to hit them for the next touch. and always bouncing off of them, pushing off of them so they're going that way and not the way they want to go, which is behind you.

32:13Agreed. Listen, I want to move on quickly to Liverpool because after beating Aston Villa 2-0 at Anfield, Virgin Van Dijk criticised the outside noise and absolutely ridiculous takes. He also said, Wayne Rooney, friend of the show, he spoke about his comments about his body language and said that they were lazy criticism. Rio, do you like to hear a player like him come out and back his team or back himself? I absolutely love that Virgil van Dijk, the captain of Liverpool, is coming out and saying, I ain't having what people are saying. I don't agree with that and I don't agree with that. I think it's brilliant.

32:47This is what you want. This is what you need. You need players of character, a bit of personality. Now, whether you agree with him or not, it's a different conversation. But I like the fact that he's prickly and he reads it and he sees it, he hears it and he goes, no, I'm not having that and I'm going to call it out. and I think that the ridiculous takes and outside noise he's talking about I think yeah a lot of it he's talking about revolves around him but I'm sure he's probably referring to what people are saying about Mo Salah as well how long has Mo Salah been at Liverpool 7-8 years top scorer breaking all sorts of records and I'm seeing people because he's had a bit of a couple of months off it right or maybe 3 or 4 months off it in some people's eyes right he shouldn't start we should get rid of him are you crazy He's given you seven or eight years of absolute ridiculous numbers and ridiculous output.

33:36Got you winning again. And you're going after a little dizzy spell out of it without confidence maybe he's dropped or whatever. A form's gone a little bit. And you're going, let's get someone else in. You are nuts. And that's come from a small little segment of people in the media who support Liverpool and probably fan channels and people like that. But I don't understand it. That's why when people talk to me about loyalty, I say, you know what? shove that loyalty talk up your bum because it don't ring true enough around the game when you're meant to be loyal to people. If Mo Salah doesn't deserve a bit of loyalty and a bit of time, no one does.

34:12Same people that were crying that Trent left and absolutely going turbo on Trent in the summer are saying the future of the club is not Mo Salah. So drop him and play all the other lot. two months in the space of two months if anyone deserves to play through bad form I've never seen a player like Mo Salah that would deserve to get played through bad form surely he gets allowed to just be on the team sheet probably for the entire season before you start questioning but on Van Dijk is he the only so called top player in history that's not allowed to be criticised like every time he opens his mouth he's talking about the outside noise and what people are saying and this, that and the other.

34:55Stop talking and start defending properly rather than sticking your ass out like you're a backing dancer for Destiny's Child. This is, this is, this is the noise. He's been living rent-free of one truly good season. Stop it. Since then, the system protects him, the media protects him. Anytime he gets 1v1, he gets exposed, he's ordinary. He needs to shut up. Steve, you're taking a bit. He needs to get criticized for every single aspect of his game. You've gone way over it there. Way too far. Way too far. What I would say is that I think it's all right to come out and shout about the criticism and stuff like that.

35:27But it is part of it. I saw Steven Gerrard on TNT the other day. He was saying, listen, Liverpool captain, this is part of it. This comes with the territory. You've got to take criticism. You accept it. Listen, you can shout out and you can come and go, no, I don't agree with that. That's fine. But I just hope that, and I don't think Virgil van Dijk is the type where he thinks we shouldn't get criticised. I just think it's the type of criticism they're getting that's probably peed him off a bit. I don't think he's saying that we shouldn't be criticising, there shouldn't be people doing what they're doing and analysing what they do.

35:58It's actually some of the comments and some of the types of things that are being said that he's probably not happy with, I'm hoping. And the memes as well. What did Carragher say? Leave the game before the game leaves you? Oh, stop it, man. And he was wrong about that with Casemiro, wasn't he? Tell you what, how good did Casemiro look at weekend? That's not been touched on. He's loving one game a week. Yeah, exactly. He was your best player as well on the weekend. But anyway... Do you know what he has been for a few weeks? He's been absolutely monstrous. But listen, I want to move it on because Liverpool are actually playing Real Madrid on Tuesday and Trent is coming back to Anfield for the first time.

36:30What would your advice be, Rio? Because obviously... Don't bother. You did it versus Leeds. And look, we spoke offline, Rio, and we were looking at his stats and we've realised he hasn't featured in any of Real Madrid's last three matches and he's come back from his injury. He's not being picked. They're playing Valverde right back instead. What are we saying, man? I don't think it's gone the way that he envisaged it going. It's gone the way I envisaged it going. Yeah, Steve probably did. But I think Trent, I think he obviously, when you start thinking about how it's going to go, you're thinking about positives and playing games and getting confident and having good moments here and there.

37:06It's been anything but that so far. And he couldn't probably wish for a worse start in injuries and then not being picked. But this is a great opportunity. if he gets to start this game against Liverpool, his old team, one thing for sure is the nerves and the nervous energy flying around his body will be ridiculous. It'll be at a level he's never felt before because whenever I went back to my old clubs like Leeds or West Ham, all of the memories, all of the moments that you've had there, it's all flying around the system, right? And it's a massive, massive moment. And you know what? it's probably probably a couple of the most drained most drained moments of my career mentally and physically when you finish those games you sit there and you go and you go why do I feel like this and not till a few little while later you go you know actually the enormity of the game what it meant to me what it meant to go back there especially when I went to West Ham it was like this is a this is a mad feeling because they're like these guys love me I love them and now I'm against him.

38:07It's hard to compute sometimes. So I'm interested to see if he does play, how he deals with this mentally. Well, Rio, we're going to be looking forward to it. We're going to be watching it. And I want to say as well, everybody watching, thank you for supporting this season. You guys have been with us ride or die. The trio's been back. You know, we've been listening to the people. Joel, I've got something for you. I've got something for you, Joel. Talk to me, talk to me. I've done an interview the other day, man. You, bro. Yeah, I was in Saudi. I had to do it. I was in Saudi. I had to do one. When are me and Steve going to be invited to these interviews, Rio?

38:39Because it's just like, you know, I have no signal on my phone. Well, Steve wouldn't have wanted to come to this one because it's a Liverpool player, an ex-Liverpool player in Sadio Mane. I went to see, he showed me around his house, man. The guy's just got, the house he's living in, it was like cribs, bro. Madness, right? But, what a guy. Sadio Mane is someone I've wanted to interview for so long for more reasons than just football, right? and what a guy didn't disappoint and listen man you've got to stay tuned guys notifications on tell a friend it's coming soon make sure you stick around and watch the Sadio Mane beyond Rio meets did you did you ask him key questions not just the nice ones like oh did you get into stuff Rio yeah man well I asked him about Klopp I asked him about Sala so watch this space weee Rio you're doing it the best at the moment my friend listen thank you very much for watching and also we're looking forward to more Rio Reacts Rio We want to see some more Rio react.

39:33They're coming. I've been a bit on the beach a little bit in Dubai, so I ain't really able to react as quick. But I'm getting back to work mode. No worries. And I want to give a massive shout out to Mikel Arteta for bringing the Premier League home this season. Not getting carried away. Joel Baer, Stephen Housen, Rio Ferdinand signing out. Shout out to Crafted. And we're out. Peace.

40:03Thank you.

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