How Amorim beat Slot Tactically and Unsettled Van Dijk | Wirtz will be questioning his transfer

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0:42There's no doubt in my mind right now, when he saw his name on that team sheet that Verts was going on his way home, in the warm-up, in his bed that night. Is this the right decision?

0:59Right, guys, we are back with another episode of Rio Presents, and we're brought to you by Crafted, as always. Steve, joining me for this one. I know you couldn't wait to get on today. I can see the face expression tells me you've had a decent weekend, and it's three points that's made that happen. But there's only one place to start, man, and what I was talking about before, it's Anfield, it's Man United, and it's three points. First victory in nine years at Anfield, by the way. A long time. We've been starved of any type of success at that ground, and this weekend we got him, man. We sort of said, didn't we, last week that there's a very real chance that the narrative's going to change for somebody this weekend.

1:35I'll tell you who it didn't change for, Florian Verts. I'll tell you who else it didn't change for, Isak. But it did change for Ruben Amrim getting his first back-to-back game, which I'm hating that start and now it's gone so we don't have to deal with it anymore because it totally eliminates the fact that we went and played like 500 Europa League games. We did win back-to-back games last season, but they eliminate that and just try and isolate the Premier League on its own which is a little bit unfair but that's out of the way now like I said last Monday how satisfying would it be for that first back-to-back game to come at Anfield and I'll tell you what Rio pretty satisfying seriously I was sitting watching the game I'd done a live after the game for the last 15 minutes and then after the game and I was sitting there sweaty palms man just sitting there going and thinking and reminiscing like what it was like when we used to go there and winning them late goals or hanging on what it was like in the stadium, the anger that was in there, the hatred that was in there.

2:36And it was all part of what was like a great kind of soap opera. And we loved playing that game. It was a tough game. It was hard, but you just loved it, especially when you won. And these guys now have that feeling of what it's like to win at Anfield. One of your rivals, one of the toughest places to go, if not the toughest place to go in the league. and that taste is a beautiful it's a beautiful beautiful taste and you want that more these guys now should be sitting there going this is the type of feeling that we've been searching for and I love it was you there for the John O'Shea winner was you playing in that game yeah walk me back through the door of the changing room who did you speak to who did you see who did you hug I want everything I was probably one of the last ones to come in because I liked especially at Anfield I liked walking slow off the pitch milking it looking at their fans who've been giving me loads of grief the whole game and been at us the whole game.

3:29So that feeling of being able to walk off slowly and just catch the eye of someone. Do you know what I mean? And almost like, are you alright? Three points. Just them little ones there because they've been at us all game. I've been silent. I've just been doing my job concentrating. It's my time now to have a little bit back. So it's fine. They're giving it veins popping out their neck. Walk down a tunnel. and I remember we're getting into the to the changing room and um the manager waits at the door he's waiting at the door shake your hand go in there and he's the door was kind of just a jar open gone in there and I've just burst through the door and all the lads are like screaming and I'm just running I don't know who I was shaking I'd run in and you shake if you and you get hold of a few people it's just it's just the elation is you can't put into words what that feels like you know i mean and it's just being a bit delirious at times but the relief is as big as those feelings as well those good positive ones it's the relief that i ain't gonna now go out tomorrow and face the music i can read the papers tomorrow properly and comfortably regardless of what happened personally performance-wise we've got three points i don't care there's always a moment where you go that was it where it changed things or i felt a bit different that felt if the way that they celebrated that win yesterday after the game and i've seen the pictures and since.

4:48I watched it live, but I saw him since. There's got to be something drawn from that where they go, you know what, guys? This is us now. This is the level. This is the standard. And one of the things I'm pleased with, I'll let you come in in a second, Steve, but one of the things I was really pleased with, Ruben Amorim, last year he had kids with number 65 and 64 and 63 on their backs, on the bench. He wasn't afforded the ability to be able to go before a game as often as you'd like. Listen, this game is calling for a different type of approach, so I'm going to change it. Cesc goes on the back of two goals in two games.

5:22When would we have ever dropped on number nine in the last few years if he scored two goals in two games? It would have been clamouring. Everyone has to start. He said, no, no, this game's calling for something different, so I'm going to go and trust my players. I'm going to want to do it. And it paid off. So he has to get a huge credit, Ruben Amriem, in that sense. On Ruben Amriem, I agree that he absolutely needs credit for that. and I think you made a point that I've not heard anybody picking up on yet, but the more you think of it, we wouldn't have dropped our number nine in previous years because we didn't have another one.

5:49We wouldn't have had the options available to play a different way. And me and you chat before the game yesterday anyway, we thought we lacked a little bit of legs was the sort of angle we came through from it. And I still don't think the XI was perfect, but as always, a win eliminates all analysis, doesn't it? Like you're not allowed to analyze when you get the victory. I still think there was players on the pitch yesterday That did not perform That I probably would have Either taken off or replaced But you get the win And now you're not allowed to analyse that But I think the fact that we could mix it up The fact that you could Put Jorra on the bench The fact that you could You didn't require Masraoui to play You didn't require Sesko to play And perhaps maybe even run him into the ground I think that is a good thing I think it's spot on Steve but what I would say is Sisko, I understand why he done that because he even said himself about the two centre-halves they loved the balls played down their throat played up in the air, having to fight they're both 6 '4", 6 '5", they're capable of dealing with big players it's the other side of the game mobility and running around and running into areas they don't really want to go out into wide areas where Kunio and Bruma will take them they're not necessarily as comfortable so he read it perfectly right and we were talking on text before weren't we and you just said there Dorgoo coming out of the team Lenny Yoro defensively coming out of the team that's pace that's the pace taken out of our defensive line and you're going but Ruben Amrum read the game right he read what game it was going to be and Maguire the amount of clearances he made out of the box headers the amount of clearances and headers that um the lit made as well who I saw of stats today that he's made the most clearances this year in the Premier League of any player.

7:39And Luke Shaw as well. I thought he just read the game really well. And managers have to do that and they get paid to do that. And this was a great example of a manager reading the situation and going, yep. Because there would have been many people saying, Cesco's got to start. You need pace against the likes of Salah, Gakpo and Isak. He said, no, no, no. It's going to be a time in the game where we're going to have our backs to the walls. You need experience. You need players who understand how to clear their box and clear their lines in the mirrors. and had done it for a long period of time.

8:05And he went for that and it paid off. And you have to give him the credit when credit's due because everyone's quick to hammer him when there's an issue. There's one tactical thing that I wasn't even aware of until I got the quote just like literally before we started. I mentioned, I think we might even spoke about it during the game yesterday, going direct to Mbumo didn't feel like the right sort of thing. and I was literally watching us in the process of the goal literally thinking why are we trying to send it long to Mbumo against Van Dijk he's going to win precisely zero of those headers but then after the game he's come out and he's said that yeah Canati and Van Dijk they like that confrontation they like to fight for the ball but all of our transitions are through Kuno who's too far away from their centre-halves I think we've played for the second ball off them and if that's the case that is absolute genius I think we've played for the second ball often but I think more we've played to play into them and into spaces because they're so mobile and they're so ready to run I think the goal is a perfect example Van Dijk goes up for the header elbows his own player obviously and then it's a race that is just a race on the halfway line it's awareness of where people are and a race and Bumbo has seen space and said, I'm going to attack that space.

9:30And Virgil van Dijk hasn't reacted. And he's pointed, not knowing what's there. That's the key part of the situation. He's pointed for his partner, Canate, to cover, but he hasn't seen what's behind him. He doesn't realise there's two players for Canate to deal with, two attacking players, both running full pelt. Yes, he gets over. It's too late in the end, and I think it's too much for Canate to do to have to cover that ground. I think if Virgil van Dijk, which you've seen him do many times before, puts his head down puts the burners on and sprints one the space probably isn't there two he makes up the ground and catches Mbuma and probably blocks him so in that sense but it's still you have to give credit where credit's due as well because Mbuma has noticed that seen that Virgil van Dijk might just not be putting the burners on and gone you know what I'm gone now this is me gone and then the ball's played and it's over and it's just again that's Amorim identifying the strengths of the players that he has and playing to their strengths yesterday and also Mason Mount I think deserves a great shout I think on and off the ball his intensity his efficiency with the ball as well at times in the first half especially was great and two other players I think it's obvious Harry Maguire deserves all the plaudits and credit he's going to get but Casemiro as well he was another one on the scrap heap people rubbing their hands and going I told you so it's a waste of money etc yeah he might not have lived up to what he was doing at Real Madrid and that's time always is it will take that away from you when you get older but he was outstanding in that first half yesterday and I think his positional sense his awareness in that midfield area yesterday in a big game like that was invaluable and moving on to someone like Harry Maguire I mean surely there's a documentary coming about about someone who can kind of rebuild himself under so much duress and stress and pressure the negativity that's surrounding that man's name, the amount of memes he's been over the last couple of years, to sit there and go, you know what?

11:24I'm going to fight. And you know what? He would have had chances to leave, you know that, on loan or to go places. Like many other players over the years at Manchester United and in other clubs up and down the country, players get into those situations and go to their agent. And the first one to their agent, go, get me out of here. Get me out of here. I'm not having this. Pride, ego's hurt. Ain't got the fight left in them. Blame everyone else. point the finger elsewhere. He's just put his head down and gone, you know what? I'm going to fight this out. I ain't leaving. I've worked so hard to get here.

11:53I've given everything to get to this club. I love it here. I want to stay and fight and see how it pans out. I'm going to give it time. You have to give him the respect. Hats off to Harry Maguire. Yeah, I thought the way that we set up we're trying to be compact. I don't even think we was that much of a low block, to be honest. I thought we had quite a high line at times. They cut for us a couple of times, didn't they, in that sense? Yeah, we pressed with a couple and then we sort of allowed them to have the ball at centre-half, but we didn't sit in our box. There's so many times where you can see Liverpool centre-halves have got it around the halfway line and we're 10, 15 yards outside our box.

12:32It's just a really compact line where there's not a lot of space and there's not a lot of options. And you can see Liverpool's defence kind of going like, I can't really feed it in, I can't really go over. when they did look to go over, they played a lot. I mean, Arnie Slott coming out and talking about long balls is hilarious because they played loads. They also put 48 crosses in. Like, and the crosses were just food. De Ligt and Maguire just ate that up all day long and dealt with it. It was easy for them, I thought at times. Yeah, and that's my point as well. I felt like to me that Amarin's reading of the game, and you know what?

13:08Slott has been given huge credit over the last year or so since he came to Liverpool because he's read games and he's worked them out. And his interviews at post-games early in his tenure when he came was really impressive, working Man United's system out and talking about it. Amorim done a number on him, I thought, in this game. Yes, we've rode on like a couple of times. They've hit the post, they've hit the woodwork. Also, we had chances. We were wondering what Bruno should have smashed the back of the net without chance of it cut back to him when he had the whole goal gaping at him. We created enough chances in that game to win by a couple of goals, if not three goals.

13:41but you need to ride your luck a bit but I thought the manager was crafted a great game but I would say as well when you look at it and you go what does Mbremo and what does Cunha do that really that the two Liverpool centre-backs don't like and they're up there with the best two as a pairing I think in the league right players centre-halves don't really want to go wide don't really want to go into midfield and have to mark and especially when you're big as well. They're both of a big mountain of men, right? And they can move, but they're short little spaces that you get pulled into in the midfield area.

14:18You've got to do short and sharp steps. Big center halves don't want to be in there. Don't care who you are. And these guys take you into those moments, but then at the same time, don't mind running in behind. So it makes you think twice. When you're going in, you're thinking, is he bringing me here to run behind me or is he bringing me here because he wants to engage and receive the ball to feet? He's asking you more questions than you want. and I think that's what those two do to the centre-backs and they don't play like conventional number nine so they're not really being marked it's hard to mark them exactly and Bumo's playing from the right a little bit Cunha's coming inside from the left in that little half space it makes it a nightmare does the full-back go inside with him?

14:54oh no, Ahmad's come up as well so the full-back's pinned back with him I don't know if I can go in there on Bumo he's probably 15 yards away now big space I'm going to leave if I jump into there these are the questions that are being asked and split seconds, you've got to find an answer. That's a difficulty of the defender. The best ones, the greatest ones, answer them questions quickly in their moments. I remember you talking about you and Vidic feeling like at Wembley in the Champions League final, that you hadn't done anything because you didn't have anyone to play up against. But Messi was like getting on the ball in awkward positions for you.

15:28It's that sort of principle, isn't it? Yeah. And centre-backs, by nature, we've all grown up getting hold of strikers, grabbing hold of them, knowing where they are. The moment you don't know where strikers are, they're the hardest ones to play against. Aguero never played right up against you. Played on the shoulder, was happy to go behind. That's the point as well. It's all right saying, yeah, you can come, they want to come deep and go into those pockets. But if they can also go behind as well, that's asking too many questions. I don't want that amount of questions in a game. I've got enough to worry about.

16:01So when you've got someone like Mbimo, and I thought Mbimo was fantastic at that last season and we're starting to see glimpses of it this season at United, where he can operate off an other striker, off in the half space, and he's also got the wheels to be able to get him behind as well. How would you deal with him? I don't think it's easy, but I think it's a team set up. I think it's about timing of being able to go in there because you don't want your centre half going into those areas early and leaving big gaps for other people to run in, like Bruno or someone or Cunha. when we used to play and we had strikers like that that would want to go deeper into them positions or or whatever you've got to use your screeners in front your midfielders now you don't want your midfielder like Casemiro or Bruno marking that player but you're saying to him left go left at five give me five yards left and you're not marking him but you're just stopping that lane of pass that lane of pass just close it off to him because the source is better to stop that that actually when it gets to him you've got to go to him I'd rather stop it at source that's what I was probably one of my best attributes I was thinking about it earlier what if I was to say one of my best attributes communication was probably one of them talking and moving people around a bit like a chessboard moving people around so it doesn't hurt us as a team and also makes me have to do less running that's what I used to think so if I can get Carrick or Scolese or Giggsie tucked in a little bit to stop a passing lane I haven't got to then jump out of my area to go into an area where I'm going to be asked more questions.

17:30Like I said, I don't want loads of questions. I want an easy game today. The least questions I can have, the better it's going to be for me. So that lane being closed, that's another couple of questions gone off the table. And the more I do that through a game, the less I run and the less danger the opposition are. And I think that if we can ask those questions more and more in a game from an attacking perspective, we're doing the right things. What was your thoughts tactically on on this from Amram? Because you've had a lot to say about him tactically.

17:59The issue that we've had this season, in my opinion, is that we've pressed far too many forward. When we've had the ball, when we've had possession, we've committed too many men forward and we've tried to win it back far too fast. And that midfield pairing has almost sort of jumped the second we lose the ball to try and win it back. and that's left the back three exposed. That didn't happen yesterday. We had a lot more structure. We were a lot less eager to, if we did win it, we dropped off into a shape rather than sending seven players to try and win it on the edge of the opponent's box. And it made us harder to beat.

18:40And that's all I've wanted us to do from a defensive point of view. I think we've been okay. I think we've created enough chances in most games this season. We've just not quite been able to finish them. I think we've been okay with the ball. Not perfect, obviously, but I think we've been okay, passable. I think what's let us down is goalkeeping, and I think we should probably talk about him for a minute. Oh, I got a great segue into the keeper, Steve. Come on, talk about him. You've been the biggest hammer of the goalkeepers that I've seen, right? And yeah, so what you're saying is I was absolutely 100 % spot on.

19:13Is that what you're saying? Just out loud for me, please. I would say listen your senses were around the right place I would say what I would say is that again when I look back when I play when did I feel my best when I didn't have to look behind me and worry about what the keeper might do or where he might be I weren't second guessing anything about my goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar is a great example he was a fantastic goalkeeper just a common influence and just so reassuring when you see that behind you and I think what people probably don't grasp how important when a goalkeeper is because he sends the vibrations through the team.

19:49His good vibrations reverberate through the team, which leads to confidence, security, assuredness. You go, confidence. Any types of like wavering from that to uncertainty and not sure what he's going to do, where he's going to be, those looks that I'm looking over there means that I'm not concentrating where I'm here. And if I'm doing that too often, I'm worrying about where that is. And actually that look becomes a little bit longer because, hold on, the picture's changed three or four times in front of me. And I think a lot of that was happening. Uncertainty with the defenders, especially with the mistakes that were being made before, it was leading to real uncertainty in the team.

20:30And I think you saw the way the lads celebrated and all of them around the goalkeeper. It's his second game, by the way. And it was almost like it'd been there a couple of years. It was like, this is what we do. And it was just so nice to see that togetherness and that, like I said, the celebrations are a big key for me. They're a big marker. There can be when it goes over the top, it looks a bit false. Yesterday felt like there was an aggression. There was a, like a, right, let's go. It felt like that, and I hope that's what we're going to see. Does the manager deserve more credit? Because he gets none in any area.

21:03But does he deserve more credit for maybe taking on the chin some of the performances that the goalkeeper had probably cost us points that we could have helped, you know, move us up the table a little bit because actually, you know, we're not that far off in the table in the grand scheme of things now. We're two points off of Liverpool and we're six points off the top of the league. At this age of the season, six points is nothing. Nothing. We're right in the mix. But does he deserve credit then for really slowing the desire to throw Le Mens in early the second he arrived and actually does he deserve credit for how patient he was, almost to his own detriment, because he could have lost his job before the men's even started.

21:49I think first and foremost, the recruitment team need the thumbs up and the pat on the back. Whoever found him, whoever made sure we pursued him and then got him over the line needs huge credit. Listen, it's two games, by the way, so let's just not go too quick. Don't tell me what to do, Rio. I'm excited and I'm going to keep it that way. we've waited for this we needed it Man United have needed a goalkeeper who could perform consistently well at Old Trafford under the pressure that comes with Man United and this kid at the moment seems I keep going back to it Courtois left me a voice note and the confidence that he showed and what he left me with after that call I was like rah we might have just got one who's going to be a good one who's going to stay for a long time Right man we've got loads still to come right on this pod but we'll be back shortly off this.

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23:38They've just dropped in something from Opta here into our little notes from Opta Joe. Ruben Amirim is the only manager to win away from home at Anfield and the Etihad across the last five Premier League seasons. Wow, he's done something right, hasn't he? It's not as bad as everyone says. Listen, the big question I think is going to be, will Man United now adopt that kind of hard-to-beat, this play in a little bit of a lower block and this hit teams on the counter a bit more or on the transition? Because Oli was doing that, right? Is that sustainable over a long period of time? Can the teams win leagues doing that?

24:22Is that something that you see us doing long-term? Probably not long-term, and I think that's where Oli came unstuck, is you signed Varane, Ronaldo, Sancho. Honestly, have you ever been excited about as three players coming in, as those three. On the back of coming second, by the way, he's come second and third. Oli did play off the back foot, but he also went to the Etihad and won consistently, more than any other manager was doing. But he also had more five goal plus victories than all of the previous United managers combined since Sir Alex. So he was blending it right until that summer when whatever happened that it didn't work, and the wheels came right off and ultimately he lost his job on the back of that.

25:11And I think some of the reason for that was the expectation that we weren't able to play on the back foot no more, and we had to go and start dominating games. But if we had delivered a league title on the back foot, there's no asterisks next to it that says, no, you didn't have 65 % possession, so it's not as shiny as the other ones. Do you know what I mean? my point isn't that don't do it or do do it it's more about can you achieve real success playing that way I mean Arsenal fans seem happy and they're just stoked if they win the league this year genuinely if they win the league this year do you think that they're going to be talking about pretty football or the fact that they're champions no but Arsenal don't play off the back foot they don't they play off throw-ins and corners and free kicks yeah they are a set-piece team which they've improved massively again this season in that aspect but Atletico Madrid are probably the only team I remember in recent years we've won off the back foot more than often do you know what I mean in the big games especially and I don't know if it's sustainable I am that pragmatic style to get you to a certain place I don't mind it so I'm here for it I think United need to beat hard to beat because we've been too easy to beat by far too many teams so I'd absolutely take it and if Ruben Amarim wants to do that for a year or two years gets us back into the Champions League, establishes us back playing Saturday, Wednesday, you know, regularly.

26:35And then once you achieve some success where he gets to that maybe three-year mark that Sir Jim referenced last week, maybe then you start to want to dominate the game a little bit more. But if we was winning trophies and titles and we had 45 % possession, I don't think there's a single United fan out there who'd give a shit. No, no, I'm the same. anyway moving on to Liverpool oh yes Mo Salah what's happened even Jamie Carragher was saying maybe he doesn't start anymore which I didn't think I'd ever see the day

27:12I actually don't know how you can go like that this is a player that they're talking about is one of the greatest two or three players that have played for Liverpool from when you see Liverpool fans talking last season I think that's valid by the way that's absolutely valid wildly about him saying he's probably yeah I agree and one of the best players to play in the Premier League and the way the amount of goals he's scored and the time that he's been here people are putting him up there and then he's had a bad few months and people are going he shouldn't be one of the first names on the list for Liverpool the Giza has been part of the one of the well the most successful period in the last 30 years at the football club like if you're looking for a goal for Liverpool, I'm still saying if I want it to fall anywhere, I want it to fall to him.

28:07I don't believe this jargon you can sit there and go, he's no longer one of the first names on the sheet. Yeah, he's not performing well. He's not playing. He's not scoring the goals. Is he getting the chances that he was getting before? The amount? Also, I think that, can I just touch on this as well, by the way? I think, I was talking in one of my WhatsApp groups with a few of my mates who I trust their opinion on the game and a point came up on there.

28:35Isak, at the moment, is in transition from a new team, new culture, new change room, etc. New responsibilities, new pressures and he hasn't hit the ground running like a lot of us would have expected. But he's also, I think you've got to take into consideration, it's a very different setup, very different team. He's gone from a team that played with flying wingers who were just getting the ball in the box, getting down the sides, smashing the ball across the box, or playing against teams with a high line and running onto things as well, right? In and around the box, the ball going straight into him.

29:06He was the guy they were playing into. Now, the first look's Salah, right? And the second look's probably one of the midfielders. And then he might be third or fourth look. You're playing with two inverted wingers who both want to come inside now rather than two wingers who are flying down the wing to provide chances for him. It's such a different setup and a look to what he's been used to. Again, when you're recruiting players, Are you accounting for what it's going to be like and the differences are going to be here and can that player adapt? Now, listen, we're all sitting again. Isak, there's a sure certain thing he's going to fly, he's going to do his thing at Liverpool.

29:38And I think he will in time. But there's an adaptation period now which he's got to adjust to quickly before people really start getting on his back. Like we're seeing people post a Liverpool game against Man United saying, where is he? What's he doing? He's even becoming a bit of a meme at times when I think it's too early to judge him. But there are big differences between the Newcastle set up in an attacking sense compared to Liverpool sense. Inverted wingers versus flying wingers. Do you think it was a big decision from slots and not bother playing the Sarisak against United? It was a massive decision.

30:10I mean, you're a£100 million player. Listen, I was a record signing a couple of times in my career, if you don't know already, guys. Yeah? And if at any point in that first two or three months of the season that the manager dropped me for a game of that importance, especially, let alone any game, let alone a game of that significance. There's better be huge doubts in my mind as to what's going on. Doubts would creep in. It'd be difficult. It'd be impossible almost that you don't start going, Rav, I made the right decision. I was with a player. I can't mention his name. We've got a real meet coming up.

30:47He was a big signing, right, for a team. He said he started slow at one of the teams he signed for, and he was going, oh, my God, have I made the right decision? There was question marks in his own head and this guy comes across as a really confident player. Could never ever have any negativity in his mind. He was questioning himself and there's no doubt in my mind right now when he saw his name on that team sheet that Verts was going on his way home in the warm-up, in his bed that night. Is this the right decision? I'm not saying it's the wrong decision but I'd have a big amount of money if I was a gambling man that he would have been saying at some point there'd have been a fault in his mind that said that and went along those lines.

31:29Is this a little bit like what we saw? And I think you probably see it pan out roughly the same way in the end. When Mbappe went to Real Madrid, Real Madrid had a real balance where Bellingham's playing almost like a false nine. It's hard for people to track the movement that he's doing. Mbappe comes in, the focus changes, the balance changes and they look worse as a team trying to accommodate him. Is it a little bit of that with Liverpool? Because to me, it feels like the balance is completely off. Salah's struggling. Isak's struggling. Etikite is probably their best striker, but politics means Isak's going to get the shirt and the nod over him.

32:14Gakpo's probably their most deadly forward, but he costs nothing compared to the rest of them, which means at some point, and also this manager didn't sign him, so does that mean that he ends up sitting out more than he should do? These things all have to be thought about. Yeah, it is difficult, but at the same time, man, this is a team that's won the league and I think that's probably a bigger discussion point and a bigger factor. I think when you win the league, until you win the league, you don't know what it's like to go that second year where there's a target on everyone in your team's back.

32:52Every single one of you now are a target. We know who you are, what you do, and you are a big, big, big prize now. You're bigger than you were last year. Because the year before that, when you were going to win the league, it was Man City who had a big prize. You are now the prize. Everyone's probably got another 5 % or 10 % in the tank, and that's including the fans that are there at the away grounds who want to get you beat. are the champions that come to town. Oh my God, the whole stadium, the whole city are elated because they've turned you over or they've got Nick to draw. It's a different proposition.

33:25It's a different ask now of a footballer. Go and retain that league. Hard to do, man. And that's why there's not many people that do that. Not many teams do that because it is a different pressure. It's a different ask. The intensity goes through the roof because you are now public enemy number one, every team in that league. so people can't have that same energy for two teams it's the champions that get that the champions earn that and they get it and it's earned and that's a privilege and it used to frustrate me sometimes I remember playing against Everton one time and Tim Howard was having like and sometimes Phil Neville having unbelievable games flying about Phil Neville shouting I used to say to him sometimes oi calm down man you played there once relax do you know what I mean have a bit of respect do you know what I mean or Tim Howard like I might not go out for a corner and he must have made five, six saves that worldies I'm like come on man relax man what are you trying to prove here we know you're a good goalkeeper you know what I mean it's like but this is their moment and rightly so and Liverpool at the moment four defeats on the spin are not dealing with that aspect I think well enough the the headlines of the fact that they're star strikers and Virts and that and not scoring, not getting assists.

34:42But the stats are showing. It's actually they're conceding goals rather than scoring goals this season. Yeah, I think they scored at this stage last season 15 goals, but conceded one or two goals. This year, I think they've scored 14, but they've conceded about 11. So it tells you it's glaring. It ain't like, yeah, the forwards, the names that we're accustomed to seeing at Liverpool dominating the scoring charts aren't there, like Salah. Yeah, that's fine. but they're still roughly the same amount of goals. But you're out there conceding. Why is that? Everyone thought they'd shore it up and they'll be a little bit more stern defensively because Trent Alexander's gone.

35:20That was the narrative. He's gone. Better defensively now. That'll be freedom up, up the pitch. But, well, the defence has got worse since he's left. To be fair, Frimpong came on yesterday and looked lively, man. Set up a couple of chances. But again, it's all about balance. Canate's under a bit more pressure this year. Contract renegotiations. Will he stay? Will he go? Do you know what I mean? There's pressure there. Van Dyke's another year older. Signed a new deal, yep. New left back, Kerkers as well. It's taking time to adjust. Roy Keane said it right yesterday. One of their main traits as a team was the way they worked.

35:58Their work ethic, how mobile they were around the pitch, how physical they were, how aggressive they were. One of their main traits, yes, they scored goals, but they could grind it out. and are they doing that as well this year? It doesn't seem like it. I think they've got too many playmakers in midfield. I think the entire midfield is players that want to get on the ball whereas you had the likes of Fabinho and Henderson. They weren't interested in that. They were interested in getting it back and I think that's what made that last sort of generation of Liverpool hard to beat and that allowed the likes of Trent to pretend he's a winger and completely ignore any defensive duties and responsibilities that he's had.

36:39But now you're only defending with two defenders. And it's very similar to the problems that United have had in terms of you attack and you put so many men forward. When the ball comes back the other way, you're vulnerable. Well, listen, Gravenberg has been moulded into a centre midfielder, a holding midfielder, and it's being talked about as one of the best around after last season. On the ball, I'd agree. Off the ball. Yeah, yeah. But I thought defensively, I thought he was good. Last year, listen, you can't win the league without having any defensive nous in your team. McAllister, again, Sabozlai as well.

37:15It was a great blend in there. Sabozlai has been more of a right-back this year than a centre midfielder at times. So the balance and the shape of the team has definitely shifted, and obviously there's new personnel in there trying to adapt. So big changes, big expectations, and it just hasn't gelled, I think, right now as well as they anticipated it to have gelled. And this is where Slot will earn his money. this is where Slott will build his legacy or not. Because these are the moments where you need someone to kind of drive this ship and turn it around. And the manager invariably is that guy to start that process as he got it.

37:47Because up to this point, he's been almost faultless. Now we're going to see what he's really made of in these new circumstances. But talking about, you were talking about Arsenal earlier and long throw-ons and stuff like that. It still was impressive. why are we so negative about Arsenal and throw-ons and set pieces I'll tell you why because their fans are bells that's why for a couple of reasons not just Joel Joel's just the perfect representation of it Steve makes me laugh man so for when Arsenal weren't winning when we was winning everything Arsenal had this sort of moral superiority that they played beautiful football am I right or wrong talk Steve talk it up right and they sort of held this sort of thing that they played beautiful football and therefore them not winning anything meant as much as you actually winning something.

38:41To turn into a poor version of Tony Pulis' stoke. What would Tony Pulis... Tony Pulis wins a league if you give him a billion, I think. If you give Tony Pulis a billion, he delivers you a league title. I think Tony Pulis is waiting for his credit. He's waiting for a bit of credit from Arteta. I think he's waiting to go, do you know what? You played the Nero when I was here, Mikel. You've seen me. You know me. You know what I do. And you took it. That's what I think he's thinking. I think they should. They always like to say that Arteta learnt his trade by being the guy that used to put the cones out for Pep.

39:19But he spent most of his career under David Moyes. If anything, it's a David Moyes tribute act. David Moyes delivers you a title if you give him a billion pounds. Steve, you're mad. Stop me when I'm wrong. I'm not wrong, am I? No, no. To a certain point, I'm with you. But you have to say, in general play, Arsenal are a really good team and they're a good team to watch. Especially with the new acquisitions that Eze's added to it. Maduweke early in the season was producing some moments. You've got Saka. You've got Declan Rice. Rio, he signed 43 players, man. At what point is it just... They've signed them.

39:57So then you've got to judge them on that. Yeah, listen. They still haven't won yet, but I'm telling you, they're not just a set-piece team. They're fantastic. They're the best around right now at set-pieces. But you can't just say that they're a one-trick pony. They can still ball you off the park as well. They don't play off the back foot. They're not sitting defensive low blocks. They take games from teams. They went to Anfield and dominated possession first off. They lost, yeah. But what I'm saying is it's not because they're sitting there and waiting to get beat. No, they're waiting for a throw.

40:26And just relying on set-pieces. Well, they are. No, that's how he beat us. I think they're a good team, mate. I think they're, if anyone's going to win the league this year, if it's not Liverpool, I think it'll be Arsenal. If they don't win it. It will be. Do you think they'll win it? Yeah. Yeah, I do as well. I do as well. And if they don't, it's going to get hot in here. Do you know what he's done, Steve? He's actually, I see a stat yesterday as well. The number of long throws per game this season has also more than doubled. so he's actually do you reckon he's gone in and gone we need more long throws do you reckon that's been a conversation I think they probably looked at the success they was having from corners and as he was like you know we've all got our go-to books mine's a really Mullenstein book where I'm gonna go and try and you know get some inspiration what obviously what he did was went and had a look at Stoke City 2006-2007 DVD and he saw a bit of Rory DeLapp and he went lads I've got it you're right Tony Pulis is waiting for his credit on whatever happens here they might cast a special medal for Tony Pulis inspired by whatever yeah if they win it yeah they should do that's literally what they've done like people think he's doing something spectacular he's not but this weekend I think it was a huge result for them in that they got over the line tough place to go for them don't make it easy for anybody tight little stadium there tight pitch and they're a decent team run by Marco Silva So to win it the way they did, I thought again, and then sit there and watch the game on Sunday.

42:02Can you imagine what it was like in their front rooms? What it's like in their chat group? They must have been going bananas and going, listen guys, this is it. I can see Declan Rice right now texting, listen lads, calm down. Monday, training, we're on it. That's what it's got to be. The focus has got to be now, game by game. Churn them out by any means necessary. Get us over it. Because I think, again, Arsenal, set pieces, long throws corners whatever you like free kicks the lot if it means they win the league and they've done it by doing mainly that do you think they're going to be bothered nope but that's all I'm saying is like you've got to deliver now you've been the bridesmaid how many times like it's time to step up and do the vows you know what I mean it's true what's it called the thing is the vils come up and then someone's gone nope not for me son goodnight but no but listen man great great to see you Steve Joel couldn't be with us today He's going to be here next week, I'm sure.

42:56Wish him well. Brighton next day. What were you saying? What do you want to see? I want to see three points. I think what United have got to do is take this. What we've got now is back-to-back wins. Yeah, that's one narrative has shifted. One narrative has changed. We've got three massive games, but they're winnable games. They're tricky in their own different sort of ways. Brighton at home, not an easy game, but it should be one that United don't fear and it should be United one that we can think we can go and get three points and if you turn back to back into three in a row you go into the Forest game then, which honestly who knows what that's going to be or who's going to be manager I mean, are you in the frame?

43:41Am I in the frame? I have no idea and they might even have a new manager by then as well another one you get Forest dealt with and then you go into that Tottenham game with a couple of things that we've never had under Armourim, which is confidence and consistency and momentum. And I think if you can go into those games and you can start to get my guy, get the hairdresser ready so he can get five on the bounce and cut his hair. We might have a real shot of this. We could get to the back end of that Tottenham game and Manchester United could be sitting inside the top four. But it starts by beating Brighton.

44:22You can't go back now. What we've done by winning back-to-back games, if you lose to Brighton or even draw to Brighton, it almost feels like back to square one. Yeah, I agree. The Brighton game is even bigger now than the Liverpool game was. That's the way it's going to be now going forward and fingers crossed we can get a result. Just quickly on that, Forrest, you touched upon there. I see Ornstein, one of the friends of the channel, talking about Sean Dyche as the favourite to go and get that job. It's a little bit of a 180 degree turn in it from Ange it's back to what Nuno was really more similar to Nuno isn't he a bit more pragmatic yeah it'd be a different shape but yeah but also you've given you've sold the players that made that system tick yeah like it was always going to be hard for them this season but yeah I mean if you're Man United are you going in for Anderson in January get him out of the turmoil like he's in because he could be nice in the United shirt you've got Anderson well I think I said it yesterday on the live that we've done and someone asked me about Belaber and Wharton.

45:23I'd take Wharton and another one of them. I love Anderson. Thanks for coming on, Steve. Always love having you about and I just want to say to the guys that are watching anywhere in the world, make sure your notifications are turned on. Make sure you subscribe if you're not already subscribing. There's too many that watch and don't do that and always tell a friend. There's loads more coming, guys. Just on a massive meets, a real meets with one of the stars of a few years ago and I'm sure you'll want to see him. Oh, on that note, How was the game this weekend? How are you feeling? Yeah. You know what?

45:51I tweaked my calf at 60 minutes. But I was happy to do 60 minutes. But you know what? It's not even a pull the muscle. It's like a nerve. Because I woke up the next morning and I could walk. So it was fine. But it was nice to see the lads. Went out for a few mils. Had a few beers and glasses of wine, as you do with the guys. But it was just nice to see a few odd faces. I ain't seen Jemba Jemba for years. Still can't speak English properly. still just laughs at everything I say so it's great to see him. Cleberson unbelievable English the total opposite now my man says that he speaks fluent English lived in America played so just finding out about the guys Thomas Kuschak almost ripped his ankle apart if you haven't seen it go on have a look at it it was the funniest thing we've seen conceded in the first minute passed back and he ripped his Achilles almost but it was quite funny you know what's great even the Liverpool players I spent some time with Patrick Berger and Schmitz on the way home in the airport but it's just you know what's great just finding out about what the guys are doing what they're all up to like patrick berger and smitzer just travel the world playing golf how good's that all they do is travel the world have a glass of champagne in the uh in the lounge get on the plane have a kip and just go and bring their their golf clubs everywhere and just play golf it's just like it was nice to see what the difference what people are doing do you know who else it was great to see nikki butt now nikki butt can i just say never gets talked about enough when we're talking about top players.

47:16And it was great to see, I think he's 52 now, right? He played 10 midfield in this game alongside Michael Carrick, who Michael Carrick could still play today, 100%, right? The class is just there, and he could still move a bit. But Butty, has done a few turns and a few passes, and he's up against Steven Gerrard in that midfield, Garcia, etc., Patrick Berger on that. Mate, he was... And a few of the guys, Nemanja Vidic is one of them, who went to me after, because he didn't play with Butty, went, hey, Rio, Nicky Butt. Oh, wow. Like, Butty was, you know, he did the 2002 World Cup in Japan. Unbelievable, Rio.

47:57You know, he was England's best player. Like, he was England's best player by, like, I'm telling you, he was a joke. And I played behind him and I was shouting and screaming and whatever. And I was like, rah, I didn't know Butty was this good man. Even when I went to United. And it's only because Scolzi and Roy Keane were there that he actually probably doesn't get his flowers. But he's so humble. He don't really care, I don't think, deep down. He's just not bothered. He was just happy to play for his local team. But what a player Nicky Buck was. So it's good to see Buddy as well. A couple of beers with him.

48:25Iman Scolzi just started a podcast with Paddy McGuinness, hasn't he? He said, listen, I love it. It's just like sitting down talking to my mates, which it is. Iman Scolzi's known each other for years. Two peas in a pod and you've got Paddy McGuinness who's a great kind of, I think he's a great host in between now. I think they've got a good mix there. onto something good so Steve great to have you on again mate listen hopefully we're back on next week and we've got another three points in the bag man so listen guys we're off and we'll see you again next week thanks guys for listening to this episode of Rio Reacts hope you've enjoyed this show and if you have make sure you leave us a review and follow this Rio Ferdinand Presents feed to make sure you never ever miss an episode if you've got a point you think we should be discussing I want to put us on the spot with a question you want answering get in touch using the fans first at rioferdinandpresents.com email address or use hashtag R-F-E-R-I-S-T.

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