Judging Michael Carrick by Solskjaer’s Standards Is the Wrong Debate

0:00Host unforgettable backyard barbecues with savings from Whole Foods Market. Get the good times going with made-in-house chicken or pork sausages and ready-to-cook kebabs for hassle-free flavor. Grab tasty flatbreads and their new balsamic chicken salad in the prepared foods department. Keep things fresh with organic red cherries, strawberries, and peaches at their peak. And stock up on bug sprays and sun care must-haves. Make your summer sizzle at Whole Foods Market. I see passion. I see enjoyment. I see adrenaline. I see a connection with the fans. I see the players going over and genuinely giving it to the fans and going, we're here for you.

0:42We're trying to do everything we can. That's what performances like that give you, man. Just because it didn't work out if Oli got a Solskjaer, Michael Carrick does not need to be judged by the same metrics as him. Just because he's an ex-player, he's an ex-legend to the club oh it's not gonna no no michael carrick is his own man he wears his collars up do you know i mean he's different to oligo the solskjaer so judge him differently he's not the same yes guys welcome back to another episode of rio presents and this is being brought to you by our trusted partners crafted man so uh guys they're doing it's it's another big game for Mr.

1:23Michael Carrick. The collars were up. The trench coat was out. It was chilly and the Emirates. It was quiet after a while in the Arsenal win, but they weren't in Man United then. It was loud and proud in London. The Red Army were down there. They were loud. They were strong. They were the ones screaming at the end. They were the ones going back through the turn tiles, dancing, shouting, screaming like you could never believe. No one would have thought this when Michael Carrick was given the reins at Manchester United. Man City, Arsenal away, two of the hardest games on the calendar. And he's got six points.

1:57Slapovic, backhands like Federer, topspin like Nadal's forehand, slapping the two biggest teams, the two strongest teams in the league right now. And Joel's got his shades back on, but not for the reasons that we normally see. he's hiding the bruises Steve take it away I thought he was hiding the tears it's nice that you've come dressed for a funeral though Joel I appreciate that well played yeah my missus says to me last night I thought United and Arsenal's a big game I said it is what you're on about she went why is all them empty seats oh my god why do you go home early man when it ain't going your way we've been dominant at the Emirates and then all of a sudden it starts going a bit peat tongue and you lot are off early getting I'm just going to miss my train nah it's because Holloway Road sometimes is closed after the match no really I'm not even lying it's closed so then you've got Arsenal and then you've got you know Highbury and Islington so it gets a bit messy so yeah it's insane to me yeah it's man I don't understand it and talking about getting a bit messy Amadiello replied to some Arsenal fans on social media did you see that one guys saying your only hope is corners be humble kids well he's just been to the Emirates and just laid it down a little bit put a few people in their place and just said you know what don't even try and touch me on social media tonight I'm not having it and that's what he said I'm here for it have you seen the stats by the way that Arsenal second for the most amount of goals scored 17th for the most amount of open play goals scored I know we take the mick that you are just you know Tony Pulis with a billion quid spent.

3:41But there's a lot of truth to that, isn't there? Clearly. You talking to me or you talking to Ria? I'm just putting it out there. See where it lies. You see today, for every viewer watching, I'm going to be the realest you've ever seen me. So you're not going to be industry Joel? This is it. I'm not going to be industry Joel. I know that the Arsenal shifts might, might, might, might reduce after this episode. Yeah. But let me tell you something. think it has been bollocks bruv it has been and the fact that i was i did i did a school run this morning rio and you know what popped into my head and i'm and i'm even ashamed of saying this but i thought steven housen was right getting a number nine right was probably not what we needed to do obviously habits is injured but we should have probably just stayed with habits or played Marino because the reality is the way we play, they bring in the other wingers, the other forwards but then at the same time you can't excuse the stats the forward stats have been so poor, I asked George, our producer, I said George can you please bring up these diabolical stats please because we've got to go for it right, if I'm Mikel Arteta this morning in training I'm putting it on the whiteboard and I'm going guys talk to me, what is this what is this, what are the stats Bakaya Saka, zero goals in his last 13 appearances in all comps.

5:08Victor Yokeres, zero non-penalty goals in his last 11 Premier League appearances. Martinelli, zero goals in his last 13 Premier League appearances. Meduike, zero goals in his last 25 Premier League appearances. Trossard, who to be fair, I think he's been really good this season and he's been one of our strongest players. One goal in his last 11 appearances in all comps. Gabriel Jesus won goal in his last Premier League appearances which you can also forgive because he's been coming back and he's done well when he has scored but overall guys in the Premier League we haven't been on song and I'm sick and tired of defending myself against Steve when the reality is we are four points ahead and this four points feels like we're four points behind I said it yesterday before Steve came on no no wait one second Rio I'll give it back to you in a second I'll give it back to you go on go on we're playing against the guys that we're playing against the guys that pray.

6:03Semenyo, Doku, Gehi, those guys pray and fast. They're going to pray themselves to a league title, bro. We are not doing our prayer and fasting. We're done. It's over. It's finished. It's done. Joel, the only stat that matters, yeah, is the stat that your four points clear at the top of the league right now. That's the only one that you guys should be concerning yourself. You guys getting all negative and saying what's going on and pointing the finger, etc group up get together grab someone's around the collar over their shoulders and pull in tight but this is the moment you've got to come together man your your your your fan base is fractious at the moment it's all over the place the the memes that are going around the way that you guys are just you're losing your marbles all of you like I don't understand it you've got to have confidence in your team to get over the line like you've got to have trust in your manager he's been there is it six years and spent I don't know almost a billion whatever it is right a billion a billion a billion you've got to have faith in your man you've got to have faith in your team you've got to trust in Declan Rice in Saka I think you're going to win I swear down I'm not even trying to mock anyone here right I think you'll win it but I don't think you're going to win it if you know what I mean you're not going to go and grab it and take it and snatch it everyone was saying that you were trolling yesterday because you were just the biscuits and saying that well you're going to win it The chocolate digestible.

7:26Don't worry, man. You're going to win it and you'll take a bite of the biscuit. Yeah, like... No, no, I think you will. Honestly, it...

7:36Steve, I mean, Joel, Joel, your four points clear. You're not in great form, obviously, which is fine. The worst thing is you're not in bad form, but you're not creating a lot of chances. What? We're not what? There's no creativity really in your team at the moment. It doesn't feel like other than from set pieces. How? But just the talk sport this morning, how do we have a team with Odegaard and Eze and we're talking about we have no creativity? How? Where's the creativity, Ria? Bro, Ethan Inoueri goes on loan to Marseille and scores within 13 minutes from open play on his debut. Let that sink in.

8:15Who's been the most frustrating player? Or is it down to the manager? Are they not allowed to play outside of the box? Are they not allowed to play outside of the framework or the structure that the manager has put into place. Is that the issue? Like, has he got them all on chains and going, no, no, if you come out of this, what I set up in terms of a framework and an idea to play, you will not be a part of my plans. Lou Van Gaal in a wig real. No, do you know what? I think in some games we've accused him of that, for example, Liverpool away. But then when you look at some of the chances we had, You know, I see Martinelli in the last couple of weeks, the last game, you know, literally missed an open goal.

9:00And again, it's not a criticism. It's you score that goal and it's a different story. Within that dressing room, this is a moment I feel where there's a player or a number of players or the coaching staff or the manager. I need to really get hold of the players now. And I think it's like I'd be identifying your attacking players, especially. And I'll be going around and going like, Bakaya, how many shots do you have in a half? And I'll be asking, just to, sometimes you need your memory jogged. Actually, I'm meant to be shooting a lot, you know. I'm meant to be having three or four. If I can't have three or four shots a half, what am I doing here?

9:35Like, you go to a girl, Caressa, whoever, who's going to play up front, Jesus. Stay in around an 18-yard box. Do not move. If I look forward and you're not there, we've got a problem. Like, I'm going to be coming back at half time and asking these questions. Like, you should be having two or three or four shots a half as well. those little that's a small detail that you sometimes you they can be forgotten and once you go you go oh actually right okay i'm starting this hard no matter what happens i'm going to play within the framework but to a point but i'm going to get my three or four shots off that changes the dynamic in the changing room it changes the dynamic in the stadium the crowd are off their feet you get people going and it changes the momentum in game sometimes but you got to have that, it's not all about this trying to stay within the parameters of the infrastructure of what's been put in front of us by the manager.

10:21Sometimes you've got to go off-piece. And I don't like, I hate going to what we've done, but it's not just about what we've done. I said it last night on the live. Klopp's Liverpool was the same. Pep's Man City would do this. Jose Mourinho's Chelsea would do this. Late in games, when things ain't going to plan, they're drawing on it or they need another goal or whatever its situation is, whatever it needed, they threw the kitchen sink at it. It wasn't about tactics then it was about personalities characters taking responsibility and going right whatever you how many times does Steven Gerrard do that for Liverpool like where's you you gotta have a guy or two three guys in your team that you can call upon outside of a set piece that is going to pull you out the mud often but our guy doing that was was Saka yo Saka can be that guy but I'm just saying my point is more about it's not I'm not questioning if you've got I think you've got guys that can do that, right?

11:12Sometimes people need to be reminded. Wait, sometimes people need to be reminded of the basics. That's my point. Who are these guys? Saka, Rice. I'll give you that. Jesus has done it. He can do it. Gabriel. He's won a league. Havertz, when he's back. Goikres has done it at Sporting Lisbon. You can do it. Come in. Get your shots off. I'm not having it no more. I'm telling you, Martinelli. Nah. Nah. Chossard. Chossard's been a go-to. Clearly, Tata wants... Clearly Arteta wants all that control and he wants them to play in a certain thing. They concede so few goals because he has them set up in a way to not concede.

11:50They shut down United's counter. Sorry, Steve. Eze, go on there like you're on the dance floor, bruv. Like you're in your front room. Like we know you can do and shake some shakes, but I want to see some shapes. Put them and lay them down. That's what I want to see. But I'm seeing people out there. Yeah, that's what you want to see. That's what I'd ask him to see. that's what any other manager doesn't look like action man wants to see but Mikel Arteta clearly ain't about that the guy's risk averse like I told you last night he leaves the lights on he ain't about it Steve Steve you've got to remember and I went back and I heard that lights on comment by the way at the time I didn't hear it I heard it back on the live Steve you're something else I'll tell you what came out yesterday Steve Vieira's comments saying it's now or never some pressure that you know the last person who it is it is because they've been building, you know football's in a cycle.

12:41You know you get four or five years with a team, right? This team has had its four or five years. They might win the league this year. And you know what that giddy lot are like, all the Arsenal fans, they'll be like, it's the start of a cycle. It might be the end of your cycle because what have you got at the moment? You've got Liverpool in absolute meltdown, which is sensational. We're talking about that, by the way, I'm sure we are. You've got City who have decided to completely phone it in this season for some reason. You've got United who was our tragic Chelsea, for some reason, are an absolute mess.

13:11You are competing against yourselves and you still might cock it up, which is glorious, by the way. But even if you do manage to scruff your way to winning a title this year, you ain't retaining it. You ain't going to build on it. You don't know that. You'll have a one and done and it'll be another 20 years before you get another one. I don't agree. I don't agree. That's why I think it can be all this ridicule that Arsenal's thrown about right now. But if they win it, the confidence they will get from that, I think they're going to be a threat for another few years, I'm telling you, because they've got a young enough squad, hungry enough squad there.

13:42They just don't know how to win yet. And sometimes you've just got, and as much as I'm saying, they're not going to take the league and grab it and win it. If they just get over the line and win it, what that can do for confidence, what that can do for characters and personalities to be born out of that, to become men, to become people that are now deemed as winners. The difference in these guys, the way they just walk around their house, let alone on the football pitch, will be different. it'd be crazy and I think they've got enough there to become a threat for over a period of time I've got to be honest you see Wenger's analysis what do you say so I personally thought it was the best piece of analysis that I saw from the game last night and it was honest and it was it was accurate to be honest he said the goals scored on both sides illustrate a little bit the way that both teams played the goals of United were built up good cohesion and the goals of Arsenal were decided by power and fighting but should we finish the pod now that's just just put it in a nutshell that ain't it that's just put it in a nutshell one team's a set piece team and the other team played good attacking free-flowing football that's what he said yeah i want i want to ask you do the players need more freedom when you're looking at arsenal do you think the players need more freedom from the manager or is it that we're just not performing at the level that we should.

15:05How often do you see you flood the box in open play? How often do you see you get two V1s and three V2s in a channel or something? You don't do it. You're literally... I've seen it with Lou Van Gaal. Everyone's got a box to go and stand in, and then you pass the ball around the box. The only difference is that you lot are really good at set plays, and Louie wasn't. That is the only difference. It's sterile. It's boring. It's pretty good defensively. But you haven't got that free-flowing play. you can't play off the cuff for whatever reason he's shackling these players so it doesn't matter if you bought Ronaldinho at his peak he's going to tell him to defend look at how scared he was when United got the ball you retreated you didn't let anyone cheat you didn't say Saka do you know what we'll defend you be the outlet and stay on the halfway line you didn't do that Saka's in a nice 4-4-2 mid block or even a low block at times how are you expecting to go and beat teams in open play if you don't have risk you don't have bravery Gabriel Jesus let's have you on the halfway line he didn't do that you had no outlets so you had to build up slowly or try and get up the pitch with throw-ins like you're some sort of League 2 team it's a joke Steve that question weren't for you it was for Rio it don't matter I answered it Rio go on mate ask him whatever Steve just said there I agree with problem is as well is that it's very very very rigid the way that they play Saka never ends up on the left wing he never really ends up in the middle of the pitch I know if I'm a player playing against Saka he's going to give me a tough Luke Shaw would have come off that game yesterday you know what it was a hard game man no matter how he got no change out of him I still think he gets you low he gets the lactic acid building where he shifts you right to left etc but Luke Shaw knows where he is 9 times out of 10 Luke Shaw could put his head on his laces look down and put his head up 4 seconds later and go he's going to be there that is I think a hindrance to someone like Saka because he's so dangerous.

17:00If you give him a little bit of freedom, someone like him, boy, he's causing havoc, I'm telling you. Because he makes the right choices, as Jolion told us. I saw Dorgoo. Sometimes he was on the inside, on the right-hand side. I was thinking, what's he doing there? It's the freedom, man, the freedom to play. And then without that freedom, and then you start banging against a brick wall and it starts like, okay, we're not really creating much chances. Then it becomes like doubt, which then feeds into maybe fear. And that's how Arsenal look at the moment. They look a bit doubtful when they've got the ball.

17:35They get good possession. They're great at getting to the final third. But then creating opportunities around that, especially in this game, you just look at it and go, well, I don't see you scoring, guys. Just don't, unless it's a set piece. And that's not a diss. It's just like, I'm saying what we see. This pod feels like a therapy session. I'm not going to lie. It feels like I'm talking to... Judge Judy. Judge Judy. Judge Judy. She is a bit more harsher, if I'm honest with you. That's the Steve of the week. I'm moving it on to the Man United side of things because we have to talk about how well Michael Carrick's done.

18:10From a Manchester United perspective, where do you think Michael Carrick's side has come out on top? I don't think there's one little piece that we could say. What I would say, I think if you're going to go, what's the difference right now between the time before to the time now? I think Amarin is a system driven coach and Carrick is a player driven coach. That's the big difference. I don't know. When I look at it and I go, you know what? I said yesterday, Dallow's a good example. Dallow's a perfect example. A player put into the puzzle in the wrong place and asked to still fit in. Right? He's playing wing back.

18:56He's receiving the ball. He's back to play with someone up his bum or on the side of play facing a way that he's never seen the game. Plays right back yesterday. Looks confident. Looks comfortable. Right? Kobi Menu. We had a coach before I think was probably far too worried about what they couldn't do rather than going, he's got that much ability. I'm going to find a way in this structure of this team to put him in so that he can actually be one of our pair. Because there's too many moments in the games in the last two games where there's triangles with Bruno and Kobi Mainu are involved. Even the goal Kunia's winning yesterday, the little bit of a one-two with Bruno and Kobi Mainu, that's high-level stuff in the middle of the park in tight areas.

19:41releasing one of our attacking players, a maverick like Cunha, to go and unload and score the winner. Like, it was probably too rigid before and too worried about what you can't do. And I think there's a lot of coaches and managers in the game that I think at times err on the side of being cautious and go, well, what can't he do? That scares me, rather than going, what's he great at? And I'm going to build around that. And I think Kobi Maynard is a great example of that as well. And the way that we're playing now is you can see that all the players for me right now don't have any question marks about what they're being asked to do.

20:17And I think in the previous regime, there was too many players that were probably looking over their shoulder before that. I've said this before when Ruben was there. There's players right now, he has to get them out of looking over their shoulder before they make a decision. Or they do something and look over to find out, was that right? Because they're not sure. Right now, there seems to be an air of certainty about every step, every decision, every pass, every shot that these guys are taking. and yes they've got two great results and so we can talk a bit more confidently but there has to have been some sort of good work that's gone on behind the scenes with that coaching staff with the manager the confidence he's given players the way he's allowed them to feel like they look like they're breathing normally right now the ball's not coming to them and they're questioning anything and you're seeing that in the results and again Arsene Wenger the way he summed the game up was was was perfectly put there's one team who created moments in the game through really good, quick, decisive football and attacking football on the front foot.

21:13And that was Manchester United. And that was Michael Carrick's man United. Rio, did he... How far away did Carrick sit from you in the changing room? Right next to me. Did he ever speak to the group on a match day? No. Carrick was the quiet... This is what I'm saying. Such an unassuming guy. Just quiet, man. But the thing about Michael is that he was unwavering. He weren't a nervous guy. Never showed nerves. Nerves are still. Big balls. Take the ball anywhere on the pitch. And I didn't judge a man by what he said in the change room. I've got to be honest with you because there's a lot of people who used to chat but never deliver on the pitch, right?

21:52He didn't say nothing in the change room. But when he got out on the pitch, didn't say nothing either. But them feet and them pumas, whoo, weren't a joke. because you talk to his teammates and you talk to opposing players, they know what time it is when you talk about Michael Carrick. They know. It was only the England manager that didn't have a clue about him. But everyone else knew what time it was when you talked about Michael Carrick because he had a great footballing brain. And also, by the way, if he was asked to, he could be a box-to-box player if he wanted. It's just that the team and the game, the way we played, never required him to be that often.

22:27But if he wanted him to be, he could have been. He's just a fantastic footballer, man. Just wondering. Go on. I'm just wondering if there was any moment where you was like... No. You must have sat there and thought, I wonder if he'd met a manager one day. No. I never saw it. I never saw it with him. I never saw it with Frank Lampard. I never saw it even see it with Stevie. I didn't see them being managers. Michael Carrick probably more than anyone else. No. No. I never saw it with any of them. It's weird. The guys that have gone into management aren't the guys that are... I thought Shazey would go into management.

23:03John O'Shea. I thought Jamie Carragher would go into management. I thought Gary Neville, he did, but he fouled. I thought Roy Keane would go into management. He didn't last long in that either. But there's some people that are like, I would have bet everything I had that he weren't going to be a manager. Because he got on with it. It was easy-ozy. Massive family man. I thought his kids are going to be playing football as well. We're going to want to go and watch them as well. But now I see him there in the long three-quarter coat, Collar's half up, loves his bit of style, a little detail. I know he does.

23:36He's thought about that. And he suits him. And I've heard so much good words about him from players that he's coached, from people that have worked around him, that he's got a really – that's all he's got. He's got a nice demeanor. He has got a really nice demeanor. Now, has he got the rough edge? Has he got the harsh words to be said that are needed at times? Well, I don't know. I didn't see him as a player, but people can change. People can evolve. So he might not need that. Again, do you know what I mean? But what I can't have is that people can sit here and go, he shouldn't get the job. We should give it to an elite level manager.

24:21job. I don't understand. Well, that means that the likes of Pep Guardiola should never have been given a chance ever because there were many elite level coaches around that should have got a job before Pep Guardiola. I'm not saying Michael Carrick's Pep Guardiola, but I'm saying he would never have got the chance to become Pep if we had that type of mindset. So Zidane's another one. You see what Roy Keane said, if he wins 17 out of 17, he still wouldn't give him the job. There'd be riots if he won 17 out of 17. If he won 17 out of 17, we might come second. Roy don't mean that. Roy can't mean that.

24:58No, Roy can't mean that. You can't mean it. He said it. Someone wins 17 out of 17, right? And the place is firing on all cylinders. Listen, if he wins 10 or 12 games, if he wins eight or nine games that the team's playing a great brand of football and we look like we're on the up, it's a serious conversation. I think Michael Carrick has put himself into serious contention to now get the job. Now, he's got to still do more. I'm not saying give it to him now. I'm not saying Michael Carrick's at the will or get the contract out now. I'm not getting on that bandwagon right now. But it won't be long if he continues on this form.

25:35If he continues in this vein of form, I will be getting out the paperwork and sending it and saying, listen, he's got to sign him because we've been sitting here for a year and a half scratching our heads and going, listen, and just a bit of blind faith maybe even at times. Just following this guy, just hoping that he's going to get it right. He didn't get it right. Look at the vibes, man. Look at the difference on your sofas, in the stadiums, in the pubs, when you're supporting Man United when they're flying. My weekend was turned upside down for the right reasons this weekend and last. I see passion.

26:10I see enjoyment. I see adrenaline. I see a connection with the fans. I see the players going over and genuinely giving it to the fans and going, we're here for you. We're trying to do everything we can. That's what performances like that give you, man. It builds that connection with that place. You see, Rooney said it feels different to Solskjaer. Do you agree? Oli, you've got to remember that moment. It might be, you know, because Oli, remember Paris Saint-Germain? That game was like, rah, what the hell? and I'm the one who became the meme after that, right? Which is fine. I don't care about that, right?

26:47But I'm telling you, 99 % of the fan base would have been saying the same at the time because he was on an unbelievable run. The away record was through the roof. We were flying, right? Now, it didn't work out. Just because it didn't work out if Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Michael Carrick does not need to be judged by the same metrics as him just because he's an ex-player, he's the next legend of the club. Oh, it's not going to... No, no. Michael Carrick is his own man. He wears his collars up. do you know what I mean? He's different to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. So judge him differently. He's not the same.

27:19And he's going to bring you different results. He's going to bring you different environment. He's going to bring you a different feedback from the players. And I think the powers that be at the club, the Jason Wilcoxes, the Omar Radas, have to go into the training ground. They have to smell and feel how it is feeling from now until the end of the season. And so however long they give him, get the feedback from the players, get the feedback from the staff. You know the staff that are important to ask questions from? Dinner ladies, the chef, the people that are around the place that no one sees, the cleaners.

27:49What's he like? They ain't the be-all and end-all in terms of if you're going to give them the job. But they're getting a good understanding for what he's like, what he brings to the club. What's the environment like? They smell, they see the environment every day. They know it. I'll be leaning on everybody to make sure I make the right decision. Right man, we've got loads still to come right on this pod, but we'll be back shortly after this.

28:39space that's yours. Visit betterhelp.com slash random podcast for 10 % off your first month of online therapy. Host unforgettable backyard barbecues with savings from Whole Foods Market. Get the good times going with made-in-house chicken or pork sausages and ready-to-cook kebabs for hassle-free flavor. Grab tasty flatbreads and their new balsamic chicken salad in the prepared foods department. Keep things fresh with organic red cherries, strawberries, and peaches at their peak. And stock up on bug sprays and sun care must-haves. Make your summer sizzle at Whole Foods Market.

29:21Rio, before I ask you about center halves, I have to say you owe me a somewhat apology. Why? Because when I was telling you Ameren was getting that formation wrong, you were like, no, it's not wrong. He just needs to tweak it. I said, Rio, I'm telling you, man. But when you see the change in the formation, where those players are playing, where is my apology? No, no. Let's just get context, yeah? What I said, yeah, is that he needs to be a little bit more adaptable, right? But what I said, I understand him saying, this is me. This is why you employed me and I'm going to be me. And if I'm going to go out, I'm going to go out on my sword.

29:59I understand that. And I said he might get the sack because of that. And he eventually did. But I'm saying, I understand him being like that from his point of view. But me, would I do that? No. I would be more adaptable to the league. Pep Guardiola was adaptable after his first year here. So many managers have been like that and become successful through learning and being adaptable. But listen, if you want an apology, Joel, I'm sorry if I didn't agree with you at the time. It didn't even sound or feel good. Steve, am I right there, Steve, from what was said before? I've not changed yeah I mean there was a few things I had issues with especially towards the back end of Amorim I mean there was a massive red flag literally like huge red flag when we couldn't change anything in that Europa final against Tottenham that was a real hmm sort of moment for me you just let Tottenham win a trophy that's pretty unforgivable then you've got some of the substitutions and the stark contrast that we're seeing here between the brave substitutions that we're getting out of Carrick.

31:03I mean, bringing on a striker, taking off the hook yesterday, pushing for the win and getting the win. Everyone would have accepted him going, do you know what? Two all, this is fine. This is a good result. Let's maybe bring on someone and relax. Didn't do that. Still went for it. Still making attacking substitutions. Amorim was getting his substitutions wrong. Like consistently wrong. Because they send such a message, I think. Whether you're, you know, if you're taking off attackers to put defenders on, it's saying a lot of stuff. and when you're doing it early doors in games as well, before the 60th minute, that's saying big stuff.

31:38So I think there was loads of things he was getting wrong. It was obvious from a while that we needed to maybe be a bit more adaptable and go to playing a back four with a midfield three because it just suited the better players we had in the team. Kobe Maynard not getting a single start until he sacked is outrageous when you look at the performance he's just had in the last two games. You know, it was almost a little bit like the blind spot that Ten Hag had with Ahmad. You know, managers are getting things wrong. Michael Carrick at the moment doesn't look like he's getting some wrong. I'm sure he's gonna.

32:10I'm sure he's gonna have a bollocks up before the end of the season. Centre backs. What did you think of them? What did you see that you liked? Can you describe this? It's essential for us because obviously, you know, you're an expert in that position. When you're looking at Maguire and you're looking at Martinez, what are you seeing and what are you liking? Well, first and foremost, there are contrasts. I mean, I think one of them physically, I mean, you look at Maguire, didn't lose a challenge like yesterday. All the duels, didn't lose one against Arsenal in the whole game on the air or in the deck.

32:48Aggressive. You see the way it's throwing Gabriel about off the ball. And he's comfortable with the ball as well, to be fair, Maguire. and you've got someone like Martinez who at times you think to look at him and you go, on the face of it, he shouldn't be a dominant centre-back but he kind of physically, he doesn't mind going for the challenges and he's great on the ball. I think his best attribute for me is his delivery of the ball into different areas but his actual, his patience and his risk that he takes on the ball, I think, at first class and the difference, the little difference that he's got with other defenders that are good.

33:25They can be good on the ball. But what he does is he brings the opponent onto him so close that you're almost going, oh, hold on a minute. Oh, that's a bit too close for comfort. Because all he wants to do is get them that close to him. So when he does play the ball past them, there's no way they can get back and start being a defender and backtracking. They're too far off it. And that sucking someone out of the system creates space somewhere. And he just, that's why when you see him holding onto the ball, there's a reason behind that. He's trying to bring someone to him. and he's actually one of the best around at doing that.

33:54He's really brave and he does that really well. But I look at them and just think, they're only being allowed to do this, these two, because their attributes, they shouldn't be doing that well in the last two games because they're not quick. In the modern day game where you go, speed is a massive part of being a top defender. Both of them aren't, that's not one of them, they're not blessed to pace, but both are good communicators. Both are brave with and without the ball. And one of the key things I think that Michael Carrick and his staff have addressed is that there isn't massive spaces around them.

34:25They drop back into a mid-ish block, so there ain't loads of space behind, but there's enough space if you want to get in there. But then all of a sudden, they've got a centre midfielder in Casemiro who's marshalling in front with Kobi Mainu just around him as well, that aren't allowing the passing lanes into the number 10s, or the wide players that are coming off the touchline to get on the ball. Either side of the midfielders that's going to drag the centre-halves out. They're being able to stay in their slots, and defend good areas. And that is a massive thing where in the last regime, they're playing a three at the back, which was a hindrance to every one of the centre-backs.

34:59None of them were really comfortable doing that. Like I said, every one of them was probably looking over their shoulder before and after every moment that they had in a game. And then you had two centre-backs either side having to go out wide into wide areas, creating big, big spaces behind wing-backs. So it was always going to be difficult in that sense. You have to have particular players to play that formation. and Man Utd, after time we see, didn't have those players ready for that. But Man Utd, if they continue like this, and again, the distances and the spaces between players are really going to help the two partnerships through the middle of the team.

35:34The two centre-backs and Kobi Mainu and Casemiro, again, I thought both were brilliant in the game. That permitting Rio, you said that you would have been able to play till the age of 42 with the bodies and the systems around you like it is in today's game. did you mean that or were you just saying that to humor myself and Steve no I meant it if I play today with a protection you get the system protects players today I'm not saying that they're worse players or anything I'm just saying the system the amount of detail that goes into systems today it can protect you we saw a stat yesterday this morning the amount of defensive bodies that are in boxes now when the other team's attacking has gone up massively over the last since since we were playing, massively.

36:17So with that stat just alone, more bodies means more help, means less chance of the position scoring, means less space for the number nines and number tens to get in the box. That helps me. That's less running around, less responsibility for me. I can pass it on. You take him. I could just shuffle about, organize things. Bro, I'm playing till 42 minimum at the top level. I'm telling you. Like, don't get me wrong. It's not easy to play today. There's different arse of defenders. I know that on the ball, et cetera. But that's playing again into my strengths. But yesterday's game was a great example of that when there is a bit of freeness and a bit of freedom to play, it's an enjoyable brand of football to watch, man.

36:57And we've missed that. I'm telling you, I'm hoping that this game, as Steve said before, cycles, hopefully we start getting into a cycle of a bit more freedom. We need to. It's true, man. Steve, I want to ask you about, I asked you last week about Dorgou and obviously... Bad boy. He did a nice little piece and every week he's getting better. And he's a player that you've been watching closely and closely. We're starting to hear comparisons of Gareth Bell because obviously he's gone from a wingbackish position to obviously he's further up the pitch. What is it that you've seen improving his game?

37:32Not just in the last two games. I think he's been having a decent patch for a month or two, really, to be honest. Can I just give Steve's props, please? Because Steve did mention and highlight him a long, long, long, long time ago. done a report on him. Yeah, about eight months before we signed him, it was. What did you see then that you're seeing now? He looked a bit different than what we're seeing, actually. I find that sometimes from Italian League or something like that, they don't always translate as well. But the one thing that stood out was just how involved in duels that he is. And that's not changed.

38:07The guy is an absolute monster when it comes to duels. the one thing that was an issue with him and I think we saw this a lot last season and it could have been a little bit of adaptation it could have been a little bit of the demands of playing wing back because you've got to literally just be everywhere at all times you've got to defend and you've got to be the guy that provides the width I think in a back four either playing off the left or the right or even in the back line or in midfield I think you have to do a little bit less running than you have to do as a wing back and I think the way a 3-4-3 works when you're the left wing back in that and you're the wide outlet, you're typically going to be coming up against two and I don't quite think he's got the level of individual trickery to beat, certainly to beat two.

38:57But when you play him with a little bit of space in front of him, like one of the things I clocked was like, there's a touch of Antonio Valencia about him. You know, very, very fast, hard, strong. and he doesn't need to be Neymar on the ball. You can be very simple and deliver, but the shooting, I did not see. I thought that we could get good deliveries from him. I thought we could have him deliver the ball into a good area consistently, but I did not see the goal scoring. The goal scoring is something that I never clocked with him, but we had his one-to-one coach on, didn't we, a while ago. I'm seeing him doing a lot of one-to-ones and a lot of it is final third finishing stuff.

39:46Defensively, I think he's pretty solid. And it'd be interesting to see what Carrick does. These last two games, he's played him left wing, which I think is really smart because he can be an auxiliary defender and he can help Luke Shaw a little bit and then he can go and get forward. In games where you're expected to have more of the ball, where you want them wing backs, full backs to be involved in attacking play more so than defensive play. You're going to give a team that's going to sit in a low block. It'd be interesting to see what he can do there. Can he help us against teams in low blocks?

40:18Because City and Arsenal are not going to be that. That's a very different thing. There's definitely a player there. He's definitely raw. But the willingness to get involved in duels tells me he's got a good mindset. And the fact that he's doing extras. When do you hear of players doing extras in it? not really working at this level. It seems to pay off for everyone that does it. So, yeah, it excites me. I think the Gareth Bale comparisons are a little bit giddy, if I'm going to be honest. You're the one putting him in the group chat, mate. You're the one putting him in the Instagram Rio Presents group chat.

40:52You've got to join that, by the way, guys. Join the broadcast team. You're missing out on the banter. I think they're a little bit on the giddy side, but I like it. I'm here for it. Do you know what I think, though, Steve? I didn't see the goals, but one thing I definitely didn't see I definitely didn't see the coming inside and playing 1-2s and running off people and a little bit of guile I didn't see that obviously I've only seen him play out wide and it was all pace and power mainly but that ability to come in and identify that their space is behind opposition's midfield play 1-2s, run and obviously the shooting again speaks for itself but yeah I think the attitude is the overriding factor for me seems to have the right attitude that he's going to demand of himself to make it.

41:36He's here now. He's at Man United and he ain't going to waste his opportunity and I love it. That little coming in and playing ones and two touches though, that's straight from the training ground with the one-to-one coach. Like that's, the goal he scored last night, I'm pretty sure that's been in a session. Maybe not hitting it on the volley like that, but that little bit of interplay and then bang one from the edge of the box. If I've got any criticism of the one-to-ones that he's doing, it's all of his shooting is long range. but maybe that works because of the areas that he's expected to pick the ball up maybe and clearly it is because that's where he's finishing from do you know what another thing like just to go back to the Kobe Mainu and the Casemiro area of the pitch I'd love to have been a fly on the wall when Michael Carrick's talking to Casemiro Kobe and Bruno and just given he's like he's kind of perception he's kind of this is the guidance guys this is what I want to see like just to see that conversation guys I want you to pop it I want you to bounce it off each other lend it I know that Michael's using them words Michael loved the word lend it just lend it out just play it to get it back play it to get him and Scalzi done that 24-7 and I'm not saying they're the same player so don't start shouting at me or getting in the comments but that lending between Casemiro, Kobe, Bruno, Ahmad at times that's that that's that reminds me of Carrick when he was playing with the likes of Scolzi and Giggsie sometimes because that's what he would he would want to lend it and it's not to take the mick out of anybody because some people used to take it and find a fence with that or go are they taking the piss no they're doing that and going come on come out of your slots and it's probably needed more now than ever you're you're wanting to draw the opponents out come out of your shape a little bit man you're too well set up come on Lend it.

43:26Kobe, lend it. Lend it, Bruno. And then as soon as they come out, like they did yesterday, Kobe slips it through. And that's where you go. That's where his elite kind of trait, one of these traits that he's got, come under pressure, press resistance, and can play a ball with his head up still to the spare man. And that was Kunja. And then we have the goal. And then it's down to, can you finish or can't you? Have you got the character or the personality to take responsibility in that position to score the winner? And yes, he has. So these are the types of things that I'd love to be behind the scenes seeing because, again, I'm privy to knowing what Michael's like.

44:01And you said something earlier about, Michael, about substitution, Steve, and putting an attacker on. That's Karas. We used to play cards or we'd play the SOCOM game. He wouldn't mind taking a chance. And I see the traits of him as a coach now. He's going to be a bit open at times. He's going to take a risk here and there. He's not crazy with it, with risk, but he wouldn't be happy just sitting there and just rolling over without having a little bit of risk and going, let me just chance it to see if I can win this. And again, a lot of his personality is being born out in the way his team's playing in the two games.

44:40I agree again, Steve, let's not get carried away. I think as bigger tests, because of how the team has been over previous times and regime, team isn't the question marks mainly against the bigger teams in the top four or five teams. It's against the teams that we're deemed to be the ones that we should be beating. Like the Fulhams we've got at home. Spurs we've got at home. West Ham away. They don't take a call from you guys. No, no, no. I'm not saying how far they away. But the stature of the football clubs, people will go, we should be beating all of those teams or at least not losing against all of them teams.

45:18That's where Michael Carrick's going to sew up his contract if he wins those type of games and does it in a convincing fashion. So what do you think his biggest challenges are during those games? Because you're saying you should beat them. Getting Frank's haircut. If he gets Frank's haircut by West Ham, the Giddy Train's going to be off the charts. If he goes five for five, watch. It's Luke Littler vibes, man. Just banging people apart. So what do you reckon these biggest challenges are going to be over these games? No, I just think to get the same buy-in, the same tuned-in approach and application from the players when the magnitude of the game isn't as big.

46:00That's always a test for a manager, that. It's not just the manager and the staff, by the way. It's a test for players. You've got to be as high as a kite for Liverpool, City, Arsenal, Chelsea, as you have for the games against the teams at the lower end of the table. That is a professionalism. That is a trait that I don't think is spoken about a lot, but is hugely important in a team being successful. Because the moment you go a small percentage, half a percent even, even less, a percent off of intensity, attitude, application, for a team, in this league you get punished. You get beat. You get embarrassed.

46:46And that's the thing that Man United have. We've seen too many times Man United do well against City or do well against this, that team, the bigger teams, and then go and get smoked by Wolves at home or Fulham away or whoever it is. You know what I mean? So that's where we've got to change it. I think a lot of that is to do with mindset. So Michael Carrick can get these guys thinking the same as they do for the big games as for the other games. They're halfway there. Well, it's been a somber weekend for the likes of Arsenal and obviously Liverpool as well because they obviously conceded a last-minute goal to lose against Canberra.

47:21After the game, the skis, I was just... That's what they're saying. Slop for the chop. All I'm saying is the Liverpool fans are going nuts.

47:33It's funny because you hear Liverpool fans and then you see Stee in there as well. like he throws these little pieces out there then he goes back hiding that is incredible isn't it for a guy that's won the league last season he came and he changed things and we were all applauding him does he deserve more time Rio then I'm going to ask you Steve wait wait wait wait wait what I've got a couple of mates who are mad Liverpool fans in a group that I'm in right from when I was younger and I was saying to him like yeah you've got to understand because they're going slot out slot out he's rubbish he's not a bit like Arum He's not adaptable and all this stuff, right?

48:08He's bought all these players, spent four or five hundred million, and we've gone backwards.

48:14Last 30-something years, how many league titles have Liverpool won? Two. They've won two. Klopp won one and Slott won one, right? He won one. It's true. Yeah, Slott's won one. And you're going like, so he's won one in his first year. And then a few months later, he's having a bit of a bad spell. you're going to have the cheek to go get out of my club when he actually bought you your second Premier League in the last 25, 30 years. That's... I can't get my head around that. I can't. No matter what you think about his playing style, I keep hearing him, it's boring the way he's playing. He won you the league last year.

48:54Is there a bit of respect to be given for that or not? A bit of time for that? I'm sure that buys a bit of time. Surely. Especially as he's given... He's spent half a bill. Steve? I mean, that's a bit mad. But, yeah, I hear what you're saying. Steve? Clearly, last year he didn't out. Clearly, he just rocked up and went, you lot, show me what you got. And he went, all right, safe. And he went and did that. And, you know, maybe they should have replaced Big Verge a bit sooner. Maybe they should have replaced Mo Salah a bit sooner. You know, maybe he shouldn't have signed two strikers because you're clearly never going to fit both of those into the team.

49:39On one hand, if this was anyone else, I mean, his record is worse than David Moyes' at the same amount of games from when David Moyes took over Manchester United as champions. And they had a banner up at Old Trafford saying David Moyes, football genius. That needs to come back out because he's better than what Slott is doing. You've got to remember, it's the Slott that actually won that title as well. David Moyes just took over the champions. He didn't win it. Slott won it. you know, it maybe he lost his tactics book when he was in a B for DJ. And I don't know, but what we're seeing is what he's really about.

50:14Now he's got his fingerprints in there. Maybe he smelt his own farts a little bit and he's gone in there and he's gone. I'm a, I'm a premier league winner. I'm going to mix it up. And actually what we're seeing is the guy ain't got it. He comes out with some whibble in his post-match press conference. You see big verge blaming the wind for the first goal, asking for a foul for the third. Oh, it's glorious. So on one hand, long may this rain continue. Extend him. Yeah, and I'm right here. I'm going to go, he won you a title. How dare you? But on the other hand, if I was trying to be neutral about this, which I can't really be when it comes to Liverpool, he's got to go because he's garbage.

50:49You know, I want to bring it back to Virgil van Dijk quickly because when we talk about centre-backs, I've been open to come out and say he's one of my favourites that I've ever seen in the Premier League. And I do believe that if he was at Liverpool when he was a little bit younger, his trophy cabinet may have been saying something else, maybe. Do you think the criticism he's received recently has been fair? Because I'm not going to lie with you. I'm just going to put it out there. I said I'm going to be honest, man. I've seen a lot of guys comparing him playing to your QPR days. It's been a bit mad.

51:23And the reality is, he won the league. He won the league last year. Last year, he was the best thing since sliced bread. but I do see that he has up and down seasons. Like one season, you'll be like, he's done. Then he comes back, he does well. Then he, you know, it's funny again. What's your thoughts when you see it, Rio, as a top centre-back yourself? Yeah, I think, listen, I think he's definitely in the conversation for one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League, right? Because there's been seasons that he's had, like, I don't know, sometimes when you look at one of these seasons, has there been anyone else that's performed to that level?

51:56I think you can debate that as much as you want. just the fact that you can debate that means that he's he's got a huge talent but taking Virgil's name out of it I think when you talk about the best centre-backs in the league I think you look at the, you talk about the likes of John Terry, Nemanja Vidic Stam I might be missing out on others right as well, I put myself in there did those guys, I don't remember those guys having like a bad month or a bad spell was maybe two weeks or it might have been a red card at the weekend. That's a bad spell. I don't remember too many times where they had like long, sustained periods of time where it weren't going well for them.

52:48So that's the difference from maybe the modern day players that I see. I see some modern day players, their bad spells are six months or three months. Some of them even a year. I had a season off. In our time having a season off, you was on the transfer list. Quick. Anyway, listen. I want to end it on that because... Yeah, I just want to end it on that if I'm honest. Hold on, before we go, Joel. Before we go. Stratford Paddock. Yeah. You're in the papers again, Steve. Not for the bad reasons. Yeah, not for fighting this time, Uva. Not for fighting. What's going on? What's going on this time? Let us know, man.

53:24One of my wingers has been linked with some big teams, to be honest. Wow. Hearts, Scottish Prem. 16-year-old winger. Is he any good? Who's he playing like? With Hearts. Very aggressive, little. Very small in stature. Unbelievable skill. He's got free kick goals in him. Got a good delivery from seven ways. James Milner at Leeds. No, he's a really aggressive dribbler. really aggressive really like gets after him gets at him I mean I think he's been he's been on he's been on a trial at Preston I'm not sure how that's gone but he's Blackburn have been linked with him Cardiff have been linked with him Hearts have been linked with him I don't think he'll be here by the end of the season by the looks of that what's his name Steve?

54:13what's his name? Kiefer Kiefer Cole Kiefer Cole man good luck man make sure you go to them trials and have pure confidence and just lay it down man don't leave nothing out there don't leave it on the training ground don't leave it at the trial do your thing good luck man and if you're ever unsure what to do kiefer do what joel bae would do shout out to you my bro well done guys i want to say thank you very much for watching the channel uh this week it's been an amazing week you guys in the community listen as much as i hate losing to man united uh seeing you guys in the comments and the joys whether it be across all platforms twitter tiktok instagram the broadcast is popping we're starting to use that a lot more now uh so please make sure you join subscribe get your comments in we're really building the community here and and i have to say it really gets me through my day and even when i'm doing the school run and people going oh rio still gonna have a word with you on the show today like it does bring somewhat sort of a smile on our face so please keep on uh supporting us and yeah we will be back uh what's next rio do you have any big interviews coming up or yep yep i'm traveling i'm gonna go traveling in the next couple of days and there's a couple of things in the pipeline and we've got a couple of interviews that have been stacked up as well that are just sitting on the shelf waiting to be put out there.

55:27So listen guys, I don't know which one's coming right now. Actually I do. It's a banger. And he scored bangers. He scored bangers. He scored bangers. And do you know the great thing about this one? Is it my guy? No, not him yet. But what this is, is the guy that no one's heard really speak. That's what I love about it. Getting behind the curtain from people that don't really speak a lot. So So yeah, man. And you know what? There's a couple of stories in there that had me, the hairs on the back of my neck. Crazy. All right, cool. Listen, everyone, have a good one. Steve, Rio, I'm going to go sulk in the corner over there and I'll see you guys next week, okay?

56:04All right, man. Take care. Men in black. Peace. Yeah, man. Sorry. Oh, I wanted to get a Will Smith line in.

56:47We'll be right back. weekly flyer on Menards.com for all the great deals happening now. Save big money at Menards.