Michael Carrick doesn’t get enough credit for everything he’s dealt with at Man United

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0:52a particular style of football into a new style of football now. The squad is built to play 3-4-3. You've got Mbumo and Cunha, not really natural wingers. That's what I'm saying. Like, this doesn't get any credit for that. It's just mad. It just gets brushed off as though he hasn't got enough experience in the big time.

1:13Yes, guys, welcome to another episode of Rio Presents, brought to you by our partners, Crafted. Steve Hassen, Joel Baer are with me as usual guys. What's happening man? How you doing? You good? Listen, we've all had a good weekend but before we start talking about the Liverpool win and the Arsenal win I want to know what the heck is going on with you and Jamie Carragher. What happened? What happened? He just came on smoke out of nowhere like all I've done is put a picture up and say caption this he was in the background of the picture of me celebrating someone else's goal which I love doing and I'll do it again a million times over if I had the opportunity, right?

1:50Yeah. I'm like, how can you get so triggered? Like, he was rattled, rattled, super rattled out of nowhere. I just don't get it. Really? You know what? Jamie, what have I done? Because only a couple of months ago, about a month ago, whatever it was, you were asking me to come on Monday Night Football. Like, we were good buddies. Like, I don't understand. Like, what is going on here? like one minute you want me to come on your show next minute i put a lovely picture me celebrating the goal you're in the background right not intentional but you were just there listen i could have put another couple of pictures on but you was on the floor after i smashed one in the top corner right but i didn't respectfully so i just don't get where it's coming from guys i'm just i'm just baffled this happens two or three times a season like something yeah but the point When I see him, it's all laughs.

2:45It's all happy. Like, yeah, what's happening? It's like, it's weird to me. The venom don't match the energy. I was going to say, there's something. Someone's harboring something about someone. I don't know what's happened, bro. It feels like I was the person that took his dinner money at school. And it's comeback time. I don't know what it is. You're a nice guy, though. You know what I mean? You're not out here taking people's lunch money. Don't get me wrong. you'll tell someone when they need to do better in training. You will, you know. But besides that, I just don't understand. It makes it confusing is because when you do see each other, it's cool.

3:20I've seen you on the overlap. He's come on our platform once as well. I'm baffled. I'm baffled. The energy does not match the energy that I see in real life or offline. It's very different. So, Jay, just drop me a message. Don't ask me to come on the United Night Football, but just explain what's going on here man explain what's going on he said you're now like mithering players or something like that whatever he said yeah we know what I bothered another player the other day at Old Trafford Steve was there it's an unbelievable interview it drops in a couple of weeks he had a lot to get off his chest it's great bothering these guys when they want to sit down for interviews it's beautiful I love it what on your platform on your platform that you're building it's great for the channel yeah man we've got Ballon d 'Or winners that are coming on who I'm bothering we've got like some of the best players that have ever played in the game that I'm bothering.

4:11It's just like, it's a phenomenal thing that we're doing there, man. It's great. And again, it's getting awards and we're getting awards for the best YouTube channel. It's brilliant. Great bothering right there. Listen, anyway, anyway, man, we had to address it. That's the beautiful thing about owning your own platform, Rio. Well done on that. But I guess now we should go back to the game on the weekend, man. Manchester United beating Liverpool 3-2. Amazing game. I'm not even going to lie. I thought you guys chucked it away when it came back to 2-2. Rio, what did you think of the game as a whole?

4:41Oh, it was a great game. It was what that type of game demands. It's ups and downs. It's not boring. Both sets of fans are bananas and crazy about that game. It means so much to them. So it's like the game threw up everything you would have wanted to write in a script for that type of game if you're going to be on the United side of the fence. My little boy, we watched the first half. He had to go to bed after. But we watched the first half together and he woke up, dad oh my god we won 2-0 oh why Kunio he's doing the Kunio dance I said no no it went 2-2 he went what? he said we were destroying them dad I said yeah it went 2-2 and then Kobe Maynard come up at the end of the squad and then he was alright again in the end but it was like it was one of those games man up and down and it was just like a again if you're on the Manchester United side of the fence it was a great great great result Steve I know you're a little bit quiet I don't know what it is I don't know if it's the new Land Rover discovery that you got there but i'm gonna ask you about kobi maynew before i ask rio what do you think of the lad you being someone from manchester a local lad talk to me about kobi man i thought it was very fitting that he got the winner yesterday i think that's what it's all about like football is is not logical us following 11 blokes we don't know that happened to wear the same shirt because our dads and granddads decided that that was the team that they were going to follow it don't really make sense it don't make sense how much it ruins our day how much it makes our day like i've hugged and kissed and jumped into the arms of strangers when goals have happened like what other thing in your life could make you do that there's nothing like it so football is romantic and i think we should always lean into the romance of sport and you've got Kobe Maynou who's just decided that he is going to commit his future to Manchester United as an academy player being the current beacon of all of those 7, 8, 900 kids that are in the academy trying to be the next one of him he signs his deal he has a brilliant game like the swagger on him at moments in the game was sensational and then he scores the match winning goal and he doesn't even score it in front of the scoreboard end but he scores it in front of the Stretford end which makes it just a little bit more special to beat Liverpool, our fiercest rivals to put us back into the champions league where we belong.

7:09Like I literally didn't have words. I just shouted Cobby fucking menu when he's like, mate, if I could bottle up that feeling, that's what it's all about. You know? Yeah. Rio, I want to ask you, what is it that he's doing differently in his game now? What's changed? Confidence. Confidence is a massive factor in any footballer's makeup because I don't care what ability you've got or how many times you've been out on that pitch and lace your boots up and kick the ball around and scored goals, set up goals, whatever you're great at, right? If confidence drops off a tad, totally different player. The ball feels like a square.

7:50The ball feels like it's weighing 10 kilograms. The pitch feels so small like a five-a-side pitch at times when you get the ball. you see a sea of the opponent shirts in front of you there's no gaps that's when your confidence is low and it feels like there's the whole not only nation but that anyone on the globe is watching the game hoping that you you mess up that's how it feels when pressure's on and confidence is low so when that's alleviated by somebody showing belief in you and picking you week in week out and suggesting to you that listen you can be my main guy in there go and show me what you got because I believe you are that guy.

8:27That's what Michael Carrick's done. Michael Carrick hasn't shouted and hollered and got down a madness with Kobe Mania. All he said is, you know what? I see a player in there. Go on, show me. Just do what you normally do. I saw it with England. I've seen it with Man United before Ruben Amaroom came. You can do it. Let's go. And bit by bit, he's grown in confidence. He's doing stuff now that he didn't do 10 games ago, which is like running with a ball, manipulating, bringing on the press rather than just playing around the press. Come on. trusting my body to roll people etc and like Steve said there's little bits in the game that he's doing that no one else in our team can do or are capable of doing right so long may that continue and again confidence is the big factor the different factor that we've seen in Kobe Mainu now compared to what we've seen over the last year Steve I'm going to need you to be honest on this one right I know you love him I know he's your guy but are there any parts of his game that you're still yet not convinced about I'd like to see him bring in a bit more of a frequent switch.

9:27I think opening the pitch up, Paul Scholes was the gold standard of this. We've drawn them all in to one side of the pitch. Let's bang it out. This is going to be a winger or a fullback on the other side. Just know that there's going to be a winger or a fullback in space. And let's keep the attack moving forward. It's something you see Casemiro doing quite frequent. I thought Casemiro was excellent yesterday. I just thought his decision-making was brilliant. Right pass at the right time to the right people. to the right foot. And I thought, and I think if Cobby can add just a little bit of an edge to it, if you know what I mean, like sometimes you want them to just go like a foot above head height.

10:03You don't want them looping. It takes a bit long to get there. Just a little nasty Bosh, one of those like Sidewinder. If you can start adding those in with the speed of the wingers that we've got, we'll start getting in behind teams when it's been drawn over to one side. And I think that's, there's obviously other areas in his game, you know, and he's 21 years old and he's playing at such a mature level at the moment. Paul Scholes weren't doing this. No, it was working. Think about that. As Steve said, he's just turned 21. He hasn't even played 100 games for Man United yet, right? And Michael Carrick, when we interviewed him on the show, when I was bothering another old player that we played, I played with Michael Carrick.

10:41We don't know if you haven't seen it, go on the Meets strand and have a look, guys, on the channel. He mentioned his age and he said, Ria, he's so young. He's still a kid. there's so much to do there's so much to learn still from him there's so much to come from him and Michael Carroll was really really probably the first person I spoke to that really really like doubled down about his age and experience before we're judging him too quick and too soon it was really interesting and then to see Michael go in there and go no no listen son you're the guy you are the guy it reminded me a little bit like probably Glenn Hoddle in my career when I went into England as a young kid he made me feel a million dollars man I've been lucky you know actually I'll have to give all of them credit he gave me wings Harry Redknapp gave me wings man he made me hear him say to someone look at him he purrs he purrs the kid look at him that's what he was saying in my earshot he wanted me to hear I could tell and you're sitting there and I felt like 10 foot tall David O 'Leary I'll go to Leeds Like, I took Leeds.

11:45He just gives me the armband after about three months. It's like, because Rio, you're going to take us to a new level. Like, there's ways in which managers do these things in different ways. And Michael Carrick will have his own way. So Alex Ferguson buying me for a world record fee for a... That's enough. He hasn't got to say anything. He signed that check. He signed it off. That's the confidence I needed. Well, 18 months after breaking the previous record fee for 18 million as well, by the way. Yeah, I don't want to keep talking about myself. People don't like it. I'll talk. I'll do the talking.

12:15Don't you worry about that, mate. No, no. But I am. And so managers do this in different ways for players. And that is the art of a great manager, of somebody who's onto something. When you are unlocking parts of people's games that makes them then go and perform at the level that we expect, that's a part of management that is hard that people don't get. A lot of people find it difficult to do that. Michael Carey's doing that with far many players at Manchester United and other managers have previously done on a consistent level. So, the unlocking of Kobi Mainu, I think has been a masterstroke so far because this kid was leaving the club at some point and people were saying, yeah, happy to see that happen.

12:58It's mad, you know, it was only December, January that he was done. It's true. It's an absolute crime. He's an£1 ,800 million player and we were just going to let that leave because one manager couldn't fit him into a system. Amirim needs to go to jail for that. I've said it before. Wait, wait, wait, wait. I don't agree. I don't agree with that. Yeah. I think there's a big narrative going around about Amirim needs to go for not unlocking Kobi Manu. But you have to look at it from his standpoint. Yeah. I agree. I think he should have found a way, but I don't think it's all, it's black and white.

13:32If a player doesn't fit the style of football that you want to play and you don't feel that he's got the capable of doing that then you have to make a call my point was more that we didn't see enough of Kobe to go play your way out of this like it was just like a but he ain't seen enough in training that's it he ain't getting a chance and that's him gone it's like it's like Amarin probably probably hadn't watched him play for England and to me that's the crime Rio that is really a crime like how can that guy not get one two minute at all and you're being nice you're being political you're saying oh yeah you know what you you don't see it me I reckon he should be in jail for that.

14:07The biggest thing I think that he lacked, I think, and even we saw elements of this in the game yesterday. Sometimes if the game opens up, that's when you see the deficiencies in Kobi Manu in terms of his mobility to get around the park. But I think the best managers find ways to paper over those craps for certain individuals in teams. Busquets, he's not physically capable. He couldn't run. He weren't physical in any way, shape, or form, but their team never allowed it. I mean, Barcelona was the best club team I've ever seen. but Tony Cruz can he run? never exposed Modric can he run really? you want to say he's a powerhouse never exposed like there's there's players that you look at and you go like wow he was a wonderful player but even member two guy for Turkey and Blackburn weren't really exposed physically but managed to stay in teams he'd absolutely nail you if you went near him though but do you know do you know one thing I will say I will say about it though Rio and I'm not comparing Kobi Menuh to Modric or Cruz or whatever.

15:06But what he does possess, Kobe, is the intelligence of someone who knows that, how to not get exposed. There's some players where you're like, if he's not fitting the system, he's not good enough and that's it. Whereas Kobe's got an intelligence that other players don't have. I'm not saying it's Modric's level or Cruz's level, but he's able to get around the pitch. He's able to know where he's not good enough and then make up for it in other areas using his brain. Do you see what I mean? And surely your manager should know that about your player. We all do. I don't know. I don't agree with that.

15:36I don't agree with that as much because I think we saw it yesterday. We saw it yesterday, in the second half especially. It's out of his hands. If Casemiro, like he did yesterday, started playing almost as a number nine, a hovering nine, right? He's in there on his own. Doesn't matter what brain he's got in his head, he's exposed. So the spaces around him are too big. He can't do nothing about it. And that's what I said yesterday on Real Reacts. That's where Casemiro's experience or Harry Maguire need to pull people about and go, listen, get in there, stay in there for 10 minutes, let's weather this storm.

16:07But that didn't happen. So sometimes it's the system. It's like, I feel this about Raheem Sterling. Raheem Sterling, Pep Guardiola created a system that suited Sterling to the sea, right? Perfectly. Sterling then goes to Chelsea, then goes to Arsenal, where it's not about a system that's going to help him. It's about, you've got to fit into what we're already doing. Where Pep had a system that suited Raheem Sterling. And I think that, like, listen, maybe age and the amount of volume of games that he's played might have contributed as well to his decline after leaving City. But I still think systems as well are there to not only win games and to make you a good team, but they're also there to protect some people if you get it right.

16:49Yeah, no, agreed, agreed. Rio, when we're looking at Kobe, though, what do you think his genuine aim should be in terms of involvement with England this summer? I mean, now he's playing, he's got to be looking at starting. I don't think his mindset is anything different from that get me in that team, I've shown you in a tournament what I can do if you give me the keys I think before Kobi Menuh comes into form like he has now Anderson and Rice start but I think now it's Rice and another and Kobi Menuh's in that shake-up now and there's pros and cons for both if you want to go out there and you want to probably defend a bit more and be a bit more of an aggressive team, I think you go Anderson and Rice.

17:35I think if you want to control games and try and take control of big games and have a chance to do that and be progressive through the lines, then a cogumano has to be in there with Rice, I think. And that'll be the way I see it. And it's whatever way you want to approach a game. And that's obviously down to Thomas Tuchel. Right, man, we've got loads still to come right on this pod, but we'll be back shortly after this.

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19:02with England I think the problem England have got is that they've probably only got outside of Harry Kane the only genuine world-class talent they've got is probably like three or four central midfielders and then they're really struggling in in every other area like central if they could find a formation that played five central midfielders they'd be flying but there's not going to be a formation with balance that does that so there's going to be like, you know, Wharton really should be playing his class. Anderson should be playing his class. Rice should be playing his class. Manning should be playing his class.

19:33And, you know, there's more. Like Bellingham. Like, it's the one area England are truly, truly blessed in and they're not going to fit them all in. So someone or several are going to have to suffer. I definitely think that you shouldn't go into the tournament with an 11. I think you need to go into the tournament with an idea, like you just said there, of if we want to hold possession, move teams around, it's going to be this team, and I don't know what that team is. And if we're going to play off the back foot, and I think you should against France, maybe even Portugal, I think you need a team that's going to be robust enough but can play the ball forward quick enough with wingers that are going to stretch the game because obviously Harry Kane's going to play in between the lines.

20:13So you've got to have tactics. I think England have always messed up by picking who's the best players, or supposedly the best players, rather than picking their system. continually. Like, think about this. 2008, right? Might remember it. We had two English teams in the final of the Champions League. It was ten English players that started the Champions League final. England didn't qualify for the Euros that year. How does that compute? Good knowledge, that's the... Yeah. Right? You can literally make a team and just throw any idiot in there. I'll go in there if you want, right? And that team should do alright.

20:53Right, you know, from Wes Brown at right back, you and JT centre-half, Ashley Cole left back. You're telling me that's a bad defence? That's a great defence, right? You've got, you could choose United's midfield. Hargreaves, Carrick and Scholes. It's a pretty good midfield. Some might say it was the best in Europe, right? But you've also got Frank Lampard that you could squeeze in there somehow as well, right? So you've got four options in there. And then up top, you've got Wade Rooney and Joe Cole, right? That's a joke. That is a joke. that's an absolute joke of an 11 and it didn't qualify let alone did it not win it it didn't qualify so what England have always done and that was the problem with what Steve McLaren did in in that era was they just tried to shoehorn in the best players rather than picking a team that can actually play football together and I worry that that's what's going to happen this year is that you're going to pick the best so-called players and it's not going to work as a team rather than picking maybe some unfavorable players.

21:52Maybe someone like a Gordon plays because he's going to rat and he's going to run him beyond. And that's what's going to hurt opposition teams rather than someone who's a bigger name. You didn't mention Gerrard when you made that example. But anyway. He didn't play in a Champions League final, mate. Okay. What that year you mean? Both. On Kobe, is he a six or an eight? Yeah. He could easily be Not quite Perlow But you could see him being like a Carrick Perlow Sort of deep line playmaker at times But I also think some of his best stuff is when it gets tight In and around the D Like his footwork is absolutely Like he's got a ball on Velcro What are we doing?

22:33The ability that he's got to take it round people In and around the D is beautiful At camp He just never lost a ball Tight, tight spaces I don't think I saw anyone better than him on the day the closest player when it comes to that kind of stuff is Jude Bellingham but I still reckon Cobby was by far better than him there so yeah that's why I can't I can't wait for him to start adding bits to his game I agree with Steve that that that 30 40 yard raking pass if he introduces that into his game it's the same problem I'm not saying he's the same like skulls the same problem that you'd have with skulls you can't press him because he'll pop it around you or he'll actually beat you different in that way with skulls but he'll actually beat you because he's got great feet and he's strong but if you stand off him he's hitting a 30 40 yard ball and breaking lines like he's over your fullback or over your back four like he adds that type of stuff to his game it will make his game easier in other areas I'm telling you yeah yeah before we uh talk about carrot because I know the listeners and the watchers want to talk about the manager uh we should also we should also talk about another young English talent um standout performance uh Myles Lewis Skelly.

23:40Rio, what did you think of his performance against Fulham on the weekend? I just thought, how's he not got more time? I just think the energy he put in your team, aggression, he got to people.

23:56I've been baffled as to how he hasn't played more football for you guys. I just think when you think about what he done last season, arguably the best young player and breakout player in the Premier League last year, and you look at it and you're going like, well, what's he done wrong not to play? Listen, if Arsenal win the league, then obviously Mikel Arteta is right. But if you're talking just as a selfish English supporting person, then you want your best English players playing. And last season, he's shown again, he can play multiple positions. He can play left back. He could probably play left wing back.

24:28He could play centre midfield. That's where he grew up as a centre midfielder. So, I mean, as I said, like that, Zubomendi, I think, and I agree with some of the other pundits I heard talking about him, He looked a bit tired and leggy at times. And I think he just injected that right amount of spark and energy that your team needed. And I think it's going to be difficult. I think it's difficult not to see him playing most of the games towards the end of the season now. Yeah. I mean, obviously, we've got Rice playing deeper as the more important games stack up. Like you said, Zubimendi's been a little bit tired.

24:58He doesn't really use Norgard. Is Arteta doing a good job in tweaking the midfield in crucial parts of the season, would you say? well yeah I think that's a massive I think Steve's been one of his biggest critics in that he's like this is what he is and that's it he doesn't change but I think that change in personnel again tweaking the midfield Declan becoming a deeper line player at times I think it's and if they're winning games and I think there's been a huge momentum shift since the game at City the confidence is back up Champions League football looks rosier now again positive results and you're looking at it and going, well, this doesn't feel like it felt after City.

25:37Very different, and that's two games, three, is it three games they've had since then? I think it's a huge, huge shift, and I think, as I said, that's why I was confident if they got to six points clear at this point, energy will be different, and I see them running out winners. I agree with what you're saying about Lewis Skellett. I mean, he came through as a midfielder, right, and then played fullback last year, and then, did he only get his first start against Bournemouth this season? I can't confirm that stat but he hasn't played a lot of games at all that's nuts that I was having a look at him a few weeks ago because United have been linked with him seemingly surplus to requirements if he was coming cheap I'd absolutely have him one thing that you have done on a sly is you've assembled a deep squad you've got to give them credit for that maybe not the perfect balance you're still probably lacking in a couple of areas I think but you have assembled a real deep squad so he's off his nut if he doesn't use it he doesn't always use it though Steve like I said he doesn't use Norgard, no he's not it's Miles Lewis-Skelly, obviously Winieri's on loan to me sometimes I don't know if it's just above my footballing knowledge but did Sir Alex Ferguson surprise you Rio with a squad or a single tactical tweak that really helped you guys and shocked the opposition by surprise?

27:05Yeah, I think Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is probably a good one because he's known as a marksman. He's known as a number nine running onto chances. Anything popping about the six-yard box, he's slapping it away, right? Both feet. He was just an outrageous finisher. And then the manager started playing in right wing. Like, is it 4-5-1 or 4-3-3? I remember Ashley Cole said he's one of the hardest players he played against in that position. And Oli said, I know how to play against Ashley Cole. Not many get the better of him, but I know I will. And he did because he used to time his runs inside him all the time.

27:42Even on the outside, even put a ball up in the air, Oli would win it against Ashley Cole every time. Like he was, and he just, Oli was a student of the game. He just understood where to be in moments. and you don't score that many goals the way he did without actually analysing things. He would have took time out to analyse a Nashley Cole or full-backs. When do they sleep? When the ball's on the other side of the pitch and they're looking, normally their first look is, where's the winger? By the time he's looking, Oli's running inside. He's on his bike and there's not enough time to react. And when you've got the quality that we had then of people being able to play that pass on people on the run, it's lights out for defenders.

28:19So he'd done it. And to be fair, at first it was like, well, Oli's not really, he's not known for speed at this point. He's had a good few injuries. He ain't like, when you've got a winger, I'm thinking speed, pace, Nani, Cristiano, Antonio Valencia, give me some pace. Oli weren't that, Oli was, again, the managers just saw and knew that this guy would work it out. He'd work out how to get a better full-back and he still continues scoring. His roster was actually a joke, considering he was a striker. Yeah. And again, because he just knew, it's like, Wazza used to get wide. Harry Kane, when he gets wide.

28:51These guys know where the ball should be. They just put it where it should be. Do you know what I mean? So, crazy. At the time, I was thinking, is he? Oli's not a winner, is he? But then after, it was like, oh, it's Oli's plan. Please let him play. Do you know what I mean? He was that good. Well, he did it a couple of times though, isn't it, Rio and Steve? Like, Giggsie dropping deep into midfield. Paul Scholes as well in these latter years. Even though you had capable guys there, he still, well, from the outside looking in, he was still capable of surprising us all. Yeah, well, Steve would have seen.

29:21He would have. You think back to what Giggsie was like. Giggsie was a flying winger. He was an absolute speed merchant. But then, obviously, speed goes, and you find different ways to impact games. And from the centre of the pitch, Giggsie was still as important as he was when I first turned up at the club, like 10, 11 years before, because he was still threading passes to people just from different areas of the pitch. He could beat a man in midfield in there. It was hard to play against Giggsie in there because he could go both ways and beat someone where centre midfielders aren't used to people beating them in there or trying to get around them.

29:54So he brought a different element in there. And again, that one was probably a little bit more, I understand how and why the manager put him in there. But then what he actually went on to do was top class. I saw Wayne Rooney praising Giocares' performance against Fulham, Rio. What did you think of Giocares' performance? Giocares done exactly what he should do and what Arsenal would have brought him for. He run the channels, but more importantly, what was happening this time, which didn't happen earlier in the season. And again, that's down to just knowing your players and knowing what they like and what they don't like.

30:29Your players, your midfielders and anyone was on the ball when he was making them runs, especially early on in the game, just playing the ball into the channels, playing the balls into space. Gokic Reds was using his pace, using his willingness to get onto the end of things, getting in there. And actually, what he was good at then was actually playing balls into other people. I think he laid in Saka for his goal, didn't he? With a nice little pass. Yeah, really nice. But it was nice to see that, again, he's not just someone who can get in there in the channels and just be a hustle-bustle player.

30:58There's a little bit of football IQ in there as well that I think is being bled into his game. And the more and more he gets used to his teammates and the league, the better he'll become. But again, I think we put it on the socials. We said this at the beginning. If he just bullies the mid-table and average teams in this league, right, you win the league. I'm telling you. And I really believe that. And I think he's done that this season. Yeah. I mean, he's only scored one goal against teams in the top eight all season. You messed up last year in them games. Yeah. You know, when you said it earlier on in the season, I didn't believe you.

31:33I thought, what do you mean? You buy a striker, you buy a striker to score in all games, but you were saying, no, Joel, check the stats, you know. So of the players who have scored at least 10 league goals this season, only Haaland, Kupri, and Thiago have a better minutes per goal ratio. Kruppi and Thiago have a better minutes per goal ratio as well. That says a lot because those have all been top players. Haaland speaks for himself. Kruppi, who I would actually love to see at my club, you know, and Thiago, who... No, it's true. I think I'd proper rate him. And you've got Thiago, who, you know, he's Brazil's, probably going to be Brazil's number one striker.

32:08You know, it's his first season as well. Give the guy time. He's coming. He's done his job. He's got a decent amount of goals as well. 21 goals so far in total this season. You can't knock the guy, man. I think the Arsenal, the management staff, the coaching staff will be satisfied. They would always, I think they'd always want a bit more, but deep down, I think it's like, you know what? He's doing what's on the chin. Yeah, we could have got a few more goals against some of the bigger teams, but at the end of the day, we're beating, he's a flat-track bully against those guys that actually, probably, they contributed to us not winning the league the last couple of years because we dropped points in games that you're expected to win.

32:46And if he changes that, you win the league. Rio, I want to bring it back to Michael Carrick. Roy Keane and Gary Neville still aren't convinced somehow that Carrick is the man that they'd like to see in a dugout next season. Keane is criticising a number of the last few performances. Do you think that's fair? Because I don't fathom who else besides Enrique can come in and do the job that he's done. Enrique ain't coming. I just, you know what? I think we can all point fingers and we can all criticise and we can all have concerns for certain things. But tell me who is out there then. Like we can all say, oh yeah, he's not doing, but where's the other candidates?

33:30The realistic candidates that are going to, let's suggest some candidates and go, these are the guys who I think can do it. Like the guys everyone keeps mentioning, they're not gettable, man. I'm like a broken bloody record. Ancelotti and Tuchel assign new deals for their respective club, their countries, England and Brazil. Luis Enrique, he ain't coming to May United. Is it Luis Enrique? Yeah. Luis, isn't it? Yeah. He ain't coming to May United right now. He's trying to win back-to-back Champions Leagues. Like, he's in the shout to win back-to-back Champions Leagues. Like, he's in a team for the next probably three or four years is going to be competing at the top table every year.

34:11Right? So is he really going to walk away from it? So that's not a realistic option. Now, when you go past them three, who are we talking about? Because every single person you're going to throw at me, I'll go, yeah, but. It's true. Emery. Yeah, but. Then you've got Areola. Then you've got Zidane, who I think he's signed for France. Zidane ain't coming to May United. Well, yeah. And then that's it. I see people mention Nagelsmann. Yeah, but. There's buts for everybody, yeah? And Karek's got yeah, buts. But he's answering a hell of a lot of questions right now with the results. So what are your yeah buts when it comes to character, Rio?

34:50Well, experience. Experience at a top level, top tier in terms of transfer windows. Experience playing three games a week in top level football. Yeah, they're yeah buts. But they're not enough for me to go no based on what he's doing. Or to go, let's look elsewhere as someone else who's got a few yeah buts as well. No. If it's Luis Enrique, I've said this before. If Luis Enrique said, listen guys, Paris Saint-Germain, I've done my bit. I've won you a Champions League, but I really want to go and see what it's like at Manchester United. He's the only one I'm sitting there going, I would do that with my eyes closed.

35:23Don't care what my character's done. I'm doing that deal with my eyes closed. All the others, I'm sorry, Michael's done too much, I think, in this time to warrant anyone else coming in and going, all the good work you've done and the confidence that you've instilled back into this football club and how settled it feels now compared to where it was, I'm going to hand that over to you. I don't see in any world where that happens right now based on the other options that are there and available. Put it this way, right? I saw a stat on Match of the Day yesterday that showed that if you were to take the league table since Carrick took over, right?

35:58He's top. United would be top. Yeah. That's mental. Can we throw this into the consideration, right? Because I think that is, yeah, buts. I worry about multiple games a week. But there's a yeah but on that, right? He's won all of those games. Have the performances been 90-minute performances? Have we clarted teams 5-0? No, we've not, right? But we're missing our best two defenders. Our two first-choice defenders missing, right? You've had Dogu, who just as Carrick arrived, looked like he was rounding into some outrageous form, missing. First time we've seen him was yesterday. You've had Basically one midfield option Which is Menuh, Casemiro and Bruno Because Ugarte is miles off it And it seems like the kids are just not ready So you've got one potential midfield And he's had to rebuild Kobe within that by the way Yeah So yeah Kobe had to come in from the cold And dust all the rust off him Then the forward line You've got one option You've got Amar and Mbumo Then you've got Cunha and you've got Sesko You don't have a backup striker Because Xerxes miles off it You don't have a backup left winger So you can criticise him and say Well he didn't rotate a lot And he didn't But what can he rotate with?

37:16It's not like he's got prime Ronaldo Sitting on a bench waiting to come on Or a Rooney or a Tevez When we had Tevez we had Berbatov Do you know what I mean? We haven't anything like that At the moment for him to rotate into I would hope that he uses these games now As a bit of a free swing and let's see more of Lacey and Jim Thwaites and maybe Kukonki and a couple of others who are going to need to be getting minutes next season just because of the sheer volume of games. We can't go into the transfer market and sign seven players. It's not going to happen. So you're going to have to dip into the academy and bring some of those lads in and trust them.

37:48And the best way to do that is to give them some real games at the back end of the season, even if it's just 15 minutes. There's a yeah, but on the team selection, fine. But look at what he's actually achieving. He's getting the wins. that's the most important thing isn't it? So why are we even thinking about anyone else? Give him the job today and start building next year now I just think that we're looking far too often and we do that a lot in this country at what he hasn't done or what he isn't doing do you know what I mean? Rather than what he's actually doing is a lot, especially compared to the dross we've been given over the last few years like he's made us into a team that is going out and the fans are now I'm actually starting to expect us to win games when's the last time I expected us to beat Liverpool like let's have it right Liverpool have been coming to Old Trafford and smoking us at times like it's like he's beat the best team of this era he's beat the potential champions away he's beaten the world club champions away and he's going to beat the current champions of the Premier League again.

39:00And we're still going, yeah, but look at what he's not doing, though. It just doesn't make sense to me. No other business does that happen like that. It wouldn't. It just wouldn't. And you know what he's had to do as well? You didn't mention there, Steve. He's had to coach a team out of playing a particular style of football into a new style of football now. I was going to say, the squad is built to play 3-4-3. You've got Mbumo and Cunha, not really natural wingers. what's what I'm saying like this doesn't get any credit for that it's just mad it just gets brushed off as though he hasn't got enough experience in the big time just like I don't know Vincent Kompany got relegated with Burnley by the way goes into Bayern Munich and he's he's a game away from getting to the Champions League final and breaking some records at Bayern Munich unbelievable honestly I never knew I spoke with Jolien during the week I was actually on a show with him by the way I want to say shout out good show that Thank you.

39:55Thank you. And Adam's class, man. I know that's a former teammate of yours. You're always thinking about proper, proper class. But yeah, no, Vincent, he said that they could see it. Yeah, I don't know Vincent well enough to say that I could see this, but I know that whenever I've spoke to him, I've spent a bit of time with him. He's a super intelligent guy who's a proper student of the game. And I think management, there's a lot of luck needed, but also you've got to have studied and you've got to have like your heart and soul's got to be in it. I think he's got all of them attributes. And there's a confidence and steeliness about him to go and govern a dressing room, even though he hasn't got the experience of some others.

40:36And I've seen enough now. I actually sent him a text and we shared a few texts after the game the other day. I was just like, wow, what an achievement to be part of a game like that. Such a young manager. I think he's like, he ain't going to get carried away. he'll know exactly where he's on the journey and what he needs to keep doing to become one of the best I think it was in Euro 2020 we had Jolian on a podcast on this channel and he was talking about him leading analysis sessions at City and I thought ooh that's interesting and Jolian might have said at the time that I think he'll make a good manager I think you're right Steve that's what he said that's what he said players know anyway sometimes players know but yeah anyway guys I want to say thank you very much for joining us this weekend and I'm talking about the viewers and the listeners.

41:23Without you guys bothering us, there is no show. So please keep on watching. We've got some banging videos coming out. We always talk about the videos coming out. I also want you guys to go back and look at what's been happening on the channel, man. Rio, you've sat down with Giggsie, Patrice, Evra. I skipped some of that because they were getting onto Arsenal. But it was a really good show. You can listen to Giggsie and Evra talk all day long, you know. Really good stuff. Obviously, Anderson interview caught everyone by surprise. It looked like old pals being back together again. I thought that was good.

41:53Obviously, the Paul Pogba interview was incredible as well on all the outlets, et cetera. You guys are doing a great job across platforms. Also, like you said, big interview coming. Where's the new interview coming, Rio? I think it's in about 10 days' time or something. Just keep your notifications on, guys. You're not going to want to miss this one. A huge interview done at Old Trafford like crazy. I hate bothering these guys. Seriously, I hate bothering these interviews. but they love it themselves which is good news but yeah keep on liking and following us across all the different platforms massive shout out to ste and his new uh defender shout out to rio as well joe bair signing out

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