Praise for Bellingham, Rashford and England's Bench - That Could be the Difference

0:00Man United might have to start re-evaluating Marcus Rashford's situation. Rio. Yeah. You said, you said. I'm happy to change. For both parties, they both moved on. I'm happy to change. You know, everybody's at a different stage. I'm not wrong and strong. That's not my game. Wow. I'm happy to change. Yes, guys, welcome to the latest episode of Rio Rex. I'm here up in the Hollywood Hills in this Airbnb. Look at this place, man. This Airbnb house is flying. the views, the pool, the gym over there. You can't even see, but I'll show you later. Get on the vlogs, you'll see it. But you know what? We've got to start somewhere.

0:35Where are we going to start? Oh, man. Completely happy to be here. Obviously, big results, England and Portugal, which we will talk about. But where do you want to start, Ria? You've got to start with England, doesn't it? You've got to start with England. Harry Kane inspired. Yes, yes. Harry Kane inspired England. You know what? You want to start this tournament with a win. You want to get a win. We've done that. But the most impressive thing for me, right? one was Thomas Tuchel. Yes. And talking about how bold he's been in terms of not listening to the noise, doing what he wants to do. Huge demands on individuals in the game that we witnessed.

1:12Yeah. And the substitutions, the boldness, the kind of aggressive substitutions, the amount of attacking players that he brought on towards the end of the game completely changing the dynamic in that sense. And I think, I'm looking at it as an opposing player and an opposing coach and I'm thinking, I don't want to play England. It's true. You know what? I haven't seen that kind of attacking threat come on all season because you know my manager's not on that. But I want to bring it back to Harry Kane. Naver was the last England manager which was a massive nose. It's true. He had the box of tricks.

1:47Yeah. It's true. I mean, everyone's been saying, what's going to be different about this England team in this tournament? I think the manager's the big difference. And I think, that I just think he's an aggressive manager on the front foot and isn't just going to try and like sit there and kind of, not hope, but okay, we're going to just be on the back foot and just really try and win something. He's saying, I'd rather go out there and if we don't do it, it's because we've, ain't because we've not tried it, it's because we've gone out there and we just aren't good enough. One point on the subs though.

2:15What? Should have took Harry Kane off. I want to talk about Harry Kane actually, Steve. What's his role saying now for England? Do you know what I mean? What did you make of his role and how did you see it yourself? Match winner. Yeah. That's it. Go be on the pitch where you can be of impact because he's not going to play on the last shoulder anyway. So there's no point having him there. Let him come and get involved in a link-up play because his first touch is a joke. His vision is a joke. He will find you if you make runs. It's just the winger's job is to stay high, cheat a little bit and make the runs and he'll find you.

2:49Simple as that. How many goals is it so far this season for Emria? We spoke of... 50-something goals this year. something goals over 50 goals like he is he is our only genuine world-class player right now like i think there's others teetering around it um but he's the one who's like the absolute world-class player right this second if you're talking about players and you go who's who's at the top table and sits there comfortably with all of them yeah he's that guy for england yeah and today i thought declin rice was magnificent he's delivering into the box and from set plays and open play was great.

3:21I thought Anderson played really well today as well. I thought Madueke, now listen, he's had some criticism in his career. This guy is made of the right stuff. He's resilient. He's played today instead of Saka, right? And he was our most dangerous player in the first half in terms of getting the balls into dangerous areas and crosses and runs off the ball. He got the pen as well, don't forget. Yep, got the penalty. And I think that, again, he's meant to be a fringe player. Like, then the manager brings on... the manager brought on Rashford and Saka and Morgan Rodgers crazy there's only France who can compete with that Cobb-Mainu's still in the bag what?

3:58Cobb-Mainu's still in the bag Cobb-Mainu ain't even come on the pitch but there's only only France can compete with that depth I'm telling you Spain have got great players they've got a great team here but the name brands that he's bringing on like that who would have said four years ago that Rashford and Saka wouldn't start the first game of a World Cup and you still win and you still win as well comfortably and you know the good thing is as well all those players now they've got experience in winning as well you know so it's like you know La Liga, Europa, Premier League it's really good for the team I want to ask you about Jude Bellingham talk to me about Jude man what are you saying?

4:31Jude man I mean there was people even questioning should he start or not and oh and talking about oh he's got a an ego and he's got he might be a problem that's why Jordan Henderson's there to help protect him and to like, bro, this guy, you don't do what he's done in the short time he's had in the game without having a bit of arrogance, without having a character, without having a presence, without expecting to be the number one guy because that's all you've been all your career since you were 10 probably years old. Yeah, why change him? He's got this far and become this good and being one of the most integral main players in that team.

5:07And you're telling me he needs to turn it down a notch. Please, I'm not having it. Yes, you want him to play within your guidelines that you have if you're the manager. But don't, please, I can't accept anyone trying to tell me that he's a problem. This guy is one of, if not the only one alongside Harry Kane, who at the biggest moments, his presence gets bigger in the stadium. I mean, Harry Maguire said that, didn't he? He said, you know what I mean? That's why he has to play. But how would you encourage this ego that you're talking about and manage it at the same time? Yeah, I'd say go on, just be you.

5:41Whatever you, however you approach these games, be you. But all I'm saying is I just want a little bit more discipline within the way that you play within our structure. As long as that's kept in shape, he's gesturing, he's posturing as a human, even his celebration, I love it. Because it's like, I am the guy. That's what you need. The biggest and best players want to be the guy. Not all of them can be the guy. Jude's shown already, he's both of them. He wants to be and he can be the guy. Do you agree, Steve? Yeah, and his goal was class today. Class goal. Great finish, isn't it? Yeah, and even you celebrated it, didn't you?

6:14Nearly. You celebrated a Rashford one. There was a couple of nice balls in the final third that he played. But I don't think... Do you know what? It was one of those games where both teams shared the ball quite well. The ability of the Croatia team, so technical, and they had some really good players that surprised us. I think you didn't really get the lion's share of possession that you would... I think he played stones to have a bit more possession, and it didn't really work out that way. England really struggled. In fact, you know what? I think, I said it before the tournament, but the defence today was awful.

6:46And I think the defence was the one major, major worry. It might be personnel. It might be relationships in there. But that defence is not going far. I think the rest of the team could. John Stone's playing. I'm not against that. I thought Mark Gay would be the starter. I thought he was the number one centre-back. Obviously, that's not the case, right? but John Stone doesn't play on the left-hand side for a club or country ever normally. But he's obviously, I think, been put there to accommodate and to support the young left-back, you know, Riley, that plays at Man City as well. But people have to understand, when you change sides as a centre-half, it's a massive thing.

7:24I think if you put Van Dijk on the right side of the centre-halves, you'd lose 10%, 20 % of the player. And I consider him probably the best. He's been the best in the last five years, right? to everyone I think it happens to. And I just think that the balance doesn't look right in there. Gay plays on left, I think you just got to play gay and then it's either Stones or Konzo on the other side. But yeah, defensively, I thought that's the only thing that I looked at and thought that doesn't look as clean and as crisp as we are going forward. But what I would say, their two goals are two special goals.

7:56They were well worked goals, technically very, very high, high level. So I don't think you can go too hard defensively when you say the attacking a prowess of Croatia today in those moments was of a high standard. You're talking about how it affects centre-backs. Why does it make such a difference when you switch sides? Not just the foot. So there's two sides of it. We're on the ball and defensively. So on the ball, when you've got the ball and then you're being pressed and what will happen if you're not natural coming out of that side on your left-hand side, teams will just force you there. So the press will come from this side and just make sure you go that way.

8:29And then everyone presses in because they know that's not your strong side. So then all of a sudden, your options become very limited on your weakest side. And if you're not used to that, you end up playing the ball out of play, giving the ball into players into bad positions. And then defensively, you've got to remember that you're on the opposite side of the pitch. So when you're defending, the positions, the shapes, the way you go into something is all on a different side. So you're doing it on your left-hand side over there, when normally you're used to going out to help your right back on that shoulder.

9:01So everything you're seeing is opposite to what you're normally seeing. These are small details when you think about it. But when you're in game, they're massive because football has become good at things through doing lots of reps and seeing those pictures on a regular basis. Now, if you're now sprung into a new situation, seeing new pictures, you do need time to adjust. Some players need more time than others. And I thought today, those adjustments hadn't taken place. Especially at that level as well, isn't it? It's massive. Steve, you spoke about England's defence. You said it was poor, but how did you feel about the way Tuchel set up the team overall?

9:39It looked like when we didn't have the ball, it was like a 4-2-4 almost. We tried to set up against their back line, left the two midfielders just sort of protecting the deal a little bit and then a narrow back four. Nothing wrong with that inherently, but I thought the distance was really compact. And I'm thinking with the pace that you've got against the pace that they've got, why are we leaving at least one up? like let them think about us a little bit especially at 1-0 at 0-0 you might want to be a little bit more conservative but at 1-0 like let them think about you that's an extra player that's not in the recycling of the ball and it's an extra threat or they just they leave him and try and recycle the ball and then it's a quick turnover because there was two things that was happening one we weren't getting over the halfway line because their press was so good and we was reluctant to kind of smash it and go in the channel and fight for it but because their press was so good and we didn't have any depth, it just meant that we lived in our half for longer than you want.

10:32And that needs fixing because I don't, I'm not sitting here thinking Croatia's got the best press on earth. There's going to be teams that will press way better than them and will cover more ground than them. So you need to have a way of playing through it. And I think that needs either a hold up man, a little bit like United have done this season with Sesco that can get on it. Or you do put it into the channel, but you need some pace that's stayed high and wide to get on it, stick it in half space Right, man, we've got loads still to come on this pod, but we'll be back shortly after this. Do you reckon Tuchel got his messaging right to the team today?

11:04Yeah, yeah, he was saying do as I told you to Pickford. And that's what I love that as well. I've got a way we want to play. I'm telling you to abide by that or you'll be off. And by the way, I'll scold you in front of millions. Like that for me, again, great signals, great messaging and a great statement to his team that I'm not here to be messed about. We've got a short time here together to try and win this competition. Listen to me. I know how to win. Yeah. And Steve, I saw you. I don't care what you say. I saw you celebrating Rashford's goal. There was a wasp. Now, we've got a clip. We've got to insert the clip somewhere here.

11:38I mean, talk to me about his importance when it comes to coming on and, you know, the impact that he has. I mentioned earlier on he's an illegal winner. There's confidence in him. What did you see that you liked? He's had an all right season, but I always think international football has been nice to Marcus. I think it suits him. in a big way to be honest with you like i i was annoyed at the last world cup how little he was used because he was our best player like he was our most dangerous player um i think it was a complete toss of a coin because of how the seasons have gone for both of them whether it was him or gordon gordon's going to give you a little bit more of a press probably a little bit more of a fight back but i think you'll you'll see him you might see him for for 16 you might see him for 30 but you will see him and he's still got the ability to buy goals and the goal he scored today was nice some place for him.

12:22Do you know what? I think that Marcus Rashford, you see the maturity and you see actually the Barcelona phase in his career has worked out in a way that he now understands his role. He was given a role at Barcelona. You're going to be an impact player at times. They'll have to come on and change games for us and play that role. Sometimes you will start, but mainly that was his role. And with England, it seems that that could be his role. Gordon starts, there's no struggle. He comes on, impacts the game. That's a huge asset to the squad. in this competition because you need those players, those role players to play their part.

12:56And like I say again, when you're on opposing fullback and you see Marcus Rashford warming up at 75 minutes, you are looking over to the bench and saying, please get my number ready and take me off. I'm subbing out myself because I don't want that smoke. You don't want that smoke. Start of a game, let alone at 75 minutes when your legs, the lactic acid's building, the white flag's out almost anyway, and then he's coming on and motoring with the intensity and the intent to go and hurt you. That's the key point. He ain't coming on to see the game, Matt. He's coming on and saying, no, no, I want to be, I want to get on the score sheet.

13:29I want to score goals. There's no letting up here. That there, you don't want, I'll say it again, I don't think there's going to be many teams. I'm not trying to boost England too much, but I just think with the way that the manager set them up and the way the manager made the substitutions, there ain't going to be many teams that are going to be looking forward to playing against England. Which kind of teams could have that impact France, obviously. France can do it. Spain can do it still. I don't care. There might be some lesser known names for Spain, but they're such a great well-oiled machine.

13:56They've got players that can come and change it as well. It's true. I mean, the confidence, game by game, do you see us improving with that? And which areas do we need to work on as well? Defensively, we're going to still have to do some work defensively. Playing through the press, I think will be something because first off, I thought, especially when we started the game, we struggled playing through the press, but we warmed into that. But like Steve said, there's going to be teams that press better than Croatia. So we've got, they're the two areas for me, defensively and also when we're playing out from the goalkeeper.

14:27Same with you or? Literally, yeah. But there was sometimes the spacings didn't feel right. There wasn't like basic stuff like letting it bounce in wrong areas and everything like that. But you're dealing with a good team in Croatia and that second goal was a disgrace. A disgrace? Yeah, in a good way. What do you mean? It was an unbelievable goal. Oh, sorry. good go yeah who's second goal is it second oh okay yeah great goal well let's move it on to another game i mean before that you came up early today you weren't meant to be until like midday no i woke up extra early you was there early you came here to train i don't know where you were but we were training this i was at the gym rio what was you oh you know what i've noticed of you you're quite a selfish you wouldn't be good in a team sport you're quite a selfish guy and just want to look after yourself i don't understand it yeah but you're on a program you I'm on a program, but I'm incorporating my man here.

15:16I did 1 ,000 meters in the pool. Yeah, well, you could have done about 1 ,000 legs here. I can't do 1 ,000 meters in this pool. Yeah, you could have. The turning's important. Do you know what I mean? I just think that you could have just come up here, shared the love a little bit, become part of the team. It's not just to come in. This feels very transactional at the moment. Exactly. Enjoy the Airbnb gaff, man. Not nibbling. Not even close to nibbling. But no, the game, Congo versus Portugal. Massive. Obviously, we've got a Congolese member here. Yes, absolutely massive. What did you think? from Dr Congo you know what first five minutes I thought we were in trouble here when I saw uh Joe nervous's goal going I thought oh really good header by the way I thought we're struggling you can see that we were nervous in the first five minutes and it's normal we haven't been in the world cup for what 52 years and prior to today we hadn't ever scored a world cup goal so um but we say I know they stuck in there man next thing you know we're pressing we're pressing Aaron Wan-Bissaka stopping them coming down the line and then boom, great crossing with a fantastic goal.

16:13And I'll be really honest, I sat with him recently, yeah, Rio. And when speaking about Newcastle, you can tell he knows he's got a lot of work to do. Not at his most confident at the moment. But when he talks about Congo, that's the man that you saw today. And yeah, honestly, it was really important for us, man. So I bet the Congo streets tomorrow, I don't think anyone's going to work. that draw is going to feel like a win is that the story though? I think there's a different angle on the story there's a different story we've seen all of the biggest gunslingers the best gunslingers the goal scorers in the game Haaland stepped up yesterday Mbappe stepped up with two Messi went I'll go one better and get a hat-trick Havertz got two Balogun Balogun got two but the goal scorers are number nines it's true do you know what I mean?

17:00they're scoring two goals right? and then it was Cristiano Ronaldo's turn and everyone's sitting there and going will he do it? will he? Obviously it didn't happen for him. I told you our first episode here. You can't play. I think the difference is though, myself and producer George were talking about this earlier and we said, we reckon that even though he hasn't scored, it will be Ronaldo-like to come back the next game and score a brace and then shy everyone up. Don't get me wrong. They played with 10, man. Well, yeah. Don't get me wrong. He was non-existent. Stop sugarcoating it. No, I just said he's non-existent today and I'm happy about that.

17:35You know what I mean? This is the game where I didn't want him to show up. But one thing I've learned about this man is you can't write him off too soon. Remember I wrote him off in Germany. What has he done since then? He's scored a bag of goals. Nations League. Man's won the Saudi League. Do you know what I mean? He's done incredible stuff since. So you never know, man. What's your thoughts? It's mad. I see a lot of people talking about him. He doesn't run. He don't get involved. He don't touch the ball if he doesn't score and blah, blah. I understand what you're saying to a point, but those same people will go, oh, it's great, isn't it?

18:09Al Haaland doesn't touch the ball. He's touched the ball six times and scored. Now, the problem is, is if you don't touch the ball and you don't score, then you're going to get that level of criticism. But the venom with which I think people approach Ronaldo, given that he plays in a very similar way in terms of having very little interactions and involvements during the game, and he's just there to score goals now, Haaland gets credited for that. and he gets vilified for it? But does he get credited for it, Rio? Harlan. Because we've seen many times in the Premier League, he's been criticised by a lot of players because of that.

18:41Even Zlatan the other day came out and he said a quote where he himself said he's seen Harlan say he'd rather have two touches than two goals. And then Zlatan said something like, well, I'd rather have two touches than three goals. You see what I mean? So not everybody praises him on that. And I reckon Harlan just does it the best at the moment. That's why it's easy for people to ignore. he does it the best. I just think Haaland, and rightly so, there's just different styles, isn't it? Different styles of players go out there and perform and play. And it's really what your manager wants from you.

19:14Now Haaland with Man City and obviously even with, to a certain extent, with Norway, he's the focal point is get up front, occupy the defenders, allow others to play in between and then the chances will come. And then it's down to you to finish. And I think that's a little bit like Cristiano Ronaldo with Portugal. Go and stay up there, occupy the defenders, give others space to play and then the opportunities will come. He had an opportunity today. If he scores one of those opportunities, it's a different story. It's a different narrative that we're talking about. What I'm saying is, I reckon, no disrespect to Cristiano because he's still the guy, but I reckon Haaland finishes those chances.

19:50That's if, buts and maybes. That's if, buts and maybes. But he proved it. He proved it yesterday. No, no, but my point is, Cristiano scored almost a thousand goals, so you can't sit there and say that. People credit Haaland and say, wow he's such a clinical player and he doesn't even have to have many touches of the ball and just scores and he's happy doing that and that's a plus that is a for me that is an unbelievable skill because Harlan knows what he's good at that's probably I think one of his most his most potent and biggest assets other than his finishing is that he understands I'm not a dribbler I'm not someone who needs to go deep and get involved and if I'm not having touches I don't get frustrated I know what I'm here for Cristiano at this stage of his career is a player who stays up doesn't need many touches of the ball doesn't want many touches of the ball.

20:31Do you think it's because the ceiling and the standard is so high? Probably, yeah. And we think about him at Man United and we think about him, you know, at Real Madrid and it's almost like the audience, the fans can't accept the fact that his game is different. Yeah, I agree. And I think that like Cristiano, the chances normally come to him. Now, he's missed two chances today, right? That people would normally expect him to bag. But for 99.9 % of his career, he bags them chances. Yeah, yeah. So, like, he just didn't have a good game today in terms of the most important part of his game, which he's finishing.

21:06Yeah. I mean, talking about Harry Kane, one of the top strikers, Latan said that not only is it great that he scored two goals, but he liked the fact that he was defending outside his D, you know. That's where, when you're looking at the top strikers, is it fair to say they're putting in a little bit more work than Cristiano? Yeah, but Cristiano's 41. Yeah, but not all of them. Kane's 33. And Bappé ain't. It's a question. Mbappe cheats. Messi cheats. There's a lot of players that are cheating. Is Messi cheating? Yeah. Or is he walking, waiting? Yeah, that's cheating. What's he being asked to do?

21:41That's the question. That's the important thing. What is Mbappe getting asked to do? What's Haaland getting? What's Kane getting asked to do? Kane, we saw a closer version to Bayern Kane than any other Kane we've seen for England, I think, today. No, it's true. Because he's on the edge of his box, retrieving the ball, playing passes into people from a deep area, then being on the end of things in the box, right? But he's blocking one on the line, by the way, yeah? Late on in the game. But he's maybe being asked to do different things under Tuchel now, being allowed to do different things. What's Cristiano Ronaldo being asked to do?

22:17And I'll bet and I'll guarantee he's being asked to stay high and occupy two defenders. And then the chances will come. What happened today? Stay high, chances come. But then the critical point is, today he didn't finish the two chances. Yeah. Now, how often in our lifetime, watching Cristiano Ronaldo, are we sitting here going, he's had two chances and hasn't even got close to finishing it? Well, I disappoint. He's normally slapped the goals in the back of the net, and we're sitting there going, what a player again. But we want to wrap it up on this Harry Kane topic. We saw what he said after the match.

22:44I mean, he credited Tuchel for the words that he had for the team at halftime. Rio, that's some big stuff right there, man. Yeah, I think we spoke about this at the beginning of the pod. I think we could see that it's like what he said there basically was like, if we're going to lose, we're going to lose playing the way that we want to play. And that's in a real front foot attacking manner. And in terms of the substitutions, the aggressiveness of that. And I think it's a great point. And I think it's a manager putting his stamp on the team, his personality, his character on this team. And I think the more and more this tournament goes, I get a good feeling that we're going to grow and grow into a better, more forceful and more dominant team in this tournament.

23:26And the confidence is going to keep growing. I'm not going to get out of my pram and go too hard and go too early, but I'm really, really infused by what I saw today, mainly, especially from the substitutions late on in the game, because I think that is one of the things that held us back in previous tournaments. I know you were happy to hear that, Steve. I'm just thinking he's off his nut because that defence ain't winning anything. Yeah. All right. How far do you reckon England get after seeing what you saw today? I just think we outscored teams maybe I don't know it was pretty cool supposedly today and there can the heat stifle that slow the games down a little bit it's a long tournament this one I think it depends on the draw could get Spain in the next round or something like that depends where we finish in the group so I don't know I think you would expect quarter semis yeah semis I just think minimum is semis given our past couple of tournaments and yeah you know what I would say though before we leave Man United might have to start re-evaluating Marcus Rashford's situation re-evaluate yeah you said you said I'm happy to change for both parties I'm happy to change for both parties they both moved on I'm happy to change you know everybody's at a different stage I'm not wrong and strong that's not my game wow I'm happy to change wow Marcus Rashford it seems like he's matured the time away from the club may have done him the good that he needed and has cleansed both parties.

24:50And is it time? Is it time to shake hands and come back? I think the first time he misses a tackle, doesn't trap back, misses an open net, the fan base would hammer him. Before we wrap up, guys, just before we wrap up, where's your armbands? My armbands? Listen, they got the rugby duckies already in there. All I need is the armbands and a speedo hat as well. Something. Do you know what I mean? I'm ready to go. But listen, that is it for Rio Reacts today. Obviously, the tournament's kicked off England. great win you know hopefully we see better defence but good results so far I'm happy Congo's done their job Rio we're going to be chilling enjoying more barbecues hopefully yes enjoying the house the pool yes the views the views the views we need some tasks though man you need to give us some you know like what do you call it escapades some you want to go out and do stuff I want to go out and just get busy man alright you're getting itchy feet I'm going to sort something out watch this space guys stay tuned Joel Baer Rio Ferdinand Steven Housen signing out.

25:49Peace.