SECOND place! Can Carrick’s Manchester United finish that high?

0:00Hello, I'm Max Rushton. The World Cup is back and Football Weekly is going daily. If you want award-winning soccer coverage from a podcast that's been over-analyzing the game for more than 20 years and still hasn't run out of opinions or just repeats the same ones over and over again, this is where you'll find it. We'll be producing 33 daily episodes across the tournament, breaking down all the action, the results and, of course, the drama. Can the US make it out of the group stage and into the spotlight on the biggest stage? World Cup Daily. Listen wherever you get your podcasts or watch full episodes on YouTube.

0:29I see City as probably catchable for us at the moment. Might be a bit giddy to think that, but I think that they are catchable. I think we can outpoint them by six over the next 14 games, right? No chance. Yeah, but you say that, but Liverpool beat them and it's only three. Listen, mate, we ain't catching. We ain't going to be... Rio, why are you trying to play him down? You're the... No, we shouldn't. You're the cyber contract now, guy. Come on. Got to have a tag. You've got to look at who's in front of you to win a race. You can't just sit where you are and think this is good. You've got to look at someone and hunt them down.

1:00Man City have been the best team in the Premier League for the last eight, nine years. And we are sitting here on the back of our worst season ever in the Premier League and worst period for the last ten years. Yeah, we're six points off them. And thinking that we have a genuine right to think that we can go and go past them right straight away. We've got a right to. We've got an opportunity to.

1:26Welcome to another episode of Rio Presents, brought to you by Crafted. Yes, it's myself, Rio Ferdinand, Mr. Joel Bay and Steve Housen in the house, guys. Been a great weekend for all in the group. I'm sure we are all buzzing on a Monday rather than being depressed like we were last week, eh? Joel? It's a new day, Rio. It's a new day. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was Fergie time. I mean, Michael Carrick time at Old Trafford. Do you not feel like we just rolled back the years a little bit there, Steve? It was nice to see that, wasn't it? Yeah, I thought, I really, really enjoyed yesterday's game. Do you know what I enjoyed the most about it?

2:02The belief walking up to the stadium. It was such just like a nice sort of vibe. Optimism. Obviously, we take the lead. We've got nice shapes going on. It was good. And what a goal to finish it. Unbelievable. Unbelievable, Rio. And actually, do you know what? All the goals were class, weren't they? Yeah. No, it was class. We need to do about 30, 40 minutes, I think, on Casemiro's no-look pass for Cunha's goal. What is going on? Well, the game's left him now. No, I mean, listen, there's so many positives to take from the game. I think, like, listen, Fulham, you have to say, give them credit. They run us close.

2:37But what I would say, I said this in the group yesterday, this game was huge. I put it on a post on my Instagram and on Twitter. Like, this game would have been talked about in that changing room. And I think the mindset of the team and the players would have been tested. This is a massive test for them. Michael Carrick would have learned a lot about these players in this game because, listen, from someone who's played the game, getting up for Arsenal or Man City, the two top teams in the league at the moment, isn't difficult. You turn up, everything's going crazy, everything's cooking, the spotlight's on the game.

3:08You know that scrutiny is there. So mentally, you've not got to work to get yourself up. And no disrespect to Fulham and teams of that ilk. It's then more a little bit about you as an individual. Can you get yourself motivated to the level that you were against Man City or Liverpool or Arsenal? Those type of teams where it's a switch that goes on automatically. That is the ask and that is the difference and separates the top teams. The teams that can be at the same optimum level every week, week in, week out, regardless of the opposition, are the teams that go on and win. And Arsenal are doing that better than anyone else at the moment.

3:45But Man United have beaten the Liverpools or the Man City, the teams that are going to win the league in recent years. And we've all thought, oh, we might have turned a corner here. What a performance. But then go and slip up against the likes of Fulham and teams of that. And it ruins all of that good work. And so then you can never build confidence. You can never build momentum because you're always looking like you're going to slip up in those games. And this wasn't a, oh, we're over that now. That hoodoo's gone. No, no, this is a great start. This is a great entry point after two big, big games for the new manager to go in and go to the boys.

4:23You know what? Listen, guys, I told you we can do it. I told you that you guys made it the right stuff. Just approach the game in the right way. I've set you up the right way. Just keep going now. And I think it's such a... There were too many good things in this game. Kobe Maynard coming back in has just been ridiculous. He's just answered any kind of questions. If there were any questions from anybody about him, and we'll go into a bit more detail, I'm sure, in a bit. Casimir are telling people that I've still got something in me. Sesko, if anyone you wanted to score a winner, would have been him right now for confidence and just to reinstall that belief.

4:56And then he's just looking at it and going, Michael Carrick's doing a great job. He is telling people, no, no, no, no, no. Why look any further? Why look beyond me? And he's doing a really good job in that sense. But again, long may this continue. I have to say, you guys were absolutely buzzing. Now, before I go on about the challenges that carry my face going forward, Rio, what was going on in your Instagram yesterday, bruv? What OnlyFans network were you starting last night, bruv? What's going on? No cop fire. No in arm's reach, Rio. No. Oh, mate. You know what? I've had the kids all weekend.

5:32The missus had a weekend off. I've had the kids all weekend. I was smashed. I was in a bad way, right? I was on my knees tired. The kids had just gone up. And I was like, right, I'm going to enjoy this. chill out, top off, pair of shorts on and just watch the game as we all do. Do you know what I mean? So don't get on to me guys. There was nothing sinister going on. I was just enjoying my football with responsibilities asleep. Jayakar resident Fulham fan was fuming at you and your nipple mate. Honestly. You weren't happy with either. Nipple gate. Nipple gate. It was like Justin and Janet Jackson all over again.

6:08Anyway, Steve, I want to ask what challenges do you think that Carrick will face going forward? Because it's all well and good going. Three games. Obviously, I'm still noting the fact that you've conceded four goals in those two games, which is maybe something to, you know, focus on soon. But what do you reckon he's going to face going forward? Loads, to be honest, because replacing Casemiro, whether that's Michael Carrick's job or not, that's something that needs to be really, really considered. I'm not just talking, who do you sign to bring him in? I'm talking about how do you give him 20 minutes off in a game?

6:41because anytime he comes off the pitch, United absolutely crumble. And a really good example of this is of what he does. Little intangible things that I don't know if you can even teach. United went 1-0 up. Most vulnerable time when you're playing is immediately after you score. Fulham had an attack immediately after we scored and Casemiro went and won a free kick and it was so obvious. It was a dive, if we're being honest with ourselves, but it's one of those where you buy the foul. He took it over to the left-hand side. there's no one down the channel for him to hit it. He's turned his back.

7:12He's put himself in between the ball and the press. He's allowed the contact and he's fell over. It's something that you see up and down the pitch all over the right. But the timing of it was perfect. And I think it was Lomens who went and took the free kick. And as Lomens is walking over, you can see Casemiro just going to him. Just calm down. Take the sting out. It's the experience, isn't it? It's the experience. That's what I'm on about. It's like, it isn't just replacing the threat that he gives you at set plays. It isn't just replacing his ability to take the ball in difficult areas. It's not just the way he marshals and controls people.

7:47It's those little things in a game that you miss that clearly someone like a guy is not giving us when he comes onto the pitch. Because the way that we capitulated once he came off the pitch, we've seen it loads and loads and loads of times. And there's even a stat that was doing the rounds earlier in the season. I'd love to see where that's at now. What United's win rate is with and without Casemiro? because it's ridiculous. We're so much better when he's on the pitch. So much better when he's on the pitch. But what are the challenges Michael Carrickson have to face? Just the same as it is every single week.

8:18Win this weekend and just keep that run going. Spurs are not in a good place right now, but that doesn't mean they're not dangerous. That doesn't mean that they can't take points off you. That doesn't mean that you can't slip up. This United team, we've got a good 11, I think. and we've got a couple of decent players that can come off the bench, but we've not got a complete squad. And if we was missing another starter, if we were missing Casemiro, if we didn't have Mbumo, if we didn't have Bruno, like we're in trouble. Like we are not good enough as a whole squad. So Michael Carrick has got to just keep racking the wins up.

8:53And the longer that goes, the easier it'll get for him. The more he'll know who he can trust and who he can't trust. The players that he can bring on, the players that he can't bring on, the players that he can't take off. like that's the things that he's going to be doing. We're only three games in. No, it's been perfect. He's done in three games. Took Ruben Amar in 47 to do. Think about that. You can talk about the inexperience of him and what has he won and this, that and the other. Well, a guy that had done really good job in Europe, really good job in Portugal, took him 47 to do what Michael Carrick has done in three with the same lads.

9:26Wow. Wow. That United Strand guy is going to be cutting his hair real soon. Rio, I was going to ask, is it possible to dominate or be successful if you don't dominate the ball? Well, listen, I don't think so. I think you've got to be a team that is kind of ball dominant most of the time. I think there can be games where you can beat a team that is kind of on the back foot and go, you know, it will play a bit of a mid to low block and hit you in certain games. But in the main, I think you look at all the teams across Europe, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Man City have been dominant in the UK.

10:02Bayern Munich, Real Madrid. These teams all dominate the ball 99 % of the time. That's their aim when they're going out for a game. Their strategy is to dominate the ball and to play high in the opposing teams in and around their box. But I don't sit there and I wouldn't aim anything at Michael Carrick and say, oh, because we've had less possession of the ball in all three of the games, that that's a slight on him. I think he's working towards building momentum and the results in his mind are more important than performances right now. Ideally, like both, but I think he's result-driven right now and he'll be judged on results, which he is being, and rightly so.

10:40I think as time goes on and he builds confidence and comfort and he's been there a bit more of a time, I think he'll then start looking at performance. And that's when I think that when the powers that be at the football club, Jason Wilcox and Omar Aburado, are looking at, should we stay with Michael Carrick or should we look elsewhere? I don't think they look at one metric. I don't think they just go, oh, the results are great and that's it. I think they will go, results, yeah. Is that in a positive state? Okay, yes, it is. But also, what's the playing style and how are they playing? And what's his decision-making around entire areas of games?

11:16Substitutions, are they positive? Are they aggressive? All of these types of things, I think, play a part in making that decision to say Michael Carrick's going to be the man or not. And I think that he'll start introducing elements of that. I think he's been positive with substitutions. so far. But I think he's playing style and trying to be more ball dominant, which he was at Middlesbrough, I think will come with more confidence, more belief and more time on a training ground. So I think to be successful in today's game, there's no doubt in my mind that more often than not, you're going to have to be a team that wants to be ball dominant.

11:51And I think his team will have to be able to do both. I think the best teams can do both. The best teams can step back, but the best teams also can be on the front foot and take games out away from teams. So, yeah, and that's the DNA of Michael Carrick. That's the way he played. He wasn't a safe, safe player. He wasn't a pessimistic player, positive player on the front foot, but could do both sides of the game. I disagree, actually, on the positive subs thing. I thought yesterday, the bringing Euro one to go to a back five, I didn't feel like that was that positive, actually. I thought we were crying out.

12:24I thought that was an injury, though. I heard that was an injury. Oh, maybe it was. I didn't well otherwise if it was it was but at the time I was thinking I wasn't liking this because it felt like that last 10 minutes that we completely sat off and sank and I thought there was opportunities for us to keep pushing like Ahmad looked like he was out on his feet and I'm thinking throw Shea Lacey and then let's give him something to worry about going back the other way if it was an injury it was an injury but at the time I was thinking that and on the possession thing yes we weren't going to have possession against City and that's fine yes we probably weren't going to have possession at the Emirates and that's fine.

12:59I did expect us to have more possession yesterday, but I actually think the way the game went meant that we didn't have possession because we didn't need to have possession. I thought, let them have the ball at times. Maybe not the last 10, 15 minutes. I thought we sat far too deep, but I think the way the game went dictated that we didn't actually have the ball because we started with the ball. And as soon as we got one nil up, that was when it kind of switched a little bit. But Steve, do you expect us? Do you really like with the confidence that we've got and with the, times that we've had recently I find it hard to go we should have the ability and the confidence to have and be ball dominant against all the teams outside the top four or five we aren't that team yet I don't think to expect to be that team I think you've got a respect to hope I expected us to have edged it yesterday with Fulham just in terms of possession but like I said it's the least important start out there the most important ones which goals go in And actually, even on the XG, we lost on the XG yesterday because of some brilliant saves by the keeper.

14:02And actually, we scored some pretty worldy goals ourselves, so that lowers the XG. But yeah, I think on the possession thing, though, we're not bad in possession. And I think Kobi Meynou has been an absolute sensation for Michael Carrick because you can trust him. There's not really a situation which you can pass the ball to Kobi Meynou and worry about what's going to happen with it. It's like Velcro. It goes into him and it stays into him. And he's added a switch to his game as well this season, which he didn't have really. And that switch is going to be a huge asset going forward. What kind of switch, Steve, if you can elaborate, please?

14:39Poss, 30 yards. Yeah, he's taking it maybe saying that, you know, in the half space on the left-hand side of the pitch and switching it over to Ahmad. And he's doing it on the right-hand side and switching it out over to Kunia. He's finding people in space. You know, we're sucking teams in over to one side of the pitch. and then he's the outlet that's sending it high and wide. It's not quite a Paul Scholes one. It's not kind of got that flatness and that sting to it just yet, but it's nice. It's spreading the play. It's nice. It's a good tool that he's added to his game, which he didn't have a year or two ago.

15:07I think you know what's been great about the last three games? We're starting to now see partnerships all over the pitch. Ahmad Dallo, Maguire Martinez, Casemiro Cobby. I mean, there's partnerships there that you're looking at and going, to win anything, you need those around the pitch. I know everyone always talks about how the centre-back pair in, and that's important. All over the pitch, they're important. Beckham and Neville, you know what I mean? Giggs and Irwin, Giggs and Ornani and Patrice Ever. They're so, Scholes and Carrick. To be successful, all the teams, you need that. Thierry Henry with Bergkamp, you had Robert Perez with Ashley Cole.

15:47Do you know what I mean? There's partnerships everywhere on the pitch to successful teams. straight away they jump out of you. And Man United need to build those because that's one of the things I haven't seen enough of in the last regime is that where are the partnerships over the pitch that when things aren't going well, that partner brings you through. That partner can guide you in the moments of distress in a game where things aren't looking as rosy as they normally do. Or you look a bit out of sorts. I've got my partner backing me up though. He's sorting me out. He's talking to me, talking through this one for 10 minutes and get me through it.

16:16Clean up for me around the corner a little bit. These little relationships are huge for a team to be successful and I always talk about this like when we when we talk about players sometimes we if they've got superpowers are their weaknesses as important to talk about so like Kobe Maynou's superpowers though he's he's he's press resistant his ability to beat the press his ability to manipulate the ball and use his body like Steve said between the ball and man to get out of any situation any area of the pitch and by the way have the balls to say I want to take the ball in those tight areas because there's a lot of players that can do them in training sessions.

16:53We can come to a match, forget doing it. They don't even show to receive the ball to do it. Kobe Mayne has done it at the highest level in finals where he's been the main player to score and win games for Man United and for England in a tournament and been the guy who said, you know what? Give me the ball in high press situations and I'll deal with it. And that's the superpower in his game that sometimes you go, well, he might be a little bit weaker over here and weaker over there, but if I can get him in areas to do that, what he's great at, those other areas don't matter as much. And if the team can support him in those areas where he's not as good, even better.

17:32And I think sometimes we're a little bit like, well, he ain't really good at that and he ain't good at that. So forget about the super, but I can't risk having him in there. I just think this kid's got, his talent is, I saw Michael Carrick do an interview about him the other day and he hit the nail on the head. We can talk about his talent and we can talk about all these players' talents, but if mentally they're not capable of being able to step into that arena in the big moments and go, I am him, it doesn't matter how about their ability. Kobe mainly Shoney can do that already in his young career.

18:05There's another player that we talk about, you know, as a young English talent. In fact, you've spoken about him quite a lot, Adam Wharton. what's the differences between Kobe Mainu and someone like Adam Walton in terms of playing styles and ability? I think there are similarities in terms of they both want the ball and don't care where they get it they'll take it in tight situations and normally find a way but a different way I think Walton's more of a passer over different distances like Steve said, Kobe you've seen him start introducing longer range of passing which is something I probably would have been thrown at him before as a negative but the difference is Kobe when he gets it in tight areas he can break the lines with the ball passing it or running past people because he's got that little change of pace and he can move with the ball and dribble and get out of situations and then turn defence into attack quickly and I think he's proved so far as well he can play higher as well and be effective and as effective higher I think Kobe but I think two wonderful talents two wonderful talents with some similarities but some differences is also in their game too.

19:12And I think what I've seen in the last three games from Kobe, he's running stats are through the roof, but also the way he's combating in there, tackles, duels, he's being a part of all of that. He's in the mix there and it seems like he's got the bit between his teeth. We asked, and I asked many times, is he going to do the stuff that people throw at him that maybe we haven't seen enough of him doing? Is he going to be a grafter? Is he going to be somebody who puts the mileage in? Is he going to be somebody that goes and gets in the rough and tumble and tackles? We know the brilliance of the kid.

19:42He's shown in these last three games, I'm going to show you that I can do both sides of the game. And he's doing it well at the minute. He covered the box yesterday. Real nice. That's the one aspect of his game I think you had the biggest question mark about, which is, can he be an all-action midfielder? It's okay getting on the ball and looking nice with it, but can you do both sides of it? And I thought yesterday he was sensational. He was protecting our box as well as moving the ball forward. So, you know, I called my review yesterday, Maynou Masterclass. And there was a few people going, what are you talking about?

20:16And I was like, look, it was a brilliant performance from him. I saw him taking the ball under pressure. I saw him switching it out. I saw him moving it forward. I saw him defending. Like genuinely think it was a masterclass. Now, okay, you can argue that there were other players that might have shown Bright or Casemiro being one of them. But I was just impressed with what I saw with Maynou yesterday. Steve, I was going to ask, like you and Rio are talking here about things that you know he's doing so well but what is needed to add long-range passing to a player's game like is it a certain switch that you're both talking about Rio Steve or is it just a case of coaching I think I think sometimes seriously quickly I think you have to be made aware sometimes you got to remember that there's a lot that goes into being a footballer there's so many different things that you've got to kind of be aware of and and take care of the player are you doing as I said your nutrition you're sleeping um your recovery your pre pre-app stuff in the gym obviously then going out and doing working on things with a team but then you work on that team stuff but then within the team it's like well where where am i impacting the game and what am i doing this really good at the moment but that's all natural i don't really it's it's understanding that actually if i can add something else to my game that now takes me to another level what is that what am i missing and it's identifying that.

21:35And he might have been the person who goes, you know, now I'm in the team and I feel a bit more comfortable. I want to play a few more longer balls. And the team require that as well. So then he adds it. He adds it to your game. You start consciously thinking about things like that. And I think that's the big thing. You've got to consciously think, I want to add that now. Because sometimes, as I said, there's so much that goes into it. You can just drift into a feeling of just like ghosting through things and just kind of doing what you do all the time and just being like, this is normal for me.

22:03I'm doing well, getting the plaudits. Do I need to do anything else? No, no, there's more. You've got more to give. And that is one area and I agree with Steve. It makes him, again, people will probably just go, I'm always going to press him because he's not going to play long. He's always going to take it in and then play a 5, 10 yarder and go for the give and go. Or, you know what, actually I can stand off him because he's never going to hurt me. He ain't going to go over me. He ain't going to play around me and 15, 20, 30-yard pass, where now he's saying, I can do both, by the way. So if you don't press me, I'll play 30 yards.

22:36If you do press me, I'll beat you as well. So he becomes more of a threat in different ways. There's two things here that I think that he's got, that he needs to think about. First one is Paul Scholes didn't wake up and be able to hit a 45-yard Diag by accident. There's a brilliant video from probably 15, 16 years ago where Renny Mullenstein is talking about a drill that he does with Paul Scholes specifically. And he said, basically, he gets a bag of balls in the center circle. He puts a couple of mannequins up and then he has two runners, two wingers. And the wingers just run every single time.

23:13So it must be a right graph for the wingers. Probably use the academy players for it. Yeah. And Renny is standing there, past the ball to Scholes. He's got to get on the turn, knock it out of his feet. And he says, left or right? And he fucking sends one. and he's just hitting those diags just for however long the session would have been. And that's how you get good at doing stuff like that is just a repetition of game realistic. So where does Paul Scoles pick the ball up? Center circle. Where's he aiming for? Winger's on the run. So when you see him replicating that in a game, it wasn't just because he had the skill to be able to do it and see it.

23:46He's done it two, 300 times that week in training. That's why you can do that. It's the same with the finishing. You look at those drills. I love watching Harry Kane finishing drills because they're absolutely brilliant. And do you know what I like about him? They're all two inches off the ground. He's never hitting the top corners. He's never putting it where it's saveable for the keeper. He's putting all of them on the floor. So when you see him doing that in a game, you know that it was deliberate that he did that because that's the most optimal technique. The other thing that Kobe Mane has got in his favour at the moment is a gentleman by the name of Michael Carrick who's probably got an office in that building that he's in every single day.

24:22And if you wanted to go and talk about being an elite central midfielder, that can progress the ball, Michael Carrick might be the best guy to go in and be like, what do I need to add to my game? Because I bet Carrick's got 27 things that he could tell him. Guys, I want to move it on to talk about Benjamin Sesko. In 2026, he's actually got three goals, which is two more than Erling Haaland. Now, Rene Officer, the coach who brought through both him and Haaland and RB Salzburg said that Sesko will reach Haaland's level in one or two seasons. Rio, there's been a lot of chat about how impressed they are with Cesco's attitude in training, his desire, his work rate.

25:03He's described as the most dedicated young player they've ever seen. Now, can you confirm any of that? Because obviously you're close to the club. And do you think he's going to be able to reach Haaland's levels in one or two seasons? Well, reaching Haaland's level or even halfway there, I'd be delighted with. So we'll take that right now. because his numbers are through the roof. What I would say about him, Sesko, from what I'm hearing from people at the training ground is that his attitude is first class. What you read out isn't a myth. It's not just been made up. No one's put it in chat GPT and it's come out.

25:41He's in every day early, ready to prepare for training, ready to do the extras before training, getting his body right to make sure that he's ready to go out there and give his best every day in training. No stone is left unturned. And they say, especially for a young kid, his mindset and his attitude has been first class. And listen, the club would have done their due diligence anyway. They would have known that he's a good kid. He wants to work hard. But it's then coming into an environment like Man United, a club of that stature, and then replicating that again and then trying to go to a new level.

26:15So, again, that's why you see the guys in the change room hearing about on the pitch reacting to his goal and the way that they was all so happy for him because again, you only get that type of reaction when they go, you know what? He's likeable and he must be a good kid and he must show traits of someone who works really hard. So good luck to him, man. I want him to do well. And like we've said on the show before, he's got all the attributes he'd want in your number nine, by the way, a modern day player. He's big, he's strong, he's athletic, he's agile. Do you know what I mean? Techie, yeah. Yeah, he's got a clean strike.

26:50He hits the ball. You look at his clips when he was his previous club. Clean strike with a ball. It's just that confidence and getting them goals. And again, he could have been sulking now, by the way, because the moment Carrick came in and he's out of the team, he was actually in his best form for the club since he's been here. All of a sudden comes on again. And it's about telling players as well, you know what? You sometimes don't have to be the starter to be the star. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is a perfect example. Teddy Sheridan at times, you know what I mean? these guys Darren Fletcher was a star in our change room because we all knew the value but he didn't start every game so there's value in players we all want to start and be the main man but you can still be a star in his team and get your flowers coming off the bench and impacting games Mr Bruno Fernandes could be one of the best tens I've ever seen and Steve last week I said you were right this week I'm saying it again mate Bruno is now on 12 assists this season after creating two goals against Fulham.

27:48The Premier League record is 20 assists. Who are the holders? De Bruyne and Thierry Henry. Can he beat it? Steve, I'm asking you first. What are you? Two yesterday? They've done it by Valentine's Day, mate. Ridiculous. He's ridiculous. Yeah, look. Bruno gets no respect. Partially because he plays for a team that's not winning anything. but Steven Gerrard got a lot of respect and he was playing for a team that didn't win anything. What a shout. Nah, but Stephen Gerrard won a lot more. So let's calm down. Really? He did. Yeah, he won the Champions League. The Champions League camps, the UEFA Cup.

28:26Yeah, Champions League, UEFA Cup, right? Also a couple of FA Cups and I'm sure there's a League Cup in there. Right, so basically the same as Bruno apart from one of the trophies is a bit bigger. Bruno ain't won. Bruno's been collecting trophies, mate. Did Bruno win the Europa with United that year when Pogba won it? No, he didn't. No. Did he win the Champions League? He's got an FA Cup. He's got trophies. Carry on, mate. Go on. He's got it. You know what I mean? I think that's unlikely, but you know, I'm just saying. He's picking up trophies. Bruno's got a demeanor, which it seems like there's a certain vintage of ex-pro that doesn't like.

29:06But I always got told that hard work beats everything. And you can't tell me that Bruno doesn't work hard. You can't tell me that he ain't a team player. You can't tell me. Like, the best ability in the world is availability, right? He got it. But he's also got the clutch moments in him as well. He's also got goals. He's got assists. He's got graft. You know, what more do you want? Oh, he complains a bit. Cool. Can I show you Ryan Giggs? Can I show you Wayne Rooney? Can I show you Roy Keane? Can I show you this guy that's sitting here with us now? Like, they all complained, right? Just because he does it in a different manner, maybe, than what British people typically like and consider more stoic or manly, who cares?

29:48The guy is an absolute winner to his core. And the numbers that he puts up, if he played for a team that was competing for it, look at the nonsense that we're hearing with the Declan Rice Ballon d 'Or shouts, right? If Bruno was in a team that was pushing for a title, he would quite rightly be considered for a Ballon d 'Or. But because he's in a team that's pushing for fourth place, No one's going to consider him for that. But the numbers would dictate that. Read out the numbers. 312 appearances, 103 goals, 99 assists. And that means that one more assist, he'll join Giggsie and Wayne Rooney as the only three players to register both 100 goals and 100 assists for Manchester United.

30:31Now, just put that in your pipe and smoke it. And he's in the worst of the teams that those three have been in. Yeah, by a long way. And he's been here six years. listen okay Joel any other number 10s in the league now let's put some comparisons up oh yeah I'll read mine all right cool do you want to read it out Steve because I'm sure I'm sure you would love to read these out go on oh Martin Odegaard right last 10 Premier League matches one goal two assists Eze last 10 one goal two assists Bruno he's not very good and he moans a lot Fernandes last 10 Premier League matches 10 assists 3 goals wow wow look the difference is first of all we spread our goals around I noticed that's between own goals and no one else by the looks of it you know as soon as I said that I knew I knew as soon as I said that I stepped into it but look man you can't deny Bruno Fernandes I do wish my number 10s were producing the numbers he's producing.

31:38A massive shout out to him as well, because he hasn't played in his correct position for 80 % of the season. So for me, like I've had to change my tune with Bruno Fernandes, man. Like he is one of the best players that I've seen play in that position in the last six to 10 years in the Premier League. So massive kudos to him, man. Do you reckon Premier League Hall of Fame level? Because it should be. People will go, well, he's not won it. Cool. There's a lot of people we need to have a look at then, in that Premier League Hall of Fame if winning it is a factor? It's not often you see a player in an average team who's at the top of the charts in loads of stats and actually is on the end of everyone's tongue in the top five or so players in the league for a sustained period like that.

32:21You get some players who have a standout season or two and then they're disappearing in the average teams. But the way he's stuck around for the last six years and he's at the top of the charts in terms of creating chances in the time he's been in the Premier League. His assist record is ridiculous. His impact and influence on his team has been huge. So, yeah, he deserves all the flowers he gets. That dummy as well for the Cessna. His game understanding is like, I think he sees the game in a different way to a lot of players. And he sees the pictures that he has, sees them quicker and earlier, and then responds to those pictures that he gets given in his mind.

33:01And then delivers. He's got the execution in the bag. mate, Calvin Bassi substituted himself after that. You know, he just left the ground. He just went home. He just went and sat on the coach after that. Rio, finally, you see with Bruno, obviously you sat down with him a few weeks ago, a couple of months ago on Rio Meats. If you haven't seen that interview, what are you doing? Go watch it. It's the Captain Fantastic himself. Talk to me, Rio. What surprised you when you met him? Because you've seen him about in the training ground. You say your highs and byes, but you sat down with him properly.

33:32What surprised you? We expect to see that British Bulldog leader and everyone loves that and gravitates towards that. But there's a new age, new type of leader. And again, he can be demonstrative, but he's also somebody that he wants to help other teammates. And that sometimes can come across in a different way, the way he delivers it at times. And people go, oh, that's not my taste of the way it should be delivered. But he does it his own way. And right now he seems to be getting good responses. And his teammates obviously respect him and see that. And I think he's somebody who knows what he's capable of, but in his game as well, he needs other people to play their role so that he can deliver masterpiece moments for people.

34:11So him talking to Mbemo and being dissatisfied with certain movements or Ahmad or Sesko, go here. And I've told you, it's only going to benefit them as well. Because again, there ain't any many times in your career when you come across a player who can actually say to you, go there and then the ball will turn up at the right pace, at the right time for you to go and then execute. So again, like I said, he's a, I think he's deemed a great, a really good human being and a good egg to be in a change room as much as he is a player. Right, man, we've got loads still to come on this pod, but we'll be back shortly after this.

34:4933 days, 33 episodes, no off switch. From the goals and the glory to the politics and the problems of the World Cup, if you want soccer analysis from a podcast that's been over-analyzing the game for more than 20 years, then this is it. Join me, Max Rushton, and our expert team of soccer journalists every day of the tournament. Can England end 60 years of hurt, or will this be another year of falling just short? Probably. World Cup Daily, listen wherever you get your podcasts or watch full episodes on YouTube.

35:19Let's move it on to top of the league, where it counts. The guys that have secured the Premier League title. Last week, they were mocking me. Steve, I even bought the men in black the little men in black forget a thingy mate I thought I was going to need it again are you actually sitting here saying that you've won the league? mate it's done this weekend Spurs did us the biggest favour it's over you know alright just clip that out please just tag me when you post everyone thank you I'll retweet it Rio they're going to win the league yeah I don't Rio but if they don't imagine sitting there saying that if they don't man I don't think there's a fan base where people would be less sympathetic to because of the way that they talk about it, like Joel, like the way they do like this.

36:05But you seem a lot more relaxed this week, Joel. Obviously, winning 4-0 away at Leeds. I'll tell you what, I sat down with a few people this weekend. Everybody seemed to want to consult me and laugh at me at the same time. I was with Jolian, Jolian Lescott, Marlon Herrod. Jolian was saying, yeah, Leeds away is going to be difficult. They've done well against Liverpool. they've done well against Chelsea Leeds away went there and I think people forget that this is the game where Victor Gjokoric turns up he's got six Premier League goals and three of them have come against Leeds United so how are we going to do bad Rio?

36:39how? so yeah as far as I'm concerned mate that's the game you want the big man at and with all the other results obviously Tottenham doing us a favour with the draw and I think it's and Villa obviously losing to Brentford I think it's over it's over do you know what I think I saw the comments from Havertz who got again, Steve got to get a shout out and I mentioned because he said Havertz is the main guy there and he's come back and immediately you can see his impact. And I think it was important to hear Gokic's comments after the game saying, commented on how much he enjoyed playing with Havertz.

37:11Like that is something that I think will reverberate around the coaching staff, around the manager's office. He'll want to get his number nine firing. And if he's number nine, he's saying publicly, listen, I like playing with Havertz. How's he going to find, and I think he'll be sitting there going, I've got to find a way for Havertz to come in the team. And I saw one clip, right, in that game where, for Gaukres' goal, and he's made this run numerous times this season. I remember him at Old Trafford as well and other games where they get the ball in a transition, Gaukres starts moving and the ball don't come.

37:44And I've seen Odegaard and other players in that position and I'm thinking, play to Gaukres' strengths and you might get a bit of a tune out of him. And then Havertz comes on, gets the ball. The game opens up in the transition. There's space to play the ball into where Gokeres is running. He plays it, ball's in the back of the net. Yeah, that's typical. And I think it's about the problem sometimes with Arsenal that everything has to be too precise. Exactly, Real. It has to be too pretty sometimes. And where you go, you know what? Just play a ball into an area and say, get after it. Go on, you show us what you're made of.

38:17And that's what Gokeres, I think, wants more of that. the more he gets that the more of a threat he will become agreed Rio sometimes it's just a simple pass it's not even skills and you know how you said shout out to Stee Farrah Williams was the one who told me about Havertz as soon as we signed him she said this guy is going to be one of your most important players trust me and obviously we all know what her ball knowledge is like top tier but Shea Given on match of the day said he doesn't understand why any teams don't leave three or four players on a halfway line to reduce the number of players in a box and make it easier for goalkeepers to come out and claim the ball.

38:50Like, that was a bit too much for me tactically. Do you see what Shea is saying there? And do you agree? Steve, I can see your reaction there, mate. I leave free on the halfway line when we do it. Partially for that, right? Chelsea did it against us and completely shut us down. I hate 11 players in the box. What are we doing? Because if I get that ball now, if my keeper gets his hands on that ball, I go, am I throwing it to your defenders? All right, sweet. yeah nice one like no there's got to be a threat if i leave one up you're leaving two back if i leave two up you're leaving three back if i leave three up if you're ballsy you might go one v one against me but you're probably going to leave four up right or four back and that probably includes some of your better defenders because you're thinking what if they get the ball here which means that your center house which are typically the people that you want to aim for a corner you're probably going to take at least one of them out.

39:47If nothing else, there's seven or eight people less in the box. If nothing else, you don't see those scrums that you guys are getting into. My goalkeeper is the only person with this as the extra length on him. That's bigger than any player apart from that big German fellow that Newcastle have got, right? This is the only player that can do this. There's only one ball. Clear out the six yard box. Let your keeper come and get on the ball. That's what you need to do. because all the balls are going to the back of the six-yard box anyway. Or they're putting them to the front of the six-yard box and looking for a flick on.

40:19Sweet, we can put two men there and my keeper can deal with a back stick. It's so simple to me. I don't understand why everyone has 11 back because that feels to me like more chaos, more carnage, more opportunities for a foul, more opportunities for a ricochet, more opportunities to balls things up. I hate it. It's one of the things about modern football that winds me up. Leave a threat because I tell you what, you start scoring counterattacks on the corners because you've left three and four up teams will start respecting you a hell of a lot more. But let's go back to Havertz. Havertz. I, I, I'm not going to take the moniker tactical genius.

40:52I'll let you just anoint me with that. But the Havertz shout with, with Arsenal, he actually didn't play against Leeds in the manner that he normally plays. Cause you're right. Yeah. Yeah. But he was barely involved. Like the, the thing that I thought that I saw when you had him as your number nine was he was such a target for you that he would get on the ball as much as a midfielder he was a bit of a ghost in all honesty like i know if jokeres comes out and says he enjoys playing with him i get that because odegaard's garbage but on the other hand he was not involved in that game at all really for what i've seen him because i don't know if it's rustiness i don't know if it was the way leeds packed the midfield but he did not get on that ball in the slightest no but i think what you're talking about referring to how he played as a number nine steve is key because he used to bring the players in.

41:39But the issue is we were all complaining because then it means that when you're spamming balls in a box that we did against Inter Milan, no one's there. That's why we all thought we need a straight number nine and obviously that's changed our game around. But anyway, Arteta said this week that he wants our players to play with freedom. Do you genuinely believe this or do you reckon we're still going to have that? No, he don't. He wants them to have a swim partner when they go for a piss. What is he talking about? No, I don't know. What we've seen so far, there isn't real freedom. There isn't genuine freedom.

42:15I think Eze is a good example of that. He's not playing with the freedom that he probably anticipated that he might get or that he's previously had at Crystal Palace. But it's always going to be a bit tighter when you're playing for things and your team that you're in haven't won before. Don't know how to win yet. So that element of being uptight and a little bit passive at times, I understand it because they're scared not to win it again they've had so many moments where they've fell short late in season, they don't want that to happen again so they're trying to be really sure really particular on everything and that then impacts freedom so I understand it, but I've said this on numerous occasions now, I think they win this league and they win it by any means and if it means being a little bit uglier than people would like they don't care and I wouldn't care either.

43:02But I think then that release is a little bit more of a freedom in the following season that you start seeing, I think, the best of the attacking players and more from the attacking players. I'm not saying that they're not playing well, but I just think that it frees them up to play a bit looser. And if you get Saka, if you get Odegaard, if you get Goyker as Havertz and Martinelli and the rest, and Eze playing a little bit freer, it's a long day for the rest of the rest of the Premier League because as I said they have a right and they not they have a right but we have to understand why they might be playing with a little bit less freedom this manager's had how long has he been there five six years now he's got to win he's promised them that they're going to win and I don't think that the club are sitting there going oh by the way if you win you've got to play the best brand of football that Arsenal and the Premier League have ever seen.

43:57That's not the remit. They want him to go out there and just get us a trophy, man. And then we'll go and move on and demand other things later on. Right now, just get us that flipping trophy. Well said, Rio. Well said, Rio. Does it bother you that Man City look so fragile on the transition? Because when I see them play Rio, I'm wondering if Pep don't win the league this year, I don't know if he's ever going to win another Premier League again. Because he could be gone soon, and that could be it. Don't bother me. I don't care.

44:29Yeah, I think if you're Arsenal looking at Man City, you're not seeing the machine that we've seen in previous years, the consistent machine that just drilled teams by penning them back and just dominating every phase of the game. And the amount of that possession that they have and territorial advantage they have in games, you go, how are these teams even going to get near our box, let alone score? That's how City were playing for a number of years. But this year, again, teams look dangerous against them. Teams look like I can get through them quite easily at times. So as I said, if I'm looking at it from Arsenal's standpoint, I'm going, you know what?

45:05I'm building confidence every week based on what I'm seeing in the other part of England. Yeah. Have they lost their aura? You know, the young kids love the word aura. Yeah, they have. I think they have. Yeah. I think Harland's got that aura. That aura ain't going anywhere. He's already here to stay for his career. but I think as a team, Man City, I think the aura is not the same as it was before. No doubt in my mind. Pep just needs time and a bit of money, lads. That's all he needs. I was waiting for that. Jesus Christ. Steve, you're always talking about the importance of Rodri and their team.

45:41He hasn't been the same, I would say, since he's come back from injury. I know, it's great, isn't it? I just, I think they've signed a lot. they're in their transition period Mkhitaryan Fred Anthony sort of era I think of just buying absolute ball bags like bro yo yo they're spending dough on Mark Gay is a good signing outside of him no Semenya is a good signing as well the guy's bagged four goals already bro like yeah but nah when you're talking about like this isn't De Bruyne this isn't Aguero this isn't David Silva this isn't Yaya Toure it's not but he's had like six games he's nowhere near that sort of level if you said Mahmoud or maybe one of the other players maybe I understand a bit more about it yeah but look at what they spent they've signed an entire 11 in 12 months but for how much though this is the so-called greatest manager that's ever lived do me a favour still doing it for good prices though do you know what I mean no they're not no no they signed a hell of a lot of players so to expect continuity when you make that many signings I think is like almost near when impossible It's crazy.

46:50So I'm not surprised with the way that they've become a little bit more inconsistent than we've seen because of the amount of changes that they've made in their squad. It's like it's a huge amount of players that have turned over. And you look at it sometimes, you think, I don't know what team he's going to put out this week. They've got that many players. Do you know what I mean? So it is, as I said, if I'm Arsenal, I'm delighted. I'm sitting there going, you carry on. You keep signing these players. You keep making it difficult for yourself. Yeah, that's true. Rio, I think there's a manager that deserves a shout out since coming in, man.

47:22Liam Rossini, the guy who became a meme as soon as he stepped in. Two minutes into the building, called him the PE teacher, comparing him to Matisse and Marnie. He's had everything going against him. But in six games, well, in seven games, he's won six games. He's only lost against Arsenal in the 3-2 defeat in the League Cup. And you know what? Obviously, I want us to win, but that can still turn around anyway. What do you have to say about the way he's been treated since he stepped in? Wait, I'm interested to hear what Steve thinks. This reaction, where are you with this? Tell me. Well, mate, he's been given shit because he bought a ticket.

47:58That's why. Like, he came in and starts talking absolute woo-woo in press conferences. Like what? You've seen the man and aging thing. Yeah, that was bad. That was bad. If I'm in that press conference, I go, yeah, anyway.

48:16What are you talking about, mate? You make Brendan Rodgers look like a guru. What are you doing? Nah, this is an absolute black belt in cringeworthy bellend. Like, this is... I can't imagine what training sessions are like. You think Arteta's a weirdo with his light bulbs and he's getting the speakers out and stuff like that. Can you imagine the absolute ridiculous shit that Liam Rosinia's pulling out? Like, can you imagine? I can't imagine what training is like with him. I heard he takes off. Sell tickets for it. I will pay. I would love to just watch him take training. I heard he tickled his gloves.

48:52He don't wear gloves so his players can hear him clapping. Oh my days. Do you think that's true? He said it. No way. Oh yeah. Absolute sausage. I'm not having it. Nah. Yeah, cool. Has he beat a team that's had 11 men yet? They've had a player sent off against him every single week. But Steve, you can only beat who's in front of you. And on top of that, you can't take away the performance. We all thought it was over when they played West Ham on the weekend. I think he's being treated harshly. I think you can, yeah, I think there's things you can look at and becoming a meme for certain things I get and I find quite funny, right?

49:26But I think when you look at it and go, if this was a young forum manager, we'd be sitting here going, guru, guru, guru. We'd be sitting there going, he sounds so intelligent. He's just maybe his delivery might be a little bit different from what people like. He's got a phone voice. Like, it's like when someone rings the house, your mum's like, hello, what are you talking about? You're not talking like that. No, Steve, Steve. But we're trying to tell him how he should be. He's obviously got good results, developed some players in Strasbourg. Obviously, the club's connected to Chelsea, so you see the connection and how he's got the job right.

49:58But if this was a foreign coach coming in and doing it, we wouldn't be giving him the harsh treatment that he's getting right now. And that's what I think, you know what, is a little bit, we can all laugh on that. It's tongue-in-cheek here and there. But really, like, he's a young English coach, man. Let's give him a chance. Let's let you go, you know what, actually, go on. you talk a way I might not like or understand but you know what, go on, have a fair crack at it you've got some I do think sometimes you can talk too much or you can come across as being I think that's probably the thing, people are going he's talking in a way that I don't understand, so he thinks he's too smart, and I don't like that that's what I think it comes across the reaction to him looks like to me like, people should be able to be their own individual self, and if that's authentic to them, then who are we to be judging that in that sense?

50:45You're right, Rio, because there's nothing worse than someone who's not like something trying to pretend he's something. Can you imagine him coming in and trying to be extra hard and extra? Someone like you, you've played against under-world-class coaches. You're going to suss that out in a minute. You're going to be like, that's not who he is. The players, the most important thing is, are the players seeing it through the lens that you're talking and looking through? Yeah. like that's the most important thing and if the players are buying into something well six wins out of seven games says actually you might be doing something alright if you're in a dressing room and your manager in a press conference says no no no no the manager the manager right there's not a chance that you're just like yes gaffer you're just staying there going no no no what did he just say you know what I think will happen so you know what happened on that one I think I'd go boss and I think the lads would have probably put me or Wayne Rooney might have been one of the ones that would have gone and said Gaffer not to our manager by the way this would never happen to Fergie but if it was a young new manager it would have been like boss can you just explain that manage thing again and all the lads would be in the background crying cracking up and I'd love to I'd love Cole Palmer to have done that and boss can you just explain the manage one didn't get it Cole Palmer didn't have a clue what he was talking about anyway no chance but so like you know I get what you're saying with that type of comment.

52:09But I think in the main, he's a young English manager. We should be supporting our young managers, man. Do you know what I mean? As I said, he ain't just been given this opportunity out of having no graft in the background. He's been at Hull. He's coached at Derby. He's managed at Strasbourg. He's had to go abroad to get a chance, by the way, proper chance, and managing in that league over there in its unfancied team. And then now gets a great opportunity at Chelsea. I hope he does well, man. Yeah, big shout out to him, man. Don't get me wrong, I was one of the first to laugh and stuff like that, but I totally agree.

52:41Oh, we all laughed. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm still laughing sometimes, but he's getting the results. I'll tell you what I'm not laughing at, is how good does Eketike look? And Virch is starting to cook a little bit as well. I ain't happy about that. Eketike's got that I'm the man attitude, and I said it to you off Ario. Him and Isak, someone's going to have to go. Someone's either going to stay, and someone's going to go. And I feel like someone is going to go to Real Madrid and someone's going to stay at Liverpool or someone's going to go back. I'll tell you what, when his sack signed for Liverpool, the least of his worries would have been a number nine coming in and giving him a run for his money in that position and going, you know what, you could be a sub.

53:28I've signed for over£100 million, but I might be a sub. Now, there's no way on any green earth that we're walking on now where Isak ever thought that possible. He thought every game he's going to be assuring to play. Right now, he must be sitting there going, when am I going to get a game? I don't know. That's when they put up again. When he's trying to fit them both in because of politics. Maybe like that if he plays two up. Because there's pressure, isn't there? If you're the manager that signed 140 million pound striker, you can't bench him. But we saw it, Steve. He found it difficult, but I've seen things, you know, like I see where Eketike scored and Isak will come and try to celebrate with him.

54:13Get off me quickly. And he'll write, you could, you could feel that there is like real tension there. Like, but I love it personally. And I think it's France. This just makes France the favorites for me for the world cup, because all the A's play for them attacking wise. Mbappe, Dway, you know, Dembele, who else we got? Eketike. Hey, you know, I know there's someone else out there as well. That's not including Mateta. That's not including Cherokee. Their attacking force looks incredible. Nuts. It's nuts. But you know what I would say about what I liked about Eketika? He's got a bit of like, don't give a toss.

54:51Don't give a fuck, does he? He's just like, put me in. I'll do what I've got to do. And you know what as well? I saw him, they were trying to compare him to people and said, I forget the player they named him the other day. He said, have you seen, do you know Sanzo player? because you played a little bit like him or something. He went, I never had a TV that I didn't have to, couldn't watch the Premier League. Couldn't get him. My mum didn't have the money to watch the Premier League. Like, little things like that made me think, you know what, this kid's worked hard to get him. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

55:17His journey's been tough. Like, go on, enjoy it. And I mean, he plays to Liverpool, I know that, and it's not the team that are top of my Christmas list. But he's got something about him. And people are comparing him. I've seen the finish a little bit, like Thierry Henry-ish at times, and nonchalant with the way he finished at one of his goals yesterday. But I don't know, there's something about him that I know that Isak's sitting there going, this is making me uncomfortable, guys. Watch this face. It's like... It's City Liverpool next Sunday, right? Mm, big game. I don't know who I want to win.

55:56Because you're like, I see City as probably catchable for us at the moment. Might be a bit giddy to think that, but I think that they are catchable. I think we can outpoint them by six over the next 14 games, right? No chance. Yeah, but you say that when Liverpool beat them and it's only three. Listen, mate, we ain't catching. We ain't going to be... Rio, Rio, why are you trying to break it down? You're the... No, we shouldn't. You're the cyber contract now guy. Come on, man. Don't look at who's in front of you to win a race. You can't just sit where you are and think this is good. Yeah, Rio, man.

56:27Where's that? Hunt them down. Listen, I have to say this is my issue with you this season Rio I have to say and I'm putting out my finger to complain because at the start of the season I said to you I said you were like yeah man United 6th I think you even said 8th or something like that I just thought Rio what is going on here I do not expect this from you out of all people now you are 4th deservedly so by the way with what we've seen recently and it's still like nah we can't beat City what are you what are you talking about it is possible wait wait Joel Man City have been the best team in the Premier League for the last eight, nine years.

57:03And we are sitting here on the back of our worst season ever in the Premier League and worst period for the last 10 years. Six points off them. And thinking that we, and thinking that we have a genuine right to think that we can go and go past them right straight away. No, no right to. An opportunity to. That's the difference. We have an opportunity to. Not the right to. Yes, Steve. We've got an opportunity for everything. We've always got an opportunity for everything, right? No, you ain't got an opportunity to be a league. Listen, we should be looking at fourth and going fourth. to draw against Tottenham, right?

57:31We've got Liverpool next week. We can do this, right? I don't think United are in the top four race, right? And I think we're going to do it. But I don't think we're going to finish fourth. I think we're going to finish third or second. Mate, I'm just taking fourth now. How is an Arsenal fan going to have more faith than you? Come on, man. You need to go and put your legend card with Roy Keane's on that table over there, right? No, no, no, no. I'm just saying, I'm just saying, I am happy with fourth. from where we finished last season. I anticipated a season 6th to 8th, and I'd have been satisfied with that.

58:054th, I am punching the skies right now. I'm going to be happy with 4th. I'm saying, there exists an opportunity. Opportunity. Let's chase them. Let's keep the pressure on. You're overdoing it. I've been told I've done that a couple of times in my life, but I know I've done that. Don't be that guy. There's an opportunity to exist for us. And I want it. because I would be I would be giddy-o-meter if we can come second. Yeah. Really quickly before we go Jude Benningham hamstring comes off crying on the weekend. Hey man that is a serious problem for England's World Cup hopes you know. Do we know how long he's out for yet?

58:47Because I actually haven't had the chance to. Do you know what? I saw pictures of him pre-game doing like you know when the players go up before the game and look at the pitch in their tracksuits and he was tugging at his hamstring, digging at a pullet. So there was discomfort there before the game. Like it was apparent that he's not quite happy with his hammy. Goes into the game 10 minutes, injury. So it's something that he's had probably a niggle with. And it's just, we need to find out what the scans are looking like and how long it's going to be. Because like, listen, if it's a bad one or he's ruptured it off the bone or anything like that, bad news, terrible news.

59:21So listen, his reaction says it's serious. The way he went down and the way he kind of reacted to it. So good luck to Jude, man. Fingers crossed it's not as bad as it kind of looks on the outside. Two things before we wrap it. First one, really enjoying the hate watching of Garnaccio being really bad at Chelsea. I forgot to mention that when we were talking about Chelsea. He is biblically bad. It's great. And secondly, did you see the sort of leak that came out from the Madrid circles about the players that was kind of pro and anti-Jabi Alonso? Didn't see it. Nah. So I owe Kylian Mbappe an apology because I was like, I get the vibe that Mbappe is a little bit on the toxic side, a little bit like hard to work with and stuff, or apparently that wasn't the case.

1:00:00Apparently Mbappe was actually like on Jabby Alonso's side and being like helpful and hard to work with. But it was, it was Vinny, Bellingham and Valverde apparently were the ones that, that's come out that were refusing to, to do the things he was asked. And he was asking for pretty basic stuff. I think timekeeping, like they were kicking off about traveling the day before to play Bilbao. like not good man wow I want it from the horse's mouth I want to hear Alonzo I know you watch the show we'll get you on there we'll have a word find out guys everybody watching you guys have been brilliant this week socials have been popping off and I like the fact that more of you are joining the Rio Ferdinand Presents broadcast chat on Instagram it's been jokes man it really has been good make sure you sign up and also across all social media platforms there are interviews coming out there's so many interviews coming out Rio's not even telling us in a group chat anymore so are there any that we should you know you're going to give us a hint?

1:01:02I'm on my way to go and do one next week actually so watch this space guys also Rio Reacts are going to be popping as usual it's a good time when Man United and Arsenal win to be fair I think the vibes are better this is the rivalry that built the Premier League it's true it's true you know the Premier League was at its best when United and Arsenal were good and trading titles and it was an actual rivalry not this like bogus City Liverpool rivalry where City win 6 and Liverpool win 1 oh yeah what a rivalry that is it's like United and Blackburn when United and Arsenal were trading titles we were genuinely trading titles Chelsea had a little bit of that with it as well but the best head-to-head rivalry that we've had in the Premier League is United and Arsenal and there's not even one that comes close.

1:01:51It's true. Anyway, thank you very much for watching, guys. I have forgotten about last week's result. Sorry. Shout out to Steve Housen, Rio Ferdinand, Joel Baer, signing out. Peace.

1:02:39We'll see you next time.

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