Arsenal Time Waste To The Title? Spurs' Sour Day

11:24Robbie Mustoe:They had players coming back, didn't they? They looked like it's starting to come together. Semenya.

11:29Robbie Earle:How good is Semenya?

11:30Robbie Mustoe:Yeah, he's been plug-and-play. I mean, perfect plug-and-play. And let's give a bit of credit to Nottingham Forest as well. It's not just about Manchester. As you say, two really good goals. Pereira set them up well. He's yet to win in the Premier League, but that wasn't like a win to go to Manchester City. He'd be down twice to get a draw. So it was a really important point, Rob, when we talk about those at the bottom of the table,

11:54Robbie Earle:which is where I'm going to move to, my friend. Before we do that, where are we with the title race then? Give me percentages. Let's get some percentages here. Arsenal, seven points clear now. They've won more games. They've got to go to Manchester City.

12:08Robbie Mustoe:Yeah, but they can afford to even go to City and lose. As long as they're two bad results, leeway. Are we talking 80 % chance of winning the title? Yeah, I'm around 80 now. Listen, in this league, Arsenal have one bad weekend, Man City have a good result, and all of a sudden it times up. But right now, I'm at 80%. Yeah, I think so too. Yeah, I think we're on that as well.

12:32Robbie Earle:Okay, where are we going? Bottom of the league? I'm going to the bottom of the table. Oh, boy. I can't believe where we're going.

12:36Robbie Mustoe:I'm going to the biggest game of the midweek. And there was big games all over, mate. The biggest game, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

12:42Robbie Earle:It ended up being after the results of Tuesday.

12:44Robbie Mustoe:But even before the ball was kicked, I'm looking at that game, Rob, going, Tottenham Hotspur, no wins in the last 10, one win at home in 13, Igor Tudor's come in, two defeats in his first two games, hasn't looked great, kind of messing around with systems and players and not quite sure. Okay, you're at home, you're playing Crystal Palace, you've got to win. You've got to win and stop the noise and stop the negativity.

13:09Robbie Earle:Did you believe that they could win that?

13:13Robbie Mustoe:I never felt...

13:14Robbie Earle:When we saw the line-ups, I'm looking at it and I'm thinking, OK, it looks like they're going to do the same system as Crystal Palace. OK, so let's compare them. And I looked at Munoz and Mitchell as opposed to Souza and Gray. I look at Papsar and Palina. And I like kind of Adam Wharton and Kamala. Look at the front three, San Larsson, Saar, Gussain. I mean, goalkeeper. I'm like, this is a better team. And it showed it.

13:39Robbie Mustoe:What I would say, Rob, and I know you have an idea that if you could pick another Spurs team with the players available, who would be better? and I absolutely don't disagree on that. But what I would say is, when I was looking, doing a little bit of work last night on the game, I'm looking at Crystal Palace and I'm thinking, understand their system better, know how to play better. I think they'll beat Spurs, however Spurs play. Because I just don't feel like, I don't quite know. I did a little breakdown on Spurs, so I watched a lot of the Fulham game. They were all over the place, mate.

14:11Robbie Earle:All over the place.

14:13Robbie Mustoe:people right wing Gallagher left side Javi Simons left back Archie Gray I'm looking at the game going I can't see how Spurs win this game

14:25Robbie Earle:three games he's been in charge for now I don't like any of the lineups

14:29Robbie Mustoe:conceded nine goals

14:30Robbie Earle:I don't like any of the performances I don't like anything that I'm hearing from the training ground I don't like anything I'm seeing with him interacting with his players

14:38Robbie Mustoe:which is a good point to that point then based on what you say what would be the reason to keep him based on what you've just said?

14:46Robbie Earle:Well, Johan Lang, the sporting director that hired him along with the board it's super embarrassing for them if they say, I'm sorry this is an emergency, it hasn't worked for three games, it looks really awful, like worse So that's a decision Robbio, isn't it? That's a decision right now

15:06Robbie Mustoe:But I don't think it's a big decision, where you say embarrassment and maybe, it's not a big decision to me

15:10Robbie Earle:What do you mean big decision?

15:11Robbie Mustoe:Or tough decision? Yeah, well, it's the right decision. If it's the right decision... What, to get rid? If I feel it's the right decision, I do it. I get rid tonight. He's not in charge. I saw things, and I said it day one, and I'm not being wise after the event, the connection between the manager and the players is not there. And I've been in that situation and I know it, and I see it and I feel it. And you can tell from body language, you can tell from when somebody's talking to you and you're not really looking at them, or you look at them and you're looking away. I can tell you these people in that dressing room who don't fancy him, who are a bit like, who is this guy coming in, barking orders it was and telling us this and that.

15:49Robbie Earle:I get it after the Arsenal game. They got well beaten. That's a difficult match for them. And then you look at the next two, Rob, and you're like, Fulham and Palace. Okay, because it gets harder. All right, we've got to see it now. We've got to see what he can bring and manage a bump. But there's been nothing. And it is recoverable because there's nine games left.

16:09Robbie Mustoe:27 games, 27 points. I mean, listen, first off, let me tell you the team that could have been picked today.

16:16Robbie Earle:Right back, Porro, Danzo, Van der Ven, Gray. Left back, there's not many options, Rob.

16:22Robbie Mustoe:The other kid, didn't he?

16:23Robbie Earle:I think I'm still probably going on Gray than Sosa. I've got 4-3-3, by the way. Palina, I want him in my team. To his right, Conor Gallagher. If there's one thing Conor Galler is, he's a worker.

16:40Robbie Mustoe:He's kind of reliable.

16:41Robbie Earle:He'll give you a bit of box-to-box. He'll be there defensively. Perhaps Sarad I'd have in there who can work a little bit. That's a decent midfield three. And my front three, Richarlison's a top scrawler. I mean, why is Rob Scharr?

16:54Robbie Mustoe:It could be, I don't know, some kind of injury. He can't play nine minutes. We don't know that. But based on what we know.

16:59Robbie Earle:By the way, we're almost at a point now where I don't care if there's a risk. Yeah, start. This is everything. This is everything.

17:06Robbie Mustoe:Yeah, yeah, I'm with you.

17:07Robbie Earle:Richarlene's moving on the left-hand side. Comfortable goal scorer. Top goal scorer at the football club. Dominic Solanke scored today. Of course, he'd be the centre-forward. And Xavi Simmonds, I'd have. That's a 4-3-3. Now, you get some enthusiasm behind that, right? And you get some energy. And you get on the front foot. And I know often the times the way is to grind away. I feel like that team can win games. And is there a case for switching the manager and bringing in Tim Sherwood? who's been there before, I listened to him on the TV the other day or on the radio, he's passionate about what he feels is going on, he's not enjoying what's happening now with the new gaffer there, would he pick a more likely team and give the fans something to get excited about, Rob?

17:52Robbie Mustoe:Or are you going to stick with... He'd be half of my choice.

17:56Robbie Earle:I'd bring in Harry Redknapp as well. Would you? Proper blast from the past.

18:00Robbie Mustoe:I think Harry Redknapp would keep the media... He's a media darling. They love him in England. He knows all the journalists. He'll get them on side. He knows how to tip-tip-tip-tip-tip. He knows his football. He knows a player. He'll look in the dressing room, mate, and he'll pick out the people who won't be with you. And Tim. I think Tim's a bit younger, can get on the training ground, can do the work, and he proved last time he's a good coach. He knows football. He's a good football man. So I'm with you, and I think a change. I think a change lightens the mood around the football club. Brings some hope.

18:38Robbie Mustoe:Brings hope and energy, which is what they're missing now. And I don't see it with this guy at all. And I don't say that with any pleasure, that a guy who's come to English football and has got a decent record, Croatia international, been a good player, that gives me no pleasure. I just feel Spurs' situation, they have to act, Rob, because if they don't, this is going to get worse.

19:02Robbie Earle:he looks like he's he's he's figuring out things he's trying to figure out things he's doing making teams and stuff like I'm like wow I know they've had problems but you've got to play him or so we'll see on that the last thing before we get to Palace we've got to give Palace some love yeah yeah the only thing that worries me I said on the show Rob is that a lot of those players are kind of biggish names does it worry you that you might have a situation where they're like well you know what I'm going to go my agent said there's interest

19:31Robbie Mustoe:The Leicester City type thing.

19:32Robbie Earle:Yeah, some of the players that are like, if we go, I don't have to run my socks off to stay in the league

19:39Robbie Mustoe:because I'm probably going to get a move. Is that something that's real for them? Yeah, it's 100 % real, mate, in the dressing room. It's terrible. If that becomes collective, every time I see a Spurs player now, they've been linked to another club. Van de Ven was linked to Real Madrid and Romero's linked to this one. These are your players who are in a fight. It's like, well, I don't. I'm, you know, World Cup winners and top-class players, but they're not playing like that, Rob. And there's a lack of accountability. And today, van der Ven, who I've been disappointed in the last few weeks, and I think he's a world-class centre-back with great pace and in the right team and the right set-up when he's focused.

20:14Robbie Mustoe:But I think he's been loose. And I think he's loose today when he gives the foul on saw that completely changes the game. Yeah.

20:23Robbie Earle:I mean, the club has got a decision to make. Johan Lang, the sporting director, I'm sorry, but he's got a lot to answer for. Yeah, yeah. Because he's made all the recruitment decisions. Crystal Palace, just quickly pick out.

20:38Robbie Mustoe:I mean, by the way, excellent today.

20:40Robbie Earle:I've got to pick out, first of all, Smilisar. I mean, it's an obvious one, but his energy and his running in behind and his link-up play and his little bit of quality in the final area, got that goal disallowed. His first attempt around half an hour mark. But he won for me was outstanding.

20:55Robbie Mustoe:He was best playing on the park by a distance. Adam Wharton showed us what he can do, Rob. Lovely, graceful vision. Two assists, wasn't it? Two assists that he does. I thought Stran Larsson led the line particularly well, joined in with the teammates, made good runs. I thought that looked kind of progressive. I think the disappointment, and I said it on air, for Crystal Palace is, come the summer, they're going to lose a very, very good manager who actually Tottenham Hotspur could do with somebody of that caliber.

21:23Robbie Earle:Yeah, it's a shame. I mean, Palace have done well recruiting managers and players.

21:28Robbie Mustoe:Yeah, they've got good, you know, Steve Parrish knows what he's doing. Yeah, Dougie Friedman's not there anymore, which is a shame,

21:32Robbie Earle:because he's done brilliant work, Friedman, in terms of recruiting. But no, well done for Crystal Palace. They've had a difficult period.

21:37Robbie Mustoe:Thomas Frank's name has been linked to Crystal Palace recently. So, I mean, it's Tottenham, man. It's kind of his fit, isn't it? Yeah, kind of. That feels a better fit to him. Let's go to Newcastle United, mate. No, actually, let's go to Fulham West Ham. Sorry, staying with the relegation games. Let's go to Craven Cottage, where West Ham got a 1-0 win. If I was asking you who do you think scores up, I mean, the man of the moment for West Ham, who's proving to be a real star amongst a team that Nuno's got them going. I just have a sneaky feel for West Ham. How Nuno works, they look like there's goals in this team, Rob.

22:21Robbie Mustoe:They look like they know what they're doing. I kind of feel like Nuno's got the thing going. He's got a bit of trust in the players.

22:28Robbie Earle:Yeah, I mean, I think that with a couple of other teams down there as well, I think not in France, I think Vita Pereira is the ideal man to give them a little bit of a boost. I think with Tottenham losing that game, it's super tight. And West Ham United, I think if you asked me a couple of weeks ago, I'd be saying, well, there's a gap there. That's still a considerable gap. But because none of them have won, they've closed it up with that result. I mean, that's exactly what they needed and not an easy place to go to Fulham. Fulham so many times, Rob, have proved us wrong a little bit. Well, they can go to Fulham, they can go and win that game, but they haven't.

22:59Robbie Earle:But that's a massive result for them. Nuno has definitely improved them in January. He's definitely took a little bit of time to find his best kind of combinations and stuff. But you're right, Somerville, Castellanos has made an impact at the club as well. Pablo, I think, is injured still, is he, at the moment? I know he was out a little bit. So there is some talent there going forward. Callum Wilson, of course, is still in and around it. And it's anybody's call now. It's anybody's call, but this midweek fixture has made it tight. And I think all we can do as analysts, because it's so tight on paper, is just think who looks like they're really struggling.

23:33Robbie Earle:Who looks like it's hardest to get a result? And it's one team. We just talked about them.

23:37Robbie Mustoe:It's blaringly obvious right now. And they're the one team who might feel they're too good to go down. There's three worst teams than them.

23:45Robbie Earle:They're not too good to go down.

23:47Robbie Mustoe:and they're the worst team in the league right now on form.

23:51Robbie Earle:I mean, I don't want to go back to them, but it's like, it's unthinkable. It is unthinkable. We've been to their training ground.

23:55Robbie Mustoe:This is along the lines of Leicester City winning a Premier League. Tottenham Hotspur getting relegated. Last year they finished 17th, but we all knew it was about the Europa League. They won the Europa League last year. They could win the Champions League. And get relegated and be in the Championship.

24:11Robbie Earle:Has that ever been done?

24:12Robbie Mustoe:I don't know. And Arsenal would win the title. The worst.

24:16Robbie Earle:That would be the biggest Spurs-y season ever.

24:19Robbie Mustoe:Imagine that.

24:20Robbie Earle:Oh, dear me. Crikey. All right, so they did really, really well. West Ham United. Four marks to them. What else have we got in the relegation? Leeds United lost. Leeds United lost. Leeds aren't out of it.

24:30Robbie Mustoe:Leeds need two results to keep them clear.

24:34Robbie Earle:Out of nine games.

24:37Robbie Mustoe:Should be able to do that. The others might need three.

24:40Robbie Earle:The others need three results, really. If you get around 36, 37 points, you should be.

24:45Robbie Mustoe:Yeah, you should be good. But I think you said this time of year, every now and then, people put a little run together. It's like craziness that comes out, desperation. And by the way, I've just got to... What?

25:00Robbie Earle:Regis Libris. My 40 points, mate.

25:04Robbie Mustoe:I couldn't love 40 points anymore with a team. I know. That have come up, that struggled to get to playoffs. Everybody talks about, well, they'll be down. I thought they'd be down. Incredible.

25:13Robbie Earle:I mean, it's so hard to predict a team that buys a whole new bunch of players. He's a smart guy, isn't he? And they've got smart recruitment. He's a smart coach. Yeah, he's a smart coach. God, it makes all the difference if you have a system or data or smart people to recruit and bring in players.

25:30Robbie Mustoe:Yeah, it gives you a chance.

25:31Robbie Earle:Oh, I mean, it's incredible what they've done. They're 40 points. They're going to be playing in the Premier League next year. We're going to have Newcastle, Sunderland. And my old Middlesbrough. My old Middlesbrough, mate. They're on the brink. They're kind of close. Cool you, Jack. I know, but that'd be fun to have the three big northeast teams in the Premier League. That'd be good.

25:47Robbie Mustoe:Let's get to the top four race. Go on then. Let's get to Chelsea, my friend, who went to Aston Villa. Yeah. Went 1-0 down and it was like, okay, okay, Liam.

25:58Robbie Earle:Wow.

25:58Robbie Mustoe:His team came good and we talked about the game before and Gio Pedro and I remember saying to you that, I think he's 20 goals scorer if he can stay top of the pitch and play in that role. I'll tell you what, mate, he looks a part, doesn't he?

26:13Robbie Earle:It goes back to what they've done by all these young players, Rob. There's going to be plenty of duds and players that aren't going to be good enough for the first team. And there's going to be a few superstars. And they're becoming more superstars now, isn't there? When you think of, I'm not saying it's a superstar, but Cucurella's done really well. Malagusto's looks like he's a really good Premier League player. Apart from Esteval, there's going to be a star. Kyle Palmer's a star. Jao Pedro now is in the star bracket and a regular goal scorer. Enzo Fernandes is a world-class player. and Garnatio played well this is what Veciniar needed this is what he's been trying to say I think when we cut out the mistakes and we're strong in both boxes our in between the boxes football's been really good and it has and he's very smart at that we shouldn't underestimate that and this was a day where they turned the possession into penetration and quality and goals that's some as well

27:01Robbie Mustoe:James didn't he is essential too he had Gusto from the right side he did came in and like you say he mixes it up a little bit so you're never quite sure you're never quite sure how he's going to do it

27:15Robbie Earle:which has got to be good if you're an opponent we see all their games before we do a Chelsea game I go back and look at how they did it but it does not mean it's going to be the same thing the next day different people different players

27:29Robbie Mustoe:a bit of disappointment for Villa and Hunayamri coming off a couple of the loss to Wolves and then the defeat body blow that I think it's a body blow that is well beaten 51 points aren't they they might is there a fear Robin next couple weeks they sort of drop out there will be a fear

27:47Robbie Earle:but they've still got three points to have over Liverpool Liverpool aren't

27:49Robbie Mustoe:of course we'll get to

27:50Robbie Earle:in a second but like they can still do it when you look at a league table it's like there's nothing all these numbers on that sheet of paper and you're like well they're in a good spot they're fourth place Robbie going into 30th match that's really really good but just the confidence level the where they're at players they're missing actually as well The Mid-Fend-Fill, yeah.

28:11Robbie Mustoe:The McGinn, the Camaras and... Tielemans. The three-star. Yeah, three big players they miss in. That's a real engine room for them.

28:20Robbie Earle:So, body blow for Aston Villa. But they're still there. They're in fourth place right now.

28:24Robbie Mustoe:And great win for Chelsea on the road. Let's go to the Toon, mate, where one of the most exhilarating finishes I think we've seen for some time. What a game this kind of turned out to just before half-time. We get to Newcastle. No, well, Jacob Ramsey getting sent off for a simulation. Harsh, wasn't it? Really, really harsh decision. I didn't see it. There wasn't an awful lot of contact, but, you know, he gets something, he goes down. I didn't think he was a dive. There's so many that don't get given for those simulations. Never quite sure what that was. Then Gordon gets the penalty kick. Bruno contact Anthony Gordon, which was a penalty.

29:06Robbie Mustoe:Yeah, it was. Anthony Gordon scores a goal. then at the other end Casemiro gets a header from a Bruno assist and all of a sudden United get back into it at 1-1 we get to the break

29:16Robbie Earle:with an extra man

29:18Robbie Mustoe:and we're thinking United probably now kick on this is where Michael Carrick it would be 7 wins and 1 draw and well you can never rule out the Toon army you can never rule out the Geordies you can never rule out that when that place is gone something about it. And they were up for it, weren't they? And the team did well, stayed in the game. And then Willis Sula, who's one of those players who doesn't get many minutes, we sometimes question like, has he got the quality? What a finish up that was.

29:51Robbie Earle:What a moment. I mean, that would be a top ten moment in the Premier League. I mean, it just was a moment. Against Manchester United. The angle that it was. The goalkeepers in great form. Yep. And ten men against Manchester United who were in brilliant form. It's an incredible strike from Willis Sula. a real big performance for Eddie Howe. He needed it, didn't he? Yeah, like, is this the message?

30:15Robbie Mustoe:I think he was 13th in the Premier League before the game kicked out.

30:17Robbie Earle:Yeah, and he admitted before this game, like, it's really hard to fight on both when you're in the Champions League and to be consistent in the Premier League because I think we can all agree now, Rob, that maybe not the top clubs, but there's a lot of good teams in the Premier League now. The midsection's really, really good. With the extra money and revenues that they get in England, and they can go and buy players from Milan or Juventus.

30:40Robbie Mustoe:It tells you in the Champions League, we see players now, don't we, who used to be at lower clubs in the Premier League are playing Champions League football in other countries.

30:51Robbie Earle:So it's really difficult, and they've been struggling in Newcastle, but that's such a win. And I think Man United, Rob, I mean, Carrick was honest enough about it. Yeah, I thought he was good. I thought he came across well. Just our quality. Yeah. We just didn't connect things together, and that can happen. and he's earned, for me, he's earned Billy Wayne. We're not going to win every game. And I think it's important to see

31:12Robbie Mustoe:what's Michael Carrick have to draw after a little bit of a difficult period because that's going to happen as well if he ends up getting the job. I think one of the strengths of him looks a lot like as a manager that was as a player, Rob. He didn't get too overexcited with wins and he didn't be too disappointed with Feats. I thought he did a really good thing when I think the interviewer asked didn't quite have the spirit or something like that. And he shut that down. There's nothing about spirit. We didn't have the quality. We didn't play well enough. And I thought it was really good and important.

31:45Robbie Mustoe:He's not using the big cliches and hiding behind those things.

31:48Robbie Earle:His team didn't play well enough.

31:50Robbie Mustoe:And that's fine as well because that happens. Yeah.

31:53Robbie Earle:And now we'll see if there's a reaction. And the team hopefully will take that on board and realise it isn't going to be playing sailing.

32:00Robbie Mustoe:Maybe they just started to think we can show up and win a little bit.

32:04Robbie Earle:With the extra man there, they maybe just were a little bit casual. But no. So, really good day for Newcastle United. A little bit of a setback for Manchester United. But they're still the third place in the Premier League. Well, the third place in the Premier League, Man United. And, you know, given what they've gone through, that's still where we are right now. A really good spot to be at.

32:19Robbie Mustoe:Tell me how Wolverhampton Wunderers beat Aston Villa, who I think were in the top four, and beat Liverpool Football Club 2-1. I mean, tell me a team who couldn't win three wins, two wins in five days. Spurs haven't had a win in the calendar year

32:35Robbie Earle:I don't know how they're scoring the Golds' Wolves because their forwards have been stripped away from them over the period of the last year or so we love the two midfield players the Brazilian twins or most, Andre and Gio Gomez Andre scored the winning goal against Liverpool, but no, Rob Edwards to be fair mate it was it's like a decision like, wow, you've left Middlesbrough they look like they could get promoted to go to Wolverhampton Wanderers and I know he was a player there and I think he was a coach for a little bit as well and he's made an impact

33:01Robbie Mustoe:which I'm like, well done

33:04Robbie Earle:that's not an easy thing to do the amount of time and the way the team were and they're like embarrassing

33:10Robbie Mustoe:low point

33:12Robbie Earle:he's obviously a good coach

33:15Robbie Mustoe:Rob and what I said on today's show, which is the difference between Tudor is you can see what he's worked on without the ball, they get back they've got a good structure about them and they're hard to play against and when they've got the ball, they tend to play counter-attack and try and get a few of those midfield players up around the forwards because that's how they are. But at least these are tactics. At least you can see something that's going on and feel like... If I'm a Hampton Wonders fan, I kind of feel like, OK, we're probably going to go down, but looking forward to coming back in the Championship and coming back refreshed.

33:51Robbie Earle:It's really hard to keep the energy high and excited, the fans excited for a Championship campaign. That's what it's going to be. But if they can keep this going somewhat, I'm sure they're not going to win every game. I mean, that would be the escape of all escapes. I mean, hold on a moment. I mean, there's, what are they, 12 points from safety?

34:10Robbie Mustoe:12 points from safety.

34:12Robbie Earle:Yeah, I mean, 28, they're on 16.

34:15Robbie Mustoe:I did a little note to myself. You're trying to do the math to make it work. I was trying to do the math to see if there's a possibility that Wolverhampton wonders. And here you go, Mr. Musto. Just for your help.

34:27Robbie Earle:Don't even bother with it. They've got nine games to go. Believe in dreams. I know you do. Believe in miracles.

34:33Robbie Mustoe:They've got Brentford. Yeah, they can win that. They've got West Ham.

34:36Robbie Earle:They can win that.

34:37Robbie Mustoe:They've got Leeds. Yeah, they can win that. They've got Spurs. They can win that. They've got Sunderland. They've got Brighton. They've got Fulham. And they've got Burnley.

34:49Robbie Earle:I mean... Kind of winnable.

34:51Robbie Mustoe:I'm kind of just saying... Where's all that? Let's dream for a moment. For nine games.

34:56Robbie Earle:Let Rob Edwards and the... If he keeps Wolves up, I'm done.

34:59Robbie Mustoe:Manager of the year. I'm finished. What, you're dropping the mic and walking out? End of the two Robbies? Yeah, end. End of. End of the day. I mean, I'll go and get Rob Edwards. Another Robby. Incredible stuff. I mean, listen, it ain't going to happen, unfortunately. But you never know. You never know, mate. It'll be remarkable. Win against Brentford, win against West Ham, and I'm all over it, Rob.

35:21Robbie Earle:I'll tell you what's happening in Liverpool. What's not happening in Liverpool, Rob? Sixth place right now, flat as a pancake.

35:28Robbie Mustoe:I was particularly disappointed in their approach, Rob. It seemed like it was an important game. They're not excited. They're not excited right now. They weren't up for it. Mo Salah continues to have a struggle. I thought he was lucky to stay on the pitch. I know he ends up getting the goal, but he could easily have come off for the way he played. I didn't think Virgil van Dijk came on after, and I thought it was quite strong. I didn't think he looked at it, Rob, as the captain of a club. He was desperately trying to get to the Champions League. And we know how great he's been. We know what he's won.

36:03We know how potential he has.

36:06Robbie Mustoe:But it just didn't feel like great to me.

36:09Robbie Earle:What do we know is to be true is that the two big money guys are not there. Alexander Izak and Florian Verzwe. All the money was spent and not available right now. All that being said, you'd still expect something more. If I see a Liverpool team that doesn't play well, then that can happen. But when they don't play well, and there seems to be very little drive or effort to play well,

36:34Robbie Mustoe:it's a concern. And that points to the manager. Of course it comes down to the manager.

36:38Robbie Earle:And, you know, we all really appreciate what he did last year. He tweaked it a little bit. He changed it a little bit. He very carefully managed the title there. He's a good manager. I'm surprised. He allows that. Well, of what we're seeing.

36:52Robbie Mustoe:Yeah, I don't know. and it was just a difficult one. I was just really disappointed.

36:59Robbie Earle:I mean, they won, what was the last game, Rob? I thought they were awful. They won 5-2, didn't they?

37:02Robbie Mustoe:Yeah, against West Ham.

37:03Robbie Earle:I remember saying on the show, they didn't play well. That was not, they got the three set pieces.

37:09Robbie Mustoe:Yeah, the goals, yeah.

37:10Robbie Earle:I don't know. I mean, if he finishes sixth place, and right now, again, eye test because the numbers are real close on a sheet of paper, they look like the ones, assuming that Villa, I mean, Villa could totally collapse. They look like the ones that might miss out and finish sixth. If they finish sixth, Rob, that's a big if right now, will his job be under threat? Will they think this is not really acceptable or give him another go?

37:32Robbie Mustoe:I think he'd still be the Liverpool manager, but I think things would have to pick up into the next season. I don't think, based off what he's done and European, Europa League football, let's say it is, that they would sack him, but Champions League football is important to Liverpool Football Club.

37:49Robbie Earle:I know, it'd be a blow. I always think with someone like this is that when there's new players that have come in, and I know he had a little bit of this, but you want him to have the full access to those new players in the squad and see what he can do. So that might be another reason where... He's out back fit, hopefully. With a pre-season, full pre-season, Vert's starting to look the part. There'll be some deals done. I don't know whether Mo Salah will stay there. I mean, Mo Salah's up. His body language and that. His general game quality...

38:16Robbie Mustoe:It just looks like he's lost a little bit of confidence, which is the weirdest thing you'd ever say about Mo Salah. to achieve? Possibly. Fawn out with the manager? Since he's come back from AFCON, it hasn't quite looked right. Wow, the words that were said

38:28Robbie Earle:and the managers throwing me under the bus and all that kind of stuff. Anyway, so that's a concern. We won't see more from them over the next few games.

38:36Robbie Mustoe:Let's go to the other results. I'm going to give my good old friend David Moyes some love. Everton 2, Burnley 0. Torkoski with the header. Jusby Hill with a beautiful finish. David Moyes just continues to do David Moyes they say 8th in the Premier League don't rule him out of European football as he did with West Ham a proper manager who knows what he's doing

39:02Robbie Earle:it's so funny we should be studying David Moyes and what he does there's nothing special going on tactically he's very simple on his formations I think he's great at man management and I think he's great at pushing the players all the time. Big Tim Howard talks about it. I think he's grumpy old buck-up. He'll push them, he'll push them, he'll force them to look up. Remember when he first came in? He said, I don't want Everton.

39:32Robbie Mustoe:We want European football.

39:34Robbie Earle:I remember thinking, wow, that's got to be a long way away, David Moyes, because they look so bad and they're hanging on with Sean Dyche and all of a sudden they're there. And he said it. He said, I'm surprised, but I'm going to keep pushing them. They're right there. seventh place is going to be European football Jack Grealish

39:47Robbie Mustoe:hasn't played for was it's six weeks or something now and the best played has been out

39:51Robbie Earle:and the strikers we've talked about they're not up to it

39:55Robbie Mustoe:I don't know how

39:56Robbie Earle:he does it

39:57Robbie Mustoe:yeah Jusby Hall's been a good signing really good and then Jai's really good James Garner looks at a million dollars playing really well they've got some

40:08Robbie Earle:good defenders back there and excellent goalkeepers so maybe we shouldn't be so surprised but a lot of these guys were there before and it wasn't going so well so David Moore David Moyes. Absolute brilliant.

40:17Robbie Mustoe:So, after two, Burnley nil, and Bournemouth ended up a nil-nil with Brantford. I think the biggest shock in that one was Jordan Henson fighting with some of the Bournemouths.

40:30Robbie Earle:I mean, he's meant to be the composed one. The calming guy.

40:34Robbie Mustoe:He was proper fired up. I've never seen him so angry. Yeah, I don't know what was said. Something definitely seemed to be said there.

40:39Robbie Earle:I see Keith Andrews' comments afterwards. After the last game, they could see a ton of goals. He was quite happy with the reaction. and shutting things down and 0-0 for Brentford's not bad. They sit in seventh drop. They sit in a European spot right now. Listen, mate, I've had enough of you for the midweek.

40:54Robbie Mustoe:It was a dramatic midweek of games where we saw Arsenal get a seven-point lead at the top of this table despite upsetting Fabian Herzler. Wolves beat reigning champions Liverpool, 10-man Newcastle and United's run under Michael Carrick and Tottenham, they're just not too good to go down. We'll be back on Sunday, March 15 to recap match week 30 when Liverpool host Spurs in a massive game at Anfield. But for now, I'm Earl. He's mustered together with the two Robbies. That's what was listening. Stay healthy. It's a good night from me.

41:25Robbie Earle:And it's a good night from him. Good night.