Can Arsenal Keep Winning Ugly? Tough Times For Tudor

18:56Robbie Earle:But it's fascinating, wasn't it? Yeah, it was.

18:59Robbie Mustoe:And they played well, And they're close, Chelsea. They're close to making that next step. But they've got to stop. They've got to get those excuses out. They've got to stop the excuses.

19:10Robbie Earle:How's he going to do it, Rob? How's he going to do it? That's the interesting thing.

19:14Robbie Mustoe:Well, this is where maybe, well, I haven't said that, more experienced managers haven't necessarily done it. But he's got to find a way, Rob. This is why he's got the job. This is what the step-up is to this level. Because he looks like, in fairness, his tactical stuff and his football looks good. Looks like he can create things and cause teams problems. Those basic things that he's got to get right, that his team, you know, they've got to mature this group because if they do, as you say, they've got a chance.

19:44Robbie Earle:All right, next up, my friend, Leeds United. Leeds, Leeds, Leeds. Leeds, Leeds, Leeds, 0-0. Manchester City won, Anton Semenyo. It's a great goal, Rob. It was born out of the new players. Ryan Shirky's key ball, great ball in behind. I mean, their attack looks champion-like. most of the time right now. Through ball to Ryan Aitnuri, another new player. Crosses the ball to Anson Semenyo, who taps it in, slides it in. A really nice goal. They're hanging on a little bit, but that's a good result, Rob, isn't it? Ellen Road under the lights. I think 25 games without loss under the lights at Ellen Road for Leeds.

20:20Robbie Earle:And Man City got the job done with some good football. And even without Erlen Haaland. What do you think? Do you see all this one? What do you think to this one?

20:29Robbie Mustoe:Yeah, same thing without Haaland. I'm looking at Leeds. Leeds has become the new Stoke City. Can you play at Stoke on a Tuesday night? Can you play at Leeds on a Saturday night? Atmospheric, weather, stadium, difficult to play against. City go and do it. Their football at times is still incisive. They can find those little spots in behind. And it's done more centrally, Rob, now. The width isn't so much with those wingers who are driving on there. You know, it dominates in those areas. It's the menu. I kind of point to two players, Rob, who I think have made an incredible difference to this team.

21:07Robbie Mustoe:It's Mark Gay at the back.

21:10Robbie Earle:Serious, proper defender who looks like there's a partnership with Diaz

21:15Robbie Mustoe:who just wants to defend, mate. Just wants to stop things going into the back. And that when, you know, early in the season we said, defensively City don't look as great. It's starting to look better. And then at the top end, Semenya has just been an absolute... diamond for them. You know, whether Haaland's had great days or Haaland's off or Haaland's not playing, you know, comes up, as you say, with the three new players who come in the team, gets important goals that have either get you wins or, you know, get you the first goal in a game to ease things up. I just feel as though, like, it was a City win again.

21:55Robbie Mustoe:It was a bit like the Newcastle win. It wasn't born out of their great, fluid, controlled football. I think they played some nice stuff at times, but I thought, Rob, they dug in. And I mention him every week, and little Bernardo Silva, by the way. I know, I know. It's incredible. I see him chasing down the goalkeeper, and he's running after the full-back. I heard him say today that he feels like he's part of Mancurian. That's what it's done to him in this football club. I mean, what a star he is, whether he's playing next to Rodri or he drifts out to the right or now and then he comes between the two centre-backs.

22:34Robbie Mustoe:I mean, he's just an incredible talent. And when you talk about strength, Rob, strength of character, have the ball wherever the situation, get the team going, I can't speak highly enough of him and his role. There's talk that this might be his last season and he's going to leave at the end of the season. What a mark he's made on the football club. no I just saw another sort of impressive quietly impressive day by City more to come you think in the future and I was kind of thinking as well Rob I just wrote it down to make sure you mind me there 22nd of March Sunday we've got a really interesting game coming up when Arsenal are going to face Manchester City in the Carabao Cup

23:23Robbie Earle:with all that's going on

23:25Robbie Mustoe:in the league and the possible Champions League. Isn't that going to be a little sort of interesting fixture for those two teams?

23:35Robbie Earle:Yeah, to see what then transpires or what the vibe will be with these two clubs going into our Tampa Bay fanfare.

23:42Robbie Mustoe:If one wins, does that give you the confidence to go on and stride on? If one loses, does that feel you're going to go away? Kind of feel like it feels bigger for Arsenal than City for me, Rob.

23:52Robbie Earle:Yeah. I just want to go back on something, Rob, where I slightly disagree, right? you sort of said it wasn't the silky football that won in the game.

23:58Robbie Mustoe:Yeah.

23:59Robbie Earle:This is how I saw it. Leeds United, as you'd expect, high press, really made it difficult and uncomfortable for Man City, and they tried to play out, right? And it didn't work very well, because Leeds United are absolutely fired up. Yeah, man-oh-man, yeah. And it's high press, and it was difficult. But what did City do? With the likes of Bernie Silva, and they keep trying to play. And after a period of like probably 20 minutes, maybe 30 minutes, then the football starts to happen. and then Leeds United like, oh. And then all of a sudden, Man City take the sting out of that press. OK? So that's the first thing that Pep kind of talked about it afterwards a little bit, about football and possession.

24:36Robbie Earle:It's kind of nice to have it. So they then start to control a little bit more passing, Rob, and start to nullify that press. And then what's the next part of that when you've got your control possession? Penetration. Then we see the goal, the ball from Ryan Zjerki. Their possession, OK, now it's time to start to play forward and create something. They score the goal. it's you know and it's pep's way right and sometimes he's criticized well about about maybe over playing and it's ticky tacker and everything else but i'll tell you what i'm looking at it thinking it's kind of nice when you have the ball and leeds united are going to get tired of pressing because they were so good in the first 20 minutes so yeah i just think you know

25:13Robbie Mustoe:when you said it wasn't the i think it kind of was the football um philosophy that ward leads down

25:20Robbie Earle:got them into the game and then they hit the penetration got those front players going and they win the game holding on a little bit at the end they couldn't do it late on the second wave of pressing when it leads with Toronto but I just thought and back to your Mark Gahey they're getting better at the back they're getting stronger defensively you add that into a team that's starting to find their football and then the penetration quality that they've got in the final third and they look like now mate they can win every game they look like they can win every game but we'll see we'll see whether that defensive

25:48Robbie Mustoe:I just feel like they've got It looks to me from earlier season that this team have got a little bit more steel about them now.

25:56Robbie Earle:You're not going to break through as easy as you used to score before.

26:00Robbie Mustoe:But yeah, it looks like it's going to be a great race and we'll get an indicator. The Carabao Cup, 22nd of March, Sunday, 22nd of March, Arsenal face City at Wembley. Let's go to one of the stories of this forming, mate. We're going to give our props and love to Fulham and Marco Silva and his team, who continue to play good football, go under the radar, win games.

26:25Robbie Earle:Good team, good manager, good players.

26:27Robbie Mustoe:Love it. Good story. Yeah, know what they're doing. Absolutely good story. And a couple of goals here in the game from Harry Wilson, what season he's having, and Alex Weber with a lovely finish from outside the box. A side foot past Vicario in goal. Tottenham did come back with Charleston, got one back, came on as a sub and got one at 66 minutes. and huffed and puffed a little bit but couldn't get the win. It's another defeat for Spurs. They're the only team in the Premier League yet to win in 2026. I think it's 10 without a win now in the Premier League. They've got a new manager called Igor Tudor.

27:06Robbie Mustoe:They haven't had a manager bounce. Nope. They don't look like they're particularly well set up. They don't look like they're particularly well happy. I thought the piece that you and Tim pulled out on the manager during the warm-up was insightful, Rob, to me, when I see that and I see that I'll have my own say on that. This is looking as bad as it could be for Spurs right now.

27:31Robbie Earle:I mean, if they do the same 10 without a win, they go down. If they have the same for the next couple of months, I mean, they're going to go down. I mean, talk about awkward set-up. I mean, you had in between a three and a back four. I mean, mega over-complicated. You've got Conor Gallagher, who's a really good number eight, a central midfield player that can get forward, score a goal, he can work hard against that, he's playing on the right wing. You've got Archie Gray-Rob, who's a right-footed midfield player, playing at left wing back. I mean, you've got Simmons playing wider. I mean, an awkward-looking set-up.

28:01Robbie Earle:A set-up that we saw that the manager wasn't happy the way that they were warming up. Stinky performance, like terrible in the first half, a bit better in the second half. I mean, what he looks like he's doing, Rob, is, and we use this phrase a lot, like sifting through what he's got. Sifting through what was Charleston and Solanke played. We have Xavi. I mean, he's, like, he's got to be ready to go. He's got to be ready with the best optimum system. Yeah, I was going to say, when you say sifting,

28:28Robbie Mustoe:what, you're sifting to see where players fit in certain places or sifting to work out... Who's the best 11? Well, surely you've got to know that, haven't you? You don't know it. When you're coming to the football club, then you, listen, if that takes you five or six games, by the way, you're in the bottom three and going underwater, if that's what his role is, Rob.

28:47Robbie Earle:I'll tell you right now. You play a 4-3-3. It's right in front of him. Now, granted, Jed Spence, I think, had a problem, had a toe injury or a calf injury, something. That's a problem at left back, right? But if you're going to play, you know, maybe you play Paro. You have a back four. Your midfield is Palina, Bersuma and Gallagher. There's your midfield three. And you have Solanke, Richarlison and Xavi Simmonds. That 4-3-3 will get enough results to get it done for me. I mean, you want a proper left back in there, which is not easy, but that's round pegs in round holes. You ain't got time to figure out clever little systems and complicate things.

29:28Robbie Earle:Crikey, I couldn't believe how disjointed, uncomfortable, clunky, and unmotivated, even afterwards, Rob, he said about, because he's been running them. He's been running them this week with bleak tests.

29:39Robbie Mustoe:Well, that's where I was going to go, based on your 433 and the set-up and that, which I don't disagree. Let me tell you something that I know and experience. If you have no connection with the guy in charge, if the guy in charge comes into your dressing room and starts throwing around the, we're not fit enough, we need to put petrol and things. By the way, if that is the case, and maybe it is or maybe it isn't, do your job, Igor. You don't have to tell us. You don't have to make it a public knowledge. It's almost like blaming the ex-manager because they can't do what I want to do. It looks to me, based on that warm-up that you threw out, Rob, and the piece of him having to almost motivate the players, there's no connection.

30:23Robbie Earle:He's saying wake up. He's saying wake up.

30:25Robbie Mustoe:There is no connection. There is no relationship. We've seen him last week, wasn't it, trying to get the back four up. Mickey van der Ven looked across and looked as well to say, we had a manager at Wimbledon who came in late in when we got relegated who had no relationship with the players who couldn't motivate the players who put no belief our preparation was poor and on the weekend mate people couldn't get out of the jog there was a malaise about a Wimbledon team that had been born out of closing the ball and having some life this guy looks to me Listen, I don't say you've got to be a great community.

31:05Robbie Mustoe:I don't say, listen, other ways don't work. But if you don't have any kind of feel for the guy who's sitting there in your dressing room telling you this and that and you don't believe in half, he says, and he's not convincing, you've got a problem. And that's exactly where Tottenham Hotspur are now, Rob. I'm telling you, when you see manager on the side of the pitch and you see players look across and almost raise their eyes as if to say, oh, here he goes again. and he's putting out like, I need to put more petrol in the tank, this team aren't fit enough, that old one about not being fit enough.

31:37Robbie Mustoe:OK, maybe they're not. Well, get to work. You've had a full week to do some work. As good a players as they have, Rob, and as good a system or a better system that they could change, unless that change is in the dressing room and there's a bit of sort of belief comes into there, they are bang in trouble.

31:56Robbie Earle:I'll tell you what, two things, Rob, to finish this off right. Who recruited Thomas Frank initially and who recruited Igor Tudor? Now, I'm not 100 % sure, so I'm not sure it's fair to throw out names. We know names of directors of football, et cetera, at Tottenham. I don't really know who makes that final call. That person has to be held accountable for what's going on right now with selecting coaches for this team. On the other side of it, Thursday, everybody that's listened to this, please tune in to watch Tottenham Hotspur at home against Crystal Palace. On Thursday, that game is everything.

32:27Robbie Earle:After that, they've got a tough little run. They've got... Actually, Champions League... I mean, they've got Atletico Madrid in the Champions League and they've got Liverpool is after Palace. So, Palace at home, Rob, if Spurs somehow find a way to lose that game, right, then I think he could go. I think they could say, this is a mistake. I'll hold your hands up. We're going to get in a Tim Sherwood or a Ryan Mason. Harry Rednapp or somebody. just to put a bit of life to the thing. Is that crazy to say that, Rob? If that loses too late...

33:00Robbie Mustoe:Absolutely, I'm 100 % with you. This is desperate times. Yeah, yeah, and this hasn't worked, mate. This hasn't worked, and the problem for me is that this hasn't worked, so do I trust them to go and find the right guy in the summer who will work? Because if this is the basis on what they go, they haven't read the tea leaves well, mate. Tronum Hotspur, let me tell you, might stay up because they all lined these three worst teams. But right now, Van, looking down at the bottom of the table, West Ham United, Nottingham Forest and Leeds United are all playing better and better suited than Tottenham Hotspur.

33:37Robbie Earle:And they've got 29 points, Robbie Earle. And we think it's going to be around 36, 37 points. I don't know where them points are coming from. They've got to get another seven or eight, maybe seven or eight points. Ten games to go. I don't know.

33:49Robbie Mustoe:And I'll tell you what's going to happen. I'll tell you right now what's going to happen with Tottenham Hotspur. They're going to win the Champions League and they're going to be relegated to the Championship. That is just what Tottenham do. You know Tottenham. Look what Hans did last year. He won the Europa League after all that. Yeah, amazing.

34:08Robbie Earle:So that was quite the story. Another 2-1. Let's go to some of the other games.

34:13Robbie Mustoe:I kind of kept an eye on Manchester United Palace while the other games were going on. I have to admit it was a bit of a lacklustre Manchester United to start didn't play with the same speed and intensity that we'd seen under Michael Carrick but in a strange way Rob they sort of survived some moments they maybe get a bit of fortune with the penalty kick and then Palace down to 10 men

34:42Robbie Earle:Was that contentious for you the red card? A little contentious

34:45Robbie Mustoe:his hand was on the shoulder the ball. Yeah, was there enough? I don't know if there's enough to make him go down in the way he goes down and he goes down in the box, but I think once you then bring the dogs Owen, that he's probably going to get to the ball and he's denied the goal-scoring opportunity, I think then it feels a bit thingy. You've just, sorry, just to go, I have to do this Rob as well, sorry about this. I have to go back for Tottenham because while we're all piling in and it's an easy target getting some respect and whatever, I actually thought the Fulham first goal was a foul on Dragosan.

35:23Robbie Mustoe:You know, the push. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. For me, Rob, if I'm a centre-back, now they're saying it wasn't enough, the tariff wasn't high enough in terms of the physicality. I'm telling you now, if you were jumping for a ball and I'm setting my eyes to head it, and somebody touches me with one hand, never mind two hands in my back, and that stops me heading and clearing the ball, and they score from it. I thought that was a really, really poor decision. And based on Spurs having won last week against Arsenal when Gabriel went down and Mourney wasn't allowed, I thought that was a really poor call.

35:58Robbie Mustoe:And listen, Spurs haven't done lots of things well and we can have our criticisms of the manager and whatever's happening. But actually, I thought the referee and VAR let them down there. I thought that was a really bad call because if I'm a centre-back and I clear that, get their ball out. They don't get the shot on goal. It's a different game.

36:18Robbie Earle:No, that's a fair point, mate. And it's OK. Yeah, I mean, I just thought, you know, this whole thing about the referee's call, you know, he didn't give it. And I'm thinking, is it a howler of a decision? I guess you thought it was. I thought it was, yeah. Yeah, and it's a fair point. And the fans are, you know, absolutely right. I mean, this is all about these fine margins of sometimes. I mean, what we are seeing is when referees, you know, their first call is being supported by the VAR, unless it's a real shocker. Yeah, so we differ there a little bit. But I understand it. Yeah, I get it. And I think probably a lot of people agree with you, Rob, on that one.

36:51Robbie Earle:So good to bring it up.

36:53Robbie Mustoe:Yeah.

36:54Robbie Earle:Yeah, so...

36:55Robbie Mustoe:So anyway, you know, United get the penalty. Bruno scores the goal. Cesc O gets his, what is it, 6-7 now for him in the Premier League. I mean, started the game, I mean, normally come on as a sub. this time you know happy to come off with maybe 15 minutes to go which was nice for him um kind of thinking of this one rob and i was thinking of um you know a bit like eagle tudor's come in and and and i've seen what michael carrie's gone into a group what do you think ruben amaran will be sitting at home do you think there's any regrets for somebody like him i know

37:30Robbie Earle:he's got his 10 million quid so he's pretty happy um i think he's got regrets rob i i think I think that if he didn't blow his top in a press conference and he had a little bit more patience, I think the signs were improving. Harry Maguire was coming back. Lissangelo Martinez was, I think, back at that point. You got the guys back from AFCON. I'm not saying they'd be as good as they are right now, but I think the system does suit them better. And I've said before that I think the system can make a 20%, 25 % difference to a team's performance if you have him in a really right system compared to one that's not.

38:10Robbie Earle:But yeah, so maybe he feels that he could have had him there as well, Rob. That's what I'm saying. He might feel he could have had him there.

38:15Robbie Mustoe:Yeah.

38:15Robbie Earle:But you talk about connection with the manager, Michael Carrick, connecting with these players, what they're saying. Again, this is in the middle of a window of... So I didn't study the game to see why. I just looked at the game a lot and like Palace. Wow, Palace are on the front foot. They're pushing. They just seem to be frustrating Man United. But I said to the guys at the studio, I said, Man United still win. they're in that in that confidence and they've got those front players and Szczeska it's just amazing isn't it isn't it amazing how things can change for one player he looks like a lethal finisher now I think he's got the tools just didn't know whether he could bring it all together for this huge football club and they continue to win I mean seeing them at third place now Rob that's like fair play fair play it's incredible

38:58Robbie Mustoe:by the way

38:59Robbie Earle:we had Gary Neville on the show and stuff and I know that I was asked first about Carrick, and I said, you know what? If they finish a strong third place, you've got to give them the job. And Gary was like, yeah, I'm just not quite there yet. He said, I might be if it continues going this way. He kind of talked about the best in class. And, you know, I did a little bit looking at the odds for the, you know, it's a long list of potential winnings from United. I'm like, I don't know if there's anybody there that's going to really, if they finish a strong third, like, you've got to see it through.

39:31Robbie Earle:It's not just Michael Carrick. It's Steve Holland, who's a very experienced coach, is right-hand manager, assistant manager, and I think they make a compelling case right now.

39:40Robbie Mustoe:He's playing his part, and Johnny Evans has been working on the set pieces. You're right. And the other thing that I think with Manchester United, Rob, between now and the end of the season, this is the important part for Carey, if he can keep this momentum going, and listen, there might be the odd defeat and all the odd duels in there, but if he keeps that momentum going, and I was one of those who said, if Michael Kelly wins all 17 of his games, you've got to keep him away from it. A little tongue-in-cheek, but I'm saying if this club has started to build some momentum, why would you want to stop that in any way and go back to zero again and have to start again?

40:17Robbie Mustoe:You'd almost say, well, let's keep pushing, Mike. Here's a two-year deal and let's see how...

40:21Robbie Earle:And if it doesn't materialise and they go back a little bit, then OK, but we've seen it through. Correct. I mean, there's the future.

40:30Robbie Mustoe:And we've seen how these players can look good and how these players can win, which also sort of bears into the next person. And just before we go, Rob, and you've talked to Matt, I'm going to go for my 100 % performer of the week, and it's Benjamin Sesko. It's Benjamin Sesko at$99 million, Rob. 22-year-old Slovenian who's started to find the goals a little bit easier, a bit more confidence. Obviously, Michael Carrick's didn't work. I don't know if you saw some on social media, there was a little video of him doing some extra training where he'd run from one end of the one goal box to the other to score a goal, very like the goal he scored last weekend against Everton.

41:15Robbie Mustoe:And I was just thinking, Rob, there was two things I thought. This kid's got a lot of tools, has scored goals. He's 22 years of age. I remember when I was 22 years of age, I was playing at Port Vale, one of the local clubs. I knew everybody. I was comfortable. Obviously, the language, as you say, you know, it was just about me developing my game. And at 22, I was starting to just maybe make some moves. This kid's come to a new country. Obviously, whether these language issues, his English seems pretty good. He was playing in a different system. He's been bought for$99 million to go in at Manchester United that was dysfunctional under the other manager.

41:55Robbie Mustoe:and he's starting to show that he could be somebody who could be around for the next five, six years. And the other thing I wanted to do mostly was just to... Because I thought, 22 years of age, OK, and he's starting to show some signs of pain. Let me look who else is 22 years of age. Florian Vietz is 22 years of age. It's probably in the last six weeks started to show us what he was about, was that a struggle. Harvey Elliott, who left Riverpool, is 22 years of age. Liam DeLapp, who's at Chelsea, is 22 years of age. James McAtee is 22 years of age. So at 22 years of age, there's a lot of decent players who are still growing and still finding the feat.

42:36Robbie Mustoe:It's just that this guy's at Manchester United, he's$99 million of spotlights on him, and then it's a team that's not particularly playing well and creating chances.

42:46Robbie Earle:Very good, mate. Very good. Yeah, I can't argue with that. It's really good. I think we give credit to Michael Carrick. Actually, in Cheshko after the last game was interviewed and he said, you know, yeah, I want to start, but I'm okay. I want to help this team wherever I can. If that's five minutes, that's fine. And to be fair to Michael Carrick, Rob, I wonder what he's been doing,

43:04Robbie Mustoe:him and Steve Holland, to work with this player.

43:06Robbie Earle:Because he hasn't started. He's come off the bench. He's scored almost every time he's come off the bench recently. And he earned his start. And he played well today, scored a goal. So, again, you know, he seems very happy now. Because there was a little – there were the rumours about him not being happy and he was difficult around the training ground. so maybe Carrick's just taking him out of the starting lineup, out of the main fire to sort of work with him a little bit.

43:31Robbie Mustoe:That's management, isn't it, mate? That's the bit I'm saying Igor Tudor, that's the bit I'm saying Liam Messina, that's sometimes knowing what buttons you've got to press with people. It's gold if you can do that.

43:42Robbie Earle:So well done, well done Man United, brilliant. I mean, it's amazing to see the change right now.

43:48Robbie Mustoe:There's a big West Midlands derby on Friday, Wolves. Aston Villa, I know this area well and know this game. Wolves 2, Villa nil. Gomez with the first goal. Gomez with the second goal. You know, there's plenty of Gomez's Wolves. But another step in the right direction for Rob Edwards. Obviously, Wolves are going to go, but you feel like he's building a little bit of momentum and something into the Championship next year. For Villa, that's a blow, Rob, isn't it? They've just become a little bit inconsistent in the wrong time of the season.

44:22Robbie Earle:Yeah, and it's difficult, isn't it, with Villa, with the European games as well. The squad hasn't been as good. Injuries. I look back over the last few weeks, a lot of their midfield talent. Key players.

44:37Robbie Mustoe:McGinn's been out, Tielemann's been out, Bupakar Kamara's been out.

44:41Robbie Earle:And I feel like Villa's kind of... And we know the little narrow system they play, and I like it, and Rodgers is the way he looks into it. If that's not in place for a period of time, I think it starts to hurt them a little bit. You know, Watkins is, I don't know, he's not looked great this season. And it's a blow for them. So they'll now feel they're hanging on a little bit. They're finishing the top four or five. You know, the other clubs around them will feel like...

45:05Robbie Mustoe:Catching up, aren't they?

45:06Robbie Earle:Catching up a little bit. I think it was Wolves, Rob, right? Just, I mean, and fair play to Rob Edwards. Yeah. And maybe we're being like Debbie Downers here. Is it okay to go mental in celebrations like that? I mean, they are going down.

45:21Robbie Mustoe:I think because of the derby, and I read some of the Wolves fans, like, you know, said there's a couple of things that can keep them, you know, make them feel happier this season, you know, beat Aston Villa and that. So, I don't know if they're those personal things where, you know, they're colloquial and local teams against each other. He's got them going, Rob, hasn't he?

45:37Robbie Earle:He's got them going. Yeah, he has got them going.

45:39Robbie Mustoe:And, you know, I think he's building a relationship with the fans. I think he's trying to get the fans on side. You know, it's going to be a tough challenge getting out of the championship next year. You know, there's no guarantee. He didn't do particularly well when he went down with Luton, so he's got to make sure he hits the ground running and keeps some of them players. This kid Mane, Rob, looks a player, doesn't he? There's talk that one or two of the big boys are already looking at him and there's a thought that somebody could buy him and maybe loan him back to Wolves to go and play. But he's a clever player.

46:07Robbie Mustoe:He's a good find and one that would do well, you'd think, certainly in the Championship, if not somebody making a move.

46:15Robbie Earle:If a team gets relegated, there's always one or two or three that get picked off. Yeah, he's a good little player. I've always liked him, mate. Yeah, Brazil-like. Yeah, a real good little player. So, well done. Well done to Wolves, Rampo, Wonders and Villa. Let's see if they can come again. Liverpool, five. West Ham United, two. Another game with an amazing amount of set-pieces. Goals from corner kicks. The first three from Liverpool were. I think there's a deflection on the next goal from Gakpo and there's an own goal from De Zazie. My comment afterwards, Rob, and I want to see what you think to it, was, good result, poor performance from Liverpool, even though it's 5-2.

46:48Robbie Earle:Is that too harsh?

46:49Robbie Mustoe:Yeah. A little. Good win. Five goals. OK performance. I wouldn't say poor. I didn't think they were poor, but I didn't think they were great. I just thought they were OK. And if OK gets you five goals and brings a bit of confidence into the group, I'm kind of OK with that. But they can certainly be better. It wasn't like a great performance and brilliant. And in some way, that's where Liverpool are. They're a bit more like Arsenal. not quite playing as fluent. Again, whether Viet's missing is a little part of that. I don't know. His sort of smooth connections aren't as much. Salah doesn't quite look on top of his game, as we've known him in the past.

47:33Robbie Earle:Like, where's he going, Salah? What's happening here? This is continuing. We're going to get to the summer.

47:38Robbie Mustoe:We're going to get to the summer, and then I think we're going to have a rethink. And a rethink might be sort of looking in the Saudi league, or there's even talk of MLS, looking at somebody who might be glad to pay a certain amount of money. Maybe, you know, the fallout and all that's gone on, it just feels like there might be a parting between the two. 29 goals after him. He's been a brilliant, yeah, brilliant player. He's wore down on his performance.

48:04Robbie Earle:Four goals, six assists compared to 29 goals, 18 assists.

48:07Robbie Mustoe:He just looks a different personality as well, Rob. Something about him doesn't just look right. It doesn't look, you know, maybe it's the confidence or something. I'm not sure.

48:15Robbie Earle:But they're still there. They're still there in fifth place. Still there. Three points behind Asimbella.

48:20Robbie Mustoe:Absolutely. Picking up points. And with the games coming thick and fast now, you know, a chance to secure one of them Champions League spots. Another team that moved, we're looking for a Champions... Well, actually, let's go to the game of the weekend, actually. I was jumping ahead. Burnley three, Brentford four. Could well have been 4-4, although despite... And it was a humble effort from Ashley Barnes with the late goal. but Dam's guard with a couple, Thiago, having a Thiago-type goal, and Sade with the goals for Brentford, Coyote with the own goal, Anthony with a nice strike, and Fleming with a header.

48:59Robbie Mustoe:Fleming also thought he'd scored another when somebody was offside, just in the build-up play to that. I mean, seven goals, incredible game. Brentford get up the points. Burnley show they've got spirit about them and can try and get into the game. I think it was the right result. I think you called it right, and VAR did see that Ashley Bournes did catch his arm.

49:24Robbie Earle:Yeah, I mean, I had some Burnley fans message me and social media me, Rob, and basically their point was, and I hear it, like, was it definitive? Like, they're saying, I don't know. Was there a definitive angle? And there probably wasn't a real definitive angle that it hit some. It just looked very likely. the way the ball dropped down, I think in the UK, Rob, in the analysis shows there, I think there's a little bit of like, I don't know about that.

49:49Robbie Mustoe:Give a bit more advantage.

49:51Robbie Earle:I'm not sure there was a strong hand ball. Sometimes the angles that we get and all the slow motion, and maybe I suppose if some kind of doubt, that's what the Burnley fans are saying, if there's some sort of doubt, you can't give it. And on the field... I mean, I was gutted for Burnley

50:06Robbie Mustoe:and gutted for Bones, but I've got to be honest, when I was watching it, As soon as I watched it and him celebrate, I thought, I think that's it, his hand. I think, I know. I did too. The first, that was my first thought before anything, before he went to the AR and they looked, it was like, ooh, the way that's come to him, it just looked like...

50:24Robbie Earle:It just dropped down.

50:24Robbie Mustoe:Yeah, how's that dropped down into his foot so easy? It looked like it caught his arm. Now, like you say, it's not definitive. It's just a shame, because it would have made an even greater story and whatever. And do you know what? I remember the referee on that one. that even the ref looked slightly embarrassed to have to give it. As if, like, I know, I know, it would have been a great story, but I've got to do what I've been told to do and what VAR have instructed me. So, yeah, it was a shame and it looks inevitable that Burnley are going to be the second team in the Championship with Wolverhampton Wonders.

50:58Robbie Mustoe:But I thought Gaines showed a good spirit and a way about them. And Scotty Park has kept saying, you know, the resilience to this group that will never know when they're beating and that's what's going to hold them in good stead.

51:11Robbie Earle:Do you think it's been the right call to keep Scotty Parker and not switch a manager there? They've kept with him and I like him. I do, mate.

51:18Robbie Mustoe:I kind of do. And I think they'll go down and he's got a good record of bringing people up and not letting people, you know, chew down on things. So, yeah, I think it's right. And then, you know, if he does manage to bring them up, I think it's then the time to say, come on then, now we've got to learn last time. Get some different players. Look at Sunderland and look at what Leeds have done and maybe look at that as a bit of a blueprint. OK, mate, I'm going to go to St James' quickly, moving on, because things aren't great there for Eddie Howe and his team. I think they sit in 13th place in the league now.

51:53Robbie Mustoe:Some of them just above them at the moment. Three straight home defeats in the league for Newcastle. 3-2 defeat to Everton. Another crazy game. early goals with Brantelate getting ahead of Ramsey with the equaliser. Beto, two minutes later, puts Everton ahead. Murphy comes on as a sub, smashes one in, and then Tino Barry knew very little about the ball that hit his back and found the back of the net. But Everton come away with a victory. I saw Eddie Howe after, and there's a few murmurs about Eddie Howe and the usual line, has he taken them as far as he can and all that? that kind of stuff. I think, like anything, European football and the demands of this, of the league, catch up teams like Newcastle, I would say Villa to a certain degree, they're just not deep enough, mate.

52:48Robbie Earle:I think when you see Newcastle United in 13th place, given what they did last year, yeah, and I just wonder, Rob, even Eddie Howe, I think, is a brilliant manager. does after so many years of asking going back to the well and asking these players to keep performing with that intensity that we know that they play with when they're at their very best is at some point and it sounds a little harsh but does does the message wear thin a little bit with the players does it like is it where he's like i've done as much as i can with this group somebody else might do better going forward i mean i don't even like bringing it up but you know where they They're still in the Champions League.

53:28Robbie Earle:They got past Carabaug comfortably on aggregate, so they're in a great spot in the Champions League, and that will keep the team going. The St James Park will be absolutely bouncing for these knockout games in that competition. Is there anything to Eddie Howe that's like...

53:43Robbie Mustoe:I hear you, and it's an interesting point. I kind of think, you know, again, you try and think back to your career and days when we would be at it, is like when you're at it, you've got to be physically and mentally in a good place to really do that and play intensity and the running stats and all that. And sometimes if you're physically a little tired or mentally not in the right place, it manifests itself in not being able to do those things well. Now, I just wonder whether it's keep asking the same players to do the same thing too many times is the problem. And maybe it needs a bigger group to be able to, you know, do what Arsenal do and do what Man City do and maybe Liverpool can do and bring in similar quality rather than the drop-off that we know now, if certain players aren't playing, that this team are going to be in trouble.

54:34Robbie Earle:Fair play to Everton, mate. I mean, what save from Jordan Pickford, by the way? Save from the Sunday Denali Volley.

54:40Robbie Mustoe:Save of the decade, mate. I mean, an incredible save. It came through so quickly.

54:44Robbie Earle:To get his hand up and tip it onto the bar was amazing. I mean, fair play to Everton, right? I can't... David Moyes, when he first came into that club, when they were struggling down at the bottom and looking at relegation being pretty possible, he said, I want this team to be looking up. I want this team to be on the edge of Europe, looking that end of the table. At that time, it's like, wow, that feels like a long way away. They're there. They're eighth. They're 40 points. Seventh is probably going to be European football. So they're right there. And they are doing that. And they are looking at European football.

55:14Robbie Earle:And they are looking at the top end of the table. And not over their shoulder.

55:17Robbie Mustoe:And they did it at West Ham, didn't they? They did a similar thing at West Ham.

55:20Robbie Earle:Yeah. Yeah, I mean, it's, you know, whether you call it old school, whatever you call it, you know, basics, not overcomplicated, he knows how to get the job done. He knows how to motivate, keep a team at it. I mean, to St James' Park to win that game, fair play. Yeah, brilliant win for Everton.

55:37Robbie Mustoe:Absolutely. Just moving on quickly, so Brighton 2-4, 1. Forest couldn't quite get a victory, which would have put pressure on Tottenham. Brighton with Gomez with the goal, gives light with a lovely strike. 30 minutes then. Danny Welbeck, a couple of minutes later, turns and hits one really nice, a lovely goal, to put Brighton 2-1 ahead, and Brighton's starting to put a few performances together now. So, Forrest unable to make any ground up on the teams at the bottom there, and Bournemouth 1, Sunderland 1, and my ender with the first goal, and Ever Nielsen with the equaliser came on as a sub for Bournemouth.

56:15Robbie Mustoe:Bournemouth continued to get a couple of results as well, and I know there's somebody at Bournemouth that caught your eye, mate.

56:22Robbie Earle:Yeah, I mean, I didn't really appreciate it early on, but one to watch. I just, I've had my eye on this player for a few times now. Alex Jimenez. He came from AC Milan. I think he's on loan. Yeah. I think he's on loan. I think there's an option to buy him. I'm not sure about that. He came from AC Milan. I just like him, Rob. He's 20 years of age. He's quick. He's one of them players that gets the ball as a fullback and he runs with it and his little legs go a million miles an hour and he passes the ball well. He's good one-on-one. He's got technical ability. He's got good decision-making where he uses the ball from a right-back really well.

56:52Robbie Earle:It's important that the full-backs really use it well because they get a ton on the ball. I just think he's one to watch. I think if you're a bigger club and it's the same sort of – I mean, we saw it on the other side of the field with Milos Kerkhez that went to Liverpool. I see the same sort of quality in that position on the other side that a big club might say, let's keep an eye on him, Alex Jimenez. We've got to keep a real – I mean, you know that Bournemouth, like Brentford, like Brighton, know what they're doing in recruitment. They bring in players. They make them into very sellable assets to bigger clubs for big fees.

57:22Robbie Earle:I just think Alex Jimenez, he's got bleached blonde hair. You're not going to miss him. So anybody out there, the neutral fans or whatever, next time you watch Bournemouth, have a look for the right-back Alex Jimenez. I think he's going to be an interesting little player, mate. He's feisty, quick, and he's got a bit of quality. There you go. Well, yeah.

57:40Robbie Mustoe:I was sticking under an underappreciated Bournemouth recruitment team hat, actually because in the last three, four years, mate, what they've brought into that football club and sold has been incredible and kept them going. Alright, mate, that's it for match week 28 when the top two get harder in victories to keep the title race bubbling as we march into March. We'll be back on Tuesday, that's March the 5th, with another full week of some really important games. Villa taking on Chelsea, Man City host Forest, Arsenal travel to to the Amex and Manchester United go to St. James' Park. And Spurs and Palace is must-watch, is must-win for Tottenham.

58:20Robbie Mustoe:All that to come, but for now, I'm Earl. He's must-heat together with the two Robbies. Thanks for watching and listening. Be safe, stay healthy. It's a good night from me.

58:27Robbie Earle:And it's a good night from him. Good night.

58:30Robbie Mustoe:Good night.