Frank Has Spurs Flying, Man City's Backwards Step, Arsenal's Strength in Numbers

17:23Robbie Mustoe:Do you remember the incident when he gets played over the top?

17:26Robbie Earle:Yeah, yeah.

17:27Robbie Mustoe:And I've got to say, Rob...

17:28Robbie Earle:I think Tim did the highlight. Yeah, go on then. What did you say?

17:30Robbie Mustoe:Well, I thought James Stafford was very lucky. I know he ended up not having a particularly great game with a mistake for the second goal that looked a little bit edgy. but I thought that he was looking to stay on the pitch.

17:46Robbie Earle:Yeah, I think it was handball outside the box. Yeah, it was handball. If that handball doesn't happen, it's a denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, probably.

17:54Robbie Mustoe:Absolutely.

17:55Robbie Earle:And the dangerous element to the play as well. I mean, yeah, it's a good point. It's a good point. And I haven't, you know, sometimes, like, and I think, I feel it's a bit of a, there's plenty of incidents this weekend, Rob. It's like, I just think it was a bit of a funny one, an awkward one.

18:08Robbie Mustoe:Could have gone either way. Could have gone after that one. It seemed like it was scratching the referee without it being one side or the other.

18:17Robbie Earle:Just on goalkeeper's web, just before we move on, James Trafford. And I get, you know, he's gone back to the football club and the Manchester City have spent money on him. They sold him. They bought him back again from Burnley. He's young. He's 22 years of age. Am I being too harsh, Rob, if I say he's just not ready to be in this calibre of team right now?

18:36Robbie Mustoe:Yeah, I think he might be being a bit harsh. I think, again, I don't want to give away too many tickets without a name dropping, Rob. We were fortunate to spend off an hour with Roy Keane, weren't we, in the UK last weekend. Remember he was talking about goalkeepers generally and talked about Trafford and goalkeepers at United and the mentality. And he sort of said, you find out about goalkeepers when they make a mistake. What happens next? What kind of personality are they? Can they come back from it? Or does it go inside them and go the other way? and we'll talk about Manchester United's current situation with goalkeepers.

19:10I kind of feel like if Trafford's been given the number one

19:14Robbie Mustoe:and it seems that he has, we've got to see now, can he handle what that is about and can he come back again? Oh, I mean, there is rumours, Rob, and I think I said to you before we came on the podcast, we talk about Donnarumma being lined up on the bases. Yeah, strong rumours now. Edison goes out to, I think it's Galatasaray, and they can get him out and Donnarumma would come in And then obviously he would be the number one, James Trafford would be the number two. So, again, we'll keep our eye on that. But I don't think, I think right now, you know, if you pull James Trafford out, I think it's a bit, it will hit his confidence.

19:51Robbie Earle:All right, mate, we'll move on. But just last kind of kudos to Tottenham Hotspur. You know, that's exciting. That's a great to go there and win 2-0.

19:58Robbie Mustoe:I mean, that's some result of the weekend, yeah. Good start to the season.

20:02Robbie Earle:OK, so let's move on to Arsenal Football Club, Robbie Earl. Your favourites.

20:08Robbie Mustoe:Your favourites for the title, Robbie Musto. Yeah, I said it from day one.

20:11Robbie Earle:My favourites for the title. And since then, the news was that Erebercha Ezzer is moving and was kind of shown to the fans before the game, Rob, before this game, 5-0 against Leeds United.

20:22Robbie Mustoe:Yeah. I've got a multi-choice question for you, my friend. Go on, hit me. You know, I've been saying, so give me, based on the game and all that happened before, during, after.

20:35Robbie Earle:Yeah.

20:35Robbie Mustoe:Give me your biggest headline. And I've got a four-multi-choice answer. Eze signing, Jokeres getting two goals, set-piece goals, Saka and Odegaard injury, or Max Dalman debut at 15. Give me your biggest takeaway.

20:56Robbie Earle:That's so Earl. That's so Earl, that is. I'm sitting at home.

21:00Robbie Mustoe:You know me. I'm not in studio and I'm thinking that. There's so much going on.

21:03Robbie Earle:That's a good way of... Give me one.

21:04Robbie Mustoe:Give me your strongest feel from that game.

21:09Robbie Earle:My strongest, most important feel from those points is Victor Jokerez scoring. I feel like of all the things that they need to happen, he is a key piece to be a successful signing, to start scoring regularly. He took his penalty. I think Peter Drury in the game commentary, Rob, I think it was... Please don't quote me. I think it was 24 goals of 25 of all time take on penalties. He's a good penalty taker. That's going to add to his tally. He scores a typical Victor Jokered's goal. If you go back and look to all his goals, which I certainly did before he signed, he did that so many times where he cuts inside and scores there.

21:48Robbie Earle:So there's tons of other stuff. And of course injuries now, but I feel like the squad has been beefed up. Plus the young players, you talk about Max Damman and everybody else. I thought Ethan Waniere, Rob, looked a million dollars when he came in. Wherever you look now in the Arsenal team, there's a ton of options. There's loads of depth, creative types, winging types, wingers. There's striker options, there's centre-backs, there's left-backs. Myles Lewis-Skelly comes into the field. Their academy deserves a standard ovation for adding...

22:20Robbie Mustoe:Pat Mertesacker's heading up, isn't he?

22:23Robbie Earle:And the money and the signings will always grab the headlines about what they've done. and it's a stellar summer window from Arsenal. But don't forget the impact and the quality of those young players coming in now. But back to your question, I just think that guy up front, that becomes a problem if you go two, three, four, five games without a goal and he's the guy that you wanted. We know that Bakayou Saka looks like, we're not going to speculate, he's holding the back of his left leg in the hamstring area. The other leg, isn't it? We don't know the other leg from the surgery. And, of course, Odegaard's shot was holding his shoulder.

23:03Robbie Earle:Yeah. But other than that, mate, jeepers. I thought they looked... And I was a little critical of Arsenal at halftime, Rob, because...

23:10Robbie Mustoe:Yeah, for 20 minutes, they didn't really start the game well. They didn't dominate. They didn't have the possession. They didn't look great. I mean, Raya's come off with a good save from the header.

23:21Robbie Earle:Yeah.

23:21Robbie Mustoe:It might, you know, give Leeds a little look in. So, you're right. I was just saying, Rob, but the moment from the goal, the moment from control, then we saw a lot of the good things that we know about Arsenal.

23:34Robbie Earle:Back on that multiple choice, mate. Go on, then, what's yours? What's your choice of that multiple choice question?

23:39Robbie Mustoe:Strength in depth, my friend. Strength in depth, which includes Eze. But on the basis that you've lost high habits, Odegaard's got, looks like, some kind of shoulder injury. Saka's got some kind of muscle injury. the other business looks like he was looking in a crystal ball you've now got Madweke you've got Trossard you've got Waniere you've got Dalman you've got people with Rob who can come in yes it was so important for Jokeres to get his goal because he swiped at one early and you know you're feeling for him you want him to get his first goal in the Premier League and then he can get going he's a good size he bullies somebody off the ball he dips inside It's a very, as you say, Jocares-type goal.

24:23Robbie Mustoe:So that wasn't put on. But for me, Rob, it's now looking at this group, now looking at this bench at times and saying, you know, we can handle. Yeah, they are stacked. They're stacked. In some respects, Mikel Arteta couldn't ask for anything more. I mean, gosh, they've got to try and have some luck with injuries because that could, you know, we saw last year what that did to them. Gabriel and Saka at crucial times of the season. But this squad depth now looks in place, Rob, to have a real proper go at it.

24:59Robbie Earle:I mean, mate, these corner kicks, this is getting ridiculous. That's three goals from corners in the last two games.

25:09Robbie Mustoe:I mean, he's got a mule, hasn't he? Nicolas Jovert. He's going to get a knighthood the way he's going. I mean, it's incredible. And they're all different versions, aren't they? So all of a sudden now, because everybody's marking Gabriel, they're starting to let Timber be the guy who comes free and attacks into space. They've got a little mix-up of it that causes people problems. Slightly helped by Leeds. It was a big team, but didn't defend particularly great. But yeah, and the confidence that that gives you, Rob. Every time a corner comes in...

25:46Robbie Earle:Expectation.

25:46Robbie Mustoe:I mean, your expectation is score. And it's like the other team, you know, we've been in, you know, played at this level where somebody has a long throw or greater corners. You're all panicking that, like, you know, we're going to concede here.

25:58Robbie Earle:Yeah, because the coaches, the last thing they say to you before going out is, remember, Arsenal, good at set pieces. Remember, so then a set piece happens, you're all jittery, you're all nervous. People do things differently because they feel they've got to try and make an impact. I mean, it's just a stunning, and we'll see how it goes. I mean, they could get 20, I mean, it's like having an extra player on the field scoring 20 goals. of yours. It's a forward, mate.

26:19Robbie Mustoe:I know. So that piece has been his best signing over the last three years. Oh, amazing. Yeah.

26:24Robbie Earle:Just a quick one, before we move on, mate, Max Dowman. Yeah, I've got to talk about it, mate. with Rebecca about it.

26:29Robbie Mustoe:Yeah. Wow.

26:30Robbie Earle:We talked about it on Rebecca's show, The Lowdown. Yeah. Where we give her questions and stuff. It's a fun little thing we do at the end on a Sunday. And the question was, is it too young? Is 15 years of age too young for a young boy to be involved at this senior level, these grown-up, aggressive, physical, what do you think?

26:50Robbie Mustoe:Isn't the talk that he has to change in a different dressing room? He does. He's got 16 years of age. He has somebody safeguarding him and whatever. He goes to school, still got another year of school. So the really funny thing is, Rob, I met a friend in London, in New York from London, who knows the family, and was basically saying, can you imagine the challenges parents got? You've got this kid who people are talking could be a very, very special talent, superstar talent, and they're making him clean his bedroom and do the dishes and make sure his homework's done. Brilliant. That's great. It's brilliant, and by all intents and purposes, the people looking after him are doing a great job keeping his feet on the ground.

27:34Robbie Mustoe:Do you know this thing about him, Rob? And I was trying to think how I could explain this, and it's quite a difficult thing to do, but he's one of the few players who we played against and played. So I would say like a Gianfranco Zola, a Dennis Bergkamp,

27:54Robbie Earle:probably a Mesut Ozil does it now.

27:57Robbie Mustoe:You know when they get the ball, Rob? They kind of show you the ball and get side on to the ball, almost like, go on then, come and tackle me. Their body comes side on to the ball. They don't stand behind it like normal people like us and then think where we're going. He kind of opens up his hips. And what that does is create an unbelievable insecurity for you because you don't know which way he's going. So he starts dribbling off his left foot inside, and then he cuts it onto his right or vice versa, or you nibble at it, and as the defender did the weekend to get his penalty, he's just got this kind of real, like, you know, Cantonaresque, and he's 15 and a half years of age well you you kind of he kind of shows you the ball and get side on and says yeah he did he did it a couple of times in the game i went that's genius that's

28:50Robbie Earle:class yeah he's still keep that left foot it's something about these left-footed players they look graceful they move it there's something i don't know i mean we don't get too carried away and and and what i think rebecca said and i totally agreed and i think i mentioned it earlier in the day is Ethan Waniere has been there. He's been there and he's done it. He was the youngest player and they've nurtured him. He's gone out a little bit. He's come back in. He looks good. So if there's one club and team that know how to do this, they've been course and distance before with Ethan Waniere who looks like he's come through pretty good.

29:21Robbie Earle:So no, really interesting story. Yeah, well done Arsenal. I mean, they found a way and there's goals in that team

29:26Robbie Mustoe:from so many. Well done. Listen, Rob, we've got a slightly different tact on the podcast this season. And we're going to do a slight preview of a game coming up in the next seven days. Now, we know that Liverpool play Newcastle tomorrow. But ahead of that, Liverpool play Arsenal at Anfield next Sunday, 11 a.m. Eastern time on the USA Network. Just give us your headline thoughts. And again, I know Liverpool have got a game to play. But give us your headline thoughts on the teams that have been wanting to, the teams that look like most people's favourites to win it this time around. What are your thoughts ahead of that big game at Anfield?

30:09Robbie Earle:Well, the first thought is, I wish it was a little later. I wish this game was in a few weeks' time. Liverpool are certainly undercooked right now. They've got new players, quite a few...

30:19Robbie Mustoe:So does that help Arsenal? Sorry to cut in. Would that help Arsenal to a degree?

30:22Robbie Earle:Yeah, it does help Arsenal, but Arsenal have also got their best player out injured in Bukai Ossaka that's almost certainly not going to be available for the game. I want to see best Arsenal against best Liverpool. And I guess we will in the other fixture.

30:34Robbie Mustoe:Yeah, yeah. When the reverse fixture.

30:38Robbie Earle:Right now, I've got to say, I think Arsenal are ahead. You know, and a lot of people fancy Liverpool to repeat the title this year. But they've, well, we'll see what happens in a Newcastle game. But I feel like Arsenal have the advantage, even though they've got some key injured players, because of momentum, because of, I don't know, because of many, many things. I mean, they are the two teams this season. They are going to be fighting out at the top of this Premier League table. And I just wonder if Arsenal this year, Rob, have just got that little bit more hunger to want to win the title. And they're more grooved.

31:11Robbie Earle:They're more familiar with each other, even though, of course, new players have come in. So, I mean, it's Anfield, isn't it? It's Anfield. It's Anfield, yeah.

31:20Robbie Mustoe:The atmosphere at Anfield, as we know, is an outstanding atmosphere.

31:24Robbie Earle:And it's going to be a brilliant, brilliant game. What are your thoughts on this one?

31:29Robbie Mustoe:I think I'd probably go the same based on, I just think defensively, all some of the best, we've got the best unit in the league. And I think when you go to Anfield, you've got to defend well against that front line that can have a number of different ways of hurting you. But I just felt that Liverpool were a little bit open. I know Granbirch comes back and will give him a little bit of stability, but at times they were a little bit more open to the counter-attack. And if Arsenal can defend well and break with their pace through the lines and get forward, I think Jochores gives them a very different feel at the top end of the pitch where it's not just silky football.

32:08Robbie Mustoe:If we have to bang one over the top and he has to go and fight with Van Dijk and Canarte or whoever's playing, then he'll do that as well. So I suppose right now, seven days out, I'd probably just fancy Arsenal. but listen, Anfield, Liverpool at home, Arnestlot's team have got know-how, Rob. They're street smart now, and that might put them in good stead.

32:35Robbie Earle:How quickly can Florian Wirtz, the new zillion-dollar midfield player for Liverpool...

32:42Robbie Mustoe:Isn't this more of the type of games where we expect him to shine, Rob? Like, we saw him against Bournemouth, and the game was too physical and too quick. He couldn't influence the game. This game is probably going to be as quick, but it's going to be more technical, I would assume.

32:59Robbie Earle:It also could be physical, Rob. Also, I'm thinking about Hugo Eketike as well. And Florian Verts, new to this Premier League. They're young. Against Zubamendi. Against Zubamendi. And then Saliba. Yeah. You know, defending Eketike and Gabriel.

33:15Robbie Mustoe:I mean, this is why we bought him for this kind of money, Rob, isn't it? Near British record, if it goes up to. This is the game we'll see. Great task. Brilliant game. A bit like you. It'd be nice if it was in a month's time and both were ticking along. But it's just going to give us a little look behind the curtain, Rob, of where they both are. We're in August, so there's still plenty, plenty to go. But, you know, Arsenal, the other thing I'd just say, just on closing, Rob, Arsenal's record against the Big Six, outstanding, by the way. I think it might be two seasons they've not lost against a Big Six team.

33:48Robbie Mustoe:So, you know, know how to get a job done. OK, that's moving on. Let's go back to Creighton Cottage, my friend. So Manchester United, after a decent performance, but a loss against Arsenal, rolled up to Creighton Cottage down in London. I think we'd expect Manchester United, based on progression, Rob, to win this game. It might be tight. We know under Marco Silva, play good football, never give up. Subs can come on and make things happen as they do again. but this has to go down as a disappointing result, doesn't it, for Ruben Amram and after the sort of feel-good factor we got last week when we were at Old Trafford.

34:28Robbie Mustoe:Remember the fans applauding the players off the pitch for what they saw?

34:34Robbie Earle:Yeah, it is disappointing. I think, to be fair, I always felt like the front line is better. It's obviously better. They spent a lot of money there in all three spots in that front line, if you like, but there's still weaknesses from last season with the system that he wants to play. And I thought that showed itself again. I thought they played really well, Rob, in the first 15, 20 minutes. They get into around half an hour mark. They score the first goal. It was kind of an own goal. It was well attacked by Lenny Yoro, but it was off the back of a defending player to make it 1-0. And even the manager said himself afterwards, Rob, after that, they went into a little bit of defensive mode.

35:11Robbie Mustoe:Defensive mode, yeah.

35:11Robbie Earle:And Riban Amrim said, like, we started thinking about the result. and then you start to protect, you start to drop off and that invites Fulham to come on and force the play. Manchester United, Rob, at Craven Cottage against Fulham are hanging on at the end. They're hanging on at the end and as much as I like Mateus Cunha and Brian Mbormo, they are proven at this level. They've scored tons of goals. There's still glaring problems. Goalkeeper is a problem but the biggest problem is the middle of midfield, I think, now, Rob. Bruno Fernandes missed his penalty, was badly shaken when he bumped into the referee.

35:51Robbie Mustoe:He has to reset himself and sticks it over the top.

35:54Robbie Earle:And then he loses his marker, Emile Smith-Rowe, who scores the equalising goal for Fulham a little later on. So we all want to speak highly united. We all want to feel like we need to see steps in the right direction. And there were signs of it early on. and then it went back to being scared, error-ridden, and just disappointing play. And this cannot continue. And again, I don't want to react too much to this. They didn't lose the game. But this, Rob, there's got to be signs in the next few weeks, and I'd say the next two months, we've got to start seeing United putting more positive performance, dominating performances and good victories on the record, or he's going to be really under pressure for his job.

36:45Robbie Mustoe:So, I totally agree with all that you said. I want to come back to not question a couple of the points you make, but to get validity on a couple of things that you said. Just starting off with recruitment, Rob. They spent around$300 million on three forward players. Chesco, Cunha and Bermot. Who will get goals? Who will get the goals? I mean, they scored 44 goals in all of the last season. I think those three amongst them were somewhere around 50 goals. So, there'll be goals that will come from them three. Chesco's still got to, you know, Benio Manchester, a young lad, still got to get used to it.

37:25Robbie Mustoe:But most teams, Rob, most teams I've worked with, most coaches I've worked with, generally build from the back forward. So, they get the back line and the goalkeeper, with Simon, you know. David Moyes is a great example of that, you know, when he went in heaven. Then you get a midfield that's robust, that's strong, that might not be as technically, might not have the great playmakers, but we're going to protect him. You've built a foundation, Rob. Yeah. And then we have the forward. Manchester United are almost doing it in reverse. The front line with the right things behind it, I think, can be top six.

38:00Robbie Mustoe:Can be top six. But the stuff behind it, Rob, and you've got a couple of massive clarion issues. You've got holding midfield roles, of which you've got two positions. You haven't got one player who's naturally suited to that role. Now, I don't know if you've got, I don't know, and I'm being hypothetical here, if you found a Patrick Vieira-esque and sat next to Bruno, I don't know if that possibly could work because he would get around and he'd do all that work and Bruno would probably take a little bit from him and then go forward. But based on you haven't got any one of them, Bruno's not a number six.

38:43Robbie Mustoe:No. So then you've now got three centre-backs sometimes who get a little bit exposed. The wing-backs who do what they do at the moment, not enough possession, not enough control to get in the game, like we see Chris Palace. And then you've got a glaring problem, Rob, with your goalkeeper. I said last week, until you end your goalkeeper problem, them. You get the two centre-back, you go and get two centre-midfield players who do you the job, and I'm going to name you two in a minute. If you've got a goalkeeper that you don't rely on, at big moments, in big games, that goalkeeper's going to let you down.

39:15Robbie Mustoe:Liverpool had it with Simon Mignolet. He was a good keeper, it was a good level. Every now and then, there'd be a game, and he'd miss a punch, or he wouldn't make a save. And Liverpool went, sorry, Simon, you've been a great player. Alisson, we've never talked about a goalkeeper problem since in the last five, six years at Liverpool.

39:35Robbie Earle:Let me go back a little bit, Rob, to the first part of that

39:37Robbie Mustoe:comment. Rant.

39:39Robbie Earle:Right, yeah. I would say they did try, they have tried to start at the back. They signed Andre Anana not long ago. That's an attempt to get an experienced, class goalkeeper. Well, that's recruitment then, isn't it? So let's hold that. Centre backs, Mateusz De Ligt, Lenny Yoro, Masraoui, they have recruited defenders and they still got Maguire and I you know of all the problems they've got I feel like those centre backs are kind of like Yoro I think started pretty well and Luke Shaw's a good left-sided three you've got Masradi to come back you know I think okay they've had a go at that Rob I'm not saying it's a super strong foundation but they've had a bit of a go at that and then they've jumped then I totally agree they've jumped into the front players and they've got so many of them did they need that many Rob what about Zerg say What about, I mean, Hoyland's been there a little while, but Zergsay is kind of a recent sign.

40:35Robbie Earle:Ugarte's another one. They're signing, and then they're like, ah, actually, no, we need another one. We need another one. We need another one. I mean, Ugarte, you go back to the central midfield, he was from PSG. He was going to be the guy that's got the engine, he's going to break up the play, but they feel like he's not good enough as a passer. He had him at sporting, didn't he?

40:52Robbie Mustoe:He knows him, and he knows the system.

40:56Robbie Earle:So I agree on the recruitment side of it. I just think back on the forward players, of all that money, where's Mason Mount going to play? Where's Bruno Fernandes going to play? Because Bruno's not a six. In midfield, he could play as a number eight or a number 10 in a three-man midfield, but they don't do that. So by betting Umbermo and Cunha, I just don't know where everyone's going to fit in. So you've got a surplus of tens. you've got an untold amount of number 10s, Rob and no midfield generals, as I call them you know, the Roy Keane's, your Brian Robson's your Patrick Vieira's the guys that can do a little bit of everything they've got, I mean one in Ugarte that they don't trust Casemiro is, you know and I said on our show, Rob he's one more thing I have respect for him

41:43Robbie Mustoe:it's hard to criticise people like that but it's our job to do that it's not, no, he's not athletic enough The only one I feel a bit sorry for, Rob, is Bruno. And I'll go back to this and then I'll give you... And the reason why, and you did brilliant... The first, as Emil Smith-Rowe scores the goal, my first thought was somebody's let him go. Somebody, you know, I was a midfield player who used to run forward and I used to, you know, think... Some midfield players will run with you to the box and then they'll stop. And others will go all the way with you and try and get a block in. Bruno Fernandes has no real desire, or I don't think sometimes recognises...

42:26Robbie Mustoe:It's not in his DNA. No. And do you know what? He's right that it's not in his DNA, because Bruno can do things with a ball you couldn't even dream of. He sees passes, he can clip a ball, he can score goals, he can take three kicks. Bruno's job is at the other end of the pitch, where he can make that front three come alive. Yes. So, yes, he was at fault, but for me, he's not to blame, because he shouldn't be the guy that's got his job. There should be a guy who's in there, who hasn't got half the skill of Bruno, can do three teepee ups and then drops the ball every week, but is going to mark a runner and stop Emil Smith-Rowe getting that goal.

43:07Robbie Mustoe:And I'm going to give you two, Rob, who we saw last weekend, and they were bought for less than$50 million. Andre and Gomez at Wolverhampton Mundus. They're 24 years of age. They're Brazilian. They're aggressive. They're athletic. They both technically can get on the ball and pass it into where it needs to get to. They don't run forward too many times. They don't want the headlines. And I'm saying, Rob, one of them at least. Go and find one of them. You don't have to spend a hundred and odd million if Balaba is not available or, you know, can I say Do-esque isn't available.

43:43Robbie Earle:There's somebody there for 20, 30, 40 million dollars who can make a difference. Yeah, that's exactly what they need. I mean, they're not going to go there, but you just picked out Palina. No, he's not the right age profile, but talk about that's the sort of profile we're talking about. A player that's good on the ball, and he'll track a runner, and he'll get his foot in, he'll protect the back three, and let everybody else do their thing. And I agree with you, Rob, on the Bruno thing. And I agree, it's not in his make-up. I broke down the play Rob and Ian even considering or thinking that this guy's going to run into he's looking around he's not even thinking about if it was me because that's what I did I couldn't make a pass like he can make a pass but I'm looking at my guy and you might be my guy when I play against you at Wimbledon where's Earl there he is I got him right I'm goal side he's going to here he comes I got him and I'm going to track you and try and stop you from getting a free effort at goal he's not even thinking about it

44:41Robbie Mustoe:But you would also take a pride in that, Rob. That would be part of like you get on the bus and think, right, yeah. But it isn't part of what Bruno... Bruno's thinking about the penalty and the ball he overhit and the clip ball that nobody saw the run. And he's thinking... He's got a creative mind. Yeah. And so sticking him in that hole, these things are going to happen because it's not really what he does.

45:07Robbie Earle:Can I give you one more thing on that play, Rob? And again...

45:10Robbie Mustoe:Yeah.

45:13Robbie Earle:we don't want to be jumping over Man United but there's one last detail I want to say about it, right? When the captain Bruno Fernandes doesn't track a runner and the guy strolls in and scores, I'm telling you that the majority of people that I played with, or the better players, the leaders I looked at Luke Shaw, right?

45:31Robbie Mustoe:He should be like, what are you doing? There's got to be a bit more accountability, a little bit more

45:36Robbie Earle:I remember I played, again, like it's not probably ever used to play, but Paul Ince was an England midfield player. He was on my case every minute of the game. And I used to laugh at him sometimes, like, what are you talking about? We'd argue, but he kept me on my toes. He kept me on my toes. And any little mistake, he's on me. Partly because he wanted that for his own game, I think. But the accountability, and they're like, come on, I don't care if he's a captain. Someone's got to say, and I know maybe he's not in his DNA, but you should have tracked in front of that. I mean, that's just a separate little rant.

46:08Robbie Earle:And maybe football's moved on, but surely, Rob, at some point, people have got to be held others accountable. All that being said.

46:14Robbie Mustoe:Sorry, I've just got one more place and then we're done on this one. We'll move on. What say Cobby Mayno, my friend? What say Cobby Mayno? I mean, like, profile, athletic, young, bent, seen anything, but doesn't fit the profile of what that person is. Can we mould? You know, Ryan Gravenberts, the season before Arna Slott went there, was an attacking eight midfield player. Anoniswatt turned him into holding the defence. Alexis McAllister became a little bit more at times as that player. Can Kobe Mainu become that player? Love to see that.

46:55Robbie Earle:Love to see that. I honestly, again, I don't know where, and I might be wrong here, but I don't know whether it's in his DNA to be that guy, to be a holding guy. I'm going to get across there and make a sliding challenge. I'm going to get on my feet. I'm going to run back and make a tackle. I'm going to be in the penalty box.

47:10Robbie Mustoe:We've seen a bit of all action, Kobe, though, haven't we? With the ball. You know, goals and passing and that. Yeah, he's really, really good.

47:16Robbie Earle:If you could morph him and blim and Manuel Agate, you'd get a perfect guy for what we're talking about, a player that's got a defensive sense. Well, he can learn that, Rob. Has he got a big enough engine? Has he got stamina? Has he got effort? Has he got distance? Can he get up and down? I just worry that he's not athletic enough to cover the ground that you have to in a two-man midfield. this is a two-man midfield because with the system that they play if it's a three-man midfield then forget the last stuff we talked about the last 10 minutes because it changes there's three of you to do those jobs but as a two it's a specific guy and Manu's not considered athletic enough right but technical enough and Ugarte's considered not technical enough but has the energy they haven't got the guy and they spent a ton of money on the front players maybe they should have redirected that on somebody for that middle position okay We'll see what to do for moving on.

48:07Robbie Mustoe:Let's move it on, my friend, to the Hill Dickinson Stadium. Aptly named. What a brilliant day for Everton fans. Last season, Rob, shrouded halfway through the season where they'd still be in the league. David Moyes comes in, gets everything sorted. Those dark days seem away. They move into the new stadium. It's the first home game. Jackie Grealish is playing for the team and lighting things up. That would have probably been, and Everton can play better and will play better, but that kind of would have been a very David Moyes kind of day, the first day in the new house.

48:46Robbie Earle:Yeah, I loved it. I loved it. I loved everything about it, Rob. I love looking at the pictures. I love the drone shots of the stadium. What a beautiful, beautiful stadium that is. Hill Dickinson Stadium, I mean, right by the river there. Spectacular design. The way that it's been designed inside as well. of course we knew at Goodison Park, played there many times it's very close, I think for the majority it's very very close, it's very steep so you feel like the fans are right on you it's a beautiful sunny day you get two very pretty goals Ilyamane Jai is the guy that's going to go down in history, the first player to score a goal at this new stadium I just thought

49:21Robbie Mustoe:I just thought it was a great day

49:26Robbie Earle:and quite honestly I'd love to go to that stadium now and see a game and soak it all in. I mean, Graham Lassau, Robin, and has been around, obviously, as a great player. He's been doing his work in commentary for many, many years. I was touched at how he found it, how powerful he found being in there. He said, wow, it feels like kind of cup finals rolled into one. So much excitement and so much happiness about being in the stadium. And I was pulling, and then maybe I shouldn't. I'm like, I hope it's a good day because I had a good day when we moved into a new stadium. we won 2-0 it's just that new say I feel like Rob it's okay we're in now we're in off and running we've got the victory there's no kind of when are they going to score a goal when are they going to win the first game at the stadium you know all this kind of stuff they're in all good I just thought and the shots Rob the drone shots of it from the aerial

50:19Robbie Mustoe:I was just made up

50:21Robbie Earle:it's almost like

50:22Robbie Mustoe:you feel like Everton fans have deserved this haven't they over the years they really have

50:25Robbie Earle:my god they've gone through it they've played second

50:27Robbie Mustoe:field to Liverpool and they've had their issues and struggled with the football at times, stayed in, got the points deduction batted on from there and stayed in the league. Yeah, you almost feel like the Evertonians needed that. Do you know what, Rob, as well? I couldn't have been happier for Jack Grealish. I couldn't have been happier for him, mate. And I've just picked a quote up that he said after the game. He said, in the last couple of years, he hasn't really enjoyed football as much as he should. and he says, I'm somebody who loves football generally.

51:00Robbie Earle:And I thought that was quite a powerful thing for, you know,

51:04Robbie Mustoe:he's such a big personality. He's a happy guy. He's a cheeky chappy. He's got a little bit of personality about him. And it looked like at City some of that was being drained or he just couldn't express himself. What I like about this move, Rob, is that if Jack Grealish is fit, he's going to play. If Jack Grealish plays, he's going to play most minutes. He's not going to be taken off after 60 minutes of things on going, well, he's not going to be that guy. And I think he just needs that, Rob. I think he needs that security to flourish, to be happy, to be his best, to come off the line, to start being dangerous again and taking people on and taking risks and, you know, stop playing safe, which we saw at City and we kind of saw a pale version of Jack.

51:50Robbie Mustoe:And I just feel like it looks like he's found his happy place.

51:54Robbie Earle:He wants to be the main man, Rob, I think. I feel like he wants to be the first guy that players look for. Where's Jack Grealish? Let's get him the ball. Because at Man City, my goodness, that just wasn't the case. There's so many other options and other key players to get it to. Let's see, Rob. I want to see how he develops from the left-hand side. I don't know, at some point, we might see him come into the middle a little bit more.

52:13Robbie Mustoe:A little bit more tannish.

52:15Robbie Earle:I think his greatest asset is creativity in terms of passing. Even today, he did brilliant for the goal, of course, getting down the outside and crossing him. but I don't think you're going to see him step over us and beat in full-backs and whip him. I think he's more of a creative... He needs runners, doesn't he?

52:28Robbie Mustoe:He has to have movement in front of him so he can play off people. So he might see that.

52:31Robbie Earle:He might see a bit more sensual. But good for him today. Smiling, he's happy. He's set after us again. As soon as I spoke to David Moyes, I wanted to come to this football club. And he's a happy chappy right now. There's an option, Rob. I think it's like a$67 million option. Now, for Everton Football Club, that's a lot of money for a player that's, I think, 29, nearly 30. so I don't know whether I don't, I mean let's see towards the end of the season let's see how the season goes let's see what he commits

52:59Robbie Mustoe:he's a fit lad

53:02Robbie Earle:you're going to give me your 100 % of the week aren't you from this game I almost forgot

53:07Robbie Mustoe:I wasn't going to let you forget

53:09Robbie Earle:thank you, because I did hint to you that it was somebody from the Everton side it's Jordan Pickford and I know we have a fresh season Rob and I'm sure we've had him before

53:18Robbie Mustoe:I think you've had Jordan before. I think you've fought the fan club, aren't you?

53:22Robbie Earle:Fresh season, all bets are off. We start from scratch. But just think about it, mate. Just think about that for a minute. First off, he saves a penalty, right? He saves a penalty, which is one of the hardest things to do. He's got it written on his bottle which way he's going.

53:37Robbie Mustoe:So maybe I could save the penalty if I had the thing.

53:40Robbie Earle:Yeah, it was 50-50, you know, to go to which side. And also, what about when James Tarkovsky made that mistake, puts his hand on his head, who was there to clean up and make a great save at the feet? I can't remember who it was, make a great save at the feet. And then he goes and says, I got you, mate. I got you, James Tarkovsky. And finally, these football clubs that are all looking for goalkeepers, Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, why isn't Jordan Pickford under more talk about... and he never lets you down. Well, there is a little bit of a kind of reputation that he's a bit mad, Rob, isn't he?

54:21Robbie Earle:He's a bit crazy.

54:22Robbie Mustoe:I don't mind that.

54:24Robbie Earle:It only matters what he does on a Saturday, Rob, doesn't it? You're right.

54:27Robbie Mustoe:And he does look like he's matured. There's a little less of the sort of acting and the craziness and he looks like he's getting down the business. You're right, though, in many respects. great save from the penalty was important, didn't give Brighton a chance to get a sniff, the reaction when, he looks short Rob looks like he's lost a little bit of weight, he looks in good nick he's England's number one without that, you know, head and shoulders isn't anybody really pushing him that close for that position you're right he looks like he's like

55:03Robbie Earle:this stadium's going to be you're not going to get past me I'm not going to let a goal in he looks like he wants to start strong on this

55:11Robbie Mustoe:He talked about, during the summer series, we managed to talk to him, he talked about actually he's enjoying being one of the leaders in that group now, because he's lost a lot of players, Rob, you know, Decore, Calvert-Lewin, Ashley Young,

55:24Robbie Earle:people like that, and he said,

55:25Robbie Mustoe:you know, he's enjoying now being, you know, with Tarkovsky, with Seamus Coleman, he's enjoying being one of the leaders, and no, fair play to him, he looks like he's loyal, he's talked about his long contract coming, I believe he could go close to Tim Howard's clean sheet record and appearance records Tim's keeping his eye on that but no, it's a good shout because he's somebody who doesn't get a lot of credit really, even when he plays particularly well and he was an important player today, when you say in a league where four or five players could instantly put him in their team and make them much much better

56:06Robbie Earle:Rob, let's just scoot around the other results They're our main featured games and stories from this weekend Let's just run through Maybe a comment or two on a couple of these West Ham United 1, Chelsea 5 Chelsea, well done, well done West Ham, alarm bells I know it's only weekend Graham Potter He needs to go to see Harry Potter

56:27Robbie Mustoe:And get the wand off him And see if he can get a bit of magic

56:30Robbie Earle:I mean, it's a big concern Just on that

56:35Robbie Mustoe:I saw the record. He's had 21 games in charge. He's had five wins, three clean sheets.

56:43Robbie Earle:Yeah, it's worse than Lippertegui, the manager that he replaced. So that's, I'm afraid, it's watched this space. The next few weeks for him...

56:51Robbie Mustoe:Squad's not good enough to go, mate, is it? In all honesty. I mean, they should be doing better, and he should be coaching them better. But the squad... Yeah, it needs a lot of help. I mean, the midfield, Rob, me and you could play in that midfield. I think they'd do a better job.

57:04Robbie Earle:Yeah, I think so. All right, Crystal Palace won, Nottingham Forest won. Of course, all the drama about Crystal Palace getting chucked out of the Europa League and being replaced by Nottingham Forest. Palace into the Conference League, which is confirmed now by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Absolutely, yeah, they played, didn't they? There's an edge to this game. Ismail Assar, one of our regular underappreciated performers, gets the goal for Palace and Utanodoy for Nottingham Forest. That game ends 1-1. Unless you want to say anything particular...

57:31Robbie Mustoe:Well, all the talk, Rob, this week has been about Nuno and coming out with Evangelius Maranakis, the owner. And there's a bit of talk about Edu, Rob, who was obviously in charge at Arsenal. Who was at the game? Moved into the football group in Nottingham Forest, running a number of clubs. And there is a feeling that Nuno now has to go to Edu, not to the owner, and that's causing a big problem. And they're saying this week, at some point, somebody might have to back down.

58:01Robbie Earle:I mean Maranakis is such a flamboyant owner we've talked about this before you know and Nuno to come out with that stuff in his press conference to sort of say something like last year we were tied we spoke all the time and we're long enough and that's not good we need everybody pulling in the same direction so this whole Edu thrown into the mix sounds like it's really been a difficult moment it's an awkward one

58:27Robbie Mustoe:isn't it because I'm assuming Edu's been told from the owner right Speak with the manager and work things out. The manager wants to speak directly with the owner, maybe have a say on things. It doesn't look good. Somebody's going to have to take a big step backwards if this is going to be resolved. There's already talk of who might be going to Nottingham Forest and where Nuno might be going to if goes. They've got European football to come as well, Nottingham Forest, as you say. We'll watch that space on that one, mate. Let's go to Burnley. Burnley 2, Sunderland 0. this was a game in the Championship last season.

59:01Robbie Mustoe:Burnley, with all those clean sheets coming good against a Sunderland team that started the season really well with that 3-0 win against West Ham. So, good result of that for Scotty Parker and his boys getting their three points up and running.

59:13Robbie Earle:I saw the promoter team's all got a win now, Rob, haven't they? Yeah. All three of them have got a win now, which is a real good start for them. I was pleased for Scott Parker. Of course, he was a former teammate of mine. Pretty big celebrations when those goals went in. So, well done. Well done, Burnley. Yeah. I think that's a game for us to watch. I'm going to watch that game closely this week.

59:30Robbie Mustoe:Have a little look at it. Yeah, because you see a bit about the two teams over here. Yeah, you get a good sense of the two teams.

59:36Robbie Earle:Brentford 1, Aston Villa 0. Yeah. Watara, Drango Watara, the new signing for Brentford gets the goal.

59:42Robbie Mustoe:Record signing, yeah. Please for Keith Andrews. Obviously, everything was circulating. The focus was on him. Thiena lost first day in charge with Thomas Frank and everything going. So, yeah, his team might hang on a little bit. We hold a bit of pressure from Villa. But, yeah, good three points for Keith Andrews.

59:58Robbie Earle:Not great for Aston Villa, a quick line on Villa. No. Yeah, a bit of a... Yeah.

1:00:03Robbie Mustoe:I kind of feel like it might be one of those seasons. Now Europa League is the option now in European football, and that's something that Unai knows. But just felt at the start of the season, we saw the interviews, didn't we, last weekend, and I felt like Unai was talking up and trying to build a little bit of expectation. An excitement, because there's a bit of excitement lacking afterwards.

1:00:23Robbie Earle:Brilliant, so much brilliant last year. Some of those games, and you get an Asensio from around Madrid and Marcus Rashford and everything else. It's like, oh, they haven't done a ton in the market.

1:00:33Robbie Mustoe:They feel like one of them teams at PSR is affected, isn't it? They're not able to spend. They've lost Jacob Ramsey only to Newcastle United.

1:00:40Robbie Earle:Gussain came on and looked pretty good, I thought, pretty lively.

1:00:43Robbie Mustoe:Oh, yeah. Gussain, the news.

1:00:44Robbie Earle:Centre forward, yeah.

1:00:45Robbie Mustoe:And he's got Malin Asni who came in last year. So they're going to have to do a little bit of a different way and he's a good manager. But, yeah, not quite the bright start that we saw from Villa.

1:00:54Robbie Earle:And Bournemouth won Wolves nil.

1:00:56Robbie Mustoe:No surprise with Bournemouth, Rob. we were pretty impressed with them when we saw them at Anfield, weren't they? Tavernier with the goal, slack deflection goes in on four minutes against a Wolves team that I think Rob and I think we both talked about it at the start of the season. It could be a bit of a struggle. They need to do a bit of work in the window and you just can't keep selling your best players, mate, and not replacing them with good enough quality. No, that's right.

1:01:19Robbie Earle:And we know that Brighton sell, but they buy great. Brentford sell, they buy great. If you keep selling, and there's been many clubs, I think at Southampton, that have done a lot of this. And you keep selling your best players and hoping to get good ones. If you don't, then you can have a difficult season. That might be what Wolves are staring at. But we'll see. It's still very early yet. Like West Ham, two games, two losses.

1:01:43Robbie Mustoe:That's it for match week two, mate. There's one more game to come. That's Newcastle v Liverpool. That's tomorrow, 3pm Eastern Time on the USA Network at St. James' Park. I know there's a slightly date, the party, Rob. Quick line on that I mean they're calling it the Alexander-Izac derby I mean we don't know where he's going to end up by the time the Chancellor wins he could be in the red of Liverpool or the black and white of Newcastle or I don't know in the bomb squad is a new phrase but what are your thoughts on this one I mean St James' Park is going to be red hot

1:02:14Robbie Earle:It's going to be red hot it's going to be lively even with some individuals Rob whether it's Bruno Gamarish in midfield or Joe Ellington they're going to be fired up, they're going to be aggressive I mean, like Liverpool these Liverpool players that we saw against Bournemouth, Rob, with Ekotike physical, with Vietz trying to find space in midfield, it was physical well how about having some more of that at St James' Park so, you know, if you're an Arsenal fan I think you can sit back and say well, I just kind of see Man City, they weren't very good, come on Liverpool we're kind of, we're doing alright we've won our games, what have you got so, of course, really early but it's a very big test for some of these new players at Liverpool Football Club to go to St James' with a chip on their shoulder and handle that intensity and physicality from the Geordies.

1:03:02That's a good shout.

1:03:04Robbie Mustoe:Frimpong's got an injury, so he's not going to be fit enough. I think Conor Bradley's back. Ryan Gravenberg is back for Liverpool. He's getting a little bit of stability. But yeah, Conor, looking forward to that 1.3pm Eastern Time on USA Network next week. OK, we'll be back next weekend when Liverpool will host Arsenal. That's the top-of-the-table clash, which, not sure at this stage we can have implications when we're still in organs, but we'll find out next week. But for now, I'm Earl. He's Musty, together with the two Robbies. Thanks for watching and listening. Be safe. Stay healthy. This is a good night from me.

1:03:35Robbie Earle:And it's a good night from him. Good night. Good night.

1:03:50Thank you.