In short
Early-season Premier League fallout and transfer-window moves: Tottenham’s “mentality” issues after 2-0 home loss to Newcastle; Chelsea’s new Xabi Alonso-era project after Emi Martinez’s debut and a 4-3 win over Brighton; Liverpool’s 2-2 late-equaliser trend under Andoni Iraola; and Manchester United/Man City title-candidate performances (plus Rashford, Bruno, Haaland).
Guests
Two Robbies (Robbie Mustoe and Robbie Earle), discussing matches and reported transfers; no separate guest names mentioned in the transcript.
Key claims
- Tottenham can’t “buy mentality”; culture and training-ground standards are missing, with players still feeling like “individuals.”
- Chelsea’s attack is exciting, but defending is “sloppy” (5 goals conceded in two games); Xabi Alonso makes decisive squad calls.
- Liverpool’s squad looks short; full-backs and threat in tight spaces are concerns; defensive lapses cost goals.
- United’s improvement is tied to Carrick’s high-energy approach; Rashford’s work rate impressed.
- Man City look hungry and tactically coherent (diamond/3-4-3 shape).
Notable examples
- Tottenham: 2-0 Newcastle; “couldn’t score” despite pressure.
- Chelsea: Emi Martinez starts vs Brighton; Cole Palmer/Jao Pedro/Morgan Rogers front three; Jarrell Quansah run leads to a goal.
- Liverpool: 2-2 vs Nottingham Forest; criticism of Frimpong defending and long-ball goal conceded.
- United: 5-2 Ipswich; Rashford sprinting back defensively; Bruno Fernandes hat-trick.
- Man City: 2-0 Palace; Haaland brace; Haaland furious at not receiving a pass for a hat-trick.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOAnalyzing Tottenham's Mentality Woes
0:45 to 3:32
Discussion on Tottenham's losses and the need for a strong team mentality.
“and the talisman of both Manchester clubs shine with Ryan Shirky and Erlen Haaland banging a brace for the citizens and Bruno Fernandes grabbing a hat-trick for United at Old Trafford.”
Building Team Spirit at Spurs
3:32 to 4:50
Importance of team spirit and culture in overcoming defeats.
“I think I said, I was trying to explain to Rebecca today because she asked a very similar question.”
Expectations and Performance
4:50 to 6:12
Exploring how player expectations affect their performance in matches.
“And if you join his football club, you have to be a certain type of player.”
Newcastle's Evolving Team Dynamics
6:12 to 8:00
Discussion on Newcastle's new signings and their early impact.
“It looks like David Ornstein is reporting that Spurs reach agreement to sign Ilyam and Njai, with Rashad Lisson going back to Everton.”
Tactical Shifts Under Newcastle's New Manager
8:00 to 9:44
How Newcastle's new coach simplifies tactics for better player performance.
“and we can go back to our first podcast, who didn't see that Newcastle being as bad as everybody thought.”
Contrasting Cultures: Spurs vs. Newcastle
9:44 to 13:20
Comparison of Spurs' struggles with Newcastle's successful culture under new management.
“and their shape is really really uh solid it's a strong shape it's always there that's there almost like their kind of baseline.”
Fan Dynamics and Home Advantage
13:20 to 14:02
The influence of fan support on team performance, particularly at home.
“and the stuff we say about the Spurs, finding their soul and all that stuff that Deserby's talked about.”
Tottenham's Home Form Issues
14:02 to 16:36
Discussing Tottenham's struggles to win at home and the impact of player mentality.
“They lost 4-1 to Bristol City, I think, in the last game.”
Tottenham's Home Form Issues
16:39 to 17:25
Discussing Tottenham's struggles to win at home and the impact of player mentality.
“and Liverpool's late moves in the transfer window and whether those moves will actually pay off.”
Chelsea's New Direction Under Xabi Alonso
17:36 to 28:00
Analyzing Chelsea's transfer strategies and the impact of Xabi Alonso's management.
“Very, very interesting project going on at Chelsea Football Club right now.”
Show all 14 chapters
Liverpool's Struggles and Squad Concerns
28:00 to 34:20
Analyzing Liverpool's recent matches and their squad's effectiveness.
“They were facing Nottingham Forest, and Nottingham Forest, who, I think, beat Liverpool the last two times they've played at Anfield, so the tricky trees, as they call them, were a tricky opposition for Liverpool.”
Manchester United's Wild Game Against Ipswich
34:20 to 42:00
Reviewing Manchester United's performance against Ipswich Town and key player observations.
“Welcome back to the Two Robbies podcast presented by Barclays, the official banking partner of the Premier League.”
Analyzing Manchester United and City's Performances
42:00 to 46:04
Discuss the performances of Manchester United and City, focusing on player assessments and tactics.
“And Fatoua, like you said, was brilliant on the outside, taking around Luke Shaw.”
Recapping Weekend Match Results
46:04 to 49:45
Quick recap of the weekend's match results and team performances across various fixtures.
“Listen, mate, that wraps up end of segment three.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:12Robbie Earle:Hello and welcome to the Two Robbies podcast presented by Barclays, the official banking partner of the Premier League. I'm Robbie Mustoe, he's Robbie Earle and here are today's topics. Two games and two losses for Tottenham Hotspur, which causes Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbe to question his team's mentality after a 2-0 defeat at home to Newcastle United. Emi Martinez joins Chelsea and starts against Brighton on the same day, while Enzo Fernandes is left out of the squad as his transfer saga rolls on. For the second time in as many weeks, Liverpool score a late equaliser in a 2-2 draw, as Andoni Eola side on the cusp of announcing Bradley Barkler as their new winger.
0:51Robbie Earle:and the talisman of both Manchester clubs shine with Ryan Shirky and Erlen Haaland banging a brace for the citizens and Bruno Fernandes grabbing a hat-trick for United at Old Trafford. That's what we have coming up in today's episode.
1:06Robbie Mustoe:OK, Mr Musto, let's just get things in order before we start with the football. A happy birthday, my friend. A happy birthday to my dear friend. I know you had this weekend off and spent a bit of time with the family. Enjoyed it, so happy birthday, mate. I hope you had a good one.
1:22Robbie Earle:Thank you, thank you, thank you. My son's joining us tonight. His birthday was two days before mine. So it's fun times, mate.
1:30Robbie Mustoe:So we'll go in the Musto family. Yeah, exactly. We'll go in the Premier League as well, my friend. Let's start at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where Tottenham lost 2-0 to Newcastle. We saw them at the GTEC last weekend. They lost 3-0 to Brentford. It was a different kind of victory, a different kind of defeat for Roberto Zerbi's men, but he did come out after Rob, but quite strongly talk about almost like, it's okay to have spent as much money as they had, and it's somewhere near half a billion dollars now, but he was saying you can't buy mentality. Is he almost pointing towards it? It's going to take time and he's got to build a spirit and build a culture around this football club, as well as obviously work on things on the pitch?
2:16Robbie Earle:I think that's what he's getting at. And I kind of agree with that, Rob, for the most part. When I saw your chat on the show and, you know, thinking back to the teams that I was in, I felt like the best spirit. Yeah. It was players, Rob, that I'd been with for quite a while and I knew very well and I'd bonded with and I'd gone out with and I'd spent time with. And I think that certainly helps the team spirit. You know, you know each other very well. And of course, new players coming into a club, you don't have that. Now, there's always examples, Rob, of somebody saying, well, yeah, but what about this team?
2:46Robbie Earle:Or what about Sunderland? or what about other clubs that have bought loads of players? And yeah, fair play. This particular team looks right now that they're a bunch of individuals and they're some very good individuals. And I think it's going to come together. It's going to take a little bit of time for the manager to get them familiar with each other and playing as a team because that's the biggest thing. Looking at that game, Rob, they could have been there for another two hours and wouldn't have scored a goal. They just didn't. The threat was lacking in the final third. And whether that's spirit or whether it's the soul or whatever it is, there's so much newness there that maybe that's why they're struggling a little bit.
3:23Robbie Earle:What do you feel about that, Rob? Is it an easy thing to say, you know, you can't really blame the players. They're new, expensive players, but they're losing. Did you think that was a fair point?
3:33Robbie Mustoe:I just feel a Tottenham Hotspur. I think I said, I was trying to explain to Rebecca today because she asked a very similar question. And I said, well, you know, the football piece, the tactical bit, and that stuff, this guy will sort out, given the time. If he's got the quality of player, this guy will sort out. And we saw bits of the build-up from the back, just when they got into midfield and forward, it didn't really turn out into nothing. But you saw the signs of work that's been done on the training ground. When we talk about the team spirit, the culture, the kind of feel, Rob, and I go back to all the things that people maybe don't think about or understand your basics at your football club.
4:11Robbie Mustoe:And remember, we've both captained clubs, and, you know, I've been in jashrooms. I remember when I got the Wimbledon captaincy and it was always like the manager said, like, this is your ship now. You've got to run it and make sure it's right. And so, Robbie, it was little things like if people were late for training, you'd pull them and say, hey, this ain't good enough. If training was, you know, not taken seriously enough, tactics weren't done, people were messing about in meetings or things. That's part of the culture. You know, making sure when you're out there on the pitch, it's building relationships.
4:42Robbie Mustoe:it's sometimes going one or two nil down Rob and looking around and seeing your mates and saying come on we can still do this and I kind of feel that's a bit that Spurs are missing and I kind of feel where I think this football club I think in some respects it's been so much in a mess and so badly mismanaged that it struggles to have the culture that maybe other clubs have had Newcastle had under Eddie Howe and we've seen you know Mikel Arteta is a great example of changing the culture at Arsenal when he's there We've seen Keith Andrews, who's maybe even taken things on, but he had a culture there from Thomas Frank, and he's just made sure that people adhere to that.
5:22Robbie Mustoe:And if you join his football club, you have to be a certain type of player. And I think at the moment that Spurs are still a bit of a mismatch, and there isn't quite that culture there. And maybe it starts with Van de Ven, who's the new captain. He's got to set a trend and put things in place so everybody starts to buy into it.
5:44Robbie Earle:Yeah, I think the team is also evolving, Rob. You know, I think we saw a few more players come in. It was very different. I think it was five changes, wasn't it?
5:49Robbie Mustoe:Five changes from the Brantford team we saw, yeah.
5:52Robbie Earle:Destiny Udogi is going to be the left back. Andrew Robertson is an excellent player and he's very good to have at the club. But for me, he won't start ahead of Udogi, who's very, very good. So the defence will, and Pedro Porro, I think will play more as a right back. I think that will all shape out. And the front line, Rob, looks like it could be changing even more with signings. It's just a note we've got here. It looks like David Ornstein is reporting that Spurs reach agreement to sign Ilyam and Njai, with Rashad Lisson going back to Everton. Njai coming in from Everton, Rob, who is one of our favourites.
6:25Robbie Earle:I mean, brilliant attacking player. You know, it might be that Matthias Tell is inconsistent. You know, Mahmoud's going to take a little bit of time to settle. On the right side, Mo Kudos is back now. This is going to come together. This is going to... It's too many good players and they deserve too good a manager. One more question, Rob, on this. And it kind of brings in Newcastle a little bit. Expectations, Rob. Like Newcastle United's expectation, given what happened in the summer, selling their best players, the manager going, were pretty low. And that fan base will get behind whatever's thrown out there for that football club.
6:59Robbie Earle:And Spurs' expectations are really, really high. Is there something in players' psyches that then the expectations is at a certain point, it affects your performance. So if it's really high expectation, you're a bit anxious, you're a bit nervous to please everybody and to be as good as people think. And for Newcastle, well, nobody thinks much of us. They think we're going to get relegated. Musto and the two Robbies said that we're going to have a relegation fight. And they play in more of a nothing-to-lose manner. Is there anything in that?
7:27Robbie Mustoe:I hear what you're saying, but I can't totally buy into it, Rob. Only that, you know, and I look at it, I think, doesn't expectation become more like about what you think about yourself? Other people can talk about what, but your expectations of what you see in and around you.
7:43Robbie Earle:Yeah, but there's pressure on. There's expectations that the Spurs will read about.
7:47Robbie Mustoe:But if I'm buying Sandro Tenale, I expect him to deal with that, Rob, because I'm paying$100 million for one of the top players in the league. And, you know, if I'm Newcastle, I don't expect, you know, I'm seeing Wissett. I was one of those, and we can go back to our first podcast, who didn't see that Newcastle being as bad as everybody thought. He's a smart coach. I think there's decent players. And sometimes what I felt with Newcastle is maybe Anthony Alanga is stepping up because there's no Bruno now and there's no Tenali and it might be his time. And so I hear what you're saying of the expectancy.
8:23Robbie Mustoe:And sometimes that's whether it's fans' expectancy, whether it's the media, whether it's the dressing room. but I think, Rob, it's more about the players and the individuals and what do we think. And Yajel has definitely got, and we are moving towards Newcastle now because we should talk about them. Yajel has definitely had an influence on this group. You can see that. His tactics look quite simple in terms of the shape they get behind the ball. They all know they've got pace on the attack that can cause all kinds of problems. Players look comfortable with what they're doing and maybe expectations will low.
8:58Robbie Mustoe:let people have those expectations. We'll show, we'll prove them wrong. And I don't think there's any danger that they're going to be anywhere around the delegation problems.
9:07Robbie Earle:Yeah. I, you know, one part of our show, of course, is predict stuff. Right. And you want to make bold predictions. And my prediction, Newcastle was that this could be ugly for them. Yeah. Given what's happened, the fans are probably going to be fed up. And the team might spiral a little bit. So I'm going to go straight back onto the front, foot and say um Matthias Gaisler underappreciated performer of the weekend for me yeah because I didn't see this coming I mean in all fairness we don't get to see this guy work you know around outside the Premier League too much when our focus is on that league but my goodness hasn't hasn't he done a brilliant job Robin and you said about the shape I I watched both games very closely and their shape is really really uh solid it's a strong shape it's always there that's there almost like their kind of baseline.
9:56Robbie Earle:Their safety.
9:57Robbie Mustoe:Their safety net. Yeah, absolutely.
9:59Robbie Earle:In terms of players, Rob, I mean, the players that they've left, you do think about Anthony Langer and Jan Wisser. So when I think back to last year, Rob, and I think about the players that's gone, I'm thinking, wow, like how is this team going to perform when these two players, particularly, were so poor last year? So that's another headline is Jan Wisser and Anthony Langer. They've started absolutely on fire. And who saw that coming? I mean, unless they had injuries that they played with last year, I know Eddie Howe left them out a lot and said that I do believe in them. Because I remember Eddie Howe saying, Rob, I do believe in these players, so it's going to take them a little bit of time.
10:36Robbie Earle:Maybe he's right all along. But Johan Wissler and Alanga, they've knocked it out of the park in terms of what they've done on the counter-attack. So for the Isler that wants to play strong defensively, a bit more transitionally and a bit more counter-attack, those two players are perfect for that. Absolutely. If they're at their best level, and that's what they've started the season, absolutely their best level.
10:55Robbie Mustoe:I also wonder, Rob, and it was a point I was trying to make over the weekend, if in some respects, somebody like Anthony Lange and Johan Wieser, and this isn't a slur in any way or criticism, but sometimes simplifying the game and the tactic and the way we play for them helps them. You know, Eddie was a little bit more possibly technical in the way they played and their passing movements and things. Whereas I think Anthony Lange looks to me like the Lange we saw
11:25Robbie Earle:at Nottingham Forest, who gets himself in a decent position,
11:29Robbie Mustoe:gets half and half positions between the fullback and the winger. And when the ball gets released, he's on his way. And if he can be played in deep, Rob, he's going to be a real set this season. So I just wonder if Giza has done a good job of just maybe simplifying the game for these people to get the best out of them. Not too much going on in the mind and where I should be and where I should, you know, just keeping it simple. And the other thing that came to me, and I wish I read this line more than made up, but it was, I thought it depicted Gaisler really well. He said, this guy looks like he could become a bit of a star in the Premier League.
12:05He said he's got the, well, Newcastle have lost
12:09Robbie Mustoe:losing Eddie Howe and Jason Tindall. They said he's got the coaching intelligence of Eddie Howe and he's got the arrogance and poise of Jason Tindall almost wrapped into one. And I kind of like Yaisal. I think he's going to be good for the Premier League. I think he's going to be good for Newcastle. And you can't speak highly enough of a man who's gone into a place where it was, Rob. It was doom and gloom. A lot of pundits were saying, no, this will be the end of Newcastle and they aren't putting the money in and this, that and the other. I thought Gonzalez come in and did a good job next to Miley.
12:43Robbie Mustoe:Miley's going to be a player, mate. Miley's going to be a big-time player
12:46Robbie Earle:if he could develop.
12:48Robbie Mustoe:And the shape's right. Lewis Hall, I thought, was excellent again at left back. And it just looks like a team that's well set, that's comfortable and, you know, almost knows what they're doing. And it's funny, Rob, when we talk about spirit and things, you know, he's built something. He's looking like he's building something that the players are buying into. And maybe results help with that. And I don't know what he's like as a man manager with players, but it looks like he's already built a relationship with some in the group that's really important.
13:18Robbie Earle:Yeah, and that's why it's amazing to think about the Spurs and the stuff we say about the Spurs, finding their soul and all that stuff that Deserby's talked about. You know, this guy's gone in there, Matiasi Eisner, and all of a sudden, you know, got him on board. And I tell you what, mate, it didn't have help as well in your home crowd, you know, that first game of the season when we were there. Well, and the way crowd at Tottenham, by the way,
13:38Robbie Mustoe:because there was loads of them that travelled down, mate, as well.
13:40Robbie Earle:But as a way to start off, Robert, St. James' Park, with an incredible reception for this guy, and, you know, instead of it being a quiet, and I'm telling you, there's other Premier League clubs, if the same thing had happened, would be a little bit quiet on opening day. Oh, you know, we've sold all these players. What's going on with our ownership? But they're so up for it. It may be just an immediate boost in the arm, Rob, to these players because their pre-season wasn't great. They didn't win. I think they won one game.
14:04Robbie Mustoe:They lost 4-1 to Bristol City, I think, in the last game.
14:07Robbie Earle:But, I mean, it's only two games in. So let's not be too, you know.
Read the full transcript
14:10Robbie Mustoe:Just quickly, mate, on that one, just talk to me about Tottenham's home form in front of 62 ,000 people who were up for the game, the first game, and I know they'd lost the first, but it's part of this spirit and the thing else that Deserby's talking about why Spurs can't win a home. Why can they not turn this place into a form? It's the best stadium in the league. There's 62 ,000 fans. We've been there a couple of times, Rob. It's noisy. They get behind the team, but something that seems to be holding the players back when they play at home.
14:44Robbie Earle:Yeah, listen, all fans want to get behind the team, Rob. I think it'd be easy for us to say, you know, the fans are a little nervous about the team. They're a bit fed up with what's been shown to them over the last two or three years since it's been in the new stadium now. But it does go back to the players. The players are in charge of setting the fans alight. And if they're not playing great football, if they're not on the front foot all the time, they're not playing good stuff, creating scoring goals, the fans are going to be out of it. And they've been doing that for two or three years. We can't think that the fans or this stadium is to blame for the team not playing great.
15:15Robbie Earle:Again, two games in, he's a smart guy. His press conference talk, he was very calm about it. And the mentality, there's a lot of changes there. They can't all be tied with the same brush. I mean, they can't all be mentally weak. So they are going to figure it out. Ily Min and Jai, I mean, you talk about a player that will get the fans off their feet and get them excited. It's NJai. So if that comes off, that's a great bit of business. And then with Kudus coming back, I mean, it just is going to come together. Kudus automatically came into the game against Newcastle. It looks like things are going to happen when he gets the ball.
15:47Robbie Earle:He's just one of those wingers where Matthias Tell on the other side is kind of sharp, looks kind of lively and skillful, but not much happens at the end of those plays from him. So it will get better. The midfield are good, neat and tidy players. They've got good mentality. I mean, Tenali's a mentally tough midfield player. Fernandes works his socks off as well in there as well. On the back of a back four that's got, you know, international star players in it. So it is going to come together. It's frustrating for the Spurs fans, particularly at home. I get it. You always want to enjoy your team playing at home.
16:21Robbie Earle:But I don't think it's time to panic. And I think he will get it right.
16:25Robbie Mustoe:Well, Mike, yeah, I just started to get it right in Newcastle. De Zerbe, two games, two defeats. But with that quality and the quality of manager, you do get the sense that they will get things right. That's the end of segment one, mate. Let's stay with us as we break down Chelsea and Liverpool's late moves in the transfer window and whether those moves will actually pay off.
16:49Robbie Mustoe:Imagine those early mornings when you're up before sunrise watching the Premier League from your kitchen or sneaking in a match during a break at work. That's real dedication to your football fandom. And as a long-standing partner of the Premier League, Barclays has that same commitment in the credit card products it offers. Every time you use a Barclays-issued credit card, whether for travel, dining or shopping at your favourite store, you're rewarded. It's about recognising your loyalty to your favourite brands, just like your dedication to your favourite team. To learn more about their products and services, visit BarclaysUS.com forward slash Premier League.
17:30Robbie Mustoe:Barclays, the official banking partner of the Premier League.
17:35Robbie Earle:Okay, my friend, Chelsea. Let's move on to Chelsea. Very, very interesting project going on at Chelsea Football Club right now. They did manage to beat Brighton Rob 4-3. Gosh, I mean, Martinez was the headline really. Started in goal,$10 million move from Aston Villa.
17:51Robbie Mustoe:Yeah.
17:51Robbie Earle:And he brings a personality and a bravado and a presence in goal that they just simply didn't have before. Now, we've got to beat three times, and we'll get into that. But that is quite a move, Rob, isn't it, that Chelsea? Now, that's another experienced winner in the dressing room to go with Lacroix from Crystal Palace, to go with obviously Henderson and Danny Welbeck. So another experienced player. You've got to like this move, haven't you?
18:16Robbie Mustoe:You've got to love this move, Rob, I think, because I think Xabi Alonso has shown us, and some was made of his title as he got there, but he's the manager now of this football club, not the head coach. So he's managing the club. And in managing the club, he's making big, tough decisions that maybe as a head coach you're not allowed to make or you're a little unsure to make. You know, he says he needs a goalkeeper. He goes and gets at Emi Martinez. And then he doesn't sort of go, well, put Martinez on the bench, let Sanchez start, and then at the right time I'll bring him in. He basically says, Sanchez has made mistakes.
18:53Robbie Mustoe:You know, I've got to make a decision. He gave him one game. He gave him one game and saw his mistakes.
18:58Robbie Earle:He's like, no, we've got to get somebody. He's in. But that's so quick.
19:00Robbie Mustoe:To me, Rob, that's the difference between maybe a Mareska being there or a Resinia being there. This guy is managing the football club, and it looks like the club are in good hands.
19:13Robbie Earle:Yeah, and I'll tell you what, Rob, this is – I mean, I'm loving – I love this sort of thing where it's something new happening, right? And I think there's very good stuff going on here at Chelsea. I think there's very – there's stuff that's caused for concern. looking at Jao Pedro, Morgan Rodgers and Cole Palmer. Looks good, smells good, feels good. It just is good. They're all in great nick. You've got the striker, Pedro and Cole Palmer, then rested in the summer. They're absolutely buzzing. Jao Pedro I thought was brilliant in the game, Rob. Brilliant. And I tell you, as a striker, we watched him at Brighton, of course, he's getting better every single.
19:45Robbie Earle:Every single season, sorry, he's getting better. He's definitely getting better. That front three, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick. Midfield, switched up a little bit in this game with Pusto in there and Corsedo on the bench. Lavia, wasn't it? Lavia's doing okay. Doing pretty good in there. But so attack-wise, brilliant. Defensive-wise, Robbie Earl. This is not great. This is too casual at the back. It's too... The team gives off a little bit of... And tell me if I'm wrong, like cockiness. Yeah, I know what you're saying.
20:19Robbie Mustoe:I know what you're saying, yeah. They know they're good.
20:21Robbie Earle:They know they're great going forward. There's a lack of focus defensively, and we'll get on to how that might hurt them in their next game, that needs to be nipped in the bud. That's five goals conceded, Robbie Earle.
20:35Robbie Mustoe:It's not good enough, yeah.
20:36Robbie Earle:Five goals conceded in two games. So there's got to be... That's what the manager's there for, and that's what you see set them up, and they're playing a little bit differently now, much more simply with the system from this manager compared to the last few. is not rocket science that Leroy Monsignor was trying to get into them. But defensively, Rob, it's almost sloppy. And Martinez maybe will also like, well, hang on a minute, guys. Like, what's going on here? This is not going to get it done for them long term.
21:06Robbie Mustoe:I said on the show, and agree with exactly what you said, I think we've done the same. I said there was new Chelsea that was really good to watch. And there were times, Rob, I was watching this game in that window. you could see the players really enjoying it. It was exciting. Everybody wanted the ball, you know, these runs off the ball and all that stuff that's great. But there was old Chelsea. It was, hey, well, there was poor defending. There was poor sort of game management. They kept letting Brighton back in. And that's not going to be good enough. Now, Xabi Alonso's won a title. And to win a title, you have to know how to shut games down to make it difficult to play against.
21:40Robbie Mustoe:And at the moment, you're right. I'm still, personality-wise, not totally convinced with Levi Colwell, who could be a Rolls-Royce of a centre-back, but he doesn't... The alarm bells don't go on well enough for him.
21:57Robbie Earle:Same with Fafana, Rob. Fafana's the same. I've never been a big fan of Fafana.
22:02Robbie Mustoe:I still think, Rob, and I'm not saying they have to get better players. These players have to do a better job. They've got to learn, though. They've got to learn, Rob. They've got all the tools, Rob. They've got the pace. They've got mobility. They all can play. They all can step into midfield if need be and do a bit. But they all should be given a John Terry tape of watching how to defend as a centre-back and what you have to do as a centre-back because that fella would absolutely have been going crazy today about the three goals they conceded. Another tape I'd give them, Rob, is PSG.
22:36Robbie Earle:And have a look as a team how incredibly aggressive they are without the ball. They work very, very hard. Garvit Scalier, that amazing left winger, He wants his socks off going backwards. And Morgan Rodgers and Cole Palmer and Joe Pedro, whoever it is, has got to understand that if you want to win the biggest stuff in this game, you've got to do it both sides of the game. Of course, the quality going forward, and you've got to work very hard to help your team defensively. You have to attack together as a team and defend together as a team. I mean, other than that, mate, they've got so much going for them.
23:08Robbie Earle:So much going for them. You know, it's exciting. The fans are loving the football. It's kind of simple football. but that front three and I got a feeling Rob I know he's tweaked his central midfield a little bit yeah um I got a feeling that Xabi Lonzo isn't going to mess around to that not that much he doesn't need to isn't he hasn't got European football to think about resting players for certain times of the season so I think we're going to see that front three start a lot um so it's just that you know very early days I'd love to see him really focus I mean when we look back to last year Rob what was I looking at Arsenal's defense I think Chelsea almost scored the same amount of goals as Arsenal.
23:43Robbie Earle:Two behind, but almost considered twice as many. So from last year, that's the lesson that this coaching staff right now should be looking at. And like, okay, this looks pretty good going forward. We've got to work on the team on a defensive shape. None of this two or three goals.
23:59Robbie Mustoe:No, that can't be a given. It's interesting, Rob, as well. I was watching Cole Palmer interview this week and they were talking about, obviously, the JP Morgan, which is obviously him, Jao Pedro and Morgan Modges up the front. And one thing that Cole Palmer said that sort of caught me, was he said, you know, what's Javi Alonso brought to you? And he said, funny enough, he's told me to just play with a little bit more freedom and express myself. I thought it was really interesting because it wasn't like a tactical or this. It was a bit like, come on, Cole, be Cole. And we didn't really see that last season.
24:35Robbie Mustoe:And, you know, the goal that he gets today, his involvement in the match, which just looks like, you know, the team are going to be set up, but he'll give, you know, the players. But like you say, I think they're still going to have to work hard. I think they're going to have to, you know, have positions on the pitch. Nobody's going to get a free ride. But I think the moment they get possession, they want him to get on the ball and make things happen. And if he does that and he can continue the form, well, that's as exciting a front three as you're going to have in the Premier League.
24:59Robbie Earle:I mean, just to follow on quickly on Cole Palmer, isn't it amazing? Isn't it amazing how a player can look so different just a few months on? You know, unless there was something, the nagging injury that was inhibiting him some way. I don't know. But, I mean, he has come back with a smile on his face, a swagger, a sharpness. You can tell with just how quickly players move and how sharp they look. Kyle Palmer looks brilliantly right now. And another player, Rob, before we move on a little bit and think about their game at the weekend, I think deserves a mention. And he's a little underappreciated at the moment.
25:28Robbie Earle:Jarrell Hato.
25:30Robbie Mustoe:Yeah. Jarrell Hato. Yeah.
25:31Robbie Earle:Can play left side centre back. Can play left wing back. was involved in...
25:36Robbie Mustoe:The Pedro goal. He made a run down the left-hand side. The third goal, yeah.
25:40Robbie Earle:Yeah, Pedro goal, wasn't it? He hit a very quick run. I mean, he can also play in the middle of the park. That is... He's going to be a very useful player. Didn't see tons of him last year. He started to come under a senior. So I think he deserves a mention for me. Yeah, that's a good show. Yeah, I think it's fun to watch this project going forward, Rob. When we think about it going forward, and it's next weekend, isn't it? Isn't it Sunday?
26:00Robbie Mustoe:Arsenal, yep. Arsenal, Chelsea next Sunday, 11.30am. Eastern Time on USA Network.
26:06Robbie Earle:So, here we go, isn't it? This is an early litmus test for Chelsea. Yeah. An early litmus test. And they can certainly give Arsenal some problems going forward.
26:16Robbie Mustoe:But what Arsenal have got is that great defensive side of things
26:20Robbie Earle:that we talked about. And that's why they're champions. So, it's going to be a fascinating game. How do you see it?
26:25Robbie Mustoe:Well, I see Chelsea getting on the ball and trying to cause problems. I see that Arsenal back line, Rob. standing firm, doing what they need to do, almost showing Chelsea what good teams have to do if you're going to go on and win titles. But they all get stretched, Rob.
26:44Robbie Earle:They all get stretched.
26:45Robbie Mustoe:And if they get one-on-one and one-on-ones in certain areas of the pitch, if they get good movement, which we saw today, they're going to stretch them. And it's a good test for Arsenal. There's no Saliba, as we know. So we don't know what that, you know, it could be Muscara in there or is a centre-back. but it's an Arsenal team. Conza's going to play any, Rob?
27:04Robbie Earle:I think Conza's going to play, I think. Oh, actually, yeah.
27:06Robbie Mustoe:Conza's back, actually. So, yeah, you're right. He could make his... Well, whether he'll play... Well, they've got Villa, haven't they, coming up tomorrow, Arsenal.
27:15Robbie Earle:Yeah.
27:16Robbie Mustoe:And then that game's next week. He's ready for that one, isn't he? I think he's ready for that. So he might be back in the team. Absolutely so, which is a great bit of business, isn't it? I mean, he's plug and play, as we'd say, my friend. You know, Premier League ready, ready to go. So I think that's why they bought him for a game, you know, when one of the other two may be injured or need a rest, you bring in like-for-like quality. So, yeah, really looking forward, as you say. It's kind of a nice litmus test for both of these, for Arsenal in terms of, OK, how good are this Arsenal? And Chelsea, really, how close are you to Arsenal?
27:47Robbie Mustoe:Are you the team that's going to challenge? So, yeah, really looking forward to that one, 11.30 a.m. Eastern time on USA Network. Let's go to Anfield, my friend. It was a first home game for Andoli Iriola as Liverpool manager. They were facing Nottingham Forest, and Nottingham Forest, who, I think, beat Liverpool the last two times they've played at Anfield, so the tricky trees, as they call them, were a tricky opposition for Liverpool. It ended up 2-2, Rob. Wasn't quite the excitement, didn't get quite to the levels, maybe, that Iriola and the Liverpool fans would have liked. That's two draws now in similar vein for Liverpool in the first two games.
28:28Robbie Mustoe:What's your take on Liverpool and Darlene Iriola at this stage?
28:33Robbie Earle:Well, I think this one, his is kind of working out so far as what I've expected, Rob. I thought Liverpool were going to struggle, watching them in pre-season, watching all the business that they've done or haven't done with players replacing certain star players in this football club. The full-backs look like they struggle. Virgil van Dijk, again, is 35 years of age. it's the games are looking like what I might have expected this isn't very good mate and we know Iroh Ola is a big favourite of ours we spoke to him very impressed with what he's done in previous work but this is a big job and the squad doesn't look good the right side doesn't look very good now it looks like Brendan Barkler is going to sign for the club which is great another very very very expensive one Rob and Liverpool over recent seasons have gone down this road of really trying to buy almost finished really great players to come into this team.
29:29Robbie Earle:Now, with Izak and Verts, that we'll get onto a little bit, Rob, it's been a struggle. And they can't afford another very expensive player not to look the part from day one. And I know that's not easy to do, and we say that, and certain players need time to bed in. But they can't, and Richard Hughes can't have another extremely expensive player that doesn't look quite right. I'm not saying, you know, I think he's going to do well.
29:55Robbie Mustoe:Yeah. Super, super quick.
29:57Robbie Earle:Great on the transition, running behind. A little less sure in tight spaces and an end product in tight spaces. Yeah. But this is a big move. You know, it looks like Cody Gap and Rob could be leaving.
30:07Robbie Mustoe:Could be leaving, yeah.
30:08Robbie Earle:I still like, really? Like a consistent, steady performer is going to be allowed to leave the club. And you're left with Victor Munoz, who scored a brilliant goal, and Ingemoa, that looks a great talent. But if I was a Liverpool fan, I'd be really worried about my sort of threat on the title, which I don't think is going to be there, or even the top four. I'd be worried about that. But let's see if it shakes out with these new deals and stuff. But I think the squad, Rob, is still short.
30:38Robbie Mustoe:Yeah, it's interesting, isn't it? They spend the kind of money they've spent, and you say the squad's short. And isn't part of the problem that, obviously, the Izak and Vietz situation continues? I mean, Vietz has a goal disallowed for the offside. Izak does get a goal, but isn't quite the player. And, Rob, it's almost like, how long do we wait for these players to hit into form? You know, Izak a couple of times got played down the side and doesn't quite look like he's running at full pace. I don't know if he's holding himself, if he's got an injury, if he's protecting something. just doesn't quite look the same player that we had.
31:16Robbie Mustoe:Now, add that to some of the issues with the team set up, with the defensive situation. You know, Andoni Areola's got to figure some things out quickly, hasn't he? Because, you know, things will turn, I think, if he doesn't.
31:31Robbie Earle:There was some pretty, I thought there was some pretty uninspiring football in the first half. Flat, yeah. I thought Anfield is quiet. Anfield needs to, wants to jump. It needs to be lively. Now, to be fair, they were better in the second half, Rob, but I'm watching the first half and I'm thinking, gosh, this is way off it. You know, when you think about the best team in the league, in Arsenal, how far off Liverpool are right now. We were only a couple of years ago. They're blimming champions, Rob. This goes back to the director of football and what we always say about this game, that recruitment is so important part of it.
32:04Robbie Earle:Big decisions were made. Players were allowed to leave. Others were bought for huge money. It hasn't really worked out. I would say Florian Wurz was better, Rob, I thought. And I think we're always quick to jump on if we think he's not having an impact, which has happened too many times for me. But he was livelier. He's been livelier, going in the right direction.
32:22Robbie Mustoe:He's been livelier, us being not as harsh. I mean, Rob, at some point we've got to talk. You don't spend that money for, you know, it was a bit better. You spend that money for someone to run a game, to dictate a game, to create things. And I know he's not going, he's in a bad patch, but are we dumbing down where we are with Florian Vits?
32:41Robbie Earle:I won't dumb it down with him because I'm all over him. From day one, of course, we're looking very close at these players. And we see how we've seen him live in the flesh now a couple of times. And it's like he's got the physicality to handle this intensity in this league. I just thought he was better. That's all I'm saying. I think it's easy to pile on a little bit, even though it's like game one, game two. But I think we've got to see a few more games under this new manager and see if he can be that guy you're talking about. Same with Alexander Izak. I mean, Izak gets his goal, Rob. He's in the right place at the right time.
33:15Robbie Earle:I still worry about his durability for playing at this level, but we will see right now. He seems fit. And I don't disagree with what you're saying about the way that he's running, but I thought those two were a little better. The wider areas concerns me. Victor Munoz was pretty ineffective until he scores a brilliant goal, by the way. Yeah, it was a good thing. A really lovely little turn and then smashes it into the top of the goal.
33:40Robbie Mustoe:Frimpong, by the way, is a problem, mate. No, it's not good enough. Frimpong's a problem. Not good enough. As I said to you this week, he attacks like a defender and defends like an attacker. I mean, and Joey's on the right on that goal. He's not even in the shot, Robert. Right back, the left-sided player.
33:55Robbie Earle:He has a terrible goal. I think they got switched over. Cody Gapos over there, I think, Rob. So what a bad goal to concede that was from a long ball.
34:02Robbie Mustoe:One long ball over the top and they don't defend it.
34:05Robbie Earle:So plenty of work to do on the training ground for Iriola and Liverpool.
34:10Robbie Mustoe:And obviously he needs Wietz and he needs Isaac and he needs Borkola in and Fahre and things are to go well. OK, mate, that's the end of segment two. Coming up, we'll dive into the Manchester clubs.
34:27Robbie Earle:Welcome back to the Two Robbies podcast presented by Barclays, the official banking partner of the Premier League. Okay, Robbie Earl, let's get to the Manchester teams. Always fun to watch the Manchester teams. Manchester United 5, Ipswich Town 2.
34:40Robbie Mustoe:Bit of a wild game, wild weather, wild kind of,
34:44Robbie Earle:lots of wildness going on there, Rob. And again, a little bit, it reminded me a little bit of Chelsea, Rob, where a team has been focused on improving their attack and it looks brighter and there's different options. And Marcus Rashford started that I want to talk about. But again, there was a, you know, a little bit of a weakness in defence and these big clubs that want to get to a point where they can challenge Arsenal is another example of a club that will have to improve that side of things like Arsenal did over a period of time. But what a crazy game, wasn't it?
35:13Robbie Mustoe:It was a crazy game. And in the first half, Ipswich, I thought, gave Manchester United a few problems, some issues. There was pace in the wide areas, Maeda on one side and Fatou on the other side and it caused problems, balls in behind. And Ipswich could have easily been 2-0 up, Rob, before I think Nunez and Mephiel slips. And to be fair to Cunha and Bruno, they combine really well, get a goal. And at 1-1, I remember saying to half-time, like, they need a bit of reaction there. That wasn't good enough. That game's too close for Manchester United. In fairness, they kicked on. They got more control of the game.
35:47Robbie Mustoe:They looked at threat. And we started to see more of the Manchester United, I think we all felt, would come after last year. You know, with their goal. 69 goals they scored last season. third only to Man City and Liverpool. And it kind of looked that way, that they did have the quality. But there's a few alarm bells still for Michael Carrick. There's a few things still to sort out for me.
36:09Robbie Earle:Yeah, and it is that time of the year, isn't it? It really is. And a lot of these clubs have got new players and they're trying new things. And of course, obviously some clubs have got new managers. But I thought it was a very important half-time for Michael Carrick. And I think when I saw him come out in the second half with much more energy, that's what Manchester United is. that's what Old Trafford wants to see. That's what they got good at last year when Carrick got them going, was that on the front foot, expansive football, high energy. It just wasn't there in the first half. It wasn't there in the first game against Holstead and it wasn't really there in the first half.
36:38Robbie Earle:And I was like, this is not how it's meant to go. When the goals are going in second half, Rob, it's almost like, here you go. Yeah, season's started now. That's a season start for Manchester United with great attacking play. And the midfield was kind of open again a little bit, particularly in the first half, Rob, which I know they got a couple of players that might be coming in there and making a difference. I did think Kabi Manu played really well. I thought he played really well.
37:03Robbie Mustoe:Yeah, he got better as the game went on as well, didn't he? I thought his influence was good.
37:07Robbie Earle:Yeah, Tielemans is going to get better. You know, it is going to change in there a little bit. But I tell you, I want to talk about Robin. And it's a player that we've gone back and forth a little bit.
37:18Robbie Mustoe:And it's Marcus Rashford. It's Marcus Rashford.
37:21Robbie Earle:because, you know, it's been, what, it's been two years, isn't it? Two years, 20. Yeah, December 2024, last time he played at Old Trafford. Yeah, and you just sort of think, is the, I don't know, the fire in his belly gone for the football club and some disappointments over previous managers and fallouts and sulking and not great performances and go out on loan. But I'll always give credit where credit's due, Rob. And, you know, I'm still, you know, I'm still very sceptical whether he's going to be the starting left winger and he's going to do a brilliant season, score 12, 13, 14 goals. But at least we saw energy.
37:53Robbie Earle:We saw skill. We saw getting in on the back post, almost scored a couple of times. And I'm straight to my notepaper when I saw him early on, Rob, sprinting back, helping out defensively. That is it. That's it. If you show heart and you show you want to help the team without the ball as well and not just stand on the halfway line and wait for the ball to come to you, then everybody's in for that. I'm in for that. Michael Carrack's in for it. The United fans have given him a huge round of applause when he's working for the team. So that Marcus Rashford, which he will have to compete with Matthias Cunha on that left side, Rob, when everybody's stick and maybe playing well and Xesh goes back in at point.
38:30Robbie Earle:And whether he'll be happy, Rob, at times to be left out and whether he's happy to be a rotating player or maybe whether he plays well enough that he forces his way to be a starting left winger. I'm here for it. And I'm happy to be proven wrong if he's that guy and he plays 30-odd games in the Premier League and score against him the double figures, 12, 13 goals. I hold my hands up that I didn't see that coming. So good work from him, really good work, positive signs. And he enjoyed the game as it went on, Rob, like all the United players did, particularly in the second half.
39:00Robbie Mustoe:Yeah, and fair play, because I know you've had your doubts and obviously voiced your concern about him. And I've always been a little bit more supportive, but I agree at times that, you know, his career's kind of wandered a little bit and he hasn't always been as focused as he should. I just feel, Rob, and I wonder, you know, does Michael Carrick get a little bit more credit, you know, when you think of some of the individual players who look so different under him than they did under Ameren? You know, is Marcus Rashford at 28 years of age, Rob? Is it like the pennies dropped? Is he at that maturity age?
39:35Robbie Mustoe:They say that's kind of your peak years are coming. Has he decided, listen, of I'm not going to go to Barcelona, and I went to Villa and that was good, but actually I can be a player. I can wear the number nine. I can be a player at Manchester United. Is it like the second chance that's, you know, given him energy, re-energised him? Like you, I was impressed with his work off the ball as much as on it, which we've not always seen, and if he can be a threat, if he's not, whether he's part of the starting XI or not, you know, with four competitions this season, he could have a big role to play, whether it's in the central positions or on wide left.
40:11Robbie Mustoe:Yeah.
40:13Robbie Earle:When you say about penny dropping, Rob, I immediately think of, Marcus, you're here to make the manager and to make the club happy. The club aren't here to make you happy.
40:24Robbie Mustoe:No, I hear you.
40:25Robbie Earle:He's got to have that mentality of doing his job and doing it really well and doing it the way that the manager will want it done.
40:32Robbie Mustoe:I agree, Rob, but we come from a base, us two, who were up and down, laboring, centre midfield players who knew a job, worked hard and sometimes gave the ball to better players or more skillful players. He's a different type. You know, the artists and soldiers. And the artist mentality can be different and is different. Sometimes you have to push their buttons differently and maybe that's who this guy is. And all of a sudden it's him. I don't know. And I'm not sort of batting out. I'm just saying, you know, we see it different because, listen, if I was at Manchester United, you know, they'd have to drag me off after every game.
41:11Robbie Mustoe:I'd give them so much effort. But he's different and maybe he needs to be treated a little bit differently to get the best out of him.
41:19Robbie Earle:I'd say he's pretty good. He's Bruno Fernandes, Rob. Any more words of excellence we can give him? I mean...
41:23Robbie Mustoe:Yeah, I mean, it's amazing how many people still dislike this guy or dislike things about him. I mean, nine goals, 21 assists last season, three goals in assists today. right at the heart of everything that they do. And regardless of whether, you know, Belieber, Maynou, Tielemans, whatever the mix, Bruno Fernandes will start and has to be an important part of what Manchester United do, mate. He is that key, he is that important to this team.
41:49Robbie Earle:And just back on Ibsch real quick, Rob. I mean, I thought reasons to be optimistic for them. They've done like other teams have done. There's so many new players. And Cicel, I really like. And Fatoua, like you said, was brilliant on the outside, taking around Luke Shaw. But I thought you were a little bit harsh on Luke Shaw, Rob, about that.
42:05Robbie Mustoe:Yeah, I was going to ask you what you thought on that. I mean, listen, we have our opinions and we see sometimes things a little differently. In my head, Rob, if Manchester United going forward and I think of a modern fullback, I do not see Luke Shaw. I see Luke Shaw being a part of my squad, can play left back, can play left side, centre back, never lets you down. Great guy, no slur on him. but the modern fullback is mobile, is quick, can go up and down. Looks like Lewis Hall, looks like Coyote, looks like Malik Jouf, who maybe are not as intelligent as better footballers, but they've got the athleticism.
42:43Robbie Mustoe:Whereas I look at Luke Shaw now, based on what I saw today, and I would think most teams are going to start figuring, let's get down that left-hand side. If he faces Anthony Alanga, it's game over.
42:57Robbie Earle:yeah yeah we'll see how that goes you know there's talk about left backs coming into the club um but no it's fair point you had a rough time against it i mean to be fair a very quick winger let's get a man city rob manchester city uh well they went to crystal palace and made it look very very easy as the game wore on ryan shirky being the star really as well as erlen harland and you know i i felt from day one that man city still got a lot of good players yeah and they're going to add to these and they look very, very, very good, didn't they?
43:26Robbie Mustoe:They did look very good. It's not the greatest Palace team we've seen and PSO just got his work cut out at the moment just to get them a little bit more competitive. One thing I saw, Rob, right at the end of the game and I thought, let me make sure I mention this to Musti on the podcast, was right at the very last almost kicks of the game, I think it's Semenyu gets played in on the left-hand side. I don't know if you remember, he kind of overrun the ball and I think might have gone out for a goal kicker corner. and Haaland was in the middle. Haaland's obviously on two goals and you saw Haaland shake his head and pull his face and the referee blew the whistle.
44:01Robbie Mustoe:They get to the centre circle, all the players are shaking hands. Haaland's still not happy. He says to Donnarumma, the goalkeeper, he says, he never passed me the ball. Mareska came on, he never passed me the ball. He was mad, crazy mad that Semenyo hadn't crossed the ball for him to get his hat-trick. And you know what I thought, Rob, before that, the hunger's still with this group, by the way. This group still want to be top dogs.
44:30Robbie Earle:Yeah, they do. And they're bringing players in. Ayub Boyari, a player that we watched, of course, for Morocco, came on the last 10, 15 minutes. I mean, he's good. Of course, you never know it's going to settle into this intense Premier League, but he's got all the attributes to be a star player for them. And Ryan Schurke just fascinates me, mate. He just fascinates me. is his insane ability with his feet and his talent, the ability to create and score goals. He could have a great season. Phil Foden also was at a good moment where he came inside. I think Schurke went off or went in a different spot.
45:00Robbie Earle:I can see exactly what they're doing tactical-wise from Mureska. It's exactly the same as Chelsea. When I'm on a show, we'll go through it a little bit, but it's exactly the same as a diamond in midfield. It's 3-4-3, diamond four in the middle. It's very hard for teams. They get pinned back because of the three front players. then they have four in midfield in different spots. So I'm really liking Man City again. The balance, they'll have to find the balance. But again, it's other teams.
45:25Robbie Mustoe:How about Nico O 'Reilly as well, mate? I mean, he just finds some interesting spots as well on the pitch, didn't he? It was like one time Nico O 'Reilly.
45:34Robbie Earle:Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, well, he comes in and makes that left side of the diamond. Yeah, and then he was on the right side of the diamond.
45:40Robbie Mustoe:He was on the right side of the diamond in possession.
45:43Robbie Earle:Yeah, and he caused some problems, you know,
45:45Robbie Mustoe:Him and Foden down that side were a real threat.
45:48Robbie Earle:Anderson's better as a six. As a central six player, he's much better. Yeah.
45:53Robbie Mustoe:But no, City look pretty good, mate. At the moment, you'd say they look like the team may be going to go closest to Arsenal if Arsenal are going to win it again. Listen, mate, that wraps up end of segment three. Let's stick around so we recap the remaining results of the weekend.
46:16Robbie Earle:Okay, welcome back. Rob, let's just go over the remaining four fixtures of the weekend. Quick line on these games. Coventry City nil, Hull City one. Hull City continue to surprise us all a little bit, Rob. I mean, that's pretty amazing to win your first two games. Many changes. There's still plenty of players here from last season as well. So they've had a brilliant start. That whole spirit from promotion, excitement around the place. They're quite the story right now.
46:42Robbie Mustoe:Yeah, and you've got to remember, Rob, They were 22 points behind Coventry in the league, came through the playoffs and won the game. Liam Miller, Rob, came on in 59 minutes for Stroud and made a big difference, his pace on the threat. And I have to say, it was quite a fed-up-looking Frank Lampard at the end of the game. I think it's one thing to go to Arsenal and get beat, but to be at home and get beat by Hull City means that he's got to get to work and get to work quickly.
47:10Robbie Earle:And he can't get two down, Rob, can he? No, he's got to keep the spirit of the group. Yeah, everybody looks to him, don't they, to set the tone.
47:18Robbie Mustoe:So, yeah, Coventry 0, Hull City 1. Let's go to Bournemouth 1, Everton 1. Bournemouth take the lead through. Alex Scott, lovely goal. And then Tarkovsky gets a late equaliser for Everton. It almost feels like, Rob, there's a stamp on an Everton team that's a David Mullies team that just doesn't quite give up and doesn't ever know when they're beaten. and Tarkovsky's, you know, almost epitomises everything that's pure about David Moyes. Funny around Everton right now, Rob, isn't it?
47:47Robbie Earle:It's a funny sort of vibe around it, like the lack of not too many exciting signings and then it looks like Richarlison could be coming back and Njai could be leaving. The Harrison Armstrong thing about the young players came through.
47:57Robbie Mustoe:Yeah, it was interesting, wasn't it?
47:58Robbie Earle:I mean, that's again, that feels a bit messed up. But then the fans are basically saying
48:04Robbie Mustoe:they wouldn't allow it, would they? And they've pulled the deal on Forrest now.
48:08Robbie Earle:Yeah, amazing. Alex Scott, what am I... I mean, he could still go. Yeah, he's talking to the city. Chelsea, isn't it? Chelsea and City, I think. Leeds United won, Brentford won, Rob. Kevin Shard with a beautiful, beautiful finish. Yeah, great finish on it.
48:21Robbie Mustoe:It's a great goal, yeah. That'll be probably one of the goals of the season, even though it's week two. But it's a Leeds United team, Rob, that spirited. Ellen Road, difficult to play. And Dominic Calvert-Lewin, we talked about him last year and how important he was. And he's come up with a big goal, a Sniffers goal inside the six-yard box.
48:37Robbie Earle:Yeah, brilliant. Really, really great signing. Continues to score goals. Leeds United are going to do better. I think they made a couple of really good additions to this starting XI to make it a little bit better. I think they're going to be fine. And the final one, Sunderland 1, Fulham 0. And, you know, whether it's Wilson, Isidore, you focus on Rob, or Fulham's, I'll tell you right now, right, I've watched Fulham twice. They are throwing themselves forward. You're going to see loads of goals against Fulham with them running back toward their own goal because somebody's given it away and they've committed, over-committed going forward.
49:08Robbie Mustoe:Well, that was always the worry, wasn't it, that Arbelo is coming in and does he quite know how to set up in the Premier League? But Sunderland-Wilson needs to do, score goals in the Championship, got goals last season, got goals again. And, you know, everybody was sort of saying, well, European football hinders Sunderland. Doesn't look like it's going to be that way, mate. Listen, that comes to the end of our podcast. At the top of a very early table, these three teams on maximum points, Manchester City and Chelsea were expected, but Hull City make up the top three. Thanks for supporting the Two Robbies podcast presented by Barclays.
49:40Robbie Mustoe:For now, I'm Earl, he's Musty, together with the Two Robbies. Thanks for watching and listening. Be safe, stay healthy. It's a good night from me.
49:48Robbie Earle:And it's a good night from him. Good night.
50:03You
From the publisher
The boys are back to recap Matchweek 2 of the Premier League season! Robbie Earle and Robbie Mustoe discuss Tottenham Hotspurs' second loss in as many matches, which had their boss, Roberto De Zerbi, questioning the team's mentality. Plus, Chelsea look a changed team under Xabi Alonso, Liverpool stutter to another draw, and the talismen at the Manchester clubs push their team to victories on the weekend. Follow us @The2RobbiesNBC
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