Man City Without Haaland & The “Boring Arsenal” Debate

16:40Gary Neville:yeah we did that last night you did that

16:42Micah Richards:I mean I must admit I did bow out on the final whistle my apologies for not sticking with you at that point I thought I did well to him at the whole 90 minutes

16:55Gary Neville:yeah his point was he signed Semenyo before the first leg of the Carabao and he could play and the sign Gaghii after. So he can't basically play. But rules are rules. I would always back Pep if I feel like he's been agreeing with something. But that wasn't literally the rules at the start of the season. So we can't be complaining about them now, can we?

17:22Micah Richards:No, no. You can't. Rules are rules. Let's take a little break. And then when we come back, we'll talk about the other semi-final, which also, for different reasons, created a little bit of controversy about tactics, etc. Back shortly. This episode is brought to you by Whoop. In the modern game, of course, there are a lot more games and that feeling of being slightly off by Monday. And that's how it shows up. Not as an injury, it's just fatigue creeping in. Off the pitch, everyday life stacks up too. Work, travel, late nights, early starts. WHOOP helps you see how sleep, recovery and stress are impacting your overall health over time.

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19:15Micah Richards:Welcome back to The Rest is Football with Micah Richards and me, Gary Lineker. City are in the final of the Carabao Cup. They'll play Arsenal. A hell of a dilemma for you, Micah. Two of your favourite teams. You knew I was going to mention that, didn't you, at some point? But it was a bloody hard watch, the Arsenal game.

19:37Gary Neville:I was working. I've seen all the highlights. I've seen the stats and everything. I watched it. What was the game like? Explain it in layman's terms to you, please, guys.

19:49Micah Richards:Fucking dull. I can't get more layman's in that. It was a clear tactical plan from Chelsea. First time he's played five at the back or three at the back, wing backs, whichever way you want to describe it. And Arsenal obviously had the lead anyway, so they didn't take too many chances either, as they never do really. They're very good defensively. So it was a little bit like absolutely nothing happened for an hour. It was a negative aspect, but you could see his plan was clearly and the hour mark roughly. he'll bring on Parma and Esteval and then have a little bit of a go. Now, in the last half an hour, I would say Chelsea were on top, didn't really create any chances.

20:33Micah Richards:And then right at the end, Arsenal hit them on the break and score the goal. I don't think Arsenal looked in too much trouble. I understand why Resenia did what he did. And he made the point, he got a lot of criticism because it didn't work. And you know what it's like in football. If it had to work, people have gone, Let's just say that, what a clever plan. But if it doesn't work, you get the stick. And he said that himself. He said, it's easy in hindsight. So I understood what he was trying to do. A lot of the fans after, after I'll say, when they've lost are going, oh, come on, you can't go out like that.

21:10Micah Richards:You can't go out as a damp squib. You've got to give it everything, have a right go. And I also understand that aspect as well.

21:16Gary Neville:It's difficult, isn't it? Because if you're going back to the Newcastle game, they set up with a five and they was sort of on the front foot. And then Chelsea, obviously up against Arsenal, have gone with a back five and it's seen as a negative. And just because you're playing a back five doesn't mean you're going to be really defensive. It just means you have more structure sometimes down the width of the pitch, if that's where they're going to try and expose you. I don't mind the fact that Resenia is trying out different things because even the other day when it was 2-0 down, it brings on subs.

21:54Gary Neville:Yesterday was probably the subs to bring on. They ended up winning the game 3-2 against West Ham. And then it goes into a five now. So he's still working out bits and pieces. And he is up against Arsenal, who are top of the league in really good form. So he can't really win unless he goes and blows them away, really. And I think we're looking sometimes too much into the tactical side of the game and, oh, he should have done this or they should have went for it. And that's people's opinion and that is fair. And as a Chelsea fan, you do want to be on the front foot. You do want to play best players.

22:29Gary Neville:You do want to go out all and attack. But if Arsenal go and score after seven minutes, then it would be game over like it was for Newcastle against Manchester City. So there's no real way of doing it. It's just how you feel on the day.

22:42Micah Richards:They obviously conceded three set pieces in the first leg of the semi-final Chelsea. Arsenal, as we know, are brilliant from set pieces. And he did an interesting tactic from corners. I mean, I've seen it done before, but whenever they conceded a corner, Chelsea would put three players on the halfway line and create, meant obviously that Arsenal had to go back. Funny enough, I remember trying the very same thing. We did it in training with Terry Venables at Barcelona. He did it way more. He put five up. he said like let's see what they do now we tried it in training all week and by the end of the week he went not sure let's not do it but Rosseño did it having said that I went to I mean it's nothing new but it's interesting tactic I think particularly against Arsenal because they crowd your goalkeeper and it means you can't really do that because you can't immediately Arsenal put three well they have to put four back because you always need one more behind so I thought it was you know, he's obviously trying to think things through on that.

23:47Micah Richards:And I think that's quite a clever way of defending against Arsenal.

23:50Gary Neville:It's hard though, isn't it, Nogaz? Because if you leave more rope, I understand why they do it. Because you think one of your best headers will have to go back. But it also gives Gabriel more space in the box. And that's the last thing you want to give him.

24:04Micah Richards:If I were a striker in my day, I would have been going, oh, I like this. Because what do you want as a forward? Let's say forward, not a striker. because obviously corners, you get defenders as well. What you want, the more space you get, the better. I mean, I know Arsenal crowd it and they score goals in a different way, but if you've got a bit of space, you can also like, you've got half a chance of making a run, which makes it better. I actually, you know, I went to Loftus Road to watch QPR against Coventry. QPR did exactly the same tactic. This was last weekend. They did exactly the same thing.

24:39Micah Richards:As soon as Coventry got a corner, QPR put two wide players and one centre forward right on the halfway line. And Coventry were going, oh, right. So they had to put loads of players back. And it worked for them. They ended up winning the game. They didn't concede from a corner. So it's not new. And I get it. And I particularly think against Arsenal because the way they score their corners and the fact that they crowd the goalkeeper. They do that thing where they all gather on the far post and all go towards the goalkeeper. So I think it's, well, it did work because they didn't concede from a corner.

25:13Micah Richards:They ended up conceding from a breakaway when the game was, you know, obviously chasing the game right in the last few seconds. But Arsenal going on four fronts, Micah, four fronts.

25:25Gary Neville:You know what? They've been brilliant, haven't they? They really have. They really have. Because of the fact that after the United game, they had Leeds, didn't they? and to go to Ellen Road and win 4-0 and be comfortable in the game. You know, when we talk about psychology, Gaz, when you have that and sometimes you're beaten up, Arsenal had to win that game. They had to win that game against Leeds for their own confidence. And now they've gone there, they've gone to Ellen Road where everyone's expected them to drop points, maybe not lose, but draw and then go into that game against Chelsea and go to the final.

26:07Gary Neville:And you've got the squad to deal with it. Havertz back. You know, Jay-Z is back.

26:12Micah Richards:Great finish from Havertz as well.

26:14Gary Neville:He's a top player though, isn't he? He's a very stylish footballer, yeah. I really like him. And now you're thinking the real deal. And it's not been being negative, but do you remember a couple of years ago, more than a couple of years ago, it's when I first started at radio. I remember doing it. And Liverpool were in for all trophies. and they ended up with the League Cup and not the Champions League of the League, I think it was. So they ended up with them two. Arsenal now just need to take one cup at a time, you know?

26:46Micah Richards:That could be a new football cliche that you've invented there. Take one cup at a time.

26:52Gary Neville:Take one cup at a time. At a time. Because everyone's going to be saying, oh, the quad now. Oh, they'll do the league. They're at the top of the table of the Champions League. a league cup and everything one cup at a time don't get excited because I've seen it everyone starts talking about it you start believing in the hype and then what happens you end up with not a great deal at the end you're only as good

27:19Micah Richards:as your last cup correct I like this there's quite a bit of chat going around and there's always a lot of chat going around this is football and we were guilty of it ourselves the Arsenal style of play is boring.

27:36Gary Neville:Say that again, sorry. Did someone say that? Are you saying that?

27:39Micah Richards:No, no, no, no. I'm not saying that at all. There's a lot of chat going around on social media. Beware. Their style of play is boring.

27:53Gary Neville:Well, it's not Barcelona entertaining. No. But it's not boring. It's efficient. It's efficient. I've covered Arsenal a couple of times this season. And when you're there, it is very cautious. But what it is, it's very organized. And you can depend on this team. They get back in the shape very well. Defenders know exactly where they want to be. I would like to see their wingers stay a little bit higher. So when they get the ball, they've got a little bit more to do. I just feel like they're having to run from so deep. But I wouldn't say it's boring because tactically, especially from a defender looking at it.

28:35Micah Richards:It's not boring when you're winning, Micah. Football is not boring when you're winning. Exactly. When I spoke to Ancelotti a couple of months ago, I remember the interview, he went, fans want to win. He said people talk about the football and all this, but he went, they want to win. And when you're winning, everybody's happy. Yeah. And I think the Arsenal fans will be bloody, He ought to be bloody happy at the moment, flying in the Champions League, flying in the Premier League, final of the Carabao Cup,

29:05Gary Neville:still in the FA Cup. I think the wider point though, guys, isn't it? I think Arteta has changed the way he wants to play. So do you remember when we first was covering Arsenal, when Arteta went there on match of the day and he was energised, he was running all over, there was pressing, there was high, there was playing through the lines, all this stuff. but what Arteta has had to do he's had to adapt to what his team needs and to get the best at them and if people want to call that boring fair enough sometimes it is boring to watch but it's efficient and if they win the league at the end of the year no one will care

29:44Micah Richards:no absolutely you do what you do to win I mean I like watching them play I don't find them boring they've got too many good players for that before we go Micah deadline day what caught your eye any transfer the one that caught my eye I mean Liverpool signing the Stadren defender the great name Jeremy Jacquet or Jeremy Jacket I quite like Jeremy Jacket Jeremy Jacket 60 million quid

30:12Gary Neville:eh the Oracle would normally have something to say with him I've only seen clips of him so I can't I can't even go big I can't go big I did not see him for two or three years ago I can't claim this one guys

30:26Micah Richards:I've only seen Clip, so I can't go big on him. I'm sorry. He won't join till the summer anyway. They haven't signed anyone for now in the Premier League. Crystal Palace's window was a little bit of a shock. I mean, the club's in a bit of turmoil, but they have spent a hell of a lot of money for Stran Larsson, 48 million quid, a club record. And then obviously Mateta's move fell through. because of, I think, an injury with his knee or something, didn't pass the medical for Milan.

31:02Gary Neville:That's a lot of money for Stran Larsson, isn't it? I know. He's not one goal this season. If he gets, I don't know, they must have thought Mateta was going. Well, clearly. You've still got Mateta there anyway. And I'm sure he'll be fine to the end of the season. I think you just need to get Stran Larsson playing as soon as possible to get his confidence up. Because if you spend that money, he needs to hit the ground running next season. Because Palace could struggle next season. If you spend that much money on a striker, that should give the striker confidence. Yeah, but it doesn't work like that sometimes.

31:34Gary Neville:I know it doesn't work like that. Confidence thinking, I've been brought in for just short of 50 million. I need to score every game, otherwise I'm going to get hammered. As we've seen with the likes of Valtemar, although he scored nine in 24, but he's only scored one goal in the last 18 games in all comps.

31:51Micah Richards:Yeah. One other line, because we were talking about net spends with Pep earlier on. Brighton are 20th in the net spend graphs. They've made 2.8 million euros in the last five years and actually in profit, which is bloody unusual for a Premier League football club. They're very well run. We know the way they use data, et cetera. I do quite a few clubs now. I was reading a thing recently about a data company that they all use. Clubs like Hearts use them as well. Look how well they've been going. It's that Moneyball kind of, if you remember that movie. Great movie. Great movie. And it seems to be working in football to a degree as well.

32:32Micah Richards:Yeah, it does. Right, Mike, I've got to go because I've got to do Pilates. What about that? You've got Pilates, have you? I've got it now. Yeah, we have 10 minutes time, so I need to run off, get myself going. Pilates is brutal, you know. You basically lay down and do hardly anything, but it's killing. stretching and stuff. Good for the core? Great for the core. You've got to work on your core, Micah, as you well know, fitness fanatic that you are. We'll speak on Sunday, no doubt.

33:04Gary Neville:Yes, I'll see you on Sunday. Okay, but for now, that's it. Goodbye from me. Goodbye from me. Have a good rest of your week.

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