Port Vale Heroics, Magical Max & Arsenal’s Unfair Criticism 

10:36Alan Shearer:when are you guys going to start listening to me I try Michael we've got no choice but listening to you we're going to do a podcast together because we're listening to you. We listen to you constantly and every now and again, you'll get something right.

10:52Gary Lineker:What do you mean? It doesn't take a fucking genius to work out with Jean Pedro as a good player.

10:58Micah Richards:I was spotting him at Watford, mate. I was spotting him at Watford and when he goes to Brighton, I said, guys, this guy,

11:05Alan Shearer:he's cooking something. I do remember you saying that, Micah. I'll back you up on that. I do remember. Correct. Do you remember? I'm thrilled for you.

11:15Gary Lineker:What about the offside? I mean, I know it's difficult to argue with the offside as well. It's like, oh, goodness.

11:21Alan Shearer:The VAR again. No, I'll just leave it.

11:23Gary Lineker:Doesn't sit right with the offside when someone's a toe offside. Doesn't sit right with me. I know that they'll turn around and say, well, it's factual, and I get that. And it just took so long as well, didn't it?

11:35Micah Richards:Can I ask you a question? You know when you're doing the commentary, Al?

11:38Gary Lineker:Yeah.

11:39Micah Richards:So sometimes, so you had goal line technology, didn't you? and you had VAR, but you didn't have semi-automated, did you? No. Does that affect you in any way when you're making that decision? Because you're in it. You have to make that decision and make that decision quickly. You don't really have the time to say,

11:58Gary Lineker:okay, I've got that to protect me. Yeah, we've got a couple of screens with us and one is the actual live television, what you and what everyone else is seeing. But we've also got one in the middle of us, which actually has got like four little screens and showing us different angles of that particular incident. So whilst they're going and doing the replay, we can also, whilst we're talking, look at the freeze frames of another screen. But still, I was looking at it thinking, this is such a tight call. I think Tosin, who was at the right at the front, it was his left leg, I think, that perhaps might have been the one that they were taking the line off.

12:39Gary Lineker:and whatever they did, it was going to be very, very tight. So it was too tight to call. It was just a matter of waiting and hearing and listening to why they were coming up with that decision.

12:49Micah Richards:And one more thing, could you hear what they are saying? I know I'm Premier League games, you can hear, but for FA Cup, can you hear what they are saying?

12:55Gary Lineker:We can hear them coming to their decision. I couldn't hear them talking and being involved with the referee if they were beforehand, but we knew maybe two or three seconds before, because we can hear them telling the referee that they're going to disallow it.

13:11Alan Shearer:The most cut-up shots in the game were Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds. We saw them in most of the players.

13:20Gary Lineker:We could see them because they were about 10 yards to the left, maybe less, eight, 10 yards to the left of us. So we could see their reactions right throughout the game. You could have just sat and watched them and made a programme about it. They were loving it.

13:34Alan Shearer:Yeah.

13:35Gary Lineker:And rightly so because the Wrecks were brilliant.

13:36Alan Shearer:It's incredible what's happened to Wrexham since they've arrived at the football club. I know it's become, you know, a TV show and all these things, but I mean, Wrexham fans must be absolutely loving it. Incredible. Three promotions, might be a fourth. Yeah, they've got a chance, haven't they? I certainly think they might make the playoffs, in which case, you know, they'll have a chance of going up and Premier League football.

14:02Micah Richards:You know, financially, because I don't quite understand, you'll know a bit more than me, I think, maybe Alan, actually. You know, with your financial fair play, how does it work? How have they been able to do that? So I know the journey. I've watched the show and everything, but I don't understand the financial. So you've got one side who's saying, well, they've just bought themselves there. And the other side, well, they've not actually just bought superstars and they've managed to do it the right way and build sort of a team and that togetherness to get them up. Is that fair?

14:39Gary Lineker:I guess with the money that's coming in and sponsorship that those guys can bring to that as well, I guess that's all part of the revenue and that's one of the reasons why they can. I mean, when you look at their squad, they've got a really big squad, the forward options that they had yesterday and were bringing on as well. I know it's not Premier League standard, but at that level, then it's a pretty good standard to have. But I guess it's all the sponsorships and what have you had. those guys are bringing in on TV and everything else.

15:06Alan Shearer:Yeah, I think it all adds up. And I suppose as well, the spending levels don't have to be that huge at that level to make a difference. It's not like the Premier League, is it? If they get up to the Premier League, then they'll seriously have to spend, you would suspect. Whereas, you know, an extra, I don't know, extra few million will make a massive difference at the levels of League 2, League 1. and even in the championship, he obviously gets more competitive. With this one, they're in sixth place at the moment, three points above the team. Derby, I think it is in seventh place. They've also got a game in hand on a couple of teams above them.

15:45Alan Shearer:So I think in terms of their overall spending, it'll be interesting to see how they can cope because we all know, don't we, the gulf between the championship and even the spending in the championship

15:55Micah Richards:and that the Premier is vastly different.

15:59Alan Shearer:But boy, oh boy, Boy, they've had a good time. We're doing this before the, this part of the show, before the Sunday fixtures. But there were two classic cup ties, Wrexham, Chelsea, and then Mansfield. Mansfield had a real good go, didn't they? Proper cup tie again.

16:15Gary Lineker:I mean, even when you look at the pitch, it was like a pitch from the 80s, wasn't it?

16:19Alan Shearer:Actually, if you'd have plonked that pitch back in the 80s, and I know it looked bobbly and a little bit muddy, at this time of year, you'd have gone, oh, what a great pitch.

16:28Gary Lineker:I actually, When I walked on the pitch at Wrexham yesterday, it was part of me who was thinking, goodness me, you're coming to a championship club and the pitch is immaculate. But then when you looked at Mansfield, it certainly wasn't, was it? But they put up a right good fight as well. I was watching that in the car on the way to the Wrexham game. And they gave Arsenal a right good game, didn't they? Legally, I hope. Of course.

17:00but yeah

17:01Alan Shearer:Rhys Oates impressed I thought you know it's great to see Nigel Clough on the touchline obviously I played with him for England and you probably did as well didn't you because you came in at the end of the career yeah I don't know very intelligent footballer he's played just he's one of those that probably he'd be a false nine now you'd describe him or possibly a ten but intelligent footballer didn't give the ball away good to play with and Arsenal still battling on four fronts when are we allowed to mention the quadruple word before we go on to that

17:39Micah Richards:Max Dowman oh my

17:41Alan Shearer:what a talent it's so exciting still 16 isn't he 16 do you think he can sneak into the England squad

17:49Gary Lineker:Theo did it 17 didn't he Theo Walcott did it 17 didn't he

17:54Alan Shearer:if he is that good in Spain they go in you come son and you'll like Luminium Ali played him right he played him from when he was well 16 so but we won't do that because everyone's so cautious but you know he's been out injured in that sound I jest a little but I mean he's been out for three months and he came in and you thought again you know he's playing in men's football and he looks like almost the best player on the play every now and again he does a thing and you go oh

18:24Micah Richards:The way he glides past players. Wow, doesn't he? And his touch. Yeah. If you watch him on the half turn, he always turns the right way as well, you know? Yeah. Away from the danger. He is a special player. But in terms of England, he's not going to play enough for Arsenal, is he? You know? No. But in terms of his talent, oof. And he's up against Cole Palmer and Foden and Saka and all these players. So it's come a little bit early for him, but he really does look special.

18:55Alan Shearer:Yeah, it does. I was just watching the game and I was going, oh boy. Oh boy, it's one of those, isn't it? You can see, I mean, obviously there are dangers and we know that you can get carried away with young players. But even Mikel Arteta, I've never heard a man who just, you know, he enthuses about him, doesn't he? He talks about him. And I think he's probably in good hands with Mikel. Yeah. And I don't have a problem with big enough players. what we've got cautious of is knocking them down sometimes.

19:26Gary Lineker:Well, you can't help it, can you? When you see them, they're showing great ability. I know he's only young, but when they're that good, you have to talk about them, which then puts pressure on, but you have to accept that.

19:38Alan Shearer:You cannot ignore the evidence of your eyes, I would say. It's been a lot of chat this season, hasn't it? And we've been involved in it about Arsenal and their style of football, but let's flip it a little bit here. They're the first team in the Premier League to reach 100 goals in all competitions. So maybe some of that criticism is a little bit undeserved. I think we've defended them pretty much for most of the time. I'm not having the criticism. I don't get it. And I said before, they finished top of the Champions League group.

20:09Gary Lineker:Exactly. They were brilliant. They're in the final. They're in the quarterfinal of the FA Cup. They're seven points clear in the Premier League. Yet people are finding a way to criticise them. Do me a favour. From any standard, whoever you're looking at, in every position, wherever they are in cup competition or league or whatever, they're absolutely flying. And forget about any other comment or any other negative comment. Forget that. They're flying. And they couldn't do any better at this moment in time.

20:40Alan Shearer:And some of it obviously comes from their own fans. You see these things like Arsenal TV and all that, where he's all true. I mean, I know it's clickbait nonsense and they get people ranting him for no good reason, but I do find it absurd. I mean, you can, you know, we've done it ourselves. We forensically look at some performances and we evaluate where their strengths are and their weaknesses. And, you know, you can point things out in certain games, but that record this season, it's extraordinary. Yeah.

21:08Micah Richards:All I would say is, and I don't want to be the negative one, is they've not won anything just yet.

21:15Gary Lineker:Yeah, that's fine. But we're only talking about up to now. Up to now. up to now they're pretty faultless.

21:20Micah Richards:Well, it depends though, haven't they? In terms of results, yes. In terms of style of play, when you're watching them and analysing them and they score a lot of set pieces and the goals that are scored have been a lot of own goals, I don't think it's wrong for people to pick that out, but I also don't think it's right for people to be negative just as to say, Arsenal don't play good football. The objective at the end of the season is to win the league. However you get over the line, Who cares? Yeah. But the point I was trying to make a couple of weeks ago, I think Arsenal are favourites for the Champions League because it suits them more.

21:58Micah Richards:I think with, and we've made this point, especially with someone like Anthony Gordon, where in the Champions League, it is a little bit more stretched. Teams have a go a little bit more. So it's giving him more room to score the goal. In the Premier League, everyone's going to the low block. And I thought Man City would have the capabilities is to break teams down more when they're going into the low block. And that's all my opinion. If Arsenal win the league by playing this, who cares? You know what I mean? At the end of the day, the objective is to win. And it's as simple as that.

22:31Alan Shearer:Of course, it always has been. Speaking of Manchester City, sorry Al.

22:35Micah Richards:Hey! Come on, Ali boy!

22:40Gary Lineker:During the core comms yesterday, I got wind of Newcastle going 1-0 up. And obviously I couldn't see anything and show my excitement or anything. But then by the time we were walking down back to pick my bag up to get back into the car, it was 1-0. And then I got into the car and within 10 minutes, it was 2-1. And then, yeah, it was 3-1.

22:59Micah Richards:We'll set the scene now. We was down at Wrexham. You know what it's like, guys. You're doing it for 25 years. You're in the truck. You're doing your prep, your notes for the game. And obviously the later game is Newcastle-Mancity. And he goes to me, we're going to beat you today. I said, no! You need to work on your Jory accent, Mark.

23:22Micah Richards:I fancy us today. I fancy us today. We're going to beat you today. And then when he scored first, I was thinking, oh, shit. In the group, I'm going to get. And then Mamouche, come on. I mean, you see, you brought into the hype, didn't you? That Newcastle at home, the back, the energised, Mansey can't defend and all that sort of stuff. You got dismantled, Alan.

23:44Gary Lineker:I can't argue with that, Mike. Man City were the better team. They showed the levels that the rest have got to somehow get to and catch, like Newcastle. I mean, I did look at the team they put out and thought, yep, we've got an even better chance here. But to be fair, they were. Particularly second half. I mean, last 10 minutes of the first half, City were better. And Newcastle never had a sniff or a kick in the second half. And Man City battered us in the second half.

24:10Alan Shearer:So can't argue with that, unfortunately, as much as it hurts. It's interesting, isn't it, when you look at City at the moment, obviously they're playing this new sort of new system box in midfield and then kind of two up top. And we talked in the previous episodes about Haaland within that role has to change. But does that suit Marmouche more than it perhaps suits Erling? Perhaps Erling's the only one in this system that doesn't get the best out of it.

24:36Micah Richards:Yeah, I think for Marmouche, I remember the game before, it was at Newcastle, wasn't it? He got away at Newcastle.

24:44Gary Lineker:Yeah, he loves playing Newcastle, yeah.

24:46Micah Richards:And then it was Liverpool, wouldn't it? And I said, or what the point I was trying to make was, when Haaland goes to Anfield, he always has that battle with Van Dijk. And that's what Liverpool are going to be expecting. Would it be good to introduce Haaland a little bit later in the game when the game is open so he comes on fresh? So in answer to your question, the way Man City want to play with that two up front and have movement and runners and rotations, it does suit Mamouche really well. Because remember when we first signed Mamouche and it was all about what is he good at? What is he going to bring?

25:25Micah Richards:And it was that run from outside to win, which is absolutely perfect. And Haaland's tried to do that. He's worked so hard for the team. His movement's been better. He's trying to get involved in the play a lot more, but he's no longer in the centre of the goal. Whereas Mamouche is that type of player where he can play wide left, he can play number 10, he can play number nine, he can even play as a number eight. So in terms of that, it probably does suit him a lot better. But when Haaland's fit, in terms of his goal scoring record, you'd always have Haaland that. But I think it suits the way Man City want to play with that fast break and the movements and the rotations.

26:03Alan Shearer:What about Newcastle? I mean, it does seem to be the issue of the summer's recruitment at the moment. You're having a bit of a rant on our group chat.

26:12Gary Lineker:Yeah, I just look at City yesterday when Marmouche, Savinho, Semenyo, look at their recruitment and I look at Newcastle's recruitment and there's no doubt it's hurt Newcastle what they've done last summer. It's set them back. How they try and recover from that this summer is going to be huge for them. But most of the players that they've bought haven't worked. Malik Chow being the exception, Jacob Ramsey a little bit. But that has hurt Newcastle without a doubt. And again, he persists in playing, or he did yesterday, putting Volta Marder back in into midfield. He's not a midfielder. He can't play in central midfield.

26:51Gary Lineker:But I also think he'll look at it and think, well, Alanga hasn't done enough. Wissat, when he came on, he didn't do enough. So it's not just Volta Marder. I don't want to be seen to be picking on him. but recruitment's been poor in the summer. Yeah, most definitely.

27:05Alan Shearer:You were at Molyneux, Alan, as well, to see Liverpool. The one thing I was a little bit surprised in that game, Wolves, again, we've had these conversations before. You know, Wolves have got a bit of momentum, won a couple of games, including against Liverpool, just a few days prior to this particular encounter. And they, what, made about six changes. Six. Now, I know a lot of teams do, but I just thought to myself, you're going down anyway. I mean, yes, they've got a decent run of games, but they're mild. It will be an absolute miracle if they stayed up. But, you know, if you got to the quarterfinal of the FA Cup, that would give you a real lift.

27:44Alan Shearer:And you never know from there. Leicester won it a few years ago. We never thought we would, but went all the way. I don't know. A, you lose momentum. B, you're out of the cup competition, which is always disappointing. And three, you're going to go down. You've got no other games. And also, you don't play now because they're playing on Friday. That's at least the following weekend. You've got a nice big gap. So it baffles me a little bit.

28:09Gary Lineker:I was the same, yeah. I mean, one change he had too because one was suspended. But yeah, to make that many changes and to bring players in who were on the fringe, especially if you've had a really good result against them three days earlier, you think, here we go again. Yeah, it wasn't a great game, particularly first half, pretty dull and boring. I thought Liverpool were poor in forward positions other than their Rio Ungermore, isn't it? He looks a real talent, doesn't he? Yeah, very, very good. Very good. He was the best player by a mile in the first half. Brought energy, brought ability to go past players.

28:44Gary Lineker:So he was the bright spark in the first half, but then second half it was Liverpool. Andy Robertson's effort changed the game. As soon as he got that first goal, he just felt that was it and yeah, Wolves were done.

28:55Alan Shearer:Let's get a full-back's perspective on one of the Premier League's great fullbacks, Andy Robertson. Do you think he should have played more this season, Mike? I mean, it's easy in hindsight. They're bringing Kirkez. They spent a few bob on him. He comes in and he struggled a little bit, but you could see even Andy Robertson at the end, he did say, didn't he? Well, it took him a bit of time to settle in. And Robertson, I think they've really missed those. I know he's still there, Andy, but he's not playing regularly. I think they've really missed him and Trent, that unbelievable attacking creativity that both of those players have had, as well as, obviously, Roberts was more up and down than probably Trent in that sense, defensively as well.

29:35Alan Shearer:But, I mean, that creativity is a big miss for them on both sides, I would say.

29:39Micah Richards:Yeah, it has been. But I think the feeling was amongst Liverpool fans they needed to get someone in, Kyrkos. So I think they did the right thing. Well, he is in his 30s. Yeah, and it's the output that he does in the games, Robertson. He's up and down and up and down. And when are you getting your 30s? Not that you can't do it because he's a fit lad, but there were some games last season where you thought, ooh. And I don't know why a lot of people are saying his legs are gone. And I didn't think his legs are gone, but there were certain aspects where he wasn't quite getting forward at the right times and he was a little bit late sort of defending.

30:19Micah Richards:But all that might have been is just the amount of games he was playing at the time and he needed a little bit of a rest. I think it was right to get Kerkers but I would have played him more especially in the bigger games definitely just because of his experience and the timing of knowing that position and especially at Anfield as well it's difficult for Kerkers coming in and he was outstanding at Bournemouth. We all thought as pundits even journalists that he would fit in seamlessly in terms of what he can offer that side going forward and he was quite reckless and rash at the start, but he's sort of grown into his position there.

30:56Micah Richards:But in terms of the battle, you always need someone who can fill in there. And I feel like there's horses for courses, I would say. If it was a big game, I would play Robertson. If I need a little bit more energy up and down, then I would play Kirkus.

31:10Gary Lineker:He got a big decision to make on Tuesday, I think it is. They pay Garatassaray away. And after Robertson's performance with his goal and his assist, Slott's got a big decision to make, whether he keeps Robertson in or brings Kirkes back in. You've got to play Robertson. Me, I would do. I would, yeah.

31:29Micah Richards:It was as simple as that.

31:30Alan Shearer:Experience as well in a big game like that away from home.

31:33Micah Richards:Yeah, just know-how, isn't it? Yeah. An experience. I would definitely play Robertson without doubt.

31:39Alan Shearer:Well, as we speak, quarter-finalists, we've got Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea, which is quite tasty looking line up so far. More games to be decided later. Alan and myself will be on later. What are you up to, Micah? What?

31:59Micah Richards:Alan's doing another double. Is he feeling all right? Wow.

32:04Gary Lineker:Don't believe it will, Micah. Don't worry. We've got you back again, Micah. We'll cover for you. It's fine.

32:09Micah Richards:Oh, lovely.

32:10Alan Shearer:Where are you off, Micah?

32:11Micah Richards:I've got Borla League training. baller league training baller league training mate

32:17Alan Shearer:I've got some tactics that I need to do honestly well they need to do a bit of training your team the way you've performed I'd say

32:24Micah Richards:after we got beat by Alan last year if we get beat by you this season I'm retiring I can't bear it the amount of time and effort and energy I've put into that thing for you to beat us first game honestly I wanted to cry

32:39Gary Lineker:make sure you get your training or we'll just come and kick your ass again

32:42Alan Shearer:can I just get It won't clear. This is not Specsavers' best worst team, is it? Not yet.

32:52Alan Shearer:Alan and myself will be back shortly.

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33:46Alan Shearer:Other terms apply. See site for details. 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 to 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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35:24Alan Shearer:Welcome back to The Rest is Football. All just Alan Shearer and me, Gary Lineker now. We've just been watching the Sunday games in the FA Cup. And well, well, Port Vale. Wow. Incredible. 70-odd years since they reached this stage of the competition. Didn't really see that one coming against Sunderland. You've got a little smile on your face.

35:46Gary Lineker:I mean, we couldn't have Sunderland going further than Newcastle. Yeah, it was, I mean, even just looking at the pitch, We said earlier, didn't we, about their pitches at that level. I mean, they're bottom of League One.

36:00Alan Shearer:Yeah.

36:00Gary Lineker:So, yeah, brilliant for them. I mean, they put on a show. They were acting to the atmosphere. And I thought they were worthy winners, to be honest.

36:08Alan Shearer:I thought they did remarkably well, considering their position. Obviously, they only just got past Bristol because they had a waterlogged and it was delayed until this week. Ben Wayne scored in that one and then did it again. And it's celebration, Alan. Did you notice?

36:23Gary Lineker:Yes, flashed up my phone started flashing up. And then I thought, I'll tune in and watch it. And I watched it all after that. And then commented on it afterwards and watched his interview. And I heard his interview and he said, well, I never really saw him live because I was a bit too young. I'm thinking, oh, fuck it. Welcome to my world, Al. Anyway, yeah, but I'm really pleased for him. It was really good, great for Port Vale. and I mean what a time to be a fan there I know they're bottom of the league but to have a quarter final in the chance of one of the big boys and financially for the club would be huge

37:03Alan Shearer:Massively important yeah he did the Shearer celebration March 28th he's a Newcastle fan as well obviously so yeah and to get one over on Sunderland it would have meant a lot to him Absolutely I wonder how long you've been planning that one

37:17Gary Lineker:Good for him I pleased him

37:20Alan Shearer:You'd have been an optimist to think you were going to score the winning goal in that game weren't you against Sunderland but he really managed to do it and yeah they defended really well as well I thought yeah they did

37:31Gary Lineker:I mean the pitch made it difficult but they have to play on that every week but if you're a Premier League player you're expected to go there and play and handle it and do whatever but Sunderland didn't and they got dumped out of the cup and a bit embarrassing for them but magnificent for Portville

37:46Alan Shearer:I suppose they're really just not used to playing on surfaces like that anymore I mean week in week out We would do it, particularly at this time of year. I suppose once you get accustomed to these perfect surfaces, it must be like, what the hell is this?

38:00Gary Lineker:Well, every pitch in our time, when we started off in the 80s and 90s, every pitch you went to was like that, wasn't it? Yeah. Particularly this time of year, it's in sort of January, February, March. All of them were terrible, weren't they? Yeah. So, but when you even championship, I guess I said to you earlier about Wrexham, it was immaculate yesterday for them and Chelsea. but slightly different at Portfield today. And at Mansfield, as we said.

38:25Alan Shearer:Yeah, great result for the manager there, John Brady. He only came in at the turn of the year. I bet he never thought he'd have an FA Cup run.

38:32Gary Lineker:Not to the quarterfinals. You can imagine how that place is feeling now and how they'll all be looking forward to the draw. They'll all be sat watching it, hoping for one of the big boys at home. And they deserve it. Well done them, man.

38:45Alan Shearer:Yeah, the draw's tomorrow night, isn't it? Yeah, Monday evening, yeah. Yeah, so I think that all their fans and the players they'll all be waiting by. I mean, the chances are they're going to get one of the big boys. I hope so. Obviously, four of them all went through on Saturday. So, I think they'd be happy with any one of those four.

39:02Gary Lineker:It'd be amazing, wouldn't it, if they got one of those big boys at home.

39:05Alan Shearer:Yeah.

39:06Gary Lineker:Wouldn't it?

39:06Alan Shearer:Or away.

39:07Gary Lineker:Chelsea, Liverpool, City or Arsenal. How brilliant would that be?

39:11Alan Shearer:I wonder whether they, as players, whether they'd prefer to be drawn away to play at one of those. I think at home.

39:20Gary Lineker:I mean, get them back in, get them at home on that pitch.

39:22Alan Shearer:Yeah.

39:23Gary Lineker:It'd be great, wouldn't it, for those? I mean, Arsenal have already had it, haven't they, when they went to Mansfield yesterday. Yeah. Get one of those boys at Port Vale on that pitch. It'd be great. And a great atmosphere. Proper cup tie, proper quarter final. That would be no question. It's a great story.

39:38Alan Shearer:Yeah. Elsewhere, I mean, Southampton, lower league aside than Fulham, obviously, but it didn't feel like a big cup shop because, I mean, in terms of size and stature, they're probably similar sort of clubs. Obviously, Southampton got relegated.

39:53Gary Lineker:Yeah, but I had no sympathy for Fulham because they're safe in the league. You make that many changes and I know the manager will say we've got to keep the squad happy and they've got players to look after and what have you. But when you make that many changes, then you get beaten. I've got no sympathy for them at all. I just don't... I get it when the clubs are in Europe or they've played in the Club World Cup and all of these things. I get that. I understand that more. When you're in Fulham's situation, no, I don't. And Wolves either night was something similar. When you're making that many changes, then you've been dumped out.

40:30Gary Lineker:Then you deserve to go out.

40:31Alan Shearer:I understand it if it's, say, the third round or the fourth round because you're miles off the likelihood of doing well. But when you're one game away from the court, fine. There's a chance you could go all the way at that point. Well, there's a chance you even get.

40:46Gary Lineker:With all due respect, we've been talking about Port Vale. Yeah. There's a chance you could get Port Vale at home now, and that should be a buy, really, for a Premier League club, as good as it gets. But I don't know. I just don't understand that one. There's a place at a quarter-final at stake.

41:04Alan Shearer:Exactly. I mean, and even then, he waited until the 89th minute before he brought on Josh King and Raul Jimenez. Yeah.

41:12Gary Lineker:Yeah. I just don't get it. I don't understand it.

41:16Alan Shearer:Took his penalty though well, didn't he? Ross Stewart. I kept hearing, I kept thinking, Ross Stewart? Ross Stewart. A couple of times.

41:26Gary Lineker:Yeah, stuck the way well, eh?

41:28Alan Shearer:Yeah, really. Pressure. Yeah, I mean, that's it. I think he's one of those that could get in the Scotland squad for the World Cup. Yeah, took the way well. Looked really calm, didn't he? It was good. Ben Wayne might be at the World Cup as well with New Zealand. Oh, yeah, saw that as well, yeah. Yeah, I hope he is, yeah. I mean, something like that happening in these high-profile games, it's definitely going to help their cause. Yep. Leeds comfortably took care of Norwich. Daniel Farker's in the stand, didn't jump up for joy when this... Obviously, he took Norwich up twice, didn't he, from the Championship to the Premier League.

42:06Gary Lineker:What about Sean Longstaff's finish and touch and finish? The first goal, eh?

42:11Alan Shearer:I know. What a goal that was. Yeah.

42:13Gary Lineker:bloody hell that was amazing I mean the touch and then for him to swivel around and then the volley it was a fantastic finish it was just superb yeah I've had

42:23Alan Shearer:Goodmanson in my either on my bench or in my fantasy team for weeks and weeks now and he's just delivered no points at all and then FA Cup scores a goal and gets an assist for Longstaff's bloody game

42:38Gary Lineker:he did really well actually yeah I mean the ball back for Longstaff and then of course his goal as well. So yeah, he did well. Big result for Leeds, I think, because the momentum and the belief and the confidence and all of those things that we spoke about with Fulham. I mean, they're actually in a relegation battle, Leeds, aren't they? So good for them to get that result as well and they can look forward to a quarter-final as well.

43:01Alan Shearer:And it makes everyone feel good, doesn't it? Yeah. I mean, obviously we played in an era where you played in all the games regardless and I know things have changed and there's big squads and you can understand it with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City, they're playing in European football as well. They're in all competitions and they've got squads that they can do it without really debilitating their team too much. So I get it from that point of view. But if you're just playing once a week and it's a bit of a cut run, yeah, I'm totally with you on that.

43:30Gary Lineker:And there's an international break coming up soon as well, by the way. So a lot of the players will get a bit of a rest as well in a couple of weeks' time. So no, I don't buy into that, no. They deserve to be knocked out. It's got no sympathy for them.

43:41Alan Shearer:Yeah, same. Just moving away from the FA Cup just to finish, because I've really got your views on, you know, what's going on at Spurs at the moment. So that means talk about crisis, crisis of confidence, crisis of belief, just on and off the pitch. It just seems a bit of a mess. have brought in Tudor, obviously, three games, three defeats. Saw him in his press conference and he just didn't really seem to know what to say. I saw them ask him about a couple of the injuries, how they closed certain players, and he just went, I don't know. I mean, obviously, I've got an allegiance towards Tottenham.

44:21Alan Shearer:I've got a lot of Spurs friends and they're all aghast at the moment.

44:25Gary Lineker:Well, there's a live, there's a real, real possibility, danger, that Spurs could be relegated.

44:32Alan Shearer:Imagine.

44:32Gary Lineker:Yeah, I know. I mean, that stadium, that training ground. Oh, I mean, I've been to the training ground and obviously been to the stadium. Me too. Which is the best around, you know. But for that to be relegated in the championship would be, I don't know how they recover from it. It would be just like incredible. Because we all thought last year, we thought, oh, one off, they had a poor season. A lot of injuries, blah, blah. No, they won in Europe. But yeah, all of that. that's not going to happen again. Goodness me, they're actually worse this year. I mean, you just said it, they are a mess on and off the pitch, which is just incredible when you think of the size of the football club.

45:11Gary Lineker:And they've got their next two games or what? Let's go Madrid. Away. Away and Liverpool away. Oh! I know. How did they finish fourth, by the way, in the Champions League group?

45:23Alan Shearer:Well, I'm just thinking maybe they're just the European Kings and they're going to go and win the Champions League and get relegated. oh goodness me it's mad how they finished fourth I mean what would you do if you were in like Tottenham now because they brought in this guy obviously he's got no real history of the Premier League at all he was at Juve didn't really go that well for him there it was a strange appointment

45:45Gary Lineker:well I went obviously I went into Newcastle in similar circumstances went with eight games to go yeah but at least you knew

45:53Alan Shearer:the Premier League and you certainly knew the football

45:55Gary Lineker:yeah but it's really difficult it's really really difficult to get when the I what I it was really there's a crisis in confidence as of the belief is it is all-time low and um it's really really tough to to go in there and I get I understand what he's trying to say and doing but he's I don't know it's like it just just looks a mess from the outside and everything just feels as if it's doom and gloom yeah which I guess if someone else had gone in, they might have had a better chance of lifting their morale and all of that, I don't know, but somehow, and I don't know how, but somehow, they've got to scrape a point or scrape a draw from somewhere to get a bit of belief back in that team, in that squad.

46:41Alan Shearer:Honestly, I don't think it would be a bad idea to bring someone like Harry Redknapp in. Not someone like but Harry Redknapp. I know it sounds a bit mad and he's been out of the game for a while but you know what he's like, that big personality lifting everybody coming in, I mean it's in a moment of crisis, a little bit like Martin O 'Neill's done on a couple of occasions now at Celtic and lifted them I mean God, the thought of them going down

47:09Gary Lineker:By the way it's not all the manager's fault it's all the coach's fault, it's the other people in the club have to take their share of responsibility

47:15Alan Shearer:And also I mean that's two seasons running now where they've had so many injuries I mean, enormous amount of injuries. They must need to look at that as well. Because, I mean, it might just be completely bad luck or I don't know.

47:30Gary Lineker:Two seasons on the spin? I don't know. One, you think, yeah, we'll accept that and understand that. I mean, everyone's going to get injuries, but the number that they've had is incredible.

47:38Alan Shearer:Do you think they'll go down?

47:42Gary Lineker:I think they might just, might just. I mean, I've got no confidence in it, but they may just have enough. But with what I'm seeing, I'm just saying that because of maybe the names in their squad rather than the ability. And for too long, they haven't performed. But I don't know. There's something saying to me that they might just scrape it, but I've got no confidence with that at all.

48:10Alan Shearer:I mean, Westtown have definitely improved. Yeah.

48:12Gary Lineker:At least they're fighting and scrapping. Forest going to City, as we said. Forest, yeah. At least those two teams, for their fans, you say, well, if we're going, lads or guys, we're going down with a fight. And yeah, that in itself is a good thing. But Spurs, at the minute, you don't see any of that, do you?

48:30Alan Shearer:No, it's very concerning. Very concerning indeed. OK, Al, let's call it a day there. Goodbye from me.

48:37Gary Lineker:Goodbye from me.

48:46.