"The Destructive” Conor Bradley, Are There A Lack Of Flair Players & Alan Shearer The Traitor 

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1:42Hello and welcome to The Rest is Football with Micah Richards, Alan Shearer and me, Gary Lineker. We're recording this on the Thursday after a couple of fascinating nights of Champions League football in which you two were both involved work-wise. Who wants to start? well Alan actually because you actually went to two games obviously you're doing the co-coms at Liverpool Real Madrid game but also they cut you up in vision I saw you at St James' Park as well so a good couple of days yeah a good couple of days yeah and what about Big Dan's header how the hell did you get a bend on the header like that it was brilliant wasn't it yeah he's the Brazilian of headers yeah Newcastle were a lot better last night than they were at the weekend.

2:29Although, I have to say, Bilbao were pretty poor. They had injuries. All their forward players were out. Once Dan got that goal, I thought there was never any part of me that was worried. You know, even when the ref or the assistant on the side puts up the extra time, it came up five minutes. Normally, there's a moan and a groan if you're winning. I don't think anyone was that worried because Newcastle were that comfortable. I think they were rather weak, Bilbao. but it was a lot better from Newcastle after what we saw last weekend what were you doing Mike are you in the studio both nights for CBS yeah Gareth Bale was in the studio for the first night really nice guy who was reminiscing about our battles and remember the quote he said I was the hardest defender he ever played against did he stick with that or did he say he went joking I stuck with it guys but it's nice Jamie Carragher was out the studio we always have a laugh and a joke that the studio was better without him.

3:28And we got really big numbers because it was a big game as well. So he was seething. But yeah, it was good. As for the game, I thought Liverpool were excellent. Well, they've gone back to how they were last season and not just in terms of the way they perform, but also the style of their play and their midfield. Yeah. I mean, you don't have to be a rocket scientist. It was always going to be difficult to get vert in the team. And we talked about that. And me and Alan, we had a bit of, not a back and forth, but he was alluding to the fact that there wasn't win the challenges. I agreed with that point, but it was just, they were lacking something in the middle of the park.

4:05And when you've got Gravenberch back and when you've got McAllister back, we know the running power of Suboslai. They do look a little bit better balanced in that way, I would say. And that's the point I was trying to make. And then Verts going on the left instead of Gagpo did really well. Connor Bradley what a performance from him do you remember what I said a couple of pods ago I watched him on Northern Ireland on a Friday night and for them he had so much confidence and I said he needed a big performance and that certainly was an amazing performance from him because obviously the situation with Trent and it was pretty negative towards him which you'll have a view either way which is fine but because Trent was sat on the dugout as a substitute every tackle every run every pass, every cross was like cheered from the Liverpool fans as if it was a goal I really think that spurred him on and can you remember, was it last season or the season before you had that crunch and tackle with Mbappe Mbappe, yes he had a similar one with Vinicius Junior and the roar was like oh, I thought, to a man I thought every single Liverpool were brilliant.

5:23I thought Virts put a shift in. Greca TK was brilliant. The midfield, obviously. Van Dijk and Canate, who have come in for criticism, I thought they were brilliant. Robertson was fantastic. The keeper made a save when he had to make a save in the first half. Marmadash Philly. But I thought the pick of the bunch and my man of the match was without doubt was Conor Bradley. He was outstanding. Such a very, I suppose, English Premier League, British thing, call it what you like, but we get more excited about crunching tackles than perhaps. And I think that encapsulates perhaps the two different kind of footballers that Trent compared with his young prodigy.

6:01And they are very different. But I think in many ways, we perhaps seem to appreciate someone who's more destructive than someone that's perhaps more creative. And I get it. And I actually thought, boos make a bigger impact than applause. But when they panned around the crowd, there were one hell of a lot of Liverpool fans that actually stood on their feet and applauded Trent Alexander-Arnold when he came on. And I think it's important to mention that because that was the classy way to deal with it. You know, I get the rivalry and you want to boo your opponents anyway, whoever they are. But there's a lot of classy responses, I think, from the Liverpool fans, which they get drowned out by boos because you can't really hear applause as much.

6:41But I think it's a real interesting thing because in Spain, they don't play football that way. Crunching, you know, you get used to, used to, used to kick lumps out of you, but kind of the modern era, the way they play, they keep the ball, the possession side of things. But overall, Liverpool were much, much the better side. If it hadn't been for Courtois, it was unbelievable. As he was, if you recall, in the final in France a few years ago when Liverpool played Real Madrid, made two or three unbelievable saves in that game. I mean, what a goalkeeper he is. Without him, Liverpool would have absolutely battered them, wouldn't it?

7:14He looked so big in the goal, you know. You know when Wurtz crossed the ball into Slobbertschlein the first half and he came out and sort of made himself huge, didn't he, to block him? I mean, he looks a man mountain in the goal as if nothing. And it was always going to take something special to beat him, the crossing and the header were brilliant. But yeah, he was outstanding. And as you say, it wasn't for him, it would have been four or five, maybe more. I'm going all over the place here, but I quite like these conversations. Who's the best keeper in the world at the moment? Because you've obviously Courtois and then...

7:50Courtois. There's Raya at Arsenal. I mean, he's not conceded a bloody goal hardly this season. Yes, but if you look at what's in front of him... Alisson's obviously injured at the moment. You've got Donnarumma as well, who's been really good generally for Manchester City. And there's some great goalkeepers around now, isn't there? There really are. Yeah, I think Courtois has been the best for a while. I think I would say in the Premier League it would be Alisson I think Rhea's on his way to being the best certainly but what Alisson is one on one shot stopping is ridiculous yeah old black's worth a mention as well he has to be in any conversation at Atletico I mean I think the art of goalkeeping has got better I mean they're bigger for a start aren't they generally I mean Rhea's not Rhea's actually the exception he's only about I think he's only six feet six feet one I think they're probably better athletes aren't they I did say this about six months ago I mean the keepers back in the day it's funny how you say everything that just happened what did I say we had an argument me and you H we got the receipts for this and I said that the goalkeepers now are more athletic and he was like oh no they were basically overweight back in the day let me make one valid point here right okay so you've got to remember that back in the day goalkeepers used to have to dive out of mud.

9:12Oh, here we go. Back in my day, the boots were rubbish, the peaches were crap. They were. The boots were slow. I was like running in treacle, were you talking? That's literally what we were. Well, not literally. We almost were running in treacle because mud is like that, Micah. Mud is thick and thick. Collects around your boots and you used to have to clean your boots at half time. There's no mud anymore. And the game is much better for it. In fact, that brings me to a point that, and because I saw it go on, I think, social media with Thierry Henry, and it was on CBS. And he was talking about perhaps that the game now, as he thinks possibly that it's more about data and all this kind of stuff than perhaps individual flair.

9:59Is the game not as good to watch now? Oh, that's a good question. What do you think? We're not producing players. But then you look at someone like Lamine Yamal. I don't know whether you saw his goal. Yeah. I mean, in one of the craziest games of football, I mean, the way Barcelona plays, it's mental. It's just nuts. I know we're going all over the place, but it doesn't really matter. And I think that that high line, I mean, Bruges just every time they attacked, they just went through. And that was actually, if you remember, that was his undoing when he was the German national team boss that they just didn't cope with the counterattack.

10:35And I think the longer it goes with this, much as I admire and I hope I hope his football works because I mean it really makes for fantastic entertaining football I think it was the first goal guys Trisoldi I mean the high line there must have been three yards inside their own half still trying to play them offside that's it when the ball's been about to be passed forward they're still going towards the ball I mean if you are I mean that is I mean if you've got half a brain as a striker there you don't even need to take a chance because you know they're going in the wrong direction and you're going to go and be ready to turn that way.

11:09So the timing has to be so perfect. And once teams are not daft and coaches are not daft, they're going to work this out. Imagine Haaland playing, Man City playing against them if they played that way. I mean, it would be carnage. I was cringing at that defender. But having said that, I mean, Lamin-Yemal was absolutely breathtaking again. I mean, some of the bits that he did, one pass, I think, for the first goal or second goal and the goal he scored himself. I mean, gorgeous stuff. It's special. He doesn't seem to worry more than a bit of criticism for his attitude and all that kind of stuff.

11:45And he's a bit cocky. I don't know if you saw, when I was coming in and getting off the coach, he had this big chain on, this big diamond chain. And one of the lads in the studio was like, is he going to a concert? But it doesn't faze him. He just does his own thing. I just absolutely love him that he talks, he basically talks shit before the game. And he backs it up. So I love him even more. I just love players like that who can back it up. What do we want? Mundane, boring, pre-match. No, we don't. Oh, yeah. Oh, no. Sorry, you know, we didn't place the world today, but, you know, onward and forward would be better for this.

12:24Or you're going into a game where we take every game as it comes. Do we want all that? No, we want a bit. And then as soon as someone comes out and says something a little bit brash, a little bit cocky, a little bit arrogant, if you like, then we complain about it. Micah, you're in with the kids, right? No, no, no. You don't say it like that, Ali. Say it. I'm down with the kids. I'm down with the kids. Go on. Okay, you're down with the kids. Can you tell me, what's this with the wrist coverings, the bandages on a wrist? I think there's at least one person in every team now with a bandage on a wrist.

13:00Phil Foden, Laminia Mal. Yeah, what is it? Have you noticed it, Micah? Yeah, I have, yeah. I mean, has Phil Forden had a bad wrist for about three years? Maybe he's got some snus under there that he just takes. Yeah, maybe. I don't think it's anything to do with an injured wrist or anything like that. Can I just make one quick point? Because I've just noticed it, Alan. And by the time this goes out, everyone will know the result of traitors. But when did you become a traitor? what with that outfit you've got on yeah put it over your head please put it go on let me have a look see if you look like there he is there he is who you please don't murder either Micah or me tonight because we're faithfuls okay we're definitely faithfuls that has given you the little prompt there hasn't it has you little fucker no it wasn't it actually wasn't this time I know he loves traitors but so do I I've been watching the whole series it's been absolutely brilliant who's been the best on it I heard Alan Carr's been good Joe Marler and Alan Carr Alan Carr particularly Alan Carr's been an absolute star and he's brilliant by the time this goes out people will know we're doing this on Thursday but Alan Carr's been absolutely sensational I think Joe Marler's been a bit of a star as well he calls it as it is sorry who's Joe Marler who's that rugby player oh the big lad big guy sorry I know who that is sorry but he's been very good come on you're not done with the kids are you keep up will you yeah David's one of our hosts on a journey through time as well as one of our podcast and he's kind of I would say he got away with it a little bit but he's kind of wriggled through somehow to the final I don't know who won but we're definitely watching that if you're going to wear a traitor's outfit what do you expect Mike is on about snus we've got white bandages on wrists we've got we've got other podcasts anyway quickly though I know we're bouncing around but did you see the interview with Van Dyke and Rooney, by the way.

15:01Oh, a little bit of, but I've had that over the years. You've had that probably as well, hasn't I? Because I will say, I get it from both sides, but because players don't like to be criticised when things are not going well, but pundits have to be, you have to be honest and you call it out as you see it. But I also understand why you get humpy. I mean, let's be honest. I would imagine that if Wayne Rooney has spoken about Virgil van Dijk 50 times, 49 times out of 50 would have been very positive. He's not been in the Punditry game long enough probably to mention him that many times, but we have.

15:35So we would also have mentioned Virgil van Dijk over what we've done this pod now, two and a half years almost. I would say almost every time we've eulogised about him, we've told everyone how amazing he is, what a leader he is, but this season, slightly below par start and we would call that out. So he could equally be critical of us for that. But footballers, and in fact, not just footballers, I think all people in life, if you get hundreds of compliments and you get one derogatory comment, insult, criticism, call it what you like, that's the one that tends to stay in your mind and it stays in your head.

16:13And they forget all the lovely things that you've said. So I understand it from both sides. Well, it didn't happen like that in my career. 99 % was all bad. I got one percent was a good comment every now and then. Micah, you're being harsh. Being harsh? You was the one creating it. I'm just trying to be nice to you. What do you imagine today? Back in the day, Alan. Oh my God. That Micah Richards, he had a great start. What's happened to him? He's out of position here. He's out of position there. There's no communication. He's put on three stones. Did he have a point, Micah? To be fair, Alan never criticised me.

16:58No, no. He didn't know you were. Anyway, we digress from the point. Are individually brilliant players slightly out of fashion, even though we've got someone like Laminya Maal coming through? There's always going to be incredible individual talent. Or is the game now being, is it more like a computer game, for example? Yes, it is. It's more tactical, definitely. Yeah. The game's boring. Watching the games, if you actually watch... Michael, we're trying to sell a podcast here. We're talking about football. We're listening to us. We'll do the scores. We'll tell them the scores. But they want to listen to us.

17:36The game's boring. And I think it's because managers are more tactical. So I feel as though... Do you think we're more athletes, though, footballers, than perhaps footballers? We had this conversation a year ago and you were saying, well, you guys were saying, and Alan didn't agree, but footballers now are more athletic. 100%. The data is there. It's become the survival of the fittest, hasn't it really? I wouldn't say it's more aggressive. I think the tackles are better. I believe there were better players, better Mavericks 10, 15 years ago, but the intensity of the game has definitely gone up.

18:17The only thing I would say about the Mavericks side of things, or, you know, they don't have any fun anymore in football and all that. I have heard that. I've been around this over six, you know, over six decades now. And every generation, it's the same. You don't have the characters that you used to get. You don't have this. And what happens is, of course, when you're actually playing, you can't, you know, the character side of things comes out after. And then because you've finished the game, you play with certain personalities. You don't know the personalities that were in the game. now. But I do think there is a shift in the tactical and the way that players are taught.

18:53But it's a good thing though. It might be boring to watch, but players are... But that's not a good thing if it's boring to watch because it's entertainment. But I mean, in terms of the way English players are being brought through now, I think they're more tactically aware. How many times historically we've said, oh, we played against the Italian team. They're a bit more... What was the words that... Streetwise, the word we used to say Spanish teams or they're technically better than us I just feel it's taking a while but they're being coached differently now which now everyone's got a strategy which I'm making the games more boring I don't think it's a bad thing per se but we've seen less Mavericks would you agree with that Alan?

19:36What's the traitor got to say about it?

19:41I just think in every era you're pushing what you have available to you at that particular time. I think you're trying to push it to the maximum. I guess 10 years' time, we'll be saying, can you remember when Harland was doing this? Or I just wonder what new technology or what the fad is in 10 or 15 years' time. But I think you do, to every era, you do push to get the best out of what's available. I think the players 20 years ago were the fittest they could be. You're not telling me that players don't have a good time now. You're not telling me players don't party now and go out. They're young men, aren't they?

20:20We know what young men are like. We know how young men have a lot of fun. And we have a lot of fun on this podcast, and we'll have some more fun when we come back after this break.

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22:43You can even sign up for a free 30-day trial so you can try Whoop risk-free and start your year with momentum. Welcome back to The Rest is Football with Alan Shearer, Michael Richards and me, Gary Lineker. We're discussing the Champions League week. Lots of things to discuss. I want to ask a question because you were getting very excited about Dan Burns' goal as a central defender brilliant curling header that he scored was that a better goal in your opinion than Mickey van der Venn what a goal that was yeah Dan's was a great header but oh my goodness me a centre half running that far with the ball at his feet at pace going past what six opposition players and then having the ability to stick it in after going all that week.

23:33I think so too. No, I think Van de Ven's was slightly better. Have you got any fantasy, Al? Or you wouldn't know because you don't do it. And you're having a torrid time. You were at the top of the league for a week and now you've been at the bottom for three weeks.

23:49I've lost concentration on that. I'll have to go back to it and see what my son's been doing. I brought him in last weekend, Mickey Van de Ven, and obviously he ended up storming off the pitch with the hump. And then he goes and scores a goal that obviously doesn't count at all in your fantasy team because it's in Europe, which is equally as frustrating. He could have saved that for the weekend. But I thought Thomas Frank in his interview after talking about the goal, brilliantly handled. I think it was absolutely perfectly done the way he joked that, listen, if he scores goals like that, he can storm off the pitch anytime.

24:23I don't care. And I thought that was a brilliant way of dealing with it. Experienced manager handling a difficult situation very well. because he's one of his big players, as was Jed Spence. So he couldn't go looking for an argument. He just had to handle it the way he did. And I thought he did it really, really well. He also said they apologised after they came up to him. I think we predicted it right, not predicted it, but I think we called it right on how it happened. The two players were just frustrated at the game, at the way they played and just went off. And then it's no big deal. And it was an important win after that.

24:58they needed that because it was a really poor performance the previous weekend against Chelsea wasn't it it was torrid wasn't it but the back if you actually look at what Spurs have done in the league and then doing alright in the Champions League I think it's been a better start than people are giving them credit for it's been a good start it's been a solid start isn't it considering you've got to remember they were 17th in the Premier League last season I know they won a European trophy but they were 17th in the Premier League so I think they're making strides you've got to be a little bit patient but as we all know football fans aren't generally just one thing before you move on did you see was it Colomwani's first touch when the ball went high in the air beautifully done wasn't it I saw his two misses as well but the ball was spinning all over and he took it down beautifully and then passed it across I just thought it was amazing Brennan Johnson off sending off I mean did you see that you see it Alan I haven't seen that guys, no.

25:59I know you were at another game, but honestly, have a little look at it. It's ridiculous. He's sliding in. As he's gone in, it's a yellow probably. His foot hits the ground and bounces up like three inches off the ground and catches. It was not, I mean, it was... Slow-mo didn't look great, didn't it though, guys? Slow-mo makes everything look bad. Every single challenge looked bad, but he was clearly just sliding in and there was no thought of lifting his foot on it. You know like it does, your foot suddenly lifts up off the ground. Have a look. I'll be interested to see what you think. I wasn't even sure about it.

26:30I mean, I know he's got injured from it, Hakimi, and these things happen, but I just thought that was more clumsy than anything else and a bit awkward. I thought that was a bit naughty. His ankle was facing well, but I didn't like that one. No, I think it was unfortunate the way he landed on him, but I don't think there was any vicious intent. intent. Intent, not at all. I want to talk about Phil Foden. He's back. He's back. He's back. He's playing with a smile on his face. He's looking brilliant again. And I'm so happy for, well, for him, because he's clearly a good lad and he's a fantastic talent.

27:04And it's really good. There's a World Cup coming up in seven or eight months. I think with Philip, it's one of those things where we talk him up, we talk him up. And I remember in the Euros, he was having a discussion with Fabregas, wouldn't he? He needs to do more. And the point I was trying to make is they don't have to build a team around Foden. But if you are going to play him, he's just better in the central areas. Oh, he's so much better, isn't he? If you look at the time it took him to get in the space, we call them half spaces now, Alan, you know, for the modern day, to turn and to shoot, I don't believe we've got anyone in the England squad that can do that.

27:50I think Morgan Rodgers can get on the ball and drive at people. I think Bellingham can run all over the place. I think Cole Palmer likes to receive it and he's a bit of a better dribbler and could score one. But in terms of the time it takes to get on the ball, turn and shoot or make the pass, that's why I believe Phil Foden's different to anything that we have. He's got some big calls to make now, hasn't he, Thomas Tuchel, with who he brings in and who he leaves out or with Bellingham back and Foden back. The squad announced today, I think, Friday, if you're listening to this on Friday. We're doing this on Thursday, but I think it's announced.