Title Race Tension & The Premier League’s Falling Standards

13:34Ian Wright:All that holding and grappling and stopping and starting. And very clever because they know they can't give away a foul before the ball's in play. So everyone's just, it's ridiculous. It's like WWE. I'm like, what are we watching here? Come on. They've got to get a grip of that because it's just ruining the spectacle of the game.

13:55Alan Shearer:I am to agree. And it takes so long, doesn't it? It's like Alan said. It's like, well, come on, get on with the game. And they're introducing some new laws coming in, aren't there? More VAR laws for them to look at and plans to try and help time wasting. Did you see Chelsea's goal?

14:11Ian Wright:Declan Rice wasn't even looking at the ball. He was just grappling.

14:16Alan Shearer:They just called on to each other.

14:18Ian Wright:He was just grappling.

14:18Gary Lineker:And could have been giving handball the one before that, that they were complaining about Chelsea, because he was the one that was holding, wasn't he? Correct.

14:26Alan Shearer:I don't know. It's fascinating, but we're not seeing much free-flowing football at present. I think City would probably be the exception at present. and obviously the new players have made a big difference and you covered that on match of the day, Alan.

14:43Gary Lineker:I thought after 20 or 25 minutes when clearly Leeds are going to try and put them under as much pressure as possible and use that crowd to their advantage as they did and they had two or three really good chances Leeds but I thought the way City managed that and then played after that, I thought City were really impressive. I thought particularly defensively, Diaz and Gehi were brilliant. Cherokee, I thought, had his best game. And of course, Semenyo. I mean, the signings of those two in January have been instrumental in what they're doing now. I mean, huge for them.

15:15Alan Shearer:You know, we talked the other day, it's all about systems and, you know, tactics and stuff like that, Mike. And you were talking about, because we were actually doing this, we recorded another lump of episodes of Premier League Greats at the moment that made them. We were talking about individual, I think it was Hazard we were talking about at the time. We said, you don't really see that many players like that. I don't think we ever have, but Cherk is an individual, isn't he? You know, he's got a bit of swaz about his play, hasn't he?

15:45Ian Wright:Yeah, he has. Individual talent, he's brilliant, technically fantastic, can see a pass, can shoot, he's got it all, both footed, takes corners with one foot, right foot, one foot, left foot. And the pass that opened up the goal yesterday, I thought it was excellent. Mamouche is, his movement just to open up that gap and then overlap and then Semenyo's in the box. But while we're on this, I think the wider point, guys, on this is back in the days, it was midfielders getting on the ball the most touches, wasn't it? So you Yaya Torres, the Fabregas. Now, I know, guys, have you got a stat? Do you want to read out that stat now, H?

16:31Ian Wright:Because while we're on there. I've got it here, Micah.

16:33Alan Shearer:it's in 2014-15 so just over 10 years ago this is the list of players who passed the ball the most in the Premier League Fabregas Yaya Arturi Cazorla Matic and Hazard five midfield players or forward midfield players in the sense of Hazard in particular in 24-25 it's obviously last season the top passers in the Premier League Van Dijk Colwell Saliba Vardial and Ruben Diaz. 16 of the top 20 passes in the Premier League were centre-back. Seven of the 10 this season are centre-backs as well. And that's, you know, we do see that now. It's, you know, the goalkeeper passes out to the centre-half and he passes it and then he comes back and then they wait and they wait and the midfield players are not getting as much of the ball.

17:25Alan Shearer:I think that's very much a Premier League thing.

17:28Gary Lineker:Probably one of the reasons why we've got a lack of centre-forwards in England or England centre-forwards. Because who wants to play centre-forward now?

17:36Ian Wright:Yeah, but the game's changed tactically, hasn't it, Al? I mean, back in your day, when I used to watch you, 4-4-2, and it was you against the defender. You know, when Makalele came in to protect the defence and sort of Mikel, and you had Vieira, but even the clips that we showed from Vieira, the pod that was doing, he was up and down. And they've always had a defensive midfielder, but it was sort of individual battles.

18:02Alan Shearer:But that was 20 years ago though, Micah. This is 10 years ago. This is like, this is Fabregas. Players like that, this is not romping it up to a big centre forward.

18:11Ian Wright:You used to see Fabregas getting on the ball, in between the lines, come and getting it deep, controlling the tempo of the game. But what's happening now? Teams are just going into a low block, even the best of teams. So, centre-halves are going side to side into it. And there were some Spurs fans talking about Van der Ven. and all he does is go side to side and all that. But teams are just now getting back in and it's harder to play through the lines now because everyone's banking up, which now you're seeing defenders trying to dictate the game. And that's why I believe football has gone backwards for the spectacle and the entertainment of everything because we're not seeing the likes of Hazard's no more being able to just run because everyone's like Roblox in positioning.

19:02Ian Wright:So in terms of the art of football and coaching, football's improved because everyone knows their jobs better. But in terms of that Maverick and Hazard and the reason why you say that, because you mentioned Shirky and when he had that pass and he went out wide and all that sort of things, he was getting frustrated in that number 10 role where he just couldn't get on the ball because Leeds 5-3-2, sometimes a 5-4-1, no space. and then he's had to create something from a wide area. And that's why, throwing it back to the title race, Arsenal are a fantastic team. And in terms of Champions League, I think they're the favourites because maybe the game can be won by just a goal.

19:45Ian Wright:Let me just ask you before you go on to that, Micah,

19:46Alan Shearer:do you think that also applies in Europe or just the Premier League? Because obviously you've got players like, you know, Lamin-Yumal and Mbappe, I would say, the individuals that can take people on and score brilliant individual goals and stuff. I mean, is it just a Premier League thing? I think it's everywhere.

20:09Ian Wright:I think it's everywhere to a certain degree. So when we talk about teams who try to win the game, Man City and Barcelona, Bayern Munich try to win the game. All other teams, even now, if you watch Real Madrid, they go into a 4-4-2 and when they're on the ball Mbappe and Vinicius are going out to the same positions which they find it very difficult and them two off the ball are not working so they're going to the two and you've got the likes of Valverde Gula Kamavinga two or many doing all the work in there so tactically because of the new manager Alba Loha that is what they're doing but if you watch Barcelona Man City Bayern with a Lise or a Shirky or a Haaland or whoever it may be, Yamal, they try to win the game.

20:56Ian Wright:So that's when it leaves them exposed. So you look at Barca's high line, what they try to do tactically, win the ball back as soon as possible, but leaves them exposed at the back. And I think Man City are more equipped to win the Premier League because they can open up the doors. So going back to Allen's point before, you would rather have the points on the board now and defensively they sound. And you always say defence wins the championships. That's always been the way we've saw the game. But because football is changing and you're needing something special to open up a door, I think Man City have more players to do that, which makes them favourites to win.

21:38Ian Wright:Well, not favourites, give them a better chance of winning the Premier League. But in the Champions League, I think Arsenal have a better chance because they're more robust, if that makes sense.

21:48Alan Shearer:Do you think football is losing because of this, though? Do you think the fans watching the game, do you think it's as good to watch now? Probably not.

21:55Gary Lineker:I don't think so. I think the standard of the Premier League is not as high as it used to be, certainly not this season. Now, whether the Club World Cup has got something to do with that, as well as the other clubs around Europe.

22:07Alan Shearer:They've got six of the last six. Yeah, but look at Newcastle.

22:11Gary Lineker:The miles off in the Premier League last year. Tottenham are miles off it. Liverpool are miles off it. Arsenal, perhaps no City, perhaps or not. But the standards of the other clubs, Chelsea, Chelsea are so unpredictable. And I look at Real Madrid, I've seen Real Madrid two or three times this season live, done their game. They're nowhere near what they were in terms of standard. Barcelona were their high line. PSG, I went to watch PSG Newcastle in France and they're miles off the standard that they set last year. So whether it has got something to do with the Club World Cup and players are just absolutely kooked, I don't know.

22:51Gary Lineker:But certainly not as high standard football this year than what we saw last year from a lot of the clubs.

23:00Ian Wright:I think, just quickly on that, I think from a coaching point of view, Gaz, I think on a tactical point of view, the game's improved. but from a fan's point of view, I don't think it has. I think it's become quite robotic and too tactical. And the evidence is there when you mentioned about the Fabregas, the Yaya Torres on the ball. Now we're seeing defenders on the ball. We don't want to see defenders on the ball or making the most passes in the game. We want to see the creative players. So that's the way football is going. And that's why people always give City a chance because of the way they play and Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

23:39Gary Lineker:Not only the football's gone robotic, the referees are robotic as well. When are we going to get on the VAR?

23:45Alan Shearer:We'll do that in the second half, Alan. My goodness. We'll hold back just for now. Okay. But we'll do that in the second half. That was my plan. As I thought we'd do the title, you know, the two teams fighting for the title. I think it's obviously a two-walls race now. One other thing I wanted to say is that Manchester City, without Erling Haaland, won 14 of their 18 Premier League games. Are Manchester City better?

24:11Gary Lineker:I'll leave that to you, Big Me.

24:13Ian Wright:I'm finding it even hard to get it out of my mouth. It's always crazy, right? Because they played Newcastle in the Cup and I thought Mamouche was excellent. And we were sort of talking off air and Jamie Carragher brought it on air. Of course he does. And I said, I wouldn't be bothered because he was up against Van Dijk away at Anfield and Van Dijk always gets the better of him apart from this time when he scored, didn't he? He didn't have a kick-all game, then he scored. But I was thinking, it'd be better to bring Haaland on when the game opens up a little bit because Mamouche is quite explosive and he makes good runs and he'll work harder for the team just in a period where Liverpool are going to be Donovan.

24:57Ian Wright:So, no, they're not better without Haaland. That's all. They're still bloody good for Mamouche and Semenya. Goodness me. however they could still compete and that's the point I was trying to make

25:13Alan Shearer:they could have some partnership at the back Diaz and Gay they could make a real I mean I know you know they're still not quite the city of a cup and you know they're bringing in new players and stuff but they're starting to look I know they're still slightly vulnerable we saw that against Leeds but they are defending considerably better than certainly last season

25:36Gary Lineker:Yeah, he's made a huge difference, Geahy, hasn't he? I think particularly second half, the way that both of those two had to defend, even when Leeds were going direct and had to go direct. But I thought those two were really, really solid. And it looks to be a really good partnership.

25:52Ian Wright:Yeah, it looks good. The only thing I would say, and you mentioned it, the vulnerabilities on the counter-attack, their line is very high. It's not quite Barcelona yet, but they're trying to win the ball back. and on another day, Leeds could have took a few of those chances. Have Calvin Lewin been a yard faster, a better player. If they was up against Mbappé and Vinicius in the Champions League who they've got next round, they take those chances. So as good...

26:23Alan Shearer:Real Madrid City again. I know, again, again. Every year, it's mad.

26:27Ian Wright:And that's the only thing I would say is the partnership is there. It's looking good. The clearances were excellent. The positionings were really good. It's just that that bit where they decide, do they take half a yard step backwards just to give them a little bit more protection?

26:44Alan Shearer:Well, that was the first bite delivered by Uber Eats. We'll have the second bite after the break. This episode is brought to you by Squarespace. What's worse than missing a penalty? A brand without a solid website? Squarespace makes it easy for you and customers with new mobile pay links. Customers can pay for your products or services via text, email, social, or QR code fast and hassle-free. Go to squarespace.com slash football for a free trial. And when you're ready to launch, use code football, all uppercase, to get 10 % off your first purchase of a website or domain. This episode is brought to you by Whoop.

27:30Alan Shearer:If If football teaches you anything, it's that careers are shaped between matches by how you recover and sleep and how you manage the days in between games week after week.

27:41Gary Lineker:It's not about doing more. It's about getting it right. So you're ready to go again tomorrow on and off the pitch.

27:49Alan Shearer:That's where WHOOP comes in, Al. It shows you how your body is responding day to day, your sleep, your recovery, your workouts, and how your small daily habits add up over time.

28:02Ian Wright:And it's calm, no buzzing or unwanted alerts. You check your data when you want.

28:07Alan Shearer:WHOOP gives you personalized insights to help build routines that last, so you get into a better rhythm across the week without second guessing yourself. If you want to better understand how you can feel and live at your best for years to come, I'm definitely up for that. Head to join.whoop.com slash Triff and get started with Whoop today. You can even sign up for a free 30-day trial so you can try Whoop risk-free and start your year with momentum. We're leaving today

28:37Ian Wright:and entering a world of Mickey Mouse waving, princess meeting and greeting, lightsaber clashing, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror dropping! Banshee flying! Space Mountain launching! Galaxy rewinding! What's the wonder? Galaxy rewinding! Fireworks igniting! World of Other Worlds. For whatever you love, infinite worlds await at the most magical place on Earth.

29:04Alan Shearer:Walt Disney World Resort. Welcome back to The Rest is Football with Alan Shearer, Michael Richardson, me, Gary Lineker. But let's turn our attention to Manchester United. Another win. The unbeaten run of Michael Carrick continues, coming from behind against Crystal Palace. There were slow starters in the game. I watched that one. I don't know which games you were watching, but I watched the United Palace game, and they were a bit sluggish for the first half an hour. And then after that, they were much the better team.

29:34Gary Lineker:I watched mostly the Spurs game, but I was lucky enough to see Czesko's header. Wow, what a head of that was. It was brilliant, wasn't it? Great ball from Bruno. It was, yeah. Made him captain. What do you think of the penalty in the red card?

29:50Alan Shearer:I think the penalty probably did hold on to him into the box. So I get that. And he gave it on field, didn't he? But the red card, I thought it was a bit harsh because he's going away from goal. Now, has he denied a goal-scoring opportunity? Yes. But again, what does that mean? it's supposed to be a clear goalscoring opportunity. It was a bit wide. It would have been a tough finish, but I didn't think they needed to turn it around. I think a penalty would have sufficed under that one.

30:21Ian Wright:Don't you think it was quite soft though? I know in slow motion, it looked bad, but it was in real time. I was like, oh, he started outside. It continued in the box, but it was only a slight.

30:33Alan Shearer:I don't think they'd have turned it over. I don't think they should have, if he hadn't have given it.

30:37Ian Wright:Yeah.

30:37Alan Shearer:But it was a soft one, but I don't think they could have. overturned, if he'd taken his hand off his arm before he went in the box. But, I mean, that's what they give penalties for these days.

30:47Gary Lineker:Big win, though. Another one for Michael Carrick.

30:49Alan Shearer:Amazing. What a job he's doing. 23 points in nine Premier League games as Manchester United manager. Over two spells, of course. Won seven, drawn two. It's the best joint start after nine games by any manager in the competition's history alongside Ange Postacoglu. Remember him? 23 in his first nine but yeah they're looking way better way better

31:16Ian Wright:I thought in the game like you said guys it was quite sluggish I didn't think they thought they could just turn up but the passing was a little bit slow but when Bruno Fernandes gets a grip of that game and you talk about spaces and where he goes he's so clever he's everywhere Yeah, but when he crosses, he goes sort of inside left channel. He doesn't try and go in the middle. He sees where everyone is. And then he always uses his fullback or his winger. And then they play back to him where he's got that time to cross. Like you mentioned the goal, but if you actually look at his positioning, and we're talking about people getting back into position and defensive line, he's always scanning about where the best place is to be, where he can affect the game.

32:04Ian Wright:You see him on the right wing. You see him on the left wing. you see him I mean he's incredible what a brain yeah but he sounds really simple well of course a player who's played a number 10 could go everywhere but if you look at other people's performances when they're trying to get on the ball they're just trying to get on the ball in between the line there's no space there but Bruno just goes everywhere where he can get half a yard to put in a great delivery and he's just he's an outstanding player one of the players of the season so

32:35Alan Shearer:far I think he's the player of the season for me. I mean, I know they'll probably give it someone that's going to win something. I mean, I think for me, it's him or probably Declan Rice if Arsenal go on and manage to clinch the title. I suppose the only other one that if he came back and started banging in all the goals in one city, the title, it might be Haaland again. But at the moment for me to do what he's done this season, and he was still standout player, even when they were going through a rotten spell when they were really struggling under Amorim. So I think he's got such a great footballing brain and technique.

33:11Alan Shearer:What a player. Yeah.

33:13Gary Lineker:What a player. Yeah, brilliant. Outstanding. Absolutely.

33:15Ian Wright:Another player we have to applaud before I move on, guys, is the goalkeeper, Lammond. Yes. You know when the talk is not about the goalkeeper, you know the goalkeeper is doing a good job. He rarely makes mistakes. It keeps everything simple. I don't know how to pronounce it. Is it Lamont or Lemont or Lamo? Lamont.

33:35Alan Shearer:Lamont.

33:35Ian Wright:Lamont? Let's call him Lamont.

33:37Alan Shearer:Yeah, Lamont. That's a car race, isn't it?

33:39Ian Wright:Well, he's spelled L-A-M-M-E-N-S-O.

33:42Alan Shearer:Yeah, and he can play for 24 hours. Oh, fuck.

33:47Ian Wright:Oh, goodness. This is what we've resulted to. This is it.

33:52Alan Shearer:That's it. What we've resulted to. Sorry, lads. Sorry. Apologies. But no, I think he's been really, really impressive. He's got a calmness about him as well. Calm. exactly that guest. He's calm. Takes me to another goalkeeper, actually. Jordan Pickford, right? Who's not necessarily got a calmness about him, but he's got a brilliance about him. And I think whenever we have discussions about the best goalkeepers in world football, he doesn't tend to crop up. And I think he should. I don't know whether that's because he's at Everton and they're mid-table and we don't see them playing in the Champions League, etc.

34:24Alan Shearer:But he hardly ever makes a mistake these days. and he pulls off incredible saves. He really does. I mean, that one against your mob, Al.

34:35Gary Lineker:I mean, wow. Yeah, that's the best save you'll see for a long time, that is. That was, I was at the other end of the room when he hit it. Tonali. I mean, but, oh, yeah, that was a world-class save. It was unbelievable. Does he get the credit he deserves? I don't know.

34:51Alan Shearer:I always think there was always like, oh, well, I'm not sure about his temperament and this sort of thing. I don't see that.

34:57Gary Lineker:He's got anything wrong for England, has he?

34:58Alan Shearer:No, he's been brilliant in the big games. Brilliant for England. Yes, he's got a big personality and he kind of gets a bit agitated at times. But I played with Pete Shilton for years. No one got more agitated in his defenders than he did. I loved his kind of celebration of that save, though. I think he definitely went, BAMOS! I think he definitely did.

35:21Gary Lineker:You can imagine him, though, can't you? Because the reaction from the crowd is always obviously anti because of his Sunderland connection and where he's from and all that. Yeah, of course, yeah. So he was at the Gallagher end yesterday and to make that save late on, I get that. I understand that. You get it from the crowd and you're more than entitled when you do something good to give a little bit back. I totally understand that as much as it hurt me.

35:47Alan Shearer:Absolutely. He tops the points for goalkeepers on fantasy football pretty much every year, Micah.

35:51Ian Wright:He's a class actor, he. However, if he did say vamos, the game's gone.

35:59Alan Shearer:A lad from the North East said vamos. It just shows you how it creeps into the game, these things, doesn't it? I'm sure he did, you know. But I'm pretty, pretty, it looked very clearly. It did look like he said that, didn't it? Like vamos. And they, you know, you hear it so often, it would surprise me.

36:16Gary Lineker:Oh, brilliant. How good is David Moyes, by the way? What a job he's doing at Everton. And their away form is superb. Won five of the last six, I think it is, away from home.

36:27Alan Shearer:No side has won more Premier League games on the road than the Toffees since he first came back. Brilliant.

36:32Gary Lineker:The way he sets them up, I guess they found it tough at home, but certainly away from home because they look as if they enjoy defending. You know what you're on about the tactical and everything else, Micah? They look as if Everton, they really enjoy that side of it. They really enjoy defending, sitting deep and hitting teams on the break. And David Moyes is a brilliant coach at doing that. He's superb.

36:55Alan Shearer:You had a bit to say on Volta Marder on Match of the Day, Alan. You know, he's been a bit obviously disappointed. Because he had a reasonable start, didn't he? And then it's kind of petered out a bit.

37:06Gary Lineker:I feel as if just because of his price tag, because he's a centre forward, he is going to get a lot of the attraction. Yeah. He is going to get a lot talked about him. I mean, there are other players who have been really poor in the league for Newcastle. I mean, Dan Byrne hasn't been great. Nick Pope hasn't been great. Made another error yesterday. Gordon hasn't been great in the league. Champions League been superb. Harvey Barnes has dropped off a little bit. But whether you like it or not, centre forward, 70 million or 69 million, whatever it is, he hasn't done enough. And I guess he is a conundrum for Eddie because in forward positions, he hasn't got in the box enough.

37:45Gary Lineker:Hence the reason he's played Gordon. he struggled with the physicality and the pace of the Premier League which okay you're new to it that might take time to adjust which is why Eddie's put him into midfield but no touches in the box for the last two games not enough touches not enough being involved but he's not the only one

38:08Alan Shearer:Football's funny isn't it because they couldn't get away results and now they've had a few decent away results and they can't win at home

38:16Gary Lineker:They can't get through a low block. They can't get through teams that sit. That's the problem. A lot of teams struggle with that.

38:21Alan Shearer:They've lost three consecutive Premier League home games for the first time since February 2021 under Steve Bruce. So they need to sort that out.

38:31Gary Lineker:They do, but their league position obviously clearly is not good enough. They are in the Champions League against Barcelona and they still are in the FA Cup when they did get to a semi-final. But the league is the bread and butter and they've been miles off what they were or what they have been in previous years.

38:48Alan Shearer:Fascinating game at Anfield, Micah. It was a strange game though, wasn't it? Yeah, it was because West Ham actually did really well. I had a lot of chance. I think they'd hire XG. Did I just say XG?

38:57Gary Lineker:You just said XG.

38:59Alan Shearer:I'd sooner say vamos.

39:01Gary Lineker:I just said low block as well a minute ago. Micah's getting into us, guys. He's getting the better of us. I know. We're being indoctrinated. Next you'll be saying pre-activation or whatever it is. Oh, blimey, yeah.

39:15Ian Wright:Yeah, I thought it was a good performance from Liverpool in areas. I mean, but I thought West Ham also did well. They were good on a counter-attack. Boeing's still good. Somerville's doing what he needs to do. But they've got to somehow stop conceding the amount of goals that they're conceding for all the hard work and all what they're creating. They need to do better defensively. I don't know if it's organisation. I don't know if that's taking too many risks.

39:43Gary Lineker:Three set pieces as well, Micah, I think it was, yes.

39:45Ian Wright:Correct, yes, set pieces.

39:47Alan Shearer:It's another game with loads of set pieces. All teams are struggling to cope defensively from set pieces. I mean, the interesting one is Liverpool. They were bottom three for goals from set pieces in the first half of the season. They sacked their set piece coach, brought someone else in, I think, and now they rank first since the turn of the year.

40:09Gary Lineker:What a turnaround. Penny for the thought to the guy they sacked.

40:13Alan Shearer:No, no, bless you.

40:14Ian Wright:You did that game yesterday. He was doing the stats and stuff on West Ham. You think they can get out of it, West Ham?

40:22Gary Lineker:I think in terms of... You've nailed it, what they have to do. I mean, unless they stop conceding crazy goals, then no. But in general play, I thought they did all right. I thought there was plenty of positives getting into really good positions, scoring a couple of goals. But defensively, they just look really, really weak. and unless that improves then they're not going to get out of it. No. I think I also look at their fixture list and they've got the toughest, I think.

40:49Alan Shearer:They've probably got the toughest running. Probably them or Forrest. Could Spurs be dragged into it? I mean, gee, we're lost again today.

40:59Gary Lineker:Terrible. I mean, Fulham should have been out of sight. A little bit better. Spurs when they got the goal and Richarlison, but Fulham should have been out of sight. They let them off the hook. They missed so many chances, but Tottenham are all over the place defensively as well and lacking a real threat up top. Yeah, absolutely. That wouldn't surprise me at all if Spurs went.

41:22Alan Shearer:We had a fun day with VAR yesterday. The time has come, Alan. The main issues were around the Burnley-Brentford game. I mean, it was an extraordinary game in terms of... I mean, Brentford going three up and you thought, oh, blimey. And Tony, obviously my business partner, went all the way up as he always does. And he goes to loads of away games. He watches every match. And he was 3-0 down. And we're thinking, oh, Tony, what are you doing? Why are you going up there? Then they came back 3-3. And then there were a couple of decisions that went against Burnley. And then in the end, Brentford nicked it.

41:56Alan Shearer:So Tony, as he was there, and he was, let's say, quite outraged. He's calmed down a little bit. and we got him to make a video of his thoughts. Here they are, chaps.

42:10Ian Wright:Hello, Alan. Hello, Micah. Hello, Gary. Tony Pasta here. I was at Turf Moor yesterday, where I've been going since 1979 when my dad first took me. I still go with my dad and my three sons, who were all born in the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, but nevertheless are still Burnley supporters. So yesterday I was at that game, dramatic game. We were 3-0 down after 36 minutes, having played truly terribly. And make no mistake, I know we are going to be relegated this season. However, we fall back to 3-3, and we were terrific for a spell of the second half, and actually scored what we believe to be the fourth goal.

42:43Ian Wright:I've seen it back, and if people believe that that is what the offside rule is for, then they are deluded about what our game is. It should have been one of the truly great games yesterday, and instead, the referee and his colleagues at Stockley Park in West London have ruined it. Now, yes, I'm biased. I'm a fan of the home team, but I've been saying I do not want VAR from the very start. I don't want it when it goes for us. I don't want it when it goes against us. It ruins games. Now, let me just tell you one thing, boys, because I've been working in television sport for a long time. Each second of moving images is made up of 25 individual frames.

43:19Ian Wright:That's like a photograph. And you put 25 of them together and you end up with moving pictures. If you stop play on the video image, one frame rather than the next, and the two players are running in opposite directions, the difference is a meter they change position by a meter so somebody in stoppy park picks a frame to decide if a player is offside on and that is the determinant of it that is a wild inconclusive way of deciding if someone's offside i understand we have to have some way of doing it but the idea that somebody's shoulder has just poked two centimeters beyond the defender and that makes them offside that's not what it's for var alan shearer is anti-goal and you should know that as much as anyone.

44:02So look, the two incidents yesterday,

44:05Ian Wright:two goals that we were denied yesterday took four minutes and six minutes to resolve. Clear and obvious. If it takes four minutes and six minutes, it's not clear and obvious. I still don't know if Ashley Barnes handled the ball and I've seen it back on all the replays available. So what are we doing? The soul of our game is at stake here, guys. Please, can we just get rid of VAR? We'll actually enjoy our season next year in the championship because it simply is not used.

44:31Alan Shearer:There you go. There's Tony. He's worked in television for 25 years, all sorts of programs for years, and he can't even frame himself. He's cut the top of his own fucking head off. He's talking about frames.

44:46Ian Wright:He can't get himself in frame. He can't get himself in frame.

44:51Alan Shearer:He pressed the button at the wrong time, for goodness sake, Tony. I think on the science of how correct these things can be I think he's absolutely spot on and it is an issue I mean he's asking us to get rid of VAR we can't we haven't got that power sadly we've tried our best I think to change it dramatically but alas I think we've got the referees running our game and deciding the rules as well

45:17Gary Lineker:I totally get and I'm with him on all of those points made he's absolutely spot on with all of those points because that was not what VAR was brought in to do However, on his first point with the offside, it doesn't sit easy with me when I see the centimetre or two of someone's shoulder. Now, and he did say, well, someone has to be offside at some point. And I think you're always going to get this argument as where and how someone stops it, where the line's drawn, etc. So whether he's two centimetres or 20 centimetres off, somewhere someone has to be offside. So on that point, I get it, but it's hard to argue against.

46:03Gary Lineker:On this other point, I'm absolutely raging that, for me, that has given his handball because the referee gave it on field. So they have to be – that has to be a guaranteed huge error or clear handball, yet it can't be because we had all the angles, we slowed all the angles down and I sat in a room with five guys yesterday and I asked every single one at the same time, right, you guys tell me whoever thinks that is a definite 100 % handball and there was one person out of five said, yeah, I think that is definitely handball. Yet four of us, with all the images that we saw, couldn't agree that it was 100 % handball.

46:54Gary Lineker:Probably it was. Yeah. But none of us or four of us said absolutely. And it took five minutes, not six minutes. It was five minutes and three minutes of decisions, not four minutes and six, as Tony said. Having said that still, it cannot. If they're looking at something for five minutes, what the hell are they waiting for? So I'm with him absolutely on that point. And I get his anger on the other point. And I'm as angry as he was because I go back to my original point. Years ago, they told us maximum benefit, minimum interference. We're not going to re-referee. Yeah. IFAB were all in Cardiff yesterday, and there's going to be more VR.

47:37Alan Shearer:I know. I know. They're bringing in more and more. They're going to bring it in for corners. Yellow cards lead into a red card. They're bringing it in for that. The game will get slower and slower. And then they go on about changing laws to stop time wasting. what's the biggest time waster in football VAR VAR it just it makes no sense but I totally get the frustrations I mean it's just and again they've got to go back to an appeal if they do that and then it'll be much better but they're not they're doubling down with it and bringing in more and more

48:17Gary Lineker:it just feels wrong it's just not right if you go right throughout the country, perhaps the world, if you ask the fans, and it's the fans' game, ask the fans what they want. Yet, Kalina and Ellery keep coming up with more and more laws that are just, oh, just, yeah, it's like some of it is just ridiculous.

48:39Ian Wright:However, if it was to go, say VAR gets abolished, say next week or for my next season, there's still going to be complaints, isn't there, if the referee makes a decision wrong.

48:52Gary Lineker:Yeah, but there's not going to be five or seven minutes delays as well. That's part of the problem, isn't it?

48:57Alan Shearer:If it was immediate, then it wouldn't be an issue. But it's not. It takes forever. And they still sometimes get it wrong.

49:05Ian Wright:Is there a way for them to sharpen it up, though? Because, you know, some things are getting long. For Burnley fans, it was so harsh.

49:14Alan Shearer:I've told you the way to sharpen it up. is the way they sharpen it up is by not making them ever present for every corner and stuff. So it's no, I'm sorry, I'm boring myself, but an appeal system, you get one appeal a half or two, if you want, whatever you want to do, and they have to decide on it. So the players, they're not going to do it for whether it's gone for a corner or not. They're going to do it if there's a goal, they're going to, but you've got to name what it is. You've got to say so-and-so pulled so-and-so, he hand-bored it, whatever it is, you name it, they look at it and then they decide.

49:45Alan Shearer:so they're not intervening all the time. You know what it's like now. You have to stop for the play at a corner because they're having a look at something. You think, well, they're just looking for anything, trying to find anything. It's madness. It'll come. It'll come and it will improve.

50:01Ian Wright:It still won't be perfect, but it'll be way better. Do the players need to help with this though? Because if you watch football now, every time someone goes out for a corner or a throwing goes the wrong way, or they should... Yeah, well, of course. They're asking for VAR. All the players. I thought players can't surround the referee. Everyone's going up to the referee and he's putting doubt in his mind. And then every single time now with a decision, everyone's going like this, VAR. So then the referee can't do his job also because he's got so much pressure.

50:31Alan Shearer:I think what they'll do, they'll bring a law where referees can go and watch and see the VAR decision to see if a player's done a VAR sign and they can get a yellow card for doing a VAR sign.

50:45Gary Lineker:Do you know, in 10 years, we might not even have officials. That's the way it's going. That's it, with AI.

50:50Alan Shearer:Yeah. AI, yeah. All the players will be robots, everything.

50:53Gary Lineker:I mean, at the minute, what's the point of having assistant referees or linesmen? None. None, really.

50:59Ian Wright:We could have an AI podcast. We could have our feet up, get someone to just do AI, and we just do the show for us.

51:08Alan Shearer:All the intelligence on this is artificial, that's for sure. Oh, goodness me. Just before we go, did either of you watch the old firm game?

51:18Ian Wright:Yeah. No, I didn't. I was sleeping.

51:21Alan Shearer:Oh, my word. It was a cracker, wasn't it? It was. End to end stuff. What did you think of the VAR one on that one? I actually thought it was handball. Al, I know you didn't because I think, I only say that because he's under the rules. Again, I'll go back to I don't like the handball. But I think it stopped it going in the net. I think without that handball, it would have gone in the net.

51:42Gary Lineker:What about the penalty though? he had three stabs at it three goes keepers saved it twice it was like oh goodness I can imagine you can hear the atmosphere because I've been to Rangers I've been to Celtic in those games and I mean you can imagine how tense it was in the stadium can't you

51:57Alan Shearer:great result for hearts I would suggest it's looking good for them looking good

52:02Gary Lineker:yeah yeah absolutely with their win the day before so yeah looking good for hearts yeah bit of history in the making Micah just one other thing what about Villa do you watch Villa on Friday evening

52:13Ian Wright:Oh, good shout, actually, Al. Yeah, they looked a bit leggy. They looked a bit... I don't even know if we can say leggy anymore. Let's say they looked a bit tired. Dangly leggy, Micah. Let's not go back into that. I feel there was huffing and puffing, weren't they? But couldn't really create a great deal. And then Wolves just capitalised. You've got to give credit to Wolves because I told you, Al, honestly, I've watched Wolves a lot this season. For some reason, when we do match of the day or they're on TV. And they've been in a lot of games. And what did you say? The cart score and the cart defend.

52:49Ian Wright:Now they're actually defending a little bit better and scoring at the other end. So you've got to give them a little bit of credit. But for Villa, it just looked like they ran out of steam.

52:57Alan Shearer:The way they're looking, obviously they're in European football as well. I mean, they slipped a bit of late. They're now six points above six, because I think we can take it for granted that there'll be five English teams in the Champions League from the league next season. And they are currently four, three points clear of Liverpool, six points from Chelsea. I think we sometimes underestimate what European football takes out of you.

53:22Gary Lineker:Yeah, I guess. And it's the mentality side of it when you're going up against some brilliant teams and you're travelling here, there and everywhere and you're getting the results. And then you come back to the Premier League and you might not feel the spark that you perhaps get in Europe. Even Palace today, I saw second half faded. They do look very, very heavy-legged Villa. But I've always said, if they get Champions League football in fifth position, I still feel that will be a great achievement for Aston Villa. Absolutely.

53:51Alan Shearer:Absolutely agree. And on that note, let's call it a day. Goodbye from me. Goodbye from me. Goodbye from me. Have a great week, everyone.