United’s Ongoing Mess, Brentford Buzzing & A Drab Affair At The Emirates 

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1:15Hello and welcome to The Rest is Football with Micah Richards, Alan Shearer and me, Gary Lineker. We're recording, well, it's quite complicated actually. So we're recording this part of the episode after the Arsenal-Liverpool game on Thursday night. Hopefully you'll be listening to this on Friday. But we also know, of course, that there were eight games played yesterday and one on Tuesday. That's Wednesday and Tuesday. And we're covering those, but we thought we'd put them in the second half because obviously this was a big game. and it also gave us more chance to edit it so we can make sure you got it nice and early on your way to work or the dog walk or the school run or whatever it is you listen to them.

2:02So that's our explanation. But after all that, you know, waiting for this big game, it was, I would say, slightly anticlimactic. Would you agree? Yeah, I would agree because I've been in the pub watching it with two really good friends of mine, George Culkin from The Athletic and Luke Edwards from Telegraph. Yeah, so I was in the pub. I went for lunch with them this afternoon. I thought, oh, why not? Let's carry on to the pub. So we watched the match. And I mean, it was a bit of an anti-climax, wasn't it? Big mix. Yeah, I'd have to agree. I think it was all about tactics. I think Liverpool was going man-to-man, and then they sort of had Sabozlai and Verz.

2:50They were the two that were pressing. Gakpo, people thought he was going to play at front. He played to the left, Fringpong on the right. And it was just... I mean, Arsenal did try to go for the game to win the game, but they didn't have enough quality. Jochenrez, he needs to find something from somewhere. He needs to find it fast. Jesus comes on the pitch, second half. He lines it up a little bit. Thought Madweke did all right when he came on. But if you're in a Liverpool camp, they defended really well. Fair result, wasn't it? No one did enough to win the game, did they? I thought Arsenal had the better of the first half and Liverpool had the better of the second half probably.

3:30But I had a couple of guests for dinner actually. I was cooking as well. But I did have the game on in the background, but they understood. Two of my favourite people, Marina Perkins and Gemma Forte, from the Troll Pod. I'll give them a little plug because they're next door. Can they hear us? No, I've left them in the kitchen. They're still in the kitchen. I've moved away. What did you cook them? I did a curry. Nice. A Rogan Josh, a slow cooked lamb Rogan Josh. So you've been preparing it all day, haven't you? All afternoon. Yeah, all afternoon. But I did have the game on in the background. But I mean, Manchester City will be quite pleased when we bring them into this conversation because they drop points.

4:08I suppose the good news for Manchester City is that the Antoine Semenyo signing has gone through. Mike is punching the air. He's gone back to his Manchester City fan time. You happy with him? I'm more than happy with him. Now, he's dynamic. Can play both sides. We've all seen it. Left, right, attitude, work heart, dynamism. He's got everything. I'm buzzing with his signing. Absolutely buzzing. I think it's a really, really good sign. He's clearly a great human being. And we've already spoken about this this morning in terms of his attitude, which you'll hear in the second half. This is very random, isn't it?

4:47The way we're doing this episode. But I think he's been an absolute great example about how to handle these sort of situations. And to go out scoring the winning goal was absolutely fabulous. And Ira Iola as well, you know, taught really, really, really well and complimentary about him. So good luck to him. And I think it's a good signing for City. Definitely. Massive. Great attitude. Great player. Good luck to him. So Arsenal at home against Liverpool have been struggling. I think it's probably a better result for Liverpool than perhaps Arsenal. Yeah, I guess. I mean, if you said to Arsenal, are you going to be, what are these, six points clear?

5:30After so many games, they'll snap your hands off. but they'll be slightly disappointed after they won't be able to beat Liverpool but I guess also they'll look at it as if to say how far we've come we're disappointed not to beat Liverpool at home on the back of Man City drawing at home so yeah I think it's it is what it is but Arsenal in a great position they really are yeah I'll have to agree with what Al said I still think there will be frustration though there's a few groans from the crowd do you? after the game I just think with Man City dropping points like you said against Brighton in the first half Arsenal were so dominant with the ball but they couldn't find the last little pass in the end and I know you look back at the season you think a draw against Liverpool but this is a wounded Liverpool side you know no Izak no Eketike no Salah.

6:33All their firepower was out. So you're thinking to yourself, this is a time to play Liverpool, especially with a couple of their results. And they couldn't get it over the line. So yes, they didn't lose the game. But I know in the dressing room, they'll be frustrated that they didn't get all three points. The one thing that they criticised occasionally, especially in big games, is being overly cautious. Did you feel that tonight, Micah? No, I actually didn't feel that tonight. I just feel like they couldn't open up the doors. I had a few, you know, couple of chances around the box. It was a big one, was it?

7:06It was half chances, but it was those, you know, it was a last pass or that little bit of composure in the final moment when they needed it. And they just didn't have it. I thought Saka did all right in the first half. A couple went down the byline against Kerkers, put it in. The runs weren't right. There was a really good ball in the first half when you think, where's Jokeres in the box? All them runs that you talk about, Alan, and when the ball's coming into it, the movement, it just wasn't there. And that's partly because Liverpool defended well also. I think they were very organised. I thought Van Dijk was good.

7:44Connor Bradley, I thought he was good as well. What did you make of the incident at the end with Martinelli? Yeah, it looks like, look, I'm no doctor, but the way he sort of, his ankle went the other way and then he was holding his knee. so I don't know if he's just... I hope he's all right. Yeah, I hope he's all right. Fingers crossed, yeah. People look at that, and Martinelli, it doesn't look great. He was just frustrated, he wanted to start the game. But if he's got a bad injury and he's trying to push him off the pitch, it's not a good look at all. Yeah, totally agree. Manchester City also drew one of the games we didn't discuss in the second half.

8:19And if anything is repeated in the second half, forgive us, because I can't remember a bloody thing about what we talked about earlier this morning. That's all right. your age is fine guys exactly you worry about your memory but yeah and City obviously let points slip last night so and Villa as well obviously drew 0-0 with Palace so it's as you were really yeah it is as you were but I think looking at the bigger picture I said like a minute ago if you were Arsenal you're in the driving seat you're thinking we haven't played so well we haven't got the right result maybe that we wanted but we are six points clear yeah after huge advantage to have absolutely yeah so they should take great hope and great confidence from that even though they had a frustrating night but yeah I think they're in a great position amazing position actually I mean they'd have absolutely grabbed your hand off at the start of the season for this and they look so solid and that's the thing even if they don't play if they're not at their best like I would say they weren't tonight they're still not getting beaten and that's an important thing I would say and they don't concede many especially when they've got the main pairing at the back they just don't concede too many goals although Gabriel could have nicked it at the end he's in my team at least they got a clean sheet he's in my team as well cliche we'll take the cliche it looks like he's on bonus too as well guys so don't worry oh I'm not I'm not overly worried Mike about bloody fantasy drives me mad oh he's fell out he's fell out the bonuses he fell out the bonuses what the hell does that mean he fell out the bonuses because he missed a sitter apparently which is I don't know I don't know whether I'll sleep tonight now well he made a lovely lamb rug and just whatever so it's fine I did and yeah so anyway as you were at the thing but it's been actually quite a sad few days in the football world we lost two greats Martin Chivers who played at Spurs for many years scored a hell of a lot of goals for Tottenham and Southampton and Southampton as well yeah quite rightly say and also of course Terry Yorris who had you know moved around but played at Leeds for a long time, won the title at Leeds.

10:58Obviously, we also know him as the father of Gabby Logan, who is obviously our friend and was a colleague for a long time, still your colleague. So I just want to send our absolute condolences to Gabby. I know how difficult it is losing a parent. So, yeah, thoughts are with you, Gabby, at this difficult time. Absolutely. And also, Alan, I know Kevin Keegan's been diagnosed with cancer, so it's been a bloody horrible few days. Someone very close to you. Yeah, we found out on the news with Kevin the other day, and I was in touch with him, and I sent him a text message yesterday, and yeah, as tough as it is, he seems in good spirits, and he got an amazing reception at Newcastle for the game.

11:51Obviously, we all love him. He was my hero. So we're sending all our love and my love to Kevin and hope he's okay and he can come through this. Absolutely. He's one of my heroes growing up as well. What a player. What a player. What a person. And also, obviously, as you said, sending our condolences to the Chivas family and to Gabby and to the rest of her family as well. It's like, oh, so hard, so tough. So sad though, wasn't it? I don't know if he was watching much today, but she was on and then next minute I saw Chapa's on and then he explained the situation. And yeah, it's never nice. Absolutely.

12:34It's the worst. It's the worst. Okay, let's take a pause there. And when we come back, it'll be this morning, if you understand what I'm saying. And we'll talk about the games that have taken place prior to tonight. Back shortly.

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15:38Welcome back to the Restless Football with Michael Richards, Alan Shearer and me, Gary Lineker. I suppose the last time we spoke, Chaps, was around the Manchester United time when we were speculating about what might happen with Ruben Amarin. I think you quite rightly predicted that his days were numbered. You could say hours were numbered. Obviously, Ruben Amarin went, lost his job. There's clearly a big fallout at the top of the club there. It's all a bit of a mess, isn't it? Whatever job you're in in life, you can't criticise your bosses like you did. Otherwise, you're going to run the risk of getting sacked.

16:12No surprise, that's exactly what happened. But he has to take responsibility. and with the job he did, it was nowhere near good enough. He'd come in under very difficult circumstances. He was very adamant he wasn't changing and it was all very mixed messages, I think, and systems and all of that. So, yeah, it didn't work for him. But I have to say, the people running the football club have to accept the blame as well that they need. I mean, they made an absolute mess of it. And not the first time we've said this. I mean, if you look at every corner that they've tried to turn and every decision that they've made, it's been an absolute joke.

16:49I mean, whether it was giving Ten Hag a new deal, whether it was then sacking Ten Hag, whether it was paying Newcastle for Dan Ashworth, then him going on gardening leave, and then them sacking Dan Ashworth and then giving him a payoff, and then going to get Ruben Amorim and not accepting he has to come in now, and then paying the money for him and then his staff, and then, what, I don't know, 14 months later, 15 months later, sacking him. I mean, and then the list goes on and on, whether it's staff, whether it's other decisions. The owners, Sir Jim Radcliffe, Wilcox, Barada, they have to accept their blame as well because they have made an absolute mess of every decision they've made since they've been in there.

17:34Do you think it was the right time to get rid of Amarin, though, in the grand scale of things, Al? After what he said, there was no way back for him. You can't criticise your bosses like that in any walk of life. And he wasn't in a position to come and criticise because of results and everything else. He hadn't done well enough to come out and have a pop with his bosses, had he? Yeah, I'd agree with that to a certain extent, but I don't think it was the right time to get rid of him. Really? The league's been a bit funny, isn't it, in terms of results. Everyone's taking points off each other. There's not far off Champions League positions.

18:09We've got a window now where we can get new players. He's got players at AFCON. He's got injured players. In terms of what he said, totally agree with that. I think his position was untenable. But in terms of the team and the structure and then having to start again, I don't think it's right. What's the point in it? And then Solskjaer was deemed not good enough the last time he was at Man United. Now he's rumoured to come back to the end of the season until they get a proper manager who can take him. There's been reports of Tuchel. I just don't understand the plan. And the reason I ask that is because Barada, who's at Man City, he's supposed to be an unbelievable operator in terms of getting players in, making sure the club's very stable.

18:55But the decisions, I have to agree with you, seem like nobody knows what they're doing, which is frightening at the level that we're talking about of a club the size of Manchester United. So it's more confusing, but I don't think right now was the time to get rid of Amerim because you have to start again. I think they're already starting to make strange decisions, aren't they? Even post-Amerim. You'd put bringing Darren Fletcher, fine, perfectly, you know, understandable to bring someone like that in to run the team for a minute. And then they're talking about bringing another interim in until the end of the season, which doesn't really make much sense.

19:34then they're going to probably point someone in the summer who that will be I don't know who would go there as well by the there's a few people available now that you mentioned Thomas Tuchel but why would someone of that grade walk into that club at the moment because of all the examples that Alan gave recently it's a you know it's become a bit of a basket case of a football club there's clearly all sorts of shenanigans going on at the very top and and it's been significantly worse, obviously, since Radcliffe came in. I mean, you can speculate all you like as to who might be next, but if they give it to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and he does okay, then they'll be in a position, a game where they probably won't end up having to give it to someone that perhaps they don't really want to give it to.

20:19I don't know, because they disposed of him just a few years ago. I think they have to be really careful on that situation because whoever they bring in now, whether that is Ole or whether it's Michael Carrick or whether it's Darren Fletcher that stays in the job, even if they were to do really well in between now and the end of the season, I think they have to be really careful in their judgment in terms of because there could be some big hitters available at the end of the season, even after the World Cup. And there's no doubt that I think Man United need a big, strong manager now who's been around it and seen it all and done it all and a big-name manager to come in and take control.

21:06Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't they? Oli took over the first time as interim, then they gave him the job full-time and then obviously sacked him. And I think that they have to be very careful of doing that again if the interim, whoever that may be, does really well in between now and the end of the season. One thing saying it, another thing doing it because I don't think they're a good team. Do you think they can attract a big hitter? I mean, it's still a huge football club. You know, that doesn't change. But if you were a top, top coach now, you'd look at that club and go, that is a big gamble.

21:40I think you still want the job. You're always a manager. I think you can turn it around. I think the key question, Gaz, would be, do you have full control? Are you a coach or are you a manager? And do you get to pick the players that you want? You're not having people above you meddling what you want to do on the pitch. And if you have full control, 100%. Coaches don't get full control now, do they? Shift it up. Are the suits taking over the game? You know, the people up in the top wanting to make the decisions. We saw that obviously with Maresca. We've seen that now with Amerim. Very strong rumours around Liverpool at the moment.

22:18There's a bit of a fallout between Arnie Slott and I think it's Richard Hughes running the operations there. People want their say on team matters and et cetera. But just on that, guys, though, I understand it, you know, for a little bit of balance. So if you have a manager who comes in and buys all these players and then the new manager doesn't like those players and wants his own players, then you end up with a huge bill. You might have played massive transfer for these players. Then they say they're not moving because they don't like the options that are presented to them. Then you end up with an unsettled dressing room.

23:00So I understand why they do get involved, but I think they can work together. That's what they need to do. You've got to be together on these things. And again, it's difficult. If you've got a different manager every year, how do you get any kind of partnership going between you? So it is a problem. It is difficult. What I would say is that if you look at the top three in the league at the minute, Arsenal, City and Villa. All well run. All well run, all heavily influenced by the head coach stroke manager. There's no way anyone's coming into City without Pep Ceso. There's no way no one coming into Villa without Unai Ceso.

23:41And I would say the same with Arsenal. And I think when you look at those three clubs, maybe I'm wrong, I don't know, But they, for me, is it a coincidence that manager stroke or have big, big say in who's coming in? Not just that, though, Alan. They've also, the three of the managers are probably just about the longest serving managers in the league. And that itself, I mean, how can you build something in eight months, 10 months, 12 months, 14 months? And those three have been there quite a number of years. People sometimes have been critical because they're stuck with Arteta so long, but it looks like it's really paying off now.

24:18Unai Emery's been at Villeneuve for a few years and he's done a tremendous job. Pep's been, he's the longest serving manager just about in Europe behind Simeone. He's been there nine years. So it just shows you, give a manager, I honestly think that most of these coaches, stroke managers are really, really probably quite good to get where they get in the Premier League. They know what they're doing. And we see it and there's almost a rotation around the certain clubs in the league. I think they all pretty much know what they're doing, but the issue is probably not so much them. It's either, you know, how the club recruits, how the club spends its money, how the club is at the top, how is it managed there?

25:00And I don't think it's any coincidence that teams with the most long-serving, stable situation in the coaching aspect are the ones that are doing better. Yep, totally agree with that. But the landscape of management, ownership, coaching has changed dramatically over the years. It really has. It's so different now. As for the game itself, I thought Burnley did all right for a lot of it. It's 2-2 with Manchester United. Darren Fletcher would have needed probably, he'd probably think, well, if I've got two games, if I win them both emphatically, I might get a chance to run the asylum. Sheshko took his goals well, didn't he?

25:39I thought his movement was excellent. His finishing was very good. Yeah, sort of needed to because it's been a while, I guess, for him going forward and for his confidence, that'll do him, should do him the world good. I thought Fernandes was good again. I know he had to come up quite early because he was injured. He's just a fantastic player, isn't he? And I think he's been a great example at Manchester. I know sometimes people criticise him for getting in a bit of a strop, but he cares. He cares. You know, he throws his hands around sometimes and stuff on the pitch, but by his own admission, he gets a bit frustrated.

26:11I'm not surprised he gets a little bit frustrated, but what a consistently good footballer, even despite playing at a club that's been a bit of a pickle over the last few years. Well, what a game at your place last night, Al. Marching on together, Micah, come on! I forgot the words. let me let me let me brief um our listeners and viewers um but during that on our group chat there was a little bit of to and fro let's say between i and michael last night during the game michael sending this meme do we call it a meme yes or a gif singing the song marching on together every time every time leads led michael would post that on the chat and then when when the to unequalise, Alan would respond.

27:05And it went very late, twists and turns. Leeds actually became only the second team in Premier League history to lead a game three times and still lose. The first time was also Leeds United back at Spurs only three years ago, 2022. And they also lost 4-3 on that occasion as well. I mean, it was an incredible match. It was a great game. I also said in the WhatsApp chat, didn't I, that I was really impressed with Leeds. I mean, they were so well organised. And it was, I don't know, maybe it was their naivety or their bravery or whatever it was, but they kept on going and going. They pressed Newcastle, went man for man.

27:56And it was just a great game to watch. It was like, oh my God, what are Newcastle doing? It was just one of those great games of football. And I guess, luckily for Newcastle, they were on the right end of it. And it was an amazing atmosphere. But it was just brilliant to be there and sample two teams just going for each other and leave themselves wide open. I mean, I forget how many times the crossbar, the post was hitting the game as well. So it could have been a lot more. It was just a pleasure to be there. It was a great atmosphere. When Arison scored in 79 minutes, I put in a group, there's more goals in this.

28:34I just knew it. I knew Newcastle was going to score at some stage. But that penalty, come on. That wasn't a penalty, guys. Surely. Look, as you know, I'll always give you an honest opinion. And I was the same thing. I mean, what is he meant to do with his arms when he's going to a challenge like that? It's just not handball. It can't be handball. I just don't agree with it. So I'm with you on that one, Micah. but obviously I'll take it. And then everyone had Bruno Grimares in their fantasy team. Yeah, I didn't. Just salt in the wounds. You didn't then, obviously. No, I didn't. I mean, I must say this fantasy, I don't like it, Michael.

29:14I'm really, really angry at you and Harry for forcing us into this fucking fantasy football. It does my head in. I mean, Thiago, right? We'll probably mention him. I mean, Thiago, six games in my team, like six games. He'd scored loads of goals earlier in the season. Bring him in. Six games, no goals, no assists, right? So think, right, take him out, Harry. Take him out. What happens? Five goals in two games.