Bodø/Glimt breeze past Inter + will Man United finish 3rd?

0:00The Athletic FC.

0:43Mark Carey: Wednesday the 25th of February it's a brand new Totally Football Show an extra one because it's a Champions League midweek we've got Duncan Alexander back in the studio hi Duncan hi James lovely to see you Mark Carey's with us as well morning James morning to you Mark we've got Martin Schleapness as well very shortly from Milan after Tuesday's extraordinary events at the San Siro between Bode Glimt and Inter. Crikey. I'm sorry, Mark. You were assigned by a Leverkusen Lempiaz.

1:13Duncan Alexander: I'm not sure that we will. Well, yeah, maybe we won't. That is a very good point. I drew the short straw. Voluntarily as well, I drew that short straw. Well, it's because I watched the first leg and I thought it'd be nice to see how the second leg unfolds. There's still something riding on it.

1:27James Richardson: It wasn't a scoreline. And pharmaceutical products produced by Bayer. You took one tablet and you wanted the second just to make sure. Just in case. And it sent you to sleep.

1:37Duncan Alexander: It did. It honestly did. We might get on to it later. Okay. Very brief. There were two shots in the course of the 90 minutes. Two shots in target. That is pretty much the only thing I was willing to say on it. Okay. Let's get into the more fun stuff. Okay.

1:52Mark Carey: Well, you did at least before that have the five goals in the game in Madrid between Atletico and Bruges. Atletico running up 4-1 winners. We'll get into that soon enough. Newcastle, on your other screen, 3-2 victors against Carabag after going two goals up in the first six minutes again.

2:10Duncan Alexander: Yeah, again, we can come on to that. I think the pattern of the game actually followed what you'd expect for someone who is 8-2 up on aggregate after about six minutes.

2:19Mark Carey: Fair enough. And the other match, well, as mentioned, Bodo Glim continuing their incredible campaign, knocking out last year's finalist Inter in pretty humiliating fashion. 2-1 Tuesday night. 5-2 on aggregate. Bodo Glimt will now face either Man City or Sporting in the last 16. They've already beaten Man City, of course, once already this year.

2:42James Richardson: Yeah, only the thawing of the Arctic ice they have to fear now.

2:47Duncan Alexander: Well, it helps, doesn't it? Do you think as the season goes on, because it's going to get warmer, that one of the main things, not necessarily the USP of Bodo, because they're a fantastic side. Can they do it on a warm night? Do you know what I mean?

2:58James Richardson: It feels the opposite. It's the opposite of Game of Thrones because, you know, obviously winter is coming. Winter is disappearing for Bono and they're running out of time.

3:04Duncan Alexander: Yeah.

3:06Mark Carey: Genuine consideration. Well, if anyone was Thor on Tuesday night, it was Inter. We'll get on to the reasons why. Next. This is the Totally Football Show with James Richardson, part of the Athletic FC podcast network.

3:25Martin Sleipnes: could have stopped him to Blomberg. Well, Granal-lustring!

3:28Mark Carey: A better-lustring! A fantastic-lustring! For there was Håkon Evgen! He's over all! And now he's on the scoring list in the Champions League for Bodo Glimt! Well, Bodo Glimt going 2-0 up there at Saint-Circ. It finished 2-1 after Alessandro Bastoni got one back for Inter, but 5-2 on aggregate for the Norwegians. Interdominated the first half before Manuel Akanji, wearing a big head bandage, and possibly the Italian papers a little bit concussed, laying the ball off inexplicably for Jens-Peter Hauger, the former Milan player, to get his sixth goal of this Champions League campaign. The second goal then was an absolute stunner, no?

4:16Duncan Alexander: I mean, all of the goals, most of the goals that Bode have scored in both legs had been really clinically finished. This was a completely different sort of flow to the game in the second leg to the first because of the way that the scoreline was. But especially the second one, yeah, it was so clinically finished. But some of the intricate play in the first leg as well to unlock Inter's defence was excellent. They did have to play a bit more with their backs to the wall, as you'd expect. It felt quite clear that Inter needed to score first. Obviously didn't. And it was more of a stay in a slightly lower block, make sure that you just don't concede too many chances even though across the whole game Inter had 30 shots in total 7 on target so probably could have scored a couple more than they did

5:01Mark Carey: They hit the woodwork three times across the two legs but the absence of a sense of danger was one of the notable things of what was in many regards one of the all-time great Champions League knockout stage upsets but it didn't even feel like a surprise Duncan

5:15James Richardson: It was a sort of strange atmosphere It was clearly a big game for Inter, but the fans just sort of seemed resigned from quite early on. There was not much jumping up and down and building of pressure. You could tell quite early that it was a sort of game where the team who needed to score two goals were probably not going to do so because, as you say, woodwork was hit, chances were wasted, and it just felt very inevitable. And that made it quite interesting, getting the second half, because when Bodo went one and then two up, it just felt like yeah here we go and even when Inter pulled one back with Bastoni it was too late by that point and yeah it was a strange game but memorable OK

5:58Mark Carey: there are many metrics by which you can discuss the supposed chasm between these two sides the Athletics Chris Weatherspoon mentions wage bills Inter's more than ten times that of Bodo Glimp Nick Miller points out that the last time Inter won the Champions League in 29-10 Bodo Glimp were finishing sixth in the Norwegian second division. There's the fact that the population of Bodo could fit into Sancero almost twice over. And Opta pointing out that Bodo's triumph means it's the first time since 1972 that a team from outside Europe's top five leagues has had four consecutive victories against teams from those top five leagues.

6:39Mark Carey: The team back in 1972 to do it were Ajax, who went on to win the whole thing. Well, one man who was doing lots of jumping up and down at San Siro on Tuesday night was Martin Sleipness of the Enka Severing podcast, who joins us now actually from the streets of Milan. Martin, hello. Good morning.

7:01Martin Sleipnes: Good morning. Hello. Sorry, my voice is a bit off today. It was a lot of screaming yesterday. And to be honest, I almost teared up now when you went through all the statistics and the insane facts about the achievements.

7:21Mark Carey: Martin, it is extraordinary. Another week, another greatest night ever.

7:26Martin Sleipnes: Yeah, it's getting expensive this for me and for all my fellow Norwegian friends. It's a long trip for us to take every time we have to do this. One banner at the stadium yesterday said, I had to sell the boat to get there. So we're extremely happy. And this has been one of the best nights of my life, I think.

7:53Mark Carey: Right. Yeah. Along with all the other ones. And who knows what the next few months might entail. Sporting or Man City are waiting in the last 16. We were talking about the atmosphere at San Siro. You were there with, what, about 3 ,000 fellow Bodo fans. What was that like?

8:10Martin Sleipnes: It was... It's one of the weirdest games I've seen away or home with Bodo Gliant because the tension was so high and everyone understood slowly but surely that Inter, they aren't going to score three goals, let alone 5 when they went to 2-0 down. So it was the ugliest glint game I've seen for maybe 10 years. And I wasn't scared even at the end of the game. So it was a super surreal experience for me. And I think everyone felt the same thing. Inter wasn't going to score. They scored one goal and could have scored one or two more, but they were never going to beat us.

9:00Mark Carey: One thing that's really striking about this, beyond the sizes of the two clubs, is that until about a month ago, Bodo had never won a Champions League match. Bodo Glimt were lying 32nd in the table with only a fractional chance of even making it to the playoff stage. They've now won four straight matches, as mentioned in a row. But against these teams, Man City, Inter, 3-1 at Bodo Glimt, and now 2-1 at San Siro. 2-1 the victory at Atletico Madrid as well. So it's not a plastic pitch, the motive behind this. We talked about the fact that Bodo are in the off-season at the moment, so these midweek games are the only ones they have to face.

9:43Mark Carey: but what other reasons can we find for this, not just their form, but the way that the form has turned around since January?

9:50Martin Sleipnes: It's an excellent question and a question I think every top club in Europe will try to answer because they're going to look at Bode Glimt and see what Bode Glimt have done, see how they set up the team and going to copy it. And it's hard for me to understand that no huge European team are going to go after our coach now. Because if you scribbled over the name Bode Glimt and saw the results, if you include the 2-2 away against Dortmund, I think maybe you would guess it was PSG or Bayern that had won those matches. And even Bayern fans and PSG fans would be satisfied with it and happy with it. So it's impossible to explain.

10:41Martin Sleipnes: and I'm of a loss of words.

10:45Mark Carey: Plenty of words have been spent on this subject. Chirion Rion Tuesday night was talking about how you play as a team. You, in the past, have mentioned the team's philosophy about caring about the performance over the result and this lack of pressure that comes from that. Nick Miller, in a piece in The Athletic, also talks about the psychological work done by one of Ignussen's assistants, a former fighter pilot, who gets the team together and the way that they address any mistakes that they do make in games?

11:12Martin Sleipnes: Yeah, his name is Bjorn Mannsveik. He's their kind of therapist, if I could use that word. I think he's been key to overcoming the scary situations. Sorry about the beeping. Traffic in Italy is sometimes heavy. But I think he lets the players go out on the pitch and not be afraid of whatever comes. So they play without pressure on themselves. Of course sometimes they feel that pressure, but I think it must be very easy for them to never feel that they're gonna lose, if you understand. I think that's the feeling they play with. So they can do passes and turns and try crazy things. And it's okay because that's the plan and do it again if you fail and do it again if you fail then.

12:07Martin Sleipnes: So they just try, try, try and succeed eventually. That's the philosophy.

12:12Mark Carey: Well, they're a joy to watch. At what point, though, do you stop being underdogs, I wonder, with Man City, who you've already beaten this year, or sporting, waiting in the last 16?

12:22Martin Sleipnes: Well, I think Norwegian media is obviously all over this. How far can Glimt go? Can they win the Champions League? And I mean, they are beating the winning finalists and losing finalists from the three last finals of the Champions League. I think on any given day, they can beat anyone as they have proved. And they could go far. If they draw good, they can go far.

12:57Mark Carey: sounds like there's going to be some more boats sold in Bodo Martin what would you rather have Manchester or Lisbon for the next one

13:05Martin Sleipnes: well I went to and saw the Manchester United away game in the Europa League last season so I would love a trip to Lisbon that would be my cup of tea this time

13:16Mark Carey: excellent Martin I wish you the very best of luck with Friday's draw and events beyond that many many thanks to you for joining us and to your team for giving us so much enjoyment over the last month. Magnificent. Cheers.

13:35Mark Carey: Martin Schliebness of the Inca Severing podcast. Duncan.

13:41James Richardson: Yeah, I was just looking at the power ranking numbers from my old friends, Opta. Opta. So nine years ago, this time nine years ago, Bodo were around 1 ,600th in the world.

13:52Mark Carey: 1 ,600th.

13:53James Richardson: Yeah. 1 ,600th. Yeah. They're now 40th, which is the highest ever position. They're currently in between West Ham United and Como, as many people might have guessed. But, I mean, they're an exhorted company. They're above teams like Galatasaray, Villarreal. So, yeah, it really is a meteoric rise.

14:15Mark Carey: Right. Galatasaray, who had their own 5-2, albeit not on aggregate, so far at least, against an Italian side last week when they beat Juve by that scoreline. second leg coming up on Wednesday. Atalanta will also be in action on Wednesday night. They're 2-0 down from their first leg against Borussia Dortmund. And as such, with Inter's exit, there's every chance that we won't have any Italian side in even the last 16. As you can imagine, there's been a certain amount of alarm about this in the Italian papers. No excuses, was the big headline on the Gazetta. There's a piece inside from Arrigo Sacchi talking about alarm bells ringing.

14:52Mark Carey: I think it's the same piece from last year, and possibly not the one before. Because at that point, I don't know if you remember, they did that advert with Fabio Capello in La Scala saying Calcio is back. This is what, three seasons ago? 22-23 when they had a team in each of the finals and they made a big thing of the return of Serie A to being a real player in European football.

15:16James Richardson: Six Italian teams in Europe's last eight.

15:20Martin Sleipnes: Inter, Milan and Napoli in the Champions League. Juventus and Roma in the Europa League. Fiorentina in the Conference League. Calcio is back.

15:38Martin Sleipnes: The best in Europe. This is Serie A.

15:47Mark Carey: You look at it now Napoli, the champions the Italian champions didn't even make the playoff stages Inter, the team who are currently 10 points clear at the top of the league knocked out by Bodo Glimt and possibly Juve to follow 5-2 the scoreline last week ahead of the match in Turin tonight

16:05James Richardson: There's always Fiorentina in the conference league Right Bologna and Roma as well Yeah But if you look at the current standings in the coefficient and obviously the score for a country is divided by the number of teams remaining in the competition. So it's tricky with so many teams heading out. It's now below the likes of Portugal. They could even be overtaken by Poland this season. So if anyone was wondering whether they were going to get a bonus Champions League spot, I think that ship has sailed. Maybe back to Norway.

16:36Duncan Alexander: It's hard to put your finger on why it is, though, that they've really struggled in Europe this season. I mean, we speak about it from an English perspective to say, I've been on this podcast to say that with the Premier League versus the Champions League, when the game's a bit more open for English sides, they prefer it a little bit because it's become a little bit more attritional, if you like, in the Premier League. And I don't know if it's something to do with the difference between Serie A and the Champions League. I think there's a lot of that.

16:58Mark Carey: I think there's a lot of that. But the biggest thing is speed.

17:02Duncan Alexander: Yeah, exactly.

17:02Mark Carey: And I think we saw this at San Siro. They look so slow. They had all the possession you could want, but they look so slow and so bereft of ideas and confidence in their finishing. I know they were missing Lautaro Martinez, but everybody has players out from time to time. And the contrast with the way that Bodo glimped attacked their chances with Verve and Elan. That second goal, especially.

17:25Duncan Alexander: The countertact, the way they just sliced through them, it didn't seem like it was too much of an issue to be able to do it in the first place when it's the team who's 10 points clear in Serie A, as you say, which is so interesting. I think the final thing on Bodo glimped as well is just how much of a good story it is for the Champions League this season, especially when you contrast it with Carabaug. It's not even a spoiler for what's coming next. They really struggled against Newcastle, such a terrible scoreline on aggregate. And you think, is this league phase working? I know you guys have discussed this before and had differing opinions.

17:56Duncan Alexander: And you think, OK, well, is it diluting the quality of all of the teams getting to this stage, adding an extra two games for the playoff? The Carabaug-Newcastle game is almost an example of it not working so well when there's such a kind of contrast in quality.

18:09Mark Carey: Although it was a lot of fun for Newcastle fans.

18:10Duncan Alexander: It was a lot of fun, yeah. They've got a lot of gold. I don't mind a big blood-out match. Yeah, it was fun for the neutral, but kind of the overall feeling of the Champions League. And that argument doesn't stand up across the whole competition because Bodo have done what they've done against them.

18:23Mark Carey: Would Bodo have made it through to the last 16 had they been in an old-fashioned group phase? That's the question. Exactly.

18:30James Richardson: No. No, because after six games... If you're enjoying them, then that means you automatically enjoy the new format. no further questions although I would argue this year I'm finding this round I said this to Mark earlier a bit strange it feels a bit non-canon I think almost like you know Saul has got a hat trick for Atletico but almost like it shouldn't really count because it's knockouts it's the knockouts but it's not really the knockouts it's a bit like a penalty shootout yeah a little bit goals in a penalty shootout something like that so enjoy the games not like that but just don't write them down

19:02Mark Carey: ok and don't write off Norway in anything relating to Milan and Northern Italy I think we can say at the moment, just seen them had an absolutely extraordinary Winter Olympics, 41 medals they picked up and it wasn't long ago, when was it November that the national side went to San Siro and themselves beat Italy for one as a result of which along with all of the city has other problems the national side is very much in doubt for the upcoming World Cup, Northern Ireland awaits in a play-off in March. Very good. Well, you touch on Newcastle-Carabag. Let's get on to that and the other Tuesday night games next.

19:50Martin Sleipnes: This is the Totally Football Show, part of the Athletic FC podcast network. The Athletic is the only place you can read articles by Daniel Taylor, Amy Lawrence, Phil Hay, James Pearce, Oli Kay and the very best football writers around. And they might be in again here as the second. Joel Linton.

20:13Martin Sleipnes: Montiel wanting a foul. Didn't get it. Barnes definitely onside. Picks up Joel Linton.

20:20Mark Carey: Newcastle three. Carabaug two on Tuesday night. Eddie Howard made seven changes from their Premier League defeat away to Man City at the weekend. But didn't slow them down. They were still 2-0 up inside six minutes, as I mentioned before. by which point, not surprisingly, they took the foot off the gas a little bit and Carabao came back into it, but they go through in fine style. What's the aggregate, Mark?

20:45Duncan Alexander: The aggregate overall was 9-3. 9-3. Yeah, which I think Carabao did come out of it with a small amount of credit, especially considering the first leg. They gave it a go in Newcastle. I think, as I said before, the way that the game kind of ebbed and flowed and Carabaug had a better second half, if you like, and the intensity dropped from Newcastle. That was to be expected because they've made plenty of changes. They knew that the game was over. The only thing that they could have probably done is just kept the entertainment level high and looked after the ball for long periods. But Carabaug almost showed the form or a little bit of the performance that they had that beat Benfica.

21:26Duncan Alexander: They beat Copenhagen. They drew with Chelsea, of course. And that was kind of the question that was asked in the first leg to say, like, where was any of that performance? when they're 5-0 down at half-time to Newcastle, the quality was so, so poor in that first leg. So they came out with a little bit of credit, but two goals in the first six minutes. And it's interesting, actually, that with the first two goals, or the second goal, rather, in this game, it was much like the first leg whereby Carabao kicked off and then within seconds, again, I think they're still showing the replay even, within seconds, Newcastle went and scored again.

22:00Duncan Alexander: You know the phrase that you're never at your most vulnerable than when you've scored a goal. It feels like Carabao kind of have the opposite of that they're most vulnerable than when they've just conceded a goal. And they have possession again, God forbid, and then they go and give it away again. Newcastle's press was good again. Bit of credit for them, but it was laughable at times.

22:18Mark Carey: Presser-in-chief, Gordon, Anthony Gordon was not in the starting line-up, although he did come on. He features in a piece you put together this week, Mark, about acceleration over... Go on, you tell me.

22:29Duncan Alexander: Yeah, no, on-ball acceleration. He's really good. On-ball acceleration. Yeah, and he's really good in his intensity off the ball as well. And Eddie Howe said that in interviews, and I included that within the piece, his energy. But yeah, this is using data from Gradient Sports, and they look across different distances. And I did this over three metre distance. Which players are the ones who can stand up their opposition defender at a walking pace and then burst past them at pace and just get that half a yard yard? And this is in the Premier League? This is in the Premier League, yes, granted. Jeremy Doku unsurprisingly comes out very highly there in terms of the volume of doing that.

23:03Duncan Alexander: But Anthony Gordon is high in both the volume in which he does it and the speed in which he does it to get that separation from the opposition defender. And because he's playing in more of a central position now as well, as well as being able to play on the left wing, in those small spaces when there's a lot of bodies around him, it's a real advantage for him to just be able to get that separation. And I gave an example of the assist against Tottenham Hotspur, where he did that from more of a central area. and then plenty of examples of him doing it on the left wing as well. But yeah, he was rested last night.

23:32Duncan Alexander: He came on. But yeah, his job was pretty much done from the first leg already.

23:36Mark Carey: Doku and Gordon, I think, would be expected to figure highly by that metric. Were there any surprising players in there?

23:44Duncan Alexander: One that was surprising to me was maybe a lesser heralded player because he's playing for a team who aren't doing very well is Hugo Bueno, left back for Wolves. And I looked into this. he actually has the most completed crosses in open play per 90 minutes of any player in the Premier League but he's kind of got that ability to again almost as you imagine it a fullback getting to being on the the touchline standing up their opposition probably the forward who's defending and then stopping and then just getting that extra yard he's got that little burst of pace to then cross it in and he crosses at a high volume as well so you see a lot of speaking with some colleagues about this yesterday a lot of players who are still really good players but playing for teams who are struggling, almost guaranteed to be relegated.

24:26Duncan Alexander: I think he's a good example of a player who other teams should be looking at when Wolves get relegated.

24:32James Richardson: Andy Robertson gambit.

24:34Duncan Alexander: Exactly. Gini Wijnaldum as well within that. So I think he'd be one that people should be keeping an eye on when they get relegated.

24:41James Richardson: Less Hugo Boss, more Hugo Cross, you could say.

24:43Mark Carey: That's very nice, Duncan. Anthony Gordon. Oh, no, Hugo.

24:47James Richardson: No, just on the Newcastle game, I thought that, I mean, they played young Alex Murphy to give him his official name at left back but the rest of the team was pretty strong which I thought was disrespectful to the Premier League for me

24:59Mark Carey: well they got Everton at the weekend and for Anthony Gordon of course a special match if he's back in the starting line up after that in the last 16 they'll get either Chelsea or Barcelona Barcelona who won at St James' Park 2-1 back on the opening day right yeah all those months ago. Chelsea, curiously, are actually scheduled to be playing them on March 14th, which would be in between the two legs of the last 16. So if they do get Chelsea in Friday's draw, they'll be facing them three times in a row.

25:33James Richardson: There could be a lot of this on the way. If Arsenal and City, Man City get through to the quarterfinals, they'll face up. And with the Carabao Cup final and the league game, it's like four meetings within three weeks.

25:45Mark Carey: That's extraordinary. Yeah. Please fix your computer.

25:48Duncan Alexander: I think Newcastle would fancy themselves against Barcelona or Chelsea, but it's kind of one of those where it's like on their day, they could. And this is where I think it's interesting, and I did a piece on this, as Duncan will know, that I think there's something to be said about teams putting more eggs in fewer baskets, if you like, and actually realising, OK, we might not be able to get enough points in the Premier League to maybe qualify for a certain position. But what do the fans want? They want more excitement maybe in the Champions League, in cups, knowing maybe where they stand in the food chain.

26:17Duncan Alexander: I think they could maybe rest a few players in the Premier League game leading up to this next Champions League game and then they'll have more physical intensity to be able to play in the way that Eddie Howe likes them to play I think their issue this season has been the inconsistency with which they've played has been because they've not been able to keep up that physical intensity one game they're the team that you would imagine that they can be the other they're just a little bit off it so if you can almost like charge the batteries and make sure that you're putting everything into the Champions League game I think that they could punish the Barcelona and Chelsea.

26:48Duncan Alexander: Kind of.

26:49James Richardson: Although I guess you talk about eggs in baskets the bean counters are more of a concern with getting back into the Champions League aren't they?

26:55Mark Carey: Well they are currently lying 11th a fully 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, quite a few 9 points off 5th. I mean we'll know more on Friday

27:04James Richardson: but Newcastle could possibly if they did do well play Chelsea in the last 16 Spurs or Liverpool in their quarters and then Arsenal in the semis which for a continental competition would feel a little bit underwhelming. Although they did have to go to Carabao, so I guess it evens that out. Yeah.

27:21Mark Carey: But you'd fancy them against Orlans on their day. On their day. Very good. It was Atletico's day on Tuesday as they stormed past Club Bruges 4-1. Atletico took the lead through Alexander Sorlo. Then Bruges looked like making a game of it. They equalised through Ordonez, who'd just come. He was off injured. and this was held to be significant, the fact that he was off injured when Atletico set up for the corner and then he came on and there wasn't anyone marking him and back post finish. Back post finish.

27:52Duncan Alexander: Yeah, I think this was interesting because, I mean, you couldn't just shake off Bruges until the second half really when Atletico pulled away a little bit. It was a theme of the whole tie really. In the first leg, Atletico went 2-0 up and then it was brought back to 2-2. Then they went 3-2 up and then it was brought back to 3-3, etc. You can carry that on until the end of the first half where they thought they were pulling away. and Bruges just wouldn't go down in a way. So I think the fact that they stayed in the game for so long was credit to Bruges. They've obviously got some really exciting players but it kind of ebbed and flowed.

28:21Duncan Alexander: There was no one who was really taking authority in the game until the second half. Then they scored early on from a Cardoso finish which was really well taken from the edge of the area. Just sort of slotted it bottom corner.

28:32Mark Carey: The third goal, Soloth's second was really nice as well. Soloth with a slightly mishit pass to Adamola Lukman who's in such great form. Lovely shot of Diego Simioni saluting him when he came off at the end with a huge grin for the recently arrived player. So yeah, so Luckman and then Luckman does a little one-two with Griezmann and then the ball comes back to Sauloth and away it goes. Sad, well not sad, but interesting to see that Antoine Griezmann's currently negotiating to make a move to Orlando City.

29:04Duncan Alexander: Yeah, I saw that. I don't have any further news on it other than it's sort of sad for European football because he's been such an incredible player for so long. He didn't start this game. But yeah, even that example with Lutkman, just such intricate passes, one-touch passing, he can unlock defences with that left foot. So yeah, it'll be a shame.

29:23James Richardson: You'll hear the phrase Lutkman in America. That's true. Fair enough. I'm sad to see Bruges go out. They were my kind of hipster, not Bodo Glimp team. I mean, their home games were reliably brilliant all the way through this tournament. So, yeah, shame.

29:39Mark Carey: Credit to Soloth, who's now picked up five goals in two matches for Atletico Madrid. Free scoring. Atletico Madrid, it was not long ago, they beat Barcelona in the Copa del Rey. 4-0. They've got the second leg of that coming up. When's the second leg? Must be at the start of March, I think.

29:55Duncan Alexander: Yeah. It feels like they're another example, a bit like Newcastle, where on their day, they can be really comprehensive, but you're just not always entirely sure this season which one you're going to get. Right. But, yeah, no, they pulled away fantastically. A word for the third goal for Soloth as well, which was just a comprehensive volley. Really clinical finish to get the hat-trick again at the back post. His first one, by the way, was I think just openly a mistake from Simon Mignolet from an angle that, and far enough out that Mignolet should have easily saved it. So the first one a little bit lucky, but second one, intricate play and a good finish.

30:26Duncan Alexander: Third one was, he was obviously confident at that point and just slotted it first time.

30:31Mark Carey: Spurs or Liverpool await Atletico Madrid in the last 16. They've already faced Liverpool back in the league phase when they lost 3-2 at Anfield on a feisty night for Diego Simeone. He received a one-game ban for an altercation with home supporters. Leverkusen, Olympiacos, 0-0. Mark?

30:52Duncan Alexander: I do feel, to a certain extent, I've maybe said all I can say on it. I was a little bit disappointed with the fight from Olympiacos. It was 2-0. It wasn't a scoreline that couldn't be retrieved. They'd already beaten Leverkusen. It's a dangerous scoreline, many feel. Dangerous scoreline, correct. They'd beaten Leverkusen 2-0 in the league phase, so they knew they could kind of unlock them to a certain extent. And it didn't feel like they laid enough gloves on them, if I can use that phrase. There was only two shots on target, one each from both sides, which kind of tells you everything that you need to know, I think.

31:27Mark Carey: It's Arsenal or Bayern next for Leverkusen. Should Arsenal be concerned?

31:34Duncan Alexander: I don't think so. Leverkusen have been quite mixed in their form across the whole season. In these games, at least, they lacked a bit of bite right at that sharp end. They get into some good areas. I really like the way that Leverkusen play. You can still see the kind of chubby Alonso style of one-touch play, making angles. It's really intricate at times. And it is quite aesthetically pleasing. but they did just lack a little bit of bite right at the top end and you think the team, the quality of Arsenal, they should be able to shrug them off quite easily.

32:03Mark Carey: Right. They've been through some managers since him, Xavi Lonzo, of course, Eric Thinhard with that brilliant spell at the start of this season. Now, Kasper Hulman in charge. You know what? They're another team who on their day... On their day. On their day. It's true. Good. That's all of Tuesday's action. Wednesday, of course, awaits and we'll have more on all of that in Thursday mornings, Totally Football Show. But there's other midweek stuff to talk about, including the Monday night Everton Man United game. We'll get on to that next.

32:41Martin Sleipnes: You're listening to the Totally Football Show with James Richardson. Now we do four times a week. Keep up to date with us on Insta and enjoy us in glorious Technicolor on YouTube at The Totally Show.

32:53Mark Carey: Much kerfuffle lot on Tuesday night, Duncan, as a man went to a football match in Wales. Also, did you see the picture of him pointing at potholes? This is Calvin Broaddus Jr., a.k.a. Snoop Dogg. The dog father. Did you see the picture of him pointing at potholes? Was this a bit of wordplay or was this a bit of... No, I didn't see this, but now that you say it out loud,

33:15Duncan Alexander: that must be a metaphor. I'm not sure.

33:17Mark Carey: It was quite angry people in local papers, to be honest.

33:20James Richardson: Right.

33:21Mark Carey: well anyway he was there to watch Swansea draw 1-1 with Preston Snoop Dogg is a minority stakeholder and was given a rapturous reception by the home fans who of course are not the only Welsh side with investment from American etc and so on and they've got a game with Wrexham actually coming up, when's that Duncan?

33:48James Richardson: March the 13th not long now I'm sure it will be screened on one of those mad places where it looks like you're at the ground where actually you're in San Diego

33:56Mark Carey: right, the globe, yeah yeah, I really want to go to one of those

34:01James Richardson: they do look good actually

34:02Mark Carey: they do alright then or you could go along to the Liberty Stadium or is it at Wrexham?

34:10James Richardson: it is at the Racehorse Ground or whatever it's called so I doubt you'll be getting in there it'll be sold out and why not and why not

34:20Mark Carey: that's in Wales north of the border this weekend Mark there's an old firm game 12 o 'clock Sunday Rangers host Celtic Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts the day before Saturday as we know it will be hosting Aberdeen now if they win that the margins are going to be huge they're going to be seven points ahead of Rangers and fully nine ahead of reigning champions Celtic before that old firm matchup Celtic do have a game in hand but it's very much billed as a lose this and you're out of the title picture

34:54Duncan Alexander: With Hearts obviously because they are part owned by by Tony Bloom I like to keep an eye on them from an analytics perspective at the very least to know that the process is still working and you can still find these players from further flung leagues and do well and try and I was going to say beat the duopoly I suppose as they are doing I thought I mean they came out of the blocks really well didn't they Hearts and then I thought Celtic almost caught them. I think they were level on points and then they played each other, I believe. And I thought that that was kind of the optimism over. Aberdeen had a chance last season where they were flirting with the idea of pulling away and that kind of fell away.

35:31Duncan Alexander: But it's nice to see that it's still on to win the title.

35:35Mark Carey: For now, it is still on. Meantime, in the Premier League, Monday saw Man United picking up their fourth win in five matches.

35:45James Richardson: Well, there's a nice link there, isn't there? because the last teams who weren't Rachel or Celtic to win the Scottish top flight were managed by Alex Ferguson. And Manchester United have not won the league since they were managed by Alex Ferguson. So he's got a lot to answer for. But yeah, United snuck, ground out a 1-0 win after an aerial bombardment from Everton.

36:05Mark Carey: Well, it was a 1-0 win. Benjamin Sesko with the goal. But it was their goalkeeper who got the Man of the Match award afterwards for his incredibly brave performance.

36:18James Richardson: Yeah, he just had to put his big Belgian arms in the air and catch a lot of balls, and he did it really well.

36:24Mark Carey: What exactly were Everton doing?

36:26James Richardson: Well, they were floating it on top of him, so they weren't like whipped corners. It was more of a sort of just put the ball and drop it down.

36:33Mark Carey: Right, but there was also a certain amount of physical attention to Lammers.

36:36Duncan Alexander: I was going to say, accompanied by many, many players in the six-yard box. There was Jocelyn. It's being termed the meat wall now, isn't it, in terms of just creating enough bodies. You're not necessarily blocking, you're not necessarily pushing, you're not doing anything you shouldn't, but you're just creating enough bodies and just taking enough space that there isn't the opportunity to move around. And Laman's dealt with it really well, didn't he? And it wasn't just catching, wasn't it? It was punching as well, to know that he couldn't actually get two hands on it, climb above the Everton players.

37:03James Richardson: Yeah, his six catches and punches in the six-yard box is the most by a goalkeeper in the Premier League this season. Really? Yeah, so he was put under the microscope and he came out well. And I think he's probably, of all the United signings last summer, all of whom the three attackers combined for the goal, he's the one that's maybe got the least attention. OK, but he's maybe the most influential, given their travails in that position. He's been a transformative figure, given the number of games in the last few seasons where they've maybe had some control and thrown it away because of a goalkeeping error.

37:34James Richardson: He's brought a sort of calmness. and I don't know, he kind of exudes a relaxation that seems to help the team.

37:42Duncan Alexander: I think it helps that he's not being asked to play out from the back quite in the same way that in seasons gone by elite goalkeepers have. I think the way that the Premier League's gone now is that going long is actually encouraged, not just accepted. So he's just focusing on doing the things that typical goalkeepers can do. Punch it, catch it, kick it, save it. Pull it. Stop it. Twist it.

38:05Mark Carey: He's top for expected goals prevented, ex-GP, per 90 minutes in the Premier League. On Monday night, Everton had 10 corners to United's one. They also played 35 crosses compared to United's six. That's quite Moyes' United legacy. But they only completed five of those 35. Lammond claimed two of them and punched away another four. Crikey. And he picked up his third clean sheet in six matches. which given United's previous issues before Carrick arrived in keeping it schoolless at their end is pretty remarkable stuff.

38:41Duncan Alexander: I think as well just having a settled side whether it is obviously goalkeeper back four but the whole team I think it's been a theme since Carrick's come in that he's really tried to minimise the amount of changes that have been made. He's had the opportunity to do that a little bit more because there's been fewer injuries of course.

38:55James Richardson: I mean they're playing a 40 game season which is remarkably low And it was mooted that Ruben Amarim would spend much of the season on the training pitch, honing the team. But Michael Carrick is actually benefiting from that. And I think United would get at least third. I think, given the nip and tuck in the tyre race... They're only three points behind Villa in third. Yeah, I think they'll overtake Villa. I could see them closing in on City and or Arsenal. I was looking at their fixtures as well. Arsenal's a big shout. Arsenal's a big shout. But I think Arsenal and City are both flawed and will drop points.

39:31James Richardson: So if United just keep plugging away, they've got a good basis to build on. The only thing there is whether, you know, it's funny, they're playing Crystal Palace this weekend, and we see Oliver Glasner is a manager who's been linked with the United job. Has he? And it's like the more Michael Carrick impresses, they're coming to that decision that they got to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, is do you turn an impressive interim manager into the permanent manager? but it's a nice problem to have. Indeed.

39:59Mark Carey: A subject no doubt will be touching on further as we reach the end of the season. As for Everton, they lay down in ninth place. They're winless in six at the Hill Dickinson. But their away form has kept them up in the top half of the table.

40:15James Richardson: Two things when clubs move stadiums. One, they start dropping points because they're not used to it and now that didn't happen at the start of the season for Everton they actually got off to quite a good start. but it's good to see the laws of football kick in and this is actually happening. That's good.

40:30Mark Carey: They're not used to it in terms of knowing where the goals are?

40:34James Richardson: Just the whole experience, I think. You're at home advantage of knowing every inch of the pitch. It's not there. I think Monday Night Football showed a lot of teams where they moved, like Arsenal and various others. I think Derby were the only team that moved stadiums and actually improved. Derby, as we know, has very much so. The other thing about new stadiums is the pitch is taking a long time to bed in. And that game on Monday night, it wasn't close to being abandoned, but the water on the pitch, it was a couple of points where the ball was not running freely. It's just nice to see you can't outrun the laws of football in the new stadiums.

41:11James Richardson: Don't try.

41:13Mark Carey: Everton this weekend are away at Newcastle. We'll have more thoughts on the weekend's games in store in Thursday morning's Totally Football Show. But that brings us to the end of today's edition. Many thanks to Mark and Duncan for being with us. To Martin Sleepness, of course. Nominative determinism is Martin Sleepness there in Milan. And to Grayson and producer Charlie in the booth. And you, listener, thanks so much for being with us. Back tomorrow, if you fancy it, on Thursday. For now, from all of us here, it's goodbye.

41:46Martin Sleipnes: You've been listening to The Totally Football Show, part of the Athletic FC Podcast Network. For other great podcasts just like this one, including The Athletic FC and our dedicated club podcasts, search for The Athletic in all the usual places. We're also at The Totally Show on Insta and at The Totally Show on YouTube. The Totally Football Show is an Athletic Media Company production.