In today’s episode of Stick to Football brought you by Sky Bet, Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Roy Keane, Jill Scott, and Ian Wright tackle some of football’s biggest talking points. Tensions run high as the panel debates Manchester United’s ongoing struggles both on and off the pitch, sparking one of our most heated discussions yet!
Arsenal also takes centre stage, with their title hopes fading as Liverpool surge into pole position to win the Premier League. Is there still a way back for The Gunners, or has their race already been run?
The team also take a moment to reflect on Gary’s 50th birthday party. What did they get up to, and what hilarious stories do they have to share?
Plus, we dive into your community questions! Who do you want to see lift the FA Cup this season? And ahead of the Oscars, find out which movie has impressed the gang the most over the past year.
Don’t miss out! Drop a comment below and join the conversation!
This episode is brought to you by Huel.
Start every day off strong with Huel – the ultimate meal on the go.
New customers get an exclusive offer – plus a free gift at https://www.huel.com/theoverlap
00:00 Morning Blueberry Crisis
02:11 Heartwarming Matheus Cunha Moment
07:04 Dance Floor Drama
08:37 Quiz Chaos
13:24 Football Analysis and Player Performances
23:58 Managerial Achievements and Team Strategies
37:24 Debate on Arsenal's Striker Dilemma
38:01 The Striker Market and Arsenal's Challenges
41:31 Comparing Arsenal and Liverpool's Forward Options
44:48 Critique of Arsenal's Management and Strategy
52:54 Manchester United's Financial and Management Crisis
01:06:25 Community Questions
01:11:30 Discussion on International Football and Player Choices
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Arsenal also takes centre stage, with their title hopes fading as Liverpool surge into pole position to win the Premier League. Is there still a way back for The Gunners, or has their race already been run?
The team also take a moment to reflect on Gary’s 50th birthday party. What did they get up to, and what hilarious stories do they have to share?
Plus, we dive into your community questions! Who do you want to see lift the FA Cup this season? And ahead of the Oscars, find out which movie has impressed the gang the most over the past year.
Don’t miss out! Drop a comment below and join the conversation!
This episode is brought to you by Huel.
Start every day off strong with Huel – the ultimate meal on the go.
New customers get an exclusive offer – plus a free gift at https://www.huel.com/theoverlap
00:00 Morning Blueberry Crisis
02:11 Heartwarming Matheus Cunha Moment
07:04 Dance Floor Drama
08:37 Quiz Chaos
13:24 Football Analysis and Player Performances
23:58 Managerial Achievements and Team Strategies
37:24 Debate on Arsenal's Striker Dilemma
38:01 The Striker Market and Arsenal's Challenges
41:31 Comparing Arsenal and Liverpool's Forward Options
44:48 Critique of Arsenal's Management and Strategy
52:54 Manchester United's Financial and Management Crisis
01:06:25 Community Questions
01:11:30 Discussion on International Football and Player Choices
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LISTEN TO OUR PODCASTS
Stick to Football - https://tr.ee/JI6l3Dj-4O
The Overlap - https://tr.ee/h07F3Fsuh3
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The Breakdown Podcast - https://podfollow.com/1771490639
Not Just Football - https://podfollow.com/1772633121
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Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00:00Right, let me get my blueberries in.
00:00:01No blueberries in the fridge this morning.
00:00:03Was there not?
00:00:04Poor, poor Aaron.
00:00:06Standard slipping.
00:00:08There were, but they were from the 6th of February.
00:00:10I mean, how out of date's that?
00:00:13It's not me, that.
00:00:14I'll leave some for everyone else, because...
00:00:18I think that's enough.
00:00:20You need a bowl, don't you, Neil?
00:00:21I do need a bowl, but, you know what I mean,
00:00:23if Roy asked for a bowl, you'd give him a bowl, wouldn't you?
00:00:26You know what I mean?
00:00:28Do you want a bowl?
00:00:29Walking around a bit cocky with your beanie hat on Liverpool won the league.
00:00:32Righty got me this.
00:00:33Did he?
00:00:35Brand placement.
00:00:36I'm not saying we won the league, though.
00:00:37Were you at City?
00:00:38No.
00:00:39Didn't go home.
00:00:40All good?
00:00:41You OK, lad?
00:00:44Using your adverts?
00:00:45No.
00:00:46Eating blueberries.
00:00:48Are you getting sponsored by them now?
00:00:50This episode of City Football is brought to you by blueberries.
00:00:53They're full of antioxidants.
00:00:55Cheers, mate.
00:00:56What's with the...
00:00:58Beanie hat?
00:00:59That's what I said.
00:01:00You've noticed it as well, even your Liverpool mates noticed it.
00:01:05Righty got it me.
00:01:06Do you know what I mean?
00:01:07Not noticed it, it's like a bit of a...
00:01:09It's like that fella from...
00:01:10Was it Coronation Street or Emmerdale?
00:01:12Benny.
00:01:13Benny.
00:01:14What's he from?
00:01:15Benny from...
00:01:16Crossroads.
00:01:17Crossroads.
00:01:18Crossroads.
00:01:19Hi, guys.
00:01:20OK.
00:01:21Hi, Jill.
00:01:22This way.
00:01:23You know what I was thinking about?
00:01:24Do you co-ordinate now before you come in?
00:01:25I know, actually.
00:01:26I've just realised that.
00:01:27Do you remember Brookside?
00:01:29Yeah, yeah.
00:01:30I used to like Brookside, yeah.
00:01:31What soaps have we got now?
00:01:32Emmerdale's still going.
00:01:33Brookside, sorry.
00:01:34Emmerdale, EastEnders, Coronation Street, Holyoak.
00:01:36Who's righty?
00:01:37The best soaps was Dallas.
00:01:39What's that?
00:01:40Dallas.
00:01:41Dallas.
00:01:42They're giving me shit for the hat.
00:01:43No, man, your hat looks good.
00:01:44Who gave you shit?
00:01:45These two.
00:01:46Who gave you shit for?
00:01:47Honestly.
00:01:48Who gave you shit, Kev?
00:01:49These two.
00:01:50Who gave him shit about his hat?
00:01:51Yeah.
00:01:52Why are you talking about his hat?
00:01:53Nick Harrah asked why he's wearing a hat.
00:01:54Yeah.
00:01:56Why are you talking about his hat?
00:01:57Nick Harrah asked why he's wearing a hat.
00:01:58Both of you don't want to wear hats.
00:01:59Why are you talking to somebody who wants to wear hats?
00:02:00I don't feel like one today.
00:02:01He's had his hair done.
00:02:02I had a nice shave from Layla.
00:02:03Have you seen this?
00:02:04Have you seen this?
00:02:05Did you see the Kunya video?
00:02:06No.
00:02:07You know, I could burst into tears sometimes, but I've watched this video.
00:02:08Oh, is it the wolves?
00:02:09Honestly, I swear, it's so beautiful.
00:02:10Have you seen it?
00:02:11No.
00:02:12Rob, watch this little boy, right?
00:02:13Watch.
00:02:14Gary, get him.
00:02:15Don't forget this, okay?
00:02:16Enjoy.
00:02:17Enjoy.
00:02:18Enjoy.
00:02:19Enjoy.
00:02:20Enjoy.
00:02:21Enjoy.
00:02:22Enjoy.
00:02:23Enjoy.
00:02:25Enjoy.
00:02:26Enjoy.
00:02:27Enjoy.
00:02:28Enjoy.
00:02:29Enjoy.
00:02:30Is it like this?
00:02:31He wants me to get this.
00:02:32Yeah, Kunya, yeah.
00:02:33And then watch.
00:02:34Aw, that's so cute.
00:02:35But wait a minute, goes back.
00:02:36Back to visit him.
00:02:37Oh.
00:02:38Hey, how are you?
00:02:39Nice to meet you.
00:02:40Are you good?
00:02:41Yeah, I can go in?
00:02:42Yeah, I love Kunya's voice.
00:02:43Can you come in?
00:02:44Can you come in?
00:02:45I love Kunya's voice.
00:02:46I love Kunya's voice.
00:02:47Are you OK?
00:02:48I'm good.
00:02:49I'm good.
00:02:50You're going to be all right.
00:02:51You're going to be all right.
00:02:54Can you come in?
00:02:55Yeah? Thank you.
00:02:57Excuse me. We have some gifts for you.
00:03:00You need to see if you like it.
00:03:02Yeah? We can sit here?
00:03:04I bring you some new things.
00:03:06I know I have already one.
00:03:07They don't highlight enough of this.
00:03:09You know what? Don't footballers do good stuff?
00:03:11This is what I'm saying. You know what I mean?
00:03:13Just be honest. You've got to watch that.
00:03:14Everybody likes football.
00:03:15You know what the thing is? This is what I'm saying about...
00:03:17You know when we have to do it,
00:03:18especially when we have to do that at Christmas,
00:03:20when you go to the hospitals and that.
00:03:22That was one of the most harrowing times
00:03:23because you know that they're really sick.
00:03:26But honestly, it makes you realise how fortunate you are now.
00:03:29That's lovely.
00:03:30What football can give.
00:03:32Do you know what was lovely last night?
00:03:33The Palace's last goal.
00:03:35The ex-Arsenal had it scored.
00:03:36Eddie!
00:03:37Did you see the players' reaction to it?
00:03:39It was beautiful, wasn't it?
00:03:40Do you know what it is?
00:03:41They obviously knew how much it meant to them.
00:03:42I like Nketiah as well.
00:03:44Yeah, well, listen, whatever.
00:03:45Yeah, of course.
00:03:46But you can see he's been struggling.
00:03:47He's gone to a new club. It's not happened for him.
00:03:49That was the fourth goal. So the game was already over.
00:03:52But the reaction of the players was beautiful.
00:03:54It's nice because they know...
00:03:56As a forward, especially when you go in, he's come from Arsenal.
00:03:58Beautiful.
00:03:59He's gone there, the Palace fans are saying,
00:04:01what have we done? What have we bought?
00:04:03I know that he's capable of something,
00:04:05but somewhere in himself, he's got to find it and get it out there.
00:04:08So when you see the players celebrate with him,
00:04:11they want it for him as well
00:04:13because they know if he gets to that form, he's going to help them.
00:04:16It was lovely.
00:04:17Really nice. Really nice.
00:04:19Hang on a minute. It's wire. Where's me man? Look.
00:04:21You should be still at Arsenal.
00:04:23I've got three badges here. I've only got three badges.
00:04:26Who's going to take...
00:04:26What are they?
00:04:27You know, Rockmont, my team in Ireland.
00:04:29100 years old.
00:04:30Nev, you've been to it. Jamie, you've been to it.
00:04:32I'll get you one. We're short.
00:04:33No, you can have it.
00:04:35No, no, no, Joe.
00:04:37I'll get you one.
00:04:38You're 100 years old?
00:04:40Just take whatever you can, my friend.
00:04:42Oh, Rockmont. The team we went to visit.
00:04:44No, Rockmont.
00:04:44Cove were 100 years old a few years ago.
00:04:46Obviously, Rockmont this year.
00:04:47Is this the pub where we went in? It was like the little cubbyhole.
00:04:49No, that's...
00:04:51Oh, yeah. The guys with the green blazers on.
00:04:53Yeah, yeah. Who looked after us. Rockmont.
00:04:55100 years old.
00:04:56Yeah. I obviously didn't get invited.
00:04:59Your road trips do look fun, though.
00:05:01They do look fun.
00:05:02There you go.
00:05:03Do you want to have a look?
00:05:05Have you got one on, right?
00:05:06That's nice, no?
00:05:07AFC.
00:05:09I'm back in Cork. I'll get one for me and you.
00:05:11Yeah, make sure.
00:05:12It's for the staff.
00:05:13Right.
00:05:14A little Adidas CP company collaboration.
00:05:16It looks a little bit like one of those...
00:05:18Every time I wear something, I get a stick. I can't win.
00:05:20That does look nice.
00:05:22A little collab.
00:05:24It's like a little baby collab.
00:05:26Cold.
00:05:27I like that.
00:05:28That's really nice.
00:05:29I like what Adidas have done with it.
00:05:31Instagram, no?
00:05:32If I wore that, you'd be going,
00:05:33oh, look at him with your phone.
00:05:34A new phone.
00:05:36Here we go.
00:05:38My phone died last week.
00:05:39Give it here.
00:05:40We've finally got a new screen, a new phone.
00:05:44Roy Keane. My phone just died.
00:05:47It was on its last legs, though.
00:05:48I couldn't get my stuff, all my information.
00:05:50That explains why he's not texted me back for a few weeks.
00:05:52On the side, then.
00:05:53No, you have to press ball.
00:05:54Can we just switch it off?
00:05:56No, not all together.
00:05:57Just put the volume on.
00:05:58Don't switch it off all together.
00:05:59Because, you know, when your voice went...
00:06:01Gravelly.
00:06:03You know, you left, you gutted you left.
00:06:05But, like, when his voice went,
00:06:08that's when you should have started singing Morrissey
00:06:09or you should have started singing something
00:06:11because your voice would have been ready for it.
00:06:13I know, my voice went completely.
00:06:15Where? When?
00:06:15Last week.
00:06:16Oh, your birthday was so good.
00:06:18Lovely, well done.
00:06:19It was so good.
00:06:20Happy girl, or did you feel under pressure?
00:06:21How did you feel?
00:06:22Are you glad it's done?
00:06:23Yeah, I'm glad it's done now, I think, yeah.
00:06:24Yeah, I enjoyed it.
00:06:25It was lovely.
00:06:26What was the highlight?
00:06:27I mean, I...
00:06:28When it was over?
00:06:29Oh, Kakao was funny.
00:06:31You like the Kakao?
00:06:31Yeah, yeah.
00:06:33Did you, seriously?
00:06:34I like bits of it.
00:06:35You know what, the thing with the Kakao,
00:06:37it's one of those that has to go for a while for you to get into it.
00:06:40Yeah.
00:06:41The only thing I'd say about the guests,
00:06:42people you said you've known a long time
00:06:44and you wanted to be there,
00:06:45I'm like, Rydie and Jill were there.
00:06:48Did you feel you had to invite them because of the podcast?
00:06:51No, because he loved them.
00:06:52He doesn't know the two of you.
00:06:53He's a part of the family.
00:06:55He got rid of all his friends, didn't he?
00:06:57About 18.
00:06:58Yeah, but he does know Jill and Rydie.
00:07:00I hate that they were there that he felt he had to bring them.
00:07:02You know what, at least we were dancing.
00:07:04You never got up once.
00:07:05Rydie, you were so annoying.
00:07:08You know what's annoying with him?
00:07:10He's sitting there, he's going like this with them,
00:07:12dancing on the chair.
00:07:13Oh, Rydie, you were so annoying.
00:07:15You were so annoying.
00:07:16How was I annoying?
00:07:17You know, you go to a party.
00:07:18Some people don't want to... I enjoy watching people dance.
00:07:21I never ever once...
00:07:22I do. I like watching my family dance.
00:07:24I never once said to him...
00:07:25You've had your say.
00:07:26I never once said to him, come on down.
00:07:28There's other people not dancing, and people come up to you going,
00:07:30oh, dance, you go, there's other people not dancing.
00:07:32And listen to this guy here, for two days,
00:07:35Rydie's like this on the hike.
00:07:36Oh, my knee, oh, my knee, oh, my knee.
00:07:38Then Prince comes on.
00:07:41I thought, Michael Jackson's in the house.
00:07:43Rydie's dancing, I'm going, you couldn't walk for two days?
00:07:46We did 12 hours dancing over two days.
00:07:49And that's fine, but what's wrong with people who don't want to dance?
00:07:51You just look a bit moody.
00:07:53No, I'm not moody, I was loving it.
00:07:55Christ's sake, I'm sick of it.
00:07:57People going, oh, come on, dance. I don't want to fucking dance.
00:08:00I dance for years, and people going, get off the dance floor.
00:08:02No, I don't want to dance. People saying, get on the dance floor.
00:08:05I haven't danced for years.
00:08:06I haven't danced for years.
00:08:07No, I dance at home.
00:08:08You were so annoying.
00:08:09But there's other people not dancing. No one was going over to them.
00:08:12You didn't go to anybody else, Jill.
00:08:13Yeah, everybody else got up, I reckon.
00:08:15No, no, not everybody else got up. No, no, no. Hold on a second.
00:08:18I thought everyone got up who needed it.
00:08:20I think there was enough dancing done by the Kean family.
00:08:23Honestly, the Kean family were well represented on the dance floor.
00:08:27Very well represented on the dance floor.
00:08:29Let's leave that alone. That's still going on.
00:08:32Righty, how annoying was he, though, on the quiz?
00:08:35You know, obviously, when you're in the teens,
00:08:37he takes over everything and makes you feel so useless
00:08:41and shouts at you to get the answer.
00:08:43And then he says, see, I told you, that's what I thought.
00:08:45What was the question about the Kean that was like,
00:08:48was it 60 million, 70 million, or 80 million?
00:08:50We said 70.
00:08:51And I said 70 million.
00:08:52And you were going, it's 60, it's 60.
00:08:54So I was like, right, let's just put Roy's answer down
00:08:56because else he's going to kick off, so we'll put 60 down.
00:08:59And then he started shouting at us when he said 70.
00:09:01I was like, yeah, and he went,
00:09:02well, obviously, Jill, I didn't add the 50,
00:09:04I didn't add the 60, I didn't add the 60.
00:09:06And then he said, obviously, Jill, I didn't add the VAT.
00:09:08And I was like, no!
00:09:09He was like, well, do you want to put the VAT on?
00:09:11And I'm like, you can't be wrong.
00:09:12Brilliant, though, girl.
00:09:14How many more podcasts have we got left?
00:09:16Before what?
00:09:17Before the end of the season?
00:09:18About, probably about seven or eight.
00:09:19Seven or eight.
00:09:20Why are you leaving?
00:09:21Not enough.
00:09:23Just, it's abuse.
00:09:24It's abuse.
00:09:25I had a great time.
00:09:26Brilliant time.
00:09:27Absolutely brilliant time.
00:09:28It was good, it was good.
00:09:29Everyone can go out on the dance floor.
00:09:30Well done, girl.
00:09:32And the quiz, you're useless at quizzes.
00:09:33Jill, you don't, you talk like you're 11 going,
00:09:35I don't remember that.
00:09:36I don't remember this.
00:09:38I'm 12 years younger than you.
00:09:39But you didn't answer any questions.
00:09:40Yes, I did.
00:09:42And right, he was in the corner with his bottle of wine with his wife.
00:09:43You're going, why'd he join in?
00:09:44You're like, you're there, but you're not there.
00:09:46You know, like...
00:09:47I mean, I wasn't there.
00:09:48I was answering the questions.
00:09:50You didn't answer any questions.
00:09:51We did.
00:09:52You didn't answer any questions.
00:09:53I answered the questions.
00:09:54You didn't answer any questions.
00:09:55Who got Neville Chamberlain?
00:09:56Did you get Neville Chamberlain?
00:09:57What was that one for?
00:09:58For the Neville, obviously.
00:10:01A question.
00:10:02So, the Prime Minister, with Neville.
00:10:05Did you get Neville Chamberlain?
00:10:06You were wrong when he was there.
00:10:07That's it.
00:10:08Our quiz game was the best as well.
00:10:10No, Julian, that's when you drag it.
00:10:12And honestly...
00:10:13Yeah, I thought I had a really good time, but...
00:10:17What's good on your table?
00:10:18He's just too competitive.
00:10:19At least, James was...
00:10:21I love James.
00:10:22James is one of those guys on a dance floor with his drink
00:10:25and it doesn't matter who's in the...
00:10:26He'll do any move.
00:10:28There was one move Jamie could do in this movie.
00:10:35I was going through that goal, I scored around 18
00:10:38against Aston Villa, celebrating.
00:10:40Brilliant.
00:10:41What was the song, Piano Man, when you were kicking off with the band?
00:10:44I know.
00:10:45You can't look up the lyrics.
00:10:46Tell you what, you're incredible, aren't you?
00:10:48I know.
00:10:49The band were excellent.
00:10:50The band worked well.
00:10:51You remember everything that's happened.
00:10:54You wake up the next...
00:10:55Oh, do you remember?
00:10:56Oh, remember that?
00:10:57No, but it was funny.
00:10:58Oh, get on!
00:11:00Yeah, avoid jilt.
00:11:01Same with Nev and there was a lot of Ben.
00:11:03You know, people walk around with a glass of wine.
00:11:05Obviously, I study people, right?
00:11:07I take in things.
00:11:08I used to play in midfield.
00:11:09I have to watch things.
00:11:10I'm a midfielder.
00:11:11Expect danger.
00:11:12Who's going to kick off?
00:11:13Who's going to try and pull somebody?
00:11:14Whatever.
00:11:16Who's watching?
00:11:18I watch people.
00:11:19There was people walking around with a glass of wine for two days.
00:11:21The same glass of wine.
00:11:22They weren't even drinking.
00:11:23They were like, aren't I cool?
00:11:24And I'm like, drink it.
00:11:26You know, I just...
00:11:27People wanted to...
00:11:28Julie wasn't drinking.
00:11:29A glass of wine and you were...
00:11:30What?
00:11:31It wasn't getting topped up.
00:11:32I was watching you.
00:11:33It was.
00:11:34To be honest, girl.
00:11:35I wish I had the same one.
00:11:36We never won it for anything.
00:11:37It's brilliant, girl.
00:11:38You know the band?
00:11:40It was really good.
00:11:41Are they close friends of yours?
00:11:42Was it?
00:11:43No, they were...
00:11:44They were very good.
00:11:45They were the Bruce Wynn singer.
00:11:46No, no, the Irish band.
00:11:47Picture this.
00:11:49I love this.
00:11:50They were singing.
00:11:51But they were looking at the phone.
00:11:52And I was thinking...
00:11:53I was thinking, I know it's not their song.
00:11:56Yeah, that was just a couple of ballad things at the end.
00:11:58We asked them for a...
00:12:00We asked them for a...
00:12:01A lifelong...
00:12:02I think we asked them to do a live lounge.
00:12:04We asked them for songs that didn't obviously...
00:12:06I mean, it's fair enough, isn't it?
00:12:07It wasn't in the set, was it?
00:12:08Yeah.
00:12:09You know, the security drag joke.
00:12:10That was all right.
00:12:12His wife.
00:12:13His wife.
00:12:14Yeah, that's all right.
00:12:15That was your wife.
00:12:16Billy Joel, Billy Joel.
00:12:17Yeah.
00:12:18But it was lovely.
00:12:19Yeah, your family should be proud.
00:12:20Beautiful.
00:12:21Really nice.
00:12:23Saying that was freezing up there.
00:12:25That cold water.
00:12:26I did warm up to it Thursday.
00:12:27You did the cold water, didn't you?
00:12:28That's right.
00:12:29The lead singer, did you see the size of his coat?
00:12:31And no wonder you were dancing all night.
00:12:32I didn't know what you were going to say then.
00:12:33I thought you were going to say cold.
00:12:35Jesus Christ.
00:12:36No wonder you were dancing to keep warm.
00:12:37Keep warm.
00:12:38It was cold, wasn't it?
00:12:40I'm saying that cold water.
00:12:41Was there any benefit from that cold water?
00:12:42Oh, I don't care.
00:12:43You know something?
00:12:44You know what I've done as well, Jane?
00:12:45Because the water was so cold when I went in,
00:12:46I cut my toe.
00:12:47And I didn't feel it until we warmed up.
00:12:50It was terrible.
00:12:51Right on the nail.
00:12:52Cut it right there.
00:12:53It didn't bother you when Prince came on, did it?
00:12:56No, to be honest, when Prince comes on, I have to do my bit.
00:12:59I thought you were like,
00:13:00you were running for Palace,
00:13:01so I saw you sprinting.
00:13:02Did you like my moves?
00:13:03I rock you.
00:13:04Did you see my moves?
00:13:05You were very good.
00:13:06I didn't want to say anything.
00:13:07Oh, there would be.
00:13:08Jill thinks everything you do is good, doesn't she?
00:13:10Because she's like my sis.
00:13:14He's the guy who holds the ball up
00:13:15and there's people trying to run in.
00:13:16You can't rely on one player being fit
00:13:18and your whole egg's in one basket.
00:13:19I'm sorry, that is not right.
00:13:21Tony Adams was there.
00:13:22Yeah, because he was a fighter.
00:13:24If Bruno's not there,
00:13:25United are in the relegation places.
00:13:27It's an absolute mess.
00:13:29The club has run out of cash.
00:13:30It's like a scam ban United.
00:13:32I think he's a good player,
00:13:33but I don't know if he's a good captain.
00:13:35You said that hierarchy would fall away as soon as Klopp went.
00:13:37No, I...
00:13:38I generally think that FSG aren't as popular
00:13:40with Liverpool fans.
00:13:41Because you need social media, they're absolute cranks.
00:13:43Oh, my God.
00:13:44Liverpool need a striker.
00:13:45Arsenal need a striker.
00:13:46Why aren't they buying them?
00:13:47Because they're not out there.
00:13:49J, he's now monitoring your every move.
00:13:50Go, Winton!
00:13:57Liverpool, have they won the league?
00:13:58Of course.
00:14:00It's done.
00:14:01Yeah.
00:14:02You know something?
00:14:03Being a second, it sounds very negative, me saying that,
00:14:07but you have to look at what they're doing in February,
00:14:10what they've done up to this point,
00:14:11a great start there to the season.
00:14:12People say, no, it's an easy start.
00:14:13They've had it apart from Forrest.
00:14:15But they've done everything out how you'd expect them to do.
00:14:17Not been tested yet, though, have they?
00:14:18No, I haven't played anyone.
00:14:21You know, it's like, for me,
00:14:24with Slott especially,
00:14:26what he's done, especially with those three guys,
00:14:29with Virg, with Trent,
00:14:32and with Salah, quieting that noise,
00:14:34even when people were trying to bring the noise up,
00:14:36to steady it like that,
00:14:37and then still march into it like this.
00:14:40You have to say that they're easily in prime position.
00:14:42You know, because I haven't mentioned this before,
00:14:45I was thinking about, you just mentioned the Forrest game,
00:14:47and the Forrest game came really early in the season.
00:14:49It's one of those results where you're going, ooh.
00:14:51And don't forget, under clock, Liverpool never really,
00:14:53never went, like, sort of years without losing a home.
00:14:55She was thinking, ooh.
00:14:57And I think a game that was really important,
00:14:59not to do with the league,
00:15:00they played AC Milan away.
00:15:02A few days later.
00:15:03They were getting beat 1-0 after,
00:15:04I think AC Milan scored within three or four minutes.
00:15:06And it was that thing of, like, they ended up winning, I think.
00:15:09I think it was 3-1.
00:15:102-1 or 3-1.
00:15:12And I just look back at that game,
00:15:13sort of now because you've just mentioned Forrest,
00:15:15I'm thinking, that was a big moment for the manager, that.
00:15:18You know, if you go lose a home to Forrest,
00:15:20I don't know if Milan might have been the first game
00:15:22you lose away, you get beat 1-0.
00:15:23They might have changed it.
00:15:25That was probably a massive turning point, that.
00:15:26That AC Milan game away from them.
00:15:28It's still, they're not the AC Milan of old,
00:15:29but it's still the San Siro, AC Milan, you know, a big game.
00:15:33So that was probably a big game.
00:15:35And you know what, as well, they've got, like,
00:15:37the free players as well.
00:15:38You mentioned, I mentioned Virgil.
00:15:39Obviously, you have to mention Gravenberg.
00:15:41But we're looking at Mo Salah having,
00:15:44I think it's one of the greatest seasons ever.
00:15:46He's just absolutely incredible.
00:15:48He's definitely been my favourite player of the season.
00:15:50Did you think it was crazy how City set up against them
00:15:54with Foden as the nine?
00:15:56Well, Foden was poor anyway, wasn't he?
00:15:58Yeah.
00:15:59He hasn't had a good season, has he?
00:16:00He's not, he's really off it.
00:16:01Even his first touch, his first few touches,
00:16:03what a proper bouncing off him.
00:16:05Opposite of way off it, aren't they?
00:16:07They are way off it.
00:16:08Yeah, I think he was good in there at, like,
00:16:10obviously, the first 10, 15 minutes,
00:16:12I thought, hmm, this could be all right.
00:16:13But obviously, because we're missing Haaland,
00:16:15so they thought we're going to avoid that.
00:16:17Van Dijk put Foden there,
00:16:19obviously, just to add a number.
00:16:21But then, when they were, like, he was coming out,
00:16:23they then missed the runner in behind.
00:16:24And I think with Mamouche, should have made it...
00:16:26Maybe, maybe.
00:16:27But then, a lot of times, he was kind of chasing back a little.
00:16:30But it's amazing, when you look at Arsenal,
00:16:31we talk about Arsenal having a striker,
00:16:32obviously, Haaland's struggling.
00:16:34And these big clubs who spend fortunes
00:16:35haven't got a backup striker.
00:16:37Isn't it bizarre?
00:16:38When we played United, or you played Liverpool,
00:16:41you always had four or five really decent strikers.
00:16:43Some were squad players, they would come in and do a job,
00:16:45they wouldn't be your main men.
00:16:46And City are going into a big game,
00:16:47and City are trying to get back...
00:16:50Get back in the race for top four, or might be...
00:16:52And they've got no recognised striker
00:16:54for a big club we've spent...
00:16:56Isn't it mad?
00:16:57Arsenal are playing against West Ham,
00:16:59they have no...
00:17:00Your whole football club, no recognised striker.
00:17:03It's...
00:17:04For all your planning and recruitment,
00:17:06people must be sitting there going,
00:17:07just what if it happens to our main striker?
00:17:08Especially when you look at how they just went,
00:17:10once Mamouche came in,
00:17:12they went, bam, just went and got him.
00:17:13You've got to go and get that person.
00:17:15You've got to go and get that person.
00:17:16Like, look at us.
00:17:17Like, three years we've needed a striker, five windows.
00:17:20I actually thought Foden was doing OK in the first ten minutes.
00:17:22I'm sure I saw Slott come down to the actual touchline
00:17:25and say to Van Dijk, go in.
00:17:27Yeah, he did.
00:17:28And he literally followed him in the next time.
00:17:30It was almost from that point on,
00:17:31it was almost like you never saw him again,
00:17:32because he then started going deeper, obviously,
00:17:34beyond the midfield.
00:17:35I thought the first ten minutes, I thought,
00:17:36ooh, actually, probably just caught him out a little bit.
00:17:38And obviously, he played...
00:17:40But City did get into good positions.
00:17:42They did put some balls across the box.
00:17:43You weren't looking at City going,
00:17:44they're all over the place, they're not at it.
00:17:46But again, them balls into the middle of the box,
00:17:48you're going, but there's not...
00:17:49There's not physical...
00:17:50And the thing is, even with Docher,
00:17:52even with Docher, Docher was doing well on that side.
00:17:55But he was doing exactly the same thing.
00:17:57He was going to come in and try to...
00:17:58And they just had that blocked off,
00:17:59whether it was Collate or...
00:18:01And it seemed like that was their only avenue.
00:18:02The position we were in in the studio,
00:18:03we were right on top of that arm.
00:18:05And every time Docher went to that side,
00:18:07and then you'd look up,
00:18:08and Van Dijk and Carruther just stood there.
00:18:10And it was just...
00:18:11But the workmate of Mo Salah
00:18:13to get back in the eyeline of Doku.
00:18:16So every time he got past Trent,
00:18:17he's then got Mo Salah there.
00:18:19And everybody always looks at when teams are doing well
00:18:21going forward, but Liverpool,
00:18:22the recovery to get back,
00:18:24I think that's been one of the...
00:18:25Is Mo Salah not one of them strikers?
00:18:27I know he's getting his...
00:18:28The plaudits now, but over the last few years,
00:18:29was there still a few little doubts about him?
00:18:31And he had his little follow-up.
00:18:32It was a clop last year, and he was taken off.
00:18:34It was...
00:18:35I was never putting Salah up there,
00:18:37but after this year, I always rate him.
00:18:38Of course I thought he was a brilliant...
00:18:40But this year I'm going, no, I'm putting you in the ix.
00:18:42It's really interesting because...
00:18:44See, Liverpool fans love him.
00:18:45Talking about him winning the Ballon d'Or,
00:18:46being one of the best players.
00:18:48We've got the contract stuff.
00:18:49But the second half of last season
00:18:51was the first time I could almost...
00:18:53You could feel it with supporters,
00:18:55like, this is...
00:18:57The summer's the time to cash in here.
00:18:58Because the year before, it was like...
00:19:00But it didn't turn on him, though, did Jimmy?
00:19:02Did it turn on him even...
00:19:03When he had his little bust-up...
00:19:04You always said Liverpool fans were always back to manager.
00:19:07Yeah.
00:19:08But it didn't turn on him either when he...
00:19:09And there was a few tantrums on it.
00:19:10There was not one.
00:19:11I thought there was maybe three or four, wasn't there?
00:19:13When he got taken off.
00:19:14Yeah, a few little bits and pieces.
00:19:15He went to the African Cup of Nations last season,
00:19:19come back and he wasn't the same player.
00:19:20And it was the first time you could ever go,
00:19:22oh, he was injured, wasn't fully fit.
00:19:24And it was a case of Liverpool turned down,
00:19:25I think, about probably about 120, 150 million
00:19:28the season before for him
00:19:29when the Saudi thing first kicked off.
00:19:31And it was like, OK, can we still get that money a year later?
00:19:33But he ended up staying.
00:19:35And I think the version of Mo Salah now
00:19:40is much better than even his first season,
00:19:42which his first season I think he got 47 goals, I think.
00:19:46But this is a complete package now
00:19:49rather than just the goals.
00:19:50He's done an interview not too long ago,
00:19:52a few weeks back now,
00:19:53and people were talking about,
00:19:55some people saying that sometimes in games
00:19:57he kind of disappears out of the game,
00:19:59but then all of a sudden he comes.
00:20:00He says, but I've realised at this stage of my career
00:20:03that it's the game.
00:20:04It's experience, isn't it?
00:20:05It's about moments.
00:20:06It's about moments and delivering in the moments.
00:20:08And like I said, I don't think I've seen for many, many years,
00:20:13I know with Thierry he was doing his great stuff when he was playing,
00:20:15but somebody's being so consistent.
00:20:18Do you know who I think they all watch right here?
00:20:19I think these top players would watch people like Messi
00:20:22and watch how their careers keep going on.
00:20:24And again, it is these lads go,
00:20:26I'll come back maybe and I'll slot it,
00:20:27but they're not going to be tackling people and chasing people down.
00:20:30They might come back into position,
00:20:31but they're like, I'll be judged on what I do when I get the ball.
00:20:35And if they're producing, you forgive all the other bits.
00:20:37Well, I used to have a little bit of canting,
00:20:39but I used to get annoyed with Eric sometimes,
00:20:41I'd go, Eric, you win one and he scores another one.
00:20:43But I think he's doing both though at the minute.
00:20:46I think he did both in that game.
00:20:48What I would say is I think it's him,
00:20:50but also I think it's a tactic from them,
00:20:51not a tactic as such, but I think the manager's clever enough.
00:20:54When you actually watch Liverpool,
00:20:55if you're looking down on all the players that are on the pitch,
00:20:58you'll see Mo Salah standing on the right wing,
00:21:01basically when Liverpool are defending.
00:21:02And Liverpool have had joy from that in terms of counter-attacking.
00:21:05And I can never get out of my head when we first went with Sky
00:21:08to the Champions League games in Barcelona,
00:21:11and the view, we used to go right to the top,
00:21:13do you remember, and we'd look down on the game,
00:21:15and Messi would just be walking, he wouldn't move.
00:21:19And you'd be like, you can't criticise Messi,
00:21:21you're almost transfixed by what he's doing.
00:21:23The game's going on, you'd be thinking, what is he doing?
00:21:25Where's he going?
00:21:26And he'd be constantly just checking his shoulders with them.
00:21:28And as soon as he needed to come alive, he'd do that.
00:21:30And I think Mo Salah's got a little bit about him this season
00:21:33of, like, his experience, maturity,
00:21:36I don't need to be here, but I'm going to come alive.
00:21:39But isn't that intelligence?
00:21:40Isn't that proper football intelligence to go,
00:21:42we're picking the right moments?
00:21:43Because sometimes players like to say,
00:21:44I'll just drift out of the game, and they can't get back into it.
00:21:47But as you said, Messi, we've all seen videos
00:21:49where there's just cameras on Messi.
00:21:51And he is watching it, he's just looking, prowling, he's like...
00:21:54But, Roy, you get to another level when you're a player,
00:21:57you're able, like, see some players and they say,
00:21:59look at him, look at his body, look at it, he's just walking around.
00:22:02You get to a level with, like, what Messi's taken,
00:22:04obviously Mo's at that level, where they can walk about,
00:22:06because he said, yeah, but he's going to come alive in a minute.
00:22:08But we couldn't do that, the positions we played in.
00:22:11Did you get to that at, sort of, your, you know,
00:22:13because you played on to later, I mean, what did you...
00:22:14It wasn't your style, was it, really?
00:22:15No, I had to keep moving.
00:22:16But, like, especially with their manager,
00:22:18like, someone like George Graham.
00:22:21No, I'm thinking more later when you were at, sort of, West Ham.
00:22:23Even with Wenger, you had to be constantly on the move.
00:22:25I wasn't that player where, like, they seemed,
00:22:28they could drop in and pick the ball up and zoom at people.
00:22:30I was on the furthest line-up forward, on the shoulder.
00:22:34I think for United, I mean, Eric did it a little bit,
00:22:37but I think Cristiano was the first person that I ever saw not defend,
00:22:41and I couldn't get my head around it for a period.
00:22:43When I spoke about this, where he's in front of me on the right wing,
00:22:45I was thinking...
00:22:46Did the manager say he didn't have to?
00:22:47No, it was never...
00:22:49It got to a point where we all accepted,
00:22:51when his numbers started to get to the 35-40 a season,
00:22:53you almost said, do what you want.
00:22:55It almost gets to that point where you say,
00:22:56I'm sorry, there has to be a different rule for him,
00:22:58which, to be fair, doesn't exist in a team,
00:23:00particularly one team that's working really hard to do well, but he...
00:23:03But you have to be getting them numbers.
00:23:04You can't be getting 15 goals.
00:23:06You have to be that.
00:23:08You have to be big numbers and you have to be something very special
00:23:10and win games constantly for your team,
00:23:12and Salah is in a golden moment,
00:23:13because, I mean, obviously the goals, the sort of assists, all the things.
00:23:16The thing is, I said this to you the other day,
00:23:18when did he start becoming someone who could hold off six-foot-two defenders,
00:23:24hold it, pin them, bring it down, and just pop it off?
00:23:27I mean, Alisson's knocking balls to him,
00:23:29and I'm like, as a defender, I've got to stand in front of him,
00:23:32I've got to try and wrestle him,
00:23:33and he's holding off Guardiola on Sunday.
00:23:35It's like, when did he start doing that?
00:23:37It's his balance and everything, isn't it?
00:23:38That's just been a super good pro.
00:23:40When did he start doing that?
00:23:41He is a really good footballer.
00:23:43It's because his persona, he's gone somewhere else.
00:23:45Right to death of him, aren't they?
00:23:46Absolutely petrified, because you look at someone like Guardiola,
00:23:49who is bigger than him,
00:23:50but once he's got in a position and the ball is coming in,
00:23:53Guardiola now is shitting himself.
00:23:56Especially, and Mo knows that.
00:23:58That's the thing, he knows that now.
00:23:59Where does this rank in terms of managers' achievements?
00:24:02Because none of us had Liverpool winning the league,
00:24:05and there are not many people in this country
00:24:06who had Liverpool winning the league this year with Klopp leaving.
00:24:08No-one saw that coming.
00:24:09No, absolutely.
00:24:10So what I'm saying is, no-one had Liverpool winning the league.
00:24:14That was good, that was really convincing.
00:24:16I didn't say they wouldn't, but last year,
00:24:17they were in the mix with five, six games to go.
00:24:19No, I'm not saying it's a shock,
00:24:21but when you get back to the start of the season,
00:24:22let's not rewrite history.
00:24:23No sign-ins to hold.
00:24:24No sign-ins, losing Klopp, you're thinking...
00:24:27New manager.
00:24:27Hang on a minute, this is sort of like...
00:24:30This could go a little...
00:24:31But isn't it great also, you're trying to put yourself
00:24:34with the Liverpool players, and Klopp is an amazing manager.
00:24:37But sometimes players are ready for a change.
00:24:40I know people talk about a change...
00:24:41But where do we rank it?
00:24:42Where do we rank this in terms of managerial achievement?
00:24:45For injuries of effect in City and Arsenal, so bad, haven't they?
00:24:49I think Mourinho would still probably just rank above it for me.
00:24:52Chelsea had never won a league title, you know what I mean?
00:24:55So for me, Chelsea probably...
00:24:56Yeah, but don't you think that Liverpool...
00:24:57I think Jose... No, no.
00:24:59Chelsea, this season before, had finished second.
00:25:01My point being is Chelsea have been on board,
00:25:03like, we're just spending 50, 60, 30, 40 million on them.
00:25:06Ranieri, at least, is the top one of all time.
00:25:08Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:25:09I think, to me, Jose and Slott is the one that I'm looking for.
00:25:12No, I think...
00:25:14I think Slott and probably Wenger winning the double.
00:25:19Even though Wenger come in the year before,
00:25:20but he was happy to...
00:25:21It took a couple of years, yeah.
00:25:22No, no, it was his first full season.
00:25:23Yeah, I know, but he was still a bit in the game this season.
00:25:25Yeah, I get that, but what I'm saying is,
00:25:26Arsenal were a team who were finishing fifth and sixth.
00:25:29I think Arsenal maybe finished fifth or sixth.
00:25:31Wenger had been there, so OK.
00:25:33But to win the double in his first season, full season,
00:25:35but Slott doing it without know,
00:25:37so probably Slott might win the...
00:25:40What do we know? Slott will win the league.
00:25:42I've got him as manager of the year.
00:25:44I think Ranieri and then probably Slott.
00:25:46Because I think that what he's done coming in...
00:25:49And again, he's not even his players.
00:25:52But this is where I give club credit.
00:25:53I'm going to give club credit.
00:25:54And Klopp knew a few months ago, and I know Rikker,
00:25:58but he left good stuff behind him.
00:26:00You know the managers who come in the know going,
00:26:02they're dealing with rubbish.
00:26:05At least Slott would have gone in there going,
00:26:07there's something there.
00:26:08There's a foundation there for me to try and...
00:26:10And obviously the surprise was he didn't really bring any players in.
00:26:13You mentioned he brought one in.
00:26:14So that's why I give Klopp a little bit.
00:26:15He gave him something. There was something there for him to...
00:26:17But of course, getting over the line is obviously a lot more difficult.
00:26:19The thing about Gravenberch and Gakpoen,
00:26:21I always say this, we always talk about managers and recruitments,
00:26:24and of course, every manager lives and dies by his recruitment,
00:26:27the players he brings in.
00:26:28We use it as a stick to beat them with or whatever.
00:26:31But I think something really underestimated in is,
00:26:33when a new manager comes in,
00:26:34he's got 22, 25 players who aren't his.
00:26:37He hasn't bought them.
00:26:38But this idea that they're not his players,
00:26:40he's got to do something with them.
00:26:42He has to.
00:26:43This thing right now with Man United and Amarone.
00:26:44What he's done with Gravenberch...
00:26:45But that's my point.
00:26:46And then there's the middle players, Curtis Jones and people like that.
00:26:48It's unbelievable.
00:26:49But what I'm saying is, he hasn't bought anyone,
00:26:50but he's made players in the squad who he didn't buy better.
00:26:54That's a manager's job.
00:26:55Yeah, of course.
00:26:55It's not just about buying...
00:26:57Sorry, but isn't it also easier sometimes for a manager?
00:26:59Imagine if they came in and said to Liverpool last summer,
00:27:01you've 200 million to spend.
00:27:03Then...
00:27:04But sometimes for a manager, it's nice to have no options,
00:27:06going, no, you've got to work with these lads.
00:27:08You've got to make them better.
00:27:09And they were good players, don't get me wrong, sorry.
00:27:10Overcomplicated sometimes.
00:27:12Listen, sometimes, we talk about recruitment,
00:27:13but also an easier thing for a manager going,
00:27:15listen, you have to work with these lads.
00:27:17Who were decent players?
00:27:18You won a trophy last year and nearly, you know,
00:27:20with four or five games to go,
00:27:21they were still maybe thinking they could win the league.
00:27:23So there was something to work with.
00:27:24So I bet he thought, at least I don't have to get bogged down
00:27:26by trying to get lads in.
00:27:27You know what I think was important, Roy?
00:27:28I'd be interested to know what to do this summer.
00:27:30And we probably say this was a negative.
00:27:32We also talk about a tournament, don't we,
00:27:33being a negative if a new manager's coming in,
00:27:35you know, he doesn't get the players back until whenever,
00:27:38and he hasn't had them from the first day of pre-season.
00:27:40In some ways, that may have helped Liverpool,
00:27:42because I think the noise coming from the club was,
00:27:44we're not going in the market for players
00:27:46because he hasn't seen his squad yet.
00:27:47It was almost this case of he doesn't know what they're like.
00:27:49And it was, they all come back.
00:27:50Then the pre-season starts, like, OK, OK.
00:27:53And then basically, they only went for one player.
00:27:55It wasn't like three or four.
00:27:55They went for one player, the midfield player,
00:27:57and they didn't get him.
00:27:58The management, to be fair, above him,
00:28:00also needs some massive credit.
00:28:01You know, we also, to be fair, sometimes say that ultimately,
00:28:04you know, they've not panicked, have they?
00:28:06You know, the people who've come in, the guy who's obviously...
00:28:09He's come back, and, sorry, the guy above him,
00:28:12but Richard Hughes coming from Bournemouth, yeah.
00:28:14Yeah, I think, and then there's a way
00:28:15in which they've recruited or not recruited and not panicked.
00:28:18But if they started badly, Neve, would they have...
00:28:20Oh, yeah.
00:28:21If you start well and everything...
00:28:22I get that, but...
00:28:23It's like when you're winning, everything's fine, isn't it?
00:28:24There is a calmness about how they do things,
00:28:26and they've been doing things for the previous seven or eight years.
00:28:28There's a calmness about how they've recruited.
00:28:29They never overpay that much.
00:28:31I mean, Nunez is probably the exception.
00:28:32They never really overpay that much.
00:28:34They tend to stick with it.
00:28:35So you think that's the way to do it?
00:28:36No, no, I'm saying what they've done at Liverpool
00:28:38is what, to be fair, maybe used to happen,
00:28:40what happens at a successful club.
00:28:41But Pep, to be honest with you,
00:28:43they've been quite smart in their recruitment, haven't they?
00:28:45You know what I mean? Over the last few years...
00:28:46But you said that hierarchy would fall away as soon as Klopp went.
00:28:49No, I...
00:28:49No, you did. You did.
00:28:51I'm not... Let me finish.
00:28:53What's up with you?
00:28:54My point was, I generally think that FSG aren't as popular
00:28:57with Liverpool fans...
00:28:58Because you read social media, they're absolute cranks.
00:29:00Oh, my God.
00:29:01FSG aren't as popular as they should be
00:29:04for what they've done at Liverpool.
00:29:06And if they didn't invest,
00:29:07and then the team started, to be fair, nosedive,
00:29:09which I thought, after Klopp,
00:29:11they would, to be fair, nosedive a little bit
00:29:12and go down into sort of fourth, fifth, sixth.
00:29:14I thought that's where they'd be this season.
00:29:16I had them outside the Champions League place,
00:29:17I think I had them in fifth,
00:29:18which maybe still would be a Champions League place.
00:29:20I think, to be fair, they were on the edge, I think, with fans.
00:29:24Fans would have turned quite quickly on them, and you know that.
00:29:26My point is...
00:29:27And I'm saying this to people.
00:29:28But to hold their nerve, like they did,
00:29:31against that and not sign anybody
00:29:33and not go into the transfer window and stay calm,
00:29:35I think it's hard to do that.
00:29:36You know what? You've got to do that.
00:29:38You see, with Gravenberch and his emergence,
00:29:41especially as they went for Zouma Mendy,
00:29:44he's like a new sign-in for a position at Liverpool that they needed.
00:29:49Yeah.
00:29:49That they needed.
00:29:50And that, in itself, can energise.
00:29:52That, in itself, can energise.
00:29:54Because when you look at how good he's been,
00:29:56and then, obviously, Salah's form...
00:29:58I think Virgil's playing as...
00:30:01He's playing great.
00:30:02He's playing as good as when he first got there, for me, Virgil.
00:30:05And then even the substitutes are coming on and making a difference.
00:30:08And we're talking about a league where City have kind of fallen off.
00:30:11Arsenal can't really compete, obviously,
00:30:13in respects of the forwards and the goals to try and catch Liverpool.
00:30:18It just feels...
00:30:19And the young goalkeeper, Domar Keller, when he came in for a while,
00:30:21they've had setbacks with important players.
00:30:22It's worked nicely for them,
00:30:24but they've taken full advantage of the opposition.
00:30:25Do you think we overlook the Liverpool winning Covid times?
00:30:28Because didn't they win it with, like, seven games to go?
00:30:31I feel like we do. That was a big one, wasn't it?
00:30:34Seven games to go?
00:30:35I think there was six.
00:30:37That was a blast.
00:30:38Six games or something, yeah.
00:30:39No, it was six, and it was the first one in, what, 30 years or something.
00:30:43Listen, that was... Listen, it was unfortunate.
00:30:46There was bigger problems going on in the world at the time
00:30:48than Liverpool not having the fans there to win the league.
00:30:50But I do think...
00:30:51They're all outside, though.
00:30:52Yeah, yeah.
00:30:54But it was... I mean, you know...
00:30:56It was a big win, though, wasn't it?
00:30:57No, of course it was, but in terms of...
00:30:59Especially the way they were chasing City down.
00:31:00Yeah. Well, they didn't have to chase them down.
00:31:02They were halfway through the season, but...
00:31:04Not that season, but the season's before.
00:31:06I just think missing out on that moment,
00:31:08I think that'll be something, fingers crossed,
00:31:10if it goes well, it'll be something.
00:31:11They'll make off eventually, won't they?
00:31:12Yes.
00:31:13I know where I won't be on the final day.
00:31:18This episode of Stick to Football is brought to you by Skybet.
00:31:23Bad news for Slottie.
00:31:24Oh, not bad news, really.
00:31:25He's been banned for two matches for his confronting match.
00:31:28Oh, was that the hand thing?
00:31:29Breaking news.
00:31:30No, but everyone keeps saying how calm he's been.
00:31:32He's had more yellow cards than anyone, hasn't he?
00:31:34Yeah, I mean, that was a test for him,
00:31:36obviously losing the derby in the last minute.
00:31:38He drew the derby in the last minute.
00:31:39He definitely had gone then, hadn't he?
00:31:41You saw him that night and you thought...
00:31:43And that's where, I mean, we'll come to Arsenal in a minute,
00:31:45in terms of Arsenal not applying that pressure
00:31:47from winning on Saturday and getting to within five points,
00:31:50and potentially coming out of the weekend
00:31:51where it's actually in Arsenal's hands.
00:31:53That's where the weekend was.
00:31:54That swing from being potentially five points to 11 is, like, huge.
00:31:59You thought this weekend could have been wrong,
00:32:01because I could tell on the text.
00:32:03No, honestly, you were all in...
00:32:06You really wanted to watch the Arsenal game
00:32:09and really be fully invested in it.
00:32:11No, but what it tells you is, to be fair,
00:32:12is that I genuinely believe that if City weren't going to win the league,
00:32:15Arsenal would be there to win it.
00:32:17And the idea when you win it first time,
00:32:19sometimes you come from behind.
00:32:20And Liverpool have dropped points in the last few weeks.
00:32:23They've drawn four in eight, which is, to be fair,
00:32:25you know, that's giving you a massive chance.
00:32:27For Arsenal not to be there,
00:32:29to not be there on their shoulder on Saturday night,
00:32:32honestly, I think that really...
00:32:35They took a massive dent, in my view,
00:32:36because the Arsenal team, I thought they'd win the league this year.
00:32:39When we were all fit, you mean?
00:32:41The point is, alrighty, so this is a team...
00:32:43They're actually not ready, Neve.
00:32:44Where I'm at with Arsenal is that, two years ago,
00:32:48Ossalibe got injured, so we can't win the league.
00:32:51That was the view at that time, because they dropped off.
00:32:54Yeah, it was a massive thing, that.
00:32:55And I stick by that.
00:32:57So what they then go and do,
00:32:58is they then go and buy a gluttony of defenders
00:33:01to be able to cover that position.
00:33:03Did they not think that they were short
00:33:05in the striking positions in the last 12 months,
00:33:07and that they might be in a position where Havertz could get injured,
00:33:09or that Saka might get injured at a certain point?
00:33:11He played every single game, like Salah.
00:33:13So my point is, to leave yourselves open for 12 months,
00:33:16when Arsenal fans, more than anybody,
00:33:17you've been saying it on air for so long,
00:33:19I think he said on air, pre-Christmas,
00:33:21they need to bring a striker in in January.
00:33:23They haven't brought a striker in in January, Ian.
00:33:25They haven't bought three years, five wins.
00:33:26They haven't bought a striker in three years.
00:33:29Now, they lost the title three years ago.
00:33:31This is a team now that hardened to going in title races.
00:33:33The two title races, this is not like babies anymore in title races.
00:33:37They know what it's about.
00:33:38Last year, they were close.
00:33:39You're thinking, don't leave yourself short.
00:33:41Roy's just talked before about us having three or four strikers at United.
00:33:43Liverpool have got five or six forwards that they can call upon.
00:33:47So have Arsenal.
00:33:48I disagree with this.
00:33:50You say there's nothing in the market,
00:33:52but to leave yourself without a striker,
00:33:54if you're a competent recruitment department,
00:33:56and I won't forget about United,
00:33:57because I know you'll come on to that shortly,
00:33:59if you're a competent recruitment department,
00:34:01you cannot leave yourselves without a striker,
00:34:03as backup for how much you can.
00:34:04Well, obviously, you're looking at us at the moment.
00:34:06We're not competent enough.
00:34:09Because when you look at what we've done last season
00:34:11to try and chase City down and get close,
00:34:13and then in the summer, we bought Calafiora and Mourinho,
00:34:17you know, when we know we've needed a striker,
00:34:19you're thinking to yourself, okay, we'll see how it goes.
00:34:22He obviously feels that we've got enough.
00:34:24What a mistake, though, that is.
00:34:26Well, it is a mistake.
00:34:27You knew they didn't have enough. The Arsenal fans knew they didn't have enough.
00:34:30We knew they didn't have enough.
00:34:31I'm confused as to why they haven't gone all out
00:34:35to try and get that striker.
00:34:38You know, especially even before Saka was injured,
00:34:41even before Jesus was in, we needed more cover up front.
00:34:44So you look at it and you think to yourself,
00:34:46I don't know what's going on upstairs.
00:34:47And then when this January came,
00:34:49and especially you're talking about Liverpool
00:34:51and we should be catching them and that,
00:34:53we haven't got any strike.
00:34:54We haven't got no one to score the goals.
00:34:55But it is hard in January, though, right?
00:34:57It's very hard in January.
00:34:58Right, it's hard in January, but people have done it.
00:35:00And the thing is that if we are trying to win the league,
00:35:04you have to do more.
00:35:05You have to try and do something. I don't think we've done enough.
00:35:07I've got a lot of sympathy for Arteta.
00:35:11Me too. The ball, they're not backing him right now.
00:35:13What I would say is,
00:35:16January, on the back of Jesus doing the cruciate,
00:35:18can you get anybody even on loan a body to cover Javid? Anybody.
00:35:23But it's easy for us to say now, last season.
00:35:25Now, we think Liverpool are going to win the league, yeah?
00:35:28Who are Liverpool's two strikers, Jota and Nunes?
00:35:31Are they amazing?
00:35:32Are they better than what Arsenal have got in Jesus and Havertz, really?
00:35:35I'll take Jota's finishing.
00:35:37Yes, but does Jota give you what Havertz does in terms of pressing,
00:35:39holding the ball, set pieces around you?
00:35:41So, what I'm saying is, we're not talking that Liverpool have got
00:35:43something that Arsenal haven't got.
00:35:44Arteta didn't like Jesus.
00:35:45What's that?
00:35:46Arteta didn't really fancy Jesus as a striker.
00:35:48He's not fancied him for a year and a half.
00:35:49He's hardly played him.
00:35:50I know, but what I'm saying is, he's there.
00:35:52So, he's got Havertz there who is actually the centre forward for Germany.
00:35:54Yeah.
00:35:55Okay, so my point being is that
00:35:58that centre forward position, the team who are going to win the league,
00:36:01are not levels above Arsenal in terms of who they have as...
00:36:04Liverpool have played De Jaz as a centre forward for most of this season.
00:36:08Now, the thing for me is,
00:36:10is the reason I've got sympathy for him,
00:36:13because I know you want someone who's going to get another 10 goals more than...
00:36:16Let's say Havertz has a 15 to 20 goal a season, man.
00:36:19You want a 25 to 30. I get that.
00:36:22But you also don't want to lose what Havertz gives you,
00:36:24because he gives you a lot for the team.
00:36:25So, it's a tough balancing act, that.
00:36:27Okay, we'll get a guy who gets another 10 goals,
00:36:29but he might not hold the ball up.
00:36:31Does he press?
00:36:32That's why maybe they went for Watkins.
00:36:34But when I look at Arsenal's striking options in Jesus and Havertz,
00:36:39and then I look at the left wing options in Martinelli and Trossard,
00:36:42I think they're weaker at left wing than they are at centre forward.
00:36:47I think for me...
00:36:48No, that's what I believe. I might be wrong, but that's what I would say.
00:36:52And for me, when I think of, say, Liverpool, for me, you know,
00:36:55even a goal scorer comes on the other side, so they've got Salah.
00:36:59But was there a left winger there?
00:37:01Martinelli and Trossard are not players to win,
00:37:04to play for a team...
00:37:05I'm not talking about signing a striker that's 40 goals a season for Arsenal.
00:37:09I'm talking about...
00:37:10I'm talking about, if you had a Giroud...
00:37:12Not Giroud now.
00:37:14I'm talking about if you had a Giroud-type player that could play up there as a striker,
00:37:17bring people into play, that was a focal point for a team,
00:37:20they would completely transform the rest of them anyway.
00:37:22So, it doesn't have to be a 25-year-old.
00:37:24But he was slaughtered when he was there.
00:37:25No, my point is, I'm talking about a style of player,
00:37:28not someone who scores 30 goals.
00:37:29I'm talking about someone who plays the position really well,
00:37:33holds his position up front, occupies defenders,
00:37:35makes the other players have more space, makes runs that maybe are clever.
00:37:38That's what Taffy Hatter's supposed to do.
00:37:40You can't plan on...
00:37:41He's a guy who holds the ball up, and there's people trying to run him off.
00:37:43You can't plan on one player being fit and your whole eggs in one basket.
00:37:46I'm sorry, that is not right.
00:37:47I know, and that's why they had Jesus, and when he's got a cruciate injury,
00:37:50they should have brought a body in.
00:37:52Everyone's known Arsenal needed to sign a striker for 12 to 18 months.
00:37:55We said it last season, we've said it this season at the start,
00:37:58we said it this season in January.
00:37:59I've had enough of this talk about strikers, right?
00:38:01Everyone out there says, Liverpool need a striker,
00:38:05Arsenal need a striker, Man United need a striker,
00:38:08Chelsea need a striker.
00:38:09Why aren't they buying them? Because they're not out there.
00:38:11Everyone in this league, besides Man City and Newcastle,
00:38:14say they want a striker.
00:38:15So, why aren't they buying them?
00:38:17Where are these strikers? Tell me the name.
00:38:19Well, Marmouche is just signing for City.
00:38:21He's not an out-and-out striker.
00:38:22He's started to score goals.
00:38:23I'm talking about someone who can play centrally up front.
00:38:25Our point is, Arsenal are the biggest league in the world
00:38:27with the most money, and none of them have got a striker.
00:38:30We've needed more firepower. We've needed more cover.
00:38:32He's not signed a striker for three years.
00:38:34You're looking at someone like Saka.
00:38:35We've seen Saka's form for England and for Arsenal.
00:38:39At some stage, we needed some backup for him in the forward position.
00:38:42You look at someone like Marmouche, you think to yourself,
00:38:44wow, that is somebody that you think, wow, you could have got someone like him.
00:38:48Of course you could.
00:38:49Then you've got someone like Jesus, who is a bit injury-prone.
00:38:52You mentioned Arteta doesn't fancy him down the centre.
00:38:55So, we needed backup for that as well.
00:38:57The problem I've got is that, like Jamie said,
00:39:00where are we going to find that person?
00:39:02It's going to be a gamble, whoever it is.
00:39:03Look how much you're paying for Hoyland.
00:39:04Look what you're paying for Darwin Nunez.
00:39:06Arsenal can't afford to maybe go in and maybe make that decision,
00:39:10but they get into a position where they're forced to have to go in.
00:39:13And even this January, he changed his tact a bit.
00:39:17Once the injury's happened, he said,
00:39:19if there's somebody out there that we can find, we will try.
00:39:22I think the board, personally, I'm going with the board here,
00:39:25would not help this man.
00:39:27He's coached us as far as he can.
00:39:28They've not signed a striker for three years at the club, right?
00:39:30They're woefully short in that area of quality.
00:39:33Havertz, to be honest with you, is half a striker to start with,
00:39:36but I agree he does a good job for the team and I like him.
00:39:38You either have to be in the camp of,
00:39:40we feel sorry for Arsenal, they're a well-run club,
00:39:43they shouldn't have signed a striker because the value wasn't there,
00:39:45or in the last three years, they should have brought in a competent striker
00:39:48to support Havertz, which you win.
00:39:50Because I'm in this camp, definitely.
00:39:52In three years, you've got to be able to get a striker in three years.
00:39:55But if you're in that camp, you've got to be critical of Michael Arteta,
00:39:59because he has spent a lot, the money has been,
00:40:00he's spent over 100 million on a midfield player in Declan Rice.
00:40:03He brought Mourinho in for 40 million,
00:40:05so could them funds have been spent there?
00:40:06That's a different argument.
00:40:07Yeah, but you say that, Jamie, and I think to myself,
00:40:10I would never not do that with Declan,
00:40:13because I believe Declan is so integral that you're thinking,
00:40:16do I save that money and get the striker, or do I get Declan?
00:40:20I would have rather have gotten Declan,
00:40:21and maybe see if we could get the striker at some stage.
00:40:23Do you know what I think they've actually done?
00:40:25I think in the last parts of the transfer window in the summer,
00:40:29I think they've, I'm not sure the club wanted to sign Sterling.
00:40:32I'm not sure Arsenal would've...
00:40:33No, no, no, it wasn't, they said that,
00:40:34Eddie said it was something that just fell in their lap.
00:40:36I'm not sure Arsenal would've wanted to sign, as a club, Sterling.
00:40:39I think Arteta's thought, no, I can get him centre-forward,
00:40:42I can get him left-wing, I can get him right-wing,
00:40:44and he's gone in there and said,
00:40:45he's my cover for those three positions.
00:40:47I think that's what he said.
00:40:48He can play all across the front line,
00:40:50he's played centre-forward before for City, he's done that role,
00:40:52and he's almost like my second, third striker.
00:40:55And I think what's happened is they then backed him,
00:40:57and I think it's then put them off doing another deal in January
00:41:00of the same ilk, because they're thinking,
00:41:01well, we've already brought Raheem in,
00:41:03so actually, if you're not going to use him,
00:41:04what's the point in adding someone else to it?
00:41:05And then all of a sudden, Havertz gets injured, and you're done.
00:41:07You're done, especially as we've got a goalkeeper
00:41:10who's taken up a long space, and he can't play.
00:41:12Yeah, but I still think it's a preference to have almost too many strikers.
00:41:15We'll argue, Chelsea, you're going, they need strikers, everyone's...
00:41:18But at least they've got strikers in the building
00:41:20who mightn't be doing the business.
00:41:21We spoke recently about Liverpool, where they sell certain strikers,
00:41:24you go, no, keep them.
00:41:25You better have the options.
00:41:26If you're trying to put winning league titles,
00:41:28you're better off having too many strikers than obviously having none.
00:41:31See, Liverpool have got a situation where Salah can play up top,
00:41:34Diaz can play up top, Xhota can play up top,
00:41:36Nunes can play up top, Gakpo can play up top.
00:41:37I'm not saying they're all centre-forwards,
00:41:38but they're all capable of playing in that position.
00:41:41They've got options, so many options,
00:41:42and if one or two of them are in good form, it's fantastic.
00:41:45Now, for me, in the last two games,
00:41:47he's played without almost a striker.
00:41:49He's almost played with Diaz half to the left,
00:41:51Salah half to the right, and he's gone in with four midfield players,
00:41:54and he's not even had a striker.
00:41:55So my point is...
00:41:56But that helps when you're on top of all the other players.
00:41:58Yeah, yeah, I agree.
00:41:59Plus, you're able to bring people on if that doesn't work.
00:42:01He's got goals, and he's got goals in the team.
00:42:03So Arsenal, whether it's bringing in a Marmouche to the left,
00:42:06or it's bringing in someone to the right,
00:42:08Liverpool have got options in wide areas to change things.
00:42:11Arsenal have got six attackers, basically,
00:42:14two free-to-positions at the front three.
00:42:16It's all Liverpool.
00:42:17Liverpool have got a fella in Salah.
00:42:18Arsenal haven't got a goal-scorer, if you like,
00:42:21who's going to get numbers.
00:42:21It doesn't have to be the guy through the middle.
00:42:23Saka would have.
00:42:24No, I'm not saying Mo's like numbers,
00:42:26but he will get the numbers.
00:42:27No, but Saka, Trossard, Marta,
00:42:30they can't really play centre-forward.
00:42:32They can't play with a back-to-play.
00:42:33Salah can play with his back-to-play.
00:42:35Gatco can play in that sort of little pocket.
00:42:37Those players that Liverpool have got can play wide and centrally.
00:42:40The Arsenals can't.
00:42:42Arsenal's can't.
00:42:43They're not capable of doing that.
00:42:43Wanieri, Saka, Trossard, Martinelli,
00:42:47none of them can actually play across the front line.
00:42:49Ronaldo, we mentioned before, can play left, right or centre.
00:42:52Rooney can play left or centre.
00:42:54You can't say that about Wanieri.
00:42:55Wanieri might be able to do that.
00:42:56Welbeck can play left or centre.
00:42:57So my point is, Arsenal's can't.
00:43:00Are we a bit harsh on Arsenal, though?
00:43:02I think, obviously, with the injuries,
00:43:04and then you look at the send-off season,
00:43:06they're still in the Champions League,
00:43:07they're still up there.
00:43:08Are we a bit harsh on them or not?
00:43:10I think they've played five games with ten men,
00:43:13which I know you'll probably make a comment,
00:43:14but it's difficult, isn't it?
00:43:16You need more than Arsenal to be challenging Liverpool.
00:43:18The same last few years.
00:43:19We were focused on Arsenal last year, too,
00:43:22and expectations got up on Arsenal.
00:43:24We know the last step is the biggest one.
00:43:25And they've come up short.
00:43:27They've come up short, and we're saying the players are missed,
00:43:29but maybe mentally they're not quite ready for that next step.
00:43:32They played West Ham at home the weekend,
00:43:34so a team can lose at home, of course.
00:43:36They had no midweek game.
00:43:37If they had a European game, they'd go,
00:43:39oh, they had a tough game on Tuesday or Wednesday,
00:43:40they were in Bayern or they were in Spain.
00:43:42They had a free week, and they don't even score a goal at home.
00:43:44We're struggling with that mid-block,
00:43:46and that's something that obviously...
00:43:47Two years ago, we argued, me and you argued,
00:43:49it was two or three years ago,
00:43:49when Arsenal got knocked out of the FA Cup,
00:43:51and everyone was saying, oh, it's great.
00:43:53It's great that they're out of it.
00:43:54They ran out of steam.
00:43:55And they had no midweek games.
00:43:57The one that Saliba was injured.
00:43:58Yeah.
00:43:59But everyone was saying, oh, it's great that Arsenal are out of the Cup.
00:44:03No, they had no midweek games.
00:44:05You're going, you get rid of...
00:44:06They had no midweek game last week.
00:44:07They don't score a goal at home to West Ham.
00:44:08I still believe that what's happened
00:44:10and the way it's been, the way we've constructed the season,
00:44:14whether it's in the summer or January,
00:44:17it's cost us at this particular time,
00:44:19because we've lost the players that are meant to be the ones
00:44:21that have taken us to this particular...
00:44:22Man United have been down there six weeks ago.
00:44:24United, who are as bad as we've ever seen them,
00:44:26they're going to win at Arsenal.
00:44:27That was an FA Cup game where it was a bit tight.
00:44:29And then a man said,
00:44:31they're not even getting over the line in them tight kind of games.
00:44:33They have bad luck, though.
00:44:34They had the 10 days.
00:44:36No, they did, like, the bad luck.
00:44:38Like, they had 10 days went to Dubai and then lose a strike.
00:44:41I know, but you know something?
00:44:43Look, to be honest with you, I think when a team are growing like that,
00:44:46it does leave a sort of big question mark, obviously.
00:44:48I just want to pick you up on something.
00:44:49You said it's the board.
00:44:51What do you mean by that?
00:44:52Do you mean losing Edu or do you mean not recruiting
00:44:54or not backing the manager?
00:44:55I think in all of that, I think all of those.
00:44:58I'm very, I'm very, really surprised.
00:45:00I was really glad to see Edu leave at this time,
00:45:02because obviously the plan, he may not see the end for it.
00:45:06He can't see the end for whatever reason.
00:45:08Is it because the board, he knows that the board
00:45:11are not going to give them what they need
00:45:12so they can get to where they're going?
00:45:14I've got no problem with Mikel,
00:45:16but I do believe that the summer,
00:45:18especially after the season we had chasing City to second,
00:45:22twice now, there's no way that we shouldn't be backed more,
00:45:25but this manager shouldn't be backed more
00:45:27in respect of who he wants and what he wants to build,
00:45:30so as we can get over the line.
00:45:32So we talk about leagues,
00:45:33but we can argue about the manager and go,
00:45:35you're saying it's not that it's the board,
00:45:37but what about winning a cup?
00:45:39You can win a cup, even if your squad's not strong enough.
00:45:41When was the last time Arsenal won a trophy?
00:45:43How many years now?
00:45:44It's four years now.
00:45:45Four?
00:45:45Yeah.
00:45:46Since they won the FA Cup?
00:45:47Five years.
00:45:48If that was any other manager in the Arsenal seat,
00:45:53all five years you'd be going,
00:45:54hey, he's got to be under pressure, he's not winning a trophy.
00:45:56He's won one, but at the same time people say,
00:45:58yeah, but that was five years ago,
00:45:59so it doesn't make any difference if it's not the league.
00:46:01People will say, yeah, but that's just the FA Cup.
00:46:03The fact is, we've got a manager, I believe,
00:46:06and the way that he's trying to construct the team
00:46:09is doing the very best he can,
00:46:10and the reason why I would say the board
00:46:11is because I don't think that he himself
00:46:14could do any more with this group of players
00:46:16apart from bringing more players in to help.
00:46:17I think we've seen peak Arsenal under Arteta.
00:46:21I think...
00:46:22That's a big statement.
00:46:22Even with all the injuries.
00:46:25With all them players,
00:46:26if all those players are injured, involved...
00:46:28You think they're never going to win the league now?
00:46:31No, injuries is part of football.
00:46:34That's not right.
00:46:36I think...
00:46:37Does that mean they're not going to win the league?
00:46:38No, but when I say I think we've seen peak Arsenal,
00:46:41I think last season, the second half of last season,
00:46:44I was looking at Arsenal and thinking,
00:46:46wow, this is a team, this is almost...
00:46:48I'm watching them week in, week out,
00:46:50and thinking, I'm watching the Champions League games as well.
00:46:52I didn't think they'd win the Champions League,
00:46:53but I thought, I'm watching a team
00:46:54who's playing as well as anybody in Europe here.
00:46:57I think the last 18 games, you won 16,
00:46:58you drew one away at City,
00:47:00and you lost at home to Aston Villa.
00:47:01But that three- or four-month period,
00:47:04I'm not sure Arsenal get back to that.
00:47:07And the reason I say that is because I go back
00:47:09to when we were playing for Liverpool
00:47:10and we were going for the league,
00:47:11and we had a season where we were really there.
00:47:13And if you finish second three years in a row,
00:47:15it's hard to sort of keep going again and keep...
00:47:19You know, that's the name of the game,
00:47:20and you may have to change players.
00:47:21And we're talking about recruitment
00:47:25and bringing players in and Arteta.
00:47:26But there's definitely a question about Arteta.
00:47:28And I said at the start of the season,
00:47:30the football we saw in the first season
00:47:32you challenged City,
00:47:33when Zinchenko was there and Jesus had come in,
00:47:35and Zinchenko was going into midfield,
00:47:36the football, and Shakhtar was in that team.
00:47:40It's a different team.
00:47:41Now, it feels more powerful, but stiff, not loose, not...
00:47:47Like, football, and it's not a criticism,
00:47:48you can win football any other way,
00:47:50but there's no doubt this is more of a...
00:47:52Rigid.
00:47:53...Jose Mourinho.
00:47:54I said this six months ago,
00:47:55I got slaughtered by Arsenal fans,
00:47:56but it's there, it's about set pieces,
00:47:58it's about going long into your front players.
00:48:00He's trying to find out ways.
00:48:02Everyone dropping back behind the ball
00:48:03and keeping clean sheets.
00:48:04And I played for managers like that at Liverpool
00:48:06when we were going for the league.
00:48:07We were a team who,
00:48:08well, that was strong,
00:48:09keep a clean sheet, can we nick it?
00:48:11And we always lacked something special.
00:48:13We had Stevie and Torres,
00:48:14but we didn't have another couple.
00:48:16And I think when I've always watched Arsenal,
00:48:18and that's why I've never backed Arsenal for the league
00:48:19even at the start of the season,
00:48:20before injuries,
00:48:21I always thought you're a special attacking player.
00:48:25Short of what Man City was.
00:48:27Forget Liverpool, but you know...
00:48:28But why have they not signed that player, Carragher?
00:48:29In the last two years?
00:48:30That goes back to the manager.
00:48:31I think the way he's actually,
00:48:33not asking them to play,
00:48:34but I don't know if he's scarred
00:48:35by the last two sort of run-ins with Man City
00:48:38and think, well, how can I take Man City on
00:48:40when they've got Haaland, De Bruyne,
00:48:42Bernardo Silva, Foden?
00:48:44Have we got to do it another way
00:48:45where we set pieces,
00:48:47we're big, we're powerful,
00:48:47we're the best team defensively in the league?
00:48:50That's the way I'd look at Arsenal.
00:48:52It's not a criticism.
00:48:53I just think he's trying to lead,
00:48:54win the league,
00:48:55a different way than when he was two years ago,
00:48:57because he didn't feel he could take on Manchester City.
00:49:00But this is why I think that the summer, again,
00:49:03is massive for Arsenal,
00:49:04simply because we've got a few players
00:49:06that are in the most, Salah, Trent and Virgil,
00:49:10and three players in Saliba, Saka and Maragallis
00:49:13at the back.
00:49:14And I think that they'll probably be sitting
00:49:17and waiting in the summer to see,
00:49:18well, what are they going to do here?
00:49:21You know, what are they going to do?
00:49:21Who are they signing?
00:49:22Because before I get my man to sign,
00:49:25I want to see who's coming here,
00:49:26to see how long is this going to go on,
00:49:28because my man wants to win things.
00:49:30So I think the summer was coming for us.
00:49:33With everything, what you're saying,
00:49:34the summer is massive,
00:49:35especially with this window, nothing in January.
00:49:39The summer has to be something really, really...
00:49:41Righty, who would you want them to get?
00:49:43It is a massive problem for us,
00:49:45because, again, you know,
00:49:47how many times do you see Real Madrid chasing someone
00:49:49and not get them?
00:49:51Righty, who would you want them to get in the summer?
00:49:54In respects of?
00:49:55Like, a forward or...?
00:49:56I think we need two forwards.
00:49:58Yeah.
00:49:58If we can get a stri...
00:49:59I think we need two...
00:50:00We needed two forwards before people got injured.
00:50:02Yeah, I agree.
00:50:03You know?
00:50:04I agree.
00:50:04We needed that before,
00:50:05and we'd probably...
00:50:07We need cover for the centre-halves as well.
00:50:10They always say, what's the saying?
00:50:11You're not as good as your goalscorers.
00:50:12Mm.
00:50:13I agree.
00:50:13You need Salah, you need a Ronaldo, you need...
00:50:15Do you think it's realistic?
00:50:16Because I spoke about the clubs before,
00:50:19you probably need a striker,
00:50:19so let's say Arsenal and Liverpool,
00:50:20both probably in the market, I would say, for a striker.
00:50:23And I know this will upset Newcastle fans,
00:50:25but do you think it is realistic
00:50:27that another Premier League club could buy Isak?
00:50:30I mean, do you think someone would be prepared
00:50:32to go to sort of £120,000?
00:50:34They'd have to go for that.
00:50:35Because they're big money funders.
00:50:36I'm not joking.
00:50:36I...
00:50:37With what he's done and how he is,
00:50:39if I had the money, I'd buy him for £120,000.
00:50:41But do you think it's realistic
00:50:42that Newcastle would sell for that type of price?
00:50:44Surely not.
00:50:45If Newcastle get in the Champions League,
00:50:46they probably won't sell.
00:50:46That's what I'm saying.
00:50:47Because you've got three years on his contract,
00:50:48it's not a case of, like,
00:50:49oh, he could go for nothing,
00:50:50or he could go for a knockdown fee.
00:50:52He's got a good length of time.
00:50:53You're not going to sell your best player, are you,
00:50:55when they're going for top four as well?
00:50:57No, that's what I'm saying.
00:50:58I think it could on Newcastle as well.
00:51:00What did Newcastle pay?
00:51:01What, a 63?
00:51:02They paid big money from me.
00:51:03They paid big money.
00:51:03And we're talking about,
00:51:04when you're paying those monies for these strikers,
00:51:06you are taking a chance.
00:51:07It's like Man United with Hoyland.
00:51:09He's had nine goals at Atalanta,
00:51:11I think, something like that.
00:51:12And you look at Nunes,
00:51:13you're taking a chance with him.
00:51:14Yeah.
00:51:15But he, at 63, you think to yourself,
00:51:17OK, yeah, he looks pretty sharp.
00:51:19Well, if they pay over 100 for Reiss,
00:51:21then you shouldn't blink an eyelid.
00:51:23No way.
00:51:24If we could get him,
00:51:25if he comes up for that 120s,
00:51:28and we're not chasing that,
00:51:29I'd be devastated.
00:51:31If he has the decision between Liverpool or Arsenal,
00:51:33where do you think he'd go?
00:51:33He'd probably go Liverpool.
00:51:34I'd like to think that Arteta could convince him,
00:51:38but, like, if we're talking about Slott
00:51:40and the fact that Slott's not even got his own team,
00:51:43how we see how Slott's going to play
00:51:44with the players that he wants,
00:51:46that seems like it might be a more attractive...
00:51:48Would Liverpool pay that kind of money?
00:51:50...attractive proposition.
00:51:51I think it's really interesting.
00:51:52It might be a more attractive proposition,
00:51:53but, again, you know,
00:51:55Arsenal need to do work.
00:51:56I think Liverpool wouldn't bother about
00:51:58paying that type of money for a player.
00:52:00I mean, Liverpool put a bid in for Caicedo
00:52:02when he went to Chelsea.
00:52:03What was that, 110, 115?
00:52:05But how old is he, Zach?
00:52:08Is he 26?
00:52:09I think so.
00:52:10How old is he?
00:52:11How old is he, Zach?
00:52:11Old Z and Gabby Z.
00:52:13How old is he?
00:52:1425.
00:52:1525.
00:52:16So he's 26 next season.
00:52:17It's going to be the next couple of years, whatever, Zach.
00:52:18What a season he's having, though.
00:52:19You've got to get four or five years old.
00:52:20Yeah.
00:52:21But, like, you know, I'd hate to see that scenario
00:52:24where it's either Liverpool or Arsenal.
00:52:26You'd hate to see it?
00:52:27Yeah, because I'd feel like it probably would Slott
00:52:30and what Slott's doing,
00:52:30especially if they do win the league.
00:52:31But wages would come into it.
00:52:32What deal would...?
00:52:34Liverpool always pay.
00:52:34Arsenal pay more wages.
00:52:35I think I say Liverpool pay more wages.
00:52:37Exactly, yeah.
00:52:37Always.
00:52:38You're saying about Newcastle having money,
00:52:41do you think they're giving the staff sandwiches?
00:52:44That's the next subject, Gill.
00:52:46I did you a little in there.
00:52:49This episode of Stick To Football
00:52:51is brought to you by Skybet.
00:52:54So, United, on and off the pitch.
00:52:56Yeah, but, Gary...
00:52:57It's a mess, eh?
00:52:58It's a... You know something?
00:52:59When you read what's going on with the...
00:53:02Don't believe everything you read.
00:53:03No, no, no, you don't read it, but, like, come on, Roy,
00:53:05everything we're hearing coming out of there
00:53:07is all about the people who are working.
00:53:09We're talking about...
00:53:10You get Dan Ashworth,
00:53:12you get, after a few months,
00:53:13millions to get him out, you know?
00:53:15You extend Ten Hag, millions to get him out.
00:53:19You know what I mean?
00:53:21When you look at those kind of, like, crazy decisions,
00:53:25and then we're seeing normal people...
00:53:26The Ten Hag one, to be fair, I've got some sympathy with,
00:53:29because no United fan was saying sack him at that time.
00:53:31You know, I'm not even talking about saying to sack him,
00:53:33I'm talking about the fact that they kept him on,
00:53:35and now we're talking about scrimping and scraping
00:53:37with honesties, with wages for normal people, bro.
00:53:40What's going on there, Gal?
00:53:41Ian, about three years ago,
00:53:43I said that United needed to bring money in,
00:53:45and it was a car crash waiting to happen, this.
00:53:48The club's finances are shot, absolutely shot to pieces.
00:53:52The debt, the recruitment's been reckless,
00:53:55the increase in staff from 600 up to 1,200,
00:53:58which is just unbelievable,
00:54:00the lack of Champions League football,
00:54:02which is now happening, which is 30, 40 million,
00:54:0450 million a year, it's an absolute mess.
00:54:07The club has run out of cash.
00:54:09The club has run out of cash.
00:54:11Ian, honestly, what you now see is desperate decisions.
00:54:14Some of them, I think, to be fair, are needed.
00:54:16Some of them are bad.
00:54:17You know, you don't remove food off people in Old Trafford.
00:54:20You don't do that.
00:54:21You don't take 40 grand off the ex-players,
00:54:22and to be fair, Dan Ashworth was a mess.
00:54:24That's a really bad one,
00:54:25because that's one you've chased for eight months,
00:54:27and then you get rid of him after three months.
00:54:28That's a shocker, and that's 4 million quid.
00:54:30So there's some bad decisions being made on the way in,
00:54:33but this is a culmination of 10 years
00:54:35of absolute shit-fest of management of the Glazers,
00:54:38to the point whereby a billion pounds have been paid off in interest.
00:54:42The club is actually, to be fair, deteriorating in performance,
00:54:45cash flow, profit.
00:54:46It's lost 300 million in three years.
00:54:48Man United used to be the most profitable football club.
00:54:5020 years ago, they were not debt-free?
00:54:52In 2018, they had 350 million in the bank, in 2018.
00:54:57From that point on now,
00:54:58I think Ineos put in 300 million, and there's not much of that left.
00:55:02You know something?
00:55:03You have to say, with the Glazers and the way they've done all this,
00:55:05it's like being scammed.
00:55:08It's like they scammed Man United.
00:55:10It's terrible how they can get through.
00:55:12They've come from America and come to one of the biggest clubs in this country,
00:55:16alongside Liverpool.
00:55:18Yeah, but that's done already.
00:55:19It's what you do about it now.
00:55:20You say it's done now, but at the end of the day,
00:55:22something has to be done, because Ineos is meant to come in.
00:55:24We just made the point, when you chase, you make bad decisions after bad,
00:55:27and they're suffering, United.
00:55:28They're suffering like any team or company out there.
00:55:30Just going back to Liverpool and Arsenal and Tottenham,
00:55:32in terms of how they run their clubs,
00:55:33and they've been quite sensible and always quite sort of...
00:55:36FSG, they operate the club very well from a point of view that the money...
00:55:39Gary, they were making chaotic decisions for you.
00:55:40No, no, absolutely.
00:55:41But my point is now, the reason they've been quite shrewd is,
00:55:43if you make three or four Nunez bad decisions,
00:55:46and you don't get for Champions League all of a sudden this season,
00:55:49you're going underwater quite quickly at those level of mistakes.
00:55:52You're going underwater quite quickly, and they know that.
00:55:54That's why they've made really good decisions.
00:55:55They've qualified for the Champions League, which is massive,
00:55:58and then they end up looking profitable.
00:56:00It's a fine line, reckless spending, debt on the club,
00:56:05then you have to make shocking decisions,
00:56:07like are being made at this moment in time,
00:56:08where you're stripping the club back.
00:56:10The mismanagement, on and off the pitch, is unbelievable.
00:56:14But we know that, but we sit here every week,
00:56:18talking about the problems at United, but how do you fix it?
00:56:20It doesn't help that the team are rubbish either.
00:56:23That's a big problem.
00:56:24A lot of clubs can go through difficult stages,
00:56:27but if the team are getting over the line and winning football matches,
00:56:29then you're going, you know, that kind of covers cracks.
00:56:31I mean, Roy, I think the plan was...
00:56:32It all goes hand in hand.
00:56:33The plan was in the summer, invest in a big transfer window,
00:56:37keep Ten Hag, and then get into the Champions League,
00:56:39and we're back on the footing.
00:56:41When you invest in Ten Hag and it goes like that,
00:56:44you're not going to get into the Champions League,
00:56:45and then you've recruited badly.
00:56:47You've lost another almost 150, 200 million.
00:56:49You've almost...
00:56:50Yeah, and you're stuck with these players for three, four, five years.
00:56:51I know, and you've got these players now...
00:56:53I mean, Casemiro's sat there now saying,
00:56:54I'm not leaving for 18 months, why would he?
00:56:56Why would he not?
00:56:57I said this a year ago.
00:56:59Why would we? We knew this coming two years ago with Casemiro.
00:57:02I mean, it's...
00:57:03Well, maybe you don't have to shock it up.
00:57:04Obviously, the Glazers, that will always be an issue.
00:57:07It's a massive issue, Caro.
00:57:09I know that, but what I'm saying is, Roy says,
00:57:11you know, you've got Ineos now,
00:57:12who are probably calling the shots a bit behind the scenes.
00:57:14I mean, where are they going?
00:57:16What are they doing? Are you...
00:57:18No, I think they'll be looking at this moment in time,
00:57:20thinking, what the hell?
00:57:21I think they'll be thinking, this is absolutely a massive, massive...
00:57:25This is far bigger than they ever thought, I'm sure it is.
00:57:27That's their plan. That's their impulse, though.
00:57:30They do that, don't they?
00:57:31They go in Ineos, and they do strip things back.
00:57:33I was reading...
00:57:34How do you think their manager feels?
00:57:35Imagine a manager there. I bet he's walked in and told...
00:57:37Remember the manager? The manager's the one who said,
00:57:39listen, this team, these players ain't good enough, you know what I mean?
00:57:42We need to get a new system. They look frightened.
00:57:44He's told them what's happening now.
00:57:46What's happened in football in these last few years,
00:57:47if you look at what's happened with Villa,
00:57:48they've had to sell John Duran to basically raise money.
00:57:51You look at what's happened in Newcastle, where they can't sign a player,
00:57:53and they've got the richest owners in the world, by the way.
00:57:55So every club that isn't doing quite as well in the actual league
00:57:58and isn't qualifying for Europe or isn't getting Champions League football...
00:58:01I mean, Villa did this year, so they're in a better position.
00:58:04Every club now is on the edge.
00:58:05If they don't recruit well and they don't get in the Champions League,
00:58:07they're all on the edge.
00:58:08This is what I say about our board.
00:58:10Obviously, our board is thinking...
00:58:11Absolutely.
00:58:12That's exactly where they are.
00:58:13They're looking at it and thinking...
00:58:14But football club's always about good people.
00:58:16Hopefully, people running the club are making good decisions, obviously.
00:58:19But you still need good people underneath.
00:58:21You're not about United sacking people left, right and centre.
00:58:23Good people. And who are they bringing in?
00:58:26Is United just all about pure business now?
00:58:28We look at the players.
00:58:30We're talking about recruitment not being right,
00:58:31but whoever you bring in, show some personality.
00:58:34Show a bit of fight.
00:58:35Yeah.
00:58:35Where are United in the league?
00:58:37They're petrified, Joe.
00:58:39They're petrified.
00:58:40Players are just petrified.
00:58:41Now I'm talking about the people at the board and that.
00:58:43When you see how quickly it can nosedive,
00:58:46that's the only thing I can look at.
00:58:47I always say, for sport, people talk about Liverpool at the moment,
00:58:50you get momentum and everything's going well and decision-making all falls in.
00:58:53Everything feels great. Everyone's great at the training ground.
00:58:55When you start losing matches, you get momentum.
00:58:58Everyone starts panicking.
00:58:59You're right. On-the-pitch stuff affects everything really badly,
00:59:01but they put £300 million in about a month or so ago,
00:59:04or six months ago, whenever it was.
00:59:06It's nearly all gone.
00:59:07Yeah.
00:59:08It's paying off basically everything.
00:59:09They all think £300 million to other clubs
00:59:11or £250 million to other clubs for players,
00:59:13which is not unusual when you stage payments,
00:59:15but they've got these massive debt repayments.
00:59:18They've got the payments to other clubs.
00:59:19They've got no Champions League football.
00:59:21And I think there's an element of,
00:59:22we've got to strip the club back to a running cost.
00:59:25When you're stripping the club back, is that like treating people like rubbish?
00:59:28Oh, no.
00:59:28Roy, I think some of the things...
00:59:30I understand.
00:59:31We're not daft. We played for the club.
00:59:32We knew there was a business behind it,
00:59:34but it was all about the football and good people,
00:59:36and then that came, but now it's the business
00:59:38and the people are treated like rubbish,
00:59:39so maybe they deserve what they're getting.
00:59:41Roy, when you move food from people, I think, at Old Trafford,
00:59:43you can't do that.
00:59:44But when you're sucking people,
00:59:47that's the morale of the club, isn't it?
00:59:49You're going every day.
00:59:51Sometimes you come off the training pitch,
00:59:53I've got a chat to the canteen staff and stuff like that.
00:59:55We're talking about the value of the club.
00:59:56What about the value of how you treat people?
00:59:57Yeah.
00:59:58Forget the 200 million,
00:59:59you'd be grudging people a ticket or a sandwich.
01:00:03I don't think it could have got any worse for Ineos,
01:00:05not just in terms of where the team are in the league,
01:00:07but when you think of the big decisions,
01:00:09it almost feels like they've got them all wrong.
01:00:11You know, you think of, like,
01:00:12Keeping Ten Hag was proven to be wrong,
01:00:13Dan Ashworth, wrong.
01:00:16You know, where the team are,
01:00:17obviously they're not picking the team or playing,
01:00:18but how has it ever got this bad?
01:00:21And I said to you yesterday,
01:00:23the new manager comes in and you're like,
01:00:25I have sympathy for him because it's really poor,
01:00:27but it shouldn't be this bad.
01:00:29No.
01:00:29So it's still in the air
01:00:31whether they've got the right man here.
01:00:32So when you think of, like,
01:00:33the three or four real big decisions
01:00:34they've had to make in,
01:00:36is it a year they've been in or 18 months?
01:00:3712 months.
01:00:38Because we all talk about, don't we,
01:00:40the Glazers are in America,
01:00:41let's get football people
01:00:42and let's get people who,
01:00:43they're making the footballing decisions.
01:00:44So these guys, I suppose,
01:00:45have a better background than that.
01:00:47But they're a track record.
01:00:48I know.
01:00:48A track record is poor.
01:00:49But every big decision has been poor.
01:00:52So far, it's like...
01:00:53But they've got no...
01:00:54Their previous is poor decision-making,
01:00:56when it comes to sport and teams,
01:00:58or particularly football.
01:00:59So maybe we were the mad ones sitting there going,
01:01:01oh, it's all going to be fixed now.
01:01:03When we go back to the team
01:01:04and the recruitment and the players
01:01:05and showing a bit of fighting,
01:01:06a bit of quality,
01:01:07a bit of speed in your play,
01:01:08they draw at everything.
01:01:09It's like they've won the Cup.
01:01:11Fucking bizarre.
01:01:13Even the fans, the level of the...
01:01:15I see fans at matches,
01:01:16they're singing for Bruno.
01:01:17I say, these boys, I think you're
01:01:19fucking impostors.
01:01:20No, bro, not Bruno.
01:01:21Righty.
01:01:22Righty.
01:01:23If you're going to dig someone out, don't do it.
01:01:24I've had enough of that rubbish, man.
01:01:26No, come on, Roy.
01:01:27You watch Arsenal every week.
01:01:28What about we folks more in United?
01:01:29I'm watching them.
01:01:30Sit and watch a game.
01:01:31Sit and watch a game of them.
01:01:32We watched them in Leicester for you.
01:01:33We watched them in the FA Cup a few weeks ago.
01:01:35I watched them at Everton on Saturday.
01:01:37People pretend to be closing people down.
01:01:39But who brought them back into the game?
01:01:41Who's bringing you guys back into the game?
01:01:43You can't...
01:01:43It's not Bruno, Roy.
01:01:45When we're talking about somebody
01:01:46who can actually do something
01:01:47to save you lot, it's Bruno's doing it.
01:01:50He's the fucking 15th in the league.
01:01:52And he's saving them.
01:01:53If it wasn't...
01:01:53Praise the Lord.
01:01:54You should say, if he wasn't there, where you'd be?
01:01:56But he's a...
01:01:56You have to have a starting point.
01:01:58I'll go back to it all again.
01:01:59Bruno's not enough.
01:02:00Talent is not enough.
01:02:01You keep going back to the talent.
01:02:02Oh, the talent.
01:02:03Bruno's...
01:02:03Bruno's a talented player,
01:02:04but talent's not enough.
01:02:05But when I used to talk about Bruno and I said...
01:02:06Talent is not enough, Righty.
01:02:07You used to say, what's he won?
01:02:08Talent is not enough.
01:02:09What's he won?
01:02:09You talk to me.
01:02:10Now he's won something.
01:02:10Now he's going somewhere.
01:02:11Tony Adams was this.
01:02:12Tony Adams was that.
01:02:13Yeah, because he was a fighter.
01:02:14Bruno's not a fighter.
01:02:15You've got young players.
01:02:16You have to look at somebody and go,
01:02:17I like what he does.
01:02:19No, I can't put the ball
01:02:20on the top of the net from 25 yards.
01:02:22I get that.
01:02:22But you want someone who's going,
01:02:23lads, are you with me?
01:02:24Are you with me?
01:02:25Maybe he's not that captain.
01:02:26Maybe he's not that...
01:02:27I'm with you.
01:02:28No, he's not.
01:02:28I guarantee he's not.
01:02:29But what he's doing in respect to saving you,
01:02:30playing that pass, the goal...
01:02:32What's he saving?
01:02:33He's the one that brings you...
01:02:33What's he saving?
01:02:34If he wasn't...
01:02:35What's he saving?
01:02:36If Bruno's not there,
01:02:41What's he saving?
01:02:42At the moment...
01:02:43We saw him at Leicester a few weeks ago.
01:02:44We saw him at Leicester.
01:02:45You're trying to isolate
01:02:47that particular thing.
01:02:48Bruno, on a regular basis,
01:02:49saves that club in games.
01:02:50Oh, saves them.
01:02:51We're out in the league.
01:02:52We're out in the league.
01:02:53I think he's...
01:02:54Where would they be if they didn't have Bruno?
01:02:55All right, all right.
01:02:55I'm a right or wrong.
01:02:56A place above it.
01:02:57I think he's a good player,
01:02:58but I don't know if he's a good captain
01:02:59because I see goals go in
01:03:01and I see him shouting and tears and stuff like that.
01:03:03He's more talented than I can even dream of.
01:03:05A talent's not enough to play for a big club.
01:03:07If you think talent's enough
01:03:08to play for a big club...
01:03:09It's not all on Bruno.
01:03:11No, not all on Bruno.
01:03:12Where do you start?
01:03:12Where do you start?
01:03:13If he's sat on a young lad,
01:03:14oh, you can't pick on him.
01:03:15I'm not saying start on a young lad.
01:03:16You can't sit on a foreign player.
01:03:17Oh, he's new to the league.
01:03:18Maguire.
01:03:19Maguire, the other day,
01:03:20couldn't even jump.
01:03:20Who do you pin on Man United
01:03:22if you're on about the players
01:03:23who walk on the pitch?
01:03:24Forget the board and all that for a second.
01:03:25The players who walk on the pitch.
01:03:27So who do you start going...
01:03:29Who do you start pointing fingers at?
01:03:30At some stage, you have to go,
01:03:31you've got to start...
01:03:32Players have to look at themselves,
01:03:33look at the person in the mirror.
01:03:34So who would you start with
01:03:35at Man United for starters
01:03:36if you go, listen, you're, what,
01:03:3715, 16 in the league?
01:03:40You're getting a 2-2 draw at everything.
01:03:41You think, oh, you're saving the day.
01:03:42They never kick the ball
01:03:43for the first 60, 70 minutes.
01:03:45I know you're saying who I'm starting with.
01:03:46I know I'm not starting with Bruno,
01:03:47if anything.
01:03:47I'm not starting with him.
01:03:48Of course you're not.
01:03:49Who are you starting with, then?
01:03:49I don't know.
01:03:50Just because he's the captain,
01:03:51he might be petulant,
01:03:52whatever you think,
01:03:53but he's the one who's...
01:03:54You say that every few weeks.
01:03:55You say, Tony Adams is amazing.
01:03:57He'll be...
01:03:57That's the captain I'm used to.
01:03:58Yeah, yeah, yeah.
01:03:59Of course, that's not the captain
01:04:00we expect.
01:04:01Yeah, but you haven't got that.
01:04:02Tony Adams is...
01:04:03Was Tony Adams the most talented player
01:04:05in the Arsenal dressing room?
01:04:06No.
01:04:07So why do you look up to Tony Adams
01:04:08and go, I just don't have a lot of time for him?
01:04:09He's an amazing leader.
01:04:10And what do they do in his leaderships?
01:04:12Leadership is an action.
01:04:12He led us.
01:04:13Yeah, in what way?
01:04:13He led us to the championship
01:04:15and everything.
01:04:15Right.
01:04:16Yeah.
01:04:16What's leadership to you about?
01:04:17Leadership to me is about action.
01:04:19Yeah.
01:04:19Right.
01:04:19Bruno does action.
01:04:21Maybe you don't like his petulance,
01:04:23but he does it.
01:04:23No, I don't.
01:04:24I just think if I had a captain,
01:04:26I wouldn't want him, like,
01:04:27want to go, like, blaming him.
01:04:29That's what I say.
01:04:29He needs more players around him.
01:04:31He needs more players around him.
01:04:32It's not about blaming him.
01:04:33It's about people taking responsibility.
01:04:34He needs more quality around him.
01:04:35Bruno would be better with more money.
01:04:36It's about responsibility.
01:04:37I'm not having Bruno getting...
01:04:39Of course you're not.
01:04:39Well, who then?
01:04:40I've asked you a question.
01:04:41Who would just have gone,
01:04:41he's got to do more?
01:04:42I'm not about a player taking responsibility.
01:04:43When they go out on that pitch,
01:04:45listen, show some courage.
01:04:46Want the ball.
01:04:47When you close somebody down,
01:04:48close them down properly.
01:04:49We asked you earlier, go,
01:04:50could you play off the front?
01:04:51No, no, I have to be at people.
01:04:52I have to be on the shoulder.
01:04:53Blah, blah, blah.
01:04:54But that's my game, right?
01:04:55Yeah, that's your game, yeah.
01:04:56And people appreciated you
01:04:57for your walk rate.
01:04:57Blah, blah, blah.
01:04:58And I worked really hard.
01:04:59Yeah, but this thing, Liverpool,
01:05:01you get rewards from all this talent.
01:05:03You walk your socks off.
01:05:05I'm just...
01:05:05And you're united.
01:05:06Look, let me tell you something.
01:05:07When you close somebody down,
01:05:08when I call a bluffer,
01:05:09this is what I call a bluffer.
01:05:10So you're there, and I'm closing you.
01:05:11But I'm not really closing you down.
01:05:13So, and then you pass it.
01:05:15I've done my bit.
01:05:16Oh, God.
01:05:18Excuse my language.
01:05:18I've never really wanted to see Ben
01:05:20as much in my life, so...
01:05:23And we didn't know him,
01:05:23we were just scorers.
01:05:24Ben?
01:05:27Super six.
01:05:32Have we lost the dressing room?
01:05:33Are we...
01:05:34You've took a lot of energy out of us,
01:05:36to be honest.
01:05:37Roy, what about the Madison celebration,
01:05:39where he...
01:05:40Good on him, yeah, absolutely.
01:05:41No problem.
01:05:43I still go to what I said.
01:05:44I don't think he does enough of that.
01:05:45But when he scores, I was at home
01:05:46with my cup of tea, and I went,
01:05:47good on you.
01:05:48Hey, no problem.
01:05:49If people have a go at you,
01:05:50you answer them back.
01:05:51You should get a bond.
01:05:52Okay.
01:05:52No, I was hoping he was going to do it
01:05:54the same the other day,
01:05:54but he was subbed against Ipswich.
01:05:56I knew it, Steve.
01:05:59James is now monitoring your every move.
01:06:01You can't win, James.
01:06:02Just win.
01:06:06Do your stuff, James,
01:06:07because you can't win.
01:06:07But he got an assist against Ipswich,
01:06:09to be fair, sorry.
01:06:10He'll do something.
01:06:11You know what's coming up in this game?
01:06:12Bruno's going to score the winner.
01:06:13Yeah, I know.
01:06:15He's going to get a hat-trick.
01:06:16When Bruno sees this one,
01:06:17you're going to...
01:06:18I like Bruno.
01:06:19Of course you like Bruno.
01:06:19We all like Bruno.
01:06:20He's a talented player,
01:06:21but talent's not enough.
01:06:26We've got a Q&A questions.
01:06:30And the first one is...
01:06:32Oh.
01:06:33This is cool, isn't it?
01:06:34If you had to keep one of your body parts,
01:06:38if you could change one part of your body,
01:06:40what would it be?
01:06:40I know what theirs would be.
01:06:43Jill.
01:06:43Jill.
01:06:44It's personality, apparently.
01:06:46Physically, you mean?
01:06:47Yeah.
01:06:49Which part of your body would you change?
01:06:53I think I'd want a better nose.
01:06:55It's big.
01:06:55Turn it to the side, let me see.
01:06:57Let me see.
01:06:58It looks Roman.
01:06:59It's got a...
01:06:59No, I would like...
01:07:00Which part of your body would you change?
01:07:01That's how you were designed.
01:07:02That's how you were designed.
01:07:03I know, but it's the change.
01:07:04I'd change my nose.
01:07:05Oh, yeah, I think you're fine, Jill.
01:07:07Okay.
01:07:08What would you change?
01:07:09I'm comfortable with it.
01:07:11It's real different.
01:07:13It's a really strange question.
01:07:15I think I'd go nose.
01:07:16I think you should as well.
01:07:17Your nose is all right.
01:07:21I was going to say, I'm glad you said it, guys.
01:07:22I was going to say, what about your bugles?
01:07:25I'll say my teeth.
01:07:27What's wrong with them?
01:07:28You don't like them?
01:07:28I don't like the crossover on the front a little bit.
01:07:30I've never really had them done or put them straight.
01:07:32I just like...
01:07:32You know what?
01:07:33Maybe if I was taller.
01:07:34You know when you're playing in midfield,
01:07:35you're like six foot...
01:07:36Oh, I'd like to be big, yeah.
01:07:38I think maybe, yeah.
01:07:39The reason we got that question
01:07:40because back in...
01:07:41You all right?
01:07:42Oh, yeah.
01:07:44What's Roy doing?
01:07:45This is a shit magazine.
01:07:46It's clean.
01:07:47I think I had that magazine.
01:07:48How many more episodes have we got on this?
01:07:49November 1993.
01:07:51Listen, I'm going to go through that finger.
01:07:53His favourite...
01:07:54Which part of your body would you change?
01:07:56And Roy was asked this in 1993.
01:07:58No part of it.
01:08:00I'm happy with the way it is.
01:08:01I wouldn't change anything.
01:08:02Nose or ears or anything.
01:08:05At least the women tell me
01:08:06they are quite happy with how I look.
01:08:10He says, at least the women tell me
01:08:12they are quite happy with how I look.
01:08:13It's a misquote.
01:08:16Did you actually say that?
01:08:17Was that when you were at Man United?
01:08:20Stupid...
01:08:21It's amazing how...
01:08:22You're younger,
01:08:22proud to get you to do stupid interviews, isn't it?
01:08:26The women tell us.
01:08:28Did you have a six-pack?
01:08:29Ah, righty.
01:08:31I can't find it. It was gold too.
01:08:32You're like a gangster.
01:08:36Let's have a look at him.
01:08:37That's big gold too.
01:08:38Righty, what would you change?
01:08:40Um...
01:08:42You don't need to change anything.
01:08:43You've got a temper, haven't you?
01:08:45Yeah, but that's not part of what we're talking about.
01:08:46We're talking about physicality.
01:08:48You know what I always do?
01:08:49I like black people with lighter eyes.
01:08:53I'd probably have lighter eyes.
01:08:55Green eyes.
01:08:55Better dancer?
01:08:57I can't get any better than that.
01:08:58Yeah, I don't know.
01:08:59Sort of me.
01:09:00You've got nice eyes, though.
01:09:02I don't like them.
01:09:03I'd like different colour eyes.
01:09:04Right, take United and City out of it.
01:09:06Which team do you want to win the FA Cup this season?
01:09:09Oh...
01:09:11Who's left in again?
01:09:13Take United and City out?
01:09:14Yeah.
01:09:15I'd go Palace.
01:09:16I'd go Villa.
01:09:17Villa, yeah.
01:09:19Villa.
01:09:19Who else? I'm trying to think who's in it.
01:09:22Uh...
01:09:23I can't remember who's in it.
01:09:24Millwall, right?
01:09:26Bournemouth are still in it.
01:09:27Newcastle are in it.
01:09:28I'd go Newcastle or Villa.
01:09:29You know what?
01:09:30I'd go Palace of it.
01:09:31Palace or Newcastle.
01:09:32I'd go Newcastle.
01:09:34I'd go Villa.
01:09:35Because I want Liverpool to win the other final.
01:09:37But I'd love to see Newcastle in it.
01:09:39I'd go with Villa.
01:09:40Yeah, a bit of Villa.
01:09:41I'm going to go Palace.
01:09:42Are you working it?
01:09:43Yeah.
01:09:43I'm just trying to win their love back.
01:09:44It's not, I don't want...
01:09:45Righty, you look all the one there.
01:09:46You know what? I'm not trying to win their love back.
01:09:48You look all the one there.
01:09:49No, no, no. You know what, is it?
01:09:51Righty?
01:09:52Roy said I'm trying to win their love.
01:09:53I'm not trying to win their love back.
01:09:54It's just that when we've...
01:09:55They deserve something in that year.
01:09:56What is up with you today?
01:09:57Was there a bit of friction between you and Palace or not?
01:09:59No, not really.
01:09:59I thought you were going to say between me and him.
01:10:01Come on, you've been edgy all morning.
01:10:03I picked him up this morning.
01:10:04Just, you could sense it, that negative energy.
01:10:07I haven't.
01:10:07It is, because you're working tonight.
01:10:08You can't do too much working tonight.
01:10:11Yeah, women's games.
01:10:12We've got Spain.
01:10:13England playing Spain.
01:10:14We've got Spain tonight.
01:10:15Watch him tonight and see his face tonight.
01:10:16It'll be hard work.
01:10:18It won't be hard work.
01:10:20Right, the Oscars are this weekend.
01:10:22Right.
01:10:23What's your favourite film been in the last 12 months?
01:10:26I think I'm going to be useless at this,
01:10:27because I've not seen many.
01:10:29They've got a list of the films that have come out in the last 12 months.
01:10:31Robbie Williams.
01:10:33Yeah, Robbie, or the Bob Dylan one, yeah.
01:10:35What are they called?
01:10:35What's the Bob Dylan one?
01:10:37I'll tell you which one it is.
01:10:38NBA options, Oscars, last 12 months?
01:10:40It's probably the Bob Dylan, Tim Chalamet one.
01:10:43Who?
01:10:44Have you seen the Bob Dylan one?
01:10:45Not seen that one.
01:10:46I watched them.
01:10:46The Concave.
01:10:48Conclave as well.
01:10:49Conclave, Conclave.
01:10:51I haven't seen it.
01:10:52What's it about?
01:10:53It's about the Pope.
01:10:54The Pope?
01:10:55Yeah.
01:10:55Yeah, but you haven't seen it.
01:10:56No.
01:10:57No, I'm just...
01:10:58We should have a movie now.
01:10:59We should all go to the movies one night.
01:11:00I love going.
01:11:00I've been going the last few weeks.
01:11:01Big screen.
01:11:02These popcorns.
01:11:02Massive chairs.
01:11:03Yeah, we've just got your house.
01:11:04He's done the way that they go back.
01:11:05Oh, they've been dancing the most.
01:11:06Yeah, so the weirdest thing is,
01:11:09you know, like, obviously you're going into the dark,
01:11:10you're trying to find your seat,
01:11:11and you get the big chair, you've got your big drink,
01:11:13you've got all your pie, and you're just there,
01:11:14you're like some big kid,
01:11:16and then someone goes,
01:11:16you're in my seat,
01:11:18and you go, oh, no.
01:11:19Oh, you've got to go, sorry.
01:11:20Put the chair up, get all your gear,
01:11:22and you're like, oh, no.
01:11:23Oh, you move, do you?
01:11:25Yeah, I do, I do there, yeah.
01:11:26What's it now?
01:11:27We're on Whitney Affleck.
01:11:28Whitney Affleck.
01:11:29What's in the next one?
01:11:30Oh, you want another one?
01:11:31Right, he's on a schedule, isn't he?
01:11:32Ben White is reportedly speaking to Thomas Tuchel
01:11:35about coming back into the England fold.
01:11:36Should players be able to opt in
01:11:38and opt out of international squads?
01:11:40Roy, you've obviously opted in and opted out before,
01:11:42so you've...
01:11:43I think Ben's right about that.
01:11:44They would be right to opt in and opt out,
01:11:45especially if the people involved...
01:11:48Maybe, I think, if players make it...
01:11:49Steve's had a fall-out with another member of staff.
01:11:51It was well-documented.
01:11:51I think he's had a fall-out with Steve Holland.
01:11:53Do you know what I never agreed with?
01:11:54I never agreed with retiring
01:11:55from international football, mate.
01:11:57Yeah, but I'm still not retired.
01:11:58I didn't.
01:11:58If England want me, I'm still going to play.
01:12:00I always felt that you come in at the beginning,
01:12:01you get in, you sort of might not make the team,
01:12:03and then you sort of fade out at the end,
01:12:05and you should be retired, not retire,
01:12:08so that, ultimately, you don't get picked anymore.
01:12:10If you're playing for your club,
01:12:12my view was you're available for your country.
01:12:13That was my view.
01:12:15Obviously, I didn't get picked
01:12:15in the last two or three years at United, but...
01:12:17What about if you retire and they're, like, all together?
01:12:21Do you know what I mean?
01:12:21You're doing that, like, our kind of...
01:12:23But retiring from strong players...
01:12:24...full retirement...
01:12:25Yeah, at that level, it's more of a mental thing, isn't it?
01:12:27It's resting.
01:12:28I think it's to prolong your career with your club, usually.
01:12:30Well, obviously, yeah, it would help that.
01:12:32What if you felt that you should have been getting picked
01:12:34at certain times and you weren't, and in the end, you're like...
01:12:36But there's an element of it's your country,
01:12:38you're there to serve it,
01:12:39and you play for them if they pick you,
01:12:40and if they don't pick you, then...
01:12:41That, to me, I was how I...
01:12:42Maybe it's because I...
01:12:43So you'd have gone to England for 15 years
01:12:44and not played a game?
01:12:45I like to think I would, but...
01:12:46You would not.
01:12:47I wasn't in that position, Carey.
01:12:48Like, to be fair, I know that you, obviously...
01:12:50Tony Di Rego.
01:12:50...had a different stomach.
01:12:51Yeah, but I think...
01:12:52You know, I see some goalkeepers that did it for a long time.
01:12:54Tim Flowers...
01:12:55Different for a kid.
01:12:56Different for a kid for years, you know what I mean?
01:12:58And didn't get a lot of games.
01:12:59So good people have gone and...
01:13:01But you can see why people do get frustrated,
01:13:03who would generally...
01:13:03If you're playing for your country,
01:13:04you're obviously generally playing for your club.
01:13:05So to be playing every week and then travel,
01:13:08for years, maybe,
01:13:08sometimes you have to tolerate for a few months.
01:13:10I can see exactly why players would get fed up with it.
01:13:12It's tough when you're playing every week
01:13:14and then you go blank, yeah.
01:13:15When I stopped playing for England,
01:13:18the reason I stopped was John Terry and Rio Ferdinand
01:13:20were ahead of me, but they were much better players than me.
01:13:22They were amazing, as good as anything in the world at the time.
01:13:25But I couldn't play any better for Liverpool.
01:13:27I got Liverpool's player of the year
01:13:29in the two years we got to the Champions League final
01:13:31over a two- or three-year period.
01:13:32So I then...
01:13:33I think Rio might have been out.
01:13:34John, someone was out and someone else got picked.
01:13:36And listen, Fairplay, they were good players who came in.
01:13:39But then I said,
01:13:40oh, no, I want to concentrate on Liverpool.
01:13:42It was almost like if I'm...
01:13:43What age were you then, Jeremy?
01:13:4429.
01:13:46And then, you know what?
01:13:47Not frustrated me, but...
01:13:49So Steve McClanahan come and met me in Fairplay.
01:13:50He's the England manager.
01:13:52He come to meet me face-to-face in Liverpool.
01:13:53Listen, can I call you back?
01:13:54He says, I'm going to play you in the next game.
01:13:57And I was like...
01:13:58Really?
01:13:59No, I feel like I've bullied you to play.
01:14:01I haven't said I'm not...
01:14:03It felt awkward, James.
01:14:04Yeah, I'm like, I don't want to play now because I've said...
01:14:06No.
01:14:07No, I wouldn't want to...
01:14:09He's playing, you know what I mean?
01:14:10So I was a bit like, oh, no, that's me.
01:14:11Especially if he played you in that one,
01:14:12then you don't play in the next one.
01:14:14It's like... It is like...
01:14:15Yeah, it felt a bit awkward.
01:14:18But then what might have felt a little bit...
01:14:19Well, it didn't feel as awkward.
01:14:20I ended up going back, right?
01:14:22Because Capello wanted me to go back.
01:14:24And Stevie was just raving about Capello when he'd come back.
01:14:27Right.
01:14:28And I didn't say I want to play for England now they're in the World Cup,
01:14:31but the last weekend of a season before the World Cup,
01:14:35I think two centre-backs went down, you know, like sort of injured.
01:14:38So at the last minute, they called me.
01:14:39But I'm thinking, like, Capello, Berezi, Maldini.
01:14:42I'm thinking, oh, I've just got to see what this fella's about.
01:14:43And you're also a man of principle, obviously.
01:14:44Exactly.
01:14:45And it's my country, right?
01:14:46It's my country.
01:14:49So I thought, OK, I'm going.
01:14:51I'm coming to South Africa.
01:14:53But players, it's benefited, like Jamie Vardy, I would say,
01:14:56it's benefited him, hasn't it? Retiring from England.
01:14:59Oh, it can be.
01:14:59And then kind of his longevity now.
01:15:01Some players don't enjoy it.
01:15:03Some players don't enjoy it.
01:15:04Like Banter, I mean.
01:15:04Yeah.
01:15:05I think they can choose.
01:15:06I think he's come back with something else.
01:15:09Right, that's it.
01:15:10That's it. End of episode.
01:15:11Well done, everybody.