Brighton Oozing Class, The Dark Cloud Over the Premier League & Newcastle Struggle Again

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I need some more zero Guinness, please. If you could order me some of that, please, guys. That got me through last year. But yeah, I don't know. Let myself go a little bit. I've only put on a K1 KG. You must know. That's right. But guys, you're right. It does look a little bit tight around the chest there, isn't it? You've been bench-pressing again, isn't it? I learned you're busy weekend. I didn't see you on anything. No, I had a weekend off, guys. I went to St. James's Park, unfortunately, on Saturday. Oh, did you? Oh, dear. And then I had a day on the city watching football all day yesterday. So I'm nice and refreshed. I did exactly the same thing. But Sunday lunch is usual. Yeah, I think if you look at City, it was fairly routine. You look at Arsenal. It was very Arsenal, I suppose. They managed to get it over the line. And then Chelsea won comfortably as well. But I thought the performance of the weekend had to be bright. It's three up in 10 minutes. A tough one for panelists, that's for sure. And certainly the leading contender for God of the season. I was on the city watching the Man United Leeds game. And my text would go mad about Brighton. And I didn't see any of the first 15 or 20 minutes or more. Goal, goal. And I was thinking, goodness, maybe then I'll start the flicking. And then of course that goal meds goal. Wow. Wow. Gee, unbelievable. Do you know what the trajectory of it? It was like it was proper ping, wasn't it? Drill an unbelievable strike, yeah. Drilled it a little bit like the Rooney one. It's slightly different. Remember when he hit that low kind of thing over the keeper. I saw them on, I think it was on match of the day. They found a post from someone that said Sunday would seem like a good day for Gomez to score from the halfway line. Wow. That's Oracle. That is real Oracle stuff, Mike. Yeah. But he does have a pop at those. He's had a try a few times. But he caught that one absolutely sweet. Can I ask you a question, guys? Obviously you interviewed Herzl, didn't you? Please don't ask me about shooting from that far. I'm certainly not going to ask you about that. That was the one you need to ask about those. I was watching a little documentary yesterday on Brighton. It was on, I think it was around eight o'clock or whatever. And it was taking around the training ground and all the different people from Fat Test, Jamie Redden, that called them, whether it be the structure from going from the youth to the 21 to the first team, having a pathway to see all that sort of thing. How much credit is Herzl, because you've been there. You've been with them. You've interviewed them. And how much credit has to go to the club and the infrastructure, would you say? Before I answer your question, Mark, I'm not sure you'd pass the Fat Test this morning. Yes. [LAUGHTER] I can't believe I'm going to say something very sincere. I was. You got me. That's what you said. Okay. I would say. Well, I think he has to take a lot of credit. Of course he does. I mean, it's impossible to say to quantify exactly how much is him and how much is what the club do generally. Now, obviously, we know the data driven. Yeah. I'm sure many, many football clubs are to a degree, but they haven't got that kind of super expert thing that comes down from the owner and he's business. So, obviously, there are recruitment, which I think is the most important thing in our game. Whatever your budget, if you spend it wisely, you'll get the best results. So, I think this is my opinion generally now of coaching across the board. I think it's so competitive in industry. They are pretty much all very good. I think there's a few exceptional ones that we've seen. Obviously, you go Ferguson, Klopp, Pep Guardiola, just Louis Henry K. And there'll be a few more. But below them, I think they're probably all pretty. They're all very, very good. And they come in, and it's ultimately about the players you've got at your disposal. And if you've got good players, it gives you a chance. Now, the recruitment is really important. But I think the way Herzler has done it, and he's only had one really sticky patch and that was towards the last stage of the last season. I interviewed him. I was very impressed with the way he spoke, and he's confident with that being arrogant with his, obviously, his tactical acumen. So, I think that's a ridiculously young age. He's already joined that bracket underneath, you know, the ones that they're all good. But I think potentially he can possibly go on to be one of the absolute top coaches. You know, he's battling on two fronts, but he's got a squad now that he can make change. I think seven were made for the team that played on Sunday. So, it's too early to say yet, but I think he's got the potential to be one of the absolutely top coaches in World Football. Do we now start talking about Brighton and Champions League football? Not only that, could they actually have a run at it this season? I mean, obviously, we're only seven games in, but let me read you one or two stats I've got here. There's called 23 Premier League goals this season. They're most ever at this stage of a campaign in the top four tiers. Only Barcelona have scored more goals than the Seagulls across the five leagues, the big five leagues this term. Only three sides in Premier League history have scored more goals in their first seven games of a season. That would have been Arsenal in 29-10. They got 24. United in 11-12 with 24 in city. They did it in 2019-20 with 27. Four clean shoots in a row as well, not only they're banging them in. [BLANK_AUDIO] but what point do we go, can they do a Leicester? - No, no, no, no, no, let's be real. That was what, what, what in the billion? Let's forget, let's not forget. When Leicester won the league, there was no, they had no Europe. Brighten have got Europe. Do I think Brighten get the Champions League? Absolutely, absolutely. And that's why I should the question at the start. Really impressive the manager who's just 33, by the way. I think what he's doing is remarkable. But I think them having to play in Europe, and I know it's, I don't want to say only conference league, but they, you would think they could get to quarters semis without having to play their first 11, as it were. Like you said, they make a lot of changes when they're in Europe. But I think, I think Champions League football is a realistic target for them. I don't, I don't think, I don't think win them league. - When you think about the, what the job entails as a football coach stroke manager now. And I know, over the years, it's slightly changed and 30 years ago, the management charge of everything recruitment blah, blah. But what you have to be very good at, it's not just having a set of 25 guys and coach them and putting them into, you've got to be a psychologist, you've got to handle the media, you've got to be a brilliant football coach. The decisions and what you have to be very, very good at, it's just, it's so different to just go on out onto a pitch and it's on a training ground and setting your team up. You've got to be able to handle a group of 25 guys who can be difficult at times. I mean, the list is incredible what you have to be brilliant at being a coach. And so for him to have all that at such a young age and doing the job that he's doing is remarkable. - You have to have people around you who you obviously trust as well. I think when I was watching it documentary, I was totally right in terms of all the things that he has to essentially oversee. But he has got a really good team around him as well, which he obviously trusts. - But everyone looks to the coach, everyone looks to the manager. You know when you've got to make these decisions, you've got to put sessions on, you've got to go and talk to the midler, you've got to be that psychologist that you can make someone feel very special for you to go out and play and feel good. And then you've got issues with players who are not playing, you've got to handle that side of things, you know. - So how hard is that? I know we have a laugh about you managing and all that sort of stuff. And I know we're going a little bit off topic, but how hard is that to do? You know where you've got to face up to the media and then you've got to put a training session on and then you've got all the stuff that comes with running a football. - Yeah, it's tough. I mean, it's unbelievable, I guess, but I guess when you talk about 25 or 30 years ago, the manager actually basically ran the club. It was his decision who came in. It was his decision to go and look at players. It was his decision to how much to pay for. It's like sorts from back then to what it is now. And I know it's such a difficult job. But years and years ago, when the manager was in charge of all of that, I mean, it's unbelievable when you think of it. But yeah, very, very difficult. - It's slightly different, I suppose, from back in our day out in the sense that you would have a relatively small squad by comparison to now. There'd only probably been about realistically 14, 15, 16, maybe players that you would play. Well, I remember when I. She's how it's changed so much when I played, right? We had, you know, the manager, the first team coach, you'd have a physio and a kit, man. - Yeah. - How's about it? - No, you've got a different coach, full of different analysts. - You've got two coaches, exactly. - You know, when they showed the city sneaking in round the back of Amfield. - Yeah. - And I thought, "God, they have two coaches now." - Two buses, two empty buses. - Unbelievable. - I mean, talk about, it's moved on there. It's such an industry. And that's why I say to the fact that now, all the coaches are obviously a pretty high level. And then you see this merry go round of clubs that are. And I think the owners use that situation as well. You know, let's blame the coaches. The coaches fault takes the pressure off us, the owners, and bringing a new coach. Who's probably of the same level? We've seen it. Take Forest, for example, over the last couple of years that brought in a coach. He's done all right for a few games. And then they get to back to actually the level they are. And then he gets sacked because of that. Then he bring it and they have a little start. All that's quite nice. We're doing well again. And now, you know, now they've brought, you know, Glasgow just came from Palace. And it's just like, once you're in, you're in. And I think all these coaches are really, really good and an excellent level. But ultimately, I think Herzler might well be a bit more, but I think he will be massively helped by what's going on and the way the football club is run. And if you look at clubs like United and Pitt, they struggle because it's not brilliantly run in the same way as a club like Brighton. Herzler's been linked with. I mean, it's probably just pure rumours where United already should care not go on for much longer. If you were Herzler and they came, say, something went wrong, I know this hypothetical, but something went wrong at a club like, would you go from Brighton to Manchester United, which sounds a ridiculous question a few years ago, but I think it's a relevant question now. Would you, if you were here, would you go, hmm, doing quite well here with a good team? We saw that decision with Graeme Potter, didn't we? Only left there and went to Chelsea, wasn't it? Yeah, and that didn't quite. I mean, financially it worked for him, but I guess it didn't quite work out for him professionally. What are the terms? What are the terms, guys? Well, in money. No, no, not money. Does he get a four-year at least project? Well, that's what I mean. Who's ever guaranteed that? Look at our tetra. It took him six, seven years to win a trophy. But it's worked for them. At some point, as a club, and I was going to say this about Manchester United, and we'll do it later anyway. But at some point, a club has to go, right, this guy knows what he's doing. We need to support him and back him. Because if you just keep changing, you know, it's like it's groundhog day. That's what you're getting with a lot of clubs. And at some point, you've got to look at the clubs that have been successful over a long period of time, have been the patient ones with their coach. If Alex Ferguson and Kate come in to Manchester United now, and perform like he did in his first, what, three seasons, he wouldn't have probably lasted anywhere near. But they obviously saw something in him, and they were right to be patient and got the just rewards. But is it people like us? Is it people who do podcast? Is it the media? Is it just social media in general where? Well, I don't think any of us have ever called for someone to get the sack. I mean, someone might find something from somewhere, but-- Yeah, but we're in an environment where essentially what we say goes a long way, and it does put pressure on our opinions, a valid out there. And that's why people listen to our podcast. Do you say some of us? No, I said the noises. I was going to say the noises a lot is a lot. A lot of people say so many people say so many times. No, I didn't say that. What do you think is, if you're not working on Netflix, you're working on BBC, you're not working on BBC, you're working on Amazon. The Alan Shire, if he says something, it holds weight, you know? And that does put pressure. And I think we'd like to give it a balanced view, an affair view, definitely. But we are part of sometimes people applying that pressure. No, you're absolutely right. I mean, but there's always been media. I mean, it's been enhanced a lot. And obviously has probably a deep effect now because you've got social media as well, which is new to our game. I remember watching United last week, and they were getting booze in the first half. Now, United, I've always thought of the club that actually their fans have been pretty patient with their players on the pitch. They don't tend to do that sort of stuff. But there is a shift now. And I think it might be down to Alan Shire, to be honest, that he isn't part. 'Cause when Alan Shire speaks, the world listens. And I think obviously there's a lot of pressure. It's hugely well-recompensed, the job, obviously. Once you've established yourself, you're almost certain to get another job. It's probably a side from perhaps being a Prime Minister or something. The one job where you're pretty much guaranteed to get kicked out. I mean, there are very, very few examples of people who have not been sacked. Obviously, Gaudiola, Klopp, Ferguson, people like that, but very, very few over the years. So it's a testing role. But also, I suppose, once you get in there, once you're on the merry-go-round, it's kind of caching in some ways. It takes us onto United, I suppose, in a way. They played leads, leads, leads. And actually, both games I watched yesterday weren't great. That was one, and then I watched the Arsenal game. So I mean, we've been talking the previous week, hadn't we enough to the Champions League about, "Oh, everyone seems to be really having a go now "and it's so much better." And then, as soon as you open your big mouth, you get fairly turdied weekend. - Well, I did the same as you guys. That's why I was mainly watching those two games and they were a bit flat, weren't they? Man, you know, it did all right. I thought the couple of changes that he made, Karik, putting a decent performance in the first half when one little up and when we missed a couple before that. And I was thinking, here we go again them, 'cause I watched them in Madrid in the week and they missed chances there. I brought Leeds came back second after, served the point and it was a bit of a, it was a bit of a yeah, drab game I thought, yeah. - Players now. Now, when the balls come in, they're trying side flick it in rather than just head it straight on with a forehead. As the art of heading, I know obviously we used to train a lot with head in balls and nowadays that's not deemed as wise for obvious reasons for your brain health, etc. So they probably do way less practice than we did, and you can see, you don't see too many great headers of the ball in the game. And I wonder if is there anything to do with that? And I think it's obviously, I've always said for a long time, they shouldn't allow heading in training, and then just restricted just to games, but there will be because of that a lack of, lack of know how into how to head a ball. All the lowest part I want for Brentford was a brilliant head. Yeah, there are plenty of, there are plenty of examples of people that do head it properly, but I've just seen this general thing where people come in and just try it and generally the guy that goes, never goes in. No, I get, I totally understand that, and that's, you're probably right in what you see with less training and less doing it than you, you're going to see it less often, I guess. But I was impressed with this movement for his goal eventually, when the ball came in from the right hand side, Telemann's whipped it in, his movement was brilliant to finish it off. But Leeds came back into it second half, Calvert Lewin again, scoring a good goal, good finish, but it was probably a fair result, wasn't it? I don't think either team did it enough to win the game. I think we've got to give it a, uh, carry a little bit of credit for the way he set up. In terms of the game, it wasn't, like you guys said, it wasn't, it wasn't a brilliant game, but there was a lot more effort and I went to free at the back and they sort of had Amad on one side and Dallow on the other side, up front and they had Santa some believer in midfield. But then it was weird what was doing up front like Fernandez was the furthest man forward at times in the middle, Telemann was sort of just to the right of him and then Embermo wasn't quite on the left but was then going centrally when Fernandez dropped deep. So it was, it was interested when we got there, the team she was looking at, I think what's he going to do here? I was saying before the game, you know, you just need to go back to basics, you know, against Athleticolo Madrid, it, it wasn't great all of doom and gloom, but to go to Leeds Elham Road with the high energy that they have at that ground, I thought it was a much better performance, not, not great, but in terms of that the circumstances, the pressure that Carrick was under for him, he's been challenged tactically, I would say this season. I think last season it was more sitting a low block counter attack. That's what United are. This season when they've got to take it to take the game for somebody, don't quite know what they're doing, but in the game yesterday, I saw a few signs to say, okay, they've got a little bit more than what they've shown this season so far. Where can Leeds finish, Micah? Leeds, Leeds are a really good outfit, you know, honestly. What, watching the movement, I think bogals are really good player, I think Justin, although he got caught on the goal, but how do you, you know, he was so funny yesterday, I'll do the game right, and the Leeds sent her off, he's caught up, like, I don't, I'm just basically going, Mama Rivitch, I'm just, I've just moved on, Mama Rivitch, I know what got on it because it's an easy roll. Oh my, if it goes slow on this, I'm going to fuck it up. So, it's like, it's good player as well, Mama Rivitch, and I just went, I know, looked up, and I was like, yes, I've got away with it. But it was, it was so top, but he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he's a good player. LVD not bad as well, in the midfield, I love stackin' his energy, I wish he had a little bit more composure at times, Gunnerson offers a whiff on the, on the left hand side as well. And the rotations between the team, they look really good, how high can they finish? Yeah, I think top 10, yeah, just around the mid-table. There'll be a realistic target for lead because I think in games though as well, some of the games up the draw, they could have got over the line and I think Carvin Lewin needs someone else to help him with the goals as well. I think they've been better since he went to a back three. Yes. They've been much more consistent and it seems to work for him. The only thing is though, guys, do you leave themself exposed though, because when they go, they all go, had money now, it'd been a little bit sharper on the counter attack, they would have got punished, but it's hardly play, Daniel Files doing a, doing a brilliant job, and they're exciting watch, which is the most important. Come on, the leads. Dominic Carvin Lewin, if he, I mean, he's, he's had a run, they've been fit for quite a while and I think that, and it reminds you of the fact that he's, oh, he's a bit of a ham foot from, you know, he can hold it up, he's good in the air, he can get a goal which he's, he's doing, he's obviously, he takes the penalties as well. So he's, and he's had a pretty good start to the season. I would say at present, he's probably number two as a nine behind Cain, isn't he? Oh, good question. So over got, we've got Tony, who didn't get picked in the last squad, obviously he's playing inside. It's Saturday. Well, what can just gone to, to Saudi, obviously, you've got the lap, who's, it was looking really good, but like, the game, well, the game yesterday, I was thinking, come on, he took a very quick good throw in, come on, I know what it goes. Like, it feels like he's got everything to be, whatever he wants to be. But then there's zero conviction. I don't know, I don't know if it's confidence, I just feel like he needs to believe in himself more because he's got it. He's there. He just needs to finish off the chances when he gets there. I think with regards to Calvin Luron, you have to play a specific way, you have to, you have, and I think lead to do it without doubt, you're not able to, if they can get an early ball in every opportunity, that's their first thought, and I like that with him because he needs to be fed, he needs to have balls up to him and balls into him. Is that, is that type of four he thrives on there, on that? And he's, there's not doubt when you do that, he's a handful, you can be really awkward to play against. Let's certainly take a break there and discuss some of the other games when we come back. This episode is brought to you by Hotels.com. You know what's better than getting a good win, getting another one straight after it. With the all new 10 for £100 benefit from Hotels.com, members that stay 10 eligible nights can get £100 back in Hotels.com cash to use on a future booking. Hot trips, weekends away, or longer holidays, all those stays can quickly add up to 10. But the wins don't stop there, Hotels.com members can also save up to 20% instantly on select hotels just by being a member. So you get value from your booking now while your stays count towards a future reward. But once win twice, booktodayathotels.com available to UK customers only, members 18 plus chotels.com site for details. Welcome back to the rest of football with Michael Richards and Shira and me, Gary Linnicka. Let's talk Arsenal. I mean, that was more the performance we saw probably from them a few times last season, Forest had their opportunities in the game, even after Arsenal took the lead. I think it was their first shot on target, wasn't it, when they scored. But you could sort of see it coming, though it was going to be a 1-0 to the Arsenal. It was a, I mean, it wasn't a pretty game again, but we've seen it so many times that with teams and we always say it doesn't have to be, you just have to find a way. But they're squad again, I guess, hauling players off it all the time. If you get you, you're going to put you in in terms of it, isn't it? And if you don't work, you're coming off straight away. And there was no messing around, wasn't it, off it all the time. Have any of you seen this, that, how many 1-0s Arsenal have had in the last year? In the last 365 days, it's 16, not quite that many. Oh, 13-1 wins against Fulham Palace, Everton, Chelsea, Brighton, Sporting, Newcastle, obviously out, Atlético, Westam, Burnley, Villa, Napoli, and Forest, that's incredible, isn't it? I mean, it just shows you how strongly or defensively and how good the goalkeeper is as well. Oh, Lord, you did see it. I mean, there was a chance, wasn't there, Chris Wood, when they brought. Oh, my eyes first touch was terrible. He brought it back inside instead of pushing it out onto his right and getting his straight away, it was. Marilla, that good effort, right in the middle of the end, and they just high and wide. Yeah. Yeah, so they, I mean, they do defend well, but they get away with it. They certainly weren't very free-flowing yesterday, but they're, you know, obviously they've been playing in midweek. So, I mean, they're steady-eddy as you go, isn't it? I mean, I find it. I don't know about you, too, and I'm going to bring it up again, but. And City went in there, sorry, Mike, but it's just, you know, a city going with a good lead at the minute. You just keep thinking, well, what is the top of the table? What's going to happen? When's it going to happen? How long they're going to wait? Are they going to wait until after the appeal before they give out, which I don't understand? So, do you sit there and think, even when you're watching City and they're playing some great stuff, and they've got an unbelievably good squad and they're again lies question marks. So, you just go, oh, brilliant City and now they want a few points clear, and but are they? You know what I mean? You have to think that because that's the situation that we're in. And which adds to that? the chances of teams like probably Brighton to challenge a little bit. Maybe their Arsenal's closest challenges are present or Chelsea or Liverpool. We don't know, but our city in this league are they not in this league? Are they going to be deductive points? I mean, there's so many question marks around it. It's all a little bit peculiar, I think. I think it's great for months that you play as though how they're able to sort of shut out all the noise, no matter what it's going to happen. Do you think it this is great for Man City's players? Don't you think we may be able to just block all the noise out? I mean, tell it to me. I think that might use the worlds against this thing and you can see that with the fans as well. They've all gone very tribal, as you would expect, but I don't know if I was a player because also, I think naturally you'd be thinking, what's going to happen here? What does this mean? I mean, I mean, I think you're talking more bigger picture. Yes, I understand. I'm talking more. Man City, it happened to deal with all these noise around, but still being able to perform on the pitch. I think players generally just get on with these things. Some of them will be more thoughtful about it than others, but I get what you say and you just want to go out and show that you know, a bit of worlds against us and I suppose you're playing without, I don't know, are you playing with less stress because of this or more stress because of this or we don't really know. I think each eight different players will be affected differently. I was going to ask you, right? So this is another hypothetical question, but is it that hypothetical? Should City get a massive punishment and which sees them go in the lower leagues or whatever? Obviously, a lot of these players will want out. Who could afford Harland and how much would he fucking cost? New castle? He's done it again, Michael. Not the way they're playing now. Oh, yeah, we'll get onto that in a minute. I mean, how much would he cost for his start? It wouldn't cost a thing because he's not going anywhere. He's not going anywhere. When he signed that new deal, you'd imagine he'd have some sort of clause in there that if this were to happen, his agent would have managed that situation and put a clause in it, it's some sort price you'd get, no? I also wonder about the players that have signed this summer, you know, the likes of Anderson and Boidey, I thought was really, really good again. I mean, of course, he is very, very good at football. But I wonder whether they, because everyone knows this has been hanging over Manchester City for a long time. We all knew it was going to be fairly imminent. I wonder whether they've got clauses against this. You would think so, wouldn't you? You'd do it in a half thought. You would have to. You know, because otherwise Anderson and Boidey, too, most exciting young talents on the planet, obviously Boidey's young. And I just think to myself, you just don't know now what, what are you going to be? Whether you're going to be dock lots of points. Do you think they knew that? Come on. Come on. If we put away a lot of it, every year of Manchester City for years has been the charges, the charges. Mike, if you're one of those players coming in in the summer, Boidey or Anderson or whoever, their agent would have to, I mean, if he or she haven't, and clearly it wouldn't be doing their job right. And I know they would have maybe asked the question and they answered it come back from City, yeah, we're not guilty at all. But to have a client of yours, you'd have to be so sure. And to be so sure, you'd say, well, okay, man, see, if you're that adamant, you're not guilty, then you have to put some sort of clause in my client's contract. Because if the worst were to happen, then there have to be given that opportunity to somehow get out. You'd think so. I would agree. If the players agents have not taken this into account of not putting some kind of clause, should the worst happen, then I don't think they've been doing their job brilliantly. None of us know anything at the moment, but it's just that it's that cloud hanging over everything in the Premier League at present. Let's go, I just want to go. One little thing back to Arsenal for a second, because the last six games they've played, they haven't scored in the first half. He's been kind of changing things up top. They've still not plugged that whole up. I love they really. Well, at least I mean, he's preference, obviously, is Harvard, which he's clearly brought Yoccares on, but his preference is Harvard. But when you look at the different options in terms of Sacka and Ezzi and Madweki and Yoccares and who else have I missed, goodness not who else have. Oh, oh, the garden. He's got Downman on there, which it's like their options are incredible. But he does he does prefer Harvard's, doesn't he? Oh, he seems to. I mean, I don't think Harvard's going to get a 25 second goal of season. He's different sort of play. Drifts in. He's probably more of a more of a 10, I think, Micah, but yeah, I think I mean, there's another one. Harlan to Arsenal. I mean, imagine them with art with. I don't know. This is going to be all seen now in it. Just this speculation. I can't deal with it, guys. I'm sorry. I mean, it's difficult for someone who's played for City for a long time, but let alone what might be going through your mind if you're actually playing now. Exactly why I said what they're doing on the field is so remarkable. Yeah, you know, they've definitely used it to I suspect use that the world's against us thing. Yeah, yeah. I mean, Harlan bagged another two Harry triple captains him. Sorry. Yeah. Thanks for watching on. I think the only other talking point probably is that, obviously, they marked game made a mistake for the switch goals. In fact, you could say too. True, which one? And one or two errors creep. Is it just a spell? Because obviously there was one at the end of last season with the back person. Then there was one joint with the England game, where he made a mistake when Luminium Al got him behind him. So there's a couple of mistakes in there present, but I suppose that happens to defenders Mike over the period. Yeah. I think it's just a spell. Obviously, he's a ball playing centre-off as well as being a leader, especially at Palace. When he was analysing game at Palace, we were was talking about how good he was on the ball, where he was receiving the ball, how he was playing through the lines, all that sort of thing, but he doesn't need to tighten up when he's playing for Manchester, he's getting scrutinised a lot more and England. And some of the things that the mistakes that he's making, he doesn't really need to make. Remember, he's won against Everton last season when he was going through the league. Like, he's a lot better than that. And I feel though, he's switching off when he doesn't need to switch off. He's very consistent in the way he plays, and he's attitude towards the game. And I would agree with you, I think it's just a little bit of a blip, but you don't want to be known for someone who keeps giving away soft goals, because that's when people will play on that. But yeah, I just feel he's going through a little bit of a tough patch. There was two, even the penalty that he gave, that he gave away was sloppy as well, wasn't he towards the end? Yeah, it was just a little bit sloppy, but I think it's just going through one of those phases at the moment. I don't think that's what he is. I think so. Then midfield is, I mean, I've got some options. He left Fernandez out, didn't he? And Anderson, wasn't it? Did you played Bawadi and Covertage? I mean, he rested quite a lot of players. But Bawadi, I thought, was absolutely sensational when he came on against PSG. He was. Was also really good again. I mean, I think he's quite special, Michael. And I think Mariska said, didn't he? He was asked about and he went, not bad, eh? He's class. He's class, honestly. But you know what? I didn't know he had the Oracle, the Oracle Mystic, let's say, the Oracle Mystic. I thought he was just more of a Rodry type. Rodry is your bad? No, but I didn't say Rodry, Rodry type. He was sitting front of the back four and then take the game as he saw for Morocco. Yeah. But he's actually got that burst of pace where he can go past players and he's got a cry from all that sort of stuff, which I didn't see against PSG when he came on. He absolutely changed the game with his press. So yeah, he does look tasty. And I think that's going to be the midfield going forward in that in the harder game. Again, you got to go asterix. That's the need for going forward. Who's your best midfield, though? You've got Shirk in the way he started this this season. If you play in against a team where you need to be a little bit more creative, you probably would go with Shirk in a number 10, the way he's performed this season and the end. I think he's in the dog-hands season. I know. Yeah, but that's to that performance. That happens, though. Come on. We all know Shirk is not great off the ball. We know that. We've said that. So can we judge him by that? Yes, at times because he needs to do more, but he's a creative player. He's a creative genius. That's what he does. If you play against a team who've got good running power, you play Bawardi, probably Enzo, and probably Anderson. But if not, the Shirkster, you've got to play this with times where I would play Bawardi or Anderson just sitting and play folding and Shirkie ahead of them. You know, it can change depending on who you're playing against. I would go. Quick word on Liverpool and then I just need a little how and cheer around on his team. - Oh! - Before we go. But. Verse creates nine chances you created from Open Play, the most in Sadi Amani against Burnley in 2021. And obviously any with his sister Munoz as well. So I suppose a good response because he's been getting a lot of every social media chat, I think, around Liverpool seems to be talking about him. And that's all he can do is try and respond by making chances and scoring goals. So a little bit of a grain of hope. You would hope so. I mean, clearly, the send-in off was a massive part of turning him wasn't it? Yeah, I'm a look in there. It's little. What was he doing just as you could, wasn't it? I mean, I can't, I mean, well, I just thought, as soon as you saw the first replay, you went, well, he's, he's got to go. I mean, even though it was only, you know, it was just what you're doing, given the opportunity for that sort of issue. It wasn't that bad though, wasn't it? I agree with you. What was it? It wasn't that one. It was just, it was stupid. Yes, I agree with you. It was just stupid. Yeah. Yeah. He was annoying and what Jackie was doing. So I can, I sort of understood the frustration, but you can't do that, you can't do that. Just why would you, it's like when they run off and take the shirts off and they know they're going to get a yellow card. You think this is more serious, but you just, which is a stupid law, but the headbutt law is pretty plain for it. If you stick your head in someone in this movement and then you get in trouble and when you tease one up as well, I mean, I was sometimes what they think it was. But you're right. In terms of a little shoots, a little, yeah, a little improvement, a little bit for the, it has to start from somewhere. So you would hope that going forward and starting tomorrow, Villarreal, they've got tomorrow, I'm doing that game. You would hope that you picks up a little bit of belief and confidence going forward. You'll take on Liverpool, Michael, still look relatively easy, not easy, but very, simply comfortable to play against. Yeah, Danny Murphy did a piece on Match the Day, didn't he ever say we're still going through midfield, which, which was expected, they've had injuries, they need to tighten up a little bit more, but I was more positive within, I thought Moon knows was a story, really, after watching him against Man City live and seeing how active he is and how willing he is to run in behind and press and all those sort of things. I actually thought he was a story, 23-year-old coming to a different country, playing at Liverpool. It's massive what he's doing now. And everyone's talking about Rio, obviously, because he's English, but I thought, you know, as he's doing a really good job. I was worried when he got went down injured, I thought he looked like he might be a cruise ship. I was thinking, oh, it's one of those very jodies, just no one around. But he does look, I've been really impressed with him. Before he goes in his rants, who got played the match for Astor de Villarland? Was it Nicholas Jackson? Of course it was. I find that really strange actually, because I was there watching the game. Should have been my zombie for me. Yeah. Him or Tyron Mings, I thought. I mean, I sent the forward that doesn't score. Doesn't assist. Has one effort on target and gets Man of the match. Hey, listen, listen. I didn't pick him up. So I said I thought he was a bit straighter. I thought he did all right. Well, since I've said it, he's scored free and got a, I think he's up like free player of matches and then got player. Yeah, I saw you know, anyway. Yeah, I think because who I am renews him and the way he handles him and manages him, I think he's responding to that. There's no doubt, I think he's, he's a good player, Michael. And I guess Villarland, the only club that were interested in him. But he gives them, he gives them a different option because he goes through the way and he stretches the team, but oh my goodness, Newcastle was so bad. What's wrong with them in it now? Because a couple of weeks ago, you were telling us, oh, we're champions league. I'm at that end of there. Now it's all gone flat for you. Well, yeah, it has because I look at their performance against Coventry. He was terrible. And I think what, what response have we got at home? St. James's Park against Villarland. There was nothing. He didn't create that one shot on target, which is Batman. It was in the second half. And other than that, no creativity, no one with that killer pass, we were just, we were terrible. We were really, we fuck off Michael. We were really, really bad. He was, why I'm laughing? Not because you're spilling your heart out and you're passionate for your club. I love all that side of things, but Cassie's exactly right. Did you remember what we was talking about? No, but what I did see is, I did say, I did say that it's going to be your, your season. And I did have them finishing 13 to 14. And I still think that'll be the case. But there was just no, there was no response from that really poor performance at Coventry. I was expecting a lot more. And there were really weak, tepid. There was nothing to their performance at all. Like, you'd come away and think, oh, we did all right there. They were terrible. Newcastle and now we're at home clean sheet in each of their last 16 games in all competitions, longest run in their history. So easy to play through, they were. I sent you about, we didn't create anything, which is worrying, but the way teams can play through Newcastle, because if you beat that press with the front six, there's such huge holes in the middle. I've got some quite alarming stats. Goals considered 13, 20th in the Premier League. Next year against, we were all big fans of this, 19th, 18th. Shots face per game, over 17, that's 19. Shots face from fast breaks, 20th. Eras leading to shots, 20th, final third, precious per game, 18th. Yeah, worried. Those stats, Alan, were before the Villa game, so they wouldn't have been proved. Yeah, it was concerned, and definitely, I've seen all of that Coventry in Austin Villa, and those two performances would really worry me. Just a lack, there was a lack of everything, as I said, creativity. They don't look, they don't look solid, and they're missing, they were missing that killer pass. I said to you about the youngster who could play that pass, he chose not to play him or bring him on. Yeah, it was a worrying performance on Saturday, definitely. I want to finish on a little something that I saw. Manchester City's early Highland has now netted 100 non-penalty goals in the Premier League reaching this milestone in fewer appearances than any other player, 139. The previous fewest was 150 appearances by Alan Shira in 1996, another record gone out. Yeah, well, as soon as they get relegated, he can leave. What a way to finish. That's it for this episode, the rest is football. Goodbye for me. Goodbye for me. Goodbye for me. Have a great week. Hello, the rest is football. This is Richard Osman at Marina Hyde from The Rest is Entertainment. I know I know you all had your World Cup this summer in America, but for Teddy fans, the new Celebrity Traders series is our World Cup. Yes, every Thursday and Friday, we are reacting to the pop culture phenomenon that is the Celebrity Traders. On YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts, Richard and I will be sharing our opinion on every banishment, murder, and insane fan theory. Who do you think out of the three-rises football hosts would last the longest in the Traders' course? I think it would be Michael. Of course, it would be. Why are we even asking the question? People they vote out Gary immediately. Michael would just stay in like all the way to the end, just laugh in his head. Laughing is yeah. And then right at the last minute goes, I was a traitor. Yeah. So if you're watching the Celebrity Traders, don't forget to tune into our reaction episodes every Thursday and Friday night at 10pm. Find us on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.