Can Arsenal challenge on all fronts? Liverpool concern & Man Utd warning

Wow, what a bonus for all you Gary Neville podcasts fans to in two days and we're doing one tonight because we've been witnessing Aston Dillert against Arsenal and we wondered if this might be one of those occasions where the reigning champions would slip up but it wasn't to be Gary. No and look, I spent the whole of probably yesterday talking about Liverpool's defence, Tottenham's defence, Manchester United's defence, Chels' defence and the conceding goals and saying that they don't look like they've got the strongest units that are going to enable them to challenge for a title and Arsenal seem to get some criticism at times don't they for being quite pragmatic and more defensive probably than the other teams I think that Arsenal would probably admit it themselves that tonight they probably could have been better in attack But that is an outstanding defensive shape throughout the whole team, I said throughout the game they don't take any chances They really all get back into shape really quickly and it's a dream, it is the dream of every single coach, every single football player to play in a team Where you're all equal, where everyone feels like they have to contribute to the ugly part of the game And we should celebrate it, we really should and I said tonight at the end of the game that statement wins sometimes come from sort of four, five, nil dominant victories and you think that was a proper win But actually for me tonight that demonstrates the ultimate in concentration and focus for a football team Where they just look completely in control and calm even though there's only one goal in it And we spend half our lives as commentators talking about the fact that you're always in a bit of trouble, there's only one in it, you know you're asking for trouble Not this team, that's not to say never, they will obviously can see goals at times but they just do it regularly, they keep clean sheets They're excellent from back to front, have earned a guard, deserve as much credit as Gabrielle, Celeba, Moscar and the rest of them in David Raya Because they get back in, they protect, they mean it means that the two center backs don't have to defend as many attacking situations against them in joules And 1v1s against them as they probably their counterparts do other clubs, their goalkeeper hasn't had a shot on his target tonight So David Raya has basically played with his feet tonight, he's hardly, well he's not a shot to save, simple as that So you think about how, I'm just imagine that dressing room now where David Raya must be going around these defenders in the midfield and he'd have to say thank you very much You've protected me tonight, that's what you're supposed to do as a team is make sure your goalkeeper doesn't have to get brought into action And when he does, he does make saves and he made a couple of catches from corners but yeah I can't really sort of praise them enough for what they do And they're really doubling down on it aren't they, I mean Moscarer goes off So Celeba's not playing, so Moscarer plays, he's been outstanding since he came to Arsenal and impressed from Day 1 And he goes off and then comes and comes in You've almost got three right side, he's sent the backs and then Timber's not fit yet, he could play there if he wants and he could even shift Ben White inside if he's fancy doing that as well And you know, he can't pay, he could come on for Caliphiori, he might even just slip Miles Lewis Kelly back until he's back And I said before and I'm absolutely adamant and all it's city is the only one Arsenal second back four which would be Moscarer and Conzer sent the backs and he can't pay it and Ben White probably And Timber, Gabrielle Celeba and Caliphiori is your back four That second back four that I've just named there, having Capier, White, Conzer and Moscarer I think would be the back four of every other top six club City is the only one that I'm sort of questioning a little bit but I think it would be And that's what Michaela Teter has built here And then in midfield tonight he's played Declan Rice, Erdogard and Miles Lewis Kelly And the back-up three in midfield is Gamerache, Marino and Supermendi Two Spanish internationals who've won European World tournaments and basically Gamerache So I think it's potentially the signing of the season So in those midfield areas and defensive areas they're absolutely outstanding And you can see why Michaela Teter has wanted to make that statement signing of Julian Alvarez And spend the 120, 30, 40 million whatever it would be because he's an amazing player And if they had him, that game tonight is probably two and three nil Because when you go one they look which is sometimes like you have to be a patient and you have to wait and you'll get a first Then there are two or three counter-attack moments near the end there for Arsenal whereby You'll have a really good job for them and he's a good player And Yorkehrez is a battering ram and they'll need him at moments during this season But they haven't got that different player that's up front that can maybe just electrify you And just run away and counter-attack and be blistering and that's what they need Up there, Gary Elzuz is going to leave, I think he's left already, he's going to Barcelona Which I think he had it in him to be able to potentially be that player but he's never really done it for Arsenal Martin Ellie obviously is leaving, he's a left side he plays So yeah, I think it's just that the missing piece of the jigsaw which I think would make games a lot easier for them I think defenders maybe could just relax a little bit more than they have to Because they have to keep full concentration for 90 minutes all the time Is they just maybe would have that sort of alvarez type figure but there's not many of them around But yeah, full of admiration for them Nothing really negative to say at all about Arsenal That one piece of the jigsaw that I think all Arsenal fans Michael Atteter has identified He would pay big money for Alvarez, they'd break the bank for him And I don't know if there's anybody else that can go and get that would even be sort of close to him So it looks like they're going to have to go with what they've got which will be more than enough I think for the Premier League Which is whether it gets them over those massive games in Europe In those sort of different moments and those different matches against the likes of Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain So would you almost say that if they can't get Alvarez who appears to be their first choice There's no point settling for second best I mean we are hearing talk that there's a possibility of them bringing in a left-sided Belgian player, Malik Fafana And there might have been questions tonight about Christos Solis after his first couple of games And whether he can sort of fit in that slot long term Yeah, look it's early for him and I didn't get carried away last week by him I said I want to see a little bit more The charity she was promising and then obviously the game against commentary But I just thought he does one thing he seems to cut in and I think that right back start to understand him more And the more experienced ones which Matti Cash is Matti Cash just set about him tonight, didn't he? Got against him, was really aggressive He felt like he was mauling him a little bit And that'll be a good night for him in the sense that Solis is a good night for Solis in the sense of just making him aware of what this is going to be like He's not going to get it easy, he's going to have Pete players that are going to want to get to him really closely and make it difficult for him And that was a tough away game for him tonight and it'll be a good lesson But I thought as they did really well when he came on And I think because of the fact that Arsenal have got that midfield I've earned a guard and Gimmer Ice will play in there and obviously Declam Ice will play soon I think there's a lot going on in there for as he, I'm not sure he's going to get into that position He may have to get really good at being a less side player for Arsenal Sometimes you have to sort of look at where the position opens up for you and basically take it And I thought as they did a very good job in that second half Contributing really well with the goal, that was a little passed down the side to Caliphi Ori And I think generally he will, I'd be surprised if as they didn't play next week against Chelsea It's a big game, not really looking forward to it But I just think because of the sort of size of that game And it might be that Micka Latte just says to Sully, just have a look at this match Just watch it, I'm not going to put you into this one As he's got a bit more body strength about him, he's got more experience of the Premier League And I'd be stunned if he didn't play as in next week Purely because of the fact that he played really well in that second half He looked like he handled a physical game well away from home against Arsenal So yeah, I don't think they can change it now as I don't think they can go And there isn't backup strikers, I mean, you go for one striker that's like that I mean, yeah, if there's a Louis Suarez available, that type of play just runs in behind And sort of got that real quality, that Alvarez, but they just don't exist there They're 150 million now, it's 100 million for not a lot, let alone if you get in a world class striker So yeah, who the hell are they going to get at this point? Chelsea will be an interesting challenge because on the early evidence that we've seen That could potentially be one of the closest challenges to Arsenal this season What can they do differently that Villa didn't do this evening that could get them The breaks that Villa were unable to find? Well, it's interesting, I think that Arsenal in some ways will think Okay, we know that Chelsea have got better attacking players than Arsenal and Villa With the likes of Rogers, Palmer and Jal Pedro So they'll really have to sort of be alert and alive to that But I think there'll be parts of what Villa did I think that's the most organised team in the league apart from Arsenal I think they're really well organised, they're sort of so well drilled and set up by Unigh Emory That Chelsea aren't as organised as that, and they aren't as disciplined You don't get Palmer and Rogers and Jal Pedro and some of the sort of wing netto They don't, they don't defend in the same way as Villa do So I actually think Arsenal may fancy their chances going forward more against Chelsea But they'll also have to be alert against the fact that they've got some fantastic players And I think that's what makes it really interesting I think Arsenal will win the game But it's a really good test, it's a really good moment to see Chelsea In the early days of Javi Lanzo and they've been exciting in these first two matches But this is the ultimate test for them, they're playing against Chelsea campaigns who don't make a lot of mistakes and yeah, I can't wait for that game next Sunday afternoon. I think it'll be really good and for us and I think they'll be really looking forward to it. Obviously, Dickel and Rice went off. Do you think he was injured there when he went off or just precautionary? He had a pained expression, didn't he? Yeah, he just sort of limped a little bit and didn't look comfortable as he goes off. I think it's a really good game next week for us to watch and to think about where Arsenal are against Chelsea and where Chelsea are mainly in thinking that, you know, I've put them a second I think in the league. So yeah, it's a good one. And I think that they'll enjoy parts of the game, Arsenal, because I think they'll get more space. I think they'll be a well-organised team. The more optimistic Arsenal fans this season, it's talking about not only retaining the title, but having a real goal at Europe. I mean, do you think that's sustainable if they don't bring in a striker in this window? Yeah, they definitely can't have a goal in Europe, because they did last year with the same squad. And this is a better squad with cons or in Gamerish. So I think they're really sort of up for another challenge. I just feel like in the tightest moments in the biggest matches, you just need that something different, that something special that can just unlock something for you. And I certainly think you need a counterattack. You really need, I always think you need a counterattack, particularly if you play like Arsenal do and they'll will do against teams who keep possession sort of sometimes they're a bit deep. So just do not have that type of striker. It's probably going to be an issue for them at some point, but they're more than capable of challenging for the Champions League and the Premier League because they've been doing it last year, they've proven that to us. They've come within a sort of, there's breath, haven't they? They're basically winning the Champions League. They're so close, but I think they would have needed that star striker. I think that's the final piece of the Jigsaw, whether they can do it without that person is debatable. And what have Aston Villa, it's obviously been a major overall here, half a dozen of the team that started the Europa League final no longer around. What do you make of the new look Villa and can Unai Emery conjure another miraculous season this season? This would be the biggest achievement of Unai Emery Aston Villa, and he's done brilliantly over this last few years. But to have this, it's not even a transition, you should call it a revolution, didn't you think? But it is, isn't it, Luke Adinia, Conzer, you can help me up Telemans, Rodgers, Watkins, any more. Sixth of a, there you go. Martin has, yeah. So you've got six or seven there. I have not say giants, but it's a spine. It's the quality. It's everything in the team. It's the goals. I mean, to lose all those players in one summer is brutal. It really is. And I was asking three weeks, what's going on here? Is Unai Emery across this? Does he know what's going on? I mean, obviously he doesn't. Is he in favor of it? Is he supportive of this level of sort of what will be activity that's going on sort of in front of his eyes? And being here tonight and asking some questions before the game and sort of speaking to people from other, absolutely now believe that it's something that Unai Emery has not only actually accepted, he's orchestrated it as a sort of transition that doing it when you're actually in sort of the peaky powers, but when you've got Champions League football, when you know, you really feel that you sort of team are in a good place. They've crowded very much behind the team tonight. And what I saw tonight, I don't know how many players you showed us at one point over in that sort of what will be hospitality box over there that were coming in, but I think you went from about two to three to four to five. There were loads of them over there, weren't there? So there's about only with a four that are coming in. Yeah, there were four or five I think at the box tonight, yeah. So there's four or five in that box tonight that are going to come down here at some point in the next couple of weeks and play on the pitch. And I just, Unai Emery, I really do, and you know something from an organisational perspective on the ball and sort of off the ball, he knows how to get a team organised and set up and drilled. You know, they have a really good patterns of play, even the team that played tonight. I thought they played a really good game against Arsenal with the changes that they've had. I think Jackson will create a lot of problems for defenders. I mean, he's playing against the best defence tonight, so it was tough for him. But he still was a handful. Brandeer, again, connects the play well, very similar to how to see Soulplay yesterday for, I'm just using a flip switch, sorry, against Manch United. And yeah, they've got the four or five players out of the stand and into the sort of squad. I think they'll be okay, Aston Villa. And I wouldn't put it past him. I wouldn't put it past him for a top six finish because he delivers, he's consistent. I mentioned the words at the end about Arsenal. You know, you think about all the words that we use to try and motivate people and to think about the qualities that you want in the characteristics of a football team or of people that you play with or work with, and consistency and reliability is the most important. These players have been selected because they've got the talent by you and I, every one of the world's best managers. So they can just be consistent and reliable, which I think that they will be because the manager is that way, you know, they all have to fit into the system. You know, they would need to get a little bit more out of Ghana, Joe. They would need to get a little bit more out of the wide players. And, you know, that would need to come, you know, him, him, him, he's doing boy, him, he's on the far side. John McGinn, you know, they need more out of them. But that, that was as hard as it will get tonight against the best defence. And I think Asdenbiller will creep into the top eight, seven, six. I think that's where they'll be. And that would be a good season for them. I think with the way in which it's gone in the, in the transfer window. Well, you know, I am, we will breathe a sigh of relief when the transfer window shuts. I'm sure a few managers will. You were quite critical yesterday of Liverpool's intention to sell Cody Gakpo to Manchester City. And it doesn't look as though that's now happening. What do you make of that? You turn. So is that like, is that gone away? Looks like it's gone away. Yeah, I was bizarre. I just, I just do not understand that whatsoever. And I get the fact that even the Liverpool fans don't think he's the Messiah of a winger or a forward. But it's hard to find players like that. And when you've got them in the building, he's cost, was he 30 million that they signed him for? It's hard to replace him. Even, I mean, look at, and why would you sell him to Manchester City? Just the signal, the signs, the sort of the feeling that you're Liverpool football club and Manchester City are pulling players off you for 100 million. What do they know that we don't? And I get the fact that Liverpool might think it's a big price and that he's not worth that money and that we can do without him. But the way Liverpool have started the season, it's just far too big a risk. A Liverpool should be thinking about keeping that pole. They should be thinking about Barclay, Gatpole, Virtues, Eckertike, Ease at Englemore and thinking, 'Right, that is a world-class group of strikers and forwards.' And then can we get a hold of him? If you feel player, that should be in the thought process a couple of months ago. And then I'm not, I'm saying it again, a couple of fullbacks. And you've been talking about Liverpool's potential champions. You really would. So for me, you've just got to make sure that from where they, they were two years ago, being Premier League title winners, that if you sell Gatpole, you don't bring an image field player. You don't bring in two fullbacks. The signals that you're sending to everybody are that you're not going to be competitive or as competitive as we should be. And that can't happen. Liverpool's fan base is not going to accept that. And so for me, it's the right decision. I thought it was bizarre that they were even contemplating it. But it's used to know that your votes hasn't settled in you. It used to know what Barclay was going to do. The boy Angamal was young and he's going to be inconsistent. And Gatpole is a consistent performer that you think he's amazing or not. He's always there in moments in the match where it hurts. It's difficult to find players like that. So yeah, I think it's the right decision. Have you seen much value in the transfer market this season? Has there been a best value signing for you? Well, I'm sat here thinking that Gimeraj's at £75m is great value because I've seen the transfers earlier in the summer at £85.90 and £95m for central midfield players. You know, Elliot Anderson at £116m. Yeah, to nearly £95m. Fernandez £85.90. So when I look at Gimeraj's at £75m, I think it's the best out of the lot of them. I think that's great value. But maybe that's because the price of the others is high. I just think Gimeraj is a massive personality and character. It's Monday when I watch Chelsea and I saw that they can see the goals and the goalkeeper is at fault for them. For them to get, you mentioned it earlier to me, Emmy Martin as for £7.5m is an absolute steal to be able to just go and pluck low hanging fruit for that sort of little money and get the personality type goalkeeper that you need into your squad within four or five days. I think he's massive, massive value for money. They're the two that immediately stand out. I think when Taylorman's went to Manchinai, £30m, £35m, well, it was good value. I felt like it was a United needy three midfield players and to get him for £34, £35m, he was a proven Premier League player. He's got a good quality on the ball, a bit of arrogance and style. I thought, yeah, that's a decent quality purchase. Keep going at me, Rob, throw them up, and I'll let you know whether I think they're even or not. Well, I mean, there are some who I'd like to ask you about, who are, who find themselves in a bit of limbo at the moment. I mean, take for example, Jack Grelish, who is in this awkward situation again, where he's got have been brought back in at the fringes at Manchester City. You would think with just a day of the transfer window left, he kind of needs a big move again to rejuvenate his career, doesn't he? Yeah, what I would say, if I was advising Jack Grelish would be, I'm sure this is the reason he's not moved yet, is that it the club's not ready. right that you're going to go to, definitely do not go, don't stick around it man, sit even if you're not going to play. I know it's important to play football, but if you're going to go to a club that are not going to get the best out of you and are not going to be sort of stylistically right for you, then don't do it. You better off staying at Managed City and playing 20 games and still looking like you're playing in a great side and playing 20 good games and playing 35, 40 games that might be making you look like you're basically getting towards the end of your career. And I thought that, I mean, I think that's sometimes quite a lot about players you play at the very top clubs and then they've got that decision to make sometimes in their 30s or maybe late 20s, but usually 30s. Whereby they're thinking, well, do I want to play every single week towards the end of my career or don't and play maybe a sort of what will be a lower standard or do I want to play 25 good games for a top six club because I might just be a player that's not playing every single week right now and I'm rotating a little bit. I would always go for the second bit and I did the last three years of my career, I was more than happy to play last season forget that one, but the ones before I think I played 25, 30 games I think. I don't want to be pulled up on this by the way. I'm questioning myself here, but I think I did and but I was playing in a winning team and I was playing in a team that were challenging for the title and I was playing in a team that had great players in front of a great crowd. A club I wanted to play in a city I wanted to live in. So all those things had to be right for me, wouldn't it be right for me to move elsewhere and I get some lads do want to play. The most important thing, no matter where they play, they have to play, but I think for Jackie's got to be surrounded by the players who are in sync with him and they've got the same level of thinking and that's only going to be a small-ish selection of clubs in England and city are brilliant football team and so if he can be substitute for Manchester City and contribute in Carabal Cup FA Cup games in the early game and he's getting 20-25 matches, I would say Jackie's better off living in that environment that going playing for team in the bottom five or six that he's going to be frustrated every week and he's getting the ball every 15 minutes and he's playing basically left back most of the game because he's having to follow back the attacking right back of a better team. He's better off to stand at Manchester City. I strongly believe that. Is there any more business that you'd like to see Manchester United doing? I said yes today. I'd like to say I've got to be careful because you don't want to be sort of like I know they've done it in quite a measured fashion, the forward line last year, the midfield, there's some of them but I do feel that when you go into the Champions League and you've got an uncertain defence really in the sense that a couple of them are injury prone and are likely to get injuries. I always think pessimistically that you've got to happen but Jeffrey Boycott used to say, it's only a good score when you actually add two wickets on and it's still a good score so if you like 120 for one, you're 120 for three, it's not too bad you know what I mean but if you're 54-2, if you're 55 for four you're in trouble that type, they always imagine if you've lost two defenders what are you like, what's your strength in depth like and I think that for the top clubs that are playing in the Champions League, you've got to imagine what happens if Luke Shaw gets injured. That's going to cause a real problem so if Luke Shaw gets injured for three months, what happens if I remember why he gets injured, you've got a real problem so I always imagine just take you two sort of what will be most dominant defenders out for two months, simultaneously which can happen, happens at every single club and you're playing Champions League, Wednesday Saturday, Wednesday Saturday, you're going to see goals and you're going to lose football matches so I would just would have liked to have seen Manchester United bringing a left back in a centre-back to advance the money from next season's budget into this season, I don't know how they do that but that's a financial structuring situation that I'm sure there's people there, there are people there who can do that and just make sure Michael Carrick is covered because he would have a real problem if he was playing with heaven and Euro at centre-back or at Euro at right back or Maduro at left back for a long time, it'd be a problem. So I've said quite simply that I think that it would have been sensible to strengthen that backline this summer just with one or two, maybe not the four it's needed, probably need four but just one or two to make sure they don't get left shot. And the way you're phrasing that, you would have wanted that done now, you would want to be involved in a last minute scramble to cover those positions. Ideally you don't want to be involved in the last day of the transfer window because it's uncertain you sort of potentially got issues with regards to clubs getting more money after you than they potentially could do and it's a game of chicken really isn't it on the last day of the transfer window unless you've got all, unless you've got all the cards which you never invariably don't have because everybody knows Manchester United need the defender or two so if you've got if Manchester United contact you today and say we'd like to sign you left back you're going to be rubbing your hands thinking well you're going to tell them not to do it it's too late in the window or you're going to say actually I want a lot of money it's going to be one of the two so yeah it's not ideal and I think for even worse for Liverpool with their full back situation they're going into a season without a kind of Bradley fit right now with Finn Pong at right back and they've got Jimmy Casson and Kirk is at left back who are they are what they are so I think that I'm really shocked at you know that Liverpool and I'm shocked that Manchester United haven't put at least one defender in it would have been perfect wouldn't if they could find a left-sided centre back or a centre back that could play left back those players don't tend to exist as much anymore but somebody something like that would have been perfect but yeah it doesn't look like it's going to happen there's no real noise coming out of all traffic similarly with Arsenal around Alvarez don't seem like that's going to happen we're not hearing really anything as my phone's going to go off but it doesn't feel like end-of-finanity is going to go to city so these things feel like it's not going to happen but who knows we've been shocked in the past I left back who can play centre back maybe in Cappie A they were too late with him I've got Ben White, Moscara, Timber and Conzer who can equally play right centre back as right back and in Cappie A in Cala Fiori can play left centre back and left back so it's a brilliant position to be in what a position for me Cala Tetta to be actually when he came into the interview I think last Friday night footballer so you've got a great squad because it's a great squad and obviously he's tried to add that spark hasn't he up front with Alvarez it's just not happening it doesn't feel like it's happened for him and that would be a great signing for Arsenal but it would be great for the Premier League to see Alvarez come to the Premier League because it would have been great team come back I thought he was a brilliant player when he was at City. Quick final word going away from transfers we should pay due deference I think to Lionel Messi who's called time on his international career I mean people might say sour note on which to end on as it was with the final but really we have to cast our minds back to the previous World Cup don't we for the for the high point yeah he's I mean he's lost two finals doesn't he won one it's what an incredible I mean beyond incredible there wouldn't be anywhere near the final if it hadn't been for him exceptional player arguably the greatest player of all time somebody who will be solely missed the standard of football in the years of Messi and Ronaldo at the very top will probably not see again for a long long time at you know you hit I used to hear sort of my dad talk about sort of George Best and Pele and sort of you know these types of young croif and it's a golden sort of age isn't it of sort of these types of players and then Maradona comes along and you watch Maradona think that's not going to happen again and then we've waited what I mean they're a great player like the Ronaldo Brazilian Ronaldo and Zidane and Figo and I was playing but Messi Ronaldo a different level and they're going into their forties as well into their forties longevity delivering at the highest level hitting numbers that you can't even think of happened actually ridiculous numbers obscene yeah I mean what a career what a player and sad for Argentina to be mourning won't they about the fact that he won't be seen again in Argentina sure but that moment was always going to come and it feels like the right moment to do it off the back of that World Cup and where he got so close it wasn't the greatest final but yeah it wasn't really part of him okay Gary well thanks very much and we'll look forward to hearing you on that big Chelsea Arsenal game next weekend looking forward to that thanks Rob thank you.