Frustration continues as Man Utd only manage a point against 10-man Spurs
30m 42s
Manchester United’s recent match against Tottenham Hotspur revealed deep concerns about team performance, energy, and mental resilience. Despite a three-week break intended as a reset, the team lacked enthusiasm and physical effort, especially in the first 20 minutes, when Spurs dominated with sharp passing, better tempo, and aggressive play. The midfield struggled to create consistent attacking patterns, and goalkeeper David De Gea showed signs of nervousness, returning the ball multiple times. A lack of confidence and belief in the squad—particularly in midfield and defense—was evident, undermining the team’s usual composure. The performance contrasted sharply with Michael Carrick’s previous success in 2022, casting doubt on the current team’s cohesion and readiness. Spurs, on the other hand, displayed a well-structured, committed performance, with standout contributions from Savio and Selanki, who showed courage and aggression in key moments. While they lost the match, their resilience and tactical discipline suggest a team in transition. The poor showing raises alarm ahead of a grueling winter fixture schedule, including key games against Athletic Club and Brighton. Fans and analysts alike stress that consistency, effort, and mental strength are crucial—especially in high-pressure matches—and that without improvement, Manchester United risks falling further behind. Meanwhile, Tottenham’s performance offers hope for a potential turnaround, with signs of tactical growth and team unity despite a difficult start to the season.
Hello, good evening and a very warm welcome to the Old Trafford Gantry and to the Gary Neville podcast Gary
We're sitting here having just watch Manchester United lead Tottenham Hotspur again
Tottenham Hotspur go down to ten men and Manchester United fell to hold on and spurs getting their first away goal of the season
That's only half the story though, isn't it?
I know that you were pretty alarmed by what you saw from Michael Carrick side today
Yeah, I think Michael Carrick was too. There was just a shot at the end wasn't the way we were on him for probably 20 seconds
And it wasn't a big shake of the head, but you're just
Have I done it enough? Yeah, well, 20 seconds. Yeah, just he just and you could see that sort of you know
Sometimes when the eyes when you look deep into the eyes and you can see that there's a
Yeah, it was it was worrying it was worrying because I think that
the three-week break
Was the reset moment. This was the start of a big period of games that you said at eight games in 28 days
going to Madrid on Tuesday going to Elham Road next Sunday and
What I really would have expected today for Manchester United was a really enthusiastic energetic performance from minute one
Football you can you can draw you can lose games
But it's the way you win them. It's thought I say it's the way you lose them. It's the way you draw them
And if you think about the first 20 minutes of the match if you just break it down into its parts the first 20 minutes to the match
Spurs should have been tuning up
Sri Lanka has a chance after basically I think two or three minutes
Cudos has a chance I think 2022 minutes and I think you see deserving at rage thinking why have we not saying?
They were brilliant in that first 20 minutes, but we'll come on to spurs shortly
But for Manchester United to come out like that after three weeks
All the talk three weeks ago
About Manchester United about the energy against full and about the lack of running about the high intensity stats
You're thinking right there's going to be a response there's going to be a reaction because there is nothing really worse that anybody can say about you in football than you
Don't work as hard as you should and you don't run as hard as you could that is
As that's a really I'm going to come in on that because of what was well publicized about what you said about the lack of running last time out
Did you notice significant improvement today in that department at all?
Look, I didn't see an enthusiastic energetic performance from those red shirts
for an hour and
Spurs should have been three or four years up
I think when believe it came on and zirxie came on and dialogue came up more believe in midfield
I think it lifted the crowd. I think that brought a bit of energy and enthusiasm
But I said two or three weeks ago on this podcast
The energy and enthusiasm is just the sort of very basic foundation of your working life
For everybody in the world you've just got to demonstrate that enthusiasm and energy to want to do your job and
Not the no doubt in that first half of the game. There was a lack of confidence as well
I'd extend alarm has been outstanding since he's come to Manchester United
And I was really worried when they signed him as a young goalkeeper
You know, obviously an honor had a very difficult time and you think that is not a spot for a young person
That's a spot for a really experienced guy. You can sort of handle this stadium and the the moment that the club are in
But he was so calm and composed last season
But there was definitely a moment in that first half where he said I don't want the ball and
Manchester United played it back to him because I got the start at half time didn't we?
Manchester United played it back to him in that first 24 minutes
13 times and then I think after he said that
I think they played it back to him once in the next 20 minutes now
They were passing it back to him far too many times and he's saying I don't want the ball could be him meaning
I don't want the ball there in that moment. It might not be that I don't want the ball
So let's just be clear
But that was definitely something that was he was lacking confidence and you said he looked nervous
Didn't he after that first minute when he played that passing to me field and there's no doubt in those red shirts out there
I thought you're all short a little bit of something at right back in terms of tenacity
Not necessarily quality, but tenacity. I thought couldn't you just showed a little bit on that left wing
But the rest of them look really really sort of in the shell
Almost like in hi-benation almost a little bit like
This is this is this is difficult for me and that's the worrying bit for Michael cow
There's two worrying parts the enthusiasm the energy and the fact the confidence and the belief all that's wrapped into one
Because sometimes when you're lacking in belief and you're like confidence, you can then lack enthusiasm and energy so they are tied together sometimes
And then the second part of it was that Spurs just looked a better team and
That's becoming more of a pattern when you watch man's united play that the other team looks like they know what they're doing
More than man's united to do bright and here you were here in the bright and the car about cut bright
And you could just help the patterns of play. I thought taught them had really good patterns of play in the game in the first half
They dominated in midfield so just two things confidence and belief link to energy and enthusiasm which will wrap into one sort of book it or
Throw it into one book it and the next one is that the fact that man's united
They're okay on the counter attack when there's defending deep in the spring
But when they're trying to break down a deep defense
They don't feel like they've got those sort of what will be rip it
Repetitive sort of what will be themes of understanding how to break down the defense that's hitting a little bit deeper
And they run out of ideas quite quickly, and it really was a worrying performance for an hour
It wasn't good enough. It was nowhere near the level
I'm going to ask you you look at what happened last season as well documented Michael Carrick got a tremendous reaction when he came in
12 wins in 16 Premier League games a 75% success rate
This season while coming into the game. It was a 25 one in five
It's now one in six that he's won here
It was already Manchester United's joint worst Premier League start coming into this
The worst since before ceramics took over 40 years ago
This is this is worrying territories into when you look at the the way that the seasons unfolded
Particularly when I'm in spurs today obviously were bottom
But I think when you look at the first five games statistically in terms of the the octo rankings for whatever their their worth
But they had the easiest first guy first five game burst and they hardly took a point from it
It's a real concern going into a slog the winter slog
No, it is it's you going into the winter slog now where you're playing every three days the Champions League's just going to hit you
And he's going to hit you hard you've got tough matches. You're going to Elham Road next Sunday all these games
I'm going to need real personality and character and it needs a group of players that are resilient and at the moment
You do worry about them going into that run of matches and thinking about how they're going to tackle it
And how they're going to come out of it because this three week break was supposedly
Just generally you think of it as being a reset moment
But how you can perform like that in that first 20 minutes
He's really difficult to understand because you can imagine that Michael Carrick's
Retaric leading up to this match for the last four or five days with the players that he's had back and certainly on the day of the game when he's coming alive in that dressing room is
lads
They've come here 75,000 of them or 72,000 3000 spurs but 72,000 have come here today
It's bouncing outside. It's busy. It's 5 30 on a Saturday. They've had a few drinks go for it
Get at them get after them spurs a team that are lacking in confidence
Make sure that we sort of hit them hard early make them realize that they're at old traffic
And all that sounds very sort of what will be prehistoric and quite dinosaurous because the reality is a football
That it will be won through quality of playing patterns of playing all that tactical stuff
But you know something out here on this pitch
You've just got to make people feel that they're coming to old traffic you have to you know, you're an old traffic
You have to let them know you're an old traffic and that means you all over them your first pass your first tackle
Your first header your first basically run forward has got it was really what spurs did to them. Absolutely
You've got to be purpose and spurs when forget the fact that spurs were better at passing the ball
They were so sharp in the tempo. They were better at winning every second ball
They were quicker to the ball. They were quicker into the tackle. They were more aggressive
They were braver on the ball and that
Difficult to understand when you think about where Manchinite they've been in this last few weeks and what Michael Carrick and the coaching team will have been saying to them. So yeah, look
It's a concern that today and when they won't want to look
Which was a lot of us it was out of the blue because it was a better period in the game for Manchinite
I said it'll be how Manchinite can handle and manage this last 15-20 minutes with the extra time
I didn't have any confidence that they would see that game through. I think when Roberto
Desurbe started to make those positive substitutions and you had Finanders, you had Madison, you had Tinali, you had Selanki, you had Savio, you had Marmouche on the pitch
You had Van De Ven on the pitch. You thought they've got a goal in them by the way that lot even though they're struggling to score goals
You just thought there's enough creativity and
Stuff out on the pitch for spurs to think Manchinite if they defend well here. They might have to go on score a second
And spurs got that back into the game and he didn't surprise me one bit that's that Tottenham hot spurs scored a goal
It didn't surprise me one bit actually I'm almost expected out
I actually said soon as Tottenham went to 10 men my immediate thought was Manchinite had already lost to 10 men this season
And they played really poorly against 10 men and they were really passive against 10 men so
Yeah, going back to where I started Michael Carrick shake of his head
We're not quite sure what he's shaking his head at specifically, but I would imagine it's just more at the general
lack of
I dare in the performance the I the energy and the sort of the
The fight. Maybe it's the dropping deep all those things wrapped into one
But by goodness, they've got to react quickly because they're actually
what they're going to have to come with really on Tuesday, if you talk about
energy and enthusiasm, you'll get eaten alive there by the way if you don't show
a little bit. So Tuesday night they better step up and they can step up, there
are a lot better than they've shown here today, they've got some players out on
the pitch, Amad and Burma, Kunya, Bruno Fernandez, far better by the way,
Telemens and Manu, I think we've seen enough of it now, I'm not calling time on
it because I think that's probably too drastic, but I've seen enough of it to
think that's not a midfield, it's dynamic enough to play at this football club
in the Premier League and I think the ball's good players by the way, individually,
but sometimes you just have players that don't quite sort of knit together and
don't quite sort of suit each other and I think when Believer came on with
Manu, that certainly looked more like there was a lot more energy, but there's
something to be done in there, the rest of them are going to have to get a grip
because I honestly they're going to Athletico Madrid, Diego Simone, Athletico
Madrid, and they're going to Elham Road and if you're not quite right there from
a mental perspective and a sort of physical perspective, you're going to get
found out, so they've got a couple days to recover, pick themselves up from
this and get going because if they're not going to get going, it's going to be a
worrying few weeks. This is a couple of weeks' spell that could get away from
them, I think it's two weeks today or two weeks tomorrow, but then that's next
in action here against Bournemouth. There was another way game, the two you
mentioned, they also got a Como, Cess Fabregas is side who are going well, I
think they only lost their first game just before the international window, the
put four goals past Leipzig in their first Champions League game. By the time
the Bournemouth game comes around here, if that goes badly, we've heard them
we saw them booed off badly against Brighton, there were booze at half-time and
full-time today. How long do this this crowd stay with this? Do you know this
project if you like? Do you know something? I think they'll stay with the
project, I don't think the booze are against Michael Carrick for one minute, but
what I would say is that they're turning quite quickly and she and I did
fans are incredibly loyal, beyond loyal to their managers and to their players, but
what they won't accept is a lack of energy, they won't accept a lack of what
they've deemed as effort. I don't like saying effort because but the reality
is they're not running enough, they're not showing enough tenacity, determination,
fighting spirit, you know, then just not, and they booed after twenty-two
minutes, they booed at half-time and they booed at the end, and that tells you
that they're really, really despondent with what they're watching. My daughter
comes on watches every single week, my two daughters usually come, but what,
she texts me at half-time, what's that? You know, it makes little things that you
just think my daughter's 16 years of age, what's that? Then you can't kid and
you can't have a football fan. No matter who they are, they know what they're
watching, they know what they're watching, you know, they don't, I said it before,
don't mind winning here, don't mind losing here, but there's got to be a
massive amount of effort and it can't be boring. Simple as that, you know, you
can have a shootout and lose four, two, and you can basically think, okay, well
at least we saw a mansion acting that went forward with Bourbon, all those things
that you'd expect, but what we're seeing at the moment is a team that looks like
they're curling up in a ball and the club looks like for some of them right
now, he's getting a bit big for them and a lot of them have played well last
season by the way here, but it just looks like now it's just coming on top for
them a little bit and it's starting to just get to them and it did a little bit
under Ruben Amarim towards the end where they just started to go a little bit
like that. So look, Michael Carrick has got to get something out of them, the
booze I don't think are against him, but the pressure's on him, the questions are
obviously always with the manager and you just hope they can come out of it in
this next few weeks because like you say, those three matches are very big.
We'll talk about Spurs in a second, but I just want to have one final point, I'm
looking at Michael Carrick's program notes, he said there's so much more to come
from this group, we can feel the excitement in the squad for the challenges ahead,
we're ready to kick on and go back to winning ways together, I know that he would
say that, wouldn't he? You could say, but maybe that shake of the head was
because the lack of all those sort of qualities surprised him, flummoxed him
a little bit. Bill, I played with Michael Carrick for a long time, Michael Carrick
will 100% believe those words that he said in there, he's not just sort of
paying lip service to his program notes and saying, you know, I don't I believe in
this group, I know we're gonna, the results are gonna start coming, he will have
been thinking, okay, we've had a slow start the season, things haven't done as
well as we would have wanted, but I think actually this is the start of it now,
this is it, we're gonna be at it today, and I think the shake of his head will be,
how they doing it for me? What's happening with that lot? Have they lost their
confidence? Have they switched off? Are they going under? What's going on? What's
happened to them? Because these are the players that I was working with for last
season, in the last season, when you talked about that 75% win rate, a lot of those
players out on that pitch are the same players. I mean, I mean, how many of those
players out on that pitch today were here last season? Every one of them apart
from Telemans, I think. Yeah. Every one of those players that started that game
today was here last season in that Michael Carrick run, where they won 75% of
the match, they had a brilliant record here, particularly. And Telemans is the
only introduction, Casamere old players that have Telemans, that's it. So he will
have belief in these players that he's seen them at a level and at a standard, but
they drop below that standard and consistency and reliability is really, really
important. Just not just here, but everywhere. You've got to be consistent. You
can't just get to the end of season, think you've done okay and then it's that
the next season. We're okay now. We're a team. No, that's not how it works
unfortunately. You've got to work even harder because the other teams are chasing
you. The other teams want that Champions League place off you. And by the way,
you've got to play three games a week now, not two games a week. So look, he'll be
absolutely. It'll be so disappointed tonight because that would this will have
been the start. I'm sure you'll have said this is a start of our season. This is
where we're going to this is us. Tottenham Hotspur three weeks. Have you good
break? Go away and play for your international teams, free minds, free
your heads. Come back to Manchester United. Come back ready because we're going to
go for it. And he's seen that first 20 minutes and that first hour drift by
where Tottenham to be fair. I mean, we're going to come on to Tottenham out
way at some point. They're going to they should be two or three up. They should be
two or three up. They just dominated. Well, let's get on to Tottenham now. I mean,
so much has been made about their terrible start to the season about how they
have won a match. They only scored two goals when we're into consolation
territory at three-0 down against Aston Villa. If you park that and look at that
first half performance from them, there are so many, so many positives there.
They look like a really good side. That's the first time I've seen Tottenham live
this season. And I think they're a really good team. You know, sometimes you
don't see teams live and obviously you watch them on television and you see
that obviously they're having a really tough time. They're losing football matches
and they're all over the place and there's so much negativity around it. But the
patterns were good. The line was good. The compactness in the defense was good.
The ten point. The passing was good. The y-players, Kujos and Savio were a real
threat. Savio always get confused because he was
Savino for much of my life and then now he's Savio. So I'm sort of like moving
into the sort of idea of thinking what he was at Manchester City. I thought he
looked really sharp. I thought he'd lengthened he stride when he ran more than
I'd seen when he was at City. City, I thought he was more of a sort. You're not a
jinker type and you thought as he got that sort of what would be that real
stretch in his sort of legs. I thought he showed that today. I thought there
a couple times where he really sort of went forward. I thought the midfield,
Tnall is a good player, a really good player, but I thought the midfield was
really good. I thought they dominated Manchester United, midfield, Bergval, Tnall and
Connagaliga. The dominated Manchester United, midfield of
Kobimano and Telemann's really did dominate. Sinesi and Van Hecker were not the
number one centre backs. I thought they kept a really good line. They were quite
compact. Odoggie I've always liked. I think he's a real good presence at
left back for Spurs. When they have him, he just brings that energy and
poro on the right as well. And I think when them two are playing together, they
really do give some. I thought Archie graded a really good job at fullback.
Salanki, we'll talk about him in two parts. I wanted, you know, some of these
got such a great sort of physique. He's got such a good presence about him.
And you think he's playing as Harry McGuire, quicker than Harry McGuire, and he's
taller than Los Andral Martis. So you're thinking, come on, knock him about a bit.
Running behind McGuire, not Martin as about a bit. Take your chances. And if you're
going to actually have a chance on goal, hit it. Put your foot through it. Do
things with more purpose. And you obviously read out the stats that he
obviously is a really bad record. He doesn't score goals a lot. And Darren Bennett
covered it in the studio before the game about how he's lacking in confidence.
And I said 10 to 15 minutes to go. He better show up. He's going to show up. He's
a captain. You've been given that captain's armman of a massive football club
Tottenham Hotspur. And when you wear that armband, you've got to maybe step out
of what you do yourself and what you ordinarily are into something that's a
little bit more personality led and a bit more character. And Joe something
he did. He fought the Sandra, Martin is on that goal. He struggled with him.
He battled with him. He wrestled with him. And he just got his head on it.
And he got it in. And that's a massive moment for Selanki. Tottenham today
played really just something their manager. The emotional rollercoaster that he
takes you on with the cameras throughout the game tells you how the game's
going. That was a through two, three-nil away performance for Tottenham.
They played really well in that game. The Tottenham Hotspur fans going home
tonight back to
London. They can be really enthused about what they've seen today. Now, they might say
okay, a lot of teams are doing okay against Manchester United right now, but the patterns
of the play. Just look at the patterns of the player there. The patterns are there. The
style is there. Now, what you need then is ruthlessness. And Tottenham haven't always
been the most ruthless football club. But the ruthlessness, Madison, Salanki, Savio,
Marmouche, Kudos, the talents there, but you've got to become horrible, horrible winners
whereby basically you just kill teams off when you're in front. 20 minutes at the start
of that game, go and score two goals. Kudos, Salanki, take your chances, be devastating.
And if they can get that into their game, they become a good team because they have big
chances in that game today. And just, you know, ultimately they just weren't ruthless
enough, but they showed character when they went down to ten men. They responded and
they deserved a point and more, but they certainly deserved the point.
The big problem for them, I guess, is the home form. It's not, it's not to Zurbie's problem.
It's, I think, you know, last year they had as many home wins as they had managers, you
know, it's five in 36 games, something like that. I mean, it's terrible home form. Next
up at home for the Monday night football week after next is Coventry City. They've got
this nine game gap. They've got to sort the home form out, haven't they?
Yeah, they got away, don't they? To Mara Bayer, I think there's been some talk this the
last 24 hours that they go to Mara Bayer and they go on a sort of, what would be a sort
of training camp. Knit together, learn to love each other as a group because it might
be the first time for quite a few new groups. Few players coming together, star players as
well. It's been bought for 100 million quid and 80 million quid and 70 million quid. Get
to get to like each other, get to understand each other. That'll give them a massive amount
of confidence getting on that plane to Mara Bayer tonight or tomorrow morning. Go over
there and work your absolute backside off for the next six, seven, eight days. Work your
absolute backside. Well, you've never before focused like you've never focused before.
And get to Tottenham Hotspur, a week on Monday and think in that tunnel when you stood
there that there's no one that's worked hard and there's in this last few days to prepare
for this football match and go and do your jobs because the talent that they've got in
that front five or six and even in the defensive positions, they've got no problem with that.
It's mentality, it's physical effort, it's ruthlessness, killer instinct, but they've got
the talent. They've got the themes of the passing and the patterns of the passing. They've
got the sharpness and the 10 point what they do. They sent them back to wrap it into midfield.
I really like the way they pass it. They've got good movements about them. The wide players,
Marmu's, Kudos, Savio, they're good. They're good, they're good wide players, but make
sure that you know, understand where is Salanki's runs, where is Salanki's runs, where are
these runs, where are you going to put it and where is Salanki going to be when obviously
he's making those runs in the last part of the pitch. So all those patterns that you need
to develop when you're getting used to each other, but I'd be quite enthused if I was
taught them to look, they're in a terrible position. They're right near the bottom of
the league, but if you think about coming out of a three week international break and
in a reset and are the foundations there of something that might get better, I'd feel
a lot more confident being a Tottenham Hotspur fan tonight leaving that stadium than I would
a Manchester United fan because I just feel that that's the way you feel right now when
you've just watched that football match. They've played really well. A lot of work to do.
Certainly not a time to carry away if you're a Tottenham fan or a Tottenham player or a Tottenham
manager, but some green shoots, some signs that you think actually there's something
that we can build on from that today. There were a few people before the international
window looking at Spurs, looking at the form, looking at the way that they folded under
pressure that were worried that this group of players could work at Spurs in the long
term. Have what we've seen today, has that put all those doubts to rest? Was there
enough to think actually it's all starting to happen for them?
It doesn't put all the doubts to rest because they've still got to go and take the chances
in matches and score goals and do the bit that's the hardest which is get the results and
the three points on the board. But you look at underlying sort of what would be elements
of a performance and you think actually if you play like I do genuinely believe performance
will bring results. I genuinely believe that. I watch more and more about the actual
home performance day for Manchester United. The performance level's not there and if you
perform as level's not there, sometimes you can win badly. So sometimes you can play
badly and win. Sometimes you can do that. But if you're playing poorly on a regular basis
from a performance perspective, you're not going to win. You're going to be really inconsistent.
I actually think you've taught them to maintain that level of performance in the way in which
they actually approach the game. They will win a lot of football matches and they'll score
a lot of goals. Keep those talented players out on the pitch, get them working hard, keep
that compactness in your defence. Make sure that you wrap the passes into each other and
you've got a tempo passing like you've had it. He doesn't know how to coach a football
team, Roberto Desurbe. We've seen that with Brighton. We know that he's got that sort of
good way about him. I wouldn't say it's a sort of what would be a certain thing that they're
going to all of a sudden fly up the table. But I had to think Tottenham will start to gradually
push up towards top six, eight in the next sort of couple of months. I do think we'll start
to see that sort of what would be movement up the table. I do feel that. We've obviously
not seen the other games being played in the Premier League today, but a quick word on
the standard. Arsenal 1-0 down, back to winning ways. I watched a bit of that. They've got
their Brighton result out of the system. Yeah, important. That was, by the way, that was
important because obviously, you know, Leeds go 1-0 up and it was a point in the game
where you're thinking, but yeah, you made some changes, Michel Arta, and that was so important.
It was so important that they got over the line and got that victory because, you know,
ultimately what you don't want is basically a sort of what would be a blip to become a crisis
and you start to lose football matches and you have big European games coming up and then
things do, people do start to ask questions. All of a sudden, people think you're managing
sitting on the win the league. Oh, be great, wouldn't it? Right now. But yeah, I think, you
know, Arsenal was a big day for them and I thought Leeds were, I thought Leeds were good
in the game and I thought they were awkward, but it was an important win for Arsenal. I was
watching it in the car and was traveling back from somewhere and I sort of, you know, got
most of it, but it was, it was a good day for them. And it's the most important thing
for Arsenal today was to actually get the three points. It was a great goalie score as
well. A declimbrized little flip. Oh, yeah. It was a wonderful goal, that. Bruner Gameraj.
Gameraj should signing out. Good signing him. The other, the other sort of eyebrow
razor ago, Chelsea, I mean, they've scored a hat full of goals. Yeah, still can't keep
a clean sheet. But, you know, we're now into it. As we said with Manchester United, you're
into the, the slog of the winter, they don't have that. They've got this one game a week.
They've got Clasado back. They've got Polestra on the bench. They're winged back. He didn't
start today. You know, Jordan Henderson back in a couple of goals. What, you know, you
would assume, I mean, it was interesting. He started at Chimpong today at the back and
left Fafana out of the side. Okay. So, I mean, I'm, I'm just wondering of the three weeks.
And it's only one game that we haven't watched. But a Chelsea still on the fringes of getting
involved in something this season. Chelsea, just because of similar to Manchester United
last season, where they had the three weeks, just going to be a better, prepared, fresh,
less injuries, just because of less matches, less demands. They're going to be in the
Champions League places this season. I think because they've got a good squad, they've got some
good players. And also, they've got those three weeks, which to be fair, just I think really
important to be able for Javier Lanzar to be able to get his team right for weekend. So,
I think they will finish in the top four or five that will mean Champions League football.
They've got the experience, obviously as well. You mentioned Jordan Henderson getting two
goals, which is fantastic for him and surprising when those, that sort of was coming through.
But yeah, I think we're in a position whereby Chelsea, I think, are going to be okay. But
the big question for them will be, obviously, the money they've spent and what they're building
and the manager they've brought in, can they use this season as a building lot to get
towards a title winning team? And who is going to be that next sort of challenge? We don't
know what's going to happen with Manchester City, do we? But we don't anticipate they're
going to be around us for probably if this appeal doesn't, isn't successful for the next
year or two. They're going to be, obviously, I think, out of action, I suspect.
And the wings are best. Yes. Well, I think that just about wraps it all. I was just going
to, that's what I was going to mention. Col Parmer signing a new contract.
And he announced it's 24, 20 what? No, it's not 20. I think it's 20, 34. 20, 34. What's
that? It's eight years. It's another eight years. Another eight year contract. Just
something though. It sounds crazy. You know, I signed a seven year deal here. You know,
I was in the middle of a five year deal. And they said, we want to keep you and, you know,
we want you to sign seven years. Yeah, I love it. I'm never going to leave here. You
know, I mean, I was absolutely delighted, like a seven year deal and you thinking, yeah,
I'm partly, it sounds. The security was important to me of knowing I was going to stay here.
I didn't need to be kept on edge to give my all here at this football club. So for me,
seven years gave me comfort that they believed in me so that I knew then that I could actually
go on and just fight every minute of every single day. If I had one year to go when I was
24, I'd have been thinking, oh, they don't like me. Doesn't want to offer me a contract.
And it made me probably, to be fair, feel a lot more vulnerable. But yeah, I signed a
seven year deal partway through a five year deal and sort of had a contract that was 31
from 24. And yeah, just so I can't really criticize Col Parmer, can I, you know, I did it
myself nearly. I wouldn't I've never had a 7 year period.
Bill, your contract not seven years, you sky, it must be.
I wish.
Brilliant.
I'm a little forward to tomorrow.
Should be a big day.
There will be a big day.
Yeah, enjoy it.
Thanks Bill.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
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Podcast Summary
Key Points:
Manchester United showed a lack of energy, enthusiasm, and belief in their first 20 minutes, failing to match the intensity expected after a three-week break.
The team’s defensive and midfield performance was disjointed, with poor passing patterns, lack of aggression, and difficulty breaking down deep defenses.
Goalkeeper David De Gea appeared nervous, particularly in the first half, showing a lack of confidence and prompting repeated ball returns from the team.
Spurs dominated the first half with sharp passing, better tempo, and greater aggression, highlighting a contrast in team application and composure.
Key players like Savio and Selanki showed promise, especially with Selanki scoring after a personal fight, signaling potential for growth and resilience.
The poor performance raised serious concerns about the team’s mental resilience and physical effort ahead of a tough winter run of fixtures.
Michael Carrick’s previous success with the squad in 2022 contrasts sharply with this season’s inconsistent results, raising questions about team cohesion and development.
Spurs’ strong first-half performance, despite a poor start to the season, suggests a team in mid-rebuild with positive signs of tactical maturity and determination.
Summary:
Manchester United’s recent match against Tottenham Hotspur revealed deep concerns about team performance, energy, and mental resilience. Despite a three-week break intended as a reset, the team lacked enthusiasm and physical effort, especially in the first 20 minutes, when Spurs dominated with sharp passing, better tempo, and aggressive play. The midfield struggled to create consistent attacking patterns, and goalkeeper David De Gea showed signs of nervousness, returning the ball multiple times.
A lack of confidence and belief in the squad—particularly in midfield and defense—was evident, undermining the team’s usual composure. The performance contrasted sharply with Michael Carrick’s previous success in 2022, casting doubt on the current team’s cohesion and readiness. Spurs, on the other hand, displayed a well-structured, committed performance, with standout contributions from Savio and Selanki, who showed courage and aggression in key moments.
While they lost the match, their resilience and tactical discipline suggest a team in transition. The poor showing raises alarm ahead of a grueling winter fixture schedule, including key games against Athletic Club and Brighton. Fans and analysts alike stress that consistency, effort, and mental strength are crucial—especially in high-pressure matches—and that without improvement, Manchester United risks falling further behind.
Meanwhile, Tottenham’s performance offers hope for a potential turnaround, with signs of tactical growth and team unity despite a difficult start to the season.
FAQs
The main concerns were a lack of energy, enthusiasm, and confidence in the first 20 minutes, poor midfield control, and a lack of attacking creativity when breaking down defenses. The team also appeared passive and out of rhythm, leading to a lack of belief and intensity.
The goalkeeper showed signs of nervousness early in the game, especially after a key moment where he refused the ball. This led to Manchester United playing it back to him repeatedly, which disrupted their tempo and contributed to their defensive struggles.
Yes, Tottenham played well with strong midfield dominance, compact defense, and aggressive pressing. Players like Savio, Salanki, and Kudos were particularly effective, showing sharpness and tactical awareness in their movements and passing.
He noted a lack of tenacity and fighting spirit, especially at the edges and in defensive transitions. The team appeared 'curling up in a ball,' lacking the physical effort and purpose needed to compete against a well-organized opponent.
Fans booed at key moments—after 22 minutes, halftime, and at full time—indicating deep dissatisfaction with the lack of effort, energy, and belief. This shows the team's failure to meet fan expectations of passion and commitment.
Carrick expected a strong, energetic, and confident performance after the break, especially given the team's previous success under his management. However, the match revealed a drop in performance, leading to concerns about team morale and consistency.
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