Carrick vs Bruno, Kane For The Ballon D’Or & Who Are the Champions League Favourites?

It’s been a disastrous week for Manchester United as they suffer a heavy defeat to Cesc Fàbregas’s impressive Como side. To add fuel to the fire, Bruno Fernandes appears to have fallen out with Michael Carrick following his explosive post-match comments. Can it get any worse for United? Harry Kane delivered another stellar performance as Bayern Munich drew with Arsenal. He impressed with his passing range and creativity, as well as converting a well-taken penalty. Is the Ballon d’Or heading back to Munich with him? Gary, Alan & Micah also pick their Champions League winners. Are PSG the frontrunners once again after another brilliant victory over Barcelona, who many consider to be among the favourites? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

• 0:00Speaker 00

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• 1:53Speaker 00

  Hello and welcome to the Rest is Football with Micah Richardson. Me, Gary Lineker, Alan will be joining me in the second half. Micah, it's been another bonkers week full of goals in the Champions League. We've seen 74 over the last two days. Usually we'd start with English clubs, but I think we saw probably the two best teams in world football on Tuesday. So we'll start there. But firstly, how was your couple of days at CBS?

• 2:21Speaker 04

  To be honest, guys, I'm tired.

• 2:22Speaker 00

  Are you?

• 2:23Speaker 04

  I feel like I need a rest.

• 2:25Speaker 00

  Two days work on the trot.

• 2:27Speaker 04

  I think you guys are working me too hard. CBS are working me too hard. The Beeb are working me too hard and Sky are working me too hard. I need a rest.

• 2:35Speaker 00

  Micah, can I say at this point, you just sit down and you talk?

• 2:39Speaker 04

  Yeah, but I don't just talk, do I? Some of the stuff I do on CBS is...

• 2:45Speaker 00

  You perform.

• 2:46Speaker 04

  Exactly. That's the word I was looking for.

• 2:47Speaker 00

  You're an artist.

• 2:48Speaker 04

  I'm a performer.

• 2:50Speaker 00

  You are a performer.

• 2:51Speaker 04

  And I lose my voice from time to time because I shout and I go up and down and round and round. You know, I need to be more measured like you guys, you know?

• 2:59Speaker 00

  But you can speak.

• 3:00Speaker 04

  You're so articulate, but you're so calm at the same time. Even when you're making a valid point, you're just always nice and calm.

• 3:08Speaker 00

  Well, let me give you one piece of advice, Micah.

• 3:11Speaker 04

  Yes?

• 3:12Speaker 00

  Don't shout.

• 3:16Speaker 04

  If big megs don't shout, I'm not the same, am I?

• 3:18Speaker 00

  Well, I don't know. I think you can shout into yourself. You don't have to shout if it's your voice you're worried about, you know, as you get into your older years.

• 3:29Speaker 00

  But you'll be fine. But one thing, it was, there was some good football to enjoy. PSG and Barca, I mean, they're quite tasty, aren't they?

• 3:36Speaker 04

  Yeah, but there was no Nuno Mendes.

• 3:39Speaker 00

  Yeah, there were quite a few players missing.

• 3:40Speaker 04

  Dembele goes off injured. It didn't, it felt like we had the big build up to it, but the game was still amazing. But you didn't have all the star players. So after the game, you're thinking, what did we learn? Rodri didn't start and you're thinking, we had a whole analysis piece about Rodri, about the difference, you know, before and after. You think he's going to start, don't you? And then he doesn't start and you just, you throw that out the window and it's almost like it was a warm-up game to see where everyone's at a little bit.

• 4:13Speaker 00

  That happens quite frequently, doesn't it? When you, you plan a build up to them. It's the only part of the broadcast really that you can properly plan, isn't it? They build up to the game. So I don't, how many do you do at CBS prior to kickoff?

• 4:26Speaker 04

  About an hour.

• 4:27Speaker 00

  Which I think is stretching it from my experience. But you plan and the, you talk with the production, you all decide an analysis piece that you want to make in the game. So say for example, right, we'll do something on Rodri. And you spend, I don't know, quite a long time putting together the different pieces. And then you'll, you'll practise voicing it, trying to get your point over. And then the team sheets come in just as you go on air and Rodri's not on it. And then, then there's a decision through that. Do we still do the piece because it's really good? Or do we drop it because actually it's no longer relevant?

• 5:09Speaker 04

  So what did we do? We dropped it. So Carragher was doing something and I was coming off the back of it. But I still did PSG's midfield because the goal, the first goal, Dewey's goal against Man City was just incredible. Zaire Emery played with obviously with Tinha, Fabian Ruiz and the movement. You know, when you watch teams now, guys, and we always talk about structure, don't we? And we always talk about style of play. PSG have a structure, but are allowed to do whatever they want as long as they run hard and get back into shape. Hakimi, almost plays as a number 10.

• 5:43Speaker 00

  He's everywhere.

• 5:44Speaker 04

  He's the best right back I've seen for a while. I know him and Trent at one point, when Trent was at Liverpool, it looked like it was out of them two. But Hakimi, he's took his game to the next level. Even when I'm going back to the likes of Kyle Walker, Kyle Walker was, was excellent defensively and he was, he wasn't as attacking at Man City as he was at Spurs. But Hakimi can do absolutely everything. I don't, I don't think I've seen a modern day fullback like him.

• 6:09Speaker 00

  Can I suggest one?

• 6:11Speaker 04

  Oh, you're going to suggest one? Go on.

• 6:13Speaker 00

  Dani Alves.

• 6:17Speaker 04

  Yes, okay. I don't know, he couldn't, he couldn't defend, couldn't defend like Hakimi.

• 6:22Speaker 00

  He could defend, well, he could defend, yeah, yeah.

• 6:24Speaker 04

  Well, you know what he did? He didn't really need to defend because he always got really tired.

• 6:27Speaker 00

  They always had the ball.

• 6:29Speaker 04

  Dani Alves, yes, I'll give you that one. But you would, you would say Dani Alves is more a forward-thinking fullback, wouldn't you?

• 6:37Speaker 00

  Well, I think, I think you'd say the same about Hakimi.

• 6:39Speaker 04

  Yeah, but I think Hakimi could, that's the thing, Hakimi could defend also. He rarely gets done. If he gets skinned, you're like, ooh.

• 6:47Speaker 00

  Hakimi or Mendes?

• 6:49Speaker 04

  Ooh, good question. Nuno Mendes has kept Lamine the dream quiet a lot, hasn't he? Even though he'd played the day. I think all round, I would have to go with Hakimi. Would you agree with that?

• 7:03Speaker 00

  Between those two?

• 7:04Speaker 04

  Yes.

• 7:05Speaker 00

  Probably just, but not much in it. I mean, talk about get two great fullbacks in one team. I mean, that is extraordinary, isn't it? They really are.

• 7:12Speaker 04

  It's not fair though, is it?

• 7:13Speaker 00

  Very special. You mentioned Lamine Yamal there. I thought again, I think that might have been, the first half might have been the worst I've seen him play. I mean, I just suddenly thought, there's a human being in there.

• 7:23Speaker 04

  Yeah, but he's only young, isn't he? When he gave away the ball for the goal, I was thinking, oh, it's a big stage. Everyone was talking about this game, Lamine the dream. He's gone into hiding. But I said in the second half, he's going to turn up. And what did he do?

• 7:38Speaker 00

  Turned up, turned up. A real shame for Kravats Gelia, wasn't it? I mean, I was gutted on that. I love watching him play. Such a, and he's, he's obviously heartbroken by it. Terrible injury, probably out for the whole season. So that's a big miss for PSG. Dembele as well, looked like pulled his hamstring. So few blows for them. I'm sure, and Dembele will be back for, for the knockout stages. But I felt for Kravats Gelia.

• 8:07Speaker 04

  Yeah, I think last season he was the best winger in European football. I think he's so underrated. This season has sort of been a little bit up and down. He's not played all the games that I would like to have played, but he started the game very well, but then, yeah, that injury is, it's a bad one, which changes their team massively. I know they've brought in new players this season. Akayushi, the boy, he's coming to the team mainly on the right. He's more a number 10 though, but he's been playing at the right at times. He's added something different, but losing Travis Gelia, it doesn't make him as dynamic as it was last season.

• 8:46Speaker 00

  I mean, they're still very strong in midfield with, you know, Bettina still obviously repairing. You've got on the other side... Barcelona's midfield, he he mixed it around, as you say, he left Rodri out, so. Which of the two midfields do you think, if you had to pick one of them?

• 9:04Speaker 04

  I know what you're gonna say, you're gonna say Barcelona, of course you are.

• 9:08Speaker 00

  That's why I'm asking you, you're not biased.

• 9:11Speaker 04

  It's, it's tough this, because you've got Rodri, Pedri and Almo.

• 9:17Speaker 00

  Lopez can get in there as well, Vitinha, Ruiz, Neves and and you obviously.

• 9:24Speaker 00

  With Zaire Emery as well.

• 9:25Speaker 04

  No, I I I think the I think the equal.

• 9:29Speaker 00

  Yeah, this is.

• 9:30Speaker 04

  Rodri going into Barcelona has made it equal. I always would have said PSG with Jao Neves, Vitinha, Zaire Emery. And Ruiz, but now Rodri going there, it's changed everything. So I'd say the equal.

• 9:45Speaker 00

  Have you seen any improvement in terms of the vulnerability of of Barca to the counter attack?

• 9:52Speaker 04

  No.

• 9:52Speaker 00

  No, I was gonna ask you that because I thought the same. In the Spanish league this year, they've they've just battered everybody. I mean, they still scored two goals against PSG but conceded four. Big test this weekend as as well with the Clasico. So that'll give you a bit of a sign as as to whether they've stopped that. But at the same time. If they don't play that way, will that diminish their attacking superiority?

• 10:20Speaker 04

  I don't think it will, no. Because if you look at Barcelona, Gordon can take people on. Even from a little bit deeper, Lamine the Dream, we know what he can do. Almo can get the ball wherever and run wherever he wants and still create something. So, no, I I I don't believe it changes. The only thing that changed is is Rodri. If you look at the games and you watch the Liga more than me. When they have that high line, Rodri's ready to drop and get in. There's a beautiful clip which I was gonna show before the before the game where. They go up and then Rodri fills in. So I think they can still play that way because Rodri's very organised. But if Rodri doesn't play. I wouldn't play that high line. And they'll keep the ball a lot better when Rodri's on because he keeps it safe, keeps it ticking.

• 11:05Speaker 04

  Dominates the game with his passing, his IQ, spatial awareness. So when Rodri plays, they're a different team. But if he doesn't play.

• 11:12Speaker 00

  I suspect he'll play in the Clasico, Micah, and that's probably why he got a bit of a rest.

• 11:17Speaker 04

  I know, but what what's the point? This is what annoys me about Champions League phase. We build it up, big game. And we wanted big games earlier because normally in the old format, it was, okay, you win a couple of games, win three games, then you rotate. We wanna see the best players now in a league phase. And because of domestic leagues, everyone's rested everyone. So have we learned anything different? I don't think we have.

• 11:41Speaker 00

  I suppose because it's the Clasico coming up, that's unusual. And in reality, both these two teams are gonna cruise through. They do give themselves a bit of a, I suppose, danger of not making that top eight, which will give them an extra two fixtures. PSG, I don't think that's a big issue for them if they have to play two extra games because he rarely plays his first team. In Liga anyway. Although now, obviously with having a few injuries, that might be a different. Scenario, I'll have to probably play a more consistent team. Um, but. Yeah, I think at this stage, given the nature of the group, and we know that it'll go through, but I still find it more entertaining than it used to be.

• 12:25Speaker 00

  There is that thing that it's not, the jeopardy's not super high for the the big clubs, is it?

• 12:31Speaker 04

  No, I I would I would agree with that. But who who are your favourites? I wanna ask you guys, for for the Champions League, just up till now. I know PSG always start slow and then they come. But after what they did to Man City and after what they did to to Barcelona.

• 12:46Speaker 00

  I think those two teams are my favourites. I I think.

• 12:51Speaker 00

  PSG, it's tough to do it three years on the bounce. You get one bad day and it's all over. I think Barcelona with Rodri, with Rodri, I'd specify that, are will have a little bit more. Cleverness about them, they'll be a bit more cannon, um, with his experience and know-how. They are my. Probably them and PSG, tough to call between them. Obviously, I think Bayern Munich and Arsenal are probably, as they showed. On a similar sort of level and probably the next two two favourites behind them. But I still. If you if you said to me now, you've got to name a winner, your life depends on it.

• 13:33Speaker 00

  If your life depended on it though, I think you probably might shift to PSG and Luis Emery. But if you ask me what I see with my eyes, I would say full strength Barcelona. Um, because you've got Lamine Yamal, a bit more mature, an extra year down the road, you've got all sorts of attacking options. Um, the the midfield is incredibly strong because Barca's getting a little bit more experience and he's he's a great anyway, so. I would probably just say Barca. You?

• 14:05Speaker 04

  Yeah, um, now that PSG have lost Kravaschelia, I would say Barcelona. If Kravaschelia was fit, I would say PSG. That's how much I think. Yeah, I think that's how important he is to to PSG and the way they wanna play.

• 14:20Speaker 00

  Let's, the other game that was, I thought was really entertaining was, it wasn't quite of the technical level. Probably most of it, as PSG and Barca, but Arsenal and and Bayern Munich. And let's start with Harry Kane. I mean, his performance yesterday. His penalty was great, obviously, we know he can knock a penalty in, but. I mean, he played a slightly deeper role, um, so Ibary played up front and and he was playing as a, he was playing everywhere. I mean. My, the highlight of the game for me was when he took a quick goal kick.

• 14:52Speaker 04

  But the thing is, so who's telling him we can do this? Because it's it's unbelievable. You know, the tactics, when you go, when you do, you know, before the game, you do your tactics or whatever. I don't know if it was like in your days. I don't know if it was just like. Go out there and score a goal or whatever.

• 15:11Speaker 04

  Proper video room, pro- proper stuff.

• 15:13Speaker 00

  Well, they were, they were black and white videos.

• 15:15Speaker 04

  Where in his mind did he think, you know what, they're gonna leave three players up, Bayern Munich? I'm gonna take the goalkeeper. Surely he should be one of the players who were left up. To have the vision to do that. He's he's played the best football of his of his life.

• 15:31Speaker 00

  But it was it was a very quick thought, the thing, because he suddenly spotted it, put it, it was down and he just went bang, bang and hit it. And it was actually an exquisite pass as well from the goal kick. And then the ball through, obviously everyone's raving about the pass for their goal. I mean, it was a beautiful ball through, perfectly weighted. Um, and that all round game that he's got. I I got a feeling he'll win the Ballon d'Or.

• 15:57Speaker 04

  He's favourite, isn't he?

• 15:58Speaker 00

  Now, I, yeah, by this stage, a big favourite generally means that they've probably been given the nod. They usually do some video piece, don't they? So, um, I don't wanna take the steel, the limelight or thunder of that of the Ballon d'Or announcement, but I I.

• 16:14Speaker 04

  Do you know? Have you got some inside information?

• 16:16Speaker 00

  I I I promise you, I've got no inside information. And if I did, I wouldn't share it, but I would tell you if I did.

• 16:23Speaker 04

  Okay.

• 16:23Speaker 00

  But I wouldn't tell you. But I haven't.

• 16:26Speaker 04

  Who was the last Englishman to win it?

• 16:27Speaker 00

  Uh, Michael Owen.

• 16:30Speaker 04

  What year was it? What year?

• 16:32Speaker 00

  Was nineteen ninety, oh, hang on a minute. He's getting involved.

• 16:39Speaker 04

  Eight, we can hear you in the back, we can hear you.

• 16:42Speaker 00

  Shut up.

• 16:45Speaker 00

  I was gonna say, that, but he wasn't, yeah, ninety eight was when he won the Young Player of the, I think. What what year did the Ballon d'Or become actually the world?

• 16:54Speaker 04

  Oh, that is a good question.

• 16:56Speaker 00

  World rather than Europe. Because when I played, Micah, the um, the Ballon d'Or was actually for. It wasn't called the Ballon d'Or, it's called the European Footballer of the Year.

• 17:06Speaker 04

  Ah, was it?

• 17:06Speaker 00

  And there was a thing called the World Player of the Year, which, I was robbed, obviously, of the European Footballer of the Year in eighty six. Um, um, but I wouldn't have, even if there had have been a Ballon d'Or then, I wouldn't have won it because Maradona was around.

• 17:21Speaker 00

  He won the World Player of the Year that year. So I think Michael was two thousand and one. Um. Ronaldo won it obviously in two thousand and two after his remarkable World Cup. At that stage, there were a couple of competitions going around. You've got the European Footballer of the Year, um, and you'd got the World Player of the Year. And and then it all merged in two thousand and seven. So then it really became the proper Ballon d'Or. So in effect, you could say that if, if, and I hope, I really hope he does, and I think he deserves it. If Harry Kane wins it on Monday night, I would say it would be the first English player to win it.

• 17:59Speaker 04

  Could I ask you though, why is Ballon d'Or so special? Because, no disrespect, it's just journalists voting, isn't it? Or it started that way.

• 18:06Speaker 00

  I don't know why it's, I mean, it certainly wasn't in my day, right? Even though I was gutted not to win it. And I thought I should have won it genuinely in eighty six. And it was European Footballer of the Year, but as as we know, that's um, been merged. Um, so.

• 18:22Speaker 00

  It's all, it's been a big deal in places like Spain particularly, Real Madrid. And they've kind of thought it was something special. And then it's become this big event. We talk about it for weeks and weeks and weeks. And obviously it's a team sport. So it is a little bit odd, frankly. Um, but maybe it was also enhanced by that kind of rivalry between Messi and Cristiano. Um, so maybe that's something to do with it, but it's odd because as you say, it's just a bunch of journalists deciding who they think is the best player in the world. Um.

• 18:58Speaker 04

  But if you've got, if you've got a better relationship with a journalist, say it's like neck on neck. So this year it could be anyone, it could be the media.

• 19:04Speaker 00

  There are a lot of journalists though, aren't there? There are a lot deciding.

• 19:07Speaker 04

  Yeah, but it depends. Have you got a PR machine behind you?

• 19:11Speaker 00

  Well, they all do that now, don't they? I mean, you, you've got the mail coming out saying he thinks he should win it. You, um, Kylian Mbappe said he thinks he should win it. Harry Kane hasn't said he thinks he should win it.

• 19:22Speaker 04

  But he's doing it on media.

• 19:24Speaker 00

  I used to monitor this in the last month and I've seen him in his entire career. And obviously all of them are talking about the Ballon d'Or. So I think you have to do a little bit of that now. It's like the Oscars, isn't it? You'll get people who are deciding the Oscar vote and they'll have little, um, kind of lobbying groups and you'll, the actors will go along to, to me. And it's all, yeah, they do those. I went to one and it was like, oh, that happens, does it? So it was a small film, it was an international film. And the director was there and people talking and there's two, two, three people there apparently who have some kind of, you know, voting um, intentions in the, the actual, um, awards. So it's become a little bit like that. So.

• 20:07Speaker 00

  But I don't mind. I mean, it promotes, it promotes football. It promotes the good bit of football, the entertainment, the brilliant players. And if you have to do that, you have to do that. But it has been quite amusing watching them, um, particularly Harry appearing on. I mean, it was probably the best time we should have, we should have gone out there to Germany, seen him and get him on the pod. But if you're listening, Harry, we'd love a chat once you've got that Ballon d'Or.

• 20:32Speaker 04

  I'll, I'll get Harry on. Don't you worry. I'll get Harry on. If he wins it, I'll get him on.

• 20:36Speaker 00

  He will win it. He will win it. Final before, before I let you go, uh, Micah and start talking to Alan. I don't want anyone to think that Alan and Mike are no longer speaking because the last two weeks have done it this way. It's just been circumstances.

• 20:48Speaker 04

  Can you just say the real reason? Because essentially me and you

• 20:51Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 20:52Speaker 04

  Have to work around Alan's diary. Please just call it how it is.

• 20:58Speaker 00

  He's got an event. He's got an event and you, you were obviously working last night. He said, I don't know what that means, but a line on City because, um.

• 21:07Speaker 04

  Philip Foden's back hat trick.

• 21:10Speaker 00

  I'm so pleased to see that because it's, it's one of the slight mysteries of the last couple of years is that, you know, how good he was. He won football of the year, didn't he? He was magnificent that season. And then he's been very patchy since. Um, he said, didn't he, the season before that he'd had a few off field without knowing what it was. So I'd love to see him back because there is a wonderful footballer in there.

• 21:37Speaker 04

  Yeah, I think the competition was high though, wasn't it? If he was at any other club, he'd be starting week in, week out. When you've got Bernardo Silva, obviously left. Rodri, even at times when Foden was trying to play a little bit deeper. But now he's got Chirky as well, but I think he'd admit by his standards, they, he's certainly dropped, especially after one player of the year.

• 21:55Speaker 00

  That Chirky goal was tasty.

• 21:57Speaker 04

  Oh my, it was ridiculous, wasn't it? So it feels as though every time he's in the team now, he has to perform. But we all know Phil Foden, he's always going to get back to his best. He just needs to be consistent again now. And hopefully under the new manager, he does get that game time because whether he brings in Bardi, obviously Enzo and Anderson look like the midfield. Chirky's the one to come on if he needs to open up a game. It's, it's where does Philip play? It looks as though he's playing more off the right the other day at times. So hopefully, um, he can stay playing well because we all know our good use.

• 22:32Speaker 00

  I mean, if you just read out, read out some of the players, I mean, the decisions he has to make as well. Um, midfield alone, Bardi under Sinenzo, Chirky, Foden. And then you add to that the wide players and Jai Semenyo. Foden again, you could put in there possibly Doku, even O'Reilly's a midfield player really. I mean, I mean, really O'Reilly.

• 22:54Speaker 04

  Sub, sub-tiley.

• 22:56Speaker 00

  Yeah. I mean, they've got so much to choose from. Um, they really have. Um, but.

• 23:01Speaker 04

  Uh, can we give a quick shout out to, uh, Samba? Samba, Chris Samba's son.

• 23:06Speaker 00

  Hmm.

• 23:06Speaker 04

  Samba played up front. I believe he's only 70 or 80, I believe. And he had a really good game. Big, big, strong lad, uh, led the line really well. But it's nice to see young players given opportunities as well. So yes, it wasn't the best opposition, but he did really well in the game.

• 23:26Speaker 00

  It doesn't matter, does it? You've got to start somewhere. As long as you start well.

• 23:30Speaker 04

  Exactly.

• 23:31Speaker 00

  Um, okay, Micah. Um, I'll be back shortly with, um, Alan Shearer because he can fit us in at that point.

• 23:41Speaker 00

  But thank you, Micah, and, um, safe travels.

• 23:44Speaker 04

  Is this what we're going to do? Is he just lying because he's got 260 in the Premier League? Is that, is that what we're doing now? He just does what he wants.

• 23:51Speaker 00

  I know.

• 23:51Speaker 04

  You're the big boss. You're the better player. You've got a golden boot at the ball. What's he got?

• 23:57Speaker 00

  Hang on a minute, Micah here. This, what? You're just now, you're now telling me I'm the better player. Every fucking time you're asked to choose between me and Al. And I hasten to add, when Alan Shearer is in on the conversation, now you're saying because he's not here, I was the better player, right?

• 24:14Speaker 04

  No, no, no, no, no. My argument was, if he was listening, that I didn't see much of your videos.

• 24:21Speaker 00

  But it weren't many really.

• 24:22Speaker 04

  Back in your day, I seen the England stuff.

• 24:25Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 24:26Speaker 04

  And I seen your goal record and I seen the golden boot and I saw my dad and family always just talk about you. However, as I always say, I see more of Alan Shearer. So I have to say Alan.

• 24:38Speaker 00

  Well, to be honest, on the podcast, you're seeing more of me.

• 24:44Speaker 00

  But I'll be seeing Alan Shearer after the break. Cheers, Micah. This episode is brought to you by Guinness. Some things are just part and parcel of match day. And with the weather getting colder and cosy season kicking in, for a lot of us, it's the pub, particularly you, Alan.

• 25:01Speaker 05

  Hey, you can't beat a little good pint, can you?

• 25:05Speaker 00

  Oh, yes. That sound. I'm getting good at this now, you know?

• 25:09Speaker 05

  You're getting used to it, aren't you? You shouldn't be in the pints.

• 25:10Speaker 04

  I'm looking, I'm looking now.

• 25:12Speaker 05

  Yeah, you're not bad, Micah.

• 25:14Speaker 00

  What makes a good pub?

• 25:15Speaker 05

  Good people, good pints and good crack, and especially before match.

• 25:20Speaker 04

  Why have we not been invited to this pub?

• 25:22Speaker 00

  That's a very good point, Micah.

• 25:24Speaker 05

  You're invited every single week, boys, whenever you want.

• 25:27Speaker 00

  Sounds good. Make your match day a lovely day for a Guinness official beer and non-alcoholic beer of the Premier League. Search for pubs serving Guinness near you with the Guinness Pub Finder. You might even find one that's made it into the Guinness Harp Guide for pulling a particularly good pint. 18 plus for the facts, visit drinkaware.co.uk. Please drink responsibly.

• 25:56Speaker 05

  Hello, The Rest Is Football. Uh, this is Richard Osman and Marina Hyde from The Rest Is Entertainment. Uh, now I know you all had your World Cup this summer in America, but for Teddy fans, the new Celebrity Traitors series is our World Cup.

• 26:07Speaker 06

  Yes, every Thursday and Friday, we are reacting to the pop culture phenomenon that is the Celebrity Traitors. On YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts, Richard and I will be sharing our opinion on every banishment, murder and insane fan theory.

• 26:20Speaker 05

  Uh, who do you think out of the, uh, the three Rest Is Football hosts would last the longest in the Traitors council?

• 26:25Speaker 06

  Oh, I think it would be Micah.

• 26:28Speaker 05

  Of course it would be.

• 26:29Speaker 06

  Yeah.

• 26:29Speaker 05

  Why are we even asking the question?

• 26:31Speaker 06

  Yeah.

• 26:31Speaker 05

  They vote out Gary immediately.

• 26:33Speaker 06

  Yeah.

• 26:34Speaker 05

  Micah would just stay in like all the way to the end, just, just laughing his head off.

• 26:36Speaker 06

  Laughing his, yeah.

• 26:37Speaker 05

  And then right at the last minute goes, I was a traitor.

• 26:40Speaker 06

  Yeah.

• 26:41Speaker 05

  So if you're watching the Celebrity Traitors, don't forget to tune into our reaction episodes every Thursday and Friday night at 10pm.

• 26:47Speaker 06

  Find us on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.

• 26:56Speaker 01

  This episode is brought to you by State Farm. Football has a play for just about everything. You can go deep, keep it on the ground or draw up something nobody sees coming. And whether you want to run a flea flicker or the tush push, you need a plan to fit your unique situation. That's why State Farm takes the time to get to know you so they can help personalize coverage for your life and budget. Now that's a solid game plan. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

• 27:29Speaker 00

  Welcome back to The Rest Is Football. In this half of the show, I'm joined by Alan Shearer and we're going to pick out some different games. Obviously, you were at Anfield, Alan. We'll come to that in a moment because I think probably the big story really was the performance of Manchester United or the lack of a performance, should I say. I know we both watched that game on television and all credit to Como, all credit to Cesc Fabregas, but as for United, well, it was woeful.

• 28:01Speaker 05

  It was woeful, absolutely. It was as bad as it could be. Clearly, pressure is mounting. When you hear the captain and Bruno saying what he said after the game, Bruno Fernandes, and then when you hear the manager, Michael Carrick, saying what he said after the game in terms of, doesn't matter how you play, you've still got to turn up and run around. And I think that was pretty damning on his players' part and I think it was an interesting response to the question he was asked about his captain saying what he said. So, in the space of a week, you've had Martinez saying what he said, saying about the recruitment and how bad it was, and then you've had the captain a week later saying it was the manager's

• 28:43Speaker 05

  tactics, he got it wrong, he got us to do what we did, told us not to press, or whatever.

• 28:51Speaker 00

  I've got the exact words here, Alan. "It's a decision from the staff to not press man to man and sometimes leave space behind and try to get the ball. That is on the manager and the staff, not me." I know he can be, get a bit petulant sometimes, Bruno. We've seen it before, haven't we? You know, he was throwing his arms around quite a lot early on and we've seen that in the past, but I thought that perhaps we'd seen that side of him and he was captain and I thought perhaps, you know, he's not going to do that again. I mean, I, again, a little bit like Martinez's thing, I think whilst he might have a point, I don't think it's the right thing to do to voice it publicly. It should stay in the dressing room.

• 29:36Speaker 05

  Do you know what? As much as I think Man United is a mess, and I'm not the first person to say that, I won't be the last, and again, whatever happens at the top of the club always finds its way down onto the pitch. And that's what's been happening for a long time at Man United now. But, and it's a big but, when you're a player at Man United, when Bruno comes out or when Martinez comes out, it's always someone else's fault, isn't it? Do something about it yourselves, lads. When the manager's accusing you of lack of running, lack of effort, all of those things, and that's there for everyone to see, I would say have a look at yourselves, lads, before you come and criticise others.

• 30:16Speaker 00

  Yeah, I wouldn't disagree with that at all, Alan. I don't think it does anyone any favours.

• 30:20Speaker 05

  No, not at all.

• 30:21Speaker 00

  And obviously Carrick cares about the club. You know, all managers and coaches can make mistakes and possibly did on this occasion. It's only a few weeks into the season and it's just a completely different picture than it was towards the end of last season when he seemed to have got things going a little bit. And I think you're right though, ultimately the players are saying these things because the club is, the club's been in turmoil for quite a while. Their performances have been nowhere near those that a club of the stature of Manchester United should have. But just look at the list of, you can blame the coaches all you like, you can look at the list of coaches, they've tried some of the biggest names in the game. And they've tried some of the emerging coaches that we've

• 31:06Speaker 00

  had in the game. And they've tried old players that they've had at their club and none of them, all of them have done okay for a few weeks and then it's gone. Ralph Rangnick, for example, talked about, didn't he? I can't remember his exact words, but he said the club was absolutely in need of a complete workover.

• 31:25Speaker 05

  Open heart surgery, he said.

• 31:27Speaker 00

  Open heart surgery, that's correct, Alan. It's exactly what he said. And you have to say, at the time, you thought, oh blimey, that's quite a strong statement for someone involved in a club. But he was absolutely right. I saw, you know, Ten Hag, I remember talking about the fact that he was at Ajax where he had data and this and, you know, whatever you think about Ten Hag, then he goes to United and he said, well, you know, it's not data driven and I wanted them to bring that in and they didn't. So, I mean, it's been a mess for quite a long time. And you look at the situation of the club in terms of its debt and where they are in comparison to other clubs that can afford big name players.

• 32:07Speaker 00

  So, yeah, it's spiralling out of control. Obviously, the Glazers have had the blame shifted a little bit to Ratcliffe, he's come in. He was in charge of what, he's obviously a businessman, he knows what he's doing on a business front, I'm sure. But, you know, he brought in the cycling coach and things like that, which were strange things to do. So, it's not working. And I don't know what the answer is. Do you?

• 32:34Speaker 05

  I mean, they've tried that many things. I guess, I guess Man United, Man United are a huge football club and always will be, but in terms of a football team, they're so far down the pecking order now. I mean, I guess part of the problem is they didn't get targets number one, number two, maybe not even number three in the summer because they wanted better players and they wanted better recruitment. And that's been a problem for a while at Manchester United. They spent a fortune on some players that clearly are not good enough to get them to where they want to be. So, the blame doesn't always necessarily lay at the coach's door. I mean, he did an incredible job getting them to

• 33:16Speaker 05

  where he did last season as an interim manager, but then the fall off from where they were last season, the Michael Carrick, to where they are now is incredible, isn't it? I mean, it's as if, I don't know, I'm guessing this, you go in there as an interim, you tell all the players what they want to hear and you be nicey-nicey, and then you get given the job and you realise what has to be done. And you might have to put one or two noses out with joint and then they don't like it. And then that's the situation they're in now and clearly.

• 33:48Speaker 00

  I hope he stays in the job.

• 33:49Speaker 05

  Me too, yeah.

• 33:50Speaker 00

  Because at some point, the club has got to recognise that it might not just be down to the coach. I mean, I know a lot of Man United fans now will probably turn against Michael Carrick. I hope not. Maybe some have already turned against him and don't think he's quite got what it takes. I understand those things, but he ain't the problem at Manchester United. The problem's above.

• 34:15Speaker 05

  Well, just look at the number of managers or coaches they've had in. It doesn't take a genius to work it out. They can't, they can't all be wrong, can they?

• 34:22Speaker 00

  But what it is, the coaches are great scapegoat.

• 34:25Speaker 05

  Yeah, yeah, yeah.

• 34:26Speaker 00

  It's a great scapegoat for those above, whether it be the Glazers, whether it be Jim Ratcliffe, whether it be the, you know, the director of football. It's someone, oh, like, here we go, we'll get, do you know what would be a good plan for Man United? Get four interims a season, don't give them the job, just bring in another interim.

• 34:45Speaker 05

  Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's like incredible, isn't it?

• 34:47Speaker 00

  Maybe that would work. So, it was a really poor performance. What, I mean, what do you do as well if you're Michael Carrick now with Bruno, when someone talks openly about the fact that he thinks you got it wrong tactically?

• 35:00Speaker 05

  Do you know what it is though? It's like last season, he was the best player in the Premier League, he won Player of the Year. And he's a brilliant footballer and he has been for Man United. I mean, they'd been in a much, they'd been in a much worse state if it wasn't for him, his performances. Not this season, I might add, but, but it's, I mean, Michael is shoehorning him into the team in terms of, yes, he's got to play him. But he can't leave his best player out. He can't find a way to get his best player in his best position because of other circumstances. So, he sort of played him out on the, on the right hand side, didn't he?

• 35:38Speaker 00

  Played him up top tonight.

• 35:40Speaker 05

  Yeah, played him up top tonight. So, it's clearly, clearly he's not happy and a few of them are not happy.

• 35:46Speaker 00

  We know what that usually means.

• 35:48Speaker 05

  And you know what that usually means on an international break looming and we know what that usually means. What they got, they got Bournemouth on Sunday at home. It just, do you know what? It just feels as if you're a game away from a disaster at Man United. That's, that's been that way for a while now.

• 36:04Speaker 00

  Rinse and repeat.

• 36:05Speaker 05

  Yeah, it is. That's what it is, yeah.

• 36:06Speaker 00

  A word on Como though, because I thought they were terrific. They played some really good, entertaining rotations, good football. I thought Nico Paz was, was absolutely brilliant and obviously he's taken over. I think he's taking Messi's number 10 shirt. So, he'll need, he'll need to be really good. But, I mean, I thought his performance was fabulous. Young Argentine, he was born in Tenerife, you know, actually.

• 36:31Speaker 05

  All right.

• 36:32Speaker 00

  Yeah. And he was at, he was at Real Madrid and a good bit of recruitment. There to get to get him on a four year contract.

• 36:40Speaker 05

  Early on, um, when, when we came on, you mentioned, you mentioned about up and coming managers. Wow. He's the, uh, he's the next one on the block is Cesc Fabregas. I love, I love his attitude. I love how calm he is, how balanced he is. Uh, and I mean, the job he's doing there is remarkable. And they played, I mean, when you look at, I don't know, look at, look at the squads. And look at the difference in terms of how much it costs to build those squads. And the difference, the, the huge difference in tonight's performance from Como to Man United is incredible. And you have to see it, you have to see a well done to Cesc for that.

• 37:20Speaker 00

  You really do. Obviously we've worked, we've both worked with him and he, and we all, when we sit next talk to him on tactics and all this and his views and his, his interest in the game. You could see that there was something in there, but I love his drive as well. You know, I went, I've been out, obviously I went down to Como to interview him on the pod, for the podcast.

• 37:40Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 37:40Speaker 00

  A year or so ago, and when they just got promoted and the whole thing was can he keep them up? And he did. And now he's got them to play in Champions League football and they're, they're in the top, um, 10, um, in the Champions League group stage at the, at the moment. Um, I'm, he's going to have a big decision at some point because if he continues, even if it's just moderate success with, with Kono, because realistically, you know, it's, it's.

• 38:05Speaker 05

  Someone will come for him. Someone, uh, someone big will come for him. There's no doubt about that.

• 38:10Speaker 00

  Yeah, might be Man United. If he takes that job, he'd be mad.

• 38:15Speaker 05

  Yeah, that's the thing though, isn't it? I mean, we talked, go back to Michael, Michael Carrick now in Man United. I mean, it's not, I know it's a huge football club, but it's not an attractive job at the minute, is it? Because of how many's been in there and how many's been sacked. I mean, the only thing attractive about it is you might get a great payoff in 18 months or 12 months time.

• 38:34Speaker 00

  Uh, that's it. It's, it's, it's, it's a graveyard really. Right, Alan, let's, let, let's, um, to a kind of happier story. Didn't look like it was going to be Anfield last night, did it? When they went two down quite early and then they managed to claw things back at half time and turn things around. Um, what was it like there firstly? It's, um, look, always a great atmosphere.

• 38:55Speaker 05

  Yeah, it's brilliant at Anfield. I like, I love going to Anfield. It's especially on Champions League nights under the floodlights. It's always a great atmosphere. They do it really well. Um, uh, the, the team didn't do it really well in the first, what, 35 minutes. Liverpool were as bad as I've seen them for a long time in that first, uh, first period. It was, they were dreadful, mistake after mistake after mistake. And Van Dijk made a huge error. I mean, I think he made three big errors in the first six or seven minutes and got punished for, um, for one of them in terms of the header back to, uh, to Alisson, which never got there. And then Mika Tadze finished it off from a tight angle. And then they go 2-0 down.

• 39:36Speaker 00

  What were the crowd like Alan with 2-0?

• 39:38Speaker 05

  You know, when I'm in the co-coms box and I can hear these fans behind me and all I can hear is, is come on lads. It's like, I mean, the language was, was incredible and seeing how bad they were playing. And it was, I was having a little chuckle really, but some, somehow, I mean, to be fair, the fans stuck with them. And as soon as they, they get the first goal to make it 2-1, McAllister from a corner, you know what it's like and it, it's the old cliche, isn't it? Goals change games. And it did. And then they got, somehow got to 2-2 at half time. And that was a huge positive because, um, they, they were never ever going to play as bad as they did in the, in, in the second half, as likes they did in the first half. So.

• 40:17Speaker 00

  He's good at getting his head on the end of things, McAllister. He's not, he's not very big, but he's brave and he gets in there, doesn't he? And, um, he's, he's, he's hot.

• 40:26Speaker 05

  It was a great header at the right time because if they had have gone in behind at half time, it might have been different. And, uh, and to be fair to Iriola, he changed it around. He put Gravenberch into right back and brought Verts on. Verts I thought was very good, but the star of the show on the night was Liverpool's best player by a mile was Rio Ungomoa.

• 40:49Speaker 00

  Yeah, he's a talent, isn't he? I think he's something special.

• 40:52Speaker 05

  Even when they were struggling in the first half, he was the only one in the first half, first 35 minutes. He was the only one in, in a Liverpool shirt that was positive, that got the ball and went straight at the, at the defender. Uh, and he had the defender on toast really, playing on the right hand side. He caused him massive problems all night. And once they, once they came out in the second half, it was a different Liverpool, played on the front foot, um, pressed higher, worked as a team, playing passes into the front men. Verts played very well. McAllister got his second goal. Uh, Verts got a goal. So yeah, it was, it was so much better second half and, um, you could just tell it was a different vibe, different attitude and they were much better, different team.

• 41:34Speaker 00

  I think Ungomoa was really exciting. I, I, he's, he, he knows he's good as well. And I love that. And it, it, not in an arrogant way, but I, I'd heard him interviewed and you know, said, what do you want to do? And so I want to win this. I want to win that. I want to win the Ballon d'Or. And I'm thinking, wow, okay. Um, he knows he's good and he, he's, he's not scared to take people on. He's got that very exciting young, uh, in his time. Um, I'm looking forward to watching him.

• 42:00Speaker 05

  Do you know what it is though? It's like they've got, you've spent a fortune on, on those players guys. They've got Barcola, they've got Munoz, they've got Verts, they've got, um, Isak. Uh, and I mean, John Champion asked me in commentary last night, what does the manager do for the weekend now? What is it? I mean, after this performance?

• 42:17Speaker 00

  If you're that good, you play.

• 42:19Speaker 05

  Can you imagine after playing that well and pulling your team out of the mire like you did at 18 years of age? And then not playing at the weekend. I mean, I said for me, go again, go on, there's your, there's, you've, you've done that well. Go and play again at the weekend. That's what I said.

• 42:34Speaker 00

  Let's not compare them completely yet, but Lamine Yamal, for example, everyone knew how good he was. Barcelona knew how good he was and he was, he was in the team at 15, 16 playing. Hopefully that won't come back to bite them because we've seen it with possibly other players. And even you could say perhaps Bukayo Saka now who's, you know, getting injured again, which is, which is a shame. And he's played so much football when they're young. So they need to be nurtured.

• 43:00Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 43:00Speaker 00

  And protected. Um, but it is exciting to see young.

• 43:04Speaker 05

  Brilliant. No, he was outstanding.

• 43:05Speaker 00

  You mentioned Gravenberch, um, went back to right back. I was actually watching obviously, um, PSG and, and, and, um, Barca. So they're not quite replaced of the trend, but there's a few rumours. I mean, he's not really getting much of luck in with Mourinho at Madrid at present. There are a few rumours that the boy Alexandra might go back.

• 43:29Speaker 05

  That would be interesting, wouldn't it?

• 43:30Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 43:31Speaker 05

  I mean, the criticism, I guess, but, uh, what he got when he, uh, when he left and we were all like, well, okay, it's fine. He's been.

• 43:36Speaker 00

  He got for some of the fans because they don't like seeing him leave. They're taking him back.

• 43:40Speaker 05

  That would be interesting, really interesting, wouldn't it? Yeah.

• 43:42Speaker 00

  Big test for Liverpool at the weekend. We've got Brighton.

• 43:44Speaker 05

  Brighton, yeah, yeah. Who are flying, absolutely. So should be a good game, that one.

• 43:49Speaker 00

  They'll have to defend better.

• 43:51Speaker 05

  Yeah, they leave, they, they, they, Liverpool leave you big chances in terms of the space in front of the back four and behind. They're going to have to massively improve Liverpool defensively, um, because they conceded three in their last Champions League game. Conceded three against Villarreal. You can't, you can't go on like that. Um, they have to improve massively at the back.

• 44:14Speaker 00

  Uh, before we go, I think we, we, we should have a, a word on Villa, second only to, to PSG in the overall table. I think you remember at the start of the season, they got battered by Brighton on the opening day. They'd lost some big name players, you know, Rogers, Watkins, Konzer as well. So, and you're thinking, oh, they're going to struggle back to start. But Unai is good, isn't he? I mean, seven wins from nine games.

• 44:42Speaker 05

  I mean, there, there's them, Liverpool, Real Madrid, PSG.

• 44:47Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 44:47Speaker 05

  One or two others who have won three out of three in the Champions League. And I got a good look at Villa at the weekend, didn't I? Cause they were at Newcastle. So. And Unai Emery did a job on, on Newcastle. He is an unbelievable coach, he is.

• 45:00Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 45:00Speaker 05

  With what has gone on at Villa and what they've had to do and for them to keep going and going and replacing and buying. And the job that he's done and the coaching that he does and the way he gets the very, very best out of his team. He's a, he's a brilliant coach. He really is.

• 45:16Speaker 00

  He is. I love his enthusiasm. He's got that drive, constant drive, season in, season out. And all the success he's had in European football as well, you know, winning, even winning Villa trophy as well. So I wanted to give him a, it'd be lovely to interview him for the pod at some stage. So if you're a listener, Unai, um, we'd, we'd love to have a chat. We're big fans.

• 45:36Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 45:37Speaker 00

  We are. And I'm sure Villa fans love him. They must love him. What a job he's done. And it just shows you as well. All the stick was, when you've got someone good, stick with them. Give them a chance. Can you imagine any other job in the world where you go in and six months later, how can you change anything really realistically in a business in that? I know football's a mad world, but it just shows you. But Unai Emery, obviously, um, fantastic job that he's doing. Okay, Al, um, thank you. That's it for this episode. The rest is football. Goodbye from me.

• 46:09Speaker 05

  Goodbye from me.

• 46:22Speaker 01

  This episode is brought to you by State Farm. Football has a play for just about everything. You can go deep, keep it on the ground or draw up something nobody sees coming. And whether you want to run a flea flicker or the tush push, you need a plan to fit your unique situation. That's why State Farm takes the time to get to know you so they can help personalize coverage for your life and budget. Now that's a solid game plan. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

• 46:50Speaker 02

  Your sausage McMuffin with egg didn't change, your receipt did. The sausage McMuffin with egg extra value meal includes a hash brown and a small coffee for just $5. Only at McDonald's for a limited time. Price and participation may vary. Promotion pricing may be lower than meal pricing.