Alonso's Chelsea thrive as £300m Spurs sit bottom

Gary, Alan & Micah get stuck into the Premier League weekend as Xabi Alonso's Chelsea continued to impress with a 4-3 win over Brighton, with Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer starring in front of the watching Carlo Ancelotti and Thomas Tuchel. Spurs may have spent over £300m in the summer but they continue to struggle as Matthias Jaissle's Newcastle did a number on them on Saturday, plus we saw Manchester City really kick into gear at Palace, and there are concerns for Liverpool who remain winless after the 2-2 draw with Forest. The boys also discussed Manchester United's 5-2 hammering of Ipswich which featured the first proper VAR controversy of the season with Harry Maguire's handball in the buildup to what was a pivotal moment in the match. And did we see an early relegation six pointer at Coventry? It's two from two for Hull City but how long can it last? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• 1:28Speaker 04

  Hello and welcome to The Rest Is Football with Micah Richards, Alan Shearer and me, Gary Lineker. We've had another thoroughly entertaining weekend of Premier League football. And coming up on today's show, there's lots to discuss. Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer looked sensational at the Bridge as Chelsea beat Brighton 4-3. 300 million quid spent but Spurs are bottom of the league after they went down 2-0 at home to an impressive Newcastle United. Hey! It's still chirpy. Manchester United recovered from a shaky start to put five past Ipswich. Liverpool still winless after a 2-2 draw with Forest.

• 2:13Speaker 04

  And Hull City make it two wins from two with a massive three points at fellow promoted side Coventry. Before we come to all of that, Micah, talk us through that hat.

• 2:24Speaker 05

  Frank Spencer.

• 2:26Speaker 04

  Frank Spencer. Some mothers do have them.

• 2:29Speaker 06

  I think it's quite stylish, actually.

• 2:31Speaker 05

  We'll be the judge of that.

• 2:33Speaker 06

  I look like an artist, don't I?

• 2:36Speaker 04

  Micah, did you ever see Some Mothers Do Have Them?

• 2:38Speaker 06

  Come on, guys. No, I didn't.

• 2:41Speaker 05

  Do you know who Frank Spencer is?

• 2:43Speaker 06

  No, I don't.

• 2:44Speaker 05

  Okay.

• 2:45Speaker 06

  I'll Google him.

• 2:46Speaker 05

  Have a look at his stupid hat.

• 2:49Speaker 06

  Hey, it's not a bad shout, that, you know?

• 2:55Speaker 04

  It's pretty good.

• 2:56Speaker 06

  It's not a bad shout.

• 2:59Speaker 04

  Let's say he was slightly accident prone, Micah, so just be careful during the making of this show. We don't want you to get hurt. What have you been up to?

• 3:07Speaker 06

  Weekend, just relaxed, actually. You know what? I went to go watch Angry Ginger's got a team called Winton United, I think they call. And Stevie Island's got a team called Women's Shaw Vets. And that's like, is it over 35 vets league? I think it might be over 35. And they played and they got battered. Angry Ginger's team about four or five won, it was. But they're only under 21s.

• 3:34Speaker 05

  Has there been any progress on your sale of trying to buy a club yet?

• 3:39Speaker 06

  Oh my gosh, the amount of emails!

• 3:42Speaker 04

  I thought that would happen.

• 3:44Speaker 05

  I've got to speak to you off this camera. Remind me, because I got a message last week of someone that's interested in talking to you about buying a club.

• 3:52Speaker 06

  I know, yeah, but I've opened my big mouth now, haven't I? I'm not exaggerating. Everyone has been in touch. But there's been some good clubs get in touch, you know? I am actually really considering it. But it depends how much you need, you know? I mean, it's not cheap to run a club, is it?

• 4:11Speaker 05

  Well, with all your cash, you can afford to go bigger, man.

• 4:14Speaker 06

  What cash? What cash are you talking about?

• 4:16Speaker 04

  What about Leicester, Micah?

• 4:19Speaker 06

  Yeah, behave yourself, will you?

• 4:21Speaker 05

  He's daft, but he's not that daft, guys.

• 4:23Speaker 04

  Don't rub salt in the wounds. There's no need for that. We should talk about some football. I mean, before we get to a specific game, I think it's been a really great start to the season. I mean, you know, last season, I think there was a lot of us talking about slightly boring football and it's all a little bit slow build-up from the back. Have you noticed a difference or is it just early season, people having a bit of a go?

• 4:48Speaker 05

  I think it's been really interesting, like you. I think it's been a great start. There's so many different stories, whether that's Hull, or whether that's Spurs, or Newcastle, or Liverpool, or who. There's so many different bits to it, isn't there? I think there's so much to talk about. I think it's been a brilliant start.

• 5:06Speaker 04

  Micah?

• 5:07Speaker 06

  Yeah, I would agree with Al. It's been entertaining. Not quite sure yet, though. I think I'd like to have more opinion after five games to see where, because not everyone's fit yet, are they, really? If you're looking at the teams, some of the defending's not been great. And I think that's been down to fitness, really. But it's certainly been entertaining. Like Al said, I think Hull's been a great story. Chelsea's been a really good story because they're playing some really good football. But they can't seem to defend at the moment, so they'd want to sort that out. But the Premier League as a whole, yeah, it's been a great watch so far, but we're only two games in.

• 5:47Speaker 04

  Let's start with Chelsea. I mean, Xabi Alonso's come in. He's gone back to that style of play that he had at Leverkusen. He probably wasn't really allowed to play that way at Real Madrid. I don't think they'd accept three central defenders back in the Bernabeu. So I think he's back to what he believes is the way he likes to play. Really, 3-2 and a 4-3. I mean, you can either look at the positive and say they're banging in goals, they're really entertaining, or you could say, like you just did, Micah, they look a little bit dodgy at the back. From my experience, it's always easier to sort out defensive issues than finding the ability to score a lot of goals.

• 6:30Speaker 06

  Yeah, I think that's fair. But don't forget they conceded a couple against Fulham. And Fulham were right in that game. And then you concede three against Brighton. I think at some point within the game, you need a little bit of control. And yes, the manager's still finding out what he wants to play. He made, what, he's played that 3-4-3. I think Gusto was playing centre midfield, wasn't he? And then Neto was playing wing-back with Hato. The three up front are just a joy to watch. So they'll always score goals. That's not going to be a problem. It's not going to be a problem for Chelsea. But it's finding out the best way to combine defence with attack. And that would be a slight worry.

• 7:13Speaker 06

  I think in terms of Chelsea, because they've got no European football, will have more time to sort that out. So I genuinely believe they are title challengers now. The contenders for sure, but they just need to fix. I think sorting out the keeper, bringing in Martinez, even though he conceded three, is massive for them. But it just gives them a nice platform to go and do what they need to do. And I'm excited by this Chelsea. I think in recent seasons, everyone's been negative about Chelsea. I've sort of said, I don't mind what they're doing. Bringing young talent through. Yes, they needed a little bit more experience. They've got that now with Welbeck and Henderson. They've brought in a good goalkeeper and it's just finding that right balance.

• 7:56Speaker 06

  But in terms of Chelsea, I think the fans definitely can be excited now.

• 8:00Speaker 05

  Yeah, I agree. I think they could be great to watch. With that ability up top, I mean, they're going to take some stopping, those three. Goodness me, the ability of those three is incredible, isn't it, up front? But plenty to work on defensively. But I, like you guys, I think, yeah, you can sort that bit out. It's easier, I should say, to sort out defensively than it is, I think, in forward positions because scoring goal is the most difficult. And I don't think that'll be a problem to them with what they've got up there. But I think it's great, although he made a couple of errors last season for Villa, I think it's a brilliant signing, the goalkeeper. So, yeah, they could be fun to watch this season, Chelsea.

• 8:38Speaker 04

  I thought it was quite interesting when they cut to Thomas Tuchel and Carlo Ancelotti sat in the stand. On the pitch, you've got Joao Pedro, who I thought was absolutely sensational in the game. I know he scored an own goal, but, and he gave it away a couple of times trying things. But some of the things that he did, the skills, the ability, the little flicks, the nutmegs, the goal, you look at that and Ancelotti must have gone, what the fuck was I thinking? And then next to him, you've got Thomas Tuchel and you've got Palmer, who's a little bit quiet in the first half, but came into the game and grew and scored that cracking goal. And I'm thinking, Thomas Tuchel must be sitting there thinking, what the fuck was I thinking?

• 9:19Speaker 04

  And I wondered if the two of them had a conversation and go, boy, oh, boy, did we mess up in the summer? Because, I mean, it's inexplicable that neither of those two players went to the World Cup. I know Palmer had his injuries last season, but you could see at the end of the season that his fitness and his sharpness was starting to return. He would have been fresh. I suppose in their defence, both the managers would probably say, well, one of the reasons they've started the season so well is that they've had the summer off and they're fit and fresh and etcetera. But the talent there is unmistakable, surely.

• 9:52Speaker 05

  With those three up front, they're going to do some damage this season.

• 9:56Speaker 06

  We sound like a broken record at the World Cup, don't we? And I was saying, Palmer has to go. And even if it's for 10 minutes, it's a change of game. He can do that. He doesn't need long on the pitch, as long as he can find that little bit of space. And that's what makes him such a good player. It was a big mistake, wasn't it?

• 10:14Speaker 04

  Big.

• 10:15Speaker 05

  I also think, you know, there's a part of Palmer that becomes better because of that in terms of, fuck you, I'll show you.

• 10:22Speaker 04

  Absolutely.

• 10:23Speaker 05

  I think his mentality is, yeah, I'm going to fucking show you what you messed up in the summer. And I think his start of the season has been brilliant. And I think he's reacting to what didn't happen or he wasn't, because if he wasn't picked in his squad. I think he's got that bit about him that he was angry and he's playing with that anger and using it in the right way.

• 10:41Speaker 06

  A bit of context for the listeners and people who are watching is, yes, he wasn't fully fit last season. He was sort of nursing, I think it was a groin injury. And then a little bit of his thigh, and then he was talking about his ankle. And yes, going into the World Cup, you're thinking, can you trust? How many times do you see players go to the World Cup and have not been right and then talking, oh, he shouldn't have taken them? So I understand it from Tuchel's point of view. However...

• 11:22Speaker 06

  When you've got 26 players, it's a luxury. You can take one who's a luxury. Brazil did it with Neymar, it didn't work. Yes, I understand that. Joao Pedro definitely should have went. But with Cole Palmer, even if he's 10 minutes in the game, you know he can make the difference. He's scored a goal in the Euros final, didn't he?

• 11:43Speaker 04

  Yep.

• 11:43Speaker 06

  Against Spain, so you know he's a big game player. And that was my frustration. That's what we're trying to articulate throughout the World Cup. It was, okay, he might not be able to do 90 minutes, but you need game changers. And if you've got Cole Palmer to come off the bench just to make the difference.

• 12:01Speaker 05

  But you're really interesting to actually see his England squad in a couple of weeks' time when the England squad's announced. I think it will be, there'll be five or six that'll be different to what he picked in the World Cup.

• 12:10Speaker 04

  Just before we take the needle off the broken record, one final thing I would say about Cole Palmer. I think he's the kind of player that's unfazed by pressure, anything like that. That's the impression I get from watching him, from hearing him speak. And also, he was the player, a year before, was the player of the tournament in the Club World Cup. We do that little kind of editorial meeting that goes out live on Netflix every Sunday evening. We did it with Haz last night. We came up with the idea of comparing the best front threes that we think out there this season. It will be hard to beat Chelsea. Manchester City was the other one that we probably came up with.

• 12:54Speaker 04

  Arsenal obviously are the top side having won the league last season, but we think their strengths probably lie elsewhere in the team. But what do you think? City or Chelsea's front three?

• 13:09Speaker 06

  I would still go City.

• 13:11Speaker 05

  I mean, theirs is proven, isn't it?

• 13:13Speaker 06

  Yeah, you've got to go with proven, haven't you? In terms of how many times they've won the league.

• 13:18Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 13:19Speaker 06

  The only thing with City, I don't think they have a natural front three. I think it rotates all the time. So if you're looking for maybe chemistry, Chelsea feel as though they have the best chemistry right now. I would say best chemistry. But Man City have done it. When you've got Haaland, who's guaranteed to score 30, 40 goals a season.

• 13:38Speaker 04

  Haaland's probably the difference maker, isn't he?

• 13:40Speaker 05

  Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

• 13:41Speaker 06

  He's truly world class, isn't he? Truly world class.

• 13:44Speaker 05

  Did you not have a Langa, Wissa and Barnes in there?

• 13:46Speaker 06

  Oh, here we go.

• 13:49Speaker 04

  It's not taking long, has it?

• 13:50Speaker 06

  It's hilarious, you know, isn't it? I had the call before the season, Gaz.

• 13:55Speaker 04

  We'll come to them next. I do quite like this Xabi Alonso way of playing though, that front three, don't you, Micah? With Joao Pedro kind of central and Palmer a little bit at the right and Morgan Rogers kind of as, I don't know whether you'd call them tens, two tens either side, but.

• 14:12Speaker 06

  You know what I like about it, Gaz? It's just the movement.

• 14:15Speaker 04

  Exactly.

• 14:16Speaker 06

  They're not still, you know? How many times do you see teams play now and you've got one player? And they're so easy, they come so predictable. With Chelsea, you don't know what they're going to do. Joao Pedro will come deep, then it'll Cole Palmer come deep, then Morgan Rogers will come deep and drive it. Then they always have the option. And then if they're not available wide, then you've got the wing backs. I think it's looking tasty for Chelsea, but yeah, it's all about their movement and their trust with each other on the ball. The technical ability is probably the best in the league, definitely.

• 14:48Speaker 05

  The freedom to do what they want, go where they want. And I think all three of them are, it looks as if they're really, really enjoying it.

• 14:54Speaker 04

  I could see England playing that way. I don't know whether he will too, but I just quite like that Palmer and Rogers. And as time, looking ahead two, three, four years, you could imagine a front three of, I'm going to say Bellingham here, because I think he could play exactly like Joao Pedro, but even better. Because what, I mean, he's killing it in Madrid at the moment as well.

• 15:15Speaker 06

  He's on fire.

• 15:16Speaker 04

  But then you've got other players as well. We're getting ahead of ourselves on England because we've got plenty of time to talk about them. But I think we all thought that Chelsea would go well this season. And looking at the top of things now, obviously Arsenal play this evening. But after that, then Man City, I think that, we all put those as our top three in slightly different orders. But I think Chelsea have hit the ground running. They're conceding, but there's something about them. Alan, do you want to talk about Newcastle?

• 15:49Speaker 05

  Absolutely. Completely, I want to talk about Newcastle. Yes, I do. Newcastle and Tottenham, why not? Come on.

• 15:56Speaker 04

  Well, I mean Tottenham, they've spent so much money, but obviously they've had a shocking start, the bottom of the table. It's only two games. Obviously, he's feeling his way a bit, but it is a little bit of, you know, for us that have been involved in the club, it's a little bit of, oh Christ, here we go again.

• 16:12Speaker 05

  That is really interesting. Let's, we'll talk, yeah. I mean, no, well, let's talk, we'll go Newcastle before Tottenham.

• 16:17Speaker 04

  I thought we might, I thought we might.

• 16:19Speaker 05

  You just mentioned how Cole Palmer wasn't in the England squad. Let's talk about Lewis Hall.

• 16:24Speaker 04

  Oh, I totally agree with you. I think we all thought that was ludicrous, didn't we?

• 16:28Speaker 05

  I mean, he, again, was brilliant against Spurs, as lots of players for Newcastle were. The other side, the fullback, Dedditch, I thought was absolutely outstanding. I was very impressed with Newcastle. It was a brilliant away performance. At times in the first half, they had to suffer a little bit and when they did, they had to defend well. They had to rely on the goalkeeper for a couple of good saves as well. But then the second half, it totally changed. Newcastle battered them second half. They were absolutely outstanding. I mean, what are Spurs doing? I mean, our young manager did a job on Deserby, by the way, because he didn't have a clue how to sort it out, because they overloaded Newcastle's right side with Dedditch and with Alanga.

• 17:11Speaker 05

  And Robertson couldn't cope. And it looked as if Deserby didn't have an answer for that. It was, hmm, that was, it was brilliant from a Newcastle point of view. Wissa getting his goal, different player, different character this season already. I've seen enough.

• 17:25Speaker 04

  I did tell you, Alan, many times last season, I said, I think Wissa will come good. I don't know whether you can remember that?

• 17:31Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 17:31Speaker 04

  I did. I think there's, I think there's a goal scorer in there.

• 17:34Speaker 05

  Yeah, there's, he's just, everything about him, he looks sharp, he looks bright, he's totally diff, I know he had injury problems last season, totally different to what we saw when we did see him last season. And it looks as if he's having fun, he looks as if he's fit. And he's played a big part in Newcastle's first three games. So yeah, really positive from Newcastle. And if they can get, if they can get another forward in today or tomorrow, I'd be, I might change my mind on my predictions, guys.

• 18:04Speaker 04

  Oh, Micah, he's a different animal when they win a game or two, eh?

• 18:09Speaker 06

  The tone in his voice is just brilliant. When he's speaking about Newcastle, the passion.

• 18:15Speaker 05

  Talk to me how good they were, Micah.

• 18:16Speaker 06

  I told you, what did I say at the start? We was at the game against Liverpool, and I know they had the tribute to Kevin Keegan, the great, late Kevin Keegan. And a lot of people was talking about it, potentially it could have just been the atmosphere and, you know, the send off and all that. And the crowd was behind them. But I just, we interviewed the manager afterwards, like I said last week. And there was something in him, which he was confident but not cocky, but knew what he needed to do for such a young manager. And it was all about energy and it was all about confidence. It was all about belief.

• 18:58Speaker 06

  And he made me believe that even if they come up against a better team, they're going to outwork them. Everyone's going to know their jobs. And even with the young players, yes, Stur didn't start, they put in Nico Gonzalez. And the tactic he deployed to sort of have him a little bit deeper, to play that switch he was talking about to the right hand side. I just think it was fantastic. And yes, what you lack maybe in a little bit of quality, you make up with energy. I really like the look of Newcastle this season. Just going back to what you was talking about, Gaz, in terms of, when Nico Gonzalez was getting the ball in that low, a low position and he was firing that long ball.

• 19:39Speaker 06

  It's very difficult because Robertson was with Tell and I've played with wingers who don't get back in. What Tell was doing, he wasn't going high enough and then he was coming back too late. And then who, when they was trying to put pressure, Spurs, they wasn't putting pressure high enough, giving them so much time. But then still trying to press like the whole team is behind you. And then I was thinking to myself, but if Tell's not coming back, then you need to push right up, but give yourself an extra yard because of Alanga's pace. But what he was doing, Alanga was running through the middle and then Dedditch was going down the wing.

• 20:21Speaker 06

  But there was no communication between Robertson and Tell, which I was thinking, come on, guys. If in doubt, just give yourself five yards. You know what they're trying to do tactically. That's what they've been working on 100%. Let's just take a breather, five yards back and try read what they're going to do and then grow into the game. But it didn't happen. They kept making the same mistake over and over again.

• 20:42Speaker 05

  Micah, that pass happened in the first minute.

• 20:45Speaker 06

  Yep, it did.

• 20:46Speaker 05

  Gonzalez got that ball, pinged it out to the right hand side and they were unlucky not to score in the first minute. And it kept happening. And that's where the goal, and I'm thinking, are you just going to let this happen? You're playing that high line and that's where the goal came from. No pressure on the ball. Robertson played the high line, Dedditch got around him, nodded it back into Alanga. I mean, Alanga's finish, oh my word, that was an incredible finish.

• 21:10Speaker 04

  Really good finish.

• 21:11Speaker 05

  But that kept on happening. And that's why I said, Yaisla did a job on Deserby. And I was thinking, are you not going to stop this? Are you not going to try and do something about it? And that, for me, was brilliant for Newcastle.

• 21:23Speaker 04

  We all had our predictions, didn't we, last week? And we went quite high with Spurs. We all, I think we all had them kind of on the, just maybe outside the Champions League, but possibly even the Champions League. Is it, is it too early to, to, to panic on that, to change our minds? Considering where they've finished the last two seasons, they've spent a lot of money. Um, I think they probably do need a little bit of time.

• 21:51Speaker 06

  All their flair players are out, Gaz. Zabri Simons is out, Kulusevsky's still out, Madison's out.

• 21:56Speaker 04

  But they're all gonna be out, aren't they?

• 21:58Speaker 06

  Savio's out, he, he got a little muscle injury the other day. Um, Odebird's out as well, they've just signed Mamouche. So it's gonna take a little bit of time.

• 22:08Speaker 04

  Don't panic.

• 22:09Speaker 06

  I don't think there's time, time to panic for, for Spurs right now because they've got good enough players. He just needs to find out the right formula of how he wants to set up. Yes, you know, going into the, the season, it, it doesn't look great and he conceding goals and all that sort of stuff. But it will come good.

• 22:25Speaker 04

  Micah, Micah, you've already relented, haven't you?

• 22:29Speaker 06

  What have I said?

• 22:30Speaker 04

  You said Savio.

• 22:31Speaker 06

  Savio, I know, yeah, I've called Savio, I know. I got boned for it by you guys last week, didn't I?

• 22:37Speaker 04

  Well, you were saying you're gonna, you're, you're not changing, you're not changing. You've called in that for five years and now you're not changing.

• 22:42Speaker 06

  Forget Savio, Savio sounds better, sounds better than it's Savio. But I do, I do believe, and I said it last week, they need something up top. They need another number nine to hold it all together.

• 22:57Speaker 05

  Aren't they about to do a deal with, uh, Njai and Richarlison go the other way?

• 23:01Speaker 04

  Njai's another wide player, isn't he?

• 23:03Speaker 06

  He's another wide player, he's someone who wants to get on the ball and turn and yeah, well, it works. Spurs have always been, um, in, well, in, in, in my history, I remember always had great, great wingers. That's how they wanna play, good energy and all that sort of thing. But they need another number nine now, that, that's where the, the focus should be.

• 23:20Speaker 05

  Well, they were all in for Gakpo as well, but it looks as if Gakpo's chosen City, doesn't it? So, um, yeah.

• 23:26Speaker 04

  Why you mention that, that's, I'm a bit surprised by that one for City.

• 23:30Speaker 06

  Yeah, I, I, I'm in shock.

• 23:32Speaker 05

  Yeah, and for him, because I'm, I'm, when you look at what City have got, I mean, Doku, Haaland, Grealish. I'm surprised that he's gonna go there and think, I know he'll, he'll, he'll play a part, but I don't, he won't be a regular, I don't think. Maybe I'm wrong.

• 23:47Speaker 04

  No, I thought the same thing actually, but you know, we all make our decisions. I think when you're a player, you always see yourself as, as, as starting in any team, don't you?

• 23:57Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 23:57Speaker 04

  If you've got anything about, if you've got any confidence, so, um, we'll, we'll, we'll see, we'll keep, we'll monitor that one. Um, let's move on. Manchester United, they needed a victory, like, they got a bit of a smelly start, went a goal down. But Bruno started where he left off last season. Fabulous performance, uh, once again from him. Ipswich, I thought defensively looked a bit of a shambles, particularly in the second half.

• 24:24Speaker 05

  Yeah, I mean, it all changed, didn't he? When he slipped up and then Bruno went through and finished it. I mean, that was a brilliant finish into the roof of the net. When that sort of, that happened, I thought, I thought just changed then. And I know they got a little bit of luck with the, uh, the Harry Maguire handball, which we can talk about. But, um, Bruno again was, uh, was absolutely outstanding.

• 24:45Speaker 06

  I thought Kobe Mayne had played well, I thought, I thought he grew into the game. I, what I liked about Kobe's, he's not afraid to play that forward pass, you know? What, what he lacks in a little bit of mobility in terms of energy, which Belieber will add to that. On the ball is so comfortable, isn't he? And he can drive and he always wants to play forward. If you look at him, you watch midfielders, I al- I always look at midfielders and see the ones who are hiding. They say like they give the ball away in the first two minutes and then they don't wanna get on it again. He always wants to get on it and it always looks forward first.

• 25:22Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 25:23Speaker 06

  And I think if they can get him going, again, because he played really well towards the end of last season, didn't he? On, on, under Carrick. And I'm thinking, they've got a real player on their hands, I think that.

• 25:33Speaker 04

  The one thing I'll say on Micah, sorry to interrupt, but I would say that whenever I've watched Kobe Mayne who play, he's, he's pretty much been really, really good.

• 25:44Speaker 06

  It's just that discipline though, Gaz. I think when you're looking, looking at midfielders, because Telemans is not the most mobile, you, you need to read the game. I remember when Rodri first come to Man City and I was like, what is going on here? He's getting run past, he can't get back, he's slow on the turn, all those things. And then after six months, he just, he just read absolutely everything. If Kobe can get that into his game, then he'd be different class.

• 26:12Speaker 05

  Yeah, there's no doubt, he's talented. The only thing is that why have others just felt, no, you're not good enough, I'm not using you? That's my only thing, is, is it something we don't see, something we don't know? Because when you see him, I think, yeah, there was without doubt talent there, but others have maybe spotted something that we can't see behind, I don't know.

• 26:30Speaker 06

  I think that was more to do with, uh, the formation under Amarin.

• 26:34Speaker 05

  Amarin.

• 26:34Speaker 06

  Yeah, I think that didn't go in his favour. Because again, we're talking about midfielders being energetic, he's a, he's a fit lad. But if you vacate that, that space in the middle and you can go forward or you can get on the ball, but you can't get back or people are getting in behind you, that, that's what I'm talking about, just reading the game, having that, that discipline and that composure just to, to do, do your job. Once he, once he learns that, he's, he's gonna be a top player.

• 27:00Speaker 04

  Go on, what about the handball then?

• 27:02Speaker 06

  Honestly, I'm sick to death of it. We, we talked about VAR last week, didn't we? Brilliant, I thought they had a brilliant week. Congratulations to the referees. Again, the law, the law, again, it's not the referees, it's the law, isn't it? But they're trying to say that this, right, if you do this.

• 27:23Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 27:23Speaker 06

  To protect your face.

• 27:25Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 27:25Speaker 06

  That is deliberate, whether we like it or not. He, he, he could have left his hands by his side, yet it's a natural position if the ball's gonna come flying in face. But it's a deliberate attempt to stop the ball from hitting your face. So that means it must be a deliberate handball if the ball hits your hand, no?

• 27:42Speaker 04

  You're making a very valid point. And I think the other interesting point of that particular decision was the fact that because it was a deflection, um, because it was an own goal, um, he wasn't the last person to handball it. Therefore, even if they decided it wasn't deliberate, then it's not a goal. Now, I think under the, under the laws as they are, that you, you can understand that because it was an own goal, it was going wide, et cetera. But I mean, the whole handball, it's, it's an absolute shambles of, of a law.

• 28:14Speaker 05

  Just because he's had a shit shot.

• 28:16Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 28:18Speaker 05

  Then, then, then it's a goal. I mean, come on, I mean, it's the laws, the law is fucking stupid, as we know.

• 28:25Speaker 04

  The law is an ass.

• 28:25Speaker 05

  It is, I know, I know that is the law, but it is crap, it is on, it is, yeah. We've said it so many times about that, but yeah, because he's had a crap shot, then it, and it's an own goal. Albeit, it fell for him and to him because of his handball. I mean, come on, it's handball anyway.

• 28:44Speaker 06

  Forget the rest of it, it's handball anyway, isn't it?

• 28:47Speaker 04

  It did look like he put two, almost two hands up, up to it. But the whole handball thing, I mean, I don't, I was talking about broken records. I mean, can we just get it back to how it used to be?

• 28:58Speaker 05

  What, deliberate handball or not? Well, the ref didn't think that yesterday, so.

• 29:02Speaker 04

  But we'll always have occasional disagreements on that because of the nature of it. But it, but at the moment, it's, they have to have everything definitively written down to cover every possible aspect of it. And they've just tied themselves completely in knots.

• 29:20Speaker 06

  But, but that's not the referee's fault though, is it?

• 29:22Speaker 05

  No, it's not, not.

• 29:22Speaker 04

  It's no, it's the lawmakers' fault. It's not that, I feel for the referees, they're put in a position on the pitch where it's just become a farce.

• 29:31Speaker 05

  Can you imagine them sat in a, sat, these, these sat in a room? Well, uh, when we're gonna disallow this, we have to have a, uh, 6.8G where if it's actually going wide and then it comes to an own goal, actually we have to disa- I mean, can you imagine them sat around a fucking table making these laws up?

• 29:51Speaker 05

  Honestly.

• 29:51Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 29:52Speaker 06

  Come on. Who makes the laws? Can we believe it? It's like a taxman, he's never seen the, he's never seen the fucking, but you just know they're there, they're just there.

• 30:01Speaker 04

  It's part of FIFA, you think, do it, IFAB, isn't it? And they've got referees, two, basically, um.

• 30:06Speaker 05

  Kalina?

• 30:07Speaker 04

  Kalina and David Ellery, isn't it? For years now. Why on earth are we allowing referees to determine the laws of the game?

• 30:17Speaker 05

  Of the game.

• 30:18Speaker 04

  So all they're interested in is the job for referees when we're interested in the game of football and the betterment of our sport. Um, for them, it's about officiating. You know, it's, it's, I think it, it's like giving, I don't know, parking attendants, um, making the laws of the road.

• 30:38Speaker 04

  It's twenty three. Uh, and on, on that note, we'll, we'll, we'll take a little breather.

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• 32:26Speaker 04

  Welcome back to The Rest is Football with Alan Shearer and Micah Richards in his wonderful beret and me, Gary Lineker. You just need a little bike and some onions coming up the back. I do like it, just suit you. I could definitely not get away with that.

• 32:43Speaker 06

  I dare you. Next part, get one on, please.

• 32:45Speaker 04

  If you send me it, Micah, I'll wear it, okay? I think, actually, I've got, I should nearly say, I've got a small head, but that could be read the wrong way.

• 32:54Speaker 05

  Small head, massive lugs.

• 32:55Speaker 04

  Massive lugs. I look, I look a twat in a hat, to be perfectly honest. So I'd probably resist. But if you send it, I'll wear it for at least two minutes. On to, we're talking about cracking weekend's football. Manchester City, another victory. They came back from behind, obviously, in their first game, but this was a bit more emphatic and I think for two reasons, probably. Obviously, they were playing against Palace, who have bitten term more at present. And a certain Erling Haaland, god, he had a drought as well. He had a one-game drought.

• 33:30Speaker 06

  City are back. City are, hey, everyone's writing off City.

• 33:35Speaker 04

  No one's writing off City.

• 33:38Speaker 06

  No, yeah, I'm telling you, they're going to push for that title. I mean, Arsenal, Arsenal probably favourites, but City, mate, shirkie, the shirkster. Let's call him the shirkster from now on. Oh my, the way he's twisting people up and his movement and his first touch and his skill and then the finish. Oh my god, what a player he is.

• 34:01Speaker 05

  Hey, can you, he's just hammering me for going up at turn or two about Newcastle. Listen to his voice when he talks about Man City and the churchster.

• 34:12Speaker 04

  Yeah, Alan, Alan, one point, in his defence, in his defence, he is at least getting paid by the club. Whereas yours is purely from, coming from the heart, Al. Is he's coming from his wallet?

• 34:29Speaker 05

  Yeah, they were brilliant, weren't they? Haaland's header, Haaland's header and finish.

• 34:37Speaker 06

  Forget Haaland for a minute. Nico O'Reilly.

• 34:41Speaker 04

  Oh, he's a player, man. He's a star.

• 34:44Speaker 06

  What is this player?

• 34:45Speaker 04

  Everything, he's got everything.

• 34:46Speaker 06

  How? He come from the academy as an attacking midfielder, but he can play at the back, he can play centre-half, left-back. He can play holding midfield, he can play attacking midfield, he can play left wing. He's got everything. He's got absolutely everything. This is one of the most talented players I've seen at that age. His football brain is off the chart. His technique is brilliant, oh, his game understanding is just, oh, wow. He is, he can be whatever he wants to be.

• 35:17Speaker 04

  Totally with you.

• 35:18Speaker 06

  Yeah, you'd agree with that, yeah?

• 35:20Speaker 04

  You know, when you see a young man, you think, god blimey. You know, and also he'll, he'll get you a goal from a header from a corner. I mean, he's got absolutely the lot. He's great to watch. He's still incredibly young. He's already pretty much a regular in the England team and will get more regular as time goes by. He's that good. I really, I thought he had a really good World Cup as well, considering we were a bit in and out at times. He's definitely, I think, you know, there are always dangers in football, you know, injuries or you can, it's easy to go off, off, off-piste a little bit and be distracted by certain things when, when you're young.

• 35:59Speaker 04

  But if he has a fair run, he strikes me as the kind of lad that is, you know, he loves, loves the game, he's dedicated, et cetera, because you can't be that good if you're not. I think he's got absolutely sensational future ahead of him.

• 36:14Speaker 05

  Yeah, brilliant. I'd agree with that. He's super talented, yeah. Are they going to add to their squad already? They're going to get Enzo as well, Micah?

• 36:20Speaker 06

  To be honest, I don't know where Enzo fits in, mate.

• 36:23Speaker 05

  I know, I was going to say that.

• 36:25Speaker 06

  I don't know where he fits in. Now, I thought he was going to play Nico O'Reilly left-back, but now that he's putting him in midfield and Guardiola's playing left-back, I don't know, I just, obviously he needs covering that position. But yeah, O'Reilly would start some midfield, he's number one.

• 36:42Speaker 05

  Well, he's got Bwadi on there as well, hasn't he? He's got Bwadi as well.

• 36:45Speaker 04

  Alan, as a Newcastle fan, and obviously we've seen what's going on there and we've seen what's going on at Bournemouth, does it, does it agitate you a little bit when you see clubs like City that just seem to be able to spend? I know they've sold a lot of players, so they've manufactured some money, but boy, oh boy, it's like, here we go, buy Enzo for this and now we're going to get.

• 37:05Speaker 05

  You're just trying to warm me up, aren't you?

• 37:06Speaker 04

  You're going to go Cody Gakpo and.

• 37:07Speaker 05

  You're just trying to warm me up. I can see you fishing, you're fishing for a bite.

• 37:10Speaker 04

  Do you want to bite or not? Do you want to nibble?

• 37:13Speaker 05

  I had my nibble last week, didn't I? I had my nibble about that nonsense last week, yeah.

• 37:17Speaker 06

  Hey, the winning, the winning now, guys, so he won't have a, you know.

• 37:20Speaker 04

  Yeah, he's all right at the moment.

• 37:21Speaker 06

  He's reactionary, isn't he? Because of winning, he don't matter anymore.

• 37:23Speaker 04

  You wait till they lose a couple, Micah. You wait till they lose a couple. He'll be, he'll be, he'll be back on it. Yeah, I predicted last, last week Arsenal win by 10 points. I think I've already changed my mind. I think it might, I think City and Chelsea might run them close, but I've not, I've not changed my mind on the overall title. I still think Arsenal have to be, have to be the favourites. But, I mean, City have got firepower. It's been a good start, hasn't it, for Maresca? Because following Pep, you need a good start. I think it's absolutely, it was absolutely essential because, you know, you don't want the fans to doubt you at the start. You don't want particularly the players when you're used to someone for that long.

• 38:06Speaker 04

  But the fact that he was there with Pep for alongside would help him, I think.

• 38:12Speaker 05

  Yeah, last, last week's win was a, was a big win. I mean, they're under, under pressure and they're left at late. I think the first 10 or 15 minutes, they could have and should have conceded a couple, I think, to, to Palace. But once, once they got into their rhythm after that, City looked really, really good.

• 38:27Speaker 06

  You know, one thing I have noticed of City, do you remember towards the end of Pep's tenure, they was keeping the ball really well, dominating the ball, but they'd sort of lost a little bit of that press? Have you seen Maresca on the side? He's like, go, every single time they've not got the ball, it's to get the ball back. He wants them, again, winning that ball back within three seconds. That's one little detail I have noticed since he, since he has come in, especially in that Palace game.

• 38:54Speaker 04

  As for Palace, I think it's a big couple of days for them now, isn't it? The last two days before the window shuts, obviously it closes tomorrow, if you're watching or listening to this on Monday. Be interesting to see what happens and whether they do lose some of their key players. And also, I suppose, after that, if they do keep them, whether they'll be motivated enough.

• 39:19Speaker 05

  Yeah, that's the issue, isn't it? We said that, we said that last week and nothing's changed. And Munoz is gone, I think, isn't he? He's gone to Forest or going to Forest.

• 39:27Speaker 04

  I mean.

• 39:28Speaker 05

  Which will be a big loss to them. And the issues they've got up, up top, yeah. I wouldn't change anything that I've said about them and I'd, I'd be concerned if I was a Palace fan, is what's going to happen to them this season.

• 39:40Speaker 06

  I would agree with that, Al. The only thing I would, I would say that we've got, I don't know what they're trying to do at the moment. So they've got sort of Pino, haven't they? And Nketiah to the, to the left and the right of Stran Larsen up front. So Nketiah's the one who works really hard for the team but wants to get in behind. And then you've got Pino, who's a ball player who wants to thread it through. But then you've got Stran Larsen, who's just, he's not really running in, in behind like he can do. And then when he gets a chance, he doesn't fill you with, with confidence as well. So there's something not clicking there. I went, Nketiah was at Arsenal, he had that run, didn't he?

• 40:23Speaker 06

  And it went on, he scored about, what was it, six, seven, eight goals, a little bit on a run. I just wonder if it's worth putting him up front rather than using him as sort of one of your, your tens, who's not going to create a great deal, or sort of using him as a player in a forward position, having to do defensive things like constantly run back. That's not allowing him to get up the pitch because, when I watch the game every day, I'm like, he, he basically be just used as a bit of a decoy, who's, wants to add that little bit of pressure. But when you get on the ball, you've gotten, you've not really got the instincts of a number 10 to start getting on and play people through.

• 41:05Speaker 06

  But then you're not going to take anyone on because that's not your role. Nketiah's best part of his game is his movement. But I think his movement is being used in the wrong part of the pitch, which I think they may have to look at that.

• 41:20Speaker 05

  Though Adam Wharton particularly first half was brilliant.

• 41:23Speaker 06

  Yeah.

• 41:23Speaker 05

  Some of his passing was outstanding. Forward passing I thought was brilliant. And that, that, that's what I worry about. When you look at Wharton or Henderson, who clearly will attract interest from other clubs. What, what are they thinking? From where Palace were winning in Europe, winning the FA Cup and things were brilliant. But then it looks to be pretty chaotic at the club at the minute.

• 41:46Speaker 04

  Yeah, it really does. Big, big couple of days ahead.

• 41:49Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 41:50Speaker 04

  Um, Oliver Glasner's obviously gone to Nottingham Forest. Get to get Munoz. I mean, he knows him. I mean, I, I really like Munoz. He's got him down on that right hand side so well. And good performance from Forest as well at Liverpool, which was another good game. Very watchable, end to end stuff.

• 42:07Speaker 05

  I thought it was Aina on the right hand side, wasn't it, for Forest in, in that?

• 42:11Speaker 04

  It was in that game.

• 42:12Speaker 05

  I thought he, I thought he did actually did well.

• 42:14Speaker 04

  He did.

• 42:15Speaker 05

  I mean, I, I totally understand him knowing Munoz and wanting to get, to get him in. Um, Forest after, after being done a couple of times off Leeds, I thought Forest looked really good and probably were a little tad unlucky.

• 42:27Speaker 04

  Hmm.

• 42:27Speaker 05

  Not to take all points at Liverpool.

• 42:30Speaker 06

  Another one who's playing well, Morgan Gibbs-White.

• 42:32Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 42:33Speaker 06

  He's another one.

• 42:34Speaker 04

  He's scored more goals than anyone, um, since, um, the start of the year.

• 42:40Speaker 05

  So.

• 42:41Speaker 04

  In the Premier League, Premier League goals.

• 42:43Speaker 05

  Other than Haaland, was it? Or not? Was he more?

• 42:45Speaker 04

  I think he was actually even ahead of Haaland, unless that changed over the weekend, but.

• 42:50Speaker 06

  How highly do you guys rate Morgan Gibbs-White? Do you think he's, he, he can go to the, to the very top? Because he, he's been doing it for a while now, hasn't he?

• 42:59Speaker 04

  Hmm. I think he was on the, he was very close to making the England squad, wasn't he? And I think he's, I think he, I think he'll very much end up probably being, if he can continue his progress. Um, he's had a crack in 12 months and he's probably unlucky not to go in the summer. Now, I know you can't take everyone, but, um, but he's definitely got something about him. He's got a great energy, which I think is important. He's a little bit unfortunate that there's a lot of talent in that sort of area of the pitch for England at the moment, but if he keeps knocking on the door and if he keeps scoring goals, I know it was a penalty, but you know, he's, that's still an important part of the game.

• 43:39Speaker 05

  Even get better with, uh, Delap going in, into, into Forest, I think because of the runs, because of the balls in behind, um, I, I think he could even get better because of them getting him. Because I think they'll be a better side for getting him.

• 43:54Speaker 06

  Just on that, um, in terms of the, the, the balance or that chemistry with a midfielder and a, and a striker. How long does that take before things start to click?

• 44:07Speaker 05

  If you're that good a player, um, which I think he is, then, um, it can just like that, just go like that. Because I think what he's very good at is like similar to, to Wharton sometimes, you know, on that first time pass, where you pass that forward. Um, so yeah, I think it, it can just click like that, click easily.

• 44:25Speaker 04

  How long did it take us, Alan? About two minutes, three minutes?

• 44:28Speaker 05

  Something like that, guys.

• 44:29Speaker 06

  Yeah, but you had, you had some proper top players behind you, didn't you? Do you know what I mean? You lot get all the plaudits. Some of the players that you guys played with. Come on.

• 44:39Speaker 05

  It's all about the runs, Micah.

• 44:41Speaker 04

  It's all about who puts it in the back of the onion bag.

• 44:43Speaker 05

  Did you think that was a penalty by the way? You know, when Delap took the throw in and then Alisson comes rushing, rushing out?

• 44:50Speaker 04

  How it is now, in our day, not in a million years. Um, but now there's got this thing where I suppose if it was anywhere else on the pitch and the defender went in like that and you got ahead of it and he slid and carried on and hit you, they'd give a free kick.

• 45:06Speaker 05

  Yeah, yeah.

• 45:07Speaker 04

  Um, I wish it was like that in the days that we played, Alan, because there's no way, there's no way under any circumstances that that would be a penalty. Um, but I wish it was because we'd have had loads more penalties to take and we'd have scored loads more goals.

• 45:22Speaker 05

  He did come rushing out, didn't he?

• 45:23Speaker 04

  He did and he didn't get there first. And if the player gets there first, I can see it from.

• 45:28Speaker 06

  He had the shot away. He, he's already had the shot.

• 45:30Speaker 04

  I agree.

• 45:31Speaker 06

  It was a coming together after he's had his shot.

• 45:34Speaker 05

  If you pass the ball and the defender comes in and whacks you, that's all right, is it?

• 45:38Speaker 06

  Well, yeah.

• 45:40Speaker 05

  No, it's not. You're still going to get a foul because he's whacked you.

• 45:43Speaker 06

  No, but it's a, it's, it's a contact sport. If he would have.

• 45:47Speaker 04

  Not anymore, it's not.

• 45:48Speaker 06

  Say if, well, it's not anymore. Yeah, you're right with that. But if he would have been going to the ball and then Alisson would have touched him and he had to deviate or change what he was about to do because of the contact, I would have agreed. But it already took the shot. It, it, it went about five yards and then the contact came. So I was like, oh, I, I, I don't understand.

• 46:14Speaker 05

  Once the referee had given it, it was one of those.

• 46:16Speaker 06

  Yeah, I, I agree with that. Once the referee was given it, it was not going to be a turn.

• 46:19Speaker 05

  Having said that, guys, having said that, how bad will Liverpool again?

• 46:22Speaker 04

  Yeah, they're, they're struggling at the moment.

• 46:25Speaker 05

  Yeah, they've got a few problems without doubt. Lots, lots and lots to work on for Iriola. Defensively, really poor.

• 46:33Speaker 04

  Defensively poor. They didn't seem, there's not, there's not got that dynamism at the moment that they need. And it's, obviously it's the way Iriola likes to play. He likes to play the high press, high energy game. But I think he said it, didn't he? Before the start of the season, I don't think they're quite ready yet for that.

• 46:51Speaker 05

  Do you know what the Isak situation, I know he scored, um, but if you look at the way he scored, when Isak was at his best at Newcastle, he was getting early balls in from the wing. He was getting early balls in from midfield in behind. And Liverpool haven't and don't do that too often at all. It's pass, it's pass. You, to get the best out of him, he has to receive early crosses and early balls in behind. And that's one of the reasons, I think, well, I know he scored, but he scored with a, a good ball into the box and an early one. But unless you're prepared to do that, him and Verts, I think, will continue to just do okay rather than him being the player he was at Newcastle. They're not going to get the best out of him.

• 47:33Speaker 06

  Do you think it's a little bit different though, Al? Because when he was at Newcastle, at times you'd be, okay, the buzzwords are back out, low block, mid block, in, in, in that sort of area. But the whole game plan was to, to, to go forward and to counter attack with pace and there'd be space. When you're with Liverpool, more often than not, you're going to have the ball, haven't you? And the spaces are not there as much. So I take your point, get the ball to Isak and he was sort of that inside left. And I agree, when he used to get the ball, he used to run at you and full of confidence. There's, there's none of that. So I totally agree with that. But is he working in smaller, tighter spaces now, which he's finding it difficult?

• 48:17Speaker 05

  Yeah, well, that's how you break that, by early passes and early crosses. Look at the number of times Anthony Gordon got the ball out wide and whipped it in early. You remember that cross, that header? Remember when he ripped Van Dijk apart at St James when he got that ball early into him and he moves it and he gets his shot away? Everything with Isak has to be done quickly. You have to get the ball into him early, whether it's wide or whether it's him running in behind. And I just, they haven't, they, they haven't, I don't think they've worked that out yet at Liverpool.

• 48:46Speaker 04

  How about the start that Hull City have had?

• 48:49Speaker 05

  Brilliant. Wow.

• 48:49Speaker 06

  My birthday.

• 48:51Speaker 05

  Wow. Six, I mean, not, not many people would have said that, six out of six before a ball was kicked, would they? So they've, they're brilliant here, brilliant again, Hull. That was a huge game on there.

• 49:01Speaker 04

  It felt like a big game earlier in the season. It felt like a six pointer, didn't it?

• 49:05Speaker 06

  Coventry had some chances though.

• 49:07Speaker 04

  Yeah, they did.

• 49:08Speaker 06

  They had some chance. Because I have Coventry staying up.

• 49:11Speaker 04

  Me too.

• 49:12Speaker 06

  I was, I was watching that game. If they're going to stay up, and I know it's only the second game, they probably need to win there just for confidence, not for the league. Yeah, I mean, it's two games in, but just to think, okay, team that's come up, we've beat them. It gives us a little bit of confidence going forward. It's only game two, but when you start, you lose that game at home, then you start doubting yourself. I, I, I really, and if you look at the, the course of the game, because I wa, I watched it again and I was thinking, they're doing all the right things. The combinations are good, the energy's good, but scoring in the Champions is different to scoring in the Premier League.

• 49:50Speaker 04

  That is the difference, isn't it?

• 49:52Speaker 06

  That is the difference, you know?

• 49:54Speaker 04

  Can Hull do a Sunderland?

• 49:55Speaker 06

  I mean, ooh, that, that'd be hard to do. Do you remember when Huddersfield was in the, in the Prem?

• 50:01Speaker 04

  Yeah, it can happen. That's what I'm asking.

• 50:03Speaker 06

  No, I don't, I, I, I don't think so.

• 50:05Speaker 05

  I mean, six points out of six is superb for them. And you can imagine the belief and, and the feeling in Hull. It's just be, it'll be, wow, this is, this is amazing to be back in the Premier League. Everything's going really well for them and great, let them enjoy it. And, but I, I know, I don't see them, I don't see them doing what Sunderland did last season.

• 50:21Speaker 04

  And, and Coventry now need, need a result.

• 50:24Speaker 05

  Because we've seen it with teams that come up as well. We've seen them struggling. We've seen them take so long to get a win. And the, the, the, the belief and the, the lack of confidence and all of that, that, so they, they need it, they need a win rapidly.

• 50:38Speaker 06

  Do you know who their next game is?

• 50:39Speaker 05

  Is it City away? Is it? It is, isn't it? Yeah. I know. Goodness, mate.

• 50:45Speaker 06

  Oh, wow.

• 50:46Speaker 05

  Welcome to the Premier League, guys.

• 50:48Speaker 04

  And they've got Arsenal away, out of the way, and then Man City away. The, two of the, two of the toughest fixtures out of the way.

• 50:55Speaker 05

  That's why I think that was such a big game for them against Hull.

• 50:58Speaker 04

  It felt that, yeah.

• 50:59Speaker 06

  Why can't we go, while we're on this, you know the fixtures? Do you think that has a bearing where you finish in the league by the way? Because if you go to Arsenal and Man City in the first free get, and the confidence is shot, you have Hull.

• 51:15Speaker 05

  It's harsh, isn't it?

• 51:16Speaker 06

  It becomes a must win game against Hull.

• 51:18Speaker 05

  Yeah.

• 51:18Speaker 06

  In the second game, surely. And I'm not just saying that because I think Cobble are going to stay up, but it's cruel, is that, no?

• 51:26Speaker 04

  I'll tell you what's cruel. My dog has just farted and honestly, I can't tell you how bad the smell is.

• 51:34Speaker 05

  Leicester.

• 51:35Speaker 04

  I know exactly why. Yeah, I know exactly why. I popped out for a little bit of a bite to eat. Yes, my kitchen's not finished yet. So, and I came back and he'd managed somehow to get on the counter and eat a whole packet of dark chocolate digested biscuits. And dogs don't like, honestly, it's, it's such a bad smell in here. Filbert.

• 51:59Speaker 05

  Go on, Filbert, have another one. Shit all over the carpet, Filbert.

• 52:03Speaker 04

  Jesus, man. Sorry, sorry, I was in bites for that little interruption.

• 52:10Speaker 04

  It smells as bad as Coventry starts the season. Okay, let's call it a day there because I know Alan doesn't really want to discuss a win for Sunderland.

• 52:22Speaker 05

  That, as we've said about Hull and them winning and Coventry maybe had to win. I think Sunderland, that was a massive game for Sunderland yesterday because there's a lot of, a lot of us that have said they might struggle this season, so they needed to win quickly. So to get that win, yeah, it would be huge for them, that.

• 52:41Speaker 04

  Can Sunderland repeat what they did last year?

• 52:43Speaker 05

  No.

• 52:44Speaker 04

  Last season, should say.

• 52:45Speaker 05

  No, I don't think.

• 52:46Speaker 04

  Micah, I'm not asking you, Alan, I know what you're going to say.

• 52:49Speaker 06

  No.

• 52:49Speaker 04

  No.

• 52:50Speaker 06

  But you'll stay in the league, Sunderland, don't worry. The girl who, the girl who, who I mentioned in the pod about, about us being on their social media, she texts me laughing.

• 53:04Speaker 05

  Did you see the, did you see the reply? I did a tweet about four years ago about, have you ever seen a Macam in Milan?

• 53:10Speaker 06

  And now they've got Milan!

• 53:12Speaker 05

  And now Sunderland have drawn Milan, haven't they, away in Milan? So they replied to that tweet and just did laughing faces.

• 53:22Speaker 05

  I think, what was my reply? And my reply was something along the lines of, if you, if you'd like directions, please shout and enjoy your flight from the region's capital.

• 53:34Speaker 06

  Hey, Sunderland control their social media, very good though, eh? Very, very good.

• 53:39Speaker 05

  Yeah, that's good, I liked it, very good, yeah, very good, I loved it, good, good fun.

• 53:43Speaker 06

  Ah, before, hold on, hold on, you don't mention Leeds, Leeds another good point.

• 53:48Speaker 04

  It's a point, it's a draw.

• 53:50Speaker 06

  Everyone's raving about Brentford and Leeds get a draw, fantastic Calvert-Lewin.

• 53:54Speaker 04

  You must, in your fantasy team?

• 53:56Speaker 06

  Of course he is!

• 53:57Speaker 04

  Yeah, I could tell, I could tell the reaction. Good stuff, all right, let's call it a day there, that's it for this episode of The Rest Is Football. Goodbye from me.

• 54:07Speaker 06

  Goodbye from me.

• 54:09Speaker 05

  Goodbye from me, have a great week, everyone.

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