Best Opening Premier League Weekend Ever?

Gary, Alan & Micah are back with a bang as we witnessed one of the most intriguing opening weekends we’ve seen in the Premier League. Manchester United suffered a shock defeat to newly promoted Hull, Aston Villa and Spurs were both battered by Brighton and Brentford, Manchester City staged a dramatic late comeback against Bournemouth, and there was a thriller at St James’ Park. Meanwhile, the Champions Arsenal produced a dominant performance on Friday. The boys also discussed the new SCR rules and whether they are catered towards the elite. Is the Premier League becoming less competitive as a result? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

• 0:11Speaker 00

  Hello and welcome to The Rest Is Football with Micah Richards, Alan Shearer and me Gary Lineker. Well, what an opening weekend of Premier League football. Here's what we've got to discuss on today's show. The champions Arsenal eased past Coventry with an ominous performance at the Emirates. Spurs and Villa both suffered heavy defeats to Brentford and Brighton. We had a thrill at St James's, which we'll get to shortly, Alan. Manchester City left it late to bounce back and avoid back-to-back defeats for Enzo Maresca. While perhaps the most shocking result of the weekend saw Manchester United beaten by promoted Hull. So plenty for us to get stuck into. Before we dive all into that, lads, how have we been? Good summer?

• 0:56Speaker 01

  Yeah, great summer.

• 0:58Speaker 00

  A wedding, Al, a wedding?

• 0:59Speaker 01

  A wedding, yeah. My bank balance is a little bit lighter, Gus, as you can imagine.

• 1:03Speaker 00

  And you've got another one to go.

• 1:05Speaker 01

  And I've got another one in four and a half weeks. So it'll be even lighter then, yeah. It was a great wedding, so we had a great summer. And it's great to be back talking football, isn't it?

• 1:16Speaker 02

  What was your speech like, Al?

• 1:18Speaker 01

  Very emotional. I lost it a couple of times, Micah. Yeah, it was so emotional. I read it to myself the evening before. I was actually getting teary then, thinking I've got no chance tomorrow when I read this out. And that was the case. Different when it's your little girl, you know, it's like, oh, it's so emotional.

• 1:35Speaker 02

  Can you tell me how this works? Obviously, I've never been married. I don't intend to get married.

• 1:41Speaker 00

  No one will have you anyway, Micah, so.

• 1:45Speaker 02

  So you have to do the speech because your daughter is always the daughter's father?

• 1:51Speaker 00

  Father of the bride, Micah, father of the bride.

• 1:53Speaker 01

  Yeah, first up, yeah, I was first up, Micah. So I set the tone, yeah, it was brilliant. The weather was great, it was a beautiful place. And yeah, it was an amazing day, loved it.

• 2:04Speaker 00

  How was it walking her down for the magic moment?

• 2:07Speaker 01

  And I went in to see her first of all, and I saw her for the first time in a dress. It was like, oh my God, what's up, my little girl? My goodness me. So yeah, and then walking down with her arm and all, yeah, it was so emotional. But I loved it and everyone loved it. So we had a great weekend.

• 2:26Speaker 02

  So wait, wait, wait, how does it work with the names then? Is a Shearer legendary name going to get passed on?

• 2:32Speaker 01

  Gone, yeah. Holly Marchant, yeah, she's ditched this year.

• 2:37Speaker 00

  She's ditched, yeah. She's probably been embarrassed for years.

• 2:43Speaker 00

  What about you, Micah?

• 2:44Speaker 02

  Barbados, mate!

• 2:46Speaker 00

  Oh, of course.

• 2:46Speaker 01

  Tell us, tell us, come on, there must be some stories from Barbados.

• 2:51Speaker 02

  Well, not suitable for the podcast, Alan. But in terms of the place, it's just, it's the best place on earth. Rum punch every day. Bear in mind, I'd not drank all year, so I had a first rum punch. I was steaming after two of them.

• 3:08Speaker 00

  When you say you've not drank all year, I did witness one or two go down in New York.

• 3:13Speaker 02

  Well, yeah.

• 3:14Speaker 01

  That's when it started.

• 3:15Speaker 00

  Until the World Cup.

• 3:16Speaker 02

  That's when it started, but yeah. I mean, Barbados is brilliant. But do you, I don't know if it was just me, did you guys get one of these gifts from Netflix?

• 3:24Speaker 00

  Yes, yes.

• 3:25Speaker 01

  Yes.

• 3:26Speaker 02

  How cool are these, by the way?

• 3:28Speaker 01

  I've got mine here as well, look, Micah, look, see them?

• 3:31Speaker 00

  The clapper board.

• 3:32Speaker 02

  Clapper board!

• 3:33Speaker 00

  Yeah, because we're on Netflix, baby!

• 3:36Speaker 02

  What about yours, Gus? Tell us, come on.

• 3:38Speaker 00

  My house has been renovated, so I'm turning, you know, where my upstairs, where my kitchen was. I'm now putting my kitchen downstairs and my living room upstairs. I'm switching it around, so I use the garden. I've been, it's been a long time coming. So they started about a month before I left. They've still got about, I would say, three weeks to go. So I've been living in my bedroom, just waiting for it to happen. But I'm very excited, it's going to look great. I'll invite you around once it's ready, guys, and I'll be cooking.

• 4:03Speaker 02

  So are you talking bigger kitchen?

• 4:06Speaker 00

  Yeah, it's amazing. The kitchens are going to be amazing. Treated myself. See, that's how things are as you get older in life. Kitchen update gives you a thrill. That's about as good as it gets now. It's about as good as it gets. We should talk some football. We did a little show last night, Harry and myself, for Netflix, which we're going to do weekly. Sometimes it'll be with you guys. Just discussing what perhaps the running order should be. And firstly though, what an opening weekend of the season.

• 4:35Speaker 01

  Amazing.

• 4:35Speaker 02

  Before we go on though, can we have a little shout out to Harry? He's a natural on the camera, isn't he? We've got to be worried now. I'm telling you, we've got to up our game this season, mate.

• 4:46Speaker 01

  Go on, Haz, love it, Haz.

• 4:48Speaker 00

  So we always do that on a Sunday anyway. We've done that for the last three years since we've been doing this, working out what we've gone to. And we came up with Hull Manchester United now. I think sometimes with these things, there's always, it's like doom and gloom about Manchester United. But I think we should start with a word on Hull. What did they finish, sixth in the Championship last season? They got up via the playoffs. I mean, to face Manchester United at home, you would think that would be too much for them. But I thought they were incredible. The energy and the aggressiveness.

• 5:20Speaker 01

  Outstanding. They were absolutely sensational. I think even just from the first minute, because we sat there doing it on Saturday. And just the way they went after Manchester United. You go to a promoted team, first day of the season, you go to their ground, you should know what to expect. They're going to come after you, the crowd's going crazy, they've been waiting 10 weeks for that moment. They're playing one of the biggest clubs in the world. And you should know as a player what's about to hit you, a Man United player. And it was if they just, Man United thought, oh, we'll just turn up, we'll rock up and we'll beat them. And I just felt that Hull sensed that and they just went after them. And Man United couldn't cope with their energy and their attitude and everything else.

• 6:04Speaker 01

  And yeah, it was, as bad as Man United were, I thought Hull were absolutely brilliant.

• 6:09Speaker 02

  While we're on Hull, can we talk about Oli McBurney, my neighbour? You two are strikers, how good was he, by the way?

• 6:15Speaker 01

  He beat the two centre halves up, they couldn't handle him. Harry Maguire in heaven, wasn't it?

• 6:20Speaker 00

  He even went on an amazing dribbling run, didn't he, at one point, where he beat about three men? I thought, what's happened to Oli McBurney? So yeah, I thought he was absolutely brilliant up top there. He really gave Manchester United a hard time. Tactically though, switching to Manchester United, Micah, in midfield, they look a little bit like the Manchester United of the start of last season, I felt. Light with, in midfield, not much energy in there. I mean, if you bring in Yuri Telemans, he's never been particularly quick or aggressive, but he's a lovely footballer. Santos is obviously young and experienced and you've got Bruno. So, you know, automatically you look straight away.

• 7:03Speaker 00

  And I mean, they've bought in Belieber now, so, which I think they need someone like that, Micah.

• 7:08Speaker 02

  Yeah, I think his energy, he didn't have the greatest season last season, he had injuries. But the season before, Belieber was great. I think with Man United and over the last two years, I have seen progression, certainly under Carrick. But I think he's still finding out what they want to be. So I remember me and Al last season debating if Man United improved, et cetera, et cetera. And I thought they had improved. And I feel as though what worked for them was counter-attack, being nice and narrow. A little bit, whether you go to mid-block or that low-block, and then they used to counter-attack very quick. And that's what suited them.

• 7:53Speaker 02

  I think when you start buying players and ball players, Santos is good on the ball, Telemans is good on the ball. We know what Bruno Fernandes can do. I feel as though they changed what made them good towards the end of last season. And that was be very narrow and then be expansive when they want to go forward. There were too many holes, too many gaps. And Telemans is a fantastic footballer on the ball, but he does give you room in behind him if you can exploit that. And I feel as though because it was a new midfield, they were sort of figuring out each other's game. And just by the time they sort of got it right, there was a spell maybe in the end of the first half.

• 8:34Speaker 02

  And then in the second half, they sort of dominated, but they expect that because Hull was always going to drop a little bit deeper. But they were still finding out what works for them. I don't think it's time to panic. I think Belieber sorts that out. But I think that the bigger question is how are they going to fit Mainoo into this squad? So you've got Santos, who wants to play a little bit deeper, but I would say he's more at eight. You've got Telemans, you've got Mainoo who's a six and an eight. But there's not someone who just wants to sit there. Belieber's got good energy, but he's not the most disciplined. So I think Carrick's got to sort that out as soon as possible. But the first game of the season, especially how last season ended, you want to go and win that game.

• 9:17Speaker 02

  Yes, it was always going to be tough because it's a promoted side, but you expected a little bit more from Man United.

• 9:22Speaker 01

  I wonder, you know, I wonder Hull went in with five at the back, wing-backs. And I just wonder whether they saw Milan do that against them in the friendly. I just wonder whether teams would look at that and think how they struggled. And if other teams felt as if they could go in, play in the same system against Man United. Because they couldn't work it out. I mean, as players, you're looking for someone to take responsibility and shove and shift people around. And there was none of that from Man United. And I just wonder whether teams would think of going in with three or five at the back against them. Because they really, really struggled.

• 9:59Speaker 02

  It's not just the midfield where I thought they struggled, I thought up front. Playing Cunha, sort of, he was sort of like a false nine and going wherever he wanted. So every time the ball went up there and he was looking for someone to bounce the ball, he wasn't there. And yes, he's played up front, he's played on the left. But when he was his best at Wolves, he sort of had a free role to do what he wanted to do. And every time United went on that attack, they just didn't have an option to bounce it. Which I'm going to have to look at that, maybe, maybe Sesko needs to start going forward.

• 10:32Speaker 00

  Yeah, I thought that in the first half as well. And in fact, quite a few players had really poor games as well, didn't they? Dogu and Dumbuma weren't very good and Cunha couldn't get in the game. So, and obviously they couldn't cope with that three at the back. Looking at Hull there, would you say, having seen last season, of course, two of the promoted sides stay up? Does that give sides like that, I think it's a massive boost, isn't it?

• 10:57Speaker 02

  We've got to be careful what we say here, because we've been on a few fans' accounts, mate, at the end of the season saying, oh, look at these three twerps, you know what I mean? Don't know what I'm talking about. How are we supposed to predict what's going to happen after 38 games? All we can look at is what we see with our eyes, we get all the data, we get all the stats and we come to a conclusion.

• 11:18Speaker 00

  And we'll be wrong.

• 11:20Speaker 02

  And we will be wrong. And sometimes we get it wrong. So Brentford, if you could, please stop posting us. You know, I've got it wrong a couple of times. That's what we do. We have to make an opinion. We get our opinions wrong sometimes. But with Hull.

• 11:33Speaker 01

  Have you changed your opinion about after the weekend, what you've seen? Are you going to have a knee jerk reaction? You're going to say, yeah.

• 11:41Speaker 00

  Well, let me just say, chaps, our Friday episode this week will be our dreaded predictions episode for the season. So we're holding ourselves back for a week before we sit here and completely humiliate ourselves. So, because there's always one or two you get wrong, and that's football, because football is largely fairly unpredictable. We wouldn't want it any other way. It's just not an easy thing to judge. But at least the fact that last season, two of the promoted clubs stayed up, I think that does give the sides like Hull a little bit of glimmer of hope, I would say.

• 12:18Speaker 01

  Well, I think it was Ipswich. I think it was 11 games in until they won their first game the last time they were in the Premier League a couple of years ago. So for them to win their very first game at home, you can imagine the belief it gives Ipswich and Hull and all their fans and what I, because the vast majority of people would have had those three to go down.

• 12:39Speaker 02

  Don't you think, I've got a little theory. You know promoted clubs?

• 12:42Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 12:42Speaker 02

  I think they should all start their games at home. Because Coventry had to go away.

• 12:48Speaker 00

  To Arsenal.

• 12:49Speaker 02

  To Arsenal. It's like, if you're a player coming up from the Championship and you've got to go to the champions straight away.

• 12:56Speaker 00

  The only thing I would say on that though, Micah, following a World Cup, you would think that if you've got to go there, which you have to do at some point in the season, going there on the first day probably is an advantage because you've got World Cup players not quite fit. It didn't work, obviously, for Coventry. And I thought Arsenal, it takes us on to that game nicely, actually, because, I mean, I've got a feeling we might all tip Arsenal to win the league on Friday. I'm not going to ask you your opinions now, because we'll save it for that one. But when you look at it, some of the additions they've made as well. We were talking last night, Harry and myself, Mike, and I wanted to get your view on this, that he did look like he'd taken the shackles off. The two full backs

• 13:40Speaker 00

  played really high, and I thought that was a massive advantage for Saka. Overall, it was kind of the performance that you'd go, mm, they're going to take some beating this season.

• 13:50Speaker 02

  It was a Community Shield, wasn't it? Where I was thinking, ooh.

• 13:53Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 13:54Speaker 02

  You know when you're predicting at the start of the season, and especially when we played, Community Shield is more, it's just like a pre-season game, but you're sort of feeling people out. And they blew Man City away. I would give Man City an excuse in terms of a lot of their players are coming back a little bit later than Arsenal. Of course you would.

• 14:12Speaker 01

  That would give them a, what are you giving them a fucking excuse for? Why would you do that?

• 14:15Speaker 02

  I'm just talking, I'm just talking facts.

• 14:18Speaker 01

  All right, okay.

• 14:18Speaker 02

  You know what I mean? I'm just talking facts.

• 14:19Speaker 01

  All right.

• 14:20Speaker 02

  You're bold, I have hair, you know?

• 14:23Speaker 01

  They're not going to stop your salary, don't worry. I'll give Man City a little excuse.

• 14:28Speaker 02

  And I thought, ooh, is it just a fitness issue? And then against Coventry, you're exactly right, Gaz. They played, Ben White, though. We have to give Ben White a little bit of credit. When Timber came into the side, I was thinking, there was no way back. Yes, he got injured, but he was brilliant. Calafiore is excellent, as always. And that is the Arsenal I think a lot of people expected to see. And they can play with that swagger now because of one, the Premier League. It feels like all the pressure's off now. They're being judged as the champions. And a lot of people will say, oh, well, the hardest thing is to retain it. But the football that they're playing, Odegaard at the moment, after the

• 15:10Speaker 02

  World Cup, he was outstanding in the World Cup, and now he's took that in that first game of the season. Yeah, in terms of predictions, I don't want to give my predictions now, but they are cooking.

• 15:21Speaker 01

  The pressure and the stress that they were under last year, for them to get over the line and the relief of that, and what they'll take from that going into this season now, yeah, they're the team to beat, there's no doubt.

• 15:34Speaker 02

  Just a word on, I thought Zolis played really well, coming into a new team, a new league. He's always going to be difficult. But Miles Lewis, Skellyman, he was rumored to be leaving. Not a chance should Arsenal even be considering that. He could play left back, he could play midfield, he could play attacking midfield. He's got everything, that lad. He's amazing.

• 15:58Speaker 01

  What about the brilliant finish Havertz as well, man? Where he just slotted it in, guided it in, he made it look so easy. I mean, that was a tough finish.

• 16:06Speaker 00

  If Havertz stays fit, you know, and obviously, we've constantly gone on about the number nine situation for Arsenal. I think if Havertz stays fit, which he's not necessarily done in the last season or two, I think that could, I mean, he's different kind of nine. He's not incredibly quick or anything. But he's got a feel for getting in the right place in the box. He's technically very gifted with a real run in that position. I think that could be possibly Arsenal's answer, and the fact they might not need to go into the transfer market again.

• 16:44Speaker 01

  I think in the bigger games, there's no doubt, I think Arteta prefers him. But I think you saw what Yokeres brought to that team last season, in terms of the goals that he scored, the games that he played in. So as in every position, they've got options. There's no doubt about it. They're a brilliant team.

• 17:05Speaker 02

  I would actually go for a striker if I was for Arsenal.

• 17:09Speaker 01

  If they did, then that's it done, by the way. I mean, you can imagine.

• 17:12Speaker 02

  Because there's a situation that's happening with Alvarez, Atletico Madrid. I don't know if you've seen last night, he was booed. There's rumours that he wasn't acting in the right manner and wanted to go to Barcelona. Are Atletico Madrid going to sell him to Barcelona? It might be one for Arsenal to just sneak in there and offer a bid. And if he's not going to be happy, come off the bench and it got jeered by the fans. So I know it can turn around in football. But if they had someone like Alvarez, and the only, the only reason I say that, Gaz, is because I think Havertz can play off the right too. And sometimes with Saka needed rest. I know they've got Waneri, and I know they've got Dalgman as well. But I see them as more number tens. So Havertz has played

• 17:56Speaker 02

  off that right and done it really well before. So I'd be, if I was Arsenal now, they've got a chance to really push on. And if they could get someone like Alvarez, it would take them to the next level.

• 18:07Speaker 01

  You just wonder that though, don't you? I think you make a good point is that if, because of the pushing that Barcelona have done, and the reluctance from Atletico to say, no, if we have to sell, we're not selling to you. So there just may be an opportunity, a small opportunity or a small window there for Arsenal to nab him, you would think, because they would, I guess there's so much unrest with Barcelona because of what they've tried to do during the summer.

• 18:37Speaker 00

  Does look like he's going to go somewhere though, particularly given the way he walked off at the end of the game for Atletico. And there'll be plenty of clubs would like Alvarez, because he's, as we know from when he's Man City days as well, he was terrific. Next game for Arsenal is Villa, who obviously got thumped and they're in turmoil, which we'll come to in just a second. And then if you've got City, Chelsea, Liverpool, and to a certain degree Manchester United, all really in transition, particularly with managers, Arsenal are in a great place, Al, great place.

• 19:12Speaker 01

  Yeah, they've built themselves up into a hugely positive situation. As you say, when everyone else is changing and pretty much starting to go again, Arsenal are there, they're ready. It's taken them a while to get there and they've built that themselves. So you've got to give them great credit for sticking with Arteta, as they did. It all worked for them last season. And clearly, everyone, all their challenges are looking at them, knowing that they're the favourites, they're in the best position to go and do it again, and even challenging in Europe again. So they've got an unbelievable opportunity for the next one, two, three, four years to go, boof, to really stamp their authority.

• 19:57Speaker 00

  I always find it interesting, it said, you said it earlier, Micah, the hardest thing is to retain it rather than win the first one. No, the hardest thing is to win the first one.

• 20:07Speaker 02

  Well, that's what I thought. And it wasn't, oh, can you retain it? The hardest thing.

• 20:10Speaker 00

  Do you know what? It's one of those stupid expressions in football. I mean, obviously it's difficult to retain it, but that winning it after so long is definitely the more difficult of the two. It's like that other one when they say, 2-0 is the worst lead to have. Two goal lead is the worst. No, it's not. Because if you're 1-0 up, they only need one to equal. It's like, who makes this shit up?

• 20:32Speaker 02

  Well, can you get the historians on the other pod to actually see if there's something in terms of the psychology of it?

• 20:38Speaker 00

  There's a psychology, if you concede when you're 2-0 up, that you don't want to concede again. But it's not as bad as the psychology of only being one up.

• 20:45Speaker 01

  It was the hardest thing for us at Blackburn to go and retain it. We finished sixth, I think.

• 20:53Speaker 00

  Manchester City, talking about teams that win titles, they've won a lot, obviously a big change at the top and lots of changes in terms of where players are playing, Micah. What did you make of all that?

• 21:04Speaker 02

  He did well. He did well for a centre midfield, I'm talking about Gaye here, I'm just talking about Gaye. So for those who don't know, Gaye played centre midfield. And he did well for a defender playing in midfield. But he didn't do well for midfielders standards that you would set in a game. So if Gaye, you would think, if he's going to play in midfield, you think he would just sit in front of, you know, Foden or when Sherky came on or Anderson. But when Anderson was on the ball, Gaye was getting to areas like a number 10. So every time Man City lost the ball, they had no one there to protect

• 21:45Speaker 02

  the back line. I was losing my mind. I was watching the game thinking, guys, surely that's not the tactic in this game. And I know Man City always have a lot of the ball, we know that. And I thought, oh, it's very clever here from Maresca. Is he using Gaye as a decoy to make runs so people have to follow him, would leave space for Anderson or Foden to get on the ball in the middle of the pitch. But that wasn't the case. He was the one getting forward. And in the second half, I will say he grew into the game, he did a few overlaps and it was a good performance because then he scored from a set piece. But in terms of Man City going forward, you've gone from Rodri and Bernardo Silva to then

• 22:27Speaker 02

  see Gaye in midfield. Oh, he is capable. He's got great feet, right foot, left foot, he's composed on the ball. But in terms of them moving forward, I don't want to see Gaye in midfield. He's a top class centre half. Put him at the back.

• 22:43Speaker 01

  Well, they just about to sign Bouadi, aren't they? So I guess he'll be in that position, him and Anderson.

• 22:50Speaker 00

  Yeah, Bouadi, that's a big sign. It's a lot of money for a young player, north of £100 million. But he did look, really did look like a terrific, very exciting prospect.

• 23:04Speaker 01

  I did that first game in the World Cup and he was outstanding. Then he stood out, he stood out against whoever he was in the midfield against, the way he was going to get the ball and collect the ball and had the belief and the confidence already. And there was no doubt, I think I even said it during commentary, it's just a matter of time before a big boy comes up and snaps him up. And they have done. So I think he'll do really well.

• 23:28Speaker 02

  I wonder in what direction Man City want to go.

• 23:31Speaker 00

  In what sense, Micah? What football sense or overall as a club?

• 23:34Speaker 02

  Just in the overall picture, in terms of, you've gone from really experienced players, and I know players need to move on. You know, I was sad to see Kevin De Bruyne go. I feel as though he could have done one more year. And then Bernardo Silva, he left when he was, what, 30, turning 31. And he still had, you know, so much to give for Manchester City. And then Rodri, Rodri goes.

• 23:59Speaker 00

  They're players that wanted to leave though, Micah, not necessarily.

• 24:02Speaker 02

  Yeah, but, but, yes. And Man City are very good in that way. If you don't want to stay, you know, they're open to leave. They will never stop a player from, but I just feel as though Rodri is so pivotal in what Man City want to do and how they want to play. I think going into the first game without a replacement per se, it was a little bit of a risk because you know how tight the Premier League's become now. You could lose three on four games and you're out the title race, you know, because everyone's so competitive. And to go with 18-year-old Bouadi in midfield, yes, he's got so much

• 24:44Speaker 02

  ability. But it is a risk for him to come into Man City to then expect them to go win the league with another midfielder who's come from Nottingham Forest, where obviously it's different, where a team who was fighting for Conference League and a team that's going for the Premier League. He's got the ability. I'm Anderson's biggest fan. But the difference with those players, Rodri had a calmness and he had so much discipline. And we talked through the World Cup with Anderson, he's got everything. He can hold if he wants, he can attack. But he, he sort of always wants to jump, then leaves gaps. And what's made

• 25:25Speaker 02

  Man City so brilliant is they've always, or Rodri's always in the right position and they've always got an option. So I just feel like it's a different looking Man City. If you look at Man City squad 18 months ago, we'd say Man City's got the best, not even squad, our best 11. But now if you're looking on paper, maybe they might just have the best 11. But Arsenal would be competing with that now. And for them to go from, yeah, Man City will win the league, to, oh, now they're bringing in 18-year-olds and a new midfield. And yes, you have to move on. But I feel like there's been too much change too soon. And that could effectively cost them for the league this season.

• 26:09Speaker 00

  Well, Anderson came off with a niggling as well. I do like Bouadi, but I understand what you're saying in terms, because he does look like he's got that sort of calmness in there as well. But very, very inexperienced at this level. And to be honest, at the beginning of this season, I just think whoever's in charge of Manchester City, it's going to be so hard. You know, like following Wenger at Arsenal, like following Ferguson after all those years at Manchester United. It's like, his DNA's all over that club, Pep Guardiola. And then someone comes in. Do you know what? It was so important. They turned that around against Bournemouth. I thought Bournemouth did really well and absolutely gutted probably

• 26:51Speaker 00

  to not at least get a point. But that turnaround, I think, was so big for Maresca. Otherwise, they go into the next game having lost the Community Shield. I know it's not the biggest game in the world. But then to lose an opening game at home and automatically, not just the fans, but the players come in and they're going, it's a bit different, it's not Pep Guardiola. Even if it's subconscious, that sort of stuff would have inevitably happened after Wenger, would inevitably have happened after Fergie. So I think, I mean, I think it's the job to have at Manchester City is probably the job after the one after Pep Guardiola. But, I mean, Maresca's obviously a talented coach, but it'll be really fascinating

• 27:35Speaker 00

  to see if he can keep it. We saw, obviously, after Klopp, they went on to win the league and then it gradually dipped away. So let's see how he goes. Wish him well with it, but big boots to fill. Let's take a little breather and discuss some of the other big games that we've had over the opening weekend of the season, including, of course, Alan, that heartbreaking, but at the same time, encouraging performance from Newcastle. Newcastle.

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• 29:53Speaker 00

  Welcome back to The Rest Is Football with Alan Shearer, Micah Richards and me, Gary Lineker. I want to put the next two games together. So Brentford beating Spurs by three goals to nil and Villa losing at Brighton by four goals to nil. And I look at Villa and they've sold a lot of players and it's similar circumstances perhaps to Newcastle. We can also-

• 30:19Speaker 01

  When shall we have the rant?

• 30:21Speaker 00

  I think you can go with your rant now Alan, but I'm just gonna say Spurs bought in a few players and obviously they didn't all play. But they were really poor. So terrible starts for Villa and Spurs. But for Villa, you've got to feel some kind of sympathy. I think the reaction by Unai Emery when he just went, silence.

• 30:45Speaker 00

  I think said a lot. Sometimes silence does say a lot. And the PSR rules, are we now just protecting the elite? Because Man City continue to spend. I know they sell players. Chelsea continue to spend. I know they sell players. Liverpool continue to spend. But clubs like Newcastle that get new money. And let's say Aston Villa have been successful, relatively speaking. Is it fair, Alan?

• 31:15Speaker 01

  No, it's not. It's Andy-

• 31:17Speaker 02

  Before you go Al though, just for context, who decides the PSR rules? Is that all the clubs or not? How did they come into play? Because that's the only thing I actually don't understand.

• 31:30Speaker 00

  I imagine it's with the Premier League, it has to be voted for by 14 clubs and that would have been the case back in the day.

• 31:36Speaker 02

  So really, before you go on your rant, and I'm totally with you by the way, it's decided by 14 clubs. So the clubs did want it to start with. It's like essentially like VAR. Oh, we need to sort this out, we need to sort it out. We've got it and we don't like it.

• 31:52Speaker 00

  I think it was brought in for the right reasons because obviously we've seen clubs overspend, get themselves in massive trouble. End up in danger of hitting the wall. So I think they brought it in for the right reasons. But I think now it's not necessarily used for the right. If you've got a club that is actually completely financially viable. Yet they've got massive restraints. Now, I don't love and never have loved clubs owned by states, for example.

• 32:24Speaker 00

  But that train left the station a long time ago.

• 32:27Speaker 01

  It's anti-competitive. It has to be. I mean, come on, look at the two clubs that have threatened to challenge over the last four, five years. Both Newcastle and Aston Villa. Look at what's happened to them. Not only this season, last season when Newcastle had to sell, I don't know, Elliot Anderson, for example. And you can go so far, you can maybe have a sustained challenge for three or four years as what happened. Threatened to break into that, into the top six, if you like, and upset the top six. But then after the three or four years, you then have to comply with the, I mean, how is it fair that Aston Villa?

• 33:09Speaker 01

  Look at this summer, just so I'm not using Newcastle as an example, or easily could. Look what they're selling. I mean, they've sold Konzer. They sold Tielemans, sold Morgan Rogers. I mean, it's like-

• 33:22Speaker 00

  Looks like Ollie Watkins is maybe going to Saudi.

• 33:24Speaker 01

  It's like, come on, they're their best players and have been for a number of years. And yet Newcastle. You've got to sell Bruno Guimarães. You're selling them to the top clubs. You know, I mean, you bring these clubs in and you take a gamble on paying a fee for them. Okay, you're getting very, very good fees back. But they're just to come in and taking all your best players and say. You've had a little look into the big house and then all of a sudden get back to where you belong, into your position. There's no way we're allowing you to come in and challenge us. And yeah, you're right. I do agree that the rules were brought in for the right reasons.

• 34:00Speaker 01

  But Man City wouldn't be at the table, given the current circumstances. Chelsea wouldn't be at the table, given the current circumstances or current laws, would they? These clubs have benefited from where Villa want to go and where Newcastle want to go. The rules were brought in to stop clubs going bankrupt. I get that and understand that. But when you've got clubs who are financially viable and who can, I guess, put a levy that they'll say, if we decide to leave. Then that lump sum is there for the football club in three or five years. And I just think, nah, I don't like it at all. I do think it's anti-competitive.

• 34:38Speaker 02

  It's a pathetic rule though anyway. And that's why I asked at the start, who agreed to going into it? Yes, you've explained the reasons why, to protect clubs. You don't want to see clubs going bankrupt. But take Man United, for example. They generate the most revenue. So they can spend the most on players. So it's not fair. It's ridiculous anyway. I don't understand why people would sign up to that.

• 35:02Speaker 01

  These clubs can make as many mistakes as they want. I mean, look at the signings that Man United have made over the last five or six years. How many bad signings? The money they've chucked away. And they're hundreds of millions, maybe billions in debt. I know they're the biggest club in the world. I know, I understand all that. Look at Tottenham. Look at the mistakes that they've made. And I know that they sell and they do whatever, but it's just not right that these clubs can make so many errors. Yet Newcastle have to, their recruitment has to be amazing. And Newcastle's has up until last summer. And that's where they've done really, really well in their recruitment. Aston Villa have done exactly the same and got a brilliant coach.

• 35:46Speaker 01

  These clubs can't afford to make mistakes in the transfer market, yet the so-called big six can make as many mistakes as they want. They'll say, okay, fine. And we'll just go again. We'll just go and spend another 100 million and we'll buy one of your players.

• 36:00Speaker 00

  Totally agree with you, Alan. I think it's got to the stage now where

• 36:05Speaker 00

  clubs can't compete with the top six. And that's not right.

• 36:09Speaker 01

  Well, it's a super league in its own right, isn't it?

• 36:11Speaker 00

  It is exactly that, in a sense. All the other teams now, as soon as you have one amazing season.

• 36:19Speaker 00

  Then you can challenge for a year or two and then you've got it offload. It just doesn't really make too much sense in that aspect. And while we're on this particular subject, we should go on to another one that, I don't, was there a VAR intervention at all over the weekend? I think, obviously a couple of offsides, but we get that. That's automated. That's fine.

• 36:44Speaker 01

  Refreshing, wasn't it?

• 36:45Speaker 00

  Oh my word, they weren't getting involved. And I know they've come out and said that's what they're gonna do. It won't last, I hasten to add. Because after three or four weeks, people complain, well, that he should have had a penalty. And then that bar is really, really high at the moment. Just fucking keep it there, right? Because I know for a fact, within a month, that will change. Because this has been stated at the start of every season.

• 37:12Speaker 01

  As much as I wanted it to come in and change the decision at Newcastle yesterday with that penalty, it wasn't enough to overturn it. It was soft, but the ref gave it. So I accept that. And I just hope that, as you say, I really hope it continues. Because it was refreshing over the weekend from Friday till Sunday night to see the referees referee in the game and no huge controversies. So yeah, let's hope it stays that way.

• 37:39Speaker 00

  It's funny, a little bit proof that football's probably better without VAR.

• 37:43Speaker 01

  But you know, back to Aston Villa. I mean, Brighton were brilliant, the press and everything else, the bits that I saw. I mean, the Ollie Watkins situation, I don't know whether you guys will tell me something different. But it looks, it sounds as if he didn't want to play, if you believe Unai Emery, because he wanted that. He wants that move to Saudi Arabia. On top of all the players that they've had to sell. I mean, unbelievable. No one would have predicted what would have happened yesterday there at Brighton, would they?

• 38:15Speaker 00

  You could see that. You could see that coming. Interesting though, we talk about while we're on the PSR thing. The two results that Brentford beaten Spurs and Brighton beaten Villa. They are two examples of, you know. The way they run it with the data systems and all that stuff. They do seem to be very, very well-run football clubs in that sense. And get the best out of what they can with their particular budget, even though they're probably restricted. But obviously with clubs like Brighton and Brentford, you can never see them actually realistically being giants of the game.

• 38:53Speaker 02

  I would like to know how the clubs feel about that. So if you didn't have PSR and you didn't have that protection in place. Would the bigger clubs just spend even more?

• 39:03Speaker 01

  It's SCR now, isn't it? Squad cost ratio, I think that's what it's-

• 39:09Speaker 02

  But would they spend even more, the bigger clubs, Al? You know, because we're saying that they don't want to let, because I agree with what you're saying. But I think, would Brentford and Brighton still do it the same way? Probably.

• 39:23Speaker 01

  Yeah, I'm sure they would. Yeah. Because that model works for them as a football club and it's worked really, really well.

• 39:28Speaker 00

  Economically, it works. Because obviously they're relatively small in terms of the capacities of the ground. And they have to be sensible and manage their finances well.

• 39:38Speaker 01

  Look at the money that Brighton have brought in in terms of for their recruitment and how they've done it and how they do it. And Brentford, I mean, look at. I know it's very early. I know it's only his first game. But the signing of, was it Sangare, isn't it? Mamadou Sangare. 39 million quid they've got him for. They've nicked him. I mean, it's like- Brilliant for Brentford and he was absolutely superb and he was, he was last season, wasn't he as well? But for them to sign him and the way he destroyed the Spurs midfield at the weekend was so impressive. So they have to get it right, but their, their model has worked for them superbly well.

• 40:16Speaker 02

  But why are the bigger clubs not using that mo- model as well then? Sure, surely they, they must have, because you know, you think Man City and United and Chelsea, Liverpool, they must have some sort of model like that as well though, right?

• 40:30Speaker 01

  Of course they do. They've all got these, yeah, they've all got the stats and everything else that they go, that they go with it, but.

• 40:35Speaker 00

  They'll have all that, won't they?

• 40:36Speaker 01

  There's a unique system. There's as unique, isn't it? Brighton and Brentford and I think Hearts as well now, I think because Brighton owner bought Hearts as well, didn't he?

• 40:45Speaker 00

  I think clubs like that can do that, but if you're, if you're doing that at Manchester United, fans are going to go. I'm, you need big names. It's like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, Arsenal, all these, the fans want big names, players that they, they recognise and know. But I don't see why it couldn't work with, with, with the big, I'm sure they do a lot of that now. I'm sure all the clubs do.

• 41:09Speaker 01

  By the way, how good were Brentford against Tottenham?

• 41:12Speaker 00

  Phew, so good, weren't they? Blitz them.

• 41:15Speaker 01

  They did. They abs- they embarrassed Spurs actually. They hit, they just hit them as if to say, we're just coming after you, their energy. They, not only was it their pressing and everything else, the way they played, they, they just, they just got the balance and the mix right. Played football and very good football at the time. They went direct when they had to go direct. They got their pressing right. They looked fit. They looked strong. It was like men against boys, Brentford against Spurs at the weekend.

• 41:42Speaker 00

  Keith Andrews is, I mean, he came in, didn't he? Following Thomas Frank at the start of last season. And I think, you know, most, most pundits had possibly Brentford to struggle or go down. And as we all know, all the Brentford fans have had, they say, I'm quite right too.

• 41:57Speaker 02

  It was Sunderland as well.

• 41:59Speaker 00

  Sunderland, well Sunderland as well.

• 42:01Speaker 02

  Last season.

• 42:02Speaker 00

  Well, I think Alan's on it every day, anyway.

• 42:05Speaker 01

  What about Spurs though, lads?

• 42:07Speaker 00

  Oh, don't, don't.

• 42:09Speaker 01

  I mean, they spent an absolute fortune, haven't they? I know, I know they've sold as, as well, but they've paid a lot of money for, for players. And they're about to get Savino as well for a lot of money. They're paying a lot of money out.

• 42:21Speaker 02

  Yeah, but I, I think that was just one of them games where a lot of new players, they've not gelled yet. You can't tell me Tanali's not going to be a good signing. You can't tell me Sinessi's not going to be good. Van Hecke, yeah, didn't have the greatest game, but these, these players are, are, are good players. I think they need something more.

• 42:41Speaker 01

  Need a forward. They need a, they definitely need a top centre forward. They've got Richarlison.

• 42:45Speaker 00

  Well, they've got Savino, Marmoosh, Marmoosh looks like going as well, so. And I know he didn't get too much of a look in at Manchester City, but did show up on, on occasions. And it's difficult for him there because obviously they have Haaland and no one's ever getting ahead of Haaland unless he's injured. So I think they've got good additions coming in. We expect to see a lot better because I think Deserby's a really good coach. But it was, it was a shocking start to the season.

• 43:14Speaker 02

  But don't you think all their players are the same though? So you would say Tell's like a, a forward. You would say Richarlison's a forward, but not quite a number nine. Then Savino's obviously a winger. Marmoosh is a forward, but not really a number nine. They've only really got Solanke. Don't you think all the players are, are very similar in, in the, in the spaces they want to operate? I feel like they need a proper, Solanke, yes, he's been injured. I think he needs some help up there. I, I, I feel like they need another proper number nine.

• 43:47Speaker 01

  Good luck. There's not many of them around. How many, how many we're going to, clubs we're going to see that about having a proper number, number nine?

• 43:53Speaker 00

  We're a dying breed, Alan. We're a dying breed. Right, here we go, Al. What was it like at St James's yesterday? Actually, let's start on St James's part with that amazing, amazing display by the fans and the football club towards obviously Kevin Keegan. And that Kevin, we lost, didn't we? After the World Cup, so we haven't had the chance to talk about that. You know, one of the true greats of, of football in this, this country, a wonderful human being. I met him a few times. I know you were very close to him and obviously you played for him. I mean, he was a very, very special man, great energy, incredibly likeable and, and, and a wonderful talent.

• 44:36Speaker 00

  And he got a send off yesterday and it was so lovely that it was Newcastle against Liverpool, wasn't it? As well, and both sets of fans joined in. I, it was really quite emotional.

• 44:46Speaker 01

  Yeah, it was so sad because after, after the World Cup final and then waking up on the, on the Monday morning to that, to that news was like, wow. God, goodness me, it just, it's, I think it hit everyone so hard.

• 45:00Speaker 01

  But I thought yesterday, I mean, Liverpool fans and the Newcastle fans came together, gave him a great send off. I mean, the atmosphere was, it was so emotional, just listening to the fans singing and what war flags did for around the ground. And how they set it up was, was, was amazing. And Newcastle and Liverpool did really, really well in terms of that. Everyone came together and it was beforehand, it was, it's so weird how it worked out, isn't it? Newcastle v Liverpool, first game of the season.

• 45:31Speaker 00

  I know.

• 45:33Speaker 01

  And it was a brilliant game. I mean, it was a, it was probably the result that I guess he, he might have wanted, or he probably would have edged Newcastle. But it was a great game of football.

• 45:43Speaker 00

  What was he like to play for?

• 45:44Speaker 01

  He was, he was brilliant. He was just one of these, well, I played for him for Newcastle only for six months, obviously signed for him. And then I, I played with him when he was the England manager. And he just, he was just infectious. He was just, he's one of these guys that gave you so much energy. And he just wanted you to go out and play. He wanted you to say, to go and entertain. And that's what he wanted. He would much prefer to try and win a game four, three or three, two than sit and have a point or take a point. He was, yeah, that's, that was his attitude. He wore his heart on his sleeve. He was, he was down to earth. He was as honest as they, as they come.

• 46:26Speaker 01

  And he was, he was just so infectious. His, his personality, his enthusiasm for life and for football was, was second to none. So it was so sad, but it was the, the send off that both clubs gave him yesterday was brilliant.

• 46:39Speaker 00

  Do you know what I wish on these things? I know it can't happen. When, when someone goes with the status of, of Kevin Keegan. I just wish he'd had given him one more day so he could have seen that.

• 46:53Speaker 01

  I think in, in Newcastle's defence, Gary, I think they've, they've tried to do that for, for a while. But whether it was Kevin not wanting to come back for whatever reason, I'm not, I'm not quite sure. I think he was due to come very early in, in this season. I, I know that. But they have tried to give him something beforehand and for whatever reason he couldn't, he didn't, whether he didn't want to come or he couldn't make it or what. I know there was a bit of animosity with the previous owner, but they, they, they did try and do something for him beforehand.

• 47:24Speaker 00

  I didn't mean it as a criticism of Newcastle. I just, I just meant if, if life just gave, if life just gave you one more day.

• 47:32Speaker 01

  Yeah, yeah.

• 47:32Speaker 00

  For him to have witnessed the love and affection from, from everyone, it would have, would have been.

• 47:37Speaker 01

  He would have, he would have loved the match yesterday. He would have, I mean, Micah, you were there, saw you. I was trying to text him, you were just ignoring me. But he was, he would have loved the match because it was a great game, great atmosphere, wasn't it, Micah?

• 47:51Speaker 02

  Oh, it was amazing. And you know who I met? One of your mates, Aspiller.

• 47:57Speaker 01

  Oh yeah, crazy. I had a drink with him at half time.

• 48:00Speaker 02

  He's a cool guy, isn't he? And his little hat on and his little glasses. But yeah, the atmosphere was brilliant. You know, when Isak touched a ball, I don't think I've heard boos that loud in my, in my whole life and I'm not exaggerating. I've been to the Parc de Prance where that was tasty. I've been to Madrid, the Manchester Derby's always tasty. But I've never heard boos like that in my, in my life.

• 48:31Speaker 00

  You'd have heard even bigger ones if he'd have had the balls to take the penalty.

• 48:35Speaker 01

  I was thinking, I was thinking, come on, go and take the penalty. What have you got? Go and grab the ball and take the penalty, Isak.

• 48:44Speaker 00

  And I, I think that was the right decision from Liverpool not to give it in because that pressure would have been enormous. I was thinking, surely not, surely not going to take it.

• 48:54Speaker 01

  I wanted him to go and take it. I was thinking, come on, you've been absolutely bad. Let's, let's see what you've got. Go and, go and grab the ball and take the penalty.

• 49:02Speaker 00

  I bet as soon as you sitting in the stand and I saw Sir Bojla taking it, you thought, oh no, he's going to score.

• 49:06Speaker 01

  What a penalty it was, by the way.

• 49:08Speaker 00

  He nearly got to it as well. I mean.

• 49:10Speaker 01

  Top beam, there was no way the keeper would stop and that was a, it was, I was actually, I was, I'll take that every single week from Newcastle. I really, I'll take the effort. I'll take the commitment, the passion, the honesty. Because let's not forget by the way, you know, there's, as much as we're getting angry about Newcastle selling those, those players that Newcastle sold. Didn't have the best season last season. Newcastle finished 12th. So Gordon didn't have a good season. Tanali didn't have a good season. Bruno Guimaraes, yes, he was, he was the captain, wasn't brilliant last season.

• 49:44Speaker 01

  So all those players that we've sold and got brilliant money for, there had to be a reset at Newcastle. There had to be. And I think at times, as much as positive as it was yesterday, I still think we're going to have to have patience this season with, with Newcastle.

• 49:58Speaker 00

  When have you ever had patience?

• 50:00Speaker 01

  Well, I know that's, that's the thing, but I'll, I'll take that. What they gave us yesterday.

• 50:04Speaker 00

  I'll tell you what they gave us yesterday, Alan. I love, I love what Newcastle did yesterday. This is obviously taking the game, the modern game and taking it even further forward. They wore a kit yesterday that was a QR code, right? So I, no, I've, no, I've talked to the people at Newcastle and they said, what they're going to do is, once they settle into this new kit, is in September onwards. People can go onto the QR code and decide who they should substitute.

• 50:36Speaker 01

  Come on.

• 50:37Speaker 00

  But an encouraging start, Alan. And a line on Liverpool, Micah?

• 50:43Speaker 02

  Yeah, just quickly on Newcastle, the manager, I think it's how he put it, Jesler?

• 50:48Speaker 01

  Jaisler?

• 50:49Speaker 02

  Jaisler, Jesler. I've heard Jesler and I've heard Jaisler.

• 50:52Speaker 00

  Jaisler, isn't it?

• 50:53Speaker 01

  Jaisler.

• 50:54Speaker 00

  We're probably all Mars off it, yeah.

• 50:55Speaker 02

  He's impressive, by the way. We interviewed him after the game and he's got a confidence which is not arrogance, but he's got a belief and he's bought into what the project is at Newcastle. He didn't moan about the players that he'd lost. He sort of talked about the young players who, he was stirring Miley in midfield. A lot of managers would have come out afterwards and said, oh, you know, well, with what we had and this is all we could do. He didn't. He was just positive, by the way. I thought, dead itch at right back, who come in.

• 51:32Speaker 01

  How good's Miley?

• 51:34Speaker 02

  Miley was really good.

• 51:35Speaker 00

  Wissa. Lovely footballer.

• 51:36Speaker 02

  I thought Wissa going from the number 10 then to the number nine in the game. All the sort of worries from last season now seem to have, oh, seemed to be behind him. Obviously, he played well at the World Cup. You had Alanga, who scored the goal.

• 51:53Speaker 00

  God, he's quick, isn't he?

• 51:54Speaker 02

  He's right, he's absolutely rapid. So there was loads of positives for Newcastle, but he was realistic in his approach and what he was saying, which was very refreshing. A line on Liverpool.

• 52:09Speaker 01

  Not very good.

• 52:10Speaker 02

  In terms of the stats, they're actually very good. But I don't buy into them stats. I think their XG was something like 2.7 something. And I think they had like 60% possession in the game. But they don't have the balance right in midfield yet to be a title challenging team. I think they've got some very good players. Verts needs to do a little bit more.

• 52:38Speaker 01

  A little bit more?

• 52:39Speaker 02

  Yeah, well, he needs to do it a lot more.

• 52:41Speaker 01

  Exactly.

• 52:41Speaker 02

  It's his first game of the season, you know, let's judge him after 10 games. But I want to see more from Verts this season. So Bosley is a top player in terms of what Liverpool want. Gravenberch is also a very good player, but they're not filling in for each other. They're all going at the same time, so they need to sort that out. Maybe they need to look at another midfielder. Xhaka, the defender, I like him, but I didn't think he played too well. It looked like the first game in the Premier League, still young. I want a little bit more from Frimpong. Obviously, Leverkusen is playing wingback, but when he used to go forward, he used to be devastating. Now, when he goes forward, it looks like he's sort of second guessing himself a little bit.

• 53:26Speaker 00

  Is there anything in this that, I mean, when players come from the Bundesliga to the Premier League, there's so few of them actually excel.

• 53:33Speaker 02

  Yeah, but I thought because of his pace, he would fit right in the Premier League, you know? He's very fit and he's got that pace, so I thought it'd be perfect for him. But obviously, I've talked about it before on the pod, playing right back and playing wingback is different. He's actually more suited to wingback. He can take people up and he can be a little higher up the pitch and get into areas where he wants to be. I don't know if he's trying to cover too much ground to get into the positions he needs to to get that assist or get a goal, but he can do a lot more. Kirkheas is a shadow of a player that it was at Bournemouth. I feel like all these players have got good names on paper, but you want a lot more from all of them.

• 54:16Speaker 00

  Yeah, it'll be interesting to see if Iriola can bring out the best in all of them, particularly Kirkheas, as he knows him obviously very well from his Bournemouth days. Okay, let's call it a day there. We're off and running, lads.

• 54:28Speaker 01

  We're back. It's mighty good to be back, isn't it?

• 54:31Speaker 00

  It's great to be back.

• 54:32Speaker 01

  Michael, if you had answered your phone yesterday, I wanted to take you out for dinner last night in Newcastle.

• 54:36Speaker 02

  Oh, yeah, that old chestnut, mate.

• 54:38Speaker 01

  Well, if you answer your phone or answer your text messages, stop being fucking rude.

• 54:42Speaker 02

  Well, in a 60,000 stadium where there's no reception, brilliant. You know, you could have texted me two hours before, oh, do you fancy going for dinner after the game?

• 54:51Speaker 01

  Chappas replies to his texts, I was texting him during and after the game and he said, I can't, you, you should have told me how to get you the wifi code.

• 55:01Speaker 00

  All the QR code.

• 55:02Speaker 01

  All the QR code.

• 55:04Speaker 00

  Gents, thank you very much. We'll be back on Wednesday with a question and answer episode. But for now, goodbye from me.

• 55:12Speaker 02

  Goodbye from me.

• 55:13Speaker 01

  Goodbye from me. Have a great week.

• 55:16Speaker 00

  It's Netflix, baby.