Do Do Do…..come on and do the Congo

What did you think then ? 

England win 2-1

Mexico next !! 

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SPEAKER_00 0:01

Come on, come on, come on, the common go.

SPEAKER_01 0:07

And Harry Maguire sitting there with Cole Palmer, Jack Grealish, and Kyle Walker all on one comedy sofa going, Oh, do you know what? We should have been there.

SPEAKER_00 0:16

I've genuinely thought about what they were thinking yesterday, watching the first half. They must be thinking, Why am I not in that squad?

SPEAKER_01 0:26

Right, so uh a few observations. I'm glad we're doing it at 10 o'clock on what is it, Thursday morning, as opposed to last night. You were in the pub, I was sitting there um having a few beers. So I think I've calmed down a little bit, right? That this is this is what I've got so far. And listening and reading other bits, people have different opinions, but right, my two things are that may have been the worst England performance I've seen since we got knocked out by Iceland. And secondly, I think Harry Kane might be the best England striker of all time.

SPEAKER_00 0:56

I don't think it was the worst we've ever played. I think it was a ridiculously frustrating first half. Like, I mean, their keeper seemed to get on the end of everything.

SPEAKER_01 1:06

Everything.

SPEAKER_00 1:08

I am on the side of the camp where I think it was definitely a penalty.

SPEAKER_01 1:13

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 1:13

Um, although I I can listen, I I could see the argument both ways. I always look at it like this. I'm a City fan, and if we were playing against Liverpool and Liverpool got a penalty for that, I wouldn't be moaning about it for days and days after saying that was no way a penalty. He got a little shove, so he's obviously falling over anyway, and then obviously make a meal of of the contact. But there was contact, it was in the box, and it should have been a penalty. And thankfully, we're not it's not the only thing we're going on about now because the second half was a lot better.

SPEAKER_01 1:46

Yeah, I mean, look, I thought it was a penalty as well, and I'm not just saying that from but but there again was it Consa in one of the early games, which was a penalty, which um so people say you get some, you don't get some or whatever. In the Premier League, if you're watching Brighton versus Bournemouth, it's a penalty all day long, and I don't care about either teams. I'm watching it as a neutral, it's a penalty all day long. Um, but the referee gestures towards Kane straight away saying it's a dive. So if it's a dive, yellow card. And then we watched it back and watched it back, and I'm going, you know, and and certain people are saying no, it's not, and people are going that's a stone wall penalty. So it's one way or the other. If it's a blatant dive, it's a yellow card. If it's not, it's a penalty. Now, you know, he grabbed it. Look, let's be honest, that goalkeeper had the performance of his life. He used to play for PSG2. And in is he in um is it Le Havre in uh in France or whatever now? He's he's he's not young, but he had a world it also. You know, always we always talk about um because I'm a Man United fan, you're a City fan. When United players leave, they always shine. Wan Basaka was one that is not really shone, let's be honest. However, he turns up yesterday and I thought Wambasaka and also uh Vissa as well, who was um either injured or no good at Newcastle last season, were phenomenal.

SPEAKER_00 3:02

They had some real spirit in that first half, but uh it was just very frustrating, and you're kind of thinking, are we gonna go out? At one point, I genuinely thought our World Cup was gonna come to an end against Congo. You mentioned about Pickford as well. He shouldn't have conceded that goal, should he?

SPEAKER_01 3:18

No, near post. I mean, that you know, you speak to any goalkeeper, but you'll know that the most. I'm a big Pickford fan. Um, I have been all the time because he's got a little bit about him. This World Cup, he's seemed a little bit not frightened because he's not that sort of character. There's some not right there. I don't know if he's looking at his the players in front of him, and we mentioned that we've got to be able to do it. We've changed every single game. Yeah, yeah. So we we've said this when Pickford's got his back four there or back three, he trusts them and they've got an understanding. When we're messing around and changing the back four again, I thought John Stones would have played. Um I think it gets to his head because you know he's all about his head, isn't he? I think I had uh Brad Friedel say that he shouldn't be letting one in the near post.

SPEAKER_00 4:02

I do have sympathy for for him because of that, to be honest with you. As you've just said, we mentioned this, uh we've mentioned it a few times, but yeah, you can't keep changing your back four. I know obviously injuries haven't helped. I know we've got a real, real problem at right back. I mean, at the end of the game, uh Declan Rice was playing right back. It's it's just I mean, you know, maybe maybe that's the answer. Maybe that then opens up uh a little bit more of an attacking threat if we were to play maybe Mainu uh next to um Anderson. But I I I don't I don't think he's gonna do it. I mean I I don't even think he's he's got a look in Mainu, to be honest with you. Morgan Rogers looks like the obvious one if Rice was to play right back, but then you're taking out one of your best midfielders and putting him in the right back position, it baffles me that there's no cover for right back. Absolutely amazes me, honestly. It's crazy.

SPEAKER_01 4:54

Well, we talk about this every week and say, look, we can't talk about players that aren't there, and whether you love him, hate him, whatever. Um, is this not set up for Trent Alexander Arnold? Especially that second half to be popping them balls into the box to Bellingham and Kane and A, uh a defender. We got through it, it wasn't pleasurable watching.

SPEAKER_00 5:14

Um the second half, second half was enjoyable. Yeah, it was good.

SPEAKER_01 5:18

It it was it was better. Um and when he went to one-one, I thought, okay, we'll take extra time, we'll probably break him down. Because look, no disrespect, but it is Congo, right? And their goalkeeper at an absolute worldie. You know, any other day was scoring seven, eight, nine. Um, so you know, props to him as the as the kids would say. But we start with uh Madweke and we start with Rashford. I don't know where I sit with this because he switches it in the second half, so brings Saka on.

SPEAKER_00 5:47

Eze and Gordon. Yeah, those three changes made a huge difference. But the first double substitution was on the 60th minute, and it was yet, like you say, Gordon and Saka, just changing both wingers.

SPEAKER_01 5:58

I think I think I like it because you can start now with either two of those. You mix up four of them because they can both play either side, can't they? If they you know don't make any difference. And it's I think it is um balls in the bag, and you move them around. This is what they do at the changing room, put the balls in the bag, switch them around. Saka, you're on the right today. Um, and Gordon, you're on the left. Or hang on, yeah. Gordon, you're on the right, and we've got uh Madweke down the left, whatever it is. So I do like that because it's you know the old school fresh legs. Bellingham, again, I do like that little bit he's got in him. He's he's got that little bit of bastard about him, hasn't he? And again, picks up the yellow card. And on commentary, they said, you know, he weren't pulling out of that, he knew what he was doing. It's a bit Rooney-esque, innit? A bit sort of it's the frustration. I like that in a player, as long as it's contained.

SPEAKER_00 6:43

Yeah, no, I I completely agree. And then also up front, Harry Kane, as you right at the start of the podcast, the first point you made, and I again I completely agree, he's got to be England's greatest ever player, uh, greatest ever striker, anyway. Definitely 100%. He's just unreal. Uh, the goal, I mean, the first one, a great header. Uh, and then obviously, what a finish for that second goal. And and we're all of us are thinking, hey up, pubs staying open a bit longer, we're we're going into extra time. It's every man's dream.

SPEAKER_01 7:16

There were chances, there were chances in that in that game, right? So if Vista would have scored the the second goal, which came off the post, we're 2-0 down, and I think we'd have gone. The other side, you know, we had so many chances. Um, Aaron Wambasaka off the line. Um, we keep going back to the goalkeeper who had a worldie. It was really frustrating. We got there, and then I think it was it, 95 minutes, 94 minutes, yeah. And there was that free kick, and I'm going, this goes in, doesn't it? This this goes this goes in, doesn't it? And it wasn't far away.

SPEAKER_00 7:45

This is why now I don't think it was the worst game we've played uh in a while. It was another frustrating game. I am still unconvinced. I just feel that against a better team, I mean, I think we're gonna struggle against Mexico. Let's move on to that. It's gonna be a ridiculous atmosphere. 1am. It's uh shit for the kids to stay up and watch. But did you hear Tuchel at the end? He came on, he basically said, Come on, schools, let him let them give them the day off. Like, come on, it's how it happens once every four years. Uh, and I kind of agree with him. Like, I genuinely feel like when England are playing, give kids the day off. Uh I mean, I'm sure if it was the final, they they probably would do uh a World Cup final, surely. It's gonna be early hours of Monday morning, there's no huge individuals in their team, but they are a great team. People go on about Anfield and the 12th man and all that. The atmosphere in Mexico is gonna be absolutely insane. Can I be honest with you?

SPEAKER_01 8:49

Right, and and and many people have done this over and over and over. They talk about the altitude, they talk about the heat, they talk about the 12th man and the record in that stadium. Mexico are pretty shit outside of Mexico. If you look at Ral Jimenez, who Man United were looking at 10 years ago, um, you know, then he had his biggest head injury. He's scored two so far. He's just gone back to Wolves, who've just been relegated, right? Yeah. And you go through that team, I think Mexico will go out the traps like greyhounds at Crayford Park. This is it. They are they're gonna fly out of there and they keep going and going and going, and our heads are spinning. If they do not score in the first 15 minutes, I think we'll doom as many as we want. If Mexico score in the first 15 minutes, we are toast.

SPEAKER_00 9:33

They scored two goals in the first half an hour against Ecuador, who were one of your tips, by the way, to get into the quarter.

SPEAKER_01 9:40

They're defensively brilliant.

SPEAKER_00 9:41

It's yelling for them in this World Cup. They might they've not come across any huge teams yet, but they won the group and they've just knocked out Ecuador.

SPEAKER_01 9:49

So my two dark horses, Japan and Ecuador, see you in a bit. Uh another another bad badge, the dust. Yeah. Do you know what? Last last night, because I I've been having such a bad run of luck generally with everything at the minute. Uh I've lost my job. Bloody happens. My car blew up yesterday, and then I was like, should I back Congo an enhanced price of 11 to 1? And I'm thinking, and if I back them, then they'll lose anyway in England or win, so I'll be happy either way. And then when Congo scored, I'm like, I've not backed him and they're gonna win. So you're Thomas Tuchel, you're going in there now. I'd love to know what Harry Kane said. Um, you saw him doing the whole circle thing, a bit like uh your man at Hull back in the day, what's he called? Bill Brown. And he was he was saying something.

SPEAKER_00 10:28

That was that was at City on the pitch at City. He kept them on the pitch, didn't he?

SPEAKER_01 10:32

Uh, instead of taking him in for half time and did his did his uh team talk that ridiculous thing he used to wear in his ear as well, like it, like an old taxi driver. I mean, what a knobhead.

SPEAKER_00 10:43

I used to like him.

SPEAKER_01 10:45

I saw him at Pontyfrat races and um I said to him, and he's he's like darker than dark, right? He's mahogany. And um I love I used to love a sunbed back in the day. And I went, so what's this then? He went, I've never been on a sunbed in my life, Jules. But yeah. Jules. Jules. What a top man. Uh from knob head to top man. Um so you're you Harry Kane's doing his little um Rara speech afterwards. He's not a swearer, is he, Harry Kane? Um he'd be going around there, you know, yeah. Obviously, you know, we've got the points in the bag, and it's well, it's knockout, it's not points in the bag, is it? Oh, so we got obviously it's you know it's enjoy it. Do you think Harry Kane is uh a quality captain? Do you like your best player being the captain? Because I mean, Jude Bellingham is shoeing for like the captain for the next 10-15 years, isn't he?

SPEAKER_00 11:32

Again, I'm gonna go back to when we first started the pod. One of the reasons that I was pretty excited about England's chances in this World Cup is because I felt like from Pickford to obviously when we had Stones in that first game playing, and then you move up to Declam Rice, then you got Bellingham, then in front of them you've got Harry Kane. So we've got captains throughout the backbone of the team. Now, unfortunately, I don't know whether it's due to injury or game management, but he's obviously taken John Stones out of there. I honestly believe that really good squads now don't have an individual. I think your job as the captain is a lot different than it used to be years ago, but I do feel like he's got absolute respect of the nation, absolute respect of every single man in that squad. And you know, players past and present absolutely idolise Harry Harry Kane. He could be the Ballon d'Or winner this year, and probably should be the Ballon d'Or winner. I think I think it all probably does uh have an effect on how well England do in this tournament. But um for me, I think he's a great captain. I think when we need him, he's always there. Uh his record goal scoring is just insane. Some people, it puts a lot of uh a bit of a they carry it like a burden, don't they, with the uh the captain's arm button. And I think he carries it with pride. I think he's a great England captain.

SPEAKER_01 12:51

Well, he's shooting for um Sir Harry Kane because you know he's gonna break every record that's uh that's known to man. I mean, like Neil, who's a Tottenham fan, uh, when Harry Kane was coming through there, he went, I don't get it. I don't get it. I mean it's a talent. I don't get it. This is a Spurs fan, you know, and it turned out to be a record breaker. The Mexico game, the bookies can't split it. It's two to one Mexico, two to one the draw, six to four for England to win. So it's a decent price in England if you fancy to win. If they score first, it's it's gonna be really difficult. It's really difficult. So I think do we be cagey? These these boys are a slight upgrade, they've got a 12th man, they're in their their own um city. What do you do? Or do you just go and break off, lads? We've got a brilliant midfield, a brilliant striker. Let's do some open football here.

SPEAKER_00 13:37

I just can't help but think that um I I I I he's never gonna admit it, is he too cool? But I feel like he's he's really messed up with his defensive selection in this World Cup. Forward wise, I think we've got so many options, and everyone's gonna have an opinion on who he should have brought and what have you. But in defence, he's he he's really cocked up. It's that consistency, as we just said, of a back four. I just I I really feel that they were very vulnerable at the back. That's my worry. I think this is why he continues to play Rice and Anderson, and a lot of people are saying it's very defensive, but I think we need that to be able to cover for our back four. So, you know, it's it's having a knock-on effect throughout the whole team. These goalkeepers that are having absolute wordies against us, it could be a six, it could be, it could be a daft number like that because we're creating chances, and uh it could all click, and we could end up having a you know, getting really deep into this tournament.

SPEAKER_01 14:31

I have no problem with the um the top half of the field, like you say, it's it's the defence for me, and that's that's causing Jordan Pickford uh issues where he's normally your guy who you know he shouts, he's got anger issues in the past and all of that, which again I really like, but he's looking in front and going, like, who am I playing with tonight? You know, it's like me turning up for a game of puzzle with you now, and and you've brought you've brought two random fellas with you, and I've brought you know a couple of lasses with me, and we're like, all right, okay, you meet her, and you you know, it's it's it's it's it's difficult, right? Um overnight I went to bed when Garner were 2-0 up against Belgium. He'd just taken off um Docu, who looked devastated to come off, and Kevin De Bruyne came off at the same time. Uh, and I went, Oh shit, I thought Belgium would do this. I woke up this morning 3-2.

SPEAKER_00 15:16

Absolutely insane end to a game, that I mean they were 2-0 down, uh, to first of all to get it to two all. But again, you see them fighting between each other. Like, I mean a do you see that on the pitch? Uh you don't like to see it, but also it didn't boil over, and it resulted in the two of them linking up and scoring the equaliser. And it's like this is what you want to see. Like you said there about Pickford and uh and about Bellingham, you want to see some real fight and passion. And I think this could change things for Belgium. I mean, I I don't even know who they've got next, but I do feel it, you know, when you when you get a victory like that right at the death, that can really galvanize you and make you, you know, uh make such a difference in a tournament situation.

SPEAKER_01 16:00

One of the things that I always loved, and I don't think I've seen it since. You might have seen it in South America or or or wherever, Africa or something. But wasn't it um Lee Boyet and Kieran Dyer at uh Newcastle? But if they'd have linked up and scored a goal afterwards, you know, you don't you don't get that anymore, right? No. Um so Mexico, next score prediction.

SPEAKER_00 16:20

None of their team gets into our team. No, I don't think, right? So surely that means it's an England win. However, they're one of the home nations, uh, it's it's in Mexico. I honestly believe that this just uh does add to it. Like you mentioned on the last podcast about like the atmosphere when the boxing is on in Mexico and and how the Mexicans are. They're very, very passionate nation.

SPEAKER_01 16:44

Score a prediction, Nigel.

SPEAKER_00 16:46

Okay, I think it could be 3-1 England. It's all gonna click, and we're gonna I'm I'm gonna stay positive. 3-1 England in in the early hours of Monday morning. What are you what are you saying?

SPEAKER_01 16:58

I'm going draw full time and then England nick it.

unknown 17:02

Right.

SPEAKER_01 17:02

And I think we I think we nick it really close to penalties. I can see Tuchel with his little iPad on the side, working out who's gonna take the penalties, and then it'll be some magic from a Rashford or a Kane or a Bellingham, and it'll be nervy, but yeah, I'm taking England win, but the draw in full time.

SPEAKER_00 17:20

Right. So if you do stay up for the football and it goes all the way to penalties, people are gonna be walking the dog past them locals early in the morning that get up, you know, and and just thinking, what the hell's going on in that pub? It's gonna be absolutely insane, innit? What a night.

SPEAKER_01 17:34

The good thing is, Nigge, that me and you don't actually have a I'll say a proper job. We don't really have a job anymore. We are we are kept men by the missus. So, you know, you do your ASDA shop in the morning, take the kids to school, do whatever, do this thing, have you cleaned the bath, you know, all of that sort of stuff. So I've got no problem about staying up. Normally I'll be going to work at four o'clock in the morning, but I'll stay up with a few cans. I want to talk about a couple of things very quickly before we go because normally we are this is the season podcast where a Nigel's a city fan, I'm a United fan, all goes tits. So it's just been confirmed now at 10 o'clock in the morning that uh Mateas Fernandez has uh completed his medical and signed now for Tottenham Hot Spur. Tonali's having his medical as well. There are two of Man United's uh targets uh that have now gone to Spurs and Elliot Anderson, of course, has gone to U Lot. So there's three of our targets that I thought that was going to be our midfield for uh for the next couple of seasons.

SPEAKER_00 18:27

It's crazy, mate. It's what what is going on at your club? Why are they not getting the cash out? Why they're not getting these deals done? What is going on? Honestly, if I was a red, where I'm so glad I'm not, I'd be absolutely devastated, frustrated, it'd be it would be ruining my World Cup just seeing all this transfer news because it's nuts, it's it's almost like they've just given them the summer off and they forgot that they need to actually be recruiting and getting some players in.

SPEAKER_01 18:56

Well, Jim Radcliffe won't pay the amount of money that these clubs are you know wanting. So, for example, Bruno uh Tanali worth. Yeah, and you and you look, um, and you and if his market value is 90 million or whatever it is, that is the market value. My mum and dad bought a house in what, 1988 for 28 grand or whatever, and it's probably worth about 450,500 now. That's the market value. He can't come along and go, I'll give you 28 grand for it. Well, that was like what 40 years ago or whatever. I don't think he understands the market value. And I think he's been bitten so far by Hoyland and Anthony paying 90 million quid for Anthony. And Ajax going, he's our best player, but sorry, did he say 19 on 90 million? 90 million for Anthony. Hoyland, unproven in the Premier League. We are looking at all these players that are proven in the Premier League, hence why Elliot Anderson is a great player. Is he worth 115, 130 million? Probably not, but that's market value if you don't want him to go to you know Liverpool or Chelsea or wherever. Uh Mateus Fernandez just been relegated with West Ham, but he's a phenomenal player and he's done it in the Premier League. We will go for a random from you know, we'd never learn buying these unproven Dutch players who are ripping it up in the early division, and then we'd bring them over here for 60 million, and they're absolute dog shit.

SPEAKER_00 20:14

Honestly, it's it's laughable, mate. I've just got an image in my head of Jim Rackliffe on the bus, going down to London, going, it's fine, I've got this, guys, I've got this. And then when he gets there, he goes, Right, will you do it cheaper for cash? Do you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_01 20:29

We won't put it through the books. We all had the two and the Norwich scarves, the Newton Heath ones of Love Man United, but the Glazers. Now, this lad's come in and well, oh yeah, he's a he's a proper fan, he's a you know, English fellow, he's a brilliant businessman, he's gonna do all of this. The Glazers are going now, and he's he's come in and he's sacked all the dinner ladies, he's sacked everybody, he's he's now got us uh you know the Champions League or whatever, and he's gone, uh right, Michael Carrick, you're not, you know, you're not you're not a top top draw manager. We'll keep you, so you'll be cheaper. Um and that, you know, that massive transfer bonus I had for for you, the 300 millionaire. Well, actually, um, can I just give you 20?

SPEAKER_00 21:06

It's crazy that Tottenham Hotspur, who nearly got relegated, right? Nearly got relegated, could now, um, because they've not got European football could now finish above you in the league. And it's a crazy, crazy thing to say. The transfer window's got weeks yet. The best players are being snapped up, and it they're probably arguing over the difference of about 10-15 million, these clubs.

SPEAKER_01 21:31

Well, this whole Tottenham Hotspur thing, if they'd have gone down, that's them dead for 10 years, isn't it, with the stadium and everything. But because they stayed up and they got the Premier League money, they've got all the concerts, uh, the uh arguably the best stadium in the world, they've got all of this, and now they can spend the dough, and they are going out and spending their dough. And you said it's a bit like Man United last year, and I said we'd finish top four. I think well, I think I'd in second, and what we finished third. Yeah, and you laughed at me, Joel. You're so deluded. This is a Spurs next season, they've got one game a week, and when you're pulling in Tanali and Fernandez, and you go, hang on, they're part of this journey. We haven't got Champions League this season, but we will get it next season. There's a 25% bonus, and join us on the journey.

SPEAKER_00 22:17

Join us, like no, and don't forget as well, let's stay on this because I've enjoyed hearing your frustration over United, but you've got a lot of players that are going to be leaving this summer as well. A hell of a lot of players you need not you don't just need two or three signings, you need about eight at United to be able to because you have got Champions League football, you need a squad that can now go from playing once every seven days, as you've just said, to playing two, three times a week. Do you know what I mean? It's crazy.

SPEAKER_01 22:48

And I'm all those fans that go, Well, look, we need the eight new players now and we need them now. I I realise you've got to do that over three, four, five transfer windows. But it's not cover for Luke Shaw, it's a replacement for Luke Shaw. It's not cover for Diego Dallo, it's a replacement for Diego Dallo. Has Bruno not even signed a new deal yet? What if what if he goes and yeah, we got 100 million from Saudi or something, you know, the best player in the Premier League last season? And you go, right, who are we getting then? So we've got Edison, who you know, he's alright. And then what we're looking at, Baliba or something. So we end up paying over the odds for the and you just go in, what's it called? Chamania, who was Casemiro's replacement at Giamadred, and you just I'm going through these things and going, oh, it's it's so obvious what you need. Right. I'm I'm gonna park this now, Nigel, because I am gonna start swearing and start kicking off. But if you love this sort of shit and you're a SETI fan, you'll love it. If I'm not turning into your man from the United Stand, Mark Goldbridge, but sometimes I do understand what he's talking about when he's going, This is ridiculous.

SPEAKER_00 23:48

Right. Well, listen, England are obviously playing on Monday, early hours, 1 a.m. kickoff. Uh, we'll do an episode straight after that, 100%. Hopefully, we'll be celebrating another England victory.