We got us a semi

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England in the last 4 

Argentina next !! 

Mad but true - Messi has NEVER played against England 

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SPEAKER_01 0:00

Welcome back to this is the World Cup season. A season that could have come to an end last night. Um do you wanna Do you wanna go, Nig, um, from back to front? Okay. I watched back the highlights this morning, so I watched the game. But by the time we got to extra time, um I was a little merry, I'll be honest with you. A little merry. Yes. Uh and I didn't watch the interviews until this morning. So it's all been, you know, like the gutter press have all turned it around with like Thomas Tuchel and Jude Bellingham don't like each other and whatever. I watched about the interview this morning when Gabriel Clark just grabbed Thomas Tuchel. Look, it wasn't the best performance. We need to do more, was not happy with it. Mentality, mentality, mentality. And then mentioned that Jude Bellingham was world class again. They got Jude Bellingham before he did his media training, you know, from the you know, the girl with the headset on who comes out and says, just say this. Thomas Tuchel wasn't happy with the performance and whatever, and it's like you didn't see what it was like out there, whatever. I love that little bit of needle. They've not been away in the dressing room for 40 minutes, been told what to say, and come out and do the yeah, no, obviously it's great to uh, you know, all that shit. Yeah, what's your thoughts?

SPEAKER_00 1:03

Hey, we've got a semi-on at your age. Exactly. Bloody hell, without a blue pill. I thought they were doing that with the altitude in Mexico. But no, we really have got a semi-on now, a semi against Argentina. But I find it quite uh refreshing to uh Tuco come out and talk the way he did, because a lot of the time it's just all positivity, positivity, and sometimes absolute bollocks. You need someone sometimes to say it how it is, and I would like to think that the squad of players we've got are mature enough to take criticism. I think they realise as well when they watch it back if they didn't already realise that it definitely wasn't our best performance. Um, there were things we could have done a lot better. Uh it was sloppy in parts, but importantly, we got the job done. Jude Bellingham is a hundred percent world class. Yeah, he turns up all the time for England. I can't believe there were conversations at the start of this uh where everyone was questioning whether he was a starter for uh for Thomas Tuchel. He made some great substitutions, they worked, they were effective. As we saw for the last goal, Morgan Rogers' shot, obviously, uh the keeper could have and should have done better, but Jude Bellingham was in the right place at the right time. I think Norway will probably be disappointed. Um I think they were every bit as good as England, if I'm honest. Importantly, though, we got the 2-1 win and we're through to the semi-final against Argentina, and it's going to be some game. Eight o'clock Wednesday night. The sun is shining in Manchester. I can't wait.

SPEAKER_01 2:37

Right, let's start from the start, and we go with um it was a it's a pretty slow start, let's be honest. A really slow start. But up until the hydration break, we were we were in command and we're just toying with Norway. Hydration break comes and something happened. Um I've noticed that with this drinks break, uh, advertisement break, whatever you want to call it, something has happened so many times in games throughout this um World Cup where the momentum has changed.

SPEAKER_00 3:04

Yeah, sometimes in the Premier League, if your team is absolutely on fire, you don't want that half-time whistle to go because you know that half-time can change everything. And equally, sometimes you're just having a shocker of a half and you can't wait for that half-time whistle to go so that you can come out and and turn things round. And now we've got this obviously uh not just once again, but a few times a game with these uh uh hydration breaks.

SPEAKER_01 3:28

We've got a lot of positives and a couple of negatives, and Madweki, I personally think he's so quick, he looks great, there's no end products, and I count him five, six, seven in a row where it was either a cross or he lost the ball, but he is super quick. You as a city fan will probably hate this, but a bit Sean Wright Phillips.

SPEAKER_00 3:48

I'd say instead of Sean Wright Phillips, I'd say a bit Jeremy Docu of a couple of seasons ago because you know he again he's full of tricks, he's I mean, Docu's obviously a level above him, but he just didn't have any end product, and it doesn't matter how much pace you've got, you've got to have end product. I've been a little bit unconvinced. There was a game a couple of games ago where he came on as a substitute and completely changed the game. So he's had his moments in this World Cup, and I think more that you know, the further we go on into the tournament, and it's amazing that we got now to the semi-final, the strength that we've got in depth as a squad is fantastic. Saka, he's obviously just not been fit. I think yesterday you could tell Declan Rice, I think it was a Tommy Borker or whatever, but he you could tell he wasn't fully fit, but uh, we got the job done, and it is easy to criticise. I'm delighted with the way the tournament's going. I'm really, really warm into Thomas Tuchel, mainly because unlike um what's he called? Waistcoat uh Southcoat. Waistcoat. Yeah, unlike waistcoat, he makes the substitutions at the right time, and they've been really effective throughout the tournament. I'll tell you something. We we we almost said, what's the point in Dan Byrne being there? And I think he's completely showed us why he's there. He's rock solid at the back. I thought he's been, you know, in the cameos he's had, he's been brilliant. Do you know what? I've criticized Jed Spence a bit. I thought he completely changed the game when he came on last night. And it seems to me that these substitutions are having a proper impact on our games.

SPEAKER_01 5:17

I agree with Jed Spence as well. I mean, he was one of those ones that I wouldn't uh you look at the list and you go, Jed Jed Spence. No call Pond, but Jed Spence. Uh, been really impressed. And it doesn't matter who you watch the football with, everybody always asks what that what is that mask thing he's wearing. And you know, he's broke his chin or his jaw or whatever it is. But did you see him when he um missed that opportunity and he pulled it right down? It absolutely twatted him in the face.

SPEAKER_00 5:39

When you hold a catapult and don't hold it right, it flicks back on yourself. It's that it's that kind of thing, wasn't it?

SPEAKER_01 5:44

Haaland as well um was limping towards the end, and it's not he didn't look right because that's his game, isn't it? And and we we know what that get what that game is. He won't touch the ball for 74 minutes and then score three. So we know what his game is, but when he came off, he got the biggest evasion. It was England fans going, Yes, he's coming off.

SPEAKER_00 6:06

Let's look at some of the uh moments during the game as well, because obviously they scored a goal. Was it a cross? Was it a shot? What do you think?

SPEAKER_01 6:14

It was like that Brazil game back in the day, you know, where Seaman was in goal. I did a tele show with Seaman years ago. He said to me, Look, that I was told afterwards it was a cross. And even Lee Dixon, who was doing the commentary with uh Sam Metaface on ITV, um, he was like, God, you're telling me he he was aiming for top bins there. I'm sorry, he's the best footballer in the world. It was a cross, it was lucky, and we've done this before and we've woken up a little bit. So only four or five minutes later, we could have gone two down.

SPEAKER_00 6:43

If they'd have squared the ball to Haaland, it was a tap in for Haaland. I think he was absolutely fuming that he didn't. Um thankfully he didn't, and it was a wasted opportunity from from Norway to really punish us and go two up, and that would have been a difficult task.

SPEAKER_01 6:56

It's that lad Sirlot, isn't it? He's number seven or he is a striker, but he was forbidden forced to play on the wing so that um Haaland could play up front and he was there, and I think he was not when people say rush your blood to the head, I don't think it was. I think it was a case of hang on, I'm getting some headlines here. There's more than one striker here. And when Haaland turned around and you know it was fuming fuming. Absol because that would have been 2-0.

SPEAKER_00 7:20

When he went off as well when they brought Oscar Bob on, he is a proper threat. Now I know he was at City for a while, so I've seen Oscar Bob play over many seasons, and it's been frustrating because he's had a fair few injuries, but there's a real player there. Now, I think he'll be fantastic for Fulham next year. I thought he was brilliant against Brazil as well. He was more Brazilian than some of the Brazilian players. He's he's a real talent. Uh, Norway are definitely not a one-man team. But then there was uh obviously some great work uh from obviously Jude Bellingham. He absolutely bossed it, it was a great finish. And then you've got the incident where Anderson is pushed uh by Haaland. Um there's a push in the box, and there's a hello, see you in a bit. He's a warrior, in he, Harland, so you don't want to be pushed by him, but obviously that was then rightfully disallowed. Uh, then of course, we've got the uh the obviously we've got the winner, uh, which was again the substitution that we mentioned. He brought Morgan Rogers on. He had a uh you know, he had space on the edge of the box. I thought it was a great shot. Uh the keeper parried it, and uh Jude was in the right place to finish it off. And then there was an opportunity where I'm still honestly on very much on the side that that penalty should have been a penalty. He's obviously played for it, he's within his rights to kind of um you know try and just just block the the defender from getting uh to the ball, and then there is contact and he comes down. I was very surprised that that wasn't given as a penalty. You've got to use your strength, you've got to try and keep control of the ball, and I think that's what he's done because the the you know the the defenders obviously going for the ball as well, he's kind of it's like a bit of a shoulder badge where he's holding him back, um, and then there's contact and he goes down. So even after watching it, although I obviously I had had a few beers, I just think it was a penalty.

SPEAKER_01 9:09

I thought I knew all the rules of football, and occasionally they get slightly changed, but some of these rules that were coming in about how the uh VAR couldn't overturn a corner or something like this, but they could do it the other way, and then the old school rules compared to the new school rules, and I tell you I hate, and I've never met her, is the voice of doom. Is it Christine or Christina, the American lass who comes on? And she's actually right, give her a do.

SPEAKER_00 9:31

She's always spot on. Obviously, everyone gets a bit passionate, and uh just because you're talking a lot of nonsense, but the problem is uh definitely a lot of sense in what she's saying.

SPEAKER_01 9:41

Yeah, yeah. Uh if you if you look at then, so um the players are allowed, what is it, three days off to go and do whatever they want to do and everything. Now this game's only three days away, recording this Sunday afternoon into the evening. Is it now straight into intense training? We've done the three days off thing and that didn't work for him. So is it gonna think so?

SPEAKER_00 10:00

I think I think it has to be against Argentina who are there. I I think they're there for the taking, to be honest with you. One thing I want to mention Deg quickly before we move on to the Argentina game. We had three players on on a yellow card there. There was no yellow cards. Uh, if they literally would have been banned for the Argentina game for the semi-final. I know they changed the rules after the Gaza incident where he ended up uh just being absolutely heartbroken because he was going to miss the final, had England got to the final. Now that can't happen, but you could still miss the semi. And uh very well managed. The the three players that that were on yellows, that was a real blessing for us to go into that semi-final with a with a full squad, other than obviously the injuries that we know about uh to contend with. Another thing that was very positive, he came on in the 71st minute, Reese James. He looked like he was okay. As far as I saw uh during the game, he didn't look like he'd pulled anything or was having any any any nasty uh effects of that injury that he's had for the last few games. So that's a real positive moving into the Argentina game. And I honestly think, although all we're doing at this point is obviously thinking about the attacking players, and rightfully so, because that's what the game's all about, I do think that it's defence where this game is going to be won for England if he is fit to start. We have got a much better defence than Argentina, and I honestly believe that they've got a weak defence, and that's why we can win this semi-final.

SPEAKER_01 11:24

I am gonna look at Reese James, and I love Reese James, and Jamie Doo, I think he's a phenomenal player, and I love him at United. And uh, you probably love him at City as well. It's just the injury thing, isn't it? They stopping him at him and probably Luke Shaw. Just when they get a little bit of rhythm, I think Reese James was brilliant, like you say, when he came on at 70 whatever minutes. I thought he was he was great.

SPEAKER_00 11:44

I think this is the reason why he didn't take Luke Shaw. I don't think you could take, you had to take one or the other. You can't take two, a right back and a left back that are very injury prone. And I also believe that the reason why he's taken Reese James is because when he's fit, I believe he is England's best right back. I think that he's an absolute worldie. I don't think anyone comes close when he's fit. However, uh, in the left back position, we're blessed to have obviously Jed Spence's natural position is to play there. But Nico O'Reilly has had the season of all seasons for Man City, and he's not let us down, has he so far? He's been he's been an absolute rock solid performer uh for us so far in the World Cup. So I think that's the reason why you went with Reese James.

SPEAKER_01 12:25

Let's move on then to the Argentina game. We won't go through everything, it's just it was on the early hours of the morning, and fair play if you stayed up and watched it or you watched the seven minutes highlights, and fair play to ITV, who've been putting all the highlights on um YouTube as well, in a lovely little seven-minute version. It's it has been great for the games that you're not that asked about. There were so many players that I could have given Man of the Match to in the uh Argentina game. I actually watched the whole game back this morning.

SPEAKER_00 12:48

Argentina were I thought they were you know they were gorgeous, like, but it went to extra time. Switzerland had a man sent off on the 70, like seven around about 70 minute mark, right? So that's a long time to play against Argentina, but they still found it very hard for the remainder of that, you know, the last what we on there, 20, 70, uh, 30 minutes with uh 10 men, and uh Argentina couldn't break them down. I think we can beat Argentina if you look at their last few games. I know they then it's never over till the end with them, and I know that sounds ridiculous because that's just it, but I I just think they're they're there to be to be to be beaten. And I think would you a good win against Argentina? And I think that this is the time. If you look, they were they were lucky against Egypt, they could have easily gone out there, the other than that fight till the end that they've got that real spirit in camp. That game against Switzerland, they weren't convincing. And then who did they play before that? It was the oh, it was the the underdogs of the tournament, wasn't it? Uh what they came uh Cape Verde, and that again was it was a cracking game. I think England is stronger than all those three teams that I've just mentioned, definitely stronger than Switzerland. I think we're stronger than Egypt, and definitely stronger than Cape Verde. So I think we can cause Argentina real problems. I hope that the manager's chat afterwards, where he's actually picking out a few problems, a bit of sloppiness, and you know, we weren't quick enough to this, that, and the other. I think they'll work on that between now and Wednesday, and I think we're in for a hell of a game.

SPEAKER_01 14:19

McAllister, who's had his critics um last season, he was really good last night. Enzo Fernandez, we know what you can do. Messi, well, you know, there's nothing else to say. And of course, uh Ulian Alvarez, who uh who you once had who you got rid of.

SPEAKER_00 14:33

He's an incredible player, Alvarez. I mean his finish, his finish was amazing, wasn't it? Brilliant, brilliant player. Absolutely outstanding player. Uh the keeper as well, Martinez. He's one of those, one of those keepers, one of those players that if he's in your team, you love him. If you're playing against him, everyone is.

SPEAKER_01 14:53

If it goes to penalties, this is the one in it where he's doing the he's doing the old uh legs and all that stuff.

SPEAKER_00 14:59

Exactly, exactly. But honestly, I mean, what's your prediction then for the Argentina game?

SPEAKER_01 15:03

I think it'll go to extra time, and I think we'll just lick it. I'll I'll be really honest. I could see us taking a lead like we did with uh Mexico. It may be a Pickford thing because he's not and I hate to slag Pickford off because I've I've been a fan of him and and you you you do let him off occasionally, but he's he's not been 100% Pickford this well, it probably has been 100% Pickford, he's not been like absolute world class this this tournament. I think there will be a couple of mistakes and Argentina keep on going. I I will go that we'll go one or two nil up. I think we'll get it back to 2-2 or something around that. I think we'll get an extra time, and I think we will nick it. If not, it will go to penalties, and then it's your toss of the coin, innit?

SPEAKER_00 15:46

I I understand what you're saying, and you're almost making me change my mind on this, but I'm gonna go with my gut of what I thought, and I think that uh different to the other games we've had where it's been the second half show, I think we're gonna go 2-0 up in the first half, and I think we the second half's gonna be a dull nil-nil, and I think it's gonna be 2-0 England, but I just think that with the tactical changes that Tuca will make and the defensive options we've got on the bench, whereas Egypt went 2-0 up and they just haven't got that strength in depth at the back, they're not able to just uh you know defend like England can, and I think we'll get an early lead, I think they'll make it 2-0, and then I think it'll be a shut-up shop second half, and I think England will go into the final after a 2-0 win against Argentina, and I'll take that every day of the week. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 16:32

Now, are you hosting because you were hosting last night, weren't you, in uh in Manchester?

SPEAKER_00 16:36

Last night I was at Cope Live, it was absolutely brilliant, honestly. The fan zone in there was amazing, and uh Sky Sky Sports and well Sky News were in there as well with their film crew. They've there's been clips all morning on Sky News uh of of the fans in there. The the atmosphere was great, the air con was on, everyone was happy, there was beer chucked everywhere, um, and it was incredible. I do think to myself sometimes, how much are these people on? What do they do for a job when they're chucking a £10 pint in the air? Uh it's absolutely ridiculous. I was just go walking around with an empty cup just catching dregs, really. I got about half a pint from that from every goal celebration, which was great.

SPEAKER_01 17:13

So Niges is my agent. Now I'm pretty much unemployed, and he says to me, mate, what I'm gonna try and do, right, is try and sort you out a gig. Now I've got myself a gig, but I might try and get you in on it. I'm hoping, mate. So where are you gonna be for the Argentina game?

SPEAKER_00 17:26

It's the fanzone at Castlefield Bowl. It's gonna be amazing. It's open air in this glorious sunshine. Wednesday's looking brilliant as well. I think it's gonna be about 26 degrees. Um, it's gonna be a hell of an event. We did it there a couple of seasons ago. Uh, I've worked for this uh Road to Victory uh brand that do all these World Cup internationals. I've done it since 2014, and uh they're just absolutely brilliant. They don't cut any corners. The atmosphere in there is gonna be insane. They have all the pyros, they've got all the clips, all those goosebump moments at pre-match just to get you really in the mood. Couple of games, a couple of giveaways, and loads of beer and sunshine. It's just gonna be amazing, and uh, no better place, in my opinion, to be there watching the semi-final. We have got a semi-on. Get your tickets for that. I mean, there's loads and loads of options around the city centre. I know the co-op are doing something again. Um, obviously, give them a mention because it was absolutely brilliant. Um, there's loads all over the city, all the pubs as well, are just fantastic atmospheres. I don't I don't think it matters whose timeline you're looking at on Instagram at the minute, it just looks like there's an amazing party everywhere across the UK at the minute. But yeah, I can't wait for that. Honestly, I can't tell you enough to get Road to Victory down there at Castlefield Bull.

SPEAKER_01 18:41

Do you know what? And it's not like I used to work there and have a flat about um three minutes' walk away from the venue. I'll leave it with my agents now to uh no problem to get me booked, but it is uh it's gonna be great, right? So I'm hoping. I'm hoping it's both of us, mate. If there's any news beforehand that that actually anybody cares about, we'll get back on. If not, I cannot wait to be back on with you and go in for the first time since 1966. We are in the World Cup final.