Episode 33 - Arsenals bottle beginning to crack?

This week we took a look back on the FA cup quarter finals which saw Chelsea, Man City, Leeds, and Southampton book their tickets to Wembley. It saw Arsenal lose consecutive games for the first time this season which begs the question, are they bottling it again? We had our news from the football world, a look ahead to the first leg of the champions league and finished with great questions from our listeners.

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:05

Welcome back everyone, episode 43, Lads in the Sideline Podcast. It's me, Conor, as always, joined by me Grash Hell. How's everybody? Welcome back. And Afad Villa.

SPEAKER_01 0:16

Thanks very much for listening and welcome back. This is what the third episode now on United still haven't played.

SPEAKER_03 0:22

I said to you earlier, I've been up. Oh you said to him, you could have been to Mars or back before you played another game of football.

SPEAKER_04 0:31

It's actually embarrassing. It's too long, isn't it? Embarrassing on the club.

SPEAKER_03 0:34

Yeah, it's our own fault.

SPEAKER_04 0:36

I know the way it felt, but it's it's an embarrassment as a talking to other things all our football fans and all that just feels. But Jesus that's you're supposed to be Man United, someone said to me today.

SPEAKER_01 0:46

I know we're supposed to be. What about me to do it? Well look for me, what would you rather know? Would you rather be playing the quarterfinals against Boring Munich or training for? With no rein. We'd rather without too bad.

SPEAKER_03 1:04

But er, yeah, no, look at we'll get we'll get into the leading pictures now in a little while for the the games coming up. We'll I'll finally have predictions to put back up. Even the Premier League alone, it feels like it's been ages, isn't it? Yeah. Haven't put predictions up on Instagram in ages.

SPEAKER_01 1:19

It's like as if there's no football on, even though there's loads of football on around us. Just so we're not directly involved with the football, it just feels as if it's uh taking ages.

SPEAKER_03 1:29

Exactly, yeah, exactly. But uh yeah, no, look, thanks for anyone that's listened last week. Um again, thanks for everybody that's listening all around the world and getting involved, a few more followers and stuff on Instagram, so all the interactions and questions shown are getting sent in are appreciated, so we'll keep them all coming. Oh yeah, very much appreciated. Thanks very much. So uh yeah, look at we might as well just kick straight on to our news as we always do. We'll start off with all United news. I say all of it, there's not really too much. But um we'll start off with the the fact that United are over here training. Every billboard you see is the the advert advertisement for the United game now against Leeds in Crow Park in August, so we're all going to that game.

SPEAKER_01 2:12

It's good. It's good for the Leeds fans as well, like like they canker over, you know what I mean? Like like I mean you said the last week's show, and you're saying about like League of World football and all like a lot of people can't afford five and six hundred euros now to be going over to the matches all the time. Yeah, no answer to be fair, it's good point he's made, you know. Like it's good that um fairness that they're coming over and that's it, and it's obviously the advertised the match, but like it'd be a good training session for four days and fairness, like it'd be intense. But look, we're all we we have tickets and we're looking forward to going, and that's it. The whole family, the girls and all.

SPEAKER_04 2:41

So it's great. It's good. Might go ahead, so they're saying as well, depending on how Leeds finish the season. But if they win the Avic Cup, they'll be playing the community shield, so they won't be able to get relegated to the league starts. I think that's it. That weekend so they won't be able to put and then I was just reading it came out that the United aren't offering any sort of refund around that, which I don't think they should. Offer a refund in terms of flights and accommodation linked with the match.

SPEAKER_01 3:06

No, they never would anyway because it's not manual as responsible.

SPEAKER_04 3:09

It's a statement came out there, you said there'll be no refunds and that, but um ticket holders or whoever sold the tickets to basically ticket master for us will reimburse us. I thought you would have picked somebody else.

SPEAKER_03 3:21

Maybe had his hand in advance or something. You probably didn't think Leeds get to Wembley, yeah. In fairness, he may not get relegated either. I don't think he holds he will at this stage. Four points above seven games, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:34

They're not the worst team in the out of the bottom, just say five and anything. So you so you'd be hope if you were a Leeds fan out there now, like you'd be hopeful, like you'd be nervous, don't get me wrong, because you're still there, like even with the likes of spores and on. But like us as looking as outside as in and looking at leads, and not caring whether the cost with the match and not rebel, like we wouldn't really be caring about whether they got relegated or not, that's being honest as my United fans, but looking at us proper, just say like calling us pundits as a guest, but we just give our opinion, it's the fact that um leads are in the are are in to me they're in the strong position to stay up.

SPEAKER_03 4:07

Yeah. Yeah, it's a bit like what people have said to us about United. Now we're obviously nervous United not getting into the Champions League and all, but people have said to you like the the players or the teams around United don't look like they're gonna do much either. Yeah. So it's a bit like they have leads. Like I look at Forest and West Ham and Spurs, and they're not gonna win all the matches or no, certainly not like certainly seven or eight points.

SPEAKER_04 4:30

That might be enough for them to you think it might be.

SPEAKER_00 4:32

I would, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 4:33

Whoever's playing them teams and say there will be one or two upsets because they will drag themselves to three points. Yeah, because of the excuse me.

SPEAKER_01 4:39

Let's sorry look at the services for sports, didn't he? Like, so he he could do something. Do you know what I think? Yeah, um he could he could keep them up or he could go down, but look, come here, it'll be it's exciting to watch, like, even though we're always gonna about being a crap league to share and crap football now, like for anybody that's still watching football and enjoys watching football, like it's gonna be a good end to the season for for the league if if if City can just say beat Arsenal in one of the games and win the game in hand, then for the Champions League and then for relegation, it's still be it'll still be a good league. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, yeah, definitely.

SPEAKER_04 5:17

That's it, it's not true, isn't it? That's we said before, like we've got the league is a bad league, doesn't it? But now we're saying it's good. No, we're not saying it's good because it's interesting. Interesting. That's all not good, but he's still interesting with the end of the season. Yeah, I've always said with the outsider looking in, it's it's a great, great league in the in the way, you know, isn't it?

SPEAKER_03 5:34

Definitely, yeah. Uh yeah, we've next time we moved, we sort of touched on it last week but McGuire's contract and you sort of heard one or two things that you'd gonna sign them, but you did eventually. So you signed an extra two years with an option of a 40 year so look we we've mentioned it a few times. If you had a way, he'd be gone and you'd have Santa has in, but we've also said that of all the people that are there, if it was the right deal, you probably would give them an extra two just to keep him around. Like keep it the one boys.

SPEAKER_04 6:06

Like there's actually a question later on from Paul wrote into us. Um Paul M's name is on a uh he hasn't wrote into us yet, I don't think. He was asked what do you think of the Maguire kind of? Alright, cool John, we'll be leaving. Yeah, wait till then.

SPEAKER_03 6:18

Uh another one then, a bit of United news is uh Romano for Richard Romano said that Ugarte is sort of free to leave now. And the summer and United are looking to get at least a minimum of two midfielders in. May news contract of the public be signed soon. So Ugarty's sort of free to leave, and you've been speaking about it the last couple of weeks, and supposedly there's interest in them as well. I to me, I think I don't know, definitely May anyway. I look at some of these players and think he was going to sign him. Yeah. But there's always somebody out there. Of course.

SPEAKER_01 6:48

He could do well with another team. Yeah, do you know what I was, Connor? The Premiership just didn't suit. No. And that's what happens. And I say, like, and it's like if Sesco comes in and Gorkias comes back and he went to Coventry or the Sport Lisbon, and then he comes back to the Premiership, and you've got a couple years in and you're still struggling, then it's just the league. It doesn't turn you into a really bad player, it's just the league is too probably hard for you.

SPEAKER_00 7:08

Because it's the Premier League.

SPEAKER_01 7:09

Yeah, it's at the end of the day, it's the toughest league in the world. And you could go back to Portugal, you could go out to Tokyo, you could go to Even Italy or something, and you could start playing great again.

SPEAKER_04 7:17

It's just the league as it's physically, isn't it? Demand how good I think no matter how good of a player they are, they're all good players, as you said before, we know they're not a bad player. We compare them to the previous, and that's not contradicting myself to what I said in con uh previous um podcasts, but um compared to players you watched growing up and the week when up, the quality's not there, but it's still a very, very fast and demanding league. Yeah, all athletes, it's tough, there's some big players and fast players. You need to be a and you're right, it just catches people and you can't keep up. Look, and we just say it's not to say they're a bad footballer, guard it. Like I say it's not as if his heart's in the wrong place, I don't think you know.

SPEAKER_01 7:52

No, when we call him useless and all, and what he doing all, and he is, but he's useless for for because he's playing for Man United, but he wouldn't be useless for he's still a good footballer, but because we're a passion of Man United fans, he has to go. He's just not good enough for Man United.

SPEAKER_04 8:04

That's what I was saying. Yeah, like North or someone Torino or something. I think he does well with someone like that. And then he got playered year next year.

SPEAKER_01 8:12

He could go to Galatasara or something like that, or find Apache, like these teams are coming on a little bit, just say, right? And you could do great with him, just still have a good career, like you could even do well if just say if Leeds ever tell him something or after Liverpool or something like that.

SPEAKER_04 8:29

You're right, that's like um a emotional memory reaction to get that because you're just you're not used to villa being the type of thing.

SPEAKER_03 8:42

Yeah, yeah, look well, he'll be gone, and it's sort of leads us on to the last bit of United news. Just our I only saw today, I thought it was a bit uh interesting. We all talk about the United's finances and it's a disaster and all. So there's ten players that could leave, and there's talk of at least eight players leaving this summer, right? So these are just the wages that United could save in the summer. I don't know if any of you saw the picture of that, right? No, I didn't actually. So Casemiro gets 350 grand a week, Rashford gets 300,000, Santa gets 250, Onana 120, Ugarte 120, Xerxes on 105, Hyland 85, Malassia 75, Tom Heaton 45, and Boyan there 25. Now there's three goalkeepers in there, so that means you'd have to get one. Yeah, yeah. But that's 1.3 million a week that you'd like to pay out of wages to those players that could be gone. Yeah. And should be gone. Yeah. And that's throughout a lot of money. The delights of Luke Shaw and the Lord aren't good enough to be there anyway. And that they could get rid of a mace amount, even like they could easily whacked her up to one and a half million this year gone. Like in the city. It's a lot of money for them. A lot of money saved.

SPEAKER_01 9:54

It's a lot of wasted money, isn't it? Like that they're paying out, that they're not getting any turn for it.

SPEAKER_04 9:58

Yeah, no, definitely. Yeah, no, they need to bring players in to replace them in them, obviously. But like you sign Elliott Anderson in instead of Casemiro or Tanali. I'm not gonna give them 350 grand a week. No, you'd probably get 150, 170, maybe. You'd probably get 200. Yeah, but if you find it's the top as them as the top ones, they'd probably give them two hundred. So if all them went and you brought in players, you'd you couldn't have it. You couldn't have it, it'd still be up.

SPEAKER_03 10:21

Yeah, because the way I said the only way three goalkeepers there. Yeah. Between the three goalkeepers, what's that? 120 and then 80. That's 200,000 between three goalkeepers. That's probably the good footballers wages.

SPEAKER_00 10:31

Yeah. Who gave Andre Onano 120 grand a week? I don't know. They let that one slip, didn't they?

SPEAKER_03 10:36

They need to be get their fired for out. Probably odd. Probably was, yeah. But uh, yeah, I just thought I'd throw it out there just so people that are listening that might not be United fans might realise why you keep giving out about the club giving stupid contracts out, and if they're looking at the club giving out certain contracts now and trying to change, that's evidence as to as to why.

SPEAKER_01 10:59

Yeah, they can't be turning around and say it's a big clear out in the summer and you talk about them players already, and you know, like just fart them out alone, or or Rasmus Hoyland is gone as well, like and he'd be in that, but he's gone just errors, and the likes of Sancho, and the likes of uh Rashford just say right, and the likes of Malisea just say right, and then the goalkeepers on they're all gone anyway.

SPEAKER_02 11:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:19

So the likes when I when I listen to people saying now, well, man, you know, they'll have a good clear-out, at least three of them players should be off the first team. The likes of the loud, the likes of Shaw. Well, obviously your guard can go to say, Mesa mount. That'd be a little bit of a clear-out to me. Current players. If they're taking them out the squad. That are in the squad, yeah. If you know what I mean, it's easy to say like that we get rid of um, or we're gonna get rid of eight players who say, But your eight players are really having nothing got to do with the force team, so they're not really having a clear out already.

SPEAKER_03 11:45

Not really, no.

SPEAKER_01 11:47

But the buttons but just do you like that doesn't fill my Unite fans.

SPEAKER_03 11:50

But that's the way they do, and that's why they've gone out for so long and you don't fool us. We saw it. They put that picture out and they'll paint, yeah. Yeah, well, we saw today, we're gonna be looking before we started here about when we're talking about Carrick and all, and this, that, and the other. Like you don't know if their players are getting told to try to talk them up and we're just sort of being led down the path of well, Carrick's gonna be the new manager because he's getting you toured and this, that, and the other, and whatnot.

SPEAKER_01 12:12

But they won't fool us, so we don't want Carrick. But we don't that's what I mean. I don't I don't think it matters what the fans want. Some people want character. No, well, some do, but no, we I believe they were tall post to be, but will you interview anybody else and will it be all just say will it be all hype and throw us down the garden pattern and now Carrick could do a great job, don't be wrong. We we just think, and we we said this before, we just think that you need somebody more experienced. Well here he is. Sorry you can't shout it again. If he his name was starting to mention somewhere they're ahead, he'd be a good manager to get.

SPEAKER_04 12:42

Yeah, would no, he's been he's been there and done that with teams, the people don't realise it.

SPEAKER_03 12:45

You won the Bundesliga in Ireland mid before he was 35, and I wouldn't. That's it. Yeah, because even with him, just say the people are saying, Oh, well, he's like Ten Hag and Amram, and then Carig is like Solchar, but look, is he won stuff he's every manager now?

SPEAKER_01 13:00

But if Carig is like Solcher, semi-final Champions League, man. If Carig is like Solcher, we sack Solcher. So what are we gonna do? Swan Carig for trees and sack and go down that road again, then if we're looking no, we want some managers that's gonna be in here for and he's only young as well, it's not even 40 of that manager's not legal, so he like 20 years on him. That's crazy. So we're like, should we bring the likes of him in if he's the best out there that's available?

SPEAKER_04 13:19

Yeah, definitely bigger CV than anybody that age, ever probably.

SPEAKER_01 13:23

Yeah, but what's she saying or bringing the best in class?

SPEAKER_04 13:26

Do it, prove it. I hope they don't interview them and interview someone else and someone else and then go carrick, because you never get these mananders again. No, and if you do, you've got the pay through the nose. So if they're gonna pick characters, pick him.

SPEAKER_03 13:36

Yeah, and if they do go through a list of five and then pick carrick. Yeah, and if they do pick carrick, they'd want to come out and explain why, as in this is the direction we're going, this is how we're gonna play, these are the type of players who are gonna go in, and simple as that. Because like delights of I know, and fairness the soul chair probably wasn't the like he was alright, it wasn't the worst manager we all had. It was all right in fairness, like he got a second twice or something, and if he would have been pushed over the line, God knows he might have up against that Liverpool and C team like in fairness to him, right? But like do you is Carrie just gonna go the same way? Do you do they back him to a certain extent and then his level probably might get you to a league and then they're just like ah well?

SPEAKER_01 14:19

See, I think you try to be for you try doubting before, but you tried that before as an intra manager, and I've got to tell you, an intra manager is different from another from a from a manager manager.

SPEAKER_04 14:27

When you're a manager, then you have to make bigger decisions. Pressure's on you then. If he went into this job, you're right, you know, because if you go into a job like that and you're just an interim and it doesn't work out, so it's only the interim anyway, but then you start doing well and you can take all the the the products for it, and then all of a sudden you are the manager, oh shit, and now I need to. I need to perform like Will Cox will take a bit of the right outlook.

SPEAKER_01 14:48

Of course, pressure, pressure, yeah, pressure's bells up about a thousand. And I guarantee Wilcox will be taking a bit of um uh the the what we're trying to think of the word, um the credit for scaling now, like bringing him in and all in, like but but if we went wrong, just say it'd be it'd be all on then carriages say right, and then after that, if we got if we do give them the job and it goes belly up, who gets to blame on you the manager all the time? Of course it is, yeah. And the thing is if they go and get another manager in, they have to get it right because he made the balls of the last one. Yeah, yeah. That's gonna cost them. So I mean, like, simple as that. So the pressure's on them to get this right, yeah, simple as that.

SPEAKER_03 15:27

Um over to the blue side now, Manchester. Two bits of news again. These could be big losses for Man City. Bernardo Silva is gone now in the summer. He was Salah last week. Now Bernardo Silva is he said he's definitely gone now in the summer, and again, he's one of those players where he's a little balloc, isn't he? But he's a good footballer, isn't he?

SPEAKER_01 15:49

Great to watch he was all through the years, wasn't he? As a footballer, just we don't didn't like what he did for Man City to say, but watching him as a footballer, it would have been a shame if he was playing in Spain and we couldn't see it. It was he was still good to watch, he was a great, great player, wasn't he? He was and still is. Well, not saying he was because he's gonna obviously continue his career with someone else. He's supposed to stop with Man City, but great footballer. Yeah, yeah, definitely. But a naturally gifted footballer, wasn't he? Silky little footballer, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 16:16

Yeah, but look at he's another of the so-called like best players in the league that'll be gone. And Roger wasn't that's uh that's the the second bit is Man City now. So they've offered Roger a contract. Who city? Yeah, it's up to him to sign it. Because again, a bit we'll get on to another one now in a few minutes with Fernandez and Chelsea. The one of the Spanish journals asked Roger about Real Madrid and this and the other, and he was sort of like, Oh, I'll never say never. And he said you can see himself returning back to Madrid, and they asked him, Oh, but you've played for Atletico. Like you can't really say, Oh, it doesn't really make a difference. In other words, I don't care, like if Real Madrid come calling and kind of seriously thinking about it. Just Real Madrid? And they're rebuilding their midfield, yeah. So they've asked they've offered him a contract, Man City. So it's just up to him as to whether he signs it or not, or else if he does live, it'll be Man or Real Madrid that he goes to.

SPEAKER_01 17:11

Do you know what he'll do then? Was that much left in his contract? I wouldn't know.

SPEAKER_03 17:14

No, no, probably I'd say a year at most, if they're offering him.

SPEAKER_01 17:18

That's what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_03 17:19

I'd say next year might be the one where he's gone into his last year.

SPEAKER_01 17:21

Yeah, so but then do you know what? They'll look for good money off Real Madrid for him then as well. Ah, yeah, they will. Do you know what I mean? That means if he's actually Anderson in the finale they'll like. But will Real Madrid give it?

SPEAKER_04 17:33

I'd say so. But they're gonna sell him a thing, aren't they? Yeah, he's gonna go. He'll raise funds. I don't want him anyway. No, injury prone as well.

SPEAKER_01 17:40

Yeah, he's a bit injury prone, isn't he?

SPEAKER_03 17:42

But then do you sort of read into it then a bit more if Silva's leaving? If Roggie might leave, just talk with Guardioli leaving. Are City gonna get punished? Do these know stuff that we don't know? Like maybe. Do you know what I mean? Like we were saying last week of Spurs bringing in the Serbia, do they know if they finish where they finished, they're gonna need to be safe anyway.

SPEAKER_01 18:02

Like you d you just wouldn't know, like look just corruption everywhere. Now we don't hear much about it, or just say right, part of the African nations football. Right, but look at come here, whatever it's to be will be, and that's it. But like if I don't even know what Rodri is, he'd be 27, 28, only 31, maybe. But you know what? He he probably he probably now if he's gone to the probably like to finish his career in um one last move in in Madrid. That's it. And I'm I'm not saying he's a great servant as well to Man City, but I'm surprised to be even offered they don't run and do that, dude. When you get that age, like they just get rid of you. Yeah. Is United keep the like keep the players on? It's shock and cheese with the two clubs at the moment, isn't it like? United would give him a word a new contract and he's up to be stored in four. Well, you you go away, celebrate David Man City and they just get rid of you. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 18:55

That's what I was thinking. Again, you're trying to get him to sign a contract nearly to keep them, just in case you think things go belly up and Anderson might look and think, Oh, I'm not signed by them. Yeah, so next year, 29. Yeah. 29, like his last big move.

SPEAKER_01 19:09

Yeah, so you could get four years with Rey Madrid just saying and a big wags packer. He's doing well after the injury, isn't he? Fairness though.

SPEAKER_04 19:16

Yeah, yeah. Great, great midfielder. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then again the league, yeah, at that position.

SPEAKER_03 19:21

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Head and shoulders with everybody else. Not at bus secrets level, but the closest thing to bus gets, isn't he? Yeah, exactly. Exactly, yeah, exactly. Especially from a Spanish point of view. Uh then another one that's linked with Madrid, after what he was saying, Enzo Fernandez, he got a two-match ban by Chelsea. Because he was talking about sort of throwing the idea out about leaving, but then he's talking about Morescott and he don't know why the club got rid of them. The whole team were bonded together, and then they bring somebody new in, and it's just gone all the way to the South Americans.

SPEAKER_04 19:54

They're flipping with their mouth. Like, I don't mind a bit of fight about them, but that was he was playing to United and he's causing that much trouble and that much heat. He you don't need that the club doesn't need that extra heat, extra. Sure look captain, like somebody money from yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:11

He's a good footballer, too. We'd be screaming, your life, we'd be screaming saying he has to go, he's causing trouble. Exactly, isn't he?

SPEAKER_03 20:18

Well, isn't that just does that just prove the problems at Chelsea then? If he's one of your more experienced players and one of the captains, and like you'd never hear Vampard say that you're never or anything, but sacked off. It's not professional. No, it's not like professional. That's what I mean. Is it that's when you look at Chelsea? You think do you need a couple of players that are in their late hope 20s early?

SPEAKER_04 20:39

You might be right.

SPEAKER_03 20:40

Yeah, yeah, you probably is like no means a place, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:44

Like you know, it's like that. Do you think it's that type of club? Like if you say what you like now, they don't care now, and should they just send me off anyway? Like, they give me a fine I can afford, I've just I'm going to Real Madrid. Maybe like do you think Chelsea at the moment is that type of club that like it's not getting run properly, and and you just don't care. They're bringing this manager in and he probably looking down, didn't that say? Like, he's obviously older than them all because he's the manager they're players, but do you think he wasn't he's not good enough realistically? Like we I don't think we'd be happy with him as a manager. Don't just don't get me wrong, you could do a great job, like we're seeing you just say, right? But if he's took over United, we'd say if he from what I've seen, like what we're saying with Carnick, yeah. We'd say, look, he's looking great, he's a nice man and all, and and and wherever the case may be, but is he good enough to be the manager? Our job is speaking. Of course there is. So are they looking up and having a little chat and all saying and saying player power?

SPEAKER_03 21:34

But there are too many players that he's like just like Chelsea are gonna be in a fight now, they're into Europe or into the Champions League. There aren't too many players that he can look around in his restroom and think, Oh, he's been here before I he I can lean on him, he's a bit experienced. Or if I said it's he and have a little ward with them or this that you know it's not like no right here, because he's always in the he's always warmer than leading injury bends.

SPEAKER_02 21:56

Yeah, I mean, like so there's definitely problems there and Clear. Long may it continue from early viewing.

SPEAKER_01 22:03

And you've a hard running as well. If you look at the hardest strategy where I can remember, I think you had the hardest run in it. Yeah, a big time.

SPEAKER_03 22:09

Yeah. Look at that's all the news. I suppose we just touched on the two cup competitions before.

SPEAKER_01 22:14

Yeah, before what about all the Lincoln fans kind of that um 65 years waiting for promotion? Oh yeah, 30 yeah, man is in Dublin, was he that scored the winner? Yeah. The 95th. Now we know what happened the other day, but seeing the day 65 years waiting to get into the championship at the end of the day. Yeah. Do you know they put the thing out and asked the promoting and you're all trying to drink? No, you still have a few games to go just to time in the league. But like but but they're promoted. And then do you just celebrate like they won the league? And you know what? The fans know with the light and fair plate. I just thought I was seeing that yesterday or whatever it was, or today or whatever, and then we just said, Look at you throw in for all the income fans that volleys. But you know what I mean, like isn't it good for a club for the fans? Yeah. There's fans that are just say nearly 80 probably going down and remember them when they saw their teenagers just say like today had never come, and for them, they're absolutely thrilled that they're getting promoted into the championship. That's what's lovely about football, isn't it? It builds grey stories, doesn't it?

SPEAKER_04 23:13

A grey feeling.

SPEAKER_03 23:14

Yeah, that's the type of league it's impossible to obviously get out of. But if you get promoted, you'd be looking at the playoffs, and this is obviously gonna be up to the eighth place now, whatever it is. Like you'd be looking at them thinking, maybe we might try our best and why not?

SPEAKER_01 23:28

Like, do you know what I mean? Like get a few players in, and just if they can run the foot properly. Well, they actually run the property uh uh this year because they seem to be doing really well. You get good money for it. Everybody's on board with everything according to the manager, like the manager, the staff, and the players all seem to be going in the one direction with themselves. Brilliant. So there you go. So it's a play football.

SPEAKER_04 23:44

It's gonna wreck some story, yeah. Yeah, in a way. It's a bit different, but true, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 23:48

But uh yeah, we uh just the two cup competitions then I suppose before we get into your questions. We look back at the epic cup first I say not too much of a surprise, but obviously the Arsenal game was a surprise. A huge shot um started off in that one. Just didn't go to the plan. I didn't watch it, but from a couple of people that have spoken to Southampton deserved it. They did it, they said they were all over them and deserved it, yeah. They were the better team, and Arsenal fans aren't happy with players getting rested, and you were saying last week eleven players not gone to internationals and I'm gonna say a little bit of justice here as well is the word that comes to mind.

SPEAKER_04 24:25

Just the way they're carrying on now. They see me in training today or attended that we're gonna get it. And the pens, the pens, they're all playing around in a circle. I say you have a pen there, but I do pen, or trying to balance it while keeping the ball up and all. What are you doing? Yeah, and you got a book with the pens now? It reminds me of many troughs which you think we'll win this year. It shows it's a mad bleeding mentality, isn't it? Yeah. But do you know what? And he still might win the league again. Well, it's still there to lose, but it's just the way the kept that's the dirty tactics.

SPEAKER_03 24:57

Yeah, I didn't that's why they're a justice gone. But I was looking at him in his press conference, obviously we'll go on to the Champions League now in a few minutes, but do you know when we you look at Amarill at the start and you have fresh face and by the end you just look like you've aged? Arteta, I know this might sound stupid to people, but he looks scruffy and all, he looks like he needs to have a shave, and he looks as if it's the manager that's getting a bit stressed under pressure and all this stuff that like you said, he's doing with all these mad things. Remember they were going to Anfield years ago and you kept playing like things in the speakers, and you'll never walk alone to get them used to the atmosphere, and you got battered 3-0 or something like that.

SPEAKER_04 25:31

Just all these little things you're like, but there's evidence of it working, fair enough. Fire the way, go do all the mad things you want to get them all balancing on the head if you want. Yeah, but there's no evidence, he hasn't won a fucking thing. Yeah, but based on these things. It wasn't it was six months in or something, wasn't it? Yeah, but that was with someone else's blade in players, wasn't it? Yeah, exactly. But it's just mad. But he's got the done, I know he's laid the sale in the last few weeks, but it's just he's done well to get them to where they are now. He cemented them back in the top four position, and then but they're gonna win like they probably will win the league, I'd say. Well, and they should, they should, they should fair. So if he does win the league, fair play to him, but this is I if he doesn't have to get both worlds. I think he's gonna have to walk. If he doesn't win it this year, he'll never win it. Yeah, he should just walk away if he wins nothing this year. And he's gonna walk away with his headhill like he will get slant, but I'll slag him and all, but he has brought Arsenal back to the big time in a way, and in the league and always in the Champions League. Guarantee it on.

SPEAKER_03 26:28

He's got more time than any other man. Well, he has, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 26:31

But you know what? You said it there, even a while ago. Um, if you look at the squad, really said that theory's agreed, and you came up with Sean Force as well, just there right. And I looked at it over the last couple of weeks and looked at all the last. Do you do you have a big squad, but you really haven't got great players? No. No, yeah, right. I think we're all like yeah, I think like um City's still a better squad. They're gonna push them for the last seven games, and you still find it hard to think to win the league. Like me and like they've a tricky, tricky game now. I know they're at home, I think, this week to Barnemouth, but Barnburg will put up to them. Like the next game after lose, I think this is the fourth time the last two games in a row all season. It is, yeah. So Barnemouth now will it'll give them a tricky game. Now, if they were to drop points against Barmouth and just say Chelsea where to Mancy where to beat Chelsea, the pressure just ramp up.

SPEAKER_03 27:17

Yeah, I know they're playing that we're doing this Tuesday as you always do, but this is um they're playing now tonight away to sport in Lisbon. And if they were to uh even if they lost 2-1, it'd be still three losses in a row. In three different competitions, and you're like, is it gonna get some?

SPEAKER_01 27:35

If you look at it this way, none of us are Arsenal fans, but if any of us were Arsenal fans, you'd be you'd be thinking they're just gonna bottle everything. Yeah, and we'd be saying to ourselves, what do you always do the last couple of years? They didn't come in second, bottling for the last four years and now another year. You would be average.

SPEAKER_04 27:50

You would be asking for his head.

SPEAKER_01 27:51

Yeah, and you'd be going to what Connell always says you won't believe it till you actually still yeah, yeah, fair. Yeah, I've been saying all season.

SPEAKER_03 27:58

Yeah, but that's what I mean, and it's the way we go on to obviously City now, like they beat Liverpool after the first couple of minutes pretty easily and convincingly. It's the way they're playing as well. Like you don't just go and beat Liverpool 4-0 and win a 4-0 after an hour. Yeah, and he took the foot out of gas.

SPEAKER_01 28:15

And were able to save it again, no, no, and that was a and then able to sale the panel, like lazy panel and all the bad pen and all. Liverpool just looked a bit of a dejected team, don't you, at the moment? Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 28:27

He was saying that he gave up. You don't like it, you don't say that.

SPEAKER_01 28:31

No, but how many times do you have to have him that you see it on Sky Sports News, you see it in the back of the paper? Van Dyke has a made an emergency meeting with the team. It's probably three or four this year. He's a part of the problem, though.

SPEAKER_04 28:41

He'd get away four penalties this year, his most in this year. He's equal this year compared to all his years at Liverpool. He's done he's got he's more or something.

SPEAKER_01 28:57

And um Harlan, they're not gonna be wrong, he's a good goal scared and all, but uh he struggled against Harlan the weekend, even for that little tiny bit of pace and all, didn't you?

SPEAKER_04 29:04

Like just movement and all, even can I say like just the header was a great header, but yeah, again, it's not too much of it. It's it's stopping the cross, no one was even bothering to stop on the cross.

SPEAKER_03 29:12

Yeah, it seems like an ass slot that I don't know if someone of the journalists asked in that in the press conference after about stopping crosses, or you came up with some sort of stat that you haven't stopped any of the last god knows how many crosses. She's the same with the lobby, you know, you don't know.

SPEAKER_04 29:25

We've been citing all these teams. I have to say this about because I some someone made a comment to me today that we're lashing other teams out, but you know, you're shit. I know our shit. Let's we basically not in general the last 13 years we've been shit. I know that, but we've been there, done that. We've seen our team been at the top of the mountain. We've done that's this fellow is a an Arsenal, I actually like him. He's alright. He's alright, you know. Yeah, I won't mention your name than that. You want me to mention his name so um like Arsenal's never been to the top of the mountain, you know. That's why we're so critical because we've seen United win absolutely everything. Yeah, so when I'm talking to these fans, I know we don't live in the past, we all live in the past, just get over it. I've seen United have been more nearly the same amount of trophies as Arsenal. My friends who spared Arsenal and my friends who spot Liverpool combined over the years. And look at you know we're still critical. We seem better living in the past, but we all do it.

SPEAKER_01 30:11

Yeah, but look at you, right?

SPEAKER_04 30:12

Well, at least Liverpool won everything.

SPEAKER_01 30:14

Yeah, Arsenal haven't got there yet, no. Do you know what I mean? 100%, Sean. And we we're also still critical of Man United now, like because like where the league they had to get in the session into a great position from the start when Amaron was the manager and all, and they were trying to three, four, three, and it wasn't working in 5-3-2-1 and whatever way these systems all were going against them and all, it just didn't work to say. We're still critical of Carrick now because we still don't think they're playing play football, and we still think this players like should we mention how many players should be going like it was like three or four weeks ago in the podcast? We nearly mentioned every defender part in the order.

SPEAKER_05 30:45

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 30:46

Do you know what I mean? Like Martine, that's just saying we even said Martin should go because he's injury prone. So wherever your friend is we're critical of May United as well. Yeah, I've been critical of the foot since the first left. You know what I mean? Like, and we're I'm sure we still don't want Carigas to manager, so we're very highly critical of May United at the moment.

SPEAKER_03 30:59

Well they will, but and I I very rarely comment and stuff, but I commented on a thing on YouTube the other day, um there was like fans, I don't know, I think it was Sky Sports, but he had fans and they were like ranking every team season so far. And there was a United fan there, and then the other chap, I think he was Italian he was filmed, he supported Juventus or something. But he put United as like a B for the season. So what he commented under Nito was this is the standard that United fans have set now. The fact that Us coming potentially tour in the league is seen as a good season. We've not won anything. This is crap. See, if we come tour, it's been like 40 matches two years without winning the trophy. That's shy. Every year, we challenge or something odd.

SPEAKER_04 31:43

From where we've been last the end of last season to now, it's a good improvement. Yeah, in the league wise, like yeah, it's not generally as the United States often.

SPEAKER_01 31:51

It's still gonna be another year without winning the trophy.

SPEAKER_04 31:54

That's brutal.

SPEAKER_01 31:54

Yeah, that's great and not playing great football for the whole of the season. No, no. We are where we are now, and we've got some great wins under Amron. We're getting we've got some great wins under Michael Carlick. But if you're realistic, you think of all the games we played, right, that we really, really played well in. I could still go back to the arsenal again, the first game of the season where we should have beat Arsenal, just saying played really well under Amron, just say right. But if you think of the results, we've got great results, but you might say three or four, like they played great against City when they beat City, just say, but you pick four games in the whole season that they actually really really played well. The rest of it was just you might be Liverpool, but got quite imposed about eight times. Yeah, twice, but you know, we haven't been had we yeah, right, Sean Connelly. We wouldn't be on a B because we didn't really play well enough to be a size of B this season. It's just because the league is crap.

SPEAKER_03 32:38

Just getting lucky like you, every time I mean. But er, yeah, then the other two games look at Mar Chelsea won an easy 7-0. That was you knew that, didn't you? That was always gonna happen. And then I suppose the game of the the realm we watched it. West Ham. West Ham the leads. Yeah, didn't two nil up until no fairness when you got eleven minutes, and I like Gandhi McCoy as a commentator. It's probably one of my favour ones around.

SPEAKER_01 33:01

He sort of flat awareness. But two and all go together, like yeah.

SPEAKER_03 33:05

And they sort of said it as soon as they came up, I was like, eleven minutes. It's like where do you have to get in this from? And it just gives West Ham some sort of hope, and then you get one. It did, and then you get two, and you're like, ah, here. And then obviously two goals, this level offside, and then you have the younger coming on to make his first appearance, and then look at Leeds won a penals and a bit like we said with Ireland, doesn't it? If you take bad penals, you don't deserve to go through it.

SPEAKER_01 33:28

No, it's as simple as that. And another another result that Leeds could now could have a bit of confidence with, but like I don't have hope they don't have it for this week. But you know what I mean? Like, but it's look it's they put it down as a win, and and to go out in that game, lucky because West Ham actually would have bet the team after the came out on the second half line, and then and the up both sides of extra time like they would about the team to say, but like a win is a win, it doesn't matter. Like, it's a win from home, and you're going back on the bus, or whether you're on a plane, then going back up to from London to just say to Lane's, just say you you hold them in and your whole club, you're waking up the next day, you're going training, and it's all completely different.

SPEAKER_03 34:04

Yeah, I guess the Leeds fans it's something to look forward to in the day at OM. That's not a playoff final. Yeah, not just the last couple of them. But like they're FA Cup semi-final, they'll look forward to.

SPEAKER_04 34:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 34:16

Where they are, and they're playing Chelsea, really.

SPEAKER_01 34:21

Come here, Chelsea be favourites to say like, but I wouldn't knock it either. Like in a one-off game, like um I think Chelsea are struggling. Yeah. I'm sure if I was a leads fan now, I'd be giving them I'd be giving them a little bit of hope too. Oh yeah, definitely.

SPEAKER_03 34:34

I'd always batter, but you just you can maybe have to believe and give congratulations to Southampton. Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_04 34:40

Oh, they played well, but they're unbeaten in 15 games. Yeah, did the M final team in the championship?

SPEAKER_03 34:44

They rested players as well. Did they? Yeah. There's a there's a chap that comes into the job as well, he supports Southampton and he said, Oh, we'll rest players because he's a big game. I think it might be tonight or tomorrow, I think. The championship games on, yeah. Um because he couldn't play the weekend or good Friday or whenever the championship games are on. Um so they're playing during the week. So they've been outside squeaky getting into the playoffs as well.

SPEAKER_01 35:06

Very good. So they would like to be getting down. Fair play to them. Yeah? Like if you make you up that far and they're in the playoffs, momentum. Yeah, but you wouldn't like to be playing down with their game for them to end. No, definitely not.

SPEAKER_03 35:17

And then look at the Champions League then is on tonight, and tomorrow and er to fight around as probably Munich or Madrid and Good and Bottom. Arsenal playing sport in Lisbon tonight as well. Again, another nerve is tricky one for Arsenal. Big time in, and then Liverpool and PSG tomorrow. Big tricky game for them. Yeah, look at we are only talking yesterday, Sean Rudy, and you're like, you wouldn't be surprised if it was only 2-1 because it's still Liverpool. But if it was like 4-0 or something, it could get embarrassing. Like it's not to be sacked. If I was a Liverpool supporter by next week, I'd say.

SPEAKER_04 35:56

If you get it could be an 8-1 or an 8-2 or something. Oh, but the two games would be a disaster for me. But then you do have to show some fight. Do they do they have her in them? I don't know. I can see if Arsenal went out and beat Born Lisbon 3-0 tonight, they would have her in them. Because they have bounced back slightly in matches, I can't think of examples, but they have. But Liverpool, I don't think they have the character. The whole character, but yeah, of course. They're playing better than Liverpool this season, let's get it rightly, you know.

SPEAKER_03 36:24

It's Liverpool's defence as well. Like you know, I always sort of think that they could score goals and all, but Jesus Christ, PSG's attack against that defence, surely they're gonna get chances. The better than C. Alison would want to have the game that he did last year against PSG. Remember, he was like the best kick he ever had in his life. He wants to be in the same form again.

SPEAKER_01 36:42

Yeah, he's PSG going forward and far clignotely.

SPEAKER_04 36:51

I don't know who you play against him. Spring pong, he can't. Bradley will he defend Gomez. So I don't know who you play again.

SPEAKER_01 36:56

He needs to put three at the mention, and none of them would be able to make him.

SPEAKER_04 37:00

No. You see him scoring and everything. Everybody plays. Let's only mention one of them. He's got the ball in the women and he can't play with him.

SPEAKER_01 37:13

We think Ragged's Kelly's just going to play and beat him on his own.

SPEAKER_03 37:16

That's wrong. Like, could Liverpool even get a touch of the ball in the midfield with the likes of Neves and Vitania and all in there?

SPEAKER_04 37:23

But that's Liverpool's strongest part at the moment. It's the midfield. Scott's line on Fernandes. He's playing, he's he's only like five or six got um goal contributors on Fernandez this season. Yeah. For club and country. Something like that. Yeah, six or seven.

SPEAKER_01 37:36

Look, Bernard can happen in a one-off game as well. Like you'd be surprised if Liverpool come away with two old drawers or something. You know what I mean? Like I should say, no matter what, it's eleven professionals against eleven, and it's all on the day, isn't it? But still paying chapters in the game, we're not.

SPEAKER_04 37:49

Yeah, that's what I know. I'm gonna get that now. Yeah, but this comes out now on Wednesday. Yeah, but they're right. I don't mind them, but the back of the Liverpool fans have said the same thing.

SPEAKER_01 37:57

I agree with you.

SPEAKER_03 37:58

I agree with you, but you're saying we're not gonna win that sure, so we've had a three season that come in.

SPEAKER_01 38:03

Yeah, yeah, we can't be put down anymore because I've got to think I'm not gonna punch back. We've got wake next Tuesday.

SPEAKER_03 38:17

Look at the last and then it's from the whole Spanish toy down Barcelona and it's let to go. Yeah, it's sort of all fashion, is it? They'll attack, they'll defend, and that's 50-50, isn't it? Depends on who comes out on top, isn't it? Oh for actual scores if he's playing, get rid of him.

SPEAKER_01 38:30

That's all you don't care what he does, like as long as he keeps going on that hands, he flicked on it and said to tell your man, whoever the deck or whatever it is up there, and then the bowers he said like, um, I want him now, and that's it. Play the 26 million, I want them apart and we squad because we just need to get rid of him. Stats are good for someone who doesn't really start that much. Yeah. To be fair.

SPEAKER_04 38:47

Like that's because we said he's been a good player, it's just his fucking head, isn't it? Yeah, exactly. Yeah, but anyway.

SPEAKER_03 38:52

Well, yeah, they're all the the big games showing the week, so fire away then with chances.

SPEAKER_04 38:56

Yeah, the question you know what, I'll start off with Paul L's question just about Harry Maguire when I have it on the brand there. Oh, yeah. Um he said, What do you think of Harry Maguire's contract?

SPEAKER_01 39:04

Well, look at you go forward, Colin, you you'd mentioned me a few minutes ago that you were going to say something and you said we'd keep it for the probably be the same match, they'd probably give us well any book.

SPEAKER_03 39:13

I think look at since he signed you with the Faye and all, you expect him to be like a Van Dyke level signer, but it didn't work out that way. But he wasn't a complete disaster. Like he's been a good player, solid player for us. Like, if you're overall, you'd probably give him a six, six and a half out of ten for his time there. Then being the captain, getting a taken off and bouncing back, trying to get his head down. He's resilient. I think Albana's had the half we have, he's probably the one that doesn't really get injured as much as the rest.

SPEAKER_04 39:39

Yeah, it's a bit more and he's reliable. I know he's a bit slow and all. Yeah, yeah, like so. He's the number one star and send the back for easy.

SPEAKER_01 39:45

Yeah, and you know what? But the injuries now. I'm I'm happy for him, happy with his family. He keeps his head down now, right? And the slate he got none out of the World Cup's name out the United Night, just say, right. They bring yourself back up, yeah. He should have been fucking 60 or even less, to say, but that's what he wanted at the time, so they paid it, that's what they were paying United at that time. That they were doing stupid deals. But he's there eight years, I think, with eight different managers, that's the inter manager as well as him, just say right. But like he's had to bring himself back up now, and he and this year he's a very look at if we go back to this right, he's 43 now, as I'm 42, and he's he's had to get his centre. We're relying on him as as a centre half this year. When he's not there, he's missed. You know, in fairness now. By right, at the end of the season, you just have your way, and you think you went and spend 500 million and get the best centre half in the world, the best rifle, the best swingers, the best two best midfielders, and just say, Yeah, there you go, throw 600 million at all them best players, it never happens, nothing. No thing can do it. So you have to be realistic about what way they can do things. And of all the players, you said a couple of weeks ago, Sean, that of all the players, he'd be the one that you would if you had to keep pick one, you'd keep you he'd be the one you keep.

SPEAKER_04 40:58

That's what I was gonna say. Personally, I think he deserves a bit of a story, yeah. New contract for him. Um I'm delight for him as a person, you know, because he seems like a nice family man, the whole lot, you know, no matter what we said about him before as a player, like you know, mate. But he but he has had some gave some really good moments. I had the winner last year against Leon, the um the winner this year against Liverpool, Liver Scum, as I call it. Yeah, um there's some good moments, so he's personally I think he's deserved it, but as a club, I think it's a step backwards. Yeah, and it's telling you why because look at Man City, they don't hold around. De Brian are gone, Silva gone, the other Sylvain, um Gunda Gunda won, and then he came back, that was an odd one, but he was gone. Roger could be gone, yeah. And then he's offering a new contract, could be gone. There's a couple of others there that he've they've pulled the plug on when it came to the type. Like Roger's 29, you can see why they're off the new contract because you get another three years out, and then maybe sell him for a small fee or whatever. Then if Roger was 33 or 34, he wouldn't keep him. But look at so I think uh that's what I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 41:53

But look at Camille, they're gonna need a big squad for next year. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They're gonna be in Europe no matter what. Like it'd it'd be a complete failure of losing seven games in the last seven games for them not even to be in the Europa League, just say, right? So they're gonna need a big squad. So if they can hold on to the likes of him, I think, right? But you still need to probably go and get a really, really good centre half as well, right? Like as the midfielders and all, and like they're gonna need if they're gonna be playing two games next year every week, you need a big squad, and he's not he's not a worse player to have as a squad player if you get him on a centre half, and that's where you're looking for. I'm just throwing between the two. That's it. Yeah, that's it.

SPEAKER_04 42:30

But I can get on board, right?

SPEAKER_01 42:31

Yeah, so it's we should but man united, we should have four world-class centre halves, but we just don't know, simple stuff.

SPEAKER_04 42:37

I'm just looking at the the teams above us, the the successful teams since we've fell off the boil. Would they do it?

SPEAKER_01 42:43

No, no, but look at it. He probably did it ten years ago, yeah, and you still have to creep back up somewhere along the way. We're only starting to treat back up now, so this is our he has a bit of heart, doesn't he, for United?

SPEAKER_04 42:54

Is what I'd say. Yeah, as well.

SPEAKER_03 42:56

Showing his bullers like maybe that's why Man City might get into trouble. Maybe they'll maybe doing that, getting rid of these pairs and just buying whoever they want, maybe that'll come back actually. Like all these defenders and all just for the crack. Like United can't do that, unfortunately, can they?

SPEAKER_04 43:12

No. Yeah, no, good question, yeah. Yeah, thanks for that, Paul. Um another one wrote in to us um again, it's just numbers on this uh account. It said, Should Unit go for Harry Ken.

SPEAKER_03 43:23

Yeah, I felt, yeah, he should, yeah. I know it goes against absolutely everything that their their ethos is now of signing younger players and all but. Fuck off that ethos, it's not based on any success in any of the clubs that we can piss off. What chances would he get with Fernandez playing behind him? Yeah, I know.

SPEAKER_01 43:38

He's fucking 46 goals and assists this year for for Brian Young or something. He's twenty 31 goals and five assists in 26 Bundesliga games. Cosh it you'd sign him. Now we know you'd probably cost him money as you said, they'd go against everything the club stands for. But that has to go out the window. You talk about Harley Kang, one of the best centre forwards in the world. We've only one centre forward, that's Seska. We need to back up.

SPEAKER_04 44:00

Up with a bit of experience, not by Cavani, who you know is gonna get injured and know it's gonna be bit par player he plays. Yeah, but this is gonna be a main man for us. He's the captain of England two or three years as well, isn't he? He captains England with them numbers and the way he's he has been injured before, but I think that's gone now. The injury-prone tag overs has gone for years now. So look at the numbers again. Look at all the players who have got big numbers, they all play. Look at Lewandowski, he's playing them 38. I know it's the Spanish league, but he's done it at the highest level. Yeah, messing with a league at their own, but anyone who's got them, like Ibrahim, he was playing the United at 35, 36. Why can't Harry Kane play? He can because he's signed now, and then three years time he'd be 38 and then move on. I'd say you'd he'd still be playing at the top level at that age. I think he should we should go for him. Yeah, I think he should, I don't think he'll let him go. But I I think he would come back to the Premier League and then Cesco would have to be the number two then. So that would be a great move.

SPEAKER_01 44:50

Learn from yeah, that's great enough. That's what Louis even talking about there even last week and the week before Connor League, when you're talking about Wellbeck and all, yeah, he said, imagine having Harry Kane to learn from. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 45:00

Like when we're not looking back to United a couple of years ago, what was he, 46? Yeah, he got 19 league goals a four year. And then you have to remember as well, okay. Just say you were to win the Champions League this year, and he probably will win the Ballon d'Or and probably would deserve it. Yeah, the only thing that he has left, unless winning something in England, is to win the Premiership. Well, that as well, but getting that record, Alan Shearer's record, and like he's not gonna go back to Chelsea because of the Spurs links or Arsenal. Do you seven year goals behind or something, is he? I don't think it's that much. I don't think so, no. I think I was looking at the judge, you might have to go to United and score like 25 goals for two seasons or 15 years old.

SPEAKER_01 45:36

Then you could do it, you'd say with Fernandez now. And then they're gonna have to weigh another we think United are gonna have to weigh another attacker as a winger or something that's gonna hopefully get you more assists with the Hardy Kane in the box. Imagine you had him, because if you only have one centre forward, that's it. Yeah, you're mad. We need to sign the centre forward, that's two, two not insane.

SPEAKER_04 45:54

He's not the centre forward.

SPEAKER_01 45:55

No, you can switch them around the front with Cunha and all, but they weren't bought to be centre forward. Stay well bought, Cunha's bought to play on the left wing, and Brain was brought to play on the right wing. Seth was brought to be a centre forward. You need more Alex Ferguson had four centre forwards when he won everything. We won a 22-year-old.

SPEAKER_04 46:10

I think we should be gone room. Is it realistic? I don't know. No, but the question is that happened, so that's just the question. 100% definitely club in the world. Yeah, Farman City. But that's what it goes.

SPEAKER_03 46:21

I think we're the only Premier League team that he could go to because the sports are poor. I don't think he'll go back to them to two London teams, Chelsea and Arsenal. I'm sure City have Haaland and then Liverpool have Ekatique and Isaac. Imagine going for him. So like it's all I'm not saying it's a free runner, but it could be. Yeah. Sell it to him. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 46:40

Get us back to the top, bring back the record, sell it to all the best players you're like, yes, he did. Yeah, you're right though. Sell him the project. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 46:48

Well, look at the players they have around. Uh and they bought a couple of midfielders and they could start believing in it. And the way that the state of the league, like, there's an opportunity. I was saying to you when we go for a while, I'll walk with a dog every night, most nights. We beat the talk football all the way, you know.

SPEAKER_00 47:02

And we just like the like he's you could see it.

SPEAKER_04 47:07

100% exactly.

SPEAKER_03 47:11

We don't want that, you just don't think it'll happen. No, like probably end up with bleeding Sam Volkes or something like Glenn Murray or something never never at home.

SPEAKER_04 47:18

Yeah, you could just say that was the biggest opportunity I've ever seen. A couple of years ago, obviously, football can change, life can change, and I heart beat but I wouldn't have thought this was even possible. Remember, you said who said that Wilcox was that one in the 2028, you could win the league. That's what they plan. That's still planning. They could still plan because of the way the league has gone. Imagine next season, fairness league. Imagine you didn't, is it? You think the year after, isn't it? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, next year. What if you did add players like that and then you did add another thing? It could be. Yeah, well, look at the fallen off. Man City might be relegated, don't know. If the D know something that we fucking didn't, yeah. Let's hope you stick to that plan at the time. Anyway, so yeah, we should. Yeah. 100%. Yeah. Um this was from uh last week, actually. Um I was talking to him at the at the bar where you buy your water. Um he said, do we, manual fan? Do we trust Jason Wilcox? He said, because did we know that um did we see sorry that the Steve McLaren interview, right? More of a statement um as well, in between that the Steve McLaren, I think it was recently he said that Eric Tenhag was the mastermind behind the FA Cup win against Manchester City. But Wilcox is only in the in the door, basically. He went in and he went in the door and he and he talked to them apparently, and uh it must have been a spin from his team to put it out there that Wilcox was the genius that got him to win that game. But McLaren saying I'm I was the assistant for him for two years, he is the mastermind behind that. Why is Jason Wilcox taking responsibility for that stuff? So do we trust him to bring us to the next level? When he's lying about it.

SPEAKER_01 48:54

So he tried to rob all the credit.

SPEAKER_04 48:55

Well, he took all the credit, you didn't try it, didn't it? Yeah, you took all the credit. Well, look at it. This is at the Bin he won't then because of him. Fair play to Steve McLaren coming out to say that.

SPEAKER_01 49:01

Yeah, well, good, I'm delighted because I don't trust the fucking herders. It's not that look, we don't know a lot about him necessarily, but I I know for a fact he was with South Tanton, he wasn't with South Tantum along, just say, but he he he did well to say, but he brought a lot of players to him in City. So I thought I always thought that he was more just say for the Academy, just say, like, and bringing players from the Academy League, but Phil Foden was obviously there, and Cole Palmer just say, like, they were obviously there with City when he brought them up and look at them now like um world-class players. So he thought like that would have been Mauricio's role. But now he came to United as a technical director and he sacked Dan Ashford and he got rid of Dave Bradsford, and then he jumps up then to be um the director of football, which is a bigger role in the club, just say, right? So now he he he's too big for his boots there now. Because when when he was just saying with Amron, he was interfering with Amron's system now, and he was trying to pick the team for Amron telling Amron what way to play, and Amron was the coach, so he interferes too much. So at this moment of time, I don't trust him because he has never done anything with a big player with a club, if you know what I mean. Like he hasn't gone out and got how he can. Yeah, he hasn't gone out now and and he hasn't thought that Anderson have not in the frauds and we get him in like buttilly does something like that then and brings players in that we think are world-class players, then we think twice about him. Now we don't give a shite about him because he's done nothing for Man United yet since 2024.

SPEAKER_04 50:20

Like Cunha was a one-horse race, and Bema was nearly a one-horse race, more or less, when you're gonna be able to get the case. Yeah, do you want to decide? Yeah, doing it. Cesco was a good one, but again, he's only a young lad.

SPEAKER_01 50:28

Yeah, so it's risky. To me, he's just jumping up the gun in the lake from Southampton, from An City to Southampton to be the director of football in Man United, one of the biggest clubs in the world. Well, if you're gonna be the biggest director of the one of the biggest football clubs in the world, do your job because I know you have to oversee everything in the club and you have to pick managers and you've picked players. Go out and get Anderson, go out and get Tanali, go out and get a good centre half, go out and get another good centre forward, and go back to me now in September and ask me the same question. And I'd say, Yeah, he is a good technical director. He's had to get in four classes. If it didn't work out, you bought the best thing class, as they said. And that's it. But look, then now we've done nothing. It didn't work out. And then now we've done nothing.

SPEAKER_03 51:04

Yeah. For real, yeah. Well, yeah, I might be just saying that we wouldn't. I think I remember seeing an interview with him a couple of years ago. I don't know whether it was when he was with United or Before that, and he was like, Oh, I see myself as a coach and all, and this, that, and the other. The reason Amram left was because of him. That's what interfered. We all said when Amram got sacked, it was probably eventually going to happen. But it wasn't over like results-wise, because we were fifth and all in the league, so it was over definitely over him and arguing with him and wanting different things, and that's probably why I think they'll probably lean towards Carnegie, because he probably feels as if he can tell Carnegie what to do and all. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like Joe Man. Yeah, yes, man. Yeah, thinks that's the coach now, doesn't he? Yeah, I'd say look, imagine like he'd be the type of person that if United were to win the league again, he'd want to lift the trophy up. Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_01 51:48

Like Joe meaning he'd push the manager the other way to lift the fact, yeah, right. Yeah, evil piss the guy then, like yeah. No, we don't trust him, and I don't trust them like the yes men in like carrying and all either. We want a proper manager that's at the manager team and tell them, look, I don't want you interfering. I'm the manager of this team, get me these players, do your job, let me do mine. Yeah, and that's it.

SPEAKER_04 52:07

Yeah, answer that. Um so Dean wrote into us again, he said to us last week he doesn't agree with us with the um the free market, uh transfer market. Free transfer market, sorry. So he said we you said last week that we should look at the free transfer market. I think he's all wrong, and that that would be a backwards step for the club. They are free agents for a reason. What do you think?

SPEAKER_03 52:32

Like what we sort of said last week. I think you named a couple of names, and I think I think they were two or three. It's like oh they can't see an injured and injured, so you might stay away from them. And there's other circumstances behind some of them as well, like a mansi from Balmart. Like, why is he a free agent? Like, and he's been one of Balmart's best players, and a man Vlahovic seems to be falling out with them for ages, like there are one or two where you're like and the rescue, did you say name him?

SPEAKER_01 53:01

He's a good look at good free agents out there, like it all depends with you, but you might have to be watching the profit the books, basically, the profit and sustainability. I mean, they're still in debt. So, I mean, like they're not as we said to the minute ago, they're not gonna get six world-class players, but you need six players. Yeah, so if you're gonna get four world-class players, you have to go to the free market and bring in a couple of players that's gonna build your squad. Box clever, I think they have to. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 53:23

You remember, like, we're we're gonna have to pay like 150 million this summer from previous transfers that we owe, like you know, all this paying installments and all that law has to come out this summer, anyway, as well. And I think it's in and around that. So, like, if they spend 200 million, you have to pay all that and all. So that's 300 and odd million that they've to spend anyway.

SPEAKER_04 53:42

Exactly. Yeah, so it's not like you know, it's not FIFA, lads. You can't just go out and spend 400 million. No, if I get far as Arsenal did last year, I'm gonna use an example, and Liverpool spent nearly whatever it was, 450 million it's not too far in between the two clubs, but they've one only won the league in the Champions League last couple of years. Arsenal are a Champions League club now, so the money's been rolling in.

SPEAKER_01 54:00

Yeah, and Liverpool didn't sign any of the years. No, you didn't, no. So we spent any two uh uh uh windows, if you know what I mean, that they didn't spend money and then they got to the Champions League obviously the couple of times. So they they had money to spend. Yeah, like we have to realistically we have to play careful here to spend money definitely, but like you can't.

SPEAKER_03 54:20

That's a realistic yeah, the rules have changed, things have changed, and not even just the free agent, Mark, but should they should be if they have to use like getting players in and out of a season and all, if they really have to, yeah. Unfortunately, that's the way they are, but that's we're just what we have to do, isn't it? Just the truth.

SPEAKER_01 54:35

Yeah, it's just where the club is at the moment. Realistically, if you're in the Champions League for the next three years or saying we've got rolling in the money down because you're expecting to get good again, you wouldn't be looking at free agents. But we are where we are now, and we have to make a work as a big picture. And if these get four world-class players in or four great players in that are proven and throw a couple of the other ones in free gagents that are good, that'll do you as as a party, a bigger squad for two games every week, well good deal.

SPEAKER_04 55:01

If you have to set reach into our pockets and do it again, and I still think they should, they should still be able to spend 200 million, 250, maybe max, depending on their outgoings, and then obviously have to um uh get paid the installments off, you know what I mean? They can't go up and spend 400 million and then owe 150 as well, lads. It doesn't work like that.

SPEAKER_01 55:19

No, but look, you remember remember if you buy somebody over if you buy somebody just sell a QGAT over for 60 million over four years, well then the books are balanced in four years' time, then you don't doubt that's 60 million. If you get rid of him in two years, then his books come down by 30 million because it's far at the 60s, obviously 15, so it drops 15, it drops another. So if you got 20 million for him, then your books is balanced. If you get any more, it's a bonus, just say. So so realistically, if you know you go out and get Anderson and paid 80 million and he gave gave him a four-year contract, well you could be just saying, well, we give you 50 million this year, 50 million next year, they could give 20 as a force of dollars, and that's the way it works, just say, right? So you don't have to go out and spend you could spend a hundred million but still get four world-class players, if you know what I mean. Like but like you have to be careful about it all, that's it. And if there's good free agents, why not?

SPEAKER_04 56:05

Yeah. Um another one sent in from Raf. Uh he said, Can Arsenal bottle everything again? Surely not. I know we sort of touched on it again, but we can, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 56:15

They can, and we said a few weeks ago that they could win nothing. They could be on four teams up to a couple of weeks ago when we were talking on the podcast, but we also said that they could win nothing.

SPEAKER_04 56:22

Yeah, depending on the least of two weeks, two of them are gone. Yeah. Yeah. It's mad actually when you think about it. So yeah, they can. Yeah. A bit of luck. Yeah, yeah. But um, yeah, they definitely can 100%. Or they can go and win the other two. I can't. Well, the way they're playing, I can't see anyone in the Champions League, but the league is there soon. The league is there for the loss, exactly. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 56:42

And look at out of them all now, like people who'd love to win the Champions League, don't put them in. For an Arsenal fan, if we were a Man United fan, they haven't won the league in so long, just like 22 years, Revel Wee, or 26th. You pick the league. Just go for it. Yeah, don't think any team can put it.

SPEAKER_04 56:57

That's the best one, more or less.

SPEAKER_01 56:58

Yeah, but look at if you win the league over 50 or 48 games, whatever it is, like, and you're camp top, you're the best team in the league. Yeah, even if it's a bad league, you're still the best team in the league. The best FP's team in the league, but whatever. Um doesn't get them in the middle, doesn't it?

SPEAKER_04 57:13

So this is a fellow from Scott, uh from Scott, uh called Scott, bro, and those um what do you think of United the United training camp in Dublin?

SPEAKER_03 57:22

I think it's just the leading try sell tickets for the match in August, really. Look, it's a bonding thing as well.

SPEAKER_01 57:30

Did have a nice mail and look, they'd probably pay a game of golf down there and did roll card to say, right, and you'd do good weather. But look, they could have went anywhere, but look, suppose it's good that's on your hour away. And it's a fine big place down there in Carlton House. I mean, I think it's thousands of acres down there to land, and so look, it'll be a good bonded thing for them. And I think the boy all the time, didn't he?

SPEAKER_03 57:49

Fairies and used to bring them to Du Bois and stuff. Du Bois as well. But still I think it's a good thing. They come here, like change of scenery and all that.

SPEAKER_04 57:58

And that's all they're in training camp before they went to that with what they need, I think.

SPEAKER_01 58:01

New players are coming in, all that to bring away in an international break as well, and then all back together over here now, and a good bonding thing.

SPEAKER_04 58:08

They go and get three points against Leeds, they have to be. Yeah, and that's it. What would you do better? No choice, yeah, definitely. Yeah, um, so yeah, thanks for that. So it's another one sent in from Eddie. He said, uh, what position do we think is the hardest on a football pitch?

SPEAKER_01 58:24

Good question. Well now, well, do you know what? I'm just gonna throw it out there first and say, To me, it's definitely the goalkeeper.

SPEAKER_00 58:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 58:33

Because the pressure of being a goalkeeper, if you make a mistake, you usually punish with a goal, and then you're confident some goal, and then you could just make loads of mistakes. Look at the goalkeeper and the sports and the and the game there right, six to the minutes of took off, you could bottle it and be took off. Do you know what I mean? Like, yeah, but like all hard, but to me, I'm just gonna let you then elaborate on brevious one. But I think of the goalkeeper because like you're usually punished if you make a mistake, right? Pressure job.

SPEAKER_03 59:00

Yeah, what you're thinking between the keeper and the striker for the what sort of sway there was like if you're a striker, just say you can miss a load of chances and then score the winner, and then like you're the hero. But if you're a goalkeeper and you make six saves and then you spill one into your goal, everyone's gonna forget about the six saves you made and you're gonna be the useless villain, aren't you? Um yeah, I definitely think that and when strikers go through bad periods and this, that, and the other, and oh he's not good enough, and this that blah blah blah. But God, you can't do anything for a goalkeeper, can you? You can't make any mistake. Like if you're a like you're looking at Lamans now, like he just brings a calmness and all, doesn't he? So the whole squad and the whole team, and like it's more than just like making saves and this, that, and the other.

SPEAKER_01 59:46

Like it's like you're right, Connor, right? Yeah, but just say he's playing on Monday night against Leeds, right? And just say it's nil all, you know, it are dominating the game, just say, right? And have somebody has to shop him outside the box and his pissy shot and it goes under his body, we'd be calling him all the names under the son, you're fucking stupid, go kibble. That's all it takes, isn't it? That's depression, isn't it? Do you know what I mean? Like exactly like so it's definitely depression. What do you think is that?

SPEAKER_04 1:00:14

In two ways. So I think physically centre midfield is the hardest spot on the on the hardest position to play physically, because you just have to be everywhere, no matter what your attack on your offensive, you have to be just a unit in there. The cover mostly the most of the time cover most ground, they know fullbacks do as well, and centre forwards can run around as well. Everybody you have to be in that lead the matter where you play, you know, even in goal, but that's the physics most physical position on the pitch pitch, I think.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:38

Yeah, right, it's probably your most important position on the pitch. Yeah, the midfield. That's that too, is that yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:43

But then I think uh I was thinking about the goalkeeper, I think centre forward. Because if you don't score goals, it doesn't matter what else you do. You can be the best passer, the ball, the best whatever. If you not you're up right in the scisco has uh didn't score one goal this season, but maybe one, and he played well all the game, and he does the same next year, it would be Assam Run and be gone out the door. But I can understand what you mean about the goalkeeper. If you make saves and then you spill one, and how happens if Laman's you know that can make me think there a bit now. If Lamon makes a mistake Monday and and then again, please God don't if you're listening. Lamons, you know, don't if he makes a mistake against Leeds and then against Chelsea, isn't it? Yeah, Jesus, our opinion might change one very quickly. That's what I'm saying. You know, so I understand. I understand.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:26

Up to now, yeah, he's our best boy all season. Yeah, we think for the price we pay it, 18 million say like, but it could change my goalkeeper in a couple of weeks. If Sesco doesn't score in the next couple of weeks, we'll just say look, he might score the next time. But that's the that's the pressure on the goalkeeper is I think is immense, isn't it? Yeah, massive look, yeah, isn't it? Striker needs to strike. You know what I mean? Yeah, true, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:49

But uh yeah, it's a good question, good question. Fair enough. Uh but yeah, that's it then for this week. So we'll finally be back for a couple of look backs at the Premier League games over the weekend. Um I'll put all our predictions up for people that might be new listening to us, which you probably do have new listeners the last time the Premier League has gone on. Um on Instagram, every tour say before the the fixtures, we put up our predictions. We have a little league table. Uh Sean's winning at the minute, Vin is in second, but we're only eight points behind Vin. I'm sure we didn't get it. A couple of weeks to catch up. But um yeah, we stick all our predictions up there and again people can have a look to see how we're getting on and if our right or our wrong and and whatnot. Um it's just for the crack, isn't it? Exactly. Whoever comes last will have some sort of a punishment, maybe if it's not me. Yeah, and look it. That's it then, I suppose. We'll be back then next week and thanks very much for the questions.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:51

Good questions, thanks very much, everybody. Thank you. Trying to get around to all of them as well. I know it's uh people have wrote in to us, and I've answered some a lot of them are similar, is what I'd say. So just keep writing them in. Keep writing them in. So um same some same faces, same names that come up. Yeah, do you like listening to us? We could be talking here all day all day, you know, but just if the walk have them all written down. If the walk down, most of them's half hour smart.

SPEAKER_03 1:03:15

But uh yeah, sure. Thanks for listening, and then we'll be back then next week. Thank you. Thanks very much.