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Episode 53: What is going on with Man City?!?! Tactics Tuesday
23 Plays19 days ago
Nick Bird joins Louie Easton as they discuss the reason behind Manchester City's poor run of form and highlight the key matches this week.
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Transcript
Introduction to the Podcast
00:00:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello, and welcome to the Daily English Premierly podcast here, brought to you by GSPN. I'm Louis Easton, and today joining me on Tactics Tuesday is Nick Bird. It's a busy week this week, Nick. How are you feeling?
00:00:23
Nick
It's a busy week for not just the Premier League, but our entire team here at the English Premier League podcast. So first first week of midweek Premier League games, and I'm looking forward to it, but it's going to be a busy one.
00:00:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's a busy one but it is a fun one because more busy means more football and it's been a big week at the top of the table, ah plenty of movement further down.
Liverpool's Victory Over Manchester City
00:00:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
um But of course the main headline from this weekend will of course be Liverpool are now nine points clear at the top of the Premier League after comfortably beating Manchester City at home. Did you expect the match to go the way it did, Nick?
00:01:03
Nick
I expected Liverpool to win just because Man City looked so bad at the moment and I mean Liverpool were in form that no one really expected coming into this year.
00:01:13
Nick
So I expected Liverpool win, Pepta terribly at Anfield. His only win is obviously when there was were no fans. So I expected Liverpool to win, but maybe not this comfortably because obviously your're yourre you're a Liverpool fan.
00:01:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's been a weird. Yeah, I am a Liverpool fan.
00:01:30
Nick
Did you expect it to be that comfortable?
00:01:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah I didn't expect it to be that comfortable. well The thing is, I always go into these matches, these big ones without expecting anything of Liverpool, especially when it's Anna Slott's first match against Pep Guardiola.
00:01:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Obviously a manager that he has so much respect for. um And at Liverpool just dominated, even though they didn't score immediately. You can see in the opening, Manchester City did not look like their normal selves. And um it was just total domination from start to finish. Manchester City may be lucky that it was only 2-0 as well. ah And a huge, huge three points in what was obviously a six pointer. Maybe not at this stage of the season, but definitely some important points for later on.
Can Manchester City Challenge for the Title?
00:02:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Nick, I'll ask you as well. Manchester City now 11 points off Liverpool. Is that it for the title race, do you think?
00:02:26
Nick
it's so difficult to rule city out but with how they're playing at the moment it doesn't feel like it's gonna improve and i think they'll get someone to play six uh in the january window but it'll be difficult to just get this back on track because it's not just rogerie it's the the entire system's falling apart they were playing like individuals and I was looking at, because obviously, Haaland was the only player that started for City yesterday that scored in the Premier League, and I was looking at some of the City stats, and obviously Haaland has got 12 goals, he's got 11.91 XG. The next City player for the height for highest XG is Savino on 1.8.
00:03:11
Nick
which like I was thinking a city being punished for their game model revolving almost entirely around getting it to harland especially when he's in the form where he's not really taking his chance as much and I don't even remember him having a shot yesterday so as bad as city R I think it's it's the system that seems to be letting them down a little bit at the moment so it's such a weird one
00:03:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do you think... Do you think they don't want to play for Pep anymore?
00:03:43
Nick
No. i don't I don't think you can play for Pep and not want to play for him. ah i don't I don't think that's a thing.
00:03:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
But they're not playing like Pep's model of football because you know they're passing outside of the box. um As much as we saw some of it, they just didn't have that sort of Pep flair that they used to bring um defenders into the attack. The defense was a lot further back in some parts of that game.
00:04:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah than usual. ah They still played with a high line for other parts of the game, but they just didn't look themselves and it doesn't look like the sort of model of football that we've seen ah
Manchester City's Struggles and Defensive Issues
00:04:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Pep use. I know that they don't have Rodry. You can play basically play four positions at the same time, and but they still have so much quality. um why Why do you think this is happening now? um Because there's been so much talk about Rodry, but they have a different formation this season and it just hasn't been working.
00:04:37
Nick
Yeah, I think there's been a lot of injuries as well. Pep talked about it in the press conference after the game. They didn't have four centre backs for a month, basically, and Ake and Akandia just coming back. And you can tell like they just they don't look comfortable. and when Akanji was stepping up into midfield there were such massive gaps between the center backs and full backs and when I mean even just when they were playing with the ball waveves they looked so uncomfortable so it's so I think it's mostly a confidence thing I think would be with we're seeing that no matter how good you are confidence when it's gone like there's nothing you can really do about it and there are
00:05:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Maybe.
00:05:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Akanji had an absolute nightmare as well yesterday, especially for that first goal for Gakapo.
00:05:24
Nick
Yeah.
00:05:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
He just was not getting tight at all to sell it. Akke really didn't try and block the cross as well. It was a disaster class from Manchester City in defence.
00:05:37
Nick
but Yeah, I'd be interested in what you think about how Pep brought in players and took players out in what is such an impactful game. So mainly Edison obviously got dropped after he was at fault for all three final goals midweek, if we're being honest. And he brought Guevario out who hasn't been at his best defensively probably, but the contribution he's had attacking wise you maybe would have thought he'd stayed in the team i thought it was a weird time to do that yeah yeah
00:06:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
I was very... Yeah, I thought it was very weird that he started with Ake, because I thought Gavario... You know, is he still their second top scorer this season? I can't remember. He is. Okay, so that's immediately a strange one. I was mostly scared of Phil Foden, but he really didn't get into the game.
00:06:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
at all. He had a bit of a knock earlier in the first half. um i was I was surprised by Pep's choice. um And bringing on Jack Grealish thinking that he's going to make a difference, when Grealish really isn't much of a difference maker. He's not someone you bring on. He's someone that starts a game to give you that sort of stability on the win because he's very good at holding onto the ball and very good at finding a teammate in tight areas. So I was very surprised by Pep's starting 11 and many Manchester City fans have made a point of that. I was very surprised he left out Edison because he don't
00:07:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
punish a player for making mistakes, because there's no doubt that Edison has the capability. He just made a couple of mistakes. But you don't then drop them, especially if they're a goalkeeper, because what that can do for their confidence um going into some games trying to turn this bad run of form around is
Pep Guardiola's Tactical Decisions
00:07:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
is impactful. And it's really hurtful to a goalkeeper. We saw what happened to Ramsdale um and Arsenal just leaving him out. And then when he was brought back, he made a couple of mistakes. ah but
00:07:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
i don't i don't understand pep's logic um
00:07:36
Nick
i think I think the Edison one made them more uncomfortable when they were playing out as well because he's so good with his feet and Ortega's not bad with it but you saw at times he looked a little bit awkward whereas Edison probably would have dealt with the pressure a bit more and I mean you'd look even further up the pitch like you were saying Grealish coming on but he started with Nunez left wing, Rika Lewis was essentially right wing
00:07:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:07:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I don't understand Pep's logic.
00:08:04
Nick
like he's played Nuna's left wing quite a bit it's like this experiment's not working it worked for a little bit like you've got Servino and Doku on the bench like I Trent's not as bad defensively as the media sort of makes him out to be but stick Doku there he caused him like a decent amount of issues last year like it's exactly
00:08:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
he always yeah he loves to experiment no he did
00:08:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Even when he came on and late in the match, he did scare us a little bit. um And also, I heard this story about Pep when he was at Bayern Munich, apparently wanted to play Manuel Neuer out field in a match. That's the sort of experimental I don't even know what you want to call it, but ludicrously that Pep has sometimes is, I mean, at least you want to try something, but in a big match, I just feel like he panics.
00:08:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, we saw it in the Champions League final in 2021. He just panicked ah with the team selection and they just got beaten.
00:08:57
Nick
he It feels like he has games where he wants to send a message to his team and there was a game years ago he's done it a few times where they played Brentford I think they were 1-0 away but they played terribly and he made no substitutions almost to try and prove a point with the team and it felt like that was what he was trying to do by taking players who were maybe in bad form
00:09:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean Yeah.
00:09:22
Nick
but don't do it in this game do it do it what if they play wednesday i assume they play wednesday do it at the weekend like this wasn't the game to do that trust trust your team they aren't bad players you know they're not bad players like
00:09:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:09:38
Nick
you've got to try and keep it a bit more comfortable. I thought the lineup, the setup, it just it didn't make sense. like long but You were talking about the high line, but Liverpool's long balls were killing them.
00:09:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Didn't make sense. No, not at all.
00:09:53
Nick
when they weren't Some of them weren't even that dangerous, really.
00:09:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
And you saw them panic as well when the press was on. At one point Bernardo Silva actually cleared the ball. You never see that in Manchester City's old team.
00:10:03
Nick
Yeah.
00:10:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
And yeah, like you said, playing on Wednesday night, another tough fixture at home to Nottingham Forest. Things can only get better for Manchester City and a huge three points dropped as well. We're going to take a short break now as you find out what we do here at the Global Sports Podcast Network.
00:10:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
So we talked about one huge result um in the season already ah for Liverpool beating Manchester City. Didn't really give them enough credit to Liverpool really. I just want to touch on that very, very quickly. ah amazing Amazing performance ah from Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah really stood out for me. ah in that match, but we will talk about another match ah where it wasn't as much of a big match as a big score line. ah Arsenal winning 5-2 at the London Stadium against West Ham United. The most goals in a first half since December 2012, where Manchester United won away at Reading 4-3.
00:11:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Nick this is your team Arsenal just incredible and I would love you to talk about Bakai Osaka because not only has his actual play got better on the ball but also his set pieces his crosses into the box from the corner flag what did you think of him did he stand out to you?
Bakai Saka vs. Salah: Who is More Influential?
00:11:41
Nick
because Saka right now is the best player in the Premier League.
00:11:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
More than Salah!
00:11:47
Nick
which i I think his general play is better than Salah at the moment, because Salah will have games.
00:11:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
home like
00:11:53
Nick
salaable No, I think Salah is a better player. I think Salah will have games where he won't really do loads and he'll get out with a goal goal and assist because he's unbelievable. Salah is a better player.
00:12:04
Nick
I think Saka is in better form, if that makes sense. I think his general play for the team adds a little bit more.
00:12:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah yeah I mean, they're different types of right-wingers. Let's just get that out of the way.
00:12:13
Nick
Yeah completely, completely different.
00:12:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Salah has more of a direct um job for goal. You know, goals and assists, which he does incredibly well with, but his interplay, I think, is really underrated. His dribbling um and just his effects on a game is incredible.
00:12:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
But if you're talking about actual interplay with the rest of the team, um Just what your player can offer to a particular set up I understand where you're coming from but with bakai Osaka because he has these sorts of dips and forms where people just sort of forget about him especially during this ah particular time where he's being compared with Cole Palmer ah for the right wing and the England's position
00:12:51
Nick
His tips in form though, his tips in form are him still getting at least one Color of Sister game. He's so incredibly consistent. the i think I think the top three are just Harland, Salah, and Saka. I don't think Saka should even... I don't think Saka vs Foden and Saka vs Palmer should even be entertained at this point. This is one of the best players in the world and I don't think i think that's controversial to say anymore.
00:13:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think what you're saying already is a little bit controversial, because when I look at Arsenal, I think Erdogan, and you know, when you lost Erdogan, you looked so much worse. And since he's come back, this is the Arsenal that we all know, ah that just look undefeatable in these matches. um So would you, yeah I mean, how do you even compare Erdogan and Bakai Osaka? Because one,
00:13:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
of them is the sort of heartbeat of the team, if you will. ah But Saka does, he he scores goals, he gets assists. Erdogan, that isn't really his game, but he'll sort of be the catalyst in the attack, maybe.
00:13:53
Nick
eriggods but Erdogan's the orchestrator almost. He orchestrates us out of possession. He'll go all over the pitch when we do have the ball and especially obviously obviously that right pod with him, Saka and White or Timber.
00:14:08
Nick
Timber's also going under the radar, unbelievably this season.
00:14:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, he's been decent.
00:14:11
Nick
He's played so well.
00:14:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:13
Nick
but it's so it's so difficult it's an argument on it within the arsenal fanbase as well but i think saka saka's a better player and i think it's so difficult because we've just had erda got out to say he's the more important player but i think that's just because we haven't seen a long stretch without bakai saka so
00:14:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:14:37
Nick
People almost don't realize how important he is. The entire game model is for him. So as much as I was saying, I think he's the best player in the Premier League over Salah.
00:14:49
Nick
They're both suited for their team. The game model are for them. So I think they're both the most important players for their team. I think that's fair. Come on.
00:15:00
Nick
I think that's fair.
00:15:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's just it you know what it's just reminded me of it's reminding me of aftv where they'll just say these incredible incredible things It's not like that, but no you have an argument.
00:15:07
Nick
I don't think it's like it's not that controversial. No, because you look at his numbers as you look at his numbers as well, like most assists in the Premier League, obviously three are from set pieces and he's done it in I think it's 12 games, which is are there with Fabregas twice, Erzil and Kane, all Arsenal people and I
00:15:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's an argument there Yeah
00:15:35
Nick
i Don't I think it's difficult to say Yeah, oh
00:15:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
is And I'll say this as well. Yeah, Spicaio Saka, the only player this season to get into double digits of assists. Ten. Salah second with seven.
00:15:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, Saka has probably been Arsenal's best player this season. um its It does feel a bit unfair to rule out Erdogan, but you just look at the numbers in Saka.
00:15:58
Nick
The guys unbelievable, I'm not yeah, I'd have got so good
00:16:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
He has been and both of them scored a penalty as well against West Ham United 5-2. What a first half um from Arsenal. What do you think as well about Leandro Trossard? He's been, he improved a bit. He got a goal. He got a great ball for Kai Havertz for his goal. um And he's someone that I personally am guilty of criticising. Where does Trossard fit into this Arsenal team?
00:16:25
Nick
It's between him and Martinelli for that left wing spot at the moment, and neither are really night making a massive claim for it. It's the weakest spot in the 11, I think, ah pretty flat. I think that's where that's where we'll look to upgrade next, basically.
00:16:43
Nick
so It's between those two and note not like I said neither really wants to make a big claim for the spot it feels like he gets a goal he gets an assist at the weekend and I think he really needed that he had a massive chance against forest inside like two or three minutes that he missed and He was just going on a runway.
00:16:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:17:03
Nick
He couldn't put anything in the net He got one midweek as well, which was another open net against sporting Lisbon. So I Hopefully he's getting his confidence back a bit, but I think whether it's him or Martinelli feels like it's based on the opponent at the moment and we need one of them to sort themself out basically.
00:17:24
Nick
They're not bad players, they're in bad form.
00:17:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, Martin Ellie has had a very poor season, and um um all Arsenal fans are saying that as well. ah From a West Ham perspective, it's good to see Aaron Wambasaka return to form after surviving Manchester United.
00:17:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
He didn't mark Trossard for his goal. um do Do you think that he's...
00:17:45
Nick
And Trussard didn't mark him for his comp.
00:17:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, do you think that he's um but surprising everyone this season?
00:17:54
Nick
I think he's been better than expected in parts, but there's also times where. He so looks so lazy, but that's not even that's something I've talked about on this podcast a lot.
00:18:05
Nick
Their whole team just looks lazy.
00:18:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm amazed because, yeah, yeah, I understand a bit. It's the getting forward part that surprised me. Because when we talked about Aaron Webesack at Manchester United, there was this whole joke about he's only good at one thing and it's tackling.
00:18:12
Nick
Yeah.
00:18:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
But with this season, we've seen that's not the case.
00:18:22
Nick
No, he seems to be scoring like almost every other week at the moment and maybe it's the fact that West Ham are a bit of a mess and he just seems to be the one that is getting some thought of some sort of the goals.
00:18:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's a bit of that going on.
00:18:37
Nick
But yeah, it's difficult to look at individuals in this West Ham team at the moment because everyone just looks terrible.
00:18:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was a game for their fullbacks though, because also, what a free kick from Emerson Palmieri.
00:18:51
Nick
a ridiculous for a kick. like I feel like at the time Arsenal fans who were almost exaggerating the impact the amount we'd let them back in.
00:18:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
It came out of nowhere.
00:19:02
Nick
It was like the pass from Solaire for Wambasaka, maybe we could probably track it a bit better, but that pass was ridiculous. and The free kick as much as right arguably got the ball and it shouldn't have been a free kick Potentially the free kick is ridiculous like there's no nothing where I could do so it felt like the we let them back in was being overstated because they had maybe five minutes where the crowd had got up a bit but After that it was incredibly comfortable the second half if you've not watched it don't watch it save yourself 45 minutes of your time so
00:19:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:19:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:19:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
there's ah There's a reason I haven't spoken about the second half at all.
00:19:39
Nick
and she yeah
00:19:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah
00:19:42
Nick
yeah it seemed to be a trend this weekend that the just ignore the second half of football games
00:19:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
anyway because yes ah
00:19:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Anyway, so what a win for Arsenal 5-2, all goals in their first half. um And we'll just come to another short break now as you find out what we use to make our podcasts here at the Global Sports Podcast Network.
Chelsea's Rising Stars
00:20:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, so we'll come to a couple of other matches, a a couple that stand out to me. Chelsea 3, Aston Villa nil. um A huge, huge week for three players in particular, I'll highlight from Chelsea. ah Cole Palmer being one of them, he just seems to have an incredible match every single ah week. ah it Nick, I know we spoke about Bakai Osaka, who's often been compared with Cole Palmer, but you can't really compare Cole Palmer to Bakai Osaka, can you?
00:21:07
Nick
no they're very different players obviously pama went on a he's been on a little bit of a barren run i don't think he'd scored or assisted for i think it's four games which ultimately isn't a massive stretch but when he's the main player for the team it's going to get highlighted And he looked back to his best.
00:21:26
Nick
The goal is ridiculous. Got an assist as well. But Nicholas Jackson I wanted to talk about. eat he He's just a proven number nine at the moment.
00:21:36
Nick
He seems to be scoring almost every week.
00:21:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:21:39
Nick
and there's chances he should do better with it. There's one time where Emi Martinez passes the ball to him and he really should score, but they've won 3-0.
00:21:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes.
00:21:50
Nick
I think the story in this game is arguably bigger for Villa where they're now 8-1-less than Chelsea. This is just just another week for Chelsea at the moment, which is testament to them.
00:21:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
That is true. i i've Yeah, absolutely. They have been the most improved team this season in the top six. They are, well, other than Liverpool, maybe. But Chelsea, they were they were the banter club in the ah top six for the last few years, and now they've finally become good. It was only a matter of time as well. um Yeah, I wanted to touch on Cole Palmer. You touched on Nicholas Jackson. ah Enzo Fernandez as well has had this ah incredible resurgence recently.
00:22:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
um But a player that I do want to touch on is Mark Kukureya. He has been incredible. He had a terrific match against Aston Villa. um Just getting forward, making good tackles. He's turning into a proper left back now. um So I did want to mention him, give him a bit of credit where it's due. But Villa, so, so poor defensively, leaving themselves exposed ah in their back four. That's why they've been losing, isn't it, Nick? Their defense.
00:22:56
Nick
their defense but and their attack. i was trying I was trying to look into it earlier after watching the highlights of the game and I'm trying to work out ah why are they so bad at the moment. they I think they are 12th in the league. Yeah, 12th in the league 19 points.
00:23:11
Nick
five wins, four draws, four losses. They've got the 14th most goals conceded, only one clean sheet, the third lowest save ratio for the so-called best goalkeeper in the world. I don't know whether it can just be put down to them suffering from the Champions League. It feels like the main point. I saw Villa fans talking about PSR ruining them, but when we were looking at their window this summer,
00:23:41
Nick
It went it looked like they generally improved and their depth especially they'd lost some big players mainly Douglas Louise and Most
00:23:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:53
Nick
of the RB I keep getting them confused with a Leon Bailey, but most of the RB obviously went to Saudi Arabia but You'd looked at that window and didn't think it was that bad so to see them struggling this much with the Champions League maybe it's maybe I'm being too surprised by that but we saw it last year with Newcastle we're seeing it again this year do you think that's the main reason?
00:24:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think that is a huge um catalyst for why they have been so bad. ah But their defence, they just keep on getting caught on the break and they're not really making challenges on the edge of the box in the danger areas.
00:24:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
um And the trouble is with Villa as well. You know, last week, Crystal Palace, that's a team they should be beating. um You can say what you want about a last sort of counter attack that Palace were playing on and a massive, massive goal for their youngster, was it Deveni, is that his name?
00:24:46
Nick
Davini, yeah, Davini.
00:24:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, so a huge moment for him and Palace I think of the team that surprised us most with how much they've been suffering. You know, same points as Wolves and Ipswich, all three on nine points, 17th to 19th.
00:24:54
Nick
but
00:24:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Sorry, did you want to come in and say something?
00:25:00
Nick
Yeah, they they're just not they're not taking their chances really either. I mentioned the attack briefly. Watkins has the most big chances missed in the league. They'll have the second most in terms of teams behind Liverpool, which was a bit surprising when I was looking at that earlier.
00:25:15
Nick
Watkins is, I think he's just low on confidence at the moment. I wonder if Duran, the pressure from Duran has got to him a bit because I saw some Villa fans saying when this happened with Ings a few years ago, he went through a bit of a bad run.
00:25:29
Nick
So maybe he's just a player that doesn't deal particularly well with competition, but they really, really need him to get backscoring because there was a big chance of the weekend he missed.
00:25:40
Nick
And if he gets back to being confident, I think they'll, they'll be fine.
00:25:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:25:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes, ah definitely Ollie Watkins. ah mean We know what he's capable of. We saw him do it in the big match for England against the Netherlands as well. um And to be fair, he did score last week, so he's not completely goalless at the moment. A team who are... very goalless at the moment are Everton. They ah have gone another match without scoring as they took a heavy 4-0 defeat at Old Trafford to Manchester United. A couple of braces as well for Joshua Zirksi and Marcus Rashford. Is this just a case of new manager bounce, Nick?
00:26:21
Nick
A bit of new manager bounce, a bit of they've been gifted four goals by Everton, arguably. There's three that are just blatant mistakes from Everton. And then and the other one, which was just a corner routine where they've exploited a gap in Everton's set up defence. So a bit of like Yes, it's 4-0, but Everton should have done much better. Beto had a few chances, he fluffed. I think it's new manager bounce, but I wrote in my notes, I think the performances are more important than results for United at the moment. and Results are a bit of a bonus. so I think Amorim has talked about that as well. if He said the the the result flattered them this week. He thinks they should have scored more against Boda in midweek. so
00:27:09
Nick
I think it's it important messaging from the manager that they weren't getting under Tenharg as well.
00:27:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Yeah, so four matches in a row, Everton ah have gone without scoring, so Manchester United losing 4-0, drawing 0-0 with Brentford at home, away at West Ham, another 0-0 draw there, and a 1-0 loss away at Southampton.
00:27:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
And of course their last ah goal coming back in October at home against Fulham and that was a last-minute equalizer from Beto. Dominic Calvert-Lewin as well going a long long time without a goal in the Premier League.
00:27:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Is that what this boils down to for Everton, Nick? Is that just lack of
00:27:54
Nick
yeah they need they need to find a new they need to find a new main man like they can't keep persisting with dominic halberd lowen at this point the injuries the long baron uh spells in front of goal betto it felt like there was a little bit of hype when he came in and he's not really done anything either either it's it's essentially and die and McNeil's team it feels like and if they're not getting a goal or assist then nothing's going for Everton obviously they they only got a nil-nil draw with ah Brentford last week who were down to 10 men for the majority of the game they
00:28:37
Nick
This isn't a dice team. We're really seeing at the moment. It feels like the the like the terrible defending uh in the game of the weekend Like they're getting they've got two no-nails, which is a bit dice, but they're just they can't do anything up front on It'll be interesting to see if they do anything about that in january We don't really know how much money they have with the new ownership stuff going on around with them
00:28:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:29:03
Nick
But something needs to change. I don't think they're going to be in a relegation battle. I think the teams below them are just worse. so
00:29:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, they've got a big match this week in the relegation battle. Two points up from the drop and they face a team that are also in that region. Wolverhampton Wanderers, 7.30 kick-off Wednesday nights at Goodison Park. um This is a big one, isn't it, Nick? Huge one.
00:29:32
Nick
Wolves need to stop delaying the inevitable. I spoke about it before the international break They got a win midweek or not midweek. Sorry. They got a win after the international break But they need they need to get rid of Gary O'Neill before they completely get dragged into This relegate.
00:29:51
Nick
Well, they're in a relegation scrap. There's no you can't ignore that. They hit their 18th at the moment, but I They I think they just need to get him gone before it gets worse because otherwise I think they'll get in a cycle of maybe a win every four weeks and They they might go oh we we might be back No Like they were so bad against Bournemouth
00:30:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:30:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it's also a massive, massive ah midweek for that region as well, because also ah in that region, that two teams on the same points, one of them just narrowly outside of the relegation zone ah on goal difference.
00:30:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Ipswich versus Crystal Palace, 7.30, the first match of the midweek. ah That's another huge one. So for four teams ah down there, this is a massive, massive midweek. And um Ipswich versus Palace at the time of this coming out, it will be tonight. I'm talking ah in the tense of whenever you're listening to this when it comes out.
00:30:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Um, Leicester versus West Ham as well tonight. And some huge matches as well. Midweek, um, Arsenal versus Manchester United. That's the one that immediately wets your appetite. 815, Emirates Stadium, Wednesday nights. Is this the match of the midweek, Nick?
00:31:12
Nick
definitely and it's a it'll be an interesting one it's Amorim's first massive test before he has a string of quite big tests because we've just drawn them at home in the FA Cup as well this evening as we record so be the first of two games in pretty quick succession against them and as much as it should be comfortable for us when you play in United there's always a bit of like what could happen especially with them under new management.
00:31:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yep.
00:31:43
Nick
I think maybe there's a benefit if we played this system last week but then there's the benefit for Amorim that he can watch that game and highlight deficiencies in how sporting played against us.
00:31:56
Nick
So it'll be an interesting game I expect us to win but there's always a tinger doubt
00:32:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, always. And that's ah inevitable when it's such a big match like that. We are going to end the podcast there. Thank you very much for listening. ah Nick, you've been wonderful as well. ah Take care and I hope you enjoy the midweek football just as much as we do.