Transcript
Global Sports Podcast Network: Hello and welcome back to Manchester City Daily brought to you by the Global Sports Podcast Network. The only place you can get your daily news and updates from every Premier League team, every single day. You're finding yourself in the blue side of Manchester once again today. So if you're a fan of Peps, I want to say tricky, but honestly, it's not looking that way anymore. But Peps, tricky blues for the sake of, uh, continuancy. Uh, you are in the right place. It's always my pleasure to say that joining me today,
Global Sports Podcast Network: is my partner in crime, Keelan McNamara. Keelan, how are you doing this fine evening?
Keelin : Jack, I'll be honest, though I've had better weeks as a city fan, you know, we are in the blue side of Manchester, I'm feeling very blue at the moment, and probably gonna be feeling even more blue after the weekend, but as always, it's good to be here with you, my friend, and let's get into it.
Global Sports Podcast Network: We are feeling very blue at the moment. Yeah, absolutely. So we'll be breaking down and discussing The post match for our Real Madrid, UEFA Champions League, it's weird, this is the knockout stage of the group phase, uncharted territory for Blues. I'll tell you what's not uncharted territory for us Blues, is playing Real Madrid in the Champions League for what seems like the seventh season in a row now. I am sick of these guys, Keelan. I am so, so sick of Real Madrid. I'm sick of seeing them come to the Etihad.
Global Sports Podcast Network: I'm sick of us going to Spain and and playing them there. Every time we come up against them, whether we win it or not, it's never it's not comfortable. I don't enjoy it. I don't have a good time. And let's just say this week's game was no exception. um It finished, of course, Real Madrid 3, Manchester City 2. Complete compitulation from Manchester City. I bet you've not heard that before on this pod. I, of course, joke because that has been literally the kind of the the The theme, the recurring theme of this season is just being undone by our own mistakes. We are our own worst enemy. Keelan, just give me some thoughts off the top of your head. What's your immediate reaction from that game?
Keelin : Yeah, the the immediate reaction is, like with what seems like every goddamn game this season, it was going so well until it wasn't. And the most annoying thing above everything else is the fact that Madrid weren't even that good. They really weren't. That was a weekend... Okay, yes, they still have an SUS junior in Killian Mbappe, I get that much, but that was not the very best team Madrid could have put out, and Jack they were there for the taking. that That's the game where if you have robbed or you win that 3 -4 -1, you go to the Burnipa, you try and hang on to get through to the next round.
Keelin : And it's the same bloody story with the City team, you know, you're 2 -1 up, Erling Hallen has an unbelievable game, he was the best player for City by a country mile. And as usual, City's defence lets us down again, Edderson, horrible distribution again, Mateo Kovacic had another rocky horror show, Regal Lewis,
Keelin : ah just not good and yeah it's the same story you know shooting ourselves in the foot and doing what the opposition can't do letting city lose
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah, I mean, we we we walked up to this game. We were looking at Real Madrid's back line. Of course, their front four, Vanishes Jr., Jude Bellingham, Rodrigo, Kylian Mbappe, that's going to instill fear in any team in the world's eyes. But we were looking at their back line going,
Global Sports Podcast Network: OK, Ferle and Mende, this young Esencio fella, Chua Meni, Valverde, all world class players in their own right, but most of them playing out of position, looked a bit of an uncomfortable, unsettled back four.
Keelin : Hmm.
Global Sports Podcast Network: They were definitely there to be got at. you know, field in Chebayos in the midfield who was, you know, it could be seen as a bit of an arsenal reject over the past few years. So there was definitely the opportunity there for City.
Global Sports Podcast Network: And we didn't capitalize on that enough I felt in that first half, because that first half made a mistake about it. We were back. We were playing absolutely ridiculously liquid football.
Keelin : Oh.
Global Sports Podcast Network: We were controlling and dominating Real Madrid. I thought, this is it. However, that's well that wasn't to say that the Real Madrid were without their chances. They were definitely still capable of putting us on the back four, getting at us on the counter attack with all the pace that they've gotten up front. And to be honest with you, this is probably the one game at the past few seasons where I've really, really noticed the pace of the opposition, not just in a one player, like maybe you play Fulham and the D 'Amatriore skinning your back four.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Every single one of them was lightning quick, super coordinated on the counter. It was like one hive mind with these four players when they're on the counter. They all attack simultaneously together. that they you know They're always a threat. They're so, so precise. So were they dangerous? Absolutely, of course. But we did control that game in the first 45 minutes. I thought that there was some real nice link up play. I want to touch upon John Stones. We'll get into his performance.
Global Sports Podcast Network: a little bit later on but let me just say that first 45 minutes it's exactly why I'm so critical of John stones because what we see from him in that first 45 minutes is he is one of the finest footballers on the planet when he is fully fit we saw that performance reminded me of the performance that you put in in the Champions League final against Inter Milan he played in the midfield
Keelin : Oh.
Global Sports Podcast Network: super calm super composed and not only that everything went through John stones his passing in the midfield when he was playing there was sublime he was stringing everything together it looked like we had roger back in the team the second 45 minutes When Manuela Kanji got subbed off, we took Nathan IK off, and John Stones had to go back into that left center back row.
Global Sports Podcast Network: It was a different type of player. He was wanting to misplace passes.
Keelin : Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: He was seeing the game from a different angle, from from different, you know, and it it just looked difficult for him. It looked like he struggled with the pace because that's what he was thinking of. He said, oh, I can't put a foot wrong here.
Global Sports Podcast Network: I can't make these dangerous passes because I've got to deal with the pace of these four on the attack. When he was in the midfield, He looked like he had a little bit more license to roam, a little bit more freedom, and he could excel in the qualities that make him so good. He could string passes together and and and start counter -attacks. John Stones talked to me keeling because I have such a problem with the fact that I only get to see this beautiful footballer for eight games a season.
Keelin : Jack, John Stones is an Alfa Romeo. When he's on the road or when he's on the pitch, he is the best thing you will ever see or experience. There is no defender or player in world football better than John Stones at what he does.
Keelin : Argue with yourself in the comments, I don't really care. But like an Alfa Romeo, he's broken down most of the time and that's where the heartbreaking frustration is.
Keelin : Because when
Global Sports Podcast Network: I absolutely love your analogies, by the way. Such a beautiful way with words. It's amazing.
Keelin : this is what happens when you have too much time in your hands ladies and gentlemen you think of stuff that you shouldn't but yeah I mean that this is the problem with John Stones when if you were to pick Man City's 100 % best team when everybody's fit there's a reason it's John Stones and Ruben Diaz because when he's alongside Rodri in an actual double pivot John Stones is the best in the world at what he does he really really is
Global Sports Podcast Network: or
Keelin : for For someone who plays a more complicated position than being a left sided centre back, he handles the flow in the tempo unbelievably well. You know, Johnstone's for someone from Barnsley, not that I have anything against Barnsley, shout out Mick McCarthy, Ireland legend.
Keelin : um You know, John Stones is a player that was born to be a Pep Guardiola footballer. He's so good at doing the complex things well. But like you said, and you're right to make the point, when you put him in defence, the basic stuff he is a nightmare with. You know, when he's dragged back to serve in defence, he's misplacing passes, you know, he's not, he's out of position, he's not where you should where he should be.
Keelin : um And it's such a shame because that first half was one of the best individual performances of any city player this season. Not that that's a hard barrier to reach by any means, but still, you know, you got to give credit where you can. John Stones was unbelievable. And the second half was such a shame because he but he was controlling that midfield on his own.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah, he was doing like ah an absolutely monstrous effort in that midfield and it was beautiful to see because honestly, that first 45 minutes, we fielded a back line of Manelakanji at right back, Ruben Diaz, Nathan Aque in the centre, John Scogavadio on the left and John Stones in the middle, five centre backs were on the pitch.
Keelin : Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: And I don't know about you, I can't speak for you, Keelan, but for me, that was the best our backline has looked all season.
Keelin : Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Those just absolutely combative, dual winning, but also technically brilliant footballers. I can't quite, this is probably the first time I've noticed this season, just how important having Nathan Aquet on the pitch was, because the angles that he opened up with his passing was absolutely sublime.
Keelin : Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: I was devastated when he had to go off. and i was actually devastated when manila kanji had to go off because for all of his mistakes this season he dealt with vanishes jr for those first 30 45 minutes or whatever when we seen rico lewis come on that's when some of the problems started to arise so that back line for me
Keelin : Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: absolutely it it was fantastic and that's not even mentioning a player who for me was probably one of our man in the matches and that was Josko Guevadi all inverting in the left side, he does not look like a centre back, he does not look like a left back, he doesn't even look like a
Keelin : I mean 100%. No.
Global Sports Podcast Network: a left winger. He looks like just a footballer. The only way I can describe him is he is a footballer.
Keelin : Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Just go and put him on the pitch and he will play football and he'll do it beautifully. He should not move that gracefully or elegantly for someone that tall. He was, you know, kind of important for our attack, so important.
Global Sports Podcast Network: and But, I mean, let's talk about Let's talk about our front four because they were a threat and they were a threat in the second half, even more so than the first, but they were still a threat in the first half.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Um, first and foremost, when this is junior man of the match, after seeing that banner, the stop crying your heart out, Rodry Ballon d 'Or banner, it was always going to happen that way, wasn't it?
Global Sports Podcast Network: It was always going to happen that way.
Keelin : and
Global Sports Podcast Network: Um, we were playing with fire, up putting that message out, but at the end of the day, I don't know, call me controversial. I don't think he had a great game.
Keelin : No, he didn't. That's not controversial.
Global Sports Podcast Network: No.
Keelin : no Now, to be fair, he had a lot more joy when Rico Lewis came on, but he was pocketed by Manuela Cangi.
Global Sports Podcast Network: you um Yeah.
Keelin : And, you know, yes, he he got cucked Rico Lewis multiple times, but Vinicius Jr.
Global Sports Podcast Network: really?
Keelin : did not have the best game, you know? He had a couple of chances here and there, you know, played quite swaggered swaggeringly and arrogantly as he normally does. But I thought Rodrigo had just as good a game as Vinicius Jr.
Keelin : did. I just think well the problem with Vinicius Jr.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah.
Keelin : is he creates headlines. So he gets a lot more attention than Madrid's other players.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Great, aren't you?
Keelin : And look, you can talk, ah I thought the banner was brilliant, by the way, shout out 1894, because that banner was sensational.
Global Sports Podcast Network: It was.
Keelin : thing The thing with Vinicius Jr. is he's just an idiot. you know He's unlikable. The racism issues he deals with are horrible and no one should ever go through that. you know That goes without saying. But this antagonistic approach, I don't get it. you know I don't get why he thinks he's got a play with a chip on his shoulder. He's a great football player.
Keelin : But I don't think he was anything out of the ordinary against Siddy. I thought Fede Valverde had as good a game. What a midfielder, by the way, Federico Valverde is. He is unbelievable.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah, I mean it was pretty sensational that even though Federico Valverde was playing ah right back, he still ran our midfield ragged. ah Which for me was the obvious kind of point ah that that the game turned, was that in the first 45 minutes our midfield of stones, De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva, had quite a lot of control and and quite a lot of joy.
Keelin : Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: and completely took the ball off Madrid, you know making players like Jude Bellingham look obsolete. Come the second half, you could see that those three players in Armidfield looked very tired. They didn't want to win the ball back. They couldn't win the ball back, even if they wanted to. And that's where the energy, the youthfulness, the pace of Real Madrid's team really undone us, I thought, because they couldn't really get a sniff in the first half. But I tell you what, let's have a quick ad break.
Global Sports Podcast Network: and then when we get back we'll discuss and break down a little bit more about the goals that we scored and then the goals that we conceded because there's a lot to talk about.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Right, so welcome back to Manchester City Daily, brought to you by the Global Sports Podcast Network. We're breaking down Manchester City versus Real Madrid. Another complete capitulation from us in the Champions League. And let's face it, and because no one's gonna pull the wall over our eyes. We're not gonna go to the Burnabout next week and win. We're not gonna even get a draw. We are out of the Champions League and we didn't really deserve to be in it in the first place. Let's get that out of the way.
Global Sports Podcast Network: That being said, it doesn't justify just how poor we were once again defending a lead at the Etihad. We went 1 -0 up just inside 20 minutes thanks to a beautiful team goal, make no mistake about it.
Keelin : Oh.
Global Sports Podcast Network: I mean Grealish involved, this is why I assume Pep started him for these big games against Real Madrid, Champions League nights, when we've got five players against Madrid who, you know, were on a booking, that missed the next leg. If they get booked, they didn't get booked. Referee wasn't having none of it, but Jack Grealish tried to do his thing. Regardless of that, he was involved heavily for the first goal, a beautiful flighted ball over to the top of the defense, brought down phenomenally by, um, Yosco Gvadiall, who chested it down for Harlan to put it back into the net.
Global Sports Podcast Network: and When I was in the stadium, this was one of the longest VAR calls I've ever seen. We were sat there waiting for about 5 -10 minutes just for them to say, it's a goal, whatever. It was a brilliant team goal and that's kind of where it ended, didn't it Keelan?
Keelin : Unfortunately, yeah, um that I mean, as a goal, it's one of the best moments I've seen all season, you know, Jack Reilish has had a lot of criticism from the media and various other people. I thought he had a really good game at doing what Jack Reilish does best. and Obviously he clips this unbelievable ball into Yasuko Vardial who's in the 18 yard box of the opposition, which I love. you know Just the guy that played too much FIFA Street growing up, but I wish we had more players like that.
Keelin : And he, for a defender, his control is just something unreal. Like you said, he chased it down for Holland, who takes a brilliant finish and rifles it past Tivo Courtois. The VAR check was an embarrassment, but the goal was given, which is the important thing. And look, City probably should have been 2 -0 down by the time that goal was scored, but as a goal, incredible. One of the best team moves I've seen City do all season.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah, it's frustrating really because the first half we did create a lot of chances going forward. You always knew, you always had that feeling that if we didn't capitalize on these, they would come back to bite us. Going into halftime one nil up, were you at all confident?
Keelin : No, to be honest, I wasn't. And the reason I wasn't confident was I knew eventually Pep would go to Matteo, Carver Chichanil, Kai Gundogan, and probably Rico Lewis, and one of them would probably mess something up, which unfortunately unfortunately they did with a certain degree of inevitability.
Keelin : Now listen, the the first Madrid goal is just bad luck. I'm not going to blame anybody for that. You know, Mbappe takes a wild swing in it. It somehow comes off the middle of his shin and goes in at a weird angle. That happens to everybody. I'm not going to blame anyone for that.
Keelin : But I will get on to this, of course, and in a bit.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Bye.
Keelin : I don't want to get too much into it. But the some of the play and the defending for those two goals was unforgivably bad. And we know who the culprits were because they've been the same culprits all season.
Keelin : And frankly, I am fed up of them at this point.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah, well, let's let's briefly touch upon that first goal because for me, like you said, it was not much that could be done about it. I mean, they were all in a defensive line, but at the end of the day, it was a goal scored from.
Global Sports Podcast Network: A dead ball that got kicked back and then played back in. what What I will say, what frustrated me about that goal was that Madrid had the free kick and their players were just moving the ball slightly closer while the ref wasn't looking and edging it closer and city players were just watching him do it. And I'm not saying go and kick it, and but why are you just sitting there letting them ah gain these little tiny advantages and obviously they're not massive advantages on the pitch but they're psychological advantages if you are Madrid you know you can get away with doing these little tiny dark arts I know it's rich coming from a city fan king of the dark arts but we're so good at it because we didn't let other teams do it against us and now we're just becoming a bit of a
Global Sports Podcast Network: getting this bit of a soft underbelly, what we've criticized Arsenal for for so long.
Keelin : Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: and But that was my qualms with the first goal. The second goal, like you said, just unforgivable. It was just unforgivable. Well, I'll tell you what, we're going ahead of ourselves here because before we conceded through Madrid again, we did get a penalty in the 80th minute.
Global Sports Podcast Network: That was when Phil Fonin came on as a substitute. Beautiful footwork ah from him. I couldn't see it very well in the stadium. Did you have a better view of it? well what How ah did he do?
Keelin : Yeah, so Foden, as he did coming in from the right wing, did brilliantly. and you know We took that sort of two -touch from the left to the right foot in towards the center of the penalty box.
Keelin : I think it was Danny Sibaios that hit him, and it was sort of like a thigh -to -thigh sort of. and it's It's a bit of a weird one to describe. He sort of hit Foden's thigh with his thigh.
Keelin : That's why Foden was down in the ground and it looked like he had a bit of a dead leg, but that's what happened.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Right. Yeah.
Keelin : And credit to the referee, he made the right decision, it was a penalty. His right foot was just inside the penalty box, so it was a penalty. And like I said, all credit to Erling Holland, because on the biggest occasion, he delivers.
Keelin : And when he's given a chance, he doesn't miss it, you know? That's the biggest pressure point of the season up until now. He gets a penalty against maybe the best goalkeeper in Europe and Thibaut Courtois and he makes it look easy. And that's why Holland earns every penny of the money that he gets from this new nine and a half year deal. Credit to him, he took the moment on with both shoulders and he handled it with flying colours.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah, it was a massive moment really for him because the atmosphere around the ground at the time, at least on where I was sat, coming from me a lot really was that I wasn't confident in his ability to put this away. We've seen at times this season and last, he has missed the odd important penalty, but it just feels like his mentality at the moment is 10 levels higher than any other player in this city team.
Global Sports Podcast Network: For me, it just seemed like he is the only one that really wants us and believes that we should be back to where we were last season, to where we were the season before. Him, Ruben Diaz, a select few, but him just he really just feels like he's the one spearheading the team and he's dragging us to finish lines and even though we don't get to those finish lines because the rest of the team capitulates,
Global Sports Podcast Network: I cannot praise Erwin Harlan enough because without him this season, there would be very, very little for us to be smiling about at this time. So a brace against Madrid, of course, we lost in the end, but or all credit to Erwin Harlan. He's been fantastic this season. He was fantastic again in the midweek.
Global Sports Podcast Network: but I so wish it had ended at 2 -1. It would have been a fantastic story and we're going to have that little glimmer of hope going into next week.
Keelin : It should've.
Global Sports Podcast Network: But it didn't end at 2 -1, did it Keelan?
Keelin : No.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Because in the 86 minute mark, Edison, what are you doing? What frustrates me most is he'd actually had a really good game up until that point. He'd made some key saves. His distribution had been pinpoint perfect up until that point and he just He played a drop ball. Edison never plays a drop ball. He never drops it and kicks it. He always places it, takes a big step back, and puts it a perfect pass. Why did he do that? what What was going through his head? what I have no idea. He went straight to a Real Madrid player, and yeah, the rest was history. Keaton, what were you thinking when when that goal went in?
Keelin : Well, it's so weird, and I can't really explain it. Maybe it's just my pessimism from this season. The second I saw that Brahim Diaz was coming on, I thought, yes, something bad's about to happen here because it's city. Of course, Brahim Diaz is going to come on and equalize. And to my horror, that's exactly what happened. You know, Anderson gets a real innocuous pass back to him. Like you said, he plays the drop ball, which is weird in itself. And then for whatever reason I genuinely don't have an explanation he plays it to a Madrid player who knocks it into I think Rodrigo who who hits a shot at Edison who does actually save the shot it's a terrible rebound from Edison and Brahim Diaz makes it 2 -2 now credit to Brahim Diaz for not celebrating because I probably would have is
Global Sports Podcast Network: yeah I was thinking that when I was watching the goal. He always spent five minutes here at City, to be honest. Of course, he did come through our academy, but I wouldn't have had anything against him if he'd celebrated, to be honest with you.
Keelin : No, not at all. I mean, if ah if that was me, I certainly would have because I would have looked, but either way, I respect Ibrahim Diaz for that and he took his opportunity. But I think, Jack, and this is part of a much wider discussion. In the summer, Edison's gone and Stéphane Ortega is probably gone as well because the whole team has been bad at times, with the exception of probably Vardiel in Ireland Holland.
Keelin : But our goal keeper situation has been the worst I can remember since probably Costo Pantilimon. That's how bad it's been.
Global Sports Podcast Network: we will remember you Costell Pantilomon, all six foot nine of you.
Keelin : Never forget.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Never forget you. Hey, but listen, me and you have been flying the Diogo Costa flag very high for a long time, Keelan.
Keelin : Aw.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Maybe we'll get our wish come true in the summer. It certainly looks like we'll need to refresh that position regardless of if if it's a number one or a number two. But hey, maybe Edison might be looking for that last big Saudi paycheck.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Who knows? He certainly deserves it. He has been a stellar and kind of, you know, stellar character for the club. He's achieved everything, but he has been for the season.
Global Sports Podcast Network: And I'll tell you, he has not been much better at time.
Keelin : No.
Global Sports Podcast Network: I mean, particularly against Arsenal, for me, that was the worst I've ever seen Ortega play.
Keelin : Oh, it's horrible.
Global Sports Podcast Network: He was absolutely brilliant. and But listen, it didn't even end 2 -2, did it Keelan? It ended 3 -2, 92nd minute, Jude Bellingham scores the winner, thanks to... Well, I'll tell you what, I'll let you talk about this one because it was an interesting choice, shall we say, to play a mid and -back pass from, I'd say, your favourite City player ever, Matejo Kovacic.
Keelin : uh i swear to god fire mateo kavacic into the sun and fire il kai gundawan in with him you know the second those two came on i thought yeah we're gonna bottle this something but you know we are not winning this game without a shadow of a diet in fact you know what for the rest of the season play niko o'reilly instead of kavacic do you know how bad this is jack you want to know how bad this is play mateo
Global Sports Podcast Network: How bad is it?
Keelin : play Mateus Nunez instead of Karvajic.
Global Sports Podcast Network: a
Keelin : I am sick of this guy. I am fed up to see Mateus Karvajic mess up pass after pass after pass after pass.
Global Sports Podcast Network: ah la
Keelin : He was a rejected Chelsea. e He was a bench warmer at Chelsea. He didn't even make the squad for most of Madrid's Champions League finals and somehow he's good enough to to stay in Siddy's Midfield.
Keelin : How do you make that make that make sense to me, Gerald? Make it make sense. You know, this Midfield used to be Kevin De Bruyne, who is still brilliant.
Keelin : I still love Kevin. Fernandinho, Rodry and David Silva are Lord and Saviour. How have we gone from that to this?
Keelin : You tell me how
Global Sports Podcast Network: You know, i mean every time David Silva's name gets brought up, I feel so sad because how much we would love a player like him, Phil Maggio, in our team right now.
Keelin : oh
Global Sports Podcast Network: But at the end of the day, we wouldn't have had any of that trouble if, like, an Orian player hadn't tried to snap our new signing in half the other day.
Keelin : ah
Global Sports Podcast Network: But listen, we are where we are because of injuries and we conceded that. but When the ball got played to Rico Lewis, I do feel a little bit bad for him because he was played one of the worst hospital passes of all time.
Keelin : Oh. Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: But when it went into his path, I just knew that they were nicking him off, nicking it off.
Keelin : Yes,
Global Sports Podcast Network: Because for me, Rico Lewis, for all of his technical brilliance, he is what I describe as a nervous player.
Keelin : yes he is.
Global Sports Podcast Network: I get nervous watching him, he looks nervous playing and it's okay when we're playing teams who are scared of playing Man City because they will sit back, let us have much of the ball and that completely just propels all of Rico Luis's brilliance into our eyes. We can see how fantastic he is on the ball because we have so much of it.
Global Sports Podcast Network: When we're playing teams this season that aren't scared of us and let's face it That's every team that we played this season. No one is scared of us anymore They will get out was and when they do Rico Lewis looks nervous So hopefully next season it will look a lot better for say it will look a lot better for Rico Lewis But this season boy, oh boy.
Keelin : Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: He has looked poor through no phone alone
Keelin : Oh yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: It's just not been going the way this season. I know Pep says he can't rest him. Boy, does that that lad need some time on ah on the sidelines. He needs a big long rest.
Keelin : Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: So I do feel sorry for him, but fortunately we're in the position we are in now. We've got rid of Kyle Walker to AEC Milan. Manuel Akangi, our makeshift right back, has just gotten injured again. He'll be out for a about six to eight weeks with a muscular injury, I believe it is. The injury woes. Don't stop the keeling. They just keep coming and they just keep piling on.
Keelin : Yeah I mean unfortunately they do but the thing is Jack the injuries are bad don't get me wrong when you lose your best player you're never going to be the best version of yourself that goes without saying but what this season for me has shown and exposed and I don't want to go too far with what I say because if if if I lose my head I will lose my head But what this season has shown is the amount of passengers and clingers on there are in the City team. And you made the perfect point there now. The fear factor's gone. You know, we used to be, no this might not be the best expression, but we used to be the school bullies in the yard and nobody wanted to mess with City. And now we're the skinny kid that everybody wants to pick on and have a piece of.
Keelin : And that's with Rodri being gone, because Rodri was one of the only few players that held that team together, pushed the team forward and demanded the best. It is unacceptable how bad most of the city team have been.
Keelin : Ilkai Gundawan has been disgraceful. You know, I love him very much and I will always appreciate him, but I don't know who the hell came back from Barcelona because it's not the same player that left. Mateu Kovacic has been even worse, he's been trashed quite frankly, and I'd give him away for nothing if I could.
Keelin : Mateus Nunez I never wanted but I can't blame him for his right back issues because he just isn't a right back, it's not really his fault. The goalkeepers have abandoned us, they've just been really really bad, there's not really much to say. We have players made of glass, the midfield I mean, how how badly have we been exposed without Rodry filling in the cracks? And this this again, it speaks to a wider problem because we said at the, I can remember the episode, it was at the very beginning of the season, if something happens to Rodry, we are effed.
Keelin : and now we're effed because something happened to Rodri and Guardiola and Chiki Bagiristan and everybody else, Ferran Storiano, were so cocky and so arrogant that they felt Rodri was untouchable and guess what? Rodri's a human being and he is touchable an gall injurer and and You know, people thought I was joking when I said this in the Liverpool crossover. I would have given Liverpool and Arsenal any points advantage you can name to have Rodry back because we scrape past Leighton Orient without Rodry. And for the money we have and the money we spend, that just isn't on. I don't care what the excuses are, it's not acceptable.
Keelin : and for the rest of the season, I don't care if he struggles, give Nico O 'Reilly a chance, give some of the academy players not named Rico Lewis a chance, because so many of these players have tried and they have failed abysmally bad. You know, I can accept giving effort and feeling, that isn't the problem. The problem is, you know, Chuckle brother Mateo Kovacic, who's embarrassed us every game he's played, bar one, Ilkai Gundawan,
Keelin : needs to retire or go to the MLS, he doesn't have it anymore. And what this team needs isn't just a repair, it needs open heart surgery, Jack, because the lack of characters in the city dressing room is concerning beyond belief.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah, gonna I'm gonna have to re -type all this episode to Keelan Goes on 10 minute run about Mateo Kovacic.
Keelin : Have that Arsenal fan TV.
Global Sports Podcast Network: ah No, but listen, you've hit the nail on every head possible because we don't have the characters at that moment or we certainly don't have the characters that are stepping up to the plate. And it's a bit concerning. And for as well as we've started the new year, we've had a pretty dull past a couple of weeks that started with an arsenal thumping and has recently ended with another Real Madrid snatch and grab. And and in the mean and middle of that was, you know,
Global Sports Podcast Network: a snatch and grab from us against Leighton Orient. Different standards we should be aiming much higher. Time will tell how the rest of the season goes. We've still got new signings to embed that have yet to make some sort of a massive impact yet. We're we're still yet to see them. and But there's lots still to come and I do think that next year we will have to have a better year. But there is some respite though Keelan isn't there because in the space of two games from Plymouth Argyle and from my absolute favorite manager, David Moyes, Everton in the Merseyside Derby, 100 point season and Tremble and domestic quadruple are safe thanks to those two games. And at the same time Arsenal probably won't win the league. There are some things to smile about because Keeling, like the Premier League is all about, if you can't enjoy your team doing well, you can sure as hell enjoy the downfall of others. so
Global Sports Podcast Network: I think that's a bit of a stretch to say downfall considering Liverpool will likely run away with the league. But listen, we've got to smile about what we can smile about these days.
Keelin : Yeah, absolutely. And listen, I won't go on another rant about City because it's it's too upsetting and too energy sapping, but I'm going to leave the people with a line from American Dad, and you know, Roger Smith, the alien.
Keelin : If you can't be a winner, be a spoiler.
Global Sports Podcast Network: yeah
Keelin : And you know what? I, I, get I'm okay with Liverpool winning in the league as long as Arsenal don't win it.
Global Sports Podcast Network: but
Keelin : Call me a hater, call me Kendrick Lamar. I don't care. I will suffer through with this nonsense until next season when we have Rodri back and hopefully Mateo Kovacic has just been fired to Jupiter.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Well, I tell you what, there we have it, the episode title. If you can't be a winner, be a spoiler. Listen, we have been Manchester City Daily. Tune in tomorrow. Hopefully we'll have an episode out about our pre -match preparations for Newcastle at home, another game we're likely to suffer in. But in the meantime, have a wonderful rest of your day and we'll see you next time.
