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Episode 13 | They Aren't Built For It
30 Plays5 months ago
We go full fan mode breaking down Manchester United’s massive 3–2 win away at Arsenal. Chaos at the Emirates, huge moments, and pure United mentality on display. We talk big goals, clutch performances, and how United handled the pressure in hostile territory. Arsenal wobble, United belief — and why this felt like a proper statement win.
Then it’s onto Chelsea’s 3–1 win over Crystal Palace. We unpack how the game swung, Palace’s threat early on, and how Chelsea found control and ruthlessness when it mattered. Individual performances, defensive talking points, and whether the scoreline really tells the full story.
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Transcript
Introduction and Recent Football Events
00:00:38
Speaker
Whoa, whoa, whoa, it's Carrick, you know. Hard to believe it's not Scorch.
00:00:51
Speaker
Yo, don't cry, don't beg. Welcome to another episode of the Don't Blame the Ref podcast, where two fans complain, cheer, lie, tell the truth, maybe too much of the truth about the two clubs. and um In the red corner, you've got me, Dom.
00:01:13
Speaker
And in the blue corner, you've got me, E-man. Bro, I'm just smiling, bro. I'm just like... What more can I say? here. a know I ain't never seen you smile like this.
00:01:30
Speaker
Bro, this is so mad. i actually can't believe it. Obviously... We'll have to get into proper analysis and all that. But I have to give my raw feelings. right The Manchester United versus Arsenal game is obviously where we're starting off. I don't think I could contain myself if we did Chelsea first. It's too much.
00:01:53
Speaker
I'm so awake. like Normally at this time, yeah my brain's already shutting off. I'm getting ready to fall asleep and I'm recording the podcast half awake. But nah, um' I'm here today, boy. I'm here. This one, yeah.
00:02:06
Speaker
Man is buzzing. i explain I explained this before when we first started the pod. Obviously, I'm a London-based Man United fan, so I don't really have the same attachment to that the Manchester United versus Leeds or the Manchester United versus Liverpool or the Manchester derby, really. For me,
00:02:25
Speaker
I'm surrounded by Arsenal fans my whole life. Even my family. My dad's an Arsenal fan. My brother's an Arsenal fan. yes This is my derby. Your dad's an Arsenal fan?
00:02:38
Speaker
Yeah. My dad's an Arsenal fan. Oh God. I'm a brother. Oh my God. This one, this is me. this was this this This one means more. Means more for me. You're really ashamed to the family.
00:02:50
Speaker
i don't give it I don't care. I don't care. I don't care at all, bro. Listen, them boys, bro, two games. Me coming into
Arsenal vs Manchester United Match Analysis
00:03:00
Speaker
those two games where Michael Carrick got the job, I would have thought, if he can get like, if he got two points, I would even take that.
00:03:07
Speaker
Two draws, would take that. Or like even if he got a lost in the draw, understandable. You just got in here. the Even the one win. If he beat City and then got battered by Arsenal, I'd be like, you know what?
00:03:21
Speaker
We have to like ah cool down. we can't We can't be too high. But me, um I'm flying right now. Yeah. Because ah I can't believe, again, another performance.
00:03:36
Speaker
Same players. He's moving mad. He did the same line-up. Exactly the same line-up. didn't change anything because... He's moving mad. I need him to stop whatever the hell he's doing right now. Nah, keep it going. Keep it going, bro. He needs to stop whatever he's doing right now. Double, double. Do it again. Do it again, man. Do it again. Because, bro, he went for the same line-up.
00:03:57
Speaker
um because that's what managers tend to do, especially when you've got one game a week. You can have continuity in your team. Let's play the same line-up. It's the same type of game. Man City, Arsenal, two tough teams that were basically not expecting to beat.
00:04:12
Speaker
he But he just went for the same line-up because it worked. That's what managers do. And a lot of our players who played in that Man City game didn't deserve to be dropped. I don't think anyone deserved to be dropped.
00:04:23
Speaker
Obviously, there's an argument for Dano because he wasn't good in the first half against Man City, but he grew into the game later. Who's dropping for? Masrae? Yeah, he just I don't even know if he's back in training yet after the Afghan um situation that happened. but He came on late on. time Yeah, i came I'm fine with the... um same lineup and everything and but i think i think my brain's all over the place but ah i think i think probably just have to go through the order of events man there's so many goals to talk about there's controversial decisions there's like there's so there's so many things that happen but yeah starting off i think arsenal that first 25 minutes they had us in a blender but Oh, bro, I thought this was going to be a spanking. I thought they were about to stick it on you.
00:05:15
Speaker
And to be fair, they did. They did. You guys couldn't get out at all. And like it felt like every time you guys nicked it, they just pressed you to death and you guys either had to kick it away or they just... Rice just cleaned it up. Zubermandy cleaned it up. You know, the centre-backs, Gabriel and Saliba, just cleaned it up and they just kept going at you.
00:05:36
Speaker
um And what do you think the changing point was? well Do you think they just kind of run out of energy to keep that pressure on or did did you guys kind of kind of change that?
00:05:47
Speaker
Yeah, I think Arsenal have this thing where they kind of huff and puff a bit. de When you really watch Arsenal, yeah... you realise they don't really have much right within the team in order of like creativity or to like really create danger. Don't don't get me wrong, they can camp you in. like They can make it really difficult, especially when like we do clear the ball and the ball's like a kind of a loose ball in the middle of the
Arsenal's Playing Style Critique
00:06:12
Speaker
park. Rice is going to clean that up or Saliba or Gabriel is going to clean that up and they'll just get it keep recycling it again. Yeah. You know what? just Just to talk on that, I do think, I like to say, the thing I like to say about Arsenal is they're very efficient.
00:06:26
Speaker
They just do the basics really, really well. And not to say they're not highly technical players, because obviously, you know, compared to everybody else, they, you know, everybody in the world, they are. But I just think they're just so efficient. And nine times out of ten, a lot of their players make the right decision in the right moments. But in terms of, but then,
00:06:45
Speaker
who goes off the cuff? I don't think they have anyone that does something against the grain or against the Florida game that has a bit more, bit of creativity and you go, ooh, look what you did there. That was a amazing.
00:06:56
Speaker
you did you know what I mean? So i I think, and at times... it kind of makes them predictable, but then they use that efficiency to kind of pen you in. So you can never act quite like, nick the ball and then count on them. So a lot of the times it's um it's like, it's you having to be on the last line, trying to block across of theirs. It turns into their corner. They cross the corner in. Even if you get the first contact at the corner, they've got a couple players on the edge that just kick the ball back in the box. And then it just keeps you penned in nonstop.
00:07:28
Speaker
And I think this is like, to compare it to the Man City game as well, if you think about how many times we had how many opportunities we had to break on Man City from when they had corners or they had us pinned in. Arsenal didn't allow that at all. They kind of just like... Every time we had the opportunity to break, Vice, someone, or Saliba, Gabriel, first tackle, boom, win the ball back straight away. And they're just really well organised. Like, I know Arteta gets lot of a stick for um their teams being very boring and very like...
00:08:04
Speaker
I would agree in terms of efficiency. like They're very efficient, but like they they stifle teams. They really can pin you in. And for me personally, what I noticed, especially this season with watching Arsenal, it kind of feels like they do play a lot for corners.
00:08:23
Speaker
I feel like there's no real incentive for Saka or Trossard to do more than take it down the byline and try cross It was blocked as a corner anyway, so we went even away. like It's not like Saka is being encouraged to like, let me try get a half a yard and take it onto my stronger foot and whip it back corner or do anything. it they He didn't do that today.
00:08:47
Speaker
He was. And yeah you'' you've got a really strong point there. I wouldn't necessarily say that they're playing for corners, but they're playing the numbers game.
00:08:58
Speaker
So they're doing the actions that are going to lead you know, you making a last-ditch tattoo that leads to the corner. they're doing They're playing the most efficient way to try and keep you in the box, into your own box, and not necessarily, okay, edge of the box, ah on the right-hand side, can I cut in a shoot and whip it into the far corner top bins?
00:09:21
Speaker
that's not the level of risk, if you want to call it that, that they want to be taking. They want to take actions that they know will lead to you so scuffing a clearance that leads to a corner. you
Goals and Defensive Strategies Discussion
00:09:34
Speaker
know what mean? i'm funny Funny enough, not when you mentioned that, in terms of the way you just described that potential... um chance being created um with the whipping it far, far post and all of that kind of stuff. I feel like Saka used to do that quite a bit.
00:09:50
Speaker
like i feel like he always used to cut. always have have vivid memories of Saka, like, cutting and trying to whip it far corner, whip it far corner. But it seems like that's kind of gone from his game a bit. Like, he he doesn't seem to really do that. I don't know if it's by instruction or maybe it's just like,
00:10:08
Speaker
i think I think it's more calculated now. I just think yeah he's looking for the perfect moment to do it. Whereas previously maybe, I don't know. And when I said cutting, I meant not shoot and not not not crossing, I meant shooting.
00:10:24
Speaker
yeah Yeah, same, same. That's hard. You meant shooting. Yeah, yeah, yeah. what You're right. I don't see him cutting in and shooting far corner anymore. I don't. And he used to do it. That used to be in his bag. That 100% used to be in the bag.
00:10:36
Speaker
But, yeah, you don't you don't really see it anymore. You don't. I feel like I remember goal for England where you did that. Yeah? Even this season. Even this season. Yeah, this season. Yeah, yeah. He just doesn't really do that. Now see Saka, see like, you're size up the man. Then he's trying to run to the byline and just...
00:10:53
Speaker
slap it into the box and just hope that someone's there or it goes off for a corner. And yeah, so in terms of that, um their first goal does come from a period of where they did have us pinned into the um pinned into our box. And I think it was kind of by design in terms of where we we defended in general. like we Same thing as the Man City game, the 4-4-2 defensive shape, but we knew there would be a lot of aerial threat and it was just trying to keep compact and dealing with first balls and just making sure that
00:11:26
Speaker
things are tight. And the first time we didn't deal with the first ball well, which was Hincapié put the cross in, Dogu's header was kind of like just up instead of away. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And if it was away, then it's dealt with. like you go yeah yeah he needed He needed to just redirect it rather than put in so much contact on it. i think Yeah, I think he had two choices. It was either he gets...
00:11:52
Speaker
tries to redirect it properly or just knock out for a corner and just try to regroup. Because the way he's running back towards our goal. so he got but then that's power properly But then that's Arsenal for you. People are putting in too much effort to avoid the corner and then it leads to an opportunity like that. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, and then the ball drops to Saka. Saka clips the ball.
00:12:15
Speaker
like He plays like a little... reverse pass into Older God, who has a shot, which I don't even know it's on, it might be on target. But then yeah it just hits Martinez. Martinez is like holding Timbaugh or like they're kind of tussling together. Hits Martinez, goes in. And yeah, it's just one of those goals. Arsenal just don't score good goals like that. that they don't They don't score good goals. It's just always a bit messy. It's either our own goal or like the ball's bouncing off someone else and then it's just flying into it.
00:12:50
Speaker
it's just It's just a
United's Second Half Strategy and Management Reflections
00:12:51
Speaker
nasty goal to concede. And obviously I'm sitting there thinking, oh, here we go, now we're not going to get any chances to do anything and then it's just going to be another Arsenal ball fest and they're going to beat us 1-0, 2-0 again. But the game didn't pan out that way.
00:13:06
Speaker
and I mean, fair play to the United players. I mean, I genuinely did think that... that you know After that 1-1, I generally did think, okay, Arsenal are going to you know put the put get go into the third gear and and keep going. And there was a bit there was a period of time where they started trying to put the pressure on. But honestly, you guys dealt with what they had pretty well. You were compact. you Yeah, at times you were you were deep into your box, but look, when you're facing good teams, they're going have you doing that sometimes.
00:13:41
Speaker
um But everybody was just concentrating, doing their job. Most of your clearances were good. so And you dealt with... Arsenal don't have a lot of central rotations. And what I mean that by that is like they don't have a lot of...
00:13:55
Speaker
So, for example, the striker swapping with the midfielder, midfielder swapping with the winger. They don't have a lot of central rotations. um They do a lot of wide rotations. So, it's their right winger, right back, um and maybe a centre mid. And then you might see the fullback going into the middle, the winger stay wide and then they might swap, whatever, whatever. But um um my point is that you guys dealt with those wide rotations quite well. And I don't, Dogu, obviously him being traditionally a left back, he was he was quite switched on and and always yeah there to support.
00:14:30
Speaker
I think the thing that helped us still to deal with the wide rotations um the best was the same diss similar approach that we took to the Man City game with the just doubling up on the um with our left wingers and our right wingers with our full backs and just making sure like there was always support.
00:14:49
Speaker
No one's left on the island and being left them to be faced Obviously, unless they like broke on us or whatever the situation was, they did ah on a couple of occasions. But... um for the most part, I think we kind of kept the wide players quiet for the most part. And then um moving on to the 1-1, it was just, it it came from a mistake, but obviously that's why teams are encouraged to press and like do those kinds of things and not to sit off Arsenal too much. Like kind of like you, four we forced them into an error. And I think, I don't know,
00:15:28
Speaker
Well, for me, it's just a Zubomendi mishit pass. I don't really think that's anything different to what they usually do. They like to invite the press on so that they can play out of it and then open up the space of the pitch a bit more.
00:15:43
Speaker
And then Zubomendi just completely mishit it. And Buemo gets it. I thought he was just going to try slot it, but he then fakes it onto his right foot, slaps it in.
00:15:54
Speaker
Very composed. Great goal, great composure. And that's guess why he's playing up front because like, well you're not going to get too many chances and he's our best finisher right now. so have you Oh yeah, I've just realized Arsenal didn't score second, Arsenal scored first and then you equalized.
00:16:13
Speaker
Okay. yeah Yeah, we equalized and then... And then, yeah, so now we're going into the break 1-1 and it's like, okay, cool. We survived the first half. At this at this point, what was you feeling?
00:16:27
Speaker
I was thinking like, it it felt like we were growing into the game. Even if we didn't score that goal, I was kind of going into the break thinking, okay, we're kind of getting our foot on the ball a bit more. We're passing the ball around.
00:16:40
Speaker
We're doing the right things more often right now. And in the first half, who were your top two performers the first half? In the first half. um I would say, think i think it's hard to say. i think... um But Casemiro grew into the game later on.
00:17:00
Speaker
And then um I think... Yeah, I think it's really only Casemiro. I think our defence was pretty solid. Yeah, they scored that rubbish goal. But apart from that, I think Bruno struggled because I think they really closed off a lot of the passing lanes to try and get into him. We didn't really have anyone who could receive the ball in a half turn and just like...
00:17:22
Speaker
open up the space or anything like that. So it just did just feel like whenever the ball went forward, they just clamped us and just, we couldn't really do anything. And then um as the game started going on, we um our important players started to get a few more touches and then we just started calmed down enough calm down a bit. And I think
United's Potential and Carrick's Impact
00:17:44
Speaker
after we scored that goal,
00:17:46
Speaker
the Arsenal players started to get a bit nervous because they were like, oh, this isn't the script. This isn't yeah what's supposed to happen. we We've won every single game at home. We beat Bayern. We beat all these other teams. And this Man United team's coming and they're starting to make us feel a bit inferior at this point.
00:18:04
Speaker
And then taking that momentum into the second half, Patrick Dogu, man. I gave you your props last week.
00:18:17
Speaker
alright when someone's they're that boy but not no fullback bruv he's I said he was a good left back I didn't say he was gonna bang in the top corner what
00:18:39
Speaker
And even even before the goal, just before the goal, like coming out into the first, um second half, we had them pinned in for quite a bit. We were knocking the ball around well, one touches here and there. Like I'm seeing the teams pop the ball around. I'm thinking, rah!
00:18:53
Speaker
So just on that, yeah, I think I've noticed a pattern in Arsenal. I think I've noticed a pattern. So Arsenal scored the most goals in the first 15 minutes of the second half, yeah?
00:19:05
Speaker
So then I was watching them against us and then I was watching them against someone else and I'm watching them against you guys. Every time they come out in the second half, they sit deep for 10 minutes.
00:19:18
Speaker
They don't press. They don't press. And like what ended what ended up what happened with us and what happened with the other team, I forgot who it was, they countered, they sat deep and then they countered and scored.
00:19:28
Speaker
And that's how they're scoring a lot of goals in the start of the second half. They're not taking risk. they're They're sitting deep, saving their energy. and then they're hitting people on the break. So I feel like, I feel, I probably need to watch a few more games just to make sure that I'm certain that this is what, this this is the tactic they're intentionally trying to do. Do you think it's like just nervousness? Because maybe like after the first, if the first half doesn't go as is planned, maybe the team talks aren't going the way that people think they are. Like the players are coming out a bit more nervous because they're feeling the importance. And then,
00:20:04
Speaker
It's probably like an instruction to like, guys, take it easy. Like, let's go into the game, get our rhythm back and then we'll go again. But... I mean, team I would... Yeah. in Today, on this occasion, maybe.
00:20:15
Speaker
Maybe, but I wouldn't... I wouldn't say necessarily across multiple games, just because with the other two games I was referring to, the Chelsea-Arsenal game and another one I keep forgetting, they...
00:20:29
Speaker
They were winning. They were winning at half-time, but yet they still came out in the second half and didn't. They were in a mid-block, not sitting too deep, but in a mid-block, not pressing high. And so I don't know which one it is in this occasion, but I think I'm noticing a pattern and i I'll keep an eye on it.
00:20:45
Speaker
But I just don't think they pressed you with enough energy. They didn't at all. They sat off you relatively relatively deep. And which gave you guys extra confidence, in my opinion. Like, yeah you guys really started moving the ball.
00:21:00
Speaker
i think I think it shocked them as well how confidently we were moving the ball as well. Because yeah there's been a misconception that our players just aren't good. that's That's the big myth when it comes to Man United. But when you was looking at these little passages of play and then...
00:21:18
Speaker
the ball's bouncing around and we're just passing it one touch here, there. There was one point where just before the goal, the ball gets worked out to the right-hand side. Ahmed does a back-hill. Dallor does this like spin, like half-turn to collect the ball. And then we start like everyone everyone's probably looking around what the hell? Is this the same Man United that we played, that's been playing football? What the hell? and then can we can we can we Can we just say, yeah,
00:21:48
Speaker
What the heck was that manager doing? Bro, you know what, yeah, I've in my head. Because generally, bro, I thought that every single one of your players were crap.
00:22:01
Speaker
I swear to you, bro, apart from Bruno. No, you what it is, in my head. thought their men are dead. Like, I genuinely thought they were so bad and they should not be at this level.
00:22:13
Speaker
Is this what coaching can do? This is what coaching does, isn't it? Obviously, in my head, I've been kind of trying to stay away from bringing them back up again because that was such a dark thing. I don't want to keep talking about my man, but How can you not? This is two games here that you're seeing cohesive performances against top opposition. And it's not like, oh, we're lucky to get wins or we're lucky to get points. No, these are six points that are well-deserved for an art end. And obviously, that guy, whatever that manager was doing,
00:22:51
Speaker
It's obvious that it didn't work and it wasn't working. But the reason why we were suffering as a club and as a fan base is just pure ego. He said he didn't want to change, he wasn't going to change. Some parts of our fan base saluted that.
00:23:07
Speaker
Nothing to do with me. That ain't me. i I've stood firm on the idea that he should have gone last season. And a new know what? could have gone last season. And you know what? For me, it's not even a formation.
00:23:19
Speaker
You just didn't get them. like you they didn't They weren't popping the ball about like this, man. There's no way Karrick done anything special in a week. You know why we weren't popping the ball around like this? It's because the formation that that idiot was playing...
00:23:33
Speaker
left too many spaces. Our midfielders were so far apart. Everyone was so far apart. Now, because we're playing free in midfield and all of this, everyone's right next to each other. Players can just literally just bounce the ball off each other. I've got support on both sides. I'm not like, oh, I have to get the ball. have to turn out of possession. Then I have to look up. Then I have to try and play a passing...
00:23:53
Speaker
like off balance because I'm getting pressed from like three different, like it's not all of that. Football very simple and this guy tried to overcomplicate And the thing that even makes worse here, not to say that this team was ready for a title challenge here, but to put into perspective, if we would have beat Wolves, if we would have beat Burnley and if we would have beat Leeds, that's six points. We would only be six points behind Arsenal at this point.
00:24:21
Speaker
And then forget the loss to Everton. That's another three points. the um ah There's probably other results earlier on in the season where you can actually see that if we came into the season with a manager who had his head screwed on, we could potentially have 10 more points than we have right now. And then we're having a completely different conversation about Manchester United.
00:24:44
Speaker
But
Arsenal's Form and Future Prospects
00:24:46
Speaker
that's unfortunately not the situation that we're in. But now I hope all those fans and all those people who... we're having these pointless debates, can see that we do have talented players at this team. And all we need to do is find the right manager to put the pieces together. Obviously, plus the summer, we're always going to spend money. We're always going to spend money to bring in whatever extra pieces they need to get the best out of this team and really help us kick on. Because as you as you can see right now, the league isn't in the best position. it it could be.
00:25:18
Speaker
And we could be way higher than where we are right now. But yeah. Sorry, not to drag on the Manchester United thing. Yeah. back to that Back to that goal, yeah. Yeah. that That goal had a move that I just... It's so effective. I just love it. Like...
00:25:33
Speaker
The player with the ball passes it into someone in this in the pocket and then just a quick one-two. I follow my run. I follow the run. Ball plays in front of me. I think Fernandes and Dogu play like a one-two twice. Yeah, twice, twice, twice. yeah And then obviously it kind of looks like a handball, but it's never a handball. No, his hand was very sad. I would have run the Soudou that was given as a handball if Dogu moved his hand and then knocks the ball into space. that's not what happened. He had his hand on the hand.
00:26:03
Speaker
And and then he unleashes just an absolute racket. Jeez, bro. You know what's so funny about Dogi, yeah, that makes me laugh? I think he's literally just like, bro, he can't believe he's Manchester United playing football and now he's banging. If you score a goal like that, yeah, I would forgive you for running and taking off your top, bro. I would forgive you. He just looked like he just wanted to spud the mando and like, they're going to kiss him. Absolutely. He's just happy to be there, bro. Celebrate, man. Go to your knees, like, do something, bro. Like, nervous. Like, he looked like, oh, like, I don't want to, but like, you know what I'm making? I'll do it, innit? Like, he's just like a happy-to-be-here kind of guy, innit? Like, and to think that that idiot manager was saying stuff in press conferences that, oh, seems like a nervous person
00:26:57
Speaker
when he gets forward, I can't even remember the quote. It was something so dumb. Yeah, a said yeah, he something that. But, a pure example of, like, a confidence player. At one point, he didn't look good.
00:27:08
Speaker
I've come on this pod many times i said, I don't care who starts, whether it's Dalot Dogui, because Dogui hasn't really been doing much to, like, Warren and his starting place. But, now, how can you drop him? Kunya has to be the pinch man. Like, You can't drop Dovi. You can't drop Dovi. You spent £60 million on the player and he's on the bench to your £20 million wing-back. It's crazy.
00:27:29
Speaker
But when you can get performances out of these people, who cares? And then, obviously, going on to the next... um i think that second half, we absolutely bopped them, bro. Arsenal, yeah. They got to a stage where the nerves kicked in, boy. in yeah yeah they were out they were vo they were vo they were vo and that's not that's why not not much happened after that because like they they that had a few bit you know they have them puff but you could tell of the fans silent oh yeah days i love it when the fans are silent oh yeah but that happens at the emirates a lot because i feel like
00:28:06
Speaker
They get really hyped up when they're top of them. They get too gassed. They get too gassed. The thing, it's a nervousness. It's not like a, all right, cool. Let's give the team more energy so that... Let me... Goal school. No, it's nervous. Let me speak on it. Their man ain't built for it, bro.
00:28:25
Speaker
20 years without winning a league and you don't know what it's like, they ain't built for it, bro. They're not built for it. And what that means is every time there's one little thing... that The fans are supposed to, you know, be even louder. You're supposed to egg the team on. You're supposed to give them that extra energy to go again and go again and go again. But these men, silent. and And they get nervous. They get nervous. And the players can feel it. The players can feel the fans are nervous. So now it seeps into the players. Then, man, they're not built for it. They're built like us.
00:29:00
Speaker
How many times have we seen that Liverpool when they were on top and Anfield? bro, when they need a goal, the crowd starts going mad. And it feels like they're just like forcing the ball into the net. It's just like a big like vacuum of just like energy. I think it's a style that Klopp used to play with as well.
00:29:22
Speaker
Bro, it's like the press gets more intense. It's like... the passes just get zipped along a lot faster than and the next you know, boom, goal. but And that it's not like that with the Emirates, but yeah, they got nervous. Every Arsenal player was misplaced in passes. Bro, their captain got hooked at 57 minutes, bro.
00:29:43
Speaker
them man are done with him all the Arsenal fans are done with him Arteta's forced to make four subs at one time because you can see you can see the players are like just everyone's going into a shell and they're feeling those those feelings that they felt all those seasons ago when as them when they lost to Aston Villa when they've lost to this team lost to that team like right now it's four points and they still have to play City again it's so yes yeah It's not easy, like, not to say that City have got to win all their games. City have got Liverpool in 26.
00:30:20
Speaker
So, it's not... Those teams are even like a downturn. So, Arsenal are not in the best... ah way like right now and then obviously they score from a rubbish set piece again and then the group chats are going off like ah 2-2 we'll take that we'll take that blah blah blah I'm just like after they scored that goal I was so annoyed not because they scored just because I'm like these are so rubbish how we letting this team be top of the league they're rubbish yeah let me know it's like
00:30:56
Speaker
I'm speaking like this is this is a glass house, like whatever the saying is, bro. Throwing stones in a glass house, whatever it is, yeah. Them lot are rubbish. They have no X-Factor in that team at all. Their team here is just a bunch of robots, bro. It's literally... They don't nothing at all. And I'm looking at Saka that they keep trying say is world-class, this and that. Then they got Chosad on the other side. Then they bring on Maduweka, who's running off the pitch with a ball. And I'm saying that, bro, these sort stink, bro. These sort of stink.
00:31:32
Speaker
Bro. And there was no way, yeah. When Odegaard first came into this league, the way man was flicking passes with the up outside of his foot and he was doing like a double flick with his foot and the way he was bouncing the ball on the ground, those the creativity in his passes, yeah?
00:31:50
Speaker
Gone. Mm-hmm. Go Saka, the way man was cut and shoot, left foot, right foot. Like you couldn't stop Saka. You couldn't because you go either way. You're coming on the inside. You're coming under. Like fam.
00:32:03
Speaker
And what's this version of Saka now? a bay how many shots that you How many shots does he get per game? How many shots does Saka get per a game? Your best player, your best player does not get more than two shots per game.
00:32:17
Speaker
That's crazy. And the thing is with Saka as well, obviously, we can talk about it being like, maybe it's just him like regressing as a player or like maybe it's instruction from Arteta and maybe it's also injuries as well. Because that guy has started to pick up like a few long-term injuries and him coming back and he just doesn't seem like the same guy. I don't know what it is. that Maybe if they did get a new manager, maybe you might just get a boost of energy and let's start finding these the chains are off. I can do what want. But...
00:32:46
Speaker
At the same time, your managers set up a system where you guys basically pin in teams for 90 minutes and you guys, what, what is Arteta supposed to create the chances as well? Like what, you guys can't, you can't beat a man. You can't do like anything. You can't like, you ain't got a step over. You can't like,
00:33:02
Speaker
i you know what mean he can't do everything for you man and then when I talk about X Factor he brought on Eze he just doesn't look for me personally I might be this might sound harsh he doesn't look like he fits in with this Arsenal team he seems very like he's not intense enough he's just like Eze e a He kind of seems like he kind of like strolls around, goes at his own pace. And obviously once the ball gets to him, he like comes alive again, but then he's there was one there was one there was moment one moment there when he came on pretty early and, you know, he receives a pass from one of the centre-backs, but then the way, I think it was Fernandes and... Mainu or Casemiro, one of them two, the way they hound him in that pocket. yeah
00:33:50
Speaker
And he doesn't, he just like, obviously just doesn't, I a i don't think, I'm not sure he checks his shoulder and I don't think he sees a second player there. He just doesn't react well. yeah know There's a turnover in possession there as well.
00:34:04
Speaker
Look, quality player, i think I think he's just, I wouldn't look to him to try and fix the issues. that yes purely from a seniority point of view and I think at times with players from a smaller club I think sometimes it it does take them a year to kind of get rid of that imposter syndrome and go you know what yeah I am meant to be here and and and get comfortable with their surroundings get comfortable with the movements and things they have to do so I'll give Ezeb Lly for this season
00:34:41
Speaker
Yeah, but you you can give them a blow unless they don't win the league. If they don't win the league, that's your 68 million pounds um
Manchester United's Future and Key Signings
00:34:49
Speaker
attacking midfielders. I was supposed to change the thing and your other 60 whatever million pounds strike are not doing the thing. Like, like ah what what can they do? yeah And then obviously, you want to talk about X Factor, yeah.
00:35:02
Speaker
This guy has been frustrating me for so many game weeks, yeah. from Matthias Cunha, man. oh he finally He finally got one of them long shots in. That's what he paid the money for, bro. Not shooting for the sake of shooting. He he got the ball from, I think it was Kobi Menuh who, um he slides him the ball. I think he not made Declan Rice, so I don't know if that's on purpose or whatever, but Kunya's just able to turn. like Remember was saying in the first half how he didn't have no one who could like turn on the ball and drive into space. Kunya turns, bro, he's got bare space.
00:35:39
Speaker
Bare space, no one's closing him down. And it looks like he kind of does that thing like, you know when... people like bend a free kick around the wall. like They use the wall as the marker. It's like they use Gabriel as the arm. If I get around him, that's bottom corner. like know know yeah those those are Those are really hard for the keeper to save because sometimes keepers use the point of contact as a guide to where the ball is going to go. They'll watch you as you hit it but if If a player of my own, if my own teammate is blocking that moment, you're always going to slightly react late because you might not, you just don't know where the ball, you don't know at what point the ball was hit. And then you can see that Raya just doesn't, he doesn't react straight away to it and he's almost catching up with it. And by the time he's by the time he dies, it's too late, man.
00:36:31
Speaker
Bro, that's probably the loudest scream I've done, bro, all season. That means more to me. Bro, I've been talking in all my group chats so much today. It's just fueling me. Every time I'm going online, I'm watching clips. I'm watching clips of the game. I'm just like, bro, I'm like a fiend. I need the midweek game, but we ain't got none. We're out of everything, bro. I've got to wait a whole week. I've got to watch. Bro, I was so... I couldn't wait for this team to come. That's probably working in your favour, though, because now you guys can play in an intense level and then recover well and play at an intense level again next week.
00:37:11
Speaker
Bro, and right now, as it sits right now... Where's the league team? I just had it up. Premier League... Well, I think we're fourth now.
00:37:26
Speaker
Man,
00:37:28
Speaker
Sorry, my fingers all messed up. Yeah, United are fourth. now um One point ahead of Chelsea in fifth was eight points off third and second. i don't i don't I'm not looking that high up in the table, but for now, would just say we got Fulham next.
00:37:49
Speaker
um I think we need three points again, even though there's no guarantee that you or Liverpool are going to win your games. That doesn't matter to me. I just think for us, the if we get our run now, we can essentially create a gap straight away. like It can go to four points very easily, only because we've got one game a week. So we've got Fulham and then Tottenham.
00:38:13
Speaker
we can We can win both of those games. I'm confident in us winning those two. And then we've got West Ham. Like, we could get five wins straight off from now. Now I'm confident.
00:38:25
Speaker
which you know Do you know it's like to now be confident that you'll go on and win a game? Like, that's crazy. now How long has it been? have to punch them up, bro. Like, that team... Bro, they gave us some bad days under Eric Ten Hag, bro. I remember the... um It was a Iroby scored like a last... The last goal of the game and...
00:38:51
Speaker
ruined my god I hate that team so much bro them and Brighton though those are the two teams that i don't like at all but yeah a long time on Man United I think top four still on the cards right there Michael Carrick keep doing your job man keep doing what you're doing you're showing you' you're showing what you're actually capable of doing man like you you're gonna you're gonna get a Premier League job after after this Yeah, regardless regardless of what happens, as long as obviously you don't lose every game till the end of season. But yeah he's definitely put in a big, big case for United even keeping him. like I'm not being funny. if
00:39:29
Speaker
If he can prove to manoeuvre big games, I think you've still got to play. who What big games have you still got to play? Tottenham? Liverpool? We've got...
00:39:40
Speaker
I feel like we do have Liverpool again at some point. That's later on. We still have to play Villa, Newcastle. We've got Chelsea in April. there's There's a big gap between like our our next toughest games. i think Liverpool is towards the end. there Liverpool is in May, the first weekend of May. But then we end the season on Sunderland, Forest and Brighton.
00:40:02
Speaker
a You know what mean? By then, who knows where we'll be. So, yeah. Yeah. If he can navigate big matches like that and and put the slightly smaller teams to the sword a little bit, he's putting it he's putting his hat in the ring, man. He's he's letting it know that, hey, guys, I'm here.
00:40:22
Speaker
I'm here to be counted. I'm just going to say this, yeah. I've got two things. Plus seven goal difference. This is the first time we've had such a high goal difference in years. That is crazy. Every time I look our goal difference over the last like couple years of years with Amorim and Ten Hag, it's always been like a minus one, maybe plus one, digital do whatever it is. And then this back-to-back wins in his first two games.
00:40:47
Speaker
It took Amorim 35 games to get back-to-back wins. And people running around saying that we should apologize. And look ah look who these back-to-back wins windsor with City and us. Come on, man. Let's... Yeah.
00:41:05
Speaker
Yeah. on you know Keep doing what you're doing, man. You're bringing me joy. me You're making me smile, making me happy, man. I like that. You know what's annoying about you United you' doing well?
00:41:15
Speaker
It's like... I know they they've been a sleeping giant for ages. That's what was just about to say. Sleeping giant. Sleeping giant. We're three pieces away from clicking. That's what it Bro, and I've learned and I've loved it. I've loved it.
Chelsea's Performance and Management Impact
00:41:31
Speaker
And every transfer window, every summer, I'm looking at your business and I'm like, yes, that's the s***.
00:41:37
Speaker
Yes, that's the s***. And I'm just so but ah cant see I can't keep seeing performances like that, bro. I can't keep seeing that. I feel like we're literally a good manager and three good signings away from challenging.
00:41:55
Speaker
that's that's ah That's how I think i think we are. I think we're in a very good spot to to go into the future with. yeah I think that's ah that's enough on Man United. I could talk about them all day, man. but yeah Let's move on to Chelsea. Chelsea.
00:42:12
Speaker
Another win away from home. Yeah. We won to Crystal Palace. Like, I know you're going to have a lot of things to say to go against, like, what I feel like you should be feeling.
00:42:27
Speaker
But, listen, man, like... going ah Going away to Crystal Palace, they haven't really been in good form. I don't think they've won a game in 11 games all comps. there's done they not They're not good right now. I'm not even going to lie. There's too much going on. lost their captain last week who already made his debut for Man City and got a clean sheet.
00:42:48
Speaker
Mentatu's got both out the door. They brought in Brennan Johnson. don't know why. no no And then the um manager's already got one foot out the door as well. Like they're going to need to go for a reset again.
00:43:01
Speaker
But they've, yeah. So Chelsea coming into this game, how how are you feeling coming into this game? Well, look, if you if you listen to the to the last podcast, like, i'm coming in with zero confidence in the fact that our last three of... Well, I'll say three, probably a last 10 performances have just not been up to scratch.
00:43:25
Speaker
And especially the last three since Rosinha has taken over the team. I've just been i've just been disappointed in the tactics that he has deployed. A lot of the tactics have been very similar to the way Murescu was playing um in regarding to, you know, initially the first game.
00:43:47
Speaker
I saw a little bit of difference. You know, maybe there is a bit more rotation in between the fullback and the winger. So it's not always the fullback that's inverted. But apart from that, I'm seeing a lot of the slow-paced football, not tackling, you know you know, not attacking with speed when we have the opportunity. So I came into it really annoyed. Yeah.
00:44:10
Speaker
But I looked at that lineup and honestly, I was so relieved. I was so relieved with that lineup. That's so relieved.
00:44:21
Speaker
Relieved. Like, no galaxy brain nonsense. No... You know, no, oh, i'm I'm smarter than everybody else and I'm going to put my right back in midfield and all this nonsense.
00:44:35
Speaker
I had reached James as right back. I had a left footed centre back playing left centre back. I had a left back with a left foot. I had um two defensive centre mids in the middle of the park with Enzo in the 10th.
00:44:52
Speaker
You know, I had my young boy, my young star, Esteval, played. And I had the lap on the bench. I had nothing to complain about, bro. so yeah ah You want to feed the knowledge? Hey, you be quiet right there. You know what? you would even as Even as bad as that.
00:45:16
Speaker
Who's that? Palmo. Oh, that guy's cooked, bro. That guy is cooked. Palmer's cooked. Bro, Palmer is cooked. I know he's cooked. He's done. Bro, I think he's done for this. like i lot of Obviously, it's only January, but I think he's done for the next couple of months, man. He's going to play a couple of games here and there, but they need to manage his injury. It's mad. um But no, well my my the point i was trying to make is that
00:45:47
Speaker
Finally, we have a we've put out a team where players are in the right positions. We've put out a team where Enzo is not in a double pivot with Caicedo because that never works.
00:45:59
Speaker
It never works. It has never worked. And i'm glad I'm glad he hasn't done it in this occasion. And you know what? I actually came into the game with a positive feeling. Once I saw that lineup, I was like, wow, okay, yeah, two today might be a good day. um Yeah.
00:46:15
Speaker
And Palace had a glorious opportunity. And that was given... Speaking of your left-footed centre-back... Bro.
00:46:27
Speaker
but And and ah you know what? A lot of Chelsea fans hate Badr-Dishile, but I see his talent. ah he's a He's a decent player. I don't think he's great airily. I think he can be beaten...
00:46:39
Speaker
quite easily and ah and I don't think he has enough strength to be honest with you. He loses quite a few duels. But apart from that, I think he's a pretty decent accomplished player. and He's got decent pace and I like him the most Chelsea fans do, but honestly, mistakes like that,
00:47:00
Speaker
I can't defend him, man. I can't defend him. And some people were criticising the pass into him. But even so, i think I think he could have dealt with that a lot better. Mateta goes through. And who's there in between the sticks?
00:47:13
Speaker
Robert Sanchez. Robert Sanchez. And I i just need... You know what? I'm not going to give Sanchez that much credit. i think that's a poor finish. he basically you know Yeah, a little bit, a little bit. But it's not down the middle because Sanchez has to outstretch his leg, number one. Yeah, but Sanchez is diving the wrong way and just stretches his leg out.
00:47:41
Speaker
Honestly, it's a bad fit. It's a bad finish. He's been bad. He's been bad. Yeah, yeah, yeah. To be fair, let me not take too much away from him because I didn't even mention him in the United game.
00:47:54
Speaker
le It feels so good to just not have the bozo gene. yeah just not going to do something stupid like even sanchez has the bozo gene but feel like he's started to get rid of it like he's been getting do do do you know what i'm really cbt cognitive cognitive therapy getting rid of all of that there must be there must be and it's not had sense no Slowly but surely he's getting rid of it. Obviously he had a slip up at the Arsenal game in in the Carabao Cup, but he's slowly getting rid of that Bozo gene. And in general, man, I think it's really good not to have a goalkeeper, to have a goalkeeper but that's 6-4-5, 6-4-4.
00:48:42
Speaker
And, you know, it's an e he doesn't have T-Rex arms like a Raya does in Arsenal's goal. Yeah. Because look at that goal that Dogu scores. um Look, it's a great strike, yeah?
00:48:57
Speaker
I think Sanchez... If Ryan was a couple of inches taller, he said... I think Sanchez tips that over the bar, but there's a reason why Raya and Kepa Arizabalaga, Arsenal both have them now, um there's a reason why they concede the most long-range shots out of, not this year, I think the last two seasons, both of them have have conceded the most long shots outside of box.
00:49:26
Speaker
There's a reason for it. There's a reason for it. Because once a shot is hit with power and in the corner from distance, if you've got them little T-Rex arms, you ain't getting there, bro. No matter
Chelsea vs Crystal Palace Game Analysis
00:49:37
Speaker
how agile you are, you ain't getting there.
00:49:39
Speaker
So... Big up Sanchez, kept us in the game, poor finish from Mateta. And after that initial mistake, it was a bit it was a bit boring before that. you know There wasn't really much going on.
00:49:53
Speaker
ah But I feel like after that, you know the game started to pick up a bit. Palace did try to put their foot on on the gas. um And somehow they've just left...
00:50:05
Speaker
one Estival 1v1 against their defender and when they're passing the ball back, their player doesn't look to see the danger and he just knocks it back.
00:50:18
Speaker
Esteval goes through. I ideally would want Esteval to run straight on towards the goalkeeper and keep the defender right behind him and give them a give the defender um the opportunity to make a mistake, whether it's like take his legs out, red card, because then it should deny them the opportunity to make a tackle, yeah?
00:50:40
Speaker
yeah He kind of, he dribbles towards his left. He's initially going straight, then he dribbles towards his left to kind of get away from the player. In my opinion, I probably wouldn't coach him to do that.
00:50:53
Speaker
The reason being is it's is cause what I said. And then I felt like he started to take it too wide as well. Yeah, I think would agree with you on him taking it a bit too wide, but I don't essentially think that that's the wrong idea only because of if that centre-back is or the defender is a bit faster and let's say Estorado's running straight but then he gets a bad touch on his left foot and it goes too far to the right and the defender can just stick and kick it away. Keeping it on his left foot is kind of like keeping it away from the like if Good point. Was it Mitchell? Yeah, if Mitchell tends to make a tackle at any point during that chase back, it's a red.
00:51:39
Speaker
Because he's not getting Because Estaval's keeping it away from him. taking away from him. In doing that, he's going further further away from the goal and It was just, don't know how he managed to generate that much power, bro. He still slapped that. He still slapped that. I was like, rah! I was expecting it to be one of those scoff shots or whatever. Yep.
00:51:57
Speaker
One thing I'll tell you about Esteval, yeah? People have not even seen this guy's long shots, yeah? Honestly, he generates ridiculous amount of power on some of these shots, man.
00:52:10
Speaker
The kid is crazy. When he gets the opportunity, or fingers crossed, I forget, the moment he's lashing at his shots a lot from from outside the box and it's causing a lot of them to go over. But once he gets his composure and he really lets one go, he's going to destroy one in the top bins and everyone's going to shocked. Obviously, i've seen him I've seen him do it in Brazil.
00:52:33
Speaker
um But really good finish. I like the way he's cut it back across the keeper. I thought it was a bit too close to him, but he's just hit it with so much power. goodbye ah Henderson con even can't even react to it. So, hey, fair play, man. That was really, really good finish. And you you know what?
00:52:50
Speaker
This is what we say about when we play teams who are supposed to be worse than you. The games can be 50-50, but yeah you've got have to have the player quality for someone to just have a great finish or to smash a ball in the top corner or to put a great cross into the box.
00:53:08
Speaker
You have to have to have the quality. Show why you're better than them. And we just don't see that enough. I'm pretty sure if you put... other players from your team in that position. I'm thinking Garnaccio in that position. no In that position. Nope. It's not going to be a goal, bro. It's not. Nope. They're going to make a mistake. going to take a bad touch. They're going to overrun it. They're going to lash at the shot or hit straight at the goalkeeper. Like, you need... That's what I'm talking about in terms of, like, the Arsenal thing. Like, do you have the players who, when the moment calls for it, they can just deliver? Like, it's not...
00:53:42
Speaker
it isn't it's not going to be, oh, I need three or four chances. It's just like, bro, you might only get one scoring. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And that literally calms on us. Like that gives us something to platform that silences the, not silences, but it definitely, you know, when their crowd just starts to go a little bit more silent, they're a little bit more frustrated now. They're losing, you know, their star striker wants to go, their star defender wants to leave, their star manager wants to leave. So, like, that was exactly what we needed. And even after the goal, we didn't play to the, you know, the best. But, you know, umm ah maybe I'm just, you know, I'm sick and tired of seeing inverted fullbacks.
00:54:30
Speaker
But it was so refreshing to just see Rhys James and Kukurela putting a cross. Like, Kukurela puts in a cross, it gets headed out, it comes to the right-hand side, then Rhys James puts in a cross. And honestly, maybe I'm just obsessed with it now, but it was so refreshing to finally see my fullbacks being fullbacks and not these pseudo-centimeds who can't do anything.
00:55:00
Speaker
And... and I think it just gave the wingers an extra option. somebody Somebody overlapping you or underlapping you. You know, when you can't get past your man, okay, let me just say back to this guy, let him put the cross in.
00:55:13
Speaker
And it just gave us a little bit more threat. It gave us a bit more, and I feel like we didn't hesitate to put the ball in their box. Whereas before, we'd hesitate, we tried to recycle, they'd press they push up, press, regain the ball, counter-attack on us.
00:55:31
Speaker
And rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat. And that's exactly how the Sunderland goal, where we lost two one that's exactly how that happens. yeah We lose it from attack, they count on us, we try to pass it back, they press, press, press, they're through.
00:55:47
Speaker
So it's it's really...
00:55:52
Speaker
So then, cool, we go into the second half now. At halftime, I'm feeling, okay, all right, not perfect, but good, good enough, good enough, good enough. out'll In terms of energy levels, we seemed okay. There was a lot of rotation midweek, so um the players that out on the field, they should be relatively rested.
00:56:11
Speaker
Caicedo played full match, and so Enzo played full match, and Rhys James played half half the match. I was a little bit worried about those guys, um but they seemed okay. Going into the second half now, it seemed like we just turned it up a notch a bit.
00:56:27
Speaker
um And we really, I think it gave us confidence going into that half-time, knowing that we were winning. And we just really started to play some the good football in that first 10 minutes. We moved the ball little bit, slicker.
00:56:39
Speaker
um And you'll see it from the, you know, as from the Jao Pedro goal. Jaipedo drops deep, sets it to Esteval, and then he immediately starts running in behind. That pass. That pass from Esteval, yeah. well That's the quality, bro. Like, Manchester clips it in behind first.
00:57:02
Speaker
The ball had spin on it a perfect, right into Jaipedo. Yeah. The weight on it, the keep couldn't come out the keeper couldn't come out and get it. The weight on it is perfect. The the fact that he'd done it first time. Neto would have done a spin-a-rooney, seven touches, but my bye and then Gio Pedro set it back or Gio Pedro would have been offside.
00:57:25
Speaker
Like, It's that quick thinking and just unselfishness to just put my teammates through. And I just feel crazy. Oh, I'm tired of it. I'm tired of it. Yeah. oh But that's why I guess you you've been calling, want Lamin Yamal to start, I mean, Esteval to start more games, isn't it? like Because he's able to that. But then also take nothing away from Joe Pedro, like that bit of composure.
00:57:55
Speaker
to fake shoot it onto his left foot and then just slap it straight at the goalkeeper. Whenever it goes through the legs, just a bit it's a bit lucky, but you keep it low and hard, the goalkeeper can't get down fast enough. So it's proper shooting.
00:58:10
Speaker
Yeah, shooting through a goalkeeper's legs is a skill. That's one thing i want to I want people to know. Like, if you have never played pro football or coached pro football, semi-pro football,
00:58:21
Speaker
Shooting in between the keep goalkeeper's legs is an intentional skill. um So it may not look the best, but it's a skill. So fair play. He got it in, but he had to score because he had Neto and Enzo sitting there on the other side of the goal, ready to tap it in. So he had to score.
00:58:40
Speaker
otherwise i would have been vexed my thing is it's like i don't mind that as a striker one no up you want to fill your boots a bit like you want to you want to get no no no well one if anything well one new up make sure the ball goes in the net oh don't think about yourself make sure it goes in the net when it gets to when it gets to two nil then you can start doing all that oh yeah i'm saying that now because it worked out it well exactly exactly if he missed if he missed and then it went I would have oh i would have been bet exactly exactly let me not let me not um lie too much but um yeah so now it's 2-0 I think the game's basically done at this point and then I guess what encapsulates that is the red card for Adam Wharton as well no wait that was after yeah that was after after the third one
00:59:33
Speaker
Yeah. so look look look Who was it? Was it Enzo? No, Joe Pedro's shot. Yeah. Mitchell. Well, it's not intentional, but I guess the conditions of what was happening was that if his hand isn't there, it's going in.
00:59:47
Speaker
Like, it's... But where is he meant to put his hands, bruv? We have hands. Humans have hands. Humans have arms. Where else? His arm is so close to his body, yeah?
01:00:01
Speaker
Where else can that arm go, bruv?
Chelsea's Tactical Changes and Future Matches
01:00:03
Speaker
Yeah, like and I can't say it. It's not a handball in the sense of, like, the regular law of, like, he intentionally handballed it. But then, That's the same thing on like the other end. So if Joe Pedro would have handballed it by accident and then just brushed his arm, but then he shot and it went in, they would have ruled it out.
01:00:22
Speaker
like You know what I mean? it's it's But i think I think it's insanity, bro. I think it's insanity. I think we're micro-analysing it too much, bro. If my arm is right next to my stomach, you cannot say, like just because it brushes my arm, it's not...
01:00:41
Speaker
You have to play on. Whatever happens after that, you have to play on. We are, you know, that is not... If I'm a Crystal Palace fan, I'm livid. Like, that honestly, that was so ridiculous.
01:00:55
Speaker
Honestly, it's ridiculous. It's ridiculous. I mean, I think it's because they're already two no-downs. It's kind of like... Yeah, but... Still, is it's not fair, but... is because you um I know the ball's going into the net, but where... Jaupedo never should have hit it at his arm then.
01:01:13
Speaker
Jaupedo needs to hit it on the player. you know what I mean? An arm down the side should be fine, but... it It is what it is. I'm not going to complain. Enzo scored the pen and and that was it. After that, it was just damage limitations. I'm a bit annoyed by the... Sanchez was very pissed off by the um third goal.
01:01:34
Speaker
Sorry, their first goal because he makes a great save on the line and then went unable to get the second or third third balls and it goes in. But...
01:01:45
Speaker
Look, um in general, very positive, not perfect, but we limited them apart from couple mistakes from our poor in-possession play. We limited them when they had the ball to very few chances, very few touches in the box. um I really like how we dealt with their five the back. I've always felt from a defensive point of view, we struggle to defend against a gate and five at the back.
01:02:13
Speaker
And a lot of the times it's because their wing backs will either get way too much space or our full back doesn't know how to time the press onto their wing back.
01:02:24
Speaker
um And because the wing, remember what I said about Everton did it, where their winger is pinning, is tucked in and pinning our full backs back. So they know they't know they don't know whether to go or not.
01:02:36
Speaker
So what we ended up doing was the centre back shifting over, Andre Santos going in as a centre-back to create this makeshift free at the back so that our full-back had the freedom to just push and go and press as high as possible.
01:02:51
Speaker
so And then that's the benefit of having two CDMs, not Enzo and Caicedo. Because let's say Caicedo had to do that, yeah? and he had to drop in in the back three, what, you're going to leave um Enzo in the middle by himself?
01:03:06
Speaker
That's the recipe for disaster. So it's good that we had two defensive players in there um and we dealt with we dealt with them in possession from a defensive point of view really well. um From an attacking point of view,
01:03:24
Speaker
A lot more fluid than then I've been seeing recently. A lot more fluid. And it doesn't seem so clunky. It doesn't seem so like it seems quicker. We're making decisions quicker. We're moving the ball quicker.
01:03:37
Speaker
so So with that second half, did you see more of the idea of what Resinha is trying to do away from like the Maresco tactics? Yeah.
01:03:49
Speaker
um I mean, yeah, for one, look, overlapping, underlapping full-backs, a full-back being closer to the winger in ah in way more moments than Mureska would have.
01:04:02
Speaker
So um I think that's incredibly helpful. um Then he had Santos and Caicedo sitting with Enzo, Esteval,
01:04:13
Speaker
and Neto, Char Pedro, they're the ones that fit in the the half space. So he doesn't commit as many players to the front line.
01:04:24
Speaker
So Moresca would have at least five in the front line as ah occupying the the Crystal Palace players back line. But yeah that caused us an issue in terms of I often felt it was too crowded. And we also crowded it with full backs, which was really studgy and awkward because they can't receive on a half turn and do creative things like our attacking players can.
01:04:50
Speaker
So now having our full backs a little bit deeper, but wider, and supporting the wingers, that allows a little bit more space in the middle as well. So Jao Pedro and Enzo are able to move across the line and support when needed.
01:05:04
Speaker
So in my opinion, when facing a low block and when facing the five at the back, this to have people overlapping is a better solution and creating overloads in a wide area. So I don't know if it's Rosinha Ball. I don't know if this is his thing, but the tactics he has deployed today, they worked, they were really good, they were effective, got us the win.
01:05:31
Speaker
Let's see what happens in our next game. I think, you know what I like to give credit where credit's due. Just because it's so different to what I've heard you complain about from Maresco, I'm going to assume that this is strictly um Resenia's instructions that's bringing bringing that change like it's not that accident the players are overlapping and underlapping rather than inverting into the 10 and doing all blah blah blah blah blah yeah of course yeah I'll get i'll give him credit where credit's due and what what is that now that is wait yeah the only game you lost was the Arsenal game right the yeah yeah you lost like five games so
01:06:17
Speaker
Yeah, right now, Chelsea seems like you're picking up form in the right time of the season, I would say. You've got Napoli next in a Champions League champions the game. And as it stands right now, you're 8th.
01:06:37
Speaker
But this is the last game with the um of the round, right? Yeah, yeah. we've got They actually need to win all that out as well, by the way. So they're not going to come into play.
01:06:48
Speaker
They're 25th right now. Yeah, so Napoli just lost 3-0 to Juventus today um and they've got quite a few injuries and their form of late have not been great. So I really hope we're facing a team that's not not confident and and give us the opportunity to to go to their stadium and and collect the collector points.
01:07:11
Speaker
we We need to win and preferably we need to win by two goals to make sure that we can stay in the top eight and and avoid the big boys. You don't want to do that knockout stage because you can get you can get bumped with the draw and then just end up on the play.
01:07:28
Speaker
Apparently if we miss out on it, we we get Bayern or Arsenal. and you're like, come on, man, calm down. It's log. It's log. It's log. It's log. You have to play that knockout round as well. So it's like, you don't even want to give yourself that opportunity. Just get your job done.
01:07:46
Speaker
yeah yeah Get what you need to get done and then keep it stepping. And then obviously in the Premier League, you've got... ah West Ham at home. Yeah, West Ham. And then you've got Wolves away and then you've got Leeds at home. So...
01:07:59
Speaker
And then burn the... Winnable games. Winnable games. But we know Leeds can be tough. West Ham have picked up form of late. So we just need to be professional. We need to be focused and just and just try and do our jobs. Try and do our jobs. Try and do our jobs.
01:08:16
Speaker
In between that, we've got Arsenal on the second leg of the EFL Cup on the 3rd of February. i think we I think we do lose, but, you know, um let's let's make it respectful respectable. Let's make Arsenal work for it. How did that last game
'Don't Blame the Ref' Moment and Podcast Conclusion
01:08:34
Speaker
finish? 3-2? 3-2 to Arsenal. So, you're not out, but it's it's just going to take quite a bit of effort from...
01:08:42
Speaker
But I guess when the way I look at it I don't think you guys are winning the Champions League, bro. So this might be the only competition you win might actually win. So you're already at the semi-final stage. So why not just... i go And but but because your games around that time are a lot... I don't want to say easier, but they're a lot more manageable.
01:09:04
Speaker
than what Arsenal potentially have her around that time. Sorry, just pulling up Arsenal. So, Arsenal have...
01:09:13
Speaker
Arsenal have... They've got Sunderland, Brentford. They're not easy games. And they've got Leeds as well, to be fair. So, both of you don't really have a hard set of games coming up.
01:09:27
Speaker
I know Sunderland got something for me, man. I know Sunderland have something. But then also as well, Does that... Sorry, has my mic gone funny? No, it's all good. Okay, cool. um Also within that, Arsenal might be feeling a bit nervous now.
01:09:43
Speaker
They might want to start getting down wins in the Premier League and say, forget the Carabao Cup, that ain't enough. excuse squeak Squeaky bum time, boy. They might be able to catch them on like a downturn and right just knock them out.
01:09:58
Speaker
But yeah, any other points from that game that you want to talk about? Or... Nah, man. Estivel, stop, boy. Keep doing your thing, young buck. Keep doing your thing. It was good. It was good. was good. was good. Big up him.
01:10:13
Speaker
Can I... No, not Gattie. What's his name? Gitting? Bro? Yeah. any bit of intensity bro any bit any bit of determination bro whenever you're ready just let us know you do it in your own time let us know bro yeah because that bro that guy anyway oh yeah and just put the co-pom in the bag man i'm sending him to ot bro like you got Esteval hey he's he's he's good and he's cooking take him he's good and he's cooking take him I'll take him you know man I ain't even gonna lie you can come off the bench man join Quigno we're trying to do what's funny you know what's funny it's especially the Arsenal fans in my Coop chat They spent the last couple of years just talking down on Palmer's name, this, this, that. He only does this against this. He doesn't perform against big teams. That was the narrative at first. Then he started performing against all the big teams. Then they couldn't say that. Every excuse, anything to put him down.
01:11:21
Speaker
The moment it these reports yeah come out saying Palmer might look good to leave, What do I see in the group? Oh, yeah, yeah. We should be all over. yeah We should be all know They start telling the truth, man. They start telling the truth.
01:11:38
Speaker
I would happily take Palma, bro. Even though we've got enough right wingers, 10 is opening up soon because Bruno... You know what, Bruno? No, you know what, yeah? I feel like we finished the season strong enough. I think Bruno stayed...
01:11:52
Speaker
gar gay Yeah, yeah, yeah, he stays. If I was United, I wouldn't get with him. he's like A quality player, a world-class player is worth more than whatever 100 million you could get. like i get what you mean about he's 31, but just for your transition towards your new team, you've got to remember, you guys are in a transition mode and you can't do that without a certified world-class player in there. You need it. You need it. Because that will always keep you a nice baseline. I would keep Bruno for another two years at least, just because the style of his play as well doesn't really work um rely a lot on his physicality or lack of his athletic ability. It's very much ball-striking.
01:12:38
Speaker
chance creation and all that kind of stuff and as long as we have intense players around him he's fine like to just pop up in spaces and create danger so yeah but yeah um we are from you spoke man united to death so let's wrap this let's wrap this up let's do our don't blame the ref moments oof so what what even need to say um
01:13:06
Speaker
I've got one ready if you want. Yeah, you go, you go, bro.
01:13:13
Speaker
Arsenal FC, yeah. There was a moment in the game, don't want to just say Arsenal, don't believe the ref, but there was moment in the game where I don't know which player took a shot,
01:13:25
Speaker
Harry Maguire obviously is going to make an attempt to block it. But obviously, as you're falling, you don't fall like a statue. You brace yourself because that's a very natural course human thing to do.
01:13:37
Speaker
he's falling, the ball strikes his arm and the Arsenal players are going mad. They're saying it. Bro, he handballed. I don't know even know Harry Maguire was even in the box, but they're like... screaming for ah come on and even another one the dog the dog moment they're saying it's a handball how that goal should have stood arteta is doing hey there's a clip here let me let me put you there on to a thing yeah there's a clip of putting one hand up and that's that salute does not look like a salute that anyone i'll tell you someone's gonna crop that someone's got that yeah ah Just put the hands down and stop crying. yeah
01:14:21
Speaker
Pattern up. You've got a City to play soon, bro. You better hop out the way. You're at seven. One thing I'll say, yeah. Rice is chilling in bed. Ototo is chilling in bed. and they may not be They're on peace. And the nerves, bro. The nerves are coming in. They're going to bowl it.
01:14:44
Speaker
They better hope they have a three-game swing before they go to the um play Man City. I don't know if it's at the Emirates or wherever. Yeah, yeah, yeah. won't. They need to hope that they have a three-game swing because if it's like...
01:14:56
Speaker
four points, five points, something like that. Hey, Man City have got small blood. They're going to smoke. problem And then even after that, Arsenal have Newcastle. Then they have, boy.
01:15:12
Speaker
i love it. Listen, listen, listen. Arsenal, be careful. And then around that time, if you're still in the Champions League, you've got Champions League to worry about as well. It's not going to be easy, bro. You like you guys better pattern up. But listen, Arsenal bottle this league. Oh, home my God.
01:15:30
Speaker
That meltdown, yeah. This will the worst. I can't wait for it. This will be the worst. time Yeah, The way they're going to scream Arteta out, hey, this meltdown is going to be one for the ages.
01:15:42
Speaker
This one is going to be legendary. Oh, my God. and I don't need it. I need it. i I don't even need the don't blame the ref moment. That's it. That is all I need. To be fair, I gave you the two arse of that.
01:15:56
Speaker
That is all I need. the The blood and tears of my enemies. I'm so happy, bro. Right now, yeah, I'm going to go to bed. I'm going put on a podcast. I'm going to have it in my ears. Maybe the Gary Neville podcast. Go to
Football's Emotional Impact and Podcast Ratings
01:16:11
Speaker
bed. Listen to that. I'm
01:16:15
Speaker
football football has too much power over my emotions bro it's bad too much it's bad it's so much like i don't know why it's bad bro i even had to create all it took was one win for from michael carrick yeah and i created um man united group chat yeah I'm going to go in OT. I'll drive five hours up the M-Wave.
01:16:41
Speaker
Look at what our manager does, bro. One manager making people say, yeah, yeah, yeah, coming. If you see me in the West Ham, man, Jair, don't look at me. Don't look at me like I owe you Undercover, I don't mind. But yeah, anyway, obviously, like, share, rate us on Spotify as well. i I know when we initially started this podcast, I had a bit of a blooper and created two podcasts with the same name. So some of the ratings are gone. So please, if you are listening to this, go back and rate it.
01:17:16
Speaker
Go back and rate it. Yeah, we need it back up. We need it back up. We need that five stars. Don't give us four stars. If you're going to give us four stars, don't do it. Don't rate it, man. just do five and if I know you make sure it's five stars because we can see the names don't do that but yeah share it with your friends man it with your United friends as well man we're on the up we're on the up man when are your boys coming on this thing man I don't think they want anymore man they don't want the smoke they've already given up man they've already given up they wanted to come and land on the pod but now because their guy's gone and we're actually winning they have nothing to say now there's nothing to say so I'll still invite them on if they want to come on the door's still open so it's up to up to you if you guys want to come on but yeah anyway wrapping up there yeah don't cry don't beg
01:18:15
Speaker
and Arsenal.
01:18:19
Speaker
The real Red Devils one. The real Red Devils one. Go for Bids. Forget that, forget that, forget that. But yeah. Anyway. Peace.