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Daily Manchester United - Episode 141 - Matic was right
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Niall is joined by Tom to discuss the Lyon game
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Transcript
Welcome and Introduction
00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello everyone and welcome back to the daily Manchester United podcast. My name is Niall Hannigan. i'm your host for this evening and I'm joined by Tom Cairns. Tom, how are you getting on?
00:00:18
Tom Cairns
Hello, Noel. Hello to everyone.
Manchester United vs Lyon First Leg Analysis
00:00:20
Tom Cairns
Yes, after a cruel way to lose the win in that first leg, but at least we didn't lose. um You know, it was quite an entertaining one. oh A few brawls, players giving the ball away when they shouldn't have done.
00:00:33
Tom Cairns
ah And just, you know, I felt there was more to it than what we already saw. I felt that Leon should have got more out of it than we did, but we took more of our chances, I thought, than Leon did. So,
00:00:45
Tom Cairns
ah But I think overall it was just like a bang average performance, but at least we came away with the result that we needed.
00:00:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, um obviously we're tuning in probably about 5-10 minutes after the the game has finished here against Lyon. um Absolute rollercoaster of emotions. like I think I changed my mind of how that performance was about every 10 minutes throughout that game and perfectly summed up with the last 10 minutes where we went from ah hero to zero, and which felt like a loss I suppose, but good Good to get a draw, bring it back to to Old Trafford and hopefully we can get over the line. But yeah, let's let's go back to the start of the match, I suppose. there's There's plenty to
Pre-Match Comments and First Half Analysis
00:01:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
unpack. You mentioned the goals, you mentioned the brawls, you mentioned the performances that we're going to need to get into.
00:01:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
i suppose this started even before the match with the the pre-match comments from Monana and Nemanja Matic with... ah Onana having a bit of pop at Lyon initially and saying that United are probably the better team and then Matage responding quite savagely but I kind of rate it I'm i'm a big fan of Matage to be honest kind of liked when he played for for United and yeah came back and bit back at Onana but um you know can't really say those things when you're when you're probably one of the worst goalkeepers that United have had strong words but yeah what did you make of the the prelude of the match between these two
00:02:07
Tom Cairns
Well, to be honest, I think what we saw on the pitch was going to do the talking over what was being said. I don't pay attention too much in terms of what gets said before the match. I just focus on what the match speaks, really.
00:02:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:02:21
Tom Cairns
ah But if I was Andre Inanna and Nemanja Matic, I'd just focus on what you need to do for the match instead of just playing all sorts of mind games and doing what boxers do and just throw all sorts of insults at each other prior to the match.
00:02:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:02:34
Tom Cairns
And then it's just, yeah, you know, you're footballers, you know, you you don't need to be getting involved in that. Just say that, you know, you're looking forward to the game and you're hoping to win. That's all you can say. But, um, But going on to the match itself, it felt flat to begin with. But I think when, and was it Almada who's got the goal for Lyon, the first one in the first half? Yeah, where it effectively went directly into the net, which Inanna most certainly should have saved.
00:03:01
Tom Cairns
And yeah, it really frustrated me so much did that because that's more than enough for Inanna to get a great hand on it and get it you know, out for a corner kick and he wasn't even able to do that. So that really set us back for a bit.
00:03:17
Tom Cairns
But I did not expect Euro to get on the score sheet at all. But he got in at the right place at the right point and at the right time to get us back into it going into half-time.
00:03:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah,
United's Challenges and Key Player Performances
00:03:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
definitely. ah I would agree with you that it was kind of a slow start. The first 15 minutes was um quite a difficult period, I thought, for United, kind of trying to settle into the game. and Although we didn't really look like we were playing that well, we did end up kind of creating a few chances. and I thought Dargu was really good.
00:03:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
In the first half, he pulled him back for Hoyland. Per man, just lacking confidence, just couldn't really strike it properly on his left foot. um We had Garnaccio that was looking quite lively as well at the start, pulled but one back for Bruno, got a corner off it, but that was a good effort. We had the Casemiro overhead kick. So, you know, we were creating chances, but then, like you mentioned, that goal, like...
00:04:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes, okay, you're kind of, the the goalkeeper is possibly anticipating a touch from either a defender or an attacker and kind waiting until the last minute to then make a decision of whether to go for the ball or not for those crosses.
00:04:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
But it is poor, like it basically just bounces past them. um And like you said, he should be able to push that around around the post for a corner and... yeah it um I suppose he he got that karma from from talking and running his mouth before the game and it came back to bite him. He doesn't have the greatest track record for for United with a lot of errors. and ah yeah That um was kind of proven matches point, I suppose, when that first goal went in. but Were you concerned when that goal went in from a United perspective?
United's Response and Second Half Developments
00:04:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
i am
00:04:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
I thought the heads would go down after that from from from the United team and I was concerned about what the score might be after that 1-0.
00:05:01
Tom Cairns
I did fear that we were going to pretty much fold after that because I was saying to two Newcastle fans the other day about the way we respond when we go behind and we usually fold when the pressure really applies to us.
00:05:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
I it.
00:05:14
Tom Cairns
We just don't make any form of courageous effort to go and get back into it. But this time we did when Ugarte played a brilliant ball in for Jouro to get his head on it and take it away from the um from the goalkeeper to make it 1-1.
00:05:31
Tom Cairns
That made me feel a whole lot better going into half-time because when Bruno Fernandes was about to take that free kick, which did lead to the goal, there was a laser pen from one of the Lyon fans that that was clearly shown on camera, both from the angle of where Fernandes was taking the free kick from and the angle that was facing Fernandes on a close-up.
00:05:50
Tom Cairns
You could clearly see there was a laser pen being yeah being used by one of the fans, and it really...
00:05:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, OK, OK. Yeah.
00:05:55
Tom Cairns
Annoyed me so much, Noel, and I was infuriated by that. And from the moment we scored that goal, less than a minute later, it ah it just felt to me like pure karma.
00:06:06
Tom Cairns
Pure, pure karma.
00:06:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:06:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, brilliant. i actually missed that. But ah yeah, I mean, you could tell that the atmosphere was was, I don't know what the word is. It was probably chaotic if you were there. I mean, they were really, really up for it and bringing out all the dark arts with laser pens. Yeah, that's um that that's pretty rough. But yeah, like you mentioned, getting a bit of karma there.
00:06:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
um i thought it was a brilliant free kick in. I don't know why ah Leon's defense was so deep. They were basically all inside, basically the penalty spot and even further in. And Bruno made a good decision to kind of play it with so much pace, not really a across, just playing it into ah an area right at the goalkeeper, hoping for a bit of a touch. The keeper kind of flaps at it.
00:06:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
It comes out to Agarte, who did brilliant to kind of keep it in play. And then that was an unbelievable reaction from Jaro. I mean, it came at him so fast, but just to be able to redirect it into the into the bottom corner was brilliant.
00:06:59
Tom Cairns
And I'm very happy for him. I don't know that's his first goal for United. said It's certainly one of his first.
00:07:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
think it might be.
00:07:03
Tom Cairns
feet Yeah, well, it's his first in the Europa League anyway.
00:07:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:07:06
Tom Cairns
But either way, that was a really, really convincing performance from Euro from start to finish.
00:07:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely.
00:07:11
Tom Cairns
Very, very very unlucky with the goal right at the end, which we conceded. But other than that, I thought his overall performance was sensational. One of the best I've seen from him in United shirt since he's signed for us and came through from injury because he was on the sidelines at the beginning of the season.
00:07:26
Tom Cairns
But I think since... he's settled into the club. There's not really been one game where felt really, really, really worried for him. He has put a real smile on my face. And I think going into the second leg is going to be a huge asset for us.
00:07:42
Tom Cairns
We're going need his experience again.
00:07:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, 100%. I'm a big fan. I thought he really grew into the game as well in the second half after he kind of had that confidence of the goal. um I think the only match that he might have got caught out was Southampton with that winger. But apart from that, he kind of learned his lesson. And he's um some of his last-ditch tackles as well over the last few games, like, um so kind of...
00:08:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
well-timed and
Team Strategy and Player Contributions
00:08:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
brave from a 19-year-old as well to kind of try that and then him stepping into midfield as well with the ball which is so important for for us having a back three he's really comfortable in the ball as well so um yeah definitely one that i'm I'm hoping is going to stick around for the guts of 10 years I suppose and become a pivotal part of our defence but that kind of rounded out the first half um and yeah plenty more happened in the second half but we'll pause here for a quick break from our sponsors
00:09:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
I was on mute there for about 20 seconds. So for all the listeners on YouTube watching me speak into my mic.
00:09:54
Tom Cairns
Do you want to go over that again, Niall?
00:09:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think it's probably worthwhile. and i was just saying after an explosive end to the first half, unlike the explosive start to the second half of this podcast, um the teams didn't really know what to do, whether to kind of protect that kind of draw that they gotten or actually go for the win. I thought it was um quite a dull first fifteen twenty minutes or so um But ah one thing I wanted to mention was the substitutions of Xerxes and then also bringing on Mason Mount as well.
00:10:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
I thought... Particularly with the Mason Mount one, I'm delighted to see him back. I think the level of quality in terms of a player on the pitch, he just kind of brought that calmness. He brought the fight as well, and which we'll get into. But um it's just great to have a ball-playing midfielder like that that is so versatile to play in a lot of different positions for us. And I'm just hoping he can he can stay fit because he's kind of a player you kind of forget about that we have. But when he is on top form, he's a brilliant footballer.
00:10:57
Tom Cairns
Yeah, and I love that about Mount, where he can actually come on and make quite somewhat e a of a difference. Will he start in the game against Newcastle? I do tip him to start against Newcastle because we do need to rest some players for the um for the second leg against Lyon.
00:11:11
Tom Cairns
And Mason Mount has not had enough minutes, nowhere near it, in United's shirt. So I would say the Newcastle game will be a great opportunity... for him to make a name for himself and then put himself in the pipeline for a start against Leon in the second leg.
00:11:25
Tom Cairns
That would be a really, really good few days all around for Mountie if he can do that. But yeah, i was I was happy with the substitutions, actually. Lindelof came on and played in the middle of the back three, settling in with Matsuri to his right-hand side and Jero to his left.
00:11:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:11:41
Tom Cairns
Um, Mainu, I thought was, was good. I thought he was well composed in the second, in when he came on as a sub and, um, Xerxi, I did not expect him to come on and make that much of a difference that came out of nowhere.
00:11:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:11:55
Tom Cairns
And the bowling from Fernandes to Xerxe on that far post was sensational. That was one of the best crosses I've seen from Fernandes in United shirt. And Xerxe, we know he's not going to have a lot of pace, but I think Fernandes knew had to try and play to Xerxe's strengths.
00:12:10
Tom Cairns
And that moment was one of them.
00:12:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely, and I think um the substitutes linked up well there because I think Maynou, there was kind of a loose ball that was kind of half cleared by the defender and Maynou kind of first time headed it towards towards Bruno and Bruno kind of took one touch and then an inch perfect pass, like you mentioned, to the back post.
00:12:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it was strange looking at it because it was floating in the air and you were thinking... is there a chance he can on the end of this? And then it looked like he didn't even want to go for it. And then it just kind of looked like it landed on his head and just went straight into the net then. And the defender, it seemed like got a tiny little of a, of a graze touch off his head before it hit Circusy. But I was, I was delighted when it went in, like I was delighted for him But then I just couldn't believe that that we were actually going to be winning the game is what I thought at the time.
00:12:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah You know, we had been creating a lot of chances. and The game had gotten quite open as well at that stage, probably for the last 15 minutes. um Both teams kind of creating chances. We we had a couple of breakaway chances earlier on with Garnaccio kind of ah the at the at the front of a lot of them where maybe the the final pass or the decision making or the touch kind of let him down as well.
00:13:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was frustrating. and But yeah, in terms of actually getting Xerxes back on the score sheet and um and actually, you know, being able to get a couple of goals where goals have been really, really lacking for us. It was nice to see for for those couple of minutes.
00:13:39
Tom Cairns
I was really happy with the way we played and ah in the last 20 minutes or so, because I wasn't convinced by the performance overall, Niall. I thought United have left somewhat on the table in what they were capable of doing, but I don't know if they were just waiting for the right moments to actually press on and actually make a difference of it. Garnaccio, though, really frustrated me all evening.
00:14:01
Tom Cairns
um I know you mentioned before when he, in the opening minutes, where think there was a link ah play between him ah
00:14:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
Player Performances and Team Dynamics
00:14:09
Tom Cairns
Hoyland, Fernandes and Dalloe because Dalloe I thought played reasonably well despite the fact that he got that booking for a really late challenge that could have been worse but Garnaccio in the second half why didn't he play that ball to Xerxes when United were on that counter because Fernandes clearly wasn't ready for that ball when it came to him but if he just laid it off for Xerxes with a rather more lazy front pass because that was all it needed for Xerxes to get a shot away and get it on target yeah I thought Garnaccio had a game to forget this evening
00:14:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:14:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay.
00:14:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I would agree. i think there was numerous numerous and examples that you could pick out as well. I mean, there was a couple of times where the ball went out to him on the right-hand side and even his touch first, second touch let him down where it was dispossessed. And and then that decision-making as well.
00:14:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think the the Bruno Zirk C3v2 attack that they had that you mentioned, like both options were on. It's just he didn't read Bruno's run. So Bruno was running straight where Garnaccio kind of played it to him.
00:15:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
as if he was going to take it on to his left foot, but Bruno had already kind of checked back inside for just a little short layoff to actually hit it his right foot. And that's when Garnaccio kind of overpasses it and then passes it in front of Bruno. And you can see, see the frustration in Bruno's face and and they're both kind of arguing with each other as they kind of go back down the pitch again, because they're just not on the same wavelength at all. Like Bruno is just operating at a different level and,
00:15:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
just that Whether it's a lack of confidence, whether it's a lack of quality, it's it's it's definitely a combination of both because um it is very frustrating watching him at times because the amount of ball that he gets on, you just have no confidence that anything is going to be created from it.
00:15:49
Tom Cairns
Well, let's hope we can get more of that in the second leg. If we can play like that over the course of the second leg at Old Trafford, as we did in those last 20 minutes, we'll get through, Niall. Because if Cersei gets on the end of those crosses that Bruno has put in tonight, I think Cersei could well get another goal.
00:16:08
Tom Cairns
Um... you know, under his belt for the season. And he's had a tough season, it has to be said. But I think we are seeing a little bit more input from Xerxes than we are from Hoyland. Because Hoyland had a another game to forget.
00:16:20
Tom Cairns
don't know who played that ball to him in the first half. It was almost like a square ball to him where he tried to side foot it on his left foot, his favourite left foot. And it just, it was nowhere near on target.
00:16:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that was the Dargu pullback in the first 15, 20 minutes. um It's such a ah frustrating one because, you know, Hoyland, we had this conversation all year, basically, but Hoyland starts a few games and then Xerxes makes more of an impact off the bench and then vice versa. Xerxes starts few games then Hoyland has more of an impact. But, I mean, long-term, I just don't see either of them being being a long-term solution for United. But at the moment,
00:17:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Whichever one is slightly more in form, we're going to just have to go with. And and hopefully we can kind of bring that form that Xerxes showed. I don't even know if it's form. He just got his he got his head on the end of a good cross from Bruno.
00:17:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hopefully you can kind of carry that into the next game. But they are different types of players. But um yeah, we're kind of we're kind of living off scraps there in the number nine position at the moment. But ah yeah, let's ah let's discuss the the drama in the last five minutes of the game just after this quick break.
00:17:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Here the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform. Zencastr came out the clear winner. With 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing, it's super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently.
00:17:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
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00:18:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
So we think we're just about to come away with a massive win away from home, bring it back to Old Trafford. You know, we're doing professional fouls in the middle of the pitch. We're seeing out the game. And then Leon creates this brilliant chance, a nice bit of interplay, couple of back heels in the box, a block down shot, and then a shot from one of their midfielders. And of course, the main man, Onana, palms it straight to to turkeyks in Turkey again.
00:18:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
And a brilliant little chipped finish over Onana then with his left foot. And yeah, he's ah he's an absolutely brilliant footballer as well. He's brilliant, but... I mean, from a United perspective, Tom, absolutely gut-wrenching.
00:18:49
Tom Cairns
It was because I initially thought that Xerchi was offside when I first saw him. But when we looked back on the replay, he clearly wasn't. ah You know, it came from the shot from mikatasi think, didn't ecom as a substitute in the game as well, I'm to look for on the...
00:19:05
Tom Cairns
yeah No, i think he um he started leon only made one substitution old match Just the Yeah, there only one so It was
00:19:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Really, yeah.
00:19:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, like this.
00:19:18
Tom Cairns
Yeah, Okuaku, yeah.
00:19:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:20
Tom Cairns
He came on for him at the time. but so But yeah, it was really annoying. But I don't know whether I want her to blame Inanna. I don't think it was as much of a ah howler from him as much as it was for the first half because the ball came with so much power.
00:19:38
Tom Cairns
I'm not sure he had enough time to really save it better than he did. um But... you know it was what it was. He couldn't do a lot about it and Xerchi got on the end of it.
00:19:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:50
Tom Cairns
But I agree that Xerchi looks like a really, really top player um for Lyon. And then he could well be a ah top player you know in the Premier League in the in the near future. So I'm looking forward to see what he can do. i'm looking at his stats actually as we speak.
00:20:06
Tom Cairns
I want to know how old he is because he does look rather young. He's 21, Xerchi.
00:20:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:20:12
Tom Cairns
And i think there is a great chance he can have a really um successful career and a potential start in the French national side.
00:20:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Definitely. I think we spoke about him before, actually, um a few episodes ago when we were last on um discussing about Leon. And I had only seen kind of clips of him. I hadn't seen him play full match before, but he kind of is a bit of a throwback to...
00:20:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
um a player that kind of just plays off the cuff extremely technical and talented and kind of plays the game at his own pace and not really a system player the classic kind of number 10 that would have just been floating around going out to the right hand side going into the central tackle midfield position but ah ah he was um he was excellent all evening some of his little touches really clever decisions got a few shots away and then yeah right man in the right space for to be able to finish it off for Lyon but Potentially a player that could fit into one of our number 10s in the future, I don't know. and Doesn't seem to be, and the rumours that are going around about a transfer fee for him don't seem to be extortionate, but of course if United get involved that conversation, you can slap on an extra £50 million and the the transfer transfer and the transfer fee for him will
Expectations and Future Matches
00:21:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
be through the roof. but
00:21:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, in general, Tom, you mentioned Yaro. and We mentioned the impact of the subs of Menuh and of Xerxie and of of Mason Mount. Anyone else kind stand out for you in terms of a a good performance from United perspective?
00:21:44
Tom Cairns
I thought Casemiro had a disciplined performance all the way through the evening. It was a good it was a good way where he got on the end of a near post corner, actually, because I think it was just going wide, but almost like it was going in.
00:21:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yep.
00:21:55
Tom Cairns
It was early on in the second half when that happened. There was the overhead kick in the first half. I think he was just well composed. He looked rather disciplined, didn't get involved in the um in the brothel too much when Mount and Tagalovico had their own squabble, which I think was inevitable given that, you know,
00:22:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Mm-hmm.
00:22:14
Tom Cairns
Taglo Fico had his hands all over Mount when Mount was just in the middle of no man's land. He was always going to get pulled back by someone like him. And yeah, and Mount was quite lucky, actually, that he only came away with a yellow because that's so easy. it Could have been a red.
00:22:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, i felt sorry for him because Taglifiko was squaring up to him Mount just pushed him away. Surely that should be allowed because, i mean, if you go with your head, it's ah it's a red, so you know to get get away from him, push, but I think the referee did diffuse it well, giving a yellow card to both.
00:22:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
and But that was after a brilliant piece of play from Mount and a brilliant few minutes as well, just kind of putting his body on the line, winning some 50-50s as well and kind of getting the the team up the pitch and you know he has that along with being technically very good as well so i'm really hoping like i mentioned earlier that he can kind of continue that form and continue that fitness i suppose because he's going to be a crucial player for us but yeah i think to be fair there was those ah there was a there was a lot of decent performances tonight i think dorgu tried hard um he was a willing runner he put in and a few nice crosses
00:23:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
um I think in general, though, there was periods in that game, and it's back to the point that you made, Tom, where you weren't convinced by that performance. I wasn't convinced by the performance either. It was moments it was moments that we played well in. There was maybe 50 or 5-10 minute spells where we kind of had a bit of sustained pressure or we created a couple of chances in a row, but Never felt like we were dominating the game possession-wise or pinning Leon into the final third, etc. and having that kind of clear control of the game. There was a lot of times in in the first and the second half for periods where we were kind of defending quite low and once we did get the ball, we just kind of turned it straight over again, kind of kicking it up the pitch and hoping that...
00:24:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
the striker that was on at the time was able to hold it up. So kind of going back and reverting back to what we've seen throughout the season. So um definitely no shift in terms of big performances, but I was glad that they did put themselves about that. They reacted well after going one, no time, because at the end of the day, this is what the season is now is this competition.
00:24:21
Tom Cairns
Absolutely. And you know the United states needs to try and fix this moments system and actually play like, you know, we are dominating possession and and actually controlling the game because that's the reason why we are not winning matches at the moment.
00:24:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:24:37
Tom Cairns
We need to be playing in a system where we just control the game and take the game to the opposition, no matter who the opposition are. So United are kind of going on a knife edge into the second leg, but we did not need to win that game tonight.
00:24:52
Tom Cairns
We only needed to come away with draw and we got it. So it's all coming down to the second leg.
00:24:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:24:57
Tom Cairns
If we put in the performance that we did against Real Sociedad, we'll easily get through. If we play like we did in the last 20 minutes against Lyon tonight, we'll easily get through. If we play like we did in the first half an hour against Lyon, it could well end up going to extra time and we can end up going out on pens or whatever, which I don't obviously want.
00:25:16
Tom Cairns
So it's all going to come down to the second leg. It's going come down to who wants it more. Do Lille want it more? Or do Man Utd want it more? And I think, you know, as much as we are biased, Niall, I'd probably say that United want it more.
00:25:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, I'd hope so. Yeah. and i think with ah with a home crowd, um you know, next week but with nothing else to play for, this is every game we have in the Europa League, whether it's this one or if we get through, is is a cup final, basically, because, you know, you might as well play whoever you want in the league. We're we're not getting relegated. We're not getting into any sort of other positions. So we're just kind of floating about there and in in the second half of the table. So um absolutely. i think it's, yeah, it's it's, I was looking at that game today and I mentioned earlier about Mount coming on and Manu coming on and you can see the kind of quality of of the player and the quality on the ball kind of increasing.
00:26:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
It does concern me, this this formation, looking at even playing, trying to play against a team like Lyon because, we aren't controlling any of those games and is that because of the the personnel that we have or is that because of the system where we're really struggling to dominate midfield because we never we always seem to be overloaded and then teams kind of seem to be able to pick apart the system so easily as well so um i think leon got a lot of joy in the wings uh in the first 15-20 minutes of the game where both dorgoo and dala were kind of squeezing into midfield, which meant that there was kind of that option to kick it over over the top into the left and right-hand corner where Masrawi and Yaro were quite stretched, that they had to go into an early conventional right-back and left-back positions.
00:26:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
So it's um it's it's going to be interesting to see how that formation develops over the next few months and and if if we can adapt in time and if we can get the right players in the right formation. But this will be a debate that we go on for going into next season as well. But it just, it did concern me that, you know, it's been, we've been here now for the guts of six months and I haven't seen this system really, really working yet.
00:27:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I don't know if that's a system or if it's the players.
00:27:27
Tom Cairns
It's the lack of additional tools which Ruben Amarone needs to have right now.
00:27:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:27:31
Tom Cairns
um But he doesn't have have it. But what we've got to think is, Mane has only just come back from injury. You've got Martinez who's out injured. You've got Diallo, our star man, who's out injured.
00:27:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:27:43
Tom Cairns
That's part of the reason why we've had to play with two attacking midfielders and not two wingers. Because we just don't have the wingers, both left and right, considering that we've allowed Rashford and Anthony go out on loan.
00:27:55
Tom Cairns
And we've got Diallo that's injured.
00:27:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:27:57
Tom Cairns
And Garnaccio is our only, ah you know, all out winger.
00:28:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Winger. Yeah.
00:28:02
Tom Cairns
Yeah, our only recognised winger.
00:28:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:28:05
Tom Cairns
So that's why we've had to adjust to having two attacking midfielders instead of two wingers. But that's fine because we know that Fernandes can play well in that role, as does Mount. With Garnaccio, think that tells you a different story about the way he's been playing, especially when he's starting as opposed to being on the bench.
00:28:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's it's a tricky one with him because I don't really know if this system suits him. like i i don't think he's I think he needs to play hugging the touchline as a conventional left winger in a front three.
00:28:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
um And I think he's probably a bit lost as well of where to play. I don't think he's technically good enough to play in that number 10 of what they're asking him. So it's um it is tricky trying to find a good spot for him and ah you can see that it's kind of affecting him as well because he's nearly overthinking everything he does and and that's what what causes the mistakes as well um at the highest level but anyway plenty to discuss there um we're looking forward to the second leg as you said we're still in it um it would be it would be worse if if that goal from Xerqui at the end was to put Leon ahead in the tie and um there definitely were moments to be positive about so you looking forward to the second leg?
00:29:13
Tom Cairns
I am. We just need to turn up with the right attitude and look like we really want to be winning it. If we turn up in a sort of similar fashion to you how we did, maybe not against Forest or City, but if we turn up in a similar fashion to how we did against maybe the sort of Newcastle home game in December, we we've weve we've got no chance.
00:29:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:29:33
Tom Cairns
um But I think this weekend's game against Newcastle is probably going to be a bit of a write-off because... We know that Newcastle are going for the Champions League anyway, and they've got nothing else to play for right now. Whereas we, we've got bigger fish to be fine than that game. so But if we can actually build a little bit of a foundation in a Newcastle game on Sunday, then we've got something we can work with for the second leg. But we can't afford any more injuries.
00:29:55
Tom Cairns
That's the number one thing we can't afford, as well as suspensions.
00:29:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely. All right, Tom, thank you for joining me. and That was great. We're living off the highs and lows of that match against Lyon this evening. And yeah, we'll look forward to the next one.
00:30:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thanks very much.