Liverpool's loss to Man United was the 'NAIL IN THE COFFIN' for Arne Slot - Steve Nicol | ESPN FC

0:00 Of course, get the three points.

0:02 So, mathematically they can still catch Barca at the top of the table.

0:06 What it means is they won't be given the guard of honor,

0:08 of course, to their league rivals as it comes to the Classico next week.

0:12 What it does mean, though,

0:13 is that Barcelona can clinch the league with a victory against Real Madrid.

0:19 At the bottom of the table,

0:20 Espanyol would have looked at this game not expecting to pick up any points.

0:23 They are five clear of Sevilla, who sit in 18th.

0:27 Sevilla in action on Monday.

0:30 You serious about that guard of honor?

0:32 Say again.

0:33 Right, Luis Garcia is here.

0:34 Hello, Luis Garcia.

0:35 Let's bring Craig Burley into the conversation.

0:37 What a surprise.

0:38 But you guard of honor.

0:40 Yes.

0:41 you know, Real Madrid, obviously it goes to next week.

0:43 Yes.

0:43 You you say that as if it's compulsory.

0:45 It would have been the biggest talking point in Spain if Why?

0:49 Because it's always a big talking point if it's Barcelona against Real Madrid.

0:52 not compulsory for Real Madrid if if if it had been the case to do that.

0:56 And if that had happened sides There's two sides, obviously, to it.

0:58 It's like, is it bad sportsmanship not giving a guard of honor?

1:02 Is it disrespectful?

1:03 Well, you're not taking away a league title.

1:05 You know, if they'd won it if if it if they'd lost today,

1:09 then Barcelona are still getting the league title.

1:12 But the the the would have been a big talking point.

1:15 And now it's not a talking point.

1:16 But you've decided to make it a talking point for some reason.

1:19 Completely unnecessary, really, in this conversation.

1:22 So, I'm going to move on and say, Luis, the champagne's on ice.

1:30 [laughter] Yeah, Luis, like any could be a big celebration.

1:32 Let's all forget it's going to be the first time

1:34 in in La Liga that Barcelona can win the trophy,

1:39 can celebrate the trophy against Real Madrid in his own stadium.

1:42 So, if there is a good scenario for the supporters, for the players,

1:47 and the whole club to celebrate the second

1:49 league in a row after an amazing season,

1:52 I think it could be against the biggest rival and that is Real Madrid.

1:56 Still needs to manage a result.

1:58 They need to get at least the draw.

2:01 It looks like by the way that Real Madrid is arriving to to this match

2:05 and how it looks so strong and solid Barcelona in the past a few months,

2:10 it looks like it's going to be like this.

2:11 But it's a special game.

2:12 You never know what is going to happen.

2:14 And those today, even though there was a poor first 45 minutes,

2:17 25 minutes was enough for Vinicius Junior to completely turn

2:20 around the situation and show how an amazing player he is.

2:24 So, anything can happen in those kind of games.

2:26 El Classico is special.

2:27 We'll have to wait and see.

2:28 But of course, the the champagne's on ice.

2:31 And then Uh Barcelona will win La Liga.

2:34 It's, of course, a matter of when.

2:36 And it makes it, I suppose,

2:37 interesting now going into Classico next weekend as to what

2:40 sort of result we're going to see and how we Interesting in what way?

2:43 Well, I think if you I'm not trying to sell it.

2:45 It's on your network.

2:46 If you're a Barcelona If you're a Barcelona fan, how beautiful,

2:49 how sweet would it be that you can beat Real Madrid at the Camp Nou,

2:54 clinch back-to-back La Ligas, and really rub it in.

2:56 Yeah, you really you really Yeah,

2:58 I know there is a there is obviously an intrigue in terms of, you know,

3:01 as Luis said, Barcelona could and and will be huge will be

3:05 favorites to to rub Real Real Madrid's nose in it next week.

3:10 Yeah.

3:10 Uh And then I think that's the intrigue

3:12 in a sense that we know Barcelona at some point,

3:15 whether it's next week or the week after or whatever,

3:16 are going to lift uh the league title.

3:18 They're going to be champions.

3:20 But what response to Real Madrid I said this before the live game today.

3:24 It's just about you know, saving face.

3:28 You're not saving your face with the saying you're fine.

3:30 But having some pride and finishing the season strongly.

3:35 Right.

3:35 And I think that is going to be the big one of the big

3:37 questions next week in this Classico is what Real Madrid are going to turn up.

3:41 The one that's feeling sorry for themselves, hasn't played particularly well,

3:44 and knows they're not going to win the title.

3:46 Or one that at least is going to put

3:48 their foot down and stop it happening on Barcelona's patch.

3:52 Yeah.

3:52 And and I suppose we'll find out next week.

3:54 There's not There's not a lot else to play for in terms of it is a huge rivalry.

3:58 Uh But obviously you'd want to stop.

4:01 I mean, if Stevie if it had been

4:03 Liverpool Everton or Celtic Rangers from my perspective,

4:05 you would not want that to happen.

4:07 So, there has to be some element of professional pride.

4:10 It does add an edge to the game.

4:12 Absolutely, it does.

4:13 Because for one team, it's the icing on the cake.

4:15 For the other team, you don't want them putting the last nail in the coffin.

4:18 Right.

4:19 every single reason for both sides to get after it.

4:22 The season's done.

4:23 But you know what?

4:23 That will not be in their mind.

4:25 It'll be just about making sure if you're Real Madrid, we cannot get beat today

4:30 by this mob.

4:30 And our beloved isn't wanting that to happen.

4:32 He's not getting the job and it's not gone as No, exactly.

4:35 swimmingly as I I think Florentino Perez

4:37 would have wanted with the change of manager, albeit an inexperienced one,

4:40 but one that was supposed to have the respect of the players.

4:43 But he hasn't been able to find that right

4:46 balance within the team to get good enough results.

4:49 And he knows he's going back to probably

4:51 his old job after the end of this season.

4:53 And And as a former player, he will not want Barcelona to rub.

4:56 So, there is there is some intrigue in in the game in the game.

5:00 I mean, the game sells itself in a sense.

5:02 It's Barcelona v Real Madrid.

5:03 But the very fact Barcelona have been the best team

5:06 this season by by quite a stretch in the Liga,

5:08 can win the title against their biggest rivals on their own patch,

5:12 is I think pretty something special you'd want to achieve if you're a Barcelona

5:16 There you go, Craig.

5:16 I've managed to turn you around in the last 5 minutes.

5:18 I appreciate that.

5:20 just I just [laughter]

5:21 I just didn't want to get that email saying you're not selling the game.

5:24 So, I thought I'd just do a full

5:25 Craig, if you've got an email, you'd do the absolute opposite.

5:27 Let's be honest.

5:28 delete it.

5:28 Luis, thank you very much.

5:30 Hey, Luis, I've got I assume Are you going to the Classico, yeah?

5:34 Yes, we'll be there, I'm done.

5:35 Good stuff.

5:36 Of course, it's a game you can see live on ESPN and ESPN Plus.

5:39 Barcelona against Real Madrid live on Sunday, ESPN and ESPN Plus at 3:00 p.m.

5:45 Eastern.

5:48 Meanwhile, don't miss our Classico fan experience,

5:51 an unforgettable El Classico watch party and live concert by Asim Azhar

5:55 featuring an appearance by La Liga legends Carles Puyol and Eden Hazard.

6:00 That is May the 10th at the Torch.

6:02 Just click on the QR code to register.

6:12 Yeah, listening to Alvaro Arbeloa in his post-match news conference.

6:15 Five questions in the presser,

6:17 four of them about a player who wasn't here, Mbappe.

6:20 We predicted this pre-match.

6:21 We talked about this, remember?

6:22 Mbappe injured, also pictured on holiday in the last few days.

6:26 And you were asking me sort of have the the club commented on this publicly.

6:30 Well, Arbeloa was asked about it.

6:32 He said, "Look, players that are injured

6:34 are supervised by the club's medical department.

6:35 When they have to be at Valdebebas at the training ground, they're there.

6:38 Otherwise, in their free time, it's not up to me to comment.

6:42 They can do what they like." He was asked about to compare,

6:44 really, Vinicius Junior and his commitment to the team and Mbappe.

6:47 He said, "I'm not going to make these kind of comparisons between my players."

6:50 But then he did get into quite a long a long sort of speech,

6:53 really, about what the team need to do in terms of commitment,

6:57 working together, you know, the values of the club.

7:00 Um again, referring to this thing he said

7:02 there about talent not being enough on its own.

7:04 You need to sort of mesh the talent

7:06 and the quality with a collective kind of commitment and identity,

7:09 which may not have been aimed at Mbappe, but the timing of, you know,

7:12 of that little speech from him in that presser was interesting, nonetheless.

7:16 Otherwise, lots and lots of praise for Vinicius Junior,

7:19 who was outstanding today under a lot of pressure,

7:21 a difficult game, and scored scored two cracking goals.

7:24 And Arbeloa was was really singing his praises as well.

7:26 Beautiful stuff, Alex.

7:27 Much appreciated, as always.

7:29 Let's go Aston Villa 1.

7:31 Let's just confirm what that means, then, at the bottom of the table.

7:35 Of course, Wolves and Burnley are done.

7:36 They are gone.

7:37 [music] It's that battle for that 18th spot to avoid relegation.

7:41 As it stands, Spurs are out of the relegation zone with three games to go.

7:46 One point separates them and West Ham.

7:49 Frank LeBoeuf joins us.

7:51 Hey, Stevie.

7:53 What does this weekend mean?

7:56 Uh if anybody had any doubts about Tottenham going down,

8:00 this performance surely has to change their mind.

8:03 And I guess I'm talking about myself, cuz I thought,

8:05 "How are they going to win a game?" Right.

8:08 There's no question that the first half in particular

8:11 was by miles their best performance of the season.

8:15 At one stage, I thought, suppose we're at home.

8:17 I mean, they were so dominant.

8:19 They were closing the ball down for fun.

8:21 I mean, Bentancur and Gallagher in the middle

8:23 of the park were just absolutely frightening.

8:25 And everybody else filled in and followed their lead.

8:28 And the fact it was only 2-0 at half time was a bit of a shock.

8:30 No question.

8:32 If Tottenham perform the next three games at that level,

8:37 they won't go [music] down.

8:38 They won't go down.

8:39 That's how good they were.

8:40 You agree?

8:42 Yeah, I mean, he's slowly having an effect, isn't he?

8:46 Weeding out the slightly weaker players and demanding more of the ones I mean,

8:51 they played well against Brighton.

8:54 Didn't get the result.

8:54 Dan Solem made the mistakes.

8:55 Didn't play so well against Wolves, but got, obviously, [music] got the wins.

8:59 He's undefeated in his time, I mean, you know, two draws and two wins.

9:04 So, we've got Leeds, Stamford Bridge, and then Everton.

9:06 I think I actually think it Even though West Ham get beat,

9:09 I kind of think this is edged Forest kind of back into it, possibly.

9:13 You know, you're looking at Forest

9:14 is Forest finishes Chelsea tomorrow, tough one.

9:19 Newcastle, uh not a great season, but no, they won at the weekend.

9:25 At Man United, who you know, they're on a bit of an open end.

9:29 And Bournemouth are up in 26.

9:35 West Ham are favorites, so.

9:36 Yeah.

9:36 Oh, but I'm looking at Yeah.

9:37 Yeah.

9:38 Leeds in the last day.

9:39 West Look, I wouldn't be I wouldn't be feeling good if I was West Ham.

9:45 Yeah.

9:45 Not at all.

9:46 But you can't rest on your laurels now

9:47 because you've won these games because you're Tottenham.

9:49 And I'm Forest, I need to get something at home.

9:51 Try and get something at Chelsea tomorrow,

9:53 whether it's grinding in for a point or not.

9:55 But But what I the other thing was that on the graphic

9:57 with the the league table is West Ham's goal difference minus 19.

10:01 So, if it does come down to that, they're

10:03 not they're not bridging that goal difference.

10:05 Unless Forest and uh Spurs get hammered in all those games.

10:08 If they lose the games and they get hammered,

10:10 they're not scoring I think they have to make up like 12 to 15 goals.

10:15 That ain't happening.

10:16 So, that that could be the big difference between

10:17 West Ham uh going down to the championship or not.

10:20 Frank, do you want to add anything?

10:24 Um well, I'm worried about the the Hammers because when you

10:29 when you check the the schedule of the two other clubs,

10:31 Spurs and Nottingham Forest, it's not easy, for sure.

10:34 But, the three games that they have to play,

10:36 well, maybe Leeds the the last game of the season,

10:38 maybe they can get a point, but otherwise,

10:41 they're going to be so much under pressure.

10:42 Now, they are well, one point behind uh Spurs.

10:45 I think the pressure will come, the fear will come.

10:48 I'm sorry, but I don't see the Hammers getting out of the relegation.

10:52 Um that's going to be tricky for me.

10:54 So, finish this now.

10:55 Manchester United three, Liverpool two.

10:57 That means that Manchester United [music] will

10:59 be in the Champions League next season.

11:02 Of course, Liverpool will be as well,

11:04 but mathematically now uh United have done it.

11:06 They'll finish uh third this campaign.

11:08 As we welcome in uh Frank LeBoeuf.

11:10 Uh let's talk about Liverpool a little later on, but let's focus on United

11:13 and the fact that I don't think anyone um had them finishing third.

11:17 Well, they wouldn't have made predictions at the start of the season.

11:19 well, they wouldn't have done had they kept Ruben Amorim.

11:22 Mhm.

11:22 Because the guy scoring the winner,

11:24 Hussein El Kaddouri, couldn't even be on the bench.

11:26 Mhm.

11:27 The the back three continued and it continued to be a mess.

11:31 It continually talked about wing backs and everything he didn't have.

11:35 And Michael Carrick has come in who doesn't have

11:36 the experience as a manager as Ruben Amorim and many others,

11:40 and realized that the only way to get results was getting back to basics.

11:45 It was back four, full backs in the full back position.

11:48 Yeah.

11:48 Pretty obvious.

11:49 Center halves like Harry Maguire who's just signed a a contract

11:52 extension who will just go and head the ball.

11:54 Not being disrespectful,

11:56 but he'll head it and he'll win it and he'll keep it simple.

11:59 Uh and you know, Bruno Fernandes pushed further forward

12:04 instead of playing where Kobbie Mainoo was playing now.

12:07 And all these changes it's helped him,

12:08 it's helped Cunha, it's helped Sesko, it's helped Bruno Fernandes.

12:12 And United have been much better, much much better.

12:14 Whilst not always dominating, they didn't dominate this game.

12:17 Liverpool had more possession, did very little with it.

12:20 They've not always dominated, but they've but they've had a structure

12:23 that's allowed them to be well organized.

12:26 And then they've had this pace on the counter attack.

12:29 The big question is, and you know, going forward,

12:32 is what are they going to do with Michael Carrick?

12:34 What would you do?

12:35 Well, what I'd do is I'd look around

12:37 and see who the best manager is for the job.

12:41 And if we're looking around close to Michael

12:43 Carrick and what and the teams around him,

12:46 the best manager around him at the moment that's

12:48 available is Andoni Iraola who's got Bournemouth in sixth.

12:53 Now, you can't deny he's done a good job.

12:57 That you can't deny.

13:00 It's that's undeniable.

13:02 But, if you said to me, "Who's a better manager?" I've I've just taken a Listen,

13:06 the net might get spread wider than Iraola and it could be, you know,

13:10 uh Mauricio Pochettino and and so forth and this guy and the next guy.

13:14 But, let's just take who's available.

13:16 And we know Iraola is available and he's not gone

13:19 back to Athletic Club cuz Tevez has just taken that job.

13:21 Where's he going to go?

13:22 Is it back to Spain or is Eddie Howe under pressure?

13:24 Is he going to go to Newcastle?

13:26 If you were to say to me now,

13:27 "Who's the best manager, Michael Carrick or Iraola?" It's not even close.

13:32 Andoni Iraola has got much more in the bank than Michael Carrick.

13:36 Just because Michael Carrick's done a great job at United

13:38 doesn't make him the best man for the job.

13:40 And I think at the moment,

13:41 if United were looking around and none of these real bigwigs were available,

13:45 the best man for the job is the young manager

13:48 that's already announced he's leaving Bournemouth uh in the summer.

13:51 Now, Come on.

13:52 I I I don't know if that's going to happen or not,

13:55 but you lose Houssem to to Real Madrid.

13:58 You lose the lad to PSG, the other center half.

14:01 You lose Kerkez to Liverpool.

14:02 All right, he struggled, but he didn't struggle at Bournemouth.

14:04 You lose Semenyo to Man City.

14:06 You've got all these issues that other managers moan and groan about,

14:10 and he's got little old Bournemouth up into sixth place.

14:12 That's a brilliant job.

14:14 Frank, what would you do with Carrick?

14:18 Uh we'll keep him 100% because I know what he's capable of doing.

14:22 He knows He knows the job.

14:24 I mean, he's just did he just proved that he was able

14:27 to change and dramatic change the the presence of of Manchester United.

14:33 I mean, three months ago that was or four months ago that was a real shambles.

14:37 And nobody would have thought that they would qualify for the Champions League.

14:41 Um they were in the middle of the of the of the table and nothing were there.

14:45 The so-called great player weren't there.

14:49 And the guy came, changed everything,

14:51 we put Mainoo in the in the middle of the park.

14:53 That's that's unthinkable.

14:55 You know what Amorim was thinking about Mainoo?

14:58 He's thinking that Casemiro and Mainoo couldn't play together.

15:00 I mean, that's that was insane.

15:01 Replacing Fernandes as a number 10, that that was absolutely perfect.

15:06 And yes, Iraola is doing great.

15:08 Yes, Iraola is a great coach.

15:10 Maybe this past talks for for him,

15:13 but we don't know what's going to happen for him with Manchester United.

15:15 I mean, we we saw so many coaches coming having a past,

15:19 having a great resume, knowing nothing.

15:22 And then we have a guy with no past but doing what he knows the best,

15:31 you know, how to fight at at Old Trafford.

15:33 And he does well.

15:34 So, why do you want to change him?

15:35 For me, you keep him.

15:36 That's maybe the easiest way, but right now,

15:40 I have security with him where I have question mark

15:43 with the others that you don't think I I can say.

15:46 It's interesting.

15:47 It's a good debate.

15:49 I think unfortunately for Michael Carrick,

15:51 if if he was at most other clubs, it would be rubber-stamped already.

15:55 He would have gotten the job.

15:57 But, it's Manchester United and they have to be

15:59 and want to be challenging for four trophies every season.

16:05 And I agree with Craig that if it's between Carrick and Iraola,

16:07 I would take Iraola.

16:09 But, Iraola doesn't have experience of chasing four trophies either in a season.

16:13 He doesn't have the experience of changing his team

16:16 in Europe for the Premier League as well.

16:19 So, the the one thing they both don't

16:21 have is that experience of having so many games.

16:25 You know, Michael Carrick right now, week to week,

16:27 we heard in the commentary Man United

16:30 have played nearly 20 games less than Liverpool.

16:32 That's huge in terms of the league.

16:34 You know, you see the way that Man

16:35 United break and they've they've been breaking under Carrick.

16:39 Are they going to be able to do that playing another 20 odd games a season?

16:44 I'm not so sure.

16:45 I think if they can, they need to get somebody with experience of that.

16:49 But, if they don't, again, as you said, I'm with Craig.

16:52 I would take Iraola over Carrick.

16:54 about experience.

16:54 What about like a Xabi Alonso?

16:57 Well, he's not going to go to Man United,

16:58 I I don't think he would go to Man Yeah, but Because of Liverpool Yeah.

17:01 Look, so when went for Michael Carrick, whatever way.

17:03 Look, Michael Carrick was sacked at Middlesbrough.

17:06 another good job.

17:06 So, he was given an opportunity like Solskjaer was

17:09 to come in and showcase what he can do.

17:12 Mhm.

17:12 Uh and he's done that.

17:14 So, if they go in a different direction, Man United,

17:17 and they should at least be assessing that, uh which I'm sure they are,

17:21 potentially giving him the job and what what what's

17:23 the the plusses and negatives to giving him compared to somebody else.

17:28 If he doesn't get it, then he's maneuvered himself back into another job

17:32 somewhere because of what he's done at Man United.

17:34 So, I'm sure he wants the job.

17:36 Of course, I I would imagine that's what he wants.

17:39 But, he's certainly rebuilt his stock in terms of his managerial career.

17:43 It is such a huge move for Man United because all the other moves they've made,

17:48 permanent ones, haven't worked.

17:51 They haven't worked.

17:51 And and so, how How do you How do you So, sorry, go on.

17:58 Sorry to to cut you off.

17:59 Sorry, but imagine the change and they get rid of they get rid of Carrick,

18:04 they get Iraola, and it doesn't work.

18:06 I mean, the board would I mean, the fans would get mad against the board.

18:10 You had the guy, you changed, it worked.

18:13 Well, it didn't and we didn't expect that.

18:16 Imagine when is like 12 years or 13 years that Sir Alex Ferguson left.

18:20 And since then, they got something,

18:23 but not what we were expecting from Manchester United.

18:26 And suddenly, you have the guy coming from the house, knowing the house,

18:29 working hard, and being successful, and say, "Well, you know, we're not sure.

18:33 We're going to take somebody else." It doesn't work.

18:34 That's going to be crazy.

18:36 I think Shaka mentioned this quite a few

18:39 weeks ago cuz we were talking about it then.

18:40 Mhm.

18:41 Cuz it is a big decision.

18:42 And Shaka Shaka said, "United have to be ruthless here.

18:48 Ruthless.

18:49 And it can't be a sentimental choice.

18:52 It has to be forward-thinking in terms of who they think could be

18:57 the manager for the next few years that's that's going to take them forward.

19:00 And if that means thinking outside the box and going somewhere else.

19:04 And and there's no guarantee whether you go with an Iraola

19:07 or somebody experienced or whether you go with Michael Carrick.

19:09 There is no guarantee.

19:11 But, you have to make the most informed decision you can,

19:14 which of course they thought they were doing with Ruben Amorim.

19:17 But, but clearly it wasn't the case.

19:19 worst case scenario is that they don't get who they want.

19:24 Iraola goes.

19:26 Then you give Carrick Carrick a a one-year roll-on contract.

19:30 And if it doesn't work, then you're not tied into a 8 or 9 million.

19:35 Because why are you just making the change for the sake of making a change?

19:39 If you don't If you can't get the guy you want,

19:41 and this guy's shown you that he can win games,

19:44 albeit under certain circumstances that that have just fallen in his lap, i.e.

19:50 playing week to week, then why don't you do that?

19:53 You give him a short contract.

19:54 So you can Cuz there's no way Michael Carrick is going to tolerate seeing,

19:57 "Well, I don't want a year rolling contract." Right.

19:59 Cuz it's not happening.

20:01 He's taking the He's taking the hand off.

20:02 Well, no doubt.

20:03 He's done it.

20:03 So, Stevie, are you changing your mind?

20:05 No, I'm just saying that if you don't get the guy Your your point of view?

20:09 Under under normal circumstances, what he What he's done

20:13 under normal circumstances,

20:15 most teams would just give him the contract right now.

20:17 But it's Manchester United.

20:18 Right.

20:19 And the fact is all all the things I've said.

20:21 True.

20:21 And the fact of who's available matters, it makes a difference.

20:25 But if you can't get the guy you want, then surely surely you give him a chance.

20:30 But it's not just If you think you well, switching it around here a bit.

20:35 If if if this is a big debate,

20:37 and it has been for a while, United, what they're going to do?

20:41 Just hand him it, blah blah blah, or go for somebody else?

20:45 What the hell are Liverpool going to do?

20:46 Well, that's a That's a lovely segue, Craig.

20:49 What a beautiful move, way to move.

20:53 I'm I'm just I'm saying I'm saying Well,

20:54 if you if you didn't see today's game, 3-2 flatters Liverpool.

20:58 You know, the the only way they got the two goals were gifts.

21:00 They just look out of it right from the start, Stevie,

21:03 and it just adds more fuel to the fire

21:06 as to what are Liverpool going to do about Arne Slot?

21:08 said that to you.

21:09 Yeah, exactly.

21:09 And I'm just just doing that.

21:10 [laughter] They They look absolutely lost.

21:16 [snorts] They look lost.

21:17 There is There's not a thing that you can

21:21 put your finger on and say that's a positive.

21:23 Yeah.

21:23 There's Huh.

21:25 I'm just going to contradict myself.

21:27 Other than Slot is like Right.

21:28 But after Which has been which which you could just

21:30 say for pretty much most of the season.

21:32 For the whole season.

21:33 Look, there is not one thing.

21:35 And there's there's What you can do?

21:38 I think if Xabi Alonso agreed to go to Liverpool,

21:43 I think he they would let him go.

21:45 Because they're in absolute disarray.

21:49 I mean, I've never seen Stop.

21:50 You know You know I'm smiling.

21:52 I know.

21:52 I've never seen Because we had this debate a couple

21:55 of months ago if you would choose Xabi Alonso or Arne Slot.

21:58 And you said, "Why don't want Xabi Alonso?

21:59 He's just failed at Real Madrid." But you know what?

22:02 The The problem is, as bad as it's been for Arne Slot,

22:06 it somehow is getting worse and worse every time they step on the field.

22:10 Yeah.

22:10 It's it It's hard not to ridicule them now.

22:14 That's how bad it is.

22:16 Do the players know?

22:17 Well, Well, the [clears throat] players are lost.

22:18 You can see the Liverpool's performances that they [music] are lost.

22:24 And you know that Slot's tried to help everybody,

22:26 and he's tried to talk to them, [music] and he's tried to you know,

22:29 switch things up, and maybe change a little But but it

22:33 looks like they've completely lost [music] faith in him.

22:36 Cuz you don't You don't perf Look at all those players, right?

22:39 You've got Nkunku, you've got Ekitike, you've got Isak.

22:41 [music] Obviously no Salah.

22:43 You haven't got Verts, you haven't got Frimpong.

22:45 Oh, and where you at?

22:46 I mean, they were terrible.

22:47 I mean, you know, the whole the the the the the enthusiasm that was

22:53 built over quite a few years with Jürgen Klopp that that you know,

22:59 relate It went through to the fan base,

23:01 to the stands, to the crowd, to the players, and it was a driving force,

23:05 and he sort of harnessed that a little bit and tinkered.

23:09 Only small Only in small ways.

23:10 He didn't really change a lot about Slot's Klopp's team,

23:14 but he changed a few little things.

23:15 They were They were a little bit more cagey in their build-up.

23:18 They were a little bit more organized.

23:20 Uh and that kept the fans onside.

23:22 They won a league title in fine.

23:24 But there's none of that now, and you you you just feel that everything's flat.

23:29 Support's flat.

23:30 Players are flat.

23:31 He's He's flat.

23:32 And And listen, there was a league title on He was angry with VAR today,

23:36 saying the VAR has been against him all season cuz of the handball.

23:39 And he never talked like that before.

23:40 Stevie, I wish that was his only problem.

23:42 Yeah.

23:43 Problem with VAR.

23:44 The The There's going to be a lot of people, and it is a debate,

23:47 and people have Everybody has entitled to their opinion,

23:50 and that's that's fair enough.

23:51 And there'll be a lot of people who would say, "Well,

23:53 he won the league title," which he did, and that's money in the bank.

23:57 But it's been so bad this year,

23:59 you have to question and he's had ample opportunity to turn that around,

24:04 and he's failed to come up with any answers.

24:06 Yeah.

24:06 Uh The question is, if they go and spend whatever they spend,

24:10 if they sell players and bring some more in, is he the guy next year?

24:14 When you do have a player out there

24:16 or a former player who's been a successful manager,

24:18 albeit it didn't work for him at Real Madrid,

24:20 but I think if you look deeper, as we do with La Liga,

24:24 we know the reasons why it didn't work at Real Madrid.

24:26 It's not necessarily the manager.

24:28 It's It's It's the big-headed players who won't change.

24:31 But he's not going to be out there, Xabi Alonso, that long.

24:34 And I think he would give them an energy and a lift,

24:36 particularly people with Florian Wirtz who

24:38 he's worked with, and Frimpong who he's

24:40 worked with, who looks lightweight in the Premier League if we're being honest.

24:43 But I think he Alonso would give the crowd

24:45 a lift and would get the place up again.

24:47 There's no guarantee that all of a sudden

24:49 they'd be challenging for a league title again,

24:50 but I feel it needs that lift.

24:52 It just looks as if it's gone too far the other way.

24:54 There in the Champions League or not.

24:56 They're in a position now where there is a huge cloud over it.

25:00 Yes.

25:02 And the only way you can get rid of it is by making changes.

25:06 It's not keeping the keeping the same guy in charge with the same players.

25:10 It's not It has to be You have to throw

25:13 a hand grenade in and blow it up and start again.

25:17 And I just don't I don't believe that you can do it with Arne Slot now.

25:21 I mean, today Today for me was was really was Ah.

25:25 the the nail in the coffin.

25:27 When I'm watching this team, and I'm like, this team looks completely lost.

25:31 Yeah.

25:31 Frank, do you agree?

25:35 I I totally agree.

25:36 I mean, um I And I said it already once where

25:39 And the And the enthusiasm that um Craig was mentioning about Klopp era,

25:44 um it it Arne Slot used it last season when he won the title for

25:50 like 6 months.

25:51 And then starting from January, we saw um what he was not bringing to the team,

25:57 and it's why we saw the club or the team, you know,

26:00 having bad results, winning the title,

26:02 but not being good enough where we thought that they would get the quadruple,

26:06 and they got the Premier League, but that's it.

26:08 And that's that's where I started to think, well,

26:10 Arne Slot's maybe he was maybe lucky to be behind Klopp,

26:14 using his enthusiasm and what he brought

26:17 and the the the power that that team showed to the world.

26:22 And And they lost it behind little by little because of him.

26:26 And today you have when you see the graphic, you see the names,

26:30 you see, "No, they can't lose They

26:31 can't lose They can't have lost their football.

26:32 It's impossible." But I see Robertson bad clearance on the first goal,

26:37 no good defending on the second goal.

26:39 Mac Allister Mac Allister, one of the best midfielder 2 years ago.

26:44 And And again, bad clearance on the third one as well,

26:48 being completely lost in the middle of the park.

26:50 Gravenberch losing his football as well.

26:52 He had the possibility to shoot with right foot,

26:54 goes with left foot, can't cannot shoot.

26:56 And then you see that little by little, one by one,

27:00 that those guys have lost their football because

27:02 they don't know what to do on the pitch.

27:04 And the reason is because they don't have the same coach.

27:08 And I'm sorry to target Arne Slot,

27:10 but he's the reason why for me Liverpool is not the same team.

27:14 So, yes, you have to change the coach for the next season.

27:16 Did somebody say Did I hear I thought I heard in the commentary

27:18 somebody say during the game that they'd lost 10 league games this season?

27:23 Yeah.

27:24 Which if you add this one on it, it's 11.

27:26 I mean, you're you're Yeah.

27:28 Thanks.

27:30 [laughter]

27:30 You're You're close You're close to You're almost close to your third.

27:32 Not quite, but you're almost close to your third of the season.

27:35 Yeah.

27:35 Uh so, producer's telling me I'm right.

27:38 I don't know if he's telling me I'm right about the third or the 11.

27:40 So, but yeah, that's You know, think about Liverpool,

27:42 that's a lot That's You know, almost a third of your game.

27:44 Not quite, but almost a third you're losing.

27:46 Uh It's not acceptable.

27:49 What side do you fancy on?

27:50 You know, give him another chance.

27:52 Uh give him another 6 months.

27:53 I I And then man other managers go elsewhere,

27:57 or do what generally Liverpool don't do,

27:59 which is, you know, they're generally they're a club that gives a manager time.

28:03 They They're a normally a very patient club

28:05 with that, but there's there's just too much money involved, you know,

28:08 for And And it's been such a fall off

28:10 that I I I don't think he's going to survive it.

28:14 Arsenal flying high at the top of the table.

28:16 Manchester City are in action tomorrow against Everton,

28:19 but for the moment, Arsenal sit at the top,

28:22 and it is Saka who is obviously dominating the back pages,

28:25 [music] returning from injury in style in that victory against Fulham.

28:28 Here's Arteta on the Englishman.

28:32 Well, he said to me he made a difference.

28:34 I mean, he made two actions that obviously decided the game,

28:37 and we know what he's capable of.

28:40 He's come back in the in the most

28:42 important period of the season, and now he's fresh.

28:44 His mind is fresh.

28:46 His hunger is at the highest uh possible um adding height,

28:51 and uh And I think he needed a performance like that to impact the the team.

28:56 So, that's a big platform for Tuesday.

28:59 Look, watching the guy, it looked a bit like he had some of his burst back.

29:02 Do you kind of feel like the the Achilles

29:04 thing has has eased quite significantly now?

29:06 Sorry, say that?

29:07 The The Achilles issue,

29:08 has it eased quite significantly like he looked physically

29:11 maybe like he did at the start of the season?

29:13 Uh in a positive way.

29:14 Yeah, yeah, I think so.

29:16 Um I think the pain is gone.

29:18 And that was obviously something that was restricting

29:20 his capacity to to deliver certain actions, and I agree.

29:24 Today he felt um He felt loose.

29:26 He felt relaxed, and and I think we had him the Bukayo that that we know back.

29:33 Is Saka the difference, Stevie, in this title race?

29:37 Yes.

29:38 So, Arsenal going to win the title?

29:40 If he If he plays like that between now

29:42 and the end of the season when he steps on the field,

29:45 then they're going to win games.

29:47 I believe it's in City's hands right now.

29:48 Is that correct?

29:49 Not necessarily.

29:50 win their games, It's all down to goals and uh But yeah,

29:54 if If Bukayo Saka If Bukayo Saka between now

29:58 and the end of the season plays the way he has been,

30:00 then there's no question City win the league.

30:03 Because he's the most important player they have in the front line, no question.

30:07 When he's When he's flying, Arsenal seem to fly.

30:10 I mean, you just got to look at the results and the games and the goals.

30:13 When he's scoring goals, when he's at his best, they win comfortably.

30:17 When he's not, they struggle.

30:19 So, yes is the answer.

30:20 Couldn't hear what the questions were really,

30:22 but he had that he had this injury where he was out of the team,

30:26 but he wasn't playing well.

30:27 Mhm.

30:28 He's just what he He's another one that lost his form.

30:30 He looked He looked a little He looked tired,

30:32 whether he was or not, I don't know, but he looked tired.

30:34 He He wasn't beating his man.

30:36 He was coming back inside a lot and just looked

30:40 a little flat and stale and nobody wants to be out injured,

30:43 but maybe the little that little break has has I

30:46 think Arteta said has done him the world of good.

30:48 So, will he Will he win the title for Arsenal?

30:50 Sorry?

30:51 Will he win the title for Arsenal?

30:53 Yeah, if he is the the the high level of Bukayo Saka

30:59 that we know and fully fit between now and the end of the season.

31:03 And that That was Fulham yesterday uh who

31:07 you know they're not really playing for a lot.

31:09 Yeah.

31:10 Uh But it's piled the pressure back onto Man City, hasn't it?

31:12 And I think yeah, the answer is Yeah, yeah, if Bukayo Saka plays like that

31:17 Think about it.

31:17 Think about it, right?

31:18 The other two of of the front three all season,

31:22 even though they're sitting where they are,

31:23 all season Arteta's been trying to figure out who's the best.

31:27 Yes.

31:28 Is it Martinelli or Trossard?

31:29 He's tried Midweek here on that side.

31:31 Center forward, he's tried Havertz, he's tried Jesus, he's tried Gakpo.

31:35 The one consistent when he's fit is you know exactly

31:40 who's playing on the right hand side, and that's Saka.

31:42 They uh you know, they've got this athletic game

31:45 in in midweek and they've got three league games left.

31:47 Yeah.

31:47 Two of them are layups.

31:49 Burnley, Palace, you can't ask for better, can't you?

31:52 on his way out of Palace.

31:53 He He just wants to to to to go.

31:55 Uh So, three games very winnable on paper just

32:01 to get over that line and post a number.

32:03 Yeah.

32:04 And say to City who've got obviously two extra games and an FA

32:08 Cup final and Guardiola is extremely unhappy with all the sundry,

32:13 particularly the FA, the Premier League, you name it, about fixture scheduling.

32:17 So, if you're Arsenal, you just say,

32:18 "Listen, let's just Whatever happens with Latif happens.

32:21 You know, they're favorites to win,

32:22 but we post that number with these three games

32:25 and that we can do no more." And I think

32:28 that's the kind of mindset where you're at and I'm

32:29 much rather have the three than that, you know, Yes.

32:33 very, very heavy schedule that City have.

32:34 I've got to tell you, when you said Palace is a layup, Yeah.

32:38 that's what we said a few years ago

32:40 when Liverpool under Gerrard were going for the title.

32:42 That was a layup and look what happened.

32:44 So, You're talking about the year your jets.

32:46 Brendan Rodgers?

32:47 Correct.

32:48 Liverpool and title was in their hands and they went to Palace.

32:51 Yeah.

32:52 And they were 3-0 up and blew it.

32:54 So, calm down.

33:01 [laughter]

33:01 1-0 up with the game Anyway, you got my point.

33:04 [laughter] All right.

33:06 So did Liverpool.

33:07 Uh Frank, uh you said Arsenal were going to draw against uh Fulham.

33:14 Yes, because um you know, somebody showed me a graphic about

33:17 the fact that between two Champions League game,

33:20 you know, they were mostly drawing and losing.

33:23 I initially put 3-1 and I changed my mind because of Pete Van Lee,

33:26 I was uh our producer today and I put a 0-0.

33:31 Yeah, [clears throat] so I sent it I sent him a text today

33:33 that I kind of insulted him to about the wrong prediction, but whatever.

33:37 Now, but can I have a word on that?

33:39 You know, Saka is very important,

33:41 but don't forget that when Saka was on the top at the top of his football,

33:46 he was held by on the right side by Odegaard

33:49 and White who were also on top of their football.

33:53 And since then, there was a fall off of those players and this why

33:57 maybe we don't see the Arsenal that we used to see yesterday or today sorry,

34:01 no, yesterday against Fulham.

34:03 I kind of see I've seen sorry, a revival of the the former Arsenal that I we

34:09 used to see like some years ago where in fact, you see Trossard on fire.

34:16 god.

34:16 Okay, he's scoring goals and he's playing well, isn't he?

34:19 YEAH, BUT THAT WE getting a bit carried away.

34:21 Yeah, but you ARE GETTING EXCITED ABOUT SAKA.

34:23 You are getting You are getting YOU ARE GETTING

34:26 EXCITED FOR FOR SAKA AGAINST FULHAM AS WELL, SO WHY?

34:29 Why should we different for for Gökhan you know?

34:32 It has to be the same for everybody,

34:34 but I found I found Arsenal yesterday more alive than the whole season

34:40 long where I don't recognize that team where it's just boring to watch.

34:44 Hey.

34:45 So, maybe they found the the right solution.

34:47 Don't question him again.

34:49 Right, what's happened?

34:49 Hey, it was 3-0.

34:50 They were three Liverpool were 3-0 up Right.

34:53 with 11 minutes to go.

34:54 Ah, there you go.

34:55 They went to 3-2 and Brendan Rodgers put a forward on Right.

34:59 and lost the goal.

35:00 Right.

35:01 But it wasn't enough to win the game.

35:02 But at that stage, it had gone beyond their own destiny, hadn't it?

35:05 Because the slip against Chelsea I don't spoil it for him.

35:10 [laughter] As if you know.

35:11 Oh my god.

35:12 Everton, City, anyone?

35:14 Sorry?

35:14 Everton, City is on Monday, Bank Holiday Monday, of course.

35:17 Yeah, Arsenal layup, isn't it?

35:18 Is it a layup?

35:18 You think so?

35:20 Well, you must have a story about Liverpool.

35:23 [laughter]

35:24 No.

35:24 Wait for the last Wait for the last 11 minutes.

35:27 There's no layup.

35:28 Oh, come on.

35:28 Yesterday was a layup for Arsenal.

35:31 Go and Go and ask Everton if when I was playing all

35:34 the layups that they that they screwed up when we won the league.

35:38 Wow.

35:38 Because they they lost the layups.

35:40 So, don't give me this layup nonsense.

35:44 [laughter] Well, he just keeps saying You keep giving me clap trap.

35:47 What's a layup?

35:48 Stevie, it's something that you have to turn up.

35:52 [laughter] Well, I've just told you Crystal I've

35:54 just given you an example of Crystal Palace.

35:55 Burnley, I agree with you.

35:57 Right.

35:59 But City, Everton's not a layup.

36:00 get layups down when you're going for the title.

36:02 You don't get layups.

36:03 Yes, you do.

36:05 Look what City's done for the last however many years.

36:08 I've just given you two EXAMPLES OF LAYUPS.

36:13 [laughter]

36:12 I THINK YOU BETTER GO THAT WAY.

36:14 DO YOU KNOW WHAT DO YOU KNOW what I'll tell you?

36:17 This is it.

36:18 Right.

36:18 Okay.

36:18 No easy games in the Premier League.

36:20 Oh, Everton's a layup.

36:21 No, there's no easy game when it gets to that stage of the season.

36:24 Look at Look at Look at the hard work

36:27 Look at the hard work they made at Burnley.

36:28 Man City won 1-0.

36:29 It was supposed to be five or six.

36:31 The goal difference was going to help.

36:33 Didn't turn out that way.

36:34 You're wasting your breath.

36:35 He's not listening to you.

36:36 I'm talking to you.

36:39 I'm I've heard every word.

36:41 What What was it What What was the team who City won won the title,

36:46 the first title that they won with uh Guardiola?

36:48 Which Which team was playing against them at this point?

36:51 And they could It was QPR?

36:53 Yes.

36:54 Because I wasn't sure.

36:54 But the last minute, last second, so it's never easy.

37:00 No.

37:00 There we go.

37:00 So, are you convinced or what?

37:02 Was any of this on the running order?

37:05 [laughter]

37:07 Layups.

37:07 Uh ESPN FC returns tomorrow, Bank Holiday Monday means the early game,

37:10 Chelsea in action against Nottingham Forest,

37:12 and then the later one obviously, City [music] against The layup.

37:16 I did never say that was a layup.

37:17 Never said that Everton was a layup.

37:19 Uh the [laughter] the new state Yes, you did.

37:22 Chelsea, Manchester City, then the FA Cup final.

37:25 We will be there.

37:26 ESPN 2, ESPN Plus.

37:30 Uh um Real Madrid meanwhile won earlier today against Espanyol.

37:35 And it means that the title is still alive.

37:37 Um What a game we saw in MLS last night.

37:42 Inter Miami taking on Orlando City.

37:44 All Miami early on in this one.

37:46 4 minutes in and Ian Fray would make it 1-0.

37:50 Yeah, great ball in right in the danger area, right in top of the 6-yard box.

37:54 Fray with a good header.

37:56 20 minutes later, Messi into Segovia, he'd make it 2-0.

38:03 Easy as that.

38:04 Easy as that.

38:05 And it was easy because then 8 minutes later, it's 3-0.

38:09 Uh Lionel Messi here.

38:13 Shouldn't be allowed.

38:15 Shouldn't be allowed.

38:16 That's I mean, that's way too easy.

38:20 Two defenders can't even get within 3 yards of him.

38:24 6 minutes later though,

38:25 Orlando City would get one back here with Ojeda making it 3-1.

38:31 Good goal, though.

38:31 Very good goal.

38:34 It's a great strike, though.

38:35 Then into the second half,

38:36 Ojeda finds the back of the net once again to make it 3-2.

38:45 Then with 14 minutes to go,

38:47 now Facundo with a foul here and a penalty is awarded.

38:52 Referee got excited, didn't he?

38:53 Pointing to the spot there.

38:55 Take a look.

38:59 Ooh, he pushes him in the back, doesn't he?

39:04 Torres Nice.

39:05 And it's Ojeda who would make it 3-3.

39:11 And then in injury time, Rafael Santos completes the comeback.

39:17 What a win for Orlando, 3-0 down.

39:23 They beat Inter 4-3 and they'll be discussing that on the next

39:27 edition of Football Americas with Cristina Herd and Ali.

39:33 Welcome in to the latest edition of Extra Time.

39:36 Frank LeBoeuf is with us, Craig and Stevie as well.

39:38 Craig, all three of Dembélé Dembele,

39:42 Dembele Kvaratskhelia and Douai have played significantly less minutes

39:46 in the league compared to other world-class attackers players across Europe.

39:50 Do PSG have an unfair advantage in the Champions League with the amount

39:55 of rest they can afford their key players in [music] the league games?

40:02 They had a title race this year with with loans.

40:05 Yeah, but the facts speak for themselves.

40:06 Their star players haven't played as much as other teams' star players.

40:11 But that's What what's the point?

40:14 What is this idiotic point?

40:16 PSG but PSG could not could play like second string at the weekend.

40:20 [music] They played their second string at the weekend.

40:22 So which which means they could rest

40:23 their players obviously for the second leg against Bayern.

40:26 Just take just take the unfair bit away from it.

40:28 Right.

40:29 Aston Villa made changes.

40:30 They've got They've got a big game.

40:31 Atletico Madrid made 11 changes for their Champions

40:34 League game because they're not in the title race.

40:37 They're in They're They're going to get in the top four in Spain.

40:39 Champions League football.

40:41 PSG have been in a title race this year.

40:43 I believe it's with loans.

40:44 Yes.

40:44 Right?

40:45 Yeah.

40:45 Kvaratskhelia was out the team and the other players have been injured at times.

40:49 So that's that's everybody else's problem.

40:52 What's the point?

40:53 Like this is What's unfair about it?

40:55 Well, the argument is Arteta came out and said it, didn't he?

40:58 He said that it's easier for the likes of Bayern and PSG because they're not

41:01 in um they're not in competitive physical battles

41:06 every weekend because they've already sealed the title.

41:09 Well, and if if Arsenal had anything about them,

41:11 they would have sealed this title long ago and Mikel

41:14 Arteta could have rested his players, but they didn't.

41:17 So that's Mikel Arteta and Arsenal's fault because they could have had six,

41:21 seven, maybe nine points on Man City already.

41:24 The title would have been done and he could have played who

41:26 he wanted ahead of but he didn't cuz he stuffed it up.

41:30 Bayern Munich did not.

41:31 They went out.

41:32 They got the job done early, right?

41:34 [music] And he was able to rest players.

41:36 So that's That's on That's on Mikel Arteta.

41:40 And as for the question about being unfair, that's just stupid.

41:42 Frank.

41:42 [music] Yeah, you know, I'm fed up to here Arteta's cry crying for everything,

41:51 you know, complaining about uh life and and and any excuses that he can get.

41:57 I mean, I mean, yeah, Craig was absolutely right saying that they

42:00 he should they should have done the job and and rest the player now for because

42:04 they would have settled down the Premier League.

42:07 But whatever, uh I think it's an unfair

42:10 comment because we talk about an unfair advantage.

42:13 It's an unfair comment.

42:14 I mean, they have a depth on the bench

42:16 and they and they change and if or and Douai,

42:19 for example, sometimes and even Dembele,

42:22 they were on the bench because Enrique said they weren't good enough.

42:25 So and and they all agreed to say that they were that the coach was

42:29 right and he pushed them to their best to to come back to the first 11.

42:33 So yes, a great bench Luis Enrique.

42:38 He knows how to talk to the players,

42:40 how to make them work and [music] and and as Craig said,

42:45 they are fighting for the title against loans.

42:47 I think they're going to get the the League One again, but they it's not given.

42:52 So and to say that the Premier League is maybe better than League One.

42:55 Yes, in terms of money, but right now and for the past two years,

42:59 you know, I still have some question marks about some teams.

43:01 Well, Arsenal Hold on a minute.

43:03 Well, Arsenal played in June last year?

43:06 No, they weren't.

43:06 PSG were when they won the Champions League in June.

43:10 Well, Arsenal played in the Club World Cup which is a load of nonsense,

43:13 but they weren't playing in that.

43:14 PSG were.

43:15 That's why their start of the season probably was a little flatter.

43:18 That's why they had some injuries.

43:20 And I think I might be wrong,

43:21 but Arsenal at one point had something like a nine-point lead Correct.

43:25 there or thereabouts over Man City.

43:26 Yep.

43:27 So it was in their hands the the destiny of how

43:30 the season sort of was going to pan out for them, i.e.

43:34 relatively simply or quite difficult.

43:36 That was in their hands and they've made it difficult for themselves.

43:39 This man here.

43:40 [music] Stevie.

43:41 Liverpool had eight days prepare for United

43:44 and produced another putrid opening 45 [music] minutes.

43:47 What exactly does Slot do during training to bring out such limp performances?

43:55 Hm.

43:55 Well, I think unfortunately they've got to the stage where

43:57 it doesn't really matter of what he says or does.

44:01 They just can't wait for [music] the season to end.

44:03 They're just completely lost.

44:04 They're They're frazzled mentally and physically.

44:07 Um So I don't I don't think now it matters what Slot does.

44:14 How can they be frazzled [music] physically when they've had so much time?

44:17 Well, because when you're frazzled mentally, it affects everything.

44:21 Everything becomes harder.

44:24 [laughter] You don't understand it, do you?

44:27 No.

44:28 No.

44:29 Listen, when you when you're winning every game, right?

44:31 Yeah.

44:32 The mental side of it it's not even there.

44:34 Right.

44:35 You're just playing.

44:36 So everything's free and there's no pressure, nothing.

44:39 You're sleeping great and I mean, everything's easy.

44:44 But when you start struggling the [laughter] way they do,

44:47 every single thing you do becomes difficult.

44:50 Right.

44:50 wears you down.

44:51 You could sleep great in a bed of nails, you could.

44:54 Never win, lose or draw.

44:56 That ain't [laughter] a fair deal.

44:57 That ain't fair.

44:59 I kind of agree with that, but Um obviously,

45:02 Carrick has had an impact at United, but how much is their good form [music] due

45:06 to not having to worry about European football this season?

45:09 Does their current squad even have the depth for the Champions League next year?

45:13 [music] No.

45:13 Don't know the depth.

45:14 So how do you gauge Carrick as a coach when you have

45:17 to throw in that extra element of rotation and managing [music] a squad?

45:22 Well, that's why I said earlier on, depending on who's available.

45:25 That's why I think you need somebody who's been If you're Manchester United,

45:29 you need somebody who's been [music] through

45:30 that, who can handle playing four tournaments.

45:32 Like who?

45:35 Just the Just the experienced ones on the list.

45:38 And then So for example, Jose For example, Jose Mourinho is on the list, right?

45:42 This is This is for the next Real Madrid [laughter] manager.

45:45 Yeah.

45:46 I thought it was Man United.

45:49 Well, that was the list.

45:51 [laughter] What's it about the Real Madrid manager?

45:53 Jose Mourinho, Jurgen Klopp.

45:55 No, but Mourinho's He's not He's been at Man United, remember?

46:00 You talking about Real Madrid.

46:02 [music] Second.

46:02 You brought up Mourinho.

46:05 Yeah, but you What are you talking about Real Madrid?

46:08 [music]

46:08 Because you said Jose Mourinho was on the list.

46:10 Which is the list of the the favorite managers wrong Yeah, sorry.

46:13 I got the wrong list.

46:14 You're right.

46:14 [music] You're right.

46:16 But somebody Somebody like him who has all the experience in the world,

46:19 but is is probably past the best.

46:21 But he went to Man United, didn't do great.

46:23 Well, he won a Europa League, right?

46:25 Right.

46:25 And he won the Carabao Cup.

46:27 So if he's so great, why don't you bring him back?

46:29 Well, well, if if Michael Carrick had won a Europa League and the Carabao Cup,

46:33 Right.

46:34 he would probably get another contract,

46:35 wouldn't But they they weren't in Europe.

46:39 What do you want about?

46:40 No, my my point is Look.

46:43 One.

46:44 100% not being in Europe, not being in FA Cup, not being in the Carabao Cup,

46:49 having a game once a week, absolutely 1,000% is one of the big reasons.

46:56 Right.

46:57 question.

46:58 No, not in not in a month of Sundays do

47:00 they have a good enough squad to handle the Champions League,

47:03 FA Cup, Carabao Cup Right.

47:05 and the Premier League.

47:06 Okay.

47:07 [music] There you go.

47:08 So it doesn't matter who the manager is.

47:12 Unless they Unless they broaden the squad Right.

47:17 with proper players, then actually it's going to be tough for anybody.

47:22 Okay.

47:22 If they don't broaden their squad out and you

47:24 start the season with what they have now,

47:27 I It's not It's Regardless of who the manager is, they're going to struggle.

47:32 Right.

47:36 Stevie, he's licking Honestly, I Seriously.

47:41 [laughter] Get that list.

47:43 You sniffed something on it my horse yesterday.

47:47 [laughter] I don't know what was in your house.

47:49 I don't know.

47:50 You've not been painting anything.

47:52 You You get paint fumes.

47:54 You The whole You just You started that answer

47:56 by saying you need to bring someone in with European

47:58 experience and you ended it by saying it doesn't matter

48:00 who you bring in because the squad's not good enough.

48:02 But your questions are all over the shop.

48:05 [laughter] I was the question.

48:06 Yes.

48:07 Your questions are all over the place.

48:12 [laughter] It's not even my questions.

48:16 Frank, would you [laughter] Would you like to add anything?

48:21 Uh no, no, no, no.

48:22 I don't want to be put in that mess.

48:24 I don't want to be in the middle of that, you know.

48:26 I agree with Stevie on the two questions.

48:29 Don't go too far.

48:30 Yeah.

48:30 I'm still looking at the list.

48:33 What's that list?

48:33 The list.

48:35 Stevie, from a coach's point of view,

48:37 can you explain the Kobbie Mainoo situation

48:40 and what may have happened between him and Amari?

48:43 Have you experienced that before cuz it's clear he's

48:45 extremely talented and very important to his team's transformation?

48:51 You know, I can only think there's no

48:55 question that coaches sometimes just don't fancy a player.

49:03 And it doesn't matter the situation.

49:04 You're going to try somebody else.

49:06 Right.

49:07 It seems as though that's what's happened with Mainoo.

49:10 I I can't Have you ever experienced that when you were playing?

49:13 [music] No.

49:14 Like a manager didn't fancy a player or you didn't fancy a player

49:16 and then all of a sudden the manager leaves and he's back in.

49:20 No.

49:22 [music] No, I can't.

49:21 I I I always I always because of that Hm.

49:26 I used So that's why you know, when you have when you're the manager,

49:29 it's great to have somebody like Paul that I had.

49:32 Because you don't want to fall into that trap of disliking

49:35 somebody for some reason and And not playing them because of that.

49:38 And so whenever I was discarding somebody

49:40 or I would always speak to Paul and go, "Listen, am I right or am I wrong here?

49:45 Am I Am I just not giving this guy

49:46 a chance [music] when I should be?" And he'd be like, "No, you're 100% right."

49:50 Right.

49:50 Because there's no question that Maneu's talented.

49:54 His His one flaw is defensively.

49:57 But with the ball at his feet, he's fantastic.

49:59 [music] And he's only 21.

50:02 So I can only think that I mean just

50:05 didn't fancy what he did for the team at all.

50:08 Which promotion playoff format do you prefer, Craig?

50:11 A 14 playoff like the Championship,

50:13 or a promotion relegation playoff between a top

50:15 second division team and [music] a first division side?

50:19 So we said in the Bundesliga, don't we?

50:20 Yeah, yeah.

50:21 Uh Good question.

50:31 I think I'd prefer I think I would prefer to see the third place third

50:36 bottom team in the Premier League playoff

50:39 against You'd have West Ham Millwall in play.

50:41 Yeah.

50:42 But the the problem is is what the champ what the what

50:45 the EFL have tried to do over the last umpteen years [music]

50:49 is is keep that and I think you know,

50:52 there's been times I think it was when Ian Dowie was at Palace.

50:56 I think when Roy Keane was at Sunderland,

50:59 they went all the way to automatic from like

51:01 a crazy low position when he took over.

51:03 But I think teams like Palace and others have I've

51:05 got into the playoffs from quite a way down the league, well in the bottom half.

51:10 So what the EFL have done kept it open for a lot of teams.

51:14 No, it's going to be [music] more next season obviously as well.

51:17 Aren't they?

51:17 Yeah.

51:17 No.

51:19 Is that fair?

51:21 I don't you can argue it's not.

51:22 If a team finishes in you know, third in the league with 78 points

51:26 and a team finishes [music] sixth with you know, whatever it is, 55 or 60,

51:32 you're in a one game potentially and you know, it's Yes.

51:37 It's all about bust.

51:37 [music] But uh So yeah,

51:39 that that is I would say that's more exciting and it leaves it more open.

51:44 But I'm not sure in the in the over

51:47 the season that's as fair as what the Bundesliga do,

51:50 I eat the third place place third place team.

51:52 And you're either up or you're down.

51:54 But what about you?

51:55 I don't know.

51:56 Yeah, I understand how exciting the the playoffs are in the Championship,

52:01 [music] but I I find it unfair that a team like Craig said,

52:06 who gets 75 points, a team gets [music] 52 or whatever, and ends up going up.

52:11 I I I don't like that.

52:12 I'm I understand why they do it, but I don't think that that is unfair.

52:17 it's going to go down to eighth next season.

52:19 it's going down?

52:19 Yeah, it's going down to eighth, yeah.

52:20 So it's going to be eight teams.

52:21 So So you could technically I mean obviously if

52:23 you're having a bad season about But if you're third

52:25 or fourth If you could be technically in the bottom

52:27 three in the Championship and get get it together.

52:31 Well, if you're in the bottom three, you're unlikely.

52:33 Yes.

52:33 But you sign a few players, change your manager or whatever,

52:36 you could make that run to the playoffs.

52:39 But how where do you stop?

52:40 Mhm.

52:40 Yeah.

52:41 Yeah.

52:41 [music] Frank, which do you prefer?

52:45 I prefer this the promotion relegation playoffs as well.

52:49 I mean I experienced that where you finish second

52:51 and third and you you have to play against each

52:53 other and then you play against the the guy

52:56 with the team was 18th in the in the Liga.

52:59 I think it's it's more exciting and it's more Yeah,

53:02 you you deserve that more than the team who finishes fifth.

53:07 I mean fifths.

53:08 I mean it can be a huge gap between second and fifth.

53:10 So yeah, I think it's it's more fair to to have those kind of those type

53:16 of of playoffs than the other that's what the one we see right now.

53:21 I think I prefer the playoffs.

53:23 Liverpool desperately need to sign an attack attacker this summer, Stevie.

53:26 I thought another one.

53:27 Another one?

53:28 Who's on your list?

53:31 [laughter] Uh should they put in a bid for Vinicius Júnior?

53:34 Real Madrid You mean a wide player?

53:36 Yeah.

53:36 Yeah.

53:37 I think he's a wide player, yeah.

53:41 See, the problem is Vini Júnior is a great player.

53:49 But my goodness, he must be a one [music] pain in the backside to to manage.

53:53 Well, he's not going to go to Liverpool, I think is the big problem.

53:55 No, but no, but I mean it's a hypothetical question.

53:58 Alonso the job cuz you might you're possibly going to get sacked.

54:01 Uh And you give him Vini and then you

54:03 tell him you How do you fancy bringing him in?

54:05 And you've got a pretty good relationship with him.

54:07 Yeah.

54:07 Liverpool recently and particularly Well, not recently,

54:10 they've always been hard working team.

54:12 Uh even in the '80s when they were winning everything,

54:15 but they didn't just do it by being good players,

54:17 they did it cuz they worked hard as well.

54:20 And particularly in the last few years, that's been their mantra, hasn't it?

54:23 They they [music] outrun teams and outpace them and all that sort of stuff.

54:27 And signing players like that just [music] Yeah.

54:30 gets away from it.

54:31 I spoke I spoke Craig, Stevie, it's tricky, isn't it?

54:33 There's no kind of standout.

54:34 Actually, I was thinking Kvaratskhelia.

54:37 Yeah, but why would he want to go to Liverpool?

54:40 Why?

54:40 Because he's at the best team in the world at the moment.

54:43 What noise is that?

54:45 Mbappe was at PSG.

54:46 And the city of the world.

54:47 Mbappe was at PSG.

54:49 Right.

54:50 He wanted to leave.

54:50 Yes, but they weren't winning things with But maybe there's Maybe

54:53 Maybe there's it's not just the allure of the Champions League.

54:56 Maybe it's the allure of playing in a different league.

55:02 I'm just saying that it's not nothing's

55:04 Are you saying Liverpool in the Premier League?

55:06 And I don't think the Premier League's the the be-all and end-all, far from it.

55:11 I just I don't.

55:11 [music] But in terms of a global audience,

55:16 are you saying Liverpool and the money

55:18 that they have can't attract somebody like No.

55:21 No?

55:21 Not Kvaratskhelia.

55:22 No?

55:23 No.

55:23 I don't think so.

55:25 Not from If he was playing for Lens or someone like that, then maybe.

55:28 Why would he be playing for Lens?

55:29 Well, because this is where Liverpool need to target.

55:31 And those are unlikely, but money will talk.

55:33 I don't think it will talk.

55:35 Listen, you're in a you're in a nasty mood today.

55:37 I'm not in a nasty mood.

55:38 He's about to give you a slap.

55:39 And I'm going to be I'm I'm going to be right behind you.

55:41 Of all the players, you're plucking up some You're

55:44 comparing Mbappe leaving at PSG to go to Real Madrid.

55:47 up I'm plucking up somebody who is a top player in the wide position

55:52 who is relatively young and would be good enough to replace a Mo Salah.

55:57 Now, [music] But it's a step down.

55:58 It's a step down to go from PSG to Liverpool.

56:00 they can't get him and he won't go.

56:02 I have no idea.

56:03 If you're asking for names, I'm telling you.

56:06 I can't tell you I could tell you I could tell you his name.

56:08 I could tell you his name.

56:09 Well, I could Well, you're telling me

56:10 You're telling If you're telling me Liverpool

56:12 can't attract really good If you're saying

56:14 to me Liverpool can't attract top talent,

56:17 I'm telling you now you're talking nonsense.

56:18 But how?

56:20 Why?

56:20 They can't attract the top tier players that you're talking about.

56:23 so he hasn't had a good season,

56:25 but Florian Wirtz wasn't a top tier player before he came to Liverpool.

56:27 But Florian Wirtz wasn't winning the Champions League.

56:30 He was playing for Leverkusen.

56:31 He was playing for Leverkusen, Craig.

56:33 He wasn't He was a He's a He's a bona

56:36 fide German international who'd won the league with Leverkusen.

56:39 He was 150 million or whatever he was because he was seen as a top tier player.

56:44 Yes.

56:45 Right.

56:45 So they can't attract top tier Because guess what?

56:48 Money talk.

56:49 Wirtz has been a bad player this year.

56:51 Yeah, I understand.

56:51 But he wasn't before he came.

56:52 He was a great No, he was It was a great coup he was for

56:55 saying Liverpool can't attract top players.

56:56 I'm saying they can't attract someone like that.

56:58 attract So Alisson wasn't a top player.

57:00 Van Dijk wasn't a top player.

57:02 Van Dijk came from Southampton.

57:04 He was the most expensive defender You got Alisson from Roma.

57:08 You're just talking This is It's all all

57:09 teams that are lower in the ladder to Liverpool.

57:13 not top players?

57:14 Well, this isn't the Using your argument.

57:16 Your argument is they can get anyone, which they can't.

57:18 Well, they did.

57:19 Florian Wirtz Florian was playing for Bayer Leverkusen.

57:21 Alisson was playing for Roma.

57:23 You know, it's it's Listen.

57:24 Listen.

57:24 Listen.

57:24 [laughter] Listen.

57:25 Listen.

57:25 Listen.

57:25 Listen.

57:27 I'm He's had a bad year,

57:28 but Florian Wirtz could have taken his pick in most clubs in Europe.

57:32 Absolutely, yes.

57:32 Cuz he's a top player who's had a bad season.

57:35 Yes.

57:35 So Liverpool can attract top players.

57:37 They can attract top players from Bayer Leverkusen, yes, but not from PSG.

57:41 Why?

57:42 Yeah, it's a great wins the Champions League with PSG.

57:47 He's stubborn.

57:47 He knows he's wrong.

57:48 He's stubborn.

57:49 It's all right.

57:50 You're saying You're saying they can't attract top players.

57:52 No, Craig.

57:52 Craig.

57:52 Craig.

57:52 Craig.

57:53 Craig.

57:54 But Liverpool cannot attract cannot Liverpool cannot attract players who

57:59 already are top players who already belong to top teams,

58:03 top clubs like Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid,

58:07 uh and maybe maybe Bayern Munich.

58:10 The only guy maybe they could get is Michael Olise because he's half English,

58:14 half French and he understands what means to go

58:17 to Liverpool and maybe he has something sentimentally.

58:19 But otherwise, Kvaratskhelia, Doue, Dembele, uh and some others, you know,

58:28 it would be very hard if they play for Paris Saint-Germain,

58:31 Real Madrid, uh Barcelona to come to to Liverpool.

58:36 I'm sorry.

58:36 That that's the reality of it.

58:38 Uh that is it.

58:39 That brings us to the end of today's show.

58:41 I can't wait when this You can't argue with him when he's in this mood.

58:44 No.

58:44 What?

58:44 Am I wrong, Stevie?

58:46 Well, wait wait wait.

58:47 Am I wrong?

58:48 [laughter] You can't argue with Wait wait wait wait wait, Stevie.

58:50 Am I wrong?

58:51 Time is it?

58:52 Exactly.

58:52 That is it.

58:53 Exactly.

58:53 [laughter] Oh, yes, exactly.

58:56 Well, if I'm if I'm wrong, tell me.

58:57 Tell me I'm wrong.

58:58 Oh, in this mood, yeah yeah, you can't argue with him.

59:01 you're You're saying Liverpool can't attract top players.

59:04 They've won the Champions League with PSG.

59:06 I I'm I'm saying they can't attract them from PSG.

59:09 Or Real Madrid or Barcelona.

59:10 I'm exactly Frank just Well, but but see,

59:12 but you're wrong because if a player wants to move,

59:15 and I'm not suggesting any of them do,

59:17 but if a player wants to move because he wants to play in Italy

59:20 or Germany or England and the money's right and the player wants to do it,

59:24 anybody can be attracted.

59:28 [music] So it it's it's a it's a moot point, really.

59:29 I don't think it's a moot point.

59:31 Yes, it is.

59:31 I don't think if you're you thinking I'm going to go to Liverpool.

59:35 I'm not saying he is but your argument that top players can't be attracted.

59:39 But you just said Scalia was your example.

59:41 Yes.

59:42 You you're asking me a player that could replace [music]

59:46 a Mo Salah, a Luis Diaz and people like that.

59:49 I'm giving you names of players that could improve Liverpool.

59:53 I could sit here and say I'll put put put Federico Chiesa.

59:57 He'll be he'll do a good job.

59:58 He's been at Liverpool.

59:59 That'd be nonsense.

1:00:02 You're saying you can't attract players.

1:00:03 Money will talk.

1:00:06 I don't think it does.

1:00:08 It's not like he's struggling at PSG financially, is it?

1:00:10 No, you're you're you're nailing this down to one player.

1:00:13 I'm not saying Because you brought that player up.

1:00:14 Yeah, because you're asking me the type of player that could improve No,

1:00:17 I didn't ask the type of player.

1:00:19 So what you asking?

1:00:20 Which player should they target?

1:00:22 That's not what you said.

1:00:23 It is, Craig.

1:00:24 I didn't say what type of player.

1:00:26 Well, I'll give you the you didn't say a Khvicha Kvaratskhelia like player.

1:00:28 You said Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

1:00:30 I'll give YOU THE ANSWER.

1:00:32 WHAT PLAYER SHOULD THEY TARGET?

1:00:33 Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and they won't get him.

1:00:35 WELL, I'M NOT SUGGESTING THEY'LL GET LAMINE YAMAL.

1:00:37 I DIDN'T SAY WHICH SHOULD THEY TARGET.

1:00:40 I'M NOT SUGGESTING they'll get him.

1:00:42 How do you know they won't get him if they don't ask?

1:00:44 Well, obviously.

1:00:45 You can ask Lamine Yamal.

1:00:46 Ask Vinícius Júnior.

1:00:47 Why don't you ask Vinícius Júnior?

1:00:49 You don't know what if he turns around and says, "Oh,

1:00:51 I'd love to play for Liverpool." Then I am completely and utterly wrong.

1:00:53 There you go.

1:00:54 There we Exactly.

1:00:55 As you said.

1:00:56 Exactly.

1:00:58 Exactly.

1:00:59 You think target the poorer players or should

1:01:01 Liverpool not target the best players and get

1:01:03 a custom bike But my my argument is why

1:01:06 would Khvicha Kvaratskhelia not want to go to Liverpool?

1:01:08 No, it's not.

1:01:08 It is.

1:01:09 It's not.

1:01:11 I would didn't say why would you say this is it.

1:01:14 You're utterly stupid with stuff like this.

1:01:16 But you brought up Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

1:01:18 I am saying you test the water.

1:01:19 If you're a club like Liverpool or Man City

1:01:22 or you have to test the If you're Khvicha Kvaratskhelia,

1:01:24 why would you want to go to Liverpool with that Well,

1:01:27 that's another that's another debate for another day.

1:01:28 But this is the the debate we've been having the last 10 minutes and you've

1:01:32 been saying go to Liverpool cuz you want to test yourself in the Premier League.

1:01:35 No, I didn't again, I did not say test yourself in the Premier League.

1:01:38 you say then?

1:01:39 Why would I say test yourself in the Premier League

1:01:41 when I don't even think the Premier League IS THAT GOOD?

1:01:43 YOU SAID THAT.

1:01:44 I SAID MAYBE HE WANTED TO PLAY in another country, not test yourself.

1:01:48 Khvicha Kvaratskhelia could play standing on his head in the Premier League

1:01:51 against the likes of Burnley and half the crap that's in there.

1:01:54 I didn't say test himself.

1:01:56 That's like saying Messi never tested himself in the Premier League.

1:01:59 You you don't listen half the time.

1:02:01 So why would Khvicha Kvaratskhelia go to Liverpool?

1:02:03 Oh, I'm just saying.

1:02:05 Why?

1:02:05 Sorry?

1:02:06 Why would he go to Liverpool?

1:02:07 Well, I wouldn't go at the moment.

1:02:08 So why did you bring him up?

1:02:10 Because Liverpool have to target players that are

1:02:12 a standard as good or better than Mo Salah.

1:02:15 But we could sit here and say the same

1:02:16 about so many other players that won't go to Liverpool.

1:02:20 Well, I was looking for a player that could

1:02:22 make the move and you brought up Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

1:02:24 Well, they could make the move with any old player.

1:02:26 Absolutely.

1:02:29 [laughter] What player could Liverpool ideally get?

1:02:31 Well, why don't you try and get them?

1:02:32 Of course, try Lamine Yamal.

1:02:33 Try everyone.

1:02:35 So what I'm saying is who could they get?

1:02:39 That is it.

1:02:40 That brings us to the end of today's show.

1:02:42 He asked one thing and then he tries to take it down a different Well,

1:02:45 unless you give him the answer he wants, he's not happy.

1:02:47 Yeah, it's all right.

1:02:47 You've seen that kind of movie it's ridiculous.

1:02:49 You've seen the kind of movies in the day.

1:02:50 Yeah, this is Where's the list?

1:02:52 Manchester City are taking on Everton tomorrow.

1:02:54 It's Chelsea against Nottingham Forest.

1:02:56 We'll be looking back at those games and looking ahead to the Champions League.