18/03/2017 Football Focus

COMMENTATOR: That's absolutely brilliant! Oh! This is getting

better and better! Ronaldo! History boys indeed. Dave won

He's done it! He has done it! STUDIO

Morning all. A short but perfectly formed Football Focus for you today,

plenty to keep you glued for the next half an hour. A tough spell for

Bournemouth. How does Eddie had it? I hate losing and always have done.

So that does affect my mood, I'm not going to hide from that. We will

hear from a Spanish winger revitalised under Antonio Conte. How

about that! Pedro! And we send beyond Dublin back to Villa but he

fails the dress code. Black-and-white boots?

LAUGHTER All that to come. This is what the

Premier League fixture list looks like this weekend. Arsenal at West

Brom in the early kick-off, team news at that one to come. Chelsea at

Stoke, they kick off at 3pm, pretty rare for them. Middlesbrough, who

sacked their manager this week, also play today.

Steve Agnew in temporary charge. -- they play on Sunday. Ballmer finally

got their first win of the year last weekend. Eddie Howe's reward? A

visit from Mark Clemmit. MUSIC

COMMENTATOR: Bournemouth have been conceding far too many goals of

late. I think we played with a lack of confidence today. Three priceless

points for Eddie Howe's team! I think you could say that I took

the job home with me at times. I hate losing and always have done.

That does affect my mood, I'm not going to hide from that. I try

obviously not to let that affect my family life with my kids and my

interactions from everybody. You live and breathe every moment, so if

it's not going the way you want to that certainly reflects on how you

think and how you act. I'm always trying to think of solutions to

respond positively. That is a lock of the train of thought, geared to

the next day's training, the next moment you're with the players. Your

own personal emotions during that game after your first win? They must

have been all over the place. When that last goal went in, the third

goal, difficult patrol the elation you feel in that moment. Having the

players celebrate together and near us, I think that's everything. If

you still have that at the core of what you're trying to achieve,

everyone feels like they are in it together and we are all on the same

page fighting with each other and we have a great chance of achieving

what we want to. Noticeable how close you all were. Do you feel like

a friend to the players or do you feel like you're the boss and it's

my way or the highway? I think you've got to be different things to

the players. I wouldn't say there is one category. I think sometimes you

have to be supportive, sometimes you have to be strict, sometimes you

have to be very much their friend. It depends on the situation. I would

like to think I can be there if the players need me, on an emotional

level, if they have problems. Football is not just about what

happens on the pitch, so much can interfere with a player's

performance. If they are playing games, I will be very direct in

terms of what I want. That is important. There is an expectation

that you deliver, say this is what you want from you as a player. How

are you someone disagrees with you? I've got to say it's not happened,

in the sense that I've had no issues with the players in terms of

disagreeing with my philosophy. I have a clear vision of how I want to

play and what I want my players to do. We're back to the old Brian

Clough analogy, "And then we decide that I'm right! " Something like

that! When you see the carnage in management at the moment, does a

little part of you think, I wonder whether I could establish a

decade-long legacy here rather than move on elsewhere? That sounds

great. You know, that's very much along the lines of how I would think

for this club. It's about long-term success, it's about stability,

trying to keep overachieving with the size of the club and the

infrastructure that we have here. That's what brings me to work here

everyday, to try to do the very best that I can with the ability I been

given. And we wait and see. The thing is, you can't plan for that

because, as you know, when you see the carnage in management, you don't

know what is around the corner. With us in the Focus studio today, as you

say, Leon Osman, sorry, Leon, and the world's tallest pundit, Mark

Schwarzer! And open and honest assessment from Eddie Howe. That win

last week was an important one but as Eddie Howe has been saying, there

are underlying issues which he knows they have to address. You been

looking at some recent games of theirs. I have. With Bournemouth,

the problem has been at times they will overplay was not they are a

team that loved to play football. Francis is on the ball and the first

thing he's thinking if I want to play it to my fellow team-mate. The

problem is, his fellow team-mate is not in the right position. He is out

-- he wants him out to the right but he doesn't and he plays it first

time. It's easy to be intercepted. The guy who intercepts it takes it

on the outside and goes to whip in a good cross. He's not looking behind

him and he does have a glimpse over his shoulder to see Benteke. The

question is, does he move and try and get in position to put him off?

He doesn't, he continued his run and it becomes a simple tap in for

Benteke. When you're losing the ball in such bad areas of the pitch, it

is difficult to stop goals going in. They were never -- never easy to

recover. No matter how money people you've got back at times, you will

lose the ball in bad areas. If you lose the ball in bad areas of the

pitch, no matter how many players you got back you're going to

struggle to stop a goal going in. The players are there but they're

not set, not ready. You're left-back is too far out, as we move this on

here, areata ends up at centre-half and you're right back is not in the

right position and they are always playing catch up to try to stop that

goal going in. It's down to giving the ball away sloppily in bad areas

of the pitch and they continue to do that. Give your opposition a golden

head start and you're going to struggle to win games. You look at

it and you think, a lot of power on the ball, you're asking questions,

but I've been in that situation before, a crowded area and it goes

between players's legs and it's very difficult for the goalkeeper to make

that save. They have tried a lot of centre-back partnerships since

Nathan Ake went back to Chelsea and it doesn't allow you to have that

consistency that they have struggled with? Absolutely not, the best

defences are the ones playing readily together. Since they've lost

Nathan Ake, they've really struggle to establish a good combination of

centre-backs and you can see that in the results. They've got Swansea, as

we say, this weekend. We see where Swansea are and they are three

points behind Bournemouth at the moment and their recent results will

tell you they've won three and lost three. But they are a very different

prospect now in the Clement era, aren't they? They certainly are,

Sigurdsson coming into form and Lorenzo scoring goals is a massive

part for them. Llorente Clement has gone in there and just built up

their confidence again, given them more stability, and they are playing

some really good football and given themselves have a chance of staying

up in the allegation fight. To stay up you've got to win games when

you're down there. Swansea have started to find their way to win

games. A change of manager helps. Leicester, Swansea, Palace, Hull

have all changed manager and this week one of the bottom two joined

them. COMMENTATOR: Aitor Karanka prides

himself and his team on the ability to keep clean sheets. Time running

out for Aitor Karanka in his attempts to keep Middlesbrough above

the relegation zone. Aitor Karanka insists he won't walk away. The

ultimate decision rests with Steve Gibson. Three points from safety in

the Premier League with Manchester United at home next weekend. They're

in trouble, I think. Premier League Middlesbrough have parted company

with manager Aitor Karanka. So, Aitor Karanka gone. These are the

people on the list for being the next manager. Either Agnew who is in

charge tomorrow is the favourite. I can't believe you're not on it at

20-1! What do you think about Middlesbrough, have they left it too

late to make a change, Leon? I think they possibly have. You look at the

running of games they have and they have some really tough games with a

lot of points to make up. They play all the bottom teams in the next

three or four weeks and that is probably the reason they have made

the decision now and not any later, because they have really got to

start picking up points soon. The sides above them, going back to the

table, they have all made changes and Dean that bounce. Do you think

that is some of the pressure that has been Middlesbrough, thinking it

has worked for them and we need something to get us up the table.

Possibly. I was a bit surprised by the decision because Steve Gibson is

normally someone who sticks with a manager for a long time and to make

the decision this late in the season, considering the run-in

they've got, I was a little bit surprised. But he has obviously

looked at it and thought, we need a change, a lift. And that is one way

to do that. The team that really does need a change in Sunderland,

they have been at the bottom of the table for 125 days now. Guy Mowbray

is that the Stadium Of Light. 19 points from 27 games and recent

history is not on their side, is it? It's not. Only four teams have ever

stayed up from that sort of position, but this is Sunderland. I

don't think that sounds like a particularly strong statistic to

smash as far as they are concerned! They have beaten longer odds than

that and they are well versed in beating the drop every season. Can

they do it again? Yes. Will they do it again? I'm inclined to say no and

that would be a stronger know if they don't win today against a team

that has only got two points away from home all season. Going into the

in and -- international break, they have got successive away games and

then Manchester United to come here. They will certainly see this as

their big chance game. For Burnley, a big chance to finally end that

hoodoo, coming to the Stadium Of Light. A time, they have never won

on this particular ground and they have not won away at Sunderland

since 1979. In the week that Leicester City became the 14th team

to reach the quarterfinals of the European Cup or Champions League, we

should tip our hats to the Clarets because they became the third Europe

English side to reach the last eight of a European competition against

Hamburg and if you can answer on a postcard, who were the first two?

We've only got half an hour! I wanted a dog about this guy, back in

the England squad at the age of 34, Jermain Defoe. You can't argue with

the fact that he is one of the best strikers in the Premier League at

the moment. You look at the amount of goals he has got and how vital he

has been for Sunderland. With all the players fit, you would say there

is a great case to say he should be in the national team anyway. Is that

cab was at 21. Leon, you had to wait until 31 to be an England

international. Don't take this the wrong way but there must be a stage

in your career when you think that call is not going to come? Yeah, for

me it did. Having had an international career like he had so

far, he probably thought his international days were behind him.

But the way he is performing at the moment, he's keeping Sunderland in

there with a chance almost single-handedly. You look at the

inexperience of the England strikers we've got in the squad at the moment

and it's great to see him in and around it again. Sunderland at the

bottom of the table and at the other end we have got Chelsea. Pedro has

been an integral part of what they've done this season and

Caroline has been to see the Spanish star this week.

COMMENTATOR: Here is Pedro! And Pedro scores. Pedro in a good

position. Brilliant girl! So, Pedro, you been in London for a

while now and there's a lot of Spanish players at Chelsea and in

the Premier League, who are you close to? Here there are a lot of

players, Diego Palma Azpi. It is good for players to play here. --

Diego and Azpi. It is for me more competitive than Spain and more

players like to play here. You said it's more competitive than Spain, La

Liga. What are the biggest differences? It's different, Spain.

Spain is more controlling the game but here it's crazy, more

competitive, more strong. It was Jose Mourinho who brought you here

but how has life changed under Antonio Conte? The last year, it is

a difficult situation for the team, the players, the club. With Antonio,

it was a difficult challenge for him to come here and to prepare the

team, strong, confident and going game by game. Now is a very good

moment for the team. He shows a lot of passion and enthusiasm on the

sidelines. Does that help motivate the team during the game? Yeah,

always. He's a very strong character, good mentality. This is

good for the team. COMMENTATOR: Chelsea go 13 games in

succession. How have the team managed to win 13

games? It's amazing. It's very difficult in the Premier League to

win 13 games in a row. All the players, very strong. If we continue

in this way we fight for the title. You have won so many trophies, do

you think that this year maybe you can add a Premier League and

possibly an FA Cup? This is very difficult to win this

title. This Premier League is probably the best league in the

world. For me it is a dream. STUDIO: He has had a great season, you spoke

to Pedro this week. I spoke to Cahill and Kante, there seems to be

a real bond this season with the manager. That has been important

this season. There is a real bond like he said. Players playing with a

lot more joy on their face and Conte has done that. He has brought that

enjoyment back. Sometimes in football you lose that. It is clear

Chelsea players are doing that. The formation with Pedro clearly

contrasted with last season, he is flying. As Mark said he is like he's

enjoying himself. Looks like they didn't quite hit the ground running.

That couldn't be any different this season. This is the type of thing we

were seeing in Barcelona regularly. It has taken until this season to

see it. All credit to him and to the manager. Ten points clear,, can

either of you see a scenario where they give anybody else a chance. The

other teams have got to win every game. And with them all playing each

other and taking points from each other I cannot see how anyone can

catch Chelsea. I cannot see it either. Even when they don't play

well they don't get results because they are still so well drilled. In

the lunchtime game West Brom against Arsenal.

Terms of Arsenal, Arsene Wenger brings in Welbeck for the television

room and Monreal for Kieran Gibbs. Ozil missing today. I think we saw

Arsene Wenger saying this week, he says they cannot afford to lose

another one if they want to finish in the top four. Is he right or is

it just pressure for the place? I think is right, and also good to put

pressure on the face. If he loses this game it is a real uphill

struggle. Absolutely, they have already lost some big games. Man

United have got games in hand as well. Arsenal really need to get

their season up and running again. Do you think that is it for Wenger

if they do not finish in the top four. I think it is anyway, to be

honest. His service has been fantastic that there has been a

steady decline in the last ten years or so. I think regardless it might

be time for him. The battle for the Champions League spot continues this

weekend. Jurgen Klopp's lot will be hoping for more recent history

repeating. What a goal Conor Henderson to

shoot! Coutinho, it is another belter from Philippe Coutinho.

Firmino, 3-0, Liverpool. Absolute beauty. Lallana. It is in from

Firmino. Liverpool running away with it. What a blow to their hopes of

winning the title this is. Lots of claims in the papers this

week about the number of players on the way out this summer. There was a

rebuilding job. And I think purely because players are running out of

contract. It is an opportunity to bring in players who really wants to

have. Clearly he said it also in the first half against Monaco that they

didn't play the way he wanted them to play. Why is that, opportunity to

get into the quarterfinals. You cannot say they are not experienced

because they are. Clearly an unhappy camper van. They are not playing how

they should be. They are good players, there is no doubting they

have the talent for some reason it is not Gelling. He has to make

changes at the back especially. Maybe some depth in defensive

midfield. Is impossible to make some changes in one window. I think he

will try and reinforce and move people on but the wholesale changes

people are talking about I think are unreasonable. Big win for Liverpool

last week, against Burnley but strength in depth has been an issue

for Liverpool. Lots of people are made that point and it is

highlighted by their bench last week. Four teenagers, not the sort

of things you would expect from a team challenging for a title or the

finish in the Champions League places. That has been the butt of

the frustration for Jurgen Klopp and he does not have the depth. There

have been three transfer windows. So the question is why there has not

been more quality bought in. Everybody knows it is not easy, you

are in competition with other clubs as well. The way young clock wants

to play it is a huge burden on his players as well. He was on the bench

against Burnley over Jurgen Klopp is not particular happy about the fact

he has been called up, huge game against the Republic of Ireland next

week. Talking about Manchester City going out that Leicester are into

the quarterfinals. It is interesting that because we still think it is

Leicester you worry about them not getting Barcelona or Real Madrid or

Bayern Munich but surely this post will be thinking, why not, let's get

to the last four. Absolutely, when they were in the Champion Lake

everybody was thinking wouldn't it be great if they played the big

teams, but they are into the quarterfinals now. They want to

avoid them now, hope they knock each other out. They have got a team in

Atletico who they can potentially beat. Atletico like to sit and

defend. The onus will be on Atletico to come and beat Leicester because

they are the underdogs. That will play into their hands. I agree they

want to have the easiest draw but let's be honest Atletico Madrid are

a very good side. They know how to get to the final and arguably they

are better away from home than Diarra home. Quick shout for

Manchester United who take on Anderlecht in the quarterfinals of

Europa League. We have all the football covered this weekend. Final

score from for that again. Because of the rugby.

This week we thought we would get two old friends back together,

former Manchester United team-mate both recently under the hammer we

thought Dion Dublin reserved abusive owners. This is where the players

were coming, and that is where we used to train. Would you let the

please? Ankergren much. As easy as that, good service. -- thank you

very much. Everything changes when you come through the gates, you go

into professional mode and you start to think yourself, turn it on,

Dublin. But CFI have still got it. How are you? Nice to see you. Then

boots, by the way, nobody wears black ones any more. Black and

white? They have to be yellow or Green. I'm glad you have come to

rest. The tracksuit, would've been hard to get you into one. Four five

months in, how has it been? We had a really good start, fortunately the

first game against Wolves I thought there was work to be done, but of

course clubs of vulnerable when they get Welegedera. We had an awful

general, if it had been an average generally we might have been in with

a realistic chance but it looks as if we have given ourselves too much

to do. What are you doing today? Little box, of course. "Keep The

ball away. I do not know what it is like in the middle. Constantly in

the middle. John Michael you have come from the blue side of

Birmingham. It was vitally important that was Time, ten years since I

left. Was it that long? There has been water under the bridge. Yes I

have been down the road but I did a decent job. Villa fans now saying

let's hope you can, do a job like that. I'm quietly confident. You can

appreciate it, you have the cake you realise when you walk through the

door how difficult it is. There is a big demand. We are the fifth most

successful club in this country. Your Liverpools, Tottenhams and

Astles. I have waited 20 years from Earth. -- Anya Astles. I

illusion that it is up in the air. , it is not fat head any more. Tell us

about the German. He has let me manage and get on with it. At the

moment we are getting an OK. He is a fan. He is highly successful. He

wants to bring Aston Villa back to where it was before. A club like

ours at the stature it has got you cannot be satisfied where we are.

Awful couple of years, few years, we have to try and get that back. If

you could stand in the centre of Villa Park with a microphone what

would you say to the fans? I think they realise how the club has had a

tough time. Shoots of recovery. All we will say to them is give me time

and I will get it right. Next year? That has to be the aim. What I like

is not only are they friendly but Steve Bruce is honest saying he has

to deliver. Have been hugely successful club in this country. I

think he is under no illusions at all how big a job visit his and I

was there earlier in season to interview by former Australian

team-mate Mile Jedinak and he knows the job is huge. He knows there has

been a lot of mistakes in the past but now he has come in and he has to

change things around. Also attention on Forrest and Weir, new managers,

Mark Warburton and Gary Rowett, who left Birmingham and has been linked

with every club since then. Both clubs needed to make a change. Both

big things that should be in the Premier League and hopefully these

managers will do that. Thank you both, lovely to spend the money. If

you have just switched on you missed it. You can find is on my plate. Six

Nations coming up after the news, we are back at midday. Keep an eye out

for Celtic who could win the Premiership as we will leave you

with Premier League predictions from Anthony Anthony Crolla. Goodbye.

My favourite goal for Manchester noted, so many. King Eric in the FA

Cup final. As for being there as a fan. Mata at Anfield, there was

carnage in the away end, that was brilliant to be there. After a

difficult start it is starting to come together. There is a new belief

that has been missing. Being leaky in defence in recent times but I

think Manchester City win that game. Never easy at the Riverside but I

think they need to bounce back after dropping points. I fancy us to win.