10/02/2018 Football Focus

Hello, welcome to Football Focus.

It's cold out there and we have

plenty of reasons to stay cozy

on the sofa this Saturday lunchtime.

The North London derby

takes centre stage.

We hear from Tottenham's main Jan.

Looking forward to this game, always

a great atmosphere, it's very

respectful.

Can Leicester derail

the Manchester City juggernaut?

Schmeichel Junior is

expecting a busy evening.

It's going to be a tough game but we

have one there before and we go

there with confidence.

Last season's champions seem to be

coming off the rails.

Chelsea in crisis?

Lowest point of the season, lowest I

have felt for a while.

And we're on our travels

to Turin where Juventus

are preparing for Spurs,

and to Brora Rangers

in the Scottish Highlands,

who take on Kilmarnock

in their first ever fifth

round Scottish Cup tie.

In the studio we have Kevin Kilbane

and a Football Focus

debut for Garry Monk,

formerly of Middlesbrough,

Leeds and Swansea.

Lovely to have you here.

We start with some

terribly sad news.

Last night it was announced

that the former Republic of Ireland

midfielder Liam Miller has died

at the age of 36.

He was suffering with

pancreatic cancer.

We're not showing you the right

clip.

Liam started his career at Celtic

in 2000 before moving

to Old Trafford four years later.

He also played for Leeds,

Sunderland, QPR and Hibernian.

He won 21 caps for the Republic

between 2004 and 2009

and was someone Kevin knew well.

This was him scoring for Sunderland

later in his career.

When we got

word that he was suffering with

cancer in the last month or two,

devastating news for all of Senrab

played alongside him but when the

news filtered through last terribly

sad -- who had played along side

him. You think of his family, his

wife and three children, that hits

home more than anything. Playing

alongside him, we have seen the

ability he had as a play, excellent

at Celtic and Man United and

Sunderland, all of the clubs, but

terribly humble as a lad.

A lot of

fans have said that, shocked by the

news, but they had so much affection

for him.

That was the thing with

him, he was very unassuming and

quiet, just got on with things.

Around the squads, when he first

came into the Irish setup, he just

got on with it, there were no airs

and graces. I think it will be

devastating news to everybody who

had played with him over the years.

Just our thoughts are with his

family on his wife and children.

We

agree with that.

agree with that. Celtic are playing

against Partick Thistle today. There

will be a minute 's silence before

that game and the players will be

wearing black armbands, in memory of

Liam Miller who has died aged 36.

He would have been 37 on Tuesday.

Let's turn to the weekend's

Premier League fixtures, which kick

off with the North London derby.

More on that in a moment.

There are five 3 o'clock games.

Swansea will want to keep up

their recent upturn against Burnley.

Top of the table Manchester City

are at home to Leicester

in the early evening game.

Three tomorrow, with second-placed

Manchester United and third-placed

Liverpool in action,

and Chelsea again

play on Monday night.

Let's start with Tottenham,

who host Arsenal this lunchtime.

Jan Vertonghen has been speaking

to some school children taking part

in the PlayStation Cup,

and Mark Clemmit.

I have prepared our lesson, the

topics are on the board and first up

is the term report. What do you

reckon of your season so far at

Spurs?

We had some great games and

moments. We had a little dip in

October and November but apart from

that, we have played some great

football.

Especially the last couple of games

against United and Liverpool, we are

on top of our game.

Fifth, third,

second. At what point does this

group of players, to have fulfilled

their potential, have to win some

silverware?

I think we're ready for

it. We have the team and the manager

and the technical staff, the medical

staff obviously not the new stadium

yet but definitely the players the

mentality in the team. We are ready

to reward ourselves.

Do you discuss

it within the group? Clearly you

have the French goalkeeper, the

Belgian centre-half, the spine of

the England team, a lot of momentum?

Definitely, we have enough quality

to win something and we feel that.

It is not like we discussed it every

day but we know we had to reward

ourselves for the hard work and the

great football we played.

It seems

to me that the Spurs squad is built

on a certain character as well, that

the manager has been careful with

his recruitment, having the right

values and beliefs.

You have seen

very well, with the discipline, he

selects the players and the new

players and it starts with

discipline and work ethic and

respect. Those are the main values

he is looking at. If you look across

the team, everybody is hard-working

and respectful. He sees that as the

base of a team and it is paying off.

You don't need me to tell you you

have one heck of a big week with

Juventus in the Champions League and

before that the North London derby.

How have the squad looked at the

comings and goings at Arsenal in the

last few weeks?

It looks a bit like

a different team, obviously it is

not but they have signed two great

players. We have played against both

of them before four different clubs

but great players. They won their

last game quite comfortably so we'll

can thought to it, always a great

atmosphere, the players on the pitch

very respectful but just a big fight

and that's what you want to see and

why you play football.

Jan

Vertonghen to the rescue here.

There is no rest for the next six

months because you have the World

Cup and you are in England to's

group and there is that classic

conundrum, goodbye to Harry Kane at

the end of the domestic season and a

few weeks later... It must be a

strange experience.

Very strange, it

will be the last game in the group.

A lot will depend on the previous

results. The first time in my career

that I will face my Spurs team-mates

and it's going to be very special. I

watched the draw with Eric Dier. Oh

my God!

We have spoken about it the next day

but ever since no one mentioned it

again.

No one has mentioned a word?

I think we are a bit, not scared,

but if you have a big mouth now you

have to show up! We know that

England can beat us and they know we

can beat them.

Mr Vertonghen was encouraging

the youngsters of John Warner School

in Hoddesdon as part of the first

ever National Schools Football Week,

staged in association

with the PlayStation Schools' Cup,

which some 2,000 schools

across England are

currently taking part in.

I am sure you will know that if you

are one of them. 39 Premier League

games for Spurs, 98 international

caps as well. He is misty dependable

for them. You know what you get with

Jan Vertonghen and his is real

quality.

Exactly, and the pleasing

bit with that type of player, it is

the leadership qualities that the

manager looks for, not just what he

can do with the ball and his ability

but the leadership he brings to the

team and you want as many of those

as you can add a manager and in that

position as well, it comes out on

top, including the player he is.

And

overall, qualities from Vertonghen

but it's throughout the team. There

seems to be a great team spirit

instilled by Pochettino. One through

11 they are as good as anybody in

the league, it is in the depth of

the squad, but with Vertonghen and

now Alderweireld back in the squad,

it makes them a huge prospect

particularly with their weak,

Arsenal and then Juventus.

A big

debate about diving this week, but

Edina said that football is about

trying to trick your opponent and

Arsene Wenger has said that the

English are becoming masters of

diving -- Pochettino this week.

This

was hardly masters! We think it is a

new thing but this has been

happening for 20, 30, 40 years,

before we even started. It is just

becoming more prevalent.

There was

nowhere near any contact.

Exactly

and Dele Alli knows himself when he

gets up. But it will continue, and

the only problem is how broad or how

far we take VAR.

Anthony Taylor is

the referee for the Spurs Arsenal

game, both managers talking about

it, he will be under the spotlight.

And it is difficult for the

referees. Situations like that are

not helping. We have spoken about

it, the key is the punishment for me

on the severity of it.

What would

you do, with that incident?

I would

increase it.

He got a yellow card.

There is a retrospective views of

it, but the punishment has to be

severe enough where the player as to

have that doubt in his mind, I'm not

going to do it because I will end up

losing my place in the team for

three or four games. The key is

always the punishment.

The only

retrospective ban that comes around

it is if you have deceived the

referee. You do feel like it has to

start happening broadly.

After beating Newport County

in their FA Cup replay on Wednesday,

Tottenham will travel

to Greater Manchester for the fifth

round after League One strugglers

Rochdale beat Championship Millwall

in the battle of the beach

on Tuesday night.

Ian Henderson scored the only goal

of the game to set up that

home tie with Spurs.

62 league places between them,

and we'll have that match live

from the Crown Oil Arena,

or Spotland, BBC One

a week on Sunday.

On the issue of the surface. In

defence of Rochdale, they have had

289 days of rain in the last year

and almost five feet of rainfall on

the pitch. Pochettino has raised

genuine concerns. Would you want to

take a team to a surface like that?

I might tell them to play on the

right side where the grass is! Of

course it is in a terrible

condition, but it is part of the FA

Cup. It could be a leveller for

Rochdale and you have to get on with

it.

It is serious, the game against

Fleetwood has actually now been

postponed because of the quality of

the pitch.

Garry is right, it will

be a leveller. When I was at Wigan

we stayed up under Steve Bruce and

our pitch was in a terrible state

and Steve Bruce was saying to lead

it. When we had Arsenal and Man

United and Chelsea come on, we were

not bothered, we knew it would give

is a better chance because it was a

leveller. Looking at that next week,

Wachtel have played on it.

I would

imagine the pitch is perfect at

Wembley -- Rochdale have played on

it.

Steve Bower is settling

into his seat and has

the early team news.

Thank you, the first north London

derby at Wembley for almost 25 years

Arsenal winning an FA Cup semifinal

that date thanks to a goal from Tony

Adams and the Gunners had been

victorious on the last nine

appearances at the National Stadium

but they are winless away from home

against any of the current top five

since January 20 15. Spurs are

buoyed by their victory here against

Manchester United and he was up

against Liverpool last weekend and

Mauricio Pochettino names the team

that started at Anfield with Harry

Kane scoring six goals in six

Premier League matches against

Arsenal, new signing Lucas Moura is

on the bench. Toby Alderweireld is

not in the squad. Arsenal's

hat-trick hero against Everton Aaron

Ramsey has been ruled out with a

groin injury so Mohamed Elneny is

starting, Jack Wilshere is preferred

to Iwobi behind Ozil, Mkhitaryan and

Aubameyang, and Badou Jack has

recovered from a calf injury. And to

add to the usual high-stakes, it is

hugely significant in the Champions

League chase -- Petr Cech has

recovered. And Arsenal debate would

leave them seven points behind

Spurs.

Neither team in the top four at the

moment. That is the Spurs team. We

said it is one of the best, that is

a strong team but a fascinating

contest for them.

They would have

loved to have had Alderweireld back

alongside Jan Vertonghen. Danny Rose

not playing, Ben Davies selected

ahead of him but a very strong team

and it will be a class game.

I'm

sure you have been in that position

as a manager in massive games, you

look at it and everybody is excited

to watch it but how do you see these

teams this season?

teams this season?

The way, what

Spurs have done in the last couple

of seasons, being close to the

title, they would like to be closer.

The top four is always important for

both teams and they are outside it

at the moment so it is huge for

various reasons but always an

interesting one between Arsenal and

Spurs. Everybody will want to watch

it.

And in terms of new recruits,

Lucas Muller on the bench for Spurs,

this is the Arsenal team. -- Lucas

Moura. So exciting going forward,

yes they have problems at the back

but Mkhitaryan can bring you the SS

which he has always had and he was

brilliant for Arsenal in the last

game.

-- of the assists. He can play

as number ten or off the right-hand

side comedienne drift inside

readily. His ability to pick out a

pass, he was offside, Aubameyang,

but it is the position he gets into

to create the chances and the

through balls. Three assists last

week and a great performance and if

you are Aubameyang, you make the

runs and he will pick you out. That

relationship could be key for

Arsenal at the end of the season.

And as we heard, Aaron Ramsey not

available having scored a hat-trick

in that game.

Chelsea are the team currently

clinging on to fourth place,

but they are involved a spot

of crisis management after two

terrible league performances

which have put manager Antonio Conte

firmly under the microscope.

Strange to put your finger on the

last two games. We have the second

highest number of clean sheets. We

were high in the table

were high in the table

the second

half was a disaster. Junior

Stanislas to make its two, and he

has done!

He comes down like

Ladbrokes on your head.

Its three!

Remarkable!

You need to take the

right path and you need to do that

collectively put together, work hard

together.

The pressure is building

on Antonio Conte. He and Chelsea

cannot afford to lose this game.

It's a second yellow card and

Chelsea are down to ten men.

We need

to show character and get back on

track.

Oh, it's a penalty! And

Chelsea's season gets worse!

In

terms of performance, I see

ourselves. It was an abysmal

performance.

Its 3-1!

It's a tough

moment.

moment.

Unbelievable stuff at

Vicarage Road!

Really the lowest

point of the season that I've felt

for a little while.

Every single

player knows we have to try to

improve, to play better than the

game against Watford. Also against

Bournemouth. It was totally

negative, our performance. I'm not

thinking for only one moments the of

going away from this club, but when

you have this with soap or a result,

you have two divide the

responsibility with the players and

the club.

They are in a spot of bother. What

on earth has happened to Chelsea?

This is Premier League top six since

Christmas. They've gone from having

the best joint defensive record in

the Premier League to conceding

seven goals in two games and looking

shambolic at the back. Is that just

a mental thing? What happened at

Chelsea?

I think a lot of it is

mental but in terms of the manager,

in terms in the media, how he's

speaking, you look from season to

this season, it does seem a little

unsettled in the way he's speaking.

He seems more guarded than he was

last season. There the pressure of

being champions and defending your

title and at Chelsea they'll always

be that pressure, but I think just

that unsettling feeling seems to

have transferred a bit into the

players and in the confident side of

it and into the games and

performances.

When you are a manager

under pressure, is it hard not to

become a bit defensive? You've been

in that situation your self. Do you

try to hide that from the players?

Try to talk openly about it with the

players but I cant you cope?

With

the players, every manager is

different. In situations like that,

from my experiences, be open with

the players. Football is football at

the end of the day. Whatever happens

outside the training ground or the

match or whatever it is, the job is

exactly the same. You try to keep

that balance. The way I dealt with

it was to be very open with them.

Not talking about that situation or

what they hear in the press, but

about what the job isn't we're doing

together and create more of that

siege mentality and really try to

use that as motivation to prove a

point.

There are issues obviously,

Kevin. Champions last season. Look

at who they try to bring in to

upgrade. Those summer signings.

Supper cost, Drinkwater, cameo role.

Are they better from those recruits

than what you saw last season?

Know

and when you look at Chelsea last

season, it was a settled side. You

can't underestimate the impact that

had on the squad and how the

difficulty...

The red card against

Watford.

. And he hasn't worked out

for them, Bakayoko. In goal, Kante

could continue to use his attributes

around the pit. They always had an

ace and they don't have that.

Warning sign that I felt were there

towards the back end of the season

with Kante's demeanour, the way he

was Dobby, that's came across in the

summertime and that's has taken over

this season.

Eight macro managers in

the last six years have left the

club after playing West Bromwich top

two Chelsea managers in that! Want

to watch out for on Monday.

Winning the title and then

sacking the manager

the very next season -

Leicester fans will

remember it well.

The Foxes face

Manchester City today.

Riyad Mahrez returned to training

this week and Rachel Stringer had no

difficulty tracking down Kasper

Schmeichel.

Only five losses since he took over.

Eight in the Premier League table

and through to the fifth round of

the FA Cup. Things are going pretty

well.

His obvious change the style

of play, change the formation. A lot

of his thinking was that we had

potential going forward but we went

for the killer pass probably to

early. We didn't probably take as

much care as we could do. He's

encouraging us to take a pass extra

sometimes to open up the space and

will probably find a more accurate

pass. It's been positive, a good

experience. Whether playing from the

back a bit more now. He's testing

others and challenging others. He's

a quiet guy who kind of gets on with

the job on the pitch. He's very

vocal. He talks a lot individually

to players, he's multilingual so he

can deliver his message in different

Leggett is to players who maybe

understand it better in their own

language. When he's not happy, we're

left in no doubt that he's not

happy. His demeanour and way

speaking is obviously a very calm

way and it is good because it

influences the team to play more

calmly.

You haven't taken him out

for a party or a dinner was Tremarco

welcomed him?

We have a dinner. It

was nice. He saw a different side to

the players, which was good. He's so

the players and how they are outside

the football club. You have your

work face and your private face. I

think it was good for him to see, he

enjoyed it. We saw a different side

to him.

I saw recently, a couple of

weeks ago, you put on Instagram,

using the best tekkers in the club.

Undoubtedly, definitely. There's a

few that will try to take the

mantle, but I try and it's something

I've always done, I've always

enjoyed the banter and the little to

touch games. That time it was only

two us, but usually there is seven

or eight involved in a little circle

in the dressing room and it's good

fun. When I was young, football was

something I enjoyed, but I kind of

went off it a little bit. The circus

that surrounds it, all these things,

that kind of got too much. We

couldn't really go anywhere as a

family without it being a bit crazy.

As a youngster, that was a point

where it may be got too much. As I

got older, I kind of understood

the... Around the game and a bit

more. I don't know, but I think my

love of football just kind of took

over and I was like, well, that's

what I wanted to do, I want to play

football and I have to accept and

learn how to deal with the

surrounding world.

Up against

Manchester City this weekend. A club

where you started your career.

It

was a club I was at for eight years

and it was a club that helped me in

so many ways. It's always nice to go

back and it's going to be tough, I

think. It's going to be a very tough

game. But we won there before and we

go there with confidence.

He's always been a good talker.

Claude Puel, when he came, fans were

particularly happy. That often

happens. With Schmeichel, they're

playing real tribute with the way

he's gone in there, micromanaged

various areas and generally

difference to the way they play.

Quietly and assured is the way he

comes across. The way they're

playing, we were talking before,

it's exciting to watch them at the

moment. They've got a slight

difference change to just been

counterattacking and that directness

to Vardy. Obviously from the players

and listening to them, they're

enjoying that, as well. The way he's

managing them. Credit to them.

The

interview was done before Riyad

Mahrez return. A statement from the

man himself.

They take on Manchester City, which

is of course still macro team hoping

to buy him and this issue in the

first place. Coming back into a team

like that, do you think players will

just laugh about it, have fun in the

dressing room and get on with it?

I

think that's what'll happen. The

problem will be more for the manager

and how he's trying to integrate him

back into the pitch himself. In

general, the dressing room, unless

there's a problem personally was two

players, I can't see any issues at

all I think you'll be fine. I think

for him, after it fell through, the

magister city made, it was important

for him to get back on the training

ground. He hasn't necessarily have

that training ground time yet, but

once that comes around in the next

couple of weeks, you'll be fine. He

has to show that consistent form.

With regards to Manchester City, we

were talking about diving earlier.

This story is doing the rounds this

weekend. This is about Manchester

City have sought sent nine

challenges to the referees

Association and what they're trying

to say is, we're now looking at

diving retrospectively in other

areas of the game and they think all

those challenges they've mentioned,

which were yellow card challenges,

should retrospectively have the

ability to be turned into red card

challenges. Now, I see the face on

both of you. Is this a can of worms

that shouldn't be opened, or do they

have a point?

They definitely have a

point, but I think you'll find...

That's open to every single team,

the amount or volume of coming into

the guys after a game at the

weekend, it'd be impossible to do. I

understand his point but I don't

think that's really going to be a

feasible thing to do.

How many times

do we get this that's challenges on

this time? They look bad in the

still pitch or in slow motion.

There's no malice the majority of

times players are going for a

challenge. It's innocent hobby you

want to win the ball, help your

site. If you look at every sort of

challenge back, I don't see this

carrying.

The video analysis man

will spend Monday, Tuesday,

Wednesday looking at them.

Exactly

and we are talking at the eight are

inside of the game itself. By and

large, it has been right up to now.

It's not perfect, but in general,

it's right will stop all of a

sudden, this incident will have to

be checked and this incident, and I

don't agree. I'd rather keep the

game as it is.

We have to be

careful. We don't want tackling and

physical contact to go. Well, I

don't comment at obbligato the game.

It makes the game, as well. The

serious challenges and dangerous

ones, of course. Being a former

defender, it's actually an art to

defend and make tackles in certain

ways. I think if we take that

completely out of the game, this is

the way it seems to be progressing,

we have to be very careful with what

we choose to do.

Mahrez was the Player

of the Year two seasons ago.

This man has to be high

in the voting this time around.

Another two for Mo Salah

last weekend against

Tottenham - he's red hot.

# The strong, the mighty

# The forces of evil can never

destroy...

COMMENTATOR: Does he go for it? He

does! He scores! He's Mohammed

Salam. Sala is there and he scores.

-- Salah. Devastating!

Salah hasn't

scored for Liverpool!

scored for Liverpool! First touch of

a Salah and brilliant. Mo Salah is

amongst the goals yet again! How, oh

how, did Mohammed Salah do that?

Wink-macro quite a few people

wondering.

From the point of view of a manager,

I will try to get round to it! How

do you stop somebody like this? Goal

number 20 and 21 of the season.

Very

difficult, he is playing with

confidence and his movement is

excellent. The shot in the arm for

Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp, the

recruitment of it, you are buying a

player, you know what he is capable

of but the excitement is the

potential. I think they did not

expect him to fulfil it so quickly

come to the club, showing these

things, finishing and movement and

technique. The thing that impresses

me is his physicality, he can handle

the ball against physical players.

He has the whole package.

It is

difficult, he will shift onto his

right foot, predominantly left

footed but as a defender when you

are square up against him, it is

which way you show him. Vertonghen

was almost anticipating he would go

to his left but he goes inside and

it is how quickly he recognises the

situation and a goal-scoring chance.

Virgil van Dijk going back to St

Mary's for the first time since

moving to Liverpool. Since scoring

this goal against Everton on his

debut in the cup it has been two

defeat and a draw for Liverpool and

they have conceded six goals. He

came in at a huge sonic lot of

money, it shows you that there an

issue which just not one man can

address -- a huge signing.

He is a

fantastic defender and he will be a

huge asset for Liverpool also be has

every attribute and leadership in

that position like we were talking

about earlier. It is a matter of

time they get the relationships

right, whoever his partner is, if

they bring someone in in the summer,

to form that relationship as a back

four.

For about 75 minutes last week

it looked excellent with him

alongside Lovren but when they went

to five at the back and Spurs put

them under pressure, they fell

apart. That is what has to be

addressed. Conceding one and it is a

glut of goals.

A quick word on

Southampton, that win against West

Brom was their first since the end

of November and they needed it, a

long time without three points.

You

looked at the game, and the same

today, so many intriguing games at

the bottom and when they went one

down against West Brom, it was the

bounce back they needed. Because

Pellegrino was under serious

pressure, we looked at that, if they

could get some respond and they did

last weekend and the manner as well

with three goals, that is to take

them forward.

And talking about

taking them forward, it took them

outside of the bottom three, now in

15th place with 26 points but it is

incredibly tight down there. No team

is really falling away.

And nearly all the teams

who've sacked their managers this

season are picking up more points

per game under their new leaders.

It just hasn't gone for Frank de

Boer.

Crystal Palace have their

first goal of the season!

Claude

Puel has made pretty much the

perfect start.

Jamie Vardy!

Spectacular!

Ronald Koeman is a

manager under pressure.

Sensational

goal, Everton 2-1 Swansea.

David

Moyes has made such a difference to

West Ham.

West Ham United ahead

against Chelsea!

Things are looking

a little bleak for Paul Clement.

Successive victories against

Liverpool and Arsenal and this man

has simply transformed them.

The

feel-good factor returns to the bet

365 Stadium.

What a brilliant goal

and the Paul Lambert era is up and

running.

Only one win in 11 games

and Silva has a lot to think about.

That is an absolute cracker from

Roberto Pereyra! The points are

Watford's.

The bounce has not been

there so far.

That is wide from

Rondon and what a miss.

Only West Brom other team who have

not had the pick under Alan Pardew

but I suppose that is why teams

change managers. But it is so tight

and so much pressure on so many

teams.

It is unbelievably tight. Any

of those teams in that situation,

the pressure and the importance of

every game will get heightened. It

is pretty much the team who can

handle the pressure and keep the

confidence, even if they have

disappointments in between them that

they can maintain the confidence and

get enough points.

You look at the

home form always, but in that

position, playing at home can be

pressure. You don't have the luxury

of being able to sit in and soak up

pressure, you're constantly under

pressure from supporters to attack

teams. That is why it might be best

going away from home and grinding

out results.

West Ham have a big

game against Watford and I'm sure

you will have seen that we separate

-- Patrice Evra. This was his launch

video.

I'm for ever blowing bubbles! I love

this game! Come on you irons!

I love

that! 36 years old, Zabaleta on the

other side is 33, almost 70 years

between the full-backs.

It is what

he can bring. Aaron Cresswell will

be looking at him, how he has

conducted himself from a

professional point of view, it is

for players to look up to and it is

a shrewd signing from David Moyes.

Let's go to a match featuring two

of the teams who have changed

managers, and brought in two former

England bosses to boot.

Everton against Crystal Palace

at Goodison Park and John Motson

is there for Match of the Day today.

Lovely to have you on the programme.

Sam Allardyce said Everton

were pathetic in their last game.

They have to improve.

Yes, he had calmed down by the time

I spoke to him this morning, talking

about the second-half performance at

Arsenal being better than the first

and he called their current run a

blip. It is that it is going on a

long time, only one win in nine

games for effort and and the

worrying thing is 15 goals conceded

in six games which has not been good

for Jordan Pickford apart from

anybody else. What Allardyce has

said is that Everton will only get a

respectable position in the league

if their home form goes the way it

should. Very important for them to

collect three points at home today.

And from the Crystal Palace point of

view, it is almost an entire

first-team out injured?

Yes, you're

right, I counted them last night and

they are missing ten players and the

most important is Wilfried Zaha who

looks like being out for between

four and six weeks which will be a

real blow. They started the season

very poorly when he was also

injured. Since Roy Hodgson took

over, the great improvement, only

losing two games in the last 15 and

both of them were to Arsenal but

they now have to make sure they

don't drop back into that danger

area. One player who can help them

is Christian Benteke 17 league goals

last season but this season only

two.

We do love a statistic. Great

to talk to you. More from John on

final score. It might be his last

game at Goodison, his first ever

radio commentary was at Goodison

Park in 1969! Still going strong 48

years later. Someone is jabbing that

you played in that game! That is

unfair, from the producer!

Could be an interesting handshake

between Allardyce and Hodgson.

Hodgson saying yesterday

that they used to be good friends -

that was before the recorded

conversation with Big Sam.

That did not go down too well.

Another team who've had a real

bounce under a new manager

are Swansea, and they were one

of the teams in action in fourth

round replays this week.

Advanced ball, he sit down and he

turns and shoots!

turns and shoots! It is across the

face and a great save by Stockdale

and it has gone in! Malone gets away

from his man and it is headed home

and it is 2-1. The ball through the

middle, Roberts does want to get on

with it and comments on the ground

and Van La Parra surely settles it.

-- tom Ince on the ground. Some

danger here. That is a terrific

finish from Tom Ince and it is

Huddersfield who will host

Manchester United a week on

Saturday.

This is a good run, Tammy Abraham,

1-0! Lovely ball in to Nathan Dyer

and that is a lovely finish. Here is

Narsingh and that is a good effort

and that is the third.

He stretches for it and Noor Husin

has brought Notts County back into

some sort of contention.

Abraham, pushed back to him and that

is a very good goal. Carroll, the

keeper got there but poorly and it

is slammed back in by Kyle Naughton.

That is through to Nathan Dyer,

Routledge sidesteps through and

scores the sixth. Carroll with the

give and go. That is a lovely goal!

Narsingh with the cross and what a

very good goal. They have beaten

Notts County 8-1.

One of those games, I know you did

that for the BBC that everything

that Swansea hit went in. It is not

like they have improved incredibly

with number of shots but far more

clinical now.

For sure and that is

the biggest factor with Carlos. They

become more energetic with more

intensity in how they are defending,

you look against the Arsenal and

Liverpool games, there was a real

feeling that they were getting

amongst them physically and in terms

of the shots, I don't think they

have changed the amount, just more

clinical.

You talk about the

defending, you have looked at Alfie

Mawson. Talking about goals being

crucial but sometimes defensively,

you can save a goal.

In general they

have been a lot more clinical. But

at the top of the screen as he comes

into picture, what is happening with

them, you can see Alfie Mawson right

in the middle in here.

in the middle in here.

You are as

bad as I am!

But in general with

Alfie Mawson, we spoke about them

being clinical but he has stepped up

and is having an excellent season.

This block, you can see his

reaction, these are goal saving. It

was a certain goal and that was an

unbelievable challenge. You would

appreciate that, Garry. He is having

a good season. They look so much

more solid defensively.

And what I

like about him, it has been

highlighted, some of his mistakes,

but it does not seem to faze him. I

know that they like him at the club,

still very young with huge

potential, and it is a great signing

for Swansea. And going back to that

leadership qualities, speaking to

players who are still there, he had

that and I think they look at him as

a future captain.

Looking back at

your time there, when you became

permanent boss after being

caretaker, you won five games on the

trot over two seasons, the owners

have said that they have made some

poor transfer decisions, nobody gets

it right all the time. They said

that record has been mixed and last

summer was not very good. Do you

think they are still on the right

track to maintain their Premier

League future with a system that

worked well for a long time?

They

have given themselves a great chance

to maintain it this season with

Carlos, still a lot of work to do.

But obviously I thought the

disappointment and the last couple

of seasons have been difficult. I

think the club has enough to keep

progressing, I think that side of it

needs to be looked at and they will,

but with new owners and the

transition period, they have their

ideas and there are ideas from

before and it is making sure that

they are on the right path to

maintain it.

And stayed in the

Premier League which is crucial, and

be up to in result has helped that.

You left Middlesbrough just before

Christmas, they were in ninth place

when you left and they are still

there. How do you look back on it?

You go in with an expectation, every

manager, not knowing how long you

will be there but trying to do the

best job.

Of course. The pressure on

managers now in terms of owners

investing and wanting instant

success, I have always said, it is

best to judge a manager when he has

had one season minimum, that is the

time to judge him because it is hard

to go in and have the full product

in two or three weeks but the

Championship is very close. It is a

war of attrition at times and a long

season but from the table, up to

second place is up for grabs with a

lot of the season to play.

How long

have you given yourself before you

go back in?

I'm ready to go. I love

this job, I have gained a lot of

experience in the four years and I'm

ready to go but it has to be the

right opportunity where you feel you

can go in and effect it well with

your work and you know you can get

them doing well.

The

feel we're -- does it feel weird

being here?!

It does! But you don't

often get the chance to do this.

He

is sick of you already!

But it is

obviously about using this period

and then getting out and doing some

of the things you can't do when

you're managing but the main thing

is to get back in.

A nice debut so

far, we would love to have you again

if you don't get a job quickly!

We're also into the knock-out stages

of the Champions League next week,

with Tottenham away to Juventus -

where they will face their German

midfield star Sami Khedira.

The former Real Madrid man has

been talking to our very

own Juliette Ferrington.

After Madrid it wasn't easy to find

a new challenge. It was five years

and it was an amazing time. I

decided to go to Italy. I'm fit and

happy to join Juventus Stadium.

How

do you stay motivated, looking for

that new challenge, the fresh

motivation?

I'm still young, I want

to win more things in my career and

with Juventus Stadium we didn't win

the Champions League so there are

many challenges.

Two finals, you

have to be strong contenders this

time around, as well.

Yeah, but it's

not easy in the Champions League.

There are many teams that are

getting stronger. Now in March,

April, May, this is the most

important part of the season. If we

are in a good way, if we take care

of that, we have the possibility.

Are you in a good way right now?

We

are not 100% but we're playing with

more confidence, more balance, so we

have to continue that, especially

now with this important game, the

Champions League game against

Tottenham. For me it's one of the

worst. I watched them a lot, even

this year, and I watched them

against Liverpool and Arsenal and

they are strong, but they are still

young. We have to be super focused

because it's one of the best teams

in Europe and England.

.

Harry Kane

is made before me the best striker.

-- maybe for me. He's strong. He's

good with the head, he's fast, good

with the feed. He can score with one

touch, you can dribble. For me, he's

an amazing player and still young.

Tottenham is lucky to have him.

You've been linked in the past with

moves to the Premier League. It's

never happened.

I'm always looking

for new challenges, so that's why I

left three years ago Real Madrid. If

in the future Juventus Stadium not

happy with me any more and I have

the possibility to play the Premier

League, of course I will never say

no because this will be one of the

most difficult challenges may be to

play in the Premier League and to

win the Premier League.

Spare a

thought for Sami Khedira, injured in

the pre-match warm up.

Your World

Cup winner didn't quite go to plan

for you, in that World Cup final

four years ago.

It was not easy to

say that I'm out for the game

because maybe I can risk, but by the

end I was not 100% fit. You have to

be always honest to your team-mates

because it's not just a game, it's

the World Cup final, so you need to

play 100% fit on the pitch. The

success of the team is the most

important. At the end we won and I

was the happiest person after the

final.

The pressure going into this

World Cup for Germany...

Of course,

we say we want to win the World Cup

otherwise we could stay at home and

go on holiday and stay on the beach

and relax. To win the World Cup for

Germany, it's not a personal thing.

I wake up to play the big games like

the Champions League final, like the

World Cup final, of course. This is

a dream for everybody but it's never

happened that's someone has won the

World Cup twice in a row.

He is so

confident, isn't he, about what he

can achieve with club and country.

Juventus Stadium really playing some

good stuff. You've seen them

recently because you're covering the

Spurs game. Defensively...

Masterclass at the moment?

One goal

in 16 games they conceded. Bouffant

played his 500th game for them last

night. It's almost 50% clean sheets

he's had since he played for Japan

to this. The team in general are

playing so solidly. There are

excellent from an attacking point of

view. Without wanting to worry Spurs

too much...

They say they worry

about Spurs but there are real

propositions.

You look at what they

did last season. 3-0 up against

Barcelona and they went to Barcelona

and shut up shop. They stopped any

sort of attack going forward. That's

the worry for Spurs going into these

two legs. Spurs have the players to

hurt them.

We have the fixtures

there for next week and then Chelsea

and Manchester United play the

following week. You can make a case

that there's five English sides in

that last 16. You can make a case

for a good season in the Champions

League.

Very interesting and of

course the English clubs... I think

it's from both camps. From the

English side, they'll be looking at

a chance to progress. As a couple of

difficult ones in there but this is

the exciting bit, the knockout

stages. I believe the English clubs,

they'll be a good few will progress

to the next round and from there,

the business end, anything can

happen.

Is is an exciting part of

the season.

You can listen to that Tottenham

match on 5 Live on Tuesday

night and the Liverpool

match on Wednesday.

Before that, Final Score

is on BBC One this afternoon

at 4.30pm, Match Of The Day

is at 10.30pm tonight

and a three-game Match Of The Day 2

is at 10.30 on BBC One tomorrow

night.

The FA Cup fifth round in England

is next weekend of course.

The Scottish Cup fifth

round is under way this weekend.

The Highland League team

of Brora Rangers take on Kilmarnock

of the Scottish Premiership,

having already clocked

up some 2,000 miles

on their travels to get this far.

Rob Maclean went to

see the part-timers.

Have you ever thought about how much

mileage you've clocked up?

Not

really. I couldn't answer that one.

I'm sure it's quite a lot, yes!

I think over 2000 miles we've done,

give or take.

give or take.

That's probably some

sort of record.

Number 12 is killed

one!

The ball is not been terribly

favourable to us.

one!

The ball is not been terribly

favourable to us. They are a top six

Premier League team now. We don't go

there under any illusions. This will

be an extraordinarily difficult game

where we will be huge underdogs.

Is

probably around further than I

thought we get. The chairman asked

me to get the team into the Scottish

Cup, the next round, after Christmas

and we're still here. We play in

February.

How would you describe the

degree of excitement?

It's

galvanised the team and the

community. Everyone is talking about

the long distances we've travelled

but it's brought us altogether.

How

much is it buzzing in Brora?

The

town, the village, I don't think

they'll be anybody left, Saturday.

Were all prepared for this game,

even those of us but don't like

football! We're delighted with the

team and what they've done this

year. We are all behind them.

It's

not just a day out for me and the

players, were going to put on a

right performance. Everybody saying

have a good day out, but for me I

want the players to play their best

and give it 100%.

Another thing you

have to remind yourself is that a

lot of players behind you are

juggling with their jobs.

I feel

like a social worker at times. Boys

have families and two boys that

travelled down from Orkney on a

Friday night for the game on

Saturday and go home on Sunday.

Their commitments makes it

successful.

Training twice a week

and working nine to five, then

you've got to leave home and

straight down from training for two

hours and not getting home until ten

or 11pm some nights, Monday to

Wednesday a specially.

Into the life

of a part-time footballer. It's not

alien to us, were all used to it.

Saturdays are as likely -- Saturday

is a slightly different occasion so

hopefully we can prepare for it and

put in a good performance.

Does this

week bring back the infidel

Caledonian Thistle win with Zionism

is Blair. It maybe wasn't until a

few days that we realised.

COMMENTATOR: Will Inverness score

here? They do! Celtic have stumbled

to what surely is the most

humiliating defeat in their history.

I take a lot from that experience

but it is about making our own

history. I can only help them so

far. Once they step over the line

it's up to them.

Williamson! What a

header! Brora Rovers knockout East

Fife to head into the fifth round

for the first time in their history!

Nobody will expect us to do anything

so it's a chance for us to express

ourselves and see what happens.

All

the pressures on them so I look

forward to it.

We have to have some

look but you never know on the day.

Always travel in hope and I'm

optimistic that we might cause a bit

of an upset.

Loved a bit of Maises Daises.

So Brora - who set off

yesterday afternoon -

are at Kilmarnock this afternoon

for the fifth round game.

Killie beat Celtic a week

ago in the league.

There was one minutes of silent film

in silence for Liam Miller. Majesty

United have said they will do the

same in their game against Newcastle

tomorrow -- Manchester United.

Comedian Rhys James predicted 3-0.

He's

He's taking on Lowro in the

predictions.

I support Tottenham Hotspur because

I had a very privileged upbringing

and my dad thought it would be

writes to put in some hardship will

stop I've got a cat named. He used

to drive a Smart car, get the tube

to matches. Get the bus home from

after a haircut. He didn't care

about football, you saw it as a job.

I love it! Watford coming off the

back of a good win against Chelsea,

thank you very much. And obviously

West Ham don't have any strikers

except one bit so I'm going to go

2-0 to Watford.

2-0 to Watford. Liverpool Juniors

versus Liverpool, dads versus lads.

You have to fancy Liverpool to win

it. Whoever scores for Southampton

will play for Liverpool in 12

months. I think two Chelsea managers

have been sacked after the West Brom

game, so you've got to fancy it.

Third time lucky.

We'll see you at the Hawthorns next

week.

And we leave you with what was

a stellar supply of thronkers

and plonkers from last weekend

in the Premier League.

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant!

Oh,

how did Ben Tecate not score from

there?

What a hit! What a hit!

Brilliant! A brilliant goal!

Oh, what a drive! What a thumping

goal that is from Victor Wanyama!

Raheem Sterling