13/03/2016 MOTD2 Extra


13/03/2016

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Good afternoon, welcome to MotD2 on BBC Two,

:00:30.:00:34.

Joining me today: Mark Lawrenson, John Hartson and the Sunday Times'

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Use the hashtag #BBCFootball on social media or text

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Coming up, Diego Costa and Chelsea are dumped out

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Rafa Benitez takes charge at Newcastle.

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Bournemouth edge closer to safety after a third win in two weeks.

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And, are Manchester City now out of the title race?

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Virtually all of the Sunday papers focusing on the Diego Costa

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sending-off. We will talk about Rafa Benitez and

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his release clause later that we have to start with the cup tie last

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night. Everton are through to

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the semifinals of the FA Cup for the first time since 2012

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after a 2-0 win over Chelsea. Well done, and lots of cat and

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mouse, the game came to life in the last ten minutes but you are through

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to the semifinals. It is a fantastic feeling, more than anything is the

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atmosphere that was created. One of those that you will take every

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single one of us to create a special memory. I think the goal from Roman

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is one of the great goals we will see in the FA Cup. -- Romelu Lukaku.

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Two team is very similar in terms of the way we are, technically. I

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thought we looked a team that were hurting from the weekend and that

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reaction and character and responsibility, wanting to get rid

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of the pain we had against West Ham really made us perform to high

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standards. From the first second to the last it was an incredible

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performance, and we had many good performances this season. And

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hopefully we want to celebrate with the fans and enjoy the atmosphere

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with them. You ask my question, he is great to interview. Very

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comprehensive answer. Let me ask, there are plenty of positives from

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the Everton point of view. Absolutely, really good win, into

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the semifinal. Good performance as Roberto said, perfect reaction from

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losing late in the game to West Ham in the league. Lukaku, another two

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goals, an unplayable when he is on song. All in all a fantastic fourth

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formers. What they need, those performances where they are home

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against the lesser teams. They have struggled at home as everybody

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knows. The atmosphere came through on telly, it rocks at Goodison Park

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and that will be one of the problems they will have to look after if they

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move. Up until that three weeks ago, if you looked at Everton you go,

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Wigan but with better place. Insofar as they cannot really defend which

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is why they are conceding. They have some outstanding players. They

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should be much further up the league. It was interesting you

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mention the atmosphere. The fans have not really been behind them but

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there was something about the performance yesterday, no matter how

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much Martinez tries to change Everton it is when they go back to

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their basic they can beat anyone. If they can carry that on to the cup

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semifinal. When Joe Royle was manager, it was dogs of war. It was

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a bit like that yesterday with some skill. It is also down to the

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players to inspire other fans. It always amuses me when people within

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football clubs suggest that the atmosphere created by fans affect

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the players. Since he arrived Roberto Martinez has been trying to

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put in a more patient build-up. That does not necessarily go down with

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the public, they want higher tempo and the passion. They are not fans

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that are easily impressed. You are not going to get them just behind

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you automatically. When we look at Romelu Lukaku and we see some of the

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goals he scored including last night, which was brilliant, is there

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still, this is not actually criticising him, he is still young.

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But for all his good performances are you still looking for more

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consistency? I think you are always looking for more goals from your

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strikers. Into the 20s now, his hold-up play and linkup play has

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improved. The goal last week when Lennon played him in and he held it

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up and followed the run. He is a beast, six foot four, great in the

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air. Left foot, right foot yesterday. For me you are always

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looking to improve, yes. When Everton bring in new players it is

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getting to know the new players but no complaints. I think he has

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improved. I do not want to sell the place for them but all of the big

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teams are looking at him. Chelsea did not want him. He has scored 25

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goals this season, the first to do that for Everton since Gary Lineker.

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But he does switch off and the crowd see that. That might be the next

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step if he wants to play for a big club. He is unstoppable in spells.

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His positives outweigh his negatives certainly. Do you think if Everton

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win the cup that stops the doubt, the rumours that would swirl around

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Roberto Martinez because of the new investment? It would not totally

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satisfied the supporters but it would be enough, they are a bit

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staffed of success. But the bottom line is next year has to be better.

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Phil says his job was on the line last night and that lost Commons has

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prevailed. Why has it taken so long to set the team up properly? -- at

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last common-sense prevailed. This board Gareth Barry Ryan

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-- this morning Gareth Barry has privately refuted the allegations he

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was bitten by Diego Costa last night. Also a Chelsea statement last

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night denied that. Mark? I do not think he bit him. If he is a

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pantomime villain. It is virtually every week. It is nothing new. The

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clever thing to play against and is not to be antagonised, just laugh at

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him. Motioning to bite, that is what people are saying, rather than

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actually biting. But motioning to is different to what we have seen

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before? That is the only way he will get done, if the FA say he has

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motioned to do it. He has not actually sank his teeth. Gareth

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Barry does brilliant for him. You can see by his reaction, look at the

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World Cup, Suarez and Chiellini, he almost went crazy because he felt

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it. Gareth Barry hardly flinched. It is there, it does not look great but

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I agree with Mark, he does not actually take the fight. The other

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thing is the referee is right there with the linesman. The issue to

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yellow cards, the referee clearly saw it not as violent conduct.

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Whether there is even the facility to punish him. I do not think so.

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Chelsea said Diego spoke to officials after the game and expect

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results over his reaction that led to the red card but also very clear

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he did not bite Gareth Barry. I am assuming that if he is saying he

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didn't and if Gareth Barry is saying he was not bitten, then the two

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people involved are singing from the same hymn sheet. I think the debate

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just moves on, is Diego Costa worth the bother. The Chelsea as much as

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anything. He has had this great run under Hiddink and he has done that

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while behaving themselves. He is one of those players where the idea that

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having an edge helps does not apply to him. All it does is get him off

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the pitch and distraction. Nicholas says Costa is not worth the fleeting

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moments, he is a disgrace to football. That incident masked the

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Chelsea performance. Woeful defending, no heart, lack of

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passion. And Danny says, I hope everybody Chelsea finally comes to

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rumours that the manager was never the problem. -- finally response to

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rumours. How do players go from winning the Premier League to

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struggling the next year? It is always very difficult to win

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consecutively but a loss of form, not from two or three, but apart

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from Willian, he is the only one you could abstain. The loss of form has

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been frightening from everybody else.

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Leicester play Newcastle in Rafa Benitez's first game in charge.

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He spoke for the first time yesterday as Newcastle manager.

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Some people can see this like it especially, but it is normal, trying

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to do my best, to stay in the Premier League. If there is a

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compromise for the future it is because I'm convinced we will do

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well. I want to stay here and start winning from Monday. I'm here

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because I believe we can do it. We have enough quality. We need to give

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confidence to the first to organise the team in the way we want to do

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things. Again I would say the atmosphere, the fans, everybody in

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the City is helping. I have some experience because I'm getting

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older. At the end it is more or less the same. Obviously some people say

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it is not the same. You have to approach the game, you have to

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analyse things and be sure that everybody here everything. Then the

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responsibility of someone that wants to win a trophy and does not want to

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make mistakes is more or less responsible to have someone that

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does not want to make a mistake because they can be relegated. I

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think in terms of the approach it has to be similar. Rafa Benitez

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talking to the press yesterday. Some of your messages straightaway.

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Rafa is exactly what we needed, tactically brewing, born winner.

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Will not take any rubbish. Barry says, not sure which Newcastle games

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he has watched a convincing. -- tactically brilliant. Do you think

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he can keep them up? No. I do not think so. He is good enough.

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Tactically he is very shrewd. He is a top manager. They have an

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appallingly unbalanced squad but I think he can sort it out in the

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short term. He has to win against Sunderland. The fixtures are not the

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worst. He has been there before. When you say he is tactically

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competent, have they looked tactically incompetent this season?

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Do you think tactics has been the problem? Well... It has been the

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players first of all. But they have changed tactics. Watching McLaren it

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was not sure who he really wanted to be playing. What you will get from

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Rafa is something quite clear. And you look at the players they signed

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in the window, certainly Jonjo Shelvey and Andros Townsend, they

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are not crackers. You are in that position -- they are not scrappers.

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You just have to get your team over the line. You are fighting for your

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footballing life will stop I seriously think they do not have the

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players. John Carver was on this programme and what he said about

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Coloccini, and he managed him. He must have found that difficult to

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say, Fabiola is not a leader, he just concentrates on his own game.

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Ranks for that, captain. I think the next three games in particular.

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Leicester on Monday, the big on next Sunday and then the big one again

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against Norwich. You only have to finish above Norwich. Because I do

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not think of to Swansea, 33 points, they will get another win,

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Bournemouth have got one to 38. They are both fine. It is Sunderland,

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Newcastle or Norwich. They have to finish above Sunderland as well.

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That game in a couple of weeks away and Norwich is as big as any other

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fixture. Rafa Benitez has been at Real

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Madrid, has won the Champions League at Liverpool, he will not feel

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frightened by those fixtures. You might look at the DVD of Newcastle

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playing this season and feel very frightened(!) if we were constantly

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told, Steve McClaren a great coach but not a great manager, does... Is

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one of Rafa Benitez's qualities man management, because arguably. No,

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no, no. He is not a man manager. Under Steve McClaren we were told

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that the man management needs to be present. There is a lot of players

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who will start regularly but are not good enough for the Premier League.

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And are not bothered what happens to Newcastle United, they are on a

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contract, they go to the championship, they probably do not

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have a clause where they lose money. They have the balance wrong. They

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had success selling foreign players, flipping them, making them better

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players, buying them for low money, selling them for big-money, you

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cannot do it for ever and it has come back to bite them. If you

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cannot get by that crowd, the noise they create, they get behind their

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players. Fantastic place to play football. St James' Park. It is a

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shocking thing, isn't it, if you cannot get motivated, if you are not

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bothered. Perhaps bothered is the wrong word... Just not putting it

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in. They have got Steve McClaren the sack. The other thing, John is

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right, great place to play, although want to do, the punters, they just

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want to be entertained. Rob says, it is bizarre that Newcastle have

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someone of his calibre, great opportunity, they could do a

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Leicester City next season. He's not the only one saying that! If he

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keeps them up, yes, it is a big if, but they have won the lottery with

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Rafa Benitez if he keeps them up because he is a serious football

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manager who can build a club, I do not think they have had that kind of

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figure for a long time. If you keep someone up, it is loaves and fishes.

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Yes! Biblical reference on a Sunday, well timed! LAUGHTER

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Moving on to talking about Bournemouth, you could argue that

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one of the people who has contributed to Steve McClaren

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leaving this job is Charlie Daniels, who has weaved his way through the

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Newcastle team to score Bournemouth's final goal at St

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James' Park last week. He joins us now. That afternoon! I know that

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footballers do not like to talk about opposition side that much, but

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you had a game plan to get the crowd against the Newcastle side last

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week, you knew that if you started quickly, the atmosphere would turn.

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Were you surprised, being on the pitch, how much it turned? Our game

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plan was to go there and dominate the ball, get the crowd frustrated,

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and turn it hostile against their own team. I thought we done that. We

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had a lot of pressure in the first 15, 20 minutes, after we scored, we

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began to dominate. The crowd went against them, that is what you want

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as an away team. Ten points out of the last 12, great run, what do you

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put it down to? Hard work, you see us in training every day, working

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hard. Every game is a different game plan, that we work towards. For that

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week. A bit of self belief, as well, a bit of confidence goes a long way.

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How long, for you, personally, do you think it took you to get self

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belief, playing in the Premier League. I don't know, really, I

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would like to think that from the first whistle, really. As soon as we

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started, the first home game, against Aston Villa, I like to think

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my performances have been good. That they have been up to scratch. From

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every game, keep going forward, building the confidence up a little

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more. You and cook and Frances, and Elphick, all of you were at

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Bournemouth from League 1. -- Cook. I know that there had been injuries

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this season, and the back four has been shuffled. -- Francis. But do

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you think that stepping up into the championship and then into the

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Premier League, do you think actually you have not found it as

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big a step because you are confident as a unit? Yes, as I say, we have

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had a settled back four. Adam Smith has come in, need has done very

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well. Each of us know each other's roles, and we know where everyone

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else will be. It does help in that way. And if we can keep consistent,

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then it is going to be a great success. The club have spent, they

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have been quite canny in the players that they have brought in. You have

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to be, the higher you go, the more you need specialist players, game

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changers. The gaffer has brought in some very good players, who have

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scored some important goals. You will not tell me now, because it is

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not mathematical, that you are safe. No, not yet, we are not safe yet. I

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thought that would be the case! We wish you well for the rest of the

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season. If it were not for Leicester, their manager would get

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column inches, really. He has done a fantastic job. The great thing about

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it, he has not changed the way they have played at all, it has really

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been refreshing. You can throw a view in there who would get more

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recognition, Watford... West Ham... From where they are from, the start

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of the season we all thought Bournemouth would get relegated. Did

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we not? Well, no, well, not everybody! Always a bit cautious

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about the teams that come up. They have a threat in Josh King

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laptop. They try to win games, it is great to see. -- Josh King up top.

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Should be mentioned as well, they have spent nearly ?50 million on

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players. There is a balance there. It is time to drop the plucky brave

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named that the BBC gives them, it is as if they still have a lot of the

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League 1 players, who have been with them, like Charlie, but they have

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added to it with the ?50 million they have spent. They have the

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combination absolutely right, a great advert for stability but also

:22:28.:22:32.

adding a little bit, Max Gradel, Benik Afobe, Max Gradel has barely

:22:33.:22:35.

been available, and Tyrone Mings, as well. Comparing them to Norwich,

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Newcastle, Sunderland, even Swansea, they have changed a lot this season,

:22:42.:22:46.

searching for answers. Eddie Howe, from the moment he got into the

:22:47.:22:49.

Premier League, it has looked like he knew what he wanted, the team he

:22:50.:22:53.

wanted them how he wanted to play, the strength they have, how they

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would work them, and that that would be enough. This is the lowest number

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of endless managers there has ever been in the English top flight, only

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three left, what he is great. Tottenham... Tottenham put five past

:23:08.:23:13.

them, and they just did the change, didn't make any difference, they did

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not change. Energy and pressing, it is what Leicester and Spurs have

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done, it is what has worked in the Premier League this season. Why is

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it all right for Bournemouth not to change when they 25s but Roberto

:23:27.:23:31.

Martinez gets hammered for not changing and doing the same thing.

:23:32.:23:36.

He may not have the squad to change Bournemouth, he has got to keep

:23:37.:23:44.

going with what he has got. -- when they concede two fives.

:23:45.:23:59.

Another one of those season defining weeks for Arsenal, you could argue

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that Arsene Wenger has gone with the strongest possible line-up, apart

:24:05.:24:09.

maybe from Calum Chambers at right back in place of Hector Bellerin,

:24:10.:24:13.

three changes from the 4-0 victory at Hull in the replay on Tuesday

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that got them here. Flamini is out, Francisco Klang, Nin, and mesoderm

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is ill and Sanchez come in for the walk to. -- Theo Walcott. -- Mathieu

:24:27.:24:36.

Flamini is out, Francisco Klang comes in. Craig Cathcart is fit. And

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to changes in midfield. Baroni comes in. 8325 Watford fans here to cheer

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them on. -- Francis Coquelin. That team selection, strong as they

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possibly can be, they do play Barcelona on Wednesday night, do you

:25:09.:25:13.

think they think that one has gone? Escom and Barcelona played

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yesterday, they have already got a game. That has well and truly gone.

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And it is the only competition he can win, for me. They will not win

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the league. Those fine is five words which follow Arsenal around, they

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always let you down, it is much and it has happened. -- those famous

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five words. -- it is March and it has happened. John Hartson,

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they have had a players-only meeting after their recent run of poor form.

:25:48.:25:51.

He said, "We know as a unit it has been tough

:25:52.:25:54.

and we all had a good chat amongst us behind closed doors.

:25:55.:25:57.

It was a meeting to express how everyone is feeling and it worked."

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only the results are going to say whether it was worth it or not. The

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players getting together to sort it out without the manager, what do you

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think? Depends upon the meeting. If the players recognise they are not

:26:07.:26:09.

doing as well as they can... They have put in the effort but I think

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that is not a bad thing, the players can get together. It is today, the

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performance, the reaction, that everybody will judge them on. I

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would rather they were steaming into each other at half-time. That is a

:26:19.:26:23.

major problem now. I know it is a little bit old school, but it is a

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major problem, you have got to sort, somebody in the dressing room, John

:26:29.:26:31.

Terry has done it at Chelsea, sort out the dressing room, sort out

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people. Sometimes you have got to tell them the future and it is not

:26:37.:26:39.

particularly good, it is the way of the world. It is a little bit late,

:26:40.:26:44.

the reaction to adversity by the Arsenal is always too late, they

:26:45.:26:47.

came off against Spurs the other day, saying they had fantastic

:26:48.:26:54.

character, 2-2, but seeing out the game at 1-0, that would have been

:26:55.:26:59.

character. Winning the reactor -- winning the FA Cup will be reacting

:27:00.:27:03.

too late to later the season. No side has won the cup three times in

:27:04.:27:08.

a row for 130 years. It would be historic but this season it is not

:27:09.:27:11.

good enough, last couple of seasons it showed progress but this is the

:27:12.:27:14.

season that progress was meant to be winning the title. Their best chance

:27:15.:27:18.

of winning the league was this season. Possibly, but looking at the

:27:19.:27:26.

season that Leicester City have had, they have come from nowhere. In

:27:27.:27:30.

terms of Manchester United having a poor season, Chelsea, Liverpool...

:27:31.:27:35.

Manchester City... I thought that Manchester City were a shoo-in for

:27:36.:27:42.

the title. Eight away goals in the Premier League in the last 12 games.

:27:43.:27:46.

They have only won two of the last ten away games! I have thrown away

:27:47.:27:51.

the FA Cup. They are going to get through in the Champions League,

:27:52.:27:54.

they will beat Dynamo Kyiv, that puts them in the quarterfinal, but

:27:55.:27:59.

in terms of the league, especially after the first five or six games

:28:00.:28:02.

where they were absolutely untouchable, to have dropped in

:28:03.:28:07.

terms of their standards and their performances, so much in recent

:28:08.:28:10.

weeks, they have lost the big games at home, they lost against Leicester

:28:11.:28:16.

and Spurs. I think there supporters will really be frustrated. One more

:28:17.:28:21.

on the Arsenal and Watford game, before going back to Manchester

:28:22.:28:24.

City, the last few games I have watched, Watford have been very

:28:25.:28:26.

difficult for the opposition to break down, whether that is

:28:27.:28:31.

Manchester United, at Old Trafford, Leicester City, at vicarage Road.

:28:32.:28:35.

They seem to have changed it with Etienne Capoue out wide, that has

:28:36.:28:39.

strengthened them even more. I think that they have been very good in

:28:40.:28:43.

those games, Troy Deeney has been excellent but body in a gala has

:28:44.:28:47.

been the problem, they have lost 1-0 twice, in games where they have had

:28:48.:28:50.

the better, they have that foundation. If DNA gala can begin

:28:51.:28:55.

scoring again, then they have had the chances. But if they score first

:28:56.:28:59.

against Arsenal today, and they have a real problem breaking them down.

:29:00.:29:06.

-- Odion Ighalo. Manchester City were at Norwich yesterday, finished

:29:07.:29:12.

goalless, here is Joe Hart. Really frustrating afternoon for Manchester

:29:13.:29:16.

City. Yes, I cannot see us getting too much air time tonight from that

:29:17.:29:21.

game. It was an OK performance, we did not give any chances but we did

:29:22.:29:28.

not create many. You have got to give Norwich a lot of credit, made

:29:29.:29:32.

it difficult all over the pitch. Good for them but I am not bothered

:29:33.:29:36.

about Norwich City, it is about our own performance. It is a good

:29:37.:29:39.

performance and result for them, but it is no good for us. Do you feel it

:29:40.:29:46.

has made it more difficult for you, it is still achievable

:29:47.:29:49.

mathematically, but it is a big gap. We will have to rely upon a crazy

:29:50.:29:53.

season getting even more crazy. But we are still in it and we will never

:29:54.:29:57.

give up. Jonathan, everybody is talking about this title challenge,

:29:58.:30:06.

should they be looking over their shoulder? They have played the same

:30:07.:30:09.

number of games as West Ham and Manchester United, two clear of West

:30:10.:30:13.

Ham, four clear of Manchester United. West Ham in particular, Alex

:30:14.:30:21.

Ferguson said this week, he thinks West Ham United could pip them to

:30:22.:30:25.

the top four. It is as if they have just decided to coast, and

:30:26.:30:28.

concentrate on the Champions League, which is a dangerous game for them.

:30:29.:30:33.

They are not good enough, particularly away from home, to rely

:30:34.:30:39.

upon that. Liverpool will be only four points behind if they win their

:30:40.:30:43.

game in hand. Member when they won at Chelsea and Manchester City and

:30:44.:30:46.

people thought they were going to win the league! A little bit of

:30:47.:30:48.

caution! -- remember when. has been that type of season where I

:30:49.:30:59.

would not this rise if Arsenal or Manchester City dropped out, it has

:31:00.:31:03.

been that kind of season. And West Ham, the run they are on, West Ham

:31:04.:31:15.

have nine out of the last ten. Who is it going to be? I Spurs have

:31:16.:31:22.

enough points. I think Spurs will be fine. They have a chance of winning

:31:23.:31:28.

it. Why are City so inconsistent? Good question. The key players are

:31:29.:31:34.

the ones they have had for five years, Yaya Toure still wins games

:31:35.:31:39.

for them even though there is a lot of things he does not do for any

:31:40.:31:46.

more. They have lacked the quality of work to make up for those older

:31:47.:31:51.

players. They are relying on moments of magic from him and Silva.

:31:52.:32:00.

Fernandinho Jesus Navas. Raheem Sterling will never understand

:32:01.:32:05.

again, loads of ability. Can that understanding be coached? A little

:32:06.:32:11.

bit. I don't think he will ever understand it. That's what I'm

:32:12.:32:18.

saying, can he be coached? I do not think he realises how he does what

:32:19.:32:23.

he does, it is purely instinctive. Wilfried Bony has not done it,

:32:24.:32:30.

nowhere near. Too much reliance on Aguero to get the goals. He is a

:32:31.:32:36.

world-class striker. Lacklustre in front of goal, when they get in and

:32:37.:32:42.

around the box. Fantastic on the eye but just the final pass that will

:32:43.:32:48.

create has not been there. It will be a tough job for Guardiola.

:32:49.:32:55.

Apparently City are just playing like they are fed up with

:32:56.:33:01.

Pellegrini. Pellegrini has failed, spending so much money and

:33:02.:33:06.

struggling against Norwich. Daniel says they need to focus on making

:33:07.:33:11.

the top four. Waiting for the quickest ever resignation in

:33:12.:33:16.

history. If the big players, Yaya Toure in particular, David Silva got

:33:17.:33:21.

some stick after yesterday. If they do not produce then they get the

:33:22.:33:25.

stick as opposed to maybe the players on the periphery who do not

:33:26.:33:33.

deliver at all. Players like Samir Nasri who is nowhere near any more

:33:34.:33:39.

but still earning wages. Really poor recruitment policy in the last five

:33:40.:33:43.

years. One of the things Guardiola is to give them is a style of play

:33:44.:33:48.

and identity. For all of the money they spent they never came up with

:33:49.:33:53.

that. Kevin De Bruyne is a big miss. It is football, you have to manage

:33:54.:33:56.

those injuries. They should be top of the league. With Norwich holding

:33:57.:34:02.

out, you still do not give them any hope? They have got hope, yes. I

:34:03.:34:10.

think Sunderland have got a bit of fight. It is a battle. This will be

:34:11.:34:18.

two from those three. When was the last time Norwich on in the league.

:34:19.:34:24.

They were good yesterday. Solid, but goals are the problem again. Goals

:34:25.:34:27.

have been the problem since they came into the Premier League. The

:34:28.:34:36.

4pm game in the FA Cup is Manchester United against West Ham. You have

:34:37.:34:43.

spoken to Dimitri Payet this week. He talked about Ronaldinho, the

:34:44.:34:49.

scenes himself as a player who goes and puts on a show and tries to

:34:50.:34:54.

entertain. He has been one of the finds of the Premier League the

:34:55.:34:59.

season. Along with Mahrez. He was relishing the thought of going to

:35:00.:35:01.

Old Trafford because he missed out in the league when he was injured.

:35:02.:35:06.

He does not fear a stadium like that as a reason to be scared. If you

:35:07.:35:11.

look at West Ham they can fight as well as play football. They are big

:35:12.:35:17.

and strong and athletic. They love to tackle. Very much like their

:35:18.:35:26.

manager in many ways. But Payet, one of the top five in the country this

:35:27.:35:30.

season, certainly. At Blackburn the other week, all right, his second

:35:31.:35:35.

goal was against ten men but even so his free kick, he is one of those

:35:36.:35:40.

players who gets you off your seat. What has he done now? He is that

:35:41.:35:45.

good. They should be relishing this. Of course they should. They are

:35:46.:35:49.

having a fantastic time. In great form. I do not think they would be

:35:50.:35:57.

favourites today at Old Trafford. Are you just going on history for

:35:58.:36:03.

that? I probably am, Mark. Won't they be short of a centre-back.

:36:04.:36:10.

Winston Reid is 50 slash 50. The likes of Noble, Obiang, Antonio. --

:36:11.:36:16.

50-50. They do work in midfield for Payet to go and get the ball where

:36:17.:36:20.

he likes to get it and go for. You take his defence for responsible it

:36:21.:36:25.

is out. Great, why burden him? Exactly. He has been outstanding.

:36:26.:36:32.

Everybody has looked at Antonio. And everybody went, I do not think he

:36:33.:36:36.

can do it. He has a goal in him as well. In big games. Stan Collymore

:36:37.:36:43.

has written today, not on United player would make it into the Bilic

:36:44.:36:52.

team. Goalkeeper? But look at the West Ham team and it is full of the

:36:53.:36:56.

type of clothes that Manchester United used to be about. Lanzini is

:36:57.:37:02.

the Manchester United typo, Payet. A loss of identity from a United. I do

:37:03.:37:08.

not think West Ham would trade. As well as the flair players as you say

:37:09.:37:12.

they have those players who can fight and put their foot in as well

:37:13.:37:17.

which Manchester United always had. In this phase of the season where

:37:18.:37:20.

everybody is talking about leadership, you spoke about the

:37:21.:37:24.

dressing room at half-time, you could throw the same accusation and

:37:25.:37:30.

the Manchester United dressing room. As has been thrown at Arsenal and

:37:31.:37:36.

various other clubs. Absolutely. But don't get me started on Manchester

:37:37.:37:39.

United. It is the wrong man in the wrong place at the wrong time.

:37:40.:37:43.

Football has moved on massively. He is yesterday's man. I do not mean

:37:44.:37:50.

he's going to lose his job, he has always been yesterday's man.

:37:51.:37:54.

Managing from a different era. The captain 's armband has gone from

:37:55.:37:59.

small into character Mata. Are any of them leaders? -- Smalling,

:38:00.:38:06.

Carrick, Mata. I do not know them personally. You look at Martial,

:38:07.:38:11.

Ratchford, Depay, they are not leaders. Chris Smalling, England

:38:12.:38:17.

centre-half. He has had a good season. I thought the emergence of

:38:18.:38:23.

the kids was a last chance for van Gaal. They offered him maybe an

:38:24.:38:27.

unlikely get out of that look at what has happened at Ratchford -- to

:38:28.:38:34.

Ratchford already. His head looked full of instructions at Anfield on

:38:35.:38:38.

Thursday. He already looks short of confidence. It is a fact that

:38:39.:38:44.

players seem to get worse under van Gaal rather than better is one of

:38:45.:38:47.

the reason is you might think it does not work. Could he go this week

:38:48.:38:56.

with West Ham, Liverpool, Manchester City. If he loses all of them,

:38:57.:39:03.

possibly. I do not see him. Honestly I think he is yesterday's man. Why

:39:04.:39:09.

would they get rid of him this week, what is the point? Because the

:39:10.:39:12.

atmosphere could become so poisonous depending on how they go. If they

:39:13.:39:20.

lose, they won't get in the top four, out of the cup. I would think,

:39:21.:39:28.

just give him until the end of the season. Just drifting. I would put

:39:29.:39:34.

Ryan Giggs in there. Laurel Browne got a mention this week. -- Laurent

:39:35.:39:52.

Blanc. Gary says it is a fantastic time to the West Ham supporter on

:39:53.:39:58.

text. A good time to be going north? Good luck with that one. You would

:39:59.:40:04.

be there by Tuesday. Every Silva lining has a cloud at the moment.

:40:05.:40:08.

Quickly, let's touch on the Championship.

:40:09.:40:09.

Strange situation at Middlesbrough, assistant Steve Agnew will take

:40:10.:40:14.

charge of their match against Charlton this afternoon.

:40:15.:40:16.

It's being reported that manager Aitor Karanka

:40:17.:40:18.

has had a big falling out with his players

:40:19.:40:20.

Could they sort this out? It sounds bad. He has missed training for four

:40:21.:40:29.

days and this is the crucial time in the season. Of situation. I question

:40:30.:40:34.

Karanka because whatever his problems are this is where he needs

:40:35.:40:38.

to fight. If not for the club then for himself. It is very odd to

:40:39.:40:45.

desert it. The whole thing is bizarre. When you look at the bottom

:40:46.:40:49.

of the Premier League and you talk about the pressure of staying in

:40:50.:40:52.

maybe we are seeing in recent months the same at the top of the

:40:53.:40:57.

Championship. They are not out of it. That is why it is bizarre.

:40:58.:41:02.

Burnley and Hull, they have their managers from last season and

:41:03.:41:06.

everything is stable. Derby and Middlesbrough trying to get into the

:41:07.:41:10.

promised land. Middlesbrough bottled it in the final last year. They did

:41:11.:41:15.

not turn up. They have invested a lot in the squad. They bought Jordan

:41:16.:41:20.

Rhodes. There is an expectoration likely for them to go up which is

:41:21.:41:30.

why deserting at this button and there is an expectation. It'll be

:41:31.:41:31.

interesting to see his reasons. Second in the Championship. What

:41:32.:41:32.

morale must be like in the dressing room. For him to walk out of it.

:41:33.:41:37.

Obviously a problem with the players. It will be interesting to

:41:38.:41:41.

actually see what comes out. Looking at it a different way, they will be

:41:42.:41:46.

on massive money if they get promotion. No one is going to toss

:41:47.:41:52.

it away, you would think. We're not talking about a soap opera club,

:41:53.:41:56.

this is Middlesbrough. A good owner, the dressing room that you do not

:41:57.:41:58.

hear tales from. Did Spurs need to rest so many

:41:59.:42:00.

players against Borussia Dortmund with only Villa

:42:01.:42:05.

to worry about this weekend? I was surprised. Not really. I think

:42:06.:42:21.

the Premier League is a priority. It is within their grasp to catch

:42:22.:42:27.

Leicester. Even though Leicester are going ready well. I think the

:42:28.:42:32.

priority is the Premier League. Rest eight few players. Borussia Dortmund

:42:33.:42:35.

is a tough game anyway away from home. They need a big performance

:42:36.:42:42.

after the North London derby as well? It was a sporting decision,

:42:43.:42:47.

better chance of getting in the Champions League via the Premier

:42:48.:42:51.

League rather than going and winning the Rafa league. But they do need a

:42:52.:42:56.

performance. -- winning the Europa League. It is they work so hard

:42:57.:43:04.

together. Villa did the same. Pochettino has always taken it

:43:05.:43:09.

seriously which is perhaps why it surprised people. I think

:43:10.:43:14.

essentially we know they need back-up for Harry Kane and Delhi

:43:15.:43:18.

Alli was injured. That is who he had to rest. -- Dele Alli. The defeat

:43:19.:43:28.

even with a second string, that is interesting. With the guys they have

:43:29.:43:34.

rested coming back today, they will be fresh. You have to go with Spurs.

:43:35.:43:40.

Villa only started playing when they were 4-0 down last week. You know

:43:41.:43:45.

what, forget it. Thank you very much everybody.

:43:46.:43:46.

Commentary of both FA Cup games on 5 Live today.

:43:47.:43:49.

Arsenal at Watford in about half an hour,

:43:50.:43:51.

Manchester United against West Ham at 4pm.

:43:52.:43:52.

I'll be back tonight on BBC One for Match

:43:53.:43:55.

of the Day 2 for both of today's Premier League games.

:43:56.:43:58.

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