29/12/2013 MOTD2 Extra


29/12/2013

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Hello and welcome to MOTD2 Extra. We are analysing the weekend's

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football. Coming up, another huge Sunday in the Premier League, with

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seven of the top nine in action, culminating in the four o'clock

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kick-off between Chelsea and Liverpool. We will also look back on

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yesterday's action and speak to Tom Huddlestone. In the studio with me

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today is Alan Shearer, Conor McNamara and Jonathan North craft.

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We want you involved as well. And as this is the last MOTD2 Extra of

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2013, we want to know your match of the season. Does it have to be -- it

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does not have to be Premier League, as long as it was special to you.

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And we are halfway through the Premier League season and it

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couldn't be better for the neutral, could it? It has been an incredible

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season. Last season was pretty dull. This season is anything but.

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Everybody beating each other. You go into games thinking you can predict

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the result but it is totally opposite. For everyone, and

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particularly the neutral, it has been an exciting season. I hope

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there is more to come. Allen is not in our gang at lunchtime. The three

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of us were at the Etihad Stadium yesterday. Manchester City would be

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one of the main two title favourites for me. It was a big game yesterday.

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One of those games you have to get through if you want to be champions.

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They were not at their best. They came up with enough to win the

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match. Pellegrini said yesterday that you have to know how to win 1-0

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if you want to win titles. He got away with it. He was able to rest

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several players. Their squad is what makes them potent. What can Crystal

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Palace take out of that game? What can Tony Poole is clean from it?

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They leave with their heads high. There is no shame in losing to

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Manchester City. When Tony Pulis took that job, I thought he was

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sacrificing his record of never having been relegated. I did not see

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how we could keep Palace up. Since the international break, Manchester

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-- Crystal Palace have more points than Manchester United. A lot of new

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players came in in the summer. They have taken time to gel. They are

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coming together. I think they will stay up. Let's talk about

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yesterday's -- this afternoon's games. One of the games of today is

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at Saint James 's Park. Newcastle against Arsenal. Guy Mowbray doing

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this one. It is a year exactly since Arsenal beat Newcastle 7-3. This is

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a very different Newcastle team, isn't it? Days. That's 7-3 was

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exactly a year ago. Before that we had the 4-4 thriller. I am not

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surprised that Newcastle are as high as they are. If you look at their

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first class -- first choice line-up... We may find out more

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about Newcastle in the second half of the season, perhaps as injuries

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and suspension kicked in. I expect them to be more solid in midfield

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against Arsenal. I know Alan Pardew won manager of the month in

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November. I would go so far as to say halfway through this season he

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has been my manager of the first half of the season. With all he is

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up against. With the expectations being low, he has done pretty well.

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They don't like him here. He is a Southerner. Simple as that. But he

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keeps getting results. As far as Arsenal are concerned,

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they came from behind at Upton Park. They won that game. The goals

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came from Theo Walcott and Lucas Podolski, which is important given

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Giroud's lack of form? It is. It has worked out nicely for arson thing.

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When you go back to the start of the season, it is not something that

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will have worried Arsene Wenger as much as Aust. Giroud was in fine

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form at the start of the season. He started really well. He has gone

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seven games of the goal. Perhaps he is due a rest. Perhaps you get one

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today. Podolsky has been getting fit. He will return to the team and

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presumably score his fair share. Walcott can play through the middle.

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All of this talk about Arsenal not having striking talent in depth,

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Niklas Bendtner, much derided in this country, but 56 caps, 34 goals

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for Denmark tells its own story. If you had him as a third strike --

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third class striker, which he is at Arsenal, most would be happy with

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that. Is Niklas Bendtner the best third class -- third choice striker

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around? You can comment on that. For all that Olivier Giroud is going

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without goals, he puts in a shift? Which is what you have to do when

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you are not scoring goals. Another question Arsenal may have to answer

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is Aaron Ramsey being out. He has been the success story of the

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season. Nobody expected him to come into that role and play as well as

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he has done. To score as many goals as he has. He is now out injured.

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Can they replace him? That is another question. I think Giroud has

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had an excellent season. There will be times in a season when you go on

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a barren spell. It is what you do. He is putting in some good

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performances without scoring. By the way, the best third Trice -- third

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choice striker is Dzeko! You could probably say Berahino as well you

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would take before Niklas Bendtner. Giroud has done a job this season.

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The goals have dried up. He has been a battering ram. It is the battering

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upfront that has created the space for the midfielders. If anything, it

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is a weariness. He has played pretty much every game. No striker is going

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to play every game in the modern Premier League. Lucas Podolski has

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probably come back at the right time. To yes, it is the transfer

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season as -- yes, it is the transfer window as well. Giroud always

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putting a shift. There was the game at Crystal Palace when he scored the

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winning goal. He is all about following Ramsey into the box. What

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is wrong with this game when no striker can go through the season

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without playing every game? What is different between now and ten years

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ago? ! That leads us nicely into Newcastle, doesn't it? These

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Newcastle players are playing every game. There's only one change Alan

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Pardew seems to make from every starting 11. It is not always same

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change. Without doubt, that is helping them. They are playing with

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a settled side. Their first 11 is a very good side. They have had no

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injuries. Not a lot of suspensions. That is well -- that is helping them

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without doubt. A lot of the French guys actually struggled. They need

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time to settle. The players have had time to settle. They understand the

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Premier League and how physical it is. They are dealing with it and

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playing very well. Newcastle's model is to bring players in, make

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investment and wait for them to get better. Alan Pardew has managed a

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lot of players coming in and managed to build a team. What is interesting

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to me is he is playing the same team but he can play them in different

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ways. He can play possession, he can play more straightforward. When

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Newcastle went to Cardiff and they desperately needed a result. They

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have been on a great run ever since. He got manager of the month last

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month and is doing a brilliant job. The French clique in the dressing

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room has been posited as well. Arsene Wenger do that. They may

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speak a different language but at least they are speaking the same

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language with each other. They do seem to have this brotherhood

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amongst them. As well as players taking time to settle in, sometimes

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in manager needs time to work at his players and how best to fit them in.

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Anita is a great example. Sometimes he has been in midfield, sometimes

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at right back. I remember seeing him play at Goodison Park. Alan Pardew

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has had to work out where these players best fit in for him. That

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has meant leaving Ben after out? He deserves credit for that. He has

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changed the system at times. We know with the ball that Ben Arfa is

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brilliant. But without the ball... Don't be surprised if he goes for

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the same system today and leaves Ben Arfa on the bench. Be key for me has

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been cut by. At the start of the season Newcastle weren't firing

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well. He didn't score in the first three league games. Dubai coming

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back into the team has coincided with Newcastle going up the table.

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The big fear is, the transfer window is about to open again. The big fear

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is that we don't want to finish fifth, because we don't want to be

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in the Europa League! Tom Hicks says, can Newcastle, Everton

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Southampton retain their challenge for European football? A month ago

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you said Southampton more challenges. I still think they will.

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They will have a good second half of the season. Martin Keown said

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Everton were up there and they got beaten. What about Newcastle? I do

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not think they will finish in the top four. Hopefully sixth or

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seventh. I've seen what goes to the teams in the Europa League. Mother

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of today's games, Kent 's -- is Chelsea against Liverpool at

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Stamford Bridge. Mourinho and Brendan Rodgers know each other

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well. I think Manchester City is the big, big, big favourite. Liverpool

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is on holidays one season, you know? One week to prepare a match, played

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the match. One more week to prepare the next match. This is an

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unbelievable advantage. The emotion when I speak here about Jose

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Mourinho is first and foremost as a friend. From the first day it in

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2007. He had obviously common to the club earlier that summer. I was

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invited to go there and speak to him and a few others about the role. We

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had a lot of straightaway. From that moment in time he gave me the

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self-esteem and the confidence that has prepared me greatly for the role

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that I am in today. They may be friends, but it did not stop that

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little dig from Mourinho. Have Liverpool had it easy because they

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have not had European football? It is certainly fair comment that not

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being in Europe, it is great for the league. I don't think it means they

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have been on holidays. It has been difficult for it the squad. It is

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typical Mourinho maybe just to pick at that little thing to deflate a

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team. Do you think the Liverpool team -- squatters Prime Minister's

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Questions In certain areas, I do. Maybe in midfield, maybe other

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areas. Like Arsenal, they have got through to January with the squad. I

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don't think many people at Liverpool would have said at this stage they

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would think they will be challenging for the title. They're in for this

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year was to get into the top four without seriously challenging for

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the title. Guy Mowbray said manager of the half year has been Alan

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Pardew. I think Brendan Rodgers has to be considered. It is an

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incredible job. That little dig from Mourinho was classic Mourinho.

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Brendan Rodgers has learned so much about him -- from him. His comments

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about the referee and his postcode being a factor, that is the kind of

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thing Mourinho would've done. They are creating this them against us

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scenario. Guys like Mourinho makes a guy like Brendan Rodgers believe he

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can compete as a manager. He did not have a great playing career. Not

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Alan Shearer, playing first country, scoring goals. You don't have too be

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a great player to become a great manager. He wants to be invited

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again! I was hopeless as a manager! You watch them play Manchester City,

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where they were unlucky. In the same way Palace could take a lot out of

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yesterday, Liverpool could take a lot out of boxing day and they can

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go to Chelsea with confidence. They are two very tough games for

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Liverpool to play but at City, they certainly deserved at least a point.

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Their forward play was brilliant and M Suarez, they have a world-class

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player, and when you have someone of his ilk in the team, you always

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stand a chance, because these guys can produce a moment of brilliance

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that will win you a game. I think Suarez has got to the point where it

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is not Will he make an impact, it is when. You cannot stop a player like

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him in a team when you have a player like that. He deserves a lot of

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credit, because the way he has been ridiculed and the way he went about

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things was wrong, the way he tried to get away. His diving has improved

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so much this season. He has, without doubt, I think being the player of

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the season so far. The Sunday Telegraph has a little article on

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Suarez saying he is a better man now, according to Brendan Rodgers,

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but next to that article, there is a fascinating thing, for those of us

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who like our statistics, about goals scored by strikers in the Premier

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League. Mourinho is desperate for a hit man. Manchester United's goals,

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71% have come from their strikers and Chelsea are the lowest of all of

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the Premier League teams, only 15%. The irony being that the striker

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Mourinho wanted was Wayne Rooney. It is unfathomable that they have

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scored so many few goals from strikers. It is pathetic, isn't it?

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If you have Demba Ba and Eto'o and Fernando Torres. Five goals between

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them, it is embarrassing. I think Mourinho knew that at the start of

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the season, Rooney was the one he wanted to bring in. If they had him,

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Chelsea would be top of the league. Let's move onto one of yesterday's

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games and the man of yesterday, , Hull City beating Fulham by six

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goals to zero and we have had a tweet asking whether Tom Huddlestone

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is the best defensive midfielder in the Premier League? We will ask him

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when he joins us in a moment, but let's hear from his manager. I have

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seen a lot of good performances from individuals over the year but I

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don't think I have witnessed something as outstanding as he did

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today. Goals, free kicks, delivery, his passing, he was an absolute

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delight and I think everybody else that offer that. People are saying

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that Roy Hodgson's squad for Brazil is settled, bar one or two places.

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Could Tom force his way in? I can't see why not. It is not the meter

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Delroy, but it is obviously going to be helped by the conditions that it

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is not for me to tell Roy. We need people who can look after the ball

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and if there is anybody who can do that better than him, I'm yet to see

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them this season. He is such a naturally gifted footballer, we all

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know that and had he recovered from his ankle when we brought him in,

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playing week in, week out, it has done him the world of good, and he

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has enjoyed himself immensely. And when you see performances like that

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today, I have not seen many better than what he produced. Steve Bruce

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talking about Tom Huddlestone and it is not the first time he has said

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it, a couple of weeks ago on 5 Live, said he something similar to me. Tom

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joins us live now, good afternoon. Good afternoon. Is the big thing, as

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your manager said, playing week in week out and being able to enjoy

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your football? I think so. Every player will tell you if they are

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playing with confidence. It adds ten or 15% to your game and that is how

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I feel at the moment, going into games knowing that the manager has

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100% faith and confidence in me and just trying to repay him.

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Tom, it is Allen. Did you ever feel a regular, or part of it and at home

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at Spurs? You are now playing regularly at Agro one, did you feel

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that way at Spurs? -- at Hull. I did, but there was a

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change of coaching staff and AVB came in and had his own ideas. Last

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season, although I did play a fair number of games, although I didn't

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start that many, I didn't feel that much a part of it, although I was in

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and around the squad more often than not. So when Steve Bruce and Hull

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came in for you this summer, was it an easy decision to make or did it

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take a while for you decide -- to decide what you are going to do?

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Once I spoke to Steve, it was fairly straightforward. I knew Tottenham

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had had a couple of bits, and they had accepted the one from Hull. I

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spoke to Steve Bruce and obviously I liked what he had to tell me, the

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role that he wanted for me in the team and the way he wanted the team

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to play. All of the lads seem to be buying into his ideas and we have

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had a decent first half of the season. So what is happening with

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their hair at the moment? Jonathan Northcroft and Alan Shearer don't

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have any to talk about, what is happening to yours at the moment? I

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am still undecided on the style, but once I get something decided, I will

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speak to a couple of barbers who I have not spoken to for a few years

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and get something sorted. We have asked for that little bit to be sent

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up for me and Jonathan! Jonathan, you have a question. I

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just wondered about your free kick yesterday, incredible technique to

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strike it like that from 35 yards. Have you been practising that or did

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it just occurred to you in the game? It was something I was practising

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last year, myself and Gylfi Sigurdsson and Gareth Bale, we all

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used to mess about in practice, but only really Gareth had the

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confidence to try it in games and master it, really. It is just a case

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of, I don't know, we were 4-0 or 5-0 up, so I thought I would try

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something different. My manager gets on my case usually but luckily, we

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got a goal from it. When your manager is saying things in post

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match interview is like he said yesterday, you would be ideal for

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England in Brazil, how do you feel about that? Again, it is a massive

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confidence booster. You go into each game, and you think, I don't really

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want to let him down or make his comments be in vain, really, so just

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keeps you on your toes, I guess, each and every game when they come.

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Do you believe you can make Roy Hodgson's squad? I don't know.

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Hopefully, but having seen a few interviews where he has said he has

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sort of got his squad in mind already and he has seen everybody

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that he wants to see, then I know it will be difficult, but fingers

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crossed, if we stay up and I have a good season, hopefully I can sneak

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onto the plane. And the most important thing at the end of all of

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this is when you did your post match interview yesterday, I think the

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donations for Cancer research UK for your hair was around 13,000, wasn't

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it? If you look at it this lunchtime, it has doubled overnight

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to around ?25,000. Yes, I would like to thank everybody who has donated.

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It has been a long time coming, the goal, but obviously it was for a

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good cause and I am glad I have made a bit of awareness of the charity

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and equally raised a few pounds at the same time. Farm, we appreciate

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you joining us and well done yesterday and congratulations on the

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season so far -- Tom. Tom Huddlestone live on MOTD2 EXTRA.

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Ryan says he thinks he deserves to be on the plane to Brazil, Gerrard

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like passing, two footed, but only regulars can force their way in. Tom

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alluded to it, has Roy Hodgson got a set squad? If he keeps performing

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like he has done for the first part of the season, he has to be a

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serious contender, because technically, he is excellent. He

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left and the right foot, he can keep the ball, pass the ball, short and

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long, and he has demonstrated that. Not only yesterday, but all season.

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It was just over ?5 million, that has to be one of the bargains of the

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season. And isn't it one of the problems in our game that he has to

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leave Spurs to go and show his true ability, really? A lot of people had

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faith in him at Spurs, if you speak to some of the fans there they will

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tell you that he is far, far better than some of the guys, a lot of the

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guys, they have brought in. He must have a wry smile, looking at his

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performances this year and the performances of the midfielders at

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Spurs. If England was a different country, Tom Huddlestone would have

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30 or 40 caps. Maybe that is not the way Premier League football is

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played and England play. Jake Livermore is having a good season as

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well, it bodes well. That is the key, this season we have had players

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spiking, hitting this purple patch. Between the likes of Ross Barkley,

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Tom Huddlestone and Adam Maulana, it is who can keep the consistency,

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they get on the plane. -- Adam Lala na. Their hair goes, I am worried

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about Samson and Delilah, if the hair goes, the ability may go. That

:25:02.:25:09.

would have made Don Goodman proud. People used to talk about his

:25:10.:25:14.

mobility and how he gets around the pitch, but if you look at Pearl oh,

:25:15.:25:22.

he dictates the play for Italy -- Pirlo. His running stats stand up to

:25:23.:25:28.

anybody, so that is not an issue. One of the issues, Matt in Hull says

:25:29.:25:34.

Steve Bruce is the manager of the season, limited funds and everybody

:25:35.:25:37.

wrote them off, including all of you, I am achieving that is the

:25:38.:25:42.

media in general or maybe all four of us, but Steve Bruce, Tony Pulis

:25:43.:25:46.

as well, if you want, is this an experienced English manager knowing

:25:47.:25:49.

the right players they need to play the right way to stay in the Premier

:25:50.:25:53.

League? The other thing he has done is he has known the players that can

:25:54.:25:59.

play in the Premier League. They didn't spend much money compared to

:26:00.:26:02.

other clubs at the bottom and I think what he has achieved is

:26:03.:26:06.

because it has put pressure on the clubs like Norwich and Cardiff, who

:26:07.:26:12.

have spent money. And Sunderland got rid of him, they sacked him. Steve

:26:13.:26:18.

Bruce, proud Englishman that he is, he wants them to do well at the

:26:19.:26:21.

World Cup but saying that Huddlestone should be in the squad

:26:22.:26:25.

is because he wants him to perform for Hull until the end of the season

:26:26.:26:29.

and it obviously infuses him to get that sort of recognition. He is

:26:30.:26:34.

doing a magnificent job. He would have settled for fourth bottom

:26:35.:26:38.

before the start of the season, but I have the points they have achieved

:26:39.:26:43.

already, doing a magnificent job. He said bad thing about Sunderland were

:26:44.:26:48.

too much of a smile on your face. -- bad thing. We have had a few tweets

:26:49.:26:52.

about the match of the season. I am going to go. Against Chelsea, 3-2. I

:26:53.:26:57.

was on the steps when assayed the's goal went in, talk about raising the

:26:58.:27:08.

roof. -- Assaidi. And in the Scottish premiership today, Celtic

:27:09.:27:15.

beating Inverness 1-0, Kris Commons. My match of the year is Manchester

:27:16.:27:18.

United zero, Newcastle one. Keith in Wiggins says the FA Cup final, no

:27:19.:27:23.

doubt. As Wigan fan for 40 years, the best match ever, not just 2013.

:27:24.:27:29.

As far as yesterday is concerned, when a side win 6-0, so one has to

:27:30.:27:35.

be on the end of that. Do you fear for Fulham? Yes, I was alongside you

:27:36.:27:41.

at Selhurst Park back in October and the Kasami goal, Steve Sidwell

:27:42.:27:45.

scored a great goal, and it looked like Fulham were going to be OK,

:27:46.:27:49.

they had enough talent, guile, they have been around the block, Martin

:27:50.:27:53.

Jol will dig them out of it, but it has been in freefall since. You see

:27:54.:27:57.

at certain clubs, you change the manager and I guess Crystal Palace

:27:58.:28:05.

on the obvious example, and it changes the balance. Where do Fulham

:28:06.:28:08.

go now? They cannot change the manager again. Is the January

:28:09.:28:11.

transfer window going to produce for them? Fulham and West Ham are the

:28:12.:28:16.

two teams that have been dubbed right into it. West Ham, the only

:28:17.:28:21.

manager in the bottom 62 have not changed their manager this season

:28:22.:28:27.

but people say if anyone can get out of it, it is Big Sam. The pressure

:28:28.:28:31.

on him is huge and also the pressure on Andy Carroll, everyone is hoping

:28:32.:28:35.

he will come back and be the huge saviour. They scored three

:28:36.:28:38.

yesterday, but they also shipped three at the back because their

:28:39.:28:41.

injuries at the back are decimating them. It is all right saying with

:28:42.:28:47.

Fulham, they have pervert toff and Hangeland, but give me 11 players

:28:48.:28:54.

who are going to scrap for use -- Dimitar Berbatov. Ability wise, they

:28:55.:28:59.

might not have enough but if you go out and give you 100%, give me that

:29:00.:29:03.

group of guys any weekend you will have a better chance. It was a

:29:04.:29:09.

collapse yesterday, it was nil-nel at 49 minutes and then it was a

:29:10.:29:14.

collapse -- it was 0-0. They don't have a lot of energy in that team at

:29:15.:29:16.

Fulham, a lot of older have a lot of energy in that team at

:29:17.:29:20.

Fulham, players who can get on the ball and play with it, but maybe not

:29:21.:29:25.

do the work. As far as West Ham go, we can see they are not scoring,

:29:26.:29:29.

apart from yesterday, and not defending well. There are so many

:29:30.:29:33.

teams at the bottom you can make a case for going. Do you think the

:29:34.:29:37.

lack of Andy Carroll is affecting Kevin Nolan? The West Ham fans have

:29:38.:29:41.

been on his back quite a lot this season and when he scored yesterday

:29:42.:29:44.

and he was sat on the ground, albeit with a West Brom player on top of

:29:45.:29:48.

him, he kind of stared at the West Ham fans, saying, now what are you

:29:49.:29:54.

going to say? I wonder if he has been affected by not having Andy

:29:55.:29:58.

Carroll. I think without a doubt because his relationship with Andy

:29:59.:30:02.

Carroll on and off the pitch is a good one. He understands Andy

:30:03.:30:05.

Carroll's game more than anyone, having played with him at Newcastle.

:30:06.:30:10.

He is a good friend of the pitch as well, some with those balls going up

:30:11.:30:15.

there, he's great at picking up the pieces and knowing where the ball is

:30:16.:30:18.

going to fall, particularly if the big man has gone up to head it and I

:30:19.:30:21.

think he has suffered more than most. You need players who can roll

:30:22.:30:27.

up their sleeves. Kevin Nolan is one of those players, and with Fulham's

:30:28.:30:34.

problem, Dimitar Berbatov being captain so often, you want Scott

:30:35.:30:37.

Parker to do it, and Kevin Nolan will fight till the last game. If

:30:38.:30:41.

you look at the back pages, the thing from the game is not the

:30:42.:30:46.

scoreline, not West Ham or West Brom's situation, it is about

:30:47.:30:56.

Nicolas Anelka. Anelka under fire for disgusting gold gesture, says

:30:57.:30:59.

the Observer. A lot written about this. The photograph is in the

:31:00.:31:06.

papers as well. The FA are looking at this to see if it is

:31:07.:31:10.

anti-Semitic, which is the allegation coming from France.

:31:11.:31:13.

Nobody in this country was aware of it. It is Nicolas Anelka expressing

:31:14.:31:21.

support for a comedian friend causing a lot of controversy in

:31:22.:31:26.

France which he says is an antiestablishment thing, not an

:31:27.:31:33.

anti-Israeli thing. Anelka, it doesn't surprise me, he is a very

:31:34.:31:37.

private bloke who is loyal to the people around him, he is supporting

:31:38.:31:44.

a friend. However, it comes as a backdrop to the kind of incidents we

:31:45.:31:47.

have had in recent years. I would expect the FA to be pretty hard on

:31:48.:31:51.

this. They have gone down the zero tolerance route. Jack Wilshere got

:31:52.:31:58.

suspended for an obscene gesture at Manchester City fans recently. I

:31:59.:32:05.

naturally will take Anelka's fans -- explanation into account. Lets get

:32:06.:32:11.

the team news from St James' Park. Newcastle against Arsenal.

:32:12.:32:21.

Newcastle United made one change. Kyoto returns. -- Kyoto returns.

:32:22.:32:31.

Arsene Wenger makes for changes. Aaron Ramsey is injured. Mesut Ozil

:32:32.:32:37.

has not travelled. Thomas Cromwell and drops out and Michalak Tessa is

:32:38.:32:39.

on the bench. -- Thomas Mallon. Thank you very much, Alistair. That

:32:40.:32:56.

was the chains that Alan Shearer suggested. You could do this

:32:57.:33:03.

manager! Five changes for Everton today after

:33:04.:33:09.

their surprise defeat of Everton. Brian Oviedo is in the side. He will

:33:10.:33:17.

start at midfield. Tim Howard is suspended. As is Gareth Barry. There

:33:18.:33:24.

is no Phil Jagielka today. Ross Barkley and Steven Naismith both

:33:25.:33:28.

started today. Three changes for Southampton. They change their

:33:29.:33:33.

goalkeeper. Kelvin Davis makers -- mixes first appearance of the

:33:34.:33:42.

season. James Ward-Prowse comes in. We are really looking forward to

:33:43.:33:45.

this game at Goodison Park. You can hear it in full on BBC Five Live. We

:33:46.:33:51.

can speak to Kevin Rudd cliff, former Everton captain. -- Kevin

:33:52.:33:59.

Rudd Cliff. What I thought was particularly impressive about

:34:00.:34:01.

Roberto Martinez after the defeat against Sunderland, was he just

:34:02.:34:07.

played everything down, and they were a bit unlucky? I think that he

:34:08.:34:13.

-- that is what he has done at the club. He has relaxed everybody in

:34:14.:34:16.

giving them the freedom to go out there. He just seems very relaxed.

:34:17.:34:22.

That obviously transfers onto the pitch. He has done very well. By all

:34:23.:34:28.

accounts, I was not hear the other day, but they should have got

:34:29.:34:31.

something out of the game in the second half. They seem less cautious

:34:32.:34:39.

this season, would that be fair? He has given the freedom to the

:34:40.:34:48.

players. The manager is not shouting and bawling Ross Barkley forgiving

:34:49.:34:52.

the ball away. He is telling in to get ball again. You will make

:34:53.:34:58.

mistakes. Go out there and get the ball and show willingness. How

:34:59.:35:03.

important is it, away from what is going on on the field, that he has

:35:04.:35:08.

properly bought into the culture at Everton? I know he has had Howard

:35:09.:35:12.

Kendall in, talking about the history of the club. Every new

:35:13.:35:16.

photographs at the training ground. How important is it? Some managers

:35:17.:35:24.

go with it, some do not. I think Roberto has bought into it. It is

:35:25.:35:28.

working in his favour. For make it is about your players. The three

:35:29.:35:34.

signings deadline day have been inspirational. Gareth Barry has been

:35:35.:35:40.

an absolute fantastic signing. He makes all the players play. Before

:35:41.:35:45.

that, it was not looking too good. Those three players have made a

:35:46.:35:49.

massive difference. The pace they have in the site is something they

:35:50.:35:53.

have not had in recent years. Thank you for talking to us. Enjoy the

:35:54.:36:00.

day. Let us talk about Ross Barkley. You

:36:01.:36:04.

interviewed him a couple of weeks ago? A lovely kid. Very unaffected.

:36:05.:36:11.

He reminded me in a way of Wayne Rooney. Somebody must still playing

:36:12.:36:15.

on the street. He says when he goes out and plays he does not notice the

:36:16.:36:19.

crowd. It is like he is playing with mates. He has got so much ability.

:36:20.:36:25.

He told me that when he was a kid he played a whole game left footed to

:36:26.:36:30.

see how he would do. Did you ever do that? ! He played centre half as a

:36:31.:36:40.

kid. He was top scorer. What Roberto Martinez has done with its focus on

:36:41.:36:45.

his ability. He has freed him. Don't worry about the mistakes. We're just

:36:46.:36:51.

seeing the start of what he can do. Did he feel that he benefited by

:36:52.:36:56.

going out on loan? He did not often play when he went to Sheffield

:36:57.:37:04.

Wednesday and Leeds. Did benefiting? I think he was frustrated because he

:37:05.:37:07.

felt it was time for you to play at Everton. He felt David Moyes was not

:37:08.:37:18.

giving him enough opportunities. He has developed his tactical side. To

:37:19.:37:22.

go and give him some responsibility on loan for a championship team was

:37:23.:37:29.

maybe part of his education. I was at Swansea last week when Ross

:37:30.:37:32.

Barkley scored a fantastic free kick. We spoke to him afterwards. He

:37:33.:37:37.

said he does not even practice free kicks. Natural talent. We probably

:37:38.:37:43.

live in an era where many people do overthink the game. It has probably

:37:44.:37:48.

been a real boost for him that Roberto Martinez has come in. I

:37:49.:37:51.

don't think you would be given that freedom under a more regimented

:37:52.:37:56.

David Moyes. Do you think Ross Barkley would have a chance of

:37:57.:38:00.

making the World Cup squad? I think he would have more than a chance. If

:38:01.:38:04.

there's one guy who could come on and produce a piece of magic,

:38:05.:38:08.

whether from a dead ball situation... His ability to run with

:38:09.:38:12.

the ball and go past people is brilliant. I did the World Cup draw

:38:13.:38:17.

with Roberto Martinez on the BBC. I asked him about Ross and he said

:38:18.:38:22.

with the ball he is as good as he has seen at that particular age. He

:38:23.:38:29.

said he is slight -- is slight concern was without the ball. But

:38:30.:38:34.

that goes to his natural ability. Go and play. Have the freedom to play.

:38:35.:38:39.

Roberto has given him that. He will learn with experience what to do

:38:40.:38:42.

when he has not got the ball. That will come to him. The two players we

:38:43.:38:48.

have talked about this afternoon, Tom Huddlestone and Ross Barkley,

:38:49.:38:54.

both do things that we want to see English footballers do. Keep the

:38:55.:38:58.

ball, cherish the ball, never give it away. And Ross Barkley, run at

:38:59.:39:03.

people, cause them problems. In some ways that is what we are crying out

:39:04.:39:10.

for. Obviously, you are Scottish! Ross Barkley for Scotland would be

:39:11.:39:16.

amazing! Ross Barkley wants to go to the World Cup. He is not overawed.

:39:17.:39:21.

He feels he can go to Brazil. He can hold his own in that company. Not in

:39:22.:39:26.

an arrogant way. It is just how he sees the game. More players like him

:39:27.:39:34.

would reduce the fear factor. Fear factor is the thing. By the way, we

:39:35.:39:38.

will take him for Ireland if you don't want him! If he loses the

:39:39.:39:41.

ball, it is not the end of the world. I think it is significant

:39:42.:39:46.

that Leighton Baines comes back in today and the aid keeps his place.

:39:47.:39:52.

He has been brilliant. Leighton Baines on paper is probably

:39:53.:39:55.

Everton's best player. His absence is hardly be noticed. Adam Lallana

:39:56.:40:04.

as well, it is a bit of respect for him that they are doubling up on

:40:05.:40:07.

him. Let's have a look at some of the tweets you have been sending in.

:40:08.:40:14.

Favourite games. Doncaster against Brentford epitomised the drama in

:40:15.:40:18.

the English game. There were a lot of games towards the end of that

:40:19.:40:23.

season you would highlight. Remember the last day of the championship

:40:24.:40:28.

being at Watford. Watford against Leeds. The other game was held back

:40:29.:40:35.

row against Cardiff. -- Hull. They were down to the third goalkeeper at

:40:36.:40:40.

Watford. Ian Dennis was in Hull and I was at Watford. We were like a tag

:40:41.:40:45.

team. It was the most dramatic day I have witnessed. It was quite a drab

:40:46.:40:51.

end to the Premier League last season. The Championship really

:40:52.:40:55.

provided the excitement. It's great this year that the Premier League,

:40:56.:40:59.

nobody has any clue who is going to win it or who is gone to be

:41:00.:41:05.

relegated. Karlin Telford says Brentford against Doncaster. 5-5

:41:06.:41:11.

thriller between Manchester United and West Brom. Dylan Nelson,

:41:12.:41:28.

Newcastle zero, solid and three. -- Newcastle nil. Brilliant! I thought

:41:29.:41:35.

last season was pretty dull. But Wigan winning the FA Cup, it was an

:41:36.:41:40.

incredible story, an incredible achievement. I thought two weeks

:41:41.:41:46.

ago, not so long ago, the Manchester City against Liverpool game. The

:41:47.:41:49.

attacking play from both sets of teams that day, I felt, was just

:41:50.:41:54.

incredible. Suarez and Negredo were absolutely outstanding. Two top

:41:55.:42:00.

players at the top of their game. You are going for a recent

:42:01.:42:04.

Manchester City one as well? Manchester City six, Arsenal three.

:42:05.:42:10.

That was the top of the table game that was all about attack. The other

:42:11.:42:14.

one I would pick would be Manchester United one, Real Madrid two. You

:42:15.:42:20.

could not get much more drama than that. Rinaldo scoring against his

:42:21.:42:30.

old club. Sir Alex Ferguson's final stop at Europe. Did Mourinho

:42:31.:42:36.

outthink Ferguson? There was a ten minute spell where Ferguson was so

:42:37.:42:39.

angry he did not do anything. Mourinho brought on Lou, Judge.

:42:40.:42:47.

Newcastle beat Arsenal today, that would be a great game! You're being

:42:48.:42:52.

very biased this afternoon. You going for the last day of the

:42:53.:42:57.

championship? Definitely. I could not even drive out of the car park

:42:58.:43:01.

after that game. I felt I played in the match, the adrenaline. Oldham

:43:02.:43:12.

against Liverpool, 2-3. The FA Cup. Tim, Swansea beating Bradford City

:43:13.:43:20.

at Wembley. Two sides to the day really mattered. And Steve just goes

:43:21.:43:27.

for the first game of this season, Liverpool against Stoke purely for

:43:28.:43:34.

Mignolet's saving the last minute. Thank you for all your thoughts and

:43:35.:43:40.

memories. Every game is special to a fan somewhere up or down the

:43:41.:43:44.

country. Thank you to the guys. Match of the Day two on BBC One this

:43:45.:43:49.

evening. Two commentaries on BBC Five Live. Everton against

:43:50.:43:53.

Southampton, followed by Chelsea against Liverpool. We will see you

:43:54.:43:56.

in two weeks. Have a good New Year. Goodbye.

:43:57.:44:01.

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