Latest / Let's Kick It Off! / Ep 24: Live From Bilbao - This Is The One!

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Ep 24: Live From Bilbao - This Is The One! · Let's Kick It Off!

0:15
Yeah, we're going to kick off now.
0:16
Yeah. Ready to kick it off?
0:18
I don't. Know what the agenda is, but I'm
0:19
following you. You got to go.
0:20
Off the cuff. Off the cuff, yeah, there is no
0:23
agenda. There on the chance to kick it
0:25
off. I'm Steve, I'm joined by Athar,
0:29
Ash and Ron and we are in the Basque Country out here for the
0:34
Europa League final. Looking forward to it.
0:36
Ron, you excited? Honestly, ever since I knew I
0:39
was coming, I've been counting down.
0:41
When did you find out? Found out on the last pod thanks
0:45
to Steve overhead. And that's the news to me.
0:49
And as I say, since then it's just been every day ticking it
0:52
off 1 by 1, and here we are. Love it.
0:55
Amazing. I've started dreams.
0:58
And I've got to give I thought credit for booking this place.
1:00
We looked at the hotel prices in Bilbao.
1:03
I pre booked a hotel as I mentioned on the pod £3000 it
1:07
was for two nights for 2:00 rooms and then we thought can we
1:10
really pay that and I thought you went searching and you found
1:14
this place. I know I'm not going to tell you
1:15
how much I pay, but I'm charging you 3 grand.
1:18
You'll be in profit, right? And the data centre that any
1:20
else want the skeleton. Ash third European final you've
1:24
been to. Yeah, third final hat trick, but
1:28
first with Steve. Yeah, true.
1:29
This is my first European final, so yeah, I'm buzzing.
1:32
I'm buzzing for his. Honestly, we just need to win.
1:34
Obviously we've talked about how pivotal it is.
1:37
I think Ash as our and me, we covered a bit of our predictions
1:40
and the line UPS already in the previous part.
1:42
So Ron, I'm interested to hear what's your line up, what you
1:45
going with for the United team? Maybe you walk into any game,
1:49
there are certain starters. So.
1:51
So we have those we've got. Harry Maguire on You're Going.
1:54
To say it straight away. Great characters in the team.
1:56
Harry McGuire is my second man on my theme show.
1:59
Debreed. Who would have said that?
2:00
A few months. Yeah, I love it.
2:02
Beautiful. Yeah, yeah, Players like Onana
2:05
Bruno, let's start from the let's start from the back.
2:06
So obviously goalkeeper Onana, centre back Harry McGuire, sided
2:11
centre back. Luke Shaw, right, Right sided
2:13
centre back. So this is where I think it's
2:15
debatable. It just depends on who's fit.
2:18
I'm hearing Dallow could well be back.
2:21
Obviously we've got Mazzaraoui, Delit is out.
2:23
So I would probably go with probably Mazzaraoui considering
2:27
Delit's not around. That's what you I wouldn't go
2:29
with Viktor Lindelof. You told me Lenny Yuri's back in
2:32
training. Is that?
2:33
Yeah, I'm. Just not sure he is.
2:34
Yeah. I'm just not sure if he can
2:36
start the game, you know, considering he's only just been
2:38
back over the last couple of days.
2:39
Lakeshaw, Lakeshaw left sided centre back.
2:42
Harry Maguire and then I'd start Mazzarari, right centre back,
2:46
the wing backs, Dorgu left wing back, Ahmad right wing back.
2:50
And the reason I choose Ahmad as right wing back, and obviously
2:53
we can discuss it when we start talking about the M10 positions,
2:55
is I'm trying to get as many attacking players on the pitch
2:58
as possible. We've seen over this season we
3:00
lack creativity, right? And in a big game final we
3:04
better create opportunities and Ahmad provides us with that.
3:06
You've been worried about Ahmad and Mazrawi against Sony?
3:10
Yeah, but I think it's it's a risk worth taking.
3:12
What have we seen of Sonny? I mean, you know, this season
3:14
has been in and out. He's been more out than in.
3:16
I don't know if he's quite the same player.
3:17
I hope I don't regret that, but I'm not sure he's quite the same
3:20
player. So we'll go with that.
3:21
I think I love it. A wing back and then into
3:24
midfield. Casimero Reborn.
3:26
Casimiro. The man.
3:27
The man I think I was saying to to you guys earlier off camera,
3:31
I think if he plays well, I think we have a real good chance
3:34
of winning the game. Ron, he needs a 789 out of 10
3:37
performance. You're the stats, man.
3:38
What's Casamiro's final record? 7 finals, seven wins.
3:43
Wow. So let's hope it's eight out of
3:45
eight by Casamiro. It's got a Carabao Cup as well,
3:49
isn't he? With us, yeah.
3:50
Got to include that winner. FA Cup, he didn't start, did he?
3:54
But he's got a medal. Got he's got, he's got that
3:56
round, isn't it? Yeah.
3:57
And then who got say in midfield alongside him again, I think
4:00
Ugate you know, question marks. Do you go menu, do you drop
4:02
Bruno back? Lots of options there for ribbon
4:05
to consider. I would go ugate couple of
4:09
reasons for that. I think menu his performance is
4:12
of late. You know, I think his form is
4:14
diff again in and out T ribbon Bruno yeah, Bruno's Bruno.
4:20
He can play, he can play right wing back, but I think Bruno
4:24
just gives you more attacking sense playing in the number 10.
4:27
Again, to my point about lacking creation, Bruno will give you
4:31
that right playing in laying alongside.
4:33
We'll come to that in a second with or I go with gone actual or
4:36
I go with Matt, but Bruno in the 10 for creativity.
4:39
So therefore you play Ugarte. You know, I think Spurs is
4:44
midfield is going to be, it's going to be quite energetic.
4:47
So someone like a guy, I'd say get around the patient a little
4:50
bit, worried a little bit about his position game, possession
4:53
based game. Question for you us, because you
4:56
talked about Kobe playing next to Casimiro.
4:59
Yeah. So what's the thinking?
5:00
I was just thinking if you want to dominate the game in
5:03
possession, I think Kobe is really good under pressure and I
5:07
feel the Spurs midfield quite physical.
5:09
So it's a question of do you go physical for physical or do you
5:12
try and dominate the game with possession?
5:14
My inclination might distinct as always, let's try and keep the
5:18
ball away from them and press high, dominate the game with
5:22
possession. But I can understand that.
5:25
Yeah, Garter, he's got got got the legs.
5:27
So yeah. And the other thing is, I think
5:29
maybe I'm a bit biassed and I like Kobe mainly.
5:32
Yeah, yeah, I just like him as a player.
5:34
Mainly when he's playing well, yeah, Yeah.
5:36
When was the last time, you may know, in a United show,
5:38
Obviously we had the European quarterfinal with Leon.
5:41
Bit of magic, yeah. Fantastic tell you.
5:43
The game I'm thinking if he could absolutely boss midfield
5:46
is England versus Holland semi final.
5:49
Yeah, he's he's the machine, that game.
5:51
And the summer is great, yeah. For me, he he's, he's got it in
5:54
there. So I'm actually tempted because
5:56
Ron, Ron said as well, you know, you like to put in as many
5:59
attacking players as possible. And then he said, I'm going to,
6:01
you know, make a choice with Ghana, right, with mount.
6:05
I'm tempted with Bruno in midfield as well and doing
6:08
garner and mount. So I think, I think.
6:10
I don't think, I don't think Ruben will do it.
6:12
I'm not saying Ruben will do it, but I know you're saying we we
6:16
lack the creativity, but I do feel that Bruno has that ability
6:19
to to get up and down right, Do both positions.
6:22
What you lack is the that defensive mindedness, right?
6:25
But again, it's like, how much do you attack?
6:27
In such a crucial game, you want to get your best player as close
6:30
to the goal as possible, and that's what Bruno gives you in
6:33
that 10 position. It's debatable.
6:35
You can always drop Bruno back later in the game there.
6:37
And he'd done that against Leon, right?
6:39
Yeah, yeah. And we've got goals, so.
6:40
We've got to keep, I like the fact that we have options and I
6:42
like the fact that based on we had this discussion last night,
6:47
but since then we've had people cut rumours or actually the
6:51
official Man United account saying Xerxi, Oro, Delon and and
6:56
Dallow are in training. And it feels like, oh, we've
6:58
suddenly got half to think about.
7:00
It's good to know that they're they're there.
7:02
Which means that when you think of what's available on the bend,
7:05
I'm feeling a bit more confident now, worryingly.
7:08
So Ron got to finish. Off your go, go to Casamara and
7:11
then we go into the number 10 positions.
7:13
Then Bruno, and this is where you know, it's a hot debate.
7:17
You go the options are you've got Ganacho, got Mason Mount or
7:21
you've got Kobe menu and I would go for this is very debatable.
7:24
But I'll give you one more possibility.
7:26
Are you not going to play Rasmus Hoyland up front?
7:29
Or because you could play both of them, you could take Maino as
7:32
a fault 9. You could put Garnacho up there.
7:34
You can have Mountain. You can take two of those three
7:37
and not have Hoyland. What are you going to do?
7:39
I. Would play with Hoyland, I'll
7:41
come to that in a second. I'd go with Ganacho and the
7:44
reason I go with Ganacho is Spurs will play a highline.
7:49
So with that highline, what we need is runners in behind, pace
7:52
in behind. Penetration.
7:53
And he's going to give you that in abundance.
7:55
In fact, he's probably our only player.
7:56
In fact, you'd you'd say in that starting 11 that can probably
7:59
get running behind. Yeah, Ganacho Mason man,
8:02
obviously, you know, he's been phenomenal since he's since he's
8:06
been back from Indra thought performance against Brentford.
8:08
I watched that game. He was very good.
8:09
He got his goal and then obviously, you know, the cameo
8:12
that he got in the the European game, those two goals.
8:16
Old Trafford, yeah. Again, so athletic, sensational.
8:20
So he's a close starter for me. But I'd go with Ganache just for
8:23
the legs in behind and then up front.
8:25
We're going with Hoyland. And the reason we're going for
8:27
Hoyland is I think we need someone to occupy Spurs as 2
8:30
centre backs. Yeah.
8:31
Yeah, Spurs have a real strength.
8:33
I think with Romero and Landovim playing, their partnership
8:37
together is going to be instrumental for them.
8:39
Yeah, and we need someone to occupy that.
8:42
Again, I look at options X as an option, but again, how fit is he
8:44
to start Kobe menu? You mentioned the False 9.
8:48
Yes, but I haven't seen Kobe playing the false 9 frequently
8:51
enough. Yeah.
8:52
And when he has played, you know, he's been ineffective.
8:56
So it's too much of A risk in a big game like that to play hobby
9:00
in the 9. So I'd go with what we know.
9:02
Obviously Hoyland's performance is, you know, big question mark
9:05
as to whether he can that's. A question You're still going to
9:07
do it. Still going to do.
9:08
It's a good question. Do you occupy the centre backs
9:10
or do you say that Hoyland isn't capable of occupying them and
9:13
you just say leave them alone and try and play round the side
9:16
to them? Well, he likes to wrestling
9:18
match, but yeah, he's likely to lose that one, isn't he?
9:20
And that's where the false 9 comes.
9:22
And you'd have Kobe can drop in and then you'd say like Ghana,
9:25
go, go around the, go around the wing.
9:27
Yeah, or you get Hoyland to occupy them for the 1st 70
9:30
minutes, tyre out the defenders and then you switch to that
9:32
approach when the legs are tired.
9:34
The good thing is if you did a false 9, whether it's Kobe or
9:38
anyone Mason mount right, that's another option.
9:41
They will obviously drop into midfield naturally.
9:44
Van de Ven and Romero actually like go and chase in the player.
9:48
They'll they'll come and then you have gone actually sneak in
9:50
behind the. Thing is for me, like you've
9:52
seen Spain play this way and even Man City as well in the
9:55
false nine. Yeah.
9:56
But you've you've seen proven strikers being able to operate
9:58
at that level to actually play that position.
10:01
I can't think of anyone else called actually plays.
10:03
Even Bruno effectively plays a false nine well enough.
10:07
And it's, you know, our biggest game, not just, and we've talked
10:09
about that not just this season, but in years gone by, this is
10:13
the biggest. Yeah.
10:14
A huge risk. A huge.
10:15
Risk. It's a huge risk to actually
10:17
take. But does it matter if Hoyland's
10:19
not holding the ball and losing all the physical?
10:22
So isn't the ball bypassing him anyway?
10:24
Yeah, but I. Look at, I look at Tottenham
10:26
strengths and their two centre backs are their strengths,
10:28
right, That partnership as I mentioned.
10:30
So we need somebody to occupy both of them and I think Hoyland
10:34
to a certain degree can do that. You know he's a big physical, so
10:37
you're. Going to go with the tyre and
10:39
Outback. I'd go with that, yeah.
10:40
And then obviously, we've got good options off the bat.
10:42
We've got Copy Mania, we've got Mason Mount.
10:45
I wouldn't bring Meno in one of those 10 positions.
10:47
I'd play him potentially to replace Ugarte.
10:49
And then we've got the Mason Mount option, as I say.
10:52
See now as well. Yeah, well, which guns?
10:56
Can't really wait for. It we'll see that celebration,
10:58
hopefully. Be interesting if he even makes
11:00
it onto the bench. You never know.
11:01
I would absolutely love it, it'd be fantastic.
11:03
Big boost. So interesting.
11:04
And I know your teams have been announced yesterday.
11:07
How many of those are the same? So we're all agreeing with the
11:09
goalkeeper, obviously or no? No, I don't even remember my
11:12
team. Yeah, Harry McGuire might have
11:14
changed. I think we're generally.
11:16
We will start at Luke Shaw. I don't think, Ashley, you're
11:17
not starting Luke Shaw. No, I'm going to go.
11:21
You're right, you're right, left centre back and bring Luke Shaw
11:23
on. I'm 5050 on them.
11:25
I think I said Luke Shaw, easier to start.
11:27
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I did actually, because you were
11:29
saying it you'd rather start and then bring him on.
11:31
I think they're very similar. It's more like that.
11:33
It's the, it's the. The number 10s is probably
11:36
crucial. I keep changing my mind so I
11:38
don't even know what I picked. Yesterday, I mean right wing
11:40
back as well. Like we I think all of us would
11:42
actually play am a bear, won't we?
11:44
More interestingly, forget all these things, how do you think
11:47
we should play against Spurs? Yeah, that's that's more.
11:51
Important in my opinion. What's Ruben going to do?
11:53
If it was me again, if I'm the manager, high press.
11:58
I watched the Chelsea game and we didn't play well.
12:00
But we did. We did.
12:01
We did go to press them. The issue in the Chelsea game is
12:05
Koi Sado was so good to get come at coming out with the ball and
12:08
beating Bruno in the press. I don't think Spurs have that.
12:13
That Kai Sado player, the other. Thing that's very interesting in
12:15
terms of the way we play against them because they play a high
12:17
line. I think that switch is going to
12:19
be crucial, you know, getting Bruno in those pockets and we
12:22
can switch the play and get our wing backs and this is another
12:24
reason to play and that in the wing back position, yeah,
12:27
because getting him running in behind Spurs is my line.
12:29
There's like Birds are not going to sit in right because we know
12:31
they're going to play. High.
12:32
Then they like building out from the back and I would just go,
12:35
I'd go high, go and push them back, put them under pressure,
12:38
put Vicari, we discussed it, Vicario in Anna and saying I
12:41
said Vicario feels a little bit dodgy sometimes.
12:44
I'd go and pressure them, go right up against go man for man
12:48
basically and try and win this game, put it on them.
12:51
Yeah, 100. Percent.
12:52
I feel like Reuben's going to do containment, but I think he will
12:55
go more direct to Ron's point. Yeah, we've had success.
12:59
We've had success against City in the Liverpool game, game in
13:03
Wells where we were able to contain well, but lads, it's
13:06
Spurs. See us go for it.
13:08
No, you're right. And that early part of the game
13:11
is going to be crucial at how those 1st 20 minutes play out.
13:13
Like if we're really on on top of them, that's going to set the
13:16
tone for the game. Whereas if we're more reserved,
13:19
it's going to be a nervy one, right?
13:20
That for me. Is it?
13:21
I want to see an aggressive a Pope.
13:22
That's why I'm thinking like a Mason Mount with his legs and
13:25
his energy. Fine, get Hoyland up there and
13:27
really pressed on those centre backs and you know, take the
13:30
game to them. What about you, Steve?
13:33
What do you think? Yeah, I like, I like your
13:35
approach. I would back that.
13:36
Obviously United fans, we like that, aren't we?
13:38
We're generally quite aggressive, like we like the
13:40
attacking play. So I would back that.
13:42
However, just knowing how this is going to play out, knowing
13:44
Reuben, I can see it being in a KG affair, seeing how it goes
13:48
like. The problem is we discussed
13:50
this, as bad as Spurs have been, Spurs do attack well and the way
13:54
of keeping an attacking team, you've got to put pressure on
13:56
the attack is the best. You let them.
13:58
If you let them come to you and give them the momentum, they
14:00
will gain confidence. So.
14:01
I think the team sheet will be crucial because if he's not
14:05
playing Ahmad in that wingback position and he plays say,
14:08
Mazarawi or Dalo, yeah, right. Then that would suggest actually
14:11
Ash, to your point, he's probably going to be a little
14:13
bit cautious, yeah, to begin with.
14:15
And then as the game evolves, you get into second-half.
14:18
Clearly, if we need to go for it, we'll go for it.
14:21
So that that team sheet playing Ahmad in that wing back position
14:24
will tell us a lot. Could.
14:25
Be his approach. I think if you see how it's
14:27
worked out for Reuben, he obviously tried to do high press
14:30
when he first joined with limited success for different
14:33
reasons. Yeah, I feel he'll do
14:37
containment and even on the point of like being ultra
14:40
aggressive, obviously we want to do that.
14:43
But you know, even from my own personal experience, in 2009 we
14:47
tried to do that against Barcelona.
14:49
But that's Barcelona, and this is Spurs.
14:51
And the the reason I'm turning to the.
14:52
Gaps at the back. Yeah, the reason I say that is I
14:55
feel that the Chelsea game, he played a strong team to almost
15:00
do a bit of a practise thing and we when we we, we went man to
15:03
man against Chelsea. Interesting you played Bruno
15:05
though in the midfield. Yeah.
15:08
So I'm wondering is that is that?
15:10
Is that a bit of a clue? We definitely got an inkling
15:14
because Mason mounts start again.
15:16
And I think Mason. Wasn't a wing back he played in
15:17
the tent. Yeah.
15:19
So I think we might have a look at the.
15:20
Energy. And then he was.
15:21
Definitely trying stuff like, why would you not use that game?
15:24
Yeah, that was part of the thinking.
15:25
And I do personally, as I really like Garnacho, but I really like
15:30
Garnacho off the bench, I really do.
15:32
Yeah. So I think he's.
15:33
Good at running up players with the last 20.
15:35
When the game's a little bit stretched more space, so maybe
15:39
garnet the. Other thing about that game plan
15:40
that we mentioned is look at the opposition now and they are
15:44
without a key players. Madison's a key player.
15:47
That's a huge loss for them. So we're talking about
15:49
containment. But containment, maybe if they
15:51
had their best attacking players on the pitch because they're
15:54
missing. You know, if I said two or two
15:56
of their best players right now, you'd say Madison and Kalasaski,
15:58
right? Yeah.
15:59
Without them, too. Do we necessarily need to play
16:02
such a containment game from the off?
16:03
The only better. I'm actually going for
16:05
ourselves. The only thing I'd say is their
16:07
engine room is much stronger and much better than us.
16:11
So look you can. Seen Karis Casimir A6 pack
16:14
recently, Give the guy a bit of credit.
16:17
That's why you play Ugarte. I mean, no, but it's the legs
16:19
more, right? It's like the ground coverage.
16:22
Pre season he was on the pies but I think Casimiro is looking
16:25
pretty. No, he's looking slim, but.
16:27
And I think you had a Garter as well in midfield, didn't you?
16:29
Yeah. I mean, Agarte's got energy.
16:31
Oh, yeah, of course. Then you add a little Mason
16:33
Mountain in there. That's legs.
16:35
I mean, oil and can't control a ball.
16:37
But pick a few people. On the initial press would
16:39
actually be good because you got people like Mount Amad that all
16:42
bite and end. But once the ball's turned, as
16:45
in Spurs have got it and they're at our defence.
16:49
Our guys aren't good at running back.
16:50
Even an Agate isn't great, you know what it is.
16:52
About, you know, what it is, what we can talk about tactics,
16:55
we can talk about high press. What it comes down to in finals
16:58
is moments of quality. Yeah.
16:59
So who's going to produce that good cross?
17:01
Who's going to finish that header?
17:03
You know, as an example? So it's about the moment.
17:05
And it's the mentality as well, right, Being able to deal with a
17:08
final. Said this last night, we're
17:11
doing our combined 11 run. I don't know if you listen to
17:13
the did you listen to our part? I did, yeah.
17:15
So we did a combined 11. the United Spurs 11 point I didn't
17:18
make is sometimes with combined elevens, even though I think we
17:21
had seven Spurs, yeah, all United.
17:24
But sometimes it's the best player and I think the best
17:27
player of the of the 22 is Bruno Fernandez.
17:30
And I just, I have a feeling now.
17:32
She's going to produce, right? Steve Bruno, Steve mentions.
17:35
You know we are happy not to play well.
17:37
Doesn't matter, it's actually weird.
17:39
We have that one moment of class Bruno or Amad or.
17:42
Harry, Bruno and. To Harry's head, it doesn't
17:44
matter where it comes. From just to confirm, you're
17:46
getting Harry Maguire shirt right if he scores the.
17:49
Winner. If we win, I.
17:49
Want to see the Harry Maguire shirt and I want to see the knee
17:52
slide celebration in front of the Guggenheim.
17:55
We'll have both tomorrow. No one's given enough credit to
17:58
Harry Slide like on Friday even had the face perfect.
18:05
So close that's that's. The most I've celebrated the
18:06
goal in weeks because I don't like Charles and the.
18:09
Finish as well we're. Going to Stanford Bridges.
18:12
We have a terrible record at Stanford Bridge, so I was like.
18:15
There's a there's a case for Harry starting upfront.
18:17
There genuinely is. It crossed my mind.
18:20
Right. I think if we're we're behind TS
18:22
TS the weapon. No, he will.
18:24
He will leave. I was saying to a slap what will
18:27
happen is. Yeah, exactly because I'm
18:29
chasing the game. Ruben will get Bruno to drop in
18:31
deep, he'll start swinging in crosses and it'll be.
18:34
It'll be either Harry or. Casimiro that'll.
18:36
Be the front 2. That was the front two against
18:38
Leon, Yeah. Yeah.
18:39
So it was Harry and Casimiro and yeah, yeah, just brilliant.
18:43
And remember Casimiro's flick for Coby Mainly's?
18:46
Goal. Yeah.
18:46
Yeah. And that's the sort of team new
18:48
side of it from our perspective. Let's discuss how big yeah.
18:52
That's what I was thinking in. Terms of I mean, how far back do
18:55
we go? Well, how far do you want to go
18:57
back? In the podcasts on the way here,
18:59
listen to talk of the Devils. They were talking about the 91
19:02
Cup, how pivotal that was on the back of winning the FA Cup,
19:07
which actually is quite similar to this now, Now, because
19:09
obviously we won the FA Cup, got into the Europa League, but
19:11
yeah. I mean, what do you think?
19:14
I think what's interesting about 91, I mean, I was a little kid
19:17
at the time, but one of the guys mentioned it on their on their
19:20
pod, was that two years later they won the Premier League and
19:25
you know, that was her first title after I think 26 years.
19:28
So yeah, the platform for the summer, if we win, it's all
19:31
there. Are you saying that Matthias
19:33
Cunha is Eric Canton are in this scenario?
19:36
I am indeed. As long as age very similar kind
19:39
of, you know, person. Do we actually know?
19:43
Do we? Actually know for next season
19:44
what kit we've got? Like do we have a colour?
19:47
I don't. I need to call my Chinese
19:49
contacts. See.
19:50
Well, you do have plenty. I do.
19:52
It reminds me of remember the Vodafone with collars?
19:56
Just the yeah, the round neck. Oh yeah, yeah.
19:59
It looks very similar to that. Interesting.
20:01
But yeah, no, the talk obviously is.
20:04
Cunya, Cunya. I mean, there's a lot of, I
20:06
think Canton our similarities, right?
20:08
Because seriously, he had some kind of temperament issues.
20:11
Yeah, but I like that kind of character.
20:13
So, yeah. And he's kind of plays that
20:15
similar, kind of just off the striker role.
20:17
We actually need a bit more like faster mentality anyway, so I
20:20
like it bring. Me a bit of Cunya I've heard
20:22
Ron, you told me there's a bit of rumours around Dockers and
20:25
Dilap as well, so. Key key will be to win.
20:28
You're in the Champions League all of a sudden.
20:30
You're hijacking Arsenal, aren't you?
20:33
Otherwise, the backup plan is. A question for you Ron, I know
20:36
you're you're not a biggest fan of in your new Steve as well.
20:39
Don't you feel the execution looks very efficient?
20:42
The season hasn't even finished. Kunis.
20:45
Kunis maybe? I thought you were talking.
20:47
About the lapse being? So about the execution of this
20:49
trip, I was going to say yes to that.
20:50
That I've got a long term, you know, track record, OK, don't
20:54
you think you know? That is anything but Ineos an
20:57
execution. That's what Ineos tried to do,
20:59
but. Don't you think, Jim, Dad, Dave,
21:02
Dave looks. Good.
21:04
Let's see what's executed right because.
21:06
It's nothing. Nothing has happened, Yeah.
21:08
Nothing's happened yet, but don't you feel the wheels,
21:10
really? No, but I think that's a
21:11
premature question. Let's have a look at we've
21:13
we've. Always given Ineos credit when
21:15
it's due, for example, when they brought in Ashworth, when they
21:17
started making. We've given credit where it's
21:19
due and we've called it out when it's wrong, you know.
21:21
Yeah, well let's see how it plays out.
21:23
Let's see if we can get this result I.
21:25
Wonder with this early windows are, you know, because of the
21:27
Club World Cup, right windows opening, is it a couple of weeks
21:30
earlier and then it closes for a few days and you're back up?
21:32
Maybe that's got something to do as well, right?
21:34
So we're going to see those, I think.
21:35
They're planning well. I think they're planning well.
21:37
They're looking like they're backing the manager either way.
21:39
I know just just everyone you're firing Ruben Hammering if he
21:42
leaves. We can talk about that as well,
21:43
but just just in terms of the important, and I'm really
21:45
interested, yeah, yeah. How important, obviously very
21:48
important, yeah. But if we go back, let's go
21:50
back, you know, 20 years, 30 years.
21:53
Where, where do you rank? How highly?
21:55
It's very high. I'm trying to think like we
21:58
talked about 2008 and then Steve made a very good point about the
22:02
fact that even if we had lost that final dread to think of
22:05
that fall, but if we had, we still one of the best teams in
22:09
Europe. So you have to go even further
22:11
back, right as though we're talking 90s, in my opinion.
22:14
Because I think in all of the time up to this, United has been
22:18
a fairly stable club. And we've got to the point where
22:23
17th is it 17th, 1617, I mean, and you're looking at the
22:27
finances of the club are on the precipice.
22:30
That's the key for me. You're looking at a new
22:32
ownership that's just come in. You've got a new manager that's
22:34
just come in. There's so many, so much change
22:37
and there's nothing like something like a cup win to to
22:41
be a pivotal moment in that. And I think it it really would
22:45
be because you've got certain individuals who you know, here
22:49
or there. But Ron, if we win, you'd be
22:52
fully behind Reuben, right? You'd be I.
22:54
Think you have to be? You can't dismiss trophies and
22:56
winning a European trophy of that.
22:59
Well, if we lose, don't you think?
23:01
And if you we lose, whether when you feel going into next season,
23:05
he's going to be on the back foot, right?
23:06
Huge, huge pressure if he loses. It he'll be under.
23:08
It's amazing. It's amazing that swing isn't it
23:10
on the narrative, like if he wins and loses.
23:13
Like, well, it's fine margins, right?
23:14
Yeah, that's that's high level sports.
23:16
Yeah, I. Mean talking of, you know past
23:18
games and you know 99, you know the 99 final.
23:22
Obviously these finals are played so late papers had to go
23:27
out with the with the copy, so the first edition in the papers
23:29
had the US losing, Fergie said to the journalist.
23:33
I've seen the 1st. Really.
23:35
Yeah. This is it.
23:37
The narrative changes the classic.
23:38
Fergie. In one moment they had to redo
23:42
the the Backpage. Yeah, basically history is
23:45
different. If we talk about famous stories,
23:47
who we can talk about 99 all day, George Best when it was one
23:53
nil to Bayern Munich, he said I can't see Manchester United
23:56
losing the finals. So he went down the lift and
23:59
then that's when they scored the two goals.
24:01
So you know heritage written in the stars universe.
24:06
The sun is out. To me, I mean, if you go back
24:09
over the last three decades, you could argue this is perhaps the
24:13
biggest game. I sort of compared it back to
24:16
when I got off the plane. I was talking to you guys off
24:17
camera. 2008, that was the Champions League.
24:20
To be fair, this is the Europa League.
24:22
But you know, we were a very stable club back then.
24:26
Winning a huge trophy like the Champions League is obviously
24:28
enormous for the club, for any club.
24:31
But even if we'd lost, you know, we could have been back next
24:34
year. We.
24:35
Were back in Europe we. Were back next year but you just
24:38
wonder. The consequences of losing this
24:40
game are absolutely mammoth. We won't be anywhere next year.
24:43
Over the next no European is going to set us back.
24:45
No European. No Victor Gopheras.
24:47
Thing I will say, transfer, obviously I agree with you guys
24:49
and the importance of it. And I think the point that some
24:52
people are making, I know Jay is probably quite big on this
24:55
point, is, yes, it has the potential to be pivotal, yeah,
24:58
but we could win it and still fuck it up.
25:00
Yeah, which? Which obviously that's obvious,
25:02
right? But it has the IT has the
25:03
potential. What you want is the
25:05
opportunity. Yeah, exactly.
25:06
Tomorrow night gives you the opportunity.
25:07
That's what you can ask for as a fan.
25:08
You want that chance. You want that break?
25:11
It's the mentality of the football clubs, right?
25:13
Like we speak, spoken to a lot of Tottenham fans.
25:16
They're not, even though I still think like, you know, you take
25:20
the final aside, you know, I feel like they would be stronger
25:24
on paper, but they're not confident.
25:27
And that, you know, plays a part in terms of the importance it is
25:31
to each club. Because I've heard a lot of talk
25:33
about who's it more important to?
25:35
Yep, to the Spurs environment and network.
25:39
If they won it, they will have a party.
25:41
But if Manchester United win, the Globe will have a party like
25:46
That's the impact. Like a previous group made a
25:48
comment yesterday I picked up on and he said we will see the
25:51
trophy. Yeah, and.
25:54
His manifesto? I'm thinking about Tottenham and
25:56
Tottenham's seeing that trophy because they haven't been in too
25:58
many cup finals, right? Them seeing the trophy, it's
26:01
actually walking past that trophy.
26:02
Is that going to send some JIT to the round you hope?
26:05
Well, and also our team has just got more final experience even,
26:09
you know, the goalkeeper for a start, he's got 2 European
26:11
finals. Harry Maguire has played in, you
26:14
know, major international competitions.
26:16
Casimiro. I've heard a lot about Bruno and
26:19
Bruno is not the right captain. I've take Bruno ever son any day
26:22
of the week. Any day of the week is my
26:24
captain in dressing room especially for.
26:26
In a final like this. For a final give me Bruno
26:29
Castanero all day long. Big, big.
26:31
Somebody said out of the 22 players, one person is going to
26:34
produce a moment. I think we'd all agree, not just
26:36
us for, but I think the even even the even the would say
26:39
Bruno would be that one guy you'd think to make the
26:41
difference out of the 22 players can make the difference.
26:43
Even the neutrals would say, like, who is going to produce
26:47
that magic? The first person that will come
26:50
out of their mouths will be Bruno, Yeah.
26:51
So on that note, go and run we. Can all agree that is there's a
26:55
huge bigot in decades? Yeah, right.
26:58
For me, yeah, I think biggest of my lifetime, I was born in 1992
27:02
just before the Cup Winners Cup. Or even 1990, right, because,
27:07
you know, Ferguson was struggling.
27:11
There was the famous banner as well about, you know, Tara
27:14
Fergie. Obviously that changed in terms
27:17
of, you know, Mark Robbins going against Nottingham Forest.
27:20
Would you say financially though the picture back then that's
27:23
what it is, now that's what it is, even bigger it's.
27:25
The finance, it's the finance. The finance impact.
27:28
That is is that's what it. Is it's bigger now, but I mean,
27:31
as I know you were still young, but like Fergie probably would
27:35
have gone right. So even though Mark.
27:38
Edward, hindsight, that was a big moment in hindsight because
27:42
we know what happened with Ferguson exactly.
27:45
Yeah, it's not. It was not as obvious at the
27:47
time, right, that Ferguson was going to do what he did.
27:49
So I would say this is a is a much bigger moment because the
27:54
club right now is in this very big transitional moment in terms
27:57
of ownership, in terms of finances, in terms of everything
28:01
that it's doing. So in hindsight, clearly what
28:03
happened with Alex Ferguson is way, way bigger than anything
28:05
they will ever write. But in, in terms of the moment,
28:08
I feel in this moment with with what's happening with the club
28:12
that this, this is a huge, huge, huge.
28:15
Event I'm going to quote one of Ron's favourite words, momentum.
28:18
And that's the thing with this fix is that obviously you've got
28:23
the fan side, they'll be delirious Champions League money
28:26
coming in. But do you know what else?
28:28
It's just the momentum that you build in the summer in terms of
28:31
the new training ground is going to, well, sorry, the upgraded
28:33
new Carrington is coming. The vibes around the training
28:37
ground, the club, the fans, the summer you go into it, refresh
28:41
the big energy. Yeah, it's a big boost,
28:43
absolutely. You'd say for us, getting into
28:45
the Champions League is bigger and for Tottenham winning a
28:48
trophy is bigger. I agree.
28:49
Tomorrow night, yeah. Yeah.
28:50
Well. Trophies.
28:51
Obviously we still love the trophy.
28:52
You don't dismiss a trophy and a European trophy as well.
28:54
You don't dismiss that now, huge honour.
28:56
But actually the biggest prize on offer for us is the Champions
28:59
League. Yeah, for them, given the number
29:01
of years they've gone without a trophy, it'd be the trophy.
29:04
I mean, even the trophy count, I mean that we are second Europa.
29:07
And you know, seeing as everyone's obsessed with now
29:10
with trophy count versus Liverpool, we need.
29:12
It I love a trophy, yeah, I love a cup.
29:14
Comp How can how can you not enjoy your?
29:16
You saw my stats the other day about how many cup finals we've
29:19
been in and how blessed we. Are and the records?
29:21
Given how poor we've been over a number of years now, you don't.
29:24
You never dismiss a trophy. But the importance for me, the
29:27
Champions League is the bigger prize.
29:29
Yeah, I agree. Run, run.
29:30
Tell us how we're going to win the game.
29:31
What's your prediction? Will we go for 2/1 in 90
29:36
minutes? It's going to be, it's going to
29:38
be tight. I mean, it's going to be.
29:40
So who's scoring? We know who's getting the.
29:41
Winner, We'll take the lead I'm going to go for.
29:45
Casamiro set piece from a Bruno free kick.
29:49
I'm going to go for. Luke Shore bang ads love it.
29:52
It's open the scoring. Is he going to cut him from
29:54
right wing back or from number? 10 from right wing back.
29:58
If you're going to go bend it top corner or going to hit low
30:00
hard. Low hard into low hard.
30:02
I like that the car a week on that nearby.
30:06
I think Tottenham do score goals so then they'll come back.
30:09
Solanke or Son or Brendan Johnson at the FAR Post.
30:12
Do you know Solanke worries me? He's always used to have a goal
30:15
in. Him, you know what, against us
30:17
as well, Bournemouth, even last season.
30:21
I think Brendan Johns is sneaking by Luke Shaw because
30:23
he's had too many kebabs last night.
30:25
A little tap in the winning goal.
30:26
It's got to be my man with Harry.
30:28
I'm. Going for Bruno, Bruno.
30:29
Bruno. Bad play.
30:31
Yeah. The two one penalty, I think
30:34
you'll swing all out, screamer top, corner top.
30:37
Corner off the bar and. In we're talking about moments
30:40
This this could well be the Bruno final.
30:42
Yeah, yeah. I think that's a great show,
30:44
actually, the Bruno final, I mean, it'll be fitting as well
30:47
for all the criticism that he's got as being captain this season
30:52
we'll bring. Scott back on the pod to Husky.
30:54
I'm not going to get Roy keen on.
30:56
Let's, let's win the final. We'll bring him back.
30:58
His job back his job. What about you, Steve?
31:01
Yeah, I mean, I went last night, I went 2-1 in extra time.
31:06
So I think 10 win the 90 and then we'll win it an extra time.
31:08
Then we're all going for similar vibe and tight and then we win
31:11
it, right. You said, you said pedal is you
31:13
said. I said 21 but I think Spurs will
31:15
get the first goal because that's what we do.
31:18
We do concede. First, then we will need the
31:20
CPR. Yeah, yeah.
31:24
It's beautiful out here. Great little discussion.
31:28
The team's now giving me a lot of positivity.
31:30
We've got the news about Xerxe, Euro, Dalo.
31:33
I think it's going to be an easy to absolutely boys, it's going
31:37
to be wonderful. It's fair.
31:39
We won't need the. CPR in that case.
31:40
Exactly, it's the vitamin D. For me, everything is, is, is,
31:44
is feeling more positive, yeah. Every I can feel the.
31:47
Slowly getting more positive if you.
31:49
Look at it on the face of it, as I said to their two best players
31:52
are out. You know, if we, if we took an
31:54
Adam Bruin out of our team, we'd be so worried.
31:58
If you take, you know, two of their best players out from an
32:00
attacking perspective, that's huge.
32:03
Got and they've got an Australian manager.
32:04
You can't know anything about football, surely.
32:06
It's actually. A bit similar to yours.
32:08
Yeah, if it was a cricket match then you know, I'd be a bit
32:12
worried. A bit of leg spin, bit of a
32:13
gooey Dom Solanke probably is, you know, pretty good on the
32:16
front. And the fact it's Spurs as well,
32:20
right? Reuben, I trust Reuben.
32:22
Reuben's going to carry us, carry us through.
32:24
Did we add a little discussion with some United fans and they
32:27
were criticising all the players and you know, they're not good
32:30
enough. How we how we going to win or
32:32
Reuben's going to carry us through and.
32:34
Let's not forget. Reuben and the.
32:36
As poor as we've been, they're not exactly a very good team
32:39
either, are they? Yeah, that's it, Spurs.
32:41
Exactly. That's the key, right?
32:43
Print the T-shirt. Yeah, I think, I think we'll
32:45
wrap it up there. The service today has been
32:48
impeccable. Peter Pan's Concio service.
32:51
Cannot wait. Looking forward to any AOB
32:54
before we wrap up. Anyone got anything?
32:56
We should just take if you just step out the way for a second.
32:58
Look at this view. Look at.
32:59
This check it out. It's what any of should be
33:02
doing. Look at this.