Bitches, More Glitches!

[00:00:00] Manchester is red, violets are blue. What a performance! But the Oscar goes to… Welcome to The Corner Flag, I'm Amogh.

[00:00:09] And I'm Mukesh.

[00:00:16] Yeah! Mukesh is back on the pod! Why are you making these faces Mukesh? Why?

[00:00:23] There is some background works that I don't appreciate.

[00:00:26] That's okay. The wonderful nature of technology is that all of that will be magically erased out.

[00:00:33] Or it won't, in which case Mukesh is at fault.

[00:00:36] But that's what you get for watching a free YouTube-slash-Apple Podcast-slash-Spotify show.

[00:00:44] We are not professionals.

[00:00:46] And I think people are… that's the charm of this podcast.

[00:00:49] That is…

[00:00:50] It's the rustic charm.

[00:00:53] Sometimes there is a fun in the world.

[00:00:56] Yeah.

[00:00:57] What is happening man? You've been away for a while, your sister got married.

[00:01:01] When is your turn coming?

[00:01:02] Oh my God, Amogh, please.

[00:01:04] Not only am I sick… I'm sick of every part of that sentence.

[00:01:07] Talking about weddings, talking about my sister's wedding, thinking about it,

[00:01:11] then being asked the question about my own wedding, and just weddings in general.

[00:01:16] I'm sick of everything. I am sleep deprived.

[00:01:19] I am so happy to be back in Bombay.

[00:01:21] Like the minute I smelled Bombay's stutty smell when I landed, the first time, I think in 25 days I smelled it.

[00:01:27] I was like, ah, home, sweet home.

[00:01:30] Yeah.

[00:01:30] I was so happy to be back.

[00:01:32] Awesome.

[00:01:32] Am I…

[00:01:34] Nonsense.

[00:01:34] Have I joined the ranks of your family?

[00:01:38] Do I consider myself as family now and asking you when you're getting married?

[00:01:41] Hey, when is… when is you… when are you giving us good news?

[00:01:45] Yeah.

[00:01:46] You know how they say friends of family and I'm like, that's not actually a compliment.

[00:01:50] Yeah, it's not…

[00:01:51] It's not…

[00:01:52] It's not a compliment.

[00:01:53] And because I hate you, I will keep asking you this from time to time, not just in this episode, but in life.

[00:02:00] Oh no, which is…

[00:02:02] Oh no.

[00:02:03] Yeah.

[00:02:03] Yeah.

[00:02:04] Yeah.

[00:02:05] I'm the only one in the podcast who turns up at some level at least.

[00:02:08] That is true.

[00:02:09] That is true.

[00:02:11] We are currently operating at 50% capacity, but I would have you know, I would have you

[00:02:16] know Mukesh, that while you were away and while the rest of them were also away, I was

[00:02:20] still doing this podcast with a bunch of very, very nice guests who were kind enough

[00:02:25] to join in.

[00:02:27] Listen, Ringo Starr keeps performing.

[00:02:29] It doesn't mean the Beatles are bad.

[00:02:32] I don't care what you say about me today because after yesterday's game, I think nothing

[00:02:40] can bring me down.

[00:02:41] Nothing.

[00:02:41] Nothing can bring me down.

[00:02:43] I mean, let's just fucking get into it man.

[00:02:47] Man City 1, Man United 2.

[00:02:51] The derby has been one.

[00:02:54] Ruben Amirim has bested Pep Guardiola twice in two months.

[00:02:58] One with Sporting and one with Man United.

[00:03:02] And Sporting was a better team.

[00:03:04] That's the best part.

[00:03:07] Try, try.

[00:03:08] Please, please try putting in as many digs as you can.

[00:03:11] It's not going to work.

[00:03:12] It's not going to work.

[00:03:13] No, I'm actually very happy Man United won.

[00:03:15] You have no idea.

[00:03:16] I was very shamelessly supporting Man United to the point.

[00:03:22] Wait, wait, wait.

[00:03:23] There is no shame in supporting Man United.

[00:03:25] There is shame in supporting Man City.

[00:03:27] That's the one that you're talking about.

[00:03:28] There is genuine shame in supporting Man City.

[00:03:31] There is very little shame.

[00:03:32] I'll give you that in supporting Man United.

[00:03:34] Not as much as supporting Man City.

[00:03:36] But you can.

[00:03:37] You can support Man United.

[00:03:39] It's fine.

[00:03:40] Yes.

[00:03:41] So, I was very much rooting for it to the point.

[00:03:44] My girl was like, wait, isn't this a team that you hate?

[00:03:46] And I was like, it's complicated.

[00:03:48] Who are in Season 34?

[00:03:49] You will not understand what's happening.

[00:03:51] I can't explain the geopolitics of football.

[00:03:55] Explaining geopolitics of football to better halves is an adventure sport in itself.

[00:04:00] Yeah.

[00:04:01] It's very complicated.

[00:04:02] It can be very dangerous.

[00:04:04] And the result may outcome in depth.

[00:04:07] Yeah.

[00:04:08] It all started in Qatar one day.

[00:04:12] I'm like, that story ended with that statement.

[00:04:14] Yeah.

[00:04:15] But yes, what a fantastic game though.

[00:04:18] Guardiola giving Man City the lead early on.

[00:04:21] Again, a set piece.

[00:04:22] Much like how Arsenal broke through Man United earlier on in the last week.

[00:04:28] It was again a set piece that undid Man United in this one.

[00:04:32] But overall, I felt like the performance from Man United was much better.

[00:04:35] Man City, again, their performance was not great.

[00:04:39] They were not as decisive as we have known Man City to be over the last few years.

[00:04:44] And the wider malaise that they're going through right now with having, what, one win in the last 10-11 games.

[00:04:53] It's showing in their performance.

[00:04:55] You know, it is showing in how the players are reacting to situations.

[00:04:59] They're making mistakes that you don't expect AI-generated robots to make.

[00:05:06] It's weird.

[00:05:07] But this is a glitch in the matrix.

[00:05:10] Yeah.

[00:05:10] It's so beautiful to see.

[00:05:12] It is.

[00:05:13] Yeah, it is fantastic.

[00:05:14] Yeah, it's all those things.

[00:05:14] You always think of glitch in the matrix as a bad thing.

[00:05:17] And I'm like, no, no, no.

[00:05:18] More glitches, please.

[00:05:19] Yeah.

[00:05:20] Bitches, more glitches.

[00:05:23] That's the title of the episode, Clipping Bag.

[00:05:27] But no, it was, it was, it was, it, I actually honestly had told people around me that I feel like United are going to nick it.

[00:05:36] Because of the performance.

[00:05:37] Yeah?

[00:05:37] Yeah, yeah.

[00:05:38] I was very confident that United will do something in this game.

[00:05:42] Like they will upset Man City in a certain way.

[00:05:46] It will be a very hard fought one.

[00:05:51] It will be towards the end.

[00:05:52] Maybe it'll be a draw, but we'll get a result out of this game for sure.

[00:05:57] Just purely going by what City have been doing over the last few weeks.

[00:06:00] Yeah.

[00:06:01] And the evidence of there being a new manager bounce at United.

[00:06:05] I know that we've also had two defeats under Amirim and even the victories that we've had haven't been decisive victories.

[00:06:12] But they have been victories nonetheless.

[00:06:13] But overall, there is a difference in the system.

[00:06:18] There is, there is some sort of progress that is kind of showing.

[00:06:23] And all of that kind of made me think that yes, there is a possibility that we will edge this.

[00:06:28] So I was 100% sure that it'll be a draw.

[00:06:31] And exactly what you said that someone will score first, but there will be a goal in the last 10 minutes or something, which will make it a draw.

[00:06:38] Yeah.

[00:06:39] That City does it, United does it.

[00:06:40] I was so sure about it, but I could not have predicted the script.

[00:06:43] This felt very much like that classic Champions League final of United where Soosha was the hero.

[00:06:51] Yeah.

[00:06:51] It was two minutes quick goals.

[00:06:53] And the whole game, honestly, I was texting on the group also saying this is so boring to watch.

[00:06:58] Yeah.

[00:06:59] But in the end, like it was incredibly exciting.

[00:07:04] Yeah.

[00:07:05] I mean, to be fair, like till much later in the game, Addison had nothing to do.

[00:07:09] Right?

[00:07:10] Like it was, I think one, one shot from Ahmad that he had to save, which was his first save of the match, which came at about, I think 55, 60, 65, maybe minutes.

[00:07:18] So he had pretty much nothing to do throughout the game.

[00:07:23] The other person who had pretty much nothing to do throughout the game was Erling Haaland because Harry Maguire just kept him in his pocket.

[00:07:30] No shots on target for Erling Haaland.

[00:07:33] Just feel that statement again and relish.

[00:07:35] Right?

[00:07:35] Right?

[00:07:36] Because like...

[00:07:37] Harry Maguire kept Erling Haaland in his pocket.

[00:07:42] Oh, yes.

[00:07:43] The amount of aerial duels that Slabhead won.

[00:07:47] Oh my God.

[00:07:49] Like this is the best redemption arc football has ever seen.

[00:07:54] Like this is fucking Pushpa rising from the ashes.

[00:07:57] I haven't seen Pushpa.

[00:07:58] I don't know if there is rising from the ashes that happens in that movie.

[00:08:01] You know, South Indian movies better than I do.

[00:08:03] I've seen it.

[00:08:04] So it's a very apt metaphor.

[00:08:05] Yeah?

[00:08:06] Correct.

[00:08:06] Then fucking Harry Maguire is the Pushpa of our generation.

[00:08:10] Fucking beautiful.

[00:08:11] Pushpa wears a saree but still.

[00:08:13] That's fine.

[00:08:14] That's fine.

[00:08:14] Harry Maguire does it.

[00:08:17] Do we call him Saree Maguire?

[00:08:21] God, his bag is back, baby.

[00:08:24] Oh, I missed this so much.

[00:08:26] I missed this so fucking much.

[00:08:28] No, I mean all the guests that came on.

[00:08:31] All great guys.

[00:08:32] We'll have you on again.

[00:08:33] Very thankful that you came on.

[00:08:34] Not the same Sur.

[00:08:35] Sur is not the same.

[00:08:37] But yes, it was a fantastic performance from Harry Maguire.

[00:08:42] It was a complete performance.

[00:08:45] Manuel Lugarte played like a fucking beast.

[00:08:47] Shades of Jee Sung Park marking Andrea Perlo back then.

[00:08:51] You know, like very, very focused on his job.

[00:08:54] Kept Kevin De Bruyne quiet.

[00:08:55] Ahmad Diallo is again just on fire under Ruben Amirim.

[00:09:01] But let's talk about the decision of leaving players out that Amirim took.

[00:09:05] Because Garnacho and Rashford were not even in the squad.

[00:09:09] Yeah.

[00:09:10] So tell me about that.

[00:09:11] Was that injury concerns?

[00:09:12] Was that like, what was it?

[00:09:13] It wasn't disciplinary.

[00:09:14] It wasn't injury.

[00:09:15] He said that it is because he looks at everything.

[00:09:20] He looks at how the players eat, how they interact with their teammates,

[00:09:24] what clothes they wear when they're coming for a match,

[00:09:27] how they conduct themselves, how they play in training.

[00:09:30] And basis on all of that, they were not, you know, available for selection.

[00:09:35] But next week is a new week.

[00:09:37] If they apply themselves in training, they'll be in the squad.

[00:09:40] So he's made it very clear.

[00:09:42] It doesn't matter who you are or how important you think you are.

[00:09:45] If you're not playing up to the standards that he's going to set,

[00:09:48] you're going to be out.

[00:09:49] In fact, there's rumors now.

[00:09:51] And I would say more than rumors.

[00:09:53] There's, you know, clear reports now that Rashford is going to be put up.

[00:09:57] On sale in the, in the winter transfer window.

[00:10:00] Oh, wow.

[00:10:01] If not.

[00:10:02] Yeah.

[00:10:02] So there is a, there is a possibility that we might move Rashford on.

[00:10:07] And I think that's fair.

[00:10:09] It's sad because it's sad because he's an academy product.

[00:10:12] He's played really well for United over the years, but his,

[00:10:17] his consistency hasn't been the same.

[00:10:19] He's gone through so many managers who've just not been able to get the

[00:10:22] right tune out of him.

[00:10:23] Yeah.

[00:10:24] And if now I'm saying that he is finding it hard to live up to the standards,

[00:10:30] then it makes sense to say,

[00:10:31] him because that will be pure profit.

[00:10:33] It helps us in FFP.

[00:10:35] Yeah.

[00:10:35] And go to a place where the standards are lower or the expectations are lower

[00:10:38] because I think, I think the only thing in defense of Rashford is probably

[00:10:45] that he was overworked during the Solskjaer era.

[00:10:48] But I think, because I think he had a back injury and despite that he was,

[00:10:52] he was forced to play.

[00:10:53] Yeah.

[00:10:54] But other than that, I don't see, like, I think he's gotten the longest rope.

[00:10:58] Yeah.

[00:10:58] Than any other United player.

[00:11:00] Not even, you know, Fernandes.

[00:11:02] Yeah.

[00:11:02] Fernandes.

[00:11:03] Fernandes.

[00:11:05] I think the idea that, oh, you know, let's be easier on him.

[00:11:09] He has crazy expectations.

[00:11:10] I think that's a little unfair on every other player considering like Harry Maguire

[00:11:13] has managed to give himself a redemption after everything that he's been through.

[00:11:18] Yeah, exactly.

[00:11:18] He was in jail.

[00:11:19] Harry Maguire was in jail.

[00:11:23] He was captain and then he wasn't captain.

[00:11:25] He was in jail.

[00:11:26] He was called his fucking slab head.

[00:11:28] He was called all the names in the world.

[00:11:30] I feel him being called Pushpa might be the biggest impression.

[00:11:34] But, but yeah, fantastic stuff.

[00:11:36] I think I would, I'm just very, very happy that we ended up with the three points in the way that we did.

[00:11:43] Because, because, because if, if United lost to this game, then the narrative would be very different.

[00:11:51] Yeah.

[00:11:52] And it would be very easy for fans and the media and media to definitely would because they all want a United story.

[00:11:59] To turn on him.

[00:12:00] Like what are you doing?

[00:12:01] He didn't put in any squad, Rashford,

[00:12:03] he didn't put in any squad.

[00:12:04] Of course, again, City are going to lose.

[00:12:06] You don't have any attacking options.

[00:12:08] But the fact that they got the victory has vindicated his decision.

[00:12:11] And I think that puts him on a very strong position going forward and dealing with this squad.

[00:12:18] No, for sure.

[00:12:19] I think the least happy person in all of Manchester when that second goal was scored was probably Rashford,

[00:12:27] closely followed by Garnacho.

[00:12:29] Yeah.

[00:12:29] Because I'm sure he was like, see, this is what happens with you.

[00:12:32] You don't put me in a squad.

[00:12:33] I could have been there.

[00:12:33] And even the commentators were saying, and a lot of Twitter talk was saying that,

[00:12:36] which is what I agree with you, which is that maybe if Rashford was there,

[00:12:40] Yeah.

[00:12:40] Right?

[00:12:40] Against a tired Walker, against a tired Guardiola, etc.

[00:12:45] He could have done the running.

[00:12:47] Even just a straight line running with some streaky pass by Fennendry might have pulled off a winner,

[00:12:52] but you really need that.

[00:12:54] But do you think that luck saved Amirim?

[00:13:00] Or do you think that it was the right call to miss out on Garnacho?

[00:13:05] Because I feel like Garnacho has also been slightly in form a little bit, if I'm not wrong.

[00:13:09] Yeah.

[00:13:09] You know, he's also not been in as scintillating form as Ahmad.

[00:13:13] Right?

[00:13:14] Like Garnacho, he's got the capabilities to create attacks and create goal scoring opportunities.

[00:13:20] But the one big criticism that everybody has about Garnacho this season is that his decision making is very poor.

[00:13:27] Like when there is a pass available, when there is a teammate in a better scoring position,

[00:13:31] Garnacho will still try and take the shot himself.

[00:13:34] Hmm.

[00:13:34] And six times out of 10, it will not work out.

[00:13:39] And those are not great odds.

[00:13:40] So that is a little bit frustrating.

[00:13:43] And you can't afford that against City.

[00:13:45] Yeah, you can't.

[00:13:46] You can't.

[00:13:47] You can't.

[00:13:48] So in this game, you had Ahmad on the right wing back position.

[00:13:51] You had Dalo on the left wing back position.

[00:13:53] Mazraoui was also from centre defence going up and helping an attack as well.

[00:13:59] So that was good.

[00:14:01] Like there was still good attacking balance in the team.

[00:14:04] And Hoyland is the best striker available at Amirim's disposal.

[00:14:12] So it's disposable.

[00:14:14] Yeah.

[00:14:15] There's only one disposable person here and that is Luke Shaw.

[00:14:20] He should go.

[00:14:20] He should play.

[00:14:23] But yeah, so I think it was a good decision.

[00:14:25] And performance wise also, I felt like City were not at the races as people would expect

[00:14:35] them to be, which made the job slightly easier for United.

[00:14:38] Not saying that United's performance was absolutely flawless.

[00:14:41] It wasn't a great performance.

[00:14:42] Like you said, it seemed like a very boring derby when you started watching it.

[00:14:46] Yeah.

[00:14:47] For the first 60-65 minutes, it was very boring.

[00:14:49] Yeah.

[00:14:49] But they still turned up.

[00:14:52] They were still pressing.

[00:14:53] They were still fighting for the balls.

[00:14:54] They were still making the right decisions in their passing.

[00:14:58] In the second half, they started having control of possession as well.

[00:15:01] And they kept pushing City.

[00:15:03] You know, they kept pushing City back.

[00:15:04] And eventually the opportunities opened up and then they took it.

[00:15:07] So yeah, it was...

[00:15:09] I think they played really well and they were alert enough to expect a mistake from City,

[00:15:15] which I think maybe a previous Manchester United side might not have...

[00:15:19] They would have been a little shocked.

[00:15:20] And it's what you said about Garnaccio, right?

[00:15:22] Yeah.

[00:15:23] They would have been shocked and made a poor decision.

[00:15:25] Like I did think it was incredible that they pounced on Nunes.

[00:15:30] Yeah.

[00:15:30] Not Nunes.

[00:15:33] Matheus Nunesh.

[00:15:34] Matheus Nunesh.

[00:15:35] Nunesh.

[00:15:36] I think they pounced on that perfectly.

[00:15:38] Like they forced the crap out of a penalty.

[00:15:40] Yeah.

[00:15:40] It sort of like sealed the game for me.

[00:15:42] Like you knew once that penalty was scored, City were not going to score another one.

[00:15:46] Yeah.

[00:15:47] And then it was incredible that they forced another error.

[00:15:50] Yeah.

[00:15:50] What do you think about Kyle Walker's performance though?

[00:15:52] Let's talk about that because that was a big talking point.

[00:15:55] Which one?

[00:15:55] Which performance?

[00:15:56] I mean both were shaped.

[00:15:57] Yes.

[00:15:58] No, not the footballing performance.

[00:15:59] That too is irrelevant I feel.

[00:16:02] But him going down so dramatically after Hoyland squares up to him was frankly just embarrassing.

[00:16:10] It was embarrassing.

[00:16:11] The acting was still better than the defending I would say.

[00:16:13] Yeah.

[00:16:14] Yeah.

[00:16:14] Fair.

[00:16:15] Because until the replays came I believe something happened.

[00:16:18] So I guess.

[00:16:18] Yeah.

[00:16:19] To sell that performance in that pitch was nice.

[00:16:21] Yeah.

[00:16:22] Yeah.

[00:16:23] But it was great for Hoyland to actually call him out on that on social media.

[00:16:27] Like it was great.

[00:16:27] And Kyle Walker also replied to that saying unacceptable.

[00:16:30] No Kyle, what's unacceptable is you falling like a pack of cards after being given a titch key by another player.

[00:16:36] Like if you haven't seen so much.

[00:16:38] This I haven't seen Kyle Walker saying unacceptable.

[00:16:42] Yeah.

[00:16:42] In fact I would be like, dude take the joke.

[00:16:44] It's done.

[00:16:45] Like you know?

[00:16:45] Yeah.

[00:16:45] Like take the hit.

[00:16:47] Like this is one of those moments the best thing you can do is just take the hit, laugh it off and go on.

[00:16:51] Yeah.

[00:16:52] Oh man.

[00:16:53] But disgraceful.

[00:16:54] Disgraceful.

[00:16:55] Absolutely.

[00:16:56] Emance on both levels.

[00:16:57] Yeah.

[00:16:57] By Kyle Walker.

[00:16:58] I mean, in the immortal words of Erling Haaland, stay humble.

[00:17:03] Stay humble.

[00:17:04] Stay humble.

[00:17:05] That's all that matters.

[00:17:06] Stay humble.

[00:17:07] But on the other side in the title race, Liverpool dropped points as well.

[00:17:12] 2-2 against Fulham.

[00:17:14] You are very happy as a Liverpool fan because City didn't get any points at all.

[00:17:19] Yeah.

[00:17:19] But now, there is a new title challenger in the mix in Chelsea.

[00:17:25] We'll get to Chelsea in a bit.

[00:17:27] But Liverpool's performance, let's talk about that.

[00:17:29] Are things starting to look a little shaky for Arnes Lott in Liverpool?

[00:17:32] I think it was Connate's injury against Real Madrid that has really derailed them a little bit.

[00:17:37] Because, you know, before that they were known for being a tight team that doesn't concede too many goals.

[00:17:41] In the two games that Connate has not been there, they've conceded five goals.

[00:17:44] Yeah.

[00:17:45] Right?

[00:17:45] That's three against Newcastle and two against Fulham.

[00:17:48] Yeah.

[00:17:48] Which is like, both of them are very good teams and you expect to concede a goal or two, but I think five between two games across these two teams is too many.

[00:17:55] Yeah.

[00:17:55] That's, I think, three goals too many.

[00:17:57] So, I think that's because, one, the defense has been leaky.

[00:18:01] Connate has been good, their partnership.

[00:18:03] They have a set communication now with Joe Gomez coming in, Kwanzaa coming in.

[00:18:07] It's derailed the communication a little bit and it causes people to do very stupid things.

[00:18:12] Yeah.

[00:18:12] So, I don't think it's...

[00:18:14] Because I think Arnes Lott's game management was incredible.

[00:18:18] Right?

[00:18:18] I think when he was reduced to, I think, nine outfield players, he made it a 3-3-3 and said,

[00:18:23] you guys still fucking attack.

[00:18:25] We're not, you know, we're not going to be like, oh, soak in the pressure, none of that.

[00:18:29] Yeah.

[00:18:30] Which I thought was incredible.

[00:18:31] And I think when they had gone up to one, he threw all four attackers.

[00:18:35] There was like no signs of slowing down.

[00:18:37] I think he was very clear what the instruction was.

[00:18:40] And I think he threw Raven Birch as his center back and said, you guys work extra hard.

[00:18:43] So, I think Slott himself is doing well.

[00:18:45] It's just lack of resources and injury to Kido resources.

[00:18:49] Yeah.

[00:18:50] But I think Slott himself, I'm very impressed with.

[00:18:53] And now I don't know if it's because the kid who I expected to get like 60 or 100 is getting 80 or 100.

[00:18:57] And I'm like, what a guy.

[00:18:59] What a guy.

[00:19:00] Yeah.

[00:19:00] But I actually think it was, I would say it's pretty much Robertson's mistake.

[00:19:05] Like, you know, it's just tired legs.

[00:19:07] Yeah.

[00:19:07] I think maybe those legs are gone.

[00:19:10] Like, you know.

[00:19:10] Are you saying that Robertson's time at Liverpool is up or he's declining?

[00:19:15] Like his career is on the decline now?

[00:19:18] He is very much, him and Bataru Endo come on at the 65th minute.

[00:19:23] Right.

[00:19:24] I think he, you know, those are two guaranteed substitutions.

[00:19:26] One in the midfield, one in the defense.

[00:19:29] Yeah.

[00:19:30] But they're definitely substitutions at 65th minute.

[00:19:33] They are not starters.

[00:19:35] Yeah.

[00:19:35] Robertson is, I think, only starting because, you know, you can't use Joe Gomez because Konate

[00:19:41] is not there.

[00:19:41] I think that's the only reason he's pretty much starting.

[00:19:44] Right.

[00:19:45] So, Kon Simicas is injured.

[00:19:47] In January, I think the best thing to do is we have two left backs that are available

[00:19:52] who are world class, by the way.

[00:19:53] Luke Shaw and Terrell Grascia.

[00:19:55] Luke Shaw.

[00:19:55] Correct.

[00:19:56] Fantastic left backs.

[00:19:58] Take two at one price.

[00:19:59] Between both of them, they have one good leg.

[00:20:01] Yeah.

[00:20:03] I mean, if we can get one of Robertson's legs, you know.

[00:20:06] Yeah.

[00:20:06] We can create one compact.

[00:20:07] You know how like three kids go into a bar on top of each other on a tencourt.

[00:20:12] And they're not equally sure.

[00:20:13] They're not too tall.

[00:20:15] Yeah.

[00:20:16] So, three left backs.

[00:20:17] Yeah.

[00:20:18] Put three left backs together in a gunny race and make them as one left back and that

[00:20:22] would be great.

[00:20:23] Yeah.

[00:20:23] So, this is clearly a Robertson mistake.

[00:20:25] Much like how Nunes mistake in a City United game.

[00:20:28] This was clearly a Robertson game.

[00:20:30] United, Liverpool should have clearly won this game.

[00:20:33] It should have been a 2-1 to Liverpool.

[00:20:35] Unfortunately, it became a 2-2.

[00:20:38] Yeah.

[00:20:39] But yeah.

[00:20:40] I mean, good to see Jota back.

[00:20:42] Yeah.

[00:20:43] Because Nunes is again, he needs to go.

[00:20:46] It's done.

[00:20:47] It's done, alright?

[00:20:48] Yeah.

[00:20:49] Tired of the chaos theory of Darwin Nunes.

[00:20:52] Tired of the chaos theory.

[00:20:53] Tired of the lack of composure.

[00:20:54] Yeah.

[00:20:55] I'm like, you're still an elite footballer, dude.

[00:20:57] Compose yourself, relax.

[00:20:58] But here's the thing, right?

[00:21:00] I don't think he knows he's an elite footballer.

[00:21:03] I don't know.

[00:21:04] I think in his head, he's still playing with his friends.

[00:21:08] Yeah.

[00:21:09] On the streets.

[00:21:10] Yeah.

[00:21:11] I think he doesn't have bigger football pitches.

[00:21:13] He doesn't have bigger football goals.

[00:21:15] Yeah.

[00:21:15] Sometimes he's playing them 5-3, 5-5 in the street.

[00:21:18] Yeah.

[00:21:19] He's still thinking that the goal is between two backpacks.

[00:21:23] Yup.

[00:21:25] Exactly.

[00:21:25] You know.

[00:21:27] And he still thinks that if he doesn't score some like in some favela, some Marsha Donald

[00:21:32] come put a dunk to his head.

[00:21:35] You just people like chant.

[00:21:37] Yeah.

[00:21:38] Yeah.

[00:21:38] From 100 feet away.

[00:21:39] That's probably the worst thing.

[00:21:40] I mean, I wouldn't put it past him to actually think that because his teammate

[00:21:44] made Luis Diaz's father kidnap.

[00:21:46] That's like, you know, he's like, whoa, shit does get real here.

[00:21:52] I think he plays for the Liverpool and Uruguay, which probably has some mafia connections.

[00:21:57] He doesn't know that he's playing for the British one.

[00:21:59] So I think Nunez and Robertson need to go.

[00:22:03] Replacements need to be bought.

[00:22:04] Yeah.

[00:22:05] So that to me, if like, okay, here's my prediction.

[00:22:09] If in January, there are no replacements for left back and a midfielder or an attacker,

[00:22:18] at least a midfielder, if not a full fledged attacker, Liverpool is coming a comfortable

[00:22:22] second and third.

[00:22:24] Right?

[00:22:24] Comfortable?

[00:22:25] I would love for United to come a comfortable second or third.

[00:22:29] No, no, no.

[00:22:29] I mean, if the talk is about them being title-channels, which I think it says a lot.

[00:22:33] Right.

[00:22:35] I would say it comes down to exactly those two positions.

[00:22:38] The strike, the 88 million striker and the washed legs of left back from Hull City.

[00:22:44] 5 million.

[00:22:46] So, you know, it balances itself out, I guess, in a way.

[00:22:51] But yes, the big threat of course to Liverpool right now is surprisingly coming from the 20,000

[00:22:56] players of Chelsea because Enzo Mareska is fucking weaving magic over there.

[00:23:01] Chelsea are currently second in the table, two points behind Liverpool.

[00:23:06] They've beaten Spurs 4-3 in the midweek and now over the weekend they beat Brentford 2-1.

[00:23:12] They just go on winning.

[00:23:15] Like all the banter that we had at the start of the season, like how many players are there?

[00:23:19] What is Mareska going to do with all of them?

[00:23:22] How has he treated Raheem Sterling?

[00:23:24] He's let Connor Gallagher go.

[00:23:27] Ben Chilwell is out.

[00:23:28] Who are all these kids?

[00:23:30] How are they going to perform?

[00:23:31] He's answered all those questions one by one.

[00:23:34] I know.

[00:23:34] I think what has actually helped him compared to any other manager before him is the fact

[00:23:40] that there is absolutely no pressure on him.

[00:23:44] Right?

[00:23:44] He was one of the few guys who gets to have a billion dollars and not have any pressure.

[00:23:49] Yeah.

[00:23:49] Which you think about it is actually the ideal life.

[00:23:51] That is the ideal life, right?

[00:23:52] I'm sure even Mukesh Ambani with all his riches has pressure.

[00:23:57] Like, he still has to deal with like, oh fuck, what will happen tomorrow?

[00:24:02] What will happen tomorrow?

[00:24:03] What will happen tomorrow?

[00:24:04] You know, Mareska has the ideal problem.

[00:24:06] Ben Chilwell, he's married to 15 crores on Anand's wedding,

[00:24:10] he turns out to be a fucking asshole.

[00:24:13] And we are fucked.

[00:24:14] Who's going to take over the company?

[00:24:16] So yeah, like I feel like, yeah, Mareska has no pressures.

[00:24:20] Yeah.

[00:24:20] So like, I mean, just speaking in terms of trends, like I do, I do think it's not a coincidence

[00:24:26] that the two managers who walked into big teams with minimal pressure,

[00:24:30] other managers are doing the best.

[00:24:33] Yeah.

[00:24:33] Because Slott looked like the most classic mid-table.

[00:24:39] He would be a comfortable 8th.

[00:24:42] Yeah.

[00:24:43] And Mareska looked like a comfortable 7th.

[00:24:45] He's just a foreign short daish.

[00:24:48] Yeah, something like that.

[00:24:49] Or worse, foreign, like even more, or another 10 hard.

[00:24:54] Yeah.

[00:24:54] You know?

[00:24:56] So like, but where is the managers with the most amount of pleasure?

[00:25:01] I love how in the middle of this, you still manage to take an indirect dig at Man United.

[00:25:06] And you said today's you will not be phased.

[00:25:09] Mukesh, when are you getting married?

[00:25:13] Phased for a phase.

[00:25:16] Yeah.

[00:25:17] But yeah, so I mean, he's doing really well at Chelsea.

[00:25:21] He's getting Jadon Sancho to perform as well.

[00:25:23] But disclaimer guys, a few good performances from Sancho doesn't mean he's the best player in the world

[00:25:29] and he was so right at leaving Man United.

[00:25:31] Look at that, how does the season go?

[00:25:32] We are just happy that because Chelsea are so high up in the table

[00:25:35] and they're going to perform in the, end up in the positions that the clause for Sancho's transfer needs them to end up in.

[00:25:43] We are getting paid.

[00:25:44] We are getting paid some big bucks.

[00:25:46] No, I tell you what is going to pay off for Chelsea, which makes, which also I bet on,

[00:25:49] I think in the beginning of the season when we spoke,

[00:25:52] which is that every squad right now, every top six, top eight squad needs thousand players.

[00:25:58] With a number of games.

[00:25:59] With a number of games.

[00:26:00] And they're the only team prepared for that outcome.

[00:26:03] Yeah.

[00:26:04] They're doing that in the conference league.

[00:26:06] They're playing a completely different squad.

[00:26:08] They have, I think every squad dreams of having two players for every position.

[00:26:12] They have three.

[00:26:12] Yeah.

[00:26:13] Right.

[00:26:13] So I think they're very well prepared and they're on course to win it

[00:26:16] and they will win it only because they are set for,

[00:26:22] they're set for the injury challenge that's going to hit them.

[00:26:24] But it's really not going to hit them because they're challenged.

[00:26:26] You can see by Jan, I think Liverpool will have three, two strikers, one midfielder

[00:26:31] and it's going to be a five V five.

[00:26:33] Hmm.

[00:26:34] And so I think it will catch up for United also at some point.

[00:26:38] Yeah.

[00:26:38] No, definitely.

[00:26:39] What do you mean catch up for United?

[00:26:41] We've had so many injuries all through.

[00:26:43] I mean catch up for Amurim in his style.

[00:26:45] Like he will, he will figure out a style.

[00:26:46] They will reach an equilibrium and then it will collapse.

[00:26:48] Yeah.

[00:26:49] That's already happened because Luke Shaw will come and get injured.

[00:26:54] Exactly.

[00:26:55] Mason Mount also in yesterday's game went off injured after coming back from a long injury.

[00:27:00] Tirel Malassia has come back but he is nowhere close to playing good football at all.

[00:27:05] It means he forgot how to play football.

[00:27:07] So that is that.

[00:27:09] Lenny Oro is also just coming back from injury so he's getting acclimatized.

[00:27:12] He's 19.

[00:27:13] Did you know that?

[00:27:14] Yeah, yeah.

[00:27:17] Would you accuse, suppose if you were trying to be politically incorrect, would you accuse

[00:27:22] of a wrong data entry, just a purely clerical error?

[00:27:26] No, no, he looks like a child.

[00:27:27] He looks like a child.

[00:27:28] He's just tall but he looks like a child only.

[00:27:30] He looks like a proper child.

[00:27:33] He has not grown up yet.

[00:27:35] True.

[00:27:35] But it will happen.

[00:27:36] All the flashy bling and all will come soon.

[00:27:38] It's not until now, which is a good place for-

[00:27:41] He just had a cast.

[00:27:43] He gets out of his own.

[00:27:46] From Tiffany and Cole.

[00:27:49] Yeah.

[00:27:49] He's a cast of Valencia.

[00:27:51] Yeah, that's the highest he's had.

[00:27:54] But yeah, well done, well done Chelsea.

[00:27:57] Arsenal also dropped points.

[00:27:59] Surprisingly 0-0 against Everton.

[00:28:02] If Akarsh was here, he would still be depressed because he's Akarsh.

[00:28:06] Yeah, that's true.

[00:28:08] I mean, Akarsh would be depressed even if Everton won the league.

[00:28:11] He would be like, so what?

[00:28:13] Yeah.

[00:28:13] It is still one title compared to everybody else's.

[00:28:17] Yeah.

[00:28:18] Yeah.

[00:28:21] I thought it was amazing because again, you know like,

[00:28:25] Arteta's playing a certain kind of football, which we call through this ball.

[00:28:29] Yeah.

[00:28:29] Right?

[00:28:29] Yeah.

[00:28:31] And like, Sean Dyche knows that.

[00:28:35] Yeah.

[00:28:35] He knows that game inside out.

[00:28:37] He fucking invented it.

[00:28:38] Yeah.

[00:28:38] Yeah.

[00:28:39] Right?

[00:28:39] He fucking perfected it.

[00:28:42] He is the heir.

[00:28:43] He is fucking Tom Hardy's bail man to Batman.

[00:28:47] He is fucking, you thought you were born in the dark.

[00:28:49] You merely adopted it.

[00:28:50] I was born in it.

[00:28:51] I was molded by it.

[00:28:53] Exactly.

[00:28:54] I think what Arteta is getting wrong is that, I think the kind of ball that he's playing,

[00:28:58] it probably works against attacking sides like say your cities and your Tottenham and your Liverpools.

[00:29:05] But you cannot go to the bottom, like any of the top bottom 10 teams and expect that strategy to work.

[00:29:11] One, it just produces boring ass football.

[00:29:13] Yeah.

[00:29:14] And second, you make your team so apprehensive.

[00:29:16] Like there's so many back passes.

[00:29:18] They're just waiting for corners.

[00:29:20] Yeah.

[00:29:20] Right?

[00:29:21] And Dyche knows how to fucking put corners away.

[00:29:25] Like there's Tarkovsky for a reason.

[00:29:26] Like there's no way.

[00:29:28] Yeah.

[00:29:28] Going to, I thought Arteta was very stupid.

[00:29:31] Yeah.

[00:29:32] I mean Arteta brought a fucking knife to a knife fight where the people, he is fighting against invented knives.

[00:29:41] Like, you know, it's like, it's like, yeah, I struggled a bit with that metaphor, but I got there in the end.

[00:29:49] Got there, eventually reached the destination.

[00:29:51] But like, Everton have conceded the least amount of goals.

[00:29:54] Like they've considered fewer goals than Man City this season.

[00:29:57] So they're clearly a very good defensive side.

[00:29:59] And if you are going to take just your haram police ball to this, it's not going to work and it didn't.

[00:30:06] But guys, trust the process.

[00:30:07] Trust the process because Arteta is the second coming of Jesus.

[00:30:11] So, you know, Arsenal is going to...

[00:30:13] 200 million more and maybe they can fix it.

[00:30:16] Yeah, absolutely.

[00:30:18] Very quickly, Spurs also beat Southampton comprehensively 4-0 up within the first, what, 25 minutes, eventually ending the game 5-0.

[00:30:26] Which resulted in Russell Martin getting the sack along with Gary O'Neal at Wolves as well.

[00:30:32] I will tell you what Russell Martin did well, right?

[00:30:37] In my head, they technically won 4-0 because everyone thought this was Southampton's 9-0 of the season.

[00:30:43] Yeah.

[00:30:44] Everybody saw it coming and everybody thought it.

[00:30:47] In Russell Martin's defence, he stopped 4 goals from being scored.

[00:30:50] That's true.

[00:30:51] That is the correct way of looking at it.

[00:30:53] Russell Martin, well done.

[00:30:54] You have actually defended 4 goals as opposed to let in 5.

[00:31:00] I was so shocked.

[00:31:01] I had a 9-10 goal.

[00:31:02] Dude, honestly, I was watching the match.

[00:31:04] I was watching the Premier League app.

[00:31:07] I was getting updates and I was like, oh fuck, this is a 9-0.

[00:31:09] This is incoming.

[00:31:10] Maybe this is the one where they go 10.

[00:31:12] Because with Postekoglu Spurs, anything can happen.

[00:31:17] Yeah.

[00:31:18] Anything can happen.

[00:31:18] It could be a 10-6 also.

[00:31:20] Like, you know, yeah.

[00:31:21] It could be a 10-6.

[00:31:22] But still, they will need it.

[00:31:23] Yeah.

[00:31:25] So, yeah.

[00:31:26] Well done.

[00:31:26] Well done, Russell Martin, for not letting more than 5 goals go.

[00:31:30] But unfortunately, you still paid for it with your job, which I think was coming

[00:31:34] because Southampton have been absolutely depressing this year.

[00:31:38] Yeah.

[00:31:38] I mean, it is the...

[00:31:40] I don't even know if they've had a victory.

[00:31:42] They've had maybe one...

[00:31:44] I'm not sure.

[00:31:45] They do, yeah.

[00:31:46] It's like Derby County, 2007, which season.

[00:31:50] Yeah.

[00:31:50] I'm not sure which season they were telling me.

[00:31:52] I feel bad for Gary O'Neal at Wolves though because I really like Gary O'Neal as a manager.

[00:31:57] He did such a good job at Bournemouth and then for him to be sacked, yes, of course,

[00:32:00] A. Raula has done a much better job at Bournemouth and he's taken them to the next level.

[00:32:04] But at Wolves also, his start at Wolves was quite good.

[00:32:07] Of course, this time around, it wasn't really working out.

[00:32:10] So, I guess it makes sense because the table doesn't lie.

[00:32:13] And I hope Gary O'Neal gets a good job.

[00:32:15] But with the way the Wolves players have been fighting with the staff of opposition teams

[00:32:21] and everything after games because this happened two games in a row,

[00:32:24] once with Mario Lemina, then second time with Matthias Cunha and Ryan Aitnuri in the last game.

[00:32:30] I feel like after Gary O'Neal, the next manager that Wolves need to appoint is Steve McMahon.

[00:32:38] Because clearly those players have a strength.

[00:32:41] They just need somebody to channel that strength.

[00:32:45] Steve McMahon, Triple H, Kurt Angle,

[00:32:47] all the players, Triple Threat match.

[00:32:49] Yup.

[00:32:50] They need someone to like,

[00:32:52] Yeah, I completely agree.

[00:32:53] And like, I think, I don't know, I feel like we've been missing a dirty team.

[00:32:58] Just a fucking dirty team that just, you know, like that just, it pokes a fan in the eye.

[00:33:04] And, you know, like, there are seven red cards.

[00:33:08] They fucking cause some ligament tears for fun.

[00:33:11] Yeah.

[00:33:11] Everton briefly was that team.

[00:33:13] Yeah.

[00:33:14] When Richarlison was playing for them and picked for his team.

[00:33:18] Yeah.

[00:33:18] But we've been missing that sort of a team in the Premier League.

[00:33:20] And I hope Wolves take up that spot.

[00:33:22] Yeah.

[00:33:23] Odds are that Solskjaer is going to be their next manager.

[00:33:26] So I don't think that will happen.

[00:33:27] He's the nicest guy around.

[00:33:28] He's going to make them like cute little teddy bears.

[00:33:31] Oh no.

[00:33:32] Are you, are you, what would your relationship be with Wolves?

[00:33:35] Oh, I'd love it.

[00:33:36] I'd love it.

[00:33:38] I'd love it.

[00:33:39] I'd love it if Solskjaer got into Wolves and saved them from relegation in his first season.

[00:33:43] Fuck!

[00:33:44] That would be great.

[00:33:45] I think he can do it also.

[00:33:46] I think he can do it also.

[00:33:47] Yeah, Odds is a very doable,

[00:33:49] because Southampton has taken one spot.

[00:33:51] So that's good.

[00:33:52] West Ham probably have taken the other because they've still not sacked Lopetegui,

[00:33:55] which is just astonishing.

[00:33:58] But yeah, it would be great if Solskjaer...

[00:34:01] So I guess this technology is avoiding one spot, which is a very doable task.

[00:34:06] Yeah.

[00:34:06] Right.

[00:34:07] On that note, it is time to end this episode.

[00:34:08] Thank you so much everybody for listening to The Corner Flag.

[00:34:11] If you'd like to get in touch with us and tell us what you thought of this episode

[00:34:14] or of any of our nonsense, you can reach us on our social media.

[00:34:17] You can find Mukesh on Instagram at...

[00:34:20] Mukesh Manjanath.

[00:34:21] And you can find me on Instagram at Amugran Diwe.

[00:34:24] You can also follow The Corner Flag on Instagram at cornerflagpod.

[00:34:27] Subscribe to our YouTube channel, which is youtube.com slash at the rate cornerflagpod

[00:34:30] or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts from.

[00:34:35] Shout out to Kezat Gherda for composing our theme tune.

[00:34:38] And until next week, it is goodbye from us.

[00:34:39] Say bye, Mukesh.

[00:34:41] Bye, guys.

[00:34:41] Bye, Mukesh.

[00:34:42] And it's bye from me.