I can't believe there's even pressure on Michael Carrick. I mean, I guess it's expectation, right? Ultimately, Manchester United are third and I think they will still finish third. Um although a lot can happen between now and the end of the season. Maybe the last couple of games haven't been great. Football is Friday. Adipo alongside Flex. I want to give you a crazy stat. Uh we are going to focus a lot on United. Obviously, you're here flex, but Chelsea um since the start of March, no team in Europe's big five leagues have lost more games in all competitions than Chelsea. Isn't that crazy? They're on a shocking run.

You know, like you know, you hear all the stuff about Leon Ms. I feel like a lot of it's wrong. But when you hear that, like if Royal was sitting right now, he shut me down. I told you. I told you he's not good enough. He's not good Yeah. And obviously I back Le Ms. And now all of a sudden you're like, it's kind of getting difficult to back. Yeah, it is. Because at the beginning, he had favorable fixtures. He had favorable fixtures and even that they made hard work out. I think it was a draw, two-2 draw against Leads. I remember drew it home to Burnley. Two-0 down to West Ham. Came back to win. Yeah. Uh obviously the monstrosity of performance against Arsenal, but over two legs in the Carabal Cup. Hang on in

there, but ultimately not good enough. Champions League, not good. So they but then you found you realized that you were going to find out about Chelsea in the next batch of games which was you know PSG, Newcastle, um Everton destroyed City and they've been on the wrong end of nearly all of those games in an embarrassing manner. The capitulation against City was embarrassing. Very bad. Was embarrassing. Very bad. And I know City can turn it on and we've just waxed Lyrical earlier on in the show about how good they are, but um they just lack so much quality.

There's no cohesion. There's chaos in terms of look at the international break. You got Ku Kareah saying what he said. I don't know how Kareah wasn't banned but Enzo Fernandez was. Yeah, that's true. They both should have been if anything. Um Kukare said way more. So they just you know L Ms saying silly things. He doesn't look like he it almost looks like a mad house that he can't control. It's too big for him. Yeah. And I don't even really put that on him.

Like I never expected him to move across from a sister company and um you know get fasttracked into the big league and expect him to do any differently than this. I want to do we say it's too big for him. Do you think he walks in and the players are like we're not listening to you like there's disrespect from some of the players. Well this is essentially when Mark Karee goes away on international duty and speaks about yeah if you want to bring in young players and this that and the other you'll think the same about the manager. He said they he said if they want to make this type of change they should have waited till the end of the season.

I.e. We like Enzo Moresca. We felt like we were doing all right. And then you've brought this guy in who is nowhere near this level. Yeah. That's not harsh to Liam Msina. It's just a fact. He's he shouldn't be at this level yet. Yet he still he maybe in a few years he's got to prove it. It's a massive jump. It's a monumental Go from Strazborg. Yeah. To Chelsea. And it's not even like Straborg was like, you know, like if it's like got him in Champions League and such a great job, you know, like someone who's doing an amazing job at a Bour you go. There's a bit more there. It wasn't doing that great and I don't think it helps. See, like say it was a fabric at Stressborg.

Yeah. And he's got the player kind of thing behind him as well where you've played 100 games for Spain and you've played for Barcelona and Chelsea, it helps. I think once you don't have that behind you as well, then it's even more difficult. I want to turn our attention to Manchester United. Let's hear from the Man United boss, Michael Carrick first. He spoke about uh playing Chelsea in this sort of race for Champions League qualification. Yeah, it's an important game. Um, you know, we're in a good position in the league and we want to keep building on that. It's a tough place to go. Always has done. We've always had tough games down there. Most of the time they've been good games in

in terms of the what it brings feeling of a real proper game. So, um, we'll be ready for that. You know, we prepared well and um, as I said, we take the confidence from what we've built. Yeah. I've found it hard to dislike him. you most times United manager comes in I almost want to dislike him straight away but I do like Michael Carrick I think he speaks well it's not about him either he felt like some of the managers in the press conferences that it's about him he almost doesn't want to do him you can tell he's almost like let me just get to the training pitch he doesn't want to do him how have you found his time at United and do you think he's done enough now to secure the job

no he definitely hasn't done enough yet to secure the job because what's enough then Champions League qualification and that's it you think okay so if you come third he gets the job okay yeah you know what We're talking about Arsenal failing and what's the mission. The mission for him when he came in even though it's an interim basis, you have to deliver Champions League football. Um I know that we look in goodstead and we're third in the league, but there's still work to do. I think the leads the lead's loss was a real humbler. Definitely a real humbler for me because I was counting points I didn't have. I was like, "Yeah,

we'll beat Leads. Chelsea will lose to Man City." I know it was very naive of me to speak that leads gave us a real humbling. They were excellent. They were good. Um, but what it does do is keep the gap at seven points from Chelsea. And it just I know we can say Chelsea are poor. Haven't scored a goal in the last three Premier League games. Still Chelsea, Man United haven't won at the bridge since 2020. They haven't won there since 2020. Whether Chelsea are playing good, bad or indifferent. So I respect the venue and you don't center backs.

We don't and Lenny Yuro is now not travel as well. On top of that, Martinez and Maguire injured and it gone for ages. I've discounted the lift. Yeah, exactly. So, so now you look at it and you go right, you're at sixes and sevens at the back. You probably got to put Luke Shaw next to heaven. We got probably got to do something like that. Maybe Casemiro in heaven. I don't know. We'll see. Yeah, but if you lose this game all of a sudden where we're going, yeah, Man United are doing fine. Third in the league, mate. Okay, we'll lose at the bridge tomorrow. That's four points gap

from sixth place. Let's say Liverpool have a good result. Let's say Villa have a good result and I could be fifth by the end of this game. It's crazy, isn't it? And four points from where they need to be. So, I'm not saying that we should panic and get scared, but the way we lost against leads um was a bit like it was the first time I've seen Michael Carrick just look a little not really sure. I think he struggled and there was a time when I felt like you were benefiting from having no European football and being out of the FA Cup and League Cup. I think you've struggled with the gaps that you can't replicate that on the

training field intensity and playing every it's the ring rust isn't it? You want to you want to keep going. Felt like it's been too long years every time main play like yeah but mate Bournemouth had the same three weeks off not far and smashed Arsenal. Do you know what I mean? Like if you're a good team. I think what Michael what we have to remember with Michael K what he's done since coming in there is has been good. He hasn't reinvented the wheel. I was saying that even when he was in really good form and beating everyone he hasn't reinvented the wheel. He's come in there and said let's just get the right players in the right positions off the ball play 442 easy to understand.

Let's just get a bit of calm and with that bought consistency and most importantly bought results. The last four games has been a mixed bag I'll be honest and performances haven't been the best. So, we're seeing a few cracks, but also you have to expect that from an interim manager who's come in and had an initial surge. Now, it's starting to plateau a little bit and you're going to get some ups and downs. He's not going to win every single game. He's lost two games since January. So, we shouldn't I just think we need to remain neutral. That's a really good stat, too. How many games have he played since January? When you say lost two games, but you got to look at play 20.

Yeah. No, it's not that. But he's probably got like what 10 or 11 wins or something? Like it was an 11 point swing to Villa. You know what I mean? It's been an incredible. So, we're third in the league. It's been a good turnaround where we've had one game a week or three. But I just think that this is where we need to hold off. The next three games are going to make it either cut and dry or you could probably go probably not, you know, because we're playing the three teams around us. I think the issue for him, and this is not his fault, but the issue for him is that if United are playing Champions League

football next season, I do expect you. I don't know what he's like as a Champions League football man. And we have to find out. But what we're trying to do, you're going to be competing with all four competitions. Like you're going to go deep in all four and we don't know if he can do that cuz he's been We have to find We don't know. We don't know if Areola can do that. I think we do though. Do we? I don't. Yeah. Don't you at a big club like Man United? No, we don't. Could be a Thomas Frank mate.

Could be. Could be a grandpa. We don't know. So, I think what's happened is we're so scarred of big decisions and we have to get this right. Why do you say that? Because he's been linked with United. He has been linked because he's announced he's leaving. It's like and a lot of man I'll be honest. Would you not take him? A lot of man are twitching saying not at this point. Not yet. If he if Carrick doesn't get Champions League qualification, it's something you have to look at what is available. Yeah.

Um but right now I don't think the managerial landscape is as strong as we think it is. We keep talking about these dead set elites. They're not. Where are they that are available? You can't go and get Enrique from PSG. You can't go and get two. Yeah. I mean there could be five clubs fighting for Ces Fàregas cuz what he's done for Lake Coma. I'm like what are we doing? Do you see what I'm saying? And when you look at like a bunch of the top managers now or the managers are up and coming, they're all young. M they're all kind of unproven at certain levels and you got to take a punt. I just think Manchester United is 7030

favor. It's all about recruitment for Man United this year. If Michael Carrick can get Champions League, he's a steady pro he's a steady pair of hands. He's a calm head. Yes, there's things that we don't know yet. Um but just focus on recruitment. But if he doesn't get Champions League, I don't think he can be Man United manager. I don't I really don't. Yeah. On recruitment, um we know Casemiro's gone. We need everything. All of a sudden though, Casem actually looks pretty good. Yeah, it looks great.

You do need a lot. We need everything. You need a lot. That is I tell you what we need. Every like seven. You need about I'll tell you what we need. Let me write this down. Yeah. Write down. Yeah. Just Yeah. Email this to Jim Rat. Go on. So, put CM* three. How much? All right. I'm going to prove to you why I'm not stupid yet. Watch this. All right. Then Casemiro's leaving. Yeah. Ugate is not good enough. Going to leave as well. He's not, is he? At all.

Yeah. He's not good enough. He's like there's we only got one central midfielder. Kmeni. That's it. Tell me who the other central midfielder amount by the way. Injured and not like just finished and he's not a central midfielder. So I've only got one and I'm going to be competing on all fronts next year. So I need three, do I? Do I not? You need three. So I need three center midfielders. Yeah. To add to cbies. So I got four for the whole season. Yeah, that makes sense. So I need three. So CM times three. Then go fullback times two. That's five straight away. Yeah. then go

forward/ striker times one cuz Xerx has got to leave. Why has he got to leave? Cuz just he's not playing. He No, he nearly left in the January, but we made him stay. Wants to go. Yeah. And he's not playing. Don't you think there's something about him? Yeah. He's a good link player, but nah, he's almost the Havs thing where I don't know what he is. I don't know if he's a 10. I don't know if he's a nine. I don't. Okay, there you go. So, you need that. Yeah. Left wing LW times one. Yeah. Need that. Guess what? Center backs, mate. Need center backs. Not reliable.

Yeah. between Dit Martinez got injury problems. We give Harry Mcguire new contract. I need an aside center back. So, how many players that lost count? Is that eight? Eight. There you go. And by the way, by the way, that was realistic. Yeah, that's what's scary. Realistic. And obviously, we won't get eight players. No, no, of course. Of course not. That's what we need. Go on then. Score prediction very quickly at the bridge. You've not won there for six seasons.

I think it'll probably be a draw. You know, I take Would you take that? I'll take it now cuz right now, right now it's about making sure we're still seven points clear of them cuz the games are ticking off. I'll take that. Yeah, but I'd love to see us bounce back, man. Got to bounce back and go and get the 10point gap, but I feel it's going to be a draw. Yeah, I think Rena probably sneakily take that as well.