Title Race Tension & The Premier League’s Falling Standards

Summary

The Rest Is Football – March 2, 2026
Episode: Title Race Tension & The Premier League’s Falling Standards
Hosts: Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, Micah Richards

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Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the Premier League title race, the evolution (and potential decline) of football’s entertainment value, and the ever-contentious state of VAR. Gary, Alan, and Micah bring their typical blend of strong opinions, insider insights, and laughs as they unpack a tense week of football, set piece strategies, superstar performances, and referee controversies.

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Main Talking Points

1. Title Race: Arsenal vs. Manchester City

• Arsenal's Form and Frailties

  • Arsenal are top but “not free flowing, lacking in creativity...just lacking something a little bit.” (Micah, 06:02)
  • Saka praised, but front line missing chemistry; “They’ve become so reliant on set pieces.” (Micah, 06:10)
  • Alan: “I get that they’re not going to be perfect...they’re gonna be nervy, they’re gonna be edgy because of the pressure that they’re under. They’re human.” (Alan, 08:01)
  • Set pieces are keeping them ahead, but can they sustain it as others catch up?
  • “Can they rely [on set pieces] down the closing stretch? That’s the big question.” (Gary, 09:03)

• Manchester City’s Position

  • City have the experience—Pep knows how to manage pressure: “He’s much more in control...that’s because he has done it on numerous occasions.” (Gary, 10:25)
  • New defensive partnerships (Diaz & Guehi) praised for resilience.
  • City’s edge: “They can open up the doors. I think Man City are more equipped to win the Premier League.” (Micah, 21:20)

• Tactical Evolution & Set Pieces

  • Set piece goals are up; corners seen as the “biggest time wasting of the lot now.” (Alan, 11:01)
  • “The defending side is generally the problem...could England win the World Cup if teams can’t cope with set pieces?” (Gary, 11:59)
  • Debate over grappling/holding at corners likened to “WWE...it’s just ruining the spectacle of the game.” (Micah, 13:33)
  • “We’re not seeing much free-flowing football at present.” (Gary, 14:26)

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2. Falling Standards: Is the Premier League (and Football) Worse to Watch?

• Shift to Defensive Tactics and Robotic Play

  • Defenders now dominate passing stats. “In 2014-15: Fabregas, Yaya Toure...now it’s all centre-backs.” (Gary, 16:31)
  • Micah: “Football has gone backwards for the spectacle and entertainment...everyone’s like robots in positioning.” (Micah, 18:11)
  • Midfielders no longer dictate as teams sit in lower blocks; creative mavericks like Hazard are rare now.

• Coaching vs. Spectacle

  • “From a coaching point of view, the game's improved. From a fan's point of view, I don’t think it has.” (Micah, 23:00)
  • Alan: “Football’s gone robotic, referees are robotic as well.” (Alan, 23:40)
  • Gary: “Do you think football is as good to watch now? Probably not.” (Gary, 21:48)
  • Alan: “Certainly not as high standard football this year than what we saw last year from a lot of the clubs.” (Alan, 21:55)

• European Context

  • Even European giants playing more conservatively: “Real Madrid, PSG nowhere near the standard they set last year... maybe club World Cup has got something to do with it...players are just cooked.” (Alan, 22:10)

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3. VAR Controversies: Ruining the Game?

• Fan Frustration & Specific Cases (Burnley-Brentford)

  • Special message from Tony Pastor, Burnley fan and TV producer: "If people believe that is what the offside rule is for, they're deluded about what our game is… It ruins games." (Tony, 42:03)
  • “That was not what VAR was brought in to do… if they're looking at something for five minutes, what the hell are they waiting for?” (Alan, 46:13)

• Handball & Offside Debates

  • Questioning the technicalities—microscopic offsides and drawn-out decisions, lack of clarity.
  • “If it takes four minutes and six minutes, it’s not clear and obvious.” (Tony, 42:03)

• Referees and Solutions

  • “We've got the referees running our game and deciding the rules as well.” (Gary, 44:53)
  • The hosts advocate an appeals system over ever-present VAR intervention: “One appeal a half… players have to name what it is. They're not intervening all the time.” (Gary, 49:07)
  • Alan: “In 10 years we might not even have officials.” (Alan, 50:38)

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4. Standout Players and Key Matches

• Bruno Fernandes’ Brilliance

  • “He’s everywhere… What a brain… He’s an outstanding player. One of the players of the season so far.” (Micah, 31:09-32:28)
  • Gary: “I think he’s the player of the season for me… still standout even when they were going through a rotten spell.” (Gary, 32:28)

• Goalkeeper Praise: Pickford & Le Mans

  • “Whenever we have discussions about the best goalkeeper… Pickford hardly ever makes a mistake these days.” (Gary, 33:55)
  • “That save… That was a world class. It was unbelievable.” (Alan, 34:30)
  • “When the talk is not about the goalkeeper, you know the goalkeeper is doing a good job.” (Micah, 33:13)

• Everton’s Away Form

  • “No side has won more Premier League games on the road than the Toffees since [Moyes] first came back.” (Gary, 36:19)

• Liverpool’s Set Piece Revival

  • “They sacked their set piece coach, brought someone else in… now they ranked first since the turn of the year.” (Gary, 39:39)

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5. Other Matches & Teams

• Manchester United’s Improvement

  • “23 points in nine Premier League games as Manchester United manager over two spells… joint best start after nine games.” (Gary, 30:43)
  • “When Bruno Fernandes gets a grip of that game… he’s so clever.” (Micah, 31:09)

• Spurs & West Ham Struggles

  • Spurs: “All over the place defensively… lacking a real threat up top.” (Alan, 40:53)
  • West Ham: “Defensively just look really, really weak… unless that improves then they’re not going to get out of it.” (Alan, 40:14)

• Newcastle’s Home Woes

  • “Lost three consecutive Premier League home games for the first time since 2020.” (Gary, 38:12)

• Aston Villa and Wolves

  • Villa “looked a bit leggy… just looked like they run out of stuff.” (Micah, 52:05)
  • Wolves: “Now they’re actually defending better and scoring at the other end.” (Micah, 52:17)
  • Champions League qualification for Villa would be a “great achievement.” (Alan, 53:34)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Set Pieces:
  “It’s ridiculous. It’s like WWE. I’m like what are we watching here? Come on. They’ve got to get a grip of that because it’s just ruining the spectacle of the game.” — Micah Richards (13:33)

• On Premier League Standards: “Certainly not as high standard football this year than what we saw last year from a lot of the clubs.” — Alan Shearer (21:55)

• On VAR and Technology:
  “If people believe that is what the offside rule is for, they’re deluded about what our game is... It ruins games.” — Tony Pastor, Burnley fan (42:03)

  “That was not what VAR was brought in to do.” — Alan Shearer (46:13)

  “In 10 years we might not even have officials.” — Alan Shearer (50:38)

• On Bruno Fernandes:
  “He’s an outstanding player. One of the players of the season so far.” — Micah Richards (32:28)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Title Race Tension, Arsenal’s set piece reliance: 05:15–11:01
• Changing tactics, football less entertaining: 16:31–21:55
• VAR fury and Burnley’s misfortune: 41:15–48:09
• Bruno Fernandes and goalkeeping excellence: 29:26–35:44
• Aston Villa and Wolves wrap-up: 52:00–53:42

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Final Thoughts

The hosts lamented the shift from creative, open football to a more tactical, defensive, and robotic game, while praising individuals who break that mold. Frustration at VAR’s impact on the sport dominated the second half, with a critical, at times comedic, exploration of possible reforms. As the title race heats up between Arsenal and City and the intensity at both ends of the table continues, the panel agreed — for all football’s quirks and quarrels, it’s never dull!

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Transcript

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[Alan Shearer]

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[Gary Lineker]

coming up on today's show. Arsenal.

[Micah Richards]

If they want to go win the league, I think they're going to need to add a little bit more going forward.

[Alan Shearer]

I get that they're not going to be perfect. They're in a really strong position and I still think that they'll go ahead and do it.

[Micah Richards]

I think Man City are more equipped to win the Premier League because they can open up the doors.

[Gary Lineker]

Do you think football is as good to watch now?

[Micah Richards]

Football has gone backwards for the spectacle and the entertainment of everything.

[Alan Shearer]

Certainly not as high standard football this year than what we saw last year from a lot of the clubs.

[Micah Richards]

Bruno Fernandes, one of the players of the season.

[Gary Lineker]

So far, I think he's the player of the season.

[Micah Richards]

If he did say vamos, the game's

[Gary Lineker]

gone, I think I'd hire xg. Did I just say xg?

[Micah Richards]

He just said xg.

[Gary Lineker]

I'd sooner say vamos. Hello and welcome to the Rest is Football with Micah Richards, Alan Shearer and me, Gary Lineker. And we've had another interesting weekend of Premier League football and big games at the top of the table and the bottom of the table. Both of you were working yesterday. Alan, I watched you on Match of the Day and Micah, I saw you. You're in the studio, though, aren't you covering this LEED City game?

[Micah Richards]

Yes, correct.

[Gary Lineker]

Yeah.

[Micah Richards]

Saturday Night Football.

[Gary Lineker]

Yeah.

[Micah Richards]

Lovely.

[Alan Shearer]

You prefer that, don't you? So you get off a bit earlier and not so many hours and you've got Sunday off all day.

[Micah Richards]

I love that. Going in. Live game.

[Gary Lineker]

Yeah.

[Micah Richards]

A bite to eat after home. Oh, it's fantastic.

[Gary Lineker]

I watched a hell of a lot of football this weekend, to be honest.

[Alan Shearer]

That's not a bad thing.

[Gary Lineker]

No, I love it. It's nice sitting at home as well.

[Alan Shearer]

Yeah.

[Gary Lineker]

A glass of wine and you can enjoy it. And saw some good games. Watch even. It's all Barcelona as well. Hat trick was unbelievable. One of the goals in particular, that. And then some interesting games in the Premier League as well that we've had to enjoy and quite a good weekend of. I don't know about you, Micah and Alan, but fantasy football. I'm quite well again, where are we?

[Alan Shearer]

What we up to?

[Gary Lineker]

Well, you know, the rest is football team. I've got it. Harry's just standing over here. So the rest is football in terms of the whole world where there are about, I think the 12 million people play the Premier League game, we were in the top 6,000 and that was before getting all the numbers for this weekend. And it's been a very, very, very good weekend. So I would think we'll probably be in the top 4,000 in the world.

[Alan Shearer]

Out of 12 million?

[Gary Lineker]

Out of 12 million. And in the rest is football league, in which we've got about 50,000 of you that have. Have joined us in that. We are in the top 50 as well. Imagine if the. If the rest is football won, the rest is football league.

[Alan Shearer]

We can have our own sign top.

[Gary Lineker]

No, what we can do, we'll get. I don't know if there'. And we'll get 49,999 of you to sign as a share and. Yeah.

[Alan Shearer]

Wow. Doing well then. You, you. You've obviously been listening to me or not.

[Gary Lineker]

Well, I think we've left it to Harry, to be perfectly honest.

[Micah Richards]

They're all his teams.

[Gary Lineker]

But. Yeah, but fun weekend on that sense. There's lots of football to discuss, which we'll do in a moment. This episode is brought to you by Fuse Energy. No one likes a panic buy on deadline day. The smart teams do their business early, not relying on dodgy fax machines. Are they still a thing? Rushed medicals or watching a plan B target become a plan C?

[Alan Shearer]

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[Gary Lineker]

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[Micah Richards]

And it doesn't stop there. Switch to Fuse Energy and you could have your question answered on the show.

[Gary Lineker]

Sign up to fuse [e-mail] football use the referral code football. And you could also win a 1990 England shirt signed by the three of us at the rest is football. Right. The first bike delivered by Uber eats well. Has to be the title race. There are other games perhaps with more goals but we'll come to those as well of course. But I watched both games obviously and they were both fairly tense but both teams have won. But Arsenal once again very nervously.

[Micah Richards]

Micah Arsenal, it's strange watching them because the top of the League you would say defensively they know exactly what they're doing. Robust in midfield up front they're not

[Gary Lineker]

free flowing, lacking in creativity, they're just

[Micah Richards]

lacking something a little bit. And Saka does all the right things, his touch is good, he makes the right decisions, he plays the right passes. But there seems to be a lack of chemistry up front when needed. And then they've come so reliant on set pieces. And I remember you posed a question a couple of weeks ago, it might be a couple of months ago now. Where can they carry on? And at this rate yes they can because they're still doing it off evidence. No one knows how to stop them. But in a game where someone's really good at marking them and organized on set pieces, they've got to find another way to win against a top team. I'm not talking about so. So Chelsea today I thought they outstanding. I thought the defended well. I thought there was really well organized. I thought the, the sending off changed the game. But watching Arsenal they're not free flowing but they're still top of the league. So it's, it's one of them. Is it glass half full or glass half empty? And, and right now you have to say it's glass half full because they're getting over the line. I did the the City leads game and we'll go to them a bit later. And it at this point the season it is just about getting over the line. So Arsenal fans probably won't care it was about the victory. They got the victory. They extend that lead to five points. But having watching the game, forget the stats and everything, now you're watching it and the ball goes up to Yokerez, it comes back and then Trossard finds it hard to get into the game. Martinelli comes and he's something different. Declan Rice is trying to get forward but he's more concerned is making sure the middle of the park is secure. So to me it's just the two defensively minded and if they want to go win the League, I think they're going to need to add a little bit more going forward.

[Alan Shearer]

Yeah, I would perhaps go along with that, but I'd much prefer, obviously, to still be in their position. They win every game. They win it as City, I guess, but I'm not too concerned with that. I just think the most, the bigger picture is they find. They find a way. They have found a way. Today they weren't brilliant, but the set pieces have done it for again and there's, there's nothing wrong with that. And they're, they're gonna, they're gonna be nervy, they're gonna, they're gonna, they're gonna be edgy because of the pressure that they're under. They're human. You know, I've been there myself and it's, it's a, it's a huge ask and it is tough mentally and physically. It drains you because I don't care who or what you are, wherever you are. And it's worse now than it was back in the 90s when, when we won it for the first time at Blackburn because of the, the noise around social media and what have you. We. We didn't really have that and it was still very tough then. So I get that they're not going to be perfect, but they're, they're in a really strong position and I still, I still think that they'll go ahead and do it.

[Gary Lineker]

Yeah, they're obviously in a very strong position. I, I would say, though, I mean, oslob brilliant at set pieces, particularly corners, but I do feel like so are most of the teams in the league now. They're also becoming very good at it, as were Chelsea in this game. A real threat from corners. Everyone's delivery seems to be getting better. There are a lot of teams in the Premier League that are good at that. I mean, I've watched like so many games and I watched much of the day as well this morning, and there were a lot of goals scored this weekend. I think it was something like 36 of which nearly all, all of them were either from corners or deflections. Not all of them, but most of a lot of the goals this weekend. So, I mean, City played some good stuff, they always do, but even they found it very difficult to get over the line. So, yeah, I think it's. Arsenal have had that advantage of being better than everyone else, but I think a lot of people are catching up. But they do. They're still scoring lots of goals from, from set pieces. And you, you can't knock it. And if you keep winning. But can they rely on that down the closing stretch? That's the big question. And with City at their heels, who know how to win these things, they know how to do it. You know, Pep's in charge. Pep, you know, I don't think he deliberately plays mind games, but there was a lovely question last week when someone in one of his press conferences said to him, you know, you were a young manager once and you know, when first time you were trying to win a title and now Arteta is in that situation, what would you say to him? And it was quick as a flash. He just said, well, I, you know, I'm not going to give Mikel any advice. It's not my position to do that. And you just thought, you know, but he, and he keeps saying, doesn't he, oh, there's a lot of the season left yet. And he, he's. He's kind of much more in control. But, but that's because he has done it on numerous occasions. So that side of it is an advantage for City. But at least we've got a title race.

[Alan Shearer]

Yeah, I think it'll be great. As it, as it has been, I think Arsenal are deserving to be where they are at this moment in time, but they are going to be put under pressure from Pep and because of. He's been there before, just before we go on to City and how they played, you mentioned all the set pieces and corners and we're talking about time wasting and all of that. That's the biggest time wasting of the lot now is from corners, when referees have to go in and stop it beforehand. For me, I think if they were to clamp down and stay tough and as soon as a referee blows his whistle, even before ball is kicked, the ball is in play there in. So therefore the referee can give a penalty for Holden and grasping and what have you. Because it is, it is our hand now. I mean, you see the fighting and scrapping and holding and pulling and everything else that goes on in the, in the, in the six yard box now, in and around the goalkeeper. It is just crazy, isn't it? Just crazy.

[Gary Lineker]

It really is. I would say, though, I mean, it's obviously very much a Premier League thing, this. I mean, I watch a lot of football from other countries and you don't see that. Now throw forward a few months to the World cup, will countries against England be able to cope with that or will, will they clamp down on that sort of thing? But it's, it's then generally the defending side of it that that they'll have problems with. I think that could be it could England win. That could win England the World cup if people. If teams can't cope with it and not many teams can. You never know.

[Micah Richards]

Yeah but you've got someone to have to head it as well. You know Arsenal have got Gabriel, absolute monster who wins everything in the air. In terms of the delivery I totally agree Rhys James and Declan Rice. But who's going to go edit for England like Gabriel does? Maguire maybe.

[Alan Shearer]

Well don't forget England were really good at set pieces under Gareth Southgate corners under Gareth, weren't they?

[Gary Lineker]

They were at the previous tournament.

[Alan Shearer]

Not the last time Maguire going to going to head it but I mean he may be in the squad anyway so we'll have to wait and see. But I'm not sure you would be able to get away with all that grappling and holding at international level.

[Gary Lineker]

Well it's the defenders that generally do the grappling and holding is it not? Not the forwards. They're just trying to get free from people. They're just crowding the area making it life very difficult for defenders. But you know, I don't know. I'm not sure. Too many international and be able to to deal with that one to watch I would say.

[Micah Richards]

It's not good though all that holding and grappling. It's stopping and starting and very clever. Because they know they can't give away a foul before the ball's in play. So everyone's just. It's ridiculous. It's like wwe.

[Gary Lineker]

Yeah.

[Micah Richards]

I'm like what are we watching here? Come on. They've got to get a grip of that because it's just ruining the spectacle of the game.

[Gary Lineker]

I happen to agree. And it takes so long, doesn't it? It's like Alan said, it's like well come on get on with the game. And they're introducing like some new laws coming in. Aren't more var laws for them to look at and plans to try and help. Time wasting.

[Micah Richards]

But did you see Chelsea's goal? Declan Rice wasn't even looking at the ball.

[Gary Lineker]

They just crawled onto each other and

[Alan Shearer]

could have been giving handball. The one before that that that they were complaining about Chelsea, weren't they? Because he was the one that was holding, wasn't he?

[Micah Richards]

Correct.

[Alan Shearer]

Yeah.

[Gary Lineker]

I don't know. It's fascinating but we're not seeing much free flowing football at present. I think City would probably be the exception at present and obviously the new players have Made a big difference. And you, you covered that on Match of the Day.

[Alan Shearer]

I thought after 20 or 25 minutes when clearly Leeds are going to try and put them under as much pressure as possible and use that crowd to their advantage as they did. And they had two or three really good chances Leeds. But I thought the way City managed that and then played after that, I thought the City were really impressive. I thought particularly defensively Diaz and Gehe were brilliant. Turkey I thought was had his best game. And of course Semenya, I mean the signings of those two in January have been instrumental in what they're doing now in huge for them.

[Gary Lineker]

Yeah, you know we talked the other day. It's all, all about systems and you know, tactics and stuff like that. Mike and you were talking about. Because we were actually doing this. We recorded another lump of episodes of Premier breaks the moment that made them. We were talking about individual. I think it was hazard we were talking about at the time. We said you don't really see that many players like that. I don't think we ever have. But Chirk is an individual, isn't he? You know, he's got a bit of swaz about his play, hasn't he?

[Micah Richards]

Yeah, he has individual talent. He's brilliant technically. Fantastic. Can see a pass, can shoot. He's got it all. Beaufort. It takes corners with one foot right foot, one foot left foot. And the pass that opened up the goal yesterday, I thought it was excellent. Mamouch is his movement just open up that gap and then overlap and then Semenyo's in the box. But while we're on this, I think, I think the wider point guys on this is back in the days it was midfielders getting on the ball the most touches, wasn't it? The fabric gases now I, I know because if you've got to start doing the readout that start now H because

[Gary Lineker]

while we're on there, I've got it here. Micah. It's in 2014, 15. So just over 10 years ago. This is the list of players who pass the ball the most in the Premier League. Fabregas, Yaya Toure, Cazola Matic and Hazard. Five midfield players or forward midfield players. And the in the sense of Hazard in particular in 24, 25. It's obviously last season the top passes in the Premier League. Van Dijk, Colwell, Saliba Vardiol and Ruben Diaz. Sixteen of the top 20 passes in the Premier League was center back. Seven of the 10 this season are center backs as well. And that's, you know, we do see that now. It's, you know, the goalkeeper passes out to the center half and he passes it and then he comes back and then they. And they wait and they wait in the midfield. Players are not getting as much of the ball. I think that's very much a Premier League thing.

[Alan Shearer]

But probably one of the reasons why we've got a lack of centre forwards in England or England centre forwards. Because who wants to play centre forward now?

[Micah Richards]

Yeah, but the game, the game's changed tactically, hasn't it, Al? I mean, back in your day when I used to watch you four, four, two and it was you against the defender, you know, when Makalele came in to protect the defense and sort of Mikel and you had Vieira, but even the clips that we showed from Vieira, the pod that was doing, he was up and down. And they've always had a defensive midfielder, but it was sort of individual battles.

[Gary Lineker]

But that was 20 years ago though, Micah. This is 10 years ago. This is like. This is Fabregat players like that. This is not lumping it up to a big centre forward.

[Micah Richards]

You used to see Fabregas getting on the ball in between the lines come and getting it deep, controlling the tempo of the game. But what's happening now is teams are just going into a low block, even the best of teams. So centre halfs are going side to side into it. And there were some spurs fans talking about Van der Ven and all he does is go side to side and all that. But teams are just now getting back in and it's harder to play through the lines now because everyone's banking up, which now you're seeing defenders trying to dictate the game. And that's why I believe football has gone backwards for the. The spectacle and the entertainment of everything. Because we're not seeing the lights of hazards no more being able to just run because everyone's like robots in positioning. So in terms of the art of football and coaching, football's improved because everyone knows their jobs better. But in terms of that, that maverick and hazards. And the reason why you say that, because you mentioned Shirky and when he had that pass and he went out wide and all that sort of things, he was getting frustrated in that number 10 role where just couldn't get on the ball because Leeds 5, 3, 2, sometimes a 5, 4, 1, no space. And then he's had to create something from a wide area. And that's why throwing it back to the title race. Arsenal are a fantastic team. And in terms of Champions League I think they're the favorites because maybe the game.

[Gary Lineker]

Let me just ask you, before you go on to that, Micah, do you think that also applies in Europe or just the Premier League? Because obviously you've got players like, you know, Lamine, Yamal and Mbappe, I would say that take, you know, the individuals that can take people on and score brilliant individual goals and stuff. I mean, you know, is it just a Premier League thing that I think it's. Is it everywhere?

[Micah Richards]

I think it's everywhere to a certain degree. So when we talk about teams who try to win the game, Man City and Barcelona, Bayern Munich tried to win the game. All other teams, even now, if you watch Real Madrid, they go into a 4, 4, 2. And when they're on the ball, Mbappe and Vinicius are going out to the same positions, which they find it very difficult, and them two off the ball are not working, sort of going to the two and you got the likes of Valverde, Guler, Camavinga, Tuametti doing all the work in there. So tactically, because of the new manager, Alba lower, that is what they're doing. But if you watch Barcelona, Man City, Bayern with Alice or a Shirky or a Haaland or whoever it may be, Yamal, they try to win the game. So that's when it leaves them exposed. So you look at Barca's high line, what they try to do tactically, win the ball back as soon as possible, but leaves them exposed at the back. And I think Man City are more equipped to win the Premier League because they can open up the doors. So going back to Alan's point before, you would rather have the points on the board now. And defensively they sound. And you always say defence wins the championships, that's always been the way we've saw the game. But because football is changing and you need something special to open up a door, I think Man City have more players to do that, which makes them favorites to win. Well, not favorites give them a better chance of winning the Premier League. But in the Champions League, I think Arsenal have a better chance because the more robust, if that makes sense.

[Gary Lineker]

Do you think football is losing because of this though? Do you think the fans watching the game, do you think it's as good to watch now? Probably not.

[Alan Shearer]

I don't think so. I, I, I think the standard of the Premier League is not as high as it used to be. Certainly not this season. Now, whether the club World cup has got something to do with that as

[Gary Lineker]

well as around six of the last six.

[Alan Shearer]

Yeah, but look at Newcastle, the miles off in the Premier League last year. Tottenham are miles off it. Liverpool are miles off off it. Arsenal not perhaps no City perhaps or, or not. But the standards of the other clubs, Chelsea they've been so. Chelsea are so unpredictable. And I look at Real Madrid, seen Real Madrid two or three times this season live done their game. They're nowhere near what they, what they were in terms of standard. Barcelona were their high line psg. I went to watch PSG Newcastle in, in France and they were. They're miles off the standard that they set last year. So whether it has got something to do with the club World cup and players are just absolutely cooked, I don't know. Certainly not as high standard football this year than, than what we saw last year from a lot of the clubs.

[Micah Richards]

I think just quickly on that. I think from a coaching point of view, guys, I think on a tactical point of view the games improved. But from a fan's point of view I don't think it has. I think it's become quite robotic and too tactical and the evidence is there. When you mentioned about the Fabregas, Yaya Torres on the ball now we're seeing defenders on the ball. We don't want to see defenders on the ball or making the most passes in the game. We want to see the creative players. So that's the way football is going and that's why people always give City a chance because of the way to play. And Barcelona and Bayern Munich not only

[Alan Shearer]

the football's gone robotic, the referees are robotic as well. When are we going to get on the var.

[Gary Lineker]

We'll do that in a second.

[Alan Shearer]

Goodness.

[Gary Lineker]

We'll hold back just for now.

[Alan Shearer]

Okay.

[Gary Lineker]

But we'll do that in the second half. That was my plan as I thought we'd do the title. You know, the two teams fighting for the title. I think it's obviously a two horse race now. One other thing I wanted to say is that Manchester City without erling Haaland from 14 of their 18 Premier League games. Oh, Manchester City better.

[Alan Shearer]

I'll leave that to you.

[Gary Lineker]

Big mix. I find it even hard to get it out of my mouth.

[Micah Richards]

You know, it's crazy, right? Because they played Newcastle in the, in the cup and I thought Mamouche was, was excellent and we were sort of talking off air and Jamie Carragher brought it on air. Of course he does. And I said I wouldn't be bothered because he was up against Van Dijk away at Anfield and Van Dijk always gets the better of him. Apart from this time when he scored didn't. He didn't have a kick all game. Then he scored. But I was thinking it'd be better to bring Haaland on when the game opens up a little bit because Mamouche is quite explosive and he makes good runs and he'll work harder for the team period. Where Liverpool are going to be dominant. So no they're not better.

[Alan Shearer]

Still bloody good with my mission semen your Goodness me.

[Micah Richards]

However they could still compete. Yeah and that's the point I was trying to make.

[Gary Lineker]

They could have some partnership at the back. Diaz and Gay can't. They could make a real. I mean they. I know you know they still not quite the. The city of a cup and you know they're bringing in new players and stuff but they're starting to look. I know they're still slightly vulnerable. We saw that against Leeds. But they are defending considerably better than certainly last season.

[Alan Shearer]

Yeah, he's made a huge difference gear he hasn't he? I think particularly second half the way that both of those two had to defend even when Leeds were going direct and had to go direct. But I thought those two were really, really solid and it looks to be a really good partnership.

[Micah Richards]

Yeah, it looks good. The only thing I would say and he mentioned it the vulnerabilities on. On the counter attack. Their line is very high. It's not quite Barcelona yet. But they're trying to win the ball back. And on another day Leeds could have took a few of those chances. Calvin Lewin being a yard faster, a better player if they was up against Mbappe and Vinicius in the Champions League who they've got next round. They take those chances.

[Gary Lineker]

Real Madrid City again.

[Micah Richards]

Again.

[Gary Lineker]

It's mad.

[Micah Richards]

And that's the only thing I would say is the partnership is there. It's looking good. The clearances were excellent. The positionings were really good. It's just that that bit where they decide do they take half a yard step backwards just to give them a little bit more protection.

[Gary Lineker]

Well that was the first bite delivered by Uber Eats. We'll have the second bite after the break. This episode is brought to you by Squarespace. What's worse than missing a penalty? A brand without a solid website. Squarespace makes it easy for you and customers with new mobile pay links. Customers can pay for your products or services via text, email, social or QR code fast and hassle free. Go to squarespace.comfootball for a free trial and when you're ready to Launch, use code Football All Uppercase to get 10% off your your first purchase of a website or domain. This episode is brought to you by whoop. If football teaches you anything, it's that careers are shaped between matches by how you recover and sleep and how you manage the days in between games week after week.

[Alan Shearer]

It's not about doing more, it's about getting it right so you're ready to go again tomorrow. On and off the pitch.

[Gary Lineker]

That's where WHOOP comes in. Al it shows you how your body is responding day to day. Your sleep, your recovery, your workouts, and how your small daily habits add up over time.

[Micah Richards]

And it's calm. No buzzing or unwanted alerts. You check your data when you want.

[Gary Lineker]

Whoop gives you personalized insights to help build routines that last so you get into a better rhythm across the week without second guessing yourself. If you want to better understand how you can feel and live at your best for years to I'm definitely up for that. Head to join.whoop.com trif and get started with Whoop today. You can even sign up for a free 30 day trial so you can try Whoop risk free and start your year with momentum. My day kicks off with a refreshing Celsius energy drink, then straight to the gym pre K pickup back home to meal prep. Time for my fire station shift. One more Celsius. Gotta keep the lights on on when the three alarm hits. I'm ready. Celsius Live fit. Go grab a cold refreshing Celsius at your local retailer or locate [e-mail] welcome back to the Rest Is Football with Alan Shearer, Michael Richardson, me, Gary Lineker. Let's turn our attention to Manchester United. Another win. The unbeaten run of Michael Carrick continues coming from behind it against Crystal Palace. There were slow starters in the game. I watched that one. I don't know which games you you were watching but I watched the United palace game and they were a bit sluggish for the first half an hour and then after that they were much the better team.

[Alan Shearer]

I watched mostly the spurs game but I did. I was lucky enough to see Chesko's header. Wow. Water headed. That was. It was brilliant, wasn't it?

[Gary Lineker]

Great ball from Bruno.

[Alan Shearer]

It was, yeah.

[Gary Lineker]

Met him.

[Alan Shearer]

Captain, what do you think of the penalty and the red card?

[Gary Lineker]

I think the penalty probably did hold on to him into the box so I get that and he gave it on field, didn't he? But the red card, I thought, I thought it was a bit harsh because he's, he's going away from go now has he denied a goal scoring opportunity. Yes, but again, what does that mean? It's supposed to be a clear goal scoring opportunity. It was a bit wide. It would have been a tough finish, but I didn't think they needed to turn it around. I think a penalty would have sufficed under that one.

[Micah Richards]

Don't you think it was quite soft, though? I know in slow motion it looked bad, but it was real time. I was like, oh, he started outside, it continued in the box, but it was only a slight.

[Gary Lineker]

I don't think they'd have turned it over. I don't think they should have if he hadn't have given it. Yeah, but it was a soft one, but I don't. I don't think they could have overturned if he'd taken his hand off his arm before he went in the box. But, I mean, that's what they give penalties for these days, so.

[Alan Shearer]

Big win, though. Another one for Michael Carrick. Amazing. What a job he's doing.

[Gary Lineker]

23 points in nine Premier League games as Manchester United manager over two spells, of course. Won seven, drawn two. It's the best joint start after nine games by any manager in the competition's history, alongside Ange Postecoglou, remember him? 23 in his first nine. But yeah, they're. They're looking way better. Way better.

[Micah Richards]

I thought in the game, like you said, guys, it was quite sluggish. I didn't think they thought they could just turn up, but the passing was a little bit slow. But when Bruno Fernandes gets a grip of that game and you talk about spaces and where he goes, he's so clever.

[Gary Lineker]

He's everywhere.

[Micah Richards]

Yeah, but when he crosses, he goes sort of inside left channel. He doesn't try and go in the middle. He sees where everyone is and then he always uses his fullback or his winger and then they play back to it where he's got that time to cross, like you mentioned the goal. But if you actually look at his positioning and we're talking about people getting back into position and defensive line, he's always scanning about where the best place is to be, where he can affect the game.

[Gary Lineker]

You see him on the right wing, you see him on the left wing, you see him. I mean, he's incredible. What a brain.

[Micah Richards]

Yeah, but he sounds really simple. Of course, a player who's played a number 10 could go everywhere. But if you look at other people's performances when they trying to get on the ball, they're just trying to get on the ball in between the line, there's no space there. But Bruno just goes everywhere where he can get half a yard to put in a great delivery. And he's just. He's an outstanding player. One of the players of the season so far.

[Gary Lineker]

I think he's the player of the season for me. I mean, I know they'll probably give it someone that's going to win something. I mean, I think for me it's him or probably Declan Rice. If Arsenal go on and manage to clinch the title, I suppose the only other one that if he came back and started banging in all the goals and won City the title, it might be Haaland again. But at the moment, for me to do what he's done this season and he was still standout player even when they were going through a rotten spell, when they were really struggling under Amarim. So I think he's got such a great footballing brain and technique. What a player.

[Alan Shearer]

Yeah, yeah. Outstanding. Absolutely.

[Micah Richards]

Another player we have to applaud before we move on, guys, is the goalkeeper, Lamond.

[Gary Lineker]

Yes.

[Micah Richards]

You know, when the talk is not about the goalkeeper, you know the goalkeeper is doing a good job. He rarely makes the mistakes. It keeps everything simple. I don't know how to pronounce it. Is it lemons or lemons or lamons. Let's call him lemons.

[Gary Lineker]

Yeah. Le Mans. That's a car race, isn't it?

[Micah Richards]

Well, you spell L A, double M E, N, S, so. Yeah.

[Gary Lineker]

And he can play for 24 hours.

[Alan Shearer]

Oh, goodness.

[Micah Richards]

This is. This is what we've resulted to.

[Gary Lineker]

This is it? Sorry, lads, sorry, apologies. But no, I think he's been really, really impressive. He's got a calmness about him as well.

[Micah Richards]

Calm, exactly that, Gus. He's calm.

[Gary Lineker]

Takes me to another goalkeeper, actually. Jordan Pickford, right, who's not necessarily got a calmness about him, but he's got a brilliance about him. And I think whenever we have discussions about the best goalkeeper in world football, he doesn't tend to crop up. And I think he should. I don't know whether that's because he's at Everton and they're mid table and we don't see them playing in the Champions League, etc, but he hardly ever makes a mistake these days. And he pulls off incredible saves. He really does. I mean, that one against your mob, Al. I mean, wow. Yeah.

[Alan Shearer]

That's the best save you'll see for a long time. That is. That was. I was at the other end of the room when he hit it. It Tonali, I mean, but. Oh, it was. Yeah, that was. That was a World class. It was unbelievable.

[Gary Lineker]

Does he get the credit he deserves? I don't know. I always think there was always like, oh, well, I'm not sure about his temperament and this sort of thing. I, I don't.

[Alan Shearer]

He's never done anything wrong for England.

[Gary Lineker]

He's been brilliant in the big games. Brilliant for England. Yes. He's. He's got a big personality and he's kind of gets a bit agitated at times. But I played with Pete Shelton for years though. No one got more agitated these defenders than he did. I loved his, his kind of celebration. That save though. And he, I think he definitely went bamos if you look. I think he definitely did.

[Alan Shearer]

Which you can imagine him though, can't you? Because the react, the, the reaction from the crowd is always obviously anti because of his Sunderland connection and where he's from and all that. It's. So he was at the Gallagher end yesterday and to make that save late on. I get that. I understand that it's. You get it from the crowd and you're more than entitled when you do something good to give a little bit back. I totally understand that. As much as it hur me.

[Gary Lineker]

Absolutely. He tops the points for goalkeepers on fantasy football pretty much every year, Micah.

[Micah Richards]

He's a class act to be. However, if he did say vamos, the game's gone.

[Gary Lineker]

A lad from the northeast say vamos. It just shows you how it creeps into the game, these things.

[Alan Shearer]

Come on.

[Gary Lineker]

I'm sure he did, you know, I, I Pretty, pretty. It looked very clearly Vos and they, you know, you hear it so often, it would surprise me. Oh, brilliant.

[Alan Shearer]

How good David Moyes, by the way, what a job. He's doing it at Everton. Their away form is superb.

[Gary Lineker]

Yeah.

[Alan Shearer]

Won five of the last six, I think it is away from home.

[Gary Lineker]

No side has won more Premier League games on the road than the Toffees since he first came back.

[Alan Shearer]

Brilliant the way he sets them up. I guess they found it tough at home, but certainly away from home because they look as if they enjoy defending. You know, you're on about the tactical and everything else, Micah. They look as if ever and they really enjoy that side of it. They really enjoy defending, sitting deep and hitting teams on the break. And David Moyes is a brilliant coach at doing that. He's superb.

[Gary Lineker]

You had a bit to say on Baltimore on Match of the Day and you know, he been obviously disappointed because he had a reasonable start, didn't he? And then it's kind of petered out a bit.

[Alan Shearer]

I feel as if Just because. Because of his price tag, because he's a center forward, he is going to get a lot of the attraction. Yeah, he is going to get a talked about him. I mean there are other players who have been really poor in the league for Newcastle. I mean Dan Byrne hasn't been great. Nick Pope hasn't been great. Made another error yesterday. Gordon hasn't been great in the league. Champions League been superb. Harvey Barnes has dropped off a little bit but whether you like it or not, center forward, 70 million or 69 million, whatever it is, he hasn't done enough. And I guess he is a conundrum for Eddie because in forward positions he hasn't gotten the box enough. Hence the reason he's played Gordon sort of. He struggled with the physicality and the pace of the Premier League which. Okay, you're new to it. That might take time to adjust which is why Eddie's put him into midfield. But no touches in the box for the last two games. Not enough touches, not enough being involved and. But he, he's. He's not the only one.

[Gary Lineker]

Football's funny, isn't it? Because they, you know, they couldn't get away results. Now they've had a few decent away results and they can't win at home.

[Alan Shearer]

They can't get through a low block. They can't get through teams.

[Gary Lineker]

It.

[Alan Shearer]

That's the problem.

[Gary Lineker]

A lot of teams struggle with that. It's. They've lost three consecutive Premier League home games for the first time since 2020. Well, February 2021 under Steve Bruce. So they need to sort that out.

[Alan Shearer]

They do, they do, but they do. Their league position obviously clearly is not good enough. They are in the Champions League against Barcelona and they still are in the FA cup when they did get to a semi final. But the league is the bread and butter and they've been miles off what they were or what they have been in previous years.

[Micah Richards]

Years.

[Gary Lineker]

Fascinating game at Anfield, Micah.

[Micah Richards]

It was a strange game though, wasn't it?

[Gary Lineker]

Yeah, it was. Because West Ham actually did really well. Had a lot of chat. I think that higher xg. Did I just say xg? I'd sooner save Amos.

[Alan Shearer]

I just said low block as well a minute ago. Mike is getting into us, guys. He's getting the better of us.

[Gary Lineker]

We're being indoctrinated.

[Alan Shearer]

Next you'll be seeing pre activation or whatever it is.

[Gary Lineker]

Oh, blimey.

[Micah Richards]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I thought it was a. A good performance from Liverpool in. In areas. I mean. But I thought West Ham also did well. They were good On a counterattack. Boeing's still good. Somerville's doing what he needs to do. But they've got to somehow stop conceding the amount of goals that they're conceding for all the hard work and all what they're creating. They need to do better defensively. I don't know if it's organization. I don't know if that's taking too many risks.

[Alan Shearer]

Three set pieces as well, Michael. I think it was. Yes.

[Micah Richards]

Cor. Correct. Yeah. Set pieces.

[Gary Lineker]

It's another game with loads of set pieces. All teams are struggling to cope defensively from set piece. I mean interesting one is Liverpool, you know they. They were bottom three for goals from set pieces in the first half the season. They sacked their set piece coach brought someone else in, I think and. And now they. They ranked first since the turn of the year.

[Alan Shearer]

What a turnaround. Penny for the thoughts of the guy they sacked act.

[Gary Lineker]

I know. Bless you.

[Micah Richards]

You did that game yesterday. I was doing the stats and stuff on. On West Ham. You think they can get out of it? West Ham?

[Alan Shearer]

I think in terms of. That's what you. You've nailed it. What they have to do. I mean unless they stop conceding crazy goals then no. But in general play I thought they did all right. I thought there was plenty of positives. Getting into really good positions, scoring a couple of goals. But defensively they just look really, really weak and unless that improves then they're not going to get out of it. No. And I. I think I also look at their fixture list and probably they've got the toughest. I think.

[Gary Lineker]

No, they've probably got the toughest running. I think probably them or Forest. Could spurs be dragged into it? I mean.

[Alan Shearer]

Yes.

[Gary Lineker]

Gee, where's lost again today?

[Micah Richards]

Terrible.

[Alan Shearer]

I mean Fulham should have been out of sight a little bit better. Spurs when they got the goal and Richarlison. But Fulham should have been. Should have been out of sight. They let them off the hook. Missed so many chances. But Tottenham are all over the place defensively as well and lacking a real threat. Up. Up top. Yeah, they. Absolutely. That wouldn't surprise me at all if spurs went.

[Gary Lineker]

We had a fun day on with Var yesterday. This is the time has come. Alan. Yeah. The main issues were around the Burnley Brentford game. I mean it was extraordinary game in terms of. I mean Brentford going three up and you thought oh blimey, Tony. Obviously my business partner went all the way up as he always does and he goes to loads of away games. He watches every match and he was 30 down and we were thinking, oh, Tony, what are you doing? Why are you going up there? Then they came back three three. And then there were a couple of decisions that went against Burnley and then in the end, Brentford nicked it. So Tony, as he was there and he was, let's say, quite outraged, he's calmed down a little bit and we got him to make a video of his thoughts. Here they are, chaps.

[Tony Pastor]

Hello, Alan. Hello, Micah. Hello, Gary. Tony Pastor here. I was at Turfmore yesterday, where I've been going since 1979 when my dad first took me. I still go with my dad and my three sons, who were all born in the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, but nevertheless are still Burnley supporters. So yesterday I was at that game, dramatic game. We were 30 down after 36 minutes. Having played truly terribly and made no mistake, I know we are going to be relegated this season. However. However, we fall back to 3 3. And we were terrific for a spell in the second half and actually scored what we believe to be the fourth goal. I've seen it back. And if people believe that that is what the offside rule is for, then they are deluded about what our game is. It should have been one of the truly great games yesterday and instead the referee and his colleagues at Stockley park in West London have ruined it now. Yes, I'm biased, I'm a fan of the home team, but I've been saying I do not want VAR from the very start. I don't want it when it goes for us, I don't want it when it goes against us. It ruins games. Now, let me just tell you one thing, boys, because I've been working in television sport for a long time. Each second of moving images is made up of 25 individual frames. That's like a photograph and you put 25 of them together, you end up with moving pictures. If you stop play on the video image, one frame rather than the next, and the two players are running in opposite directions. The difference is a meter. They change position by a meter. So somebody in Stockley park picks a frame to decide if the player is offside on, and that is the determinant of it. That is a wild, inconclusive way of deciding if someone's offside. I understand we have to have some way of doing it, but the idea that somebody's shoulder has just poked two centimeters beyond the defender and that makes them offside, that's not what it's for. Var, Alan Sheer era is anti goal and you should know that as much as anyone. So look the two instance yesterday, two goals that we were denied yesterday took four minutes and six minutes to resolve. Clear and obvious. If it takes four minutes and six minutes, it's not clear and obvious. I still don't know if Ashley Barnes handled the ball and I've seen it back on all the replays available. So what are we doing? The soul of our game is at stake here. Guys, please, can we just get rid of Var? We'll actually enjoy our season next year in the championship because it simply is not used.

[Gary Lineker]

There you go. There's. Tony's worked in television for 25 years, main producer, you know, all sorts of programs for years. And he can't even frame himself. He's cut the top of his own head off.

[Micah Richards]

He's talking about frames self inflamed.

[Alan Shearer]

He pressed the button at the wrong time. For goodness sake. Tony.

[Gary Lineker]

I think on the science of how correct these things can be, I think he's absolutely spot on.

[Alan Shearer]

Yeah.

[Gary Lineker]

And it is an issue. I mean he's asking us to get rid of our. We can't. We haven't got that power. Sadly. We've tried our best, I think to change it dramatically, but alas, I think we've got the referees running our game and deciding the rules as well.

[Alan Shearer]

Though I totally get. And I'm with him on. On all of those points made. He's absolutely spot on with all of those points because that was not what Var was brought in to do. However, on the. On his first point with the offside. It doesn't sit easy with me when I see the centimeter or two that of someone's shoulder now and. And he did see it. Well, someone has to be offside at some point. And you. I think you're always going to get this. This argument is where. And how someone stops it, where the lines drawn, etc. So whether he's 2cm or 20cm off somewhere, someone has to be offside. So I. On that point I get. I get it. But it's hard to argue against. On this other point, I'm absolutely raging that. That for me that has given his handball ball because the referee gave it on field. So they have to be. That has to be a guaranteed huge error.

[Gary Lineker]

Absolutely.

[Alan Shearer]

A clear handball. Yet it can't be because we had all the angles, we slowed all the angles down and I sat in a room with five guys yesterday and I asked every single one at the same time. Right. You guys tell me whoever thinks that is a definite 100 handball and there was one person out of five said, yeah, I think that is definitely handball. Yet four of us, with all the images that we saw, couldn't agree that it was 100. Handball. Probably it was, but none of us or four of us said absolutely. And it took five minutes, not six minutes. It was five minutes and three minutes of decisions. Not, not four minutes and six. As Tony said. Having said that still real. It cannot. If they're looking at something for five minutes, what the hell are they waiting for? So I, I, I'm, I'm with him absolutely on that point and I get his anger on the other point and I'm as angry as he was because for, for I go back to my original point. Years ago, they told us maximum benefit, minimum interference. We're not going to re. Referee. Yeah. IFAB are all in Cardiff yesterday and there's going to be more var.

[Gary Lineker]

I know, I know. They're bringing in more and more. They bring it in for corners. Yellow cards lead into a red card. They're bringing it in for that. The game will get slower and slow. And then they go on about changing laws to stop time wasting. What's the biggest time waster in football? Var. Var. Yeah, it just, it makes no sense. But I, I'm, I totally get the frustrations with, I mean, it's just, just. And again, it's. They've got to go back to an appeals. If they do that and then it'll be much better, but they're not. They're doubling down with it and bringing in more and more.

[Alan Shearer]

It just feels wrong. It's just not right. If you go right throughout the country, perhaps the world, if you ask the fans and it's the fans game, ask the fans what they want. Yet Kalina and Ellery keep coming up with more and more laws that are just. Oh, just. Yeah. It's like some of it is just ridiculous.

[Micah Richards]

However, if it was to go, say Var gets abolished.

[Gary Lineker]

Yes.

[Micah Richards]

Say next week or for my next season, there's still going to be complaints. Isn't that if the referee makes a decision wrong?

[Alan Shearer]

Yeah, but there's not going to be five or seven minutes delays as well. That's. That's part of the problem, isn't it?

[Gary Lineker]

If it was immediate, then it wouldn't be an issue, but it's not. It takes.

[Micah Richards]

Takes.

[Gary Lineker]

Takes forever. And they still sometimes get it wrong.

[Micah Richards]

Is there a way for them to sharpen it up, though? Because it's, you know, some, some things are getting long for Burley fans. Yes. It was so harsh.

[Gary Lineker]

I've told you the way to sharpen it. Up is. The way that sharpen it up is by not. Not making them ever present for every corner and stuff. So it's. No, I'm sorry, this. I'm boring myself. But an appeal system, you get one appeal, a half or two if you want. Whatever you want to do, and they have to decide on it.

[Alan Shearer]

So.

[Gary Lineker]

So the players, they're not going to do it for whether it's gone through a corner or not, they're going to do it. If there's a goal, they're going to. But you've got to name what it is. You've got to say so and so pulled so and so. He handballed it. Whatever it is, you name it, they look at it and then they decide. So they're not intervening all the time. You know what it's like now. You have to stop for the play at a corner because they're having a look at something. You think, what? They're just looking for anything, trying to find anything. It's. It's madness. It will come. It'll come and it will improve. It still won't be perfect, but it'll be boy, but better.

[Micah Richards]

Do the players need to help with this, though? Because if you watch football now, every time Summit goes up for a corner or a throwing goes the wrong way, or they should.

[Gary Lineker]

Yeah, of course they're asking for var.

[Micah Richards]

All the players. What did you say? I thought players can't surround the referee. Everyone's going up to the referee and he's putting doubt in his mind. And then every single time now with a decision, everyone's going like this, var. So then the referee can't do his job also because he's got so much pressure.

[Gary Lineker]

I think what they'll do, they'll bring a law where referees can go and watch and see the VAR decision to see if. If a player's done a VAR sign and they can get a yellow card for doing a VAR sign.

[Alan Shearer]

Do you know, in 10 years we might not even have officials. That's the way.

[Gary Lineker]

Yeah, AI. Yeah. All the players will be robots. Everything.

[Alan Shearer]

I mean, at the minute. What's the point of having assistant referees or linesmen?

[Gary Lineker]

None. None, really.

[Micah Richards]

We could have an AI podcast. We could have our feet up, get someone to just do AI and we just do the show for us.

[Gary Lineker]

All the intelligence on this is artificial, that's for sure. Oh, goodness. Just before we go, any either of you watch the Old Firm game?

[Alan Shearer]

Yeah.

[Micah Richards]

No, I didn't. I was sleeping.

[Gary Lineker]

Oh, my word. It was a crack on it. It was to end stuff what did you think of the va. I won on that one. I. I actually thought it was handball. I know you didn't because I think. Say that because he's under the rules again. I'll go back to. I don't like the handball or. But I think it stopped it going in the net. I think without that handball it would have gone in the net.

[Alan Shearer]

What about. What about the penalty, though? He had three stabs at it.

[Gary Lineker]

Three goes like it twice.

[Alan Shearer]

It was like. Oh, goodness.

[Gary Lineker]

I can.

[Alan Shearer]

I just. You can hear the atmosphere because I've been to Rangers, I've been to Celtic in those games. And I mean, you can imagine how tense it was in the stadium, can't you?

[Gary Lineker]

Great result for Hearts, I would suggest best. It's looking good for them. Looking good?

[Alan Shearer]

Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. With their win the day before. So, yeah, looking good for Hearts. Yeah.

[Gary Lineker]

A bit of history in the making.

[Alan Shearer]

Micah, just one other thing. What about Villa? You watch Villa on. On Friday evening.

[Micah Richards]

Oh, good. Good shout. Actually, Ali. Yeah, they looked a bit leggy. They looked a bit. I don't even know if we can say leggy anymore. Let's say they looked a bit tired.

[Gary Lineker]

Dangly. Leggy. Micah.

[Micah Richards]

Let's not go back into that. I feel there was. There was huffing and puffing. Wouldn't they? But could really create a great deal. And then Wolves just capitalize. You got to give credit to wolves because I told you, Al, honestly, I've watched Wolves a lot this season for some reason when we do Match of the Day or the on TV and they've been in a lot of games and what did you say? The can't score and they can't defend. Now they're actually defending a little bit better and scoring at the other end. So you got to give it a little bit of credit. But for Villa, it just looked like they run out of stuff.

[Alan Shearer]

Team.

[Gary Lineker]

The way they're looking, obviously they're in European football as well. I mean it. They slipped a bit of late. They're now six points above six. Because I think we can take it for granted that there'll be five English teams in the Champions League from the league next season. And they are currently four. Three points clear of Liverpool. Six points from Chelsea. I think we sometimes underestimate what European football takes out of you.

[Alan Shearer]

Yeah, I guess. And it's the. It's the mentality side of it when you. You're going up against some brilliant team. You're traveling here then everywhere and you're getting the results and then you come back to the Premier League and you might not feel the spark that you perhaps get in in Europe.

[Gary Lineker]

Even palace today I saw second half faded.

[Alan Shearer]

They do look very, very heavy legged Villa, but I've always said if they get Champions League football in fifth position, I still feel that will be a great achievement for Aston Villa.

[Gary Lineker]

Absolutely, absolutely agree. And on that note, let's call it a day. Goodbye from me.

[Micah Richards]

Goodbye from me.

[Alan Shearer]

Goodbye from me. Have a great week everyone. Close your eyes, exhale, feel your body relax and let go of whatever you're carrying today.

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[Micah Richards]

And breathe.

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[Gary Lineker]

1-800-contacts.

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