Brighton's surprising PL start + Ronaldo fined and suspended 😳 | ESPN FC

ESPN FC

ESPN FC panel on Spurs' relief, Ronaldo's token punishment, Manchester United's malaise, Brighton and Yamal

The panel discussed Tottenham's much-needed win, Portugal's punishment of Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United's slump and rebuild, Brighton's strong start, and Lamine Yamal's entertainment value. The consensus was that Spurs just needed the result, the Ronaldo sanction was token and embarrassing, United are mid-table at best and need a long rebuild, Brighton are playing the most enjoyable football in the Premier League, and Yamal represents the joy too often suppressed by modern coaching.

On ESPN FC, the panel discuss: 0:00 Tottenham vs. Coventry City 8:37 Cristiano Ronaldo suspended and fined 11:36 Man United's struggles 24:12 Brighton's success 27:44 Lamine Yamal 34:40 Extra Time ✔️ Subscribe to ESPN Unlimited: https://plus.espn.com/ ESPN ESPNFC

Transcript

Beaten comprehensively. >> Beaten comprehensively indeed. But Tottenham Hotspur, as I said, the big news. Finally, a big win and a big three points for Deserby and his men. Just have a look at the bottom half of the standings. It's enough to take them well out of the relegation zone, but only just on six points in 16th spot. All right. Well, let's welcome in Mario Melkia, who's also joining us. But Stevie, I'm going to start with you. Spurs with their first win. Massive sigh of relief for the deserve. >> Yeah, absolutely huge. Uh certainly wasn't silky soccer at its finest. But you know what? You when you're in the position that Tottenham are in, they don't care. Yeah. >> And nobody, whether it's the fans, whether it's the staff, certainly the owners, they don't care about the performance. They care about the result. And at the end of the game, they probably deserved it. Uh, I was a little surprised that Coventry with 20 minutes to go when they go 2-1 down didn't really >> force the game because there was absolutely jitters amongst the Tottenham players. You know, they were all running around looking as though they wanted the ball, but I'm not so sure they all did and Coventry made it too easy for them in those latter stages. But again, who cares? They won the game. They're out the bottom three and it's onwards and upwards if you suppose. >> Mario, mentally, this would do a world of good for Spurs. Oh, definitely. I think you know like when they went up you could see already the reaction um medicine they were waiting you understand for the I will call him dead diamond because they were very happy because if you look at the game like what Stevie said it was a lot of hard work of them and it was maybe his influence of bringing a little bit more quality in the team. So that was one of the key things and then afterwards if you saw the substitution that the Serby was making he brought on the other side he took medicine off uh Gallagher came on you know the middle of the park he put more energy in it because this was a game purely based on that kind of factor for me because it was like who's going to bring more who's going to work harder who's going to bring more energy because it's not it wasn't a great game to watch but it was business was done and you could see the Zerby already when he when they equalized he was already down but then you could see when they scored But it it changes everything because they needed this win. >> They needed this win indeed. Shaka and James Madison came back for the first time as we said, first Premier League start since 2025 and kind of just reminding everyone exactly the kind of player he is. It >> it was a really welltaken goal. Um to to his credit, gave him the time out that he had to endure to renounce himself I thought is exactly what he needed, what Spurs needed, what Zerby needed, what those fans continue to pay their money to see. Oh, all in all, I I think without question Spurs deserve to to win this game. A little surprised by a couple of things in the game. At times I thought Spurs were dominant throughout. They certainly had the lion share possession, but seemed a little bit reluctant to really have a go at Coventry dur during the course of the game, which which surprised me a lot given given how well they were playing or at least how much they were controlling the game. Steve spoke about Coventry and and even when they were trailing, they seemed to be a little bit reluctant. Again, hugely surprising given their result against Newcastle last week. I thought they'd be looking to build on that. Everybody has to know how poor Spurs record is in this stadium. How these fans can turn quickly, yet you never really got a sense of urgency from Coventry. I thought they'd come on the blocks flying again, given the given the the game where it is and and those fans once the game settled. I thought they would try to have moments. They just never did. Um and and that for me just kind of played into to Spurs's hands. Now they have a result. They have that win. They're out in the bottom three. All great psychologically given the week that they had. We spoke about the Zerby taking the team away. Um the expectation now is to continue to build on this but it was a poor coventry. Spurs now have to if they have if to match the ambition of their spending in the summer they still have a lot of work to do. >> A lot of work to do and Stevie I'm sure a lot of work was put in for James Madison as well as Dian Klesvki to come back from injury after over a year out. Just mentally, physically, how hard is it for what we saw today? Well, I think absolutely it's a a mental thing. Uh in terms of their the physical state then there's no question with with with all the coaching staff, with all the the medical staff, the whole thing, there's no question they were >> Mhm. >> from a physical standpoint ready. As a player, you're never sure until you step on the field. And we know exactly how Madison felt. >> Yeah. because that real touch of quality is what has been missing from Spurs in the final third all season long. Uh in terms of Kulleski, you could see that he had a couple of 100 meter runs and by the end he was blowing a little. The fact that the fact he wasn't over that long was probably a good thing. But yeah, for him as well, again, it's a mental thing. Once you get once you get a game behind you, you get get on the field and then >> nothing goes wrong, then all of a sudden you you're kind of back to normal. But there's no question James Madison between now and and the the rest of the season is going to be key because they >> right now are are struggling for quality in the final third and absolutely he can deliver it. >> Oh, I love what Stevie said. He said at the end he was like steaming because people sometimes forget like we train so hard to get ready to be fit again and then when we get the opportunity I tell you one sprint and we are tired and it and people say like but how can you be tired you just came on because you haven't played that long so it takes minimum like playing in the Premier League it takes you about three games three 90 minutes full games you got to play before you up to your speed of your normality but for him to be out that long it maybe takes him four for five games it will take him to get him back. So after one sprint, oh trust me, next game he's back on that run again and we going to look at him again and say like, "Hey dude, you're going at it again." I know it Steve is right. >> Well, we know that a lot was also made of their mid-season camp in Marva. Told you last week you did say that they needed to come back with a win and so said so done, Stevie. when teams go away and they enjoy themselves, it's always on it's always the thought is in your mind, right? We need to make sure we do well here otherwise we won't get another trip and yet again it's come up trumps they've ended up with with the three points and as Shaka said they did deserve it. >> Yeah. But Coventry helped them along the way in my opinion because >> at the very time we about 15 20 minutes to go when they were 21 up there was a little lull and they weren't quite sure Tottenham whether to go after it or whether to be safe and they kind of got lost. They weren't really going anywhere and Coventry stood off them. So yeah, the break absolutely worked the treat but thanks very much Coventry for letting that happen. >> No, no, no. He'd be knocking on De's door. Can we go another trip? >> We should have. >> Absolutely. >> Hey, LOOK AT LOOK AT WANTS TO GO ON HOLIDAY. I'm telling you to go to the airport. I'm going straight to the airport on the door. >> Shaka loves a trip. Mario, as >> I >> go ahead, Mario. >> Marba in a bad place. So, I think we might lose him out there. So, we don't want to bring him there. >> No, we won't. We'll say what happens in Marba stays in Marba. But Mario, I want to talk to you about who Spurs have next because as Stevie just said, Coventry kind of helped them along to get this win. But up next, they do have Chelsea and I don't think Chelsea will be that helpful. >> No, because you know like when you that rifere will stay for for forever. You understand? And I think it's one of the the games that it does not matter how the the the league goes. That's we have to always remember that even if you play a derby, you can have the worst season, but when that game comes up, you kind of do everything to win that game. So, in a way, I don't think Chelsea needs to go into that game too confident. But are they steps ahead of of of Spurs? Yeah, definitely. You understand? That's that's just no one have to, you know, think or break his head about it. So, it's going to be a tough one for Spurs. The only thing is like they have to make sure that they don't get embarrassed and Chelsea have to make sure that they don't embarrass themselves by thinking like, hey, we're confident, we're doing well and we're going to walk right over them. But if not, yeah, if I look on the on the if I put two papers next to each other, yeah, Chelsea win that game. >> Talk about Cristiano Ronaldo, shall we? Because we finally have found out the punishment that Portugal have handed out on him. Now, you'd remember, of course, all the drama of him walking out of camp in the last international break. Now, Portugal have decided that he will be suspended for 30 days. Now, he's already served 19 of those days. So, he will be available for the next international break when they play Denmark and Wales, but he's also been fined a whopping €255. Shaka hitting him where it really hurts, huh? >> Yeah. I mean, considering that he uh he broke camp to to leave on a private jet. Thankfully, it was a nub. Yeah. If we went to catch a new, it would be 12 cents. >> Yeah. I mean, it be 12 cents. I I listen, I I >> This is is just as kind of token as anybody could ever hope for in terms of so you sp you're suspending for the period in between the two international windows and find a billionaire €255. Tell me how this is supposed to make any kind of >> You read the explanation. Why too? >> Well, yeah. So, it was because of uh his his uh contributions to football and and the nation of Portugal and Ronaldo um provided a listing of his awards and accomplishments to help them in making that decision around his contributions to football and and Portugal. We needed we needed that resume just to be sure. Listen, there there's so much about this that again um >> it would have it would it would have made a whole lot more sense just to say there was a misunderstanding. >> The manager and player have spoken about it and we've moved on effectively that that move all we've done is move on. >> Yeah. >> So I I I don't understand this. I I it it it is ridiculous what what we're now having. Oh, what we we've heard from the the Portuguese FA and and the fine and whatnot, it's it's I can't I can't overstress how stupid I I I find it, >> Stevie. >> Well, as embarrassing as the whole thing was when it happened, this is just as embarrassing, you know. I'm I mean, he probably makes €255 a minute. >> Yeah, fair. >> So, >> yeah, I I think this morning I >> I'm 100% with Shaka. who should have said, "Look, this whole scenario is just not how we wanted it to be, and hopefully we can get Cristiano and the manager together and figure something out and and and that's how we're going to go with that." And that would everybody would have went, you know what, that's a sensible thing to do. >> But no, no, the all these committees and all these boards have to pick their nose in and try and make a point. >> But then they embarrass themselves with this nonsense of 30 days and he served 19. I mean, it's ridiculous. It's laughable and and it just makes Portuguese football look a little bit stupid. >> Let's talk about Manchester United, shall we? Here is a look at the papers after the 1-1 draw yesterday with leads United Carls again. Carrick's week from L and bloody L as Shaka was giving us his best accent earlier on. Well, no surprise that Craig and the crew really went in on Manchester United on yesterday's show. Let's have a listen. United can't even dominate a team that have spent the last couple of seasons fighting to avoid relegation. >> They could not afford to lose this game and they didn't. But there was nothing about turning a corner. There was nothing really to to get you excited. >> It was a low quality football match. >> That wasn't enough. That wasn't really not enough when you are Manchester United. And as you said, maybe they can't do better. >> I can't say that anybody played well. I can't say anybody had a stinker for Manchester United. And that's just kind of where they are. >> If this team w red and called Man United, we wouldn't be talking about, >> right, let's get into it, Stevie. Now, I think we all know exactly where I lie when it comes to Manchester United. And Stevie, there is still the belief even amongst supporters that this is Manchester United. Surely they can bounce back even in the next game. Surely they're still one of the big teams. But as the boys were saying and as Craig were saying was saying, are they right that they are just a mid-table team at best now? 100% they are. And I I think unfortunately whilst the manager continues to tell his team and everybody else that they're actually doing some good things and they're in a great place, then they're not kidding anybody. You know, at the end of the day, you can get you can get results that go against you for lots of different reasons. You know, you get you get a bad robin, you don't get you don't get a call, >> but you play well, you create chances and maybe your center forwards having a bad day. >> That you can't say that about Manchester United this whole season. They've had bad day after bad day after bad day and there is no progress that that certainly I can see. I can only speak for myself. I don't see anything other than a weaker Manchester United that finished last season. They're not as good this season as they were last season. >> And so Michael Carrick coming out and saying the things that that he's saying is making it worse. You know, I would prefer if I was a Man United fan that the manager told me the truth and I said it the other day before this game. tell us that we need to play better and we want to do better and we want to do this and we want to do that and we want to win games but don't come out especially after you've just had a horrible performance and try and tell us that today was a restart today was like a fresh new day but you love that >> and there's loads of there's I saw a lot of things that gave me hope for the future I mean come on who's who's going to who's really going to >> do you believe it >> you watch the game >> so it's Michael Carrick is not helping himself and he's certainly not helping the team cuz if I'm a manated player and I'm delivering that and the manager is telling me that I'm doing well, >> well, they're not they're not going to get any better. >> Well, Mario, what if it is just like that? Because we can pick apart what Michael Carrick says here and there, but a lot of people believe that the truth is just that these players are just not good enough. But at this point, how can Manchester United attract some top players? Because right now who would want to go there? >> Yeah. But you know it's not only like look if you look at the individuals you understand they come to your club you can say like okay they're not they're not you know up to the standards that you would like them to be. You that's that's a possibility but you won. You went to you went after them. The second part is that the hunger the hunger to play for a team and play for a club it's different now than like what it was uh last season. last season towards you know towards the end the hunger got them where they ended up and end up playing Champions League football. Now you got people like you understand okay maybe you know the the the desire of Balaba you understand I always felt like okay he could make a difference to the team but a kid like Santos was at Chelsea getting used to the rhythm and the tempo and everything now he comes into Man United that is a team that is not even stable you understand Fernandez is the one that is the bright spot on the team but it's very hard for them because if you have Fernandez and Tielemans almost guys both want to go and pick up the ball and both so if you have two in your team want to pick up the ball, you have to find a solution and speak to both of them and saying like listen one maybe goes this part is where he can pick the ball up and you are going at this part where you can pick the ball up. When they're going to do it together, it becomes a whole different story. So for me now it's too many similarities is is some players are not for me not working hard enough and sometimes you also got to look in the mirror and thinking like if you want to talk about your history all the time you got to make sure you put history on the field in the sense of like I used to get shivers when I used to go on the field and play in Man United not because I was scared but because I knew that I had to step up my game and play really well. I don't think people have that now when they go and face Man United. Well, of course we know that a rebuild has to come on, Stevie, and Liverpool kind of went through something similar. It took about 25, 30 years to get right back to where you believe Liverpool belong. Are we looking at the same timeline now for Manchester United at the rate things are going? >> Well, it's very difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel in terms of championships. Um, and for Liverpool, uh, it was about recruitment. >> Yeah. You know, at the end of the day, yes, Young and Clock made a huge difference, but after that, it was about recruitment, steady, good recruitment of younger players who were going to get better and who produced. And then, of course, at the end of it, you top it up with a Van Dyk for nearly 100 and and the goalkeeper Allison for nearly 100. So, you top that up to take it to the to the championship level. And so, that's where Manchester United are. they are at the bottom of the ladder and the recruitment has has to change and right now the people in charge of recruitment are quite frankly making a mess of it and there's no other way to put it because whatever they're bringing in is not performing to the standard of a team that wants to go forward and win a championship. Yes, Bruno Fernandez might be your man, but around them isn't good enough. And so he eventually as good as he was at the second half of last season, he eventually is going to suffer as much as anybody. And we saw that at the weekend. >> So yeah, it's all about recruitment takes time. So yeah, it's going to take another how many? If you get it right, it'll take you at least four windows if you get it right. But Man United's history recently is of getting it wrong. So that makes it twice as hard. pretty major differences between Manchester United today and and and Liverpool and and enduring their their lean spells from from the 80s through to >> whenever it was um is the disparity in English football the money in English football now is far greater than it was when when Liverpool had to had to to go through that billing period. Now to to your question Alexis about um who joins Manchester United. >> Yeah. Even if right let's take the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona and Bayern Munich and and even PSG aside um in English football Manchester United are still a big name you've got Arsenal you've got City now with his charges whether whether they can continue to attract talent time will tell but right now let's leave that to the side after that if it's a Chelsea or United after the same player he would give it some thought if if it's um a Liverpool and and Manchester Unite