What's stopping José Mourinho from fielding a competitive 11 for Madrid? | ESPN FC Extra Time

ESPN FC

ESPN FC Extra Time: Why Mourinho's Real Madrid lacks structure, plus Champions League picks and Barcelona's high line

The crew discusses why Mourinho's Real Madrid lacks structure and whether Vinicius Jr.'s suspension could force a solution, plus Roma's collapse, Liverpool's big win, Barcelona's high line, Champions League contenders, and Barcelona vs PSG. They lean toward PSG as UCL favorites, rank Barcelona second and Bayern third, and pick Barcelona over PSG next week while noting Barcelona's attacking quality and defensive risk.

Stewart Robson, Ale Moreno and Craig Burley join Kay Murray to answer your questions on Extra Time: 0:00 Intro 1:01 Gasperini to blame for loss? 3:04 Why can't Madrid create a competitive 11? 4:34 Barcelona, PSG, Bayern: who will win UCL? 7:03 Liverpool fans relieved by win vs. Lask? 8:16 Any adjustments by Barcelona's high line? 9:05 Should Bouaddi stay in City midfield? 10:06 Barcelona or PSG? ✔️ Subscribe to ESPN Unlimited: https://plus.espn.com/ ESPN

Transcript

Welcome into the latest edition of Extra Time. Robo is joining us. Craig and Alli are here in the studio. Before we do bring you the first question, apparently we've got a graphic for you. Craig, there's Robo. Let's see. >> Is that going to This is a surprise for me, too. What have we got? >> We got a graphic. Okay. >> I mean, here it comes. >> The drama the Oh. >> Oh, yeah. Yeah, I mean >> and the B actually they've spent more than Arsenal. That even strengthens your point even further. Craig, hey, good job. Good investigative journalism. >> That wasn't me. I read it. >> All right. Well, that was >> Well, you know, I I I think I think sometimes, you know, I mean, if you if you want to feel good about yourself, Tottenham have spent it even poorer. >> Yes. If you were wondering what we're talking about, make sure to check the whole show. >> We're reacting to Lisandro Martinez's comments. >> If you're really feeling sorry for Man City, they haven't really spent a lot even though they've allegedly cheated. >> Poor Man City. All right, Craig, have you ever seen such a weird comeback win? This is the Real Madrid Roma game. How much of this falls on Gaspirini? Well, Robbo was talking about in the show he made some substitutes that really uh they certainly did not improve their shape. Uh with seven minutes to go plus injury time, they were they had the game in the in the grasp and and look set pieces killed them. But that's organization. That's respon taking responsibility. How much is on him? I I I don't know. I mean, he's he's doing a pretty good job there, I think, isn't he? You know, they're they're they were second in the league. They're now third. They're unbeaten. Whether they go all the way this year, this they're not going to win this competition. They're not even going to come close. Uh but they may have a chance when we've seen Interplay recently. Yesterday, the Inter were not good uh again against Club Ruger. Then Ser could be up for grabs this year. So yeah, maybe a bit of responsibility in terms of in this game for him. but generally likes to put out good attacking teams and that he's not always been known for put putting out teams that like to dig in and defend late in games. Put it that way. >> Would you want that scent by the way? Three points body spray by Steven Nickel. Would Would you want that? Is that something that you would use? Ah, rubble. Would you use three points body spray? >> Depends what it smelt like. If it smelt like Stevie, no, definitely not. >> It is by Stevie Nickel. >> By Stevie. So he's had to try it and give it the go ahead cuz it's his name that's on it. So he's kind of it's his patent. So it could be anything in that bottle really cuz cuz he could spray it on and go quite like that. But what he likes is not what most other people >> it's from his famous quote right about winning being the deodorant. >> Yeah. Well mask whatever's going on here. >> Well there there's a lot there's a lot of things that you have to mask with Stevie, >> right? Yeah, it's true. >> There's a lot of m coming out from >> with the individual talent at disposal for Real Madrid. What is stopping Mourinho from cooking up a competitive 11? Is it too many egos to satisfy? There seems to be no structure. >> Yeah. Well, and that's I think a point that we discussed in the show is that you would think that with Jose Mourinho being back with Real Madrid, the one thing that this team would have above all would be structure because it is the thing that Jose Mourinho has had in the teams that he has managed in the past. So much so that the conversation and the criticism about Jose Mourinho over the last few seasons is that his the way his teams play, they like creativity. They they like dynamic movement. They become too defensive. So you're thinking that at the very least he was going to bring that to Real Madrid and that just hasn't happened. This team looks very much like a team that's disorganized, that disconnected, that doesn't quite know what their plan is out on the field. And I think Stewie mentioned it in the show and there is something to be said about the fact that this suspension on Vinnie Jr. for four matches. It will by default allow Jose Mourinho to set up a team that has a different personality both in the attack and the structure that they may have in the midfield. And that may just be somehow Jose Mourinho stumbling into an answer. an answer that could potentially lead to positive results and positive performance and more organized performances. A lot to be determined just yet because one of those matches is against Barcelona in their classical. Good luck, >> Stuart. Start bench or drop these clubs chances to win the Champions League. Barcelona, PSG, Bayern Munich. >> Uh I would uh certainly play PSG. They're the favorites for the competition. We saw that today against Man City. That first half was unbelievable. They played brilliantly. I love Barcelona because I their attacking play is sensational. They can't stop scoring goals. They've got a problem defensively. So, I would uh bench that. Was that bench those? No. Or sub those. And the last team would be Bayern Munich. I did the game yesterday against Vin. Uh and then why they're a good side. They got Harry Kane. They got Lewis Diaz. Elise was brilliant up until he got sent off. Uh, but I still think they're lacking that extra bit of quality that maybe Barcelona and PSG have got. So PSG I got to win it. Barcelona would be second and Bayern Munich third. >> So it's not it's it's not Viking. >> No, it's VK. >> It's Vicki. >> And he worked alongside Derek Ray along these ones. >> Who was you doing that game with yesterday on the World Feed Rob? >> Jonathan Pierce. >> And I know for a And I know Piery. Piery never called him V King, did he? >> He did. Yeah, he looked it up and he actually said at the start of the commentary, "If anybody wants to criticize me, I've looked it and checked it over time and time again." This is right at the start of the commentary. It's vein, not Viking. And we had the crowd saying ve the crowd was singing vein vein. So they made our mind up for us. >> Yeah, but that's that's how they their dialect. >> Yeah, but Bayern were leaking against >> It's a typical commentator, isn't it, Pierce? I know Jonathan is but it's a typical commentator. They're they're all the same. You get there and they've got their nose noses absolutely entrenched in their stats and then their pronunciations and then you got all the nerves that go, "Well, yeah, that's you should call them by the right name cuz if you get called the wrong name, you'd be upset." Nobody would care. There somebody that mispronounces my name. I couldn't give a >> name. We know who cares. >> I'll tell you who cares. I'll tell you who cares. And it's UEFA. So if we say uh Bayern Mun Bay Bayern Munich, we would probably not get the job again. If we said Viking, we would probably not work again for UEFA. They tell us exactly what we've got to call the teams. That's the way they do it. >> Lap dogs. >> Laps are lap dogs. >> Oh yeah, we're lap dogs. We do exactly what we're told. >> Yeah, just I don't I don't work for UEFA, thankfully. >> Craig, should Liverpool supporters really feel anything? I just get this feeling of a UEFA delegate sat in the back of a a booth miles and thousands and miles from where the game's taking place hovering over Pier and Robbo just making sure they say ve rather than Viking. >> Yeah. >> Come on. >> Should Liverpool supporters really feel any sense of relief about that win against last? >> No. You beat anybody any Liverpool side that scores six goals in the Champions League at the moment is telling you what the opposition are like. >> And a weakened Liverpool side by the way. But you weren't concerned about the goals they let in in this game because of the fact they had that lead. It was something that you touched on the show. They shouldn't be worried. >> No. >> Well, I mean, I think there is a lot of concern about Liverpool in general this this year, both defensively and going forward. >> Well, I'll be honest. I just I didn't couldn't >> give a the only thing that I would say is that >> Roen Van comes in in the 62nd minute. Liverpool give up a goal in the 63rd minute. They had not given up a goal up until that point. They gave up three goals with your captain coming off the bench. >> Yeah, he changed his center backs, didn't he? >> I'm just saying. >> All right. >> Robo, have you noticed any adjustments made in the Barcelona Highline this season? Is it still as high as it's been for the past two years, or is it a few yards deeper this season? >> No, it's exactly the same, but they're playing it much better so far. They're making better decisions so they they squeeze up, but they are ready to drop when the ball's played and their timing is much better. I think over the course of the three years, Hansy Flick has obviously worked and worked at it. And the players he's got playing as the back four in most games understand it completely now. And we're not seeing teams keep running through one v one against the goalkeeper. They're either offside or the ball doesn't get played. And the closing down higher up the field has been absolutely magnificent. It's difficult for the opposition to see those forward passes. As you and and Craig and Alli would tell you, at the moment, Barcelona are a brilliant team. >> After Budd's incredible second half performance, should he be a permanent fixture in the City midfield? Well, I think he's got to he's got to think about horses for courses because when you're playing a team with the three in the midfield as talented as that, you need an extra body and then you you got to make a decision over the Ryan Cherries of this world. If you're playing, you know, one of the poorer teams in the bottom half of the Premier League, you could you think about it, it's going to be probably Elliot Anderson and and and Enzo Fernandez. It's whether you think you want another more natural midfielder in there and pushing Enzo Fernandez further forward who can do both roles or whether you want a Ryan Cherokee type character who's maybe going to go in the missing list, but you're not it's not going to be an issue in most of the Premier League games. So, it's but he's a good player. I mean, there's no but he's a young player, but he's a very very uh good player. So, that might be the might be the right answer going forward for for Mesa. >> For all of you, I'll start with you Alli. Who you putting your dollars on between Barca and PSG next week? >> Uh, next week. >> Do you know what? >> All right, go ahead. >> No, no. Do you think this game is going to, you know, if you were asking that question that was the semi-final of the Champions League? >> It kind of feels that does it feel that somebody's going to put a marker down next week or both are just going to hedge the bets? >> I honestly don't think that Barcelona has it in them to be hedging anything. They just have one way to play and that is we're going after it and PSG showed some of that today. I optimistically I think this game is going to be everything that we wanted to be in a back and forth especially when you don't have the pressure of actually being a knockout stage. You're in this opening phase of this competition and so therefore whether you win or lose this game both of these teams are going to advance onto the next phase. And so this gives I believe both coaches the flexibility to say let's get after it and see what happens. As for my money right now I'm putting on Barcelona. Doesn't mean that it's going to be the same if indeed they get to the final stages of this competition but right now I think Barcelona are playing at a higher level than PSG. >> You'd wonder though what team that he's going to put out. >> Yeah. Hanzy flick because he has I'm presuming that game is Tuesday next week. I don't know. Uh, not only am I not a historian, I don't look too far ahead. >> So, you you live in the present. >> Uh, they have the classical on the 25th. So, he has to have that in mind. You know, PSG obviously will have a game in the league on, but it's, you know, classical is the biggest game on the planet. Barcelona are unbeaten this season, the top of the league. They have the biggest game of the season. They have a a rattled Real Madrid side coming to the camp. Now his team selection has to mirror without making wholesale pen changes you know doesn't lean mal play you know obviously Rafinia's coming back from injury probably won't be involved probably won't risk him even if he's he's close so his team selection could be interesting bearing in mind if what's going to happen four or five days later >> and take it a step further they're playing Betty's this weekend >> yeah never >> Barcelona and and it's an it may be an uncomfortable game as well. And so you want to carry that six-point lead at least into the classicalico that becomes a priority. And so when you consider in terms of what are the important games in this upcoming period for Barcelona, PSG while it would seem to be the headline, Eláico more important and Betty's while it may not be as important for other people when you think about it the significance of of what it could be in La Liga then Betty's becomes far more important than actually winning or losing against PSG. >> What was the score last year? Betty's >> five. Yeah, >> don't say. Yeah, you never knew that. >> Usually Bettis are not the easiest to go to for Barcelona. >> There was five last year, but it was it was a funny memory serves me right. My memories coming back. >> Look at this. >> It was a strange kind for somebody who doesn't look back. You look back a lot, right? Yeah. Yeah, we can remember that game. So, that'll be a good game at the weekend, actually. >> Yeah, it will be. You'll be able to see it. >> Of course you will. We have the right. >> You'll be able to see it here on ESPN. >> Don't worry. Don't worry. I can spoil it for you. I'll spoil it for you. Are you going to spoil it for us, Stuart? >> Commentary. >> Are you on it with Rob Palmer again? YouTube bickering away on it with Rob Palmer. Yeah, >> bickering away in the background. Spoil the game for you. >> Robo, you said you love this Barcelona team at the moment. You love to watch them obviously and to commentate on them. Are they best equipped to beat this PSG team this season? >> Yes, they are. Because I mean you there's no team that pass it quite as well and create so many chances as Barcelona do. Even when teams sit deep, they still open them up and still play little balls down the side. They're a much better team with Rafinia in it. And that's the biggest problem with Rafinia not fully fit and maybe not playing. That just curtails their ability, I would say, by 10%. But when Rafinia is playing, they're the best attacking team in the world at the moment. >> All right. Do >> you know who I'm really want? I'm I can't I'm really next week looking forward to to Fabachi and >> all the They did they did have some chances today. >> They did have some chances. We could put you together a little package if you want and a piece on set piece coaches just in case >> you want to watch it when >> in fact chances by Fener on a set piece that'd be amazing. >> If I if I if I get reincarnated I want to get >> Nobody wants that. If I get a choice, if I get a choice, there's several things you'd want to come back as, but one of them you'd think it's slightly down the pecking order. But if you want money for nothing, you come back as a set piece coach, wouldn't you really? >> Okay. Okay. >> Pop your head out. Oh, that's a >> fab chances. >> Yeah. >> Set peace coach documentary or Sid talking about the situation at Ryano. >> I love that. I mean, there was so many of our viewers. >> Long story short, he started with, didn't he? Long story short, >> I just know our viewership that day in particular was hanging on to the end of that broadcast just waiting. Go to dinner. Put the dinner away. Kids can't go to bed. We got to get the rivon news and it has to be long. >> Y >> long and boring. And at the end of it, you're still none the wiser. >> No, we bring you for you because we've got La Liga on ESPN is what we do best. Thank you so much for sending in your questions today. We will be back tomorrow with more chances, more set pieces, maybe no talk on Rio.