Premier League REACTION 🍿 Man United struggle + Concerns for Arsenal? | ESPN FC

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ESPN FC reaction: Real Madrid improve, Man United look average, Arsenal win but still draw criticism

The show starts with Real Madrid's win over Sevilla and debates what it means for the away trip to Barcelona. It then criticizes Manchester United's draw at Leicester, questions Arsenal's grinding style, and discusses PSG and Brighton's prospects.

On ESPN FC, the panel discuss: 0:00 Real Madrid vs. Sevilla 6:47 Leeds vs. Man United 13:24 Nottingham Forest vs. Arsenal 20:51 MLS recap 22:30 Extra Time ✔️ Subscribe to ESPN Unlimited: https://plus.espn.com/ ESPN

Transcript

what that means that there will be a six-point gap between these two teams or between Real Madrid and Barcelona going in to Alasico next week. For more on this, let's welcome in Luis Garcia. Luis, much better from Real Madrid from what we've seen of late. >> Yeah, much much better. At least we we seen Real Madrid with an idea with the determination that they wanted to win this game from the first minute. It's true that Sevilla and the guys just mentioned it didn't put much of an effort. Yeah, they control some some minute. They have the ball for quite a bit of time during the game, but not with the intention of scoring or or at least they try but not be like a big threat. Real Madrid with quick transitions understanding that the ball has to be in the feet of mandebuler and today Bellingham those are the more creative and more dangerous players and the rest of the team just be comfortable sitting at the back and waiting for the opponent to be exposed. And that's what they did against Sevilla. They tried Real Madrid in the first 45 minutes to put a little bit of a pressure. But Sevilla having knowing that Ara is not going to follow in this kind of situation. He's not going to have the intensity that it can be with the Kamovinga or with Bal, they understood that they have to sit down at the back and then is where the Sevilla start getting exposed, start committing players going forward and a lot of space was behind the defenders and in between the lines. And then we saw Arullet the best of Aragoul grabbing the ball in the midfield connecting with the players have thrown that fantastic goal that we've seen the space for Kil Mbappe to to use his best strength and is that that is fantastic speed and today we got a fantastic news for Real Madrid is that Jandio Mander is becoming a better and better player. He's getting his comfort comfortable on the field. The player start understanding a little bit more himself. He deciding better. We saw him in the last part of the game. is true. They still need a little bit to to analyze, but we saw a lot better of this Real Madrid side. Do we know the best 11? No, we don't. Is this the best game of the season? Maybe for some minutes. Yeah, it was. But still a lot to improve. But at least we enjoy today and the scores said it all. >> See, here's the dilemma. Looking forward, I don't think Enrich starts in the camp now against Barcelona. >> Venicious Junior suspended. >> No, I know. I just don't think he starts. He he he he came off the bench in and in and Rome made a difference. He played today. He was okay. I don't think he starts away from home in the camp. Now that probably means you mentioned it, he's suspended. So Aduler has to probably go and play on the right potentially with Diamandi on the left or vice versa. And and arguably Valver back in the middle of the park. Why? Why are you fuffing about with it? >> What do you mean? We've we've pretty much agreed this is some of the best we've seen from real play at home but they've played some bad teams already this year nothing like that have they going to talk about Barcelona we're talking about this game now I'm >> talking I don't care about Sevilla because >> but we got to care about Sevilla because we've been so poor of late composition they were better today much better today so why can't we give them their flowers for today before we're dropping or we think giving them their flowers for this that and the other get some flowers. Get them from the gas. I don't care where you get them from. >> It's not Mother's Day. It's not Mother's Day. Get from the gas station, you know, as long as you don't murder around. Get some flowers. Give it to >> This is THE PROBLEM WITH YOU. THIS IS THE PROBLEM with you. You can never leave your Real Madrid TV >> birthday suit. BUT I THINK TODAY I'M NOT looking to I'm looking at a bigger picture. >> But I didn't ask about I don't care about the bigger picture for the moment. We've got a week to talk about this play against Barcelona. I mean for now you have to say they were better performance. Ardula was excellent. >> Questions I want from you questions. I don't want opinion from you. I want too didn't he? >> This team was set up to get a result today and it did handsomely easily great goals against Sevilla. Right. You're very very shortsighted. This was set up for the victory today. I don't think because this was a good performance today that this is a good setup for Barcelona away. That's all I'm talking about. And you may have noticed it's the biggest game of the season. >> It is the big but we got a week to talk about that like you want some narrowminded chat about Sevilla. It was much better today. >> You know where I'm going to go. You know what I'm going to ask? Is this team better than Ven without Venicious Jr. in it? >> You asked me that at Halime. >> People weren't WATCHING AT HALIME. THEY'RE WATCHING NOW. WELL, THEY SHOULD. >> Just because you said it once doesn't mean you don't get to say it again. >> No, I'm going to repeat myself. I think it's too early to be suggesting because of a better performance against Sevilla, who were poor for the most part, uh, that this is a better team without Venitz Jr. in it. >> Two things can be correct. That could be correct and Venitzi Jr. is still having a poor season, which he is. If Venitz Jr. was fit and available, he would probably have played today and he would probably play in the classical, but he's not. So, it's not a better team with without him in it. It's too early in the season to be saying that. >> Which was the best goal, Shaq, for you. >> So, three three crackers. >> I go I go Aragula just to set things off. I listen ball kind of comes back at you like that and from an angle, the height and the dip that that he got on it. >> Uh Adraula for me who who may not start against Barcelona. Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on. At least listen. I may be dangerous. I never said I said may not start. >> Oh, boy. >> By the way, I'm That's it. That's That's my That's my thing for the week now. This my whole week now. >> I'm off. >> I'm off. >> When we get last show for a week, >> when we get to Spain, I am telling you, I'm going to drill that home. And if if it comes, we'll talk about the classic. >> And if it comes out Friday, if the show on Friday, let's get ahead to the game there. Let's not start the segment of Real Madrid winning talking about whether or not Hri's going to start against Barcelona >> because one the domino effect of Adilla then moving out of possession and Valv having to come back in and Denzel Friday. Wonderful. Looking forward to that conversation. >> I am sure Real Madrid fans are already thinking about the classical what was your favorite goal please. >> Sorry L. >> I think Andri is not playing. And is not playing again. It's all over. I've had enough of this. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. That's it. >> It will be Barcelona against Madrid. Not before though against ESPN. Boy, >> that didn't surprise me today to be honest. We're not getting too carried away cuz we haven't won the game. But um I think if you keep doing the right things and for for the right reasons then um you get what you deserve in the end, you know. And I think that was it was a felt like a bit of a fresh start if I'm honest today. And and um where we're at and accepting it and doing something about it. And um it definitely shows that the boys are desperate desperate to do well for each other as much as anything else. and uh and how much you appreciate playing for this football club cuz there was a there was a um there was a real um purpose to to the group over the last couple of days and and they took it on the pitch and that's a tough game today. I have to say that's a tough game the way they play and um it can find you out pretty quickly and the boys stood up to it really well. >> Goodness me Michael Parrot really optimistic after that 1-1 draw. It is still there a worst start to the season in a very long time. Frank Leur is with us. We'll hear from Frank in a moment. Are you surprised that was the narrative from Carrick after the game? >> Well, I think he's he's he's he's trying to paint everything in the brightest picture that he can. >> Was he right? >> No. No. I mean, I'll give him the due, right? And by the way, this is a basic of the game. They scrapped and they fought. What? What you want a cookie? I mean, they got to do that anyway. Surely that's that's part of the game. You know they have United that is a better quality in the final third than leads and that should have been the difference today for for all leads. And by the way, and not that I'm huge on possession stats, but when you're Man United supposedly is this, you know, they should be a better side than they are. And you, even though leads are they're we talked about leads last year, the reason they stayed up is they're organized and they'll fight and they got they got a little bit guts about them and they can play a little bit, but they had 60% possession, albeit they were at home. United can't even dominate a team that have spent the last couple of seasons fighting to avoid relegation. So his his applause of his team are that a they never capitulated, b they scored a decent goal and and c they won a few headers and they fought and they scrapped. That's kind of that's kind of where they are. And he's saying with what what was the the phrase >> fresh start turned the corner fresh start. >> I mean you think you think they just gone to Ellen Road and won three or four nil. That's maybe saying I tell you what that that was that was more of what I was looking for. Not just because the defenders in the midfields fought and scrapped. And by the way, uh, Fernandez run about and wind and moan from the first minute again. So, he's shown his frustration. So, yeah, it was it was as expected. It was the the football was like a hot potato at times. Leadeds were pumping it forward to Cal Lu. United at times passed it. Okay. But it was a low quality football match. >> The the only aspect of of what Michael Carrick said there is that this was a tough game. leads at Ellen Ellen Road can be a a battle at the best of times. >> I I I think kind of the positivity comes from this. This is a game that Manchester United simply couldn't afford to lose >> given everything of of of the week. 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. As a matter of fact, as I kind of thought about this game after, 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. Um it just so much of it, so much of the performance and the result just felt average. You can't point at anybody to say, "Well, they could have done better here, should have done better there." Um you can't point at anybody and and say, "Well, they were great." >> It's just kind of >> bang average. >> Bang average. >> It's kind of blleh >> all throughout. But and and that's just >> kind of who they become. >> Yeah. that that's where they are. The positive if you're a Man United Frank obviously is that you didn't lose. The negative is that this is the sort of football you kind of have to get used to because this is what they are. >> Exactly. And that's very sad in a way because you know it was a big game. Elan Rod, as Shaka said, is a very very um strong location to to cope with and and you feel the pressure. And I was happy to switch on the TV and say we're going to see a big game between two enemies, two big two big maybe the biggest enemies well or lead is the biggest enemy of of Manchester United that I felt that it's going to be a big fight. We're going to enjoy. Yes. Nothing. Nothing. That was boring. uh almost fell asleep and I totally disagree with Carrick uh saying that it was a fresh start. No, that wasn't there. Yeah, you didn't lose. That's a good point. One point, but 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. Maybe they don't have the the individuals to do that. And we talked about that for years where they made mistakes. You know, can you have kind of a to agree with this Andro Martinez? Yes, they made bad choices and they have to cope with that. I was think I saw I saw the the the team and I I saw oh Mus Deit is still there. He's on the bench doesn't play. How come? That's that's insane. So yeah, you you you picked the wrong the wrong the wrong players and that's the result. Manchester United became average and it's been a while like that. So something has to be changed. >> I've got nothing more on this. Do you want to say >> you want to pitch it forward the next game? >> No. Whether or not >> is not a comeo. >> I know. I know. I know. I know you're big and sort of looking looking ahead. Look, what else can you say about my I've said this many times. I've said this many times about them. >> If this team weren't wearing red and called Man United, we wouldn't be talking about them. We just wouldn't because they're they're >> they are they have become quite a quite a boring subplot. Uh, and I suppose that maybe makes it slightly interesting. Uh, and the cameras kept going on Jason Wilcox, uh, and Omar Baratt in the stand and how they're operating the club behind and then what Michael Carrick's doing. They're 13th in the league and and and quite frankly, you would not trust them to put any sort of running results together. Uh, so we'll see where that takes them, but that was average today, but that's that's, you know, they've got a point being being average and and they can go away and and lick the chops and and feel good about it, it seems. >> As Frank said, that was a hard watch, but don't worry, the defending champions are in action. >> What would Arsenal bring to the table? Let me just do this. It's not your car. Read this one. It's how it finishes. Arsenal then back to three points of Manchester City who got that victory against it yesterday. Great. I think for us without Gibbs White, it made it a lot easier for Arsenal. Uh he's obviously a big player for them. >> Well, if they made it so easy, why did Arsenal make it so hard? Because of Arsenal. Uh I am surprised Glazner took this job. That's another story. Uh as for Arsenal, they're it's abundantly clear that they don't give a toss. who likes to watch them, who thinks they're entertaining or how they go about their business, they're just going to grind it out >> and get the results they need and they perceive to be enough to get the job done and hopefully get their self-aware at the end of the season. Uh that's kind of how they spent the second half of last season. Uh that's their choice, but boy, they're just and there's no right and wrong way, but they are such a tough watch. Yeah, >> they're just they're just they're just and and what's frustrating is and this again this is this is how they're going about it and and then you see that you know a free kick comes in and that just this set piece coach all of a sudden pops up from nowhere like pops out this cake and and it just kind of make it makes it even more annoying because >> what's that old movie Steven Seagull under siege >> I mean you've not seen they can't score a set they really score a set piece now. you never see him and all of a sudden some ball gets whipped in and it glances just by and he pops out of his of his shell, you know. But you know what frustrates me with Arsenal a little bit and and they've been and they are the team to beat in England is I think they can be I still think they can have the success but I think they can do it with more panache but they've chosen not I think they have the players in fact I have no doubt they have the players >> to win games with a more entertaining style and really put teams away and make it easier for themselves. But they have chosen and their manager has chosen to do it this way. That's his choice. I just think they could they could have beaten Forest by two, three or four today by playing with this freer, open, quicker style, which they seem and and and people got upset when when we criticized their performance against PSG in the Champions League final. It was dreadful. In fact, it was pathetic. And I don't think that will get them over the line in European football. I really don't. And that begs the question, can they t when the season rolls on, can they flick the switch from this kind of performance and these kind of performances to take on a PSG or a Bayern or a Barcelona who are not going to play like this? That's going to be the big question. Can they flick that switch? How was this? Oh, come on. Thanks. >> Yeah. No, I I was just going to say so no the excuse I I guess you can offer Arsenal and and Aleta here is not so who's been so good on the left hand side and they they miss that that that balance. But to Craig's point, you look at Arsenal starting 11. You have so many incredibly talented players who should be able to unlock a defense that sat in hoping for a nil nil. But you have so many underperformances. Um Saka just can't re regain his stride. Ez was disappointing on on the day. >> What's up with Sak? >> I I don't know. >> Grez is another one. Shout >> Gimme, you know, >> he hasn't he looks as if he doesn't feel he looks like he doesn't think himself he should be there. He's not he's not he's not strutting around like he was at Newcastle dictating the middle of >> it's a different role in that in that you again you look at that that 11 you you look at the front four and you think any one of those four on the day one moment of magic can unlock a defense Bruno Garris is not really that kind of player he's more a player that arrives late Sydney was was doing that for for Newcastle arrives late >> he gets on the ball in the middle part and he sprays it but you're looking against a team who's sitting deep you're looking for you're looking for your tricky players and it's it's just you look that entire front has just been underperformance under underperformance and and while yes again you can look at the injury to to has as has been impactful that that's that's one player you're defending champion >> surely Arsal fans aren't saying you just made you you're but they've won and but it it's >> winning in this manner and by this narrow margin eventually catches up with you um quite easily Marilo could have scored later on it. So while you take the three points, this is not how you go about your business if you are truly expecting to defend your title >> when City were I don't want to go into the whole City uh you know shenanigans and allegations because that's what people will go on about. But I'm just talking if we just take it in the football field when they were winning all those titles and people will be shouting yeah but they cheated all whatever that'll be sorted but they were putting teams away weren't they? M >> they were they were you were you were sitting going I don't know who's going to catch them and in some sense you know there's been other times as well uh for other teams and from Arsenal's perspective uh Shaq's right they were they won against leads last week at home but for for over an hour leads were you could argue were as good if not better than them and then all of a sudden they scrambled a calfury goal and and the floodgates opened. Uh again, as Jack said, the Merilla, the fact that there was no Gibbs White, they lacked creativity. Uh they really created nothing, but they could have lot dropped points to that Merilla run at the end of the game. The point being is is they just I think they're playing so much within themselves that somehow they got to find that that that sort of arrogance and and and just we are the better side and go out and just put teams away.