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The Rest Is Football

Man City Without Haaland & The “Boring Arsenal” Debate

05 Feb 2026

Transcription

Chapter 1: What dilemma does Pep Guardiola face with Manchester City?

0.031 - 7.002 Gary Lineker

Coming up on today's show, a hell of a dilemma for you, Micah, two of your favourite teams.

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7.022 - 15.335 Micah Richards

Everyone's going to be saying, oh, the quad now, oh, they'll do the league, they're at the top of the table in the Champions League, a league cup, whatever.

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15.355 - 25.734 Gary Lineker

One cup at a time. Haaland's never scored at Anfield against Liverpool. Does he try the same way or does Erling come back? I quite like Jeremy Jacket.

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25.754 - 35.725 Micah Richards

60 million quid. The Oracle would normally have something to say with him. I've only seen clips of him, so I can't go big on him. I'm sorry.

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47.028 - 58.498 Gary Lineker

Hello and welcome to The Rest Is Football with, well, just Micah Richardson, me, Gary Lineker. This morning, Alan is on the golf course in Portugal. What a life he leads, Micah.

58.939 - 87.749 Micah Richards

Guys, is this acceptable? Come on. When we started this pod, it was supposed to be give everything, make sure you're available. I've not missed one day through the niceties of life, let's say. It's only because of work. If I'm working sometimes, I can't make it. And even if I work, I try to do it after work. He's been to Portugal. He's been to Barbados. Where next?

88.13 - 110.886 Gary Lineker

I don't know. I mean, to be honest, though, Micah, this is true. When I obviously got my dream team together, my dream team together, I thought to myself, if there are three of us, because all our other podcasts on Goldhanger, are two people, right? And if someone's missing, you can't do it. But I thought to myself, because I want to do lots of episodes and we have this motto always on.

111.607 - 121.467 Gary Lineker

So I thought if there's three, then you can have the odd one off. I didn't see at that point that Alan would be constantly playing golf. Yeah.

121.447 - 147.477 Gary Lineker

constantly on holiday and constantly whining about newcastle's performances wherever he may be in the world and we'll come to that a little bit later but there's only one person on this podcast that i don't think has missed a single episode albeit one when you you shafted me for timings or a technical problem and that is yours truly micah We're going to cover the Carabao Cup games.

Chapter 2: Why is Arsenal's style of play being labeled as boring?

599.001 - 617.968 Gary Lineker

He was going quite well the day before. He's quite chirpy because I think they were about third in the order of the golf event, but then it got rained off. But I just want to come back to that point that you made, Micah, about the way... And it was really interesting, tactically, the way they did it and split the two forwards. Can you play that way with Erling Haaland?

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617.988 - 621.152 Gary Lineker

Oh, that is... What a question, Matt. I...

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621.132 - 646.702 Micah Richards

Probably not. It wouldn't come naturally to him. Because, I mean, he could try it if Man City are dominating someone. Against the better teams, I feel as though he would struggle. The reason why it worked, because Semenyo and Mamouch are very mobile players. And you said it right from the start. I've got to give you credit. Mamouchi's got really good movement. He's lively.

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646.982 - 667.151 Micah Richards

But when he plays in a number nine and he's trying to hold off defenders, it doesn't work for him. When he can touch and spin into the corners like he did for his goal, it was just, it was amazing. It was a lot more fluid. And when we talk about Haaland... And I'm his biggest fan for what he does.

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667.271 - 685.287 Micah Richards

And just not the fact that we all know Haaland can't really hold up the ball like we expect him to do. But what he does very well. But he's not his strength. Yes, but it attracts so many players to him to allow other players to play. And no one really talks about that. That's amazing for the team.

685.727 - 694.035 Micah Richards

But the difference with Mamouch, that when he gets into them little pockets and then spins and then goes and it's just a different way of playing.

694.475 - 706.449 Gary Lineker

Yeah. They're at Anfield this weekend. Erling Haaland's never scored at Anfield against Liverpool. Does he try the same way with the same players or does Erling come back?

707.751 - 720.686 Micah Richards

Has he never? He scored against Liverpool. He scored against Liverpool. Was that at the Etihad though? No, not at... Oh, okay. Not at Anfield. So I'm reliably told. No, no, I think you're right. I think you are right.

Chapter 3: What tactical changes did Liam Rosenior make at Chelsea?

721.086 - 728.839 Micah Richards

Um... What would I do? Well, it's not what you do. What do you think Pep will do? What do you think Pep will do?

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728.879 - 730.663 Gary Lineker

No, I think you'll start Haaland.

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730.723 - 753.109 Micah Richards

He's left him out a couple of times now. I think you'll start Haaland. And in Haaland's defence, he has played a lot of football. I remember the Exeter game. He started that game. Did he really need to play that game? Probably not. And then he got Champions League and then League. And the one thing about Haaland, he's still getting chances.

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Chapter 4: How did Manchester City dominate Newcastle in their recent match?

753.369 - 757.457 Micah Richards

He's just not taking them. So... Yeah, even last night when he came on. Yes.

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757.497 - 761.164 Gary Lineker

He had a couple. One where he particularly dragged it just wide, which...

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761.144 - 773.396 Micah Richards

Would you have gone the keeper's near post there, guys? I just thought it all set up for the goalkeeper to go that way and he went that way. I thought he was going to do a cheeky one when he was just going to go to the near post.

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773.416 - 795.791 Gary Lineker

Well, it's very easy to say, should he have done this when you miss? If he'd have knocked it in, we wouldn't have been having this conversation. But as he did miss, you go, well, yes. So it's easy after the event, but... every striker will miss chances. Every striker will go through a phase, a little spell where things are not going for them. It's clearly happening with him.

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796.231 - 818.876 Gary Lineker

He obviously got the goal in Europe, didn't he? But in terms of domestic football, shall we say, at present, he's going through a little bit of a sticky spell, but he's still got a smile on his face when he's missing. So he'll bounce back. It It happens to every single striker. At some point in pretty much every season, you'll have a little spell.

819.477 - 846.13 Gary Lineker

And Anfield's actually the only Premier League ground that he's not scored at. So it's quite a record. He's got some record in this competition, isn't he, Pep? In the Carabao Cup? Carabao Cup, League Cup, whatever you want to call it. It's remarkable how often he's got his team To the final. He's been a bit grumpy in press conference the last five days.

846.27 - 868.408 Gary Lineker

Did you see the little rant about the net spend? I didn't see that one, no. No, well, he had this thing where they've spent so much. They've been saying, oh, you bought this player that bad, spent a fortune again in the window and he's gone... No, he said the six teams whose net spend is bigger than ours and that our net spend is seventh in the table.

868.808 - 889.549 Gary Lineker

He said the board should be giving me more money. I should be buying more players. All words to that effect. But I think there was a tinge of irony involved with it. At least I hope there is. And then there's obviously the constant questions he's getting about whether he's going to renew his contract, whether he's going to stay beyond the end of this season.

889.529 - 900.768 Gary Lineker

He's been a little bit like Al when Newcastle lose, a little bit grumpy. But I think getting to the final will cheer him up a little bit.

Chapter 5: What impact does Erling Haaland's absence have on Manchester City?

1322.849 - 1347.186 Gary Lineker

QPR did exactly the same tactic This was last weekend. They did exactly the same thing. As soon as Coventry got a corner, QPR put two wide players and one centre forward right on the halfway line. And Coventry were going, oh, right. So they had to put loads of players back. And it worked for them. They ended up winning the game. They didn't concede from a corner. So it's not new. And I get it.

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1347.246 - 1363.409 Gary Lineker

And I particularly think against Arsenal because the way they score their corners and the fact that they crowd the goalkeeper. They do that thing where they all gather on the far post and all go towards the goalkeeper. So I think it's, well, it did work because they didn't concede from a corner.

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1364.11 - 1375.286 Gary Lineker

They ended up conceding from a breakaway when the game was, you know, obviously chasing the game right in the last few seconds. So, but Arsenal going on four fronts, Micah, four fronts.

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1375.506 - 1399.155 Micah Richards

You know what? They've been brilliant, haven't they? They really have. They really have. Because of the fact that After the United game, they had Leeds, didn't they? And to go to Ellum Road and win 4-0 and be comfortable in the game. You know, when we talk about psychology, Gaz, when you have that and sometimes you're beaten up... Arsenal had to win that game.

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1399.596 - 1422.599 Micah Richards

They had to win that game against Leeds for their own confidence. And now they've gone there, they've gone to Ellermon Road where everyone's expected them to drop points, maybe not lose, but draw. And then... go into that game against Chelsea and go to the final. And you've got the squad to deal with it. Havertz back, you know, Jesus back.

1422.64 - 1424.162 Gary Lineker

Great finish from Havertz as well.

1424.242 - 1439.382 Micah Richards

He's a top player though, isn't he? He's a very stylish footballer, yeah. I really like him. And now you're thinking the real deal. And it's not being negative, but do you remember a couple of years ago, it was more than a couple of years ago, it was when I first started at radio.

1439.642 - 1456.161 Micah Richards

I remember doing it and Liverpool were in for all trophies and they ended up with the League Cup and not the Champions League of the League, I think it was. So they ended up with them too. Arsenal now just need to take one cup at a time, you know?

1456.141 - 1462.107 Gary Lineker

That could be a new football cliche that you've invented there. Take one cup at a time.

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