Football Daily - The Debrief with Steve Crossman

Episode Date: February 26, 2025

Chelsea back in the top four & Crystal Palace thump Aston Villa. Steve Crossman is joined by Clinton Morrison, Andy Reid and Mark Schwarzer. Also hear from Oliver Glasner, Enzo Maresca, Marco Silva and Fabian Hurzeler. And Ali Maxwell from the Not The Top 20 Pod swings by to talk EFL Championship.02:20 Oliver Glasner interview after Palace hit four past Villa 08:35 Fabian Hurzeler interview after Welbeck scores winner 12:25 Chelsea move into top four with win over Southampton 18:35 Wolves lose to remain five points clear of drop zone 21:05 Middlesbrough back to winning ways in the ChampionshipBBC Sounds / 5 Live commentaries this week: Wed 26 Feb 2000 England v Spain in UEFA Women’s Nations League, Fri 28 Feb 2000 Aston Villa v Cardiff in FA Cup, Sat 1 Mar 1215 Crystal Palace v Millwall in FA Cup, Sat 1 Mar 1215 Preston v Burnley in FA Cup on BBC Sport website, Sat 1 Mar 1500 Bournemouth v Wolves in FA Cup, Sat 1 Mar 1745 Man City v Plymouth in FA Cup, Sun 2 Mar 1345 Newcastle v Brighton in FA Cup, Mon 3 Mar 1930 Nottingham Forest v Ipswich in FA Cup.

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. real time. Whether it's a big game or the match of the season, stay connected to the excitement and make every game count. Looking for a thrilling sports experience? Tap into Batano now and bring the action to life. Ontario residents only, must be 19 or older, please play responsibly. BBC Sounds music radio podcast. On the football daily podcast, Hello there, welcome to the debrief on the Football Daily on the night that Aston Villa, Bournemouth and Chelsea all had the chance to rise into the Premier League's top four, but only one of them took it. Chelsea thumping Southampton 4-0. Plenty of interviews and reactions to come. We've got Clinton Morrison, Andy Reid and Mark Schwartzer all with us, but the result of the night was at Selhurst Park. Aaron Paul. Yeah, South London being serenaded right now by the sound of the holmes now because Crystal Palace have beaten Astor Villa by four goals to one. It's a first home league win in three for the Eagles

and eventually was a demolition job. Ismail Asar on his 27th birthday broke the deadlock for the home side, tucking home after Emi Martinez parried into his path. Martinez was hooked at half time, presumably taking a knock, but Villa then came back stronger after the break, finding an equalizer. Ramsey and Rodgers both having efforts ruled out for our side. It would be third time lucky. Walk into the knock-on from the long ball downfield. Rodgers chasing it down, chesting it into possession and into play, right in towards goal.

Pirouetting, holding off the fendon stroke, you know, and we thought that would spur Villa on. But then came Pallas, lightning quick. Mateta striking beautifully for the second, left footed taking over as Sa was brought down and then it was Sa who made it three, Munoz with the ball, Sa hooking it into the back of the net, really good acrobatic finish from Ismaila Sa and then of course Eddie and Kety are finishing the job and that will do him the world of good. Bagging the fourth, Mitchell's ball across the face should go after really good work

by Daichi Kamada just to put the icing on top of the cherry on top of the cake. And I'll tell you what, this is huge for Crystal Palace with Mill on the way at the weekend in the FA Cup. But for Aston Villa, that ropey league form is back. One win in seven league outings and they drop down to mid-table. And as mentioned before, that negative goal difference, it could have impact at the end of the season. All over here in Deep South London, Crystal Palace for Aston Villa 1. Oliver Klaasner was marking a year in charge, here he is. Of course, everybody is happy, everybody is pleased with our performance today,

with the three points, with the win. And congrats to the players for this great performance and we're really pleased today. We had a very good first half, missed several chances and all of a sudden we get the equaliser and then the momentum of the game can change, especially when you face a team with the quality of Aston Villa but we didn't allow them, we didn't allow them to change, that the momentum changes and so then we kept going and very aggressive and waited for our situations, waited for our chances, created a lot of chances and at the end we scored fantastic goals so

yeah, great performance and all the credit to the players again. And great credit as well to Ismail Assa, It's his birthday today. What a way to celebrate with a couple of great goals. Oh yes, it's the best thing because we don't have really time to celebrate because in four days we face Millwall in the round of last 16 in the FA Cup. But of course a win, a goal, great performance from him personally and also from the team. So yeah, great birthday for him. As the former Palace man here, Clinton, that is a massive result for them and fully deserved.

Yes, that's a big result because Villa have been doing well recently but it's a hard place to go to Sellars Park and they're flying under Glas now. Crystal Palace are flying at the moment. They had a brilliant result against Fulham on the weekend and that is a positive result. To score four goals, we're at the start of the season, a lot of people were worried Palace might be in a relegation and they were they were struggling, but they got their big players back and they're firing. You look at someone like him, a tetta this evening, unplayable Ishmael Sartre. I'll be honest with you.

I had my doubts about him, but since he's got into the team, he's been asked that because I just saw a lot of him at Watford and he could be hit and miss. And I thought when you lose a player like Alise, they're big shoes to come and feel. I'm not saying he's like Alise because you see what Alise is doing out by him. But he's contributing goals. He got two today. You ask anyone, no one likes to play against pace.

Ishmael Sar has got abundance of pace. You look at likes of Warton who come in this evening. He's a fantastic footballer. So credit to Olimp Amglaz now. As I said, pressure at the start of the season, but Palace of Lyon. Can we talk about them? No, too far. I was thinking Europe, but too far. Were you worried earlier on the season? Yeah I was worried. I'll be honest with you I was worried. A lot of people said I shouldn't be worried but I was worried. It just wasn't

looking, it just wasn't clicking. But they did have some injuries as well to be fair. As soon as they get everybody back on the pitch the quality that they've got. You're right. Yeah I mean Alise went Mark as Clinton was just alluding to and then Warton obviously missed a lot of football. He was back in the starting line-up this evening. A year of Oliver Glasner, I mean, if you were to look at the league table, they've only jumped up sort of a few places, but in terms of the way they play, I'm not wishing to be disrespectful to Roy Hodgson at all, but I think there is an argument that they're a better watch as well, isn't there? I think Roy's second time in charge, certainly the back end of the season where he came in the second time was really entertaining and a different style of football under Roy.

Of course, he was always there just temporary. It was a matter of when they find the right replacement, and he always said that as well. If they came to me and said, you know, look, we've got someone, he's the future, we're going to take us to another level. He was happy to step aside. And ultimately that's what happened. Oliver Glasner, I think, is a really good manager and he did really well at Eintracht Frankfurt.

I was kind of like, not so, I don't want to be disrespectful, a little bit surprised he took the job, but it was a really good opportunity for him with the squad of players that he had. And when he first arrived, he did remarkably well. The start of this season obviously was nowhere near at the levels you'd expect them to be. And I thought they would kick on a little bit, at least they, like you guys were saying, big, big loss, massive loss. Having Esser back from injury and keeping him fit is really important to them. But the one player for me that just sort of, it's a great example of a player

that loves playing under a manager. The manager's obviously given him incredible amounts of self-belief, and the player has responded, and that's Jean-Philippe Mateta. If you look at his record, 24 goals in the Premier League, in 39 appearances under Oliver Glasner.

Before that, he'd only scored 11 in 80. So I mean it's just something that's clicked. The relationship, the way that they're playing now, Marteta looks a different player. I mean he's carried on his form from the back end of last season during the Olympics and then now with Pallas again. He just at times looks unplayable and I really enjoy watching because it's a bit of that old school kind of hustle and bustle and loves the pressure, loves the rolling of shoulders. Skillful as two though isn't he? He is as well, so everything about him I really enjoy watching

and I'm sure you know if going forward, so important that he again also continues to do what he's doing. I think the formation suits him. I think because with Sarr and Nezha you've got people who are quite close to him but also then you've got the wing backs in the wide areas and you see Mitchell putting the ball across so you're getting balls coming into the box as well. So I just think the formation suits this type of player that he is. He doesn't get isolated and yet they've still got crosses coming in from the wide areas. He's still able to link with Sarah and the two 10s behind them. So I think it's like that's kind of putting a jigsaw together. And you're right, who suits the positions?

And I imagine that's why Glasner likes him, because you look at what he needs from that position. And Mateta offers it perfectly. You know what it is? He tucks his shirt in. He's an old school centre forward. He tucks his shirt shirt and that's what I like. So that's why ever since he's done that he started scoring goals. Took your shorty and pull your socks up and you play better. Exactly that. Straighten your tie that was good.

That Clint. You like it. Yeah, exactly. The other one I have to mention is Will Hughes. I think he's been huge for them. I think he's been a real engine in that midfield and I think he's underrated at how good he's on the ball, his vision, his movement. Obviously he hasn't got, he's not the quickest but he reads the game really well and I think he's a big part of what Palace are right now. A lot of players look to him. His energy is really important for Palace.

So Palace 12th, Villa 10th, Brighton, the real informed team when it comes to that race for Champions League places. They beat Bournemouth by two goals to one tonight. Danny Welbeck came off the bench to score the winner. Here's Fabian Ertzler with Steve Wilson. Fabian, congratulations. I just really enjoyed that game.

The performance of both sides, I think, was from a neutral point of view, just something to really relish. I thought it was a very intense game, like you said both sides they tried to score, they tried to win this game, they go for the victory and therefore was especially the second half an open game and in the end we are the lucky winner. Well, the actual quality of the winner is a great goal by Danny Welbeck, isn't it? It's such a nice finish, great ball into him by Jorginho as well.

Great to see him get a goal because it's been a little while. Yeah, for sure, but I don't judge him by scoring. For me the most important is that he's always there as a leader, no matter if he scores or not. He's so helpful for the young players. He's so helpful for everyone in his club and therefore he tries everything what he does on the pitch, he does the basic things right and today he gets what he deserves. I also thought that Diego Gomez making his first start for you, he had a lot of promise there, he had a really good first half, he maybe ran out of steam a little bit but a lot to enjoy in that first half performance from him.

Yeah we saw this in Janing, his quality, he has a special profile, a profile which we didn't have before and that's why it's so important that he's now able to play for us and I think he had a great impact into this game. He started quite impressive, of course. Then during the game he suffered a little bit, but overall we were very happy.

Just finally, last time I spoke to you, you just lost at Nottingham Forest 7-0. Has that, in some ways, when you look back on that, is there some positives now that you can take from that? Because your response to it has been so good. If you want to see it like this, of course you can say it. We reflected the Nottingham Forest game, we were honest to each other, we took a lot of ownership and responsibility for this loss and we tried to get back to the basic things and they have to say credits to the players because in the end they tried to give everything on the pitch, they have to be convinced about

the idea and therefore we're really happy that we had this reaction. Danny Welbeck amongst the scorers there, I remember at the start of this season finding the stat that he's actually never scored 10 Premier League goals in a season in his career, Danny Welbeck, which is remarkable given how good a player he's been over such a long time. That was his seventh of the season tonight Andy, so he's probably going to get there. Yeah, I'd hope so for him. When I was at Sunderland, Danny Welbeck came to us on loan and he was somebody that I really, really liked. I really liked him as a person. I really liked him as a player, his movement, his technical ability. He's got all the physical attributes and you would probably think if he had had a bit more luck with injuries there

he probably could have kind of done a little bit better. We went, it wasn't our last season before, we went to Brighton and when I was coaching at the Forest Team at Forest I hadn't seen him for, must have been probably seven, eight years, maybe even longer and he comes straight up and gives you a big hug and you know, it's just like, you know one of them people there, I've seen him score tonight and I'm just really, really pleased for you. You're just a good person and a good player. He is a good player, at least by example, that's why he's the captain. Hertha said he's not worried about his goals and that because it's what he brings on the pitch and in the changing room.

You can see he has his experience, I think he's's goes to games record as an England international is fantastic. And yeah, Danny, well, but he just it's like he's getting better with age. He just keeps going and going to start the season. He was on fire, picked up a few injuries, and that's always been the story with Danny and his career is picking up injuries at the wrong time. But I think he's a fantastic player and he leads by example. Chelsea then into the top four with that comfortable win over Southampton, might mine it. Yeah, four nil winners. Chelsea celebrations from the bench, likely won the FA Cup. They were all hugging each other, screaming at each other. Enzo Marescu and his coaching staff, very bizarre, but they have one and comfortably so tonight. Four nil. But Kunku got the first header at the back post. The corner was flicked on and fell to him.

Second goal from Pedro Neto, a flash shot at the near post on the left of the penalty area. Colwell also had a header, this time from a Neto free-kick, that was 3-0 at half-time, and Mark Kukerea on that break, and how Sadamton lacklustrly got back. Chelsea charge forward, pullback from Tyreek George, and Kukerea sent it into the bottom right-hand corner, unmarked in the penalty area. They've had this at a strong... Sadamton actually started well, first five, ten minutes, they had a bit of pace about them, had something not creating chances necessarily, but but something to show competitive nature.

Once Chelsea scored, that was it game over. May as well have headed back to the South Coast after what? 20 minutes or so. Mark Schwartz, a cool palmer. He said before the game ends on Maresca, we're too reliant on him. So what a night to have four goal scorers, four different goal scorers, and none of them were him. Very much so, and I think that's important.

For Cole Palmer, it's a little bit, I think, frustrating, good chances, didn't take them. He certainly looks like someone who needs a bit of a realignment. Let's put it that way. He's just kind of just off a little bit. Clinton will probably be able to tell you better what it's like as a striker, of a realignment. Let's put it that way. He's just kind of just off a little bit. Clinton will probably be able to tell you better

what it's like as a strikers down on confidence a little bit, snapping at things, not quite have the fluency like he had before. So that's the only one little thing, but the positive is obviously no reliance on him at all today. No, Mark's right. You can get in as a striker,

when you get into them situations and you're thinking, because he's not a natural striker But you can see he's frustrated frustrated and everything that he's getting in early on in the season He was in them position. He was just passing it into the back of the net He's snatching at them And you know his first touch ain't as good as what it was at the start of season All he needs is one goal once he gets one goal He'll be back on it again and even the best players and he is one of the best players there is in the Premier League

Can suffer what he's going through at the moment, But you know what I like about him? He still gets in there. It's when you start hiding and not getting in there, he still gets in there and wants to get in there, still create chances. He still says give me the ball and once he gets one, it'll go on a good run again. That's the thing about him, right? So just watching him now is with Dewsbury Hall. They're having a bit of a laugh together. So the thing about Cole Palmer, we see it time and time again. We saw a lot last season as well is that nothing phases in. It's like, well, OK, it didn't work.

I didn't have a good game or didn't, you know, didn't take my chances. So what? On to the next one. So that's the thing about him. And that's why I don't really I'm not concerned about him because he's so good. A player has such good quality. It'll come second off half really felt like, almost they were trying to give it Cole Palmer to get that chance.

Chelsea had enough breaks forward or whatever to try and get that goal just to give him that confidence. But as we've alluded to throughout this evening, he had big chances tonight that he would, should have scored particularly in the first half. Second half was more about just trying to find it and giving the ball for that opportunity. A clean sheet as well for Chelsea, their first in 10 in the Premier League.

It is and I think that's vitally important. You saw just we just saw now as we were talking as well Enzo Maresca going to Jorgensen, Philip Jorgensen as he was coming off the pitch. There was a very, very animated brace and I think obviously delight. There was a clean sheet. And I thought, look, I thought J wasn't did everything he had to do tonight. He made a good save in the first hour from a header. He threw it back out into play because he felt like he was going over the line. We saw on the replay as well.

I think it's still a really good save. Other than that, I thought his distribution was pretty good. So I think that's the positive for Chelsea clean sheet, four goals, three points, and they did it without having called par on the score sheet or assist. So yeah, there's a lot of positives to be taken. Okay, let's hear from Enzo Maresca. Very happy. We said already that from now on every game is important and if we can get three points, it's even more important.

What were you most impressed by tonight? The performance. First of all, every game is complicated, it's a tricky game, anything can happen. So you have to embrace that, deal with that in the right way and I think since we start we start the game in the right way. Particularly in a game like this where all the expectancy is on your team. Exactly, exactly. These are probably the worst games because they are the ones that everyone takes for granted and they are the dangerous ones. Was it important for you to share the goals around tonight?

Yes, it's always good that they can score all of them, almost all of them. You talked about the over-reliance on Cole Palmer, you've scored four without him scoring, I know he'll want to score but actually that's a positive in a way. We've said since we started that we cannot rely on Cole for every game. He has to continue to work, continue to be happy, continue to laugh in the way he is. We are completely happy with him and it's normal to go through a moment where you struggle to score but it doesn't matter. Just continue and he's going to score many goals. And after nine games without one, a clean sheet, I guess you're delighted with that

tonight as well? Also with that, in some games we have been unlucky, probably we could have finished the game with a clean sheet but it's where it is, now we have 11 games, the most important thing is to think about the next one. I was going to say, Fahm, you've got plenty to play for, will it kick-start you on tonight, the return to winning ways? Yeah, it's happy, it's good, the players, they were happy and also we know that every game is difficult and we're going to try to win as much as we can. Tuesdays on the Football Daily, we bring you the Women's Football Weekly. As a manager, I'm really proud of my players and the performance they had tonight in the game. As we dive headfirst into all things WSL and beyond in the women's game. It's very big now, it's very alive, there's a lot of fans and supporters.

Women's Football Weekly, only on the Football Daily. Listen now on BBC Sounds. Football kicks off now. How do you get into the heart of American football action? With Botano. Sign up with Botano and stream your favorite American football teams all season long. Bet while you watch and feel the rush of every play. Live and in real time.

And enjoy all your favorite sports. Hockey, baseball, soccer and more. Want to experience the thrill of betting on every play? Tap into Botano now and make every game day exciting. Ontario residents only must be 19 or older. Please play responsibly. On the Football Daily Podcast, the debrief with Steve Crossman. Listen on BBC Sounds. Down towards the bottom, Wolves played full and knowing they could have opened up an eight-point gap above the relegation zone, but Conor McNamara... Wolves are beaten at home at Molenew, having won two of their last three games. This is a setback for Vito Pereira. They wanted to

leave the relegation zone in their rearview mirror, but Wolves remain the nearest team to the bottom three for now. Big win for Fulham. They're on course for their best ever points tally in a Premier League season and they've picked up another three here in very professional manner. It finishes Wolves one, Fulham two. Fulham up to ninth for just two points behind fifth place. His Marco Silver. Very, very good. And of course, the early goals in both of us made an impact. The reality that first off, they had more some dangerous moments. And we had ours as well was really balanced first off. Second off, they're more with the ball, but the reality that they didn't

have one chance all the second off. But Because it's not easy to change five players from one game to the other. We need fresh legs because it's going to be another game that is going to demand from ourselves high energy and the reality is that the players we started the game made an impact, they showed their quality and I'm really pleased for them to see players like Jorge Cuenca, S.N.O. I'm really pleased for them. Success to score the first goal of the game. Something that he does often on the training sessions as well. So nice to see him be able to play 70 minutes with a full-on shirt again. Really pleased for all of them. Great effort from all. We dig in the moments that we needed but all the

other moments we showed the quality. Of course, second half I would like to see us a bit more with the ball because we had the chances to do it but overall it it was a good performance from us, but more chances from ourselves clear and we deserve to win. That's three wins from four now. I know we've been talking about the Champions League as a possibility, might be an outside possibility, but it is there, Mark. Absolutely. I mean, there's no reason why they can't continue on this run. Marco Silva's done an incredible job at the club since he's arrived, really transformed them into a Premier League mainstay club. I know it's only the second season they've been up but they look a good side, they look like they've evolved, they look like they've been in the

Premier League for a number of seasons now and that's the type of quality of players they've brought in and obviously they're under the guidance of Marco Silva. I think seventh is the highest ever finish for Fulham in the Premier League, qualified for Europe that year. That was the year I was there as well, so it'd be wonderful if they could do that and more, and I think they're more than capable of doing it. This is a season like no another and I think everything is on the table right now. Full-time whistle has gone at Stoke City in the championship. Charlie Slutter. Booze from the home fans, but rapturous applause from the visitors away to my right hand side.

It's finished Stoke one, Middlesbrough three. What a big result that is for Michael Carrick and Borough. Their run of five straights defeats comes to an end. Marcus Force gave them the lead with a beauty. Bijon Ho equalised on the stroke of half time. But Borough, they really took control in the second half. Azaz scored from Conway's pass and then they reversed that combination for the Borough third as Azaz found Conway to secure all three points.

Borough's first away win since New Year's Day. They go four points off the play-off. Stoke won Middlesbrough three. And we can bring in Ali Maxwell from not the top 20 podcast evening Ali. Hello everyone how we doing? Crikey well we're good I mean Bluminec Michael Carrick needed that didn't he's the longest serving manager in the championship but the pressure was getting severe. Yeah five defeats in a row will do that to any manager but particularly one who's in charge of a team a club who were expecting to finish in the top six this season

and for the first half of the season, it was looking fairly good on that front after another slow start. They were motoring, weren't they? And then whatever happened on boxing day when they were 3-0 up against Sheffield Wednesday and drew that game 3-all, the form since then has been really poor and the performance performances hugely concerning.

He made some changes in the front line tonight and it looks like that's had a big impact where they've been really struggling at the top of the pitch in the last few games, not only in terms of coherent attacking play but also not really putting much pressure on the opposition and exposing a defence that's also looked quite wobbly this season. But force came in and scored a cracking opening goal. Azaz, who was dropped for the last two games, he started here, scored one, set one up, and Conway got another goal as well.

So with Derby at home on Saturday, it's a huge opportunity for Carrick and this team just to ease the tension a little bit and start looking back upwards at those playoff spots because as it stands tonight, 10 teams separated by just seven points between fifth and 14th. Remarkable. I mean, you could do what you want with the numbers, Ali, can't you? I was going to say that there's only four points between West Brom in fifth and Middlesbrough in 11th. Those sounds in the background, by the way, are the Middlesbrough players going over and celebrating with the Middlesbrough fans on the full time whistle? I mean, that playoff race, Ali, is going to be fantastic. You look at the profile of some of the clubs there.

Sunderland obviously way unclear. West Brom, Blackburn, who've just appointed Valerian Ishmael today, Coventry, Bristol City, Watford, Norwich and Burrutt. They will all feel like they have a great chance now. And look, partly because of the nature of fans, but also because these teams have qualities as well. You've got Millwall fans, you've got Sheffield Wednesday fans, you've got QPR fans thinking, hold on, if we could string together three or four wins in a row, we'll be part of that conversation as well.

So it's absolutely brilliant. I mean, Coventry are the team absolutely flying right now. One point outside the playoffs surely will move within that top six at some point given their form but all of the teams that you mentioned have quality, have good players, have a good style of play and all of them could easily put together the run necessary. It's impossible to call right now. The thing about the championship, I suppose, League 1 and League 2 as well, is the games come so thick and fast that you can really quickly rack up a load of points. I mean Coventry's the one that you just look at there. I mean

you know when Mard went in and they've got how many wins in a row, absolutely incredible and they've put themselves in with a great chance. It's because of how quickly the games come that if you can really gather that momentum and go on it then you can fire up that league really quickly. No he's right to be fair because you look at a lot of Coventry fans didn't want Mark Robbins to be sacked and obviously now he's gone to Stoke but the job Frank Lampard's done is fantastic. You even look at QPR where they were way adrift and now they're even climbing up the table. So the games come thick and fast and you're playing like every Saturday Tuesday Saturday So even though Middlesbrough you said with seven points now, of course

They go on a good run with the new signings now. That's what I mean for points. It's wide open I always say there's one team that comes at this time of the year and usually sneaks in there and goes on and wins Okay, who's it gonna be then? Is it then? Well, Coventry in an electric form, but are you saying there'll be another one? Yeah, I think there'll be another one. A late one. A late, a late one. Yeah, there'll be a late, a late one.

And Sandlin need to start winning because you don't want them to drop out, do you? Because they're on a bit of a run at the moment. So it's wide open. The timing of that run, I think, is key, isn't it? I think it's like Forrest done it a couple of years ago where you just time that run and you get into the playoffs and you go into the playoffs with a good bit of form behind you. Probably some of the disappointing ones, the Tour of the Place one is always

an interesting one because if they've been close to second place and they've just missed out how much has that gone to affect them, you know? So the momentum is key. We speak about it within games, but we also speak about it game to game, racking up them points, racking up them good performances, and you just roll with it. It's funny, Ali, isn't it?

Because at the minute, Sunderland are fourth on 62 points, so they're seven behind Sheffield United. It would be an almighty effort for them to go up automatically. because at the minute Sunderland are fourth on 62 points, so they're seven behind Sheffield United. It would be an almighty effort for them to go up automatically, but they are 12 points above Coventry in seventh. And sometimes the danger is, if you can kind of know for sure

you're gonna be in the playoffs too early, it can then make it hard to kind of stay on track for the playoffs. Right, yeah, I'd be interested to know the guys' thoughts on this, because I think there are examples of exactly what you're talking about, Steve. I guess it's a sort of latency, isn't it, where, as Andy's just said, that it's relentless, and in order to be a successful team, you have to be pulling together and you have to be performing so consistently

at a really high level for such a long period of time. There's an argument that there's a benefit to being able to rest body and mind a little bit ahead of the playoffs if you know that you're going to be in the playoffs and no threat of dropping out and no chance of making the automatics. And then there's this threat of latency as we're discussing as well. And I'm sure there's examples of kind of both sides. I wonder what the guys think, whether they'd love to have, you know, a quiet couple of weeks at the end of the season in order to be really fresh to attack the playoff semi-finals

or whether they'd rather actually be under pressure in order to maintain the consistent performance levels. Yeah, look, I think if you've got the point in the bag and you're comfortable, you're going in, you're not going to take the chance, are you? But there is so much to be said for it, for going in and winning. You know if you go into the playoffs and you've won six games on the bounce and you're feeling confident and you've got that and what it is, it's like, I think it's like you're kind of battle-hardened aren't you, you're in that moment as opposed to if you're in there and you're comfortable.

Just going in with a bit of momentum for me. Yeah that's me, that's me. I think it's massive. I'd rather be the team that comes in late because then you don't fear anybody, you're on a great run. When you have a break for two weeks, you want to keep playing, keep winning football matches. The team that's on a great run and the team don't change, you're full of confidence and every team fears you. So there's your answer Al, long time no Steve. Love it, Clinton, love it. Awful, awful night for Stoke really, you've got to say Ali, because Middlesbrough couldn't win for Toffee.

They come to Stoke, they win by two clear goals. Hasn't had the lift off for Mark Robbins, has it? They are five points clear of the relegation zone, but there's only hole in between them and the bottom three. Yeah, hasn't had lift off for insert Stoke manager name here, right, for the last what, three, four, five seasons now. It's clearly alarming for the fan base and it will be for Jonathan Walters and the Coats family that Mark Robbins, who had one of the most successful

managerial tenures that we've covered in the last five, ten years in the EFL with Coventry, has gone in at Stoke and has not had a huge impact. And it's pretty alarming how easy it is to play through them. Now Norwich are an excellent team and Borough at their best are a very good attacking team. And those two teams have sliced Stoke apart in the last two games. And that's not what you want in a relegation battle. Clearly you don't want to be easy to score against.

I mean, it's a great night, I guess, by contrast for Cardiff City, because them and Hull were level on 33 points, three points above the drop zone. And now they've got the six point gap between them and Argyle, with Hull left just three points above it. And a big goal again from Callum Robinson,

who, you know, Cardiff have a lot of players. They've signed a lot of attacking players over the last few years. Callum Robinson is really the one that's been a consistent performer and such a good finisher wins them the game tonight. And Hull City, who beat Sunderland on the weekend, having beaten Sheffield United a couple of weeks ago as well, drawn with leads, but they're struggling in these games and maybe these games are the ones they need to focus on. I want to just bring it back a little bit to Stoke and what they're going to have to do is give Mark Robbins the time and the backing to bring in players he

knows he knows players he knows how to develop players you know they are Coventry I wonder whether it'll be a little bit different at Coventry. They brought in some loans and made some like developed kind of young players gave them an opportunity made some really good sign and sold some on. What will be the strategy at Stoke is what is what I'm interested in because it's so it's been so bitty hasn't it? It's been like different managers and they bring in a few players and then they don't quite like the next manager comes in. They don't quite like them players and then the cycle starts again and they haven't been able to to kind of get it right. So what you would be saying, what I'd be saying if I was the club, the owner of John Walters, whatever it is, right, let's give Mark Robbins, let's commit to him for regardless for the rest of

this season, the season after and then have a review of at the end of next season, just to give him a little bit, just give him a little bit of time to build something that he wants to build because Stoke need that little bit of stability. You feel it when you go to the ground that the minute I think people are, or you get the impression when I go to Stoke at the minute that people are a bit disinterested. I don't mean that disrespectfully, they're just not like, you know, they're not going like thinking, yeah this is great, I want to be here, I want to come and support my team. It's a hard slog for fans, isn't it?

When it gets like that. It is, it is. And Mark Robbins, you see the job he's done at Coventry, he's fantastic. So let him build something at Stoke City. They're not his players, he hasn't really had that much money to bring in players, so if they give him the summer and give him the whole of next year, he'll turn the club around. But I don't think that he needs loads of money. No, he's shrewd, he's shrewd, isn't he?

He's very shrewd. He's shown that he can spot a player and that he can make a player better. Definitely. And I think as a coach, right, that's what, for me, all the good coaches, they make players better. Yep. So the ones that are already in the building, plus the ones that you bring in, but you want to kind of praise yourself on saying, well, when that player came in, I made him back.

Right, that's it for this episode of the Football Daily. Also out now, Women's Football Weekly. And as ever, thank you so much for listening. go another. It's very extreme in the sense of how close we're racing wheel to wheel. We've been given unprecedented access to two of the most famous names in Formula One, McLaren and Aston Martin. I'm Landon Harris, racing driver for McLaren Formula One team. They open the doors to their factories as the 2024 season reached its peak. They work to build a beautiful bit of machinery that I get to then go and have fun in. I'm Josh Hartnett. This is F1 Back at Base. Listen on BBC Sounds.