Alan Shearer Exclusive: Sacking Dyche leaves Forest in real relegation danger | OneFootball

Will Forest suffer the consequences of sacking Sean Dyche?

Alan Shearer returns with his weekly column taking in England etending Tuchel's contract extension as well as views on teams at the top and bottom of the Premier League

World Cup pressure still on Tuchel despite contract extension

I am a bit surprised by Tuchel's contract extension because he did initially sign a deal to the end of the World Cup. I guess what has brought it on or brought it forward will be the necessity from a few big clubs that need a manager and they need one pretty quickly.

If England don't win it then Thomas would, without doubt, be in the sights of one or two big clubs. I guess that's one of the major factors why the FA have tied him down now.

It is looking really good for England, but you also have to look at the bigger picture and say they haven't really played anyone of note in the two years that they're games that you'd expect them to have won and qualified for.

He is a very experienced manager and a very good manager and he obviously clearly likes working with the FA, so I get it from both points.

Even though he has this new deal the pressure will not be off for Thomas Tuchel. I think he's been in the post now long enough to know what comes with being the England manager.

There's no doubt, it intensifies in major competitions and the notch climbs three or four higher. So, he'll understand that and know that. But he's probably going to go into a World Cup with one of our best squads we've had, that'll be a plus for him.

Harry Kane should sign Bayern Munich extension

I know I laugh and joke about it and that's fine, I guess, but the longer he stays over there, then the more chance of my Premier League goalscoring record staying.

It doesn't affect me to be honest. It's going to go one day and if it goes, then great. But Harry Kane staying over in Germany will definitely help keep that going on a bit longer.

Sean Dyche was the man to keep Nottingham Forest safe

Marinakis will tell you it's his club and he can do what he wants. They're flirting with the relegation zone and my opinion is that if you wanted someone to steady you and stay away from relegation, then Sean Dyche would've been that man. He's experienced and knows what and how to do it. He's navigated it before.

So for me, if you're looking for someone to do that, then he would be it. But I'm hearing that players had given their opinion on him to the owner after the game in midweek and Marinakis did look rather angry when he got up after the game when they had 35 shots and couldn't score one goal.

Marinakis has to take responsibility as well. He's the one that hires and fires and he's hired three managers this season of which he's deemed not good enough. He also has to take responsibility.

I guess the job is now for whoever it be. It looks like Vitor Pereira will come in and he knows what he has to do. He has to not only steer them away from relegation, but he has to play a certain brand of football.

Four permanent managers in one season is just crazy and that's why Marinakis has to also take responsibility for the mess that Nottingham Forest are in at the minute.

Forest are in serious trouble of relegation

When I look at the teams down there now, I look at Spurs, Leeds and I think Crystal Palace will have enough to stay up. I do think it's probably between West Ham and Nottingham Forest.

It's a massive gamble from Marinakis to change at the minute. He obviously hasn't liked what he's been watching and clearly, if it is true about the players speaking to the owner, then they haven't liked what they've been seeing. I don't know.. I'm not a fan of that at all. Owners going to players.

It's a massive gamble from Marinakis and I guess we'll only see in two or three months time whether it's worked or not.

I think there's always a coach or manager looking for a job and that coach or manager will always think that they'll be the one to do and change something.

I mean, last season was unbelievable, which then gets them into Europe. So I guess playing on a Thursday, maybe not be helping them either but we'll have to wait and see.

Again, it's a massive gamble from him and one we'll have to wait and see to see whether it works or not. I guess what's also happened is that West Ham's form over the last month is forcing other teams to come under huge pressure and that's one of the reasons why Spurs and Nottingham Forest have moved this week.

West Ham are showing some really interesting football now in terms of Nuno football where you're seeing more of them sitting back and soaking up pressure and hitting teams on the break. That's one of the reasons why other clubs have pressed the sack button if you like.

Would you agree with Ange Postecoglou's claim that Spurs aren't a big club?

I saw Ange Postecoglu's comments this week about Spurs and it depends on what you deem to be a big club. They've got the best stadium and one of the best training grounds. So from that point of view, yes they are a big club, but in terms of league positions, winning Premier League titles and regularly winning trophies, then no they're not a big club.

I know they won the Europa League last season, but it depends on how you judge and looking at a big club, revenue I guess that comes in through their stadium and all of that, when you compare that to the other so-called big clubs, maybe not, no.

How seriously should Spurs be taking this threat of relegation?

Spurs should be taking this threat of relegation very seriously.

I suppose Spurs have taken possible relegation seriously so far because they've sacked Thomas Frank and I think something had to happen.

I've seen a lot of them and I always felt they would have enough, just. But for the first time in my mind, that sort of changed in the first half against Newcastle on Tuesday night because they were awful. They were seriously poor. I thought, wow, they could be sleepwalking to relegation - I think that's why they moved.

I think they've done the right thing, as much as I like Thomas Frank. It's clear that whatever he was trying to do wasn't working and the fans weren't enjoying what they were seeing. And they didn't think it was a good mix really from the off. So from that point of view, something had to change.

I guess whoever comes in, whether they feel there's a permanent manager out there that they can go forward with or whether they think they can get through to the end of the season with an interim, I guess whoever it is, hasn't got a really high bar to go to.

They've got a low bar there with what the Spurs fans have been shown in recent months and years. But it's whether they can go in and get everyone smiling, happy and rowing in the same direction, because it doesn't seem that way at the minute.

Man City are really ramping up the pressure on Arsenal now

I was really impressed with Man City on Tuesday, I did MOTD, so I watched the full game. The first half is as good as I've seen them for a while without the ball in terms of the intensity.  They look really solid. They look really good on the eye going forward. they're really putting the pressure on Arsenal.

I guess with Arsenal's performance and how tough it was for them at Brentford, this is no surprise to me. There's not many teams that go and win the title at a canter, you know.

I guess when you haven't won it as long as Arsenal, then you're going to have times where people are going to try and put pressure on you. And that's what's happening now.

Man City know what they're doing. Most of their players have been there before, seen it, done it and know what's coming and what to expect.

If you're going to win the Premier League, then it's not that often that it's going to be at a canter. I know Liverpool did it last season, but because of Arsenal's desire and hunger and all of those things, then they're going to have to do it the hard way.

I wouldn't say there were cracks with Arsenal. I guess, because of City's form, it would be no surprise now if City went on a really good run. We've seen it before with Pep. It's about the time that they go on a run, so we wouldn't be surprised. But cracks? No, not yet. I think Arsenal are still in a really strong position.

I thought Brentford made it really, really difficult for Arsenal. Keith Andrews is doing a great job. He's got them physically fit, tough, strong, hard to mark from throw-ins, set pieces, all of these things. And they've got some really talented players in Igor Thiago and Ouattara.

I watched them against Newcastle and they were worthy of the three points and they were unlucky not to take all three against Arsenal. I wouldn't say cracks aren't there yet but it's going to be an interesting three or four weeks for Arsenal.

Eze looks lost at Arsenal, things have to change for him to go to the World Cup

Mikel Arteta has got one or two things that he needs to iron out. I mean, the situation with Eze against Brentford was surprising a bit because he seems lost or at least he did in that game.

He took him off at half time and they got a little bit better. They put more pressure on Brentford and then they got the goal. But I thought Brentford were worth their point at least.

Eze looks lost. It's remarkable really, isn't it? The guy we're talking about who scored the hat-trick in the North London Derby. Everyone was thinking, wow, what a player he is and what a time he's going to have at Arsenal. The way he sort of walked out full of confidence in that Arsenal stadium when he got his move and he looked as if he was a natural fit and, and belonged there.

But he looked lost against Brentford. He looked as if he needed the world to swallow him up. He didn't look comfortable at all.

He won't be in the England squad if he's not going to be playing. I think that was his first start from mid-December last year as well. He's hardly had any starts as well and that has to change if he's going to get in the England squad.

Harvey Barnes has a good chance to get into the England squad

I think Harvey Barnes was right to snub Scotland, he has a chance of going to the World Cup with England, albeit there's lots of players ahead of him at this moment in time. So, he's going to have to do well in between now and the end of the season.

I admire his decision. There's no doubt he would have walked into the Scotland team. But clearly that's not going to be the case with England. So, there are players ahead of him. But he's having a good season and there's no doubt he's a lot better player for Newcastle on the left-hand side.

He enjoys playing there a lot more, you can see that. I hope he continues his form, continues starting every game and he gets a good crack at it.

Not only would he walk into the squad, he would also walk into the team with Scotland. But that's very different with England.

Alan Shearer's FA Cup fourth round previctions

The FA Cup is back and it’s a great weekend of football. I'm doing two games this weekend. I'm doing the Hull v Chelsea game and I'm doing Aston Villa v Newcastle. There's always one story that comes out of it. And I guess from a Chelsea point of view, going to Hull or Brentford going to Macclesfield, you've got to make sure that you're not that story.

Looking at some of the standout fixtures this weekend…

Macclesfield v Brentford - Monday, 19:45

Can Macclesfield continue their giant-killing run in the FA Cup? Probably not with the form that Brentford are in and the way Keith Andrews has got them playing, but it'll be tough. There's always one standout result over a weekend and Brentford have got to make sure that's not that one.

It's great to see Macclesfield do well because for the other teams you're out of your comfort zone, you're in a totally different environment.

Hull v Chelsea - Friday, 19:45

I guess it all depends on what Hull want the most. Whether he wants to, the manager, protect and solidify going for a place in the Premier League or playoffs, which they're in at the minute, or whether he wants an FA Cup run.

I guess we'll find out what team he puts out. It's a big dilemma for him. I guess they're at home and they're live on the BBC, there'll be a big crowd there. So, it's one of these games where you would think it's going to be a great atmosphere and be really tough for Chelsea. But I think the number of players that they can bring on and rest, I guess, for Chelsea, then I still think they'll have too much for Hull.

Man City v Salford - Saturday, 15:00

Man City are in great form and Guardiola will change it around and he will give players games that haven't played a lot. But having said that, they'll have enough to beat Salford.

Aston Villa v Newcastle - Saturday, 17:45

This is a big game. I guess both sides will make a couple of changes. Newcastle looked a lot better at Spurs in midweek. Eddie Howe changed it around again, he left the two forwards out. Three if you include Osula and it worked better. There was more energy and Newcastle were more of a threat in forward positions.

They've got to try to keep that going. It's a tough run for Newcastle. They've got Tuesday night, they've got Saturday, they then travel to Azerbaijan to go and play in the Champions League, which is a huge game as well. So tough times for the Newcastle players. It'll be tough at Aston Villa, they're having a brilliant season, sitting in third position in the Premier League. But it's all something very different, I guess.

Form often does go out of the window in this competition. That's why it's so very difficult to predict. Normally if it was a league game I would go in with a draw but clearly I can't. I'm going to stick with Newcastle to go through to the next round.

Liverpool v Brighton - Saturday, 20:00

I guess Liverpool are having a tough time compared to what they've been used to and there were boos last week. I was really impressed with them at Sunderland. For them to go there and manage the game as they did. We know how tough it is there. I thought the way they defended, I thought Konate and Van Dijk were superb. We haven't said that enough this season.

They were a tad unlucky last weekend against Man City. But I would think that Liverpool will continue their winning ways and go through to the next round because they haven't got a game next week, as far as I'm aware so I think they’ll go as strong as they can.

Brighton know that Liverpool are under huge pressure to try and win something this season, so they'll try and use that to their advantage. But that's a big ask.

Grimsby v Wolves - Sunday, 13:45

If Grimsby show the same appetite that they did against Man United and same know-how then who’s to say they can’t get a result? But often these results go the way of the Premier League team when they're really struggling at the bottom as Wolves have been under huge pressure. It might be that they enjoy the pressure being off them for a little bit. I’d say Wolves will win, just.

Arsenal v Wigan - Sunday, 16:30

Again, I think Mikel Arteta will change it around with players that didn't play against Brentford. He'll put them in, I guess. And again, there will be a story over the weekend, but I don't think this will be the story. I think it will be Arsenal going through.