Arsecast Extra Episode 653 - 11.08.2025

0:00James McNicholas: Guessing is for game shows, not your business. Workday is the enterprise AI platform for HR, finance and IT. With AI grounded in your context to get work done and done right. It's a new Workday.

0:30James McNicholas: Hello and welcome to another Arsecast Extra as always with James from GunnerBlogJames. Good morning to you.

0:38Andrew Allen: Should it not be goodly morning, Andrew? We are champions, no less, of the Emirates Cup.

0:43James McNicholas: The Emirates Cup winners yet again. I'm a bit bored of winning this trophy, you know. Sure. Give someone else a chance, I say.

0:52Andrew Allen: I just think it's good we've answered the doubters so early on. We've got the monkey off our back. we needed that cup has come home has it ever left does it ever leave where does it go is it actually a real cup i think so yeah i think i think artessa just uses it like as a mug

1:12James McNicholas: through the season i turned off the game sort of immediately after the uh the penalties the other morning sure at the end of the game at the end of the game at the end of the penalties i turned it off so i didn't stick around to see the the celebrations the presenting of this trophy which may or may not exist. But I'm guessing if I were to look at the Arsenal website, there's probably, yes, there is a picture of Martin Odegaard with the Emirates Cup. So it's there, it's real.

1:42Andrew Allen: What's good about that is it would be really easy for us to sort of Photoshop in the Premier League trophy at the end of the season.

1:49James McNicholas: You know what I mean?

1:51Andrew Allen: Regardless of the actual outcome, we've got a wonderful template to work with there.

1:54James McNicholas: Well, I mean, you know, you can make your own truth these days, can't you? So, you know, even if we don't win the league, we can make it look like we won the league. And then when someone says, you didn't win the league, you just say, shut up. I did in my mind.

2:08Andrew Allen: In our echo chamber, we very much did. That's all that counts. It was good, wasn't it? The Emirates Cup game. We played well, Andrew.

2:18James McNicholas: We did play well. There was, you know, a bit of concern after the Villarreal game in midweek. performance level, not quite what you would expect. But the team in midweek was not like the team that we saw at the weekend, which was, I guess, essentially, with a couple of, you know, question marks over a player here or a player there, what you would expect from basically a first-choice lineup. You know, there were minutes in there for Gabriel and Jurian Timber, important minutes, I think, for them. but Big Vic starts up front and you've got that midfield trio that we're all looking forward to seeing of Martin Zubomendi, Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice.

3:00James McNicholas: And I do think that played a significant part in the performance level.

3:05Andrew Allen: Yeah, because I think, you know, obviously those midfielders started on the bench in midweek. And yeah, in theory, they come on and the team gets stronger. But the game's become so disjointed, I think, in the second half that really I think it's that first 45 minutes to 60 minutes that are useful to a manager and useful to us in terms of being able to see what's developing, what's happening, what the plan is. I do wonder if there's been some hesitation or reservation on Miklarteta's part to kind of put plan A on the field too soon and almost to give opposition analysts too good a look at it but I think they did get a look at it on Saturday and I was really encouraged by it you know I think you sent me a text maybe at half time saying what a difference a midfield makes

4:02James McNicholas: and I couldn't agree more yeah I mean the player who stood out for me obviously was Martin Zubimendi and I think we've spoken on here a little bit about him and his signing and I said I kind of felt a bit sorry for him in a way because the signing had been telegraphed for such a long time that everybody knew it was coming. And then even when we were expecting it to come, it was delayed for various reasons. His announcement, you know, was pushed back and pushed back. And by the time it happened, everyone was like, okay, fine. But can we get a fucking striker now, please? We need a striker. Forget about this midfielder guy.

4:41James McNicholas: We're all bored of that. We just want the striker. And the Yocarez thing was ongoing. And, you know, all the attention was sort of on that. All the spotlight was on that. And I felt not that it was unfair, but I did feel a little sorry for him because I think his is a signing that is just as important. I'm going to go there. I'm going to say it is just as important as a striker was because, you know, this was an area of the pitch where I think, you know, we obviously needed to do something. because of the departures in there. We needed to do something maybe a little bit different. And Zubimendi is a player who was highly coveted by Liverpool, by Manchester City, by Real Madrid to varying degrees.

5:30James McNicholas: Arsenal did a very good job of getting him in and getting that deal sorted out in a relatively uncomplicated way, even if it went a little bit longer than people would have expected. So to see him in that midfield with Declan Rice, with Martin Odegaard, And to play the way that he did, I think was so encouraging. Yeah.

5:51Andrew Allen: We had a request, a question really from Mark Levy about, do we have any hot takes or statements for the upcoming season? And we'll come back to that. But I think I might go one further than you in terms of having a hot take. I think there's a very, it's very plausible that come May, we will reflect on the signing of Martin Zubimendi as the most critical signing of this summer transfer window. And that's no slight on Victor Jokeres at all. Yeah. He had a good day himself and we'll get on to him. But I do think that, you know, if you think of the level of hype and excitement around Jokeres, and I get it, he's a striker and he's sort of, he's a number nine.

6:37Andrew Allen: There's always sort of clamour for that. he's got a very memeable celebration um goals are what we all get excited about but I do think you'll you'll bang on I think the Zubomendi signing is a huge coup and you know what we saw from him on Saturday underlined that so really really excited and I've and I've been a bit like maybe it'll take him some time to adapt you know maybe it'll it'll be bedded in slowly Lee, you know, we've got Premier League proven alternative in Norgaard, but watching him against Athletic Club, you're just like, well, he's got to play. He's got to play straight away. He seems that important to us.

7:21James McNicholas: No, absolutely. Yeah. I know you were sort of humming and hawing a bit on whether or not he might start at Old Trafford and that's probably a game we'll touch on a little bit later in the show. There are some questions about that, obviously, because the next time we do an Arscast Extra, it will be after that game, which seems mad given how long the summer has been. But yeah, I think he's so important. I think he will become absolutely pivotal, no pun intended, to the way that we play and the way that we're going to play this season. And I suppose what we saw from that midfield on Saturday was really quite interesting.

8:02James McNicholas: You know, his intelligence, his positional intelligence, his ability to use the ball, to read the game was really, really obvious. But what I thought was fascinating was, A, he didn't spend the entire game just as the deep-lying player as the number six. There were sort of interchanges between him and Declan Rice, whether they played in what you might consider a double pivot or not. I'm not 100 % sure. I need to see a bit more of the way that they operate. But they took it in turns or certainly rotated through that deep line midfield area, dropping between the centre-halves at times to pick up the ball.

8:41James McNicholas: And a consequence of that as well was we didn't see Martin Odegaard doing that, which for me is a very good thing because he is a player I want to see higher up the pitch. Yeah, it wasn't quite a sort of 4-2-3-1, but it wasn't miles away.

8:58Andrew Allen: and I did think I've always been intrigued about the idea of Zubemendy and Rice together could it operate like a double pivot I know when Zubemendy signed speaking to people who knew him very well and from Sociedad one of the things they said was there are other dimensions to his game he's not necessarily just a number six he can add things in the opponent's half as well so it's exciting to see that there might be more to come from him And yeah, Rice was dropping in between the centre-backs and doing that classic kind of anchoring role at times. I just think it all lends that bit of unpredictability, right?

9:38Andrew Allen: Which is something we've talked about with Arsenal before.

9:41James McNicholas: Yeah, I mean, I think when people talk about unpredictability, it was based around what we do in the forward line. Like, what can we do in the attacking third that makes us a bit more unpredictable? But, you know, part of doing that, I think, is going to be the way this midfield operates. And those two in particular, Rice and Zubimendi, that connection and their ability, both of them, to sort of play deep but play higher up the pitch or contribute higher up the pitch. I mean, one of the things that stood out to me as well with Zubimendi on Saturday was just the quickness of his passing, the way he released the ball much more quickly than we've seen in the past.

10:24James McNicholas: with previous incumbents in that particular role. And again, I think when we try and find ways to deal with some of the issues that have plagued us, if that's the right way of putting it in the Premier League, it is how quickly we can get the ball forward, how quickly we can move the ball through the lines before the opposition gets set. That's been our big problem, or one of our big problems anyway for me, is that by the time we get the ball into the opposition half and get men into those positions, the opposition pretty much always are set and can sit in that deep block, which we found really difficult to break down.

11:04Andrew Allen: We were loads better in that regard. And I was personally relieved because, along with a few other reporters, I've sort of been saying, oh, you know, they want to change up the style. They want to be more direct. And, you know, I was having a few people come back at me and saying, well, I can't see it.

11:21James McNicholas: Yeah, I don't think anyone could up to Saturday, really.

11:25Andrew Allen: Yeah, yeah. I mean, I think you could see bits and pieces in terms of looking long a bit more frequently or just being a bit more direct in sort of that respect. But this game, there was a clear emphasis on getting the ball forward, early, over the top, in behind, and trying to play through the lines as quickly as possible. Zubmendi was integral to that. So, yeah, I was really, really encouraged. It really did feel like a far cry from the game on Wednesday and definitely our best performance of pre-season, which is the right way round. You want it to be improving as you go along. And fortunately, we're headed in the right direction.

12:12James McNicholas: All right. So, look, we've talked about Zubmendi, but he was obviously involved in the first goal. I think it was a corner that Bakayo Saka picked up the far side. He laid it back. First time cross from Zubomendi. Victor Jokeres with a brilliant header. Absolutely brilliant header. And it's quite funny, isn't it? When we think about the goals in this game and who scored them and how they were scored. Jokeres is not known or not renowned for his heading ability. I think he scored 39 league goals in Portugal last season. Not one of them was a header. And it's not that he can't head the ball or he's not good at heading.

12:51James McNicholas: I think he dispelled that with the goal that he scored. And even though it's a preseason goal, I think that does take a little bit of the pressure off him a bit. It's been faintly ridiculous, actually. some of the reporting around him and some of the analysis, for want of a better word. I don't think it's particularly analytical, but the idea that he didn't score in his first game and people were, ooh, is he the right guy? There was a headline. I was on News Now after the game, and there was a headline on one particular radio station. I'll give you one guess as to which particular radio station that was.

13:36James McNicholas: and their headline was Jochores proves doubters wrong with brilliant opening goal for Arsenal I mean he's yet to play a competitive game for us and this is the kind of media narrative that we're having to deal with and I think most people listening to this will understand that it's complete bullshit and garbage and clickbaity and it's designed to generate a reaction but I do think it's important maybe to push back on that a little bit as well and just say, look, he doesn't have to prove anybody anything at this point. It'll be what happens during the Premier League season and the Champions League season, et cetera, et cetera.

14:14James McNicholas: But all the same, you know, if you are at home and you're a new signing, just doing that, I think, takes a little bit of the pressure off going into the start of the new season.

14:26Andrew Allen: I think so. I think it does. It's always in a striker's mind isn't it and you know we've had strikers who have waited a while for their first competitive goal you know I'm thinking of Thierry Henry or Dennis Bergkamp or Olivier Giroud and they all went on to do pretty well right but I think just having that having that moment at the Emirates will have meant a lot to him obviously doing a competitive game is another thing entirely and And that's what really counts. But a really encouraging finish. I mean, there's no doubt about his finishing ability. You know, the header was excellent as well. Like a really good run across his man.

15:08Andrew Allen: Good flip. Great ball from Martin Zubemendy. And I know what you mean when you say you look at the type of goal that was scored. You know, because Victor Jokerez scored a Kai Havertz goal. And I think late in the game, Kai Havertz scored a Victor Jokerez goal. But yeah, I think it's a great moment for him. And as I say, I think the style that we employed in this game, the way we were able to play, made me more hopeful and optimistic that we'll be able to really unlock his potential. He was so dangerous. You know, not so much about what he does on the ball, but off it, his movement is so... How can I put it?

15:52Andrew Allen: predatory you know distinct like direct he really is constantly looking for those spaces those channels um he's always yeah he has that kind of killer instinct that i think we have really really lacked um so i'm i'm excited about adding that dimension to our team yeah i mean he could have

16:16James McNicholas: had another headed goal in the second half. And I think your point about his movement in the box is evident in the way that he moves into that position for the header. I think it's across from Nani Madweke from the left-hand side and a diving header. I think the keeper got a save. The replay was...

16:37Andrew Allen: Yeah, he kind of got sandwiched a bit the ball there, didn't he?

16:39James McNicholas: Yeah, yeah, yeah. But it came off the post. So, I mean, he could have had two headed goals, which would have been, you know, hashtag narrative for this one. But yeah, that movement in the box and that different kind of option and his willingness to run those channels. I mean, I think we should say that, you know, it is something slightly different, but when you see what Kai Havertz did later in the game and his ability to run into those channels as well, I think it sort of illustrates that, you know, our issue, let's say in the second half of last season, because of the restriction that we had, because of the injury to Havertz, because of the injury to Jesus, and the fact that we were playing Mikel Marino, who did really well up there, Leandro Trossard, who played a little bit there, you know, as a kind of a false nine kind of a guy.

17:29James McNicholas: But they don't do what a striker does, you know? They don't make those runs as naturally as someone like Jokerez does, and even to an extent Kai Havertz does when he is fit and when he is available to us, you know? So it's not something that's unique to Jocharez, but it is something that you get from natural number nines rather than midfielders or attacking midfielders redeployed in a position they're not necessarily comfortable with.

17:57Andrew Allen: I think that's true. And I think while, I mean, what I would say about Jocharez is Havertz's injury, although a really minor one, I think has worked in Jocharez's favour because I think it was really valuable to him to start both of these pre-season friendlies at the Emirates Stadium. And I'm not sure he would have done if Havertz had been fully fit. You know, I think he probably would have been one in one game and one in the other. But given his late start to pre-season, getting a couple of hours of football in the tank a week before the Premier League starts, you know, and being on the pitch, obviously, to score that goal as well, I think is really going to help in terms of getting him up to speed quickly.

18:47Andrew Allen: The other thing I would say is, by the way, that sort of more slightly direct transitional way of playing, I don't think it only suited Jokerez. I think it helped Gabriel Martinelli and particularly Bukayo Saka as well, getting him into space early, one-on-one situations. I think that was also a really encouraging aspect of the way we play.

19:12James McNicholas: Well, yeah, the focus was on the new guy and the goal that was scored by the new guy. But the second goal, how do you put it, like old reliables? I'm not 100 % sure, but it was a pass.

19:23Andrew Allen: Veterans of the team.

19:24James McNicholas: Yeah, the two veterans, 24-year-olds, both of them. You know, the ball played quickly over the top. Martinelli runs onto it, squares it for Saka, and it's an empty net for Saka to roll the ball into. I've seen people talk a bit about Saka this preseason, and I've seen people express maybe a little bit of concern about Bakayo Saka during this preseason. And I wondered, was that something you shared? Because I have to say, I know there's like worry when a player has a big injury like that. But I think with Saka, his level is so consistently high that not that we take it for granted. But, you know, he scored in the preseason game in Singapore, didn't he?

20:08James McNicholas: It was the goal that beat AC Milan. Yeah. I thought he was really lively in the other game in Singapore too. I think he's been good this preseason for me, and that goal will obviously help. I don't think we've seen him, let's say, at his absolutely blistering dynamic best. But I didn't look at Saka this preseason at all and have any concern about him, whereas I did see some people talk about that. So I'm curious what you think.

20:35Andrew Allen: No, I haven't really felt that way. To be honest, I've mainly been looking at Saka from a kind of physical perspective. Let's not forget, he had a big injury last season. And, you know, while he came back from that right at the end of the campaign, I'm not sure he quite hit his top level in what remained of the season. So I've been looking at it and thinking, you know, are we going to have to manage his minutes? What sort of shape is he in? But I think he looks sharp. I'm not worried at all. I also think he's sort of at a mature stage as a player and as a star maybe where I think he knows what preseason is and it's about.

21:20And I don't think he's going to go hell for leather in the Emirates Cup, for example, when he has Old Trafford seven days away and knows that this is a season that kicks off in a week's time.

21:36Andrew Allen: Sure. But could run all the way for him until the end of July. in terms of a World Cup the following year.

21:43James McNicholas: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

21:44Andrew Allen: It is critical that these players pace themselves because they are at the start of an almost year-long campaign for the internationals.

21:55James McNicholas: Yeah, that's a fair point. That is a fair point. And yeah, I would share that with you, that I think he's experienced enough now to sort of play within himself a little bit during pre-season. I think most players do. I think there is something fundamentally different, isn't there, about a competitive game and a preseason game. Just, you know, as hard as you want to work and as hard as you want to train and put in the effort. I do think there is just something different about preseason in terms of how players approach these games. No one wants to take any massive risk in preseason physically. You don't generally see players going crunching into 50-50s and stuff.

22:38Andrew Allen: Yeah, and you see players withdrawn, I think, with knocks and niggles that they'd probably attempt to play through in a Premier League game. But it was interesting. I don't remember who it was, but one of the players gave a post-match interview where they said, we wanted to make a statement here in this match. And, you know, I think it probably hasn't escaped their attention that there have been certainly some queries after the Spurs defeat and the Rourke game over where exactly we were and what sort of shape we were in. And they swatted those away pretty comprehensively. I mean, it was kind of, yeah, it was about as good as we could have hoped for.

23:23And then that second goal, you know, the old faithfuls, as you say, going through on goal.

23:28Andrew Allen: But how many times have we seen Gabriel Martinelli played in over the top or in behind running into space? I would venture not often enough. That is his strongest skill set. And how many of those opportunities has he had? I do feel, I understand this criticism of Martinelli. And I don't think he's had a blistering preseason or anything like it. But I do think he's a player that stylistically suffers from the type of football we play or are forced to play at times. So, yeah, we've got some big away games coming up as well as home games. And I'm hoping those fixtures provide opportunities for us to play, not necessarily on the counter-attack, but like play into space in a way that we don't always do.

24:18James McNicholas: Well, yes, exactly. I mean, how many times did we talk last season about how Liverpool go from the edge of their own box to the edge of the opposition box in the fucking blink of an eye with like four or five players tearing up the pitch? You know, being able to use those moments of transition better, I think, is a key factor or a key thing that we need to improve on going into this new season. And on that basis, Saturday was very encouraging. managing the third goal, as we said, it is quite funny, isn't it? Because we discussed so often, how do we channel the direct running of Victor Jokeres?

24:56James McNicholas: How do we get the ball in behind? How do we give him those moments where he can use his pace and his strength to drive through on goal and finish? And then Kai Havertz comes on and scores the kind of goal that you sort of envisage in your mind that Jokeres is going to score for Arsenal. I think this is a brilliant goal, brilliantly taken goal by Kai Havertz, I should say. You know, the ball is played over the top. He sprints from inside his own half, outpaces the defenders, and not only outpaces them, he's too strong, you know, for them to knock him over. I feel like when Kai Havertz first joined Arsenal, that was the kind of situation where a defender might use his physicality to knock him off the ball and put him off his stride and maybe stop him scoring and stop him applying that kind of finish.

25:47James McNicholas: the memes and the pictures and the fucking AI slop of Havertz being like the Incredible Hulk has been doing the rounds all summer. But there's no question he is more physically, he has more physical presence these days. And I think that was a really interesting part of this goal as well.

26:09Andrew Allen: Kai Havertz 2.0. Yeah. isn't it? Yeah. I mean, by the way, I saw a funny tweet after the game. Somebody saying like, wow, look, we signed Jokeres and now look at the goal. Havertz scored. Competition really works. And I was like, yeah, I mean, Kai Havertz was pretty good until he got injured. I mean, really good. And I do think that sometimes that has been a bit forgotten. Yes. quite how effective he was in the first half of last season. I know there are, I know maybe he's not a killer, maybe not a penalty box predator in the way that Jokeres is, but there are so many other positive aspects to his game.

26:56Andrew Allen: But he does look super fit, super strong, brilliant goal. It reminded me a bit of a goal he scored against Chelsea, actually. That's right. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, the back end of, what was that, the season before last, I think. but um yeah he really brilliantly taken really brilliantly taken and another example of sort of playing in that more direct fashion so i think it's it's great to see him fit as well and contributing um because i maintain he's gonna he's gonna be a big player yeah he is i mean that that's

27:30James McNicholas: the thing you have a shiny new striker and everyone loves that but don't forget what you already have yeah you know you can't what what last season told us and taught us was that you can't put your eggs in one basket you know in in any position so we are going to need both of those guys to do well and to score and if they push each other and if they're competition for each other all the better i think there are going to be games when both of them play and to have two good strikers, two good forwards, centre forwards, you know, feels like something of a luxury, doesn't it, based on what we've experienced over the last four or five months of last season, where, you know, you'd have given your right hand for, or your right arm for any kind of a centre forward.

28:17James McNicholas: So to have two feels like a luxury, but it is absolutely essential that we're able to manage both of these guys really well throughout this season, because that gives us the best

28:27Andrew Allen: chance to to win games yeah totally but um all in all yeah i i think it's a real positive um and i'm trying to think like where we had two strikers in such sort of close competition i mean i guess like is that no bama young maybe yeah yeah i suppose and in the way in the end you know managers at the time found a way for them to kind of be on the pitch together so So I think...

28:55James McNicholas: Jokeres is the new left winger, is that what you're saying?

28:57Andrew Allen: Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Aggregate that.

29:03James McNicholas: Yeah, I mean, what else can we take away from the game? I mean, those were obviously the most encouraging aspects, the goals that we scored, the performance, the way that we played that you're hoping to see a bit more of. Obviously, Gabriel, as I mentioned at the start, got some minutes into him, which was, I think, very, very important. Timber as well. Timber as well. got 45 minutes uh which was important ricardo califuri at left back which i thought was was

29:31Andrew Allen: very interesting as well um well we're talking about being unpredictable oh my i mean the only thing predictable about ricardo califuri is that he's going to look beautiful and possibly get injured um but on the everything he does tactically and sort of technically he is kind of an enigma in a way that I think can be very beneficial.

29:51James McNicholas: Oh, 100%. You know, I said it in Singapore. Remember we were at the game in Singapore and I was like, oh, I really, really like Calafuri's first half performance. I think it was in the game against Milan, wasn't it? Where a couple of minutes into the second half, he went off injured and I was like, I should have kept my fucking mouth shut. And that's my fault. But I really enjoyed the way that he played in that first half. And I really, really enjoyed him on Saturday. and he's one of those guys where I know that there is a question mark over him in terms of his fitness. But if he can stay fit, I think there's a player in there who brings something to this team that I'm not going to say that nobody else has, but he has this sort of maverick quality, this sort of swashbuckling way of playing the game, which is really enjoyable and really fun.

30:45James McNicholas: and maybe there's a trade-off with that at times defensively. I remember when he came on the final home game of the season against Newcastle, wasn't it? Yeah, and he came on at halftime. Was it Saliba went off? I think he came on at halftime. And for the first five minutes of the second half, he was basically playing as a sort of old-fashioned inside left forward. I couldn't, you know. So there's obviously a license given to him by Mikel Arteta, or he simply chooses to take that license himself. I feel like if the manager wasn't on board with it, though, we wouldn't be seeing an awful lot of Ricardo Calafuri.

31:29James McNicholas: So he seems to like what Calafuri can bring to the team, even if it is, in Arteta-esque terms, slightly unconventional. Yeah.

31:40Andrew Allen: And when he's been available in pre-season, he's played prominent roles. You know, he started the first couple of friendlies, he started this one. It's clearly the forefront of the manager's mind, I think, in terms of adding something slightly different to the team. And yeah, I mean, we've got questions about Old Trafford, but I think, you know, the fullback positions are really interesting because I think it's close in both. And what about Nonny Madueke, another summit signing who we saw again on the left-hand side? What did you make of that and his contribution?

32:18James McNicholas: Yeah, I thought he looked quite tidy, looked quite exciting on that left-hand side. And that left-footedness on that side of the pitch is something we've talked about, you know. as a way of maybe stretching the opposition and doing something a little bit different. I mentioned it was his cross, wasn't it, for Jacarez to hit the post. And there were some lively moments from him. So yeah, I think encouraging. Obviously, he, you know, like Jacarez, has only been with us a couple of weeks at this point. So there's more to do and more for him to settle in. But I do think it is an interesting tactical option for Mikel Arteta to have that left-footed winger on the left-hand side.

32:57James McNicholas: It might just be coincidence. that that's where he's played, you know, where he's played in both the games that we've seen so far, because that's the position in which, you know, we've needed to make a sub. So we'll have to wait and see what happens, you know, over the course of the season. But it does seem like he is going to be a viable option on that side, which is what Arteta said after the Villarreal game anyway. And no Max Dowman, not involved in the squad,

33:25Andrew Allen: obviously giving a bit of a break. cartetta intimated that's what he's going to do were you surprised by that do you think it's

33:33James McNicholas: sensible like what was your take on that i think it's probably sensible i think they probably had a plan for him to be involved in pre-season to a certain extent maybe they didn't expect him to make the kind of impression that he did where you're sort of discussing and thinking about the idea of him being part of the squad for the first game of the season which would have been pretty much unthinkable, I think, you know, before preseason. But it makes sense. He's only 15 years of age. There is a duty of care, isn't there, to a young player who's not physically mature yet, who's got a way to go in that regard, and who I think we will see during this season, but perhaps not quite as soon as everybody might like.

34:16James McNicholas: It's just such a fantastic, romantic story, isn't it, that Downman plays pre-season and all of a sudden gets involved straight from the get-go when a new season kicks off. But it does look as if, you know, his integration will be more gradually managed, doesn't it? Yeah, I mean, we'll see.

34:39Andrew Allen: I think it would have factored into Nicolaita's thoughts that Downman was obviously away with the England under-17s at the back end of last season. pretty much into June. I think like right at the end of May, they went out. Then he has been involved in first team training to sort of acclimatise him to that environment, getting ready for the tour. I think, as you say, he's been more involved in the games

35:04James McNicholas: than anybody anticipated.

35:08Andrew Allen: So I thought it was sort of smart, tempting, tempting though it must have been for Mikla Arteta to say, let's have another look at this guy against sort of serious opposition. I think it was probably smart to just take the heat off, take the pressure off. But I do think there's still a decision to be made on his involvement when Premier League season gets underway.

35:34James McNicholas: Do you think he's still in the frame for Sunday?

35:40Andrew Allen: I hope so, personally. I don't know. but I think on merit he ought to be

35:49James McNicholas: like I would not be against it at all I think what he's done in pre-season is as I said on the Arscast last week kind of extraordinary by the very literal definition of that word it is extraordinary and I think he has certainly given Mikel Arteta something to think about but I do wonder if you know the squad size and just managing a 15 year old physically, mentally. I'm not saying he's feeling the pressure or anything like that. He probably doesn't feel any pressure at 15 years of age because you're young and it doesn't really occur to you that there is pressure at that point. But I just wonder if by taking him out of the firing line for this weekend, it suggests he might not be involved for Sunday.

36:36James McNicholas: But let's see. I wouldn't be against it at all. They're getting ready to start, Andrew.

36:39Andrew Allen: They just wanted to give him a rest because he's going to play from kickoff. Well, I'll tell you what, we had a question about the squad size and what the bench might look like at Old Trafford. So perhaps we'll see if we can find a place for Max Dowman when we get to that.

36:54James McNicholas: Right. Okay, we'll do that. One other player I did want to mention, and we've sort of, not that he's been overlooked, but Christian Mascara has come on in both the games and early days, of course. He came on it right back on Saturday and then moved across. It's early days, but what have you made of him? I sort of like his presence. He sort of exudes a kind of calm on the pitch, which I think is really interesting for a young player, a young defender in particular. You know, we've been a bit spoiled with William Saliba because I don't think there's a cooler cat in the whole defensive world than William Saliba.

37:35James McNicholas: but Mascara, you know, looks like a really assured presence on the pitch. Yeah.

37:44Andrew Allen: We've got our Rolls-Royce and Saliba and now maybe a little Baby Bentley or something like that. Baby Bentley. Not David Bentley, though. Not David Bentley. Yeah, he – I like the look of him, I have to say. The comparison I drew in one of my videos was that he reminded me of a very young Johan Giroud. Probably isn't the endorsement that I intend it to be, because the way that Giroud's career panned out maybe wasn't quite what Arsene Wenger and many onlookers had anticipated. But he did have that kind of upright elegance that I think Mosquera has. But he's deceptively quick as well. He looks like a very smart pickup.

38:29Andrew Allen: I mean, when that deal was done, You know, I do think that kind of maybe a sort of football nerd, like that's the kind of deal we love a club to do. Like it's affordable, it's speculative, it feels like there's a relatively low risk profile on it. And he looks like a really interesting prospect and someone who, you know, I mean, he's played a lot of minutes in La Liga. so it's not like he comes in totally raw I mean he's played a lot of top top flight football already so he's an option and and I'm sure he'll get games most likely starting in the cup

39:11James McNicholas: competitions but but we'll see how he goes yeah yeah yeah for sure uh yeah that was a conversation um we had a few weeks ago or you certainly made that point a few weeks ago about those kinds of signings and I think typically you associate them with a forward you know somebody who might develop into a really exciting talent not necessarily with defenders but I think in terms of the profile that we needed to bring in this summer and to have that player who can provide proper backup for William Saliba, he's the perfect fit in that regard so I'm looking forward to seeing a bit more of him. Since we last talked, Ethan Weneri has signed his new contract with the club, which is obviously really, really good news.

39:58James McNicholas: A very interesting comment from him about, and I do have a question about him in part two, which we'll get to, but when he did the interview with the official site after the contract signing, he said, I'm ready, I'm paraphrasing, he said, I'm ready to play anywhere across the front five. Yeah. Which is interesting.

40:22Andrew Allen: Yeah. Including that number nine spot, which I know Mikel Arteta has kind of earmarked him for potentially in future.

40:32Andrew Allen: I think that's great that he has that flexibility and versatility, but I have to say I've been really impressed by him in pre-season in that kind of Martin Odegaard position. You know, we didn't see a great deal of him there last season because Pakao Saka's injury meant he was predominantly used on the right-hand side. But I think he's shown this summer that he's a very able deputy for Odegaard. And we speak about competition. You know, Martin Odegaard didn't have a great season last year. And he's one of the first names on the team sheet. And he is the club captain. But I think in that role, if Ethan Ranieri continues to develop as we hope, I think he can really push him.

41:21James McNicholas: Well, here's the question. Might as well do it now, seeing as we're on this. It comes from Eggheaded Perkins on the Discord. And he says, do you guys think, Ethan, Wuneri is good enough to hold down that central midfield position if Odegaard gets injured again? I worry that this is an area that could bite us more so than left wing.

41:44Andrew Allen: I think he is. Like, obviously, I think talent-wise, he absolutely is. I suppose what I would say is I think Arsenal, even if it's not Ethan, have other ways of solving that. You know, I think Kai Havertz potentially could play in there. You could mix up the composition of the midfield and use Declan Rice on the right-hand side, which I think we did see on one occasion last season. But when you have a player like Ethan and you've just had to pin them down to a five-year contract, I know you could never offer a player guarantees of playing time, but there has to be a clear pathway of sorts. That is his, right?

42:33Andrew Allen: To be the alternative, the rotation option to Martin Odegaard in this system. and we want to see him on the pitch. So I'm not, I wouldn't say I'm overly worried about it. But equally, you know, I wouldn't shed any tears if Arsenal turned around and bought a creative midfield player from a South East London club. That'd be fine by me. But right now, it doesn't look like that's going to happen.

43:01James McNicholas: No, it doesn't. It doesn't. I think...

43:03Andrew Allen: Why, what do you think?

43:04James McNicholas: My gut feeling is that last season, And Mikel Arteta didn't think Weneri was ready for that position. Because when he did play, he played on the right. And that was in part because of the injury to Bakayo Saka. But when Odegaard got injured that time, the obvious replacement in the squad as we looked at it was Weneri. Left-footed, creative, good on the ball, likes a shot. Got that burst between the lines. But I think there was something in the manager's mind which made him reluctant to do that. We noted during preseason that physically he looks a little bigger, that he has matured a little bit as well.

43:46James McNicholas: I think with a full season under his belt, it seems to me like if we've bought Nani Madweke, albeit a player who can play on both sides, that sort of not closes the door for Weneri on the right, but makes it a little more complicated for him to play there. Therefore, the discussion with the player, with his representatives, and when they've talked about where they see him, it must be more central. That's what makes sense to me. When Harry said he considers this his first full season, actually, that was an interesting aspect of his interview as well, that he's looking at this upcoming season as his first full proper season as a pro, because he was so young last season.

44:35Andrew Allen: He's mad because he played nearly 30 games.

44:36James McNicholas: Yeah, and nearly got into double figures in terms of goals. So, you know, there is obviously a difference between him now and 12 months ago. So I think physically he's more mature and more developed, which I think is important in central areas. But I think as well, he spent a year working, training, playing, observing, learning, all the things that come with that particular role that Martin Odegaard plays that we've often discussed, that there is a responsibility, a tactical responsibility that Odegaard has as the captain, but also the player in that position, which is very, very important. You can see the way he moves the team around, the way he gestures, the way he implements the manager's tactical plan on the pitch.

45:27James McNicholas: And is Wernheri more capable of doing that this season? Maybe he'll defer to a more senior player. Somebody like Declan Rice, if Odegaard's not available, you'd imagine somebody like Declan Rice or even Martin Zubamendi, because of his experience, would be more in charge, for want of a better word, of that tactical organization. but I think as somebody who understands, you know, the role a bit better now, I can see Wannery fitting in there really well. Yeah.

45:55Andrew Allen: I think expecting him to have sort of Martin Odegaard's level of leadership and tactical intelligence is obviously unrealistic at such a young age. So I understand there might be a bit of a gap or a bit of a drop-off there. I just keep coming back to this idea of you've got this brilliant talent who has been wanted in the Premier League and abroad and you want him to stay at the club. You've signed him to a new contract. There have to be clear opportunities and that is the opportunity for him in this squad. so it it would be a complicated decision to kind of put a player in his pathway you know what I mean I think that would be risky and I think what you've got in Ranieri is potentially so exciting that you want to explore it and you want to see how far he can go because you know it's so funny like you just mentioned in passing casually he almost got his double figures in goals I mean for a player who was 17 predominantly in that season that is extraordinary

47:12James McNicholas: yeah yeah it really is it really is

47:15Andrew Allen: if he can he can produce something like that again or kick on even from there then we've you know we'll be we'll be over the moon so fingers crossed I think he's had a good pre-season I think he's been one of the more impressive performers agree so I'm hoping and he can carry that into a competitive campaign.

47:37James McNicholas: All right. Well, look, why don't we take a little bit of a break here? There's a big game to look forward to on Sunday and a few questions around that. So we will take a short break. We'll come back with your questions and more in part two right after this.

48:02James McNicholas: Guessing is for game shows, not your business. Workday is the enterprise AI platform for HR, finance, and IT. With AI grounded in your context to get work done and done right. It's a new Workday.

48:20James McNicholas: Welcome back to the Arsecast Extra. This is part two of the show where we answer the questions that you send to us on bluesky at gunnerblog.bsky.social and also at arseblog.com. Also on the Arseblog Discord chat server, which you get access to if you are an Arseblog member on Patreon. Last chance this week. The deadline is Friday if you want to join our Fantasy Football League with big prizes, cash prizes. It's exclusive to our Patreon members. So if you want to be part of our fantasy football league and have a chance to win those prizes, you can sign up at patreon.com forward slash arseblog. It's$6 a month and you get access to fantasy football, all the extra content that we put out during the season, discord and lots more.

49:01James McNicholas: So patreon.com forward slash arseblog for that. I did want to go first, if that's all right, James. We talked about our sort of new style, if that's the way you want to put it. But, oh my gosh, Yalushkan. dot bsky dot social hope i pronounced that right says i don't think it's coincidence that the three goals we scored were a result of quick direct play if we were to start playing more directly do you think inevitably it will cause a defensive trade-off like what's the flip side of being more direct or taking more chances in that sense yeah yeah i mean i more i used the word transitional

49:43Andrew Allen: earlier and I guess in layman's terms we're talking about being potentially a bit more end-to-end, having them all kind of in broken play a little bit more frequently. And there is a potential risk and cost to that. However, you would look at Arsenal's back four, you'd look at Declan Rice and say we absolutely have the tools to recover in those situations, perhaps more than any other team. You know, it's interesting. We're a team that's sort of quite obsessed by sort of control, I think, and dominance. But if it were to become slightly more chaotic, I actually think that we have the athleticism and the one-on-one defensive abilities to cope with that sort of game probably more so than any other team in the league.

50:46Andrew Allen: So yes, like in terms of the stability, might we give up a few more chances? Might we have situations where we have players running in behind and running into channels a little bit more frequently? Maybe. But do I back the likes of Gabriel, Solymba, Solymba?

51:06James McNicholas: Simba.

51:07Andrew Allen: Simba. Gabriel, Simba, Mufasa. Timon, Pumba. Timon, Pumba, Jurien Timber. Yeah. Do I back those guys to kind of snuff the majority of those situations out? Yeah, I do. And ultimately, when I think about last season, I think, what was the issue? The issue was too many draws, really. and we have to convert those draws to wins. And I think, yeah, slightly more broken play may enable us to do that. So I'm kind of hoping that's a risk Mike Arteta's going to be prepared to take.

51:55James McNicholas: That was what I was going to ask you because I think, you know, we can talk about direct play and we can talk about our ability to cope, but also I think being more direct, it brings a little less control. And that is something that people have associated with Mikel Arteta and the way that we play and this sort of tacit criticism of Arteta's need for complete control over every aspect of the way that we play. I think there's truth to that, obviously, but if you are going to be a bit more direct, it does mean you're probably going to give up a bit of that control. I think Arteta would be happy if in doing so we score another 15, 20 goals in the Premier League this season.

52:38James McNicholas: It's all about how that plays out, I guess, how well we can finish those moments of transition. Yeah.

52:45Andrew Allen: And I think I said this last season, maybe towards the end of last season, but I do feel that winning things beyond the Emirates Cup, of course, might require a sort of risk, an element of risk-taking or kind of gambler's intuition. I spoke about that kind of gambler's intuition that Arsene had at times or Alex Ferguson and that willingness to kind of throw the kitchen sink at something, to change it from one point to three and risk it being zero. I do feel like that's almost an evolutionary step our manager may need to take. Maybe I'm wrong and maybe his like existing outlook of modus operandi will be enough.

53:40Andrew Allen: You know, maybe we'll just have enough of the margins go in our favor this time that we'll be okay. but I have this nagging feeling that in some ways the handbrake has to come off just a little bit more to change us into winners. But we shall see.

54:00James McNicholas: Thank you, Zazu. Your question.

54:07Andrew Allen: So we had a question about one specific position, but it may be a way into talking more widely about the team for Old Trafford. So Jack, that Jack Rice said, goodly morning, gents. Oh, no, sorry, Jack. It's not your question.

54:20James McNicholas: Okay. He still gets his name read out.

54:22Andrew Allen: Listen, we may come back to your question, Jack, because it is a good question. You're going to have to now, so yeah. I got it. I got it. But it was Jim Halios that I meant to shout out this time. And Jim said, who starts at left back against Man U? I love Miles Lewis-Galley, but it appears Califuri's more open style of play may help release Big Vic quicker and open up our attack. And I think that is one of several positions where it feels like quite a close call going to Old Trafford.

54:51James McNicholas: Yeah, it's an interesting one because I think there are a couple of moving pieces with regards to this. Is Gabriel fit to start at Old Trafford? if he is then that leaves Calafuri as an option for left back for sure if he's not that is where Mikel Arteta has played Ricardo Calafuri or certainly played him at the start of preseason he played him in the left center back position so he may be required at left center back rather than left back if it's a straight choice if Gabriel's fit and Gabriel's available if it's a straight choice between himself and miles for left back it's a really tough one it's a really tough one I don't think miles has been at his best during pre-season and Califuri has been pretty impressive so my my sort of needle is tipping that way a little bit but we know what faith Mikel Arteta has in in miles Lewis Kelly and what a great player he is so it's a tough one.

55:58Andrew Allen: Brian and Bermot likely to be on that right-hand side for Manchester United. We have seen Calafuri sometimes struggle a little in the full-back position against players with that real pace to run in behind.

56:15James McNicholas: We've also seen Miles have his issues there as well. That's fair. You know, where, you know, I don't think it's a lack of defensive ability, But I do think when a young player breaks through, there are going to be games and moments where you have learning experiences. And I think there have been a few of those for miles since he broke into the team as well. So, yeah, I don't think you would say either of them are traditionally a, you know, the defensively minded traditional sort of left back. So there's a trade off with both of them. It just depends on what you think you can get out of the player in other areas of the pitch.

57:00So...

57:00Andrew Allen: Is there any chance that it could be Jürgen Timber at left back?

57:06James McNicholas: I would be really surprised. Really surprised. Like, he hasn't really played a great deal this preseason. He got some minutes on Saturday. He got a few minutes in the Villarreal game as well. But I would be surprised if it were him. I think when we look at the positions, you want Timber and White to be your guys on the right-hand side. And I know Timber can play there, but I kind of want that depth specifically for the right-hand side. So I would be surprised. So I think it is going to be between Calafiore and Lewis Skelly. I wouldn't be that surprised if Gabriel, if they're a bit cautious and Calafiore starts at centre-half and Luis Skelly starts at left-back.

57:54James McNicholas: If it's a straight choice between the two for left-back, I would go with Calafiore for this game. But it's really close, and I'm sort of very happy with whatever Mikel Arteta chooses in that regard. It's just more about personal preference.

58:10Andrew Allen: And what about the rest of the team? Are you expecting to see the same 11 that we saw against Bilbao? Like, do you think it'll be that midfield? Do you think it'll be Jokeres?

58:29James McNicholas: That one I don't know. That one I don't quite know. I do wonder if there's something... do you send a message if you go into a game away at Old Trafford with your big summer signing on the bench? Even if you could probably make a case for it one way or the other, you know, like what a great guy to bring off the bench. If you need something, you've got a 60 million pound striker and that raises the team and gives you a different kind of option, et cetera, et cetera. But I wonder, is there some statement in starting him, on the opening day of the season with a new number six in the team as well.

59:10James McNicholas: I presume it's going to be Martinelli on the left. Trossard's still a little bit injured, but should be available for the weekend. But I think maybe there's something to making that statement and starting a new signing in the first game. What about you?

59:26Andrew Allen: Oh, my days. It could be Victor Jokeres versus Benjamin Tesco.

59:32James McNicholas: Well, I mean, yeah, the way that that's going to play out over the course of this week is making me absolutely determined not to watch or listen to any kind of pregame build-up whatsoever. I just do not want any part of that.

59:48Andrew Allen: Listen, I think it's going to be interesting. I mean, we always said with Sesko there was a real chance he'd end up in the Premier League. I didn't think it would be Manchester United. or he'd end up maybe at Liverpool or Chelsea. Even Newcastle? Even Newcastle. But, you know, I mean, they're having a really tough summer and it seems United have still got some pull there. So there's going to be a Jokor Essesco narrative running across the course of the campaign, I think, whatever happens. I've always been, you know, listeners will know, My hunch has always been that Kai Havertz would be the man in possession of the shirt at the start of the season.

1:00:35Andrew Allen: I do think this injury right on the eve of the season may have changed that. I just think we've played our last two friendlies with Jokeres playing, I think I'm right in saying at least an hour in both. He's got his goal. He's off the mark. he looks and feels more confident I just feel like maybe he has I mean it's tricky because Kai's got the best goal of the weekend but I just feel like maybe Jokeres has the momentum if that makes any sense I think I think if Havertz had been fit and he'd started one of the two friendlies I think it would be him but with Jokeres sort of being the man in possession, I wonder if Arteta will just sort of lean into that.

1:01:32Andrew Allen: So yeah, I'd probably say Jokeres. I think it's a toss up at left back.

1:01:41Andrew Allen: For the sake of being different, I'll say it'll be miles. And I think Gabriel will play. I just think he's that important.

1:01:50James McNicholas: Oh, of course. There was no question of the importance. I just was slightly concerned about that. Yeah, it's soon. It may not even be soon, but it might be just a match fitness issue, you know, rather than him being unfit. I know he sat out the games on the tour because of a little niggle. They didn't want to take any risks whatsoever. However, you know, I think there is probably a big difference these days between, you know, what players do and did during the summer in terms of their fitness and everything else. But he hasn't played since, I don't know, when was the last game he played?

1:02:32Andrew Allen: April.

1:02:32James McNicholas: April. So there you go.

1:02:34Andrew Allen: I mean, one option Mikel does have is he could play Lewis Gelley at left back and Califuria's left side centre back.

1:02:48James McNicholas: Well, that's what I was saying, you know, in the absence of Gabriel there. That might be something he does. He's also got Jakub Kivior who's played quite a bit as well. That's certainly an option if Gabriel is not available, which leaves him his two left back options as well. But, yeah, we'll have to wait and see what happens with him.

1:03:09Andrew Allen: And then the sort of question I mentioned about the bench, Spooks Davey said, goodly morning, chaps. If we have everyone fit and ready and no more ins or outs this week, who are you naming as our nine substitutes for Old Trafford?

1:03:25James McNicholas: Well, okay, let's do it. Kepa, obviously. I think Mascara.

1:03:33Andrew Allen: Mosquera Timber Timber One of Calafuri or Mars potentially Yep

1:03:41James McNicholas: So you've got another I'll just put left back there So that's four You're going to have Norgard Yeah You're going to have Merino Yeah You're going to have Madweke You're going to have one of Havertz or Jokeres. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. And then you've got Wannery. And then there's no room on the bench for Leandro Trossard. Who's probably, may not be fit, but we'll see. May not be fit, but could be available. So someone's missing out and we haven't even figured out a way to get Max Damon on there as well.

1:04:29Andrew Allen: I mean, the only thing I'd say, look at that bench, you've got Mascara, Timber and Mars or Califuri potentially.

1:04:40Andrew Allen: could you get away with two of those? Do you know what I mean? But then who are you leaving out? Yeah. So actually, as much as I think Dalman merits being there based on his contribution, it's not easy to find a place for him. You're probably, unless, and touch wood there aren't, but unless there's a couple of injuries and training midweek, you're having to drop a pretty established player from the matchday squad.

1:05:09James McNicholas: Yeah, I mean, that might also mean no Kivior, no Zinchenko.

1:05:14Andrew Allen: Oh, we didn't mention Kivior, yeah.

1:05:16James McNicholas: Yeah, no Zinchenko. Rhys Nelson, who's been on the bench, wouldn't be on the bench.

1:05:23Andrew Allen: Sure.

1:05:23James McNicholas: You know, you're leaving first team, potential first team players out, you know, regardless of what people think of those guys and their ability to contribute this season. No Fabio Vieira. Where is Fabio Vieira? Do you know where Fabio Vieira is?

1:05:40Andrew Allen: I don't know. Hopefully.

1:05:42James McNicholas: Is he in some kind of post-Porto loan limbo somewhere? Because I haven't seen him in any of the training pictures.

1:05:51Andrew Allen: Yeah, he was on a Club World Cup schedule, wasn't he? So I guess he is behind most people, but we're seeing Madueke. I mean, he's in talks about a move, so hopefully he's just kind of being preserved for that. He's just in a hotel room somewhere, yeah. Yeah, no Fabio Verra, no Sambi, no Carl Hain. I mean, those guys are really on the outs. But, yeah, you'd be leaving. And it's a great situation because we've got a really good bill of health currently. But you're leaving some pretty senior personnel out entirely.

1:06:28Andrew Allen: so yeah tough decisions for a manager

1:06:32James McNicholas: well you know he says we're short on numbers by the way so you know it's only going to get worse for him if we sign some more players so we'll wait and see he did talk about that he said they're actively looking but obviously it depends a bit on you know some players going out that is where you would like to see some movement over the next couple of weeks we've talked about that a bit though so we don't need to go over it again. What about this one from Henry who's at itsmildred.bsky.social He says, have the club over indexed issues from last season? We had a lot of injuries and so have expanded the squad but arguably we've only signed one starter.

1:07:10James McNicholas: Not sure I agree with that but it's a question. He says, have we focused too much on squad size and forgotten past lessons learned about the need for more elite quality in the front line?

1:07:22Andrew Allen: Yeah, it's an interesting question. I mean, I do think Arsenal's summer windows are often sort of quite remedial. Like there's often quite a sort of literal path that can be connected from like what went wrong the previous year and what they do in the market. And maybe that's just logical, you know. But I do think sometimes it is almost a bit too literal. It's like, oh, well, Saka was injured, so we'll buy Saka a backup. You know what I mean? But I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but sometimes I think we could afford to maybe think outside the box a little bit in terms of how we approach it.

1:08:08Andrew Allen: Have we got one starter? I mean, look, Zubimendi's going to play. We all know that. Jokeres, I feel, is going to play a lot of games, but I can understand that there is a debate there because Kai has been so valuable in terms of what he's contributed to the team. I think there's a few people who think Madueke is going to be a starter, you know.

1:08:30James McNicholas: I think he, I don't know like if he's going to be a starter, starter, week in, week out, but he is going to start games. There's no question about that. We've got a long, hard season. I think he will start games.

1:08:42Andrew Allen: Yeah.

1:08:46Andrew Allen: I suppose sort of what the question's alluding to is this idea that sort of, Certainly on the attacking side, are we still one signing away from where we really want to be? A lot of people are looking at that left wing position still, aren't they? Are you looking at that?

1:09:09Andrew Allen: I am. I'm just conscious of what we've just discussed with that bench. And I think we've got to get some of these players out. Like the squad, whatever Mikel may say about numbers, I think we're heavy in terms of these players on the fringes who've got to go in this next few weeks. And to be honest, I slightly fear what sort of deals those will be because we're into that stage of the window where there's almost an imperative to get them out. So I slightly worry that maybe they won't be particularly favourable to us financially. Do I feel that we still need one more? I think we do, but I think it's like we're looking for an upgrade.

1:10:01Andrew Allen: And when you speak about the left side, for example, and you've already got Martinelli, Trossard potentially, Madueke, and you're looking for something that's definitely going to be better than that, I don't think there are sort of there are many obvious deals to do I suppose that's my feeling on it yeah what do you think?

1:10:30James McNicholas: I'm like you I'd like an upgrade I'd like that player on the left hand side who can maybe come close to replicating the sort of consistency and end product of Bakaio Saka because I think both Martinelli and Trossard you know I don't think they're bad players by any means I think Trossard's been a really good signing. Martinelli, still a good player, although concerns about whether or not he's plateaued a little bit I think are perfectly reasonable. But I don't think they're terrible players by any means. As you said, Madweke is another option there. And maybe Madweke on the left opens up opportunities for Max Daman on the right this season.

1:11:07James McNicholas: Maybe that's something they think about and have to consider. So I don't think we're really short, short on numbers. There is one position and that is the left-hand side where if that really obvious player came along or was available on the market, that's where I'd like to see us do it. But, you know, there's 27 first-team players listed on the Arsenal website right now. Some of those will go, no question. You know, I think Nelson, La Conga, Vieira, Zinchenko maybe, even Kivior to an extent, you know, brings that down. But if you bring somebody else in, you may well still be in a position where, you know, you've got with everyone fit, which is the most magical thing that can happen to Arsenal Football Club, of course.

1:11:57James McNicholas: You're still going to have maybe two, three, four players, perhaps, out of your squad every weekend. So, yeah, it's not an easy one. I mean, people are talking about SA all the time. It doesn't look like there's much happening there, does it?

1:12:14Andrew Allen: Not right now. I mean, Arsenal, you know, had talks on it. We're talking probably some weeks ago now. at a time when there was a bit more uncertainty, maybe over Ethan Raniere's contract, I don't think they see him necessarily as a winger. And I think if there is a position to be addressed, it's maybe more likely to be that left wing. I think I said in May, I think I wrote a piece in May that sort of said for a left winger to arrive, it might require one of Trossard or Martinelli to go. And I think that's largely been borne out. I mean, and I find it hard to foresee a scenario where a winger arrives without one of those two leaving.

1:13:08Andrew Allen: So there's a lot of moving pieces. I mean, maybe you could bring a winger in and that would kind of not force a player out, but, you know, make a player think, am I going to play here? And it sort of expeditates a move elsewhere. I think Arteta's being honest when he says they're active, they're looking. I think Andrea Berta is someone who embraces the idea of trading. And if he sees an opportunity to move somebody out and get somebody better in, he will. Yeah, I really don't know. I mean, I do commend the club for the business they've done and the timing of it. and as I've said before I think that this last few weeks of the window is almost a window of its own and sometimes things can arise unexpectedly or you receive a bid from someone that you weren't necessarily anticipating and then you have to look for a replacement so I'm kind of open-minded and curious but when we talk about the balance of the squad and also the the quality of the team I think that is the sort of remaining outstanding position to attend to, for sure.

1:14:23All right.

1:14:24James McNicholas: Is it my question or your question? Because I've got a good question here.

1:14:28Andrew Allen: Oh, well, ask me then.

1:14:29James McNicholas: It comes from Thierry Onwe on the Discord. I was very excited for a minute there. He said, how do we not lose our minds if we don't win the league or the Champions League? That is, can we have a successful, in inverted commas, season without those two outcomes?

1:14:49Andrew Allen: Wow. That is a bloody good question.

1:14:52James McNicholas: It is a good question. And I did want to sort of explore how you're, with your fan hat well and truly on, like, how are you feeling about the new campaign? But go for the question first, and then we'll talk about what we're thinking.

1:15:10Andrew Allen: I think we've got to brace ourselves really because I think and there's no getting away from it like I've actually been asked to write about it this week and I'm sure Arsenal fans won't thank me for it but I think it's I think it's a relevant conversation which is that Mikel Arteta is going to come under enormous external pressure by that I mean to say whatever we as individual or collective Arsenal fans may think the wider football world are saying that he has to win something this year

1:16:00Andrew Allen: it's funny in a way because it's like or what like what are the stakes like if he doesn't what are we saying is he is he going to be fired almost certainly not so it's weird because it's kind of an ex it's an external pressure and one that's not necessarily got anything backing it up if you know what i mean well i mean okay let me play devil's advocate

1:16:31James McNicholas: here just for the sake of conversation. I completely agree with you, by the way. I think there is external pressure and I think there is already, you can see how that narrative, for want of a better word, is going to play out across football media over the course of this season.

1:16:52Andrew Allen: A hundred percent, guys. If you tune into the United build-up, that's going to be the chat.

1:16:59James McNicholas: Yeah, it'll certainly be part of it. no two ways about it and i think i understand it i do understand it and i also think there is some if you want to call um arsenal fan pressure internal pressure i think we we we probably need to make the club the ownership the board distinct from that right yeah like yeah i don't yeah like

1:17:26Andrew Allen: I don't think there's any huge jeopardy for Arteta's job, personally. That's not how I see it in terms of his relationship with the board, the owners. Same. But we should reflect that I think there is a segment of Arsenal support, and it's really difficult to ascertain how big it is, who do feel that it's kind of win or bust time.

1:17:53James McNicholas: Yeah, no, that's true. And, you know, those people are perfectly entitled to that opinion. It's been five years. The manager has been backed, seriously backed financially. You know, other clubs have spent more. And, you know, again, you know, I need to just say I'm sort of playing devil's advocate here because, you know, in the doldrums, in the darkest times, in the not-too-distant past, I think I said more than once, I want Arsenal to be competitive again, and I obviously want us to win trophies. But when you're floundering around being kind of average or borderline crap a lot of the time, the idea of simply having a competitive team is very alluring.

1:18:39James McNicholas: But you want now to change that competitiveness into trophies, into success. You want the players to win, to lift those trophies, to have those medals, because I think they've done so well and come so close to achieving what we've all wanted this club to achieve for such a long time. So I think we are good. I know people get a bit frustrated with the way we play, but, you know, I've seen a lot worse in recent years. And I'm sort of happy enough with where we are and what we're doing. At the same time, though, does the way the club operated this summer, and you've said this, and this sort of deals that are win-now deals, like the Jokeres deal is we need to go with the experienced guy rather than take a chance on the 22-year-old striker, right?

1:19:34James McNicholas: We can't continue to be a project per se. So with that backing, does that not apply a little more internal pressure on Mikel Arteta? Whatever they're going to say in the media, and we know that the pundits, the newspapers, the panels on Sky Sports, all of those things, they're going to focus very heavily on a manager who's got a lot of control, got a lot of power at this football club, but hasn't got, let's say, the trophies that ultimately people will say is what football is all about. That's a different argument, a different question, but that's the way it's going to be framed externally. But does the way the club have operated this summer apply some pressure on Arteta to deliver on what he's come very close to doing?

1:20:20Andrew Allen: Yeah, it does. I mean, I've used the expression they're all in on this year. And I think that's evidenced by a lot of the business. I mean, the way Mikhail handles this question is he says, well, the greatest pressure comes from ourselves. We want this most. Which is a very sort of deft and good response.

1:20:52Andrew Allen: The whole kind of external narrative thing, the thing is, like, I know it's tempting to be like, it's bullshit and it doesn't matter. But if I'm thinking about it as a fan, it actually really does matter. Like it really does matter to me how Arsenal are perceived and talked about. And it does impact my fan experience. And I do think that in a way this season, in a way this season, we are fighting to control that narrative. You know, I think if we don't win big this year, it's going to be very difficult for us to beat the allegations, to use some online terminology. And I think, I think it's kind of a, if we don't do it this year, it will sort of reach a kind of critical mass of kind of nearly doing it.

1:21:50that I think it will be difficult for us to shake that perception,

1:21:56Andrew Allen: however much we can rationalise it or explain it logically or justify it or point out that actually we've come a long way and achieved so much. I think it will make our fan experience in the wider football environment pretty annoying and unpleasant. And I do think that matters, actually.

1:22:16James McNicholas: No, I agree with you. I agree with you.

1:22:19Andrew Allen: We want Arsenal to be revered and we want Arsenal to be respected. And we've reached a point in the timeline where there is only one way to achieve that. And it's to lift those trophies.

1:22:36James McNicholas: Yeah. In terms of Mikel, it's a really complicated one

1:22:44Andrew Allen: because if he finishes second and reaches another Champions League semi-final, like, he's not done a bad job.

1:22:54James McNicholas: It depends how you finish second, you know?

1:22:57Andrew Allen: Yeah.

1:22:58James McNicholas: If you're 15 points behind the winner's second, that's very different than one point behind the winner's. And, you know, it all came down to a dodgy decision in a game in September that cost you the title, right? Just as a random way of putting that. I think that is a very different way of finishing second. Like if you've been in the title race all the way to the final day of the season, you're still going to have those allegations about not being able to get it over the line. But the reality is, you know, by any external measure, that is a, I'm not going to say successful season, but a good season in terms of the points you've accumulated and the goals you've scored and the amount of games you must have won to be in that position, you know?

1:23:46James McNicholas: So I think how this season plays out will obviously have an impact on that, you know?

1:23:54Andrew Allen: Yeah, I do think that we are kind of wrestling for the narrative. We are sort of battling for perception. Because I don't think that materially, whether we win it or whether we are runners up, will kind of change the board's view of Macau. Like, I really don't believe that.

1:24:21James McNicholas: No, but is there a sort of shelf life of, how do I put this properly? Like, you know, the first time we finished second, it was like, well, that was kind of out of the blue and unexpected. And, you know, it was all very enjoyable until it sort of fell apart a little bit. And, you know, it was disappointing, but not in the same way as the following season was disappointing. I found that much more disappointing that we couldn't quite get it over the line because we were so fucking good that year. right and then the the the chat is well listen we came very close we pushed man city all the way it was down to one point in the end whatever it was and we're going to learn from this we're going to take the pain and we're going to go again next season and we're going to make it happen and then last season happened and then you're like well we're going to learn the lessons from last season we're going to give ourselves the squad depth we're going to take that pain and We're going to turn it into motivation, et cetera, et cetera.

1:25:25James McNicholas: Is there only so many times that one man can transmit that message before, you know, externally, internally, within the dressing room itself, people stop believing in that? Yeah. And that is what I think makes this season so important, not just for Arsenal, but for Mikel Arteta. because, you know, objectively, the job he has done at Arsenal to make us this team that's finished second three times in a row is really, really good. But there comes a point where people are going to ask, is it good enough to win you the titles and the trophies that a club like Arsenal purportedly aspires to? So that's why I think it's a really, really, really important season for that.

1:26:14James McNicholas: Like, I don't think we can consider the season a success if we don't win one of those two big trophies. But again, it comes back to how it plays out. Like, if we're floundering in fifth or sixth and then put a run together, you know, towards the end of the season and end up runners up again, you're not going to convince too many people. But if you're beaten by a slightly better team or, you know, it really is hard to parse all of that. Like if you win an FA Cup along the way, will people be satisfied with second and an FA Cup? Maybe. It's a trophy. I'd love to win the FA Cup. But I think we've come so close and the focus on Arsenal winning the league after so many years now.

1:27:05James McNicholas: it's been too long for a club like Arsenal. You know, even if we can talk about all those reasons and, you know, till the cows come home, we're over 20 years now since we've won the league. It's too long. And that's what another aspect of this, I think, as well.

1:27:22Andrew Allen: So it is a very difficult one, isn't it? It is, yeah. And it's like, we're asking Arsenal to do, and Arteta to do something very precise, and relatively, you know, sort of very, very small margin for error. And yeah, I think you're right. I think there's a kind of sort of diminishing returns on sort of the impact of, you know, his rhetoric and stuff. The longer you wait without it happening, I think the harder it becomes. So I do think that this is sort of an absolutely, I use the word critical a lot, but critical year for him. So it is fascinating. And as I said, I think we're going to have to buckle up because I think there's going to be a lot of talk about it.

1:28:19Andrew Allen: I really, really do. I think that, I think Mikel Arteta's sort of general, maybe lack of popularity among the wider media, I think that's going to mean that nobody's going to be shy about sort of shining a spotlight on him.

1:28:39James McNicholas: Yeah. But so, I mean, going back to what I asked you at the start, how are you feeling as a fan going into this one? Because, you know, I'm excited. I'm optimistic as I generally am at the start of a season. but there's a sort of low-level gnawing anxiety that I haven't really felt for quite a while because of what I just said, I think, because of how important it is to this project, for want of a better term, that we do achieve tangible success this season. It feels to me like the stakes are as high as they've ever been.

1:29:18Andrew Allen: Yeah, it feels like a kind of tightrope walk, basically, where the slightest slip. I mean, especially given the starts of the season. It feels like we could be sat here in six weeks. It probably wouldn't be true, but it could feel like it's all gone up in smoke. And man, that would be a testing time. I think I feel optimistic. I think this Arsenal squad, the Arsenal squad we had last season underperformed. I think we could have run Liverpool much closer than we did. Obviously, there are plenty of reasons why. But I think we had a really good group. I think we've augmented that group. I think we've strengthened that group.

1:30:13I think we've got every chance.

1:30:17Andrew Allen: I think we're one of two, minimum two, max four teams that could conceivably do it. You know, I think Liverpool are going to be really strong. I think City and Chelsea are kind of wild cards where they could be anything. And I don't have any sense of that. I would expect City to be stronger because they've got a manager who's been there and done it. I think Chelsea have sort of eventually, by sort of pulling the roulette machine enough times, have sort of ended up with a really good group of players.

1:31:01Andrew Allen: So, yeah, I guess I absolutely feel that we can do it. I just am conscious of how fine those margins are and how much of a tightrope walk it's going to be. So, yeah, I don't know. I don't think I would venture to make a prediction. I mean, I think Liverpool are going to be really strong, I've got to say. I think they've done great business and I see them as the major rival, even though they lost the community shield.

1:31:34James McNicholas: Yes. Well, yeah. for all that that matters. We know ourselves winning the Community Shield doesn't guarantee you success the following season. Sorry to Crystal Palace. Doesn't seem like you're going to be winning the Premier League this season.

1:31:49Andrew Allen: I mean, how do you feel? What's your gut telling you?

1:32:00James McNicholas: My gut tells me it's sort of now or never. Right. With regards this team's ability to win the big trophies. I could be completely wrong. You know, we could be sitting here in 12 months' time and Arsenal could have spent a lot more money in the transfer market again and we've addressed some issues that have popped up. But that's kind of where I feel we are.

1:32:29Andrew Allen: It's relatively rare in football, isn't it, that a team is like perennial runners up. They just chip away at it for like a decade.

1:32:39James McNicholas: Yeah. You know what I mean? It doesn't work that way. You know, I think there has to be, you either go up and you kick on from there or, you know, yeah, I don't know, you know, what the alternative is. I mean, the alternative obviously is, you know, a different manager or a different coach or whatever it might be. but yeah I just sort of feel like they have come so close and I feel like you know they're going to be absolutely motivated and up for this season there's no question about that it's just

1:33:13Andrew Allen: the greatest threat to us is the cumulative fatigue of coming up short

1:33:19James McNicholas: yeah like it's hard to escape that that accusation that you're sort of perennial runners up as you say, if you keep finishing second and you don't win trophies. But, you know, there's lots to be encouraged about as well, lots to be excited about. You know, that sense of jeopardy, you know, is present because we are a really good team, because we feel like we should be capable of winning the title and or winning the Champions League. We got the semi-final of the Champions League last season. Why did we not go through? You know, we just didn't have enough goals in the team And we look to have addressed that issue this time around with a new striker and a couple of new attacking players in.

1:34:04James McNicholas: So, you know, maybe that's the difference. I think there's a lot to be excited about. And I'm really excited about what this season might bring. But at the heart of it, there is a sort of, yeah, this sort of low-lying, as I said, anxiety slash terror because of the way that every game and every aspect of every game and every result and every drop point is going to be analyzed. And, you know, we're part of that, of course. You know, I understand that. But, yeah. Yeah. Like you say, I think there'll be lots of noise if things don't go as well as people expect for Arsenal this season.

1:34:43Andrew Allen: A couple of quick ones, I think. I mentioned Levy.Mark said, do you have any hot takes or statements for the upcoming season? And he says, I'll start. Kepa will be our first choice keeper by the end of the calendar year by merit, not due to an injury. Ooh, that's an interesting one. Can you beat that?

1:35:07James McNicholas: Can I beat that? No, I don't think so. I don't really have any hot takes on Arsenal's season.

1:35:19Andrew Allen: What was my hot take? Oh, was it that Mendy would be the most supportive? I mean, that's not that hot a take, I think. My other one... Lukewarm. Yeah. I think it was last... Was it about a year ago that I said Jury and Timber will be first choice right back? Yeah. I don't know if that will hold this season. Obviously, injuries were a factor.

1:35:41James McNicholas: Okay, here's my slightly hot take, is that I think Martin Odegaard will make some people eat a bit of humble pie this season.

1:35:53Andrew Allen: Oh, I like that one. Yeah. So my one is... Miklarteta will find a new role for Kai Havertz in his starting 11.

1:36:09James McNicholas: Hmm. I think, I mean, listen, these are hot takes.

1:36:16Andrew Allen: So, you know, there's sort of a, I'm playing a bit, I mean, a bit mischievous, I suppose. Sure. But I think that Arteta loves Kai that much that he will find a place for him, even if it's not at number nine.

1:36:35James McNicholas: Four, four, fucking two.

1:36:39Andrew Allen: It could be, or it could be like, number eight or it like i wouldn't even rule out something mad like him starting in one of the wide position and sort of drifting in field from there like i think i think michael arteta thinks kai havertz is in his best 11 players how that manifests i don't know but just a sneaky feeling I have.

1:37:10James McNicholas: Okay. Kai Havertz left back.

1:37:12Andrew Allen: Kai Havertz left back, yeah.

1:37:14James McNicholas: Played there for Germany, didn't he? You know? Yeah.

1:37:19Andrew Allen: Don't rule it out. And what about Dare You Do? We've got some over-under predictions, Andrew.

1:37:28James McNicholas: Go on then. I never really understand this over-under business.

1:37:32Andrew Allen: No, Elliot loves it.

1:37:33James McNicholas: He fucking loves a bit of over-under. He lives for this shit. Yeah.

1:37:37Andrew Allen: What's the over-under on Elliot doing an over-under on his podcast? I mean, yeah. I don't even have to answer that question. That's how badly I understand.

1:37:46James McNicholas: He's going to over-under the over-under at least 10 times over. That's as much as I can. So this says,

1:37:53Andrew Allen: How about a few quickfire over-unders for the new season? Premier League only. Kai Havertz starts 18.5. Over. Okay. Okay. Jokere's goals, 14.5. Over. I'm over on both of those as well, which might seem contradictory. How is this going to be a play left-back like we just explained? Odegaard and Ranieri starts together as dual number eights, 1.5.

1:38:25James McNicholas: 1.5.

1:38:39James McNicholas: He said as jewel number eight. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I'm going to say under on that.

1:38:46Andrew Allen: I think there's too big a queue of people to play in that left eight position. Downman Premier League appearances, 7.5.

1:38:57Andrew Allen: It's a long season, Andrew. And let's not forget, he'll be 16 in December or something. Yeah. I'm going to say 7.5.

1:39:10James McNicholas: I'm going to say under. Okay.

1:39:12Andrew Allen: I'm going to say over.

1:39:13James McNicholas: Okay.

1:39:16Andrew Allen: Kepa picked ahead of Raya, 0.5. I'm going to say under. I don't see it.

1:39:24James McNicholas: So what was that? How many 0.5?

1:39:27Andrew Allen: 0.5. So do you think there'll be a game, a Premier League game, where Kepa I suppose actually I'm going to go over on that one there will be yeah you're going to go over

1:39:38James McNicholas: I'm going to go over on that one yeah even though he didn't cost 30 million I think there might be a game or two

1:39:45Andrew Allen: they might give him a game or two I think you're right and also like when we're champions by March do you know what I mean yeah exactly they give him a little run on the team

1:39:54James McNicholas: that's where Daman's going to get all his minutes isn't it yeah

1:39:57Andrew Allen: and then titles 0.5

1:40:04uh fuck it over over over okay i have to go over i have to we have to go over we have to go over

1:40:12Andrew Allen: i think i think uh i think it will win five titles this year emirates cup actually we might get all the city ones as well is that fucking court case ever finished no it won't i mean it won't i think

1:40:30James McNicholas: it has finished hasn't it they're just sort of has it waiting for someone's just writing the report now do you think their um microsoft word crashed is that maybe what happened they were doing it up in microsoft word and like someone pushed a button that mad thing everything just turned into wingdings and they're like oh fuck oh no there's no way back from that there's a guy who

1:40:50Andrew Allen: hasn't told everyone else at the Premier League. Yeah. I accidentally turned the whole thing into Windings.

1:40:56James McNicholas: Yeah. What's 1-1-5 in Windings? He's desperately trying to translate it. Yeah. Well, we'll see. We'll see what happens with that.

1:41:04Andrew Allen: Looking like a sort of Windings Rosetta Stone, trying to work backwards.

1:41:10James McNicholas: Can you put Windings into Google Translate? I don't know if you can. Yeah.

1:41:14Andrew Allen: I don't know.

1:41:14James McNicholas: All right. Well, look, the new season will be on us before we know what's happening. So there's plenty going on this week. We'll obviously have a season preview on the blog, as we always do. We'll have a season preview Arsecast, as we always do. We're going to make our Premier League preview podcast, The 30. We're going to do a Premier League preview podcast. We'll make that free to everybody. So if you're not a Patreon member, you can get an idea of what you do get if you sign up. We'll have that for you this week as well. Loads more besides, and the excitement, the anxiety, All of it can build throughout this week before we head to Old Trafford.

1:41:51James McNicholas: What's the first game of the season? Is there a Friday night game?

1:41:54Andrew Allen: Yeah, good question. Oh, there is. It's Liverpool against... Liverpool-Bournemouth. Right.

1:42:01James McNicholas: Liverpool...

1:42:02Andrew Allen: Kirk Ares Derby.

1:42:04James McNicholas: Liverpool giving a handy Friday night game against a team that sold all their defenders. That's nice for them.

1:42:13Andrew Allen: And yeah, and then we'll speak on Monday. Monday. I'll be in Manchester. I'll have been at Old Trafford.

1:42:17James McNicholas: Oh, you're going. Yeah, they're sending you on the expedition, are they?

1:42:21Andrew Allen: Yeah, yeah.

1:42:23James McNicholas: Well, I wish you obviously a very successful trip to Manchester. Fingers crossed. Yeah, fingers crossed. All right, well, look, loads to come during the week. As ever, thank you very much indeed for being with us. Hope you enjoyed the show. For now, take it easy, and we will catch you on the next one.

1:42:37Andrew Allen: Bye-bye.

1:42:47James McNicholas: Guessing is for game shows, not your business. Workday is the enterprise AI platform for HR, finance, and IT. With AI grounded in your context to get work done and done right. It's a new Workday.