Arsecast Extra Episode 684 - 02.03.2026

0:29¡Qué partido apasionante, Sergio!

0:55¡Suscríbete al canal! This is Arsecast Extra. Hello and welcome to a brand new Arsecast Extra. As always, we're James from Gunnar Blog James. A goodly morning to you. Oh, a goodly morning in the end. The sweet relief, Andrew, of a goodly morning. Quite the day yesterday. Quite the day. Quite the day indeed. How was, I guess, your heart, your blood pressure, all of those things? Not great. No es un gran atón. Es un ordeal, creo. Este es un buen boat que Mikel ha hablado de la ruta. Es un rato de ruta en el buen boat, yo te lo diré. Sí, no es el buen boat que he ha sido en. Yo me acuerdo cuando vivía en England, cuando era niños, nos íbamos de volver a Dublin y nos íbamos de la ferry de Liverpool Overnight To Dublin And I remember one time It was particularly choppy And I remember a woman Sitting at a table You know the way they'd have Sort of open area where people would eat And things like that And there was a woman who was violently ill And all I can remember Still can see the peas on the floor From her vomit Regurgitated peas Absolutely Like bright green They went down no digestión de todo por el tiempo que se llegue de la época de la época de la época de la época Captain Birdseye peas de Captain Birdseye o se hace fish fingers no sé jolly green giant except con corn con peas que fue más divertido que fue que este es Sí I've got images de David Raya plunging para pluck peas away do you know what I mean peo after peo peo away from his go with his big shovel hands Mmm We owe that man this morning We certainly do I mean We're nine games Away from doing something that we're all so desperate to do But I think Each one of those games is going to get More and more fraught More and more anxious and nervy And we're well and truly into Into sort of run in territory here So I think you know there are two things that I suppose are a bit distinct when it comes to discussing this game.

3:28One is obviously the experience of the game which, you know, people's mileage may vary on how much they enjoyed or didn't enjoy the whole 90 odd minutes, but then there's the result which ultimately is the thing that matters the most, you know, and we've come out on top in that sense, even if there are things que se puede hacer. Y a este stage de la temporada, before we get into the nuts and bolts of it all, it is worth just saying que es importante less and less and less cómo you play. Even si hay concerns about whether or not form is sustainable, or can you really go on and win a title if you're playing like this.

4:09But when you've only got nine games to go, it matters less how you play, and much more that you win. It doesn't matter really how you win, just once you win, is the el punto de vista que estoy tratando de hacer aquí. Definitivamente. Es March ahora, Andrew. Este es proper purist running time y resultados son paramount y performance es secondary. I saw a bit of Man City at Leeds en el weekend y no era una gran performance de ellos. Estaban slightly clinging en en los últimos momentos contra Leeds, un equipo que nos abató un cuarto o sogo. Pero no es que no matter, ultimately, porque ellos fueron.

4:53Y eso es lo que hay que hacer en este periodo de la temporada. Y Arsenal encontró un modo de llegar a la línea de la línea. ¿Es una brilla de la línea de la línea? ¿O un poco de un subduo de la línea? ¿Vale? ¿Vale? ¿Vale? Pero no importa. Es realmente, realmente, realmente no importa. Y yo me voy a tomar nueve de los. aunque i'll probably be dead by that time i think what i said on blue sky after the game was that like if arsenal do win the league and there is a parade they're going to have to have it in the cardiac care unit because that is where all of us are going to be you know i think you make a great point about man city as well you know because i saw i saw the highlights on mash of the day i wasn't going to watch that particular game but you know leads could easily have scored before man city took the lead leads could easily have got an equalizer in that game it was really difficult for manchester city but i suppose from from our external viewpoint right we're looking at that and going oh man city are inevitable you know this is just what they do they win even if they don't play well they win they win whereas with us because it's so internalized because it's so our experience we're looking maybe at the arsenal performance and saying oh jesus you know we kind of got away with one a bit there when it comes to chelsea whereas Perhaps externally, there are people looking at this Arsenal performance and saying, well, actually, what's the real difference between Man City finding it tough against Leeds and Arsenal finding it tough against Chelsea?

6:25I suppose the 10-man thing might be part of it. But nevertheless, I think it just demonstrates that in the Premier League, very, very rarely are there easy games. And, you know, City, if you want to say, struggled to get a win against Leeds. We struggled a little bit to get a win against Chelsea But ultimately both teams did enough to send us on to the midweek games And we, at the end of the day, opened up that five-point gap again Which was a significant thing, I think Because obviously City played before us And it put a little bit of pressure on And we had to respond And once again, we did that Yeah, and two big London derbies in the space of a week off the back of that disappointing evening at Molyneux, to come away from six points there is a really, really, really excellent return and we speak about that feeling of City being inevitable but I tell you what, there'll be lots of Manchester City fans and Chelsea fans and Spurs fans this morning ruining Arsenal's inevitability.

7:29The fact that we scored from two set-piece goals we ground out a result when we weren't necessarily at our best that will be y se siente winding up other supporters too and that's what we want really at this time of year but I think we just need to we're on this path now this is who we are we've got to keep grinding got to keep going and we need things like the set pieces you know they've been so valuable to us all season long never more so really than yesterday That's true so look let's start at the top and start with the team there wasn't really any surprise to the team selection I think based on what happened last week en la derby no Martin Odegaard en la squad Kai Havertz was on the bench Soberrechie as it kept his place and everything else was kind of more or less the same the opening stages I think were a little bit cagey there was sort of a bit of stuff to come to terms with I guess you'd say because Cole Palmer began the game sort of out on the left you know which I think gave Arsenal something to think about in those opening stages but apart from that moment where I think it fell from Amadou Saar after a free kick deflected off Eberici as he couldn't quite get his feet sorted out and put it wide.

8:43I think Arsenal really came to terms with that quite quickly. You know, there was no prolonged period of pressure from Chelsea and basically once we sort of got to grips with where Chelsea were positioning their players and adjusted tactically to what they were doing, I think we pretty much controlled most of that first half, I have to say. Sí, para mí, uno de los grandes temas fue Chelsea's playing out from the back y Arsenal's pressure y, you know, hay un poco de nervios para Robert Sanchez early on y se han decidido persistir con él como se han decidido persistir con él pero yo me sentía que se han jugado a la parte de ellos en el problema de la ocasión y no me hicieron necesariamente la parte de la parte de eso pero yo creo que fue un poco Arsenal half en un modo en el campo la Widog ibire se encuentre en ArstCorzorio en eso from the d надо line y la Charlles a frito la schl процесс un gran número que el siglo es un gran número pero no se convertía en esa але con la제 Silver con Nacheter no��� telling San El Reyes El Reyes en el balón en el correcto pero no necesariamente el correcto de la parte de la overlap o cargar un opportunity de la oportunidad tal vez que es telling que dos dos goles en la primera half que los dos jugadores de la primera porque en el partido de la segunda la parte de la parte de la parte de la parte de la parte de la parte de la parte de la parte de la incisión aunque yo creo que Arsenal era el más en control 10 shots a 4 en la primera half para Arsenal Creo que lo que yo me he dejo de la primera half fue que hay momentos para Arsenal que no se han quedado muy bien.

10:38Y tú might decir que es un poco un poco aquí y ahí, pero también hay un poco, yo creo que al menos dos pasos en Eberetieza en la caja, o solo en la caja de la caja, donde yo me he de expecto a player de su calidad a hacer mejor con su primer touch y a hacer mejor. Y a hacer mejor. para alguien más y creo que en esos posiciones necesitas Tien, Eza, Odegaard, quien sea en ese que es más preciso y más preciso y a más preciso y a más preciso y a más que suerte más. Yo creo que Jokeres había un momento aside de los momentos que he encontró donde creo que he found el Chelsea defender mucho menos accommodating que el Tottenham porque creo que es mejor en el resto de la Premier League.

11:27Exactamente. Sí, sí, sí.

11:58side come into the center and pick up the ball and typically he did that part of it fine it was okay it was what he did next that was the issue all day long like the the final pass the final action just didn't really work for him at all um so there was like this not blowing hot and cold um to our performance but there were just nearly moments for us where i think we could have capitalized and caused Chelsea more problems. I'm inclined to agree with that. I'm inclined to agree with that. I think you're right to point out maybe some of the attacking players, the creative players just weren't quite where you'd want them to be.

12:41Trossard, I think if we'd been a little bit sharper, there was probably more for us in that first 45 minutes. That said, we did get ourselves a relatively early goal. What was it, like 18 minutes on the clock? Sí, tengo la blog de la vida aquí, así que me voy a ver. 21 minutos in. 21 minutos in. Una de las cosas que me gustó sobre este gol fue el hecho que creo que es un sacco cross o quizás, o quizás, un timbre cross, no sé si no sé. Pero it hit Enzo Fernández y went out for a corner y le lay on the ground riding around como he había sido shot. Y yo creo que maybe he got the ball en su especial área, pero it just hit him in the chest and he was just lying there writhing around rather than sort of saying okay, we've got a corner to defend here against a team that has shown throughout this season and previous seasons that they are essentially the best attacking set piece team in Europe, the Premier League whatever way you want to put it, perhaps in the world, you know By the way, I was at the other end from that incident and I assumed he had taken one directly in the ghoulies from his response.

13:59I thought the lineage of the Fernandes family was suddenly thrown into question but no, it's just the chest. Just the chest which I, you know, maybe it's nothing, maybe it's nothing but was he the captain on the day? I think, you know, I want my captain to get up and just sort of organise the troops and get everybody ready for what is likely to be a very dangerous set-piece and this is where as well you know listen this game was all about set-pieces and there's so much focus on set-pieces and every time Arsenal score a goal it's like oh go of course he scored another goal from set-piece it doesn't happen to any other team other teams score goals from set-pieces I think Liverpool got what three goals from set-pieces this weekend maybe more I'm not sure they're the kings of the set-piece now but when Arsenal do it it's like oh god here they go again boring Arsenal scoring from a set-piece que, lo que yo acepto porque, bueno, acepto es el mismo nombre.

14:55Uno, yo no me da un poco lo que alguien piensa sobre cómo se score a los once we score a los goals. ¿Verdad? Yo genuinely no me da un poco. Si no me da un poco, lo que yo me da un poco. Es un poco. Yo preferir a ver open, flowing football y beautiful goals y shots de 30 yards, pero ellos allan. Y creo que lo lo que Una pregunta del desn glassíbulo de Arsenal99 нашего set-piece de Medueke se han estado jugando como no. Cuando se queda jugando cuando le está jugando 1K de Tec tooth te deduz les odies.

15:41Declan Rice, desde la otra parte, te wean para la senadora. We have players in the penalty box. It's not like it just sort of hits off them. They just stand there and hope for some random action to take place that ends up in a goal. Look at the way Gabriel. I mean, this is clearly a, what's the word I'm looking for here? Rehearsed routine. Yeah, rehearsed routine. Yeah, exactly. Where it's like, right, we're going to put this one to the back post. Gabriel's going to run to the back post. y es que se va a ser marcado por uno de Chelsea de los mejores, James James, y es still que se va a llegar a esa bola.

16:20El precisión con que Saka delivered it, el deseo que Gabriel showed, y el timing que Gabriel showed para llegar a la posta, para ir a la posta, Saliba heads it en target, hits Sar y goes in, y people look at that y go, es un boring set-piece. pero hay un montón Cette-cripta se ac routinelyTHIPE quitarán antes de estrewar MadreCos, así que no tendría ninguna falta de ref narcotra4 de aceites. Re volvió en unasked 김. ... que mientras Cristo para las bisa acabar con el inancia del as 평úsculo testingado oでも longestým Y segundo tensión Es molerador y es cuộc La traversada Por pantalla Quotar Para 108 Probablemente lieu Tomad Prendhey Absolutely We've conquered the mini-game Haven't we?

17:42It is a bit A game within a game I remember in Final Fantasy there used to be a sort of Fishing mini-game Sometimes I would go on just to play The fishing Sometimes it feels a bit like Arsenal could do that They love the mini-game And they are the very best at it And there's a very easy way for Other clubs who may be tiring of the kind of Arsenal set-piece dominance narrative to end it and that's stop us and they've not been able to do that. I mean, I've watched this cornerback a few times and I can't for the life of me understand why you would let Gabriel have a run-up against you. Do you know what I mean?

18:25Like every other player in that penalty box is tightly marked basically getting a cuddle off their Chelsea counterpart and Rhys James stands about six yards off Gabriel and that's like standing 100 yards off a freight train and saying go on then and yeah it doesn't work out too well for him so yeah I mean look we are the best at it, it's a huge weapon and as I said at the top we owe it an enormous amount particularly for yesterday because it was the difference ultimately yeah and I think another thing to say is que, ¿no? Part de la razón por la que set pieces han become más y más important o más valioso en la Premier League es porque de cómo difícil la Premier League es.

19:16Porque de la overall tactical quality, technical quality de most teams en la Premier League. Es como si es como ha sido. Y, ¿no? Y, ¿no? Maybe it makes for a less entertaining league. ¿No? Creo que hay un buen argumento que se ha en ese lugar. Pero hay que encontrar soluciones. Hay que encontrar soluciones. Y este es uno de esos soluciones. Y si los que están tired de Arsenal scoring set-piece goals, pues, pues, ¿qué es? Pues, ¿qué es? Open up. Open up y let's play behind you. Pero no es como funciona. Y no es como funciona en el Premier League. Hay que ser un cambio a otra cosa eventualmente.

19:58pero ahora el hecho de la razón set piezas son importantes es porque de la manera de la game es en la Premier League. Creo que es un buen punto. Ahora en la Premier League, para thriver, hay que tener una side hustle. Y Arsenal son set piezas. Y creo que la pregunta es... I saw Yaya Torre speaking after the game, sort of lamenting the idea that a big game like this is decided by three set-piece goals. And I have some sympathy with that position. But I think the question to ask is not to say, why are there so many set-piece goals? But why are people turning to set-pieces? What's not happening in open play?

20:43¿Qué son los fundamentos Tactical issues que son Killing a lot of open play Football en este league? El set pieces Aren't the problem We want to see goals We want to see goal mouth action And corners and set pieces Are delivering that I think we need to look at If you care or if you want to have this conversation You've got to look at the game more broadly In England and say Why is it that a lot of the open play football no es así como es absolutamente, Arsenal no han hecho lo que ha hecho, Arsenal no han reaccionado a lo que ha sido pasando we no lo que no es así, we no lo que lo que es como es en Spurs donde es open y hay espacio para explorar y podemos score cuatro open play goals, cuatro brilliant open play goals como lo que hicimos ese día pero tú puedes only beat lo que está en frente y tú puedes only deal con la situación que está ahí y que está putado por otras personas So, yeah, I've got absolutely no compunction or guilt about exploiting every margin.

21:49That's exactly what Arsenal are doing. And, yeah, other teams are welcome to do the same if they can do it as well as us. Yeah, well, listen, I think, you know, while we're talking about it, and I'm loathe to sort of give Chelsea credit for anything because of what a horrendous organisation it is in general, pero, como, ellos tomaron muy bien set piezas themselves. Ellos, ¿no? El delivery de Ruiz James desde su lado, obviamente, el in-swinging corner fue excelente. Ellos obviously identificaron algo en el Arsenal set-up porque ellos fueron near post. Yo le dije a mi brother porque es un Chelsea fan y fue a la gama y estaba en el partido y he said que han tenido una una línea de una línea y que ha sido desde Resinia ha llegado, cada corner que se ha tomado es un in-swinging clip de la near post.

22:44Porque yo, como tú, era como, eso debe ser específico a nosotros. Como, ellos han targetado a nosotros. Pero, apparently, desde que se ha llegado, eso es lo que hacen. Y, ellos claramente que, en playing the odds, eso es el más profitable área que se ve. Y, es difícil de hablar con ellos. Yo, yo, lo que se ha llegado para ellos en más de una ocasión. y creo que поддержanda más de uno efe. Estamos a o Ginniaren como tonguesuk de ha簡単. Y son los para � progressive. Y y viene una Tomba IX. Conoc Sergey, y podes sacar sanidad. Y hay que decir ,ics 100 millones de agents op würdice de nächsten l lunes.

23:27Si llegan a parte de Nascar. ¿Dónde está? Porque, A, la manera de fieldar, es como... La holding la Gordon las pánciones antes de May pero cuando me sit case en laultipartee y decimos ¿qué podemos no

24:08¿No? unrefereable, I think. I think it is completely unrefereable. I don't know how you... I don't know how you can actually make the decision about who's holding who. Is he holding him? But if he's holding him, what else is happening in the box? Is somebody else holding this guy? It could be five penalties and five free kicks out in every corner. They're all at it. By the letter of the law, they are all at it. Es un safety in numbers approach, ¿no? Es que desde el defensive point de vista, si todo el equipo es haciendo, y si el atacar players son holding y pushing y shoving y pulling, entonces el defenders son haciendo eso, es un 6 de uno, un 2 de uno, todo el otro.

24:53Todo el equipo es haciendo. Pero creo que donde se pone más evidente es cuando el equipo de defensa, y lo vi en el gol que Chelsea actually scored, donde Declan Rice, y he visto Martín Odegaard do esto también, His role from set pieces and corners has often been one where he has no idea where the ball is. He's not looking at the ball. He's not looking at the flight of the ball or where the ball might be coming from. He is completely focused on the man. That was the case with Declan Rice for their goal. He's basically, with his back to the ball, holding a Chelsea player. y i think those So park剩

25:44you Y you ministre Muy bien fuer nehme

25:57la Pero eso fue el objetivo.

26:29Red shirts and blue shirts Being held and pushed and shoved All over the place pulls off an Incredible save To put it behind for another corner ultimately You know it led to their goal but I Would have been pretty unhappy that we didn't get A penalty for that handball Yeah look I think between the handball And the pulling They certainly had a shout It's interesting because they had a VAR check later Didn't they for when David Raya punched the ball clear y, you know, I thought that was not a penalty. He didn't make much contact with João Pedro on that second half one but when you watch it back, William Saliba has got his arms round João Pedro and that's actually not what they were checking I believe.

27:12So, that's just how endemic it is. I mean, it's almost everywhere you turn on any replay there's some sort of grappling or holding or pulling and it's not just Arsenal it's usually both teams at it. So, yeah, I think ¿Qué es lo que se llama?

27:57por un foul, se va a la ground, se va a la república, se va a la pelea de los que en esa caja de la caja de la caja de la caja. Es un super save en sí mismo, pero la commanding nature, la manera que se hace el espacio para la caja de la caja de la caja y la caja de la caja de la caja de la caja de la caja de la caja de la caja de la caja en esos situaciones. Y lo vimos en el tiempo que se veía en la caja de la caja de la caja. Es un gran performance para él todo el mundo. Pero yo creo que ese momento me ha dicho mucho en la idea. He nunca looked for an excusa. He nunca looked for the whistle. He was just absolutely determined to get to that ball.

28:34Just a brilliant, brilliant piece of goalkeeping under incredible pressure. But from that next corner, Chelsea are level. It's another good delivery from Rhys James. Incapier, maybe he just doesn't quite time it right. I think he's got to go for it. He's the guy at the front post. That is your job as that guy at the front post. You've got to, you know, head that over or head it behind or head it out as much as possible. It's interesting because typically that is where we have positioned our centre forward, that near post guy. It's always been Kai Havertz and I've seen it this season be Victor Jokeres at that front post.

29:12So I'm not quite sure, you know, whether there was a change there, a deliberate change. Jokeres is in the box. He's sort of holding somebody as they all are. pero un poco unfortunate para Incapié que yo creo que había sido muy bueno hasta ese punto pero tal vez no que creo en esto pero si se nos quedó con la pena entonces se nos quedó algo en su favor para este punto ¿Vale? Sí, sí, maybe some sort de malevolent form de justice done there I wonder si se switched it up specifically porque es Chelsea su forma de la rutina. Tú tienes que imaginar. Tenemos que observar y visto que, y tweaked our set-up un poco a poco a poco a poco.

29:59Pero en este ocasión, no funcionó. Creo que es pura bad luck, realmente. I mean, he does todo lo que puede hacer, creo, en Capier. Pero el amigo, el gol, turns en nosotros. El gol de la set-piedra. Horrible time a conceder. Pero sí, we scored todo el gols en este game. Chelsea didn't even score a goal. That's a good point. Well made. So no criticism of Chelsea for being whatever. Twats, I guess. Yeah, it was bad timing, wasn't it? Because it's one of those where you're thinking, right, just get into halftime, 1-0, take the lead, and then take stock. But it takes the wind out of your sails. As Arteta said afterwards, though, it's the same position we were in last week in the North London Derby.

30:43It was 1-1 at halftime then, and it shouldn't have been. It probably shouldn't have been 1-1 in this game either. pero es lo que fue y y nosotras a reactar y le digo, el primer 10-15 minutos de la segunda half no me hacía que no me hacía por porque creo que Chelsea empezó muy bien James put in un par de decent balls into the box que podría haber un poco más dangerous que took Trossard off porque he just kept giving the ball away he'd receive it make some space for himself and then just sort of clump it to nowhere, certainly not to an Arsenal player We had a moment, didn't we, like quite I think just before he came off where it was one of those high turnovers but we couldn't quite get the shot away I think Jokeres had a moment to make it away and then the ball came to Trossard and he couldn't quite execute and that was kind of the story of his day really Yeah, there was some frustration obviously as well because a couple of times the referee

31:53no

32:10no no no no no no no no Sure, he wanted to because I felt like I wanted to as well. But, you know, there were moments like I think the second one in particular, when they played it on, if play had been let go, Jury and Timber was basically going to run free all the way into the Chelsea half. Whether he was able to or would have been able to do anything with it, we'll have to wait and see or would have had to wait and see. pero también para tener que pulled back he could haber played y he could haber then creo que fue Cole Palmer quien fouled Bakayo Saka as Raya bowled the ball out y stopped it to book Cole Palmer cuando he could very easily let play go on, let Arsenal have the advantage y luego come back to book Cole Palmer you can do that as an official so it was quite frustrating, wasn't it?

32:58Yes, it was and the crowd weren't happy I mean speaking of the crowd I've got to say that with that game Poised at 1-0 The tension inside The stadium was very very very Palpable and I don't say that I know there's been a bit of narrative this season of like Are the crowd too edgy Do they need to be more positive I think on this occasion You can absolutely forgive That tension because it was Kind of knife edge stuff And I think it did feel like a Huge huge half en nuestro año. Vamos a decir que eso de nuevo varias veces entre ahora y May pero sí, me hacía muy muy muy nervioso en ese y honestamente no me hacía que levele a la crítica a la cual fue parte de él y me hacía que también en TV it came across just before the Aramark I'm just looking at the live blog y tú could really hear the crowd trying to lift the team around the arm arc, but I can understand where that nervousness came from because certainly I was feeling it.

34:07I'm sure everybody in that stadium was feeling it. Everybody watching was feeling it. But we eventually got the second goal. There was a free kick. I think it was Haddo foul timber. Rice took the free kick. It went behind for a corner and again what we got from that side was Let me ask you a question I've always wondered about this You know when you see And I've said this before You know when you see like Somebody trying to do something on a skateboard And they're filming themselves Or they're BMX or whatever it is And they get it wrong And then they upload that to like Fail Army or something like that And I always wonder like Why would you upload the one that went wrong That makes you look like An idiot y me preguntan en este instante si es si eres un Chelsea fan y te estás behind Declan Rice y te estás haciendo un corner y te estás shouting cosas a él como Chelsea reject y te estás en tu pants y te estás giving a un hard time y te filmes y te da un declin Rice delivers un corner ¿Por qué Arsenal score?

35:17¿Por qué te upload eso para el internet para que todos puedan laugh at ti? Porque es exactamente lo que sucedió That's so true Andrew I don't get it Why would you upload yourself getting pwned As it were I don't know I thought you were going to say something else by the way I thought you were going to say If you were Robert Sanchez And you come out And you flail it across And get absolutely nowhere Why would you ask everyone to watch that again Well that's another great one as well Because he was so He was so adamant When he came out I was like oh fuck Same same same Because what's really interesting is the rice free kick That earns the corner he comes for that As well and gets absolutely nowhere So I imagine the Arsenal players Are kind of giving each other a little look As if to be like we might be on to something here And then after When Timber scored I'm sorry to say that like I didn't Fully celebrate Because I was like la reacción de la Chelsea y el gripånga de 2021 se me hizo creo que no me käyté y en realidad y elannerio con un stanero de otros tal vez que elenzador можно hacer eso 2 now.

36:48He was so convinced that he'd been wronged in some way whereas in fact it was just very, very bad goalkeeping and a stark contrast to the Ryer incident we spoke about. Yeah, absolutely. He came, got nowhere near it. The delivery again is brilliant from Rice. Timber is strong and determined and shows desire to get their first ahead of everybody else. You know, is it the beautiful, beautiful game? No. pero no creo que no es el escornio que se les da. Y en un giro, finalmente, lo provedó a ser la diferencia entre un punto y tres puntos o no puntos. La set-piece prowess que tenemos es invaluable para este equipo.

37:33Y no fue tan long after that, que Chelsea se quedó a 10 men. I will decir, a first vez, cuando Pedro Neto tried a hack down Gabriel Martinelli, y Martínez se fue y el refiero me fue así, por el f***s sake, ¿qué es que se ha hecho? ¿Qué es lo que se ha hecho? Porque yo no había idea que había sido listo. ¿Qué fue lo que se fue? Descente. Sí, hay un replay. Se ha hecho un replay afterwards donde se ha hecho chierpingle away at el refiero y chierpingle y chierpingle. Y el ref kind of tells him, listen, shut your mouth, y sigue. Y sigue, sigue. Así que el ref es como, aquí, have one de estos. y eso fue dos minutos antes de que en el caso de la de la luna creo que me recuerda que no no lo que ha sido televised pero yo me acuerdo que como el chelsea pursued el refiere para el halfway line un yellow card fue waved at somebody y no no quite see who it was from my position pero yes that must have been it in which case it was two yellow cards in quick succession Seventh red card Of the season for Chelsea And I do Think, I spoke about this a bit on the whistle But they are A team for whom discipline Is a real issue And we've been there at times We've matured out of it But they just seem to shoot themselves In the foot time and time again And I think this was a huge blow because I think they started the second half Pretty well I think they would have fancied their chances Of putting us under some serious pressure With 11 men, as it happened They didn't need 11 But With 11 I think There was still a lot in the game for them And it was a ridiculous Challenge to attempt He seemed to forget he was on a booking as well Yeah, I mean they have A problem with discipline, I think it is You could probably Draw a parallel between

39:43Maric transcription.

40:07Chelsea with 10 men for like a good chunk of the games that we've played against them this season because obviously the first game they were down to 10 men in the first half and we drew 1-1 and we couldn't really take advantage of that. In this instance, what I'm looking for is for, you know, Arsenal's experience. It's sort of midfield generals, if you like. I know Declan Rice had to come off, but he's replaced by Christian Norgard, who is a very experienced Premier League and international player who in 20 minutes made two passes. Now that's not an indictment of Norgard as much as it is the entire team because we had 35 % possession with 11 men versus 10.

40:55You know, Chelsea with 65 % possession. They made 115 passes in that period after the red card. We made 56. ¿Cómo explica eso de la misma nave? Nerves O

41:13Subconscious Which I guess it has to be Because it can't be a conscious decision to sit back And allow Chelsea to have The ball Even if you think We've got 11, they've got 10 We can keep our defensive shape And discipline And keep them at bay I don't think that was a conscious decision At all I just think it's sort of the way the game drifted or we allowed the game to drift into that way. I think if you're looking at criticism of the Arsenal performance yesterday, for me it comes in this final period of the game where I think we didn't really show enough character on the ball to see out the last 15-20 minutes in a way that would have kept our collective blood pressures where it should be y no through the fucking roof.

42:04Yeah, I think that's totally fair. I mean, what was that quote from Mikel Arteta way back when about killing the game with 300 ,000 passes or something to that effect? I definitely don't think this is by design. There's no way I think Mikel Arteta is saying, yeah, just collapse into a shape and let Chelsea have the ball and cut crosses in the box. también, me staniz, me lliganamente mientras en ese situación absolument tenido que correr la ballonniera, controlarlo, irse a la casa y al momento estamos viven kalau que ARCH todas ك suzer huele y controter la masa y presencio una salva help control tempo and possession and just have a bit of calmness on the ball I wonder if there are some technical reasons that we're maybe not as good at that part of the game as we have been previously like when I look at Ahmed Field am I convinced that either Declan Rice or Martin Zubemendi are necessarily you know people who are going to pass make 100 passes per game at a very muy muy alto de completación.

43:26No sé. No creo que debería ser beyond ellos. No creo que debería ser beyond ellos. Creo que su strengths son diferentes, pero no creo que, prácticamente, los dos players son incapaces de hacer eso. Para mí, Zubimendi parece un descanso, a ser honesto. Creo que ambos do. Sí, creo que ambos do. Y, listen, que es por eso, cuando Norgard came on, y, again, esto no es para ser crítico de él, porque creo que es más de un tema de un tema de un tema. I'm thinking okay He's got the experience He's got the cam Put your foot on the ball Dictate the play a bit Pass it left Pass it right But then it's not just Anton Norgaard There was a moment In the 93rd minute We have the ball at the back Chelsea have got 10 men behind the ball They're sort of Poised to press If we give them that opportunity Gabriel has the ball Yeah Go left to Incapié Incapié can play it up the line To Martinelli Or he can go back To Gabriel Gabriel can then play to Saliba and Saliba can play to Timber and Timber can play to Saka or he can play it back or into midfield and make those wall passes, make those triangles just keep the ball and Gabriel launches this Hollywood pass towards Kai Havertz which might be instructive in its own way like okay, maybe we're not feeling as confident about seeing these guys out we feel like we need to score another goal we've got to do something spectacular he launches this long ball 93rd minute Havertz doesn't get there Chelsea then take possession Get the ball forward There's a moment in the box When Gabriel has to make a block And then we had that moment Where from the play that they recycled They get the ball into the box The ball ends up in the back of the net Despite David Ryan making two incredible saves I don't know if they go into the statistics book Do they?

45:17Because ultimately they were offside When those saves were made So they probably don't end up on this. They're going to the YouTube compilation. Well, yeah, they definitely do. Yeah. More important. For sure. But they get the ball in the back of the net. And of course, there is an offside. You wouldn't have seen this on the TV, by the way. But Gary Neville was like, oh, I think he's onside here. And I'm like, trying not to be sick, basically. I mean, I think he must have been looking. I haven't seen that, but he must have been talking about DeLapp. Because João Pedro was well off. Yeah, yeah, you could see that.

45:50No, no, pero que lo que yo estaba hablando es el squandering de possession unnecessario para ponersemos en la presión que, en ese momento, no tiene nada que perder. Así que, en ese momento, no tiene nada que perder. Así que, en ese momento, no tiene que hacerla. Y, en ese momento, no tiene que ponerla en la caja. Cuando, en ese momento, no tiene que haberle quedado en la caja. Y, en ese momento, no tiene que haberlo circulado. Es esos pequeños decisiones, creo, que cuando analizan esto, game again, it's like, you know, just be sensible, just be sensible, like maybe people get annoyed at just sort of keeping the ball, I'm not one of those people, if we just passed it 50 times across the back line, I could not care less, because if Chelsea don't have the ball, they can't score, if we give them the ball, we give them that opportunity and I think the way we manage that game and the final stages of that game against 10 men was really, really poor, ultimately doesn't matter, but I think it is one of those things that cuando se analizan el juego cuando se sit down con los players se va a ver que la perioda de la game como una en que se puede definitivamente improve cuando la situación se va a hacer y cuando se trata de un nivel de midfielder obviamente yo agree con el equipo el equipo de la gente debería ser mejor pero no sé que tenemos que que Jorginho tipo como alguien que literalmente es Es que metronome, el just give it, get it, give it, get it.

47:13En una manera que sometimes we decried y said, oh God, it's the horseshoe of death. Pero el horseshoe de death es sort de lo que es requerido en los últimos 10 minutos contra Chelsea. Aunque Martín Zubamendi es Spanish, y creo que es tempting imaginarlo como ese player, creo que ambos y Reis son personas que thrive un poco más en el broken play y un poco más directo en su uso de la bola. Pero sí, creo que es interesante. I think Odegaard would have helped I think it's an area Where we could improve and I think when we're looking At the squad next season and maybe thinking About transfers and changes I do think That sort of pure passing Possession king could Be of interest I mean You know it would be nice To bring on Sandro Tonali for example In a situation like that Right I mean is that his game is that what He does best I think he can do it.

48:08But I just think, I don't, I'm not sure Norgaard's ever necessarily been that player. I don't know. I also think at the start you were like, can you explain it other than psychological? And we have to say, it is surely partly psychological. Yes, for sure. I mean, it has to be. Yeah, at this point of the season so much of what happens is down to that y cómo se responde y feeling la presión y todo eso. Lo que no hemos hecho es mencionar la David Raya que se dio cuenta, que fue un cross de Garnaccio, que hemos visto que se ha entrado en el campo de la neta porque es uno de los que el golekeeper no puede reactar hasta básicamente la última hora.

49:00porque si un defender o si el destriker se ha toque a touch on it, he has to be available to react to that. So, to produce that save, I think this, if we're looking at, you know, in May, maybe we're looking at a moment of the season from an Arsenal perspective. I have a suspicion that if we get over the line, this is one of those moments where we say David Reyes had a huge impact no solo porque de la save que se hizo no solo porque nos ayudó a win 3 puntos porque fue tan late en la game hemos hablado de los puntos que concedieron este año creo que el efecto de la granacho ball drifting inside the post en esa fase de la game dropping 2 puntos concediendo yet another late goal podría haber sido realmente, realmente damaging a Arsenal.

50:03I think less a ripple, more a tsunami to be honest. It would have been pretty grim stuff and it is a really good save. I know that it's not a million miles away from him but I think what's brilliant about it is the way that he anticipates and reads it because obviously the ball goes through, I think it's João Pedro and Gabriel, que son ambos challenging for it. Raya has to be aware that that ball could really divert and change direction. A lot of goalkeepers, I think, would be caught on their heels there, waiting to see what the nature of the contact is. He manages to read it perfectly and get it away from goal.

50:42Yeah, it's big. I suppose you could say how scary, how frightening that we were so close to that happening. Should it have been that way? Y creo que es un verdadero line de pregunta. Pero, ¿sí, fútbol y Premier Leagues son often decididas por grandes momentos, grandes momentos. Si piensas de Man City, son de su nombre de sus titulares, la segunda golfe de Sergio Aguero, la brillante 30-cibio de Vincent Kompany. Hay often estas grandes momentos que proveedecisive y definiéndose. No siempre hay que irse desde tu líderes. Exacto. A match-winning moment can come from tu líder. Sí, y creo que fue absolutamente uno.

51:25Creo que David Reyes había un poco de un dip en performance en los games en Brentford y Wolves, y creo que fue un característico porque ha sido tan consistente por tanto tiempo, pero creo que la gente ha respondido a eso superbamente. He pensado que era geniales en Spurs y obviamente absolutamente contra Chelsea. Así que, como dije a la parte, nos owe a él un montón. Quizá es todo a esto de esta belleza, voluminosa que es creciendo. Quizá, quizá. El Shades de David Seaman. Quizá, quizá. Quizá se tiene que ver el beard en su tache y luego vamos a ir. Quizá el pónio en y es todo bueno. Listen, creo que, por lo largo de este año, Raya ha sido muy bien, realmente, para Arsenal.

52:14Había que hablar de YouTube compilaciones. There was one during the rounds maybe three or four weeks ago, and it was like, oh, fuck, I forgot that, and I forgot that one, and I forgot that one. y el número de saves que ha hecho este año en la parte de la manera que yo creo que, generalmente, él brings... Listen, yo sé que era el gol de Wolves y que es en la historia de la memoria, pero generalmente, cuando se trata de set pieces y cuando se trata de corners y cosas así, que es potente el calmo de goalkeeper que hemos tenido en ese sentido, since David Seaman. I know Jens was Jens. We have had some mad ones to be fair.

53:05Listen, there were goalkeepers and we've had goalkeepers in the not too distant past who, when it comes to set pieces and corners, have looked a bit Robert Sanchez, a bit more Robert Sanchez than David Seaman. I think David Raya looks a lot more David Seaman than Robert Sanchez. Oh, yeah. I think he's exceptional in that regard It's interesting isn't it Manchester City brought two goalkeepers This summer including Donnarumma Who I think is widely Accepted to be one of the very best in the world A match winning goalkeeper As we found out I think against PSG Last season And Arsenal currently five points Ahead may well Beat City to the title this season If they do I think it's a huge validation Of David Raya Creo que él ha sido el mejor mejor de la liga este año y por la liga con Donnarumma y Alisson.

53:59Eso es un gozo. Así que creo que él ha ido a otro nivel. All I can say, por favor, regarding el Mundial de España, que Unai Simón debe ser un keeper. Porque no entiendo cómo David Reyes, based en lo que yo veo week en, week out, es no el número de Spanish. Yeah, the Spanish commentators on the game I downloaded were very, very impressed. They basically said David Raya has no equal in the Premier League in their commentary. And maybe it's a bit hyperbolic coming from Spanish commentators, but I think he's been just brilliant for Arsenal. And that moment, the Garnacho moment, it saved the win from an Arsenal perspective.

54:45And as we said at the top, ultimately it really is all about winning. y lo que es interesante es que lo hostione Saliba y Zurian Timber queríaта una estrad Wh zerquilla de Sky Sports lo hoste en la pantalla y lo que estaban y va a직 big win Saliba was ares ayer nice to score and celebrate y todo eso y por eso creo que qu lo creo que no a muy difícil de hacer un buen de que se va a tomar confianza porque este es un gran juego. Whatever jokes you want to make sobre Rosinia o Chelsea, they're a buen team y este fue un gran juego. Y después de un torno de derby, que es un gran juego en su propio lugar, se va a tomar loads de confianza de esto y se va a tomar una de las más difícil games that they have left to play done and dusted and three points in the bag and on the Premier League table whereas as fans you know our experience of it is very different you know we're spectators we're looking at it it's out of our control I think the Arsenal players will feel quite differently about this game than maybe we did in the immediate aftermath because of just how tight it was I think they'll just you know se ve como un trabajo que se han hecho, se han hecho, y se han hecho, y se han hecho, y se han hecho, y se han hecho, obviamente, creo que la dificultad de los fixtures en el papel es como un significado en este momento, porque creo que contexto es tan importante, ¿no?

56:26¿Habes que se han llegado de un viaje de un viaje de un viaje? ¿Es ese equipo fighting por su vida y para la relegación? All these kinds of things are a factor But This was one of our hardest games On paper And We got the three points, that's all that matters When I looked at Spurs And Chelsea Off the back of that Wolves game I didn't I have to be honest and say I didn't necessarily see six points In Arsenal's favour y que ver que que es muy step en casa que que Absolutely y lo we do ahora es put this one to one side they got to prepare and get ready for Brighton on Wednesday which is going to be another tough game away from home and just try and replicate the result if the performance is better brilliant you know I'm all for that I will take points over performance every day no separatía, no distinto, y hay un direct line entre cómo you play y su ability de ganar pero creo que lo que este Arsenal team ha shown throughout este season es que we son a team que can really grind out wins ¿es que fair?

57:52I was looking o responde to somebody on Blue Sky last night let me see si I can find it here

58:05Macho Grande Macho Grande He said Something about Arteta Paying the opposition too much respect Basketball, football would be less stressful Than this current brand of margin Ball, right, where we're sort of Living on the edge of everything I went back to have a look, and it's not to compare the two Teams, but the last time we won the title In 2003 2004 I remember it well Yep We had In the entire season 12 games That we won by one goal margin 1-0 or 2-1 or 3-2 or whatever it was Wow 11 of those games came Before we won the league And there was one, I think it was the final day Wasn't it? Leicester 2-1 Came from behind, yeah Came from behind To go through the season unbeaten Right.

58:58So we had 12 of those games, 11 before we won the title. This Arsenal team has had eight so far this season. The perception, though, is quite different, which I understand, by the way, for obvious reasons. Pero esto es, como es o no, si tu heart beats más rápido, si tu blood pressure va a ir a la ropa, si te bite tus fingernails, lo que pasa a ti, esto es parte y parte de ganar a título. Como es o no, es parte y parte de ganar a título. winning these tight games by close margins because it's great when you win 4-0 or you win a derby 4-1 or you turn leads over those are generally speaking far more the exception than the rule most games in the Premier League are really tight and so far this season we have demonstrated the ability more often than not to come out the right side of those tight margins so long may that last or at least until May anyway Yeah, exactly And that could be the difference Alright, yeah Anything else or do you want to take a little break here?

1:00:12Let's take a little break Let's take a little break, alright, we will be back With your questions and more In part two, right after this

1:00:57Welcome back to the Arsecast Extra. I did, man. I did. I mean, the thing, actually, tell a lie. I only did after the fact because I was so wrapped up in our own game that I, it sort of passed me by. Do you know what I mean? I was just so overjoyed to have finally got over the line and have won, got three points. It's almost as if Tottenham are so irrelevant that I'm not thinking about them very much anymore. But I did enjoy their defeat at Fulham. a beautiful goal from Alex Iwobi. The most Alex Iwobi goal that ever happened. The side foot Iwobi finish. A 30-yard pass. He spoke afterwards about how he was able to score.

1:01:39He said something like, I've got an unusual groin. I'm paraphrasing. But yeah, it was some hit, actually. The way he sort of opens his body out, strike it. We actually had a request from Matthew Miller on Blue Sky saying, is it too soon to read some hashtag Igor outposts? And you would think it would be, right? Two games into a managerial reign. And yet, and yet, Andrew, a quick search of the bad place tells me, there's stuff there, if you have a little look. I mean, this was during the game. Spurs fan Andy two down to Fulham shambolic display and no changes what the actual fuck hashtag Tudor out which sounds like something from the War of the Roses frankly and then this one from Spurs fan Luca taking Igor Tudor as coach at interim is the worst decision made by this ridiculous club which takes some beating to be honest when you consider some of the decisions they've made I also enjoyed this from Graham Wilkinson, who said, hashtag Tudor out, hashtag Enoch out.

1:02:56We are doing a Leeds. We won't be back for years. Fingers crossed. The problem is that West Ham and Nottingham Forest are not helping us here. We need something. West Ham are the ones I'm holding out hope for, which is not a great position to be in in life. Yeah. But, you know, if they could just win a couple of games. That would be good, because Tottenham don't look like doing it. And I enjoyed very much the little clip, the headline you sent me through last night on WhatsApp. Tottenham lacking in attack, midfield, defence and brain, says Tudor after Fulham loss. So, you know, it's right up there with the David Moyes, you know, Manchester United have to work on many things tweet, you know, which is basically every aspect of the game.

1:03:46From that assessment, Tudor sounds quite astute. Yeah, I don't necessarily think he is the problem, you know. No, perhaps not. Perhaps not. He does seem thoroughly depressed already about being Tottenham manager. There was a great clip before, I think it was his pre-match press conference for Fulham, where they sort of said to him, Igor, you know, you had a few players out from injuries, do you know when they're going to be back? And he just sort of went, I don't know. It's like he's weary of life already after basically a week in the Spurs job. Yeah, there was another headline, I think it was, it was like, this is worse than I thought.

1:04:25Again, I'm paraphrasing, but the situation is worse than I thought it was going to be. And then he comes out and says, the players aren't fit enough to do what you need to do in Premier League games, in part because it's a small squad, obviously, with a lot of injuries, but also because they're just not fit, which I think is an indictment on previous managers as well. Wow, yeah, it's good stuff, it's really good stuff The dream is still on, right, of Arsenal winning the title and Spurs relegated That would be just magnificent Yes, indeed, all the chefs are getting kissed if that happens That's how it works, right?

1:05:03We all have to go around kissing chefs Watch out, chefs, that's all I'm saying, if that scenario plays out Right, let's kick on with a few questions Callum on the Discord says, Would you agree that this is Declan Rice's trickiest patch of form since joining Arsenal? If so, what do you think is the cause? Fatigue, anxiety, or normal drop in performance from a player that has otherwise been abnormally consistent? Does the cramp injury in this game show he's been playing in the red zone for too long and what can we do about it? There was a follow-on question from Simon C who says, Hopefully Rice isn't injured, but if he has to miss any games, who fills in?

1:05:42Well, what did you make of his substitution yesterday, by the way? Well, I'm guessing because he made that sort of run back and then he sort of played a bad pass back. It was a great piece of defensive covering, but then he hammered the ball out for a Chelsea corner and seemed to just do something. You could see him feeling something, couldn't you, after he made that run. So I wasn't surprised that he came off. The fact that he had to come off probably tells you there is something wrong, which is a bit of a worry. With Martin Odegaard sidelined again, we are down to bare bones from a midfield perspective, aren't we?

1:06:25Yeah, I've heard it's, well, from what I've heard on Declan Rice, it's nothing particularly serious. I think fatigue is an issue at this point in time. as I said in part one I think fatigue looks to be a bit of an issue for both him and Martin Zubemendi who've just played an absolutely extraordinary amount of football and you know I remember a matter of weeks ago us saying like can they continue to perform at this level without significant rest and I think we're sort of getting our answer in a way which is not quite I don't think they are absolutely at their best at this point in time

1:07:06maybe maybe Rice does sit out the Brighton game I think he'll be itching to play it and he'll want to play it but I don't know maybe they have to think about the remainder of the running and be a bit protective and in terms of what what that means I mean it means Christian Norgard to be honest with you in my eyes there's nobody else certainly I mean you could make a very good case for both Rice and Zubimendi to sit out a game. We can't obviously afford to do that. We've got the FA Cup, of course. Yeah, there is the FA Cup coming up on Sunday where I think, you know, if Mikel Arteta looks at the fixture list and looks at, you know, how he can maybe recharge the batteries of Rice and Zubimendi, he's got to look at that FA Cup game as one in which they do not feature at all, right?

1:07:59And that might mean playing somebody out of position. It might mean turning to the academy to bring a player in because what we've got, you know, after the Mansfield game is a tricky enough away game in the Champions League. Bayer Leverkusen and then, of course, there's the Everton game followed by another game against Bayer Leverkusen and then the Carabao Cup final before we go into the interlal, right? So I think he's got to maybe nurse the pair of them through the Brighton game. Maybe start one and bring another one off the bench if need be, but Norgard will probably start against Brighton if we're going into protective mode.

1:08:46I mean, I say maybe he'll miss it, But I think if Mikel is confident that he can start both Rice and Zubimendi, I think that's exactly what he'll do. And then give them the week off. And give them... A week off. You can give them a full week. Can he? Yeah, well, it'll be Wednesday against Brighton, and we don't play again in the Champions League until the following Wednesday. So it is essentially a week off. Yeah, so they could have Thursday, Friday off, report back into training over the weekend. That could do them the world of good. I think it obviously we're missing players in midfield no Maneri no Marino but I also think the way the shape of the midfield has changed gives us some challenges like I think that's what means it kind of would have to be Norgard I think in previous seasons or even earlier this season it was much more of like a six and two eights and now it feels much more like two sixes and a ten.

1:09:50Yeah, and I think like, you know, if I think of that left eight role that Rice used to really play for us, you could put Kai Havertz in there. You know, but the way the team is set up currently, I don't see that as plausible a swap. You know what I mean? Even Martin Odegaard, I'm not quite sure, if he were available, I think he's probably going to miss a couple of games. I don't expect him back for Wednesday at the very least. So, yeah, it is tough. We are going to have to squeeze an awful lot out of these players between now and the end of the season, and then they're going to go to a World Cup.

1:10:35Yeah, so I think there's interesting sort of questions to ask about the potential hangover from all that and what will our squad look like at kick-off next season? I'm sort of, I just can't get my head there yet. Like, you know, I'm sort of at a point where, like, if we do it this season, I'm like, okay, just do what you want. Do what you want next season. Take the next five years off. Exactly. Just, you know, buy who you want. I don't care. Play who you want. I don't care. Just rid me of this stress and this desire and ambition I have to see Arsenal become champions again. And I think I can relax a bit more about next season or however that plays out, knowing that we have that monkey off our back, so to speak, you know?

1:11:27Yeah, of course, of course. But what we don't want to happen is that we lose either of these players for a significant period. You know, that is the balancing act, isn't it? That's the tightrope walk. I think, Rice, to come back to the original question, is it his biggest dip in form? I'm not sure. Like when he, was it the last summer tournament that he came back and it took a little bit of time to get up to speed? After the Euros, yeah. Yeah. And I think he's had one or two others. Like even when in his very first season, I think there were little periods where he wasn't quite at his very best.

1:12:07I just think he looks fatigued, honestly. and it's totally understandable. They said on Sky yesterday that no player in the Premier League has covered more distance than Martin Zubimendi. Yeah, yeah. I think that's accurate. So as of yesterday,

1:12:32Zubimendi is top with 299.8 kilometres and you would imagine he's added, another 10 to 12 kilometers yesterday based on the performance that we have. So that tells you quite a bit about what sort of an effort he's put in. And I think at Zubamendi, you can see the fatigue in some of his performances now. And the mistake he nearly made again yesterday where Raya bailed him out. He played the wrong pass back to the goalkeeper and almost got caught. I think that is a real sign of fatigue, to be honest, you know, that it's not just a physical thing. It can also be a mental thing. But the unfortunate part of this is, as we said, we don't have a great deal to choose from in midfield.

1:13:22So, yeah, fingers crossed there's no particular issue with Rice. No, I saw a lot of, I mean, you should never take social media as a barometer of anything, but I saw a lot of criticism of Martin Zubbermendi last night and I thought much of it quite over the top. I'm not saying he had his best game by any stretch of the imagination but I do think that one aberration may be played very heavily into that and I think overall you've got to be incredibly happy with the season that he's had and what he's produced in a first season in English football. Yeah, I mean if the reason the guy is a bit knackered is because he's played basically every game and he's run further than every other player in the Premier League this season.

1:14:06You know, you have to take that into account. You can criticize individual moments or whatever, but like, this is not a guy who's coasting or anything like that. This is a guy who's really putting the hard yards in for Arsenal this season. And part of why, as we talked about in the first half of this podcast, part of the reason why we're capable of winning these tight margin games is because of things like that. And maybe it doesn't get the sort of praise that a David Raya save gets or a Victor Yucca as goal gets, but it's still as important to the team as those things, I think, you know? Yeah.

1:14:43Not as easy to quantify, you know? Yeah, I'm fairly sure I saw it being put to Michel Antet by Sky in the run-up to this game that Arsenal and Manchester City have run further than any other teams in the Premier League this season. so you know there is a correlation there between kind of effort expended and and reward ultimately um wise mark clar as ever comes with the all the big questions and says thoughts on saliba's clear disrespect towards the ball boy craft hashtag not at my club hashtag justice for ball boy did you see this this is where he celebrates the timber goal by booting the ball off its little cone thing and the ball boy the ball boy's like oh god I put that there I put it perfectly the valve of the ball was like there it was ready yeah he's devastated he's devastated I mean Saliba's goal celebrations are always a thing of beauty I enjoyed his celebration for his own goal as well sort of unusually cool actually it seems like he's less excited when he scores than when somebody else scores yeah the windmills are for everyone else, you know, booting the corner flag is for everyone else.

1:15:56But yeah, that poor ball boy, he reacted as if he had to then climb through the crowd to retrieve the ball himself. Maybe he did. Maybe he did, yeah. That'd be a fun minigame. Like fishing in Final Fantasy. What about this one? Coper Matt of Everything is Fine. Okay. Not sure it is. He says, is Arsenal can't keep getting bailed out by corners just this year's equivalent of Liverpool can't keep getting bailed out by Mo Salah? That's a really interesting comparison, isn't it? Because what Liverpool had in Mo Salah was somebody on a sort of generational, if you'll pardon the word, runner form, like a sort of force of nature almost who couldn't be stopped.

1:16:52And it was... And I think, obviously, naturally, when it's kind of individual talent, that's something that we as fans can kind of invest in and get on board with and be excited about, even if you're not a Liverpool supporter. But set pieces arguably have been, you know, nearly as important a weapon to Arsenal this season as Salah was to Liverpool last. And it's not the same. I get it. It's not aesthetically as beautiful or thrilling, but they're the best at something and no one is finding a way to stop it. And I don't really see why anybody at Arsenal should have to apologise for that. Agree.

1:17:34Agree completely. I also think, you know, we spoke about the league in general and I do think that this Arsenal team are sort of a product of this league. You look up and down the table, there is massive emphasis on set pieces. It is not just Arsenal. And that is a consequence of the style of football that's being played, the type of defending that people are employing, the investment in set pieces that other clubs are making, hiring specific staff and analysts to focus on those situations. This is the Premier League. I think Rhys James said it last night. He said, this is the Premier League in 2026.

1:18:17And listen, he got it slightly wrong. I think he said 90 % of goals are set pieces. I don't think Opta will necessarily back that up. But there is massive emphasis on set pieces. And, you know, we're just playing in the landscape that we're dealt. And we're thriving. By the way, by the way, Declan Rice produced a long, long throw yesterday. Did you notice that? Yes. Yeah, from the right-hand side. Yeah, right towards the end of the game, I think. And I was like, oh, here we go. Another one of these, like, floaty, not very long, long throws. And then it was like, oh, wait a minute. Wait a fucking minute.

1:19:00That's a long, long throw, a proper long throw. Like, is that an accident? Is that a one-off? Or is that what he's capable of doing now? Is this what the throw-in dude, what's his name? Billy Throw-in. The throw-in consultant. Mm-hmm. Thomas something. Tommy Throw-in. Thomas Gronnemark, the inventor of the throw-in. Mm-hmm. First ever throw-in. Yeah. Is it a step forward, a step forward, a hand forward, a whatever forward? maybe it's a development i mean his role has been kind of downplayed to me a little bit um in terms of what he actually contributed to us i think he sort of came in and did a few kind of seminars or workshops over a few days i don't i don't think it's a kind of ongoing thing yeah continuous long-term role and it's quite funny every time michael has been asked about him he's sort of almost acted as if he doesn't know he exists I don't know if that's a question of sort of not enjoying somebody external taking credit.

1:20:14But I do think long throws, we've spoken about them already this season. I mean, yeah, if we can turn our long throws into as deadly a weapon as our corner kicks, we'll be in a very healthy position. But we're way off that at the moment. They're not the strongest suit in our kind of dead ball arsenal. No. So here, there was a couple about in-stadium stuff, which I want to ask you. Kieron, who's at cjwalsh.bsky.social, he said, today was the first time in ages we began playing towards the North Bank. It seems we prefer to play towards the clock end first. Is that to give us a marginal advantage in the second half playing towards exclusively home fans and to diminish the impact of the away fan support?

1:20:58Chelsea won the toss and turned it around. so obviously part of their strategy I guess to make things uncomfortable. I hate that by the way. What? It makes me really uneasy when teams turn us around at home. Why should it make any difference? You're at home. The advantage is being at home. I mean just throwing it out there for the sake of discussion. There's obviously a preference and there's a way we like to do it but should it really freak anybody out? Of course not. But as Mikael has said himself, footballers are creatures of habit and often quite creatures of superstition at times. And I am certainly one of those creatures.

1:21:39And it just feels wrong. You know what I mean? It just feels like, I mean, I suppose there is something to be said for, you know, is there a preference shooting one way or the other because one end contains away fans and the other doesn't? you know Arsenal typically finish at the North Bank you know scoring towards a stand made up entirely of their supporters does that does that help I don't know I don't know but yeah I hate it whenever teams make us switch around it yeah it annoys me probably more than it should yeah okay the other one was from nm51 he said I saw a few questions about the pitch and wanted to see if James noticed it in the ground.

1:22:28It looked better today, but very slippery. Recent matches have shown rough patches in certain areas, especially in the penalty areas. Is this random? I mean, did you have any observations on the pitch? I actually thought it looked good, I must say, because obviously I've seen, I had a different vantage point yesterday. I was in the upper tier. Normally I'm in the lower tier. And I've seen pictures of the pitch that have been, by Arsenal standards, quite surprising, quite shocking. You know, it's rare to see the Emirates carpet in any form of damage, you know, or any form of being less than perfect.

1:23:03And we have seen a bit of that. I thought aesthetically it looked good to me. I don't know how it came across on television. It sort of looked fine. I remember there was one game a couple of weeks ago where the Goldmats were. I was like, is this 1986 again? Yeah. The way the Goldmats used to always get a bit worn down over the course of a season. But of course, you know, I think what people talked about the amount of games that have been played on it. I think it's far more to do with the weather. I mean, it has rained for several months. Yeah, exactly. Same here in Dublin, but it's been a very, very, very, very wet start to 2026.

1:23:44And that, I think, has had a big impact. I'm not sure what they can do. They did a weird, not weird. the golf club I'm a member at sent out a sort of they sent out an email every week and they were like this is the the rainfall that we got in 2022 and it's like a little bar chart you know and it's like a tiny one for 2022 2023 and 2026 is like five times the rain of all the previous years put together so there's been a lot of rain I think that ultimately is what's caused the damage on the pitch no yeah I think so I think so I mean I've seen people citing is it an issue having more games because women's team playing on there as well um I mean obviously it's a smaller fixed lists um in the Lee in the WSL at least I think the weather probably is the primary thing but I thought it was okay yesterday I must say um so yeah I don't know what they've done but seem to have made some improvements all right what about this one we touched on it but Charlie J says goodly morning boys Trossard's early season form feels like a distant memory at this point is it time to try something new on the left wing surely it's worth revisiting as they're playing there when Odegaard is back well I mean I think the the key part of that is when Odegaard is back and when will he be back?

1:25:17That is the question that we have this morning. We're not 100 % sure on how long he's going to be out or what the nature of the problem that he has is. I think Mikel Arteta said it's related to the one he picked up against Brentford. Yeah, it was a knee, I think. So, I mean, it always looked to me like that might be a bit more serious. and then he came back, obviously, and was on the bench.

1:25:49I mean, what you'd say is we're a fortnight away from an international break. So, you know, I don't know. But there's big games before that, really big games. I mean, two games against Bayer Leverkusen, a couple of Premier League games and a Carabao Cup final. He'd be desperate to be involved in those. For sure, for sure. Yeah, so I mean, yeah, it's not beyond the realms of possibility, is it, that a player could pick up a tweet to the knee and miss two, three weeks. But if you're going to miss two, three weeks, that'd be a cruel period to be out. I mean, I think the thing about, you know, if Odegaard is available, as on the left is certainly a consideration if you want to get those technical players closer to Victor Jokeres, right?

1:26:37which I think people have accepted is maybe the best way to get the most out of him.

1:26:45But, you know, Trossard has just one assist in his last 10 Premier League appearances. Hasn't scored since the 4-1 win over Aston Villa on December 30th. Wow, yeah. So it's, you know, it's a good while ago. So there is probably a case to be made that somebody else deserves a run in the team. Then it's about, you know, whether you view Martinelli and Jokeres as compatible or whether you need to do something different at centre-forward. Does Kai Havertz returning make a difference there? Is Kai Havertz somebody who could play in midfield while Eza plays on the left? It was interesting that Havertz came on at nine yesterday, I thought.

1:27:26I guess for presence, you know, just for sheer physical presence as well. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think so. Although, to be fair, I didn't think he looked especially sharp, which is maybe to be expected. But, yeah, Arteta spoke about using Azaleh on the left more in the run-up to this game, didn't he? He said it could be a possibility. I think there is, I think I spoke about this before, but when they signed in Capier, I think they had in their mind the idea that there might be a natural chemistry between those two on the left-hand side. or at least a balance between those two. The way the season's played out, we haven't really seen that.

1:28:13But, yeah, Trossard, I mean, I suppose he's a lesson in start a season well, because it defines the narrative to a certain extent. To a certain extent, but obviously, you know, I've seen some criticism of Trossard and his output of late. And that is, I think, the big question mark over what remains of this season is the output from our attacking players. It's still hanging over us a little bit, where Trossard is not really producing goals and assists in the Premier League at this moment in time. Martinelli is not really doing it in the Premier League. I think he's our second highest scorer, but scores mostly in the cup games.

1:28:54Bakayo Saka as well, whose output is not where it is, although I think he did play pretty well yesterday. You know, great corner. Made four key passes in the game as well. There was one for Zubimendi, which Zubimendi put over. Yeah, that was a decent chance. Yeah, it was a better chance than Zubimendi made it look. But ultimately, we need more from these guys. We need more goals and assists, particularly from our wide players. So hopefully we can find a way to do that. By the way, Andrew, have you done a pod? Forgive me. I've been busy, but have you done a pod since the Champions League draw? We did a preview pod over on Patreon, so we haven't talked about the Champions League draw.

1:29:41Can I get your reaction then for the wider populace? I liked it. Did you do it? I feel like it's the hallmarks as if maybe you designed it. I wish I had that level of influence. I think it could have been more tricky. The side of the draw that we're on is obviously, I'm not going to say easier because, you know, well, yeah, easier is probably the right way of putting it, but not easy, but certainly easier than it could have been. When you look at the title race and when you look at the run in, I think you couldn't really have picked a better draw from an Arsenal perspective when it comes to the round of 16 and the quarterfinals, right?

1:30:22potential quarterfinal, where if we get through against Bayer Leverkusen, we're going to play against Bodo Glimt or Sporting. And again, it's not taking anything for granted, but that is certainly an easier way than playing Real Madrid and potentially Bayern Munich, which is what Manchester City have to contend with. So beyond it being quite a favorable draw for us in European terms, I think there is something important about it in the title race as well, that City have got more difficult games than we have. And I'm glad of that aspect of it, you know? Yeah, I agree. I agree. I think it's kind of a twofold win, isn't it?

1:31:09And it gives us a better path to the final. I mean, there's some great stories along the way as well, potentially. Obviously, we'll have Incapier going back to Leverkusen. might have Jokeres going back to sporting. A reunion with Barcelona 20 years on from Paris is a possibility in the semi-final. Oh, fuck. Yeah. Or Atletico Madrid, it could be. It could well be. Or Spurs. Or Newcastle. Or Newcastle. I mean, or Newcastle, I think. I'd be very, very surprised if this Spurs team were able to get beyond Atletico Madrid. you know well they've got they've got bigger they've got bigger problems to worry about I think they've got bigger fish to fish for in Final Fantasy that's what you're saying yes exactly no I think it was about as good as we could have hoped for listen and I take nothing for granted we must whenever you say that you're like oh look I'll reach to the final it feels like you're sort of looking beyond the opponents and I think you know Bayer Leverkusen will be challenging and of course but it's overdue as well though you know I tell people go oh typical Arsenal they get a nice easy draw and I'm like what the fuck are you talking about have you not like paid any attention like our first season back in the Champions League we got Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals last season we got Real Madrid and then PSG and like how many fucking times James did we get Barcelona or Bayern Munich in the round of 16 it was like every fucking season so for once let us have it Let us just have it once.

1:32:46We'll find a way to fuck it up. Don't worry. But just let us have it for the moment. I know. And even in the FA Cup recent years, we've had really tough draws. You know, we've had Liverpool, United, City in the early rounds. So people may look at our run this year and the fact that we've got a tie on Saturday against Mansfield. Mansfield on Sunday, I think, isn't it? I think it's Saturday, actually. Saturday lunchtime. Is it? Yeah. Right. Unless my ICAL deceives me. Let me have a look. 1215 in Mansfield, I'm told. You don't believe me, though. I do believe you. I do believe you. I do believe you.

1:33:29I've just looked it up, and now I believe you. Yeah. You didn't believe me before that, though. I should never have doubted you. I apologize. I should never have doubted you. As you know, my diary, my timekeeping is absolutely impeccable. I've never made a mistake. I've never got something wrong. I've never arrived at the wrong time. Never been late. Never been late. It's sad, really. You didn't trust me in that moment. I'm sorry. What about we talk about Trossard? Oh, yeah.

1:34:04Oh, what about this? Giroud to Giroud said, question for you about the new rule changes. Do you see this? The new rule changes? BBC reported these are going to be trialled at the World Cup and most will be put into the Premier League with the exception of the VAR for corners. So the changes are expedited VAR for corners. I think that's for the award of corners, is it? Rather than what's actually happening in the box. Like, so, for example, when Eze took his shot yesterday and the ball was clearly behind the line, VAR would be able to say that's a corner. I guess so. I guess so. Expedited, you say, yeah?

1:34:48Expedited, I believe. Yeah, let's just double-check that because I feel like, you know, corners will be added to the scope of assistant referees. And second yellow cards, no? Second yellow cards, yeah, correct. Mm-hmm.

1:35:06Review corners. Yeah, I think that is what it is. It's not actually explicit, but I assume it's that. The other ones are, yeah, VAR for second yellows. Thirdly, players who receive treatment cannot re-enter play until 60 seconds after the restart. I think that's bullshit. Yeah, I do. I think that's absolutely bullshit. I think it's ridiculous that you as a player could be on the end of a bad challenge for which a player gets booked. Like what happens if, you know, Arsenal player gets kicked, he's down, he's hurt because he's actually been kicked badly by an opponent. the opponent gets a yellow card but the Arsenal player has to go off and stay off the pitch for 60 seconds that doesn't make any sense it really does not make any sense unless you say well I don't think it makes much sense but maybe there's a way to offset it by saying you know if a player commits a bad foul he gets a yellow card and the guy who gets treatment has to be off the pitch for 60 seconds why can't you make that guy go off the pitch for 60 seconds but I think you open a real like I know what they're trying to do is to stop like technical timeouts and things like that right but it seems absurd to me that you can be fouled and hurt and your team is punished while the other team just has to deal with the guy who's on a yellow card I mean maybe um to play devil's advocate and when you're talking about FIFA I think that is an appropriate phrase maybe it's about encouraging the treatment to occur off the pitch rather than on.

1:36:42I don't know. You might reason as a club or as a team, if a player has to be off the pitch for 60 seconds, we might as well give him the magic sponge there and play can continue. But it does seem absurd to punish a player for requiring treatment. Yeah. And then it says 10-second countdown for throws and goal kicks. Are they going to actually have a fucking...

1:37:07They're going to play that out of the... I think there's going to be a guy who they employ to run along the sideline. Nine, eight, seven... I mean, listen, I think we all want to see throw-ins taken a bit more quickly.

1:37:23But, yeah, I don't know. I don't know. Yeah. I mean, it's... How is that? My thing is, like, it's more and more VAR rather than less. Well, that's it. Like, you know, the idea that, oh, they're going to do expedited judgments on whether a corner should be awarded or not. Like, you know, at one point we're going to be sitting there and like four minutes later, they're going to be like, well, we're not sure, actually, if that ball has gone over. Is it fully over the line or is it just the angle of the ball or what are we doing here? Like at some point... Think about that goal we conceded at St. James' Park.

1:37:59How long would it take them? Well, how long did it take them? Crazy. Crazy. Like, I think, you know, the idea that games should not be re-refereed. Like, I don't think there's anybody in the fucking history of football or the Premier League has said, you know what we need? VAR to see whether or not the ball has gone out for a corner or not. It's either a corner or it's a goal kick. Who gives a fuck? Really? like how many great injustices can you think of in the game of football where a team didn't get a corner or a team got a corner and either was or barely wasn't one of those things like genuinely what problem are we trying to solve here good question yeah but that'll be fun to look forward to ultimately I think you know we can just blame it on Gianni Infantino yeah i think i'm very happy to do that yeah i think we can all do that also just to see us out excuse me boss fuck chelsea chelsea shit yeah fuck chelsea what fuck yo fuck chelsea i think that's a good place to end today's show right i think it is i think by the way i am aware i should say i'm aware i think chris sutton is baiting me now i think he's just yeah i was i was gonna ask Waving me the red flag, isn't it?

1:39:20I was going to ask you, yeah. What did he say? That Arsenal, if they win it, they could be the ugliest Premier League champions to ever win the league. Something like that. Has he seen David Ryder's new hair? Anything but ugly. Beautiful. It certainly is. It's not here. Listen, I think it's sad, really, that he's taking this stance. And it's not here I feel sorry for. it's it's his great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great grandchildren because obviously obviously he will have had some descendants who looked into his history and were disappointed but then that will be forgotten in the annals of time but then hundreds of years later another young Christopher Sutton junior junior junior junior junior junior junior will come along and maybe he'll be into genealogy and ancestry and you know he'll he'll look into who his predecessors were and then and he'll find out oh there's someone of note in the family you know i mean like someone some notoriety and renown maybe he'll visit the grave in blackburn buried beside alan shearer yeah he's buried right next to shearer the sas and the gravestone it'll be because it'll be hundreds of years it'll be all covered in ivy moss yeah yeah and he'll scrape it away he'll be like this is his grave my great great great great great great granddad everyone in blackburn must have loved him he was so popular he was on television on the radio everyone must have thought what brilliant guy and he's pulling the ivy away he's pulling the moss away and there it says here lies christopher sutton he was the most miserable cunt that ever lived.

1:41:32Well, you know, he is the champion of being a miserable cunt. It's what he'll be remembered for. For sure. Listen, play to your strengths. Loving father, average striker, miserable cunt.

1:41:52Hopefully he's not a fan of Curb Your Enthusiasm either, because he'll go, he was also my aunt. Hopefully he's not a fun of Ask Us Extra, mate. That's all I can say. Yeah, well. But as I've stated, in real life, I love him. I think he's great. I fully approve. It's just my podcast persona. You're just doing a bit. Just doing a bit. If we do win the Premier League, I think I'll just get a range of ugly T-shirts, which we can... If we win the Premier League, he should be strapped to the front of the bus for the parade. That's my view. Can you get a bus through the cardiac care unit, though? That's the thing.

1:42:30Yeah, maybe not. A little tiny weenie bus. Who knows? All right. Well, onwards and upwards and continue upwards, I guess you would say. We've got a game on Wednesday against Brighton, so we'll have a preview podcast for you on Patreon. We'll be talking about all the Premier League action this weekend and quite an interesting weekend in the league on the 30, a bit later on this afternoon. Also on Patreon, patreon.com forward slash arseblog. For now, though, folks, take it easy. Thank you for being here as always, and we will catch you on the next one. Bye-bye.