Arsecast Extra Episode 685 - 09.03.2026

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0:44Hello and welcome to another Arsecast Extra, as always, with James from Gunnar Blog James. Goodly morning to you. Goodly morning, Andrew. How are you? I'm good. I have coffee in front of me. We were just discussing coffee, and we decided that we should share this compelling conversation with the listeners. I think they deserve to know. So please pick up. You were explaining why you were a fraction late for our. A little bit late, a sort of slightly James lateness. Not much, but just a little bit. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Not really enough to sort of criticize me for, but enough to just be slightly annoying.

1:22That's the sweet spot where I exist. And you've got it down to a fine art, let me tell you. I was making coffee before I came upstairs and I used a slightly different brand of coffee in my coffee machine. And it requires a little bit less coffee than the other brand of coffee. So it took fucking ages for the coffee to drip through into the cup, which is possibly the most wanky reason I've ever been late for anything. it is a fair i've seen it in the flesh in its metallic flesh it is a very fancy coffee machine yeah it's like one of my one uh luxuries that i have indulgences few indulgences is a good coffee machine and it's you know proper barista kind of shit going on not that i'm very good at that like you know what if there was a world championships for stuff i can't do there are two things that I will never be good at in my life.

2:24One is wrapping a burrito. I don't know why I can't do it. I just, I'm fucking useless. Just what happens? I can't do the tucking bit. You know, everyone does it. Oh, you just get it. And then you took it in and you roll it over. And it's like, everyone in the world can do it apart from me. I don't know what it is. I've got some kind of mental block. I just cannot do it. The contents spill out, whatever you do. Exactly. There are just bits coming out from either end, which is an image people don't necessarily need. And I would say that if I went for a job in a coffee shop and they said, right, make us some coffee and do some latte foam art, do like a tree or a heart on the top of the coffee, I'd be like, yeah, you might as well just fire me now.

3:09I'm not going to be able to do that. Yeah. But it's a nice cup of coffee all the same. And it's the taste that matters much. That's exactly it. That's exactly it. Well, I'm glad it dripped through. And, you know, because you're here now. That's the important thing. And, Andrew, I forgive you. Thank you, James. I appreciate that. I was having, like, mad. It's been one of those weekends, actually, where I went to sit down for the game on Saturday, our FA Cup win against Mansfield. I wasn't getting emotional there. I just have a little frog in my throat. So I came downstairs to set up the live blog, sit in front of the TV with my laptop.

3:53My laptop decided, you know what, this is the best possible time to run a system update. And then my skybox wouldn't turn on at all. I had to sort of reboot the skybox a couple of times. Just the orange light. Was it just the amber light and nothing else? It just wouldn't have. Just clicked and nothing came on. And so I had to sit there for about 15 minutes waiting for my laptop to reboot and to start up again in the skybox. So I came in on the live blog an unfashionably 13 or 14 minutes late, which is not ideal for those looking to follow the game. Don't worry, because we're going to be reliving those 13 minutes right now in real time.

4:36That's the concept of this podcast. because you failed to live blog the first 30 minutes we'll focus solely on that period of the game we're going to do about 90 minutes on those opening 13 ok I'm just starting it up here teams are in the tunnel huddly huddly live watch along of the first 13 minutes of Mansfield Town vs Arsenal yeah Kepa's got the ball at his feet going to play it into Trossard in midfield I mean what a strange old first few minutes of the game it was because the Arsenal line-up and formation was not what people had expected. No. I mean, it was quite fun, I suppose, seeing that team come out and trying to work out his Havertz reverting to his left-back role or something.

5:24I also really enjoyed Michel Antetis saying that they trained the three at the back for 10 minutes before the game. Like in an age where football and preparation and tactics is so detailed, there was something kind of enjoyably amateur about him just sort of chucking it up on the whiteboard and saying, right, we're going to have a go at this. Yeah, it's not it's a departure, isn't it, for him? That's not usually how he operates. Everything is so meticulous and everything is so, you know, planned out to the to the last little detail to sort of I mean, he might have been exaggerating slightly when he said it was 10 minutes.

6:00But clearly, you know, this was a consequence of player availability, the guys that he had available, and the guys maybe that he wanted to rest. I went through the absentees. I was looking at that this morning. And basically, we started this game without David Raya, Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel, Miles Lewis-Skelly, Martin Odegaard, Mikel Marino, Declan Rice, and Martin Zubimendi, which is, you know, most of a pretty good team. So it is not a bad team. And I think it's quite rare that Mikel truly does this. You know, when we talk about him resting and rotating players, it honestly felt like he kind of, he had a list of players that he put off limits for this game and sort of made do around them.

6:49And I don't think he often does that. I often think he's like, well, I've got to keep the shape. I've got to keep some degree of continuity. What can I afford to do? It felt like here there were sort of red lines around certain players. And I think that was the right call. Do you think maybe that then informed some of what we saw from Arsenal in this game? I'm sure. Of course they're going to go out there and win. And I do think there were, you know, some players who played, I don't know. I don't want to say like it was beneath them. But there were some players who didn't play as well as we know they can.

7:26or maybe didn't take this game quite as seriously as they should have. But is it a case that the manager's team selection sort of told them something and maybe there were some instructions like, look at this pitch, don't do anything silly, don't go in for a 50-50 that might end up getting you hurt? I mean, do you think that's a conversation that could have been had in the dressing room or was this just like one of those weird performances that can happen in the cup? I mean, you mentioned the pitch there. There was a lot of talk before the game about the surface and that was my one surprise maybe in the starting XI.

8:06I did wonder if, say, Kai Havertz, for example, might be spared playing on a difficult pitch given the kind of concerns over his fitness. but does that then mean like you have to try and get some minutes into Kai Havertz right yeah totally and so I think yeah it's a difficult one that but I was a little bit surprised about that I think I mean the surface is a factor in the performance I do think I think the unfamiliarity although a lot of players were playing in sort of vaguely their preferred position the different shape the three centre halves the lack of sort of relationships between a lot of these players I think was a factor and I do also think that there probably is a psychological component as well where these players probably come into this game knowing they're better, knowing they're superior knowing that they're very likely to have enough to come through and that there may be tougher challenges ahead I mean, the counterbalance to that is a lot of these players are playing for places.

9:19There's big games coming up in the Premier League, the Champions League. There's a cup final as well. So people like Gabriel Jesus or Gabriel Martinelli or Leandro Trossard, Noni Madueke, they're all competing for a starting spot. And you'd have to say that, you know, in most cases, this kind of second string XI, They didn't necessarily, they didn't give Mikhail Atese huge problems, I don't think, when it comes to Wednesday night and the Champions League. No, I mean, it's kind of telling, I think, that the one player who might give the manager something to think about was a 16-year-old, you know?

9:58Yeah, and that's a crazy aspect of the starting line-up we've somehow not touched on. because I think, I don't know how we've become slightly inured, it's sort of become normalised to us, but two 16-year-olds in the starting 11. There is some mad stat, isn't there, about Arsenal being the first team, first Premier League team to do that, I think, in any competition. Wow, I hadn't seen that. But yeah, I mean, listen, whatever about Max Dowman, and we'll come to him and there's plenty of questions about Max Dowman that maybe we can leave for part two. We will discuss his performance, though. So Marley Salmon is a 16-year-old on the right side of a back three with Christian Mosquera and Ricardo Calafuri, the other components of that back three.

10:41I mean, it's a lot to ask of a 16-year-old player. Clearly, he's a very confident young man. Likes a little bit of a drag back, doesn't he, in midfield if he can get on the ball in that area. Might be something that, you know, at this level, you have to, even against a side in League One, you have to sort of temper your desire to do those kinds of things in midfield. But certainly it speaks to a confidence that he has and maybe as well the confidence that the manager has in playing him there. I know options were limited defensively, but it does say a lot, you know, that he started in a back three, you know, not sort of tucked out away on fullback duty, right back, for example.

11:28Yeah, I mean, maybe the three gives him a bit more protection than playing in a two, in a four. I don't know. But I think for a central defender to be starting a game for Arsenal at 16 years of age is quite extraordinary, really. I mean, he brought him on as a centre-half, didn't he? Was it in the last round? I think it was. Against Wigan, maybe. And, yeah, they clearly think very, very highly of him. I mean, I remember when, you know, Philippe Sendros, Joanne Giroud were getting starts for Arsenal at 18 and that was seen as kind of remarkable given the kind of mental and physical dimensions to playing a centre-half so for him to be doing it at 16 is huge and look I thought obviously you know he makes a mistake in the game he ends up being substituted it wasn't exactly the performance he would have dreamt of but I think it's still a significant accolade to have started the game and yeah it was Aubinho who said with Max Dalman and Marley Salmon in the line-up Arsenal are the first ever Premier League side to start a game with two players aged 16 or under.

12:34Wow. Wow. Well, there you go. I actually thought, you know, we will come to the goal we conceded now in a minute. But I actually thought he had a couple of good moments defensively as well in the first half. There was one, I think, where they had a corner and he was last man. And listen, you know, he's obviously a real talent, but there's a lot of difference between 16 years of age and 20 years of age, and certainly a lot of difference between 16 years of age and somebody who's in their mid-20s, just physically the development and the strength and the, you know, your own power, I guess, in those situations.

13:11And what I thought was really impressive was the way he held off the Mansfield guy. I know it's not like the world's best player that he was dealing with, but... It's a grown-up, though. It's a grown man, and that is a real challenge for a 16-year-old. Definitely, definitely. And look, I think he's a huge prospect. And he's in this slightly awkward position, I think, where he's almost, even at 16, he's kind of almost too good I think for a lot of the youth teams I mean I've seen clips of him in the under 21s doing keepy uppies you know in his own half yeah I don't know how advisable that is but you know I think he's in an awkward position where sort of technically and mentally in terms of his composure he's sort of ahead of his age groups but physically he's still got a bit of a gap to close of course And yeah, I'm sort of curious to see how Arsenal manage that because I don't know what the best solution is for a 16-year-old centre-half.

14:14You're not desperate to send them into League One and have them get battered and bruised every single week. I don't know that that would, on loan, for example, I don't know that would necessarily be the right thing. So I think it is going to be quite a gradual introduction. Well, I mean, listen, he can play gradually He can play minutes and he can come off the bench here and there, depending on the games and the players that we have available. And in two years' time, he'll still only be 18. What a kind of grounding he's going to get in those two years. There's no rush at this point. And in William Saliba, he has got someone in front of him who played at centre-half at 17 in the French top flight, which again is incredibly unusual.

15:04So that's a perfect model for him maybe in terms of his development. Fair to say there was a little bit of shakiness in the Arsenal performance early on. Mansfield did have some chances and it did look as if we were struggling a little bit to come to terms with the shape of the team. Whatever about the relationships that might or might not exist between certain players, I think at least generally there would be a, how would you say, an awareness and knowledge of the formation and where players are expected to be. But it is slightly different when you're playing three at the back and Christian Norgard is sort of dropping in to be the sort of fourth man or pick the ball up, you know.

15:47It was a bit shaky at times because Manfield did have some chances. Yeah, they did. They did. And, you know, they were up for it. They had the crowd behind them. it was an incredible tie for them I think I'm right saying their owner or co-owner is an Arsenal fan and they're a family of Arsenal fans Oh I saw the video, yeah, yeah Yeah, they were absolutely ecstatic I think to get this draw He was saying actually that his kids are big Arsenal fans but they were going to be forced to wear Mansfield kits on the day Quite right too But yeah, I thought they was I mean, we might have taken the lead a few minutes in.

16:26There was that giveaway from Mansfield and Dalman runs away with it and very nearly marks his start with the goal. Yeah, that would have been amazing, yeah. Yeah, like three minutes in. But yeah, then I thought Mansfield came back into it and first sort of five, ten minutes I was like, this is going to be all right. And then you suddenly realise, ah, I think we're in a game here. And I think, yeah, the Arsenal players would have sort of, as the game wore on grown a respect for the way Mansfield applied themselves because they are not a team that's kind of high-flying or anything like it. I mean, they're kind of on the fringes of a relegation battle in League One.

17:07But yeah, I mean, yeah, sorry, go on. No, I was going to say, I think they really rose to the occasion. I think that was one of, you know, I think we kind of slightly sunk to the occasion and we kind of met in the middle somewhere in that first half. Yeah, I think that's fair. Like, you know, if you're one of those Mansfield players, when are you going to get an opportunity like this to play against, you know, albeit a slightly weakened Arsenal, but this is Arsenal. This is the team that's leading the Premier League. So, yeah, you're really going to give it everything you've got. And this is a weakened Arsenal and an Arsenal team that had a weird shape, had players in positions you don't often see them or usually see them.

17:45And, yeah, it's a proper cup tie. What happened? I mean, I'm trying to think about the bits and pieces that happened. And I mean, we did eventually get ahead towards the end of the first half through Nani Matueke, who I think we saw like the yin and the yang of Nani Matueke, either side of this goal. There were moments where I think he takes too many touches. You know, he can get the ball in the box and he cuts back inside and he put one behind for a goal kick when he didn't need to. There was a shot he sliced miles high and wide with his right foot. Scores a brilliant goal, a really great goal, and then follows it up with another ridiculously slicey effort that went wide when probably he should be hitting the target.

18:35You know, he blows hot and cold, doesn't he, in games? Yes. It's a kind of scattergun approach to forward play at times. More is more with Nonny, and it's sort of like you're hoping that one out of five of those attempts finds the top corner, as it does here. But there were a couple of really wild ones. Even after the goal, you sort of think maybe that will give him the confidence or sort of just sharpen his instincts in those final yards of the pitch. He's still prone to the slightly wild efforts. it's quite curious because do you remember the the video that arsenal put out and it might have been on instagram or something like that and it was sort of matueke in training and it was finishing training so running onto a ball and finishing and yeah i think there were some videos of him and his personal coach right doing things like that and and the finishing and obviously they're putting up the best ones on Instagram, right?

19:40But there seemed to be like a bit of control to what he was doing when it came to applying the finish. And what happens, I think, in games is that he forgets about that as a concept. Control as a concept just goes out of his head and he just tries to smash the ball as hard as he possibly can. Because there was one in the second half as well, where he could inside, and I think he probably should have just dinked the ball into the box, but he went for a shot from quite a tight angle, and it went so far wide it went out for a throw. But purely because there was no control whatsoever. He just lashed it with his laces as hard as he could, when actually if you're going to try a shot from there, try to use the inside of your foot and head it towards the far corner.

20:31I don't quite understand how when he gets into those positions, because the one that came to him just after he scored, it was on his right foot. And I get when it's your wrong foot, you probably err on the side of power, but he just sort of sliced it wide because he was trying to knock the cover off the ball, basically. Yeah, I sort of think I'm at peace with the idea that this is who he is. I can imagine every coach, I've said this before, but I can imagine every coach thinking, you know, this guy has such potential. If we can just add that composure in those moments, then what a player will have.

21:16But I think, how old is he now? He's 23, soon to be, I think he's 24 tomorrow, actually. Right. Happy birthday in advance. Happy birthday, Nonny. But yeah, I kind of think if you get to 24 and you're still showing that slightly erratic nature, there are obviously exceptions who go against this. But I think that probably is who you are at this point in time. And I think that's probably the reason that he is a good player and not a great player. Because I think he has all the raw tools in theory. You know, physically, he's so dominant, so good. I think technically in terms of sort of his skill level and dribbling ability, I think few can match him.

22:05But there is that final component, which is decision-making and composure. And actually, interestingly, the guy he's competing with in Bukayo Saka, I think that's where he really excels. Sure. So I think that is the distinction between them. I'd love to think he could put it all together. I'm not entirely sure he ever will but think about saying seven goals in an Arsenal shirt by early March it's certainly not a bad return and this was a really brilliant finish I must say decent effort from the edge of the box and then when it comes back to him the way he strokes it into the it generates a lot of power despite you know sort of sending a bit of a curler it's a nice goal no I think so really really good finish again there's there is power but there's also control um so yeah i think you're right the inconsistency will probably always be there but i don't think it's something that can't be improved you know of course yeah yeah it's interesting isn't it because i you sort of think it's tempting to kind of project some psychology onto it and think is it because he's desperate to impress or he's playing for a place and you know he's he that's where why the composure goes because there's that urgency to make something happen but I think he's sort of played like that through his career whether he's been a starter whether he's been a sub I think that's something that's always slightly plagued him so um I think at this point in time it's kind of it's part of his game whether it can be honed or harnessed or improved I guess that's down to Mikel and the coaching staff yes before the goal we lost Leandro Trossard he sat down on the pitch and we don't quite know what the injury is I don't know if you have any update or information on that but he had to go off and Piero and Capier came on which meant we sort of reverted to a back four which I think probably suited us a little better in terms of control of the game if not necessarily making loads and loads of chances after that Yeah I think so and just a bit of familiarity with the shape as well I think it was one of those happy accidents.

24:20I don't know anything about Trossard at this point in time. Obviously, I hope it's sort of precautionary. You would imagine that that's part of the conversation. Like, if you feel anything at all, like any tiny thing, don't take a risk in a game like this. Yes, and you'd think he'd be cognizant of that and aware of how many big games are coming up for Arsenal. So, yeah, hopefully he's fine. And I do think the switch in shape did sort of work in our favour a little bit. Early in the second half then, we mentioned it earlier, Mansfield got a goal. It's one of those where you're sort of looking at the pitch a little bit.

25:02Salmon left the ball a little bit short for Mosquera. And I think Mosquera, maybe for the first time since he's joined, just looked a little bit flat-footed, a little bit slow to react. and the Mansfield player took it on, burst past him, and it's a good finish, a good goal, I have to say. Yeah, he took it well, but I think, you know, you're obviously looking at the mistake from Salmon, and I think Mosquera will look at that and think he probably should have done better defensively as well. Yeah, I'm just watching it back now. I do think the pitch is a bit of a factor. Honestly, I'm not making any excuses for Marley Salmon here, but the ball holds up slightly when he knocks it back towards Mosquera, and I don't think Mosquera reads or anticipates that.

25:46I actually think Mosquera, who I'm a huge fan of and I think has been a terrific addition, I think he's probably had his trickiest week as a player. He had the Brighton game where he was put very early, had to manage that, had a sort of scary moment with Yankouba Minte going past him on the left-hand side of the Brighton attack. and here I thought of all the sort of players, I felt like he slightly seemed a little bit, he found it difficult to manage, I think, the conditions and the style of play of Mansfield being so distinct, so different from what he's used to. You know, he looked like a young foreign defender thrown into a League One stadium in an FA Cup time and that's fair.

26:35Do you know what I mean? Yeah, I mean, listen, it's a learning experience for him and I think as well for Marley Salmon it's a learning experience I'm not sure and maybe someone who was there or was you know had a better view of this could tell me that the the TV camera sort of cut to Marley Salmon who sort of looked down at his feet in kind of a despondent way I can only assume that the more senior Arsenal players were around him at that point to sort of you know give him a clap on the back and say don't worry about it this this sort of thing can happen. And it does happen to young defenders.

27:09I think at 16, you know, you're playing a first team game starting for Arsenal. It's on TV. You're probably feeling that in a really significant way if you're Marley Salmon, right? And it's not a huge, huge mistake. We've seen players make bigger mistakes than that. It's a small mistake that is actually quite ruthlessly punished by Mansfield. But I did think it was interesting Arteta afterwards saying, look, this happens. You know, for a young defender, he feels like it's his fault, et cetera, et cetera. But that's part and parcel of how you develop as a player as well, is making those mistakes and how you respond and how you react to them.

27:45And, you know, it's not like anyone was going knives out for Marley Salmon or anything like that. But I think from his very personal and young perspective, it's an interesting moment for the manager because when you put a 16-year-old in the team, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that something like this can happen. No, absolutely. I mean, I think quite rightly we're still talking about Christian Muscara as a young defender, and he's five years older than Marley Salmon. So there's a huge amount of learning to be done. I did think it was interesting, actually. The first person, I don't know who else went over to Marley Salmon, but the first person to him was Max Dowman, who they're very close.

28:28they've obviously played through the age groups together their families have become friends and I think one of the reasons that's interesting to kind of watch their development in tandem is how helpful they may be to each other I mean we spoke about that with Myles and Ethan quite a lot last season when they were kind of breaking into the first team how useful it must have been to have each other as a reference point and we had those conversations about players having to change separately, but they always had each other. And I think for Marley and Max, over the next couple of years, hopefully they can be a great support to each other.

29:09But yeah, he was the first over to be like, don't worry about it. I'm sure others will have followed suit. Damman almost bailed him out, if that's the right way of putting it, a couple of minutes later. What a run and a shot. And actually, listen, we've got this far and we haven't really talked at all about Max Dowman's performance. Like I said, I've got questions for part two, but he was very, very impressive in this game. You know, he tries things that I think, you know, with experience, I'm not saying they get coached out of you, but you pick your moments maybe a bit more as you get more experience.

29:44But like so much of what he did actually came off, you know, the little flicks in midfield, the willingness to drive and to run and to take shots. And this was an example of that where he just took the ball, dribbled, ran past a couple of defenders and almost got himself his first Arsenal goal. Absolutely. I mean, this is the moment from the game that's kind of lived on, isn't it, in social media? I've seen so many clips of this run from the halfway line that very nearly ends in a brilliant, brilliant goal. He adapted. I spoke about Mascara, maybe slightly struggling with the conditions and the style of the opposition.

30:23He adapted to it so brilliantly, Max. And I do wonder how much of that is part of the fact that, you know, he's not always playing on pristine surfaces. He's used to coming up against opponents who are older, more physical than him. And I think a lot of it as well is just his talent. I mean, as I said it after the game, he's a special, special player. I thought he was the most impressive, probably, performer for Arsenal on the day. I thought he was a bit unlucky or could very well have left the game with a goal or maybe an assist. You know, there was that moment early on we talked about. There was this moment.

31:04There was another moment, I think, in the first half where the ball kind of reached him and didn't necessarily make the best contact with it. Was it from a cutback, perhaps, from Trossard? Yeah, it was a first-time one where I think he just tried to guide it but didn't quite make the contact he would have liked. And there was one for Jesus as well, wasn't there, where he drove forward. I think it was Matueke, actually, who played him in. And I thought he might shoot, to be honest. But he decided to square it for Jesus. And the contact wasn't great from Jesus. And I think it was headed off the line.

31:35But yeah, it was a save and then a header off the line. Yeah, kind of joint effort from the Mansfield defence. I agree on that one, that he could very well have shot there. I noticed when he had that early chance, when he made the inception in the first few minutes, I think Jesus was outside him for a potential pass. And maybe I'm reading too much into it, but I do wonder if words were had and then later on when he's in that position, he thinks, I'll go for the cutback. Because for me, he would have been perfectly within his rights to shoot there. But I guess, you know, a bit of deference at 16 years old is to be expected.

32:13I think he was right to shoot, by the way, in that first instance. Oh, so do I. But I don't know if Gabriel Jesus thought that. Yeah, maybe not. Maybe not. But I don't think Gabriel Jesus was in a good enough position to be crotchety with Max Downman. If he was, I'm not saying he was. No, it's speculation. Yeah, exactly. Salmon and I think it was Havertz came off then, was it? Yes, it was. So Salmon, 62 minutes and Havertz for Timber and Eze. And a couple of minutes later, Eberachieze scores the goal that wins the game. Norgard finds him, I think, inside the D, cuts inside, makes space for a shot.

32:55And boy, oh boy, did he hit that fucking ball. You know, listen, we've been watching Eberachieze for a few months now. And one of the things that stands out, we've talked often, haven't we, about players who maybe don't hit the ball with the kind of power that you see. other players or some other clubs possess. I would posit that nobody is capable of hitting the ball harder than Eberici has, to be honest. Even in his passing, there's a sort of moment where before he hits the ball, he sort of speeds up when he really wants to. It's sort of like a golfer making a really, really quick downswing. He swings the ball back and then absolutely clatters it.

33:42There's something about the speed with which he hits the ball, which generates that power. I mean, this was just an unbelievable finish. Keeper had no chance whatsoever. Yeah, and he's so good in those areas around the D at the edge of the box. You know, he's been deadly at times for us there. You need only our spurs, particularly in that first derby game. So, yeah, I thought this was a brilliant, brilliant, brilliant finish and another moment, isn't it, to add to the collection that he's delivered over the course of the season. Yeah, everyone's talking about springtime Ezza. So, you know, hopefully that's the case.

34:26It's a great finish. It really is a great finish. It is bad. His springtime record is truly a thing to behold. yeah it's approximately like a goal or assist every other game something like that it's very very very good well you know hopefully that's the case let's have a look I've got the stat here courtesy of Simon Collings do I have it? I've made a big shout there you have? I saw it I swear I saw it I feel like you don't have it I feel like I don't have it damn it he scores loads of goals when it's spring that's it I knew it was something clever like that well a brilliant goal a brilliant goal and a goal I guess worthy to win a game there was another injury then with Ricardo Calafiori going down with what looked like a bit of a hamstring strain again hopefully precautionary but with Calafiori you don't really know I guess you kind of have to fear the worst a little bit, which meant another change.

35:37And we brought on veteran defender, 18-year-old Jadon Dixon, for his Arsenal debut. He signed from Stoke, I think, in, was it January? Yeah, it was actually announced the first couple of days of Feb. But yeah, it's a January signing, an initial 300 grand, I think. there's a good history of right backs called Dixon arriving from Stoke so I mean yeah he's a very tall lad and well thought of I think he's England under 18 international so I don't think he would have anticipated playing for the first team quite this quickly but there you go there you go I mean the opportunity was there and there were some young players on the bench as well you know because we left a lot of people at home.

36:30Should Arsenal have scored more before the end? There were a couple of chances. I would think so, yeah. This is where, certainly part of the conversation we had earlier on about some of the senior players, they were just not quite doing things at the level you would like. For me, anyway. Jesus, Martinelli, even Matueke. There were moments where it was like, you're not taking this as seriously as you should. And I get it, cold light of day, difficult cup tie, et cetera, et cetera. But, you know, I do wonder what the manager thinks about those kinds of things. Does he, as a former professional, just kind of understand the context of that?

37:11Or does he, as a manager who has a real demand for high standards, does he sort of, what's the word I'm looking for here? You know, put that away in a little locker part of his brain and does it sort of play into how he thinks about those players? Yeah. I don't know if you've ever encountered Mikel Arteta. But I don't imagine he's super chilled about it. Yeah, I have to be honest. I was pretty disappointed in Jesus and Martinelli. Partly because I think in different ways, there's a lot to play for for those guys in terms of places. I mean, we've spoken about Trossard's form dipping recently, and bear in mind he was injured in this game as well.

37:59Gabriel Martinelli in particular is really, really close to a starting place in Michel Arteta's best team, I think. He's not far off that at this point. But I thought this was a bit of a backward step for him in that battle. And as for Gabriel Jesus, I mean, there have been times this season where I've been so delighted to watch him play and so enjoyed it because I think he's brought a level of technique and skill to that number nine position that I think we've lacked at times when Vrity Okerez has been playing. But then, yeah, I also think he's had games like this where he's kind of looked off it, where he's looked a bit of a shadow of his former self.

38:50And unfortunately, I sort of think it happens too regularly to make him, you know, for him to be the player we want him to be. So, yeah, I was a bit disappointed in those two. I know there's mitigating factors and circumstance, but I was looking for more from them. Yeah, I mean, we had a question here because we didn't mention him. Tallyman on the Discord said, Would Arteta still bring Saka on for 15 minutes if we were 7-0 up against a school fourth-11? But Kairosaka did come on and did have a very good chance to score, actually. Maybe didn't quite apply the finish as well as you would like him to.

39:32So there were moments, I think, when Arsenal could have scored again, but just didn't find the finish.

39:40yeah I mean I think Mikel's he said he's on record before I think it was in 2024 he said it he basically said the best thing for these players a lot of the time is to keep playing he said it more than once actually like he really does seem to be a firm believer that you know the sports science supports the idea of giving keeping these players playing. And certainly when it comes to Saka, he seems to feel that way. Were you surprised that, for example, given the way Jesus was playing, that Jokeres didn't get a few minutes? Or was it just a case of like, I'm not going to risk another injury after seeing Trossard and Calafiore go down?

40:33I wasn't too surprised, actually. I think that's a compliment to Victor, to be honest. I think that tells you that he's going to play a lot of minutes over the next 14 days or so. And, yeah, I think if Gabriel Jesus had had a storm of a game, scored a couple of goals, I wonder if Mikel might have brought him off with 20 minutes to go and thought, OK, he's in the mix for Tuesday. But based on this, sorry, Wednesday, isn't it? But based on this, we all know that I think Jokeres is going to start in Germany. I think he was being saved and spared for that ahead of an intense fortnight. Yeah. So look, 2-1.

41:17In the end, Arsenal win what Mikel Arteta called a great cup tie or a traditional cup tie. And it means we're in the draw for the quarterfinals, which takes place tonight. There is a game tonight, isn't there? Yes, it's West Ham or Brentford. who will join the other seven teams in the quarterfinal draw. I think the draw is about five past seven UK time tonight. So the teams in there are Southampton, Port Vale, Manchester City, Leeds United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, and then one of West Ham or Brentford. All right, so here's what I'm saying, because I think I manifested this last time. Yes, what can you do for us this time, Andrew?

42:01What I'm saying is it's going to be Liverpool against Man City. It's going to be Chelsea against the winner of tonight's game, which is probably going to be, you know, London Derby. I'm going to say West Ham. Okay. Then it's going to be Southampton against Leeds. And it's going to be Arsenal against Port Vale. Lovely. So everyone can just relax. Yeah. No trip. Yeah. have it at home, play all the 16-year-olds and yeah, jobs awesome. I mean that would be lovely yeah because you know we're into the quarter finals now so there's going to be some tough draws out there and we have had touch wood a relatively kind run in this competition thus far and frankly long may it continue yeah absolutely yeah I kind of want And like I said, the cup upset route to the final where the upsets happen to Liverpool and Man City and those guys.

43:08And we get a nice pathway to the final to complete the double. Port Vale in the quarters, Leeds in the semi. Southampton, surely. Southampton in the final. It's a historic classic. 2003, Andrew, who could forget? The Millennium Stadium, Robert Perez. Oleg Luzhny and Martin Keown at the back let's see if they're available wheel them out one more time I mean Martin's doing everything he's promoting Arsenal and pushing the Arsenal cause at every possible media opportunity so he does deserve to be part of it it's kind of funny at this point isn't it I love it and he's so into it I think he is a club ambassador so in fairness to him he's taking the role very seriously.

44:00But, you know, an Arsenal player could turn around on the pitch and let's say headbutt one of the opposition and Martin Keown would be going, well, you can't do that. But at the same time, if that guy didn't have a head, there's no way the Arsenal player could have headbutted him. You know, he'd find some way of defending it, which I think is kind of funny, but there you go. It's good. I like it. He's gone into bat for us big time. So, yeah, let's see what the draw holds. I kind of, I don't know how you feel, but I kind of feel like a tough draw in the FA Cup, given all the other priorities this season.

44:37Like if we make it to the final FA Cup, I think we will have done extraordinarily well or been very, very fortunate with the draws. Because, you know, the Premier League is the Premier League. The Champions League, I think, given the way the draw looks for us there, there's a chance we're going to be in that competition for a while yet. the Carabao we have to take seriously because of course final um I just have always had this hunch that if one falls by the wayside like earlier then it could be this competition yeah I mean we had a question on the discord I might as well do it seeing as we're on this before we go into the break uh jmart 91 is the FA Cup the lowest priority this season at this moment in time and Richie also on the discord said do we throw in inverted commas the FA Cup if we get one of the remaining top six away from home?

45:27Do we like rotate heavily with a young bench? How do you approach a game like that? It is a challenging one because, you know, Arteta is clear on the standards that he wants to set, right? That every game is important and every match is worth winning, et cetera, et cetera. But I think there does come a time, if this Arsenal team are being accused of being generally quite pragmatic in how they approach games and how they're approaching this season and the football that we're playing, that would kind of have to apply to a scenario where, let's say, there's a very, very difficult FA Cup tie ahead of a Premier League game that we absolutely have to win.

46:07Yeah, I mean, I'm looking at where the fixtures fall. I think the quarterfinal is the first game back after the break, which makes that a little bit easier, potentially. But you'll have a Champions League quarterfinal three days later. if you're in it. Yes.

46:27Then the semi, semi, I think, falls just before a potential Champions League semi-final. Right. And

46:38the difficulty with the FA Cup is that it comes together so late. I mean, like the Carabao, you can be in the final by the end of Jan and you've sort of banked that one. Whereas the key knockout rounds in the FA Cup, the quarterfinal, the semi-final, they come at a time when it's crunch time for the Premier League and the Champions League as well. It comes at a point in the season where you really have to prioritise. And that's what makes it so difficult. And that's why I'm thinking maybe it'll just be a treble rather than a quadruple, you know.

47:12No, I don't know. I don't know. Like I say, I think if we get to an FA Cup final, then it's a real feat for the squad. Because I think we will rotate in those games. I just, I can't really see a world where we don't, you know. I think that the intensity of the schedule at that point in time, unless, of course, we sprung a surprise in, you know, against Leverkusen over two legs, you know, we can't say anything for granted. So who knows? Who knows? Well, look, it's one of those where it's a bridge you cross when you come to it. So we'll wait and see what the draw holds a bit later on. I don't think we can throw it, though.

47:51I really don't see that. No, no, no, no, no, no. You can't. You just can't. Any team that is willing to actually throw a game is not a team that's going to do what you need them to do in key moments. You just can't do that. But I do understand why people will be looking at the FA Cup as the sort of lowest priority, which I get. And if we're drawn at the Etihad, for example, or Anfield, you know I think most people's money would be maybe we go out just because like I think it won't be as much of a priority for us as it might be for certain other teams the Arsenal team that day will be you know Kepa, Salmon, Dowman, Dixon, Steve Steve's mate Steve's mate who knows a lad around the corner who can play you know yeah so I think a lot will depend on the draw But let's see, you know, so far, so far, so good on that front.

48:49Okay. All right. We're going to take a little break here. We will come back with your questions and more in part two right after this.

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50:29Welcome 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 at arseblog.com. Also on the ArseBlog Discord chat server, which you get access to if you are an Arseplug member on Patreon. I'm going to go first if that's all right. A couple of questions about Max Dowman. A lot of questions about Max Dowman, actually. Dan AFC says, Is Max already comfortably the best dribbler in the team? And does this point to a wider issue with regards to the gaps in our attack and recruitment? And John Larkin says, After his performance on Saturday and the injuries we seem to be picking up, is there a genuine chance that Downman plays some significant minutes before the end of the season?

51:17We had a lot of questions like that last one, didn't we? Expectations for him between now and May. I think let's deal with the dribbling thing first. Is he the best in the squad? I don't know. I think Nani is a very good dribbler. And I think the data backs it up in terms of how frequently he carries the ball, how successfully he does it. I know anecdotally it may appear quite chaotic at times, but I think... Anecdotally. Anecdotally with my own eyes. Yeah, sure. But I do think that he is pretty effective carrying the ball. Whatever your eyes may tell you, Andrew. Do not trust your eyes. Believe me.

52:05Eyes, what's that? eyes, fuck, I've got lies, damn lies, and statistics. I was trying to work eyes into that. I couldn't figure out how to do it. damn eyes, and statistics. That's it. But I do think it's clearly one of Max's, maybe his real superpower. The close control on a, like a ridiculously bad pitch. Well, not ridiculously bad, but a very different pitch from the one they're used to playing on at London Colney and at the Emirates. And in Premier League terms, you know, The way he was able to manage that, I think, was really, really impressive on top of all the other moments he had in the game.

52:43I loved, by the way, his little bit of footwork in the penalty box in the first half to create a chance for Gabriel Martinelli. I don't know if you remember the moment, but he kind of takes the ball on the instep of his left foot then immediately plays a reverse pass with his right. And Martinelli's just overlapping and I think fires into the side netting. but it reminded me of a Cesc Fabregas assist at White Hart Lane. Oh, for Freddie? For Freddie, yeah. Just like a really cute little reverse pass. Sadly, Martinelli couldn't finish it. But I do think his ability in small spaces is superb. And I think he's deceptively quick as well.

53:26I think the speed at which he carries the ball makes him very, very difficult to defend against. and I think we've seen that bear fruit when he's played for the first team with penalties and free kicks and people not quite being able to handle him within the rules at any rate. As for what it means, I'm not sure. I wouldn't put anything past him. I keep thinking back to, it's ever such a long time ago now, Andrew, but I keep thinking back to Anfield and that was right at the start of the season I think I'm right in saying was it August, September? Yeah and Mikel brought Max on in that game ahead of Ethan maybe?

54:20ahead of Ethan and Trossard he brought him on as a substitute in the sort of dying moments of that one. When he was 15, and yes, he was coming off the back of a good pre-season, but the fact that he used him in a game of that magnitude makes me think he would do so again. And I think, you know, Mikel's never going to say this explicitly, but I do wonder if that capacity to draw fouls would have been a big factor in that. I think, you know, Max running at fullback, getting into the penalty area, is a pretty promising position for Arsenal. I mean, I think he's got just a little bit of X factor, which might be to do with, to an extent, might be to do with his age and how, not that people are unfamiliar with him, right?

55:21But he hasn't played a huge amount, so there is that. but also the way he plays and the talent he has and what he tries to do with the ball. We've often talked about individualism at Arsenal and maybe that there's room for players who have the ability to express themselves technically with a bit of skill, whether it's a run or a shot from distance, whatever it might be, that we could do with a bit of that from time to time. So I kind of think that what he did in this game, maybe it's no surprise to Mikel Arteta, But I think if he's willing to put him on at 15 years of age at Anfield in the context that you laid out, I think what he did on Saturday, albeit against that opposition, but I think you also have to hold it up against what some of his other teammates did, some of his more experienced and senior teammates did.

56:12I think it will make Mikel Arteta more likely to use him in the final stages of this season. Maybe not from the start, but certainly from the bench. We had a sort of clear question on it from Pidol on Blue Sky, who said, over or under eight appearances for Dowman between now and the end of the season. I mean, I'm going to say under because... Same. You know, there aren't that many games left. You know, on the schedule, not bearing in mind the cup ties that we might have, I think there's only, what, 11 games left in all competitions. One, two, three, four. What have we got? Eight in the Premier League.

56:53Eight in the league. Two Champions League minimum. A Carabao. A Carabao, an FA Cup tie. So the 13-14. So, you know, I think... Probably looking at 15, 16, I don't know. You know, it's anything, 11 and up, isn't it? Yeah, I'm going to say under. I'm going to say under. But I do think he will be involved. Yeah. I think I will err on the side of under as well. But I think he could make half a dozen appearances. Because also you don't know if we do get a kind FA Cup draw. Could that be another start? If we have a Champions League game where we're fortunate enough to be in a very commanding position for the second leg, Will he get minutes in that competition?

57:40All those kinds of things could influence proceedings. But I also think Mikel has already shown that he is prepared to use him when he needs a difference maker. And I wouldn't rule out that happening again. And it was interesting as well, by the way, to see him played in a central area in this game. Because so far, when he's been with the first team, he's predominantly played off the right, hasn't he? this is very much where they view him in the long term okay well we'll see what happens but you know a very positive weekend for Max Salmon yeah okay this is from Charlie and Charlie says goodly morning following on from this morning's blog which was about rest and fatigue is that fair to say yeah Charlie says do you think it's time for Arteta to channel his inner Fergie and use some dark arts for the international break.

58:41Of course players want to play, but it seems too risky given our aspirations. I am dreading this international break. We dread them all, Andrew. Yeah, but this one in particular, because they're not competitive games. At least you can sort of compartmentalise the idea that players are going to play in important games, qualifying games for their countries. Most of these games are not, right? There's some playoff games, isn't that right? I think so, yeah. I think maybe like Christian Norgard and one or two others are in playoff games. Which, of course, they're going to play. Like, you know, I don't think you can stop a player playing in a playoff to participate in a World Cup.

59:25No, and I wouldn't worry too much about Christian Norgard. You know, he hasn't played a huge amount, so there's not going to be a great deal of fatigue. I think Norgard could play against Ireland. Is that right? If Ireland beat Czech Republic, then... Denmark have North Macedonia. And if Denmark beat North Macedonia, that playoff final would be Christian Norgard against Ireland. Just him. The Andrew Mang and Derby. But I think, you know, for players like, I'm thinking Rice, I'm thinking Zubimendi, I'm thinking Saka, Saliba, Gabriel, you know, these guys. There's no jeopardy around their places in the World Cup.

1:00:16No. You know what I mean? So I'm really hoping that managers who are, you know, going to go to the World Cup with their teams will look at players like that who are established players and think, I know what he brings. I know what he can give me.

1:01:01in these games and these friendly games, happen but we the people demand Steve Stone is given a last shot at the World Cup yeah but Kiyosaka can sit these ones out you know but but to sort of go back to the question do I see Mikel Arteta I don't know do I see him sort of encouraging his players to say no I can't do it I'm not sure you know what it is there's like a the Carabao Cup final is the last game before the before the break so everyone's going to want to be fit for that so you can sort of sit players out of that game and then say actually you know what they can't play I would be delighted if the day after we win the Carabao Cup final hopefully there's a sort of Declan Rice Bukayo Saka oh they picked up a little knock in training or picked up a little knock in the nightclub celebrating the Carabao Cup win you know a post-match celebratory trampolining party for example something where we can plausibly go they're all injured guys they are all injured they're going to miss international duty with a hangover shouldn't have gone paintballing with no helmets or goggles I would like to see it I would like to see it But I think it's going to be one of those where probably we're just going to have to sit around and whatever God you believe in, pray or give sacrifices or make concessions, light the candles, all of that kind of stuff and hope people come back safe and sound.

1:02:48Because, you know, after that, it is just the entire run into the end of the season. We need all hands on deck. yes or hands off deck as my message to England would be I think yeah I mean Mikel and Tukul apparently have a decent relationship and that's been alluded to a few times in press conferences and stuff if I'm Mikel I am picking up the phone and saying look the best thing for England's World Cup is to give Declan Rice and Bakayosaka a rest at this point and look at the day to look how much football they've played particularly in rice's case it's crazy um how much football there still is to play in the champions league and premier league and world cup to come after that you don't need there's nothing to learn about these players and england at this point there are many others who they need to look at and actually some of our players are within that camp you know someone like madueke or someone like ezer they're kind of you know they're not certainties for England.

1:03:55So it makes sense that they would go and compete and demonstrate their value. But the ones that you listed that we, that we know they're going to be there. There's no need. There's just no need. And I think it's in, obviously my interests are Arsenal's interests, but I genuinely think it's in everyone's interests for them to get a break. No, I agree with that. I think common sense should apply, but if we know anything about football and football managers, yeah, It's that common sense is a very, very rare commodity, unfortunately. So we'll wait and see. What about this one? From the Discord, Wcampo33.

1:04:34He said, as this will likely be the longest season in Arsenal history, an educated guess, I think we should look at it as a marathon. With that in mind, I've heard the most difficult stretch in a marathon is not the final one, but miles 16 to 22. Someone who runs them once said that this was the period during which he was in agony, and yet the finish line was still far away. So he only focused on maintaining forward momentum, nothing more. Then once he hit mile 22, he tried to self-motivate and dig deep. Is it safe to say that Arsler currently at mile 18 or so? And after the March interlull, we might see some more inspired performances, especially with a more fit Kai and hopefully Martin Odegaard.

1:05:20I like that premise certainly I think the one distinction is like I think it's easy enough to think of the Premier League as a marathon but the weird thing about football is like when you get into the final stretch of this marathon they start adding other stuff on top like an FA Cup semi-final or something it's like while you're doing that marathon could you come and have a go at shot put as well and that's why things fall by the wayside but I sort of agree in the oh man, I mean this would look so foolish if I'm proven to be wrong but I kind of do feel that once we get to the March international break there is a possibility that we'll be kind of over the hump that's not to say that something like the Premier League will be a formality or anything like it They've got tough games to run.

1:06:12But I just think, I suppose with the potential psychological boost of a trophy under our arm or above our head, as it were, as well, yeah, for some reason I am sort of optimistic that we might have a bit more freedom. I even think if the gap to Manchester City stays what it is or widens further, I think that will bring a bit of freedom as well to our play. You know, I think that gives us a confidence and a bit of breathing space. Yeah, I'm optimistic that there's better things to come. It's been quite, you know, listen, the results have been amazing. The achievements have been fantastic. But as fans watching it, it's been quite torturous at times.

1:07:02I just think it's going to be a marathon all the way through, to be honest. I think it's... Oh, no. Yeah, sorry about that. I want to hear that. Yeah, well, it is what it is, but maybe we're well suited for the long distance run. You know, we've shown that. I do think there's a huge psychological aspect to it as well. You know, that was what I thought was quite interesting about that. That question there is the idea that you've got to be in your own head and you've got to be able to dig deep. And, you know, if you've run 24 miles, you've still got two miles to run no matter how hard you've trained that's going to take a lot out of you right it's going to hurt and you have to be able to sort of perform and dig in and just keep going through that through that pain um physical and mental whatever it might be i i think that is going to be something we uh we have to deal with yes i agree um okay can i ask you a Question about Leverkusen?

1:08:02Sure. So Apney Man on Blue Sky says, Goodly morning, gents. Presuming Zubamendi and Rice play in the double pivot, what is your starting front four against Leverkusen and why? Okay, so Rice, Zubamendi, I think it's going to be Saka. I think it's going to be Jokarez. I think it's going to be Eza in the Odegaard position because I'm not sure if Odegaard is going to be available. Or if he is, he probably isn't ready to start. And I think...

1:08:39I think it's probably going to be Martinelli. Given Trossard went off in the last game. If Trossard's available, it wouldn't surprise me to see him start. And I guess some people might look at maybe putting Matuweke out there as a potential wild card. I've seen him fight it, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But I think it'll probably be Martinelli. What do you reckon? I think I agree with you, but... Yeah, I mean, if they have 10 minutes in training between now and Leverkusen, Maduweke on the left is maybe something I would look at or try. Speaking of the left-hand side, I have another question for you, Andrew.

1:09:23Okay. It's from Ebwe. and Ebwe says, is Calafuri an Italian Tomiasu that we can't rely upon going forward? I just had that question open, actually. Really? Yeah, I mean, I think it's an understandable question. I agree. I agree. Listen, I don't need to reiterate what a good player I think he is, because I think he is, but certainly the... I mean, the injuries are a bit different. I mean, Tomiyasu ended up with a really, really bad, bad injury, right? A bad injury. A career-threatening injury as well. Tomiyasu's not there, but the frequency of the injuries since the turn of the new year, basically.

1:10:13Because I think he played a lot up until, like, the end of December, more or less, right? Or the start of December, anyway. and after that you know they've they've picked up a little bit and it does make you wonder you know is that sustainable is that something you can uh you can deal with maybe just a little bit too early to say it but i completely understand why people have that impression or that fear if that's the right way of putting it yeah i think i mean if he misses any football with this one I think it'll be the ninth injury of his time with Arsenal which is not a good number and I think Calafiore by the way was absolutely brilliant in the first couple of months of the season and I think that his loss has hurt us considerably I think that he brought a kind of variety and unpredictability even from left back that made a real difference I know Pierre-Eincapier has kind of grown into that role recently but he does play it in a very very different way but I am at a point with Califuri where I do worry I do just worry about his capacity to stay fit, I had that worry when he signed because a lot of people said when he signed you know there's a real history of significant injuries there, and that can often have kind of knock-on effect down the line.

1:11:50I desperately hope he can put it behind him because I think he's so brilliant to watch. But when he goes down now, there is that feeling of like, here we go again, you know? It feels sort of predictable. And I think history does show that Mikhail Arteta, he tires of that, I think. You know, when you look at the way he handled people like Kiritini or Oleksandr Zinchenko, you know, when players have had consistent regular injuries, he's almost made a special case of Calafiore in some ways because durability is so important to him. And almost every signing he makes, he talks about availability and how many games they've played.

1:12:40and resistance to injury. I think Calafuri's ability is so exceptional. He was kind of prepared to gamble and look beyond that. Yeah, you'd have to say it does appear to be a problem for him. On the Discord, Wishful Llama says, what do you make of Gabriel Jesus? Does he have anything to offer the team anymore? And are we headed towards another contract termination this summer? Yeah, he's not out of contract this summer, is he? He's got another year after that, I think I'm right in saying. Well, I kind of said this in part one where I will fully admit to sort of being pretty hyped about Gabriel Jesus when he came back.

1:13:24And I'm not sure how much that was about Gabriel Jesus and how much it was about Victor Jokeres at the time, who was not really performing.

1:13:36in the fullness of time and having seen more and more of him I think it is clear that he's not the player he was I suspect Arsenal will be quite keen to move him on in the summer because he's not on a small salary and I think they probably feel that could be allocated better. Is it headed towards a contract termination? Hmm. I really hope not. That would be a bad outcome, I think. I'd like to think we could find somebody within the Premier League or abroad who would take Jesus for a fee. I don't expect a big fee, but a fee would be great. Because a contract termination would not be cheap in the circumstances?

1:14:33No, no. But, you know, it's hard. I think it's quite hard right now to see anybody cuffing up any kind of serious money for Gabriel Jesus based on what we're seeing from him. Like the two goals he scored were lovely, but they were the fourth goals in games we were already winning comfortably, you know? I mean, to be fair though, like, if you look at the Zinchenko case as a, an example, like even a loan of Gabriel Jesus where someone takes over his salary is preferable to us paying him out, you know? Sure. So I think that would be a real last resort. I don't even, I can't see Arsenal taking that route.

1:15:16I think they, I reckon Andre Oberta will, you know, probably already be trying to sound out possible destinations. I think he should be, yeah. I think he should be. because, yeah, he's not the player he was in 2022. He's never been the same player since that injury at the World Cup. And I think this last one, you know, with a year out, as nice as the story is for him to come back, I think it's clear it's had a big impact on him, right? What I would say, though, is I think that the talent is there for him maybe to have a moment or two in what remains of this season? I do hope that's the case. I think he absolutely is capable.

1:16:08I'm not saying we shouldn't see him in an Arsenal shirt again or anything like it. I think he's got a part to play between now and the end of the season and I could see him delivering some big moments. Do I think that he's kind of a reliable, durable option option and an appropriate investment of that level of salary probably not um but that's a question for the summer for sure um speaking of washed brazilians um that's i don't mean that i like gabbro so i think he's good but jack rice uh says thoughts on edu leaving forest so soon after joining them. Do you think we'd have built the same size and quality of squad if he was still with us?

1:16:56Probably not. I think he, I mean, I guess the way we operated last summer was a club decision, right? It was decided collectively that this is what we needed to do to build a squad to win the league. So he probably would have been part of that. Would it have been what it is or as effective? Probably not. I don't think so. He had his own way of doing things. I think Berta is maybe a bit more businesslike.

1:17:31My thoughts on him leaving Nottingham Forest, not really surprised. It hasn't gone well there. I don't know to what extent he is held responsible for some of the managerial decisions, some of the recruitment decisions that they've made. And I think that guy's a fucking lunatic anyway, Maranakis. Like I never quite understood how Edu thought that relationship was going to go. Like they seem completely at odds personality wise to me. Because Edu, whatever you say about him, is a very affable guy, very charismatic, right? can hold a room, very friendly, and that guy's mental, who looks like he wants to kill people.

1:18:19You know, you see him sometimes in the stands and the camera cuts to him, and you can see him going, which one of these players will I kill? Which one will I murder with my bare hands when I go down to the dressing room? Who can forget the Morgan Gibbs-White hostage video? Well, that's exactly it, Mr. Maranakis, Mr. Maranakis. I mean, to be fair, he did save him from Tottenham, So he owes him a debt of gratitude. That's his true. He owes him his life, yeah. You know, so he made the right decision for Morgan Gibbs, Wyatt and for Nottingham Forest in that regard. But clearly the way it played out was very, very funny.

1:18:54I mean, yeah, just not surprised. It's a crazy club run by a guy who, you know, has very distinct ideas about what he wants. And I'm not sure Edu was ever aligned properly with those. no I mean you know if you swim with the sharks don't be surprised if one turns around and bites you and I think that's a little bit what's happened at Nottingham Forest I think there have been questionable decisions on Edu's part around signings I think he's actually been excluded from quite a lot of decisions as well from what I hear which is also problematic and I think Maranakis is not adverse to taking matters into his own hands I would, you know, in a quiet moment over a barbecue, I would love to ask Edu whether he has regrets at this point in time.

1:19:52Because he was part of the rebuilding of this squad and to an extent this club, working in conjunction with Mikel Arteta. and we may be on the precipice of kind of our final destination, you know, arriving where we've wanted to be all this time and potentially some big celebrations, potentially lots of big credit being handed out. And he kind of got off the boat, you know, a little bit premature. and unlike Tim Lewis for example Edu appeared to do so entirely voluntarily yeah and I think he felt he was going into a role with more money and more latitude and more authority but it obviously hasn't panned out at all and yeah I do wonder if he has regrets over that I think as to whether we would have built as good a squad with him maybe not like I think Bertha is incredibly efficient and practical in negotiations but I also think the key difference last summer was that the owners decided they were going to do everything they could to give Mikel Arteta what he wanted particularly after the January that we'd had I think there was a real determination to deliver in fact and go above and beyond to deliver the score squad yeah and i think that made andrew burt's job probably quite a lot easier than eddie's job in some respects where i think there was a lot more back and forth and you know negotiating over finer details i think um it was harder to get stuff done a lot of the time uh the fact that the cronkies and indeed tim lewis were like you know we're gonna go all out this summer I think that helped a lot yeah but you know yeah just sort of Penny Freddy's thoughts really I yeah he is a good guy and I feel a little sad for him to be frank I'm sure he has received a a reasonable amount of compensation for his short tenure and let's not forget in the midst of this he spent six months on barbecuing leave So another six months on barbecuing leave.

1:22:23Yeah. I think my pity may be misplaced. Yeah. And he's gone, this was the greatest year of my life. Quite possibly, Andrew. I mean, you know, yeah, he's, and to be fair to him, like when he's not at the city ground, he does appear to be a man who enjoys his life. So I imagine he'll be fine. I think he'll do all right. I think he will do all right. But, okay, what about this one? I thought this was quite an interesting one. If I can find it. Oh, God almighty. Why can't I find it?

1:23:00Here we are from Alex Armstrong on Blue Sky, alexarmstrong.bsky.social. And he says, if we win one of the big ones this year, fingers crossed, et cetera, et cetera, it would feel like the culmination of the last few years of the project, which is what you just said. Now imagine you get one honorary medal to give to someone who is no longer with the team. Who would you give it to? Well, I've got to give it to Edu now. You've talked him up so much. I think for me it would have to be Jason Ato. No, I don't know. I think it's a really good question because there are many who've played their part who aren't with the club anymore.

1:23:52I know if I was Mikel Arteta, I would feel I owed Emile Smith-Rowe a medal because I don't think Mikel Arteta would still be here necessarily were it not for the impact Emile Smith-Rowe made in that dark, dark... That's a good shout. That is a good shout. What about you? I was thinking about Smith Rowe as well.

1:24:21Hard to get Austin Trusty out of your mind as well. The Cedric impact, all of those things. It's hard, you know, because there are plenty of players who maybe played a part to help get the team to another level. I do wonder, you know, some people won't like it, but I do wonder if maybe Granit Xhaka might be a candidate for that. Yeah. You know, I know he chose to leave, et cetera, et cetera, but he did in that season, the first title challenging season, play a big part and his experience was something and certainly the relationship he had with the fans was, you know, something that turned around from something very dark to something very positive for the most part.

1:25:08So, yeah, I think about him maybe. Yeah, I think Kieran Tierney. Yeah, Kieran Tierney would be a good shout as well, you know, just in terms of someone who brought a seriousness to the team at a time when it really needed it, you know. Yeah. And of course, who could forget Neto? I could. I did. I think Edu and Neto should have their own ceremony. You know what I mean? Where they lift the trophy together. Yeah, I mean, yeah, it's a good question that. For me, Smith Rowe, yeah, I think he just, you know, he was so important in that period, and it didn't end for him how we all wanted. But also, bear in mind, we saw him on the bus, didn't we, for Fulham the other day.

1:26:03Yeah, yeah, doing the Ocarus. Doing the Ocarus celebration and watching the derby. Yeah, there's a, you know, they could share it around, And couldn't they, the Halon boys, himself and Iwobi, could have it one week and give it to Bernd Leno for a week? I'm imagining the answer to this question is going to be no, because I think it was on a platform that featured Jake Humphrey. But did you see any clips of the Alex Iwobi high-performance interview? I saw one clip this morning where he was talking about Bukayo Saka. And whoever clipped it up, they removed all trace of Jake Humphrey from it. So we give that person their Jews, their credit this morning because the world is fucking bad enough right now.

1:26:50We don't need Jay Comfrey on top of it. Yeah. The reason I mentioned I watched one clip of it, sadly, with some Jay Comfrey. I know. And it was about how he was sold from Arsenal and sort of obviously it's only one side of the story, but it was pretty unceremonious. It was like deadline day, he got a call, Everton are interested. And then the next thing he knew, he found out that Arsenal had sent his medical documents over to Everton, which was effectively the indicator of like, we're very open to this as a deal. And sort of how weird it was for him who'd been at Arsenal for, I think, a decade or so by that time, maybe longer.

1:27:38when was that transfer was that like 2019 yes it was it was deadline day 2019 so it was the summer that we bought Pepe and as you know that went brilliantly could we get him a medal maybe I don't know and yeah he we needed to bounce the books and obviously Everton came in with big money. I think it was a sort of a Kia Drabjian deal kind of brought to the table. Sorry, just a little... A tickle. You did say... A frog in my throat. Yeah. And, yeah, but it was just, do you know what, it was just a little bit sort of sad to hear Wobby sort of talking about finding out that Arsenal had sold him and, you know, having to go and live in a hotel in Liverpool and not knowing anybody.

1:28:34Sure. I do still have, I must admit, a soft spot for that player. I actually, I like him and I think he's had a good career. I agree. Like, he's played a lot. He's played a lot of Premier League football for Everton and for Fulham, scores some goals. He's got his own style, doesn't he? Mr. Sidefoot, Alex Iwobi. And on top of that, I think he seems like a really cool, grounded, young man, you know, particularly in the world of professional football where there is a level of ego and self-involvement, perhaps, with some people. But he seems to be just a really nice guy as well. So I'm very pleased for him that, you know, the career he's had since he left Arsenal has been as successful as it has been for him.

1:29:25You know, on a personal level, I know he's not sort of winning trophies and stuff, but he's playing every week for Fulham, played every week for Everton. I think he was their player of the season one of the years as well. So, you know, he's just a good pro. Yeah. You know, a credit to the academy. It is a credit to the academy, yeah. Because a lot of these players go out and they don't find it easy to get that game time. But he has been a consistent Premier League player for quite some time now. Yeah. I won't, sadly, I won't be watching the full interview for aforementioned reasons. No, me neither.

1:30:00Me neither. If someone's prepared to do an edit of that hour and a half interview, which entirely scrubs Jake Humphrey from it, then I may be able to watch it. Do you know what? Maybe they could, you know, not that I'm advocating the use of AI or anything like that, but they could just swap out Jake Humphrey for some kind of avatar with a weird, funny voice. And maybe it might make it more watchable, you know? Yeah, yeah, yeah. That'd be good. Yeah. That'd be good. Like SpongeBob or something. I think anybody really would be more it would okay well listen I think we should probably leave it there and get this podcast out for everybody to listen to you're away to Germany tomorrow Arsenal are playing Bayer Leverkusen obviously on Wednesday and you're out to cover that yes I am maybe see some of you out there so press conference on Tuesday night and a game early on Wednesday evening don't forget that guys if you're finishing work we've got an early kick off on Wednesday.

1:31:00It is the early kickoff. No 30 on Patreon this week because there's no Premier League action because there was an FA Cup weekend, but we will keep an eye on the draw a little later on. We'll bring you all the news on that over on Arseblog News, and I think we'll put together a bit of a preview podcast for our Champions League round of 16 game against Bayer Leverkusen. We'll do that for you tomorrow. Patreon.com forward slash Arseblog for now, wherever you are in the world, take it easy, look after yourselves. Thank you for being here as always and we will catch you on the next one bye-bye

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