Arsecast Extra Episode 688 - 30.03.2026

0:00Immersing yourself in all things soccer ahead of this summer's World Cup? I'm Alex Avnos, senior sports editor from The Guardian. Whether you're a soccer beginner or you know the game inside and out, we've got you covered. From one of the fastest-growing soccer newsrooms, The Guardian brings you in-depth World Cup coverage that gets into the winners and losers on and off the pitch. Read, watch and listen as our journalists connect the dots between the games, the cultures and this political moment. We'll have daily newsletters throughout the tournament, a global perspective and a squad of Americans, including me, on the ground with the U.S.

0:32national team. Plus, if you want to test your soccer knowledge, try On The Ball. It's a game in the Guardian app, and it's really, really fun. And if you're into stuff like this... Well, I think the problem is if you give footballers an inch, they will take a mile. Is it too much when it's this close? It's a bit much. It's a bit too real. Maybe you could just talk with a slight delay. Be sure to listen to our Football Weekly podcast for on-the-move expert analysis. The Guardian, bringing you the whole picture on soccer. Search Guardian Soccer for more.

1:12Hello and welcome to another Arsecast Extra. As always, we're James from Gunner Block. James, good morning to you. Good morning to you, Andrew. How are you today? I'm uninjured, you know, which is, I think, rare at this particular... What's the word I'm looking for? juncture that's the word i was looking for throw in a juncture in the opening 20 seconds of a podcast how about that i'm uninjured i'm on that's great how are you great i'm good i've just got back from holiday uh where were you anywhere nice i i went to france for a few days with the family okay truth be told andrew i'd originally planned on going for a fortnight but i felt a niggle early on.

2:01You withdrew from the holiday. Lifting a suitcase. I just felt something. Just clutched at a muscle and thought, best to get home for further assessment. Yes. Medical assessment. We'll have to monitor your progress and see how you are for the weekend, I guess. So, yeah. Did you... I did have an Arsenal encounter on my way home. Okay. I got the Eurostar back from Paris, or as the train conductor insisted on calling it throughout, I think he called it the Pleasure Express or something like that. Anyway, I kept saying. You know when you get a train conductor who's a bit, like, wacky, who's sort of auditioning for, like, who thinks maybe they're going to be talent spotted over the tannoy?

2:57He's looking for a job at Euro Disney, something like that. Exactly. Well, he'd be perfect. I mean, yeah, no stress on the Pleasure Express. He kept using that phrase. Hmm. It doesn't sound like any stress. Sounds lovely. But as I disembarked at Lille, changed to come home on the train from Lille, who should be there shuffling along the platform? But a tall, striking, handsome Frenchman. Okay. And my wife elbowed me and said, I think I recognize that man. And I said, number one, that alarms me. Number two, of course you do. It's none other than Olivier Giroud. Get the fuck out of here. Wow. In the flesh, in the beautiful flesh.

3:53Right. How's he looking? You know, he's obviously getting on in years, but does he still have that sort of aura around him? He does, yeah. 39 years young. Okay. Like me, actually. Christ. He looks better than me. We can say that much. And he, I sort of did a bit of, I didn't interrupt him. He was with his family. I didn't want to interrupt him and say anything. So I just sort of gawped at him and drooled within a few feet of his face. Respectfully. Respectfully drooled. Oi, Giroux! Is that you? No, it is. It's you, Giroux. Remember that Monaco game? Mistake chances. No, so I sort of did a bit of Googling because I was like, I don't really know what he's up to.

4:43He's at Lille, of course. That would make a lot of sense, wouldn't it? You know? Yeah. He's back in Liga after a spell in America. How's it going? I mean, is he still banging them in or is he sort of, you know, just scoring the odd one here and there? The odd one here and there. I think he started 17 games and scored about half a dozen goals. Okay. Not a disastrous tally by any means. He's not in the French international squad any longer. Yeah. He retired, I think, in 2024, although he may go to the World Cup as a commentator. is the chat. Okay. He's yet to declare whether he will play on into what will be, I guess, his 41st year.

5:32Blimey. Blimey. In 2026. Yeah, I mean, it is kind of, because Camille asked me, she was like, so when was he at Arsenal? And the reality is a very long time ago now. I mean, a decade or so ago. Right, good. Because he left in January, didn't he? when in order to get the Obama Yang deal done, we had to sell Giroud. 2018. And he's really, I mean, he's almost had a kind of second career in some way since then. Yeah, went to Milan. Went to Milan, went to America, went to that other place that we don't talk about. but yeah it was good to see Olivier Giroud in the flesh what a treat for me alright amazing amazing I had no Arsenal encounters this weekend which is not unsurprising given where I live no we actually had a note on the discord from one of our listeners okay saying that they had an Arsenal encounter I'm just going to see if I can find it right um not a question says gregors 5966 but i met eze today at work and he's a lovely person and then i clicked on his profile and it says surgeon specializing in amputation there we go i saw that one and i thought he was just part of the um the sausage roll empire Greggers, you know.

7:09That makes sense. It would make sense, yeah. Yes, a lot of injuries, Andrew. Or, I mean... Or not. I'm doing the little rabbit fingers when I say injuries. I think maybe one or two might be injuries, and then there might be some common sense being applied to the situations that we find ourselves in. I think it's 10 players now in total who have withdrawn from international duty, either having gone away, not gone away at all, or come back when they have gone away. I think I might have already said that. I think it might be 11, but it might be a full team's worth. The list I've got in front of me is, I suppose it depends what you're counting, but as they technically pulled out of the squad.

8:03Tim Brown. I, Madueke, Timber, Saka, Zubamendi, Trossard, Saliba, Gabriel, Incapier. Ah, Odegaard they've got here listed as the 11th, but I'm not sure that counts. No, he was, you can't withdraw when you've never been inserted? Quite right, Andrew. Welcome to Biology with Andrew Mangan. Learning about the reproductive system. Well, I just meant that, you know, he hadn't been playing, so he wasn't included in the Norwegian live squad. Who can imagine a news outlet exaggerating a story around Arsenal? Can I just, you know, in case there's a bit of background noise here, I don't know if you can hear it or if people can hear it on the recording.

8:59I hope not. I'm trying to minimize it as much as possible. But I've got the painters in, basically. For the first time since I moved into this house, we're getting the exterior of the thing painted. It's a hell of a job. Yeah. I can't hear it for what it's worth, so I doubt they can. I can sort of hear it in my headphones, but I'm hoping that it isn't really picked up on the microphone. So, yeah, so that's it. I can't hear it. But then a man in a coffee shop just now asked me what my name was three times, and I did not know what he was saying. So I don't know if I'm the best judge. He just kept saying, name?

9:34And I went, no. As if, like, I didn't. I thought he was asking me about a loyalty card or something. And they said, can I have your name? And I was like, no, no, no, no, no. Were you paying attention? Were you distracted by your phone? Do you have bits of baguette in your ear from your French visit? What's going on there? Honestly, he did have quite a thick accent, but as part of the woke brigade, I am pitting it all on myself. Right. You know? Of course. Of course. But I did deny this man the opportunity to know my name twice. So I feel bad about that. Okay. In the end. You're having the outside of the house.

10:12Yeah, the outside. Yeah. Yeah. Like all the exterior. Red, of course. No. I can't have a big red house. That would not be good. Just white. But, you know, it's one of those where every time I come home, I look at the windowsills and the paint is sort of peeling off them. And I go, oh, God, that looks terrible. I better get somebody in to do the painting. So I did a bit of Googling and found a guy called Tony. Tony Painting. That's his thing. So Tony Painting and his crew are outside now doing the painting, basically. So it is a little bit noisy. I'm going to see a Tony later. Yeah. Yeah. me and a few other journalists are interviewing Tony Adams.

10:57Right. So, yeah, I look forward to that chat. Better than... Different Tonys. Yeah, better than interviewing, I don't know, Tony DiRigo. Yeah, or indeed the house painter. Not to be disrespectful, but I don't know how much insight he'd be able to provide on Arsenal's title charge. No. And that's what you're interviewing Tony Adams about, is it? No, that's not what he thinks. He thinks I'm interviewing him about his book. Okay. he's in for a surprise right the old switcheroo what other Tonys could you be interviewing Tony Hawk would be good if we were involved in skateboarding that would be good that would be good yeah that would be good Tony Tony Soprano of course Tony Soprano yeah a few difficulties there one him not being real and there's another fairly fundamental one as well there's a big reason yeah James James Gandolfini's fundamental unavailability for interviews moving forward.

11:54Anyway, good luck with that, Tony. Could be an interesting one. I wonder, will he wear a big red suit like you'd like my house painted? He wore a big orange suit at the Carabao Cup final, didn't he? He likes a colourful suit, doesn't he? He does like a colourful suit. I was thinking, yeah, I was thinking about what to wear to meet Tony Adams. I have met him before, but for this particular interview. And then I thought, it doesn't really matter what I wear. He'll upstage me. Yeah, you can't add to him. He was a big, I want to say it was kind of tangerine coloured that he wore at the Carabao Cup final.

12:27Right. Did you see it? I sort of saw a picture, but a lot of my memory of the Carabao Cup is now wiped from my mind. Well, should we talk about that? It feels like it didn't. Again? It feels a long time ago, doesn't it? We already talked about that last week. I don't want to talk about it again. That would just annoy me. No, no, I don't so much mean the game. Let's never speak of that again. Sure. I more mean kind of where it sits in your mind and in your heart one week on from that conversation. It is in the dustbin of history, I think, with pretty much every other League Cup final we've ever played.

13:07It's a big bin. And every trophy Man City have ever won. Yes, exactly. It's a big old bin. I don't know. I mean, listen, I was, you know, I think we got it out of our system a bit last week. this week has been, I think, you know, we talked in last week about maybe the interlull being useful, coming at the right time as a way of sort of forgetting about everything. And the sort of absence of any Arsenal stuff has been useful for me, I think, you know, so I'm still not that happy about it, but I'm not like, I'm not particularly upset anymore because, Because at this point, we have got bigger fish to fry.

13:45That was a goldfish. The Carabao Cup final was a goldfish. The FA Cup final is a trout of some kind. The Premier League is, I guess, the white whale. No? Okay. And then the Champions League. What's the Champions League? I would say... A Kraken. A what? A Kraken. is that a kraken that's not a fish but it is a sea creature of some kind i would say it's that what's that really fast one not like a sword it's like a swordfish a marlin oh it's kind of a cool fast zippy fish so i think that's the champions league but the white whale of course is the premier league which is what we're uh what we're going for if we have any players well so to come back to that should we go case by case i think we should because well listen there was some bits and bobs going on over the course of this international break some arsenal players involved in some important games and some arsenal players involved in some not uh not so important games and some arsenal players not involved at all because of withdrawals or lack of insertion or whatever it might be.

15:03Shall we talk Victor Jokeres for a sec? Hat trick for Sweden? Pretty decent. Pretty good. You know, if you want to get him into the goal scoring groove, that's a positive outcome for him and obviously for Sweden. Unless, of course, you subscribe to the belief that every striker has a finite number of goals, like women and eggs. and you'd, we are explaining a lot about the reproductive system today. I'm learning, I have to say, yes. Yeah. And it's like, you know how Gary Lineker would never score in the warm-up for fear of wasting his eggs? Yes. What if Victor Jokerez has wasted his eggs? has over-ovulated on international duty.

15:54You're just too fertile, Victor. yeah and now he returns to us but what if he's like a spent force what if he's like a frog and he just goes like with loads of eggs like loads of fucking eggs every morning everywhere yeah exactly this could be his his his frog era you know that's true he was frog like in portugal so in terms of productivity yep so fingers crossed anyway listen he was one of the guys who his games matter. Yes. One of the few. One of the few. And that means Sweden will take on Poland in the qualifying final or second round, whatever it is. Jakub Kivior's Poland, by the way, who is technically still an Arsenal player despite being at Porto.

16:48That deal is yet to be official. So he's on loan there. Yeah. The other Arsenal players involve over Riccardo Calafiori for Italy. They beat Northern Ireland to face Bosnia and Herzegovina. And Christian Norgard's Denmark will face Czechia after they beat the Republic of Ireland. Not a good World Cup week for the island of Ireland. No. Nor the British. Is there a name for like... Oh, don't, oh, don't. Let's not open this one up again.

17:30England and company. Is there a name for the two islands or the collection of islands that constitute England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic? Is there a name for all of that? The geographical name is the British Isles. It is, but I can't imagine the Irish love that as a name. No. No. So I'll just say it wasn't a good week for many of those nations within that geographic region in World Cup terms.

18:09Wales and both the Irish nations failed to make it. Yeah. Sad one. Sad one. It was. So those guys had actual stuff to do. And still have stuff to do because they're playing tomorrow night. Indeed. None of them against each other, though, right? No, apart from the Yaccaraz-Kivior thing. But Kivior, you know, he's sort of gone. My affections for Kivior have been loaned out with a view to a permanent transfer. Yeah. I mean, this is, I think, like an interesting little thing as well, isn't it? You know, we're worried about injuries. Do you remember when Russia didn't qualify for the World Cup and Andrei Arshavin was so sad he couldn't run ever again, basically?

19:02Yes, he ate his feelings. We've all been there. He did. He sat down with a big load of jammy Dodgers and Mr. Kiplings or whatever it was. And yeah, he was quite impacted by the fact that his country didn't make it to the World Cup. Do you worry that that might be something Mikel Arteta has to deal with? You know, let's say if Italy lose, if Denmark lose, I mean, it's a bit less. I mean, Norgard is a bit more peripheral, let's say, than Calafiore or Jokeres have been, and is maybe a bit more experienced. But like if Sweden lose to Poland, if Italy lose to Bosnia and Herzegovina, is that something Mikel Arteta is going to have to contend with?

19:42You know, he's got Calafiore back. It'll be three World Cups in a row that Italy haven't qualified for. Or is it a case of like, well, unlucky lads, get your fucking head back in the game? Is that right? Would it be three World Cups in a row? Yeah. Wow, because, you know, historically, of course, they're one of the great nations, aren't they, of international football?

20:07I think the Arshivan case is interesting. I think he's relatively unusual in quite how much it seemed to impact him. And when we consider why that might have been, you know, he was a player who was coming off an extraordinary performance in the Euros. and was kind of at the peak of his powers, was the sort of face of his nation in footballing terms and I think understood sort of the significance to Russia of that World Cup potentially. So it was particularly painful for him. So if, like, for example, Califiori and Italy don't make it, I'm sure he'll be sad, but at his age, there is a chance that Italy do eventually qualify for a World Cup again.

21:01Yes. His moment may come. Exactly. He may get his international eggs flowing again. Exactly. Norgard, I sort of think, as you sort of very politely suggested, I think Christian Norgard's mood may not topple the dressing room.

21:25and Jokeres would be the one that you would worry because he's so important to Sweden. Like, you know, he is very much front and centre in their team, in their plans. He is the age. Yeah, sorry, sorry. Sorry, you know, I was just saying he is the age, like peak age. It's his time. It's his year. But I think what we know about Jokeres and what we've seen of him, like a lot of goal scorers, he seems quite unflappable in some ways I think he's very he sort of seems to be you know Arteta's spoken about his kind of dead-eyed stare and his almost kind of Terminator-like personality so I suspect he would probably shake off the disappointment relatively easily Did you see the little clip that was doing the rounds of Jocheres before he takes a penalty?

22:25Possibly not, actually. Okay, I'll send this through to you. It's a GIF, so don't worry about sound or anything like that. I'll fire it through to your WhatsApp, and it's sort of him just before he's about to take the penalty, and he's sort of got this mad kind of grin on his face. Yeah. Which, you know, tallies to what you're talking about there a little bit. Yeah, I think he's that kind of character where you don't expect him to fluctuate too much between the highs and the lows. Would that be the right way of putting it? I don't think so. And actually, like, the secret of many goal scorers is that they just don't allow the previous chance, the previous miss, should we say, to affect them.

23:14You know, they just focus on the next thing. It's almost like beneficial to have a bit of a goldfish memory with these things. And he, yeah, he is a very unflappable guy. So I think I'm not too worried about the Arshavin effect. Flash forward to six months from now, Victor Jokerez, 27 stone.

23:41You know, hobbling about the pitch, weeping. But, you know, as champion, so that will be fine. That is true, actually. And frankly, he can do what he wants. Yeah. Let's talk about England then, because there was a bit going on there. Before we get to Nani Marweke, we could talk about Ben White and a bit of a surprise recall to the England squad. And it caused, obviously, some consternation among some of the usual suspects

24:14who haven't forgiven Ben White for what they consider to be turning his back on his country because he hates the badge, he hates the shirt, he hates the very ground, he hates lions, he hates the queen, the king, he hates all of it, you know, and that's evident because... He hates Bruce Forsyth. All great British institutions he loathes. But he was back in the fold. Back in the fold. And on the score sheet for England, he was introduced as a substitute and there were boos. And he was greeted after scoring his goal with some more boos. And then there was an incident at the end of the game where he gave away a penalty.

24:58And there were probably some boos for that as well. I mean, listen, I think everybody, well, not everybody knows. because if everybody knew why it was he chose not to play for England, he wouldn't be getting this kind of hard time from sections of the fan base who are informed by sections of the media who are winding them up to no extent or to no end rather. I mean, as an Englishman, mostly, you know, what's your take on Ben White being back? I was a bit surprised, actually. Not from... Look, I know he's sort of made clear a little while ago now that he would be willing to be considered for selection again.

25:47But I was a little bit surprised to see him get the call kind of this close to the World Cup. But especially given that he's not played a great deal with Arsenal of late. But there's no doubting his quality when he's fully fit and when he's on it. it's a shame to see the boos i thought thomas tuchel in his press conference he kind of spoke vaguely around the topic of ben white and the reaction but one thing he said is he i think he was asked whether ben white should talk about it publicly and he kind of said he thought he thought he should and i do think there may be some merit in that. I think the gap in people's knowledge or understanding, they may be filled with quite a superficial impression of who Ben White is.

26:41And while I would completely understand his reticence or his reluctance to kind of rake over old ground, I think if he's going to be an England player moving forward, it's something that's worth addressing. once. I think you do one interview on it or one press conference where you talk about it and actually you probably never have to talk about it again but it's just, you've dealt with it Maybe, maybe as well he doesn't feel like it's anyone's business or he doesn't want to as you say, write up old Yeah, maybe drag up old stories and stuff Is this a thing that will just happen forever now for Ben White or is it just this one time that he's come back I think Tuchel spoke quite well, actually, you know, and he talked about, you know, how he has the support and people deserve a second chance.

27:33He's not put a foot wrong. Some of the England players as well came out to back him. Like, is it just one of those things that needed to be got out of the way for the England fans? And then sort of everybody moves on because, you know, what's the point in fucking booing Ben White in the first place? But what's the point in continuing to boo him for no good reason? You know, if he'd done something particularly egregious, I can understand it. You know, I don't necessarily agree with it, but I can understand it. But, you know, I think other players have behaved worse, maybe on international duty or done worse things.

28:10And they don't get that stick, you know. But, yeah, I think that's fair. I think that's right. And as I say, I think people have quite a superficial idea of who this footballer is. and I think it's based on his look, you know, his demeanour, his on-field antics, but... His deep golden tan. His deep golden tan, yeah. And I think people probably make judgments around him based on that. And listen, maybe it's the journalist part of me that's like, just deal with it, just talk about it. But I think if he did, people would, he'd be humanised and people would maybe see his side of it a bit more. But he is quite reluctant generally to do that.

28:58He's not someone who is particularly forthcoming and we've all seen him be interviewed and it's not something I think he would approach with any relish. So it's a difficult one. Maybe it's just out of the way, as you say. Maybe that was just always going to happen and it will never happen again. I hope so for his sake. And he's still with the England squad, of course, because he's got a place to play for. Yes, certainly the door is ajar, at least for him, in terms of the World Cup, particularly as it looks like Tuchel is not on the Trent Alexander-Arnold train at all. So that's quite an interesting aspect of things.

29:41The other issue around England, of course, was the injury to Nani Matueke, who started the game the other night against Uruguay. Some pretty hefty tackles in this. There was one on Phil Foden, by the way. And look, obviously, I don't want Man City to do well at all, but I thought it was just a disgraceful challenge on Phil Foden. Matueke picked up an injury, left the ground in a brace, in a leg brace. And it was quite funny. I was sort of like, you know, people on social media and people in comments and stuff going, well, hopefully it's just precautionary. And I was like, yeah, hopefully, but it's not a good look, is it at all?

30:21When a guy goes out of the stadium in a knee brace, limping heavily, or a leg brace even, like, even if it is precautionary, it doesn't look good. So I'm a bit worried about the Matuweke one, and I do wonder to what extent you think the decision to let Declan Rice and Bakayo Saka go back to Arsenal, having joined up late with England, they've been sent back for medical assessments. Like my glass half full thing is like, right, they're just being sensible, just common sense. We know all we need to know about Bakaio Saka and Declan Rice. They're going to be in the squad for the World Cup anyway.

31:00Let's just sort of, you know, do the common sense thing, send them back. My glass half full view of this is like, oh, Maduweke is completely fucked. And if we send back another important Arsenal player injured, there's going to be fucking hell to pay. So do you think there's some element of, you know, what we can read into the Rice-Saka withdrawals and the Madueke injury? Maybe there's a connection there. I mean, we spoke a few weeks ago, I think, about how Rice and Saka really did not need to be involved in these games. You know, they're going to be on the plane to the World Cup regardless. And I think that is something to stress, that I think international coaches are probably aware that the best thing for some of these players' World Cups is to have a rest now.

31:52Yeah, because it's like two weeks, I think, less than two weeks or maybe just about two weeks after the Premier League season ends that the World Cup starts. So there's no time at all, is there, to get any kind of recharging of the batteries? No, no. I mean, it's straight into it. and it's virtually a 12-month calendar season for some of these guys. So I think it's entirely logical. I mean, the wording from the FA sort of suggested they were going back to continue their treatment. So whether they're carrying little knocks here and there. I mean, on Nonny, I'm hopeful it's not too serious. I mean, we'll have to wait and see.

32:42I'm hopeful we might get some news one way or the other on that later today. But yeah, I mean, it would be a big blow if it was to be significant. We should mention Eze as well in this, by the way. Yes. Obviously missed the cup final and then withdrew from England duty. It's looking like four to six weeks for him. I mean, the schedule favours us a little bit in that. Obviously, we have the break and then we don't actually resume the Premier League for another week after we come back. So it's not inconceivable that he could be in contention for that first Premier League game. I think it will be a bit longer than that.

33:27And then on a year, I mean, let's wait and see. I'm a bit worried about that one, I have to say. What, just from the way he went down or from? Sort of all of it. Just the fact that he's in a leg brace, you know. suggest that there's something there that they're concerned about, you know? It's not typical to sort of leave a stadium in a leg brace if there's nothing wrong. No, that would, you know, and Thomas Tuchel afterwards was quite, very sad, I think he describes himself as. But, yeah, let's see. I haven't heard anything to suggest it's sort of like super long term. So, fingers crossed. Fingers crossed.

34:09Who else? Martin Zubamendi has returned. Yeah, yeah. I mean, just on these, because the wording seems to be around someone like Zubamendi or Rice or Saka. There's kind of the implication of them carrying something or some kind of injury. To what extent do you think it's just the case that come April or April tomorrow, Yeah. Pretty much every player is nursing something. Well, I'll put it to you like this. I played a game of five-a-side on Friday. Sure. And I hurt a lot. Yeah. Now, listen, don't be offended, Andrew. Mm-hmm. But I'm going to venture that your conditioning and also your kind of recovery strategies may not be up there with an elite Premier League football?

35:06I would not argue with that at all. I think that's a fair thing to say. I'm a football journalist, Andrew. What can I say? You just get to the heart of the matter straight away. No messing around. But I would say if I had played 50 games of five a side over the last, you know, whatever number of weeks or months it is, probably I would be, you know, nursing some little ache or strain or niggle along the way, which, you know, I think is inevitable, isn't it? Every player is playing through some kind of discomfort. I don't know how many times you've heard it said that no player is ever 100 % fit 100 % of the time, you know.

35:48So I think it is, particularly for Zubimendi as well. You know, he's played the most outfield minutes for Arsenal this season. And yeah, if he's got some discomfort in his knee, I guess that's sort of inevitable, but hopefully it's manageable rather than it being something that happened while he was away with Spain. I think he came on the other night for Rodri, played about 15 minutes or so for Spain in their game. So I don't know if it is something that he's been managing or if it is just the case that something happened in training or in that game. I don't know, but I'm obviously very hopeful or hoping that it is just precautionary.

36:28It is just common sense being applied here. Because even if he's not been at the level that he was earlier in the season, he's still absolutely vital to this team because of the absences that we have in central midfield. And he needs a rest more than most, I would say, at this point in time, given how much football he's played and just looking at his performances I think you can almost see it yeah

36:57who does that leave I mean in Capier that one that looks like a legit injury to me I say that without any kind of supporting knowledge but if you look at kind of how it happened he went down he seemed to be in pain he was substituted uh those aren't great signs no when a player is sort of chasing back and then sort of pulls up and slumps to the ground and then gets substituted straight away i don't think that's as some people have suggested it's michael arteta doing an alex ferguson and and sort of taking all the players back because you know he's uh he's putting his foot down i think that looks like an injury to me again though we'll have to wait and see and just hope that it's nothing too serious and pray for Calafuri tomorrow night well absolutely get the rosary beads out and that leaves Trossard I think that's not a surprise really is it he hasn't looked 100 % for the last number of weeks anyway he has been playing through stuff didn't he come off quite early in the FA Cup game.

38:13Was it at Mansfield? Yeah. I do think it's sort of one of the great unknown stories of Premier League football really is like how the lengths that some of these players go to to be out on that pitch and the degree to which they are playing with discomfort or injections or whatever's required ultimately. And that's not to say that Arsenal are kind of taking liberties, but I do think we see a player in the starting 11 and we make the assumption he's fit, but it's rarely as black and white. Yeah. Yeah. But, you know, you're looking then at the interlal as a way of, you know, I think, you know, for example, Gabriel and Saliba, I feel like their, their sort of absences and I don't want to tempt fate or anything like that.

39:10But it felt to me like their absences were like, come on, you don't need these guys. Yeah, yeah. Do you think there is an element of Michel Arteta coordinating that? That's certainly kind of the accusation, isn't it, from the usual places? Well, I think any manager is entitled when you're heading towards the business end of the season. If you've got players who don't need to play in particular games, you know, there's no... I mean, listen, I looked at the France team the other day. They played, was it Brazil? Because Martinelli played. I looked at the France team and it was like Mbappe and all the big names in there.

39:46And I'm like, geez, you know. It's not a bad squad they've got. They don't really need to be playing in these fixtures. But, you know, I think if you are Arteta, I don't know how anybody could blame him if he had a quiet word with Saliba, quiet word with Gabriel and said, listen, you know, I would prefer if you didn't go away on international duty. you know it's up to you I guess but you know we kind of need you for this run-in I mean it feels like some of the national coaches have been a bit more amenable to to those kinds of withdrawals you know um but you know it is a list when you look at it all laid out and all the players it is a worryingly big list and I don't think all of them are just like hey yeah we're going to keep him back.

40:35Don't worry about it. Everything's hunky-dory. I mean, there's a chance maybe to get Martin Odegaard back as well after the international break. So that would be an addition to the squad, wouldn't it? Yeah. Which would be very, very welcome. That would be big, I think, particularly in that part of the pitch where we are light of options and we are going to be without Eberhard Scherze for sure when we resume football. We are going to be without McElroy, you know, still. so that would be a big boost trying to think if there's anyone else who could actually come back to us in a better state Christian Mascara made his debut, full debut for Spain which is good for him step forward in his career, yeah Max Dalman played almost 90 minutes for the England under 19s Miles Miles and Ethan played for the England under-21s.

41:35They drew 1-1 with Andorra. It's not a great result. That's pretty, I mean, with all due respect, that's pretty terrible. The big question is, did Miles play left-back? Or was he finally unleashed in the midfield? In the midfield, where everybody wants to see Miles. They do, yeah. I mean, listen, we had, again, questions about that. Well, we should probably wait to do those questions rather than do it now. Okay. I mean, I already know what I'm going to say, but it's fine. That's okay. I'm just trying to think then. Yeah, so it's really just a case of whoever's still involved. So it's going to be Calafiore, Norgard, Jokeres, Havertz.

42:20He's away with Germany. He played basically an hour, I think, for Germany. They played against Switzerland and won 4-3. I mean, that could be beneficial, I would say. Yeah, he's somebody who needs some match sharpness, I think would be a decent way of putting that. He certainly hasn't played a lot, you know, so it does take a while to get yourself fully up to speed. Beyond that, I'm not sure who else there is. Mosquera, as we said. yeah I think we've done a decent job of rounding that up apologies if we did forget anybody did we forget no I don't think so yeah no I think we've gone through everybody David Raya of course yeah Martinelli played David Raya way I wonder will he play tonight he didn't play in the game against Serbia so he could well play against Egypt in a friendly tomorrow so they've got good keepers Spain they've got good keepers but as I keep saying this Unai Simon character must be bloody good yeah if he's number one who's he played for Athletic Bilbao isn't it Athletic Club maybe so yes but yeah he must be bloody good because in David Raya in the fellow he tried to sign who's at Barca now Juan Juan Juan Juan Garcia Juan Garcia yes they've got some very good keepers well we'll see what happens that's an interesting question isn't it by the way that sort of sliding doors thing if we'd bought Juan Garcia what would have what would have happened with our goalkeeping position we would have won the Carabao Cup that's what would have happened yeah yeah perhaps so perhaps so alright I think we'll take a little break here because we've done as much as we can with all the nothing that's been happening and all the lack of information that we have around those injuries so we'll take a little break here we'll come back with your questions and more in part 2 right after this

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46:20Welcome 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 gunnablog.bsky.social and at arseblog.com. Also on the Arseblog Discord chat server, which you get access to if you are an Arseblog member on Patreon. We have a lot of questions about injuries. Loads of questions about injuries. Unsurprising, that. And we've already talked about all of that, mostly. Yeah. But I do have a question about injuries. Good. It comes from AB Gunnar on the Discord. He said, I feel our injuries are as bad, if not worse, than last year. we've just got a better squad to deal with it and it's really the main reason Arteta has gone with the style we are at now your thoughts

47:14tuned out then Andrew asked me again right basically he said we've got worse injuries than last year yeah but we're better at dealing with those injuries because we've got a bigger squad but the injuries are still why we're playing the way we're playing this season. Do you want me to repeat that? Yeah, I just don't understand the contention that the injuries are why we're playing the way we're playing. Like, obviously, I understand that statement, but I don't understand what the supposed correlation is. We can't let, to borrow a phrase, the handbrake off. Right, because if we let the handbrake off, the wheels will fall off.

47:57sort of or will crash into a wall or something you know um yeah i mean i think the injuries have impacted the way we're playing more so in the lack of continuity that we've had um the lack of relationships maybe in the attacking part of the pitch um it has felt like it's been difficult for us to build chemistry in the attacking third because the names on the team sheet keep changing sometimes via rotation but often enforced if you think about the players we've been without for long long long periods um i do think that sort of every arteta summer feels like a correction in some respects and the story of last season was injuries that was the reason we didn't achieve our aims primarily and the remedy was to have a much bigger deeper squad and you have to say that's worked I mean as much as we might complain about you know a lack of chemistry or a lack of relationships we have been able to withstand a lot of injuries without it becoming defining for us and we would not have been able to do that in previous years so you have to commend the strategy really because it appears to be about to pay off but yeah in terms of the style point I'm not sure I'm not sure I quite see it in terms of I don't think injuries are what inhibit us I mean do you think this is Mikel Arteta's ideal style of football do you think this is like what he absolutely 100 % wants or do you like I always remember him talking about how he wants to make you know the 300 ,000 passes and he wants to score you know hundreds of goals all those kinds of things yeah I mean I I get like conversations around how we play and the way we score some goals etc etc and maybe the football not being as entertaining as it might be or could be but I also don't necessarily think it's completely by design.

50:32You know, I think there are elements of how we play and the way we set up that are deliberate, right? We make ourselves very difficult to play against and we make games difficult for the opposition. You know, I think we tend to look at things from our perspective all the time. It's like, how does it feel to watch Arsenal play like this rather than like, how does it feel to play against Arsenal? So I do think there are elements of that, but I also kind of think that there are things that Arteta would like his team to do better in an ideal world, particularly in the final third, where if you go through the list of players that we have for those positions, nobody has been brilliant, really.

51:23players have had little spells here or there, but nobody's really performed consistently well. And certainly no three players, let's say, have performed consistently well together, you know? So, yeah, I don't quite know how to explain it, but I don't believe that Mikel Arteta, I think he wants to make life hard for the opposition. He wants to strangle games and control them. But I also think he would like a little more efficiency in the attack. I do think to some extent injuries, particularly to someone like Martin Odegaard, have played a part in that. So you sort of not become a bit more conservative, but it becomes more difficult to play in that expansive way when you don't have players like that.

52:12And I think that's something we've said before, you know, maybe the technical level could be improved in certain areas of the pitch. Yeah, I think you touched on a really interesting question there, which is, is this the way Mikel Arteta wants to play or the way he feels he has to play? I've thought about asking him about this actually I often think back to an interview he gave in I think it was 2014 to Arsenal's official website where he spoke about the kind of manager he wanted to be in the future his coaching philosophy and he said I'll have absolutely everyone 120 % committed that's the first thing if not you don't play for me when it's time to work it's time to work and when it's time to have fun then I'm the first one to do it but that commitment is vital and I think we recognize that yes I mean that's yeah it's you know it's interesting that's the first thing he said and I think that holds true today but then he said then I want the football to be expressive entertaining I cannot have a concept of football where everything is based on the opposition i don't remember hearing him use the word expressive very much in the last few years no um and i yeah i i'd love to ask him about that shift my kind of hypothesis is that obviously that was a long time ago and it was before he was a coach and a manager and he was playing under a manager, Arsene Wenger, at that time, to whom those qualities were very important.

54:07And he's had a lot of different experiences since then that will have shaped him and influenced him and potentially changed his outlook.

54:18My hypothesis is that at this stage in his career for Mikel, there isn't really a preferred way to play. That the team is adapted to the challenge that's in front of it. That he's built a team and a squad specifically, pretty much to win this Premier League title. And they'll play the kind of football that affords them the best opportunity to do so. Like in nature, you know, they'll evolve for their benefit to thrive. And I think that need to win far outweighs any sort of kind of core philosophical stylistic idea. That's kind of what I think. But yeah, it is interesting. It is interesting. I mean, you also have to take into account the way the game has gone generally.

55:29That's also exactly. They're adapting to their context. Well, that's it. You know, when you talked the other week about the man-to-man thing and how the game has changed, particularly at Premier League level, where everybody is so good and so well-organized, it becomes more and more difficult to score goals. I think the numbers were doing the rounds, weren't there? The number of players in double figures is way lower than it was a few years ago. goal scoring is more and more difficult in the Premier League because generally speaking, the level of player and tactics and coaching is so high that whatever philosophy you might have may not apply to a new era or a different era or a different style, generally speaking, in terms of how the game is played.

56:16maybe I was just going to say it's kind of a spectrum a scale almost between that idea of being entertaining and that idea of being successful or winners and you know Arsene I think in his latter years people felt he was more towards the entertaining end that he was kind of ideology and style over substance to a certain extent and Mikel I think is much more in the winning results camp at this point in his career at this point in his life in the context of the Premier League as you point out I just think that's where his priorities lie

57:09I think it's a really interesting question what is his preferred way of playing. I also think it's dictated by the availability of players you have. I mean, people often say, oh, Guardiola has played kind of beautiful attacking football, but they forget that for the first, you know, maybe his most impactful years were at Barcelona when he had perhaps the greatest footballer ever at his disposal. With loads of the other greatest footballers ever. Yeah. With a supporting cast of Yeah. Xavi, Iniesta. Thierry Henry, Busquets, you know, not bad. Yeah. Not a bad group. And even at City, you know, you look at his great years at City, I think, okay, maybe they're no Messi, but David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne are truly elite attacking talents.

58:04Sergio Aguero. Sergio Aguero, Erling Haaland, Latterley, And Haaland has himself dictated a kind of stylistic shift. So I think every manager, and Tim Stillman speaks very well about this, but the style is determined to an extent by the players at your disposal. And what are the truly world-class elite talents, unquestionably so, So at Arteta's disposal, you'd probably say Saliba, Gabriel, Declan Rice. David Raya are probably on the fringes of that group now. You know, people might debate Osaka, but based on this season's form, I'm not sure you could say that. So it is players who are more adapted for that physical style of football.

59:05So, yeah, it's interesting. It is a fascinating one because at this point of the season, it really does not matter how we play as long as we win. And I think that question of style might be something he thinks about during the summer or thinks about in terms of how he wants to build his squad again or what way he wants to augment the squad in the summer with potentially some departures and the need to add some players in the attacking end of the pitch. But for now, it really is just about winning. So if the style is to grind it, you know, once we get over the line, that'll be plenty entertaining for me.

59:42True. True, true, true. All right. I was looking for a Mars question because I sort of trailed it in part one. Yeah. You must have one now. Yeah. Well, I know I saw them, but I sort of, without wishing to be disrespectful, kind of skipped over them because I was like, I feel like we've had this chat. Okay, I've got one. Chatner's bassoon. Okay. Morning, gents. Given the injury situation, what do you think are the chances of seeing MLS in midfield at some point over the next few weeks. And if we do, does this show Arteta has a blind spot about the importance of trying new things earlier in the season when the stakes are a little lower?

1:00:30Well, people have been talking about Miles obviously this season as his minutes have been scant. He really hasn't played as much. But I don't think when he was being left out earlier in the season, everyone was going, well, you know, we've got Calafiore, we've got Incapio, we should play Myles in midfield. I don't remember any clamor for Myles Lewis-Gelley in midfield earlier in the season. There's chat about it now because we don't have Marino, we don't have Eze. Odegaard's been out injured. We don't know what the story is with Zubimendi, but I think the discourse around him has been that he does maybe need a bit of a rest, but we haven't been able to.

1:01:19So people have been talking about Miles as an option and talking about Christian Norgard as options for certain games to take some minutes out of those two. I have to say I would be a bit surprised to see Miles in midfield. But then again, there is a game certainly on Saturday where that might be an option, depending on the fitness of certain players and depending on how strong Mikel Arteta wants to go with his team for an FA Cup game away to Southampton. But I would be surprised, you know, we talked about Calafiori, or Incapier rather, looking like he's got an injury. So it might be a case that Miles is needed at left back.

1:02:00you know if they're managing Calafuri through whatever little bit of pain he had that he talked about pre going away with Italy and fingers crossed he comes back in in in good shape but maybe you need miles at left back as well I think that's a really good point I mean if if if Calafuri if hincapier is out for any length of time you can bet that McKellar Tessa will want Calafuri for probably the Champions League game in the Premier League game in the week that follows so maybe maybe Myles ends up playing at left back at Southampton if he doesn't I'm trying to think have we got any other have we got anyone else who can play left back that's the first time I've ever asked that question about an Arsenal squad in recent years yeah we've had such a collection of left backs.

1:02:58Do we have anyone who can play at left back? There's a fucking line of left backs around the block. That queue of guys over there. I suppose Jurian Timber could. He could. But, yeah. Because I was thinking, I think the miles in midfield idea, I don't think it's going to happen in a big game. And I think the question about the timing of it is relevant. I think it's not a time in the season to experiment, particularly. and although Myles has played a lot of football in midfield, at first team level, certainly at Premier League level, it would be something of an experiment. But Southampton, maybe, could maybe have a chance of playing there.

1:03:45But even as I say that, you know, the Incapie injury, I do think means he'll probably start that game a lot. Yeah, people have said, I've seen people say, he's played in midfield for us before. You know, I own D 'Arteta go with this. And I think, like, he hasn't really. He's maybe been there once or twice towards the end of a game. I don't think he's ever started a game in midfield, but a couple of sub appearances, and that's kind of it. He was due to start, wasn't he, earlier in the season? And then, was it the Villa game? There was a game where he was picked in midfield, but then... Oh, it was the FA Cup game, I think.

1:04:18And then Saka withdrew from the warm-up, and he went back into left-back. so I don't I don't really see it happening unless unless there's no other option that's kind of the only way I can really see it happening and if there's no other option then I'm slightly worried so I'm I'm looking at transfer marked and of his 66 first team appearances for Arsenal 64 of those have come at left back and there's like, it says one appearance in defensive midfield. So I think that tells you something. Yeah. Yeah, I don't see it happening. I wouldn't be adverse to it earlier in the season or in different contexts, but I'm not sure I see it.

1:05:12Irma Fernandes asked, by the way, for blogs, did you have any emotional investment in Ireland potentially making the World Cup? Of course. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was watching the game the other night and it would be, I remember Italian 90 very, very well. And that was just tremendous fun. So for, you know, I don't want to say for the nation, for the people of Ireland, it would have been amazing. But you just, you know, you want your team or you want your country to win in a game, but they kind of blew it. Unfortunately, they were 2-0 up and they gave away such a stupid penalty. seconds after going 2-0 up.

1:05:55I think that was kind of a pivotal moment and there were some poor penalties in the shootout. Now they have to play a game, which I felt was a bit cruel. They have to play North Macedonia tomorrow night. That seems really fucking hard. What is that, like a kind of runners-up? Yeah, because I think it was Denmark who beat North Macedonia. It was. So if Ireland had won, we'd have played Denmark in the playoff final. But because both these teams lost, they now have to play a friendly, I think it's at Lansdowne Road on Tuesday evening. I mean, that just seems like a waste of everybody's fucking time and energy.

1:06:36Just let both teams go off and be sad and let the fans of those teams, you know, deal with defeat and the fact that they're not going to go to the World Cup and just leave it be. There's no point. You know, people talk about like the schedule and the fixtures and I get it, there's playoffs, but you don't need to play like this nothing game. There's no, like, what is the point of that? I don't know. I don't know. Yeah, that's crazy. That feels crazy. Really dumb. And I presume all the other losing teams in the, I presume Northern Ireland have to play a game against somebody as well. I don't know.

1:07:14A party atmosphere. for that one. Well, here's an Arsenal question. Okay. From Depp3403, and they say, do you feel like the best version of Arsenal involves inverting the left back? I feel like when Calafuri, or to a lesser extent, Miles, move into midfield, it helps transition us from defence to attack. I also feel like it brings more control to our game. Incapier is a great player, but one-dimensional in attack.

1:07:49I mean, I think there is something in that, you know, like I think in the first half of the season, we played better than we have done in the second half of the season. Right. And the absence of Califuri might well be part of that. I can see why that would be part of that. I also think I've said to you here before, though, as well, that the inverted left back thing felt like it was getting a bit predictable, you know, that it was something that maybe teams are beginning to target a little, you know, those diagonal balls that pretty much always went over the head of Alexander Zinchenko. So, you know, it happened to Miles a few times as well, where if there was, let's say, a bit of a flaw in his game or a weakness that was being exposed, it was him being caught on the half turn around the halfway line, you know?

1:08:43So I think what it is, is that we think back to that brilliant first title challenge season when the team with Zinchenko in it, with Jesus in it, really clicked and played lovely football, right? played the sort of football we weren't necessarily expecting from Arsenal, and certainly nobody else was expecting from Arsenal. So I think there's a slightly rose-tinted view of how that works. Personal preference for me as a player, if I want someone to defend, if I need to defend, if we're 2-0 up and we want to put in Capier on, I think that's a great left-back and a great defensive substitution to make.

1:09:24If I'm starting a game that I want Arsenal to try and win, I would pick Calafuri over in Capier for the way he plays, you know. But I don't necessarily think it's entirely to do with the inverted left back. Does that make sense? It does, yeah. I was just thinking that I think there is a relationship between Arsenal moving away from the inverted left back and the adoption of the double pivot in midfield. Yeah. Because previously the left back was kind of in possession, was the second player in that pivot. Whether it was Zinchenko or Califiori, it was them who would step in next to, I guess it would have been Thomas Partey in Zinchenko's time or Zubimendi in the first part of this season.

1:10:15I must say I thought Califiori or an inverting left-back was missed in our most recent game, in the Carabao Cup final. I think it would have given us opportunities and options when it came to build up and playing out. We were a bit static and a bit predictable in our own half in that game. And we almost, we kind of needed the joker, the wild card to open it up. And yes, game state was a factor, but I think when Califuri came on, you saw a bit of that. I have a feeling that Califuri is going to, if he can stay fit reassert himself in the first team over the coming weeks obviously the Hincapié injury would guarantee that but I thought that prior to Hincapié's injury as well that we had developed a way of playing with Hincapié building up a bit of rhythm and understanding and by the way putting in some really outstanding individual performances as well not just offensively but with attacking contributions too but I do think that stylistically I think we look yeah I think we have a little bit more fluency and unpredictability when we have Calafuri in the team and my gut says that between now and the end of the season, he might be, he might sort of re-emerge as the first choice left back.

1:11:57Right. But he's got to stay fit to do that. Yes, he does. He does. And hopefully he can do that because, you know, I do think there is just something about his game that, you know, if you talk about things, maybe you're missing from this iteration or this current version of Arsenal and the way we play, it is that bit of maverick talent, isn't it? that bit of panache or flair or whatever it is that sort of goes beyond how he looks, but is entirely down to how he plays and the way he tries to make an impact in the game. And I think Arteta is a big fan of what he can do, which kind of seems at odds with the way people think about Mikel Arteta.

1:12:40But every time he talks about Califuri as a player and what he can bring to the team, he's glowing about those qualities. the question you know people might ask is can you get players with that kind of attitude or that desire or that that drive and play them further forward you know can you bring or get some of those qualities into your forward players rather than be depending on a left back doing something that most left backs don't do you know yeah but i mean if we're looking at this arsenal team and the players who get touches in the final third and in the penalty area, the fullbacks are right up there.

1:13:23And I know that's a frustration for some, that they see our left back and our right back getting on the ball or receiving the ball in the kind of number 10 spaces, those inside channels. Sure. But if that is going to be a function of the way you play, you want that player receiving the ball there certainly from an attacking perspective to be Calafuri rather than Incapio. I would suggest. I think that's fair. What about this one? Reg791 on the Discord says, do you think Saka would benefit from having the captaincy given to someone else so he can concentrate on his own game? How much do you think the captain's armband has an impact on Bakayo Saka and the way he plays?

1:14:11for me, it doesn't, I don't think it has a significant impact. Like, there's nothing, it's not that I don't believe the captaincy can come with some added weight or responsibility, but there's nothing about Saka that makes me think he would struggle with that. You know, when I think about the moments where he's stepped up for Arsenal to take penalties, for example, in high-pressure situations, I don't think he is scared or put off by responsibility. So yeah, I don't see the armband as being the thing that is weighing him down. What about you? No, I don't think it has any impact whatsoever. I think his form and the way he's played this season is distinct from being captain.

1:15:09I think it's interesting that he's captain. I think I find it interesting that when Martin Odegaard is out, you know, that Sacco is wearing the armband over Declan Rice, for example, or maybe like a Gabriel. I can see some logic to it, I think, in that. Oh, me too. The sort of high-profile England international. You know, I think I would, if I were a manager, I'd certainly be, you know, looking at that as a way to butter up the referees or anything like that. But as we know, and I've seen in the past, the benefit of being an England international, or maybe indeed the England captain, and how referees then deal with things that you do on the pitch.

1:16:06you know maybe there's something in that I don't know that's an interesting thought yeah and his seniority at the club I guess over Rice you know in terms of how long he's been there I think that sort of weighs a little bit in his favour totally and I'm not saying it's wrong for Saka to be captain in that situation I'm just saying there is a debate you could have about that but either way I don't think it's dragging him down I really don't. I think there are issues around his performance this season, and I don't think he's at the level that any of us would hope for. But I don't see the captaincy as being one of those things.

1:16:47What about this one? This one comes from Shebe on the Discord. And he says, hello, gents. From what I've surmised from the two Arsenal podcasts I listened to, most fans seem to prefer winning the Premier League over the Champions League. Maybe I'm in the minority, but I rate the Champions League higher. I get that losing the league from our current position would feel like a huge fumble, but as a big club, we need to build our European pedigree. A Champions League win, especially with this draw, would be massive. Interested to hear your thoughts on this. Yeah, it's really interesting this. I think if we were to step back and take a kind of 150-year view of the club, I think the Champions League is the biggest deal.

1:17:35I think it becomes, like the fact that we've never won it, what it would mean to win it, what it would do for our kind of global standing, is enormous. But I think when we zoom in a bit and we really study the kind of context of where we're at and what's come before in recent years, I do think the Premier League in the moment will feel bigger. and I think it may vary individual to individual as the question suggests but I remember, I think it was after we dropped points at Wolves I remember saying on here and I remember it got a mmm from you but I think I remember saying it made me realise that the Premier League is the one this year I don't know why I went mmm to that Well, I think because the idea of classing the Champions League as secondary to anything is kind of absurd.

1:18:43It is arguably the biggest competition Arsenal are in this season. But I just think the sort of pain that we suffered after dropping those two points, I think sort of outweighed probably almost anything we could feel in the Champions League because I think that there's such a need for this team to take that step in the Premier League this season. And I almost feel like we have a great opportunity to win the Champions League, but it can also wait. Whereas I feel like if the Premier League doesn't happen, I feel like there is a risk or a jeopardy that the project starts to fall apart a little. I think that's exactly it.

1:19:34I think at this point, where we are right now in the season and the way the league table looks, the damage of not winning the league would be incalculable. you know I think it would do huge damage psychologically to the team to the manager to the fans you know and their belief in this team and its ability to go the distance and win big trophies even if we were to go and win the Champions League I think not winning the league this season right now where we are would be something of a disaster to be honest and I think if you are looking at what would benefit the club and the team most, it's winning the league for me, 100%.

1:20:23100 times out of 100. You know, I know what people might say about, we've never won the Champions League, and it would be like, it's overdue. And I agree with that. I agree with that. But I, like if you were to say right now, what would hurt more, not winning the league or not winning the Champions League? Not winning the league for me would be, by far the most painful way for this season to end up, you know? Like, I'm not saying I'd be happy if we go out of the Champions League. Again, all of that depends on, you know, context and how it happens and all that kind of stuff. But, like, for me, anything on top of the Premier League this season is a bonus.

1:21:04It's just a bit of icing on the cake. Yeah. And I think, you know, for the players, for everyone, I think it is the league, you know? I think I agree. But listen, we've got a good draw in the Champions League. And so Michel Antet certainly won't be choosing between the two at this stage. No, not at all. I mean, there was another question about the sort of Premier League adjacent. Ash Richards 90 on the Discord said, hypothetical question for you. Rumours around Manchester City getting a mass points deduction are circulating. Do you want that this season or next? I'm not sure what would be funnier, Spurs going down or City.

1:21:49Like, where do you stand on, like, the idea that if Arsenal win the league this season and Man City get a points deduction, it comes with some kind of an asterisk? Does that bother you in the slightest?

1:22:07Do you know what's funny? I think when did the 115 charges, when were they first? 1983 pre-podcasting podcasts were on vinyl back then maybe it was we were certainly in the title race at the time when the news dropped that these charges would be aimed at Manchester City and I seem to recall that way back when we were a bit like we want to beat them on our own terms I think that might have been just you. Maybe that was just me. But that was a long time ago. Three second place finishers ago, yeah. Yeah, well, very possibly. Very possibly. And I think at this point in time, I don't really care. I sort of think, I kind of think, if they're found to have been cheating for many years, let them be punished.

1:23:09yeah like like chelsea were with a 10 million pound fine that'll show them that'll teach them won't be doing that again yeah i there is a sort of interesting question isn't there around sort of taking them out of a title race in which they're kind of already second favorites you know um would it be more valuable to us and more fair to apply it in next season for example I don't know I think I think Arsenal fans again it's that word context but I think Arsenal fans right now at this point would say hit them with the points deduction and we'll enjoy a nice yeah exactly we'll enjoy a nice relaxed run in and can focus on the Champions League yeah I'm on board I'm on board like I do not give a fuck if Man City are deducted points and people say, oh yeah, well, you only won the league because they were deducted points.

1:24:12Fuck off. We won the league. I'd just get a big fucking tattoo of an asterisk if we win the league. Well, the asterisk will not be against our league title this season. It would be against... The ones we lost. The previous Man City titles. Yeah, for sure. That's the way it should be. But yeah, no, I don't care. I don't really think anything is going to happen between now and the end of the season as well. well, we get these rumours all the time about the decision about to be made and then nothing happens. So I kind of feel like it'll be that, but just for the record, if they did get deducted points, I couldn't give a fuck.

1:24:51It takes nothing away for me from what Arsenal have done or will have done. Here's a tough one. Go on. Let's go out on this one. Who would you rather go down, Man City or Spurs? Spurs same Spurs because they will have earned it you know Man City being relegated by getting all their points taken away you know that's I'm not saying it's artificial it's their own fault they had it coming it would have an asterisk against it it sort of would have an asterisk but if Spurs organically but Spurs' relegation would be pure yeah exactly exactly football purity that's what we like so yeah 100 % no one could take that away from them they were that bad legitimately No, and the football gods and universe should not take that away from everyone.

1:25:42You know, I think we need to enjoy that. I think we need to enjoy that one, to be honest. All right. I think we've done our best, given that this is an interlull. So thank you, as always, for being here. We'll keep our fingers crossed about injuries. Hopefully some good news this week. Nothing too serious for the boys. impacted and we can get ourselves back on track this weekend. So for now, take it easy, folks. Thank you for being here as always, and we will catch you on the next one. Bye-bye.

1:26:21Immersing yourself in all things soccer ahead of this summer's World Cup? I'm Alex Abnos, senior sports editor from The Guardian. And whether you're a soccer beginner or you know the game inside and out, We've got you covered. Read, watch, and listen as our journalists connect the dots between the games, the cultures, and this political moment. We'll have daily newsletters throughout the tournament, reporters on the ground with all the big teams, and the legendary Football Weekly podcast, The Guardian. Bringing you the whole picture on soccer. Search Guardian Soccer for more.