Arsenal Women Arsecast 137: Villa with the stoppage time killer

0:13Tim: Hello and welcome to the Arsenal Women Arsecast and Arseblog.com with me your host Tim Stillman. Coming at you with a review of Saturday's pretty disappointing 1-1 draw at home to Aston Villa. not just a disappointing result I think a pretty disappointing performance as well I think I was felt by everyone throughout the fan base definitely the manager apologies this is coming a little bit later than usual but I was in Newcastle on Sunday for the men's game so couldn't record then and then I've been having work done in my house at the moment which made it difficult to record during the day however we always promise you a podcast come rain or shine this one may be a bit rainier but to pick over the bones of Saturday as ever, our co-host Jamie Spanger.

0:57Tim: Jamie, how are you doing?

0:59Jamie: Hey Tim, I'm not too bad. It's early morning here in Melbourne and it's so doomy and gloomy. I've got all my lights on and I think that just maybe sets the tone for this. I can't remember the last time I had to brace myself for one of these podcasts. I feel like we've had some bad results but you know, you kind of take the rain with the shine, those Brighton and Biller performances at the end of last season. This is the first one where I'm like, nah, this is serious repercussions and there's a lot of things that make me upset. So yeah, let's get into it, shall we?

1:26Tim: Yeah, let's group therapy this out a little bit. So Aston Villa at home off the back of... And I think sometimes a thing that happens as well, you get a performance like United and sometimes you get a game and you think, I need to see the next couple of games to contextualise that because it's like, so United away, it's difficult. Didn't really create that much, which was quite disappointing, but on you know in isolation it's like well nil nil draw away united isn't isn't that bad but then you kind of see the next game and you start to go ah actually some of the stuff i didn't like that i saw in that game i saw again here and it gives the previous game a little bit of a new context and um we'll we'll get into all of this stuff and stuff about ball progression and chance creation and all those wonderful things but let's start as ever with the starting lineup jamie um And by now, we know and have known for a little while that the back seven, I guess you'd call them, back four, goalkeeper, midfield, double pivot, not changing.

2:29Tim: I don't think anyone expects them to change at all. And obviously, we'll talk about whether that's right or wrong. Alessio Russo plays either as a 10 or a 9. So pretty much eight of the starting 11 is pretty set in stone. And then it's the kind of three players behind the striker. That's where you get the rotation. And this time it's Friedem Ornem. Beth Mead starting on the left wing, Olivia Smith starting on the right. Any surprises, remarks, anything there for you in the line-up? And I guess, you know, we should have the discussion about, should we take for granted the fact that that back seven isn't changing at all at the moment?

3:09Jamie: Yeah, I wasn't surprised at all when I saw the line-up. I think playing Freedom Orton makes sense against this Aston Villa midfield. I think that the only thing was the wingers. I think I assumed Caitlin Ford to start, but I don't really have a lot of issues with that. I just think her skill set maybe works a little bit more, a bit more pacey and direct on that left flank, allows Olivia Smith a lot more time, whereas it feels like she was given all the job to do. So I was a little bit surprised by that. It's no disrespect to Beth Mead. I just think they're different players. And when it comes to that back seven, I think teams and what we've seen against United and Aston Villa, teams are beginning to also clue into that.

3:42Jamie: It's not only fans. I think opposition's able to say that that's the back seven. And I think there are ramifications of that in this game. I think that Aston Villa have weighed up that back four in particular and really taken it for a run in the last 45 minutes. I guess we can delve a little bit more into why that would be the case a bit later on. But yeah, I do think there's a bit of complacency now. And I think oppositions have almost had to do less work in the dugout because they know what to expect from Arsenal.

4:08Tim: Yeah, definitely. And I think I say this a lot, like, you know, podcasting about the men's team as well. When you lose a big player from your starting lineup who always plays, like Leah Williamson in this scenario, I always find it takes a couple of games before you really realise what you've lost. I tend to find this pattern repeats quite a lot across the men's and women's team. You lose them. For the first couple of games, it's okay. You do something else. Maybe the opposition don't know what you're going to do. But after three or four games, you start to really see what you're missing. And we can definitely see what we're missing.

4:48Tim: I don't think so much defensively because Steph Catley and Katie Reid have been close to spotless there. But I think in the way Arsenal progressed the ball and wrote the analysis piece on this today. And I'd really love to have the press conference after I rewatched the game, you know, because I felt like I noticed at the time that Arsenal weren't able to get through the Villa press. and then you watch it back and it's like wow like and particularly for the analysis piece it's like right that's what i'm going to go and highlight and it just happens like in the double figures it was like analyzing the united game i was like they were putting the ball in behind a lot and then when i watch it again it's like oh my god they're literally just getting the ball and smashing in behind every single time and it becomes so obvious and maybe it's because you're looking for it, but it does feel, we're going a bit meta before we get into the incidence of the game, but it does feel like Arsenal are kind of missing a long passer back there for me.

5:52Jamie: Certainly, I couldn't agree more, Tim. I think that's one of the biggest takeaways from this game is there's an inability to progress the ball. And I think, honestly, in the opening 20 minutes, and we'll come on to that, I do think Arsenal do it a lot better. I think in the second half, when that change comes in in the midfield and Victoria Pilova comes on for freedom on him, It's a completely different game. And I want to move on to, like, I want to, sorry, compare this to when you have Leah Williamson and you have someone like Freedom Orton and Victoria Pulova in the midfield. Leah Williamson's ability to kind of change the way Arsenal play in the way that if Freedom Orton's playing a high line with Alessia Russo, Williamson can play that long ball.

6:24Jamie: Or if the midfield passing lanes are on, she can also play it low and flat. So it works for both midfielders. I don't think that's the case right now with those two midfielders. I don't think that they're both getting the best out of them because they're not getting the service. And I think Victoria Pullover struggles in this game because of that. With Chelsea, for example, they can play the exact same thing with Vika Kaptein playing almost an identical role to Freedom Ornam, but Nat Bjorn can hit the ball 30 yards and hit out a teammate. So I think it is something of Leah Williamson's game that we obviously celebrate, but it's something we don't realise is, like you said, Tim, so missing in this game.

6:57Jamie: And I do think it hampers the other players on the team because it almost eradicates their skills there. I just don't think Steph Catley and Katie Reid, They're playing good possession ball, but it's very, it's almost conservative and direct and they're playing the right ball, but they're not playing the risky ball. And I think that cuts off a lot of our suppliers in our team. Someone like Victoria Plova, I don't think she's able to impact the game because maybe this game set helps Freedom Ornham a little bit more. So yeah, interesting. I just think there was a bit of a lack of creativity in the last of, in the, sorry, in the second half.

7:25Jamie: And I think that comes a lot from the fact that those passing lanes are completely clogged. And the only way to break that is by Leah Williamson putting it over the top and hitting a target.

7:33Tim: Yeah, definitely. I did the newsletter today and I was looking at some of the numbers. Last season, Lota Wubamoy averaged 11 passes into the final third per 90. That was the most in the squad. Then it's Leah Williamson on 10. Then this season, you're looking at Katie Reid passing into the final third about five times a game. and Steph Catley, it's about four and a half. So the long progression is really cut in half. And I think it's going to be really interesting for Rene because Lotta and Kyrie Rekroenik Ross are sitting there on the bench and they can do that. And so where do you get them into the team?

8:12Tim: And I think you're quite right as well in terms of how it's affecting other players. I'm seeing a lot of people saying, oh, Mariana doesn't look herself. She's tired. I don't think she's tired. I think she looks exactly like herself. I just think that those other complementary profiles aren't there. And don't get me wrong, sometimes players do lose form, but I find they usually don't for no reason. Usually if you don't think a player is playing as well as they usually do, it's something around them I tend to find, and I kind of think that's what's happening. But we've gone a bit meta there. Arsenal do take an early lead, and we'll talk about that later as well because Rene Slagers afterwards, I think, really hinted that that was almost a problem for Arsenal.

8:57Tim: But they get the early goal through Freedom Ornum. And this isn't an Aston Villa podcast. I thought they were really, really good. I think they have a very good coach, a very interesting coach. And, you know, I do think sometimes when we look at our own teams, we forget that the other team gets to do tactics and stuff too. And Villa did it really well. but they didn't do this well, the passing out from the back and Arsenal get a bit of a gift a few minutes in, freedom worn them. What was your feeling when that went in?

9:30Jamie: A complete moment of madness from, I think it was Missy Bocones, wasn't it, that turned over the ball. Something we don't usually see from her. She's a great, great ball user in the midfield as well. But yeah, I think that this comes as a product of Arsenal were pressing for the first 20 minutes. I just thought they were the better team. I think that they were aggressive. I think that they really, really dominate the territory. Aston Villa didn't get a real look in. So I think I thought this goal was coming and it came. It's a good finish as well from Frida. She's in a very opportunistic place, but she does put the ball in the net, which is what is important.

9:58Jamie: At this stage, Tim, I think I've just got a bit of a, like René Slager's ear at the Emirates in me. I just thought, great, this is a floodgate moment. This is 4-5-0. The players will put this in the back of the net for the rest of the game. And that's obviously not what happened. And it's exactly like I think that there are a lot of problems in this Arsenal team in this performance in isolation. But I also think that Aston Villa did so well to not lose their heads like so many teams have when they come to the Emirates. They drop their heads, they lose their formation and they completely eradicate their press.

10:25Jamie: I think Aston Villa almost just plays so much better after this goal goes in. And I think that goes a lot to show with the players and the leaders they have on the pitch. I think Anna Patton was phenomenal in this game. That's a player that I think I've spoken about a little bit over this weekend on other podcasts and articles. I've just said, like, I think whoever was advising her to say, hey, you're not going to be a first team player at Arsenal. go move somewhere else and be their star centre-back and go play for the national team in Republic of Ireland I think that she's like made a real career for herself and she was phenomenal this weekend so yeah I do think Aston Villa just correct themselves so well but my feeling at this goal is it's going to be 4-5-0 and it's not that because Natalia Arroyo does know how to damage control and she does it well.

11:04Tim: Yeah absolutely and look Anna Patton has been on this podcast twice so you know she's all right with us yeah the way because Villa play with a back three, one of the things they tend to do is that allows one of their centre-backs to go and travel. And I think they did a bit of a number on Russo. They got Anna Patton very, very close to her. But what you said there about thinking this is going to be another 4-5-0, it's exactly what I thought. My heart rate came right down. And it kind of sounds like that's what the players thought as well, quite frankly. And look, I'm going to compare these two quotes.

11:42Tim: I keep picking out this quote after the West Ham game because I really really think it's interesting that Renee said this and I think it's almost the first public admission on her part that she feels that their the focus isn't always there a hundred percent of the time that maybe it's their 96 or 97 percent of the time but not a hundred percent of the time and after the West Ham game she said that's why we get this result today we're so on top of everything we knew we had to we knew that last season yes we had a fantastic high performance against Barcelona and the whole Champions League journey but we also saw those moments in the season where we didn't and that's why these type of games are so important for us now and I think that quote has even more meaning here and after this is an answer to one of my questions afterwards she said I just don't think we had the intensity and urgency in and around the box to kill the game because we get an early goal and that to me I mean I'm reading between the lines but I really think quite strongly the implication there is that the players relaxed that the players let up a little bit did you get that impression in in all of the post-match Renee stuff you saw because she was I think understandably I'd be worried if she wasn't but like she tends to keep a lid on things Renee but I think this was as close as she got to being publicly quite annoyed.

13:08Jamie: It's quite funny because I was seeing some of her videos I think some of her videos with Sky Sports and I was saying oh god like cool it off and then you look at every other manager and they're just like 10 times as emotional as Renee Slagas but yeah a little bit more emotion from her this weekend and I think that that's exactly that that's the implication is that the players completely settled after that goal and that's exactly what they did and I don't think that that's something that's, I don't think that that's something we've seen under a Rene Slaggers Arsenal team. I don't think that that's a brand of football.

13:35Jamie: They score, it almost seems like at the Emirates, they want to keep scoring. They want to be hungry. And that West Ham game was the best example of that. The game was buried at 3-1, but they wanted to make it 5-1. They wanted to keep scoring goals. So there was a little bit of complacency in the air during this game. And I couldn't, couldn't diagnose why, because it's at home at the Emirates. I know the crowd wasn't great, but it's still a top turnout, the most, the most people at a WSL game again in the weekend. So I just think that this is exactly what happened and it's not something I think that we're used to seeing and that's frustrating.

14:03Jamie: But I do think that comes with personnel and I do think that the manager has a bit of an onus to take on. She needs to take on some responsibility for this as well because, yes, the players relaxed, but I don't think she gave them what they needed in the second half in order to come back and inject energy into this team. I think that the game died off with those substitutions, which we'll touch on later. So I don't think it's just on the players kind of throwing in the towel. I think it's in a bit of a group effort and the fact that everyone was a bit lacklustre and complacent this weekend.

14:30Tim: Yeah, and it's something we'll come to in the questions as well. It's like the question is, if we're right and she does feel like that, then ordinarily you might think, well, then a couple of changes might be in the air. But then it's like, but who? And like, are the, you know, potentially the changes you make are going to be people who've barely played a minute this season. So are they going to be in shape to do that? and are they going to want to go and die for you? But the fact that Arsenal have got Man City, then Lyon so quickly, I mean, maybe gives her the chance to just do that and just be like, well, listen, we've got two massive games in a few days, so I've got to change things around.

15:13Tim: I think it's going to be really interesting to see what she does with those two games. But, you know, so there's kind of a big chance for Freedom Ornham to make it 2-0 off of a set piece, which doesn't quite go in. She just can't quite get to it. But, you know, Arsenal look decent. Don't create loads and loads. But then the second half, I mean, Arsenal don't shoot in the second half till the 79th minute, I believe. And that's a Katie McCabe kind of shot. And again, like, you know, go and look at the analysis piece on Ask Blog News, just the amount of times Arsenal were playing in their own half and couldn't get away and just playing in areas where they were never going to hurt Villa and Russo's dropping deeper and deeper into areas again where she can't hurt anyone and you know to your point Jamie Caitlin Ford and Victoria Pilova came on I thought certainly Victoria Pilova was the right player to bring on because freedom won him and and this is one of my concerns that we've talked about a lot on this podcast Jamie about this midfield I do think sometimes that 10 just gets cut off completely cut off from the double pivot and I've said loads of times I'd love them to be like a tighter three um freedom ornum has I think 35 touch 30 touches something like that uh Russo when she played in the 10 last week had 35 like Arsenal's 10s are getting cut off so I supported the idea of pullover coming on and for a couple of minutes it got a bit better but it it just didn't did it like nothing really sparked them into life yeah I think there were so many things in the in the second

16:58Jamie: half that just went wrong and were frustrating me so much because so many of the passing lanes were so clogged and I think in the first 10-20 minutes we saw a lot Frieda Mornham's movement was so dynamic I don't know if it's a fitness thing she's always fit she missed one Arsenal squad but she was so dynamic and that allowed Emily Fox and Katie McCabe to invert into the middle a lot. Emily Fox has that chance early on where she doesn't realize that she can actually shoot. She's basically one-on-one with the goalkeeper. And all the passing lanes are open because Frieda's moving dynamically, the fullbacks are inverting.

17:28Jamie: In the second half, that stops happening. So it's just so, so clogged and there's nowhere to go. And I think that's exactly where they're crying out for someone to ping the ball in and behind. But I also think Aston Villa win this game at halftime because to bring off Rachel Daly, that's a gutsy move and it wasn't a fitness thing. And she brings on Kirstie Hanson. I couldn't believe Kirstie Hanson didn't start. I think she's such a phenomenal winger. And I think it was Emma Byrne I had on international comms saying the same thing, like, why is she not started? She's going to make an impact. And she does.

17:56Jamie: She's a very direct player, Kirstie Hanson. She's very quick and she likes to have the ball at her feet. That rattles Emily Fox a lot more and it stops her from pressing as much as she maybe was in the first half because over the last four or five games, I think we've seen Emily Fox in the final third all the time. She's almost always up high on the pitch. In this game, she's almost a little bit more wary when she's doing that because Kersey Hansen is exploiting that space. And I think Katie Reid does a fantastic job to deal with her. It's not like she's posing a real direct threat, but I do think she causes issues and Arsenal are then more aware and then they're less risky.

18:26Jamie: So I think Aston Villa do exactly what they need to employ the players that they need to put on this pitch in order to rattle Arsenal a little bit. And it worked. It really did work. I think Arsenal are just too wary. They're not willing to take the risk. And I just think there's something about this team right now that they're almost isolating certain players. And I think I completely agree to him. That 10 position is isolated. I also don't think they play down the left wing enough in this game. It almost feels like it's always going to the right wing. And when it's Olivia Smith, she's forced to be the one playing in the ball.

18:54Jamie: I feel like Olivia Smith should be the one on the ball rather than Beth Mead, who's the one chasing the cross. So I just think there's a lot of players maybe in this game that weren't permitted to get the best out of them. I think that they were almost, yeah, given the role that didn't really fit them as a player. And I think we see that in the second half when these substitutions come on. I don't think Victoria Pilova impacted the game. And I think that that comes from the fact that she's not the kind of player that's going to work in that clogged space as much as maybe someone like Kim Little as she likes to take people on.

19:23Jamie: Victoria Pilova can do that. She has that in her skill set, but she needs the service and she's not given the service in this game. She's almost like left on an island for herself. So I just think I feel for the players. I don't think the effort was there. I think that they were lackluster and I do think that they were toothless and they didn't put in 100 % to this game. But I also just think they were almost all given separate roles and not given like a collaborative game plan. So it just all looked disjointed.

19:50Tim: Yeah, it's interesting because we have some questions about the subs and I think there has been a criticism of like, are they a bit preset under Rene? I really didn't think these were at all. First of all, like Steiner doesn't come on. That nearly always happens. Arguably should have happened here as well to give Arsenal a bit of an out ball and perhaps push Villa back a bit. I think that probably should have happened. But stuff like, I was for Pelova coming on because I thought, okay, she'll move back more towards that double pivot. We'll get that slightly tighter three and maybe we'll be able to progress the ball a bit, but it didn't really happen.

20:27Tim: I thought Caitlin had a good cameo, actually, because she's just such a scrappy player, and it was a scrappy game. And the fact for me that Chloe Kelly comes on with four minutes to go, that tells me they were really trying to get through this game without playing her at all. I imagine because they want Man City and Lyon, because Chloe is someone who pretty much always starts, unless she has a knock, she starts under Rene. So for her to come on on like 86 minutes, that struck me as I really want to get through this game without using you at all, probably for fitness reasons. But I think in hindsight, Kyra might have been a better sub, perhaps, than someone like Victoria Pilova that Steiner should have been on.

21:12Tim: But I think with Rene, she doesn't want to take Russo off, particularly when Arsenal are having issues progressing the ball. They want that hold-up player. but I do think you can take issue with the subs in this game. I don't agree that they were preset, as a lot of people say, but it comes to a stage sometimes, Jamie, when your team's having a half like this and you're kind of thinking, how do we change this? How do we change this? And you go, substitutions. And so when Caitlin and Pilova came on, I was like, ah, here we go. It's going to change now. It's going to change. And it didn't change.

21:46Tim: And another couple of subs come on and it didn't change. And you get to that point where you're just like, okay, this second half is just going to be crap. It is. Nothing's sparking this. It reminds me a bit, a year ago this weekend, we had that Leicester away game where that happened and Arsenal won 1-0 and it was the same deal. They were rubbish for the whole second half, but it just gets to a point where you go, okay, let's just be rubbish. Let's kick the ball away from our goal and let's just take a horrible 1-0 that everyone will forget about. But it was clear to me, I look back at my Twitter timeline, in the last five to ten minutes.

22:23Tim: And I was like, this is coming. Like, this is coming. And I don't think that was just fatalism or anxiety because Missy Bo Kearns has a header with a couple of minutes to go. If she connects with it properly, that's probably an equaliser. Films hits that free kick, which Van Domslaar turns over. And actually that free kick comes from pressing Arsenal and taking the ball off them. So when they get a corner in the 93rd minute, I wasn't surprised to see how it unfolded, to be honest.

22:55Jamie: Yeah, the script was written in this 45 minutes. I think that's why it was so frustrating from a fan perspective watching this game. It was so anxiety-inducing the back half of the 45 minutes, and you just knew it was coming. And I think that's why it was so frustrating. The players almost didn't know it was coming. I think you can almost compare it less so, because I think the football quality was more there. But maybe when Arsenal played Liverpool away at the back end of 2024, that 1-0 victory, yeah, 2-0. Yeah, I think that there was a moment in the back 20 minutes where I just thought, oh, a little bit nervy.

23:29Jamie: And then Katie McCabe is like taking it to the corner flag. She's hoofing along and you have an experienced player like her to do that. I think that game was a lot more open, so it's not a direct comparison. But I just think there is moments in games like this where you need those leaders and you need those players to say, okay, this is how we play smart and dirty football. Just get the ball long, lock it into the final third. And Arsenal don't do that against Aston Villa. They provide them far too much respect and agency. And I think that's where the problem comes. Aston Villa are almost given the confidence.

23:57Jamie: And when you start to get those shots on goal, when Missy Bo Kearns makes that header, they're saying, hey, Arsenal are giving us these windows to score here. Like it is there. Then you give confidence into your opposition and then they get a set piece in someone like Lucy Parker. Their back line is very tall. Aston Villa, those set pieces were something I was a little bit worried about before the game, and especially Daphne van Domza, a little bit shaky lately. So that didn't come as a surprise to me. But again, I think this is a direct, I just, I want to praise Villa because I think they were great, but I do think this goal as well is just Arsenal gave them full permission to do this.

24:29Jamie: And they gave them permission for the last half an hour of the game. Like, we'll give you windows, take them when you can. And there was no one to kind of step up and say, we just need to hoof it long, or we need to hold possession and just take it out for a throw in. So yeah, Yeah, a little bit of a lack of experience. I think that's why I was a little bit confused, not frustrated, just a bit confused by the direct substitution to take McCabe off for Taylor Hines. I think that's something we've not really seen under a nice leg is this conservative brand of football. And I think so often we've seen her really take the game when it's 1-0, okay, let's make it more.

24:57Jamie: Instead, it's, okay, let's bring on some defenders and then they're not actually going to provide us any more than the defenders that were already on the pitch. So, yeah, this was frustrating, but I also think it was a direct result of everything that Arsenal laid out for themselves.

25:09Tim: Yeah and kind of interestingly Lota comes on for Mariana before the goal as well and that's a very as a substitution that's a let's just get through this type thing and actually with Lota on you'd on the face of it be more confident of clearing a set piece not that it was her fault it wasn't her fault at all but it's interesting as well because you know you mentioned Van Domsalaar there I don't think she has like a bad game today but like last week We spoke about, well, I said I didn't think she looked right. And then lo and behold, I asked the question at the pre-match press conference about Jenna and I swung her and why were there two goalkeepers on the bench.

25:50Tim: And Daphne has been dealing with a knock, basically. So apparently they wanted the extra goalkeeper on the bench. They can just bring her with the squad and put her in the squad subsequently, which what they did at United, Bawba wasn't on the bench, but she travelled with the squad. So you can do that. still, but maybe they felt if there was a chance they'd have to burn an early substitution. But then that gives rise to the question, well, what kind of confidence does Rene have in the other goalkeepers? But I think what we're seeing is because we don't have that long passer, it's Van Domsala that's doing the long passing.

26:30Tim: And I think it's probably connected to the fact that Manu Zinsberger can't really do that. I don't know what an echo ball was like in terms of long distribution so maybe we're patching up the goalkeeper a little bit at the moment because she's the one that can pass long and actually if she's not that fit anyway then maybe that hampers her and it just a couple of things are just starting to make a little bit more sense now but I mean I was you know emotionally I didn't enjoy that second half anyway the last five or ten minutes I was actually getting quite annoyed like why do you keep playing with the ball on the edge of your own area just like you're at this stage like don't do that anymore what was your kind of um your feeling at the final whistle

27:19Jamie: so frustrating so defeating can I be honest the last time this happened last weekend less less frustrating but the draw against United I then stayed up and watched the men's game because I love my Arsenal Sundays and I was it was also bitterly disappointed so this time I was in a bit of a rage and I was like whatever WSL's done I'm going to bed wake up and I'm like okay we'll finally beat Newcastle away so I'm just decided I'm no longer gonna watch the Premier League or the WSL but I was that that's a bit of a taster I was just not I was not happy by this performance I think that's why it's so frustrating is it's so early in the season it's September you're throwing away points at home to Aston Villa it's very very frustrating and I think we've got a few questions about this but my feeling my feeling um after the final whistle was I need to stop lagging off Chelsea every time they play badly because they just, they get it done.

28:06Jamie: They played so badly against Aston Villa two weeks ago away, so badly. It was one of their worst performances under Sonia Bonpastor. They come away with that with a 3-1 victory away from home. Like they get the result done, they find the back of the net, and they just, they play terrible until they need to win. And they do it every single time. They did it against Leicester City last week as well. And I think that was my biggest takeaway from this game. There's much to talk about why that may be the case and why they can do that and why Arsenal can't. But my biggest takeaway was that's two points dropped at home to Aston Villa, who are currently 10th in the WSL.

28:36Jamie: I don't think they deserve to be there. And I do think they'll climb. They're on two points and Arsenal have gifted them one of them. So, yeah, my feelings, Tim, were why does this team struggle to grind out results when maybe Chelsea can play worse football and always get the three points?

28:52Tim: yeah I I look like quite quite often um you know sometimes people get frustrated with me because because of my nature I'm I'm I'm generally like I'm I'm quite a calm person right so I'm not I'm not much of a like um you know with with results I not not that I'm above it and I don't do it but generally I'm the kind of oh calm down get things in perspective type thing but on this occasion I was like no I think a bit of a crash out is warranted here to be honest like like you guys go for it man because that's kind of where I am because I think the very uh real frustration and I think I see this in the manager as well the real frustration I think we all feel is Champions League final Barcelona Champions League semi-final Lyon last Conte Cup final were in Chelsea the semi-final before that Man City the year before Conti Cup final Chelsea Conti Cup semi-final Man City like we win we could we win probably more than our fair share actually of that type of game but it just feels like two or three times a season we do this against a team like Aston Villa and I think the manager's hinting quite heavily that the players went easy and there was a question about pressure in the title race and and again i was surprised not because i think she was wrong but like renee doesn't usually go here and she said yeah there is pressure like we've lost four points now so and she said we will learn we will learn very quickly and uh and like she you know she didn't bat that away um at all which you know i think kind of tells you how she feels she doesn't she's good at not not showing you I think how she really feels um which is which is completely her prerogative she's very Serena like I think like that but I think this was the closest I came to really seeing her feel incredibly frustrated with the players and the team and and you know look we've got some questions in the second half about that so why don't we take a break here and we'll come back uh in part two with your questions submitted on Blue Sky right after this.

31:10Tim: Okay, we're back for part two of the Arsenal Women Ask, cast and askblog.com. Looking back at Saturday's pretty disappointing 1-1 draw with Aston Villa at the Emirates. I'm going to give you the first question, Jamie. And speaking of the Emirates, this one's from atleothoughts. The move to the Emirates for all WSL games and the attendance for the smaller games can make the Emirates feel empty and a bit disconnected with the team. It almost feels like sometimes there's less support. Do you think the players feel that way too? I've seen people say online that some players give the idea that they just don't care anymore.

31:50Tim: I mean, I'm not there personally, but I don't think that's the case, but understand that people feel that way because there's less room for interaction, understandable for player safety. what's your point of view on this so I guess a little bit about the Emirates and um you know I guess the atmosphere for these games particularly these midday games

32:12Jamie: yeah the midday kickoff I think is doesn't help the Emirates at all I think this has a big play into it I just think look I have a few opinions I don't doubt that yes when you're going to be playing every single WSL fixture at the Emirates is going to be games like this where the attendance is a low and they're not as high as maybe we would have preferred. But I just think that's something you have to take with it if you're making the decision to do it. I just think it's a situation where it's okay. The club is saying we want the women's team to use the Emirates as their home during the league season.

32:41Jamie: This is what is going to happen just naturally as the game progresses. So I think it's worth it. I almost think it's worth it because you need to build it and it will build up eventually over the coming years, decades, whatever it may be. But I also think that doesn't mean that it's not – That doesn't mean we can't talk about the ramifications of that. And I think there is an isolation there with the atmosphere. I think that the players, and we've seen this Arsenal team, not just under Enes Lakers, but under Jonas Aidoval, under Joe Montemuro, they require this kind of energy boost. And I think that we still need that.

33:11Jamie: Maybe had it been a full Emirates or a full Warren Wood yesterday, the team played a bit better. And I think that the crowd played a big part in football. That's why we have fans. That's why we have a crowd. So I do think there is a direct effect there, but I also think it's less of an effect than the team switching, flip-flopping between Meadow Park and the Emirates during the league season. I think the pitches are different. The sizes are different. I think it has a bit of an effect. So I would just rather like take it, hope that it improves, and then it's going to cause effects. But I also think every other team in the WSL has that exact same situation where they go to a big stadium and it's empty and that might cause them issues.

33:47Jamie: They even play at their home ground and it's not full. So I think, yeah, Arsenal just where maybe we've been treated to a bit of an embarrassment of riches. But I do think, yeah, I stand with that opinion. I think it affects maybe the players in terms of the atmosphere is not there and football is about that. But I also don't think that the players deserve to use that as a cop out when they're not performing at their best.

34:08Tim: Yeah, I mean, our record of the Emirates, this is the first time under Rene we've not scored four goals or more in a home game. But yeah, it was a bit sleepy Saturday, midday and all of that. Do you have a question for me?

34:22Jamie: I do. This one is from Rose Schellen. It's not the Chelsea cast, but let's draw a comparison here anyway. Chelsea were drab against Villa, but won 3-1. They were drab against Leicester, but held on to a 1-0. There's a reason they constantly managed to win despite not playing well, season in and season out. What is it they have according to you? And does this, if so, relate to our performance on Saturday? And then Izzy38 has asked a similar question saying, I don't see the talent gap between the two squads, so why can't we do the same? Is it inexperienced naivety from Rene or player mentality, something else interested to hear your thoughts?

34:56Tim: Yes, it's really, really hard to tell. In the emotion of it, I did come away from the game thinking, yeah, there's just too many games like this. And when I say too many, that kind of sounds like happens every other week and it doesn't. Happens a couple of times a season, but that's enough. That's enough to not win the league. And in the emotion, I was like, why do they do this? like why when's it going to sink in that every single minute of every single game matters but then I kind of you know you calm down a bit and I tested myself and I was like okay in your head name and shame who do you think it is and I went through the team and I was like honestly I can't level it at a player do you know what I mean I can't I can't I go through the whole starting line up on Saturday I can't say oh yeah that player didn't do it actually or that player looked like they didn't care.

35:50Tim: I honestly don't believe that. And I've watched it back. And now I've watched it back. I do think it's a bit more tactical in terms of ball progression and everything like that. I'd say in terms of what Chelsea have, the Arsenal need to progress to is really interesting because earlier today recorded a podcast about the men's team and they went at Newcastle. And these weekends are always weird where I've been to both games and completely opposite things have happened. And we were talking about in the men's team about there's a lot more depth in the team this season and everyone has a role, everyone's involved.

36:29Tim: It doesn't mean everyone starts every game, doesn't mean everyone plays every minute of every game, but sometimes Mikel Moreno has a role, sometimes Trossard, sometimes Martinelli. And Arteta's been quite good at everyone's doing something, everyone's alive and everyone's engaged. certainly under Emma Hayes I think that was her superpower I think her superpower was understanding how to how to use a big squad how to manage it when to rotate but also to give players roles so even if they're not playing every minute of every game they have a role and they feel like they're part of it and I'm not saying that's not the case I asked at the moment because I don't know I can't say that and obviously that plays into a lot of the discussion around players who aren't playing and stuff like that but it it does feel a little bit like there are like last season there were just three or four players who aren't getting on the pitch and i'm not saying that's the problem right now but across the season we're gonna need those players might need those players to come into the team now because like a couple of things haven't worked the last couple of games and it's like now you're going to bring them in cold or maybe and again i'm not saying this is the case maybe they're a bit pissed off and you know maybe they're late you know it is everyone engaged that that's my question going forward it's not like um it's not a question i have right now but it's something to stick a pin in i think squad utilization is a big part of it over a season and having that thing as well where again we're talking excuse the constant references to the men's team but i think is a really interesting analogy we were talking about the right back situation with Urien Timber, Urien Timber has taken Ben White's place, not because Ben White played badly, but because Ben White's like a nine out of 10 and Urien Timber's a 10 out of 10 type thing.

38:26Tim: And that's what you want in your squad. You want players coming out because the other player's just better and that they're both at a really high level. You don't want wastage and you don't want players sitting there on zero minutes after five games. And I really think that's going to be a big challenge for Arsenal this season. Again, I think it's too early to say that that's a challenge that's been failed or being failed. But a long-winded answer to what I think Chelsea have, and I think what Chelsea have, is engagement and involvement and buy-in from every single player, basically, in the squad.

39:04Tim: And being able to use 20 players very, very interchangeably. And I think that's where Arsenal have to get to. They have to start going on that journey very, very quickly. Quite a similar question here from Ariella W. I often appreciate the emotional regulation Rene's brought to the team, the way they've gotten better at not losing their heads, for example. But once in a while, I wonder if that's come at the price of urgency and fire. It felt like I saw a little too little of that last weekend. do you think we can strike a balance there? So what do you think of that one?

39:46Jamie: I think that's a really good point because that's something we praised about Renee last season is she brings a lot of calm, composure, confidence to this team, but maybe that transpires into the fact that they're less urgent. I don't know if everyone necessarily agrees with this, but I do think there's something to take away with the fact that, like we said, that back seven is so set in stone. It's so set in stone, those players know that they're going to be starting every week. That, to me, in any high-level football team that's trying to push to win the league. That takes away urgency and fire in the bellies of those players that have their spot every week.

40:16Jamie: I think it's completely different for Steph Cattley and Katie Reid because they are the starting centre-back partnership right now. I wouldn't really change that at all. I also think they've both been pretty faultless. But Katie McCabe has guaranteed her spot every single week. Again, no criticism to her. I'm not saying they're playing badly. I just think there is a lack of having to prove something. It goes exactly hand-in-hand with what you were just saying, Tim, about Chelsea. Chelsea players have to prove something every single week because they're so replaceable. Because every single player in that squad can step in and play that role.

40:44Jamie: Sam Kerr's nearly fit. Nagy Beaver-Jones has scored four goals in four games. She's not going to be subbed for Sam Kerr when she's fit. She's going to have to earn that spot back. It's the same thing as what... Sorry, it's the opposite of what's happening at Arsenal right now. Emily Fox doesn't have that competition. I think that she's the least likely player in probably world football to fall into complacency. But there is a little bit of that subconsciously. And then you look at the double pivot. To be honest, I want to leave Kim Little out of the conversation because I do think she's been pretty spot on this start of the season.

41:12Jamie: I don't think she's really put a foot wrong. I think Mariona as well is still playing fine football, but there is a bit of lack of urgency there. She's got that spot in the double pivot, and maybe that kind of romance of her new position has worn off a little bit where she's taking less risks because that's what she's been prescribed to do. So I just think when you have a back seven that have basically got their spots guaranteed, it just takes away a lot from this squad. and then it means that the starting substitutions, again, basically reiterating what you just said, Tim, those substitutes that aren't getting game time.

41:42Jamie: Like why? I understand that she's got to be a professional, but if I was Kyra Kroenig Ross in this squad, like what do I have to prove? Because I've proved it during preseason. I'm not going to come onto the pitch and play my best game. It's like last year against Real Madrid away, she played a terrible game. She got dropped and she's not started. Like Mariona and Kim, maybe a little bit more lackluster, not at their best, but they've still got that spot on hand. So what is incentivising those bench players to fight for their spot if that back seven is so secure? And I think that feeds into the team.

42:11And Alessia Russo is, again, the exact same as Emily Fox.

42:14Jamie: She's never going to be complacent and say, I deserve this spot. I don't have to work for it. But I think it's just becoming a little bit predictable when she is getting those 90-minute stretches. The centre-back partnerships of the opposition know exactly who they're going to be playing on and why they're going to be playing on her and what they have to do the whole game. And that's just force her to go deep into the midfield so you take away that threat. So, yeah, I think it's just it comes down to predictability. It's not necessarily on mentality. I don't think the players are going out there and saying, I don't want to play good football.

42:39Jamie: I just want to kind of like kick it around and have a laugh. That's not what's happening. I just think Arsenal becoming predictable. So it's then it's knock on effects for these players and maybe they're not seeing their role in the squad. And then the players that are starting are maybe saying, hey, I'm a little bit safer here. So I don't have to take risks. I don't have to do like things that are going to break lines, win games. I can just play my role. And I think we're seeing a lot of I'm going to play my role rather than I'm going to go out and drag the team to a win, which is what happened on Saturday.

43:05Jamie: A lot of players comfortable in their position, but not comfortable to take risks.

43:10Tim: Fair. Do you have a question for me?

43:12Jamie: I do. This one's interesting. I didn't actually think about it too much. It's from at Liam Underwood, AWFC, something I didn't think about in the game. So it says, is having two fullbacks inverting affecting our build up? As in my view, it's hogging up and closing passing lanes. And when we play it wide to one of our wingers holding the width, they have no choice but to go back to one of our centre-backs or the goalkeeper in result of only having one player on each flank wide. Do you think both full-backs are inverting and do you think that's a problem?

43:39Tim: Yeah, that is an interesting thought. I definitely saw it when I watched the game back on the left quite a lot. But then there were like, when I look at the very few times we did play through, usually the full-backs were very, very key. So actually, I said I think that there wasn't a shot from Arsenal to the 79th minute. That was according to FB Ref. Emily Fox did have a shot that was blocked before that, where she gets into the area like she's kind of inverted. And Emily Fox shoots more than any other fullback in the WSL because she picks up those central positions quite a lot. So when I look at the few times we played through, it was kind of through that.

44:22Tim: but at the same time I do recognize in the question that I saw plenty of times where particularly over on the left it looked a bit stodgy where you know McCabe did invert and I just think Villa I think Villa's press was just very very good like their midfielders all worked so so hard they play that um they're quite an interesting team Villa the way they attack as well because they rotate positions so much they don't really play with a fixed striker they have like Rachel Daly plays that slightly withdrawn role and then they kind of have Ebony Salmon and usually Kirsty Hansen I share your surprise that she didn't start who they've been playing on the left and they play them as kind of split strikers but you never know where the run's coming from sometimes Ebony Salmon's up front sometimes Rachel Daly sometimes Chastity Grant is making those runs sometimes it's Missy Bo Kearns like they're they're quite a beguiling team to defend and and i think that might have had a little bit of an impact but really i think villa's midfield were superb in the press they really were i i really again it's not my job to dissect their performance but i really saw it when i watched it back i was like actually they're so on top of this like they're they're hunting in packs they're they're every like you could have thrown a blanket over their midfield a lot of the time and like because they were they They were so tight together in the press.

45:49Tim: So I think I wouldn't at this stage say that that's like a thematic problem. I think Villa probably saw it coming. But at the same time, one of the advantages of inverting your full backs is even if the other team does see it coming and they assign people to go and mark them, then it leaves someone else free somewhere else and you kind of create a superiority elsewhere. where I kind of think Arsenal didn't even get far enough up the pitch for that to make much of a difference. Like, genuinely, they couldn't get out of their half. So I think some of that as well, like, didn't even really percolate that much.

46:29Tim: And what, for me, still, the biggest problem is the variety of paths because Villa knew they could press because they knew Lotta and Lear weren't there to pop the ball over their head or Kyra Kunicross wasn't there for a big diagonal. like it's all short five-a-side wall passes. And I think that meant that Villa could be brave. I still would diagnose that as more of a problem. And I think the midfield was clogged more because of Villa than us,

46:56Jamie: if that makes sense.

46:58Tim: How about this one then, looking forward a bit, because we have got Man City away and Lyon at home in the space of a couple of days. And this is from at Ndmw. two games against top opposition within four days opens up a clear opportunity brackets need for Rene to switch things up without necessarily being perceived as a message that the recent team and sub selections have been flawed having dropped points in the WSL um is it now the Lyon game where Arsenal can maybe take some risks in terms of rotation so yeah I guess like how do you see the lineup shaking out for the next two games and I think it's a great point by the way that like you know you at this stage you can kind of say it's not because I'm dropping you if you don't want to you can kind of say as we've got Leon on Tuesday so I'm going to sit you down for this one and yeah I guess like that that question of squad usage now we're out of the one game a week kind of section of the season yeah I think it's unlucky that the draw has City and Leon within

48:03Jamie: the same week. I think that that is, that's unlucky because yeah, you almost have to play your best team two games in a row. And if there's not a break, sufficient break in between, that's too bad. But I also just think Renee has put herself in a situation where she almost has to kind of kick herself a little bit, because I do think these are the games that she's just seen flown by, other games that you need to make those substitutions where you need to kind of take those risks and change some things up. This game, especially when you're not playing good, that's the game where maybe you try out Kyra Kuni cross in the midfield you don't go into Man City and do it there I think that that is a really big risk if she goes to Manchester City this weekend and says I'm going to change change everything because you all sucked against Aston Villa and then you what if you lose it I don't think they will but what if you lose against Manchester City then how far away are you from the title race but then also United are winning every game they're actually playing quite good football I still believe that they're an injury away from collapsing but Man City are kind of getting in their form a little bit, at least up front, still have issues about their defence.

49:04Jamie: So you then have to worry about the Champions League top three and losing a game to City is something that Arsenal haven't done in a long time and that's something that is really, really important to kind of keep your stead in the standings is just beating City every season. So I don't think this is a very good opportunity for an Ace Vegas to rotate and I don't think she will. I think that she's going to play the same back seven against City that she will against Lyon and then you look at that Lyon game, you want to be winning that game. It's at home. It's at Meadow Park. It's a game that you know that you can beat Lyon.

49:31Jamie: However, they've injected so many talented players into their system that they didn't have in the Champions League last season. Plus, they have Jonathan Gouraldes, who, no offence to Joe Montemuro, but Gouraldes is a better manager and he's going to work better with this high talent. So I think that this is a precarious situation. I don't think Renee Slagers can complain about it. I think she almost wrote this herself. You can't rotate the team. And if you want to rotate the team then go for it but you're then risking underbaked players coming in against two massive oppositions so yeah I think she's put herself in this situation it's a sticky one I don't think she's going to change anything though I think she's going to keep that back seven the exact way

50:07Tim: that it is I suspect that too unless it goes really really wrong against Man City and I think she might look at the Brighton game um and and maybe do it then um that that's that's why it's what I suspect, not necessarily what I do, but I think that's what might happen. Yeah, we've got lots of questions that are really, really similar. And I'm trying to think, ah, here we go. From at Jolo Moko, I think given how well things have gone, it's understandable for Rene to play as we've been playing. But the last two games, given the biggest sign yet, that teams are finding a way to close us off, particularly with more data on life with Reid and the effect on progression.

50:51Tim: um my piece touched on it with choices between Lota and KCC to add some diversity do you have a sense of what you would do for Saturday given the opposition and the likes of Lota and KCC potentially coming in cold so I guess we've discussed what we think Rene might do what what would you do against City I think that we've kind of I've run into this wall so many times when

51:17Jamie: speaking about what I would change about this team because it always almost always results in Mariona coming out of the pivot and I don't want to take Mariona Caldente out of the team so there's it's a there's a difficulty and I can understand from Renee Slagers and I think that was my reasoning up until what are we in now game week five um that was my reasoning up until this point was I guys don't worry about it you can't replace Kim Little she's playing really well and Mariona Caldente you rely on that moment of magic that she so often produces so I can completely understand And this weekend was the weekend I began to get really frustrated because I don't think there should really be a world in which I'm going to talk directly about Kyra Kuni Cross, that she's not even getting five minutes against Aston Villa.

51:56Jamie: That to me is so confusing. I don't really understand, especially because, like you said, Tim, her profile fits this game. Like, it's not like you're just putting on Kyra Kuni Cross, have five minutes because we're going to need you eventually. She could have made an impact against this Aston Villa team. And that's what's so frustrating. Because it's almost like, are you trying to prove a point? I don't really know what the ethos is behind that. In my opinion, I think we saw this game last year, Cairo Kunicross start against City. It did not end well. Leo Volte came in, like basically saves the day and Arsenal get away with a 4-3 victory in that game.

52:29Jamie: I think that so much of City rely on the transition. I just think for Arsenal, they have a real, and this is going to sound counterintuitive, but they have a real opportunity with Mariona and Kim in the pivot, I think, to exploit Man City. And that's something that I think fans will be maybe a little bit reactionary about if they don't see Kyra Cooney cross on the team sheet. It's going to be like, why is she not playing? I think this is actually the game where that's going to work the best because it does offer stability. But Mariana can also cause a lot of vulnerabilities and exploit that city back line because I watched them against London City and I don't think they look that great.

53:00Jamie: Like, I really don't think they look like the team that they should be. And I think that that back four is so, so, so vulnerable. And I think that centre-back partnership, they're not getting it right. Alex Greenwood and it's Gracie Pryor right now is not playing great football. I just think Leila Wahabi is getting skinned. So there is an opportunity in this game for Mariona and Kim to be the pivot that I think is the most desirable, which is funny because then you're battling and it's like, OK, well, Kyrie Cooneycross didn't. She should have played against Villa, but she probably shouldn't play against Man City.

53:25Jamie: So in short, I think this is, again, Renee is maybe putting herself in a difficult situation where you don't play her against Aston Villa. The player is then sitting there probably saying, what more can I do? and then you rightfully maybe don't select her against Man City and then the player is going to be like, okay, well, that's ridiculous. I'm still not playing when maybe she shouldn't be playing at all. So, yeah, it's a hard one. I think, again, it just comes down to the selection. I think so much this Arsenal team under Renee Slaggers works in blocks and I think she works in the present time and doesn't really have a grasp on the future yet.

53:57Jamie: And that's something she'll learn. She's such a young coach and she's such a good manager as well. But I think there's a little bit of a lack of foresight on what's coming next and maybe you're not going to play Kyra Canucross against City, really should have played her against Aston Villa in case I need her against Lyon.

54:11Tim: So, yeah, in short, I'd actually keep it the same.

54:13Jamie: But I do think there are ramifications to keep it the same. Definitely collateral damage could have been cleaned up against Aston Villa and it wasn't.

54:21Tim: Yeah. So you don't think Jenna Nyswonger is going to start in midfield?

54:25Jamie: I think she's going to be playing in the 10, yeah.

54:28Tim: Yeah. Again, like longer term, you know, like I've said a million times, would like to move to that slightly tighter midfield three. I don't think Man City away is the time to start a revolution, to be honest. So it's a difficult one because a part of me, I'd like to see Pilova because that happens a bit more naturally when you have someone like her. But one of the ways City have changed this season, I actually haven't seen that much of City this season, but it strikes me they've gone to more of a 4-2-3-1. so like Sidney Lohman kind of sliding in next to Yui Hasegawa I'm not sure if Lohman's fit actually I know she had yeah I know she had a bit of a knock so it would be interesting to see what they do there but I think they played Laura Blinkhilda Brown so they've moved to much more of a double pivot whereas under Gareth Taylor it was Yui Hasegawa you know on her own as a six and good enough to do that quite frankly but it feels like they've gone a bit more like what they're doing reminds me of when we went from Joe Montemoro to Jonas where it was more double pivot pressing like they've gone there a little bit so this isn't Gareth Taylor's Man City basically is kind of what I'm getting at

55:52Tim: so I'm kind of I think like with the ball progression thing maybe that I'm with you maybe that's not as big a thing in this specific game but I do think longer term we're going to have to make a decision that gets one of Kyra Cooney cross or Lotto Lotto Wubhamoy into the team to help with some of that but I'm with you I think like it almost feels a bit late now

56:18Jamie: to be doing that kind of stuff.

56:19Tim: So I think it's going to be so, so interesting to see how she manages all of that. Let's do one more each. I'll ask you one, and then you can ask me one, and then we'll get out of here. And I'm going to ask you potentially a slightly lighter one because we've been doing some heavy stuff there. but Emily M Pritchett says, a bit of a fun one for Jamie, the three finals you've been to this year, the Champions League, the Euros and AFL, can you rank them in terms of atmosphere, enjoyability and food drink options?

57:00Jamie: That is a banging question. Food drink options, that's an interesting one. Okay, let me go. Do I have to rank them all just in one fell swoop?

57:09Tim: Yeah.

57:09Jamie: I'll do that. Obviously, I'm going to put the Champions League final first. The food options, though, really, really poor. Food and drink, worst. Everything else, top. Yeah, the atmosphere, great. Everything, fantastic. Best day of my life. Second, this is hard because I didn't have a horse in either of these races, but they were both excellent. Atmosphere, I'll have to go the AFL Grand Final, over 100 ,000 people, and the food and drink was sublime, I will say. I will say, but enjoyment, I just, the Euros Final, something about that. I was reporting on it. It was my first time at a major tournament.

57:42Jamie: the sentimentality, I'm never going to forget that. There's also so many players that I loved on that pitch. So I'll go Euros final second, AFL grand final third, because my AFL team sucks. So I don't actually, I can't actually, yeah, I can't be emotional about that. So yeah, that's a great question. Champions League final first, Euros final second, AFL grand final third. Appreciate the sentimentality. Thank you, Emily.

58:03Tim: And do you have one for me to close?

58:06Jamie: Yeah, I do. This is a more tactical one to just ruin everyone's day. But this one's from MixClip72. We seem to be heavily favouring the right side this season. Do you think this is a deliberate tactic to get the ball to Smith or more due to having a new young right-sided centre-back who is more comfortable playing the ball out to Fox on the right? Our left wingers just aren't getting enough service.

58:29Tim: Yeah, I have to say that one hasn't struck me, to be honest. I think under both Rene and Jonas, what tends to happen is that there is like a good diversity in terms of you'll get a game where we go down the right most of the time and then you'll get a game where we go down the left most of the time so i remember like when we played everton away last season everything went down the right like everything went down the right that day and pretty much all the goals came down there but then you'll get another game like where you know clearly targeting some kind of weakness in the opposition maybe maybe I mean, maybe they felt that that was this game and we did go down the right a lot.

59:12Tim: And in the first half, we got in behind their left wing back, who's usually Noelle Maritz, but she got sent off in the week and Arsenal in the first half an hour. And again, this was on press box side as well. So it really struck me. They got in again and again down the right. And I think that's probably, first of all, because they thought the left wing back might be a little bit green. And actually, you look at the goal and it's really her who's not coming back and showing for the ball. And, you know, Villa could have passed out from there quite easily, but she seemed to switch off. So I suspect they were just targeting her a little bit.

59:55Tim: I also think Villa are very dangerous on their right because they kind of have Chastity Grant and Ebony Salmon. and I'm guessing Arsenal just didn't want the ball on that side as much because of most of Villa's transitional threat, particularly when they left out Kirsty Hansen. Villa were very right-side heavy in terms of talent and threat and I just suspect that for this game, Arsenal were aiming down Villa's right-hand side because they perceived a weakness there and if you look back at the first half an hour, you really see it like we get in down there so many times so I don't think that's an overall pattern like maybe it is and I've just not noticed but I just think that Arsenal do make targets on opponents and Arsenal do generally they are a team that like to go out wide probably more than any other team in the WSL they really like to go out wide in terms of their attack so it kind of really shows up when they go down when they really target a side so yeah i wouldn't and also like the personnel on the flanks changes all the time it was beth mead on the left this time it could easily like that that's the other thing about arsenal's winger choices you see them on the team sheet but quite often you don't know who's playing on which side until until the game kicks off so So I wouldn't call it an overall trend, no.

1:01:22Tim: And that's 61 minutes on Arsenal 1, Aston Villa 1. And Jamie, I think that's quite enough, to be honest.

1:01:29Jamie: Let's end it there, Tim. Hoping for more positivity next week.

1:01:34Tim: Yeah, absolutely. So Arsenal, away at Manchester City, Saturday lunchtime. We'll get a pod out a little bit punchier than we got this one out. Most of you, kind of UK and Europe, it'll be Tuesday morning. God, it'll be like, by the time this actually comes out, Jamie, it'll be like Tuesday evening for you.

1:01:53Jamie: They're them stodgy-ass casters.

1:01:56Tim: So we will get back onto a better schedule now that my house is in one piece again. Well, for the time being, who knows what's around the corner. Jamie, thanks as always.

1:02:08Jamie: Thank you, Tim. Thank you, Tim. Appreciate it. Glad that your house is back in order. Glad that we're all moving on from that horrific game. Let's all be happy.

1:02:15Tim: yes yeah yeah and a massive week coming up with games against man city and leon we will have all the usual coverage we always have of all of those games and ask blog news um i might have to miss the friday press conference because it's at the exact time that my train for manchester leaves so um you know might have to send in the stunt double uh for that one but um yeah we'll be across it somehow um thanks so much for sticking with us we hope that you found that therapeutic if nothing else and hopefully we'll have something a bit more light and bouncy for you next week until then take care of yourselves and we'll speak to you very soon