Arsenal Women Arsecast 139: Always look on the Brighton side

0:14Hello and welcome to the Arsenal Women AskCastCastOnAskBlog.com with me your host Tim Stillman looking back at Sunday's 1-0 win over Brighton at the Emirates. Not the most eventful game, but I think plenty of narrative to get our teeth into, certainly, and we've got some really good questions as ever for the second half. But here to chew the fat over what was a fairly asinine 1-0 win is our co-host as ever, Jamie Spanger. Jamie, how are you doing? Hey, Tim. I'm not too bad. No complaints. I felt like I cosplayed as a Chelsea fan for a night. So a boring game, 1-0 win. It was almost nice to just get the three points and leave.

0:54Yeah, I actually watched, I managed to watch the majority of the Chelsea-Tottenham game. And to be fair, like Chelsea deserved to win, definitely. But yeah, it feels like I've seen that Chelsea game quite a lot. Every time I watch them, it seems to happen. And personally, I find it really annoying that the game where they kind of got their comeuppance was a Champions League game that has no bearing for us and probably very little bearing for them as well. But anyway, before we go into the game and the line-up and all the things that we usually go into, I wanted to pause and talk a little bit about Rene's press conference on Friday because obviously when you're in bad form, the questions take on a different form.

1:37And there are a couple of things that came out. she said something about um how they'd watched a video of roger federer and how roger federer talked about how he'd only won 54 of the points available to him during his career but obviously he's like which means he didn't win 46 of them but yet he's one of the greatest sportsmen ever and they were talking about how like you know kind of i guess trying to use that for inspiration but how he goes from point to point how he made sure he won the important points i saw a little bit of discussion about this online so I wondered what your take on that was.

2:11Yeah I think this is interesting because I think when you tell a football fan like only winning 54 % of points the good thing their immediate reaction is to say look that's probably not true because then you're finishing in maybe eighth or ninth on a table but I do like the sentiment the fact that one when something goes wrong it can be used as a building block to just bounce back and so much about sport is resilience and about about quick reaction so I understand the message and I like it I also love Roger Federer I was a ball kid at the Australian Open when I was like 10 or 10 to 14 I think and I bought why I remember ball kidding one of his games and it was like the best day of my life so nice little James Spanger crossover two niches there but yeah no I respect the line about the resilience and maybe just being more adaptable however I can also see why people are like really just win the game yeah I found it really interesting just because I can tell you teams do this stuff all the time we we only really hear about it when results aren't good because people ask more exploratory questions of managers they'd have done stuff like this in the build-up to the champions league final as well but you don't you don't really hear about it and and obviously tennis is i'm not a big tennis fan but tennis is such a different sport it's an individual sport it's like mentally possibly the most taxing of um of the kind of elite sports because of the nature of it and I remember I'm not a huge fan of the man himself but obviously Djokovic is an amazing tennis player as well and I saw an interview with him a couple of years ago where he talked about like he was I think the interviewer was like you're like a machine you just keep going and like losing points doesn't bother you and he's like of course it bothers me it's like it eats my soul when I lose a point but the skill is putting it to one side and getting out of your system very quickly.

3:58And yeah, I saw some discussion about it online, but this stuff is very, very common. It's very common across sports teams to use those kind of things for inspiration. And as we come to the lineup, Jamie, one thing we knew for sure in this game, because again, Renee was asked, she was asked about Daphne van Domstelaar's form, which I think was a perfectly fair question. And she was asked about whether she'd consider taking her out of the firing line. Usually, Rene plays every question with a straight bat and wouldn't go into that. But she did say, I don't think that's the way to solve this. She referenced, I think, that shying away from the problem.

4:38I think maybe we saw in this game what she thinks some of those problems are. And she kind of said, no, I don't think that's the way to go here. So we knew, I think, pretty much that Daphna van Domsala was going to start in goal. And that felt to me, Jamie, like she wanted to make a bit of a public declaration to back her goalkeeper. I really respected that as well. I think that Daphna has made some mistakes this season, especially the Lyon, the De Mornay goal was the one that hurt the most. But if you look at that game and her performance across that 90 minutes, she actually made some really impressive saves.

5:16And it's about bouncing back. And I think it's so important, especially for the goalkeeper, because so much gets pinned on them when they're the last line of defence. It's so important for a manager to come out and publicly back their goalkeeper when they have maybe been making haphazard mistakes. So, yeah, I really respected that. And I think at the end of the day, we know how good Daphna can be. And we also know that she's been in and out of injury. Like she's had a tough run over the last 12 months, even longer than that, when she was at Aston Villa too. Like she's had a hard run with injuries.

5:42She obviously played through something at the Euros. So I think that this is the position that matters most for a manager to just say, no, I back my goalkeeper and I'm just going to make sure that everyone knows about that so that she knows about that as well. And I think you showed that they, yeah, Daphna just showed how that confidence transpired, especially in this game against Brighton. I think it was a goalkeeper that felt that she was backed and felt that she was supported. And I really rate that move from Renee. I think it's the right thing to do from a manager. Yeah, it was interesting as well, because before that question, I was wondering whether she might go with Manu Zinsberger, which she hasn't done yet this season.

6:17And I wondered whether it'd be a little bit, we know Daphna had a knock earlier in the season. And actually, weirdly, I looked back at this fixture last season, which Arsenal won 5-0. actually Zinsberger started at home to Brighton last season I think it was the only time that Slagers consciously picked Zinsberger ahead of Van Domsala for like shall we say a meaningful game all season so there was something about Brighton I think at that stage anyway that she felt Zinsberger was maybe more suited to whether it was about short distribution or not so I did think maybe Maybe there's a tactical reason she'll go to that, but she was very clear in the press conference not doing that.

7:00And she alluded to kind of other issues, which I think we'll come on to. But elsewhere in the lineup, Jamie, again, it's one of those things you think about Arsenal and it's like, it's not going that well. What changes can she make? Will she make changes? Do you stick or do you twist? Do you try and play your normal game, but do it better? Or do you make some changes and you have to win? but ultimately I think the side we usually come down on with Rene a bit like Serena Vigman is usually there's not going to be many changes and there wasn't this time did that I mean maybe it didn't surprise you but what how did what did you think of the lineup when it was you know quote unquote the usual suspects yeah it definitely didn't surprise me I wasn't surprised that this was the lineup put out I also like I had mixed feelings about it as well I think I saw a lot of people maybe a little bit upset about the fact there was a lack of rotation, especially in the midfield.

7:52But I do still think at the same time, like we go on about this double pivot of Kim Little and Mariona, but Renee has experimented with that pivot. She obviously moved Mariona higher against like a couple of weeks ago as well, and that didn't work. So there has been experimentation. So I could understand reverting back to that against Brighton. Again, like I think we spoke about it, the Kyra Cooney cross, I would have had her starting in this game just because the way Brighton liked to press. And we've seen, obviously, if you're going to play Katie Reid, And I think there's a lot of things we're going to probably allude to a lot in this episode.

8:20But Katie Reid starts in centre-back because she's been so good. But also Brighton are a really aerial dominant team. Then you lose a progressive passer in the back line. So I would have brought Kyra Kunikos into this midfield. I just think that's something I would have done. In hindsight, everything looks better. So that was just my initial thought. I was like, I'm a little bit worried about ball progression in the midfield in terms of Brighton's press and how we're going to manage that. However, at the same time, I wasn't overall stressed. I thought that's fine. It's still a very strong lineup, perhaps Arsenal's strongest.

8:47So a bit of a mixed emotion, Tim. Yeah, I think with the midfield double pivot, I completely understand why people are looking for something different. I think, though, we'd still lose stuff by breaking it up. And I think sometimes that's a mistake we make as fair. It's like, just take this player out and put this player in. But even if that player's not playing amazingly, they still do stuff that's really useful. In my view, I think Kim Litt was playing really well.

9:23I know this isn't an especially high bar at this point. I think she's been probably our best performer this season with Katie Reid. I think there's no problem with her at all. And I still think people are just doing that thing where they go, she's 35, get rid of her, get her out. and just aren't looking at what she's actually doing on the pitch. I think she's one of the few who's been really good pretty much consistently. Mariona, there are definitely things we lose if we take her out. I think I'm at a stage where I'd probably just like to see her a bit higher up the pitch. Just because I think we're losing our number 10, whoever plays in that number 10 role just seems to get lost.

10:04and I really would just like to see that midfield three come together a little bit more. And I think Mariano playing higher up might kind of help that. Art de Rocher wrote a brilliant article in The Athletic. It's actually about the men's team. He was talking about how they're using bounce passes. And so what they're doing is like the number 10 back to goal, they use as a kind of sounding board to progress the ball. And I'd love to see more of that in the women's team and using Mariano a bit higher up just to protect the ball up there. But, you know, I think we saw when we brought Lotta into the team, yes, you get the progressive passing, but then you lose Katie Reid's recovery pace.

10:41And I think that reflects some of it as well. It's like you take Katie Reid out, you lose something, but you don't have Lotta, you lose something. I think there's just a lot of that going on at the moment. However, it was a very good start, I think, from Arsenal. First 15, 20 minutes, we saw Mariana really drifting out to that left flank a lot, pulling Brighton over, switching the play to the right. I thought Olivia Smith looked very dangerous. Good start. Arsenal get a goal. It's an own goal. But, I mean, there are own goals and there are own goals. And this one was forced. I mean, it felt that first 20 minutes, Jamie, to me like, ah, OK, we're back.

11:21exactly right it felt the way I did against Aston Villa when freedom on him scored to be honest like it felt like Arsenal just pushing and pushing I think there were five shots before that goal even went in so yeah it was it was a really strong start I thought that they worked the ball really well in the left channel I think sometimes that can be a point where Arsenal lose out because Mariana often gets dragged to the left and it can be really beneficial but it can also mean that the other team can overload the midfield but I think in the first 15 minutes for Arsenal this really works and Caitlin Ford and Katie McCabe do a really good job they almost they almost create like triangles around Brighton's right back and that allows like Arsenal a lot of space to switch the ball over to Olivia Smith so yeah I thought that was a really strong start it felt like intelligent and it felt measured it felt like Renee knew exactly what she wanted to do against Brighton and and knew the kind of style of football she was going to play so yeah I was impressed by the start however I did get a little bit nervous because it did give me the same vibe as last Miller game and then yeah almost exactly from there yeah and that's uh that's kind of where I want to go with this next because Arsenal like really pushing I think the goal was coming the goal comes and you think ah okay here we go and to be fair Dario Vidicic afterwards he talked about how Brighton had talked about what happened last year and he was talking about how you know against Arsenal you can be 3-0 down in the blink of an eye so if and when you concede you've got to keep your head in otherwise they will they'll go and get you again and again and he said he felt that happened to them last season that once Arsenal went 1-0 up his exact words were we blinked and it was 3-0 so but the game does die really almost straight after the goal do you do you think that was tactical maybe Brighton working out what Arsenal were doing do you think it was psychological like how do you pass the kind of the game becoming a bit insipid after that yeah I think it's a couple things can I be honest I think that Brighton have improved as a defensive like outfit a lot this season I think they've got their back lines just better I think Caitlin Hayes and Charlie Rule they've had a phenomenal start to the season I think Mala Zempome is a great pickup for them also hope she's okay that head knock was awful um I think Oleslagers brings them a lot I know their own goal happen.

13:34And then I think Maisie Simons is a player that is so dramatically underrated in the WSL and she's done a really good job adding a defensive, just some defensive solidity to that midfield. So I do think it's a lot to do with Brighton's growth and ability to like adapt defensively has just improved from last season because watching Poppy Pattinson play at the Emirates last season was like hard to watch. And I was, I was wanting Arsenal to win. So I think it's just a different brand of football. Dario's maybe like he's lost the Ange Postacoglu's about him and said, no, I need to actually bend my opposition sometimes.

14:04And I think they did well to adapt. So that's that. I do think Brighton did well to switch on, adapt. I think they drop a lot of players a bit deeper. Kiko Seki starts to make the pitch really wide. However, I do think there's just a, there's just a, there's a momentum problem with Arsenal right now where it does feel like they just, they take it down a notch. They go into, you know, maybe a bit more of a complacent gear. And I think that happens almost immediately in this game. Like they, they struggle to get a lot of the centre of the pitch almost feels isolated. Alessia Russo and Freedom Ornham aren't in the game.

14:34We can't get them the ball. They're struggling to insert themselves. We're relying a little bit too much on the wingers to do more. And then the midfielders, it just feels like Mariona and Kim Little are just absolutely dragged away from everything else. So I do think it's both. I think, yeah, I want to praise Brighton because I think they're a much better team than they were last season defensively. But at the same time, there's something psychologically with Arsenal right now where everyone just seems to kind of drop their responsibility. and they rely on that moment of magic. And I don't think it's happening right now.

15:01So I'm going to give it both. Good job, Brighton, but also Arsenal. I just think they're falling asleep a little bit lately. Yeah, when I watched the game back on BBC in the UK, Jilly Flatty was on co-coms and all the way through, and I don't think she was incorrect at all. She was kind of saying, I just want Arsenal to move the ball quicker. Like the passing's too slow. There's not enough zip in the passing. I think you could see confidence was low. I think another possible reason for it, Renee talked about, and when you watch the game back with this in mind, it's so obvious. She talked about how they talked about not passing the ball backwards, because obviously they've made mistakes in recent games.

15:41They've messed about with the ball on the edge of their own area. You look at how the equaliser against Villa comes, they're messing around at left back where they don't need to. And I think when confidence is low, you definitely don't want to be doing that. and there's so many, I didn't notice it at the time, but when Rene said that and I watched it back, there's so many times where one of the centre-backs has the ball and in my brain I can see them passing it back and they call it resetting, going back to the goalkeeper and they didn't do that, they didn't want, I think they've overburdened Van Dompselaar in that respect in recent weeks and I think as an interim solution for a team low on confidence, they clearly said, let's not do that let's not invite Brighton on to us too much I think in the ordinary run of things they'd want to invite Brighton on because that makes the pitch bigger and it makes the spaces in behind bigger and if you're confident you invite the Brighton press on and then you play through and you get some space but because Arsenal I think understandably didn't want to do that they didn't want to go backwards I think it did compress the space a little bit and I think that's just one of those short-term measures where confidence is low, where I think for a game or two, that's all right.

16:57But Arsenal are going to have to get back to a stage where they do feel comfortable knocking it about on the edge of their own box. But it kind of goes to halftime. Van Domstel makes a decent save from Sieke. And then the second half starts and it's like, okay, 1-0, died a little bit of a death. And the second half really starts quite similarly. It doesn't notably pick up, but as a hook to talk about someone whose performance really does deserve flowers today, Daphna van Domslaan, and I know we talked about it a bit at the beginning. I mean, she makes five saves in the game, but there's one that's really eye-catching from Camacho, Camacho cross from the right.

17:42Camacho with the header, brilliant standing save. She doesn't have time to shift her feet from Van Domsalaar. And her pass completion was 7 % higher than her season average. She made five saves. She got player of the match. Brighton very, very strong in the air as well, Jamie. Nobody's won more, a higher percentage of their aerial jewels than Brighton she was coming out to get crosses I think this I think this was in isolation a great performance but given perhaps where she's been this season I thought it was an exceptional performance from her phenomenal I was so impressed I was so excited about this as well because like it's with goalkeepers it's like strikers they're so easily like get caught in in rough like rough patches and it's hard to kind of come out of them I just think this is an expressive goalkeeper and Daphne van Domselaar's biggest strength is her goal-saving ability her stretch is incredible and it was so good to see that.

18:35I also think she showcases her intelligence a lot in this game as well because Brighton don't play with Camacho in the nine. They don't start with Camacho in the nine. She's a completely different striker to Michelle Adjumang is. So there's a lot of awareness that both the keeper and the centre-backs have to have to be able to adapt to a player that may be seen less and can analyse less and the team can prepare for less. So I think Daphne van Domslaar does a great job of leading that as well and just being reactive to football, not the opposition and that's what she does in this game. I feel like it's almost like she's thinking less about, okay, Melchie De Mourne is in front of me or this player is in front of me or I know Rachel Daly well and I'm worried about playing against Aston Villa because I know their players.

19:14It's more just, I'm just going to play football. I'm going to focus on doing what I do best. So I just thought it was an authentic performance. Great save as well. A couple of great saves, but that one in particular. I felt maybe in that instance, okay, this is just going to be one of those games where Arsenal are able to scrape by. Like if those saves are happening, let's just call it a day at 1-0 now. Yeah and this is once you get in the lead as well the value of not messing around with the ball on the edge of your own area like Brighton they're such a good pressing team they win more tackles in the final third as well more than any other WSL team and Arsenal clearly took that into account as well and it was like let's just not give them the chance to do that at all and so even though with one goal it's nervy whereas against Aston Villa it was coming like the Villa goal was coming it wasn't out of nowhere because we kept losing the ball this time it was a bit more like keep away it was let's have the ball center circle their half even if we're not doing an awful lot with it and yeah Van Donslaat I wrote the analysis piece about this about her performance but if you look at her kind of footwork um in the build-up to that save um her body weight lovely distribution so that she can do that from a standing jump.

20:29Really, really kind of good goalkeeping fundamentals as well. And I was really pleased for her because it's the first time questions have been asked of her during her Arsenal career. I think completely justifiable that questions were asked. And I don't think Renault will get any questions about that in the pre-Benfica press conference. But anyway, the game's kind of drifting a bit. And Arsenal make a triple sub on 65 minutes. Stina Blaxtenius comes on. I think she really adds something. Beth Mead comes on. Out of Possession adds something, maybe not so much in the final third. And Kyra Cooney-Cross comes on.

21:06And when we're looking at Mariana, she's starting to get subbed quite a long time before the final whistle. And that's usually a sign of a manager. Because Mariana was not coming off under any circumstances last season. and even the beginning of this, whereas now she's starting to get hooked with 20, 25 minutes to go. What did you make of that triple substitution and I guess the impact it had on the game? Yeah, first of all, at the top, I thought Stina Blaxdinius made a massive tangible impact to this game. She deserved a goal. I think that she deserved a goal for her efforts because she was making the right runs in and behind.

21:43She gave something to this game that Lesseo Russo wasn't. I think Lesseo Russo had one shot in 90 minutes, whereas Stina Black-Sinnius, I think she generated like 0.4 xG in something like 20 minutes. So, yeah, she made a strong impact straight away. I just think that's a player. Again, we always speak about this, but they're such different nines that it does force Brighton to reshuffle and then re-integrate themselves and it is hard for opposition. So she was great, but I was upset that she didn't score because I think she deserved one. I think with the Kyra Cooney cross and Mariona one, it's interesting because coming back to what you said earlier, Tim, It's so in this Arsenal team, it's so much about you take one thing and then you lose something else.

22:21So you put something else in the game and like Kyra Kuni-Cross comes on and she makes more successful dribbles than any other player on the pitch. But Mariana Caldente creates the most chances of this game. So there's two midfielders essentially playing the same position, but in completely different ways. And I think they have different, they just have different impacts. Like Kyra Kuni-Cross comes into this game and she just makes the game so much more open. Like she widens out the midfield. She turns the ball. She's very good at turning. Her spatial awareness is really, really strong. So I think this is a good thing for Arsenal and it's something that maybe we need to panic a little bit less over because, yes, like Mariona's coming off the game, but she's made a massive impact on this game without scoring and assisting.

22:59And I don't think Mariona's had the best start to the season, but I don't think she's been bad by any means. And I do think we need to remember the impact she has on these games without directly contributing to goals and assists because, again, like I said, most chances created, they're just not being put away by the forwards. So then on the other hand, Kyra Kuni-Kross comes on and she brings something completely new. And I think that's a positive thing for Arsenal. It's just about striking the balance of, okay, when do you play them? Because you can't just kind of have the same situation where you're playing Mariona and then you're bringing on Kyra.

23:28Why not try something else? Like, I know we had a Mariona and Kyra game last season. It was a disaster. But like, you're going to have to play that eventually again. Like, let's not shy away from it. There are chances in this season and this campaign to do that. So, yeah, I thought that the triple substitution made me, like, just feel a little bit more comfortable in the fact that everyone in this squad has a role, but they're not the same role. And Kyra Kunikos should not be conflated with Mariana Caldente. Like, it's not an eye for an eye. And I think this game proved that. So I was really impressed by Kyra Kunikos' cameo.

23:56I did kind of get mad when she gave away a silly foul, like, on the edge of the Brighton box. But she recovers from that. And then she starts to get into the game a little bit more. So, yeah, positive. I was really happy with these substitutions. yeah we got questions about that in the second half so I'll kind of hold my counsel till then and then we have you know we have long injury stoppage you know for what initially for me like on the other side looked like quite quite an innocuous situation which clearly wasn't happily it sounds like it is you know I say only a concussion but it looked like it could have been worse than that at one point it was a good 10 minute stoppage which obviously interrupts the flow of the game and then was it Kankovic who went down after that like very shortly afterwards and had another stoppage there and I think that don't get me wrong that impacted both teams but I think if you're Brighton you're probably happier for the game to be broken up than Arsenal it did give me give me the willies a little bit and but I think I wasn't surprised to see 13 minutes go up at all and that that was I was definitely expecting something in the in the double figures but Arsenal see it out, Brighton don't really create anything else after that Camacho header.

25:12I asked Renee, my first question to her post-match was like, obviously the result is a step forward. I asked her, did she think the performance was a step forward? And she still said, this is a long way from our best, and we know that, which I think is very evident. but she said that like getting it over the line was a step forward. And the phrase she used that was really interesting was, when it didn't work, we made it work. And she kind of said, well, I think everyone knew evidently anyway, but she said like we just had to win by hook or by crook. And she felt that there were elements of the performance, which even though they're not hugely pleased about, that like basically I think what she was getting at was they protected the result well they didn't get themselves in trouble they got the win over the line where do you stand on this uh Jamie in the cold light of day is this Leicester away last season where it's another reasonably insipid performance but we kind of get away with it this time or is it a building block where where's your brain at I would call it a building block I would say it's almost in between.

26:27I wouldn't say it's an insipid result. I think, look, I do, like, we spoke about this last week as well, Tim. I think that the opinion on this performance is greatly determined by the hangover of the recent results. I think that, like, had we maybe not lost to Lyon or not lost to Man City and gotten over the line at Villa, this performance is okay. It's a good three points. Like, just move on. Like, we'll go on to the next week. There's things we can draw from it. So I think fans have every right to, you know, draw the negatives out of this game. And I think there are negatives, but I don't think that they're glaring holes.

26:57And I think we've seen a few things patched up that we maybe had real issues with a fortnight ago. So I would say this is a building block performance. I wasn't moved. I'm not going to rewatch the game in the future and think I really want to watch Arsenal beat Brighton at the Emirates 1-0. But I do think there are elements of this game. Like I think the Arsenal are able to kind of just like absorb the pressure a little bit more. Brighton start to stop attacking. I honestly think in the last 20 minutes, it was a little bit nerve wracking, but I didn't think Brighton were going to score. I think Arsenal had a good handle on it.

27:25I thought Katie Reid was like doing a really, I think she won the most duels in the match. Like I was comfortable, whereas against Aston Villa, I was not comfortable and I was saying this is a disaster. So yeah, all in all, I think there's things to maybe learn from it or more so just band-aid over and said, that's a temporary fix. Now let's work upward from there. Yeah, I think band-aid is the right word. Ultimately, we won't know how to put this result into context maybe for a couple of weeks. Maybe we will look back on it and go, yep that was the first building block we might look back on it and go no that was that wasn't just wasn't very good but we got the result Renee talked I think quite interestingly after the Lyon game when she was asked about like repairing the team's confidence she said like we need to find one or two things and build from there so I think there she was kind of acknowledging we're not going to be perfect in the next game we're not going to be perfect and like this is going to be it reminds to me that old Arsene Wenger quote like confidence you go up the stairs and down in the elevator kind of thing and this was this was like the first flight of stairs and um you know there was a little bit of back to basics about it there was a little bit of all right let's let's not take risks basically it was kind of a risk-free performance and when you're at your best you do take risks but the The team's clearly not in the headspace to do that at the moment.

28:49And we've been stung with some late goals at City, against Villa, when we really should have been putting those results to bed. So it did feel to me like it was deliberately back to basics, which I guess gives it a little bit more leeway. But I don't think we're going to know until maybe Thursday night, Maybe after the international break against Leicester, I do think the international break will be good for these players to kind of get away, go to different headspace and then come back. But yeah, it's slightly unremarkable, but very, very needed. I think we'll take a break there and come back with people's questions in part two right after this.

29:39Okay, welcome back to the Arsenal Women Askedcast on askblog.com. I'm looking back at Sunday's 1-0 win over Brighton. And before we go into the questions, Jamie, people might have noticed, depending on where and how they download this from, we have a new graphic for the podcast in the Ask Blog branding, long promised. Well, not that long promised. We talked about it over the summer. But, yeah, it's always interesting to see how other people draw you. And, but you know, I like it. What did you reckon? I'm stoked. I'm stoked. My mom called me and said, I need to print this on t-shirts. I was like, I know Lena, call up your printer.

30:26No, I'm so excited. We're immortalized, Tim. I'm very honored. Yeah. I'm always just pleased when, when people are kind on the gut area as well. I'm going to ask the first question. I don't know how the editors let this guy through at Clive PAFC. I thought I'd blocked him. Asking for many friends, why doesn't Cooney Cross play more for Arsenal? We have to find more excuses to play young players rather than reasons not to. And I'll tack on to that as well. Ian Wright got involved on Twitter as well, responding to a compilation, clearly also unhappy. Kyra Cooney Cross isn't playing that well. But yeah, I guess, you know, we've talked about maybe some of the things we lose, some of the things, you know, we lose if we don't play certain players.

31:18But the way Clive's phrased that, you know, we have to find reasons to play younger players rather than reasons not to. What do you make of that? Yeah, I completely agree. I think there's a couple of things about this. I think Arsenal almost, it's hard to see the shift when it doesn't feel like it's there. But I feel like over maybe the last five or so years, there's been a repetition on Arsenal playing maybe top-age players, more experienced players. But I do think under Rene Slagers, there has been a shift where it's no longer a focus on just age and experience. It's just a focus on quality.

31:47Like Kim Little is the perfect example of that. Yes, she's 35, 34, 35. But her quality has not gone down. And I think that's something we need to pay more attention to. It's not just about age. So I do think this is almost a new look Arsenal in the way that they approach the demographic of age. it's not about the experience. It's just about how well these players are performing. So I do think there's an element of that, but Arsenal do need to integrate youth. And I think we're seeing that, right? Katie Reid's 19 years old. She's the best centre-back option right now. Like she's the best performing defender right now.

32:17Olivia Smith's obviously starting games and she's making a real impact as well. But Cairo Cooney Cross, I think, is one that is just in such a precarious position because one, she's behind Kim Little and Mariana Caldente and two, she doesn't have a natural position. And I think that that almost is like hard to kind of pigeonhole her because you can't sub her on for 10 minutes in the six because she's not a six. And you can't sub her on for 10 minutes in the eight because what if she doesn't want to play in the eight or that's not going to work best in the game. And I think that is something that Arsenal struggle with in this midfield because there's so many players like that.

32:47And it almost like she gets lost in the crowd a little bit. But I think the best way forward is we need to integrate her in the team when it suits. And I don't understand why we can't just play her as a more attacking player. Play her next to Kim Little as a higher eight. Put Mariana in the 10. Kyra Kunicross' best ability is her. ball carrying and the ability for her to split lines. And I feel like she's almost lost when she plays deep in the double pivot. I don't want Arsenal to make her into a six. So it's interesting for Kyra. And that's why I'm so, I'm intrigued to see what her future is at this club, because I don't think it's a starting six role.

33:17And I think you lose a lot of her best characters, her best traits in doing that. She almost reminds me of Declan Rice, the way sometimes he just drives the ball through midfield, like taking away from the size. But the way that he just drives the ball through the midfield with the ball at his feet sometimes, Kyra is so good at that. So all in all, Arsenal do need to integrate younger players, but I do think we just need to stop looking at ages and just start looking at performances because it makes us sidetracked. And also, I just think play Kyra higher. She can fit into this midfield. She doesn't need to be a substitute for Kim or Mariona.

33:47She can just be her own player. Yeah, and she's not that young either. She's like 25. She's younger. but like I think I am ready to see that kind of Kim, Kyra, Mariona midfield and I know I keep talking about it like a slightly tighter midfield three just because I don't think anyone is performing in that 10 role whoever we play there they just seem to get lost and have very low touches and so I don't feel like we're taking a huge pillar out of the team by playing Mario, I say as a 10, but again, more like a six and two eights, getting them close together, getting them combining, playing triangles, because it just really feels like the double pivot is right on top of the centre halves and the number 10 is right on top of the striker.

34:41And then there's a big gap, which then Russo keeps running back into and she does really good stuff there, but then she's not in the penalty area. like Steiner Blaxsinius has four shots when she comes on and I think Russo has one in the game that that which um which she actually gets in the 10 position from that volley so I just feel like there's just too big a gap between the back half of the team and the front half of the team and I'd just like to see the midfield get a little bit closer together and play a bit of five a side and ultimately what Arsenal have been doing, it's not working. And I appreciate that that doesn't automatically mean that, oh, if you just try something else, that will definitely work because it might not.

35:28Again, we're quite guilty when we think about these things. If we just do that, everything will work and be fine. And it might not. It might not. There might be other holes. There might be other things that come up. But I think I'm really ready to see that kind of midfield three and not have this kind of, we have these six players at the back of the team and we have those four players at the front. And then there's kind of a chasm between them. That's my take on it anyway. Since I had a go at that question, I'll ask you another one. And this is from At Hand Solo. We started the season with so much attacking fluidity.

36:07where did it go? Hans Solo, if I could answer that question. Where did it go? That's a good question. Look, I do think a lot of it comes from the opposition, right? LCL on opening day, newly promoted team, they've not played together. Their defense has genuinely got gaps for days. I think that plays into it. West Ham United, that was a very nice result for Arsenal. West Ham currently last on a negative 15 goal difference. So I do think there is a little bit of opposition. Like Arsenal had an easier opening few games of the season. It's best time to play LCL and West Ham and just God knows where they've just forgotten to play football this season.

36:44However, I do think like it's just I don't really know how to answer this question. It just feels like the whole thing is this big diagnosis that I just can't put my finger on because the players just don't want to attack anymore. And they've forgotten what they used to do last season. I think, yes, there's a personnel thing, but I don't think that we can put it all down to Leah Williamson. Like, I know there's a progressive passing issue, but these players are getting the ball. Like, the midfielders are getting the ball, the forwards are getting their ball, but they're forgetting how to be creative in the final third.

37:12I don't really have a diagnosis to that. I do think, yes, the opposition's harder. There's not – I know we didn't really speak about the Lyon game. I don't think there's that much to really, like, be upset and catastrophize over a 2-1 loss to Lyon. I think they're my Champions League favourites this season. They've boosted their squad. The manner of the performance wasn't fantastic. However, it is an unbelievable team. the hardest game of the Champions League is done now. Now you move on to the other ones. Manchester City, look, I don't know. I think there were issues in that game as well. The issue for me right now is Arsenal just seem, they seem switched off.

37:43They seem like they're lacking creativity because they're just not ready. They're not motivated. And maybe it's, they're not playing high risk, high reward football anymore. They're just playing conservative football. And sometimes you need to do that to grind out results. So I don't think I have a tactical answer to that. That's a whole encompassing thing, but I do think opposition plays a big part of it. Fair enough. Do you have a question for me? I do. This one is from NDMW. No need to dispute the fact that Alessia Russo is very good at football, and yet she regularly doesn't seem to get anywhere near the volume of clear chances in a game as Steena does, even playing two to three times her minutes.

38:20So any ideas on how we can create more attacking threat with Russo in the nine? And then JamesM26 has asked a similar question. What needs to be done to get the best out of Russo? She's too good a player to appear so peripheral at times. Go ahead. Yeah, this is another one though, isn't it? Where this is kind of the same issue we talk about because you take Russo out and put Steiner in, you lose something, you lose that hold-up play. And that hold-up play is really important and Russo's really good at it. And Steiner, she has got better at it this season, but she doesn't do it to the same level.

38:57I don't think anyone does it to the same level as Russo. And it's one of those things. Again, I know when you get maybe understandably frustrated with a player, sometimes you really start to dismiss all the things that they do bring because you get bored of it. You get tired of it. You don't want to see it anymore. Whereas, you know, sometimes when you start Steiner, she gets lost a little bit because we don't have that. But obviously, and Renee talked about this after the game. She talked about how, like, you know, when obviously coming on such a different thing because the game's more stretched.

39:30Brighton as well. And Dario talked about this afterwards. He talked about, you know, having injuries and not having Ajumang and Khfadji. He kind of said they got tired and they couldn't really go for it in the last 20 minutes or so. They couldn't make the level of changes to go for it. but it's like in the number nine position, we've got two almost polar opposite players who have really interesting qualities. And what we could do is like a gene splicer to just like sit them, to get like the best of both their qualities. I think a lot of it comes down, I think there are two things it kind of comes down to because Russo is such a streaky goal scorer and she's in one of those periods where she's not scoring and she's not getting into those positions.

40:21And I think it's twofold. I think a big part of this, again, is that the 10 is just not really working. And again, whoever it is, even when it's Russo herself, they're just getting lost in the trees. And so Russo's having to come back to do a lot of that work. And she's brilliant at it, but I'd just like the midfielders to do more of that. I'd just like a couple of eights a bit higher up so that we don't have to do that. I also think it's just that that's who Russo is. It's her natural inclination. And particularly when things aren't going well, players tend to go back to the things they either like doing or that they're really good at.

41:03And I think Russo, in her heart and soul, that's who she is. She wants to come back. She wants to help the team. She wants to be that buffer. and um and it's almost like you kind of have to teach her not to and then she has a couple of months where she doesn't and then things aren't going well again and she starts going back into those habits I remember talking to Jonas Idoval about this and he said like I have to tell her sometimes sometimes the best way to help the team as a nine is to get away from the ball because then like you're pushing teams back and and and it just it just feels a bit like a mixture of the number 10 just not working and her natural inclination it's all it's not a bad habit because she's really good at it but you know it's like that old habits die hard and it feels almost a little bit like maybe she has to be told again like no stop doing like stay in the area stay on the centre backs type thing but like her hold up play is exceptional and I think it washes over us like the amount of time she turns people in one touch she is so good at it and um but it just feels like when she's there there's kind of no one up front and I also think when Beth Meade's not in the team as much you know you don't have that like wide striker to really go and kind of fill that space and create goal threat so I said this a couple of weeks ago it feels to me like if football was a 12-a-side sport, Arsenal would be sorted.

42:38If they could just have Steiner in there or something and keep everything else the same and just have Steiner as a 12th player, it might all work quite nicely. And I will ask you... Okay, well, I've kind of answered that, so we won't go there. Let's have a slightly higher-level kind of question then. There's a couple here. This one from at Ironline. Arsenal every season have a slump, regardless of manager or squad. Is it justifiable to look at the wider framework for the cause? Also seems that Arsenal should be a great place for players to want to join, but proven high-caliber players still choose elsewhere.

43:20Are those things linked? And at Lucy566 asks, aware this doesn't solve anything right now, but is it time to seriously question the club, ignoring our awful recruitment? And squad planning has been appalling for so long now, and yet still doesn't look like they're even looking at bringing in new people in that department. So, yeah, a bit about, I guess, the overarching structure of the club and why we seem to go through this every year. That is a big, big question. Shots fired. Yeah, OK. Well, starting off with recruitment, I'm going to tackle that beast first. I think that look I do think yeah fans we we go through it every single summer we get disgruntled by the fact that it seems like Arsenal lack an ambition in the transfer market it feels like maybe they're going for the easier signings I had these concerns in the summer window this time because I thought like signing Chloe Kelly was great it was also obviously convenient because it was a lone signing I thought that signing Taylor Hines was safe compared to maybe being a bit more risky following a Champions League win so I had a little bit like I had some issues with the summer transfer window.

44:28But at the same time, they signed Olivia Smith. Every club wanted her in the WSL. Chelsea wanted her. She chose Arsenal. Arsenal were able to put the price tag in for her. So there is ambition there. At the end of the day, Arsenal signed Mariana Caldente. They pulled her on a free when she could have gone to any club in the world. It's the same with Alessio Russo. So I don't think the club have no pull. And I think it's unfair to say that no big player wants to come to Arsenal because that's just not true. Like we have those players that are consistently choosing to come to Arsenal. However, I can also understand that it does seem like there's no future proofing for the recruitment right now, but I think the signings always feel like they're almost band-aiding a hole rather than improving the squad.

45:07And we've continued to see that. And I think Olivia Smith maybe is a bit of like you're shoving a blindfold in front of fans' eyes because it's like, this is fantastic. But we've also maybe made no effort to kind of band-aid the squad otherwise. And I think fans can look at something like Jenna Neiswonger and it's like, okay, there was clearly a plan for Jenna Neiswonger because he spent money on her. But then why is she not making squads? Like what's, what is the goal there? Cause if the goal there is that she has to get, I don't know, fitter, stronger for the WSL, it's a different brand of football.

45:33It's more physically demanding. You can't leave her out of squads when you've paid money for her in January. So right now, I think as a fan, like putting a fan hat on, I just want, like, I'd love to know and have transparency on what is the tactic for Arsenal in recruitment right now? Cause it does feel like get a couple of superstars and then get a couple of players that are great squad players, but they're not going to win you the WSL. Like it's not the same as Chelsea bringing on Sam Kerr for Aggie Beaver-Jones. Like I think Taylor Hines is a good player, but I don't think she's raising the level of the Arsenal squad.

46:01I'm singling her out, but that's just the most recent example I have. And in terms of the slump, it happens at the start of every season. Again, something that's so hard to diagnose. I just think like there's something in this squad that they lack the – I was joking about it on our like the Halfway Line podcast the other day. It does feel like the only team in the league that has the minerals to win the league is Chelsea. and it feels like City, United and Arsenal. Well, United's a bit different because I don't think they have the squad for it. City and Arsenal just don't have the minerals to stay focused on the task at hand.

46:31It's like it's too daunting. It's like the responsibility of winning the WSL is something they don't want to do, so they chuck it out the window early on and then don't have to worry about a title race. And that's something we've seen so many years in a row now and it's getting really, really frustrating. I think that Chelsea just have an ability to bounce off a major tournament summer and come into the season and just grind out results until they start getting better performances. I thought they were better against Tottenham than they have been recently. I think they're starting to get the kick back into it where they're playing better football, whereas Arsenal will come off the back of that and they can't grind out a result at home to Aston Villa.

47:02So I don't know. It's like it sounds very naive to say, but it's like it just feels like there's something, there's a personality issue and I don't think it's a tactical issue. I don't think Rene Slaggers is the issue. There's something that's maybe a miscommunication. The players just don't have the resilience and that's not just the playing group now. It's the playing group and it has been for a couple of seasons now. So I don't really have an answer to that. But in terms of the recruitment strategy, I think it's easier to speak about. As fans, we just want more transparency on what the future proof is because I don't know what it is right now.

47:29I think it's kind of let's improve some areas and let everyone else go. But, Tim, I'd be interested in what you think that the issue with the slow starts is because, yeah, I have no idea. Yeah, I think it's kind of a couple of things. I think nearly every WSL manager goes through this thing where for a year, they're really good. Like they change something and like it takes everyone a little while to work out what it is and then they work it out. And then it's like, can you get out of that? Can you innovate again? So look at like Gareth Taylor and Man City just did the same thing over and over and over again.

48:08It's like, okay, you can't innovate this team. You can't innovate this squad. happened to Joe for a year no one could touch his football then they worked it out can you innovate under Jonas that's the closest we've come to winning the league since last time we won it his first season again total change in the style of football after a year everyone knows what's going on they get used to it can you innovate no and and that's going to be a really interesting question for Renee because it's been a year now have people work things out and can she go again Can she come up with something else? Can she innovate a little bit?

48:45And that's to be answered, I think. So I think there's a little bit of that. I think in terms of like the structure at Arsenal, you know, there's been a lot of change in the background. So there's a new CEO now in Richard Garlick. Richard Garlick was kind of Claire Wheatley's line manager, really, as I can't remember what his last job title was. and so he's moved you know into CEO Andrea Berta at the moment is not involved in the women's team at all but neither was Edu initially and then he started to have a little bit of involvement over time so like there could be further changes behind the scenes don't really know I think what I'd say is I interviewed Renee like the day she was confirmed in the job and I asked her about transfers like how do you see that working and she kind of Renee's a devolver right she's like I don't want to be getting involved with agents I don't really want to be hugely, I want to have final sign off basically, we've got whole data team, we've got recruitment team I'll have my inputs but I don't want to get bogged down in the whole agents thing and all of that so she wants to devolve that which is fine but I think that means Arsenal need a strong hand on that tiller then when it comes to recruitment, if Rene wants to be a coach, I think that's fine but But, you know, I think what we're seeing probably is I think Rene is a phenomenal coach.

50:10The question is, is she a manager? Is she a phenomenal manager? And again, that's to be answered, I think. But if she wants to be a coach and she wants to devolve, I think that's absolutely fine. But then there has to be a strong hand on that tiller around recruitment, squad planning, stuff like that. People taking big decisions on players. And, you know, it does feel like we're due a bit of a rebuild and that was kicked into the long grass in the summer. I think that's a completely fair thing to say that that work wasn't really done. And it's going to take a few windows to do. And we kind of skipped one window already.

50:47So I do think, and that doesn't have to mean personnel changes, it might. but like I think if if Renee wants to coach the team and that's what she wants her main role to be then yeah that has to be strong direction um above her but I don't have any insight on like what that looks like at the moment um gonna ask you this one um maybe we'll do like one or two more each and get out of here but this one's from at Pete Wood in time on a tradition it's about midfield because we always get loads of questions about midfield which tells you something and Pete asks is the lack of power in midfield going to cost us Kim can't do what she's doing at the moment forever Mariana is more craft and guile KCC has energy when she plays but we seem to let teams run through us too much, is something like McCabe in midfield an option?

51:47So that's something we talked about last season, power through the spine of the team that frankly wasn't addressed through recruitment. How do you see that, the kind of perceived lack of power in midfield? Yeah, I think that's a fair analysis to make. I think that there's teams that this isn't an issue against. For example, I don't think it's as much as an issue in the midfield battle against someone like Manchester City because they like to play like fluid possession, Yui Hasegawa, Laura Blinkielder-Brown, Sidney Lohman. They're not the kind of aggressive ball-getters. You then go and play someone like Chelsea or Manchester United, they have Aaron Cuthbert, they have Julia Zicchiotti-Olma.

52:26Those are players that are going to harm you in transition, I think, especially when they've got strong strikers as well. So yeah, I think it's something to be concerned about and it's something to just maybe keep an eye on because I do think Arsenal need to fill a gap in the fact that they've got a lot of technically gifted midfielders, but they don't have a crash and bash midfielder. And I think there's a lot of those that really make a difference in teams, like ones that spring to mind, Sam Coffey for Portland Thorns. We watched, I think you mentioned it, Tim, it was Sens during the Euros for Germany.

52:55Like those really like sixes that just want to get the ball. Zigiotta Olmer is one that I really think is a great player at United right now. So I do think that there's a lot of room in the game and especially in the WSL for players like that to just crash it and break it up. And I think a player like that would allow the Arsenal midfielders around them to just allow them to be more creative and just do that. Like that is your role. Those are your strengths. Play to those strengths. I think often when we see someone like Victoria Pilova and Mariana Caldente especially, because they have to kind of drop back and defend in a defensive midfield role, they almost lose their creativity and their ability to just be the outlet.

53:28So I would like to see something like that, and I think that's a fair assumption. I think teams can come on to you like that because they can kind kind of out-hustle you. And I do think like a team like Lyon are going to do that, less so Barcelona. They like to play possession football. But with Lyon, like someone like Lindsay Heaps likes to do that a little bit and just kind of break up the midfield. So I think that there are, yeah, there's rightful concerns depending on the opponents. But, yeah, so I would like kind of a personnel like that. I think it just opens up a lot more for the players around them.

53:56I do think Kyra Kuni-Cross can be that player, but I just am a bit concerned about the way that she holds defensive zones. Like she's not in the position when she's in the position. She's quite good at it. But when she's trying to find the positions herself, it's almost a bit of a weakness. So all in all, yeah, I think there's room for that player. And I would really welcomely invite them at Arsenal. Yeah, it's interesting. You know, you talked about the deeper position there. And the more the season goes on, the more I understand why Rene wanted Geraldine Reuteler, who I think is quite a powerful player.

54:27But, you know, she can play as a six, but kind of doesn't, plays more as a 10. and actually the more the season goes on and the more I can't see really the number 10, I see that vision a little bit more. Do you have a question for me? Let's do one more each. I do. This one is from Jono Shepard. It says, there were so many corners from both sides, to be honest, that were kicked out and didn't reach the box. Thinking of men's team, is the set piece play a potential opportunity for exploitation? Arsenal yesterday, Tim, they played low drive corner almost every time. I guess, what did you make of that?

55:02And it wasn't very successful in the end. No, it wasn't very successful. I wasn't surprised to see it because, as I said earlier, Brighton win a higher percentage of their aerial duels than any other team in the WSL. And we have seen stuff like this before. So when Arsenal played at home to Liverpool in March, Liverpool were another team who win a lot of their aerial duels. We saw Arsenal be a bit imaginative with how they were putting corners in. They did it really well that day. When we went to Everton as well in March or April, towards the end of last season, every single cross went along the floor because Everton are very, very tall in defence.

55:40So I feel like I've seen this before. So I think that was the thinking behind it. Let's not loft too many of them in the air because, and it's not just that Brighton are a big team and dominant in the air. Arsenal aren't, right? So Arsenal, you know, there's Katie Reid there, but who else are you really backing to score from a corner for Arsenal? Maybe Russo. And actually, Russo was very good at defending corners in this game. She made some good kind of defensive headers, albeit Steiner hits the bar with a header from a Katie McCabe corner. So you do see this a lot. Arsenal will change the way they deliver the ball, either by going very low or kind of driving it so that they're taking the other team's height advantage out.

56:30And actually, I think the first one we do really works where it's along the floor. Caitlin Ford, dumb is it, comes to Olivia Smith and she just puts it over, which probably provides encouragement. But like none of them were particularly good. I think Mariana's corners in particular in this game were generally quite poor. in that respect. Like the execution was just all wrong. Basically, I think that was really the problem here. More generally from set pieces, again, it's like the men's team, right? Like a year or two ago, I was thinking, God, Nicholas Jova's a genius. And don't get me wrong, I think he's a very good set piece coach.

57:09But the more I look at it and think about it, it's like actually Saka and Rice are brilliant at taking corners and Gabriel's brilliant at heading them in. and those are the main ingredients, right? And Arsenal have good deliverers, I think, but who are you backing to go and head a corner in, really, without Amanda Rilishtet, without Raphael, without Lina Hurtig, all players who've kind of left the club, without Jen Beatty? I just don't think we have the natural threat in that area, to be honest. So I'm pretty certain that was the thinking behind it. Why Brighton did the same thing, I've got no idea.

57:49Because there were a couple. I was very happy to see one go in the side netting. I don't really understand why they did that. But I was very grateful that they did. How about this one then from AtIzzy38? Touched on this a little bit earlier, but thoughts on the timing of the international break in relation to Arsenal's form. Obviously, the result against Benfica is pending, but is the break welcome to allow the squad a bit of a reset or would it be better to have more games to grind our way out of the rut before everyone disperses for two weeks? Love this timing. I don't think it's becoming a better time, personally.

58:28I think Benfica midweek, that's the perfect Champions League game to have. I'm glad it's almost away for some reason. I just think it's good. Just go to Benfica, go to Lisbon, remind yourselves who you are, right? Go get a pastel donata. Visit the stadium where you won the Champions League. Go for a walk around there before playing your game against Benfica. And just grind out a result. International break. I think it comes at a perfect time. It's almost similar to last season. I know it's a different situation because there was a lot of other factors. There's a new manager. There's a resignation in there.

58:56But it came at a good time for Arsenal last season as well. You get a good result before the international break. And then just go away. Just go away. Reset. Get a fresh start. And I think it just comes at the perfect time. As long as they beat Benfica. They lose to Benfica, bad time. If they win against Benfica, I think, yeah, I think this is the perfect time for an international break. Those players just need to go set their minds at rest, not think about Arsenal. Come back, fresh start, start the season afresh. Yeah, I completely agree. And there are some players who I think kind of need minutes, like Kyra's going to play for Australia.

59:29Kim's not because she's retired from international football. I think that'll be fine for her as well. Don't know if Laia Kadina will still get in the Spain squad. because she's not kicked a ball in anger this season. And again, I kind of doubt Lotta will get in the England squad. So, you know, we might have that. Well, I mean, they'll get some time off, but I'm not sure how much they really need time off. So those are like some sticking points. But yeah, I agree in principle. I think good time to go away. I have to say, looking ahead to Benfica, I haven't had a chance to look at it yet. I really don't know what to expect from that game.

1:00:08I think in my mind, I'm a bit like, oh, maybe we can rotate and all of that. But actually, I just genuinely don't know how good Benfica are. And I don't really know much about their players. I'll go away and look all of that up in the next 24 to 48 hours. But yeah, do you see Arsenal making changes for that? Maybe some of those players who haven't kicked a ball in anger, or do you think René will think, no, no, we need the result. we started the Champions League with a defeat we just have to win and go from there I think heading into the international break she needs to go fully strength just win the game, play your best football, for anyone's knowledge Benfica's won their last two league games 4-1 and 8-0, I know the Portuguese league isn't the WSL but they're scoring goals they did lose Juventus though so I don't know what you make of that, I think Juventus almost look worse this season as well no disrespect to Lievolte but they have lost a few players as well So, yeah, make of that what you will.

1:01:04But I think Arsenal shouldn't even be focusing on Benfica. Just go into this game, play a full-strength team and just grind out the result and hope that you can just head into the international break in good stead. I think that's probably what she'll do as well, to be quite honest, because I kind of think that's more the Rene way. But, yeah, looking forward to going back out to Lisbon this week. We'll be on the ground covering that. As always, first visit to Stadio de Luz as well. So looking forward to that as well. But Jamie will probably do like a mailbag during the international break off the back of that Benfica game.

1:01:44But Jamie, thanks as ever for your insights. Enjoy Lisbon, Tim. I'll be in Melbourne doing my deadlines. So I'm really, I'm sure you wish you were me. So enjoy sunny Portugal. Yeah, it's quite nice because like Arsenal usually do their kind of open training, because UEFA, you have to do an open training session. You have to do press conference with a player and all of that. And Arsenal usually do them at Colney before travelling out now, which I kind of like because that just does give me my first evening free in Lisbon. And it's a city I know very well. I know where to eat. I know where to get a good glass of green wine.

1:02:25So I'm going to do that on Wednesday night before covering the game on Thursday and you'll get all the usual coverage you always get from Ask Blog News. First foray into the Ask Blog travel budget since the last time we were in Lisbon in May. And so keep it with us for that. And Jamie and I will come back with a podcast for you probably next week. So until then, take care of yourselves and we'll speak to you very soon.

1:02:59Thank you.