Arsenal Women Arsecast Episode 150: Heroes and Villains

0:13Hello and welcome to the Arsenal Women AskCastCastOnAskBlog.com with me your host Tim Stillman looking back on Sunday's 2-0 FA Cup win over Aston Villa at Meadow Park into the hat for the next round and the draw I think takes place on Monday evening I haven't really looked that up yet we're recording this not that long after the game actually by our usual standards I'm off to Milan for the Men's Champions League game on Monday so we're recording on Sunday evening and to look over the game with us as ever is Jamie Spanger, who was up to the wee small hours watching this one in Melbourne. Jamie, how are you?

0:52I'm good, Tim. I'm tired. I'm always happy to wake up when just stay. So basically I always take a little bit of a nap, 45 minutes to make sure that I'm prepped for the 1 o 'clock games. The 11.30 is perfect. 1 o 'clock I need a nap, but I'm always happy to do that when we win, especially in the FA Cup. and it's just it's not the waking up that's the issue it's the wrestling the vpns trying to get the streams but all is well got to watch the game three points in the bag into the hat let's talk about it tim yeah absolutely we've got a question on that in the second half actually about the kind of international broadcast rights which i think it's worth uh worth talking about in a topic of discussion leading up to the game however in the game uh starting lineup two changes one enforced We know that Leah Williamson is out with a calf injury.

1:39I believe at the moment that's expected to be around a month out. Unfortunately, it's just the games Arsenal have in that month. It feels like it might as well be a lot longer, but unless anything changes on that, which things can and do. But then also, what was the other change? It was Dina Blackstenius coming in for Freedom Ornum. So nothing revolutionary. were you expecting more changes than that Jamie? I don't think so I don't think so I think this is one of the games at this stage of the season where Arsenal are in the WSL like these are the cups that you really have to pay attention to and Arsenal just got unlucky with the draw playing another WSL team that's in really good form like Man United, Man City, even Chelsea I know it was a championship team but a lot easier opponents and the opportunity to rotate so I think had this been another game maybe you see Alessio Russo like finally get a bit of a break and rather than coming to the midfield.

2:34But that's what happens when you get a WSL team. And again, like I said, Villa are on strong form. So I wasn't really surprised by the lack of rotation. Yeah, I think I thought one of the fullbacks might change, whether it be Smilla Holmberg coming in for Emily Fox, particularly because Emily Fox, you know, got a bit of a bang on the thigh last week. And Taylor Hines as well hadn't played recently, albeit Katie McKay's been playing really well. And it does make me wonder about Wednesday against Manchester United, whether it will be short rotation again or whether it won't be, whether we really will try and get through this period with the same kind of core group of players.

3:18But, you know, game starts. I think one of the things I asked René about on Friday, Jamie, was about Aston Villa's press because that was a real problem in the game at the Emirates. didn't cause as much of a problem here and Villa they do some interesting things they don't really have a fixed striker so you don't really know where their threat's always coming from they play three center backs and one of those center backs comes out very very aggressively I kind of think that's maybe why they didn't play Russo in the nine this time I think they dealt with her quite well at the Emirates but you know game kind of starts it's a bit so-so it's okay but then quite early Emily Fox has to go off initially thought it was a concussion sub I'm told that it wasn't a concussion sub albeit Emily Fox for those who don't know before she came to Arsenal has had two spells out with concussion when she was at North Carolina Courage I think I think she also missed an international camp so you know certainly there's always a reason to be cautious with concussion but emily fox goes off but then smilla holmberg comes on jamie and um it's it's a real luxury to not miss a player as good as emily fox because smilla holmberg the first thing she does is she takes on a maltby um at left back for villa gets across in russo header saved by roebuck and and smilla holmberg was was a bit of a breath of fresh air it has to be said i think she was fantastic I think this is a high pressure situation obviously like it's this is probably a sink or swim as it gets for Smilla Holmberg right now because we don't know the timeline for Emily Fox it looked exactly like a concussion so hopefully it's something very very minor because the timeline you look at this down the barrel man United in the League Cup Chelsea like this is sink or swim for her she's coming this is a high pressure game against a good opponent and it must be said as well Aston Villa pack a lot of punch in there like in the attacking third as well like Kirstie Hansen is the second top goal scorer in the WSL this season behind Bunny Shaw which is crazy when you don't really watch the mid if you don't watch the mid table teams as much so I think this is like a perfect opportunity for Smilla Holmberg to kind of show what she has defensively so what I see in the first five minutes when she immediately wants to go forward and kind of contribute an attack I think goes to show that this is a player that has a lot of confidence in the way that she uses the ball she has a lot of confidence in the way that she can track back so I was really really impressed almost immediately but then she just continued to impress for the rest of the game so some of those crosses are amazing it's so good to see like it like reminds me a little bit of Ben White and how he's a bit different to Yuri and Timber and can really go wide with Saka and then cross the ball and really hit a number nine that's why I think I saw her out of Holmberg yesterday which is fantastic because I know we kind of think maybe her and Emily Fox a little bit similar but they definitely are different in that way Holmberg wants to stick wide, Emily Fox kind of takes that middle space a little bit more.

6:18So yeah, very, very impressed and also excited because it does feel like there's two fullbacks there that again, like I said, similar in stature, however, can bring different things to the game. So yeah, I'm very impressed by this player at such a young age. Yeah, definitely. I think also without Chloe Kelly, just having that player, quite Chloe Kelly-like actually, like quite good in short spaces, got a really good cross on her. I also think with Russo in the slightly deeper position, that kind of helps her to attack crosses a little bit, to arrive a little bit late into the box. And we saw that happen again as well in the set.

6:52Almost absolute carbon copy where Holmberg has Maltby one-on-one, whips in across, Russo with the header and Roebuck tips it wide. I asked Renee Slagers about Smilla-Holmberg, and a big compliment to her as well, I think, was that Villa swapped their full-backs in the second half. They put Noel Maritz over on the left side in the second half. I think that was an admission that they needed one of their stronger one-on-one defenders on Holmberg. And one of the things René said that I found really interesting, because it was similar to what I said, and I always find that interesting. She said she's been doing really well observing, learning about the Arsenal way and how we do things, but we're also bringing her ideas to what we do.

7:34And I think that's what she brought to the performance, really, was just a little bit of freshness, a little bit of something different. And I'd like to see that added in attack in January as well. I have to say I'd like to see another attacker come in and try and do something a little bit different as well. Because, you know, we play Russo as a 10 in this game and it just feels to me, Jamie, like we're one attacker short. You know, it all feels quite telegraphed. I think Russo's really good in the 10, but I think when you're trying to win multiple competitions, I feel like we're just one short there.

8:14And I also feel like we're kind of flogging Russo a little bit. Certainly. Couldn't agree more. I think it's hard with Alessia Russo because we've seen how durable she is. She had a massive hamstring injury from Ani United when she first signed. But ever since then, like in terms of her, like she doesn't get injured. She's a very, very durable player. However, we've not maybe seen her tested as much as she is now. first couple years, first season at Arsenal under Jonas Eidevald, there's a lot of heavy rotation between her and Blacks Ineos, but now she's like the heartbeat of this team. How do we fit her in the team no matter what?

8:43And I do think that goes to show if you're playing her in the 10 in a FA Cup game, it's probably the only opportunity for the next month to rotate. There is a lack of like talent in this team that Rene Slagers trusts to play in these kind of games. And I think this is just a perfect example of that. I understand not playing Freedom Ornum in this game because I think it's quite similar to the way that Man United press and there's not really a lot of space in that midfield for a 10 like her however I do think at the same time like Victoria Plover is not not playing in this fixture where Mariana Caldente is playing in that pivot and I think the pivot were absolutely brilliant and it's the perfect game for that high risk reward pivot but there needs to be an extra player in there that I think if it's a winger if it's a 10 that Rene wants to be a part of this team because we're very lucky with Alessia Russo and how she's not injury prone at all and she's very willing to do whatever she can for this team.

9:30So I just think that, yeah, we've said it a million times, like we can keep saying it again, but there are players in this team that maybe don't fit the style of football Rene Slagers wants and I think that's a real concern going forward when they are still active in all of these competitions. Yeah, I think, you know, players like Pilova, Laia Kadina being named on the bench in this game, I think the writing's very much on the wall for what's going to happen there this summer unless something pretty drastic changes. You know, Arsenal create some other stuff in the first half, Jamie. You know, Russo tees up Beth Mead nicely and she hits the side netting.

10:07Beth Mead hits the bar with a cropped, which we've seen those go in several times over the years. And then Beth Mead with a brilliant last-ditch tackle on Maltby as well at the end of the half. and you know Beth Mead does that quite a lot going in the other direction it reminded me quite a bit of end of last season she she got one off the line at home to West Ham when it was 4-3 in the last minute and her defensive contributions always absolutely top draw but you know Arsenal created chances they looked a bit dangerous and set pieces but they didn't really keep concerted pressure up um what was your kind of feeling at halftime about the first half look I didn't feel completely positive about the first half can I be honest I think it's because we've seen similar performances like this for for months and months and months I just felt like it had kind of an Aston Villa like high press because there were a couple times where they go forward they're going to counter attack and they're going to score against this defense because there were moments where I think it looked a little bit shaky and again it's the same thing Arsenal can get as many touches they want in the final third, but they're not actually getting like productive shots off in order to score the goals.

11:21And that I think is such an area of frustration. And this is broken open. We'll obviously speak about the second half, but this is broken open by that kind of play. And it's Kim Little that does it, but it's that kind of player that really, really forces the space with the ball at their feet. And that is, I think the way that Arsenal need to break down. It's not even a low block. It's just a press that's very well organized from Aston Villa. And we're going to continue to see this against Arsenal. Man United will come out next week at Meadow Park and do the exact same thing they did last week and the exact same thing Aston Villa did.

11:47So from this game, I think it was frustrating because it felt like the players are still trying to hit those passes that are not there. Aston Villa are very, very well-dread. Natalia Roy is a very good manager and she's a very good defensive manager. She's very good at doing that and organizing her team. And it didn't feel, again, like it felt like Arsenal were on the back foot of the tactics. How do we break down this press? It's the same thing where you've not really watched your opponent and you've not learned from that game at Emirates Stadium. So I wasn't like angry about the first half, but it did feel frustrating and it felt like the solution is you need to get a player in there that's just going to break the lines with the ball and Kim Little ends up doing that so Tim I wasn't overly positive but I think that yeah no I wasn't overly positive to be honest I thought it was going to maybe be the exact same thing that we've seen for weeks and I'm glad it wasn't yeah it felt very six out of ten to me I was a bit like we've created some chances could could very easily have scored but at the same time I didn't see us really pinning Villa back and getting concerted kind of periods of pressure and you're right Villa ultimately they play with a back five right like they they play with it quite expansively they don't all just sit on the edge of the area the whole game but it's still a back five and uh when I spoke to Renee about what changed in the second half she said I think our intensity went up clarity and want in what we wanted to achieve and it was a numbers game how many numbers do we want in our attacking game in the final third basically and I think that that goes to your point I think in the second half we saw particularly those midfielders making those runs you know making those runs from deep in the first half it felt a bit pattern play everyone's standing roughly where you'd expect on the formation graphic you know almost like foosball style but it felt a bit constructed and training ground and that there wasn't wasn't quite enough inspiration there and I'm with you my you know my halftime tweet was all about how we should bring in an attacker in January because that's my hobby horse at the moment and when we're frustrated we all go to our hobby horses but um Arsenal you know in the in the kind of in the second half one of the areas where they really hurt Villa today and yesterday uh for those of you listening but um was set pieces um and I asked Renee about that as well and she said that they knew Villa had a bit of a vulnerability and McCabe's deliveries deep to the back post Lotta was getting a lot of first contacts um on there and you know Lotta headed one onto the bar um and you know McCabe put in a free kick actually from out wide where Arsenal go close but they do break open um from open play Beth Mead to your point Jamie Kim Little driving forward off the shoulder of a defender.

14:34And the rest after that, for people who don't remember or didn't see Kim when she was younger at Arsenal and she was playing more as a 10, that's the kind of stuff you saw all the time. Her driving into the area and the pullback for Steiner. And it felt like that was kind of an illustration, perhaps, of first of all, what we hadn't seen in the first half, but also the quality of Arsenal's captain coming through as well. Yeah, I think the start of this first half, I agree with Renee, the intensity rises, but I just think it's like something at halftime. They've actually watched the first half and said, this is the solution.

15:10And I think that's what we've lacked in the last couple of weeks. How do you break down this back five then? Because we're not doing it now. And I think in the last couple of weeks, especially against Man United, it was kind of just try the same thing over and over and over again and hope that Man United kind of fall apart. Whereas in this second half, they come out and they're like, this is the solution. We need to flood them. We need to flood more players in the box. we need to be able to open up the left channel as well because it's very, very like a lot of the players on the right side. I think Olivia Smith does a good job in this game because she doesn't get a lot of time on the ball but when she does she tries to drive it and she at least puts pressure on the Aston Villa right side.

15:42But this game just breaks open from the fact that I think this double pivot in the second half is so exciting because they're playing so much higher than usual and I think they're playing a lot more, they're less rigid in the second half because usually I I think we see Kim Little's kind of like manning the outside of the box and she's like in that open space. If a shot comes out, if a ball comes out, it's almost always Kim Little on the end of it. And it's Mariana Caldente kind of doing that on the ball work. I think the pivot do a really good job in this game in swapping those roles very, very quickly and very, very fluidly throughout the entire second half.

16:12Like you don't know when they're going to pop up and where they're going to pop up. And I think that was really exciting. It's the perfect kind of game to do that against. I think that's why we speak about this, like these two players is high risk, high reward. the like the reward is so high if you get if you are able to break down the press and I think Aston Villa offered that a little bit but it's not often that Arsenal actually capitalized on that and that space so I think Mariana Caldente does a really good job at kind of doing the hard yards so Kim Little can really like step forward and say let's lift this team but she's brilliant Tim like she's so brilliant I watch her even in the first half she does a couple of really good things to regain possession kind of recycle the ball play it out to the width I just think like this is a player that I watch her play and I'm like how are you ever going to stop playing football because your level's not it's not digressing it's crazy to watch because it's like you look at someone that's 35 years old and you you maybe look at a team like Arsenal you think if your best midfielder is 35 years old there's worries there but there's not because she's like constantly raising the level of this team and she this this ball into Stina great finish as well from Stina something I wouldn't expect Stina Blackstain is put in the back of the net either just the number nine tapping into the bottom corner.

17:18I just think Kim Little's like, this is so good. Take on the team, force Aston Villa to follow you into the box. They can't just sit in there and in their press and they can't just allow one player to float out. They all need to float in. I just think this is so good from Kim Little. The whole game is so good from Kim Little. And yeah, what a player, what an assist. Yeah, I still think she's the best central midfielder in the WSL. Like, obviously, she's 35. She'll be 36 in June. and contingencies need to be made and all of that by, I think, the level that she continues to perform at. I still think she's the best in that position.

17:54And I tell you what, if you put that to WSL players, I don't think many would disagree either. Well, in the end, Kim gets her goal as well. I say not the sort of goal we're used to seeing her score. don't actually see her score that often at all anymore really obviously because she plays in a much deeper position now but she gets one from close range another set piece another great delivery by Katie McCabe I think that's a big part of the reason that Katie plays perhaps and Taylor Hines doesn't because Arsenal knew that Villa were weak on set pieces and McCabe's delivery she's hitting that back post every time Lota Wubhamoy is winning that header every single time.

18:42But yeah, you get in the Cape corner, Lota heads back into the area this time. Steiner has a shot that's blocked onto the bar and Kim Little scores. And that means that Kim Little goes level with Kira Grant on FA Cup goals scored for Arsenal. Only Jane Ludlow and Marianne Spacey have scored more. It's also the 15th season that she scored an Arsenal goal, which when you consider she was in America for three seasons as well, the longevity is absolutely amazing. And really, the things I'm really pleased about in this game, Jamie, and there's other chances after that, Caitlin Ford and Steen are just wide.

19:23What I'm really pleased about here, two things. One, the Villa Press wasn't really a problem like it was in the first game. The other thing I'm really pleased about is that Arsenal, you know they have a lot of attacking threat and intensity in that second half in particular they have a bit of attacking threat in the first half Villa are one of the best counter-attacking teams in the league they're one of the teams most set up to do it we saw what they did to us last season at Villa Park for example and as much as Arsenal are very very very far from problem free it doesn't feel like they're vulnerable to those counters anymore.

20:02And one of the things I'm most pleased about is that we gave Villa nothing in this game, basically. Certainly. And I think we kind of touched on this maybe a bit last week is I think we're maybe showing less attacking threat because we're maybe sacrificing a little bit to strengthen the defence. And I think that's completely true of this season. Like last season when we were in Crawley, when we were at Villa Park, Like watching that team get split open on the counter-attack and just through the middle was quite worrying. And I think we had a little bit of fear going into this season. And I'm not saying it's completely fixed because I think there are still vulnerabilities in this team, especially defensively.

20:37And we have seen glimpses of that this season. But I do think there has been like a lot of consolidation at the back and the team are a lot easier and more suited to kind of set up for those counter-attacks. And I do think as well that comes from the midfield. Maybe you're just playing together more. Maybe this pivot knows what they're doing a little bit more. I'm not saying that this is the pivot. but I want like no one be in my mentions saying I want Kim Little, Mariana Caldente. I don't. That's not what I'm saying. But I do think like in this game, there's a certain element of control and a little bit of trust in the back.

21:06And I think Steph Catley and lots of Wobbenmoy do really good in this second half. Anything that goes forward gets eaten up almost immediately. And like you said earlier, they've got a very good attack, Aston Villa. They're very good going forward. So I think it's positive and maybe something we've struggled to kind of pay attention to this season because it's annoying. There's like lacking attacking threat, not winning games. You're playing a very conservative like brand of football and the chances aren't arriving. But I do think it's an area to be praised. And I do think Aston Villa in this game really, really struggled.

21:33Like Rachel Daly is not playing this game. Who's a big, big element of their attack. But she's not been the star of the show this season by any means for Aston Villa going forward. So even Georgia Mullet, someone like that, she's a really promising young player, really good attacker, really, really, really good on the counter attack and likes to hold up the ball. and she gets absolutely nothing when she comes on the pitch. So it's hard to watch a team when we're kind of struggling a little bit attacking-wise, but it's also, I think, important to praise. And you look at the defensive performances this season, other than maybe Bayern Munich and a couple of Howlers here and there, they have been a lot stronger.

22:04So that's an area. But now it's kind of like, okay, focus on going forward because you can beat Aston Villa, but you need to beat United. Like you must beat United, must beat Chelsea. So yeah, an interesting one, Tim. It's almost hard to praise when you're not doing amazing otherwise, But I think Aston Villa really, really struggled in this game. Yeah, I think for me, I look at Arsenal's base, shall we say. I think Arsenal got really good depth in defence. I think I've been defending very well this season. They seem to have sorted that issue on the counter-attack. Like I'm pleased with that side for me, that the holes are maybe a little bit further forward.

22:44And, you know, we've got some questions about that in the second half. But I'm also open to the idea, maybe you bring in another midfielder and move Mariano a feather forward or whatever. You know, I think that's fine. I think there's minimum one, possibly even two players missing to really complete this squad at the moment. But I also think the uncertainty over a lot of players and the summer and all of that makes it a little bit difficult, perhaps. so that's Arsenal through to the fifth round of the FA Cup for I think the 34th season in a row since Arsenal were knocked out the first hurdle in this FA Cup and you know one of the other things I spoke to Kim a little afterwards and I said to her you know it feels like lifting the trophy at Wembley is like the only thing left on your CV she's won the FA Cup at Arsenal and been player of the match in two finals, of course.

23:44But those were quite a long time ago. And I said to her, like, does that feel almost like the last thing for your career? And she said to me, are you setting that for me as a target? And I said, yes, I absolutely am. But I think Arsenal and women's football more widely have a responsibility to let Kim Litt will lift that trophy in May. So let's hope. Make it happen. Exactly. Let's hope we're on the road to that. On that lovely note, let's take a break there and we'll come back in part two with your questions submitted on Blue Sky right after this.

24:24okay welcome back to the arson women ask cast and ask blog.com with jamie with tim stillman and jamie spanger looking back on sunday's 2-0 win over aston villa in the fa cup um first question here and and as with last week we're kind of both going to answer the questions um now because that's what I've been doing anyway. So first question here from Adam Dash Salter 4 on Blue Sky. What would your dream away FA Cup trip be in the next round? Is there a particular ground you'd love to visit with the Arsenal women? Jamie, you're going to have to pretend you're in England for this bit. Personally, I'd love a visit to the Valley to play Charlton or Bourville Stadium for Chatham Town.

25:10um for for your purposes Jamie who do you want in the fifth round I'll make that the question um well thanks a lot Adam I won't be doing any away days but I'll leave that to everyone else um okay this is a good question I might say to be fair um shout out to Tom at um the halfway line actually reported on Chatham Town's game in the FA Cup this weekend and said it was really really incredible to just like be there and it was it was a really good game to be able to report on and obviously they're making a lot of history so I think it would be nice I think that would be a really really fun fixture to to go away to them and just I think those games that's the magic of the FA Cup I'm not saying they should pull off any sort of like underdog narrative and knock us out in the fifth round but I just think the magic of the FA Cup when a big team like Arsenal like champions of Europe brings a lot to another club I'm not saying we're doing any sort of miracle work but I just think yeah it's that's why we have the FA Cup it's such such a good such a good competition for that so because I'm not there I'm gonna say that because I can still feel the uh the effects and the the influence of the of the FA Cup through my screen if we're away to Chatham Town yeah so for people who don't know Chatham Town went through they played York City today and their manager Keith Boanas um has been in women's football for years and years managed managed Charlton Watford he's managed so many clubs he's just been around for absolute years great to see him in the fifth round I wouldn't like to get Chatham away in the fifth round just because I don't think they'd have enough press facility for me to get accredited in in 2019 we drew Crawley Wasps away um in the fourth round and I you know the press boxes are like so small that I couldn't get in to that one.

27:00So I'll be very selfish and I'd say Charlton away at the Valley because it's quite near where I live. As simple as that. I've been to the Valley dozens of times. It's not a new ground, but, you know, has the facilities nice and local for me. So I'd take Charlton away. Do you have a question? I do. I'm going to look forward to the Man United game because I feel like this is a very good, there's a couple of questions, but this is a good question. This is from at NDMW. Despite a gap of only 10 days, quite a few factors will be different for this upcoming cup rematch against Manchester United. For example, Meadow Park evening, no Leah Williamson available.

27:41What do you think will likely be the key factors to avoid another stalemate and extra time slash penalties? Yeah, I just think Man U are difficult to break down when they decide to be quite defensive, which I think they will be again, because they have been largely in the big games. They were against Chelsea. They have been against us twice. They didn't do it brilliantly against Man City, to be fair, away from home. So I don't think it's going to be that different, if I'm completely honest with you, particularly on a slightly tighter pitch. The last time we played United in the Conte Cup at Meadow Park, we lost 1-0.

28:26Alessio Russo header on that occasion. Hopefully we can do that the other way around this time. So I don't really know. I don't envisage it being much different. What I will say is I am reasonably confident that it will suit Arsenal that they've played Man United so recently. and I think we see this quite often when Arsenal play Chelsea when Arsenal play Chelsea close together quite often what you find is the team that loses the game learns the most and then goes into the next game because you get the you kind of get this dynamic where the team that wins is like oh okay we'll do that again and the team that loses are like oh we're not doing that again I appreciate we didn't lose to Manchester United, but it kind of felt like we did.

29:14So I think there's a higher likelihood that Man United will go into the game and go, we'll do that again. And I just, I have some confidence that dynamic might suit us because of people much, much smarter than me in the analytics team under Melree Clark and co, will have found something to learn from, if that makes sense. I'm just not sure what that specific thing is. What do you reckon? I think that's a good point. And I think the Aston Villa game is actually an example of that because it felt, yeah, like Arsenal really, really, really felt like they lost that Emirates game as they would. Like it was basically, it felt like a loss.

29:55And I do think that just Aston Villa kind of came to do the exact same thing and that's fair enough. And I think Man United also like have a habit of doing that as well when they come up against second legs or they come up against similar positions. like they do the same thing because they hope that it can work again. And to be fair to them, like they played Chelsea, I think it was last season and they did the exact same thing and it almost worked, but Chelsea won on a set piece. So it does feel like they're like not to slander them, but they're a little uninspirational when it comes to like managing tactics when they feel like they've done a good enough job.

30:24They don't really want to come out in this day and age and really like attack the game. So I do think it's going to help Arsenal. I also just think like Meadow Park nights for some reason, there's always magic in the air when we're playing in Meadow Park against a team that we really don't like or a team that's a high competitor. So I think that Arsenal will learn from this game. And I think that learning from this Aston Villa game and learning how to break down that back five and look at that press and say, okay, what can we do to break down Man United, who I would say even more like kind of rigid in their defensive line, especially with that double pivot of Zigyoti Oma and Miyazawa.

30:56I think there's a lot of learnings from the Villa game. So yeah, I think, yeah, tactically, I think Arsenal know how to maybe break down it a little bit more. And also the fact that I don't think, United will come with their foot on the gas. Well, let's stay on that theme since we're talking about the Man United game on Wednesday night. This one's from at Bolton Gooner. What changes do you envisage for the United game starting line-up wise, I think, especially given the trip to Chelsea at the weekend? So I think there will be changes. Don't know how many. I don't think it'll be wholesale. I don't think we've got enough players for it to be wholesale.

31:32but who do you think might come into the team and who do you think might come out? Well, injuries provided, Emily Fox probably maybe won't play, I assume. So Miller-Holmberg comes in. I also think maybe we go Kaitlin Ford against Man United because, again, if we're talking – look, it's interesting with Kaitlin Ford because I think I have her in my head as this player that really breaks down presses because she likes to be aggressive with the ball at her feet. Right now she's struggling a little bit more but I think if you can preserve Olivia Smith, Cold Night Meadow Park against a team that plays a very, very defensive line.

32:04I think maybe just you save Olivia Smith a little bit for the Chelsea game and go with Caitlin Ford for this game. I just think Alessia Russo should start in the nine. We don't need to play Steiner in this fixture. It doesn't work, especially if United are going to come out the same way that they did. There's no space in and behind for Steiner Blackstainius at Meadow Park against that kind of defensive block. So I would maybe look at doing Victoria pullover in the 10. I don't know if Rene will, but I think that's the takeaway we got from the Man United game is Freedom Ornham's not going be able to play against this press.

32:32And Victoria Plover is probably like the best suited midfielder to do that if you're going to have to be forced into a pivot of Little and Calvente. So I'd say Ford in, Plover in, and then a forced probably change for Holmberg at right back. Tim, what about yourself? Yeah, I think let's look at who was on the bench on Sunday. Who are players who start reasonably regularly? Caitlin Ford, Frieda Mornham. Yeah, Victoria Plover. I like that shout. That's the number 10. Holmberg for Fox I think will happen we're not yet clear on whether Emily Fox is definitely subject to concussion protocols at this stage if she is she misses the United and Chelsea games just as part of the rules around concussion but I think that's still open to interpretation but I'm with you I don't think she I think probably the plan was always for for Holmberg to come in for that game anyway but hopefully have Fox available from the bench I'm sure she won't be on this occasion so yeah Holmberg I that does give me pause for thought at left back because I did wonder whether Taylor Hines might come in just in the interest of rotation really but whether Rene would want to change both full backs I'm not sure that's one to stick a pin in but yeah I kind of tend to think that Russo will go back up front Steiner will drop out yeah like the shout for Victoria Pilova I think yeah Ford for Smith um will probably happen so not loads and loads um to be honest again I don't think we I think there's like a core of 15-16 there that Rene would start and to be honest maybe even Victoria Pilova's not in that really at this stage um but yeah I I think it will be reasonably telegraphed rotation and i guess that's that's another one of the issues really or one of the reasons i'd like to see someone else come in in january so that the substitutions and the rotation do feel like they have a little bit of diversity to them um how about this then um you know you talked to jamie about needing a vpn to watch this game um there was a lot of discussion about uh broadcast rights I can talk a little bit to that on the UK side in a moment, but obviously teams haven't been allowed to stream their games themselves where they clash with broadcast picks.

35:02This one's from at LexiM1987. I live in New Zealand and like Jamie Watch at Crazy Times, was extremely disappointed about not being able to watch the game due to broadcasting and the limitations this puts on growing the women's game. Do you know anything about broadcasting rights for the rest of the FA Cup? Let's start, shall we say, on your side, Jamie, on the international broadcast side. Disappointed, surprised that there wasn't something in place for that? Unfortunately, not surprised, but incredibly disappointed. It's been like that probably all season. In terms of even the Champions League, it was the morning of the first Champions League game we found out that Disney Plus would be the home of that for Australia and we'd be watching via that and there was no announcement of where that would be.

35:51Obviously, the WSL got moved to Standsport and then it's very difficult because every competition is on a different medium. It's very hard to watch the League Cup as well. You have to rely on clubs for the League Cup. That's something I think is just the League Cup's always been a bit difficult. If you watch men's football in Australia as well, the Carabao Cup, you need another subscription. So I'm just like I'm torrenting that always. So it is quite difficult as an international fan And I think the thing, and Tim, you'll definitely come on to this from a UK perspective, because I think there's so much to talk about from a UK perspective for men's and women's football on this in terms of just the FA Cup and what that's actually about as a competition and why it's so inaccessible to watch.

36:32But I think it's so annoying, like having to watch the FA Cup, especially like a team like Arsenal. It should just be the case where I know it's a trickle down from broadcast rights in the UK and that affects us internationally as well. but there's just like the accessibility for women's football here is impossible like even to watch like the national team sometimes you're having to like find a crazy site and you're having to go and pay for a seven-day subscription to watch a game and to not be able to watch the FA Cup I ended up having to do it a VPN to channel four and VPNs do save lives but for a lot of like a lot of streams they they're not accessible either if a game is on BBC you can't watch it with a VBM because of the blockers on that so yeah it's frustrating for me international fan and you do have to find ways around it and it feels like you shouldn't have to find ways around it you should just be able to log on to your streaming service and watch the FA Cup because it's a very big competition men's and women's game so yeah I'm frustrated in terms of the disappointment but again Tim you can probably shed light on this it's a bit of a trickle down from the broadcast in the UK and the restrictions there because if the clubs can stream it then we can watch it and the clubs can't stream it because of the broadcast picks so talk to me about that Tim yeah yeah I think I think it's really interesting as well because like the WSL has been absolutely world leading at making itself accessible all over the world I still think maybe as big as the Lionesses winning Euros in 2022 as the FA player which is was an absolutely genius move from the football association themselves where they basically said if one of the broadcasters isn't picking it up we're putting it on for free on the fa player that was only ever going to be a temporary thing while they got the audience and they got eyeballs on the products and everything and then they were always going to use that as a bar not as a bargaining chip but use that to create the interest for a bigger broadcast deal and and i think the the football association and the people behind that some people probably know the names just deserve all the credit in the world and and it's just amazing how quickly that catapulted everything from literally seeing nothing like maybe one game every two three weeks was on like bt sport before that um and then you know the bbc come in which again in the uk that's free to air and the fa have retained uh games for the bbc so they get a game every weekend to keep that free to air element so it's a bit of a mixture um so that like the wsl is very highly developed um on this and obviously the other competitions like even the champions league is not in the same league it's a WSL when it comes to that the kind of the context in the UK of teams not being able to stream personally I completely understand I understand it's annoying and it sucks for people but this is the first time there's been a broadcast deal for the women's FA Cup I've never been one before.

39:28And if Channel 4 and TNT are paying for these games and then they say, well, actually, Arsenal and Chelsea are just going to stream their own games anyway, you immediately tank the value of the broadcast deal because you're just surrendering viewers to other clubs. And obviously the Football Association itself has a responsibility to grow the game, to grow match day attendances at all levels and get eyeballs all across women's football and not just on the clubs with the biggest fans. So in the UK arena, I get that. I certainly get it, actually, in terms of the broadcast deal. Maybe you can be more imaginative with the kick-off times.

40:12So, for example, Chelsea kicked off at 12.30, meant they couldn't stream their game. Does that have to kick off at 12.30 on Saturday? Yeah. Can they find a space for it where it doesn't clash with another broadcast game. And it's worth saying a lot of games are broadcast from Thursday night onwards at all levels as well. So we had West Brom against Everton. We had Newcastle, West Ham. You know, like they're very deliberately, they're trying not to just do the big clubs because we need everyone to invest in this sport. I don't have a good explanation for why clubs can't stream for international fans.

40:53I don't know. Maybe there is one, but I don't know what it is. So that's that. I felt that was a discussion worth having. Let's have a look at this question. Yeah. So a few people asked this, but from FKA Dave, in a question asked by Freddie from Laguna, Rene said there's more players who can play in the number nine position that we quote-unquote haven't seen yet. Who do you think could do a Mikel Moreno-like shift up front in the absence of Russo and Steiner? That's a very good way to say it. Obviously, okay, well, obviously Beth Mead. I don't know if that counts, though, because we're seeing players we've never seen in the nine.

41:39I guess we're not really a modern-day Arsenal. Yeah, Beth Mead in the nine, and I think we're beginning to see that shift with Mead a lot. In this game, she does stay wide, but in a lot of games this season, she's floating in at least to the 10 and kind of picking up the pockets in the midfield. I think sometimes it might be a good anecdote for Beth Mead herself, not just the team, because I do think she's getting caught out a little bit by fullbacks these days. And I do think if you put her in the nine, she still has a lot of the game awareness to be in the right spots. And she's a very good finisher, Beth Mead.

42:06So I think she's a contender. I don't know if this is maybe years of watching the Matildas, but I think Caitlin Ford playing an essential role is something that is so dangerous. and something that I think offers a lot more threat than maybe we expect it. And it's hard when you're looking at a team like Arsenal because why would you put these players in the nine when you have two very exceptional strikers? But Caitlin Ford for the Matildas has not been a winger. In recent years under Tony Gustafsson, Jo Montemere a little bit more, she's played a wider role. But initially for the first like 10 years of her international career, she was either a second nine with Sam Kerr, she was in the 10, or she was just playing more of a central role.

42:41So Caitlin Ford coming in with the ball at her feet, I think in more of a central role, I wouldn't mind it. I think I would like to see that against teams that you maybe need to create more space and kind of get through gaps. I think that that's something I'd like to look at. I can't really think of another player, but I think those are two really strong options. If things really do fall apart and God forbid they do touch wood, I think Ford and Meade can offer a lot centrally. Yeah. So yeah, Beth started her career there. It was Arsenal who moved her to the right wing. So yes, she can play there.

43:14caitlin has played there for arsenal quite a few times not for a long time um but when joe montemoro bought her one of the attractions of buying her was at the time we had kind of peak center forward vivian midema um no made it very very difficult to buy another striker to be back up because no one wants to come and compete with that so a big part of the reason caitlin was brought in in the first place was because she could play nine as well so she could almost act as like the backup number nine and Jonas used her there a couple of times before he bought Steiner and once Steiner came in, I mean, there's never really been any need since then, not least because Russo and Steiner haven't really been injured to this point.

43:58The other one, though, I mean, Rene says we haven't seen it. Olivia Smith played half an hour of a pre-season up front. That was when I think Russo, obviously coming back from the Euros and I think Steiner missed a pre-season friendly with a precaution. And I think they did play Olivia Smith up front. So those are things we have seen. I mean, I'm not sure I have a more interesting answer than that other than Katie McCabe played up front in a Conte Cup game in 2018 against West Ham and scored twice and was up in the game. And I think probably a player, because usually like, When you're thinking about players who can play in this position, you think of the physical side of being centre-forward, the holding the ball up, blah, blah, blah.

44:47I think the physical side of centre-forward is not something that Katie McKay, I think she'd like it. Actually, I think she'd quite like the excuse to knock some centre-halves around. So Katie McKay, possibly the left-field suggestion. Do you have a question? I do. This one is from at Josh Wignall. Given the current absences and creativity issues, plus Borba doing well and Daphna van Domstler back soon. Should we be focusing more on a new six and a winger instead of a keeper this month? Feels like we need two of each in the summer and it'll make the rebuild easier whilst improving chances for the rest of the season.

45:25Yes, obviously this is a reference to the link with Laura Dick from Hoffenheim, which I believe is true. That link is out there. She's contracted, I think, till 2028. So I think Arsenal are going to have to pay. to get that done. I think there'll be maybe something I'll say more about if and when that deal is done. I do think Arsenal are going to need a goalkeeper this month

45:54because Arsenal have had rotten luck with goalkeepers. To have three, if your first choice goalkeeper's injured at various points and often at simultaneous points is rotten luck, and that is a situation that needs managing. a little bit, I think. Also, with Manu's contract is up in the summer. I think I've said before that my information was very much that Arsenal would have been willing to let her go last summer. So I don't see a new contract coming there. So there probably is a need for another goalkeeper, I think. So I do think that that is probably something that needs to be done. However, you can make more than one signing.

46:41I still definitely I mean you know Josh talks about a winger there I'd definitely be open to that I still think that number 10 spot though just looks open to me Frieda is you know like because Russo's the first choice striker Frieda plays there um does reasonably well but it's still it's a pullover barely really plays. I mean, it feels to me like, yeah, maybe you bring in a six and you push Mariana up. I think I'd like more of a goal scoring option. Um, to be honest, I, I feel like that's what we need. We need someone. I think, I just think we need someone who's capable of scoring some goals basically.

47:23So I guess I'd kind of like that profile. Um, uh, yeah, I was, I was going to ask that one. actually what do you reckon on that one? Yeah I think I agree I just don't think it's worth the risk of not bringing out the goalkeeper especially when Borba's been carrying a niggle Daphna van Domselaar has been injured since she joined the WSL it's not even like signed for Arsenal she was she had hip surgery at Aston Villa like that's why they had to emergency sign goalkeepers so she's a player that needs her body managed and I think I think there's another question I forgot who it was from but it was saying like because of Borba's good form do we have to stop to rush like we don't have to rush Daphna back and I think that's a very good point last season it felt like let's just inject her with super serum and hope that she can get the job done but I think there's a lot more trust that we have in Bourbon now so I think for goalkeeper from that point of view and you make the really good point Tim about Zinsberger's contract and obviously Arsenal like we're happy for her to to kind of part ways last season I do think it's just it would be silly not to bring in consolation there just because there is yeah there's there's a really bad run of injuries there however I completely agree with you I think just because you sign one player doesn't mean we have to stop there and that's been that's been kind of the motto of Arsenal recently sign one and then just leave everywhere else gaping but I'm not I'm I agree with the midfielder I just still think we should sign a CDM and play Mariona in the 10 like I just think we have like a world class attacking midfielder there I agree that we need to sign a midfielder but I don't know I'm kind of sick of just having a lot of attacking midfielders and none of them being the right one and then what do we do at the back but then at the same time I guess when Kyra Kunicross makes her return there's a there's a defensive player there but I'm all for Mariona in the 10 and bring in a CDM so in short both definitely I think we need constant consolidation in the keeper area but we need more players and I think especially with Chloe Kelly and obviously Caitlin Ford's going there's a lack of wingers in this team as well so bring in all of them is my answer yeah I'd be happy with any one of those I just feel like we need minimum another player when it comes to the serum i think you know i don't know if arsenal you know get like subscriptions or anything but um i think i think the goalkeepers have juiced that subscription this year and arsenal probably had to go for you know had to go for an expanded kind of monthly plan um there um how about why don't we do one more each i think there's one from economy dave which I think we've kind of addressed about the number 10.

49:57I mean, this one from at Sarah JK official to bring it right back to the Aston Villa game. What do you think was the biggest difference between this game and when we played Villa earlier in the season? I think when we played Villa earlier in the season, we allowed them to set up and we didn't press their press. I think that we gave them too much. And I think that the Arsenal kind of sat back in possession and liked to play the ball around, recycle the ball around, but we didn't actually test their press. In this game, I think, like I mentioned earlier, I just think everyone was set up like a third of the pitch higher.

50:31There were a lot more numbers in the final third. Obviously, Rene spoke about that as well. But the biggest thing I mentioned earlier, the pivot being so high up the pitch, so attacking, you're pressing Aston Villa's press, then they have to correct themselves. And that's where the gaps form. And that's how Arsenal learned to exploit it in the second half. So I think Aston Villa didn't actually do a lot differently in this game. I just think Arsenal were able to then you can also have possession while pressing them. So I think they did a really good job at that. And that's where the gaps form.

50:57They had to change their moves. The centre-backs had to kind of recycle themselves and then gaps form and Kim Little gets the breakthrough. Also, you mentioned it, Tim. I feel like we didn't speak about it enough, but set pieces like you spoke about Katie McKay. But that was something we didn't do enough of. And Aston Villa did a lot of in the first game and just kind of finding that as a vulnerability for Aston Villa and exploiting it. I just thought the tactical team did a good job in that back 45 to really, really show and just play football against Villa. You don't have to just play your own game.

51:26Play against them, press them. And then it worked into the hat, Tim. Yeah, one of the questions I asked René on Friday in the pre-match press conference was about, I feel like things have changed since that Villa game and not just when we played Aston Villa on Sunday, but I feel like the areas that Arsenal play, I feel like there was maybe a bit of a red line moment where it was like, stop spending 80 % of the game on the edge of your own area. I'll give you a stat from that original Villa game in October. Arsenal average 174 touches per game in their own defensive third. Against Aston Villa in October, that was 221.

52:11so Villa did a really good job of pressing us back and whereas this time I think Arsenal were a bit more alive to it but I think they have been alive to it and that's you know if you're going to give credit to Rene and the coaching staff and again this is not to dismiss other issues we can all see and all of that that was a big discussion in September October about you know playing in the wrong areas and all of that and I feel like it's not anymore I feel like that problem has been solved I feel like the problem of teams running through us has been so you know I don't want to say solved nothing's ever totally solved but it's much much better the speed with which those issues are solved you know that's open to question because there have been damaging results kind of finding some of that stuff out but yeah I feel like Arsenal have been much much more kind of forward thinking and getting the ball forward a little bit more quickly um should we do one more from you if you've got one this is a this is an interesting one maybe it kind of reigns into everything else we've been saying but maybe a good point from at emily brown are we too focused on scoring beautiful goals um maybe i wouldn't i don't i i definitely see where the question is coming from um i don't think it's like a psychological commitment to scoring beautiful goals we're definitely too intricate sometimes like in in the first half there was um i'm sure there was like we were just we're playing with the ball on the edge of the box and there was just there was just a chance to either shoot or play a through ball and it kind of went backwards again and i think we doored on it and lost it and yeah i i don't think that's down to like the players wanting to score the perfect goal i mean they they force a lot of own goals and you know the goal kim scores today is very you know she scored a lot better than that i i just think it's it's probably more to do with the profile of the players that we have that perhaps we just don't have i feel like i'm talking about the men's team here but we just don't have that stone cold killer who's just like I am getting the ball in the net, whatever happens.

54:29Like I feel it's a bit more of a, yeah, it's not about trying to score the perfect goal so much, but we do get, we do play with our food a little bit. What do you reckon? Yeah, I agree. I don't think they're trying to score like Olympicos and Worldies from outside the box, but I do think that it's the same thing. It's just maybe a shift of responsibility sometimes. And I think we've seen that in a couple of games. Maybe I keep referring to the Man United game, but I think that was a really big example. It's like no player really wanted to be the one to have to take the ping and put it in the back of the net.

55:01And I do feel like sometimes there's a lot of recycling possession in order to shift the responsibility. So I think that might be a bit more of a reason than who can score the best goal. It's maybe I don't want to be the one to try. So I'm glad that we saw that change this game. And long may that continue because, yeah, I think that's been a reoccurring theme recently, Tim. Yeah, definitely. I think of that Chloe Kelly goal at Man City, which unfortunately didn't get us the point that it looked like it might. But yeah, a little bit more of that, a little bit more of Olivia Smith. You know, look, she can't score from 30 yards every week, but, you know, a little bit more of that kind of inspiration as well as perspiration, I think.

55:45But I think that about covers it for this game. We will be covering the game on Wednesday night, obviously. I am everyone candlelit vigil for me. I'm getting a 6.30 a.m. flight back from Milan after the game on Tuesday night, which is 9 p.m. kickoff local time. So I will not be seeing my bed on Tuesday night because I'll be on the way to the airport half past three in the morning. But obviously we will have all the usual coverage and everything like that. The other thing we are going to have, I've got a couple of guests lined up to do a FIFA Champions Cup preview. So I've got someone to talk about Gotham, got someone to talk about Asfar as well.

56:28So we'll do a nice little kind of Champions Cup preview for you probably early next week. And obviously Jamie and I will do a podcast after the Chelsea game, assuming, assuming that we want to do that, Jamie. Yeah, might see you next week, might see you never again. Thank you as ever. yeah i i might emigrate to australia after that one if it doesn't go the right way um yeah so we will we'll have a couple of podcasts for you next week basically but uh until then thanks so much for joining us uh do give us a review or a rating wherever you uh get your podcasts and do make it clear that you're rating the arsenal women ask cast as well we put it out on the main feed for very good reasons because um that's the best marketing we do basically um but yeah if you could leave us a rating or review that would be excellent and don't forget uh that we have a patreon as well askblog.com forward slash patreon um where you can sign up for around five quid a month um and get loads of extra features and it helps pay our salaries so there's that as well uh so until next week uh take it very easy and we'll speak to you after the fantastic win at Stamford Bridge.