Arsenal Women Arsecast Episode 151: Champions of Europe get it done at Stamford Bridge

0:14Hello and welcome to the Arsenal Women AskCastCastOnAskBlog.com with me your host Tim Stillman looking back at Saturday's 2-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0. 5-0, covered that game as well. That was good fun. First time Arsenal have won at Stamford Bridge. And the first time, frankly, Arsenal have won one of these big games this season. Did it... Well, let's get into the conversation a bit later. Let me first introduce our usual co-host, Jamie Spanger. Jamie, how are you doing this morning, Melbourne time? Tim, I'm fantastic. It was a good night. I think it was last week I was complaining about the late watch and it's always kind of dreadful when the game is a bit boring.

1:04But this week, love staying up. 1.30 bedtime, best bedtime. Very happy, very excited. Winning at Stamford Bridge. Honestly, if you'd told me before the season you'll win one of these big games and it'll be away at Stamford Bridge, I would have laughed. But in usual Arsenal fashion, we do these things in very bad timing. But I'm excited and I'm excited to go through it. yeah let's start with maybe how we felt before the game I don't think we really covered that because there was you know the the subway cup game since our last podcast which I think Arsenal played well but didn't put the ball in the net which is a bit of a theme this season so it's difficult to describe it as a one-off I had a conversation with Sophie and Rachel from Girls on the Ball before kickoff in the press area I'm really glad I put this on record with someone because I didn't have the guts to say it online.

1:55I said to them, I just had a feeling, nothing scientific, nothing logical, nothing tactical. I said to them both, I think we're going to win and I don't have a good reason for that. I just feel it. And I think my thinking was these games are always really tight, decided by small margins. I think this one was as well. and I said to them both, I was like, it just feels like those margins haven't gone Arsenal's way for like two years now since the Conte Cup final in 2024 and I just felt it was time because I really thought the game would be the same. I thought it'd be tight, thought there'd be very little in it and I just thought, Jamie, it's our time.

2:41It's our time to finally get those margins. Without lying, how did you feel before the game? Well, people should definitely call you for the lotto numbers because I was not positive. I wasn't positive. I think just the sting of the League Cup semifinal midweek. It was just another one of those games where Arsenal weren't capitalizing on momentum. They weren't capitalizing on their chances. It felt like just, again, like you're banging on that brick wall and can't get through. And that United game was so frustrating to watch. It was just, yeah, really, really frustrating to watch. Obviously, the Olivia Smith red card as well.

3:16We know that we're going to Stamford Bridge without her. Leah Williamson's injured again. And it just felt like the squad was far from the best. And it almost was certain, like the kind of players that we were going to have to play and the style of football we were going to have to put out. So I just thought, to be honest, like Chelsea and Sonia Bonpastor are smart enough to know what Arsenal are going to do in this fixture. And then obviously we'll talk about what happened in the actual game. But yeah, can I be honest? I got home from work at 11, I think it was like 11.26 p.m. The game started at 11.30 p.m.

3:44And I was just like, wasn't even thinking about it. and then just four minutes of dread and I wasn't high on hopes, Tim, just from midweek's disappointment. But I'm glad it transpired in a different way, that's for sure. It's interesting you say that because obviously Arsenal, I mean, the benches, I mean, they were stark indifference. Freedom Ornam apparently got a ball to the face in training on Friday and didn't feel great and they felt on balance they shouldn't put her in the squad and they'll assess her over the next couple of days that's another attacker that came out as well as olivia smith no chloe kelly there was really no attacker on the bench victoria pull over the most attacking player um so there was a sense that if this game goes like last season where it might come down to the subs that's going to favor chelsea but one of the things i asked renee on friday i said sometimes does not having a lot of choice help and give you clarity and she said yeah in a one-off game it can she said obviously over a long period of time no you want those options and you want players fit but maybe it does and she repeated that not to one of my questions after the game today she said we had clarity in what we wanted to do and this is all very capped in hindsight but I kind of felt Arsenal had a very straightforward game plan they knew they had to stick to it some of those players knew they were going to go the full 90.

5:15Chelsea I almost felt like their depth was I won't go as far to say as say a weakness but I think they changed their formation three times it can be a strength it can be a weakness I kind of felt like this was one of the other things that gave me a good feeling before the game Jamie I just felt like having that we know exactly what we've got to do and we can't really change it might have helped and I actually think it did transpire that way yeah I think that's a really interesting point I think there's actually a question um on Blue Sky about is Renee just a better manager in a smaller squad and I think that's completely the truth and we've seen that when her back's kind of against the wall she's very good at playing with the players she she wants to play with and everyone that was in that starting 11 were the players that Renee likes to play in and field in a starting 11 and I think that 100 % benefits Arsenal in this game because they know the style of football that they want to play I also think there's a merit though in saying that Chelsea did a really bad job at that because I think if you're going to look at the top four teams in the WSL I think Arsenal are the most predictable and I don't think that this team performed in a way at Stamford Bridge today or yesterday whatever wherever you are yesterday that actually like surprised anyone in in just the style of football I think it was just better it was a it was a higher level and I don't think Chelsea did a good enough job at just being like okay with the players that we have in this squad because there's a lot of them and we have the ability to surprise Arsenal but we also need to read them and know what they're going to do and I think that Chelsea just did a really poor job at managing their squad and I completely agree again we'll come on to it later but there's a stage where she like brings off all defenders brings on ridding canner and Millie Bright comes off and it just feels like she's throwing the kitchen sink and with a squad like that you should be able to manage the game especially when it was only 1-0 at Stamford Bridge at home with the players that you have on your bench so I just think Renee did a fantastic job she it was this game was one in the dugout like she really really managed this game well and I think there's merit to the fact that she works better with a small squad but I agree with the point that that has to be a one game thing it can't be a season-long thing yeah definitely and we'll go into I think you're right Chelsea really played into Arsenal's hands time of recording I've been doing the analysis piece I've only done the first half but But Chelsea didn't have a midfield at all.

7:30They played a back five. They put three players up front who were not charged with coming back. And they just left Aaron Cathbert and Kaptein in acres of space. And that really played into Arsenal's hands. But before we get into, I mean, the Arsenal starting lineup, there wasn't much choice. What Chelsea did, the tactics, the emotion, the elation, the feeling. I think the real headline from this was before kickoff and that's Lota Wubhamoy's playlist Arsenal always put out they always get a player to put together a pre-match kind of Spotify playlist and today was Lota Wubhamoy and as well as the details like the timings at the bottom because they do the graphic like a almost like an old-fashioned iPod really or like a Spotify playlist and they have the the bar at the bottom with the time and it's uh 49 seconds into the first song and like the whole song is 18 minutes so it's like 49 and 1886 on the bottom the first thing i spotted as an enormous fan of bjerk my favorite artist ever that she'd put a bjerk song on there uh which was great but lots of people pointing out that if you just read the songs that she's picked baby blue crying under the bridge as the gunner's dream the bridge is over because we all know girl from the north country run this town um just brilliant work i think jamie though fantastic work but also tim like can i be honest again in my four minutes of horror and terror and just like for seeing dread i just saw like this is going to be used as the the most crazy material if we lose this game and I was like I love the boldness and maybe that's a good thing maybe we're setting in stone that's positive manifestation Tim that's we know that's how football works definitely not tactics um but I just think yeah I was like really worried about this because we know how Chelsea fans can be and respect to them they're very good at rattling Arsenal fans and sometimes we deserve to be rattled but yeah I'm lucky I'm lucky it worked very lucky it worked in the end yeah yeah very nice and I think it's just an example of how athletes think very differently while we all kind of think don't do that like what if we lose athletes are very much if we win this will pop starting lineup i don't think there were a huge amount of choices especially with freedom on amount emily fox was fit to play and that always meant she was going to start and she was brilliant by the way um but really the the choice was who was going to play the number 10 and it was really only ever going to be once we knew frida was out only between Pulova and Alessia.

10:10Russo, Russo behind Blackstenius, what did you make of the starting lineup in the three and a half minutes you had to absorb it before kickoff? Unsurprised by this one. I think it was a good decision to make. Put Russo in there, need more control in the midfield. Obviously, Mournem's not available. I don't think Frieda Mournem should have started in this game anyway. She did a really good job off the bench at the Emirates, but obviously that's not available this time around. I just think, yeah, it's the best, most solid option and it's funny in the end because Russo doesn't have to do as much defensive work as we probably thought she was going to have to do because of the way Chelsea set up.

10:42So yeah, this is predictable. And then the wingers, you couldn't do anything about that. So yeah, no surprises. Yeah. And obviously we don't usually look at the opposition starting lineup. I don't think it's usually appropriate, but when we play a team like Chelsea, I think it is. But I also think Chelsea didn't get it right really at the Emirates. I remember thinking they'd go to a back three they didn't they went with a back four but they had bronze and neve charles as their fullbacks so quite their most defensively secure fullbacks they left ellie carpenter and baltimore on the bench on that occasion this time they did go to a back three which they've been doing a bit more um recently I don't think that was defensive I think that's because they wanted to bash the ball over the top to Alyssa Thompson as often as possible but what was bizarre to me Jamie was you know they play with that back three so you're taking a player out of midfield but then the front three Alyssa Thompson we all know what what the game plan is going to be there and rightly so Sam Kerr starting I was I was actually quite surprised to see that and Guru Wrighton as a number 10 I mean Alyssa Thompson you're going to push up and asked not to come back Sam Kerr never really been a player that does that anyway can she physically do that Guru Wrighton's kind of been phased out like it felt to me like Chelsea basically put like five players in defense and then three players up front who they gave no defensive responsibility to I you know I think Chelsea were a big help in Arsenal winning this game 100 % I think that that front three is so interesting like if we count Wrighton in the front three she's a player that is coming to the end of her Chelsea career for sure and she has been phased out and I just don't think she offers what she used to because she used to be very good at dropping in inverting and she can play three different positions so she's very helpful to this Chelsea team but right now she's not very one-dimensional in this game and like you said if you're gonna play the ball long to Alyssa Thompson Sam Kerr is that exact same player minus the rapid rapid speed that Alyssa Thompson has but she wants to be at the top of the pitch so you're almost wasting numbers and I think what really really hurt Arsenal in the Emirates stadium game obviously Chelsea to be fair Chelsea like have some hindrances here because Kat McCarrow is not available and she's like the best number nine to play when you want her to drop into the midfield be a 10 kind of pick up the ball a bit more so they like that's a real loss for Chelsea in this fixture as well as that Kira Walsh is coming back from an injury and she's just like that player and you can almost yeah you can almost see a little bit of a shift when she comes on in the second half they get a lot more control on the ball and they finally are able to string passes together because the first half like passing map Chelsea aren't passing the ball forward from midfield at all like Erin Coffman is doing is just like trying to pick up the ball as much as she can she tries to play it wide and then they go forward they're not playing the ball forward and that's what Kira Walsh does because if the defenders don't have the the breathing room I think Arsenal do a really good job and the wingers do a really good job at not allowing fullbacks to have a lot of time on the ball it means they can't play the ball forward so the midfield can't play the ball forward whereas if Kira Walsh is there she's the person that's going to do that so Alyssa Thompson is given all this responsibility on an island, but she's given like no help in the fact that Sam Kerr and Gura Ratner are just the wrong players to support you.

13:55Kat Macario did a brilliant job at supporting Alyssa Thompson in the reverse fixture. So I think like I do feel a little, I don't feel bad, but Chelsea did like this. There's a key couple of players here that aren't fully fit for this fixture. But in saying that, they have players on the bench. Like Vika Kapta, and again, is not the player you want if you want to control the midfield. Like she's kind of similar to Freedom Ordem in that way. Like it's just not the right kind of, player so I think Sonia gets it wrong and they have enough players in this squad right now that you can't kind of say oh we have injuries because you have the depth there but I just thought it was interesting why are you giving the territory up when you know that if you press Arsenal in that pivot like there is there is an opening and there has been like historically in the reverse fixture that's how they score as well run through the midfield so interesting one Tim interesting one and yeah not not good from a Chelsea perspective yeah I just kind of think they had Nushkin they could have started and if you're going to play a front three with like no defensive responsibility then you've got to play Lauren James like yeah the only reason you don't play Lauren James is because she's not as good off the ball but if you're basically saying to your front three don't bother with that anyway I really don't understand but I'm glad they didn't this picture Jamie is usually quite often in big games you know teams feel each other out for the first 10 minutes never happens Arsenal Chelsea never like one team comes out like a bullet out of a gun and quite often that has been Chelsea recently and quite often they've scored early goals against us this time it was Arsenal that did that I think I think Arsenal knew where the spaces were going to be you know Emily Fox coming into midfield Beth Mead coming into midfield like I feel like Arsenal were very prepared for Chelsea to play three centre-backs and to not have Kira Walsh and they you know when you go back and watch it again Arsenal just swarm that central area um they get Emily Fox high and wide and Sandy Baltimore great player but not really a defender so great first 10 minutes but once that 10-15 minutes elapsed and it was still nil-nil did you have the same feeling as me as uh we had to score in that opening period Yeah, exactly right.

16:10I had two feelings, two feelings, and I think maybe we'll come on to halftime and that was a bit different. But at this stage, it felt like there was the opportunity where you get Chelsea on the back foot. They're still organising in this kind of hybrid starting XI that they've put together. And it felt like that was the time you need to score because Chelsea are very good at correcting. These players are very, very good at correcting mid-game and saying, okay, we need to set up differently because they're on the front foot and we're on the back foot. So it felt like that was the window, Tim. But it also, historically, watching Arsenal recently, it felt like it was like okay this is just going to be played out as a nil-nil where neither team can really go through and yeah that was that was the feeling after maybe the opening 15 minutes very positive in the first five and then I started to wane a little bit yeah and Chelsea come back into it kind of the flick of a switch which again happens in these games like the momentum goes backwards and forwards always does Chelsea start to get some crosses like I think they have seven or eight corners in the first like 25 30 minutes you know Kapitain has a header that she should probably score Sam Kerr goes close with a back post header Kim Little could came quite close to scoring an own goal I mean at that point I did feel like you know yeah Chelsea did have the momentum but I don't know I just I still didn't think they'd score even though I appreciated they were creating a lot of danger with those crosses.

17:33How did you feel about it? Yeah, it did feel like, it's funny when you look at these kind of games, because it's hard to say why, but it did feel like one of those games where just like no, neither of the teams were going to be able to put away their chances. And to be honest, I think Arsenal defended really, really well and will come on to the centre-backs because I thought they were sensational. But it didn't feel like Chelsea were going to get the breakthrough, which is funny because some of those like chances they had, especially in the second half, you need to be scoring those. Like they're clear cut situations.

18:00but they just lacked bite. They're like, press wasn't managed. They didn't look aggressive. It felt like even when the corners were happening, they were just kind of whacking the ball in. It didn't feel like they had a lot of routine to them either. So this felt like a fixture where Chelsea just kind of thought they could show up and play the way that they usually play against Arsenal and just get a result that was enough. It didn't feel like they had any sort of tactic. And that transpires. I think that has a real effect on a football team when you're playing that kind of football. I don't think the players looked hungry for it.

18:27So I had the feeling, like there's no tactical analysis this year but I did have the feeling that it was just one of those one of those days for Chelsea I thought it was gonna be one of those days for both teams but we know how that worked out but yeah not not their most ruthless day and thank god for that yeah I I that I think you're right there I think like I like there is a world in which Chelsea win this game they had chances at nil nil they had chances at the at one nil like I don't think Arsenal like absolutely dominated the entire thing and were the absolute clear cut. I think Arsenal deserved to win, but like only just.

19:03But I just did feel that there was a bit of edge missing from Chelsea. I think Sonia Bonpastor said to the BBC afterwards, we know the title's probably gone now. And I just wonder if they had... I wonder if Chelsea go into this game one point behind Man City, does it just look a little bit different? Do they just get to that ball a bit quicker? Are they a bit sharper? Like, I do feel there was a slight element of Chelsea, now it's slipping away. And that played into Arsenal's hands as well. All speculative, can't prove any of it, all intangible. But I did just kind of have that feeling. And one of the things that I think we should look at, and we're going to look at, there's so many individual performances, I think, it's almost difficult to go through all of them.

19:49But one of the things I really liked about this performance, Jamie, me is you know like I said I think Chelsea played three centre-backs because they wanted three I think they wanted Millie Bright because she's got a great long ball and they wanted that ball over the top to Alyssa Thompson and Arsenal's pressing to kind of not entirely stop it from happening but to reduce it from happening I thought was so good but I was also worried because I knew there were no attackers on the bench and I thought how long are they going to be able to keep it up for but but I think to be fair the game just totally changed at 2-0 anyway and they kind of didn't have to but I felt the forward players the way they will come on to the defenders who deserve their fly their flowers but I thought Arsenal's attackers were so on it out of possession as well fantastic and from minute one as well like obviously Beth Mead's the star of this show but defensively like we kind of say this a lot on the podcast Tim defensively she's an undervalued player in the way that she tracks back and the way that she presses.

20:51And I think that is so instrumental to this game from minute one. She's on the press, she's tracking back, she's helping Emily Fox when necessary. And there's, I don't know if we're seeing this on the pitch, but on TV, they kept kind of zooming in on the conversations when there were breaks in play, when Steph Catley goes down, things like that. And Emily Fox and Beth Mead are almost always talking to each other in those kinds of breaks and play. Those are the two that are speaking to each other. And it's good because you can see that this is a winger and a fullback that really want to work together and Bethme puts the work into this game and I think that that's so like seen her character we know how good she is defensively but she leads this press I think that Stina Blackstinius does a really good job she kind of runs for days in this game and she doesn't maybe get as much as she would usually want she gets a few really good chances and obviously scores the offside goal but like defensively she does a fantastic job I think Caitlin Ford is another undervalued player in this press she does an excellent job but I think that Alessia Russo's performance is so undervalued like and we haven't spoken about it enough like she was fantastic in this game and it felt like a game where you want her to score like she deserves a goal but attacking wise it wasn't where she was doing her most amazing work I think she was so good in the build-up so good to kind of just completely snuff out that um Erin Cuthbert Vicky Kapta and like space in the center of the park I just thought yeah Alessia Russo to me undervalued maybe player of the match I thought she was fantastic and she was so instrumental in leading the press and that's when this nine and ten between Steiner and Alessia Russo makes sense and it's in these games and it was perfect.

22:15They did such a good job. So the four of them, fantastic. But I thought Russo needs a bigger shout out than maybe she's getting. Yes, it's interesting, isn't it? Because I think there are definitely justifiable concerns over the number of minutes she's playing, but she doesn't look tired to me. No. I think, and I do think there is like a bit of sports science behind this. When players play all the time, they're used to playing all the time. And their body is same with Mariana, same with Katie McCabe. like Katie McCabe has started, I don't know, 98 % of Arsenal's games over like six, seven years and doesn't look tired at all.

22:49I think there's something about when players are in a rhythm. But halftime, nil-nil, momentum went backwards and forwards a bit. What were your feelings at halftime? At halftime, I was, again, like I said earlier, a little sceptical that it was going to be neither of these teams' days. I just think it was going to be, we were going to ride out a nil-nil. I wasn't exactly confident in either team scoring. Or it was going to be the case like at the Emirates where it was like quite like cagey and then it just like cracked open and it felt like both teams were going forward because there was so little control.

23:21The difference between this game and that though is it felt like no one was able to get control in the reverse fixture. In this game, Chelsea were just kind of giving so much space up. So at halftime, I felt, yeah, no, nil-nil, neither team's day and I'm about to watch another boring stalemate. Yeah, Renee was asked by Helen Jerome about her halftime team talk. And, you know, Renee had said, we keep the messages very, very simple at halftime because they're playing a very high pressure game and you don't want to overload players. But she talked about telling the players just to be more composed because she was kind of saying we were getting the positions.

23:58and obviously that's been like the number one problem the last well since the last two games certainly just failing to have that composure and she was you know she said I kind of said to them at half time you get in the positions just you know just calm down a bit when you get there and you know she pointed to the two finishes that win the game and she said you can see us they took that on board but I mean Arsenal do take the lead and some of the players that we've mentioned have a big big part in it one player I also want to mention who starts to move really is Steph Catley who I thought was close to 10 out of 10 at centre-back winning the ball high up Arsenal again finding that space centrally and I find it so strange that Beth Mead hasn't scored a WSL goal this season before this because I like when she gets the ball on that right foot I just I didn't doubt what was going to happen next what a finish what a play like I honestly think again though Chelsea Ward far too much space in the channel she's almost on her own to the point where you expect her to be offside because it just feels kind of ludicrous that she has that much space but it's a great turn um Steph Catley obviously plays Russo Russo's turn she knows exactly where Meade's going to be and I think that's another positive of these kind of players obviously they They played together at Arsenal, but also England.

25:21It just feels like these two especially know where they're going to be. Russo finds Mead and it's just, it's such a good finish in front of Thierry Henry as well. Brilliant. Love it. Not across the body, but it's good enough. Far, far corner, low down. Love it. Arsenal vintage. Great badge tap. Away fans at Stamford Bridge. I'm glad it was Beth Mead as well. So yeah, a really, really good goal. Again, no, from a, like not to, not to kind of, you know, darken it. Chelsea though, this is not good enough defensively. far too much time and space on the ball awarded to almost every player in the build-up.

25:53Yeah, I mean, I haven't seen the stats and unfortunately, mourning the loss of FB Ref, just such a shame that that data source has gone, particularly from a WSL perspective because I really don't know where else it exists or if it does at all. but yeah like it felt to me like there was a real right-sided emphasis on Arsenal's attacking and I think I think I was a little bit about Sandy Baltimore being the left wing back and maybe a little bit about Millie Bright being the left centre back and she's another one who I think Chelsea are maybe phasing out maybe moving away from a little bit she plays this game like I say I think because of her long passing, but she's nowhere to, well, she arrives on the scene pretty late.

26:44And I do think there's an extent to which Arsenal probably looked at, you know, Carpenter and Bronze on one side, Baltimore and Bright on the other. I think if you're looking at which side you want to attack, I think there's a very clear choice there because I still think Lucy Bronze is an absolutely elite defender. I don't think you really want to go down her side, really, to be honest. So I think there was a method to it. And, you know, we talked about momentum. We talked about perhaps regretting not taking the chance in the first half to capitalise on momentum. Do it this time. Arsenal start the second half similar to how they start the first half.

27:25But this time they get their tails up. They get the second goal. Mariana, Beth Mead with a Lisbon-esque assist, I think. and 10 out of 10 kind of no notes. Fascinatingly similar to Zubimendi's goal in the same goal a week ago for the men's team. And just a wonderful goal by, I think, two of Arsenal's best players in the penalty box. Splitting, splitting ball to find Mariona. Bethme does so good, honestly, from a Chelsea perspective. And this is not like I don't back my team in. But if it was any other Arsenal player with that time and space, I'm like five out of 10 chance that they're scoring.

28:08The fact that it like, no offense, but just where we are in the season right now with Mariona, I'm like, how are you letting, how are we letting that happen? Like collectively as a Chelsea, like if I'm pretending to be a Chelsea fan, like Naomi Germa has no idea where she is. Ellie Carpenter's too far back. No one's pressing her. Worst player you can possibly give time and space to in the, in the penalty area. And it's just classy because she has time to take touch. She has time to, to set herself up. and it's a great finish. Like the fact that it's kind of gone in and it's Mariona, we undervalue the finish.

28:37It's a brilliant goal, a brilliant ball in from Beth Mead. And it just felt like at this stage, I think we see that after this goal as well. Chelsea are just so, so lacklustre and they don't really know where they need to be. But this is a really bad lapse. But the quality, if you put a Chelsea player one metre closer to every player, this is one of the goals of the season. The quality in this goal is unbelievable. So yeah, really, really deserved a brace for Arsenal at this stage of the game, I thought. Yeah, and we've seen that kind of shift and shot from Mariana away at Lyon, away at Bayern Munich.

29:08At this point, I don't look at my Twitter timeline too much during the game, but I had a little glance and I really regret seeing, and I know he's a listener, Adam Salter had a tweet that said, Mariana scored twice this season, both away from home and both in 3-2 defeats. Good. That wasn't something I wanted to read at that point. But obviously at that point, Sonia Bompastor, I mean, Kira Walsh comes on. Fair enough. That's not like a selection decision. That's based on fitness. But Lauren James comes on as well. But I mean, at this point, obviously the game changes at this point. Chelsea changed to a back four.

29:54now it's Arsenal kind of sitting back and looking looking to hit on the break as well I mean Cuthbert has a header that just goes wide and you know Lauren James gets a couple of shots off but I think this is the point where we give flowers to the defense and the defending I thought all of the back four and Kim Little in front of them just did an absolutely superb job I mean Beth Mead was in the wars defending so was Steph Catley you know um the Stanford bridge pitch is not good and um that's why Steph Catley ends up doing the splits in the first half and I really thought she was gonna have to come off but she soldiers on she gets bang on the head she soldiers on thought she was great Lotta was great Emily Fox both going forward and coming backwards was great Katie McCabe again who I think there were some you know some questions about her from from a lot of people in the first half of the season I can see why I think since the break she's she's come back to last season's level and this you know it was a great defensive effort throughout the game but I felt Arsenal Chelsea had a couple of chances but I felt Arsenal locked the game down pretty well I didn't see Chelsea coming back in into the game at all certainly and the most positive part about this defensive performance was it was operating as such a unit.

31:19And it's like so often we're seeing one or two defenders have a good game because they're really, really marking their forward well or they're putting in the hard tackles, but it doesn't feel like Arsenal are immune to any sort of attack. In this game, it felt like they were. And I think Kim Little, it's so often she's dropping back in between the centre-backs when she needs to either pick up possession and Arsenal have the ball or when Arsenal need more defensive security. And I think that that goes to show that there's players in this midfield and maybe Chelsea give up enough territory in this game to allow Kim Little to be able to drop back so deep and not compromise Arsenal going forward.

31:50And I think she does a really good job of kind of managing that and just following the Chelsea players deep. And that way, Mariona comes back. Obviously, Pilova comes on later as well. It just felt like it was very well managed and very in tune. Honestly, I thought Lauren James did a really good job at finally offering Chelsea something going forward when she came on. And you said that earlier, Tim. They are compromising defensively already. She should have started this game because I do think it would have been a different game. She just picks up possession and she drives it forward. And no other Chelsea midfielder in this game was able to do that until Kira Walsh and Lauren James came on.

32:21So I do think like Arsenal's ability to see that threat and not panic like they did last year at the bridge when Lauren James kind of comes into the penalty area and attacks them that way is just to be applauded. I thought every player was so good. But yeah, Kim Little so smart in this game to kind of drop back. Lotto Obamoy, fantastic performance. I thought she was invincible. Steph Catley, the exact same. And Emily Fox has Alyssa Thompson on ropes the entire game. But I want to highlight Katie McCabe because I think in the last few weeks, she's been really, really good. And it's just like when I thought something in this game that really affected Chelsea as well is they already had no midfield territory because they, again, we spoke about it.

32:59They compromised it. However, when Katie McCabe and Emily Fox invert and they drop in centrally, it just overwhelms Chelsea and they don't know what to do. They don't know how to regain control. And I thought they picked the right moments because sometimes lately, Tim, I feel like McCabe and Fox maybe pick the wrong moments and then the other team can really go forward and there's room in the channels. They picked the right moments. They were patient with it. And when they needed to overwhelm Chelsea, they did a really good job. So I thought everyone was fantastic. But Katie McCabe, a really smart performance from her, which I'm really glad to see.

33:29Yeah, I think we've, you know, I was going to do like a player of the match kind of thing to finish part one. I think we've talked about nearly every player, which I'm glad we have. So I guess Anna Kaborba, I think, is another player who really deserves a mention. And again, Helen asked about her after the game. Obviously, she made a big mistake on Wednesday night, really the only one she's made since she's come into the team. And Rene kind of said, well, yeah, I've had chats with her afterwards, but we didn't talk about the mistake. We just talked about, you know, how we're going to play against Chelsea, playing out.

34:07and you know her handling was great she didn't have to make an amazing save and I think Chelsea will reflect on their finishing there I think all their big chances went wide but when it came to the amount of crosses the amount of corners playing out from the back pretty faultless I thought you know this is really the first time Anna Kaborba since her debut probably has probably been tested in terms of people might have been looking at her as a potential weakness and she wasn't at all on the day. Fantastic. There's a moment later in the second half where she just finds a really good pass on the channel and it's a simple one but it's one that she could have put the ball 40-50 yards down the pitch but she doesn't.

34:51She plays out the back and I think that's a keeper that she's had a few games now and she's maybe feeling a little bit more confident coming off her line, taking those high grabs as well. I just think yeah it's a good selection headache as well because obviously Daphne van Domslaas the the number one but a couple weeks ago we were in a situation when we thought there wasn't a clear number two and we didn't really have that that back up there and and I just think this is a player that's really really trustworthy and it's good she's still very young so she needs a little bit of that period you know to marinate and kind of get used to herself and feel confident inside but yeah like I said there's just those kind of moments late in the second half when the pressure's not really high but Chelsea is still trying to offer something where she just splits them open and it's a contrast to Hannah Hampton who's easily probably the best goalkeeper in the world, especially with her feet.

35:34And she's turning over the ball and not having her best performance. So yeah, just very collected, calm and yeah, a really good performance. Just solid performance. Not amazing, writing home about, but really like done the job well performance from Bourbon. Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. And I think, you know, probably said something about her mentality that, you know, goalkeepers like strikers, they have to have the ability to forget. and uh and and she has so on that note let's end part one there and we will come back in part two with your questions submitted on blue sky right after this

36:16so welcome back to the arsenal women ask cast on askblog.com with me your host tim stillman and our co-host jamie spanger just to let you know we will have another episode out on tuesday day looking ahead to the FIFA Champions Cup recorded a really good detailed section on Asfar with Ali Haworth who is an African football writer and loads and loads of detail and context about Asfar about Moroccan women's football African women's football I learned so much listening to him and also recorded about 25 minutes with Jenna Tinelli who writes about the NWSL for Sports illustrated but also has her own sub stack about gotham which is her team so we got into the weeds about gotham really kind of funny part on that podcast jamie where she talked about gotham in the nwsl and she said they're a kind of weird team because they've got so much talent but you feel like during a league season they under deliver but when it comes to playoff time they lock in and get it done and that sounds familiar doesn't it don't even say that don't even say that i was not gonna get flashbacks no almost exact it's hilarious they were they were okay during the league season this year and then just won the championship because they had to from eighth as you do as you do very arsenal-esque yeah they've won it from sixth and eighth um basically um so yeah if arsenal and gotham do play each other in the final next sunday it could just be the spider-man meme um kind of of both teams pointing each other let's start with this one submitted on Blue Sky.

37:51This is from Queen Guna at Sofire. Why are we so Jekyll and Hyde? Where was that Arsenal midweek? What was the difference, the setup, the mentality, the opposition? What do you reckon on that one, Jamie? I'm going to go full opposition because I completely agree. This is something that Arsenal do very often. And it feels like the feeling at the end of this game was so strange, Tim, because it was like, all right, well that was that was good fun where usually historically when we beat Chelsea 4-1 at the Emirates it was like this is massive this is just incredible this is season defining whereas this one it was like of course they're showing up at this stage and when it doesn't have any effect on the league Champions League football is something we really need to focus on but of course the first time we beat Chelsea in seven eight years is is in this scenario where City are walking and we've just gifted them the league so in that respect I do think it's kind of like Why are we showing up sometimes and not all the time?

38:45However, I think this is completely like two different Arsenal sides, maybe you can say. I thought Arsenal weren't bad midweek though. I just thought United were really good. And they did. Well, they weren't even really good. It's not even like I was watching United and saying this is a super team, but they did exactly what they needed to do to beat Arsenal. And we said that the game, the stalemate a couple of weeks ago was exactly what Arsenal needed to fix. And they weren't able to fix that. And United were able to just further, further consolidate that. so it did feel like that was a team that were prepared to face Arsenal this Chelsea team were not prepared to face Arsenal and again it baffles me because I do think if you can point the weaknesses out in this Arsenal team it's very easy to combat the other thing is though Chelsea aren't a team that are going to sit back like United do against Arsenal they're going to want to win it's at Stamford Bridge they have the talent where they should never be sitting back against anyone so I can I can respect that they're never going to play that low block and frustrate Arsenal in that respect however they didn't do it right they didn't look threatening they just didn't they didn't get the game right from their perspective I know they had chances their xg was actually higher but they didn't there was a 10 minute period where they couldn't hit a 10 yard pass so I do feel like it was opposition dependent if we're taking this week in isolation but in terms of Arsenal just being on and off it's the same thing it's been like that for three seasons win the Champions League but lose to Brighton in Crawley like you just have to I think it's just part of the gag at this stage.

40:04Yeah, I agree with you. I thought Arsenal played well on Wednesday. They just, they didn't put the ball in the net. Like I think they did everything else really, really well. I think you're exactly right. Man United, they played low block all three times. They've played Arsenal low block football. You know, you look at the few teams that haven't done that this year. Man City, Man City won 3-2, but Arsenal scored twice there. Bayern, Bayern won 3-2, but Arsenal scored twice there. Yeah, this game, Arsenal scored against these big teams other than United because they really sat back in a low block.

40:43So I think it's just about the opposition being more open for sure. Do you have a question? I do. This one's a good question. This is from at Izzy38. What are your thoughts on Arsenal's positional versatility in this game and how much it contributed to the win, especially given the live bench? In my honest opinion, it's one of our strengths and clearly something Rene values, but sometimes comes at the cost of defensive discipline. And then also Izzy mentions the fluidity between Les, Stina and Beth. One of the fullbacks almost always inverted as a second number 10 and Mariona having the license to roam.

41:17Yet we still found our structure in defense when Chelsea had the ball. Was that us being disciplined or Chelsea failing to exploit our weaknesses? So the versatility and also, yeah, just I think we've spoken enough about Chelsea failing to exploit. yeah like arsenal set up with very much a box midfield so they were dragging beth mead in quite a lot we've seen that quite a lot recently but emily fox was coming inside a lot as well we were just really flooding the middle of the pitch um so and and again yes that is exactly what renee wants that is very much the profile of almost everyone she signs particularly her full backs have to be able to invert and come inside and all of that.

41:57And yeah, I think if Chelsea had been able to start Kira Walsh in this game, I think it could have been very different, to be quite honest. I think in terms of Arsenal's defensive discipline, I don't see that as an issue overall. I know a lot of people do, but I just don't see Arsenal's defence or defending as a massive issue. Arsenal have conceded same number of goals as Man City in the league. They've scored 10 fewer, though. So that tells me where the problem is, I think, in pretty kind of starkly, to be quite honest with you. But yeah, this was very much a victory for Rene Steyl. That doesn't mean that Rene Steyl is absolutely infallible in all games, in all scenarios.

42:48The next low block will be very interesting. The next low block against, we'll probably come up against one on Wednesday. But like Gotham as well, that'll be a real test. They're really, really, they press very, very high. So yeah, I think the point about the light bench, I do think that focused things for Arsenal quite a lot as well. And when it came to that last half an hour where you do get tired, Arsenal had a two goal lead. And that's so much different. If it's nil-nil with 25 minutes to go, Chelsea's bench probably goes and wins them the game. I think it was very important for Arsenal to have a lead to hold on to for that last part of the game.

43:29And basically just like things went Arsenal's way a little bit. And like I said at the top, I just don't think they have in this fixture the last couple of times. And I don't think there's a massive difference in the performance. I just think there's some variables in it. but i had that question down as well that was a very good one um how about this one from uh we've talked about borba um we've talked a bit about beth mead inverting um how about okay how about this one from uh at iron line on our day we can beat anyone our losses and yep our losses and draws are mainly of our own making not converting our chances yep tick do you still see us getting reinforcements in this window still think they are needed considering our light bench today I mean does today do anything to change what you think we could or should do this month I do think that this win is going to paper over some cracks and I think there's a couple of questions just saying is this a bad timed win against a rival that we've not beaten in so long at this stadium so I do think that, yeah, I think it's a bad timed win because like I said earlier, it's really in the grand scheme of things it does do a lot for that top three but it doesn't do a lot for the title race it almost just gives it to Man City I think that this is a performance that makes Arsenal maybe look a little bit more in control.

45:06And I think that we've spoken about this a lot, Tim. We can get these results. And that's what's so frustrating about this Arsenal team is they can beat anyone. We've seen them beat anyone. They've beaten Barcelona. They've beaten Chelsea. It's really frustrating because the level is there, but the consistency isn't there. And I think one of the best things you've said this season on the pod was like Chelsea's level is consistently enough. It's not fantastic. Whereas Arsenal's high might be even higher than Chelsea's, but our consistency is just so below average sometimes. so I do think that that's the issue and you have to look at this squad and say yeah like this needs reinforcements and we shouldn't be if if City win tomorrow it's still 10 points off the top like it shouldn't be at that stage where that is the that is the ladder at this point of the season so I do think yes I do think they need to solidify the squad there needs to be in Cummings whether it be happening in January there's not long left to the transfer window the summer we know it's going to be big but yeah this squad isn't at a level right now where it's consistent enough.

46:03And it's annoying to say that after this kind of result, which is so positive. But I think it comes back to, yes, you have so many players in the squad that can play so many positions, but so many of them aren't even valued by the manager. And what is their actual role? And I think there needs to still be more clarity. And whether that's just bringing new players that do fit the system, I think that that might be necessary as well. So, yeah, I do think this game will paper over the cracks a little bit because there is business to be made and there are plenty of games left to play. We might face Chelsea in a two-legged fixture in the Champions League soon.

46:33So, Godspeed. Yeah, yeah, lots of extra games. It doesn't do anything really to change what I think needs to happen in January. I will say I don't think it will change the club's position on that. I think what I'd say in terms of like the prospects and more players coming in, like outfield players coming in, you know, the lights are still on basically is, you know, I don't think it's dead cert that they don't add anyone else at this stage. Look, I'm not Santa Claus. I can't promise anything. But yeah, I think the lights are still on there. Whether it happens or not, we'll see. But certainly the shutters are not down, I'd say, that much.

47:23Do you have a question? I do. This one is a player-focused one from at Borrodale. we saw another Lota Wobbenmoye masterclass today are there weaknesses I'm missing with my Lota tinted glasses on that explain why she doesn't often get the recognition she deserves I still wonder what might have been at World Cup 23 if Serena had trusted her before her player of the season run for Arsenal the following season so just on Lota Tim and and maybe do we undervalue her and what makes her so good uh yeah yeah we do I just I don't know um you know sometimes I I look at like not quite a consensus but where you see an opinion a lot and and I kind of think I really don't see that and am I the problem type thing almost like the uh am I the art hole reddit reddit thread it's like is it me like am I am I or or like the principal Skinner meme from from the Simpsons you know no it's the children who are wrong type thing I don't get it to be honest I don't get it but at the same time Serena like puts her in the squad but never ever plays her so obviously she you know sees flaws there you know I'm not saying she's flawless by any means but I think whenever she gets a run a game she's excellent yeah and that run of games thing I think that goes for every centre-back.

48:53I think if you're a centre-back, you have to play a run of games to be able to show your best. I think coming in for a game or two and coming out, it's never going to happen. I kind of think something similar about Laia Kadina. A lot of people are quite down on her, which I find weird because she never plays, so I don't really understand how. But I bet if she put 10 games together, she'd be great. Yeah, and she never really does a bad job either. no no no but she like she's never done that and don't get me really wrong there's a reason like she doesn't get in the team and all of that but i just think for every centre-back i've ever encountered i've never seen a centre-back who's in and out and looks their best like they always need a run of games and when she gets them she's absolutely fine and she she does quite often because leah williamson gets injured hafaele got injured a couple of seasons ago like she does get those kind of stretcher games i think she's always great when she does i i just don't understand um i say i i think it's too far to say people's beef with her and i think that's too pejorative like people are allowed to criticize players um but i i think the same about steph catley as well like again like if we'd signed her in 2024 as a center back i think people would would love what she's doing right now i just think sometimes when you have a player for a long time people kind of get bored and the quality washes over you again i'd say the same about emily fox today everyone's really excited by smilla holmberg justifiably so but i think sometimes we do this thing where it's like and therefore the other person i'm bored of them now i want this new kind of toy we've got to play with and i i think lot is great and she plays both sides of the centre-back partnership, which makes her a great kind of third choice, if you like, centre-back.

50:50But I think there's a lot of quality there. There's a lot of calmness. There's a lot of leadership. Yeah, I think she's really good. Don't understand why she's gone. I understand why people want another centre, but people want that Haffaele left centre-back. I get that. But I also think it's causing people to kind of be overly dismissive the defenders we have um how about this one then from this one's from uh robin at ms robin hosking uh renee slager told the players to trust their instincts today why haven't they been doing that for most of the season and and i think this goes into one of the things renee said to us as well in the post-match where she kind of said, I just told them to be calmer in the penalty area.

51:44Like, why has that been such an issue before today? I think you'll have to ask them personally about why they don't trust themselves. But I think there's a lot of merit to the fact that this team are very good at playing free-flowing football and kind of backing themselves into the style when they're playing against a team that's also wide open and also trying to attack. Like, they play a lot better against those kind of those kind of teams. It's harder to be instinctual when you're playing against a low block because your instinct is to maybe play the channel or it's to play an overlapping run, but that's so clogged.

52:15So it's so hard to be instinctual and you have to problem solve. And I think that's been Arsenal's issue this season is the on pitch problem solving is really difficult for them when they're faced with that low block. And those United games, the three of them are just so indicative of that and just symbolize everything that's maybe wrong in this Arsenal team is that. And I think it's so easy to be instinctual. Well, it's easier to be instinctual against a team that are also going to press and also going to try and score. And we've seen that a lot. And I think there's teams like when we played Leicester City, they didn't sit back and defend.

52:47They like wanted to actually get on the board a little bit more as well and press forward. And that allowed Arsenal to be a bit more instinctual. Everton, the same. There was still space in that. So I think this team are a lot better at being creative when their opposition wants to play football as well. And no discredits what United did, because again, they did a fantastic job. they're in the subway cup final and we're not and there's a reason for that but I do think it comes at a price where it's a problem solving thing rather than the instinct because I can't trust my instincts I can't do what I'd usually want to do so that way now I have no no like I have no solution I don't know how to fix that and I think that's what Arsenal struggle with the most so when they're allowed to play football against Chelsea and Chelsea are attacking as well they weren't their best they were quite toothless but they were still open Arsenal were then able to back themselves because they're footballers they're creative footballers they're so good at it and And Arsenal have so many of those kind of players, instinctual footballers like Russo, Mariona, even Beth Mead, very instinctual footballers.

53:40So when they're faced with a brick wall, it's not great. So I think I would say that's probably why. Yeah, yeah, I agree with you. I think it's just more difficult to do that. I want to read out, you know, as part of that question as well, something Renee said in the post-match. And she said, and I think, speculating, I might be wrong, I think there was a bit of subtext in this answer. she says when the moment is there for this team and when it really really really has to happen they do it and so there's a lot of strength in the in this team in those moments and i think that's kind of right and maybe it's just me you know kind of superimposing what i think or you know consensus i did feel that there was a little bit of subtext there like when it when it really really really has to happen they do it and um and perhaps there is that sense of backs against the wall you know maybe being written off maybe like that kind of it's do or die you know arsenal like historically well i say historically the last few years that's kind of why we've turned into a cup team really because in those like knockout moments can be quite good so I do think that there is perhaps a slightly psychological kind of edge to it as well let's do one more question each it's your turn isn't it?

55:13Yeah Yes because I just did that one yeah let's do one more each This one is also from at Borodale you often talk about the losing team in a tie learning more and coming back stronger for an early rematch what could Chelsea take away from today and should we be worried for the Champions League quarterfinals if we beat Löwen? Touch wood, everyone. We haven't beaten them yet. But, yeah, just the prospect of having to play them again, maybe. Yeah, I mean, yes, maybe a little. I kind of – I don't think Sonia would do that again at the same time if Kira Walsh is available. I don't think she'd do it anyway, to be honest.

55:50So I think a lot of that will be geared by availability. I think that whole kind of learning something, that tends to happen when the games are a bit closer together. I think when they're slightly further apart, it happens less so. Like Chelsea played a different formation to what they played at the Emirates. You know, and I don't think that was about the first game. I think enough water goes under the bridge, the other team has enough games, they start doing different things, you react differently. I think it's more when there's like when you play each other twice in 10 days or something or back to back or, you know, you get that for me, horrendous Chelsea v Man City miniseries that we got last March where they played each other like four times in three days or something.

56:36I think that's more where those dynamics come into play. I think when you've got, you know, it would be about two months between the games. I think that's not a non-consideration, but less a consideration. But yeah, what about your take on that one? I completely agree. I just think we play Chelsea enough that I don't know if these kind of games make a massive effect on it. Like I don't really think the reverse fixture had a lot of say just because of the squad availability of both teams. So I understand like the sentiment. I think there was a massive sentiment in those Man United games because they were so close together.

57:10And also just because we know what United are going to do and we know what they'll do with their depth and their style. Whereas I just think, yeah, I don't know how much either. definitely both teams will look at this game, but I wouldn't worry about that as like a direct impact on the possible quarterfinal that we may play, maybe. Yeah, absolutely. And let's do this as a kind of last question, because obviously like with the contract situation, so many players, there's so many questions about this. I mean, Emma Byrne had an interesting tweet after the game where she said, you know, considering some of those players could be leaving at the end of the season, you know what a great performance I kind of think about it the other way around I think a lot of those players are playing for contracts as well I'm not suggesting that's why that's the only reason that they're playing well but I think a lot of them will want to stay at Arsenal and just because of the ages some of them are at they're unlikely to get bigger club come in for them at this stage of their career so I look at it the other way around I kind of look at it a lot of these players whether it's at Arsenal or elsewhere are playing for their next contract anyway um and maybe their last one or their last big one their last league contract so um but you know on on that score about one of those players who's out of contract in the summer from at Claire AWFC I'm going to keep mentioning this but Katie's contract the back line have quietly gone about their business and that's seven clean sheets out of eight I think by the way um and she is at the heart of it, essentially three 90 minute games back to back.

58:51She's in great form. Would someone like Taylor Hines be ready to fully replace the consistency Katie has given us for the last four to five seasons if she were to go? Yeah, this situation, the Katie McCabe one's probably the most difficult contract conversation, I think, because I don't think any Arsenal fan would like tomorrow if I said Taylor Hines plays a left back for the rest of the season, not Katie McCabe. what are your thoughts on that I don't think anyone would be overly thrilled and that's not to discredit Taylor Hines but she should be the backup left back at this stage I just think Katie McCabe is again one of those players that we just consistently consistently undervalue and we overlook and I think that she adds so much this team she raises the level like she replicated one of the best I reckon it was one of the best seasons I've seen from an individual player in 2022-23 in those last five weeks when she just like carried the team when everyone else was injured so it's hard because it's it's hard to replicate that and I think a lot of fans that maybe came in post-Euros looked at um Katie McCabe and said this is a fantastic player and now she's just maybe doing her job and she's a lot more like she's consistent she's not having these big performances and as you kind of exit your prime you're automatically going to be less like of an attacking threat and she does make mistakes every player does but it does feel like it's almost impossible to replicate how good she's been for Arsenal so we kind of undervalue how good she still is I still think like from Katie's perspective she's she doesn't look like she's near the end of her career and it's hard I think if I'm gonna look at all the players on pitch only I'm talking all those players and think who am I renewing out of that kind of top age bunch it's probably gonna be her because like I said I don't think unless there's a left back that you can sign to kind of put in the starting lineup and again I think Taylor Hines is a great cup game player really good backup playing 30 minutes a game totally happy with that but unless Arsenal going to go sign like a younger left back that's going to do that job at a very good consistent level it's one of the ones I'm more skeptical skeptical about letting go and whereas I look at other players and I think you couldn't replace that very immediately the left back position isn't an easy one to replace like Arsenal have been we've been like an embarrassment of riches over the last five six years having Steph Catley and Katie McCabe because they're two of the only like consistent left backs in the world it's not a very big position in the women's game So, yeah, I think, Tim, for me, I would say I'm a little hesitant on maybe drawing line out of that.

1:01:09I think she's fantastic still. Yep. I mean, she's playing all the time like she always does, and there's a reason for that, I think. You know, the way she manages this game, the way she plays in this game, her leadership I think is amazing as well. Yeah. When you consider, I mean, she's been bumped down the captaincy list. It was Lotta that was captain when Kim didn't start on Wednesday night, and Steph Catley's had the armband over her as well. but doesn't seem to have been any sulking about that or anything like that. I still see a lot of leadership there. If Arsenal were to let Katie go, they would have, I mean, just by numbers, right?

1:01:45They'd have to buy another left back anyway. Yeah. And I think it would have to be an absolutely top class left back. And that's not me saying, I don't think Taylor Hines can do that. Maybe she can, but buy another top class left back. And if Taylor Hines is good enough to overtake her, great. everyone wins type thing yeah um but it's gonna have to like a few of these players it's gonna have to be a hell of a player if if someone comes in um you know i i wouldn't be surprised if she got renewed um as well like i don't know i think there's a bit of a numbers game here where they don't want to renew everyone you know but there are there are players that probably in isolation deserve it so i you know that's going to dominate conversation i think for the next few months but Definitely a great performance today from Katie McCabe, which we've seen in plenty of big games before.

1:02:37And on that note, Jamie, I think the last, I say, person and group of people we should shout out, the 3 ,000 Arsenal fans in the shed end today. Great fan walk by the looks of it before the game. Plenty of reminding the home fans about certain things that have happened in the last 12 months. and a really nice moment as well when the team went over to them at the end. And I just love the fact that both goals were right in front of them as well. My only quibble with Mariana's goal is go to your left, please. Celebrate like Beth Mead got the message there and, you know, just wonderful picture. And when Beth was subbed as well, she had to go around the pitch.

1:03:25So she went around the away end and, you know, it's still all of this away fans big there 30 ,000 people there today that's still it's not new for Arsenal but it's still new for the league and um having that kind of color and that atmosphere I don't know how it came across on tv but I thought it was great today absolutely incredible incredible as always I love the photo um on the the team's socials of that like the whole team sitting uh standing sorry with the fans behind them as always just absolutely incredible on the tv team it felt like it was an arsenal home game i don't know if the chelsea fans are just it's a library at stanford bridge but the the noise that they make and we obviously feel that at meadow park but we feel it in a lot of games even leon away last season when they were sat in the gods like the noise that they make even when there aren't 3 000 of them is absolutely incredible and it's just goes to show how yeah it's just fantastic and it's so rewarding as a club and as a fan of the club to be able to watch that and see that happen so fantastic job Beth made a badge tap in front of the fans it's everything we want you know and you know yeah just be really really happy to be be there and and thanks yeah thanks for always showing up because it's actually fantastic yeah I think that Bethmead celebration is going to feature in a lot of WSL promo material and uh and rightly so and yeah I think a lot of those fans made the journey to this game this particular fixture over the last few years and um you know haven't got what they wanted out of it so really great for everyone to experience that today and uh yeah um let's go and let's go and be champions of the world shall we so yeah we like i said we'll have a podcast out on tuesday um kind of previewing all of that and i'll be at all four of the games i think i hope really like to go and see uh corinthians as well you know the kind of the Brazilian football side of me very very kind of keen to see that really excited about the tournament and we'll have all the usual coverage for all of that and we will do a podcast next Monday when Arsenal are crowned champions of the world so Jamie I'll speak to you then London is red Tim let's paint the whole world red it's going to be a good week yeah let's hope so thanks very much for joining us thanks for your questions as ever do give us a rating on your podcast supplier of choice and make clear that you're reviewing the arsenal women ask us we go out on the same feed as the ask us because it's our best advertising that we could possibly do because lots of people subscribe to the ask us so um yeah please do leave us a review make sure you say it's the arsenal women ask us and we'll speak to you on arsenal crown champions of the world