Arsenal Women Arsecast Episode 154: Liv Forever

0:14Hello and welcome to the Arsenal Women Arsecastcast on Arseblog.com with me your host Tim Stillman looking back on Sunday's 1-0 win over Manchester City at Emirates Stadium. And usually, games against Manchester City, very end-to-end, very chaotic, lots of goals. I was expecting something similar to that on Sunday. We didn't get that. We got something much more controlled, much more measured, and I think a really good performance and a deserved victory for Arsenal. I'm here to rehash that with me, as ever, is our co-host Jamie Spanger. Jamie, how are you doing? I'm good, Tim. It's getting a bit too positive on the Arsenal women I've got in the last couple of weeks.

0:52I don't really know what to do with myself. I feel like at this stage of the year, it's always like this. Just high on vibes, Arsenal playing well, big, big wins and another massive win. I feel like, yeah, a quiet game, but a lot to speak about. But Tim, another big three points for the Arsenal. Yeah, big time. I don't think many people would have backed us to take six points from Chelsea away and Manchester City at home. I don't remember making any sort of prediction myself, but I don't think I would have predicted six points out of those two games and really deserved, I think, in both scenarios as well, in both games.

1:27I mean, before we go into this game, I kind of said at the outset, and this was something that Rene spoke about in a press conference on Friday, the last three scorelines in Arsenal-Man City games have been 3-2 to City, 4-3 to Arsenal and 2-2. so generally this is a game that produces a lot of incident a lot of goals generally two teams that are quite open and will have a go at each other and Renee referenced that on Friday in her press conference but looking back on it she referenced it with a little bit of a smile on her face because I think what she was cooking was not for this game to be like that the big headline on our news piece from the press conference on Friday was you know Renee like the spaces will be open in this game and actually they kind of won.

2:18Were you surprised by the kind of the face this game took on? I think that this is beginning to be a really big like game in the calendar and not just for two teams that are like because they're always up and around the top three top four but because I just think you always get a show when these two teams meet but in saying that and I We'll definitely come on to Arsenal in depth, obviously, later on. I feel like both of these sides this season, obviously, granted the first game was chaos, have really focused on becoming more defensively compact and City have gotten a lot better. There's a lot of holes.

2:52The way they're defending is different. However, they're leaking less goals and they're playing a lot better at the back. Last season, it was really, really hard to watch them sometimes. And Arsenal, the same, and I think this is a big talking point of this game, defensively underrated the improvements that have been made this season. So I think in hindsight, this game playing out the way it did kind of makes a little bit more sense. However, you always expect the advert for this game to be high paced. But I think we're seeing two sides that maybe because we watch them so often and we know that they're always up there, we kind of expect them to stay the same.

3:24But a lot of changes have been made to both these sides, not in personnel, but in just the way they play under Andre Yeglerz and Arsenal look a lot more defensively compact. So I guess I wasn't surprised when you really look back on it, but I wouldn't have predicted it to be as compact as it was. Yeah, I mean, it was the division's best attack against the division's best defence. And like you say, I think that's gone under the radar, actually. It's something I'm going to dig into a little bit more this week. You know, the Arsenal have really improved in that respect defensively. And yeah, you look at Manchester City, I think they had a lot of injuries last season for sure, but they brought Jade Rose in.

4:01You know, Rebecca Gnack last January as well. They moved Alex Greenwood over to left back. So I think, and they play with a double pivot now rather than just Hasigauer on her own. So definitely two teams who've tightened up in the last year. But one thing Jamie Man City do give you a bit of is spacing behind. I watched their game against LCL and Isabel Goodwin got in a couple of times. I watched their game before Christmas at Everton. Kelly Gargo got in a few times. Like, they do play a high line. And I think everyone was expecting Stina Blaxstenius to start up front. Andre Yegler said in his post-match press conference they were planning for Stina to start because she usually does against Man City because she usually scores.

4:49But obviously she wasn't available. So Arsenal went with Olivia Smith. when you saw the lineup graphic, what did you, because initially I kind of speculated that Caitlin might play up front and then I thought about it a bit, but what did you make of that, you know, playing Olivia Smith through the middle for the first time in a competitive game? Well, when I saw the lineup drop, I thought immediately it was going to be Caitlin Ford, but I also think like in these four players, it can be anyone playing in that central area, anyone playing in the tent like all four of them can rotate and that's a little bit of a hidden weapon that is maybe an exciting prospect going forward but I think then I started seeing stills from the warm-up a couple tweets from journalists and Olivia Smith looked to be warming up in the central areas and I guess that kind of makes the most sense when you really think about it obviously the pace her physicality is quite good as well when she's got the ball at her feet so it makes a lot of sense and I think it's a really bright move obviously it's a forced move because I do think Steena would have started this game had she had she not been injured however I think that this is something in Renee's armory now that she can really utilize.

5:55Granted, I definitely thought it was Caitlin Ford. In hindsight, I think Olivia Smith playing centrally, she's got the pace, but like I said, it's also physicality. And there's a really good question in the second half that I'm excited to ask you about, Tim, in relation to like Michelle Adjumang and the plan there, because there's maybe space for that. But yeah, I think a really good decision and a manager that's working with what she has in this scenario. Yeah, the question, one of the questions I asked renee afterwards was whether this was a really late decision because i wondered in my head probably been training with steiner up front a week and then maybe she gets injured on saturday or something in training and you know in terms of playing olivia smith doesn't change that much i don't think it was quite that late um renee said that she'd had two two and a half training sessions up front olivia um so the the steiner injury which is her calf and and renee said you know it's touch and go whether she'll be back before the next international break but it was really interesting one of the few of the details she gave him in my question um she said Liv had two or two and a half trainings in the nine position she also had a lot of meetings with coaches giving her detail but without getting too much information on how she should play it because when she plays on intuition she's really good so really striking that balance between giving her a bit of information but also just kind of saying play on instinct because that's when I think we all agree that's when Olivia Smith is at her best so really interesting to see Arsenal do that I do the thing is I do still worry sometimes in terms of hold up play and if you lose that and it's like are we just going to launch balls forward that are going to get lost I don't think that was an issue in this game at all.

7:44However, Man City's best chance maybe came in the first 10 seconds when Mariana turns the ball over straight from centre and Viv Miedema. I mean, what was your feeling when Viv Miedema was bearing down on the edge of the Arsenal box? Just utter dread, Tim. Utter dread. Like, this is not a good way to start a game. I also think this was my worry heading into this game because you look at that City line-up and it's just stacked. The forward three is stacked. The midfield, like the power they pack, obviously, Viviana Midem is dropping into the 10 now. And then Laura Blinkilda-Brown and Yui Haskett have been a really good pivot, but they also know when to attack.

8:21So in this scenario, like in the lead up to the game, I thought that's a really, really powerful, powerful kind of front six that they've got going on there. And I was worried about that pivot. I was worried about the two centre-backs. How do you deal with that many players? And Carolyn and Hemp are so fast. And Viviana Midem is one of the most intelligent players in the world. So after that first 10 seconds, Tim, I was worried that it was kind of an omen for things to come. Alas, it wasn't. But yeah, she's a very, very instinctive player. And of course, she wants to make her mark 10 seconds into the game.

8:51Yeah, absolutely. And, you know, the first kind of 15 minutes or so, not much happens in the game. It kind of feels like the two teams are feeling each other out, which again, as we said at the top, doesn't tend to happen in this fixture. Usually they just go at each other. it felt a little bit more reserved from both teams there wasn't a lot of goal mouth incident but the goal that turns out to be the winner I mean really good play between Mariana and Kim Little in midfield balling behind for Olivia Smith and I mean in a second I think everyone knew why Arsenal were playing Olivia Smith up front but I mean in that move just absolutely hammered home exactly why Rene Slagas had made that decision.

9:40Brilliant goal. A brilliant goal from start to finish. Honestly, I think Arsenal fans are probably like, we're all kind of hitting our heads into the wall because like every time the Mariona and Kim Little pivot succeeds in a game, we know that Rene Slagas is going to use it as an excuse to make it a long-term thing. But in this game particularly, I just think this first half, everything comes through that midfield and the way that this goal is set up comes from Kim Little and Mariona. The ball from Mariano is just like, it's just exceptional. She knows exactly where City's weaknesses are. She knows exactly that they're going to be sitting high.

10:09And Olivia Smith can beat Rebecca Knack for pace, can beat Jade Rhodes for pace every day of the week and twice on Sundays. But the ball is perfectly weighted. And just a player like Olivia Smith, there's a moment, I think, is it in the second half? And she should have cut it back to Alessio Russo. But you kind of have to take those big, oh, you should have cut it back for these moments like this goal here where you're an instinctive player. she wants to score the goal she's hungry for these moments the touch the first touch first of all to get herself around is just perfect and then to be able to weigh up first touch bang into the back of the net and get around Yamashita who's a very good keeper that's closing down very quickly is just the signs of player that is going to just she's already burst on the scene but yeah her hunger for goal is so so impressive and sometimes it lets us down but it's worth it for these moments and that's exactly what this goal is yeah definitely and a new goal music as well so Can you tell me what the song was?

11:03Because I couldn't hear it on the stream. I can't remember, actually. Someone let us know. But essentially all of the players have chosen their own goal music now. So that was Olivia Smith's choice. Going to be very interesting to hear those over the season. But all part of the stuff, we did a video about this on Ask Blog News, about the consultations that the club have been having with supporters about making the Emirates really home for Arsenal women. And I went along to a consultation session about music. And so they changed some of the stuff around matchday music starting from Sunday. But from that point, Jamie, as much as the first 15 or so minutes leading up to that point had been a bit, you know, everyone staring each other out and not doing much, I felt like after the goal, Arsenal really got control of this game and you know it's Yamashita's make make well one in particular really good save from Alessio Russo one from a header and I thought the performance from the goal to half time is some of the best football I've seen Arsenal play this season against like a really serious team as well 100 % I thought that this 20 minutes was it's frustrating watching Arsenal play this well because you look back at the dropped points against teams you shouldn't be dropping points against.

12:28And these are the performances you're putting on against a team that was like 13 points clear of you during this game. So it's frustrating. However, this game is so, the last 20 minutes of the first half is so strong. And the way that Arsenal counterpressed because Manchester City come out so strong and they're playing so, so high. And the first five minutes I was looking at it and I was like, they're suffocating Arsenal and Arsenal really are having to set back and they're not given any space to kind of grab possession and City are just putting through numbers. And obviously they've got that hybrid double pivot with Blinkielder Brown and Hasegawa that's just like smothering the midfield.

13:03But within five, ten minutes, that shifts on its head and Arsenal are able to gather the territory. They pin City back a little bit more than they probably would have hoped for as well. This goal goes in and then immediately City can't play that high presses as much as they probably wanted to. And Arsenal just take complete advantage of that. I think, like I said earlier, the midfield was just so good in this game. I thought Russo, Kim Little and Mariona all played exceptionally in this first half just to completely cut out any threat that City had. And all props to Lottweil Benoit and Steph Catley as well because handling Bunny Shaw is no easy task, but then handling Bunny Shaw when she has the support of Viviana Midema is probably the most daunting task in the WSL.

13:40And I just thought everyone was defensively so solid, but they were able to, because they were so defensively solid, they took risks to him. They didn't just sit back and say, we'll take our moment, we'll ping it in behind, we'll wait for that run in behind Rose and Canac. They had full possession. I thought, yeah, this last 20 minutes was just a team that because of that goal, City look a little bit vulnerable and Arsenal were just able to completely control the flow and the tempo of the game. And I just thought, yeah, it was finally like a really strong display of football that from a team that has been getting results lately, but this is just good, good, good football on the eye as well.

14:14Yeah, Andre Yegler said afterwards that his team struggled with Arsenal's rotations quite a bit and I think that's as much as a lot of us and I don't exclude myself from this sometimes have a bit of an issue with oh boy why can't we just play like a really orthodox number six you know I look at it and Arsenal have the best defensive record in the league and you know that those rotations really I think they really do something to teams and yeah I thought this was just really really good football um up until half time and and I think I mean I'm going to ask you what your feeling was at half time because I felt Arsenal played really well from that point I did have that nagging thought in the back of my head where I was thinking this should be 2-0 we should be making this 2-0 because the whole game's not going to go like this and I felt and again I said it in the vlog I felt there'd be a response from City what was your kind of feeling at halftime and of course Man City bring Sam Coffey on as well at halftime completely that even in the last 10 minutes of the first half I thought they like Arsenal need to score again here because all the momentum is in their favor like honestly it just it felt like one-way traffic for the last 15 minutes and I was I was really really hoping that there was going to be a goal because Andre Jegelac has proved already that he is very good at solving problems and and City have had to come back a couple times as well and I just don't think a team like this sits down, especially on a big occasion game like this, when they can pretty much, the title's wrapped up probably, but they can wrap it up on this occasion, like with three points and cause some issues for Arsenal in terms of the top three as well.

15:56So I thought a goal, they need to score in the last 10 minutes here because I was expecting City to show up with a little bit more bite. And I think they do later on, we'll come onto it, but I don't think it's because of City. I think maybe it's a little bit because of Arsenal and some changes there. So yeah, at halftime, Tim, I thought I'm a little bit uncomfortable and maybe being one nil up actually will make City a little bit more hungry but alas yeah I like City came out early for the second half and usually when that happens kind of words have been said and they're keen to kind of get going and they bring on Sam Coffey I thought they'd make a change at half time I didn't necessarily think it would be that I mean Sam Coffey is a brilliant player to bring on so why not but I did wonder whether they'd go with a bit more of an attacking change um really but i mean you know like i said like they were losing that midfield battle so why not bring sam coffee on and actually the first 15 20 minutes of the second half i didn't see like a big city kind of fight back that i was expecting they didn't play badly by any means but there is a flashpoint we have to discuss I know my opinion on this Mariana's challenge on Lauren Hemp on the edge of the area uh what did you make of that one I thought she should have been sent off I just think like there's no also I've seen the argument that oh there is defenders there she is the last defender also with Lauren Hemp as the attacker like she's clearing Steph Cattley and lots of women with one touch in that pace so there's no contact with the ball it's not a penalty it was on the edge of the box but she should have been sent off I thought Arsenal very lucky and I think City have every right to be disgruntled because 10 men then the completely different game yeah I felt in real time I was like I think that that really looks like a trip I saw the replay definitely why I think I think the referee doesn't give it because she knows if she gives it she has to send Mariana off yeah um and to your point I don't think anyone's getting to Lauren Hemp I think I think that's a one-touch shot situation.

17:59I don't think she's going to mess around with the ball on her left foot. So I think that's denial of a goal-scoring opportunity. I'm very happy to admit I think Arsenal got away with that one. But a tackle from behind from one of our other central midfielders. Not quite as close to goal and taken a bit more cleanly. Kim Little on Vivian Meadamard. I mean, we're using the tackle, which is one of my favourite moments of the season. I think as a lever to talk about Kim, player of the match again, as she was last weekend. I mean, I said this a couple of weeks ago. I kind of think what she's doing is unprecedented.

18:43Jamie, Kimberly, Alison Little. Watching her in the second half is just the whole game. But you bring on Sam Coffey as a Manchester City team and she's your big winter signing. She's the player that everyone has kind of had their eyes on. A lot of Arsenal fans, I've been having conversations about Sam Coffey. She was a standout in the NWSL. She's inherited the CDM shirt for the US Women's National Team. This is a really, really big, big signing and a big player that's come on halftime. You need to make a difference now, Sam. Go on and show what you're made of. And Kim Little is the best player in that midfield and the best player in the pitch.

19:22And that is just, she's 35 years old. and she makes every other midfielder on this pitch look like she's light years ahead of them. And this tackle is a rundown tackle on, again, it's Viviana Miedema. It's a big moment. Like, this is a big moment for Arsenal because we have no disrespect to Viviana Miedema, but you kind of always want, it's an ex-player and it's a big moment. You're 1-0 up at Emirates Stadium. You don't want her going through on goal. Your captain, your biggest player of the club's probably history, goes and makes that rundown tackle at 35. She's just, this sums up her performance.

19:51And I think that it's actually quite scary. And like, maybe we should start drug testing her because I don't really know how she keeps performing at this level. But there's so many moments in the second half where Sam Coffey, who's known to be a very athletic player, gets absolutely ran around and she loses pace. She gets outran by Emily Fox a couple of times. She can't catch up. And this is their big signing. No disrespect to Sam Coffey. I think in a different system, she really works and she's a great player. But Kim Little does everything that these players still can't do catching up to her.

20:21And I think Yui Hasegawa is fantastic as well. But Kim Little's the best midfielder on this pitch in this game. And she is probably the best midfielder on this pitch in any game, in any scenario, when these two sides meet. I just think, Tim, her intelligence, the way that she's changed her positioning, the way that she's come back into this pivot, really embraced it, but hasn't given up the edge that Kim Little's always had in attack. She still looks threatening. Her game management's so good. She's playing out 90 minutes against Manchester City. Two years ago, I don't even think we would have said that that would be happening in 2026 in a 1-0 win against City, against this City midfield as well.

20:54So this tackle just sums it up. But I honestly, I can't really comprehend it, Tim, because like I said, she just shows up these midfielders every single week. And again, what a tackle, what a challenge. But I don't have the words for Kim Little. Build her 15 statues on every corner of the Emirates. Yeah, I think the thing that's really unique about it is usually when you get, you know, an elite player who's 35 and still performing you kind of even if you don't say it you make that caveat like for a 35 year old or you accept that they've dropped their level a little bit but their level was so high that even if they drop a little bit it's still very very high so you know I think that about like Marta for example still an incredible player obviously not the player she was 10 years ago with kim i do not see a drop off i do not see a third i do not see someone who's like still really high level but maybe not where they were five years ago i think she's where she was five years ago i haven't detected any drop off at all um even physically all right they look after her a bit more like they look after her minutes a bit more which is sensible but like i just don't this is not like she's good for 35 I think she's still um the best player in the league quite frankly and and that moment what that showed is her athleticism has not dropped a bit because that's what leaves players the talent never leaves you it's the fitness leaves you and and or the athleticism or the suppleness or whatever it hasn't left Kim at all she's still like you watch a warm down or something she's involved in she's still one of the fastest players in the team um you know i think what she's doing is yeah is is not quite unprecedented because players like christine sinclair abby wambach martha you know they've got a right to say it's not unprecedented but we're talking about the very best players who've ever played the sport when i mention names like that and kim little's name belongs in that company um you know obviously the last 20 minutes the game does settle into a bit more of a pattern a bit more arsenal start to hold on in terms of substitutions jamie we bring on freedom mornham for beth mead who apparently was in a protective boot after the game should say that players do wear a protective boot quite a lot nowadays like they've got a bit of a bruise they'll stick a boot on it just in case um so so kind of moved to Alessio Russo up front with Freedom All and behind it which we're quite used to I didn't want to see that change at that moment though because I felt that the space in behind City was only going to get bigger and I felt like we kind of surrendered that a little bit how did you feel about that you know heading into the last kind of quarter of the game certainly like immediately I think this has an impact I think it just gives City so much more control of the midfield as well and I'm not saying they dominated the last 20 minutes but their best 20 minutes was the closing of the game they had their they had their most bite in these 20 minutes and it's because the midfield control Arsenal give up most of the midfield control when Frida comes up on and that's natural right and that's like a part of her skill set is the fact that she's a high 10 that can play with the nine she imposes but then she's not going to be that player when you take Alessia Russo and put her in the nine, you've then lost that in and behind threat that Olivia Smith provides.

24:29And the wingers in this game aren't playing a direct brand. They're sticking quite wide and they're directly on the city fullbacks. Caitlin Ford terrorizes Kirsten Kaspari in this game and the same goes. I don't think Alex Greenwood had her best performance either. But you lose that in and behind almost immediately with Frida because her and Russo will play so centrally and then you have to kind of force Russo to drop back and defend as much as she can. So, yeah, this change didn't really want it to happen, was nervous when it did. And I do think it gave City a lot more control in the middle, which was a risk.

24:59And I think Arsenal, the defence and the pivot did a really good job at stopping that from happening. And that needs to be applauded because, again, it's Bunny Shaw, Carolyn. I know Carolyn was taken off by that stage, but like the players and then you bring on Grace Clinton and they've got a lot of players. So Arsenal still do an amazing job, but I certainly think it's a risk to kind of make that change and give up that defensive solidity in the midfield. So I was nervous too. Yeah, yeah, because it kind of became attack v defence at that stage. Yeah. In the sense that Arsenal were going to defend the 1-0, I can't really remember too many shots or breakaways after a certain point.

25:37However, Arsenal do it really, really well. They're able to bring on players like Smilla Holmberg coming on at left back as well, like Adina, Leah Williamson. You know, they made some good shutdown subs. And I do think it is worth, you know, like you just said, kind of reflecting on the defence, the defensive improvement. When, you know, when we look back, I sometimes think about the questions I ask in press conferences and the amount of times last season I was asking about like, we're too open in the middle. It's too open in the middle. What are you going to do about it? Who are you going to buy to solve that?

26:10What's amazing is that the personnel in that area of the team hasn't changed. it's the same centre backs it's the same double pivot but that doesn't I I haven't asked about that once this season I haven't asked anything about like teams running through us or or anything like that and you know to your point Jamie I you know Lotta again on Bunny Shore seems to save her best Steph Catley brilliant again Man City had one shot on target in this game and they've scored 41 goals this season and one of the questions I asked René afterwards was about the different faces Arsenal showed in this game because I think they controlled a lot of it not dominated but controlled and then when the time came to stick in and defend they did it and they did it really really well and I just I think it's something that maybe René deserves a bit more credit for from myself as well in terms of solving what I think was quite a big issue last season certainly and I think it comes back to a couple weeks ago if you ask how many points we get from Chelsea City I don't think we expect six points two clean sheets like that's massive against two powerhouses of the WSL as well and like you said Manchester City attacking they will sink their teeth in and they will once that once the floodgates open they will absolutely demolish you when they're heading forward and this is something that very little teams have been able to kind of stop and it's actually the teams lower in the table that have been able to stop it because they have to like frustrate Man City and play that low block and Arsenal do such a good job and I completely agree with what you said about the phases um Tim because it's it's okay when do we attack when do we then weigh up to kind of start to control the midfield and then do we when do we defend but still offer enough room that if we go forward there's something there and I think that Arsenal do that really well in the last in the last 10 minutes there's a moment though when when Emily Fox kind of streams forward and that she's she's the only player in the final third she had to stop and sometimes that has to happen right and that's game management because I think that too often we see in the WSL teams will put some like just throw all their eggs put all their eggs in one basket and they'll they'll play defensively and look Arsenal have done that in in the last 10 minutes here but Emily Fox is the right back and she's streaming up the pitch they then recycle possession they go again and I think that this is something that Arsenal couldn't do last season was okay if we're going to attack in a game we're not going to defend and we're not going to be able to do both but they're so good at managing this game and it felt like it was a game in a couple rather than being a game in like in parts it felt like it was very fluid like Arsenal knew exactly what they needed to do in this game the first opening 10 minutes they're gonna be shaky you're gonna have to frustrate these city forwards so that they know they have a challenge let them know that you're there lots of women way and Steph Catley are so good in this game because it's just constant contact like we're here we're here you're not gonna roll your shoulder we're right here and it makes Bunny Shaw she drops into the midfield so many times in this game a lot more than she usually does as well because she's frustrated with the space.

29:07And then the game progresses. Arsenal control possession. They keep going forward. Like Kim Little and Mariona Caldente again, like they know when they need to go forward. They know when they need to rotate. And then in the second half, it's okay, we'll come out the gate strong. We'll see how City perform and then we'll read the game. And I just think this is a really fluid performance into, okay, now we need to drop back and defend and everyone needs to take responsibility. But it's not this big desperate like clutter of limbs. Everyone's in there, play the low block. They've been doing this the whole game, but now they just, a couple more players have to come into that role.

29:38And I just thought this game is so, it was just so well managed and so well executed in the way that they didn't just say, okay, now we play a low block because it was always there. And I think that's something that needs to be prided because this attack from City is, their forwards are insane. And Chelsea's forwards are insane. They have Alyssa Thompson, like that's another player that can really, really frustrate defenders. And Arsenal just gave none of these forwards absolutely everything. So I don't think it was a performance where in the last 10 minutes we sat back and defended. I think it was always there and the defence should be applauded.

30:09And Rene's done a really good job at making sure that it's ran well. And yes, like I said, six points from Chelsea City, no goals conceded. That is something to be very impressed about. Yeah, yeah. And when you consider Leo Williamson's been out, you know, Daphne van Domselaar as well, like goalkeepers changing and not being entirely fit when they are playing. So, yeah, yeah, big time. I'm with you. I think this was like just a calm, controlled performance. This looked like an experienced team that played together for a long time, which they have and they are, but they don't always look, they haven't always looked like that.

30:44So, yeah, I thought really impressive. And Andre Jekler said in his post-match press conference, he just said, I thought Arsenal were really good today. And obviously there's a little bit of self-preservation when managers say those things, but I think other managers really tell you what they think of you. And he said, look, we got better in the second half, but they were really good today. And Rene Slager is still unbeaten at home in the WSL as Arsenal manager, which is incredible, really. And to have the best defensive record, having played all of United City and Chelsea home and away at this point, definitely a lot of green shoots there.

31:22Let's leave it there for part one. and we will come back in just a moment with your questions submitted on Blue Sky right after this.

31:35Okay, welcome back to the Arsenal Women Askedcast on askblog.com with me, your host Tim Stillman and our co-host Jamie Spang are looking back at Sunday's 1-0 win over Manchester City. first question gonna pose we did we did talk about her at some length in the first half um but a slightly different slant on this question about kim little from uh megan with an h uh at war damn megs what pose should the future kim little statue be it should just be that really nonchalant pose when she's walking with the trophy every time we win something and she just it should be one of those just walking to the group to do the trophy lift not getting excited not getting arrogant just kind of a really nonchalant post sometimes looking down maybe the one where she's looking down at the champions league trophy i would say that i think that just encapsulates her as a footballer no nonsense doesn't need celebrations doesn't need social media she's just class i would say that one yeah when she does retire we're never hearing from that woman again by the way that that that's what i had in mind the champions league trophy one where she's looking at it there there is another one i have in mind actually that there is a celebration in the 2012 conti cup final she scores the winner uh with a left footed shot from the edge of the box and she falls as she hits it and she kind of falls on her front but then she just like celebrates yes yeah yeah she like just kind of celebrates on the floor um quite un kim really I do think you know the Champions League trophy one is probably more kind of her but there's a really nice photo of it I think also because it was really it was an underhill Barnet's old stadium and the weather wasn't very good it was a Wednesday night and yeah she's just kind of on her front in the mud having scored the winner in the Conti Cup final do you have a question?

33:33I do this one is on topic for Kim Little. This is an interesting question because obviously some people have watched her for 10 years, some people haven't. A little bit of insight. I think this is interesting. This is from at Sleepy WRR. As someone who only started watching women's football a few years ago, I only know Kim from her current role. How has her game changed over the years and who could the younger Kim be compared to in terms of playing style and role? Has she always been this good or has she improved with age yeah so um first of all I can't think of a comparison um to be honest so her game has changed quite a bit when she was younger she was a 10 and she would basically she took a lot of shots when she was younger and she would drive into the penalty area she'd take players on like it's funny you look at her goal scoring record like her goal scoring record is amazing but the last three or four years she's not prolific in front of goal at all because she's gone deeper when she was younger she was very prolific she was very much an attacking 10 and that dribbling skill you see which you actually now see in the middle of the pitch or in front of the defense you used to see that on the edge of the area and then she'd kind of let fly and she'd have like Jane Ludlow behind her Kira Grant behind her like more experienced like the sort of player she is now really.

34:55And Jane Ludlow, by the way, another player who kind of moved backwards as her career went on. In terms of has she always been this good? Yeah. Yeah, she has. Her game's changed and she uses her abilities in a different way and she's much more like controls the tempo of the game. She always had a good feel for that, but now like she really controls the tempo of a game, whereas she used to be a bit more of a goal scoring. You know, I'd say when I say exciting player, I mean like most of her work was kind of in the penalty area. And then when Jordan Nobbs came through, she kind of became more of an eight and her and Jordan would rotate quite a lot as attacking eights.

35:43And obviously she's moved backwards as she's gotten older and like she is Arsenal six now. it's weird I think there are a few players in the team where we kind of don't think they play the positions they do because we associate them with other positions like Steph Catley even though she's like she hasn't played a left back in like 18 months like at all because she played there for so long people almost don't look at her as a centre-back still and I think she doesn't get the credit she deserves and because people don't associate Kim with being a six they think we don't play with one but if you look at like the average position chart kim plays as the six like it is not a team that doesn't have a six she plays that role so her games evolved i'd say her attributes are very much the same though in terms of great in tight spaces she's all that's changed is the area of the pitch that she uses that in quite frankly and she was always very intelligent she was always a leader as well she's been the captain for 10 years now um so like those things haven't really changed I you know she's yeah that's just one of the remarkable things about her is that she's as good as she was 10 years ago I think um I mean did you did you see her play I appreciate she didn't play in Melbourne for very long but did you see her around that time yeah I remember doing a interview with Kim I think last season and I said it's very funny because my uh my mom is Scottish and she's from the northeast of Scotland and my grandma lives about 20 minutes away from where Kim Little's from and she like knows her grandparents and all that it's a really weird connection and we often go like our only favorite coffee spot is where in Kim Little's hometown it's very tiny and it's very funny because there's always been that connection but then also my sister played in the then W League now A League for Melbourne Victory so she was playing at the same time that Kim was at City and I remember I would have been it was like 2015 that was so I would have been I don't know how old am I now I would have been 11 12 maybe 12 13 and I remember saying to like my sister like who's the best women's player in the in the world because at that stage in Australia we didn't have a lot of women's football like other than the A-League accessible to watch and she was like Kim Little and this was at a time where it was like Alex Morgan was at her best Marta was at her absolute best you had kind of that really massive like Megan Rapinoe that massive generation of women's footballers where there was so many greats like right now I think the level is so consistent and we've got a really good like realm of women's football there's Bon Matty and kind of Pateus and those are the players that kind of dominate but back then it was like these are the stars and they're some of the best players we've ever seen and my sister was like Kim Little is the best player in the world by a country mile but she will never get recognized for it and like she no one will say it but she is the best player in the world and I remember being like all right fair enough hated it because she played for Man City but she played for Arsenal again though back then like Arsenal women it was impossible to watch like watching Arsenal men was was really available so I was like great that's great news really excited about that and then obviously as it became more accessible I was like yeah yeah she is she's absolutely phenomenal so Kim Little's kind of player that is one of those ones it's always kind of existed in my world even before women's football was constantly streaming in Australia so yeah I just think this is a player that weirdly like grown up with watching and has always been the one in my head that is the goat she's never just become the goat and like her being good at 35 doesn't mean she's the goat she just always has been in my head so yeah what a player Tim and I'm glad she's she's only only been Arsenal when it comes to England yeah yeah I love that story I I didn't know that about your sister, actually.

39:24Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Let's move on to – usually I don't like doing ref chat that much. I do think this question is kind of worthwhile, kind of talking about those. So to slightly change tack, at Ironline, the ref was shocking, but she was shocking for both teams, so I guess it evens out. how long until the refs catch up to the increased speed and quality of the game it feel it still feels they are lagging a few years behind where the game is now um i mean i i did think the referee struggled today and there was stuff like head injuries that yep weren't treated as they should have been. There was some stuff by the way, apparently there is a new concussion protocol so I think some of the players were getting confused and some of the fans because players even when they weren't didn't get a physio one were asked to go off.

40:28I believe that is like a new concussion protocol but I mean I did feel this game was not well officiated and I do come away from a lot of these games feeling as Caroline said in the question like the officiating is not up with the quality of the game? When I answer the question, I'll come on to this in a minute. I do think there's a reason for that. But what do you reckon on that stand of officiating? Yeah, I think in the WSL, and this is definitely an issue in the Premier League as well, sometimes you get referees where they just want to let the game go. And I really appreciate that as a football fan.

41:08There's some non-calls that you just don't have to make and just let the game go. But I think in the WSL you have two extremes where it's either that and that's what this ref tried to do at the start of the game. And then she just kind of realizes there's a few she needs to call. And I do think Arsenal weren't favored. I don't think it was like completely, but they were favored. There was a lot of calls that really, really benefited Arsenal when City were going forward that maybe shouldn't have been fouls. Some that should have been fouls that weren't called. And I think that is the dramatic shift we're seeing in the WSL.

41:36Referees are too involved and they make too many decisions that change games. and I think that like I don't know if that's a if that's a an aspect of the game is just exploded far too fast and we can't really sustain that we need to train there's not there's not a surplus of referees but it's like that in the Chelsea game as well like the referee ultimately decided the fate of that game and that's frustrating as a football fan and I do think we get that in the Premier League as well but I do think in the WSL just these big calls that completely change the games I think it was the Merseyside derby when there was a penalty awarded or something was it last season to Everton and it wasn't even in the box, like things like that, and that decides the result of the game.

42:14I just think, yeah, we're at a stage where they're too heavily involved and maybe that's because just the training's not there. And, Tim, I'm sure you have a more eloquent answer, but I think it's frustrating sometimes when you watch the WSL because it does feel like the referee has like this is how the game will end. And I think that City got unlucky with that, with that Lauren Hemp challenge because I think that changes the game a lot for City but I don't know Tim I don't really know the answer so tell me what it is I just I just think just no more main characters is my issue yeah so I like like I agree with the sentiment of the question and again it's like I try not to do it and particularly because you know when you have like a bias like the referee is the one you always get stuck into and you know I put out like a critical tweet about the referee and then I was thinking like would I be that would I put something in that many words if like I felt an Arsenal player wasn't playing well would I say like X is playing rubbish like probably not we're all much more willing to get stuck into to referees I I think the simple answer is it it does just take a long time it like so in terms of like investing and officiating and all of that that that is happening and that has been happening it just takes a long time to come through um you know for referees to get to the top level takes several years um and you know they have to go through all their qualifications they have to get a certain amount of experience before they can referee a WSL game it just takes a while that's all I do think it will improve um but it will just take a little while to see it um I think it's as simple as that it's not you don't just train refs and that's it like in a month or two they're better it takes it takes years to get to to be able to officiate a WSL game so you know five years ago money goes into refereeing you don't see it for 10 years basically I think it is just as simple as that but I do get the frustration because I also feel especially sometimes when you watch champions league games I thought last weekend as well the Corinthians game like the I thought the officiating was was very very poor of that game and and it does feel a bit like it's a professional game with semi-professional referees sometimes but that there's no quick way through like if you want quality referees you do have to wait for them unfortunately so I think it will get better and we're just gonna have to grin and bear it for a little while um do you have a question i do i alluded to this one earlier but this one is from madeline key uh do you think that today could potentially be a blueprint we go with when adjumang is back i feel as though her and russo could work similar similarly to how leslie and viv did a live whoa slip up not viv live smith here today yeah yeah i think that's a really i I had that question as well.

45:14I think that's a really interesting one. Potentially, yeah. I think ultimately what Arsenal hopefully will have is options. One of the questions, I think Michael Cox from The Athletic asked Rene, was this a one-off? Olivia Smith up front? Is it something you might consider going forward? Liv did play at least one pre-season friendly up front. I think maybe the West Ham game or the Tottenham game. I can't remember. and I believe she might have in one of the behind closed doors games. So it's not an absolutely brand new thought. Rene did say it was quite specific to this game and this is what Michael said in his question.

45:55He kind of said most teams, particularly now until the end of the season, aren't going to defend against you like Man City do. So Rene kind of said, yeah, it was specific to this game but she did it so well, we do have to think about it. And in terms of Azumang, Azumang I think will have the hold-up play as well. Although there was one point where Olivia Smith turned Rebecca Canack in the second half where she just used her body weight, got her back in and spun, which I'd not seen her really do that before. So I think it definitely gives us options. um like before i throw that over to you because i've got a really similar question actually it's from uh dm dmina dave do we need more speed around russo i like the steiner and smith partnerships with olivia adding a bit more technical security you know like i think the question we might be asking is is Alessia Russo better as a 10 with with kind of a little bit of speed ahead of her I mean it's definitely an option like what do you make of it I feel like every week I have to swat away questions about whether Russo's better as a 10 and I really appreciate the questions and maybe I need to look inward because I am really I'm still for the fact that Alessia Russo is the starting number nine of this team and we need to figure out a way elsewhere to work on it.

47:28In my head, and I completely appreciate the sentiment and I'm only groaning because I feel like I can't justify the answer. I think that there's space for it and I think in this game there's complete space for it because against Manchester City, Hasegawa is a very, very controlling CDM. She's so good, like so good. And you're going to need an attacking midfielder that can hold up the ball, regain possession, recycle it. And Alessio Russo is our best option in that role right now. And then you need space to split them open. So I think Alessia Russo is a player that you don't need to pick one for her.

48:01She can do both. And I think this is the perfect example of this is when her skill set is best utilized and it brings out more in Olivia Smith because I think Olivia Smith will perform better in central areas against a team like this because she's just simply the fastest one on the pitch. So yes, I completely agree. And I think, do we need more pace? Maybe. What I would like to see is if in my dream world, Alessia Russo is just the number nine of this team because she still has the ability to hold up the ball, recycle possession and just become that elite finisher. She has a 10 next to her. I still think it should be Mariona and Arsenal need to focus on boosting the pivot rather than the 10.

48:36One of the best 10s, if not the best attacking player in the world right now. You have her as the support. Mariona is not slow, but she's very quick with the ball. She can move the ball very quickly. and then the wingers are more direct. I think in a world where Alessia Russo drops, if she's playing the nine and she needs to drop further into more like a 10 position to get the ball, we need wingers that are more direct and quicker and I think that's the area. Rather than say, okay, let's play everything through the centre, that's so easy to defend and I think we'll just get in a situation where we become predictable.

49:07Okay, now Arsenal's brand is to play Russo in the 10 and play a quick nine, but so many teams will be able to shut that down and I think you said it, Tim, It's a really, really good option, and it's something that should be called upon against teams, and City is one of those teams. Even someone like Leicester is a good team. They don't like to actually play low despite their position in the table. So I do think it's a great option, but I would prefer Alessio Russo's the number nine. Stina Blackstinius, whoever it is, they can drop when they need to drop, and we just have more direct wingers. And I think there's a big summer coming here.

49:38I don't think that all four of these wingers will be in the squad next year. it's probably safe to say more direct wingers that want to play those central areas, make the cutting run, be the option in behind if Russo needs to fall out of that spot. So maybe that's the style of football Renee doesn't want to play, but I'm really hell-bent on the Russo 9 thing, but her playing as a 10 is a good option when necessary. I just think the wingers play too wide and there's an option to maybe change something around personnel or just playing style there. But what do you think about that, Tim? Yeah, what I'd really like to see next season is just more options.

50:11because at the moment it still feels very, is it going to be Russo as a 10 with Steiner up front or is it going to be Frieda behind Russo? And that kind of feels like about it. Obviously, like in terms of the wide players, Chloe Kelly's not been fit and stuff like that. But I'd just like us to have different faces. So we've got one in terms of Steiner being able to play up front. I'd love to add Michelle Aishemang to that. I'd love to add, like you say, more Olivia Smith types, like direct fast wingers, just get a bit more pace into the team and just have these different options because it does feel a bit, I can predict all of the substitutions.

50:57I'm going to predict the starting lineup. It's just like one of two things is going to happen here. I'd love to be predicting starting lineups next season and it'd be like there's four different things that could happen. here I just like a little bit more flexibility and variety I think that's important particularly when you don't have like a like a bunny shore for example who's who's going to bag you 20 goals like having that kind of flexibility and variety I think is is really important was that my question the last one or was that yours I can't remember

51:34I think

51:39well go ahead let's let's do yeah let's let's do one more each um this one's from helen at uh hxm 829 hi both uh one why are we so allergic to crossing and getting the ball in the box felt like we got into good positions but would then recycle it around same for our free kicks as well and two what was your favourite moment of the match for me it was Kim's tackle on Viv, pure poetry. Let's take the first part. So the kind of the crossy, I think the free kicks are separate here to this but I think I know why we don't cross the ball that much but what do you make of that? Well, I think in this game there's not really a lot of room to cross the ball.

52:24I think that if Olivia Smith's going to play as your nine you don't really want to play that like box channel. She's the one that's picking up possession. So you're not going to see Beth Mead crossing the ball into Olivia Smith. And there's a couple of times it happens and City just gobble it up, the size of Jade Rose, the size of Rebecca Knack, Bunny Shaw when she comes back for those set pieces. Arsenal don't even look like it when the ball's in the air. So I don't think there's any kind of room for that in this game. No high crossing, City completely dominate in the air. And they do in this game.

52:51We can't really get a shoe in very often except for one Russo chance. And I also think that's just the game plan in this game is pick out the vulnerabilities. The vulnerabilities is splitting City's high line through the central areas. And I do think just Arsenal do a really good job at this. I think crossing is something that, yeah, I do think that's an issue this season. As a complete scenario, I do think in this game, though, Arsenal do exactly what they need to do. They execute the game plan. I don't think there was maybe room for that. Also, Alex Greenwood and Kersk and Kasperi, very good at tracking back, very good at defending their wingers when they're crossing.

53:25So, yeah, I do think that's just not a part of the game plan in this game. Yeah, I just don't think we have many aerial threats in general, which is a big part of why we don't cross the ball that much. And, you know, I go back to like the end of the Yonah Seidawal era and we were spamming crosses. and I think generally unless again you look at the statistics and WSL who plays the most crosses Man City of course they do they have Bunny Shore up front so of course you do loads of crosses that being the case and you've got Lauren Hemp delivering from out wide and you've got you know Fugino and Carolyn like they're built to do that right in a way that I don't think we are so and you know I think generally crossing usually quite an inefficient tactic to be honest when I look at how Arsenal score most of their goals it's low crosses that's how we get a lot of goals a lot of cutbacks loads of own goals that way so I just don't think we have the players to do it really I don't when an Arsenal player gets the ball out wide my instinct is not that I want them to cross the ball i do want them to recycle um to be honest if if we had yeah if we had slightly different players maybe i'd feel differently um about that and what well what about there's a second part to that question favorite moment of the match i mean i think we've we've gone over the kim little um tackle on on viv midema i mean for me we we didn't go over this in the first half but City do have quite a big chance at the end where Viv rounds Daphna Van Domsala and Katie McCabe makes a really, really great tackle and then make sure she gets the free kick afterwards.

55:19And I thought she was superb again today. So I kind of probably take that or maybe there was a point where Daphna came out for a cross and I think she didn't get it on the first go. and she got it on the second and threw her head in, which given that she's been playing in pain basically since she arrived and given what happened to Annika last weekend, I'd have forgiven her for not throwing her head at Bunny Shore's feet. So really defensive moments. Did you have any others in the game that really stuck out to you? I was going to say the Katie McCabe one. I thought she did not put a foot wrong in this game.

56:00Her and Emily Fox were absolutely superb. And that's just exactly what Katie McCabe is and what she embodies at Arsenal is just never, never give up. And she's not letting Viviana meet him as her good mate, but she's not letting her score that goal on any occasion. Even if City were 5-1 up, I think Katie McCabe would have made that challenge. But I'm going to say the really, really ugly and ginormous Champions Cup patch on our shirt that was genuinely, I could see it from Australia. I reckon if I looked into the sky in the right direction, it would be in my face. But Olivia Smith kind of badge tapping that and the Arsenal badge after scoring was a nice moment from a superstar that I hope stays forever.

56:39Yeah, I mean, one of the things I didn't reflect on last week really is that you look at the Champions Cup final, we had a Canadian, an Australian and an English player scoring against three different continents presented there, scoring against a South American team. So it was a very global affair. Should we do one more if you have one more? I do. This one is a bit loaded though. So you tell me what you think. This one's from Ariella W. So Renee alluded to some tactical tweaks they've made in the last month or two in her post-match. What tactics have you seen that you think helped the team become more successful?

57:13And biased Arsenal Chicago Stars says, what do you think has changed that Arsenal have become better at controlling games? And is it sustainable? Yeah. So this is something I want to look at this week because to be honest with you, I can't pick anything really specific out so I want to go back and have a look I'm also I'm also going to ask Renee about this on Tuesday um at the press conference before the Leuven game I'm going to ask what those specifics are she did yeah she did in her post-match say there were some tactical tweaks I think that there must have been I do think the defensive record has been good all season though that's not recent really in fact Man City the away game that's the only time really that Arsenal haven't looked that together defensively we've been focusing I think understandably a bit further forward in the team so I'm I'm actually quite curious about that myself because I can't put my finger on it at the moment but I'm I'm going to go back and have a look at it and I'm I'm assuming I can find something and it doesn't completely go over my head I want to write something about it as well what do you reckon yeah I think I don't think there's a clear-cut answer like you said Tim probably something to think about but I also think that um sorry I'm being distracted but I've just realized the episode name is is city spelled like city and that's brilliant anyway I'm being distracted by the URL I think that Arsenal's uh going back to what happened last season just a lot more total football like you mentioned earlier in the episode tim like the rotation between positions i think is a lot more fluid and maybe that just comes with time in a season players are more um they're more aware of their roles i also think i think ariela actually mentions this in the question midfield overload has been done so much more responsibly because i think often we had some moments and actually sitting in the away fixture katie mccabe comes out a little bit too far and so i think it's Fugino maybe that gives it to Kirsten Kaspari.

59:15It's just far too much space. Over the head. Yeah. And in this game, I just feel like the Arsenal fullbacks and also the pivot and also the 10, maybe it's because Russo's in there as well, a lot better at picking the moments to overload the midfield and using that as a threat, not just a numbers game, but okay, how do we then dismantle City because that's going to help our forwards. So I think midfield overload did it against Chelsea as well. Chelsea, granted, allowed us to, just decided no midfield was that game. So maybe it just looked like an overload. but I do think Arsenal's midfield overload in the way that they rotate has been a lot better.

59:46Maybe that's not the sole reason. I'm sure there's maybe a little bit more but I think that's just been a lot more responsible and economical rather than let's just do it when we can and see what happens. Yeah, look, I think a big part of it is Kim Little and Mariana's a great double cover. Yeah. I do. Stop it. I'm all for Mariana playing further forward as well. I think that's maybe where there's a gap in the team and you can bring Kyra in once she's fit enough. Again, I think Kyra, Kim and Mariana, that's a really good midfield three and one we should probably move forward with. But I think you're right.

1:00:24I think there's probably a lot about, a lot of Rene's style relies on fluidity rotations and maybe it just takes a little while to be able to get that kind of full understanding. And listen, there were games like, like we kept a clean sheet against Barcelona. Like there were games last season where it happened. And one of the things Renee always points out about these things, a little bit like when we were struggling to score a few weeks ago, she's very much like, no, no, I've seen us do it. We can do it type thing. Whereas I'm always like, who are you going to buy to sort this out? And she's like, no, no, no, no, no.

1:01:01Like I've seen us do this. We can do this. We can do it on a consistent basis. I think was a part of the question, like, is this sustainable? I don't see why not. It's been happening all season, as far as I'm concerned. But yeah, I'm going to dig into that one a little bit more because I'm really curious about that as well. And I think that should be more of a story than it has been, quite frankly, Arsenal's improvement out of possession. Should we leave it there? We should. Three points. Three points and run to Europe. Let's do it. Yeah, wonderful stuff. and I will be in Belgium next week so we'll do all the usual coverage we always do for the Leuven game and then Brighton next week so we will be back with another episode next Monday after the Brighton game until then thanks so much for joining us do leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts and make it clear it's the Arsenal Women Arsecast that you're reviewing because we're on the same channel as the Arsecast and the Arsecast Extra but until then take it easy and we will speak to you next week