Arsenal Women Arsecast Episode 171: August Mailbag

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1:13hello and welcome to the arsenal women ask cast august mailbag edition with me your host tim stillman we haven't done a mailbag in a little while it was either june or early july at some point last episode we did a couple of weeks ago with uh yash thakor from espn and the cutback looking back at all of arsenal's summer uh summer signings so far from a kind of data and technical and tactical standpoint um and we felt it just been a little while uh since we've given you an episode and although well i say not an awful lot is happening stuff is kind of beginning to happen And there have been a couple of news stories today which we'll go into, which aren't covered in the questions really.

1:54And here to do that with me as ever is our co-host Jamie Spanger.

1:58Jamie: Jamie, how's your, well, I say, there you go.

2:06In demand. I was going to say, how's your summer been going? But obviously it's not summer for you. How's your July been going? Your August been going? a trip to Queensland and all of that looked very nice.

2:19Jamie: I had to, Tim. I had to go up to Queensland. It's been miserable in Melbourne, to be honest. Freezing, raining, miserable. We had a good couple of weeks of sun there, but we're back in true Melbourne form and it's just grey all the time. But I've been good. I can't complain. I can't believe the fixture list is out. The WSL season is actually closing in on us, which is very exciting because it's been a little while without football. Obviously, the Premier League's back. it feels like it's gone very fast but I'm not complaining to him I'm very excited I'm deprived this like two weeks after the World Cup has been purgatory yeah I mean by the time this episode comes out I'll be on a plane to Dublin actually to go and watch Arsenal for the first time the men's team anyway since well since the Champions League final actually so we're doing a live event in Dublin on Tuesday evening which sold out very quickly because it's not an enormous venue then off to see the game on Wednesday night.

3:16So really, really excited about that. But obviously really wanted to get this episode out before all of that. Now, we made a call for questions on Blue Sky as ever. There are a couple of stories that have come out since that call for questions. I think the first one we should start at the top because it's an Arsenal one. A story coming out from ESPN, which full disclosure I've known about for a little while, but just couldn't get strongly sourced enough to run it. About Jenna Neiswanger going to Bay FC, I didn't know anything about the fee and ESPN reporting that's around$200 ,000,€175 ,000. Don't really know what that is in pounds.

4:01Somewhere between 150 and 160, I think, but actually quite a bit more than we paid for Jenna. I mean, I think this has been on the cards for a very long time. I know the deal with Bay. I was expecting this to happen before the NWSL started up again. I don't quite know why two games have gone by without this deal being completed. Jenna's been in the US, I think, all summer. But not, I mean, look, we knew she was going to go. Not a massive surprise, really, that she's going back to the NWSL.

4:35Jamie: No, not at all. the surprise like you said tim is is how long it's taken for this transfer to go through um i believe that we signed her for yeah it was 80 around 86 000 pounds and it converts this this fee to about 150 so it's a surprising transfer sale obviously bay fc are one of the the clubs that are kind of pioneering for that in the nwsl so i'm not surprised about that they're also a team that's heavily struggling um in the nwsl this season um for it for a new and emerging team I think that they'd be disappointed by their start. And I also think that their form has just been really, really bad.

5:07Jamie: What Jenna brings, and I think what we saw, Tim, in the short tenure that she had at Arsenal was she's a converted fullback. She's very good with the ball at her feet. And I think the NWSL valued that at Gotham, but she almost lacked the physicality a little bit, even in that championship year for Gotham. So I think a year at Aston Villa, some time at Arsenal, it might have benefited her. It's safe to say this WSL stint has been underwhelming for her, and I think she'll think that as well. But I do think she'll go back to the NWSL with a different kind of football brain, ready to attack that league.

5:37Jamie: Yeah, it's a signing that made no difference to Arsenal. It's disappointing. I was quite excited when she arrived, but it's just something that didn't fit into the system. She didn't fit into the system. She didn't fit into the league. She struggled to Aston Villa as well. So yeah, I wish her the best. I think this is the best possible move for Arsenal, but definitely for Jenna herself. Yeah, definitely. I think, you know, the loan to Aston Villa was okay. Bay, my information when she went there was she wanted to stay in the WSL or at least give it a bit of another crack. There was an option to buy for Aston Villa in that.

6:10I'm not quite clear on whose decision it was not to trigger that or whether it was a mutual decision, whether Jenna wanted to go back to the US or Villa didn't want to pursue it. I'm not clear on that at the moment. But I think she probably is better off back in the NWSL. Like you say, Bay haven't had a fantastic start, so she's probably going to play. I think there are a few other things they're going to do this summer yet as well, Bay, because like you say, they're in a bit of trouble and I think they're going to try and get their way out of it a little bit. But obviously, we wish her all the best.

6:45That's a bit of a mystery signing because from day number one, it just did not look like that Rene was particularly interested in the player. I don't think it was a Jonas signing a hangover Jonas signing so I'm not really clear on what what happened there to be honest but yeah all the best to Jen the other story that broke this morning UK time so Monday morning UK time the departure of Mark Skinner at Manchester United Jamie I mean one of those stories that is kind of surprising and not surprising all at the same time like it's a bit like um when it happens it feels surprising but at the same time you kind of think this could have happened at any point in the last three years to be honest i mean what do you make of that and obviously there's a there's a bit of a debate about what kind of job or how well mark skinner has done i don't think there's any debate about a lack of overall backing from united and it sounds very much like that's why Mark Skinner has decided to go, particularly this far in to the summer instead of the beginning of the summer.

8:01That doesn't bode well for United. What did you make of this story?

8:05Jamie: Yeah, like you said, Tim, it's the timing of it. Like we're a month out from the start of the season. I think that this is something that's very, very far from ideal from a Manchester United perspective. If this had happened maybe a year ago, you kind of see it and say, not even a year ago six months ago you look at it and say look you're underperforming or even in May yeah they came back from their Christmas break and just absolutely fell apart Manchester United but then you can look at that and diagnose it in so many different reasons like I don't think they were playing football that they wanted to be playing but at the same time they were in the Champions League for the first time and their squad was depleted like they had next to no one on the bench rotation wasn't an option for them and then you have to look at that and you have to reflect that upon the club and this transfer window Tim like if I'm Mark Skinner in this situation and you're looking at pressure from above for the last three, four seasons where they want Manchester United to be competing in the Champions League every season, and then you're looking at the transfer window that this club have put in, you're going to be frustrated.

9:00Jamie: And I think you can say what you want about Mark Skinner's tenure at Manchester United. I think personally he's had some seasons where he's been a very superior tactician to a lot of his peers in the WSL. I think he's had some seasons where he's gotten them very wrong, and we don't really know the backroom implications of that. we don't know what's going on inside the Manchester United change room. So I'm hesitant to kind of back that story and that element of it. But if I'm him looking at it from an outsider's perspective right now with this transfer history, they've brought in, I think, two players.

9:30Jamie: Medina from Atletico Madrid, Unina Leipzig from Leicester City. They've lost players like Melvin Mellard, who was one of their most important players last season. Obviously experienced players like Millie Turner, Lisa Nulls, and they're at the end of their career. But you leave these players and who are you bringing in? Their squad's depleted. They don't have anyone that's going to compete. When you're looking at your neighbours, like someone like London City, someone like Tottenham in the late league table who were pushing you last season, they've had an amazing transfer window. We obviously know what London City have done, but like we're underrating what Tottenham are doing.

10:04Jamie: Like they're bringing in Martinus, Hansen, Pulova obviously came in as well. Like Manchester United need to wake up. So from a Mexican perspective, I'm looking at this squad and saying, I don't know what you want us to do. I don't know what you want me to do, but it's probably the right time for him to step away because giving this season a go seems like it would have just completely left a sour taste and just made his tenure look like a massive failure so yeah I'm not surprised but I am surprised that it happened four weeks out from the start of the season yeah definitely I think he must be looking at it and just thinking do I want to be the face of this again do I want to get all the flack for this again I'm with you I think he's had maybe like you know the season where they challenge for the title 22 23 it's a big over performance a season later they finish fifth that's a pretty behind Liverpool it's pretty big under performance but they win the FA Cup I think over five years you can't really have asked United can't have asked much more from him like you look at Tom Gary posted the wage bills from 24 25 Man U aren't that far above Brighton they're closer to Brighton than they are Man City Chelsea in Arsenal in terms of salary and you know when you look at someone like you mentioned Spurs there you look at someone like Sombath leaving Lyon and she's going to Tottenham you look at it and you're like why aren't someone like Manuel like why aren't Man United in for that and like you said like it's one thing not to replace Melvin Mallard but then it's like like you said they're not even replaced doesn't even look like they're replacing like their squad players and this kind of messaging that's coming out about how they don't think um you know the the kind of spending is sustainable i mean like is it in men's football imagine if man united said that about their men's team imagine if they said actually transfers are out of control which they are we're not going to bother like they'd never say that it's just it's absolutely insane and it's like who who are all these academy players that are suddenly just going to be ready to play for manchester united now like that strikes me as not thought out like i might be wrong about this and they might think we've actually got five or six academy players who we think can come into the team but how likely is that i really don't think it is i understand investing in the academy but like you still have to spend on the team as well you can do both things and to me it sounds sounds a bit bullshit to be honest putting that line out i'd be very alarmed but i was a manchester united fan and ultimately i think the headline for them is in 2021 casey stoney resigned citing a lack of financial support and five years later mark skinner is resigning by this he hasn't gone on the record yet but by the sounds of it and i think it's very easy to read between the lines for the same reason so there's a common denominator there um anyway those were just two uh reasonably sized stories that came out today uh that we we thought we should address from the off but in terms of questions jamie another thing since the last time we spoke the fixture list has come out and we'll speak a little bit um about that but um the first question i'm going to ask you for uh jamie is from uh pl winning egg at fever bitch uh very good very good kind of um username there um now that the WSL fixtures have been released which games are you most looking forward to did you also breathe a sigh of relief for our schedule that we're not going to Crawley in the middle of winter again so obviously Arsenal start away at Brighton at Crawley on Sunday the 6th of September at noon is is there I mean obviously like some of us look for particular fixtures but is there anything that really jumps out at you Jamie yeah the biggest thing is no Crawley in the middle of January Fabulous.

13:57Jamie: Or we're not rescheduling that to May when no one can play football. So that's fabulous. If I'm being serious, though, I think there is confirmation that we will be playing both City and United at their main stadium. About time. About time is all I will say. There is no more bringing Tottenham to Old Trafford or, like, just play Arsenal at the big stadium. Let the WSL grow. Like, don't be scared of the fanfare. And that's exactly what they're scared of. I know that the Arsenal fans will arrive at both of those stadiums and probably put everyone else to shame unless their marketing team work for months and months and months in advance.

14:33Jamie: But, yeah, those are the two. I'm excited. I think that this is going to be a really, really interesting season for the WSL, obviously with the expansion. I think London City had their kind of cooling period and now they're back and they will be a team to watch, especially with the calibre of the players they have signed. So I think this is going to be a big season for the WSL and I'm hoping we're seeing a lot of transformation. I think some big steps will be taken. I think there's still a lot of teasing to be done. Like there's a lot of things that are going to have to be working. There's some growing pains this season.

15:02Jamie: But yeah, playing both United and City at the main stadium is what I'm excited for. I'm also excited for the Valley going anywhere else in London. There's some good stadiums in there. But I am fearful for the Manchester United, Chelsea, City back-to-back come pretty early on in the season. Yeah, that's the big thing that jumps out, isn't it? Having Brighton away, which is a ground I haven't done well at recently, so not a nice start. Palace at home after that, should be winning that. And then having United at home, City away, Chelsea away, that's quite a selection of fixtures. And it's one of those things, and this is not a complaint because I completely understand why it happens, but obviously the men's international calendar has changed this year.

15:50there's going to be a three-week break in September. And obviously that's a big opportunity for WSL to put some big WSL games. And this is one of those rare occasions where perhaps having such big support works against us because they're looking to cram that period where there's going to be no Premier League football and they're looking to cram it with big games and big crowds. Well, to be fair, two of them are away, so maybe it's not all about the crowds. But yeah, that really jumps out. Yep, for me as well, Charlton at the Valley because I live nearby. So that'll be really nice. Another, and this goes into the kickoff times as well.

16:31So I'm really glad with the approach that's coming back this season where they're going to stagger the kickoff times more. I think that makes a lot more sense because like, unfortunately, whenever you tweet or write anything about kickoff times, people are like i can't do that and i can't do that and i can't do that and it's like you can't please everyone basically like there's always going to be which is why i think a varied approach is much better but the the thing about the wsl this year there's there's more teams for a start there's more games but it's quite london-centric you've got charlton and palace up now um and you know leicester have gone so it's become quite a london-centric league Brighton who playing Crawley that's not far away from London is you've got like a little concentration of teams in the southeast and a little concentration in the north in the northeast sorry northwest um with Birmingham in the middle so like I think some of those Friday night Sunday night slots it sounds like they're going to keep those to kind of local games which I think makes a lot of sense so I'm I'm happier about the kind of more staggered kickoff times I don't think last season worked at all.

17:48So generally I'm excited about that. Do you have a question?

17:52Jamie: I do. This is actually from the exact same person, but we're starting with the theme at the start of the season. Arsenal should always be winning trophies and Rene and the squad have made it very clear that they want nothing less than the WSL this year. But we have had a lot of personnel changes. Are you concerned that the squad might need a season to find their feet or do you expect us to hit the ground running? yeah we talked about this a lot at the end of last season and I was a bit concerned but I don't know whether it's excitement or copium or whatever I'm less concerned about it now I just think with some of the players we've bought like I'm not expecting on a Barche Georgia Stanway to be like whoa what is this like WSL Arsenal what is it like I'm expecting those players to fit in pretty quickly like like look at Mariana like how long how long did it take her to adjust to Arsenal about 15 seconds like I just think sometimes like a quality of player and experience of player players like Lisa Baum yeah I expect that to take some time she's 19 she's probably not going to start every game there's going to be a lot of cameos we're gonna have to build her up you know someone like Reutel might be a bit of an unknown but players like Stanway, Barcae who I think are going to start straight away whereas the others who are more attacking might come in and out and you know you can introduce those players more slowly but yeah there are some I'm just like they're really good players they've played in the league if anything sometimes you get a quality a player i think it's like this with mariana where you adjust to them as much as they adjust to you um so i'm actually not now because i think that i think those two players will go straight into the starting lineup i think the others will be sheep dipped a little bit more so i'm actually not hugely concerned about it and i kind of think brighton palace we've got a couple of games there and then we're in a massive sink or swim situation with United City and Chelsea.

20:02And I think by then we just won't be talking about that at all. What do you reckon?

20:07Jamie: I am so excited. And I think I'm being a little bit eagerly optimistic with that. But also Stanway and Batye Tim are two players that know the league so well. They're also two players that are very, very familiar with a lot of the squad. like Georgia Stanway, her main link-ups are players that she plays with every single international break. Obviously, we've seen what she can do with Alessia Russo in particular. We're obviously all very interested to see what Russo's role will be this season, but I think should she be dropping a little bit deeper into midfield, that's something to be very excited about.

20:38Jamie: Obviously, Onabatye knows Mariana very well, but she's also played with Alessia Russo at Manchester United, and they were the two best players during that big title running season in 2022-23. So our big two signings are players that, like you said, I'm echoing the exact same thing, but they know the league and they know the squad. So I'm very excited for that to be seamless, and I really think it will be. And exactly what you said, the other players, they're not squad players, but they're players for the future, they're investments for the future. And you look at those players playing in their position ahead of them, like Selena Cersei, for instance, is playing probably behind like Sinius and Russo.

21:11Jamie: That's not her starting spot, but there's a lot of room for her to navigate her playing style and what Renee kind of wants with her. We don't know if she'll be a nine, but if she is a nine, there's a lot of room for her to kind of grow. She's a lot younger than the other two. And then someone like Bowne, like you've got Olivia Smith, you've got Caitlin Ford. These are players like Chloe Kelly that you're going to be learning from for a little bit of a transition period. So, yeah, I'm very excited. I think that there's a good kind of balance between ready-made players that are going to raise the ceiling, but also players that will raise the ceiling in the future.

21:41Jamie: They just need some time to kind of go through the growing pains. So I'm excited, Tim. Maybe it's because I've not seen us suffer yet. I've not seen us go to goalie in the middle of May yet, but I'm excited. Yeah, hope we'll be. Actually, I mean, something actually that's happened, I believe, since the last time we recorded, we haven't talked about it, is signing Misa Rodriguez, who I think will be starting the season. I bet quite a lot of money on it. I don't think a player like that is going to come to us. So I can say now Daphna had knee surgery over the summer. I don't really know what the timeline is for her, but she's not going to be able to start the season.

22:18That leaves Misa Rodriguez and Anika Borba. I mean, I just don't think Misa Rodriguez comes to Arsenal to be the third goalkeeper. You know, when Daphna's back, I think then there's a question about, you know, first choice and all of that. I think ultimately this might be bad news for Anika Borba. But I mean, that's a player who I think is going to start against Brighton. What did you make of that? because I think a lot of people, and obviously, so Issa Dam came in as well from Bromby. That's been done for ages. She trained with the team two seasons ago. She had a trial last season, so she's been over twice.

22:55So like, and basically from what I'm told, her and Amy Lyddiard will kind of share under 21 games for their development, but they'll both train with the first team. So they're both essentially there for the under 21s, but to get experience training with the first team. So I wouldn't, you know, there's a clutch of three international goalkeepers there. But what did you make of the Misa signing?

23:19Jamie: Yeah, it's a big signing for a team that already has two proven goalkeepers. But I think it's an exciting one. The most exciting part about, I think, this signing, and I think we actually do have a question on it, is the fact that she's a left-footed goalkeeper. And I think that that is awesome. That's probably the most enticing trait because we know how good Daphna is. And obviously Annika Borba came in last season, did her job very, very well. And we're all pleasantly surprised. But this is a player that's played Champions League. She's had a lot of experience all over the top league. So I do think that that is one thing.

23:52Jamie: But the biggest thing is she's a left footer. We know how Arsenal struggle for outlets. If Steph Catley's injured, you've got her all right-footed back line now that Katie McCabe's gone. So it's important to have that outlet because we know how much the performances and the ceiling of the performances raise when there is a left-footed outlet. that when you're able to open that side of the pitch, especially given the fact that we assume one about year is going to be playing on the left, you're going to be wanting to go down that channel a lot more maybe than usual. So the left-footed goalkeeper is something that I think is a gem, especially in women's football.

24:22Jamie: There's not a lot of them. And I think scouting-wise, that's good because it's not just a left-footed player that you're going to play as a third keeper. It's one that is a very, very experienced goalkeeper that you're going to bring straight into the squad. So, yeah, I'm excited about that. And I think it's very professional scouting, which is a relief. yeah i think the left-footed thing is is is very big um in that as well um i lost track was it you were last asked the last question or me i think it was me yeah it was you okay um we've done one on the fixture list ah yeah okay before we go to a break we'll do like a little change of pace here but i think this is a really interesting question that maybe a lot of people have or have had over different junctures in the last few years and it's from at ms robin hosking the recent signings are huge i'm very excited for the new season but i worry we're losing our identity as a team which represents north london we no longer have any irish players and that's the first time i maybe ever that we that we haven't um we have very few black players and of course no asian players does club identity matter at this stage?

25:36Am I just being nostalgic slash too woke? I mean, you know, we've done podcasts and articles and I think explained the thing about certainly the lack of players of colour across women's football. And that issue was particularly stark at Arsenal. Not as stark as it was, but it's still there. I mean, how do you, you know, how do you kind of think of that question? Like, well, I guess whether this matters is subjective. It's down to the individual. But, you know, do you, yeah, what are your thoughts on that in general?

26:14Jamie: I think that's a really good question. And look, I think that there's a few kind of things that you need to, what I think about when kind of thinking about this question is, I think if you compare, let's say, the Premier League and the WSL quite directly, you look at like a lot of the bigger Premier League clubs and they do have a big connection to their culture. They have a connection to where they're from. You look at the Arsenal men's team and it's rife and it's so nice. And I think that's what makes that team so special to the community is it does feel like it's their boys that have grown up and gone into Arsenal.

26:45Jamie: And there's a big connection to every community in that team. And obviously you have players like Bukayo Saka, like Myles Lewis-Skelly, they've gone through the academy, but they also represent something bigger than that. Like they represent like people of colour and these are these boys that have grown up in their community. They've gone on to be Premier League champions. And I think that is why Arsenal have always been a special club throughout history is they are so rooted in the community, but they're also rooted in representing everyone. And I think when you look at Arsenal women in the last five, six years, you can't say that that is the case.

27:16Jamie: I don't want to I want to be really careful when I say this because I'm very like conscious of my privilege and I can't be like this is how this is how I feel. This is not how everyone else should feel. I think women's football in general loses a tie with that because of the fact that it's a very young game. I don't think it's developed enough right now where clubs can rely on their, like, locality in order to be a big and successful club. And I think if you look at all of the big teams, like the Manchester City's, like the Manchester United's, even Chelsea, I think you always have, like, academy products.

27:48Jamie: And you have these players that are going to be starting. You've got Aggie Beaver-Jones, obviously Ella Toon for United. we have Leah Williamson, Michelle Adjumang, players, really big players that are part of the community. But I'm also very conscious to say that I don't think there is enough support for people of colour, anyone kind of non-white basically, to put it honestly, in women's football. I don't think the pathway is there. And I think that just comes from the fact that the game is young and at an academy level, like it's not open and inclusive enough. And I think that the game is still developing.

28:18Jamie: So I'm conscious to say it's an Arsenal thing. I do think Arsenal, yeah, the Irish thing is actually a massive factor because across the men's and the women's team, that's always been a really big tie that we've had to Ireland. And that's a kind of identity that we've built. So that's a big thing. But I agree. I think, yeah, Arsenal are one of, but I do think it's a WSL and a women's football problem wider because I don't think the game has had enough opportunity to grow and accept and allow for these opportunities. So, yeah, I think it's something that we can diagnose across the entire league and something that will hopefully and must improve.

28:53Jamie: But I would agree with this question that it does kind of feel like there's a loss of identity. But then I also think that's a really big thing for Arsenal as well as they represent a multiculturalism. Like you go to the Emirates and you have every side from every country. And I think it's really important that there is not just Lionesses playing, although there is quite a few. there is a yeah it's it's growing and it's becoming a a more inclusive women's team but i agree more work has to be done because yeah the eyes need to be on the team and the eyes need to be on a team that represents north London and always has it should be the same case for the women's team yeah it's it's really interesting we won't rehash to just we've done a lot of content on it and like why it's like this and um you know a lot of it ties into social class as well women's football has become very middle class, very middle class sport.

29:44You know, there's the areas where it happens, the modes of transport you need, the level of support you need from parents and things like that. It's interesting for Arsenal women as well in terms of representing North London, because really they've only just become a North London club in the true sense of the word. They've really been in Hertfordshire. They used to train at the University of Hertfordshire. and they've been quite a Hertfordshire concern, which obviously has a very different makeup. Whereas now they're playing at the Emirates. They are in the heart of kind of North London as well.

30:16So there's a lot that kind of, that goes into that. And it, you know, I did the Counterpress podcast a few weeks ago with Kirsty Peeling, a good friend of mine who played for Arsenal for 15 years, I think. And Kirsty's from Hackney and she's from, you know, She grew up on council estate in Hackney, very near where my grandparents are from. And that used to be a bit more typical. Players from inner city like Alex Scott, Danielle Carter came from Romford. And a lot of those kind of talent centres closed. A lot of public spaces to play football in those kind of more working class areas closed as well.

30:57There's a lot that kind of goes into that. There is an uptick, I think. I think if you look at Arsenal's academy team now, it's getting there. And it'll be really interesting to see. You mentioned we've got Leah Williamson, Lota Wilbur Moy, big, big kind of Arsenal people. But it'll be really interesting to see if the likes of Michel Ajimang, Katie Reid come through. But again, there's not ethnic diversity there. Well, I suppose Michel Ajimang. And then there's a whole different question around kind of South Asian participation, which we've also done podcasts on. So it's a really long winded thing.

31:37Obviously, it's a completely subjective thing. If whether you feel that or whether you think that's important, but I'm with you, Jamie. I think you look at the men's team. I do think it's been important that we've got a lot of like lads from London in the team as well as a more continental makeup. That was a kind of big and meaty question. So perhaps we'll take a little beat there and we'll come back after the break with more of your questions right after this.

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34:11Okay, welcome back to the Ask and Women Ask, cast on askblog.com with Tim Stillman and Jamie Spanger answering your questions submitted on Blue Sky and Jamie it's your turn to ask a question now okay this one is from our good friend

34:26Jamie: biased Arsenal Chicago Stars do you think Lisa Baum will be an Olivia Smith S signing becoming a key member for the first team or and not to compare players but this is just opening up a conversation here or a Rosa Kofagy S signing so someone that's that's maybe not going to fit in as well I guess Tim this is a young player what do you see her role being and what are you excited about but maybe hesitant about as well yeah so um I mean obviously I hope it's more an Olivia Smith esque signing I think with Rosa there are a few things she was unfortunate that there was a manager change right after she was signed um to be honest um I think some of her profligacy on the ball might have been a bit more tolerated by Jonas than by Rene.

35:12I think it's much more difficult to integrate young players through the spine of the team. Number 10, central midfield, those are really difficult places, I think, for young players to break through. Whereas out wide, I think it's kind of easier. And I think we've seen this with Smilla Holmberg as well, right? She doesn't play every minute of every game, but she plays a big part. And I think that's what I'd be looking at for Lisa Baum at the moment. Smiller is a really, really valuable player and makes an impact quite often off the bench. I think it's easier for a wide player because they're always going to pick up 15, 20 minutes at the end of a game.

35:50And usually when a game's a bit stretched, maybe we really need a goal. But I'm really excited by her profile. I just think it's a profile of winger we've not had for a very, very long time. Arsenal were mega serious about this player. There was a lot of competition. I think Bayern were very interested as well. And, you know, Arsenal put down the money to get this done. Arsenal were not the only club she spoke to either. So, obviously, she was convinced to come to Arsenal as well. So, I'm reasonably optimistic about this. But I also just think it's easier for a winger, quite frankly. What do you reckon on this?

36:32Jamie: I completely agree. Being an attacking player gives you like a lot more freedom to develop in a team. And she's an attacking player. She's an attacking winger. What I am excited about with Lisa Baum is I, now correct me if I'm wrong, I'm pretty sure she's like five or six centimetres taller than the rest of our wingers, especially Caitlin Ford and Olivia Smith. And that is something that I think is very important. We obviously saw what Lena Hertig brought to Arsenal, and that's a different kind of kettle of fish because that is the player she was. She was almost like a striker playing on the wing.

37:01Jamie: but I think that when we talk about our height profile, there's always been a problem. A young player that you can kind of bring on at the end of the game, I think something that's important is you always expect these like impact players to come on and get the ball to our feet, kind of cause disruption, but there's going to be a lot of teams in the WSL. And I think especially with Birmingham City and Palace coming back up, we're going to revert back as a league. I think there's going to be some stodgy games in there where there's not always going to be free flowing football. I don't think we're going to have a team like obviously West Ham, were really struggling last season, but they always wanted to counterattack, so there's opportunity to split them open at the back.

37:35Jamie: I do think that this WSL season there will be some Arsenal going to have to relearn how to play against low blocks with the new teams that are emerging. Charlton are the same. So if you have a player that's a tiny bit taller, she doesn't have this reliance in the 80th minute if she's coming on to go and get the ball and make a difference by foot because you're playing against low blocks and that will inevitably happen. You do have a player that is a bit taller and she can make an impact. And listen, I don't know this player enough to know her profile in the air but I think this is something that we should look at because we have a very small wide area especially with Fox and Batchier presumably being our wingers and like you kind of lose Katie McCabe and although she's not ginormous in height she's ginormous in might I guess so yeah I think that's something that I'm excited about and I think that's something as a young player you've got that in your kind of armory that's almost like a get out of jail free card but this is a player that I think will be very very good in the future she's very technical that's something that's exciting although I do still worry a little bit because I think we have a lot of technical wingers and we've kind of lost that crash and bash that you can rely on Katie McCabe for when you need to just head up the pitch so it'll be interesting I don't want to make any broad calls but that's just an observation based on purely her profile and I think something that could yeah hopefully benefit Arsenal because we needed it back in the day and we definitely need it now yeah I think just having a lefty on the right as well it's just something we haven't seen before um and really opens up opportunities um how about sorry did i ask that one or did you this is all you yeah okay yeah my short-term memory is awful um two i'm two questions i'm going to bash together one from book because they're they're very similar um one from at bolton guna which other clubs transfer windows impressed you most do you see another team breaking into the top four and very much allied to that.

39:27Studies trust at Castle Studies. Following the departure of Mark Skinner, signalling Man United won't rival the usual big three clubs. Will it be a case of which order Arsenal, Chelsea and Man City come in next season? Or do you see one of the big spenders like LCL or Spurs challenging the big three?

39:46Jamie: Yeah, this is a good question. I'm not going to speak about London City because I feel as if that's obvious. Everyone knows what they're doing. I mentioned them earlier, but I think Tottenham are a team to watch this season, and it's exciting. I hope that our younger little tiny North London sibling decides to finally show up in the WSL. It would make North London derbies a lot more interesting. But in all seriousness, like Martin Ho has brought a new light to this Tottenham team, and we saw it last season in their performances and kind of coming out against the big hitters. What they need to do now is close the gap between the top teams because they still really suffer against big opponents and they didn't really know how to perform against the bigger teams.

40:24Jamie: But that's a testament to the way he's playing. He's stubborn in the way he's playing. He kind of reminds me of Dario Vitisic in that way. Like, this is how we're playing, whether you like it or not, and this is the style we're going to instill into this team and take it further. And I think that that's important because Robert Villaham had a bit of an identity at Tottenham, and then as soon as it kind of started to plateau, he just lost it and he thought, I'm just going to mirror what my opponent's doing, and that's when Tottenham just started to get absolutely ripped apart. So I admire what Martin Ho is doing at Tottenham, but I admire what the club's doing, to be honest.

40:51Jamie: Like they're spending the money and they're spending the money on players that are going to raise the ceiling. Like Kirstie Hansen was one of the most underrated players in the WSL last season. She was fantastic for Villa. She's the only reason they didn't struggle as much as they did. That's a great signing because you've got a young squad for Tottenham right now. You're bringing in a player with a lot of experience, like a lot of experience in this league and someone that will make an impact. Obviously, they've signed Shakira Martin as she struggled last season but she was fantastic in her debut season for West Ham and that's a player that I think is going to dominate WSL for a long time she's very young you spoke about Sombath which I think is just yeah that's the biggest teller like Tottenham mean business and again it's it's very exciting obviously Victoria Plover I'm gonna mess up this last name but Selma Pangensten from Bran that's another like that's another like Champions League player who's who's played in Europe before and then Caitlin Distra I think it is from Wolfsburg so there's some depth in there but I'm excited about Tottenham as much as it sounds weird I think it's just about time that a club like this is is putting in the money in the WSL and and competing they've had a big clear out I thought Molly Bartrip would play for Tottenham until the club died like she's a fantastic service woman but like that was that was exactly what it was she's starting for Spurs at center back like in the WSL under Robert Villahan that's the kind of player that that needs to be your That needs to be your Millie Turner moving to Birmingham City.

42:10Jamie: So, yeah, I do think that, yes, Spurs are probably the one to watch. In terms of the finishing order in the WSL, I still think Chelsea, Arsenal and City have done enough to set themselves apart from the rest of the team. London City are a super team, but they are a FIFA ultimate team and I think that they need to go through what they go through and I don't think that – I'd be surprised if they head into match week one and look seamless. I'm happy to be proven wrong, but I think there's going to be a lot of growing pains in that squad. I just think City, Chelsea and Arsenal still have a very well-balanced squad.

42:41Jamie: I think Arsenal have improved their squad for sure. I think Chelsea have as well. Like Melvin Mallard's a massive signing. Obviously, they've signed Katie McCabe as well. And City showed what they could do and Renewing Bunny Shaw shows their intention. So I still think it will be a matter of where they finish. I think United are the ones that are, yeah, they're going to drop significantly further down the table, I would say. So it's exciting. Damn, I'm excited. It is, yeah. Yeah, I think United should be looking over their shoulder at Spurs and LCL and even Brighton as well. I still think at the moment, I still think the top three will be the top three.

43:17I think the really interesting thing about the dynamic of the league, and perhaps this harks back to the question about what we're most excited about, I still think the table, certainly at the top, will have a familiar look. What I think, though, is there'll be a lot more jeopardy in the league because there are some of those teams. I don't think Tottenham, LCL and Brighton are ready to finish above those teams yet, but they can beat them in a game. They can beat them on their day. And we've got an extra four games this year and that's going to make... I think it's going to create more slip-ups for the bigger teams.

43:51It's going to create room for more slip-ups, which I think is better for the league as well. It's better for the title race rather than, oh my God, we drew a game, the world has ended, we can't win the league anymore, which I think we experienced that last season where we only lost one game and just too many draws. And that, by the way, that's a massive part of Arsenal's transfer business, like turning those six draws into victories. But I think what you're going to see in the league is there'll be a distinct top and bottom half starting to develop. So there's going to be like seven teams who we've mentioned, like should we say brighten up and i think they will separate slightly from like the bottom seven teams so like villa liverpool everton west ham like and and then probably below them you'll get like the newly promoted clubs although birmingham have done good business kind of fighting relegation so i i think you're going to start to get a sense particularly in expanded league of a top and bottom half a definite top and bottom half um why don't we do one more each um so if you ask a question then i've got one more i'd like to ask okay this is another loaded one this is from at lexi m 1987 do you think this will finally be the season we see kim slow down for retirement and then follow-up question the season we see russo as an official nine with the

45:21Jamie: kim one obviously the uh acquirement of georgia stanway is going to raise some like where where does the midfield sit and i guess that's my broader question because we we we ask this every it's probably it's probably a waste of my words but yeah the midfield situation is what i'm more referring to there and then yeah russo is an official nine where do we think yeah so with the with the kim question um it reminds me there's a simpsons episode where mr burns keeps losing his childhood bear and he finds him every year and he just says i know we say i say this every summer bobo but i'll never lose you again and uh and and that kind of feels like kim little like we have this conversation every summer i guess what i'd say you know in regards to i i don't know whether slowing down is the phrase i'd use i hope we reduce our dependence on her and i think i think a lot of our summer business has been about kim little mariana and russo have to play every minute of every game and we need to stop that basically.

46:21And I think we've created a bit of resilience for ourselves. I think you're right. I think the Stanway thing is pretty important there. Like Stanway, Mariana Little, like, yeah, they'll probably start the season as a midfield three, but like you can drop Reuteler into that. You can drop Cooney Cross into that. I think we will finally this year. I don't think it will be so much Kim slowing down because in a world where we didn't have the options, I could just see her continuing to do what she always does. I think it will be a bit more like, actually, we've got the options where we don't have to do this anymore.

47:00So I think they'll definitely, that'll be a part of it. As for Russo as more of a nine, I think in Attack, we're just going to see everything. There's so many options because we've brought in another nine in Selena Churchi. But then we've got Reuteler who can also play as a 10. I think we'll see Mariana a bit more as a 10. Like, I think we're going to see it all, to be honest. So I wouldn't rule out still seeing Russo as a 10. I could see us, you know, bringing on Selena Churchi and wanting to keep Russo on if we need a goal. I don't think we'll see it quite as much as we did last season. to be honest.

47:37I do think she'll be a nine a bit more. I think and I hope a bit like Kim that we reduce our dependence on that and we feel like we can take her off for 15 or 20 minutes here and there which we just haven't been doing because we haven't felt like we've been able to do it. So I want to see it all and I just want to see a world where we can start without one or two of those players and that the world doesn't end because we've been quite lucky with injuries with some of them as well. And it is going to happen. Players do get injuries. We are going to lose Mariana. We are going to lose Russo at some point.

48:14We have to be able to deal with that. Final question then. This one's from Ashley Lowab. With all the McCabe drama, what do you think the reaction to her will be by fans visiting Stamford Bridge on 27th of September if she's playing? I'm sure she will be. She's never injured. And I think she'll be straight in their starting line-up. Will it be a pantomime villain reception? Do you think Arsenal fans who love Chelsea away games might be quietly disgruntled? What do you see the reaction to McCabe being on 27th of September?

48:50Jamie: Yeah, I think if you ask me the same question about the Emirates, I would say I don't think it will be a particularly hostile environment because there is a bigger fan base at the Emirates than the one that is online and active online. um the the Stanford Bridge question I don't think it will be a very nice day for Katie McCabe to say the least I think that she will love it so this is my message to Arsenal fans formally listen up I'm like putting the cannon in the sky like it's Farnley Games I think the more we boo the worse it will be for us I think we just need to remember who this person is and she's she loves it she absolutely loves it we know that she loves she is the pantomime villain she feeds off it I remember when um Celine Bazette went to Tottenham Stadium it was White Heart Lane for the first time and the United fans were like sorry the Spurs fans were laying into her and she loved it she's like a little bit similar to Katie McCabe but um one tenth of it so my formal warning to Arsenal fans don't give her anything just just be hostile just indifferent indifference is the best way at the at the Emirates do what you want but um when there's a lot of Chelsea fans and I can imagine they'll be very vocal in support of Katie McCabe I just I just have a bad feeling I foresee her getting booed and then like 30 yard scream us so indifference is the best way that that that hurts the most guys please yeah I'm with you I think I think you're I think like at the Emirates there'd be like a smattering of booing or whatnot I think you know yeah the 3 ,000 people going to Stanford Bridge will probably that there won't be many casual fans there and I say that non-pejoratively casual fans perfectly fine and welcome um but I I think, and particularly because there'll be a lot of Chelsea fans there really cheering her and that leg, you know, and I'm with you.

50:36She'll love it. She'll absolutely, she'll love it. She'll thrive off it. You know, I still think it's all good fun, to be honest. I think it's good for the game and all of that stuff. I'm sure she won't be that bothered about it. Like I say, I think it will galvanise her a bit. And listen, people pay their money. They can boo if they want to boo. it's absolutely fine. So, yeah, I think there'll be a little bit there, but we'll see. Anyway, I think that'll do for this episode. Things starting to move now. Got some pre-season friendlies confirmed, so we'll probably do a podcast right after that season preview.

51:21Probably do something more towards the middle of the month as well. The team are heading off to Spain. I don't know exactly when, but they'll play a behind-closed-doors game. out there and things will start to hot up a little bit. And we did have quite a lot of questions about whether Arsenal are going to sign a centre-back. And the answer is I don't know and I hope so. But again, we'll see on that. I do think that's needed because there are a few of them that haven't been training and that's quite worrying. But yeah, we'll see and we'll cover it all here. So we'll probably come back with another episode in like a fortnight or so until then thanks so much for joining us and we will speak to you next time

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