Arsenal Women Arsecast Episode 181: Russo FC as the Gunners win at Anfield

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0:49Hello and welcome to the Ask the Women, AskCast and AskBlog.com. With me, your host, Tim Stillman. Looking back at Sunday's 2-1 win at Anfield, that's right. The men and the women's team have done the double at Anfield. I think that might be the first time ever that that's happened. To be fair, I don't think Liverpool women have played at Anfield too many times. And Arsenal men don't win there very often either. I think we played them in an FA Cup semi-final there in 2013 from memory. But nevertheless, it happened. And Arsenal won another WSL game, another away game, another away game by one goal.

1:25There's a bit of a theme forming here. among some other themes that probably came out of this game, which as ever going to explore with our co-host, Jamie Spanger. Jamie, how are you doing? How's the hay fever?

1:38Jamie: Hay fever is much better. My mood has improved. Tim, I'm happy about the result and I'm happy that there's, I think there's a lot of meat on the bone in this game. So I'm excited to kind of delve into that, knowing that we won, knowing that us and our listeners are not very sad. One little thing I have to say though, I don't know if anyone plays the Krillian, but it's a game where you basically get seven prompts a day. It updates daily and you have to kind of answer the prompt with the most niche and specific answer you can and you get the highest score based on how niche your answer is. One of the questions yesterday was name it podcast on Spotify and I did our podcast and I got a deep cut.

2:15Jamie: So I was very happy about that. Very exciting news. Tim, we're on the Krillian which is all that matters to me. Okay, good, good. Was that specifically the Arsenal Women Ask Cast or just because we ask no women ah okay yeah okay because we're because we're on the same feed as the main show um which does show up in a lot of places because it's it's been going for a very long time and it's very popular as as we are obviously but i mean quite as long but very nice very nice uh is that what you put i thought i saw you post about that earlier and i didn't know what that was about they get on the crilly and it's very fun tim that's my piece of advice okay i i I actually, I don't use Spotify actually because I'm neurodivergent and I'm sure we have a lot of neurodivergent listeners who might share my distaste for Spotify because that is an app and a website that has not been beta tested with neurodivergent people.

3:14Anyway, away from that, let's get back to Liverpool 1, Arsenal 2 at Anfield on Sunday. And we'll get into the kind of nuts and bolts of this. Quite interesting. I'm always kind of intrigued by the questions now after a win just to see what the general mood is. And, you know, I think the mood is not that much different, which I understand. I think, Jamie, my first tweet after the final whistle was, that was the result we wanted. but I don't think the performance necessarily will kind of turn a lot of people's moods. I have watched the whole thing back and I feel slightly better about it, watching it back, but it's still not an absolutely sparkling display.

4:08Let's start there because I kind of think when it comes to football, everyone sees the same game, but we all have different impressions of how that game happens, what the takeaways are, et cetera, et cetera. What's your kind of overall feeling about this game? Once it was over and it was finished?

4:27Jamie: Yeah, I think the key to your question there is the once it was over and when it was finished because during the game, I think I was extremely frustrated. And I think this brings up a broader question of that's a result that we really needed and sometimes you just need to get the three points and run, especially on the road. But our away performances have been much better than our home performances this season. So I think like there's still this kind of underlying nerve and caution from my behalf of saying, I don't really like the pace in which this is being solved and the issues are being solved because I still think they were prevalent on the weekend.

4:58Jamie: Obviously, we'll speak about the goal in great depth and frustration later. But even in terms of ball movement and movement out of possession and things like that, I just, the way that the pace in which things are being solved and these issues being solved, Tim, still worries me. So I think I look at the game in isolation and I think, look, it wasn't fantastic. It definitely wasn't bad, but we got the result and that's good. But then I'm still looking at a couple of the problems and then you stare down the barrel of an away game at Barcelona and think, OK. But in general, Tim, I don't think it was a bad performance.

5:28Jamie: I just think there's still issues there that I just don't want the cracks to be papered over because of the three points. Yeah, yeah. I think basically nearly every game has been kind of the same. and sometimes we win by one goal and sometimes we lose by one goal and sometimes we draw. And there's not been a huge amount of variance in the performances. We haven't won a WSL game by more than one goal this season. And yeah, I did notice as well. I think, again, we should say there are over 1 ,000 away fans who came to this game Sunday, midday. Not easy. We played at Anfield quite recently as well at the end of last season.

6:07So perhaps the same novelty isn't there. So to have that kind of turnout, and I say this not pejoratively at all, because I understand it was very quiet away. And I think it's one of the quieter away ends I've ever seen an Arsenal game in the last couple of years. And I think that says something as well. But we'll unpack all of that as we go. The starting line up, this always feels like a guessing game to me, because when you're not in great form, it always feels like you could drop anyone and everyone. But we're told Steena Blackstenius has an Achilles injury pending further tests. I mean, if it requires tests, that usually means scans.

6:48So I imagine that that's going to be an absence of at least some weeks. Ana Bacier not in the squad, told that she should be in the squad for Barcelona this week. That kind of sounds maybe a bit like protecting her. but Kim Little comes back in for Kyra Cooney cross in midfield which I wasn't surprised about at all in fact I think I had Kim as my player to watch in the match preview for that exact reason any any kind of surprises or misgivings in the starting lineup for you?

7:21Jamie: No I think it's really funny though because we did have this discussion in depth last week if Kim's fit does she fit back into this midfield because obviously we're concerned about like defensive stability and also So Arsenal defending in transition and kind of just controlling the possession. So we had this discussion and I guess we both kind of gave a roundabout answer just to say, yes, if Kim Little's fit, she goes straight back into this team. So yeah, to see that she was fit and to see that she was starting team, I don't think was a surprise. I think it was a bit of a relief and that's no disgruntlement towards Kyra Cooney Cross, but I think this was the game where it was like three points or nothing.

7:53Jamie: They're all like that, but this is the one where it's like you've got a bad block coming up. Liverpool is one of the easier fixtures. you've got to be full strength. And I think this is when we noticed him that Kim Little is still the midfielder that Renee Slaggers kind of relies on when things are tough and when we're in a tight position. So just her was the only one I looked at. I think everyone else made sense to me. I was glad to see Taylor Hines getting her spot back as well because the left-footed partnership of her and Steph Catley, I think, is one that I enjoy when it works. Yeah, definitely.

8:21I do wonder if Onabachi had been fit enough, what might have happened here because I do feel like Taylor coming off at half-time in the last game felt a little bit kind of ominous and Geraldine Reuteler, our new sub again in this game. But yeah, I fully expected Kim Little to come back in for exactly that reason about defending transitions. Now, something Rene almost answered every single question last week by bemoaning how Arsenal started the game against Aston Villa, that is. I think it's very clear that that was something that the team talked about beforehand, because in the first seven or eight minutes, Arsenal, I've just written the analysis piece on this, how often Arsenal went down the right in this game, which was a clear part of the game plan.

9:17But we kind of said we couldn't see a huge amount of difference in how we started against Villa compared to any other game, really. But this was clearly different because the first few minutes, Arsenal create a couple of really good chances and they're very quick out of the blocks. I think that this is the best start we've seen Arsenal have all season.

9:38Jamie: To be honest, I thought that the Brighton away performance the first 15 minutes, I think we look quite good. And I guess there's always an element of surprise when it comes to the opening weekend because you're not expecting how a team's going to come out and perform. And it was different than it has been last season. So I think that's why we kind of looked at it and said, okay, there's energy here. And then since then, it's just been absolutely disappointing. But the first nine minutes until the Celestia-Russo goals, I think, is our best opening game of any game this season. The way that we've moved the ball, it just felt direct.

10:06Jamie: And I think the one thing that made me happy in this moment, Tim, was there felt like there was a game plan. like they felt like there was a way in which Arsenal wanted to come out the blocks and play football and bring the challenge to Liverpool it doesn't just always have to be intensity or energy and players are winning the jewels and it just felt like there was tactics behind this opening 10 minute period going down the right Emily Fox is all almost immediately the threat that you can target and then you also see Lisa Baum and Olivia Smith is playing obviously centrally so the biggest thing for me Tim was yes the intensity and energy were high but finally Arsenal playing with tactics and that is all I needed to kind to see?

10:42Yeah, definitely. It was a very distinct game plan. When I went back and did the analysis piece, there were five attacks down the right-hand side in the first five minutes, even before the goal went in. And I think I noticed it as much because the press box at Anfield is on that side. So it was all very much in front of me. And I asked Renee about it afterwards, about targeting that side. And she said, it's the way Liverpool press, they wanted us to have us on our left side. I think that's a slight alarm bell there, to be honest, that Liverpool were so keen to get us on one side, but there we go.

11:15So we wanted to come out the opposite side because the left side was attracted that they were setting up. So essentially, they anticipated that Liverpool were going to do that as well, that they were going to really try and press over. And so they were whipping the ball out there really, really quickly, getting it to Leo Williamson as well, who can ping that ball over there. Emily Fox really, really high up as well. And obviously, Emily Fox has the recovery pace, I think, maybe to, you know, she's the one who hasn't been caught by any of those transition goals she can get back. And then we get to the eighth minute.

11:52And I say finally, it was only after eight minutes, but Lisa Baume hits the crossbar, a couple of cutbacks. But the goal is really about two players, I think, as much as we had a nice tactic and we were setting up good situations. The goal is about two individuals, probably two of our best players, particularly with Mariana injured. As much, and I say this a lot, as much you can coach all you like and coaching gives your fundamentals, but talent is what delivers on those fundamentals and the play both by Emily Fox to just decide to go around two players very, very easily. And the pullback, it's a wonderful goal, I think.

12:41And I think maybe the first properly well-worked goal that Arsenal have scored this season that you could see on the training ground, but then the talent of the players really did the rest. There's been a lot of like Lisa Bound v Brighton, Olivia Smith, like long shot, like great individual goals and the individual talent was there here. But this felt like the first goal I've seen this season, Jamie, where I thought, yeah, I reckon they did that a few times on the training ground this week.

13:12Jamie: This is exactly that. It is the balance between individual brilliance and being able to have world class players that are going to get you out of sticky situations while also having tactics to match. And I completely agree. This goal is just so well worked. I think the biggest part of it, the two individual actions are great, but the fact that Emily Fox kind of looks up and she realizes that there's no room in the channel for her to play that ball into the winger. And instead of coming back and dragging back and playing it into Georgia Samway or playing it into Leah Williamson, she just says, nah, I'm going to take the space.

13:44Jamie: And she takes on the like two, three Liverpool players, just knocks the ball into space. It's not like she has to do anything fancy with footwork, but it's being able to have the football IQ and the intensity to just take the space. and that's why Emily Fox is so great. And I think I mentioned it last week, but when we're really down and out against Aston Villa, she comes on and she's one of the only players around, it's not until the 60th minute this happens, that she gets aboard her feet and she just takes the space. She sees the area, she takes a big touch forward and that splits the play. That allows Arsenal to push forward without having to be a ticker tacker pass and it's just like the intelligence and the speed to be able to do that.

14:20Jamie: And that's why I think Emily Fox is so valuable to this team. She's still her best fullback in my opinion and it's by quite a far margin in terms of how consistent she is. But the cutback is another thing that she's like kind of struggled with crossing a little bit, I think, over her Arsenal career. This is a great ball, top of the penalty spot. And to one touch finish this for Molesi Russo, I think that's just a player in form, seven goals in her last – no, nine goals in her last seven games across club and country and then seven goals in a row for Arsenal. And I think Freddie Cardi was the one that said she scored Arsenal's last seven goals, which is great for a striker, but it'd be nice if we could share the love a little bit.

14:55Jamie: But, yeah, this is just a composed finish of a striker that's in form and a striker that has confidence, and you just love to see it from Lesiris. So, Tim? Yeah, she does that kind of late run playing as the number 10. Emily Fox, once she's gotten busy beating two players with her kind of pace, she looks up and she sees it, and it's a lovely finish. one made in UNC by a great Tar Heel goal there and Arsenal have this really good start they're really on top they're creating they're getting down that right side they start to go down the left side as well quite a bit so Arsenal's leading chance creators in this game at Emily Fox with four and Caitlin Ford with four so you know right back and the left winger and it's all looking good and then out of pretty much nothing, Liverpool equalise.

15:48And it's incredibly similar to the Aston Villa goal last week. Liverpool pass out from the back. There's a couple of players, the press isn't right. A couple of players just get a free pass. Steph Cattley's a good five or six yards behind the defensive line. It ends up with a one-on-one with Leo Williamson, just like we saw a one-on-one with Steph Catley last weekend. And it's a real indictment of all of the weaknesses we've seen this season. And if Arsenal had a week to work out a game plan to hurt Liverpool, and they did that well, they had a week to work on this and stop this from happening.

16:34And at the first opportunity, Liverpool are able to do exactly what Aston Villa did, exactly what Birmingham City did, kind of exactly what Tottenham did when they get the corner to score their goal. And this is just a problem that kind of refuses to go away. And Jamie, it's a problem with this is another goal where there are three, four, maybe even five players who do something wrong in the build-up to this goal.

17:01Jamie: Yeah, watching this goal is like Groundhog Day. It happens genuinely every single week and it's so frustrating, Tim, because it is the same goal. We get hurt in transition and our back four just don't know how to position themselves in any sort of – it's just frustrating because it's basics. And I think that's why it's so annoying is the Aston Villa goal last week was really frustrating because that was every single player on the pitch was out of position and Aston Villa just walked it up and everyone just kind of let them do it. This week it's similar. I still think that so much of our problem when we're looking at conceding goals comes from the disorganisation in the midfield.

17:37Jamie: And I think we can talk a lot about the centre-backs and we will because they're at fault very, very dramatically in this goal. However, it's still for me, the midfield, the press is never right in the midfield. The positioning is never right. And I think when you've got three players, like that's senior when you have Russo, Little and Stanway, they're still not managing the press. The wing is kind of a too far out. So that's frustrating as well because it's like it's not just about the defenders. This is a trend every single week and it worries me. and that's what I said earlier. I'm a bit worried about in which the speed that these problems are being solved because they're still repeating themselves and the midfield one is a little bit easier because it's almost always just press and positioning.

18:15Jamie: But from Leah Williamson and Steph Catley, this is horrible. Steph Catley is so far behind the defensive line. I think initially a lot of people thought it was offside, but as I was watching on the television, I was like, no way. She's kept her right on side there. She's also flat-footed and her body is facing the ball. She's not angled at any way in which she can turn and recover. So this is bad body positioning from Steph Catley, but she's also offside. I think Leah Williamson is lazy in this goal. I think unlike last week, she really committed to the midfield. She's almost half doing it, trying to step into the midfield in this goal.

18:45Jamie: She's behind the striker. She's not goal side when Steph Catley's pressed up. And yeah, her recovery pace in this is just not fast enough. So I think they were both pretty poor. And it happens every week, which is beginning to get extremely frustrating to him. I'm pulling my hair out every time they score because I just don't know what we're doing midweek. I don't know what the tactics are and I don't know what improvements being made. Yeah, I said last week that Steph Catley had my sympathy in terms of just being exposed one on one. And it's the same deal here. It's just you just swap Steph and Leah around in this scenario.

19:21And I think Leah wants to go and press into midfield because that's clearly what she's being told to do. because we're seeing it again and again. We're seeing a centre-back really committed to the press and it's various centre-backs now. Go back and look at the Birmingham goal. It's Lotta that's caught out and it's on a left-back. And then against Villa, it's Taylor Hines that's caught out and it's Lear kind of pressing into the midfield. It's just completely different players and the same thing keeps happening. and I think she doesn't know whether to step into midfield and she sees, I think, that Steph Cattley is so far behind the defensive line that it's like, I can't now because I know that Olsen is going to be onside and so she gets caught in two minds.

20:12But I will say Beata Olsen is very, very good in these scenarios. In fact, she scored at the Emirates last year. I think it was quite a similar goal. And I read something about her conversion rate is one of the highest in the WSL. I think she's got about 30 % conversion rate. To put that into context, usually I should look it up for the WSL. In the Premier League, you're looking at somewhere like a good striker will be 18 % to 20 % and Olsen's like 30%. So she's good in these situations. But it all just starts so much further forward. Leah Williamson, Steph Catley. I know Lear was injured a lot last season, but this was the best defence in the league last season in every metric, basically.

21:00Underlying and the actual goals against Colm, this is the centre-back pairing that played in Lisbon in the Champions League final. I think it's exceptionally unlikely that they've both just hit an awful patch at the same time or they're in decline at the same time. And like I said, there's completely different players and it's the same things happening. So I think a lot of it has its origins a lot further forward. And after that, after what was a really, really good start, that goal did feel like a sucker punch. I didn't see it coming, I have to say. But the 12 to 13 minutes after that was a right old wobble from Arsenal.

21:44And if the first 10 minutes was some of the best stuff we've played this season, I think when I watched it back, I counted about 13 minutes where we were absolutely rocking, couldn't get a touch. Liverpool absolutely all over Arsenal. And I think this is where a margin really goes for us because Liverpool have a goal disallowed after a real spell of pressure. And I think that just deflates the balloon a little bit for them. What did you make of their disallowed goal? Do you think it was the right call?

22:21Jamie: hmm see I so the ball comes off Steph Catley which I think is the most important part here because the whoever the striker is or whoever the player is that is offside and in an offside position she is offside because she's obstructing Misa Rodriguez so she can't make a save that's she's in an offside position but the ball is played on by Steph Catley which technically means that no one is offside or the yeah it hasn't come off a Liverpool player so I think Arsenal get extremely lucky in this moment for that to be called and of course it's going to be called that's the thing I think as well there's a big discussion here about like the quality of refereeing I had no idea it came off Steph Gatley until the TV played the reflux play really really close so of course you're going to see the player the Liverpool player in an offside position right in front of the goalkeeper and call that offside so I think it would be unfair for Liverpool fans or broader fans of the WSL to have a real gripe with this being called offside and being disallowed because I think it's probably the safe decision for the referee.

23:22Jamie: But if we have VAR, this is an offside because it's Steph Kelly who plays the ball back. But Arsenal get out of jail because, like you said, Tim, I just thought Liverpool put the accelerator on as soon as Olsen scored that equaliser and I don't think Arsenal knew how to respond. And, again, that's this other frustrating trend every week. When a team scores against us, we don't know how to kind of recoup and just reset and calm down under pressure. And there's so many experienced players on this pitch in this starting XI. it's probably other than Olivia Smith like and Lisa Baum are Arsenal's most experienced team out there on the pitch in terms of how many games they've played in the WSL yet we still can't get our heads right we really really struggle under pressure our ball controls a bit sloppy our passes aren't great I think I want to point out Leah Williamson in this 10 minutes because I actually think she's quite solid and I think she's the only one kind of making final third passes at all um I didn't think her performance was great but I do think she's the most level head in this minute and Kim Little as well.

24:16Jamie: So, yeah, the disallowed goal was lucky for Arsenal and I couldn't agree more. I think it does kind of shock Liverpool a little bit into settling back and Arsenal start to finally get themselves back into the game. Yeah, interestingly, when I watched it back, I kind of thought Leo Williamson was fine in the game. When I watched it back, I was actually quite a lot more impressed. I think the goal leaves like a scar with people. And like I said, I don't think she does brilliantly against Olsen in that situation. But also, it's just like it's such a desperate situation at that point. But I actually think she plays very well in this game.

24:56And she comes out quite good statistically as well. But I mean, it's such a rocky period. And like they just, there are so many times when I was watching it back the second time where Arsenal get the ball and I'm like, someone just do a sideways five yard pass. and then do another one, and then do another one. They kept just losing the ball. However, I do think the disallowed goal kind of switches the momentum, but also Arsenal have a counter-attack kind of straight after where Caitlin Ford gets in down the left, and they have another one where Caitlin Ford and Arsenal start to play through Liverpool's pressure again.

25:33We know Liverpool are quite a high-pressing team. This is not a low-block situation, really, and Arsenal start to play through again. I had the same impression actually watching the game back as I did first time, which was neither team has a midfield. Players are just able to carry the ball for like 30, 40 yards. And then Arsenal do go in front and it's down the right side again. It's a nice ball from Emberley Fox. Lovely first time across from Lisa Belm. She was another one I was much more impressed with second time. I watched it, won a lot of duels in the game. And it's another great header from Russo.

26:14And 2-1 before halftime, we needed that at that point. And we got some quality in the final third, which we haven't seen enough of this season.

26:24Jamie: Yeah, I couldn't agree more about the point about Lisa Baum. I think the biggest difference between this game and the rest of her games this season was her decision-making was so much more mature. Like she was really, really, really able to pick out her passes and also pick when depressed. She's not just running around. And I think that's what we had an issue with last week with Olivia Smith with the Aston Villa goal is she kind of chases down the goalkeeper. Smith is much more measured with her press in this game as well. And Lisa Baum kind of emulates that for her. I think having Baum on the ground helps Smith because there's another fast kind of pace forward that can lead the press.

26:57Jamie: But Lisa Baum, great cross. Alessia Russo, striker's header. Again, a player thriving off confidence right now. And if it's not going to be her, I don't know who else it's going to be. So it's fantastic to see. But I think the biggest thing that this goal gave me, Tim, you know, while I was thinking about it at halftime and in the second half is there's really no difference in this performance and the other performances. I just think the difference is the quality of finishing and the fact that we have a striker now scoring those goals because we've had so many games this season where it's 20, 30 shots and they're really, really, really badly sprayed or they're not on target or they're just missed because the striker doesn't have any confidence.

27:34Jamie: And I just think this performance isn't like dazzling and more worthy of three points than the ones against Palace and Birmingham City and Manchester United. It's just goal scoring. And if that is all we need right now is just someone to put the ball in the back of the net, that's fine by me because it's the three points and we can kind of work out the rest later. So it's a bit of a relief, even when you don't think we're playing well. And in this game, I didn't think we were fantastic that at least now there's someone scoring the goals and getting us out of jail. So, yeah, a great finish from from La Sierra on a great assist from Lisa Bell.

28:03yeah it um it reminded me actually i think it was the birmingham game all the home games really meld into one for me but just before half time leah williamson puts a cross in and russo gets a header on the back post and hits the inside of the post and um i really think that game would have been a lot different if that had gone in and we'd gone one nil up um against birmingham but i I love the fact that Lisa Bell takes the cross first time on her right foot as well. You know, not something left-footed players always do. But, you know, we created a couple of good chances before that, largely through Caitlin Ford, actually.

28:44I think she's another one, actually, when you're struggling with some of the basics, like Arsenal have been, you've kind of got to play Caitlin Ford because you know she'll give you that. She'll play you through it. I think it was another pretty strong display from her. I'd just like to see the ball go in the net for her at some point. Arsenal start the second half quite strongly. Again, they're getting in down the right. Then they make a double substitution. Lisa Baum comes off for Frieda Mournen. That means Olivia Smith goes to the right wing. Russo goes up front. Gialmeda comes on for Catley.

29:23I have to say I'm not sure about this kind of thing where Steph Catley can only play 60 minutes at the moment insofar as I don't think it's good to come into a game knowing you're going to change your centre-back, particularly when you've got centre-back depth. I thought Alisa Gialmeda didn't look as comfortable in the left centre-back role as well. also because Taylor Hines got injured late on. That was two changes we had to make in the back four. But I think taking Lisa Baum off and reorganising that front four, I don't have anything against that front four, but something seemed to die there because Arsenal's last shot comes in the 63rd minute.

30:11And I have a real hard time explaining why that is, why it would be that Roussard front and Smith on the right and Freedom, all the stuff we've seen before many, many times, why the momentum of the game would die for Arsenal quite like it did. Because after that, we look a bit more secure in transitions. I asked Renee about that. She said that was a big conversation. But we almost go into low block mode and defend the penalty area. and I did not like that last 25 minutes at all, Jamie.

30:48Jamie: No, we fell apart. All control was given away. That was really, really, really frustrating. Like obviously I think when this front four changes, the biggest thing that we've said a million times is it's quite ironic that our number nine gives us the most security in midfield when she's in the number 10 out of all our attacking midfielders, but she does because her hold-up play is simply so good. So when you're playing the ball forward and Arsenal's game plan in this game isn't to play short passes and rotate. That's not what it is. It's to hit the channels and it's the long ball. And I think quite a few times Alessia Russo is found by Leah Williamson or Steph Catley and sometimes even Emily Fox in the midfield.

31:24Jamie: So when Alessia Russo is not there, you kind of give up the stability of someone that can recycle possession and then take the ball forward. So that's something that we lose. And you can't really do that when she's in the nine in this game because, like you said, there's no midfields in this game and Liverpool kind of sit very deep on the striker. So we fall apart after that. and I don't think Freda Mornham's the player, especially coming off the injury, that's going to help you provide that kind of stability. The biggest thing for me that I think, I don't know if everyone else felt this way, but I did feel that when Kim Little came off the pitch, our midfield really panicked and we looked really, really, really slow and sloppy in possession.

31:58Jamie: And I also think it just gave Liverpool a lot of room to run through the central areas that we probably didn't offer them in the first half as much. So yes, there's a change in our front four and that kind of, it's the removal of a less series. So it's no other personnel for me that causes that kind of drop off. But I also think when you remove Alessia Russo and you remove Kim Little, we give up all of our stability. And in terms of the centre-back thing, yeah, if we're having a half-fit Steph Catley right now, and I feel for her, I feel so bad for her because she's not fit to play 60. Obviously, we caveat that with the fact that we're travelling away to Barcelona during the midweek.

32:30Jamie: So I think there is some rotation there that's probably afforded. However, yeah, the centre-back situation right now is so dire. you're playing an unfit senior centre-back over a new summer signing or you don't really know who to have in your centre-backs right now, that's frustrating and that's an indictment on recruitment and the work that needs to be done in the left centre-back position. But I'm not going to go on about that because we all know how everyone feels about that. Yeah, yeah. So, I mean, we changed one of the centre-backs, we changed one of the centre-mids. Russo moves forward a line.

33:02Gialmeida ends up going to right-back, having played left centre-back. Emily Fox goes around to left back having played right back. It's a lot of change. Some of it was forced, and that has my sympathy a bit more when Taylor Hines comes off, but that's the 85th minute, I think between the 65th and 85th minute. Again, those changes, like you said, took away a lot of our stability, and it's not like we had any transitional threat or anything like that. I don't even think we came close to having a shot, really, but they saw it out. Rene did talk that up afterwards, that she was proud of how they defended the box and all of that.

33:44And I get that. And, you know, she always said Liverpool are a good team. I do think Liverpool are much better than their results this season and they do possess the ball a lot and they do give you problems with the way they press and stuff like that. But I have to say, like, a lot of it kind of screams to me that this is quite mid-tably stuff this is this is like Brighton or Spurs winning away at Liverpool you know and it's like could have gone either way but you know we saw it out like it didn't feel to me like a big Champions League title contending team going stamping their authority it kind of felt like Villa v Liverpool or Brighton v Tottenham or something it felt like an upper mid table type thing to me I have to say and Jamie one of the things Renee did say post-match you know I asked about the vulnerability to transitions in the first half and she said yeah we're playing Barcelona on Thursday so we're gonna have to tidy that up I think understatement alert

34:53Jamie: quite frankly honestly like I don't know if you've seen the video that Barcelona have made ahead of this game against Arsenal it's like the vengeance for the Champions League I don't know why they're worried like I love that they're giving us the theatrics and that's really good for women's football but like right now we're like a tiny puppy like I don't know if we have a lot of buy and yeah but that's like we can joke about that team but it is frustrating as well because it's like if an upcoming game with the best team in the world is what's going to force you to stop on transition and not drawing to newly promoted Birmingham City and Crystal Palace or not getting points in the WSL at home or not winning at the Emirates Stadium, then that's annoying as well because these problems need to be corrected.

35:34Jamie: And something that not annoyed me, but just made me a little bit cautious of Renee's approach was when she kind of talked up the strong finish and said, yeah, we got it over the line. We were gritty. We worked hard. That's not been a problem that we've had this season at all teams don't score against us late they score against us in the 30th minute the latest goal that has been scored against us I think other than the Man City game when they came back was Ziggyotti Olmer scored in like the 67th minute against us at the Emirates and then we had to equalize in the 95th so it's not like Arsenal are struggling to be defensively solid in the last 20 minutes when games are tight and it's not like we need to display grit to get games off over the line that hasn't been a problem we haven't been conceding late so that again is a manager saying let's praise any sort of effort and that was the effort against Liverpool in order to just kind of shy away from the real problem which is we can't start games and we're not consistent during them it's not the last 10 minutes so yeah that press conference actually kind of annoyed me despite the fact that we won three points because I'm not sure if the manager is aware of the real problems that are causing us to be a mid-table WSL team yeah yeah like let me put it this way I watched both Arsenal teams see how one goal wins.

36:46And I know which one looked like we're only one goal up, but we're fully in control. We've got this. I think whole city's last shot was in the 55th minute. And I know which team looked a bit like they were hanging on. And if the game had gone for another few minutes, they might not have brought it home. You know, it's one of those things, Everyone saw that game. Not going to kid anyone about what we saw. It was fine. It was okay. I think we broadly deserved to win 2-1. I think that was about right. But basically, every game is an absolute knife edge. And sometimes we win it by a goal. Sometimes we lose it by a goal.

37:31Sometimes we draw it. And that didn't feel very different to me. And I think that's the way most people feel. I think that will come out in the questions. which were submitted on Blue Sky as always. And we will come back with some of those right after this.

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40:13Okay, welcome back to the Arsenal Women Ask Cast on askblog.com. Before we get started with your questions from part two, we'd just like to say that Askblog has again been nominated for Fan Media of the Year at the FSA Awards, which we won last year. And we'd like to be very arsenal about this and retain our title. Thank you very much. so you can vote for us on the FSA website for Fan Media of the Year. A lot of other great nominees in there, but I think our coverage of the women's team is one of the things that definitely sets us apart from some of the other great nominees. So yes, do vote for us for that.

40:57But let's get started with questions. and obviously a lot of people are preoccupied with the Barcelona game coming up on Thursday, understandably so, I think. And I was really interested in this one from our friend at HRB2908 with a team struck down with injuries at the minute and that is something we're not discussing a lot, I think because there's just so many other issues. There are a lot of injuries. how do you expect the team to set up against Barca would you change the structure of the team knowing not have as much off the ball which is how we generally like to play how does a team that seems low on confidence mentally prepare I mean I think what this comes down to and I'm intrigued about this is how much do we change for this game or how much do we try to do the same thing try to be ourselves or how much do we almost acknowledge the situation we're in performance wise and try and do something a little bit different i mean i guess barcelona is just a very very different challenge they're a very kind of unique team in terms of what they can do and how they do it i mean so there'll definitely be tweaks jamie we're definitely not going to approach exactly the same but do you think there'll be anything major in terms of how we approach Thursday?

42:21Jamie: Yeah we don't play opponents like this in the WSL the way that they play football so this is a hard challenge for a team that's struggling in the WSL to scrape results to then go and completely have to look at a different style of football that their opponent's going to play on midweek while then returning to London City Lionesses like this is a this is a hard week for Arsenal and I would rotate. I would completely rotate. I wouldn't go in with the strongest starting 11. I think I would rotate a lot of the changes. I would look at playing Emily Fox, obviously. And then you kind of, it depends on Taylor Hines and on about you right now.

42:54Jamie: Like I think the injury thing is funny because it's so easy to talk about injuries when we're playing well, but we're getting let down by the fact that we don't have players in the squad right now. We're just not playing well, so we don't really blame the players, but we have a lot of unavailable players like obviously we started the season freedom one and Chloe Kelly now it's Stina Blaxtinius obviously still Chloe Kelly Taylor Hines is injured Steph Catley's hardly fit Mariana Caldente is probably our best player behind Alessia Russo and she's long-term injury I'm forgetting like so many obviously we signed DL Made her and she wasn't fit either so I think there is room to give Arsenal grace because of the players that they have availability because it limits Rene's options it's not even necessarily these players are all going to be starting and we're not winning because of them it just means you're faced with a challenge midweek against Barcelona and you want to return to LCL on the weekend and you have to beat London City and that's a massive game against a team that's above you on the table how much can you afford to change when you don't have players fit so I do sympathize with Renee in that way but I think she just has to try something different I think that this is the game where she has to play against the opponent and not play as an Arsenal team and sometimes you have to submit to that but I'm worried defensively about how we are how we are doing that and how we are correcting anyway so it's easy for me to say I'd like to see some changes because if Steiner was fit, I'd say play Steiner in the nine, play Lesia Russo in the 10, maybe drop Olivia Smith for this game.

44:10Jamie: I would still play Caitlin Ford because I think you need the defensive recovery pace against that. The same reason why I would probably play Lisa Baum. I might even look at playing Smilla Holmberg in the right wing. I think that's a change I'd make. So you're looking at players that have recovery pace. You're kind of just throwing caution into the wind and then you, in my opinion, it's Dan Way Little as the base of the pivot, Emily Fox, and then you keep Williamson and Catley because they're your best options. So, yeah, it's interesting. I'd change a lot, Tim, but I do feel bad for her based on the slim picking she has because how do you rotate when you don't have players?

44:42Yeah, no, I was going to say the Smiller on the right wing thing. I wouldn't be surprised to see that, not least because the way Barca really push up and overload on that left side, which means I think you need a bit more defensive security. But at the same time, I think Smiller gives you something going the other way that might be a handful for Barca, actually, if you're looking at getting away on the break and someone who can just carry the ball those long distances and get across in low or high and make those Barca defenders defend crosses, which I don't think they're necessarily used to doing.

45:21So, yeah. But ultimately, if I knew how to beat Barcelona, I wouldn't be presenting a podcast. do you have questions?

45:31Jamie: I do. This one is from our good friend at Fever Bitch. Is it a concern that none of our wins this season have come at the Emirates? It used to be a fortress for us, but this season the team can't seem to put together a performance there. Is there an added pressure we can't handle, or do you think it's coincidental? I think it's largely tactical. I had this question as well that made me think about it. I think it's largely tactical. I think there's a little bit of coincidence. Like I say, I do think we've played the same game a lot of times and it's just like which way the margins go and they're just probably an element of coincidence that just happens to have happened away from home.

46:08But I do also think in those away games, well, all of our away games this season, we haven't been facing low blocks. Brighton didn't low block us, Liverpool didn't, Tottenham didn't, Chelsea didn't, Man City didn't. And, you know, Man City, we score twice, at least in that game. So I think there's an element of that. We've been able to score in those games more than we have done at home. And it hasn't been a case of conceding first and then just coming up against 11 players sat in the penalty area. Because even in the Spurs game, we go 1-0 down. But I think the fact we equalise straight away makes a huge difference there.

46:52So we haven't gone 1-0... Well, no, sorry. We have got 1-0 down in the away game. but that's been less of a theme. So here's a mad thing. We're still unbeaten at the Emirates under right now. We haven't lost the game there under her. They've all been draws. So I don't think there's any sort of psychological aspect or anything like that. I think it's a mixture of coincidence and tactical, to be honest with you. In terms of the away thing, I mean, we also had Paris away in the Champions League. That might have been one of the lowest points of the season as well, quite frankly. So, yeah, I don't think there is an Emirates thing, no.

47:41However, Sunday would be a nice time to put an end to that, to say the absolute least. Okay, how about this one? I like this. This is from, again, regular question asker Dickie Byrne. And, you know, I think this is about maybe some of the issues that we're seeing and maybe the kind of Arsenal versus Arsenal of it. And Dickie asks, is the biggest battle really between Rene and Aaron Dantino? And the context there is Aaron Dantino coaches the outpossession side in the press and Rene coaches the attacking side. Rene wanting unpredictability, playing players out of their normal position against stability and structure, causing issues with their out-of-possession game, and Dantino struggling to coach defensive stability across a number of players.

48:37Playing a different system is one thing, but retraining Smith, Barcher, Fox, Russo, KCC, etc. to play new positions in areas of the pitch, both on and off the ball, must be tricky. so I guess is it Dantino at fault here not being able to coach new ideas or is Rene trying to push too far too quickly so this is it's a detailed question but I think it's it's a really really good one I guess about that tension between Rene wanting fluidity and unpredictability against that's not what you want out of possession out of possession you want everyone standing in the right place and the level at which there's a there's a kind of tension there

49:23Jamie: we're seeing I think that's a really interesting question I think I want to caveat with the fact that I don't think that it's two distinct playing styles and Rene's really doing well and Dantino is like letting that letting that down I don't think that's what's going on I think the problem is and maybe this is like the brighter the broader and wider issue of why we're having this discussion about two coaches kind of butting heads if that's what we think is happening is there is no collective identity of the way that Arsenal play and you can coach one way that is out of possession where maybe you're dropping into a low block for example this is not what Arsenal do obviously and maybe your press is like a little bit more patient or things like that and they have to complement the way you attack that has to complement your identity going forward in the way that you then change or kind of move and shift when you get the ball and that's what's frustrating here is it's like, okay, maybe that is the reason why we don't have an identity, but it doesn't mean there needs to be two different playing styles because I think that you can very much be a team that needs to like overcompensate right now because we're struggling defensively, but you can be a team that work well out of possession.

50:29Jamie: The press is aggressive. You obviously have like high pressing forwards and fast young, fast young wingers. And there's a certain way in which you want to press in your identity, which can also compliment the way you want to attack. So I don't really have a question to this because I don't think either coach is doing anything well right now. I think we look bad out of possession and we look bad going forward like we don't have an identity and I think for me that's what we've been talking about the last couple weeks Tim is there's no football identity to this Arsenal team we don't know what kind of football we're playing and we saw it for 10 minutes against Liverpool at the start but it slips away again under pressure and maybe that is the fact that we're not we're not good when the tides kind of turn to us and we're not as good when a team's attacking us we obviously know how we are in transition but for me it's a broader problem of yeah maybe there's a miscommunication between coaches and maybe that is the reason there's no identity but the club needs to figure it out there's not that you need to play in one way and there's not that both coaches should coach in one way it's just you need to have a collective identity and we don't have that and I think that's the frustration for me Tim yeah the the kind of the TLDR of this is a lot of change basically and we're trying to attack a whole new way um and then when things aren't working we change a lot we're trying to integrate a new left back and then we've kind of ditched that and there's a new right winger there and now we're playing Olivia Smith up front and asking her to do something different then Mariana comes out Kim Little comes out like there's just a lot of moving pieces I do think it's difficult but um it's difficult but that that doesn't mean it's impossible um basically um do you have a question.

52:05Jamie: I do. This one is from at Cooney Crossbro. Our midfield seems to have a bit more structure with Kim. KCC and Stanway are both very good individual players, but there is something in the pivot that is missing. Have we messed up squad building in that area too? KCC, Stanway, Royce and Mario can play in the pivot, but none offer what Kim does. The only way I can see us fixing this is by bringing in someone else. We've spent a lot of time waiting for Georgia, so I don't see her as the one being sacrificed. This person also mentions Layla Harbert as a replacement but that was a year or two early so yeah I guess have we messed up the squad building Tim in that area yeah something questions we had quite a long time um around Rene not really having like you know a recognized six as it were and um I'd always been open-minded about that because I'm always just willing to see what happens, basically.

53:04And it's a bit like, that's not what I do, but I don't know as much as elite football coaches. I'll give it some time and see what happens, but I still call me a boring traditionalist. I just think you need a defensive midfielder. I think what we're getting at here is we've basically been trying to play without one for a long time and kim is so good that she can do that and that's that's never really who she's been but that's who she can become and maybe it's the right time in her career for it and all of that but again that doesn't feel like coaching that feels like i've got one of the best midfielders that has ever played the game who is intelligent enough to kind of do these things and And yeah, I think the side I really come down on is like, okay, I've given this two years, this kind of jazz midfield, and I just want a replacement for Leo Valti.

54:10That's what I want. And I think if we were to appoint a new manager tomorrow, one of the things they might say is in January, I want a defensive midfielder, basically. Yeah, and that's that. I think, you know, the Mariana Kim thing, look at how high level those players, and don't get me wrong, Arsenal should aspire to have high level players everywhere, but you've got like, you know, a 30-year-old and a 36-year-old who have been among the best in the world for like quite a long time. That's what it took to make. And when I say make it work, that still wasn't perfect by any means. It's just like, yeah, I kind of just think we need a proper 10 and a proper six and to, you know, get back to basics a little bit in midfield.

55:05Because I'm still, I still can't quite grasp where this idea comes from that you don't have a number six, really. I've not, I've not seen anything say, oh, of course, like my mind, my eyes have been opened. And I am just a bit like, yeah, I'd sign Leo Valti back tomorrow. That's kind of not the most imaginative. Or, you know, whoever the 25-year-old Leo Valti is, who's available at the moment. And that's what changed Joe's team, Joe Montemore's team. That was the most important signing he ever made. And crucially, it was the first he ever made. It was the first thing he did when he came in. And if Arsenal do end up with a new manager before the January transfer window, I would say you'll see something like that again, basically.

55:59How about this one then from Oninia Batstenius at Laguna Beach? Will beating Barcelona at the Camp Nou be a bigger upset than beating them in Lisbon to become champions of Europe for the second time? So would this be a bigger shock than winning in Lisbon when we inevitably win 3-0 with an Alessio Russo hat-trick?

56:25Jamie: I thought we were going to win in Lisbon. And I have people, that episode will teach you that. I had a feeling that morning that we were going to win in Lisbon. I have no hope that we're going to win this week. So maybe if you measure that. I think that there's a world in which we come out and play Barcelona this week and we set up well. And I think that we've seen us play better against better opponents. We played better against City despite the scoreline was bigger than a lot of the other teams when we've come out and played against Birmingham City and so-and-so and sides like that. So I do think we just play better when we're not playing a low block.

56:59Jamie: And I think that that can benefit us. But I think that going forward right now, unless Alessia Russo wants to do exactly what she's been doing and just kind of save Renee's job and save my mental health, And I see this being a harder victory than maybe the one in Lisbon, which was an upset for sure. But I think it was an Arsenal team that deserved to win. Whereas if we win this week, it'll be like, how did they do that? So, yeah, if that answers your question. Well, let me put – this is something I was thinking about earlier. Let me put this in a more stark way. If I gave you a 2-0 defeat now, would you take it?

57:34Jamie: Yes. Same. I didn't think about it for very long either. And so I think that tells you something, doesn't it? Let's do one more each. This one's interesting. This one's interesting. This one is from at Rootsamene. This is something Unbiased mentioned. So kudos to them for the question, says this person, but I would like to hear your opinions on it. Why do you think Russo, if you do think this is the truth, hasn't been able to form a real partnership like Hemp Shaw, Kirby Kerr with anyone at Arsenal yet? Little Steiner, Frida Smith, Mariana Miedema, all very good players, but has never quite clicked.

58:09Jamie: We saw some positives with her and Frieda at the end of last season, but that was the first time we've seen it to that extent after three seasons. What do you think it is about their games or Russo's that's not made it work and is it maybe the system? Yeah, so I guess the question here is like, you know, about partnerships. But when I watch England, I see Hemp-Russo as a real partnership. I was going to say the same thing. Yeah, and in fact, during the World Cup a few years ago, So Serena literally turned that into a front two. So I think a lot of the answer is that the one thing that Russo doesn't have is that really electric pace.

58:48She's not slow, but she's not really explosive like Lauren Hemp is, basically. And it's not a massive coincidence that Arsenal have bought Olivia Smith and Lisa Baum, who are very explosive players. And listen, you pretty much always want explosive wide players, but I do think a lot of it is also down to that's what Russo needs around her because it's the one thing she's not going to be able to do and the one thing she hasn't got. And so I think some of it is probably tied in with the natural, maybe inconsistency that you get from those younger players. You know, to be fair to Lisa Baum, she hasn't been inconsistent.

59:34I think Liv, given her talent levels, has been a bit. It's difficult to give an answer on that this season because the partnerships are changing all the time. Everything's always changing. But then again, Stanway and Russo. Look at them when England played Greece recently. Look at the link up between Russo and Stanway in the North London derby. ultimately Russo would not be able to score these goals if she couldn't combine with other players that's exactly how she's getting them like she's not picking up the ball from on the edge of her own half and dribbling it into the goal like it's getting to her somehow there she's finishing their kind of one touch finishes she's finishing moves so I think she can combine with other players so i don't agree that there's like an issue where like she can't do it or whatever um but i do think it's it's fair enough to say that like we could do with like a version of hemp and shaw or yeah or ker and kirby like we we need more around her um and i do think a lot of it's going to come down to what is the future of that number 10 position or is she it and that there's another number nine like i feel like we won't see like a a kirby or a hemp bunny thing like why did those partnerships develop because they played together all the time yeah what are we doing we're changing it like very very frequently and we're trying things and still in a period of experimentation there so for me i think if and when there is either a regular nine ahead of russo or a regular 10 behind her that's when you'll probably see it and i think you will get it with olivia smith and lisa baum as well but again how many times have we seen that as a front three this season we talked about it i'm not sure we've seen it at all basically so um yeah i for me it's not about can Russo play with someone else like that it's can we find that other piece um and we bought some players and and Rene doesn't seem to think that they're the ones so um yeah uh cracking um anyway let's do a last one and it's another quite big picture one um as well actually do you know what there there are two more here i'd really like to do because they're quite they're they're they're really good questions and i do want to include them both so the first one is from at becca darby bigger picture question here but given the recruitment problems you've discussed many times and the lack of balance in the squad how concerned are you that the next manager is already in a tough spot with the squad we have or do you think with some structural pictures fixes and changes some of these things could still work out and that's from Becca Darby so let's do this one first recruitment do you think that that's like too big a knot to unpick or do you think new manager new ideas would would probably sort it out I think if you just go on the history of Arsenal

1:02:54Jamie: Tim like every time we get a new manager whether it's an interim or a new hire they they make it work with the squad that we have already. It's always like the squad doesn't work when the manager's had a few seasons in charge and is having an opinion on that recruitment. That's when for some reason we start to fall apart because there's a problem at Arsenal where we sign plays that the manager doesn't want and whether that's the manager changing their mind or not being involved enough in the process and the recruitment just scouting incorrectly or scouting like timidly rather than being aggressive in the market.

1:03:24Jamie: So I think if we were to have a a circumstance right now where Renee goes and whether it's a new face no it would probably have to be a new face I don't think it would work if we went the assistant coach interim again because there's problems across the whole coaching staff I think there's enough talent in this squad and that's why it's so frustrating that I think a new manager could have new ideas with the same personnel and scrape results I also think it's just so much of that is mental the new manager bounce is a real thing you bring in a new new coach and the players all kind of feel like they have, it's a clean slate.

1:03:56Jamie: They can fight for a starting position. I think you're going to have more interest. You're going to have a higher energy. Players like Cersei when she's back and Reutelaar and these kind of players. It's a clean slate under a new manager. So I think that we have the talent in order to do that. I don't think long-term that that is sustainable like we saw with Joe, like we saw with Jonas, like we're now seeing with Rene. I think that there is a broader issue. It can't be a coincidence that it happens to all three managers, that our recruitment lets them down in the end and suddenly they're playing with players that they don't want.

1:04:21Jamie: So I do think the new manager is going to struggle it's a hard task because you've got a lot of players that don't really have a role at all and it's like when they don't fit in that kind of skeleton at all players like Roy Tlo and stuff it's like it's hard for them to know what to work towards with the new manager but I think that they've got the talent there but at the same time I think that's not a squad that's going to win the Champions League against the teams that are kind of getting stronger and stronger and stronger and I think recruitment would change but that's just again the same diagnosis of there's got to be a common problem there's got to be a common problem causing this every single time we have a new manager at the end of their tenure.

1:04:54Jamie: So I'm going to say yes to both. I think that the talent's there for a new manager to do something with the squad, at least at the end of the season. But there is bigger problems across the board that we've spoken about on and on and on and on and on. Agree. I think there's enough talent there. And I kind of think long term with the squad, sort the 10, sort the six, and you're probably all right. the left centre-back thing as well maybe but we did just spend half a million on another centre-back and there would probably be some churn and a manager would come in and would like some players and would not like others but I think there are like three or four players in the squad who are under-deployed who perhaps a new manager might like, might not like and you always get surprising things as well like I said when Jo came in Arsenal had Dominic Janssen at the base midfield and she looked great nobody was thinking oh that's a player we've got to replace it was a player he replaced with Leo Valti Dominic Janssen's still a brilliant player like all these years later but he just wanted something a bit different and there's stuff like that you can't foresee but I think if a new manager came in now like I said they'd probably they'd get to buy a six I think that's a genuine gap in the squad and then with the ten thing there's a few players there that can play it and maybe they can get a tune out of them.

1:06:19Maybe they don't, and they sell a couple, and they buy one long-term. Let's finish on this one. It's to do with the goalkeeper, actually, on Thursday. It's a really interesting one because it's one I hadn't thought of, and it's one from at Izzy AWFC. Tim's theory at the start of the season was that Misa would play the low-block teams and Borba the more attacking ones. So do you think Borba will start against Barca? She hasn't played since the 4-2 loss at City, so it would feel a bit like dropping her in. Our defensive structure is so bad, I don't think we're helping Misa at all. That said, she's faced 13 shots in the WSL.

1:06:59Her save percentage ranks ninth in the league, which I think is a bit of a concern. I don't think she's to blame, but I do wonder how we'd fare with DVD or Borba. So a little bit, do you think we'll see a change in the goalkeeper along the basis that we played Barba away at Chelsea and away at City. And I guess we haven't really talked about Misa. I have my own view on why we haven't talked about Misa, but what do you reckon to those questions?

1:07:28Jamie: Yeah, she's also a player that has played against Barcelona many a time, obviously. So that's interesting for better or for worse. Depends which way you like to spin it. I think that the shot percentage thing is difficult because I don't think she's been outstanding, but I also think our defence has just been really shocking and I think it's really hard to kind of judge a goalkeeper based on those stats because how are you measuring the shots that they're facing and a lot of them are defensive frailties. I think there's a lot of opportunities here that Misa could have saved some of those goals but I'm not blaming her for them going in.

1:07:59Jamie: I think I'm blaming the defence so that's harder. I think that maybe Borba does come in in this game just because Barcelona are going to be pressing and they're going to be playing like there's going to be a through ball to those wingers whether it's Pina or whether it's like there's going to be a lot of movement up front. So I think maybe you do play a goalkeeper that's used to playing against high lines as opposed to low blocks. And like I said, I just think this game should be about rotation and it should be about moving and changing mindset, getting players into gear. You're playing the best team in the world.

1:08:28Jamie: There's kind of no better opportunity to do it because you don't, you're not expected to win, but you're expected to kind of respond and then you have to go back to LCL. So I think Balba plays and maybe Misa comes back in for the London City game I'm not sure but yeah I would say that that I would say that that would be my guess yes it's a really interesting one um but because it is a long time as well since Warburg has played and do you want to throw her in cold into a game like this and actually how well did she play against Man City in the end again similar to Misa really you wouldn't blame her for any of the goals I don't think I actually think that Misa's been really good um I don't read anything into the shot save percentage we don't actually face that many shots and the ones we do tend to be really quite wide open chances almost like one-on-one type things but I think Mises distribution is excellent like never really gives it away her long kicking is great as well She actually creates a chance in this game with a big, long kick over the top for Caitlin Ford, which makes me wonder if she will play this game because Barca come up so high and actually getting over the top of them, you know, might be our route.

1:09:48So I've quite liked Misa. I do think if Van Damselaar comes back fit, no more problems. I do tend to think she's probably the best goalkeeper of the three, but it does feel like a little while since we've seen that Van Damselaar, largely for fitness reasons. But I've really liked Misa. I think Borba's a good goalkeeper, but the distribution is not the same. I think Misa's a very good goalkeeper with excellent distribution, so I'm fine with the way things have turned out there. But I'm really interested to see what happens once Van Damselaar is properly back. Maybe in January, I don't think Daphna, she might get the odd game here or there, but I think that as long as she stays fit, I think that battle really starts after Christmas, to be honest.

1:10:44But I think it's kind of clear where Barbara is in the hierarchy at the moment, albeit she started away at Chelsea and Man City. But I don't think we don't play enough of those games for that to really keep her busy. So I blame Misa very little for very little of what's gone on. I actually think she's been quite good personally, and I'd play her against Barcelona. Not that she has a lot of experience beating Barcelona, but then, you know, who does? Anyway, should we leave it there?

1:11:18Jamie: We should leave it there. It's very funny that we won this game. I forgot about the Liverpool game for the last half an hour. Yeah, no, no, it is, it is, isn't it? But like the questions, I think, really show like kind of what people thought like performance wise and it didn't necessarily feel like all this. It could be like the first step to the big recovery. And hopefully the next time we speak after we've beaten Barcelona and the City Lionesses, that will feel like the recovery for sure. But Jamie, thanks as ever. Thank you very much, Tim. Hopefully I'll see you next week after some better.

1:11:56Jamie: I don't know. I don't know what I'm even hoping for. I'm just not going to say anything. It would be a stunning turnaround for the season if we win both of those games, quite frankly. But, yeah, we'll be on the ground in Barcelona as ever with all the usual coverage, as well as London City Lionesses on Sunday, and Jamie and I will do another podcast for you next Monday looking back probably a little bit on both of those games. It depends how much of the Barcelona game we really want to look back on. I guess when it happens, I don't arrive home until kind of Friday evening. So yeah, it would be straight into the kind of the LCL of it all.

1:12:32And I think that is a really pivotal game for our season. And that will justify an entire podcast by itself. So I'll probably write something, well, I'll certainly write something about the Barca game on Thursday evening, but we probably won't do a podcast on it. So we'll speak to you next week. and hopefully we'll be talking about the renaissance once more so until then take it easy and we'll speak to you very soon

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