Episode 889 - A new season ...

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0:56Hello and welcome to a brand new Arseblog Arsecast. right here on Arseblog.com. How are you? Hope you're well. Thank you very much indeed, as always, for being here. Well, it is the eve of the new Premier League season. Ah, shit. Here we go again. And I hope you're all ready to go again. Are the batteries fully recharged? Does it feel like we've had long enough between the end of last season and this season to be ready fully 100 % match fit, 100 % fan fit? I don't know. last season was long and then there was a world cup straight away most of our players involved in that so we were keeping a close eye on things there you have maybe a small gap and then pre-season starts again and you're back into the madness but look what can you do you just got to get on with it the players looked ready ready enough anyway on sunday when they beat manchester city 3-0 in the community shield so as fans all we can do is just kind of buckle up and get ready for the ride between now and May.

1:59So on today's show, we have five guests, not one, not two, not three, not four, but five guests who are going to talk about the new season, about how they feel going into it. Some players are looking forward to watch, things they're excited about, maybe things they're worried about. And I should point out that a couple of these conversations were recorded a bit earlier in the week, trying to get things ready, of course, for today and to get this podcast out to you before we were aware that the Esri Kanzo deal was going to be done. We knew he was a player that Arsenal were interested in. So a couple of the answers might reflect the fact that the guests at that time did not know that Esri Kanzo deal was happening.

2:39And we believe he's going to have a medical today. Whether he's going to be ready or not to be included in the squad for tomorrow night, we'll have to wait and see. Probably not. It might be just a little bit too soon. But if we do need defensive cover on the bench, if they can get it done, perhaps, perhaps he'll be available for the game against Coventry City. Anyway, that we can talk about a bit later on. We'll talk about our opening Premier League fixture in more detail over on Patreon. I'll give you details of that towards the end of the show. But for now, we better get on with it. We might as well just crack on into our five excellent guests.

3:16I'll see you at the far side of this. And let's just get on with looking ahead to the new season. Rice delivers right under the bar in him.

3:27calafiore right on the line a magic arsenal set piece okay my first guest today someone who it's always a pleasure to talk to delighted to welcome back to the show amy lawrence hello amy hello andrew how are you i'm well i'm well i think i'm ready for this new season but i want to ask you sort of first with your jewel hats on as an Arsenal fan, but also as an Arsenal journalist, reporter, podcaster, you're everything these days. Does this season feel different to you now, now that we've won the title, now that we go into this one as champions? Is there a different feeling from a professional point of view or maybe a different feeling from a fandom point of view?

4:13I don't think there's a hugely different professional feeling because in a weird way, the incredible emotion of trying to do it and then the breathtaking emotion of the ending. That's kind of what you dream of in writing, those moments of extreme lived experience. that you know are kind of lifetime memories and seminal moments for the people involved and for the people on the outside who care and who watch and who love and who support. So it'll almost be hard to be, you know, to find again those, you know, it's like, I suppose when a sports person has to dig deep to make something brilliant happen.

5:11And you think about that iconic Declan Rice, it's not done moment. It's like you can't pull that out of the bag every week, whatever you do. You know, they come in these very specific scenarios. And that's what is so fascinating about, you know, what we do is finding those gems and what makes people do amazing things. and what makes certain games matter so much or the journeys of certain players to produce something and where it's come from. So in a funny kind of way, you know, this might be a harder season to do your most inspired sort of poetry and thoughts. And I wonder when some, in fact, it was a big part of what I was pondering about this season to come over the summer.

6:16It's like how hard it would be for the players to just go again. You know, when you've, when you know you've had one of the best moments of your life, just turning up, you know, the next season and saying, right, let's just do it all again. I suppose it's a bit like if you go to see a Broadway show or people that do repetitive sort of high arts and you think all concerts people, you know, the best sort of artists that are playing, you know, gigs year on year out for umpteen nights in a row all over the place. How do you make every single one of these nights feel spectacular when you're doing the same thing?

7:02And yet they do. So that's what Arsenal have to try and get into that mindset. You know, be Robert Smith. Be, you know, they do four hours a night, like year after year after year. He's absolutely incredible. It's always amazing. Be Bruce Springsteen, you know. So I'm showing my age here. I haven't got any young people to throw into the mix who might be appropriate. but you get the drift. I get the drift. I get the drift exactly. Don't be Phil Collins. That's maybe what we're saying. But yeah. No, I know what you mean. I think maybe the answer to that is the hunger of, you know, wanting that again.

7:37You know, the first time you do something, it feels really special and you want more of that. Are you satisfied by having it once and once only or do you want more of that, you know? But then when you think back to the Arsenal teams of the past that you've seen in the league,

7:56you will remember how that generally the following seasons didn't start with that same intensity even though you've realized they've you know they do want it again and it's it's just the kind sometimes it's a human nature thing to be sure and that was why i thought the community shield was so interesting because that hunger was so very evident and it and i don't think that's easy So if they can continue with that mindset and that level of application in the first few months of the season, wow, that would be fairly extraordinary. Well, I think that's maybe also part of why they brought in somebody like Bruno Gimaraes is that, you know, at 28, he doesn't have long to win the big trophies.

8:37I mean, clearly they've identified things in his game and the way that he can add something to the midfield as important to our transfer business, but also that other, you know, subconsciously, there's going to be one or two who maybe find it hard to raise the level again or get to that level again. but then you have this other guy here who's going to push them because, you know, he hasn't done it yet. So I do wonder if little things like that, those sort of dressing room dynamics might be useful. What are you most excited about then for this new season? I'm really looking forward to the second again song getting a very different kind of an airing, hopefully all season long with big, great dollops of irony.

9:24From the Arsenal fans, yeah. Yeah, I mean, yeah, it was, I think it's time to enjoy everything about that song and make others squirm when they hear it, which was exactly the opposite of how it's been for some recent times. That I'm looking forward to. Okay, all right, that's good. I like that angle. What are you worried about? Is there anything that's particularly worrying you about where we are and what we face going into this new season? Well, the William Saliba question and how to cope without him for a long period of time is probably the obvious one. I'm sure that that's what most people are coming out with.

10:12I think there's a lot of responsibility on Big Gabby now even more so than usual which he relishes and he takes but that partnership with David Raya behind and with Declan in front if you like that kind of foundational diamond that Arsenal had last season you know having all those players available for the bulk of the season was critical. So how that gets covered over a long-time absence for Saliba is intriguing to an extent. Definitely a challenge. There's not an obvious answer at the moment. There's all sorts of possibilities. Will Mosquera be trusted week in, week out? Can Ben White hold the fort right back every three days for however long we don't know.

11:10I think Duran Timber's situation is only just second in importance to Salibas because we don't really know how long he's going to be at either. And until he gets back, when he gets back, that will bring a huge level of reassurance and option. You know, being able to play him at centre-back or right-back and obviously make sure that hopefully nobody gets played to death so that they end up, you know, needing 20 painkilling injections just to put their kit on. You know, we could try and avoid that situation. Well, I do have a question. Assuming something comes in, obviously. Well, that was maybe where I was going to go next because we do have a question about, you know, the transfer window and what more you might like to see from Arsenal in this window.

11:56And I guess everybody is looking at that right-hand side of the defence and thinking we have to get somebody there. There was only one defender on the bench in the Community Shield, and that was Piero and Capier, you know. So my fear is we've done it too often with Timber and with White where one of them's out and we ask the other to take on that heavy burden and it's like, can we not do that again, please? And I think it's been a contributory factor to both of their injury issues over the past couple of seasons where one has just had to do too much in the absence of the other. So I think now with Saliba gone and Timber, you know, we don't quite have clarity on when he's going to be back and how long he's going to be out.

12:42It sounds more promising than Saliba's situation, obviously. But I guess that's the obvious one. But if there's anything more than that or that you're thinking about? Well, I've become increasingly convinced that my preference would be for a right back rather than a hybrid or a centre back for exactly those reasons. I think if, you know, who's the best possible right back that Arsenal could get, because it feels like there's potentially a vacancy for another right back anyway, if not right now, then soon enough, because, you know, whether White and Timber can continue to sort of carry that load collectively for the next however many years you know it's asking a lot of them so and the fact that both of them are super competent at playing centre-back um makes me feel like that seems like a really you know a really smart way to tackle that situation if you could bring in a great right back who is an option and that means that either of Ben White and Timber can play centre-back in the absence of Saliba, both of whom I would trust very nicely to play the most difficult games alongside Big Gabby.

14:03Mosquera's still got plenty to learn, but hopefully will have his opportunities too. That might cover that. If not, Mikel Moreno can obviously play anywhere, so that's helpful. I mean, Mikel does love a centre-half that he can play at full-back, doesn't he? because he's done it with White. Timber played a lot of his football at Ajax at centre-half. You look the other side, a little different with Incapier because he was more centre-half in a three than a two, but we know he can play there. Calafiore, again, centre-half, who's now playing at left-back but can play at centre-half as well. So if you're looking at the manager's preference, it is probably for that hybrid guy.

14:45I get that, but I'm just saying I find the other argument really, really convincing. And just obviously everyone will be saying the same thing, but whether it's a left winger or some kind of hybrid attacker or God knows, but I'm fascinated to see what happens over these remaining days of the window because, you know, my mind just keeps going back to Budapest. And, you know, it was really, really obvious that you need the magic moments players to make the difference. Paris Saint-Germain have already had loads and gone and got some more, which is kind of, it brings some perspective. But yeah, you're waiting for a magic rabbit to come out of a magic hat, aren't you?

15:36Yeah. It's not quite clear how or if that's going to happen. No, we'll have to wait and see. Which player are you most looking forward to seeing or watching this season? Saliba, when he comes back. Come on, Willow. You've already had that. You've got to pick somebody else on this one. I've got to pick someone else. Somebody who's going to be able to play in the first half of the season. Yeah. I love watching Declan Rice, you know.

16:08His personality and the way he moves around the football pitch is really enjoyable to watch, I think. And I'm very curious to see if Bukayo can feel free enough physically to recover his absolute best form or maybe reinvent the way he plays slightly, if necessary, in order to, you know, to be the star boy at his best. Yeah. Because Arsenal need that. No, I agree. And he needs that. Yeah, I agree. It would be as good as any signing we could make if Bakaio Saka could reproduce the consistency of end product he's had throughout his Arsenal career, like between goals and assists. I think ultimately the most interesting thing when you look at the Arsenal's forward situation is pretty much everybody could and should have a better season than last season from the attacking collective.

17:16And, you know, if we dig back to Arsene Wenger's favourite phrase, internal solutions, you're not just looking to, you know, can we fight, can we magic something together here? but we're saying there should be far, far more end product from Giocares, from Havertz, from Saka, from Eza. It was really across the board, Odegaard. I don't think it's unfair to expect all of them to deliver more than they managed for all sorts of different reasons last season. And then Solis coming in looks an absolute steal. So he's really someone that I think we're going to get a lot of joy from. Yeah, I think he looks an enjoyable kind of player.

18:08Like the numbers, I know it's only pre-season, but I think he'd a goal or an assist in every pre-season game, you know? Who does he remind you of? I mean, for me, it was like in a heartbeat. You're going to say Brian Myrwood. But I have heard various different names. Yeah, I mean, depending on your vintage, it's Leandro Trossard, which I think you can see similarities there. People have said a little bit of Anders Limpar. I think Anders was a little bit quicker, but certainly Brian Marwood is the guy that I would have picked for that. And I've heard people have that conversation. I mean, if he can produce, you know, what he produced, we'd be doing all right.

18:52We'd be doing all right. And if you don't know who Brian Marwood is, look it up, kids. You'll be happy. Final one. What is yours or a hot take or prediction for the new season? Good, bad or indifferent about Arsenal, Premier League or anything else? I would say one of the contenders is going to probably fall flat on their face at some point. I couldn't tell you which, but the law of averages suggests that with all the changes that have gone on, you know, at Man City, Chelsea, Liverpool, you know, the majority of those elite clubs, I can't see them all working out beautifully. Can you? No. No. I'm not sure you could push me into betting which one might be the, you know, the flop.

19:51But I just think it's very hard to imagine that they all fly. Is Arsenal stability our greatest advantage for the season ahead, do you think? I think it really, really helps, particularly because the summer was so tricky with it being truncated and it being so bitty and with different people doing different things at different times. And even now I find myself thinking Arsenal kicking off on Friday night and Rice has had 45 minutes and Saka's had half an hour or whatever it is. It seems crackers. But I think obviously that stability, not just that, but I think the confidence and the feel good of being champions.

20:44for these players who have had to almost play with a bit of a ball and chain for the best part of four years as they were striving to get there and take on Man City and knowing that any tiny mistake feels enormous because of the heavyweight nature of what you're up against. They don't have to have that feeling anymore. And I'm curious to see whether that lightens them. When you look at Martin's performance in the Community Shield, for example, that looked to me like a guy who felt at ease in a way that it was more difficult for him to do in recent times because the pressure was so overbearing so if you take some of that pressure away and you allow them to feel in you know in that sweet spot if you like for an athlete where you know you know you're on your game kind of thing you know you're good might go for you might not go for you but i think they should feel differently about being out there no i agree and i'm curious to see if that translates into you know the psychology of how they feel about themselves and also the psychology about how others feel about playing against them like a slightly more instead of thinking ah so second again they're gonna you know mess it up you know bottle it opposition can't feel that anymore no no no no i i think it's um it's it's interesting think it's such an interesting dynamic because everybody wants to beat the champions but at the same time as champions you shed that self-doubt and you shed you know the ball and chain as you said that is a burden that they don't have to live with anymore and you want to see this arsenal team you know accepting that it has been a difficult enough summer world cup you know people going to the maximum in the world cup and coming back staggered you kind of want to see them go out and play with the aura of champions, don't you?

22:35You know, just really assert yourselves. And I think that's kind of one of the things I'm looking forward to most about this season is Arsenal doing that, hopefully doing that. Because that's got to be the mindset, right? Yeah, but I also hope that people out there can just take pause for a second. And, you know, if Arsenal do have an issue or not do well in one of the openings, say half a dozen or so games, while you're still managing minutes and fitness and, you know, the squad's adapting and getting back into things. Like, it would be very disappointing if, you know, the social media world sort of went off on one, you know.

23:20I hope people can manage to stay supportive and, you know, stay calm-ish. Because you're not going to win every game, are you? No. It's just not happening. and obviously maybe there's some lessons in last season you know there were some moments that felt like the end of the world but they clearly weren't the end of the world because the world turned out to be a very beautiful place sure that's very true that's very true it was beautiful and uh my hot take prediction for the new season is that uh many of the people on social media won't stay calm but that's that's that's that's the coldest worst of me there That's the coldest of hot takes.

24:00Never mind, I tried. Listen, we'll leave it there, Amy. Thank you very much. We'll talk to you during the season. Cheers, Andrew. Have a good one. Marino held it up well. Trossard, good first touch. Plays it inside. Ezza, on for the hat-trick! 4-1 to Arsenal! And it's the Ebrici-Ezza show! Fantastic! My next guest today is obviously an Arsenal fan, but someone who makes his allegiances well-known to the millions and millions of followers he has on social media for his cooking videos. We've spoken to him before, but it's a pleasure to welcome back Alfie Steiner, also known as Alfie Cooks. Welcome back to the Arsecast.

24:37Hello, Andrew. How are you doing? I'm doing very well, thank you. I am excited for the start of a new season, even if I feel like my summer holidays have not been long enough. I didn't really have a summer holiday at all, but it's fine. The back garden was good. I want to ask you, you know, how are you feeling now going into this new season? Can you compare and contrast, let's say, this August from last August. And do you feel a little bit differently about the team or about our prospects for the new season and, you know, what it feels like, let's say, to go into a new campaign as the champions?

25:11Yeah, I think it is different because it hasn't happened for over 20 years. And as someone who, you know, I'm 27, so I don't remember the last time that Arsenal started the Premier League season as champions. funny I was reading I was reading these little questions that you sent over out to my fiance and so I read out how does it feel going into the new season as champions and she laughed and she and I sort of said why are you laughing and she said well it's funny how all these Arsenal fans sort of include themselves as part of the team we feel like champions and and I said well yes it's a real thing because of how strong the feeling is and I think you know it it definitely feels less pressured this season albeit that invites a different type of pressure on now and expectation yes there was expectation last year but it was almost like we have to win it it was a desperation it was like if we don't do it this year then there are serious questions about everything that we've been doing all the progress we've been making um but it also feels like we've deserved this and i think you know that's where the excitement comes from it's like we've done it we can now build on it can we now you know can could this be the start of an era whereby we are champions not just for one season once every 22 years and I think we're all feeling quite optimistic about that yeah it sort of does away with some of the doubt you know and I think that's true for fans I think it's probably true for for the players as well I mean what are you most excited about by the new season?

26:47I'd say there are two things. I mean, one thing, I'll focus on Arsenal to begin with, of course, but having a, I'm hesitant to say fully fit, but a fit for Kai Osaka, Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz, I think is something that we're all kind of forgetting about a little bit just because we didn't have them last year. You know, Odegaard, I was looking at some stats, He played something less than 1 ,400 minutes in the Premier League last year. That's your captain. That's the guy who is, you know, making it all happen in midfield. Kai Havertz played less than 600 minutes. Saka, you know, he was over 2 ,000 minutes, but he wasn't fully fit.

27:29We could see it. He had that Achilles issue. And actually having those three fit the people who are paid the most, you know, who are the star players of the team, the people who are going to make it happen at the end of the pitch. is going to make such a big difference. And I think we are just, that is our identity from an attacking point of view and without that for much of last season. So actually having them in and around it and hopefully fit for the duration of the season is something I'm so excited about. And I think, you know, we'll get onto maybe more about Martin Erdegaard, but that is something that I feel very excited about this year, just based on the Community Shield performance and sort of the noise around the club and how he's come back after the World Cup.

28:12The other thing that I'm very excited about is a Pep Guardiola, Bernardo Silva and Rodri-less Man City. Because that is honestly good riddance. It's like they were there for far too long. I can't believe that they're gone. I actually can't believe it. I don't need to look at City with Rodri and Bernardo Silva and Guardiola. There's this inevitable kind of just, you know, they're obviously great. But I'm so glad to see the back of them. and I think City are going to really struggle without them. Their record without Rodri is not great. We'll have to wait and see, obviously, what they do to replace those guys.

28:50They've only made one big signing, and Elliot Anderson is that. But yeah, I mean, if you were to say, you know, last year, City are going to turn over their manager in the summer and also lose Rodri, Bernardo Silva, John Stones, Nathan Ake, there's probably one or two more that I've forgotten as well. You know, it's a lot of turnover. It's a lot of stuff to deal with. And we all hope, obviously, that things go terribly wrong for Manchester City. And listen, let's be fair about this. I think it's important that we be fair about this. We want it to go wrong for everyone else. Just maybe Man City and Tottenham a little bit more than some of the others, right?

29:30Absolutely. And you could chuck in Chelsea and Man United. Oh, yeah. And Aston Villa and Newcastle. Yeah. But yes, I know what you mean. Man City are definitely, they have turned into this beast that I really just would like to see weakened. I hope it's the end of an era. I mean, one of my best mates, my best mate messaged me last week and he's a United fan and he said, it feels like it's an end of an era for City. And I said, you said it, not me, but let's see. Let's not go too far with that. But yeah, I think that's another aspect, which I'm not, obviously it's not exciting, but I'm so relieved and can't wait to just have, be facing Man City without those three.

30:05because I think it's such a big difference. It takes some of the aura away, I guess you would say. So what are you most worried about? Is there anything in particular you're worried about going into the new campaign? I mean, I don't want to be on a downer. We're talking about how optimistic we are and how excited we are. But, you know, we're football fans at the heart of it. There's always something that's, you know, in there that's nagging away at us. So what's your one? Oh, yes. we all have those little recurring nightmares don't we of something going wrong I mean I used to have them a lot towards the back end of last season I was having consistent dreams about something going wrong with the title challenge but look to be honest I'm not worried about loads I think I am more focused on the fact that we let's enjoy it now let it so much of last season of course the end of the season was so enjoyable and so special for for so many reasons because of the 22 years we've waited but then also because of how long and tough and how much of a grind the season was because you know we we weren't playing with a lot of freedom and we were dealing with injuries and there was that weight of expectation so I don't feel worried about that but I guess if I were to really try and squeeze out a little anxious thought it would be that you know there's an expectation now it's kind of like right we've won the league now we should we need to go and do it again we're favorites uh we we should we should go and you know win the champions league and i guess the fear would be that if fast forward to the end of the season not to sort of waste time away but we if we don't do that because of maybe what we have or haven't done in the transfer window i think obviously that's something that is on everyone's minds and we know that we could do with a few more signings before the window closes on September the 1st.

32:02So that's the kind of fear, the worry of, have we really maximized this window in a way that, you know, is demanded by the fact that we're Premier League champions and we've shown a willingness to spend the money and do what's necessary, but maybe we haven't quite delivered yet. So that's the fear. I think I'm not alone there. No, I wouldn't have thought so. there's a transfer window question uh to come but i want to ask you you know of all the very many talented players in the squad uh this season and everybody has their favorites who are you most looking forward to watching so two came to mind but i'm gonna i mentioned martin erdegaard and i think i think we have a really good season from him but and i was slightly conflicted when when we signed him and you know i think a lot of arsenal fans probably uh had certain feelings about uh our new Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimaraes but I now have sort of you know as you do someone you hate at another club comes to your club and you're like right okay you're our you're our nightmare you're at least you know you're a brilliant player and the more I think about it the more I think his signing and how good he is and how brilliant he might be for us has gone under the radar I think because we were distracted by the pursuit of obviously Vinicius and and sort of all that was going on at the time but I don't know just even watching him in a few of the pre-season games and the community shield he is ready to play play every week if he needs to it's his big move he's 28 and he's 28 until he turns 29 as we all know and you know he is a brilliant player I think he walks into every midfield across across Europe I don't think there's a team that he doesn't get into i think he's that good and i think we're really gonna be quietly surprised by just how much of an impact he makes to us um because we're i think we're used to him we see him every week he played at newcastle so it's not something that necessarily is something to get super excited about because we knew it was coming but if you think about it i'm really excited to see him play because i think he's an excellent excellent player yeah he brings something a little bit different to midfield you know um and hopefully you know he can be as teflon for arsenal as he was for newcastle at times i'm not sure that's gonna happen though hopefully not too much you know like elbowing and punching in faces and stuff even though jorginho was of course completely out of line by you know positioning his head in the in in the way of gimaraj's elbow that's what everyone's saying jorginho was asking for it um anyway like you said he's our nightmare now and hopefully not a nightmare in terms of red cards or yellow cards over the course of the season.

34:51Transfer window, listen, you said it, so I'm not going to ask you the bit, are you happy with where we are? I mean, you're probably happy with what we've done. I think most people are pretty happy with what we've actually done in the shape of Gimaraes and Christos Solis looks really good. And I don't know how hard we can go on a third choice goalkeeper, you know, Elan Melier, but, you know, he's got a job to do. But what more are you looking for? What would you like to see happen before the end of the window? Well, yeah, I think shock, like everyone. We need, I think we need an option who can cover the right centre-back or right-back role.

35:28I know that's probably quite a specific sort of recruitment task. And I guess that's why we're looking at someone like Esri Kwanza and Jarrell Kwanza, Kwanza, Kwanza. Whoever it is, I think you need to strengthen in that position because Saliba's coming back from quite a serious back injury and we know those take time and we don't know the after effects of that. I think, am I right in saying he had a back injury before and that kept him out for longer than we thought it might? Perhaps. But, you know, Jurian Timber's not fit yet. We've got Calafiore on the left who is injury prone, as we know. So I do think we need, and Ben White, who also has been spent quite a lot of time injured.

36:08So I think we do need that option. And I think it would come within the next week or so. It just depends who it might be. And then I guess the last thing, of course, is, well, two more things. Second is outgoings. As much as I love all of our players, Gabriel Jesus needs to go. Rhys Nelson needs to go. Fabio Vieira needs to go. So Ethan Wannery needs to go and play, whether that's on a loan, or if an offer comes in and we can include a clever buyback clause or sell on or whatever. I would like to keep Ethan Wannery, but I think he needs to go. And of course, we now know that he will go. It just depends where.

36:49So we need to do more from an outgoing perspective. That's the focus. And then I guess the last thing, which is, of course, what everyone is kind of thinking about is what do we do? in the final third are we you know we we didn't get Morgan Rodgers we didn't get Vinicius Jr Julian Alvarez is looking tricky are you do you want to pay 130 million euros for him does he want to come and then you've got Gabriel Martinelli kind of on the sidelines and I was actually quite sad by the the scenes at Wembley in the Cardiff on the Community Shield and you know he's a guy who's been part of the team for so long and he was sort of on the sidelines, not celebrating, not allowed to celebrate.

37:32I don't know exactly what the rules were, but he didn't join the team with celebrating. And I think, yeah, if you, I think we do need, I would love someone to come in for that front line on the left wing. And I think then you'd sell Martinelli, but the question is who? And I don't think you just do it for the sake of it. And do you wait? I don't know what you think about that. I mean, I know everyone's discussing it and you go around in circles because I think everyone's going to be disappointed if we don't do something. But I am of the opinion that you don't just do it for the sake of it, which of course we wouldn't.

38:06I don't know how you feel. Yeah, I mean, it is one of those things where you can say, I really want Arsall to improve the forward line. And like, if you take Solis for Trossard as a kind of like for like in terms of style and maybe quality, you know, it's yet to be proved by Solis, obviously that he can do what Trossard did. I think it's easy to say, yes, I want to see an upgrade in the forward line. But the question becomes who and how and who's available and what money would it take. And yeah, it's not an easy one. So I have sympathy. Like I would feel underwhelmed if you went into the new season without a real significant addition to the forward line.

38:44But I also recognize it's not that easy and the market is weird and the prices are high and you're paying a lot for, Or, you know, if you were going to pay the money on Vinicius, you were more or less guaranteed a step up in quality, right? And star quality and caliber of player. The rest of the names out there, not as easy, you know? So I do have some sympathy in that sense. But I think, I mean, then the question becomes, and look, I know Arteta, Mikel said that there wasn't space for Gabriel Martinelli on the bench. But, you know, if you are keeping him, and I know there's been rumors about Galatasaray and he's not going and I respect that decision.

39:24But if he's been left out of the squad, that is quite telling, regardless of whether there's space or not. That will suggest to me that you're not necessarily counting on him for the rest of the season, in which case you are expecting someone to come in. But, you know, then if you don't get someone, then you're inviting an unhappy Gabriel Martinelli back into the squad. And, you know, there's still things to sort out. So let's see, hey? Let's see. It'll all play out before September 1st. that's for sure. Finally, give me your hot take or prediction for the new season. It doesn't necessarily have to be about Arsenal.

40:00It could be about the Premier League more broadly or football in general, but what have you got for us? So I don't know if this is the hottest take around. I'm going to keep it kind of more like a kind of feeling. I think Martin Odegaard is going to win PFA Player of the Year. I think he's going to win it all. I think he's going to be the standout player in the Premier League this season. and maybe that's not a hot take, but I just think that he's come back and I can just see it happening. I see the Erdegaard of old returning to our pitch and I think he's ready to really kind of become that, you know, not to compare him to Bernardo Silva or De Bruyne or De Bruyne, but now that he's won that first Premier League with us and there's been doubts about his fitness and his quality, I think now it's like, right, I'm here.

40:52I'm the captain. I've had a good World Cup with Norway. I'm feeling good. I'm fit. You know, I think he's ready. And I think we will see him perform at an incredibly high level this year. And so player of the year, Martin Evergard. That's my hot take for the season. That is a hot take I would absolutely take, I guess, because, yeah, he's a player I really like as well. Just very, very finally then, quickly before we go, your plans for the new season. Obviously your social media presence continues to grow and your career is going from strength to strength. I've seen you collaborating and you've had the, you know, the privilege of doing stuff with Arsenal because you're not shy about making your allegiances known when you do your videos.

41:34So Arsenal have, you know, been quick to get on board with that a bit as well. So that must be fun to do stuff alongside the club and people at the club and have those opportunities, you know, as an Arsenal fan, it's kind of a dream come true. Yeah, it's really special and very surreal. And I think, you know, over the last year, whether it's because I'm wearing my Arsenal apron a bit more or just, you know, making it clearer that I am a huge Arsenal fan and it's something that, to be honest, anyone who knows me knows. Obviously, when you're kind of giving recipes and filming content for people who might not know you as an Arsenal fan.

42:14It's kind of like, well, how much do I let them know? But I've just kind of decided that I want it to be part of who I am online, to be honest. And yeah, it's really lovely to be working sort of a little bit closer with the club and some of the people who work in and around the club. And I'm really excited to obviously get some more games this season and hopefully do some really cool stuff, you know, throughout the course of the season for some good causes. But, you know, there are a few things in the works. So let's see. I'm sure I will update you on that as and when I can. But yeah, as for the season, honestly, just get back into that routine, that beautiful sort of routine of match days and midweek games and just being around the ground, whether I'm going or not.

43:02It's so exciting. and we're so lucky to now, you know, be champions and sort of enjoy that. So, yeah, it is a little bit of a dream come true. But, yeah, you never forget how grateful and wonderful it all is to be part of or feel part of the club of our hearts, really. Yeah, the club and the community that exists around the club as well, you know, as you saw around the parade and everything else. All right, well, listen, best of luck for the new season to you, you know, personally, professionally, and, of course, as an Arsenal fan. Alfie Cooks, thank you very much. Thank you very much, Andrew.

43:33Lovely to speak to you.

44:02City, catch us if you can.

44:08Okay, my guest now is Laura Kirk-Francis. Laura, good morning to you. Good morning. Good morning. How are we doing? We're doing okay. We're doing okay. We're getting closer and closer to kickoff, a Friday night kickoff to start the new season. Presumably, you're very excited. And I'm curious as to how you feel now. Do you feel like there's a weight off as a fan going into a new season, and being able to sort of sing songs about being the champions and all that kind of stuff? Yeah, it does feel quite alien, to be honest. It feels like very, I always get this kind of back to school feel around this time of year.

44:43It's August, we're going into September, new school year. But this one feels really different. It feels very, very light. I'm really excited. It just feels like the pressure has been lifted, which is what we always sort of felt like it would feel like, is the shackles have come off and not coming into this season with a with a desperation that has existed especially how much pressure we've put on ourselves to start really strong um in in the years where where man city were almost perfect it genuinely felt like any stumble early on would be fatal um and going into this new season i have to be honest it's a really alien feeling knowing that we are champions we can sing about that and that we have a platform to build off so I have I'm just I'm so excited uh and what a way to start on a Friday night as well I love love a Friday night to get us kicked off okay it is it's an interesting thing to consider isn't it because your point about having to be perfect against Manchester City was something we had to contend with something Liverpool had to contend with as well when it was Liverpool and City going at it and I think I said somewhere last year that you know if if it was a more even title race if there was a greater level of competitiveness in the premier league it gave us a better chance of of actually going on to win it which i think was kind of the case you know it wasn't that there were three or four teams necessarily contending for the title but but if we had moments where we were fallible so too did manchester city and so too did the people behind us and i wonder is that going to be the case again this season because there's a stability about Arsenal, obviously, but everyone else is kind of rebuilding a bit.

46:27City with a new manager, no Pep, no Rodri, no Bernardo Silva. Liverpool with no Salah, a new manager. Van Dijk getting older. Chelsea with a new manager. The club is a horrendous, noxious organization at the best of times. You know, all of these things that might just allow our stability to be the thing that is a big advantage. Yeah, I think for me, the competitiveness of the Premier League comes from the middle. And it comes from the teams that we dropped points against last year. So the likes of Sunderland, Wolves to a certain extent. Those are the teams that I think if you look at what makes the Premier League difficult to win, it's that all of those teams can take points off us if we are not really, really good against them.

47:17and although I think we have an opportunity given the instability and the transition that our quote-unquote rivals are going through, I still think we have to look at the real challenge of the Premier League and what makes the Premier League such a fascinating product is how good all those teams are in the middle and we still maybe don't know how good teams like Everton are going to be, where are Aston Villa going to land this season? So we can be, I think, quietly confident. What I'd love for us this year, Andrew, is to go back to consistently beating our rivals. That was where I think we slipped up last year.

47:53We didn't beat Liverpool. Man United beat us at home. I would love us to go back to slapping the big teams because that gives us a confidence. But I think for me that the competitiveness of the Premier League is that middle bunch. And I think there's still a bit of an unknown about that. The teams that came up last year did really well. Sunderland, Leeds were very competitive. not sure about the teams that have come up this year but we should we should go at least still go into this quietly optimistic but those are the ones where I think we still have to be at the races and that's what makes the Premier League for me really interesting yeah no I agree with you I'm just having a look here at the the Premier League table because I can't remember who came up so it's Hull it's Coventry Coventry of course who were playing and who's the other one Ipswich town.

48:41Ipswich town, okay. All right, well, we'll see what they can do. I mean, last season was a bit of an outlier in terms of the promoted teams doing well. Typically, they've, you know, come up and gone back down again. So if it adds more competition, well, I think we can all deal with that. Tell me, what are you most excited about this new season? I presume from an Arsenal perspective rather than sort of more generally in the Premier League. Joe, I feel really excited to see how Arteta just changes his approach to managing a team of people, of players who have done it now, a group of players who you can legitimately and irrefutably say are winners.

49:23I think that presents such a fascinating new challenge for a manager who has for so long carried the identity of a nearly man or a man in the middle of a process. It's just, I think I'm really excited to see what that looks like both in terms of how he manages the squad how he continues to to build uh the relationship with the fans i'm sure you've seen that the interview he's just given um to men in blazers he's talked about you know having that hunger to experience it again and i think that that makes me really really excited because he he he echoes what i feel like is you've given me a taste of the good life.

50:04You've given me a taste of what it feels like. I've had a little drop of the drug of being a Premier League winner and I want it again. And I'm already exhibiting behaviours like that. I keep going over and watching content and videos about the night that we won, the parade, et cetera. I think that presents a really interesting shift coming into this season, which is he shouldn't feel like, and I don't think we should feel like we have a point to prove anymore. we've just done it there's nothing that anyone can say to take away from us and i just wonder how that will play out on the pitch and i know we don't want to get too carried away with the community shield uh but it's too late i'm already carried away um it just looks like so many players played with a weight lifted um an expectation lifted a pressure lifted and that's what i'm excited to see is it's basically i'm looking forward to to a bit of unknowns from this arsenal team um and i think it's only going to go in one direction, which is an improvement.

51:03Yeah, I think that you're right about the taste. It's sort of that old Arsene Wenger quote about how once you've had the caviar, it's difficult to go back to sausage. And we've all just had the caviar for the first time in 22 years. And we want some more of that. I thought another really interesting part of the men in blazers thing was when he said he spent hours over the summer writing down where he wants to take the football club and like, what version of Mikel is going to be needed? Like this idea that he's not just going to evolve the football team, but he's got to sort of evolve himself like a new version of Mikel Arteta that every time you hit an obstacle.

51:42We've talked often, haven't we, about how he learns from things that haven't gone quite right. And how right he goes, right, well, that didn't quite work. What do I need to do next? How do we need to – what can we do to improve that? Now he's got it right. He got the Premier League and he's still going, right, we need Mikel 3.0. We need Arsenal, whatever. You know, the idea of him sort of sitting down in his study with the whiteboards or, you know, with a candle like Edgar Allan Poe or something, you know, just trying to figure out a new version. I think it does speak to the sort of intensity with which he approaches the job.

52:16God, he's such a freak, isn't he? He's a freak, but he's a freak. I would expect nothing less from him. he is so cerebral in how he approaches being a manager but you're right i think it's it's interesting that he is placing the expectation on himself as well to to change um and i think he also mentions in that interview his desire to again it's it's a bit of a cliche and you hear it in you know corporate speak about being a little bit better every day but he's clearly had a taste of it had a taste of the caviar enjoyed that but still believes that there is way more improvement that can be made and I think as fans if we are going to be critical about the way that we won the Premier League last year we didn't make it easy for us for ourselves we really didn't it was it was a it was a trauma at stages and that's where you where you go absolutely I'm not surprised that when the dust settles when you take all the emotion out of it or someone like Arteta would go right let's let's really dig deep into what we can do better and across the pitch across the club how players are managed, every aspect of it.

53:21I love the idea of him, as you said, in his study, kids are playing outside, barbecue's going, and he's going, hang on a second, I just need to go and write something down in my journal about how we can improve how well we wash the kits. Remind myself to go and chat to the housekeeping department about getting everyone fresh towels quicker. But I would expect nothing less from Arteta. and the way that he speaks about just, I guess, continuing to build the connection. He always talks about connection between people and what he expects from his captain is all about togetherness, et cetera. And yeah, I would expect nothing less from him.

54:04But it's just interesting how much pressure he's putting on himself, as you say, to be a different type of manager. What's next? What's expected from him? It is going to be very interesting to see. Is there anything you're especially worried about at this moment in time? Obviously, the transfer window is still open and there are things we might like to see Arsenal do. I think we are always but a few players away from a quote-unquote injury crisis. And I think my hope for this season is that we have learnt to act in a more preventative way to stop us getting to that sort of last ditch, right? We need Mikel Moreno to play up front.

54:46No matter how effective that was, that's certainly not something that you want to be forced into early. It's always, I think, the intensity of the league, off the back of a busy summer. Again, this is a situation where I think it's new for Arteta to have some of his players come back from having spent all summer in high heat playing intense games to expect them to roll into a Premier League where we are defending champions. It's all very new. So my worries with Arsenal are always around injuries and how close we are to injury crisis. But I don't think that's specific to Arsenal, if I'm honest.

55:23I just think in this quite, I guess, peculiar year where we've had a World Cup in the summer, we've had lots of players go very deep in that World Cup. Off the back of a very intense end of last season, that presents quite a unique challenge as to how we manage those players' minutes. from a manager who perhaps last year was a bit reluctant to rely on his plan B. So that's always my worry. But on the flip side of that, I think we've made some very sensible signings to address that quite specific, quite unique problem that we face this season. So the injury worries is always present, but I feel probably more confident this year that we are prepared not only to prevent that situation, but if it does arise, we have the right solutions in place and the players that we trust, which I don't think was the case last year.

56:13Yeah, you say we made some sensible signings, some very interesting signings as well. Bruno Gimaraes, a man we all have to learn to love a little bit, you know, after some previous. And Christos Solis has come in as well. Is there a player, you know, those two added to a very, very talented group. Is there a player in particular you're looking forward to watching this season? uh well i mean i'm definitely going to have to do some damage control on my social media uh how many times i've written unfavorable tweets about bruno gimarache because he really was just a player i hated delete them all they never they never existed you were imagining they never existed i know i would i would never say that about a professional footballer um joe the player that I am most excited to watch is not a new signing.

57:03It is Martin Odegaard. Again, don't want to get too carried away off the back of one good performance in the community shield, but he is so important to us and unlocking his best unlocks the best arsenal. It just does. And I think when he's playing with... And swag is not even the right word because he's not that type of player, but a bit of happiness, joy, confidence, I think unlocks a level of Arsenal which we really, really missed last year. He is still, I think, our maybe behind Declan Rice, most important player. so I'm really excited to see what that looks like this year what that means for the rest of the players around him and what that means for solving some of the problems that we had last year when it came to build up play being a little bit slow I think a Martin Odegaard at his best could could meet could be the difference between Arsenal really kind of getting caught in a title race again versus actually really, really dominating this Premier League.

58:11For me, he is the key. And I'm so excited off the back of one good performance, but also a very good performance at the World Cup. That's it. To see what that looks like. That's it. I mean, listen, I know there have been Martin Odegaard skeptics out there. And I kind of understand it when the player has been not out of form, but when he hasn't been able to get to his best form for maybe 18 months or so because of the injuries. I understand why the skepticism. I mean, you talk about it in the sort of broader term about how his influence might help us stretch a lead in the title race. So it's not neck and neck all the way.

58:45And I really do hope that's the case. For me, where it becomes more interesting is like, can we win more games by more than one goal? You know, there was some, I think it was like 14 of our games were won by a one goal margin and eight of those were one nils. So when you talk about trauma in the title race, part of it was like that. It was like hanging on with your fingernails in many games where if you had somebody like Martin Odegaard fit and available and in something approaching his best form, maybe you make the chances that make the games safer and more easy to live through, if that's the right way of putting it.

59:21So, yeah, I'm all on board the Martin Odegaard. I guess we have to say train because Mikel Arteta has co-opted the boat thing. So only Arteta is allowed to have the boats. before we go your one hot take or prediction for the new season whether it's about arsenal whether it's about the premier league whether it's about the media whatever it might be give us your hot take and you know we'll revisit in 12 months time and if it's terrible we just will delete it like Bruno Gimaraes tweets so I don't even know if this is a hot take given what has happened before but my hot take is that one of the new managers so be that Maresca even Deserbi I'll throw in there um alonso will be gone by christmas okay that's my that's my hot take i i think one of them and i couldn't tell you which one but my hot take is that one of the the quote unquote big new managers who we're all looking looking forward to seeing what they've they've got or maybe not maybe we don't care we'll be too far ahead by then we'll be we'll be sacked by christmas okay hopefully all of them that would suit me that'd be great if i could have a preference um go on give us your preference i mean i think i know which one it'll probably be i mean it's got to be deserving right because when he leaves a club it's like it's chaos like everything's okay and then it's not and you know for that kind of internal explosion to happen at tottenham after they spend so much money this summer would be would be just glorious right yeah i think he comes into this perhaps under the most pressure expectation to well when you hit rock bottom the only way is up really um so i i think a lot of a lot of this the spending will come back to haunt him if it doesn't if it doesn't work my preference is is is alonso and i know arteta loves him they're best friends but that aside another managerial crisis at chelsea would be would be lovely that'd be a great christmas present to me um i do fear he will be quite good though but my hot take is that one of them one of them will go chelsea would probably do something mad like they sack him but keep him on contract then sell him back to themselves to offset all the uh financial uh who-ha that they get involved in very finally uh you know your your own plans for the new season in terms of hashtag content and obviously part of the uh the thing about arsenal podcast crew that's gonna that's gonna go again yeah we'll be going again I'm just sure I'm really looking forward to getting back to the stadium I've not been since Burnley that was the last time I was there so as much as I'm looking forward to making content about Arsenal and we'll obviously be talking about Arsenal week in week out I'm looking forward to being a champion and being as insufferable as possible because you never know where we're going to be in May.

1:02:20So we have to make the most of it. We have to enjoy it while we have it. And then looking too far ahead means that we can't appreciate the fact that we are going to be Premier League champions for the foreseeable future until May at the very least. So just enjoying that and talking about it day in, day out. Could be worse. Listen, enjoy Friday night. Enjoy the season ahead. And thank you so much for your time. Laura Kirk-Francis will catch up soon. Thank you.

1:02:50That's in Erdogan. Oh!

1:02:55Priceless! Potentially priceless! What that goal might mean! Okay, with me now, looking ahead to the new season, it's Andrew Allen. Hello, Andrew. Hello, how are you? I am okay, yeah. Everyone's asked me this in the same podcast, but recording at different times. The answer is always like, I'm okay, I'm fine. I don't know what to do now. You know, typically I only have one guest. You're going to have to put us on in chronological order, otherwise it won't make sense to people. Yeah, well, listen, there were some people recorded earlier in the week, and that will become evident when people listen to this, but I'll give a little bit of a disclaimer.

1:03:31They don't know, or they didn't know, rather, about Esri Kansa at the time of recording, so people will bear that in mind, I'm sure. And be aware that when you're doing a season preview podcast, you've got to get all the pieces together over a period of time rather than over the space of an hour or whatever it is. I don't want to give too much away. You know, trade secrets and podcast recordings. Yes, we're very ITK. Oh, sure. Sure, sure, sure. Tell me this. What does it change for you going into a new season with Arsenal as champions? It feels novel and fresh and fun. I feel quite relaxed. There's a sort of weight off our collective shoulders, I feel like.

1:04:10I mean, I won't go so far as to say I don't care whether or not we win the title again. but there's certainly far less tension compared to last year when like literally every think piece was like Arsenal have to win the league or else I think a few years ago genuinely I didn't think I'd see Arsenal win the league again in my lifetime I mean it certainly felt that way I mean the gap was just so so so big so to do it to do it in dramatic fashion so late in the season to celebrate in the way that we did. And it's just been incredible. And I genuinely feel like, yeah, I feel really chilled going into this season.

1:04:49And I think part of that's kind of influenced by what's going on at other clubs, right? Like you're seeing nine other clubs in the Premier League in a state of flux with new managers. And we're not part of that. It's been relatively calm summer from an Arsenal perspective. And yeah, I'm just looking forward to getting going now. and watching the team do what I hope it can do, but with less pressure. Yeah. I mean, listen, I know exactly what you're saying, but the minute the first game happens and you're in the midst of it... Oh, yeah. I mean, we can say we're chilled. We can say we're relaxed.

1:05:24And I do think it's obvious that the pressure's off in many ways. And we might have been at a very different point. We could be having very different conversations right now about Arsenal if we hadn't won the league. last season, you know, about, well, where do we go now? Or what do we make of our new manager? Potentially, you know, that was a possibility, I think. Not necessarily from the club's point of view, but my just strong feeling that if we'd finished second four times in a row, Mikel Arteta might well have said, I don't know if I'm the guy to do it. I think he admitted as much afterwards, didn't he, where he sort of had doubts about whether he was the guy to take the club forward.

1:06:04And if you don't get it over the line, does that make him think, well no I'm definitely not so you know I like that but also you know as soon as you kick off as soon as the stakes get high like Coventry on a Friday night is a relatively kind opening fixture for a new Premier League season but then you've got Villa away you've got Chelsea at home you know the the chilled outness might not last that long yeah you're also forgetting about Mickey Quinn scoring a hat-trick against us you know what was it the first day of the 93 94 92 93 one of those seasons um yeah um well thank you for giving me ptsd and making me go back to last season and imagining that we didn't do all the fun things that we did that was great yeah yeah yeah but we did do it so ignore me ignore my ignore my sort of uh doom and gloom which isn't meant to be that but just no no no i completely get what you're saying i remember watching at the tail end of last season was it celtic versus hearts in that deciding game and celtic were sort of chasing a win to become champions and i was looking at everyone in their crowd literally you know chewing their fingernails off and i was like how are you so tense you guys win the league every year surely you don't mind whether or not it goes against you i get it like as soon as it starts yeah you're kind of all in and you know we'll be chewing over every bad decision every stupid foul every red card everything but you asked how i feel right now and i feel pretty chilled so all right that's fair that's fair i don't i don't want to talk you give me 48 hours yeah i don't i don't want to talk you onto a ledge that's what that is i guess rather than you know talk you off it what are you most excited about for this new season then um i mean it's been a good break i mean i guess there's always that excitement of just like getting back to the pub and seeing your mates and getting into the football routine and the whatsapp groups coming to life and all that stuff but from a team perspective i'm excited about the idea of us taking the handbrake off and that the football actually becomes more attractive and more interesting.

1:08:04And we play with a swagger that's kind of befitting of champions. Because as much as I loved winning the league last year, you know, some of the football was a grind. It really was a grind. And I felt like at times the team played beneath the level of quality it has at its disposal. And that was just pressure, you know, dealing with pressure. So now that that's gone, I'm hoping that we can stop winning games by one goal margins, give me an opportunity to breathe and enjoy some of the games a bit more. Yeah, I mean, I think that's the biggest thing is really just kind of hoping that this incredible squad that we put together struts around and actually plays the football that it should, because there aren't really many excuses at this point.

1:08:53Fair enough. I mean, the next question is about, is there anything that's worrying you particularly? And I suppose one of the areas of worry would have been defence. And that can still be a worry, obviously. But at the time of recording, we're aware of the fact that Arsenal have agreed to be with Aston Villa for Esri Konza. He's going to join. We'll talk more about him as a player over on Patreon. We do our new player podcast. So we'll leave analysis of him for that. but that kind of eases the worry a little bit about the right-hand side of defense, certainly in terms of numbers. I don't know how you adequately replace or cover for a player like William Saliba.

1:09:35It is the equivalent to me of, you know, Barcelona missing Messi or Real Madrid missing Mbappe. I think he is that good and he's that high caliber, you know. He's one of the best in the world. So beyond that, is there anything that's particularly vexing you about where we are right now? Are you, again, I don't want to talk you into fear and anxiety. I mean, just a touch on what you just said. I think it's interesting because Arteta literally said this week, I think he was asked specifically whether he was worried about Saliba's absence. And he basically said, well, look, I've tried to construct a team and a defense that doesn't rely on any single person, that collectively they can fill in for each other.

1:10:16And I think Connors is a very useful addition, particularly because I think Timber's out as well. And we're not quite sure about Ben White's fitness. So, yeah, that right side needed dealing with. But, you know, we've gone ahead and done it. We've made it a priority given that we've spent a long time looking at attackers. I guess, you know, the thing that I'm most worried about is that the way we played last season, the kind of reliance on set pieces and the grinding out wins is somehow ingrained in our DNA and we don't know how to do anything else. You know, it kind of is related to my hopes that we take the handbrake off.

1:10:55But yeah, I mean, there's not many other things I'm wholly worried about. I mean, I think the next two weeks of the transfer window are going to be difficult for some Arsenal fans because I don't think we're going to match necessarily the excitement of the big name signing that we were maybe hoping to make on the left wing. And I think there's a fairly high chance we'll make some unpopular sales. And I think, you know, that negativity, we can't really afford to kind of seep into the match day experience. I think people should, after the community shield, look at what we've got and who didn't even make the bench that day and still be pretty satisfied, even if we don't kind of make a juggernaut signing up front.

1:11:35Yeah. Would that feel like an opportunity missed for you if we don't make, I mean, I don't think whatever we do, unless they go crazy and go for somebody like Barkiller, which I'm not sure is going to be the case. Even if we do bring in somebody into the attack, I don't think it's going to be a juggernaut. It might be another solid, decent player, but not a superstar. You know, I think the availability of those players is really slim. You know, there aren't too many of them on the market. The opportunity was there with Vinicius because of the contractual situation that he had. It was uncertain, and there's no two ways about it.

1:12:13It was uncertain. Madrid pushed the boat out a bit for him, and he's decided to stay there. But that was a particular set of circumstances. Beyond that, I don't really see the sort of signing that's going to make everybody come together and say, yes, that is exactly the one that we should have done. Whoever it is, if it is anyone at all, I think there's going to be a diversity of opinion on the quality of that player and probably how much we paid for him. Yeah, I mean, the pond in which we're now fishing is very, very small. And that's good, right? I mean, that's kind of where you want to be. You want it to be very difficult to improve on what you've already got.

1:12:54I think it also says that in specific positions around world football, there just aren't that many, you know, excellent players that can upgrade us. I mean, Vinicius really was on another level. I mean, it was the equivalent of us kind of trying to sign Mbappe, really, for the position. And we've just not been that club. And for us not to pull it off, I don't think people should take that too much to heart. And if there's nobody else available, then I'm actually okay with us kind of waiting. But if that opportunity then comes up in January, and I would suggest that maybe we missed a couple of opportunities to strengthen last January, which have forced us now to, to maybe spend a lot of this summer kind of procrastinating and thinking about who we should go for.

1:13:39Cause Semenyo and Gay were there, weren't they? And they both went to Manchester city and they were both players on our radar. And they're both players who, And, you know, if they were available this summer, we would 100 % have been in for. So I think it's just if we don't go now, certainly in January, be decisive about it and try and upgrade if we can and if we need to. Yeah, the two words that no Arsenal fans want to hear, powder and dry. As I always say, we are literally a club that were born out of an arsenal, an armoury. Keeping our powder dry is exactly what an Arsenal should do. Different kind of powder, though, I have to say.

1:14:18Yeah, I mean, listen, even with that, you know, the money was spent on Solace, the money was spent on Bruno, the money was spent on Consa, who's going to be arriving. You're talking the best part of 1975, you know, 160 million odd pounds. It's a lot of money. It is a lot of money. We're not spending insignificant chunks of money here. Yeah. We're not getting any back in either. well i mean we've got 50 50 million in or something so far which is you know kivior uh norgaard trossard carl hein ah but but to counter that in capier we also spent on in capier this summer as well because we had to push that forward into this summer's accounts yeah so there's another i get it i mean you know i i'm not an accountant and i i'm sad that football has kind of got into this weird way we're all pouring over spreadsheets and trying to work out like how exactly we're affording all this stuff it's kind of out of our like if the club are doing it you kind of just have to go well the club are telling us they want to be self-sustainable if the club are doing it we kind of just have to trust they're still doing it and sticking to their own rules um yeah i mean it's uh it's an interesting one i mean certainly there are sales to be made quite how much we managed to get for those guys who are on the fringes nelson Vieira, Gabriel Jesus remains to be seen.

1:15:40As I said and hinted at earlier, I mean, I do think there could well be an unpopular sale. I, you know, if I was rolling a dice right now, I'd say it might be Martin Zibamendi, to be honest. I think that midfield has got so many players and options. And if we don't want, if there's, if the uproar over MLS is going to be so big, I think Wernary probably will go, but if they wanted to make one more, where would you look? I mean, that's the one area of the pitch where we're quite stocked for players. yeah I don't know I don't know either but I can see some logic in that in terms of numbers I also look at last season where we we didn't have the depth did we?

1:16:17Part of why Zubimendi part of why people are saying well maybe Zubimendi is a guy we could sell after one season was because there's an element of recency in that because the second half of his season was not as good as his first but people have forgotten that the first half of his season was really really good but because we didn't have the depth we have to play him we have to play rice in almost every game until miles sort of emerged towards the end of the season so if the lesson is there you know you've got you've got to keep the depth as much as possible i mean it will be interesting to see won't it whether arteta with all these options does try and find a pattern of mixing it up or if he just does what he tends to do which is settle on a you know a setup that he quite likes and then just does it until the batteries run out.

1:17:05I think that's a big challenge for him, you know, getting past that and being able to trust the other guys in the squad. Obviously Bruno is better than Norgaard. So automatically that decision should be slightly easier, but he's got to find a way to do that and juggle everybody. And also somehow find a way to make everybody in that midfield in particular, like okay with the minutes that they are or are not getting. Yeah. You know, I'm not saying that we're going to end up in kind of PSG standards where we've got some guys just being protected to play Champions League. But, you know, there's a balance there, certainly that he's got to try and strike.

1:17:40Okay. Which player of the many players we have available to us, and we have very many, are you most excited about watching this coming season? I feel like whoever I pick, I'm going to sort of jinx it, aren't I? I mean, you couldn't watch that community shield and not be excited by the idea of a full, flowing, confident Martin Erdegaard, really. I mean, I would love for him to get back to what he was two, three years ago. Because if he's pulling the strings, I genuinely think that, you know, we've got the best player in the league there in that position. Failing that, future Ballon d 'Or winner, Max Dallman.

1:18:23A lovely amuse-bouche versus Everton last year. I'd love to see some more cameos from him. I just want him to live up to the hype so much before we send him on loan to Marseille. And then loan him to somewhere next. No, we're kidding, of course. No, I'm sort of with you that that is still an exciting prospect, isn't it? That Max Damman, like he's played all of preseason and Community Shield, Mikel Arteta, as he's often done, he's erred on the side of experience in the shape of Nani Maitueke. I think that's a curious one. I think that's an interesting one where maybe over the course of this season, Max really pushes Matuweke for minutes.

1:19:05Because I think if Pakai Osaka can stay relatively fit, and that's a situation we have to manage as well, right? We can't play him every minute of every game. We just cannot do that. So there are going to be minutes for Matuweke or Dam. And I think that could be a very interesting battle over the course of this season. Yeah. I mean, it's a sort of difficult one again, isn't it? because you don't want to tank Maduweke's value because ultimately we must see Dalman as the future of that right wing slot slash kind of creative space inside. Yeah, I would back Max to get a fair few minutes this year and I think it's going to come down to end product.

1:19:48I think Dalman already has shown that his quality is there to deliver end product when it matters. Like he's just got something about him. Whereas Nonny for all of his spark and his speed, like, you know, he seems to attack Rosette and the Emirates far too often for my liking. So yeah, there's, you know, Max will be relishing the opportunity, I think, to go head to head with Nonny for minutes. All right, then to finish us off, what is your hot take or prediction for the season ahead, whether it involves Arsenal or something else more general about football?

1:20:25sadly I think Spurs will finish higher than 17th god damn it just that's not the kind of thing we're looking for in this podcast no but we'll still beat them twice no I'm sure the earliest St. Tottenham's day ever no I mean I I don't know I I I you put me on the spot there I uh what's my prediction Saka ends the season as our top scorer okay yeah I like that I like that Because if that happens, I think we're going to be in great shape if that's the case. Either that or nobody else is scoring for shit. But I choose to look at it in a positive way because I think there's plenty of goals and plenty of people who can score goals in this team.

1:21:10So if that's the case, it means Saka is probably back to his best. And a rising tide, a rising Saka lifts all boats, as they say. All right, listen, we'll leave it there. Andrew, enjoy the season. we'll talk to you in due course and thanks very much as always nice one thank you after review West Ham number 19 commits a foul on the goalkeeper final decision is direct free kick alright my final guest on the Arsecast ahead of the new season delighted to welcome back it is Dara O 'Brien Dara buenos dias to you oh buenos to you as we say here the I'm just I'm scouting scouting in Barcelona for our next buy that's the pool we're swimming in isn't we're just plucking the best players from major clubs or attempting to still that's it we're finding all the 28 year olds we can yes I wasn't aware that Konza was 28 as well we're very much changing the age or that's is that what you do when you're now is this what you do when you're a champion you buy 28 year olds and then dump them after three years and replace them with the 20 year olds have we have we reached that point but as long as it doesn't involve getting rid of you know our 21 year olds That's a drug I'm still addicted to.

1:22:22I don't want to, you know. I mean, I'd be angry with Lewis Kelly if he went. I'd be just sad, but not airy if he left. Yeah. I mean, it would be along with the Jeff and all those other ones that almost came through, you know. Who's the other lad who went down off the Rangers, scored the Golden's in the Carding Cup? Not Carlos Vela. Oh, Vela with his free kick that time. much more recent than that you know that we put this insane amount of hope into them and then they're gone yeah we try and live vicariously through these young men and what they're doing that we would have loved to do but we're nowhere near good enough fit enough or committed enough to do any of that I am having I know I have to commit to Bruno Gimerares and I know Bruno Gimerares is going to be amazing but I'm finding it very difficult to shift the calcification of I hate Bruno Gimerares and I'm finding it funny as the squad constantly refer to how much they used to hate criticalised 11.

1:23:24Ha ha ha, didn't we used to fight a lot? Yeah, you prick. But now, yeah, you're here. But they seem to really load the guy and now, okay, fine, you know. And I get the, he's our bastard now. But I'm finding it very difficult to fully, oh, you're going out with him now, I hated him. He's part of our FEN group now. So we have to like him now. Yeah. He did an event last night with the Arsenal Supporters Trust and he turned up as a special guest that was at the stadium and he said that the first message he got was from Declan Rice who sent him a picture of the two of them fighting on the pitch and was like, we don't have to do this anymore.

1:24:02And he was like, sorry, bro. So I think there's probably an acceptance that this is just kind of how he plays and when he's got your shirt on, he's going to fight for you. Yes, I get that. My big fear, though, is that, you know, I always feel like other players on other teams can get away with more than we can. You know, we're perceived as this kind of slightly nice group of lads. And as soon as anybody steps out of that circle, it's like, oh, that's not, you can't do that. You're an Arsenal player. Red card. You tap the ball. Shaq was the perfect example of that. Shaq, who was not actually a particularly dirty player.

1:24:38So, yeah, you're right. Gimerick, his skill of winning has more free kicks than he earned. the uh you think that you don't think that's like now he's in our shirt it's gonna go the other way around it's gonna go well wise to you finally i i yeah now we see what you were doing all that time yeah i i hope it goes that way but i just you know uh as hard as it is to sort of shed that i don't like this guy i'm also sort of finding it hard to shed the fear of he'll be viewed through a different lens wearing red and white versus the the black and white stripes of english newcastle you know yes yeah yeah and they're and they're charming and i'll look at them up there and it's such a lovely story always, Newcastle.

1:25:15What I wasn't aware of is that people get going, but of course he'll add to Arsenal's passing range and I'll go, was he doing that as well? I never noticed and I was so angry at him every time I watched him play. I was like watching him kick and drag and stuff like that that I wasn't aware that he was playing 10-yard passes very well and that apparently that's part of his game. This is why I'm not doing analysis on any major channel. But I wasn't aware that he will increase our spectrum, from our rainbow of passes in midfield. Yeah, no, I think he is a very good player as well as being a massive prick.

1:25:48That is, you know, that's the way it goes with him. I want to take you back because obviously we scratched a very long itch in May, 22 years without winning the title. And, you know, we're of an age where we remember titles in the past, but we've never waited necessarily that long. What was your experience of finding out that Arsenal had finally won it? Were you, you were touring at the time? Were you on stage or anything? I was in a bar watching, I was watching in a bar with friends and we jumped around a lot there and I think I went back to the house and opened a wine I was keeping for a child's graduation there.

1:26:22And I thought this was more important and it was grand, it was very nice and it wasn't, you know. But I mean, I'll just replace that with something else, they won't know. And we went through the game, game by game, which I thought was a very nice thing to do. we went through and we went through every match from August and how we'd, you know, and oh, and then we beat them and then we lost them and then we went through it every single match while drinking a very fine wine. But the, so I was there for it as such. I didn't, I didn't get to Crystal Palace. I didn't get, I got to the last home game.

1:26:50I had great hopes the last home game would be the one in which we did and instead it was that incredibly nervy 1-0. I was at the 3-0 where we suddenly remembered how to play football and then our stadium was like, was it in Brighton, wasn't it? Fulham. We were 3-0 up at half time and we all walked in at half time going I forgot we could do this, I forgot this is a thing that we did and I thought the whole thing was, I thought it was incredible it was amazing, I took great joy from it I also, I have a pet theory that we with all of us who talk about this stuff, take the mental side way more seriously than they do.

1:27:26I think that the process, I don't mean the process sorry that became a cliche, but like the linking of passes, the knowing where your teammates they're going to be, all the stuff that they train to do is actually a bigger factor in a way that we don't know. And so, credit towards you, where Wayne only went, no Arsenal are definitely going to win the league because if you've seen their fixtures their fixtures are better and they will get 15 points in their fixtures and City will not. Whereas next room, Joe Hart was going, but what a spine. I want a team they have City, you know, that's what I'd want to have in this situation.

1:27:55This is bullshit because I don't think they see it the way we see it. I don't think footballers think about football the way that we think about football. I don't think there is tied to it. I don't think there is. And I don't think they go on the rack as much as we do because they go back to work and they keep doing drills. And, OK, well, SAC will be here when I do this. And they do that. And then they work and then they do. Oh, sometimes they don't work. But like, where's we're like going, oh, but it's all inside them and their heads. And I think we talk that up too much. I think it's what drives this whole industry.

1:28:27It's probably not as big a deal. And somebody football should come in and go, you guys go on a lot about, A lot of shit, really. Yeah, I mean, the Michel Marino thing was quite interesting. When he was out and he was talking about the West Ham game, away from home, and the review, you know, after review, et cetera, et cetera. And he was saying, because he was at home and because he was injured and he couldn't play, he said, now I know what it feels like to be a fan. Like, you're terrified of what's going on. But on the pitch, he said, this is just part of what's going on. And you're so enmeshed in what's happening in the game that it doesn't really like strike fear deep into your bowels like it did with us.

1:29:12Every single one of us watching that was just like petrified. Yeah, yeah. I think the amount of it over the years is that if Sesc would be out and we would go, oh, this is it. And the old say is like, we're going to lose. And then we win 3-0. Because it turns out the 11 people are also professional footballers who've been trained to a very high level and they're able to play the game. mentally if we'd done our mentality Sherlock we'd never win anything because the whole mood of the stage would go no, no we're done and the other way they're going no I can still run and kick we can still do all this stuff like we're trained to do this but you are on a different you're tied to a rack in a way that they are not at all I also think that they probably think quite differently about transfers and stuff as well I mean we're talking you know Moneyball is quite interesting it's the only film a piece of art that I've ever covered is going into somebody going, no, you're leaving this club and going to another club.

1:30:02And like it's sad, but that's part of the reality of what you do as a professional sportsman. And it might just be that, whereas we're going, oh, but what will we do when we release our identity and our DNA? Like whatever you're going, it's not that at all. They're just used to bouncing around from workplace to workplace. Yeah, it's business. Like we do at our jobs. Like we do at our jobs all the time. But we invest it with so much of a thing. So I also think, for example, why I think this matters now, for example, is that I'm not ready for the season. Because of a six, seven week World Cup, I haven't had my palate cleansing summer of women's athletics or Tour de France or, you know, ideally an Olympics or something that is not Arsenal and not the Premier League.

1:30:45And it's back too soon. It's always back too soon to a certain extent, but it's definitely back too soon this year. Whereas watching on Sunday, oh no, they're fine. They're great. They're prepared. They seeming. They seem in good shape. Yeah. We've got a good big squad. Is there a particular player this season that you're looking forward to seeing? Oh, Diamond. Diamond, obviously. But in that kind of... It's interesting. Is this Diamond's... I'm just going to go crazy and do whatever I want season before he has to knuckle down and learn the structures? You know the way there's one great... Why can't he play at this forever?

1:31:19You know, the Ox had it. Rooney had it, I suppose, that year. And then they have to learn to... we work within the system there and it's lovely to watch them though for that one year of like, oh, throw him on, he'll just, or has he already done that when he ran through against Everton? Yeah, seeing what that is now and seeing, you know, because we're expectation, expectation, expectation with all our reservations because you're 15. So, is 16? So my wife goes, he's a child. Why is there a child playing? There are grown men on the field. Why is there a child playing football with the grown men? And you're going, ah, but he's very talented.

1:31:54but it is a fair point he is just a fucking child like yeah yeah is he going to be is he suddenly now going to be when does he become the player we think he is like whatever or is our head suit spun by Yamal and all that that we expect too much from a 16 year old the yeah maybe we do but it's still exciting isn't it you know it's the most exciting it's honestly it's more exciting than Solis great looks fantastic I mean what you know goal involvement in every match of the pre-season which is great you can't ask really more for a guy just popping in. So he looks really, really fun. But Dowling is just like this.

1:32:29There's no ceiling. And that's the great sense of there are no stats. There's no transfer marked for Dowling. For Dowling, sorry. He's just infinity above him. He can be anything. Well, that's it. Yeah, it's that sort of, if you're giving yourself over like intellectually and emotionally to something like football, you kind of have to say, my head says you shouldn't ask too much of a 16-year-old, but your heart is like well why the fuck not see what he can do you know just give him a lash let's put him on any time we take any lead like even particularly like a two-go lead just fling him on just go for it let's see if he'll go crazy and then just keep they already do it they already just keep giving him the ball which is hilarious they just go it's like 28 year olds going no you take it you do it you do a thing with it so that'll be great whoever we get in I think he's still going to get somebody on the left hand side so that's interesting Well, that's what I was going to ask you next.

1:33:24Like, just, you know, in terms of the squad as it stands, are you, I mean, Esri Kansa is coming in. So that's the defence sorted. Midfield could not be better. We have a lot of players for the forward line, but maybe not a player who's improved the squad massively in the forward line. Solis, I like, and I'm excited to see what he can do. But is that something you would like to see before the end of the window? Yeah, I know. I don't think Saka's back yet. I think Saka should be given a longer break. I think he's, you know, I mean, the fact that we've seen Odegaard look so fresh and look so bright.

1:33:57That was what Saka, we forget how Saka was at as well. And he's just played so much football. It's ridiculous. So I think he needs more of a break. Maduecki remains a great enigma of what is he? Giocares, when that thing I'm doing with Barcelona looking at Giocares, you're kind of going, I would, you know. I'm not going to drive him to the airport. but like I would I'd help him with his bags maybe I'm not again entirely and he now doesn't have the oh I can't wait to see him on the ball because we know what that is so yeah that's what I'm sure and I also think I think we're going to sell Zubim Mendy I presume that's the out I think that's you know I can see Real Madrid coming in for him because they need a midfielder now they've looked at him in the past and you know he paled towards the end of the season and we've got two players now ahead of him that we weren't the case.

1:34:51So I can see if we have to raise money, that's where I would presume we go. But no, it's not there yet. It's not finished. So, you know, plenty for us to rail about and whine about. Of course, until the transfer window closes and then we wait for the next transfer window to open and we do all the same things again. Yeah, yeah. And because you're out from Bournemouth, he'll be injured anymore. We'll buy that kid from Bournemouth. Croopy, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. So we'll do for that. Do you know what I'm also looking forward to doing is I might watch the pep documentary because I'm presuming we're like a silent presence in the second half of that.

1:35:27Because presumably it's about the last two years, so there must be two years. And who's the greater, his ex-wife or us, who's the greater malevolent off-screen force? There's a clip doing the rounds this morning of like the dressing room post Bournemouth game when they've lost and they all sort of traipse into the dressing room. And there's that dude, Kuzinov, right, who looks like the cartoon character Droopy. He sort of looks like him. He's got this, like, he always looks like he's on the verge of tears. But somehow he looks like he's even more on the verge of tears. And Guardiola comes in and they're all sitting there distraught.

1:36:08And he says, oh, I'm very happy, you know, with all of you. I'm looking forward to next season, whatever. and I just can imagine Arsenal fans sitting there like this is sort of some kind of footballing porn hub that they're looking at you know it's just hook it to my veins shall we just run that again run that I'm already planning to exit this conversation and find that clip that is so yeah I mean just that thought of us because I even I don't think that we're not even mentioned it doesn't show any footage of it doesn't know anything at all we're just there just I mean It is one of the great jokes that we beat them with him in charge was a huge thing.

1:36:45Yeah. I beat him with Rodri there, beat him with Bernardo Silva there, beat him all those things, beat him, you know, Ryan Cherky. But yeah, beat him with all of them there. And that was that added to it, I think. No. Had he bailed, much like the Marino thing was unfinished. And that really drove me insane. God love him and his wife. There you go. That's very sad. God, yeah, yeah. I mean, there's no idea of him going into a dressing room and saying it like whatever. Yeah. It's a bit awks. and it's a bit like, okay, sorry. But us being there just as a thing that, yeah, that's true. It's a little bit of icing on the cake that we've already eaten in the sense that this documentary was clearly going to be, let's say, Pep's farewell.

1:37:27We're going to document his triumphant farewell. So not only have we ruined it for Pep and ruined it for Manchester City, we've ruined it for Amazon as well. And they can definitely go fuck themselves too in the grand scheme of things, especially now that they're getting involved in Liverpool. Yeah, well, my last tour show, Recreation, is actually on Amazon. Okay, well, you can keep quiet on this. They've got very little advertising budgets, but it's there, so it's a really, really good show. So rather than, say, watching the last episode of the Winner Buster Voss, the one that I've never watched, the 3-0 defeat to Spurs one, watch Recreation instead.

1:37:59It's great. It's good. It's a good show. Okay, perfect, perfect, perfect. Yeah, it takes all sorts. Final thing, then. Give me, like, a hot take or a prediction for the new season, whether it's about Arsenal or the Premier League or how it's all going to play out across the world between August and May. It'll be overwrought. It'll be overanalyzed. There'll be too much madness that'll happen. I don't know. I'm weirdly optimistic. I'm really serene going into it because I think there's going to be things going wrong at all of them. Obviously, we'll have bad moments as well, but honestly, I think we could.

1:38:34And it's very difficult to retain and I can't even do a full sentence of it. so clearly I'm not that committed to the idea but yeah it looks very very good so yeah I'm going to enjoy it because it's like monkey off the back so you can actually enjoy it without it being this ridiculous thing stuff like I couldn't really fully enjoy the madness of Chelsea used to make a little circle around the ball

1:39:02that deserved more as what was that with the referee in the middle Was it Maresco? No it was Liam Rossignor It was Rossignor or Rossignor depending on which pronunciation which remember the family is you're asking to pronounce it but the fact that they do that the fact that the ref is in the middle with looking up sideways at the camera that it sounded like that please that'd be that please can we have the circus back that'd be great that'd be nice More of that and Arsenal retaining the title I think and Arsenal retaining but look don't quickly fuck me don't quickly don't like you know I used to back in like 2002 early early years yeah yeah please yeah I'd like to enjoy May for once alright listen I'll let you enjoy the rest of your holiday thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us today and we'll catch up during the season hopefully yes nos vemos luego it's a pleasure good luck for 22 years the old Arsenal artillery has lain silent and dormant gathering dust gathering doubt but this season has lit the fuse.

1:40:07After 22 years of gloom, it's about to go boom! The Arsenal cannon fires again! 22 years of wait. Arsenal roar like it's 2004. Thank you very much indeed to Amy, to Alfie, to Laura, to Andrew and to Dara. Hope you enjoyed those conversations. looking ahead to the new season. Bit of a Martin Odegaard flavour, a running theme, you might say, but I don't think it's unreasonable to suggest that if we get a good season for Martin Odegaard, our chances of winning things are increased. But let's hope, obviously, that he's not the only one to have a cracking season. There's plenty of talent in this Arsenal squad, and I'm sure there are going to be some players who really step up and deliver at key moments.

1:40:59So, a lot of talk about the new season. Not necessarily specific to tomorrow night, because we're going to do that over on Patreon. As we do before every Premier League game and Champions League game and many of the Cup games as well, we do a preview podcast for our Patreon members. It is one of the benefits you have if you're an Arseblog member on Patreon. So a little later this afternoon, after we've heard from Mikel Arteta, whose press conference I think is at about 1.30 on Thursday, we will be looking ahead to the Coventry game. We'll also be looking ahead more broadly to the Premier League in general because we also do a podcast called The 30, which is a Premier League roundup podcast.

1:41:38So we're going to do a combo preview pod with a The 30 preview, looking at many of the teams in the Premier League, who's done what, what changes are happening, how much of a threat they might be, maybe some predictions about what might happen in the Premier League this season. So if you want to get involved with that, as well as join our Fantasy Football League, the deadline for that, it's only open to our Patreon members because there's cash prizes involved, a thousand euros for our top prize. If you want to get involved in that and get all the extra content and support everything that we do on Arseblog, you can go to patreon.com forward slash Arseblog.

1:42:15That's patreon.com forward slash Arseblog. The deadline, by the way, for the Fantasy League, which I was trying to get out earlier, is tomorrow at 6.30, 90 minutes before our game against commentary. That's it. That is the cutoff point. In the interest of fairness, we have to be very strict about that. So you've got to be involved by 6.30 tomorrow evening. $6 a month is all it costs, plus VAT or sales tax, if that is applicable where you live. But$6 a month gives you instant access to everything, as well as entry into our fantasy football league. The final thing I want to mention today is a rather wonderful website called theartettaepic.com.

1:42:52It's put together by Colm, who is an Arsenal fan, and he's the guy who makes the Stats Zone app for iOS. So if you've used that, you will know what kind of stuff you're going to get. Basically, it looks at the entire Mikel Arteta era at Arsenal from a statistical point of view. Lots of player stats and data visualizations. There's stuff you can download and print out as well. It's an incredibly detailed and well put together piece of work. The ArtetaEpic.com. You'll find a link in the show notes. And if you use the code ARSEBLOG50 at checkout, you get 50 % off the$9.99 price as it stands. That price is going up, I think, on Friday.

1:43:35So if you want to get in and get it for just a fiver, go to theartettaepic.com, use the code ARSEBLOG50 at checkout. And as I said, there will be a link in the show notes. Okay, let's leave it there for now. The madness is about to begin again. And we want to thank you as always for being here, for being part of it, for listening, for downloading, for subscribing, for sharing all of the things that you have done over the years that we've been doing this podcast. Let's hope it's another great season ahead. We're looking forward to sharing it with you for all the chats that we have on the Arse Cast and the Arse Cast Extra, of course, which you can join myself and James for on Monday.

1:44:11For now, though, folks, buckle up. Here we go. Take it easy and we will catch you on the next one. Until then, cheers. Bye bye.

1:44:32I'm out.

1:44:52you

1:45:24Welcome back to Holy God FM and that was a track from the new Phoebe Bridgers album. We love her here. God, has anyone ever made feeling happy, sad, depressed so melodic? It's time now though for the mailbag and we have a letter here from somebody who calls themselves Anonymous YouTuber and they say Dear Holy God FM, I am at my wit's end and I don't know what to do. After Arsenal lost to Manchester City last season, I spent my entire savings on 25 ,000 bridesmaids dresses with the Arsenal logo on it. On top of that, I sold a space on my gigantic forehead to tattoo Second Again, sponsored by a prediction crypto market.

1:46:15Now, these bridesmaids dresses are worthless And the contract I entered into with those crypto guys Means I cannot change or modify the tattoo for five years My wife has left me She's taken the kids And I don't know what to do You're my only hope Please give me some solid advice to help me through this difficult time Well, anonymous YouTuber Uber, the message of God is about forgiveness. But in this case, you brought it all on yourself, you stupid fucking twat. Perhaps if you'd had a modicum of self-respect and self-awareness and not made an eejit of yourself screaming into a camera for likes and pitiful subscriptions, your life would probably be in a better place.

1:47:06Now though, you have to live with your choices. but to give you a glimpse of hope, an optimism, a bit of light at the end of the tunnel. Just remember that in five years' time, you can have that tattoo modified to one that just reads, Cunt. Now though on Holy God FM, it's a new feature. It's poetry time with Pep Guardiola. Over to you, Pep. Thank you. I am so, so happy to be here. This is my poem is called retirement