Man Utd Beat Arsenal! Did Arteta PANIC? And Wayne’s PJs 'MARE!

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1:47Michael actually said to me yesterday morning, and he told me how good the players were in Sade and he felt he had to stop the session early because they were that good and he wanted to bottle it up. I think Arteta's brilliance have praised him a lot. But I think he panicked after Man United went 2-1 up. So you were just going around chatting to people in your pyjamas? Yeah, it's a full-on 10-minute conversation with Jason Wilcox in my pyjamas.

2:11Well, well, well. Second week in a row, we're going to have quite an upbeat podcast. Wayne, what a win for Manchester United again. Yeah, it was never in doubt, was it? Hold on, do you remember when you said that Carrick or whoever took the job shouldn't take it until after Arsenal and City? Yeah, but that was just a bit of my games, I think. No, listen, I think the change in Manchester United over a two-game period is incredible. So Michael and his coaches have to deserve a lot of praise for that. I think just putting an attitude into the players and a focus into the players and a togetherness into them, which, if we're honest, we didn't see.

2:55We didn't see under Ruben Amaran. And a belief. I think Manchester United went there today believing he could win the game. And I know they didn't create a whole lot of chances, but you always felt that he had a good control of the game. And especially, I thought Arsenal started well. and then when Man United won a goal down I thought the reaction that was great and then in the end I felt Man United deserved the win so no, delight, absolutely buzzing.

3:21Kae Kurd:It's amazing isn't it? Do you know what? It's what you were saying there about the belief. You could just sense the happiness amongst the players as well. They just look a lot happier the way they are on the pitch with each other and that confidence for people like Dorgou and Cunha to actually try and hit the ball from outside the box and try and go for it where I think before they would have been thinking twice and three times about it. Someone like Dorgoo, especially when Amarim was saying any time he gets the ball, there's a sense of anxiety. There didn't seem to be any anxiety when he was hitting that today.

3:51Kae Kurd:Do you know what I think there is? There's a calmness about the place. I was watching, I think everyone's seeing me at the under-18 game on Friday night. I was watching the under-16s on Saturday morning. And they were all there again. Michael Carrick was there, Steve Holland, Jason Wilcox, all the coaches were there and Sutton which you've heard me talking about a lot that connection with the academy but what I've seen then not just from Michael but the other coaches, Johnny Evans as well is a real calmness and a belief and Michael actually said to me yesterday morning he told me how good the players were in Sade and he felt he had to stop the session early because they were that good and he wanted to bottle it up and that's proven today.

4:40So no, it was an absolute incredible performance and is that the first game Arsenal have lost all season at home? Yes. Such a great win. You may have heard a voice there saying yes begrudgingly. We've got the Manchester United viewpoint from Wayne and Kay but we are also joined by Arsenal fan and content creator James Clarke. And James, thank you for coming on. Thank you for coming on to talk about a game that you probably want to park and pretend it never happened. You've heard what those guys think from an Arsenal point of view. What happened? Yeah, I think it's really interesting because you talk on the Man United side about this level of excitement and calmness.

5:18Arsenal is completely the opposite. There's such an anxiety around us at the moment. And I think that's because the closer it gets and the more pressure that's being put on it, all these actions, we're rushing actions every time we're getting in front of goal. We're snatching at it, whereas United are getting these chances and playing with excitement. and they're wanting to take these chances, whereas we're almost desperate to take these chances. And I think you can see that in our actions. And then you can also see it in the stadium. There was such an anxiety around the stadium. And roll back to 22-23, Arteta's first title challenge.

5:52You saw that excitement back in the day. Now, because there is that weight of expectation, I think we're seeing it more and more. And this is why we're probably not turning around games the way we used to. I think there was a panic today I think Arteta's brilliance have praised him a lot but I think he panicked after Man United went 2-1 up and to make the four changes at once going back to what you were saying then is I think he's panicked and rushed them changes rather than letting Arsenal try and get back into the game with the plays they had on the pitch I think he panicked with the four changes and it didn't really pay off I didn't feel so yeah I think you can see that the closer it gets to the end of the season, it's going to be a challenge, a real challenge.

6:37Arsenal, in my opinion, are still favourites to win the league, but I don't think they're going to have it all their own way.

6:43Kae Kurd:I've never seen him make four changes in a game. What do you think? Has he ever done that? I've never seen it. Yeah, I don't know. Because as Wayne says, it did kind of transmit that nervous energy that even though it was in the 55th minute, that we were desperate to win this already. I think it is also just reflective. We do have some very good players on the bench and we needed to change things up. But yeah, it didn't work out. It nearly worked out. We were two all at one point. Things were looking positive. And then you score a second unbelievable goal by Cunha. But you lot can't score from open play as well.

7:19Kae Kurd:That's a massive issue for Arsenal, I think, at the moment because you're great from set pieces. And anytime you lot got a corner, I was sort of like watching behind my hands and stuff. but when it's from open play, you don't get scared when you're playing Arsenal. It worries. It does worry me. It does worry me. And I often try and work my way around it and say it's because of this, it's because of this. But yeah, it is a huge problem. We cannot score from open play and obviously it doesn't help that teams play so, so compact against us but you've got to find solutions. And in the Champions League, we have no problem scoring from open play but in the Premier League, we just can't do it.

7:54And especially in games like today, United knew exactly what to do. Keep the centre compact. and we'll just cross and we're crossing to no one. Maguire's in the middle just heading everything out. So we seem to have lost this plan B that sometimes we used to have. I think that's any team who's top of the Premier League or trying to win the league. You know, we used to have at Man Utd teams that sit back on you all the time and make it difficult for you. And then that's why you're star players, really. They're the players who need to find space. We've found these pockets of space. and know how to play in them tight areas, which I think Arsenal have struggled a little bit this season with it, but eventually the pressure pays off.

8:39Yeah, they have scored off set pieces, but that's still part of the game. It's a big part of the game, and there always has been set pieces. So I don't think that's an issue for them. I think the main thing for Arsenal now is not to panic because I think that's two points from the last nine. if you would have given Arsenal a four-point lead at this stage of the season, then I'm sure they would have taken it. But the slight containers just the last few weeks, only picking up them two points are now. I'm sure Arteta will want to try and get the next win on the table as quick as possible. And there's no easy games in this league.

9:17We have Leeds away next. I really don't think that's going to be a walk in the park. I think this is probably, Wayne, you'll agree, you've been a big player in the dressing room during your time, is this where they need to look at their big players, their leaders, the likes of Bakayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, that they've got big roles to play now in this? And even today, did you see enough from them? I thought Saka started the game well. Yeah, I thought Arsenal actually started the game well. But I just go back to who was in that team, how many have won the Premier League? Is it just Jesus?

9:54So the experience of winning the Premier League and getting over the line is huge. And I think we've seen a couple of things recently of where you think, oh, you know, they're panicking a little bit. I think it was Declan Rice with his coach. There was one where I think Declan Rice again was coming off the pitch of Forest and was saying things. So I think we're seeing small little signs of Arsenal getting a bit agitated and a bit anxious and panicking. And when you haven't got that experience of getting over the line. That's why it's so important to have players who know how to do that. Once Arsenal do that once, I think they're capable of going on a run of winning two or three Premier Leagues in a row.

10:38But the first one is always the most difficult. Yeah, it does feel like that, doesn't it? Where do Arsenal go from here, James? You just said about Leeds. You are still four points clear. There needs to be an ambulance of realism. We saw Manchester United be so impressive against Manchester City last week as well. you were playing a team kind of on the arc? Yeah, I think we've just got to, as we've said, put that result behind us and kind of look at the situation from a whole. We're still top of the Champions League group. We've got a game midweek that is essentially meaningless. We've got a win against Kairat, but we'll be playing our second team there.

11:13So we've got a full week's worth of rest. And yeah, we're four points top of the league. So keep doing our thing. Don't get sucked in by the media storm as well, because inevitably there's going to be so much noise around that performance. Are Arsenal bottling it again? Keep doing our thing and know that the performance levels have been there for 90 % of the season. So just do our thing. I'd be tempted to go strong in the Champions League this week purely just because if you think of... I know they won against Inter Milan, but you think of the players he left out who played in the previous three Premier League games.

11:48Some of them players haven't tasted the win in the Premier League for three games. so I'd be tempted to start some of them players just to get that rhythm back and then take them off after an hour, if you like, whatever, some of them, but I'd be tempted to start them, just get that rhythm back and get them, you know, starting the game and winning. I think that'll be, that'll be obviously a tough decision because to see rest players, a lot of them have just had to rest last midweek and it didn't seem to help them today. I saw a tweet, James, that said it truly is Arsenal versus Arsenal in this title race.

12:22Is that how it feels? It's Arsenal versus Arsenal in every title race. And Man City a lot of the time. Yes, that's true. But until we get over the line, as we've all been saying, it's going to be the same thing over and over again. And I think if, and I genuinely believe when we do win the title, I think it's going to be such a weight off our shoulders. In future seasons, we're going to see a completely different Arsenal. But I think until that happens, there's just going to be this everlasting anxiety. and yeah, it's stressful, but we'll get there in the end. There's worse positions to be in, that's for sure.

12:56Four points clear at the top. A lot of other fans of teams will take it. James, thank you so much for coming on. We'll let you end the pain now. Thank you so much for coming on. Thank you for having me. See you later, guys. It felt a bit mean to keep James on while we continue talking about Man United, but I thought you guys would probably want to talk a little bit more about that. Anything else that jumped out from you, Wayne, because it did look another improved performance. What did you particularly enjoy about it? Yeah, no, I thought the whole performance actually was really good. I think Arsenal started well and were getting into dangerous areas, but didn't really look like threatening that much.

13:30And then obviously they get the first goal. But again, there was no panic and United actually responded really well to that. Arsenal, obviously the goal, and Bumont goal, a mistake. But I think they deserved it. And going into half-time, I thought, more the same, I actually felt United just hung in there. and got to the last five, ten minutes and signed Nick a win. But actually, I thought second half Man United were the better team and deserved to win. So I think it's just a follow-on from last week. Real togetherness from the players. Attitude, great working together and a belief which he felt he could win the game.

14:08I thought it was great to see. I wanted a word on Brian and Bumo because what a sign. I think we've mentioned him a few times on this pod. Big game player. Eight Premier League goals this season, nine in all competitions. and yeah, you've hit the nail on the head there.

14:20Kae Kurd:He's a big game player and I think he was missed while he was away at AFCON. I think so was Ahmed as well. But yeah, I think he's absolutely amazing. He's sort of, dare I say, in that mould of like Mohamed Salah where it may not look pretty all the time, but it's efficient and it gets the job done. And he turns up, he gets it done and he works hard, which I think Wayne's touched on it countless times. When you're a Man United player, that's like, you've got to do that all the time. and you see him working hard all the time so I'm buzzing and I think he played well today as well and what I really liked was the fact that the heads didn't drop straight after that 1-0 or the 2-2 as well obviously you could concede the second and think oh do you know what a point is not a bad point coming to Arsenal and picking up a point but actually went down with Rennes within two minutes I think it was and got the winner couldn't you So the reaction to both Arsenal goals, I felt, was really positive.

15:18Kae Kurd:But do you know why I think that comes from the manager as well, Wayne? You saw he put on people like Sesko late on. And I feel like under the previous manager, you'd have probably got a more defensive-minded player on. And I feel like Michael Carrick, to his credit, feels like any time we're in a position where we can score, he flings on a few more attacking players. Yeah well I thought it was you could see it straight after the third goal United went and actually pressed high rather than sitting back and letting Arsenal put balls into the box they went and pressed high and tried to keep the ball as far away as the penalty box as they can so no I think I think what they've done in there over the over the last two games is I don't think any any of us could have seen two wins out of two in them two fixtures but Carras has said before he went in, I'll say it again, he brings a calmness and even when the camera goes on him on the side of the pitch he's not flustered, he's not running around everywhere he's got a real calmness about him which 100 % his players will be looking across at times during the game and rather than seeing a manager running around everywhere trying to kick the ball for the players, the players have got the instructions from him he trusts them to go on the pitch and do that and I think The best B2B marketing gets wasted on the wrong people so when you want to reach the right professionals use LinkedIn ads LinkedIn has grown to a network of over 1 billion professionals including 130 million decision makers and that's where it stands apart from other ad buys You can target your buyers by job title, industry, company, role seniority, skills, company revenue so you can stop wasting budget on the wrong audience It's why LinkedIn ads generates the highest B2B return on ad spend of major ad networks.

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18:03what I really liked was that Arsenal were on top in that first half and the way they came out in that second half whatever he would have said I think he's obviously going to get loads of credit Wayne but to get a team playing so differently in that second half and to really chase the game and play the way they did whatever he said at half time they're listening to him yeah 100 % and he's probably obviously seen what how Arsenal ended the last 10-15 minutes of the first half I felt United were on top and when you have a team and you feel you're on top of them you don't want to let them off easily so he's probably felt right I'd imagine he was at the place you can see, you can compete with this team, you can win here you can go out and show that and let's be a bit more let's try and be 10 yards further up the pitch and take the ball away from them and I felt like they started the second half brilliantly

18:56Kae Kurd:Do you know what made this win even sweeter? Midweek, you said the 08 United team would absolutely batter this Arsenal team. That was such a good clip. And it's caused a whole bunch of talk online, people going, ah, no, United couldn't do that, blah, blah. And the modern day United side have just gone and beaten them. So God knows what 08 United side would have done. Yeah, well, I don't really think I need to actually explain that. I think it's quite evident. What I said there, so. Yeah, we've heaped Frason and Bumo, Cunha as well, scoring. By the way, United scored three goals from an XG of 0.49.

19:37I don't know how much you read into that. Well, that just shows what XG is, doesn't it? There you go. Thanks for just making my point irrelevant. Yeah, it shows what, no, but I think it shows what XG is sometimes. You don't always have to look at it at the data that much. It's moments in games, which, you know, Cunha's goal would have been almost zero XG, but it doesn't matter to the goal. So it's irrelevant, I feel. Yeah, and just a word on the Dorgou goal as well, by the way, because that's a special goal, isn't it, Wayne? Just how hard is it to execute a volley like that? Yeah, it's obviously, it's great technique.

20:19I think Bruno does really well just before that. I think he has a bad touch when he does well to just get the ball back to him. to Dorgou and then it's such a great finish I thought the ref was going to look on the handball but it showed it come off his hip I think it looks like it come off so what a goal unbelievable

20:38Kae Kurd:How good does he look at left wing in comparison to in defence? I think there's a big difference in all the players so you know I think he I'm sure if he played at left back he would have looked a lot better under this regime now so I think there's a big difference I thought Casemiro and Mainu were brilliant in the middle of the pitch again, two centre-backs were brilliant again, Keeper was really good so again I think you praise all the players for the performance but what they're doing they're showing a compactness, a togetherness and a grit, a real grit to dig in to games and they want to run they want to work together because when you do that you get your rewards and that's what they've done in the last two games but they've worked really hard being together and got the rewards in six points.

21:26Can't really talk about Dogwood's goal without talking about Cunha's as well. Wayne, what did you make of that one? Yeah, it was a great finish. Again, just before that, Bruno just taking an extra touch. I think he had two or three touches real calm and got the ball to Cunha. And then it's a clever finish. He used the defender to carry around the defender and gave David Ray a no chance. But where I've been really impressed with Cunha over the last two games is, of course, he'll be disappointed to be on the bench in the two games but he's come on and made a difference in both games and he got the assist for Dorgue in the City game and then a great goal today so he's come on and showed a great attitude in terms of not starting the game but to come on and try and help the team and he's done that in the best possible way today Wayne have you sent Michael a text or anything since full time?

22:15No I've just come to stay on the air I will later on but no it's you know just buzzing for them because I know how Michael works and I knew what he could have done with this team going in. I was quite vocal of that before he went in. But actually, I've heard quite a few people saying, oh, he shouldn't go for him, he shouldn't go in. I know it's only two games, but I'm just really pleased for him with the start he's made and his coach as well because his coach has been criticized as well. So to show that they can compete with the best teams in the league, which he has done over the last two games.

22:55Now, the main thing is, can you be consistent with that from now to the end of the season? It must be pretty nice as well when you hear him say things like he did ahead of this game, like you said, about the confidence and the way they're playing in training. It must be really nice for you as an ex-United player to be hearing those things coming out from the manager. Yeah, but again, you go back to the United DNA and United as a club and things you want to see. Obviously, I was there for 13 years, so things you want to see at that football club, which haven't been there for a long time. I thought it was absolutely brilliant.

23:29The other day, I was watching Kyiv, the under-18s, and you've got Sam Fletcher, the manager of the under-18s. You've got Danny in the stands, you've got the manager, the assistant manager, you've got Johnny Evans. You've got all the coaching staff all there watching the under-18s play and then again on the Saturday morning they're all there watching the under-16s play after the training session and these are all things which used to happen in the past and it makes a big difference so for me it's just I feel like many nights have took a step into getting the club back a little bit closer to where they used to be when the club was successful Okay, moving on though I'm sure you'd both like to talk about that forever for the rest of the podcast, you might want to to talk about this story as well.

24:19This week, Liverpool, of course, lost in a cracking game at Bournemouth. I was presenting that one for the Premier League and it was unbelievable. But all the news coming out of Liverpool, or noise, sorry, coming out of Liverpool, sounds like Andy Robertson could potentially be leaving the club and going to Tottenham. Now, he's been linked, hasn't he, for a little while now about potentially moving away from the club. His contract's going to be up. He did actually come on at half-time for Milos Kerkhez on the South Coast on Saturday. So, potentially, Liverpool might not let him go. But then there's reports that Simakas is going to come back as well.

24:48Firstly, Wayne, what did you think when you heard that? Is that a good move for both parties? I think if it would have happened in the summer, I think you would have said, yeah, that's a move for Robertson. Good move for Liverpool, obviously, with them bringing Kirkus in. But I think the way Kirkus has been this season, I don't think if I was Liverpool manager or part of the Liverpool board, that I'd be letting Andy Robertson go right now because they're fighting to try and get in the Champions League. And Andy Robinson would probably have a case that he should be starting for Liverpool still, purely because Kerkers has come in.