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S1-E107 : Refereeing and a big night in Europe!
16 Plays1 month ago
Join the team on today's episode as they discuss all things regarding last weeks and tonight's champions league fixtures, as well as having a serious discussion about the state of match officiating.
Host : Josh Vince
Guests : Joshua Duncan, Jamie Patterson, Craig Matthews
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Transcript
Introduction to the Daily Arsenal Podcast
00:00:00
Jamie
You You
00:00:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello, hello, hello, and welcome to the Daily Arsenal Podcast, brought to you as part of the Global Sports Podcast Network. It's Wednesday, and that means Wild Card Wednesday, but there's only one thing we really want to focus on today. Well, there's two things, but there's one thing we really want to focus on, and one thing we kind of have to.
Champions League Highlights
00:00:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're going to be talking later about the Champions League, about the results from last week, about our win against Dina Wozlegreb, and a few other results, our upcoming fixture against Gerona as well. But we're going to start...
Refereeing and Its Challenges
00:00:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
as we said yesterday by talking about refereeing. Now before we start I want to caveat this episode by making something crystal clear. Referees are humans and any threats against them are absurd and frankly disgusting.
00:00:47
Josh D
See.
00:00:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
They make mistakes and that is the nature of football. But with such a heavy spotlight on them, we're going to talk about it and we're going to criticize them as we criticize players. It's part of the game we love. But in no way at all do we condone threats of or any violence towards those officiating the game we all love because the stuff that's come out against Michael Oliver.
00:01:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
since the Arsenal game has been horrific. like It's been really unpleasant and unfortunately it's becoming a bit of a feature of the game. But we are going to talk about refereeing because as I say, it's part of the game and we need to talk about it because it's a big part. A lot of this um first section is is kind of inspired by an article in The Athletic actually. It's by Charlie Eccleshire. It's called, is there a conspiracy against Arsenal? Probably not, but the feeling is real.
VAR: Friend or Foe?
00:01:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
So first of all, what I want to start with is the quality of on-field refereeing at the moment, where we feel that is. um I mean, Charlie and is ah in his piece mentions that since the introduction of VAR in 2019, referees have become central characters, largely to the game's detriment. Jamie, in terms of like refereeing standards that we see in games, how do you feel it's going at the moment?
00:02:08
Jamie
Do we, do you want me to talk about Arsenal specifically or are we generalizing here?
00:02:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah Arsenal specifically, you can generalise however you feel you want to talk about refereeing at the moment.
00:02:15
Jamie
i To be honest with you, right. Speaking about Arsenal specifically, I mentioned it on yesterday's podcast, it's consistency. You know, that's all we ever asked for. We, that's all we ever want. We want consistency, but unfortunately we've got VAR for a offer reason, you know,
00:02:37
Jamie
you would think the referee that's, you know, on the pitch would communicate with VAR and, you know, and you would come to a fair, you know, you would come to a solid agreement. Now look, what happened the other day, what happened on that Saturday against Wolves with Miles Liskelli was just absurd, beyond absurd. And again,
00:03:02
Jamie
The fact the footage is not going to be released to the public, it's not even been, I don't know if it's been, if it's going to ever get released to the media, but that kind of, the thing is, I think the reason why they've not put published it to the media is simply because there must be something behind it.
00:03:15
Craig matthews
Thank you.
00:03:22
Jamie
There's got to be something behind it where maybe they've acknowledged a mistake and maybe they've not come out with it yet. I don't want to just conspiracise here, but but um I am but um it's just with Arsenal, we we have been hard done by with refereeing decisions and look and it's not that Arsenal have been subjected to it but look other teams have been subjected to it you know We're not just, it's it's not an easy subject to talk about when it comes to referring, but the thing is we ask for consistency and then you have VAR for a reason.
00:03:59
Jamie
Let's use it properly. You know, there's a reason why a decision might take a little bit longer, but if it's done correctly, it is done correctly.
00:04:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:04:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I have to agree with you. And kind of following up with that, Josh, I'd love to get your opinion on this section of the article. So it's a little bit of a chunk, but I'd love to get your opinion and your reaction to this.
Inconsistencies in Refereeing
00:04:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
So Charlie writes, Howard Webb on his match officials' Mike Dutt program on Sky Sports said in 2023 that Michael Oliver did not want to send did not want to send off Kovacic against Arsenal, you remember when he should have been sent off for that straight red, because he doesn't want to have a negative impact on the game by overreacting.
00:04:33
Josh D
Yeah.
00:04:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, comments like that are undermined the next time Oliver sent someone off for a relatively minor offense, especially since Webb also said that Kovacic was very fortunate not to be sent off. On Saturday in the Arsenal game, Gomez avoided a straight red well for what looked like a worse tackle than the one that got Lewis Skelly sent off. Apparently, there's always a justification. What do you make of that in the sense of not wanting to overreact, but referees having to come out and say these things, which then ultimately undermines what he did on Saturday?
00:05:08
Josh D
I think it's stupid. um Honestly, i think I think that statement is really stupid. There's no overreaction. It's just what's the rules of the game when you follow the rules of the game. It's that simple. you know If you need help with the rules of the game because you made a mistake.
00:05:20
Josh D
That's what I was there for. And again, we're all human. We all make mistakes. If I was to get in trouble or get death threats for having mistakes, I'd probably be dead by now.
00:05:32
Josh D
So yeah, we don't condone those things. But no, I think that's just stupid. You're there to ref the game fair, wherever you think it is.
00:05:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. Hmm.
00:05:41
Josh D
And if you're not doing it fair, or you think you've made a decision, we need to understand why you've made that decision. You know, like with with VAR, you know, um it's been around for six years now, right?
00:05:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Six years according to this, yeah.
00:05:51
Josh D
Six years now, OK? And since it's first been implemented and to now, it's not going any better.
00:05:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:05:58
Josh D
You know, I mean, was it two seasons ago when they forgot to draw the lines? All right, they put their hand up for that one. But how could you be in the studio and you forgot to do something that you're, you know, you're in the VAR room, you're literally waiting to make, you know, for the decision to come so you can look at and do it properly.
00:06:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh god, yeah.
00:06:14
Josh D
So you forgot to do that. And then the the offside one of I think was with Liverpool last season and Tottenham.
00:06:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
oh god yeah
00:06:20
Jamie
Oh, yeah.
00:06:20
Josh D
that was I think that was probably the worst mistake ever. That was that was that one by far. you know it's it's is Every week, there's did I don't remember a week here where we didn't have a referee decision that was not questionable before.
00:06:34
Josh D
I don't know if you saw the Rangers one as well with the the red card.
00:06:36
Jamie
I think I did partly.
00:06:38
Josh D
and I don't know if anyone got a chance to see it.
00:06:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah No, and I haven't seen it yet.
00:06:42
Jamie
Yeah, yeah it was under United Rangers.
00:06:42
Josh D
Dundee and as I think it was Dundee, United and Rangers, it was apparently it was a straight red.
00:06:45
Craig matthews
Mm hmm.
00:06:48
Josh D
I think he it wasn't really a slap. It wasn't really a slap. I think the guy would kind of fell and lost his balance.
00:06:53
Jamie
No.
00:06:55
Josh D
But it was a straight red and you know the the manager, right so he he came on and just said, look, I don't understand how that's a red.
00:06:58
Jamie
Hmm.
00:07:03
Josh D
VAR is not the problem, it's the people running VAR.
00:07:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:07:08
Josh D
And they keep making excuses on why they keep getting things wrong.
00:07:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like you say, it's a job that they're paid to do. If I turned up i work in a bar if i turned up for work and just started pouring beer all over the floor, i <unk>d I'd get sacked.
00:07:22
Craig matthews
Yeah.
00:07:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Or if I started just throwing cocktails at people, I'd get sacked for not doing my job properly.
00:07:27
Jamie
Okay.
00:07:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
in the VAR room, and it is specifically the VAR room because people make mistakes. And we've said it so many times, VAR's there to correct these mistakes.
00:07:33
Josh D
Yeah.
00:07:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's what it's there for.
00:07:37
Jamie
Yeah.
00:07:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
But if they're not doing that, they're not doing their job properly. um ah Craig, something that he mentions as well in this article. is that Obviously, as we mentioned, since VAR, it's constant. it's There's a new story every week about a decision that goes wrong. And he argues that if we got rid of VAR and heard less from referees about their decisions, it would be better. Do you think it's better to hear from referees about their decisions and have to explain their decisions? Or would you rather just not hear their descriptions and then just sort of have an equilibrium?
00:08:11
Craig matthews
Often people hear their decisions, they think they understand what they saw in the game. that Obviously, I just said that that they're not... um they're human and they don't make human error.
00:08:22
Craig matthews
All of us are human, we all make error sometimes. So you would love to think that you've got the option to explain, wait a minute, certainly you could either say yes or do you agree to it? Yes, or do you agree to it? No. But what if I have to say it could be for running or not?
00:08:35
Craig matthews
You know, like in the Premier League, the Premier League is the only league that has a problem as well. Other leagues, you don't have no issue as well. Italian league, French league, only the Premier League has an issue as well. I don't know if you guys have noticed that or
00:08:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, yeah, it's it's like a Champions League, isn't it?
00:08:47
Jamie
It's just a very good point you make.
00:08:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Champions League, there's no problems.
00:08:51
Josh D
Yeah.
00:08:52
Craig matthews
That's what I'm saying. Even even euro euros or even the went well. They've got everything correct. One player did a bad challenge in in the game and they got a red card. that They ah said the ref was there to check the video. Red card.
00:09:05
Craig matthews
so
00:09:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think there was there was one mistake they acknowledged which was in the Germany-Spain game wasn't it I think I can't remember exactly what the decision was but that was literally it and that was three games of football being played every day like it was there's an insane amount of football being played um now Michael Oliver has had a lot of stick from Arsenal fans and some of it has been very violent which as we've said already we don't contend but
00:09:09
Craig matthews
So... Yeah.
00:09:12
Jamie
Yeah.
00:09:15
Craig matthews
Hmm.
00:09:15
Jamie
Huh.
00:09:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
He has got a track record with Arsenal. So let's i'll read you a little bit from this article. Arsenal's history of the referee who sent off Lewis Skelly is a factor. On the same ground three years ago, Oliver sent off Gabriel Martinelli for two yellow card offences in the same passage of play.
00:09:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
I still think that was bonkers.
00:09:48
Jamie
Yeah, so do I
00:09:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
I can't believe he gave it two yellows in the same patch of the play. um It was also Oliver who dismissed Leandro Trossard for a second yellow against Man City in September for kicking the ball away, having opted not to send Kovacic off when the two sides met last season for one tackle that could have been a straight red and another that looked like a nailed on second yellow.
00:09:58
Jamie
and like
00:10:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Jamie, I mean, we don't want to add fire to this and make things worse for Michael, but it doesn't look great, does it?
00:10:16
Jamie
no it really doesn't and the thing is right as you've just mentioned you've not mentioned like you haven't mentioned that he's done it in another game where it's not arsenal it's it's the fact that it is arsenal and the thing is again referees are human the thing but my my thing is though is where does that line come with being human
00:10:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:10:47
Jamie
and then having an agenda because
00:10:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:10:52
Jamie
some Arsenal, you know, some fans, football fans have even questioned referees saying, look, you know, I've seen so and so it, um you know, support a Premier League team.
00:11:05
Jamie
And obviously, therefore, they might want their Premier League team to do better. But again, we don't want to go too deep into it. But again, it for me, the the line is kind of, you know, being human and then also having that agenda.
00:11:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:11:20
Jamie
towards maybe a certain team you know it's it's not great and you know ah it does actually kind of concern me that the next time that Oliver may referee an Arsenal game it might just concern me to see how that game kind of ends up as well
00:11:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, he could, you know, do something in favour
00:11:37
Craig matthews
So.
00:11:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
of us, which obviously for us as Arsenal fans would be great, but it would not be a fair game, or he'd feel the pressure to maintain a consistency on his ah sort of like stance against Arsenal in that sense.
00:11:52
Jamie
ah Another concern I do have is, we've we've got Man City this weekend, we've got ah so we've still got a couple of big teams still left to play.
00:11:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah
00:12:01
Jamie
What's the likelihood that he referees a big Arsenal game or another Arsenal game and scrutiny then comes under from that game?
00:12:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
The pressure on him will be massive.
00:12:14
Jamie
especially if it's i not And I hate to say it, especially if it's at the Emirates as well.
Refereeing: Incompetence or Agenda?
00:12:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, he'll get a lot of stick there. I mean, the article ultimately argues that it's not an agenda, it's incompetence.
00:12:19
Jamie
Yeah.
00:12:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I almost think that's worse. British refereeing should be better. You know, English refereeing should be better.
00:12:30
Jamie
ah As I've said before, as i've said before you you look at maybe the previous World Cups and the previous euros we've had, we've not had an English referee for God knows how long.
00:12:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's the best league in the world.
00:12:43
Jamie
I mean, the last time I can probably remember an English referee would probably be as far as maybe, I don't know, maybe Craig might know this, but I was thinking 2010.
00:12:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oliver's done it recently.
00:12:52
Josh D
Yeah, yeah, you did the final.
00:12:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
um yeah
00:12:55
Josh D
You did the final, yeah.
00:12:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
oliver's done oliver's done a few recently yeah
00:12:56
Josh D
You did the final.
00:12:58
Jamie
Ah.
00:12:58
Josh D
no
00:12:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah um So obviously that was quite heavy in terms of looking at refereeing the UK and sort of the problems that we have around it. I wanted to switch it slightly. What yeah what are, in all of your opinions, the biggest refereeing mistakes that have ever been made?
00:13:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because I've got a little list of them here and some of them are hilarious. Josh mentioned earlier the Liverpool Spurs offside, which was shocking. Did any others jump to any of your minds, any of the refereeing decisions, which was just gone and just...
00:13:22
Josh D
Yeah. Oh yeah.
00:13:26
Jamie
Oh, there's one already.
00:13:26
Josh D
um no um
00:13:26
Craig matthews
um ah A lot. I got a fan.
00:13:28
Josh D
I've got one.
00:13:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
All right, God, hit us with one, Josh.
00:13:32
Josh D
You've got a few. There's one, there's there's one of the, you know, the Karen Gibbs one where he should have got sent off.
00:13:36
Jamie
Oh, that my one.
00:13:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah yeah as but still
00:13:38
Craig matthews
Yeah.
00:13:38
Josh D
I think that's the worst one.
00:13:40
Jamie
That was my one.
00:13:42
Josh D
And um I think it was, in the was it in the World Cup where the guy he booked the player three times?
00:13:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:13:47
Jamie
Yeah.
00:13:48
Josh D
yeah it but I can't remember who who it was.
00:13:48
Craig matthews
yeah
00:13:50
Josh D
He booked them three times and then it's just like he didn't realise.
00:13:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah I feel like it was a Dutch player, possibly.
00:13:55
Josh D
Yeah, yes yeah, yeah.
00:13:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, a Dutch player.
00:13:56
Craig matthews
Yeah.
00:13:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
He managed to book him three times.
00:13:57
Jamie
Yeah.
00:13:58
Josh D
Yeah.
00:13:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Remarkable. And honest, the Kieran Gibbs, Ochsler Chamberlain confusion. like I would never forget that.
00:14:05
Craig matthews
hey
00:14:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was one of the most bizarre things I've ever watched. And the shotgun, their face as well was beautiful. What about you, Craig? Have you got any others that jumped to mind?
00:14:16
Craig matthews
After they re-affered that one on Lomberg, the fourth season of the 50-game Old Trafford, when Ulumba was through on goal, so I just knocked him out of the way. No red card, no, nothing, just play on.
00:14:31
Josh D
I remember that.
00:14:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Just, yeah, shocking.
00:14:33
Josh D
Yeah. And that old chapter, wasn't it?
00:14:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Disgraceful. At Old Trafford, yeah.
00:14:36
Josh D
Yeah, yeah.
00:14:36
Craig matthews
Even the Bannistero one actually caught when he stamped on his knee.
00:14:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:40
Craig matthews
I don't know if you saw that, remember that one.
00:14:40
Josh D
Yeah.
00:14:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. Yeah.
00:14:43
Craig matthews
There's a lot in that game, there's a lot of red cards. Garen knows him in St. Louis, where he did to Reyes as well.
00:14:50
Josh D
Oh, yeah.
00:14:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh um my god, yeah, that was brutal.
00:14:51
Craig matthews
perfect
00:14:52
Josh D
Yeah.
00:14:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
God, that was a rough game, man.
00:14:53
Josh D
Yeah.
00:14:53
Craig matthews
but
00:14:54
Josh D
yeah
00:14:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
What about you, Jamie? Have you got any others?
00:14:56
Jamie
Do you know what for me it was the Kieran Gibbs one that
00:14:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:15:01
Jamie
shocking. Absolutely shocking. And I remember I think the next time Arsenal were on TV, they'd done a promo around, I think it might've been another Arsenal Chelsea game and they'd done a promo around like, ah the whole Kieran Gibbs and, and, and Oxlade Chamberlain.
00:15:16
Jamie
This is too funny.
00:15:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Wasn't it like, this is Kieran, this is Alex? um The one that a couple of others jumped to mind for me, the hand of God, obviously, like arguably one of the most insane ones.
00:15:26
Josh D
Oh, yeah.
00:15:27
Jamie
Oh yeah.
00:15:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
um The Lampard Ghost Goal in the South Africa World Cup and also now I mainly know because one of my old managers is Irish and would because I'm an Arsenal fan he hated me for this.
00:15:32
Jamie
Oh yeah.
00:15:33
Josh D
Oh, yeah.
00:15:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Henry's and handball against Ireland to knock Ireland out of World Cup qualifying.
00:15:45
Jamie
Of course, yeah. Of course.
00:15:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
But yeah those are those are our big ones. If you can think of any others add them in the comments please we'd love to have a look at them. um That's it on refereeing, because that was quite a heavy and intense little chat that we had there. A little bit of levity towards the end. We're going to have a little break. We're going to hear a message from our partners at Zencast. And when we come back, we're going to talk about last week's European results. We're going to talk about ours and a couple of other choice ones as well. I wonder if you can guess what they're going to be. We'll be back just after this break.
00:16:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
and welcome back to the Daily Arsenal Podcast. We're talking now about the Champions League and there is only Josh, one place to start.
Champions League Recaps
00:16:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
The Estadio, the Sport, Lisboa and Benfica, where Benfica and Barcelona played out an absolute classic for the ages. Benfica 4, Barcelona 5. Did you manage to catch much of this game?
00:17:16
Josh D
Yeah, watch I watched a bit of the game. I think, essentially, I think he forgot what sport he was playing, you know.
00:17:20
Jamie
yeah literally yeah yeah
00:17:21
Josh D
It was more like a DVD. It's like J.B.O. like clothesline from hell or something, you know. Like, I don't know what he was trying to do. i
00:17:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
it was very w wwesque wasn't it
00:17:30
Josh D
Yeah, he took his own player as well.
00:17:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
So he yeah, he he rushed out of goal to try and close the player down, completely missed it, and wiped Arruo out. Just completely wiped Arruo out, like nowhere near him at all.
00:17:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then Arruo as well was involved in one of the weirdest own goals I have, ah no, was it, wait, was it him or would did it come off Raffinia's head?
00:17:51
Jamie
Coles, yeah.
00:17:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
I can't remember.
00:17:56
Jamie
No, it came off Raphina's head, sorry.
00:17:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Came off Raffinia's head.
00:17:58
Josh D
Yeah. who Yeah.
00:17:59
Jamie
Yeah.
00:17:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Barca's scoring one of the
00:18:01
Jamie
I mean, even the commentary, even the commentary team, like the camera didn't even pan to like the goalkeeper kicking it out. Like the next minute they were like, Oh, it's in the net.
00:18:12
Jamie
That that's one of the most bizarre goals Rafini will ever score in his career. ah I mean, I watched the whole game and I mean, wow. I mean, it was, I mean, me and my girlfriend, we kind of said it.
00:18:24
Jamie
We, it was just a comedy of ever is really, wasn't it?
00:18:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Brilliant game to watch.
00:18:29
Jamie
It was.
00:18:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, ah from a neutral perspective, one of the best games I've watched in a long time.
00:18:32
Jamie
Yes, absolutely.
00:18:34
Josh D
yeah
00:18:34
Jamie
yeah
00:18:34
Josh D
yeah
00:18:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
But my word, it was chaotic.
00:18:37
Jamie
It was.
00:18:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Craig, obviously, we we do obviously have to talk about Arsenal as well. 3-0 victors at home over Dino Ozagreb. Goals for Declan Rice, Kai Havitts and Martin Erdogan.
00:18:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Obviously it was last week, it was a little while ago, but what did you make of the performance that we put in against the Croatian side?
00:18:56
Craig matthews
So let's go more goals.
00:18:58
Josh D
Yeah. Yeah.
00:19:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Blunt and to the point, I mean, you've got a very good point.
00:19:05
Craig matthews
Yeah, we did.
00:19:05
Josh D
but
00:19:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, we dominated the game, didn't we?
00:19:10
Craig matthews
Honestly, we did. In the first off office goal, the office goal was the first goal. We ended up in the second and third and fourth. We could have killed it off at half time. Then you could have rested some players as well. But the more it was just games.
00:19:20
Craig matthews
I think it was one up to the 70th minute? 70th, 70th, 70th, 70th.
00:19:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
66th minute, Havert's got his go, yeah.
00:19:24
Craig matthews
Yeah.
00:19:25
Jamie
Yeah.
00:19:25
Craig matthews
yeah So it was very... And they hadn't played the game for almost two months, or months before they played the game for the Loops.
00:19:32
Jamie
Yeah.
00:19:34
Craig matthews
So wish that we should have peppered them. We didn't peppered them at all, so...
00:19:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:19:38
Craig matthews
Yeah.
00:19:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's kind of the Arsenal tale, isn't it Craig? 17 shots, 4 on target. It's just same old, same old, isn't it?
00:19:47
Craig matthews
Yeah. Say more last note.
00:19:49
Jamie
I mean, to be honest with you, I was at the gamer i was at the game last week.
00:19:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:49
Craig matthews
Nope.
00:19:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
You were, weren't you JV?
00:19:54
Jamie
ah
00:19:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes!
00:19:55
Josh D
yeah.
00:19:56
Jamie
I mean, I, I kind of, I kind of put a score prediction down of like four nil. Um, and I think my mate, he said it would be like three, one.
00:20:07
Jamie
We, we thought we were going to be in for goals, but to be honest with you, habits had his chances just could not take them again.
00:20:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
What?
00:20:17
Jamie
And, you know, I just sat there and I was like, you've, JD's lit here.
00:20:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
He changed, he's got it right here.
00:20:23
Jamie
ah ladies this is right now because he's loving this but um seriously look seriously you know he had chances he could have scored more than the one you know the the chances were there sterling could have had a few um but to be honest with you i i'm gonna speak about this um the one thing i did not like from the game now one thing i do appreciate right is when a team like Zargreg, they come to London, they bring an atmosphere, they bring a noise with them.
00:20:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, it was incredible, wasn't it?
00:20:56
Jamie
And I and i said and i said this um in my vlog. I said, look, credit due to where it's due, Zargreg came in full voice. that you know I was sitting above them and they were in full voice regardless.
00:21:11
Jamie
The one thing I didn't appreciate was whenever Arsenal took a corner, especially in the first half where the Zargreg fans were sitting, a lot of plastic cups were thrown in that
00:21:13
Josh D
but
00:21:20
Jamie
were thrown in their direction um just in general their their fans i weren't really too pleased with their fans because there was a lot of armed police around they did cause quite a bit of trouble they even ripped out some of the seats as well now i don't know again if
00:21:31
Josh D
Oh,
00:21:36
Josh D
wow.
00:21:36
Craig matthews
wall
00:21:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Wow.
00:21:37
Jamie
Yeah, I don't know if like they're going to get investigated for it, but the thing is, and and even there was a point where they started even throwing cups at us in the upper tier. And you know, the thing is like at the end of the day, look, credit you where it's due. I like, I like away teams that come and bring an atmosphere, but to start ripping out seats and to start throwing plastic cups up.
00:22:00
Jamie
The fans at the home fans and at the players was was just really out of order. I mean, there was a point where police were running up the aisles and having to like take fans out of the stadium. It was, you know, it may, you know, on the pitch, it may not have been as as like glamorous, but, you know, in the in the stands, it was ah quite chaotic.
00:22:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
It sounds almost quite uncomfortable.
00:22:25
Jamie
I mean it wasn't great having to see fans get dragged out and you know to see the armed police come out because the thing is I kind of said it to my mate but you know if English if you know say if this was at their ground in Croatia and we started kicking off like that oh you wouldn't you wouldn't hear the end of it you know and and that's that that is the sad thing you know the end of the day you you go to a football game you want to enjoy that football game you don't want it to really be overshadowed by what's going on in the crowd i mean luckily you know despite the 3-0 win and after the winning it's a good thing that what the Zagreb fans didn't do uh overshadowed the game the one thing i'm disappointed with is the fact that you Wayford have not kind of
00:22:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:23:10
Jamie
ah you know, seen what had happened or maybe even dealt with what's happened, unfortunately.
00:23:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, they do have a bit of a reputation in the Zygrav fans. I'm glad you made it out in one piece Jamie. That's the main thing.
00:23:22
Jamie
ha Yeah, of course.
00:23:22
Craig matthews
hundred
00:23:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Some of the other...
00:23:23
Josh D
Sounds like a football factory.
Arsenal's Performance Review
00:23:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, there were some other so some other big results on the over the two days as well.
00:23:26
Jamie
but but
00:23:26
Josh D
yeah
00:23:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Atalanta beating Sturmgras 5-0. Monaco beating Villa, 1-0 as well. Brici Dortmund losing to Bologna. That was a big one there.
00:23:38
Jamie
That's jock.
00:23:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Celtic confirming their place in the knockout stages by beating young boys 1-0.
00:23:44
Jamie
Yes.
00:23:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Firenord beating Bayern Munich 3-0.
00:23:47
Jamie
Shocking.
00:23:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Incredible result for Firenord, who I think had 20% possession in that game.
00:23:49
Craig matthews
Thank you very much.
00:23:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
but Let's be honest boys, we're Arsenal fans.
00:23:58
Jamie
yeah
00:23:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's only one game that we took, well we took joy out of Arsenal winning, there's another game we took real joy out of.
00:24:05
Jamie
ah
00:24:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mr Duncan at the Parc de Prance Paris Saint-Germain 4 Manchester City 2. Now, from what I can understand, I didn't watch the game. You could have just watched the second half because there were six goals in it. I saw the goals coming through for City. They scored the first two and I thought, oh right, there's just going to be a cakewalk. Have you seen the highlights of it by any chance this game?
00:24:30
Josh D
Yeah, you you know, you touched on the last podcast, you said I see the back and forth. They're still not right for me. They're still got a bit of they did they're still finding their feet, but they're still they're still they've got there's a lot of work there. I don't i don't know what what's going on. And maybe it's Rodry. I don't know. But and they they they yeah they really played a shock. I mean, honestly, I don't know what they're doing.
00:24:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, to ship four goals, let's let's have a look. So they scored, Paris Saint-Germain scored their first one in 56 minutes. They scored in the 56th, the 60th, the 78th, and the 93rd.
00:25:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, it's a complete capitulation, isn't it?
00:25:07
Josh D
Yeah, it is.
00:25:08
Jamie
Mm.
00:25:09
Josh D
I mean, you don't do that at that level on the Champions League level. I don't i all i know on a bad run of a couple of games, but I just don't get why they're just you know so poor.
00:25:20
Josh D
like This is not the city that we saw last season.
00:25:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm.
00:25:23
Josh D
Knowing there, defensively, like they're really bad.
00:25:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:25:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
They're really poor.
00:25:28
Craig matthews
I think, I think, I think they're aging, they're aging team now, they're aging, all their players are getting older now, very older now. Obviously there's the ship called Walker to AC Milan, but I don't think their players are in the mid 30s or 30 plus.
00:25:38
Jamie
Yeah.
00:25:41
Craig matthews
So they have to kind of weed them off eventually and get younger players, younger, the hungrier players.
00:25:46
Jamie
Kind of, it does kind of explain also why they've now started to like look at like Marmoosh, the guy that they brought from lawns as well.
00:25:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
uh the defender is that oh i cannot remember his name to save my life i'm gonna i'm gonna do some
00:25:57
Jamie
ah Yeah.
00:26:01
Jamie
I can't pronounce his name, but You know, I can see now city must be sitting there thinking, right, we need to start looking to the future a little bit. Um, you know, you, I think one of you's touched on it in the last podcast, Macatee as well.
00:26:15
Jamie
You know, he's starting to slowly find his get a game a little bit. Um, but I dread to imagine what they're going to be like next season.
00:26:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, Khushinov, the defender.
00:26:25
Jamie
I really dread to imagine what they're going to be like next season.
00:26:27
Craig matthews
of Yeah.
00:26:27
Jamie
and
00:26:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. And um the last thing I want to mention about that game, and um we're going to ask you Craig, because you're quite knowledgeable about football in general, Bradley Barcola for Paris Saint-Germain.
00:26:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
My God, that guy looks good.
00:26:42
Craig matthews
could It could you could be an Mbappe replacement. in PSG because they obviously they what they're doing in PSG now they're not they're trying to bring in more of home ground French players into their team so they're trying to do this they're not trying to buy the superstars that they used to do in the past like the name mask or the message of this world they're trying to build it from French from the those different French rival clubs and buy their up on common talent but this kid is very talented well late to him a couple weeks ago when they were going to get rid of um
00:26:53
Josh D
Yeah.
00:27:12
Craig matthews
They were going to get rid of him. We're linked to him for weeks because we're going to go for him.
00:27:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do you know what, I did ah a solo podcast a couple of weeks ago about potential forward options.
00:27:18
Craig matthews
And I think he looks dangerous on that left wing.
00:27:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
I would kill for this kid.
00:27:29
Craig matthews
No, he's good.
00:27:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
He looks fan fantastic.
00:27:31
Jamie
is really good.
00:27:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
22 years old, 15 goals for Paris Saint-Germain so far in the season and a half. Like he's, he's, he's the proper deal. He is very much the proper deal. And like you say, he's being compared to sort of like,
00:27:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mbappe, he's also been ah compared to Ronaldo and Aubameyang, actually, sort of like having that a direct running style.
00:27:50
Jamie
Wow.
00:27:52
Craig matthews
if if if If you compare Dembele and him, if Dembele was more disciplined, he could have been ri been the level of what he should be doing right now of what he hasn't really shown enough in his career to be fair.
00:27:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, all gone.
00:28:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Don't believe he's a weird story of football, isn't he Josh? He's a weird player.
00:28:18
Josh D
Yeah. Yeah. He's got so much talent there. He's just, I don't know what's wrong with him. I don't know if he just, he can't get his act together. I mean, he just, the talent's there, but the discipline and everything just, just not there.
00:28:30
Josh D
You know, he's just the consistency as well. There's days where I've seen this guy play amazingly well.
00:28:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mmm.
00:28:36
Josh D
And there's days where, you know, he's like a shell of himself. I don't get it.
00:28:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
He has the potential to be god-like and he can turn it on, but then he just disappears for half a season.
00:28:44
Josh D
Yeah. Yeah.
00:28:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
A very odd player. Anyway, that's enough looking back.
00:28:49
Craig matthews
Mm.
00:28:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're gonna take a very short break and then we're gonna have a short little section at the end of today's podcast where we discuss our final opponents in the Champions League, Girona. We'll be back just after this.
00:29:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
And welcome back to this final part of the Daily Arsenal
Upcoming Arsenal vs. Girona Match
00:29:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
podcast. We are here now talking about our opponents for this evening in the final Champions League League stage game thing.
00:29:48
Jamie
league phase yeah no
00:29:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah Yeah, you can't really call it the group stage anymore, can you? It's the Champions League League stage, which doesn't flow as well as the Champions League group stage.
00:29:50
Josh D
Thanks.
00:29:56
Jamie
yeah
00:29:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Jamie, we're up against Girona FC. Now Girona, they are part of the City Football Club. as it seems half the teams in the bloody world are at the moment. um They finished third last season. They had a really, really good season last season. It's probably their best season in several, several years. um Any idea on who their top goal scorer is currently in all competitions?
00:30:23
Jamie
No, I couldn't think.
00:30:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Exspers Brian Gill.
00:30:28
Jamie
Oh yeah, Brian Gill, yeah.
00:30:30
Josh D
Oh wow.
00:30:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Brian Gill, yes. However, I'm not that concerned because in 26 games, okay, he's their top goal scorer, he has scored four.
00:30:42
Jamie
Oh, right.
00:30:42
Josh D
Oh wow.
00:30:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
So they have not had a great season so far. They're sitting an eighth in La Liga. They're nowhere near where they were at last year. How are you feeling going into this one?
00:30:51
Jamie
um Yeah, feeling quite good to be honest. I think with Girona at the minute, I think the balance of obviously playing the Champions League and obviously trying to balance like the La Liga, I just don't think it's unfortunately worked out too well for them. um But going into this game, ah since now, we've pretty much secured qualification.
00:31:15
Jamie
I would try and think of resting place because we've got city over the weekend. So, you know what? I mean, I'd put Neto, I'd give Neto a run out in goal.
00:31:26
Jamie
I mean, we've brought him on loan for a reason. JD is kind of giving me that look to say like, hold on a minute, what are you on about?
00:31:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah
00:31:33
Jamie
um ah I would, with this team, I mean, with Arsenal, I would maybe try and go for the same approach that we did in the last game, but I would try and be a bit more, I'd try and rest certain certain players for this game, because with City coming up, especially at the Emirates, you would want players fit, ready and raring to go.
00:31:57
Craig matthews
No.
00:31:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's as an interesting point. Craig seems to be agreeing with you. I mean, we've got 16 points so far from seven games. We've drawn one, lost one and won five.
00:32:06
Jamie
I'm pretty sure the highest we could finish is is second if I'm right.
00:32:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah
00:32:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah We could finish second if Barcelona lose.
00:32:13
Jamie
Depending.
00:32:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
If Barcelona lose and we win, we could finish second. There is a chance that we wouldn't make automatic qualification, but a team like, well, actually, so it's Brest, Lille, Feyenoord, Monaco, and Villa are the ones who could knock us off our perch.
00:32:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
They've each got a goal difference of five, three, two, two, and two, as is 12.
00:32:38
Jamie
Oh, please don't do...
00:32:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
So it would have to be a bit of a disaster for us not to finish in the top eight.
00:32:41
Jamie
Please don't do something over at the other park, please!
00:32:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Craig who would you like to see rested? I mean obviously Jamie's suggesting David Ryer much to Josh's shock and horror Who would you like to see rested Craig potentially in this game because it is a game where we can we we've basically qualified in the best position possible and who would you play at left back?
00:32:51
Jamie
yeah
00:33:00
Craig matthews
All risk
00:33:10
Craig matthews
It's scary because it's banned for the league games, so that's what I was going for.
00:33:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:33:15
Jamie
Do you know what, I'm surprised we haven't appealed it.
00:33:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
eight
00:33:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think there's a talk that there is potential for an appeal, but it's just not been forthcoming just as of yet, necessarily. um Josh, with third in the Champions League league table, like at the start of the season, obviously it's a new format. No one really knew how it was going to work or anything like that. Did you see us doing this well in the European tournament?
00:33:41
Josh D
um no i don't think i'll be third i've got to say i think this whole concept of the leaving i think it's bloody stupid if you ask me you know i mean if
00:33:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
a
00:33:49
Craig matthews
so
00:33:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
like on
00:33:52
Josh D
No, but you know what I mean? but It's like, imagine, and I said this before as well, you could have teams on the same points, right? And just goal difference makes a difference. Like, and it's like, it will affect like five or 16.
00:34:04
Josh D
If it's like two or three teams, fair enough, right? But five or 16 on goal difference or on a league format to qualify from the knockout stages and to alternate qualification. That's, that doesn't make any sense to me.
00:34:15
Josh D
I don't know about you guys, it doesn't make any sense.
00:34:16
Jamie
But JD, do you not like the concept of like seeing ah a city who are battling that, who are going into like a final match day and PSG that are going into a final match day, knowing that they need to win?
00:34:28
Jamie
Like, do you not like the fact that maybe like a team like breast, for example, I mean, whoever thought breast would be in the position they're in, do you know what I mean? Like, I do get where you're coming from with that, with the whole, you know,
00:34:35
Josh D
the
00:34:41
Jamie
phase of, um you know, I get where you're coming from with like the goal difference, but would you not think that maybe, you know, it kind of is a ah small positive for the likes of breast and even a villa. I mean, whoever thought villa would be in the position they're in now.
00:34:59
Josh D
I mean, I don't want to see breasts in the next stage. You know, i I don't know any of the effect. I don't want to see them. but did I don't look at that team and think, oh, breasts versus, I villa.
00:35:09
Josh D
That's the entity. I'm going to watch the game. I'm not watching that game. You know, I understand what you're saying. It does give other teams a chance, really. It really, truly see just been really shocking.
00:35:20
Josh D
and they If they won their games and really been winning positions, they wouldn't be in this in this in this place, you know.
00:35:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
i been yeah
00:35:22
Jamie
Hmm.
00:35:25
Josh D
I don't like it. I mean, I get it. There's more games. There's more exciting games. I get from that concept. But I think having a league like this, it doesn't fit. Maybe some, maybe the age of growing. I don't I don't I don't like it.
00:35:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
I do kind of get where you're coming from. I mean, if if you're talking about the goal difference, there's one, two, there's six teams on 13 points, and there's five teams on 12 points. So
00:35:49
Josh D
That's stupid.
00:35:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's there's a lot to play for but at the moment like these these clubs have qualified Monaco fire Nord Leal breast Celtic all of those teams are gonna be in a knockout stage of a champion's age which for them is massive
00:35:51
Jamie
Wow.
00:36:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I just, I've enjoyed the unpredictability of it. I've enjoyed kind of the chaos of it. And the fact that all of the final games are going to be played at the same time tonight, you know, it's, it's kind of, kind of exciting, you know, it's kind of, kind of cool.
00:36:20
Jamie
Yeah.
00:36:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
The final thing I want to say, oh, go on Jamie, go on Jamie.
00:36:26
Jamie
Oh, go on. I was going to say, will you guys be like, will you guys say, like, have one game on the tail end, just like one game on the laptop, since they're all being paid simultaneously?
00:36:38
Josh D
Probably not.
00:36:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
i'm I might, I might hijack my bar and put three different games on at the same time and see if how many we can get on.
00:36:45
Jamie
Great idea.
00:36:45
Josh D
fifth
00:36:47
Jamie
Great idea.
00:36:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, the last thing that I want to say, as Jamie alluded to, Manchester City are currently not in the knockout stage.
Manchester City vs. Club Bruges Preview
00:36:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
They are just below an eight points and they are playing club Bruges next up.
00:37:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now you'd imagine club Bruges You know, a Belgian team, they're a good team, but should be they should be beating them. Club Bruges haven't lost in 15 games.
00:37:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
They are unbeaten in 15.
00:37:12
Craig matthews
Wow.
00:37:13
Josh D
wow
00:37:13
Jamie
But is that in the league? Is that in the league though?
00:37:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
That is it in all competitions.
00:37:16
Jamie
Or is that in all competitions?
00:37:19
Josh D
Wow.
00:37:20
Craig matthews
ah
00:37:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Their last defeat was against Milan in the Champions League, and that was the 22nd of October.
00:37:21
Jamie
Wow.
00:37:28
Jamie
Wow.
00:37:28
Josh D
Wow.
00:37:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:37:30
Josh D
So good stat to be fair.
00:37:31
Jamie
That is a good sound.
00:37:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's a really good stat.
00:37:32
Craig matthews
yeah
00:37:32
Jamie
Wow.
00:37:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
And so I don't think it's a foregone conclusion the city are going to beat them. And what an end of January treat that would be for us all.
00:37:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
watching City get knocked out of the Champions League.
00:37:46
Josh D
it
00:37:51
Jamie
Mm.
00:37:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
And on that bombshell, we're going to end it for today. Thank you all so much for listening. I've been your host, Josh Vince. Today with Jamie Patterson, Craig Matthews, and Joshua Duncan. ah Be sure to join us tomorrow.
00:38:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
We'll be hoping to do a crossover with the Manchester City team themselves ah for the upcoming game on Saturday, which is it's a bit of a big one. but You know, big teams play small teams all the time, so I'm sure we'll be fine against them.
00:38:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
and Until then, have a wonderful day from us here at the Daily Arsenal Podcast. Goodbye.