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Daily Arsenal - S1-E123 : IMMEDIATE REACTION! Champions League Fixtures Revealed
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In a slightly later edition of the Daily Arsenal podcast, Josh sits down to react to the Champions League draw, as well as results accross the week and a quick look forward to our fixture against West Ham!
Host : Josh Vince
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Transcript
Champions League Draw Reaction
00:00:09
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 Friday, it's actually, actually Friday that I'm recording this. We're bringing you a slightly later edition of the Daily Arsenal podcast. It will be ah publishing immediately after I record this, because...
00:00:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
The Champions League draw has been made. So it's a very quick emergency reaction podcast and a very, very brief look forward to West Ham. So it won't be the longest podcast you've ever heard, but we've got some important news to bring you.
00:00:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
First of all, I'm your host, Josh Vince. Thank you very, very much for joining me for today's episode. And let's cut to the chase, okay?
Arsenal's Knockout Path and Key Fixtures
00:00:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Arsenal made it through the Champions League about a month ago.
00:00:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
We all know this. Finished within the top eight. And the draw for the knockout stages for the last 16 has been made. And my, oh my, what a set of draws it is.
00:01:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
First of all, we have the current leaders in the Premier League facing off against the current leaders of Ligue 1. PSG against Liverpool.
00:01:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now that is going to be a fascinating fixture. A new, vibrant, young PSG side against the Liverpool side who have been utterly dominant recently.
00:01:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
But, you know, slipping form a little bit. i mean, they slipped against Aston Villa, which was very, very nice to see from an Arsenal perspective. We just have to definitely beat West Ham at the weekend now. And obviously Liverpool have got City on the weekend too. So, you know, it this title race could open up, but I'm going to come to that a little bit later anyway.
00:01:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Another really interesting tie, Real Madrid against Atletico. It is the Madrid derby in the last 16. That will not be one
Impact of Bellingham's Absence and PSG vs Liverpool
00:01:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
to miss. You want to watch that because it's going to get fiery.
00:01:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's get very intense. Also, Jude Bellingham will not be playing in that first game because he got, um yeah I think he stacked up too many yellow cards in the previous stages. Also, by the way, Liverpool's reward for finishing top of the table is drawing PSG.
00:02:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's a bit rough. Over two legs. Dortmund versus Lille as well. You kind of look at that result and see Dortmund should be going
Knockout Matchups and Predictions
00:02:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
through because their Champions League form has been better much better than their domestic form.
00:02:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Club Bruges against Aston Villa. Bruges pulled off some interesting results, which we'll look at in just a little bit after we have our first break in this podcast. That was a really interesting fixture. Bayern Munich against Bayern Leverkusen.
00:02:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
A little bit, you in a sense, I'm a little bit disappointed that Madrid and Atletico and Bayern are playing each other because in the Champions League, you like to see teams being drawn that aren't necessarily of from the same country.
00:02:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
And actually, as it turns out, it's, I mean, in terms of the progression of the tournament, There's something that we have to bear in mind quite strongly there.
00:03:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah We'll go through the other draws quickly before we get to that. Benfica versus his Barcelona. I like that one because Benfica showed some real, real grit and determination to get through to this stage. And Barca, you know, Barca have had wobbles recently. So Benfica could be, they could be a surprise upset there.
00:03:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Feyenoord versus Inter Milan. Now, for those who have been listening carefully to the Daily Arsenal podcast, that means this is our seed pick. This is where we were involved in the pick. Feyenoord versus Inter Milan. We could have played either of those two teams.
00:03:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Those teams going up against each other, obviously Feyenoord miraculously. and ahant Miraculously is wrong word. They played very, very well against AC Milan, knocking them out. Inter now, they've got a second Milan team in a row.
00:03:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Can they knock them both out? That would be a hell of a story.
Arsenal's Challenging Bracket: Final Predictions
00:03:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
And the last announced fixture, PSV Eindhoven against Arsenal. Now, PSV are a formidable side.
00:03:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
They are not to be taken lightly. As I said in, I think it was actually a solo podcast I might have done last week, PSV are the team that worries me the most.
00:04:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's a few reasons for this. They're naturally determined, like they're a very good side going forward. They have a plethora of dangerous attacking players. I mean, if we just look at their statistics right now in all competitions, they have one, two, three, four, five, six, seven players who all have over 10 goal contributions.
00:04:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Pepe has 16. Luke De Jong, 18. Malik Tillman, 13. Bakayoko, 11. Saibari, 18. Gus Teal, 15.
00:04:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Noah Lang, 16. sixteen They are a high-scoring side. Now, they're coming up against us, of course, who have a very, very intense and strong defence. But there is something we can take a little bit of joy at.
00:04:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
They've only lost six games all season, okay? um And they've played about 32 games. However... They've only kept eight clean sheets. Now, eight clean sheets is not great. And when you come up against us, who, yeah, don't get me wrong, we have some big problems with injuries. Our first game against these is going to be the 4th of March. I think it's a bit early for Martinelli and Saka to be back. ah I mean, reports are saying possibly April now for both of them.
00:05:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
But if we can find some form and some goal-scoring form, eight clean sheets is exciting. So we will be playing PSV Eindhoven. I think it's on the 4th. I think it's the 4th or the fifth of March that we'll be playing. And now, that's not all we learnt.
00:05:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
We also learnt the route to the final. So we, but God, looking at this is brutal. We are in, i would say, the bracket of death.
00:05:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
We really are. We are in the same bracket. as PSG, Liverpool, Club Bruges, Aston Villa, Real, Atletico and PSV.
00:05:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
That is brutal. It is not the side of the draw you want to be on. And it also, slightly disappointingly, is the side with the three English teams left. you've got Liverpool, Villa and Arsenal there, which means if we make it to the semi-final, there is a good chance we'll play Liverpool.
00:06:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
which I mean, Arsenal-Liverpool semi-final would be insane, but it means that we're going to have to overcome them at some point, I think. And as we're getting into that part of the season, that won't be a dissimilar time to when we have to go to Anfield and beat them for the Premier League.
00:06:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
So ah obviously our game is against PSV. Whoever wins that, we're going to a quarter against either Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid. ah So either way,
00:06:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
before we take on the giants of France or the giants of England, we've got to get through one of the Madrid teams. If we get past PSV, I'm not, i keep saying, and I've said it a lot, you know, over the course of this podcast that we've done all season. and I think if we're going to win anything, it'll be the champions league.
00:07:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
The thing is, if you're going to win a competition like this, you have to beat the best. And in the draw that we have, we have to beat the best. We absolutely do. Get past PSV, get past either Real or Atletico, and then get past, I would say, probably Liverpool or Aston Villa, and then get to the final. And that final, if Arsenal make it all the way, would be against any of Feyenoord, Inter, Bayern, Bayern, Dortmund, Lille, Benfica or Barca.
00:07:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think if I was Inter Milan or Barcelona, I'd be rubbing my hands together right now because they've got them much. Barcelona especially. Barcelona-Benfica, unless Benfica pull off a bit of a shock, Barcelona will go through to the quarters. Then they've got either Dortmund or Lille. Again, you'd expect them to win that one.
00:07:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I can see Barcelona making it to the semifinals comfortably. Bayern Munich, Bayern Inter is what I'm going to guess will be the quarterfinal on the other side of the draw. That'll be an interesting game.
00:07:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do you know what? On current form, I'd say Inter probably. So there's a good chance we're going a Barca Inter semifinal. So if if I was a betting man, I would say that looking at this draw, the final, whether to say it with my head or my heart, I'm going to say it with my heart.
00:08:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
The final will be Arsenal against Inter Milan. That's going to be like my heart bet anyway. Yeah. God almighty. But we've got a lot to do to get there beforehand because Real Madrid.
00:08:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Real Madrid next, potentially. It's been a while since we've played them and they look good. Speaking of which, we're going take a quick break and we're actually going to have a very quick look back at the Champions League results, which led to this table just after this message from our partners at Bionic.
Review of Dortmund and PSG's Performances
00:09:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's right. Get what's right for you. Make sure to use that code in the description. GSPN 2025. Now, Champions League. Where to begin? My word.
00:09:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do you know what? We'll start with the slightly... like oh god The thing is, I'd say the slightly more basic games, but then what? Okay. Dortmund sporting, Dortmund won three nil away at sporting, which was a hell of a result. And then going back to Dortmund, nil, nil, a bit of a stale match, but it's exactly what Dortmund needed to get through that. So sport, but,
00:09:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Dortmund went through against Sporting with a 0-0 draw at home. Pretty standard. PSG and Brest. Now, I felt really sorry for Brest when they got pulled against PSG. Again, it's that thing, if you're in the Champions League, you want to go abroad. You want to play a different team from a different country and see what the travel's like, what the fans are like.
00:10:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
They lost 3-0 in their first leg. Brest lost 7-0 in the second leg, which she is horrific. And PSG won that over two legs with a 10-0 aggregate score. And I think I'm right in saying as well...
00:10:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
10 different goal scorers, which is lunacy. Absolute lunacy.
PSV's Triumph and Arsenal's Challenge
00:10:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, the next result as well was crazy. PSV against Juventus.
00:10:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, PSV... Obviously, this is kind of where we got we were going to get drawn against one of these teams. PSV beat Juve 4-3 in aggregate by winning 3-1 at home after extra time.
00:10:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
And they had some fascinating um player names who ended up getting the goals for them as well. And to be honest, I'm kind of glad. I don't know if I'm happy that they beat Juve or not.
00:11:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Juve still... Juve scare me, but PSV really scare me too. Like, they're no pushovers. I mean, Ivan Perisic, first of all, PSV. Who did he used to play for in the Premier League? It might have been Chelsea.
00:11:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then Sabari and then Flamingo got the final goal in the 98th minute to Juve out. So Juve losing 3-1 away there, which meant it was 4-3 overall.
00:11:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
So that's a big, big result there. the the old got it The old lady, I think it's the old lady of Italy, Juve being knocked
Surprising Outcomes: Club Bruges and Benfica
00:11:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
out. um Another surprising sort of hammering here was Club Bruges because they got picked against Atalanta. Now, Atalanta at the start of the season was sort of people's like dark horses to keep an eye on. They were defensively sound. The likes of Luckman were playing incredibly well.
00:11:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Bruges beat them five two over two legs. 5-2. That's quite a good result against a really defensive, intense side. So you've got to give it to them. like That's a remarkable result. And um I think there's been a bit of fallout with Adam Ella Lookman as well. i think he's been called out by his manager for not being particularly good at penalties, which is very harsh in the way because he's had a cracking season.
00:12:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's fallen off a little bit recently, but to go after him in the press as the manager has done is it's not good. Let's put it that way. Benfica Monaco. Crazy game.
00:12:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely bonkers. Benfica in the end going through victorious. So, you know, congratulations on to them. But in it i mean in the end, it was kind of hard to keep track of because a lot of the, it felt like a lot of the reporting companies were getting a bit mixed up with the actual score. So it was, it was one all.
00:12:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
okay, at halftime. And the aggregate score was 4-3 to Benfica. So Benfica won 1-0 away at Monaco and then three-all draw... at Benfica's stadium in Lisbon.
00:13:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I mean, it was it was a chaotic game. Absolutely chaotic. Benfica took the lead. Then Monaco drew level. Then Monaco went ahead with Ben Sigier. And then all of sudden, Benfica pulled level yet again in the 76th minute. You know, Benfica look on to get through. And then Monaco drag it back to three all on aggregate in the 81st minute. And what did Benfica do in the 84th?
00:13:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
They finish it up with Koczu. So, you know, a big game there for Benfica to get through. Now, there's a few more games we do have to talk about. This one broke my heart.
00:13:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Bayern Munich versus Celtic. Won all at the Allianz. And Celtic were so, so good. Honestly, if they had a solid striker who... I mean, you could say the same thing about Arsenal, really.
00:13:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Who could put chances away...
Celtic's Near Miss Against Bayern
00:13:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
then they would, I ah genuinely think, they would have gone through in this game because Bayern were out of sorts. They were playing poorly. Their offensive threat wasn't really there. Harry Kane went off at half-time injured.
00:14:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Kuhn, that next Bayern player, put Celtic ahead in the 63rd minute. They were on course to draw that to all in aggregate and take it to extra time. And honestly, in extra time, I think Celtic could have done it. But Schmeichel made an incredible save in the 94th minute and it spills out into the path of the defender. I'm trying to remember the defender's name.
00:14:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think it was trusty for Celtic who went to clear it and cleared it against the body of Alphonso Davis and the ball rolled in in the 94th four minute which meant the Celtic were knocked out pretty much with the last kick of the game after having been, quite frankly, brilliant. So I felt awful for them. That was that was a really tough one to watch.
00:14:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Then we had another game on Tuesday. Feyenoord beating AC, but well, drawing with AC Milan. in Italy, but beating them 2-1 on aggregate.
00:15:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
An incredible, incredible result for Feyenoord, who quite frankly, when they were pulled against AC Milan, yes, AC Milan aren't the towering giants that they were, but still, it's Milan, you know, they are no pushovers, but Feyenoord pushed through them well.
00:15:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
And a 2-1 victory overall on aggregate. Theo Hernandez getting sent off in the 51st minute for simulation, which I love. He didn't get a straight red for the simulation. He got a second Jell-O card for it.
00:15:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I love that. I absolutely love that he got that because it's about time we start doing that to players because it's a bit of a joke of how much simulation that goes on in the game. And finally... The last game in the knockout round playoffs.
00:15:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Real Madrid beating Manchester City 6-3 on aggregate. I watched this game the whole way through. And I will be honest with you, it's the worst first half of football I've ever seen Manchester City play. They were all over the place.
00:15:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mbappe ran that show. And Jude Bellingham was very influential as well. But props have to go out to Rodrigo because he was instrumental in so much of the good work the Real Madrid going forward.
00:16:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
They were actually unlucky to concede. It was Omar Mamouche with a brilliant free kick, which careered off the crossbar.
Real Madrid vs Manchester City Recap
00:16:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then Nico Gonzalez, the new signing, who I think was lucky to be on the pitch, to be honest. he was He was putting himself about in quite an unpleasant way.
00:16:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Just tucked home the rebound and was just deemed to be onside. You do have to feel for City's right-back Kushanov, though. He was put up against Vinny Jr. and he had a torrid time. He did not play well at all.
00:16:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
I feel very bad for the kid because he's yeah i think he's 20. 20 years old and he's been thrown into Manchester City's right back. And that's one, of and you know, he was cooked against Arsenal and they was cooked against Real Madrid.
00:16:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
You got to feel for the kid because he's not a bad player, but he's been, he's been thrown under the bus by Pep here a little bit. I think Pep has a lot to answer for there, quite honestly. um And that's kind of it for the Champions League.
00:16:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
So we're going to wrap up with them there. We're going to take a quick break, hear a message from our partner, Zazen Kuster. And when we come back, a quick look at West Ham and a little article from The Athletic talking about one Mikel Marino. So we'll be back just after this break.
Arsenal vs West Ham Premier League Preview
00:17:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
And welcome back to this final edition of this quick fire reaction Friday episode of the Daily Arsenal podcast. You're here with me, Josh Vince, and it's time to look now at West Ham. So West Ham are our upcoming fixture, the three o'clock. Unfortunately, that's so annoying.
00:17:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
we We could do a whole thing on the three. We might do actually a whole podcast on the three o'clock kickoffs at some point going forward. But it's three o'clock kickoff on Saturday at the Emirates. Currently, we are on an unbeaten run in the league. 15 games, which looks very, very, very good.
00:18:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
West Ham, the same cannot be said for them at the moment. I mean, the last game they lost was their last Premier League game against Brentford. In fact, in the last five Premier League games, they've won one, which is against Fulham.
00:18:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
three, two. And incidentally, that was actually, um, Potter taking his first game and he's only taken four points from those 15 available after succeeding Julian Lopetegui.
00:18:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, it's, you know, the hammers are going to have a rough time. I think I, I do agree with what I said to get to Tom on yesterday's podcast. I think we are going to struggle. I think they're going to sit in very deep and we're going to have to do some serious work to get through their defense.
00:18:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Um,
West Ham's Defensive Struggles Discussed
00:18:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
And the longer it goes on, the more that West Ham could grow into the game. But they're out with that they're without Pakitar and Kufal, and they're both very, very big players for them. Now, i was also, they've only kept four clean sheets in 25 Premier League games, which is a huge advantage for us, considering that we have limited striker options.
00:19:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
And before we get on to those striker options, do you know what? I'll do that at the end. I'll bring this up at the end. Going on to those striking options, Mikel Marino. Now, I love the inventiveness of British football fans. Like, every time you go on TikTok or on YouTube, you see Americans in particular. Shout out to all our American listeners, by the way. We love you. Thank you very much for listening.
00:19:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
ros often reacting to the chance sort of like the differences between American and British football chance I think ah the general idea I'm not obviously calling anybody out or saying that anybody's rubbish or anything like that but the general idea is that American chants are much more positive slightly more sort of like simple they go along classic anthem lines sort of like you know the classic anthems that you have sort of like marching tunes things like that Whereas British ones are brutal.
00:19:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, there's a lot about certain players who have very checkered pasts that you can find on the internet. I'm not going to say their names because we are a PG ah podcast, but they're out there.
00:20:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'll just say the first name, Stuart, and you you can do the rest. um And Arsenal fans were heard leaving to a Wham! remix. Now, this is another thing that British football fans do. We use modern songs and we add our own lyrics. So now we have Wake Me Up.
00:20:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Before you go, go, who needs a striker when you've got Marino? Now that is brilliant ingenuity at its best. I'm so sorry, by the way, for singing. um ah I promise I won't do it again.
00:20:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
jamie can Jamie can sing that next time. So... Obviously, this is now looking at Mikel Moreno. And a lot of this section of the podcast actually comes from having read Amy Lawrence's piece in The Athletic.
00:20:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Arsenal look to hone Moreno as a makeshift number nine, but can ill afford to write off Sterling. Now, the reports have come out, according to this article, that Moreno has been sort training as a forward.
00:21:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
This week, which is very encouraging because as I said to Josh earlier in the week, he's not he's definitely not who I thought would be stepping into that role, Mikhail Romina. I assume that we'd be relying on Leandro Trossard, which, as you can imagine with me, did not fill me with confidence.
00:21:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
However... it looks as
Arsenal's Striker Solutions Amid Injuries
00:21:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
though Marino is going to be stepping into that role. And I thought he looked very natural arriving into spaces. And that's something that she brings up here, you know, ah in terms of his, his natural sort of like the way he plays, he likes to arrive late into the box.
00:21:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
It would just be being a little bit more forward. And naturally when you're arriving late, you find space that normally isn't occupied by defenders. So he could be really good for getting into space and getting into goal scoring opportunities. But,
00:21:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's a few features about Arsenal's front line that he's not sort of like nailed on for, like the pressing and closing down from the front, holding his position. And he doesn't often play with his back to goal either in terms of holding up the play, which with our wide players, generally when we have Saka, Martinelli and Havertz, the hold up play is really important for Havertz to link with those two.
00:22:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
So Mourinho is going to have to get that in his in his wheelhouse. But i mean, we're going to have to rely on him because let's be honest, Leo Trossard as a false nine, he's never been particularly impressive in that sense. And Raheem Sterling is completely drained of confidence. And in this article, Amy Lawrence actually sort of makes a bit of ah a link to Willian.
00:22:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
So in the summer of 2020, we brought Willian in ah from Chelsea and we sort of, the idea was that he could get a real click out of him because he was a fast, aggressive, smart playmaker, ah quite often played out on the wing.
00:22:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, he featured a lot, but he did not impress. And Arteta seemed to be trying to play him into form. But, I mean, after a while, the exhaustion from the fans was clearly there because it was, ah she puts it this way, it felt like flogging a dead idea because it wasn't working. It wasn't paying off.
00:22:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
And after a while, I mean, Willian left one year into his three-year deal. you know and it was a pretty deflating scenario. And the fear is that Raheem Sterling could turn into a player like this. you know I mean, she says here, it would be a shock that if Sterling iferning were chosen for the weekend ahead of a midfielder who in his career has only played 21 minutes as a striker.
00:23:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mikel Marino has played 21 minutes as an attacker and at the moment is more of a sure-on bet of starting in an aggressive number nine position than Raheem Sterling, who's played there...
00:23:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
his entire career.
Potential Return of Key Arsenal Players
00:23:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
So it's it's pretty brutal stuff, but we have to keep sticking by him, I think is the key thing, because at the moment we don't have anybody else. Yes, we got Waniere and Trossard.
00:23:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I mean, it's kind of it, really. yeah I'm sure there's some youth options coming through, but they're not going to be at the level that we need them to be yet, especially when we've got PSV coming up in March.
00:23:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, she says here that reinforcements should be arriving after the international break once Saka and Martinelli are back. Obviously, there'll be more options, which is great, and should take some of the pressure off of Marino being the spearhead of the attack.
00:24:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Martinelli, I think, could be one of those players who could play down the middle. He's done it before. I actually think he might be better suited to it in this configuration that Arteta's playing with at the moment. Maybe not in the sense of being a false nine, but being a front nine and getting in behind and making runs into space, which could be assisted by Rice- Erdegaard and Marino playing balls over the top.
00:24:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think that could be a really good option for us. so But in the meantime, Sterling's going to have to get some minutes and, you know, he's going to be given chances like Willian was. And we're just going to kind of have to sit with it there.
00:24:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, it's going to be ruthless. But I mean, if Marino can carry the load, it will be a miracle. because he's he's a number eight who broke his collarbone in his first training session.
00:24:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's not had a normal ride of any player, you know. But if he carries it for Arsenal, and I mean, I think we're going to see him against West Ham starting as a number nine, then I'd love to see him score and I'd love to see him do well there, but I'm not going to get my hopes up either, which is why I think it's going to be quite a cagey 1-0 win.
00:24:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, the last thing that I'm going to bring up, sorry, i just need a quick drink of water. A lot of talking in 25 minutes sort of dries you out. That's better. Now, I was going to bring this up about four minutes ago, but we're going to do it now.
00:25:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
I was doing a little bit of research into Graham Potter on football.london, which is sort of like it's a fan sort of site for football news, things like
Arsenal Fans' Optimism for Premier League Title
00:25:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
that. Not a hugely official one, but it's really good for Arsenal content. And on it, there was a poll, which I found really interesting. I actually answered as well.
00:25:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
What percentage of chance do Arsenal have of winning the title? Now, the looks of it, it's had a few hundred people answering it. And they have options from 0-10, 10-25, so of going up in small increments.
00:25:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Not one of the options is an overwhelming winner. Because I think at the moment it's in such a frenzied state, the Premier League, which, by the way, sells it brilliantly. It's such a good league because it's so unpredictable.
00:26:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
I... i mean I mean, 18% is the highest. You've got 18%, well, 90% to 100% is 15% of the vote. Then you've 25% 40% chance of winning. That's 14% of the votes, the same the bracket just of win chance of winning that's fourteen percent of the votes the same as the bracket just under The majority of people think that it's 75% to 90% chance that Arsenal could win the title. Now, I'm pretty sure this is a London-leaning newspaper, so it's going to be more Arsenal fans.
00:26:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
But it shows that in the last couple of weeks, with Liverpool looking slightly shaky, not up to their best, and Darwin Nunes really letting me down in my predictions. But you know what? Right now, I'm not going to complain.
00:26:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Liverpool look as though they could start dropping a few points. We just need to rely on our boys to get three points at every possible opportunity. And I think that's where we're going to end it.
00:26:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
So have a wonderful weekend, everybody. Best of luck. For those of you who can watch the three o'clock kickoff, I'm very jealous. I won't be able to. I'll actually be watching West Disbury and Chilton playing this weekend at three o'clock. And then...
00:27:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
going back and watching the highlights of the Arsenal game afterwards. So have a wonderful weekend. ah Everybody stay safe, stay well. And from us at the Daily Arsenal podcast, we shall see you on Monday.
00:27:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Until then, goodbye.