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S1-E91 : Mid Week Brentford Crossover!
14 Plays10 days ago
With a chaotic shedule this week, we bring you the first of 2 crossovers from this week, as Brentford host Arsenal, both in the Premier League, but also in the GSPN world!
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Transcript
Upcoming Brentford vs. Arsenal Match
00:00:10
Speaker
Hello and welcome to the listeners of both the Daily Brentford and the Daily Arsenal Podcast as we get together ahead of our meeting at the GTEC on Wednesday evening to complete the first round of Premier League games this season. That means I am joined by Josh from the Daily Arsenal Podcast. How are we feeling ahead of it, mate? Do you know what? Not feeling too bad. it's been It's been a weird couple of months being an Arsenal fan. I imagine being a Brentford fan as well. it And the Christmas period is just so chaotic. so And it actually, do you know what? Looking at the fixtures, it's not going to get any calmer. So I'm looking forward to it. I'm looking forward to, you know,
00:00:48
Speaker
New Year's Day sitting there very hungover watching a great game of football. Yeah it's it's strange isn't it because um obviously most teams playing on Boxing Day and again on Sunday whereas we've both Brentford and Arsenal have had a Friday game day after Boxing Day and then for some reason we're not playing until Wednesday. um Unlike obviously most of the other teams in the league but No, it's a very good time of year, I guess, um unless all your players get injured. We just happened to Brentford a couple of years in a row now around this time of year, but we'll come to that in a minute, I'm sure.
Listener Engagement and Support
00:01:24
Speaker
Just before we get going, guys, we are a brand new company, so we are looking for your support for both the Daily Brentford and the Daily Arsenal Podcasts, whether this is a five-star review and your favourite podcasting platform or a recommendation to your friends. We are very grateful for any support that we receive.
00:01:39
Speaker
So let's get into it then. In part one of the podcast we hand over to our visitors on Wednesday night and to Josh for all the Arsenal fans. out there to get the low down on Brentford ahead of the game. So with that in mind, what have
Brentford's Adaptation Without Ivan Toney
00:01:53
Speaker
you got for me? Well, thank you very much for handing over. i'm I've been looking forward to this one all day. um I guess with Brentford, there's a lot of different things sort of like to to focus on. I think the big one that this season, a lot of people were thinking about, and I imagine you've talked about it a lot already, but I'd love to get your opinion. Losing Ivan Tony in the summer was enormous. you know There's no getting away from that. He was a phenomenal player for you.
00:02:18
Speaker
And I was wondering if Wisser and Nbremo would step up. It appears they have done. How are you feeling about your front options at the moment? Yeah, well, I guess it was a it was a um slow loss of Ivan Tony because we knew that we were losing him for a long time. He was banned for a long time. So we technically did lose him for quite a while anyway, before we actually lost him. so at the start of last season, we only really had with Surin and Bumo. Obviously now we've got Igor Tiago, um who is more of an Ivan Tony profile player in terms of his size, his ability to hold hold up the ball, et cetera. But even last season, especially the start of last season, when we started without Tony, I think it's definitely a different frontline without him, but
00:03:08
Speaker
In some ways, it is a little bit more dynamic with the likes of Whissa and Abumo rotating positions. If we go with a front three, you've got the likes of Kevin Shada or Keen Lewis Potter in the past um who's come in and and and they can all rotate and it's so much more fluid, perhaps, front three. In terms of Whissa in particular, I've always preferred him playing down the middle and the fact that Ivan Tony's gone allows him to play down the middle because I think as a finisher,
00:03:37
Speaker
he's probably the best finisher we have and his goal record per 90 minutes even when Ivan Tony was around is remarkable and it's only the fact that he wasn't playing all the time when Ivan Tony was around um that we didn't see as much from him perhaps. so i wasn't too worried about it actually and when and when Tiago came in as our club record signing unfortunately he got injured in pre-season he only played a couple of games off the bench and he started one game in early December and now he's injured again. hot
00:04:11
Speaker
We haven't seen too much of him yet but an initial signs of him when he is fit is he does give us that option to go a bit longer He can hold it up, which would normally be helpful, particularly against sides like Arsenal, sides that are seen to be a lot, you know, technically better than Brentford. Obviously, we won't have that option against you guys on Wednesday. But, yeah, he offers something different. And I guess that's what we're looking for in each of the front players.
Brentford's Home vs. Away Performance
00:04:39
Speaker
They all offer something different. They all offer their own threat. And I think that makes for quite a well-rounded front line, really. So, yeah, in terms of losing Ivan Tony, I think,
00:04:49
Speaker
It was a long time in coming. We knew we we knew it was coming. um We, you know, had a practice run of playing without him when he was out for nine months anyway with the band. So um I can't say I'm too shocked that we have still managed to score goals, particularly at home and so far this season. So I think, you know, Brian and Bremo as well, he's linked with a host of top clubs um most of the time as well. So, you know, we we know his ability as well. And he's just improved every year. He certainly has been. I mean, he's been linked with us quite heavily. I know that much. I was even reading it this morning, just that, and when you know, immediately an Arsenal link because we apparently need a number nine.
00:05:28
Speaker
ah it's well um mean to be honest though he he he's more of a right sided attacker and when when i think of arsenor so you've got pakaya saker and brian and boomo is not going to be going to arsenal to overthrow him so just that that link does confuse me a bit i would i've always thought You know, maybe when Salah leaves Liverpool, maybe that's an option for Brian, you know, or Newcastle. I know I've been interested in him as well. And obviously they've got Gordon on the left, but no one really stand out on the right. So I get, I can understand those links, but I think the Arsenal links with Brian and Bumo does, does confuse me a little bit because he's not, ah he's not an out and out number nine. He doesn't normally play number nine.
00:06:08
Speaker
I mean, we had Bakaio Slacker, but we'll get onto that a little bit later. Oh dear, I love you guys as well. It's been happening everywhere, isn't it? I was just looking, I mean, a big, one of the big stories of the season is your home record. You mentioned
Thomas Frank's Premier League Success
00:06:21
Speaker
scoring at home. The home record for you has been astonishing. I'm just looking now, I can see what, one, two draws and a loss. So you've dropped what, five points at home all season. That's remarkable form.
00:06:35
Speaker
um Do you sort of lay it down to the manager? Obviously, Thomas Franks seems to have done an incredible job with you. I mean, what you came up in, came up in 2021, right from the championship and what finished 13th, 9th and 16th. It was a little bit squeaky buntime last season, but he just seems to be a constant source of really good quality football, Thomas Frank. Are the fans still happy with him or is there sort of like aspirations to be pushing on a little bit further now?
00:07:04
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. We're happy with him. I mean, I i personally never thought Brentford would get to the Premier League and he's a man that's taken us here. And, you know, even now you see every season, the teams that come up typically struggle. All three went down last year. All three are currently in the bottom three this year. So it can't be underestimated how hard it is just to make that jump. And it it seems like Brentford now have made that jump. We are quite comfortable. We would love a season in Europe. We don't want to necessarily end up like a palace, maybe, who will race 13th or 14th, but never quite have been able ah yet anyway to make to make the jump to Europe. we We would love to do that, but I'm not in a rush to do that. you know If it happens one year, it happens, and obviously I want i want it to happen. but
00:07:50
Speaker
We have pressed on, you know, a couple of years ago when we came ninth, we were only a point off Villa who got um into the Europa League, I think. So, you know, it was very, very tight. um in In terms of our home record, I mean, by contrast our away record, we only have two points away from home this season. I think i think a lot of that is down to who we've played. I think if you look at those, especially the the first five or six home games, you've got Southampton, you've got Ipswich, you know, you've got Leicester, you've got Wolves, you've got Palace. We've beaten all of them at home and we haven't played any of them away yet. So I think to a certain extent,
00:08:30
Speaker
you can explain the difference in the home and away form oh yeah i see i mean by looking at that yeah yeah you're away gain was in order were what liverpool city spurs united states yeah fullham et o bloody hell aston villa chelsea newcastle and bright okay yeah no fair enough yeahp you I mean, most teams home form is slightly better than their way forward, but I do think it will even out slightly. um yeah Hopefully from now, because obviously we face you guys on Wednesday night, I think we've got Liverpool City um in January at home. Yeah, away on Saturday we have Southampton, and then obviously our way fixtures now start to resemble the the start we had at home.
00:09:16
Speaker
I'm hoping we'll start to get some points on the road now. And I'd love it if we still get points at home. But i think I think to an extent, it's down to
Brentford's Championship Style Resurgence
00:09:23
Speaker
the games we've had. And I think the way that Thomas Frank is trying to evolve our style, especially this year, is we are trying to play a bit more football again. Like we did in the championship. In the championship, we are probably one of the best sides to watch in terms of our style of play. I think we are trying to go back towards that, more playing out from the back.
00:09:44
Speaker
probably as a result of not having Ivan Tony and also no Tiago, yeah especially against the teams that we feel that we can compete with against those lower teams. And that has worked for us. we have um We have been playing like that and we have scored lots of goals. We've also conceded quite a few goals. We've only kept two clean sheets. so ah I think that's part of just the progression in our style, whereas in the past, we've perhaps been a bit more effective sometimes against the better teams, but not not beating the teams around us because we've played maybe more long ball towards Ivan Toni, maybe more a mixed style.
00:10:18
Speaker
I do have to say, um I live in Manchester and I know a lot of City fans. Obviously they've been through the ringer a little bit recently, which has been horrible to watch. I don't know how we've all coped. um But they all say that the game on the 14th of January, you know, um away at Brentford for them, is one that they are really scared of, genuinely. Like, the home form has got a lot of teams scared. And I'm not going to lie, me a little bit as well.
00:10:46
Speaker
so Probably the last question I've got for you really, then, is what were sort of like your predictions and aspirations for Brentford coming into this season? Because realistically, I think Brentford, again, don like you say, they're a comfortable team. I probably had them a little bit lower than where they are at the moment now. But I don't know what you 11th at the moment, I think it is. We were 11th and Tom played yesterday and knocked us down to 12th. But, you know, we've got a game in hand on them. Yeah, I've got a game. the point And we'll go above your rivals again. Don't worry.
00:11:17
Speaker
and it spurs, they'll spurs it up. But being 12, really strong position by Christmas time, let's be honest, isn't it? Yeah, I mean, I guess after last season, which was the first season of the three that we had in the Premier League, where we never, we never spent a weekend in the relegation zone. We've still never been in the relegation zone, but we were a little bit closer at times in that second half of the season than we perhaps would have liked. I think that was mainly down to injuries which set in around this time last year. I hate to say it looks like it's kind of happening again. um The expectations this year were that I'm quite comfortable and I think when people are fit, when our best players are fit,
00:12:02
Speaker
I think that we can be a mid table side. I think we're too good to go down when our best players are fixed. because They proved it now over three or four years. So it doesn't necessarily surprise me that we are where we are yet. We've still played even the whole of this season and without our first choice. Fullbacks, Rico, Henry and Aaron Hickey, they've been out for over a year each now. We've not really looked at replacing them. Keen Lewis Potter has been playing at left back, who's really an attacking player. Um, so I think we've done well. I would have liked us to have prioritized the League Cup a bit more. I think the most angry podcast I've ever done on the Daily Brantford Channel was when we lost the quarterfinal against Newcastle and we rested Brian and Boomer. We rested Nathan Collins. We rested Dam's guard. He's the best player this season. ah And my thoughts are just why we are 10th or 12th in the Premier League. If we're not going to go for it now, why not? And there was every chance, you know, we we could have
00:13:01
Speaker
you know, at least given Newcastle a better game. We had just beaten them in the league a week before that with all those players playing. It just angered me a little bit that we didn't give that a go, and given that we do look quite stable and obviously the gap to the bottom and three is is quite large, particularly at the rate of the rate in which they pick up points, which isn and isn't very quickly.
00:13:20
Speaker
um these days. So yeah, but that that's the only thing I'm disappointed with. But in terms of where we are in the league, i'm I'm pretty happy.
Mid-Table Comfort and Growth Aspirations
00:13:28
Speaker
Still got the FA Cup. I mean, what, you got Plymouth in two weeks time, I think it is. Yes, yes we do. Yeah, we'll probably wrestle our players then as well, because we've got, I think, city three days later. I promised last question because we did actually mention it before. I've just remembered again, how big a loss is Mark Flecken?
00:13:44
Speaker
Well, it's it's strange because the second choice is Hakon Vaudemarsen, who's not very well known. We signed him from, I think he came from a club in Iceland. He's Icelandic. And we signed him from there in the summer. Or it might be last January, actually. um But he's not really played. He's played a couple of games in the Karabao Cup.
00:14:05
Speaker
against lower league opposition, so he wasn't really tested too much on those games because they were games that we generally dominated. um He's Iceland's number one, so the only time I've really seen him was when he kept a clean sheet against England before the Euros in England's warm-up game. He's Iceland's number one, age 23.
00:14:24
Speaker
Yeah, well, I can't think of many other, and it go keep it if I'm honest. Runnison, we had a lad, Runnison, he was... Oh, yeah. I mean, Vadimarska was definitely playing that day against England anyway. ah yeah But um yeah, even against Brighton, I think Brighton's best bet of the game came when Flecken was in goal. And then when um when the change was made, I thought we came into the game much more and we protected him quite well. So it's a little bit of an unknown, I think. We haven't seen him tested too much. And I think against Arsenal, he will be tested, it particularly from set pieces. I'm a little bit worried about, you know, maybe Arsenal getting on top of him at set pieces, targeting him a little bit, given that, you know, he is young and he's, you know, he'll be playing his second Premier League game.
00:15:10
Speaker
um But yeah, I guess we'll see is the answer to that question. It depends on how he copes. No, it'll certainly be interesting. um That's probably all I have for you. No worries. We'll go to a break now and then the tables will be turned in part two.
00:15:41
Speaker
Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform. Zencaster came out the clear winner. With 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing that automatically removes all those ums and ahs, it's easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently. If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description to learn more about Zencaster. Every club.
00:16:11
Speaker
the Global Sports Podcast Network. Hello and welcome to part two of your midweek crossover episode ahead of Brentford versus Arsenal at the GTEC on Wednesday. So in part two the tables will be turned and it is my turn to pose the all-important questions to Josh ahead of the big game. Bring it on.
Arsenal's Injury Challenges
00:16:33
Speaker
So then I guess this is something that you've been speaking about very, very recently. But the big news coming out of Arsenal recently is the injury to Pacaya Saka. I know you've had to do it already this season by adjusting things of about Odegard. And I know there's also some noise on the outside, in the media, et cetera, that Arsenal perhaps are not as effective in open play as maybe they should be, even with Pacaya Saka in the team at times. How are Arsenal looking at resolving this problem?
00:17:03
Speaker
That is an outstandingly good question. I'll be honest, as an Arsenal fan, I don't think I have the answer for you. It's been a weird season in terms of creativity and creating chances. Like you say, we lost Martin Erdegaard for a long time earlier in the season. He was out for about two months, truth be told, in the end.
00:17:22
Speaker
Fatim think might have been even been three and in that time we were sort of crowned Stoke and All FC you know going long balls and relying very very heavily on set pieces. laughing we've We've been called similar probably in the last few years the way we've been playing. Do you know what I thought it was quite it was quite a fun comparison and Tony Pulis apparently was more than happy to be linked with ah you know a pretty decent asshole side at the moment.
Arsenal Fan Frustrations
00:17:49
Speaker
it It feels very weird to be so downbeat when your team's in third place. like it it's It's a weird dichotomy, especially doing these crossovers. I've loved doing these crossovers because it's sort of like talking to people from all the different clubs. But I think inevitably, as English football fans, we're very pessimistic about our football clubs. I don't know if you feel the same about that, do you?
00:18:12
Speaker
Yeah, it's different. I get i guess Brent would have different expectations. So I'm i'm very proud and happy of where we are. um And and i I never actually thought we'd get to where we are currently. But in terms of game by game, you know, the slightest injury crisis worries me. I don't think, you know, I worry about the second choice players. um And obviously I'm going to worry ahead of a game against a team like Arsenal, because in all reality Arsenal should win this game. And I don't think that's just the pessimist at Brentford fans saying that. Yeah. I mean, Saka, as you asked, is a huge miss.
00:18:45
Speaker
We did lose him for a couple of games um earlier in the season. Trossard went over to that right-hand side and for the listeners of the Daily Arsenal podcast you'll know a despised Leandro Trossard. I just can't stand him. I don't know what it is about his face, the way he plays football, anything. He scored the winner the other night didn't he? Yeah I know but
00:19:07
Speaker
ah doesn't mean you gotta like the man. I mean, what, 17 matches played for us, four goal involvement for someone who's meant to be our best finisher, not good enough, in my opinion. But yeah. um Saka on the right hand side of the problem that we've and we've been saying on the Daily Arsenal podcast all season He has not stopped playing football for about three years. he's been He Started in almost every single Arsenal game for the last two years. He's a constant starter for England We're in European competitions now because Arteta's got us back to that competitive level He is still 23
00:19:46
Speaker
He's 23 and he's played an obscene amount of games for Arsenal. And don't get me wrong, he's probably one of the best in his position in the world. So we definitely over rely on him. But as Arsenal, we desperately need cover because I do worry a little bit about the amount that we're exposing young players to playing too much regular football. And he's definitely one
Youth Reliance and Burnout Concerns
00:20:08
Speaker
of them. So how are we going to do without him? It's going to be difficult because You're not bad defensively by any means. You've conceded a lot of goals. But I think we'll have to be we'll have to rely on our set pieces again. Gabrielle Hatrick, that's what it's going to be. Gabrielle Hatrick on corners. Probably. We'll come onto it. But we have a lot of and a lot of injuries in defense. We will come onto it in the third part of the house. But um the next question I want to ask, is is there a sense of disappointment? ask I think you might suggest there is.
00:20:40
Speaker
um given your current position after that after the fact that you were second best of city for the last two years and then the year that they go off the boil it seems that Liverpool are the ones that have taken the most initiative and obviously they' they've opened up a bit of a lead on you guys now so is there a sense of disappointment um considering that?
00:21:03
Speaker
You put that so succinctly. That is That's kind of, I was literally talking to a friend the other day. That was exactly the point I was making. We had been so close for two years pushing them so far. We were two points off them last year. Two points off the untouchable Manchester City. like Considering when Arteta came in and we were 7th and 8th, we were nowhere really near Europe. We were really struggling to find any sort of form, any sort of identity.
00:21:31
Speaker
after the vanger years like everything felt a bit adrift city were just this paragon that you would look at and go maybe one day but realistically never and then to be so close for two years it is so frustrating i can't tell you it's so bloody annoying to have come so close but i do also understand it because A lot of people were sort of saying, oh you've've you've signed like three or four left backs this summer. We didn't. We actually shipped a lot of players out of the club. So we got down to a bare-bones squad and it's a squad that's been there for a long time and a lot of them are tired. And I think, honestly, it's what we're seeing all over the Premier League, especially
00:22:13
Speaker
especially with the big clubs with players playing a lot of international football. I mean, you look at City, they've still got phenomenal players, but they are exhausted. And the injury problems that we're picking up, you've got massive injury problems at the back. We've had injury problems in all our creative areas, which has shown a complete lack of depth. so And Liverpool have just have been unbelievably lucky in the sense of no injuries, city have fallen off, and Mohammed Saleh is intent on getting the best possible contract from the Saudi Pro League that he possibly can. So he's decided to go on an absolute tear and just eviscerate the entire Premier League. I mean, they've still only lost one game, and that was to Forrest, who was second. Forrest is second, what? It's a fun year, but it's a frustrating year is my answer, I'll be honest with you.
00:23:04
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, when when you put on that, Liverpool are doing exceptionally well. and If that was City in that position, perhaps you would not be maybe as frustrated because you'd think that they're still what they always have been.
David Raya's Impact at Arsenal
00:23:16
Speaker
And, you know, you guys are just, you know, a little bit off them again, but.
00:23:20
Speaker
um Let's go to the next question because this this one's a much softer question and it's a much nicer question for both both sets of fans actually. I want to talk a little bit about David Rare because obviously he came he came from Brentford. He's very popular still amongst Brentford fans and I expect him to get a really good reception on Wednesday. Obviously this is the first time that he is playing against Brentford because last season he was only on loan at Arsenal and Ramsdale had to play the games against Brentford. I know when he initially joined Arsenal there were some questions about whether Arsenal even needed him given that Ramsdale wasn't doing terribly. um I think some Arsenal fans might have been unsure of him but from what I can see
00:24:05
Speaker
Arsenal's fans view has now changed and they're on board with it. So how do you feel about David Ria and how how do Arsenal fans feel about him? It was really weird, let's be honest. like I think as you just alluded to, when the news came out, Arsenal signing David Ria You know, Brentford's number one on loan after Ramsdale had had, frankly, let you say, an astonishing season. He'd been brilliant. I think he won save of the year for the save against Madison ah and with that free kick. He was exceptional and he was loved by the fans. A lot of us sort of looked at it as a
00:24:44
Speaker
he's it was around that time everyone was using the finest margins that was it it was all about the little margins those little things that can get you just over the line and we caught we kind of bought into it a little bit but realistically um having looked a little bit closer at the two goalkeeper's riot is an improvement He is definitely an improvement on Ramsdale. As much as I loved Ramsdale, and I kind of wish we could have kept him around, but he's too good not to be a first team goalkeeper. Probably too good for Southampton too, if I'm honest, but yeah. He definitely is too good for Southampton. Do you know, I could have seen him realistically at more of a palace. because we are Actually, even at Brentford.
00:25:26
Speaker
You know, yeah I mean, the thing is with him at Southampton, I'm guessing he'll be looking to move on if and when they get relegated. So, you know, for some stability, I guess it would be better for him to be at a club, you know, with better chance of staying up. Yeah. But David when he came in, I'd be honest, I hadn't really paid that much attention to him previously. Like I knew he was good and I knew that Brentford rated him pretty highly. But 28 year old goalkeeper at the time,
00:25:53
Speaker
Decent safe percentage, you know decent XG against. It was like, all right, fine. He's a good second choice. But I have to say in the last two years, he has seriously impressed all of us. um is His a ability to play out from the back, his calmness under pressure, and it's his goalkeeping technique I don't know how to describe it. Sporadic and scary but in a fun way. Like he's very theatrical with his saves. Yeah, he he was always prone to the odd mistake. A very high profile one as well in the playoff final against Fulham the year before we came up when we lost that one. He let in a free kick from miles out. I think he was standing a bit too far out from his goal expecting the cross. but um
00:26:36
Speaker
Yeah, he he's always had a mistake in him, but yeah, brilliant with his feet. And I think that's what stands him out um in terms of playing out. And he helped us so much in our first year in the Premier League, you know, the the link between him and Ivan Tony, he was able to, you know, put it on a six points for him. And then if we get players around Ivan Tony.
00:26:55
Speaker
then we could get forward and we get forward quickly and score goals. And yeah, it was great to have him. He's probably the best keeper that we've probably ever had. um Certainly got onto the best things that any Brentford player has probably ever gone on to that I can remember. ah So yeah, I do expect him to get a good reception. I think with Fleckert as well, I think he's grown, he's grown um in terms of Brentford fans' estimations. He got a lot of criticism when he first came in, obviously he had a big, um big shoes to fill. um But again, Fleckert ability with his feet as well.
00:27:31
Speaker
is very very good so I think we we we clearly looked at getting that replacement in you know to try and get a similar sort of style of keeper in but you know although Rare might be slightly better I don't think we really could have done much better with Flecken if we want someone of that type. That thing is very solid. He's very very solid. but I really like him as a godkeeper. One thing I will say about the Raya transfer though, I was surprised how cheap we got him.
00:27:56
Speaker
Honestly, think contract issues. I think he must, might've only had 12 or 18 months left. Sign again, the same, same with Ivan Tony. I think we ended up getting a bit more for Ivan Tony purely because he went to Saudi and they were willing to pay a bit more. But yeah, I think he was one of those who, you know, was a bit reluctant. He probably knew that bigger, bigger clubs are in for him. Yeah. Reluctant to sign a new deal. and we We wanted to make money from it. So, um, and so instead of, um, let him go for nothing, we thought we'd quite a consistent problem.
00:28:26
Speaker
um Not really. I mean, the next one to go probably would be Brian and Bummo, but he does have two or three years left still. So yeah he still has value at the moment. we we tri We traditionally won't let it get down to that to that long. um I think, again, Ivan Tony would have left the summer before um if it wasn't for the band.
00:28:48
Speaker
and And in which case, again, he would have had more value and yeah because he he would have had an extra year on his contract. But obviously there's nothing we can do um about the band and everything happened
Game Predictions and Strategies
00:28:59
Speaker
behind that. Yeah. So let's have another break then. And then we'll go into part three, where we'll give our all important predictions.
00:29:18
Speaker
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00:29:48
Speaker
So then welcome to part three of your midweek crossover episode where we give out all important predictions. However, before we do that, how do you think the game will be won or lost from your perspective on Wednesday night?
00:30:03
Speaker
Genoa, this is one of the harder ones for me to predict. um Partly because I know you said beforehand your home form has a lot to do with the teams that you've played. But you've also looked resilient. You've looked very resilient. And we are struggling creatively without Saka because the thing is we have heard a guard back now.
00:30:21
Speaker
But the key creative energy comes from the link-up play between him, Saka and Timber on the right hand side. The three of them create such intricate triangles and sort of openings of space which are just magnificent. They're what overwhelms teams.
00:30:36
Speaker
Without Saka, he's such a key part in it. The others can't match up to that. So I think I hate to say it because I'm just falling into the into the stereotype. I think set pieces are going to be huge in this game. I think Martinelli will be bombing down that left hand side, trying to get any corner that he can. And it will be big gabs and the Kelmarino in there trying to win set pieces. What about yourself from more of a Brentford perspective?
00:31:05
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, just first of all, on the set pieces, I wonder how much Brentford know about that and how he works, because obviously your set piece coach started off at Brentford. So I wonder whether we know any of his secrets. I don't know if it started with you guys. Yeah, and and the City one did, and the Chelsea one did. ah we were We were one of the first on the scene with these set piece coaches, you see. OK.
00:31:27
Speaker
And we've been working on the kickoffs this year and the long throws were quite good at. Your kickoffs are terrifying. I remember seeing them at the start of the season just being like, oh God, Brentford are here to play. Yeah, so we've done it a few more times as well after the opposition has scored, but it's not pointed out then because it's a 31st minute goal or whatever. It doesn't look anything special.
00:31:52
Speaker
It often comes you know a minute after after you score. So don't score on Wednesday or we'll have a kickoff. brings i and absolutely in fact I think you did it last season. I think you ripped us apart in one minute and got ahead last season possibly or the season before. The last season, the only goal we scored, I think the home game last season was nearly enough for ages and then have us score at the end.
00:32:17
Speaker
And then the away game at the Emirates, Ramsdale made a mistake just before half time. And you guys won 2-1 still. Havertz again, I believe. um So we just need to stop him, I think. How do I think it's going to go? no With them set pieces and stuff, Brentford have always been quite innovative. And I think that's something that's helped us as well, yeah settling into the Premier League.
00:32:37
Speaker
Um, this game in particular, it's, it's these injuries. I mean, I expect to see Vada Marston in goal, who is untested to be sent
Brentford's Defensive Challenges
00:32:48
Speaker
aback. Our only senior center back is Nathan Collins. So, um, Ethan Pinnock's injured set Vandenberg who he bought from Liverpool. yeah He could be back but he has been injured and there's every chance that he won't be back in time. um Ben Mee got injured in the Brighton game on Friday as well so he's out. um Christopher Iyer who would also place it at the back.
00:33:10
Speaker
He's injured. He's often injured, but he's injured again. a So I expect Nathan Collins that said a back and it might be um a young South Korean kid called Kim Ji Soo who came on for Ben Mee on Friday against Brighton. So he might have his first Premier League start alongside Nathan Collins. um How big is he in terms of like, you know, strength? Not very. I think I think he could do a bit of bulking out. He's only 19. So, God, that's a rough game to come in. A bit of a baptism of fire. So him and Val di Marson, you know, untested, very young. I don't think this is a great game for them to come into, if I'm really honest. Nathan Collins will be looking for him to kind of keep a hold of the back line. Mads Rostev will play it right back, who is OK.
00:34:01
Speaker
probably a championship player if I'm really honest, but, you know, he he fills in and he's not usually injured. So that's a positive, I guess. Obviously Aaron Hickey and have been out for a long time now and we haven't done enough simply to replace them. so louis Louis Potter will be at left back again, I suspect, who is actually an attacker. He's actually done okay there, to be honest. But my word you really are if you consider that as a four, that is very makeshift. And what we often like to do against the big six is we like to play at back five, but I just don't know.
00:34:35
Speaker
who you'd put in that back five considering we've only got one set of back as it is. Wow. Okay. Well, that changes my perspective slightly on the game in that case, but goodness, that is brutal. All of those defensive injuries. Yeah. I mean, we'll have Norgard and Janelle probably in in front of that back four or five. And I think they'll be even more important than ever um going into this one because You know, they've got the experience. Norguard's a captain. You know, they are quite solid. They are quite good defensive midfielders. And we need them to be, I think, because I think we'll be sitting in a low block for a lot of this one and they'll need to get some of the younger ones through the game if yeah that they are to line up.
00:35:16
Speaker
um In terms of going forward, I think we can hurt any team. I think Brian Abuma, Yann Whissa, Mekar Damsgaard, for me, has been our best player this season. He has grown so much. um It's just in terms of creativity, putting it on a plate for Abuma and Whissa. And Shada, if he's playing, he's very quick. um Kevin Shada, perhaps not technically got the ability of the others, but he is very, very quick yeah um and and young too. um I expect if we go with back back for that that will be the front for I guess
00:35:49
Speaker
So I think we can hurt anyone. It does worry me as well, though, that, you know, we struggled. We run out of ideas a little bit against Forrest, who have a good back line. And I think Arsenal as well, with Gabrielle and Saliba, good back line. This is what I was going to bring up next. There's going to be a really, really interesting battle. Like you're saying, Bummo is going to be on the right hand side, most likely, for you guys with Whistle down the middle. Yeah, unless you play a back five, and in which case you'll be in a front two. And I think we'd want to play a back five in this one, but I just don't know how it would work with personnel.
00:36:17
Speaker
Well, if you do go for the three instead and have them on the right, the left back option for Arsenal is a little bit... up for debate at the moment, you could say. we've We did buy two left backs in the summer, but all of them got injured at once. So we have been playing a youngster there for the last couple of games, Miles Lewis Skelly, who is actually a midfielder by trade. He's a, realistically, he's a realisistic degree is an attacking midfielder, but he's been fitting in it at left back for us.
00:36:49
Speaker
he is very very good but and I mean he played it in the Champions League as well like he played against Monaco he started in the Champions League he's played some big games already but you might be coming up against Riccardo Calafiori if he's back from injury and that I think him against Mbomo if that's on the right hand side that'll be a fascinating battle to watch really interesting yeah well I mean if we're going to criticise Mbomo at all I think there there are certain games where he doesn't have an impact and he doesn't really get involved particularly games where we maybe don't create as much and he maybe has less chances you know sometimes he'll do a thing where he kind of cuts in puts a bit of a cross in but it hits first man
00:37:28
Speaker
Yeah. I think when you're not creating as many chances as we sometimes do at home, you need to make the most of those times when you get on the ball in those positions. So, you know, ah we'll need him to be at it. we I think we'll need to score to um to even get anything out of the game um on Wednesday because I don't back out of fence to keep them out.
00:37:48
Speaker
um So it will be interesting. I think the other thing we could see is maybe in Buma right wing back if we do find three, I mean, Rossev can then tuck in as a third center back and then Collins and then Vandenberg. If he is back, that wouldn't be a terrible center back free then. and now And I could see him playing at wing back because we don't have anyone else simply to play there. And Thomas Frank tends to put a winger there if um if we haven't got anything else. And it'd be interesting to see how that works. I think he'd have to be disciplined defensively, but obviously it would allow him to get forward still.
Formation Adjustments and Game Predictions
00:38:22
Speaker
Hopefully when we do really interesting with Saka out and Marino being our offensive eight, who's not been doing an awful lot for us recently. So that would be a really, that'd probably be quite a smart way to start, to be honest. Like that would really nullify us. If it's a back five, this Arsenal could be in real trouble.
00:38:40
Speaker
Yeah, I think we perhaps need to. It's just it's just the the issues with personnel. um and Anyway, let's get on to score predictions time. What are you going for? Do you know what? I've had about three different ones because of the things that we've discussed. I think with your defensive problems, it does sound like you're going to struggle to put a back five out.
00:39:03
Speaker
and that massively benefit benefits us. If it's against a back five, it'll be a draw because we will struggle to score and I would go one all. If it's back four, I know this is such a work around, sort of like wishy-washy, if it isn't, if it's a back four, to one Arsenal with Haverts and
00:39:29
Speaker
ah Gabrielle Martinelli on the score sheet for Arsenal, and I can see Wisser getting in behind a mistake of Saliba's. Wow, okay. Yeah. Havertz again god sco scored in both games against us last season. and and the drain I don't think so, baby.
00:39:48
Speaker
and oh see ah See, I'm quite pessimistic, and I was going to go for 3-1 Arsenal. I just think, defensively, I just think we won't cope very well defensively. I think even at our best this season with Ethan Pinnock in the back line alongside Collins, we have still had, you know, a 5-3, we've had a 4-3, we've had a 4-2. We are still conceding goals yeah even even against teams in and around us. and And although we will try and set up a bit more defensively here and ideally in a back five, I just think with the personnel
00:40:28
Speaker
I just think it will be a bit of a struggle. The only thing that gives me some hope is that Arsenal aren't scoring as freely as perhaps like Liverpool. If we were playing Liverpool, I would be very, very worried about how that front three or four would attack us, I think. yeah The best I can hope for is that we do just get a lot of numbers back there, even if that some of them are young players.
00:40:54
Speaker
and we can just limit the space that you get into. And yeah we need to rely on our keeper to make some saves. He might do. I mean he he i don't think he's a bad keeper, but how good he is is is a rule unknown at the moment. But yeah I think more likely than not, you'll put us under a lot of pressure and you probably will get a few. But I will back us a score at the other end as well, so I won't i won't be too pessimistic. um I definitely think you'll score. I genuinely do. like we A lot of people have talked about us having the best defence in the league. We've got the best centre back partnership in the league without a shadow of a doubt, but they also have they have mistakes in them and they've been a little bit on and off this season. So you'll definitely score. I could definitely see you scoring. It'll be the three or four goals in the game. Yeah, I'll go and boom over Brentford, cutting in off the right two.
00:41:47
Speaker
Yeah, I'll see whoever plays at left back for Arsenal will either be Louis Skelly, who's obviously a very young player, yeah or Califiori, who's been a bit injured. So I'll back and boom-o to take advantage, maybe a bit of rustiness there. And then for Arsenal, I think Gabrielle will score from a set piece against Voudemarsen. I think you'll put pressure on Voudemarsen.
00:42:10
Speaker
who's inexperienced at this level, even the center back, if GC plays also inexperienced at this level, I think you will be able to manipulate the situation so that you know one or both of those are struggling as the ball's coming in. And then Gabriel, I think we'll get to the ball first and and do what he does. So I think you'll get one goal from that situation.
00:42:36
Speaker
I've got to go Havertz because he always seems to score against Brentford it seems. He What can I say? yeah um Third, I was struggling with a bit. We'll give it to Odegard. We'll give it to Odegard because he's a very good player. Why not? Why not? But that will that will do then for today's episode. I do hope I'm wrong with those predictions. But thank you for listening to the Daily Brentford and the Daily Arsenal crossover episode. We hope you've enjoyed today's episode. And once again, we'd be extremely grateful for your support as this will enable us to get bigger and better moving forwards.
00:43:12
Speaker
Daily Brentford can be found on X Instagram and TikTok under the handle at GSPM Brentford and Daily Arsenal I believe is under the handle at GSPM Gunners. It is under GSPM Gunners yes. We'll be back again tomorrow and I'm sure the Daily Arsenal podcast will be as well where we'll have a more in-depth look ahead to Wednesday night's game. Until then from myself and Josh thank you for being with us.