Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
S1-E88 : Victory at Selhurst Park... But at what cost?
0 Playsin 4 hours
On this edition on the Daily Arsenal Podcast, we look back to Arsenal's emphatic victory over Crystal Palace at the weekend, reflect on the other Premier League results, and also the disaster of Saka and his hamstring.
Host : Josh Vince
Guests : Craig Matthews, Matt
Find us on our social media with the links below!
Instagram: @gspngunners
TikTok: @gspngunners
X: @GSPNArsenal
Zencastr - Built for quality - Designed for growth
A new era for creation is here. The only complete audio + video platform to get best-in-class recording, intuitive editing, Al-powered growth features, and top-tier distribution tools — all in one place.
Get started for free! We highly recommend it! https://zencastr.com/?via=ken
Global Sports Podcast Network
Creating the world's first network of 30-minute daily podcasts for the world's biggest sporting export, the English Premier League.
For advertising and sponsorship details or to learn more about the scale and demographics of our audience - email Ken Davies, VP Business & Development at:
www.globalsportspodcastnetwork.com
Copyright | 2024 | Global Sports Podcast Network | All Rights Reserved
Recommended
Transcript
Arsenal vs Crystal Palace Game Review
00:00:01
Speaker
every club every day the 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 is monday which means of course it is time to review a certain game that happened on saturday afternoon around about half past five at selhurst park it was It was an alright afternoon for us here on the Daily Arsenal Podcast. I'm your host, Josh Vincent. Joining me today are Craig Matthews and Matt, of course, as well. Gents, it is lovely to see you. We are clocking down the days to Christmas. That was our last game before Christmas. Matt was a lovely little present, wasn't it?
00:00:43
Speaker
Not half bad, was it? Yeah, five goals ah away from home, making it us the first team, which I'm sure we'll get on to, to score five plus goals in six separate games, which is a ridiculous feat. And yeah, thoroughly enjoyable. Saturday, early evening, Christmas present, if you celebrate it, and festive, ah going into the festive period. Exactly. Yeah, we need something to warm us on these cold nights. And Craig, I'm assuming that you thoroughly enjoyed it as well as Matt did.
00:01:10
Speaker
I really into it, it was a great game to watch. And I had everything, everything worked out for us and me, got their goals at the right time, the crucial time in the games, so yeah, very happy. It was, it was bang, it was neat.
Player Performance Highlights
00:01:21
Speaker
Now, unfortunately, I didn't actually get to watch it live because the bar that I work in doesn't show sports. And I finished at seven, so I didn't get to see the game at all, unfortunately, but I've seen the highlights and I think YouTube both saw it, am I right in thinking that?
00:01:37
Speaker
yeah know Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah your proper fans you want you weren't distracted by work or anything or any of that nonsense But let's go through it bit by bit because there's a quite a bit to get through as it goes to the Everton game For example, so starting things off Matt. I mean Gabrielle J Zeus. He's risen like a phoenix from the ashes. Saka plays a ball in from the right on the sixth minute. It sort of falls around the box a little bit, but Jesus, he's at the back post and he tucks away beautifully. How impressed have you been with him against Pallas?
00:02:10
Speaker
He was brilliant. Yeah, I think what I like to see, though, is obviously he scored the hat trick in midweek. But I thought his all round game could have been better. It could have been a bit sharper at times. Whereas on Saturday, I felt like off the ball, he was phenomenal. He was willing the ball high up quite a few times. I think there was one moment where he back killed it to Ertegado. He just kept the ball. And it was that technical level, that technical ability, technical security, which we've lacked from Jesus quite a bit. And his general profile I think were a better side for it but a sharp version of Jesus, a goal scoring version of Jesus at that was phenomenal to see and the composure as well for the first goal I think it was Paul Merson or Jamie Redknapp said after that if he's out of form or he's not confident he's blazing that over calmly puts it in the other corner and obviously see his his second goal was was brilliant but yeah I thought he was a really really good and brilliant to see
00:03:04
Speaker
It really was, it really was lovely to see. Now, obviously, Craig, it didn't completely go according to plan at the start of the game, because his murder, Saar, actually managed to get through. Well, I say get through on goal. He got through, and for about 20 yards, Saliba just backed off him and gave him the opportunity to bend it into the bottom left-hand corner of Raya's goal. well Was there a bit of defensive frailty and naivety there, do you feel?
00:03:29
Speaker
I feel a little bit, I feel like it's a little bit of a close-in. If he's close-in down, he could have won the title, gave him too much space, playing play-down football, gave him too much space, and he just ran through and scored a good goal. It's a very good goal, but it's a little bit of a close-in down earlier. I think it would stop that goal from preventing that goal from happening, you know what I'm saying? A bit of a close-in down, and then maybe he's got a little bit closer to him, narrow the angles, and I think he would have a three-shot on goal. That's why he had a three-shot on goal, so yeah.
00:03:55
Speaker
Yeah it seemed a little bit, I don't know about you Matt, it seemed a bit out of character for Saliba to be backing off so much when there wasn't really anybody for him to cover with the run as he was going back, he could have probably closed that gap a bit more. Yeah I think so, I think it came, the timing of the goal didn't feel completely surprising because it came after we gave them slight optimism in the game. I feel like in the first eight minutes we were really comfortable, controlled the game so well, Lewis Schelling I'm sure getting to his wealth was phenomenal at calming things down and almost doing the Zinchenko type role from from a few years ago. But I feel like we gave them optimism in two regards, one when we played out from the back and and made a sloppy pass and let Palace know that, okay, we've got the crowd behind us now, we can try press on to you. And
00:04:43
Speaker
Also, I felt there was just far too many gaps in the middle. And I think Palace sensed that. I feel like they got they got an inch and they took a mile and it was a brilliant goal. And obviously we i do agree, you know, it could be quite critical of Saliba, given the standards. He sets himself in the quality of player he is.
Injury Concerns and Team Strategy
00:05:00
Speaker
ah But also, you've got to give a lot of respect for the quick touch inside because you didn't directly cut inside. He did a quick touch inside almost on Rieszk and bends it in the far corner. It's a sensational goal, but obviously with most goals Arsenal concede they're normally just incredible finishes. so It was a brilliant finish. ah To be fair I think that might be a point and we'll probably come onto it late later about the standards that Saliba set himself and how hard it's going to be to match those to be honest and when he doesn't it can become quite obvious but we'll get into that a little bit more as we go along. Now Craig Matt mentioned this earlier but Jay Zeus' second goal
00:05:35
Speaker
Oh my word. It was a bit, so it was a bit sort of messy in sense of the build up. It was an awkward cross. We made a lot of problems in set pieces yet again. Partay lays it off to him and his finish for that second, cutting it just inside the right hand post where Henderson was as well. It was such a tight finish. I mean, what did you make of that? well The top box finish, very good finish. He's got the ability to do that.
00:06:03
Speaker
He has got the ability to do that. like You don't play for Brazil, play in the World Cup. I played in big games for Man City and asked what he has got the ability to do that. We haven't seen enough of it from him, but I was very happy for him yesterday that he got a spot and got two goals, kind of got a hat-trick as well, with a fair chance. I feel like if he can stay fit and be informed with him now until the end of the season, hopefully we can add more his game.
00:06:32
Speaker
Who knows? All-round play is very good. You can hold the ball up. You can lay it off. We just need more goals from him. Obviously, we need more goals from him. That's all I'll say. Just need more goals from Jesus. But other than that, great, great couple of days for him as well. Yeah, I mean, what was it? He scored seven this season and five of them have been since Wednesday.
00:06:50
Speaker
And we're we're recording this on Sunday. So his turnaround in form has just been ah like stratospheric. It's been incredible. And you mentioned Kai Habertz. I mean, it's probably good that Josh Duncan isn't here right now, because we'd have to remind him. ah You two weren't with us right at the beginning of the season. He made a bet that Habertz wouldn't get 20 goals this season. And if he lost, he would eat a hat.
00:07:15
Speaker
Haverton's getting quite close to that at the moment, because again, it wasn't a brilliant finish, Matt, but he was in the right place at the right time. It's what I think was spoken about in terms of the benefits you have of having Haverton in that higher eight second striker. And I said it last week after Everton that although people may not like Haverton as a forward midfielder or as a high eight, he's one of the few players who is comfortable playing quite high up. And the benefits that does give you is he is almost that second striker, Ilk, who can still do the midfield and the dirty work, but he creates a two with Jesus, overloads the box. We have more players in the box. He creates confusions with his runs and general intelligence to play. Obviously, sometimes, you know, his technical play could be a bit bit better and a few other areas could be better. You know, that I'm sure that's known really. But in terms of his role in the goal, you could tell the second Jesus hit that header was a brilliant header. It was great. with and yeah superb and a player obviously right in form and the second he hit that header you could see Havoc's on the move almost like a what if if that hits the post if the keeper parries it I'm there and that's the type of striker goal which Arsenal don't score if they had a more conventional midfield free.
00:08:32
Speaker
Yeah, there wouldn't be that person who naturally arrives in late. Probably the only one that we've had really like that is Jaco, but I don't think even he would be in that sort of positioning in that moment. Um, speaking of players who needed to get a goal, Gabriel Martinelli, uh, he's, he's my boy. I love Gabby so much. Craig, you're talking about the Brazilian players earlier. I mean, for him, it's been a bit of a rough season. Obviously Jay-Zu's coming into form. Gabriel back has been phenomenal for us, but Martinelli again, he was in a really good position. The ball was.
00:09:01
Speaker
is the cross to him at pace. I'm not sure if Rice was taking a shot or if he was crossing in this moment because it came to Martinelli at such pace but he just manages to get a tiny little touch on it and sends it into that top left hand corner. Do you think Martinelli's output needs to be higher or do you think the purposes that he does on the team otherwise are more important?
00:09:22
Speaker
I think a bit of both. I feel like he's got the advantage to score more goals. He's done a couple of years. He can do it. But I think he does a lot of work going backwards as well. Like defending, there's a lot of defending. When this is up on the right-hand side, soccer does more attacking. The other is defending as well. We're more balanced on the right than the left. I don't know if you've ever got a good partner playing left-hand next to him to make him do more attacking. But all that When he fell on the right yesterday, he did very well. It was a good process then, he did very well yesterday. When psycho kids, unfortunately, come off injured, he looked very good there. So, what I'd love to see more from him is more goals and assists. I know he can do it. I believe he can definitely do it, but after this, our faith in him, hopefully, he can get more goals and assists.
00:10:07
Speaker
He's got good ability. You know, it just needs to be more consistent as I say with Jesus, don't be more consistent. ah then but the correct That's the correct he had. He can and he will. Martinelli will come good to all you naysayers out there. ah And obviously, that wasn't it for Arsenal. We got one more, Matt. Declan Rice, the 100 million pound man, striking a lovely cold effort into the far right hand corner.
00:10:34
Speaker
he's been very in and out obviously he's been struggling with injury and suspension and things like that when he's at his best do you want him in that sort of positioning or would you rather have him deeper i think it's quite hilarious that he came on the pitch and any chaos or any defensive weaknesses just goodbye yeah see you later it's nothing else happened three one four one whatever it was i can't exactly remember i think it was at four one i think it was four one he came on yeah Yeah, came on at 4-1, Arsenal facing, I wouldn't say adversity or huge trouble, but he came on, you didn't see anything else, that midfield, goodbye, thanks for playing, appreciate it. Shut it right down. literally locked down. But I think it's an interesting one because we spoke about, I think it was last week as well, that you'd do rather see him as the number six and that's why you signed him.
00:11:24
Speaker
And I think it's almost a credit to how complete a player he is that he's trusted to play as an 8 or Arteta's trying to play him as an 8 because I think you're looking at a player who's so well rounded and got so much to his game. People like to be kind of lazy and chuck that he's just this this bull winner and whatnot and people expect the complete world of him in a passing way and and whatnot but I do prefer him as a six, 100%. But I also really appreciate how well-rounded he is. He's a brilliant ball striker. I think his passing range is highly underrated, particularly with diagonals. I think as a ball carrier, he's phenomenal. Sometimes you can't quite show that because teams don't give Arsenal any kind of disrespect ah to give any spaces for for for Declan to drive up that pitch, maybe in big six games. But you know you don't see that very much from him because he just doesn't have the space to.
00:12:13
Speaker
But in general, I think as a six, he's phenomenal. And he is the one he is the six for Arsenal. That's why he was signed. That's why you spend the big money. His profile is like no one else anywhere on the market at all. And it just goes to show how good of a player here is also how, you know, our test is potentially trying to make him adapt a tiny bit more offensively. Yeah. So when he goes back to the six role, he's even that tiny bit more complete. But I think generally you sign him to be that six. That's what he is.
00:12:42
Speaker
but he is a phenomenal player and can do multiple roles as long as he's not playing as a second striker like earlier in the season. Yeah, no, no, we don't need that again. I think you're right, his distribution is like off the charts, like some of the balls that he can spray are just phenomenal. So that's, those are the goals. When we come back though,
00:13:01
Speaker
Obviously, 5-1 victory. It was great. But when we come back after this break, we are going to ask a question, at what cost? So we'll be back just after this message from Zencaster.
00:13:13
Speaker
Here at Global Sports Podcast Network, we spend 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 super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently.
00:13:36
Speaker
If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description to learn more about Zencaster. And welcome back to the Zadie Arsenal Podcast. It's part two of our review of the Palace game at Selhurst Park. We just talked about all the goals and the six-goal thriller, but there was one moment that we do need to bring up. 24th minute. Our boy, the star boy, the probably most important player in our squad.
00:14:05
Speaker
Bakayo Saka went down injured and was in fact replaced by Leandro Trossard. He was later seen leaving the stadium on crutches and Michaela Tetra said that he's pretty worried about it. So it looks like it might be his hamstring again. It's the same leg he had the issue on before. Craig, obviously we're sort of coming towards the end of December and the end of the chaos where still a lot of games coming. Saka out, does that worry you?
00:14:33
Speaker
It worries me a lot. It's got a lot of necessities, but when it's tough, it's going either it to goals or creates with a lot of chances. They created a goal yesterday for Jeju, so I'm a bit worried about that. But after all that, now is the time for all the players to step up. All the players have to step up now, and it's absolutely not that long for them to be out, so I hope it's not for too long. But all the players need to step up now because and they can't always depend on him all the time. They're young kids, they're young boys, as you said. So I thought probably have a lot to have a squad.
00:15:04
Speaker
that Sterling has to come in, he's got to come in, he's got players like Martin, they step up. You know, I mean, how about Sterling has to step up now, so, you know, and it's a shame that he's got into this today, but it's going to happen eventually because he's been playing, he's played a lot of football the last three years, played an awful lot of football in the Baltimore Premier League.
00:15:23
Speaker
You know, it's been a lot of football in Europe and the World Cup, so it's been a lot of football. And they hardly have any rest. A lot of players have been throughout the season, a lot of players have been into the season them because they played a lot of football last time of the season. So, you know, the the football calendar is so massive that there's no time for us to get a lot of rest they after all that.
00:15:40
Speaker
Yeah, you maybe this break was doing very well. I think you're right. He's not really stopped really, has he? And when we look at the um the goal contributions this season, the Premier League, Havertz has eight, Martinelli has six, Gabrielle has four, Pate has four, Saka has 15.
00:15:57
Speaker
Like the jump up is enormous. He's been so important for us creatively as well as finishing. Matt, something that I was spotting in the little bits of the game I saw in the highlights. Obviously, Trost had came on and went on the left-hand side. Martinelli went on the right. I don't know about you. I thought he looked better on the right, Martinelli.
00:16:19
Speaker
I thought he had a little bit more impact in terms of, because recently what we've seen a lot is defenders have been double up on Martinelli massively, ah especially because they know that he cuts inside for the crosses or he'll cut inside for a shot. The fact that he was on his stronger right foot, I thought freed him up a little bit. Do you think he's the natural replacement for the right wing in Trossard on the left? Or would you rather like Craig said, see sort of like Sterling coming in and starting on that right hand side, if Zach is out for an extended period?
00:16:48
Speaker
I think Martinelli off that right is quite nice. I think he was good against Everton in the final day last season too. I think Arteta's played him and brought him on the right hand side quite a few times in sub appearances, maybe not so much this season but more last season. But I think it simplifies his game a lot more and maybe makes him a tiny bit more unpredictable because I think obviously we discussed Martinelli earlier on. I think he's become a tiny bit stale, a bit predictable. People know what his game is. ah You know, try and get it passed to man. His biggest weakness is the fact he can't really cut inside, particularly off that left-hand side. yeah And I think when you play him down the right, his general game is standing up the fullback, taking him down the line and crossing it back post. So that right-hand side, I think it suits him a lot more and does simplify it a lot more.
00:17:33
Speaker
And it's it's a welcome thing to be the case because obviously as Craig said, we need players to step up. you know Palace was was refreshing to see and it was refreshing to see a performance where although Arsenal were good and pretty good,
00:17:49
Speaker
they maybe weren't 5-1 good or played like the best of the season type of good which you'd associate with a 5-1 winner away at Crystal Palace. yeah But the difference is the quality of finishing, the quality of end product, players taking their chances, players actually being clinical and not leaving Saka to burn all on his own in terms of output was really refreshing to see and it's very needed particularly when you're up against other sides who have multiple goal outputs.
00:18:15
Speaker
If anything, I mean, obviously none of us want him injured, but it might be an interesting
Transfer Window Speculations
00:18:20
Speaker
experiment to see if there are, like you say, kind of other ways to win the games, other styles, other sort of impacts that we can have from certain players. I think Martinelli on that right hand side should be a mainstay, realistically. I think for the next couple of games, if he's out for a while, I think Martinelli should have first choice on that right. um Big question, Craig. Do we need a striker in January?
00:18:43
Speaker
I mean, it's Chris, for those who celebrate it, it's Christmas time. Jesus has arrived. He's back. He's back in the flesh. Do we need a striker? Do we need a number nine in January still?
00:18:57
Speaker
Well, I, I would say he did well yesterday, but I still think in the number nine, I still feel it because he don't walk as close to us, but it's a nice form. It might get into it again or hopefully not. But then.
00:19:13
Speaker
You know, we need, I suppose we need a wide player. Maybe we don't get on the line, get a wide player to play, maybe strike our wing off, just to help us out. Because Sperling still hasn't really worked out, also hasn't played him a lot. I don't know, it's formed on very downhill recently, not the same trust. I was scoring goals. It was never very good, Craig. Never very good. Okay. ah I honestly think we'll be in a strike or like a white, so that'll just be done. Even so alone, we'll learn to buy whatever sponsors help us over the last second half of the season. Because, yeah, I think we do. An important bit of backup. And Matt, a question I want to bring to you, because you brought him up. Miles Lewis Skelly. He has been a bit of a revelation this month. He's come in in a really difficult time, started Champions League games. He started victories in the Premier League. He started tough games.
00:20:09
Speaker
has he dislodged Calipheori, or would you still have the Italian international as first choice in that position? I think you have two different players who offer two different things. I think the beauty of Miles is, to be honest, he's a long term midfielder. The beauty of when we when we invert that left back or invert that full back is they are basically that midfielder. You know, people, for example, screen for Zinchenko to play as the midfielder to solve Arsenal's issues.
00:20:39
Speaker
he is quite literally playing as a midfielder. And but that that's the way our Teta system is, that's the way Arsenal system is. It's not like a, I don't know, a 4-3-3 type of thing where you've got two full backs who are high and wide or staying stuck to the touch line. That full back comes inside. So for Miles to take that role is really ideal for him, is really ideal timing.
00:21:01
Speaker
where, at the end of the day, certain opportunities are going to but ah gonna um come around because of other injuries and other people's disadvantages, so to speak, but other incidents, that's how things are going to work. You know, youth players getting that chance is going to come from that break. You know, Man United, for example, Kobe Manu came into the side last season because of injuries. He didn't come into the side as a first-choice midfielder because that's not how academy players are going to get their breakthrough. Obviously, Arsenal have had As we all know, about 63 left-backs, but they've all managed to be absent at the same time. So he is he has been brilliant. And I think his temperament is brilliant. I think he plays
Emerging Talent at Arsenal
00:21:40
Speaker
the game like he's not an 18-year-old. He's just coming to the side, which is about as complimentary as I think you could be for someone who's playing at Selhurst Park. ah Not just Selhurst Park as well, which I think needs a lot of talk about this. Cauldron, isn't it? It's a cauldron there. It's one of the hardest places to go in the print.
00:21:57
Speaker
It is, but for me, it's football is everything about timing. Arsenal have had the timing the complete opposite end this season, including Crystal Palace, playing them when they've been back-to-back in form, but he's playing an in-form Crystal Palace side who are not giving him much time on the ball, yet he's still showing that composure to create the angle, create that space in the middle, to, you know, out-muscle. You know, there was a moment where he just completely out-muscled his minus R. He is strong. He is quick.
00:22:25
Speaker
big lad and it just goes to show how strong miles it is his build is very nimble as well oh you know people likened him to to timber almost and he's such a like he's such a nimble build really agile but really strong and yeah he just feels like the complete package has been phenomenal for arsenal and it's great to see that you know, at the end of the day, if you're good enough, you're good enough. And that's going to come to fruition like it has with Ethan Winery and Miles Lewis Kelly, even more so benefiting off obviously quite a few absences.
00:23:01
Speaker
It's just been lovely to see him, hasn't it? And long may it continue. Right, that's kind of it for our sort of review of our game against Crystal Palace, victory in a really tough environment. Next up, we're gonna take a little break and then we're gonna come back and look at a couple of the other games that really caught our attention this weekend. So we'll be back just after this break.
00:23:21
Speaker
This podcast is part of the Global Sports Podcast Network, the only network bringing you exclusive daily news and views on your Premier League team, the Premier League, women's football and fantasy football. A unique listening experience that puts fans first, bringing you the very latest breaking news from your team. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and make us your first listen every day.
00:23:51
Speaker
Global Sports Podcast Network. Every club. Every day. And welcome back to the third and final part of the Daily Arsenal Podcast.
Aston Villa vs Man City Analysis
00:24:00
Speaker
It's Josh Vince here with Craig Matthews and Matt. And today we have looked at the Crystal Palace victory. 5-1 victory for the Arsenal. And now it's time to have a little look at some of the other results. um Craig, let's start off with the big one. And let's be honest, the first one that took place this weekend. It was a massive game, especially where I work in Manchester. Man City at Villa Park.
00:24:24
Speaker
They were taken apart by Aston Villa, who beat them 2-1 convincingly. Personally, I think that Akanji and Lewis had really poor games, but Morgan Rogers is the big name from that game, because he absolutely dominated that midfield. Did you get a chance to see the game? Yeah, I've watched that at work. I saw the game. Like, he's a very good player. And guess it guess where he came from as well? Man City Academy.
00:24:51
Speaker
Too many of those. Too many of those. He had a point to prove, and he pointed through this point. I think it's been Massinger's best player to see him and Duran. I think that's the best player to see. They work well together. He's strong on the ball, and when he played against him under the box in this part of the season, he was pulling the party in the midfield. The party couldn't get near him. It was that good.
00:25:15
Speaker
um I think it could have been more than 2-1 to be honest. I think after we went into a lot of chances, they could have battled them for 1-2, I thought that. I might see, again, a consolation goal as a bit of a mistake at the back when they scored a goal. But I think, I only feel that after we deserved a win, they played very good football. Emery's got them playing the style of football he wants them to play. Got a good temper to them, got a good young team. And half the score they bought was not expensive. They bought a lot of players for bargains. They feel like the players they bought. Like, I think more good Rogers came from the championship.
00:25:46
Speaker
They bought a trilogy from Hull, from Hull City. So they've got a lot of players on good good English talent, British talent they've brought in. And they're doing it the right way, obviously. They're not wasting money on players. They just slowly creep up the table. And if they want to do one Champions League as well, versus the Champions League for a long time. So they do they but they're quietly doing this buff. So you've got to give them credit with credit. It's due.
00:26:10
Speaker
I think that's the thing with Villa, they did the same last year, it was kind of like a very quiet but consistent build in terms of their form. Now, Matt, you've mentioned before, you don't like the form, you don't like seeing City dropping off in the way that they have done because it's sort of like, it's a shame to see rivals drop off so heavily, almost kind of devalues the competition a little bit ever so slightly. um It was a bad day for City and it just seems to be getting worse, doesn't it?
00:26:38
Speaker
It's phenomenal, isn't it? um No. I think, ah by the way, before I go into City at all, I have to mention one name who's not been mentioned, who I i think has been Villa's best player by not a distance, but what what nation are we talking? Belgium. d Ding, ding, ding. Yuri Tillamans was yeah I'm not surprised that City got caused issues because that Villa have been inconsistent, as of late, generally speaking. You know, a bit disappointing at times. And. Yuri Tillamans, though, against City, you know, that physical midfield, how well set up they are to play against the big six when the big six come to Villa Park, they turn it right on. yeah And or I should say top four, to be fair, because some games are just have off days. and But
00:27:30
Speaker
Yuri Tillamans, I was in awe of that performance against City. I thought every bit of decision making, his running power, even though he's not the quickest player, his technical ability, the pass for Morgan Rogers. Was it the first goal of that one that he just played straight through the middle? It was stunning. It ripped them apart.
00:27:52
Speaker
so direct so good and you know what it makes me it makes me pretty happy to see because I remember I mean happy in the sense that I remember there was a point where Arsenal fans were quite literally chanting Yuri Tillamans we'll see you next week yes that never happened which is which is not the part which makes me happy because i think he would have been a really useful addition maybe not all the time but now in hindsight would be but when he first joined villa i think there were a lot of question marks people weren't very happy and to see quite how good he is how well he's done this season how loved he is is is brilliant and on to obviously city just briefly
00:28:28
Speaker
I think if you look at the next few pictures, if they don't win those games, then you're very much looking at ah obviously it's a crisis point in general, this last 12 games, you know, one will win in 12 is relegation form and it's completely and utterly unheard of for any title winning side, but I've also kind of had a suspicion that they were scraping through the earlier stages of the games. And when they came across teams which were at least of a similar level or a very high Premier League level, obviously the league's not easy, you don't get easy games. But when you start playing teams, particularly when they're banging form, you get what's coming to you. And City have not coped in the slightest of those. But those next three games,
00:29:10
Speaker
I think it's Leicester away, West Ham at home and another, I can't remember who it is at home, another lower league side. Those are the games where if they drop points in those, it is truly the complete crisis mode for them. Nor is it already, by the way, because they're seventh or something. you'll see or it's complete it's gone completely gone. But even if you look at City in the past few years, they've never been that great in the big six games away from home. They've never you know gone to Anfield really and won. They've never, obviously they beat Arsenal at the Emirates two seasons ago, but they weren't even that that great that day, so to speak. They've struggled in a lot of those types of games. Villa away last season. So
00:29:53
Speaker
Those are the type of games which they struggle with. Those are the games they fell apart in and they have those next three games, which will be absolutely integral to build confidence, get players firing, particularly the likes of Harland, who's just really struggled recently. He's gone right off the ball, isn't it? I've just checked the games as well. Everton at home, Leicester away, West Ham at home. And then Salford City at home after that. And then they've got Brentford and Ipswich. So realistically, for ex-champions games, they
Premier League Round-up and Pep's Future
00:30:20
Speaker
should be winning. But like you say, they have to.
00:30:23
Speaker
they seriously have to. Right, we've only got a few minutes left so we'll quickly breathe through a couple of the other results. ah Newcastle hammered it, switched 4-0, EZAC hat-trick, it was an incredible show, that one was brilliant. Southampton got a really good pointer for them under their new manager as well, like going away to Craven Cottage is no easy feat.
00:30:40
Speaker
for a team that's in the relegation scrap, a point in there is brilliant. Wolves, absolutely spanked to Leicester 3-0, piling more pressure on Rude. But what I want to talk about very briefly while we have time, did either of you see the game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Liverpool Spurs, the absolute nine goal chaos fest? I mean, Craig, what the hell did you make of that? It was madness. It was him. I don't know. They can't defend.
00:31:06
Speaker
They cannot. But I'm not gonna lie to you, it's entertaining watching it as a neutral, watching it again. It's very entertaining, but Liverpool could have scored 9 or 10. Liverpool could have scored 9 or 10. I put Liverpool down at East Offord then. At East Offord, there's so many chances they could have scored, like, some water they could have had a hat-trick, some water they could have set off for a hat-trick. Every time they went forward, I thought they were gonna score. And literally they scored every time they went forward, like, it was like watching something I had to explain, like, watching how much to defend, like, I know they have no sign of that, but, like,
00:31:35
Speaker
And the goalkeeper is so shaky, man. I can't believe they started Fraser Foster again after the midweek game with the against what was it, United, where Sun scored a direct free kick. like I know that was Sun scored a free kick. But anyway, Fraser Foster was rubbish in that game. And again, it was all over the place. I think they're number one teeth apart for a while. and he but He broke his ankles after that, broke his foot. So he's not only been back for a while. So they need to they need reinforcements in January. but there' The way he's looking, I don't know how much longer he's going to stay in that job. I'll be honest with you, I thought that as he continues this way, they will sack him. Daniel Lee is that kind of chairman that he knows how he is. He wants results. He does, yeah. I know he's in the same spot on the court.
00:32:22
Speaker
You get Liverpool again. So there you go. I'm looking forward to part two of that fixture. And Matt, I was actually going to ask you about Alexander-Arnold because some of the balls that he was playing were magical in that game. Like they were utterly slushy. But Craig's mentioned sacking. And there is a question that's going around everywhere in the Premier League. And it's one that I actually want to ask you because I think it might not be quite that way. Pep is under huge pressure at Man City. A lot of people are calling for him to be sacked, which is madness considering what he's done.
00:32:50
Speaker
I have a feeling he might walk because he seems under an awful lot of stress at the moment. Got about a minute or so left. What do you make of the pep situation right now? It's a bit unprecedented to be honest. I think when people saw that old Pep staying another two years or another year, it was like, oh, here we go again. And obviously they didn't expect City to go into complete free fall. I think where the Pep goes or where the Pep stays should only be up to Pep at the end of the day. What he's done for that football club is nothing short of miraculous. and yeah I think obviously football fans can, I'd say be fickle, obviously one winning 12 is completely disastrous, but not that any team ever wants to get to that stage, but when you do win full remedies on the bounce, championships, et cetera, et cetera, you do earn the right to be completely shambolic for a season.
00:33:38
Speaker
that is very true yeah i think they can't sack him i don't think like you say it has to be his decision but i tell you he's definitely not getting sacked at the moment it's michael arteta we've gone through almost the first half of the season it's going to be christmas in a couple of days and we are sitting third with 33 points just behind Chelsea and six points behind Liverpool. Can next year bring us even more fortune? Who knows, but the best place to keep up to date with it is here on the Daily Arsenal Podcast. I have been your host, Josh Vince. A massive thank you to both Craig Matthews and to Matt for joining me. It's our last game before Christmas. We'll be back tomorrow with a very special Christmas Eve episode. But until then, have a lovely day, everybody, and goodbye. Every club.
00:34:28
Speaker
The Global Sports Podcast Network.