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S1-E83 : More Dropped Points and banning of a certain topic!
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In today's episode of the Daily Arsenal podcast, the boys discuss the home draw against Everton, along with discussions about problems in creative areas, and a banning of a certain topic of discussion, for the time being at least!
Host : Josh Vince
Guests : Joshua Duncan, Rodney Gooden, Matt
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Transcript
Arsenal vs Everton: A Frustrating Draw
00:00:01
Speaker
every club every day the global sports podcast network hello hello hello welcome to the daily arsenal podcast brought to you as part of the global sports podcast network today is monday and we are reviewing yet another frustrating afternoon for the arsenal drawing nil nil at home against everton nowhere near the four nil prediction i foolishly made on the ah preview episode. um Joining me Josh Vince to break this down are the wonderful Matt Rodney Gooden and Joshua Duncan. um Rodney, this pattern of not being able to score goals at the moment, how frustrated are you getting with this?
00:00:48
Speaker
It's awful. I mean, you look at a game like even in Monaco in the Champions League, it came up as well. We have the chance creation, but not the kind of cutting edge to get it over the line. And you'll watch Arsenal be decent in the build up and then still not be able to capitalize. It's just horrible. Watching it week in, week out, it started to become a bit of an issue or continued inconsistency. And between this game and Fulham, incredibly frustrating to watch. Like it's it's honestly been a tough time.
Arsenal's Offensive Struggles: Havertz and Jesus
00:01:13
Speaker
It's weirdly exhausting, isn't it? Because like the Monaco game, we won convincingly. the Three nil win. But it should have been seven should have been seven. It should have been have been. Josh, you'll you're giving it the shaky hand there. You're you're not convinced at all, are you?
00:01:28
Speaker
Not at all, not when we have that, you know, the world, the best number nine, according to you guys in the world. I mean, I'm not really surprised. I and don't want to put it all on one player, but he is the the weak link in the team. He really is like, you know, he he he doesn't make enough runs for me. He does all the wrong things in your number nine to do. So I'm not surprised where we are right now. I'm really not. It's just frustrating.
00:01:53
Speaker
um For listeners who aren't completely sure who Josh is talking about, that is of course Kai Habertz, that he is ah referencing that. Matt, obviously Josh is very frustrated with Kai's lack of output. Are you sort of the same on him? ah Are you not impressed particularly? I personally see it with Kai that he's hit a bit of a wall with whatever reason that is, whether that's match fitness terms of things, whether that's just bad form because he's not been great recently.
00:02:20
Speaker
But where I have an issue is you got your number nine to come step up to go be that support man, instead of Kai, you know, give Kai a rest or a just bench him for a few games type of thing. And you've got Gabriel Jesus, who is the man to do that. And I just, ah unfortunately, I just don't quite think Arsenal have the support where it's like, okay, Kai is going for a tough time. Who's there to bring in?
00:02:47
Speaker
I mean, yeah, I struggle with Jay Zeus. Roddy, do you think he's good enough? But Jay Zeus, he's been having a tough season. I honestly, every time he's gone on a pitch, he's not looked like his old self. He's been unconvincing. Monaco was tough to watch as well. Two one-on-ones with the keeper. He's not putting either of them away too. And when he came on against Everton, it's the same thing. He doesn't look like he's going to score. In fact, I was chatting to some mates today. I thought in the Monaco game, I think he looked better on the wing.
00:03:13
Speaker
It was actually kind of difficult. I said, yeah, if he's going to make a run, dribble past the player, send something into the box for someone else to get in the end of. He looks more comfortable doing that than being a kind of out and out number nine. So it's a bit difficult for Jesus at the moment. I just think it's no longer his position.
Midfield and Wing Play: Support Needed for Martinelli
00:03:26
Speaker
He's not quite there yet. I kind of know what you mean. Like I've always seen, especially the last year or so, I've seen him more impressively when he's coming for Saka. He's played on that right hand side. I thought that's where he's been more impactful. That's what he's through for C. I said, yeah, he's used to that. It's where he can actually do things from. I mean, when we, when we break the game down, obviously it wasn't on TV, so none of us could legally watch it. I don't know. I was working.
00:03:59
Speaker
Sky put their lovely two minute highlight package out there and by the looks of it they struggled to find things to fit it with anyway. um But we had 77% possession, 13 shots, five of which were on target and I mean we've already mentioned Kai's struggling to put things away. Josh you brought up before we started recording a lot of people are shouting out Martinelli being the problem but you don't necessarily see it that way.
00:04:24
Speaker
Oh don't get me wrong, his final ball could be better, sometimes delivery is not not the best. But he doesn't have that same support where Saka has with the older guy on the right. So it's a bit what you're asking for him to do, and you can every night, in most games, they just double up on him and he's got nowhere to go. He's either going to pass it back or he whips in a ball, that's because that's in the no man's land really. So yeah, I feel a bit sweaty for him a little bit.
00:04:46
Speaker
Yeah, he's he's definitely been isolated out there, especially, I feel like, since Jakka left. We still haven't really... i Matt, obviously, there's a lot of... because Rodney was excited about this a little while ago, the fact that we were finally getting the Marino, Rice, Erdegaard, midfield and all of that. But is Marino the right player to be supporting Martinelli on that left-hand side? Because it doesn't seem to be flowing yet.
00:05:10
Speaker
My problem with Burino, which is like a slight problem and it's more about what Arsenal need, is I think his best work for Arsenal has come deeper. Arsenal don't need another player to be efficient deeper, you know, you've got Timbrough sometimes inverts, you've got Ben White who sometimes inverts, you've got Zinchenko, Lewis Skelly who inverts, you've got Declan Rice from deep, you've got Pate, you've got Giorginia, you've got a whole Erdogan as well, you've a whole host of players where Arsenal need is someone between the lines, someone who's going to be the difference maker against like a mid-block got or a deep side. And I think Mourinho's best work when he plays high up almost that that Jaco roll which Arteta has created in this team
00:05:48
Speaker
It almost feels like he's a bit lost or it's a bit easier for him to not be too influential. But when he was deeper against Chelsea, for example, I thought he was fantastic. You know, like, so press resistance started attacks really well.
Timber's Role and Defensive Strategies
00:05:59
Speaker
But Arsenal need that final third player, which they don't really have at the minute, which might be the reason why Arteta has always been persistent enough to try to keep with with the Kai Havertz idea there, as he's the only one who's suited, if you will. I know Josh is into like is is suited there, but you know, not that I agree with that at all, by the way, I'm just saying I think that's not only... um yeah I have to admit, i I hate to say it, but I'm starting to come around to Josh's way of thinking I'm becoming really, really frustrated with Kai, but If if we break down the few moments we were given in the highlights package, the first was Timber. Now, um there was a really good run made by Decoure in the first opening moments, got a shot off and Timber with a beautiful sliding tackle to block it. Timber Rodney, I feel like, has really, really settled in well and is becoming a vital player for us. Like, when he's not playing, I feel much more concerned.
00:06:57
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, honestly, I think, had it not been for the injury, I think he could have been a similar to Rice in the sense where you just come into the team and immediately fit in. It seems like coming back from injury, once his match fitness was there, he's been indispensable. He's my preferred right back in this case. I don't really like him too much on the left. I really like that right side where you've got Odegard and Saka and he's linking up along there.
00:07:16
Speaker
I think he's fantastic and honestly, yeah, I do agree. He's definitely, I think of our best back four starting lineup for the 11. Obviously I want to see him in every time. When he comes off early, I'm upset. When he's not starting, I'm upset.
Odegaard's Form and Creative Reliance
00:07:28
Speaker
I think he's yeah very integral to the team and yeah, I love to see him play. I love that it's impacting you so deeply, Rodney. I'm this close to getting the shirt, that's why.
00:07:41
Speaker
ah In this modern day economy, I'm never buying one of those shirts. Odegard, Odegard, Martin, Martin, Odegard, Josh, he's the last couple of games, he's had so many opportunities and he had opportunities in this game as well. But it seems to be a habit of his at the moment, he is just dragging everything wide, dragging everything to the right. I mean, do you think there's too much pressure on his shoulders at the moment to be that key that unlocks the side and to be that one to get the breakthrough for us?
00:08:11
Speaker
Yeah, in a way, in a way. I think, you know, when he's not in the team, he sees a massive difference. i mean You know, he just come out from injury. I think he just needs a bit of games, a bit of form. And um yeah, you you you know, he'll do what he needs to do for us. But I think i think we've got to be a bit patient us you know got be bit patient with him. And I think he needs a bit of a arm around the shoulder. I mean, like, come on, man, you're our captain. You know, he meant to leave us in games and a bit more patience on our fans.
00:08:35
Speaker
do Okay, so you you think patience is the key. Do you think we also need another player who can do what he does? Because I worry i know that Ranieri's coming through, but we've all said sort of in different moments, we're not convinced he's ready yet. Do you think we need somebody who would be ready to step in as that number two to Erdogan? Or ah would you be willing to trust Ranieri to be that man?
00:09:00
Speaker
No, I think he's too young. I think he's 17. You're asking too much for a 17-year-old. I don't know what you guys are doing at 17, but I didn't have that's sort a pressure seven that 17. That's a lot. He's still learning his trade. I i think, yeah, he definitely needs to get someone. But the question is, who do you really get? you know He's really out there. I'm not going to break the bank. you know I mean, in terms of creative players, I can't think of anybody off the top, I mean, Florian Wertz, but he's gonna be in the hundreds of millions of pounds and he and he would be he would want to be starting ahead of vertigo. Can you think of anyone, Matt, that you'd have sort of creatively to come and ah be that foil?
00:09:39
Speaker
It's difficult because I feel like what Urdu God does for Arsenal is more than just like be the creator of even like you look at the he's like our our main presser along with Kai as well. Yeah, so it's almost like the teams built in a way where like his responsibilities, there's so many of them. yeah And then it's not always like a central progression type of thing, which he's always going to solve. And I think with his absence, it was a constant thing where it felt like no Urduguard, we can't do anything. And everyone was like, ask nor the most relying on Urduguard, be an actual fact, not only is Urduguard going to have his off games or, you know, get back to full, full fitness, but he's also not always going to be the sole person we can rely on in, in certain games.
00:10:22
Speaker
No, I think I think you make a very good point there. I mean, in terms of the game itself, that wasn't really an awful lot more to talk about. I'm kind of glad it was a three o'clock kickoff, because I think I would have been blowing my brains out with boredom during it and just frustration at the lack of finishing the only things I could really pick up on timber again, being probably one of the more positive aspects of that game getting forward overlapping come back for an odor guard chance. I mean, pigford had a great game, there was a potential penalty Rodney. I don't know if you've seen the highlights like heartache got taken down. I don't personally I don't think there's anything in it. What about you? Yeah I thought the same thing like having a look at it the first time you might see partes going down in the box as well. Is it a call but when you look at it it's almost like a kind of double tackle in a way. I think it's Prathwaite that actually does go and get the ball but it's Dokore behind him making a bit of contact which is what doesn't go down.
00:11:12
Speaker
and so it's one of these ones where the tackle itself is clean, the other player behind him makes it look a bit messier but upon second review even I thought there's not much in there and what I was also disappointed is at that point in the game I can see why all of the Arsenal players are appealing for it please everyone's got their hands on the air too because we're dependent on it but I think in that situation we shouldn't be relying on a penalty to give us the three points in this game there was more questions should be asked about the build up why we haven't scored already as well that I thought, yeah, that and the kind of final sections of it, it was disappointing to see. There's nothing in it, but we're getting desperate and we shouldn't be desperate in that situation at home to Everton. I think that that's one of the things that really frustrated me at home again. Like, you know, the last game at home, disappointing. It's a different story at home at the Emirates. Oh, but yeah. ah I mean, yes, sure, they had an extra week's rest, but that shouldn't be that shouldn't be the key. Matt, you look like you wanted to say something there. I'm just.
00:12:05
Speaker
it it's it' It's a difficult one because I think if there's one thing this
Upcoming Fixtures: Crystal Palace and Creativity Issues
00:12:10
Speaker
league's already taught us it's the quality is on another planet and so Everton I mean I've seen them get dished out heavy losses to the likes of Spurs and United and whatnot and when they come up against teams like Arsenal, Liverpool or City they're quite well suited because they won't play any you know overly high press for example or they won't play too much of a high line because unfortunately they know that you know you sit in, that's your best chance at the Emirates and I think the team Arsenal struggle against
00:12:42
Speaker
It's pretty much evident to a tee, you know, even the last day of last season, and a team who play like like a mid block, but are really aggressive and they properly like compact the middle, very physical. So like a lot of teams we can overpower physically. But I think a game like that, you almost got over pound technically and we've not really got the profiles or the difference makers then in the final third to do so.
00:13:03
Speaker
Yeah, something needs to change. I feel like we're like ah Matt kind of said earlier, we're hitting a wall. How this is hitting a wall, but it feels like we're hitting a bit of a wall as well. And maybe just need a bit of a spark to bring us back. um We're going to take a little break now. We're going to hear from our partners at Zencast. And when we come back, we're going to focus on some key areas that our problems, our potential solutions, and just do a little bit of a deeper dive into where we are right now. So we'll be back just after this break. Here at Global Sports Podcast Network, we spend a lot of time selecting our delivery platform, Zencaster,
00:13:37
Speaker
came out the clear winner. With 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing that automatically removes all those um's and ah's, it's super 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.
Tactical Changes: Odegaard and Wanyeri Substitution
00:14:00
Speaker
And welcome back to the Daily Arsenal Podcast. It's part two of our little review of the Everton game. We've kind of broken down the key quote unquote events that took place actually within the game. Saliba Josh, i I wanted to ask you because we've not really spoken about him much. A lot of the plaudits in defensive terms have gone recently to the likes of Timber, the likes of Gabrielle. Obviously he's been, you know, a bit of a match winner. He's been a bit of a hero. And that said, Saliba's been a bit quieter this season. But when I was looking at the Opter sort of breakdowns for this game, again, it seems to be a constant. Saliba had the most passes and they were very much just back and forwards between the players in front of him. The writers and Marino is like,
00:14:41
Speaker
I don't know if relying on him to start creative movements is becoming a bit of a problem, bit of a safety blanket. What do you think of Saliba's role currently in the squad? um I think it says performance from the last couple of weeks now. you know I mean, the fact that he's going back and forth um and he's our creative outlet, it's a bit worrying to me. um you know I mean, okay we well' we're fighting for the title, apparently. We can't rely on Saliba for creative outlets. If we're doing that, you might have just might just forget about the title. you know just Just forget about it. Just focus on top. Forgot about the up old ass ones, focus on top four.
00:15:15
Speaker
I mean, I think a lot of fans are kind of talking about that at the moment in terms of forgetting the title, but we will we will come to that later. Rodney, obviously we talked a lot about Erdogan in the last section, but there has been a habit of Artetas recently. He's taking him off for Wangieri.
00:15:32
Speaker
in seemingly every game at the moment, trying to give him either trying to give him more minutes or because I think he said in the press conference, it was a tactical change on this occasion. When the area he struggled to impose himself on this game. How do you find that sort of tactical Nels from a tattoo? Are you enjoying seeing more of when the area or would you rather see the captain finish the game?
00:15:55
Speaker
I think in this case, it's it's difficult. I think when Odegard was out, I love seeing Wanyari come in, but even then it wasn't happening as often as I'd like it to. The idea of him being groomed to be Odegard's replacement, I do like, but as Matt brought up earlier, Odegard does a lot more than just function as a kind of creative kind of, you know, pivot in the midfield. It's like, no, again, he's kick-starting the press. He's leading the team. He is the captain in so many ways. So dragging him off when admittedly he wasn't having the best game, I thought was a mistake. There's more that Odegard does. If he's even then, I thought he was still making efforts to create, still kind of driving through. Finishing was questionable. Admittedly, he missed a few chances in that game, but I didn't think it was worthy of being hooked. What I would have liked to have seen was maybe put Wenerion next to Odegard and then see what we could have done with a kind of more aggressive play in that kind of midfield. But taking Odegard out and then putting Wenerion, I just thought, no, it's not quite the attacking-minded substitution that I really wanted. We needed to be more aggressive in that game. And I would have liked to have seen
00:16:48
Speaker
ah you know a similar substitution but not the one-to-one. I don't think Odegard Winyeri right now is the same as Martinelli Trossard. I don't think it's going to be the one-to-one that we need
Declan Rice and Midfield Dynamics
00:16:57
Speaker
right now. yeah No yeah I couldn't agree more and Matt actually this was something I wanted to bring up. Declan Brice he's had a much quieter season this season obviously he was out for a little while you know, got the red card, things like that. Would you be comfortable trusting him if, for example, like Ronni suggested, maybe Arteta stuck Wanyerion for, let's say, Marino and had two of those pretty ah offensively minded players with Rice doing what he traditionally did at West Ham, which was acting as that number six. Would you sort of, would you be comfortable with that and seeing Rice in that position a bit more?
00:17:32
Speaker
I think that's almost why you buy Declan Rice. yeah You buy a player who is so... I appreciate what Othet is trying to do in terms of trying to make him really well-rounded, maybe you know just for the short-term future. So when he goes back to the sixth position like he has, he's more adept to the general all-round game, even though I don't think that's too much of an issue.
00:17:52
Speaker
And I think, as I say, you know the reason you buy Declan Rice is because of how good he is as a lone six. He's a player who you can essentially build the team around because it's he's so moldable. You put him as that number six and you can put two free-flowing eights ahead of him and you're completely fine, particularly in games where you've got a fullback who's inverting, which happens a lot, and you've got most of the bull.
00:18:13
Speaker
And I think, I appreciate why he's played him as an eight sometimes, not really when he's played him in this like, Jaco roll, where he's been really close, like almost like a second striker. I've never got that personally, particularly against deep sides. But I just think as a six,
00:18:29
Speaker
you get the very best out of Declan Rice. Like, I think his passing range is really underrated. I think the game which always reminds me of this is Palace Away last season. I think his passing range was sensational, that game. He mocked up play so well, he broke up play really well. Like, that for me was him to a tee. And him playing in that lone sixth role, given the way we play with relative security defensively,
00:18:50
Speaker
and having, you know, the pivot of a timber or a Lewis Kelly or whoever it is, means he can still go forward, he can still have shots, he can still get involved in the build up. So for me personally, they I think it's completely nailed on that you buy a player like that, you spend the money you do, because he is the very best option on the market in playing a number six who sits back, but can do everything without them needing to be like this all round attacking for it, if that makes sense. Yeah, Josh, you seem to agree with that quite a lot.
00:19:19
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, I think even, I think Declan writes likes playing in the eight more. I don't know why. I think he's bearing the six. I thought when we bought him, he was going to play in the six and you know, and number eight, I didn't know, I um i was guessing that Shaq was going to be the that the the main eight. That didn't really work out as a restore, trying to test that. But yeah, it's a bit, it's a bit bad for me. He's, he's playing eight. I don't, I don't, I don't see him as, he's all right attacking threat, but again, he's bearing a number six and I'm with older guard against, I think he got subbed off in the 60th minute.
00:19:48
Speaker
I thought it was stupid. I thought I was stupid. I didn't make any sense to him. Even though all of I didn't have the best of games, but, you know, he's an older God. Like Matt said, he does more for the team than, than you know, off the ball, than on the ball. You know, it doesn't make sense of taking him off like that. Well, yeah, he hooked a garden rice on the 61st minute and brought on Giorginio Manieri to try and freshen it up. And it it does feel it that does feel like a It's a like for like, but it's such a drop off in quality in both yeah in both instances when you're struggling to break a team down. I think like Rodney said, having two more offensively minded players would have been much smarter personally.
Young Talent: Miles Lewis Skelly
00:20:29
Speaker
And I just want to say one name out loud as well for the group. And I want to hear all your actions. Miles Lewis Skelly.
00:20:36
Speaker
Like that boy, he got the man, your hand up. I've got one hand on my mic, so I can't. um
00:20:47
Speaker
That young man, Josh has come in and he's doing it. He's 18 and he's doing such a good job. I mean, the fact that he just fit in so well, he he doesn't look out of place, you know, he he gets really stuck with a tackle. You know, is he he makes the right decisions. You know, young players sometimes they take an extra touch or they, you know, they do make a part. I don't think he makes any wrong decisions. Honestly, he's amazing.
00:21:08
Speaker
You know, he's still young, still got to give him time. I think with football players and football fans, you know, they put all the pressure on his young kids, they're amazing. I think just give him time, you know, let him let his trade, let him do what he's doing well, give him the praise that he does deserve. But um yeah, you know, to keep up, he's doing amazing.
00:21:24
Speaker
Yeah, I've been really impressed with him. And also just his offensive play as well. Like his balls in behind have been great. If only he could find Saka with a few of them. Saka's making those runs. He's just not getting picked out at the moment. He seems to be sort of reluctant to push forward like that. ah Right. We're going to hear from our partners at Global Sports Podcast Network. And when we come back, we're going to look at what's really going to happen with the title race. Are we still in it? And what happened around the rest of the Premier League? So we'll be back just after this message.
00:21:50
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.
00:22:21
Speaker
Global Sports Podcast Network, every club, every
Arsenal's Title Race Challenges
00:22:25
Speaker
day. And welcome back to the third and final section of this Daily Arsenal review of the Everton game. We've talked all about the game, but now it's time to look at the title race as a whole and at the rest of the weekend. Now Rodney, we've dropped points again at home.
00:22:41
Speaker
in the table we are still third as things stand i mean chelsea have just won we're recording this on sunday evening chelsea just won uh they've beaten let me get the scores up they beat Brentford 2-1 oh and Tottenham beat Southampton 5-0 goodness me we'll come on tonight in just a moment so chelsea are four points ahead of us now in the same amount of games Liverpool is six points ahead with a game in hand obviously they dropped points against Fulham this week Fulham being a real thorn in a lot of team side. When you look at us as potential title winners, do you still see that or are you becoming a bit disenfranchised by the talk of title winning?
00:23:21
Speaker
I think, leaning towards the latter on that one, becoming a div is disenfranchised with it. I think the title, there's a lot of games left to play, mathematically it's still possible, but I've said this, every time you have an opportunity for the league leaders currently Liverpool who then go on to draw a game and then you as Arsenal don't capitalise on that and win that game that week, you just make the probability of going on a serious run and accumulating the points necessary to go and win it that much more difficult. So while it's never impossible, it is statistically more and more unlikely the more missed opportunities there are. And so with a case like this, I think the stat was we could have narrowed the gap between us and Liverpool to two points if we'd beaten both Phil and Everton. Although, albeit Liverpool would have had a game in hand. We didn't do that. And so now the point difference is relatively the same. I go, is it possible that they go on and continue to drop points and also pick up form? Yes, but we've made that kind of chase far more difficult for ourselves. So right now, I'm not really focused on it.
00:24:14
Speaker
If you ask me again in April and May as we get closer to the end, I might change my stance, but right now I'm not really focusing on this is going to be the Premier League winning kind of season. I'm thinking right now I want to have a look at just stay on form. I want the issues with the club that are going on right now to be fixed. I want issues with tactics and performances to be rectified. Hopefully stay within the top four, qualify for Champions League football again next season and focus on our performance in the other competitions, namely the Champions League and the Carabao and the FA Cup. That's it. That's why I see it right now.
00:24:42
Speaker
that was ah That was a very deep analysis of our character. I like that. That was solid. Thank you. we are We're certainly dropping the ball in terms of chasing Liverpool. But another team that are, Matt, Manchester City. So we are recording this not long after the Manchester Derby. I don't know if you got a chance to watch it, mate. 2-1 they lost to Manchester United at the Etihad.
00:25:05
Speaker
Two late goals. Pep... and Josh was mentioning this earlier. I'm sure he'll chime in with this as well. Pep seems to be losing the plot a little bit, Matt. What do you make of all of this? but i'm Unfortunately I just I can't really enjoy it because it's just you know like it would be nice just one season to go back to the 2223 completely ahead of things early on because it always just feels like it's catch up catch up catch up but it's not catch up in a sustainable way it's catch up in a way of all right you need to climb this whole mountain
00:25:36
Speaker
But you slip one step and you're basically done. And the sooner you keep slipping that one step, the more the likes of Man City or Liverpool become less relevant. And I think City is there for everyone to see. You can say whatever you like about it. They're not going to be winning the Premier title this season. They're in a top four race with the greatest of respect to themselves.
00:25:58
Speaker
They're in a position where, for me personally, I said with City, it's obvious they'll drop points early on in the season because they were just about getting by at Wolves against Southampton at home. They shouldn't have equalised against Darston, etc, etc, right? The games where, in this league, you call the easier ones, as I say, Southampton at home,
00:26:16
Speaker
and balls away who were struggling relatively speaking, those are the games they were really struggling in. So then when they hit the brightens, the ballmuffs of this world, and the other top sides, or the other sides which are a pain to play, I didn't quite expect them to falter as much as they have.
00:26:34
Speaker
But it's safe to say that they got by early on. It wasn't going to happen. Harland wasn't going to be scoring hat tricks every week. No one else has stepped up to the plate and they've been punished in the most brutal way. And now it almost feels like they've slightly checked out a bit. So it's unfortunate that you can see your greatest rival in the last few years fall off so significantly. And, you know, they can afford to after winning full Premier League titles on the bounce. And then you see yourselves and you're like,
00:27:04
Speaker
you're talking about maybe being six points behind or five points behind or however many points behind in December, while realizing that if you win, let's say 80% of your games, that might still not also be enough. And it's just, it's a draining one talking about the title at this point, I think in general. Obviously
Premier League Standings: Wolves, Aston Villa, and Tottenham
00:27:23
Speaker
you asked more about the city side of things, but I think it goes handin hand in hand because I think My general opinion about the title has always been, I think I said after Nottingham Forest, has always been that all that matters is us. I know Liverpool will drop more points, I know City will drop more points. If you if City and Liverpool drop more points, an Arsenal do.
00:27:42
Speaker
doesn't matter. Arsenal have given themselves a mountain to climb at such an early stage and the context of what's happened doesn't really matter because of how many points Arsenal have dropped to the point where they probably need to win, what, like 18, 19 games out of the remaining 22 to get to a mid 80s points tally. And sadly, when that's the case and you're projected for 70 odd points,
00:28:04
Speaker
it makes the title talk a tiny bit redundant as sad as it is to say particularly in December and it's draining because you you lose one game and it's almost just like you want to see your team enjoy you so you want to enjoy your team playing football if Arsenal wins seven in a row or eight in a row and get themselves a few points behind then maybe you can reopen the discussion but I think if every week in December is title talk you're just gonna get so drained with with the football blast of reality of things I think you got a point Matt, and maybe in that case we should ban title talk on the Daily Arsenal podcast until we go on a bit of a run. That might be and might be a better option for all of our mental health, quite frankly, not bringing it up constantly. I mean, ah one team who definitely have been feeling it recently and have made efforts to change that, Wolves, Josh,
00:28:53
Speaker
sacked their manager after 16 games. Gary Neale's gone. I mean, they're 16 games, they've won two, they've lost 11, there are nine points. Jamie saw this coming. In his prediction, he had them down there. didn' Are you surprised at the complete drastic change of fortunes? Because they weren't terrible last season. they And they've got some, they've got a decent squad in there. I mean, Mathias Cunha is in the top scorer's list, he's seven.
00:29:22
Speaker
But, you know, they're just struggling so much. Did you expect that at all? No, no. I think they've been a bit unlucky. You know, I've watched some of their games and they've played. They played decent football. All right. It's just definitive. They just can't keep leaking goals. And at this level, if you keep leaking goals and you don't tie out at the back, you know, it's going to get punished. I feel sorry for Garan. I really do. I think he's done a more right job. I think this season they were. Again, they've been playing decent football. It's just in the last second night, you know, they just I don't know. That's not good enough, really.
00:29:53
Speaker
I have to agree. Yeah. And I like the guy. He seems like a decent yeah human being, you know, and he had such high prospects as a manager as well. Just, it seems such a shame that it's dropped off so massively for him. And speaking of dropping off, Rodney Villa, Villa seemed to have fallen away a little bit. I mean, I think people expected potentially with the Champions League and everything, but it's been pretty drastic. Although losing to Forrest at the moment is no, there's no embarrassment.
00:30:17
Speaker
Would you say? Forest on a tear. They're fourth, Forest. They're madness. but um We're getting towards, obviously, the midpoint of the season. And at the beginning of the season, ah those were here when we started. We made predictions. And we're going to do sort of like a review of things ah it's probably in the first week of January as to how our predictions are shaping up. But Rodney, did you have Forest anywhere near this point in the table? oh no No, I didn't. I seem to remember them seeming like they were scrambling during the transfer window. So I thought they're going to be making a lot of last minute purchases, scrambling off. They haven't kind of, you know, execute their strategy properly. I didn't really expect this from them at all. I actually had Villa to do quite well. I thought if they just reinforced and had the depth to cover both the main competitions they're in and the Champions League, I thought they might be all right. So them falling off is actually the surprise for me. I'd Villa top four in my prediction. So yeah, yeah.
00:31:11
Speaker
So I think I had them very near it, so it's been a bit of a shock. And Matt, last question for the day. Are great rivals Tottenham Hotspur are just the most absurd football team in the world, it seems. They can't seem to make their mind up whether they're absolutely atrocious or world beaters. I mean, they were five and a half at Southampton within half time, didn't score anymore after that. They're sitting bang in the middle on 10th. At one point, I mean, Josh was saying that before, Ange looked like he could lose his job, potentially. What on earth are Spurs doing at the moment? Like, where do you see them going?
00:31:48
Speaker
They're a confusing side, and I think the reason they're a confusing side, more than anything, you know obviously you look at that hilarious anomaly of playing against City and beating them 4-0 every season, just other than obviously the game we needed them to.
00:32:05
Speaker
yeah yeah Not very fun, was it? um But I think with Spurs, they're a weird side because when you take a few injuries in their side, they go from like a top four type team to a maybe top six, top eight type side.
00:32:21
Speaker
And the problem I have, excusing that, is it's almost because of the style and how much mental exhaustion is expected of their players, which is why players get injured so much. So it's almost like a self-inflicted, it's almost like 10 Hogs United where they had so many injuries at the back end.
00:32:38
Speaker
yeah because they're expecting their centre backs to run from A to Z at all times and B here, there and everywhere. And I think with Spurs, that's their biggest problem. They have these persistent injuries and when they gut those injuries, when they have certain players out, not even certain players, a lot of big players, you know, right now they have Van de Ven out, they have Romero out, I think. Poirot or Doggy went off, I'm not sure which one it was. A few others too.
00:33:03
Speaker
And, you know, obviously, you know how hard the Premier League is when you get those injuries, things become a lot harder. But when your style almost makes those injuries expected, I think that's their big problem. And then I think investment in quality areas is also a problem, you know, like.
00:33:18
Speaker
I think they have obviously their favoured back too, but they don't really have anyone other than just makeshift players dragooting as well. But I think they they've they've almost invested maybe a tiny bit too young in the midfield areas and their general side. You know, like fundamental profiles they lack, like a a proper 1v1 wing, or if you will, they bought Oderbehr from Burnley, but quite a few of their signings feel like a bit of a gamble. But yeah, Spurs are a weird one to find out. I think ultimately, once teams start playing deeper against them and giving them respect, which is what happened after their ah tear at the start of last season, they very much struggled to break them down. And I think that's remained a relatively common thing. And they're always susceptible to giving away big chances, especially when they don't have their main hitters or
00:34:07
Speaker
the quick defenders who make up for the amount of spaces they
Podcast Wrap-up and Upcoming Matches
00:34:10
Speaker
they give up. Yeah well let's hope that that chaos continues at the very least and they slide even further down from 10th. That is it from us at the Daily Arsenal Podcast. I want to say a huge thank you to Rodney Gunn, Joshua Duncan and Matt for joining me Josh Vince on today's episode. Having a little look at the disappointing weekend we just had We're in third. We've got a lot of work to do. And that work will continue this week. We've got two games against Crystal Palace coming up this week, Wednesday and Saturday. So keep your eyes out. There'll be new episodes coming out this week. At some point, we'll do a crossover. Not sure when currently. We're just waiting to hear back from the Palace team. But until then, thank you all very much for listening. And as always, have a great day. Goodbye. Every club.
00:34:57
Speaker
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