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00:00:01
Daily Arsenal - S1-E122 : West Ham Crossover Episode!
9 Plays11 days ago
It's a crossover Thursday here on the Daily Arsenal podcast, where Josh is joined by the two Elkins' of West Ham! What do they have to say about their season, their current manager, and about Arsenal as a propsective opponent?
Host : Josh Vince
Special Guests : Tom Elkins, Jacob Elkins from the Daily West Ham Podcast
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Podcast Format
00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello, hello, hello, and welcome to the Daily Arsenal and Daily West Ham podcast, brought to you as part of the Global Sports Podcast Network. It's Thursday, which of course means it is time for a crossover. It's been a while since at least we've done one of these on a Thursday because the schedule has been so crazy. They've happened on Tuesdays and Wednesdays all over the place.
00:00:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
So it's good to get back to a crossover Thursday. I'm your host, Josh Vince from the Daily Arsenal podcast, and joining me from the Daily West Ham podcast, we have The Elkins brothers of both Tom and Jacob.
00:00:40
Jacob
so beautiful
00:00:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Gents, I didn't even realize when we were setting this up that you're brothers. It's great to have you on. ah Tom, how have you both been recently? been ah You've been keeping well? You've been enjoying the football?
00:00:51
Tom Elkins
Yeah, been doing really well. We're actually not brothers. We just happen to have the same like relatively unique surname. So, you know, what a coincidence.
00:00:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, you damn it. You you tricked me, you fool.
00:00:57
Tom Elkins
and f not No, no, no, no.
00:00:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:00:59
Tom Elkins
we are We are brothers.
00:00:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:01:00
Tom Elkins
We are brothers. We're definitely brothers. and West Ham brothers. So it's been, you know, quite an interesting time recently.
00:01:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:01:06
Tom Elkins
A lot of ups, but then more recently some lows. So we're keeping okay generally.
Team Standings and Analysis
00:01:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's been an interesting season for you guys. ah Jacob, how have you found things sort of like going forward? And let's say like since since the new year kicked in.
00:01:21
Jacob
um That is a really hard one to answer. It's been ah bit of a roller coaster, I would say.
00:01:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm
00:01:28
Jacob
is's It's not all been positive, and but certainly since you know the turn of the year, it's it's been going in the right direction, i think.
00:01:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
hmm.
00:01:38
Jacob
And yeah, I think we're just kind of hoping you know we're going to start to put some results together. um you know We're happy with the new manager. So yeah, we're trying to be positive, I think, at the minute.
00:01:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's it's it's definitely been a tricky one for you guys, certainly. It's been a very up and down season. I mean, so as things stand, Arsenal are second with 53 points and West Ham sitting 16th with 27.
00:02:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
So that's 10 above the relegation zone and you've taken nine points out of a potential 30 in the last 10 games.
00:02:04
Jacob
Shushu.
00:02:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's Would you, are is there sort of like, Tom is sort of like Jacob alluded to, are there slight concerns going forward at the moment in terms of the form? Or do you see the sort of change in playing style is starting to kick in under Potter?
West Ham's Challenges and Injuries
00:02:26
Tom Elkins
Yeah, I definitely think the playing start style is is starting to kick in. When you look at how poor we were under Lopetegui, I think the most telling thing was how poor we started in the beginning of games.
00:02:37
Tom Elkins
Very rarely did we score the first goal.
00:02:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:02:39
Tom Elkins
We would concede really early and then from there we made it so difficult for ourselves. so That coupled with the problems we've had with injuries and attack. you know We've never really been blessed with luck when it comes to buying strikers, but...
00:02:50
Tom Elkins
when we consistently have injuries to the strikers that we do have, you know, Fulker signed with quite a large amount of hype around him, basically got injured straight away, hasn't really played any decent amount of minutes consistently. So it's just been tough. Now that we've got the new manager, we've got Evan Ferguson as a striker who hopefully can stay fit. He's looking more positive and I think we are going in a positive direction.
00:03:13
Tom Elkins
It's just, are we to be able to actually get anything out this season? At this point, probably not, to be honest.
00:03:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Jacob, I know this is potentially slightly hyperbolic. And I mean, when we and we saw in the Daily Arsenal, Lopetegui came in as West Ham manager, we thought, oh, OK, you know, brilliant manager.
00:03:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
This is going to be a really good season for West Ham. So is it hyperbolic to say you're in a relegation fight at this point?
00:03:41
Jacob
um I think when you see that we're in 16th, obviously that, you know, your mind goes to we're clinging on. But I think i think we've got just enough of a gap between us and the you know the teams below to to feel relatively comfortable. I think things would have to go you know really against us and then the teams below us would have to you know pick up every point and I don't think that's going to happen. And I think it's going to, it's just going to end up being one of those seasons where we just have to sort of forget and and try and move on and, you know, move on to better things next season. um
00:04:23
Jacob
Yeah. I wouldn't say we're worried too much. um We kind of know the situation we're in and we we just kind of have to deal with it. Any hire that we can finish up the table will be brilliant. But, you know,
00:04:39
Jacob
We are where we are. um We have to take every game as it comes now and and try and salvage as much as possible.
00:04:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I can imagine you'd see this sort of as a transitional season. sort of you know There's been a lot of change at the club. There's lots of things that have happened as well. ah When we look back to Arsenal versus West Ham, I mean, we look at 2024 just as an a year.
Arsenal's Performance Against West Ham
00:04:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
The aggregate score in the Premier League between Arsenal and West Ham was 11-2 to Arsenal. it wasn't It wasn't a fixture that blessed you necessarily in the in the previous year.
00:05:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
And when we look back to the actual game this season at the London Stadium, 5-2. who who Tom, do you remember watching that game? Because I have to admit, I certainly do.
00:05:22
Tom Elkins
It's typical case study for the Lopetegui, actually, apart from the goals. The goals were probably slightly surprising when it comes to Lopetegui, to be honest, because we were very rarely scoring in the first half and we were conceding so many goals early. So...
00:05:37
Tom Elkins
The kind of defensive capitulation that we saw just scoring repeatedly, up like so quickly after the last. So demoralising, especially when you're trying to stay positive about a new manager. And I think the the general talk was what basically had the best window is what people were saying.
00:05:57
Tom Elkins
So to then see it slowly just start to spiral downwards is a really tough position to be as a fan to try and stay positive, especially when we're talking about it. you know were We do a podcast about West Ham, so trying to stay positive and an upbeat about what's happening when we're seeing really poor performances when we're expecting so much.
00:06:16
Tom Elkins
it was, it's tough. is is tough um But that's just kind of the life of most football fans, you know, like most football fans support a team that isn't really that great, but you just hope that it's going get better.
00:06:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:06:27
Tom Elkins
And we've seen so much, we've seen so much success from West Ham recently, you know, we've competed in Europe, won European Silverwater.
00:06:28
Jacob
Thank you.
00:06:34
Tom Elkins
So, I feel like it's kind of slightly coming back down to reality, having a bit of a reset and hopefully under Potter, we'd be able to push forward into Europe like we thought we'd be able to do with Lopetegui.
00:06:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, to be I can definitely see doing it. You've got a strong enough squad. And on the point you made there, Tom, a question for you, Jacob, that I have is, so you you said, Tom, and I think a lot of people agreed that West Ham had a brilliant summer transfer
West Ham's New Signings and Player Impact
00:07:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
window. It was really, really strong.
00:07:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Jacob, but out of that sort of crop of players that you got in, which are the ones that have sort of haven't necessarily hit the ground running as much as you might have hoped for?
00:07:09
Tom Elkins
Thank you.
00:07:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because I'd argue possibly Wan-Bissaka has been probably one of the best standouts that you've brought in, potentially. But are there any others that sort of... dis Obviously, Falkirk was injured, but are there others that are disappointed?
00:07:23
Jacob
Yeah, I wouldn't say, out of them all, I wouldn't say I'm um'm that disappointed. i mean, the main one that stands out would be Rodriguez, who, you know, it seemed like a strange one at the time when we we let Ward-Prowse go out on loan to Forrest and then we brought in Rodriguez to act as sort.
00:07:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:07:45
Jacob
I don't know if that was the um the idea of him being Ward-Prowse's replacement or Ward-Prowse being sort of surplus to requirements under Lopetegui. i It just seemed crazy but you know we kind of went along with it and thought this guy's a been in a ah World Cup winning squad so you know he's obviously he's got what we need. um Other than that, they've you know think of Somerville, he's been in and out of the team, had injury issues, not really had and enough of a chance to to show what he can do, like like we've seen for Leeds in the Championship.
00:08:21
Jacob
um Kilman and Wamsaka have been solid, but... you know Our defence in general has has leaked goals. you know So ah don't think it's really fair to to pin that on them.
00:08:34
Jacob
I think just in in general, but the way the team's been set up in the past, it's just been wrong.
00:08:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:08:40
Jacob
um And I think they can only get better. you know Kilman looks very dependable. We're very happy with him. he's Me and Tom have spoken many times about how he's kind of been a shining light in ah and a struggle in West Ham.
00:08:55
Jacob
So, yeah, i wouldn't say i wouldn't say i'm I'm that disappointed. I think you know i think it's fair to say we had the the best transfer window, but that doesn't necessarily mean that you know they were set up in the right way or you know the manager's message wasn't strong enough.
00:09:13
Jacob
for you know Because i think I think had it have been Potter from the start, it would probably look very different now, to be honest.
00:09:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:09:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, most likely. Well, we're going to take a little break. We're going to hear from our partners at Bionic. and when we come back, we're going to do, I've got a few questions for the Elkins boys from the Arsenal side to West Ham. And then in part three, they're going reverse and ask any questions they have at the mighty Arsenal.
00:09:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Sorry, boys. ah Right. We'll be back just after this break.
00:09:43
Jacob
Mm-hmm.
00:10:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
And welcome back to the Daily Arsenal and Daily West Ham podcast. I mean, GSPN 2025, use that code 40% off. It's a pretty decent deal. Now, Tom, the first question that I have to ask is actually one that sort of we, when it occurred, we on the Arsenal podcast were incredibly worried and quite ah
Antonio's Recovery and Squad Impact
00:10:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
moved by it.
00:10:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
um antonio obviously had a horrific incident earlier this year in that car crash um all fans were with him in that instance i don't think anybody had anything negative to say about the man in that moment at all um first of all have we heard any update on how he's doing and then secondly do you think that that might have impacted the squad sort of psychologically perhaps
00:11:06
Tom Elkins
So the the first thing to say about that is that he is okay. And the fact that he was okay, if you if you if you see some of the the images of the wreckage, it's amazing that he got out with kind of as minimal injuries as he did, to be honest.
00:11:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:11:21
Tom Elkins
and i think there's not too many people that I would kind of think that would happen with. And Antonio is definitely one of them because he is such a... You look at his physical makeup and he's an absolute monster.
00:11:33
Tom Elkins
You know, he's built so rock solid and he's, you know, he's muscular, he's athletic.
00:11:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, he is.
00:11:40
Tom Elkins
And I think hopefully that when he does come back, he'll be able to regain that because, you know, that's that's one of his best assets. And I think that's one of the reasons he's been such a prolific player in the Premier League. I don't think he gets the respect that he deserves because he scored a lot of goals in the league, you know, and it it takes...
00:11:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:11:56
Tom Elkins
you can't consistently play in the Premier League if you're not a good player. And he's scored goals in the Premier League.
00:12:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:12:00
Tom Elkins
He's scored a lot more goals than a lot people would actually realise. So, um you know, we've you i've been big fans of his for a long time. um And then the impact on the squad is a weird one. It was... It felt like...
00:12:16
Tom Elkins
are typical something like this happens. Like we're in such a kind of down and relatively somber mindset generally from how the season has gone. You know, we're we're not in the league position that we want to be.
00:12:29
Tom Elkins
We want to be competing for Europe and we're, you know, competing for top 10, which is really poor. And at this point it's like competing not to be in the relegation battle, which is, it's just not good enough. Um,
00:12:41
Tom Elkins
So I think it was something that felt just just typical. you know when When you support West Ham for a long time, you know that there's going to be ups and there's also going to be downs. So it was kind of a, oh, okay, this is this is happening now.
00:12:55
Tom Elkins
And it's just stuff you have to just deal with.
00:12:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:12:57
Tom Elkins
And Antonio is now training in Dubai. I've seen i've seen pictures of him um doing some kind of strength and conditioning work.
00:13:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Wow.
00:13:06
Tom Elkins
I don't think it's anything too crazy, but... He is back training and rehabilitating, which is amazing to see. at see And I don't know if it will be this season. I don't think it will be this season. But I think at the start of next season here, he'll be ready to go, which which is really good. um And we could use him. you know think his profile as a footballer is so unique.
00:13:26
Tom Elkins
I don't think there's too many people that are similar to him. His kind of raw athleticism and the way that he kind of is so... I think he must be really difficult to play against, especially as a defender, because he's, his technique isn't typical.
00:13:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:13:40
Tom Elkins
You know, he is not a really refined, beautiful, silky footballer. He's like raw and he's aggressive and he's powerful and he's so direct as well. And you've seen so many times that he out muscles defenders and he outpaces them and,
00:13:54
Tom Elkins
then he can just spin a centre-back and smash it in the top bins as well, which which is something that I don't think people give him credit for. So, yeah, I just hope we we get him back soon and hopefully that can kind of galvanise the squad ass as we start to see him rehabilitate, basically.
00:14:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, cool.
Duncan Ferguson's Loan Signing Impact
00:14:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Jacob, I mean, we've obviously talked about Antonio, and i have to say, Tom, like I was genuinely amazed when you said he's already in training.
00:14:12
Jacob
sick
00:14:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's really good news to hear. ah Jacob, in the winter transfer window, you brought in Duncan Ferguson, a man who a lot of teams had their eye on. What did you make of that loan signing?
00:14:32
Jacob
um I think
00:14:35
Jacob
There were a few other players that I think I i probably would have picked over Ferguson. But, um you know, maybe somebody with... I know we have a habit of of signing players who are a little bit past it and But I maybe would have liked someone with a little more experience playing in, you know, top division.
00:14:58
Jacob
um But, you know, we've seen him score goals in the Premier League. And... Yeah, it's exciting. When he came on um in our most recent game, he had an immediate impact and, you know,
00:15:14
Jacob
he basically has to start for us now because we don't really have an option. you know We looked so poor in the last game going forward without a centre forward um and someone like him who's quick and athletic and has a real presence is is what we need right now. So, yeah, I'm i'm just kind of excited to see what what he can bring.
00:15:38
Jacob
um me and Tom have kind of tried to predict how many goals we think we can realistically expect from him. And we've said we'd be happy with, you know, five or six or seven, maybe.
00:15:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:15:52
Jacob
That might even be, you know, a bit generous. But um yeah, he's... he's He's of that calibre. um I think he could have an impact and you know i think he's got a point to prove you know being out of that Brighton team um and I'm sure he he will have his impact.
00:16:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I'll be honest, when you sort of said guessing how many goals, I imagined about six. So if he gets six, I think that'd be a good return for half a season, honestly. That'd be a really good return.
00:16:20
Jacob
just
00:16:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Tom, this the last question I have for you before we go to a break.
Lopetegui's Managerial Stint Analysis
00:16:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
What went wrong with Lopetegui? Because from the outside looking in, that was an amazing bit of business.
00:16:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
But it did not work out, did it? My word.
00:16:37
Tom Elkins
Yeah, that's a really good question and like that's one that we've spoken about so much, honestly. is Trying to actually put your finger on what wasn't working is really tough because, like you mentioned, on the surface it seemed like a relatively good managerial appointment. He has decent pedigree. Obviously, he did amazing things at Sevilla for a long time. um Honestly, I don't know.
00:17:02
Tom Elkins
i don't have one straight answer for you. you know on On paper, everything looked really good. We had coming off of the back of probably one of the most successful times in the club's history with European success.
00:17:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:17:12
Tom Elkins
It was having a ah good squad and signing good players and kind of We've managed to get a load of players that in previous seasons we probably wouldn't have been able to attract, like your Kudis or your Paquetas, who are definitely Champions League level players.
00:17:29
Tom Elkins
They they just are. Kudis probably, for me, like one of the best left-wingers in the league.
00:17:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:17:34
Tom Elkins
And I think Paqueta is a really unique player who has so much skill and is able to do such a wide variety of things that... he would be a valuable asset for basically any team.
00:17:45
Tom Elkins
um So when it comes to what specifically went wrong, I don't know, to be honest with you. I just don't think that Lopetegui was able to get the players to do what he wanted. i don't know whether that's to do with the squad or that's to do with his ability as a coach.
00:18:02
Tom Elkins
I don't know. and know The one thing that I think it is important to mention is that David Moyes did really well, obviously, but if you do want to make the step up to consistently play in Europe, then you can't really get any long-term success playing the way that David Moyes plays.
00:18:22
Tom Elkins
because
00:18:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:18:23
Tom Elkins
You see all of the teams that do well in in Europe now, they play on the front foot, they want the ball and they want to go and
Managerial Risks and Outcomes
00:18:30
Tom Elkins
score goals. But as a David Moyes team, he doesn't really want to do that. He wants to kind of absorb the pressure and then break on the counter-attack, which is is really good in in short amounts of time. And we I think we got the most out of that.
00:18:42
Tom Elkins
but In order to make that step up, you need to make the managerial change to try and make that happen. And we took a risk and it didn't pay off.
00:18:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:18:49
Tom Elkins
But it doesn't necessarily mean that the decision to make that risk was wrong. It just didn't work. And sometimes it just doesn't work. like You'd much rather make the risk than just keep Moyes and we kind of continue to do well, but never really push on to what we want to be and what we want to be as European team. So just the wrong appointment, but the right decision to appoint him, if that makes sense.
00:19:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, yeah, I totally get it. And I get where you're coming from as well. but Sometimes you just have to take that leap. We look at Emery exactly the same way, you know, good manager, great pedigree. We took a chance on him. It didn't work out, but it actually led on to better things with the next managerial appointment.
00:19:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it laid the foundation of where the team needed to improve.
00:19:29
Jacob
you.
00:19:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
So these those periods of difficulty it can definitely give you sort of a place to grow from, which hopefully, because I john i know you're a London team, but i quite like West Ham. ain't got anything against you guys.
00:19:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
You're not Spurs after all. So, you know, you're good in my books. So, yeah, I'd like to see you doing well.
00:19:47
Tom Elkins
Yeah.
00:19:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
And you you are a team that should be aiming for Europe.
00:19:50
Jacob
single
00:19:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
You're right. You're at that point. You've got the history. You should be aiming for European football. Right, we're going to take a little break now. Our last break. We're going to hear from our partners at Zancaster. And when we come back, it's time for the Elkinses to grill the Daily Arsenal podcast. We'll be back just after this break.
00:20:27
Tom Elkins
Thank you.
Arsenal's Title Chances
00:20:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
And welcome back to this final part of this crossover Thursday between Arsenal and West Ham here on the Global Sports Podcast Network. It's the third section and it's time for the boys, if they have any questions about Arsenal, to ping them my way. So, Jacob, we'll start with you. What would you like to know about Arsenal as we stand at the moment?
00:20:54
Jacob
and this This might come across as a ah bit of a ah question that you might not want to face.
00:21:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:21:04
Jacob
i'm But it's something I've been thinking for a while because I've been seeing a lot of people say that they think that this is an actual title race.
00:21:18
Jacob
But I am struggling to see from my from my perspective that this is a title race, I don't know what you think about that.
00:21:31
Jacob
um I just think Liverpool have got that comfortable gap between you. um and I just want to know if you think it is actually realistic um and you're going to you know hopefully squeeze that gap, particularly with the the forward issues you're having at the moment.
00:21:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, but that certainly hasn't helped the mood. Let's put it that way. um Even before we had the injuries, it was a mountain to climb. It was always going to be an incredibly difficult
Arsenal in the Champions League
00:22:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
challenge.
00:22:04
Jacob
Yeah.
00:22:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
They had the game in hand. Thankfully, they didn't win it. I think if they won it, then it's impossible because I don't see them dropping nine points for the rest of the season.
00:22:14
Jacob
yeah
00:22:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
They've got some tough games, Liverpool. there's no There's no denying that. they' you know They've got Villa tonight. We're recording this on Wednesday. They play Villa in 25 minutes at Villa Park. That could be a tough game for them.
00:22:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
They've not looked fantastic recently, but you can't deny they're still eking out victories.
00:22:28
Jacob
Thank you.
00:22:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I'm not necessarily sure I can see him dropping seven points. Likewise, now we've had these injuries up front and we're relying on Mikel Moreno as our number nine.
00:22:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah I see us dropping points. If I'm being brutally honest, I don't think we'll win every game. And if we're going to beat Liverpool to this title, we have to win every single game. And frankly, as much as, I mean, yeah, it's the Arsenal podcast, but I've got to be honest, I don't think we're going to win the Premier League this year.
00:23:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
However, ah have said since the start of the season, I think, now this is going to sound potentially ridiculous to you guys, I think we could be contenders for the Champions League.
00:23:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's where I see us at the end.
00:23:17
Tom Elkins
i I actually i think this season is going to be more difficult for you to win the league than it is the Champions League. I actually agree with you, to be honest.
00:23:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. hundred percent 100%. Because we seem to have we seem to have an element of form going into Europe. And the way that Arteta plays suits European football as well.
00:23:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
It suits going up against those European sides. It's the teams, ah to be honest, even though the last results from 2024 don't necessarily show like West Ham, like Newcastle. like Brighton, they're the teams that give us difficulty, technically good, but really stubborn teams as well.
00:23:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Whereas you go into Europe and it's all flair. It's all but you know brilliant. And that is something that Arteta can work around. So I genuinely think that's a possibility. Maybe. Tom, is there anything you'd like to know about Arsenal at the moment and our current state?
Kai Havertz's Role at Arsenal
00:24:06
Tom Elkins
Yeah, I think obviously there's there's a lot of discussion around him generally.
00:24:10
Jacob
Okay.
00:24:11
Tom Elkins
ah Kai Havertz. The way that I view him is that he's a really good at football.
00:24:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes.
00:24:18
Tom Elkins
He's really good at football. But, like, is he that great of a football player in any specific position?
00:24:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:24:26
Tom Elkins
Because, to me, it seems like... I don't think that he has made you a better team. I think there's other players that could have come in and would have improved you a lot more. And when you look at the signing, it was, oh, we're going to try and take a guy who didn't do very well at Chelsea and try and develop him into this this unbelievable player. And I think he is a really good player. I don't think he's a bad player at all.
00:24:48
Tom Elkins
It's just how long can you be in a team not really having a set position that you make your own before you start to go... maybe he isn't a kind of overall benefit to the team, if that makes sense, because he's not striker.
00:25:05
Tom Elkins
I just don't think he's a striker at all. He's not clinical enough at finishing. So then where does he play and and how do you kind of get the most out of him? Is that even possible? i'm I'm not even sure if it is, to be honest.
00:25:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think the way that you put that there is the best I've heard anybody put it, is that he's good at football, but you don't know where. I think that's that sums him up perfectly.
00:25:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's not a number nine. My word, we've discussed this enough. His finishing lacks consistency and finesse in almost every respect. He scores goals that he should score. He scores goals that any player should score. But he does, what I find with Kai is he's a great presser.
00:25:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
And he's relatively good at linking the play up as well. But like you say, Tom, there are other players who could do that and probably could do that better. And we've heard reports as well that in the summer, we were very, very close to signing Benjamin Sesko, who I think would be a brilliant centre forward for the team that we have at the moment.
00:26:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
But he said no because he was going to play second fiddle to Kai Havertz. And I think when you're putting that sort of message out there, that a young, established, exciting centre forward isn't going to start above somebody who...
00:26:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
who can't, you're right, who's playing as a number nine, but isn't one and can't find a space in midfield where he's supposed to be. It's the wrong signs that we're sending out, especially for any potential strikers.
00:26:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think that Arteta might've learned that lesson this season because obviously we went in for Rodney Watkins, 60 million for him, I think was a bit extreme. Personally, he's a good player, but nowhere near that much money in the summer. I can see him amending that. I think he has to, if he doesn't, then I don't see him lasting another year.
00:26:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
If he doesn't take that gamble, Oh yeah. It's Kai. Kai's a funny one. Kai's a funny old player. I like him, but he's not. And there seems to be a bit of a habit with Arteta as well of bringing in players who aren't doing very well at other clubs.
00:26:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
So you can take Gabriel Jesus and Zinchenko at City. They were struggling. He brought them in. They did elevate the club at that point because we weren't a title contender. We were sort of eight, sixth, eighth consistently.
00:27:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
they elevated the squad. He did the same with Sterling as well. And that did not work this season. We had a whole deep dive on Tuesday. So there seems to be a habit of him thinking he can fix players.
00:27:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
And with Kai Havertz, he's been better, but he's not been fixed, I don't think. I think that's the best way we
00:27:30
Tom Elkins
Yeah. i've got I've got a kind of analogy that that I thought of a while ago that is it's not very good, but it kind of illustrates the point quite well. it's um Imagine you you you pull the kitchen drawer open and you've you've got your kind of staple implements.
00:27:46
Tom Elkins
You know, you've got a spoon, a fork, knife, whatever.
00:27:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:27:49
Tom Elkins
Kai Havertz is a really nicely polished, really heat resistant, really unbendable lump of metal. that has all the characteristics of being really good in the kitchen. But when you want to cut something, he's not really that good at cutting something. If you want to try and get something out of a pot, but he's not really that good at that either. So it's like,
00:28:11
Tom Elkins
On paper, it looks really good, but if you want to pick something up with a fork, you get fork.
Match Predictions and Closing
00:28:17
Tom Elkins
You don't try and make do with something that isn't a fork. And the fork might not be as good as the piece of nice, really expensive, high-quality metal, but sometimes you just need a fork. So I think...
00:28:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:28:28
Tom Elkins
I just don't think it's good for Arsenal as a team to try and keep pushing him into positions where he isn't good enough. It's like you either to pick ah pick a position and he's good enough or he's not, or you move him on because he's currently just kind of floating around and being okay and having good patches and having bad patches, but not really giving any sort of consistent performances.
00:28:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:28:51
Tom Elkins
So I just i just don't think it's a good thing that he isn't trying to be one thing, if that makes sense. so
00:28:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I couldn't agree with you more, but he's not something we have to worry about anymore because he's injured for the rest of the season. So, and um coming on from that, it is almost the end of the podcast and it's time to ask realistically, lads, the only important question that we have here.
00:29:04
Tom Elkins
Thank you.
00:29:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
What are your predictions? Jacob, we'll start off with you. How do you see this one going at the Emirates on Saturday at three o'clock?
00:29:22
Jacob
um I think that... I ah don't think it's going to be another 5-2.
00:29:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:29:29
Jacob
That's for sure. I don't think... as things stand, I i might jinx it, but I don't think there are five goals that are going to come from Arsenal.
00:29:41
Jacob
um I know there's still serious threats with the you know the likes of Gabriel and Juan Airy, um you know but I think I could realistically see a 2-2 win.
00:29:57
Jacob
ah two to um I think there's yeah there's there's but parts of both of our games that are suffering at the moment and um it might be a little bit optimistic for me, but I do this every week and then you know I'm either pleasantly surprised or I'm like, yeah, we kind of knew that was going to happen.
00:30:03
Tom Elkins
Thank you.
00:30:20
Jacob
So I'll go with a and I'd be i'd be pretty chuffed with that, to be honest.
00:30:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Jacob, there's nothing wrong with being an optimist at all. ah Tom, what about yourself?
00:30:31
Tom Elkins
Well, if you think Jenkins being an optimist. um So for me, I think the first half is unbelievably important for this game because if we do what we have done so often, whereas we concede early, I really don't see us getting anything out the game.
00:30:43
Jacob
Thank you.
00:30:46
Tom Elkins
You know, going away to the Emirates is a difficult place to go at the best of times. So if we concede early, it's going to be such an uphill battle. and I just don't see us turning over. But if we can be defensively solid,
00:30:58
Tom Elkins
frustrate Arsenal in the first half. I think then as you get into the second half, the further on we get, I think the more pressure is put on the Arsenal team because... West Ham are a team that most teams think they should be beating.
00:31:11
Tom Elkins
And if they're at home, if it gets to like the 60th, the 70th minute, and they still haven't scored, and obviously still having all of these striker issues, not really having someone to lead the line and to get the goals for you, I think that works in our favour massively.
00:31:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:31:26
Tom Elkins
Evan Ferguson is such a good striker as well. And I hope that this is his opportunity to be like, right, they don't even have a striker. I am a striker. I'm going to drag our team. to some points. So my, my head would go to nil to Arsenal. I think you probably score really early in the first half, probably get another one in the second.
00:31:44
Tom Elkins
Not a very happy day for us, but if I'm going my heart, I think one no West Ham, goal in the 7th, after 70 minutes, Evan Ferguson gets it. I'm real seeing to West Ham.
00:31:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do you know what, Tom? i I hate to do this, but I don't entirely disagree with you on your heart. I think that Arsenal are really going to struggle in terms of getting a goal against West Ham.
00:32:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
I really do. And I'm going to go one nil but I don't know which way to do it.
00:32:10
Tom Elkins
Thank you.
00:32:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
honestly. and That's the honest truth. I don't know which way it's going to swing. I'm going to say Arsenal because I'm representing the Daily Arsenal podcast on this occasion, but it is one of those games where we will not score. If we score on the first half, I'll be really surprised.
00:32:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'll be really surprised if we score on the first half. We really, really struggled in our last game to get a goal. And... Unless something magical happens and Marino turns into, don't know, prime Benzema or something like that, then I think we're really going to struggle against you. So I'm going to go one nil.
00:32:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm going say Arsenal, but you know, I think it could go either way. And um that is it for today. Thank you all so much for listening, both from the Daily Arsenal and from the Daily West Ham podcast. I've been your host, Josh Vince. They were Tom Elkins and Jacob Elkins. Thank you so much for coming along, lads. i hope you've enjoyed yourselves.
00:33:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, um, in the nicest way possible. Worst of luck for Saturday. I hope it goes, terrible I hope you have a terrible Saturday.
00:33:08
Tom Elkins
Yeah, you too.
00:33:11
Jacob
shouldn't Thanks, Trent.
00:33:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
And from us, ah both these podcasts, thank you very much for listening. Stay safe. And until our next episodes, goodbye.