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Daily Arsenal - Rice cooks better with the lid on. Starboy makes up for his error!!
12 Plays1 day ago
In this episode, join us as we team up with the boys from the Daily English EPL as we discuss Arsenal's triumphant win over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu over the two legs as well as reviewing the other Champions League tie whilst also giving our thoughts ahead of the semi finals! Now if you want to get involved with any of our topics discussed please do get involved through our social media, which can be found in our show notes in the description.
Hosts: Eshan Weerasinghe & Nick
Guests: Jamie Patterson, Craig Matthews & Rodney Gooden
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Transcript
Introduction to the Global Sports Podcast Network
00:00:00
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.
00:00:14
Speaker
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.
00:00:28
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The Global Sports Podcast Network. Every club, every day.
00:00:35
Speaker
Every club, every day. The Global Sports Podcast Network.
Hosts' Greetings and Emotional States
00:00:43
Speaker
Hello, hello, hello. Welcome to another episode of the Daily Premier League in English podcast. How are you all feeling, lads? Over the moon. Over the moon. All right. So we're going to go quick interactions from everyone. Your name and one word summary of how you're feeling right now.
00:01:00
Speaker
Let's start off with top right, Jamie. How you doing? Yeah, I'm good. Thank you. I'm good. And as I said, I'm just feeling on cloud nine right now. Cloud nine, cloud nine.
00:01:13
Speaker
Rodney, Rodney, how are you Vlad? Yeah, yeah. I'm Rodney guys. And then how I'm feeling? Sensational. Just like the performance I witnessed across both legs. Sensational. Sensational. Cloud nine, sensational. Let me get a pen and paper. I need to write these down. All right, let's get to Nick next. Nick, how you feeling?
00:01:31
Speaker
Surreal. I can't believe it said five, one to Arsenal. Cloud9 surreal and sensational. And Craig, and we're going have to lap it up with you. Is it best for last or worst for last?
00:01:44
Speaker
Buzzing. Buzzing. Okay, that's clearly best for last. All right. um I am Ishan. Welcome to another episode. Let's get
Analysis of Recent Match Performances
00:01:54
Speaker
right into it. um Nick, do you want to start us off? how did we Who did you feel was man of the match tonight? Who did we feel was ah or maybe an underdog?
00:02:04
Speaker
Rice was ridiculous. i He came straight in from last week winning man of the match with his two ridiculous free kicks and he turns up to the burnabout as if he's played there his entire life.
00:02:18
Speaker
He was just completely unfazed. He was sweeping everything up. but He was driving our midfield forwards when I don't think Partey and Erdegaard had particularly great games.
00:02:28
Speaker
He was sort of just carrying carry us forward like... just ridiculous levels for ah guy who gets criticized so often, especially online, it feels like.
00:02:40
Speaker
And I think he shut everyone up today, especially.
00:02:46
Speaker
Fantastic rice. um I would not have had him as my man of match. Does anyone have a hard disagree or another contender that we'd throw out there?
00:02:59
Speaker
Referee, maybe?
00:03:03
Speaker
Referee's so bad. Took the sting out of the game after that penalty that was called for Madrid in the first half. Jamie, what are your thoughts after the game? as well I mean...
00:03:17
Speaker
we We kind of, like everyone kind of said it before before the start of the match and that is, rice cooks better with the lid on. That is saying we've heard over and over again. And as I sit here, I'm just watching the highlights and Saka going like this and then going like this.
00:03:39
Speaker
i mean, what a cold celebration. Yeah, it's amazing. Wow. You know, there was so much talk from the Real Madrid camp about Remontada.
00:03:50
Speaker
you Well, happened to Remontada? um and for those of And for those of you listening that um don't know what Remontada means, in Spanish means comeback.
00:04:06
Speaker
Yeah, haven't been on the internet this week. It quite didn't quite happen, but, you know, over the two legs, all jokes aside, over the two legs, Arsenal really kind of shone through and, you know, really kind of showed and shocked the footballing world. I mean, I kind of titled it last week as as one of the podcast episodes, but just the performance alone over the two legs has been unbelievable.
00:04:35
Speaker
um got to give Kivior a big shout out here because, you know, for someone like Kivior, he's, you know, he's come in in place of Gabriel. And, you know, in previous games, we we have kind of criticised Kivior for not being good enough.
00:04:54
Speaker
But, I mean, he's had two pretty decent games against pretty much... one of the best footballing sides in the world, and as well as the performance on Saturday against Brentford, which was not too bad, you know, continue playing the way he is.
00:05:18
Speaker
It's got to be thought at least, or Arteta's got to at least take Kivio a bit more seriously um when choosing his future starting lineups because last few games, he's been really impressive.
Kivior's Impact on Arsenal's Future
00:05:31
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah.
00:05:34
Speaker
I don't think he'll be ah dropping Gabriel for him even when he's fit, but I think he's shown... No, I do agree with you in that, Nick. Yeah, absolutely. But, you know, it's good knowing that if Kivior can continue this, you know, continue ah consistent games, if it's till the end, you know, till the end of the season, and say he does well for Poland during the course of, like, the World Cup and so on.
00:05:57
Speaker
I mean, I'm sorry, during, like, the international breaks and and so on, but... I think, you know, it's just good knowing that we could turn to Kivior if, say, Gabriel or Saliba is injured.
00:06:12
Speaker
Yeah, yeah i think it's pretty dull. I think for a lot Arsenal fans as well, they always thought that Kivior kind of stepping up, there would be a huge drop off in quality. I think there's been times where he's stepped up into that centre-back role before and he's made a few key mistakes. He hasn't looked really that too comfortable on the ball as well.
00:06:26
Speaker
You know that, oh, Kivior being your first choice for centre-back, even amongst an injury crisis is a bit of a shaky ground and this one was one wow it was an incredible game to step up in and you would have thought that maybe even after the first like you could see you made one small mistake not too composed on the ball Mbappe threw it on goal you thought this could spill the end for the tie and really the story for how the rest of the two legs was going to go but after that no I was surprised he locked in really kind of decided to perform well and I was really surprised probably some of the best performances I've seen from Kirill in an Arsenal show I agree very impressed I think yeah today he just put seemed to put his head on every single ball like and like as much as
00:07:08
Speaker
he's been proved unbelievably useful as a backup. There was a some talk from at least people I've watched or like followed online where it's like, maybe we sell him in the summer. Like he wasn't sort of proving to be anything.
00:07:23
Speaker
And ultimately it's, it's transfer value probably not ever going to be higher than at the end of the season. If he continues like this. it's like, it's, it's helpful for us.
00:07:33
Speaker
And even going forward, if, the club want to part ways at the end of the season for whatever reason, which I don't think they will with how well he's playing. like It's working out for us beautifully at the moment.
00:07:47
Speaker
Agreed. Yeah, i I would also agree with Nick. um Before the Arsenal-Real Madrid games, I think like many people, I looked at the back line and think thought there's a hole there with Gabriel gone. And again, he was at when ah when I looked ahead at the summer window, Kibior seems to be like the easy replacement. Now, I guess maybe it's...
00:08:11
Speaker
there's a replacement in Tomiyasu. I think Tierney's probably going to Celtic, if I'm not mistaken. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But now, KVR does seem like that perfect squad player. From my memories of growing up with United, i think that was what United had better than any team, was we had such great squad players. Like, a Wes Brown could come in for the entirety of, like, the 2008, like, back into the season, and then come up with the, like, the...
00:08:39
Speaker
assist to Ronaldo in the Champions League final. like Having a player that comes in and does a 9 out of 10 job week in, week out when they haven't been getting those minutes, when they don't have that, from the outside, that confidence, the people aren't talking about them in that way. It's purely internal.
00:08:58
Speaker
and think Kavir did a fantastic job today and last week as well.
00:09:04
Speaker
I think, like you say, especially, it was two, three weeks ago, Gabriel got injured. So how quickly he's had to get up to speed as well. And his first full game was Real Madrid, if I'm remembering correctly.
00:09:18
Speaker
Yeah. Maybe second. like And yeah, to get to speed so quickly is really impressive as well.
Saka's Mental Resilience
00:09:24
Speaker
i think I think some big talking points from today's game as well is Saka, you have that penalty 10 minutes in and yeah he...
00:09:35
Speaker
Panenka's it to the side, which I'm not entirely sure if he meant to put it to the side. That's what I was thinking, yeah. and it I watched his CBS interview with, and he didn't really address it much.
00:09:48
Speaker
But his bounce back from that, we've seen him go through like pretty crucial penalty misses in the past. And to have one so early, like his head didn't drop at all.
00:09:59
Speaker
He ends up chipping Courtois in the second half to give Arsenal the lead. He's so, so good. and like It still feels like he isn't rated to the level he should be because he was giving Alaba hell across both times. was, yeah.
00:10:21
Speaker
And also, go go on, Craig. They were just kicking our players in the first half. Every time we got the ball, in crucial areas, we were just kicking. Rudiger actually got sent off. Asensio should be sent off as well. He was just doing some disgusting challenges and all that. So, we did all we had to do. We got the win.
00:10:40
Speaker
Left the burner bar. Let them cry. Yeah. We got the win. So, let them cry. oh my God.
00:10:52
Speaker
This is sounding a lot like right here. talking about dress not on the press I wrote in my notes, the final note I wrote in the first half was there's so much diving and there's so much fouling going on.
00:11:08
Speaker
And then the first thing for the second half was Belling was so petulant. like There was a few times early in the second half just flying through some of our players. And then there's a moment he chucks, I think it was timber to the ground.
00:11:24
Speaker
There's another moment he just fucking boots the ball the end of the pitch. I'm like, what are you doing? And somehow he didn't get a card. It's freaking... Yeah, there was a few. right I think Rudiger as well, we were talking about this earlier, is still very lucky because he seems to just lose his head in the game. Him and Jude as well. Just moments where you can see that they're not breaking down this kind of three-goal deficit. They're getting frustrated, tossing players to the ground, late challenges as well. And Mbappe had one too. was ridiculous. The one on Rice where he ended up injuring himself.
00:11:51
Speaker
You can tell that the Real players, they're expecting this comeback. There's so much pressure on them. They're at the home. They've got this massive atmosphere pushing them to go forward. And they're just unable to break down Arsenal too compact. And you can tell that it's just bleeding out to petulance. And yeah, it ended up kind of stifling the game a little bit. but um glad we can play through it and yeah not let it get us down.
Arsenal's Resilience Against Real Madrid
00:12:10
Speaker
you know what's really funny though, right Rodney? because we we kind of I kind of briefly mentioned it to you on our group chat, which was the fact that why did I suddenly get flashbacks from the weekend with Martinelli?
00:12:24
Speaker
Because me and Rodney were both at the Brentford game and where I was sat, I was sat literally in the lower tier and where the Martinelli challenge had happened, I just thought, right, surely Norgard's got to be sent off. And at that point, I thought, oh, well, surely that's got to be a red there.
00:12:41
Speaker
You know, really reckless, but no. Just no it didn't seem to be anything near a red. But look, at the end of the day, we've got that win now.
00:12:54
Speaker
All eyes now really are on the PSG game. And I think for Arsenal fans as well, I mean... There's not been a lot of expectation. you know a lot of you know You look back at maybe previous ah previous rounds, you know we've always gone out in the round of 16 and everyone's always said,
00:13:12
Speaker
you know like ah well you know if it's Arsenal against a big team, it seems like you know we might do decent in the first leg at home and then we go away and crumble.
00:13:23
Speaker
But I mean... there was a lot of resilience shown from from tonight's game. And I think, you know, another player that really did well, especially being at the Bernabeu as well, was Myles Lewis Skelly.
00:13:35
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, the they smart this kid, you know, I said it last week, but... It's like this kid doesn't know what pressure is. It's like he doesn't know where what pressure is. Ridiculous. Honestly, so, so good.
00:13:52
Speaker
Absolutely. He's so quality. um The only thing, there is one small doubt, or not doubt, but there was one small kind of point that I was kind of gutted about was not seeing Ethan Waniere come on.
00:14:07
Speaker
I thought when the substitution came on, that's when you'd see Ethan, but instead Trossard comes on the left side. moves Martin Elliott to the right. I was surprised by that. Yeah, same here. I mean, what do you think? Why do you guys think that maybe Ethan wasn't maybe used for the last maybe half hour, 25 minutes, if that...
00:14:26
Speaker
so great I think think it's the physical like nature. i think Wuneri is maybe like slightly but he hasn't learned like how we defend yet, potentially.
00:14:38
Speaker
And I think just he's not like got lightning speed either to then benefit us on the break. So I think having Tross out of slightly more, well, a massively more experienced player to come in, I think i think it's understandable.
00:14:53
Speaker
i i' If he came on, I would have rather seen him come on for Odegaard but again like you're not going to take off the guy who's leading the press yeah a game where as much as we had a three goal lead like you need to we don't want to sacrifice that just to give an 18 year old some minutes at the Bernabeu yeah no spot on absolutely spot on but let's talk about Odegaard I mean the performance tonight guys what did you think because I agree with Nick i was like if there was a game to maybe pull him and kind of replace I thought there were definitely moments in this one where
00:15:26
Speaker
and't know a couple miss it passes couple times where it's the wrong decision made in the final third, the last action wasn't really clean from Odegaard too, couple moments where he could have easily shot and he decided to make a little pass and he's lost possession too. yeah Odegaard wasn't on his A game, but he also wasn't terrible. But I looked at him and I thought, I thought his performance in the first leg was much better than what i saw of him today.
00:15:45
Speaker
I thought that it was the ah six six six out of ten performance from him today. It was very poor in the first half. Second half, he got better when he set up, he made that, well, can't remember.
00:15:58
Speaker
and played it to, Rune playing the ball too, Mikko Rune playing the ball to soccer in this quarter. But I thought maybe the pressure got to him today because he's back at the Bernabeu.
00:16:10
Speaker
the club that let him go and to prove that he never put the reasons for not selling him and all that. But maybe 10th time got into the way, maybe the pressure got to him, but he still did well in second half to be fair. But I think the first half he gave the ball away like 10 times, like simple passes, he couldn't do a simple pass to the right play. they He had a chance to play Martini in the first half and under hit it and it went out for a throw. So things like that as well. so yeah To be honest with you, I feel like with Martinelli, I feel like it's been a confidence thing. Since he's come back from injury, we've not seen that same Martinelli, the same Martinelli that isn't afraid to try and take a risk. I feel like tonight he was a bit too reserved.
00:16:52
Speaker
Assuming you mean Odegaard. fun a god yeah yeah and I think with Odegaard, he was just, I think since injury, he's too reserved. yeah You know, he hasn't been he hasn't been that same player we've seen in in previous games. You know, before his injury, you know, the fear in him was...
00:17:13
Speaker
There was basically no fear in him, but I just don't know. Since the injury, I feel like it's sir it's kind of like not halted his progress, but it's... you know There's been a change. There's been
Odegaard's Quest for Consistency
00:17:25
Speaker
a bit of a shift. But I do agree with what you guys say, though, about how at the end of the day, he you know he's coming to the Bernabeu.
00:17:34
Speaker
he wants to He wants to show the club that let him go. Well, hold on. well you know This is what I've done this is what i've done at Arsenal since you've let me go. and you know As Craig said, it was a bit of a six out of ten performance. and you know maybe i don't know. maybe may I'd like to hope that we can get the best out of him next season. you know It might just be one of them things where we might just have to maybe... you know Yes, we go on ah if we can continue going on this brilliant run we're in in the Champions League...
00:18:06
Speaker
you know, and say we go far, say we we end up winning the competition, it still would be nice just to, you know, I would just like to see the Martinelli we had before he got injured. Well, the Odegaard, yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, sorry, the Odegaard, yeah.
00:18:20
Speaker
I think every player. I think every player. Like I said, I'm still on cloud nine, guys. but ah What I will say about the Odegaard injury is that he had about... um i've just I was just checking right now on the side.
00:18:38
Speaker
He only had about a month and a half after he came back with his injury to play with Saka. So I feel like the biggest complaint about the Arsenal season from an objective standpoint, like I don't watch every Arsenal game, but is that they both kind of want each other to operate. Like Odegaard will take some pressure off of Sokka and Sokka will take some pressure off of Odegaard.
00:18:58
Speaker
And so the fact that the whole season, essentially, one has been missing has been really, i think like damning to the overall picture and the fear factor of it. Cause I think,
00:19:09
Speaker
to the both of them together, the way they operate, it's quite unplayable at times. It's just been a few games back for Saka, so I would say that would be my biggest caveat to the Odor debate. like I don't think it's almost fair to judge him. Does that make sense?
00:19:25
Speaker
I'd counter by saying he's also had three, four months to find solutions. still like And as much as he's come back from injury to a completely different environment, not just Saka being out, but Ben White's been out the whole time,
00:19:40
Speaker
and But like eventually, as the captain, as the lead creator, he has to find solutions eventually. and Today, i didn like I'd agree with sort of the pressure of Real Madrid if we hadn't seen sort of the same performances since his comeback.
00:19:59
Speaker
Especially that first first off, there was a moment like 20 minutes in where Saka's through on the inside of Alaba and he doesn't play the pass, he turns back. There's obviously the Martinelli's through on the left-hand side and he plays it behind him, which his passes like for counterattacks annoy me a lot generally because it feels like the other forces the winger too wide or just doesn't play it far enough in front of them.
00:20:25
Speaker
yeah I feel like it's just something he does. yeah yeah a So it wasn't it wasn't offensively bad, but I think he could have helped us a bit more today.
00:20:39
Speaker
Well, I think this is a good time to take our first break. There's a little bit of littlenit conversation there, finally, after all of you guys being on Cloud9. And we'll return and probably talk a little about the Bayern and Inter game.
00:20:50
Speaker
Does it sound all right, lads? All right.
00:21:18
Speaker
All right. um So I'm assuming not many of you guys watch the Vine vs. Inter game. just Just something in my interview. I've seen the goal.
00:21:29
Speaker
um It was a pretty cagey game, I'd say. it's ah from I obviously had more eyes on the Arsenal game, but I was periodically looking at the Inter-Bayern game.
00:21:40
Speaker
Kane took his goal pretty well, a snapshot across the box. um But then right after Bayern scored, Inter had looked kind of flat the whole game, a little bit like more afraid to lose than they wanted to win. They obviously had the advantage going into it.
00:21:58
Speaker
But right after the Bayern goal, it's like they switched into gear and they finally were pushing, pushing, pushing. And then I think it was two consecutive corners, two goals. One, Lautaro Martinez gets to the corner, heads it to ah towards goal. Not a great shot, but Cambridge goes to clear and just takes that little bit too long and Martinez prods through. And a really very solid Pavard header at the near post where...
00:22:26
Speaker
Kim definitely could have got to it if he was more like ah into the challenge, if he was more like Brexit meets Brexit and goes into it. um And I think that just kind of set the tone for the rest of the match. The two goals was for such a physical
Inter vs. Bayern: A Resilient Comeback
00:22:44
Speaker
team. I think... um and Inter actually are like, I don't know if you've got to seen, but they're pretty, they're really like old teams statistically. Like, yeah, they, yeah um, and I like, I think this is because it's mainly because of the like financial troubles that they went through. Um, if you remember when they went to the Champions League final, like in city a couple of years ago, etc.
00:23:05
Speaker
So we we've seen the financial struggles, which means that they just have to have retain, retain, retain players. And even when they bought players like Marcus Turam, he's like 27. So it's still it's not like a young player is going to bring down the average at all.
00:23:18
Speaker
And I think it shows in the way they play because there's a lot of it's slow, but it's it's so there's a lot of experience, I'd say, behind the gameplay. Did and did you guys catch any of the game? And does anyone to take the reins from me here?
00:23:29
Speaker
To be honest, didn't catch much of it, but we we discussed ah ah on yesterday's pod that, um you know, so we we so kind of said that in a way, you know, Inter kind of really set themselves up for this game, you know, by at least taking, by bringing back a lead, you know,
00:23:50
Speaker
To go to to go a away to Bayern Munich and to get a result in the way they did, I mean, for me, that is very impressive because to go to to even go away to Bayern, you know, we've experienced, it there's Arsenal fans, we've experienced it quite heavily.
00:24:07
Speaker
um But it's never easy to get a result from Bayern. And, you know, being at home, being in front of a full house... you know You know what Italian fans are like. They love an atmosphere. they you know And it's the San Siro. It's such an iconic stadium.
00:24:27
Speaker
And, you know, a lot of people at this you know a lot of people before the before the game was even kicked off in the first leg, you know, ah think, let's be honest, guys, did you did you all see Bayern progressing into the next round?
00:24:41
Speaker
No. Really? Yeah. and mean ah I really liked him. I said, Inter are going in so gonna go through. I said that I believe that they're missing a lot of key players. Like, Neuiz are injured.
00:24:55
Speaker
Their backup keeper's not that great. Their defense is not that good either. Yeah, so the defense is not that great. Yeah. So I felt that Bayern are not going to go through. I felt that Inter, especially at home, strong at home as well. They beat Arsenal in the Champions League as well at home, so they're very good at home. Yeah.
00:25:12
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah, I mean, ah in Inter have only conceded five goals this whole Champions League run. Like, I think that's an incredible feat for any team to do. And I think they kind of slipped under the radar this Champions League run. They've just been, because it's been, but none of them have been like glamorous victories. They've all been like 2-0, 1-0.
00:25:32
Speaker
Yeah. And so, like, you you know you you don't like puff your chest out after any of those. But they've just been quietly chugging along this whole Champions League run now. I hope it's a more i hope it's like um more open game against Barcelona. We'll see how that goes. but um I think that there's a lot more quality than they've been given credit for. and I think they'll be given a lot more flowers after today's victory.
00:25:57
Speaker
Definitely. think I think they can do Barca as well. I know we'll will get on to predictions after the next half break, but Inzaki's one of the best managers
Can Inter Defeat Barcelona?
00:26:07
Speaker
in the world. like i don't I don't think he gets enough credit, probably because we don't see as much Italian football over here.
00:26:14
Speaker
anymore especially because they lost a load of their rights. But i they just sort of do their job. And I'm really happy for Lautaro, actually, because he's one of those players who feels like when the lights are shining so often, he seems to fall away, similar to likes of Meccano.
00:26:33
Speaker
And he scores a great goal with the first leg. He scores again today. So I'm really happy for him. And I think they're sort of the sleeper pick to win this after us.
00:26:47
Speaker
All right. Let's use that as a segue. Let's take another ad and we'll make predictions and talk about the next leg. Okay.
Arsenal's Prospects Against PSG
00:27:34
Speaker
All right. Well, I think it's best to go straight back to the Arsenal boys. let's Let's start with who's who's the least confident out of you four for but the next leg?
00:27:47
Speaker
least Do you know what? you you've got to You've got to believe. Now that we're in a semi-final, you've just got to believe. Also, the thing about We've beaten Real Madrid who cares, man. What's a PSG to a Real Madrid? like it As much as they were a different team when we beat them 2-0, we battered them when we beat them too no yeah and knows yeah Even watching Villa last night,
00:28:16
Speaker
A bit of physicality in that midfield and they wilted massively. So as much as losing party for that, it's a big loss. We saw what Rice did today.
00:28:28
Speaker
Rice in that midfield will be unbelievable. so i we got ruled out against Real Madrid. We'll probably get ruled out against PSG. But I don't think the players or the fans will lose any hope going into that semi-final.
00:28:43
Speaker
awesome ah we Are we at home first leg? ah where Yeah, we are. Home first leg? I think we need to go get a massive score in the first leg and then do what we did like against Madrid. I think we've got to get a 4-0 win at home and to Paris. Paris is an intimidating place to go to, man. It is. It's an intimidating stadium, man.
00:29:06
Speaker
on my full got one we've We've seen it before with other English clubs. We saw it with Newcastle last We saw it with Newcastle before. Seen it with Villa. So, you know, going away to PSG is never... It's not going to be comfortable.
00:29:22
Speaker
Not going to be comfortable at all. I do agree with Craig. I think... We've got to, we have to at least go and take a lead. We have to take a lead. Even if it's a 1-0 lead, we've still got to take a lead to Paris with us.
00:29:38
Speaker
The one, ah there's a few things for me though, is that midfield battle, but it's also the wingers as well. you know, we we talk about, you know, we haven't spoken about Dembele.
00:29:48
Speaker
You know, what a season he's having. Like, what a season he's having. night so And whoever comes up against him, they they're going to have a job on their hands. Put it that way.
00:30:01
Speaker
yeah timlock you spending on ga Timber. him. but Timber on to him. I imagine he'll be I imagine he'll be down the middle and there'll be Kvarris Kelly probably yeah left wing against Kimber.
00:30:13
Speaker
yeah i imagine actually like the hardest thing about Dembele is he's just going to drift. And like, that's like, I think it'll be a fully conscious, like how do we set up our block and everyone like being on it like 24 seven. I think that's the level he's been at all season. I think, yeah,
00:30:34
Speaker
He's going to know that individually the Arsenal team doesn't have too many holes in it. um So he's going to have to like find gaps in in the game itself. So I'm very curious to see how that works. I think PSG Arsenal, um and so it's going to be such a good game in both legs. Even if it's cagey, it'll be so like intricate and tactical and be interesting to see. Because PSG just don't have an option.
00:31:01
Speaker
They're just going to go. They're just going to go. It's all they know. yeah I mean, we made Real Madrid tonight resort to just crossing for 90 minutes, which I think if you told Arteta that before the game, you would have just laughed.
00:31:14
Speaker
So yeah they are similar. Like as much as they play differently, and they' even more fluid than the Real Madrid front line, it's like three relatively small, not particularly physical attackers. like If we can force them to just cross it in, which is easier said than done,
00:31:35
Speaker
yeah like There are obviously ways to win this tie and I trust Arteta to set up a ridiculous game plan for a two-legged game like he has against Real Madrid.
00:31:53
Speaker
ah I think my biggest question is who will be in the midfield for this first game? Because if Partiz out, is he is he going to drop Marino back and put somebody else on up top? or don't know if that's the question.
00:32:09
Speaker
Marino at six and what? Maybe Martinelli? No, we'll put Rafe at six. Rafe at six, Marino at eight, and then four. would have got a ten. Yeah.
00:32:20
Speaker
Yeah, but that still... don know how long... That still means that there's someone else up top, right? you know what? That's what I was thinking as well. yeah so who's going to be down the middle? I'm like, right, is it Gabby? But then my thing is, yeah, who do you play down the middle?
00:32:34
Speaker
Martinelli. Yeah. Look at the goal he's called, mate. He went through the middle. Through the middle he's called that goal, so he needs to go through the middle in the game. Especially because... Especially the amount they push on. like The wingers are bombing forward like and Marquinhos and Pacho, it's not ridiculously quick.
00:32:57
Speaker
If we can get it over them, I'd definitely go with Martinelli down the middle. all yeah just Just quickly, I'll quickly read you Arsenal's European record against Paris Saint-Germain because I've just got it here in front of me.
00:33:10
Speaker
Okay. 1994 away, we drew 1-1 in the Cup Winners' Cup. Then at home, we won 1-0. and then sept time And then it was September 2016, we drew one all away PSG, before but then drawing 2-2 just towards the end of November.
00:33:34
Speaker
And then obviously in our last Champions League game, we won 2-0. So do you think maybe a bit of history could could maybe give us a little push in the right direction?
00:33:47
Speaker
i agree. Yeah. I think Donnarumma's not a good goalkeeper anyway. He's won the U-Rub. I don't think... No. I don't think he's that great.
00:33:59
Speaker
I'm with you. I don't think a goalkeeper. think... I think this Champions League campaign, he's stood up when like needed to be counted a bit more. He made some massive saves yesterday. The second leg against Liverpool, he was unbelievable. But like he will not claim a cross despite being seven foot tall.
00:34:19
Speaker
like Yeah. eight sos like your height It's ridiculous like for a guy that tall to not be able to catch the ball. ah It's even worse than De Gea. It's ridiculous.
00:34:31
Speaker
So I completely agree. He's not a great keeper. To be honest with you, I'd like to see what would happen from like corners. Could you imagine Arsenal corner gin being whipped in and just Donnarama just running out?
00:34:45
Speaker
Misses it completely. Yeah. yeah Yeah. just And then you probably get something like Saliba. Yeah, yeah. Saliba heads it into an instant. They did did it at the start of the season, though. We played them.
00:34:57
Speaker
Saka had a free kick and he missed the free kick and it Yeah, yeah. Absolutely. Great example. All right, yeah I think we're going to go quickfire round of predictions.
00:35:11
Speaker
um Do we want to do just first leg or first leg and aggregate score? Like do the whole shebang. Just do the whole time. on, then. I'm not going first. i'm not I don't know what I'm talking about. Let's go Nick first. Nick, how are you feeling?
00:35:28
Speaker
I think I'm to back us to win both games. like
00:35:33
Speaker
Cloud 10, basically. yeah
00:35:38
Speaker
Win both games. Give me a scoreline, though. like Let's get creative. Because 1-0 first, like, and then again. is Yeah, first, like, 2-1 second, like.
00:35:49
Speaker
2-0 versus 2-1. I'm like, wow. Expecting to go to Paris. You'd be pretty much ready, Sean. Fair enough.
00:36:00
Speaker
um Jamie, are you feeling? and Another win? Yeah, do know what? Like I said, you know we're in a semi-final now. we We've got to dream big here. We have to dream big. You don't come this far and think, oh, well...
00:36:14
Speaker
you know, okay, I'm in the semi-finals now. yeah You know, we are literally two games away from a final. And for me, since we are at home, I'm also going to go with Nick. I'm also going to say 2-0 Arsenal.
00:36:32
Speaker
And I think when we go away, i think it's going to be cagey. I see it being 2-2. i see it being two too oh i see it being 2-2 so i think that's what is that that's 4-2 aggregate win for arsenal well i don't think i'm gonna get anything different from the next two but rodney where is No, I'm thinking, I think, yeah, if they come to the Emirates, I'm expecting us to just repeat the victory that we had over them early in the tournament. I'm thinking that the Emirates come down, I think 2-0.
00:37:07
Speaker
However, I think going to the Parc de Peron, it's going to be tough. Also, they're a different PSG side from what they were before. I think it will be a cagey second half. I'm going to go with I'm going to go win it on aggregate.
00:37:18
Speaker
I don't think the second leg away is going to go as easily or as smoothly as it did against Madrid today. I think it might be held us to a draw, but we win it in that first leg. All right, and back to AFTV.
00:37:28
Speaker
You said 4-0 earlier. Are you going to stick me down for your prediction, Craig? Yeah, I think I'll be confident. I think 4-1 at home. 4-1 at home.
00:37:40
Speaker
Wow. Wow. I'd love to see it. I'd love to see it. Would you say for the away leg? 1-1. four one and one one Craig, if this comes to fruition, I'm going to remember this.
00:37:55
Speaker
yeah yeah Just to like you know um pop each of your balloons, I'm going to go with a PSG victory um overall. Just to preface it. um i think obviously the I think the first leg is going to be far more cagey than we think it's going to be. I think it's going to be two teams that like want to get to the final, but like like kind of shutter a little bit. I think it's going to be like more caging than we think it's going to be.
00:38:24
Speaker
um I'm going to go with like a one, one ah but I think the second leg is going to open
Predictions for PSG vs. Arsenal
00:38:30
Speaker
up. I think, i think the second leg is where we see far more,
00:38:34
Speaker
act Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe you're wrong. I'm happy you're wrong. I just want a good football. 1-1 in the first, and then in the second, what? Does PSG smash us? No, not smash us. think it's going be active, though. I think it's going be active. I think i could see...
00:38:49
Speaker
like like an Arsenal goal or something that happens early on that gives Arsenal the advantage, but PSG like get angry from it and come, come like all guns on board.
00:39:00
Speaker
So I'm going to go like three, one PSG the second leg. Wow. Wow. yeah or Teams pressing us is not a good idea.
00:39:13
Speaker
just need to save the best for last. Let's move to the next leg because okay let's be let's face it, we're not going to get much more except pure joy out of all of you guys. Inter Barcelona.
00:39:29
Speaker
enter barcelona I know Nick earlier said that he is going to maybe back an inter-victory. How are you feeling? Let's start with Jamie this time.
Debating Inter vs. Barcelona Outcome
00:39:40
Speaker
you know what? To be honest honest with you, at the start, at the very start, I asked the boys who they see winning the Champions League and I came out with Barcelona and I had a lot of surprised reactions to to Barcelona winning the Champions League.
00:39:58
Speaker
The thing is for me... I think their home form will will be great. But the thing is, and we saw it yesterday, which is the away form, you know, going away, Barcelona do not seem to enjoy away days out.
00:40:16
Speaker
So i think that's going to be really tough. I see it going to extra time, but I'm going to go... ah I'm going to really be risky. I'm going Barcelona to win it.
00:40:29
Speaker
meaning I see Arsenal-Barcelona in the final. You just want the rematch, don't you? As me and Rodney were saying, me, Rodney and Craig, we were saying it, we want avenge 2006. Yeah.
00:40:45
Speaker
yeah
00:40:49
Speaker
I mean, that would be sweet. That would be sweet. double the twice a pride double the ball, you know, I just gotta,
00:40:59
Speaker
ah I just gotta to ah just go to put a little like villainy in your guys.
00:41:05
Speaker
Um, Nick, are we backing inter still? Yeah, I think honestly, Dortmund probably could have got through yesterday. like If Dortmund were a bit more clinical, they're through like miraculously.
00:41:20
Speaker
I think it was also just probably Barca's worst game of the season. like they were They were showing Jamal on the bench and it was the body language which of a team that was getting knocked out and they still had like a 2-3 goal lead.
00:41:35
Speaker
so I don't think it would be easy, but I think with how high their line is and how much Inter will be just happy to soak the pressure. Taram, Lautaro, DeMarco and Dumfries going up from wing back.
00:41:51
Speaker
Oh, yeah. Barella just going, yeah, Taram just run. like I think they can catch them out and just have a really disgusting 1-0, 2-0 across the two legs sort win.
00:42:04
Speaker
Hmm. That's actually a great shout. Cause I like, so if you, if you looked at the first leg, both of those goals came from like eight to 10 passes, moved straight from the keeper, just straight out.
00:42:15
Speaker
And we we talk about playing out of the back as like, i think a weakness for most teams. I think that's like the general narrative of playing in the right. It's injury. It's like, we're, we're going to make a mistake here.
00:42:26
Speaker
But if you do it fast and especially through a high press, Oh my goodness. It's lights out and I don't know. It's a great shot. Great shot. Rodney, where do you think it's going?
00:42:38
Speaker
As much as I want history to repeat itself, I think I kind of have to back Nick here as well. I said, from what I've seen from Inter and also playing them early in the tournament, teams that like that free-flowing attacking football, Inter just stifle them.
00:42:49
Speaker
They just choke them out and then get them. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I can totally see Inter beating Barca across two legs. I can even see if maybe, you know, they held the first game to a draw or whatnot and Inter just edge it out on the second leg or whatnot. I can see it. I just don't know Barca will be able to play the type of football we've been watching spectacle throughout the league against Inter.
00:43:06
Speaker
So, yeah, i might edge them just to win it. Maybe Extra Time, maybe Pens, maybe they win outright. But I think Inter could really creep up and beat them. It could be a major upset. I did not expect this. too too one to Inter right now in in the in the chat? Yeah, yeah. I'm sorry. The Barca win was in, like, Extra Time slash Pens. Like, wow. Okay. Craig.
00:43:26
Speaker
Craig. Where do think you're going? Inter or Barca? Who are you backing? think Inter are going to do it, you know? Wow. I've got a feeling.
00:43:38
Speaker
I've got a feeling. You know why think Inter might do it? Because they've got they've got good defence. Barcelona's defence is not that good. They've conceded too many sloppy goals. That's the only reason I'll say Inter.
00:43:49
Speaker
I think Inter will win the first game at home. If they're Inter at home, they'll win the first game at home and then they'll draw Barcelona away. I think it'll be like a Inter win, then second leg will be a 1-1 draw, and then that's it.
00:44:04
Speaker
Yeah. I think they're playing Barcelona away first leg, but yeah um yeah. They go there, just stink out. Disgusting 0-0. I do And then 1-0 on the return. It's kind of set up for them, you know? It's Barcelona, Inter...
00:44:23
Speaker
Champions League heritage, you know, semifinals. It would also be so funny after... It would be so funny after everyone's been sort of guessing how PSG and Barca have been playing, which has been beautiful to watch.
00:44:39
Speaker
Yeah. If you get a final of Arsenal versus Inter, like, just two teams who love to defend. Yeah. It would be so funny. Yeah. I am going to stick with Barcelona, even though my head says Inter, but more just like my heart of watching Barcelona through the season and how yeah how much I love Jamal. He's, oh my God.
00:45:03
Speaker
like yeah If cook for minutes in these two legs, like there's nothing. but like you know like where They have one of those periods where they inter for some reason, they're floundering.
00:45:15
Speaker
They could be so clinical and they could just put the tie away. Because I think what, like, we talked about Yamal's body language on the bench. And I think that proves that they're so disappointed, not because they wanted to, like, they thought anything was riding on this Dortmund game, but they they're trying to put a marker down.
00:45:32
Speaker
And I think they were so upset that they didn't put that marker down. They thought of that as a time to, like, show that they they can stifle a team out, even in the second leg. And they didn't do it. And I think To me, that is a sign of ah team that's going to hit or should hit like a high mark because you're so upset and you want to have such high levels. So I'm going to back Barcelona over those two legs.
00:45:56
Speaker
and That was a wonderful pod, ladies and gentlemen. 46 minutes. Only two ads. i um ah Thank you guys so much for coming on.
00:46:08
Speaker
no free Thank you for having us on. Yeah, I had a fantastic time. like I was very concerned to be on the pod with four different Arsenal fans, but um I think we wedded the storm, guys. I think were I can go back to the sanity of talking to normal football fans.
00:46:28
Speaker
Until next time, hopefully we'll have you and guys on the next one after the PSG games and we can see PSG storm victory. yeah um Nah. Not gonna happen.
00:46:42
Speaker
Alright. Until next time, boys. Take care, guys. All the best. Take care. Peace.
00:46:49
Speaker
Oh, shoot.
00:46:53
Speaker
Alright, well, ah I'm just gonna play this.