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S1 - E78: Saturday crossover - A blast from the past as former Gunners face a visit from their former side
18 Plays16 days ago
Sit back and kick off your weekend right by tuning into this special crossover episode as the Gunners travel to Craven Cottage to play Fulham at Sunday lunchtime! We take a look at how both sides go into the weekend after Arsenal's recent win over Man Utd and Fulham's win over Brighton. We also take a look at how former players like Alex Iwobi, Emile Smith-Rowe as well as many others have settled in since moving from the Gunners.
Host: Gavin
Guests: Jamie Patterson and Craig Matthews
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Transcript
Preview: Fulham vs Arsenal in London Derby
00:00:08
Speaker
and Hello everyone and welcome back to the Daily Fulham Podcast, your home of all things Fulham. The weekend is here and another London Derby is upon us as Fulham Take On Arsenal, a fixture that had some success for the Cottages last season. Today is our crossover episode and joining me from the Daily Arsenal team, we have Jamie and we have
Weather Advisory for the Weekend
00:00:28
Speaker
Craig. How are you doing guys?
00:00:32
Speaker
Yeah, not too bad at all. Trying to brave the elements is a bit of a windy stormy weekend. So everyone out there, try and stay safe as best as you can.
00:00:55
Speaker
Absolutely.
Recap: Fulham's Impact on Arsenal's Title Run
00:00:57
Speaker
Well, I did mention it briefly thatd that Fuller had some success in this fixture last season. Does that still haunt you guys? Fuller 2-1 win? Dent in your title charge?
00:01:43
Speaker
You feel the same way, Craig?
00:02:31
Speaker
Yeah, I think the season before the narrative was about Arsenal bottling it. I know there was a game against Southampton. There was a couple of other games as well that they kind of lost leads and they from good positions. But last season, I didn't, feel I didn't feel they bothered. They just lost the Aston Villa game, which was the the only game they lost in like, wo was it like two or three months of football when they won a pretty much every other game?
00:02:51
Speaker
after the Fulham game.
Fulham's Confidence in London Derbies
00:02:52
Speaker
um But no, Fulham do come into this into this game on on the back of that win against Brighton and then they do have a good recent record in London Darby's, I don't know if you know this, but they're actually unbeaten in the last eight London Darby's and playing some good time good sides in that period as as well. They're off the back of a draw against Spurs, beating Crystal Palace, beating Brentford, so they'll go into this game full of confidence. What what about Arsenal then?
00:03:13
Speaker
They had a little bit of a sticky patch in the towards or October, start of November time, back to back losses away from home at Bournemouth and Newcastle. Do you think they're starting to turn things around now and hitting top gear?
00:04:02
Speaker
you know
00:04:15
Speaker
And we've seen... Go on, sorry.
Arsenal's Form and Ødegaard's Return
00:04:26
Speaker
And one player that's returned to the Arsenal setup in recent weeks is Martin Udergaard, who of course had that longest-term injury at the start of the season. Do you think it's no coincidence that they started banging in the goals and a comprehensive scoreline, scoring five away in the Champions League, five away against West Ham, and how influential has he been in those games?
Set-piece Analysis: Arsenal vs Fulham
00:06:39
Speaker
Yeah definitely agree he's a top player and one start that's been banded around in recent weeks in the last few days is Arsenal's prowess from corners and I think they've scored 27 goals from corners since the start of last season and I don't know it causes a bit of a of debate amongst fun football fans and I don't know why it's met with the derision because at the end of the day if you score a goal from a corner it's still a goal isn't it? It makes no difference if it's 30-40 passes, tick attack of football or a goal from a corner. I like ah applaud the team for working on that and having the set piece coaches because that's another thing in today's game, modern age, people look at set piece coaches and then maybe not sure. I know Fulham for instance, Fulham
00:07:20
Speaker
have really struggled with set pieces this season. It it was only last night the game against Brighton where they ski scored their first goal from a corner or a free kick this season. They've had like 80 plus corners and ironically enough it was off of a Brighton players backside. um But yeah just talk about the role as a set piece coach can have and the influence he can have on the team.
Arsenal's Competition with Liverpool
00:08:44
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, I definitely agree with that, and I think it's something that's worth paying attention. If you can get an extra 1%, then get the 1%. You know, let's not make a mockery of employing set-piece coaches if ah you ultimately benefit from it. It's something that can win Arsenal the lead.
00:08:59
Speaker
And speaking of which, I actually predicted Arsenal to win the league at the start of the season, and not quite gone to plan-up, such as the form of Liverpool, I think, that have exceeded everyone's expectations. Arna Slott's coming in, he's done amazingly well. It's just been just a seamless transition, taking over from Jürgen Klopp, which is tough shoes to fill. So with that being said, how does it feel now at this stage chasing Liverpool rather than Manchester City?
00:10:30
Speaker
Would you agree with that Jamie?
00:13:35
Speaker
I think in fairness, such as the nature of the league this season, where you don't really see it, where you look at Brighton, they were fifth, and then you've got Manchester United with four points behind in 13th. It's such so congested. I think every, to be fair, every win away from home you get should be celebrated and appreciated because there is a lot of difficult grounds to go to in the Premier League. It's that old cliche and there's no easy games in the Premier League, but I mean, it's true. i mean A team in 12-13 go win a couple of games, they're on the verge of Champions League places, you lose a couple of games, you you lower mid-table, so I think that makes it more exciting when it's so congested. There's no doubt it will separate as the weeks go on, but at the moment, yeah, you can't really call it.
00:14:16
Speaker
One thing i just I do want to focus on in terms of the Arsenal team, they've got some fantastic players, for fantastic array of attacking talent, but I'm sure you might have been asked this previously as well. They these just seem over the last couple of seasons just to lap that real top quality number nine. Is that something that you can see possibly being addressed in January? It's typically said it's a tough month to do business in, but is that possibly where Arsenal could fall short again?
Does Arsenal Need a Top Striker?
00:16:13
Speaker
Yes, it's funny you mention Isaac's name actually because he's he's someone like I've mentioned myself when we have spoken at times about Arsenal and i just feel I just feel like he's the perfect Arsenal type player and I feel like if he was in that Arsenal team, well he's scoring 20 goals a season anyway for Newcastle, but a guy who could get 20 goals a season for Arsenal with players like Saka and Udegaard and Martinelli chipping in. I mean, that could be just the extra layer, extra ingredient that just tilts it in their favor. But the final first final question I want to ask, just focusing on Arsenal, is, you know, I've mentioned you're great players then. You've had one or two injuries. Gabrielle is out of the last game. Will he be fit for the weekend? We're not quite sure. But if there was one player who suffered, you know, touch wood, obviously it doesn't happen for your guys. sake If there's one player who suffered a season-ending injury, who could you least afford that to be?
00:17:57
Speaker
Yeah, i do I do really like Gabriel Salibi, he's a Rolls Royce of a defender. and ah I was pleasantly yeah quite happy. I had a smile on my face when I saw he got that goal from the corner, because he's been been in my fantasy team. I don't think he's come out of it for the last two seasons. So got me an extra few points there, so that was nice. We'll come on to the full inside of things, because I'm sure the boys will be interested to know how some of the ex-Arsenal players are
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00:18:18
Speaker
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00:18:26
Speaker
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00:18:49
Speaker
Right then guys, so I'm sure you're keen to know then, aren't you, about how some of the Arsenal boys have been getting on? What what are you dying to know?
00:20:40
Speaker
and kisses the full-on badge.
00:20:55
Speaker
can Can I just ask that with Urza God being injured in the early part of the season, do you think he would have had an opportunity to start games?
00:22:21
Speaker
Yeah, I mean I was interested to gauge sort of the Arsenal reaction when he did leave and looking on social media and most of it was part full of positivity wishing him well and a lot of people gutted that he was leaving which isn't always always the case when players move on to other clubs. ah kind of you know say say the thing like but they try and save face a lot of the time and say, oh, he was never that good anyway. But there was there was never any of that. It was all look after him, you know, that sort of thing. And I think you both mentioned sometimes injury problems, maybe setting him back. And I think I don't think he's actually completed 90 minutes at all this season. um it
00:23:18
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, and so it's it's gradually built up as the season's gone on. It was like 60, 65, 70, but he's still not seeing the fox scene still not seeing the final whistle. and Everyone at Fulham, we know there's a player in there and then eventually he will repay that money and it will be a great sign and I can see him getting back into the England squad.
00:23:37
Speaker
probably not in the near future but probably in the distant future. His flashes, what I would say, how would I rate his signings so far? I would say it's seven out of ten but there's so much potential there, there's so much growth and just seeing the flashes of what he can do, you just want to see him do it game in, game out but one player who is doing that at the moment is is Alex Owobi and of course another former Arsenal player, what are your memories of him as ah as an Arsenal player?
00:25:32
Speaker
absolutely Absolutely fantastic and you mentioned Rhys Nelson there. Obviously he's not available for the for the weekend but it's unfortunately he went off in the game last night. yeah He looks like he's pulled a hamstring so he might not be available for the rest of the year. ah Time will tell on that. Hopefully it's not long term because he's coming to the side. Obviously you guys remember him as an Arsenal player, but he's got really he's got really quick feet and he's a dynamic sort of player, but maybe just the one criticism of him at times is maybe just lacks a bit of confidence in front of the goal. His finishing has just been a little bit suspect at times, ah but he can make things happen and the combinations and the link up play. Obviously these guys you know kind of grew up with each other at at Smith Rowan, the Wobbe and Rees-Nelson and it's it's been so exciting to watch and I think that's
00:26:18
Speaker
encapsulates Fulham this season. They've been so excited to watch and so dynamic going forward and while like I feel they can offer a threat against Arsenal, Arsenal obviously you know top quality side and you know I could end up eating my words. I'm not not saying Fulham are going to win but I think they can cause some problems. ah They sit six in the league and it won't be who I just want to pay tribute to. I've been singing these praises on this podcast week week in week out and maybe Arsenal as well there's an extra pressure on you where there isn't that pressure on on you at Fulham. At Arsenal he's competing with other top quality players who you know he's he's not necessarily going to be first name on the team sheet but his performance has just just been so consistent and he's so he's so versatile as well you ask him to do a job on the right
00:26:57
Speaker
he'll do that as well as he can do it on the left and as we saw against Brighton he was mad on the match going two goals from a slightly deeper position playing in the number eight so that's a manager's dream and is it when you've got a player that can play anywhere behind the striker basically or and even central midfield so as his performance has surprised me this season a tad yes absolutely and hopefully we can see more of that as the season progresses because if you're asking me now he would definitely be full of his player of the season but then it's just maintaining that keeping that consistent level isn't it as the season and goes on as games come thick and fast.
Fulham's Attacking Mindset under Marco Silva
00:28:00
Speaker
Possibly. I mean, there's probably eight or nine teams such as the nature of the league that probably think the same, but it's overcoming adversity and dealing with injuries and setbacks and Fulham for the first couple of months of the season, they were blessed. They didn't really have any injuries and just start to pile, not pile up, but if I'd one or two recently, one or two suspension, Jockemanderson was in the important sign and he's out as well. So he won't see him on the weekend. A bit of a blow that Nelson's got injured as I mentioned, couple of suspensions as well. So.
00:28:30
Speaker
It's keeping players fit. There are probably 15 or 16 players in that squad that feel they should be nailed on starters. so I think Fulham actually, they've scored more goals from the bench than any other the team this season. So it just shows, doesn't it, that ah they do have a squad there. There are players after the first 11 that can contribute, just as well as the players named in his first team sheet. But yeah, it's dealing with, you know,
00:28:55
Speaker
sequences like this when you've got Spurs away, you've got Brighton at home, you've got Arsenal at home, you've got Liverpool away, you've got Chelsea on Boxing Day. This is a really tough time for football, this is a really tough month and we'll learn a lot more about their credentials after this month.
00:29:09
Speaker
um But the exciting thing is they go into these games with no fear. There's no inferiority complex, which would have been the case in the past, because I've watched them play at Man City and outplay them. I've watched them play at Spurs and outplay them. So, you know, it goes to the show. they They go into these gate games. Marco Silva's first thought is, do you know how can we attack these teams? How can we put our best foot forward and try and influence it going forward rather than thinking, let's keep it tight for 20 minutes. Let's be resolute, 10 men behind the ball. He's always taken the positive option, which as a fan is just great to see.
00:30:09
Speaker
Absolutely. And we will just build a ahead build up to that game in a moment. But let me give a shout out to GSPN.
Promotion: Global Sports Podcast Network
00:30:15
Speaker
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00:30:26
Speaker
In five different languages, it's your one-stop shop for your daily football fix. Find GSPN wherever you find your usual podcast. So yeah, let's look ahead to this fixture then. In terms of availability, I know Gabriel missed the win against Manchester United. What are you hearing? Is he likely to be back for this one?
00:32:24
Speaker
Yeah, and and one player I want to give a ah shout out to from the Fulham team is Anthony Robinson, who's probably the only Fulham player that I think would get in Arsenal's first first team. He's just solid, so dependable, so consistent, and his final ball is the one thing that was lacking in seasons gone by, but that's improved him mentally this season. He's just been given the captain's armband as well, so he's ah he's a fantastic fantastic athlete as well.
00:32:45
Speaker
ah I think Fulham fans would be delighted if Gabriel was not playing in this one, just because of, not only is his partnership with a silly, but probably the best in the league, but just the way he attacks those corners he just causes just causes chaos, doesn't he? He's a massive threat for them.
00:33:01
Speaker
um
00:33:39
Speaker
So would that be the only change that could potentially happen? Would be Gabrielle coming back in or is there something else that he might throw a spanner in the work somewhere?
00:34:20
Speaker
While Sassa Lukic is the one that's coming back from suspension, and obviously Joe Pelina's replacement this season, even though he's been at the club for a little while now. um So he missed the Brighton game. So he I'd imagine he'll come back in. It's and it's an interesting interesting dilemma for Marco Silva because he's had a problem in that central midfield area lately because there was, ah I don't know if you you paid much attention to the Andreas Pereira saga slash situation. And it was about him potentially wanting to move away to Marseille.
00:34:49
Speaker
he released a statement saying he was misquoted, the wording wasn't quite what he said, they wanted to portray him in a bad light. So he actually came off the bench against Brighton, he got booed. So he got you got a frosty reception and he's not necessarily been you know the fan's player of the season or flavour of the month anyway. So the only way that's going to turn around for him if is if he puts performances in the pitch. So that's the one interesting area to see what Fulham do because you know, the temptation with a Wobbe's performance against Brighton would be to keep him in that midfield sort of area. But I'd imagine Fulham would line up, as as he's done against some of the better teams going away to the Etihad, going away to Tottenham, was playing Berger next to Lukic. I imagine you see that again. and then
00:35:30
Speaker
Obviously Nelson, who's been in the team for the last few weeks, wouldn't have been able to play anyway. So you'd probably see Troy already go over to the left. And then the other question mark, well, it's two question marks, basically. Wilson, as you as you mentioned, Craig, who's ah it wass great to see him get those two goals recently. And being Welsh, you know, a lot of Welsh people say, why is he not playing for Fulham? You know, he's outstanding every time he plays to him.
00:35:52
Speaker
I think he has like the best minutes per goal ratio in the league this season as well. So the question is whether it's him on the right or whether it's Adama Traore, you know they pose different sort of problems. And then the striker Moniz came in a bit of rotation, 33-year-old bro him and there's maybe playing three games in a space of eight days. He was asking a little bit too much. ah His performances were a lot better a month ago. We just seemed to lack a bit of sharpness in the game against Spurs. That clinical edge, which could have and should have probably seen Fulham come away with the three points there. So whether he goes with Jimenez, who scored in this fixture, of course, last season, or Muniz, we'll have to wait and see on that one.
00:36:42
Speaker
Go on then guys, how do we see this game go and how do we see it panning out?
00:37:10
Speaker
two wonderful
00:37:38
Speaker
mmm, sack of someone who I have in my FPL so if he does score I wouldn't mind that too much. ah this is This is a tricky one for me, because I know Arsenal are kind of flying at the minute. The goals are flying in, having scored five away from home in the last to two games. um But Fulham do score in every game. they' They've only blanked the once, and that was on the opening day against Manchester United. There are 13 games in a row that they've scored, and so I expect both teams to score. I'm home in an hour, and whether it's 2-1 to Arsenal, whether it's 2-2, being the host of the Daily Fulham podcast, I have to say 2-2.
00:38:13
Speaker
any any final thoughts on this one guys
00:38:56
Speaker
And Jamie?
00:39:39
Speaker
Yeah, I think from an arson perspective, they they need to win this game, as you said, to ramp up the pressure on Liverpool, who set such a ferocious pace that if they do slip up there, the ones they're able to capitalise and keep up the momentum they've had in recent weeks after those couple of shaky losses around October, start of November time for Fulham.
Conclusion and Gratitude to Guests
00:40:00
Speaker
It's a good game to go into. It's a exciting game. The pressure is off in some sort of ways.
00:40:04
Speaker
Most people we predict an Arsenal to win, but they've shown in the last two games against top quality sides that they can go against these teams and get points and cause them a threat. So it's one to look forward to and other than Derby as I said, Fulham have had good success in them in recent times. That'll do it for today's crossover episode. Many thanks to Jamie and Craig for being with me today. We'll catch you all on the next one.