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Super Sized Title Race Special!
20 Plays9 days ago
It's an extra long episode as GSPN's Jack from the Daily Manchester City podcast, Josh from the Arsenal/Stoke Daily Podcast and Marley from the Daily Nottingham Forest podcast teams get together to discuss this seasons title race.
Can Liverpool maintain their lead at the top without having to play Darwin Nunez?
Can Pep turn things around for City before the inevitable relegation to League 1?
And will Arteta survive the season before Tony Pulis arrives at the Emirates?
Can Nuno keep the tall guy in defence fit and maintain Forest's unlikely challenge?
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Transcript
Introduction to the Special Episode
00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome to the Daily Liverpool Podcast brought to you by the Global Sports Podcast Network. I'm your host today, Jesse Sawa, for this special title race episode to bring or help bring in the new year. So in today's episode, we're going to be looking at how this season's title race is shaping up and what our predictions and expectations are for the rest of this fascinating season.
Guest Introductions: Arsenal and Man City Perspectives
00:00:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Joining me on today's pod, I'm delighted to welcome Josh from the Tony Pulis tribute act known as the Daily Arsenal podcast team. How you doing, Josh?
00:00:42
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Not bad at all. where We're very honoured to be considered a stokanal these days. we We'll take that.
00:00:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Where's your baseball hat? Where's your baseball hat?
00:00:50
Josh Vince - Arsenal
See if I can find one.
00:00:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we've got Jack from the Daily Man City podcast.
00:00:58
Jack
Yeah, I mean, it's great to be, I was waiting for this invite patiently. I did not think it was gonna come at some point, but yeah, I feel like, yeah, I feel like Ronaldo is still getting invited to Ballon d'Or ceremonies these days.
00:01:10
Jack
We all know that I'm way past it, but I'm here on merit.
00:01:11
Marley
and so
00:01:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
And a drum roll, please, because we've got Marley from the Daily Nottingham Forest podcast team in a title race special. Marley, how's it going, mate?
00:01:25
Marley
It feels great to be in a top five episode for the Premier League and not for the Championship for once. It also feels great that we've got six-time European champions, two-time European champions, one-time European champions, and then we've got Arsenal.
00:01:38
Jack
i
00:01:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
you
00:01:42
Jack
Jesse, can we have him on every time?
00:01:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Shots fired.
00:01:44
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Oh no.
00:01:45
Jack
yeah
00:01:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Shots fired. I'll tell you what, don't be fooled by that psychedelic background.
00:01:47
Josh Vince - Arsenal
That was early.
00:01:52
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Marley's come to play. Okay, cool. That's fine, Marley. That's fine.
00:01:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
hold that place cap Where's that baseball cap?
00:01:55
Josh Vince - Arsenal
You know, I didn't want to have to bring out early, but have any of you been unbeaten in a season?
00:01:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
What about 43 points, I think that was.
00:02:01
Josh Vince - Arsenal
I didn't think so.
Season's Changes and Managerial Impact
00:02:06
Josh Vince - Arsenal
oh
00:02:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
All right, it's great to have all of you on the um episode. Lots to discuss because it has been a season of change. We've had new managers come in like Arnie Slott and Enzo Mareska doing well at the moment with Liverpool and Chelsea. Established managers like Pep Guardiola struggling.
00:02:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
left scratching his head really forcefully sometimes at City's dramatic slump this season and teams like Forest, Fulham and Bournemouth doing really well playing some really really good football.
00:02:30
Jack
Okay.
00:02:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now I was going to go through each team in order of Premier League position but
00:02:41
Jack
Okay.
00:02:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
partly out of respect for our current champions and partly because, you know, I was concerned that Jack's internet connection may suddenly go down. We're going to start with Man City.
Manchester City's Struggles and Squad Challenges
00:02:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Jack, look, a lot has been said, a lot has been written about cities drop this season. We did our first title race special this season about mid-November, I think it was.
00:03:08
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yeah.
00:03:08
Jack
Yeah.
00:03:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Have you been surprised at how bad this run has been? You know, albeit City 1 at the weekend, 2-0.
00:03:14
Jack
Yeah, didn't you know, we've won a game.
00:03:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Was it on the card?
00:03:16
Jack
We have won a game.
00:03:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Was it on the card even back then? Or or or is it? Because for me, as a look as the Liverpool supporter, every week I thought, all right, this is the game where they're going to turn it around.
00:03:28
Jack
Yeah.
00:03:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
This is the game where the where the bad ran ah bad end run run ends.
00:03:33
Jack
yeah
00:03:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
So you tell me your thoughts.
00:03:36
Jack
I mean, look, it's definitely been a change of pace, you know, from what we're used to. We're not used to winning, ah ah you know, one in 13 or two in 14, but it's definitely unexpected in terms of our our form over the past few seasons. but I mean, for whatever reason, you know myself and you know a few of the other match going fans that I know, not necessarily completely wrapped up in worry about it. It's been a massive shock in terms of you know we've lost a lot of games that we shouldn't have been losing, but the gaps that were in our form
00:04:10
Jack
right at the start, you know the last time we did this this title challenging podcast when it was just kind of the start of that horrible you know run of form, the gaps there are still present and it's still you know they they they still need fixing.
00:04:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:04:23
Jack
So it's not like it's it's going to be fixed just by playing more games because In this run of form, all that's happened is we've suffered some more injuries. We're still playing the same way. We've still got the same issues in midfield. We're slow. We're sluggish. We've got 34-year-olds pressing in midfield next to 18, 19-year-old and kind of unexperienced Premier League players. It's not been an ideal season by any stretch, but I've never once during this run thought about coming for pepshead at all i've never had any serious doubts or worries about him and and and frankly i think that any fan that has been kind of you know kind of prolific in this pep out brigade is is a bit stupid i just think that if anyone's got credit in a bank it's the man that's just won the title four years in a row including a treble winning season a centurion season a formidable season
00:05:21
Jack
Okay, yeah, it's a bad run of form, but in 10 games that all suddenly goes out the window, not not for me, I don't think so. and What I am happy now is that we don't have any more games before the January transfer window is open and we can start to look at the issues that we've had and hopefully remedy them, hopefully fix some of the glaring problems that in
Transfer Market Hopes and Comparisons with Liverpool
00:05:40
Jack
our squad. And that is, you know, I hate to to dump it all on on injuries, but that is who has been available to us. and And I think if we can get a couple of more players in, and then we'll start to see a little bit more of that rejuvenated Man City squad because
00:05:56
Jack
it's not It's not a case of this this team is disappeared. We look at some of the plays that we've still got and the quality is still there. I mean, obviously, Marley, you'll know why one win in that form was against Nottingham Forest. And and I was at that game and it was it was sort of vintage city in that we looked in control from minute one to minute 90. So it's not a case of that. So we've dropped off the face of the earth and we're never going to come back. It was just a kind of, you know, a personnel issue, I think.
00:06:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think it's almost like a perfect storm situation or.
00:06:25
Jack
Yeah. Well, that's what I've always said. iss It's been a culmination of many, many problems over the last few seasons.
00:06:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:06:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:06:31
Jack
And some of that is very much self-inflicted. Pep Guardiola has come out in recent years and said he prefers a smaller squad. And that's absolutely fine when they're all fit.
00:06:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:06:40
Jack
But you have a season like this, when it's injury after injury after injury, it happens in football. And suddenly that small squad looks problematic.
00:06:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it's amazing how quickly it can change. I mean, you talk about pet Guardiola and
00:06:51
Jack
Hmm.
00:06:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
and I haven't heard too many calls for his head, although I have heard it from some quarters. And it does remind me of when Liverpool had a similar experience a few seasons ago, where we had injury after injury after injury, and the midfield just kind of died on their legs.
00:07:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it was an accumulation of things. And I didn't hear it. The thought never crossed my mind that Klopp had to go.
00:07:22
Jack
Yeah. Yeah.
00:07:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Never ever. Because the the basics and the fundamentals are still there.
00:07:28
Jack
Yeah.
00:07:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I do think that I don't think that this is a one transfer, sorry, one transfer window ah issue.
00:07:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think it's going to take at least two.
00:07:38
Jack
Hmm. And the summer is the big one.
00:07:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
January and summer.
00:07:40
Jack
The summer is the big one.
00:07:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, summer's the big one.
00:07:41
Jack
Yeah.
00:07:42
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yeah.
00:07:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because the the problem with January is who's available and who's
00:07:46
Jack
Yeah. And and anyone who is available, you're going to have to pay a premium for him.
00:07:48
Josh Vince - Arsenal
The price. Exactly.
00:07:49
Jack
Yeah.
00:07:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
and preium and And they've all got their targets they're fighting for.
00:07:50
Jack
Absolutely.
00:07:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
They're fighting for whether ah they're fighting for the Champions League or or a title or top four Champions League qualifications. So all of these teams, they do have their own targets. But so just to drill down a little bit into some of the senior players at Man City then.
00:08:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do you think that Pep still trusts some of his, his kind of senior lieutenants and that they trust him the likes of Carl Walker, Edison, who's been in and out of the team and he's been such a, he's been such a central part of their build up play, Edison, you know, forget that he's a goalkeeper, but just that guy who starts everything off, Jack Grealish doesn't look happy.
00:08:29
Jack
yeah
00:08:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Is this just results? Okay, bad results equals unhappy players.
00:08:39
Jack
I think there is something else that I think that Pat has his favorites.
00:08:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Or do you think that there's something else there as well?
00:08:45
Jack
He has his favorite sons in a way. And, and you know, Kyle Walker, Bernardo Silva, Okai Gundwan, they've all been his kind of favorite sons in that regard. And and regardless of their personal form, he will persist in playing them.
00:08:59
Jack
And that sometimes does cause some squad harmonies. And, and you know, you you look at some of the reliable players in our team, Kevin De Bruyne, you know, These hamstrings now are made of cheese, so we we we can't really rely on them to give us 30 games a season and um know that the 10-15 season that he does play he's phenomenal but it's a case of you can't rely on him and I think another issue is one of those players senior players Ilkay Gundogan was probably brought in and in the summer transfer window with the the kind of intention to not play that many games this season and and through fate we'll have it he's played nearly every available minute because he's had to and he's looked really really poor because of it
00:09:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:09:43
Jack
because he's asked to fill in a role in Rodtree that he was capable of doing three four seasons ago really well and now he's not you know not so capable of doing that so like you said at the beginning it's a culmination of errors it's it's a kind of cacophony of chaos if you will I mean it's just one thing after another and it's all piled on top of each other And I think there is squad harmonies because Pep does have his favorites and he does want to utilize the more senior players in a room like this because he doesn't want to put the burden
Youth Players and Squad Dynamics at Manchester City
00:10:12
Jack
on those younger players.
00:10:14
Jack
But if you look at a game at the weekend, like when we played against less than we won 2-0, okay, we weren't believing in that game at all. But a young player came in the 65 minute mark James McEighty and completely changed the game.
00:10:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:10:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah Yeah.
00:10:27
Jack
And that's a player who's played eight games this season and he is our most energetic and and capable midfielder to fill that gap in.
00:10:35
Jack
But I feel like he's quite intent on putting the onus on the senior players to turn this around because he doesn't want to put maybe these young players in the firing line. So, I mean, there is situations where it's like, how do you tell Pep Guardiola, you know, the man who lives and breathes football, that you know more about football than him. But in one of these such cases, the fans were right to say, give James McAdee a chance, see what he can do. You know, no one's going to put the blame on him if it goes wrong, but just let him have a little run out.
00:11:05
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Do you think he's kind of held back with Macatee a little bit because of the problems? I say problems kind of loosely, but like Rico Lewis has really struggled recently. So do you think he's maybe being a little bit more cautious with those younger players, seeing how throwing players like Lewis and even Bob to an extent has kind of impacted them a bit?
00:11:23
Jack
Yeah. Yeah, I think so. And I also think that, you know, when you look at that Leicester game, he made a straight sub swap for Phil Foden, who was playing on that right hand side. And we saw James Macatee operate a little bit further out wide, which was was kind of new to me because you would have thought, get his issues in the midfield, let him go and have that in the midfield. But maybe you started to think that, okay, Pep views Macatee is a little bit more of a wide creator, which we certainly haven't been kind of expecting. so I do think that there is a lot of kind of you know expectation on these young players and he doesn't want to put a lot of that burden. But I also think that maybe there's so much to do with the profile that he thinks that he sees in training from these players and where he thinks they're best capable of playing. So, yeah, no one knows about it in part, but we we'll see. Hopefully he gets more minutes, that's all I'll say.
00:12:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, you mentioned the January transfer window, Jack. City obviously have urgent needs, you know, all around the pitch, but what do you think is the priority? And realistically, you know, who do you think they're going to go for and and who do you think they can get? and And don't be afraid of upsetting me as a Liverpool fan.
00:12:38
Jack
Well, what what I will say is what I really want from sitting in a January transfer window is to buy some players who they would normally buy in the summer transfer window anyway. Don't be panicked buying just for the sake of our situation because these are going to be long-term purchase options.
00:12:52
Jack
So I think, yeah, you said it at the risk of upsetting yourself and some Liverpool fans.
00:12:56
Marley
Thank you.
00:12:58
Jack
I do think the priority is going to be supermendy. You know how tough it is persuading Basque players to come out of the Basque country and play anywhere else. so
00:13:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
You can have him mate, you can have him now we
00:13:07
Jack
it's going to be a big ask.
00:13:08
Josh Vince - Arsenal
yeah
00:13:09
Jack
Exactly yeah but I mean regardless of regardless of the release clause getting those Spaniards out of Spain is like an impossible task so I think he's going to be top priority there's been rumours about Bruno Gamarres over the course of the season
00:13:09
Josh Vince - Arsenal
laughed and
00:13:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
it
00:13:22
Jack
whether that's concrete enough to go in for for him in in January is another thing. Whether Newcastle even still have these FFP issues is another thing. But I do think we're going to look at two to three players in January, which is something that we've never really done before.
00:13:34
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yeah, locked him.
00:13:36
Jack
It's usually one player. And you look at our January transfer windows in the past, we've had Laporte who came in January who came in and changed our season completely and turned that run around so hopefully it's a bit of a catalyst but I don't think there's going to be anything that we do in January that's going to be enough to turn around the season but I think we can we can get back on to winning ways.
00:13:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think the other thing about Citi, you mentioned about panic buying. They're not a club that historically, ah and certainly under this new ownership, have ever done that.
00:14:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
So even if they buy one player or three players or four players, ah they tend to be targeted, well-thought-out transfers that they've been targeting for for a while.
00:14:09
Jack
no what's all
00:14:18
Jack
Yeah.
00:14:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Subamendi, as much as it pains me to say it, I do think that Citi will get him.
00:14:27
Jack
Yeah.
00:14:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think that they will move heaven and earth to get him because the need is so great now for someone to come in and and kind of plug that gap.
00:14:32
Marley
Okay.
00:14:34
Jack
Yeah.
00:14:38
Jack
Yeah, I think he definite think he has got like some worries about playing understudy to Roger, though.
00:14:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
And he's already shown it
00:14:42
Jack
That's what I've heard so far, which is fair enough completely because when Roger comes back, he will be starting.
00:14:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right.
00:14:48
Jack
But it's whether a player comes back from an injury of that magnitude, the same player.
00:14:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
i Yeah.
00:14:54
Josh Vince - Arsenal
I guess this is your big problem at City, isn't it, at the moment, is that you have so many world-class players and stuff.
00:14:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, right.
00:14:57
Jack
Yeah.
00:14:59
Josh Vince - Arsenal
I mean, like, realistically, you I think you need another centre forward if you're going to be really pushing high. I think you need at least a backup or someone who's a different profile to Erling Harland, but it's that same problem.
00:15:09
Jack
Well, yeah, yeah.
00:15:10
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Who's going to play second fiddle, you know?
00:15:12
Jack
Well, you but yeah, Marley, you mentioned before, have I heard any kind of kind of concrete rumors about January? One of the other rumors that I've heard is kind of the possibility of bringing Liam De La Back for, I think it was 30 million, we have like the kind of buyback clause option for.
00:15:27
Jack
and Which wouldn't be the worst kind of business in hindsight because we we sold him for I think it was ten plus add-ons Whether they've been achieved. So we're looking at maybe a kind of 15 million pound loss I think that's worth it.
00:15:38
Jack
And but I think you're absolutely spot on Josh I think we need a backup for early in Holland or you know You look at play like Julia Alvarez you would let go for massive money in the summer He was capable of playing with early in Holland.
00:15:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:15:49
Jack
He could play out and operate on that right right wing. So I I think we do need a profile who can play anywhere along that front three because like you said Who's gonna want to play direct back up to ill in harland who I've been quite surprised since he's come to sit to city Rarely gets injured at all and he had a pretty prolific injury record at Dortmund He's missed barely any games for us.
00:16:11
Jack
So yeah I
00:16:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:16:13
Josh Vince - Arsenal
I've heard Chris Wood's available.
00:16:16
Marley
No, he is not.
00:16:17
Jack
but
00:16:17
Marley
No, he's not. No, he's very much unavailable. No one mentioned that him and Ana only have half-year contracts. No one mentioned that.
00:16:25
Jack
You know what? I'd be worried that Chris Wood would come in and take his spot straight away.
00:16:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, poor Marlies, come on to this podcast and we're we're just cherry picking all all the best players now.
00:16:37
Marley
That's the exact thing I was worried about this January. You know, Chris Wood, Gibbs White, Anderson, Murillo, Elanga, Hudson and Doy, Ana, Sells.
00:16:43
Jack
Ryan Yates?
00:16:45
Marley
I could mention our whole starting 11. I'm worried they're all going to get picked up by as so-called bigger clubs because obviously, maybe not Yates.
00:16:53
Jack
bri ya
00:16:56
Marley
He's been he'd been a forest lad his whole life. I think he'll be a forest lad the rest of his life, but yeah.
00:17:00
Josh Vince - Arsenal
A city money is a lot of money.
00:17:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
See, money's a lot of money, absolutely.
00:17:03
Marley
I know I was going to say, there is a lot of money that could be offered by these teams and just the glamour of these teams being more successful recently, whether we're second or 17, they'll still be attracted to that move and there's nothing we can really do about it.
00:17:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, Josh, it's it's interesting, isn't it? to you know Man City have been such a dominant force over the last few years.
00:17:23
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Hmm.
00:17:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I was i was talking to a few of my friends at Liverpool Sporters and we're still not completely convinced that City are out of the title race.
00:17:35
Josh Vince - Arsenal
no not so
00:17:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Even though logically you'd think, you know what, that they they've got to be outright.
00:17:36
Marley
Never.
00:17:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I think such is the psychological damage that these lot have done on And so many of us, right? It's just, you you just can never, you can never say they're completely out of it.
00:17:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
I always, I, I'm still thinking that they're going to sign super Mandy. They'll sign a couple of other world-class players and then they're just going to go on this phenomenal run.
00:18:00
Josh Vince - Arsenal
No, not at all.
00:18:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we're not saying that they're going to win it, but I think they're going to put the frightening on other teams.
00:18:06
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Of course they will. And it's typical that the one season they're having a bit of a rut, and we've been challenging for two years, we stumble and you lot pick it up.
00:18:12
Jack
Oh, yeah.
00:18:14
Josh Vince - Arsenal
It's infuriating.
Transfer Battles and Financial Implications for Man City
00:18:15
Jack
so
00:18:16
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Honestly, just briefly going back to transfers, the one I'm really interested in watching is the battle between Liverpool and the city for Frimpong.
00:18:24
Jack
Oh yeah.
00:18:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:18:24
Josh Vince - Arsenal
I think Liverpool need him more by the sounds of it, and he's suiting more, but I mean, see he's a big pull.
00:18:26
Jack
Yeah.
00:18:29
Jack
Yeah. But what worries me about this Frimpong transfer is he's been talked about a lot is, and I'm sure Liverpool will share the same concerns. Have you been watching any of the leather cues in games recently?
00:18:39
Jack
He's starting up top alongside Patrick Schick and it's like we're signing him to play right back in a back four and the guy has played his last 10 games at striker.
00:18:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:18:42
Josh Vince - Arsenal
yeah
00:18:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:18:48
Jack
It worries me.
00:18:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, is that your lonzos doing that on purpose, just to kind of put a spanner in the works there?
00:18:51
Jack
Yeah.
00:18:53
Jack
but yeah No one buy him because I'll play him in Australia.
00:18:57
Marley
Jeremy Frimpong to Nottingham Forest.
00:18:59
Marley
Here we go.
00:19:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
but look but no No city talk will be complete without those dreaded charges. I want to ask you Jack. Does it have, do do you think there's any there's any kind of scenario where this has played into this kind of bad run?
00:19:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm not saying that this it's the cause.
00:19:23
Jack
Yeah.
00:19:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Once they do get on this bad run, does it is it something that that is just additional that creates that kind of uncertainty around the players, around the club?
00:19:35
Jack
Well, it's funny you mention that because I was in work the other day and, you know, someone came up to me, a city farm with his tinfoil hat on and said that he's heard through the grapevine from an in the know that we've got to deal with the Premier League that will get off the charges, Scott free, as long as we throw the rest of the season.
00:19:50
Jack
So with that information, what what you will, I'm sure it was...
00:19:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's coming on as a guest tomorrow, by the way.
00:19:56
Jack
Yeah, exactly. I'm sure it was Matt Leticia that told me that, but and you know what? It'll have been hanging heavy over the club, but I honestly don't think it will trickle through to the players that much. I think if anything, it'll have an effect on players looking to move to City. You know, they will want resolution on on that club and and what's going to happen with the future.
00:20:18
Jack
But I honestly think that you know the first 11, the squad that we've got currently will just be so drilled, so focused on what they're currently playing. And if it has, then it's disappointing because you know you can put a lot of that down to kind of the bad form that we had recently. But and I do think it'll have been hanging over the club. But with with the charges, look, I think the damage is already done. Whether we got off and innocent on on the charges or or we got charged for some, the damage is done. We are guilty in the eyes of the public. And and that's what you know know the court of public opinion, you know that's already been swayed. So whether the charges happen or not, I think, you know honestly, the damage is done to the to the rap reputation of the club. and But for the rest of it, we'll just have to wait and see.
00:21:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, if you if you're saying that the Premier League is out of reach, it doesn't mean that the season's
Focus Shift from Premier League to Champions League for Man City
00:21:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
over, right?
00:21:10
Jack
No?
00:21:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Does the Champions League offer an opportunity to do something great? Because it's not is's not beyond the realms of possibility that, you know, Man City, Guardiola says, right, look, Premier League is done.
00:21:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's go for the Champions League.
00:21:28
Jack
yeah I mean, look, my dad come up to me the other day and said, we're still on for a cup double. So, I mean, we, we play Salford next week. we, we're still in the champions league. We could, we could be coming over this season with, you know, an FA cup in a champions league. It's not outside the realms of possibility. What worries me of the champions league is that we will probably qualify in the second date, which just means more games. And that for me is the worst possible scenario. I'd honestly rather.
00:21:55
Jack
Finish in in the bottom eight have it over and done with then go a little bit further Maybe reach the quarterfinals and get knocked out there because that to me just spells more and more injuries Yeah, we've got quite a favorable January to be it's not too bad I mean Brentford away is is really tough and obviously at the end we we do play PSG and but other than that, it's nice to have a kind of run like this where
00:22:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, you mentioned Salford. Let's just have a look at your January fixtures. Yeah.
00:22:25
Jack
you know, after the, after our recent form.
00:22:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
but I think you'll pick up points. You've got your home to West Ham on the 4th of January and West Ham are just looking terrible.
00:22:32
Jack
Yeah.
00:22:34
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Hmm. Hmm.
00:22:35
Jack
yeah
00:22:35
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Hmm.
00:22:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Then you've you're at home to Salford in the f FA Cup.
00:22:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
A way to Brentford. That's a late kickoff, so that could be a bit tricky.
00:22:42
Jack
Yeah. Yeah.
00:22:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
A way to Ipswich. I can't see anything but a city win. And then you've got a couple of tasty games.
00:22:49
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yeah, your February's mean.
00:22:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
You're away to, yeah you've you you're away at Parrish Century Man in the Champions League.
00:22:52
Jack
Yeah.
00:22:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's on the 22nd of January. And then you're home to Chelsea on the 25th of January.
00:23:02
Jack
yeah
00:23:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then the end of the month, you're home to Club Bruges in the Champions League.
00:23:07
Jack
yeah
00:23:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
That kind of PSG, Chelsea, those those are a couple of, although I still fancy to beat PSG, I don't do that.
00:23:16
Jack
PSG are not the team that they have been in recent seasons and I think that
00:23:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:20
Jack
Even that PSG mega team with, you know, a front three of Neymar, Messi and Barbe was a beatable team. we We beat him on a few occasions in qualifying matches and in the in the group stages. So.
00:23:34
Jack
I don't think they're as big as a worry as their name portrays. and But like Josh mentioned, our February is haunting. It is absolutely horrendous. We go to Arsenal at first game in February, then we've got Newcastle and Liverpool in back to back games.
00:23:51
Jack
and February away.
00:23:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, you got Spurs in February as well.
00:23:54
Jack
Yes, at the end of February. and but Fortunately, there there are only five game four games, I think, in February.
00:24:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
james Yeah, and yeah and that should be interesting.
00:24:02
Jack
So it's quite a respectable schedule, and given the you know the reason for Christmas schedule anyway.
00:24:02
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yeah.
00:24:09
Jack
So it's going to be tough, but it's few and far between at least.
00:24:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
All right, let's so turn out attention to Premier League leaders, Liverpool, clear of second place. Forest by eight points, nine ahead of Arsenal, 10 ahead of Chelsea at the time of recording.
00:24:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Josh, as someone who is secretly a Liverpool supporter, we all know that, right?
00:24:33
Josh Vince - Arsenal
How dare you?
00:24:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
How do you assess what this Liverpool team is and how they've played in this first half of the season?
00:24:44
Josh Vince - Arsenal
I mean quite, it's one word, juggernaut. They've been terrifyingly good. I mean, I was taught, my boss at work is a City fan and we were talking about Liverpool the other day. And you sort of look at the big teams who went through big managerial changes, sort of from iconic managers, maybe the Fergusons at United, Vengers at Arsenal, that sort of thing. It will be the same with Guardiola leaves City as well.
00:25:09
Josh Vince - Arsenal
but when clock left Liverpool, obviously it's that legacy and that, that style of play, that footballing ethos that also left as well. And I, like a lot of people thought, you know, on the slot is an inventive manager. He's, he's, he's a good manager. But by no means is he going to get a tune out of this team. The big difference is, Klopp left Liverpool behind in such a good way. Like, he set the team up brilliantly and what I noticed about Slott, because my dad my dad's a Liverpool fan and he he's loving this season.
00:25:44
Josh Vince - Arsenal
is if you're not winning, slot just throws five strikers on and says, sod it, go for it.
00:25:51
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Literally throwing the kitchen sink at the opposition.
00:25:55
Jack
But one of those strikers is Darwin Newness, so it's balancing some things out.
00:25:59
Josh Vince - Arsenal
That is very true.
00:25:59
Marley
ha
00:26:00
Josh Vince - Arsenal
yeah Very, very apt point. but And also, the the year that he's either trying to get the biggest payout from the Saudi Pro League or from Liverpool in any of his history, Mohamed Salah is just on an absolute tear.
00:26:17
Josh Vince - Arsenal
His stats, what is it? He's like breaking records every week.
00:26:19
Jack
It's 30 already. 30 goal contributions already. It's December.
00:26:24
Josh Vince - Arsenal
We're not even midway through.
00:26:24
Marley
Ha ha ha.
00:26:26
Josh Vince - Arsenal
The midway through game is this midweek game. And they've got a game in hand because Everton game was canceled. What is wrong with the man? That's what I want to know, Jesse. What have you done with to him?
00:26:37
Josh Vince - Arsenal
what What is he made of?
00:26:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think he's you're just looking at, I know that obviously Liverpool fans are going to wax lyrical about him, but I think objectively he's he's one of the best players that has ever played in the Premier League.
00:26:51
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yeah, 100%.
00:26:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think to me, I think he's the best player in the world because of his consistency. Ever since he's ah ah arrived at Liverpool, irrespective of whether we're having a good season,
00:27:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
a bad season, he's there putting up the numbers. And I think for someone to play as a wide forward, he's not an out and out number nine, he's a wide forward. And even though the game has changed, right, you know, we we don't have those kind of two front men up top, but still, he's a wide forward. And for him to be always in those positions where he's scoring or he's and he's really developed his game, I think he's assisting far more than he used to. He's kind of through balls are are much, much better than they, well you never used to have one before.
00:27:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, Sadio Mane will tell you, you know, so I think he's developed his his all round game. And I think he's in that kind of phase where, you know, you have these players who they're great players, but then they achieve a kind of seniority in a team.
00:27:49
Jack
Hmm.
00:27:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
And they know how good they are. They know how important they are to their team.
00:27:54
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Mm.
00:27:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
And so they always have that air of confidence when they step onto the pitch. But Jack, in in terms of Arnie's slot, obviously he's he's done well in his first half season.
00:28:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
What's impressed you about the way that he's managed Liverpool so far?
00:28:14
Jack
I mean, I talked about it, I think in in the in the first title challenges pod, but what has impressed me most is is just his communication. Now his communication to the media in his post-match press conferences when he gets dragged onto these TNT panels and the way he can talk about games.
00:28:32
Jack
and the way he can talk about such complex things in football and make them sound so simple. That is such an underrated trait in a manager because if you can portray that to us, you know, fans watching at home, then it's got to be so easy for him to to kind of drill this style of play into his place.
00:28:54
Jack
and And I just think communication is the most underrated aspect that a manager can have in football. So I think that's massively impressed me. But I actually wanted to ask you, Jesse, and there's been a lot of discourse recently around how well Arnie Schlott's been doing and whether that impacts Jurgen Klopp's legacy.
00:29:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:29:12
Jack
You know, I've seen both sides of the coin in the, you know, on the one hand, Jurgen Klopp is left behind this monumentally fantastic squad that Arnie Schlott was able to come in and pick up and and and crack on with, but on the other hand, you know, if Jurgen Klopp had this squad that was capable of doing this, why didn't he do it in his last couple of seasons?
00:29:33
Jack
I just want to know where you kind of sit on that coin, because I think there's, you know, agreeable arguments to both sides of the coin, but as a Liverpool fan, where do you sit on that?
00:29:43
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Because the only addition was Kiesa, wasn't it?
00:29:45
Jack
Exactly, yeah.
00:29:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
who has barely kicked a ball.
00:29:47
Jack
Hardly played, yeah.
00:29:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
But yeah it's it's it's ah it's a good point. But I ah ah tend to take a kind of longer term view in terms of the history of the club. if If you look back at the history of the club, club we had Bill Shankly, who was it ah ah ah someone that Klopp is often compared to.
00:30:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
transformational transformational figure very charismatic Liverpool played great attacking football under him but his successor Bob Paisley comes in and I mean he he wins three European Cups he wins six or seven titles in nine years And so he he actually wins more than Shankly.
00:30:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
But over the course of time, Shankly, he's the one that's got the statue.
00:30:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's still the the man that is revered and looked at as the man that built the modern Liverpool. And I think clock will be looked at in a similar vein.
00:30:34
Jack
Yeah.
00:30:45
Jack
Yeah. So, so, so you can kind of view them, you know, both separately in the clock has built the foundations that now Arnie Schlot is building on top of.
00:30:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Irrespective of how well slot does, I don't think it impacts in any way, shape or form negatively, at least. well
00:30:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:31:02
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Hmm.
00:31:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, I think even more so the foundation's delivered.
00:31:03
Jack
and Yeah.
00:31:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
delivered
00:31:06
Jack
Yeah, absolutely.
00:31:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
either it's It's not like a a foundational thing where, all right, look, we've got to third or to fourth or second.
00:31:07
Jack
Absolutely.
00:31:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
You now go and get over the line.
00:31:15
Jack
Yeah.
00:31:16
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yeah.
00:31:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Got Liverpool to three Champions League finals in five seasons.
00:31:18
Jack
Yeah. Yeah.
00:31:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I mentioned before, one title, but, you know, 97 points finishing second, 93 points finishing second.
00:31:26
Jack
Yeah.
00:31:28
Jack
Yeah.
00:31:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's what you've got to do in this Mansi era to even get close to them.
00:31:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Are you listening Arsenal fans?
00:31:33
Jack
yeah
00:31:35
Josh Vince - Arsenal
All right.
00:31:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
And so I think that Klopp has done more than built a foundation, but I think what I think what happens in football is, you know, players, it it doesn't matter even if you've got a generational manager, you know, great manager, after a while players will want to hear a new voice, new ideas, not to say that that old manager is now rubbish.
00:31:56
Jack
Hmm.
00:32:00
Jack
Yeah.
00:32:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think if you listen to some of the interviews with particularly the defenders like Trent, who has improved defensively this season, Andy Robertson, they are absolutely bowled over in terms of the tactical detail that Arnie's slot now goes through in terms of ah ah shape yeah their their tactics,
00:32:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
their defensive shape. And so I think that is something that has rejuvenated what has already been a really, really good squad. And I think we're we're in that place almost ah ah almost like a perfect storm, but ah the polar opposite of where city are, whereas all those problems have come at the same time at city and they're suffering from that. And for Liverpool, we've got a new manager who is very tactically astute. We've got a forward line
00:32:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
obviously Salah apart who is, you know, head and show shoulders above everyone else. However, the likes of Diaz, the likes of Gackpo, the likes of Jota, they all contribute and they they're they're interchangeable. So sometimes Diaz, Diaz at the weekend played centrally, he played center forward and he scored. Gackpo is chipping in with goals now. And then you've got that midfield now, which I think is Slott's biggest success.
00:33:19
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Graven Burch, what he's done to that player.
00:33:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
gravevinberg gravenberg into that double double pivot role was an absolute stroke of genius and to have him now next to McAllister who for me even though he's a world cup winner and everyone knows he's a really good player I still think that a lot of people don't realize how good he is and so to to have him next to gravenberg and then you've got just in front of them Sir Boslai is coming into his is own now. I've never seen a midfielder work as hard as he does. Jones is getting up there as well, Harvey Elliott is chipping in as well. So I think, and then we've got that spine, that back five of Champions League, Premier League winners of Allyson, Trent, Gomez and Dyke Robertson. And then you add Canate into there as well.
00:34:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I think we've got a really good balance in the squad that has meant that we we are where we are. Obviously it's not over yet, but we're in a very good position.
00:34:15
Jack
I've been impressed with what he's done with them. Graven birch more so for the fact that, you know, there's people a lot of people say, Oh, all he's done is, is play him. We all knew there was a player in there somewhere, but that's massively disingenuous because if you look at what he was doing at Ajax, grabbing birch wasn't playing this role at all.
00:34:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:34:33
Jack
There was nothing in his game that suggested that he could play as deep as he's playing right now and accept. So it's not just a case of right. He started playing him. He's completely molded this player into someone who's, uh, you know, completely capable of holding that kind of that midfield down and and playing alongside, you know, world-class players like Alexis McAllister.
00:34:54
Jack
So I think he's just done a ah ah remarkable job.
00:34:57
Josh Vince - Arsenal
hundred percent
00:34:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
So basically, you can have Zubimendi. That's what we're saying.
00:35:01
Jack
But that's the thing. I think even if he got Zuba Mendi in the summer, we'd be like talking about Zuba Mendi as, you know, one of the finest players in the world, because I just think that Arnie Schlot is the guy that will develop these type of players.
00:35:14
Jack
and Yeah.
00:35:14
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Well, he's a coach, isn't he? At the end of the day, Arnie Slott is he's a coach through and through. And like you were saying earlier, Jack, I think that's why he comes across as so calm and so collected.
00:35:25
Josh Vince - Arsenal
He's not really a manager in the molds of sort of like the Arteza and the Guardiola's where it's that overarching control and intensity.
00:35:29
Jack
Yeah.
00:35:32
Josh Vince - Arsenal
He's just a brilliant football mind and coach and he knows his stuff and what he can do with players.
00:35:34
Jack
Yeah. Yeah.
00:35:38
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Very quickly, Jesse, for Benio, or Granberg. Obviously they do slightly different things but my, I mean going back to my old man, he says that he actually prefers what Granberg is doing right now because of the way he turns and just enters space so seamlessly.
00:35:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:35:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, yeah.
00:35:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think for Benio, again, you know, he won the Premier League, the Champions League with us, so I don't want to be too harsh on him, but he was your bog standard, albeit very, very good defensive midfielder.
00:36:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
He was a destroyer.
00:36:10
Jack
Hmm.
00:36:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
he He'd break up play.
00:36:11
Jack
Yeah. castro
00:36:12
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yeah.
00:36:12
Jack
yeah
00:36:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, he'd break up play and just pass it to, you know, to whoever, better players than him, which was basically 10 other players, including the goalkeeper.
00:36:14
Jack
Yeah. yeah
00:36:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I think, as you mentioned, Gravenberg, I think he's he's got so much to his his game. And Jack, you mentioned that no one saw this at Ajax. No Liverpool fan saw this.
00:36:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
And he was with Klopp last season.
00:36:36
Jack
yeah
00:36:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
And he was coming in and out of the team. He'd come on and he'd get subbed after 60, 65 minutes in that kind of attacking midfield role. He looked very, very lightweight. And now he's a player transformed.
00:36:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
recency bias aside, I think that Gravenberg is a better watch because he is just easier on the eye and and the way that he controls that game alongside McAllister is is a real it's a real treat to watch. But Marley, I want to bring you in here because obviously, and I'm loving this part because we're waxing lyreal lyrical about Liverpool, but there's got to be some weak points about Liverpool. And one of the things that I'm just wondering if there's anything that's going to derail Liverpool, apart from the usual injuries, that kind of thing. But the contract situation with arguably Liverpool's three biggest players, Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk,
00:37:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
At the time of recording, we're literally 48 hours away from them being able to sign for for any other club outside the Premier League. is If this is not resolved, is there a danger that this is what derails things for Liverpool?
00:37:56
Marley
Well, it's it's difficult to call because you don't really know what the chances are. Obviously you can, I can see all three of them wanting to sign on because all three of them have been legends at the club recently. One of them is a Liverpool lad. They've done so well in the last few years to kind of make their names. They've been three of the best players in the league in the world at times, but There is also that draw away for each of them, like, you you know, Van Dyke might want a new challenge. Trent has been heavily linked with Real Madrid and I don't think there is much chance of him turning that move down. Even as a Liverpool lad, Real Madrid have just got that massive pull and Salah will possibly be approached in Saudi and try and get that one last massive paycheck. but
00:38:44
Marley
With a club like Liverpool with the players you've got, I don't think it will derail you because you can always replace them. Like not directly, not exactly, but there are players that you can bring in to do their jobs to an extent just as well as needs to be. And you might, your form might drop a bit, but I don't think it'll drop to the point where you won't win this league. I don't think there is going to be a title race this year. I think it'll be very, very just Liverpool run away with it.
00:39:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
let's hope so jack what do you what do you reckon about those three then.
00:39:12
Jack
Well, first and foremost, I completely agree with Marley. I think that and Arsenal and City will come back into it. I don't think i actually think the Arsenal have really dropped off that much other than there was a a kind of group of games around October and November.
00:39:21
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Not massively.
00:39:26
Josh Vince - Arsenal
The odor godless years we call them.
00:39:28
Jack
Exactly, yeah.
00:39:28
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yeah. how was it
00:39:29
Jack
But I actually think that the quality that Arsenal have is still there. I think this SACA injury is going to be huge for them.
00:39:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah.
00:39:35
Jack
And I actually think that there is probably more to worry about there than maybe Arsenal fans are kind of considering seriously. It's a similar injury to Kevin De Bruyne that's kind of put him out for the past couple of seasons.
00:39:47
Jack
So that is very unfortunate. I do think you will run away with it. But regarding the contract situation, what worries me as an outsider, I mean, it doesn't worry me because I'm a city fan,
00:39:59
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yeah.
00:39:59
Jack
But if I were to put myself in your shoes, it's just the sheer amount of noise coming from Real Madrid's camp, and specifically with you know this relationship that he has with you, Bellingham.
00:40:00
Marley
So.
00:40:05
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yeah.
00:40:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:40:09
Jack
I'm talking about Trent Alexander Arnold, obviously. It does just seem from the outside looking in that he does one out. And he does want to kind of maybe follow that kind of Jude Bellingham, David Beckham style route in that he wants to be the superstar and credit to him. He is a superstar. but for me, if I'm putting myself in trench shoes, there's no way you should rather be.
00:40:32
Jack
then than at Liverpool because I think that, OK, you rearm Madrid after Champions League and and and they do go deep in the Champions League every season regardless of form. I just think, look at the the project that you're building now. OK, you've seen this kind of twilight years with Jurgen Klopp kind of fiddle out. but It's rejuvenated completely and you're only going to kick on from here.
00:40:52
Jack
There's only going to be more that's going to come from this Annie Schlot era. But that does worry me. I do think that that Liverpool are in a real danger of losing Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid. The other two...
00:41:04
Jack
I think I was listening to a some of the podcasts then a couple of weeks ago and about what Liverpool are thinking right now. is that they were they They give players contracts based on what they're going to do, not what they've done in the past, which can cause some problems because you get senior players like Mo Salah who are saying,
00:41:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:41:25
Jack
look at all I've done for the club. I've scored goals and goals and goals. I've lived trophy and trophy but Liverpool's bored. Look at Mo Salah and say we don't care what you've done in the past, we care what you're going to do to us. So we'll give you a contract half the pay with massive bonuses and say you can earn as much as you have been earning as long as you're providing.
00:41:48
Jack
But big players like Mo Salah, like Virgil van Dijk, as they should, will say, well, no, I deserve a baseline because of what I've done for the club. So I do think that Liverpool will kind of come to their senses and and and secure those to you players. I think there's maybe a small chance that Mo Salah goes to Saudi Arabia. I don't think you have to worry about Virgil van Dijk. I think he lives and breathes as a club. and But Trent is a real worry for me, real worry.
00:42:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
um've I've got to say that I agree with you before I come to Josh. I've got to say I agree with you 100% I think that I think that Salah and Van Dyck will eventually sign.
00:42:27
Jack
Yeah.
00:42:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think that Trent will go.
00:42:30
Jack
Yeah.
00:42:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
What do you reckon Josh?
00:42:32
Josh Vince - Arsenal
I actually entirely agree with both of you, I have to say.
00:42:34
Jack
It's very boring, isn't it?
00:42:37
Josh Vince - Arsenal
It is a little bit, but I mean, I was listening to, I don't know what podcast he was on, John Oliver, the comedian, massive Liverpool fan.
00:42:44
Jack
yeah
00:42:45
Josh Vince - Arsenal
And he was sort of giving it all the big, you know, Trent, Jared didn't go, you know, look at McManamom. Do people really respect him? Yes, they do. But, you know, February Madrid isn't all that nice.
00:42:55
Josh Vince - Arsenal
February Merseyside, stunning.
00:42:56
Jack
yeah
00:42:58
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Like, there's so many things that realistically would be driving Trent that way. But ah kind of harkening back to what Jack says, at this point in time, Trent is such an icon at Liverpool.
00:43:11
Josh Vince - Arsenal
If he stays another five, six years, he'll have a statue outside Anfield.
00:43:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, he'll be Gerald level.
00:43:16
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Because yeah, absolutely.
00:43:17
Jack
Yeah.
00:43:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
He'll, he'll have that modulation.
00:43:19
Jack
Which, by the way, is mental when we're talking about a right back. But what he is literally, single-handedly, more so than Robertson, I think, completely redefined the kind of fullback role.
00:43:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:43:23
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yeah.
00:43:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:43:31
Jack
We've got kids actually wanting to grow up and be a Trent Alexander Arnold nowadays.
00:43:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:43:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah like
00:43:36
Jack
No one wanted to grow up and be a Gary Neville, as Jamie Carragher was. No, rightly so. We should feel like a superstar because he is. and It's always going to be mental to me that, you know,
00:43:48
Jack
he is that way as a right back. I mean, that's a position that's completely you know reignited in football but the past few years.
00:43:50
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yeah.
00:43:56
Josh Vince - Arsenal
There is one thing I'd say to it though, with if one of them does pre-agree a contract and it is announced in January,
00:44:00
Marley
Thank you.
00:44:05
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Last year Clop announced in January that he was leaving and it caused an awful lot of noise and if anything it was I think it was intended as a stabilizer and as a something to push for but if anything it made things very shaky for the Liverpool squad and that would be my only concern if one of these big players announces I'm going to Madrid I'm going to Saudi I don't know where Virgil would actually go he he seems to love the club and he's the foundations of that house he needs to stay there
00:44:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:44:35
Josh Vince - Arsenal
But if one of them goes and makes a big announcement, how is it going to shake the rest of the changing room? I think that's a big question that has to be asked.
00:44:41
Jack
Hmm.
00:44:43
Josh Vince - Arsenal
And then also, how quickly do Liverpool act to get that replacement in?
00:44:47
Jack
Yeah.
00:44:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's a it's a good shout. I think it's, it may be different in the sense that with clock being the leader, being the manager being the kind of driving force of that team, and Liverpool are an emotional club as it is.
00:44:56
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Mm.
00:45:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that's an emotional team and an emotional manager. And I just think the emotions just ran too high, too quickly. And they just kind of fizzled out in in April, it was just too much. I think if an individual player announces that he's off,
00:45:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
We've probably got enough cover in other areas to cover for that, but so I think Van Dyke will be a huge drop-off. I think that's a real, real worry if if he was injured or or you know if he was out of the team for a while. I think the other areas, Conor Bradley have got absolutely no no worries at all at right back. And if anything, as as crazy as this sounds, no one wants a Trent Alexander-Arnold to leave. There's no team that wants that player out of the team.
00:45:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I think out of those three players He's the one that Arnie slot can live without Because Connor Bradley is actually more of an Arnie slot player than Trent is I think tactically I don't think it'll be it be the end of the world, but so We'll we'll see what happens.
00:46:00
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yeah.
00:46:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's have a quick look at Liverpool's January fixture list We've got a a nice little fixture against sir Manchester United on ah Sunday
00:46:17
Jack
Three points if I've ever seen it.
00:46:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:46:19
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Oh my word.
00:46:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. And then we've got, uh, we've got a league cup, uh, fixture away at at Tottenham, uh, home to Akron to Stanley in the FA cup. And then we've got a tasty one in the premier league 14th of January under the lights at the city ground against forest.
00:46:38
Jack
I think you've got to worry about that one. after You genuinely have to worry about that one.
00:46:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:46:40
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Really do.
00:46:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, huntless and oh you know what?
00:46:42
Marley
We are, can I just point out, can I just point out, we are the only team to beat Liverpool on Planet Earth in 2024-25.
00:46:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Honestly.
00:46:51
Marley
We're going for the double.
00:46:53
Jack
that
00:46:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know what, really? I I ah will take a point. I will genuinely, I will take a point. And you know what? It actually, it actually that defeat set feels better now, strangely.
00:47:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, because if Forest were languishing, let's say third from bottom, we'd still be kicking ourselves thinking, oh, that's three points wasted.
00:47:05
Jack
yeah
00:47:10
Jack
Yeah.
00:47:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
But now we know that Forest are, you know, a really, really good team and and it doesn't feel as bad.
00:47:18
Jack
On the flip side, Jesse, our our victory against Forrest now feels even worse because it's like we can't beat the better teams, but yeah.
00:47:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
And after that, we're
00:47:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
sir look
00:47:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
After that 18th of January, we're away to Brentford.
00:47:32
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Oh no!
00:47:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Not easy. And then we've got Lille in the Champions League. I'm not worried about that.
00:47:37
Josh Vince - Arsenal
That's not an easy game either.
00:47:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Home against Ipswich and then away at PSV in the Champions League. So there are a couple of games there. Brentford away is never easy.
00:47:48
Jack
Yeah.
00:47:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
And
00:47:49
Jack
Although Brentford will be playing in that one week, both you and us in at the end of each weekend. So maybe they're looking at...
00:47:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, let's hope they rest all their players against us to get points against you guys.
00:48:02
Marley
There's a bit of an argument. Bremford away was very easy. We found it very easy. We walked through them. 2-0 win. Stead up shot. Boom. Just like that. Only team to win there this season.
00:48:12
Jack
yeah That was strange actually because I did him some predictions on our on our City podcast and I just ultimately weighed up that, although Forest were flying at that time, Brentford are so, so good at home.
00:48:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
All right.
00:48:24
Jack
I think they still are the best team at home this season. So, I mean, you might have considered that game quite easy, Marley, but I mean, that came as a shock to me because Brentford are fantastic at home. So you completely dispatched him.
00:48:35
Josh Vince - Arsenal
I literally recorded the crossover today and they've only dropped five points at home.
00:48:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know but you
00:48:36
Marley
I expected, I expected a struggle. I know I expected to struggle, but we walked out to no winners. And to me, we did not really look like we struggled in that game.
00:48:49
Marley
I think the toughest part was seeing out the first five minutes after five minutes. We, they couldn't break us down. And every time we got the ball, we looked like going forward and slapping one in the there.
00:48:49
Jack
Yeah.
00:48:58
Jack
Hmm.
00:49:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's that pedigree, isn't it? Forest's been, you know, two time European champion. Yeah. That's, that's what it is.
00:49:04
Jack
Yeah. is It is a pedigree with culture.
00:49:06
Josh Vince - Arsenal
not all it's made out to be
00:49:07
Jack
Yeah.
00:49:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
All right.
00:49:09
Josh Vince - Arsenal
european
00:49:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're going to go through it.
00:49:10
Jack
murder
00:49:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're going to give you a quick break. We'll be back after this very brief message.
00:49:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, welcome back. Nottingham Forest are second in the league behind leaders Liverpool. No, it's it's not a long-lost recording from the 1970s.
00:49:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's here and now. And Forest, I mean, they really are rolling back the years. Marley's beaming from ear to ear. So tell us what exactly is going on at the city ground this season?
00:50:11
Marley
Uh, what's going on at city ground right now is I am watching the Ipswich Chelsea games score very carefully to make sure we are definitely still in second place.
00:50:20
Josh Vince - Arsenal
yeah
00:50:20
Marley
But now basically, I think what's happened is we've, we changed managers at the end of well, midway through last season to Nuno Espirito Santo.
00:50:23
Jack
Ha ha ha.
00:50:29
Marley
And we all knew what he'd done with Wolverhampton wonders a few years ago, even if Tottenham didn't work out too well, and he spent a year in Saudi Arabia, we knew he could do what he'd done at Wolves, we knew he still had it in him.
00:50:42
Marley
And I think the general feeling was, although it might not click into gear this season, we might still struggle.
00:50:46
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Don't care.
00:50:48
Marley
As long as we stay up, give him a pre-season and see what we can do. is He's had that pre-season, he's drilled his mentality into the squad, and we've brought in a very, very tall person called Nikola Milenkovic at centre-back, who he's not only solved our defence, because he's showed up, he's that leader who can bosses around and he's either a proven player, he's done well at Fiorentino, he's done well for Serbia, but he's also solved our attacking set piece issue, whereas now we just say, screw it, the big Serbs in there somewhere, hit it in. Whereas last season it was all panic, panic, panic, panic, panic, hit it across to the other side of the penalty area and watch it go over everyone's head. So I think Milenkovich has showed us up in so many ways, but also what's changed
00:51:39
Marley
is we've managed to get a front four of Gibbs-White, Elanga, Hudson adoy and and Wood, who are playing to their strengths rather than Steve Cooper just throwing out them a tactic and expecting them to do it. He'd realized our strength is we've got a very quick and very clinical attack. And so we're we know we've got a strong defense. We can see teams out. We're playing that quick attack, clinical attack to our advantage and using very dangerous and effective counter attacks to break teams down.
00:52:07
Marley
and it is working better than we could ever have imagined. And I think Forest are a club which we thrive off of fans as well, which is why we struggled so much during lockdown. So the second that we start doing well, the fans are on a high, they're enjoying it. We're in voice louder than ever. The players all feed off that massively and it just boosts the momentum and carries on Forest doing well and being the only team to beat Liverpool this season.
00:52:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
What was the feeling Molly of Forest fans when Nuno was appointed manager? Did they see that as a, as a positive or were they kind of not sure about this?
00:52:47
Marley
It was a massive, massive 50, 50 at the time, because we just sacked Steve Cooper. He was a fan favorite, club legend, always will be. He got us back to the premier league after, what was it? 23 years of doldrums of league one and championship football. so there was a lot of, should we have sacked him? Should we have given him more time? Nuno came in and the first thoughts was half of us were we look, it's time for a change.
00:53:14
Marley
We know what he's done with Wolves. Could he do that with us? Give him time, give him a chance, see what he can do. The other half were like just a bit sentimentality on Steve Cooper. Think we shouldn't have sacked him. And Nuno is not the best man to bring in. But I think the whole feeling at the end of the season, especially now this season has become a bit more like, well, we've been proven wrong. You've been proven right.
00:53:36
Marley
Nuno was the right man for the job and he's the right man to take us forward from here on out. is He's perfect for Forrest and I think Forrest is perfect for him in a way as well.
00:53:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Jack, you mentioned earlier that so yeah you like the fact that slot keeps it simple.
00:53:52
Jack
Hmm.
00:53:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's It is quite refreshing, isn't it, to see someone come in who isn't an ideologue. you know You're going to play like this even if we don't have the players to carry that out. We've seen Southampton do that.
00:54:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
We've seen certain teams just yeah commit footballing suicide.
00:54:08
Jack
Yeah.
00:54:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know, look at the players, you know, he looks at the plays he's got and comes up with a game plan that works for them. And he gives them white, gives white, looks like a different player now. Uh, Chris Wood, I mean, it's player reborn.
00:54:21
Jack
I mean, for better or for worse, and in our case, it's been for better at Manchester City, we do live in an age now in football of systems. You know, it's all about the system that's being played, the tactics, how great they are. and You know, Arsenal, you've now been sucked into that and it is amazing at times, but sometimes there is a little bit of you. You know, I'm a victim of this as a City fan completely that wishes that you had a manager who just said, right, you've got 11 great players on the pitch.
00:54:54
Jack
Go out and show us why you're fantastic. And I think that is just slightly discrediting Nuno Espero Santos a little bit because he is a fantastic coach, a fantastic manager.
00:55:04
Jack
He does have great tactics, but I also think that if you want to simplify it like that, then let's have it.
00:55:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
movie All he's done is put a big bloke and in defence, according to the whole bloke.
00:55:12
Jack
But I do think that he has realized that he's got a great group of players and just got the best out of him. And now I'm looking at this forest side and going, wow, they have some massively talented players.
00:55:25
Jack
And there's plays in there that I've always rated. I'm a massive, massive Gibbs white fan. Marley, you'll know we had a crossover podcast a couple of weeks ago where I was just singing his praises, but you know, even these other players that.
00:55:31
Marley
yeah
00:55:34
Marley
yeah
00:55:38
Jack
You know, we're really starting to get the best out of, you know, Alanga was a talented player at United. He wasn't this good. know, what for the life of me, his name's escaping me, the Chelsea lad, Hudson and all.
00:55:48
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Hudson the doy.
00:55:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's not that.
00:55:50
Jack
You knew that before I even mentioned it. Yeah, he's doing fantastically as well. And and we're looking at this forest team now and and and saying that there are some really talented players there. and So it is refreshing to see a manager just get the best out of a group of players.
00:55:59
Marley
Yeah. Yeah.
00:56:03
Jack
It reminds me a little bit of Alex Ferguson's coaching. Okay, it was a little bit less about the tactics and and just go out there, show me why you deserve this paycheck, that type of style.
00:56:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
It is more old school kind of management, isn't it?
00:56:15
Marley
yeah yeah i feel like
00:56:17
Jack
Yeah.
00:56:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Josh, in terms of yeah if if you look, I mean, it's it's actually. ah It's one in the eye, I think, for a lot of managers out there that they might complain about budgets and finance.
00:56:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
And of course, that does make a difference. If you look look at the likes of Nuno, I think Marco Silva at Fulham is doing a brilliant job.
00:56:37
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yeah.
00:56:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Iroola at Bournemouth, you know, it does go to show that if you've got a good manager who can work with the tools, you know, that that he's got, he doesn't really need to go out and buy 100 million pound player to improve a team, Josh.
00:56:54
Josh Vince - Arsenal
No, not at all. I mean, there's so many talented individuals out there. And I think sometimes it's kind of like what Jack was saying. I think there are occasions when players are effectively coached to death.
00:57:07
Josh Vince - Arsenal
a little bit, and that can become a little bit of a smothering influence on them, sort of in the grand scheme of things. I think when you have a freedom to go out and play, there are especially young players who feel like they have a point to prove, go and do it. We often see it in international games you know because there's not much time to implement the system things like that so the players who have that technical ability and that passion will go out and show themselves and again kind of discrediting what Nuno is doing for Forest at the moment but just giving them freedom is refreshing and it kind of the way that you play is scaring me slightly because it's slightly reminiscent of Leicester back in 2016 sort of a very very effective
00:57:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
stop it
00:57:49
Josh Vince - Arsenal
counter-attacking say, hey, you've had enough, Liverpool. What was that, Marley?
00:57:58
Marley
Yeah, there is one man that I would love to give credit to and obviously I would like to mention that one of the differences from last season is that obviously
00:58:06
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Don't you dare, don't you dare.
00:58:09
Marley
We've been going, we were trying to put everything through Morgan Gibbs White and obviously we weren't using the wing as enough and Chris Wood would expect to do all the jobs up front.
00:58:12
Josh Vince - Arsenal
okay
00:58:17
Marley
We've tied that up now. We're letting them all do only what they need to do, what they're best at doing.
00:58:18
Jack
Ha ha ha.
00:58:21
Marley
But there's one man that doesn't get enough credit and I don't think this role at a football club gets enough credit at most clubs, but I think ours needs a lot of credit and that is Evangelos Maranakis, the owner.
00:58:33
Marley
He bought the club. After we basically boycotted going to matches and instead stood in the car park with foul without signs, sold the club to a big Greek shipping magnet, one of the most powerful and richest men in Europe, apparently, who was just transformed the football club, really. Obviously, there was a big feeling around it when he bought us a finally foul, as he's gone, the corruptions out the club, we can see where we can go from here. He's eventually he's brought in a few managers found Sabri Lamucci who transformed the feeling around the club.
00:59:04
Marley
Sacked him maybe prematurely. Brought in Chris Houghton who, okay, he was a failure. Sacked him a bit late. But then he's brought in Steve Cooper who was the perfect choice for that job. He's taken us up. And then he's thrown everything he can at Cooper. Anything Cooper's needed to try and keep us up. Maranakis has thrown at him. Sacked him when we needed a change. Brought in Nuno. He's done the same. Anything Nuno is needed to try and do his job at Forest. Maranakis has thrown at him.
00:59:33
Marley
At the same time, he's also thrown a lot at the club to help the club become a more sporting city. He's invested in our women's team, turned the professional. He set up a netball team for the club, so we've now got Nottingham Forest netball. And there's lo large talks about him investing in cricket, in in the ice hockey. So, Maranakis is now, he's extending from just doing wonders for our club, and he's extending into the into whole city as well. so I need to give massive, massive credit to Evangelos Maranakis, the owner, for everything he's done for us.
01:00:04
Josh Vince - Arsenal
and pinched Eddu Gaspar.
01:00:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
It could be a club.
01:00:09
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Still bitter about that one. not gonna I won't go any time soon, I'm afraid. Eddu belongs at the Emirates.
01:00:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Marley, Forrest, five straight wins in the Premier League. Absolutely. Just phenomenal. And if you if you look at your fixtures now for for January, you've got a way to wolves. You've got an FA Cup game yeah against Luton at home. Obviously, Liverpool at the city ground on 14th of January.
01:00:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah ah away no home to Southampton surely three points and then the 25th of January away to Bournemouth I think that'll be a cracking game actually Forest versus Bournemouth right that's going to be i think a really good game but so
01:00:54
Josh Vince - Arsenal
That'll be a good game.
01:00:57
Marley
yeah.
01:01:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
i i see I see you getting all three points at Wolves. I hate to say it, but I think think that the the Liverpool game could be a draw. I see you beating Southampton and the Bournemouth game could just go either way. You could be there or thereabouts, you know?
01:01:18
Marley
yeah. I've learned in the last few years never expect to win from Forrest because when you most expect to win you'll lose 10-0 but and with Jordan Rhodes first half hat trick against Sheffield Wednesday ah years ago still fresh in my mind and the Matt Smith first half hat trick against Millward in our last game before lockdown I fully expect to get knocked out of via ah the the cup by some random Luton player who no one's ever heard of in 10 years popping up and scoring a hat trick in the first half
01:01:33
Jack
you.
01:01:49
Marley
Liverpool I think you'll beat us because I think you'll come to the city ground with vengeance on mind and you'll run riot you will turn into another game that somehow you didn't know you had this season and batter us. Wolves in Southampton I think it's safe to assume will be three pointers and Bournemouth we just never a beat Bournemouth so I don't see anything other than a draw.
01:02:10
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Very few teams do at the moment.
01:02:11
Jack
No, we didn't. You didn't. Yeah, we no fool.
01:02:13
Josh Vince - Arsenal
All right.
01:02:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
01:02:14
Jack
Well, don't be jocks, yeah.
01:02:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right. Okay, right. So let's bringing up the rear in this title race special, as their great club name suggests, Arsenal. Josh, numbers are sitting third, ah nine points off top spot.
01:02:29
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yes, Jesse. Mm Mm hmm.
01:02:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Give me your assessment of Arsenal season so far, this first half of the season.
01:02:40
Josh Vince - Arsenal
It has been a weird one. I'm not gonna lie to you. It's been a very, oh, Marley or something just happened in the game.
01:02:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
like
01:02:49
Marley
Date, Forest the second, Arsenal a third, Liam de Lapis scored, Chelsea nil, Ipswich Town one.
01:02:53
Jack
Yeah.
01:02:55
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Oh, beauty.
01:02:55
Jack
sa
01:02:56
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Okay, well that's just perked me up a little bit.
01:02:59
Jack
the
01:02:59
Marley
yeah
01:02:59
Josh Vince - Arsenal
But yeah, it's, yeah.
01:03:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know you know this this episode is going out on on Wednesday, so you know that kind of, is it slow sports news?
01:03:06
Marley
but
01:03:08
Jack
but
01:03:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
01:03:09
Josh Vince - Arsenal
But yeah, it's been such a strange, such a strange season. We've had, obviously we can't argue that we've had the same sort of sort of injury problems as some teams. Cities' injury problems, I mean, Jack, it spelled it out for us earlier, have been monumental. Like half the defense has been ripped apart for City. We've had, despite the fact we seem to sign five left backs in the summer, all of them have been injured throughout the entirety of the season. So we're now relying on an 18-year-old centre midfielder there who's done really, really well.
01:03:39
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Losing Odegard for three months was rough.
01:03:42
Jack
Yeah.
01:03:42
Josh Vince - Arsenal
It was really, really rough.
01:03:44
Jack
And that's not to mention now the troubles that you're going to face losing Saka as well.
01:03:46
Josh Vince - Arsenal
I didn't
01:03:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
01:03:50
Josh Vince - Arsenal
want to think about that one.
01:03:51
Jack
yeah one
01:03:51
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Saka is huge. And like Jack said as well, the injury is not a good one. Like those sort of hammy and strings can, they can really come back and sort of repeat.
01:03:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
01:04:02
Josh Vince - Arsenal
And he's only 23 as well. So to pick one up that early in his career, it really worries me.
01:04:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's not good, is it?
01:04:06
Jack
Yeah.
01:04:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Apparently he's had surgery today.
01:04:09
Jack
Yeah.
01:04:09
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yeah, so i'm i mean I'm hopeful he'll come back stronger, but it's not gonna be for a while yet. In terms of our creative output, this is where Arsenal fans have been worrying about, because there seems to be and possibly slightly unjustified for Arsenal in terms of the games that we've played compared to other teams. But when I look at City, City look, more than anything, exhausted. They look absolutely shattered.
01:04:37
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Arsenal is starting to look that way a bit as well. They're starting to look a little bit lethargic. especially in terms of their forward play and their forward thinking. Erdogan can't do everything. And the likes of Leo Trossard, Martinelli, they try, but they haven't got that cutting edge. Kai Havertz isn't the most natural finisher in the world. He's good at creating space, but he slices very simple chances as well. Jesus has just come back, you know, into great form. Can he keep it up? Will he stay fit? We don't know. So there's a little bit of concern with depth going forward for Arsenal.
01:05:12
Josh Vince - Arsenal
The thing is, I'm talking really negatively. We're still third. Like, it's still going well.
01:05:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm.
01:05:17
Josh Vince - Arsenal
I think there's just a natural disappointment. The city have dropped off. And after the last two years, we have not pushed on.
01:05:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, I would push back on that a little bit by by just reminding you that so I'm completely dead against this this arsenal narrative that that they've that they've been close to winning the league.
01:05:28
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Hmm.
01:05:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
I just i just don't buy it i'll just kind buy it.
01:05:42
Jack
You sound bitter, Jesse.
01:05:43
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Two points!
01:05:44
Jack
You sound bitter.
01:05:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
I just think i think that there's
01:05:47
Jack
You don't know what close is.
01:05:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, you don't know what close is. I'll give you 97 reasons.
01:05:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
but But let's leave that to to one side.
01:05:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
What is different about Arsenal this season compared to last season? Because honestly, they look like a different animal to me.
01:05:59
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yeah.
01:06:08
Josh Vince - Arsenal
yeah
01:06:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
were so fluid last season, the season before that. I know you've said that they they look a bit lethargic. I can understand cities lethargy, because one, and and again, Liverpool had this a couple of seasons ago, when you have a series of injuries,
01:06:18
Josh Vince - Arsenal
yeah
01:06:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then the people that come in to replace those injured players, they play game after game after game after game. They don't get a rest. And so, and then when the when the first team choice players come back, they're not match fit. And there's this kind of imbalance. And City city you have too many older players in key positions, like ah Jack mentioned, Gondwan.
01:06:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's absolutely right. There's no way this poor guy, when you thought I'm coming back to see one game a week, you know, maybe, the you know, a Champions League game, and he's just getting rinsed every single game every three days.
01:07:02
Jack
Yeah.
01:07:03
Josh Vince - Arsenal
yeah
01:07:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
And he's thinking, why did I leave Barcelona for this? But whereas Arsenal, I just, I'm wondering why they have this kind of lethargy that's that's making them, and maybe this is unfair, this kind of over-reliance on set pieces.
01:07:23
Josh Vince - Arsenal
It's not, it's not fair. And I think actually, what you just said about city relying on the older players or having the older players, I think exactly the opposite is our problem. We have such a young team.
01:07:34
Jack
Yeah.
01:07:37
Josh Vince - Arsenal
like The average age is still about 24. Our senior players are basically Giorginio, Partay, and then the next one's sort of like late, mid to late 20s.
01:07:48
Josh Vince - Arsenal
So we have such a young squad and we We came within two points, all right? Two points. I know it wasn't, you know, 98, or it wasn't a Champions League or anything like that, but it was big for us, dude.
01:08:04
Josh Vince - Arsenal
We came within two points and it would have been, also, it would have been the 20th anniversary of the Invincibles as well.
01:08:05
Marley
Okay.
01:08:11
Josh Vince - Arsenal
In fact, we're gonna do an awards recording later today and ah the gu the save of the season, The save that changed everything was Ortega's save against Sun in that game, which effectively sealed sealed the Premier League for City.
01:08:27
Josh Vince - Arsenal
It was a huge moment.
01:08:27
Jack
and
01:08:28
Josh Vince - Arsenal
so
01:08:29
Jack
What a day that was, by the way.
01:08:29
Josh Vince - Arsenal
it was
01:08:30
Jack
Just starting to share the time. I love them again.
01:08:31
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Oh thanks man. yeah I was watching that in my pub just and as he saved that I was like, right, okay, like year over, go cry upstairs and then come back and serve.
01:08:40
Jack
yeah
01:08:42
Josh Vince - Arsenal
So I don't know if it's wiped out the energy or possibly the drive of the young players because We need, basically we need older statesmen in there, I think. We need a couple more senior players who understand it. Like when we brought in Jay Zusens and Cenko before, everyone was raving about, oh, they're title winners. They know what to do. They, they, they know how to win a title. They don't know how to run a young dressing room. I think we need some possibly some sort of like 28, 29 in their peak or just past it, really coming and imposing themselves on that squad.
01:09:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do you think that's something they'll do in the January transfer window?
01:09:20
Josh Vince - Arsenal
I think they're going to go young again, honestly. it's It's just Arteta's way. So, I mean, I saw today, Kingsley Coman seems to be an option.
01:09:25
Jack
So.
01:09:29
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Vlahovic, Jokores, who's the sesco, like basically any young forward player is who we're being linked to. But I'd like to see, like, a Kimmich or somebody come in.
01:09:41
Josh Vince - Arsenal
I think he would be a perfect signing for us with Joshua Kimmich.
01:09:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. yeah
01:09:45
Josh Vince - Arsenal
The versatility, the know-how, something like that. But obviously he's linked to Citi, so he won't be coming to us.
01:09:52
Marley
what what do you think about your striker situation at the minute then because obviously by the way is 1-1 Jarl Felix has scored but obviously i would anyway i
01:09:59
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Oh, damn.
01:09:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
and It's been ruled out.
01:10:00
Jack
In the review, yeah.
01:10:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's been actually ruled out.
01:10:02
Jack
All rolled out, there you go.
01:10:03
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Oh, thank goodness.
01:10:04
Jack
but
01:10:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
so so like Slow sports news.
01:10:08
Marley
I would expect that you would have been thinking about a striker in January or the summer but then suddenly out of nowhere Jesus has found form so do you still think a striker is a priority in the window or do you think you've you sorted with with Jesus getting four
01:10:24
Josh Vince - Arsenal
100% we need one 100% because Jesus is great he's not really in natural number nine though he's kind
01:10:32
Jack
Are you having the same issues with Jay Zeus that we were having towards the last stages of of his City career?
01:10:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
01:10:38
Jack
And everyone was looking at him at City and going, there's a fantastically talented player here and we're all going, just wait until you have him playing for your club. and he will frustrate the life out of you.
01:10:50
Josh Vince - Arsenal
yeah
01:10:50
Jack
I still remember him scoring four goals in a game against Watford and then probably didn't, he's just so frustrating.
01:10:55
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yeah.
01:10:57
Jack
He lives offside, he's so good when he's trying to beat a man out wide on the wing, but you put him up top and he's he he struggles.
01:11:05
Marley
Thank you.
01:11:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
was that Was that pep in that taxi driving into the Emirates?
01:11:10
Jack
Yeah, yeah,
01:11:12
Josh Vince - Arsenal
he's He's almost purposefully inconsistent, like it's remarkable.
01:11:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
and It's not really reliable, is he?
01:11:17
Jack
yeah
01:11:17
Josh Vince - Arsenal
No.
01:11:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's not reliable.
01:11:17
Josh Vince - Arsenal
And to answer your question, mar I love Haverts. I really like what Arteta has done with Haverts, but he's not enough to what we want to do, which is the next step.
01:11:27
Josh Vince - Arsenal
And it's what we should naturally be hoping to do. So we do need another number nine and one that we can rely on to get the 20 goals. So the players like Saka can have a rest.
01:11:38
Josh Vince - Arsenal
He's played almost every game for Arsenal and England for two years and he's 23. I'm not surprised he's out injured for a long time.
01:11:44
Jack
Yes, sir.
01:11:46
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Like, we need to take the burden off of the big players and spread it out with a bit of ah ah bit of experience, a little bit of more directed finishing, I'd say.
01:11:57
Jack
I think one of the struggles that you've had this season is like you just mentioned, there's not enough spread of goals.
01:11:58
Josh Vince - Arsenal
It's important for us, yeah.
01:12:06
Josh Vince - Arsenal
No.
01:12:06
Jack
eight It's almost like if Saka doesn't score this year, you're not going to score.
01:12:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
01:12:11
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Mm-hmm.
01:12:11
Jack
The past couple of seasons where you've been so good, I checked the Arsenal score, Martinelli scored one, Erdogan has
Arsenal's Goal Dependency and Striker Needs
01:12:17
Jack
scored another, Ben White had scored a third, and he's a loss that you haven't even mentioned much this season.
01:12:17
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yeah. Yeah.
01:12:22
Jack
He's been huge, especially down that right hand side because he is so good with Saka. I just think that you're having the same issues that we are in that if Erwin Harlan doesn't score, we do not score.
01:12:32
Jack
Our second top goal scorer is Josko Guevario.
01:12:34
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Exactly. That's mad.
01:12:37
Jack
I do think that if you're not spreading the goals out across the team, it's a recipe for disaster.
01:12:37
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Cavadio.
01:12:43
Jack
I think on Marley's point actually that I do think you need a striker. I do think this was a problem that was predicted by a lot of like kind of outside fans that you will enjoy.
01:12:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
in
01:12:52
Josh Vince - Arsenal
yeah
01:12:53
Jack
Have a, you know, a fantastically talented player. and I've listened to a lot of your pods this season, Josh, where you've been, you know, over the moon with him at times and then really frustrated with him at other times. I think that you probably should have gone in for a Doosan Blavitch a couple of seasons ago, as we were probably looking at a player like him and thinking, okay, he's good, but
01:13:08
Josh Vince - Arsenal
yeah hasn't been
01:13:14
Jack
there'll be another one pop up next year, but there hasn't really. So it is a bit of a depleted market at the moment.
01:13:21
Josh Vince - Arsenal
They're so few and far between. Has there been an update, Marley?
01:13:25
Marley
Not an update, I've just realised though that I think a goalscoring issue that Arsenal has can be highlighted in that their top scorer race, with now Saka being injured, as long as Haverts in modern elite form kind of dips, their top scorer will be Gabriele Vicente.
01:13:40
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Gabrielle, yep.
01:13:40
Jack
Yeah.
01:13:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Wow.
01:13:41
Marley
That kind of highlights a lot.
01:13:42
Jack
Yeah.
01:13:42
Josh Vince - Arsenal
But that doesn't matter, because we got Nicholas Jova, and he'll just keep getting a set piece goals, and that's all that matters.
01:13:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Josh, what?
01:13:48
Josh Vince - Arsenal
We'll win the league on corners.
01:13:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Josh, as a Arsenal fan, but what's your opinion on Martinelli?
01:13:52
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yeah.
01:13:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Is is he someone that's, because for me, he just, I think he's a really talented player, but I just think he's so frustrating because just that end product.
01:13:56
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Oh, he is probably
01:13:59
Jack
He's been the biggest mystery.
01:14:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
All the tools is so quick.
01:14:09
Josh Vince - Arsenal
he's probably my favorite Arsenal player, but he's infuriating because like Jack said, like you said, the quality is there.
Martinelli's Future and Arteta's Influence
01:14:18
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Realistically, you look at him three years ago, you're looking at a player who's like, you know, young Brazilian, this guy could be the next big winger in the world. He has everything in his toolkit to do that. He had a rough injury last year, a really, really rough injury. He was out for about six, seven months and he just,
01:14:36
Josh Vince - Arsenal
But the problem is, and I think you find that a lot, especially with young players these days, he's a confidence player and he has not got confidence at the moment. He scores the old goal here and there and we think, right, that's it. He can start pushing on now. A little bit with what I'm thinking, her Harland, you know, against Leicester the other day, he's got a goal. This could be scary now.
01:14:57
Jack
Yeah.
01:14:57
Josh Vince - Arsenal
But Martinelli, he just doesn't push on when he gets that goal. And I don't know if it's something in his head. But at the moment, you're looking at him, and I love him to bits. I wanted him to be the mainstay of Arsenal for years. But you're looking at him now and thinking, if you don't buck your ideas up this summer, there is a very good chance you could be replaced or usurped by somebody coming in. I mean, let's talk about, you know, Nabri, Sarnay, Komen, all sorts of really talented wide players who could come in and just nick that spot off of him.
01:15:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
In terms of Arteta, Josh,
01:15:29
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yes.
01:15:30
Jack
don't do that
01:15:33
Josh Vince - Arsenal
ah
01:15:33
Jack
yeah
01:15:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
where do you stand? i've i've heard this I've heard this quite a few times from Arsenal fans. So where do you stand on this narrative that's coming out some quarters amongst ah the Gunners fan base?
01:15:46
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Well, yeah.
01:15:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
that And obviously it's very early days, very early days, anything can happen. But Slott potentially winning something big in his first season.
01:15:51
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Oh, God.
01:15:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Does that put pressure on Arteta in terms of what he's achieved so far?
01:16:02
Josh Vince - Arsenal
So, us at the Daily Arsenal podcast do not in any way associate ourselves with AFTV, under any so under any scenario whatsoever.
01:16:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Who said anything about AFT?
01:16:12
Josh Vince - Arsenal
yeah
01:16:15
Josh Vince - Arsenal
But, ultimately, Arteta came in under very, very different circumstances to slot. He came in under a club that Wenger had done his absolute best with, but his tactics were outdated and his players were not good. Like, I mean, he had the likes of Marouane Chamac up front for him in his last few, you know, seasons and Gaudran Mustafie, Andre Santos. It was, it was a brutal squad. Emery comes in, wasn't given enough time probably, but also I don't think was ready for the Premier League necessarily. I think going away and coming back with Villa was the perfect move for him. So he came in in really difficult circumstances.
01:16:54
Josh Vince - Arsenal
What he's done to the club, it's... Whether I put it in the same sort of levels of clop, probably not because he's not had that level of success, but he has turned it around. He's turned the atmosphere around. he's turned Fans had completely switched off at the Emirates. you know It was known for being one of the quietest, most boring, empty stadiums in the country. Now, it's ah ah it's a firecracker at the Emirates. And that is a huge part down to him. He's still getting us consistently back into that top four and for the last two years in a title race.
01:17:28
Josh Vince - Arsenal
I don't think you can put the two together, but I understand why people are.
01:17:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm.
01:17:32
Josh Vince - Arsenal
And I think he's again, he's one of those managers who even though it's only been five years and he's only won an FA Cup, he's earned time and he's earned that ability to give it another go and rebuild again.
01:17:44
Josh Vince - Arsenal
But I'm well aware that if it goes another year or two without anything being one, there'll be a lot of very serious questions asked about him.
Arsenal's January Challenges and Podcast Closing
01:17:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right. So he's out by the summer.
01:17:54
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yeah.
01:17:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right. So let's, let's, let's have a look at the, uh, January, fixture list for Arsenal, a way to Brentford.
01:17:55
Josh Vince - Arsenal
that
01:17:58
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Ooh, okay.
01:18:01
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yep, that's Wednesday, yeah.
01:18:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
That should be an interesting one. That's a five 30 kick.
01:18:05
Jack
Do we all up front for the way this month?
01:18:06
Josh Vince - Arsenal
We've all got Brentford away this month, month, yep.
01:18:07
Jack
and
01:18:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Um, a way to, a way to Brighton.
01:18:12
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yeah, not looking forward to that one.
01:18:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
That is a tricky one. League Cup, home to Newcastle.
01:18:19
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yeah, home to Newcastle, FA Cup.
01:18:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then f FA Cup, home to Manchester United.
01:18:22
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yeah, who did who did you draw in the FA Cup Liverpool?
01:18:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think in Stanley.
01:18:27
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yeah, and Jack, City Drew, and Marley, you guys got...
01:18:29
Jack
offered
01:18:33
Marley
Hooten Town.
01:18:35
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Manchester United, come on.
01:18:37
Jack
Yeah, you're right Josh.
01:18:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
United worse than any of those lot.
01:18:38
Jack
You know what?
01:18:38
Marley
Yeah, you've got the easiest tie of the three of us.
01:18:39
Josh Vince - Arsenal
I'm...
01:18:39
Jack
You're so right.
01:18:39
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yeah.
01:18:40
Jack
Why couldn't we have got an easier game like you made?
01:18:42
Marley
You have got the easiest tie of the three of us.
01:18:43
Jack
Why couldn't we have got an easier pitch? You made a great point there.
01:18:47
Josh Vince - Arsenal
the No, do you know exactly what...
01:18:47
Jack
You just get the luckiest draws time and time again.
01:18:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Exactly. You walked into that one, Josh. You walked into that one.
01:18:52
Josh Vince - Arsenal
You know exactly what's going to happen. Ameren's going to beat us and he's going to win the f FA Cup in his first season as well and just pile the pressure back on.
01:19:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Arteta out.
01:19:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
And ah January the 15th, Arsenal Tottenham, North s London Derby.
01:19:06
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yep. That should be fine. I'm not too worried about that one.
01:19:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
18th of January, home to Villa. And then you've got Champions League against Dinamo Zagreb. And then end your way to Wolves. And then the final Champions League game against Girona.
01:19:26
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yeah, it's a busy January. It's a really, really busy January, which is only...
01:19:29
Jack
You want private home games in a rep?
01:19:32
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yeah, but we also had four hideous away games in a row at the start of the season.
01:19:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes, five in a row and one is an FA Cup and a League Cup.
01:19:38
Josh Vince - Arsenal
Yeah.
01:19:38
Jack
Yeah. How fortunate.
01:19:39
Josh Vince - Arsenal
If fly if I remember rightly, we were away to, who was it? So it was Spurs, then Atalanta, then City, then somebody else, horrible.
01:19:50
Josh Vince - Arsenal
I can't exactly remember, but we had that earlier on this season. So we drew a little bit in niceness.
01:19:52
Jack
You're starting to have a nice break against United now, isn't it, though? I'm sure.
01:19:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, exactly.
01:19:55
Josh Vince - Arsenal
It is, yeah. a Very true.
01:19:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
like Bring out the kids, bring out the kids. All right. Now we were supposed to have Jake from the Daily Chelsea team join us, but I hear that he's busy looking at the 85 potential signings at Chelsea in the January transfer window.
01:20:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
So hopefully we'll have Jake join us next time to talk about this season's Title race, uh, that's all for today. My thanks to Marley, Jack and Josh. You've been listening to the daily Liverpool podcast brought to you by the global sports podcast network.
01:20:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Give us a follow so that you get the very latest content when it drops. Follow us on social media at GSP and Liverpool. You can email us at GSP and daily Liverpool at gmail dot.com.
01:20:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Join us again tomorrow for our crossover episode as we take on premier league minnows, Manchester United at the weekend. Until then, thank you for listening.