Episode 861 - Get it Inter ya ...

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Welcome to a brand new Arsblog ArsCast right here on Arsblog. Dot com. How are you? Hope you're well. Thank you very much indeed, as always, for being here. This is a midweek post-game show. Arsenal were in Champions League action last night in Italy away to Inter Milan at the San Ciro. and made it seven wins from seven in the Champions League so far. This season, two goals from Gabriel Jesus, a goal from Victor Yaqueras. After all the focus on our forwards and in particular our strikers,

Made a big contribution last night. There was plenty more to talk about, plenty more to chat about, and plenty more to enjoy from last night. So we're just gonna get on with the show and with me to recap the game, some of the individual performances, as well as talking about Ethan Wanerie's proposed loan move to Marseille is Andrew Allen. Good morning, Andrew. Good morning. That was fun.

It was fun, wasn't it? Because listen, I don't want to go into the weeds of everything again, but you know, there is such tension that comes with the the Premier League It's not that this wasn't a big game, but this is slightly distinct from the pressure of the Premier League and every weekend what we have to contend with as we uh look to win the title again. It's not that

the Champions League will be completely stress free. If you get to the knockout stages of the Champions League, uh, you know, you're gonna be feeling that that kind of stress as well. But last night You know, it w not that it was a free hit, but you know, i it was devoid of that like acute anxiety in the build-up, even within the game itself. And I think overall it was a it was an enjoyable game of football. First half in particular, I think

It was quite a quite a rump, a European rump, which you don't normally get, particularly away to an Italian side. Yeah. I mean you say it wasn't a free hit. In in in some ways it kinda was. We just didn't treat it that way. I mean I think pre game with City losing to Bodo Glimped, we secured the the top eight and I guess with the the game against Kirack coming up there was a sense that okay we can secure top two even if we didn't, you know, win in the San Siro. But

Um, I thought, you know, the team was really interesting. I thought the start was really interesting, just how aggressive we were and It was quite clear that Arteta set the you know, sent them out and said, Take this seriously, let's go and, you know, make a statement again and um

You know, he said as much after the game, I think. He referenced the Bayern and the Atletico wins at home, but there's something about doing it away which I feel like he really wanted this team to to to go to another level. So

It was it it was it was great fun really. I mean I think You know, uh I don't think it makes you a hypocrite to be frustrated and to voice the frustration when you see us play as we do in the league sometimes, you know, particularly that forest game the other day, it was just, you know, a real grind.

And I did worry a little bit I guess at the a you know, this being the fourth of four away games in ten days, which is, you know, that's that's a lot for th for these players. You know, they're away from home, they're they're they're they've got a lot on their plate, the travel, tiredness in the legs, but

It was really professional. I was really impressed. I think your point about him wanting to beat Inter is is a really good one. I think before the game people would have been unsurprised if the Arsenal team had been stronger.

from the start in in this particular game. And I I think he puts quite a bit of stock in games like this as building blocks for confidence and belief and also, let's say, the reputation that Arsenal have across Europe, which is burgeoning, I guess, if not well established at this point, you know, having got to the quarterfinals.

In our first year back in the Champions League and we went out to Bayern by one goal. Last year got to the semifinals, beating Real Madrid along the way, and we went out in the semifinal to PSG when we had nobody on the bench. And this time around we've made it seven wins from seven, the first time we've ever won seven consecutive Champions League games in a row. We went to a place where last season we were beaten, one nil slightly contentiously with a penalty.

So there is for him, I think real merit to games like this, even if as fans we might say, well, it doesn't really matter because next week we're gonna play Kyrat. And that will secure our either position at the top of the table or at least in in the top two. But for Arteta there's a bit more to it, and I think what's maybe most pleasing or perhaps one of the really pleasing elements of this is that he did make changes and seven changes from the team that started against him.

Nottingham Forest, Christian Muscara comes in, Louis Skelly comes in, uh Eberce is in there, Mikel Marino starts, uh Backayo Saka, you've got uh Trossard starting, you've got Gabriel Jesus starting up front So there was this rotation that people wanted to see because we've got a big game coming up on Sunday, the likes of Rice and Odegaard.

Gabrielle left on the bench, but he put out a team that he believed could go and win this game, and the fact that they were able to put in that kind of performance and and win it I think is going to be a real encouragement to him and to the players who started this one. Yeah, I mean I I looked at the team and I didn't go, That's any weaker really. You know, I I guess, you know, Declan Rice's absence always makes you you you you question yourself but

There was an excitement to see what some of these guys can do because there's been sympathy for the fact that some of them have had to sit on the bench, you know. Lewis Skelly in particular hasn't had many big big opportunities. Um and uh you know, I think it it it was a game for those guys who maybe have been I mean, they're not they're not even on the fringes of things, but maybe haven't had the big game moment.

to go and actually go play, you know, to go and play against the best one of the best teams in Europe and and show that they too are also capable of delivering a performance in awesome colours and I I I I think almost to a man they did that last night. I think I don't think there was anybody who really played below their their level. I really was very, very impressed. Um,

And like I said, like the the the aggression was on show immediately. Like the whistle went and

what we had two shots blocked in the first minute, there was another cross that came in on the second minute. It was just um it was kind of like okay, Inter, show this is our we're gonna show you our hand, what have you got for us? And um yeah, I mean I I couldn't fault it. And it just Immediately I sat up in my seat and was kinda like, Oh, okay, we're gonna go for this then and that's that's exactly what you want.

Yeah, for sure. You know, it's listen, I'm sure the intention for every game is to go out and play front uh you know, on the front foot and to be aggressive and to maybe take control and maybe get the momentum early on. Football is weird. It doesn't always transpire that way. But I think last night certainly we did that in terms of the energy that we showed in in that opening period, in those opening few minutes, and ultimately

that resulted in uh an early goal. I I looked at this back and I looked obviously at parts of this game back this morning before we talked and William Saliba carrying the ball to the corner flag. like some kind of giant winger. I mean you don't normally see him there, certainly not in the ninth minute of a game. Came back across the middle, Ebrecheza actually is involved quite well in this as a nice combination I think with with Leandro Trossard.

Comes to Jurian Timber, probably not the cleanest shot he'll ever take, but Gabriel Jesus is there, uh you know, to make sure that the ball goes home from from close range, a k kinda scrappy but very effective fox in the box kind of goal. Yeah, I mean, really well taken. I think what you say about SA being involved and some of the interplay on the edge of the box, what we had there was like three or four players within about five yards of each other and a willingness to play and

you know, I I'm not sure we really saw that at all last weekend against Forrest. It just wasn't the space and the you know, maybe even the personnel to make that happen. And um Yeah, I mean as for as for for Jesus putting the ball on me and it was just so instinctive. I mean, it's exactly where you want your your striker to be, exactly how you want them to react. Um

I mean he looks so happy, didn't he? I mean we we know he's been through a lot but You know, he referenced it in his postgame interview about watching lots of Serie A football when he was a kid and playing in San Ciro and while he's played there before, you know

it's nice for him to to be able to tick it off his bucket list as a place where he's he's netted, especially um with them about to knock it down. Yes. Well I mean, we'll come back maybe to Jesus and and his overall contribution because there's there's more to say about that.

This game, y you know, it played out a bit like a kind of one off cup tie in a way, that that the momentum swung a little bit. you know, interdupt themselves back into it. There was um

There was some good defending I think from Muscara at one point against Touram and and they had a moment and they had some pressure. Maybe there's a touch of good fortune in terms of the way that the ball breaks on the edge of the box. Um but, you know, they were causing us problems and they were stretching us which kinda

um causes those kinds of uh of opportunities to happen if you're if you're the attacking side. I mean it's a great hit. My one slight criticism of a player who, by the way, I thought was outstanding otherwise last night was Martin Zubimendi. I did wonder if he might go in for that a little more. I don't know if he was maybe

anticipating the guy pulling the ball back inside him or whatever, but I think, you know, there's just a moment where I feel like he could do a little bit more to block that shot, but the finish is is really, really good. It felt like If Inter got through our really aggressive high press, there was a bit of a gap there for them to exploit, right? And they did they charged forward quite a few times in the in in the middle of that first half.

Um I think that was s sort of slightly a personnel thing, but also we needed to tweak something, which we certainly did in the second half, but you know, you always wonder sometimes with Merino that if they get through him, you're not gonna see him charging back at a hundred miles an hour'cause he just doesn't really have that in the tank.

Um And yeah, look, I mean it it it was a goal, it was one of those ones where you kinda thought, Oh god, you know, first proper effort and it it's gone straight in the top corner, here we go, you know. It didn't really change the uh the the momentum in the game. It kind of just felt like we we both kept swinging punches at each other and um And I you know, that was good to see as well. I I I I thought um as you say, Muscara even in the in the in the build up to the goal had made a really good

block. I thought, you know, he'd actually was he just looked stro so comfortable immediately. Um Given that this was what his first start in a in a couple of months is the injury, you know, we just throw him in the deep end at the San Ciro and just say, Go on then, here's a couple of top class strikers for you to go and marshal. And it was it was

quite I think challenging for Saliba and and Masquera at times because you could see maybe in build up the way that we were trying to deal with the fact that they were playing with two up front basically, Martinez and Turan, meant that the two central defenders were way further apart than they normally are. Like if it's Saliba and Gabrielle, maybe it's tailored to the opposition, but that was certainly a challenge uh for for both of those guys. And I think Touram before we scored the

second goal had a moment again where they broke over the top and it came to him at the back post. I think, you know, Muscara did quite well to to sort of hold them up a bit a and uh

They didn't take advantage of that, but you know, it's one of those moments where maybe the game swings the other way a couple of minutes later It is uh two on two Arsenal, Saka. Drives into the box, gets a corner, takes a very unsacca like corner. I was like what's going on here? He sort of lofted it to the back post. Leandro Trossard heads it back. Hits the bar, falls for Gabriel Jesus, another poacher's goal.

Yeah, I mean I I'm uh the corner looked unorthodox, but finding Trossard at the back post isn't un unusual. We've certainly used that before and scored from it, I kind of I vaguely remember was there you know, it it's fallen more at his feet rather than asking him to to kinda head the ball, but he um

He did a I mean he did an amazing job. I did wonder at one point whether the ball had almost gone out on his side there because it looped so far. They were claiming that, I think, yeah. They were, yeah. And I I mean I don't think there's any technology that would have been able to double check that. They certainly didn't. But I mean he um His head foot actually sort of clips the bar, doesn't it? It sort of just brushes against the bar and falls perfectly into Jesus' path and

You know, Jesus couldn't miss from there. Um it kind of uh again, it's just about being in the right place, isn't it? Um Yokarez scored a a a not too dissimilar goal, didn't he? Just sort of being on the line against uh Atletico, I think it was. Uh yeah. I mean it and and again, you know, he I f I found it funny with Jesus'cause the first thing he did was sort of turn to the

the assistant referee just to check see if that was going to be allowed. Mm-hmm and I think he did that with the first goal as well. He's almost like he's so panicked about the idea of running off and doing a Richarlison. Um you know, it's exactly what you want from him. It really well worked. I mean, I do find it amazing that we just keep finding different ways to score, you know, from corners. From set pieces, yeah. Keep finding ways to kind of compound

like even really top class opposition opposition that pride themselves on their defences. So yeah. Um yeah, it's just such a a great thing to be able to crack open a game with. Mm. Inter did have more moments. There was a break when we gave the ball away, uh high up the pitch and I think it's there right back uh Luis Enrique, Henrique. He is uh he's quick, that guy, and he fired a shot not too far wide.

Uh Raya had to make a save as well, didn't he, from uh DiMarco and we get to half time though it's two one. And uh you know, this is maybe the second half not quite as uh action packed as as the first half there was a chance for Ezra on his left foot, where maybe I thought he could put his laces through it. He tried a side footed effort. He'd had one in the first half where

Where he sort of dragged it wide, I think Trossard was involved, he dragged the shot wide, but this one he just tried to s place it, I think, when maybe he could have put his foot through it a little bit. I mean what did you make of of Ezra in this game? He came off after what, about an hour, just a little bit over an hour.

didn't look particularly happy at coming off, but I think on reflection, my my initial view of his performance was I'm not quite sure he was involved as much as I would like, but I think he was more Uh more active than I had first thought having watched stuff back. I was a little bit surprised given the schedule, given how little he's played. Given the fact Zuba Mendy's starting again, that maybe he came off at that moment. Um was that a was that a bit of a surprise for you? Um

It it wasn't a major surprise. I think I was maybe not expecting he I thought maybe if he was gonna be replaced he'd be replaced by Erdegaard. I think that was where my surprise lay. Um You know, I think with Ezre we're still sort of coming to terms with who he is in the Arsenal shirt and and understanding that who he is hi with us is different to who he was with Palace, you know.

You always watched in the the highlights videos of Palace, he's always on the ball and he's always dribbling, he's taking risks and he's sort of taking shots and he's obviously just not on the ball nearly as much at Arsenal. Um And he's not, I guess, taking many as many risks. But I think maybe that's kind of to do with who we are as a team. Arteta is not a manager who wants his players to take unnecessary risks. He wants players who

sort of understand when probability are in their favor, you know, when a risky pass is worth it and w you know, when it's not. And um I think Eze is learning the rules at Arsenal, which is when he needs to retain the ball, when he needs to recycle possession. So we're seeing him kind of balance the old version of himself that wants to make things happen and the new version of himself which is

learning the ropes at Arsenal and trying to be that version kind of contained within a set of parameters that the manager absolutely m you know forces upon all of his players. So You know, there is no room for a total maverick. Um, but when when Ezek gets it right, you know, when he's really vibing with the team

we'll get a Spurs performance out of him, you know? But some days I think the space just won't be there because not everybody is as ropey as Spurs. Um there's an understatement. I think there's a certain I think we can rightly sort of look at maybe the Jack Grealish City situation and kind of go, okay, there is a a loose, brilliant, skillful player who's gone to work in a in a much more technical system

You know, how did that work out? Well actually he was very, very effective and they won a lot of trophies because you get some magic moments out of them, but It did take a while though, didn't it? It like the first it the first season was not particularly effective for Jack Grealish, whereas the second I think maybe it was the second or the third season he he really got to grips with

with what Pep wanted to be. And I think I think maybe we're seeing a little bit of that with Ezra. At least I hope so, because he doesn't he hasn't just become a terrible footballer and I don't believe that it's a confidence issue with him. I feel like it's a processing issue. Like he is balancing old versus new. And um I think we'll get there. I mean I think he's he's he's a fine player and I think

In this second half of the season I'm really expecting to see a bit more of of him. Fingers crossed. Big chance for Bakayo Saka set up by Gabriel Jesus with a lovely pass. He just delayed the shot. taken a little bit earlier, that could easily have been a goal for him. But but it gives us a chance to talk about both of those players. Let me talk Saka first. Um I thought he was relentless last night in terms of trying to make things happen and

the way he drove down the right hand side. I think he put in nine crosses slash cutbacks last night. You know, that tells you, you know, what he was trying to provide for others. I I I see people talk about Bakayosak and say he's too selfish He tries to score all the time. There's a chance where he bursts through and and shot with his left foot.

didn't get the curl on it, put it wide. But I don't think you can ever accuse Bakayo Saka of not wanting to create for others and create chances for others. There's a there's a good reason why. In the last few years he has been our top assist maker season after season. It is because A of where he plays but B what he tries to do from those positions.

I thought he was really excellent last night. I thought DiMarco had a a tough time with him, particularly early on. Looked like they've got to grips with him a little bit. And then all of a sudden he's drifting in field. He's moving into more central areas.

You know, they doubled up on him on the right, so he moved inside and became effective there as this chance showed, which I think, you know, if he if he had it back he'd take that shot a bit earlier and probably will score. So I really enjoyed Saka's performance. I know the numbers you know, haven't been where we need them to be or want them to be, but I I I I maintain that there is a an influence that he brings to this team that few others really can.

I thought he was superb. I mean, I think I messaged you towards the end of the first half and said I'm getting on re tormenting into the three oh four vibes. You know, he was a guy who was really enjoying himself, wanted the ball.

Didn't matter whether he was gonna cut inside, go outside DeMarco, like he just knew he had him on toast and they looked nervous around him. I think, you know, they they didn't really know how to deal with a guy who was being so direct. But You know, you you you watch Saka in that mood and in and this is no disrespect to to Noni Mariwaki, who's been really interesting to watch, I think, since he came in the side, but like it's the consistency with which

Saka does stuff. You know, every time he gets on the ball, something happens. Okay, the ball may not end up at an Arsenal player's feet in the box when he puts in a cross, but the cross might deliver a corner. The the cross might, you know, make it into a dangerous area. You know, he's just he is relentless and I thought last night

Again, it was another feather in his cap, you know, there's a a guy who goes on to the big, big stage and stepped it up a little bit. I think I think he really enjoyed that. As he did at the you know, the burnabout last Yeah. Uh last year, you know. He just took it to another level and said, I own this game. Um I haven't checked the stats, but does does he end up the game with an assist?

Yes, he does. He gets an assist. Um so yeah, I mean I I it was it was really impressive from Saka and um yeah I mean I think He's obviously I I think he really trusted Jesus to be in certain positions as well. There were certain like, you know, moments when he was like, Okay, I'm gonna force this. I think he'll be there. I think he'll be there. Um

And Jay Zoo seemed to really enjoy it. The only two players who had more touches of the ball last night than Bakao Saka were Martin Zubamendi and William Saliba. Which, you know, for a for a winger tells you a lot. You know, they they can often be Very effective but low touch.

Players. Uh certainly in comparison to central midfielders and and central defenders. So it tells you quite a lot about A, how Saka played and B how Arsenal played and what the focus was on on getting the ball forward to him. So yeah, the assist for Yakeres, which we'll come to now in a second, yeah, a little bit accidental.

But you know, one in the eye for all those people who say hates Yakeras and never passes to Yaker. I mean, look, you could see the celebration, I'll come to that. But you could see in the celebration that you know th this is just uh uh online garbage really. um, you know, pop psychology stuff that that has no bearing in in reality. But Arteta did make more changes. There was a really interesting battle in uh at the back, I guess.

When Inter made a change, they brought on this guy Esposito. who really challenged Christian Mascara for about fifteen minutes and it was quite fun to watch because I you wouldn't have seen it um But on Premier Sports here in Ireland they had Gary Breen doing the co commentary and he's a central defender and was talking a little bit about how Moscara was just too tight to Esposito. Particularly around the time where he he got that shot away in the box and it just went wide.

But I thought it was a really fascinating kind of battle between two fairly raw young players, two twenty year olds, right? Who are are learning the game. Um

That was fun for me. I kind of enjoyed that aspect of it. I know we're two one up, but I l I kinda like seeing those individual battles develop over the course of a game. Mikel Arteta decided Okay, I need to uh need to put this young guy in his place, so he brought on Gabriel to to buffet him around a bit and I think uh as soon as um as soon as Gabrielle came on, this guy's effectiveness diminished in a big way, as you would expect.

But that little battle between Muscara and Esposito was fun. Yeah, I I I suppose uh Kivu probably chucked on Esposito and said go and ruffle a few feathers and Muscara immediately went I'm not having any of that. And the two of them I mean, there were maybe two or three times that Muscara went straight up the back of him. I think he was possibly lucky not to get

you know, get a booking for one of them. Yeah. It was at that point that maybe Arteta made up his mind and said we're gonna send on Big Brother and um, you know, Gabrielle was asked to go and fill in for the last fifteen minutes and just marshal things. But You know, uh as I said before, I'm just so impressed by Muscara because on the ball, there's such a a willingness to hold and to set the tempo and to kind of

assess his options, he's never really worried about being under pressure. And I think that really brings a a level of authority and calm straight away. in a way that, you know, maybe some other I put back up in inverted commas centre backs in the past maybe haven't been able to do that. Sure. Um, he does have that authority and I think he's going to be an absolute monster when he fills out a bit because he still looks pretty skinny.

Um But yeah, I mean I uh you know, the the battle with Esposito, I mean I I did wonder whether they had history. It was so kind of like violent, you know, they they really went at each other. But um I had a little look and it doesn't look like they vo they played against each other even at under twenty one level or or anything like that. So But yeah, I mean great to have Muscara back and I I imagine we'll see quite a a bit of him now because

you know, with options slightly tight there at the back, rotating people in and out over the coming weeks is gonna be really, really important. So fingers crossed you say it's fit. He had the best pass completion of any Arsenal defender last night, which you know goes into to what you're saying. And when you're playing alongside William Saliba, by the way, uh that that tells you a little bit about the way uh that he performed.

Jesus we uh we already talked on we're gonna get to uh Yakarez now in a second, but Jesus uh was this the kind of performance that plays him into the team? for Sunday, because Beyond the two goals. I think his overall performance was really, really impressive. The way the ball stuck to him, the way he was able to keep control of it in tight spaces, bring others into play, created that chance for Bakayo Saka.

Like people talk about, you know, rotation, w a way of resting players, but it's also an opportunity for players. It's an opportunity, let's say, for a player to come in in a position where we've been having some issues this season. I don't think it's unreasonable to say that that's the case. And to really stake a claim with a performance that gives the manager

confidence, let's say, going into a big game against Manchester United, if he's done that away at inter, like what can he do when we play Manchester United at home on on Sunday? Is this a I mean it felt a bit like the Jesus of old. You know, that kind of beautiful three month period in in early what was it, twenty twenty two. when he first came in and was outstanding. Really, really outstanding before you know he had that injury at the World Cup and everything else.

It it was a bit of a throwback to that for me. And look, it's one game, don't wanna overindex it, don't wanna say he's back and this is what we're gonna get from him every time. But I think if if Mikel Arteta was looking at this game and saying, Right, I want him to give me a problem, I want him to give me really something to think about when I pick him against Inter, he did exactly that. Yeah, I mean look he looks like he's playing with

some freedom since he's returned from the injury, almost as if he's been given a second chance, you know. It in all the interviews he seems to sort of frame it that way almost. um, as if he kind of genuinely did wonder whether he'd ever get back to this level. Um, you know, the way I look at Jesus is like almost every time

He scores. It's like someone flips an hourglass. You can almost see the relief, like the clock resets and it buys him time, it buys him the freedom to be who he wants to be on the pitch. But that freedom never lasts, right? You know, you see the sand getting you know, it's it's it's going down and down and down.

And the only way to preserve that freedom is to score another goal to kind of, you know, reboost the confidence. Leave it too long, the pressure returns into every part of his game, he tightens up, he clams up. So, you know, if he could just keep scoring, we've got a real player on our hands. But I mean, I would 100% start him against Manchester United. I think we saw that.

Um, last year, right? Oh w well, it was uh probably actually the end of twenty four, wasn't it, when he he scored the hat trick against Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup out of nothing. And it was the the classic Arteta sort of stuck him in against Crystal Palace a couple of days later because he was in a good emotional state. I think we one hundred percent have to take advantage of that because

He's just flipped the hourglass and you know, he's feeling a little bit free right now. Let's put him in. Let's let's put him in, see how he goes. I think the only caveat to that is kind of

balancing the load going through his body, right? Because we obviously don't want him to to have a relapse or anything, but I I'd I'd definitely be tempted to play him against United. I felt like the sort of extra few minutes he got last night when he could have come off, let's say, around the time of Ezio or around, you know, sixty, sixty five minutes.

I think it was seventy five minutes when he came off. It felt to me a little bit like, okay, we're gonna look and see and see if we can get some more minutes into him, see how far we can push him a little bit here. But he did make those changes. Um Gabriel came on, Victor Yakarez came on. Yeah, New York scored the uh the third goal.

I mean this is a an outstanding pass from Gabriele Martinelli. Inter had a corner. I think it it came to Martinelli in the box, he took it on. Like absolute credit to Yakarez as well, by the way, who made an instant run from just outside our box. And looked for that ball and looked for the pass, and boy oh boy did Martinelli deliver that pass with the outside of his foot and i uh in a weird kind of shape as well. It didn't look like

he'd be able to get the power on that pass to get it over the halfway line. Yakarez took it on, um maybe unselfishly looked for for Saka, sort of clipped Saka's heels. Uh broke nicely for for Yakarez and the finish is is really good. Slightly disappointing the keeper gets a hand to it, but I don't think you can argue too much about, you know, what he did with that moment. If it's sort of instinctive, it's exactly what you want a striker to do in that position. Yeah, the finish was lovely. And um

And he really, really enjoyed it. I mean I think if he's been slightly reticent to pull out the uh the mask uh celebration with some of the goals recently. There was absolutely no hesitation this time. It was like straight on, right, running straight to the corner flag in front of the Arsenal. I mean he he absolutely loved it. And you know, his teammates really, really enjoyed it as well. I think um yeah, there was something

There was something very Yokeres about this little cameo. It was almost like everything about him in in the in in the fifteen minutes, right? You know, there he was attempting to make the pass to Saka and it didn't quite come off. Um, but then he found an instinctive finish and then obviously he had another chance to to to score and he made the space and he blasted it over the bar.

um and it sort of popped the bubble a little bit, you know, there you were thinking, Oh, he's he's found the magic potion and hasn't and it was kind of back to messy with a Y rather than Messy with an I, wasn't it? But he's um he's He's an intriguing player. I just You really wanna like him, but you also your eyes don't really deceive you. I mean he's sort of he's just

He's a real i he he clashes style wise with so many of the players in that team. Um but look, I think I said and many of us said if we can get fifteen, twenty goals this season um we'd probably call that a success. And if those goals happen to be against smaller sides So be it. Um now nine? I think he's on nine now, you know, so heading towards double figures. And and this is the thing about this goal, you know.

Uh I was critical of him at the weekend against Forrest, uh, and I don't think that was unreasonable criticism, but I also think

You know, credit where it's due, the run was good, the finish was excellent. And I think there's something more because people were saying to me, Well, did you forget about his goal and assist against Chelsea? And it's like, no, I didn't forget about the goal and an assist about against Chelsea. But The goal against Chelsea, look, he's in the right place, but it's a it's a howler from the goalkeeper and he has to put it over the line from three inches or whatever it is.

And the assist, yes, it's a nice layoff in the box to Martin Zuber Mendy, but Zuber Mendy does a lot and the finish is great. It's not, you know. It's not like Phil Foden putting it on a plate for Ebercheza, let me tell you. So you know, I I don't mean to dismiss what he did against Chelsea, but I think this goal for him is Not for me or you or anyone listening. I think this goal for him will be far more

beneficial than a scrappy tap in against Chelsea or the assist against Chelsea, because it is away from home. It is against Inter, who are what, Serie A leaders, right? It is on the big stage in Europe, Champions League, everyone's watching. He's come off the back of a poor performance against Nottingham Forest, and then he's delivered that. And I think you're right, you know, to say about the way he celebrated.

He that goal meant more to him than the goal against Chelsea. You know, I know it's a semifinal, it's cup competition, etcetera, etcetera. But I think for if we're looking at things that will benefit him in terms of his own confidence, his own belief and and hopefully his own performance levels. That's another one where, you know, you you you you've got to sort of take the maximum from that particular uh that particular strike, right?

Yeah, I mean there's there's very clear and obvious room for improvement with Yokarez. And I guess when you throw him on as a substitute with fifteen minutes to go, you're laying down the gauntlet to him and saying, What can you do for me? And in this instance he he proved that he can do things and I think Um Arteta did reference he's had two very good away performances in a row, so I guess the fifteen minutes here and the game against Chelsea.

That's a you know, that's something to build on, I guess. That's the challenge for him now, is to see whether he can maintain that. And the funny thing is is you know, he may not get another start at the weekend. He may have to come off the bench and be that guy, um, because of Jesus' performance. But if the two of them can

keep willing each other on to another level while Havertz is also getting up to speed. I mean, th that is exactly, exactly what we wanted. You know, I'm not saying that it was done to t you know, we were deliberately timing things so these guys would all be back for the for the run in as it were. I mean, we'd been hoping for more from Yokoras from the from the outset of the season. We didn't expect Havertz to be out all this time, but

We need goals in this final bit of the season and we need everyone firing and we need to take chances and and and this can only be good for the team. Yeah, one hundred percent. I thought it was nice as well for Jesus. you know, on a night where the spotlight would have been well and truly on him. You know, to take a moment to to acknowledge the goal for Yokaraz and and that, you know, this is a this is a goal that could do him good.

Um for any striker, goals are the currency, right? And if you haven't been scoring then people are gonna be on your back and when you do, things get quiet. So let's hope it's really, really quiet uh in terms of that kind of discussion about Yakarez and Jesus and and Havertz.

Speaking of which, before we just sort of address the the the wider implications of this win, I did wonder if last night might have been an opportunity to get fifteen, twenty minutes into the legs of of Kai Havert. Because he has been out for so long and he does need to get match fit and he does need to get up to to speed and we can talk about the benefit for Ya uh for Yokarez in scoring that goal.

But you could probably make an argument that, you know, given how much football we could contend with between now and May If you were planning a sub, Havertz rather than Yucarez might well have been the one to go with if you're taking Jesus off because you can get those minutes in. So it does make me wonder a little bit if

Kai Havertz isn't quite as ready as as people might hope. People have put a lot of stock in his return and what he might bring to the team, but I do think based on what we saw last night, there's probably quite a a bit of caution being uh paid to his return, managing his load, managing his uh ability to to ease his way back into action, shall I say. And his his presence in the squad is probably about That kind of reintegration, reintegration of a character, a popular guy in the team.

rather than somebody who is absolutely ready to play and play significant minutes at this point, you know? Yeah, I mean I think I heard someone say pre game that if Arsenal made the final of every competition they're in plus the Premier League, it's a sixty five game season and yesterday was game number thirty four. So there is a a lot of football ahead, right? And there's a World Cup on the horizon and Kai Havertz is definitely gonna want to be at that World Cup with Germany. And I I think

Given that we tried to get him fit for the the start of the season and he ended up suffering a load issue that went through the knee, I think we are being deadly cautious with him because there's a lot on the line for him, right? It's not it's not just short term minutes for Arsenal, it's it's his international place as well. And I know that Arteta wouldn't frame it that way'cause he doesn't want the players thinking about a tournament that isn't anything to do with us.

I think he feels responsible for for easing the guy in. And with Jesus playing well and, you know, Yokarez has grabbed a couple of goals now, it does maybe ease that pressure a little bit as well. So Um it's not it's not an issue at the at the moment for me. I think there will be plenty of minutes. You know, we've got Kira next week.

I mean I think that's got Habach's name all over it, right? And we can start to build him up from from there. So um yeah, let's see let's see how we go. I I mean I'm sure he's absolutely chomping at the bit to to to play to play regular football, but um

I think there's a long, long way to go. A lot of um a lot on the line, trophies, everything. So um we'll see Kai Habitz. I'm sure he'll play a part this season. No, for sure. I but you know, I I I just thought It just occurred to me that that was, you know, an opportunity to give him minutes and and maybe

He's not quite as ready as we would like him to be yet, but like you say, along with the direct maybe uh send him out on loan for the second half of the season. Nah, can't see that happening to be honest.

touch on maybe what we referenced earlier and Arsenal's European stature. And the perception of this Arsenal team around Europe right now, leaders of the Premier League.

Out in front in the Champions League, seven wins from seven in the tournament uh this season. It means that we have secured at the very least a top two finish and because of the way the the new format works, that means that we would get a home second leg in every knockout game all the way to the final if we make that kind of progress. which is a great advantage. But just sort of coming back on that, has our European prowess surprised you? You know, did you think it might take

season or two or maybe a bit more. There might be a bit more fluctuation in form. Like I know in this new league format you're You're not always playing brilliant teams, but we've gone away to Athletic Club, we've beaten Atletico Madrid, we've beaten Bayern Munich, we've beaten Inter Away. You know, those are some big names. And look You don't get anything for winning all of your group stage or league stage games, but it does help you set down a marker.

About You know, how you are perceived as a team, your seriousness, your quality, all of those things which go back to what I was talking about with regards to Mikel Arteta. uh a and the way that he would approach a game like this, understanding that he n he needs to and wants to make some changes and to keep some players fresh for the big game on Sunday, but at the same time desperate to win.

away at Inter. You know, it's one of the big clubs in Europe. It's one of the great grounds in Europe, even if it is falling down a little bit or is due to being knocked down, as he said. But, you know, there is probably a a perception of Arsenal right now in European football that you know maybe many people wouldn't have expected at this point. You know, having only been back in the tournament, this is only our third season back in it.

I think the thing that's really impressed me the last two seasons in the group phase has just been the consistency. Like the ability to in midweek turn up and put in a very, very decent performance, right? I mean it

But I think some of that comes down to the fact that the players are really, really enjoying this tournament, this competition, and the oppositions that they go up against, right? Like if the day to day stuff is a bit of a grind there definitely seems to be more enjoyment that comes going up against rivals who fancy their chances of taking Arsenal on.

In a different style, right? That like that European teams play against us differently than Premier League teams do. I'm not saying they don't show us the same level of respect, but I think in the Premier League we've got to a point where There's so much money, there's so many quality players, tactically managers are very, very astute, even the you know, everything f foundationally from the sports science upwards.

The Premier League is on another level at the moment, and while you're always going to get some surprise results like Bodo Glimp beating Man City, by and large, Premier League teams with their money and their expenditure should be dominating, and they have been. And I think what we're seeing is the strength of the Premier League is playing into a reset of where we kind of

like sit in the grand scheme of things, right? Yeah, we were so used to um rolling over the middle and lower teams in the Premier League twenty five years ago and then going into Europe and struggling because the level was different. But now what we're seeing is the Premier League is so competitive week in, week out, that when we go into Europe we're actually finding that some of these opponents maybe aren't quite as

good as their league table position in their own looks. And um yeah, I mean it's um Uh I think Arteta has done very, very well at drumming that into the players that if we can be top of the Premier League by seven points When you go into Europe, you are top of the best league in the whole of Europe. So you are the best team. You know, you should go and win this. Go and show people you should win this. Um and that's you know that's that's really quite something. I mean I think

You can see the process we've been on. Like I felt the first year back in the Chambers League, bit of a free hit. Really enjoyed the group stage. Fell down against Bayern Munich'cause we didn't quite Have enough. We didn't have a big enough squad really. Last year obviously we did fantastically well to get to where we did given the injuries, but I think In retrospect, you're able to kind of frame all of those injuries and show to the players, look how well we did yeah with

with kids on the bench at the end, Kieran Tierney at left wing. You know, we were in the semifinals of the Champions League. I mean, Inter were in the final of the Champions League last year. And it's so frustrating that we could have you know, th we were we were the width of the post and Donna Rama's arm from from facing them in a final and probably winning in the Champions League, right?

So I do think that the fact that Inter were in the final and lost to PSG, got hammered, whatever it was, there was a little bit of us being able to go, Okay, well we've beaten the finalists now, this is what we could want. So yeah, we're we're we're looking good. Uh

You know, Liverpool were looking fantastic this time last year as well. So I don't think you can take anything for granted in this competition. We could get a tough draw. You know, the home away stuff, I'm a bit kind of take it or leave it. It's it's nice in that I think it may be but

I can't remember, I think someone said something like the games the way they fall now mean that after away games we'll have a home game in the Champions League. Sorry, in the in the on the domestic front. So that that's that's quite good. But

Anything can happen with the draw. We just need to to keep balancing things. I I mean my the good thing is we don't have to worry about the Champions League now for for a few weeks. I mean obviously the Kyrak game we can play the stiffs uh we can find any. I don't think there are any stiffs at Arsenal. Um

And then um yeah, we've got other matters to attend to before the the knockout stuff. Yeah, and hopefully make it eight from eight and that's the kind of record that Arteta will be looking for and demanding. Uh, I think he will make a lot of changes for that Kyrak game. It'd be amazing if we lost to the bottom side in the last game at home. No, that's not who we are anymore, Andrew. Well, you know. We can't accept that. We can't accept that.

So look, uh you know, it is uh I think slightly under the radar a little bit, you know, what Arsenal have been doing. The consistency that you mention is is you know, is a big, big thing and This is you know, this is sort of bringing it back around to how people feel about Arsenal right now, you know This is the objective evidence that Arsenal are a really fucking good team, right?

where we are in Europe, who we've beaten in Europe, what we're doing in Europe, and what we're doing at the Premier in the Premier League at the same time, while also, by the way, making it to the semifinals of the Carabao Cup, you know, which felt like something that impeded us last season and that hasn't been the case this time around. So, you know, it's it's very, very uh encouraging. Um I enjoyed this um from I'm guessing it was the uh Coverage on

Amazon. Wayne Rooney talking about Mikel Arteta after Mikel Arteta had obviously come out and spoken to them. He's he's got an order about him, I mean, and he's he's scary. You used to say that. Quite funny, I think, that Wayne Rooney, who played for so long under Alex Ferguson is looking at Mikel Arteta and saying he's scared. like very different characters from uh between, you know, obviously Arteta and and Ferguson, but that transmits

in a postgame interview where Arsenal have won three one away from home and Wayne Rooney standing there thinking, This guy's actually scary. He's so intense, he's so driven, you know. It's hard to look beyond that as the reason or at least one of the main reasons why Arsenal are where we are right now and and we're as good as we are, you know, like I just said in Champions League, Carabakh Cup and and Premier League. Yeah, I th I it it amused me because obviously Wayne Rooney has

been a manager recently, you know. And I think he was maybe looking at Arteta and realising the gap between where his managerial career has been so far and where Arteta's is at the moment and and kind of going, Oh shit, like this is This is where you have to be to to to drive performances out of a team every day, every week, every game, you know. Um

But yeah, I mean look, Arteta is scary. I think anybody who's sat in a press conference with him and seen those eyes narrow when he gets a question he doesn't like and he sort of holds the stare a second longer and then he gives a very sort of short, pithy answer. Um

Yeah. Um although having said that, I do think he won some hearts and minds last night. He was asked a question in Italian, replied in fluent Italian. That was pre game, yeah. Pre game. Uh and after Oh after as well, yeah. Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um Well I mean he speaks uh he speaks a lot he speaks Spanish, Catalan, uh Uzkera, which is the Basque language, he speaks French from being at PSG, speaks Portuguese, speaks Italian, speaks English, can also speak Scottish.

as well from his time at range. Yeah, absolutely. The v the the vocabulary at his disposal is No wonder Rooney finds him scary and intense and Rooney can barely master English. Anyway, look. A good night for Arsenal and you know, uh I think uh the kind of result and the kind of performance that if you are gonna play a midweek game ahead of a big, big game at home uh at the weekend against Manchester United

It's exactly what you want. It's exactly what you want. Tuesday gives you those couple of you know, that extra day or so to to rest as well. Um and we can turn our attention towards Manchester United a little bit later in the week. Um

I did before we before we go wanna talk a little bit about Ethan Waneri because yesterday there was a report from David Ornstein. that Marseille were interested in taking Ethan Waneri on loan. Mikel Arteta was asked about it in his postgame press conference last night. This is what he had to say.

Well we certainly have to assess the situation. Obviously Ethan is not playing the minus that probably he deserves and needs at his age. So um we're gonna sit down this week, uh address the situation Uh give everybody's opinión um and at the end we will make the decision that we believe is the best one for the player because um we have a massive talent there and we really need to look after it.

Interesting there that he said he's maybe not getting the minutes he deserves or needs. And I think that's probably the the the bigger issue, isn't it? Minutes that he needs at eighteen years of age. David Ornstein's reporting suggested that there is a stylistic fit with Marseille in terms of the football that that uh Roberto De Zerbi plays and and kind of

maybe how they want to develop Ethan Waneri and what kind of a player they want him to be. At the same time, you know, people look at Marseille and look at some of the players there and some of the characters there and think, hm, is that the is that the right environment for for Ethan? Any thoughts on that? Is that a big consideration for you? I mean surely it's something that the club have

have thought about, you know, uh and haven't dismissed that uh potential move because of any any concerns they might have in that regard. I guess it's a balancing act really, isn't it? Because um You need to send him to a place where you think he's going to get minutes.

And it needs to also be competitive. It needs to be at a level where you think he's going to learn something. I think under Roberto De Zerbi you've got a guy who you know, likes a high press, hi likes intense football, likes um uh fast transitions There's a you know, I can see stylistically how that would that would be appealing and um I don't I d I I don't I don't worry too much about the other characters in the dressing room because really, you know

It is what it is, right? You get y y you can go and play anywhere and find that there are all sorts in in the dressing room. I mean who's he got? He's got Neil Mope. He's got he's got Pierre Emirk Obamayang, he's got uh Mason Greenwood obviously we know about, there's Heuberg who was at Spurs. I mean they've they've got some kind of

They've got some big names, some controversial names, but I don't really think any of that m i is going to massively matter. I think what matters is that Ethan gets some playing time um and that he learns something new. I mean he's been in and around the Arsenal football team, first team for what, three, four years now? I mean it's crazy. He's sort of eighteen and a bit. He made his debut at fifteen. Yeah. He was training with the team before then.

I don't think it's a bad thing to to go out and experience something new, get out of your comfort zone. He'll certainly be out of his comfort zone in Marseille. The fans are absolute nutcases and the atmosphere will be incredible. They are, I think, about eight points off the top. Lornes are leading. PSG are second. Um, so Marseille have got some work to do there.

I mean he could make himself a hero if he goes in there and makes a a real impact. They're just about to sign Jurian Timber's brother, I think as well. Um he's yeah, he's had enough of uh Robin Van Persie, so decided to to leave.

So I I I think it's a I think it's a good move for for Ethan. I'm really curious to see how he does. I mean I You just hope it makes him rather than Breaks him because I think if he went there and something You know, for whatever reason it didn't work out, he got ended up on the bench and he didn't play and then he comes back to Arsenal, then suddenly you get another layer of questioning about okay, well he'd

He still needs to go out and get some more game time. But is that not just the the the trajectory that you have to uh undertake as a as a young player and as a a fledgling? Yeah exactly. He has to prove that he can cope. Yeah, I think you know, I think obviously William Saliba can tell him a bit about Marseille as well, having spent uh time there. I think Arteta will be really big on on two things. First of all, his playing time and getting minutes and and if he's gonna play in a system that

allows what they think the best qualities of Ethan Waneri are to develop, then, you know, regardless of who else is in that dressing room, I think it's a good move for Ethan. And he needs to play and there's no point

in him playing a few minutes here or there for the rest of this season when he could go out and develop. The other thing I think Arteta will be really big on and I'm I'm quite curious about this and maybe it might be something that somebody asks him in a press conference, you know, Arteta's a kid who at eighteen years of age decided to leave Barcelona to go and play for PSG.

And he's you know, as we said, he's been uh back in Spain and then he left Spain to go to Scotland, you know, to play in the SPL for Rangers before coming to England, etcetera, et cetera. So I think Arteta would be really big on The life experience. for for Ethan Waneri. To accept that right now, in this team, there are so many good players that his playing time at a really early stage in his career is not going to be where he would like it to be.

And now the challenge is go somewhere else and play and and learn and develop and maybe learn the language a bit and learn about being away from home, as you say, out of your comfort zone and you know, dealing with a different kind of pressure from different fans who, you know, are not backwards about coming forwards when they want to, uh, those Marseille fans. So

If it goes through, I I think it could be a really, really positive thing for for Ethan Waneri. Um so we'll see how that develops. Yeah, good luck to him. All right, we better leave it there and get this pod out to everybody. Andrew, thank you very much indeed. My pleasure, lovely to chat, speak soon.

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Thank you very much indeed to Andrew. You can find him on Blue Sky. He is at aallensport.arsblog.com. That is at alensport. dot arsblog.com. So there you go, Arsenal in great shape in the Champions League. Attention will turn this weekend, obviously. to the Premier League and to Manchester United at home. That is a game we'll talk about a bit more over on our Patreon on Friday.

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I think that's just about how we should get this podcast out to everybody to have a listen to. As ever, thank you so much indeed for being here, for listening, subscribing, downloading, sharing, and please, if you have two minutes and you'd like to give us a review On whatever podcast app you choose, whether it's PocketCast or Apple Podcasts or

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Welcome back to Holy God FM and what a fascinating interview that was about Greenland. Who knew that it was of such strategic importance? If you ask me, I think the only fair solution is a one on one fight, mano, so to speak. Let your man go to Greenland and fight a polar bear, and if he wins Well fair's fair. We have a letter here from a listener who says Dear Holy God FM

I couldn't help but notice last night that Arsenal won in the Champions League, in no small part to Gabriel Jesus. Could it be coincidence that he is named after one of the archangels? and indeed, the Son of God. Does the man upstairs take note of such things? And if so, does this auger well for my own professional footballing career?

Yours, Joseph Mary, Holy Ghost Heaven. Well, Joseph, I wish it did work like that, but God, as we know, much like some random woman that Bonno saw and wrote a song about, moves in mysterious ways, which would explain why Steve Devil is the leading scorer in the Lithuanian Premier League this season. Nevertheless, we wish you all the very best in your own footballing career.

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