Arsenal_AM_Episode_16_Its half time and VAR screwed us!

Arsenal take a one one result back to the Emirates I am joined by my father to discuss the game at the Metropolitano

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:19

Good morning. One one away to Athletical. Not a bad result. I probably would have taken it before the game. With me today, I have my father, who is the reason that I support Arsenal, and I was told that I wasn't being given a choice. So introducing Kieran.

SPEAKER_00 0:40

He wasn't given a choice. He had no no options. Even as a youngster, he became a junior gunner and was taken to one or two matches, which was interesting.

SPEAKER_01 0:52

So we we'll get into some more of that over the course of the next few days while he's visiting. Today we had a 1-1 result. The starting lineup was Raya White, Sliba, Gabrielle, Hincapi, Rice Lubamendi, Odegaard, and the dreaded front three of Nani Mataveke Yakres and Martinelli. So I suppose the first question over to you would be Did you have any feelings on the starting lineup?

SPEAKER_00 1:26

Well, it was just it kind of expected.

SPEAKER_01 1:42

Yeah, it was probably in line with what I expected he would go with. I did have a question over White and Muscara, just because I think Muscara gives a bit more solidity defensively. Um but again I probably wouldn't have argued. I just I probably would have said Trossart to start, and I think when he came on he showed why he wasn't starting, to be honest, but we can get into that later on. I thought.

SPEAKER_00 2:19

Yeah, um they were. It was a very cagey affair in the first half. You know, no nobody was prepared to well both both teams defensively are very good, nobody was prepared to open up.

SPEAKER_01 2:34

Yeah. Again, it's a Champions League semi-final. Uh, you know, I definitely think PSG and uh Bayern Munich could learn a thing or two about you know keeping a game close.

SPEAKER_00 2:44

Well keeping the ball from injuring the net without a penalty, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:48

Well, you know, you you went there to penalty. The Arsenal got one. What did you think?

SPEAKER_00 2:55

Um, yeah, I mean the the defender came from the wrong side, he came from behind, and therefore it was definitely a penalty.

SPEAKER_01 3:04

Yeah, I I thought once it was given it was never get getting overturned. Um, you know, prior prior to that, you know, Yakris hadn't really shown a great deal. He did have that one one time we got down the left-hand side and kind of bullied Laurente a bit. But other than that, for such a big, big guy, I don't think he uses his body particularly well.

SPEAKER_00 3:31

Uh no, I think if he's been challenged, he likes to keep the ball in front of him, and that gives the defenders a little bit too much options to either get in and give him uh give him a little shoulder, and he loses his balance. Yeah, which is unfortunate.

SPEAKER_01 3:49

Um, but he he does fairly whack a penalty.

SPEAKER_00 3:52

That was certainly well hit, and there wasn't going to be much saving in that.

SPEAKER_01 3:57

Yeah, I I I thought the the BT commentary was uh uh saying oh it went through the keeper's hands was a little unfair. I did feel from certain angles it looked like it did. I think the ball was passing before the hands got there.

SPEAKER_00 4:12

I think he went in the right direction, but like anything, if the hands aren't totally right, you're not going to say a penalty hit that hard and that quick.

SPEAKER_01 4:21

So that gave us a good one-nil lead going into halftime, and I think we were pretty happy. The chance in the first half were sort of limited. I think Hincape had one. There did seem to be a bit of joy down the left-hand side with Hincape against Simeone. Um, he was you know physically bigger, faster, stronger. It was nice to see Simeone getting bullied a bit.

SPEAKER_00 4:48

Yeah, I mean Hincape is is good defensively. Going forward, he is fairly rich up there as far as taking the ball on, but you can never depend on his final pass.

SPEAKER_01 5:00

Yeah, I think that's fair enough. Again, he's he's a defender first, I think, definitely in uh in uh in the way we're setting up in him at the moment. Yeah, I agree with that. Controversy right there. The um you know I I think in the first half there were a few shots and things the boatkeepers handled, there was nothing particularly stressful, I don't think, from it.

SPEAKER_00 5:30

No, I mean I think um where I came in for made one good save. That was that was all that was requested, and Arson had one or two opportunities that they were a bit slow in taking on the shot.

SPEAKER_01 5:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 5:44

Um Matoweke, what what was your opinion? Um my my opinion on Madaweke is that he's he doesn't have a full hour in him. Um and he either is very good or not so good.

SPEAKER_01 6:06

Yeah, I I I think he's a little bit of a throwback to maybe your late 80s, early 90s winger where it was just about if you're quick enough, we're gonna put you out there and from time to time you're gonna turn something make something happen compared to a sack who you can give the ball to and rely on him to recycle it, maintain it, or produce a bit of magic.

SPEAKER_00 6:32

Yeah, I think sometimes he also likes to come in too much where some if he goes down on the outside, then he stands a better chance because defenders are now looking for him to come inside, which cuts out his options.

SPEAKER_01 6:48

Yeah, I I I think he's telegraphed his limitations a bit. Um again, I think, and on the on the other side, Martinelli is not functioning particularly well. I think I'll I can't fault his effort. He's defensively, he he gives everything, but he's kind of becoming a bit of a defensive 11 for me.

SPEAKER_00 7:09

Yeah, he puts covers a lot of ground on that, uh coming back, protecting his full back. Um he does need to provide a little bit more going forward, and again, he's another one coming in from the other side.

SPEAKER_01 7:24

Yeah, I think Mart Martin Elliott is definitely one of those guys who can deliver end product. I just think at times he's a bit overthinking it, trying to do what the boss wants, and he loses his own game a little bit.

SPEAKER_00 7:40

Yeah, agreed. Um I think some some of the flair has gone out of the earth players.

SPEAKER_01 7:49

Yeah, there is a there's been a reduction in the spark of the team. Again, it's kind of it does appear to be a management choice to try and make it a more stable game.

SPEAKER_00 8:04

Yeah, again, maybe I think the fact that they scored just before half time was not a good thing. If they had scored either just after halftime or maybe after 30 minutes, I think they would have been able to push forward a little bit more, but it they had that rest, and I think part of them comes out and thought, can we defend the one nil lead?

SPEAKER_01 8:25

Yeah, well, you know, we've done it often enough and historically as well. But we came out, they definitely came out, they they hit the bar, they had some great chances through Griezmann, Lookman, and uh they got it got a penalty. What was your thoughts on the penalty?

SPEAKER_00 8:46

Soft again in the Premier League it probably wouldn't have been given, but in Europe these got given, and it's did he did he play the ball with his hand? I think it came up his body onto his hand rather than playing the ball. So on a Saturday it wouldn't have been given, but tonight it was even you know when you compare it with the Byrne game and the Byron penalty, it was a similar type of action.

SPEAKER_01 9:18

Yeah. Um I I think in in the Champions League and in Europe it's it's a clear handball, it's always gonna be given. To a certain degree, I like the consistency of it, regardless of how soft it is, you kind of know where you stand with it, which is a bit different to the Premier League. So, yeah, Alvarez took the penalty and walloped it. I I don't don't think even had Raya been standing within arm's reach, he probably was getting to it.

SPEAKER_00 9:50

I think Raya was expecting it to come down the middle, personally, and it was hit, it was again another well-struck penalty with force and with direction.

SPEAKER_01 10:02

Yeah, they're they're gonna be hard hard to get to when they're they're like that. Um I remember Julian Dix doing that for West Ham many a time, and uh he didn't miss too many, and if he did they were going well over, but um you know it it certainly gave Athleti a a boost. You could you could hear that in the crowd, they got um riled up again, and they had a good bit of time, and I think Luckman started to drift inside, and right what White and Saliba struggled to monitor him, and it caused us a few difficulties, I thought.

SPEAKER_00 10:49

Yeah, they did. Now, you know, the lead up to the penalty, the lead up to the first goal. I think Saliba should have come across and White gone in behind him, but there was obviously miscommunication, and it doesn't seem to be working as good as Hen Cape and Gabrielle on the other side.

SPEAKER_01 11:08

Yeah, I looked at White today and he seemed to be in a position to take a pass a few times and the pass wasn't going out to him. I do wonder if there is a concern amongst the players with him. Again, I'm not he's an excellent professional, but at times you would think with what he's done and how often he's played for us, he'd he'd be given the ball and trusted a bit more than what I'm seeing.

SPEAKER_00 11:41

That could be because he used to have a very good understanding with Saka, which he now doesn't have, uh the same type of understanding with Nani. And maybe the expectation is that Nani doesn't seem to come back as quick and as fast. Um so therefore it leaves White a little bit more exposed.

SPEAKER_01 12:04

Yeah, and again, I think physically he is less the player that he was maybe you know two, three years ago. Um there's probably a bit of blame on Arson for not having adequate backups or pla people to replace him or rotate him in and out with that he was overplayed, and you know, players get injured when they're overplayed.

SPEAKER_00 12:29

Well he hasn't I mean with Kember, he hasn't been given the opportunities this season. He you know, and I think with a lot of players they need to be playing more, especially at the back. You need to be able to read the game a little bit better and read the players you're up against, and I think maybe that's missing.

SPEAKER_01 12:49

Yeah, definitely. I think I think uh also probably a little bit of the arrogance that Rice uh that White uh had, you know, the kicking the ball at people's heads and things like that, or you know, a lot of that seems to have gone from his game. Um so I think he's certainly less of a player than he had been.

SPEAKER_00 13:12

Yeah, as you say, the arrogance is gone. Um now maybe he's just looking to put in a good performance as to whether he'll be at Arsenal next year is another question.

SPEAKER_01 13:22

Yeah. Uh definitely. We'll we'll find that out in the summer with uh with a few big games in between here and there. Um yeah, Arsenal had a penalty momentarily. Um I think SA got to the ball, got clipped, went down, referee blue, and in came Var.

SPEAKER_00 13:45

Well, Varr came in, and according to Var, the Azeti Defender got to the ball. That wasn't evident.

SPEAKER_01 13:56

I I think on the the initial replay it it wasn't evident. What I struggled to see in the second replay was the contact because it wasn't as visible from behind the goal line. But I I really couldn't believe that it was overturned. I thought it was fairly clear.

SPEAKER_00 14:18

Well, there was a follow- definite follow-through, and it's the follow-through that took Jesse out. So yeah, it should have been a penalty.

SPEAKER_01 14:30

The the the changes that were made, we had a triple change of the front three with Trossard Saka and Jesus coming on, and prior to that Esa came on for Odegaard. What were your thoughts on the substitutes who came on and the dynamic that changed?

SPEAKER_00 14:52

Well, Esa for Odegaard was always going to be an option for maybe 20-30 minutes. Um plays in a different position, and you can see that Rice dropped a bit deeper, which is what Odegaard was doing to pick up the ball. And um and I like Esa's sort of ability in close control and being able to pass. Saca is still not up the speed. Uh Trossard is not up the speed at at the moment. And I think Jesus was there just to see if he could offer something up front.

SPEAKER_01 15:27

Yeah, I definitely think the Trossard's initial touches from the ball he was nearly robbed. Well, he was robbed, the thir three players got to him, and I thought it was a bit more he thought felt he had a bit more time, so I obviously he didn't get to the pace of the game. Completely understandable, but probably not forgivable in in the situation.

SPEAKER_00 15:53

Yeah, I mean he could have been a little bit more safety first than that situation. He had options to pass the ball and you know go for a return, but I think they're they're normally able to take one or two touches more. And with Atleti you can't do that because they press high and press hard.

SPEAKER_01 16:14

Yes, Saka didn't get to the pace of the game. I felt he was slipping a bit and that probably impacted his initial burst. Um that was unfortunate. Uh Jesus would be I think we had to try something different. I think Yacharus had dropped out of the game completely, but when Jesus was coming back, got on made an option to for people to play off him. I think it started a few things to to tick a little bit better than they had been.

SPEAKER_00 16:51

Yeah, I mean Jesus was playing a bit like what Havertz does, in that he can if he gets to the ball first, he can hold it up and he's got a good eye as to where the play could go. But it doesn't always happen. I think sometimes he's a little bit too quick-minded for some of the other players.

SPEAKER_01 17:11

Yeah, definitely. Um for me, I think Raya stood out quite well tonight. I don't think he gets the credit he deserves for a guy who is about to get his third consecutive golden glove. I think he's underrated as a shot stopper. And you know, I just think he he deserves a bit more credit. He's one of the top keepers in in Europe.

SPEAKER_00 17:41

Well, for the last couple of years they've been putting it down to Saliba and Gabrielle that he's playing behind them, but he's actually shown this year that he is a very good shot stopper and he's reflected as a settling to none.

SPEAKER_01 17:54

Yeah. You know, I think I think uh the debate is long over with him and Ram still, but I think the the evidence of the boss knowing what he was doing was is there for all to see.

SPEAKER_00 18:08

Yeah, agreed. He was he basically worked well and he organized his defence well, which is what we don't normally see.

SPEAKER_01 18:19

So Victor Joachar has come out and said it's uh only half time for the tie. What do you think the second half will bring?

SPEAKER_00 18:30

Well, I think at the Emirates, I think they'll put in a better performance and they will have no options but to go for it. We know what the athletia are going to do, they're gonna come and defend and probably try and get us on the break. But I think Arsenal will have to go in the at least in the first half, they'll have to go and make uh an effort to get at least one, if not two goals.

SPEAKER_01 18:55

Yeah, um it could be a tense one. Um you know, obviously there's a a lot at stake. Uh, we've got a big game at the weekend. Atleti will no doubt rest players because they have no real threat in there against them in their league. So, you know, hopefully we get a good win against Fulham to propel to propel our team forward because you know, as I say, the winning team feels no pain.

SPEAKER_00 19:27

That's true. And I wonder if our ex-arsenal players and um Leno will be and uh the Thornton Heat. I mean Smithrow. De Bruiner, yeah. I mean Smith Row could do us a favour.

SPEAKER_01 19:46

Yeah, if uh they a couple of own goals and throw one in, yeah, that's a nice three-nil.

SPEAKER_00 19:51

That would be nice.

SPEAKER_01 19:52

Yeah, yeah, we'll take that.

SPEAKER_00 19:54

In actual fact, do we need to turn up at all then?

SPEAKER_01 19:57

Well, if they don't turn up, we we we get a three-nil win as well, so you know let's brought block the roads from Fulham to Arsenal. Um but um yeah, I I think um getting win a mum winning momentum would be great. I think getting to the final would obviously be great, and um having to listen to all of Europe say we were anti-football, we're anti-everything, um and sticking it down their throat. I'd enjoy that.

SPEAKER_00 20:32

That's true, but again, you see, our Arsenal up to this point have only scored one goal from set piece in this year's championship, so it'd be interesting. They have scored reasonably well. Most of the previous games had been, especially in the league phase, it was sort of 2-0, um, or maybe 2-1, and the beat alerty was a 4-0. So they have the ability, and I think possibly by next weekend you'd have hopefully Saka starting and Meduake coming on if necessary, and that could make a big difference.

SPEAKER_01 21:10

Yeah, I definitely think so. Um I'd be interesting to see what the club do to build the atmosphere because the atmosphere at the Metropolitano was fairly electric, even coming through on the TV.

SPEAKER_00 21:24

Yeah, definitely. And the problem the problem is if Arsenal don't put in a good performance in the first 20 minutes, half an hour, the crowd tend to go very quiet, very quickly.

SPEAKER_01 21:38

Yep, definitely all all to play for. Um just if you want to get in contact with the show. If you want to get in touch with the show, you can get me on Instagram at Arsenal underscore am underscore pod, and you can get me on b sky at freddylj.bsky.social. Until tomorrow, everybody, have a good one.

SPEAKER_03 22:03

Arsenal AM! Your morning shot of the gun A! Look at to my base! Arsenal AM! Wake me with the roar, I'm ready again! One more hit of the red and white! Start my day on a hike! Arsenal AM! I'll get to my face! My face!

SPEAKER_01 22:26

Even Chris Sutton said we were robbed. For fuck's sake.