Arsenal Fan Show: Arteta is building something SPECIAL! @TheGoonersPodcast

As the big man Ian Wright just said there people deluded I'm back again I've got a very special guest someone I've tried to get on this channel for a while we finally got there. How you doing my friend? I hope you're in good spirits man. Hey DG doing good man. Yeah. You said it's been going back months. We've been trying to work out the scheduling. So yeah pumped we could get it together for a show. Absolutely. Amen man. And what better time you know it's the international break. I describe our last run of fixtures as 12 cup finals at this moment in time obviously we got Bayern Munich twice we got the 10 games in the Prem. Let's kick off there Broski. How are you feeling about Arsenal this season? What differences do you see compared to last season and now? It's hard to not feel good when we're headed into you know what are we in the third week of March we're sitting top of the table it's hard to not feel pretty good. But I think the advantage we have this year over last year is the consistency. We haven't seen it for eight months now we've seen it for 18 months now. So we know the team's capable of the level they're at we're not you know we're not out kicking the coverage we're not playing above our heads we're playing our level and our level is really really high. So it's hard to not be excited about the way we're looking right now. Facts as you said there. Just obviously on that topic as well I always like to ask this question because it's interesting. What differences do you see in terms of our playing style or mentality or whatever this season compared to last year? I think the primary thing I see is just the confidence across the squad because we've always had players that are high confidence players whether they're at their best or not. But it seems like the addition of a Declan Rice who just solidifies everything we're trying to do. When you look at the back when you were trying to play our style of football and you can build from Gabriel Saliba with Declan Rice or in some cases now Jorginho in front it's such a solid base we're building from you can tell the players have confidence to move into their positions. Ben White has a confidence to overlap knowing that there's help behind if they if we lose possession which we don't do often and they play one over his head he knows he's got that cover back there that allows them to really excel in the final third when we do have the ball. I think we've seen that across the season and it just continued to grow and grow as the continuity builds and the comfort level builds with the squad because right now we've seen the same run of players for quite a few games in a row it feels like even with Kivior in on the left side he sort of fell into place has found his role in there and he feels just as confident as everybody else because everybody knows that they can count on the people around them and that's something three or four years ago you definitely couldn't say about Arsenal so that's been a massive shift. I think you're bang on the money and I think you know when you look at I mean this season generally it's been smooth sailing we've been smashing teams up and down the country but I do think we're showing a lot of resilience you know you look at the unfortunately Ramsdell's mistake against Brentford in previous years that probably ends 1-1 and everybody's talking about Ramsdell's mistake but fortunately we're getting three points and still talking about mistakes but it's a lot more rosier I want to start there or focus on our summer signings How did you feel about Raya coming in? What do you feel about Raya and what's your feelings on Ramsdell and how he's maybe been done? You know I certainly feel for Ramsdell as a fan because like everybody else I like him he's a likable character he seems like a good guy and he's a very good keeper he's a number one level keeper for somebody unfortunately for him with the Raya addition it's just not going to be for Arsenal you know he's virtually a certainty he'll be gone in the summer but I felt like coming into the season we knew that you can't sustain having two guys in their prime who want to be number ones for more than one year I looked at it as a transition to Raya where we still have such a good deputy to him knowing that we're going to be competing for trophies that our season's not going to be derailed if Raya gets hurt and we were relying on Matt Turner when you've got Ramsdell behind who is really neck and neck like it's small margins who's the better of the two I think it is Raya and I think he's proven that over the year but having Ramsdell there has certainly provided us a safety net if something would happen to Raya but like you said it's hard to not feel bad for Ramsdell because it's not that he really did anything wrong at Arsenal at all you know he's had a couple small errors here and there but goalkeeper is an unforgiving position very I mean every small error you make is magnified yep ten times over and as you said the recent error the one thing I did like to see and when we talk about confidence throughout the squad when that when the team came out after halftime as soon as he went and goal you saw big Gabby get in his face pump him up and say all right let's go do this and goalkeeper as much as any other position is a confidence position you see it all the time guys and bad teams get down seems like they just can't stop giving up goals conversely you get in a good squad you keep a couple clean sheets and it just feels like the momentum and the snowball starts to build and you keep racking those up as we've seen Raya do this year he's bagged a ton of them not that he's had a lot to do in some of those games because of our defense but he's continued to get clean sheet after clean sheet and build on what we've you know kind of been working towards all year you're right you're banging on the money did the signing of Raya take you by surprise and what have you made of Raya so far in an Arsenal shirt I was definitely surprised I think a lot of people were it's not a I saw coming especially I mean Brentford did us a tremendous favor the way that deal was structured to give us a loan I think we paid about three million up front range then we're going to cover the rest in the summer so to give up a keeper of that quality and allow Arsenal to have him for a title contending season for three million I mean it's the deal of all deals it's one that you know I think I do Arteta deserve a lot of credit for because I think there were some other teams that were in for him that were offering you know I think there was rumors either Spurs Chelsea throwing around 35 40 million and then you hear two days later he's at Arsenal on three million yeah it's crazy I think it tells you the type of poll that we have and it shows that people see what happens year to year they watched our team play last year and Raya knows where he's going to have a chance to compete for major trophies he wants to compete for straight away and it's it's lovely to say that right now that's Arsenal over teams like Chelsea or you know Spurs are never really in that conversation say that twice mate but when you're talking about Chelsea or Arsenal and Arsenal is now the obvious choice of where you're going if you want to compete for trophies right away so an amazing turnaround from what we see you know three four or five years ago we didn't think we'd be in that position to say that so we're all pretty blessed right now and should be soaking it in while it lasts amen and I mean it's very difficult for us fans because we're not flies on the wall Mikel Arteta I always describe him as a mad scientist he sees things as he should he's the manager where fans he sees things to improve that we might not see and I know it's difficult but what do you see that Raya does better than Ramsdale what qualities does Raya have that wasn't previously there in your opinion I'm not sure that he has a ton that Ramsdale doesn't have at all he maybe just ups the level a bit like Ramsdale's distribution is very very good yeah I think Raya's distribution is just a little bit better a lot more cleaner yeah yeah you just there's a certain confidence level you have with Ramsdale and it's the same it's just it's just like we turn the dial up a little bit you improve on all of those little areas and things Ramsdale does well and now you've got Raya and the kind of the overarching theme I think if you were going to pick one thing that I think he excels at Ramsdale's talked about it's tough to stay engaged when you don't have a lot to do as a goalkeeper it's tough to stay focused and that's something Raya's shown us he can do it's three or four games back the game we were dominating I wish I could remember which one it was but a long ball ball gets played beats Ben White and as a fan you're like oh no here it comes against the run of play we're in trouble and Raya was already out there 30 yards outside of his box to play it clean because he was locked in the whole game even though it had just been sad in our final third on the other end for like three four five minutes straight he was still engaged locked in and ready to go and that's something he's talked about in interviews too the same way Ramsdale has and I think that's from them talking about it kind of highlighted it for folks but if I had to select one thing that I think he does better it's just the general ability to stay locked in for the full 90 regardless of how the game's going and you know in in quick moments turnover possession that's a it sounds like a small thing but that's massive when you got somebody at the back to protect you who's on the ball on their toes ready to go at any moment in a game I think you're bang on the money and I think you know I'm a big fan of Ramsdale I think it's in in a sad way it is harsh but these decisions are necessary if we're going to go to where we need to and I think us Austin fans need to get comfortable with maybe fan favorites we're seeing it with Ramsdale it on paper team he's still at the club but his days are kind of numbered and there could be some other individuals in that regards for me with Raya I just I agree with you and I don't feel you know like Raya's up here and Ramsdale's down here I think you're kind of in the same bracket but I just think whatever Mikel Arteta demands from his goalie I think Raya more sticks to the script a lot more as you alluded to he keeps a lot more of a pull ahead and I'm not saying Ramsdale makes his teammates nervous but I just think when on top of our team just being great when you've got a keeper like Raya I just think it gives you that added area of calmness as you said he's quick off his line his distribution's amazing you see it all the time and I just think he's a bit more cleaner of what Mikel Arteta demands it's it's harsh on Ramsdale but I just personally feel we've got to remember initially when Ramsdale came in and Leno was there Raya was the one we wanted now or Arteta wanted and that couldn't happen so when it became possible he had to have got it done really so I think you're banging on the money I want to stay with the defenders um what have you made of obviously Saliba's the golden boy and stuff like that take nothing away from him but I feel this is the first kind of season that Benjamin White and Gabrielle really getting the plaudits they deserve especially Gabrielle because people like to harp on about Bozo moments and things what have you made of them two in particular? I mean they've been phenomenal I think Gabrielle and for the reason you said Saliba is the golden child he's unbelievable if you made a list of everything you would want in a modern day setter half you're basically describing him he does everything and I would say the most I wouldn't not necessarily underrated but underappreciated player across the league this year it could be Gabrielle Magalhaes yeah he's unbelievable puts in top performance after top performance and that was a concern when he first came in he was the one guy outside of Grand Ejaca at the time who felt like he could be a little bit rash at times yeah and he's sort of just over time worked that out of his game I think part of that is maturing as a person and as a player part of it's just understanding the positioning and where you belong at all times assist you in that when you're not kind of trying to make up ground from being out of alignment and and the fact that Arsenal carries the ball for about 70 percent of the game we've done so many little things that helped him progress that now you know if he's back in a 1v1 three years ago you're kind of like a little worried you know you hope he doesn't dive in on a bad tackle and now I have as much confidence as him as any defender in the league that he's going to handle the situation properly the level of times that he keeps a cool head rather than getting a little too excited it has definitely balanced out a little bit like you don't want to take that out of him completely because it's part of what makes him a great player because he's got that fire and passion but you just got to be able to reign it in a little bit when you need to and I think he's done that over the last three years I used to when when we first got him I referred to you know if you ever want to talk about fire and ice it's Saliba and Gabriel you know he's all passion excitable Saliba is the coolest customer I've ever seen and at the time you're talking about a guy was 20 years old just as calm as he yeah and then on the other side Ben White I mean everything arsenals ask of him he's done and he goes about his business there's no complaints there's there's nothing he goes out there and does the job you want him to you want him to stay back and defend he can defend you want him to get way forward and over a soccer he can do that as well when Kivior comes in and now he stays back more you want him to sort of move into that inverted midfield role he's taken to that pretty well too he's he's just an adaptable player and that's the type of player you can tell that Arteta has a focus on when you look at most of the players in our lineup you can see them filling in for more than one position so we've got so much versatility and having players that are willing to play other areas is a big part of it too because three or four years ago I remember Maitland Niles said I'm not a right back I'm a midfielder well now we play a system where our right back plays in midfield 90 of the game and it seems like if ever there was a spot that you could fit a talent in there you know and people who wanted to make a spot in the team for him it seems like that's a spot where maybe he could have found a role and it just didn't work out timing wise and part of that too is I think his unwillingness to feel like to be a little bit flexible with this positioning which is fine you know if you don't want to play that role and you want to go somewhere else for your career I never fault somebody for that I think they should go wherever they think their skills are going to be best used and they're going to be able to play them in as they want to play but as time goes on and you see the way things adapt it certainly looks like wow if there was ever going to be a spot that his skill set would fit in it's very similar to what our right back position looks like right now you're bang on the money man I know hindsight's a wonderful thing as you said I can't begrudge Ainsley Maitland Niles if that's what he wanted to do but it just seems like that would have fitted you to a tee what have you made of Kirill because you said his name there I still think the jury's slightly still out on Kirill but I think he's impressed you know he's ultimately for a guy like him respectfully to him you're not going to take Gabrielle's spot and I'm not too sure where but when minutes are available take your chances and on form the team's picking itself what have you made of Kirill yeah I think you're I think you're exactly right I don't think that he's the finished product that he's locked that position down for himself nor do I think he ever will just because the talent in front of him is so good now what he has proven is that he can fill that spot he's an adequate defender he's adequate in everything we like him to do maybe even better than that is he better than Tommy Yasuo or Zenchenko I don't think he's close but he fills a role very well and most importantly the one thing that a lot of players lack is self-awareness I think he knows what he's capable of and he's able to play within that and when you're able to do that you can still be very effective which he is and I have a lot of confidence when we put him out there that we're going to have a good game we're going to get three points I'm not concerned that he's in that spot now when we go to a Champions League final we're playing the final weekend of the Premier League season and you've got to win it to win the championship do I want him or Tommy Yasuo I want Tommy Yasuo do I want Zenchenko who's been there done that of course I do so it's not really a shot at him it's just part of uh it's just part of being yeah it's part of being on a team that's competing for big trophies now you mentioned earlier you know you have to sort of take away your love for Ramsdale to try and improve the team I think we're going to see something similar with Emile Smith Rowe it's not that these aren't good players it's that when you're at a level where you're competing for major European trophies the level is so high and you're not looking for a squad player anymore you're looking for a second first 11 player that you can interchange and it's not that these guys haven't done what's asked or that they're not good it's just when you're in a competition with Real Madrid and Manchester City it's the level is high it's as high as it can be in world football and you're going to go after the best and one thing Arteta has shown no matter how good you are you don't have to make a mistake if he can find someone that improves on what you bring he's willing and able to do that so nobody's safe and I think that in and of itself also raises the level because guys know that there's no locks there's no guarantee for complacency absolutely and I think you'll bang on the money there and you've kind of indirectly alluded to it um obviously Kirill's form has been great with Tomiyasu I think they we played QPR today in a behind closed doors friendly obviously Zinchenko is nursing his way back to fitness we definitely kick off the Premier League season again in a great way is Kirill your first choice going into the City game or if Tomiyasu is fit would you lean on him or any or Zinchenko for that matter? Given I mean not knowing the fitness level given what we've seen I'm kind of expecting and I'm not going to be upset if we put Kirill out there the team's played well with him right now he's sort of the comfortable piece in there because that's what's been most consistent over the last couple of months Tomiyasu as good as he is the injury concerns are always there it seems like so he's one of those guys that I'm a little nervous to bring back on the quicker side from an injury just because you don't want to lose him you don't want to have him for one game against Manchester City and then for the next eight weeks so it's tough I would expect Kivior Zinchenko I'm not sure that's the game for him it's just so difficult there's so much pressure on you and if there's one area that he's not as strong it's obviously in defending and Manchester City is just relentless they can come at you for the full 90 and I think I'm surprised to say that this part of the year but I think right now if the game was tomorrow I'm leaning towards Kivior you know holding that spot for at least a short while. I think you're bang on the money man I think it's a weird one because I think the team is picking itself now if we go out if the players that have been playing go and play City and we lose then maybe our team has to change things but I think the squad players I do think I have us up front and Kirill coming in at left back it's been a byproduct of players not being fit but that's not their fault and that's what happens with a squad you've got to take your opportunities and they perform so well I don't know if the Tomiyasu, the Zinchenkos, the Gabriel Jesuses whatever have you if they walk straight back in I don't believe they do. What have you made of Kai Havertz because he came it's fair to say not everybody was convinced like speaking for myself in the summer I understood the Raya sign and I understood Timbers sign and I was a fan of Declan Rice's with Kai Havertz I've never thought he's a terrible player but it was more of a thing where I'm not necessarily trusting Kai Havertz I'm trusting Mikel Ortega like it's on you I believe in you I can't really see it but I'm with you but it's fair to say he's doing all right so what have you made of Havertz? Yeah he's been phenomenal this season I think he's been kind of a breath of fresh air especially as you said and part of it too I think is just the cost up front when people here you're not only paying 60-65 million whatever it was but you're paying that to a rival like Chelsea we'll use the term rival loosely because they're not even on our radar right now but when you're sending money across London to another Premier League team that raises some eyebrows and that's also ups the expectations that people have because if we paid 60 million for Leverkusen for him people would have been pumped and said wow we've got one of the next potential superstars coming in exactly but when he's coming off of a couple of you know mediocre seasons I wouldn't say poor seasons you know it's hard for anybody to stand out in a squad that's not playing well in Chelsea but the pressure that was on him I think was a little too much too soon you're bringing him in and I think when he was first coming in he was primarily looked at as potentially playing that left eight more so than Stryker so you've got a new system a new player coming in playing a new position that's a tough ask and a team that's playing at a really high level where anyone below that is going to kind of stick out a little bit you know if everybody's playing at a mediocre level you can just kind of blend in and get yourself up to speed but when you're coming into a team that's you know just coming off of a disappointing title run the previous year you know the level is so high there's just no room for error and I also think now we live in the age of social media where everybody just tears apart every single thing that's done it doesn't matter what the team does you can scroll through your twitter like I'm sure you and I both do and see a thousand comments just tearing people to pieces talking about how it's an idiotic decision things are going to go bad he's not at the level and all the rest of it so I do love it when there's a little bit of a comeback and just over time I think he's proved all the naysayers wrong because it's hard right now for anybody I think to say that that was a bad signing now you can say has he lived up to 60 million is it worth it because we've negotiated and that's all fine that's on the margins but I don't think there's anybody right now being honest with themselves saying that that was a bad signing over the summer. I think I'm with you with that and I said in the summer maybe a bit of an exaggeration but Mikel Arteta is going to live or die by the people like Kai Havertz from a footballing sense because of what you've just alluded to with Havertz and in a nice way I mean Arteta is a smart man he knew what he was doing and whatnot but in a nice way to us common football fans it's a nice like F you if I'm honest with you to everybody's like yeah you doubted me Kai Havertz is doing his thing and I do think we live in a day and age where indirectly with Benjamin White with Zinchenko with a bunch of our players that you could describe as multifunctional so I kind of I'm moving away from my own sort of wind rose tints of thinking players are just in a certain position but where do you see Kai Havertz because it's fair to say he didn't really cut the mustard in the middle of the park he's looking really good as a striker where do you see him fitting into this Arsenal team when everybody's fit on a long-term basis if you cannot sir because I can't yeah it's tough I mean I'm not sure this season we're going to see everybody fit to find out so you're kind of looking at what's he going to fit in in the future and that's going to be difficult because the two positions I think we're most likely to strengthen this summer are a striker position and a left eight position the two that he occupies so we may see it as rather than having you know one starting striker one starting left midfielder that we have three guys that he's a part of and we kind of rotate them as needed keep guys legs fresh as we play across multiple competitions every season so it I don't mean to say he's going to be a rotational player because I think he's proved this season he's he's above that level but I think he's going to be one that is utilized in different areas potentially as a second striker if we sign one this summer but at the same time when Gabriel Jesus comes back that sort of pushes him back a little bit too so he's one he's going to have a great season and as we kind of alluded to earlier he's going to come in the next season without a guaranteed spot in spite of how well he played so it's a tough battle if you're Kai there's no easy road for him because no matter where he thinks he's going to play more there's going to be a lot of competition in that area for him back you said there is a weird one because I don't think we're going to see our strongest team I don't know what Mikel Ortega is thinking in terms of additions I do think Thomas Partey a fit Thomas Partey would be in a lot of fans strongest teams but I don't know so it'd be interesting to see where he is just because we kind of touched on it obviously we're not Mikel Ortega but what areas do you see improvements need to be made for us to get to the next level I know you just touched on striker but in ideal world if you could pick I think the striker is a good one just because Jesus's fitness has been what it is and that's not a shot at him you know it's it's difficult to stay healthy for playing basically 11 and a half months out of the year they have these guys playing football now it's tough to be fit and ready for all of that so I think it's more about finding players that are of an equal or better level that we can add to the squad that maybe in some people's eyes won't raise the ceiling but they do raise the floor so when we do have injuries we're not seeing any drop off if it's possible I mean that's always the goal is to have a backup that's as good or almost as good as your starting player that's going to compete based on what we've heard I think strikers the main one that we're going to see a and and I'm okay with that Kai Havertz has been good Jesus is good when he's there but again when you have a chance to improve on what you have and you have the funds to do so which yeah depending on how the rest of the season goes as we progress in the Champions League more and more money comes in it just gives us flexibility to do that so I would expect a new striker this summer for sure I think we will add a midfielder we say the left eight position but I think we could see a versatile player you know Declan Rice he can play the eight he can play the six at a world level we're certainly not getting another Declan Rice unfortunately because there's not a lot of them out there yeah but as has been our mo the last couple of seasons we're gonna find a guy that can play the striker probably and then we're gonna add a midfielder that can either play midfield and wing or midfield and the six like eight and six and then as we do we'll probably add another really versatile defender to the mix just for depth purposes so I think we'll see us add three positional players and then obviously with the Ramsdale situation we'll have to add a keeper as well so while the squad's looking very strong I think we will still have a relatively active summer just trying to kind of fill in some of those gaps as they as they develop where do you see where do you stand better yet on wide areas because some would argue you know Saka might need a bit of a backup with the greatest of respect to Reece Nelson he's a good lad but he's getting nowhere near that first team spot the left hand side seems to be open season I don't I think Martinelli's played relatively well this season but when you had a blistering year like last year you're not scoring them goals people are gonna say you're underwhelming and shout out to Trossop but where would you be on bringing in a wide man and do you think we'll get a striker and a wide man yeah I think we may get both and like like we said a minute ago it's about not having the drop off when you lose your starting player and that's probably the most glaring one we have as you said Saka to Reece Nelson and we all love Reece the hailing guys we love seeing them make it in the first team and be successful but I feel like he's the guy who's hit his peak at Arsenal I don't see him I don't see any scenario where he goes above where he's already at now yeah he's just not going to play so I think we'll probably see him at some point moved on as well so with that in mind I think you've got to get a deputy for Saka you know we're going to play him every game he's healthy we've proven that but the amount of minutes he gets on his legs is crazy crazy I mean it's so much to ask of a player and you know he can do it for a year he can do it for two years but you can't put six seven eight years of Makaio Saka just playing every single game so I think the wide area is one we'll see and and maybe maybe a player Javi Simmons is one that I love and he's a guy he's lovely I mean he's he's unbelievable he can play the 10 he can play wide so when I look at the two areas who are the two players we can't really replace what they do for me it's Saka and Odegaard and in a player like that you have somebody that could deputize for both of them so he's one that I think would would be a dream whether or not you can get him is a completely different story because I think everybody's realized this year just how talented he is but he would be one if he was available would be at the top of my list for us to go out and get I think he solves a couple of problems for us and just raises the overall level of the squad with his ability I think you're bang on the money I need to ask you though what what do you feel on have you always been convinced and how would you make of him now because it's fair to say it's been a great journey and it's been a tested one like I've always believed in him but I'd be lying to you if I said there were times where I was thinking oh do you know what this could go left really and truly fortunately the sun's shining but what's your thoughts so I'm a huge Arteta fan and I have been for a while I'm happy to say this is one of the few things that I got right in the last few years but you know there was a big push and there were some difficult times when he first came in so I understand when people say question it you know it's a first job as a manager and you're taking over one of the biggest clubs in the world that that's a big ask on anybody very difficult time yeah very difficult so it's understandable that you don't come in straight away and you're competing year one for for the things we want to compete for but he's stayed the path he stayed the course he's done exactly what he said he was going to do he came in and said we're going to be a team that plays with passion we're going to push people back we're going to make them stay in their own we're going to be dominant and when he did that interview and said all of those things and said in three years I see us in a champions league final he was laughed at he was mocked people just ran him into the ground and not just people online journalists people were saying that he's out of his depth and just doesn't understand what's ahead of him and you know we're very lucky that he's proved all of those people wrong but my position on him and I look at our manager the same way no matter how good someone is if you have the ability to get someone better I understand the want to do that but with managers it's tricky because I always sort of phrase it as you you have to have three things happen you have to have somebody who's better than what you currently have which when we were struggling there was an argument for some people potentially being better than Arteta you have to have someone who's available again a lot of times the good managers you'd want are already are already managing and they're high demand and then the third thing is now it's really easy to find someone who fits two of those three you know I'm available I'm willing to take the job they're not hiring me so to find someone that meets all three of those criteria is really tough and I was one of the people I was very opposed when Graham Potter's name got floated I said I don't see that he brings anything you know if you're not convincing me that you're better than what we have it's a non-starter right there I don't care if he wants the job and he's available I'm not convinced he's better and I think his time at Chelsea kind of proved that yeah Arteta's proved every doubt or wrong and and now it's to the point where anybody who's hating on him you've seen it shift from he's out of his depth at a management level he doesn't know how to handle a big club to I don't like his attitude I don't like his celebration so now you're just you're just looking for things that you don't like about the man because he's been successful but that's the world we live in when you get successful people are going to call you no one doing better than you is hating on you ever it's all the people below you that are going to call you out and try and find something wrong with what you're doing and I think he does a good job of not caring about that because he's been in the game he came through La Masia he played in the Premier League he capped in the Premier League he's been around teams when he worked with City that have won every title he knows I think now that they have what it takes to win so he can walk with a new confidence that he doesn't have to worry about what people are saying because he knows it's there for him and and Arsenal set up for the next you know three four or five years to be competing for all those things so I mean his his tenure here while it started off Rocky has been I think what every Arsenal fans talked about wanting once Wenger left they said this is what we want to see in the future and he's got us there I think you're bang on the money man yeah bang on the money with that man bang on the money and I think if I had to whittle it down to a couple of things I really admire about Mikel Arteta of course it's the tactical analysis it's all of the things that were that you said then what we can see but I would say it's speaking with conviction because I feel a lot of the time at this football club players people in high positions they've spoken at times and it hasn't always matched up on the football pitch and I think Mikel Arteta has done that and I think from the moment he stepped in he's made some very difficult calls you know keeping Granit Xhaka getting rid of Aubameyang, Mesut Ozil I know it's not the same but Matteo Guendouzi and many of people of that ilk and it's and it's there's going to be times it's not bringing in Kai Havertz there's going to be many times it's not going to work he's going to make mistakes he probably would agree he has made mistakes as the players because he's learning on the jobs but that's what I would whittle it down to and I would also say like I can't remember the exact interview but there was one of his first interviews and he spoke about we've got to get the stadium going we've got to put the fans even to make them happy and things like that and at the time I thought yeah you know what I believe in you Arteta it feels a bit PR-y is what you're going to say but now I can see what you truly truly truly meant and the players are going from strength to strength and it's absolutely absolutely amazing as you said and I think to go on to your point about people just hating on things that have nothing to do with football the same people that criticized him now he's the blueprint of giving someone like 10 hard time and all of these guys whether it will work out or not when people forget that the club had a blueprint you know the Cronkies who haven't had the best of you know reputations at this club they stuck with Mikel Arteta it's easy to see what we're doing now the sun's shining but when it was rocky and stuff like that as you said you you know it was very difficult so big up the club for sticking to their guns and actually especially with the youth project and we're one of the best teams in the world in my opinion we're not their best we've got to go and show that by winning Premier League trophies and things like that but yeah and that brings me on to my next thing actually how do you feel about the Premier League and the Champions League do you feel we really have a chance of winning that do you think we're more likely to win the Champs or the Prem and I'd also say on top of that would it be a failure if we didn't win either I'm not ready to say I think it's a total failure if we fail to win both this year I think if we don't see a major trophy in the next you know from now till two or three years from now it will be just because of we've seen the level of this team and what they're capable of it's hard to say that it's not a disappointment if over time they don't come away with some sort of major silverware and I'm always torn the Premier League being so close last year that I think they got a taste of it and falling short I think that experience and failure builds a lot of character and they know what to expect they know the pressure they're going to feel as we get down to these last you know handful of games this season so I think that's a big assist for us in the Premier League but I'm always of the view that I think the Champions League is easier to win because you have to play well for less games you know and depending on where the where the draw falls which obviously hasn't been favorable we're on the wow yeah the right side of that bracket is pretty heavily weighted right now so you know if we get past Bayern you know there's no easy game out there for us the easiest game we would have is the Champions League final which is something you rarely say we're going to get one of those teams in London if it comes down so I like our chances there so just kind of the way that stuff fell if we make it to the final I love our chances and the Premier League as well yeah I mean Arteta's never lost there right what's yeah I'd love to see that number grow over the next few years amen but it's kind of a split because I always think the UCL's neither is easy but I think it's easier because it's easy to out play Manchester City over two legs and it is over 38 games in the Premier League yeah I mean they're just relentless they're the defending treble winners for a reason and as you said when we kicked off the show you're to the point where you feel every game's a cup final and I couldn't agree more because a one-point lead over them doesn't matter at the end of the year because they proved it last year they can win them all so you've got to go into every game expecting that they're going to win them all so there's being on top is nice but there's zero margin for error now the first game back is going to be a major factor it doesn't mind me man it's hard to say it decides the league but it certainly is a massive shift in dynamics if one team wins loses now if it comes away as a things are still kind of in a in an even playing field if we go there and win and take a four-point lead over city massive with the games we have left making me dream man but we go in there to the eddy head where as a difficult spot to win obviously and you lose to them and we're two points behind with you know 11 games left when they may give you zero points you know they have the ability to just shut everybody's lights out so it's it's a difficult proposition but I'm happy that we've got a lot of guys right now chilling relaxing getting healthy getting ready to go because that's going to be the fever pitch moment of the season at least at this point it's going to be in an all-time high when we go to the eddy head and this year you know we got them in the community shield we got them at the emirates so half of me says we've got our team we have the confidence that our guys can go there and beat them the other side of me that's always kind of fearful says if there's any team in the world that's tough to beat three times in a row it would be them three in a row to the same team very often so we've got a task in front of us but we got a group that I think is going to be up for it I mean it's a difficult one where the prem and champs are concerned because a lot of people rightly so echo your point about the champions league and stuff like that and I don't think you're wrong I think there's every logic I think if anything Mikel Arteta has shown that we can do things in the cup in the prem we haven't got over the line yet and as you know it's just about turning up on the day really and truly and you have seen teams not necessarily dominate their domestic leagues do quite well in the champs but I just feel we're a bit like Manchester City in a sense of it feels like we need to kind of dominate our homeland first before we start going to neighboring countries and doing things like that I just I don't know man I really don't know I think we've got I think like you said you made a great point in that you know last year's experience of negatives and positives helps us obviously in theory you've got more premier league games than you do champions league so I do have faith in that and our players coming back and the players that are there in fitness the champions league scares me because obviously Bayern Munich's a tough task in itself and you're rewarded with an even better game against Real Madrid or City I don't know how you'd feel but I don't know which one I would rather on one hand I'd rather City because it's better the devil you know than the devil you don't Real Madrid have the champions league heritage and Real Madrid are literally a team you could be winning 2-0 in the 90th minute you blink somehow it's 3-2 they're just something in the air with Real Madrid so I'm not sure man I'm really not man I'm really not who would you rather have between the two for argument's sake I'm gonna lean towards Real Madrid it's there's not a there's not a good choice you don't want to have to play either one of these teams my choice would be on the other side of the of the bracket but if you have to get one I'm gonna say Real Madrid only because right now I think City is still a little bit better they're the defending treble winners and we know Real Madrid's history we know that they can go and win a champions league but right now I think City is the better of the two squads they're a more complete team top to bottom so I'd like our chances slightly more and I also don't want to get in a situation where we lose the league to City and then they knock us out of champions league too because we've done so much work over the last three years to close that gap and put ourselves at their level or in the conversation of being in their level I think it would be a massive blow to Arsenal the fans everybody if if they knocked us out of two competitions or the competition in the league title would be pretty devastating for as well as the teams played the whole season I think you're bang on the money and how do you obviously you're not Pep Guardiola and a bit of a left field question but how do you feel Pep must feel seeing like your protege or your good friend Mikel Arteta who was working with you at City you know really and truly be at your neck like really and truly essentially yeah I mean it's got to be an odd place for him because one you have to be proud that one of your protégés is seeing the success he's seen but also you got to be a little fearful that you look over across England and say he's coming and he's got a squad with him that's capable as he's shown of beating your team so it's an interesting one because you know they're good friends and I liked earlier and I think it was this season someone was asking Pep about Mikl Arteta and they said do you feel like you created a monster in him and Pep immediately said no he's always been so perhaps known for years what he had in Arteta and I think that's why he was a valued member of the staff but at some point you know he sees his aspirations he knows he wants to go out and be a manager he's on wings yeah and he's gonna and he's gonna encourage him to do that because you don't spend that much time with someone that many years of being successful and building things together and working with players together without becoming pretty close and pretty good friends so I think on a professional standpoint he's worried that you know this is a guy who could get in the way of him achieving a lot of his goals but also you've got to have a little bit of sense of pride in your close friend that's you know potentially going to achieve their dreams and reach new heights so it's an interesting one I think no matter what happens it's bittersweet for both guys the way the season ends you know if if you were a just a a good-hearted person that wanted people to be happy you'd probably look at it and say well I hope they both they split and they both win one we're not those people we obviously huge dynamic swing in momentum that now we're the team to be sought after but yeah it's got to be an interesting one for Pep and yeah he's got to be kind of split down the middle but he's got to be a little bit proud of what his protege has achieved because I think a lot of people look at Arteta's success and still want to attribute a good bit of that to Pep and I think you're bang on the money and I look back to when Arteta took the job in fact the year before or maybe two years before my clock's a bit off but I remember Emre was linked Arteta was linked and Arteta turned the job down first of all and then he's taking it a year or two later and I always wonder why I would love to speak to him and say why did you turn it down did you think it was the right time I do think whether Mikel Arteta is a success in terms of trophies or not he can look back with a sense of pride because at the end of the day for an inexperienced it's like not being able to swim and jumping in the ocean really and really not the best of examples not exactly smart to do but it's crazy what he's done so I think it's only going to get better for him whether he's a successor at Arsenal or not or he goes elsewhere I don't quite I do think he's gonna be here for a long time but I think the days of Sir Alex Ferguson and Wenger are gone I think when Klopp and Pep are gone I think that will be a dynamic change in the Premier League so we'll have to see my last question for you though a bit of a difficult one who would you give over no sorry who would you give player of the season to and under performer of the season to player of the season I love that we're in a spot I think you could make a legitimate argument for a handful of guys because the squad's been that good if I had to pick one right now I'm gonna take Declan Rice but but I'll tell you why and it's not just the on-field stuff the leadership the ability and all of that I look at what the team would look like if we didn't have him and going back to this past summer it wasn't he's either coming to Arsenal or he's going to Germany or going to Spain it was Manchester City that was in on him so if you not just take him off of Arsenal but add him to Man City and they're rolling out Rodri, Rice, De Bruyne on midfield you're talking about one of the the best ever in terms of talent so it's just such a massive shift I would almost liken it to I don't know if you watched the Manchester City all or nothing when that came out a couple years ago but there was an episode in there where they're talking about making a bid for Virgil van Dijk and trying to bring him into City now you know looking back now you would say if they got that deal across the line Liverpool likely doesn't win their Champions League likely doesn't win their Premier League and it's just a giant shift in the results we've seen Declan Rice has the the opportunity to have that same impact for Arsenal if we go on to win a major trophy this year it's hard to not see those parallels and say we beat them out for a player and immediately saw the the fruits of that labor we put in to get him here so all of that along with all the stuff that everybody already knows he's an unbelievable player he's a leader all of that stuff that goes that we all love him for I think the alternative look of what life would be like without him and what that would mean for the league it's just such a shift that I would lean towards him as the most important and most impactful but you know if you wanted Gabriel Saliba, Odegaard, Saka you could argue me into a lot of different directions because the squad's been so so good from top to bottom. I think I'm with you with that man I think it's hard to look past Declan Rice of course he's in a good way he's a shiny new toy but he's just in the night the biggest praise I could give him is I knew you was good but I didn't know you were this good maybe it's because you're showing a different light at Arsenal versus how you play at West Ham. I'm gonna try and not go with Declan Rice I could say Saka like you said I think Odegaard's finally getting explored it's after what some fans would say a slow start but I'd probably do you know what I'd give it I think it's a tie for me I'd give it to Benjamin White or Gabriel because just because it's no disrespect to Saka or Declan Rice but I think when you've been signed for 105 million when you're a goal scorer like Saka it's quote-unquote easy to get the headlines and I just feel defense defenses win titles and as you said earlier I think people haven't always been convinced on Gabriel and actually Benjamin White and they're central to the plans. I'm gonna give it Gabriel I'm gonna give it Gabriel I'm gonna give it Gabriel for me who would you say is underperformer? Yeah see first of all I'd say I'd love that because I said earlier I thought he's the most underappreciated player in the league so I'm glad you're at least one of the people giving him his flowers. As far as underperformer it's tough to pick one out because the level's been so high. I don't want to say Ramsdale because he's had so little opportunity that it's not really a fair measure so if I had to pick one to be honest I would say Jay Zeus and a lot of it's just based on you know the old saying the best ability sometimes is availability and he just hasn't been there. I think if he was healthy for you know 30 games this year the level would be higher than it is because he's that good of a player but just him being missing you know I put Thomas Party in that same category you alluded to earlier. I know people are down on him and you know should he get back in the lineup if he's healthy? Yes if he's healthy he should be back in the lineup. Yeah I mean he's a world-class talent at that position so even if you know he's likely leaving in the summer which is a potential it doesn't matter we're going into Wembley for a He's my guy. I'm riding with a healthy Thomas Party all day long. And Ryerson Odegaard would be crazy. That's a Champions League winning midfield. Yeah no one's getting any change in midfield. Yeah so I mean I see a lot of talk of does he deserve to come back in and for me the answer is yes he's just too good to not have in your lineup but I put him and Jay Zeus in the if you want to call it disappointing but a lot of it's just based on availability not really poor play. Like you said there I feel it's a bit harsh for me. I would I was thinking Gabriel Jesus because like you said if you're not available it's kind of irrelevant. I feel harsh saying that because I look at the game against United earlier in the year. I look at the great game he put in against City where yeah he didn't score and get headlines but City at the Emirates he really put in a lot of work. I wasn't actually thinking Thomas Party but I can't go against that because the man hasn't been there. But I would say Martinelli and it's and it's just mainly because I love the guy and you introduced me to a different sort of vibe last year with the goals you got. I do think a byproduct of him not scoring is you know the the problems quote unquote in the left eight. We haven't really had a consistent left back and there's been a void with Xhaka but to some degree he has to shoulder that blame. Just because of the high expectations I'd probably go with the two Brazilians. Let us know where we can find you man. It's been a fantastic chat. Yeah I'm glad we could finally put it together. I look forward to doing it again sometime hopefully soon. Yeah you can find me over the Gooners pod and you can find me on Twitter it's at JC underscore AFC. Yeah you have it and every bit of his information being the display display sorry I'm so excited I'm not saying the wrong things in the description people. So yeah give a fellow Gooner some support check out the podcast and appreciative of you doing this man. I know it's late on my end and I know it's early in America so I appreciate you for getting this done and we it's happy that we finally got it done man and hopefully we can do this again bro man it's been a fantastic chat I'm very appreciative of you doing this man. Yeah it's been a pleasure I look forward to doing it anytime our schedules allow I'd love to get back on with you anytime we can. Definitely gonna be chopping it up with you man but yeah take care of yourself my guy again people comment like subscribe follow the platform support the Gooners and let us know your thoughts because I'm pretty sure you agree or disagree and again thought we'd be boring if we all felt the same way so let us know your thoughts but until then peace out peace.