Arseblog - The Arsecasts, Arsenal Podcasts

On this week's show we look back at the disastrous 2-1 defeat to Watford on Saturday evening. The performance, the team, the tactics, and the all too familiar feeling of Arsenal throwing away a game they should have won. We chat about the manager, why something has to change at the club but why nothing probably will, the part Kroenke and Gazidis play in this current Arsenal – before we answer questions about Granit Xhaka, the lack of goals from midfield, what are the values of Arsenal and lots more.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On this week's show I chat with Amy Lawrence about the upcoming documentary '89' which, unsurprisingly, tells the epic story of Arsenal's title win in the 88-89 season. Needing to go to Anfield and win by two clear goals, Michael Thomas's last gasp winner has become an unforgettable piece of Arsenal history. Amy and I chat about the season itself, the making of the film, and more, before chatting more generally about the pressures football puts on players and fans these days – in particular the prospect of Christmas Eve football. There's also Steve McMahon's 1-minute finger.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this Interlull edition of the show we discuss the injury to Shkodran Mustafi, potential problems at centre-half, Alex Iwobi's big international goal, and the rumours involving a return to London for Marc Overmars. We answer listener questions about our goalkeeping situation, whether we should sell Ozil and Sanchez in January, Jens Lehmann, Dublin sightings by Angela Lansbury, buying in January and lots more.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It may be an Interlull but we've still got a podcast for you today, and in the wake of Arsenal's financial results being released last week, I chat with Kieron O'Connor (@SwissRamble), about a healthy profit, cash in the bank, how we still lag behind the others in terms of commercial revenue, the challenges of improving that in a season when we're in the Europa League, potential transfer funds and lots more. We also touch on the current situation involving Stan Kroenke and Alisher Usmanov, and what the future might hold there.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On this week's show, after we deal with lawnmower problems, we discuss the 2-0 win over Brighton, goals for Nacho Monreal and Alex Iwobi, a sizzling assist from Alexis, another clean sheet, and a team which, while not currently scintillating, is heading in the right direction – up the table. We then answer listener questions about the style of football we're playing this season, Alexandre Lacazette being substituted, how the manager might deal with Mesut Ozil this season, whether taking a selfie inside a football ground is the crime against humanity so many seem to think it is, there's an interruption from a very loud dog and lots more.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On this week's show we look back at the 4-2 win over BATE Borisov in the Europa League. Two goals for Theo Walcott, a first goal for Rob Holding, and Olivier Giroud becomes a centurion with his 100th Arsenal strike. There were some promising youngsters in the team, we look at their performances, and what was a fun night as we continue our new European adventures. I'm joined by The Man from East Lower to discuss all that, as well as the prospect of Christmas Eve football, before taking a look at Sunday's Premier League clash against Brighton with Steve Bailey, chief football writer for Sussex Newspapers who gives us all the low-down on the Seagulls and what we can expect from them.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On this week's show we look back at the 2-0 win over West Brom, and how Shkodran Mustafi's sliding made Tony Pulis so very, very angry. We discuss the two goals for Alexandre Lacazette, Ramsey in a more advanced role, another clean sheet, and the fact that Tony Pulis was so very, very angry. Then we answer listener questions about Alexis Sanchez's attitude, Mohamed Elneny's performance, the need for quicker thinking, empty seats, lessons being learned, and how eating chicken Kiev every day for a year somehow taints your view of chicken Kiev.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this week's show I do my best to keep discussion of Doncaster and West Brom to an absolute minimum, so instead I talk to Rory Smith of the New York Times about a very interesting piece he wrote about Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan, and his recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament injury. As Arsenal fans we have plenty of experience of injuries, and we expand the conversation to talk about players who are injured, either long-term or with frequency, and what they have to go through during their rehabilitation. Loneliness, self-doubt, pain, discomfort, and the range of opinion when it comes to how they're viewed by fans. We chat about the club's role in their recovery, the mental and physical impacts of injury and lots more.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge was a big improvement on the last away day at Anfield, but is it something to get excited about or more a case of lowered expectations? We discuss that, the team selection, the performance, the chances we had to win the game, and the things that pleased us most about the Arsenal display on Sunday. We then answer listener questions about the absence of Mesut Ozil, Shkodran Mustafi's role in the back three, a positive display for Alex Iwobi, some crisp related madness and lots more.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On this week's show I have three guests to discuss our Europa League debut, in terms of what happened on and off the pitch. First up James from Gunnerblog gives us his press box perspective on the pre-gqme shenanigans, then I chat to Cologne based journalist Archie Rhind-Tutt about things from the German perspective, how big a game this was for them as a club, and more. After that Amy Lawrence joins me to discuss the night's events in full, the performance, the formation, and we look ahead to the Chelsea game on Sunday. There's not a lot of the usual waffle, but I blame UEFA for that.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Arsenal are back and so is James, and in this episode we discuss the 3-0 win over Bournemouth at the weekend. We look at Danny Welbeck's performance, the Lacazette influence, the reception awarded to Alexis Sanchez, and what was a much more positive display overall. After that we answer listener questions about the departure of Dick Law and what it might mean for our transfer activity, how we might rotate the squad for the Europa League game this Thursday, what our options are for right wing-back, a possible return for Calum Chambers, and lots more.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

With me on this week's show, to look back at the transfer window in general, the culture of transfers and misinformation, the potential changes to it and lots more, is Daniel Storey from Football 365. We chat about the potential impact of the window closing before the season starts, how clubs will react, if it will change the way they operate, and look at Arsenal's start to the season. After that I'm joined by Michael Cox from Zonal Marking to discuss Arsenal's back three, and the potential return of the manager to a back four, something he's much more comfortable with. Who will be the winners and losers of the formation change, and how can Arsene Wenger fix that midfield issue.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

With me to discuss what has been a very interesting summer for Arsenal is the BBC's David Ornstein. No doubt many of you saw his summary of our off-season, so I chat to him about the deals that happened and how they happened; the deals that didn't go down; why Arsenal seem to make such hard work of transfer business; the deadline day flip-flop on Alexis, the sale of the Ox, Lucas Perez's anger, Arsene Wenger, Ivan Gazidis, Stan Kroenke, and lots lots lots more.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

With me in this episode to discuss the Arsenal youth system is Jeorge Bird. Jeorge's long running blog is the definitive source for news and info about Arsenal youth, and he also writes a weekly column for Arseblog News. We chat about how things have been going in recent times at academy level, from the departure of Andries Jonker to the appointment of Per Mertesacker, the change in the recruitment policy, young prospects leaving to go abroad, which young players we should be keeping an eye on, and lots more.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The transfer window is now closed, what we have we hold, and what we did on deadline day wasn't that inspiring. In fact, it's a summer in which it feels we've failed to really invest properly in the squad. As a club we've ended up £30m in profit during the window, and as they say £30m in the bank is not going to score you many goals during the season. With me to discuss the transfer deadline day action, the summer in general, our state of affairs, and where we go from here are Andrew Allen, The Man from East Lower, Tayo Popoola, and Elliot Smith. This was recorded immediately after the window closing last night, so we look at the squad, Oxlade-Chamberlain leaving, Alexis staying, investment or lack of, issues of balance, the manager, the board, and and lots more.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode I chat to James Montague, author of a new book entitled: The Billionaires Club – The Unstoppable Rise of Football's Super-rich Owners. James writes about the increasing influence of extremely wealthy owners of football clubs, primarily in the Premier League, but across football in general too. What effect is it having on the game? What might it mean for football in the future? And with most of Arsenal's shares owned by Stan Kroenke and Alisher Usmanov, there's a real Arsenal perspective in this too.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On this week's show we look back at disastrous 4-0 hammering at Anfield on Sunday, the team selection, the lack of effort, the insipid performance, and why just three games into the season we're already in a horrendous situation. We chat about the manager's role, why there should be more focus on Stan Kroenke, a spineless board, potential transfers and lots more. There are questions about where we go from here, and how we get there, defending, mysterious behind the scenes influences and mots more.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this week's show we get a Mugsmasher perspective on their summer, their transfer business, what needs to be done with their squad, their hopes for the season and more as I'm joined by Neil Atkinson from The Anfield Wrap. Some of it sounds very familiar, to be fair. The actual Mugsmasher is on holiday. Then I chat with Tim Stillman about goings-on at Arsenal, touching on team balance, the Oxlade-Chamberlain situation, Arsene Wenger's strange Shkodran Mustafi comments, why it feels like things are not right behind the scenes, transfer plans and expectations, and the Liverpool game of course. There's a chunk of the usual waffle in there too, and some Holy God FM at the end.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On this week's show we look back at the 1-0 defeat to Stoke, and try to make some sense of Arsene Wenger's team selection and substitutions. We also discuss the manager's lack of faith in so many of his defenders, our inability to turn our possession into goals, poor refereeing, and the overall balance of the team. We then answer listener questions about putting the ball out of play, dropping Rob Holding, how much money we've spent so far this summer and whether it's enough to make this team challengers, the nature of time and existence itself, and lots more.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This podcast was recorded yesterday evening, as news of the horrible attack in Barcelona came through, and given my connection with the place it was very much on my mind, so the first 10 minutes of this show are a bit introspective. If you don't want to hear that this morning, and I can understand why many wouldn't, just skip forward to 9'55 where the rest of the show features a long chat with Philippe Auclair. We chat about Olivier Giroud and his decision to stay, as well as new boy Alexandre Lacazette. We ask if the back three is actually making us defensively more secure, before moving onto the situations of Alexis, Ozil and Oxlade-Chamberlain, before discussing the transfer market, our need for a certain player and to move some others on.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.