Arsenal Fan Show: BRING ON REAL MADRID! | Player of the season so far?

I guess that's right, back charging definitely. People deluded, I'm back again. Come on Ian. And as Ian Wright said there, people deluded, I'm back again. Personally, wow, I love what we've been doing this season and definitely the result yesterday. I'm tired of offering my opinions. So I've got three opinions I rate very highly on the show. So yeah, man, what you like to say, man? Let's talk Arsenal. Let's talk everything, man. How you lot moving? Don't be shy, man. We're good, innit? Look at everyone smiling. It's been a good 24 hours still. I think we've all had the highs of the penalty shootout. So yeah, I'm still riding off of that one. Let's jump straight into it then, man. What did you lot make of the Porto game? Take the floor, lads. Don't be shy. Bit there, bit there. You know what it is? I feel like everyone expecting fives and sixes, but let's be realistic. Europe's a different story. And we saw in the first leg what Porto were capable of. And they're a decent team. A lot of people, because it's Arsenal, just Porto, you should knock them out. It's Arsenal, we deal with that. They weren't saying that after the first leg, though. You know what I'm saying? There were a couple of good performances. That Wendell had Saka unlocked, I will say. I didn't see it. I was a bit concerned with all that. But listen, that goal before half-time, I think people underestimated what that meant. Had we gone into half-time 0-0, I think that game was completely different. I feel like they've gone in half-time, and suddenly their team took a change. They kind of thought, OK, cool. How are Arsenal going to play it now? And everyone's expecting Arsenal to go and score 2-3-4. But 1-0 is a dangerous scoreline. We're already 1-0 down. So had we gone forward, we saw the chance that I think Constantin Salah had. That's when the nerves started coming, because one goal, we're out. So I think Arsenal were kind of a bit like, all right, cool, let's just chill. Take it easy. Extra time, they tried, but it went to fence. Listen, main thing is we're through, bro. The performance is irrelevant. Before the start of the season, me first, I want a quarterfinal minimum. We're here. Let's enjoy. Forget what these fans are saying. We need to be like you, DG. Man come, pop off and sing. You know what? Let's celebrate. No, but it's true. Let's enjoy it. Let's celebrate. Don't let no one tell us about, oh, you've just quartered. No, we're through. We're in the quarterfinals, man. Anything can happen now. Main business is 14 years, man. No, I want to agree on that, you know, because obviously we can pick apart the performance. We should have done this. We could have went that way. But the positive are in 14 years, we're in the knockout stage of the Champions League. I think that was our sixth attempt at a knockout game in the Champions League. And we finally got it. We finally nailed it. We got a win. And the biggest positive for me, we have a goalkeeper that can save penalties. We've got a keeper who's a handyman, a legit handyman. Of course, we've seen Ramsdell in many shootouts. I don't know. He's a good shot stopper, but when it comes to penalties, he just couldn't get it done. But Rea there, he saved two penalties. He got his fingers to the third one. That's a good sign. You know, a good keeper can be the difference between winning the Champions League and winning the cup game. And that right there, we've got it. Our four penalty takers, Havertz, Rice, Odekard, Sakhar, on point. Sakhar's penalty was wavy, man. It's the least he could have done yesterday. So I'm going to take that positive. I'm going to take that positive that we've got a keeper. We got through the game. On to the next one. We're going to learn from there. I thought some of the players had a bit of nerves because of the occasion, but you know, next time, I feel we'll be even better than that. Fair enough, fair enough. Monk, what's your thoughts, Monk? I like Rea doing it. In Champions League, like you were saying earlier, it's a different game. And for me, it was good to see we could play and win differently. Win the hard way, you know what I'm saying? Because we're going to come against teams further on in the comp that is going to be a lot more closer. And those definitive moments, penalties, keeping a cool head, Trossard with the goal, like those are the small margins that win you stuff, win silverware, you know what I'm saying? Yeah, I was impressed. I was impressed. Because we've got a lot of PTSD from the past, right? Oh, yeah. Last season, you said that at the Emirates, man. When we got to penalties, I know everybody felt the same way, isn't it? This is where it goes wrong, the soft underbelly again. It's a lottery essentially when it gets to penalties, man. But we've got to have a lot more faith in the team we've got, man, because they've showed us time after time. It's different, you know what I mean? Yeah, positive stuff, man. Really enjoyed it. So how bullish are you lot on our Champions League prospects then? Obviously, we're into the quarters. We don't know who we're going to get until Friday. What, can we go all the way, lads? Or what? Give me Raul. Give me Raul, man. Yeah? Give me Raul. I was saying Barca. I don't know about Yeezy Park, but at this stage, no one's easy, right? I think we perform better against teams that really want to come out and do something. So I feel like, let's look at Ramadan this season. All right, they've got experience, and it feels better than playing amazing. DJ's looking at me like, what, are you mad? Yeah, no, man. It's Real Madrid. I hear it, but it's Real Madrid, bro. I'm not saying this, but this is what you know Champions League for. These are the games we want. Like, you know, we had the group of Lyons and all. I don't want Sevilla and them lot. That's why I was so angry if I'd been affected when I was at the quarter, because I want these big games. And come on, I don't know which one of us is going to go to Emirates, but the experience, you're going to watch Real Madrid versus Arsenal, Reis versus Mourinho, versus Modric, and we want to see this young team we have against these. These are the benchmark teams that we want to play against. You know what I mean? So you want to see the midfield bat walk right up against Kroos and Modric with Valverde. I can't lie, this is scary. This is just scaring me, man. I hear you, you're right, but I'm just getting shook. I hear you. You're getting scared, but I'm excited by it. I'm excited and shook. It's just like Real Madrid. Nah, nah, bro. Nah. What, Saliba and Gabriel come up against Vinicius. I can't remember who else they played against. I can't lie, Saliba looked nervous yesterday, but it's cool, man. Yeah, yeah, the occasion. Everyone has an off day in that, yeah, but listen. But I think it's one of them where I'm excited by that. I don't want City. I'm going to say it clear. I don't want City. I don't want all English trying to put a final at all, and I want to see them get a hard time. Yeah, I want Real Madrid. If you want some easier, I think Barcelona we could beat. I think they've got decent players. You get revenge for 2006, man, I'm on that. Of course, revenge. Yeah, that's who I want. But I don't think there's anyone to fear apart from maybe Man City. Inter are a tricky one. I think Inter have got a lot better over the last couple of years. Inter away is not easy, man. Yeah, Inter, he's done a great job there. After yesterday, of course, we're going to rise on a high that we've made it through, we can compete at this level. But before we get to the Real Madrid, before we get to the Munichs, I would want another test, maybe an Athletico, maybe a Barcelona. I don't want that. Just to get that good performance under our belt, that solid performance, and then we go to the big quiz. I tell you what. Are we ready for Real Madrid just yet? Not Athletico. That's what I'm talking about. Just before we go to the big, big, big boys, I think we need an interim step just before we can say it. I hear that. I'm with that. You know what? I wouldn't want to waste the next stage on a dead team. I would want to play someone. There are no dead teams in this round of the Champions League. No, but you get what I mean. Compared to Real, Bayern Munich, those teams also, they're going to come out to play us. They're going to come and play us. They're not going to do the low-block thing. They have to be honourable. You know what I mean? Show attacking flair and all of that because their fans want it. Whereas these other deader teams, they will play the low-block. They're going to come for it. Borussia are going to come to it. They're not going to fall back. Barca will come at us. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. I'm with you. It's a good middle step before the Madrid. And also, I hear what you said about Real Madrid in the later stages, but do you really want that team when it comes to the final? We know Real Madrid in the finals and semifinals. As the later stages, no matter what form they're in, we saw against Liverpool winning 1-0. We saw Liverpool had a great team. You kind of want to get these teams now. Just catch them cold, should I say. You know what I'm trying to say? It could work reverse as well. You know what I mean? I don't know about catching them cold. It's legit, man. But I hear it. If we get Real Madrid and we dup you them, yeah? Then the confidence is just sky high. We can take anybody. Big if. You know what I mean? Big if. You're right. It'll be a repeat. It'll be a repeat of 2006 when we beat Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. Then we went on to the final to face Barcelona. So, you know, history can repeat itself. We did it before. The quarters, we could do it again. You know what? I'll lie to you. You know what, EG, your question for you, who do you really fear, though, in the next round? Because we're saying these things. EG's laughing, man. I see everyone. Everyone's here because they earned the right, man. And as you know, the champs, it's on your day, man. For me, it comes down to the fine margins because really and truly, we should have gone into the second leg, sorry, nil-nil. But fortunately, we got over and done with, man. I think what's been the case this season for us in the champs and in the premiers, when we've lost, there's been a handful of times where we haven't actually played that bad. You know what? Fulham away was terrible. West Ham in the League Cup was terrible. Other than that, we shot ourselves in the foot. And I still, I'm happy that we went through, but I still think we've got a bit of that naivety. That's why I feel, I hear the comments about the entering steps. But then I also hear what you, man, are saying that in theory, you play these better teams, you get through, then it's all gravy, man. And for me, it is what it is. I'm scared of everyone. It's the Champions League. The later you go on in the tournament, the more difficult the ties get, man. So I don't know. And also, we don't know what the climate's going to look like. We don't know who's going to get injured. We don't know, you know, a couple of good performances or bad performances could be with us. I don't think we need to just calm down, man. I think we've got to be easy and we're going to need Starboy to stand up to be counted if that's the case, man. I'm shook, but I'm excited as well. So I hear that. I'm shook, but I'm excited and I think we can beat anyone on our day. I do want Barcelona, though. I can't lie. Barcelona, Bayern Munich, I want them because I think they could be good. I even think PSG could be good at killing Mbappe or not. I don't want to play City, don't want to play Inter, don't really want to play Real Madrid because they've got that. But you can't avoid everyone and we know on Friday we're going to get the toughest test. City are going to get the shittiest team. We're going to get the most difficult one. We've seen this football script before, man. In my opinion. Who are the other two teams to go through? I think PSG, Dortmund tonight. Yeah. Inter Milan. Inter. Atletico. Do you know, I love the idea of PSG though because after we saw Newcastle had them up at St. James's. They could get done at the Emirates. I can't lie. Yeah, exactly. They can get done at St. James's. We can do the same. But it's nervy away from home though, man. For me, it's the away legs, man. And it's like the Porto game for me. I actually think their game plan didn't work because they went out. But they kind of stifled us, man. You know, the ball wasn't in play that much. Obviously, we couldn't play that free-flowing football. Obviously, we made it happen, innit? But that's now the test for the boys because generally in the Champions League, apart from Lonz away, nobody's really tried to stifle us. Everyone's tried to play us off the park and obviously, that's not going to end well, man. So, I don't know, man. I don't know. To be fair with Porto, it was literally the last 30 seconds. We held out. We held out all the way to 93 minutes and a half. It was the last 30 seconds. Like, you could say it was a pretty successful game plan but of course, the scorelines can tell the story. But it was 30 seconds off from working so it wasn't that bad. It wasn't that bad. Yeah, but remember, we gave the ball away three times in quick succession before that back-off. These are the five margins that go for or against you in the Champs and it's only going to get worse, bro. I ain't trying to raid on our parade. It's just, I've seen what it takes to win the Champs, man. So, DG, who would you realistically want to play next then? Yeah, PSV, man. PSV, Dortmund, one of them kind of teams there. Let's just keep it moving. Let's just go through and keep it moving quickly, man. I don't mind playing Real Madrid and that but you naturally want to avoid these teams. I have a feeling we're going to draw City personally, man. It's just written in the script. Can we even draw them? Yeah, we can now. So, yeah, yeah. I think we're getting City personally, man. I think the football gods are just going to write that one but I don't know, man. Are you a lot more confident on the Prem or the Champs? The Champs. Because allegedly we're top of the table. I don't look at the league table. I don't know. I think Champs for me. I still feel, you know, we are top but I look at the league table and I've been looking at the pictures. I keep going over them and there's certain pictures that still concern me as an Arsenal fan. I'm sure you guys are the same, like. Such as? Still topping them away. United away. 100%. We don't travel without them. The biggest one for me, Man Utd. I don't care what anyone says about their football. Old Trafford does something with Arsenal. I don't know what it is and I look at that and I think right and away they're a bit off at the moment. I think we can handle that. Villa at home. But yeah, the Man Utd and Tottenham away. Big, big concern for me. If we beat City then I won't be as I think the confidence we get from that will go on, whatever. But Man Utd away, big. I hear that. That's where it's at for me, man. I think if we beat Man City, Liverpool and Man City both can drop points. We've all got to play Tottenham. Tottenham are notoriously good at playing Man City. Yeah, unfortunately. Liverpool can drop points against a team like the Wolves or someone like you know what I mean. Their fixtures, sorry, Liverpool's are probably the most favourable of everyone's though, man. They are. Do you think? I don't know. Slightly. What, they got Spurs at Anfield? Anyone they got at Anfield, I think they'll get it done, man. Even though it seems like we're getting to that point of the season where it's just about getting results. City have had a couple where they've got last-minute winners. Liverpool got one against Burnley. They weren't quite last-minute but we found it against Brentford. I'm nervous, man, because it's just a shoot-out now. 28 games played, 10 games left. We do our job. We've ended the hoodoo. It's easier said than done. I think City have got easier fixtures. You look at United and Liverpool, they've still got Fulham away, Everton away, United away. I think they've got Palace, that's where my hopes are for Liverpool. Palace away, West Ham away, Villa away. I still think it's these away games. They're the tricky ones, man. Yeah, but they're getting their players back now, man. Salah's back. Trent's apparently coming back. They're getting their guys back. Still, I don't know. I think it's tricky. You've got to remember, these teams are still going for things as well. True. You know what I mean? You could go play Villa now and Villa have got a beat. What's the second from last game of the season? They've got a win to get. Yeah, but this is when Emery starts bottling, man, as you saw against Spurs. This is when Emery shows himself. We've seen it before. We've lived it. We've lived it with Emery. Exactly, man. I think that's it. I think it's a wrap. I think they beat us. They're on that run from there, I think. Look, the one thing with Liverpool that I'm not sure on is that from about November, they've had that luck. They've had that last-minute goal, turn it around. And I've been saying since November, it's going to run out. It's going to run out. Now we're in March and I'm still waiting for it to run out. So any time now, any week now, they're just not going to get that position. They can't win Liverpool, though. I'm waiting. You can't luck it the whole season. Come on. How can you? But could they argue Arsenal would do that? How much luck have we had? I think we had our little dip. Yeah, we had our little dip. They would say we've had a favourable... On reflection, I know we beat Liverpool, but people could say we've had a favourable run of recent fixtures. Definitely coming out of December. Obviously, we've had to earn the right to win it. We've done it in dramatic fashion. But West Ham, Burnley have been crap. Palace have been crap. Forest have been crap. Brentford are not the Brentford initially when they came in. So being devil's advocate, people could throw that to Arsenal. Surely. Yeah, but these are fixtures that if you look last season, okay, you know, like you think West Ham away, normally tricky, right? They're missing a quarter. Yeah. Those are games where it's normally a title. We went and just swept the floor with them. That's what I mean. It's how we went about it. You know what I mean? Professional. Could score early, finish them. You know what I mean? Fire drill at half-time. You know what I mean? That's true. Brentford's been the only game this season where you was on the edge of your seat. Like, oh, man. Obviously, other than the only Premier League game you was on your seat, going to the last minute. Oh, this might not go our way. But we still got it done. Liverpool have had that pretty much every other game. Yeah, every week, really and truly. Pretty much. That's interesting. So, what would you... Assume that we don't win the Premier League with the champs. Would you lot say this is a successful season for Arsenal? Got to ask a couple of questions, lads. In certain aspects, yeah. But then, everybody, I think we've all built up as fans for Silverware this year, innit? I think the disappointment of last season, the next step is to win Silverware. So, I think it will be... We will be judged on that. But, if you're looking at how we're playing, the strength for the squad, the bench is looking alright, we've got players coming back. We're in a good way and we've been doing good stuff. But it just depends on the individual and what you think success is at the end of the season. But for me, personally, I need Silverware, innit? Like, this year. You know what I mean? I think we've built up to it naturally. That is the next step in the evolution. If Arteta doesn't deliver this year, would you say Arteta out if he doesn't deliver this year? Nah, nah, nah. Honestly, context is key. If we do a madness, we completely fall off a cliff and, you know, we're not playing free-flowing football and all the positives that all four of us could talk about of Arteta, if they somehow were erased, then yeah. But, for me, it would be a thing where you just have to have a meeting now, Mikel. I'll tell you, you're doing great stuff. It's just about that next step. You've done the rebuild. We're one of the envious teams in European football. Everyone loves what we're doing. It's just, can we take it from here to over there? And maybe next season, if we're saying the same things, then it's got to end, man. Because ultimately, we've got to move towards Silverware. The man himself says it. I wouldn't necessarily, as I said, I wouldn't kill him if he was to not win something this year. But I think with every year that we keep doing this, like last season and this year, at some point, we're going to have to see the fruits of the labour, man. You know what it is with Arteta, though? He does these other little things, like breaking the 14-year curse, beating City when we ain't beaten City in ages, beating Liverpool when we ain't beaten Liverpool in ages. Everton away. These normal games where they just, every year, we're just dead with it. We've managed, he's managed to sort something out. And that, along with transfers, name me a transfer that's gone wrong apart from William. You know what I mean? Most of them have done their bit. Whether that's Tommy Asu, even Kivio now, innit? Kivio was looking like dead food. And now, all of a sudden, he's Charles League material. Yeah, yeah, William was Arteta. William was Arteta, yeah. Yeah. His hit-to-miss ratio is definitely positive. Like, he's definitely got better at that from when he walked in the door. In hindsight, it was probably stop-gap sort of signings, not to alleviate any pressure on him, but you kind of got what you paid for. But as Monk said, you know, the Tommy Asus, the Rises, I know he's injured, but the Timbers, the signings are working out. You know, Kyrgios coming into form at the right time. Nobody has a thing to say about Havertz, Raya. In fact, that's a good one, and I meant to ask you a lot of that. Do you lot think Raya's convinced Arsenal fans now? Yeah. Especially after Ramsdale against Brentford. 100%. I think this will be out on Donny at all. Do you know what it is? I was watching the video again of Ramsdale You can't concentrate. Yeah, yeah. He's real. It is concerning hearing that. He's shocked. You know what I mean? So, there's that hanging over your head, but you can see as it goes on, his confidence is coming. He comes, he claims crosses. That's something Ramsdale don't do. My favourite thing about him still. In terms of playing the ball at the back, Ramsdale's good as well. I give him that. He's alright, but sometimes even some of the shots he saves, I'm like, Raya would have done this a bit better. You know what I mean? I think he brings more confidence to the defence. And you see it. He's a calmer head for sure. You know what I mean? We all play football. When you have a good goalkeeper, you never panic in the back. You know what I mean? You see Arsenal look a lot more assured. Big up to Raya, man. Listen, he's come over and we were a bit sceptical when it happened because it came out the blue as well. You know, I feel with the defence, Gabby and Saliba, I think they feel more confident passing it back to Raya. When you know your goalkeeper's secure, he's going to pass it back to you. You don't hesitate to pass it back. If it's Ramsdale who's a keeper that you're not so sure about, you're going to second-guess passing it back. Oh, what if they make a mistake? What if they can't handle it? And I think that having their minds eased just a bit more with Raya, it makes it a lot more study round back. And especially this week, this week alone, of course, Ramsdale made that howler against Brentford. And then Raya's had that great performance last night. I think unfortunately to say for Ramsdale, this may have been the final chapter this week. Last night just closed it after seeing Raya save one of those penalties like that. Ramsdale, he got us where we are. I think he's a great shot-stopper. I think he's probably even a better shot-stopper on the pitch than Raya. But I think Raya's more composed. He has more confidence in the back line. He's better at penalty shoots. He can claim the ball and he makes less mistakes. And I think that is what will get him through. And he makes decisions quicker than Ramsdale, man. He makes decisions quicker than Ramsdale in the script at times, man. Yeah. And that's what I think has given Raya the edge over Ramsdale. When he first came, I can't lie, his face irritated me, innit? You know what I'm saying? And that's nothing to do with football. That's harsh. No, but that's just how it was. And then he came and he had a few shaky mistakes, yeah? And then you could tell it took him a minute to get up to speed with how we play. Yeah, the speed of play and how we want to play. And now he's seemed like he's relaxed into his role. Settled. And he's showing that confidence I hear that with Raya, man. I think with Raya, with me, as you lot have alluded to, I think, you know, obviously we're not Mikel Arteta, we're just football fans, you know? It didn't look like we needed to keep, obviously, Ramsdale PFA nominations, clean sheets, you know, as Rak said, you know, he got us to this period. But I guess Arteta has to make difficult decisions. And if it's just marginal improvements, then we need to do that. I feel Arteta didn't anticipate the kind of circus and I think he didn't necessarily learn from the Leno or Ramsdale thing when he initially brought in Ramsdale. And I think maybe even Ramsdale's a bit naive because that happened for you, it can happen to you. But I think it was just a circus. What I would say with Raya, though, nobody really, it's disrespectful to Ramsdale, but nobody really cares. It felt at point this season anything Ramsdale or Raya did, you know, Arsenal fans had their camps and were making their decisions. So long may it continue from David Raya, man. I wanted to ask you lot on Kai Havertz then, man. Where we at with Kai Havertz? I think he did well yesterday. He did nothing amazing per se, but he's doing his thing. And I know certain men on the panel will say we don't need the striker. I don't know. I don't know about that, but I just want to hear some thoughts. I think he did well, man. I think he's doing well. He's better than I thought he was. He's better than I seen him at Chelsea, even though he won Champs League with them. He's just a general all-round, he's about it, wins 50-50s, headers, hold up play. He's got a little shot on him, can pass him, can play. He's like a utility man, but he's got different characteristics of players we've had in the past that I can see bits and pieces of different. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, he's been good, man. Some of our fans have said he could be the next Robin Van Persie. Allow it. That's a reach. It's not me. I wouldn't go that far, but no, definitely, Kai Havertz has improved a lot from when he's first come here. Like we've done yesterday, that goal that was disallowed by Odegaard, that was all from Kai Havertz getting around, Pepe causing a disturbance to him and the keeper. Of course, he held onto the shirt, which he shouldn't have done, but yeah, little things like that. He gets into right positions at the right time. Pushed the manager as well, big him up, man. So did you not think that was a foul? Did you not think that was a foul? You're never getting that in Hackney Marshes or something, man. That's not a foul. If that was the other way around, that goal's standing. I'd hate to be the guy doing that, but if that happened against us, that's standing. Look at Newcastle, St. James'. Had his hands all over Gabby's back. They called the goal, but for us, no, no, no, no. It's a foul, so I guess it depends on the referee, depends on the climate, but yeah, he's scoring goals, he's assisting, he's putting up a link-up play. I don't know if you don't realise, but he's got a bit of a mean streak to him. Look how he pushed up the manager yesterday. Look at Newcastle. He's a bit of a bastard. He is, you know. He's got an innocent face, but you know, he's a devil in disguise behind it. That's why Altec said he's a man that he would take to war. I thought he was gassing him up when he said that a couple of months ago, but I get it now. I get it. He's a deviant behind the scenes, but yeah, he's doing all the right things and that £65m price tag right about now seeming like a good buy. I don't think any of us can knock it. So is the jury still out on him then? It's making Altec look like a genius, man. Case closed. Bang the ground running. And I know you've been very passionate about we don't need a striker. Do you still maintain that? Do I still maintain that? Do you know what? Yeah, I still maintain that because we've got about six. Hear me out. It sounds wild. We've got Saka, Martinelli, Jesus, Older Guard, Sakov, Rice. All these guys score goals. All these guys can get at the end. It's Trossard. They can finish. All we need is different creatives in the midfield. We've got Jorginho. We've got Rice. We've got three guys that can finish the ball in. Yeah, I'm kind of with you, man. I'm kind of with you on that. We've been scoring crazy for the last three, four months. Of course, a striker would be great, but I just think it's from the midfield. We switch up the midfield. We switch up the field of play. We need an eight in my opinion. Yeah, an eight. We get another eight. That's it. We've got the finishers. We don't need any more finishers. We just need to supply the finishers that we've got now. That's what I think we need. Yeah, but going back to the earlier months, the last few months of 2023, we were creating, but not putting it in the back of the net. Surely some would argue we need a striker. I'd also say if you sit there in August, who are you betting your life that's going to get a handsome return of goals? For me, it's at this moment in time. I hear what you're saying. We have got goals, but if I had to bet money on someone, it's Saka, because the last two years, last spring, including this, you've done it. The others, if you do it, I won't be surprised. If you don't do it, I won't be surprised because I don't have you down as consistent. I think we need a striker, if not necessarily a striker, another multifunctional attacker, maybe just one more. If you can bring 10, 20 goals to just take them fair play, that should be all. We've got Havertz, and he's got eight goals and three assists in the league so far, so he's kind of filling into that role. He's kind of filling in. Is he going to keep this up, though? Is he going to keep this up? I don't know, is he? Last year, we had six players that had between 10 and 15 goals and assists. This year, we've done the same thing. Who's to say we're not going to do that next season? We might, and then he's trying to learn to do that. He's taking his goal scoring boots off. Havertz has found it off late, fair enough, but he's not really a goal scorer like that. Even though he's scoring, there's a couple chances. I'm not going to get a man for missing chances, but he's not clinical. What if it's the only sacker that I'll bet my life is going to bag them goals, man? I would love for you to be right. I'm not saying I'm right and you're wrong, but because of me, it would be easier, but it's like, I think we need a bagsman, man. I think it will hit different if we get to the latter stages of the Champs or must-win Prem games. Even times where we're playing crap, not that that's been too many times, but if we're playing crap and we've got a bagsman, we can just steal some free points, man. We weren't the best necessarily against Newcastle or against Villa or whatever, but imagine we just had someone that puts the ball in the back of the net. That's like six points on the board and we're laughing even more. I don't look at the league table as I said, but it would look a lot better than it does now. I'm just saying, I think we need a good man or at least a winger, another attacker. I agree, another attacker. Do you think Trossard could be that guy, you don't reckon? I love Trossard, but he's not consistent. There's some games where he's real cold, real, real cold. When he shows up, like when he comes against Liverpool, spam pass Van Dijk, put it in the bottom corner, yo, that's class, but there's other times where he may start and you may not know about him until he gets subbed off. So... Even until he scored, he looked a bit stinky yesterday. Apart from, I think he put in a shift defensively, but he looked a bit stinky yesterday as well. It's techie, man. It's techie, it's techie. Would you say Arsenal are proving the doubt is wrong then? Because we're top of the table allegedly, we're going through to the champs. Are we proving people wrong? Have we proven them wrong? Is this really a new look for Arsenal? Is the jury still out, lads? 100% it's a new look. Definitely it's a new look. You look at the team now, I don't know how many people thought we'd be in this position after what happened last year. I think a lot of people thought last season we'd just be a one-off. You know what I mean? But I knew, and big up Gunnar Ligge, he's always got an agenda, yeah, but you didn't see Ligge's last season. When we were going after Rice, I said, Rice changes everything. And he, you know, certain people... He was on the Caicedo team. Like a lot of people were to be fair. Yeah, a lot of people weren't good, but I just felt like with Rice, he was kind of what we missed the link between the defence and the strikeforce. You look at us last season or season before, we got counter-attacked too many times. You know what I mean? On the break, but now you kind of look at us, when they're on the break, you're like, oh, weapons. You don't even need to see Rice, you just know he's going to deal with it, yeah. And then if you get past him, you've got Gabriel and Saliba. You're taking the corners nowadays, so my bad. But you've still got Saliba and Gabriel, and I just feel like he's just added so much to the team. Obviously, he's still got Barton to come back, Timba, and you're just thinking, when we have that 40-11, the opposition are going to struggle to play us because there's so much going on. Rice is here, Rice is there, where do you play Timba? Right back, left back, Ben White's learning to do this new thing now, Kibdor's doing a job, so it's like, I feel like what Artek was talking about, making it, you remember he said he had 55 different ways of playing and where we all are. Yeah, yeah, he always says bad things, Argar, for sure. But you can see what he means about we can play different ways, and now we have it. Second balls, when we keep the ball up top, he's always there, as you said you saw yesterday, so I think we're in such a great position in the sense of I'll give Artek one more summer because I'm excited to see what you're going to add to what we currently have to take us from this phase four where we are to the next level. And, you know, we talk about striker, we talk about A, we could end up getting both, we don't know. But honestly, I'm so excited for what's coming and I always said quarter finals minimum, that showed progression. Now in the league, if we're to fall off and finish third, fourth, I'll be disappointed. Minimum I'm taking is second. I'm not taking any less than that because that will show me how we are progressing and after the summer we can criticise next year. But we're good, man. We're in a good place. As I said, ignore them Twitter people. You leave people on Twitter when they get out of club, bro. Nah, nah, it's annoying. It's annoying, you know what I mean? We disappointed so many rival fans, man. People were staying up for three, four hours to watch us win on pens, man. It's a good night. Oh, man. Go on, go on, man. What did you lot think of Zinchenko in the game? He gave the ball. Please don't start, man. He gave the ball away so many times, man. Rusty, man. But that's Zinchenko to a T, isn't it? Really and truly. He's a madman. I still back him, though. I can't lie. I still back him. I still think there's a use for him. If Tomi Asu's fit and Timbers fit, I know Zinchenko gives us a lot in midfield but I just feel like what Rax was saying. If we get an eight and we keep doing this creative thing, I don't think we need to keep leveraging the fact of all of Zinchenko's faults. He gives us a lot in the middle. I think it kind of becomes redundant but I still think there's a use for Zinchenko and I don't think Arteta is ever going to play him as a 10 or an eight but I think there's a role for him in this squad, really. Kind of like he was a squad player at City. I don't think he should be a main guy. I think in hindsight, maybe last year he was a bit of a stopgap. He was just the first introduction to this inverted fullback kind of thing because he was available from City and now we're looking for someone that's a bit stronger one-on-one. But I've got time for Zinchenko, man. He's lost his place but I've got time for him, man, personally. I think quite a few players in our squad have lost their place. Of course, Zinchenko, he's going to have to fight for it back because he was doing his thing. Partie, he's got to fight for his place back like crazy because he's not just walking back in the team and even our Jesus. Jesus ain't just walking back because high habits is putting him in a shift so I think quite a few of the old boys are going to have to step up their game because it's not just a case of walking in anymore because your replacements have kind of surpassed you in a sense so they're doing their thing. You can't put them on the bench no more. The team is just in a rich run of form, man. Timba, Timba too, flipping out. He's been out for so long now. When he comes back, he's going to be fighting for two people to get back into his team. Tomi Atu. Yeah. One thing I will say about Jesus is when he got subbed on yesterday, the change was instant. Just the control, the ball could be up in the air and the touch is immaculate. Other people just baggy touches all over the place. We were pressurised into baggy touches. He'll just claim it out there. He nearly bagged. Yeah, two chances. didn't get that knee down. First touch on the ball and then he bagged. So he does, I think he brings another style to play. So I think he'll be a lot easier to win a place back and get more minutes. But the other players you mentioned, yeah, I agree with you still. It's going to take a minute for them to work their way back into the team. Do you think we're ever going to see... Go on, go on. I'll tell you, I think they've been up for so long, like Party, Zinchenko and Timba, they've been up for so long. They've got to get back to match fitness. They've got to get sharp again just before they even start competing with the other guys. Whereas Jesus has only been up a month or so. I was going to ask you, did any of them come back in for City? Because we've got a week or two until we play that. Did any of them come back in? Do you think Mikel Arteta will keep the same team or change? Could he be tempted to put in Tomiasu instead of Kirill? Could Party come in for Jorginho? Could Jesus start either up front or on the left? Did any of them walk back in the team? Not walk back, but did they get back in the team? Was it keeping the same? I would play Jesus. I would do Jesus. Me too, me too. I think the only one I'd bring in is Jesus. I look at the rest and I think, I like this back four thing they've got going and it reminds me of what City done when they meant business and they went all Akanji, Stones, Diaz, Walker. That's the base so I wouldn't change that. Party, listen, I think Jorginho will work against Man City. Man City, you need someone that breaks them lines, gets the ball behind Rodri, quickly, bang, get it through there and I think Jesus, he will kind of occupy the back two. He's a chaos guy, isn't he? Literally, kick the ball up to him. Nah, that's what he does. I feel like he'll make the difference and if you have to, maybe bring Havertz off the bench or stuff like that. It's a shame, but I think Jesus is needed in this type of game. I feel like the speed he's got as well because Havertz is a bit languid in his style and he works against certain teams, but I think against Man City, it's got to be. Look what happened in Emirates game, same thing, brought him on, needed a bit of change, bang, he got the assist. That's a good point. I'd probably start Havertz up front and put Jesus off the left, man, I don't know if Martinelli will be back. I don't think Trossart's been amazing in his last two games. One love for scoring, but yeah, I'm leaning towards Saka, Jesus and Havertz for City. Obviously, it's a long way from now. Wait, you've got confidence in Kiri or away at the Etihad? You can only go by what a man's done in his last few games. Obviously, he's looked on form, the whole team's looked on form. You give me no reason to doubt you as of late, so I'm going to put trust in you. Ben White looks sharp on the right as well. There's no reason to change it. That's why I would say even for Man City, even though he's used to the better player, I would start Havertz just because he's been on stone form, the team's clicking, the team's working, everyone's flowing. You seem to find some kind of rhythm that's getting goals. Why change a winning combination when it's continuing to win? That's also true. And also, another little issue I've got right now, if you look at our bench, how many players did you see on the bench last night that you was like, yeah, cool, let's sub him on because he's going to make an impact? I think Jesus must have been probably the only one. Jesus, probably that. Other than the Jesus and Shinchenko, there ain't no one else who I was looking at on the bench to be like, yeah, you guys are going to change In these Champions League games, when it's the 80th minute, you want to bring someone on to start something up, Jesus, Shinchenko, Tommy, but other than that, there's no one else who's really going to party when he's fit, but that's going to be for maybe another month. There's no one that I'm looking at. There's no one that I'm looking at for experience. So who do you lot think our strongest left back is then? What, if everyone's fit? Yeah. I ain't got no real evidence to go off, but I'm screaming Timber. Yeah. All right, take Timber out of the equation. Tommy. Take Timber out of the equation if it's Tommy. Yeah, yeah, Tommy. I'm more likely to bet on Shinchenko than Kirill, I'm not going to lie, and it's mainly because of my bias to I want to play attacking football. I'm kind of, especially with Dekla Rice, I know Shinchenko's going to go to sleep, but Dekla Rice will be there, but if it's on form, Kirill. Kirill's just a more organic defender, especially because he's not doing this inverted role, it's just a traditional left-back role, so at the Etihad, I hear it, innit? I hear it, I hear it, I hear it. What? I'd rather Tommy Asu against Phil Foden, personally, but Tommy's one of them weird ones, he never looks good straight away after an injury. I find in one of them players that he needs a bit of a run before he really starts doing that Tommy Asu stuff, so I can understand if he's on the bench, and likewise, whether I think Kirill's amazing or not, I can understand if he starts because the team is picking itself, and you know, as you lot have been saying, why change something that isn't broken? I fully agree with that, really. It's techy. What have you lot made of Odegaard as well, man? Because people sit here and say, oh, he's not a big game player, I think it was a true captain's performance yesterday, personally. Yeah, Odegaard, he had a standout game yesterday, and there was one moment in particular, I think it was around the 80th or 70th minute, he just took the ball from Jorginho, and was like, yo, I'm gonna press, picked up from him, passed the ball through, trying to make something happen, and that's what you want your captain to do. In these games, in the latter stages, you want someone that's just gonna take the ball and be like, I'm taking responsibility, I'm gonna drive this forward, come on guys, let's keep on making attacks. Of course, we didn't score from there, but it's good to know that he's trying to get the team going, trying to rile the team up. He's puffing out his chest. Yeah, he's puffing out his chest, he's saying, let's go for it. So yeah, I liked what you done yesterday, of course, you got that mad assist yesterday for Trossard, looped it through like three guys, just trained my underguard, so yeah, I think I had a good game yesterday, I can't fault him. Facts, facts, facts. What you man got to say in relation to underguard, man? Yeah, big game from him, I feel like, you know, he had them couple of games where we were all doubting him. Nah, nah, I've never doubted him, you know, I've been wrong about Trossard, Kirio Havoc, underguard, I've backed him from the start. I can write that on the tweet. Nah, nah, man, underguard, I'm a Wenger baby, I fell in love with underguard the minute I saw him. It was a tough six months at this club, Facts, he's majestic, man. Nice and silky, and there's always comparison, you know, Maddison, people trying to compare Maddison, I don't know about Maddison and Wendy here and these guys. Nah, honestly, he's been fantastic. I feel like when Rice come in, I had this thing of, oh, Rice will take the armband in two years time, you know what I mean? Because I feel like when you look at underguard, he's not that, I just don't see him as a folk. He's not a traditional British captain kind of team. You know what I mean? But, you know, last couple of games, he's been fantastic and yesterday's game, even just the touches before that goal, I was like, I watched it again and went, wait, what? And the pass, the measurement of it was fantastic and I love them type of players. So when I see that performance, I'm like, that's what I want to see more of. But, again, the season's not done yet, I want to see more of this. We've got Man City next, do it in that game. These big games are the ones where it's like, you're our captain, we want, not a one-off, I want Man City away, go do two assists, win us that game and then we'll really talk on you. But no, he's been good. Like you said, he's been classful when he comes and I think with him it's been hard because he had that name about him when he was younger. You know what I mean? 15, 16-year-old, what was it? Real Sociedad, was it? I think. Real Madrid. Yeah, it's just one of them ones where I feel like now he's finally getting the credit he deserves and fantastic, fantastic player, man. He'll get more credit for us at another club, 100%. Oh, definitely. 100%. He's one of the only players I think from Arsenal starts at City, man. Yeah, yeah. I think he gets in the City team, a million percent. He'll always be one of the first you select, innit, for Arteta. Like, Odegaard, straight away without even thinking about it. He's there, Saka's one of them, Rice is one of them, Gabi and Saliba's one of them. Yeah. Integral to our style of play, man. Without that, come dropping deep, sending it the other way. Seeing that more this season, the dropping deep Odegaard stuff, man. Yeah. But I think he, he literally, we won't operate the same without him. It won't look the same. We won't be getting the numbers we get, the goals he scores. His involvements as well, man, he doesn't always get the assists, but he's never far from the crime scene, in my opinion. Exactly. He's a great captain to have, like, I get the English, old English, championship style. Whee! You know what I mean? Smashing to man, I'm the captain and that. That's all good, but you ain't looking to that Don for like, you know what I mean, direction. You're not looking for him for like, oh, nah, he's not, Odegaard never looks shook in it. You know what I mean? He always looks like he's ready for the battle. He's always doing that, saying press, press, press. He's always calling the ball, he's never hiding. His touch is immaculate. Like, that's what you want your captain to be. You know what I mean? Someone that's elite and I feel like he's elite. Just a quick one, sir, before you move on, I feel like the reason why I went to you, when you have Eugenio and Rice, I think he knows that he can kind of have a bit more of a license. He can gamble a bit more. There were times early in the season where he was a bit too far back towards our own goal and I was like, we're losing something here. You know what I mean? Like, trying to link up at the top of Saka. But yeah, as soon as you push him forward and that's where he should be, that's his role, that's his position. You know what I mean? So yeah, I think as long as he stays there, we're in good hands, man. Wasn't that when Havertz was playing, they put Havertz in attacking midfield, didn't he have a bit more forward? I was about to say that, yeah. I'm a fan of Havertz up front because you're out and you're not involved in that. Yeah, Havertz is a forward. It works. So yeah, man. My last question for you lot then, yeah. Obviously the season's not done but we've seen 28 game weeks and you can add in the champs and all the others. Who would you lot say is your player of the season so far? Because I always find this interesting with Arsenal fans. For the whole league? No, no. For us. Magalhães. Gabriel's got to get a mention. He's got to get a mention, man. Gabriel Magalhães, man. Thank you. You know what I'm saying? No, I think the obvious... Oh, go on. No, no. Carry on, bro. I was going to say, I think the obvious answer most fans will probably give is Rice. But then it's kind of hard because you take attention away from all the others. Gabriel's backed a few goals. He's backed a few goals. Backed a few goals. He's cleaned sheets. He saved Saliba as well but no one wants to talk about it. Yeah, he saved Saliba. People keep thinking Gab's saving Saliba. Saliba showed his age yesterday for the first time really in my opinion. I'm not dissing him. It's just the way it is. I'll give it Gabriel, man. Between Gabriel and Rice for me I think Saka as well but I think I kind of mark Saka down because it feels like he's not playing to his best but then you look at the numbers you can't mitigate it against that really. I'll give it Gabriel, man. Especially from the start of the season as well because I think in hindsight when he was on the bench his head must have been turned by some sort of interest in some sort of club and I think he kind of alluded to it in an interview recently but Gabriel's gone from strength to strength and I would say he's one of Mikel Arteta's most important signings if I'm honest, man. And I think he doesn't get his credit for that. I think him or the guard probably in hindsight Rice, I think they're all up there, man. They're all linchpins in Arteta's system, man. So I'll give it Gabriel. So we've got two Gabriel votes. Who else we got? I feel I'm the same. What you were saying about Rice I feel Rice had a couple of off games when he was first coming but again like you said with Gabriel I was a bit concerned when I was on the bench how he would react after that and I'm big for Silibe's biggest fan we all know but I've got to give it to Gabriel. I feel like with Gabriel he cut out a lot of bows at the moment you know remember when he first come you'd be like oh when he's going to make that one error and that's going to cost us the game but I don't think this season you can't really look at him and be like he's really done and going the other way the headers like there's no coincidence that he's scoring these goals. Look at the goal against West Ham he was telling Rice listen in that area here I've got you yeah yeah yeah you're right you know what I mean so I feel yeah again I don't think he gets credit because he's more the rugged one amongst the two at the back he's an ugly defender in a nice way do you know what when he sorry go on I was just going to say when he was having his bozo moments he was surrounded by Rob Holden and all them man with Silibe he ain't made a mistake you know what I mean like literally he looked like the older he looked like the big bro you know what I mean yeah that's true and I feel I would say Gabriel and I just want to touch it I don't know if you guys saw it where Gabriel and Silibe did their interview and then they were talking about Rob Holden on the slide yeah yeah yeah without saying his name just done it it's true and I feel for Gabriel now for me you're right I think fair enough Rax who you going with man I don't want to sound generic but Rice I'm going for Rice just because since coming not saying that Gab's not done his thing he's changed the dynamic of the whole he's changed the dynamic of the team so much he's added so much to the midfield defends scores goals he's had some clutch goals looting for example always getting in the mix that banger against West Ham how many manager match performances the Chelsea one as well gets forgotten about man the Chelsea one yeah yeah like yeah Gab Gab definitely deserves one of these flowers because Rice gets enough but I think I might just sway sway on the Rice just because he's come in and made that much of a difference that quickly that consistently and as well Gab and Rice I don't think they've been injured obviously Gab missed the first couple of games let's not jinx it but you're right yeah yeah Rice was the only one who won half time Tottenham he come up with his back yeah yeah yeah even Odegard in December but he's like a couple games off I think he had a concussion Sacco is out for City as well yeah but that's why he's so good for us right now let me talk to Wood because you know Arsenal bro you know let me talk to Wood I'm Wood bro that's crazy oh god oh you man that's crazy I couldn't I couldn't ignore that one that's crazy oh come on bro you said it twice with too much passion I was thinking why is no one agreeing with me you man no I agreed with you but just not the way you put it come on man you just said I've got Wood here let me shout up in here carry on on that note let people know where they can find you man as well again people listening to this on the replay it's all in the descriptions but yeah it's better to hear it from the horse's mouth man let people know where they can find you let me stop laughing I need to be professional listen Back to the Net pod I'm on Twitter Insta all of that listen big up DJ for having us on no thank you for you lot coming on but yeah come follow me subscribe to my youtube rack it up for me help me you know jump up get some more subscribers but yeah big up man come on who else man don't be shy man let people know the socials lads man Instagram find me on Instagram, find me on Twitter, Rackstory, yeah man, shout out to DG. Get me on again, Football Minds, all of us. Yeah, man. Come on. More time, it's more time. I'm the Monk and I'll big up DG every time. Best show on YouTube. You know what it is. Make sure you like, subscribe. I appreciate you jumping on ting, man. You know what I mean? And subscribe to the other Donnies here as well, man. You know what I mean? Great football content, so let's go. Exactly, people. So with that being said, people, let us know you lot's thoughts, whether you agree, disagree, who your player of the season would be, et cetera. We've covered a lot of points, so yeah, I'm sure you lot will pick up on a couple of things I haven't said. I'm gonna let the mandem get out of here. I've got five a side. Mandem, as usual, one love for jumping on the channel. Hopefully the good times remain. Peace.