Arsenal fans REVEAL their concerns as the Gunners let title lead slip | The Pitch
In this brand new episode of The Pitch, we look at the key reasons why Arsenal are better equipped than ever to win the Premier League title. Arsenal Arteta bottle Liverpool Manutd Mancity
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Are Arsenal bottling it again? There are four key reasons why the Gunners will win the league and more this season, but will Joel Beer and Harry Simu agree? >> I'm a black and white kind of guy. You know, we have to say as it is, and I sometimes I feel like he's hiding behind the new signings a little bit. He's hiding behind his favorites. >> Plus, the guys reveal how many trophies the Gunners will win this campaign. This is the pitch. Well, Patrick Vieira said that there are still some question marks about the mental strength of the team. His old sparring partner Roy Keane said they are feeling the pressure. Joel, are not going to bottle it? >> Close, but no. We'll scrape it. >> Okay, Harry. >> No, I think it's way too early to be hitting the panic button. I know the weekend's result wasn't great, but to hit the panic button now, I think is is a little bit premature. >> So, let's start from the beginning. New season, new hope. Harry, how do you feel going into this campaign? >> Yeah, going into this campaign, I thought Arsenal definitely needed to improve on what we saw the season before. There was a drop off. Obviously, the Champions League campaign sort of um gave people hope that and and and gave people confirmation, I guess, that Arsenal are capable of mixing it with the elite. For me, it was not so much the new season new hope. It was the end of the transfer window where I really started to believe because you looked at the the group of players, you looked at what we brought in and you were almost adamant that all the tools were now there. And that hasn't always been the case in the past. There have been times where you've looked at the squad and you can see clear areas where it is weak and you're one injury away from a problem, but the new hope for me uh was based largely on what we'd done um in the transfer window and the strong base that Mikuel has built over the last few seasons. >> One point about this season going into it was a lot of rival fans were saying that if Arta didn't win this season, he'd have to go. Do you reckon that would spur the the Arsenal squad on? >> I don't really think that had anything to do with anything. And I think when you look back at the start of the season, Liverpool were the favorites. You know, Esac being bought, Ekit, even though we didn't know too much about him back then, Man City, everybody said they would galvanize their squad. I think we're actually in a better position than we expected to be. >> Leah, Liverpool weren't quite ready. City weren't either, and we'll move on to that in a bit. But for you then, was there more excitement or trepidation going into the season? >> Oh, absolutely excitement. But to to build on that point that you've just made, the pressure that was maybe being put on Arsenal, I always felt was unfair. And I thought we needed to do our bit to kind of distance ourselves from that and highlight the fact that Liverpool spent hundreds upon hundreds of millions of pounds to assemble a great squad to bring in players that we were dreaming of, the likes of Alexander. I think it was really important that the pressure was pushed uh onto them. For me, listen, there's always hope because Arsenal have been in the mix for a few seasons and that consistency in terms of being in the conversation for a few years puts you in a place where you've got to believe that you can do it. Um, but the pressure for me as as as Joel's alluded to and as you said was on Liverpool. >> Yeah, it was. And you know, Liverpool spent the most in the league, but their net spend was below Arsenal. Arsenal 457 million pounds spent on depth this summer. For you, what was the stand of the standout of the bunch? For me, I would have to say probably EZ. I think when we had EZ, it meant that we meant business. Not only because he's such a great player, but because we already have a number 10, but it felt like we were saying, "Hey, we're going to move towards the city vibe here where we're not just going to have one great player per position, we're going to have two." You know, when I saw that, I thought, "Oh, we mean business." Um, you know, then after that, obviously, um, I believe maybe Goesh, that was a statement signing as well. So what is it that felt different for you about this Arsenal side and previous ones in the title race? >> A big squad. I think in previous years we really lost it out because a couple seasons ago once Celiba was injured. We came up against Liverpool final squad end up being 22 all after being 2-0 up. You go if Cibba is playing that game we will win. You know we had moments in the season where when Saka was missing last season you go where do you go from here? You know if Kai Habberts ain't there what happens then? Gabriel Jesus, but now we filled in those parts. You can see that because at the start of the season, we were getting injuries left, right, and center, but it wasn't kind of affecting the whole team. >> No, absolutely not. So, would you say this is the best Arsenal team since the Invincibles? >> In terms of squad depth, you have to say it is. Um, you know, there's a lot of players in there that I think the juryy's still out on. I think a lot of the new signings, uh, you got to look at them and you got to ask the question, have they had the impact that we thought they were going to have? I don't think Victor Yokarez >> I was going to say, say names, mate. Say names. I don't think Victor Yakarez has had that impact. I don't think Eberic has had the impact. I don't think Noni Maduek um has had as much of an impact as maybe Arsenal were hoping he would. Um so yeah, it's a really strong squad on paper, but you when you've got a big group and you've got a big squad, the the responsibility does shift to the manager a little bit more in the sense of now he's got to find the right chemistry. Now he's got to pick the right pairings, the right partnerships, um and he's got to make it work. You can have all the pieces. We've seen Manchester United, for example, for years spend lots of money on talented players. They come to Manchester United and fail. So for me, it was about Mikuel Arteta now taking on the burden of finding that chemistry. But in terms of the squad on paper, if you write it out, you've got two, sometimes three players in every position. It's hard to deny that this is the best squad Arsenal's had since 04. >> Agreed. >> Do you think does use his squad well enough? No, I think there's been multiple occasions where the game needs an essay to come on, you know. Yes, I don't think he's had his best performances as Harry said, but sometimes you need to be able to feel. When it comes to Odard, you can feel that it's like intricate passes. You can see what he needs. Uh, but when it comes to EZ, it's is completely different taking on players. And I just think sometimes starting Yakareesh as well when he didn't doesn't need to start. There's there's so many different things. I think Mourinho who's proved himself up top, you know, why is he being demoted back into midfield or only sometimes up top, it's just those small little nuances there for me that make the difference. We need to be bold and go, listen, we've given Victor a chance. Yes, it's great to have Gabrielle Jesus back, but the number one striker right now at the club is Miguel Marina. Like we we have I'm a black and white kind of guy, you know? We have to say it as it is. And I sometimes I feel like he's hiding behind the new signings a little bit. He's hiding behind his favorites. We like sack up. If you got to drop him, drop him. You know, we have to be a bit more ruthless like Pep. >> Yeah. And Harry, same question for you. >> In terms of the squad use, I think that's the most difficult thing to get right because it's not only about managing people's minutes, their fitness, their condition. You know, some people go through good patches and bad patches, and you got to know when those are sort of occurring for different players. But it's also about deciding what works for said game, right? There are certain games where I think Eza has really played well and it's benefited from being in the side. And there are other games where I think you need an ode to the guard. And I think when you've got this many options, we're always going to have those debates about who fits best. Go. >> Harry, what about when he's playing Ben White three times in the space of a week when the guy just come back from injury and he needs a rest. That's not a good use of your squad right now. >> No, agreed. And that was going to be my next point. My gripe with Mikuel Arteta has been that at times even when the the replacement is there when the alternative is there he's still pushed certain players too hard. There's been games where I've looked at Declan Rice and thought you look knackered. There's been games where I've looked at Martin Zubendi and thought you look knackered and given the options that you were a part of signing by the way. So for example in the midfield you brought Christian Ngard in you were a big part of bringing Christian Ngard in why not trust him more. So that's my frustration. We're all going to have debates about who's the best fit for said game and whatnot, but I think that we've still been guilty of pushing certain players too hard and then that has a knock-on effect on their performances over a period of time. >> Well, absolutely. I mean, we've seen that, you know, Ben White, Kai Havver before they came to the club were never really injured. Now we've seen it Havz again missing the match day squad against Manchester United. Maybe it's an issue more so in previous seasons, would you say to relying too much on certain players? I just think sometimes it happens, you know, injuries is a natural part of the game. Like we can't say when he's at Brighton, Ben White is not playing Champions League. He's not playing, you know, whatever Europa. He's just playing standard league games in Carabal Cup, whatever. I think now it's a different intensity. We're going for much more. So, yeah, you are more likely to see injuries, you know, and that's why he buys a customary defender every season. So, I can't really fault him there overall, but in that particular instance, I do agree. I don't think he should have played as much games as he did when he came back. >> Yeah. Well, Arsenal are going to need to have all their depth they can this season as they look to compete on numerous fronts and up 3-2 in the League Cup against Chelsea, top of the Champions League, top of the Premier League and a favorable home tie against Wigan. Harry, do you think that fighting on numerous fronts will help Arsenal in the title bid this season? >> Yeah, I do. Um, and that might sound a bit strange cuz you might argue that actually being able to focus on the league, playing one game a week should be um, you know, better for you, but I think when you've got a squad of this size, everybody needs to play. People need to feel involved. People need to feel connected. And having um, sort of multiple competitions to pick them in, I think is helpful. I also think when you have a bad league result like we did at the weekend, you can go and play a Champions League game on Wednesday, win it comfortably and convincingly and all of a sudden that game is in the rearview mirror and that's kind of one of the benefits as well from from having uh the big squad but quadruple is is what it says there. Um bit ambitious maybe. >> Yeah, it's a bit ambitious. >> Feel that till just now. >> But you want to be in the mix, right? You want to be in the mix and given that all you hear all the time is Mikuel Arta has to deliver a trophy. Well, he's got the opportunity to do it in four different competitions. So, it's only a good thing. >> Joe, why do you think Arsenal do look so much better in cup competitions at the moment? >> Because I think that there is um a history and a pressure when it comes to the Premier League, not winning it since 03 04, you know. I I remember I was in secondary school at the time, you know, like Tyion Ree was cool, you know, like he still is cool to be fair. Yeah. Like that hasn't changed. But everything else, like I've seen all the errors, man. I've seen the Jose era, you know, I've seen I've seen Pelleigrini, I've seen Manini, I've seen, you name it, I've seen everyone. We're talking about Conte and I think the fans have seen it and we've we've come close. Maybe the Leicester year. I look at that Leicester year and I think that should have actually been our year. It really should have been our year and we let it slip at one point. Um, and I remember beating Leicester at the Emirates that season, you know, well back, >> you know. So you you go back and you go you look at the last three years and you see how close we were and how much we've we've we've I don't want to say the word bottle but you you you've squandered it. I would say a few times. I >> I think Arsenal have bottled it. I think if Arsenal don't win the league this season, they've really bottled it. >> I think that's two out of four. >> I think I think the first time I think they were overachieving so much to even be in that position. >> Still a bottle. >> Yeah, it is. I go here. >> You got to define what bottling is. To bottle something is to fail to achieve something that you should achieve. >> And at the start of that season, the first one, nobody gave us a hope. So I think it's really harsh to say that we bought >> Harry. Harry, >> it changes. Expectations change >> or things average out. >> What, however you want to put it, what started at the start of the season isn't necessarily what has to be at the end of the season. If you're a student and you started a year and you were, you know, in foundation set and you've done really well and you're on average and you're on course to go far, that's what the standards are. >> Yeah. But that's different because if you're a student, you're in control of your own destiny, right? How hard do you study, what talent you have in football, there's so many factors. There's refereeing decisions. I'm not blaming on that, by the way. I'm just highlighting. There's refereeing decisions. There's fitness issues. There's your teammates letting you down. There's your teammates not perform. There's so many different factors. Football is its own unique beast. team sports it's not easy to say >> I understand but we were so far ahead that it was us that it was us that were controlling it >> we also there were also always games in Hanford City I think people uh some forget that a little bit moving forward though despite Arsenal not quite winning the league not quite winning the Champions League there has been this idea of trusting the process has for a long period of time had the fans on side in 2021 he said the project would go bang and that was a time when Arsenal were 10th they've just been knocked out of the FA Cup by Southampton and they were playing in co induced empty stadiums. Joe, why do you think that has galvanized and captured the imagination so much of the fans? >> I think what he's done is um he's been able to bring everybody together and have a winning mindset without name dropping. I I do my show with Rio Renand and he said that when he went to go speak to him at the start of uh one of the seasons, he was surprised at how everything was about winning at the club. People laugh sometimes about you know it says winning on the floor it's you go there there's there's success written on the board the dog's called wing you know it's having the one frame mindset which has helped and on top of that when you everybody's singing from the same him sheet he saw that there was some issues with Aubameyang he said you know what you got to go and when I look at all the players secondly they fight for him because he has had a big hand in their career for example David Ryer comes from a small team like Brenford no disrespect but he brings brings you to the big leagues. You know, Celiba gave him the opportunity he needed even though he needed to go away. Gabrielle enhanced him. Ben White got him for Brighton. Saka really molded into the player he is. You know, Odigard was in the trenches at Real Madrid brought him and made him captain. You know, you look at Kai Habits, wasn't a fan favorite at Chelsea. So, all those players have a reason to fight for him for and that's why he's been able to push everyone towards the right direction. >> That's really interesting. So why do you think the fans trusted and and continued to trust? >> First of all, he got really really bad and when Unai Emory left, I think everybody was fed up, right? That is fair to say that. >> And in comes this guy and he sits down in the first press conference and he tells Arsenal fans exactly what they want to hear. It was like listening to ourselves speaking out from within the club, right? He said all the things you wanted to hear. And have there been bumps along the road? Absolutely. But generally speaking, he's taken Arsenal from a position of being a laughing stock where we were on the floor to a position now where we're standing here recording a show about whether Arsenal are going to win the league or not. That in it, yeah, that in itself speaks volumes about the overall job. Do I agree with every decision he's taken along the way? No. Do I agree with every signing he's made? No. Do I think that we've lost games or dropped points in part because of his management at times? Yeah, sure. But generally speaking, when you zoom out and look at the bigger picture, he's transformed this club back to what it should be. And that's the important point. I think >> potentially up until last night, last night I was in the stadium uh as a fan and it felt touchy and I think there was there's tetiness in the stadium when when when United equalized, it seeps onto the pitch, the fans get even more nervous and the players look a bit edgier as well. Do you think that there's actually this belief in the saving that we're going to go on to do it or do you reckon people are just scarred by the past? >> I think the anxiety that people are feeling is natural >> because we haven't won the Premier League for the best more than 20 years now, right? So that anxiety is natural. But the the next question is what's the remedy to that? >> The remedy is nothing to do with us. We're fans. We love the club. We're going to feel nervous. We can't detach from the emotional side of the game. The remedy has to be found on the pitch. one of those players, two of those players, three of those players have to step up and produce the kind of moment that Patrick Dorgu did or the kind of moment that Matias Kuna did to to give you the points and settle everybody down. They're the only ones that can do it. You or me being extra positive from the stand isn't going to make a difference, right? Does the atmosphere transmit onto the pitch at times and have an impact? You can certainly make that case, but ultimately it's that's the remedy to this anxiety and and nervousness is it's got to come from on the pitch. I have to say the remedy is success. So, kind of what you're saying, but I would go a step further and go, it's only going to go away until we win. You know, until we know how to win, you know, yes, we can have moments here and there, and you're right, ultimately that's what leads to success, but I think as fans, exactly that what Harry's saying, mate, it's been difficult, you know, and and I have to say, I do think we're going to win the league, but I was really disappointed after the Monday night game, and I don't think I've been this disappointed in a couple of seasons. I think with Arsenal, I think that when Arsenal get over the line, >> Yeah. >> I think that rival fans say that, oh, you know, if you're actually going to win the league, if you're actually going to win the Champions League, I personally think that the fear s