We discuss the big highs and real lows of this grueling season. Mikel Arteta's performance and where we feel this Arsenal team has evolved and stagnated. And the big summer ahead. Will Andrea Berta push the club to take the necessary steps and add some real quality and depth?

When two Man United fans crash our podcast our patience is tested to the limit but we let them laugh from their 16th place in exchange for a few favours against Spurs.

We beat them at the Bernabeu. They closed the roof and got battered! Off to the semi-final we go!!!

Referees are all over the news this week! We decided to take a bit of time to discuss the current state of English refereeing. The Premier League has most of the best players, coaches and teams. Are the referees the best in the world? VAR seems to be in the news every week, Coote was doing cocaine last season, and now Michael Oliver underlying statistics in Arsenal matches seem out of the ordinary. There is a difference between criticizing and abuse, we think PGMOL needs to be critizised but we do not condemn any abuse or threats.

The video version is available on: https://youtu.be/kc3hiNkD1VY

Chapters

00:00 Welcome and North London Derby Recap

02:54 Reflections on Team Performance and Upcoming Matches

06:08 Defensive Heroes: Gabriel and Saliba

09:02 Emerging Talents: Luis Kelly's Impact

11:58 Struggles of Key Players: Havertz and Sterling

14:54 Tactical Concerns and Future Prospects

27:23 Tactical Frustrations and Team Dynamics

30:35 The Importance of Player Positioning

32:30 Concerns Over Transition Play

35:49 Coaching Philosophy and Player Freedom

40:45 Reflections on Recent Matches

44:10 The Impact of Penalties and Player Confidence

48:00 Assessing the Team's Future and Expectations

53:50 Decline of Odegaard's Performance

53:53 Midfield Dynamics: Rice and Zubimendi

55:01 Merino's Impact and Identity Crisis

55:55 Upcoming Fixtures and Expectations

57:07 Transfer Market Insights and Player Potential

01:00:04 The X Factor in Football: Key Players

01:01:03 The Need for Investment in Quality Players

01:02:05 Evaluating Current Squad and Future Prospects

01:05:01 Arteta's Tactical Approach and Team Performance

01:07:58 The Importance of Attacking Football

01:09:59 Statistical Analysis vs. Eye Test in Performance

01:11:59 Final Thoughts on Team Direction and Management

01:18:40 Coaching Challenges and Player Development

01:20:33 Striker Solutions: The Need for Goal Scorers

01:22:57 Assessing the Forward Line: Quality vs. Quantity

01:25:46 Breaking Down Opponents: Strategies for Success

01:30:28 Ambition in Transfers: The X-Factor Players

01:33:36 Final Thoughts: Managing Expectations and Future Prospects