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Is there Panic in North London?! · Football is Life

0:02
Hey folks, welcome to our latest episode of Football
0:05
is Life. Get those fingers up, Billy. Listen,
0:13
this is the Arsenal fans episode. This is where
0:16
we're at, right? It's been a little break since
0:20
we last spoke due to work commitments and things.
0:22
So yes, good to see you, Mike. And welcome, Billy.
0:25
Do you want to introduce yourself to everyone
0:27
and tell them who you support and why you're
0:28
on here? I am Mike's son here. Billy. And I'm
0:34
here to tell you that Arsenal suck. They're the
0:37
worst. They're not winning the league. So what
0:40
we have here is Billy is going to tell you what
0:42
life is really like as an Arsenal fan, which
0:44
is going to be fun. Mike's there to be a... yeah
0:47
a little bit of council and i'm obviously here
0:49
to poke some fun and you know um yeah so that
0:52
that's the plan for today so mike how are you
0:54
feeling i i'm good um i'm not nearly as bottle
0:58
half full as uh as billy is so uh mike's fire
1:03
he's just that's right i'm all about the fire
1:06
that's right i love it what fire there's no fire
1:10
you didn't see this no tell me about this fire
1:13
so so um In typical Arteta over -literal fashion,
1:20
wanting to not trust anybody, so you hire a pickpocket.
1:24
So now he wanted everyone on the club to be fired
1:30
up. So he lit a fire, literally, at the practice
1:34
pitch. I guess that's better than the pen thing.
1:39
The pen thing, there's the TikToks in the background.
1:41
Look, things you love to see. I'm here for it.
1:46
Let's just do a bit of a summary, though, of
1:49
where we're at and what's happened since we last
1:51
spoke. So on the good news side of things, Arsenal
1:54
have gone through an exhilarating tie at the
1:57
Emirates against Sporting Lisbon. Yes, in the
2:00
Champions League, they're in a semi -final against
2:02
Atletico Madrid, which should be... One for the
2:05
purists. More shithousery than any two clubs
2:10
should be allowed. If shithousery were how you
2:13
scored that, it could be 12 -all. It's actually
2:17
a crime, that match. It is really. But look,
2:21
there's different ways to win football matches.
2:24
It's going to be interesting to see how that
2:25
goes. In the Premier League, it kind of looked
2:27
like Arsenal were kind of... limping towards
2:30
the title. It looked like it was going to be
2:31
a little bit of a whack, whack, wow, right? And
2:33
more of a focus on relegation battle, which obviously
2:36
in the other part of North London is even more
2:38
relevant now, which is probably the only thing
2:40
bringing you some joy at the moment. But look,
2:43
there's context. Arsenal obviously lose a critical
2:45
game at home against Bournemouth. And I think
2:48
the manner of the defeat is now, this is the
2:50
first time I've started to see some of my friends
2:52
that are Arsenal fans genuinely alarmed. City
2:55
go... Pretty average first half against Chelsea,
2:58
then come out and really put it to them. Chelsea
3:00
team that are obviously managed by David Brent,
3:02
not going great for them. So what that means
3:06
now is there's a six -point gap, but City have
3:08
the game in hand and they play. So if they win
3:10
the game in hand and they win tomorrow, then
3:12
all things are equal and the goal difference
3:14
most likely would be slightly in City's favour,
3:17
but it's going to be neck and neck pretty much
3:19
in goal difference, depending on how many...
3:22
City put past Burnley if they go on to beat them.
3:25
So what that means is we do, well, again, tomorrow
3:28
we'll find out if we have a title race, right?
3:30
If Arsenal win that game, obviously, then I think
3:32
everyone would accept that's probably that. But
3:35
yeah, what I want to get is the perspective from
3:37
the Arsenal camps. We're going to start with
3:39
you, Billy, because everyone hears from Mike
3:40
and I an awful lot. But what's your assessment
3:46
of what is going on here at Arsenal? We've obviously
3:48
done a lot of analysis and a lot of what we think
3:51
is going to happen. What's your assessment of
3:55
how Arsenal got to this point where it felt like
3:57
this kind of should have been somewhat wrapped
3:59
up? I mean, I think we've had this amazing ability
4:07
to not get over the line all season. And to not
4:11
finish chances all season. And I'd say we lost
4:15
the league because we're not winning the league
4:17
on January 25th when we lost to Manchester United.
4:24
Wow. Played some uninspiring matches against
4:30
Chelsea, poor matches in the Champions League
4:32
against the Mongolian club that nobody knows.
4:39
Draws against Brentford and Wolves, for fuck's
4:41
sake. We can beat Tottenham or shit. Can beat
4:48
Chelsea, but Chelsea are also shit. An uninspiring
4:52
draw away against Leverkusen. A dreadful, dreadful
4:58
match against Manchester City in the Carabao
5:00
Cup. Southampton was the worst performance I've
5:04
seen in years. That was as bad as it got, yes.
5:11
By the way, I absolutely love that monologue,
5:14
Billy. I also just want to remind you, you're
5:15
top of the Premier League and in the semi -final
5:17
of the Champions League. Is this a champagne
5:20
problem? I don't know. We could still win the
5:23
Champions League. I think that competition is
5:25
more suited to Arteta's, albeit boring, but good
5:31
tactics. And we'll play against teams that actually
5:35
want to play for something. It's not going to
5:38
be 11 men behind the ball, as you'll see with
5:43
most Premier League matches. But I don't see
5:48
us getting over the line tomorrow. Unless if
5:51
we score a goal in the first eight minutes, we
5:55
have a chance. But the longer it remains 0 -0,
5:59
the longer we're screwed. Everyone's saying that...
6:03
I mean, Arteta might decide, despite everyone,
6:06
to go against the grade and actually show up
6:07
and go and try and impress upon it. It's hard
6:10
to see that based upon how they typically play
6:12
and have played this season. What I want to dig
6:17
into here, but obviously, Mike, I want your opinion
6:19
as well. This is obviously where we get to, you
6:20
know, there'll be parts of this where I'll just
6:22
be poking fun and that will be great. But this
6:24
is more of a serious, like, because I've had
6:26
a lot of debate around, like, how much we've
6:28
got an arteta versus the players right because
6:30
there's there's a tactical setup and almost philosophy
6:34
mindset culture this is all the nonsense videos
6:37
don't help i don't know why they like this stuff
6:39
i just don't understand it but um i've said this
6:42
for years that over celebrating wins that aren't
6:45
that material like it's like you know if you
6:47
want to get like if you beat man city the eddie
6:49
had then that's a That's a monumental moment.
6:52
Exactly, this week. Like beating Wolves at home,
6:54
it's like, you know, I don't know, this over.
6:57
So to me, there's that, which I kind of put,
6:59
that's Arteta. Then you have the players, right?
7:01
So, and I kind of, when I think through the Arsenal
7:04
squad this year, like if I think about players,
7:06
I go, I would say like David Reyes had like,
7:09
to me, a standout season, generally speaking.
7:11
I know he's, I mean, every goalie make the odd
7:12
mistake, but he's playing as well as anyone,
7:15
in my opinion, in the world. So there's him.
7:20
Obviously, Saliba and Gabriel have been pretty...
7:23
I feel the whole defence has been relatively
7:25
good. I think it's hard to be overly critical
7:27
of them. When you get mid to front, it then becomes
7:31
hard for me to pick out guys that go, look, I'm
7:33
a big Declan Rice fan. I think he has been good
7:37
in parts of the season, but I don't think he's
7:39
been... Like, honestly, he's not been as consistently
7:42
good as Enzo Fernandez or Bruno Fernandez. To
7:45
me, he should be that guy, right? Zubamendi has
7:48
gone a little bit off a cliff. He started very
7:51
promisingly scoring. Don't get Billy started
7:53
on Zubamendi. I want to note, obviously, as he's
7:57
come in, done nothing, obviously lost playing
7:59
in Spurs. I'm just going through Odegaard to
8:02
me, came back in, looked a bit better. But again,
8:04
Saka's been poor. Trossard was great for like
8:08
a period and it's gone off a cliff. And somebody
8:10
was talking about, I was looking at like top
8:12
goal scorer. Giocares looks like, honestly, a
8:14
very bang average striker to me. And I was looking
8:19
at stats and if you take like Giocares who scored
8:21
some penalties, like Casemiro scored more goals
8:24
than any of those players that I met, like any
8:27
of them. And you're kind of looking at that going,
8:31
something's not right there. So my question to
8:33
both of you is like, there's the Arteta factor
8:35
and then there's the player. So it's like, where
8:37
do you, like, how do you make that assessment?
8:39
How do you feel as Art? Because you watch them
8:41
every game, right? So I feel you're more, I don't
8:44
watch every game of theirs. I watch obviously
8:46
the big games. So what do you think, boys? Go
8:51
ahead, Billy. No, no, you go. I definitely put
8:57
the play down. to Arteta. I think that he hasn't
9:06
lost the dressing room or any of that. And so
9:10
they are all in to do what he's asking. And so
9:14
therefore, I've got to put it down to him. And
9:17
it's the thing that I've been the most frustrated
9:22
about is the style of play. They have all of
9:26
it in their to play beautiful, aggressive football.
9:32
There's no reason why they have to park a bus
9:36
and play on the back foot and wait. That's not
9:41
who they should be when you look at the skill
9:43
that's on the pitch. And so for them to play
9:46
any other way, it has to be the manager. Okay.
9:49
Billy? Yeah, I think Arteta is definitely to
9:55
blame for a portion of it. His tactics are relatively
10:01
boring. And I think I've noticed, particularly
10:05
in the past couple of matches, that we're so
10:08
much more willing to play the risky ball on our
10:12
own 18 -yard line than in the attacking third.
10:18
That was my next question, Billy, so just keep
10:20
going with this. I love this point. You have
10:24
to be willing to take risks to score goals. You
10:26
shouldn't be willing to take risks to keep them
10:28
out at the back of your own net. And, I mean,
10:30
Raya, I do believe, is the best or close to the
10:34
best keeper in the world. But he's made a couple
10:36
of really sloppy passes, particularly in the
10:39
last three matches. Like my father's son, Zuba
10:43
Mendy. Oh, my God. He sucks. He sucks. He can't
10:47
control the tempo of the game. He's supposed
10:49
to control the tempo of the game. He's good for
10:52
at least two horribly misplaced, lazy, nonchalant,
10:57
shitty passes. Four per match when we lose. I
11:03
do think Rice is still good. He's not up to the
11:06
level he was last season, but that's not my concern.
11:11
Without Timber on the back line, we're lost.
11:14
uh ben white and mascara they just aren't they
11:17
aren't it timbers almost again i would argue
11:22
what if not the best like you know he's up there
11:25
like you know in terms of like because he's had
11:27
some goal contributions this year as well right
11:29
you know so adding that to his game on the zoom
11:32
menu thing i was going to bring this point with
11:34
plate like taking risks for this good bit of
11:36
analysis i was jb carragher somebody there about
11:38
that was like taking risks in front of their
11:40
own goal and then not taking, which is just backward
11:44
to me. I understand, like, making up, but yeah,
11:46
I think Zubimendi, I think part of it for me,
11:48
though, is, like, because Rice and Zubimendi,
11:51
I feel like Rice, if Rice was playing further
11:53
up, right, I think there's almost this kind of,
11:56
like, Rice is not, you know, we talk about, like,
11:58
a 10 or a 6, and then there's the 8, which is,
12:01
like, Gerrard was a true number, right? Paul
12:03
Scholes wasn't really that, because... Like Gerrard
12:05
is, you know, Lampard was more of a 10, right?
12:08
I mean, Scholes would be more of a 6, just dictating
12:10
the tempo of his passing. Gerrard, to me, was
12:12
a true 8. Declan Rice has all the attributes
12:15
to be that true, but it feels like... Absolutely.
12:17
But it feels like he's almost... He's like...
12:20
He is an 8, but he's told to be a 6, so it's
12:23
like he's almost got this defensive mindset,
12:25
which is like, what if we lose the ball, rather
12:27
than... Actually, he's the guy trying to break
12:29
the lines. That's what Gerrard was brilliant
12:31
at. Every time Steven Gerrard got the ball, he
12:33
says this. He would look forward, can I break
12:35
the lines? Can I pass forward through the lines
12:37
to people? And I think there is a lack of that
12:41
with Arsenal. I think it's going to be a really
12:42
fascinating Sunday because City obviously set
12:45
up against them in a certain way. Man Utd did
12:47
it. I think we did it at the end. And this actually
12:49
started, I would say, ahead of that game. I don't
12:51
remember when Liverpool came. And again, our
12:54
average Liverpool team came to the Emirates.
12:57
were under the cost for 15 minutes, and then
12:59
we were the better team for 70 minutes and should
13:01
have won that game. And our midfield dominated
13:04
your midfield. Now, I remember saying to Mike,
13:06
I was like, I don't understand how our midfield
13:08
is doing. I don't understand how Man United's
13:10
midfield was able to do that. And I do think,
13:13
because I know that your players are better.
13:15
I mean, look, Sabal's life is having a career
13:17
season, right? I'm not saying Bruno Fernandes
13:19
is probably the player of the year. Maybe he's
13:22
brilliant, right? But what I mean is that...
13:25
the sum of the total of those components, like
13:27
Declan Rice can go total to all those guys. Like
13:30
Zubamendi does, has shown and has quality. Like
13:33
whether you play Odegaard, Eze, like you can
13:35
put a bunch of guys in there and you'd expect
13:38
Arsenal to be dominating these games. I think,
13:40
and what City did was actually, they blocked
13:43
those passing lanes and kind of forced them to
13:44
go back to front. And I'm going to be blunt,
13:47
like Giocarez, he is, effort is 10 out of 10.
13:50
Like I would never criticize that guy for effort,
13:53
but like, he's not the guy I don't think that's
13:57
going to be able to hold the ball up. It just
13:59
doesn't seem, and I think the problem is plan
14:01
A doesn't work. There's no plan B and people
14:04
do figure you out tactically. And this is where
14:06
I wonder if there is some responsibility on the
14:08
players to go, just to me, like there's games
14:11
where like Gerrard just took the time to say,
14:12
fine, you take the game with a scruff of the
14:14
neck. You just go, you understand that there
14:16
is a need for you as a player to go, what we
14:18
maybe plan to do isn't working, but there doesn't
14:22
seem to be that level of like, do you know what
14:24
I mean? Like, responsibility there in that team
14:26
which maybe is partly like I don't know why Martin
14:28
Odegaard is the captain of Arsenal either but
14:32
yeah well I think I just saw that the players
14:35
voted Rice in for the rest of the season or at
14:37
least while Odegaard's out so I think that's
14:40
a positive step yeah so do you think so let's
14:45
talk about Sunday right so we look Man City have
14:47
obviously I still don't fully trust them. I said
14:49
this all season. I don't fully trust them to
14:51
go and win all their games like I have in previous
14:53
seasons. I still think they are fragile. I really
14:56
do. They've still got some shocking results in
14:59
them. Cherokee's been pretty amazing. People
15:02
talk about Semenya and that, but I think he's
15:03
had a bigger impact on that team than anyone.
15:05
Hallam's been very poor, in my opinion. Horrible.
15:08
And they're still doing what they're doing. Yeah.
15:11
They are. I think, but defensively, you can definitely
15:15
get at them. Like, Gahee's made a difference,
15:17
but they're not joined up. Like, Arsenal have
15:20
the advantage defensively. Set pieces -wise,
15:23
I don't think City are particularly good. So,
15:25
as Arsenal fans, like, how do you think Arteta
15:28
is going to, is it going to be much of the same
15:30
as going to be one of those very tense, nervous
15:31
games? a bit like the cup final where maybe just
15:35
city will edge it but like you know it's it's
15:37
going to be low scoring or do you think there's
15:38
going to be a shift change because a lot of as
15:40
usual injuries um for arsenal that it looks like
15:44
miraculously people might recover go ahead boy
15:51
um i've seen him do it for four seasons now he's
15:59
not changing the tactics We're going to play
16:02
the same cagey match. I think we'll come out
16:06
stronger and we'll be good for 35 minutes. We
16:09
won't score. Man City will get a freakish chance.
16:13
Put it away. It'll be Nico O 'Reilly because
16:15
he likes to score from left back. And then we'll
16:21
have no chance in the second half. No. There
16:25
you go, Mike. What do you think? Are you feeling
16:27
it? So I don't share. Billy's entire complete
16:32
gloom and doom. But I do agree that unlike most
16:38
matches, this one could be won or lost in the
16:40
first half hour. If City score first, then I
16:48
think there will be a death spiral. If Arsenal
16:53
score first and continue to press, then I think...
17:00
It'll be different. But that first goal in this
17:05
game has more psychological impact than anything
17:09
else. And I think that if City score first, it's
17:12
oh, shit. Do you think – well, look, I've said
17:16
this all season. I still believe it. I just don't
17:19
know if Arsenal are going into this game believing
17:20
they're a better team. Maybe this is the first
17:23
time this season that that belief might waver
17:25
a little bit because of the final loss, because
17:27
of the way Sutton played. And like you said,
17:29
Billy, I think your analysis was spot on. The
17:32
game that stood out to me was the Everton home
17:34
game where you should have got... I mean, Everton,
17:36
if they had anyone that could finish their dinner,
17:38
you would have been... And honestly, a bit like
17:41
the way Leeds played against Man Utd Monday night,
17:43
it was a pretty comprehensive... I'm kind of
17:46
going... As much as Moyes has done a great job,
17:48
I'm just like, at the Emirates, I was shocked
17:50
by that. And Bournemouth going to Emirates and
17:52
winning. Bournemouth, again, I love Ariel. He's
17:54
done a great job there. A fantastic coach. But
17:57
you're just better than these teams. You just
17:59
are, right? And this is the first time where
18:02
I just think belief may be challenged a little
18:06
bit. And I wonder, see, in terms of team selection,
18:09
what do we think the lineup's going to be? Obviously,
18:12
I mean, Raya, Saliba, Gabriel. But around that,
18:16
Rice will play, Zubimendi will play, but then
18:18
the forward positions, the full -back positions,
18:20
do we have any insight or feeling in terms of
18:23
what you think he might do there? Based on who
18:25
we think is healthy or somewhat healthy, it looks
18:28
like Odegaard might make the bench. Saka is the
18:31
one they're being the most cagey on. He said
18:34
he was out in the presser yesterday. Oh, he's
18:36
out, right. He's out. Everyone else he was non
18:40
-committal on. I think this is probably one of
18:47
those surprise everyone's healthy things that
18:50
you would hope. I agree with Billy that without
18:53
Timber in that back line, Ben White looks lost.
18:58
Absolutely lost right now. Who does he pick with
19:03
Rice? Is it just nail on? I mean, Odegaard's
19:08
not going to be fit to start, you'd assume, right?
19:10
You'd assume he's not going to go straight in.
19:12
I mean, he might, but what do you think? Is Mourinho
19:16
back? Because he does like Mourinho. No, he's
19:18
out for the season pretty much. I feel he's somebody
19:22
he trusts in these types of away games because
19:24
of his physicality. So you think it's going to
19:26
be Eze then, right? It has to be. Yeah. Probably
19:31
will be, but I'd rather see. From Brentford.
19:34
I forgot about him until they mentioned it this
19:36
morning on the radio. Like, what's his name?
19:38
Norgaard. Yeah. Is he even, like... He's a last
19:43
10 -minute sub. Right. Well, wonderful move for
19:46
him. Yeah. And then Madowake will continue. He's
19:51
been a bit, as it flashes this season, a bit
19:54
uninspired. And I think Gyokrez plays ahead of
19:57
Havert. Wait, he could play Havert in there,
19:58
behind Gyok. No? I think it should be Havertz
20:03
and Jokers. You think instead of Eze? No, I think
20:07
it's Eze as well. I think it's Eze on the left
20:09
and Havertz and Jokers as a two. You need one
20:17
to take the pressure off the other and open up
20:18
space. I think it was the sporting goal in the
20:24
first leg where Jokers dropped deep and Havertz
20:29
found space and scored. You need someone to hold
20:34
up the ball for the other and take the defenders
20:38
away. And Eze can't do that. And Odegaard can't
20:43
do that. And no one else in the squad can do
20:45
that. So it has to be the ball. Yes, you think
20:48
Mataweke and Eze in the wings, you'll play Havertz
20:51
in with... I think Daumann. Daumann on the right.
20:55
You think he'll play Diamond ahead of Madowiki?
20:56
He's not going to play Diamond ahead, but he
20:58
needs to play Diamond ahead. Yeah, okay. He needs
21:01
to try something different, and he's too scared
21:05
to do it, and now is the only chance to do it.
21:09
Okay, and let's put it this way then. If you
21:11
lose this game, is the title gone? Yes. That's
21:19
like a de facto. What kind of question is that,
21:21
Ross? I don't think so. I don't think so. Because
21:27
our run -in is better than theirs and we'll be
21:31
even on points. Our form is infinitely worse.
21:35
Our form is infinitely worse. Our confidence
21:38
is shot. My confidence is shot. Clearly. You
21:42
hide it really well, yeah. You hide it. I don't
21:46
know what you both are on about. There's the
21:49
league. I said the league was over fucking months
21:51
ago. But yeah, if we lose this match, there's
21:54
absolutely no chance that we win this league.
21:57
I mean, I'm looking at their fixtures right now.
21:59
Burnley away. That's a win. Everton away. That's
22:03
a win. Brentford at home. That's a win. Bournemouth.
22:06
Hey, we lost to Bournemouth, so they can lose
22:08
to Bournemouth. Frigging cherries. And Aston
22:11
Villa at home, they like beating Aston Villa
22:13
on the last day of the season to win a league.
22:15
I think at home last day, I think the Ever in
22:18
a way, the Bournemouth, the Brent, for those
22:21
three games, I don't trust them to win all those
22:24
games. I think you've got Newcastle after this
22:27
game, right? I know they've not been great, but
22:29
they're a bit of a team that they always kind
22:31
of – because their physicality, I think they
22:33
do quite match up with you guys a little bit,
22:35
and they'll kind of attack. But the rest of your
22:38
games, are they not pretty straightforward now?
22:42
I've seen us lose to West Ham enough times in
22:44
the past three seasons to not feel good about
22:46
that. Same with Palace, and same with Fulham.
22:50
So I see none of these as nailed -on wins. as
22:55
you might hope they would be. Okay, well, there
23:01
we go, Mike. What's the predictions for Sunday
23:04
then? We'll do predictions. Let's go. I'm going
23:10
to go 1 -1. I think it might be a draw. I think
23:12
it's going to be a draw. Billy? Like 4 -1. 4
23:22
-1 Sunday. Wow. Hot takes coming in here. I love
23:26
it, Billy. OK, well, to get off of doom and gloom,
23:29
let's talk about the other half of North London.
23:31
Spurs now in their relegation zone, appointing
23:32
a new manager, Roberto Deserbi. Very football
23:36
orientated, you know, in terms of playing a certain
23:39
way. Yeah, obviously had a bad loss last week.
23:45
They look, Romero's out for the season. It just
23:50
feels like Leeds are going so well. It looks
23:52
like Leeds are going to be safe. That one was
23:53
huge. I think they're pretty good. They can play
23:56
Wolves this weekend. You've then got Nottingham
23:59
Forest, who obviously they've got the European
24:01
stuff to juggle. Probably doesn't help and makes
24:03
that tricky for them in there as well. West Ham
24:07
certainly looking much better and more poised.
24:10
It does look like the Spurs look the weakest
24:12
of the bunch. Is that fair to say that they're
24:13
the favourites to go down? They've picked up
24:16
one point since the transfer window closed. It's
24:19
crazy, isn't it? Something like that. They have
24:22
fewer wins than they have managers at home this
24:25
season. There's the stat of the pod right there.
24:33
Domino's has sold 91 million pizzas since they
24:37
last won a home game. I mean, it's hard to see.
24:44
And they obviously lost to Sunderland. Who have
24:47
they got this weekend? I need to check. Brighton
24:50
I think Brighton yeah they do at home which doesn't
24:54
help right wow well we'll see I think they are
24:57
favourites as I say I mean I look at the I'm
25:00
just having a look at the yeah the fixtures here
25:04
I know that Forest playing Sunday I think Leeds
25:08
will pick up points this weekend I really do
25:10
think I think they'll do okay Forest at home
25:13
to Burnley you fancy they're probably going to
25:16
pick up something right you would fancy that
25:17
boys no? West Ham go to Palace. I'm kind of going,
25:22
yeah, I could see the Hammers getting something
25:24
there. Palace played midweek. And they looked
25:28
like they had a frigging party after that win.
25:32
That is going to be a hungover group. Let's talk
25:39
about the top five races that's become now, which
25:42
is interesting. Chelsea are racing you under
25:45
massive... scrutiny now. Weirdly, Enzo Fernandes,
25:49
I don't think, said anything wrong. He's been
25:51
their best player, I think, this year. And then
25:53
just having him sit out for a couple of months,
25:55
it just doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Obviously,
25:59
as a Liverpool fan, things have not been going
26:01
great. Champions League, Arnaud Slot, starting
26:04
with Izak, I'm just like, I think he's now in
26:08
a position where he's overthinking. Yeah, I've
26:11
heard they're going to stick with him next season,
26:12
but obviously now it's about securing top four.
26:14
We've got a huge game tomorrow against Everton
26:16
away. It's probably weekend, yep. Ekotiki's out
26:21
for the season now. That looked horrible. I feel
26:25
so bad for him. I mean, going to miss the World
26:28
Cup. He's not going to kick another ball for
26:31
the rest of the year. Yeah, I know. He's out
26:33
probably until next year, yeah, so January. But
26:37
looking at all that, I think you have Man Utd
26:39
and Villa a lot there. Liverpool a few points
26:40
behind them. You've got Chelsea, I think, another
26:43
three or four points behind us. So it's a huge
26:45
weekend because Man Utd go to Chelsea. They have,
26:48
I think, one fit defender. I think Aiden Heaven.
26:50
I think Martinez is obviously banned for the
26:52
hair pull. Controversial. I didn't think that
26:54
was ever a red card. But they looked as out.
26:57
Yoro is injured. Maguire suspended. So, I mean,
27:01
that could be a game of Chelsea win that. It
27:03
bunches up, as I say, Everton and Brentford are
27:05
hovering there to try and see if they could do
27:07
something. You've got Everton at home against
27:11
Liverpool. Yeah, and then obviously Aston Villa
27:14
trying to balance Europe with the Premier League
27:16
to keep their top five hopes alive. So, again,
27:19
do we think, you know, do we fancy Chelsea to
27:21
beat United this weekend and then make this a
27:24
bit of a... It would be a real open. If Chelsea
27:27
won and Everton won this weekend, this whole
27:30
thing blows wide open. I've not even checked.
27:31
Who do Villa have this weekend? They play Sunday,
27:34
I think. They play again. Sunderland at home,
27:37
so you'd expect them to win that. But you never
27:39
know. Sunderland, tricky team. What do we think,
27:41
boys? Well, I mean, I know you have a bet on
27:46
Everton finishing fifth. I think that's... too
27:55
much of an ask for where they are right now on
27:58
37 or 47 points. I think it's just too much of
28:03
an ask. If they beat us tomorrow, they go to
28:05
52 points behind us in fifth. Yeah. Yeah. And,
28:10
bear in mind, Liverpool, we still have to play
28:11
Man Utd away, Chelsea at home, and Aston Villa.
28:14
So we still... Don't you worry about Chelsea.
28:18
They're next in line behind Tottenham. They have
28:20
four points since... They're equally bad. I think
28:28
you're right though, Ross. Everton could be a
28:31
team to look out for. United and Chelsea should
28:36
be entertaining. Stoppable force meets movable
28:38
object. And Brentford are solid as always. Brentford
28:45
are home against Fulham. They then go to Man
28:48
United and then they're home against West Ham.
28:52
And then, yeah, so I mean, the next three games,
28:54
I mean, if they could win those three, so the
28:57
good thing is that all these teams are playing
28:58
each other. So there's like six pointers here.
29:00
So obviously, if Man Utd go and win tonight,
29:02
you'd kind of go, it looks hard for Chelsea,
29:05
right? Especially if Liverpool were to beat Everton,
29:07
then you'd be kind of going, that gap opens up
29:08
and that puts Everton back and Brentford are
29:10
a bit far behind. But if Brentford win this weekend,
29:13
Everton win and Chelsea win, which again. Would
29:16
it be shocking? No, it wouldn't be. Genuinely,
29:19
I don't think we'll beat Everton. I think a point
29:21
is probably the best we'll get. We're just not
29:23
playing well enough. I think that the squad just
29:27
doesn't look together at all. And I'd be shocked
29:30
if we're able to get out of there unscathed.
29:33
I do think with Man Utd's backline problems,
29:35
I think Chelsea have got enough firepower to
29:37
hurt them. So I just think that's going to be,
29:39
I think that will be our ship. pretty good watch
29:41
tonight. And yeah, I think it's a huge weekend
29:45
for so many things, especially at the top of
29:48
the table. I really do think this could be quite
29:50
defining. I think, again, if we can win that
29:52
game against Everton, I do think it would be
29:54
hard to see us not winning. It's going to be
29:56
tough to take away. Yeah. Well, just because
29:58
we've got no Europe, it's a sole focus. I think
30:01
we've got home games. Again, we have to go United,
30:02
but I think we've got Chelsea, I think we've
30:03
got Villa at home, so you have the advantage
30:05
of Anfield. So I would feel okay. I would feel...
30:09
somewhat confident. I'm not sure because we've
30:11
been poor this year, but yeah, it is going to
30:13
be a fascinating, fascinating top five race.
30:17
But yeah, I just, I thought everyone were good
30:18
values. So yeah. Who do we fancy? Chelsea United
30:21
tonight. What do we think? I think United wins.
30:24
Okay. Billy? I'm going to go Chelsea. I think
30:26
Chelsea will beat them. And then what about the...
30:28
My brother will be so happy. He will be. What
30:30
about the Merseyside Derby tomorrow? Who do you
30:33
think? At the Hill Dickinson. I think Everton
30:38
win that 2 -1. First one ever? Yeah, that's an
30:43
Everton one. I think it might be a draw, but
30:46
yeah, I fancy that for a draw. I don't know why
30:49
I fancy Chelsea tonight. I just have a feeling.
30:51
Is Fernandes back tonight? Enzo Fernandes? He
30:54
is. He's allowed to play again. He's off the
30:56
naughty list for now. Yeah, that's probably partly
31:00
why I think Em and Caicedo just have got a good
31:02
partnership, I think. Casemiro's out as well.
31:06
So, Ugarte probably needs to have menus available.
31:09
Yeah, I don't know. Yeah, I think Chelsea, if
31:13
Man United's back line was healthy, I probably
31:15
wouldn't fancy them, but I think they might beat
31:17
them tonight. But we'll see. Okay, well, let's
31:20
switch to fantasy because it's getting juicy.
31:22
There's double game weeks this week, Mike. We've
31:24
got a lot of blanks next week. Yep. let's focus
31:28
on these next two weeks. Cause these are the,
31:30
this is where the chips really matter. Right.
31:32
And you need to have had known your chip strategy
31:34
before this week. Right. Billy. So I was a wild
31:43
card 32, so this is bench boost for 33, and it'll
31:46
be a free hit for 34. So had a nice little green
31:49
arrow with 70 points last week up to the top
31:52
10K. And so also I have three frees, so I didn't
32:00
do a full overhaul. All 11 starters are double
32:04
game weakers, and then I've got one of the bench.
32:07
Plus the keeper is a double. I hung on to Gabriel
32:10
because I do think that because the title race
32:12
is going to go till the end of the year, he's
32:15
going to play. And so I, and I've got like 0
32:18
.6 tied up in value. So I couldn't, I couldn't
32:21
relinquish him. And Bruno is not someone like
32:24
he's almost the most automatic you got to have
32:27
in the game right now. So those two, I didn't
32:30
get rid of. And they're my only single game leakers.
32:32
I moved out. I took a punt on Bowen. Last week
32:35
on the free hit when most people went with Joe
32:39
Pedro, Calvert -Lewin, and Holland, I didn't
32:43
pick up Calvert -Lewin until now. And so that
32:46
was a nice little 14 -pointer that helped on
32:48
the Green Arrow. Lovely. Yeah, I think he scores
32:51
goals. He scores some goals. Yeah. And I did,
32:55
I picked up Calvert -Lewin this week as well.
32:57
I brought Hallam back in, not because of the
33:00
game on Sunday, but because of the Burnley game.
33:01
Because of the Burnley game, yeah. Yeah, and
33:03
I bought my free hit for the following week,
33:05
so I can just do free hit to get through that.
33:07
Yep, that's my plan. But yeah, I did bring it.
33:09
I did actually bring it. I brought Cherky in
33:12
as well, so I've gone out. I've kind of loaded,
33:16
just given them what's on. So you went, did you
33:18
go double or triple attack? Triple. So you have
33:23
Semenya as well then? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So I've
33:26
gone with that. That's the differential move
33:28
for sure. Yeah. That's the one I want to try
33:31
and catch. So I've just gone with that. I've
33:33
got, I've got, I got rid of Joe Pedro because
33:35
the, because the game this week, their games,
33:36
I don't know. They're not. fluent at the moment.
33:39
I got rid of Mbwemo. But yes, I've got Calvert
33:43
-Lewin. I've got, obviously, Igor Thiago. Everyone
33:45
has him. And I've got Haaland. Yes, so interesting.
33:49
It's going to be this weekend with the fantasy
33:51
implications. Billy, any top tips you've got?
33:54
Anyone you've dropped or picking up that you've
33:56
got your eye on? Listen to Mike. He knows some
33:59
things. He's my consultant. And so when I checked
34:06
in before we went live, I asked him if he had
34:08
played his bench boost, and he answered, I thought
34:11
about it. I'm like, what? The whole point of
34:14
the wild card was to bench boost 33. He didn't
34:17
do that. So now, Billy, you've got to plan for
34:21
a bench boost 36 because that's the next likely
34:24
double. I see. Thank you. You're welcome. So
34:29
I know you've got to run to catch a train, and
34:32
we're just about out of time. Yeah, we just need
34:35
to wrap up anyway, I think. So, yeah, look, I
34:37
mean, big game. This weekend, I think, is just
34:40
a great weekend of sport, right? In the Premier
34:42
League, there's so many big games. We've got
34:43
the Chelsea -Man United game to look forward
34:46
to tonight. We've got the Merseyside derby ahead
34:48
of a massive game at the Etihad, which will be
34:52
season -defining. So, yeah, I think if Arsenal
34:56
get out of there... without being beaten. It's
35:00
one of those times where I think, given the context,
35:02
I think a draw is absolutely a great outcome
35:05
for Arsenal in this game. But, you know, I think
35:08
it probably doesn't mean the title is sewn up
35:12
quite yet either, but it still keeps them in
35:14
command and gives them a little bit of breathing
35:17
room. But look, I'm sure it's going to be behind
35:19
the couch for you, Mike. It'll be a... A thousand
35:21
percent. One eye and behind the couch, yes. That's
35:25
it, yeah. But listen, we'll see what happens.
35:27
I think that could well be a draw. I hope it's
35:30
a classic. I just hope it's an early goal either
35:33
way. I think an early goal will ignite these
35:35
games. It does kind of throw tactics a little
35:39
bit out the window, which I think generally creates
35:42
good outcomes. But yes, it's going to be super
35:45
interesting to see the line -up, see how they
35:47
approach the game. And yeah, let's just hope
35:49
it's a... a belt or a game, and obviously I'd
35:51
love to see an Arsenal fan meltdown, but I'm
35:53
not going to lie to you, not that I have any
35:54
particular love for City at all, probably not
35:57
even close, but just the meltdown alone would
36:02
be... I mean, look, if they manage to... It seems
36:06
unthinkable. If they manage to throw the league
36:08
away and then manage not to win the Champions
36:10
League, I just think the memes we're going to
36:13
get are going to be just so glorious. Welcome
36:15
to Test Fabregas. Yeah, yeah. I just think it's
36:20
like that. And then if Spurs get relegated, it's
36:21
like North London. It's just like there's a curse
36:23
in North London. Then that becomes a thing, right?
36:27
Yeah. Yeah, we'll see what happens. But yeah,
36:29
what are you watching the game, boys? Are you
36:31
watching it at home? Yeah, just at home. Under
36:35
a blanket. Well, listen. Listen, we'll be on
36:39
the group. I'll be noising you guys. Again, I'm
36:41
kind of like, I've got the, I see how I'm feeling
36:43
after the emergency site derby. I might be livid.
36:45
Hopefully not. We'll see what happens there.
36:47
But yes, Luke, thanks for coming on, Billy. Yes.
36:51
Thanks for all the new visuals. That's thanks
36:53
to Mike. He's so good at this stuff. And yes,
36:55
we will, we'll see you next week when we'll have
36:57
reaction to all this stuff, which is going to
36:59
be very spicy one way or the other. Enjoy the
37:03
games. See ya. See ya.