Bournemouth punish distracted Arsenal
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The Athletic FC Podcast Network. The only way to score is, of course, to play with a handbrake off. Hello, I'm Ian Stone. This is Handbrake Off, the Arsenal podcast brought to you by The Athletic.

Well, the Arsenal lost 2-1 to Bournemouth at the Emirates on Saturday. Sort of a continuation of very disappointing league form. We'll reflect on that briefly, I think, and look ahead to our huge second leg against PSG on Wednesday night. I'm joined by Art de Rocher and Jordan Campbell. Morning. Morning. Good morning. Or should I just go morning? Because as a result...

Leave the good out of it. Blimey, is this where we're going? Oh no, I do believe it's still a good morning. And hello to you, Jordan, as well. Yeah, hello as well. I'm feeling a lot more festive on the bank holiday. Yeah, it is a bank holiday, everyone. Surely that's something to celebrate. By the way, yeah, we will talk about Saturday's game.

I was going to say I can't quite see the point because we know what happened and no one really cares. But before we talk about Saturday's game and then, of course, look forward to Wednesday, um...

I did see Harry Kane prematurely celebrate Bayern's win against RB Leipzig. He came down the stairs ready to collect his trophy and then Bayern conceded in the last minute and it delayed. He still did win in the end and obviously we're happy for a fellow gooner. Have you ever celebrated anything too soon and then gone, oh, actually...

That didn't work out. The first thing that came to mind was Mikel Marino's equalizer or ghost equalizer last week against PSG. That's a good call. I was in the press box. I didn't celebrate celebrate. I gave it a little like fist fist bump. But obviously I tweeted that he scored and then always in those situations where it gets kind of ruled out when you're live tweeting, you're like, do I delete that?

And I was like, no, no, I can't delete it because it's happened. I'll just, you know, say it's been ruled out. But the tweet's still out there. So in some universe, Mikel Moreno did actually equalize against PSG. Just not our one. Actually, you've remembered me. That's the Chris Iwolumo tweet.

sitter for Scotland against Norway I don't know if you remember that but it's got to be up there with one of the worst misses ever I remember distinctly I was at Centre Parcs I was probably about 10 and I think the whole of Scotland had started celebrating and we took about 15 seconds and about 3 replays before we realised that he had missed it from 2 yards out so yeah that was one that I

celebrated for about 20 seconds too early I mean if we're going international Sol Campbell for England against was it Argentina Argentina when Alan Shearer elbowed the goalkeeper in the throat to get him out the way not a foul tackle as far as I'm concerned and then they almost went up the other end and scored but anyway and I certainly celebrated that for a good 10 seconds like everyone else before I realised oh hang on a minute they're still playing on I'm not sure they took a spot kick and restarted the game

So, yeah, we've all done it from time to time. Football, obviously, especially with the way VAR is now. By the way, I mean, God, it's so bad, isn't it? I mean, every week you watch them and you go, how can you be so... How is it possible for you not to see what we're all looking at the first minute? There was one yesterday with Newcastle when Anthony Gordon was tripped by...

Lamptey, yeah, Lamptey tripped him. And on first look, you went, oh, maybe that could be a penalty. And then you see the first replay and it's obviously outside. I mean, obviously outside the penalty area. Obviously, they spend another minute and a half looking at it. Oh, it drives me mad. I don't know about you two. I grew up in an era when football was a fast moving game. Yeah. You know, and there weren't these five minute waits while we watched blokes looking at

multiple, anyway, do you know what? Everyone's had this moment already. I won't do this. It's my way of not having to talk about Arsenal 1, Bournemouth 2. Art, I'm going to ask you this, right? I mean, you said this before we sort of went on air about...

Nobody really wanted to be there. No one. James said, when we spoke to James in the week, and he said he was covering the game and he didn't really want to cover it. And there was no doubt there was a feeling from the fans. I mean, I was watching it at a hotel room 280 miles away. It's not that I didn't want to be there. I couldn't be there. But do you think...

that that attitude is costing us from the fans, a little bit from the players. It's not about blame. I'm just talking about how there's a 10% distraction level, which I think is affecting us. Yeah, I think more subconsciously than anything, thinking back to...

I'd say the start of the game, I was actually quite surprised that it was louder than I expected. It wasn't a full stadium by any means, but say when the players came out of the tunnel and around kickoff, first five, ten minutes, there was actually a fair amount of

of atmosphere in there but then as the game went on it just kind of died out and that's when you could tell on the tv that it was a bit of a chore for everyone i think who was there and i think i was probably feeling a bit similar to james as well in terms of those comments ahead of the game

It was like almost a filler episode in a TV series that already had loads of episodes and you just have to get through it basically to get to the good stuff. And unfortunately, it wasn't even a good filler episode in the end. So...

so yeah I kind of got that vibe and when you look at just yeah how Arsenal's league form has gone it's really weird balance to find when one game in the week is so important and the next one has literally no importance whatsoever I don't really know how you get

that balance for both games. Well, yes, that's a perfectly valid question. What do you think, Jordan? I mean, I know you weren't at the game either, but it's been that feeling at the Brentford game, at the Palace game, at this one, that it's very much, yeah, yeah, we'll get that out of the way before we get to the main course, which is, which,

which are the Champions League games. Yeah, I mean, I think it's a natural feeling to be having, you know. It's human nature, isn't it, really? Yeah, I think it is, you know, especially because Arsenal finished second

the last couple of seasons as well there's maybe that sort of it doesn't feel as big an achievement now as it was the last couple of years but Arteta was actually speaking during the week saying the other day looking at he's changing him there's a line of like half a team basically and he's like we're probably not getting spoken about the fact that we're still currently up there but yeah I think the problem for Arsenal is if they take their eye off the ball completely in the league you've got the danger that Man City

are going to put them to second and given how they fell apart for two three months again it's not a big deal whether they finish second or third really because it only matters if you if you win the league but i think just having man city finish ahead of you again despite how bad they were would be a little you know would leave a sour taste on the end of the season so i think arsene want to avoid that but i mean everything is about the champions league naturally so i

I was just surprised that Arteta went with such a strong team, to be honest. Yeah, I think a lot of people were, really. But again, he didn't have a huge amount to choose from. And perhaps, we're hearing news that Urien Timber's injured and he's a bit of a doubt for the game. And maybe he knew that beforehand and he went, well, we've got to play Ben White anyway. And...

After that, when you saw what we brought on from the bench, you thought, yeah, I mean, we understand maybe why he didn't start. I mean, there are arguments to start with Kieran Tierney and maybe Alexander Sinchenko as well. But just one more thing on this crowd thing, Art. I watched the Arsenal game, the Arsenal women's game when they played Lyon.

And I thought the Lyon crowd really got behind their team, even when they were four down. And I was quite impressed by the amount of encouragement they were giving them. That absolutely would not happen in the men's game. I mean, do you not think there is something in the cynicism? It's so results-based. I was really impressed with how that crowd kept encouraging them. When they got back to 4-1 and they had a header in the women's game, they had a header that would have made it 4-2.

And then that's game on because they only need one at that point. It takes it to extra time. And I think the crowd really helped in that regard. And I just don't think the men's team would get the same help. I mean, I'm glad there was a bit of an atmosphere before the Bournemouth game. And maybe it is human nature. I don't know. I feel like maybe one of the differences is Lyon have won the Champions League eight times. So there's a fair amount of grace there. But I also feel like...

I feel like there probably would be a similar reaction in the men's game, whereas at Arsenal or elsewhere, I do think when people feel like there's something coming, they get excited naturally. So I do think that there still would be that reaction. And just thinking back through the game now, the feeling I felt most was more frustration in certain moments where maybe I...

Arsenal had the ball in the final third and they end up going all the way back to the halfway line and I think that's where you see people still care about what's going on on the pitch they don't

just kind of switch off mentally because the game doesn't look like it means anything i think no they still want to be say entertained or they want to see goals basically so i think it's kind of a two-way street in that way in my opinion no no i listen there are a few people booing at the end they obviously care yeah i mean no they obviously care and i well i don't think you should do that at the same time you know they were upset with the performance um

Jordan, it was a strong starting line-up. I mean, I would guess Mikel Arteta was hoping for a very strong 60 minutes, 3-0 up and then take off all those first-team players and bring on some of the reserves. Yeah, I mean, I guess that would have been the plan but I was just still surprised that, I know there wasn't huge, huge options, especially midfield but...

to me he played tierney he plays in chenko at least you know and you you try and rotate in a couple of areas i just was surprised that he didn't i guess it's cool as i thought one is that there's a consistency of selection that you know wiki we are in saliba it's obviously really good that they are now getting to play with each other because you need that center back but

I just thought, did Rice need to play that much? Did the Waterguard need to play that much? You know, I found that surprising. Well, we don't have a replacement for Martin Erdegaard in that position anyway. And notice that he didn't say Raheem Sterling there, by the way. So, because there's no game in which it would be a good idea to start Raheem Sterling. So you wanted to say something. No, yeah. So just on the Erdegaard thing, a few of us were talking before the team news came out and we were going through like predicted lineups and stuff.

And so Tom Cantona works for Football London mentioned Ethan Waniere maybe playing in that Erdogan position because at the pre-match press conference, Mikel mentioned that's actually his main position. And I think everyone's forgotten that with how often he's played on the right wing when Bakayo Saka was out. And Saturday seemed like a really good opportunity to maybe give him a start in his main position. But yeah,

we have to wait and he's coming on with Raheem Sterling and Olezana Sinchenko so that seemed a bit weird it seemed like a nice kind of not a free hit because you don't want to call any game that but a good opportunity and Bournemouth are good as well by the way

Bournemouth are a good team. I mean, let's not forget, you know, they're what, eighth, ninth in the Premier League and they've done a double over us this season, which is obviously disappointing. Oh, Martin Urdegaard, let's talk about that moment in the Premier League

in whatever it was, 60th minute when he had the ball and everyone says shoot and he takes another touch and then he sort of falls over and he's going for a foul but he was looking for it, wasn't he really? I mean, is that indicative of his, you know, lack of confidence at the moment? And I say that he's still got confidence. He's still trying things

but it's not flowing in the way that, you know, a midfielder feeling good about themselves would think 20 yards out, I'll have a pop. Yeah, that's been the case, I think, all season pretty much. You can think back to numerous occasions where he gets the ball in that kind of pocket and

And you're thinking shoot. I think the whole crowd is thinking shoot, but he either tries a little dribble or a little scoop pass that Jordan's done a piece on a few weeks back. So yeah, I think for me, he just seems like he's thinking too much. And I mentioned that on the athletic pod last week, it just strung.

screams of someone who's thinking two or three steps ahead when they don't need to they just need to play what they see and you'll be fine so yeah i don't know how you kind of get out of that rhythm i was quite happy that he got his assist in the first half because it was

almost like a typical Erdegaard kind of through ball reversed for the Declan Rice. But then I think first touch in the second half is just receiving a really good pass from David Raya and he miscontrols it. And I think that just kind of for all the good work, you then have to build yourself back up after that. So yeah, it's really, really tricky one, but hopefully that first half can kind of give him some encouragement heading into the second leg against PSG.

Come see the Oslo! Come see the Oslo! You've only come to see the Oslo!

Jordan, in terms of our attacking, it seems to me, and I don't know what you feel from a sort of outside point of view really, but just looking at the way that we'll get a goal and then we'll try and control the game as opposed to going for the jugular. And you think about the number of points we dropped from winning positions this year. What do you think about that? Do you think that is a problem with Arsenal almost trying to exert too much control over the game? Yeah.

Yeah, I think it definitely is a problem. I think I wrote about this a few months back and it's not, you know, the trends continue to happen and that Arsenal usually start games pretty well and often take the lead in the first half. But how many times do Arsenal kill the game? And it's done by 60 minutes. You can count on your hand, your one hand, the amount of times that's happened this season. Even the last couple of seasons, I don't think they get through the years as quickly as a team does.

as good as Arsenal should. Liverpool have had to come back a lot and win games, there's been tight games as well, but Man City at their best. You think of these title-winning teams, there's maybe 10, 12 games a season where it's pretty comfortable and they've got two-goal cushion and it's never really in jeopardy, where Arsenal always feel like they're mentally in the game for far too long. You're sitting watching and thinking, Arsenal are by far the better team here, but they're not actually converting that dominance into...

clear-cut chances and sometimes you look at the scoreboard and you're like geez it feels like everyone in the stadium forgot it's only 1-0 because it's like a 3-0 game but they've not managed to make that actually a reality so I think that's a big thing for us now if they can really learn to turn the screw and sort of build momentum because you're right sometimes it does feel like rather than going for the jugular and really going right let's go and get another one that's right we've won 1-0 up you know let's if we don't concede then we've won 1-0 you know which

is one way to look at it but I think you've got to try and you know assert yourself on teams and blow them away you want them leaving the stadium going well that was the toughest game of the season I think sometimes they take their foot off the gas a bit just on that it feels like they're more comfortable

doing that away from home because i think we can all probably remember a few games where they've emptied away grounds in the past year or so i think sheffield united west ham a couple of times burnley as well it feels like i don't know there's a bit more freedom when you're playing away a bit less expectation to really control the game so you can attack more freely but

But when they're at the Emirates, it does feel like, as Jordan says, there's a tension there for all 90 minutes that doesn't feel like it should be necessary. No. So, yeah. I mean, that's probably a natural being in front of your own fans. But then I know we're talking a lot about the atmosphere and maybe it not being as raucous as it should have been against PSG or it going a bit flat. But, you know, I've seen...

other clubs who are dominant teams. And I would say that the Arsenal support are pretty patient in terms of the playing style. You know, it's not like Arsenal, if they're keeping the ball, there's groans to hear it forward quickly. I think they appreciate possession of football. So I don't think it's actually like a difficult place to play that style of footballing. I think it's actually quite conducive to it. So yeah, I agree with you. It's definitely been easier for them to get it through the years away from home. But it's a bit strange why the Emirates seems to...

you know, block something. Well, luckily our next game is away. So hopefully we're hoping for a 4-5-0, aren't we, really? Before we move on from the Bournemouth game, Art, listen, we're still, what, three points clear of third place. It's such a weird time to be an Arsenal fan, right? Because we sort of understand that there are three scenarios now, right? There is the slightly disappointing end to the season when we finish second or third or fourth place.

I mean, but you know, we get in the Champions League and that's the way it goes. There is the tiny possibility that there is an absolute disaster and we don't finish in the top five. Hopefully that won't happen. And there is also the tiny possibility that all our dreams come true and we win the Champions League. So it's a very strange period of time at the moment for the Arsenal fans. But in terms of being in a slightly difficult position in the league, I mean, we've got Newcastle at home, right? We're

which we know is not an easy game and they will be gunning for us because they can basically overtake us in the last few weeks, especially if they beat us at the Emirates and we know they've done it before this season. We've got to go to Anfield. I thought Liverpool looked a little bit foot off the gas yesterday against Chelsea, but we know they can play and he won't choose his reserve team every week.

And then we've got to go away to Southampton where we should get three points and everyone would expect us to get three points, but who the hell knows? I mean, maybe it doesn't matter. And if we win the Champions League, it's not that it'll be forgotten, but there will be a feeling of, yeah, well, we did the right thing, not concentrating on the league. In the end, two games from glory, right? Yeah, I think...

With all that, you just have to deliver. And yeah, I think very lucky that Newcastle drew against Brighton. Oh, I thought it was so inevitable they were going to score the winner. They were battering them. Absolutely battering them. Although Brighton had a great chance as well, by the way. Yeah. So that gives a little more wiggle room in terms of the league. But I think, yeah, when you look at Wednesday night, Paris,

I think you just have to give everything. Whether you're a player or you're a fan going there, I think everything has to go into that 90 minutes from minute one. Or maybe even before minute one, actually. So yeah, I'm putting myself in a mindset that's more excited for the second leg than nervous. Yes.

And we should be as well because we have got PSG in the semi-final of the Champions League. I'm Mikel Arteta. I said we wanted to generate the momentum and a really positive vibe today. We haven't. What we have created is frustration, rage and anger. Well, I have to say, as a stand-up comedian, that's what I use on a daily basis. OK? So it can work for you. All right?

Just take that vibe of a Jewish comedian moaning on and take it out to Paris on Wednesday. I tell you what, I don't want to talk about that game on Saturday anymore. Nice goal by Detnam Rice, though, wasn't it? It was nice to see him. Yeah, it was decent. He's doing well. And actually, one other thing. Jordan, I want to ask you about William Saliba. I mean, I think it'd be mad for anyone to leave the Arsenal, especially going to Real Madrid. I know there's a bit of a talk going on

I think what we did in that Real Madrid game should be enough to convince Big Willy to stay with us.

I mean, do you know anything? Have you heard anything at all? What do you think of these rumours? Are they just trying to unsettle him? Well, I mean, we know how the Real Madrid machine works, don't we? You know, they say the contract expires and the work starts about two years in advance. So I think that the seeds are being planted for that move. And I mean, if you think of Saliba and you think of Real Madrid, it does feel like the perfect marriage in terms of, you know, at some point,

a player that elegant on the ball in the Madrid defence does make perfect sense but we spoke to Saliba about a couple of months ago before one of the Champions League games and I remember asking him about you know you're saying you love it here at Arsenal but you know you two years left

could you possibly leave Arsenal if you don't win anything here? You know, because it would feel mad if a player that good and a team this good leaves empty-handed. And he said that, he's like, you know, he says, no, I want to stay and win trophies here because if you leave, you won't be remembered in the same vein. And that's true. And if Saliba goes to win the Champions League this year and Arsenal can win a Premier League or two and a few more cups, then, you know, we'll be talking about Saliba forever.

potentially being one of the greats. But as with all the players in this current team, their legacy is going to be defined by what they can do over the next couple of years and convert that into trophies. But I think it would be premature for him to leave. I think at the age he's at, he's still got room to develop and cut out the odd daft error that we've seen in the last few weeks. But yeah, I think it's obviously a priority for Arsenal to tie him down or a new long-term deal. I'm sure that'll be one of...

Andrea Berta's main to-do lists to tick off but you know he's one of a few players that have got two years and it's that difficult time because you know these players are growing with the Arsenal team but they're getting to an age and they're getting to a profile same with Declan Rife's different players like that Saka where you think okay there's probably three players in that team where

They're the main players, but they'll be a Real Madrid, they'll be, you know, Liverpool or Man City. There's only a small handful of clubs in the world who could probably think, you know, we could prize them away. There's not many people who've got something better to offer than this current Arsenal club. No. Right now, but, you know, I think it is a priority to show that

you can't win here because unless you win, there will be those doubts growing and he's mind going, well, I'm going to be mid-20s soon. Do I need to leave? So I think it is important that they get over the line soon. No guarantees, of course, anywhere you go. All right. I tell you what, we'll have a break and then we'll talk about PSG.

They get a humbric off and you can see that they are more free to play. Ian Stone, Art de Rocher and Jordan Campbell here on F1.

the Athletics Arsenal podcast handbrake off. Before we do talk about PSG, Jordan, you wanted to talk about the fact that Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey managed clubs. They managed Norwich against Cardiff, right? Yeah. And Jack came out on top, didn't he? Yeah, they won 4-2. I have to say it was a very strange experience to see them both on the touchline. And she knows they had a bit of a fashion competition, I think, on the sideline. But it was a bit like you were in a time warp because...

On the 15th minute, somebody got sent off. And I was like, what number is that? It was Callum Chambers. Callum Chambers got sent off for Cardiff? Yeah, he got sent off for Cardiff and he had to walk by his two teammates. And I googled it at the time and I was like, I looked at Callum Chambers' debut in the Community Shield back in 2014 when he was 19.

and Wilshire and Ramsey were 22 and 24 and here they were 10 years later 33 and 34 and you're thinking wow these guys should probably still be playing at Arsenal you know if they've not had the terrible time they've had for injuries but yeah I mean Jack Wilshire's won his what drew first game won the last game of the season there

He's been at Norwich for what, six months now as assistant and yeah, he made a big play for the job afterwards, said that he's been thinking about his backroom team for the last couple of years and

And yeah, really wants the job. Ramsey went into the week saying, nah, you can't be player manager. And forget that he's still actually the captain of Wales, despite halfway playing the last few years. But he came into the press conference after it and he just completely got the bucket. And he was like, yeah, I want to stay and bring the club back up, basically. So...

You could just see it in their eyes that the two of them have really got the bug. And I think fair play to Wilshere because it's difficult for somebody like that to accept that it's over. So at such a young age, you could see Ramsey trying to fight sort of father time, but I think he's maybe getting close to the point where, I think he's played six times this season, but he's played the equivalent of 80 games in six years since he left Arsenal. It's not been a good six years since he left. So I think he might be at the point now where he moves into management, but you've got the World Cup coming,

In America next year, as Wales captain, it's a lot to give up. So I guess we'll see what happens. But no, it was fun to watch them on the sidelines. Well, at least they don't want to have massive thugs scything into them in their management career. I just wish them the best of luck, really. Oh, they're not that sort of players, aren't they? Okay. Anyway, I probably should let that go. It's been a long time. PSG.

Semi-final, second leg, 1-0 down. Biggest game in our recent history. I mean, maybe we got away with one a little bit in the first game. They had a couple of one-on-ones. They hit the bar and Barcola probably should have scored. But you know what? I mean, I'm feeling all right about this because in the end, I mean, obviously there is a lot to lose, but also nothing to lose as well. Just go and play your game. We know most of the first team, well, the remaining first team will be out there. And...

How are you feeling, Art, ahead of all this? I'm feeling fine. So directly after full time in the first leg, obviously James was recording this on the whistle. Did he jump in again? No, this was the first time I jumped in. Oh, right. Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I wasn't expecting him to ask me how I was thinking about the game. Yeah, you were really reluctant to say anything. I noticed that. So he asked me, I was like, ****.

I wasn't expecting that. But to be fair, what I said was just what I was feeling. I was feeling fine. It was only one goal. And then the reaction online, just in general to the game in the days afterwards kind of shocked me because it seemed like

so extreme for just a one goal deficit. You were hoping for a one goal deficit to take to the second leg. I know that's what you're like anyway, so it's all right. But yeah, yeah. Do you think it was a bit extreme? I thought it was. Yeah, in my opinion, it was. And yeah, in terms of this week, yeah, again, I'm feeling fine. I just feel like when you're looking at the game, it's just about how you approach it. Do you go guns blazing from minute one or do you be a bit more patient and...

kind of do a George Graham type thing where... Yeah, not a half time, then nick one and then get the winner late on. Yeah, so that's the only thing in my head at the minute in terms of, yeah, looking at Wednesday, how does Mkharteta actually want to approach it? That's what I'm thinking about. Jordan, I mean, it would be a bit

crazy for them to go gung-ho from the first minute and then let in a second goal. And it doesn't mean the tie's over. It doesn't really change a huge amount. It just means extra time will almost certainly come into play if that's the case. I mean, what Art said was right. Do a bit for George Graham, get to half-time, knock, knock, we're in the game. And then crank it up. Yeah, I think that's the sensible thing to do. I guess the only problem is if you

You try and do that and then it ends up becoming a bit of a rope-a-dope. You can't get out and it's difficult. If PSG get a goal, you then need two. And can you switch mentally for going to contain to attack mode? I guess that's the danger of it. I think it's the only way to play it. But you look at last season in the Bayern Munich second league, I felt like Arsenal...

tried to get a balance but ended up when they were attacking just never committed enough men forward it was attacking with a handbrake sorry for the pun but the handbrake you know and I think that's the danger is that you can't be so cautious of the game going away for you that you don't attack because to open this PSG team up you're going to have to be brave and commit men forward but I really wasn't as

pessimistic after the game is like I felt a lot of people were. You know, PSG were brilliant for the first 20 minutes. Kvarek Švila gave Timber a hard time in the first 20 minutes. Neves and Vitinha kept the ball well. But, you know, after that, I think, you know, Arteta spotted the problems, fixed it, and then Arsenal managed to disrupt the rhythm. And they still had little spells where they had Arsenal in the sort of carousel where they kept the ball well, but I never felt they were really...

really dominant or Arsenal looked like they were struggling to compete. We forget that with Trossard and Martin Eli had two of the best chances in the game and in another day Arsenal could leave that 2-1 up. So I think Arsenal will hurt PSG in Paris. It's just whether they can be solid enough to keep them out. Looking at it rationally, I think Arsenal probably need two goals in Paris. That's a big ask but

I wouldn't put it past them. Definitely not. No. And if we're right and Mecca Marina goes back up front because Thomas Partey comes back in and then it means we've got Trosson on the bench. We're really switching things around quite a bit from the first leg. Yeah. When you looked at the bench from the first leg, I sat next to James and we were thinking, well, who do you actually bring on to change things here? Looked down,

And then the first person we see warming up is Ben White. I know, it was fullbacks, wasn't it? Ben White, Kieran Tierney, Oleg Sinchenko. And no disrespect to those guys, but in that situation, you want to be looking at attackers, really. So yeah, I think if what you said happens, to have Trossard...

as the option off the bench would be really handy. I know last season that worked really well on the first leg against Bayern because he came off the bench and scored. Yeah, talk about rage, frustration and anger. I mean, he's the one, he sort of embodies it off the bench, doesn't he, really? To be fair, yeah. I mean, even earlier in the season, Mikel Arteta was talking about how annoyed Trossard gets when he doesn't start. It's hilarious. So if he wants to feed into that, I think the word he used was he's a moaner, which...

I can get beyond that. Which, um, I don't think Mikhail understood what you're saying when he said that. Yeah. But yeah, I'd say if you want to feed into that rage, yeah, definitely start a truss out off the bench and

And then hopefully you're in a position where you can hurt PSG when you need them to. And Thomas Partey being back as well, Jordan. I mean, he does make such a difference to us, receiving the ball from the defence and often from the goalkeeper. And in those tight spaces and turning away from trouble and just building the attack from there. I think we missed him terribly. And you could see how angry Detlef Reiss was with him when he got booked in the second leg against Madrid because he knew what it meant.

He knew that he couldn't do what he could do as well. This is the other thing I didn't mention before. He's a big player for us, isn't he, Thomas Partey? And if he's back for the second leg, that'd make a big difference. Yeah, I think when he's in the team alongside Rice, it definitely gives Arsenal a bit more physical presence, but also a wee bit more control as well. So I'm pretty sure that, you know, because what Declan Rice said, you know, in the warm-up of that game, saying, if we don't have the ball, we die. That's going to be really important in Paris, that Arsenal do...

have the composure to play and then obviously Partey will take the ball in any circumstance. I think you know you look in the last season when he came back he was still a little bit rusty even at the start of this season a wee bit rusty but he's been very consistent this year sort of gone without many people sort of noticing it but I think he's one of those players you notice when he's not in the team you see what's missing but I think Rice actually in the second half of the game against PSG really took it by the scruff of the neck

and realised that listen we need to up the gears here and there was that moment where he turned away from Dembele and just drove past four or five players and slipped through. I think that's what he does awfully it's different to Partey but when he plays at six he's actually got more space to run into because he's coming for deeper and the game's a bit more open there so yeah I think he shows that he's great at six and he's great at eight so I imagine that

him going back there will give Arsenal a bit more drive though in midfield and if Mourinho can go back up front as you say, draw Sard off the bench then you can bring him on for any of the front three depending on the circumstance but I think Mourinho will give them a bit more of a focal point as well which will be huge. We can go long can't we Art? I mean we know the way that PSG press, we saw it the other day and it was awesome to watch I mean they are some team and there is a possibility that Dembele is out but

You know what? I'll believe that one. I won't see him, to be honest with you. I mean, I'm sure Luis Enrique is not against playing a few mind games as well. But we know, and I saw how hard he pressed and he made William Saliba nervous and he made David Ryan nervous. And it would be great if he wasn't knocking about on that pitch.

But if we've got Mourinho up front, it gives us the option to go long. But that then goes back to the point that Jordan was making about how we have to get players around him for the knockdowns. Because when Saka scored that goal against Madrid, that's exactly what happened.

That was what I was going to say, but I'll say something slightly different. But I think throughout that game at the Bernabeu, you saw, okay, maybe Mikel Moreno can be a target, but it doesn't just have to be him all the time. So defenders might latch onto him thinking he's the one Raya's aiming for. But a lot of the times Raya or whoever was in defense actually looked for Saka.

directly rather than looking for a knockdown. So I think it just adds a bit more variation to the way you can get out or escape a really intense press and

when you look at yeah how how big that pitch will be as well I think that's a massive bonus for Arsenal because it could be a very long light if it was say Leandro Trossard starting as the nine but I think with Marino you've got that but then also you've seen in recent months that he's got a lot more comfortable playing those passes as well with his feet around the box so I wouldn't just kind of

class him as that target man that we can hit when things get a bit tricky. No, no, no, no, no. I know you weren't saying that. I know you weren't saying that. He's a midfielder. I mean, let's not forget he's a midfielder and I love there was a couple of moments even at the weekend where he brought the ball down in difficult positions. He chested it down. He's got four players around him but they know how good he is and we're starting to see that. So I was just saying that there would be a bit of class to him as well which hopefully can kind of work well for say Martinelli as well.

as Saka. Yeah, for the older listener, we're not talking about a Mickey Quinn type centre forward, all right? And both of you will go, who? Just look him up, all right? Honestly, and then you'll see what I mean. We're not just talking about a brute centre forward because he's obviously more than that. First of all, he's not actually a centre forward, to be fair. And Jordan, one more thing, and this goes back to a point you were making, Clarence Seedorf working for Amazon on the first leg of

He said, I think this result might actually help them to be free in the next match. They have nothing to lose. There's something in that, isn't there? No, there definitely is. I mean, if you go there and you're carrying a lead, the temptation is to just hang on the whole time. You know, Arsenal are going there knowing, as we say, they need to score at least one. So I think that there will be a boldness to their play and they'll be sharp. I think it's all about the start. You can't go there and get...

up in the first 15-20 minutes like I think this PSG team can do to you when they play at that speed so I think Arsenal have got to try and disrupt them from the off but they've got a template I think because for the 25th minute on or whatever it was I've

I think Arsenal pretty much found a way to disrupt it. So I think if they can do that, it'll be great. And obviously you've got the whole homecoming of Arteta going back to where his career first started and coming up against the coach, Luis Enrique, who he had to leave Barcelona to go to Paris for. So, you know, I think there'll be certainly not short of motivation. And Arteta will be saying to them, we get so close to so many things, don't let another one slip away here because they're more than capable, I think, of coming out on top of this game.

Yeah, just on that pressure point, when you look at how the women's games went against Lyon,

immediately after the first leg where Lyon won 2-1, German tomorrow was saying well maybe the pressure's off now for Arsenal when everyone just assumed Lyon would go through and that's what happened. I mean they scored really early and then they scored just before half time so the timing of the goals was really important. But Art, more than that, it's not just that the women scored early on, before they scored there was that run up

the wing and that little interchange they really got off on the front foot. Yeah so that's why I'm saying like you could either approach it like that where you're really aggressive or you do the George Graham thing. I think that's

if I'm speaking honestly I think the men's side is more kind of suited to maybe doing the George Graham thing than going all out like the women did from the first like from kickoff basically but I think the template as Jordan said is there Mikel Arteta spoke about the women's team kind of inspiring them and kind of showing the pathway I didn't think they'd take the exact same path losing the first leg by one goal but

it's possible win the second leg by three and we'll go do you know what like how inspiring were the women and we'll see I'm looking forward to it anyway I mean my god we don't get to play in Champions League semi-finals that often first time in 16 years let's make the most of it hey let's have a song to finish oh what have you got

Initially I was going to try and think of something to do with the rage comment from Mikkel, but I couldn't. So I'm going to go for Don't Stop the Music by Rihanna. And that's obviously Don't Stop Champions League Music.

Thank you for contextualising that. Jordan, what have you got? Well, I was trying to think of something French and Apple Music wasn't helping me filter it when I typed in French. So I found Christine and the Queens, which you may not be familiar with, but a famous song, Tilted, and Arsenal are going to tilt the tie for one into their favour. I am actually good

Can I say I saw Chris in the Queens at Glastonbury a couple of years ago. Oh, did you? Oh, there you are. I am aware of the oeuvre, shall we say. All right, I'm having Waiting by Green Day. Yeah, because...

what is it, Monday today and it's just going to try and get through the next two days. To be fair, it'll be nice to watch the first semi-final like no stress about it. Stress-free watch for that one on Tuesday.

On Tuesday? Yeah, Barca-Inter. Yes, that is true. We can just enjoy. That was a pretty unbelievable first leg. So you're right. Well, what's that? Not going, well, who are we playing in the final? Well, let's just see what happens here. Anyway, that's it for this edition of Hand Break Off. Thanks to Jordan and Art. Thanks to Robbie, our producer. And thanks for listening. And enjoy the week as best you can.

And we'll speak to you on Thursday. Happy Arsenal!