Arsenal's Dry Spell Continues

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But the decisive goal came in the 74th minute from Bournemouth. It was Alex Scott who advanced and finished in the roof of the net to give Bournemouth all three points and another bad result for Arsenal. Now they do still have a nine point lead at the top of the table but that could be cut to six when City played Chelsea tomorrow. But let's get word from Michel Arteta speaking after the game. Well, extremely disappointing. It's a big punch on the face, as what I said to the boys. And now it's about how we react to that because the game on is going to require now a bigger speed, a lot of fight and very clear how we're going to approach that. There's no great areas. We are in, we are out and we need to be very, very, very strong and determined to approach it in a different way than we did today, especially when the game wasn't going our way. Today there were some very basic things that we did, extremely bad against the team that when you do that, they want to capitalise, stress the pills, the game becomes very chaotic and very difficult to control. So yeah, it's a lot of good things that they've done obviously and credit to them. But I think that it's a lot, a lot, a lot in our plate to look at ourselves. Yanagafi Artoff joining us now. We'll hear from Yan in just a moment. I want your reaction, Stevie, to what we saw today and the fact that Arsenal have dropped points in this title race. You know, after the game is finished, I can't help thinking that a tet is the problem. You know, Arsenal have, going forward, Arsenal recently in the Premier League have struggled to create clear chances, to have any sort of combination. And they've been picking points up with surprise, surprise, set pieces, maybe an individual piece of brilliance. But as a unit, they've had nothing going forward. Now, you can look at that and say, well, sometimes that happens, you've got too many forward players who are out of form. But in terms of the whole team, if you want to win the Premier League or any title, you have to go and win it. Nobody's going to hand it to you. It's not just going to drop in your lap. And to me, that's down to the manager, how he puts you on the field. And this Arsenal team stepping on the field should have been thinking about squeezing life out of Bournemouth, getting in their face, making it tough for them. Instead of that, they were standing off and letting Bournemouth pass the ball around. You do that with his Bournemouth side, and they're going to create chances. But guess what? You end up losing two goals. I understand that some players are not in form, and you could say that about pretty much every forward player that Arsenal has, whether it's Jesus coming on, Harvard's at 10, why is Eze not playing? Martin Ellingham had nothing. Trossard gave nothing. Madoeke didn't do anything. I mean, the young kid down. You're asking a 16-year-old to get you out the mile. He can't do it all the time. I think the biggest problem they have is Artheta not putting them on the field in the right frame of mind. I don't think Zubemendi's playing well either, Steven. Scott ran off him for the goal there. And he was gluing the whole thing together at the start of the season. So yeah, he's not playing well either. But if a wobble, Jan, how big a blow is it in the title race? Well, how big a blow is it to play bad? I mean, out of the FA Cup, Leica finally gone. And then a good, good result in this one. We thought, well, that was good for them to get under the confidence now going to a great race. Yes, Bournemouth been in great form lately. Yes, Bournemouth been there before and winning. But as Steven was saying, a lot of set pieces today. They love the set pieces of Arsenal. Bournemouth hate it and they still couldn't produce anything. So let's try to get into the dressing room of Arsenal. And they can say they can use all buzzword in the world. It's all about how we react. It's all about next game. It's all about stick together. I tell you what, in that dressing room now, it's panic on titanic. I mean, is here we go again? Should we be the butlers again? And the players can say all they want. This is going through the head now. And I agree with Stevie. And in our tetas, had they would go as well. I still think it's for them to lose. We still need to go to get a city need to win at Chelsea. At Chelsea, that would be desperate for the Champions League and so on. And City still got to win next Sunday against Arsenal and so on and so on. But it's 100% that every single out of that Arsenal dressing room at this moment is we got a great squad. We've probably been the best team this season. But we can't more rely on the set pieces. We have to win football games. Can we do it again? Is our manager two, three months away from being thrown out of his job? Now, leave the buzzword. It's panic. It's panic big time. And I'm not even saying the word butlers. I won't even use that word. What are you seeing, Craig? Well, there's a worrying trend here. And it's not a trend in a positive nature. When you insert a negative connotation, and that's where they are and that's where they have been recently, you start to see it in performances. You start to see it in confidence levels. And when you look at the stats, the last 10 games, we've gone back to the last 10 games here roughly. There was 43 games before March 1st. Three games they lost in 43. Three in 10. It's not actually three in 10. That's three in four. Set peace goals currently three against 25. But more importantly is the percentage of the set peace goals. 5.5% of the percentage they are putting away compared to 13% before. So all this set peace talk is diminishing. They're not as prominent and not as effective from set peace. Open play goals before March 1st was almost one and a half a game. And the last 10 games is 0.7. That's a half. And more and just as important, down the bottom, XG from open play of one and above. And the last 10 games, 0. Before March 1st, it was over 50%. So what we're seeing is a diminishing arsenal from set pieces, which was their big calling. We're seeing them not defending as well. We're seeing them very poor from open play. They're not creating the chances. The eye test will tell you and the stats will back it up. Not once in 10 games is there XG but over one. I'm not saying you need to be into XG, but it kind of paints a little bit of a picture about how many chances you're creating. So the chances are down. The confidence is down. The creativity is down. The confidence is all over the place. And the set pieces, either teams are figuring them out or the delivery's not as good. But whatever way you want to look at it, every statistic where they were more successful from March and before, first of March and previously, they have started to go down. Now, is that just form or is that the fact that city just haven't quite gone away? There's a lot of pressure. There's a lot of talk. And none of these players have proven they've got over the line. As Jan said, I'd still rather be in Arsenal's position because you can always find something. I'd rather have the team with more points than the games in hand. But if this trend that's shown in those stats continues, the chances are they're going to lose more games. The big question is, can City put that run together? There's no doubt that they've got some big games coming up. But when you've been so reliant on your set pieces, and I got a bit, I don't know about you, but I got a bit fed up with it. Every time they got a set piece, they crowd it on their feet. And that was always going to dry up a little bit, as it has, 13% to 5% of a success rate. Then you've got to lean on the rest of your game. And what they've done is, they've almost gone back into the shell, a bit like the Carribo Cup final against City. It was like some championship side defending their own box and letting City have all this possession. And as Stevie said, they used to go out and throttle teams. They'd suffocate them. And they'd win the ball back, and then they'd play in their intensity. It wasn't always brilliant. But you really struggled to be able to play against this Arsenal team. Now you don't. They're not as difficult to play against. So every facet of their game is down from, and probably the goalkeeper's the only one that's still playing particularly well, and he's having to. Even if he made a mistake the day before. But every other facet is down. Set pieces, possession, chances created, you name it, it is down. The only one we can't put a percentage on is confidence. You can't measure that. But as Jan said, you go in that Arsenal dressing room, and I'm telling you what, they're not going to be cock a hoop, and the confidence is low. I think you use the perfect word there, doubt, because they doubt whether they can do it. Because when you're playing football and you're just playing, it's easy to run. Everything you do is a lot easier. But when there's doubt in your mind, everything is harder. And from what Craig's just shown us there, every single facet of the game recently, those last 10 games, has been hard for them. Every single facet. And that only happens when you have doubt. So there is no question that they have doubt that they can do it. But I think the doubt is cut down at the top. That's what we're managing, don't it? Because I think the players sense the tension and the fear and the worry in him. We don't see what goes on at the training ground, apart for that stuff with the pens. And on to all that. But we don't see all the stuff that goes on at the training ground. But players will sense if he's on edge and maybe a little different, if he's acting a little different, a little edgy, players will sense that. And then, obviously, supporters definitely will let you know when they're feeling it. And Arsenal fans are feeling it at the moment. And as I said in yesterday's show, and we were talking, City will sniff and smell. And this was before Arsenal lost. We thought Arsenal would win today. But City would sniff and smell that down the line, there may be an opportunity to peg on the back of an Arsenal collapse. And that's why this game tomorrow in London for Manchester City is so big, so huge. And if they do win it, and there's no guarantee, then the chins of that Arsenal dressing room will fall even further to the ground, because that piles even more pressure on them. Yeah. And then we'll see what happens in that game. But then, of course, in the league, it's City for them next. And you mentioned the schedule that's coming up. They've also got Newcastle and Fulham to come and visit them at their home. But, Jan, I just wanted to put something to you that Victor Ioccaros has said after the game. He said the pitch was dry and that didn't help. Is that a thing for striker? Well, there's a lot of things. I guess the best strikers in the world will score on dry, on wet, windy, rain, snow, thunder, everything. And it's a good question because I was thinking when Craig had his excellent analysis of the situation there, I was thinking of that. If I can remind, I remember, and I'm not going to open that thing with Arsenal lacking that top, top striker, because Ioccaros just sent Sweden to the World Cup. But there were some chances today. And if you see the last season with Elling Haaland, with Mohamed Salah, have there been any champions triumphs when they don't have that player who can save them on a bad day? It seems that Arsenal and Craig was alluding to it, with the set pieces was done. But today, OK, save a pointer at the end. And Ioccaros has opened his account, but this is not the big, big, big striker that is in there. So his form is OK, but it's not good enough to shoot to do a championship, it seems. And I will put another name in. Declan Rice. I see that he gets the captain's armband. I talk to my English pundits, my colleagues. I listen to their analysis. And Declan Rice is apparently the biggest guy of leadership, is Lord Nelson. Yeah, he's the captain today, but I didn't see that. I didn't see him doing that. And I'm not saying this because he's a Norwegian, but I think that they miss an informed Martin Erdogar. Unfortunately, he's having some problems with injuries this season, and he had a setback in Lisbon, but they need him back. They're desperate to get him back to that balance in midfield. At this moment, Declan Rice, who is the big hope for England, the England national team, is not producing either. Saka, what has he done lately? I mean, there's so many in there now. And when Bournemouth came, and it was kind of predicted with the form that Bournemouth got, it was, but still, they managed to take them a bit apart. And that is worrying, but that means that the big home games, you can say, if they win their home games, if they look good and they will have some good results away from home, then they will win this. But Bournemouth just showed today, the old teams that will come to Emirates, no, no, no, that's not how it is. Just be on the case, play on the lack of confidence, and you've got a chance to take three points away. Can I just make a comment about what Jocker has said? Because when I watch games, I've always got an old coach of mine running around in my head. He's always in my head. And the one thing he would say, if he was Jocker as his coach, and he said that to him, he would say, the field was dry for them as well, you know? And they didn't stop Bournemouth knocking the ball around, didn't stop Bournemouth creating chances, didn't stop Bournemouth getting two goals. That's exactly what Ronnie would have said. The other side of that is as well, and it is a ridiculous comment to make. And sometimes you want, sometimes a pitch is maybe a little bit dry, but it's dry for both teams. But sometimes you might want a pitch, a pitch that's a bit skiddy or and stuff, but that's no control there. Well, they're the home side. If that's what a tether wants, and Jocker is, and Declan rise, and Zuby Mendy, and Mudwakey, and all these players that are fit and available, then the groundsmen waters the pitch before the game, and they get any waters at a half time, and they get a pitch that's a little bit more fiery. So when you're at home, you're in control of that. There's no point in retrospect making an excuse about it. It just makes you look weak, and it makes you look like you are doing what you're doing, looking for excuses. Yeah, and we'll give Sakara Pashyan his injured right now. Yeah, but it has some energy when he's playing. But he wasn't playing well before that. Okay. No, no, no, exactly. It's not alone, you're right about Declan rise, there's a bunch of them not playing well. Yeah, but Craig, I just put them forward because you know, if you're gonna win titles, you need, yes, you can have a great squad, you can have a great bench, but you need your star players to produce. And that's what I mean, and that's this special related to Sakara to rise, the big, big players, and they're not big at the moment, unfortunately, for Arsenal fans. Yeah, because when City were doing it, and Liverpool were doing it, it was Van Dijk, and it was Salah, and some others, and it was Rodry, and it was Ellen Harland, and it was one or two others, the big, the real, you know, the big stars, the leaders in there who were taking the team on the shoulders, yeah, they had, you know, they had Gravenberg and McAllister and other players that were really good. But it was Van Dijk leading the back line, which he hasn't this year, it was more Salah doing great things, which he hasn't this year, and hence one of the reasons that they've struggled, but in times of success, those guys have really stood up and taken the batting and run with it, and I think that's what Jan's point is. Some of these Arsenal players, the so-called more experienced, bigger hitters, and there's a lot of big hitters on the side, need to take that responsibility of the poor form and pick them out of this hole. So we wanted to show you guys stats, but it's a table of what happens in April for head coach of Wadi Ola. Why don't you give me that grimace for that? Because it seems that you're entertaining, so that's for us today. So I'm going to shoot my shot. That was weird, listen to you earlier, I've got to say. I'm going to shoot my shot while I can, while we're in this mood. So this is Premier League records in April. This is their head coaching roles in the Premier League over the amount of games that have been played in April, where they've been. As you can see for Arteta, the win percentage is 42% in April. Is there anything in this? I'm out of this conversation because I've done my stats for the day. No, it's got, can I, can I, can I, okay. Do you know what, do you want to see a one-thing? Yeah, you absolutely can. I just want to get to the coach here. It just says experience. It's got experience written all over it. You look at the manager on the left, you look at the team, the players, the whole thing on the left, they've all been there, done it, won it, seen it. And experience, in times like this, this time of the year, absolutely, absolutely matters. And you can look at the stats of the other side, ask them, and they don't have any experience because they don't know how to win. They don't know how to get across the line. And so when you don't have players that are used to doing that, everybody's looking around to see where that's coming from. Yams talking about it earlier. There were two settings ago about the leaders. But again, it goes back to the main guy because when everybody's looking around, the reason you're the head coach is because it lands at your door. Everything lands at your door, and they're looking to him. And he has no experience of it really. That's the number, isn't it? Yeah, that's the number. I thought I was going to give you the fingers there, not give me the fingers. That's three, not giving anything. So three games, I think, for Arsenal. Next three games are absolutely the key. Manchester City, Newcastle, and then a decent full-on side without being great that Liverpool exposed today. Those three games are now crucial because of the run they're in, because of the negative stats I showed you about the way they're playing, about all the facets of the game. If those three games were to be more or less all three defeats or two defeats in a draw, so I'm like, they could either put this to bed or they're going to be right back in the mire. Because you look at the other three or four they've got after that, it's not that difficult. Although West Hamer in a relegation battle, that could be maybe a little bit more tricky. Once they get past the first three, and paper loosens up a little bit on paper. But Arsenal are in this mindset at the moment where I don't think anything's easy. So yeah, the next three for them are key. Lose the next three, and I think they're going to lose this league. Jan, what was it you wanted to say when you saw that graphic about the record in April? When the goings get tough, the tough gets going. Was that Billy Ocean who said that? It was, yeah. It was. I like my quotes from German coaches. When you pine, I've used this many times before. He said the season starts in April and May. And that just shows you that that stat. That there are winners, are there are losers. And at the end of the day, to be a winner, he has to overcome this. But just if I may say that to Craig, yes, I understand the team, the running is quite good for them, except for some hurdles there. But I still think that the biggest opposition, the biggest opponent for Arsenal is Arsenal Football Club. I think they are working with their minds and their attitude and the setup that is the biggest opponent for them. I agree. I think it's a mind game now. I think we're long past. And it's the same when we get to Tottenham, we've talked about Tottenham at length over the last couple of weeks, and a relegation battle. Now in the bottom three, it's a mind game for them. And at the top, it's the same. We're kind of past the, are we playing a 4-2-2, are we playing a 4-3-3? It's getting over the line time. And that's a mindset. And everybody, there's a lot of people outside of, they ask no bubble that are sitting waiting for it to burst. And at the moment, they're giving quite a lot of people opportunity to ask a question. Let's see if they can get some air back in the tyres. From 30 for 30 podcasts. Are you having fun? He's got a shot on my knee. Did you think how I got shot? Brian Pada, senior defensive lineman for Miami. Gunned down. The key to this case, it's Brian. Boy, it's a rip. 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Yeah, it's a good strike. It was actually going in the bottom corner. Not only does he keep it, make a good save, but punches it away. 36 minute, what about this from Río and Gamoa? I'm boozling his man there. Well, I do think there's, I think it's Harry Wilson, at least I want it. Yeah, he didn't do any favours, did he? One of the centre bats, could at least get over and help him out, because he's thrown him a cup of dummies. He doesn't know what way he's going to go. So once he comes back inside, you're hoping he comes back into a bit of traffic, but he doesn't take nothing away from the young guy. It's a excellent finish. 40th minute, Mosulat is back, Stevie. This is what the old Mosulat would do. Doesn't take a touch, knows exactly what he wants to do. Said good layoff, the gaps are there, and that's a lovely smooth strike into the bottom corner. Ian Rushock in the stands there, Mosulat back in the 11th, Liverpool back in the W list. It's a win for them, 2-0 over Fulham. What do you think of what you saw today? Well, the first half was exactly what's supposed to happen at Anfield against the Team Link Fulham. Liverpool had the legs, they were closing them down, they were intercepting, went quite as clinical. Yeah, they scored two goals, but weren't quite as clinical. So at halftime it was, yes please, I could do more of this. Second half, they weren't very good Liverpool, unfortunately they were a plain aside, who were pretty much bang average. They had, Smith Rowe had one chance, I think it was about the 77th minute, had it gone in, then there's no question. Liverpool and the fans would have been panicking, but he didn't take it. And so on the end of the day, it was a 2-0, it was quite comfortable for the first time in a long time. It was comfortable. It's good to go into the midweek PSG game, Stevie, where they win, but I don't, I wouldn't imagine, I don't know what you think, but I wouldn't imagine it changes the narrative too much, apart from the fact they're not going in as down and as the dumps as they were, but I don't think it should change too much in terms of the task they face and how they're going to go about it against a side that are clearly, at the moment, just better than them. Yeah, no, I don't think there's any doubt that they know what they're up against. Should he put Rio and Gamora in? Absolutely. Right now Liverpool are searching for positives and there's no question that Inga-Moa is a positive. He scares defenders. If you go back to the Trident Rusted, Gagpo, it could take you through the middle and Moa on the left and the right, sorry, then I can guarantee that whoever's playing right back doesn't mind playing against Gagpo. If you play Inga-Moa, because if you go back number one, won't know much about Inga-Moa, he doesn't want to play against him and the kids already scored a goal. He's involved in the second goal as well, so that there absolutely no way that you should not be starting Inga-Moa on one side. And yes, I think you have to start Salah in this game, particularly because he scored a goal and Ekitiki should be through the middle. Jan Josse on Liverpool. I think it's right to put Rio in there because he's got an age, he's got a lack of experience that means that he's not nervous. He doesn't think consequences and I think they needed that freshness into their team. And I think the win today, yes, they won't have a lot of consequences for the PSG game because when you saw the first game, I mean, wow, there was a big, big difference in the quality there, although Anfield is well known for the miracles. I think it was good to see Salah get a goal. He's on a far well parade. That could turn very ugly if he wouldn't score goals. That helped him also on a slot today, made the preparation for that miracle. Please let us have that Anfield kind of attitude in Liverpool. This was very important, but the fifth place I think is desperate to get that one. They love the coaches at Liverpool. And Steve, I just ended my autobiography on Bob Paisley. I want to do it in the East End and just show you the culture. You have Liverpool supporting your great, great coaches you've had over the years, but you just feel that slot at least need the fifth position to stay there. And I think that was this game was all about to somehow calm it down a bit at least. Where are you tonight, yeah, in London? Pardon? Where are you tonight? I'm in my parents' house today. Oh, I thought you were in London. Yeah, he's a mum and dad. You wouldn't be home. No. Yeah, I heard of a fantastic shoot play tomorrow in London. I was home at Easter. I was home at Easter. It was fantastic. Oh, nice stuff. Okay, Jan will be with us from his parents' house on the latest edition of Extra Time. There'll be more talk about Liverpool there. Check it out over on our YouTube channel. Barcelona had a big chance to take another step closer to La Liga's title when they took on Espanol. It was a game that would finish 4-1, a game where we saw Lameen Yemal and Pedri start and play the whole 90 minutes, but it was Ferran Torres who scored the opening two goals in the ninth and the 25th minute. There would be a goal for Polozzano for Espanol, but Barcelona saw it out with one from Lameen Yemal in the 87th and another from substitute Marcus Rashford in the 89th for all three points to Barcelona. But let's get some of the reaction after the game with Gemma Saler. Yes, you worked with Ferran Torres after a very important win. Brace from you, congratulations on your goals and on this very important win. Thank you very much, good afternoon. Very important win in the derby after the draw yesterday of Real Madrid. Yeah, we knew that it was a very important game. We started the game very well with two goals and then the atmosphere was really amazing and yeah, we get the free put. Talking about the Champions League, you look very sharp today in the final third. Do you think on Tuesday you will get being clinical scoring and you will be able to do the comeback? Yeah, we believe we are going to give everything from the first minute and yeah, we have to score goals to be very focused on the final third and I think it's possible. So let's focus on La Liga first of all. Luis Garcia joining us was watching along with us today. Is that it then? Is La Liga done and dusted its Barcelona's Luis? I will say 75% there's still so many games to play. There is Champions League games in between and a lot of things can happen but definitely nine points gap by the way that Barcelona is playing at the moment by the moment that Real Madrid is going through at this stage. I think there is enough to say that Barcelona is almost touching that trophy of La Liga. I'm not going to go to the amount of points that they need to get or the amount of points that Real Madrid or the amount of games that Real Madrid needs to win but definitely just for the way, the momentum that both of the teams are going through at this stage show me that Barcelona even though that they don't go through in the Champions League or whatever happened in the next couple of weeks they look strong, they look solid. They have that idea and they can be exposed at some times but definitely the amount of five-hour that they got upfront, the amount of creativity, the amount of players in the middle of the park who can provide good football shows that this Barcelona is stronger at the moment and with that gap it would be enough to get the trophy. There was a question of priorities today for Hansi Flickray because we know that they knew with those points today they could pretty much put it out of sight in La Liga but they do have that big gap. Yeah and Arbaló, sorry, Arbaló was making changes yesterday with mid-week in mind and Hansi Flickray was picking the side today to win this game. Albeit it got a little tight in the second half because it wasn't really a contest in the first half but we talked about this before the game. We didn't expect La Mínia multiplayer full game. We didn't expect Pedro to even start because he went off in mid-week and he was just nursing maybe a little bit of tightness but a lot of the big players played and I don't get me wrong, they liked to say Daniomo and Canceler and Cundey, De Jong's been out but some guys that were starters recently, Lewandowski were on the bench but he made his intent clear. He wanted to nail this down. Ideally they wanted to get that third goal to go three-nil and then make even more changes but it didn't quite pan out that way. But he wanted to get this job done almost cement La Liga title and then worry about mid-week and how he's gonna approach that. Now the big surprise was that, as I said, two of the stars played 90 plus minutes but what he did get today, we know that Rufinha's out for mid-week, we know Paul Cubars is suspended but there's a lot of players back and available including Ferre, well Ferre and Torres is not back but he's backing a little bit of form, backing a bit of confidence. Frankie De Jong's back on the field, Gavi's back on the field. Pedro played a whole game, surprisingly, so he must be fit. So there's a lot of players to select for hands he flicking mid-week but he's got a big job selecting what the center half partnership's gonna be. Is it Levin Dofsky with that penalty box finishing style or is it Ferre and Torres with the movement? Is Frankie De Jong fitting sharp enough to come in and start a game of this magnitude but he's got a lot of experience. So there's a lot of things for hands he flicked to think about but as I was sent to you in the live show in a good way, he's got a lot of choices even though he's got a couple of players missing, he's got a lot of choices and if he gets it right in mid-week, I think they've got a real chance of coming back in this one but they're gonna have to defensively play well. Did he learn anything new today, Luis, from what he saw in terms of what his selection could be against Athlete Midweek? Not really. I mean, I think that the team is gonna be very clear. He's not gonna change much from what we saw in the first game against Barcelona. You could see today by the pizzas that the Simeone did against Sevilla, leaving most of the 11 starters on the bench waiting and rested. I think he used in the second half a few minutes on Lockman and no much more. The rest of the players have been rested, not even one. I saw Antoine Crisman, Juliano on the bench waiting to the end of the game. So I think the Simeone's got very clear that he gonna stick with the same team try to put exactly the same game with waves of pressure on Barcelona, playing at home sometimes with the crowd. You know that you tend to show your presence to try to dominate that at some times. But definitely knowing that you cannot give much space to this Barcelona today. We saw another Barcelona with intention, with players that they moved from position in the middle of the park, Gabi getting involved means that he doesn't have only the possession, but the strength he brings, the energy he brings is a leader into the pitch. And even though there is not gonna be Rafainha on the left side, Rasta, when he's been involved, he's looking good, he looks sharp, he looks determined to go forward and to try to score goals. So I think he's plenty of options from both sides, but definitely Simeone's got 11, very, very clear and he's gonna stick with it. Ferran Torres, Leventoski, have you got a selection yourself up top for Barcelona this week, Luis? Yeah, I think that for me, I will start with Leventoski. He's a player who's got a lot of experience, he's gonna have a good working inside the box, try to stick with it, to send it back, try to give a little bit of work to the defense. He's a player that with his strengths can put in danger and allowing the players on the wide areas to run in behind. So I think I would say that for a dominated performance from Barcelona, having the ball, that's what I expect. Having Leventoski up front, I think will be a fantastic start. And then if you manage to score a goal, two goals that Alemde Comandri need for something else that need to go in the contact, you always got the option of Ferran Torres that as he shows today, he's in a good form, he's confident, he's been doing like this, like okay, I'm okay, I'm okay. So yeah, two very good options for Hansi Flick, hopefully they can do the job. I'm sorry, it might be Leventoski because if it let him do the, I think you said last week, when they're caught in a, caught between a rock and a hard place, do we defend this 2-0 or do we try and make a game of it and kill it off? They usually defer back to the, I think we're going to defend a little bit deeper. And then there's not, you saw that ball from La Mena Mal to Ferran Torres, it was into space for him to run on to. They might not be, certainly early on, they might not be that space because Athletic could defend deep. But if basketball to get a couple of goals and semi-only side have to come out later in the game, then that's maybe the time for Ferran Torres to come on and run into that space. So there's so many different ways this game can go. I was just thinking that it's funny because I would have gone the complete opposite of what you two guys were saying. I would go with the legs to start with because Athletic absolutely are going to hold their position and hold the line. They're not going to be gong ho and try and go and win this game. And so I think you're going to, if you use the legs of Ferran Torres to begin with, to close them and squeeze them. Because Barcelona want to stand on a half, the back four wants to be on a half way line. That means that you can squeeze them early and in their own area. And I think if you've got the legs of Ferran Torres to do that and you get a goal, then you can bring Lewyndowsky on. I've got to go completely the other way around. I was the same earlier, but Luis convinced me. Luis convinced me that it's going to be Lewyndowsky, which I kind of think it will be. But at least Ferran Torres has put his hand back up today because he has been out of form. And he's not a bad player at all. He's a very good player. He's been a great player for Handsy Flick in the last 18 months. But he's hit a bit of a wall. So, but he's came in today in a game that was, it wasn't the toughest of games, but he still scored a couple of goals. Could have had a hat trick. Was narrowly offside. Well, Eric Garcia was. So he's put his hand back up to saying, listen, don't rule me out of starting me in the big games. Yeah, when didn't get too many clues from Athlety today, Luis mentioned them. So let's see how they fed against Sevilla, struggling Sevilla in the bottom three coming into this game. Diego Simeone made wholesale changes, put some cantoranos in some of the youngsters. In the fifth minute, one of those youngsters, Danny Martinez would give up a penalty for a foul on Issa Romero. Yeah, it just gets caught on the wheels that Romero is there. Romero nips in front of him, doesn't see him, kicks out. And it's actually a simple decision. As soon as the referee sees the replay. Yeah, Acor Adams, force of ear would step up to take the penalty. Keepers a little unlucky, miss up. This goes a little bit low. 35th minute, Javier Bonnier, one of the youngsters on his debut would get the leveler for Athlety. You can't tell, can you? Look at him. He's absolutely out. I mean, it's a lovely little piece of play here. Good running behind. Next little ball dunk, think to the far post, and that is a real cool header into the far corner. Yeah, there's excitement about this player, so you only definitely got his trust in him. But before the half was through, and Immanuel Godel puts Javier back ahead. Yeah, I don't know how, maybe one of the youngsters marking him just outmuscled, brushed him off, and then had a free header. That sealed the deal. It did, and all eyes for Athlety on the game in the Champions League. But as for Sevilla, it pulls them out of the bottom three where they had found themselves after Elche had beaten Valencia ahead of that game. Sevilla as it stands now in 15th spot, but we must turn our attention to what is coming up next. Athlety against Barca, Athlety leading the tie 2-0, and bringing it back to the Metropolitan. They are favourites going into it, but what does Hansi Flick, the Barca coach think? Here he is. For me, it's not like that we need a miracle. We need just our perfect game. So this is, and this is, we are able to do this. I think in the game on Wednesday, we were the better team, we controlled also in the second half. I know also that it's a fantastic team from Athletico, but we also have a great team. The perfect game, it sounds easy. But he is right, he is right. They're 2-0 down, it's not great. Mind sent off in the first game, wasn't their night, but they're not down 4-5-0. So it doesn't, it's not, he's absolutely right. It's not, there must be a lot of belief in that bascala on account that they can come back, because listen, they are a better side than Athletico Madrid. The league table won't tell you that. But can they cut out the mistakes? Can they stop Antoine, I've got a plan for Antoine Griezmann, who is Lewis was talking about. Perfect for him at his age, he's got a full rest today. All the players got a rest. I mean, if Simeone could have played the kick man and the bus driver, he would have done and rested absolutely everybody. But he's got his second best, he's rested his first 11. But from Baselona's perspective, they've got to stop Julian Alvarez, they've got to stop Griezmann poking those balls through. They've got to find a way to do that, and they have to be clinical in the final third to put them under pressure. I actually think, they've got a lot of great games, Bayern against Real Madrid, we've got PSG away at Liverpool, and sporting Arsenal. I actually think this game could be the most exciting, because we've seen it before with these two teams, because you know Athletia are going to sit in, but they're probably going to be breached by this Basis side, then they're going to have to come out, and Basa don't know how to play a dull game. So I really think this game is going to ebb and flow. I don't think it's going to be simple for Atleti, I think there's going to be a lot of goals, and Basa are just banking on, outscoring Atleti to get through, because I can't see them keeping a clean sheet. I think it's going to be a great night. It could also be over in about 15 minutes, if they lose an early goal, Baselona. That's the thing, you don't know what's going to happen in this game. It could turn out what you're talking about. But then you know they can score multiple goals in the game. Yeah, to go one behind, and then you've got to get 40 wins in the team. Well, there were four behind in the Copa del Rey semi, albeit they went home in the second leg, scored three, probably could have scored more. They've got, And without a reply. No, I know, that's the problem. They have to figure out a way, you have to learn from the previous times you've gone to these grounds, and lost multiple goals, which they have. And see, how did that happen? But you just said it though, I don't think they know any other way. How can we play the highlight a bit? How can we play that a bit better? What do we do with Antoine Griezmann, when he drops into these spaces? What's our plan for that? You've got to have a, you can't just keep doing the same things at these grounds and these big games, and giving yourself a mountain to climb. If somehow they can stop at Leti, particularly in the first half an hour, and give themselves that front foot football, I think we've got a real game in my hands here. You've just asked them questions that I don't think they've got an answer for. How would they, what plan? What plan? What plan? And we've not seen a plan from Busselona, in terms of defending. Well, maybe Frankie D'Yong, for two seasons. Maybe Frankie D'Yong will come in, although not fully fit, and be more aware of Antoine Griezmann, not quite a man-marking role, but just more aware of that defensive role. I guess, maybe. All the cards are in Busselona's hands, good and bad. Because if they defend well, they can win this game, no question. But if they don't, then they'll lose. I mean, I think it's really down to what Busselona does in this game. I think we know exactly what we're going to get from us letting them a dread. Busselona, we don't know. So we've got plenty of time to continue previewing it over the coming days, but this is the last we're going to hear from Luis Garcia, who, may I remind you, played for both clubs ahead of this game. What's your prediction for it, Luis? It's a top prediction. Can I go with a draw? They cannot go through both, right? Is that difficult? I think the guys are totally right. Busselona doesn't address the situation of the defense. That high line is going to kill them. And Atlético Madrid is going to be waiting for those runs. We saw it with Juliano Simeone on the right side. In the Copa de Rey, it was a total disaster. In the Champions League, it was the one who provoked that send off of a QRC, making a fantastic diagonal through the middle. So those are the runs that Atlético Madrid is going to be waiting for in 90 minutes for one, because one of them is going to put Barcelona away and then going through. So Barcelona can go through goals easily. I can see that. We saw that they dominated, they gave everyone less man. But can they not concede? That's the big problem because even against Espanyol today in a not very demanding game, they allowed Espanyol to score a goal and they could have even scored a couple more. So yeah, I think the right now favorite is Atlético Madrid playing at home. I will get 60-40 for Atlético Madrid. We look forward to it. We will be right back here on ESPNFC, looking back on that game. And of course, I head to it before it is played. But Mola Liga on the way for you coming up on Sunday, a whole slate of action, and it all rounds off on Monday with Levante against Hitafe. That's how things look right now. There's no one like you and there never will be. People always told me From the producer Bohemian Rhapsody. And the director of Training Day. You let your light shine. This April. With a greatest of all time. There were many legends. But there was only one. Michael in IMAX and cinemas Wednesday, April 22. San Paolo were beaten 5-0 by Bayern Munich. Seven changes for Vincent Company in this game. We got to see Jamal Mousiala on his first starting over a month. He got a goal. Garetska, Alise, Niko Jackson, and Rafael Guerrero all on the scoresheet. But Jan, what we did get to see today for Bayern was some good minutes from some of the other players with rotations made by Vincent Company. Yes, and I think Julian Nagersmann who had some terrible weeks in Germany where he's been saying so many stupid things and I can't remember everything he said about Unda. We've said about Manuel Neuer and so on. But he got Mousiala going again because I mean the plan is to get Wirts and Mousiala to be the magic ones in the team. Leonard Carl coming on from the bench. So they needed that. And I think it was funny because Garetska, they won't give him another contract. He's gonna leave Bayern in the summer. They beat his 54 year old record with over 101 goal and the guy who scored 102nd was Garetska. And I saw Uli Hörner said before the game, ah, we would love to see Harry Kane or someone doing it. I think it was a bit funny that they were Garetska doing it. They've had a fantastic season, Bayern scoring goals for fun. They are 12 points ahead. I think in the theory they can win next round, the whole Bundesliga. But we know the standards of Bayern is all about Bundesliga is the bread and butter. That's what they need to win. And then a double is an okay season, but it's all about the Champions League. And they've got themselves a great basic base from that first against Real Madrid. And it's for them to lose. But again, it's not over to the fat lady is arriving and she's in Munich, but I don't think she will be on the stage. I don't see things I had. Yeah, exactly. I know Manuel Neuer had to make a lot of good saves, Jan, in the first leg from breaks and from killing in Bapu on the counter and so forth. But Bayern showed in that first leg, they really can play, can't they? Yes, they can and they should have won more in Madrid. But as you were saying, Mbappé, winnig, you always feel like you can win it. I am a man of the match being the goalkeeper, which just shows you that although Bayern was so much dominant, they should have had penalty at the end there, all they say was, should have had that, but all those kind of things. But Manuel Neuer isn't that good because Jürgen Nagersmann tells us he's not that good. So we won't bring into the World Cup anyway. So yeah, sorry, I shouldn't start with Jürgen Nagersmann again. We'll have more chance to do that when we're coming closer to the World Cup. Yeah, you gotta be in your bonnet there, Jan. We'll definitely push you on that a little bit later. Let's get you more Bundesliga action. I did mention we'd show you what happened with Dortmund, who are hosting Leberkusen today. And we're taking it to the 42nd minute when we saw the first of the goals, and this is Robert Andric stealing the ball and then sending it into the back of the net. Wow. Yeah, it seems to catch the goalkeeper and happen here. I mean, the goalkeeper doesn't even make a move to get across his goal to save that. It's almost like he couldn't see. And then we take it to the 82nd minute as Seyro Gira C looks to try and get the level up for Dortmund. They're really unlucky. Angles against them, everything's against them. Catches it really well. And that would be that. Leberkusen with the 1-0 win. It sends them closer to the top four. Archie Rintut and Patrick Obamiello are at the game for us today. They caught up with Elish Garcia afterwards. If you make the Champions League, you've got a lovely necklace on today. Is there a little present you're getting for yourself to say, well done for coming through this season? We will see, we will see. I think now my son, I think he is the most important and maybe he will buy something big for him. What does he like? I don't know, it's one month and a half. I think he doesn't know. You don't know yet? I don't know, but I don't know. We want to, of course, to be in the first four. It's very important for us, for our club. I think we are in a good shape now with these two wins in a row, but yeah, we need to keep going. Malbunda's league are coming up on Sunday, and as always, you can catch these games on ESPN+. And that's all we've got time for on the latest edition of ESPNFC, but Extra Times on the way. Jan will be joining us to answer your questions and Craig and Stevie are sticking around. Why not? We'll see you over there on Extra Time. Welcome into the latest edition of Extra Time. It's been a long day for some of us. Some? Some of us. Me and Craig. Me and Craig, come on, look it. Stevie's here with us, Jan's here as well, from his parents' house. Yeah, but you know, it was exciting, because after the BASA game, after the BASA-Español game, we got to see Athletic on Madrid C team play. We did. Against Sevilla. Well, we didn't really. We watched the Masters. Golf. Athletic on Madrid B team, on golf. Yep, good golf it's on at the moment as well. All right, 38 back passes to Raya. Tactics from our tether of fear of attacking. What's going on? Fear? Sorry, I don't know. No, no, no, no, I don't know if the question is, is more a statement. I mean, I think that is a consequence of the minds of the Arsenal players at the moment. There is insecurity. What do you do when you have the insecurity? You do back passes. You do too many passes among your back four. And we were talking about it at the show, when your greatest weapon was set pieces, not working anymore. Central players out of form. You have injuries to some key players, Saka, Martyn Ödergold, they're out. The defenders doesn't look like the, this was the greatest pair of artists, is Lennon McCarthy back there, that center half from Arsenal. And it's not working at the moment. What do you do? You go for Alibi. You just do Alibi passes back to your goalkeepers. This is just a consequences of the state of mind of Arsenal right now. Yeah, we do need to start putting Beatles references on the bingo card for ESPNFC, whenever Jan Agafiat is on. Exactly. Craig, does our tether have to resign if Arsenal doesn't win any trophies this season? I'm just very surprised. Well, he doesn't have to resign. He doesn't have to do anything. But he'll come in for a lot of questions, for sure. And I think it'll be around the way that they've gone from being one of the more attractive, well, certainly capable of playing attractive football and playing front foot football and pressurising teams to the almost. Sitting off and doubting themselves and being negative and relying on the set pieces and that. I think, yeah, I mean, there'll be a lot of eyes on him. If they win nothing this year, there'll be a lot of eyes on him. Now, do I think the board will sack him if that happens? I don't think so. No. I don't think so. But next year might be a different scenario. If they chuck this one, if they chuck all this season away, then I think he starts next season. But if it's not going well, he's in Arnie Slott territory. I don't think so. I will just say it's right away. I don't think so. I don't think the board will do it, but I think the environment in and around the club will take him out. Because if they... But in the summer? Or... Yeah, in the summer, I'm not saying... I'm with you. I think they see this as a long-term plan. I think they will analyse this and see, well, we don't step forward. But I think that the pressure, the environment, the arsenal of fans, the media, at the end of the day, there will only be one outcome that he will leave or he has to leave his position. Although, and we said that in the show as well, that he... I think that they still... For them to lose this title, I still think they can turn this around. But as John and Paul would have said, help. The long-term plans to win the Premier League, right? And they don't win it this year. Give me one reason why he would win it next year. He's had... This would be what? He's third sixth season. This would really be... Yeah, but he's third genuine attempt. Because they had two good seasons that kind of just fell apart at the end and they were giving some leeway and he was giving some leeway. Beef the squad up, got the striker, got a bunch of defenders that have come in, got Eze, got Medweki to cover Saka and all these sort of stuff. So that to Stabby's point, would they allow... And I think it's unlikely they're gonna throw this away, but not impossible. I'd ask them, we're gonna give them a fourth chance, a fourth bite of the cherry. There's not a positive reason why they would, why they would. If I'm in charge and I make the decision, I'm asking you, and I'm asking you, right, tell me why you are gonna win the league next year, considering the position you were in this year. We gave you all the tools you needed, you got yourself in a position and you couldn't follow it through. What, why is that? Is that you, is that the players, is it us? You couldn't come up with an answer, you couldn't come up with a genuine reason why the reason is not the manager. And that you couldn't come up with an excuse. So why do you give them, why don't you keep them? You couldn't come up with an excuse, one of the excuses is because Liverpool are out the equation and they were gonna be the team. And you can't sit in front of your board and say, well, unfortunately, Man City was just a juggernaut. Which they once were, now they're not. They're a good side, capable of doing some good stuff, but not the team they were. So you can't sit there and say, well, they have more than us. And we just came up short, because he's got more to work with. Guardiola, that's not the case. That's to be one of the best. On probably three different occasions during the season, they've got themselves in a position where we've kind of sat here and went, absolutely, this is theirs to lose. And then they go and give results away, but then City dropped points. All of a sudden they're back in another great spot. And then they do the same thing. And then what have they done today? Exactly the same thing. I think it's one of the best for them. That game is at the Etihad, isn't it? The City Arsenal game, right? If he employs the same tactics that he did previously at the Etihad in the league games, or more importantly, the tactics he employed in the Carribo Cup final, and they lose, he is gonna get absolutely slotted roasted. Because they cannot go up to the Etihad and sit off in that soft manner like they did in the Cup final. And allow Man City to basically do what they want. I mean, Arsenal never get out there on half for periods. It's embarrassing. It's embarrassing. If he goes up there and does that, and it's gonna be so interesting to see what way he's gonna go about it, is he gonna go up there with that changing mindset that Jan was talking about of, listen, we gotta get out of this. We gotta get out of the mayer here. Or is he gonna go up there all worried? Which I think at the moment looks like the way they're gonna go. Oh, they're more worried about what's gonna happen than what they can do to Man City. It's funny, isn't it? Because we will all would like to be in the position of Arsenal because they're leading. And this is not the best Manchester City team we've seen the last four or five years, but they're still around. But you still got the feeling now that City is in a better place. And that's do something with the head of the players. And I'm 100% sure that Manchester City will beat Arsenal in one week, but I'm not 100% sure that it will win at Stamford Bridge tomorrow. Okay. Yeah, that's the big one. Yeah. Yeah. That could change the whole conversation. All right, Stevie, during the seasons that you won the league with Liverpool, did your teams ever get any criticism of the style of football you played, even though it was successful? No. No. No. Nobody cares if you win. Nobody cares if you win. And nobody will care when Arsenal are lifting the trophy at the end of the season, that they've had this period where they have been horrible to watch. That'll all be forgotten. Soon as you lift that trophy, nobody gives us stuff how you played. And so when you keep winning, regardless, it's immaterial. It's only when you start losing and then you're horrible to watch, then everybody jumps on you. Stevie, do you have any confidence after the full-on match now that PSG are coming on? I felt quite confident coming in the day. That was... Oh, you mean live? Does it change anything? No. No. Do you have any confidence at all for a turnaround? No. What was that answer then? Well, you've got to be realistic. You've got to sit down and go, Rick. What reason are we going to beat PSG? Tell me why we're going to beat PSG. Anfield, Miracle, Floodlite, History. Well, and I said this last week, if you look back at all those great Anfield nights, the common denominator amongst them all is Liverpool actually had a really good team at the time. You know, thinking of the team, the beat Barcelona, that was a great team. You know, if you want to go back to the 70s, to the 80s, with David Fairclough scoring the last minute, but it was a great team. This is not a good team. And that's why, regardless of how loud and raucous and all the rest of it, Anfield will be, because it will be to start when you don't have the actual basics. You take advantage of that, and you're playing against, right now, PSG. PSG and Bayern are the only two teams right now that you're saying, I want nothing to do with them. Unfortunately, I can't come up with any reason why Liverpool will go through. Jan Will Harland lose out on the golden boot to Igor Thiago? He's only one goal ahead of, as of now. You know that, you know that Alain Harland has lost his form and then answered with a hat-trick against Liverpool. I still think Alain will do it, but Thiago, wow, what a season he had. And we know goal-getters, goal-getters don't say that there's something wrong with a dry pitch. Goal-getters just get goals, and they are looking at the list. If you ask Alain Harland after the game against Chelsea, no, no, no, this is all about the team, and I don't care who scores, but he cares. He will love to have that goal-scoring title, and you have to say a big, big respect to Thiago, the season he had, because we have to be honest, it's harder to score goals for Brent for their Manchester City. Jan, who's been the best signing bye-bye in the past few seasons, Kane, Diaz, Olise, or hiring company as their manager? Wow, that is a tough one, because we know that company has done a fantastic job where there was six to seven choice. Remember all the guys they tried to get before him? Kane, expensive, we knew what we would get. Diaz has had a fantastic time there and we thought maybe end of his career, and I would say Olise. I mean, he is fantastic, and there is a reason now why he's the most wanted player. Real Madrid want him, they all want him. Apparently he doesn't have a clause in his contract, so he's stuck to buy him, but let's see what's happening. And Craig will probably vote for him at the Ballon d'Or if they win the Champions League. So I would say, Olise, it's a great, great signing for them, because yes, we knew him as a good player in the Premier League, but he has turned into a brilliant player in the Bundesliga for Bayern. Craig voting in the Ballon d'Or. Wow, can't give a stuff about the Ballon d'Or, do you? I think it was a little tongue-in-cheek. From the most of your... But how did it come back to Olise, when just slightly off the subject? That was a big call at the end of that game, wasn't it? Yeah. And it might be a big call. And Janna, you alluded to it tonight. Janna alluded to it on the live FC show, that when we've talked about it for a few days on and off, it's absolutely bonkers that everybody had eyes on that, from the VAR to the referees, everything, and nobody thought it was even worth a look. It was one of the most obvious penalties, I think I've seen for a long time. It's basically a guy chesting a ball down to have a strike at goal and being barged, literally barged in the middle of the back by Carreras to fullback. So, I mean, three one to two one is, do you do the math? We will do the math. And it was Michael, I'll let you say so that was the segue. It was perfect. How many goals is that? Six. Okay, I'm not a master at maths, but we do have to let you go to the masters and watch what you're gonna watch tonight. We're gonna wrap it up here and let you go and watch the golf. Have a look at the Norwegians. Right, don't do this. Oh, dear God. Right, don't, don't. Don't, don't. Don't.