The Athletic FC Podcast Same old Arsenal or a slow evolution?
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Aug 18, 2025 Adam Crafton, a football reporter for The Athletic, and Adrian Clarke, a football analyst and commentator, delve into Arsenal's recent triumph over Manchester United. They discuss the significance of a controversial corner goal and whether Arsenal is truly evolving under Mikel Arteta or stuck in old patterns. The duo highlights Victor Jochores’ challenging debut and the need for better integration within the squad. They also touch on Arsenal's ambitious recruitment strategy and the pressure Arteta faces in transforming the club's competitive edge in today's Premier League.
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Mixed Performance But Clear Potential
- Arsenal looked uncomfortable and produced one of their weakest performances in two seasons yet still won.
- Adrian Clarke sees potential in them becoming a sharper transitional counter-attacking team once execution improves.
Set Piece Quality Over Pure Luck
- The corner goal was legitimate and owed more to Arsenal's set-piece organisation than luck.
- Adam Crafton warns VAR can overreach but felt United's defending and goalkeeping were the bigger issues.
Jochrez's Underwhelming Debut Explained
- James McNicholas described Jochrez's debut as underwhelming but understandable given limited prep.
- He emphasised Arsenal didn’t play to Jochrez's strengths and he'll need time to adapt.