Jacob is joined by James Benge — beat reporter, CBS contributor, and one of the most measured voices covering Arsenal week to week — for a Dugout that goes beyond the scoreline and into the bones of what this club is becoming.
Here's what's inside:
🔥 Hottest of Takes — James opens with a take so spicy it might have laws changed: if nothing shifts in the next five years, people will conclude Arsenal broke football. Jacob has thoughts on what Chelsea fans in 2005 can teach us all about not caring
🧠 The Arteta Perception Flip — James makes the case that winning a Premier League and a Champions League in the same season doesn't just change how fans feel — it completely rewrites how the entire football world sees Arteta. And James has the receipts from the continent
😤 Odegaard — Scapegoated? — James says what a lot of people won't. He's spoken to people around the club. The picture that emerges is more complicated and more sympathetic than the fan discourse this season would suggest
💸 Havertz and Odegaard — What Happens This Summer? — James won't say either are definitely staying or definitely going. But he outlines the scenario in which Bayern make a call about one of them, and why Arsenal's position is more nuanced than a simple yes or no
🏆 Tuesday Night — Book The Day Off Wednesday — James calls it. He thinks Arsenal win the league on Tuesday night at Bournemouth. He explains why Bournemouth fancy it, why City are vulnerable, and why Palace away might be the most nerve-shredding 90 minutes if it comes to that
Subscribe at patreon.com/theArsenalOpinion for ad-free episodes and support the show. And for the best Arsenal writing on the internet, sign up to the newsletter at le-grove.co.uk.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Ireland