THE ARSENAL OPINION - BY LE GROVE

The dust has settled on the Manchester United defeat, but the questions are only getting louder. Jacob Hawley is joined by Johnny Dutch to move past the raw emotion of losing to a bitter rival and dissect the psychological state of the squad. They ask if the obsession with control has gone too far and if the ghosts of seasons past are haunting the tactical setup.

On the deck:


The £60m Dilemma: We drop a controversial take on Eberechi Eze’s future. Is he a “maverick” unsuited for a dominant system, and have we already seen enough to know he isn’t the answer?


PTSD Football: A deep dive into whether Mikel Arteta is “coaching by trauma”—designing a system so terrified of making mistakes that it has forgotten how to take risks.


The Captain’s Fade: Why Martin Odegaard has become the lightning rod for fan frustration. We debate if it’s a physical decline, a confidence crisis, or simply a player handcuffed by rigid instructions.


Stumbling Into Solutions: History shows Arteta often finds his best attacking setups by accident. We argue why it’s time to force the issue with Merino up top and bring Ben White back to unlock Saka.


The League of Margins: Why the Premier League has morphed into “90s Serie A” and why a data-driven, risk-averse approach might not be enough to get over the line.

Enjoy the episode early and ad-free by signing up as a member.

NEWSLETTER + AUDIO: https://www.le-grove.co.uk/

AUDIO: https://www.patreon.com/c/TheArsenalOpinion

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Arsenal slop out at Manchester United, recording their first loss in a month. It feels terrible, and the boys are here to dissect exactly what went wrong.

On the agenda:


🤯 A Freak Result: Breaking down the chaotic nature of the scoreline.


🔄 Déjà Vu: Why the hallmarks of this loss look suspiciously identical to last season.


👻 The Disappearing Act: Where was Martin Ødegaard when we needed him?


9️⃣ The Striker Void: The frustration of having no one step up as a true number 9.


👔 Management Issues: Questions surrounding Arteta’s shoddy handling of Eze.



🔇 Misfiring Guns: The dire attacking output from Arsenal’s supposed “Bang Bang” players.

Enjoy the episode early and ad-free by signing up as a member.

NEWSLETTER + AUDIO: https://www.le-grove.co.uk/

AUDIO: https://www.patreon.com/c/TheArsenalOpinion

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This podcast would normally be for members, but I can't upload it to Apple Members because the Apple servers are down and have been for a long while... so I'm having to release it to everyone so the Apple Members have something to listen to this evening. We'll do a make-up members podcast for everyone very soon.

It was a night of religious experiences at the San Siro as Arsenal delivered a “delicious” 3-0 victory over Inter Milan to secure a top-two finish in the Champions League group stage. Johnny, Jacob, and Matt are here to bask in the glow of a performance that proved the Gunners are truly the “best team in Europe” right now.

In this episode we discuss:


Jesus Reborn: Gabby Jesus gets the nod for a big European night and delivers a “fox in the box” masterclass. Is this the blueprint for the striker position while we wait for Havertz?


The Big Vic Debate: Viktor Gyökeres silences the doubters (briefly) with a stunning late goal. We analyze whether his future lies as a “chaos agent” off the bench rather than a starter against low blocks.


Magnificent Mosquera: A massive shoutout for 21-year-old Christian Mosquera, who stepped into the backline with “tank energy” and looked like a 10/10 signing.


Saka’s Playground: Bukayo Saka turns up for the Champions League anthem yet again, leaving Federico Dimarco with “twisted blood” in a dominant display.


The Eze Conundrum: While the attack flowed, Eberechi Eze still drifted in and out. We discuss how to unlock his undeniable talent before the season’s crunch time.


Hottest of Takes: From “mental barriers” being broken to bold predictions of a historic treble, the boys are turning up the heat.

Plus, we look ahead to a massive clash against Manchester United at the Emirates. Grab a refreshing beverage, sit back, and enjoy the ride—this runaway train isn’t stopping anytime soon.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this edition of The Dugout, Jacob is joined by Alex Moneypenny from The Different Knock to dissect the emotional fallout of the 0-0 draw against Nottingham Forest. Despite sitting seven points clear at the top, the vibes are complicated—so how do we hold two opposing truths at once?

In this episode we discuss:


The Premier League “Quality” Debate: Alex delivers a hot take on why the narrative that the league is “terrible” this year is wrong, arguing that the league has never been more compact or difficult.


The Joy Deficit: Jacob explores the struggle of the modern fan experience—why does being top of the league feel like a grind, and is the “journey” actually enjoyable this season?


The Gyökeres Inquest: An emotionally honest conversation about Viktor Gyökeres. Is it a “translation” issue from the Portuguese league, and should he be used as a “hero” substitute rather than a starter against low blocks?


Tactical Philosophy: A deep dive into whether Mikel Arteta prioritizes “relationships over profiling” in his team selection, and how that might be stalling the attack.


The San Siro Test: Looking ahead to Inter Milan—why players won’t accept rotation for a Champions League anthem night, and the desperate need for Kai Havertz to return.

Enjoy the episode early and ad-free by signing up as a member.

NEWSLETTER + AUDIO: https://www.le-grove.co.uk/

AUDIO: https://www.patreon.com/c/TheArsenalOpinion

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Arsenal flopped to a 0-0 draw in a dominant game that was undone by a man-to-man deep block from the master. 🧱🔒

We discuss:


Declan raging 🤬


Gyokeres reverts to the mean 📉


Martinelli with a MEGA miss 🤦‍♂️


Odegaard returns to misery form 😩


THEN SOME REAL TALK ABOUT THE PREMIER LEAGUE 🗣️

We’re still good. Arsenal will win the league. That point could look valuable. 🏆🔴⚪

Enjoy the podcast. 🎧

Enjoy the episode early and ad-free by signing up as a member.

NEWSLETTER + AUDIO: https://www.le-grove.co.uk/

AUDIO: https://www.patreon.com/c/TheArsenalOpinion
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices