In the wake of a grueling stalemate at the Emirates, Marc and "Anfield 89 Veteran" Richard sit down to dissect a result that leaves Arsenal six points clear at the top, but the fans in a state of "abject terror."

From fluctuating heart rates on new smartwatches to the growing concerns over Victor Gyokeres, this episode digs into why a point against Liverpool feels like a disappointment to some and a Zen masterclass to others.

• The Inventive Opening: Marc highlights the brilliant first 20 minutes where Saliba and Timber were "popping up in the forward line," causing chaos for a retreating Liverpool.

• The Second Half Retreat: Richard tracks his heart rate hitting 120 BPM as Arsenal dropped deep. Was it a tactical "probe" by Arteta, or a loss of control in the midfield?

• PTSD & Scars: The hosts discuss the "scar tissue" of the Wenger/Emery eras that makes every missed second ball feel like a pending catastrophe.

• The Verdict: Richard loses patience with a "low touch forward who doesn't score." Is Giokeres attracting defenders, or is he simply on his heels when the big crosses come in?

• The "Bit Shit" Forward Pyramid: Marc introduces his striker hierarchy—from the "Elite Machines" (Haaland) to the "Greatest Bit Shit Forward of All Time" (Olivier Giroud). Where does Gyokeres actually fit?

• The Case for the Defense: Would the integration be different if Havertz and Jesus weren't injured? We discuss why Arteta continues to start him despite the lack of goal threat.

• The Return of the Unit: Why the squad is desperately missing the physical presence of Kai Havertz to act as an outlet when the press is high.

• The Martinelli/Bradley Incident: A deep dive into the controversial injury time moment. Was Martinelli a "disgrace," or was he just doing what any winner would do to stop the clock?

• Pundit Hypocrisy: We call out Gary Neville and Roy Keane for "asking for violence" while living in glass houses built on their own aggressive playing careers.

• The Road to Portsmouth: Looking ahead to the FA Cup. Will we see the classic "tin foil trophy" in the stands?

• Loathsome Rivals: Richard pulls no punches on Chelsea's "scummy" behavior, from hacking up penalty spots to their "cheap shot" tactics.

In this episode, Marc and Richard delve into Arsenal's recent performances, discussing the emotional rollercoaster of watching their games. They analyze team news, individual player performances, and the tactical adjustments made during the match against Bournemouth. The conversation also touches on referee decisions, the importance of squad depth, and the upcoming challenge against Liverpool. Throughout the discussion, they reflect on the team's current position in the league and express a desire for a more comfortable viewing experience in future matches. Arsenal's Rollercoaster Season: A Deep Dive From Anxiety to Euphoria: Arsenal's Match Review Sound bites "I think he really stepped it up after they scored." "I think we are attacking more freely now." "I think we owe a bit of a spanking to Liverpool." Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Overall Vibe 02:41 Team News and Game Preparations 05:36 First Half Analysis and Defensive Solidity 08:32 Key Moments and Individual Performances 11:23 Referee Decisions and Game Management 14:13 Tactical Adjustments and Player Contributions 16:47 Second Half Dynamics and Game Flow 20:00 Final Whistle and Post-Match Reactions 22:34 Looking Ahead: Upcoming Matches and Squad Depth

In this episode of Yet Another Arsenal Podcast, Marc and Anfield ’89 veteran Richard are back from the Christmas break and straight into a very Arsenal kind of chaos: top of the league, five points clear, and still absolutely exhausted by it.

They look back over the mini-arc since the Aston Villa away defeat: nervy wins, missed chances, Wolves and Brighton-induced heart palpitations, and finally the cathartic 4–1 battering of Villa at the Emirates.

Along the way they get into:

• Chelsea’s “1–1 win” Why Enzo Maresca talking like they beat Arsenal tells you everything about where Chelsea really are now – and how far behind they’ve already fallen.

• Squad trust issues & the Circle of Arteta Club Brugge cameos for Madueke and Nørgaard, why some good performances don’t seem to turn into Premier League minutes, and Marc’s long-running irritation with Mikel’s very tight circle of trust.

• The Wolves & Brighton wobble That horrible feeling of déjà vu: slow tempo, right-side heavy, “last season’s Arsenal” patterns coming back, and relying on late goals / own goals to get out of jail.

• Gyoekeres: case for the defence vs the prosecution Rich’s “what are you even looking at?” moment, the lack of instinctive striker movement, but also why it might be harsh to write him off in a new league, under a very demanding coach, with Ruben Amorim habits to unlearn.

• Title race maths vs title race emotions The xG story (creating plenty, finishing badly), how that should even out, and the brutal reality that even in an “Invincible” season you grind out ugly one-goal wins and feel wrecked every weekend.

• Villa at home: first-half worry, second-half demolition Declan Rice missing, Onana bullying, huge spaces in midfield, Watkins wastefulness – then the post-half-time transformation: intensity up, press locked in and Villa absolutely suffocated.

• Mikel Merino, Zubimendi & the evolved midfield Merino living dangerously (nearly seeing red), Zubimendi’s quietly elite six-play, and how the Spanish model of a playmaking 6 still feels miles ahead of the old English “third centre-back in midfield” mindset.

• Odegaard’s re-emergence Coming back from a nasty high ankle sprain, dropping deep when needed, dictating tempo again, and that classic “wait, wait, now” assist timing that unlocks Zubimendi’s goal.

• Trossard’s Ray Parlour season Joint-top scorer in all comps, edge-of-the-box daggers, and why every title season needs one “non-superstar” having an absolutely outrageous year.

• Hincapié chaos & love Winning everything in the air, 80-yard overlaps followed by full body shutdown, and accidentally standing on teammates’ hands – why Marc and Rich love him anyway.

• Emi Martínez: world-class shithouser, not-so-great vs Arsenal Tunnel stretches, time-wasting, fake collisions, constant needle – and how it all falls apart when you’re trying to wrestle Gabriel instead of setting yourself to actually deal with the cross.

• Unai Emery & Handshake-gate Emery straight down the tunnel at full-time, why Marc’s never warmed to him, and the old Valencia USB-stick story that has permanently coloured his view.

• Where this leaves Arsenal Five points clear, City still dangerous, Liverpool looking fragile, fixtures easing slightly, squad options returning, and the hope that this was the “sticky patch”… navigated with only a single really bad result.