Sunderland preview & Arsenal predicted XI + Bartishvilli signs

0:00Guessing is for game shows, not your business. Workday is the enterprise AI platform for HR, finance, and IT, with AI grounded in your context to get work done and done right. It's a new workday. At Edward Jones, we believe Rich is more than caring about the latest and greatest. It's also taking care of what gives your life meaning. That's why your dedicated financial advisor meets you where you are, with personalized financial strategies that help protect what matters. So you can preserve your progress while creating a path forward. The key to being Rich is knowing what counts. Let's find your Rich together. Edward Jones, member SIPC. This is the story of the one. As a shipping manager, he's running the dock, stocking supplies, and making sure every order goes out on time. And Granger helps him stay prepared. From shipping supplies to PPE to hand tools, he counts on Granger to keep products moving

1:01and trucks rolling. So his operation runs smoothly, no matter the shift. Call 1-800-GRAENGER. Click ranger.com or just stop by Granger for the ones who get it done. Hello everyone, Charles Watson. Welcome back to Inside Aaster. It is Saturday. It is match day. I hope you have a good one. We're watching it or listening to this around world as always. Thank you very much for joining me here on the channel. The home, of course, of the Premier League champions who are back in action in the Premier League a little bit later on today. Well, quite a bit later on today, the evening game 8 p.m. we got away that game at the stadium in like Southern London versus Arsenal. We're looking to make it what, six wins from six at the start of the season if you count the community shield, which let's face it, we want it. So we're going to count it and four wins from four in the Premier League.

2:04So that would be a fantastic start if they can do it. But it's going to be a very, very tricky game, of course, Arsenal dropping points there last season in pretty painful fashion with that very, very late Brian Brobbey equalizer. So we're going to talk about that in today's show. Look what Michael has been saying ahead of the game about the game itself. He's going to be talking about his contract as well. We're still waiting for the official news that that has been signed. Things across that comes pretty, pretty soon. We're going to talk about, we'll do predicted 11. Lots of you have been sending in your 11s. As always, thank you very much for that. We'll also talk about the consultation that is going on stories breaking yesterday about the consultation. Arsenal have hired in a group to look at. It's tough to really sort of sum exactly what they're trying to look at, but sort of looking away to streamline potentially the company, but also look away to sort of maximize different avenues of revenue as well as we'll talk about that. And we've got new signing as well, which is nice to see. Obviously, fantastic new, exciting addition to the Academy ranks,

3:07but maybe also the first team ranks in Andrea Barz, just Philly. That was announced yesterday. We knew it was happening at the final confirmation came yesterday. So we'll talk a little bit about that. And Arsenal's pretty aggressive recruitment driver, that age group as well when it comes to strengthening the Academy. Look, change. I've got something else on the wall. If you want to win that poster there, there's a bit of a collab between myself and Matthew Wood, who's designed all of these, designed my logo as well. Get over to my Twitter or X, whatever you want to call it. And we're running a competition there, myself and Matthew, that's open until Wednesday. All you got to go and do is go to X, retweet my tweet of the competition and be in with a chance of win. I'm going to win in one of three of those prints, which is kind of Matthew's brilliant design of sort of Arsenal iconic kits and the players who played in them along the way. Right, after all that, let's get started, shall we? Shall we watch who's start? We'll start with Michel Arte, and his contract. He was speaking about it in the embargoed section of yesterday's press conference.

4:11Didn't really sort of go into specifics in terms of exactly how close he is to sign in the deal, but was asked about sort of his future ambitions, if stroke when that deal is signed. And this is what he had to say. So obviously we have to have a mid to long-term vision. That is to build the best club in the world that has to be without any question of doubt what we have to do in order to achieve that. There's a lot of things you have to do daily to give yourself the probability to achieve it. Then you have to rely so much on people, first of all, our owners and a fantastic motivation and ambition that they have to take the club to this point. Then the level of connection you build within staff, with the players and especially our supporters to build the right environment, the right ecosystem around it, everybody aligned with the same ambition. So that's certainly a man who's thinking long-term, as you can tell, with that. Again, on his contract, we're still waiting for final confirmation. I don't believe that it's been signed yet, but from what I've aware of for the conversations I've had and also what's been reported. It feels inevitable that that's going to be signed,

5:13but until it is, obviously, you can ever completely and utterly celebrate. It will be the most important sign in the Arsenal can make absolutely no doubt about that. We talk about the transfer window, talk about the lack of left-winger and all of that sort of thing. The most important sign in that they can make in the next two, three, four months, January transfer window next summer is that man on the screen. Right there, getting him to sign his new contract, having him tied down for another few years and being able to continue to build on what we've achieved in the last. Certainly, the last few years, certainly last season as well, and go on to another level. We're him at the helm, I'm fully confident that we can do that. So, yeah, I think that's going to be a nice, important thing. And certainly from the sound in as we're getting at the moment, it feels inevitable that agreement is going to come and that sign in is going to come fairly, fairly soon. And the man, those quotes, I've just read out, certainly, seems to be a man who is thinking about the long-term when it comes to Arsenal. On tonight's game on Sunderland, this is what you have to say. He said, we experienced last season how tough it's going to be.

6:13So, I'm believe we're at the atmosphere. It's great to play in these kind of games. We know how ready they're going to be. We are prepared for it. We're going to finalize it. We know the importance of it. And we're ready to be on that pitch. We'll compete like we always do. We'll try to be better than the opponent and win the game. Last year, we dropped points there. We experienced and learned a lot from that. We'll discuss many things now that we need to be aware of on what we want to take to the game with their qualities and how we will try to nullify them. So that's the comments from Michaela Tetra ahead of today's game against Sunderland. I do think last season's game will be in Arsenal's mind when they go there. It was a really tough game. My first half, Sunderland, were brilliant. Arsenal really, really struggled. Then Arsenal obviously flew out of the blocks in a second. I've got themselves in front, so I'd turn the game around, but they couldn't contain. Couldn't maintain, sorry, that intensity they showed in the first sort of 2025 minutes. That second half of Sunderland went very, very direct. They got themselves back in the game. They got themselves equal right at the end, just pumping balls into the box. Arsenal sort of let them do that, which I wonder when Michaela says,

7:15we learned from that game. I wonder if it's that sort of making sure that they press well enough so that Sunderland can't just continue to get balls into the box. We know the threat that Brobby obviously provides for his physicality. Dan Ballard had a huge game for them against Arsenal last season. scored one set, the other goal again with his physicality and the penalty area getting on the end of long balls. So Arsenal are going to have to deal with that, and they're going to have to deal with that better today against the Sunderland team, who I'm sure are going to be reordered on by a very, very loud support at the stadium, like 8pm on a Saturday night. Plenty of drinking time, so it's going to be very, very loud. So I am pretty hostile, I imagine, for Arsenal. But one thing we know with this team, they can't handle that. They can go to any sort of place, any sort of hostility in any ground, and they can cope with it, and cope with it very, very well. The players are looking pretty good spirits on the training ground. The team news update we got from Michele Arterte yesterday, saying that Ben White was fine, and if you're watching on screen, you can see a picture of him there in full training yesterday. So that wasn't just Michele trying to do a classic Michele team news update.

8:16He was actually telling the truth and Ben White fully trained yesterday, Brutkin Gammarish in training. Again, is this going to be the first time that we see him start in the league? Four Arsenal, as we consider, they're looking very, very happy here in Capeyacons. There's going to have a big part to play. No doubt today, you know, he's shown his strength and his quality in the last two games, and he's going to be up against it again, a real sort of physical team in Sunderland. And yeah, he's going to have to be on it to get Arsenal through to get the points. So predicted 11-wise in terms of what I have gone for, if you're watching on screen, you can see it right there. So obviously, Michele made four changes in midweek for the game against Napoli. As it came in on the left, Yokoa's came in up front. We had Marino starting in midfield and in Capeyac started a leftback. So I'm taking all four of those out. I think they'll all come out and the players who they replaced will come back in to the side. So I've gone Rire in goal, back for Ben White, right back, Conzren Gabbare obviously, the two semis backs and in Califurie coming back in as the leftback.

9:19The one I'm not sure about is Michele. You know, what he's going to do that? I don't think Marino's going to start. I'd be very surprised if Super Mendy starts. I think it's either Bruno or Louis Skelly. I've gone with Louis Skelly in my predicted 11. That's what I think he's going to do. But again, I wouldn't be absolutely shocked if he thinks Bruno's coming in. It'd be quite interesting to throw Bruno in at the stadium of light for his first start. Obviously, former Newcastle captain, I'm sure he's going to get absolutely destroyed by the Southern of Vans. He'll get quite the atmosphere. You and he won't care about that. Obviously, but I wonder if that might play a part in Michele's thinking I don't know. But I've gone with Louis Skelly at Declam Rice in midfield and then Sakra on the right. Obviously, oh, to God. In that 10-row, Solis coming back in for, is it on the left and then Havoc coming back in for your Cres up front? So once again, my predicted 11, what I think Michele's going to do is Raya White, Conza Gabriel Calafuri, Rice Lewis Skelly, Sakra Oda God Solis and Havoc. I have to say that's the 11 that I would want to see as well.

10:20Guessing is for game shows, not your business. Workday is the enterprise AI platform for HR, finance and IT, with AI grounded in your context to get work done and done right. It's a new workday. Granger knows if you're a procurement manager at an industrial manufacturing facility, you're balancing inventory and budget while sourcing critical supplies across the operation. Too much inventory? Cost climb. Too little? Production slows. Grangers, $2 billion in on-hand inventory helps you get what you need when you need it. So you can help keep budgets balanced in lines moving. Call 1-800-BRANJER. Click ranger.com or just stop by. Granger for the once who get it done. Right, lots of you are getting in touch here today. Thank you very much for that. I've pulled some of them together and put them on the screen here in terms of your views. Finnsbury Phil, first of all, says time to give Bruno 60 minutes to start to bed him in.

11:20Kevin says, think why it will start. Maybe Timber will get some minutes if we're winning. Then it's switching the cup midweek. Otherwise, think it'll be a similar team. Matthew says, our tetanides to rotate on midfield without Declan Rice soon. He can't play 90 minutes every game. Already looks tired at times. Superman, the abruna, more than capable of playing his role. Trust the squad. I do agree with that, but I don't think it'll be tonight. And obviously we've got Ipswich in midweek. You know, Declan Rice will get full week off after today's game. Because he certainly won't be involved against Ipswich, although he might be on the bench, but you won't be, I can't imagine you'll get many minutes against Ipswich. So I don't think it'll be today that Rice gets rested out of the team. Eric says, give Rice the rest at Suddenland, Bruno, MLS and Zuby. Kevin Noland there at the bottom says, I think he should start MLS with Bruno and give Declan a rest. He played the full game in the humidity in Naples. So lots of you suggested a rest for Declan Rice tonight. I'd be very surprised if Michele does that. I have to have to say a few more. Now we've got one from Arsenal current who says our tetas updates are encouraging,

12:23but Suddenland will test the squad death, managing White, Timber and Haberts, his minutes could be crucial. Jelly Belly says, on Ben White, there is no way he should be starting versus Suddenland. How many times do we need to see this guy get run into the ground? He simply can't play three times in a week. In the past, we haven't had many options to cover him, but we have consa now. Have to rest him for the Brighton game, in my opinion. We will need White to help manage Timber's minutes further down the line as he won't be able to play the full 90 minutes. Be responsible. That's the message from Jelly Belly there. John says, no, Lewis Kelly should start. He's done great. Bruno and Suddenland can come on later. Conza has been immense. We're finally on from Fiesel down the bottom there. Says, don't think our tetra is changing much from the Chelsea game. Maybe Bruno for MLS. No, Suddenland, they will be aggressive and then rotate for the Carabaul Cup next week. Thank you for sending in those thoughts. I will potentially try and do a live reaction. Pretty soon after the final whistle tonight to keep your eyes peeled for that.

13:25If you want to come on and discuss whatever happens later on today, I can't guarantee I'm going to do that, but I will hopefully do one. If not, then tomorrow morning, obviously I'll do the usual reaction show, the review show, to send in your thoughts after the game in the comments and as always I'll pull some of them together and get them included in the show tomorrow morning. Right. Let's talk about this in that show. This was news that sort of broke yesterday from a Mark Kleinman at Sky reported it first. Sandine, Mike Keegan at the mail also had the story. The Arsenal are working now with a consulting firm BCG, which is based over in Boston, I believe, over in America, on a review which could lead to cost cuts less than three months after winning the league. I think that's the first time in 20 years. So BCG have been brought in at a doing a review at the club, just looking at sort of costs and everything like that, where costs can be saved.

14:28But when you speak to people at the club also, in terms of it's being seen as a way to potentially drive up revenue sources as well, look where areas of the club, which are where they can put more investment in to bring more to the club. In terms of, you know, it's doing well there. Let's put more resources into that to bring more money in. It's a tough one this because it is how business operates. Obviously, big businesses operates, especially American business, which we know the Arsenal is. But ultimately, whenever you bring in a firm like this to do review on costs, you feel like inevitably someone is going to end up losing their job. A lot of people are probably going to end up losing jobs over this. Now Arsenal say that is not the case. At the moment, nothing has been decided. And the review is just letting the review take its course before. Those sort of results are passed onto the cronkeys aboard and then decisions will be made in terms of where potentially costs can be cut and where more revenue can be made and more investments needs to be put in. But you do feel for people at the club,

15:28I think there's certainly an air of uncertainty around it. It sounds like that it is not going to be impacting the football side of things, which obviously as fans, sometimes you look at everything like that's great because we still, the football's not going to be effective, but then it's going to certainly impact people and jobs who absolutely need their job and rely on that money, have got mortgages to pay and all that sort of thing. So it's a horrible thing. It is business, obviously, but that doesn't make it. That doesn't make it easier to take for people who are going to be impacted. And we've seen before, you know, job cuts are football clubs and remember it during COVID, how brutal it was. And the time in. At some point in the next few months, Arsenal are going to announce record breaking profits, the likes that they've never seen, not profits or revenue, the likes of which they've never seen before. That doesn't sort of correlate in terms of profit, you know, Arsenal might make a profit. I don't think they will. I think they'll make a loss. Despite the fact they're going to make record breaking revenues. They've made losses eight years straight now.

16:29When it comes to their finances. And so, you know, you can see what businesses are looking at ways to try and try and limit that. Arsenal always want to be a self-sustaining club. But it is going to impact people you would think and people might end up losing their jobs over this. And that is just a horrible, horrible thing. And, yeah, when you're on your own, but believe their owners who are making going to make absolutely record breaking revenues, it feels like an incredibly harsh. Harsh thing. So it's just my thoughts that we've everyone who could be impacted by this, but fingers crossed, no one is. That would be the best possible outcome you can get from this that no one ends up losing jobs over it. But, yeah, certainly it feels like there could be costs cuts coming. So we'll see how that progresses over the next few months as the as BCG continue their review elsewhere. Andrea Bartischak, Bartisch, really think I got that right has now been confirmed as an Arsenal player. We knew this was going to happen. But he's not going to be joining obviously until 2027.

17:30It's another really exciting addition at that sort of level. Arsenal being we've called for this for a while and Arsenal have been very, very aggressive over the last couple of seasons when it comes to signing talents of this sort of age, not just from around here, but from across across the world really. So you got I always get this name wrong. I'm looking at it right here and I'm still going to get it wrong Victor, Oshavuna. I think it is obviously there that the guys plan over in Ireland here rise in January 2027. It's been playing senior football over the night for a long time. Very exciting. I have people, wherever I mentioned him, I have people in the comments who watch him regularly over in Ireland. So, you know, he's an excellent talent, really, really exciting. And he arrives. He's the first of these sort of pre contract agreement players are asked to have signed in the last couple of years who's going to arrive. So that's in January 2027. And I think that's really going to be in the summer of 2027 as well. They got the goalkeeper for Northern Ireland Phoenix Blaney, who's fairly recent signing. He's coming in I think next summer as well. And then you got the Quintero twins obviously, which is towards the end of the next summer.

18:30I think it's August when they turn 17 or 18 and can come over and sign and it's been a really aggressive sort of recruitment drive for Arsenal at that level. We've had other players as well. So you know, seeing the lot the couple have come in from Manchester United, James Scanlan. And then they're slightly older age group, you know, they're more to sort of strengthen the under 21 set up this season and just sort of a strengthen debt, but this sort of talent from this sort of age as well. So a long way to go. We'll see how they develop when they come to the club and it's impossible to predict with any sort of certainty, we'll play as a that age number. How good they look at that age, what they're going to be like when they sort of start getting to senior football. French football. It's really very honest. Filly looks like a really exciting, signing. Top top prospect. As far as a lot of competition to sign him, I know they're incredibly excited to get that deal done so we're very interested in see.

19:30How he does we can see him in your in your opinion, actually this season, so he's over in. actually in the conference league, I think this season. So we'll be able to see him in action, potentially in Europe this season before he does arrive at Arsenal. But yeah, good to see him on board and that that has now been done. And that is it from me today. Everyone, thank you for watching. Thank you for listening. Appreciate your time. As always, like I said, I might be able to pop back on after the game tonight to do a live. I'll probably have to be whispering a little bit into the microphone because the kids will be gonna bet it that exact sort of moment. But if I can do it, I will do it. And I'll certainly be back in the morning to do the in-depth review show as always to get back here and get into the comments, leave your thoughts, your views on the game, and I'll pull someone together and get them included. And remember, get over to my ex if you want to chance of winning that poster, that frame print of Arsenal, I kind of kicked over the years in the players who have warned them and get over to my ex. You'll find out I tweeted it yesterday, the competition, just give it a retweet. So all you have to do, and then three winners will be chosen

20:31by Matthew and we'll get them sent over to you. Have a great day, everyone. Speak to you soon. Bye-bye. Granger knows if you're a procurement manager at an industrial manufacturing facility, you're balancing inventory and budget while sourcing critical supplies across the operation. Too much inventory? Cost climb. Too little? Production slows. Grangers, $2 billion in on-hand inventory helps you get what you need when you need it. So you can help keep budgets balanced in lines moving. Call 1-800-Granjer. Click ranger.com or just stop by. Granger, for the once, who get it done. Guessing is for game shows, not your business. Workday is the enterprise AI platform for HR, finance and IT, with AI grounded in your context to get work done and done right. It's a new workday.

21:32At Edward Jones, we believe rich means opening yourself to new possibilities. That's why your dedicated financial advisor meets you where you are, helping you move forward with confidence. Let's find your rich Edward Jones member SIPC.