The Athletic FC Podcast

Episode: The Preview - Chelsea vs Arsenal
Date: November 28, 2025
Host: Matt Davis Adams
Guests: Mark Critchley, Kerys Jones

Episode Overview

This episode of The Athletic FC Podcast delves into the highly anticipated Chelsea vs Arsenal clash, a pivotal top-two battle in the Premier League. Host Matt Davis Adams is joined by Mark Critchley and debutant Kerys Jones to unpack the significance, strategies, squads, and narratives around this fixture. They also preview other major Premier League games, offering analysis on squad form, injuries, and managerial pressure across the division.

Chelsea vs Arsenal: The Main Preview

The Stakes and Narratives

Chelsea’s Opportunity: Chelsea have won just one of their last 11 league games against Arsenal and trail them by six points; the match could either close the gap to three or extend Arsenal’s lead to nine.
"A Rare ‘Six Pointer’ at the Top":
- Host (Matt Davis Adams) jokes: "Shout out to our old friend Mathematics there for providing the requisite jeopardy." (02:15)
Why This Is Bigger for Chelsea:
- Mark Critchley: "If anybody’s going to make a statement out of this game, it’s going to be Chelsea... If Chelsea can win this game, they cut the gap down to three points and I think we start to have a serious, you know, thought at least and consideration as to whether there is a title race." (02:45)

Chelsea’s Perspective

Recent Form Boost: Confidence from a strong Champions League win over Barcelona.
“Free Hit” for Maresca:
- Kerys Jones: "This is almost a free hit for Enzo Maresca. As long as Chelsea are not humiliated, I think a defeat would be—no one could have a massive complaint about it, as long as it wasn’t in a humiliating manner." (04:04)
Defensive Solidity:
- Jones: "Bear in mind, they're the first side to have a clean sheet against a Hansi Flick side in the Champions League, which is pretty incredible." (05:12)

Arsenal’s Perspective

Momentum & Depth: Undefeated streak, first to beat Bayern Munich this season, and a deep, flexible squad.
Discipline and Maturity Expected:
- Jones: "Arsenal will be much more kind of disciplined... much more, I would say, mature in their defending." (05:12)
Squad Depth on Display:
- Jones: "They have plenty of different threats... The depth that they have and they’ve got a really good degree of competition in that squad at the moment to kind of bring the best out of all of them." (07:09)

Tactical Debates

Rotation and Young Talent:
- On Esteban’s role for Chelsea
  - Jones: "What has worked really well for Chelsea in the Premier League is having this little tag team... Esteval comes on and [defenders] are too tired... I think that if he’s able to have that impact off the bench rather than from the start… that’s a really nice problem for Chelsea to have." (07:55)
Chelsea's Attacking Approach:
- Critchley: "Chelsea have an advantage over Tottenham in that they can actually pass a ball through midfield... If there’s a team in the league that can hurt [Arsenal], City included, I think it is Chelsea." (09:21)
On Coping Without Cole Palmer:
- Jones argues lineup tweaks likely, with emphasis on width, directness, and using a target man: "I think it could be a good game for De Lapp and then I would expect Neto to move back out to the right." (10:40)

Key Players & Head-to-Heads

Squad Rotation:
- On Martin Odegaard’s Return:
  - Critchley: "I think Eze has to start just given the form that he’s in... The form that Eze’s in, even though he wasn't on the score sheet the other night, some of the touches he was producing against Bayern Munich, just remarkable." (16:04)
Rice vs Caicedo:
- Critchley: "It's nice that after being absolutely sewn up that Rodri was the best midfielder... we have two new challengers to that throne." (17:11)
- Critchley’s pick: Declan Rice—"just about shading it for him." (18:24)
- Jones’ pick: Moises Caicedo—"For me, he shades it as well... he contributes so much in the build up... has added a couple of lovely goals to his CV as well." (18:43)
- Jones: "It’ll be a very elegant sort of sword fight rather than a bust up." (18:43)

Predictions

Kerys Jones: "I think Arsenal will take all three points, but I don’t think it’ll be a walkover... if Arsenal take an early goal, Chelsea could be in real trouble." (20:09)
Mark Critchley: "It’s a good Arsenal defence, it’s a good Chelsea attack, but I can see them cancelling out each other to an extent. So I’m going one one." (20:49)

Other Premier League Games: Rapid-Fire Previews

Crystal Palace vs Manchester United

Spotlight on Palace’s Recent Home Record:
- Adams: "Palace, unbeaten in 12 at Selhurst Park..." (24:07)
Fatigue Factor:
- Jones: "Palace will be tired after a busy midweek, but they’ll be quite confident having seen United just have the momentum kind of knocked off them..." (24:38)
United’s Inconsistency:
- Critchley: "He’s turned so many corners that they’re going in circles... United are an inconsistent team. They will be until they prove otherwise." (25:47)

Tottenham vs Fulham

Spurs’ Style Identity Crisis:
- Critchley (on manager): "It's not a good moment to sack your manager at the minute... Tottenham certainly need to improve because the performance is just, genuinely, they haven't really been there all season long." (31:05)
Need for ‘Fun’ Football:
- Jones: "It needs to start being fun again, otherwise he’s got neither [results nor entertainment]." (32:22)
Fulham’s Progress:
- Critchley: "The foundations and the base, particularly defensively, is there for Fulham... I feel like the past couple of weeks there’s been a bit of an improvement." (33:31)

West Ham vs Liverpool

Slot Under Pressure:
- Critchley: "The team looks broken... I’ve never really known the kind of bottom to fall out of the faith in a manager so quickly." (36:16)
- Jones adds: Liverpool’s defeats are "not that teams are employing a particular style... it's more just that they feel like they’re there for the taking at the moment." (38:26)
West Ham’s Momentum: "Obvious who the momentum's with for sure." (38:26)

Other Fixtures (Quick Hits)

Brentford vs Burnley: Critchley’s mascot pick—"Bertie all day. He’s famous for once clearing out a streaker..." (39:48)
Sunderland vs Bournemouth: Jones: "Get a good book and make conversation with football fans on the train..." (40:30)
Manchester City vs Leeds: Critchley: "Come on. It’s Erling Haaland. It’s coming Saturday." (41:00)
Everton vs Newcastle: Jones: "This is nil. Nil." (41:26)
Villa vs Wolves: Critchley: "Maybe not the most motivational technique but still. I’d go for that." (41:46)
Forest vs Brighton: Jones: "I wouldn’t say they’re back. I would say they’re training on grass again." (42:19)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Mark Critchley on Chelsea's stakes:

"If Chelsea can win this game... we start to have a serious, you know, thought at least and consideration as to whether there is a title race." (02:45)
Kerys Jones on Chelsea's Barcelona victory:

"Bear in mind, they're the first side to have a clean sheet against a Hansi Flick side in the Champions League, which is pretty incredible." (05:12)
Mark Critchley on Rice vs Caicedo:

"It's nice that... we have got two new challengers to that throne." (17:11)
"If I'm going to go for one, it's going to be Declan Rice." (18:24)
Kerys Jones on Caicedo:

"For me, he shades it as well... contributes so much in the build up... added a couple of lovely goals." (18:43)
Prediction banter:
- Adams: "KarIs, tell me what the score's gonna be on Sunday, please."
- Jones: "I think Arsenal will take all three points, but I don't think it will be a walkover..." (20:09)
- Critchley: "So I'm going one one." (20:49)
On United's inconsistency:

"He’s turned so many corners that they’re going in circles." (25:47) – Critchley
Mascot moment:

"Bertie all day. He’s famous for once clearing out a streaker..." (39:48) – Critchley

Important Timestamps

Chelsea vs Arsenal Preview Start: 01:38
Stakes and Narrative: 02:07–03:00
Chelsea’s Confidence from Barcelona win: 05:02–06:00
Arsenal’s Win Over Bayern: 06:13–07:00
Squad Depth / Injury Discussion: 07:09–08:05
Tactical Setups: 08:05–11:00
Rice vs Caicedo Discussion: 16:54–19:58
Predictions: 19:58–20:55

Tone & Style

Engaging, conversational, and analytical.
Light banter and inside jokes ("Shout out to Mathematics", "He’s turned so many corners that they're going in circles.", "It'll be a very elegant sort of sword fight…").
Mixture of tactical detail and big-picture storytelling.

Summary

This episode offers a comprehensive, insightful, and humorous deep dive into the Chelsea vs Arsenal showdown—with expert breakdowns of what’s at stake, expected approaches, and player head-to-heads. The analysts provide compelling context for why this match matters in the title race, the evolving identities of both squads, and the managerial strategies in play. The episode then moves at pace through the other big Premier League matches, blending tactical analysis with lighter moments, quirky mascot debates, and quick-fire predictions. For listeners seeking the real pulse of the Premier League weekend—beyond just headlines—this preview delivers clarity, context, and plenty of colour.

The Athletic FC Podcast

Episode: The Preview - Chelsea vs Arsenal
Date: November 28, 2025
Host: Matt Davis Adams
Guests: Mark Critchley, Kerys Jones

Episode Overview

Chelsea vs Arsenal: The Main Preview

The Stakes and Narratives

Chelsea’s Opportunity: Chelsea have won just one of their last 11 league games against Arsenal and trail them by six points; the match could either close the gap to three or extend Arsenal’s lead to nine.
"A Rare ‘Six Pointer’ at the Top":
- Host (Matt Davis Adams) jokes: "Shout out to our old friend Mathematics there for providing the requisite jeopardy." (02:15)
Why This Is Bigger for Chelsea:
- Mark Critchley: "If anybody’s going to make a statement out of this game, it’s going to be Chelsea... If Chelsea can win this game, they cut the gap down to three points and I think we start to have a serious, you know, thought at least and consideration as to whether there is a title race." (02:45)

Chelsea’s Perspective

Recent Form Boost: Confidence from a strong Champions League win over Barcelona.
“Free Hit” for Maresca:
- Kerys Jones: "This is almost a free hit for Enzo Maresca. As long as Chelsea are not humiliated, I think a defeat would be—no one could have a massive complaint about it, as long as it wasn’t in a humiliating manner." (04:04)
Defensive Solidity:
- Jones: "Bear in mind, they're the first side to have a clean sheet against a Hansi Flick side in the Champions League, which is pretty incredible." (05:12)

Arsenal’s Perspective

Momentum & Depth: Undefeated streak, first to beat Bayern Munich this season, and a deep, flexible squad.
Discipline and Maturity Expected:
- Jones: "Arsenal will be much more kind of disciplined... much more, I would say, mature in their defending." (05:12)
Squad Depth on Display:
- Jones: "They have plenty of different threats... The depth that they have and they’ve got a really good degree of competition in that squad at the moment to kind of bring the best out of all of them." (07:09)

Tactical Debates

Rotation and Young Talent:
- On Esteban’s role for Chelsea
  - Jones: "What has worked really well for Chelsea in the Premier League is having this little tag team... Esteval comes on and [defenders] are too tired... I think that if he’s able to have that impact off the bench rather than from the start… that’s a really nice problem for Chelsea to have." (07:55)
Chelsea's Attacking Approach:
- Critchley: "Chelsea have an advantage over Tottenham in that they can actually pass a ball through midfield... If there’s a team in the league that can hurt [Arsenal], City included, I think it is Chelsea." (09:21)
On Coping Without Cole Palmer:
- Jones argues lineup tweaks likely, with emphasis on width, directness, and using a target man: "I think it could be a good game for De Lapp and then I would expect Neto to move back out to the right." (10:40)

Key Players & Head-to-Heads

Squad Rotation:
- On Martin Odegaard’s Return:
  - Critchley: "I think Eze has to start just given the form that he’s in... The form that Eze’s in, even though he wasn't on the score sheet the other night, some of the touches he was producing against Bayern Munich, just remarkable." (16:04)
Rice vs Caicedo:
- Critchley: "It's nice that after being absolutely sewn up that Rodri was the best midfielder... we have two new challengers to that throne." (17:11)
- Critchley’s pick: Declan Rice—"just about shading it for him." (18:24)
- Jones’ pick: Moises Caicedo—"For me, he shades it as well... he contributes so much in the build up... has added a couple of lovely goals to his CV as well." (18:43)
- Jones: "It’ll be a very elegant sort of sword fight rather than a bust up." (18:43)

Predictions

Kerys Jones: "I think Arsenal will take all three points, but I don’t think it’ll be a walkover... if Arsenal take an early goal, Chelsea could be in real trouble." (20:09)
Mark Critchley: "It’s a good Arsenal defence, it’s a good Chelsea attack, but I can see them cancelling out each other to an extent. So I’m going one one." (20:49)

Other Premier League Games: Rapid-Fire Previews

Crystal Palace vs Manchester United

Spotlight on Palace’s Recent Home Record:
- Adams: "Palace, unbeaten in 12 at Selhurst Park..." (24:07)
Fatigue Factor:
- Jones: "Palace will be tired after a busy midweek, but they’ll be quite confident having seen United just have the momentum kind of knocked off them..." (24:38)
United’s Inconsistency:
- Critchley: "He’s turned so many corners that they’re going in circles... United are an inconsistent team. They will be until they prove otherwise." (25:47)

Tottenham vs Fulham

Spurs’ Style Identity Crisis:
- Critchley (on manager): "It's not a good moment to sack your manager at the minute... Tottenham certainly need to improve because the performance is just, genuinely, they haven't really been there all season long." (31:05)
Need for ‘Fun’ Football:
- Jones: "It needs to start being fun again, otherwise he’s got neither [results nor entertainment]." (32:22)
Fulham’s Progress:
- Critchley: "The foundations and the base, particularly defensively, is there for Fulham... I feel like the past couple of weeks there’s been a bit of an improvement." (33:31)

West Ham vs Liverpool

Slot Under Pressure:
- Critchley: "The team looks broken... I’ve never really known the kind of bottom to fall out of the faith in a manager so quickly." (36:16)
- Jones adds: Liverpool’s defeats are "not that teams are employing a particular style... it's more just that they feel like they’re there for the taking at the moment." (38:26)
West Ham’s Momentum: "Obvious who the momentum's with for sure." (38:26)

Other Fixtures (Quick Hits)

Brentford vs Burnley: Critchley’s mascot pick—"Bertie all day. He’s famous for once clearing out a streaker..." (39:48)
Sunderland vs Bournemouth: Jones: "Get a good book and make conversation with football fans on the train..." (40:30)
Manchester City vs Leeds: Critchley: "Come on. It’s Erling Haaland. It’s coming Saturday." (41:00)
Everton vs Newcastle: Jones: "This is nil. Nil." (41:26)
Villa vs Wolves: Critchley: "Maybe not the most motivational technique but still. I’d go for that." (41:46)
Forest vs Brighton: Jones: "I wouldn’t say they’re back. I would say they’re training on grass again." (42:19)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Mark Critchley on Chelsea's stakes:

"If Chelsea can win this game... we start to have a serious, you know, thought at least and consideration as to whether there is a title race." (02:45)
Kerys Jones on Chelsea's Barcelona victory:

"Bear in mind, they're the first side to have a clean sheet against a Hansi Flick side in the Champions League, which is pretty incredible." (05:12)
Mark Critchley on Rice vs Caicedo:

"It's nice that... we have got two new challengers to that throne." (17:11)
"If I'm going to go for one, it's going to be Declan Rice." (18:24)
Kerys Jones on Caicedo:

"For me, he shades it as well... contributes so much in the build up... added a couple of lovely goals." (18:43)
Prediction banter:
- Adams: "KarIs, tell me what the score's gonna be on Sunday, please."
- Jones: "I think Arsenal will take all three points, but I don't think it will be a walkover..." (20:09)
- Critchley: "So I'm going one one." (20:49)
On United's inconsistency:

"He’s turned so many corners that they’re going in circles." (25:47) – Critchley
Mascot moment:

"Bertie all day. He’s famous for once clearing out a streaker..." (39:48) – Critchley

Important Timestamps

Chelsea vs Arsenal Preview Start: 01:38
Stakes and Narrative: 02:07–03:00
Chelsea’s Confidence from Barcelona win: 05:02–06:00
Arsenal’s Win Over Bayern: 06:13–07:00
Squad Depth / Injury Discussion: 07:09–08:05
Tactical Setups: 08:05–11:00
Rice vs Caicedo Discussion: 16:54–19:58
Predictions: 19:58–20:55

Tone & Style

Engaging, conversational, and analytical.
Light banter and inside jokes ("Shout out to Mathematics", "He’s turned so many corners that they're going in circles.", "It'll be a very elegant sort of sword fight…").
Mixture of tactical detail and big-picture storytelling.

The Preview: Chelsea vs Arsenal

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Summary

The Athletic FC Podcast

Episode Overview

Chelsea vs Arsenal: The Main Preview

The Stakes and Narratives

Chelsea’s Perspective

Arsenal’s Perspective

Tactical Debates

Key Players & Head-to-Heads

Predictions

Other Premier League Games: Rapid-Fire Previews

Crystal Palace vs Manchester United

Tottenham vs Fulham

West Ham vs Liverpool

Other Fixtures (Quick Hits)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Important Timestamps

Tone & Style

Summary

Summary

The Athletic FC Podcast

Episode Overview

Chelsea vs Arsenal: The Main Preview

The Stakes and Narratives

Chelsea’s Perspective

Arsenal’s Perspective

Tactical Debates

Key Players & Head-to-Heads

Predictions

Other Premier League Games: Rapid-Fire Previews

Crystal Palace vs Manchester United

Tottenham vs Fulham

West Ham vs Liverpool

Other Fixtures (Quick Hits)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Important Timestamps

Tone & Style

Summary