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June Gloom
For any of you fine folk that don’t live in LA and/or for those that don’t know, the month of June is very strange. During this month we experience what natives call “June Gloom” which essentially means that during the first half of the day, sometimes the whole day, but usually the first half, it’s very gloomy, cloudy a a little too cold for June. Up where I live it’s just that… gloomy, dark and cloudy and I absolutely love it.
It makes me want to listen to The Smiths and Tay Tay’s Folklore. Right when you plan your day and dress accordingly, with hot tea in hand, the day shifts and the sun comes out and it get hot as hell and you instantly regret wearing that cardigan. Yes, I did that on purpose.
But today of all days always feels like that, regardless of the actual weather and it’s because the European club football season is officially over for both men and women. And just like with June gloom, the second you are used to that being a thing… euro qualifiers resume in a couple of days and next thing you know the men’s Euro’s start.
I gotta be honest and admit I haven’t really had time to follow up on every single AWFC player and what they did and I’ve only seen Beth’s goal once. No real clue as to what other players did but I will take some time tomorrow to catch up.
Ironically if it were up to me they would all be rested except players like Lacasse and Codina who barely feature under that manager. Both of these players should’ve gotten way more minutes for us and I wouldn’t be surprised if LWM’s time off is due to injury that could’ve been prevented if she were rotated more.
I will try my best to record a podcast tomorrow. Until then, enjoy what’s left of your Sunday.
d ❤
THAT ARSENAL WOMEN PODCAST on:
You can listen to my music HEREAlessia Russo, arsenal, arsenal blog, Arsenal Football Club, arsenal podcast, arsenal women, arsenal women blog, Arsenal Women FC, arsenal women football club, Arsenal women podcast, AWFC, AWFC podcast, beth mead, Cloe Lacasse, Emily Fox, FIFA WWC, Katie mccabe, Kim little, Laia Codina, Leah williamson, lia walti, Steph catley, that arsenal women podcast, UWCL, Vivianne Miedema, women’s football podcast, woso, Woso podcast, WSL podcast -
A Step Up
We all heard Viv speak with Lianne Sanderson at the CL final and she mentioned, and I’m paraphrasing here, that she would not make a lateral move but that she will make a step up from Arsenal. To some that might sound like a dig or seem disrespectful but if you think Arsenal are the best club in the world, a spell of no WSL titles and CL trophies would like to have a word with you.
Arsenal are a top club, a historic club and all that, but to think that we are the best club in the world is not only factually incorrect but it says more about the people that think it than anything else. The level of arrogance that one must posses to think that a club who has a manager that doesn’t know his best XI would be among the best in the world is simply not correct. The best teams in the world have the best managers. We don’t have that, hence we are not among the best teams in the world. Otherwise we would be winning titles all the time.
Don’t confuse this thought with me not loving Arsenal and not thinking that it’s the best club in the world haha. I love Arsenal and I feel by and large it has to be the best place there is, but I’m a fan and that skews my vision significantly. And to keep beating a dead horse, a team without Viv or DvD cannot register as the best club in the world. Squads and Clubs are separate things but you know what I mean.
So, if I were to think about where I would go next if I were Viv, I would go to a place were I know I would win a title, regardless of what people think of the league. The 3 teams most likely to give that to her are Barca, Lyon or Wolfsburg. A guaranteed trophy isn’t a thing in England as much, I don’t think, but the day in and day out drama and questions and having to prove something and this or that with Arsenal is already exhausting. I don’t know her at all but I think the idea of her being the focus all the time in press conferences and all that is quite annoying.
My advice would be to move to a different country and if she wants to win the CL that narrows it down to Barca or Lyon, since a Wolfsburg without Dom Janssen is quite significantly weaker. And this is where it gets tricky…
Man City would be great for the Dutch. That’s a oranjecentric way of looking at things and this is something I often do and I make no apologies for lol.
Which team is more likely to win the CL next year? Well if Viv is what’s missing from Lyon, then Lyon is the move, plus she will be connected with DvD and you don’t need me to tell you how special that connection is. It’s THE connection, full stop. So, as a fan that what I would like to see but I keep thinking that Barcelona is the easiest way for her to win and when I say easy please take it with a grain of salt.
Time will tell and I’m impatient af.
d ❤
THAT ARSENAL WOMEN PODCAST on:
You can listen to my music HEREAlessia Russo, arsenal, arsenal blog, Arsenal Football Club, arsenal podcast, arsenal women, arsenal women blog, Arsenal Women FC, arsenal women football club, Arsenal women podcast, AWFC, AWFC podcast, beth mead, blogs about arsenal women, Cloe Lacasse, Emily Fox, FIFA WWC, Kim little, Laia Codina, Laura wienroither, Leah williamson, lia walti, manu zinsberger, Stina Blackstenius, that arsenal women podcast, UWCL, Vivianne Miedema, women’s football podcast, woso, Woso podcast, WSL podcast -
Maternity Protocol
The decision by FIFA to review and relaunch maternity leave protocols as well as menstrual cycle related paid absences is incredible. Safe to say I am the least equipped person to talk about this but I am someone that loves anything and everything related to the support of women and it’s long overdue that these things are more in focus and honestly it should be news in every sporting paper/blog/station. This is huge.
Even today, at the peak of women’s football’s popularity, most of the athletes can barely make ends meet and for them, having a child can be an actual threat to their career in many ways, so the fact that they have some protection has to be a massive step forward and I cannot wait to read what former and current players have to say about it.
Also really love that players and coaches who choose to adopt will also be provided with paid time off.
Here is the article by Emma Sanders
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cj559n157y7o
d ❤
THAT ARSENAL WOMEN PODCAST on:
You can listen to my music HEREAlessia Russo, arsenal, arsenal blog, Arsenal Football Club, arsenal podcast, arsenal women, arsenal women blog, Arsenal Women FC, arsenal women football club, Arsenal women podcast, AWFC, AWFC podcast, beth mead, blogs about arsenal women, Emily Fox, FIFA WWC, Katie mccabe, Kim little, Leah williamson, lia walti, Steph catley, Stina Blackstenius, that arsenal women podcast, UWCL, Vivianne Miedema, women’s football podcast, woso, Woso podcast, WSL podcast -
The red flag I forsee
Next season worries me for one reason and one reason only: we will still have the same manager. As long as he is there my level of calm and confidence is very much conditioned and not as stable or blind as maybe it should be, but this person gives me zero confidence.
I’m not going to lie to you, not every player in the squad fives me confidence. I’m not one of those fans that just automatically thinks that we have the best players in the world because we definitely do not, but even the players that I don’t rate to highly, aside from being absolute queens and trailblazers and my heroes, I’m afraid that that manager does not know how to get the best out of them in the long run.
The potential of red flags is alarming to me already and this will not go away. The biggest of them all that I will bet will be raised is him not playing Kim and Lia often. Forget about who comes in to replace them from the current squad, the idea of a midfield without those two who are outstanding players and are STILL really fucking good, is absurd.
This manager has been selling you the idea that we have players that can come close to what Kim and Lia bring… don’t believe it. Don’t focus on the future and what the potential can be. Focus on now. Right now Kim and Lia are the best we have and among the best in world football. What they do is absolutely insane individually and collectively.
Some people out there didn’t appreciate Viv… don’t do the same with Kim and Lia because those two and the lungs, liver, kidneys and whatever other vital organ any living organism needs. They are the glue, the barometer, the eyes, the wrench, the foundation, the cement, the oxygen, the water, the sun, etc etc etc.
We need them. They need to play. They need to be healthy and they need to play in their best positions. Always.
So, if the patterns remain or to be fair: the patterns I might be seeing persist, then this will be the next brilliant move by that footballing mastermind that is the manager our club currently employs…
Moving players on with an eye in the future might be a thing, but not when those players are the players he is moving on. Names such Beattie, Nobbs, Miedema are not normal names. They are not journey women. These are names you build teams around and we have several others left: Mead, McCabe, Little, Walti and Williamson.
Imagine a team without any of them? Not in 7 years… in 2.
No thanks.
d ❤
THAT ARSENAL WOMEN PODCAST on:
You can listen to my music HEREarsenal, arsenal blog, Arsenal Football Club, arsenal podcast, arsenal women, arsenal women blog, Arsenal Women FC, arsenal women football club, Arsenal women podcast, AWFC, AWFC podcast, beth mead, blogs about arsenal women, Emily Fox, FIFA WWC, Kim little, Leah williamson, lia walti, that arsenal women podcast, UWCL, Vivianne Miedema, women’s football podcast, woso, Woso podcast, WSL podcast -
Moving on or conveniently forgetting?
Whenever there is a big event that divides opinion, there is usually a group of people that feel a need to call for others to “move on.” Sometimes the way they do this is clumsy, sometimes it’s arrogant, sometimes it’s kind and sometimes it’s with the right intention. It’s impossible to try to think why they think this and at the same time “moving on” can be a pretty damn good life philosophy.
But there’s a difference between moving on so your life continues the best it can without forgiving/forgetting, and then there is conveniently forgetting things aka selective amnesia and so on, that has a bad intention to it or it’s fueled by those people saying: I moved on because I’m better than you.
Why are people forgetting about Viv? Why are they forgetting about Jonas? Whatever the reason it’s irrelevant because they are free to think, do and say whatever they want and I certainly think they have a right to do just that. Some people have very strong opinions about it but choose not to speak up, and that’s totally cool. Some people are waiting for the truth to come out, and that’s not just cool too but also brilliant if you ask me.
Author Maya Angelou famously said: “No matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.”
This has to be the philosophy a lot of us have to take, myself included. But again, there’s not forgetting.
She also said:
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
And this is what I think people are trying to express in their own clumsy way, because I don’t think any person has actual bad intentions. What I think lots of them are trying to say is: remember how they made you feel, be it Viv or Jonas, etc, and also move on.
Also, when talking about clumsy please know that I’m the first one to admit that I don’t always say things is the best of ways. I make mistakes and that is part of it, so just move on if you don’t like something I say yeah?
Just kidding.
Caldentey will be a good signing for us for several reasons and one of them is her starting on the left and Beth on the right and having them change flanks like Lauren Hemp and Beth do.
As an Oranjeleeuwinnen fan of course I would like to see Daphne van Domselaar at our club but I wouldn’t put is past it for the deal to not go through. Forget about any leaks though and hear me out, although I haven’t thought this through.
Daphne signed with Villa until 2026 and I don’t think the club would let her go after one year where she missed half of the season and the other half she did play it, Villa had like the worst goals against record imaginable. So if I were the club I would say: let us have a full season with Daphne. I would get selling her if you’re a team with very little money but Villa have the cash aka they might not be desperate.
d ❤
THAT ARSENAL WOMEN PODCAST on:
You can listen to my music HEREAlessia Russo, arsenal, arsenal blog, Arsenal Football Club, arsenal podcast, arsenal women, arsenal women blog, Arsenal Women FC, arsenal women football club, Arsenal women podcast, AWFC, AWFC podcast, beth mead, blogs about arsenal women, Emily Fox, FIFA WWC, Katie mccabe, Kim little, Leah williamson, lia walti, Steph catley, Stina Blackstenius, that arsenal women podcast, UWCL, Vivianne Miedema, women’s football podcast, woso, Woso podcast, WSL podcast -
I got you
I’ve been up since 4am sorting out a quick trip and I’m only now getting a moment to unwind and jot down some thoughts but before I being I gotta tell you how amazing it always is to run into friends at airports.
My parents and I were minding our own business at the airport here in LA and I see a close friend and the best front of house engineer I’ve ever worked with and pretty much the best in the world. We’ve done tons shows with Miley together, we had out plane get hit by lighting, and we’ve also done countless shows with The Jonas Brothers. Basically if you’ve ever seen Miley or The JoBros doing a live TV performance you’ve heard his work and he’s also engineered/mixed/produced bands like Van Halen, Devo, St. Vincent and many more and if you heard Miley’s Attention Live concert, he mixed that and yours truly is on percussion.
I didn’t know how or when my parents would ever meet him, someone that means a lot to me, but the universe conspired and I was able to introduce them to him and it was lovely to hear them chat for a second and share some Boston love.
Let’s chat us now, my friends.
The off season is predictably a very slow time not just for the fans but also for us “content creators” because events and matches usually are prompts for whatever that content will contain. This off season will be my second one as a blogger and it promises to be some sort of a return to basics for me and to essence of this blog and why I started it in the first place, which means anecdotes, opinions, of course lots of music parallels, things in the artistic vein and much more. And by much more you can bet this means disapproval of that manager which even if we win the quadruple next season, I will still express.
All this to say that I will be here for you during the slow time as I attempt to be a source of distraction for you while things are boring and nothing seems to be happening but make no mistake, I need YOU because you are the reason I do this every singe day.
I will never assume or even imply that I’m better than anyone out there but I am me and I am different and I love you all too much to leave you with only a couple of podcasts and a blog by the same person that leaks info and pretends it doesn’t matter because he has minions that repeat his words and don’t formulate their own. That is not me and I owe you variety, at the very least FFS.
It’s somewhat simple and basic to just talk about transfer rumors and potential lineups. To this last point its a total waste of time for me if I try to predict what that manager is trying to do because nothing makes sense and I love myself too much to try to embody anything related to him so that’s a hard pass.
As I mentioned briefly yesterday Leah signing is such an interesting thing and it gives us food for thought, assumptions and speculations. Why would she sign if this is the club that treated Viv poorly? some would debate. This and other questions like these are valid and very interesting and all I would say is that similar things happen in the music world and what it boils down to is very much an individual thing and of course an individual’s things. Each person is different, treated differently for better or worse, with peculiar dynamics and such, so comparing players and their contracts and all that is tricky.
If you’re hopeful or frustrated or anything in between, you are correct to feel that way and it’s all valid, and I will add one of the things my mom has stilled in me since I was a child: you cannot expect rational behavior from irrational people. Football clubs to me are very irrational and we, in order to remain as sane as possible, cannot expect anything rational coming from it.
Viv on a free is the definition of irrational and I will never get over it.
d ❤
THAT ARSENAL WOMEN PODCAST on:
You can listen to my music HEREarsenal, arsenal blog, Arsenal Football Club, arsenal podcast, arsenal women, arsenal women blog, Arsenal Women FC, arsenal women football club, Arsenal women podcast, AWFC, AWFC podcast, beth mead, Emily Fox, FIFA WWC, Kim little, Leah williamson, lia walti, that arsenal women podcast, the matildas, UWCL, Vivianne Miedema, women’s football podcast, woso, Woso podcast, WSL podcast -
6
Leah extends her Arsenal Women journey and I wasn’t positive she was going to sign. Having seen what the situation was with Viv, from what we can tell or what I can assume, it was clear to me that if a player was hesitant to extend I would totally understand it.
All the videos were very cool and you can tell she is very, very happy and I have to tell you that I feel very happy for us fans and for the club, more than anything because the more time she spends there, eventually as a captain, she will be there as a safeguard and call out the manager when needed, and maybe as an English woman and “one of our own” she will have more weight and won’t be moved on like other players have.
This born leader is closer and closer in a position to make even more fundamental impacts in the club and I’m here for it. I have a feeling there’s some changes coming and she will be at the epicenter of it.
Leah is a star and miles ahead any other defender we have so that will only make them better and for sure we will be able to attract certain profile of names that might hesitate since Viv left.
A lot of what I think about Leah can be heard here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1832323/14363641
Sadly I have to run, literally… going for a run and I’m not too excited about it.
Chat soon.
d ❤
THAT ARSENAL WOMEN PODCAST on:
You can listen to my music HEREAlessia Russo, arsenal, arsenal blog, Arsenal Football Club, arsenal podcast, arsenal women, arsenal women blog, Arsenal Women FC, arsenal women football club, Arsenal women podcast, AWFC, AWFC podcast, beth mead, blogs about arsenal women, FIFA WWC, Katie mccabe, Kim little, Leah williamson, lia walti, Steph catley, that arsenal women podcast, UWCL, Vivianne Miedema, women’s football podcast, woso, Woso podcast, WSL podcast -
Parental Advisory
Whenever my parents are in town, one of my favorite things to do with them is going to buy books together. This is something that I cherish and value so much because we can spend hours chatting and walking around the store and one book leads to another and we chat about random things and next thing you know 3 hours have flown by.
My parents have been supportive of every single thing I have ever done, tried to do, wanted to do, had interest in, you name it. They support me and also call me out when I don’t do things in a way which they approve and its always done in a very constructive way.
Their encouragement with any and all things women’s football means a lot to me because they know this is a hobby and just something I like, just like I can like anything else, but they are moved by it, they now try to watch the sport as much as they can and they send me news or videos or things related to women’s football. Yesterday, I bought my mom a copy of Suzy Wrack’s book “A Woman’s Game” which is an absolute must read for any and all.
Watching the CL final with my mom and dad was something really special and while Viv was on TV chatting we talked about her whole thing… watching DvD, my favorite player ever, with them was truly special too and I’m really bummed the match didn’t go Lyon’s way.
If you are lucky enough to have parents that support your passion for the women’s sport, if you are privileged enough to watch matches with them, to share stories about the players… if they are interested in your love for it, then cherish that and value that and please let them know who much it means to you.
There’s no shortage of things I can talk about with my parents but there’s something truly meaningfully deep when we talk about Arsenal Women. It moves me to my core and it’s just a testament to things that matter so very much to me.
That’s why I get passionate and vocal about things that rattle the things I love. Be it Viv, past players, current players or the things that manager says and does, and doesn’t do.
You can buy Suzy’s book HERE
d ❤
THAT ARSENAL WOMEN PODCAST on:
You can listen to my music HEREarsenal, arsenal blog, Arsenal Football Club, arsenal podcast, arsenal women, arsenal women blog, Arsenal Women FC, arsenal women football club, Arsenal women podcast, AWFC, AWFC podcast, beth mead, blog about arsenal women, Emily Fox, FIFA WWC, Katie mccabe, Kim little, Leah williamson, lia walti, Steph catley, that arsenal women podcast, UWCL, Vivianne Miedema, women’s football podcast, woso, Woso podcast, WSL podcast -
DvD Starts… who’s cutting onions?
I woke up, did my morning routine, grabbed my laptop and turned DAZN on to watch the CL final preview. Through all of this I had all the intentions in the world to write about anything except Viv just to give us all a brief break and what do I see on the TV? Vivianne Miedema.
My smile was from ear to ear and immediately was turned into a frown when she was asked about her future. Meaning that her future is NOT with Arsenal and this is just something that is so absolutely absurd and irresponsible that it will never not cause cognitive dissonance for me.
She said that the CL is the only thing missing and that she will not make a step down and of course I’m happy for her but at the same time it means that there is a step UP as in, we are just not the top and that has been a reality for many years and will continue being that reality if the club continue to stand by a manager that does things the way he does and treat the players the way treats them.
Onto the CL final match and it being Arsenal Women adjacent… Lianne is there, Jill is there and of course Van de Donk not only is there but she is starting. After all she’s been through, to see her shine and succeed and continue being the stellar player she is, makes me so very happy and I honestly cannot put into words what that means to me. The symbolism of someone leaving a comfortable environment, dealing with career threatening injury, a new country, a new language etc etc and you still come out on top. That’s some next level bad ass shit.
Viv can learn from that and she will win the CL with City or whoever she signs with before 2027.
d ❤
THAT ARSENAL WOMEN PODCAST on:
You can listen to my music HEREAlessia Russo, arsenal, arsenal blog, Arsenal Football Club, arsenal podcast, arsenal women, arsenal women blog, Arsenal Women FC, arsenal women football club, Arsenal women podcast, AWFC, AWFC podcast, beth mead, blog about arsenal women, Danielle Van de Donk, Emily Fox, FIFA WWC, Katie mccabe, Kim little, Leah williamson, lia walti, Steph catley, Stina Blackstenius, that arsenal women podcast, UWCL, Vivianne Miedema, women’s football podcast, woso, Woso podcast, WSL podcast -
The twists and turns of life
Something happened to me last night that was so cool, so profound and so unexpected that I just have share with you all and I promise, at some point, it’ll turn back around and be related to Arsenal women and of course Viv.
I had a gig with the Derek Frank group, a funk/jazz/fusion instrumental project about an hour south of Los Angeles. As musicians often do, we’re backstage chatting about random things and I got to chat with a trumpet player who was sitting in for the gig. Dan, said trumpet player, asks the rest of the band where they’re from and eventually I mention that I am from Caracas, Venezuela. He smiles and says: I’ve been there! but back in 1995!”
Amazed and happy, I asked how come? and he said he went there touring with Phil Collins. I was in shock… not only was I at that concert when I was 13, but this was the first BIG concert I ever attended and it shaped me. I remember that insane drum intro and the way I felt on the very last song, called “Take Me Home”
After chatting, I walked downstairs to grab a tuning wrench for my congas and as took each step I could feel my head shaking in disbelief, as I said out loud in Spanish: “las vueltas que da la vida” … Life and it’s twists and turns…
We are on on this incredible journey called life and we never know what’s around the corner, we never know the positive impact we can have on people, the negative one as well and we certainly cannot predict the future as accurately as we would like.
I am flawed though, I and I believe I can predict that Arsenal will live to regret and pay for what/how they’ve fumbled the Vivianne Miedema situation and I wouldn’t be surprised if we hear about other players that have left the club recently either speaking up directly or leaking information.
Another one of those twists and turns is the lovely career that Danielle Van de Dons has created for herself post Arsenal. She’s the smartest footballer I’ve ever seen and maybe she knew something and leaving Arsenal, a potentially toxic place, was the best decision for her. She has thrived and she has a chance of winning her SECOND Champions League medal. HOLY DVD.
Very excited about tomorrow’s match and to be terribly wrong about which of those players will sign for us this summer, Caldentey aside, if at all.
Cannot bloody wait to see the best squad in world football oh and Barcelona too.
d ❤
THAT ARSENAL WOMEN PODCAST on:
You can listen to my music HEREAlessia Russo, arsenal, arsenal blog, Arsenal Football Club, arsenal podcast, arsenal women, arsenal women blog, Arsenal Women FC, arsenal women football club, Arsenal women podcast, AWFC, AWFC podcast, beth mead, blogs about arsenal women, Emily Fox, FIFA WWC, Katie mccabe, Kim little, Leah williamson, lia walti, Steph catley, Stina Blackstenius, that arsenal women podcast, UWCL, Vivianne Miedema, women’s football podcast, woso, Woso podcast, WSL podcast
A very subjective look into AWFC 