-
Don’t Be A Creep
Toxic masculinity is something that us women’s football fans reject wholeheartedly. It feels like day in and day out we come across comments and posts that make us nauseated. As I always say, just imagine what the players are going through every single day… also, you don’t have to be a player, if you identify as anything other than a cis male, you experience toxic masculinity all the time, and even men do as well. Point is: it sucks.
One of the most obvious ways that this manifests, wether the people doing it are aware of it or not, is by the sexualization of players. An example of this is your typical (idiotic) friend who never ever posts about women’s football and then posts a pic of a player they consider to be attractive and say something like: “I guess I’m a women’s football fan now” or some dumb sh*t. This type of stuff grinds my gears. A lot of the times is like my friend’s dads or something and it’s just so very cringy and disrespectful. These are the types of dudes that would get very pissed when Beckham was playing and women found him cute. They would then say homophobic comments and expose some dark stuff.
I understand the ambiguity and/or irony in that it might seem like I don’t get mad about women saying something about men but trust me, it does bother me, but I don’t think its anywhere near as bad, toxic or mean. I might be wrong. A lot of Arsenal fans post super intense comments about players they have crushes on, there’s constant talk about their private lives, who they are dating and all of this stuff that I, personally, find it to be very lame, pathetic and it doesn’t add anything valuable. I get the fact that lots of fans belong to the LGBTQ+ community and they develop actual feelings for players, and that dynamic isn’t as common with the men’s sport, or at least that we see out in the open because sadly we still have so much to grow as humankind. Yet, that doesn’t automatically make it ok to express some intense thoughts on social media. It’s creepy, it’s weird.
My criticism isn’t truly with what it is said necessarily but actually about how it is said. Maybe it’s an age thing… maybe I would’ve made those types of comments years ago, maybe I have made them. Maybe people I love and care about and respect have made those comments, men and women. I don’t know. This is an observation of where I stand today, right this moment.
d ❤
THAT ARSENAL WOMEN PODCAST on:
YOUTUBE
APPLE PODCASTS
SPOTIFY -
UNderdog
My friends, I was feeling pretty inspired about writing today about something completely different but when I woke up and read some news, I came across this video: “The Story of an Irish Underdog” with our very own Katie McCabe. So, instead of making you read something, just take the next 9 min or so and watch this, I’ll be back tomorrow.
d ❤
THAT ARSENAL WOMEN PODCAST on:
YOUTUBE
APPLE PODCASTS
SPOTIFY -
My Oranjeleeuwinnen Special
I’m telling you now, The Netherlands can win the whole thing. I believe it and not just because they are the team I support but because everything points to success, basically in every way I can imagine and everything I have seen and come to know. So on this Monday before the World Cup I will tell you why I think my dutchies have a shot.
The first thing that people say when it comes to our chances this year, and yes I said “our”, is that Viv is missing. Of course missing the best striker on planet earth is a huge loss but there are countless examples of emblematic players missing from a big tournament through injury and their team that we all felt depended on them, went on to win. Just take a look at Barca without Putellas for months and months. It’s still possible. People play differently, players will step up.
With that said, as far as our forward line I think this is the tournament where Lieke Martens lights up the world again. I don’t necessarily love PSG for her but she had a great season and is looking fit and hungry, seems like she’s put her head down and from interviews I’ve seen, she has a drive and determination that I have not seen before.
Daphne is a great keeper and you cannot win a World Cup without a stellar one. What she showed in the euro cup at such a young age was beyond impressive, so I’m looking forward to her being more mature and ideally have her moral boosted by signing for Villa and getting that life changing move to the WSL which I hope she uses and shines and becomes in 4 years time the best keeper in the world; not saying it will happen but the talent is there.
Dominique Janssen is not only among my favorite defenders on planet earth but one of the best to ever do it, full stop. Her poise, leadership and ability are unmatched, add to that her free kicks and penalty taking skills and you have a powerhouse. Next to her Van Der Gragt, a strong experienced defender, not the fastest I know, but absolutely love her brain and power.
The midfield!? Are you kidding me?? Regardless of the lineup and who plays to have DVD, Jackie and Damaris is incredible. Sherida will probably play and start, which I’m not too happy about but it is what it is. Any team with DVD is better, as she is the smartest football player on planet earth, just deal with that. lol. She’s my favorite ever and I cannot wait to see her play with freedom and that bite she has. Can’t wait, this is the whole point of the World Cup… so I can watch DVD wear the oranje shirt. But seriously, this midfield I think offers so much dynamism and impact, by far my favorite in the tournament.
Up top we have Lineth, Lieke, Jill and a few squad players that have so much potential. Brugts, Casparij, etc etc we are building quite a special future.
The squad looks so together and happy… we have Merel Van Dongen so how the hell can they not be happy?! I truly hope she gets some minutes…
So this is my dream lineup, not because I think it’s what we will do but I’d love to see this
Just a few more sleeps!!!
d ❤
THAT ARSENAL WOMEN PODCAST on:
YOUTUBE
APPLE PODCASTS
SPOTIFY -
It’s getting Emotional
One of the things that I certainly will need to come to terms with as a fan, and I feel that a massive part of the fanbase needs to as well, is the emotional attachment we have to some players. I don’t mean that we shouldn’t care or anything like that… my point is that I feel we care “too much” about some players or we feel some sort of dependency because we like their personality or something like that.
Due to them being so endearing its like we love them just because. This in a way can bring some sort of complacency and potentially lower our standards at the club. Like do we really actually think X player is what we need or do we want them at the club because they are silly and funny and witty at the social media content stuff?
Fans on twitter overhype some players so much and when they make their case about why say a GK should be at the club, it’s never about them being better than Manu or actually being able to push and challenge her, but about how they are off the pitch. This worries me, to be fair.
There seems to be a project as far as competition is concerned. We keep building the squad and getting it deeper and deeper. We’re bringing it players that will push our starters to their limits, one would hope, yet I still think and will always think, that the keepers we currently have are not the answer. I feel like I’ve talked about this before, and I have nothing personal against them at all. I wonder often though if social media access has become a double edge sword for me and I’m not sure where I stand now.
Thanks to social media content I was able to “know” the players more, to get a look into their personality, their brains, and their sense of humor. That’s all great yet I don’t think I ever wanted a player to remain at the club only because of that. Maybe I did, I’m not really sure, like I said, but what I do know is that said content is not going anywhere. It’s only gonna keep getting bigger and more important within the fan / club interaction dynamic experience thing.
We have a responsibility with ourselves as Arsenal fans to always want the best for the club. But I have to admit I’ve wanted/rated players that not a lot of people did and I’ve also wanted players out of the club that seem to be fan favorites, which makes my head want to explode, and there’s no way that I don’t make other fans’s heads want to explode.
All this to say that I hope we bring better keepers in and another CB asap please and thank you.
d ❤
THAT ARSENAL WOMEN PODCAST on:
YOUTUBE
APPLE PODCASTS
SPOTIFY -
The Matildas Look The Business…
Um… ok so I absolutely felt Australia has had more than a realistic chance at winning the whole thing. I’m not alone in this and usually host nations have lots going for them, but beating France, in the manner they did is pretty impressive and bodes super well for them with only a few days to go. By the way, if you are interested in an actual match report and analysis please read THIS article from The Guardian.
The way that this relates to AWFC is clearly twofold, with a bonus thing…
Clearly we have 2 players in the Matildas. Steph apparently had a great match and as did Caitlin Food and we’re all hoping they both have a fantastic tournament.So point number one is that, them doing well because we love them and they deserve it. The second point or dimension to this for me is that since they clearly (don’t know for sure for lets hope) will do well, and will be absolutely loved by their sold out crowds, this insane boost of confidence will only help them grow more and more at Arsenal…
Speaking of growth I will say that Caitlin has grown on me, ironically since she hasn’t been playing and after the season ended. I don’t think I’ve been giving her the flowers she deserves and I raise my hand and apologize if I ever shown, by not showing as much love, any sort of disrespect because I love her and that’s never been an issue. I guess because I rather have McCabe and Beth on the wings, its somewhat justified in my mind.
And last but not least, speaking of growth too… a player that I have always really liked but played for teams I disliked like Spurs and ManCity is Alana Kennedy… I think she is a baller. I really do. And I can’t believe I didn’t mention her when I wrote about my summer transfer wishlist. I have no idea if she’s available but I wouldn’t mind her signing for us at all.
Anyways, it’s 1:35am and I need to wake up at 6am and drive to the next city and perform so I will say bye for now.
much love.
d ❤
THAT ARSENAL WOMEN PODCAST on:
YOUTUBE
APPLE PODCASTS
SPOTIFY -
Karen Knows
My friends, I have an insane schedule today and cannot post today but as always, I’m going to, at the very least, share something that I find interesting and that impacts Arsenal Women.
Here’s an interview with Karen Carney, speaking about her review on women’s football. It’s incredible.
d ❤
THAT ARSENAL WOMEN PODCAST on:
YOUTUBE
APPLE PODCASTS
SPOTIFY -
Subs in Music & Football
Currently I’m pretty much right in the middle of the United States about to head out to play a rock festival with a guitar player Orianthi, who is an incredible artist, known also for having played with Michael Jackson. Her discography is amazing and she has always had incredible musicians record her music. Live, she also hires really good musicians and I know this not because I’m playing with her haha, but because I’m subbing for my friend Elias, a MONSTER drummer. I’ve done this a few times and it’s amazing. I’m here just to cover and be, very much so, a squad player, and offer reliable support.
Being a musicians means that work can come from many different sources, due to many situations and thanks to sometimes insane circumstances. One role that must be embraced is that of being a sub on certain gigs. That’s just the nature of it. For instance, on one project you might be THE bass player for the band, getting all the shows and every call related to that particular band/artist. Then, there are moments where a band/artist has a steady person but they need someone to step in a cover, sometimes for one show, other times on a semi consistent basis. Of course, there are more scenarios but the common denominator is that we aren’t the starters.
As I’m working on some of these songs aka air drumming in my hotel room, not only do I try to honor Elias and his parts but the drummer that recorded some of her songs was Josh Freese, an absolute legend and who is now the drummer for the Foo Fighters. Basically I am being asked to step in for players I admire, respect and draw inspiration from and have to see them at the same time as colleagues and peers. This dynamic is always very interesting and it’s one of my favorite things to assimilate and internalize.
But this whole thing got me thinking about how much pressure elite players like ours at AWFC must face, specifically when they are asked to step in for someone who is emblematic or when asked to cover a specific, pressure filled position. Like as if it wasn’t hard enough to play the sport, imagine having to step in for Kim Little… what… haha. UNREAL PRESSURE. Not just to play the position she plays, but to play the position BECAUSE she plays it too. My goodness. Not a day goes by when I don’t think about how the amount of work, drive and dedication that it takes to get to play for AWFC. Also, not a day goes by when I don’t feel guilty when I criticize the players that I do and I feel like dog poop.
The psychology of being a sub isn’t something I’m equipped to talk about yet I was thinking about our bench and if it’s deep enough at the moment. My answer is no. I’m afraid we won’t be making/announcing anything major until after the World Cup which is gonna start soon and it will also feel eternal so don’t hold your breath, we might not get a single player in til a week before the season starts. And this might be the best thing actually… Jonas will be keeping a close eye on every single player and I’m excited to see what hidden gem he finds.
d ❤
THAT ARSENAL WOMEN PODCAST on:
YOUTUBE
APPLE PODCASTS
SPOTIFY -
Which AWFC Player Will Shine?
I believe we’re just 8 days away from the World Cup and I’m finally starting to get extremely excited. Last night I took a look at the actual schedule, kick off times and so and it’s absolutely mental that I will, without question, be waking up at 2am, 3am, staying up way too late etc. Normally the thought of waking up so early would be a big nope, but I have no issues whatsoever waking up then. Just as I do with AWFC matches every weekend.
It’s more than normal… it’s actually predictable that I would talk about our players and what I expect from them. I don’t have time at the moment because I need to pack and run to the airport really soon BUT the way I can answer the question I posed in the title is this: MOST OF THEM. The caveat to this is how “shining” can be seen as basically scoring a bunch of goals but you, dear reader, are way too intelligent for that to impress you entirely.
Catley and Foord are absolutely going to be in everyone’s eyes. Host nation… I am not alone in thinking they’ll go far.
McCabe is the one player I’m looking forward to seeing on this big stage. As you know, I’m a huge fan and I think she needs this in many ways and I think the Irish actually have a chance to shock the world.
Frida and Stina are also a solid bet and I think they’ll both be playing well, with Stina more likely to get plaudits because of her goal scoring.
However, the player that I think will shine and will absolutely steal the show is Lia Walti. To a degree the world has little by little been more embracing of players like Keira Walsh and so on, so I’m really looking forward to all the experts, pundits and analysts to rave about her and build her up pre tournament and, of course, during the competition itself. Lia, as I’ve said before, is the barometer, the engine, the brain, she’s everything. She’s the smartest player on the pitch and I’m excited to see her basically put that team on her shoulders and carry them.
BONUS: since the whole “once a gooner…” saying… Rafaelle, I would expect, will be a major talking point with Brazil and I expect them to go pretty far in the tournament for sure.
What about you? Who do you see shining?
d ❤
THAT ARSENAL WOMEN PODCAST on:
YOUTUBE
APPLE PODCASTS
SPOTIFY -
Damn It.
I was actually dreading this day. I am so damn bummed that we let Anna Patten go, I truly am. I always thought she was great and a way better option if Leah/Rafa aka our first choice pairing here missing. To me she has the height, the technique and the poise that we need. She is calm, cool, collected, her timing is fantastic too. I will miss her very much especially when, based clearly on hope only, I was assuming she would come back. All things considered I don’t think she’s world class and what we need to reach the highest of levels but I felt she would be a great squad player again.
These types of decisions make no sense to me but that’s why I’m not a football manager. And these are also the kinds of moments that make me doubt Jonas, with all due respect. I of course understand how stupid that sounds but I’m just annoyed.
Now let’s focus on the positives…
This can mean that another defender comes in, maybe someone even better than her and that is of course something I would welcome but I wonder how the fit would be in terms of their attitude and how much someone like Anna was loved by every player it seems. I don’t doubt that it can and will happen, but I’m just curious as to who that person would be.
Another positive, and this is more important, is that I assume that she will be happier at Villa since she will clearly get more minutes than at Arsenal. She deserves to be playing a lot more and I’m happy for her in that sense, for sure. Hopefully she puts in great performances that make Villa get even closer to the top 3, and as a matter of fact I would bet that will finish about Man Utd next season. Of course, if she puts in stellar performances you would only hope that she will get called up for the lionesses. This is something that I personally feel she deserves but like we all know, this is elite sport and sometimes its not about what we deserver but about what actually happens.
As usual all I say is THANK YOU! I’m grateful for everything she did for the club, the smiles she brought to everyone and good times.
In other news, in total opposite ones, we all saw that Viv is progressing and out on the pitch/training.
This is beyond great.
d ❤
THAT ARSENAL WOMEN PODCAST on:
YOUTUBE
APPLE PODCASTS
SPOTIFY -
Quitting YouTube After all… For now…i think. Maybe?
First of all, I hope you are all having a stellar start of your week, and if you aren’t hang in there and hit me up if you need an ear. Secondly, I understand how annoying it can be to read and hear over and over about a lack of commitment and a lack of decision making from me regarding my YouTube channel. I’ve spoken about why I was thinking about stopping and then I spoke about why I would continue.
The reality is that a YouTube channel for That Arsenal Women Podcast, at this point in my life, is not something that I can do consistently, with the quality of content and production that you guys deserve. It might be that it’s hard to create content during the off season. It might also be that the kind of show, production and everything around the making of these videos is not something I can achieve at the moment and I cannot dedicate my life to it because even the videos I make at the moment, take a lot of time for me. My point is that I feel you deserve much better than what I’m currently able to provide. I’m also working on some things that are not congruent with having a YouTube channel, and this should all make sense in a few month’s time.
I like to embrace the fluid nature of life and in terms of priorities, I thought that it was gonna be the YouTube videos, then the podcast and lastly this blog but I have to tell you that this form right here has become probably my favorite thing. It’s tricky because just writing things loses some context and tone etc and it might sound that I’m being harsher than I am and all of that.
I do not and have never wanted to be a “personality” in the Arsenal Women community. I enjoy going on podcasts and YouTube shows to talk about something I am passionate about but I have never implied nor should I ever be seen as an expert of someone who has inside knowledge. I’m very fortunate to have made friends and be in contact with some incredible people that have as direct access to the club as humanly possible and I promise you I never ask them a thing and if I knew something I would never share. That’s not my vibe and I understand the nature of click bait stuff as it relates to inside info but I’m so not that person.
Another aspect, to be totally open, is that i don’t want to depend on anyone to grow a channel just for the sake of growth. Some of the takes on twitter I see are total insanity to me and the thought that I need X person who tweets some hate against one of our players or former players, to follow me and interact with so that I grow my channel? ummm no, thanks. And for what? I am and will always be a musician and that takes over my entire life all day, every day.
So what I envision is the odd podcast here and there, maybe more focused on the Oranjeleeuwinnen during the World Cup and of course, posting here every single day.
Thank you for being supportive even when I’m unsure of what the hell I’m doing.
d ❤
THAT ARSENAL WOMEN PODCAST on:
YOUTUBE
APPLE PODCASTS
SPOTIFY
A very subjective look into AWFC 