Stateside Gooners: An Arsenal FC Show

On this episode, Eric and Matt recap the encouraging match against a team that has 115 premier league charges pending for about 2 years (and still no verdict). But we digress. It was a match filled with opportunity for both Arsenal and individual Arsenal players to become legends at the club. It was not to be though as Arsenal were defeated by the unstoppable force that is Team 115 Charges. Eric thinks there should have been a couple red cards and we debate both. We both agree that Arsenal haven’t gotten the striker right. Newcastle are up next at the Emirates and we debate whether the side can be emotionally ready for that match in 1 week. 

As always we’d love to hear your comments to the episode, fan origin stories, and questions you may have for us. You can leave your comments on Substack or via DM to Eric and Matt on the Bluesky app on @StatesideGooners 

If you haven't watched the Emirates (second leg) of the Champions League Quarterfinal... maybe don't?

The 0-0 draw was almost as boring as that sounds. The better parts of the game were shots off goal, and most of those by Sporting.

Ok.

Team 115 Charges. It isn't winner take all, but it is for most of the marbles. There will still be 5 games remaining for Arsenal and 6 for the Sky Blues. It's definitely a 6-pointer. Highly likely 115 wins the game against Crystal Palace so this game can put the teams even, Arsenal up by 3 even if 115 prevail against Palace... We don't want to see Arteta set up not to lose and play for the draw... listen to find out what we predict to happen.

Next Pod is Sunday, April 19th...

How many times to we have to have our hearts broken?

I don’t want to know. Technically we still have the control of the title race in our own hands. The magic number is 16. That’s the number of points that a combined total of Arsenal points won and Team 115 Charges dropped mean the title is won. Don’t count the title won until that happens. Anything but a win means we’re out of control of our own destiny.

Technically, for those that can do maths well, a draw at the Etihad and winning out solves the problem of 16 no matter what our rivals do. I don’t want to rely on ‘not losing’ when we can grab control in our hands and wrench it away for good with a win.

Sporting are up first though, on Wednesday. Win by any score and we’ll face either Atletico Madrid or Barcelona. With Atletico up by two goals, despite Barcelona’s shouts that feel ‘UNFAIR’ and them wanting to take their ball and go home, it seems likely we face Atletico. They’ll try to lock the home leg down by keeping a clean sheet and I think they have a good chance to win the tie.

Let’s see how it plays out.

We got an origin story from AJ, who’s parents and family are Irish and ‘born supporters’ of The Arsenal. AJ is ‘just about’ done with Arteta and it’ll be interesting to see what happens this season and then follow up with our new friend.

Thanks for listening. Tell your friends at the pub about Stateside Gooners. We appreciate your support.

A Crushing blow to Arsenal's title hopes or ANOTHER blip in a title winning season. The loss to Bournenouth in the Premier League could have consequences.

If you like boring and you like 1-0 wins, this was and wasn't that, wasn't it?

Haha. I was very bored and I was very happy at the end.

'Nuff said. We won.

On to London and to Bournemouth. Let's talk about that, and try and count up the points in Fantasy Rotisserie Chicken.

Come on you Gunners!

On this Arsenal Women’s podcast presented by Stateside Gooners, Matt talks about the strong defensive performance by Arsenal in the second leg of the UCL against Chelsea, a good offense also helps defensive performance. The match had its moments and the last 25 minutes of the match are definitely worth a re-watch now that Arsenal have moved onto the semi-finals against… Lyon (We’ve seen this before, right?). This result will cause more WSL scheduling difficulties. Can it be done in a fair way to allow Arsenal the best possible outcome for the UCL preparations and the WSL preparations. 

Matt then discusses Arsenal’s FA Cup quarterfinal match against Brighton. It was a lackluster affair from Arsenal with very few shots on goal for the game. He then caps off the episode with a rundown of the potential Arsenal players going to represent their country in both meaningful World Cup qualifying matches and those international friendlies that don’t do much for a player heading into the business end of their club season.  

There is no preview of the Lyon semi-final tie, but that is coming, so stay tuned. Matt has some Lyon watching to do. 

As always we’d love to hear your comments to the episode, fan origin stories, and questions you may have for us. You can leave your comments on Substack or via DM to Eric and Matt on the Bluesky app on @StatesideGooners 

Winning is good.

Losing is bad.

Or does this loss turn out to be good?

Losing on either side of the International Break (you remember ... it's when most of our guys withdrew and the world made a big deal of it) wasn't great, but let's bet on this to be a big help to go out and win the league.

For me, the Champions League is a bonus, and brings prestige, but the league is our first priority.

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On this Arsenal Women’s podcast presented by Stateside Gooners, Matt talks about the offensive outburst by Arsenal against TottenHAM. It wasn’t all good news with Arsenal conceding goals in a WSL match for the first time in 2026. Its all about the hat tricks listeners. 

Matt previews the second leg of the Champions League QF tie against Chelsea women. Chelsea may have some players returning for this one - Bright and Carpenter on defense, Beever-Jones and Kerr on offense. But Arsenal get some players back also with the return of Catley and Foord. Kyra Cooney-Cross will be out for the season and is staying in Australia. This match will be different than the first leg based on the players involved. 

As always we’d love to hear your comments to the episode, fan origin stories, and questions you may have for us. You can leave your comments on Substack or via DM to Eric and Matt on the Bluesky app on @StatesideGooners 

On this Arsenal Women’s podcast presented by Stateside Gooners, Matt talks about the sparkling match the Arsenal women played against Chelsea in the first of the two legged Champions League quarterfinal. He talks about the position flexibility of Katie McCabe in this match (a pass she made while on her back) and the contributions from Stina who led the line and Russo who scored her 8th champions league goal in 9 champions league matches this campaign. Matt goes on to preview the upcoming North London Derby at the Emirates on Saturday and what is at stake aside from turning North London red that is. 

As always we’d love to hear your comments to the episode, fan origin stories, and questions you may have for us. You can leave your comments on Substack or via DM to Eric and Matt on the Bluesky app on @StatesideGooners 

On this Arsenal Women’s podcast presented by Stateside Gooners, Matt recaps the WSL match against West Ham at the Emirates stadium. So much better to see the women playing on the home pitch.  Matt brings you up to date on what happened in the WSL over Match Day 18. He recaps results that went in Arsenal’s favor and a quick review of the table as it currently stands. There is mention of the Asia Cup final pitting Australia against Japan. Lastly, I preview the first leg (home leg) of the two-legged Arsenal - Chelsea Champions League clash. These matches will be fun to watch and cover. 

If you are interested, please check out this article about Arsenal’s Alesia Russo. Our club is so very fortunate to have her among our players. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c9qdgd92w97o

As always we’d love to hear your comments to the episode, fan origin stories, and questions you may have for us. You can leave your comments on Substack or via DM to Eric and Matt on the Bluesky app on @StatesideGooners 

As we worked on this episode, I came to realize that these players didn't need to win this match so that they could believe in themselves.

I needed them to win this trophy so that I can believe in them.

That was a very hard realization to come to if I'm honest. It hit a bit harder than I expected it to hit and I'm still working out the implications for myself.

I still believe that it would have been better for the players, coaches, manager, and all of us had they won it so that during these two weeks our belief would harden and bed in. Now we have to absorb (or deflect) the criticism that we all know will surely arrive from all the Liverpool, United, and Chelsea pundits.

I choose not to pay attention at all and if I think there's something in my feed that would read negatively, ... pass.

You all do you, but I'll be focused on the 16 points, our magic number. With 7 games left, we can score 16 points from 21 and it's all in our own hands as a club. No matter what anyone else does, we just need those 16.

Start the counting.

Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.