Handbrake Off: The Athletic FC's Arsenal show

Adrian Clarke and Art de Roche join Ian Stone to look ahead to the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday. The panel discuss the confidence level of the squad after winning the Premier League, how Arsenal’s defence can nullify the oppositions strengths, comparing both teams Champions League campaigns, their preferred starting lineups, getting used to how good Arsenal are ri...

Amy Lawrence, Adrian Clarke and Art de Roche join Ian Stone to reflect on Arsenal’s final league game and 2-1 win against Crystal Palace on Sunday. The panel reflect on a joyous day as Arsenal lifted the Premier League trophy, this special group of players, finishing the season with the best disciplinary record, continued praise for the job that Arteta has done, Dowman breaking yet another record,...

Amy Lawrence, Adrian Clarke, Art de Roché and James McNicholas join Ian Stone for the end of season awards. The panel choose their goal of the season, game of the season, moment of the season, worst moment of the season, the moment they’d change, save of the season, signing of the season, most improved player and player of the season. Plus, the panel reflect on Mikel Arteta’s first press conferenc...

Arsenal are Premier League champions. Amy Lawrence, Adrian Clarke and Art de Roche join Ian Stone to reflect on the club's first title in 22 years. The panel reflect on how they’re feeling the morning after, the celebrations outside the stadium, the communal experience of the fans celebrating together all over the world, avoiding final day anxiety, similarities to the 1989 title celebrations, payi...

Amy Lawrence, Art de Roché and Adrian Clarke join Ian Stone to discuss on Arsenal’s 1-0 win against Burnley on Monday night. The panel reflect on the scenes at the end of the game as the fans celebrated the team, the evolution of Arteta’s relationship with the fans, Saka’s perfect delivery for the goal, the atmosphere in Emirates Stadium, Arsenal's excellence in defending as a unit to see out...

James McNicholas and Adrian Clarke join Ian Stone to look ahead to the match against Burnley on Monday. The panel discuss Ben White’s injury, whether Jurrien Timber will make be fit in time for Champions League final, anticipation for the final home game of the season, the potential difficulties Burnley may pose and the title race going into the final week of the season. Plus, they respond to list...

Amy Lawrence and Adrian Clarke join Ian Stone to discuss Arsenal’s 1-0 win against West Ham on Sunday. The panel reflect on the VAR drama at the end of the game, the outrage surrounding West Ham’s goal being ruled out, if this was the pivotal moment for Arsenal’s title charge, this match being the hardest obstacle in the run-in, Raya being one of Arsenal’s best ever goalkeepers, the defensive effo...

Amy Lawrence, James McNicholas and Adrian Clarke join Ian Stone to discuss Arsenal’s 1-0 win against Atletico Madrid to reach their first Champions League final in 20 years.  The panel reflect on the scenes before the game as fans greeted the team bus, the atmosphere at Emirates Stadium, the journey everyone has been on that’s led to this achievement, the impressive Champions League run to th...

Art de Roché and Amy Lawrence join Ian Stone to discuss Arsenal’s 3-0 win at home to Fulham on Saturday.  The panel reflect on the fun starting line-up that led to a fun afternoon, the sense that momentum is developing, Fulham being the perfect opponent in the middle of a Champions’s League semi-final, Saka’s joyful display lifting his teammates, Gyokeres’s best performance so far as he was s...

Art de Roché and Adrian Clarke join Ian Stone to discuss Arsenal’s 1-1 draw away to Atletico Madrid in the semi-final first leg of the Champions League on Wednesday. The panel reflect on the strong away performance, the togetherness of the squad, Arsenal feeling like they are apart of the European establishment, an outstanding display from Rice in a deeper role, the controversial decisions around...

Amy Lawrence and Adrian Clarke join Ian Stone to discuss Arsenal’s 1-0 win at home to Newcastle on Saturday. The panel reflect on the anxiety of the game, another cautious performance, Havertz’s importance to how the team play underlined by his injury, the difficulties of getting the right balance in attack this season, an honest conversation about Gyokeres, Eze’s importance in delivering big mome...

Amy Lawrence and James McNicholas join Ian Stone to discuss all things Arsenal and look ahead to the match against Newcastle this weekend. The panel reflect on the finance regulations in the Premier League, the rule-bending by clubs to boost their finances, the divisions forming in the Arsenal fanbase and Bukayo Saka’s importance in light of his injury. Plus, they respond to listener messages and...

Amy Lawrence and Adrian Clarke join Ian Stone to discuss Arsenal’s 2-1 loss away to Manchester City on Sunday.  The panel reflect on the positive performance despite the loss, feeling encouraged for the run-in, the improved balance of the starting eleven, the impact of missing the first choice starters on the right hand side, the lack of consistency in attack this season, the decision to take...

Amy Lawrence and Art de Roché join Ian Stone to discuss Arsenal’s 0-0 draw at home to Sporting CP in the quarter-final second leg on Wednesday, which saw Arsenal through to the semi-finals. The panel reflect on the historic achievement of consecutive Champions League semi-finals for the first time in the club’s history, the need to cut through the negative discourse surrounding Arsenal, imploring...

Amy Lawrence and Adrian Clarke join Ian Stone to discuss Arsenal’s 2-1 loss at home to Bournemouth on Saturday. The panel reflect on the disappointing overall performance, the lack of energy, if this result had been coming, the problems in the attack, tactical changes that could be made going forward, the need to be less risk averse and calling for a siege mentality amid the noise around the club....

Art de Roché and Nnamdi Onyeagwara, making his Handbrake Off debut, join Ian Stone to discuss Arsenal’s 1-0 win away to Sporting CP in the quarter-final first leg of the Champions League on Tuesday. The panel reflect on the impressive result, a controlled away performance, David Raya potentially being Arsenal’s player of the year after another outstanding display, squad depth as the finishers comb...

Art de Roché and Adrian Clarke join Ian Stone to discuss Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat to Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-final on Saturday. The panel reflect on how they’re feeling about the result, how well Southampton played, Dowman’s excellent performance, needing to improve managing the momentum swings in matches, some of the squad players not being at the standard required, Odegaard’s promising ret...

Art de Roché and Adrian Clarke join Ian Stone to discuss all things Arsenal and look ahead to the match against Southampton in the FA Cup this weekend. The panel reflect on 11 Arsenal players withdrawing from international duty, the outside noise around this, Ben White being booed on his England return, contributing factors to Saka’s less impactful season so far, and what Odegaard can bring to the...

Art de Roché and Adrian Clarke join Ian Stone to discuss all things Arsenal and dip into the customary mailbag for the final international break of the season. The panel reflect on Arsenal’s 3-1 win in the UWCL quarter-final first leg, Eze’s calf injury keeping him out for a month, solutions to help Saka find his best form, Odegaard’s expected return from injury and Ben White’s call up to the Engl...

Amy Lawrence and Adrian Clarke join Ian Stone to discuss Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday The panel reflect on the issues which resulted in a poor second half display, the knock on effects of missing key players through injury, whether the sentimental decision to choose Kepa over Raya was a mistake, the majority of Arsenal’s players underperforming, S...

Ahead of the Carabao Cup final, Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus sits down with The Athletic FC for an exclusive interview.  In conversation with Mario Cortegana Santos and Jack Lang, they get into how his move to Arsenal came about, the team’s mentality after three consecutive 2nd places finishes and how they’re coping with the current title race.  Plus, the narrative around set pieces, the diff...

Amy Lawrence and James McNicholas join Ian Stone to discuss Arsenal’s 2-0 win against Bayer Leverkusen at Emirates stadium on Tuesday.  The panel reflect on the arrival of springtime Eze with his rocket of a strike, his improved defensive work, the attack looking more fluid, David Raya’s continued excellence, Ben White’s positive return to the starting lineup, Gyokeres’s strong all-round disp...

Amy Lawrence and Adrian Clarke join Ian Stone to discuss Arsenal’s 2-0 win against Everton at Emirates stadium on Saturday.  The panel reflect on Max Dowman’s magic moment, whether it could be pivotal in the title race, what it means to the Dowman family, his performance overall, the celebrations around the stadium at the final whistle, their favourite moments from the match, how difficult Ev...

Amy Lawrence and Adrian Clarke join Ian Stone to discuss Arsenal’s 1-1 draw away to Leverkusen in the Champions League on Wednesday. The panel reflect on the players potentially being inhibited to improvise, concerns that the attack hasn’t clicked as yet, the fatigue of English teams in general, not moving the ball quick enough, some players looking jaded, getting 'Arsenaled’ by conceding to a set...

Amy Lawrence and Art de Roché join Ian Stone to discuss Arsenal’s 2-1 win away to Mansfield in the FA Cup on Saturday. The panel reflect on Max Dowman’s eye catching display and whether he can be a serious option from the bench, Marli Salmon’s confidence despite his mistake, Jaden Dixon making his debut, some players not making the most of their opportunity, Mansfield’s good spirits to make the ti...