In the first of Eoin’s interview journey through the The Gooner Talk regulars, Drew is in the limelight. Our Bundesliga loving New Yorker has been with us at TGT for several years and become the right-hand man on the Tactical Breakdown Podcast. You can find him on Twitter @FMLehrer, often discussing a wide range of footballing topics. Sit back, relax and enjoy our chat with our coffee obsessed hero.
Q: Something we have seen over the last decade is a huge surge of interest in the MLS. America is no stranger to producing monumental sports leagues and franchises. The NFL, NBA and MLB would all be considered much more established, as the MLS is very much still in its infancy. So how was it that you gravitated towards football and Arsenal in a place where the sport was so far town the pecking order?
A: It is maybe a story that is pretty similar to Arsenal supporters that do not hail from the UK. Here in the US, leagues like Bundesliga and Serie A were televised long before the Premier League began hammering our market. The first club I started supporting was Borussia Dortmund, while having a soft spot for 1.FC Kaiserslautern. But as an “abnormal” American, football always had my heart and I started playing in 1990 (when I was 6). I did not start supporting Arsenal until Dennis Bergkamp rocked up at the club. Growing up in my young playing years I was exposed to a lot of football, but not the English game. I had already had a massive affinity for Bergkamp, and once he went to Arsenal, I became enamoured with the club in all respects. That was it for me. Love from the first day.
Q: Over the years you have established yourself as very competent writer with a fantastic reputation. A man in which many rely on for accurate analysis and tactical insight. But what was it that led you to start writing and appearing on podcasts and how have you found the experience?
A: Six years ago, I made a spur of the moment move to Florida, but it was pretty by the hip and it was not fully fleshed out as an idea. I went into the move knowing that I would have to find work down there and did not go into a situation where I had set that up beforehand. While down there, a buddy of mine was part-time writing for a NY Yankees media outlet, and suggested I applied with the company because they were looking to really try to get their football department off the ground. I applied, was accepted, and the rest is history. It was totally unexpected, but it was a great decision. Had I not have made that move, it’s likely I never would have found myself being a part of the blogging/writing/podcasting community.
Q: As previously mentioned you specialise in the Bundesliga. You’re love and knowledge for it is infectious at times. Something I often envy is how well run and structured German clubs are. If there was one operational model you could transfer to Arsenal, which club would you look to mirror and why?
A: That would honestly depend on what the direction the club wanted to take. Truly, there is no better overall model/structure than Bayern Munich. I loathe them, but you cannot speak against how well-run they are in all manner of respects. As Arsenal moved into the Emirates era, there is a reason the club hierarchy were looking to model themselves similarly. That has yet to pan out, and it’s unsure if we’ll continue to go down that same path, but other examples exist. As a Dortmund fan, I fully support something along their approach especially when it comes to how they handle reinvesting into the squad after they sell a big-name asset. Their faith in younger players as well (which can be seen across the entirety of the league) would be vital for us as a club, given the crop of young(er) players we have coming through and impressing.
Q: Something that shook the world on May 26th was the brutal murder of George Floyd. A man that’s life was tragically taken by the Minneapolis police department for no other reason than the colour of his skin. This sparked global outrage which resulted in countless protests and campaigns to attempt to once and for all put an end to systemic racism. You have been visibly very vocal on this subject. What have you made of the effort shown by the Premier League to highlight the issue and what do you think is the end goal of this campaign?
A: I honestly do not think they’re doing enough, at least to my knowledge. As a Black man, I love and appreciate the kneeling before matches, and the shirts/name changes on the kits in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, but more needs to be done. Programs like KickItOut need to be supported fully and without issue. More ties to immigrant and minority communities need to be established and supported. A greater effort to have Black and other minority coaches heavily involved in the FA in the higher rungs of English football is also something that is vital. Additionally, using their global platform to educate people on matters of racism, prejudice, and how it needs to be torn down and eradicated from the planet should be a goal for them moving forward.
Q: Raul Sanllehi is someone who has divided opinion between the fan base since his arrival. Brought in to help Arsenal be more aggressive in the transfer market. Arguably his most notable signing to date was that of Nicolas Pepe of whom we are yet to see the best of. But what have you made of Raul’s time here and have you any concerns for the future with him at the wheel?
A: Thus far, it’s hard to tell. Under his leadership, we’ve made some pretty strong signings that speak to a more progressive approach for us tackling a market that we are finding it increasingly difficult to compete in. But the dark cloud looming over his head undoubtedly will be the notion that he is one of the standard bearers of a market approach that involves being in-bed with agents rather than a large reliance – overall – on scouting and analysis. That is not to say he avoids it completely, as we know that Gabriel Martinelli was signed from the 4th tier of Brazilian football, and that was expressly done by on-the-ground leg work. But deals like Pepe – for the price we paid – can be taken in two arguments; 1. That he is a player of unquestionable ability and potential and could help carry the club forward, but also, 2. That for the price we paid for him, we missed a golden opportunity to target two or three positions across the squad with quality signings, and instead decided to focus on one position only for a very large sum. The jury is still out on him, for me, and he has a lot to prove over the next couple of summers if he’s to show that he’s the correct man to be the clubs head of football.
Q: Matteo Guendouzi and Mesut Ozil are two names that have been frequently muttered by journalists in recent weeks. Guendouzi’s exclusion has been down to repeated behavioural issues that seem to have brought Mikel Arteta to the end of his tether. Ozil for a supposed back injury, which many fans are reluctant to believe. The more commonly believed narrative is that they are being forced out the door. What do you make of this situation and what do you believe is the most likely outcome?
A: I think by now, anyone that follows me on Twitter or watches us on TGT knows where I stand on Guendouzi; you cannot have a player at the club – regardless of skill level and potential – that is unwilling to be humble, hold themselves accountable, apologize for mistakes, or come to terms with his manager and club hierarchy about what is and what is not appropriate for a player of Arsenal Football Club under the new regime and its desire to re-build the club from the ground up. If he cannot fall in line, he has to go. Simple as that. As for Ozil; I will always adore him as a player. But I also see the argument that it is hard for fans – or maybe even people at the club – to want to keep and justify a player onh is wage packet that just is not contributing to the level commensurate with that pay structure. However, forcing him out of the club, and the abuse the fans give him, I think is beyond inappropriate. Be frustrated, by all means. Do not mistreat players at your club when they’ve not done anything deserving of abuse. Should he leave? He’s not going to be sold and it’s likely he will wind down his current deal and leave on a free, and we all need to be okay with that. His injury record of recent years and current contractual value make him near-impossible to move in this market.
Q: Another ultimatum the club currently finds itself in is that of the current club captains contract. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is fast approaching the final year of his current deal. Which appears to a recurring problem with Arsenal and their most priced assets. Many also believe that the only reason the club have not yet opted to cash-in on another highly valuable players in the form of Alexandre Lacazette is because of the uncertainty over Aubameyang’s future. But if you had to keep one/sell one, whom would you look to move on and why?
A: For me, I will always look at this tactically. It is clear, with Auba still being deployed on the left of the front-three, that Arteta prefers a more well-rounded player in the centre-forward role. That player is Lacazette, or even Nketiah when he features; someone who can drop deeper, be more involved in the build-up, offer hold up play, and have instincts in other areas and roles on the pitch irrespective of their ability to finish off a fashioned chance. Let’s be clear; Auba is a world-class goal scorer and we owe a lot to him, but if moving forward we have different tactical concerns that require a player separate from his skill-set, then maybe cashing in and moving on would be more wise. For me Laca is still a gifted player, and the way he took his goal in the NLD speaks to what he can do when he’s confident. He’s never been a poor player, just one recently for us that is bereft of confidence, to go along with a clear role change and the subsequent adaptation to it (the data reflects this, as well). If it’s me making the decision, that’s how I would handle it.
Q: KSE were pressured to respond last summer to the building momentum of the “We Care Do You” campaign. Josh Kroenke took part in an interview to try and make amends to some of the damage that had been done to the reputation of KSE in terms of their lack of investment and communication with the fans. But as someone from the States, what is the reputation of KSE and how are they perceived by the fans of their other sports franchises?
A: KSE is a tricky one. They 100% come with a reputation of not caring, and certainly have done quite a few things over the years under the direction of Stan Kroenke that could and should have people questioning. But things are different now, and much of that falls on his son Josh. In recent years, their other major franchises in the LA Rams, Denver Nuggets, and Colorado Avalanche have all had resurgences similar to Arsenal; young and hungry coach/manager hired, the bulk of the roster filled with younger talent with potential, and a very quick uptick in performance on the back of positive changes looking to target long-term success. Something similar to what we’ve seen with FSG ownership – an entity that operates akin to KSE – at Liverpool. I am not saying we will win Champions League in five years or obliterate our domestic rivals in a blitz to the Premier League title in that time frame, because how could I possibly make that claim…but I do think we will be just fine moving forward.
Q: News broke previously regarding a restructuring of KSE’s finances. This has many fans trying to work out what this could mean for Arsenal regarding transfer activity this summer. Can you breakdown the details of this move and what it could mean for us as a club?
A: Ugh, of course you’d make me do this! Essentially the way I analyzed the news is that the clubs debt has been restructured under KSE ownership thus allowing our annual cash reserve (the 30m that has been mentioned by many outlets) to be made available for additional transfer funds we can bring to bear on targets. This was not the 200m transfer war chest fans thought it would be, as ownership models like that are very much the exception to the rule, but what it should do is give us improved spending power in the market moving forward to rebuild properly under Mikel Arteta.
Q: On October 27th, 2019 Granit Xhaka looked to have played his last game for the club. After being subbed off the fans jeered and booed Xhaka for walking off slowly. This only escalated when Xhaka reacted by mouthing back and throwing the captains armband on the floor. But since Arteta took the reins many look at this as a story of redemption for the Swiss international. What have you made of his increased level of performance and what do you attribute it to?
A: Xhaka is a talented player; let’s get that right. He was superb during his spell at Gladbach, was fantastic at Basel, and remains a key piece for the Swiss national side. For what he does, he is brilliant. Does he have weaknesses? Absolutely. Every football on the planet bar the Messi’s and Ronaldo’s of the world have weaknesses. It is up to us on a tactical level to promote and progress with a system that – not just with Xhaka, but all our players – maximize effectiveness while masking our individual and collective weaknesses. This aspect is why managers like Guardiola, Klopp, and the like have been so successful. Arteta, on balance, seems to be in that same school of thought. Xhaka seems to be reinvigorated by the faith and confidence shown in him by Arteta, his teammates, and being in a system that is far-more fleshed out than how we operated under Unai Emery, which was an unmitigated disaster, while doing an excellent job of highlighting out weaknesses and not our strengths.
Q: With the Transfer window fast approaching fans will be watching closely as they hope for the club to invest and improve the squad. If it were up to you, what 3 players would you ‘realistically’ look to bring in?
A: First of all, you don’t need to tell me to be realistic – you know I always am lol. I think much of my answer would be predicted on what players left the club, but for the moment, we certainly need a transformative midfield player. Partey, if he truly is interested in coming to the club, should be brought in without question. If he cannot be secured, then a player of that same profile should be sounded out. Another piece of business we could look to champion is someone willing to play a 8/10 hybrid role, and look to progress play from midfield to link up with the forward line. Ceballos, at his core, is this type of player, but he’s currently tasked with roles maybe not suited to him simply because of the players Arteta currently has available. If we don’t bring him in on a full deal, then a player of this profile is necessary. People like to mention someone like Szoboszlai, and that’s a very good shout. Essentially we need a ball carrier, who is confident in driving play, and can offer goals and creativity from the middle of the park. A prime example is the type of player/role you see Kevin De Bruyne doing for City now – he was an out and out 10, but his role now is much more of this hybrid variant that I mention. We need that desperately. Finally, for me, you’d have to argue centre back long-term. In that argument, you have to look at Malang Sarr on a free; it’s mental that a player of his ability and potential is on the market for nothing. For me, he would be the ideal long-term partner to put alongside Saliba.
Q: Something most Gooners try to avoid at all costs is reliving some of the most horrific days in our club’s history! But we are not “most Gooners”. Walk me through May 29th, 2019. Arsenal face Chelsea in the Europa League Final in Baku. Where did you watch it, who did you share those moments with and what was your expectation going into that fixture?
A: Thankfully for anyone that would have been unfortunate to be in my general vicinity, I was in the comfort of my apartment. Normally, unless I am at O’Hanlons down in Manhattan, I watch matches at home, free of anything stopping me from showing the true range of emotion while not coming off like someone who probably needs to have a sit down. My expectation, honestly, was not one of hope. I loved that we reached a major cup final, but nothing about us filled me with a ton of confidence and I think if you look at some of our performances in the competition, glaring issues were glossed over that you just knew Chelsea would take advantage of on the day. It won’t be our last major final in the coming years; bank on it.
Q: Knowing you somewhat personally, I knew that for a long time you have been both training and working as a coach. As someone with a deep understanding of the game, what tactical adjustment and changes have impressed you the most regarding Mikel Arteta?
A: For me it’s been his focus on trying to find the right balance on the pitch, the faith he is placing in our young crop of players to go out there, express themselves and impress, but also the fact that we just seem confident. Under Emery, no one could readily identify a match plan, a tactical schematic, or any parameter to judge us by. With Arteta, it’s clear what he’s trying to instil in the side on a tactical level; confidence on the ball, understanding in roles and tasks on the pitch, where our creative core will reside, a more modern view of our full-backs, and a free-flowing type of football both capable of controlling possession but also maintaining an ability to beat a high-press if we come across it.
Q: I always must get at least one funny question in! If you had to pick 3 players from the current squad to be stranded on a desert island with who would you selected and why?
A: Three players to be with on a desert island; for sure Ozil would be one…I’ve loved him as a player since his early days at Schalke, and to sit down and have the types of conversations we possibly could entertain, while speaking in German, would be awesome. Another would probably be Lacazette; he just seems like such a good guy to get along with, has a sense of humour, loves the game, and we could speak about matters of race in the world and vibe about being Black men in a world that doesn’t treat us fairly. Third? Tierney – there’s no way he’d back down and take shit from even the most unfriendly of wildlife we’d come across!
Q: And as always, we will finish on this one! We all hold Arsenal close to our hearts. Something that helps distract us from the stress of everyday life (as funny as that may sound). But if you met somebody that had never followed football and they were searching for a club to support, what would you say to explain why Arsenal is so special to you and what makes us different to any other club?
A: Family. I have met so many amazing and unique people in the Arsenal family/community, from all walks of life, and from all origins around the world. From the Arsenal community here in NYC, to how many people I have met through writing and podcasting – yourself included – I wouldn’t change that for the world. This really is a family…through the good and the bad. Arsenal Till We Die.