Cannon Stats - The Analytics Podcast

The mailbag episode is a staple of the international break but this time we decided to spice it up asking for you all to not only give your questions but also your hottest takes. For this we had to agree or disagree, no middle ground and it led to some tough position taking. This was real fun episode and worth a listen. The first half of the episode is the hot takes, and the second half is the more traditional mailbag. Thank you to everyone who sent in questions. Love the pod? Subscribe on your favorite platform, rate/review, and join the Discord for debates. Feedback? Reply to our newsletter or hit us on social media. Yeehaw! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There was a great discussion on the Cannon Stats discord (you should join, it is fun and free) about Bukayo Saka’s cumulative minutes and what that means for his future. It was so good that Adam and Scott decided to go even longer on that topic in today’s podcast. In this meta-focused episode, Scott and Adam shake off international break boredom with high-level chats on Arsenal’s stars. They dive into Bukayo Saka’s heavy minute load and career longevity, unpack the randomness of injuries (with fresh Arteta quotes), debate if Martin Ødegaard is “injury-prone,” and reflect on Mikel Arteta hitting his 300th match amid lingering fan discontent. Expect tire metaphors, RAF pilot stories, and optimistic vibes about Arsenal’s title push—despite the banter from rivals. https://www.cannonstats.com/p/saka-and-the-30k-minute-cliffOn the Saka minutes, https://www.cannonstats.com/p/saka-and-the-30k-minute-cliff He’s been among the highest played players at each age, but he’s also been among the best players, and the best players play a lot. What this might mean is that given that the general trend is that players have about 30-35k peak league minutes in them that we are at about the halfway point with Saka. There are exceptions to this and we can hope that Saka is that but this is where things are at for right now. Below here are the main quotes from Arteta on injuries that we mentioned on the podcast. Areta on predicting injuries: “There is a lot of randomness in an injury that we don’t know,” said Arteta. “Sometimes I’ve been with a player that I wanted to put the finger into something that it was very clear. “And then I realised three months later that he had a problem with his wife or he didn’t sleep or his kid [didn’t sleep] for three days, and then he got injured, and I say: ‘I’ve been scratching my head for one month trying to do that, and then I found out that this was the real reason’. “There are a lot of factors we’re trying to control, dominate and be aware of what we can predict. But unfortunately, this is sport, football and life, and it’s not that easy. Arteta on preventing injuries: “There is a push when people are trying to accelerate. So to replicate that in training, especially when a player is playing every three days, is very, very difficult. “The thing is that you have to replicate all the previous actions. You have to replicate the motion, the stress level, your cortisol level, your mental state, the results. “It’s about replicating the context. I can replicate to go and say I predict that these shares are going to go up three per cent. That’s great. But would you put the money in real or would you go online and do it? It’s very different.” “For example, when Gabi Magalhaes gets injured, a lot of people say he comes from Brazil and does that,” said Arteta. “But Gabi had to chase 50 metres backwards chasing against Adama Traore. If, instead of Adama Traore, that was Emile Smith Rowe, with all respect, probably he doesn’t pull his hamstring. Love the pod? Subscribe on your fave platform, rate/review, and join the Discord for debates. Feedback? Reply to our newsletter or hit us on social media. Yeehaw! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Cannon Stats podcast is back and the mood in Arsenal land is positive with Arsenal closing the gap on Liverpool while slaying two bogey teams in the process. Things are looking up for Arsenal, while they are looking down for Liverpool who are hitting their first patch of adversity under Arne Slot. Adam and Scott are together here talking about the standout performances from Arsenal’s matches against Newcastle and Olympiacos. There is a lot of good overlap and positives to take from both games. The second part of the episode looks ahead to what might be the softest part of Arsenal’s schedule all season after they made it through the rough opening set of fixtures. Arsenal’s Next five is West Ham (H), Fulham (A), Crystal Palace (H), Burnley (A), and Sunderland (A) before the November international break. There are no easy matches in the Premier League, but this might be the least challenging overall. This is also a chance to pick up points on what Arsenal did last season, where they managed just 8 points from these five, losing twice and drawing one. What makes this especially tantalizing is that this “easy” run corresponds with Liverpool and Manchester City looking at some challenging fixtures. The next five matches are shaping up as a major opportunity for Arsenal to potentially take the lead in the Premier League, and if things break right, maybe even open up a bit of a gap. That all starts this weekend with Arsenal hosting West Ham and their new manager. If you enjoy this episode, please give us a rating and a review as it is always something that helps more people be able to find our show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Everyone is talking about it and asking about it, where you go in the Arsenal world it seems like you can’t escape hearing that Arsenal have been too conservative or that the team is playing with the handbrake on too much right now. When these things happen, that makes for a good opportunity for an examination if this actually holds water and that is exactly what Scott and Adam do here in the latest Cannon Stats podcast. The podcast focuses on the City Lineup and a discussion of if they set up wrong. That leads into the Merino/Rice midfield question and if that grouping works for Arsenal or not. The last major question goes into a more high-level view if the way that Arsenal play under Arteta is calibrated correctly or not. Here is the post that Adam wrote, looking deeper into the Rice Merino midfield questions, that is well worth your time. ⁠You're not being told the full story about Merino-Rice⁠⁠ Here is the link to the post Scott talked about on if Defense wins Championships. Does Defence Actually Win Titles? The second half of the podcast touches on what we can learn from Arsenal’s League Cup win over Port Vale and then looks ahead to the weekend matchup against Newcastle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Adam goes solo, breaking down week 1 of the Champions League. Going deep on Arsenal's win against a tough Athletic Club and hitting on all of the other matches from Tuesday and Wednesday, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the Cannon Stats Podcast, Scott and Adam chat about the news of a new but familiar manager at Arsenal’s next opponent, the rotation that will be needed as the schedule flips into the twice a week cadence, and then looks ahead to the Champions League. The first segment of the podcast looks ahead to Arsenal’s match against Nottingham Forest. The preparation has been thrown into disarray as they have sacked Nuno Espírito Santo this week and replaced him with Ange Postecoglou. We look at how much we expect them to change in the short period between the change and how Arsenal might react to this. In the second segment, we look ahead to the return of the Champions League, looking at the high-level goals and then into more details about Arsenal’s first opponent, Athletic Club. Last there is a discussion about how Arsenal and Arteta will approach this part of the schedule now that the team has stocked up on depth. Things end with a few quick-fire questions. If you enjoy the podcast, be sure to leave a like and review, be sure to add us on Spotify or to your favorite podcasting app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this special bonus episode of the Cannon Stats Podcast, Scott has the pleasure of being joined by Clive Palmer, a familiar voice from the Arsenal Vision Podcast, to dissect Arsenal’s 2023/24 Premier League season and the issue that the team had dropping points with 14 total draws. The episode hits on an overview of the draws, the key themes and patterns that emerged, whether this is a systemic issue or a one-off, and what Arsenal have done this summer that can make sure it doesn’t repeat. This podcast is a continuation of a nice back-and-forth that Clive and I have had, where he really helped push me and gave me feedback to look into this issue. That turned into this post, which was published in August: ⁠https://www.cannonstats.com/p/learning-from-all-of-arsenals-draws⁠ The timing for this second look was perfect because we can now see some of what has come from the lessons learned by the club and what potential solutions the strengthened squad presents. The discussion begins by analyzing the opponents in Arsenal’s 14 draws, which included five against ‘Big Six’ teams and five against low-block sides. Looking at if the tactical setup is a factor in these specific matchups and if there are changes required. The timing of the draws is the next area of focus; six draws in the first half of the season (two with red cards) and eight in the second half of the season leads to the question on if squad depth or injuries played a significant role in the total number. A major focus is Arsenal’s struggle to hold leads, with nine of the 14 draws coming after taking the lead. The team dropped 21 points from winning positions, the seventh-most in the Premier League in the 24/25 season and tied for their worst under Mikel Arteta and in Arsenal’s record in the Premier League. Arsenal converted only 67% of leads into wins last season, compared to 79% across Arteta’s tenure, prompting questions about whether this was a one-off or a symptom of deeper issues. The episode also examines Arsenal’s late-game struggles, particularly in the final 15 minutes of matches where they drew. In the first 75 minutes, Arsenal boasted the third-best attack, with the best defense; their attack dropped to 10th in the closing stages, despite maintaining the league’s best defense. This raises questions about whether injuries and limited squad depth were the primary culprits or if tactical and mental factors contributed. In the final segment, the conversation shifts to whether Arsenal’s summer signings have addressed these issues. Clive shares his thoughts on what he has seen so far this season, as Arsenal have tried tactical tweaks, and whether early signs in the 2025/26 season’s first three matches show progress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of the Cannon Stats podcast, Scott and Adam get together to chat about the end of the Transfer window, talking about the winners and the losers, recapping the big six business, oh and we talk about the actual match that happened as well. The first part of the podcast focuses on the trip to Anfield. How we reacted to the lineup, are we second-guessing anything that the team did. Then we talk about how our view of the two main title challengers has changed after this data point. If you missed it, here is the stuff we wrote after the match. https://www.cannonstats.com/p/first-thoughts-liverpool-a https://www.cannonstats.com/p/liverpool-vs-arsenal-the-debrief I came into this match wanting to measure Arsenal up against Liverpool and how the teams looked as they are set for what hopefully will be a season-long battle for the Premier League title. Arsenal’s performance at Anfield seemed to further divide the multiple camps among club supporters, if that was possible. The club left with a 1-0 loss and sit third in the Premier League headed into the first international break of the season (hooray!) Next, we look at the overall business done by Arsenal in the transfer window. Rating the incomings and talking about the strategy and if the team filled all the holes. Then it is time for the outgoings before doing a big picture view. Adam’s post on the transfer window is a must-read and gives more detail on teams that we don’t hit in the podcast as well. https://www.cannonstats.com/p/who-won-the-premier-leagues-historic Last, we break down the big winners and losers from the non-big six clubs, going through which clubs impressed and which clubs left us wanting more. The final item is going through and ranking the big six clubs for the overall business done. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of the Cannon Stats podcast, Scott and Adam get together to chat about the newest link Piero Hincapié, the big match against Liverpool, and some quick hits. With Hincapié, it is happening again as Arsenal let Spurs think that they have a player before they ara patted on the head and reminded of their spot in the food chain. Adam did a film review of the player and helps get us up to speed on the player, going through the strengths and weaknesses, plus how his game can translate at Arsenal. Film Study: Piero Hincapié - by Adam Rae Voge In the second half, the two talk about the trip to Anfield. Arsenal are injured but the timing might favor the gunners as Liverpool still look like a major work in progress so far. They chatted about the lineup, the tactics and expectations for the match. Things finish up with some quick hits. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of the Cannon Stats Podcast, Scott is joined by Andrew Beasley from andrewbeasleyfootball.com‬ to discuss the defending Champions ahead of the clash between Liverpool and Arsenal this weekend. The podcast covers a bit on last season, going over just how good Liverpool were in their title-winning season and what needs that left them to address this summer. That leads into the busy summer that they have had with 4-5 new starters coming into the team, and how the team is changing as it shifts from a Klopp team to a Slot team. The second half looks at how the current start of the season is looking and how the team is working through growing pains with the new additions. The last part is a look more specifically on how the Arsenal team can give them problems and what we should expect from this match. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of the Cannon Stats podcast, there are no shortage of topics, and the main ones will be the big breaking news from today and that is the signing of Eberechi Eze and the joke somehow always being on Tottenham. Adam and Scott start off touching on the Kai Havertz injury and then the breaking news that Arsenal made an 11th hour swoop to steal Eberechi Eze from Tottenham Hotspur. We break down what this means for Arsenal, where he plays, who he plays instead of, and the big picture of how this move came to be. We also talk about the not so good news of potentially losing Havertz for an extended period of time and what impact that will have on Arsenal and the extra pressure it puts on Gyokeres. In the second part of the show, the topic moves to the game that was actually played. We talk about the changed Arsenal, the worries we have from the performances, and then chat about the debuts in the match. Last, we turn our attention to the rest of the big six and how they fared this weekend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get ready for the Premier League season with the Adam and Scott. The duo use the over/under betting odds to go through all 20 teams. Then they bring out their hotest take for the Premier League and give their favorites for the sack race. After that they switch gears and look at Arsenal with which of the key position battles will have the player make the most starts. Gyokeres/Havertz Martinelli/Noni/Trossard/Other White/Timber MLS/Calafiori Lastly there is a discussion on the importance of the captain and how things looks in light of the comments from Tony Adams on Odegaard and Arteta. Here are the numbers that were used for the over/under if you want to follow along. (we started from the bottom) Liverpool 79.5 Arsenal 78.5 Manchester City 78.5 Chelsea 70.5 Newcastle Utd 59.5 Manchester Utd 59.5 Aston Villa 57.5 Tottenham 57.5 Brighton 54.5 Bournemouth 47.5 Everton 47.5 Nottingham Forest 47.5 Fulham 46.5 Crystal Palace 46.5 West Ham 45.5 Brentford 41.5 Wolves 41.5 Leeds United 37.5 Sunderland 29.5 Burnley 27.5 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A special bonus podcast with Mike Goodman of the Double Pivot and CBSSports.com to get everyone ready for the start of the Premier League Season. Scott and Mike make this a power rankings-based preview (everyone's favorite), going through the "Rich Seven" setting the stage for the 2025/26 season. In this episode, we let Mike set the rankings (although they don't massively deviate from Scott's view) and talk through the summer business, how the squads look, and what questions we are looking to try and get answered about each team this coming season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Adam and Scott are back from their summer break to talk about all of the Arsenal news in this stuffed episode of the Cannon Stats podcast. This episode covers an update to preseason, the worry that is still present in the attack, key performances and the underlying frustration around the team that hasn't seen radical change this summer. Part 2 looks at Arsenal's ability to sell and if that is a problem for the team. This is becoming a bit of a worry and it is worth examining deeper on if this is the question would should be asking: how Arsenal are doing compared to our peers and if this is something that matters in the grand scheme of things? Things wrap up with an examination of the incoming buisness and how we would rate things if the window closed today on the additions. There is also a good chat about the debate if the group of Marinelli/Trossard/Madueke is a good enough group for left wing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Arsenal didn’t hold up their end of the bargain dropping a new player bomb on us the day that we were recoding this time but there is still a lot to talk about as Arsenal get ready to head off to Asia. In this episode Adam and Scott chat what Arsenal are getting in Gyokeres, the Ethan Nwaneri new deal and do some quick hits on transfer news around the top teams. Episode breakdown: Getting to know Gyokeres * State of the deal * Strengths * Weaknesses * Expectations Ethan Nwaneri signing * Reacting to the good news * Where does he even play and does a loan make sense? Overall Business Done in the Premier League * Alexander Isak to Liverpool or maybe just kidding * Hugo Ekitike to Newcastle, oh wait actually Liverpool * Manchester United to get Bryan Mbuemo for a lot of money This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.cannonstats.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Arsenal deliver again! There is no stopping the news and Adam and Scott are here to talk about the singing of Noni Madueke from Chelsea. The transfer is in the final stages and it is reported as a 52 million deal and it’s not confirmed but could be something along the lines of 40m-45m + add ons. This isn’t quite the bargain that we hoped for but looking at the comps this isn’t a bad deal either with Madueke measuring up strongly compared to other players that have moved at a similar age this season withing or too the Priemer League * Elanga 55m * Kudus 55m * Gittens 55m * Pedro 60 The podcast tries to break down the big stuff on the player - Strengths * Shooting * Carries and dribbles * Touches close to goal * Speed and transition threat Weaknesses * Final action * Passes from good locations in the box/crossing * Injury history One of the open questions on the deal is the actual fit For Arsenal * Is this just right wing rotation or is this both wings move? * At the end of the season for Chelsea he played more left wing but he has primarily been an inside forward cutting inside. * Is this a Raphinha comps and or something similar to Sane as a same sided high shot volume winger Ramifications of the deal * Do you think this limits other moves? * Ethan impact Finally the fan reaction to the move, should we care? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.cannonstats.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Cannon Stats podcast comes to you on this busy July 4th Holiday to breakdown all of the latest for Arsenal. We are once again thankful for the club keeping us busy with things to talk about this summer. This episode hits on Eberechi Eze, Takehiro Tomiyasu’s Departure, Cristhian Mosquera and more! Eberechi Eze to Arsenal? This is the main section of today’s podcast and it is a meaty subject to hit on. * The guys views on Eze * Fit at Arsenal, where does he play and how much? * Expectations? * Transfer Pricing: Is Eze’s £68m release clause (£60m + £8m add-ons) fair? Takehiro Tomiyasu’s Departure This was sad news to see announced, Arsenal and Tomiyasu have mutually agreed to terminate his contract. * Legacy * Impact Cristhian Mosquera: The Replacement? Valencia’s 21-year-old center-back (1.8 clearances, 88% pass completion) could replace Tomiyasu for £20m. We analyze his fit as a ball-playing defender and long-term potential alongside Saliba. Transfer Quick Hits * Ethan Nwaneri: Contract talks for the 18-year-old * Noni Madueke: Arsenal eye Chelsea’s £50m winger? * Gyokeres vs. Sesko: The saga continues with maybe news of Gyokeres becoming more favored This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.cannonstats.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Join us on the Cannon Stats Podcast as we dive into Arsenal’s imminent signing of Brentford captain Christian Nørgaard for something in the range of £10m-£15m. In this episode, hosts Scott and Adam unpack the transfer’s implications, Thomas Partey’s looming exit, and whether the Gunners’ squad is stronger for it. This is obviously the big news of the day and it is complimented nicely by the written content that Adam and Scott have done already on this. Rough timeline for the episode: [2:00–8:00] Initial Reactions to the news [8:00–15:00] Partey’s imminent departure [15:00–25:00] Squad Impact: Does Nørgaard improve Arsenal? Have Arsenal stood still, gotten better, or basically stayed the same? [25:00–40:00] Adam’s Film Session: Adam breaks down Nørgaard’s tape and helps us understand what exactly we are getting in the player [40:00–50:00] Stats & Expectations: What does a good season look like for Nørgaard when we look back in June of 2026 on the coming season? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.cannonstats.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Cannon Stats podcast is back talking about the fixtures for Arsenal. The view of the overall schedule, what is the take on how things look? It’s a tough start, is that good? bad? just a thing? Then there is talk about the state of the transfers and a bit about what is going on among the other teams in the league. The second half feature your questions and they are some good ones. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.cannonstats.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Adam and Scott get together to give out grades. Before jumping to the grades, they go through the latest transfer stories talking about the moves that have been made and the latest rumors for Arsenal. In the second half of the show it is about the grades from the start of the season and an outlook for next year. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.cannonstats.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices