In the seventh fixture of the young league season, on Saturday afternoon Arsenal will face Bournemouth away with an opportunity to return to winning ways after the annoying hiccup in our last league fixture. Not to forget or to focus on the negative, we remain undefeated in the league sitting only two points behind second place Liverpool. However our injury situation is a bit of a worry, and Thomas Partey is definitely out this week but Saka, Trossard and Martinelli were still to be in contention as I write this on Wednesday evening, and Arteta expected Declan Rice, who hurt his back last week, likely to be available for this game.
As the Gunners came in to the Everton match ten days ago, they had not been firing on all cylinders but the Gunners gave a big kick-start to their season with consecutive clean sheets at Goodison and a few days later, at home to PSV Eindhoven. In addition to the Gunners’ improved defensive cohesion, the intricate passing in the buildup to their five goals in those two matches was beauty itself. On the other side of the ball, neither Everton nor PSV really troubled our revamped defence featuring Gabriel and David Raya, who seems to have uprooted Aaron Ramsdale as first choice goalkeeper.
Unfortunately our brief run of clean sheets came to an end last weekend when we conceded two silly goals at home against Spurs in a frustrating 2-2 draw but on Wednesday we were able to come up with another clean sheet at Brentford in the League Cup. I didn’t see that game so don’t know how impressive we were, but the result was important after the derby disappointment. As TTG remarked elsewhere, it is “interesting that we’ve had three clean sheets away but have leaked goals at home.” Maybe I should repeat at this point that we will be playing Bournemouth away?
Not a Bowlful of …
The Cherries defeated Stoke City 2-0 at home in the League Cup in midweek and lost 3-1 at Brighton last weekend. Bournemouth are winless in six league games, and occupy the 17th spot in the league table ahead only of the three newly promoted sides having scored five goals but conceded eleven.
Since June of this year the Cherries’ new manager is Andoni Iraola, who managed Rayo Vallecano to mid-table finishes in La Liga in the last two seasons after leading them to promotion in 2020. Bournemouth escaped relegation in the Spring under manager Gary O’Neil who was sacked nevertheless before taking on the reins at Wolves. The Cherries no doubt hope they made the best decision with Iraola, but to this point Wolves have topped them in the league table, just sayin’.
The last time we played the Cherries at home was in March when Bournemouth scored within ten seconds of the opening kickoff in the game that was famously redeemed by Reiss Nelson’s last minute winner. In last season’s away fixture at Bournemouth, played in August 2022, the Gunners won by a decisive 0-3 margin with two goals scored by Ødegaard, and one by Saliba.
Arsenal XI
Aaron Ramsdale kept a clean sheet in the League Cup but I expect the manager will turn back to David Raya for this one, seeing as he is Arteta’s shiny new something or other, and he started the three prior games. With Saka an injury doubt and Nelson coming off his game winner at Brentford in the League Cup, there’s a possibility we could see the young Nelson in his friend’s spot on the right side. Considering the injury report and the manager’s team selection in midweek, I think we could see this team starting at Brentford:
Raya
White Saliba Gabriel Zinchenko
Ødegaard Rice Havertz
Nelson Jesús Trossard
The Holic Pound
Even though they are at home, it shouldn’t be surprising if Bournemouth set themselves up to frustrate their visitors. In any case, it could be difficult for the Gunners to break down the Cherries’ defence, but I am hoping to see Gabriel Martinelli make his return in a late cameo and if so I wouldn’t be surprised to see him come up with the winning goal in a jolly old 1-0 to the Arsenal. Jolly in retrospect at least, after some considerable nervous tension is released. Hoping I’m wrong of course, and a few early goals come our way. It wouldn’t hurt in that regard if Saka also is able to contribute, of course.
Enjoy the game, ‘holics, and here’s hoping for a bountiful return from the South Coast as well as a continued upward trajectory for the good guys.
Many thanks for an excellent preview. I’m quite concerned at the number of first teamers who may miss this game, with a number awaiting fitness tests this afternoon. This game will be no walk in the park at Bournemouth’s tight little ground. Here’s Arteta’s press conference transcript.
https://www.arsenal.com/news/every-word-mikels-pre-bournemouth-presser-1
Good going, bt8. Your customary comprehensive review.
A challenging team selection to predict, given the injuries. Arteta made it sound as if Rice, Saka, Martinelli and Trossard could all be unavailable and that Saliba and Vieira are also doubts. My two cents would be that with a trip to Lens and then the visit of the blue Mancs to come in quick succession, this is not a game to risk anyone who is not 100%.
I was struck by Arteta’s comment that Havertz needs game time to play himself into form. That wouldn’t seem to offer many minutes for ESR to do the same.
Nice one bt8 !
A worrying injury situation and the manager’s presser was less than reassuring. With our quality squad we should still be able to put out a team that is able to win though.
If there is any doubt about them I hope Saliba and Saka will be rested. As you’ve said Reiss Nelson can play right side and Tomiyasu can play at right CB. If Trossard is still indisposed ESR can come in at left wing – I really hope he gets a chance to prove himself again now – when fully fit he’s a special talent.
Oof. The potential unavailability of Trossard and Saliba could be additional blows to the midsection. Time for our esteemed squad to show its mettle.
Excellent preview, bt8. Arteta’s gloomy injury list this morning may be a stern test of our strength in depth but I suspect some of the players on his injury list will pass a late fitness test. The team that succeeded despite a second half pounding at Brentford should be capable of winning this game with the addition of Jesús and Ødegaard. However we may have to undergo another tight 1-0 game.
Thanks for a comprehensive preview Bt8 . I think your logic is spot on but as others have said we are slightly flailing in the dark not knowing who is fit and how risk averse Arteta will be with Lens and Citeh coming up.
I agree with Ned that Arteta won’t want to be too adventurous. I’m sure Havertz will be back and the rest of the side depends on fitness .It is worrying that we’ve sustained so many injuries so early . Are we training too hard?
We are very organised away from home and should win but we are not scoring freely and it might be another tight 1-0. Saliba notched his first goal for us last year and we strolled it but they have a much better team and manager now and given our upcoming programme we might follow Gillingham who win most of their games 1-0 . Arteta may need to create more flow in our play to change this
Thorough and entertaining preview bt8! Thank you.
I think your team reflects a degree of optimism — about the nature of some of the injuries to the first team — that I find beyond my reach. I am trying to avoid “catastrophizing” the magnitude of the current injury crisis, but every new bit of fitness report by Mikel challenges my psychological discipline. 🙂
Iraola and Mikel are childhood friends, growing up playing together. Quite remarkable that two kids of the same generation from same area in a corner of Basque are managing two PL clubs at the same time.
I think Mikel will be cautious with the injuries and won’t risk any of the absentees. Starting eleven can look something like this (Ramsdale reinstated as we return to a ground he is well familiar with):
Ramsdale
White-Tomiyasu-Gabriel-Zinchenko
Ødegaard-Jorginho-Havertz
Nelson-Jesus-ESR
Come on Arsenal!
Hoping we really see the faces of these three.
bt8@8: I am not sure that Arteta wouldn’t have them on the bus, even if still crocked, to keep Iraola guessing about team selection. 🙂 Both Saliba and Rice looked to be walking stiffly, though.
It looks from the training pix that Sagoe Jnr will be involved again, too. While we are reading tea leaves, Ruell Walters played right back for the U21s against Everton, not CB. Being prepped to replace Cedric as Ben White’s backup for when Cedric gets shipped out in January?
Just wondering, if Walters and Sagoe Jr. rip it up in the Champions League, do they deserve to be promoted to the senior squad?
Not saying necessarily that they’ll get their chance against PSV ….
In tonight’s match at the Nou Camp, “Sevilla did not have not any representatives in the VIP box in protest at the corruption case surrounding Barcelona.
Barcelona face charges over payments made to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, a former vice-president of the referees’ committee, in return for favourable refereeing decisions.”
Maybe other clubs think what Barcelona did isn’t right. Who woulda thought?
Thanks bt8
I don’t like cherries unless they’re on top of a Bakewell Tart.
So, 3-0 will do nicely thank-you.
UTA.
Thanks bt8 for a fine preview.
This is a mstch we should be looking for a win even with some players missing with knocks. However The Cherries have the current longest non winning sequence in the EPL – let’s not be the team to spoil that!
Impossible to guess Arteta’s team of late which is enhanced by the current list of injuries. Whoever is selected we should have enough for a 2-0 to the good guys.
COYRRR
Cheers bt8. Hard to know who will be fit, any win with no extra injury will be fine….but I’ll go for an over-enthusiastic 3-0 win.
Not that many injuries after all and bt8 nailed the line-up…. Apart from the continuing weirdness uo front.
I see the Irons are playing the Blades today. Sounds quite painful.
I hope all the injury doubts are 100% and we do not exacerbate any workload overload problems.
Not much by way of an attacking Plan B on the bench should we need one. I also hope Reiss Nelson will not need to reprise his last-minute heroics against Bournemouth from last season and that we have the game wrapped up in good time for senior legs to be rested.
Well done with your starting XI, bt8. Given the current injuries and MA8’s determination to be unpredictable, naming 10 of the 11 is an achievement. I hope your prediction of a win is as accurate.
https://x.com/arsenal/status/1708104677550641423?s=61&t=cVFjCyGkt4y-Ne45LtfqkQ
A much stronger team than we feared
COYG!!
Baff, I hope the prediction is better than your counting ;-). I make it 9/11.
I did too Ollie but wasn’t going to say 😗
I didn’t predict Saka starting in the blog but I did put him in my FFL team, luckily enough
0-2 at the half.
BBC report this:
Martin Odegaard has scored his 11th Premier League away goal since the start of last season. In this period, only Erling Haaland (18) and Harry Kane (16) have scored more Premier League away goals.
Great win, even my enthusiastic prediction got bettered. City lost, Man U too…what could happen in the other match tonight?
Yeah, all is good
No need to panic it seems
If Liverpool win, they go top; if the neighbours do, they go second. Best outcome would be for both teams to spontaneously combust.
Fantastic support from the away end at Bournemouth. From the moment the two teams walked out, only one set of fans could be heard.
I’m with you on the preferred outcome there, Ned.
(Failing that, I guess I’ll take Spurs losing, or possibly a draw).
And yes on the away support!
Only three of our seven goals in our last three league games have come from open play. The other four were three penalties and an own goal. Is that concerning? We were so in control today that surely we should have scored six or seven.
I’m more concerned that when Arteta started making substitutions he pulled Eddie instead of Saka, who has been battling an ankle injury and didn’t train. And a few minutes later has to hobble off the pitch.
Three away matches so far (Palace, Everton, Bournemouth) and no goals conceded. There are better attacking teams still to play but I’m not one to knock three consecutive clean sheets.
“They are a very, very good team out of possession. They have good players, I’m thinking Odegaard, Havertz and Rice who are very good at winning the ball with the press, the duels, second balls. It gives them strength in the midfield to try to recover high and attack from there. They also have very good wingers to make the difference.”
This is what Iraola reckons about Arteta’s current setup. Its starting to come together.
Great result today. UTA
An excellent performance all round though I would have subbed Saka at half time given the kicking he was taking, totally unprotected by that clown of a referee and the fact that the game already looked won. Everyone put in a shift and our team spirit was demonstrated by the award of the penalty kick to KH29 who showed coolness under pressure to slot it away. Yet another improved performance from the German too. Nice to see some rivals falter too.
>>>>>>>