{"id":8460,"date":"2023-10-07T09:40:50","date_gmt":"2023-10-07T08:40:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=8460"},"modified":"2023-10-09T07:53:30","modified_gmt":"2023-10-09T06:53:30","slug":"do-it-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=8460","title":{"rendered":"DO IT AGAIN!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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We come now to as good a yardstick as we could ask for to assess whether Mikel Arteta\u2019s Arsenal team has progressed to the level required to win the Premier League. Tomorrow, we host the current league leaders, a club that has set the pace in recent seasons. Guardiola\u2019s teams have raised the bar to win the Premier League title to such a degree that a single failure to take 3 points feels like a mortal wound to the hopes of any competitor. We do, of course, all know why this hitherto unremarkable club have risen to such a pinnacle of success and we await, with interest, the outcome of the FA panel\u2019s deliberations and the recently revealed discussions between the UAE government and the FCO which must surely also be informed by revelations of this club\u2019s owner\u2019s alleged accommodating relationship with Roman Abramovic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abou Dhabi Citeh come into this match after a brief wobble at the end of September, losing 0-1 to Riyadh United in a league cup tie in which the absence of Rodri in their midfield was noticeable, closely followed by a 1-2 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers which surprised everyone after their imperious hundred percent winning start to the season. Of course, there was also, at the beginning of the season, the small blemish of losing the Charity Shield 1-4 on penalties to the Arsenal. Whether that result gives a boost to our players\u2019 confidence and a psychological edge or rather an incentive to the UAE mercenaries remains to be seen. I suspect it will have little impact on tomorrow\u2019s proceedings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We need no detailed analysis of our opponents’ personnel, most of whom are very familiar to us as is the strength in depth of their expensively assembled mercenaries which has proved a major obstacle to Arsenal\u2019s Premier League ambitions in recent seasons. This summer they again strengthened throughout their squad. They have added Gvardiol to their centre back roster – a big defender with ball skills; the solid but somewhat pedestrian Kovacic to midfield – a slightly desperate move to replace the much more mobile and effective Gundogan; Nunes (who went on strike to secure the move from Wolves and received a highly appropriate reception last week at Molineux) to midfield possibly as next season\u2019s replacement for Silva; and Doku, a tricky, pacy and dangerous looking winger from Rennes. The UAE sports washers did get back to winning ways on Wednesday with a competent display in Leipzig where home-grown, youth prospect Rico Lewis was man of the match in midfield. The absence of De Bruyne through injury and Rodri through suspension following a red card for aggravated assault deprives their engine room of considerable experience but the impact on their attacking threat through the loss of the Belgian is likely to be less, given their other riches, than the possible impact on their defensive solidity of Rodri\u2019s absence to which can be added the probable absence of Stones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The impact of non-availability of our own possible absentees will almost certainly be greater. A copious quantity of virtual ink has been shed on the possible absence of Saka and our options after he limped off the Lens pitch in the first half with what was subsequently described as a \u2018mild hamstring strain\u2019. Saka has since been subject to daily fitness assessments. Meanwhile, those \u2018fans\u2019 in possession of high quality retrospectoscopes have been castigating Arteta and his medical team for having selected Saka on Tuesday in the hope that our strongest team might win crucial points against the strongest opponent in our Champions League group. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I began this preview it seemed likely that neither Saka nor Martinelli would be fit for this match. After Saka limped off on Tuesday, we saw the extent to which our attack is less dynamic and penetrative without both our first-choice wide men. Optimistic noises about Saka\u2019s resilience came out of Arsenal on Wednesday but, given the diagnosis, were he to start on Sunday, much of the smart money would be on Saka not lasting the whole match or even the first half – he hasn\u2019t lasted 90 minutes in any of his last three games! Our own Sports Medicine guru, Trev, observed in the last Drinks that even if this is only a mild hamstring strain, he would recommend four weeks of rest, otherwise the injury is likely to be aggravated and Saka\u2019s absence longer. A long break would be eminently possible given the forthcoming Interlull although Southgate has selected him in the England squad for a meaningless friendly against the Convicts and a home Euro qualifier against Italy who are in disarray. Southgate should know by now what Saka brings to his team and be exploring alternative options with the other players at his disposal, rather than risking a key player\u2019s longterm fitness. However, in his press conference on Friday, when asked about Saka\u2019s involvement in this game, Mikel Arteta said, \u201cWell, he\u2019s in contention. Let\u2019s see how he progresses from here to Sunday\u2026.let\u2019s see how he recovers!\u201d Arteta\u2019s expression and usual dead pan delivery was straight out of a poker game. Who knows whether Saka will start?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile Martinelli\u2019s current fitness is shrouded in mystery. On Thursday\u2019s She Wore blog<\/a>, Keenos provided a detailed analysis of our options to replace these two players. I agree with much of his analysis. Vieira proved yet again on Tuesday that he cannot reproduce Saka\u2019s threat on the right wing, having already demonstrated that on several previous occasions; the Portuguese has a lot of skill but has neither the pace, drive or left foot to reproduce our boy genius\u2019 contribution. Keenos made the interesting observation that Havertz played as a right sided attacker very successfully in Germany (50 times, scoring 18, assisting 11) though he hasn\u2019t played on the right wing regularly since 2019. However, Keenos plumped for Trossard to replace Saka because his two-footedness would allow him to reproduce Saka\u2019s inverted role, rejecting Nelson as his right-footed dominance would change the dynamic and interactions that Saka brings to our offensive right flank. Keenos also argued that ESR would be his choice on the left flank in Martinelli\u2019s absence as he is the most likely of our options to pin Walker back with his offensive threat and potentially also give the right back a roasting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arsenal have not beaten Abou Dhabi Citeh in a Premier League match since our 2-1 victory in December 2015 under Ars\u00e8ne Wenger and we have lost our last 12 league meetings, the last being the 4-1 defeat in April that finally blew up our title challenge. However, despite the disappointing run of three draws that preceded that last league game against tomorrow\u2019s opponents, that defeat and the 1-3 reverse in February\u2019s re-arranged game at the Emirates were decisive in the destination of last season\u2019s Premier League trophy. The Arsenal finished a mere 5 points behind Abou Dhabi and an Arsenal win in just one of those encounters would have seen us win the league by one point. The Athletic<\/a> (\u00a3) provides an excellent analysis of the impact of head-to-head games between the top two Premier League teams on the destination of the title. They state that only six times in the 31 Premier League seasons to date have the ultimate champions done the double over the club that finished second and that in five of these six seasons the resultant 12 point swing was crucial as the title was won by five points or less.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, given Abou Dhabi\u2019s aforementioned raising of the bar and the points tally required to win the league, Kevin Campbell, quoted on the BBC site<\/a>, may be correct in his assertion that “Arsenal do need to win this game. Any designs to win that title – they have to take points off Man City.\u201d On the other hand, Mikel Arteta appeared at first sight to downplay the game\u2019s potential significance when asked in his pre-match press conference<\/a> if it\u2019s a season-defining match, \u201cNo, it would be a big boost, energy and confidence-wise, but apart from that and the three points, nothing else.\u201d However the boss isn’t going to give a hostage to fortune and add to the media pressure at this stage of the season. I agree with Kevin Campbell on the significance of this match – if we are to win the league – and get over the mental barrier that must exist after this run of league defeats, now is a good time to lay that ghost. An Arsenal win doesn\u2019t guarantee that we win the league nor does a defeat extinguish our challenge but this game’s result is the best available yardstick of our potential to win the Premier League this season. At the very least, we must not lose this game and, be under no illusion, Guardiola knows the importance of beating his main Premier League competitors and his players will be primed to go for our jugular in the manner they displayed in both of last season\u2019s league encounters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unquestionably, if Saka is anywhere close to full fitness, he will start. The importance of this match to our league challenge and Saka\u2019s importance to our attacking threat plus the negative impact of his absence in the last hour of our game on Tuesday suggests that we will do everything we can do to get him fit to start – including perhaps horse placenta baths and the laying on of hands by Jes\u00fas? Arteta has previously praised Saka\u2019s remarkable powers of recovery and there is no doubt in my mind that Saka will want to play unless the medics forbid it. Indeed, the back page of Saturday\u2019s Times has an article by Gary Jacob headlined: \u2018Arsenal boost as Saka is passed fit for City clash\u2019. Whether Gary Jacob has a source inside Arsenal, is over-interpreting Arteta\u2019s \u201cHe is in contention\u201d or is just making it up, he writes that \u2018a scan on the England forward\u2019s left leg has allayed fears he had suffered a serious injury\u2019. Moreover, he underlines Saka\u2019s importance to this Arsenal team with the stat that Saka has been involved in 10 of our 21 goals this season. I do suspect that Saka will start this game though I can hear Trev\u2019s cautionary words in my ear. I can only trust Mikel Arteta\u2019s judgement on this (he has certainly earned that trust) and pray to Zeus, Wotan and Jehovah for a successful outcome. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, it seems likely that Martinelli will not be available. Late news from reliable sources on Twitter (Yes, I know!), report that Martinelli, who last played on 17th September and has missed the last 5 games, has been doing gym work this week but has not yet been cleared by the medics to train with the first team. However, there is some good news on the injury front as Thomas Partey has recovered earlier than expected from his knock, was an unused sub on Tuesday and presumably has been a participant in training for at least a week. I expect him to be a late reinforcement from the bench in this game rather than starting as an inverted right back!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I expect Raya to retain his starting position in goal as he does now seem to be established as Arteta\u2019s first choice keeper. However, that is by no means a universal Gooner opinion and his rick for the equaliser on Tuesday seemed as decisive a turning point in the Lens match as Saka\u2019s departure. I would start Tomiyasu at left back because of the threat from Walker who will certainly be ready to exploit the space left by Zinchenko when we inevitably turn over the ball high up the pitch. Opposition teams all now seem to know that we have that Achilles heel and Pep will certainly be ready to exploit it. That is the downside of the added body that Zinchenko’s role brings to our midfield build up and because his contribution is generally so significant, I would start Zinchenko as the \u2018left 6\/8\u2019 in place of Havertz, relying on Saliba and Gabriel to deal with the aerial threat of Haaland at set pieces. However I don\u2019t expect Arteta to do this although it does offer the kind of surprise for which he seems to look these days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, I have taken the liberty of offering my selection as well as the XI I expect from Mikel Arteta. In the expectation that Saka passes his fitness test on Sunday, the bathgooner starting eleven would be:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ramsdale;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tomiyasu;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00d8degaard, Rice, Zinchenko;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saka, Jes\u00fas, ESR.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, I expect the following starting XI from Mikel:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raya<\/p>\n\n\n\n

White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00d8degaard, Rice, Havertz;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saka, Jes\u00fas, Trossard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who am I to argue with the man?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Holic Pound?\u201d I hear you ask.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arsenal are generally just short of 2\/1 to win, with the draw around 12\/5. Jes\u00fas, Saka, \u00d8degaard, Nketiah, Trossard and Martinelli are all around 3\/1 to score. You can get 11\/1 on either 1-0 or 2-1 to the Arsenal but if you\u2019re feeling optimistic, you can get 25\/1 on 3-1 to the Arsenal while the cautious bet might be the 12\/1 on 2-2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wherever in the world you are watching this game, Holics, I sincerely hope you enjoy it immensely. I shall be keeping TTG\u2019s throne in the North Bank Upper warm while he downs pink gins on his schooner on the Broads. Or was it, with the broads?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

COYG<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s do this!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We come now to as good a yardstick as we could ask for to assess whether Mikel Arteta\u2019s Arsenal team has progressed to the level required to win the Premier League. Tomorrow, we host the current league leaders, a club that has set the pace in recent seasons. Guardiola\u2019s teams have raised the bar to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8460"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8460"}],"version-history":[{"count":35,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8460\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8503,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8460\/revisions\/8503"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8460"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8460"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8460"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}