Morning all.
It’s Champions League motion tonight as we tackle Lens. Arsenal’s flight to France yesterday was delayed on account of inclement climate, so we didn’t get a full press convention with Mikel Arteta. Nonetheless, there have been some pre-game feedback, and a few info on a few gamers.
After taking a kick late within the win over Bournemouth, it was good to see Bukayo Saka out on the coaching pitch, all smiles – and hopefully that alleviates some worries. On him, the supervisor mentioned:
He’s fantastic. He’s a lot better. It was an enormous knock however he has recovered properly and educated with us as we speak.
The opposite information was the return of Thomas Partey who hasn’t performed because the 2-2 draw with Fulham on August twenty sixth. With Man Metropolis on the horizon, it’s a well timed return for the midfielder, and Arteta is hoping to provide him some minutes if doable:
His development within the final week has been excellent. He may need some publicity tomorrow relying how the sport goes.
The query about who performs tonight is a tough one, and I do like that. If he made no modifications from the group who performed Bournemouth, I wouldn’t be majorly stunned. If he made three or 4, now we have the standard and the depth to do this. He was requested if he’d have Man Metropolis in thoughts in relation to group choice this night, however I believe it’s most likely extra about how those that had been a doubt for Bournemouth got here by means of that sport.
I’d don’t have any actual challenge to see the likes of Takehiro Tomiyasu, Jakub Kiwior, and Fabio Vieira come into the aspect, whereas gamers corresponding to Reiss Nelson and Emile Smith Rowe will proceed their push for extra minutes. Do you retain Kai Havertz in, hoping he can construct on the arrogance increase his penalty may have given him? I believe it’ll be a reasonably sturdy aspect for an away sport although, and let’s not neglect Lens are on this competitors as a result of they completed second in Ligue 1 final season, only a level behind PSG and 11 factors above third place Marseille.
Their begin to the season hasn’t been nice, they’ve gained simply two of their first eight video games in all competitions, but it surely was their final two. Arteta is anticipating a troublesome sport:
What they did final 12 months is unimaginable to be inside some extent of the title. The way in which they did it, the shape they’d at house. This season they’ve been actually unfortunate with a few of the outcomes they’ve had. At house they’ve received only one level and I don’t understand how. So we anticipate an enormous battle tomorrow. We’re greater than conscious of it. We confirmed the gamers all the pieces and now we have an enormous take a look at tomorrow.
Taking nothing with no consideration, and what we do in Europe – and the way we do it – is a extremely attention-grabbing side of this season for me. The win over Bournemouth on the weekend was as business-like a efficiency as might have hoped for. I felt like we had a few additional gears if wanted, and maybe we’ll want them afterward. That is our third away sport in a row now, and of the 4 we’ve performed in all competitions, now we have but to concede a purpose. That’s one thing I’m certain the supervisor might be seeking to lean into, and there’s little doubt that now we have attacking gamers with the potential to harm the house aspect this night.
Let’s see the way it goes. As ever we’ll have stay weblog protection for you, and all of the post-match stuff on Arseblog Information. Within the meantime, there’s an Arsecast Additional when you haven’t had an opportunity to hear already, plus two extra podcasts over Patreon – a quick preview of the Lens sport, and an episode of The 30, trying again at a Premier League weekend with a number of speaking factors. Get them right here.
Proper, I’ll go away it there for now. Catch you later for the sport. Come on Arsenal!
