Let's set the scene...
Last season, the Arsenal squad came back from Dubai fit and rejuvenated, and put together a fantastic run that all but took them to the Premier League title. Following FA Cup elimination, the opportunity came up to repeat the trick, but this time it was different. With Saka, Jesus and White already out injured, and Martinelli suffering a hamstring issue just prior to the flight out, we were hoping for better news than what we got from the camp. But it was actually catastrophic.
One would have hoped that the trip would be the opportunity for the players to take it a little easier in the warm weather, but training was by all accounts almost as intense. And the news soon hit that Kai Havertz had gone down with an injury 'connected to his hamstring'. How long will this be for, we wondered; and a day later the news broke that the German was out for the entire season - leaving Arsenal with no fit senior centre forward. Whilst Havertz divides opinion amongst supporters, there is little disagreement as to his importance to the way the team plays.
Now, you know all this of course. And what it did was shine a light on the decision not to go into the transfer market in January. Arsenal had taken a chance - as they had, in previous windows - on risking the fitness of current squad members and not reinforcing with any Tom, Dick or Mathys. All the eggs appear to be in the Sesko basket, and that one won't be opened until the summer.
What has horrified supporters is the news that Havertz - already clearly running on fumes over the previous couple of weeks despite Arteta's claim as to his incredible robustness - had received the injury doing a 'hard pressing' drill! And I'd like to ask Mikel why he thinks that Havertz, who along with Odegaard leads those presses in every game - would have needed to be doing that. For all that Arteta is a top tactician, the man (and load) management side of things leaves plenty to be desired still. Surely, if the squad is short on numbers, you back off them following no less than 11 matches in 36 days since the turn of the year? But no...
All this is likely to derail Arsenal's season completely, and I for one doubt that the squad can get close enough to Liverpool in the Premier League, let alone get past the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich et al in the holy grail that is the Champions League. Suddenly, Arteta needs to be creative in ways we couldn't have possibly imagined.
Yet hope springs eternal. Following the high drama of Everton's late equaliser at home to Liverpool, we wondered if a small crack had opened for Arsenal to squeeze into. Having seen how lethargic and nervous Liverpool looked in their narrow victory over Wolves yesterday, one starts to wonder if they are perhaps starting to feel some pressure. Their next three league games - all in the space of a week and meaning 5 PL games in 14 days for them - are Aston Villa away, rejuvenated Manchester City away, Newcastle (with a point to prove following last weekend, and with another clash with Liverpool in the Carabao Cup Final a few days afterwards) at home. Tough; and they will surely drop points (if they don't, I for one will concede them the title). On the other hand, perhaps - especially following Arne Slot's sending off in the aftermath of the final whistle at Goodison Park - this could be the start of what @mattkandela, on The Arsenal Opinion podcast, has dubbed the Slot Rot. You never know.
However we must bear in mind that Arsenal have enough problems of their own. So let's get back to the game at Leicester on Saturday lunchtime. And there are a number of conclusions to be drawn from it:
Firstly, if the first 80 minutes of that game are anything to go by, the rest of the season - at least until Saka returns - are going to be a hard watch for Arsenal fans. Forget entertainment, everyone; this is going to have to be a long grind. Arteta is going to have to lean strongly into his side's PL-leading defence (just 22 goals conceded in 25 matches). And if the team needs to 1-0 its way to the title, then so be it.
Secondly, following his performance on Saturday, when he finally got his chance to start and make an impact on a PL match, I never want to see Raheem Sterling in an Arsenal shirt again. Prior to the game, I tweeted the following: 'It's about time that Raheem Sterling remembered that he's a professional footballer by trade'. But he is clearly beyond redemption. He has gone at the game. He's apparently on £375k a week, so I'm going to have little sympathy for him, but since his magnificent showing for England at the Euros in 2021 his form has utterly deserted him. At the very moment when Arteta and his team-mates needed him to step up on Saturday, he stunk the place out. Sorry, mate; I've been prepared to give you every chance, but that's your lot.
Next, the shape of the team. Arteta's selection hadn't surprised me at all - I'd expected a front line of Nwaneri, Trossard, Sterling - but it was a failure. Sterling was shocking, and Trossard is far better on a wing than as a diminutive 'false 9', where it's difficult to pick him out amongst the gigantic centre-forwards he's up against. I was expecting late runs into the box from Rice, and for Odegaard to attempt to weave some magic on the edge of the penalty area, but the game plan was largely ineffective; and this was merely Leicester City! Fortunately, Arsenal have an ace up their sleeve. Or maybe two.
Odegaard himself hasn't got back to top form since his injury earlier this season. This is explained by a combination of factors. Firstly, he's missing the presence of Saka (and White) in the right side 'pod' that worked so well last season. Secondly, he is surely suffering sleepless nights since the birth of his first baby. And finally he is probably trying to do too much in his role as captain/talisman. He was much more effective in the second half than the first on Saturday; let's see that trajectory continue, please.
Next; Ethan Nwaneri. I've been telling anybody who would listen about this kid since before the beginning of the season. Although it's only circumstances that have forced Arteta to give him the game time he has had, it is quite clear that he (along with MLS) is ready. If you're good enough, you're old enough. He was once again Arsenal's best player on the day; hit both crossbar and post with shots, won most of his duels, tackles and take-ons, put a perfect cross in for the crucial first goal, and his class stood out amongst a lot of the agonisingly mundane and pedestrian play going on around him. I've not been so excited about a young footballer since I first saw Cesc Fabregas in an Arsenal shirt.
Echoing thoughts that I had not dared to express out loud Joe Cole, on commentary for TNT, described the boy as 'Messi-like'. Well; goodness knows if he can ever be that good, but if any young English player I've seen has a chance of achieving anything like what the Argentinian has then maybe - just maybe - Ethan Nwaneri can. Because he can already do the lot. Close control. Vision. Decision-making. Movement off the ball and with it at his feet. The ability to go either way; predominately left-footed, but did you see that shot with his right that smacked against the post? Already with a man's physique, and the ability to give full backs nightmares. Saka-esque, in fact. Surely this season's Golden Boy, and quite possibly a future Ballon D'Or winner. And he's not 18 for a few more weeks...
Still; no pressure.
Lastly, Mikel Merino. Perhaps the answer to our prayers. Well, time will tell, but I absolutely expect him to be leading the line against West Ham on Saturday. His two crucial goals on Saturday were superbly and clinically taken, and based on that 20-minute cameo looks to be a decent call as a stop gap before first Martinelli and then Saka return. And let's face facts; Arteta cannot select Sterling in a starting XI again. So for the moment he has nowhere else to turn. And Arsenal absolutely must continue to grind out win after win after win, or they will fall short again.
So let's see what the next week or so transpires. I don't expect the team to have too much difficulty with West Ham, so all eyes will be on Liverpool for the next week or so.
One game at a time. Keep the faith. COYG. ATID.
No comments:
Post a Comment