Morning all.

It’s the third of three tough away video games at this time as we go to Man Metropolis. Historically a really sad searching floor for us in latest seasons, we got here away with some extent final trip, and Mikel Arteta can be hoping to go one higher this afternoon. When it comes to the staff, there don’t look like any new issues for the supervisor to deal with, so it’s more likely to be one thing similar to the one we’ve seen for the final couple of video games.

If I needed to put cash on it, I’d say the identical beginning XI because the win within the North London derby, however with Declan Rice in for Jorginho. Gabriel Jesus bought an hour in midweek, however wasn’t significantly spectacular, so I believe we’ll see Leandro Trossard come again in. I suppose there’s scope to vary Gabriel Martinelli in case your issues about his goalscoring kind are paramount, however he does quite a lot of vital defensive work and the best way Metropolis load that proper hand facet makes me really feel like he’s the appropriate possibility to begin with. The opposite possibility for the left might be Raheem Sterling (or Jesus), and that former participant in opposition to their outdated membership dynamic is an attention-grabbing facet, however I believe Arteta will follow the Brazilian.

Looming massive over the entire thing is the absence of Martin Odegaard, a participant who could make a distinction in a decent recreation, however whose affect on the staff goes effectively past his craft and creativity. Possibly it’s simply due to who we’ve performed and the place, however it’s been attention-grabbing to notice that Arteta hasn’t tried to switch the captain, he’s picked a staff to do the job a bit in another way.

Right this moment appears like will probably be one other a type of video games, the place our defensive energy and high quality can be examined. I anticipate Metropolis to have quite a lot of the ball, and I anticipate us to make it very tough for them once they do. I’m certain in a perfect world Arteta would love us to be front-footed and have quite a lot of possession, however there are too many lacking items in a key space of the pitch for us to try this correctly. So, pragmatism will rule the roost at this time. Be robust, defend aggressively, look to take advantage of the moments once we win the ball again (maybe hit them on the break), and maximise set-pieces. To me, no less than, that appears like one of the best probability we have now to take all three factors – and I don’t assume a draw is a catastrophe by any means both.

Talking forward of this one, Arteta mentioned:

We go to the house of the champions, the staff that I believe in Premier League historical past has been probably the most constant ever, not solely by way of outcomes however by way of dominance and constant prime performances. That is the problem, we have now to go there and show that once more we’ve made one other step and we will compete.

It’s early sufficient within the season for this recreation to not really feel fairly as seismic because it has within the final couple of years, however any probability it’s a must to try to take factors off Metropolis, you have got give it a go, so let’s hope we will do this afterward. For extra on this recreation, a few of the particular person battles forward, and the way the groups would possibly arrange, take a look at our preview podcast on Patreon.

Be a part of us later for stay weblog protection, plus you’ll get the match report, aim clips, response, participant rankings and rather more over on Arseblog Information.

It’s a Man Metropolis double header at this time, after all, as Arsenal Ladies play them on the Emirates – 12.30 KO. After defeat within the first leg of the CL qualifier (with the second leg on Thursday), this can be a enormous recreation for Jonas Eidevall and his staff. The return of Vivianne Miedema is a big sub-plot too, however let’s hope she has a quiet recreation at this time and the Arsenal Ladies take all three factors. You will discover all of the protection you want, match report, response and many others on Arseblog Information.

Proper, let’s depart it there for now. Come on you reds!

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