Morning all.
Arsenal face Leicester City today and there’s a chance David Raya will miss out after picking up a thigh injury against Man City.
We have to wait 24 hours to see if he’s looking good or not that good. It’s not about taking a risk, it’s about a player being fit and available or not. When we have that clarity for Leicester, which is the main thing that we are thinking about at the moment, we will make a decision tomorrow. (Today)
I’ve a feeling he’ll be fit but if not then we’ll see Neto make his Premier League debut.
Other injury news is good as Mikel Merino has returned to training albeit light. He’s raring to go said Mikel Arteta. Jurrien Timber trained yesterday and will be in the squad for today’s game and Mikel Arteta hopes that Ben White will be too. Myles Lewis-Skelly has fully recovered after suffering with cramp on Wednesday night and lastly, Takehiro Tomiyasu is back on the training pitch but he’s not quite ready to return yet.
Arsenal haven’t played a home match in the Premier League since the Brighton game at the end of August. It feels like ages but it’s only been two games. A win at Totts ground and a draw at The Etihad. Not bad eh…
If you put me in this scenario before I started this season with the calendar that we were given, the fixtures that we had, the three away games that we had and the amount of injuries that we had to deal with and how we got out of that, I would be very, very pleased. – Mikel Arteta.
Leicester City are without Jannik Vestergaard and Patson Daka. Steve Cooper’s side has had a pretty poor start to the season and are yet to win a game. Three draws are the reason they have just three points on the board. Even so, Mikel Arteta won’t be taking today’s opponents lightly:
They have a lot of ability. What he [Steve Cooper] has done with previous teams, what he’s trying to do – I’ve watched three or four of the games this season and they have a lot of threat. He’s got the formula as well because he beat us when he was at Forest and it’s a game we are going to take very seriously because it’s going to be a very tough opponent.
Adrian Clarke, writing in the matchday programme:
Cooper has steadfastly stuck with a 4-2-3-1 as Leicester boss. Last season’s possession-heavy football under Maresca has gone, with the promoted side averaging just 45% of the ball in 2024/25. Cooper encourages the Foxes to move the ball forward much quicker, as he aims to strike a balance between using his players’ technical quality, while also applying top-fight pragmatism. The priority has shifted from playing out from the back to defensive solidity. Wout Faes has caught the eye, making 12 blocks, the second most in the division.
In general, Leicester like to keep a solid shape without the ball, before using their talented wide players to spring attacks. Only two Premier League teams have produced more successful crosses than them (16), and just shy of 30% have found their intended target, but in their opening five games they’ve only twice created a chance via a fast break. The Foxes have scored in all five matches to date, which should provide them with confidence, but they have conceded first in four of those, with four goals going in within the opening 30 minutes. Meanwhile, only Ipswich Town have had fewer touches and shots inside the opposition box.
This week has been a weird one as the back pages of nearly every newspaper has had something negative to print about Arsenal’s second half performance against Man City. Not just the performance but the ‘dark arts’ Arsenal deployed. Honestly, it’s pathetic. It’s kind of funny too because it must be awful living with so much bitterness for a football club inside them. I wonder what Roy Keane’s blood pressure measured when he went into his most recent rant.
Let’s hope Leicester City don’t sit back and defend for much of the game or try and stop Arsenal from finding any rhythm with the odd foul or ten because I’m sure the media will tear them to pieces for the next few days too. Yes, my tongue is firmly in cheek.
For Arsenal, just keep on carrying on whilst ignoring the buffoons who think their opinion matters.
Our midweek performance against Bolton was very good and more of the same today would be ideal. Bolton might be a league one club but Arteta fielded a very different team to the one which start at The Etihad, including three young outfield players and a 16 year old keeper.
Obviously Leicester City will pose a greater threat than Bolton, or at least they should but even though they’ve had a tough start to the season, I can’t see Arteta fielding a starting eleven much different to the one which faced City.
I know we have another game on Tuesday but PSG can wait. Only Leicester City matter today and getting three points.
Catch up in the comments.
Good morning Rico,
From what I’ve read this morning, Guardiola is running scared. He is threatening “war” with Arsenal and is accusing Arteta of stirring up the 115 charges fracas by saying “he knew what was going on at City during his four years there”. Now I read those comments as a reference to City’s use of the “dark arts” not to their alleged rule smashing uuder their current regime.
Incidentally, in a 2019 interview Rodri said he learnt about “tactical fouling” while working under Guardiola.
In the immortal words of Corporal Jones, “they don’t like it up em.”
Morning Cicero, I read those comments from Pep too, he knows exactly what Mikel was referring to and it had nothing to do with their hearing.
Morning rico, all. City really are pathetic, they are starting to approach my levels of dislike of Man U that started under the Ferguson / Keane years.
The media are desperate , they have lost Klopp and they need a rivalry and to generate their continuing story and one purely on the pitch is not enough. Their problem seems to be that Guardiola and Arteta are friends and although they are desperately trying to drive a wedge between them, both of the two men are being very guarded in their comments.
Both are speaking with such vague terms that it’s almost as if they are winding the press up , neither has said anything direct with facts they are talking in circles going round the outside. It will be interesting to see how it develops.
Today’s game will be interesting to see the display of dark arts from both sides and how that they are reported and I wonder how many fouls will be called when we have corners and set pieces . I expect a few yellows today and will not be surprised to see a red from a referee that comes from Halifax and claims that Halifax town is his team.
Afternoon Rico and all.
I reckon pep is feeling the pressure of knowing they can be beat and the court case is getting to him, I do hope so.
S**thousery in general aside, there’s the little matter of a game against Leicester this afternoon.
Not a match to be taken lightly with one of Arsenal’s bete noirs in their side one Jaime Vardy. The ex-England striker seldom seems to fail to score against Arsenal home or away. Saliba and Gabriel need to be awake and aware of his threat at set pieces and breakaways.
That said I would be surprised if we don’t come away with the three points on offer.
Meantime City kick off away to The Magpiess in about ten minutes, let’s hope it’s a good clean game without the dark arts to much in evidence. 😉
Morning Andrew, agree. They don’t like their own game being played against them..
Good point re Pep and Mikel Potter, I hope you’re right. Pep talking about the charges was so out of nowhere, it does make one wonder.
Hi Geoff, I think it’s Arsenal who are worrying more than the 115 charges. After all, he won’t suffer if City get found guilty. He’ll always have a job somewhere and for as long as he likes.