Morning all.
Champions League football returns this week and Arsenal are in a good position to qualify for the knockout stages. But, with twenty other clubs still able to finish in the top eight, Arsenal cannot afford to take either of the remaining fixtures lightly as the last thing Mikel Arteta’s players need is an additional two fixtures to play should we not automatically qualify.
Dinamo Zagreb know that only a victory against us tomorrow will keep their slim hopes of making the knockout stages alive. Our final opponent, Girona, will be eliminated should they lose to AC Milan.
Basically, we need to win and see how other results play out.
With a fully fit and healthy squad, I’d be extremely confident ahead of tomorrows game, but not only do we have a long list of injuries, the players we do have fit are playing a lot of minutes. Hopefully they’ve all had a couple of days of gentle training, a massage or three and their bodies are ready for another game.
We could really do with Takehiro Tomiyasu, Ben White and Riccardo Calafiori back and soon. They would certainly help our problems in defence bearing in mind William Saliba is likely to miss a few weeks of football.
The perfect scenario in tomorrows game would be for Arsenal to have a great first half, scoring enough goals to put the result to bed and then Mikel Arteta can use his five substitutes to see the game out. Kiwior, Jorginho, Zinchenko, Tierney and Sterling are his only senior options from the bench. After that, it’s under 21 players who, if they’re as capable as Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly, could be an option if the game allows. Raheem Sterling is hardly setting the world alight at Arsenal so why not try Ismeal Kabia, it’s not like he could do any worse is it? He’s 19 years old so he’s no baby! Nor is 22 year old striker, yes, a striker, Nathan Butler-Oyedeji. We’ve seen Maldini Kacurri play, albeit briefly but already he looks a strong, no nonsense central defender. (All three were on the bench at the weekend)
How many times has Mikel Arteta mentioned finding solutions internally? I’m not suggesting any of the three players start a game but why can’t they finish one just to see how they fair against stronger opponents?
We need a signing or two this window but in the meantime, if circumstances allow, why not use one or two of the younger players to at least give those who are fit a bit of a breather?
Catch up in the comments, I’ll be wearing my tin hat….
Morning Rico and all.
Well put Rico, as you said we need to put this match to bed before half time so we can rest some players and give the younger or frindge players more game time.
I still believe Sterling was brought in as a make shift player to cover for our injuries and help our thin squad, and I really thought Sterling would have come good for us, knowing his carer could depend on his season with us
Good morning Rico.
A headline from the web =- When will Saliba return?
He is expected to be sidelined for about two weeks, meaning he could miss up to five matches in total.
There’s more =- Arsenal transfer news: Mikel Arteta picks his striker and makes €83m bid for…Benjamin Sesko.
Morning Geoff, Cicero.
Five games in two weeks just about sums up this ridiculous schedule…
I had hopes Sterling would do ok with us too Geoff, but bearing in mind in barely played in the first half of the season, he’s clearly not up to Arteta’s standards. Whatever they might be…
I’m not disappointed by the performance of Sterling, I never expected much from him in the first place and I think I have been proved right. ☹
Afternoon all.
I share Cicero’s view on Sterling. I cringed when I read he was coming to us, thankfully it’s only a loan.
Just think, it could be worse as my Geordie son in law said “we could be sp*rs or Man Ure fans.
I’ve always regarded Sterling as an average player that had the gift of conning referees into free kicks. I don’t think that works with the Arsenal tax so he looks particularly out of sorts.
As for the game we are pretty much governed by fitness. If their stats show they are fit they get into contention and then I’d keep those farthest into the red on the bench.
Our thin squad is biting us on the arse at the moment.
Afternoon Rico, good post and yeah if the circumstance allow, why not give Kabia a run-out, as you say he couldn’t be less effective than Raz.
Same with Kacurri, he’s a big, solid lump who is quite nimble.
I don’t know anything about Dinamo but any team in the Champions League has to be respected so start strong and then if we get a 3-0 lead – a big ask with our finishing – then give the boys a game, but I suspect that Arteta will also want to give minutes to Zinchenko and Kiwior, Sterling might even start?
Jorginho could probably do with some minutes and as there’s no benefit in letting anyone leave in this window if we aren’t getting a fee then use Tierney if the opportunity arises.
It would be nice if the Arsenal team that dismantled Sporting could make a reappearance tomorrow.
Here’s hoping…
Ha ha Cicero, I tried to stay hopeful, however….
Berg, I still can’t believe that Manc team knocked us out of the cup.
It certainly is Hobart..
Afternoon Kev, thanks. I’d much rather see one of our younger players come off the bench than Sterling. These players aren’t kids anymore but they will get itchy feet sooner or later if they don’t get minutes. We’ve already lost a promising striker to Utd and now it looks like Heaven could be walking away too.
Both Obi Martin and Heaven had something in common, neither of them came through Hale End so they’d already jumped ship when they joined Arsenal, Heaven leaving I can understand because he doesn’t stand a chance of getting the minutes he would want because both Saliba and Gabriel are immovable but Obi Martin could have stayed and given our present situation he more than likely would have had a 1st team debut and quite a few minutes under his belt but I guess the financial package from ManYoo was too tempting.
Heaven was still only 12 when he came to us from West Ham. Still, water under the bridge if he goes, as long as we can keep the best Hale Enders..
Mika is the one I wished we’d kept..