Mikel Arteta has had a lengthy injury list since the beginning of the season, but on this happy New Years Day, the news coming out of the Emirates is saying that Arteta could soon have a full squad to choose from for a change.
So we’ll start with the best news, which is that depite Bukayo Saka coming off injured against Brighton he has yet again recovered quickly and is training normally ahead of the West Brom game. The youngster has been the most lively of our players in our back-to-back wins, and would have been sorely missed if unavailable for selection.
Two of our veteran Brazilians, David Luiz and Willian are now out of isolation following their contact with a positive case of Covid-19, and I think that Arteta may start with both of them against the Baggies. They will be fresh legs after our gruelling Xmas schedule and I fully expect Arteta to make quite a few changes for this game against the relegation contenders.
We will all be pleased to know that we are getting much closer to the return of our Deadline Day signing Thomas Partey. We haven’t had much chance to see him in action since his arrival, and it will be a great boost if we can watch him get a few games under his belt. It’s time for the Partey to start in January! At last.
Last but not least we have our very own positive case in the form of Gabriel, but it looks like he is over the worst and will also resume full training next week.
It will certainly be very interesting to see which team Arteta’s chooses once he has every single player out of the treatment room and available for selection….
Boost to see Luiz back as he was playing pretty decent on our poor run of form ,he will probably replace Holding and the returning Gabriel will eventually take over from Mari .
I see them 2 as the best centre pairing that we have ,but that’s not to say the other 2 didn’t do decent in their absences.
More importantly it’s great to see everyone coming back when we need a full squad available for these upcoming games .
Happy New Year to you and your family, Dan… Cobra Kai has dropped 🙂 I finished The Mandalorian last night – loved it and Grogu (baby Yoda) is the cutest thing 🥰
Apparently Sokratis to Fenerbahce is almost done.. on a free. 2 down, how many more to go??
Same to you and your family sue 👍
On the second episode already of cobra Kai 😂
Yea just seen the Sok news .👍
2nd already 😆 I’ll start it in a bit – the darts is on!!
👍😂
Agree it’s great to see – desperate to see how Partey does in a run of games!
Not sure on Luiz coming straight back into the side – had a feeling Holding and Mari were forming a good partnership, which is maybe a good base to build on? (assuming they don’t need a rest)
i just hope the so called big boys will pick form.
luiz isnt an integral part of this team, am hoping holdig, mari and gabriel find a good partner a form a solid core
Happy new year to you all of our players
As long as Willian is not in the squad, it will be a game we can win.
I’m increasingly certain that it is him being selected regardless of his poor form what causes the negative atmosphere at the club.
Willian is a bad investment that Arteta desperarely tries to proove otherwise.
I’m sure that if he plays more than 10 minutes, it will be a draw or a loss.
Not sure this is good news, Luiz and Willian not being on pitch made a severe difference.
It allows to be secured in back, not forced to play 2DMs to fill up Luiz holes , Xhaka not forced to defend all game long but push the forward.
1 DM in Elneny with Xhaka or ceballos or Willock works same as he allows them to play higher and of course allow a number 10 we have n Rowe to focus on his job.
Willian addition caused similar chaos half season; Pepe, Nelson, Saka or Auba cant play as RW, Auba forced to LW instead to play our best LW we have in Saka or Martinelli, Pepe who is a left footed winger able to damage more than Auba in that role.
Then, of course, Saka often ends up behind him as a midfield but flying in front of him as natural winger he is.. Add Tierny taking wing by storm, Auba then looks useless, underperforming when he is actually awfully played.
Saka dropped in middle, benches a midfield player, he then selects 2 more defensive minded players and we wonder why no goals and such a confused, lost & underperforming team on pitch.
It took health issues to force Atteta to not select these 2 players but it defenetly changed the all thing, we saw team spirit and Arsenal football.
Not playing Ceballos but Rowe did make a difference, an option we can’t have when Willian is picked or anytime Saka is forced to middle.
To play a DM with Saka who is not a midfield and add Rowe can work but Saka be forced to more defensive tasks and not a player holding ball is controlling NIR leading NIR a Rowe type we need.
We had option for Brighton game, sad to not have seen on pitch together even 30mn :
Back 4
Niles Willock
Rowe
Nelson Martinelli Saka
Looking forward to nightmare for any team in EPL with these youngunz, Give them a shot and be no way to remove them. must play every other game or do 1/2 each, something.
We can play 442 as well
Niles Partey Willock
Rowe
Boy, we have options, with flying wingers and B2 midfield, Rowe, can have AubaLaca, AubaSaka, GabySaka, GabiNelson on and on….
Switch up to 433 in second half, rotate, damage opponent.
Can’t do none of this with Luiz and Willian on pitch nor what witnessed without them.
They are not right addition for us but ruin our team and football, there for a last check and mainly can’t bench and create such a mess in team formation.
As many, my wish is to see a coach with enough experience and mental to lead this squad, really involve everyone, create a bond that way which is key in team sport.
Tuchel is available, he still should be, Man U did better or he would be there. I think Arsenal is best than Man U for him, they more old school..:)
Leave them out!
Forget Willian. Arteta should stop playing him. He is the main reason Arsenal couldn’t win a single match in 7 games. If he plays tomorrow, Arsenal will not win. He doesn’t contribute anything meaningful to games. Maybe he does well in training, he is negative as he doesn’t move the ball forward but sideways or moving back several times. Arsenal won 2 games without him. Infact, he doesn’t have a place in the team. Maybe he is played regularly because of Edu, his countryman which is petty if it’s so. He’s lost his sense of football.
Welcome back Partey, and a relief Saka should be Ok, by I don’t know if the others returning is good news. They don’t improve the starting line-up and will provide further instability knowing Mikel’s propensity to select certain favorites.