Arsenal may have had a welcome win on Thursday, albeit against the Norwegian minnows Molde, but the circumstances of the trip to Norway caused a lot more disruption to Arteta’s training schedule than was expected.
First they had to fly on Tuesday instead of Wednesday to comply with Covid testing rules in Norway, and then their flight back to London on Thursday night was cancelled and they had to return to the hotel and stay an extra night in Norway while they waited for the fog to clear in London.
On the other hand, Wolves have had an uninterrupted preparation for tomorrow’s game since Monday’s draw with Southampton, but Nuno Espirito Santo does not want his players to think that this gives them an advantage against the Gunners. “There’s no advantage, the schedule of the teams who compete in Europe is very demanding,” he told TeamTalk.
“I’m aware their flight was delayed due to fog but I know Arsenal have a good squad full of talented players who can produce. We cannot ever think any aspect will take the difficulty of the game away.
“I’m expecting a very tough game against very good players and a manager. We have been able to compete well against Arsenal and we have to do it again.”
Santo may want to keep his team on their toes, but it is difficult to believe that this disruption will have no effect on Arteta’s preparation for Sunday’s game. Let’s hope that it has not affected them too much….
