In the last two Premier League games, Arsenal have dropped the same number of points (5), which cost them the league title last season. This is shocking for a team keen to win the league.
That said, the Gooners will be feeling confident for their team to end the year in style by beating Fulham, and here are three decisions Mikel Arteta must make to make sure Arsenal picks up a win this Sunday.
He Must Drop Oleksander Zinchenko For Jakub Kiwior
It is unfortunate that Takehiro Tomiyasu is injured, but Kiwior can also play at left back. Zinchenko has off late been a liability at Arsenal left back, and a team like Fulham, who are not in their best moment, may want to exploit the Arsenal wing back. Defensively, Kiwior may be better than the ex-Manchester City man. I don’t know about you, but Zinchenko for Kiwior makes a lot of sense to me. Arsenal are now so much less reliant on the Ukrainian international’s “inversion dominance.”
Bench Martinelli
If Martinelli starts versus Fulham, many will be shocked. The Brazilian just hasn’t been himself lately. He needs to be benched and probably introduced to face tired legs later. With time, he may rediscover his form and return to the starting 11, but versus Fulham, he can’t start. The Arsenal left wing has looked “dead” in recent weeks; changing the personnel could be the difference.
Giving Emile Smith Rowe or Reiss Nelson a chance on the left wing
These two Hale End graduates are both desperate to break into the team. With Martinelli underperforming, what a chance Arteta has to drop the Arsenal No. 11, and give either Reiss Nelson or Smith Rowe a chance. If there was a time one of the two broke into Arsenal’s starting lineup, it is now.
These three decisions could change Arsenal’s fortunes in their last game of 2023; they could be their ticket to picking up all three points, don’t you think so?
Daniel O
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