Back in action with something to put right at Craven Cottage

Morning.

We’re again in enterprise immediately with a visit to Craven Cottage to tackle Fulham. Let’s begin with workforce information, and all of the panic about Ben White was simply that, with Mikel Arteta saying he ought to be accessible immediately as they had been simply managing his load – therefore his reported absence from coaching the opposite day.

The identical applies to Martin Zubimendi who was in motion for Spain in the course of the break, and on him Arteta stated:

“We consider that it was the suitable factor to do. He performed two video games once more. His load has been actually excessive just lately and he wanted an additional day. He shall be accessible.”

So too is Piero Hincapie, the summer season mortgage signing from Bayer Leverkusen who has performed scant minutes since his arrival, however after a little bit groin pressure, he’s able to go. Past that, it’s the longer-term points we now have to deal with. Kai Havertz is doing nicely however not again within the group but, whereas on Martin Odegaard, Arteta stated:

It is going to be weeks. There’s no particular date for his return, however he’s evolving nicely. It’s very unfortunate, what’s taking place with him and his accidents this season, however I believe he shall be again in a number of weeks.

It looks like that focus on of returning after the subsequent Interlull is a sensible one, which implies the supervisor has to consider who he makes use of in his place. My suspicion is that over the course of the subsequent 4 weeks or so, with seven video games to play throughout three completely different competitions, we’ll see Eberechi Eze, Mikel Merino and Ethan Nwaneri share that duty. At this time, I believe it will likely be Eze, who did a terrific job there towards Newcastle, and who was fairly influential towards West Ham too.

We play in a different way when he’s there reasonably than Odegaard, however that’s not essentially a nasty factor. He can create, however he’s additionally a bit extra energetic across the field in terms of photographs, and towards a Fulham facet who’ve been tough opposition for us at their place over the past couple of seasons, a bit extra directness from the sting of the realm might be very helpful.

There’s a choice to make about who performs on the left between Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli, and I’m wondering if Tuesday’s European recreation is perhaps an element there if the supervisor feels one in all them is best suited to that one. And the person up entrance, seeking to get again on the scoresheet after 6 Arsenal video games with no purpose, is Viktor Gyokeres. Clearly there have been questions on him pre-game, and Arteta backed his man to interrupt his latest dry spell, in addition to praising what else he brings to the workforce, saying:

Watching the video games again, I’m more than happy with what he’s given to the workforce. I informed him earlier than the primary assembly, the 9 that I need is a 9 that when he doesn’t rating for six or eight video games, he can deal with that.  If not, it’s important to go some place else as a result of the strain is gone, the expectation goes to be there.

So if you happen to put a quantity 9 shirt for Arsenal, you may have to have the ability to say, OK, six video games, don’t rating. I’m a unique participant, I begin to act otherwise. I need way more of the identical of what he’s doing. As soon as we now have these alternatives, put them in. I’m certain it’s going to occur.

I’ll be trustworthy and say I don’t actually care who scores immediately so long as we win, but when Gyokeres might get himself on the scoresheet, I believe it will be a superb factor for him. When it comes proper right down to it, strikers are judged on targets, and whereas clearly there’s extra nuance required than simply that one metric, if you happen to don’t rating individuals begin to query you. Answering a few of these questions immediately could be an excellent factor.

I put immediately’s recreation into the identical class as Newcastle away and West Ham at house – one the place we are able to enhance on our file from the season earlier than. We had been denied a win final season by a fractional offside, so the margins are advantageous, however with Fulham hit by damage in midfield and assault, this is a chance for Arsenal immediately. You possibly can’t take something as a right, and we’ll should play very nicely to win, however they’re lacking some crucial gamers immediately, and that’s a state of affairs we now have to look to make the most of. Try this and we’ll stay prime of the desk for an additional week, and that’s a superb place to be.

Proper, I’ll depart it there for now. As ever we’ll have stay weblog protection of the sport for you, and all of the post-match stuff – together with participant rankings and response – on Arseblog Information. There’s additionally a preview podcast on Patreon if you happen to want one thing to take heed to earlier than the sport, with dialogue of Gyokeres, the opposition, and extra.

For now, have a superb Saturday, and are available on you Gunners!