Expectations are high heading into this one. After the painful defeat at Villa Park a week ago, Arsenal couldn’t have hoped for a better game to return to Premier League action, as the team rock bottom of the Premier League, Wolves, come to town. The League’s basement club have had a wretched start to the season and recently made unwanted history by having a record low of only 2 points after 15 games. That aside, this is the Premier League, and anyone can beat anyone. Arsenal be warned – underestimate any Premier League side at your peril.
Areas of encouragement
It’s hard to look past Wolves position in the league and recent form as a reason to be expecting an Arsenal win tonight. As previously mentioned, they have just 2 points all season (one of which came away at Tottenham so it’s more like 1.5 really!) and scored their first goal since 26th October in the 4-1 defeat at home to Manchester United. So as well as still waiting for their first win of the system, they’re also causing very little damage at the other end of the pitch.
Turning to Arsenal, they have some real attacking options to chose from now with Viktor Gyokeres, Gabriel Jesus, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli all vying for a Premier League start following recent injuries. Arsenal’s home form has also been excellent this season and they’ll be confident of adding to the teams to fall on their sword at The Emirates this evening.
Areas of concern
Complacency can be a very damaging trait and I’m sure that is something that Mikel Arteta will be drumming into the players before kick off. You have to earn the right to take three points in any game and Arsenal will have to do exactly that and not underestimate this Wolves side. I’m also concerned about any team who are doing as badly as Wolves are right now. Beware of the wounded animal, as they say. Wolves can’t be this bad all season so Arsenal will need to make sure they don’t become Wolves’ catalyst for a change in their fortunes.
What I’d love to see
I think all Arsenal fans are hoping to see a confident display and a resounding win in this one and I’m not different. The Villa game still burns for me so anything to push that game further and further from memory will be most welcome and nothing does that like a thumping win. I’d also love to see Viktor Gyokeres back among the goals. I didn’t like what I saw against Club Brugge in the week, but I’m far from giving up on the Swede, so I’m rooting for him to turn up and show what he can bring this team against Wolves.
What I’d hate to see
We have to start fast in this one. Expectations of a comfortable win will be high from the off and a flat start would lead to a real drop in the atmosphere within The Emirates and the longer the team goes without scoring, the more restless the fans will get. We need to move the ball quickly and play with a real tempo that gives the fans something to cheer about, even if the goals don’t come early.
Key Battle
You would have to imagine that Arsenal are going to see a lot of the ball in this one and play a large chunk of the game in the Wolves half so the key battle is likely to be between one of Arsenal’s attackers and one of the Wolves defenders. As he’s got a real point to prove, I’m going with Viktor Gyokeres and the man who I think will be tasked with shackling our number 14 is Emmanuel Agbadou. The Ivorian defender has been one of Wolves’ best performers every time I’ve watched them and his combative style will make this a really interesting battle.
Lineup and Team News
Mikel Arteta has been playing the ‘just a matter of days’ card on a few of Arsenal’s injured players recently and I think this is the game that they finally return. You can easily see why he might be tempted to wait until the Everton game next weekend to bring back some of the star men who have played a lot of football already this season, such as Jurrien Timber, Declan Rice and William Saliba. However, I think there’s also something to be said for match fitness so I can see them all coming back into the squad in some regard. Timber and Saliba will come straight back into the starting 11 for me with Lewis-Skelly continuing at left back for the suspended Riccardo Calafiori, with Piero Hincapie also retaining his place in the backline.
Midfield is where it gets really interesting. Martin Zubimendi surely has to be rested for this one, which leaves the question as to who will be chosen to take up that all important number 6 position. Christian Norgaard is definitely a shout, but I think Arteta will move Rice back there and try again with the dual 8 combination of Martin Odegaard and Eberechi Eze ahead of him.
The frontline is probably quite straightforward with Bukayo Saka certain to return to the starting lineup having been rested in midweek and I’d also be very surprised if Viktor Gyokeres didn’t start here as well, as he continues to build up match fitness. Gabriel Jesus is an outside bet, but he’s been out for so long so surely they won’t throw him back into the lineup for this one. Another cameo from the bench is much more likely. That just leaves the left hand side to fill. Of the three options out there, Madueke, Martinelli and Trossard, I think Arteta will revert to his favourite, Martinelli. Madueke is clearly more suited to the right and Trossard is one who is likely to be eased back a bit after having to be rushed back a little against Villa. For those reasons, I think the Brazilian will be given a further chance to stake his claim.
If things go well, Arteta will be able to mix and match as the game progresses with many of the so-called back up players getting a run out, but the first eleven will have to do the business first!
Predicted lineup:
Raya
Timber
Saliba
Hincapie
Myles Lewis-Skelly
Rice
Eze
Odegaard
Saka
Gyokeres
Martinelli
Substitutes:
Arrizabalaga
White
Norgaard
Zubimendi
Merino
Nwaneri
Trossard
Jesus
Madueke
PREDICTION
As much as I’m keen to stress that Arsenal need to take this game seriously and take nothing for granted, I still fully expect them to be professional and win quite comfortably here. I’m going 4-0 to The Arsenal.