We were so close to achieving what seemed impossible a few years ago last May in Budapest. It wasn’t to be on the night, but hope springs eternal and another Champions League quest is already upon us with our first tricky looking tie coming straight out of the blocks with a trip to Napoli.
The match
We always seem to get a tough start in this competition. Last season, away at Athletic Club, their first season in the Champions League for a very long time, that was really tough. Away at Napoli, could be even tougher. The Italians are a really quality outfit and they are particularly dangerous at home, so this could be a tough watch. It feels like the sort of game that’s going to be quite cagey for the most part and we might have to ride out spells of pressure, as the Napoli fans will be roaring on their team from the first whistle, but if we ride out that storm and gain a foothold in the game, we might be okay here.
The lineup
A lot will depend on the team that Mikel Arteta puts out as well. We don’t have scope for mass changes to the defence, but I am expecting changes in midfield, so that will also play a big part, as the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Martin Zubimendi stake their claim for starting berths in this team. Arteta wants to win every game (pretty much the most obvious statement every written right there!) so it always feels like there is this reluctance to rotate and give breather to the ‘big hitters’ like Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice, but I really think this game is where we’ll start to see a bit of a change in approach from Mikel. We have such unbelievable depth in midfield right now, I don’t think you can have any excuse to play Rice in every single game, especially after a World Cup, so I’m expecting him to sit this one out with Zubimendi starting his first game of the year. I’m not sure Mikel will be brave enough to leave the caged Bruno Guimaraes on the bench for another game longer, so I think he’ll take Myles Lewis-Skelly’s spot in midfield, with Martin Odegaard the sole survivor of the midfield three from the Chelsea game, to give that bit of stability. I would expect Mikel Merino to enter the fray at some point though, so the Norwegian is unlikely to play the full 90. Further forward, Bukayo Saka has been subbed off quite a few times already this season, so he’ll start this one again and I just can’t see Kai Havertz being dropped in this kind of form either, so those two will continue to play in attack. This just leaves the left hand side to sort out. Christos Tzolis should be plenty fresh as he only play 45 minutes against Aston Villa, but Eberechi Eze needs to play and with Piero Hincapie likely to come in at left back as an orthodox full back, I see that working quite well with Eze coming in off the touchline.
Great news to hear that Jurrien Timber is back in the squad and I’d expect him to get about 20 minutes from the bench, as he builds up his fitness. The League Cup game at Ipswich Town next week will likely be his first start.
Predicted lineup:
Raya
White
Konsa
Gabriel
Hincapie
Zubimendi
Guimaraes
Odegaard
Saka
Havertz
Eze
Subs:
Arrizabalaga
Meslier
Timber
Calafiori
Rice
Lewis-Skelly
Merino
Tzolis
Madueke
Dowman
Gyokeres
Prediction
As I mentioned above, it could be a rocky start, but I think if Arsenal weather the Napoli storm, they should take all three points here. I’m going 2-0 to The Arsenal.
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