The third international break is finally over, and we’re diving back into the Premier League (with the toughest Champions League fixture right after). While many find these breaks frustrating, I believe there’s some flair in international football. Major tournaments are a spectacle, and their cancellation seems unlikely. However, I do agree that the breaks are annoying in the current format.
Perhaps international matches could be condensed into a single period. Imagine a month dedicated to qualifiers, followed by uninterrupted club football. This would make it easier for fans to follow their national teams’ progress and reduce the strain on players, who currently endure multiple long-haul flights within a short timeframe.
Additionally, the standalone international break in March for Nations League playoffs seems odd. It feels like a UEFA cash grab. Why not then unite these games with the international break that anyway is happening in June after most of the leagues are over?
Back to the Forest
Our match against Nottingham Forest is a classic “do-or-die” scenario. Many writers and podcasters have talked about the importance of this game. If we’re serious about winning the league, we simply cannot afford to lose at home to a team of lower individual quality. What can they bring to Emirates? Defensive organisation and ideas how to neutralise Arsenal main creators? If that’s enough to stop us from winning, then we can’t talk about winning the league.
I know that they won at Anfield. However, Liverpool hasn’t made a single mistake since then. And we already used our allowance in Newcastle and Bournemouth. We don’t have any room for error. We must also remember that they faced Liverpool early in the season when expectations were uncertain. Now we can see how much work has Nuno put into organising their defense (Third in the league by xG against, second by the goals conceded). Therefore, we must take on them with the maximum focus. And I believe that a fully sharp Arsenal should win even against such a solid Forest at home
We don’t have excuses. Even if we have them (Saka injured, White operated, Brazilians arriving only on Thursday), they don’t matter anymore. We can’t go into the double digit gap area with Liverpool winning playing against Southampton. How much Arteta and the staff might convince everyone in the club that it’s not over, the players have access to media, they talk, they see the table, they know what it takes to win the league. You need to be close to perfect and we just can’t take one more point loss. To be fair, we need to win 7 in a row to get back into the title conversation.
Approaching the game
Nottingham Forest have a tight organised defence complemented with a trio of fast attacking players (Elanga, Hudson-Odoi, Gibbs-White) that try to create chances for resurrected Chris Wood. Looks like a tough nut to crack. However, we need to look at what weaknesses this setup might and should have. While Gibbs-White is a very well-rounded player, Elanga and Hudson-Odoi don’t seem to be the biggest fans of defensive work. It means that overlapping wing-backs could be the key to unlock Nottingham.
On the left, we have options. If Calafiori is unfit, Zinchenko (fresh off his Tuesday goal) can slot in and be replaced by Kiwior if his stamina is not at the level. Zinchenko or Calafiori would be very good news for Martinelli, who would be able to finally combine with short passes on his side.
The right side is where we have a problem. It’s crazy that we have 3 powerful right back and we have only a half at our disposal, since there were rumours that Timber didn’t train with the team (despite being called up for the Netherlands). I sincerely hope he is fit, because I am not ready for the next episode of the “Partey at right back” series. It’s not that he’s doing a bad job defensively, but we are not properly positioned going forwards. This setup only works with two attacking midfielders pushing forward, supported by Partey and a holding midfielder (Rice?). In our squad, those two midfielders could be Havertz and Odegaard, however, Havertz is the only somehow functioning forward we have, so that’s not an option.
Frankly, I would prefer to see Declan polishing that right side instead of Partey. The man definitely can cross, he’s a great defender, he can run a lot and cover his wing, so I think he would give us more of what’s actually needed from the right back to create threat. If his injury has healed, of course.
There are rumours of Saka being unfit. Well, time for Jesus and Sterling to finally recoup their salaries. One-on-one dribbling is often a pretty effective tool against the organised defense.
Güler frenzy
There are rumours of Arsenal being interested in Arda Guler’s loan. The young Turkish player doesn’t get enough minutes in Real Madrid and continues to impress with the national team games after the Euros. In theory, with a lack of talent that can actually bring something new creativity-wise to the pitch, this option looks interesting. Everybody can benefit from the situation:
- Real gets their player developed
- Güler gets more first team minutes
- Arsenal get attacking depth
The only concern is the third point. With a 19-year old player, will we get some output in 5 months or will it be spent on developing the player? The ideal 6 months loan candidate would be an experienced player that has fallen out of favour in their current team. Someone like Sterling… Hold on!
In situations where Plan A fails and we need to break down a deep block, a skilled dribbler and shooter could be invaluable. There are questions if bringing Güler will be a problem for Nwaneri’s minutes. Depends on Arteta’s vision. Güler plays games either in Odegaard or Saka’s position. I would say that for a short term loan – being a Saka back-up is an easier task, since he doesn’t need to coordinate the whole team, which is required from a more central role. As a winger, you can just take on opponents and find teammates in the box.
But for the busy December it’s still Ethan on the table and I don’t see why he can’t join Odegaard on the pitch if the Forest nut is not cracked on time!
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