We’d solely be getting into the fifth gameweek of the season however, given how current campaigns have performed out, there’s motive to recommend it is already crunch time for Arsenal and Manchester Metropolis.
The 2 heavyweights of the previous few seasons are the main contenders to win the title this time round and the winner of Sunday’s assembly between the 2 will undoubtedly go away the Etihad Stadium feeling good about their probabilities of lifting the trophy subsequent summer season.
Sadly for Arsenal, arguably the most important sport of their home season comes at a time during which captain Martin Odegaard is unavailable. The Norway midfielder went down with an ankle harm through the worldwide break and supervisor Mikel Arteta has now confirmed the harm to his ligaments is “fairly important“.
The duty introduced to Arteta is straightforward: discover a solution to change one among your most influential gamers for what might simply be a title-decider towards your fiercest rivals. Straightforward. No strain.
This is the midfield Arteta ought to go for towards Metropolis.
Declan Rice‘s return from suspension is an actual blessing to Arteta, whose midfield choices are extremely restricted whereas summer season signing Mikel Merino remains to be out injured.
The England worldwide will reclaim his typical place within the beginning lineup, however crucially, Rice must be tasked with filling the void left behind by Odegaard, quite than his typical box-to-box position, which will be left to Thomas Partey.
Whereas Rice doesn’t possess Odegaard’s imaginative and prescient for a move, he’s deceptively succesful with the ball at his ft. Per FBRef, Rice’s 87.8% move accuracy is effectively above common throughout Europe’s high 5 leagues over the previous 12 months, as are his 7.65 progressive passes per 90 minutes.
The ‘Odegaard position’ is one which Rice is accustomed to, having been given comparable duties throughout his last 12 months at West Ham United when it turned clear that, with all due respect, he was able to issues no one else in his squad might do. He is snug amassing the ball and driving forwards, and now’s the time to point out that.
On the base of midfield, count on Jorginho to sit down deep and pull the strings, spraying the lengthy passes which could be a bit of an excessive amount of to ask from Rice.
As we noticed with the 36% possession away to Tottenham Hotspur final week, Arsenal are ready to prioritise a clear sheet over a aim on their travels to their massive rivals, and there is not any motive to count on anything from them right here.
Once more, count on Rice to be essential to those efforts. He is clearly recognized extra for his defending than attacking and will have to supply the mobility for an ageing midfield duo of Partey, 31, and Jorginho, 32.
With out Odegaard, Arsenal could not have the leading edge on the ball, however they do nonetheless have the intense vitality to press by Rice, and do not be stunned to see Leandro Trossard as soon as once more requested to assist out in a deeper position as Arsenal look to stifle the house accessible to De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gundogan and Rodri.
It may not be fairly at occasions, particularly if Kevin De Bruyne shakes off his harm scare, however that is largely irrelevant. Whether or not followers prefer it or not, these video games aren’t about aesthetics anymore. Successful the Premier League title has grow to be a ruthless job of exploiting every minor slip-up out of your rivals, and Arsenal cannot permit that to occur to them at this early stage within the season.
Arteta could be sensible to remain cautious with this one. Metropolis are already two factors clear and a five-point hole may very well be insurmountable, even at this early stage of the marketing campaign. Not for the reason that 2020/21 season has the title been received by a higher margin.
A draw is probably not probably the most appetising outcome, however on this weakened state, Arsenal might have fun leaving the Etihad with a degree.
