It is a large week for Arsenal, and one other which they should tackle with out at the least one in all their prime gamers. Whether or not or not it’s by means of damage or self-inflicted disciplinary issues, Mikel Arteta’s squad is being examined like by no means earlier than and the pressure is already starting to indicate.
The 2024-25 Premier League season is now two months outdated and Arsenal put together to face leaders Liverpool on the Emirates on Sunday. They’ve uncharacteristically already dropped factors, and defeat to Arne Slot’s aspect would go away the Gunners seven factors off the tempo earlier than the top of October. William Saliba, extensively considered the perfect centre-back within the Premier League, is dominated out of the Liverpool conflict after being despatched off in Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at AFC Bournemouth — Arsenal’s third purple card in eight league video games.
When Arsenal chased Manchester Metropolis all the best way within the Premier League title race during the last two seasons, ending a detailed second every time, they did so with the benefit of getting a core of gamers who performed all, or the overwhelming majority, of their league video games. Whether or not it was by luck by way of avoiding accidents and suspensions, or good administration by Arteta and his employees, Arsenal have been in a position to take Metropolis to the wire by maintaining errors and setbacks to an absolute minimal.
So dominant have Metropolis been beneath Pep Guardiola, successful six titles in eight seasons, that challengers have needed to be virtually good to beat them. Liverpool managed that in 2019-20 to win a primary league title since 1990, however Arsenal could not fairly do sufficient in 2022-23 and 2023-24, so they’re giving themselves a mountain to climb with their begin to this marketing campaign.
In 2022-23, when Arsenal completed 5 factors behind Metropolis after a title race that was neck-and-neck till the ultimate month, Bukayo Saka (38 Premier League appearances), Ben White (38), Gabriel Magalhães (38), Granit Xhaka (38) and Martin Ødegaard (37) have been all fixtures in Arteta’s aspect. Final season, Saliba and Declan Rice have been each ever-presents within the league whereas White (37), Kai Havertz (37), Ødegaard (35) and Saka (35) have been additionally within the body for just about each recreation because the Gunners completed with 89 factors however nonetheless did not land the title.
However this season, accidents to Ødegaard (out since mid-September with ankle damage) and summer time signing Mikel Merino, who has made simply two appearances, have impacted on the consistency of choice that has been a key part of Arsenal’s rise beneath Arteta. Saka’s injury-enforced absence within the defeat at Bournemouth was one other instance of an important participant lacking out and Arsenal paying a worth in factors.
The absences are testing the energy of Arteta’s squad and they’re an occupational hazard, however the purple playing cards for Rice, Leandro Trossard and Saliba have been self-inflicted and have exacerbated Arsenal’s squad challenges.
On every event, Arsenal did not win. For the primary two they have been forward when diminished to 10 males. They drew at dwelling to Brighton & Hove Albion when Rice was despatched off for 2 yellow playing cards, and surrendered a 2-1 lead and drew at Man Metropolis after Trossard was dismissed — additionally for 2 yellow playing cards and, like Rice, the second for kicking the ball away. Arsenal misplaced at Bournemouth with Saliba proven a straight purple card on half-hour, with the rating 0-0, for bringing down Evanilson when the striker was by means of on aim.
Arsenal’s concern is that they’re compounding their damage issues by shedding gamers to suspension. When chasing Man Metropolis and Liverpool in a race for the title, Arsenal know that consistency of choice and outcomes are essential in any try to emerge as champions, however they’re falling brief on each proper now.
The lack of Ødegaard to an damage sustained whereas taking part in for Norway is one thing that Arsenal couldn’t predict or put together for, simply as accidents suffered by Saka and Riccardo Calafiori on worldwide responsibility have been past their management. However the purple playing cards — definitely these issued to Rice and Trossard — might have been prevented and their impression is hitting Arsenal doubly arduous due to the absences brought on by damage.
Arsenal’s staff is robust and the squad is getting higher but it surely nonetheless lacks the depth of these at Metropolis, Liverpool and even Chelsea. Consequently, it is no shock {that a} mixture of accidents and the implications of purple playing cards are turning the screws on Arsenal’s title problem at such an early stage of the season.
And the hazard for Arsenal is that, by the point his squad is absolutely match once more, there could also be an excessive amount of floor to cowl as a result of the suspensions have hit them at a time after they could not deal with the extra pressure on the squad.