Morning from a really moist and windy Dublin.
Soccer is again and we face Nottingham Forest at residence. On paper not probably the most difficult recreation we might have had, however given their kind to date this season (and maybe ours), positively not a foregone conclusion by any means. Mikel Arteta was surprisingly forthcoming in regards to the health of his gamers yesterday, and there was excellent news and a smattering of dangerous as he supplied updates.
Based mostly on what he mentioned, it seems to be as if we’ll have Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Leandro Trossard and Riccardo Calafiori all accessible in the present day. All of them skilled, to various levels, and the supervisor sound fairly optimistic about their involvement. I additionally thought he was fairly fascinating on Martin Odegaard who, after enjoying 96 minutes in his first recreation again, had a little bit of a response. Arteta mentioned:
After such a very long time not enjoying he wanted time to recuperate. The ankle reacted and different areas of the physique with a lot load going into it. It wasn’t splendid, however he’s been OK, the final day and a half he’s skilled with the staff and he’s feeling good, in order that’s actually optimistic.
I don’t suppose it’s in any respect sudden that it took rather a lot out of him. To go from 0 to 100 on his first recreation again wasn’t splendid, however as we now go right into a interval of the season with a recreation each three or 4 days, it’s going to be necessary that we handle his load fairly fastidiously. That mentioned, I anticipate him to start out in the present day, and it wouldn’t shock me to see us line up as follows: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Rice, Merino, Odegaard, Martinelli, Saka, Havertz.
There are doable tweaks in fact, however as I wrote yesterday, I feel a slight shift within the midfield steadiness is price making an attempt, and in the present day seems like a good day to offer {that a} go. At residence in opposition to a staff that may sit deep, deny us house, and look to hit us on the counter, I don’t suppose you want a facet with each Rice and Thomas Partey. And whereas I don’t suppose you may classify Mikel Merino as an attacking participant per se, he does have the power to get into the field, the timing of his runs into the world is mostly good, he gives an aerial menace in there too.
That leaves the supervisor with choices from the bench, ought to he want to vary issues within the second half, however nonetheless we go about it in the present day, three factors are a should. We’re again at residence, and the supervisor was clear about what’s required:
It’s about constructing momentum, getting outcomes and getting back-to-back wins. That might once more create the power that we want with all the good issues that we’re doing. Tomorrow and after each break, and particularly we’re going to get into the Christmas interval, we all know that there’s something particular in that interval and you must generate that momentum. We really feel that it’s the proper second now for us to start out.
As for the opposition, they’re flying excessive to date this season. Chris Wooden has scored as many as Mo Salah, and with gamers like Anthony Elanga, Calum Hudson-Odoi and Morgan Gibbs-White, they’ve loads of tempo and direct operating, significantly on the counter. So, how we handle these moments of transition shall be key, in addition to making an attempt to interrupt down a reasonably cussed defence. Forest have the second greatest defensive file by way of targets conceded to date this season, and we’ve struggled a little bit bit on the subject of scoring (though with 18 targets we’re simply 3 behind leaders Liverpool, so it’s not as dangerous because it has felt).
An early purpose for us in the present day could be splendid. I don’t suppose it’s the case it might make Forest go gung-ho, however they’d have to come back out a bit at some stage, and hopefully that may simply give us the house we want for extra.
Proper, I’ll depart it there for now. Don’t neglect the preview podcast is accessible proper now on Patreon. Be part of us later for reside weblog protection, plus you’ll get the match report, purpose clips, response, participant rankings and rather more over on Arseblog Information.
Come on you reds!
