It’s only four matches into the season, and already Arsenal have endured nearly as much controversy as they did during the entirety of last season’s campaign. Between missed offenses by the opposition and absurdly inconsistent officiating, it’s easy to forget that the Gunners have still looked like one of the league’s best sides. Two wins and a draw have Mikel Arteta’s side
All that being said, the club are in the middle of one of their toughest stretches, and are looking to navigate it without the availability of some of their most important players. After the first international break of the season, can the Gunners step up on the road at a hated rival and snag a win?
Here are five talking points ahead of Sunday’s match.
Know the Enemy
After his first season as manager began with a bang, year two of the Ange Postecoglou era has begun with a whimper in comparison. Their season kicked off with a 1-1 draw away to Leicester where the main highlight of the match was Jamie Vardy doing what he does best - scoring and bantering, which he did hilariously on his way off the pitch. A 4-0 home win over a woeful Everton was followed by a 2-1 loss at Newcastle, leaving them with 4 points from three matches and leaving us with several memes of Ange doubled over in agony on the sideline.
After finishing last season in 5th, Arsenal’s noisy neighbors fortified their attack in the offseason with former Bournemouth man Dominic Solanke, continuing the rich and storied tradition of Spurs signing Arsenal fans.
Last Time Out
Arsenal’s last visit to Spurs came during matchweek 35. Arsenal entered the match neck and neck with Manchester City in a title race that would go down to the final match of the season, and Spurs were ready to play spoiler to Arsenal’s title chances. The only spoiling that happened was Arsenal on the Spurs fans’ moods, as the Gunners rocketed out to a 3-0 lead in the first half.
But what would a derby be without some drama? In the second half, the Gunners got in their own way and welcomed Ange’s side back into the match after David Raya misplaced a cheeky chipped pass directly to Romero who promptly scored. A Declan Rice penalty in the 87th minute had the score at 3-2 with the suspense ramped up to maximum. But the Gunners weathered the hosts late barrage and left with all 3 points for the second season in a row.
Injuries and Suspensions
After a season of relatively good injury luck, Arsenal’s title aspirations took a massive hit when captain Martin Odegaard suffered a brutal ankle sprain during international duty that looks to sideline the midfielder for at least a month. Even before his injury, Arsenal were in the midst of a minor midfield crisis after new signing Mikel Merino suffered a shoulder injury during training and Declan Rice was set to serve a one match suspension for his ludicrous sending off against Brighton.
In the defense, Riccardo Calafiori suffered a freakish, you-only-see-that-happen-to-Arsenal-players knock to his calf during Italy’s match against France last week. The good news is that it doesn’t seem serious, though he did leave the Italy camp early to return to London and receive treatment from Arsenal’s physios. Takehiro Tomiyasu seems on the way back from his injury, but is not yet available.
Predicted Lineup
Oh, how I long for the simplicity of the first three match weeks, when the lineup more or less wrote itself. Now, thanks to the injuries and suspensions, this is a big, giant question mark outside of the back line.
I am doing my best to think about the midfield and attack rationally, but that feels like a fool’s errand. Saka is a lock to start on the right, and Partey is probably the de facto 6, but everything else is up in the air. Leandro Trossard started the last match, but I can see Arteta wanting to exploit Martinelli’s pace against Spurs’ high line with a little route one football with Trossard coming off the bench as a super sub.
The loss of Ødegaard should see Kai Havertz line up on the right side in the 10. Many assume he’d play the 8 after Rice’s absurd red card meant he would miss the NLD, but that was before Martin picked up his injury. Kai is about the closest analogue left on the roster, and though he lacks the quickness and deft dribbling of Arsenal’s captain, he is left footed, great on the ball, and can ping passes. I think he’ll fill that void decently enough.
The 8 and 9 are where things get tricky. Playing Jorginho at the 8 would mean there’s no cover for Partey, and he hasn’t seen the pitch this season, so I don’t think we will see him starting there on Sunday. Nwaneri seems to be the popular choice for those who have visions of a Cesc-like breakout performance. While giving him his first start in such a major match is a massive gamble, I think the unpredictability of a young player with loads of potential and a point to prove can be a huge asset.
Up top, I imagine Arteta will throw Gabriel Jesus into the lineup. Considering his comments during Friday’s press conference, it sounds like he is training well and is nearing full fitness. He was scintillating in the pre-season, and his veteran play will make up for the relative greenness of Nwaneri.
The back line should remain unchanged from the last match before the break, and will have an immense responsibility to keep the hosts out of the net.
Sky Came Falling
The injuries and suspensions have tempered expectations for the immediate future. It’s hard to imagine Arsenal stepping into enemy territory without some of their best players and leaving with all 3 points easily. But it has also led some folks to do their best chicken little acts, reacting as though the season is already over. With three big away matches coming out of the break, sure, this scenario is far from ideal. But there is also something to be said about how well-coached teams rally and respond in the face of adversity.
At the end of the day, good managers and good teams find a way. It’s just what they do. Arsenal did it all last season in tricky circumstances, which has only made them a more experienced and steely side. The Gunners are walking a razor’s edge in some regards with their thin squad depth, but one match this early against a rival is not going to define the season with so many competitions and so much football left to play. Someone has to navigate these choppy seas, and who better than the Mikel Arteta, who was just rewarded with a contract extension after salvaging the wreckage of the club and getting us back to being an elite side once more.
Between their fans relishing their loss to Manchester City last season and how some have shamelessly celebrated Martin Ødegaard’s injury this week, few things would feel as karmically (and comically) satisfying as a win on Sunday over their rivals. A victory over Arsenal’s little brother is always enjoyable, but Sunday would just feel that much sweeter.
I’m not about to call a win with any level of confidence, but anything can happen in a rivalry. The cards feel stacked against them, but Arsenal have shown us time and time again these past two seasons that it’s never over till they say it’s over.
WHO: Arsenal at Tottenham Hotspur
WHAT: Premier League Match Day 4
WHEN: Sunday, September 15th, 9:00am EST/6:00am PST/2:00pm GMT
WHERE: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
HOW TO WATCH: Broadcast live on The USA Network. Streaming on NBCSports.com