Arsenal return to Premier League action this weekend looking to restore the positive momentum of early August.
Injuries and suspensions have marred the past few weeks but all is not lost. There is a lot of football to play, and Arsenal come back from the international break with a chance to build on their seven points from three games. There was a sense of deja vu at the Emirates in the draw at home to Brighton & Hove Albion in their most recent match but last season showed how a title challenge can be mounted despite early disappointments.
The prospect of a north London derby without Declan Rice, Mikel Merino, Martin Odegaard — and potentially Gabriel Jesus, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Riccardo Calafiori — is challenging. Either way, Arsenal will make the short trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium seeking victory. Here, The Athletic provides an insight into what we have been seeing during a lively international break…
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Odegaard concerns
The Tottenham game is two days away but the extent of Odegaard’s ankle injury is still unconfirmed. The club captain was pictured using crutches to board a plane back to London the day after he was forced off for Norway, with further assessments taking place upon his return to Arsenal.
This suggests it is unlikely the midfielder will feature on Sunday, which will force manager Mikel Arteta into important selection decisions. The Athletic presented a few different options the Arsenal manager could go for against Tottenham, but what might happen in the following weeks if Odegaard cannot return swiftly also deserves thought.
The suspended Rice will be back after this weekend at least, which will be a major help. Arteta then has to decide whether to keep Rice in his advanced No 8 role or drop him deeper. A return as a left-sided No 8 would make most sense for Rice as there are more options at the base of midfield and Kai Havertz could move back to centre-forward.
How Arsenal replace Odegaard’s creativity as the right-sided No 8 and his intensity out of possession will be their biggest tasks. So often, he is the player who sets the tone. The upcoming weeks will provide someone else with the chance to do just that.
Arteta will have the chance to provide more clarity on the situation during Friday’s pre-match press conference at 1.30pm UK time.
Arteta’s contract – and the timing of it
The north London derby comes hot on the heels of the news that Arteta has agreed a three-year contract with the club, revealed by The Athletic’s David Ornstein on Thursday.
The timing of announcements for managers’ new deals has tended to spark interest at Arsenal, and this is no different. It is just September, but Arsenal have been through a difficult couple of weeks. They have lost their first-choice midfield trio before two tone-setting fixtures (their next Premier League game after Tottenham is away to Manchester City) and are waiting for other key players to return.
Arteta always insisted he would carry on beyond the end of this season, when his existing contract had been set to expire, but finally providing clarity could help focus everyone on the task at hand.
Arsenal timed his last contract extension in a similar way, with that deal announced on May 6, 2022, when the club’s Champions League qualification was in the balance. Their six previous results were three straight losses and three straight wins. Not concerned with the optics, they announced his new contract anyway. They closed out the season with two wins and two defeats and slipped into the Europa League places.
It speaks to the job Arteta has done in the two years since that his future has been secured this early into the new season. Arsenal’s executive vice-chair, Tim Lewis, was a key figure in the Spaniard’s 2022 deal. Once again, a positive relationship between Lewis and Arteta has provided a bridge between the manager and owners, which was highlighted by Lewis’ inclusion in the announcement photo.
Arsenal fans who have been revelling in the #barclaysmen trend on X probably enjoyed Arsenal’s 2007-08 campaign — and perhaps there could be an omen in there. Arsene Wenger went into that season in the final year of his contract, was questioned about his future in the campaign’s opening weeks and signed a new three-year deal in the September international break before facing Tottenham away.
Arsenal came from behind to win 3-1 and embarked on one of their most entertaining title races since moving to the Emirates. Arteta and his players will hope for a similar result this weekend, but a better end to the overall story.
Sterling, dribbling and a different dimension
A lot of focus has fallen on what Arsenal may lack against Tottenham but there should also be an eye on what they have gained.
The loan signing of Raheem Sterling from Chelsea on deadline day may not have offered the excitement that would have come with a younger winger from the continent, but he offers something different compared to Arsenal’s other attacking options.
Most may think of Sterling, 29, for his time at Manchester City, where Arteta played a key role in improving his output in front of goal, with a particular focus on positioning. This could be part of what Sterling offers, but it is his more natural game that could help Arsenal more. His best spells at Chelsea came when he was driving past full-backs with the ball at his feet, which might well benefit Arsenal.
In this year’s season preview, The Athletic pointed out that Arsenal could improve in one-versus-one dribbling situations. Last season they ranked 15th in the Premier League for take-ons attempted and 18th for success rate (42.1 per cent). By comparison, Manchester City ranked 10th for take-ons attempted but first for success rate (51.6 per cent). After three games this season, Arsenal rank 12th for take-ons attempted and eighth for success rate (41.8 per cent) — City rank second for take-ons attempted and second for success rate (55.1 per cent).
Arsenal did have players fulfilling international duties, but Sterling was not the only one to stay in north London. He trained alongside Ben White, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli — all players he could stand to have good on-pitch relationships with. Should he start or come off the bench, he could provide a different and necessary spark to the front line.
(Top photos: Getty Images)
