Arsenal continue their Champions League campaign Wednesday evening as they travel to Belgium to take on Club Brugge for the 6th match of the league phase.
It’s been a weird week for the Gunners. They top
the Premier League and Champions League tables, but fatigue and injuries have taken a bit of the shine off the apple after the Gunners endured their first loss since August on Saturday. A once-comfortable gap at the top of the PL has been eroded to two points after a series of frustrating results which have been compounded by an ever-growing injury list.
Their Champions League campaign, on the other hand, has been note perfect. After 5 matches played, they sit at the top as the only club with a perfect record after battering Bayern Munich two weeks ago. But that dominant performance feels like a distant memory with the Gunners looking to find their feet once again as the December grinder rolls on.
Three matches remain in the league phase, and the Gunners have a chance to potentially punch their ticket to next round and secure a crucial first round bye in the knockout phase with a win on Wednesday. It won’t come easy, as rotation and rest for key players is becoming more and more of a necessity than a luxury. Arteta will have some decisions to make as he navigates a schedule where the Gunners play a match nearly every three days.
With a little wiggle room to work with but an opportunity to seal their spot, how will the manager approach an away match in the Champions League with tired legs and a handful of players still regaining fitness after returning from injury?
Here are three talking points ahead of Wednesday’s match:
Know the Enemy
Club Brugge enter the 6th match day of the Champions League league phase in 26th place with 4 points.
Brugge earned a spot in this season’s Champions League after defeating Scottish side Rangers in a two-legged playoff in August before the draw. Their league phase campaign started on a high note when they notched their only win of the competition so far, besting Monaco 4-1 in their first match. Since then, it’s been a forgettable return. Losses to Atalanta (1-2), Bayern Munich (0-4), and Sporting CP (0-3) have kneecapped their campaign, with the lone bright spot since the opening match being a 3-3 draw with Barcelona.
After finishing 2nd last season in the Belgian Pro League, they hired former player Ivan Leko as their manager, who has had 10 managerial appointments in 11 years. This season has proved to be equally as moderately-successful so far, as Club currently sit in 3rd place, 5 points off 1st place Union St.-Gilloise. Their form has hit a wobble, having lost three of their last five matches in the league.
The Belgian side are currently on the outside looking in with regards to the safety zone in the CL. With three matches left to play in the league phase, their chances to climb the table get slimmer with each passing match, making Wednesday’s tilt a major one for the hosts. A win could potentially propel them into a safe spot for the time being, while a loss or a draw puts another nail in the coffin in their hopes of making it to the next round.
Suffice it to say, they will be hungry to get a win against an Arsenal side that is struggling to maintain a consistent level amidst yet another series of frustrating injuries.
Injuries & Suspensions
Arsenal appeared to not have added any new players to their ever-growing injury list on Saturday. Leandro Trossard’s 2nd half cameo was cut short after being subbed late in the match. Whether that is to manage his minutes or not remains the question. Either way, he is likely not to start on Wednesday if it can be helped.
Mikel Merino and Declan Rice are on 2 yellow cards, meaning they both run a risk of missing the match at Inter Milan should they receive a yellow card on Wednesday.
OUT: Kai Havertz (knee), Gabriel Magalhães (thigh), Cristhian Mosquera (ankle), Gabriel Jesus (not registered for the CL)
DOUBT: Leandro Trossard (muscular), William Saliba (knock)
Predicted Linuep
Attack: Martinellis, Gyökeres, Madueke
Arteta could (or should) rotate where he can afford to. Gabriel Martinelli has scored a goal per match in the Champions League while failing to hit the ground running at the same rate in the Premier League. Hopefully another match will help while Leandro Trossard recovers. Likewise, Viktor Gyökeres could do with more minutes to get back to sharpness after a poor outing on the weekend. Gabriel Jesus isn’t registered in the CL, so Arsenal really only have one option, anyway. Noni Madueke starts on the right to spell Saka, who ideally doesn’t even board the plane for this one.
Midfield: Merino, Nørgaard, Nwaneri
Wholesale changes to the midfield are expected and desperately needed. Declan Rice has run himself into the ground, so Mikel Merino likely takes the 8. Eberechi Eze could also line up at the 8 as Merino has had a lot of minutes lately, but I think Merino is better suited for a match where Arsenal will look to control it and not take many risks. Christian Nørgaard hasn’t seen a match in ages, and if he can’t get a start on Wednesday, then what’s the point? Ethan Nwaneri gets the start at 10, unless Arteta thinks Martin Ødegaard needs more minutes after returning from injury. I hope not.
Defense: Lewis-Skelly, Hincapie, Saliba, White
Arsenal’s defensive depth has been put to the test, and the knock-on has been felt in recent matches. Myles Lewis-Skelly is likely to start next weekend after Riccardo Calafiori picked up his 5th yellow card of the PL campaign, so a few more minutes for the England starlet is totally fine. Piero Hincapie is the lone option at the LCB spot and will look to put in a strong shift after Saturday. William Saliba, if he’s available, could get the start. He has been sorely missed. Ben White should get his third consecutive start to spell Jurrien Timber.
Keeper: Kepa
Does David Raya need rest? Probably not. But the gaffer may choose to let him have the day off with such a dense fixture list. Kepa Arrizabalaga gets the start here.
It’s unfair to call this match a free hit, but the Gunners have given themselves some breathing room as the lone club on 15 points in the table. Winning is always preferable to other options, but I think it’s safe to assume that few people would be put out with a heavily-rotated draw. A win does, though, all but seal a spot in the top 8 depending on a few other results this week, so don’t be surprised if they push to secure all 3 points with a side that is stronger than we would all be comfortable with. The Gunners enter a week where rest and recovery is a reasonable possibility for a few players, so here’s hoping the reserves get valuable minutes while key starters get a much-needed day off.
WHO: Arsenal at Club Brugge
WHAT: Champions League league phase match day 6.
WHEN: Wednesday, December 10th, 3:00pm EST/12:00pm PST/8:00pm GMT
WHERE: Jan Breydel Stadium, Bruges
HOW TO WATCH: Streaming on the Paramount+ app
For all your international streaming needs, check LiveSoccerTV.com. Please do not share or discuss links to illegal streams here.
