League-leaders Arsenal head back to the Emirates after two road trips last week as they welcome 20th placed Wolverhampton to the Emirates for an evening affair.
The loss to Aston Villa last Saturday had
people asking the same exhaustingly repetitive questions that invariably follow an Arsenal loss: do they have the mentality to win the league? Are they too cautious? Are the wheels coming off?
Those questions were swiftly swept aside on Wednesday night as Mikel Arteta’s side notched a 6th win from 6 matches in the CL with a confidence-inspiring win away from home with a largely second-choice side. A clean sheet and two stunning goals from Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli helped put the loss in the rear view mirror as the Gunners bested Club Brugge and extended their lead at the top of the CL league phase table.
Saturday provides another chance to reaffirm their self belief as they chase an elusive PL title. Wolves are reeling, stuck at the bottom of the table and looking a lock for relegation after only 15 matches. They are desperate to turn around their fortunes, but it already may be too late for the midlands side. Still, they come to the Emirates with nothing to lose, which can present a tricky proposition if the Gunners take the opportunity and the opposition for granted.
Can the hosts embrace their role as the league leaders and take care of business against a battered and bruised side ahead of a rare week-long December reprieve?
Here are three talking points ahead of Saturday’s match:
Know the Enemy
Wolves enter Saturday’s match sitting 20th in the Premier League table with 2 points from their first 15 matches.
Wolves are bad. There’s no way to sugar coat it. They are odds on favorites to be relegated come season’s end and potentially match or break Derby County’s record low points total of 11.
They have been circling the drain since the end of last season, when they finished 16th with 42 points. Over the summer, they lost two of their star players, with attacker Matheus Cunha signing with Manchester United and left back Rayan Aït-Nouri leaving for Manchester City. The loss of other key players, such as Nelson Semedo, Pablo Sarrabia, Fabio Silva, and Gonçalo Guedes meant that a core roster of veteran were off to new clubs in the summer, leaving Wolves to fill the gaps.
So far, it hasn’t panned out in the slightest. Their new signings have failed to move the needle, and Manager Vitor Pereira was, understandably, given his walking papers before the November international break following a run of 4 consecutive league defeats while having only managed 2 draws from their opening 11 matches. They hired former Wolves player Rob Edwards, who managed Luton Town during their lone PL spell two seasons ago, to come in and right the ship, but so far, it has been much of the same. Since his appointment, Wolves have lost 4 in a row while only managing a solitary goal to their name.
Being at the bottom of the table typically means that a club is at the bottom of most stats. Wolves are dead last in several attacking stats, including goals scored (8), shots on target (43), and shot conversion (5.93%). Defensively, they have conceded the most goals (33), which on its face is damning. However, they have greatly underperformed in that regard, as the statistics say that they should have only given up an xG of 23.49, which means their 33 goals conceded are about 9.5 more than they technically should have given up.
There isn’t much to say in their defense. They have zero players with more than a single goal in the Premier League, and of their 8 goals scored, only one has come away from home (against Spurs in one of their two draws). Barring a miracle, this is a side that is destined for the Championship, 8 points behind 19th placed Burnley and 13 points away from safety.
Can they give Arsenal a scare? Sure, it is possible. But it would take an exceptionally aberrant display on both ends of the pitch. This is one of those matches that the Gunners have zero reason to not manage to three points with a rotated side, as long as they aren’t caught looking ahead.
Injuries & Suspensions
Arsenal’s ability to rotate on Wednesday was a sight for sore eyes (and limbs) as many over-worked players got rest. No new injuries were acquired, which is an even bigger bonus. Hopefully, the extra time off has let a few players on the cusp get back to full fitness.
The bad news from this week was the report that Max Dowman endured an injury to his ankle ligaments, sustained during the club’s behind-closed-doors “friendly” with Manchester United. A promising young Arsenal talent picking up a serious injury? Stop me if you’ve heard that one before. The setback will sideline the academy wonderkid for at least two months and hopefully not significantly impact his meteoric growth with the first team.
Riccardo Calafiori is set to miss Saturday’s match after picking up his 5th yellow card of the season against Aston Villa.
OUT: Gabriel Magalhães (thigh), Cristhian Mosquera (ankle), Kai Havertz (knee), Riccardo Calafiori (yellow card accumulation), Max Dowman (ankle)
DOUBT: Declan Rice (illness), Leandro Trossard (knock), William Saliba (knock), Jurrien Timber (knock)
Predicted Lineup
Attack: Eze, Gyökeres, Madueke
Mikel Arteta will likely look to this match as another rotation-heavy affair after finding success on Wednesday with a similar approach. Eberechi Eze was an unused sub and could slide into the left wing as he looks to build his confidence following a lackluster performance against Aston Villa. Likewise, Viktor Gyökeres was largely anonymous against Club Brugge as he continues to return to fitness. Despite a very exciting return to action, Gabriel Jesus probably isn’t fit for a start yet, but should come on for another late cameo. Noni Madueke had his best night in an Arsenal kit on Wednesday night with a brace during a MOTM performance. Noni in form with Saka getting more rest? Call it a win-win.
Midfield: Rice, Zubimendi, Ødegaard
Declan Rice was left at home after suffering an illness that he picked up ahead of Villa. Whether his omission was actually on account of a malady or not is anyone’s guess, but you can’t fault the gaffer giving his workhorse a day off. If he still needs recovery, I imagine Mikel Merino slides in at the 8. Martin Zubimendi and Martin Ødegaard featured on Wednesday and both looked sharp, with Zubimendi assisting twice and Ødegaard pulling the strings. It’s great to have him back.
Defense: Lewis-Skelly, Hincapie, Saliba, Timber
Calafiori is out, so Myles Lewis-Skelly gets another start after a decent evening in Belgium. Piero Hincapie looked stout and has earned yet another start. Should William Saliba be fit, I can’t think of a reason he wouldn’t start, considering the opponent and the fact that they are playing at the Emirates. If not him, we may see yet another Christian Nørgaard start at CB following his surprise deployment on Wednesday. Jurrien Timber was one of the players left out while recovering from a knock. Ben White has done fine and could start once again, but Timber is just different gravy.
Keeper: Raya
Noni might have gotten all of the praise, but David Raya was sensational against a Brugges side that played on the front foot and tested him with 7 shots on goal, forcing him into a few key saves. He gets the start.
Arsenal showed tremendous resiliency midweek after a brutally late loss on the weekend. It was exactly the kind of performance you want to see in response to a gut check result – confident, commanding, and reassuring. Numerous players stepped up and there were ample minutes for fringe guys. Saturday is another excellent opportunity for a repeat performance and to build off of Wednesday’s result and re-establish their identity during an exhausting run.
WHO: Arsenal vs Wolverhampton
WHAT: Premier League match day 16
WHEN: Saturday, December 3rd, 3:00pmEST/12:00pm PST/8:00pm GMT
WHERE: The Emirates Stadium, London
HOW TO WATCH: Broadcast live on the USA Network. Streaming on NBCSports.com.
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