How Arsenal can use unique international break to gain huge advantage over Man City and Liverpool in race for title
INTERNATIONAL breaks either halt momentum or bring a welcome relief to Prem clubs.
For Arsenal, it is the latter, despite recently making it 16 games unbeaten in all competitions – the longest run of Mikel Arteta’s five-year tenure.
In fact, this could be the most important period of the Gunners’ season as they prepare for yet another title charge, currently a point off the top with five wins from seven league outings.
Arteta has been forced to juggle numerous injuries in the opening months of the campaign, making their start both domestically and in Europe all the more impressive with results against Aston Villa, Tottenham, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.
Skipper Martin Odegaard, David Raya, Mikel Merino, Jurrien Timber, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Ben White, Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko have all spent time in the treatment room so far with knocks varying in severity.
But this break – lasting until October 16 for some players – has given Arteta a unique reset opportunity with so many of his stars remaining at London Colney instead of jetting off around the globe.
And in the long run, this could give the North Londoners a huge advantage over title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City with another tough run of fixtures on the horizon.
Arsenal currently have 10 players away with their countries: Spain’s Raya and Merino, France’s William Saliba, Italy’s Riccardo Calafiori, Poland’s Jakub Kiwior, Belgium’s Leandro Trossard, England duo Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka and Brazil’s Gabriel and Gabriel Martinelli.
But unlike most international periods, Arteta also has a full starting XI of senior stars to work with – either to get back fit, give some much-needed rest or provide tactical work.
That XI is: Neto; Timber, White, Tomiyasu, Zinchenko; Jorginho, Odegaard, Thomas Partey; Jesus, Kai Havertz, Raheem Sterling.
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Brazilian Neto is yet to make his debut since arriving from Bournemouth in the summer – cup-tied for the Carabao Cup third round 5-1 win over Bolton last month.
Defensive quartet Timber [muscular], White [groin], Zinchenko [calf] and Tomiyasu [knee] are all aiming to be available for the Prem clash with the Cherries on October 19.
Timber and Tomiyasu are the most likely with the latter making his first appearance since May off the bench in the 3-1 win over Southampton last weekend.
White and Zinchenko are in a race against time to make the squad at the Vitality, as is Odegaard, who is progressing well from an ankle ligament injury picked up in the last international break for Norway on September 9.
Partey was due to fly out with Ghana to face Sudan this week but pulled out at the last minute due to illness, while 32-year-old Jorginho was left out of Italy’s squad.
Sterling is also yet to earn an international recall for England after making his first Prem start for Arsenal against the Saints, with Jesus omitted from the Brazil squad as well.
As reported by SunSport, Havertz has been managing a minor knee issue since the end of last season – including throughout the Euros with Germany – so will use this time to recuperate after a stunning start to the season with four goals and one assist in seven Prem games.
The forgotten Kieran Tierney is also getting back up to speed, but Arteta has made it clear that the Scot is not in his plans given his excessive full-back options, likely looking for an exit in the January window.
In comparison, City have 13 players on international duty, including 10 of the 11 that started in the 3-2 win over Fulham.
As for Liverpool, they have 16 senior players away from Merseyside this month, including nine of the starting XI that edged a 1-0 victory away at Crystal Palace.
Should Arteta use this time wisely to get the majority of his squad back fit and firing, it will be a huge boost as they drive head first into a challenging stretch.
After facing Bournemouth next weekend, they have two home games – Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League and Arne Slot’s Reds.
Then it is four away matches on the spin – Preston in the Carabao Cup fourth round, Newcastle, Inter Milan in the Champions League followed by a resurgent Chelsea.