Back in action with something to put right at Craven Cottage

Morning.

We’re back in business today with a trip to Craven Cottage to take on Fulham. Let’s start with team news, and all the panic about Ben White was just that, with Mikel Arteta saying he should be available today as they were just managing his load – hence his reported absence from training the other day.

The same applies to Martin Zubimendi who was in action for Spain during the break, and on him Arteta said:

“We believe that it was the right thing to do. He played two games again. His load has been really high recently and he needed an extra day. He will be available.”

So too is Piero Hincapie, the summer loan signing from Bayer Leverkusen who has played scant minutes since his arrival, but after a little groin strain, he’s ready to go. Beyond that, it’s the longer-term issues we have to contend with. Kai Havertz is doing well but not back in the group yet, while on Martin Odegaard, Arteta said:

It will be weeks. There’s no definite date for his return, but he’s evolving well. It’s very unlucky, what’s happening with him and his injuries this season, but I think he will be back in a few weeks.

It seems like that target of returning after the next Interlull is a realistic one, which means the manager has to think about who he uses in his place. My suspicion is that over the course of the next four weeks or so, with seven games to play across three different competitions, we’ll see Eberechi Eze, Mikel Merino and Ethan Nwaneri share that responsibility. Today, I think it will be Eze, who did a great job there against Newcastle, and who was pretty influential against West Ham too.

We play differently when he’s there rather than Odegaard, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. He can create, but he’s also a bit more active around the box when it comes to shots, and against a Fulham side who have been tricky opposition for us at their place over the last couple of seasons, a bit more directness from the edge of the area could be very useful.

There’s a decision to make about who plays on the left between Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli, and I wonder if Tuesday’s European game might be a factor there if the manager feels one of them is better suited to that one. And the man up front, looking to get back on the scoresheet after 6 Arsenal games without a goal, is Viktor Gyokeres. Obviously there were questions about him pre-game, and Arteta backed his man to break his recent dry spell, as well as praising what else he brings to the team, saying:

Watching the games back, I’m very pleased with what he’s given to the team. I told him before the first meeting, the nine that I want is a nine that when he doesn’t score for six or eight games, he can handle that.  If not, you have to go somewhere else because the pressure is gone, the expectation is going to be there.

So if you put a number nine shirt for Arsenal, you have to be able to say, OK, six games, don’t score. I’m a different player, I start to act in a different way. I want much more of the same of what he’s doing. Once we have those opportunities, put them in. I’m sure it’s going to happen.

I’ll be honest and say I don’t really care who scores today as long as we win, but if Gyokeres could get himself on the scoresheet, I think it would be a good thing for him. When it comes right down to it, strikers are judged on goals, and while obviously there’s more nuance required than just that one metric, if you don’t score people start to question you. Answering some of those questions today would be a very good thing.

I put today’s game into the same category as Newcastle away and West Ham at home – one where we can improve on our record from the season before. We were denied a win last season by a fractional offside, so the margins are fine, but with Fulham hit by injury in midfield and attack, this is an opportunity for Arsenal today. You can’t take anything for granted, and we’ll have to play very well to win, but they’re missing some very important players today, and that’s a scenario we have to look to take advantage of. Do that and we’ll remain top of the table for another week, and that’s a good place to be.

Right, I’ll leave it there for now. As ever we’ll have live blog coverage of the game for you, and all the post-match stuff – including player ratings and reaction – on Arseblog News. There’s also a preview podcast on Patreon if you need something to listen to before the game, with discussion of Gyokeres, the opposition, and more.

For now, have a good Saturday, and come on you Gunners!