The end in Lens tonight, a disappointing 2-1 loss away from residence, will in all probability not go on to have a significant affect on Arsenal’s season. Actually, it’ll make their progress to the final 16 of the Champions League that fraction tougher, wiggle room that may have been there on the street in Seville and Eindhoven that a lot tougher to seek out. Arsenal ought to in all probability nonetheless prime Group B, they only won’t have the chance to rotate within the last few video games. Then once more after Bukayo Saka limped out of one more recreation, one would wonder if Mikel Arteta would have made use of his squad anyway if provided that choice.
If ever there was a recreation to offer Saka a breather it was this one. That’s not to disparage Lens, who rose to the event fairly magnificently within the Stade Bollaert-Delelis’ first Champions League recreation in 21 years. It’s merely that Arsenal’s star ahead had limped out of his final two video games with aches and points. Arteta was not quick on alternates both, even when that meant enjoying somebody like Gabriel Jesus, Emile Smith Rowe or Reiss Nelson out of place. Not for the primary time, it looks as if the supervisor just isn’t exploiting his squad, now deeper than ever earlier than, to its fullest.
These aforementioned choices would absolutely have been preferable to the state of affairs Arsenal discover themselves in after the match on Tuesday, fretting on whether or not Saka will get well in time for the go to of Manchester Metropolis. It’s no exaggeration to say that this recreation may very well be the pivot level for this season. If Arteta’s aspect had overwhelmed them residence and away final season they’d have been champions. A win on Sunday would matter for way over something that may have occurred tonight.
Now Arsenal should wait. “It was a backheel and he felt one thing on that particular motion,” stated Arteta, who might solely shake his head when requested if he had any indication of the severity of the problem. “It was nothing else. He was uncomfortable to proceed.”
Effervescent away within the reward for a participant of such sturdiness that he holds Arsenal’s Premier League file for consecutive appearances, there was the query over whether or not that is altogether an excessive amount of to be asking of a participant who solely turned 22 final month. Within the final three years alone, Saka has performed 173 video games. When Arteta stated final October that the perfect “play 70 matches and each three days, make the distinction and win the sport,” he appeared to be exaggerating for impact. It isn’t far off the truth for Saka.
It doesn’t should be this manner. Erling Haaland began every of Manchester Metropolis’s first 13 video games final season however when a visit to Liverpool loomed on the horizon he was held in reserve within the Champions League, though it meant a goalless draw for Pep Guardiola. His just isn’t the deepest of squads, however he tends to seek out video games the place he can maintain again three or 4 gamers when mandatory. Arteta, in the meantime, solely managed to offer Ben White an evening off.
All this may show to be nothing of any nice concern. Saka was again on the substitutes bench within the second half, he didn’t precisely appear to be a member of the strolling wounded when he made his method off with half an hour performed. Maybe this was in the end a precautionary measure that can be certain that Saka is able to assault Nathan Ake at full pressure in 5 days’ time.
What an pointless threat, although, it was to throw Saka in but once more.
Maybe essentially the most convincing argument for Arteta’s strategy, although, got here from the hour after he was compelled into that early change. With out both Saka or Martinelli, there was nobody within the Arsenal aspect to stretch play in behind. Nelson may need added the burst in behind that vanished after that damage, however on a couple of event he turned on the afterburners to chase a ball he had already punted out of play.
Probabilities nonetheless got here the guests method. Leandro Trossard and Takehiro Tomiyasu had been denied within the second half by the distinctive Brice Samba. There was not, nonetheless, the Gunners customary exertion of stress. That was coming from a boisterous Lens assist, who impressed their gamers to ship on what was one of many greatest nights of their current historical past. The identical can’t be stated for Arsenal, whose decisive second may nicely come on Sunday. What a pity it could be for them in the event that they should play that recreation with out one in all their brightest stars.
