It’s safe to say that Arsenal's hopes of winning the Premier League title this season are effectively over. With recent results slipping away, it now seems the team is focusing on staying sharp for the remainder of their UEFA Champions League campaign which is the only realistic opportunity to achieve something meaningful this season.
Mikel Arteta named a somewhat stronger side than expected against Ipswich over the weekend, notably starting Bukayo Saka. While it’s understandable that some players like Lewis Skelly, Jurrien Timber, and Thomas Partey were rested, Saka’s inclusion raised eyebrows. One could argue it would have been wiser to introduce him once the game was a bit more settled rather than from the start, especially considering how we approached the game; it was more routine than competitive. Hopefully, there doesn’t appear to be any serious injury concern from that tackle on him.
With the first leg of the Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain on the horizon, every decision counts. Starting without Thomas Partey seemed like a tactical experiment by Arteta, possibly to simulate scenarios where the team might have to cope without their midfield anchor since he'd be missing the first leg through suspension anyway.
In Partey’s absence, it was clear that Declan Rice had to shoulder more defensive responsibility, with Mikel Merino also dropping into midfield, allowing Trossard to lead the line in a false 9 role, which he interchanged with Martinelli in a fluid forward lineup.
We will hope that Arteta’s gamble pays off and that the players are refreshed and ready for what will be one of the biggest matches of their season. All eyes will now be on team news and tactical setups ahead of the semi-final.
While the Premier League title may have slipped away, there’s still plenty to play for. If we could just cement our place in 2nd spot, which is almost guaranteed, then make a deep run, all the way to winning the Champions League, this season could still be remembered for the right reasons.
I was most excited to see Nathan Butler-Oyedeji make his Premier League bow and what's a debut it would have been had that strike that the keeper parried gone in. Hopefully, he gets more playing time like his Hale End brothers.
Again, one game at a time.