Arsenal lost 0-1 to Inter Milan in a UEFA Champions League match at the San Siro last Wednesday, November 6. It was the Gunners’ second successive defeat across all competitions. It is a mini-crisis for Mikel Arteta’s men in Arsenal’s title charge, as they should find it really difficult to win a silverware this season as well.
Arsenal really missing Martin Ødegaard at the moment:
It has almost been a couple of months that Martin Ødegaard has been out of action and his absence has hurt the side badly. The Gunners did not have a proper No. 9 to begin with, and now they are having to do with a proper No. 10 as well.
Leandro Trossard was tried as the No. 10 in Ødegaard’s absence, but he has not been very impressive in that role. The 29-year-old Belgian has two goals and an assist in 13 matches, which is hardly awe-inspiring. Ødegaard used to combine brilliantly with Saka through the inside-right channel, which has been effectively missing with Havertz at the centre of the pitch.
Havertz and Trossard swapped roles in the match against Inter, with the former playing as the No. 10 and the latter as the centre-forward. However, the result was equally unimpressive, which must have raised Arteta’s concerns. Havertz has seven goals and an assist in 15 matches this season, but his form during the past month or so has not been encouraging.
In Ødegaard’s absence, the Gunners have lacked incision in their passing in the final third. Most of the opponents know that if they can stop Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli down the flanks, they should be able to stop Arsenal.
There is not enough pressure on the opposition centre-backs without a proper No. 9 and a No. 10. With Gabriel Jesus also going through a lean patch and Raheem Sterling also not looking very convincing in the few appearances he has made, the options are limited for the Gunners down the middle.
The Gunners have already dropped 12 points in their 10 Premier League matches so far, and already trail Liverpool by seven points. It might prove to be an uphill task for the Gunners to win the league title from here.
Arsenal has a few key clashes left in November:
The Gunners will take on Chelsea next Sunday, November 10. It should prove to be a stern test for the North London side, as Chelsea is in pretty decent form this season. After the international break, Arsenal will face Sporting CP in Champions League and also take on Nottingham Forest and West Ham United in Premier League this month itself.
All those matches should prove to be crucial for the Gunners and might contribute significantly towards determining the fate of their season. However, the positive thing for the Gunners is that Ødegaard has resumed training for Arsenal recently.
With the Norwegian playmaker back in the side, the Gunners will certainly be stronger. However, it does not still guarantee success by any means, as other teams will prepare accordingly. Still, Arsenal should be able to improve their performance once Ødegaard fits into the team once again. It is very important for Arsenal that the playmaker is not rusty on his return from his prolonged injury.