By Bulldog Drummond
There seemed to be many occasions last season when it was hardly possible to write an injury update for Arsenal because there was just one or maybe two players out and we knew all about them. But now we are in a totally different situation.
Definitely out (or so it seems from the information I can gather) are Mikel Merino, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Kieran Tierney.
Being assessed are Martin Odegaard, Riccardo Calafiori and Bukayo Saka. (Although Bukayo Saka’s injury may not be severe, he may well not be risked for the Champions League game). However, unless I have misunderstood the rules, available for the Champions League match is Declan Rice who still has one suspension to serve in the Premier League (although there has been the usual hyping up of possibilities).
But given that Atalanta will be considered one of the weakest teams in the group this could well be an opportunity for others in the squad to be given a run out in any case.
Arsenal had 17 consecutive seasons in the Champions League starting in 2000/2001 being runners’ up once and beaten semi-finalists once, before having six seasons which involved five in the Europa and one without European football at all. Last season, you’ll recall we were back in the Champs League and got to the quarter finals.
Overall these results have given us 211 games played in this competition, with 106 wins, 45 draws and 60 defeats – which is a win rate of just over 50%. The goal tally is 351 for and 226 against given a goal difference of +125.
Atalanta have been in the Champions League three times going out in the group stage once, the round of 16 once and the quarter-finals once.
But what is particularly encouraging for Arsenal at the moment is their away form. Following the away defeat to Bayern last April, Arsenal have played five away games – and although the away match with Wolverhampton was one that Arsenal most certainly not one of the most worrying of away fixtures. Although on the other hand the remaining games (two against Tottenham, and one each away to Manchester United and Aston Villa) could be considered rather challenging.
Yet all five in succession have been won. Indeed those five league games have given a goal-scoring record of nine for Arsenal and just two for the opposition. Not bad for a set of away fixtures.
Of course these were all played in England, but given the luxury travel that players are now granted, and the fact that the club has had regular engagement in Europe (apart from that one blip when finishing eighth in the league and not managing to win a cup), there really should not be too much of a problem in continuing this wonderful away run.
Indeed we might also take note of Arsenal’s biggest away win of all time was a 0-7 beating of Standard Liege in the Cup Winners’ Cup on 3 November 1993. Maybe that record could be emulated.
(In case you were not there, Arsenal’s biggest away win in the League was 1-7 against Aston Villa in 1931.)
But we must not forget that the “Nerazzurri” to give them their local name won their first-ever Eurropean trophy last season, beating Bayern Leverkusen, 3-0 in the Europa League final. And just in case that doesn’t sound too amazing, we should also remember that Bayern Leverkusen won the German league last season after an infinitely long run of wins by Bayern Munich.
Now of course Bayern Leverkusen did have a huge advantage in the last campaign since Bayern Munich had, for reasons that have never become clear, signed someone from Tottenham as their new centre forward. As a result after 11 consecutive league wins, with their new centre forward Bayern only came second.
It is as they say a funny old game.
Atalanta BC (to give them the full title) have played Premier League clubs six times, and beat Liverpool 0-3 in the Europa, but otherwise have not had success against English clubs. But let us not underestimate them – last weekend they beat Fiorentina and they are in the Champions League through coming fourth in Italy last time around…
|
|
P
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
F
|
A
|
GD
|
Pts
|
|
|
|
38
|
29
|
7
|
2
|
89
|
22
|
67
|
94
|
|
|
|
38
|
22
|
9
|
7
|
76
|
49
|
27
|
75
|
|
|
|
38
|
19
|
14
|
5
|
54
|
31
|
23
|
71
|
|
|
|
38
|
21
|
6
|
11
|
72
|
42
|
30
|
69
|
2 points.
One
“As a result after 11 consecutive league wins, with their new centre forward Bayern only came second”.
Harry Kanes impact was even bigger than you thought Tony as Bayern only finished third actually, behind Leverkusen AND Stuttgart, who despite putting up a very good show lost 3-1 at Real Madrid last night.
In the meantime Kanes new boys stuffed Dinamo Zagreb 9 – 2 with Kane ‘bagging’ 4, 3 of which were penalties of course.
Two
“(In case you were not there, Arsenal’s biggest away win in the League was 1-7 against Aston Villa in 1931.)”
Alas, or luckily, not sure which, I was not there. Luckily for me I was at the 2nd biggest ever win at Villa Park back on the 29th of October 1983.
Final score Aston Villa 2 – 6 Arsenal.
It was notable for the fact a certain Tony Woodcock scored 5 of the goals which was at the time a post-war record for the club in one match. He has signed for half a million a year earlier and was our top scorer 3 years on the trot. Unfortunately he as badly injured in March 1985 and subsequently released by George Graham.
Ah, memories.
And point three:
“However, unless I have misunderstood the rules, available for the Champions League match is Declan Rice who still has one suspension to serve in the Premier League”
My understanding was you receive a one match ban for a two yellow card red?
From somewhere out there on the wonder web:
“If a player receives two yellow cards (resulting in a red card), he/she gets a ban from the next match of the same tournament. For eg. If A gets two yellow cards in an English Premier League match, he will miss the next premier league fixture but can play a Champions League match since it is a different tournament”
Hence Rice has served his ban and can play on Thursday and Sunday?
Unless I’ve missed something?