A much-changed Arsenal conceded more ground in the title ‘race’ on Saturday – not that it’s now anything other than a procession for Liverpool.
The Gunners drew 1-1 with Everton in a forgettable lunchtime kick-off.
As usual, it’s team selection, rotation and injuries that dominate the Scout Notes.
ARTETA EXPLAINS HIS ROTATION
Bukayo Saka (£10.4m) didn’t start on Saturday, then, but neither did Jurrien Timber (£5.6m), Thomas Partey (£4.9m), Martin Odegaard (£8.2m) or Gabriel Martinelli (£6.5m). All of them were among the substitutes at Goodison Park.
Mikel Arteta might have talked a good talk in his pre-match presser about concentrating on Everton and not thinking about Real Madrid, but actions spoke louder than words. When the teamsheets were exchanged, it was clear where the focus was.
Arteta claimed the Gunners had “four issues” that influenced his selection (presumably Partey, Odegaard and Martinelli alongside the known one of Timber), although you’d imagine all of them would have started had something meaningful been riding on Saturday’s clash.
“Certain players could not start the game. After Fulham, we had four issues, on top of all the issues that we already had. So we had to be very mindful because we have a lot of games coming up right now.” – Mikel Arteta to BBC Sport
“There were four players that couldn’t start the game after what happened with Fulham, and obviously the injury of Gabi, so that forces you as well to make some changes. As well, players deserve to play minutes, so I’m very happy with that. Everybody has to be important, has to feel important. They have so many games coming up right now, and we have to rely on all of them.
“[The decision to rotate was] not for what was happening on Tuesday but because some of them haven’t trained, they haven’t had the opportunity to start the game.” – Mikel Arteta in his post-match presser
“We managed to give minutes to a lot of players and rest some players.” – Mikel Arteta to TNT Sports
The big question now: what does Arteta do in Gameweek 32? The league title is gone (if it wasn’t already), while the visit of Brentford is sandwiched by the Real double-header. It is, at least, a Tuesday-Saturday-Wednesday turnaround and not Wednesday-Saturday-Tuesday, but there’ll be plenty of game-time uncertainty for the next Premier League fixture all the same.
ARTETA ON SAKA’S FITNESS
Saka instead came on at half-time of this match. He and Martinelli replaced Ethan Nwaneri (£4.6m) and Raheem Sterling (£6.7m) at the break, building on his half-hour in midweek.
“He’s in a much better place. Obviously, we have built that up, he played 30 minutes [against Fulham]. Today he’s played 49, a little bit less, because we saw the end of the game, and after that he will be in a much better place.” – Mikel Arteta on whether Bukayo Saka can start in midweek
A couple of blocked efforts from distance, one a free-kick, were all that Saka could muster. He wasn’t alone in being quiet, however, with none of Arsenal’s attackers really standing out.
The changes didn’t help but maybe we need to give Everton credit, too, as they had suffocated Liverpool in a similar manner in midweek.
Leandro Trossard (£6.8m) fired Arsenal in front and was denied a second by Jordan Pickford (£5.1m), who also thwarted Martinelli. Odegaard, meanwhile, missed the best of the Gunners’ chances late on but it was all a bit stale overall.
MERINO UPDATE
Trossard led the line on Saturday, with Nwaneri and Sterling (and later Saka and Martinelli) flanking him.
That meant that Mikel Merino (£6.1m) was moved back into midfield, as he was midway through the game against Fulham. Not as appealing as an FPL asset when he’s not ‘out of position’ up front, the Spaniard did still at least have a couple of headed efforts.
Merino appeared to have tweaked his groin in the warm-up, while he later seemed to be struggling after a clash of heads. He went on to complete 90 minutes, however, with Arteta not concerned.
“He’s fine, I just checked with the doctor. He had a cut, so he was bleeding quite a lot in the first half. Then it started again but overall he wasn’t feeling anything.” – Mikel Arteta on Mikel Merino
Elsewhere on team selection watch, it was Jakub Kiwior (£4.8m) who took the place of Gabriel Magalhaes (£6.3m). With Timber and Ben White (£6.1m) now fit, however, there is the chance that one of those two lines up alongside William Saliba (£6.4m) going forward.
MCNEIL RETURNS + WHY MYKOLENKO MISSED OUT
As for Everton, they were without Vitalii Mykolenko (£4.4m) on Saturday due to an “ankle knock”.
They did however welcome Dwight McNeil (£5.2m) back to the squad, the attacking midfielder returning as a late, late substitute.
“We’ve not been able to get any of the boys games in the under-21s at the moment because we feel as if we want to get them closer to the first team as quick as we can.” – David Moyes on Dwight McNeil
ILI ON THE SPOT
McNeil followed in the footsteps of Iliman Ndiaye (£5.2m) in returning to the matchday squad. A substitute last weekend, Ndiaye started on the left flank here and got through 75 minutes.
He also reminded us that he’s on penalties – at the very least, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£5.4m) is out.
The twinkle-toed Senegal international might be one to consider come Gameweek 35, for those wanting to free up some cash.
There was even less goalmouth action in the Arsenal box than there was at the other end, although Moyes likely wouldn’t have minded it not being an open affair.
The towering Jake O’Brien (£4.5m) nearly made it three goals in five Gameweeks, failing to react quickly enough to a big chance from a set piece.
