There was more set-piece joy for Arsenal in midweek, as well as a second successive home clean sheet to toast.
However, missing out on the points at both ends of the field was Gabriel Magalhaes (£6.2m) – and it’s with the Brazilian defender’s fitness that we begin these Gameweek 14 Scout Notes.
- READ MORE: FPL notes: Maresca on rotation, Sanchez promise + Madueke
- READ MORE: FPL Gameweek 14 round-up: Wednesday’s goals, assists, bonus points + stats
Gabriel + Calafiori injury latest
It wasn’t just Gabriel missing out through injury on Wednesday but Riccardo Calafiori (£5.8m), too.
Both defenders had exited Saturday’s win over West Ham United early but the substitutions had sounded more precautionary in nature.
Nevertheless, neither defender featured against Manchester United.
Speaking after full-time, Mikel Arteta offered us the usual vague update on the pair.
“Gabi was a big risk to play today because he felt something against West Ham. Sunday is going to be a possibility. With Riccy as well, let’s see how he reacts.” – Mikel Arteta
ARSENAL’S SET-PIECE STRENGTH
Arsenal are good at set pieces – who knew? Surely Ruben Amorim did but he, along with most opposing managers who come up against Arsenal, seemed powerless to do anything about it.
The deliveries from Declan Rice (£6.2m) and Bukayo Saka (£10.4m) were again on point, the movement in the box clever.
Jurrien Timber (£5.6m) flicked in Rice’s corner for the opener, while Saka’s whipped set piece from the opposite flank was nodded on by Thomas Partey (£5.0m) and in off William Saliba‘s (£6.0m) ribcage.
There were other chances from dead-ball situations, too. Partey and Mikel Merino (£6.0m) both wasted glorious headed chances, from Rice and Saka crosses respectively. Gabriel Martinelli (£6.8m) lashed over, while Joshua Zirkzee (£6.6m) almost headed into his own goal from yet another teasing Rice delivery.
Given Arsenal’s dominance at corners and free-kicks, Saka’s involvement in taking them is another compelling reason to own him – despite the blank here.
Above: Arsenal’s shot map in Gameweek 14 (left) and their shot map without corner-kick situations (right). Click to expand.
Manchester United didn’t do too badly to stymie Saka, Martin Odegaard (£8.3m) and co in open play. The two were quieter than they’d been in recent matches, but there was still one bit of superb ingenuity from the Norwegian to set up Kai Havertz (£7.9m) for the only real big open-play chance of the evening.
To have such set-piece prowess, another route to goal in tighter games such as Wednesday’s, is a real boon for the Gunners.
“I think we want to be very dangerous and very effective from every angle and every face of play. We worked on all of that. Today we couldn’t score from open play like we did against West Ham, against Sporting, so the team really has belief that from every angle we have the mentality to threaten the opponent and to try to score. Today was two set pieces, we constantly have threatening corners.” – Mikel Arteta
“We already knew that it would be a tough game. I think the corners changed the game, the set-pieces. Then we lost the momentum, we tried everything then to control the game again. You feel it in the first half, in the environment of the stadium, that we were causing problems. We need to improve in a lot of areas of our game, but we were controlling the game.” – Ruben Amorim
AMORIM DISCUSSES ROTATION
For the third game running, Ruben Amorim made six changes to his starting XI.
Out went the likes of Marcus Rashford (£7.0m), Amad Diallo (£5.0m) and Zirkzee, who had starred in the 4-0 win over Everton on Sunday.
Rotation is the scourge of Fantasy managers, even though we expect a bit of it from most Premier League bosses at this time of year. In United’s case, however, the changes look like they will be plentiful every week.
“In this moment, it is impossible to play with the same team. They [the players] have to feel they are part of the team, but we are changing the methodology, we are changing a lot of things. We are changing the way we play, the way we press, so we have to have all the players fit. We cannot have injuries in this moment because it will be tough to cope with all the games so we will manage the way we feel is the better way for the team.
“It’s not that I like to change [the line-up] all the time but if you see the game, Mason Mount cannot do the full game because we have to be careful in this stage. Harry Maguire has to leave the pitch no matter what. Leny Yoro, we have to control the time he plays. We did the same with Luke Shaw, we did the same with Ty Malacia. We have to control the time, manage a new idea, win games and try to maintain all the players’ fitness. It’s a difficult period but let’s focus on the performance and then think about the next game.” – Ruben Amorim
One of the five second-half changes saw Leny Yoro (£4.3m) make his first league appearance for United, on as a substitute on the hour.
FERNANDES DEEPER
Someone who has so far been immune to the chopping and changing is Bruno Fernandes (£8.5m), who unsurprisingly started at the Emirates.
But, like he had been at Bodo/Glimt a week earlier, he was stationed in a deeper role, alongside Manuel Ugarte (£4.9m).
As a result, the Portuguese midfielder had no penalty box touches or shots.
Far from ideal, and a situation that will require constant monitoring, but if he’s to continue to avoid rotation in this busy December period, stays on penalties and plays most games as a ’10’, then owners will perhaps suck up the odd start in central midfield.
