We start our Champions League campaign away in Italy on Thursday night. We face Europa Champions Atalanta, in one of our 3 away fixtures in the week from hell.
Our XI
The good news is Declan Rice is back. Bukayo Saka is expected to be fit despite coming off early on Sunday. Riccardo Calafiori is back in training but Odegaard is facing a spell out.
Not a lot of room for rotation, especially in defence, so same back 5 is expected.
It will be interesting to see who Rice replaces. It will be tough for Thomas Partey to play 3 in a week, especially after playing both of Ghana's fixtures last week. On the other hand, Jorginho made his first appearance of the season. He did suffer with cramp, but I would definitely be tempted to start him in his "home country".
Following a bright cameo, calls will be for Ethan Nwaneri to start, but I cannot see Arteta being that brave. A fair few options for rotation with Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus options to come in.
MLS, Nathan Butler-Oyedeji, Salah-Eddine, young keeper Jack Porter and Jimi Gower are on the trip, with 12 sub places available. Heaven, Kabia and Maldini will play for the youth instead
Atalanta's form
It has been a very mixed start for Atalanta. A 4-0 opening day win was followed by a disappointing 2-1 defeat at Torino and then a 4-0 hammering by Inter. That ended a run of 3 away games, and they returned to their Gewiss Stadium with a topsy turvy 3-2 win over Fiorentina. They sit 9th in Serie with 6 points.
Atalanta players
Ademola Lookman was the hat-trick hero in last seasons Europa final, and was linked to us in the summer. He made his first league appearance of the season against Fiorentina and netted the winner.
Marco Retegui has started the season with 4 goals in 4 games, having signed from Genoa for €22m in the summmer. Making up an exciting front 3 is Charles de Katelaere, who is touted as the KdB heir in the Belgium side. Marco Brescianini is another attacking option, and he has 2 goals already this season.
A familiar face should be on the field on Thursday, as Sead Kolasinac looks to get one over on his old team. He returned from injury on Sunday to play as the left sided CB. Swedish star Isak Hien and Albanian Berat Djimsiti could make up the back 3. Behind them should be Marco Carnesecchi, who has taken the 'keeper role following the loan departure of Juan Musso .
Marten de Roon captains them, and has English experience with Middlesbrough, while his midfield partner, Ederson, is a highly rated Brazilian international.
WIng backs Raoul Bellanova and Matteo Ruggeri are both better attacking than defending, if they are picked.
The Atalanta roster also includes Everton loanee Ben Godfrey, ex Chelsea man Davide Zappacosta, vastly experienced ex Wolves 'keeper Rui Patricio, Juan Cuadrado and ex Villa loanee Nicolo Zaniolo. Injury has robbed them of Italian international, and former West Ham striker, Gianluca Scamacca
An interesting Champions League campaign lies ahead, but getting a day 1 win will set us up for a great campaign. It is likely we will need 5 or 6 wins to get into the top 8, and to beat a fellow pot 2 side in one of our four away ties will be massive.
Atalanta away
posted on 17/9/24
It's only 4 games into the season, and we're already padding our bench with teenagers. 5 out of the 9 players on the bench away to Spurs were 18 years old and below.
And it doesn't get any easier going forward. It's basically a sequence of 2-3 league games, with a CL game sandwiched in between. From now until New Year's
I'm afraid Arteta will have to be very prudent and make a lot of unpopular squad rotations over the next couple of months.
He will also need to be a bit of a bastirt during the upcoming International break. Other clubs have been far more streetwise and stopped their players from travelling.
posted on 17/9/24
TBH i really wouldnt want to be starting Timber. Was out almost the whole of last season and has already played alot plus was on international duty.
Surely Kiwior could come in.
Plus whats happened to Zinchenko already.
Any news on Tomiyasu i'm sure i ready he was only meant to miss pre season but we already passed game 4 in the PL plus 2 week international break.
posted on 17/9/24
Timber was only a sub on international duty, not sure you want Kiwior at full back against Atalanta, they attack a lot down the flanks.
Tomiyasu was said to be 2-3 months at the time.
Zinchenko got injured playing for Ukraine.
posted on 19/9/24
Calafiori is back !!!
posted on 19/9/24
Can calafiori start so soon after injury? I wouldn't mind seeing Lewis Skelly in the line up. Arteta has to start trusting these youngsters at some point.
posted on 19/9/24
not in this game tu
posted on 19/9/24
Cala was only a kick so surely he is fit enough. Back in Italy, he could play a key role.
posted on 19/9/24
Calafiori can start but would you disrupt that back 4? This is the Champions League and not the coca cola cup.
posted on 19/9/24
The question would be is Timber a risk after a year out? 3 games in 8 days with all the travel is tough for anyone, and Timber did struggle against Brighton a bit.
If they are happy with Timbers health then you would keep the same.
posted on 19/9/24
Timber had cramp before the International break, so I think he needs more reps than rest. Similar issue with Jesus and Sterling. They need minutes imo.