Preview: Arsenal head to Club Brugge looking to make it six wins from six
Arsenal will look to continue their perfect Champions League form when they head to Club Brugge in midweek, knowing another win will surely guarantee them a top-eight finish.
By Karl Matchett
A team made for Europe?
Arsenal had a pretty spectacular run of form which makes it feel like they should be runaway champions elect in the Premier League, yet they’ve stuttered when they should have sprinted. As such they’re only two points clear and currently on course for a very middling 84 points – nowhere near enough to land a title if Man City click into gear. But in Europe, it might be a very, very different story.
Mikel Arteta’s team are resolute defensively, experts at set plays and can dominate patiently without breaking their shape, even if they don’t break down an opponent. It might well see this Gunners team perfectly set up to go the distance in the competition this term, though of course top spot – as they had at the start of Matchday 6 – in the league phase guarantees little in the knockouts. Even so, the squad depth is tremendous and there’s already talk of January additions – a first ever Champions League title must be high on the agenda.
Stuck between versions
As for Club Brugge, this may go down as a season of transition. They are not the dominant force of Belgian football who have finished first in four years out of five, and second the other year – after being runners-up last term, they haven’t managed to respond strongly and sit third this time around so far. While not disastrous, especially if they muster enough points together to scrape a top-24 finish in this Champions League phase, many of their young talents clearly need another year or two to develop: Aleksandar Stanković, Carlos Forbs, Joaquin Seys, Joel Ordóñez, Jorne Spileers and Nicolo Tresoldi have all played over 800 league minutes already; all are aged 21 or younger. To add to the uncertainty, they’ve sacked Nicky Hayen and reappointed former boss Ivan Leko on the eve of the clash.
Recent results
Just one win in six has the hosts well out of form, with four defeats in the last five. At home they were near-perfect until the start of November but it has gone wonky since. That said, Arsenal are three without a win away from home and have just two wins in five domestically. All the same, five wins from five in Europe tells its own story.
Team news
Brugge have a horrid list of absentees including both senior goalkeepers, meaning third choice Dani van den Heuvel will continue in net. Ludovit Reis, Spileers and Romeo Vermant are among the other big misses.
For Arsenal it’s still centre-back pairing Gabriel and William Saliba who are the main injury misses, but Cristhian Mosquera has now joined them and Leandro Trossard is also out.
Key player
It’s hard to look past Mikel Merino at the moment, as he keeps popping up with goals. He continues to offer a bizarre collection of all-round traits: above 95% of similar players in the Premier League for expected assists per 90, touches and interceptions, and above a full 100% for tackles. Compared to centre-forwards (since he’s playing there) over the last year he’s above only two-thirds for goals, yet all of them for defensive contributions.
Prediction
Arsenal to get back to winning ways thanks to set-piece prowess in a low-key encounter: Club Brugge 0-2 Arsenal.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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