Bilbao, Spain – Arsenal just keep dey shine for their European tour as dem beat Athletic Club 2-0. No be joke o! This win come just before dem face Manchester City for Emirates this Sunday, kick-off 4.30pm, for Sky Sports. Mikel Arteta, the man wey sabi as coach, don show say him fit use Declan Rice and Mikel Merino for midfield, but e get one gist wey dey hot: creativity no too dey there, my people.
Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard come save the day from bench, but wetin be the real palava wey make dem no start? Arsenal no sabi run their show for majority of the match, even with over 65% possession. Or maybe dem just dey play ‘calm down’ football? (Some people go call am boring o!)
Make we break am down: Athletic try their best with 11 shots, but only two on target, and na David Raya wey collect dem like say e be training session. Arsenal defense strong, no be lie. But wetin dey lead dem to struggle? Dem play the same formation wey cause wahala against Liverpool, and e get as e be. Rice and Merino no too mix gree well as No 8s. Na only one match wey dem win of nine when dem dey play together in Premier League. And that one na only because dem dey catch small IPswich team wey no too strong pass.
The midfield setup dey raise eyebrows because both Rice and Merino wan run deep to score but nobody dey find the ball to move forward. Like Arteta talk, e expect plenty duels but e come at a cost: just one shot on target no be wetin big teams suppose show. Dem need find balance fast before dem face City o! If Arteta no fit balance am, I dey fear say dem go run into wahala.
As dem eye the City game, wahala come dey over Martin Odegaard shoulder injury wey fit put am for bench again like before. If no be am, wetin? E fit use Eberechi Eze. The young star sabi swing left and right, but Arteta go need think hard where to put am.
If Saka no fit return, Noni Madueke fit step up for left wing. Meanwhile, Martinelli and Trossard, wey dey shine like stars off bench, fit start – but the question be whether dem go fit match that impact. Arsenal don look stronger this season, but big games like City na where dem fit shine or fall flat.
In short, Arsenal no fit afford any slip-up against Manchester City this Sunday or dem go dey chase Liverpool like last season again. Arteta don talk say opportunity dey ground, and dis game go show whether dem fit re-write their narrative as an attacking force, or if dem go continue dey hide behind defense. Na so e be. Make dem ready for action!
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