Arsenal have been on an upward trajectory in the past few years. The Gunners have looked like a top team that can challenge Manchester City and Liverpool for the title. After coming extremely close the last two years, they would’ve hoped to finally get over the line this season. An already loaded team, they got new players to address the shortcomings of the squad. The season started off, just the way they would’ve hoped for and it seemed as if maybe this year they can better Manchester City for the title.
They kept losing players to injury throughout the season. The two new signings, Riccardo Calafiori and Mikel Merino both took some time before getting on the pitch. A few injuries here and there don’t hurt much but when your stars become unavailable then there’s nothing that you can do. This is exactly what has happened since. First, it was captain Martin Odegaard who got hurt in the first international break of the season. Arsenal were still able to get through games and remained unbeaten. But after Bukayo Saka got hurt, it became clear that without the two players Arsenal are not the same offensively. They lost 2-0 to Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium after going down to ten men.
Their first defeat of the season was followed by a lackluster win against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League a few days later. Without Saka and Odegaard they look lost in attack. No spark, no creativity. If The Gunners don’t find their mojo back before the game against Liverpool this weekend, then Mikel Arteta and his team will find themselves seven points behind them in the table. Let’s look at how the period of Odegaard and Saka’s absence has gone by.
The Gunners without Martin Odegaard
Arsenal were able to get through games even without their captain. Bukayo Saka created many chances during the time. Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard also found form during the period. The performance against PSG in the UCL showed how good Arsenal can be even without the Norwegian. They did have problems in the game against Atalanta but as the saying goes, all’s well that ends well. Arsenal remained unbeaten throughout the period, and I remember reading articles claiming that Odegaard will need to make his way back into the team.
Bukayo Saka was the reason behind Arsenal still finding ways to look dangerous going forward. Odegaard missed key clashes in the league during his rehab. Gabriel scored a header each in the games against Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspurs. The Gunners were able to grind out the results because of how good their defense is and great performances day in and day out in the midfield by Thomas Partey and Declan Rice.
Arsenal without Bukayo Saka
The Gunners lost Bukayo Saka to a hamstring issue that occurred during the international break. The winger was playing for the national team, and it was during a humiliating loss to Greece that he came off in the forty-nineth minute hobbling.
There was no clarity about his availability, Arteta was unclear about when he will be back. It was because of this injury that he missed the last two matches for The Gunners. The first game that he did not play this season, Arsenal lost to Bournemouth. They could not score a single goal without him. In the game against Shakhtar, Arsenal looked good in the beginning but as the game went on, they only got more passive.
The Gunners were able to manage without Odegaard because they still had Saka. The team needs at least one of them back before they host Liverpool next week. Liverpool have won games this season but are nowhere near unbeatable. The match against The Reds this weekend at The Emirates will be extremely important for Arsenal’s title challenge. A loss on Sunday will put Arsenal seven points behind the top of the league and the mountain to climb will only get bigger.
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