Depth Charge

With big games come big opportunities, and Sunday certainly provides a huge early chance to 'lay down a marker' in footballing punditry cliché terms. What a confidence boost it would be if we could record away wins at Old Trafford and Anfield in our first two away games of the season.

 

Our record at Anfield is pretty similar to our record at Old Trafford, ie, SHIT. Since the inception of the Premier League, we have 6 wins, 11 draws, and 16 losses. 6 wins in 33 years. Ouch. To be fair, most teams struggle there. Arsene used to always say Goodison Park at night was the hardest place to win, we would disagree and say Anfield.

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The good news is we are unbeaten in our last three visits (or winless with 3 draws depending on how you look at it). The bad news is that we haven't won there since Podolski and Cazorla (we still miss Santi) both scored their first goals in Arsenal colours in a 2-0 win thirteen years ago. We mentioned in the Man Utd preview that, for a club of our size and stature, our away records against the bigger sides have to improve. Arteta's tenure certainly has us moving slowly but surely in the right direction.

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Liverpool hasn't started great despite winning both games. Toiled to a late 4-2 home win vs a depleted Bournemouth, and yet another late late late show earned them victory against ten-man Newcastle 3-2. Two obvious things jump out with their 7-4 goal ratio. They are a force going forward, but are open at the back. Our goal difference for the record over the first two games is 6-0. If I were a betting man, I would say both teams will score, and we will more than likely have to grab a couple if we want to secure a victory, as we have only ever kept two clean sheets in the league there. Grim stuff.

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The scousers' ​transfer window grade from us would be a B+. Harsh? You think an A grade is in order? If they get Isak through the door, then I'd give them an A. If Newcastle had managed to get either Etikite or Sesko in earlier, then we would be facing Isak tomorrow. Looks like that deal might happen over the weekend since the Bar Codes just signed the German Peter Crouch (we jest, he looks like a good player) in Stuttgart's Waltemade for roughly half the money they'll most probably get for Isak.

 

If there are weaknesses in their squad, it might be at full-back. They had to enter the market in that area after losing TAA, and Andy Robertson is not getting any younger. We're not totally convinced defensively about the replacements, Kerkez and Frimpong. In two seasons under Alonso at Leverkusen, Frimpong made 75 appearances, with only 5 of them coming at full back. He will battle Conor Bradley for a starting spot. Kerkez is more of a natural in that position, but attacking is definitely his strength. Playing two wingers as full-backs is fine and dandy at home against most sides, but they are already getting found out defensively. 

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They were lacking a centre half to back up VVD and Konate after selling Quansah to Leverkusen, and Joe Gomez has never been entirely convincing. They are hoping they've solved that area with the recent signing of giant 6.5ft Italian teenager Leoni from Parma for approx £25m plus add-ons. He is 18 years old with only 30 senior appearances to his name, but is highly regarded. If one of their two starters goes down for any length of time, it will be interesting to see how he copes with the pace of the Premier League. They have also been perma-linked with Guehi of Palace, and that deal might be a deadline day buster.

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I know Etikite is grabbing the headlines early on, but we do love Wirtz. We would have had no qualms with the club dropping £100m+ on him. He is a generational talent type, and you have to tip your hat to Liverpool for beating Bayern of the Munchens to his signature. We are not the jealous type here at Arsenal Legion, but we admit to having green eyes when that deal got announced.

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They had outgoings in the transfer market. Some welcome some, not. They were delighted to get the Saudi cash for Nunez. Why doesn't a Saudi club ever rock up with trailer loads of cash for our players? Have we EVER sold a player to the Saudi Pro League? Seriously, if we have, please let us know who. So weird.

 

They also seemed keen to cash in on Luis Diaz, which was a strange move considering he was coming off a career year. They lost TAA, and we all saw the soap opera that ensued. Their excellent backup goalkeeper Kelleher, moved to Brentford in search of first-team football, so they had to spend on a replacement, and it wasn't cheap. £30m on Georgian Mamardashvilli.  Harvey Elliot looked like he was on his way out early in the window, but he remains, for now, a Liverpool player.

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All up to speed? We are conscious of spending too much time talking about the opposition. So let's get to the all-important team news.

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We'll start with calling it right about Bukayo Saka. A lot of blogs/sites were saying nothing serious, and he would make it. We categorically said in our Leeds United review, "What we do know is that there is no way he will be fit for Anfield." You aren't pulling up mid-sprint, clutching at a hamstring, and playing a week later. The prognosis is 3/4 weeks.

 

Odegaard, White, and Norgaard didn't train. Out of those 3, we are saying the Captain makes it. The other 2 would be doubtful to make the starting lineup, even when fit. Hopefully, some or all can take a place on the bench. Norgaard especially might prove invaluable late in the game if we are ahead and under the cosh.

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Arsenal:

​Missing: Jesus, Havertz, Saka

Doubtful: White, Odegaard, Norgaard

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Liverpool:​

Missing: Frimpong (typical after spending time typing a paragraph on him)

Doubtful:

 

If we are giving Odegaard a pass on the fitness front, the only big question is who replaces Saka on the right? If you were Arteta, what would you do? Go with Madueke? If so, then who plays on the left? Recall Martinelli? Do you trust Nwaneri enough to start him in the cauldron of Anfield on the right and keep Madueke left, or throw a curveball and start Eze straight out the gate? We are lucky enough to now have a ton of permutations with our starting lineup, and we haven't even mentioned Trossard. Maybe Arteta will do a madness and start Dowman? (kidding)

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​With news coming out that Havertz has undergone surgery with his return "hopefully weeks, not months", we all need to keep our fingers and toes crossed in the meantime that Gyokeres stays fit, or we're back to last season's Merino up top. We are calling it now. We are Injury Cluster FC, and Viktor is going to be the next man down.

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Our usual projected starting lineup is below, with an added twist: an AI-generated score predictor for added fun.