no skin in the game
DEAD RUBBER GIVES GUNNERS GOLDEN ROTATION OPPORTUNITY
BUON POMERIGGIO, LEGIONE.
Thought I'd throw a bit of Italiano in there to start, to get you in the mood (and get you all reaching for Google Translate on your phones).
I'm not fluent in Italian like our manager. Who knew he speaks seven different languages, three of which are Spanish dialects? The Spanish language is nuts!
I'm getting with the Italian lingo to try and psyche myself up for the game tonight.
I know it's the team we all love and never want to see lose, but I HATE games with no Jeopardy. They bore me to death.
OPENING THOUGHTS
Look, we all know it. This game means the square root of fuck all. We just hope our bonkers-low-on-rotation manager also got the memo.
Even the hardcore travelling fans, out having their pizza al trancio while sipping on a Birra Moretti, know that it's an unusual, no-stakes kind of trip.
You will have the Twitter types trying to fool you with outlandish tales of why the game matters. It doesn't.
We have already qualified, and with the Almighty Kairat (or is it the other way round?) last, our chances of finishing in the top two are over 90%.
So yes, enjoy the extremely rare Arsenal stress-free game while you can. We will be back to chest-clutching come Sunday.
MOMENTUM METER
Our recent form remains strong despite drawing a blank in our last two league games.
We remain undefeated in our last six, and four of them have been on the road.
Inter's form has also been strong, putting them three points clear at the top of Serie A over bitter rivals AC Meelan. It has been built on strong defensive performances, with 4 clean sheets in their last 6.
As for Champions League form, we sit top with 100% record, 6 wins from 6.
Inter lie 6th with 4 wins and 2 defeats from their six matches. Their need is greater than ours, that's for sure.
HISTORY BOOKS
We have played the Italian Giants only three times in European competition, all in the Champions League.
Our first two meetings came way back in the group stages of 03/04, when both away sides were victorious. They won 3-0 at Highbury in a rare off night for us, including an Henry missed penalty.
We, and he, more than made up for it when we ran rampant in the return at San Siro in that famous 5-1 win, where our French #14 was simply unplayable, scoring two and making two.
Our only other meeting was in last season's league phase in Italy, where we got robbed blind.
Merino got flattened by their keeper, no penalty given, then the same player got the softest of handballs given against him, and we lost 1-0.
We weirdly played Timber left back that night, too. It really has been an ongoing problem position for us because of injuries, no matter how many left-backs we sign. The cluster injuries there are so weird.
FUN FACTS
1. In 1995, the £7.5m we paid Inter for Dennis Bergkamp tripled Arsenal's previous transfer record (which was £2.5 million for Glenn Helder). It briefly held the title of British transfer record but was beaten later the same summer by Stan Collymore's move from Forest to Liverpool for one million more.
2. Bergkamp isnt the only player to wear both jerseys. From (my favourite ever player) Patrick Vieira to Kanu, the list includes Mkhitaryan (who we'll see tonight), Alexis Sanchez, Nelson Vivas, Cedric and Podolski.
3. The iconic 5-1 victory meant Arsenal was the first English team ever to beat Inter Milan at the San Siro. Before that, the iconic stadium had been a fortress where English clubs consistently failed to win.
ONE TO WATCH
The obvious one is their captain and talisman, Lautaro Martinez, aka 'El Toro'.
As his career has progressed (he will be 29 later this year), he has matured and become more of an all-round player rather than just a goalscorer, as his season stats below show.
His goal-scoring return is still team-leading with 15 goals across Serie A (11) and Champions League (4).
He will be the one we need to keep quiet tonight if we are to get something from the game.
Physio Room
ARSENAL
With the timely return of Mosquera, our injury list is down to the three lefties in Calafiori, Hincapie and Dowman.
Hincapie never missed a game for Leverkusen last season injured. His only absence was suspension. Mosquera was likewise with Valencia. No injuries, only one game missed due to suspension.
We are definitely doing something wrong somewhere.
INTER MILAN
Inter are missing two big players in midfield, lynchpin Calhanoglu, and maurauding right full-back Dumfries.
Their replacements will most likely be Zielinski in midfield and Luis Henrique at full back.
PROJECTED LINE-UP
This is where it gets interesting, right?
Does Mikel run it back with the Portsmouth lineup with the addition of Mosquera? Does he now start Saka and Trossard since they didn't start at the City Ground?
Decisions, decisions.
I would 100% play the Portsmouth side, and hopefully Mikel thinks the same.
There should be no Rice, no Zubimendi, no Odegaard, no Saka. MLS should come back into the fold to give Timber or White (if Timbers switches back to RB) a break.
This is the lineup I'd like to see, and I think Mikel may end up choosing it or damn near close to it.
One tweak I would love is Nwaneri in for Madueke, but I can't see that happening.
Personally, I think Nwaneri is already twice the player Noni will ever be, and I will die on that hill.
Mikel hasn't got many things woefully wrong in his tenure, but his preference for Madueke over Nwaneri is truly baffling to me.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Yes, it would be nice to go into the weekend's huge clash with Yanited with momentum on the back of a huge win. You know what else would help us going into that game? A fully rested and fresh squad.
If I had to choose between the two, I'd go for the latter.
See you tomorrow for the debrief.
Forza, Cannonieri!