Playing Jesus from the start will be a mistake in the spurs game.
The Gunners will be hoping to get any boost they can ahead of the trip to North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend, given the number of absentees we’ll have for that game due to suspension and injuries.
Mikel Arteta signing a new contract extension over the week will provide that lift a bit, however it is the return Gabriel Jesus that will give us that much needed boost, having been out for almost three weeks now with a groin injury suffered ahead of the game against Aston Villa.
The Brazilian is now back in first team training with an eye on potentially starting at the weekend. Given the number of absences, it’ll give us wiggle room to make more adjustments that will allow a certain German (Kai Havertz) to be available to provide an option in midfield.
However any plans to start him for the game against Spurs should be put on hold right now because it will be a mistake ,potentially doing worse instead of bettering the situation.
Thrusting him into a game of this magnitude without the fitness and match sharpness will most likely see him perform well below his best and not be able to give a 100 per cent on the day. There’s also the risk of going straight back to the treatment room owing to the fact that it will be a very physical match which will be very grueling and demanding and might prove to just be too much for him when he’s just returning from an Injury.
He’s a warrior, He’s a player who’ll be happy to carry on regardless of pain, but Mikel Arteta and the club needs to be sensible here so as not to risk a recurring injury. There are fine players such as Raheem Sterling, Leandro Trossard and even Gabriel Martinelli who can still fill in at center forward while Havertz moves into midfield so there’s no need to rush starting him back in the Spurs game straight away.
Who among the aforementioned trio would be the best option to use at Center forward if Havertz is deployed in midfield?
KENNETH BENJAMIN
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No. If Havertz is deployed in midfield, Trossard would likely play CF
@Gai I wish to see Arteta use Arsenal pacey forwards to hurt Spuds because they always keep high line . Matinelli can finish well when in front of goal post But if not against Spuds it can be experimented in other games.
Sterling Matinelli Saka
Most defenders will find it difficult to handle their pace. If Arteta gets his selection right Arsenal still have what it takes to win the match or at least take a point of Spurds
Martinelli would be assigned in the CF position if he could play with his back to goal as Havertz, Jesus and Trossard do
The last time he started in that position, he got bullied by the big CBs
i would be surprised if Jesus does not start, assuming fit
while some Arsenal fans, it seems particularly on JA, don’t rate Jesus, it is clear that Arteta trusts him as a natural centre forward
i fully expect Jesus to start up top and Havertz to drop back to the right #8 replacing Rice, two things that drive JA mad
Yea, if Jesus is fit he can have some minutes but coming from injury, we may not expect too.much from his performance.
We surely need Havertz in middield because he is combertive like Odegard and has pass in him like Odegard.
It’s not that I don’t trust Jesus when selected, it’s a combination of the facts that (a) he doesn’t score a lot of goals for a CF – never has done really – and (b) he’s quite injury prone so isn’t in a position to improve much on (a) even if he wants to (and we all assume he does). Anyway, you never know this could be the start of a good run for him.
Jesus struggles to score when 100% fit, so I would not start him, especially as a striker.
Rather see Trossard as the striker if Arteta moves Havertz to midfield.
I’m sure there will be moaning regardless of Arteta’s selections, because there is no natural striker, and midfield is makeshift.
I agree with you about Jesus. He has only got into double figures in the EPL three times since arriving in England back in 2016.
Even when fully fit, he isn’t a prolific scorer – 4 goals in 27 EPL games last season is pretty awful even by players who aren’t supposed to be natural attackers.
I agree. Easily said, but we need to find a way to win this game without knowingly risking players for the next games. It’s a derby and even with our best 11, things often don’t go to plan in a derby. If Jesus is not 100% don’t risk him as a starter. Shore up the midfield and let Saka, Sterling, and Trossard loose to terrorize their high line.
Got to be Sterling in along with Havertz Martinelli and saka .
Don’t think I can take 90mins of Jesus throwing himself to the floor every opportunity.
Sterling has to start as he’s fired up to do well for us after the way Chelsea have let him go. I’m thinking Jesus will start on the bench.
@pat mate
Your website is not working properly
I’m on iPhone and this is the last article ,been on my laptop 🙄 and there is a new article and loads more comments on each article
Gabriel Jesus will only start against Spurs as a center forward on one condition: if both Martinelli and Sterling are on wide positions. All of us knows that the initial Martinelli – Gabriel Jesus- Saka forward line no longer works.
However, season before last when on the 26th munite against Nottingham Forest, Nelson came in for injured Saka, we had a forward line of Martinelli – Gabriel Jesus – Nelson after that change and we scored additional 4 goals. Sterling and Nelson are similar players. Its a question of Arteta starting the trio of Havertz, Partey and Nwaneri in the midfield while Timber, Magalhaes, Saliba and White man the rear guard.
Last season we done well with a trssard up front and havertz in midfield so I’d go with that , martenelli on the left wing and partey and georginio as other mids , too early for Sterling to start and same with Jesus for different reasons