Mikel Arteta can unleash new-look £180m Arsenal midfield against Forest after injury boost
Just over halfway through the season, and it's been something of a mixed bag for Arsenal. The Gunners are out of both domestic cup competitions, but have progressed into the Champions League round of 16 with ease and sit just five points off the top of the Premier League table in third.
Perhaps most frustrating for Mikel Arteta will be that his side have played well in patches, but seem to have rarely hit top gear on a consistent basis. The Spaniard himself has admitted there is room for improvement. «We have to continue to be ourselves, but there are certain details, certain marginal gains that we have to improve and develop,» he told reporters ahead of his side's clash with Crystal Palace last week.
There have certainly been mitigating circumstances for that. The biggest of those is probably injuries. Having been able to name eight players in every one of his Premier League starting XI's prior to the World Cup last season, Arteta has been able to field the same team in consecutive games just twice this time around.
Thomas Partey, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jurrien Timber, Mohamed Elneny, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Emile Smith Rowe, Fabio Vieira, Ben White and Declan Rice have all been out at various points this season. As a result the Arsenal starting XI has been disrupted. Nowhere more so than the midfield.
Last season Arsenal had a settled midfield three of Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka and Martin Odegaard. Xhaka has obviously left, but since his departure, there has been a struggle for consistency of selection. Kai Havertz, Smith Rowe, Jorginho, Rice and Vieira have all started matches in the middle of the park to add to the two remaining regulars from last season.
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