Leicester preview + media stoke ‘Pep Wars’

Morning.

A quick Leicester preview for you, and like the midweek game it’s nice to be at home again for a Premier League encounter after some tough away days so far this season. In terms of the team news, it seems that David Raya is a significant doubt, with Mikel Arteta saying they needed another 24 hours to assess a muscular injury. That’s really not a lot of time for things to improve sufficiently.

If he does miss out, there is an experienced option to call on though. Neto was cup-tied for the game against Bolton, but will be available today if we’re without Raya. I don’t want to say it’s a good time to lose a player, because the injuries this season have been too much already and our keeper has probably been our player of the season so far, but the fixture list ought to make his absence less of an issue that it might have been a few weeks ago.

The manager was positive about Jurrien Timber, who was in training, and also Ben White, so hopefully they’re both ready to go. Quite which combination of full-backs he picks remains to be seen. It might be as much about who is most ready, but we’ll see a bit later on. I think Thomas Partey will come back into midfield alongside Declan Rice, and while there’s a compelling case to lean into the talent and potential of 17 year Ethan Nwaneri after his midweek exploits, I’d be a bit surprised to see him start.

I think we’ll see either Leandro Trossard or Gabriel Jesus nominally start as the centre-forward, with Kai Havertz a little further back, flanked by Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka. There’s also Raheem Sterling to consider after a good showing on his first start, so the options are there.

I think today there will be some interesting focus on what Arsenal can do at the top end of the pitch. You go away in a North London derby, then away at Atalanta, then away at Man City with 10 men, your defensive strength is going to be tested. Most people understand that – unless they steadfastly refuse to see or understand context. We came through those tests with flying colours, but when you’re facing a newly promoted side at home, people want to see how that defensive strength gives you a platform to deliver in an attacking sense.

It’s not to suggest we should just turn up and roll Leicester over, it doesn’t work like that, but to win a title you have to be able to defend, and you have to maximise fixtures like this one. It sounds presumptive to talk about goal difference just 6 games into a new season, but as we saw last time out, it was very much a factor as the campaign drew to a close. So, let’s see what the lads can produce today. I’d be delighted with three points, but all the better if we can add some goalscoring icing to the cake too.

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Meanwhile, I did enjoy Arteta’s answer to a question about whether or not he was stung by criticism of Arsenal’s approach in the second half against Man City last weekend. Quizzed on playing style versus result, he said:

“I want to win with the way we prepare the games, and how we want to play in our way but … understanding the context.

“I want to wear flip-flops and shorts and t-shirts but with this weather I think I would be very silly to do that. I better get the umbrella. ‘Oh Mikel, what are you doing?’

‘No, but I’m very brave!’

‘Yeah, but tomorrow you are sick.’”

Some people might not like it, but pragmatism is one of Arteta’s great strengths. He understands that ideals, while important, aren’t the be-all and end-all. If you have to win ugly, win ugly. If you have to dig in to try and hold a lead, that’s what you do. He said midweek that Arsenal would have been ‘thick’ not to have learned from previous experiences against Man City, and he’s absolutely right.

The same tired punditry about how it was ‘small time’ or showing an ‘inferiority complex’ would have been flipped on its head if Arsenal had just gone gung-ho with 10 men. We’d have had ‘Why don’t they learn?’ and ‘They’re naive’ from the exact same blokes. Arteta knows you can’t win in that sense, so pays scant attention to what they say. His one word answer – “No” – when asked if he had a response to likes of Graeme Souness and Roy Keane was absolutely perfect.

As for all this Pep stuff, give me strength. Is he ‘rattled’? Maybe. But the whole thing comes across as a media led frenzy. Basically, the comment that Guardiola has reportedly taken exception to is an answer to a question in an Arteta press conference.

Q: We’ve all seen numerous City player – Silva, Stones, Akanji. They’ve been very, very critical about your team’s approach. I just wondered what you’ve made of that, first of all.

A: No comment. I’ve been there before. I’ve been there before, I was there for four years

Q: What does that mean?

A: I have all the information, so I know. Believe me.

To me it seems blindingly obvious that Arteta is referencing the fact that all teams employ the ‘dark arts’ (god I hate that phrase now) and his time as a coach at City means he’s seen it implemented there. That’s it. Maybe it’s telling that Guardiola has referenced the 115 charges, but one thing that’s unquestionably true about Arteta since his arrival – whether it leaves you a bit frustrated or not – is the respect with which he talks about that club, his time there, and his relationship with Pep. He has never once said a bad word about them.

Watching the video (if you can be arsed) – it seems pretty clear the bloke asking the questions has framed it in a way to generate that kind of response. He says it was about a question regarding Arteta’s tactics, rather than one seeking a response to things City players said, and Pep has fallen for it hook, line and sinker. That’s his problem though, but it probably adds another layer to what is already an intense rivalry.

Proper storm in a teacup stuff, I suppose, but this is the media landscape we live in.

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Right, I’ll leave it there for now. Join us later for live blog coverage, plus you’ll get the match report, goal clips, reaction, player ratings and much more over on Arseblog News.

Come on you reds!