It’s cold, it’s wet, it’s an early-rounds Europa League clash against a poor opponent – I get why it’s not the most motivating of prospects for a professional footballer.
These are the sorts of fixtures we have seen descend into disaster so often over the years as teams fail to lift themselves mentally as well as physically for the challenge. Apathy breeds upsets.
And yet, there is still quite a bit at stake for Arsenal and the need to get the job done, and done well, is pressing. Our failure to pick up at least a point last week in Eindhoven means there is the slimmest of chances that the Dutch side could pip us to top spot.
And while in years gone by that wouldn’t be an enormous issue, this season the second-placed group sides are thrust into a two-legged play-off with the sides dropping down from the Champions League, and those are additional fixtures we could well do without.
After a punishing run in October, and more fixtures yet to play before the World Cup, adding in two more matches against a potentially tricky opponent would be disastrous. For that reason alone, we must see off Zurich.
For their own part, the visitors could still snag a spot in the Europa Conference League by finishing third and a victory at the Emirates tonight would see them drop into a play-off. While they may lack in quality, they won’t lack in motivation and will be a dangerous opponent for it.
Mikel Arteta’s men, meanwhile, have a huge fixture at Stamford Bridge on Sunday and will have to keep at least some of their powder dry for that clash. The manager, therefore, must put his faith in some of those on the sidelines to get the job done.
It would be fair to say a number of them – Fabio Vieira, Eddie Nketiah and Sambi Lokonga, in particular – have failed to really stake a claim for more than a peripheral role so far. Arteta has shown in the past that he will give opportunities to those who put in performances but, for whatever reason, it hasn’t really clicked on the European stage.
Tonight is the time to change that.
Aside from the second-half of the Nottingham Forest match, the Gunners have struggled to really find their rhythm of late. Passes have been going astray, finishing has been poor, and our movement has been laboured. While the results have masked to some extent the level of performance, defeat at PSV was a timely reminder that we can and will be punished.
That’s why starting the match in the right way will be so important. We have not only to set the tone from the first whistle but we have to establish control of the game and put the ball in the net. The longer it remains 0-0, the worse it is for us.
If we had managed to snag a point at Eindhoven last week, this truly would be a dead rubber but, alas, our complacency and lack of motivation on that occasion cost us. We cannot afford to make that mistake again.
On a brighter note, however, it would be great if Reiss Nelson was given another chance to impress in Bukayo Saka’s stead. The 22-year-old enjoyed a stellar performance against Forest and has spoken since of his desire to earn a new contract at Arsenal.
Nketiah has shown that is perfectly possible but the performances must be there. Is Reiss can go out and do the business again tonight – as well as keep himself injury free – who knows what the future may hold?
For his sake and for our own, let’s hope we perform well and leave nothing to chance.
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