Gerard G

Arsenal’s squad is deep enough to make the starting eleven a sixty-minute decision. Football still treats the team sheet as a declaration of the manager’s best side. Arteta should start treating it as the first phase of a match plan.

Bukayo Saka has spent years being Arsenal’s emergency exit. The strange thing about this version of Arsenal is that they may finally be good enough to stop using him like one. Watch the opening weeks again and the most encouraging

Eberechi Eze’s first Arsenal problem is that he is capable of doing exactly what Arteta asks. That sounds complimentary. It could become limiting. Eze has already shown why Arsenal wanted him. The clearest example came at Aston Villa. He entered

Max Dowman should already be in every Arsenal meeting about January. This is a squad-planning argument. His two goals at Ipswich were the obvious part. The more useful detail came around them. Dowman started the press that led to Noni

Arsenal have built enough midfield depth to stop pretending Declan Rice is optional while playing as though he is not. Rice made 69 appearances for club and country last season. He has spoken about managing the load and Arsenal have

Lance Armstrong’s most effective trick was never hiding the needle. It was making the yellow jersey feel like evidence of innocence. Seven Tours. Cancer survivor. Nike adverts. That stare over the shoulder before he attacked on Alpe d’Huez. The achievement

Granit Xhaka does not need nostalgia to hurt Arsenal on Saturday. He needs Arsenal to press him exactly as they normally would. That is the uncomfortable part of the reunion. Xhaka spent seven years at Arsenal and several of them