Arsenal took a point from the game at Stamford Bridge, which the Gunners fans have mixed feelings about, with a 1-1 draw. Looking at the result from the perspective of the draw, with the Mikel Arteta's They played Tottenham, Bayern and Chelsea in one week, so a point is certainly not a bad result. If I were to focus on the performance, it was one of Arsenal's most inept games in a long time. So also taking into account the performance, a point from Chelsea's London ground is a good result. On the other hand, we can't just ignore the fact that Arsenal played a powerplay from the end of the first half, which they couldn't take advantage of. Chelsea offered Arsenal a great opportunity to take the lead again, but the players in red and white didn't take advantage of it. However, now the match at Stamford Bridge is history and we need to focus on the next one in which Arsenal will face Brentford. Let's take a look at everything there is to know ahead of Wednesday's game.
Form
Although the teams still don't have as much to play after the national break, things will change quickly with the December schedule. The end of the year is traditionally full of football in England, so that the evaluation of the form will be more objective and accurate in the coming days and weeks.
Arsenal
Arsenal's form I discussed in more detail in my last blog, so I'll keep it very brief today. I already mentioned in the introduction that the weekend match at Chelsea ended in a 1-1 draw, so let's look at everything more comprehensively and on a larger scale. In the league table, the situation is now that Arsenal are in possession after thirteen rounds. first place with a five-point lead ahead of second-placed Manchester City and six points ahead of third-placed Chelsea. Cityzens footballers have therefore displaced Chelsea in second position and pulled their deficit to the front. However, the Gunners' points cushion is still quite comfortable. It will be crucial how Mikel Arteta's charges react in the next matches.
Despite the draw with Chelsea and the fact that Arsenal have not been doing so well defensively in recent games (quite possibly due to the absences of Gabriel and Saliba), Arsenal's form in the longer term is still exceptional. The Gunners are unbeaten in their last seventeen games across all competitions. To be more precise, fourteen of these seventeen matches were won by the Emirates Stadium players, while the remaining three were drawn. Although the draw with Chelsea worries me, I am not concerned about Arsenal's long-term form. Arsenal must now shift their concentration 100% to the Brentford game, in which they can get back on a winning streak. Ideally combined with a clean sheet defensively.
Brentford
Brentford are in the Premier League table in a comfortable 10th place for him. As far as results are concerned, Brentford alternates wins and losses quite regularly. Only one single Brentford league game this season ended in a draw. The record of Keith Andrews' charges is generally quite balanced, specifically as follows: 6 wins, 1 draw and 6 losses. Interestingly, Brentford is picking up points mainly on home soil. Away from home, Brentford have only managed to beat a struggling West Ham, and in all their remaining league games away from home Brentford have fallen. In addition to the home league competition, Brentford have also in the EFL Cup, where he reached the quarterfinals, in which he'll face the Etihad Stadium in two weeks' time.
As for the form after the national break, if it can be called that at all, tif it is, in short, average. First came the league defeat at Brighton 1:2, to which Brentford players then responded in the next round with a „mandatory“ victory (3:1) at home at the Gtech Community Stadium against newcomer Burnley.
Team and expected line-up
After a week in which Arsenal's players made consecutive starts against Tottenham, Bayern and Chelsea, some players need to be rested in the upcoming game against Brentford. Especially since Mikel Arteta didn't make that many changes in the three games mentioned. Better said, we would count quite a large number of players who played most of the minutes in those games.
David Raya
David Raya I'm sure he has great memories of his former employer, but on Wednesday, all sympathy will go by the wayside. The Spanish goalkeeper has failed to keep a clean sheet four times in a row, and that will surely make him all the more motivated to start a new streak of bulletproofness again. No one doubts that Raya will be part of the starting lineup.
Ben White
Jurriën Timber has been fantastic on the right side of the defensive four this season, and that's why, for the time being. Ben White doesn't get on the field much despite its undeniable quality. Given that the Dutch defender is one of the players who hasn't missed a minute on the pitch over the last week, I think Ben White will start against Brentford. As I wrote a little while ago, the English defender is definitely not just a bench player. When else should he be starting from the first minute if not now?
Cristhian Mosquera
Before the Chelsea game, all indications were that Cristhian Mosquera ...and Piero Hincapie will battle it out next to William Saliba. Finally, unspecified and in the words of Mikel Arteta himself. Bizarre injury has already ruled the French defender out of the game against Chelsea. Although the Spanish manager confirmed that Saliba's injury is not serious, in my opinion it is highly unlikely that we will see Saliba in the starting line-up against Brentford. Personally, I would almost bet on the French international not being part of the squad. In terms of the composition of the stopper pairing, it means only one thing with Gabriel's current absence. Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié will start again in the centre of defence.
Piero Hincapié
U Piero Hincapié practically the same thing that applies to Cristhian Mosquera. With the injury to Gabriel and the almost clear absence of William Saliba, these two „newcomers“ in the Arsenal squad are the clear choice of Mikel Arteta. In the match against Chelsea, they seemed a bit nervous and disjointed at times, but as time went on, their uncertainty faded and their performance graded. Replacing the established duo of Saliba and Gabriel is certainly no easy task, but I believe Mosquera and Hincapie will be up to the task against Brentford.
Riccardo Calafiori
Riccardo Calafiori in the derby against Chelsea he was substituted at half time, but not because of a bad performance, but rather because he was playing with a yellow card. Mikel Arteta didn't want to risk the Italian flanker getting sent off and depriving Arsenal of a numerical advantage. What are the implications for Arsenal's match with Brentford? I think it's that Calafiori will start again in the starting lineup, he should have enough strength.
Martín Zubimendi
A similar fate to the Italian defender with the thirty-three on his back also met at Stamford Bridge Martin Zubimendi. The Spanish midfielder lasted a little longer than his teammate in defence, but during the second half he was Mikel Arteta pulled out of the game and sent on the field a healed captain Martin Ødegaard. On the one hand, it was definitely about strengthening the offensive, but on the other hand, I think that if Zubimendi hadn't played with a yellow card, the Norwegian footballer might have replaced someone else. Either way, the Spanish manager spared his countryman's representative at least a little. That's why I think we'll see Zubimendi in the starting lineup against Brentford.
Declan Rice
Declan Rice is definitely one of those players who deserves a rest. Unfortunately for him, unfortunately for Arsenal, he has such form and quality that it's almost impossible to leave him out of the squad. I expect Rice to start from the first minute in Wednesday's league game against Brentford. I believe Arteta's goal will be for his charges to fly at their opponents and decide the match as soon as possible. If they really succeed, Declan Rice will give his place to former Brentford player and captain Christian Nørgaard during the match.
Martin Ødegaard
Return of the captain to the base. Eberechi Eze, who has represented the Norwegian more than well in the number ten position during his absence, has also played a lot in the last few days, which makes it an ideal time for both players to rotate. The English midfielder will get a rest while the Martin Ødegaard finally comes into the game from the first minute after a long injury. I don't expect the Norwegian footballer to play the full ninety minutes after a long injury, so it is very likely that Eberechi Eze will replace him on the pitch during the match. Maybe Ethan Nwaneri could also get a more significant portion of minutes after a longer period of time. The substitutions will depend mainly on the development of the match from a personnel and time perspective.
Bukayo Saka
One of the other key players in Mikel Arteta's lineup is undoubtedly Bukayo Saka. The England international, in my opinion, because of his position in the team he won't miss the starting line-up against Brentford, although it would be wise to give him a break. I don't think Saka will play full minutes in Wednesday's league game, but I expect him to be on the pitch from the first minute.
Noni Madueke
On the left wing, Mikel Arteta will decide between a pair of Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli. Given the expected image of the game, Madueke seems to me to be a more appropriate choice. The English footballer is very strong in tight spaces, while the Brazilian excels in speed, which he can use in the more advanced stages of the game, either against tired defenders or in breakout situations. Maybe Mikel Arteta will surprise me and put in Leandro Trossard, who he says has a chance to be part of the team, but I don't really believe that.
Viktor Gyökeres
Viktor Gyökeres jumped into the game at Stamford Bridge for a few minutes and if it wasn't for an unfortunate (mis)agreement with Jurriën Timber, he could have celebrated his return to the pitch with a winning goal. Unfortunately that didn't happen, but it was still great to see the Swedish striker back in action. With the minutes that Mikel Merino has had in the last week, substituting at the spike striker position, I think the returning Viktor Gyökeres will get his chance against Brentford from the opening whistle.
Substitutes
Arsenal's dressing room never seems to empty completely. When some players finally return from the sack, others will replace them in that unenviable position. Of course, the still rather large squad is also reflected week by week in the composition of the substitutes' bench. However, Arsenal's squad is really wide this year, and so the substitutes' bench should have its quality. The nomination should not be missing Kepa Arrizabalaga, Jurriën Timber, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Christian Nørgaard, Mikel Merino, Eberechi Eze, Ethan Nwaneri, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus. If someone were to drop out of the nomination for any reason, a youngster would take his place Max Dowman.
Big question marks hang over the state of Leandro Trossard and William Saliba, who Arteta missed against Chelsea at the weekend. Personally, I'm leaning towards neither of them appearing in the nomination for the Brentford game. I don't think the Spanish manager would want to risk losing them for an extended period of time. As far as the long-term injured are concerned, they will be out for the Brentford game and not just Gabriel and Kai Havertz. The Brazilian defender may well return to the pitch after the New Year, while the German striker could be on the pitch sooner due to the stage of his convalescence, but it will definitely not be in the next game or two.
About the opponent
Brentford was for many years associated with Danish manager Thomas Frake, who, however, did not resist Tottenham's offer before the season and moved to the bench of Arsenal's biggest rival. Now Brentford's bench boss Keith Andrews has a tough task ahead of him. To build on the work of his predecessor. If I were to assess his tenure so far, I would have to go back to the table position and also the League Cup performance. Brentford's tenth place finish in the Premier League and progression to the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup have been a solid showcase for the new manager so far.
There is no big name on Brentford's roster right now, at least on paper. But that doesn't mean that there aren't quality players on the roster of the team from the city neighbouring London. The mainstay in goal has immediately become Caoimhin Kelleher, who arrived before the current season from championship-winning Liverpool. The midfield play is directed by the highly experienced Jordan Henderson, who coincidentally also spent a significant part of his career at Liverpool. Offensively, Brentford can rely on Kevia Schade and Danga Ouattaru. The biggest star and support this year is Igor Thiago. The Brazilian striker is literally on a rampage in the Premier League this season. Eleven accurate shots from thirteen games can envy him probably every striker except Erling Haaland, who has four more goals.
Arsenal footprint
England winger on loan from Arsenal at Brentford Reiss Nelson. Given the agreement between the two clubs, it is clear that we will not see the Gunners' main player on the pitch at Emirates Stadium on Wednesday evening. Anyway, I'd like to stop by for a moment. At one time he was considered one of England's most talented youngsters. Some national coaches even said he had more potential than his peer Jadon Sancho. In the Arsenal squad, Nelson was even in a hierarchical position ahead of players like Bukayo Saka or Emile Smith-Rowe. So why has Nelson's career not worked out as planned? The answer is simple and quite common in the world of sport. Injuries. The English footballer, who is looking to kick-start his career at Brentford, has been through a lot in terms of injuries. Personally, I've always had a soft spot for Nelson, so I hope he does well in the future, whether it be in Arsenal colours or elsewhere.
Another player who is part of the Brentford squad and also has a history in the North London team is Josh Dasilva. Unfortunately, the English footballer has been out of action for a very long time due to knee problems. He played his last competitive match almost two years ago, namely on 31st January 2024. Hopefully Dasilva will return to the pitch as soon as possible.
Match
Whoever Arsenal start in any lineup, he should clearly outplay his opponent. The quality and breadth of the squad clearly speaks in favour of the Gunners. In addition, the game will be played in London, at the Emirates Stadium, where Mikel Arteta's charges are even stronger with the loud support of the stands. Add to that Brentford's poor away form and there really shouldn't be much to discuss. If Arsenal approach the game responsibly, they should walk away with the three points.
The pace and therefore the overall picture of the game should be set by the home players. Arsenal are expected to dominate especially in ball possession, which should result in territorial superiority, increasing pressure, chances and goals. I believe that the Spanish manager's charges will confirm their role as favourites and will win on their home ground. I predict Arsenal to win 3:0.
Next match
Mikel Arteta's squad will finish the English week at Villa Park, where he will be welcomed by a very fit Aston Villa. The match in Birmingham, which will open the Premier League's fifteenth round, is scheduled for December 6, 2025 at 13:30 (CET).
See you next time, I'll look forward to it!
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Editor, administrator and editor of the True Gunner Diary website, but above all a devoted Arsenal fan. I started with sports articles at the Tipsport bookmaker, where I have published more than 100 blogs. If you want to know more about me, check out the section of the same name here on the site.