‘HE SHOULD START TODAY’: Thierry Henry backs Arsenal 23-year-old to start v Sporting, makes title claim
Thierry Henry says he’s ‘not getting carried away’ following Arsenal’s stoppage-time win over Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday, as he told CBS Sports on Paramount+ (08/03/23 at 10:55 pm).
The Arsenal legend added that he was ‘happy’ when Reiss Nelson fired in that 97th-minute winner and that goal now increases the winger’s chances of starting against Sporting Lisbon in the Europa League on Thursday evening.
How does Mikel Arteta manage his squad? Thomas Partey has just come back from injury. Surely he doesn’t start?
On one hand, Arteta will want to keep his players ticking, but on the other, if they end up in the treatment room via the Europa League, then it will feel like a punch to the gut.
In previous times, there has been a mix of first-team stars and those on the bench starting and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the same happens here.
Nonetheless, Henry shared his reaction to Arsenal’s win v Bournemouth and the players he is backing to start v Sporting in the Europa League.
“38 games, if we are top of the league, then I will celebrate it,” said Henry. “I don’t get carried away. It can change quickly.
“Obviously, I want Arsenal to win the league. But I don’t get carried away. It can change quickly. Me being me I was like ‘how come we are 2-0 down?’ But when Reiss Nelson scored. I was happy.
On changes v Sporting: “I would just go for it. Gabriel Jesus is coming back soon. The core of the team shouldn’t move. You can change a Nketiah with a Jesus that’s going to come back. You don’t want to burn him also. You can change maybe a Martinelli with a Trossard. You can change those guys.
“But you need that core, especially at the back. You don’t want to suddenly play with one centre-back, and then another centre-back. Another right-back or left-back. No, you need to have that unit and that core. But offensively you can sometimes twist that.
Does Reiss Nelson start? “With that goal. He has to be a tiny bit more (chance to start). But I’m not in training to also see what he does every week. That’s important for you to see as a coach.”
EUROPA LEAGUE WILL HELP
As Arsenal proved against Bournemouth, the bench is as important if not more important than the starting XI.
These games will provide the backup stars with more minutes and more of a chance to knock down on that first-team door.
If they do that, then it increases the competition within the squad and the starting XI, which would then translate into the Premier League games.
