Timber decision, Rice boost, Odegaard replacement – Arsenal dream XI vs Atalanta

It may well have cost Mikel Arteta plenty of sleep, but Arsenal’s international break injury and suspension problems did not get in the way of winning the season’s first North London Derby. In theory, things should get easier from here, at least temporarily.

Arteta will hope that he does not have to contend with missing a first choice midfield all at once again this term. Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard’s impressive availability suggests that it shouldn’t be a problem.

Rice himself is yet to miss a game through injury since arriving at the club, whilst Odegaard has hardly been absent himself since making a permanent switch. To have one out through what can be deemed an unfortunate suspension and the other stuck down on duty for their country is unforeseeable.

Add in Mikel Merino’s shoulder fracture before he had even settled, and it was the perfect storm. Getting through that and a trip to Tottenham is basically as hard as it comes.

Rice is now available not only for Thursday’s Champions League clash with Atalanta, but also for the visit of Manchester City just days later. Merino is not yet back but was spotted without a sling whilst in the club photograph. Odegaard is likely to be sidelined for longer but Arsenal‘s squad is deep enough to contend with two injuries.

Three made it extremely tough against Spurs, with Leandro Trossard tasked with playing a different role, but the team pulled through and kept Ange Postecoglou’s best efforts at arm’s length. City will be no walkover but adding Rice to the team compensates somewhat.

Now the question is to how Arteta balances the minutes ahead of a gruelling early test of his squad. In last season’s Champions League he went strong but was able to bring in Jorginho for the slower pace, also offering game time to Trossard, Jakub Kiwior, and Gabriel Jesus at a time whereby they weren’t first choice domestically.

It was in Europe that Kai Havertz really started to get up to speed as well. The size of the group as a whole does not leave Arteta too much room for manoeuvre in terms of rotation – the midfield is still two down while Jesus has played very little this term – but that has not been his way regardless.

Arteta works with a condensed set of players and will aim to get off to a strong start here. With the challenge of facing Gian Piero Gasperini’s impressive Atalanta side on the grand full opening of their stadium, the game represents yet another chance for the head coach to demonstrate his credentials.

After being left frustrated against Brighton before the break, Arsenal have reacted well to their setbacks. Atalanta are another obstacle in the way and Arteta won’t be keen to let any momentum slip.

In this sense, it would a surprise to see anything that varies massively from a best XI. The defence picks itself, although there might be justification for Oleksandr Zinchenko to come in ahead of Jurrien Timber to offer him rest after a first 90 minutes in well over 15 months, a calf injury makes him a doubt for the game anyway.

Rice returns to take the place of Trossard in midfield, although playing deeper, with Jorginho and Thomas Partey remaining alongside him. Jesus could play with Havertz dropping back but chemistry is already built with this current setup so mixing it up too much could reduce the flow.