Three forwards out, one in, and Chelsea at home on Sunday. Arteta’s line is that this squad has to be better than last season regardless: “This is what we have and we already have very good players.”
He was never going to say anything else. But there’s a difference between backing the group and pretending the summer went to plan, and the framing is worth noticing — it lands as a demand on the players rather than a defence of the recruitment.
Leandro Trossard to Beşiktaş, Gabriel Jesus to Barcelona, Gabriel Martinelli to Al-Hilal for £60m. Christos Tzolis at £34m is the whole of the incoming attacking business. Four league goals so far, two of them Saka’s, one Havertz, one Ødegaard. Chelsea arrive having scored seven in two games under Xabi Alonso. Not a squad with much slack in it.
The team news is livelier than Arteta made it sound. Bruno Guimarães played the last half-hour at Villa Park on his return and picked up a knock doing it — he missed Thursday’s session and Arteta is hoping he trains on Saturday. Cristhian Mosquera came off on 79 minutes holding the back of his thigh, though Arteta called that “more precaution than anything else.” Declan Rice went off limping six minutes later and is expected to start anyway. Jurrien Timber is the genuine boost: back on the grass for a few weeks now, “in really good condition,” with a call to come after Saturday’s session. William Saliba won’t feature — a back problem with no timeline, Arteta talking about waiting to see how the bone reaction responds to load, though he’s been named in the Champions League squad. Ezri Konsa is available and may get a first start.
Morgan Rogers lines up for Chelsea. Arsenal wanted him, set a number, and wouldn’t go to the £117m Chelsea paid. He’s started well. You’ll hear about it all week if he does anything on Sunday, but I’d park the regret until he’s done it against this defence.
The women’s window is the better story. Eight signings, closed out by Élisa De Almeida on deadline day, and Slegers says it was planned long in advance. Arsenal had the oldest average squad age in the WSL two seasons running, and Manu Zinsberger, Laia Codina, Beth Mead, Katie McCabe, Rosa Kafaji, Victoria Pelova and Jenna Nighswonger have all gone. That is a rebuild, not a tidy-up.
Slegers isn’t hedging on the target either: “We’re going after the WSL.” Brighton first, on Sunday.
The Women’s Champions League draw was made yesterday — six league phase games, three home and three away.
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