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The names of some players are certainties in each game.
In the Premier League discussion, when a coach chooses his starting lineup, some players are pre-printed on the sheet before even completing the rest. Arsenal have some, and Kieran Tierney is one of them.
While the above is not the real process to select the starting lineup, tries to amplify how vital our Scottish left back is.
As Arsenal prepare to head to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday night, the sight of their latest victory in a ‘big six’ team some 70 months ago, much of the conversation centers on new signing Thomas Partey. While he looks ready to get the go-ahead against Manchester City, although he may not be very familiar with Tierney, you can bet your bottom dollar that he will want to be there by 5.30pm.
More of Pain in Arsenal
However, as things stand, Mikel Arteta will have to face his former guardian without a key member of his squad.
An appeal was launched to allow Tierney to play, who was told by the Scottish Football Association to isolate himself for 14 days after being in contact with Stuart Armstrong, who tested positive for COVID-19. This despite the 23-year-old adhering to the rules of social distancing and produced three negative tests.
James McNicholas of The Atheltic has offered his assessment of the situation on the Arsecast podcast, stating that it is positive, albeit without a genuine basis, that Arsenal will receive good news this week:
“I think, and it’s just a hunch, that Arsenal will get around it, just because if the Premier League rules say they only have to isolate themselves for a week, then I guess it’s the rules, no matter what the SFA says.”
As for how Arteta could combat the absence of the full back, there are options. One of those avenues may be without Sead Kolasinac, who knocked on the door during international service and may also be unavailable.
If that’s the case, then the likely outcome will be with Gabriel Magalhaes on the left side of a back three, with David Luiz and Rob Holding at his side. In this configuration, Ainsley Maitland-Niles can take on left-back roles. Whether to go for Bukayo Saka or Maitland-Niles in the position will depend on Arteta’s approach.
Where Maitland-Niles lacks in the final third, he makes up for it in the first place, while Saka’s creativity and flair in forward positions comes with the caveat of inferior defensive discipline and positioning. Someone who loves to gain space has a tendency to do the same on both ends of the field, out of habit. You can lose your man too easily.
There is confidence in who enters, but Tierney neither. Gabriel, as good as he has been, has not been tested against such high quality opposition, even if he kept Mohamed Salah quiet at Anfield.
The team as a whole will be clearly safer if the humble hero in the plastic bag is given the green light to play, but we must not rest on our laurels if not. However, victory, or even a draw, is more achievable with him. However, the positive news had better come soon; he needs to get into training ground.
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