Arsenal’s result at Sunderland showed two things:
1) Away games against lower opposition (Burnley being the anomaly) are perhaps less of a banana skin than home games, as Arsenal are able to sit back and counter more often.
2) Olivier Giroud is a very effective Plan B option who, in my opinion, will be one of the club’s more vital players this year.
The away game against Ludogorets should pan out like the game at Sunderland – weaker opposition being forced to come out of their shells purely on account of being in front of their own fans. And when I say weaker, I mean no disrespect – in fact, Ludogrets played some very decent football at the Emirates and made the early exchanges nervy. I’d expect Arsene to keep playing Alexis Sanchez as part of a counter-attacking front three.
Also expected is the implementation of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on the right wing – on good form, he is an asset to have down the flank, where him and Carl Jenkinson linked up well against Reading.
The double pivot is an interesting notion – although Granit Xhaka can play, Wenger is likely to stick with the tried and tested ‘Coqneny’ axis that worked so well at the Stadium of Light.
Away from home, regardless of opposition, protection is needed – Xhaka is a top quality DM, but why break up a successful partnership?
Ludogorets didn’t show too much at the Emirates, but back to back wins since then show they have maintained some attacking verve.
The only matchup I would worry about is Carl Jenkinson vs Wanderson – the Ludogorets left winger was their best player in the reverse fixture, and this is just Carl’s second game back from injury.
