LONDON, Oct 21, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Unai Emery admits Arsenal will struggle
to cope with a draining schedule that sees them host Leicester at the start
of three games in seven days.
Emery’s side will be pushed to the limit by the television schedulers, who
moved their Premier League clash with the Foxes to Monday evening at the
Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners then travel to Portugal for a Europa League tie against
Sporting Lisbon on Thursday before returning to domestic action at Crystal
Palace on Sunday.
In contrast, Sporting were due to face Loures on Saturday night, giving
them more time to recover before hosting Arsenal. Emery has fielded a strong
side in Arsenal’s previous Europa League matches, but he will be forced to
rotate more heavily this time.
“We are one team with a very high level and very high demand for us,” he
said.
“Every player, they need to feel they can play every match. With only
three days difference between one match and another, you can’t do that.
“You can’t do that with play and rest, play and we can’t do that without
changing players. But if I decide to play with the same players Monday,
Thursday, Sunday, the players can’t do that.
“We want to play a lot of matches. We want to continue doing our way with
different possibilities tactically and with the players – but with a lot of
matches, we can’t do that.”
Arsenal are on a nine-match winning streak in all competitions, but their
chances of extending that run past the coming week will be severely tested.
Emery acknowledges the television rights holders can determine when his
team play, but he wishes they showed more common sense.
– ‘Not an excuse’ –
“We are first in one competition (the Premier League) and the TV is very
important,” he said.
“The TV has the target to choose the matches Friday, Sunday, Monday. If
they decided we are going to play Monday we don’t stop to think if it is
better to play Monday or not.
“I prefer to play Saturday or Sunday. It (playing on Monday) has the
advantage for more time to prepare the match – that’s one positive.
“After, we are going to play Thursday, we are going to play Sunday also,
two matches very quickly after Leicester. For me it’s not an excuse because
we are preparing for Monday.”
Meanwhile, Leicester manager Claude Puel insists he always knew Arsenal
striker Alexandre Lacazette would come good.
Lacazette endured a difficult first season with Arsenal, but has five
goals in 10 games this term.
Puel, who gave Lacazette his senior debut in 2010 when they were together
at Lyon, said: “He is a complete player with good transition with the ball
and without the ball. He is always available for the team.
“He works all the time and he has kept his clinical edge and I am not
surprised about his quality and his good work with Arsenal.
“He started with me. His first game at the beginning he was always a
striker but to find a place and get game time in the team he started as a
winger.
“He had always the same quality and was clinical in the box.”