The Arsenal bench makes its weight in gold count: “That was the standard”

In football with five substitutions and a calendar that is saturated to the extreme, it is as important to have a competitive starting eleven in all its positions… as it is to have a rich rotation in terms of depth and quality. He Arsenalin this sense, seems to have its back well covered.

“With all due respect, last season I looked at the bench and we had five academy players who had probably never played a game of Champions. “That makes the difference,” he explained. Arteta several months ago. Now, practically, it has two starting elevens.

Last night, on his visit to a Alvalade where the Sporting CP had won all his matches in this edition of the Champions, Mikel Arteta was forced to introduce Ben White on the right side, Ricardo Calafiori on the left and You Maduek as a winger on the right side given the already known casualties of Jurrien Timber, Piero Hincapié and Bukayo Saka.

With all due respect, last season I looked at the bench and we had five players from the academy

Mikel Arteta, Arsenal coach

Three significant casualties that, even so, did not make the Arsenal lose potential in their ‘B’ unit. And while Rui Borges He only made two modifications throughout the meeting (Daniel Braganca y Rafael Nel), Mikel Arteta pulled Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Max Dowman that has already resolved the ‘ballot’ before the Everton…becoming the youngest goalscorer in the history of the Premier.

Con Gabriel Jesus Also on the bench, the young prodigy surpassed Lamine Yamal as the youngest player to set foot in a round of 16 Champions. This time, it barely had an impact. It was a ‘grown-up’ job and they were Martinelli and Havertz who came to the rescue to rescue the Arsenal of a ‘muddle’ creating the winning goal in stoppage time that allowed them to return to London in advantage.

“Gabi (Martinelli) He came in and had a huge impact. Kai (Havertz) the same. Maxequal. We really needed them and we are very happy for them,” he acknowledged. Mike Arteta after the game aware of the importance of the changes. In fact, this goal against Sporting CP was the fourth of the Arsenal assisted and marked by two substitute players in this Champions. It is already a competition record.

The issue, however, is not limited to Champions League and it goes much further. Proof of this is that the substitutes of the Arsenal They have participated in 38 goals (24 goals and 14 assists) this season in all competitions. More than any other team in Europa. It is no coincidence, therefore, that the Arsenal be the team of the Premier with the most goals in injury time (8).

“That is the standard of the other teams in the Ligain Europa…and I am very happy because it gives us options. Players have to play 70 or 74 games throughout the season. It has never been done. When the intensity rises so much, they will not be able to sustain it, so you need more players,” he already warned. Arteta back in September.

According to the market values ​​of Transfer marketthe 24 members that make up the staff of the Arsenal They are quoted at a rate of 1,230 million euros… of which about 440 occupy a position in the team’s rotation. It cost them their money. Specifically, 429 ‘kilos’ in signings. Now, it is clear that they are worth their weight in gold.