If it was a cup final I'm convinced Mikel doesn't pick that team vs Wolves.

He wanted to build the confidence of some players (Gyok, but also Martinelli ,and Eze after Villa) and I think he gambled that the opposition were weak enough that having the wrong profiles on paper wouldn't matter.

Headline: We need to calm things down

Rising
📈 The subs - Grown-ups with composure
📈 Rice + Saka - Put their capes on when we needed them

Falling
📉 Gyokores - A game that exposed all his limitations.
📉 Eze + Martinelli - Neither was terrible, but both hooked and displayed a lack of maturity.

Problem for Ethan is he soon won't be making matchday squads- which just feels like it'll be really demoralising for him.

A loan definitely something to think about for him in Jan.

If he's barely getting minutes now, he won't get more in the 2nd half the season when it's winning time.

Arteta's new 'a matter of days' line is press conference heritage.

The heat death of the universe will be a matter of days.

I know fans will find it frustrating, but it genuinely does cause headaches for opposition managers.

Headline: A timely reminder that we're pretty good

Rising:
📈 Madueke - Hungry, serious + added end product
📈 Martinelli - Came out with intent 2nd half
📈 Jesus - Superb cameo after a year out
📈 Norgaard - Played

Falling:
📉 Gyokores - He's just not 'the guy' at CF (doesn't mean he's not useful)

Think the only selection you'd question is Odegaard over Ethan. I feel like Ethan could do with 60 mins in a game like this more than Odegaard.

Timber not being in the squad feels like Arteta saying 'I just can't afford another CB injury' - let's hope that's all it is...

Jesus minutes incoming.

I agree - it's not that all our players are tired/run into the ground, I think it's more that too many players aren't at peak physical fitness/sharpness, either because they're just back from injury or because they're on the edge of an injury but playing because we're short of bodies.