Athletic Club – Arsenal: Super Subs Sink The Basque Arrival (0-2)

Athletic Club showed promise with a strong out-of-possession game plan, but Mikel Arteta soon turned to his trusted forwards to make an impact. From the bench, Arsenal turned an Athletic strength into a weakness to find the creativity they themselves had lacked.

Tactical analysis and match report by Joel Parker.

Perhaps there is no footballing identity as rich as that of the Basque Country, within the European game. For Mikel Arteta and Martin Zubimendi, two San Sebastiáns (the latter having donned over 200 matches for Real Sociedad), winning in Bilbao is of the utmost importance.

Athletic Club started with three wins out of three, but September has thrown cold water. Just before half-time of Spain’s dominant win over Turkey, in the international break, Nico Williams was forced off with a muscle injury. Upon LaLiga’s return, Deportivo Alavés ended Athletic Club's perfect start with a 1-0 win at San Mamés, a crazy deflection off Álex Berenguer looping over the goalkeeper as none of Alavés’ four shots were taken in the box. Under Ernesto Valverde, Athletic likes to build boxes in the middle for the Williams’ brothers to run riot down the channels, but would they fare without one crucial half?

Arsenal entered this match with the knowledge that they had comfortably dispatched their opponents in pre-season, and the new additions have raised the level of what this team can accomplish . . .