Arsenal’s presence in the 2022/23 Europa League has opened up opportunities for fringe players to earn regular minutes that they perhaps wouldn’t have got had the Gunners qualified for Europe’s premier club competition.
Despite tasting defeat away at a handy PSV Eindhoven side on Matchday 5, Arsenal’s group stage campaign thus far has been a success. However, they will likely have to beat FC Zurich on Matchday 6 to top Group A and progress straight into the round of 16.
We’ve seen Mikel Arteta build his Europa League XIs around a core group of players, but several first-team players have also been called upon through five games thus far.
Despite Arsenal’s success in this competition, it’s fair to say that the vast majority of the fringe players have struggled to endear themselves to the boss. Sure, there’s been bright cameos and performances here and there, but nothing to suggest that anyone should be playing regularly for Arteta’s strongest XI at the weekend.
With just one group game remaining, this will a huge opportunity for the Europa League core to impress as their opportunities to start matches will come few and far between following the group stage’s conclusion.
3 players that need to impress Mikel Arteta against FC Zurich
Here are three players, in particular, that need to impress Arteta against FC Zurich.
1. Sambi Lokonga
Sambi Lokonga has started every Europa League group game thus far. (Photo by Marcio Machado/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
Frustrated by his lack of minutes last season, Lokonga is one of five players to start all five of Arsenal’s Europa League group games and he’s a sure bet to retain his place against FC Zurich.
Statistically, the Belgian has impressed in this competition. He boasts the highest pass completion in the Arsenal squad (92.5%) and has completed the second-most progressive passes per 90 minutes (6.98). However, the eye test would suggest that Lokonga hasn’t yet done enough to suggest he can compete with Thomas Partey for a starting berth in the first team.
The 23-year-old registered just 17 Premier League minutes in October and he hasn’t made an appearance in the league since the North London derby triumph.
Arteta challenged Lokonga ahead of the trip to Eindhoven to improve his performances, but he struggled against PSV last week and is in desperate need of a convincing showing against FC Zurich.
I’m not convinced that he’s a #6.
Continued on the next slide…
Arteta challenged Lokonga</a> ahead of the trip to Eindhoven to improve his performances, but he struggled against PSV last week and is in desperate need of a convincing showing against FC Zurich.</p>
<p>I’m not convinced that he’s a #6.</p>
<p><em>Continued on the next slide…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/11/03/3-arsenal-players-need-impress-arteta-fc-zurich/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> #2 player that needs to impress </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><h2>2. Fabio Vieira</h2>
<div id="attachment_130293" class="wp-caption alignnone">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-130293" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/11/03/3-arsenal-players-need-impress-arteta-fc-zurich/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2349,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1435083384.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2349" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1435083384.jpeg 3200w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1435083384-768x564.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">We need to be patient with Fabio Vieira. (Photo by Chloe Knott – Danehouse/Getty Images)</p>
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<p>Fabio Vieira has flashed his talent both in the Premier League and Europa League since joining the club in the summer, but it’s fair to say that supporters expected more from the Portuguese playmaker.</p>
<p>The 22-year-old has a goal and an assist in five Europa League starts – a sub-par return – and we’re yet to see the diminutive midfielder take over a contest, even in games where Arsenal have been distinctly superior.</p>
<p>Vieira is clearly talented and I thought his performance off the right against PSV was encouraging. As the third midfielder in Arteta’s 4-3-3, however, the former Porto star is comfortably behind Martin Odegaard in the depth chart.</p>
<p>Time is on the side of the 22-year-old and <a title="Why we shouldn’t worry about Fabio Vieira" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/11/03/3-arsenal-players-need-impress-arteta-fc-zurich/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/10/25/why-arsenal-fans-not-worry-fabio-vieira/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Arsenal fans have to be patient</a>. It’d be great to see him produce a sterling performance on Thursday to round off the group.</p>
<p>Continued on the next slide…</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/11/03/3-arsenal-players-need-impress-arteta-fc-zurich/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> #3 player that needs to impress </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><h2>3. Eddie Nketiah</h2>
<div id="attachment_129312" class="wp-caption alignnone">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-129312" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/11/03/3-arsenal-players-need-impress-arteta-fc-zurich/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1421989008.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1421989008.jpeg 3200w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1421989008-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Eddie Nketiah hasn’t scored in his last three Europa League starts. (Photo by Christian Kaspar-Bartke/Getty Images)</p>
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<p>Oh, Eddie. You gave us so much hope at the end of last season that you’d turned a corner.</p>
<p>Nketiah looked like a man reborn down the stretch in 2021/22 and, following a promising pre-season, he started his Europa League campaign with goals in back-to-back games.</p>
<p>The arrival of Gabriel Jesus always meant his Premier League minutes were going to be limited, but he’s started all five Europa League group games thus far. However, Nketiah has failed to score in his last three appearances in the competition and is <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/11/03/3-arsenal-players-need-impress-arteta-fc-zurich/"https://fbref.com/en/squads/18bb7c10/2022-2023/c19/Arsenal-Stats-Europa-League" target="_blank" rel="noopener">currently underperforming his xG by 0.8</a>.</p>
<p>The striker spurned big chances in both games against PSV, where his influence was close to nil.</p>
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<p>After starting his European campaign with so much promise, Nketiah has faded considerably and his recent Premier League cameos depict a player that’s out of form. He needs a goal, and he should get plenty of chances on Thursday.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">
