MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 04: Gabriel Martinelli of Arsenal celebrates their sides goal which is later disallowed during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal FC at Old Trafford on September 04, 2022 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
FC Zurich vs Arsenal: 3 things to look for in Europa League opener
by Adam Schultz
Arsenal begin their Europa League campaign away to FC Zurich on Thursday evening as the Gunners look to bounce back from their defeat at Old Trafford.
The Gunners and European football. Sounds good, doesn’t it? While it is not the competition the club was tantalisingly close to making last year, it is a step in the right direction.
Mikel Arteta has already stated that the Europa League will be taken very seriously by the club, and they’re the early bookie’s favourites to win the competition.
https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/1567584674318360576?s=20&t=F5G9VRnZCsG06kG5n5u9Qw
Arsenal started the Premier League season with a bang, winning their opening five games before tasting defeat for the first time this season at the hands of Manchester United.
Here are three things to look for in Arsenal’s clash with FC Zurich.
Another competition on the club’s radar will undoubtedly help as another game comes around quick smart. With the Gunners entering Europe for the first time in 2019, it presents a break from domestic action and allows Arteta to rotate the squad.
1. The Response
Having lost for the first time this season, we will see what kind of mentality the squad has. Arteta was asked if the result would harm the team’s confidence, to which he replied: “That won’t happen.”
This is assertive in theory, and even though Arsenal impressed at Old Trafford, they came away with nothing. It will be interesting to see how the team responds to its first taste of adversity while away from home once more.
🗣 "We should come here and win the game."
Mikel Arteta outlines the biggest disappointment in the loss to Man United pic.twitter.com/lsKD4pwF9P
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) September 4, 2022
After what we have already seen from the Gunners in 2022/23, there is no doubt that this is a different team from previous ones, but we need to see a ruthless response against Zurich.
Continued on next slide…
 Europa League</a> will be taken very seriously by the club, and they’re the early bookie’s favourites to win the competition.</p>
<p>https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/1567584674318360576?s=20&t=F5G9VRnZCsG06kG5n5u9Qw</p>
<p>Arsenal started the Premier League season with a bang, winning their opening five games before <a title="How Erik ten Hag’s pragmatism helped Manchester United down Arsenal 3-1" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/09/08/fc-zurich-arsenal-3-things-look-for-europa-league-opener/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/09/06/how-erik-ten-hag-pragmatism-helped-united-down-arsenal/" rel="">tasting defeat for the first time this season at the hands of Manchester United</a>.</p>
<h2>Here are three things to look for in Arsenal’s clash with FC Zurich.</h2>
<p>Another competition on the club’s radar will undoubtedly help as another game comes around quick smart. With the Gunners entering Europe for the first time in 2019, it presents a break from domestic action and allows Arteta to<a title="Predicted Arsenal XI vs FC Zurich: Heavy rotation for Europa League opener" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/09/08/fc-zurich-arsenal-3-things-look-for-europa-league-opener/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/09/07/predicted-arsenal-xi-vs-fc-zurich-heavy-rotation-europa-league-opener/" rel=""> rotate the squad</a>.</p>
<h2>1. The Response</h2>
<p>Having lost for the first time this season, we will see what kind of mentality the squad has. Arteta was asked if the result would harm the team’s confidence, to which he replied: “That won’t happen.”</p>
<p>This is assertive in theory, and even though Arsenal impressed at Old Trafford, they came away with nothing. It will be interesting to see how the team responds to its first taste of adversity while away from home once more.</p>
<div class="embed ">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">🗣 "We should come here and win the game."</p>
<p>Mikel Arteta outlines the biggest disappointment in the loss to Man United <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/09/08/fc-zurich-arsenal-3-things-look-for-europa-league-opener/"https://t.co/lsKD4pwF9P">pic.twitter.com/lsKD4pwF9P
<p>— Football Daily (@footballdaily) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/09/08/fc-zurich-arsenal-3-things-look-for-europa-league-opener/"https://twitter.com/footballdaily/status/1566490870786002944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>September 4, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/09/08/fc-zurich-arsenal-3-things-look-for-europa-league-opener/"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></div>
<p>After what we have already seen from the Gunners in 2022/23, there is no doubt that this is a different team from previous ones, but we need to see a ruthless response against Zurich.</p>
<p><em>Continued on 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/2022/09/08/fc-zurich-arsenal-3-things-look-for-europa-league-opener/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> #2 thing to look for </a>
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<img decoding="async" class="wp-image-129232 size-full" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/09/08/fc-zurich-arsenal-3-things-look-for-europa-league-opener/"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%2F2017%2F07%2F1420142468.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1420142468.jpeg 3200w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1420142468-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Eddie Nketiah should make his first start of the season on Thursday. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>2. Squad rotation</h2>
<p>After playing two games in quick succession, Mikel will likely rotate the squad for this one. But who will come in?</p>
<p>The likes of <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/09/08/fc-zurich-arsenal-3-things-look-for-europa-league-opener/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/09/07/fc-zurich-vs-arsenal-can-fabio-vieira-force-way-first-team/">Fabio Vieira</a>, Marquinhos, Eddie Nketiah, Kieran Tierney, Rob Holding, and even youngster Matt Smith could and possibly should feature for the Gunners. Matt Turner will also likely get his first competitive start for the club.</p>
<div class="embed ">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Strong Arsenal squad has flown out to Zurich for tomorrow’s Europa League opener – Partey, Smith Rowe and Cedric didn’t travel due to injury.</p>
<p>— Charles Watts (@charles_watts) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/09/08/fc-zurich-arsenal-3-things-look-for-europa-league-opener/"https://twitter.com/charles_watts/status/1567532358517116936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>September 7, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/09/08/fc-zurich-arsenal-3-things-look-for-europa-league-opener/"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></div>
<p>It is exciting to see the next batch of players at Mikel Arteta’s disposal get game time. Marquinhos has shone in the lower levels, Vieira looked impressive in his cameo at Old Trafford, and Nketiah needs to show he can lead the line with aplomb.</p>
<p><em>Continued on 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/2022/09/08/fc-zurich-arsenal-3-things-look-for-europa-league-opener/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> #3 thing to look for </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-129250 size-full" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/09/08/fc-zurich-arsenal-3-things-look-for-europa-league-opener/"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%2F2017%2F07%2F1407583620.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1407583620.jpeg 3200w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1407583620-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Arsenal’s squad depth is already being tested. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>3. Squad depth strength</h2>
<p>We saw during pre-season that the Gunners struggled mightily when Mikel Arteta named a second-string XI. They conceded two quick goals to Nurnberg and looked toothless against Everton.</p>
<p>Now in European competition, the level of play needs to be better. There is no doubt that even with a severely rotated side, <a title="FC Zurich vs Arsenal preview: How to watch on TV, live stream, team news & prediction" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/09/08/fc-zurich-arsenal-3-things-look-for-europa-league-opener/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/09/06/fc-zurich-vs-arsenal-preview-watch-tv-team-news-prediction/" rel="">Arsenal have enough quality to put Zurich to the sword</a>.</p>
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<p>The likes of Nketiah, Vieira, and Marquinhos will all likely get a chance to prove their worth to the Arsenal boss. We do not want to see the team struggling in the absence of key stars, as that will not instil much confidence at all moving forward.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">
