Wolves v Arsenal: Inside track on Mikel Arteta's side
Wolves take on Arsenal this weekend, as they look to continue their brilliant form following the restart.
To get a better look at The Gunners, we spoke with Peter Wood from the Le-Grove Arsenal blog, to find out all about Mikel Arteta's side.
See what he had to say here...
How has the restart treated Arsenal, are there signs of Mikel Arteta's side becoming more consistent?
The restart has been brutal on Arsenal.
The pandemic has exacerbated many situations, mainly of a contractual nature and it has had a negative effect on squad morale. Outside that, we had a rocky start losing twice on the bounce to City and Brighton.
The last two games have seen stabilisation, the football has looked more compact, and the squad is starting to look like a team.
It has to be noted that Arteta picked up a group of players on their knees and he's not been able to adjust with signings that suit his vision.
What he has done is address the culture within the club, he's made us difficult to beat, and he's enforcing his non-negotiables with troublesome players.
What sort of style of play can we expect from Arsenal ahead of the game with Wolves?
Arsenal will not shy away from Wolves. We'll set up in a compact way, there will be a plan for Wolves' vicious counter-attack, and we'll look to exploit their weaknesses.
It'll be a tough game, Nuno has his side outrageously well organised and they have some very special players that can kill you.
If we want to move up the table, we need a win, but I think most Arsenal fans would settle for a draw.
Who are the big threats at the moment in the Arsenal ranks?
Auba is the biggest threat, he looks happy at the moment, and he's off the back of scoring two goals.
We've also seen the emergence of Kieran Tierney down the left, his power, pace and excellent delivery will be problematic for Wolves at the weekend.
Bukayo Saka just signed a deal, he's arguably one of our best players at the moment, so expect to see him start and cause problems wherever he's deployed.
Obviously, one of the benefits of the break in action was the chance for players to get fit, has anyone become available who may otherwise not have been at the Emirates?
Kieran Tierney has been the biggest beneficiary of the break in play. He's back in the side looking fighting fit.
Clearly, he's going to be a devastating player if he can maintain fitness. He's a hard trainer, he loves football, and he's showing signs that he could be a very important player for Arsenal next season.
What's your predicted XI for the game? Is anyone unfit?
Lucas Torreira is back in contention for the weekend. He'll give us some bite in midfield, which will be entirely welcome.
I expect Arteta will pick a form side. He needs to prioritise work rate and discipline.
We've really struggled to maintain concentration over the course of a full 90 minutes, so we'll have to hope whoever he starts can see a game through.
What have you made of Wolves from afar this season, do you think they could be a serious Champions League contender now?
They are Champions League contenders. They have been excellent. I admire the work rate and organisation on show.
They are devastating on the break and they have a collection of excellent players.
It's a fairytale story to think they could make the top four, but as long as those above keep making mistakes, they'll be in the mix.
There's a lot on this match. If Arsenal win, we close the gap on them to three points, if we lose, European football is out of the question.
Your match prediction?
1-1.
