Arsenal have encountered little resistance during their Europa League campaign to date yet Arsene Wenger is still taking something of a defensive gamble in Serbia on Thursday.
Cologne and BATE Borisov proved themselves to be limited opponents yet both still scored against the Gunners and so hopes for Red Star Belgrade’s prospects were raised among the local journalists here when it emerged who Wenger had left behind.
With Shkodran Mustafi sidelined due to a hamstring injury and Laurent Koscielny resting his troublesome Achilles, Wenger chose to exacerbate a shortage of centre-backs by keeping Per Mertesacker and Nacho Monreal back in London.
Wenger’s assertion that Arsenal plan to take the Europa League seriously has so far been undermined by his team selection for each game and it is understandable he has one eye on Sunday’s Premier League game at Goodison Park, especially after a chastening defeat against Watford last weekend.
With Jack Wilshere alongside him, Wenger arrived for his media duties to field questions over Arsenal’s strength of character for the umpteenth time but this time a result of an unusually outspoken opponent in Troy Deeney.
The Gunners lacked “cojones”, according to Deeney, and the whole sorry mess at Vicarage Road was a reminder Wenger is never far away from a crisis. Wilshere rejected that claim, while Wenger declared his “love” for his players but the risk the Frenchman runs here is another morale-sapping night by exposing inexperienced or undercooked players to what promises to be an intimidating atmosphere created by a crowd of around 51,000.
“The support of the team always has a positive impact but we have the habit to deal with that — we have those stadiums in England and we have long experience in the Champions League,” said Wenger. “I don’t think that will have a negative impact on us. But, of course, we are in a country which has a big football tradition so we expect a game with huge commitment from everybody.”
That commitment will have to be matched by a back three which looks makeshift no matter what composition Wenger decides upon.
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Rob Holding, whose confidence has swung wildly this season, will surely take up one centre-back spot, while Mathieu Debuchy’s first appearance since November 2016 could be complicated by being asked to play out of position.
Wenger could drop Mohamed Elneny into central defence — having played there during pre-season — while youngster Josh Dasilva is another alternative. There is even a possibility of switching to a back four with Elneny and Francis Coquelin then able to provide more natural cover but whichever option Wenger chooses, Arsenal appear vulnerable.
Their attacking qualities and gulf in experience will help, however. Wilshere is the only member of the starting line-up still at the club from the last time they visited this part of south-eastern Europe in September 2010 — a 3-1 over Partizan Belgrade — but with Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud up front, Red Star will be wary of overcommitting players forward.
Red Star are only one of three teams to have reached this point after entering the Europa League at the first qualifying round and are in the group stage for the second time in 10 years, so Arsenal should have too much strength in depth for them. Wenger is ready to test that to the limit.