EXCLUSIVE | Jérémie Aliadière previews Arsenal-Atlético Madrid: ‘I do expect it to be a very tough game for Arsenal.’

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Former Arsenal player Jérémie Aliadière sat down with Get Spanish Football News to preview Arsenal’s UEFA Champions League clash with Atlético de Madrid tonight.

Arsenal host Atletico tomorrow. What should we expect from a match between Mikel Arteta and Diego Simeone?

I think from Atlético Madrid’s point of view, coming to the Emirates, for them, will be to do the normal stuff. Do what they do, be hard to beat. Defensively, be very compact. I don’t think they’ll be coming to the Emirates expecting to have possession of the ball. I remember when they played Liverpool, they went to Anfield and just tried to defend and counterattack. They obviously have quality going forward with some good players. I expect Arsenal to still play the same way. I think Arsenal are great defensively, but I think going forward, we have a bit more threat, and we do attack in blocks. I do expect it to be a very tough game for Arsenal, but I don’t expect Mikel Arteta to change anything, to be honest. 

Would it be fair to say this current Arsenal side, which relishes strong defensive performances, better resemble a classic Diego Simeone side more than the stereotypical image we have of Arsenal? 

I think it’s a bit of a balance. I think Arsenal are finding a balance of playing nice attacking football, but to be organised as well, and to be hard to beat and strong defensively. I think the fact that we’ve got that partnership of William Saliba and Gabriel at centre-back, who are probably the best in the world at the moment, it helps a lot, and with David Raya as a keeper as well, we’ve got such a very, very strong base. I do feel that, compared to an Atlético, I do feel that the midfield players, apart from maybe Martín Zubimendi, who will really sit in front of that defence, I would say the rest which is Ødegaard, Eze, Rice, Saka, all of them guys, they do a decent job defensively, but they’re more going in and pressing high. Rather than going back and sitting 11 men behind the ball, a bit more like Diego Simeone does. Which is pretty much not as high pressing, but getting back in shape when we lose the ball, be hard to break down, and then explore when we get the ball back. So you know, I think there’s a bit of a difference, but obviously, football, when you’ve got a strong base defensively, it’s a huge help. 

Arsenal’s start to the season has been really impressive, and the squad now appears to have the depth that it was missing in previous seasons. Could this be the year that they end their Premier League drought? 

I think so, yeah. I do believe so. Like you said, we’ve been lacking depth in the squad for the last three seasons. Players have got injured or suspended, and suddenly Arsenal will not play the same way. Now you just, as an Arsenal fan, think it doesn’t really matter who starts. It doesn’t matter who gets taken out; you’ve just got so much quality on the bench that’s capable of coming on and making a huge impact and difference. Which we never really had in the last few years. So I think, yeah, it’s the year. I personally do think with the recruitment we’ve had in the summer and the business we’ve done. I think if it’s not this year, then it’s going to be hard to get better and have a better squad than this year. 

Has any player really surprised you?

To be fair, there are a few. I’m quite impressed with Zubimendi. I must say I didn’t see to much of him before in the Spanish league when he was at Real Sociedad. I saw a bit of him when he was with Spain. I just thought, is he going to be able to adapt to the Premier League very quickly? And he’s just done fantastic. I love the way he plays and the way he wants to drive forward all the time. Arsenal obviously want to play from the back and try to break the pressing. I think having him there just in front of the defence, to be able to turn in one touch, and break and go forward has been really impressive for me. 

Jérémie Aliadière was speaking exclusively to Get Spanish Football News on behalf of WhichBookie.

GSFN | Nick Hartland