West Brom vs Arsenal: Season must be turned around quickly

After being beaten by Brentford to open up the new Premier League campaign, Arsenal lost in their home opener to Chelsea by the same score, 2-0. With no points through the first two matches of the season and the second round of the Carabao Cup match against West Bromwich Albion coming, the Gunners must turn these early season woes around.

They must at least get this midweek win to give them some real confidence going into the Etihad Stadium to play against Manchester City on the weekend. It’s easy to argue this game is more important than Saturday’s.

While the club will get a much-needed international break, the first of the year, there are reports that the five games to follow will be the length of Mikel Arteta’s tightrope.

Should it not come together by or around that point, there will be real discussion regarding whether a change of boss is necessary to save this club this season. But there is still plenty of time. There is still so much opportunity for both the coach and his squad, whoever ends up filling it out, to turn things around and make a real impact across the Premier League, as well as in the two domestic competitions.

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West Brom will not beat themselves, Arsenal will have to show up under Mikel Arteta or face further suffering

While the start of this season has been no joke for a team struggling through form, injuries, and illness, there are better days ahead for the club this season if only Arteta and company can survive this early onslaught.

After the first international break fixtures are a lot more promising than the first three Premier League match weeks. Hosting Norwich City before heading to Turf Moor to face Burnley should be six points, especially if illness has abated and transfer business has been conducted. After that, a North London Derby with Tottenham will test the club once again, while Brighton & Hove Albion will be hosting the Gunners at the AMEX

This run of four matches, which doesn’t take into account the possible third-round match that would follow a victory against West Bromwich, is crucial for the direction of the team. Confidence must be returned.

While it will be difficult to imagine that Arsenal gets to the first international break with even a single point, they will need to take advantage of the next run of matches to get at least nine points before the second international break.

There is no doubt that the absences of players like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Thomas Partey, Gabriel, Ben White and Alexandre Lacazette, among many others, have played a major role in the sluggish start to the year, yet this is hardly an excuse. Arsenal has the talent in their team, no matter the age, to compete and at least score one goal in the first two weeks of a Premier League season.

Getting anything from City, who absolutely crushed Norwich after losing in the opening week to Tottenham, will be very difficult, but not impossible.

Should the team get some of its best and most talented players back onto the pitch, they will stand a much better chance against the defending champions than against either the Bees or the Pensioners. All said, City is one of the best teams in Europe and even with an improved performance, it will be difficult to manage even a draw against them.

While the Premier League is, of course, what everyone wishes to talk about, the Gunners have a lot riding on the domestic cups this season. While it already appears as though getting into a European qualifying position via the league will be tough, both the EFL and FA Cups offer a chance to get into Europe regardless of domestic league finish.

Going to the Hawthorns on Wednesday will not be an easy task and Arteta hardly needs to express this to his outfit. A loss would be devastating for the club’s outlook this season, as well as the boss’s outlook for remaining with the club he once used to play for. Victory is paramount. It’s importance worryingly poignant.

A victory could reinvigorate Arsenal and is desperately required by the team, its coach, and its players right now. Wednesday’s outcome will be dependent on if the team comes to play. Supposing they don’t…well, let’s not go there.