| Odds via 22bet | |
| Arsenal vs Wolverhampton | August 17, 15:00 GMT+1 |
| Arsenal odds | 1.21 |
| Wolverhampton odds | 13 |
| Draw | 6.6 |
| Over\Under | Total 2,5: 1.49/2.54 |
Arsenal have not lost any key players this summer, but they have added versatile defender Riccardo Calafiori to their squad. Moreover, Jurrien Timber, who recently recovered from a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury, will soon begin training. This could potentially strengthen Arsenal’s defense, allowing Mikel Arteta to rotate the defensive line more frequently.
There is ongoing debate about whether Arsenal need a new scoring striker. In a preseason article, I emphasised that without such a player, the team may struggle against Manchester City, especially given the presence of Erling Haaland, who has been the best striker in the past two seasons.
Preseason matches against Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Olympique Lyonnais highlighted that Arsenal heavily relies on quick attacks and set-piece plays for goals, especially without a scoring striker. However, this might not be sufficient against strong, organized opponents in the upcoming season.
In their opening match, Arsenal will be up against Wolverhampton, one of the main underdogs of the league. In this game, Arteta’s team could use intense pressing to force mistakes from their opponents and create scoring opportunities.
Unfortunately, due to injuries, Jurrien Timber, Fabio Vieira, and Takehiro Tomiyasu will be unavailable, but even without them, Arsenal will be the clear favorites and should secure a comfortable victory.
| Recent Form | WWLDW |
| Key Players to Watch | Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka |
| Team Strengths | Set-pieces and fast attacks. |
| Team Weaknesses | Chances realisation. |
In the preview for the EPL season, I mentioned that Wolverhampton was one of the worst teams in terms of creating and conceding scoring opportunities last season.
The recent summer transfer window hasn’t made things easier, as they sold their key players Pedro Neto and Max Kilman. These departures will make it much harder for Wolves to maintain their position in the Premier League.
Despite these setbacks, Gary O’Neil’s team won two out of four friendly matches, confidently defeating solid opponents such as West Ham 3-1 and Leipzig 3-0. However, they lost to Crystal Palace 1-3 and Rayo Vallecano 0-1. This indicates that Wolves will continue playing inconsistently in the new Premier League season.
Regardless, in the first round against Arsenal, Wolverhampton will have very little chance of even gaining a point. The London club has a more solid and cohesive squad, and Wolverhampton’s main attacking star Matheus Cunha, as well as Daniel Podence and Nelson Semedo, will be absent from the game.
| Recent Form | LWLW |
| Key Players to Watch | Pablo Sarabia |
| Team Strengths | – |
| Team Weaknesses | Wolves lost two key players – Pedro Neto and Max Kilman. |
Arsenal has won the last six meetings against Wolverhampton with an aggregate score of 14-1. At the Emirates Stadium, Arteta’s team secured a 2-1 victory last season and a commanding 5-0 win the season before.
The last time Wolverhampton defeated Arsenal was in the 2020-21 season when they won both matches with a 2-1 score.
Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka, and Leandro Trossard continue to be Arsenal’s main attacking force. Last season, Martinelli experienced a certain decline and even lost his place in the starting lineup. However, in the preseason matches, he was one of the best on the field due to his explosive dribbling near the opponent’s penalty area.
We should also not forget about Leandro Trossard, who incredibly actively pressed and created various moments for his team in the preseason matches.
Last season, Wolverhampton attempted to stifle Arsenal’s attacking prowess by using a 5-3-2 formation at the Emirates Stadium and a 4-4-2 formation at the Molineux Stadium. In both cases, Arsenal easily broke through the opponent’s midfield and defense lines with quick combinations on the flanks and by overloading the penalty area with players in a 3-2-5 formation.
The London club’s swift and effective play forced Wolves into a desperate defensive posture near their own goal.
In the next match, if Wolverhampton attempts to defend compactly in a 5-4-1 formation, theoretically, it might be able to prevent Arsenal from dominating completely on the flanks and in the penalty area. However, overall, the disparity in player quality is so significant that the London team should win regardless of the opponent’s tactical setups.
With Matheus Cunha unavailable and with Pedro Neto having left, Wolverhampton lacks strong options for dangerous counterattacks in the away match. Arsenal appears to be a significant favorite, with only poor finishing potentially hindering them.
In the last three matches against Wolverhampton, Arsenal has consistently been winning in the first halves. Additionally, in the pre-season matches against Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Olympique Lyonnais, the London team also won the first half.
Last season, only Manchester City won first halves more often than Arsenal, so there are good reasons to believe that Arteta’s team will be able to win the first half against Wolverhampton.
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