Match Day Thread FK Bodø/Glimt vs Arsenal - Matchday Thread

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Venue: Aspmyra Stadion
Date: Thursday 13th October 2022
KO time: 17:45 BST

Overall Record

Wins: 1
Losses: 0
Draws: 0

Last six meetings

Arsenal 3-0 FK Bodø/Glimt

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Stronger team than I expected. Didn’t think Saka, Saliba or White would be starting this.

However, I’ve just seen that Bodo have won their last 14 European home games and they emphasise positional play like us, which means it won’t be easy. We also know the difference between finishing 1st and 2nd in the group is massive (finishing 2nd means there’s 2 extra qualifier games).

I’m not fully surprised he’s played some of these players, but I am concerned that we are risking them picking up injuries on artificial turf…more than anything, I pray we get no injuries.

 

Xhaka and Martinelli on.

Makes sense, Lokonga doesn't have any influence over the tempo of the game. He just kinda drifts in and out.

 

Wasn't the best performance but still we did enough to win - yet again!

 

That's certainly a match that won't live long in the memory.

Thought we didn't deserve to win if truth be told, but 3 wins out of 3, top of the group and in a very strong position to qualify 1st. That's all that matters. Like I said, the last thing we want is an extra two games in an already congested fixture list, so topping the group is vital ahead of finishing 2nd.

The game was played at such a low intensity and it became clear the players weren't pushing themselves because they didn't want to risk an injury. However, I thought the two 'standout' players were Turner and Lokonga. Both backup players for us right now, but both have been fairly solid when called upon and that's what we need.

Onto Leeds. That's a huge game now.

 

Oh another few things - I was worried we'd get a couple of injuries playing on a plastic pitch, but thankfully, it seems everyone made it through fine.
As I also said earlier, Bodo, the current Norwegian champions, had won 14 consecutive European fixtures on home turf. Those 14 teams included Roma, Celtic, Dinamo Zagreb and AZ Alkmaar.
This was never going to be a cakewalk, but we still managed to navigate through the game (albeit with a slice of fortune or two) and get maximum points with a heavily rotated side.