A first major title in two decades changes a lot of things, understandably so. Months removed from lifting the Premier League title, Arsenal have added a newfound ease to their well-established identity, a confidence that has allowed them to shift their perspective on just about every challenge in front of them. Every trophy is still as valuable as it always was, but as the Gunners begin play in the EFL Cup on Tuesday, the first trophy for grabs in England every season is now less of a launching pad for success – it is now the latest competition that they can use to assert themselves as the country’s best team, a label they already have a right to claim.
Last season’s title charge was built on the back of a slow but steady roster reconstruction project, their greatest strength the depth they boast as a result. Expect them to showcase that depth on Tuesday at Ipswich Town, where manager Mikel Arteta will have free reign to rotate through his options as they target a berth in the next round.
Though Arsenal have earned the right to view their season so far through rose-colored glasses, Tuesday’s match offers Arteta and company a chance to experiment and ultimately solve some of the problems they may have noticed in this early stretch of the season, perhaps most notable among them, ensuring their attack is still firing when Arteta’s mainstays get the night off. He seems to have picked his first-choice front three in Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Christos Tzolis, the group starting each of the team’s first four Premier League matches this season. Saka and Havertz have always been capable of being go-to players on a title-winning team, each of them so far leaving injuries in the past, while newcomer Tzolis has earned his spot with one assist in the league and plenty of bright moments along the way.
How to watch Ipswich Town vs. Arsenal, odds
Date: Tuesday, Sept. 15 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
Location: Portman Road — Ipswich, England
Live stream: Paramount+
Odds: Ipswich Town +700; Draw +375; Arsenal -250
This version of the Gunners’ attack currently ranks inside the Premier League’s top five for goals with eight and expected goals with 6.85, not far off from most of the teams above them, minus Brighton and Hove Albion in the midst of a scoring spree few others have been able to match. The sample size without the trio is incredibly small right now, restricted to one lone UEFA Champions League game last week, a 1-0 win at Napoli. That game, though, was revealing in its own right.
Arsenal got a lot right in their Champions League opener, outshotting Napoli 26 to five and generated 4.05 expected goals while the opponents had just 0.22. Saka played a sizable role with six shots, while Martin Odegaard eventually scored a well-earned winner. But there was something arduous about that game in, which the Gunners were unlucky, in large part because Viktor Gyokeres was absent for 90 minutes.
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The Sweden international did not take a single shot at Napoli, a performance so astonishing that he was joined only by center back Ezri Konsa and goalkeeper David Raya in that regard during an attack-minded outing for Arsenal. It did not help Gyokeres’ case after his demotion from starter during a title-winning campaign to an option off the bench, all while offering stiff reminders of the question marks that followed his arrival a year ago from Sporting CP. The forward was the class of Portugal’s top flight, but the Premier League comes with different demands, ones he appeared to be meeting as last season inched to a close. Early in this campaign, Arteta so far has no reason to doubt his first-choice trio; it makes Tuesday’s trip to Ipswich a crucial one for Gyokeres, if he gets the nod.
Gyokeres deserves some benefit of the doubt, in large part because it would be genuinely surprising if he went a second straight game without taking a shot. Ipswich, though, make for a favorable matchup. The newly-promoted side will be happy with six points from their opening 12 in the Premier League, but they have also been awfully porous in the back. Only Crystal Palace have conceded more goals than Ipswich so far, who have let in 10, sloppier in performance than their tally of 6.74 expected goals against indicates. The Tractor Boys may also rotate, especially if manager Gary O’Neill opts to prioritize Premier League play, and in particular Saturday’s game against Everton, since staying up will likely be the team’s priority all season long.
It marks a perfect platform for Gyokeres, and every other Arsenal player who would like to change the fact that Arteta signs them up for bench duty once a week. The stakes are high for these players in particular since winning or losing the EFL Cup is not a make-or-break moment for the team, who now have a first-ever Champions League title in their sights after reaching the final last season. The team’s case as the favorites to win another Premier League title is also unchanged, regardless of EFL Cup success.
An impressive outing from a rotated team, though, transforms Arsenal’s capabilities this season entirely. The EFL Cup ultimately serves as a first chance to prove they can turn into a dynastic side, one that follows in the footsteps of the team whose shadow they lived in for two decades. A straightforward win over Ipswich will not make for a defining achievement – only the trophy can do that – but it is the first crucial step of many, especially after another summer of signings designed to keep the good times going.
Ipswich Town vs. Arsenal projected lineups
Ipswich Town: Kjell Scherpen, Dara O’Shea, Issa Diop, Jacob Greaves, Leif Davis, Sasa Lukic, Exequiel Palacios, Abdul Fatawu, Julio Enciso, Jack Clarke, Emersonn
Arsenal: Kepa Arrizabalaga, Jurrien Timber, Ezri Konsa, Gabriel, Piero Hincapie, Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, Max Dowman, Eberechi Eze, Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke
Ipswich Town vs. Arsenal prediction
Even if Ipswich Town give it their all, Arsenal have both the squad to compete against the newly-promoted side and a style of play that could cancel them out entirely. Expect the visitors to register a sixth successive win of the season with relative ease, regardless of the personnel on the pitch. Pick: Ipswich Town 0, Arsenal 2
