Arsenal at Inter Milan Champions League preview: Big test

It's been a tough two weeks for Arsenal as things quickly went far from sailing smoothly and the ship was duct-taped in a hurry. The mediocre form was interrupted by last weekend's away defeat at Newcastle. If this defeat was just the latest in a series of new wounds, the sudden resignation of sporting director Edu on Monday was a good dose of salt to be rubbed into the game.

And now, in the midst of a slight identity crisis on the pitch, the Gunners are ready to fly to the fashion capital of Italy to face Inter Milan in a Champions League clash that will be a tough test for the Arsenal side who desperately need some confidence .

It's a massive draw but with the small safety net of the Champions League table. Arsenal still have six league games left after Wednesday, which takes some of the pressure off the upcoming clash. The aim is a top 8 finish, but finishing anywhere from 9th to 24th is still safe, albeit with a home-and-away playoff. Still, a win could see Arsenal's dynamic change, while a defeat will only add to the voices of already heavy criticism leveled against the club.

Will the Gunners be able to rediscover their identity under the brightest lights on the biggest stage against one of the game's best teams?

Here are five talking points ahead of Wednesday's clash:

Know the enemy

Inter Milan have always been one of Italy's super clubs and have carried the torch in recent years. They finished last season's domestic season as Serie A champions, their 20th league title overall. Two years ago they finished second in the Champions League, losing to Manchester City, who won the treble.

This season they picked up where they left off. Second in Serie A, they have achieved 7 wins and 3 draws while only losing once in the league. In the Champions League they are in 7th place with two wins and a draw, the same record as Arsenal, but are two places ahead of the Gunners on goal difference.

They are undoubtedly the toughest test in Arsenal's CL list. Their two-man attack with Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram provides a one-two punch of technical strength with Power at the top, while their 5-man midfield makes it almost impossible to get around the middle of the pitch while facilitating quick transition play on offense. Manager Simone Inzaghi's defense features a back three and features tall, disciplined defenders who are not easily beaten.

Similar to PSG, Arsenal's history with Internazionale is extremely limited, as the two clubs have only played each other twice in 2003, with home and away results separated by a win and a loss.

Out last time

Arsenal's final Champions League game was at home against a Shakhtar side who had not scored a single goal in their first two Champions League games. Although the game ended 1-0 for the hosts, it was one of several uninspired performances from the north London club in recent times that made them far more difficult for themselves than it needed to be.

The Gunners outplayed the visitors from the jump but struggled to make the most of their chances. It took a rebound from Gabriel Martinelli off the post and then off the goalkeeper's backside to give the hosts the lead and this strange goal made the difference. Arsenal seemed to be on their way to an uneventful win until the final 20 minutes of the game, when Shakhtar found some rhythm and got the Arsenal defense going. Had it not been for a timely save from Raya late in the game, the visitors might have left the Emirates with a 1-1 draw.

Injuries and suspensions

Arsenal's injuries are largely the same as we've come to know. Riccardo Calafiori's knee injury against Shakhtar will keep him out for the next few weeks, but the return of Jurrien Timber will help mitigate his absence.

Ben White's late appearance at Newcastle seemed to suggest he has overcome his recent injury problems, which coupled with the return of Bukayo Saka is a huge boost for the right wing in particular.

We are waiting again for Martin Ødegaard to return to training. The aim was for him to be available for the trip to Inter, but without being on the bench on Saturday it would be a stretch to assume he will be in the plans for Wednesday.

Tomiyasu and Tierney stay outside.

Lineup prediction

Attack: Trossard, Jesus, Saka

Something needs to change in attack and I think it starts with the striker. This has less to do with Havertz being poor and more to do with the lack of support he has received, making his strengths non-factors. Jesus brings a little more dynamism than Kai and he is probably hungry to prove himself after his performance in the Carabao Cup game as his skills are better suited against Inter. Martinelli has been weak in recent games and has struggled against elite competition, so a rest might be necessary for him on Wednesday. Trossard hasn't been much better of late, but his performances come from midfield while he usually shines on the left.

Midfield: Merino, Partey, Havertz

I had previously read a whole section about how the Merino experiment hadn't worked yet, but when it was announced on Tuesday that Declan Rice wasn't traveling with the team, the composition of the midfield changed drastically. Despite his poor performance against Newcastle, few players can match Rice's tenacious energy and defensive solidity. I picked Kai for midfield because of his ball game and late runs. He needs to get on the ball more and playing deeper should help. Partey should return to his rightful place as his passing and progression were sorely missed when deputizing at right-back, and his ability to break the press will be in demand against Inter's midfield and attack.

Defense: Timber, Gabriel, Saliba, White

In Mikel Arteta's system, the attack starts from the back. The absence of Ben White on the right has contributed to a black hole of creativity on the right. His overlapping runs with Saka were a cornerstone of the attack and the sooner this can be restored the better. Equally important, his understanding with Saliba makes the job easier for both of them and makes the defense all the more solid.

Find a spark

Arsenal have made a bad habit of failing to score away from home in Europe. Going back to last Champions League season, the Gunners have only scored four goals in six away games over that period, highlighting one of the main criticisms of Mikel Arteta, namely his terrible away record in Europe. It's hard to say what exactly is confusing him under these circumstances, but it has become a feature rather than a bug at this point. Arsenal simply have to find a way to put the ball in the net. Whether that means playing more openly or being more risky, it is an issue that needs to be addressed if the Gunners are to have any hope of another deep run this season.

It's not quite the time to panic yet, but the longer Arsenal's poor performance continues, the more likely that feeling is to arise. I'm not entirely confident that the Gunners can overcome their slump over the course of a CL game, but they have a chance to regain some of their belief and confidence with a solid performance. And who knows, maybe they'll just go out and get all three points. At this stage and with a big London derby against Chelsea at the weekend, a draw and no injuries will be enough.

WHO: Arsenal at Inter Milan
WHAT: Champions League phase game 4
WHEN: Wednesday, November 6, 3:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. PST/8:00 p.m. GMT
WHERE: Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan
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