Arsenal will play host to West Bromwich Albion this afternoon, but will do so without three key players.
Granit Xhaka pulled up in the warm-up to Thursday night’s Europa League clash with a strained groin, and remains unavailable. He will continue to be assessed in the coming days.
Pablo Mari did start in the heart of the defence against Villarreal however, and despite continuing for the full 90 minutes, he did suffer an ankle injury, and will now be absent against WBA.
David Luiz is the last of those who will miss the clash with injury, after he pulled up with his hamstring in the win over Newcastle last weekend.
Predicted Arsenal XI:
Ryan
Chambers Holding Gabriel Cedric
Ceballos Elneny
Pepe Odegaard Willian
Aubameyang
I expect the manager will ring the changes after Thursday’s defeat, with a number of those players likely having been rushed back into the team for the important matchup.
I’d love to see more young players integrated into the first-team squad with the acceptance that Europe is not going to be possible next season.
Will Arteta be naming his strongest possible XI or do we expect him to ring the changes?
Patrick
Leno
Bellerin Holding Gabriel Cedric
Partey Elneny
Pepe Odegaard Martinelli
Auba
1) Nothing on this game
2) Poor home displays this season
3) Can’t stand West Brom (one of the most boring teams in the league -sorry Ainsley – albeit we’re on par with them right now)
4) Mike Dean on var
5) Big Sam chuckling with his gum
6) Would it be a surprise if we were to lose??
Please forgive me for not feeling very enthusiastic about this game!!! 😖
Would love to see Balogun/Azeez get a go, but after playing for the U23s on Friday, no chance!!
Had a chuckle to myself last night watching Thiago score his first goal for Pool after god knows how long, it made me think there’s hope for Willian.. right? Anyone? 😆😆😆
Sue and SueP, it is Mothers Day here in Oz. Happy Mothers Day to you and all the other Arsenal Mums.
Aww that’s very sweet, Ozzie, thank you 😊👍
Thanks ozziegunner. How kind of you to think of us
@Sue and Suep happy mother’s day to.You are our Arsenal mothers,we appreciate your love for the men’s game.
🙂 very kind, LD… thank you
You’re welcome 💐💕
I concur, there’s no chance we will even qualify for europa league. So what’s the point playing Odegaard? The likes of Balogun needs a chance.
Willian Sue? No, No hope at all! What you might call hopeless . And what I would call a fraud, a lazy, leeching, money grabbing, mercenary who can’t be arsed to even run and try.
I also think there is something fishy around why he was given that three year contract and why he is played instead of cleary better players. I want him out asap!
Jon – he’s done it!!! I very nearly passed out 😆
If Martinelli is not playing, Arteta should be arrested and jailed under the offense of ‘deliberately repeating team choices to sabotage an Arsenal team’. He is hell bent of destroying Arsenal FC and the careers of some players such as Gabriel Martinelli, William Saliba, Matteo Guendouzi, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Reiss Nelson, and Ainsley Maitland-Niles. He is guilty of signing Willian and paying him way over his worth. My six year old granddaughter could win a tackle with him. Arteta is guilty of taking off Aubameyang, after hitting the post, for the last ten minutes against Villareal, which is the most serious offence in this seasons football. Arteta has been found guilty by 1,000,500, world Arsenal supporters. There is a rumour around he is deliberately putting two fingers up at the supporters and saying ‘I will get revenge unto thee and the players…… for speaking of detriment to my ego, I shall lead thee unto hell and destroy Arsenal FC’.
@sean I remember the Arteta the liar saying I love Martinelli more than of of you after questions by reporters why he didn’t play him after a great performance by the lad only to bench him next game.He lied that Saliba lacked motivation because of things that happened in his personal life life.Told the press some months ago that arsenal is now able to win against the big clubs but when he lost a cup final he then stated that arsenal has not been able to compete with the big clubs for the last 5yrs.The man s a fraud and a pythological liar ,worst of all he talks in total support of Kreonke to protect is job.He has lied to the Kreonke who don’t even know all our players that he needs 3 yrs to rebuild. He talks of a ‘project ‘no sane person would entrust a rookie with a big club like arsenal unless he is seeing instant success.
Yes, sure. We have a good crop of young players, it’s only the coach that is too arrogant and clueless.
I would be happy to see Arteta sit on the manager’s seat for at least first 45 min.
I’d like to see Saka wrapped on cotton wool for the rest of PL. He is probably going to European Championship and clearly needs a rest. In his place on RW would love to see Nelson get a run with Martinelli on the left.
Finishing 8th or 12th is really neither here nor there right now. Give Azeez, Balogun and Lopez some game time as well and at least the remaining 4 games will be watchable.
👍 Very sensible, Trudeau. Emile Smith Rowe as well to be right for next season.
Season is over, next one is starting for Arteta.
Wants to bring in players and needs time to rebuild after Wengers failures.
An assistant wannabe coach who fans and board gave full support, hailong him as our savior and future of the club!
He has no clue whatsoever and can’t be blamed for repeating non sense board tells him.
He didnt force his way in nor promoted himself as manager after 6 months taking us to mid table, now confirming us as one.
8th last season, 9-12th average this season. No way to Europe football unless we win a league cup or Cup.
Unless Kroenke sells, we will fall off furthermore.
Only coach able to rescue us today is Bielsa.
Give him same squad and we will fight for title next season.
Reality , we have best squad in over a decade, most complete one, with experience and top young lads.
Chelsea is a prime example; same squad; wîth a top coach, it is another team spirit and game plan.
Now, Chelsea is best Europe team in 2021! Same squad, different coach.
To take it on Aubaall yearwhilre buried all year as a LW is totally off, he should have been on pitch last 10mn.
He was so sad and fed up, forced to watch us out of Europa, not ableto help as he almost managed to score.
I felt next attempt would have been a goal, it was coming. And as unreal all he does, Arteta takes him out!
Nuts as all he displays!
Mogunna
I reckon Brenda Rogers is the one. He still needs a Premier League title and Arsenal could give that to him.
Arteta is the Arsenal manager who I think is solely responsible for making the decision to start/sub any Gunners in Arsenal match.
But when Arsenal were desperate to score just a goal at home against Villarreal that could see us into this season’s ELC final. And the Arsenal recognize big striker Aubameyang who was leading the line in the match for Arsenal and playing very well too in the game but yet to score was substituted for the unrecognized Arsenal striker Nketiah, that should look to be an odd substitution decision made by M Arteta.
i think as Arsenal didn’t score the all important one goal that they need which will knockout Villarreal if they don’t reply. Arteta who was seriously under pressure to see Arsenal score got a little bit confused losing his composure and sense of reasoning. And as a result, he started making the wrong substitutions for Arsenal in the match.
But is there nothing still left this season for Arsenal to achieve to play for to get it? What of the 7th place finish in the PL this season? Is this 7th place finish up for grabs to qualify for playing European football next season by the club that finished in the 7th place this season? Or it will count to nothing for the team that finished in this position in the table this season?
If it will count to playing European football next season, then there is still something for Arsenal in their WBA match to play for and collect fully. And for this reason, I am advising Arteta not to ring too many changes to his team that played against Villarreal at the Ems last Thursday night in the ELC 2nd leg semifinal match. But ring few changes to that his team by replacing the injured Mari with Chambers and shift him to the right back position to replace the hardly effective these days for Arsenal Bellerin.
My Predicted Arsenal Starting XI and Subs for WBA are:
Matt Ryan;
Chambers Holding Maglhaes Tierney;
Partey ESR Martinelli;
Saka Aubameyang Pepe.
Subs:
Leno Bellerin Cedric Elneny Cebbalos Nelson Odegaard Nketiah Lacazette.
I think I am done.
Worst of all, the Shamans say, unless Arteta goes, Arsenal will fall, fall, fall. If Arteta goes, dolphins are seen, the symbol of good fortune, like the Phoenix Arsenal shall rise from the ashes. It will take just one season for the right manager to turn Arsenal around.
Will Big Sam bring Arteta’s P45 into play. A draw or defeat will surely be the end of Arteta.
Arteta’s biggest challenge is how to motivate the boys for this one. I’m not very confident for this one
Big day for the Arsenal gaffer.
Arteta has said he wants his players to show how much they care today.
Therefore anything less than an emphatic win will be seen in very poor light.
When MA arrived we all hoped the Pep magic had rubbed off on him. Sadly it has not. Very few assistants or ex-superstars make good managers. Also MA thinks we can pass the ball around endlessly like Barcelona or Man City and then score sublime goals. Our players are not that good and he has failed to identify their strengths and so play to them. Next year we should be passable on just one game a week, all we are fit for in both senses of the word.
Just hope he plays a team that will resemble next seasons. No point playing Cebellaos or Odegaard as they will not be part of it. Give some opportunities to the kids Mikel and let’s see what they are made of as no matter what, win lose or draw I still want you out.