Arsenal will play host to Everton this evening, with some issues regarding our team selection.
Both Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are confirmed as missing tonight’s encounter. The latter is still recovering after contracting Malaria on international duty, but is it hoped that he could return to light training in the coming week.
The Frenchman limped off against Fulham on Sunday, and is struggling with his hamstring. Laca is also being assessed and is working closely with the medical team to return to availability.
This will of course leave Mikel Arteta with a tough decision on who will lead the attack, with Eddie Nketiah, Nicolas Pepe and Folarin Balogun all potential options.
Kieran Tierney and David Luiz also remain out with knee injuries. The latter is expected back in training next week, but the Scot is believed to be at least a week behind his defensive teammate.
Martin Odegaard has returned to light training this week, and could well be available, but he will continue to be assessed prior to kick-off before a decision is made.
Predicted Arsenal XI:
Leno
Chambers Holding Mari Xhaka
Partey Ceballos
Saka Smith Rowe Pepe
Nketiah
Nketiah’s goal to help us land a late point against Fulham could give him the edge in the selection, with both of our first-choice strikers missing.
I know many fans would be keen to see Balogun get his chance, but while he is unlikely to start, the absences to mean he could well make his Premier League debut today, even if it is from the bench.
Xhaka appears to have convinced Arteta that he is our best option when Tierney is out, which will surely mean that Partey and Ceballos will continue in midfield.
You could flip a coin on whether Mari or Gabriel gets the nod alongside Holding however, as I struggle to figure out the manager’s thinking between the two.
How many of my predicted XI do you expect to start tonight? Does this XI have enough to beat Everton and leapfrog them in the table?
Patrick
8 for sure. The others possible. My doubts are Chambers, Pepe and Nketiah.
I think that Chambers is a good choice and would have Pepe playing on that side with instructions to track back and help with his pace.
I would rest Saka as he has played a lot. I would really like to see Balogun up top (I would like to see him start a game to see how he does – I am more familiar with the hype and comments than by my eyes) and Martinelli on the wing.
Calvert -Lewin is a C F I wish we could acquire, and defensively we will have to be entirely focused on keeping him quiet tonight.I would play Cedric at LB with Xhaka teaming up with Partey in midfield.I would rest Saka as we cannot afford to be without him in Spain next week.My front three would be Nelson, Martinelli and Pepe in that order, but I suspect Willian and Nketiah will start tonight.
Im not a fan of Calvert Lewin. I know he ticks two of the “old style centre forward” boxes – Good in the air and scores goals. I just don’t think his overall playing style suits the way we want to go.
Xhaka & Saka should be rested vs Everton, Gabriel should assume the left back role. I have watched him play that role at Lille many times. Balogun is better than Nketiah even in dreamland. My preferred X1 against Everton.
…………………………Leno………………………….
Chambers Holding Mari Gabriel
………………..Ceballos Partey……………..
Pepe……Emile Smith… Martinelli
………………..Fokarin Balogun …………..
Subs; Ryan, Bellerin, Cedric, Elneny, willian, Saka, Nketiah, Odegaard if fit.
.
Ryan
Chambers Mari Holding Xhaka
Partey Ceballos
Willian ESR Pepe
Nketiah.
Is Martinelli injured? To play Nketiah in front of Martinelli is insanity. Why not play Martinelli and Folarin Balogun together whilst we have a chance……..they are our future.
Never realized Gabriel played at LB for Lille ATW?Was he any good? Is Arteta aware of this?Perhaps a change would do him good, as he has really struggled at CB recently.
@Grandad, he played better at LB when deployed there. Arteta never watched his clips or is adamant about it. Remember he’s left footed & young. Currently he should be the direct replacement 2 KT.
At the end of he day arteta will bottle everything.he is the problem,not the players
I would definitely play Cedric at left-back once again and move Xhaka back into the midfield.He needs to reunite with Partey once again in preparation for the Europa Cup clash.
I cannot see the point of starting Neketiah at centre forward.Granted he equalised against a “dreadfully negative Fulham” but would get nowhere near the goal playing against Everton’s back line.Arteta either has to try Pepe in a false 9 role or see whether Balogun really is capable of mixing it with the “big boys”.Neketiah has plainly shown that he isn’t and there is absolutely no point playing him against Villareal.
I would also look to be only playing ESR and Saka for one half each in preparation for the more important mid week game.
I agree with you in regards to Nketiah. Martinelli would be my first choice, and then Balogun as a second. Nketiah has shown nothing with the chances he has been given, and there are better options available.
I fail to see what anyone finds in Nketiah’s performances that warrant anything except a loan to a championship club.
I don’t have any interest on any Arsenal match again until the end of the season because I am already waiting for new era in arsenal football club. What the board and their coach are doing to Arsenal fans is barbaric and frustrating, how can you not beat Fulham and you want to play in champions league. The worst part is that they have managed to make the Arsenal fans expectations so low that we are now mid table team. Tottenham are ahead of us yet they sacked coach because they are not satisfied. Here, we are romancing Arteta with mediocrity results.
Adega – you are cutting off your nose to spite your face. It’s your team my friend in rain as well as sunshine.
Look at the results this season – everyone is losing to teams they would normally beat. We are just doing it more often than most…! Mourinho was sacked because he is Mourinho and as usual, ruining a good team. Arteta started with a much worse squad and I would argue, has at least not made it worse. Plus rookie’s learn and normally improve. Mourinho will not.
I’m with you on that couldn’t care less win,loose or draw have no further interest in any Arsenal games until the right changes are made if that means loosing every game till end of season I will take that but without change we will continue to be a mid table mediocre club and a complete laughing stock will not watch another game till this happens!! ARTETA OUT!!
Don’t bother posting on here then you plastic glory hunter. Arsenal supporter ha ha ha ha .
It’s not Arteta fault how poor Arsenal have been this, season or gor the chaos over super league and if u support the team properly I support them whatever they do On subject of team selection Marinelli is unproven in the Premier League so start with Nketiah Marinelli and Balogun should both be used at some time but not from the start Cedric in at left back and Mari in preferance to Gabriel as the latter had looked out of sorts of late
Adega, I understand where you are coming from but I can’t help myself – I grumble and complain but I put on the shirt and sit in front of the TV!
Now, I often feel like banging my head against the wall but off I go again this aft.
I was very interested in a lot of the ESL commentators saying that they would not watch anymore because of Arsenal’s roll in the fiasco.
Like your comment I understood, but I didn’t really believe them either. 🙂
Does GoonerP not like Martinelli then? I would have thought he was an obvious choice for this game.
I will prefer martinelli to eddie nketiah
You this one 100% right!
Isn’t it painful enough to see Xhaka play his stupid backwards passes. I swear he’s putting me off the Arsenal