Arsenal will make the short trip across London for their Premier League clash with Chelsea, and should have most of their squad available for the clash.
In Mikel Arteta’s pre-match press conference, he admitted that David Luiz was the only confirmed absentee for the clash, with him needing to be assessed over the coming weeks to see if he could return before the end of the campaign.
The Spaniard added that while the remainder of his squad is ‘in contention’ others also needed to be assessed before a decision was made on their selection.
“We have to see today, there were some issues over the weekend again,” Arteta said (via Arsenal.com). “We are playing every three days and there is no time to train yet, today is the first day so we will have to wait and see. Yes [there were] some injuries, yes.
“Well the situation with David [Luiz] is that he is not yet recovered, we will see how he does in the next few weeks. The rest are still in contention but we will have to see today how they come.”
Emile Smith Rowe appears to be one of those who will need monitoring, having limped off against West Brom at the weekend with a twinge in his hamstring.
Granit Xhaka pulled up in the warm-up to our Europa League draw with Villarreal last Thursday also, and could well make his return to action, as could Pablo Mari, who was ruled out at the weekend.
Predicted XI:
Leno
Chambers Holding Gabriel Tierney
Partey Ceballos
Saka Odegaard Aubameyang
Lacazette
With question marks over Mari, Xhaka and ESR, most of the team can be chosen without too much doubt.
Nicolas Pepe and Willian could of course be in contention again, and Bukayo Saka could drop in at left-back also depending on Tierney’s fitness also.
Naming Chelsea’s XI could be almost as difficult, especially in their attacking areas, but the above XI should at least get us on the scoresheet, and the team has shown it can raise the level against the tougher opposition.
Would the above team give you confidence of some sort of result in West London?
Patrick
We can no longer put our money on Arsenal, you only put your money where your mouth is. The most embarrassing and disappointing season I have ever seen in over my 25years of been a Gooner. People say most of our players are average at best, but no matter how average we are, do we deserve to be in such situation or position on the log? The difference is the manager. Arteta is shit.
It is what it is
Look at his follow novice at Juventus he can be dragging Juventus out of champions league with all their stars
I have lost interest in this season long ago
I never thought time will come when I enjoy other teams play than my team
Let’s remain optimistic and hope for a better future that’s all we can do HOPE
We said Pepe. We can hope for something positive.
My money is on Arsenal to win tonight 2-1 as Chelsea have the FA Cup final at the weekend and I’m sure we can capitalise. COYG.
Well said Dec!
Guys 90% of the articles here give you the chance to have a pop at Arteta. Before you call me a Fan Boy, I am most definitely not, but it is what it is.
Any chance that occasionally we can talk about football and stop trolling?
Your money is on arsenal 😭😭
How many times have we said we have a better chance, we rested players bla bla bla only to be disappointed. Some fans never learn. even if Chelsea played their under 18 I am not putting my money on this lads for the foreseeable future
I would match up with Chelsea as follows:-
Ryan
Chambers,Holding, Gabriel.
Cedric, Partey, Xhaka, Tierney
Saka, Laca,ESR.
Martinelli has not impressed in the few matches he has been involved in and I would keep him ,Auba, Pepe, and Elneny on the bench.Ceballos will never cope with a Chelsea side who play at a frenzied pace so I would not include him in the squad.
It’s beyond belief that Arteta still has a job. Any other club would have sacked him at the beginning of the year but not us.
Its ironic that the so called players that are not performing are the ones he picks week in week out.
Having Edu and Arteta just shows that we have become a club with no ambition and with a total disregard for the fans and the history of AFC.
If Kroenke doesn’t sell and sticks with these useless people in strategic positions then the downward spiral will continence and he will devalue Arsenal.
What is now evident is that it’s rotten to the core at the club and the ones bearing the brunt of it is us fans like it always is, where we just pay the prices and endure the heartache.
And if you are wrong, will you eat your words and admit it or pretend nothing was ever said?
Im sure you know how to run a multi billion pound football club…well done….suppose when Utd and Liverpool finished 7/8th a few season back before they improved drastically after the reality of time an overhaul and change of attitude takes….the same thing was said.
Get over yourselves. Things will inevitably improve in time…or do you think they want to finish bottom half and not get any money? (kind of be pointless on kronkes side considering all you people ever say is he wants money).
No
I prefer Bellerin at right back instead Chambers because of the pace Chelsea forwards
But Bellerin is no longer quick.
I would respectfully disagree with you he may not be as quick as he used to be but i personally think that he is still quick!
If you are talking defending its Chambers every time – it least he tries to tackle and block.
Not onlyis Bellerin always out of position he always either just watches them while waving his arms about or gives them a yard to get a cross in. His only asset is he is more adventurous going forward and his crossing is better.
This line-up makes sense. Let’s hope useful Ceballos shows up. More often than not he irritates me and comes across as a bit of a chicken without a head. But when he has a good game, he can be quite useful.
Is Elneny injured? Much prefer him to ceballos this season. Positionally more responsible. doesnt make stupid mistakes while showing off and nowadays if you watch him he plays it fast and forward. Quite impressed with him lately.
Ceballos constantly turning here & there like the traffic man not as good as Ramsey, a confusionist at best send him back to Spain where he belongs
Is there any benefits in playing players on loan except Ryan if we’re going to sign him on?
Elneny should be observing the Ramadan fasting for the last time in the year today. Meaning, he may not start the match but brought in into it to play as a substitute after he has break his fast.
If ESR is a doubt for this match, what of Odegaard? Is he also a doubt for the match? But I don’t think he is because Arteta hasn’t say so. But if Arteta deems him fit enough to start, I think he should start him in place of Cebbalos who I preferred to see him start from the bench,
in this today’s night London local derby big game Premier League match encounter between Chelsea and Arsenal at Stanford Bridge, the Gunners will beat the Blues to the collection for Arsenal all the 3 points that will be at stake for collection in the match.
But the beating of the Blues for Arsenal by the Gunners will only come to fruition in the match if the Gunners totally refused to be cowed by the Blues in the game who might try to impose their inform and higher position in the table superiority on the Gunners in the match.
But rather for the Gunners to allow themselves to be cowed by the Blues in the game, the Gunners should emboldened themselves considerably in the match to manup and look into the eyes of the Blues with the we are not afraid of you and we shall beat you body language message to them.
Therefore, the Gunners should not fail to convert into goals for Arsenal any goals scoring chances they carve out or fell to them accidentally in the match. But convert all of it precisely into goals for Arsenal to beat the Blues at their backyard on the night.
And putup an impregnable defending in the match to deny the Blues from scoring any goals against Arsenal whenever they are on the offensive in the game. And also be at alert throughout the match encounter to watch out to block the Blues in their set piece takings.
My predicted Arsenal 4-2-3-1 playing formation style starting XI. And also my predicted 9 Gunners on the bench as substitutes for our Chelsea match are as stated below for M Arteta to see and consider.
Starts:
Matt Ryan;
Chambers Holding Maglhaes Tierney;
Partey Xhaka;
Saka Odegaard Pepe;
Aubameyang.
Bench:
Leno Bellerin Cedric Mari Elneny Cebbalos Willian Lacazette Martinelli.