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Confirmed Arsenal line-up for Watford’s visit to the Emirates today

The teams are out for Arsenal’s clash with Watford this afternoon, with the chance to move level on points with fourth place.

The Gunners are in top form, unbeaten in our last nine in all competitions and could well make it three wins in a row with victory today.

That win would leave us level on points with West Ham in fourth spot, with the Hammers having the tough task of trying to stop Liverpool later on today.

We will have to concentrate on our own task in hand before worrying about any other results, and as table-topping side Chelsea showed us yesterday, no three points can be taken for granted.

Watford have recently moved to bring in Claudio Ranieri as their new manager, a decision which has seen them win one of their last three fixtures, and we will need to be aware that they could begin to gel under his guise, but you would expect us to win if we play anything close to the level we have been.

We go into today’s match missing just Granit Xhaka from the squad, while Kieran Tierney had only returned to training in midweek, meaning he just missing out on today’s line-up, but we now appear to have lost Thomas Partey in the build-up to the selection, with his absence yet to be explained.

Would you have chosen the same line-up? What is your score predictions after seeing the team?

Patrick

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98 Comments

    1. This midfield needs a party and these injuries make him not dependable. We need another tough man in there.

  2. No Partey I see. I only hope its not anything serious. My wish is for us to not concede. I’m also hoping we thrashing them. My fantasy is already in the mud so I need a Tomiyasu and Auba haul.

  4. My confidence just dropped with the absence of Partey. Time for other players to step up. Would have preferred Tavares kept his place and Tierney on the bench.
    Good luck to the team.

  6. TP out with a tight groin.
    Here’s AMN’s chance to show what he can do.
    Hoping he’ll hold it well alongside Sambi.
    COYG.
    Let’s get this W

    1. TP is very good in keeping ball and has good vision…
      I hope Sambi can do that work and AMN can do defensive duties

      1. Yeah, hopefully he steps up big today.
        Reasons like this is why I hate it when certain players get injured. Xhaka injured, Partey injured..
        Yet Elneny is not good enough to be trusted. Do you see the dilemma?
        It’s always risky to have two youngsters in the Midfield, but because of how we’ve been playing as a team over the past couple of months, I believe we’ll be okay.
        Sambi and AMN will do just well

        1. Yes… Xhaka is miss
          Today Xhaka and Sambi would have been much better than AMN and Sambi…
          I am little concerned about AMN

  7. Lokonga and AMN as our midfield. Not confidence inspiring…I hope MA has not made a bad mistake, AMN is unlikely to dominate the midfield. We might dominate the wings and lose the middle.

  8. Since the break up of the Invincibles subsequent Arsenal sides have more often than not failed to take advantage when their rivals falter…

  9. Great line-up! Maitland-Niles will work his socks off, to claim his role as the second-choice pivot

    If we can’t score from set-pieces in the first half, I predict we’ll play Odegaard and Tierney in the second half

  10. What’s wrong with Partey? he’s not even on the bench. he will be a big miss today. hope Niles will step up and fill the void nicely. COYG

  11. Partey a big miss but we have legs in midfield so shouldn’t be a massive problem. Attack should do the business for us.

  12. Like someone said early today we will see if Niles is an Arsenal player! Big big opportunity for him today!
    I’m hoping he plays really well today!

      1. Saka was behind Foster when Aubameyang touched the ball
        When any defender is behind GK then that Defender’s position will not be taken as last line..
        It’s GK is last line

  15. Shame that goal was disallowed. AMN basically created that whole thing with his interception and then great pass to Lacazette.

    1. Saka was behind Foster when Aubameyang touched the ball
      When any defender is behind GK then that Defender’s position will not be taken as last line..
      It’s GK is last line

      1. Yes, there must be two players between the forward and the goal line when the ball is played – one of those is usually the GK but not always

    2. “Simply put, the offside rule mandates that during a move, an attacking player, when in the opposition half, must have at least two opposition players, including the goalkeeper, between him and the opposition goal when a pass is being played to him”

      If you think it’s a scam, please name the 2 opposition players that played him onside?

  24. We all know what it is to be spursy, but is today going to be an arsey day we do our usual and give a team desperate for a win a leg up?

    2. If we do lose this match we’re still 100x improved on last season and it will just be one of those things – we’re playing decent but haven’t put away chances, maybe a little complacent. I won’t be happy about it, but honestly won’t be so annoyed as I would have been last season, when we could have been outplayed by a side like Watford. The attitude and performance and overt pride are all much improved

  28. Again I’ll say Auba needs to be sold before we can’t move him on. Not a knee jerk reaction at all…reality is that his performances/contributions to AFC don’t come even close to his salary.

    He miscontrolled an absolute sitter earier as well (Saka’s offside goal)

  29. Arsenal 2 fouls 2 yellow
    Watford 10 fouls 2 yellow
    Nah no bias here nothing to see here just watford making tactical fouls with little punishment

  30. AMN is having a great game. So many interceptions. Couple good passes. No doubt he can play in CM with someone more pass orientated next to him like Lokonga.

  32. It was a good first half we just don’t have the goal. Poor pen from auba. We really needed that to take the pressure off. 45 more to play though. Frustrating, but that’s how it goes sometimes. Another mental test coming up in 2nd half for this side.

  34. Absolutely terrible first half.
    Everyone seems lost and panicky.
    They are snatching at every pass and ball.
    No cohesion or direction of play.
    What’s happening? No creativity, ponderous and just nonchalant.

    Poor poor poor

    1. Not true…we have been unlucky so far, probably would have been 2nil up by now if things went our way 1st half…so days would be like this but as far as the lads are putting in the effort, am okay with it….

  36. Watford tried to provoke Arsenal and they played with hard challenges. Rose never learned after kicking Leno’s chest two years ago and should’ve got his second yellow card

    Lokonga got caught twice because he was too slow as usual. Maitland-Niles is great defensively, but he doesn’t have the confidence to dribble like Partey yet

    Foster made several great saves and we might have to score from a penalty to beat him

    1. I don’t think the movement in front of Lokonga has been good enough. I was thinking the same about Saka – playing like Pepe at times, but his options have been limited to running the fullback or passing back to Tomi – he doesn’t want to do the latter, he wants to slip a pass inside but hasn’t had the option, so it’s made him look ponderous. I think Lokonga has suffered the same issue at times

        1. Fair enough.
          It’s interesting how they’ve prepared for Ben White’s runs into midfield. They’ve surrounded him quickly each time

  38. Let’s hope we can pull a decent second half out of the hat….our weakness.

    This is the kind of game that will show if we are really making progress as a team. Partey’s absence really showing how valuable he is to us.

    Anyone know our win % with Partey starting vs when he doesn’t?

  39. Uninspiring .. limited energy … limited movement .. limited creativity .. need to wake up in second half

  46. 72mins in a we havnt got out of 1st gear yet… Pressing has been non existing & Auba has to take blame for the bad touch for Sakas offside goal where he should’ve buried it himself and the Penalty. Saka also put in a great ball a minute ago where he should’ve got on the end of.

    Even if we win 1-0 then so be it, massive win but again as I’m writing Auba takes Ødes goal there… hes had a stinker tbh.

    2. That was ridiculous. Didn’t see the Saka one but he’s cost us a goal through stupidity – could easily lose us points as that would have killed the game

  48. Oh boy auba…. Let’s just get over the line please. Very good from odegaard. Saka this half also been excellent. Let’s finish out this game

  52. Friend is a terrible referee completely biased dishing out yellow cards to Arsenal when he should be dishing out red cards to Watford

      1. He thought he kicked him but actually he just stood on his toes. (It wasn’t a dive or anything but just a ref mistake that happens and VAR couldn’t step in because of their silly rules)

  59. Auba was really awful today. He could have cost us the win. Good three points and fantastic just before the int’l break. Liverpool would be a real litmus test.

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