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Confirmed Arsenal Line-up to take on Newcastle this evening

The teams are out for today’s Premier League clash between Arsenal and Newcastle at St James’s Park, in what is a must-win match for our side.

The Gunners need three points here to assure that they return to the top-four after Spurs’ win over Burnley yesterday, a lead which should prove important if we can go into next weekend with the advantage.

The Toon are unlikely to roll over however, especially with this being their chance to thank their fans for their support in what proved to be a difficult season, with this being their last home outing of the campaign.

There was a lot of doubts about the starting line-up that Arteta would name tonight with neither of Ben White or Gabriel Magalhaes having trained much in recent days, and with Rob Holding’s suspension after getting sent off against Spurs on Thursday, and as you can see, he has been able to call on both.

Fingers crossed the defenders make it through today’s encounter unscathed, but seeing them in the team fills me which much more confidence tonight.

What are your expectations after seeing tonight’s line-up?

Patrick

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305 Comments

      1. Would have played Martinelli though and ESR in place of Odegaard .
        Either way the defence looks solid so this should be a breeze
        Think I put 2-0 to us in the predictions
        COYG

  2. How many are going to say “I’ve been saying for months we should’ve signed Guimaires” if he has a good game

    Huge game come on you gunners

    2. Bruno has scored has already scored more in 5 months than our midfielders Partey, Xhaka, Elneny combined.

  3. For the sake of our team and Arteta I am hoping Ben White cones good. He’s not even yet st the level he was playing at Brighton. He’s been above average and it worries me because the coach fancies him a lot in the team. I am hoping this is not his level in terms of defending. When Holding came in I hardly saw any difference. More power to Arteta and the team.

    1. I hope Ben White plays to his usual high level he’s played for us., been one of our best performers. Not sure which White you have been watching!

      1. I’m you with Kev
        He’s been average all season especially for that price tag ,would have expected more ,let’s hope he as a good game tonight against a average team .

        1. If we were in Europe this season White would’ve been massively exposed. Gabriel who has his own issues too has been far better. The impact Tomiyasu has had on the team defensively is underrated.

      2. Declan are you talking about Ben Whyte or do we have another Whyte, he’s been average this season. Tomiyasu has been our best defender follow by Gabriel

        1. agree with you, Tomiyasu has been the best and most consistent defender for us. White gets caught ball-watching too much as well.

          Brighton has not missed a beat since selling him, showing that he was replaceable, and that we overpaid for him.

          Not his fault he came with a 50 million pound price tag, but his performances no where near that sum, only the English tax on players.

      3. You see the problem we have. We get so attached to our players that we cant even be honest about them. White has been above average this season. He’s been so weak in the tackle, poor in one on ones and aerially. A past it David Luiz who I even didnt want was better for us.

  8. This will be a tough game.

    A must win match.

    We hope the ref makes the right decisions without bias

    2. Good point skills, I guess they want their darling boy Harry Kane to get the last ticket to the CL.

      All we need to do is to perform and score goals.

      COYG!

  10. I don’t want to jinx it but I have a bad feeling concerning our CBs tonight,one of them if not both will have to come off injured.i hope I’m wrong!just get the 3 pts boys, that’s all that matters. COYG!👊👏

  11. ESR and Tavares pairing should work, as Martinelli has struggled each time he played with Tavares. They don’t have that connection.
    Well, I don’t give a damn about who’s playing. All I want is the 3 points.
    COYG

  12. I hope we don’t have another Monday night calamity. I hate seeing us play on Monday nights, it worries me.
    The last time I can even remember playing Newcastle on a Monday night, it ended 1-1. I hope we go a step up today.

  13. We have to start learning to perform when the pressure is on us. Without being able to perform under pressure we will never be where we all want us to be.
    These are the sort of of nights where boys become men. These youngsters have an opportunity tonight to grow as individuals and as a team. I wish them well and hope they do themselves and us as adoring fans proud so we can all grow as one.

    1. Blimey O’Reilly we need the game to settle down a bit. Alan Smith described lack of rhythm and that’s how it feels. Not comfortable right now

  16. Bookies have probably just shortened the odds on us having another centre half sent off. I fear for White now.

  17. Started with some nice bits of ‘let’s help the opposition out with schoolboy passing/decision making’ I see!;)

    Long night..

  21. One of the biggest games for the club and we look absolutely shakey as hell. Nerves are gonna beat us to top4.

  22. Not looking promising for a good result here. Need to shake off the nerves ASAP!! This has a bad result written all over it!

    2. Too nervous to watch this game and by the sound of the commentary our players are also terribly nervous!
      Two things stick in my mind at the moment, 1 why was arteta so naive against spurs to think we could take them in at this moment in time, we’re slightly behind them in terms of squad quality. 2, why oh why did we not do some business I the January window? Conte signs kulevseski and bentacur even if on loan. Loan players to add quality and depth to our squad mat have been all we needed.

      Slightly off topic my dad who is 81 and doesn’t really follow football Saif to me “I like mikel arteta but I can’t help thinking he must be hard to get on with, auba, guendouzzi, ozil and saliba all pushed to one side.

  23. If this is how we play in a game just to get into the Champions League, I’m not sure we really should.

  29. Ramsdale again ..trying to give the game away best he can with dodgy keeping and poor distribution.

    Unlucky Saka/odegard.

  31. Time for this young team to show they have the bottle to play under pressure. Not off to a great start though

  32. I know the linesman have to keep their flag down until play stops just in case there’s an offside but it don’t half get my goat.

  33. I can’t be the only one that every time Whites one in one with St-Max my nerves fray a little bit more.

      1. The worst half we’ve played seems to man Newcastle are the ones fighting for top 4

  34. Need to change this now to 352

    These centre backs obviously need another body in there and the midfield.

  35. You’ve gotta give credit to Newcastle. They’ve recognised how nervy we are and are putting us under a lot of pressure.

    1. Sean, apparently he thinks he’s good enough for Barcelona, so he’d probably think he’s too good for us.

    1. Did we ever consider him instead of Arteta, novice versus experienced PL manager. No comparison.

  39. Newcastle look up for the battle. We look like boys to men. Passive, slow and week in the passing and tackle. Shameful!!

  42. Howe has them pressing better than Arteta has has us pressing after 3 sseasons in charge.

  43. I don’t believe it, what did I say, we needed 352 to protect these centre backs, our best defender is now off and the other 2 are clearly injured

  45. Can Tomiyasu last more than a couple of games? He is a liability – you just can’t rely on him

    1. This may be q game for laca to come back in? We need experience and composure.
      Blooming lucky to have eeked along to half time level.
      We only look like losing or drawing at best though.
      Bet the spurs players are laughing their heads off at this game, “arsenal are about to bottle it again!”

  50. Time for Arteta to motivate the team with his half time talk because it would see he sure has he’ll didn’t in his pre-match one.😤

  51. You’d think the Barcodes were chasing top 4! Need to wake up in the 2nd half – it’s now or never!

    2. Agree sue
      Looks like they have something to play for and our guys are waiting to go on their summer jolly’s with edu on his jet ski

    3. Let’s hope MA has learnt something from Pep about second half turnarounds. Very fortunate to still be even.

      1. Yes we are in one sense but it’s still goal less and nothing Newcastle have done in the final third has yet given me the willies. Still 45 minutes to go to reprieve ourselves

  52. Super Mik would really to need to have something up his sleeve for this second half – this is a hard watch ngl

  54. Mikel has got it wrong tonight and v Spurs with his defensive tactics. Bloody have a go at them & get Pepe on as Smithrowe has been a passenger I’m afraid to say, maybe switch him and Øde and see what happens…

  55. Honestly we are showing our true level under Arteta.

    He is a mid level manager, 8th and 8th now 5th is a fluke. Playing like this and we are back to mid table next season.

    Clueless manager.

  58. Cant believe im staying up for this trash.

    Give 15 min after half time and if still playing like a championship team then im off to bed.

    1. I can relate to you…
      It’s 01:28 midnight and watching this pathetic football from overrated mediocre manager

    2. Yeah, well go to bed,,, and stay there to hibernate till next season. You are too negative

  59. We couldn’t press Newcastle’s defense effectively and Ramsdale was having another bad day

    Odegaard has been man-marked. So I’d replace him after the 60th minute with Martinelli and move Smith-Rowe to be closer to Saka, if I were Arteta

    I don’t think we’d score from a set-piece tonight, so we could only hope the goal from our wingers

    1. He’s not man marked he been pushed back as a defensive CM because of howes tactical superiority over Arteta,but I agree he should be hooked but at half time not 60 mins in

      1. Howes’ tactic wasn’t superior. Newcastle players were boosted by their supporters

        I agree about Odegaard though, maybe replace him at around the 50th minute

  60. Let’s hope we don’t get to the last 10 at nil nil as we will be faced with a stick or twist situation. Go for it and get a goal and win or concede one and lose. Not sure a draw is enough.

  61. Such a boring game, expected a bit more energetic performance.

    Only player who can get past the opposition players is Eddie. ESR is having a bad game (wanted to add Tomi to it).

  62. Time to gamble. Thanks Elneny off and bring on. Martinellii. Do it before it’s too late. Fortunately Newcastle have been toothless.

  64. Lacazette bring on both Martenelli and Laca after 10 mimutes.

    we need to win rather lose trying than draw and go out in a whimper.

    cant SR drop to mid field and have Martenelli LW and laca partner Eddie.

  65. We are still in this, cmon let’s see some positivity. Yes the back 4 is a concern and may be just maybe we need to go 451 now, for the next 20 mins, get control of the midfield, protect our back 4. Newcastle will have to start tiring too, when they do bring on the pace of Martinelli and change it again.

    Ramsdale
    Cedric white Gabriel Tavares
    saka Odegaard Elneny xhaka ESR
    Nketiah

    If that don’t work, then sorry I don’t think we have a solution. Pepe may be Lacazette I don’t think so?

  66. Off topic to try and give some positivity during the half time break.
    I read today that things are looking good for Jesus from City to join us, we’re talking with Dybalas reps, and a young Brazilian cb called marquinhos.

    1. Dybala wants Champions League and I suspect so does Jesus. As things stand unlikely to join.

  67. 116 passes 🤔
    33% possession 🤔
    1 shot on target 🤔
    Quite frankly for a team wanting to play against Europes best next season that is embarrassing against a team that have absolutely nothing to play for
    Pick it up FFS Arsenal ,get Martinelli on

  68. Arsenal are shit tonight. As bad as feared. Typically Arsenal. When it really counts, Arsenal never deliver. Newcastle are fighting for rank 4? You could believe that.
    1st half statement.

  69. Edu best get onto Norwich for Max Aaron’s and find someone else as back up. Tomyasu is a crock and Cedric is a Championship player at best.

  72. Got to say, that was a poor and disappointing first half, something wrong with the way we play. Has to get better!!!!!

  73. So many anti Arsenal comments by so called Arsenal supporters, really unbelievable but when we score the winning goal they all come out cheering……. Fickle or what!

    2. Declan I admire your fighting spirit
      We are all running on pure emotion

      I thought after a slow start that we looked as though we were getting into it but so far the energy shown by Newcastle is trumping ours. Hopefully we can get some composure but it hasn’t been confident

    3. Winning goal:) we’ve got to string two passes first and get level:)

      Time for the youth in and off the field to get wise quickly!

    4. Anti comments or just fans that have reservations about this team and manager Declan?

      1. Yeah but apparently we’re so called Arsenal fans Sue. If your happy watching this sh*t show then I don’t know what to say

      2. I wish it was … what’s unbelievable is that we were actually challenging for CL with this team … xhaka as our midfield general nketiah as our goal threat white as centre back … the spine of the team !!!! but why arteta was given a contract extension beggars belief .. only by owners who don’t care about the club

  80. Europa League here we come and we gave Mikel that contract!!

    This is possibly our glass ceiling with him I’m charge I’m afraid

  82. Bunch of bottlers, only one even trying is Martenelli and he was benched by the mid table manager.

  85. Someone said that Arsenal will have last laugh..
    Actually it should have been that Arsenal is going to laughing stock

  86. Fickle my f******g a**! Declan. Newcastle had scored so we can kiss the CL goodbye. Crack under pressure as usual.

  90. I feel top 4 slipping away from us

    COYG don’t let us down.
    Make a comeback please

    1. No top 4. Rest man. This is not the Arsenal of old, no come backs, nothing. Just go get some food and rest.

      1. It is Sue. I could near cry here this is heart breaking…. how have we messed this all up. AGAIN to Spurs.

  96. Real gooners know 3 or 4 our players shite been gettn away with it can’t wait for post match arteta proud of My players shite💩

  97. Wasted an entire half with smith Rowe

    Not playing Pepe this season is wrong

    And why take out Tavares and not elneny

    2. What exactly was Tavarez’s contribution in the match if not an assist for first goal? For God’s sake why do Arsenal players keep giving away foul throw? I don’t see all that in other teams except Arsenal. Geez!

  98. I’m this close to turning the tv off and going to sleep. Fighting fatigue just to see this spineless performance seriously.

      1. On everyone SueP.
        Players for yet another sleepy performance when the pressure is on. Getting outplayed and outclassed.. Shameful lack of creativity, motivation, and will to win.

        On Arteta for lacking tactics, not having any answers to counter Newcastle after halftime.

        For not bringing anyone in during January.

        The players and Arteta deserve every drop of criticism they get. Where is the desire and will to win? Simply dominated by F-ing Newcastle for 78 minutes.

        No excuses can suffice for this shit show collapse when pressure is on.

      2. Blame on many people Sue P. Kroenke for not knowing how many appointment mistakes he made until far too late ; meaning AW(not sacking him years earlier)Gazidis, a charletan, Sanllehi(whom I believe left suddenly for a reason that has not been disclosed but IMO is to do with finance and not just spending it either

        Next I must blame MA for reducing squad numbers and not adding. Plus he clearly could not motivate these last two games and several others. He picked wrong teams wrong shapes and persevered with certain players who are not Arsenal quality or anywhere near it.
        Next injuries cost us but our too small squad was to blame.
        Lack of true leaders on the pitch too. Too little experience and no effective strikers all season. Not a single one!

        All in all a disastrous night and this will set us back a long way. We will have Europa next season meaning Thursday / Sundays and that will be .tough Some players who we MIGHT have attracted will now not be coming.

        Lastly, fan antipathy towards MA WILL GROW AND MAY GET OUT OF CONTROL.
        I STILL BELIVE IN HIM BUT MANY WILL NOT AND THAT MAY CARRY WEIGHT, GIVEN ANOTHER SEASON,in which I cannot see us finishing higher than 5th. Newcastle will be proper rivals next year, as well as all the regular clubs.
        A truly black day!

    3. I have been ashamed for the past 2 years. I was prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt but the last 2 years have proven me right….a fr..ING novice, the bargain basement version of last 5 years wenger

  100. I was tempted to get BT Sport to watch them in the Champions League, not so sure about paying to watch them in the Europa League though. Although they might get on better in the lesser competition.

    1. Half cup full I guess!! UCL was in our hands so many games ago!! Palace, Brighton & Southampton, now this. Spurs was an embarrassment to this club

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