Confirmed Arsenal team for Olympiacos clash – Auba plays but Saka rested

So here we go with the big game that will decide whether Arsenal are going into the next round of the Europa League, so I am sure that Mikel Arteta will not be throwing our kids because he thinks it will be easy.

We can’t forget that we had a lead from the away leg last season and we managed to shoot ourselves in the foot. Although we are in a must win situation, with a two goal cushion it will allow the boss to give a few of our stars a rest to prepare for the Leicester clash at the weekend.

So this is the team that Yash predicted a couple of days ago.

Leno
Bellerin Luiz Gabriel Tierney
Elneny Xhaka
Saka Smith-Rowe Pepe
Aubameyang

Now I think he has chosen our very best team, but after our gruelling Tottenham game on Sunday I think Arteta will be a little more conservative.

So here is the team that Arteta has chosen….

158 Comments

  1. No complacency boys….

    Olympiakos have won their last two games at the Emirates so we shouldn’t relax after three away goals.

    I say again no complacency. COYG….

  2. Different team to what I thought. Hoping midfield can put a shift in.

    Hoping the players can stay injury free, some of them have played quite a few games.

    COYG

  3. Not a bad line up.

    Our midfield of Ceballos, Xhaka and Elneny should be able to contain Olympiacos.

    Hope we get the win and qualify for the next round.

  4. Xhaka’s fitness level is ridiculous!
    I am surprised Mari didn’t start though

    Looks like Ceballos is playing in the hole… COYG! Let’s finish what we started!

    1. Would rather have a player that really puts in 100% effort and needs a rest every 10 games than have a player that doesn’t push himself and never needs a rest

      1. WE HAD ONE WHO NEVER PUSHED HIMSELF AND WHO ALWAYS RESTED, EVEN WHEN PICKED ! OZIL!

        Under this no nonsense manager, we will carry no more long term coasters and any of those who’d take us all for a ride, both financially and on the field.

    1. Yeah a bit risky, hoping they don’t play a high press otherwise we’ll struggle with that core

    2. Such a shame Gabriel Martinelli cannot get a start. I hope he gets at least 30min one way or another.

    1. Arteta really doesn’t want to take any chances, does he? I also want Tierney to rest and hopefully he’ll be subbed off for Cedric in the second half

  5. I think Arteta is too cautious and should’ve rested Smith-Rowe, Xhaka, Leno and Tierney, but he might be worried because Olympiakos would most likely have a go at us from the outset

    Anyways, I look forward to see Ceballos in the CAM position

  6. Marti is definitely someone I hope might come on, but I am more intwrested to see if Reiss comes on today? Also Holding would have to work hard to get his place back as Luiz has been very good. Great day today- Arsenal match and Exams over!
    Hoping for a good game!
    COYG!!

  7. Really GoonerP this tie match is going to decide if we go through? We are already through. And with Man utd one leg already out this is going to be a happy weekend.

      1. All the more reason Olympiacos are in for unpleasant night. Arteta knows it doesn’t have to repeat at any cost. And they have Sokratis (love the guy by the way)

  8. Let me add this,i don’t like the idea of playing smith-rowe on the wing even when odegaard is not playing,i believe we have enough winger to feel that spot,smith-rowe should’ve been our 10 today&not ceballos

    1. I agree we should’ve rested Smith-Rowe for West Ham and played Martinelli or Nelson on the left wing, but I believe Arteta is unwilling to take any risks by fielding an match-unfit attacker

  9. Let me add this, if Bellerin when going forward then turns back and passes the ball sideways or at the back. I am done. Will turn off the TV.

    1. Completely bellerin does his best matches attacking wise when instead of stopping and passing back he just tries to run through the defence.

  10. I think hungry players are playing and they need to show it that’s why there in.
    Other than that I think easy enough tonight score wise , we made the mistake last season so I expect we learned from it and 3-0 I’m going with aubameyang least 2

  11. David Luiz in a 2 cb formation scares the hell out of me, I’ve always thought in the middle of a 3 stepping forward with the ball he’s great in a pairing give me holding or maybe even chambers, (when not rusty) anyday.

    Hope we get to see something of Martinelli tonight.

  12. Auba is quite frustrating. Doesn’t even try win long clearances that are in his direction…he just let’s the defender have it without even trying. Terrible attitude no matter how many goals he may score.

    Put a shift in mate, you are the captain after all!

    1. Aubameyang is like Henry. They’re quite tall, but they’re usually unwilling to do aerial duels

      1. True, but when it came to hold up player and everything else Henry was a something else. Auba is just a road runner and a finisher. That’s about that.

      2. Oh Lord!!😯😯😕😕!! Auba is like Thierry Henry?? Never Ina million years!!
        Even@age 30 in 2007, Henry had some ambition about him, speed and Clinical in goals. Was still trying to make things happen Ina game..
        Aubameyang is plain Lazy, weak and slow..He tries to smartly score a goal or 2 to cover for his terrible deficiencies!!
        Even Adebayor and RVP made Better Strikers contributions than him!! A Terrible striker really, if fans judge All-round!!

    2. Without his goals he is as useless as any player you can think of. Has terrible attitude when it comes to 50/50 contests.

  13. Back to football as usual … when you are being outplayed by a bunch of farm hands (whilst drawing millions of quid collectively) you need to be asking some serious questions

  14. We have the basis for a great team. We have some really good young players coming through but we have to stop settling! Bellerin Pepe Aubameyang Ceballos xhaka Luiz Lacazette all need to be replaced with new buys or players coming through.
    It’s like every year we are two or three players away from challenging for the big trophy’s in my opinion. Anyway Ceballos will never ever play for Madrid. And Bellerin to Juventus, Barcelona. What you smoking!!!

  15. Told you Ceballos is a CAM who can play decently as a DM. He made two defense-splitting passes for Pepe and Aubameyang, but they were unfortunately unable to convert the passes into goals

    1. Cellabos has also misplaced about 7 simple passes, he’s actually been very poor. Can’t believe some fans want us to buy him.

      1. I don’t think he made that many misplaced passes. He’s so creative, skillful and he almost made two assists

        1. I like ceballos but he has been wayward this half … needs to play more with partey not the likes of elneny and xhaka who are clueless footballers and need to be sold ASAP

        2. Ceballos is very slow in the middle he’s the type of midfielder you enjoy playing against. As you slip the ball passed him you know he’s not gonna catch you. Granted every now and again he’s made fantastic tackles or made a sublime pass but he doesn’t do it enough over the course of a few games. I should go back at the end of the season and I said we should never of brought him back fo this season. It stopped the potential of some of our youth players. Azeez could have been getting some valuable experience

        3. There you go…Cellabos trying to nutmeg a player for no reason while there are Arsenal players bombing forward and available.

          Everyone out of position, Cellabos loses it, goal conceded.

    2. Ceballos is no attacking midfielder for me. Iam Just comparing him to Odegaard or ESR in that position at its painful.
      He is not making it as Arsenal later on Madrid. Proper squad player.

  16. Some players are having a dull game. Some needless mistakes too…
    Hope the second half will be more entertaining.
    COYG!

  17. Anyone here notice how Leno is continuously passing(as instructed STILL to do) to Elneny when there are 2 men marking him tight….

    Elneny simply plays his pass 1st time and there’s no issue

    Just wanted to point it out as no one seems to notice when it works. So lets stop blaming Leno when it’s clear certain players taking too many touches is the actual issue. Cheers

  18. So flat. It looks like a real dead rubber game. The Arsenal players seem so nonchalant and complacent.
    Continued from where we stopped in the last 15 minutes against the Spuds at the weekend. Very poor and players are losing cheaply 80% of the ball when passed to them.

    1. Arteta obviously instructed the players to be highly cautious and maintain the lead, hence the higher number of long clearances from Leno and our attackers seemed to press softer to save their energy

      1. But when he obviously instructs the keeper to pass a certain way, then you say the players are free to use their own experience and mustn’t Lways listen to the manager.

        You can’t have it both ways, they either listen to the manager or they do what they want??

  19. Low intensity game, perfect for Martinelli to get a run seeing as he’s allegedly being reintroduced slowly by not being played at all🤔

  20. Auba and Pepe are thw worst..

    Thought Tierney, Elneny and Bellerin were our best out there?

    Bellerin was let all alone on that right side. Saw that free-kick “routine”? Just pass it to Bellerin who was alone against 3-4 enemy players and no help.

  21. The lineup looked good on paper, with the exception of Elneny who wouldn’t make the Olympiacos team. But Arteta’s tactics have made this one of the most boring games of football I’ve ever had the misfortune to watch. Why do much negativity?

  22. I’m not a fan of Ceballous though, but let nobody ask me how many goals and assists he had for Arsenal, when such glorious chances cannot be scored by Aubameyang.

    I can’t wait to have Auba sold. He is just useless and a waste of space and money when he is not scoring.

    1. @Gily!!
      I need that FAR more than you do!!
      If in the upcoming 2021/2022 season, Aubameyang and Lacazette are still in our team, May not see any Arsenal’s game, really!
      These two decieve Fans alot by scoring some easy goals here n there but in actual facts, they are Big time Liabilities!! Also, Nicholas Pepe!!😒😒

  23. Someone slap Luiz to wake him up!
    We had 4 back and no one attacked the ball.
    Here we go again!
    Switch to 3 at the back now!

    1. Aubameyang needs to sacked from this team. He makes us play 10 against 11 and so slow.

      Without him, KT would have been a menace on that left flank.

  24. Don’t know why the manager keeps forcing Ceballos into the team when he continues to make mistakes. We should still win the game!
    COYG

  25. Ceballos not exactly covering himself in glory, but where were the hardmen Xhaka and Elneny to cover? At least it will be interesting.

  26. @Joe.
    Disagree re elneny.
    Some games that require close out need high work rate he will always always give every bit of effort he can and is stable player as in wont pass to opposition

  27. It’s been like this for years. Lively start then the complacency sets in. Instead of going for the jugular we now find ourselves on the back foot. Hopefully the changes will steady things.

      1. Whatever it is, over many, many years of watching Arsenal it’s often the same. They need a shake. How difficult is it to be up for furthering their chance of getting to the final?

  28. But why playing to close out the game in your own home when you can go for the win. The players are doing fine, playing according to coach institutions because all of them are playing it simple and safe. That can be coincidence.

  29. Pepe poor again, not surprised as he’s playing on the RW. Not sure why MA plays him there.

    Very very clear when he plays as a LW he is far more consistent and productive.

    1. Agreed. Auba looks like he doesnt want to be there… Get Martinelli on at least to press them back in to their own half.

  30. Nothing to do specifically with tonight but we should really look at selling Auba in the summer. He is becoming less and less consistent as well as not getting any younger.

    On his wages, imagine trying to sell him in 1.5 – 2 years time. We’ll likely be stuck in a situation with a player on massive wages that we can’t move on.

    FYI I love Auba but Arsenal comes 1st

  31. Where is Aubameyang? Not what you want from your striker and captain! Hope he still gets a goal from somewhere.

  32. Clear Tierney and ESR have been tired since the game started. Really should be resting at least one of them.

  33. Aubameyang body language is disgraceful he should be stripped of the captaincy and he has just missed a sitter

  34. Not sure why the manager would not replace esr or Aubameyang with martenilli, Lacazette. It just seems crazy to me give them a rest, give the benched players a chance. I’m beginning to loose faith in this manager.

  35. If we don’t sell Auba in the summer we’ll regret it

    Wages + age + inconsistency = Arsenal subsidising wages to loan/sell him

    1. @PJ-SA, That should be Arsenal’s Number one Agenda once this season closes!!
      Sell Aubameyang and Lacazette as they are Liabilities to this team!! They are Slow, Lazy and most importantly have this Defeatist’ countenance in games which is really worrisome!!
      If they are in our team next season, Another 10th place EPL finish will be ours!!
      Successful teams play Faster and Aggressive strikers e.g Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Man Utd, etc..
      We should a good, young EPL striker and put Balogun as Back up!!

    1. Great save though….massive difference with Martinelli on. Whole team looks better.

    1. What a load of crap, glad we went through but another waste of 2 hours some of the players just dont give a toss, tell me if I’m wrong

  36. Arteta can not just swallow his pride and ego, he definitely has issue with martinelli.

  37. Apologies in advance for this……

    The most entertaining and enjoyable moment of that game was the attractive blonde lady that walked out of the tunnel at the end of the game!

    #one of those nights but job done.

  38. Any decent club who see their selves as a big club will be beating this team home and away
    If this is how arteta instruct this team to play against a team like Olympiacos then he is better managing a smaller club in a lower division
    Omg can anyone really seriously bet on this team

  39. for once we fatally wound Mourinho. Unless he survives the 30 minute bout of extra time.
    After that, we draw Spurs next round and he be like “Come @ me bro”

  40. Performance wasn’t great only Pepe, Martinelli and Tierney had drive in their play. I’m looking forward to seeing Marti get enough game time. Pepe too was selfish and Auba wasteful.

  41. 3 things I observed from this match

    1. I’m glad to see Martinelli back in the squad. We miss his aggressive play.

    2. Our players need more composure on the ball. Aubameyang should not always chop the ball. A times, play a shot.
    3. The English premier league refs are a joke. Controversy week in week out. We hardly see this in european games. Better refs in the european competition than the ones in the premier league.

  42. Would like to say we saw the best and worst of Arsenal, but I don’t think we had one good player out there except for Odergaard. Even Tierney was poor. This one was really down to the manager and the manner in which he send out his team. Perhaps he is incapable of dealing with to games at once. Let’s hope they turn up against West ham. It also demonstrates that Arteta has been riding on Saka’s back for much of the attacking input

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