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Confirmed Arsenal team for Olympiacos test in Greece

The teams are out for tonight’s clash between Arsenal and Olympiacos at the Karaiskakis Stadium this evening, where the Gunners will be hoping to gain an advantage to take back to London.

The Gunners won 1-0 the last time the two sides met here last season, before going on to lose in extra-time in the second leg, but you would expect a better showing this time around.

Olympiacos were Mikel Arteta’s first European opponents as a manager, and remain the only team to have won a 90 minute match against his side, a stat that will remain for the remainder of this month at least.

Emile Smith Rowe was to be assessed before kick-off having only returned to full-training yesterday, and finds himself on the bench, while Alex Runarsson was left behind after being de-registered from our Europa League squad in favour of January signing Mat Ryan, who occupies the bench tonight.

What are your predictions after seeing the starting line-up? Who would you have chosen to start today?

Patrick

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Tags Europa League Olympiacos

175 Comments

    1. On the contrary, Xhaka has produced more forward passes than any midfielders at Arsenal. His interception and tackle stats are one of the highest as well

      3. Evening GAI
        Hope you are keeping well
        I must say stats are what you make of it
        I will give him his dews xhaka has hit more long balls but most of his passing constitutes 5 yard passes
        He can never recieve a ball on the half turn which has been his down fall Along with other blunders he has in his locker
        1-3 tonight as long as we concentrate

    2. Bro stop worrying about Xhaka. Drop this agenda, he’s the least of our problem and the most improved player under Arteta. He’s been solid off months and like ten straight games without getting enough credits, but just because he made one error, y’all suddenly start the agenda again like Xhaka is the main issue or Xhaka is one big issue this club is facing.
      The agenda against certain players is sickening

    1. Willian is Sanchez 2.0 who tends to cuts inside from the left wing and Tierney could form a good combo with him, as what Monreal did with Sanchez

      1. Willian is a Sanchez 2? Listen PAL. Hi and have a lie down and get someone to call a doctor. FFS you do come out with some statements but this one is just unbelievable. How can you even begin to compare Willian and Sanchez? Absolute lunacy PAL

      2. As time is passing you are becoming more and more delusional. That’s a new one I heard Willian is Sanchez 2.0 😂😂🤣🤣😂. Just on this statement no one should ever take any if your comment serious. Even at his prime William was no where near Sanchez at Arsenal.

  3. Just as predictated Leno; Bellerin, David Luiz, Gabriel, Tierney; Partey, Xhaka; Saka, Odegaard, Willian; Aubameyang
    Players you are sure not to see Hein and martineli
    Good luck to the boys

  4. Have read it on here so many times where some fans said Arteta have his favorites, this line up just confirmed it, I don’t understand what he sees in willian to always start him ahead of Pepe who just picked form, why bench our record signing who is in form for Willian. I pray we go through if not Arteta will definitely be criticize.

    1. There are five subs allowed so I’m pretty sure Pepe will get some time on the pitch, unless we have a big lead and they will save him for Sunday. Willian has been OK recently so no problem with him starting TBH.

      1. Willians have not been any better than Pepe
        In fact if we are been honest Pepe has been way better and providing the goals as well so you can’t say that willians over Pepe week after week is not favoritism

        1. And martineli what is he doing on the bench while it’s even almost as certain that he won’t play…

        2. As you might have now seen it all worked perfectly. Trust the manager, he gets paid lots of money to do what you only dream of or play on FIFA 21.

  5. It’s a 433 formation.

    Partey as the DM with Xhaka and willian beside him. Odegaard on the right, Saka on the left with Auba through the middle.

    I see a 3-1 victory for Arsenal. COYG.

  7. It’s Willian starting that I don’t get though. The guy barely contributes more than Pepe yet plays more than Pepe. Arteta needs to stop this BS of his blind loyalty towards certain players.
    Anyway Godluck to the boys

  8. The next 3 games will decide arteta’s future at arsenal, lose tonight and Sunday then he is on very thin ice but I believe we will win tonight and get at least a draw on Sunday🤞

    2. “The next 3 games will decide arteta’s future at arsenal”
      Do you have a mole on the AFC board??or just hallucinating again..

      1. It was just an opinion and not just mine so stop saying silly things like hallucinating again as you dont even know me so keep your mouth shut unless its football related, fool

  9. You need players that can produce something out of nothing in a match as important as this, who do we have – Bellerin, Willian, Odegard.
    I’m not Arteta and don’t know his criteria for team selection but I’m very sure our strongest 11 should not include the three players I mentioned above.

    1. When we don’t have the ball:

      ……………………… Leno
      Bellerin . Luiz . Magalhaes . Tierney
      ……………. Partey …………. Xhaka
      Saka ………….. Odegaard …………. Willian
      ……………………… Aubameyang

      When we have the ball, we might do something like this:

      ………………………………….. Leno
      ……………… Luiz … Magalhaes … Xhaka
      Bellerin . Odegaard . Partey . Willian . Tierney
      ……………….. Saka ……………………… Aubameyang

  12. 3-1 ARSENAL
    -Arsenal to concede the 1st goal of course
    -score at half-time 1-1
    -after 3 substitutions in the 2nd half we’ll score 2 more
    goals.

  13. It now clear that Arteta does not like Pepe. If Arteta is still at Arsenal next season it will be best for Pepe to leave before his career is completely
    ruined. The same goes for Martinelli.

  14. Gabriel should not be starting in our defence if we have any ambition of winning this europa league…arteta is so error prone with his selections,i seriously doubt his credibility as a manager

    1. Interesting I didn’t realize the 2nd tie was already
      over?

      Why do you claim to be a fan and watch the games
      If you’ve already definitely concluded that Arsenal
      are on there way out of Europe?

      SMFH

  16. Anyone else watching ‘arsenal the greatest nights’ on bt sport.
    Beating across Milan at the San siro and then playing barca in 2011. Happy happy days.
    Cruel to put it on before the EL tie I thought!
    Damn going to have to dig out my 49 unbeaten dvd now!

      1. I hope TMJW watches it, as he can only remember the “humiliations” 🤔😂😂😂
        Great memories, but I missed the Inter equaliser!!!!!

  17. When we played Milan in the days of yonder all our players walk out and they have stature and a physical presence. Flanini looks the smallest and weakest and we know what he was like.

    One day I.pray for our beloved mf creative play to come back oh santi I miss you.

  19. Must worry about Sokratis. These exes always make it a one man mission to destroy us by putting in a 300% effort.

    Good night and good luck everyone!

  20. Willian in the team……. away??? There must be a play Willian clause in his contract because it’s like having 10.5 men. Hope I am proved wrong but he shouldn’t be in the team.

    1. Hahaha….it looks like it. It might be part of his contract that club might have to give me certain number of minutes on the pitch in a season other wise only other reason I can think of is Arteta does not want to be proven wrong and will go to any length to make sure Willian transfer works out. One of the big reason why we are struggling this season is Arteta’s obsession with certain players. I see similarities between wenger and Arteta on this front.

  21. What’s up with Holding, he was our 1st choice RCB for a while and did a good job. How come he’s lost his place to error prone Luiz?

  22. Arsenal’s salaries total 200 million per year more than Olympiakos. So we should win comfortably but we thought that last season.
    But this team is more aware and has revenge on their mind.
    Expecting a strong start from Arsenal and a big win.
    6-1 Gunners

    1. “Arsenal’s salaries total 200 million per year more than Olympiakos.”

      Are total salary doesnt even equate to 200 mill, your way off.

    2. In order to seek revenge you first need to be hurt. I don’t feel like these current players care enough about the club to have been hurt by the defeat last time out.

  23. This line up should do the job hopefully. Come on Arsenal we need to win this cup competition so we can return to the champions League. Time to switch to higher gear 💪

    1. Lol!, It is mostly other way around Sue. If I have to bet then I would rather bet on Sokratis scoring on corner against us then giving us the goal.

  25. should we win … of course .. then again we should have beaten burnley wolves leeds shampton palace villa spuds and had slip ups against all

  26. Playing against a nothing team you’d hope they get the job done,but after watching the Manure, Milan game I have to say Arsenal’s starting lineup looks mediocre and not fit for any Super league.

  34. A goal from outside the box 😃 feels like its been years

    Nice to finally have midfield chipping in a goal from open play

  39. FFS Arteta- that was ANOTHER mistake from playing out from the back. Stop this ridiculous tactic until you have players that can actually do it. YOU ARTETA are to blame for persisting with something that is quite obviously beyond these players capabilities. You are a Fricking Moron Arteta.

      1. Should but they didn’t did they? That’s the point. It was VERY NEARLY another costly mistake.

  41. Nice game but we should have been up by atleast 2 goals.Again we are not showing clinical finishing in front of the goal

  42. Great rocket from Odegaard. But those two brain farts from Luiz and him would likely be punished by a better opponents, such the Spuds in the NLD

    Partey got dispossessed two times and I think he’s out of form tonight. Arsenal must stay focus

  43. Great goal but up until then he’s not had a great game, but what a goal! Not sure what’s up with Partey though.

    1. Declan, nothing’s wrong with him. It’s our system rather. Have anyone noticed any player who comes to Arsenal gets a rating drop in FIFA games.

      Pepe was 84 but he’s 82 now. Ceballos was 82 but 79 now. Torreira was 83 but dropped to 80 before he left on loan.

      Odegaard will drop soon. I believe its our system of play.

  45. doubt spurs are losing much sleep … ponderous stuff against a team that looks like they need a couple of weeks at the local weight watchers … a blistering bit of magic which benefited either from unexpected swerve of hapless goalkeeping … the fact that arteta keeps faith in luiz xhaka bellerin willian speaks volumes for his clueless brand of management

  47. Nice strike but the goalie almunia would have saved it… Luis xhaka William bellerin absolutely shite, club won’t progress until there long gone..

      2. watching him is like watching a manakin with a limp play the game … he is a dead weight around this team … and that before his endless mistakes are factored in.

  48. @Sue but I’m yet to watch the game real starting with second half hope more action and thrill appear as im to enjoy Thursday nite football…all will be over when we win it.

  49. Bellerin……….hmmm.

    Does he aim for an Arsenal player or he just make a cross.

    All his crosses have been shite. When is he going to improve?

  51. Saka getting all the respect, both in the opposition’s urgency to chop him down and what he’s actually done with the ball with clinical passing. Except for Tierney the others have been going nowhere. Odergaard’s goal has restored his reputations. Before that I was unimpressed.

  52. He will probably have a nightmare second half now but man it’s nice watching a game with a competent ref

  53. Just checked up the score… then watched the goal, what a strike by Ødegaard 👏👏

    Keep a clean sheet to take home and maybe grab another in the 2nd half.. by the reading iv done we have had our chances to be a few up but 2mistakes could’ve killed us.

    Iv always said its Mikels system just like Pep always says to players to stay in the position required, do the job required or go on the bench. Can remember Henry stating Pep had mentioned this to him also when he played under him.

    If his tactics dont work or cant be put on the pitch by the players then theres a problem.

  61. The equaliser is solely on Arteta. I don’t care what players cocked it up this is the Managers fault.
    Olympiakos half time team talk- Don’t worry lads. This is an Arsenal team that ALWAYS F***S IT UP. JUST PRESS THEM HIGH AND WAIT FOR IT TO HAPPEN

  66. It’s too funny.
    One team just never learns. It’s as if other teams only need 1% of possession in order to score against us

  67. Olympiacos cant even take a shot on the goal.Forget about mistakes and defending our attack is also toothless.We should have been up by atleast 2 goals by now

    1. It’s a repeat of so many games this season but where is aubameyang and saka in this half

  69. Willian playing bad? That’s a massive surprise.

    Leno instead of Martinez I heard on here alot, not a chance, big mistake selling him instead.

  70. Wtf are we like youd think Luiz let off would have been enough of a warning.
    Laughing stock of a club ‘roll up roll up come to arsenal get your free goals!’

  71. Besides the goal, we have also come out in the second half flat. No running off the ball and passing has been pedestrian.

    1. Yep OZGooner your correct- a very typical (so far) totally flat, insipid and uninspiring second half performance. Been here before have we not?

  72. Arsenal are world beaters at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
    We are absolutely bang average and will without a shadow of doubt be dumped out the Europa League and finish bottom half of the premiership.
    Roll on next season, this has been an awful one.

  75. the lack of movement of these players is unconscionable and down to a manager who is clearly winging it

  79. It’s clear that Odergaard needs help with the creative side of things. It’s not going to come from William or Xhaka. What is Arteta waiting for? Since Odergaard joined the fluidity which looked promising has all dried up.

  80. Correct about being insipid and slow.
    We just dont know how to lead and see a game out.
    We think allowing the tempo will see the clock out actually the beat thing to do is up the tempo one touch exquisite concentrated 10 or 15 minute period where you score one or two more then the nerves settle.
    Think MCity they know how to see a game out!

  85. Wheres pepe?
    Why did we not switch to 3 cbs when 1 up and then attack hard down the flanks?
    Tactics omg what is Arsene thinking watching this?

  94. Well wonders never cease. What do I know. This will give Elneny a new contract and set Arsenal back another two years.

  95. That header was artistic the most powerful and determined leap and connection I’ve seen in ages! Who said gabriel shouldn’t play?
    I actually like gabriel and holding together.

  100. Gabriel and holding seem to have a nice combination of calm composure mobility and speed and serially they’re both good.
    Luiz is not able to play in a back two weve seen it before at chelsea and early days ar arsenal.
    Middle of a back 3 different story.
    What luiz can give and I truly believe we should play him dm now and again, as his distribution snd switching of play from there is better than most

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