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Confirmed Arsenal team-sheet for our return to action against West Ham

The teams are finally out as we look to get our restart underway, with the below Arsenal team set to face West Ham at 8pm local time.

The Gunners have been out of action for six weeks due to the World Cup in Qatar, but we earned our place at the top of the table after a series of impressive displays, and we now have the chance to build that gap to eight points over Manchester City in second.

We were aware of a few personnel issues, which led us to name the below predicted line-up in one of our pre-match previews earlier today, a team which we believed would give us a great shot at victory.

Ramsdale
Tomiyasu White Gabriel Zinchenko
Partey Xhaka
Saka Odegaard Martinelli
Nketiah

As you can see, we were a little off with our prediction above (as stated in our confirmed team news post), mostly because we were made to believe that Saliba had yet to return but this team should be claiming all three points regardless.

What are your thoughts on today’s line-up?

Patrick

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Tags Arsenal v West Ham West Ham

112 Comments

  6. Can’t get my head around the previous – as in recent negative comments about the Arteta-Saliba relationship but he is in the starting line up. We are as strong as we could be under the circumstances and we have a great chance to shine tonight

  7. I hope all the players have a great game especially Nketiah. There’s a lot of pressure on him with Jesus gone temporarily. If he doesn’t do well Martinelli will need to be considered for that position, but hopefully Nketiah will do well tonight ❤️

    COYG

  12. Gabriel way out of position leaving Saliba 2 on 1. No-one from midfield dropping in to assist.

    Nketiah looking undecided like usual up front, need to step up big time.

  13. Typical
    Bags of possession and no finished product
    West Ham have been bang average and get a penalty and score

      1. It was offside. Unfortunately, as Saka’s touch changed nothing if he missed it we scored anyway but still offside. Would have been Nketiah’s assist btw.

        A bit rich laughing at this comment though when claiming Saliba’s clanger was Gabriel and the midfield’s fault that’s equally blinkered. As soft as it looked I would be livid if Arsenal didn’t get that pen. Importantly Saliba was never winning the ball nor was it that desperate to require that challenge and he still almost got lucky because he was so so far away from winning the ball that he nearly missed Bowen entierly.

        1. Salibas error but was cautious because left with 2 men, Gabriel out of position and no-one from midfield covering for him.

          If you think just Saliba is at fault and what everyone else did was perfectly fine I think you have a lot to learn about a TEAM sport 🙃

      1. he’s so sh*t man. Shouldve had atleast one.Running around alone doesnt do anything he needs to use his brain.

  18. Are we trying to walk the ball in the net because Wenger is there? Only one team looking likely to score and that’s not us.

      1. Yea this was my fear as well, though thought it would come from Antonio. This type of play is really what I was always worried about when I heard Jesus was out. It’s essentially the same team as last season now and back to the same struggles.

    2. remember the juvenytus game all play no goals? This is the exact replica, eddie running around but doing absolutely nothing!

    3. When did West Ham look like scoring? Outside Saliba’s random act of madness? Saka literally scored and it was essentially ruled out on a technicality. Correctly ruled out but a technicality none the less.

  22. We are struggling to get in the box and when we do it breaks down so feebly. We should be ahead, not the other way round.
    White has been good on the right. Odegaard is working hard to make things happen but the final thrust is below par at the business end. Possession is pointless without sticking the ball in the back of the net

    3. Cmon Sue just say it like it is! Eddie is crap, Ode, saka and Gabby are having an impact while he (eddie) just runs around had two best chances and made very stupid decisions.

  23. Can’t complain about decisions today. Wish it was like this every week and there wouldn’t be a problem. Martinelli vs United for an instance that has finally been publically admitted.

    On the plus side we are by far the better team and it should be a matter of time before we score.

      2. 53rd and 58th minutes,well done me!! How sad,I have hit a low point in my life where I have to congratulate myself because others won’t 😂

  24. Missing Jesus badly. Eddie has done okay but he’s a clear downgrade. Have got to get someone in. Besides for that, I don’t think it’s been too bad, maybe too much reliance on Odegaard first half. I know Xhaka has a less on the ball role but would like to see more from him

  25. Saka looking like the only interested in winning the game, funny enough he’s the only 1 in the squad that could possibly be fatigued from the WC. Ode doing ok as well.

    Our build up play is far too slow at the moment, we are giving WHU way too much time to drop in deep and get set solidly.

    I’ll be very happy if we swop Eddie and Martinelli.

    1. Eddie outwide is not good. Shame that even Nelson is injured. We really need to get people in. One or two injuries and we are scrambling for decent replacements

  26. Nketiah played well, but he didn’t have many chances to shoot

    I think Arteta should encourage Martinelli to cut inside and shoot more often. If Martinelli got hurt badly because of Bowen’s and Coufal’s rash tackles, Arteta had better replace him with Cozier-Duberry

    If we had a taller CF, we could’ve got lucky with Tierney’s long crosses

    And Xhaka was very ineffective in the first half. If we sign a new CDM or play Elneny/ Lokonga there, we can try Partey in Xhaka’s place

  27. Nketiah is trying to push things.
    He should be himself.
    We need to sign players this January.
    We have to win this match.
    Good to see Arsene Wenger at the emirates.

  28. Their pen was soft but he did touch him ,annoying thing, is if ref does not give it then I doubt VAR would have either .
    Thought Eddie as done pretty decent TBF to him , just no cutting edge up top .
    Not a fan of Declan rice but he’s been the best player on the pitch for me .
    Still think we will get the 3 points ,but only one shot on target in the first half needs improving in the second .

    1. Yes Dan. Arsenal will win by 3 goals to 1.
      Glad to be back on this platform and connecting with fellow gunners.

    2. Your spot on it wouldn’t get given the other way around. I think it should get given the other way around but those are the rules apparently. I don’t understand why VAR can not have competent refs that uphold a specific standard with the benefit replay. Clear and obvious is just an excuse for corruption one way or the other.

  29. In all our 14 games so far this season, we’ve not had possession like this. Our play was based on positional alertness with fast forwards – Jesus, Saka, Martinelli – to do damage up front.

    But I don’t know whether because Wenger is around that made the team return to the old possession with no substance kind of play.
    Careless of Saliba on that foul. No way he gonna get the ball and boy was already on the floor.

    Second half can’t be this way at all

  31. This could be possibly banana skin..
    We still got time turn it around but WHU looking pretty resilient to breakdown at the moment and they can hurt on counter

  35. There we go boys, love odegaard taking shots. And that’s why you never know when you’ll get some luck like that

  36. Maybe WHU prefers to sit deep and let us hold the ball. They have scored very less and they conceeded not much. Although they don’t hold the ball, they don’t give their opponent a chance to shoot either.

    For us, possession without clear chance.

  37. Great. I knew it was coming because I really thought we were the better team in the first half, despite being 1-0 down

    Let’s win it boys
    COYG

  41. Fortuitous first goal according to the commentator but he’ll no doubt say the same about Fabianski’s poor effort… and so he did. COYG

  44. Well done Eddie, much better! Great touch from Ode. When Eddie has too much time he seems to struggle, tight situations in the box much better.

  49. Super Eddie take a Fxxxxxx bow, expertly taken. Better goal per minute than Jesus this year now (no he isn’t better than Jesus now just has a better scoring record this year to go with his 5 in 8 in the last 8 of last season.)

    What a super group of players, super manager, super backroom staff and super fans (for the most part but certainly those who attend games these days.)

      1. In the build-up as well I heard Ally say he has 10 in his last 10 home games all comps haven’t verified that but would assume he had before he said it so in that case it’s 6 in his last 9 starts for the prem for sure and 11 in 11 for the Emirates in general not bad considering certain negativity surrounding his ability.

  54. 2nd time Saliba has made a big mistake and been completely solid afterwards speaks to his mentality. Crowd support obviously helps with that crowd/fans should take note of that fact but he still has to do it. What a time to be Arsenal fan.

  55. I know that West Ham are struggling but Arsenal came out in the second half with more energy and desire. Odegaard showed endless endurance and is such a class act so I’m pleased Ali McCoist agreed with me by making him man of the match.
    I’m pleased AW was there to see the phoenix rise again

    We look a completely different outfit compared to 12 months ago. The team are showing very promising signs of coming of age.

      1. Cheers Siamois
        The last couple of years have been testing for us all. The break could have derailed us a year ago when we went a goal down but the belief was still there!

      1. Arsenal have submitted official bid for Mykhailo Mudryk for 40M euros and 20M as add ons
        However Shaktar wants much more than that…
        According Romano talks will go underway in next few days..

        1. 45m pounds should get Mudryk.
          I think we might see Nketiah and ESR play as a 9.

          2 signings are key this January

          1. Mudryk
          2. Tielemans.

  59. What a result! 7 clear at the top, for now, we’re all dreaming. It’s not being top though it’s the play, the connection and the fact most fans are onboard it’s beautiful and fun. Long may it continue. So pleased for Eddie too but that’s on him handling the pressure was hardly a surprise on recent form.

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