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Confirmed Arsenal team to face Atalanta – Rice returns and Jesus the captain

Arsenal kick off their 2024/5 Champions League game away at Atalanta and this is the side that Mikel Arteta has chosen to go with.

Arsenal will be aiming for a strong start in their Champions League campaign, with a win or, at the very least, a draw in Italy. What they cannot afford is to leave empty-handed.

This season’s Champions League follows a league format, meaning there will be no return leg at the Emirates, so the Gunners must secure something from this match.

Atalanta will not be an easy opponent. They are the reigning Europa League champions and, despite a mixed start to their domestic season, come into this game on the back of a home win over Fiorentina.

Arsenal, meanwhile, are fresh off a victory against Tottenham, which puts them in a good position to replicate that success in Italy.

Let us know in the comments below what you think of Arteta’s team selection and your predictions for the final score.

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59 Comments

  4. Arteta do not have guts to rotate the team. This is how he makes 1st 11 tired and no match practice for bench players. That is why academy players are leaving Arsenal recently.

    1. Frustrating GB ,just saw your reply to me on another article ,it makes it hard to go back and forth which I like ,usually getting heated 😂.
      I can post a comment and it might appear in the morning ,oh well ,they have had plenty of People saying the same thing .
      I’ll come back when it’s sorted

    2. Merino and Odegaard are out and you wanted Partey rested for a difficult away tie against the Europa League winners? Now is not the time. It’s the start of the season too with 1 game a week until now. The time will be the 2 games after City if you need to drop starters for rest. We can only hope we do an early job and players can be rested through subs that way for Sunday.

  7. Let’s go! Wish it was an easier tie away but you play what is in front of you. Just hope we can get rest into players ahead of City, wishful thinking probably but one can hope

  12. This game is screaming out for nwaneri! I don’t think they could handle his pace, skill and energy in the midfield!! Hope he gets on in the second half.

      1. Based on wishful thinking

        Nwaneri in this highly tactical game

        Go ask Wirtz & Szaboslai if one should be doing such nonsense

      2. Based on his potential.
        Yes, his potential. The same reason the likes of Foden, Palmer and Rico Lewis came through the ranks at City.
        I think it’s time Arteta starts looking at some of these youngsters to solve our midfield creativity problem in the absence of Odegaard.
        Not as if we’ll sign a cover for Odegaard before the end of the season anyway.
        And when was the last time a youngster came through the ranks at Arsenal by the way?

  15. Jesus is not match fit; it’s about gaining the minutes for him really. I think it’s going deliberately slow in the first half. Managing the crowd is what’s going on. You can’t trail in such a match or give opportunities for the crowd to fire up, in such an atmosphere. So far, players look calm and composed, that’s the key point. It will pick up in the next half.

  16. Seems we don’t know how to play to our attacking strength without Odegaard (that is the right wing)

    We’re not bringing Saka into the game & there isn’t any sorts of creativity going on

    1. To be clear the hated on (by a certain section) Arsenal signings in order were Gabriel, White, Odegaard and Raya. Lol

    2. Really hope he comes good but it is fascinating he was the one player arteta outers were using originally when he played esr over him as an example of Artetas incompetence. If they got their way we’d we have no Gabriel, White, Odegaard, havertz or raya but Martinelli would be the main man. Worth noting as well when those types who set their stall on Saliba everyone agreed with them just that he needed time. Mad this history and the revisionism of the prominent commentators is fascinating.

  26. Atlantic have made us look average tbh. Credit to them. But our game has looked off too. Poor passing and not dealing with thier press too well. Again, credit to Atalata. Maybe we have one eye on the weekend game?

      1. @Angus
        I know they’re no mugs. But we were warned about their pressing game and didn’t do anything to counter it. Just saying…

  27. Awful
    Boring
    City will murder us if we play like that
    At least George Graham had wrighty up front

    We can’t keep playing the same side 2 x a week

    1. If we draw 0-0 with Cith that is a result, did you watch City v Inter? 0-0 and City were lucky. Are you fan or a provocateur?

  28. It seemed like an energy saving game for the Sunday game in all fairness. I wasn’t sleepy at the start of the game but dear god I’m yawning now.

        1. It’s obvious, and to make up for that lost creativity, players would need to be more direct and make runs more, which can be tiring. Hence, the defensive approach and it’s a good result considering the value of Sunday’s fixtures.

  29. Wasn’t Jesus looking sharp during preseason ?
    So the 2 weeks knock has made him match unfit

    Just like that Lacazette’s long drought period, Martinelli is now the last person we wanna on the end of any attack move or through-pass
    So annoying

  30. I still think opponents shoot at us more often without Partey

    And the defense is more jittery without him

    Yes, he’s not as sharp as he used to be but i think he shields the defense better than anyone else atm as we seem more composed and organized and controlled at the back with him

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