Brentford v Arsenal
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Confirmed Arsenal team to face Brentford – Nwaneri starts, Lewis-Skelly on bench

Arsenal travel to the Gtech Stadium this evening to take on Thomas Frank’s Brentford and this is the team that Mikel Arteta has selected.

A win for Arsenal would move them up to second place in the standings and narrow the gap to Liverpool to six points, though the Reds would still have a game in hand. Even a draw would be enough for Arsenal to reclaim the second spot, but that would certainly not be an ideal result for Mikel Arteta and his men.

Arsenal’s form has been somewhat inconsistent of late. They can deliver a stunning 5-1 win against Crystal Palace away but fail to beat Everton at home. While fans might feel confident about beating Brentford, there’s no guarantee of an easy victory, especially given recent performances.

Adding to Arsenal’s challenges is the long-term absence of Bukayo Saka, their talismanic winger. This is an anxious time for the team, as fans eagerly await to see how they adapt without one of their most influential players.

Brentford, meanwhile, are not in the best form either. They are winless in their last four games across all competitions. However, it’s worth noting that those matches were against tough opponents: Chelsea, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, and Brighton. While the Bees have struggled to find results, their performances have come against quality opposition, and their lack of confidence could work in Arsenal’s favour.

What do you think about Arteta’s team selection? Share your thoughts and predicted scoreline in the comments below!

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112 Comments

  1. This is an interesting line up. It looks positive.

    Looking forward to watching Nwaneri and Merino. I hope they give good performances.

    1. He must be unfit to play, but Merino will replace him to be Raya’s long-passing target

      Lewis-Skelly deserved to be a starter after his fine performance in the last two matches, but I guess Arteta wanted to play safe and boost our corner-situation attack by playing Calafiori

      If Nwaneri plays well as an inverted-RW in the match, I think Arsenal won’t sign a new one

      1. Where is the focal point. Where is the stability. Martinelli runs down blind alleys, Merino needs ti improve no end, Nwaneri is playing his first game on RW and Jesus doesn’t play like striker. I see no continuity. I hope Brentford stink tonight because we need a win.

  3. Wow! Not sure about this. The tinkerman has returned. Tinkering for no reason. I understand rotation but there is rotation and just messing for messing sake. No Rice, No Haverz, No Trossard and Jesus striker? I wait with bated breath but, I am a little baffled to say the least. Were is the calmness for scoring?

    1. Tell me what exactly is the issue with this line up unless it’s just another excuse to whine. Arteta gets slaughtered for not rotating then he gets slaughtered for rotating so what is it.

      Tinkerman?
      Everybody is playing in their best positions, Timber RB, Partey CDM, Merino LCM and jesus ST
      Havertz isn’t even on the bench so he must be injured. Jesus is our 2nd striker so remplacing him.
      Rice hasn’t looked 100% fit all season, better Arteta takes precautions with him unless he gets injured then you’ll complain he was been ran to the ground like Saka.
      Trossard has been bad most of the season.

      1. Disagree about Rice, he should be in the team. Disagree about Trossard he has been better than Martinelli. Disagree about Merino. I can agree bring some players in but this team doesn’t look right to me at all. Far too much tinkering and not enough balance.

        1. Arteta has always used Rice when available before maybe he is nursing some niggle, no way Merino gets chosen ahead of a fit Rice. Martinelli and Trossard have both been average this season so it’s just 50-50.

  4. Both Merino and Nwaneri are getting a big chance to compete for a starting 11 place. Not to mention vs the best home team in the league. Nwaneri especially has a great chance of making that right wing his until the return of Saka.

    Any news about Havertz ? weakens our bench even more.

      2. Sue my problem with that is and has been with Arteta in the past. If you have players out, do not mess about. Play to fill the void, not make wholesale changes, that are not necessary. Regardless of the result, it is a problem he has. And it has cost us leagues.

          1. Wonderful, he did! Oops, I said something good about MA.🤫 Then again, at least some of those who would cringe believe the Arsenal didn’t “win” anything today and it’s all meaningless if a trophy isn’t attached to it.

  5. It’s time to see our next rising star boy. Especially in this hostile environments. I can say baptism with fire Nwanyeri. CMYG. 1-3 to the arsenal.

    2. Hope you are the lucky charm going forward with these kind of predictions 😁. Cheers, up and onwards.

  7. I love this line-up. Very optimistic about it. Would have loved Rice in Merino’s place but he too is very aggressive. I think Arsenal will win the game

    2. @Dan Kit
      It doesn’t matter how many men they have out, Frank is a good man manager and has a good sense of his squad capabilities. He knows how to get the best out of them.

      1. once the opponent is inside the box, scoring is almost guaranteed if he can get a shot on target.

      2. Goalkeepers cant save everything, i thought the striker was clever. The fault was Odergaards. And the defence didn’t help.

  13. That was a terrible goal to concede
    Sloppy by Odegaard and ultimately an excellent finish by Brentford

  16. We are so bad to watch
    We only keep possession but we can’t do anything with ball
    Brentford scored with just 16% possession

    1. Remember when Arteta defended our run of matches in November saying how well weve played despite playing all the top sides already? Then he went on to draw Fulham and Everton lol.

  21. Real chaos!
    Good reaction from Jesus
    Can we take it from here please
    Raya needs to get a grip

  23. Does anyone know what type of player Merino is? He isn’t a ball winner or carrier, doesn’t make creative passes or shoot either. I genuinely don’t know what he brings to the team.

  24. Odergaard, Merino and Martinelli need to come to the party. Speaking of Partey, how on earth coukd anyone EVER leave him out of midfield?

  25. We are a top 4 team, not champion material nor Europa League material. MA has succeeded elevating us back to what we were used to in Wengers latter tenure. I think we can take that as positive but maybe another manager can take us to the next level like Slot is doing.

    1. Jax, we have to see what Nwaneri can do but Trossard and Rice need to be playing. Merino and Martinelli have been passengers.

  27. Odegaard didn’t play well in the first half. Brentford’s first goal started from Odegaard’s misplaced pass, then Calafiori didn’t do much to block Mbeumo’s shot and Raya should’ve been able to deflect it

    Arsenal were controlling the end of the first half though. If they’re still dominant in the second half, they’d likely score one more goal and win the game

      1. This is undeniable
        I remember a cup final against Utd – probably in the last century when we were holding on by our finger nails and won somehow.

      2. Brentford’s second golden chance happened because of Raya’s mistake. I don’t think Raya will do another mistake and Arsenal’s attack was pretty good in the end of the first half

  28. Merino and Odegaard slowing the game. Partey playing really well. Calafiori is not a defender from what I have seen praying he improves.

          2. As the things stand PL is not in Arsenal’s hand. They can make serious attempt for CL but for that they need at least another quality goal scoring player even with fit Saka.

  30. Martinelli has been a -1 all through this half

    Odegaard not in his peak self today, I think he should start aiming to free Jesus with his passes

    Odegaard long injury made us 9 points behind injury

    Evidently there’s only 1 red-hot team in the league now

    As we can see this Saka’s will take us further points behind Liverpool

    That 9 points ain’t reducing before February ending (when Saka could be back) it would become wider instead

  31. Gabriel Jesús from his days in Palmares, the Brazilian has never lost a game when he scores, for club and country

    So this one got to be in the bag despite the stalemate predictions

  32. Same old Arsenal in that first half. The Brentford goal was avoidable and our football is too slow in the build up. Two of the main reasons we won’t win the EPL. We seem to want to pass the ball to death. Tippy-tappy three touch football and not much of an end result. Our one touch passing is poor though. We need to be quicker going forward. Brentford have time for dinner before we attack. It’s just all too slow.

      1. I know Sue. Thank god. I just know we can be so much better. Could have been 2 nill after the first half. Still, a win is a win..

  33. I am a fan and at the same time I need to be realistic, we will not win the league. We are simply not good enough.

    1. Tbf, Liverpool didn’t look anything special early on but grew in confidence and quality as the season progressed. We are not as good as them currently, but we have to keep going because things can change.

  36. I told you Arsenal will score another goal and win the game. It was obvious from the end of the first half

  37. Game over. I think Arteta gave them the proverbial arse kicking. Two two goalscorers have been poor. It just shows you.

  41. Good for martinelli – I thought he did ok first half, but overall he’s much more important to the team than people realise. He’s the only winger/attacker we have with pace and his movement is key, even when his final ball or finishing is off.

  42. What a finish by the player who has become the latest scapegoat of our fans!!
    Absolutely brilliant!!
    Anyone still wanting to take him off now?!

    1. @Ken1945. I think Martinelli has to start doing that more consistently, and maybe he won’t be a scapegoat. Every club has a scapegoat. I don’t agree with it,,, but that’s human nature

    2. Ken, he isn’t a scapegoat. He has had a poor season. And its not only Arsenal fans saying it. If he produces what he should there is no problem.

      1. Reggie, you was castigating him before the match even started, along with others I should add.
        I have seen a different player to you and I’m certain he will get even better playing on the right hand side.
        I do agree with your comment about Partey and what a mistake it will be if MA doesn’t get him to sign a new contract.

        PJ, this season we’ve had both Martinelli and Gabriel as scapegoats and here we are tonight praising them.
        Why does there have to be scapegoats?
        I’ve yet to see anyone admit they made a mistake with the latter’s goal scoring abilities.

        Special mention to Nwaneri, who looks another gem in the making, while Califiori looked rusty and Raya, in the first half, needs to realize his mistakes, rather than blaming others.

        All in all a great result and our dominance in London continues under Arteta!!

        1. Even Lee Dixon in commentary the other day was saying Martinelli is not performing like he was 2 years ago. And he isn’t.

  45. It is interesting that nwaneri brings in a refreshing kind of game play, less dribbling more passing. I think we are more direct today than before. Some may see this still as cup half empty, the half full side is something positive to me.

  49. Credit to Jesus, coming in when we need him and getting goals. He got MOM but for me the MOM by a country mile was our best midfielder, Partey.

      1. I really can not see how the commentary team, didn’t see how good Partey was Jax. HE drove the team on.

          1. I would say on 99% of the games Partey has played in Reggie, he’s been the driving force.
            I still can’t believe that some on JA are saying they want him gone!!

            1. It’s mind boggling that they want him gone. We need to keep him even He if he’s injured. He’s such a top top baller that even Diego Simeone will welcome him back to Atlético 😅.

  50. Really professional 2nd half
    Really quick start 2nd half and then closed out the game
    Wasn’t free flowing but will take wins like that all day long
    Brentford had 22 points out of 27 whi h is some going so to walk away with 3 points and close the gap to 6 is a Good start to 2025
    Onwards and upwards

  52. On balance, a good performance in the end. Some sloppiness and a few errors in the first half but a solid second half.
    Very good all round performance by GJ.

    1. Now the game is over David, have you thought anymore about your question regarding what Merino brings to the side?

      1. Ken1945
        I wondered and then looked at the funny little avatars and there seem to be 2 different Davids. Very confusing
        Usually AdPat gets one or the other to change their name slightly

          1. Well it’s possible
            In his longer posts the David I associate you with has a particular writing style and rarely posts during matches- usually after. Definitely different avatars – the plot thickens

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