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Confirmed Arsenal team to face Sheffield United – Lacazette on bench

It will be interesting to see who Mikel Arteta picks for today’s game, after two defensive games against Liverpool in a week, whereas today we should see a far more attacking line up.

Obviously Bernd Leno will be in goal after his brilliant heroics against Liverpool on Thursday, and with Mari, Chambers and Mustafi all out injured, Arteta won’t have many choices in defence. I’m expecting Tierney and Bellerin to start as wing-backs, with Luiz, Holding and Gabriel as a very strong back three. There is also the possibility that Tierney will replace Holding in the back three with Maitland-Niles down the left.

I wonder who Arteta will choose between Elneny, who has been pretty steady so far, and Ceballos, who impressed greatly when replacing Elneny in midweek. It is expected that Xhaka will certainly be on the team sheet as usual.

Lacazette should be given the chance to score in his fourth game in a row, with Aubameyang of course, and I wonder if Willian will carry on getting the nod over Pepe, or if it’s time for Saka to get a game against this weaker opposition.

Is there any chance of Guendouzi or Ozil being in the squad? I think not!

So, now we just have to wait for the official team news from Arsenal….

Here we go:

Well, thats a surprise that Lacazette is on the bench after his recent record! And also Xhaka, who is usually the first name on the sheet. It’s good to see Saka back as well.

All in all, a very strong line-up that should be too powerful for Sheffield…

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225 Comments

  1. Don’t care now if we or lose going to support a 2nd division team because that’s were we or handing

    1. Not caring means not supporting Arsenal. A second division team wouldn’t be able to defeat the likes of Liverpool and Man City

  3. Pleased to see Gabriel start. Interesting to see Xhaka on the bench – our ppg is piss poor when he doesn’t start but Elneny is looking pretty solid..

  4. The omission of Lacazette makes sense, especially since Nketiah is getting sharper. But Xhaka shouldn’t be excluded, because his left foot will balance out the passing flow and his aerial ability is also needed in midfield

    However, Ceballos and Elneny should be enough to battle Sheffield’s midfielders, as long as they’re not outnumbered

    1. Sheffield has nothing to offer this season. They played 3 games and lost. Even if we win them its nothing.

      2. Emmaobi, you obviously didn’t watch any of Sheffield United’s games; you under estimate teams in the EPL at your peril.

    2. “The omission of Lacazette makes sense, especially since Nketiah is getting sharper” ?

      Alexandre LacazetteLacazette
      3 in 4

      Pierre-Emerick AubameyangAubameyang
      2 in 4

      Eddie NketiahNketiah
      2 in 6

      Gabriel Magalhãesdos Santos Magalhães
      1 in 3

      All competitions.

      Behind Mikel 100%, and go with his team selections.

      Just find the Lacca / Eddie statement surprising ?

      2. Anyone who thinks that Eddie is now or will ever be as good as Lacazette better stop commenting on football.
        That’s like saying Willock will be as good as Hleb.

      3. Lacazette scored more because he starts more than Nketiah. But his confidence must be low after the wasted chance in the Carabao game, so Arteta picked Nketiah for this game

    3. Nketiah is overated. Was benched by Leeds, but good enough to not only replace Lacazette who scored 3 but also stop Aubameyang playing in CF.

      Good thing I didn’t follow on Arsenal transfer rumours this time round until a few days ago. Pursuing 1 or 2 midfielders the whole window and still fail.

  5. Rubbish formation. What is Elneny doing in Arsenal. Someone that will not make Everton first eleven. Nketiah that cannot get a senior call up is starting for Arsenal. Can any of the top six use Nketiah as striker. Even as second striker. Shame on Arsenal. Trust the process my foot.

    1. Man just support the team first and see what the result is at the end.
      We can all go into meltdown after monday

    2. Tammy Abraham was Chelsea first choice striker last season and everton has calvin Lewis who is just getting to form this season. Support the club bro.

    3. You obviously can’t judge a player’s performances well, because maybe you just read the news and never really paid attention to the Gunners’ performances in the games. If those players play well today, I think you’d still slate them due to your bias

      1. I get a start Sue? Of course I’m going to score!! I will dedicate my goal to you, I’ll pick up the phone and call you when I score

    5. 1 – Everton are a good side so far this season, their midfield of Allan, Gomez, Doucore and James is top quality.
      Any or all of those would walk into our 11 every week.

      You are Graeme Taylor 2.0

      You are obviously a follower who knows nothing about football, definitely not a true supporter

      1. Skew this season is going for teams with tall players.
        Whoever we’re recruiting should have a good height.

  7. Good team selection for a change…

    However over changing players is not good.

    You have to have a clear starting 11

    2. 343; 5,2,3; 442; those formation don’t seem to capture what Arteta is trying to establish.
      On Thursday for instance, Saka seemed to be more of a central midfielder when we had the ball and a wing back when we didnt. Arteta is transcending formations.

  9. Will see how it goes,, am glad xhaka is on the bench. That midfield should do the job today… with elneny being the defensive midfielder and Ceballos spreading the balls to the forwards…

  10. I hope that’s a 4-3-3 with Saka as the left sided number 8?
    I can’t stomach this 3-4-3 formation.
    I’ve always disliked it under Emery, I still dislike it now.
    I understand it helps us stay solid defensively but we shouldn’t be using it against the small teams.
    Hoping for a win.
    Predicting a PEA brace and Saka assist.
    COYG

    1. It’s very different from Emery’s version as it’s less fixed/more unpredictable since the LCB (Tierney) attacks like a full back creating space for Auba.
      But I don’t love this either. 4-3-3 awaits if we get a proper chance creator that will accept a salary reduction…

  11. Sue there’s nothing to b proud. I’m just waiting till tomorrow’s deadline and see d outcome. If it’s not positive then I don’t see y we d fans should not protest against kronke. Seriously it’s painful what they re doing to us fans

  12. It’s very cold here, anyway this should be a win sheffield have lost all three games this season.Playing Tierney at center back is not a good decision his strength is creating attacking moments (attacking fullback or LWB).I can see the manager has no preferred First eleven he changes his first eleven like underwears.Come on you reds!

  13. I hope we do not miss Xhaka today because his physical presence is one of the reason we are been compact in the middle.
    I switched Saka for willian, KT for Saka and bring holding in. I guess we don’t have enough fit defenders. Good luck. Coyg

  14. odd line up … elneny for xhaka is fine with me but with the lightweight bench it highlights the poor state of our midfield options … nketiah is hapless and lazy and doesnt threaten defences he was kept out of leeds attack by bamford which says it all for me … need willian and ceballos to have a good game … sheffield despite their start are a well organised and hard working outfit … underestimate at our peril

  15. So if u people win Sheffield u will be happy. No wonder the club lack ambition. Top 4 trophy club. Still wondering what Arteta learnt under Pep. Always defensive minded. Changing formations up and down. Damn it.

    1. You are beginning to make me depressed for being happy if Arsenal beat Sheffield today.
      Top 4 is a form of trophy from where the club has been for a few years.
      As for Pep, he might just be missing Mikel

    3. you are a total tool, a glass hammer actually!

      the league is a marathon not a sprint and consistency is key to any success.

      its not FIFA !

  18. Premier league madness. Leicester City losing 2-0 at home 10mins to go. That’s why we love the league, Very unpredictable.

  20. Vardy missed a 1 on 1… must be a bad day 😄 Back to the drawing board, Brenda!
    Bowen has been a great buy….

  21. I just want us playing like a team cutting out these mistakes of bad 5 yard passes and moving the ball so slow.

  22. Leicester after beating MC were supposed to beat WH. The foxes play a passing game similar to the gunners.
    Arteta better be careful otherwise SU
    could cause an upset.
    They could pack the md and with the barn door wide open, Arsenal could be
    embarrassed

  23. Arsenal must learn from leicester’s match. West Ham came to Emirates and lost but some fans here said we didn’t play well even though we won.

    What do u say abt Leicester and West Ham. Shame on to u all.

  24. If it’s a back 3, is Luiz or Gabriel going to be RCB? Maybe a back 4?

    Will be interesting to see our transition to attack without Xhaka. Maybe Elneny and Ceballos can bring another dimension to our distribution.

    Come on lads! We need a win!

  26. What’s with this slow passes seriously? Especially when playing from the back. Give those players some baby food if they lack energy.

  27. Do bellerin and elneny understand the rules of football? The point is to move the ffing ball to the opponents goal!!! Unbelievably negative

  30. We only do sit back and hit on counter….
    When we have opponent who do the same thing, then we can’t unlock their defence

    1. 🤣
      I can understand….
      Actually there so much negativity at the moment because of transfer market failure…
      But why don’t speak about MA?
      Marcelo Beisla apparently has low quality squad on books than Arsenal….
      But still his team much better attacking football than MA’s team

      1. Just wait till the transfer window closes, it will become clearer that Arteta is also part of the problem. He had the preseason to develop a balanced creative/attractive football but he stuck to playing 7 defensive players every match. His obsession with Nketia and Willock will be his undoing.

    1. I’m sure no one will talk about that Leno error, I just pray this guy and David Luiz don’t cost us this season.

  36. Pity we didn’t get bielsa .. Leeds were getting 4 or 5 players in to box yday .. we struggle to get 2 … no confidence in defence drags players back

  38. Those who were praising MA like hell can’t hide now
    There is another manager in the league who plays much much better brand of football than MA with very limited quality…

    1. Can’t you see it’s not MA? It’s the players who don’t want to give 100%. I don’t know what can be done to keep these player motivated all the time.
      Wait until we are a goal down, then they wake late.

      1. Doesn’t matter uncontrolled tackle with stud showing is clear red even if you get the ball. Ref are too deep in Manu and Liverpool pockets to see it.

  43. A year ago we lost to sheff utd … which was begining of end for emery … but tbh the quality of football is no better now than then .. Gabriel has had more of ball than any of our players … says it all

    1. This can’t be only Player’s fault
      Manager has to take such blame of 3-4-3 negative tactics..
      We use tactics of mid table team

      1. We’ve been playing like that in all our 4 matches, so nothing new for me.

        Even if we bring in Partey, Aouar we don’t have ANY system in place to accommodate them, sorry.

  45. Arteta doesn’t have the balls to play attacking football so far. Arsenal players are not that bad to be playing negative football.
    He should sort out his issues with ozil and guendonzi and bring them back to the team asap.
    This midfield is the worst in years.

      1. Wooh! I think I could come up with a thousand better way of spending 45 minutes on a Sunday. Ain’t wasting my time on that isht. 😂

        1. 😂😂 Check back though, you never know we may find the back of the net & I mean ours not theirs 😂😂

  47. Let’s be honest- what the bloody hell was that ?

    Slow and predictable.

    P.S. Absolutely bricking it when Auba stayed down. Let’s face where else is it gonna come from ?

  48. I don’t know, this looks boring even with all our possession. What’s with all these short and misplaced passas?
    A draw in this will be an automatic loss

  49. When you are playing a team at home who haven’t got a point in 3 without scoring any goals and you are that negative. Arteta is looking very very negative. Willian looks like an old journeyman Elneny slow and ponderous and Nketiah not good enough for EPL sub’s bench

  50. I think Arteta intentionally play very safe at the beginning, because Sheffield is a counter-attacking team. I believe he would change it to an attacking formation if we still can’t score

    I like his pragmatic approach, but I hope we don’t waste too much time

  51. 4 shots on goal against this poor team
    Dear God help and give us back out club from this Leach kraonke

  52. We still struggle to hold the ball , not creating enough chances . against those big defenders we need lacazate

  54. We have looked quite toothless. Willian has been quite poor. The midfield lacks quality. The Blades have looked quite comfortable so far. I think Lacazette should come on in the second half along with Pepe.

  55. There we go again with classic luiz performance, he costs us more points then he saves us. He was lucky again. Good performance by Elneny so far he is been more positive, Nkeitiah gives us nothing for me he should never start. what is the role Bellerin suppose to be in this team is still a mystery, he does not give us anything going forward or as a midfielder and poor when defnding. Here is hope William aka Arsenal Messi will do something other then making weird faces all the time. No wonder why onwer does not trust these buffoons when it comes to spending on players.

      1. Sue, I would have sold Pepe in summer and not signed Willian instead would have invested that money to buy Zaha. We don’t have that one go to player who other team are afriad of and put 2-3 players in him since Sanchez left. This creates space for other players in team to do something

  56. I don’t know much but our midfield is the worst in EPL. Arte ta should swallow his pride and bring back OZIL.

  57. It’s time to talk about the tactics of mikel arteta, against big team our style is sit back and counter attacking, against equal or small teams what are we doing , no penetration no co-ordination we were never looked as a team,

  58. MA is falling to the same issues UE had. The fact we occasionally beat a top 6 team is not good enough.
    The whole club top to bottom is a mess. No clear ideas
    for transfers/72 mil players on bench/ 350k a week players not even on the 18 and we sign Willian at 200k per week
    at 32 years old and give Luis a new contract.
    If any other club did this the whole management group including coach would be sacked. Kroenke you must clean house!!! Edu is getting a cut from his buddies.

  59. Quick question to those saying 343 is negative. How is having 7 attacking players more negative than having 6?

    In both a 433 and a 442 , you have more defensive players than a 343 .

    Now that’s referring to a basic 343 . Let’s talk about artetas.

    When we have the ball , we have Tierney, Bellerin, Elneny, Ceballos, Willian, Auba , Saka and Nketiah attacking. How exactly are those negative tactics? I actually feel like we have too many players forward at once.

    The tactics might not be working yet, but they are far from negative

  60. If the second half continues like that you can forget about getting any points out of it. That display is not worthy of anyone’s time. Finishing above eighth looks unlikely as the same brand of football continues. I’m not going to blame MA or slate the guy. He obviously can’t change things without the club allowing him to bring the players in that he needs. However, this level of football is close to amateur!

  61. We are paying ozil so much why not then use him till his contract expire and MG as well. I thought MA said everyone has been given clean slate…MA has turned out to be another yes Sir so disappointed. I had high hopes for him. Where are all de people hiding who were saying to fans they don’t know football when the some of the fans pointed out Willian is a Chelsea discard and if his parent club was not giving him a 3 year contract then why are we. Also the same fans were slaughtered for voicing concern on club handing Luiz another year contract.

    2. It not about result, it’s about the booring football we have been paying since start of this season. I don’t know why MA has moved away from more exciting football we played last season to this ridiculous football style. It’s not only about winning if it was then why bother watching just look at the final scoreline later.

  63. nketiah bellerin elneny Luiz wouldn’t be on the bench of most epl teams … willian might make bench with saka … but there is no basis for a first 11

    1. Those players have absolutely no problem. You can’t expect them to flourish in an OUTDATED system.

    1. To be frank, I also dont see what Nketiah does better than Laca. His first touch is poor for an Arsenal first tesm player and because of that he routinely loses the ball when playing out from the back. Hope he improves.🤞🤞

  70. This is the last time I want to hear anyone speak bad about Pepe.
    He is no Merci but he definitely brings something different to the team

    1. That was really good from him but until he can do similar stuff on consistent basis he will still remain a flop. When you pay so much for a player it’s not only turning up in 2-3 matches a season it’s about performing on high level constantly through out the season. Even Gervihio showed glimpses of magic in few matches.

  78. I guess every change leads to a different working phase for our team. First phase to wear them down, and then to sub in quick players to go at their tired defence

    1. Sluggish starts have been a problem for years with this squad. Been the case with 3 different coaches. This period of play are very dangerous and we need to learn to slow the play with out putting ourselves in danger.

  80. Why can’t we play like this or try to be this much positive in every match. It changes the whole dimension of the match. Keep going keep attacking let’s bull doze them. Don’t take your foot off the gass.

  83. See how fluid we are with this 4-3-3 now..
    Saka-PEA-Pepe.
    Willian-Ceballos-Elneny
    You can see we look more direct and threatening.
    More of this formation please

    1. True but we need a defensive leader to make this formation less vulnerable to park the bus teams. Either a strong cb or dm will be essential.

    3. Yup Eddie, seems Willian is better in the midfield than on the wings. One other way to look at it is that if we fail to sign oue creative targets than Willian can atleast play there.

      1. You should be ashamed of yourself, wishing a player a season ending injury? You call yourself a fan who’s always logical?

        1. That’s my opinion. If it doesn’t sound good for you, you can have yours.

          You’ve never been right at anything, so don’t judge me.

          1. So your always right in your analysis and hes always wrong lol? Jesus your mind is WARPED buddy.

              1. Aye eddie he has said it a couple of times lol only someone without a clue would actually think they are NEVER wrong…

              1. You JUST SAID TO EDDIE “that’s my opinion” AND NOW ITS NOT AN OPINION? LEARN ENGLISH BRO

          2. Herbz
            Think about what you wrote. It really didn’t come across well. Nobody agrees with you so it’s worth reflecting that wishing a man a season long injury was just nasty

      3. Congrats mate, might be one
        of the worst posts in the history
        of this site.

        Take a bow and hop on over
        to the Spuds board, should be
        plenty of opportunities there.

          1. I cant speak for any other team but generally passionate Arsenal fans dont wish that a player get a season ending injury, food for thought 👍

  94. It’s a win but not very comfortable watch. Still time to delve into the transfer window! 🤨😥😁

    1. So true, SueP! Sometimes you just have to accept that every game is a challenge whether it’s a big club or small. Credit to Sheffield Utd! Tough but we looked like them at times in our style!

  96. I feel so sorry for the lad who was waiting on Brentford to win 3-0 for 1 million quid, they were 2 nil up and now getting beat 4-2 🤢🤢

    1. I felt so sorry for him on Thursday, after having his pen saved… so glad he did well today, Siamois 🙂

      1. I felt bad too Sue,I just thought he deserved a mention, anyway another 3 pts and up to 4th even though reading certain comments you would think we were near the bottom!

  100. Good three points. The match has taught Arteta what he’s doing wrong and hopefully he’ll correct it. Better team selection and substitutions.

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