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Confirmed Arsenal team to take on Chelsea in first capacity Emirates match in 17 months

The teams are out for today’s crunch match between Chelsea and Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, where we will be backed by a full-capacity crowd for the first time since the Coronavirus pandemic.

We could certainly do with the lift after last week’s disappointing defeat at the hands of Brentford, and with a packed Emirates crowd expected today, the team will surely find a new lease of life.

Today’s opponents will not be a push-over and we will need to be at our very best to claim all three points, but with the 12th man behind us that should be more than possible.

We have as many as six first-team players missing from the selection for various reasons, including Ben White who is claimed to be missing with an illness re: David Ornstein.

Did Martinelli do enough to warrant keeping Balogun out the side this week? Is this the best possible XI of those available?

Patrick

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260 Comments

  1. Last season the vision was Pepe scoring vs Brighton. I had a vision of Aubameyang celebrating a goal.

      1. He loves a goal against the Chavs, Skills! To see that smile wiped off Azpilicueta’s face would be fantastic 😁

    2. After looking at other big teams’ line-ups in this gameweek, I believe it’s not a bad luck. They can enforce COVID guidelines to their players, but Arsenal don’t seem able to do that

      We lose five senior players because of COVID, while Chelsea, Man United, Man City and Liverpool have almost full teams. There is obviously lack of discipline and complacency at Arsenal

        1. I don’t believe the players of the other big teams are more responsible than ours. I suspect they have stricter measures than Arsenal

          Based on what I’ve seen in the last seven years, I feel Arsenal are too soft on their employees

          1. Last week there were 11 PL cases..
            On top of the injuries we could really do without this… but I agree, gai, we seem to be softer on certain individuals..

  5. Not a bad looking lineup we may have a chance on this. Would have preferred Martinelli on the middle instead of Nikolas but we will see how it will play out.

    So who is the captain now? The Granit or Aubameyang?

  7. How can Arsenal lose five senior players because of COVID, while the other big teams have almost all their key players?

    This reeks of complacency and lack of discipline. Arsenal won’t return to top four if they can’t impose stricter rules to their players

    Lukaku and Havertz would likely eat our defenders alive in the air, especially Soares

    1. I listened to Steve Bruce and OGS talking about the uptake – or not – of the vaccine by the players on the radio the other day. It isn’t compulsory so these outbreaks will occur. Next week it could be another team.

      1. Let’s see. If it doesn’t happen to other big teams, it means they handle COVID better than us

  10. No real surprises but i feel our 4231 formation against their 343 may be the wrong set up. I can see us getting over run. We will be sitting back without the ball for ages i feel. Lets hope for a miracle.

    1. Wish I could be more positive but I’ve gone from 2-1 to us to 4-0 to Chelsea
      Sorry for my pessimism

      1. Let us support the team Perry. U just said we would loose by 4 goals against Chelsea. What if we win eventually? We should be optimistic. This is our team. Let us support them.

        2. I will support the team and never said I wouldn’t and would love us to win but I really cant see it but as I said I never once said I wouldn’t support the team

    2. Lol Reggie with what we have available IS there a “right” set up? Keeping it all crossed – Arsenal are annoying enough to lose to Bentford and then beat Chelsea with the reserves!

      1. The two slow cbs have faced chelsea before and i hope they will do their best. Like i said, give em a contest instead of rolling in defeat from the first whistle.

        Like wolves and southampton just now. Both underdogs were really great at giving a contest.

        Btw, this comes from the heart not the head. Logic suggests a hammering.

  13. Should have matched up Chelsea with a back 3…as he successfully did last Season.Instead Arteta bottles out and will see his back line struggling to move the ball up the pitch….Arteta really must have a death wish…how are Holding and Mari going to deal with an form of Chelsea’s press?

  14. Arteta is hiding White and Rob will perform today and against city only to be dropped when the rain stops. Arteta is a mug.

    1. Throwing in conspiracy theories too now Jah Son? So White didn’t have a positive covid test – its a ploy our his £50m defender doesnt have to play against any good teams? Your comments never cease to surprise me. Don’t forget to tell Sky Sports who announced it.

  15. Hoping for a draw but it will need a lot of hard work … the lack of experience and creativity after spending 125m is pretty mind blowing

  16. Sorry Tavares isn’t getting a start on the right. Heck – missing White Gabriel Partey Auba Laca Odegaard ie half our first team vs the CL champs who will as usual try to kick us off the park with the aid of “lenient” refereeing.
    We shouldn’t have a snowball’s chance here. But my gut says we either get hammered or we win – we wont lose a close one, and imagine the morale boost if it’s the latter!
    Go Gunners!

  17. To think we don’t have party,Martin odegard,Laca and auba
    All first team starters, this squad is not bad and as huge potential….as per last season we need the bloody forwards to put there easy chances away, i reckon it cost us 10 points last season…

  18. Let’s hope we don’t have to rely on our bench as apart from Auba, it’s P Poor in comparison to Chelsea’s.

  22. It’s time Martinelli steps up and do something, we all love him and want him to be successful but he’s been out of form for too long so he should make use of this opportunity.

  27. This is a joke that our players are getting hit by covid so frequently now, are we more careless than other teams?
    Anyway vaccinated or not you still can test postive and feel some effects of the illness.
    So we’re not matching Chelsea with 3 cbs, hmm not good.!
    Bit scared for this one 🙁
    Our team looks weak and unsettled we need to get back to basics with pressing and a high workrate.
    Partey abd Gabriel come back soon
    Whatever happens today just no thumping please!

  30. What I see so far is pleasing to the eyes but is crossing from the left our only attacking tactic?

    1. Yeah unfortunately I think so HH. We play Pinball with our left side as flippers. Unfortunately no balance on the right leads to the ball dropping back😶😶

      1. Why is it always Xhaka? It is Tierney and Saka who are giving Chelsea free reign from the left at the moment.

  38. Well that didn’t take long, floodgates now?
    At least Luiz commanded the area and was a vocal leader who has that role now?

  39. I was quietly optimistic before kick off, we played okay there to start the game & was abit positive but then the one counter, goal and on the back foot after 13mins.

    Let’s see if we can turn this round already. Quiet now at the Emirates already 19.20 played

    2. There is a reason why Mari was playing in Brazilian league in his prime when he is Spanish national. But as usual we bought him because he did well in one game against Liverpool and out fans made him into Van Dyke hahaha.

  46. That left side is theirs for the taking. We keep this up they are going to score again from there.

    1. Tierney is getting double teamed because saka decided he is too big a player to track back apparently.

  49. Arteta needs to go for this team to be well thought how to play good football. This squad is good enough to play this Chelsea team.

    1. I agree. While weaker in defense, we are capable of producing some stinging attacks. Too bad the man in charge doesn’t have a clue on how to achieve that.

  50. For those who attend games how does people of the front row at the back of the goal enjoy the game? Do they see much of the game?

  52. The goal replay didn’t show how the process started. One of our players got beaten in the air easily, then Lukaku’s strength opened up the space

    Arsenal should’ve bought some strong players in this transfer window, instead of buying many technical ones. Our players are so inferior aerially and they’re so weak when dealing with the opposition’s CF

    If Arteta doesn’t become more pragmatic soon, he’d likely get the boot before the end of September

    1. Look at the fixtures. He is not lasting 10 games. Even the universe is against him now with bad luck of injuries, sicknesses and all.

  56. There is fear Written on every Arsenal player on the field and that reflects the impact of the coach on the team.

  57. There 3 at the back is killing us for space! Mikel is not the man to take us forward… all this seeing and we havnt really improved anywhere tbh!

    Tactics make us look this way and shows Mikel cannot take us anywhere while hes in charge.

    Mari is a donkey… why he was signed permantly is beyond me! On a yellow now too well done! Lukaku has him in his back pocket after half hour…

    2-0 now and this is a joke

  59. Has Saka been told not to track back, He just gave James the freedom of the park to score that goal.

  60. Go artea plz go take xhaka cedric mari etc etc etc with u we need a proper manager NOW

  61. Today we are witnessing the game when Arsenal finally decided to sack Arteta. Arteta is a goner that now is certain.

  63. There seems to be proper instructions for our forwards, especially Marty. He is anonymous this game. Saka seems rusty, not too good this game. Pepe seems the most dangerous of the lot and even he has not had a proper look in.
    In the mid I like Sambi and Xhaka this game.
    They are good.
    The backline is disorganized as hell! KT is a defensive liability FFS and Saka not tracking back makes it worse.
    As I type Chelsea are celebrating their second goal and MA looks like he is wondering how to explain our loss in the press conference.
    All looks shambles! But still around 54 minutes to go…

  66. Pretty pathetic again, but is anyone surprised.. after we are beaten by man city Arteta should be left in Manchester should never been appointed manager.

  67. Game over, remember this is a long term project as some fans who think they know more about football say. So judge Arteta after 5 years 😂😂.

    2. Am enjoying your comments brother ‘ the likes of Sue and Gotaneda we always have reasons to support Arteta.

  68. Can we talk about Tierney. His positioning is attracting lot of pressure from the left side and why must he cross every ball. Xhaka and Saka are not helping either. This is going to be a long season

    1. Yeah Sue. Our only offensive threat. But his tendency to drift wide leaves the centre open which pulls our midfielders in leaving them wide open for counter. Also I think Sambi is having a decent game, but Gabi is invisible😔

      1. Bless him – Emile – always looks to make things happen! Yes Sambi is looking good… that’s about it hey Sid?! 😆

  70. I honestly cant wait for this season to be over i know it only just begun but maybe then they boys we field will grow up and be men.

  74. Mount just turned Mari inside out because he can’t make a challenge due to being on a yellow for a stupid challenge.

  77. Around 200m spent by Arteta in 18 months for defensive reinforcements. Pathetic situation. All the losses have to be recouped from him before sacking him…If he is a gentleman he will walk away after this game….

  79. Wait for mid week for series of article from same author AI, priasing and manipulating facts in Arteta favours. Then all these Arteta support will come out from under the rock again to tell everyone else how they are the real Arsenal supporters and other who critise are just moaners. Some even went to extend of having little to no expectations at all because it is a long term project and Rome was not built in a day. I just want to see how long they can keep up with this pathetic excuse.

    1. Thats Arsenal Artificial Intelligence at work. No disrespect to the author. His prose is more advanced than my english teacher lol. But his articles now seem to be just fresh out from the propaganda machine😂

      1. Ooh the master of propaganda is a certain T. Arteta will sign a stone and he will praise it as a very good deal.

      2. @sid, so true he is skilled writer. I think he is professional writer that’s why you see him manipulate the words way better then anyone else in this site. Thumbs up for his writing skills but thumbs down for his complete covering of truth.

    3. Your comment will be deleted. My criticism of AI was deleted as I don’t like the way he manipulate data to present part of the story. Another article saying MA is not to be blamed.

      OK! The buck stops with the owner for employing MA to be the manager. How much money has been spent and yet this is not a team which can defend and score. The motivation is low. The owner has to employ an experienced manager and support the manager with fund to recruit players asap.

      Nobody can do better than Conte who can win a title within 1 year or 2 years. But for Arsenal, winning a title needs at least 3 years with Conte. I hope he can stable the ship before ARSENAL BRAND BECOME NO VALUE & NO PLAYERS WANT TO COME TO ARSENAL.

      1. Kenny, I am afraid that is the reality of world now when it suits ppl with authority it’s freedom of speech when it does not it is hate speech 😂😂

  80. Didn’t expect a win today but hope we don’t get spanked.
    We look like a bunch of strangers we need to wake up sharpish.
    What’s the biggest capacity stadium in the championship atm?

    1. Please stop the hype about this zidane thing. Not convinced he can do any damn thing with crop of players.

  85. Now Holding has his card will it be him or Mari to get sent off first, it’s a difficult choice. Although I am ever the optimist and hoping neither and that we manage a turnaround in the 2nd half for the draw.

  88. the entire team on the pitch does not deserve to wear our colours today, and i include saka and ESR. none of the eleven have a clue they have given up altogether,despite putting up a token display.shame on the team and our manager.

    1. I am supporting all our talented and hardworking players. They deserve a better coach poor lads.

  89. I must say Chelsea are a formidable team, I think we have played better overall compared to the Brentford game, I would like to see a goal from us, you never know, come on Arsenal……

  90. No respect for any fan defending this guy … the man has been obviously out of his depth since last Xmas when serious supporters called for his replacement (and again over the summer) only to be drowned out by a whole bunch of verbiage about “the project” … out now before we find ourselves in a dog fight at the bottom

  91. These players can play ball better than this but there is no good coach to coach them. My anger is even the fact that you can see fear in their faces. This is just small compare to what Man City will do to us next week 😀

      1. 😀😀😀😀😀 Guardiola might want to protect him but that team is too full of stars ‘ so every player is hungry for goals. Man city will not score less than 5 next smart if Arteta is still our coach by then.

  92. I don’t see the point of having a go at any of the players when it’s so obvious the manager is the problem and hasn’t got a clue. And I’m not just saying that to sound cute. I’m serious. Arteta is a dead serious clueless manager .

  93. Great play from Arsenal. Arteta said he had a plan for this game. The plan was to lose.

    Buying the 2 time relegated goalkeeper was a really mastersroke for the Arsenal board, and at that £30m, a steal at least for Sheffield.

    Arteta didn’t learn anything from Guardiola, cause there was nothing to learn from him in the beginning

  95. Have we had any shots on target?
    Can we at least do what arteta should have done and go 5 at the back 2nd half?
    Got to stop the goals as goal difference may be key later when we’re fighting to stay in the league.
    How did we go from Rosicky, cazorla and other masters to this lot?!?

  96. Look how Lukaku man-handled our CBs. Alonso also beat our players aerially, like what he did to Bellerin in two EPL games

    Arsenal’s preference for technical players must be changed. Buying Tavares and Lokonga is a good step, but we’re lacking physicality in the front line

      1. I’m so disappointed. Because we were better technically, but we lose the ball frequently due to aerial duels and the opponents’ strengths

  98. Arteta is blind and not perceptive or smart. He is standing on the sideline, but couldn’t see how times Reece James was wide open without any Arsenal player cover him. So James made an assist for Lukaku’s first goal, and later score a goal. Arteta should have made the changes to cover James at the beginning. He should have use 3-5-2 or 4-5-1 formation, and especially 5 at the back in defense in a 5-4-1 defensive formation. Chelsea is gonna annihilate Arteta’s swiss cheese defensive formation.

  99. Nothing to say. We have become a joke of a club. Arteta should simply admit he is not good enough and walk away right now. Even Saka is not interested to play for him.

  100. Been trying to get some positive vibes going here but those 2 goals were awful! No excuse for Arteta or Tierney/Saka/Xhaka for James being that far free twice in the half, were other times he wasn’t picked out too. No pressure could pick his cross then his shot, poor.

    On another note have the Kronkes/Arteta pissed off important people behind the scenes? Media coverage is intensely over the top (we had 22 shots most in the league game 1 vs Brentford fair result was a draw which was still poor for us but the coverage is we were bullied and dominated) and VAR has been awful. Brentfords 2nd goal never should of stood so much so that Klopp felt the need to speak out this week and that foul a few minutes ago was a penalty all day long, he takes him out without touching ball. We had the worst record on VAR last year (most decisions against by some margin too) and now the same here. Doesn’t change the fact the two goals were entirely avoidable but it is worrying. No problem insta booking Holding after for a minimal contact reckless challenge.

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