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Confirmed Arsenal team to take on Slavia Prague

The teams are out as Arsenal look to gain an advantage from their home leg of the Europa League first-leg clash against Slavia Prague.

The visitors have impressed on the road in the two previous rounds, winning in England and Scotland against Leicester and Rangers, and will be hoping they can make that three on the bounce.

Arsenal didnโ€™t win their last away leg either, but they already had a two-goal lead going into the second-leg before losing 1-0 to Olympiacos which still saw them through.

The Gunners had already confirmed that they would be without the likes of David Luiz and Kieran Tierney, which led us to name the following predicted line-up earlier on of:

Leno
Bellerin Holding Mari Soares
Partey Xhaka
Saka Smith Rowe Willian
Aubameyang

Mikel Arteta decided to name the following however, with just two changes from what we had expected.

Are you happy with the named XI? Will Artetaโ€™s decision to bench Auba come back to haunt him?

Patrick

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Tags Europa League Slavia Prague

178 Comments

    1. Would’ve liked to have seen Martinelli in the role that Willian is playing tonight. We need to keep Slavia on the back foot whilst our midfield and defence do their job. Thank god it’s nowhere near some of the predictions of Pepe, Willian and Aubamayang. Bellerin has got to be on his toes tonight and do what he’s paid for ie DEFEND properly

      1. He is always one of our best player. I wonder what Willian has done to start ahead of him

      2. Good question but maybe he hasn’t come back from the injury very well or he sits around the training ground drinking beer and back-talking the manager – he is one of those bad kids who sit in the back of the class?

        We have no way of knowing of course as he never gets a chance to show us for meaningful minutes and Arteta doesn’t say anything (and I realize that he is under no obligation but if he were a bit more forthcoming it could defuse some of the angst).

  3. Joel Lopez can replace Soares if he becomes injured. Unfortunately Chambers is unfit, so we’ll rely on Bellerin for aerial duels with Slavia Prague’s LW

    Benching Aubameyang and Pepe is a good decision, because we need attackers who make us win the ball possession like Willian, Smith-Rowe and Saka. Slavia Prague’s defenders are dominant in the air and they’d probably sit back in the first twenty minutes, so it’d be useless to start Aubameyang and Pepe

  4. Great lineup… Nice to see ESR and Saka again.
    No complaint from me. Good luck boys, no matter how bad this season has been, as a fan I wish y’all luck and hope you get the win tonight.
    Only 5 games stands between your way and European glory.
    So go for it..
    COYG!

    1. agree with you and Declan on Willian, but fingers are crossed and he has had some better performances in the last while.

      I am finding that the tranquillizers I am taking on match day are helping me to get less aggravated when I see his name in the team sheet – of course I can’t operate heavy machinery ๐Ÿ™‚

  7. A little disappointed to see Willian starting and would liked to have seen Mari over Gabriel but Iโ€™m not the manager. Good luck everyone COYG.

    1. Same here… Let’s even see the whole young guns play together for once to kinda have an idea of what the future holds..

      I rather see a :
      Martinelli
      Odegaard smith-rowe saka
      Xhaka partey
      Lopez Gabriel holding cedric
      Leno

      But we wish the lads selected success today

        1. Hey Skills ๐Ÿ™‚ I’m very well thank you and yourself?
          Wow, 4-1? I haven’t a scooby what the score will be, but I think Willian will score….๐Ÿ™

    1. If they watched any tape from the last outing underestimating anyone shouldn’t be a problem for them ๐Ÿ™‚

      Arsenal could blow them out of the park or die a horrible death. I am going for the former!

      COYG!!!

  11. Hmm maybeI MA thought front 3 of Saka, ESR and Martinelli is too inexperienced and threw in Willian?

      1. and one day that front 3 will be super expensive and one of the best in Europe (he says hopefully with fingers crossed while knocking on wood) and still wearing our kit.

  13. Its clear and simple coach doesnโ€™t like Martinelli. Donโ€™t know why but thatโ€™s the TRUTH. Eddie and some guys out here will say he is trying to protect……..PROTECT WHAT EXACTLY.

    Well wish the team best of luck going into this game COYG.

  16. Very poor so far doesn’t seem to be any urgency loads of slow build up play. They are lacking confidence

    1. Exactly perry fร r from the afro mentioned response after that horrendous Saturday match. Too much respect we should be showing the who is boss

  21. Far too much fannying around at the back 7 or 8 passes when 1 or 2 will do. I think we will win but we should better this lot and make the 2nd leg a formality

  22. How any fan of football can watch us and say we have improved as a team just amazes me .. we are playing some of the worst football in my 4 decades as a supporter

    1. In fairness we were quite dire in around 75 when we nearly got relegated, but at least the players had fight in them. Now we have Farteta ball. It really stinks!

      1. You have more chance of getting a lesson in realism from the forum sage than actual answers about our current plight.

  23. The only acceptable reason that Martinelli isn’t starting can be caution regarding injuries. But I have my doubts regarding that.

    1. Absolute rubbish, no positives to take from that dross
      Lazy players picking up huge wages and conning us fans with this crap, I’m not always with what some people say are conspiracy theories but it does look like they are not put the effort in for arteta

  26. Take off Willian and bring on Martinelli at half time. Championship level football.

    1. Why is Martenelli not getting a start it’s not like our forwards are on fire…oh I forgot Arteta is protecting young Martenelli like he was protecting Saliba before ๐Ÿ˜œ

  27. sleepwalking through this. truly at our level. please step up the pace of the game Arsenal. Every team is so comfortable defending against us.

  28. Maybe I’m biased but can someone point to a single quality that Bellerin has to offer?
    The pace has left him.

  29. Think they all need reminding what’s at stake….come on MA – rally the troops!!

    Just turned over to the darts, just in time for a 9 darter.. more excitement in those 3 minutes than the whole of that first half!!

  30. If we can not dominate Slavia Prague at home then I have no clue what progression some fans are pointing to under Arteta. I think a lot of Arsenal fans are realising now grass is not that green after Wenger was pushed out of club, that is why they say be careful what you wish for. Now a days I enjoy watching random teams play more than my own Arsenal team.

  31. Our players were a bit lackluster and need to pass more accurately, but we haven’t made any major mistake and won most ball retrievals. Slavia Prague didn’t play well either, so I believe we’ll score at least once in the second half

    Our speedsters, Aubameyang, Pepe and Martinelli, could play in the second half, after Slavia Prague gets tired

    1. GOT, don’t you get tired of making excuses?? Come on man, you always have an excuse for our performance.

      1. I see the positive aspects of our performance in the first half. Negativity and unconstructive comments will only demoralize the players

        Maybe Arsenal need to lose the European competition first, to get rid of the toxic fans and to lower the expectation of Arteta’s replacement

        1. By this logic you mean we should play in championship so that we can separate so called pure blood fans from other fans..hahaha…also being positive is good as long as you are realistic as well. Only positivity does not deliver results you need to first realise you have a problem to fix it. You my friend don’t even realise we have a problem.

        2. Got No Idea- you really do spout a load of rubbish PAL. Do you honestly believe these players read what is written? And if so, it affects them? Ridiculous comments

  32. Fair play to Slavia they have defended well. Its games like these where we need a proper #9, laca has spent 45 minutes hiding in the midfield leaving ESR to fight the big CBs.

    1. I’m happy with Lacazette so far, since he did his linking job well. A false nine doesn’t have to score all the time and it’ll be great if he can be a decoy to make chances for Smith-Rowe

    2. Because ESR has sticking with Willian trying to overload the LW which hasn’t been unproductive as well… The striker position is then left empty while Laca drops to fight for the ball which also explains his late runs into the box for crosses…

    1. Well Dan kit that’s what we get for our team manager speaking so highly of an opposition team.

  34. The only response of note is the single shot on target in 45 mins the last time out we had none! Thanks to Arteta for scaring the team.

  35. What a match yesterday between PSG and Bayern …now what a load of shit today at Emirates. Its good they are not letting crowd in otherwise 90% would be sleeping in stand after watching this awful football.

  36. What a match yesterday between PSG and Bayern …now what a load of shit today at Emirates. Its good they are not letting crowd in otherwise 90% would be sleeping in stand after watching this awful football.

    1. I wouldnโ€™t be surprised if half the season ticket holders give up their memberships ,Iโ€™m mean who would want to go watch this crap week in week out .

  37. Martinelli??
    Or should we leave Laca on for the rest of the match so he can hold the ball up for no apparent reason

  38. I’m just grateful that SP aren’t really any good. Our end product has been disappointing

  39. Lacazette and ESR not compatible as you can’t have creative mid if your Striker is playing like a damn mid. Yes a high workrate is good but useless if we don’t have our Striker in the box at important times.

    3. Yes Declan. I said so. But honestly, I am tired of this. I thought these guys can put a smile on my face. I was wrong though. lol

  41. Just how sโ€ขโ€ขโ€ขโ€ขdoes willian have to b before martinelli is brought on? Arteta has the longest learning curve since dinosaurs roamed the earth

    1. Lol…you made me laugh …
      This comment has given me more joy than arsenal since new year..

    1. At this rate the highlight for miss of the season will be longer than our whole damn season.

  51. Poor finishing as we should be well ahead. I just donโ€™t know why we look so average at times. Hope it doesnโ€™t come back to haunt us as they arenโ€™t that good & will only beat us if we give them something

  56. One thing is certain every single player earning above 80k in this team needs to be sold or gotten rid of .
    WE can slate LAca all day for the miss but Auba wont have won the ball in the first place . Partey looking average .

    1. Yeah, I really dont know what is happening. Is Arteta just that bad a manager or did the players just forget hot to play? There really seems to be something a miss.

      1. it seems any decent player we bring to the club lately, their level of play drops tremendously when they play for us. We really need to crack down on the intentions of the players we sign. Auba, even tho he is struggling this season, is really the only exception of a player who has stayed at a high level between transfers.

  58. Arteta actually choose martenelli instead of aubameyang I’m surprised.
    He definitely learns about the substitution timing from Wenger.

  59. I have to admit it, Arteta is too inexperience to coach arsenal. This is the worst arsenal team I have ever witness.

  62. I doubt the loyalty of Anyone who wants Arteta to remain as Arsenal manager beyond this season….

    The Arteta fan boys said we didn’t exert ourselves against Liverpool at the Emirates cause we had our mind on this game…Well it’s been over and hour and we are still shiiiit!..

  63. โ€œArsenal are at it at lastโ€ the commentator just said…. 10 minutes from the end
    What was wrong with the first 80?

  66. I canโ€™t imagine how weโ€™d manage in the champions league if by some miracle we got there by winning this but somehow weโ€™ve scored!

    2. Arteta never lets us relax – always trying to secure defeat from the jaws of victory. Entirely his fault

  72. In the summer. We have to do 3 things.
    1. Change the manager

    2. Sell Aubameyang,Lacazette, Nketiah, AMN, Bellerin, Guendouzi, Ceballos,

    3. Buy Odegaard and Jack Grealish. Martinelli to play as a 9 next season.

      1. They can both be integrated into the system. Our current midfielders dont have the required skill set. A 433 formation.

        Cedric Holding Mari Tierney

        Partey ESR Xhaka

        Grealish Martinelli Odegaard.

        Pepe and Martinelli to rotate as a 9.

        We cant afford to have Aubameyang and Lacazette next season. Enough is enough.

    1. Taxi for arteta please but I also blame Cedric and the rest of the defence for not clearing the ball earlier. I will wait for the arteta lovers to come on here and defend what has been one of the most shocking and shameful performances by arsenal ever how can we draw with possibly one of the worst teams ever to play in a quarter final. What the hell has happened to the once great arsenal

      1. Perry
        It was a very twitchy and lacklustre game for 75/80 minutes and you could of course blame Arteta, but those sitters that were missed canโ€™t be laid at his door.

        1. Its not just about this game sueP it’s about the whole season, we have no direction as to how we should play and the players dont seem to want to or just cant play out from the back. But the buck will always stop with the manager and we all know he isn’t up to the job

    1. Score a better reflection of game, coyld have lost tbh.

      Arteta would be happy with draw, it is hia thing.

      1. I wasn’t going to watch that Sh#t again after Saturday and I wish I hadn’t.. we are an embarrassment Sue so bitterly disappointed but kinda knew we would mess up after all this is what we do.. bunch of clowns and clown of a so called manager.

  80. Oh well … they just need a goalless draw …. the fact is that these are the 2 worst teams left in the competition so next Thursday or a few weeks later not a big deal … need to be put out of our misery and the fraudulent Spaniard kicked in to touch

    1. Yeah, honestly our chances of reaching final, let alone winning are almost nil.

      A surprise would have been us winning the game.

    2. Villarreal probably going through. Don’t see how we beat them. Emery will get his revenge. Lets pray on getting past euro giants Slavia Prague first though.

  82. If we are being honest with ourselves the scoreline reflects the game that i just watched .A lot of player are poor but this manager utterly useless and Edu God help me .

  83. All that hard work in the last 15 minutes has been blown away.
    The finishing prior to that was abysmal and we should have been in a strong position for the second leg if those good chances had been taken

  85. Lost all hope in Arteta. This arsenal is not going anywhere with this clueless coach. I better coach will make good use of this current squad. Even outdated Wenger will do better

  87. What’s with these boys and back passes…
    When Cedric made that backpass ,I told my mate we did same thing against olympiacos last season and conceded a goal..
    I wasn’t done explaining when we conceded another goal from a pointless backpass…
    #Arteta Forever

  89. I just cannot wait for all the delusional supporters who actually thought Arteta would ever make a manager. A total embarrassment and the blame lies solely with this incompetent novice.
    TMJW- just to let you know PAL this defence that, according to you, has been so improved by this so-called manager, has now conceded in the last FOURTEEN GAMES.
    Care to embarrass yourself trying to defend this rubbish now PAL?

    1. it’s embarrasing stuff from this team, phil. Arteta is awful. But some of these players should still be ashamed and are taking no responsibility. another GIANT mess. Worst than the wenger mess, and WAY WORSE than Emery’s mess even though the people who screamed for him to leave are loving Arteta. Arsenal are not a serious club. We have a total novice as a maanger.

      2. RSH- all we will hear is that itโ€™s the players making the mistakes and not the manager. That performance, against a very modest side, was not acceptable. This manager is never going to take this club forward and only the blind optimists will believe otherwise

  91. Well now doesnt that throw a spanner in the works.

    On the front foot and you bring on Cabellos when we should’ve went all out as this is our only hope of this terrible season.

    Game reflects where we are and Mikel isnt the man to do this role in my opinion. We are worse off atm than we ever have with a pretty good squad of players who are underperforming for him and his set up.

    Somethings not right. On to next week and make sure we score an early goal!! All out next thursday and let the handbrake go.

    1. we thought today would be when we let handbreak go though. It seems we keep waiting for the game this team is finally not awful.

    2. Exactly just as the team starts to click, he disrupts it all by bringing on Ceballos – WHY? ESR could have lasted another 5 minutes and Ceballos has been a Jonah for Arsenal this past month.

  92. Ceballos is just bad luck. Anytime he steps on the field we concede. We have also in general been poor. Martin Odegaard could have done the trick but Pepe and Marti cane in and delivered. We have made it difficult for ourselves right now they have an away goal and its a draw not 3-1 or 4-1 lead. We gonna qualify but it will go down to the 94th minute of second leg.

  93. I said prior to the match that we will win by 4 goals to 1. I was naive honestly. This game is the process that Arteta deserves the sack asap. I am tired honestly. Enough of this mediocrity

  94. This can best be described as “COMICAL ARSENAL playing in a COMEDY OF ERRORS!” I don’t see us surviving second round in Prague unless we improve our performance.
    Mikel Arteta might be forced to swallow his pride and recruit a goal scoring coach because what we saw today is very embarrassing! I can’t believe that our strikers can miss such easy chances. The only remedy I see is to get a renowned former goal scorer as a coach or else disaster awaits our team!

  95. Well folks. What I say. No communication from Leno in the corner kick. No defenders on the near and far posts. Very similar to the Liverpool goal where Leno did not stand tall. He looks like a wicketkeeper crouching down. That’s a cardinal sin not putting a defender on the far post. Lack of commanding your 18 yard box

  96. When I watched Smith-rowe who had the ball close to the opponent’s box, withdraw the ball all the way to our defence and passed to Gabriel, I knew this team is beyond redemption under Arteta.
    Under this manager, the players’ first thought upon receiving the ball is to pass backwards instead of passing forward/cutting inside/beating their marker.
    Anyone that can’t see the direction we’re headed to needs serious examination. If Arsenal is a big club, Arteta will be sacked the moment he crashes out of Europa League.

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