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Confirmed Arsenal team to take on Wolves this evening

The teams are out for tonight’s crucial Premier League tie with Arsenal set to play host to Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Emirates.

The Gunners will be looking to assert their dominance over Wolves tonight, knowing that this match could well be a six-pointer in regards to the European places.

The visitors currently sit just one point behind our side, whilst having played one match more in the division thus far, and a home win would leave us four points ahead with a game in hand still.

That cushion could well prove crucial, as well as breaking up their winning run of five wins from six, with us the only team to have taken points of them of late.

We will be pleased to see that we have most of our key players available for today’s crunch game also, and there are no real shocks in the starting line-up apart, although it is definitely a blow not to have Smith Rowe in the squad.

Is this the same XI you would have named to give us the best chance of the win?

Patrick

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185 Comments

  1. Goodluck to Cedric, he had a good game in his last outing.

    Our squad is about 3 good players short, only potential game changer on the bench would be Pepe
    Let’s hope we don’t pick up an injury or 2 otherwise that’s our season done.

  4. swanson is better than cedric and amn put together,laca eddie my lord how did it come to this

  5. They should just put Podence on Xhaka the whole evening, would take about 25 mins to get us down to 10 men 🤣

    Ben White is going to have a testing game, I see Jiminez sitting on him not Gabriel.

  6. Sorry not to see Tomiy but I would hate to see him being rushed back too soon.as for ESR being sick means no selection headache for MA and a bit of rest for him and Martinelli is fresh,both blessings in disguise in the long run maybe??

    1. I am now truly an Arteta skeptic.

      I really have trouble believing anything he says!!!

      I do not think ESR is that sick that he cannot even be on the bench!!!!

      I really believe Arteta prefers Nellie to ESR, and has put out that ESR is sick to placate those of us that are ESR fans.

      I just hope Arsenal do not lose.tonight, which I think may well happen, because this team struggles to score goals, especially without ESR!!!

  8. Really hope ESR and Tomi are not serious injuries. I so want to see Tomi back at Right back and ESR as a false 9, surely can’t score less goals than Laca or Eddie?

  9. Good to see such a settled team. Lokonga, Pepe Nketiah the subs or Elneny if we are shutting up shop. Will there be fireworks or a tame stalemate? Man United, Spurs, Hammer fans probably hoping for a draw. Please no red cards, penalties or defender errors. Wolves believe they should have won at Molineux and need o win to stay in the top 4 conversation. The Arsenal “process” once more comes under scrutiny.

  10. I really hope in the 2nd half , we bring in Tavares as a wingback, we need to keep wolves in their half of the field.
    I really don’t fancy Cedric . Hope we get all 3 points.

  12. without ESR or Tomi available the starting 11 was a forgone conclusion…even if they were available I would bet a tidy sum that only Tomi would have got the nod anyways…we better find a way to surprise them on the counter, as I still don’t see enough directness in this lineup unless there’s some sort of formational change in the offing, which seems highly unlikely…hopefully we get up early as we only have one potential goal-scorer on the bench, who’s only appeared in 10 PL matches, half of which were as a sub, and he has yet to score even once

  13. That is a lesson to some arsenal fans. A top team has to have a least two quality players for each position on the field of play, so that when a player is injured,sick, just fatigue or loss his form, the team will not suffer significantly in it’s performance level. There are quite few, claiming that Saliba should be sold as he can’t get into the starting back four, how naive. It takes a couple of injuries or suspensions to change our fortunes, not forgetting bias refereeing decisions. I just hope Smith-rowe and Tomiyasu recovers swiftly and will be ready for the next fixture. A chain is as strong as it’s weakest link and so is a team too.Arsenal must keep the youngsters that show promise and quality.

  14. thank goodness that they held the line as that would have been a tough way to start…Ramsdale has been caught in no man’s land a couple times more recently, so hopefully he gets back to his more typical decisive self

    2. Yeah Gabriel, Ramsdale and White all played their part. Gabriel never looked comfortable so just put it out of play. Ramsdale was NEVER getting close to that, rather stay on your line. White absolutely no idea where the attacker was.

      Fef mainly Gabriels error but White/Ramsdale should be telling him the pass is off.

  23. Can’t for the life of me understand why lacazette is playing .. he’s not motivated not clinical and not a threat

    1. If I was Pepe I’d be putting in a transfer request daily.

      More mobile and more clinical than Laca by a mile. Cannot figure out why MA refuses to play him.

  24. Desperately need a Kovatic style player in our team

    Partey and Xhaka are really not a mobile midfielder, you can see they are being overrun.

  25. we could quite easily be down 3-0…Laca is starting to remind me of Welbeck with his Bambi on skates footwork in the box

  30. Why is Xhaka and Laca even playing what exactly are they bringing to the table. SmithRowe dropped was a silly move imo, Laca who can’t buy a goal starts every game and is leaving on a free come May! Xhaka won’t be far behind him and is a known liability.. maybe a leader sort of personality is why but technically he isn’t or hasn’t fitted into this Arsenal team at all.

  36. We are looking very shaky at the back, with and without the ball. Starts with Ramsdale. Saka not to his usual best and he’s the one supposed to carry us.

    Really can’t see why Xhaka is in the team, offers nothing at all. Should be the first one replaced this summer along with a new striker

  37. It’s this rubbish half hearted press we see every single game…..jog up to opponents and give them a easy pass into midfield EVERY SINGLE TIME!

    Ode cant cover the whole fking midfield when pressing, Xhaka or Partey need to step into the hole but they won’t because they are too slow to get back if the ball gets passed them.

    Idiotic pressing tactics honestly!

    Always supported Laca but I just can’t anymore! I don’t care if he pulls a hat trick tonight somehow, not good enough. Please put Pepe on

    1. no doubt…he wastes too much time and energy with his ridiculous and rather embarrassing theatrics

  39. if it’s not shooting or passing/countering at pace, what exactly do we do on the training pitch during the offensive portion of practice???

      1. are you sure???(lol) just because they do it a lot doesn’t mean they actually practice them, which might explain their piss-poor conversion rate

        1. I think they train quantity over quality during training sessions so at least we win the crossing stat every match

  40. Pepe or Martinelli would have converted those Lacazette chances. When you play against Wolves, you have few chances. Pepe has to be in this team. Arteta is too rigid for my liking

  41. This is a must win match for Arsenal.
    I would take off Xhaka and bring in Pepe. And switch to a 4141 formation.
    Arteta is becoming more of a reactive and not a proactive coach.

    2. He has been an underwhelming waste of money.
      Saw enough of him in his first season here and have never been impressed ever since.

  44. It’s disappointing as ESR the Arsenal highest goals scorer 9 so far this season will not participate in our home Wolves match tonight. Which is said to be due to the sickness that he has.

    But Martinelli who has been selected to replace the sick ESR and is starting should seize this opportunity availed him tonight by Arteta to start our Wolves match with both legs and head of his to score goals for Arsenal in the match and score them absolutely.

    I am in the same vein expecting Lacazette to score a goal and also gives one or two assists in the match for Arsenal as well tonight.

  45. So nice of Xhaka . He does absolutely nothing so we can get used to playing with 10 men whenever he gets sent off

  46. For everyone that was so thrilled with our transfer window….do you really think we couldn’t have done with at least 1 decent new player?

    1. Should have been Laca Xhaka Boom Boom. But instead we are subjected to Laca Xhaka ding dong 🤣🤣🤣. When will this comedy ever stop.

    2. We could have done a loan transfer for a striker at the very least. We could have gone for Jovetic in January.
      However, Arteta should take off Xhaka immediately.

      A 4141 formation in the second halve.

      Cedric White Gabriel Tierney

      Partey

      Saka Odegaard Pepe Martineli

      Lacazette
      I am worried about a counter attack from Wolves though.

    3. My goodness, can you stop.
      Who was available, would have improved us and was willing to join us?
      There is whining for possible things and there is just whining for the sake of just whining.
      Smh

      1. @Goonster. There were options please.
        A loan deal.

        How were other clubs able to do business in January?

        To say no striker was available is not good enough.

        That decision will hunt Arteta if he fails to make top4.
        Se

      2. Look I can see you are a huge fan of mediocrity and that’s fine but there’s 100s of players around the globe that could have been brought in.

        It’s managements job to scout and bring in players if needed, and it’s needed.

        Maybe the concept of doing your job properly is foreign to you?

  50. Lacazette turns like a tank.
    He is so immobile, once he does one turn he can react instantly.
    We need a tall and more rounded striker in the summer.

    I don’t know where we are going to get that kind of striker from but we really need him.

    1. Too late for the new CF. Arsenal have chosen to save money for the next manager, instead of chasing the top four finish

      2. But what striker was available and was willing to join in January?
        I think we are just being snappy but deep down we know the situation was not conducive in January.

          1. I this striper were good, their club wouldn’t be loaning them out,bcos they will be helping their club. What u actually meant is DAT we should just buy useless strike who would not improve us just for the sake of it

      3. @ GAI. I agree with you.
        I found it strange that we could not do a loan deal for a CF in January. Was it difficult to get a loan deal for Jovetic?
        Arteta has to make top4 or get the sack.
        Anything beside a top4 finish is not good enough

  51. Big 45 for arteta .. to prove he has matured as a coach and his doubters ( I remain one) wrong .. crying out for a change at half time … let’s see ..

  52. partey looks the part ill give him that, but he’s so poor at everything 50 million my lord

  53. Why are people calling for Pepe? Is he our Lord now?

    He’s played worst than those who are playing. It seems some people have taken money to make noise for him.

    1. No Phenom. How many games has Pepe played this season? Pls be real. Peoe has to be in that team. Let me tell you this. PEPE would have scored those goals Laca keeps wasting. Pepe scored a solo goal against this same team last season at the Emirates. Arteta should push his ego aside and do the right thing.

    2. That’s how it goes here. The more out of sight a player becomes the more fonder the hearts of us fans get.
      They were calling for Martinelli all along when pepe was stinking the whole place up. Now all of a sudden they want him back as some kind of magic potion.
      👍

    3. Pepes played 34 minutes since the end of October so please stop talking rubbish…he basically hasn’t been playing.

  54. If we are to make progress as a club XHAKA has to be sold in the summer. It is not rocket science to figure that out. We need to buy NDIDI

  55. Too much average all over the Arsenal squad. MA needs to get rid of more in the summer and start bringing on quality. Starting with Laca, Xhaka, and Soares. Saka has been poor so far. Hope he goes up a gear next half. Massive second half needed!

  56. this is all about tactics and our manager has only 2 ideas of note, a 4-2-3-1 with Xhaka sitting deep and a 4-2-3-1 with Xhaka in a more advanced position…Bruno knew this would be the case, so when he saw that Xhaka was pushing forward he realized that we were defensively vulnerable on the left and through the middle third of the pitch…this game was all about who scored first, if they made the push and scored they could then revert back to their usual game-plan and absorb the pressure, then play on the counter, whereas if we scored first it would force the Wolves to play outside of their preferred comfort zone…amateur hour managerial tactics once again on display by MA

  57. Partey is ok if paired with a mobile midfielder. Xhaka sits deep with Partey which leaves Ode vs 2/3 players in the midfield. It give Wolves a completely free run at the defence.

    It’s very clear to see midfield is the issue here, very unbalanced and in no mans land all the time.

    I’d take Xhaka off, put Ode in his place to dictate the play, move Laca to Odes position and put Pepe up front.

    Only Cedric, Martinelli and Ode look like they are actually wanting to be here.

    1. unfortunately so long as Xhaka and Ode are a given, starting-wise, he can’t push Partey up because Ode occupies the same spaces that Partey would if he was pushed further forward…not to mention, Xhaka can’t be left alone in the DM position, as that would be a free-for-all for the opposition…it’s so bizarre though because Partey is the true box-to-box midfielder and Xhaka is positionally problematic no matter where you put him…let’s face it, we’re tactically a mess on most occasions or at least so blatantly obvious that it makes things too easy on our opponents when it comes to preparation

      1. That is why we need to go all out for Ndidi.
        That is the partner for Partey. Ndidi is very mobile and quick.
        Partey will play as a Box to box.
        Xhaka shouldn’t be in this team next season

  58. Tell what im sick of is those long balls over to Saka as he only wins 1 from 10 and it just gives the ball away to much …..
    No ideas at all how to get in behind them.

  59. there will b no subs early 2nd half arteta will leave it too late pepe,hutchinson should b on start of 2nd half,if we score early we win

  67. We really need a Frenkie type player. Somebody comfortable in possession and always looking for the ball. Since Santi this is what we’ve been lacking big time

    1. People on social media moaning about Aubs scoring 4 in 2 games, he’s gone move on!

      On tonight’s game, character building scoring in the last 2 minutes to win 🙂

      Awesome result with the white team losing last night and conte realising he’s an Arsenal fan 🙂

  69. why on God’s green earth would anyone allow the stumbling, bumbling Laca take such a crucial free kick…have they not witnessed his shooting efforts thus far

  72. Can we please ban Partey from shooting!

    Great change, Martinelli for Pepe 😳 smart 😶 Laca deserves to stay on

    1. Agreed. Øde has a touch of class about him, great talent. Pepe has hopefully brought this new attitude from the AFCON that Mikel was talking about!

      1. Yes Sean.
        Honestly, Odegaard has been a good buy. 30m pounds.
        He is doing everything we wanted From Ozil. Pressing, aggression

    1. incredibly fortuitous though, as I’m not sure if he was passing or shooting, albeit I would suggest the latter, but he was actually gong to miss the net again if it weren’t for the stone hands of the Wolves Keeper…semantics though, as the 3 points were of the utmost importance

    1. Yes PJ. we both wanted Pepe to come on.
      Arteta got the sub spot on. And Nketiah also played well. But Odegaard is the man of the match.
      30m pounds was a good deal for Odegaard.

  98. What was that?
    Now, Arsenal win it at the death. I’m a happy Man. I will sleep like a baby tonight.

  99. I am quietly now humbing the champions league theme after I was bouncing over this living room!!!

    Cmon Arsenal!!!!!!

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