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Confirmed Arsenal team v Sheff Utd – Nelson out, Martinelli and Pepe start

Everyone has been waiting to see how Mikel Arteta sets up his starting XI with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang suspended for the next three games. Arsenal’s new boss could also have an eye on the crucial trip to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday and surely can’t play the same XI in both matches.

After Arteta’s comments on Arsenal.com, I am convinced that Arteta is going to pick Reiss Nelson to start the game so it remains to be seen whether Pepe or Martinelli will remain on the bench, but in my earlier Arsenal v Sheffield United Preview, I left Pepe out as he is not yet firing on all cylinders but could make an impact as a sub later on.

Here was my Prediction….
Leno
AMN – Sokratis – Luiz – Sako
Torreira – Xhaka
Ozil
Martinelli – Lacazette – Nelson

I actually feel quite confident that Arteta will pick something close to that today, and here is the confirmed line-up at last….

Arsenal XI: Leno, Maitland-Niles, Mustafi, Luiz, Saka, Torreira, Xhaka, Pepe, Ozil, Martinelli, Lacazette

Sheff United XI: Henderson, Baldock, O’Connell, Basham, Egan, Stevens, Fleck, Lundstrum, Norwood, Mousset, McBurnie

So, no Sokratis, who I am hearing is ill, and worse it seems that Nelson has picked up a hamstring problem in training.

My prediction was actually correct other than those two, and Mustafi comes back in place of Sakratis.

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88 Comments

  3. Unfortunately we don’t have impactful super sub on the bench. Everybody in the dugout is either slow or too weak aerially

    If our front four are clueless today, we could end up with 0-0 or worse

  4. Shock seeing Mustafi in the team. Mistakes become possible. Glad both Pepe and Martinelli support Lacazette. There is a good chance we will win this…but we know the mistakes our defence make. I’ll go 2-1 0r 2-0. I so rate Marinelli.

    1. No worries, because Xhaka, Torreira and Maitland-Niles will slow the threats down before they reach our CBs

  6. Our defence line Up is not the best, Mustafi and Saka are the weak links, I also hope our front three produce goal today that we are missing our prolific goal scorers in Auba

  7. In expecting a solid performance from Mustafi since every other player improved under Arteta.
    Mustafi was talking few days ago, well he needs to start proving he can still bounce back from today henceforth.
    Gabigoal in today.
    Good to see Nketiah on the bench

  8. Jesus man surely we are asking for trouble using playing Mustafi & not Sokratis, okay l know l’m not Arteta and he is seem’s to be doing a bloody good job at Arsenal, and when they mentioned his name for the job to replace that muppet who replaced Arsene l was a bit sceptical, so let’s hope we can get a win against the Blades and Chelsea on Tuesday night!!!!

  10. Mustafi might hopefully look better now if the players are all working and picking up men, it’ll make it easier for the CB’s to do the right thing and snuff out the forward threat. Also if our forwards are helping then it’s less likely that they’ll be sucked out wide too often. Come on The Arsenal, keep the momentum up and our confidence will build, we still have stuff to play for, and besides, you need to earn the right to play for Arsenal FC.

    2. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-7900909/Reiss-Nelson-Arsenal-left-wing-void-replace-Aubameyang.html

      I read the article above about Nelson and I couldn’t help but laugh. It seems certain people are seeing what lots of us cant see about Nelson. One word for Nelson – CLUELESS. The way I see it, it seems like the English Press really want him to thrive, hence their continued ‘blind analysis’.
      But to follow your line: Thank God he’s not around.Good riddiance!

      1. Nelson is really the one Arsenal youngster that I’m pretty sure won’t make it at the top unless he is reinvented in some other position.

        How can you be a top winger when you’re not very fast, not that good in dribbling, mediocre in passing, and your shots lack power?? Yes, he can still improve tactically as he is young, but that would still not be enough at this level.

        1. @Diogenes – thanks for outlining the numerous defects Nelson has. seems like a certain few haven’t seen those glaring defects he has. if he’s a winger, then ‘God help the defender he faces(that’s me being sarcastic).

      2. @AGB
        Many of you guys feel because you share the same”opinion”, that it’s supposed to translate into fact. Sorry to be the one to burst your bubble but, it doesn’t…

        1. @NYGunner, I never uttered anything about ‘facts’. All I referred to was an article that was ‘building him up’ when it is clear to.see that he isn’t what they make him out to be. if this article had been for Martinelli, I’m pretty sure 90% of fans here would concur with it. But Nelson,HELL NO!

        2. @NYGunner – I would like to ask U a very honest question: would you be confident on arsenal achieving anything if the team depended on Nelson?
          or lemme rephrase: does Nelson inspire confidence in you when you see his name in the starting lineup? I await your answer?

  13. Amazing comments once again. 2 months ago, or even less, AMN would have been touted as the weak link in defence, with probably Mustafi as well. Now it’s Saka? Is it because all others have become weaker and AMN is the only one standing, or has AMN actually improved? Is it possible that other players can improve also?

    Let’s comment on indicidual players after the game, and for now SUPPORT THE TEAM!

    1. @SAGooner
      Odd that the commentators have Saka as the most influential player in the first half… SMH

  14. People keep saying our defense will let us down, but the truth is our defense has improved a lot in the last 4 matches it’s our forwards that’s letting us down,(Lacazette) let’s hope we win this.

    1. Leno has not been that good recently either.

      Another worrisome performance in the first half and very close to conceding again due to his mistake.

  15. It is no surprise to see Mustafi in for Sokra-hill, nor to see front 3, Nelson being hill.

    Im for a 4-1 formation at the back, allows 2 midfields to play forward and not spend time covering CBs weak point.

    We won’t win many games or change our points’ rate with same formation, just simple logic, just as unreal it is to not have any back up on either flank since season start; Saka is now as Niles, when Kolas & bellerin back; both will return to bench!

    Our back should be:

    Leno
    Niles – Holding – Mustafi – Saka
    Luiz

    I would actually play Mustafi who will defend better than Saka, who won’t get chance to run forward with such a CB pair anyway, play Mav & Holding with Luiz sitting infront of them.

    Luiz infront of them will play forward and passes, allowing rest of midfield!d and attack to to play forward.

    Or, we have Xhaka and Torreire trying to fill CB issue but can’t move ball forward then, as for most games… They will do their best but team simply can’t play forward..

    As long as we not on a 4-1 with Luiz as “1”; we will have same team & results!

  16. Let’s not bring religion into this lol, You or I have no idea if we will ever receive judgement from a higher being so please don’t say it like its iron clad truth, and if we do it’s his problem not yours

    1. Kedar you are clueless.
      Martinelli is 18 years old and he plays with more passion the half his team mates put together.
      Maybe you should watch table tennis or cricket instead.

      1. You are no one to tell me what should I watch or not…
        And if he is playing for Arsenal then he should perform….
        We as a fans overrating our youngsters too much..

          1. Nice finish… Credits where it’s due… He anticipated that cross but with little fortune….
            But we still overrate our youngsters…

          3. @kedar bashing an 18 year old who is our 2nd top scorer in his first season at the club… glad you hold no influence on our beloved club.

  28. The way Martinelli plays, if he continues like that, Real will soon want him, he dribbles when he should, he shoot when he should, he pass when he should and most importantly he have super positioning. Only a fool will call Martinelli crap.

  30. Kadar is martinelli still crap…
    Arsenal fans are the most deluded fans I ever seen. By nessie and Ronaldo to arsenal, we will still abuse them. We want a perfect player, of which there is no perfect player without flaws and mistakes. One mistake, we started calling our players names. Rubbish

      1. How do you figure that one, commentators curse is when he bigs up a player and the player errs not long after. You talked crap about supposedly one of your own, and he threw it back in your face, that’s not a curse, that is something that AFC fans would want to happen, not that’d you’d know.

  33. It is clear to me now that there are trolls on this website. I usually don’t reply to the silly and cynical comments made by them. I just love the timing of Martinelli’s goal, just immediately one of such trolls made a ridiculous comment about his ability.

    If there is anyone here that is tired of supporting Arsenal, such one should go support oil-rich clubs like Man City and PSG. this team is a work in progress. Common sense demands that we need to be patient and support the team.

  36. Pepe can create from nothing and torreira is the epitome of stamina. It’s just unbelievable emery had them on the bench

  41. Can’t be anything but mid table at best with this kind of defence and midfield … xhaka is the worst regular player I have seen at arsenal … arteta needs to get real

  43. Well a lot of these players have to leave in summer. Why MA convinced Xhaka to stay is beyond me. We need a more mobile and forward thinking CM then him. Ozil was clueless again. Sell Laca to get as much as cash we can get. This squad needs to be changed.

  44. Why does our midfielder take chance when passing back, why not take chance passing forward if it goes through you have created a chance to score n if it’s stopped atleast they are away from our goal. We keep trying to pass difficult balls back.

  45. It’s official-we are a shiiite team…..Arteta is just another Unai Emery….sell the entire team except Martinelli…

    1. It’s not official, it’s your opinion. Your opinion could be respected but don’t dress opinion up as fact!

  46. That utd team are a good side though, the work-rate from every man and they come at you, fair play to them.

    This board better bring in some more quality, we’re still waiting on our fullbacks as well as Saliba’s arrival, we need to do more, we need better, we were at home there and probably just as well.

    Saka done well, and then Martinelli and Torreira, these three I’d pick out. Pepe looked a threat until they doubled up on him. In hindsight, with Laca’s form, I’d have Martinelli or Pepe through the middle, and Saka if we could have, push him up with them.

    And as skittish as Leno and Luiz looked at times, and with Mustafi’s dangerous passing, there was one player that got on my nerves quite a bit in that game, I won’t say who, but he had a poor game almost all the way through.

    At least that troll up top will be happy, weak trolling, but when Arteta eventually gets going, it’ll be even weaker stuff.

  47. As long as Xhaka and Ozil are in the same starting line-up, Arsenal is not progressing. Arteta is slowly digging his own grave by this two players

    1. For me, that is Artetas downfall, relying on players that are way below the expectations needed of them. Emery saw it but couldn’t find a solution. If Arteta thinks they are the solution, we are going nowhere at a lightning pace.

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