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Confirmed Arsenal XI to take on Norwich in must-win matchup

The teams are out for today’s Premier League match where Arsenal will surely be set to get themselves off the foot of the table when they take on Norwich.

Both sides come into the clash on the back of three straight losses, and will be hoping for better fortunes today, but you have to feel sorry for the visiting side a little, who have had to take on Liverpool, Man City, Leicester and now have a trip to the Emirates to contend with.

Arsenal will be without Granit Xhaka today, which some will believe is a plus for the home side, but the manager had mostly a full-strength squad of options available at his disposal, including Takehiro Tomiyasu whose work permit was only just approved in time to feature today.

With that in mind, the manager has selected the below as the team he believes will give us the best chance of getting our first win of the league season.

Do you think anyone deserved to be start this afternoon? Could this be the main XI and formation for much of the campaign?

Watch the very first Just Arsenal Video Show – IN-depth Arsenal v Norwich Preview

Patrick

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139 Comments

    1. Finally a team making sense, starting at midfield, well balanced, not 2CAM due to Rowe injury. AMN gives that DM B2B option we need to play our football, and Indeed great to have a Arsenal academy dna player to play our football.

      Saka Rowe Nelson instead of Pepe would provide that.

      Anyway,. Thumbs up for the right line up. Bout tme…

    5. I always defer to somebody who actually goes to the game, something I had to give up eleven years ago. Enjoy the match Sue

    6. .Arzenal have been huffing and puffing
      with no end result snd very prone to the swift counter by the canaries.
      It wouldnt surprise it ends goaless or the gunners lose.
      The problem is the gunners always have a problem with massed defence

  5. Like it a lot if Partey/ESR aren’t quite fit.

    Hard to tell if it’s 5 at the back or Niles is in midfield to be honest. You’d assume 5 but we’ll see.

    Anyway my 1-0 Palace prediction is looking good so hopefully that bodes well for the 4-0 Arsenal one.

    C’mon Arsenal!

  6. Here’s to hoping for a decent result or performance. Anyone watching the Palace game? Vieira-ball starting to roll eh? I like how they defied the odds to give the spuds a fight instead of allowing themselves to get rolled over.

    1. The lineup looks better that usual though no DM against a better team will always struggle lineup,
      Let’s hope for a positive result.

  8. Seems we missed a cheap striker….scored immediately for Palace. What a lacking director of football. Pathetic Edu.

    1. @Sean Williams, he just made it two.
      A brace on his debut. Not bad at all. He also looks sharp and seems to know exactly where the goal is.
      Edouard and Zaha would’ve been good for Arsenal. Just hope our own sightings get to deliver.
      Norwich City won’t make it easy for us today, but we just have to win.

      COYG!!

    2. If anything goes wrong for Arsenal this season, 3 people have to go including Edu. No accountability for him is wrong.

  9. Arsenal will surely repent on missing Odossone and Tammy. Odossone scored for Crystal palace against Spurs….

  10. A win is confirmed based on the line up. Only red cards will cause my prediction to be wrong. The team consists most of newly joined players want to prove themselves, home ground, Norwich on paper is weak.

  14. Relegation 6 pointer!

    Interesting to see how our best XI at home vs 2nd worst team in thr PL will fare.

    Anything but a big win surely means we are fighting relegation all season.

  15. Hi Sean, let us support our players.
    Im looking forward to this game.

    I must say, that i like this line up.

    Arteta needs to win games. He has to get a formation that will give him 3 points.

    Im looking forward to That back 3.

  16. Good to see that Arteta has finally noticed that Leno is not good enough to man our post.hoping for 3points today&goodluck to Ramsdale&Tomiyasu who are making their Arsenal league debut

  18. We are going to get thrashed many times this season. When Ramsdale you’re “two time relegated champion” is your number 1 keeper, you’re in big trouble. I’m only excited about how Tomiyasu will play.

    It’s going to come down to who has the worst defence today instead of quality.

    My prediction 3-1 Arsenal

  20. I do hope we smash them but our midfield worries me. No Partey, not sure on AMN. Hope we are not fragile on their counter attack in the midfield. We should win, but must take care not to be open to sucker punches.

  22. 5 new signings in the line up with tavares on the bench. Arteta has all his signings except partey, let’s go

  28. Am loving Tomiyasu!!! Not a bad half at all. We started off well though Norwich grew into the game. Let’s see what’s up in the 2nd half!

    1. Yes QD. Tomiyasu has that composure and confidence. He is doing the simple things right. Ben White also progresses the ball. He can even dribble well. Ralmsdsle has a good ball distribution. So far, so good. We must win this match. COYG

      1. Agreed Skills1000. Ramsdale and the whole backline are really focused. No lapses in concentration. It’s up to the attackers to win this game now coz the defence is doing its job.

    2. Yeah! Good stuff from the boys. I hope for a little bit of luck to win the game. A win will help the teams’ confidence especially as it feels like an entirely new team. Our signings aren’t bad judging from the first half. Ramsdale is vocal, Ben White is very positive with his passes, Sambi and Nilles have been tidy in the middle. This is the best performance from Odegaard for me and it looks like we have finally got a right back in T- boy. A win will be massive for us

  29. A lot of effort but certainly didn’t outshine a team that we know will be in the relegation fight come seasons end … which should worry everyone … aubemayang plus Pepe must be the most expensive toothless striking partnership in the epl

    1. Because we have same old Manager Dan
      Again Tierney crossing again and again with no one to attack in box
      Aubameyang is not the type of player who will attack the ball like Lukaku, Ronaldo or Benteke
      He is good running behind the defenders…
      Playing on shoulders of last defender

  32. no goals yet again. at least we dont look awful, but this is literally against the 19th placed team. oh forgot, we’re the 20th place!

  34. Tomiyasu’s so solid…. beautiful long passes from lokonga (xhaka’s probably lost his spot)…. odegaard’s tidy…. ramsdale’s confidence is a breathe of fresh air……

    Get ESR in for AMN …swap Saka/Pepe wings and the goals will pour

  35. Terrible last 15 minutes. It seems like we have run out of steam and ideas.
    The team seems to have tried to come out guns blazing hoping to get an early goal, but Norwich weathered the pressure and took over after 20 minutes.

    We just don’t look like a proper cohesive team. Odegaard and Saka have not done enough when in possession.

    AMN is just a not Arsenal quality in that midfield.

    The defeding from our CB’s and our CM’s has been so nervy as always.

    Tomiyasu look absolutely tough and solid defensive and offensively. I have like what I have seen from him so far.

  37. Dear Arteta, we have seen he team play against a poor NorwisNorwich side and there’s nothing spectacular. Football coaching is poor than choosing 11 good Players.

  38. First 20 – 25 min. were great, but once again we are looking tired after the intense opening. Or it could be part of the game play. Maybe Laca on for Pepe could change the game.

    Already loving Tomi.

      1. Opening 20 min. the intensity of going forward and pressing was good, but we need to maintain that throughout the game.

  39. Ronaldo scored a goal in 45 minutes. Arsenal still yet to score after 315 minutes. If this is not an embarrassment i don’t know what is.

  40. What is wrong with this team?
    Is it difficult to observe what’s wrong from Arteta’s position on the bench?
    Why not tell Pepe to switch position with Saka as Williams is clearly frustrating him
    Why can’t Odegard shoot from outside 18?
    Why is no one driving/dribbling into the 18 with the ball to try and win penalty?
    Why was Pepe allowed to take that free kick when it clearly didn’t favour his foot?
    How many chances does Aubameyang need to score?
    Does our Arteta & the players know that the aim is to score goals and win the game and not to run down the clock?

  41. Is it just me or I thought Norwich shouldn’t have had more than 25% possession.
    I do like the forward thinking of White, Tomi’s getting to excited, need Partey as well to discourage Norwich attackers, our attacks pretty damp as well… Turn up the heat Auba… COYG

  42. 1-1 written all over this as I predicted..

    Gonna be an even nervier second half folks. Norwich growing in confidence by the second. Wouldn’t surprise me if they score first.

    Someone on here suggested a 4-0 win for us but that said they are permanently sporting rose tinted glasses in a dark room.

  43. Maitland niles for me has no business playing for Arsenal,sell him now when there are still few clubs showing interest in him.

  45. Are we playing good? I missed the first Half. Anyway, nice team selection by MA. Hope he delivers with tactics. COYG!
    PS- Happy for all gooners here who got a seat to watch the match!

  49. Just been keeping an eye on sky sports updates… we havnt really changed much since this was the game we must win & we could lose this.

    Players arnt playing for Mikel or they dont understand what hes instructing for them to do to make this work.

    I’ll take a 1-0 to the Arsenal now. Get our 1st goal and 3points of the season after 4 games 👀⏳

    1. 20 v 19 is exactly what it looks like. 0-0 after 60 minutes. Never thought I’d see the day we potentially go 4 games, 4 games, 4 games, 4 games, without a goal. Yikes or Wow. Either one, take your pick.

  52. Arteta what are you thinking!!! Why are you removing Tomiyasu instead of the struggling Pepe? What kind of idiot makes decisions like that???!!!

  54. Arteta is probably the most clueless manager in the epl … took off a couple of decent players left on a couple of clowns … he either leaves now or we are in a relegation fight this season

      2. Why on Gods Green Earth do you
        watch Arsenal?

        We get it AFC is an abomination, MA
        and Edu should be sacked, the
        players suck blah freaking blah.

        If you cant enjoy Arsenal scoring
        a goal, regardless of significance
        why are you on this site.

        It is a FANS site.

        SMMFH

        1. Some arsenal fans just love to complain. It’s clear the bad start is affecting the team’s confidence and so much has being said about their inability to score, i think that affected the final balls. We could have easily scored 3. Our team will come good. Partey will be sk important for us.

        1. Yeah, I looked at the team sheet. Thought his comment was funny and very much related to Xhaka (out for red card). Actually, I almost used Luis or Leno. See the humor?

          1. We laboured to win. I don’t think I can joke anymore with this team. I’m worry! This is a narrow win and on home ground. THE ROAD IS LONG!!!!!

  60. We are going nowhere with players like Odegard and Smith-rowe who need to be reminded to shoot when inside the 18 yard box. Players like Mount, Madison, Bruno Fenandez, Silva, Debryne, etc. would shoot at the slightest sight of goal.

      2. On target or off target? How many shots from the two attacking midfielders? So if Pepe & Aubameyang doesn’t score we either lose or play a goalless draw? How did Smith-rowe miss that chance?
        It’s clear Arteta doesn’t know the problem of this team. These players need real coaching.

    2. odegard never gonna shoot in an open post even if no goal keeper his first touch in tight situation is awful, with these kind of performance we need atleast 10 games to cover our negative goal difference, i dont know what is in saka’s mind ( absolute lazy player with no hearts to win the ball or win the game i don’t see any urgency from him tbh)

      1. Saka has become complacent. He was culpable against Chelsea, non existent against City and again forgot how to defend several times today. Where is the senior player to call him to order whenever he’s ball watching.

    1. Dear my fellow arsenal fans to be real honest we were very poor and that’s one of the strongest team arteta has played. With xhaka out is a very great thing his the weakest player in the whole of the league. No speed can’t tackle can’t open up plays takes no risks. Passing real weak get praised for basic passes. I just felt lacazette deserves starting place over aubameyang. Aubameyang is weak and making us weak same like xhaka and holding

  62. Well, it’s good to win, but the manner and quality was so poor. Just not good enough though. £150,000….????

  63. Whoever you are. If you are celebrating this nonsense, you are absolutely not serious. Rant all you want, that’s my say. Ffs.

  64. You are absolutely ridiculous to be celebrating this! Screw the damn goal (scrab, more like it).

    WE are

    We are…

    We are definitely…

    We are definitely

    NOT GOOD!!!!

  66. Whoop whoop finally 3 points!

    Well done on a very unconvincing display against 2nd from bottom.

    Arteta is safe…for now!

  68. Big ups to Cedric, possibly saved our day at the end there. Lokonga was the best mid on the pitch for the first 30. Winning the ball back and playing diagonals/through balls to Tierney, saka, auba. Looked gassed coming off though. Maybe that’s why he dropped off with some sloppy passes in the end. Don’t see Niles starting over partey and lokonga. Back 4 looked proper, Tommy looked solid. Linked up with pepe a good bit in the opening 30. Seemed less likely to overlap after that. Probably why so many people think pepe was losing the ball to much. He doesn’t have the outlets like the left

  69. Our Players are too complacent,

    Obviously Arteta has issues , all they need is motivation, he’s got too much rules on them,

    Imagine Ødegaard without any meaningful shots on target, he ain’t a game changer at all,

    Tomiyasu in the few minutes played showed zeal, strength, that’s how to be tough,

    Lacazette seems to be a real leader, with him we would have boxed Norwich totally out,

  71. A win is a win, but this doubling on the wings and trying to hit one man in the box is driving me insane. This is a MA tactic that is not working.

    If you are playing with three up front… get the wider ones in the box to support the CF and stop fannying around on the touch line.

    This was a painful watch yet again… but at least we got a jammy 3 points and hopefully onwards and upwards. 🤞

  73. Weak performance, couldn’t eat the easy teams so far, no idea how bad it will get in the next weeks.

    Lacking the strategy of playing and tactics, the ball is just moving to the sides before WSR steps in, seriously someone should sack MA soon.

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