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Confirmed: Arsenal’s first Premier League starting line-up of 2021-22 with three debuts to start

The teams are finally out for the long-awaited return to Premier League action, with Arsenal kicking off the new season against Brentford.

The newly-promoted side get to host the opening game of the campaign at their new Brentford Community Stadium as they take on Mikel Arteta’s star-studded Gunners.

The hosts could do well to come into today’s clash without any expectations as they look to make their Premier League debut, but it remains to be seen how have been preparing for today’s matchup.

Arsenal will be targeting nothing-but a win however, knowing that a confidence-boosting performance could have a major impact on their season, especially with Champions League winners Chelsea up next the following weekend.

The Spanish boss has been forced a little with his selection, with Thomas Partey, Gabriel Magalhaes and Eddie Nketiah all picking up injuries, while Gabriel Martinelli has only recently returned from winning a gold medal at the Olympics with Brazil.

Either way, it is a big deal that Arteta has trusted Balogun to lead the line, as he has previously opted to play Smith Rowe as a makeshift nine last term as well as Nicolas Pepe, while Bukayo Saka must have been deemed not to be ready to play the full 90.

Is this the best starting line-up with the players available? Which players from the bench are you most keen to get a chance at some point today?

Patrick

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Tags Arsenal v Brentford Brentford

321 Comments

  4. You beauty!! I am buzzing…
    Good luck to our newbies.. Balogun I’m stoked to be seeing you COYG

    The new season begins and as Martin Tyler says… and it’s live!! Been a long time coming! 🙂

  5. Young and exciting front four.
    All hungry players.
    Pepe needs to take charge today as he’s the big man there.
    Let’s go for this boys.
    We are behind y’all, make every minute count and let’s start a new journey.
    Good luck to the three Debutants.
    Super Xhaka, we’re behind you too.
    COYG!!!!
    I feel good about this, finally club football is back.

  6. Yes thats what I wanted! MA sticking to his guns and not taking the easy way out. Now I hope we have a good strategy to maximise our young lineup’s potential.
    COYG! Down the Bees with your canons!

  9. How could all our senior CFs be unfit? They didn’t show any sickness in pre-season

    Nonetheless, Balogun must seize this chance, otherwise we’d have to buy a new CF

    1. Balogun does well or not, we’ll actually need a new forward, but we’ll have to get rid of one of Auba-Laca first.

        1. There was a rumour about Auba today I believe (At least one site mentioning the illness brought it up) which would make the double illness slightly suspicious probably nothing but who knows.

    2. GAI, you say some juvenile stuff. I wasn’t sick yesterday but am today too. I didn’t show any sickness in pre season either, sheesh man!

      1. Yeah GAI what are you on about? You do know flu hits you inside 24 hours?!

        Great looking line up, although we have 5 defenders on bench. Squad needs trimming!

        1. I’m not an athlete, I’m not rich and I don’t do any exercise, yet I haven’t been sick for more than five years

          I find it strange if some highly paid footballers get sick frequently, particularly Arsenal’s players. They surely have strict diet and exercise plans

        1. That’s some high amount of ignorance. Viruses spreads very easily between people in close proximity.

    3. Top 4 is minimum for Arsenal this season.
      Anything else is a failure.
      An easy win v relegation bound Brentford is expected

    1. Lol Guy, dont be skeptical now on the first match day after being behind the team this entire time. Bring your positivity out lol. First day of season should be exciting 😍🙂🙂

  13. I’m excited. I hope these young players become the core of future young Arsenal team. Young represents hope!

  14. Balogun must maximize this opportunity, he has to show we don’t need to buy a CF,

    We need to demolish Brentford,

    Let’s make it count gunners

  17. @got an idea.
    Conspiracy theory our senior strikers aren’t all sick but being protected before sale?
    I really think auba or lacazette will leave this window with Abraham coming in and Nketiah being sold or loaned out at the least.
    Coyg

    1. I thought Tammy Abraham is going to Roma.
      Anyways, we don’t need him.
      I wish Reis Nelson play more this season.

      1. Nelson will have to earn his place, he hasn’t done anything special since I have been watching him, and with the luxury of talent we possess on the wing, he had better find himself a loan move

    2. That’s a ruthless decision to take, maybe Arteta learn his lesson after all,
      It was supposed to be Runna or 3rd choice but using 4th choice who I think perform better at preseason than the rest. This is beyond me, and credit to the gaffer for that

  21. Willian where are you? Couldn’t even make the bench………. free can be sooo expensive!

    Hopefully we can ship him to Saudi without having to pay him off.

    It’s already a must win. COYG!

  23. I am so happy. If for any reason we lose I will forgive Arteta. At last we have a great young side out and that makes me happy. Our future is out there. Happy me.

    1. Didn’t want the promoted side to be the 1st up, they’ll be nervous but pumped and buzzing.
      Coyg

  30. While lying on my bed last night, I thought of what my most potent attacking line up would look like going into the season, considering the ambition and amount of major trophies our direct rival, Chelsea have won of late.

    Any starting lineup with Aubameyang and Lacazette in it is absolute folly. Martinelli-ESR-Saka-Lacazette was what came to mind but I thought that would never happen given the politics that go on behind the scene.

    This starting lineup shows Arteta means business and knows the fans are fed up wit the mediocrity and lack of hunger Aubameyang has shown of late. We need one of Auba or Laca, prefarably both out of the club before the transfer window closes.

    I want Arteta to succeed and fully support his brave decision to drop both Laca and Auba who have reach the ceiling and lack hunger. The youngsters will only improve. COYG!!!

  31. Whatever the result nobody should be slagging Arteta down after the game, giving the youngsters a chance this is what everybody wanted. As long as they give their all that’s all we can ask.

    1. Forced by injuries and sicknesses of senior players not out of his goodness. I don’t want to be the one to ruin what have been a positive thread so far but credit should be given when deserved.

  32. The best line-up Arteta has ever come up with since joining Arsenal…so win or draw,i’ll say nothing negative about arteta but if we loose,i might question his tactics

  33. Wow arteta is a such a young player hater. Pepe, elneny, willian start while gabi, balogun and lokonga get nothing disgusting lol

    1. People somewhat slept on the fact Ramsdale would of improved that. If rumours are to be believed Neto would be a decent stop gap.

  37. Today’s game is valuable to youngsters growth but the absence of Aubameyang and Lacazette is felt. There is no rhythm and fluidity to our attack so far and zero threat. Hope they will get there eventually.

    Oh my!!!

    1. Instead of putting that into the area by Chambers, he should have turned it around for corner and defend that corner later

  39. That’s nerve wrecking, well deserved by Brentford.
    Leno looked poor there.
    Let’s see how the boys respond to this setback.
    The back line still looks shaky with players going out of their position a lot

      1. Mate steer clear of me if you’re looking at starting a whiny conversation.
        Try it out with others, don’t try to have it with me.
        Enjoy the game👍

        1. I was just saying the reality and reality is often disappointing…
          And my truthful really pinched you

    2. Eddie I know you and I don’t usually agree but what do you think we can do about Leno, Mari gas already shouted at him twice this first half alone, I really want him to do well but I don’t think he’s ever going to improve his decision making.

      1. I was actually in support of Mari yelling at him.
        I applauded Mari for doing that TBH, and he goes on ahead to repeat the same thing by giving Xhaka that pass while seeing another player gaining on him.
        Has he been immense over the past seasons? Yes.
        Has he been poo over the last year?
        Very poor.
        I’m up for getting Onana.
        Like I always said when Martinez was here, I never wanted to lose any of the two GK. Competition would’ve brought the best out of both, and we’d be doing great, but Martinez needed to leave, so that’s that.
        Leno has been no doubt.
        I’m in support of getting a new keeper because Leno has been poor since coming back from injury and he seems to be getting worse.
        Onana for me

  42. Every idiot on this site has called for chambers starting before Cedric even though he’s clearly an inferior full back … no surprise

      1. As time went on
        Should have been more clinical while Brentford looked shaky
        They then got into the game….

  49. Because that goal Brentford is showing good confidence and now their midfielders making runs in box

  50. Tactics:

    -Set up as deep as possible for goal kicks.
    -Brentford eliminate the option EVERY time.
    -Hoof the ball upfield
    -Majority of our players still deep
    -Out numbered up the pitch
    -Repeat

    Very smart MA

    1. Dan do you really believe that boy is going to improve us, we need a new coach not new players.

  55. Is Mikel the right man for Arsenal…??

    If not this needs to be addressed asap.. bring wenger back 😂😂

  56. So if we loose then we will start the campaign with 3 straight losses because next 2 surely gonna loose

      1. We should’ve been raring to go from the off! I’m really fed up with these slow starts. We had far too many of them last season… sigh

        1. There is enough evidence that the players are not the issue. He who must not be name is seriously on borrowed time here. Plenty of times in the game where Brentford players showed they got brains and are not pushovers thus making our gazillion-dollar squad looking like kids. It’s depressing.

  60. Arteta should learn to chill instead of pacing on the touchline for 90 minutes. What are training sessions for?

    It reminds me of the good old days of the great Arsene chilling, chin under the coat while we were enjoying his art.

    1. He was never chilling though with that damn zipper!

      I agree that Arteta needs to chill and let the players use their own brains and instincts.

    4. This comment should be pinned and sent to Mr Arteta. He really needs to see this. It is not about shouting on the touchline.

      They need to work as a unit. Press as a unit. We need midfielders who can dribble in tight spaces. Auoar is a must buy.

  63. Nowadays every team would love play against Arsenal because Arsenal can give them winning confidence

  64. So much for the young guns and their energy … brentford are more skillful and creative … we are clueless ..bologun is clearly out of his depth and smith Rowe isn’t much further behind .. no idea what martinelli is doing .. I think I know what Pepe is doing he’s just not very good at it

    1. They are young and this is how they get experience. They might not be good today but it is valuable game time for their development.

      1. We are not some feeder club but one that claims to be a top European team … You can tell whether these players have the quality to make it or not already .. these ain’t going anywhere but backwards in my books …

      2. I think his correct point is a lot of people wanted them to start over others and our attacks keep breaking down with them. The grief Arteta took for not starting Martinelli last year.

  67. I have no idea too what position Martinelli is playing. He’s seems to be playing behind Balogun but has been invisible for most part. ESR is too far behind and not occupying the hole behind the striker.

    1. I say this every week.

      Love ESR but he’s never in the CAM position, always drifts wide or deep. A real coach would fix that.

  68. Wow , although I’m not surprised I’m shocked I really am .
    Brentford playing great stuff 👌 👍

      1. What’s that supposed to mean ?
        I predicted 0.0 as I wasn’t confident but im shocked how we are being totally outplayed .
        Still a half to go and I hope we get something out of this game I really do.

        1. or we were playing quite poorly…it certainly wasn’t a slag directed your way, I just felt the sentiment was quite self-explanatory…I likewise hope we triumph, but we did look quite unprepared for what the average observer could have easily predicted

  71. Bah what a disappointing first half.
    I think its tactics and speed of play is killing us.
    The players look like there not sure what to do when we get the ball.
    Come on Arsenal get the finger out.

    1. Yeah, it’s the same impotent football. And either we buy a new keeper that can play football or we stop playing from the back. No point whatsoever to keep doing the same mistakes all over and over and over again.

  75. Bologun should go off and Martinelli should play centre. Bring in Tavares and Saka for attacking threat.

  76. I’m sure we’ll be fine, after all, whenever you’re playing a juggernaut like Brentford you simply must be extra cautious

      1. much like your guitar playing namesake, you’re just like a little boy in short pants…stay in your lane Angus, which, as per usual, is the slow one

  77. The tactics is to have constant presence in the box, Martinelli and Balogun but it’s not working as Tierney is being marked out, which is preventing those low crosses from getting into the box. The second half will be better, with good substitutions and Brentford players tiring.

  78. It’s a young team, but Xhaka is slow, Mari is slow, Leno cannot pass the ball 5 yards straight to a player. We DESPERATELY need a quality midfield player. Our defence is Pathetico and Leno makes me nervous whenever he is near the ball. Why do we suddenly slow the game down for no reason?

  79. Our players played with a bag of nerves in the first twenty minutes, most probably because they were shocked by Brentford supporters. Balogun and White were inferior aerially

    Arteta should’ve remembered about the towering players who saved Wenger’s and Moyes’ arses. Unfortunately, Arteta seems too reluctant to be more pragmatic

    I bet we can still score two goals in the second half, but we’d likely lose physically in the Chelsea game

    1. How was Balogun aerially inferior? He hasn’t had 1 cross for him to header towards goal.

      I know the reason you are saying that is to push your agenda of wanting a tall CF

        1. Firstly they are massive

          Secondly it’s his debut

          Thirdly my point still stands, he hasn’t had 1 cross to attack yet.

          This is rich coming from the person that always says we must get behind our players and support them and the manager. Hypocrite

          1. Tactics are completely wrong from your beloved Arteta. We should be keeping the ball on the group and moving it quickly, very simple.

    2. GAI, are you saying Giroud saved wengers job? You are deluded if that’s what you think. Wenger have produced bunch of better non towering strikers and his team rarely had problem scoring. Giroud was decent and scored some important goals but let’s not forget the misses too. He is a type that requires others to make runs behind which this team is lacking. Why does MA setup his team with a style that suits towering striker while he has none at the club? How do likes ofMan city, Liverpool and Leicester perform so well without a tall striker?

  80. Thought I won’t be following this season but old habbits die hard. . .

    Seems like most of our players are still ‘afraid’. Hoping for a much better tempo and control in second half.

  81. Noo guys there just pretending there worse then last season hehe. Second half going to score 3 times, don’t worry..

  82. What exactly did everyone expect? This is lote or less the same setup and tactics as last season.

  85. What a half from Brentford… where the hell were we? FFS… shaky and didn’t even look like scoring!
    Not what I was expecting!! 45 to turn it around…

    And Jamie Carragher is doing my bleedin’ head in!! Did you hear him when they scored?! Yes that’s right because the goalscorer used to play for Liverpool ☹

  86. Balogun lovers, how do you feel now?

    I once said it here that it’s difficult to play as a striker under MA. No service, nothing!
    Stop hating Auba and Nketiah and shift the blame on MA. He’s just not good enough. MA should go!!!
    I have supported him all this while but enough is enough.

    We all saw how Chelsea played under Lampard and see how they are playing now. Our call must reach Conte in the morning.

    1. Conte would likely face similar issues if he doesn’t have a dominant CF like Costa and Lukaku. We need to get that type of CF as soon as possible

        1. Guardiola’s system is much more stable and he has 1 billion worth of highly skillful players at his disposal

          Arteta has to realize that his system is still shaky and remember about his tall ex-teammates who saved Wenger/ Moyes in the games. He has to be more pragmatic, otherwise we’ll never win the ball in the front line

    3. Baloguns played 45 mins ever in the prem 🤣 can you get off your high horse! Give the kid a chance wow.

      MA is the issue, end of story.

  87. “Its not Artetas team”

    “Give him time!”

    “We were the second best team from January to May”

    “Ball is too round!”

    But hey, its not because Arteta is a rookie. I mean, he’s had a lot of managerial experience from being Peps water boy!

  88. Why are our defenders insisting on passing the ball to Xhaka when facing our goal he can’t make a quick turn and has to take too many touches inviting pressure??

    1. It’s the same thing Xhaka did last season and people were blaming Leno. He calls for the ball knowing he can’t make a one touch kick.

  91. Ben White does not seem to be a good defender! Almost caught ball watching again, Smh!
    I think players are afraid of playing quick balls to Xhaka. I saw some quick touch passing between Sambi, Flo, ESR etc but KT not playing in Granit when he is free is a little worrisome. Defensively shambles, offfensively disarrayed. KT also hogging wide left leaves Marty with little space to influence that wing. Which has reduced his role massively. The playing out from the back does not seem to work and the backline seems to have communication probs with Leno.
    Some positives would be that Flo’s hold-up play is atleast serviceable and Sambi looks good.
    Hoping for a better second half. MA you delivered on the lineup, now please deliver on the tactical front. Dont tell us that we are unprepared for the first PL game!

  93. We’ve never won a game after being behind at half time under MA.

    Speaks volumes about the mentality he brings. First time for everything, let’s hope.

  96. The way they have set up we need Tavares who can take on defenders and attempt to score. Tierney crosses are useless so far.

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