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Confirmed XI for Arsenal as we look to cement top four spot

There are a few shocks to the Arsenal teamsheet for today’s home tie with Crystal Palace, with a chance to go back into third in the Premier League table.

My eyes hurt at the site of seeing Shkodran Mustafi back in the side today, along with Carl Jenkinson and Mohamed Elneny, but you accept that changes had to be made after playing on Thursday.

Aaron Ramsey is a huge loss to injury, leaving us a little short on numbers, but playing without Torreira is a painful choice, one which I hope doesn’t backfire…

Everton are doing us a favour by smashing United and giving us leeway in the bid for the top four, but we are still far from cemented in the top four, although winning all our remaining games will see us there.

This team hardly fills me with confidence, but we have players on the bench who can boost us if things are tight.

Does this team have enough in them to win comfortably? Is anyone else cursing Thursday night football for not only taking Ramsey, but forcing so many first-team changes?

Pat J

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103 Comments

  1. Apart from the two in midfield elneny and matteo it’s pretty good IMO .
    Just worry about them two after watching them. Last time out

    2. Really hope Jenks has a good game, he could save us a few million if he can convince the boss that he is work keeping as a backup. At least for a couple/few years until youth are ready to step up 🙂

      I’m not liking that CM partnership, too def minded and not enough potency in CM to be an attacking threat, really nervous about this game now.

    3. Don’t forget there is another great experiment on the side by the Master Emery! The proven pair Maitland Monreal made way for unproven pair Jenkinson and Mavropano! Why???
      The first goal was conceded as a result of Mavropano caught out of position on the left!

  3. Just to show who the names are from the site:

    19 Leno
    20 Mustafi
    6 Koscielny (c)
    27 Mavropanos
    25 Jenkinson
    29 Guendouzi
    4 Elneny
    31 Kolasinac
    10 Ozil
    14 Aubameyang
    9 Lacazette

    Substitutes
    1 Cech
    18 Monreal
    15 Maitland-Niles
    11 Torreira
    7 Mkhitaryan
    17 Iwobi
    49 Nketiah

    1. Image for me shows nothing so that’s why I included the names, incase others couldn’t see.

    1. Oh the emery hater whiner again, why do you bother commenting? Just copy paste I hate emery on every article.

        1. Funny coming from the guy who only has negative comments. Site wasn’t for whiners and haters.

    2. Sue the wheels are coming off for Man U, I want to ask “did they appoint Ole too early or is he having a difficult period?

  6. Madness. Who ever told the manager that Maitland-Niles and the likes can’t play again today. You have Ozil and then look at the midfielders behind him. This is a joke even with Mustafi. My God. Hoping that we can pull away with the thumping Man U is receiving.

  7. I’m very worried with inclusion of Jenkinson, Mavrapanos and Elneny
    Very worried defensively
    But perhaps we had no alternative as we need to rest some players and some our injured

    But hopefully it will be enough to WIN.
    I’m glad Ozil is starting
    I’m hoping Ozil will have one of his rare awesome days.

    Happy both Lacazette and Aubameyang are starting

    COYG

    1. Forgot to mention Mustafi

      So worried about 4 players: Mustafi, Jenkinson, Mavrapanos and Elneny

  8. I would try with someone with more offensive skills with guendouzi. Maybe play isobi there or miki….elneny is not professional player material to me…i can play better football than him, aside his phisical capacity

  10. This line up is a joke.
    If we lose this match, it’s on Emery.

    Mavropanos, Elneny, Mustafi Jenkinson, Guendouzi all in same team same time?

    Emery is asking for trouble.

  11. Emery seems to be more of defensive minded…
    That line Up looks hopeless
    We have got no player in that line up who have got the
    ability to take on a player
    No pace or trickery to break in and create good chances
    both wide and central….
    Same thing happened at Naples last week
    My dear Arsenal has now turned to Mourinh ugly Chelsea
    team
    we look and play more uglier Without Maitland Niles, Milky
    and Iwobi …..
    Napoli vs Arsenal game last week is the worst Arsenal
    match i have watched in years…
    So boring
    so ugly..
    we are now more Result oriented
    Even most of the fans here are just happy with that
    Shame…
    what has happened to my Arsenal..
    Result is all that matters this days
    Chelsea fans mentality
    Now most Arsenal fans are having that same mentality

  13. Imagine Guendouzi, Elneny, Ozil in that central…

    now compare that with..

    Giberto, Vieira, Bergkamp
    Flamini, Fabregas, Rosicky

    i rather have the the last two lines below
    because they have everything needed to create good chances and break up any defence…..

    They are very smart and can hold d ball up under intense presses from the opponents……

    Emery is almost like Mourinho
    i hope he doesn’t continue with this mentality come next season…

    imagine this dead line up
    leno
    mavro
    kos
    mustafi
    Jenkins
    Kolsainac
    Elneny
    Guendouzi
    ozil

    laca and Aubayamang

    Lacazette is the only hope we have, if we are to get anything meaningful in this match

  14. I’ve looked at the line-up for a good 15 min
    I’m getting more and more worried
    Mavrapanos hasn’t had much game time
    Jenkinson, I don’t rate highly
    Elneny worries Me too.
    Not the greatest line-up

    I hope and pray that I’m wrong and we win
    Any win will make me happy, even if our performance isn’t up to snuff

    COYG

    BTW Well done EVERTON

  15. This lineup is proof of the horribly weak and unbalanced squad Wenger left behind. Huge drop of quality when we have injured or have to rest players. Hopefully emery will address the squad depth with signing like torreira and guendouzi.

  16. Unai has perfectly balanced the team
    It’s a home match
    The pple that we badly need to give rest were Torreira & Lacazette, cos they give more than 100% whenever they play
    And (In Wenger’s Language) they get to RED every match
    But this attack is spineless without Lacazette, Auba has become rubbish
    So only Torreira we can rest

    This is enough to see Crystal off

  17. Concerned about the very weak midfield. Foresee back line having heavy workload and Laca and Auba invisible for portions of the game.

    It was epic fail last time with Elneny and Guendouzi pairing, hopefully not a repeat of that impotence.

  18. …my first thoughts are

    …fielding elneny, jenkins and mavro is tantamount to undermining the crystal palace threat. I only hope we avoid any slip ups this afternoon. I have predicted 1-1 @7/1 as well 3/1 to arsenal

  21. Elneny
    Jenkinson
    5-3-2
    Very poor choices…
    Very negative…
    We HAVE to win this game.
    I don’t understand why he is holding back…

  22. Now we are happy playing to nothing Arsenal dont know what to do with the ball at 18 minutes we are loosing I knew it at first glance when I saw them playing wake up !!!

  25. Torreira only played half a match against Watford and 1 game against Napoli. Before that he hadn’t played since his suspension. Why is he not in this lineup? No excuse for Elneny. Dip into our youth players before playing him!

  27. Our strikers are ridiculously wasteful.
    Aubameyang
    big chance scored 10
    Big chance missed 20

    Lacazette
    big chance scored 5
    Big chance missed 13

  28. Having two wide forwards is useless if they cannot provide penetrations in the flanks and just waiting for chances in the center

    Emery should replace one of them with a dribbler like Iwobi that can work better with the wingbacks

  29. For all the moans about Jenks, he isn’t our weak link, it is the combo of ElNeny and Guendouzi in the middle that is letting us down.

    They can not control the CM and CP are ripping through us when they attack, Emery needs to sort this out, to put CP on the back foot by putting someone with talent in CM to be a driving force, to force their CM to be on the back foot.

    CP are using Benteke and Zaha upfront, we got 3CBs to deal with 1 CF and 1 Attacker…

    Well done Emery, tactics at fault YET AGAIN. I hope Mr Tinker alters our setup sooner rather than later.

    1. That combo is easily our weakest link but you have to consider this is our 4th and 5th choice central midfielder playing. No good player will come to replace elneny and to be 5th choice. Same for mustafi who is our 4th best cb

      Best chance is getting another guendouzi type signing or an academy player to replace them.

  30. I am no Ozil fan but it has to be frustrating players with these guys upfront and behind, Unai’s downfall will be his squad rotation, he underrated Palace here with this line up, even Bolton will lick their lips with this team

  34. what’s not encouraging is benteke hasn’t score for absolutely months yet he managed to put one in against us; what is encouraging my 1-1 (draw) & my 3-1 (arsenal ) wager is very much still ON

  35. Aubameyang has not been doing it for me for SEVERAL months now. He just has no idea how to get into games. Invisible midfielders and invisible strikers. Not good.

    1. That’s what happens when you put a poacher on a wings. We have no real wingers so apart from iwobi aubameyang is the best option as winger.

  36. What a shame cold chests no heart no passion what a waist of a game give a place over the Spurs just like that I wait for a reaction in the second half

  38. I find it funny that we are having issues in CM and so many people predicted the troubles we would have when seeing the lineup, yet Emery thought it was good enough?

    I’ve praised Emery coaching and when he plays attacking football, for too many occasions though, Emery has looked out of his depth in the EPL.

    EPL is a tough league and you can’t just sit back and expect easy wins.

    How can a manager be so great if the fans can see the obvious yet he can’t, he is paid how much to pay attention to the club… and he doesn’t know the CM partnership he is using doesn’t work!

    1. I’ve said on here before that I would trade mustafi for a bag of quavers but I doubt we’d get that for him! We will win nothing with him playing in our team

  47. This is what happens.
    When you disrespect your opponents and play rubbish like Jenkinson, Elneny and Mustafi.
    Utter garbage.
    Talk about putting your eggs in one basket with the Europa League.
    If we don’t qualify for CL after having such a golden opportunity to qualify I expect Emery to leave – you don’t screw up like that and expect to be in a job.
    Mustafi.
    Mustafi has cost us so much.
    Just get shot of him ASAP.
    Useless Spanner…
    Feckin’ useless spanner…

    1. Jon Fox, Thirdman, had an argument with me on Friday because I said Emery is doing an average job? Where are they? Am excepting them to come and defend this performance.

      1. What a typical reactionary in the heat of the moment of disappointment comment Pat. When you calm down and can again think clearly you may care to reflect that Wenger foisted all those defenders on us through his total inability to find a top class centre half, since Kos first signed, years and years ago. He brought in Jenks, Elneny and the dreadful walking mistake aka Mustafi. These are facts , noit opinions. Emery with hardly any real money allowed last summer has bought wisely with the sole exception of Lichsteiner, on a free. My opinion has not changed one inch for this reson. Unlike certain fans, I look at the wider and deeper picture , not merely one game and then I don’t overreact as they do! You will recall that I said we were odds against making top four and even just yesterday cautioned some on here against expecting too much this season at seasons end. I also backed(by laying the bet) Arsenal to miss out on top four when the odds were short odds on in our favour. My detachment from bias when making decisions stands me in good stead in life. Others might try it sometime, esp you Pat! The real reason we lost today lies with Wenger, Gazidis and Kroenke for ensuring we have a thin and overstretched squad and particularly in defence. PERSPECTIVE AND REALISM !

  49. Looks like we’re going to have to win Euopra League. Arsenal love to make things difficult. Hard to to ask for better games to end the season and of course we screw it up.

  53. Our season has just unravelled. Care not about “away form” anymore, our Home form just took a tumble. Palace found the crypto key and every other team yet to visit us are more than happy to infect us with the virus.

  54. 1-3 terrible

    Mustafi, Jenkinson, Elneny and Mavrapanos were bad choices

    At least we will still be 4 th place

    But such a huge let down after United and Spurs both losing. We could have been above Spurs in 3rd place.

    Unless there is a major comeback this has been a disastrous afternoon.

  55. Don’t worry we will win the Europe Lrague, trouble is if we do Spurs will probably go one better and win the Champions League.

  57. This is Emery deserves all the criticisms with praises. We are so near but over and over again he makes us so far.

  58. Emery got it horribly wrong! Absolute Joke of a lineup! Cannot wait to see the back of Mustafi, elneny etc! Man utd, spurs beaten.. what better motivation to win today but no complete bottle job!

  59. Sub standard squad … sub standard manager … but no doubt the kool aid crowd will be spewing out the familiar excuses

  61. 2-3
    Aubameyang

    Come on please give us at least a draw
    1 point is better than zero points

  66. We are never going to challenge again.
    Not with this owner.
    Not with this manager.
    And certainly not with this squad.
    If you can’t beat Crystal Palace at home you have no business in the top four.
    Mustafi should be sacked.
    Useless spanner…

    1. Agree with everything except
      Man city 2-3 crystal palace
      Emery will learn to not underestimate epl just like pep and klopp did their 1st season.

  68. Who is honestly surprised at the loss?
    The team that Emery picked was wrong, so many comments on here about the CM partnership and I pointed out how we are wasting a man at the back (fixed at half time and we scored!).

    This is the kind of games that we should be expecting our manager to get the team up for a win.

    Not due to CP being poor but due to what is at stake.

    Instead of going for the win, Emery shows too much respect to a team we should be beating and we lose points, FFS Emery!!!

    1. I agree with everything apart from showing too much respect I think it’s the opposite he showed the PL no respect

      You cannot win PL games with Gendo, Elneny Mustafi as your core players

      Miki And Iwobi ffs
      This One is on emery
      I believe he’s prioritising the cup which is a mistake

  70. After 5 yrs of his rubbish, i can confirm mustafi is the worse signing of the wenger era ever. if i have to watch him next season, im removing my eyes with a blunt spoon. SHAMBOLIC performance and knowing the media, this is someone gonna be mesut ozils fault

    1. U say what ???

      – Pascal Cygan
      – Silvestre
      – Senderos
      – Santos

      Those were Wenger’s worst signings

  71. Arsenal know how to ruin your day! I’m astonished Emery still hasn’t learnt that Guendouzi and elneny does not work! And playing Mustafi is like playing with 10 men….. Doubt we’ll get into the top 4 after this, Unai Emery changes the team and experiments too much and our away form is shocking! I expect Chelsea and spurs to finish above us! Best hope is to try and win Europa League but play that team or play like that against Valencia then can wave goodbye to the Europa as well.

  72. Total blame on Emery . for 2 goals and 1 goal for Mustafi . Wenger would ve fielded strong 11 and got draw

  73. The Manager’s selection undid us today

    But I won’t blame him as everyone here is

    Common! u mean he should just use the same 12-13 set of players all through the season ?

    Those Elneny, Guendouzi, Mustafi etc also get paid every week

    We actually got this back on track at 1-1, was just a matter of time till we scored 2-1, till Mustafi did his thing

    BUT! he wasn’t this bad when he first joined us, he’s a disaster. If Arsenal will not support Emery with enough transfer funds, the best thing is to convert him to a RB, behind Bellerin

    We actually need Maitland in the CM, as asides Torreira no other midfielder can tackle – way too many Spineless Midfielders (Elneny, Ozil, Mhki)

    As squad players we can still manage Guendouzi & Iwobi, both not good enough though

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