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Here is my Arsenal team to face Leicester – What’s yours?

Predicted lineup of Leicester vs Arsenal

Arsenal head to King Power Stadium on the back of two wins at home against Aston Villa and then Leeds United.

Surprisingly, in the past two months, Arsenal have only played two away games. One at Burnley and the other at Brighton.

Although taking a decent four points from those two games, Mikel Arteta’s team has largely looked insipid away from home this season.

A lackluster two-nil defeat at Brentford was followed by an embarrassing five-nil thrashing at the Etihad. So, the Arsenal faithful will naturally be expecting some nail-biting moments before and during the clash against the Foxes.

Mikel Arteta will lead his men to the East Midlands on the back of an eight-game unbeaten streak. The ninth-placed team will clash with tenth-placed, and both are separated just by goal difference.

Even though it will be difficult to predict the outcome of the match, what most fans might get right is Arsenal’s starting 11.

The manager of the North London outfit is gradually settling on his starting lineup, but we can never rule out any surprises.

Regardless, here’s how I think Mikel Arteta will pick his team:

Goalkeeper

After spending huge money on Aaron Ramsdale, everybody knew that he would eventually take Bernd Leno’s starting spot.

But people were surprised how early it happened. After starting the opening three Premier League games with Leno, Ramsdale seems to have overtaken the throne from the German and does not look likely to lose it.

Ramsdale starts.

Defense

It does not make sense to change the back four of Takehiro Tomiyasu, Ben White, Gabriel and Kieran Tierney. Unless there’s an injury and Tavares can slot in easily.

White was substituted in the midweek against Leeds United due to a “bug” problem. Thus, he looks to be the only doubt for the match against Leicester.

But hoping everything goes well, all of them will be expected to start.

Midfield

Thomas Partey will definitely start. But who will start alongside him is the main question. Arteta can easily go with a more attacking midfield trio of Partey, Martin Odegaard and Emile Smith Rowe.

But given Smith Rowe’s impressive performances from the left and the need to be solid at the center of the park against a dangerous Leicester side, Lokonga looks like the safest bet.

The front three behind the striker is a place where Arteta has several tools, which every Arsenal fan knows.

If the Arsenal boss wants a more chaotic option, he can deploy Martinelli on the left wing and shift Smith Rowe to the center.

But given Arteta’s reluctance of picking the Brazilian for Premier League matches this season, everybody will expect Odegaard in the number 10 position.

Whereas nobody can seem to take the place of Bukayo Saka. He has become the very fabric of the current team in Red and White.

Bukayo Saka, Odegaard and Smith Rowe start.

Attack

Pierre Emerick Aubameyang is clearly now the first-choice center forward. But it will be interesting to see whether Arteta retains faith with the impressive Alexander Lacazette.

The Frenchman has been a breath of fresh air since being reintroduced in the team against Crystal Palace, where he salvaged an undeserved point for the home team.

A similar 4-4-2 formation is another viable option, which worked so well against Aston Villa in the last matchday.

I would personally want it over the 4-2-3-1 formation in which Odegaard starts. It appears like the Norwegian is going through a bad patch right now. Thus, I won’t have any problems with Odegaard being on the bench.

BUT I still think Arteta will go ahead with Odegaard. Now let’s see what lineup he picks and how the team performs at a place where the Gunners have dreaded playing at in the past.

…

Ramsdale

Tomiyasu White Gabriel Tierney

Partey Lokonga

Saka Odegaard Smith Rowe

Aubameyang

Which team would you pick?

Yash Bisht

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Tags Leicester City v Arsenal

28 Comments

  1. ……………………… Ramsdale
    Tomiyasu . White . Magalhaes . Tavares
    ……………. Partey …………. Maitland-Niles
    Saka ………….. Lacazette …………. Smith-Rowe
    …………………… Aubameyang

    Although I bet Arteta will start with Tierney and Lokonga if they’re fit

      1. I’m sure he can handle Iheanacho in aerial duels and Smith-Rowe will help him to defend against Pereira

  2. My line up is similar as the writer except for the fact I would prefer Laca instead of Ode. Laca should either play with Auba in a 4-4-2 formation or just behind Auba. Laca offers much more to the game than Ode and his hold up play and leadership will be important against the Foxes.

    1. I’m with gunnerforlife on this. However Holding and Tavares will be on standby in case white and Tierney don’t make it. Bench will be a tough one to call. After Tuesdays performances this would be my pick.
      Leno, chambers, holding, tavares, AMN, Odegaard, Pepe, Martinelli, Nketiah

  3. The choice between Odegaard Vs Laca could be the difference between a win and a loss imo.
    I think Odegaard will improve but there’s no doubt who’s in the better form.

  4. Tavares instead of Tierney at left back.
    ESR instead of Ødegaard (in the middle.
    Aubamayang instead of ESR (on the left)
    Laca up front.

  6. It’s obvious that EPL requires pace and strength, a pity Odegaard has dipped in form , besides he isn’t strong, against a Leicester team , we need energy,

    I would prefer Lacazette to Odegaard, as we need to stop their midfield and give them something to worry about in their own half, I would go with this 👇👇👇

    ……………………… Ramsdale
    Tomiyasu . White . Magalhaes . Tavares
    ……………. Partey …………. Lokonga/Niles
    Saka/Martinelli …….. Lacazette ……. Smith-Rowe
    …………………… Aubameyang

  8. The writer predicted line up wasn’t a bad one…I think Arteta will partner Tomiyasu and Hard Tackler Gabriel because Ben White is a doubt.

    At times Mikel is unpredictable he can start Chambers on the RB since Tomiyasu will partner Gabriel.

  9. Lava. should start as this is a match against a physical side that you need to match them strength to strength. Tavares should start to see if he can continue with those intensity, Saka should permanently play from that right side.
    Ramsdale,Tomi, Tavares, white, Gabriel, Party, Lokonga, ESR, Saka, Aubs,Laca

  10. How attacking should we be ? … friends who watched them against brentford last week not overly impressed … if we want to attack I think we should use martineli saka looks jaded and has been poor so far and Pepe is an off the bench player at best … more defensively it would be to play odegaard in the middle and smith Rowe alongside lacazette and aube .. either way a big game

  11. Lacazette has to start this match if we are to get something out of it
    Ramsdale
    Tomiyasu
    Gabriel
    White
    Partey
    Lokonga Sambi
    Smith Rowe
    Saka
    Aubameyang
    Lacazette

    Lacazette has to lead the attack while Auba operates from the left. His hold up play and energy is second to non in our team.
    No room for Odegard in tomorrow’s game.

  12. Arsenal currently sit 10th on the EPL log with 14 points collected in their points collection bag. But let us Gooners not overlook the fact that they are only 3 points off the top-four mark in the EPL standings at week 9 into the campaign.

    Despite the bug that is currently ravaging through their first-team squad which struck Ben White in our last ECC home match that forced him off the match, and has left him unable to train for our EPL match away to Leicester tomorrow.

    But notwithstanding if Ben White plays for Arsenal against Leicester or not, I believe Arsenal have what it takes defensively to overcome the possible absent of White and replace him with another capable centreback in the squad who dares not disappoint in his performance in the match for Arsenal. But should help the team with comprehensive enhanced performance in the game for Arsenal.

    So as to not jeopardize Arsenal recent gains in the EPL in terms of points collected by the Gunners so far for the club. But help enhance these points collected with a master class defending for Arsenal against Leicester at the King Power Stadium tomorrow unfailingly making Arsenal not to lose ground in the top-four race in which Arsenal are only 3 points away from it at week 9 into the campaign.

    So therefore, a win by Arsenal against Leicester tomorrow has become compulsory for the Gunners to achieve if Arsenal are not going to slip up in the race for the top-four at week 10 into the season. But enhance their chance to attain the position by helping to beat Leicester tomorrow.

    So it is up to one of Chambers and Holding one of whom I believe Arteta will deploy at centreback if White is unavailable.

  14. But what contract extension if any has Lacazette been offered by Arsenal? Us don’t know as it isn’t revealed. But if he continues to help the temp when he plays to win matches in the EPL and in the Cups. As an experience player that he is with unique way of playing, I envisage Arsenal could offer him a new contract extension say by December to remain at the club. But I wouldn’t say for what length of time as that will be down to the club and Lacazette to decide.

  15. Leicester is a physical team therefore, we need a bit of steal in our starting line up for tomorrow’s match, and Laca will definitely give us that. Benching him is unthinkable.

    Ramsdale

    Tomiyasu, Gabriel, White, Tierney

    Partey, Lokonga

    Saka, Smith Rowe, Aubamayeng

    Lacazette.

    This team won’t lose to Leicester if we can be able to replicate what we did against Aston Villa.
    Hoping for three solid three points tomorrow. COYG!!! 💪

  16. Do we play Odegaard or Lacazette. I see both sides of this. We will need a good midfield presence against Leicester and Odegaard could do well in his position, but Lacazette gives us a physical presence and will be a definite nuisance to Leicester. I think we have to play Aubameyang as he is our most likely goal scorer. Tierney or Tavarez……probably Tierney if he is fit. He is due a corker and he now knows Tavarez is a real threat to his position. Partey and Lokonga speak for themselves, they are improving every game. Tomiyasu, White and Gabriel are certainties if they are OK. Ramsdale has proved himself……a very commanding goalkeeper. He is definitely in front of Leno, who now knows he cannot be complacent. It’s gonna be a big test though against an in form Leicester team.

  17. Aubameyang.

    Smith. Lacazette. Saka.

    Lokonga. Partey.

    Tavares. Gabriel. White. Tomiyasu.

    Ramsdale.

    Subs – Odegaard, Holding, Pepe, Chambers, Martinelli, Niles, Leno.

  18. ……………………Ramsdale
    Tomiyasu.White..Magalh… Tavares
    ……………. Partey ………….Lokonga
    Saka ………….. Lacazette ………….ESR
    …………………… Aubameyang

  19. …………………………. Ramsdale ………………
    Tomiyasu .. White .. Gabi .. Tavares
    …………… Partey …. Lokonga …………
    Saka ……………………………………………..ESR
    ………………….Laca …………
    …………………………………Auba ……………

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