My predicted line up vs FC Porto
Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal squad will travel to Portugal tonight to face off against FC Porto in the first leg of The Champions League round of 16 where it’s expected to be a amassive game for both clubs. Arsenal are on a 5 game winning streak and will be looking to make that 6 and go home with an advantage going into the second game at The Emirates. I expect Arteta to put out a strong line up and don’t expect many changes, here’s how I think he will line us up tonight.
In goal, I think it’s pretty clear to see who will start between the sticks, David Raya. Raya has looked confident and ready the past month and has had two clean sheets in a row and will be looking for a third. Porto will be on the attack so he will have to be at his best and has his chance to prove that he is good enough for this competition.
In defence I expect a back four of, White, Saliba, Gabriel and Kiwior. Kiwior has been very impressive since stepping in for the injured Tomiyasu and Zinchenko and has taken his chance in stride, being involved in a lot of the build up play down the left hand side and has proved he’s good enough to be playing in this Arsenal squad. Saliba and Gabriel will need to be concentrated and at their best as Porto will be playing hard and fast football and will be looking to take shots from outside the box.
In the midfield, I think Arteta will go for Jorginho, Rice and Odegaard. Porto play their best football in the midfield and will put a create a lot of pressure in the middle and that’s why I’d go for Jorginho, he is solid and hard to get past and links up well with both Rice and Odegaard and will give us a bit more stability in the middle. Rice has been great this season and for me he’s a no brainer and Odeegard in recent weeks has looked back to his best and has been linking up well with the frontline, creating and scoring chances himself.
In attack, I expect a front three of Saka, Trossard and Martinelli. Arteta could pick either Havertz or Trossard but after how influential Trossard has been recently, I think it would be harsh to drop him but Havertz does have Champions League experience so it’s a toss up on either really. Saka has been in great form and will hopefully continue that into tonight, he has his scoring boots on recently and were going to need to be clinical and take our chances tonight.
So that’s a 4-3-3 formation of
Raya
White – Saliba – Gabriel – Kiwior
Odegaard – Jorginho – Rice
Saka – Trossard – Martinelli
What’s your thoughts Gooners? How do you think Arteta lines up tonight?
Daisy Mae
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I think Havertz should be the man leading the lines,
We need to keep Port’s defenders busy high and low.
Arsenal needs to be calm and composed let Porto attack an by so they’ll create alot space in the middle of the park.
Jesus, Partey, Tomi, Zinc did not make the flight – not that any would or should be automatic selections over the current in-form XI
while I understand the Jorginho call, and I think is excellent in that role, i’m not sure this game/opponent is one for a caution and containment strategy
i expect Arteta will want to put this tie to bed as soon as possible, and start strong and fast
therefore no changes to the starting XI vs Burnley
Vieira, ESR, academy for some minutes later on, and may be Jorginho comes on to secure an at least 1 goal advantage for the return fixture
Exactly what we did against sporting and lost,
We must treat this as though we are fasting the top 6, be ruthless.
Facing *
i think this goal scoring machine is the ruthless approach against [in my opinion] lesser opposition [than Man C and Liverpool] and who are likely to play a relatively open game
plays right in to our hands for scoring goals in the first leg – i.e. going for the jugular of weaker opposition is ruthless
third in Portugal league is not a team Arsenal should be afraid of – no way Pep nor Klopp are playing a cautious containment strategy against the same opposition, so why should Arsenal?
I haven’t watched Porto in al9ng time, what are we in for? High press from them or low block?
Surely the Big German got to be the first name printed on the team sheet.
Back to his old stomping ground, he picks himself for this one.
Raya
White – Saliba – Gabriel – Kiwior
Odegaard – Jorginho – Rice
Saka – Havertz – Martinelli
Can’t see how Trossard would be ahead of Havertz in this game. This is UCK
He can come in when we are more comfortable like Liverpool game.