Image: Confirmed Arsenal team to take on Newcastle

The teams are out for the FA Cup clash with Newcastle this evening, where we will begin the defence of our trophy.

Mikel Arteta has a 100% record in the competition thus far, and he will be confident of maintaining that despite ringing the changes for the clash.
The Spaniard has opted to bring in seven changes from his starting line-up against West Brom last weekend.

Does this team have more than enough to be confident of sealing our route into the next round of the competition? Who else would you have liked to have made the line-up?

Patrick

Tags Newcastle

159 Comments

  1. We need a new LB if Saka is assigned to the right wing permanently, because Tierney would likely get injured at some point. Looking forward to see Willian play as CAM

    1. Agree on both point…
      Kolasinac was okay as a back up..
      If don’t want to buy new LB then we have to promote someone from Academy..

    2. How about AMN? Where are we going to play him? If he doesn’t start getting some minutes, he will be gone soon. Not sure we he didn’t get the nod today

  2. Pretty fair line up.

    Aubameyang.

    Martinelli. Willian. Pepe.

    Willock. Elneny.

    Tierney. Mari. Luiz. Cedric.

    Leno.

    4-2-3-1. These players should do a good job.

  3. Let’s just get behind the team this evening. That team is good enough to beat Newcastle and if not arteta will get slaughtered for starting pepe, aubameyang, Willian and Luiz as they have not played well and they will be the whipping boys if we lose

  4. Pity MA did not include Balagon,He says he likes him and wants him to stay but he is not giving the lad any reason to stay. Just like Saliba no opportunity to prove his worth. Poor man management in both cases!!!.

    1. Balogun played for under 23 yesterday. I think that is the reason he is not in the match day squad.

      1. Backbat if the coach really likes him like he said, why allow him play for under23 when we have an fa cup match today, I’m not even saying he should start but he should at least be on the bench.

        1. Arteta is pushing the lad out. And guess what his favorite Nketiah on the bench. The apparent my way or the highway approach of Arteta would be justified if he had the pedigree to back it up.

    2. gooner4life Wow it’s like you read my mind, I just hope we won’t regret loosing Balogun later.

  5. I’m glad to see Leno in there and thought that perhaps AMN could have played in place of Tierney who needs a rest

  6. I guess Folarin is being a little difficult and Arsenal has decided to sell him. Or he might have an injury who knows. Good game for some players to regain confidence and play well. COYG!

    1. Sid was he also injured in our last Europa league match that arteta couldn’t start him over Nketiah? As much as I love arteta I don’t entirely agree with some of his decision, God I will be so angry if Balogun end up at Liverpool for free.

      1. I don’t know for sure. But I agree with you that he should be kept at all costs. He is a great talent and he along with Moller could be great 9s for us with Martinelli and Saka on the wings and ESR feeding them.

  7. Let’s go for No.15!! πŸ† Strong line up COYG

    Kolasinac’s first start – 4-0 win, ending a winless run of 30 games!!!

    1. It seems a tank was all the royal blues needed. I hope they pay for him well. After all, we are Arsenal, the arms dealerπŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚

  8. happy to see aube and martinelli … could prove our answer to kane and son … sadly the lack of creativity is palpable though … low quality midfield with willian as AM i guess offers zero inspiration … defence should be solid but with mari and luiz very vulnerable toocounter attacks .. should have rested tiernay for this one

    1. Agreed. They need a little more time together and games like these are best for building understanding. I think if Auba can get one good game the goals will flow. He is an established striker who always scores and is going through a rough patch.

  9. The absence of AMN amazes me .Apart from Leno, Tierney has played more than any player and ought to have been rested.I should imagine AMN will be looking for pastures new at the end of the season, if not before.

    1. Grandad I know you rate AMN alot, even though I don’t really rate him but I think he should have started this match.

    2. Agree completely regarding Tierney

      Im sure he’s extremely fit and willing but Arteta is looking to burn him out or get him injured at this rate

  10. That midfield doesn’t inspire confidence…not one of them. Hopefully the attack clicks and wins us the match.

  11. No u23s yesterday, pepe will i a am willock,no balugon on bench even Carroll will cause havoc holders mite b going out COYG

  12. We will win SIMPLE! and that’s all that matters most. It will be a hard fought win I reckon since the opponent put out a defensive set up. COYG.

  13. Before the game I already decided I won’t care if Balogun plays or not.
    If he cares and thinks he’s good enough to be a starter then he should sign the damn thing!
    The kid is not even Mbappe and him alongside his agent be trying to hold the club to ransom.
    I watched Nketiah played and scored more insane goals than Flo when he was playing the U23 too.

    Saka and Martinelli saw mad competitions in place yet they chose to put pen to paper months ago.
    I’m not sold on Nketiah, never been sold on him even while he was scoring for the U23 and I’m still not sold on him, but I ain’t sold on Flo either.
    For me it has always been Saka from the U18, and for the past 8 months it’s been Omari Hutchinson next for me from the academy.
    I’ve never been the type to be hyping these kids.
    Flo is young, he’ll get his time.
    Lacazette will probably be sold this summer, common sense says he’ll get the chance to displace Nketiah.
    I’m okay with the likes of Auba, Leno and Saka them holding the club to ransom when it comes to contracts but not one kid who scored against an Irish club.
    Even Nketiah scored a brace in his first appearance against Norwich.
    Perfect game for Auba to find his scoring boots, good line up.
    Goodluck to the boys

  14. That Flo guy can go if he wants. Arsenal is bigger than him.

    Shocked. So the great Ozil has been shunned by all Epl clubs. Fit only for Fernabache, good riddance and never come back after undermining the club for years.

      1. I hope im wrong but I’m starting to see a pattern of MA rushing back players from injuries and over playing semi fit players….

    1. Common sense is knowing that Flo is yet to face half the opponents Nketiah has faced, so you can’t say he’s the better prospect.
      Everything Flo is doing right now, Nketiah did double when he started out too.
      That’s if you ever watched Nketiah play before he went on loan.
      Our problem is alwy hyping these kids, always hyping them

  15. Ohh No…
    Martinelli again injured… I would worry a little that he shouldn’t become another Wilshere..

  16. Cedric and AMN should be starting as LB/RB IMO….Tierney could do with a rest before he gets injured or burnt out, it’s a long season

  17. Martinelli turned the ankle inwards (inversion ankle sprain); looks relatively mild so not that big of a deal.

    That was what a doctor wrote on Twitter.
    I saw the video, Gabi needs to always take things easy FFS it was just a warm up video.
    Take things easy man

  18. I think the lack of game time is showing for some players especially Willock and Pepe. They are doing decently but we should at least show some more penetration. otherwise, it would be just the case for all other players not being able to replace the impactful players.

  19. Gutted martinelli isnt playing and got to say it Willian is so sh1t atm!!
    He took a knock in a tackle and you could see he wanted to.go off and carried on when he saw no one was intersted.
    We need some of the likes of.neilson wilock pepe auba and Willian to score and raise their confidence
    Why didnt neilson hit that 1st time?

  20. Rumour were trying to offer Nelson or.wilock to Norwich in part of a deal forBuendia, hope Norwich arent watching!

  21. Why is Willian playing? Saliba was shipped off for underperforming. Is there something in his contract that he has to play?

    1. if that crap is your standard of ‘playing well’, bro, we could have judt got a ball boy to do same

  22. Its embarrassing that Tierney looks so much better than most attacking players and is the only creator.
    I think well see ESR laca and Saka 2nd half.

  23. Nelson, Willock and Willian need to be moved on ASAP….don’t like to badmouth players but its very clear

    1. Well that was absolutely crap. How embarrassing for aubameyang and Willian to be so bad in a crap game

  24. ESR, Saka and Laca won’t have to worry I swear.
    They can all go to bed and miss trainings and they’ll have their spots locked down.
    These guys are playing like this, you still think it’s the manager’s instructions that’s the problem?
    These senior guys are just awful footballers

      1. Gabriel was taken off for precaution sake after twisting his ankle.
        He should be fine.
        I’m just glad we ain’t gon be watching these set of players on Thursday

  25. Good chances squandered, sideways-backward-crosses has returned, but we are defensively good. need some effective penetration from someone.

      1. Yeah, but I think Pepe has been decent. Nelson has been a little unsuccessful but might come good in the second half. Auba had the clearest chance, in my opinion, should have scored that one…

  26. useless players . No coach will succeed with this bunch of clowns. The same formation and tactics as our last game, these so call senior players making a mockery of the club. senior player my foot

  27. I hope that Arteta playing Willian means that he will not play in the premier league, he has been dreadful ever since the Fulham match at the start of the season.

    1. Me too. Earlier he at least put decent performances once a month, but since the UTD game, even that has gone..

    2. 2nd half can only get better but why dont teams play their best team then bring on the 2nd string later when the game is getting stretched or when the game is won

  28. Tierney should rest. He has been great today, but we need him more in the league. MA might introduce some changes in the second half.

  29. Some of our passes were awkward, maybe because of the weather? It was difficult to open Newcastle’s defense, since Carroll and Joelinton became defenders as well

    Our wings looked dead with Nelson and Pepe, but I predict they’d increase their intensity in the second half

    1. I think it was maybe because of the rustiness of some players. I hope they improve in the second half too.

      1. Yeah. It’s been a long time since Nelson play against an EPL team, but I expect more from Pepe

    2. its wasn’t difficult to open Newcastle defence infact KT has created at least 2 big chances already, we should have scored at least 2. Thats bad from our players

  30. Most of us like to slag off Xhaka but for all his deficiencies, he’s the best CM we’ve got after Partey. Our normarly active left side is dead today because we miss his passes. Laca, Saka and ESR are also missed

  31. Who still thinks Nelson got a future at Arsenal? The trio of Nelson, Willock and Nketie should be cleared out for more promising players to emerg from the Academy.

    1. Have to agree with you on this, I’m not seeing what Willock brings besides losing possession and bad passes.

    2. I simply do not know how long it take MA to realize that Pepe, Willian, bring nothing to this team. It all boils down to his incompetence if he just can’t see this.
      I think Auba need some rest it’s not just working for him at the moment, does have to get 50 chance for him to get a goal, but how pathetic we have an inexperience manager who don’t have the ball to do that.

      1. To think many wanted Iwobi gone so Nelson could play. This is a second season in a row, he has failed to convince anyone he’s capable.

  32. Even if Willian scores a hattrick now I would still say he is a fraud.
    And these other attackers need to finish these amazing chances that are being created.

  33. If this manager doesn’t understand that this is a squad devoid of creativity he needs to go sooner rather than later

  34. All those crying about creativity, I am assuming you are having difficulties in watching our attackers miss chance after chance after chance.

    1. Jesus … they had more … if you think that then no wonder management gets away with relegation level football there is NO CREATIVITY on this team none ….

    2. If you are talking about Newcastles two clear cut chances then yes.
      Our lot have created nothing worth mentioning.

  35. I don’t know why I get a sneaky feeling that we will lose this match? It will be extremely fine margins though, same if we win. Performance has been lacklustre with attackers having a really bad day.
    Please, Gunners, win today! Up the gunners!

    1. Same here brother…
      Feels like Newcastle Will snatch just before penalties…
      And whole Saturday night will be worse…
      It’s already past 1 Midnight

  36. What a shit opera , the MA worship gang must be sharpening their pencils for more time, longterm, big picture opinions

  37. If an Arsenal player had brought down someone like Auba was brought down it would be a penalty no questions asked. He was tripped ffs…

  38. The Reason Bellerin Is Better Than Cedric Is :

    Just As Tierney Is Producing Goal-Scoring Chances From The Left, Bellerin Would Be Doing Likewise From The Right

    Cedric Nothing

    Hope The Bellerin Haters Can See That ?

    1. Oh calm down. No one’s saying sell Bellerin and replace him with Cedric. He’s clearly been bought as a backup only

  39. Yeah Smith Rowe!!! Laca is so important to this team, as soon as he came on we looked more dangerous.

  40. Nice game in the last stages. We are relying too much on Laca and the young players. Nelson should step up but to be fair he hadn’t played for long. Pepe looked decent to me, just lacking some sharpness. But the rest of the team needs to step up. And finally Auba!!

  41. No complaints. Slept in,woke up at 6.30 am., Australian time thought the game was over but just in time for the extra time kick off. Looks like I missed nothing before then. The starting line-up would have frustrated me no end. Just seeing Eleny on a team sheet equals lowerer standards.

Comments are closed

Top Blog Sponsors