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Image: Confirmed Arsenal team to take on Spurs in NLD clash

The teams are out for today’s North London derby clash, with Arsenal taking on Spurs in Tottenham.

We already knew we were to be without Gabriel Martinelli, but there were question marks over whether Thomas Partey or Pablo Mari could possibly feature, and those questions have finally been answered.

Arsenal have not had the best form going into this match, but we do look ready to turn that around at present, and the North London derby should pose as the ideal motivator to put our woes behind us.

What scoreline are we to expect after seeing the line-ups?

Patrick

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  4. Arteta should have put elneny in the starting line up instead of Xhaka.

    The presence of Xhaka is already a boost for the spurds. Xhaka in the starting line up means one man down against us.

    I wonder what this apprentice is smoking.

  5. Aubameyang,

    Saka, Lacazette, Willian,

    Xhaka, Partey,

    Tierney, Gabriel, Holding, Bellerin,

    Leno.

    Weak links are Xhaka and Willian. They should be replaced with Elneny and Niles in the second half.

    1. Wrong line up by Arteta Sue playing xhaka when we have AMN and elneny who are currently better. Willian instead of Nelson is also wrong.

      1. I give up, Kstix… been a rubbish half…gutted. Where’s the fight? We don’t even look like scoring… yet again…

  7. A very strong line up. I can’t see anything other than Spurs struggling for 90 minutes. I change my prediction now to 3-0 Arsenal.

  9. 3-4-3, 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1…
    Could easily be any of these..

    Xhaka is minus one already.
    Elneny could have continued his partnership with Partey regardless of whether he played on Thursday.
    He has done it before. He played on Thursday before the Man utd game on a Sunday.

    Xhaka inspires no one with confidence.. not even himself

    Hopefully the rest of the team covers for his weakness.
    Here’s hoping to a win, no matter how it comes

  10. I’m not going to criticise this team selection, as it could prove to be a winning one.

    What I would ask, is why AMN, after his great performance on Thursday, is once again on the bench?
    Also, wouldn’t the line up of Elneny, AMN and Partey have been more solid?

    1. Mikel is into something here. We won’t wait long to find out what game plan he has in store for us to today.

    2. Ken1945 who would you bench AMN for and yes I agree with you on el neny, he should have started. I always see people talking about AMN in the middle but he has never for once played in that position and you want the coach to use him again Spurs?

      1. Xhaka will cost MA his job just as his predecessors.
        The earlier he realizes that, the better for him.

  12. Chaka was woeful last week but I still reckon Partey and Xhaka are out best shout (probably in a midfield 3)

    Willian? Honestly this has got to be his last chance with Pepe and Martnelli back soon, Nelson finding form and Saja able to play either wing. At best Willian is my fifth choice on form. Hope he proves me wrong.

    1. @Trudeau, Xhaka has never excelled along with any midfielder. He makes his partner overwork and put defenders and keepers under unnecessary pressure.

      I hope he turns out good today.

  13. Like you Ken, I cannot understand why AMN is not starting.It has got to the stage where he needs to move to further his career.Nelson is not even on the bench, which also disappoints me.

    1. We will likely lose AMN, Nelson and Balogun within the next year the way things are going unfortunately

      1. It’s an unfortunate possibility, and retain the likes of Xhaka and Willian; Nketiah squanders opportunities and we’ll lose Balogun. Flashbacks of Gnabry.
        Starting to really question Arteta’s continued selection of Willian and Xhaka, who have produced next to nothing all year. Shocking AMN can’t get a chance in midfield when we are so weak there.

    1. glad im not the only one. Im trying to not purposely pick on him, I feel like his positioning was all off, and there are just better keepers that are able to get something on that.

    1. SueP there’s nothing special about that goal, that should be a normal save for Leno. His positioning was wrong.

    2. Leno was all to blame…
      Son played that ball bcos he saw Leno out of position and then boom..
      One yard back and its a routine save..
      That ball didn’t even have height

  27. Bellerin is this a joke?
    But xhaka has been defending well against kane in the counter attacks.. kane cant shouldnt have time to find son

      1. Well you dont want to say thats solely the fault of xhaka? Xhaka is never world class and we have to replace him but blaming the fault on xhaka alone is a joke.. what is partey doing? Till he is subbed off he should stay behind not wait on the touchline to be subbed off!

      3. But Partey is. What is wrong with Arsenal’s medical team? Or was that desperation from player or manager? Lets hope this is not going to be a long lay off considering the fixtures this month.

    1. It is indeed, Siamois! Poor half. Don’t we always come out fighting in the 2nd half? Or is it the last 5 minutes?!! 😄

  31. I’m sorry but Mikel has to go. Too inexperienced to take on such a big job.

    We are flying backwards atm.

    Only reason things looked good as the players were relieved Emery got sacked. Honeymoon period is well over and maybe divorce is on the cards already a few months after Fa Cup win.

  32. Arteta hasn’t got a clue. Turning the channel. We’re the worst team in the league I can confidently say.

    1. And i would 100% agree with you that we are one of the worst team in the league.. every team has a chance against us.. now lets please hire a coach who has experience and talent not just one or the other and somebody who can make the best of the players he has and not needs to buy 11 players till he can make top 4..7

    1. I dread them too. arteta is a novice with all his polish talking. Mourinho does his talking with his team. pathetic arsenal deserve pathetic results.

      1. you pepe haters make me sick

        what has auba and willian done the entire season

        pepe makes mistakes but at least he creates something and draws multiple defenders

    2. one bad apple for another bad apple. All our attackers are bad apples it doesnt really matter who you put in.

  39. Poor defense playing once again. Holding is to blame for the first goal. Instead of guiding the Son to the byline he allowed him to cut in. Second goal was totally unnecessary. We have a whole second half ahead why commit so many defenders forward. There was four Tottenham players against two Arsenal defenders. Totally unnecessary!!! You were always going to get punished on the break.

  42. Apart from the score, this has been an excellent performance as far as I am concerned.
    We are linking play, we are pressing and we are soooo unlucky to go in 2-0 down.

    What on earth has happened to Partey and WHY bring on Ceballos when we need grit and determination – AMN or Elneny?

    1. i agree except the final third..

      the front three has been non existent.. need pepe over willian / auba

      1. Outnumber 2-3 again in midfield, 90% of attacks from the wings; despite weeks without an open play goal, Laca & Auba neutered, Arteta persists with that formula.
        Xhaka & Willian start again despite no production, and still doesn’t play to strengths of the players or team as a whole.
        Reverted to same poor defending as last year, & Arteta absolutely destroyed ability to attack.
        If Arteta can’t turn things around quickly, then he has to go. He isn’t doing the job; maybe Allegri can in the January window. Little faith left in Arteta

    4. All our linking just ends to deadend crosses tho. Same thing we’ve been watching for weeks, just slightly more stylish. Spurs players know what we’re going to do every time and they can easily defend. It’s not a good performance. I think we are just getting used to how awful we are.

      2. RSH,

        Only Saka and Lacazette have that “natural football intelligence” in our forward line, in midfield only Partey.

        Willian’s best position is on that left, we will keep getting terrible performances from him on the right imo.

    6. Ken1945

      Thank you, for your spot on analysis!

      Spurs plan worked well for them, play a deep block and hit on the counter.
      This further shows we don’t have a good team, look at Saka’s movement with the ball…that’s what you need your players to do.

      Our best attacking play has involved Saka and Partey and I will add Lacazette too. I will keep on hammering on this, our team is not GOOD ENOUGH!

  44. Game over damage limitations now and if you think now that arteta is the man to take us forward then you are not really an arsenal fan. Bellerin is shit partey is off aubameyang is absolutely the worst player in our history since he signed for mega money and holding xhaka to name a few properly the worst arsenal team for 40 years
    No idea no heart and no idea. I dare anyone to say I’m wrong

    1. Yes you are.. What the h*ll did Bellerin do wrong? We all know he cannot throw…why is he still allowed to??

      2. Lol at least 3 foul throws this season and can barely find a team mate unless he throws it towards our goal

    3. I honestly don’t know what’s happened to them all…. they all look way off.. and that Xhaka lunge on Kane pretty much straight away should have sounded the alarm bells!!
      Bloody hell, every week we look even worse than the week before. We really are in sh*t street….anyone dare call you negative tonight after what we’ve just witnessed!!!

    4. Of course your wrong – are you watching the game?
      How are you judging Bellerin for goodness sake?
      The same with Holding as well.
      Up to their second goal we were well in the game and could easily have been level.
      This is a quality spud side and we were holding our own until the awful second goal – now let’s see what MA can come up with!!!

  45. Impotent up front. On this form Auba and Lacazette should have missed the cut. Arteta’s decision to ditch Ozil is looking like pure BS. William is such an impotent cornertaker.

  47. Really does arsenal look like scoring our coach needs to go . Cause we going to get worst beaten by a better team

  48. Would have been reasonably happy at 1-nil going into halftime with all the half chances we created. But with Partey off (why make the substitution so quickly Arteta -the half was virtually over) and 2-nil down, it’s not a second half to look forward to. Hope we at least show some fight.

  49. Everything is lost! It now depends on how much we recover🙆 with 9%posetion spurs have 2 goals with the rest we have 0 shots on target 🏃🏃🏃🏃

  50. Some fans are just obsessed with singling out few players when the entire team is shit. Arteta can’t continue escaping playing 2 men against 3 in midfield. So many players on the wings while the center is crying for numbers

  51. We are dead as a club. Fighting relegation already. Other big teams have left us and went to were we are supposed to be in fighting for top four. If teams starts poorly at beginning of season, after like 6games they will shape up, and is clear to see where all the big teams are right about now on the table, and where we are after 11 matches shows how our season will pan out, relegation dog fight… If something drastic is not done. This is pathetic.

  53. Arsenal in a relegation fight by start of xmas. Who would’ve thought and spurs top the league….

    Football is a cruel cruel game lol

      1. Sue Truley pissed off by this club atm. What has happend to this great club… biggest joke in england atm.

        1. I stupidly thought they’d be up for this game! And they call themselves professionals? They don’t even seem bothered that we’re being outplayed once again…. you’re right, we are a joke… so fed up….

  54. This is over. Arteta can’t deal with the brilliance of Mourinho. He is just a genius honestly. And this Arsenal team is a joke. They left the central defenders to deal on their own.

    1. Hasnt lost to Arsenal in now 11games unbeaten as a manager. Since Mouribho came to the league, Arsenal fell apart. Chelsea taking the title off us then now Spurs. Jose is a great manager and Experienced!!

  55. There was no need rushing Partey into the team if he was not fully fit. What is arteta scared of? Why does he keep playing 3 at the back? He should have played a 433 or 4231. Partey is injured again. Bellerin should have been on the bench. He is poor defensively

  56. Arteta has to get Willian and Xhaka off. I’d bring on Elneny and anchor him in front of CB’s. Nelson at least will take on defenders.
    Arteta has to adapt in the 2nd half. How can he allow Son to run free? We’re in freefall, how many weeks now without an open play goal in PL?
    How much more patience does Arteta get while we drop? Xhaka & Willian will cost him his job. Maybe too much for Arteta.

    1. agreed.. i thought elneny was going to start instead of xhaka.. more assertive and more calm, physically more capable too

  58. But on course for my prediction 2-3 coyg😁😁😁😁 all that has to happen we score 3 in the 2nd half👌👌

  59. Harry Kane ,here there and everywhere. Auba in hiding. Some many issues. I’m sure they’ll come out in the next few days. We lost Partey who was our best player. Probably rushed. back from injury. Another stupid managerial decision. Plus Arteta’s perrenial favorites William and Xhaka doing themselves proud as usual.

  62. I don’t understand why they committed so many defenders forward. And left two central defenders exposed. We need to get back to basics. Plus Auba is very poor. Extremely Poor!

    1. Watch Xhaka. We broke then Partey signaled to the side he was done then dopey Granit runs into the spuds box exposing all our defence with no support from the middle whatsoever.

      Clueless defence mind he has

      1. Arteta at fault for starting a proven failure of a player. He still refuses to allow younger players to get starts. Why? He knows Xhaka is trash and starts him. Same with WIllian.

  64. I don’t understand why they committed so many defenders forward. And left two central defenders exposed. We need to get back to basics. Plus Auba is very poor. Extremely Poor! Take Auba off and bring Pepe on.

  65. Not one cross from Bellerin has found his man. We strikers/goals relies so much on your wide players being able to put the ball in from wide areas that will reach them and not get cut out by the opposing player and yet everyone of Bellerin crosses has been cut out, and he’s had plenty. It the same thing week in and week out. In summary Bellerin and a few others should not be arsenal players next season.

  66. I’ll give Arteta this Jan transfer window to fix his squad. If he cant’ then get him out. And get an experienced proven manager finally. This is turning into one giant disaster.

    1. Do you actually watch football because that is without doubt the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard in all my years. What a complete berk

  70. 2-0 down but don’t think we played too badly. Just outmatched by their soak-and-strike approach and clinical finishing.

    Son’s goal wasn’t just down to us not closing him down. It’s a spectacular shot. Credit to the Spurs player who made the overlapping run to draw Holding away. It’s a classic example of how proper movement drags a marker away and creates space to attack. If he didn’t make that run, Holding would just continue to follow Son and close him down.

    Kane’s goal was a result of us being outnumbered on the break because Partey had walked off the field due to injury when they counterattacked. Arteta had to urge him to get back on but it’s too late.

    Hope we can comeback in the 2nd half

  71. 1 or 2 passes through the heart of our midfield and they are away. Our midfield sits to deep to defend and attack. The gap between zhaka and lacazette is enormous you park 20 buses in there.

    1. If you want to know how far below this team has gone, take a look at Alex song and xhaka who play similar positions. Song made assist, defend and moved the ball. The number of back passes and side way passes is simply unacceptable.

    1. it’s a joke. Instead he’ll throw Ceballos on. What’s he gonna do? What is with these managers who are determined to cycle proven poor players and not give chances to younger players. And actually good younger players. Not Willock.

  73. Pass here pass there.
    Backpass.
    Afraid to shoot.
    Hopeless!

    I remembered my comment that Tottenham will do a double on us was deleted by Admin. They did it in 1993.
    Admin and Arsenal fans; face the hard truth, we are sucks; we are deteriorating at a faster rate than the other top 6.
    Man U is playing well after they lose to us. If this season, we are worse than number 8 and no FA Cup, manager has to go.

  74. For last 4 games our great CF has lost his usual smile. MA has drained his confidence! Something going on here… Arteta Out!

  77. We have resorted to crossing as a source for goals because we cant break defenses down. Problem is, our crosses are not that great and even when they are ok, there is no one to get behind it. The whole style is a shambles.. MA looks devoid of ideas.

    1. True, i remember pep saying that bringing the ball to the box is the coaches job and finishing it the players.. arteta is failing absolutely in his attacking tactics

  78. Now thats a proper manager right there.. we keep getting crosses in through the left and he immediately wanna bring in Ben Davies..

    1. Cheers mate.. Pity I have work tomorrow.. I would have been off to do the same…This is painful to watch

    1. I have been absolutely slaughtered for saying we wont win or we are shit. I’m beginning to think that it might be personal

      1. Perry mate there is no other word to use only shit and we will be shit ontill we spend 100m plus on an acm and a cf

  85. Lacazette for captain for me.
    The guy has some sort of aggression in him. If he can use that sort of aggression in match day in order to rally his troops/shout at them all he likes then we can go far.

    Far better second half performance.

    2. partey was fine, best player of 1st half …

      he didn’t look amazing because he had to do two jobs (covering xhaka)

  90. It’s over.
    We ONLY lost 2-0.
    Good performances?
    Or none at all?
    Spurs were supposed to beat us after all, let them enjoy their first League win in 60 years

  91. Hahahaha…😂🤣😂🤣🤣🤣…what an improvement we only lost by 2 goals. Arteta on his way to greatness best young acdemy players of Europe.

      1. The week before he left Luiz on the pitch after the dreadful injury. That was one bad decision too. I’m sorry to say, but I’m losing faith in Arteta’s abilities.

  96. Loathe him or double loathe him, would that •astard in the opposite dug out have sorted out even our flatlining squad.

    Don’t be fooled by the 2nd half, Mourinho had us exactly where he wanted us. Could have been there all next week and not scored.

    1. Well said. “We did better 2nd half” is exactly what Mourinho wants. He won the game after 45 minutes. And kept a clean sheet 2nd half. It doesnt matter if we “played better’. He instructed his team to secure the win and thats what they did.

  97. Arsenal built a stadium and they stopped competing, Tottenham Hotspur built a stadium and the started competing. Arsenal fans need to make demand for competition for titles.

      1. The difference is that in the season after we moved into our new home, we didn’t have a bad season that required a change of management.
        Spurs did and it made them better. They got a proven manager mid-season that did not need to prove anything until the season after. And they were allowed to take the financial hit from no CL.

  98. I think I am gonna be slaughtered for saying this, but I think the performance was not all that bad, though was it? I know we lost, but I think the players tries most of the game, it was not all lost. The game got boring sometime with the backpasses(I played some Amongus then lol) But really they tried hard and we had many nearly times. I think it is a positive though impactless performance, a little better than the other losing performances.

      1. Almost wish it wasn’t but Arsenal in the league has made me realise to just put a 0 in their column and I will get points in the prediction game. To be honest though they played with heart today. Finer margins against a better side who had a gameplan let us down.

  99. The owners are to blame. They have made the decisions and delayed the club by years. Maybe now is a good time to fight relegation? The owners would certainty sit up and notice the depth we have sunk to I’m sure!?

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