Arsenal News Arsenal previews

Line-up confirmed for Arsenal’s must-win trip to Leicester

Unai Emery’s starting line-up has been confirmed for today’s crucial game in Leicester, with Aubameyang back in the team following a sinus operation.

The Gabon international missed last week’s painful loss to Wolves, but returns today to try and close the gap on Spurs to only one point, and gain points on one or both of Chelsea and Man United who clash later on today.

At first sight of the team it looks like we will be playing 4-3-3 with Mkhitaryan being our most advanced midfielder of the three, but the personnel could well play as a 4-2-2-2, with Iwobi and Mkhi wide, and Xhaka alongside Torreira in front of the defence.

We haven’t been having much luck on the road of late, and today will not be the easiest task to try and change that (especially when you consider Jamie Vardy’s record against the top six), but we most definitely have the personnel for the task.

With the top four spot well within our sights we really cannot afford to not take today’s shot at the three points, and we really need this line-up to click today from the off.

Is this going to be a 4-3-3 with Mkhi in the middle? Is anybody expecting our boys to show the fight needed to come away with a dominant three points? Or is it squeaky bum time?

Pat J

Posted by

138 Comments

  1. Mkhitaryan’s chance to show that he is better at no 10 position than playing as an RW:

    ……………………………Leno
    Maitland-Niles . Mustafi . Sokratis . Kolasinac
    ………………..Torreira …………Xhaka
    Aubameyang ……….Mkhitaryan ………. Iwobi
    ………………………….Lacazette

  3. Mustafi
    Miki
    Iwobi

    Oh my lord ???

    I hope for a win however, a CB who cannot defend
    Two full back who’s weakness is defending
    And miki who has the heart of a lion the one in the wizard of Oz

  4. Should have started Nketiah instead of iwobi as he offers nothing .
    Mustafi ?
    Bench looks so weak aswell
    Just hope the two main men up front can have a blinder .

      2. We can dwell in Wenger being the reason we are playing well forever, but one thing I know for sure is Arsene inherited a team that were playing crab, but by his first full season in the club, he transformed same players albeit a few addition into a great team. My heart bleeds because we seem to be the once defending the mess this coach is given us. Wenger announce his stepping down from the post before the end of last season UE was subsequently announce in good enough time. He a had preseason with them, and was able to first hand access the performance. These logs of wood we have today are here because he deem them up the the quality he wanted- atlease 80% of them. Please let’s stop the lack of respect we show wenger in this forum.

  7. Shame kos can’t play 3 match a week, mustafi is a liability unless he has a rare great match. Come on arsenal

  8. I know I can’t say it until the game is over but this line-up screams “we are finished” inside my head.

  11. Mustafi? Kolasinac? Mkhitaryan? I hope these guys can prove me wrong today but so far as I’m concerned these are the first names on the ‘For Sale’ sheet – not the line up sheet! Hope our Greek wrestler only throws people on the ground OUTSIDE the penalty area.

  12. Nervous .

    Firmly believe we win finally 3 games .
    We are back

    No more bottling please lads, no more space in the bottle bank.

      1. If you think Mike Dean, Jon Moss and Anthony Taylor are bad this Oliver is the biggest cheat in the game. Does us every time, before this game he’s given 7 penalties in 10 games against us.

        1. Trouble is our very own ex players like Smith , Merson, Wright or Dixon haven’t got the courage to criticise these incompetent referees when we get disgraceful decisions go against us. It’s left to the best pundit on television Graeme Souness, he doesn’t hold back, a courageous player and courageous pundit.

          1. Can’t believe it, he takes the useless Iwobi off every week but continues to start him. Why/

  15. Are defending is like watching a comedy.
    It’s atrocious ,the worst I’ve ever seen it and that’s saying a lot .
    Muatafi ?

    1. I’m sure that idiotic M.Oliver has something against Arsenal ! He could have placed a bet on Arsenal losing , u can see he’s catching every slight chance to hand out yellow & red to Arsenal !

  16. 81% possession to the home side already. Makes sense since the last time we had that much possession, we went 3-0 down

  19. Can’t understand why a “top team” like Arsenal can’t defend and win away more consistently. Only positive so far is we have not conceded.

  21. I know I say it’s lot of bloody hell what is iwobi doing on that pitch ,he needs to get subbed off .
    He wonders around doesn’t track back and when he gets the ball just gives it straight back to them ,absolutely shocking player .and fans want him to become our number 10 .
    Absolutely fuming watching this sh1t today .30 mins gone no shots and Leicester making us look like a league 2 team .
    How a manager can’t sort out his defence is beyond me .

      1. Dude do one ,fans like you are the ones who hold our club back .with your fantasy of how iwobi is a good player .
        I’m sure you don’t like some of our players so just keep you lips shut on my opinion and just keep posting great stuff about our amazing winger

        1. Noob lol ,shows you’re age .
          You must be watching a different game to me .if you call that tracking back .

  22. Our team look physically spent, remember what used to get us pts earlier was our pressing intensity and fighting spirit. Maybe this is the reason emery is rotating so much.

    Remember klopp 1st season at Liverpool they were dead on their feet in the second half of the season. Emery has a similar philosophy. Also newcomers like torreira and guendouzi form drop at december with no winter break.

    1. I don’t Micheal Oliver ,but then 2 cards were a joke and that’s probably cost us a top 4th place

  28. Looks like Europa League or bust for Champions League qualification, although if we did get in we would only be making up the numbers. Hoping that we can do better with ten men than we do against ten.

  29. Hé got it wring yet again. Mustafi iwobi should Kos & Auba.Ozil for mikki to start. Gendouzi iwobi as Miki Come strong from the bench where mustafi should be..

    Gendouzi then comes for Xaka Miki fot Ozil and iwobi for Auba or Laca if less defending to do. Rest
    the 3 boyz for thursday Torreira isfine Can play 2 games a day everyday. Lets try wins this tho

  30. You could see the ref was biased against us from the start. That is a completely undeserved red card, that stamp on xhaka ankle was a straight red card. Ref screwed us over vs palace with the penalties not given, letting Everton foul all over the place and now at Leicester.

    1. Oliver, has always. He raises his shoulder like he is the best referee in premier league yet he gets crucial decisions wrong.

      1. He literally gave Leicester the advantage then he realized it was AMN who did the foul so he stopped play when Leicester HAD THE Ball just to give the red card. It is clearly referee screwing us over.

  31. Arsenal must win game hahaha. Something is wrong with us. Are we cursed ? How come nothing every works right in this club except when it comes to making money.

  32. Iwobi should score next minute were down to ten men 3 years playing top level football iwobi still can’t hit belt wack place etc etc the ball unbelievably sad

  33. We are lucky to be @ 0-0. Keeping a clean sheet till half time and regrouping is our only hope. We can only rely on counter attacks but again will leave us exposed. Same old rubbish Arsenal.

  34. Even before the yellow card, I can’t believe what this team is turned into. This is not the Arsenal I know, I don’t even know what to hope for. We are very pathetic.

  35. Down to 10 men, what a bunch of clowns!

    You had ONE JOB, ONE. Win either Palace, Wolves or Leicester. At the moment we are losing all of them!

  36. Miles Maitland Sent Off.
    This is the point where I cease to bother.
    This is the worst Arsenal side I have ever seen – Emery is the worst Arsenal manager I have seen in forty years of following them.
    This is a team of money grabbing jobsworths with no love or loyalty to the club.
    There is not one player I would even describe as being half decent.

  37. they were pounding and pounding on us all the first half now everybody knows that Arsenal is a team easy to beat our defense is shaking our middle field does mot exist and our girls at the front dont hurt anybody

  38. We are very low on ball possession, the lowest in our history. We are not defending proper, we are not pressing at all, so what are we doing?

    1. There is no one player that can hold on to the ball for more than a second. We need more creative players asap.

  41. Anyone figured out the original formation? My best guess was 4-4-2 but am open to other offers. Obviously didn’t work whatever it was. But with that bunch of no-hopers I wasn’t expecting much.

  42. I were watching the Chinese league yesterday and saw one of our referee in change of the game. I wish they would all f’k over there cos the level of ref this season is atrocious

  43. Fake fans! Fake fans? Fake bloody team! Can’t watch this dung , it will put me in a bad mood for the full week.
    Fake fans indeed!

  44. Generally poor referring by Oliver but what is new there. Many Leicester fouls going unpunished but the same type of challenge from us is a foul…how does that work?

    Generally speaking, the performance was ok. Leicester have runners off vardy and the pace to play in vardy.

    Unfortunately mhikt and Iwobi are not as talented as Telemien or Maddison. Iwobi needs to get to the bar line and wipe in balls mhikt needs to link up laca and auba by threading balls through for them to work with..

    We are doing what we can with what we have. It’s on par even if we want more…it’s gonna be tough.

    A win is a huge outside chance with 10 against Leicester.

  45. Stop blaming the sending off
    We are shocking can’t you see it

    If this was Wenger you would want his head

    Nothing has changed nothing

  47. 53 mins without conceding, if we keep a clean sheet I’m sure the writers will go easy on the ratings 😉

  48. If this is true, then maybe we can emerge like a wounded boxer and sucker punch Leicester on the counter:

    Leicester 0-0 Arsenal
    Arsenal are the only side in Premier League history to have won (33) more games than they’ve lost (27) in games they’ve had a player sent off…

  51. Goal for Leicester, I thought so. And John Ibrahim you really need a new set of fans, I don’t abuse anyone but I think you need to watch what you say to others.

  52. This is the joke we have become. The earlier we take our grievances beyond the players and the coach the better our chances of getting our dear club back. I can’t afford to subscribe to failure for the rest of my life. Woe to anybody that brings up the excuse that we are self-funded during the transfer window. Great owners intervene during emergency period and that is the period we are in. So if Kronke is not ready to open his wallet to salvage this mess, he better get the F out of our club. What this season has proven is that Wenger was not our problem and Emery is not even the problem in fact the players are not even the problem. But the management who is comfortable at the mediocre of a club we have become. I keep saying it if we had no financial muscle we should have tried the other option of building a good youth system. But here we are we can’t rely on any. The owner is messed up, the management messed u, the recruiting team messed up, coaches messed up, players messed up, Academy messed and even we the fans are becoming…

    2. Martin interesting thought from you! I never thought I will see the day Arsene football club play like this. The referee is so so annoying. Am truly sad. I am not dishonest after all.

  53. We need a complete overhaul of this team Sol Campbell was right. 10 players need to go starting with our fullbacks. Maitland Niles has cost us this game and quite possibly the champions league. What an idiot of a player.

  54. I prefer Wenger ball to this Emery nonsense. When wenver was here, atleast we play good football. Now even Leicester passes the ball far better than arsenal. What a shame

  56. It’s the fans who have gone up there, that have my sympathy…..
    Then I saw a tweet saying “Arsenal – the gift that keeps giving” ?

    1. We just have to forget about the league now Sue, put everything into Europa! I wasn’t convinced about top 4 they had many opportunities to nail that spot down, they’re just mentally weak! Most of that team aren’t physically cut out for this division.

      1. Not a surprise, Kev… it was expected, but still really does my head in.. so AMN will miss our next game, on top of all the injuries.. nothing is going our way, oh it’s ? what a way to end the season, hey?!! Oh the joys…..
        Right now, I don’t even want to think about Thursday – 3 losses on the bounce… bloody hell

        1. I cannot bear the though of Arsenal in the CL
          They don’t deserve it so I am hoping that Valencia go through.
          I also don’t believe that Emery deserves to be in post which is another reason why I want Valencia to go through.
          Do you want years of Emery’s incompetence?
          The worst Arsenal manager I have seen in forty two years of following them…

          2. Leon, and who would be prepared to come to the Emirates (#1) and do better than Emery (#2) with this bunch of imposters for professional footballers?

        2. Put it out of your mind Sue this team isn’t good enough for top 4 but Europa League suits them better so there’s every chance we’re actually holding out to win that! Utd gave up on league to win it and now we have to! Hit it (?)

          1. 3 goals conceded in each of our last 3 games, my confidence is shot to bits (just like the team’s) nothing good to say about today… apart from well done to the women!! ?
            I’m really not looking forward to Thursday, Kev!

              1. Take it your not gonna hit it (?) ? yeah well I’ve kind of given up on the league Sue! If you can’t win away then your in trouble! People are upset and angry but they need to realise that team is bang average been saying that all season but we can Europa! Call me crazy but I’m staying optimistic ?

                1. ? haha, better late than never!!
                  Well you’ve said so, so that’s good enough for me! When you speak, I take note ??
                  We have got some decent players, but they don’t perform often enough. Even before the red card, Leicester looked good. I think we’d have lost today anyhow.
                  Better get used to this sort of season then.. can’t see it getting much better, who would sign for us??

                  1. I’m not making excuses for Emery Sue but ppl forget the man came from another country, doesn’t really speak English well has had no support in the transfer market, and taken over from a man who ran everything from top to bottom for over 2 decades! There was always gonna be problems! Emery wasn’t left with an overly confident squad to begin with… He’s had his first season, now he knows what’s good what’s not good he’ll pull that team apart make no mistake about that! He unlike Wenger will identify the problem! Oh do you ?? haha you caught on then ??

                    1. Even I can’t understand a word he says!! I do totally agree with what you say, he wasn’t going to turn a crap player into a world beater was he?? We’re better off than last season… one thing’s for sure – I wouldn’t want his job!! The pressure he (& AW) are under.. jeez!!
                      I bet City will lose now, so I’m just looking on Google maps for a bridge ??

                    2. Well tbh with you people rave about Lacazette and Aubameyang but those 2 players are really inconsistent yeah Aubameyang has the 19 goals but doesn’t affect the game the way mane salah even Son does they frighten defenders! Maybe one of the 2 would actually be more consistent if we had wingers but we simply have no width and no real quality centre mids so they’re inconsistencies probably aren’t their fault. We do have some good players but the majority of that squad needs overhauling! Haha yeah I don’t understand him either it is a problem as well ? at the start of the season, I didn’t expect to be even this high so maybe he has done a good job and if he wins Europa he’ll have done what Wenger couldn’t do in 22 years! Haha I hope not on both Suzanne ???

                    3. Aww cheers Kev… I’ve put the bridge on hold for now – thank you Sergio ? now that has cheered me up Kev!! I’ve even looked on the ticket exchange ?

                    4. I knew the city result would please you ? good forget about the bridge unless you mean Stamford ?? well Sue I’m having a latte watching the match and secretly pretending the result doesn’t matter but really hoping for a draw ? well you know, one can hope for miracles! I’m a righteous man! don’t I deserve champions League football? ???

                    5. Ooh get you – a latte!! I don’t do hot drinks, never have!
                      Yeah I’m hoping for a draw.. but with De Gea howling as if there’s a permanent full moon, Chelsea will always have a chance!
                      The ball didn’t go over the line by much, but I’ll take that all day long.. plus Sean Dyche is a Liverpool fan ?
                      You do indeed, and you may well get your wish!
                      Oh FFS I can’t stand Mata ?

                    6. Your the first person I’ve ever spoke to not to drink tea or coffee or both ?? yeah it’s just from my dolce gusto machine I’m a coffee connoisseur Sue ? we’ll I don’t drink alcohol so I need some perking up ? I know that Chelsea team are bang average just like us ? Matic should be having a shower by now ? yeah I heard he was ? reminds me of a goal I scored in my teens although it wasn’t given but I always maintained it crossed the line! No VAR back then Sue ?

                    8. I only know 1 other person that doesn’t drink hot drinks (old gal at work, I thought it was just me!) A connoisseur ?
                      Ha me too – need my Pepsi max in the morning ?
                      Well there certainly wouldn’t have been GLT back then ?? ha revenge!!

                    9. Omg there’s 2 of yous ? cola in the morning ? haha people think I’m weird because I don’t take sugar in coffee or tea ? I just say tea and coffee wasn’t designed to be sweet ? haha I deserve that don’t I ? did you see the klopp questions and answers he talks about his teeth and firminho lol

                    10. Oh god not Klopp & his teeth! No I didn’t.. whenever he comes on, I turn over! So I was just possessed into buying 2 tickets for the Brighton game…. won’t be at the Emirates again until August, so wth hey?! Just got to get time off work now ??

                    11. 3 consecutive defeats 9 goals conceded ? you must love the Emirates ?? haha Sue it was funny! I knew his teeth was veneers he also said he doesn’t use social media, he could never understand why ppl put pictures up of their breakfast share their private life with everyone, I had to laugh at that ?

  58. Hello Brothers & Sisters

    Valencia are now in the same shoes as we are i.e: “Can’t Make Top 4 & Can Only Qualify For Champions League Via Winning The Europa”

    Anybody smelling what I’m smelling ?

  59. Well done to Leicester though.
    With nothing to play for they raised their game for their fans.
    I hope they go onto win the game.
    I give up on Arsenal – I have better things to do with my life than to waste it on a bunch of lazy bar stewards who are paid far too much money for doing nothing.
    I would say sell them but the trouble is who would want to sign any of them?
    And I am happy to see Emery fail – someone signed because he was available and cheap. Lazy ownership and lazy management.
    This is what happens when you place cost before making the right management appointment.
    Emery is simply out of his depth…
    Sooner he is gone the better – even if it means this…

    1. Me, who was the right manager/coach appointment? Did they apply for the job? Were they prepared to come to the Emirates given the current squad, the available transfer budget, Kroenke’s ownership and the self sustaining financial model operating at Arsenal?
      I look forward to perusing your CV when you apply for the position.

  60. Hello Brothers & Sisters

    Valencia are now in the same shoes as we are i.e: “Can’t Make Top 4 & Can Only Qualify For Champions League Via Winning The Europa”

    Anybody smelling what I’m smelling

  63. Well it seems Mr. Campbell was spot on in his
    assessment of Arsenals collective talent.

    What a predictable Arsenal capitulation.

    Will the nightmare of being a Gunner ever end?

  66. We are positively dreadful how can we actually be drifting g away into nothingness as the season comes to a close? Woeful ti throw top 4 away so casually. Got to be busy with transfers come the Summer.

  67. Total embarrassment – yes the referee made game changing decisions, it never was a sending off, and we should’ve had a penalty and Evans should’ve been sent off, but we never looked up for it

  68. Arsenal fans, Stan is the scam. Keep giving him yr money then moan about loses like this. Gave up my season ticket last season not because of the manager or team but the No.1 cause to why we suck. STAN

    1. Last season it was all on Wenger.
      Not Stan,
      Not the players,
      Not the Board,
      Not tired legs or old age
      It’s all Wenger.

      But now, it’s not Emery…
      It’s the board,
      It’s the players,
      Its stan..

      Let’s face it Emery is clueless, cheap and not bold enough. He just needed a job at all cost. No sensible coach will agree to the terms he agreed to.

      1. Olaitan, I also look forward to seeing your CVwhen you apply for the job.
        You call Emery “clueless,cheap and not bold enough”; please inform us what you have achieved in life?
        Emery can’t go on the field and play for them, just as Wenger couldn’t.

  71. The problem we have right now is that our strikers have completely lost heir form. It was due of them that we have come so far but now we have seen the end to this. The team it self is very weak and i can asure you that not a single player in the starting 11 would start at teams like Everton or L. City for example today.

    By the way the fans who have a go at Emery are beyond help.

  72. Sell the lot these overpaid players are only going through the motions no Heart just interested in the cheque at the end of the week.Season over 6 place at best will get trashed in Europe.

  73. Not emerys fault that we’ve failed off. We’ve a lot of injured players and are relying on a lot of older legs now that are struggling with the amount of games.
    Also no Ramsey and Ozil = zero quality creativity.
    Its the arsenal curse atm.
    Sven leaving then gazidis, (probably in the long run not a bad thing). Ramsey going, ox and Walcott left and are playing okay with other clubs. We lack quality in several positions but also numbers are short.

    1. Walcott playing ok? Yes he is on the bench you mean.
      Ox? How about not playing at all?
      It’s squarely on Emery for his inability to motivate or coach the team properly.
      Wenger will be laughing at all the fans that insulted him for only achieving top 4 for 19 consecutive years and holding back the team from achieving more. Haha.
      Emery fooled the board with his acclaimed knowledge of the players strengths and weaknesses.
      He is a scam. The honeymoon period is over and the cock has come home to roost!

      1. Abel, how well did Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp go in their first seasons at Manchester City and Liverpool respectively and how much have they spent in the transfer market in the intervening years? You would have sacked Sir Alex Ferguson because he started his career at Manchester United with a number of lean seasons.

    2. Walcott is playing ok? He is hardly even appearing at all FYI! Not chosen and Ox has been out for a full year and played a mere few minutes days ago.But they are both “playing ok” according to you! Hilarious!

Comments are closed

Top Blog Sponsors