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My predicted Arsenal line-up to face Olympiacos – What is yours?

Predicted Arsenal line-up against Olympiacos

 

Coming into this game, Arsenal’s injury record is excellent but their form has been far from it. The Gunners have just won five of their last 13 matches in all competitions. Although they dominated the majority of the matches they lost, Mikel Arteta will be concerned of the way things have gone for his team in this campaign.

It is not customary for the football fans to interlink “dominance” with “losing.” Usually when a team dominates, it wins. But somehow, that has not been the case at the Emirates.

Arsenal can’t keep shooting themselves in their own foot. And if they imagine themselves winning the Europa League, they have to stop fighting themselves first.

For instance, in the game against Burnley, the North-London outfit missed a number of chances in the first half. Those chances came to haunt them against the Clarets, who leveled the score. To simply put it, Olympiacos can punish them heavily if they keep on making the same mistakes.

The line-up against Olympiacos will be important as Arteta needs to juggle the Premier League with the Europa League. We predict what the Spanish coach might go with against the league leaders of Greece.

4-2-3-1

Starting at goal, there is no doubt whatsoever that Bernd Leno will be given the nod against the Greek side.

The center-back pairing would be the one to look out for. Arteta has made several changes at the heart of the defense in recent weeks and we believe it will continue at Athens. One change from the draw against Burnley. Gabriel to start alongside David Luiz.

Kieran Tierney will start at the left-back position. Hector Bellerin will also be called after sitting the full 90 minutes on the bench on Saturday.

Thomas Partey started at Turf Moor alongside Granit Xhaka. And we predict Arteta will go with the same duo against the current Greek champions.

Nicolas Pepe to start in the midweek, given he has shone in the Gunners’ previous two matches. The Ivorian was the Man of the Match against Leicester City, and almost made an immediate impact after coming on in the place of Willian against Sean Dyche’s men in the weekend. Bukayo Saka is expected to be on the other wing.

Considering the fact that the injury to Emile Smith Rowe was not significant, the 20-year-old will be expected to be in the starting line-up at Karaiskakis Stadium. Smith Rowe has been exceptional since he made his first league appearance of the season against Chelsea in December. The Englishman is capable of moving the ball at a fast pace, unlike Arsenal’s January loan signing Martin Odegaard.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to lead the line for the 1st leg of the Europa League clash. The Gabon international is gradually finding his form this season, with his tally upto 13 goals now.

                                                                  Leno

Bellerin                                   Luiz                        Gabriel                     Tierney

                                        Partey                                      Xhaka

Saka                                                    Smith Rowe                                 Pepe

                                                            Aubameyang

 

Yash Bisht

 

Connect with the writer via Instagram/Twitter: @yarsenal09

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30 Comments

  1. My prediction:

    ………………….. Leno
    Bellerin . Luiz . Mari . Tierney
    ………… Partey ….. Xhaka
    Saka …… Odegaard ….. Willian
    …………… Aubameyang

      3. It’s obvious he’s an inside job troll, as his namesake is too ironic, considering the ridiculous nature of his hot takes…Admin is that you??? must be with that pic attached

  2. My prediction and our best according to me:

    …………………………..Leno
    Bellerin, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney
    ………………….Dani……….Partey
    ….Pepe…….Smith-Rowe………Saka
    ………………….. Aubameyang

    And this is our best according to me

      1. Good Day Ibrahim

        That would be a big No for me Smith is our best 10 , not even the fancy footwork of Odegaard fool me. Smith is all about getting in a good position, be aware of what is happening around him and looking for a good pass. Have the body and pace of this league, and can help the dept midfield out. I am not sure base of what do you want to play Willian at 10. He had 2 or 3 good games out of a lot. I wouldn’t even have him on the bench. My bench would be Laca for 9, Martinelli for wingers and Odegaard for 10.

  3. If I had a large eraser I would rub out Xhaka’s name on the team sheet. He is employed as a fraud. A shite footballer. I would rather see Odegaard. At least we would play forwards and facing the Olympiacos goal. Xhaka has an unconscious urge to let us down. He cost Unai Emery a European place by giving Brighton a mad penalty. Willian is rubbish too and plays because he took a ‘play time’ contract. More shite. Ceballos is like a headless chicken. He runs anywhere and everywhere except the right places. More mindless manic, meaningless football.

    Leno

    Bellerin Luiz Gabriel Tierney

    Odegaard Partey Smith Rowe
    Pepe Saka
    Aubameyang

    1. Interesting formation, attack minded and hope to see this someday but we all know arteta cannot and won’t use this even if his life depends on it…

      But I rather have mari over Gabriel any day…also pepe needs to be permanently playing LW, and saka RW (their best positions) …no matter how saka tries to mask it, he ain’t as influential on the LW as he is on the RW….

      1. insrooments

        Would we lose any more games by attacking more? I doubt it. If you don’t shoot you don’t score.

      2. 1. At their best potential, I believe they can both play on either side, but Pepe is more lethal on the right.

        2. That midfied would be really easy to stop. One or both of Smith and Martin would have to drop deep to Partey to pick up posession. As a defending coach, I’d just have someone follow them deep and force mistakes ensuring Partey is instantly overwhelmed by numbers on the pitch.
        3. Following the above tactic, I’d instantly shift the ball behind Bellerin/ Tierney to ensure near zero recovery. Playing two attacking mids isn’t as sexy as it seems.

        1. Hi Joe
          Whatever theory there is about this or that, we have lost so many games the ‘normal line up’ is failing. Will be good to try a genuine forward facing team for once and take mistake laden, game slowing, footballers (Xhaka) out.

      3. Hi Instrooments

        Just my opinion about the wingers, Pepe is more comfortable on the right and most of his success is from the right. Saka had recently great success on the right but also on the left. And he made the Europa 11 last year on the left. To be honest I think he would be great at both sides, So for us, the best combination is Sake at LW and Pepe at RW
        I can understanding why you like Mari, but for me he is just to slow.

  4. From what we’ve seen of Odegaard, I understand why Madrid don’t rate him. He should not play ahead of ESR and ESR should not be pushed to the wing because him. He lacks the energy and physicals to succeed in the EPL

  5. Pepe has to start.

    MOTM vs Leicester, got dropped in favor of Willian.

    Don’t quite understand.

  6. Pat, I tend to align with your prediction except that I would love a rest for Xhaka. Let him rest to re-tool.

  7. …………………….Leno
    Bellerin . Luiz . Mari . Tierney
    ………… Partey ….. Xhaka
    Saka …… ESR ….. Pepe/Willain
    …………… Aubameyang

    1. Why is Hector Bellerin being chosen over Cedric Soares at RB, when Soares/Pepe is a better combination down the right than Bellerin/Pepe?

  9. Ryan
    Cedric… Luiz… Mari… Tierney
    Partey… Ceballos
    Pepe… Odegaard… Willian
    Aubameyang

    Am tired of Jokers in our squad; Leno, Xhaka, and all these “hyped-up kids”

  10. I hope all the players will be ready for MA! it’s sad that sometimes you see him trying everything but nothing happened!

    Leno

    Bellerin Luiz. Mari. Teirney
    Partey. Xhaka
    Saka. ESR Willian
    Auba

  11. I don’t really care about the line up or formation…. We’re playing Olympiacos and NOT Bayern Munich for God’s sake. It tells how bad we have been for some years now. Any lineup or formation we employ should beat this Olympiacos team on a good day.
    The lineup or the formation doesn’t bother me much, what bothers me is the attitude of the players. Auba for example might decide to switch off, our goalie can become a Santa and start sharing goals, the defenders may have a brain touch and start committing silly fouls in the box. I just pray we don’t get Red-carded.
    You see this current team of players lacks discipline.

  12. My prediction.
    Leno …….
    Bellelin. Luiz. Holding. Tierney. ……..

    Xhaka. Partey. ……..
    Pepe, Smith-Rowe, Saka………..
    Aubameyang

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