Official Arsenal team to face Eintracht Frankfurt – Xhaka back

Under fire Unai Emery desperately needs a win against Eintracht Frankfurt this evening.

It is going to be a very strange night at the Emirates when Arsenal welcome Eintracht Frankfurt to North London.

A low crowd is expected in this Europa League clash with a loss for Arsenal almost certain to spell the end for Emery.

Naturally, getting the team selection and formation right is a very basic requirement. That, however, has been an issue for the Spaniard this season. We will soon know if this team is going to relieve some of the pressure on the manager.

It is certainly an interesting lineup, not one I would have gone with but it is not my job on the line.

Let us know in the comments section what you think to the team Emery has selected.

The game kicks off at 20.00 UK time. Match Preview here and for comparison, our predicted lineup.

Links to streams will be put in the comments where to watch the game live and free so keep checking in.

Also, if you go to the official Arsenal website you will be able to get live commentary text and Arsenal radio.

100 Comments

  1. Should have started Maitland-Niles at RWB position, instead of Chambers

    We will need Aubameyang two days later in EPL, so he shouldn’t start tonight

    1. You are absolutely right. I am not sure if Unai emery knows what he is doing anymore. Looks like he is just guessing now without thinking about what each player can do. Chambers can defend but Maitland-Niles would have provided additional attacking support.

        1. Am good sweetheart, the stadium is sparse??? Where is everyone??? I can’t believe am watching my beloved Arsenal. So much as gone wrong.

          1. There were ticket restrictions, on top of the Germans being banned.
            Plus, I’d say some fans are fed up and decided to stay at home. Can’t say I’m surprised, Pat. Just waiting for a tumbleweed to blow past πŸ˜„

  2. Arsenal must be playing a new form of football. We have a two man midfield. Very clever by Emery. He’s screwing us because he knows he’s out. Venkateshambles, Sanllehi and Edu must all be short sighted. They should have gone to Specsavers, because anyone can see what’s going on.

  3. Suppose Niles holding injured, bit lost on what formation this is

    4 in back with Chambers or Luis as DM? He finally got it or is he on a crazy back 5 new try? I’m afraid it just maybe it, with Xhaka and Willock also defending!

    What a total lunatic! I was scared that he puts a team of EPL players, yep!

    No one throwing sponge at board and Kroenke coach management! He is doing it now in Europa stage group instead to keep Rowe, Nelson, Niles involve! It was perfectly fine!

  4. Embarassing, really, what is this idiot thinking. Play not to lose? This attitude alone should get him fired.

    1. No matter what people say but the fault lies with owner n the board not UE, it’s there responsibility to replace n put the right man in to do the job. If someone is not getting you results n not doing the job then it’s the bosses who sit up stairs responsibility to get them out n fix the problem.

  5. Whats emery smooking? Think i can make do with some. Starting 4 centre backs doesnt guarantee u a clean sheet. Sure had it been holding was fit, he would av started in place of KT

  6. Dont see the point in moaning before game, lets see the outcome, then we can moan or very unlikely……….congratulate a superb performance ! πŸ˜†

  7. Wait, 5 defenders at home again?πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚
    WTF’s my business anyway, I dont watch Europa league

  8. I cannot believe he is going with a “three centre back” system when the trio involved are sub standard.I give on this man’s mentality.

  9. One thing i think is messing us up is the changing from game to game when you look at teams in CL they are forced to play there best teams most games or they wouldnt be in there.

  10. Do it die! For sure! He ruined it all again! Who passes ball to Auba Pepe Martinelli? With chaos in defensive line up, Xhaka and Willock will be trying to fill up that huge hole we have in defense! I guess Auba will end up in our camp defending too! Amazing stuff!

    Can’t blame Emery for being totally KO, lost. but cowards who do not throw that sponge 9 rounds ago! Kroenke!

  11. The cycle continues, more years of groundhog,

    But the UEFA Europa League gives success, and a lift from the fog

  12. I just don’t like Emery’s coaching system. When the xhaka situation happened this our clueless manger couldn’t get everyone together to be singing from the same hymn. Instead he gave a press conference where he said Xhaka might have played his last game, opening everything up in different stupid directions and speculations, knowing fully well that it was impossible for xhaka to leave the team at that point in time because the transfer window wasn’t open, now xhaka is in the team. Absolutely poor managerial attitude. I hope everyone has a good game.

  13. Frankfurt forced to win to hope qualify, so does Liege where we play last game. All we need is a win against one of these teams. Losing to both combined to Liege win tonight will eliminate us! Players will fight and have to more in this crazy formation again! Hope they can manage what Emery has formated us to; we conceid as much or more than we score… They are not in great shape neither, but who needs with Emery formation?

  14. Cold night in London for Arsenal cold chest players luck of ideas lack of creation half empty Stadium what else?

  15. Still playing too direct and too fast, which led to sloppy passes and bad first touches. Should have slowed the tempo down a bit and played with short passes, to increase the passing accuracy

    However, the idea of using two conventional wingers is good. The wingers could break through because they played on their strongest sides and it made them able to cross more frequently

    If the Gunners can shorten the distances between them to receive the ball safely, we would win the ball possession

  16. It was a 4-1 formation with Luiz infront of defense. Been pointing to play Chambers or Luiz in that role in order to lock that area and that way able to have midfields going forward, transition in our game. Gendouzi is not fit for that role to secure CBs and defense but to cut lines and run forward… Hope we can secure one to not be under pressure!

  17. This is beyond pathetic, 6 defensive minded players n if you include goal keeper it’s 7….more then half a team. I thought we were playing at home not away at Madrid or Barcelona….wtf is matter with UE. What de F is board doing. If they are so blinded then they all should be sacked. Top 4 is out of our reach anyway now because no team in history of priemer league has made to top 4 with sort of points tally we have at the moment. We should get a new manager in so he can use the rest of this sorrow season to test his formations n try to find the balamce…

  18. The performance ain’t as bad as I had expected. Let’s add two more and keep a clean sheet πŸ™ looks like Xhaka’s sins have been forgiven. Good for him. COYG

    1. Winning this pointless match will fix what? We still have no playing style, players are still confused n manager again clueless. Even if this match starts some kind of revolution n recovery I will still want us to address the root cause n not put our hope on lucky run of 10 or odd winning games.

  19. Here we go again. The defence all over the place 4 arsenal men against one and the one comes out with the ball. Socrates is pure dung.

    1. It’s all down to UE, he keeps selecting same shit players again n again…well i hope we do better next season under new manager. Unless board can pull another joke on us by employing another cheap manager for less money. We are stuck with UE this season, he won’t be sacked no matter how much we shout about it.

  20. lol I like Emery face the only move that Frankfurt has to do is advance 10 meters and scored to win the game and now Arsenal lost completely control Spiritu Santo please come!!!

  21. Anyone really believe these players are not trying hard to kick Emery off the team?πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚.
    Hopefully it works this time

    1. Not gonna work Eddie unless they all pool the money in n give it to kronke..that’s the only thing which can get Emery sacked…you want him out you pay for it simplzzzz

      1. If Emery doesn’t get sacked tonight or tomorrow morning then Raul is a bigger douchebag compared to Gazidis.

        Right now I’m barely dancing naked with myself while moving slowly to Crimson and CloverπŸ’πŸ’

    1. We are loosing n he brings on torreria…lol! He has completely lost de plot with Pepe n lacca on the bench.

      1. Now remember this when Emery gets sacked and it will happen soon now I believe we will again find an amenable manager that is happy to have the job, a promotion if you like.
        The winners and best managers have high demands the klopps, peps and joses of this world. We will never hire one of those as they cost too much want too much control within the club and demand signings are made and consistent money is spent on transfers all of which the Kroenke family will not agree to.
        I expect lunberg to take it on and probably end up appointed full time when he does well which I believe he will. Whether hed want to take it on full time is another question.
        I do believe however weve sounded out the likes of allegri and Enrique and neither want to come on our terms, just a gut feeling.
        The board want a puppet a coach not a manager.

        I also believe tonight that there actually is a huge solit amongst the arsenal players with some dripping their game to get emery out and some not no wonder theres no unity and cohesion.
        For example sokratis was never this bad and slow until fairly recently.

  22. I’m happy … the fraudster will be gone in the morning … sadly the crooked corporates running the club who couldn’t see this coming will still b there when anyone with half a football brain could work out the limitations of emery by end of last season

    1. He is not going mate, it was n is never about football result since kronke took over. Arsenal will never pay UE the money to release him from his contract. They would rather wait for 5 months n then they won’t have to pay anything. They can also then maybe hire another cheap manager n give him short 2 year contract.

      1. Your right cl via top 4 they already know has gone if they wanted that then they should have sacked him a while back. Now they could stick with him until the end of he season.
        Reason they wont? It’s because the thousands of empty seats and boos from the crowd that are there will hurt their pockets through and pr.
        Sponsors dont like to see this and it risks damaging the brand, how they cant see that it’s been damaged already is beyond me.
        Keep going like we are and well be playing in Hi Tec or Gola kit soon and the stadium will be changed to the poundland stadium!

  23. That’s it. I don’t expect Emery to be in charge of the Arsenal this weekend. Insipid second half. No drive, no passion, no idea.

    1. While I believe Emery will be gone. There is no leadership amongst this player group. Responsibility not only lies with the manager, our squad needs a kick up the arse, get some passion and pride in the badge or get out.

  24. Alice in Wonderland football. All the players and Emery are tripping. Emery should have gone last week. This is all an hallucination….isn’t it?

  25. When people with insight speak, blind bats like Emery supporters spout trash. Not long ago his fans on here were hyping Emery because Arsenal were 3rd in the league. Well, the luck has finally run out or like we say in Africa ; “the wind has blown and the bumhole of the chicken has been exposed”
    At this point, I can’t really be bothered to watch this dross any longer.
    There was once a great club called Arsenal. Soon to be known as history FC. Such a waste of the lovely kits. So long Aubameyang, it was nice while it lasted.
    My last post on anything Arsenal. Peace out.

  26. I supported Wenger’s departure because it was time. I am not saying he should be brought back and I do not regret the decision. However, under Wenger we had an identity and the way we played. We enjoyed the skillful displays even when we lost. Under Unai Emery we have lost our identity, the way we play in addition to not winning. this is very difficult to take.

    1. We started playing badly in Wenger’s last two years, once Carzola got injured. As poor as Emery as proven to be, one thing changing of Wenger has proven is that this group of players can’t play any pattern.
      Moreover, you can only be as ambitious as the club you serve. Sad to say, it looks like the problem is Arsenal. Targeting Emery is only making things easy for the main culprit, the management who keep hiding under the coach and the players.

  27. This from a previous post ;

    Former Arsenal defender Andre Santos says Gunners players didn’t show ambition during his time at the club, and used to β€œlaugh on the bus” after they suffered defeats.

    β€œI couldn’t win the title but I was very happy at Arsenal. Living well, training, but at Arsenal I saw no ambition to win,”

    Santos was at the club from 2011 – 2013 – WHAT HAS CHANGED ??????????????

    Park Emery for a minute.

    Park the board for a minute.

    I AND THOUSANDS OF OTHERS WITNESSED GRANIT XHAKA LAUGHING IN THE CENTRE OF THE PITCH LAST NIGHT AFTER THE FINAL WHISTLE.

    I COULDN’T CARE LESS “IF HE KNEW SOME OF THE GERMAN PLAYERS FROM HIS TIME IN GERMANY” – COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE, AND WELL OUT OF ORDER.

    BORN & BRED IN NORTH LONDON, AND SUPPORTING THE ARSENAL SINCE THE 60’S I NOW LIVE ON THE SOUTH COAST.

    WEEK IN AND WEEK OUT, I SCHLEP BACK TO THE EMIRATES TO SUPPORT MY BELOVED ARSENAL.

    PARTICULARLY FOR SUNDAY GAMES ENGINEERING WORKS SEND ME ON A MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR ALL OVER THE BLOODY PLACE – ALL THIS AIN’T CHEAP !

    FOR WHAT – TO SEE A FIRST TEAM REGULAR LAUGHING AFTER DEFEAT !!!!!

    IF ANY OF THE BOARD, OR ANY SINGLE PLAYER A) DOESN’T WANT TO REPRESENT THE CLUB & B) PULL ON THE FAMOUS RED & WHITE……..GET OUT RIGHT NOW, ENOUGH GO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    SORRY FORGOT A) ABOVE = CASH COW, WHILST B) = “PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL ON “EASY STREET” !!!!

    NOW MANY OF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED IN MY RANTINGS, THINK GET A LIFE MATE OR JUST THINK CALM DOWN.

    I AM SIMPLY STEAMING, LIVID , OUTRAGED AND ANY BLOOD PRESSURE INDUCING CONDITION YOU CAN THINK OFF !!!

    MESSAGE TO THOSE EMPLOYED BY OUR GREAT CLUB FROM TOP TO BOTTOM – IF YOU HAVE’NT GOT ARSENAL FOOTBALL CLUB AT HEART ………… GO NOW !!

    (I know it’s all “just about money” nowadays, but it’s more than that to me and many thousands of others).

    I ONLY WISH XHAKA AND ANY LIKE MINDED PLAYERS WE CURRENTLY HAVE COULD READ WHAT FOLLOWS ;

    XHAKA DON’T DISRESPECT THE SHIRT YOU WEAR, THE BADGE IT CARRIES AND BASICALLY TAKE THE *ISS OUT OF THOUSANDS OF SUPPORTERS TO WHOM THIS CLUBS MEANS A GREAT DEAL !

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