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Official Arsenal team to face Wolves – Hincapie and Saliba start

Can Arsenal defeat Wolves by a significant margin in this game? Given the quality and form of the Gunners, many expect them to secure a commanding victory, and this is the team Mikel Arteta has gone with to claim a big win.

Arsenal team v Wolves

Arsenal have enjoyed multiple winning runs in previous seasons and are well-equipped to initiate a new one. Manchester City are only two points behind, and the Citizens remain capable of producing the results necessary to challenge for the title. Any lapse from the Gunners could see them relinquish the top spot before the start of 2026, a situation that would delight rival supporters and neutrals alike. Maintaining consistency, intensity, and focus is therefore essential if Arsenal are to secure the Premier League title and respond effectively to recent setbacks.

This game provides an opportunity for Arsenal to demonstrate their superiority, combining tactical discipline, creativity, and attacking prowess. Arteta’s team will aim to dominate from the first whistle, ensuring that they convert possession and chances into goals while limiting opportunities for Wolves.

Wolves arrive having endured a challenging season, spending much of it closer to relegation than safety. Manager Rob Edwards has struggled to halt their decline, and the team’s confidence has been noticeably low. While a strong performance could give Wolves a chance to alter the trajectory of their campaign, securing a draw or positive result against a dominant Arsenal side appears highly unlikely. Having lost their last eight encounters with the Gunners, their prospects of mounting a serious challenge are limited.

The Gunners are focused on delivering a decisive performance, highlighting their determination to continue their pursuit of a long-awaited league title. Wolves will need resilience, discipline, and belief if they hope to make any impact, but Arsenal’s quality makes a dominant win the most probable outcome.

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117 Comments

  2. Good line up, and the bench don’t look half bad either. Just four players to get back now. Come on you reds.

    1. Yes looking much better injury wise….almost all EPL teams have 3-5 injuries so we on par now. Average over the other 19 teams is 4.3 injured players. So no more “crisis” and still top of the log!

      Signs are positive!

    2. Strange one with Timber LB and no Madueke but I suppose it is rotation of a kind. No wonder MLS looks nervous when he plays. Wolves are not the greatest and maybe he could have got a bit more game time and rested Timber, who does need looking after. I am also surprised Norgard hasn’t been given a run after his solid game the other night, I find that strange but a win is the most important now, whoever plays.

    3. Timber at CB, Hincapie at LB would be my preference.Wolves have to win sometime, but only a win will suffice for us.

  3. Not convinced Saliba should be starting, there are other options….especially against Wolves with 2 points in 15 games. With Gabriel out for a while still there’s no reason to risk Saliba. Hopefully he’ll be fine and not another self inflicted set back

    Gyokeres really needs to show up, no better game to build confidence

    Good luck boys

    1. What can be done to actually please some AFC fans?
      Saliba starts against wolves & some are complaining 😒
      I reckon this would be the best game to bring back Saliba to get some game time & match fitness before going away to Everton.

      1. Your comment makes no sense! I would imagine AFC fans should prefer not to rush a vital player back in a game we should be winning without him.

        Saliba has barely trained, coming from the bench getting some minutes is much less risky.

  4. A little surprised to see Timber at left back and Zubimendi not rested, but a good looking team. Gyökeres is under pressure to score in this game so I’ve got everything crossed that he does.

      1. Partly because of the way the team is listed on the Arsenal website and also, he’s played there before whereas I don’t think White has.

  7. Hopefully Arsenal hit more goals, we need to be winning some games by bigger margins. This title race is starting to be more tighter.

    We missed the physicality at CB and the height, welcome back Saliba. Though am a little bit concerned with Saliba’s fitness he didn’t train up to Wednesday and Thursday was a day off for the team.

    1. I thought the same but we don’t play again till next Saturday so the whole team will get a good rest before we play Everton.

  8. The plan is probably to start strong, get a couple of goals then rest all the palyers at risk. Norgaard for saliba and merino for Rice.

    1. I would think Norgaard, MLS and the like Nwaneri should be more than good enough to start and give some players a genuine rest.

      If there’s any EPL team you can rotate against, its this seasons Wolves. Maybe MA doesn’t trust his squad as much as he claims possibly?

        1. MLS is out of form and clearly beaten vs Calafiori but surely he should be enough for Wolves. What better fixture to get some confidence,

      4. i also expected MLS to start instead instead of Timber. He has dropped out of contention rather quickly. Maybe Norgaard but Nwaneri no chance with Odegaard and Eze both fit. I expect Merino to replace Rice early in 2nd half.

      5. What do you mean He doesn’t trust his squad? Norgaard and Skelly-Lewis both started midweek. The rotation has been generally good this season, and let’s not forget Nwaneri and Skelly-Lewis are still teens and are being managed differently. I think Arteta’s squad management has been good this season, this game is very very crucial and his going with his best, not taking any chances

  10. Gyokeres would likely work better with Odegaard, but Arteta might underestimate Wolves a little and give the newcomers a chance to practice

    I think Gyokeres/ Eze will struggle to score because their playing styles don’t complement each other and will be replaced in the second half

  11. A win first; the score next.
    Don’t underrate anybody in this League.
    Wolves definitely wIll not be as open with us as they were with United. They will “park the bus” with all brakes engaged.

  14. Wolves with the best chance so far
    I said in my predictions Emirates need to help
    You can feel the nerves around the stadium

  15. Wolves player are pathetic looking for a red card or foul by dropping holding their face everytime they lose a duel. Ref should book 1 for simulation or hold him off the pitch for a long time and watch how quick this stops.

  16. What on earth was Zubimendi doing?? Abandoning his position as last man and giving Wolves a free run at goal….and worse it resulted in White getting injured

  19. We are sleepwalking in this half only saka is really trying. Literally walking, no run, no dribble nothing.

  21. Told you Gyokeres and Eze combo doesn’t work well. I guess Arteta wants to bring Jesus and Odegaard for scoring in the second half of the game

      1. Sesko would likely work better than Gyokeres, because Sesko can at least outjump and outmuscle some big EPL CBs

      2. Sesko I think is actually suited to our style than Gyok. He has the height and hold up play that we need, especially, against low block teams like Wolves.

  22. shocking display! I can’t believe this. We should be 2 goals behind now.. just pure luck.

  23. In the kindest way of saying it Gyokeres is not a premiership quality striker and brings nothing to Arsenal.
    Against the worst team in the premiership he has had just five touches in the first 45 minutes. Simply not good enough.

    1. It’s so obvious, isn’t it? Berta also signed Felix and Cunha at Atletico Madrid, whose playing styles aren’t suited to Simeone’s tactics at all

      Gyokeres can’t outpace, outjump and outmuscle any huge EPL CB, nor can he offer technical skills to create chances for his teammates and himself

      I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets shipped out in June

  26. WOW! That was terrible and lacked any real quality. Wolves are awful and we aren’t far behind. We created NOTHING!!!!!

    1. Saka created some chances though,including a brilliant first time cross which was just begging for a tap in.

        1. Yes the striker should have been closer to the center back for that one cross BUT 99% of the time that ball doesn’t cone in. We do not play that ball usually. It was a flash in the pan. I have always said, a no9 needs a left footer on the left, a right footer on the right and eary balls. We do not ever do that.

  28. Knowing they’ll do the low block I can’t believe we are encouraging it with such slow passing, just can’t understand it! Saka with a few glimpses but overall not good. Zero shots on targrt

    Think we need to change Zubimendi, he doesn’t add much to games like this, would prefer Odegaard on in his place.

    1. The difference is, Man City may well concede a goal, but they will clinically put 3 or 4 against wolves without looking as hopeless from open play as we do tonight. If the answer is composure we will see even less of it as next 45 ticks down to nothing.

  30. I will say it again, Zubimendi is no replacement for Partey, he controls nothing. Partey was a beast and Zubimendi is very passive and quiet in most games. But the quality and the way we are playing is poor from everyone.

  32. Booed off at home against worst defence in the league. If you thought or claimed we were going to win a title this season, where is the goal power from open play? We are less clinical than last season and the season before due to messing up the summer window in that regard. There are slow worms in my paddock with more lethal bite!

  33. Martinelli bad! But who hasn’t been, including the manager. Is it too early to call Gyorkes, The Emperor’s New Clothes?Everyone is too afraid to call him out for the dud he is proving to be because we so badly want him succeed and score to goals we need to win this title. All we ask for is a decent decent striker scoring goals and leading the line. As a result we make all sorts of excuses for him such as we aren’t creating enough tap in opportunities for him, forgetting that it is his job to at least get into good goal scoring positions. Something he has rarely been able to do.

    1. “Is it too early to call Gyorkes”

      Gyokeres doesn’t look sharp at the moment. There I’ve called it.

  39. Only goal threat was from Wolves themselves 🤣 thanks for helping us because we were getting nowhere ourselves

  42. Good game plan by the Wolves, keeping in touch with Arsenal at 1 nil, then create panic in the dying minutes

  43. Why on Earth have we gone into defensive mode AGAIN against the worst team in the league. THIS IS BEYOND FRUSTRATING.

    1. Not surprised by that goal tbh. We’ve done exactly what we did last game. This team still isn’t ready to take it to the next level..

  48. Negative tactics are getting the lead by MA yet again. Truly pathetic coaching thats very clearly instructed

    Some have been saying its an issue for years….other fans have been more than happy to pretend its not a problem that will bite us!

    1. 2 own goals needed….now those fans can justify the negative tactics again and pretend it’s not a mentality flaw

  53. Am I the only one who didn’t see that coming? The Wolves equaliser I mean. It happens too often. But just as I’m typing, Jesus scores. Football! Back to Wolves’ equaliser. Why do we go into that shell where we start to play panic football. Sorry to write you off Gabriel.

    1. 100%, I was just writing why are we going into defence, I have so much Déjà vu over this, Aston Villa, Sunderland, Liverpool we need to finish the game off, not do this nonsense.

  54. Totally ridiculous game. Have to agree with everyone else. Going into a defensive shell against one of the worst EPL teams ever at this stage of the season is quite embarrassing. Giant chunk of luck we got away with a win in this one. Something needs fixing. Can this team go away to Everton and win as things are?

    1. Gyokeres did nothing against Wolves at home. The easiest fixture on our schedule. He’s not cut out for this league and I’m ready to just say this guys a flop.

      Martinelli back to his old self running into nowhere. It seems Saka has to do everything for this attack. Scoring isn’t his strongest attribute but nobody else can do anything half decent. I wish we could rush Gabby J into the starting XI but unfortunately that’ll just lead to another injury. Glad to have him back though and he looked very lively.

      1. Did Trossard off more than Martinelli though? The two are pretty much like for like. Gyorkes should have been taken off instead of Eze. He would have been more effective and allowed Merino to play in the opposition box. However this performance was not down to the players but more a case of the tactics being shaped in the manager’s image. Also Arteta needs to tell his mate Heinz to take a step back. The Argentinians mindset is too negative.

  58. Keep playing like this, and Arsenal will be runners up again.

    Papering over cracks in attack. No link up play, chemistry between attacking players becomes worse seasons after season.

  59. Like watching us play in treacle. If we do not change the way we play, we will be sorry. That performance SHOULD be the wake up call.

      1. No one has raised their game for Arsenal only. We’ve been playing bad in atleast one half of every game this season barring a few.

        You have to look at it from an unbiased point of view to see this.

  60. This is a good lesson for our team. The idea of not attacking the opposition and leaving them to come to your goal is very stupid! You put yourself under unnecessary pressure which led to the equaliser. There is also another weakness I noticed today. It was a mistake to remove Eze, Martineli and Zubimendi at the same time. Odegaard is either not yet fully fit or he is in a blip. I hope we shall be better next game. This was by divine providence.

  61. Everytime they score a goal especially in scrappy matches, they go into defensive mode thereby letting their opponent dictate the game. They did at Sunderland, Villa, chelsea and today.

  62. Many teams will be watching and thinking if you play low block against this Arsenal team and try to be at least 1 or zero goals behind in the final 5 to 10 minutes, then try to push and create some panic you can salvage something in the game. Arsenal have a habit of conceding late goals.

    1. Yes. But any team anywhere one behind with five minutes left have nothing to lose but go for it. With us though, is nerves of a title race sucking us deep?

  63. I’m sorry it’s all very well saying teams playing against us treat it like a cup final, but I don’t see Man City playing like this against wolves at home, and to play like we were hanging onto a 1-0 goal lead at the end was just unacceptable, especially as we know what’s happened when we’ve done that before. Liverpool were playing like this riding their luck when they were at the top, they’re coming back now, we simply can’t afford to do this, we just have to take game by game, and not think about the title.

    1. Can you hear the advice everybody? 😀. Just don’t think of the title. Simples.
      Title favourites for first in decades? What title?
      What’s a title?
      My Daddy’s business friend was given a knighthood, is that the title?

  64. Not exactly the display of tactical discipline, creativity and attacking prowess as admin. predicted but more of a mad scramble by a billion pound team saving their season and their manager.

  65. So let me get something straight , is this how we are going to play now?
    Get just one goal and go all out defence to secure that one goal advantage?
    This is not the arsenal I know and came to love. This is not a winning mentality, it’s a controlling mentality.
    No we shouldn’t accept this. Totally unacceptable. Someone needs to tell Arteta to get his act together, thank God he didn’t remove Saka cos of he had, this match would have ended in a draw.
    We have nobody to play defense splitting passes, no runners to run into the box from the midfield, no midfield attacking mob that harass the opposition defence like rosicky, hleb, ozil even wilshere and Ramsey type. Everyone just plays according to plan and script. A script that every team is catching up to.
    No we shouldn’t accept this from any arsenal team.
    I’m not an Arteta out person or even a critic of his, but this is not Arsenal.
    Last week we had Aston Villa where we wanted after just before we equalised then as soon as we scored we went straight back to defending.
    This is not Arsenal.

    1. 100% we are playing with fear, maybe when we are 3-0 up we can go defensive, but it is ridiculous to do that when we are missing our best defender. No offence W Saliba.

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