Obviously a lot of Arsenal fans are worried about the team losing their 100 per cent start to the season when we visit Old Trafford tomorrow afternoon, and now those worries have increased dramatically after Mikel Arteta’s injury update.
We now Know that we have both Mo Elneny and Reiss Nelson out with very long term injuries, which wouldn’t matter too much in the great scheme of things if we weren’t already short of Thomas Partey and Zinchenko in midfield as well.
Now, on top of those two, Arteta revealed that both Odegaard and Ramsdale have not been able to train after getting bad knocks in the game against Fulham.
So now Arteta has big selection problems on how to set up the team at Old Trafford, so I am going to see if I can make an educated guess on how we will line up without those players.
First of all, I’m not sure that goalkeepers need so much recovery time, so I am hoping that Ramsdale can start. Although I am sure Matt Turner has potential, I would prefer him to get his debut against Zurich on Thursday than the cauldron of Old Trafford. It’s too big a risk in my opinion…
I think it must be time for Tomiyasu to be returned to right-back, and then Ben White can move up to midfield. Again, is it worth risking Sambi’s fragile confidence in such a big game?
Smith-Rowe is a natural replacement for Odegaard, and if he flags Arteta could give Vieira an interesting debut!
So here is my prediction….
Ramsdale
Tomiyasu….Gabriel…Saliba….Tierney
White…..Xhaka
Martinelli…Smith-Rowe.…Saka
Jesus
What are your thoughts…
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Fabio viera is good enough to start tmrw
This match is massive with massive impact on Arsenals remainder of season. It’s not 3 points. It’s significantly more.
We are 1st time this season facing so called big 6 or direct competition for top 4 spot. Detractors always says when under pressure Arsenal crumble. If we loose everyone who is waiting in wings will pounce on opportunity to say its same old Arsenal will be out in force, even those among the players/managers of 19 PL teams competing with us this season.
However if we win and win convincingly, those eagerly waiting for Arsenal to slip not only will sit quite, we will continue with progress of creating image that Arsenal are difficult to beat…… a thought well reflected in Bournemouth match. They gave up before the 1st kick of the ball. I personally believe, despite we won only 4-0, loss for them was do demoralising that it completely destroyed them mentally and reflected in Liverpool thrashing them 9-0. Pool benefited by the damage caused by us and Bournemouth players expected more of the same what we gave them in Liverpool match and that’s frustrating, depressing and demoralising knowing that all you will be doing is running behind ball and end of day loosing .
We want other teams to fear us. We want them to give up on getting points against us within 15 min of match starting if not before. Creating such an image will contribute good 10-12 points extra over the season. And that’s critical when we are chasing not top 4 but our dream of being competitive at the top most level.
Big teams who win PL has that emotional impact on opposition players. ManCity and Pool has is now days. Arsenal of old had it.
Teams don’t fear us anymore. Last season it was clearly visible when mid table teams played against us with mindset of beating us. This season we have been much better and making average teams feel frustrated and helpless. Flew more matches like this and few wins against so called big 6 will help up create that aura for us.
For me it’s not 3 points. For me it creating fear in others of Arsenals quality. Hope we destroys them 3-0. Irrespective of our injury status. That’s why its a critical match in my opinion.
It may feel that I am asking too much but what can I do. I am an Arsenal fan and loves the club.
Not a bad line-up, most especially with White in the middle, although I wld have preferred odegard if fit, but ESR isn’t a bad option.
Ramsdale
White ……Saliba….Gabriel
Tomiyasu……Smit-Rowe…Xhaka……Tierney
Saka…………Martinelli
Jesus .
I would love this. Pack the midfield
I agree
3 at the back plus the 2 good full backs steaming on or giving more support in midfield
Let’s not forget we are the away team so need need to chase the game..let Man Utd do that
I’ll be surprised if we see White in midfield.also, situations like this one is why we need our squad players to be ” match” fit/ready and having played some minutes(and I don’t mean 5 minutes here or there). anyway I see us winning especially since it is an evening kick-off. COYG!!👏
Good option Tomi in at right back.
Ben in with Granit.
If Martin out maybe time for Fabio.
My prediction:
……………………… Turner
White . Saliba . Magalhaes . Tierney
……………… Sambi-Lokonga
……… Vieira …………………………. Xhaka
Saka …………………………………………… Martinelli
………………………… Jesus
Lokonga against Casemiro and Erikson…
Don’t you think it’s scary?
Of course we can’t do anything now… but it is scary
Xhaka and our two inverted fullbacks will help him out in midfield. Sambi-Lokonga has been trained for the CDM role, so he is the most logical option for the position after Partey and Elneny
Bro, Lonkoga is not up to the task. Look at the caliber of midfielders we’ll be up against tomorrow. smh
His touches were tidy and he won some challenges against Villa, so I hope he won’t be intimidated by Man United’s supporters
But that’s difference bro…
Villa and Man Utd
It’s huge difference…
I doubt if all 6 will be missing from the starting line up I expect 3 of them to start and just pre talk gamesmanship from Arteta .
We have an advantage as Man Utd have had 24 hours less rest than us and that could be a deciding factor.
But we have travel as We Are going to Old Trafford
They had to travel home from Leicester.
Travel yes but probably on a private plane that takes an hour if not less ,I would imagine they have been there since yesterday practicing and getting plenty of rest
You seriously call, Old Trafford, a mere two hundred miles away , TRAVEL? YE GODS!
THANK GOODNESS OUR PLAYERS ARE NOT SNOWFLAKES, AS YOU KNOW ALL ABOUT BEING ONE.
I would not change anything about that line up,
This is the type of game where the gaffer like to wet his beak in.
It is said the best form of defense is to attack and the gaffer has been in attack mode from preseason, so Vieira may very well have a role.
Man u is under pressure to win this game and that will play right up the gaffer street
Agree with the proposed line up.
Would wish to see Odegaard playing second half if score is draw at half time.
. . . . . . . . . . . . Ramsdale. . . . . .
White. . . . . . . Saliba…………Gabrieal
. . . . . . . . . Lokonga…Xaka.
. . . . . . . . . . Emile-Smith-Rowe
Martinelli. . . . Jesus. . . . . . . Saka
. . . . . . . . . . . . Ramsdale. . . . . .
White. . . . . . . Saliba…………Gabrieal…Tierney
. . . . . . . . . Lokonga…Xaka.
. . . . . . . . . . Emile-Smith-Rowe
Martinelli. . . . Jesus. . . . . . . Saka
Game too too big for Lokonga.
Bench please
Turner
tomiyasu saliba gabriel tierney
ben white ( Dmf )
fabio viera xaka
martinelli
jesus smith rowe
( sake can be a sub , as he has been in a bad form lately )
Sambi is a quality player. I am confident that he will be chosen and he will perform well. We will take all 3 points. Up the Arsenal!!!
I would go for a 3-4-3 combination which makes us defensively sound and Lokonga could get the protection of Tomi on the right and Tierney on the left if Xhaka goes forward.
Ramsdale/ Carl Hein
White ……Saliba….Gabriel
Tomiyasu……Lokonga…Xhaka……Tierney
Saka…………Martinelli
Jesus
I would also go with the writer’s selection because Lokonga is still young and inexperienced compared to the strong and experienced midfield pair of Casemiro and Eriksen.
But I predict Arteta will make this selection if the 6 injured players don’t pass fit –
Jesus.
Martinelli. Smith. Saka.
Xhaka. Lokonga.
Tierney. Gabriel. Saliba. White.
Turner.
Honestly, I am pretty worried about the match tomorrow. It will be a difficult test of our quality and seriousness to finish in the top 4. It’s even more difficult because of the injuries to our players now.
Hopefully, we get a positive result. Even a draw will make me happy.
Winning which would be extremely difficult would show that we can finish in the top 3.
Comparing And Contrasting The Possible Players Of Both teams –
ST. Rashford – JESUS
LW. Sancho – MARTINELLI
RW. ANTONY – Saka
AM. FERNANDES – Smith
CM. ERIKSEN – Xhaka
DM. CASEMIRO – Lokonga
LB. Malacia – TIERNEY
LCB. MARTINEZ – Gabriel
RCB. Varane – SALIBA
RB. Dalot – WHITE
GK. DEGEA – Turner
White as a DM, in the future maybe, but not this game. We need players that intrinsically understand their positions and their roles. Old Trafford is not the place to experiment. White may have tools, but Sambi understands the role under Arteta. Let’s just hope he has a cracker.
Ramsdale
Saliba Gabriel
White
Tomiyasu Tierney
Lokonga
Xhaka Vieira (Ode if fit)
Ugh, ignore that.
For some reason it removed all the formatting in my post and cut off the last 2 players and all text explaining the thinking behind it.
Can we have some decent formatting tools please Pat? But not Vuukle, that is seriously guano software.
I also want to see B White play in CDM but not for this game. Ramsdale – White* – Saliba – Tierney – Sambi – Saka – Jesus – Martinelli
*would not be a surprise if Tamiyasu plays RB.
Plus Xhaka 🙂
—————Ramdale—————
Tomiyasu—-Saliba—-Gabriel—-Tierney
While—-Xhaka
Saka——Smith Rowe——-Martinelli
Jesus
I would have gone for a 4-4-2 formation but that would leave our midfield too exposed.
I hope Tomi plays in place of white. I feel he improves Saka’s play. Lokonga may not be that big a concern if MA goes with the frequently used tactics of overloading play from left side. I worry only of speed their forward line brings and will be a true test of of ur defence. For 1st time they will have 2-3 players to worry at same time in a match.
Hope or forwards convert more chances than usual. If that happens they we have a good chance.
The possible White Xhaka combination in midfield looks very pedestrian, let’s say mid table rather than dream team but it is what it is , so better than nothing. Looking at the above mentioned lineups, Arsenal are once again underdogs at Old Trafford. Hope they fight tooth and nail.
A 3-5-2 formation might just be the best for this game; seen it in preseason and in the second half against Fulham.
Ramsdale
White Saliba Gabriel
Tomiyasu Lokonga Xhaka Tierney
Odegaard/ Smith Rowe
Nketiah G. Jesus