It is getting to a point now where certain Arsenal players can be considered automatic starters, and with the new signings to throw into the mix then one can get very close to predicting what team Unai Emery will send out to face Liverpool on Saturday evening.
Another factor to consider is that Emery is very likely to be attack-minded, even at Anfield. The whole reason the club bought Nicolas Pepe and tried desperately to sign Wilfrid Zaha is that they believe it was lack of goals and failing to keep the ball in the opponents half that lead to the intense pressure on the defence.
I am of the opinion that the goalkeeper and defence will remain unchanged from the win over Burnley, I cannot see how Emery will make any changes in that area.
The midfield is a little trickier but Guendouzi is very likely to keep his place as well, but who his partner will be is very much up in the air.
Will Willock keep his place? Will Xhaka be risked if he passes a late fitness test? Is Torreira ready for a start and could Ceballos be pushed further back?
Personally, I think that Emery will drop Willock to the bench and bring Torreira in, the midfield battle needs to be won and a partnership of Guendouzi and Torreira is certainly a battering ram that can match the Reds midfield players and with Ceballos providing the creativity in that area then there will be a good balance of flair and toughness.
That leaves the forward line and you have to think that Emery will go with Pepe from the start at the expense of Nelson to partner Aubameyang just behind Lacazette. Alternatively, he may risk starting Ozil behind Lacazette and Aubameyang, though that does appear unlikely considering the circumstances.
Of course, Emery could mix the midfield up further playing Guendouzi, Torreira and Willock with Ceballos behind the front two of Auba and Laca but for me, I feel it is far more likely that he goes with Ceballos in the midfield and Pepe and Aubameyang behind Lacazette.
Anyway, this is the team I predict that Emery will go with.
Leno
Monreal
Luiz
Sokratis
Ainsley Maitland-Niles
Torreira
Guendouzi
Ceballos
Lacazette
Aubameyang
Pepe
Arsenal News 24/7
—————————Leno———————–
Niles——Chambers—–Socratis———Monreal
——– ———guenduozi———-Luiz————-
———————––Ceballos———————-
Pepe———-Lacazette———-Aubamayang
Put I will rather have pepe come off the bench and try out martineli or mikhi martineli have one heck of a work rate and an eye for goal so will be interesting choice over nelson.
You wanna keep Robertson in his own half and the only way to do that, is to put a real threat on the wings (Pepe)
I agree with this.
Pepe doesn’t look EPL match fit for that tempo of game if mikhi or martineli can keep him busy at half time then good pepe can change the match from the bench and also pepe’s defensive duties is still lacking a player that can work hard both defensively and in attack will be very useful especially at ht
What do you mean he doesn’t look match fit? We are entering the 3rd week how can he still not be match fit!
It’s not what I mean it’s what we see
Nonny, I really like the look of this proposed team.
this is good… ozil should be a sub.
This will work too!
I agree. That’s the lineup I like. It’s well balanced but are strength is up front
We need to play to our strengths and defence isn’t our strong point. We have excellent attacking players Cellabos, Pepe, Aubameyang and Lacazette so we should use them.
Also Torreira is one of our best Central midfielders and best defensive midfielder so we must start him in my opinion. He will help our defence.
Superb line up, but why not 442?
I go with your lineup but I nope they show enough characters to win Liverpool at Anfield!
i like this line up…pressing..attacking…creative..just may be midfield creative with ozil-guendouzi-ceballos..wow..
Ozil???? You must be coming Mr Sharif for a game like this we don’t need dizzy walkabout we need hard working players mate
No ozil will come in after 70minutes
I am afraid Emery will start with his so called captain ‘slow Xhaka’ and I fear that will be dangerous with passing from the back. I honestly don’t trust Xhaka in this modern day midfield.
So I think he will replace Willock or Torreira for Xhaka.
My Emery predicted line up.
Aubameyang Lacazette Pépé
Ceballos Xhaka Guendouzi
Monreal Luiz Sokratis A M Niles
Leno.
Fingers crossed and he doesn’t make that suicidal decision and replace Torreira for Xhaka
Xhaka might not be fit in time of the game. I would rather stick to the mid of last game. Willock Guendouzi Cabellos. Hight work rate, intense energy level and flair of creativity.
My only concern is whether UE will go with 4 or 5 at the back. That would be key of us getting any point at Anfield.
The coach is the one to select the team based on his intimate assessment of the players. Anyone outside the coaching staff may not appreciate why some players are preferred over others. ‘Slow Xhaka’ might have the clout which others don’t have. So don’t expect the coach to select the team based on your emotional feelings. Besides good play is not all about being fast. Walcott is one of the fastest footballers but is he the best? There is that Xhaka shot which few in our team have. He is also a good passer of the ball which gives other players chance to advance. I believe that Emery, being one of the top coaches in EPL, sees a lot of qualities in Xhaka which has forced him to make him captain. No sensible coach would pick an undependable player to be captain.
Emery is the coach yes no doubt we can’t say we know better but we also watch arsenal matches and can see good performances and top class performers. Emery can decide to play xhaka because of some unobvious reason wether footballing or personal reasons that doesn’t justify playing him when we have more better options based on performances we see from them week after week
better options is relative..stick to yours let the coach stick to his
so are you saying willock is better than xhaka? some of you fans here thinks that any player who is slow is no better, remember the the man utd match at home last season. xhaka is the best we have at that position despite your hatred towards him and that is why he is never benched whenever he is fit.
Even a dead clock is right twice a day,how many games did xhaka play since that Man U game and how has been his performances?
David after reading so many post it seems like your comments make the most sense. Has much as I don’t rate Xhaka Emery sees something in him, yes he has a shot on him but also he brings balance to the team
Ozil will score the wining goal for us by god grace
Ozil is never good in big games like Liverpool’s. I would rather he is omitted here.
Am surprised you have some sense in you compared to other your fellows keep it up
@sj spot on think Emery will start with xhaka as long as he’s fit.
Yeah! this is probably what UE will go with. He has confidence in Xhaka for some weird reason.
The biggest challenge is in midfield, but I would put Luiz as a defensive midfielder partner with Torreira, this will free Torreira to bomb forward, then play chambers and Papa at cbs,
The rest is known,
Pepe must start at expensi of Reiss
Why do you need Toriera to bomb forward, is that what he is built for? Let’s face it mate, we can’t all be coaches
A 4-4-2 formation 4-1-2-3
…………….Leno…………
…Niles…David….Sokatr…Monreal
……………Toreira …..
…….Ceballos ……….Ozil
……Pepe……Laca…. Aubma
God bless you man. This is the best line up i have seen so far and i believe this line up will beat Liverpool…
you are spot on with this formation bro
That’s the team I’d love to see!
No ozil please, he does nothing defensively n going forward he is not delivering either…even if he was I would still bench him. We should go with guendouzi n torreria in middle to provide more steal n protection n ceballos infront of them. This makes our midfield stronger to provide more cover for defence n more mobile. If we had a good defence like liverpool than I would have started with ozil as an extra attacking threat but not with the kind of defence we have at the moment ….wait till teriny, bellerin n holding is back.
I buy ur idea 100%
With this line up, we will be doomed defensively on the LB, Ozil cannot help an already slow Monreal. Salah will have a field day at that wing. Ozil will be a liability.
the best lin-upI have seen up yo now. am sure ozil will rise to the occasion.
I will like emery to select first team like this 3 4 3 chamber sokaratis luis
Niles xaka cellbalos monreal
pepe lacazet abumayang
If there is anything about Emery is his unpredictability I foresee a surprise line-up and few personals
i would like to see three at the back
……….leno
amn..chambo… liuz.. soks… kola
…….torriera… xhaka
………..cellabos
…….laca…… auba
who knows what a coach/manager will do in choosing a side. They’re not known for their intelligence
Torriera have not shown anything near to what he showed earlier last season based on current form I see Emery might drop him to the bench once more
And I will totally applaud this decision.
People are busy proposing his inclusion despite Guendozi showing good form, I would even proper slow Xhaka than Lucas at the moment because he is more match fit.
I totally agree with you Navaal, then introduce Pepe as a supersub. With his pace and flair, we might win the game at the end.
Martinelli can do that if need be.
If there was ever a game that we need to get a positive result it’s this one I personally would have loved to have Bellarin and Tierney for this game but they are out which is a shame because against a team like Liverpool if our LB and RB aren’t up for it we will again be exposed I’m going to say if we win the game it’s going to be won by defending properly because we will most definitely ask them some serious questions in attack so on Saturday A.M Niles and Monreal better be up for it although I would start Kolasinac over Monreal only because he as more pace to contend with Salah ….Pepe as to start period! That’s the only two changes I would make and I only hope he keeps Willock in the team …RB position his where I think we will win are loose the game so A.M Niles if he wants to keep Bellarin on the beach when he comes back this is the game for him to make his name.
That’s the team I would hope Emery would put out. Ceballos for his dynamism and skill, Guendouzi because he is our best ‘recycler’, and Torreira because is is fierce, a tackler, with a bit of real Skill. I wonder if Emery will play Willoc or Xhaka instead of Pepe to begin the game to flood the midfield, Liverpool’s weak area creatively. I cerainly would prefer to see Pepe start.
?
A 4-2-1-3 formation or 4-2-3-1
…………….Leno…………
…Niles…David….Sokatr…Monreal
………Toreira ….Xhaka
…….Ceballos……….
……Pepe……Laca…. Aubma
OR
…………….Leno…………
…Niles…David….Sokatr…Monreal
………Toreira ….Ceballos
……Pepe…… Ozil ……….Martineli
Aubma
I am happy with your lineup, but I fear the useless Xhaka will be back to annoy me with his back of the stand shots and crablike passing and arm waving when he loses possession for the umpteenth time,Emery loves him so he will play, Sadly.
—————————Leno———————–
Niles——Chambers—–Socratis———Monreaal
Pepe———guenduozi———-Luiz————-ceballos
______Lacazette———-Aubamayang_______
Can always change between 442 and 433
____________Leno____________
Niles____Sokratis____Luiz____Monreal
____________Torreira____________
Ceballos ________________Ozil
Pepe_______Lacazzette____Aubamayeng
i can go with ur lineup thank u .team ars we go
pepe should start in order to scare that gentleman Robertson from overlapping.He is good going forward and wish Tieran can be like him.He led to so many Liverpool goals last season IMO
If we go with the admins lineup of pepe,lacazette aubameyang and still cant break them down , then what next ?
we fans are good behind our key boards, the the fact is that game needs mub maximum experience and creativity. wait and get happy when Emery starts Xhaka my best and Ozil superb midfield.
Auba Lacazette Miki
Cebalos Xhaka(c) Ozil
Kolazinac Sokratis Luiz M.Niles
Leno(Gk)
That’the perfect line up,but ozil should replace Xhaka.That would have been how I line up here South Sudan the home of Gooners.
This will be my approved line up too.
Best lineup:
Leno
Niles…Luiz…Sokratis…Kolasinac
Torreira….Xhaka
Pepe…Ceballos…Mkitaryan
Aubameyang
1. We cannot play with two strikers against Liverpool; we need an extra midfielder instead.
2. Mkitaryan offers more for us defensively and quickens our attacks and can put DeBruyne-like crosses into the box for Auba.
3. Xhaka offers more set-piece defending especially from corners and free-kicks because of his height.
4. Monreal was very bad against Burnley as most attacks and crosses by Burnley were coming from his side. No wonder the manager resorted to back 5 at some point in second half bringing in Kolasinac.