Under normal circumstances, it is difficult to predict what team Unai Emery will put out and in the context of tonight’s game against Eintracht Frankfurt, it is almost impossible but that does not mean we will not give it a go.
I reckon he will stick with Bernd Leno in goal and not be tempted to go with Emiliano Martínez, that will most likely happen in the Carabao Cup v Nottingham Forest next week.
It is an almost certainty that Sead Kilasinac and Ainsley Maitland-Niles will play as the wing-backs, who else is there?
The centre of defence is a little tricky but I see a recall for Calum Chambers as a replacement for Sokratis and I am not sure Emery will risk Rob Holding from the start and so it is a toss-up between David Luiz and Shkodran Mustafi to partner Chambers and I am going with Mustafi. The reason is simple, Emery will have an eye on Aston Villa at the weekend and would rather play Luiz in that game than this one against Frankfurt.
Midfield, as usual, is tricky but I have a feeling it will be Granit Xhaka, Joe Willock and Lucas Torriera, I cannot really give you a reason in-depth, it is just a feeling I have. I can give some sort of reasoning and it would be valid but in the end, it really is guesswork because Emery could easily go with Matteo Guendouzi, Dani Ceballos and Emile Smith Rowe.
Upfront I am fairly certain he will start with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Nicolas Pepe and probably Gabriel Martinelli but Reiss Nelson could easily come in as well.
So, this is the team I reckon Emery will go with or at the very least, close to it.
Leno
Kolasinac
Maitland-Niles
Chambers
Mustafi
Willock
Xhaka
Torreira
Martinelli
Aubameyang
Pepe
I think he is going to use five at the back
…………. Leno……….
Niles Mustafi Luiz Chambers Sead
Willock Torreria
Ceballos
Pepe Abumeyang
I’d prefer your lineup to the one in the article actually
Looks good
Emery has a new tactical play. It’s to play 8 at the back. He’s so innovative.
We don’t have enough backups available for full backs positions for a string of matches close in a row
We need Bellerin and Tierney to come back soon.
I think the back four of
Bellerin.Holding.Chambers/Luiz.Tierney
Could be successful this season
True about the fullbacks.
I think Mustafi should be given a run as RB until Bellerin comes back.He might start there tonight. AMN just can’t defend.
So the great Jon Fox is keeping quiet realizing that you can’t criticize players that are not coached. Players at arsenal are only performing to their natural abilities with absolutely no tactic and what ever happened to ozziegunner ha ha ha.
Jah Son
So you come all the way to say this, and where have you been since, hiding or maybe you are on sabbatical leave.
Well, if he goes with Aubameyang, he’s a damn fool.
– With no Laca we need Auba rested for the Sunday afternoon game.
– I think he will go with Martinez in goal because that’s why the lad is here – cup games, especially early stages.
– AMN should be rested and Chambers playing as a RB where he played for a number of years initially before Wenger turned him into a CB so should be decent.also better defensively than AMN
– Torreira could also be rested, but I guess Emery doesn’t see him as a EPL starter so maybe not
Slowly but surely people will realize that Mustafi is a good defender…
Every new defender at arsenal suddenly becomes bad because of the weak midfield.
And anyone who thinks Chambers and Holding are going to bail us out, is part of the problem.
Preferred lineup
Martinez
Mustafi…Sokratis…Luiz…Kolasinac
Guendouzi…Torreira
Pepe…Ceballos…Nelson
Aubameyang
We are so very poor at left attacking forward (i.e. No. 11) that I don’t care who we field there at the moment.
I feel worry regarding our shaky full backs rather than the controversial central backs .The opponents wingers easily cut inside obtain scoring positions which put the centre backs under high pressure and subject to different mistakes.Both Niles and kola can play a wing back role within back three system and solid holding midfielder, cause the three centre backs and HM will cover the gaps behind them when they go upfield.Both full backs are good offensively but they are very poor defensesivly.Unless Bellrin, Keiran and Torrera turn the situation around the defense problem will continue