Will the Arsenal midfield against Manchester United inspire you?

As usual, the midfield will play a pivotal part in Arsenal’s clash with Manchester United, Monday evening at Old Trafford.

Get the midfield wrong and the game will be gone and we have watched too many games featuring Arsenal when the midfield is lost to know what the end result will be.

If they are not helping out the defence, if they are not linking up with the forwards and if they are not controlling the pace of the game then they will struggle to get anything from the match.

That is why it is so important to get the right midfield set up and the signs are that there will be question marks over the players that Unai Emery selects for the middle.

It is almost certain that Granit Xhaka will play, it is inconceivable that he will not be picked just days after being confirmed as the captain of Arsenal this season.

Matteo Guendouzi appears to be in favour with Emery and looks another one very likely to start and the only question really to be answered is, who will play alongside Xhaka and Guendouzi?

There are three players in serious contention, they are Lucas Torreira, Joe Willock and Dani Ceballos and because it is away at United I am fairly confident that it will be Torreira that gets the nod.

So, the midfield I believe Emery will go with will be Xhaka, Guendouzi and Torreira. The question for you is, does this midfield inspire you?

20 Comments

    1. Xhaka can be captain from the bench, like most of our recent captains….. and if the curse of the armband strikes, he might no longer be an arsenal player, at the start of next season

      1. i too had the same thoughts. This is Unai for you, fans boo Xhaka, Unai makes him the captain.Thats in your face man! Unai is worse than Arsene, arrogant and clueless.Playing seven defensive outfield players to take on the worst Utd.team, hope the man gets the sack on Tuesday

  1. I believe so and that setup is just too pessimistic to start at Old Trafford

    If I were Emery, I’d select midfielders with excellent ball controls, high confidence and big stamina, such as Ceballos, Guendouzi and Willock

    However, since Xhaka will start, I hope Emery uses 4-3-3 with Chambers or Torreira at DM position, Xhaka as the left mezzala and Ceballos as the right one

  2. My choice for Midfield

    Central:
    Torreira, Wilock/Guendouzi, Ceballos

    Right and Left:
    Pepe and Martinelli or Saka

    No Xhaka
    Start Chambers either in RB or CB but don’t start him as DM. He should earn the right to start as DM. Torreira has.
    Btw no Niles at RB. Either Bellerin or Chambers

    Torreira, Ceballos, Wilock, Guendouzi have all played better than

    If this lineup is chosen I will be over the moon
    Leno, Bellerin/Chambers, Holding, Luiz/Chambers, Torreira, Wilock/Guendouzi, Ceballos, Pepe, Martinelli/Saka, Aubameyang

    If Xhaka, Mustafi, Niles, Ozil, Sokratis are chosen, I won’t be over the moon

    1. No left back? Hehe you would be playing with 10 players? Did the left back get a red card in the dressing room? 😊

  3. I think should Arsenal lineup in a 4-2-3-1 match playing formation starting the match with the Gunners below, they should be in the driving seat in the match to beat Man Utd.

    Starts:
    Leno;
    AMN Sokratis Luiz Kolasinac;
    Torreria Xhaka;
    Pepe Guandouzi Saka;
    Aubameyang.

    Bench;
    Martinez Chambers Mustafi Tierney Willock Ceballos Martinelli

  4. Just no CB that have tendicies to play too aggressive around the box. Pogba drew an iffy PK last year. I think United will be soft looking to draw PK to score

    So No Luiz. No Socratis

  5. If Gendouzi drives with the ball and makes some of them challenging passes like he has done recently and torriera bites from further up to win the ball and drive forward then it can work. If Pepe Auba and Ozil offer assurances up front it can work.

  6. That midfield has created the most chances for us in a single game …. Ironically.
    I don’t think it’s as blant as people make it. Don’t make band wagon statements.
    Xhaka and Guendouzi played more final third entry passes against spurs than Ozil and Ceballos played against Watford. Be factual.

  7. Judging from Emery’s selection so far, I predict that there would be no changes. 10 players would start – Leno, AMN, Sokratis, Luiz, Kola, Xhaka, Guenduozy, Ceballos, Pepe, and Auba. So, there is only 1 place for other players to take, depending on whether Emery use 2 or 3 in front. Probably the possible changes would be Chambers and Tierny for AMN and Kola. As usual it would be game of 2 halves, he would stick with his regular choices and send in Torreira, Willock, Ozil or whoever he believes would save the game in the 2nd half.
    My concern is that not only we have unconvincing defenders but the regulars in midfield also seem make it worse, in terms of defending. All his 3 regulars in midfield, Xhaka, Guenduozy, and Ceballos, are error prones in defending. The job should be clear, who is there to help the defense, to link up, or to provide chances for the forwards.

  8. The game won’t be won or lost in middfied!! both defences will decide the game,the worse one will lose for their team simple as,once again we eil depend on our strikers!!

  9. It’s been 13 years since we won at Man Utd. Let’s debit again. I think using Ceballos with Gudozy will rock. Torrela can come later.

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