It’s the first day of a brand new season, the we’ve got the teams for the opener against Liverpool at the Emirates today.
Here’s how the two sides will line up.
Arsenal: Cech, Bellerin, Chambers, Holding, Monreal, Coquelin, Elneny, Ramsey, Iwobi, Walcott, Alexis
Subs: Ospina, Gibbs, Xhaka, Cazorla, Wilshere, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Akpom
Liverpool: Mignolet, Clyne, Lovren, Klavan, Moreno, Wijnaldum, Henderson, Lallana, Coutinho, Mane, Firmino
Subs: Manninger, Can, Origi, Matip, Alexander-Arnold, Stewart, Grujic
Xhaka on the bench…
(Scratching my head)
As a dog returneth to its vomit and a fool returneth to his folly here I am again with me invincibles t shirt on and sure (as every season) we’re going to be amazing. COYG
four fucking one? Explain this one away Arsene
He’s got a new partnership in central defense starting. A new pairing in central midfield would be too much. Coquelin and Elneny played well together end of last season.
Yes, he lacks EPL experience. Could get sub though.
Big chance for walcott to impress today. hope he takes it
Hope he does.. And on that note.. COME ON ARSENAL!!
Also where the F*ck are the arses??
YAG
You could say the same for Holding and Chambers, though in their case it’s a matter of baptism of fire.
Really hope this gamble pays off, because the mood will be dire if we drop points today.
Why is Xhaka on the bench? Joel’s not even on the bench but injured Wilshere is??
I don’t think we will ever know what Joel Campbell did to get himself on Arsene’s shit list. He was good and sometimes excellent whenever he played last year, skilled and incisive going forward, hard working in defense. All of this while waiting patiently for years for his chance. Is it an off the field thing? Does he fart during team meetings? Does he have halitosis? It is an enduring mystery
…fart during team meetings ???
Gutted not to see Xhaka to be honest.
Don’t mind Xhaka on the bench – would be a bit of a baptism of fire, maybe a good option to shore things up if we’re ahead.
Personally would’ve had Santi CAM, Ramsey RW and Theo on the bench, but maybe our pace will cause them problems, like United at home last season.
It’s good to be back – COYG!
Would have picked the same team. Guess Cazorla isn’t match fit. Frankly I’m slightly worried about the lack of creativity and composure on the ball against such a pressing team. There’s actually a lot of pressure on Iwobi.
One would think Xhaka being who he is would be more than ready to face a team like Liverpool in this first game of the season. One would think he is just the kind of fearless hard core motherfucker we need in a game like this one.
One defender on the bench. No debuchy
Thanks for that Shim (I lost my glasses). 😉
Really don’t agree but then again that’s probably why I am not the manager.
Would have liked to see Xhaka and Cazorla…but COYG!
In front of chambers and holding?
No, Cazorla in the no. 10 role…
No Reason why we can’t smash these mugs, man-for-man we’re not as bad as thought
No reason? How about a naive centre-back pairing and a toothless attack? Dropped points beckon. Thanks for that summer of total inaction, Wenger. Always hurts us.
3-1 and Liverpool are tearing us a new one. And really, is this at all surprising?
4-1. Embarrassing.
This is going to get worse.
7am local time here been waiting up all night for this. Feeling optimistic……. but slightly terrified. Just fucking win and get a striker and that Mustafi lad in..!
Stop with the transfer stuff for just 90 minutes (plus half time) please!!?
I’m confused. Why not just wake up at 7?
because waiting up is so much more exciting
Seriously that’s a pretty average looking Liverpool team. As weak as we might be at the back they look equally suspect. There should be goals in this one. Would be nice to get off to a solid start. Enjoy
Dont jinx it plz.. Nobody expected Hull inquisition as well yesterday.
Underestimating any team in the PL is not the way to go. Champions Leicester found that out yesterday as did Citeh almost against last seasons relegation cadidates Sunderland.
Rather an odd looking team.
Hoping Holding and Chambers will see each other through ok. Not that it matters but this is the first English centre back pairing we’ve had since Campbell and Keown.
Coq and Elneny together is extremely defensive. I was expecting Santi to be in there somewhere. I’m sure he’ll be off the bench at some point though.
Keeping their pressing game in mind I would’ve really liked players who are good on the ball like xhaka and cazorla etc to be involved and would’ve avoided Walcott.
But I guess now is not the time to complain. COYG!!
Lots of pace thats for sure. Abit worried about creativity in the midfield though, but looks like hes gone with a more defensive/ work your socks off type midfield to compensate for the centre halves.
Decent starting line up. Looks like we will hit them on the break. Maybe later on we bring in Cazorla and Xhaka on to shore things up.
Why does Wenger hate Campbell….not sure about the starting line up but lets see what happens
Andrew, spend some farkin money on a new server, or at least train your printer to do the server role so it’s like a new server? 🙂
Seriously, what has Joel Campbell done to Arsene? At this point I’d prefer we just sell him because his career is going to die in arsenal reserves at this point and he doesn’t deserve that. Also, I really hope Walcott does well, but I can’t stand by Wenger and the insane amount of chances Theo gets, especially in relation to the up and comers who are harder workers with larger skill sets. COYG!!!! First win for the year!
Any idea why Campbell is not in?
Nobody here knows…
Wenger doesn’t rate him.
Don’t ask why.
Apparently, he farts in team meetings.
Really surprised to see Coquelin taken over Xhaka (why spend 35 million on such a promising player, and then sit him on the bench?), and would have liked to see Cazorla out there to control the ball better. I’m a little worried that this puts us on our backfoot, leaves us open to the Klopp-press (Coquelin and Ramsey are not as tidy on the ball as Xhaka and Cazorla are), and leaves us a little leaderless out there, something Xhaka and Cazorla would have provided. Liverpool have no really defensive midfielders on the pitch, so hopefully we can take advantage… Read more »
Good lineup except Coq for Xhaka. Front 4 have all to do. Bit average creatively. Santi, Xhaka, Ox cab come in second half
What? Are they in a nearby pub so need a cab to get there?? Sorry getting nervous now and typing bolox…:-)
Right, no matter what the team back then during the game. Keep the dissenting voices until the end. COYG
Surprised we didn’t go back to Coqzorla if we aren’t going to play Xhaka. That was very effective last season.
He might feel we need Elnenny instead of Santi because of the depleted defence i guess.
Would’ve liked to see Santi on there but it’s not for me to complain now. #COYG
If Campbell isn’t injured I hope for his sake he leaves the club this summer. Disgraceful how Wenger has treated him
Is Campbell ill or something? That’s the only reason I can see for him not to be included in the squad. What does this guy have to do??
What does Campbell have to do to get into this squad. Arguably top three, if not top two, attacking players in pre season. Goals assist…. and defensive know how. Oh well. Understandable Cazorla not starting as he is a little behind with the injury.
Anyway let us just support the team and encourage those on the field, even if it is Theo Walcott and usually we do not have much faith in him.
New season, improvements…
COYG!!!
Blast from the past, Alex Manninger. What a legend.
Disappointed not to see a 4-3-3. As Ozil’s not playing it’s a good opportunity to better shield our defense and counter their pressing. Whether its Holding/Chambers, or Holding/Monreal, it’s gonna be a pretty inexperienced lineup (and no, Monreal being 30 years old and playing at CB a few times does not count as ‘experience’). A middle 3 of Xhaka/Elneny/Coquelin would be great at flooding the midfield, therefore protecting the defense better. It’s also important to consider Liverpool play an aggressive pressing game, so an extra man is very useful. On top of this, Xhaka and Elneny in particular are capable… Read more »
Blah blah blah blah defenCe
Chambers & Holding. Am cool with that. Campbell should be getting in ahead of Walcott though.
With all the questions…perhaps Coqneny has been chosen with Ramsey to provide defensive support and a bit of stability consistency and support. I would think that perhaps Wenger thought twice….no 10 times about the wisdom of putting 3 new/inexperienced players, Chambers, Holding, Xhaka…Choaka…at the core of central defense and decided perhaps just 2 against a top opponent in first game of the season MIGHT be worth considering..
Get ready for a frustrating season guys.. I still don’t understand how walcott is in front of campbell in the squad… New season but same old story.. does wenger still knows??
Remember….Coquelin and Elneny did very well last season…not just EneyCoq to be underestimated
Thought Xhaka was supposed to be a upgrade that strengthened our first 11? But seems he was just bought as a backup.
Anyways Come on Gunners!
As it stands right now Theo Walcott is a 1 goal a season striker. If he can just keep this up he’ll be a 3 goals a season striker by full time…
YES!!!! Theo has finally made it as a top, top striker!!!!!!!
(Tongue firmly in cheek, but at least it’s a start)
Fuck me Theo has scored
Is his contract nearly up 😉
So far so good …
Sign this Theo bloke!!!!
We need this one, not the shit one
I knew it was too good to be true
Where’s the live ducking blog. Whaaaaaaaat
‘Pool lucky to be going in 1-1. Nice free kick tho
Countinho is class.
The young CBs are doing OK. Wish we could step up a more and cause them more difficulties. Perhaps a change in the second half may prove more productive.
Rambo is playing well and the team seems balanced. I hope we can score a few more. Liverpool are there to be had!
Can’t wait for Wenger’s post match comments. Same old shit
Wow!
who didn’t see this coming?
We all saw this coming, except our deluded manager who lives in cloud cuckoo land, treats the clubs money as his own and will not spend what is needed to strengthen the team suitably. But then it is the same every summer so we should not be surprised, he never strengthens the team enough, comes out with the same old bollocks about *we wanted to spend but could not find players good enough* which is fucking laughable, every other big team manages to find the players and will and every year we are two/three players short. Nothing will change whilst… Read more »
Best birthday present ever. Thanks Wenger.
Same here.
Same old Arsenal… That’s all folks.
3-1 down and we have two holding midfielder still ?
The transfer market is predictable, eh, Arsene? So is your team.
Wenger is a bellend.
Can’t he see he’s taken this club as far as he can go. He needs to resign