It’s Premier League tonight, the first of three games in seven days, and we travel to Selhurst Park to take on Crystal Palace.
With just one win from the last five, three points are a must. Here are the official line-ups.
Crystal Palace: Speroni, Kelly, Dann, Tomkins, Schlupp, Milivojevic, Cabaye, Loftus-Cheek, Towsend, Zaha, Benteke
Subs: Hennessey, van Aanholt, Fosu-Mensah, McArthur, Puncheon, Riedewald, Sako
Arsenal: Cech, Chambers, Koscielny, Mustafi, Bellerin, Xhaka, Wilshere, Kolasinac, Ozil, Alexis, Lacazette
Subs: Ospina, Holding, Maitland-Niles, Coquelin, Iwobi, Welbeck, Walcott
Don’t hate the lineup just wish we had some kind of strategy and process for our decisions. Back 3, then revert to back 4 for a few games, now back 3 again. Is there a rhyme or reason to it? I’d like to think so but…
Well they did beat us on the counter last season. I would have liked a back four but this is sensible.
Most likely due to personnel. More defensive solidity with a back three considering the lack of mobility with Xhaka and Wilshere. It also allows him to bring Kolasinac back in (Arsene said in an interview that he’s more suited to the wing back role). That front three also seems to work well, and it’s a bit more of a defensive formation which suits an away match. Bear in mind as well that Iwobi has been off form recently and Arsene will probably want to take him out of the firing line and give him a breather.
Basically, plenty of explanations.
Not a single striker on the bench?
Is Welbeck not a striker?
No. Probably he’ll never be.
He’s just a quicker, more popular Sanogo
If Welbeck and Walcott are not strickers, then I am afraid we don’t have any other than Laca and Giroud. Unless you expected Eddie.
Alexis needs to sit his ass on the bench. Bellerin as well.
Good to see Chambers get a start. Hope he uses this to get into the team more often.
Good for him. Still think Holding is the better defender and reads the game much better but Chambers has better ability on the ball in terms of dribbling and more adventurous.
Chambers 🙂
“Come on you eagles,spank those tinpot gooners and get venga the sack!”
there,i have said what 80% of you “supporters” are saying in your mind : )
What’s your problem dude?
He’s toxic Red-Wing.
Why do you think so negatively about us supporters?
I don’t want ‘venga’ to get the sack, i want Wenger to know when it is time to step down and end his legacy. Great man who doesn’t know when to pass on the baton.
Regardless of peoles prerogative regarding “venga” (I can only hope that was some autocorrect on an iPhone with its language preset to Russian) nobody here wants anything less than a win. Nice attempt at stirring the pot, bizarre but you enjoy the game buddy.
Toss Gunner can’t spell and what’s with the inverted commas spunk monkey?
4 people understand your sense of humour
Back 3 and sanchez plays again away at an in-form palace. Forgive me to anticipate another disjointed attacking performance.
I have to say I agree with you but I hope we are both wrong. We’ll see.
Sanchez to score and win the game for us. Bet it won’t be Ozil.
Sanchez to score and win the game for us. Bet you it won’t be Ozil (in form).
Sent this before the game but was awaiting moderation…lol
Haha. Bet you feel like a smart man now!
I don’t know the hell he went back to 442. We looked rubbish with that system. We were so exposed the last couple of games like we have always been.
OK ……….not barmy tonite
omg..u guys dont want wenger out/ such traitors 🙁
well its just my opinion.its a “right”,like many of u use all the time with a mixture of decent abuse and what not
Absolutely no point in trying to work out what this line up means. We’ll either turn up or we won’t. Nobody knows what on earth Arsenal will do so let’s just wait and see.
Any news on Mertesacker? Is he still injured? If fit, I can’t seem to understand how a player who gave us a world class performance in last year’s FA cup final has had very little opportunities this season.
Especially with a crying Kos’s Achilles
COYG!
Another game for koscielny, perfect
Solid line up. I hope the tank blows them away with a hat trick! COYG!
Good lineup?Looking forward to the game? I would like us to go for zaha if Alexis goes in January. He is really god as a left Winger. COYG??????
Is the Liveblog dead or did my work block it?
Dead
Dead arses
1) Bellerin was RUBBISH 2) Arsenal are WASTEFUL 3) We never play with our HEADS on a SWIVEL 4) We are LAZY. To switch off for that corner and let Tomkins get such an easy header…we were playing the game out when the old Invincibles would have wanted to further stamp their authority on Palace and do more damage. 5) Our counter attacks are woefully OVER complicated. Do what Alexis does. GO DIRECT. But a word about Alexis. Many Arsenal fans have been putting him down of late. Where would we be without him. As is we are mediocre. Alexis… Read more »
Positives
Jack looks like he’s getting his range of passing now. Great assist.
Alexis was an animal again. Only wish we could balance his effort out with Mahrez last summer too.
Chambers was pretty solid.
All the players thrown in to shore us up having pulled Lacazette off and we still did not have enough players in midfield to dominate and add composure at the end let alone have sufficient players with the awareness to pick out problem areas.
That Townsend goal was dismal with all our players ball watching.
Then we have a header at the end conceded. Why we don’t have Gibbs at the post is beyond me.
Perhaps it’s because Gibbs plays for West Bromwich Albion.