Arsenal take on Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park today looking for their 12th successive victory.
It won’t be easy, especially after an away trip in Europe this week, but this is the team Unai Emery has selected to get the job done.
Crystal Palace: Hennessey, Wan-Bissaka, Sakho, Tomkins, Van Aanholt, Milivojevic, Kouyate, McArthur, Townsend, Zaha, Ayew
Subs: Guaita, Kelly, Schlupp, Riedewald, Puncheon, Meyer, Sorloth
Arsenal: Leno, Bellerin, Mustafi, Holding, Xhaka, Guendouzi, Torreira, Ozil, Iwobi, Aubameyang, Lacazette
Subs: Cech, Lichtsteiner, Sokratis, Ramsey, Smith Rowe, Mkhitartyan, Welbeck
Oooooo.
Hope we can keep the momentum going with another strong win (and hopefully clean sheet) today.
Xhaka at left back again? Risky stuff from Emery. Hope it pays off. Really need Monreal back for the Liverpool clash. Good to see Leno retain his place though and for Auba to be back in the starting line up
Would have started Welbeck in front of Xhaka for greater defensive stability on that side. Hopefully, I know nothing!
YOU said it
wouldjt it be better if we promote some younger player instead of trying to fit square pegs in round holes. granted we got through with xhaka at left back for two games. but LB position is not natural for xhaka. againt better opposition he will struggle. still i believe emery is doing this for purpose. maybe to improve him or something
Maybe this is Emery’s sneaky way of phasing him out of the team. CM>left back>bench
Why would you phase one of our best players out of the team?
“best”
Guendouzi and Torreira…I like
It’s a really aggressive starting lineup, I fancy goals here, looks like Emery smells blood and is going straight for the throat.
It’s a kick in the teeth for Rambo with Guendouzi getting the nod.
Makes some sense, Guendouzi is the future, Rambo isn’t, but leaves us a little inexperienced in the centre of the field.
Rambo must be livid with his agent
Zaha against Xhaka. Slightly worrying. Slightly.
im expecting a substitution where xhaka goes in the middle for gouendouzi and liechsteiner comes in as left back
Strong lineup
This left back position should be addressed in January. It has been a problem all year. Both Monreal and Kolasinac were injured to start the season and AMN also promptly got injured in the first game.
So we should get a 4th left-back then? These things happen; get on with it. We’re coping fine and the lads will, hopefully, be back before long. It’s not everything that requires looking to the transfer window for solutions.
I’d rather have another CB to be honest
Team is pretty strong everywhere else
Almost our ideal squad if it isn’t for Monreal’s injury. Ozil at 10 and Iwobi in. Surely this is it for Ramsey?
Is Elneny injured? Smith-Rowe on the bench ahead of him.
Elneny hasn’t been getting into the Premier League team. I’m pretty sure he’s not injured.
don’t know why we don’t put a bid in for danny rose for the left back position
I’ll be watching with one eye closed whenever CP breaks out left side. Palace doesn’t have a lot of offensive threat but with Townsend and Zaha, they have tons of pace and will attack Chaka right from the start. Hope Holding and Torriera cover well and not leave our middle too exposed. Ayew isn’t prolific but he can score of his center back vacated his spot to cover. Hope our attack can keep CP on the back foot most of the match.
Xhaka at left back is the perfect description of internal solutions. Wenger would be proud of this
Perhaps moving to a back three would offer xhaka more cover and leave him less exposed. Zaha and Townsend will look for that one on one with xhaka the whole game.
Strong bench!