Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Auba up front, Xhaka at left-back! Sporting v Arsenal team news

Arsenal face Sporting away from home in our third Europa League game of the season. We’re level on 6 points each with the Portuguese side, so tonight’s game could go some way to deciding who tops the group.

Here are tonight’s official line-ups.

Sporting: Ribeiro, Coates, Pinto, Fernandes, Acuna, Montero, Ristovski, Battaglia, Nani, Petrovic, Gudeli

Subs: Salin, Mane, Mathieu, Diaby, Gaspar, Cabral, Luis

Arsenal: Leno, Lichtsteiner, Holding, Sokratis, Xhaka, Elneny, Guendouzi, Ramsey, Welbeck, Mkhitaryan, Aubameyang

Subs: Martinez, Mustafi, Jenkinson, Torreira, Iwobi, Ozil, Lacazette

Follow the game on the Arseblog live blog

Related articles

Comments

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

34 Comments
oldest
newest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Pedant

Finally we have found Xhaka’s best position.

Or we are desperate.

COYR, win number 11 please.

Kostas

Finally we found out why he was angry at the press conference

Chiza

Enough to do job.. I’m sure of three points

ForeignGooner

We’re up against Sporting, not Qarabag.

Anonymarse

Should be. Plenty more on the bench if not.

Ya gooner

Maybe xhaka can learn some more of the defensive side of the game by playing lb.

Lucas Sam

I think you have point. The same way monreal benefited and became more consistent after a spell at CB

Runzac

Welbz will surely help him out, right? Or is it three at the back 3-5-2 maybe? I know what Unai said…

Lucas Sam

It could be a back three with elneny in the midle like it was experimented in pre season a year ago

Henkzor

Nice to see that emery is actually able to rotate in the europa league, thought he would field a full first team in every match instead of resting some for the PL.

JB_

Well this is going to be interesting.

Nketibag

Maybe it’s Welbeck at fullback..

BW9

There’s so many other ways he could have filled the LB void – interesting that he went with Xhaka over Mustafi, Jenks, even Welbeck. Hopefully the right winger for Sporting ain’t quick.

myrtle

It looks like our old friend Nani will be there..

ArcticMarty

outrageous depth at the moment

afan

Hymm, not sure about this team, if its a crap team we are facing then it might ok, but if its not, then we could be in trouble, I wouldn,t play, lichsteiner or Mkhitaryan, or maybe Welbeck, but we shall see

shawn

My only concern is the old G Swiss defender leichestner he was not good enough against Leicester City..He was the weak link against Leicester. But this team selection should do the job

Badaab

Emery’s going to be responsible for my inevitable need for blood pressure medication if he persists with Xhaka at fullback.

Arun

With all the diverse skill sets along with the unique deficiencies he have, I am sure he would have never thought, even in his wildest dreams, that he would be a starting left back for a elite club like Arsenal! 😀

Let’s see how this goes!

Lucas

I love how we always play a strong team in the Europa and still have rested quality for the league. Quite impressive to have such quality depth…
This is the right match for Mhki to prove he can hold a place in the starting lineup. He is the only arsenal attacking 6 who has not be somewhat impressive
#COYG

SB Still

None of the younger players in the squad. We are taking competition very seriously like Unai has been saying.

Hopefully we can sew up top spot soon and let the youngsters gain some valuable experience later.

Hantal

Can’t see the arsenal lineup, the advert is in the way

Joakim

OMFG! Diaby..! There’s more than one? Sign him up! ?

PeteyB

Just seeing the name makes me want to weep a little.

Chidi

Midfield duo of Elneny and Guendouzi is gonna be extremely tidy given that both players constantly make themselves available to receive a pass. Of course there’s gonna be a bit of flHAIR too

Tennessee

Anyone that is in the US know who is broadcasting the game?

Mesut O'Neill

FuboTV. No major broadcast I’m afraid.

Bendtnerschristmastree

Just go find a stream on reddit/soccerstreams , always good quality on europa nights

Nosferatu

You have to subscribe to the B/R Live service and then you can watch either through their website or an app on a connected device like a Roku. Replays are available, too, if you can’t watch live. The only problem, naturally, is the cost…

arsepedant

Some webcasting outfit called DAZN bought the North American Champions League and Europa League rights for the next THREE YEARS. So, no terrestrial TV for either competition in Canada or the US until at least 21-22. Fucking sucks. As if we didn’t already have to pay enough to get all the different channels that can show games, now it’s another $20 per month for these shitheads, just to be able to (legally) watch it on my phone or computer.

Nosferatu

My main worry with Xhaka at fullback is what happened with Coquelin a few years back when pressed into service at right back–not used to the level of sprinting required down the flanks, he popped a hamstring and was out for probably close to a month when we could have used him in midfield.

One Arsenal

I absolutely love how Emry is managing rotation of the squad 😀

Goonerest Gooner

Forget Xhaka at left back.

Carl Jenkinson is on the bench! should be the headline

Teakster

2018’s very own Mathieu Flamini! Queue an impressive run to the final, due to a rock solid make-shift defence ?

Share article

Featured on NewsNow

Support Arseblog

Latest posts

Latest Arsecast

34
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x