Arsenal take on Everton today with new head coach Mikel Arteta watching from the stands. Freddie Ljungberg will be in charge today, but let’s hope we can get the Arteta era off to a winning start.
Here are today’s official line-ups.
Everton: Pickford, Digne, Mina, Holgate, Sidibe, Davies, Delph, Richarlison, Siggurdson, Iwobi, Calvert-Lewin
Subs: Stekelenburg, Baines, Keane, Tosun, Bernard, Coleman, Kean
Arsenal: Leno, Maitland-Niles, Chambers, Luiz, Saka, Torreira, Xhaka, Nelson, Smith Rowe, Martinelli, Aubameyang.
Subs: Martinez, Mavropanos, Mustafi, Guendouzi, Willock, Pepe, Lacazette
Wow, very surprising
Not bad selection. COYG
Let’s smack Iwobi
Wait wait….where’s our number 10? Not even on the bench. I think Freddie did have a strong word with him and gave the man a holiday because of the tantrum he shown
Report day or two ago was a doubt with a foot problem.
Like seriously…? Foot problem because he kicked his glove with 120% power?
I am an Ozil fan but if the manager is not liking the behaviour of someone then he has the right to set an example. Just make sure that it is evenly distributed and not focused on a single person.
Should be Willock for Xhaka
I guess Ozil’s sub reaction has been dealt with and I love Ozil but if this is the way it’s been dealt with, I like it. I’m all for this. Good one Freddie COYG
That is an aggressive 4-4-2!! Ljungberg was listening to the new Head Coach’s interview, wasn’t he?
Sake LB? Or Xhaka
Either way gonna be interesting..
Saka *
I’ll have some sake.
For goodness sake
Good to see ESR in the starting lineup
Saka full back as part of a four? Am I reading that right, had a few lunchtime glasses of wine!
He’s not been bad there
Lunch time, It’s barely 12pm. :/
I’d say the sun is over the yard arm. 🙂
Who else should play at left back?
Freddie’s revenge!!!
Martinelli getting the recognition he deserves. We need more of his fighting spirit IMHO. Hopefully the new appointment breathes new life into the old guard. COYG
Would have gone for a back 3 on account of having no real full backs left, Saka will have his work cut out for him!
AMN/Saka against Iwobi could be interesting.
Luiz against Calvert-Lewin/Richarlison just worrying!
BT sport banging on about how it has Arteta’s fingerprints on it, giving no credit to Freddie’s tendancy towards giving young players opportunities. Also in the pre-match “Ozil isn’t in the team, there’s something with his foot, but he wouldn’t have been in the squad anyway after what happened in the last game” Quite right.
Maybe he tweaked it kicking his gloves 😉
Well said & well done Freddie. If Ozil had put as much effort into his performances as into kicking his gloves maybe he would have been the truly world class player we all wanted him to be.
I’m Ok to say Özil didn’t do enough on sunday but please, guys, let’s be honest, except Martinelli nobody did enough and showed energy, ESR included. On the contrary, Arsenal were less “dangerous” when Özil left.
You are right Alex but since we hate Ozil we will down vote your comment.
You are wrong Alex but since we love Ozil & can’t accept that some people just think he is as great as us we will upvote your comment
(See how easy it is to generalise someone else’s opinions ? )
Don’t think
Interesting lineup, it’s almost like a youth team with a few more experienced players. I’m not expecting much, but surely these guys are playing for their careers under Arteta – well maybe except for Xhaka and Luíz 😀
From all the CM/DM midfielders we have, Xhaka is the most suited to Arteta/Pep style 😉
Unfortunately it is true. He is the only one who can sit (maybe because of his lack of pace) and keep position. We need someone who can actually play as DM win the ball while also keep the positioning discipline.
Brave is all i can say.
Interesting! It is a clear message To senior players, I like it. I believe Freddie will be part of the new coaching regime.
Men against boys again..I guess it’s all we got at this moment. Fingers crossed we don’t let in the first goal. I’m worried but hoping for a result. Coyg
Not a bad selection under the circumstance. I’d have started Pepe ahead of Nelson tho
Not sure what’s on FL mind…probably his next job somewhere else. That lineup is quite suicidal. His inclination from his U23 coaching days has influenced him in his selections for many of the games. This is ultimate. Good luck to him hopefully not at Arsenal. We are going to lose this one…for sure!! Again!!!
Lopsided at best
Wow! Freddie sending an outgoing middle finger to certain team members. Xhaka is immune though. Don’t know how he does it.
Seriously, Xhaka? Again? Really. I pray that when The Perfect Hair starts in earnest he isn’t hypnotised into thinking Xhaka is good enough.
Nelson is disappointing
as is ESR
On this display Arsenal cannot even finish sixth. Yes anything can happen from now until May.
Unless Arteta can improve the team significantly, this will be a season to forget
First half just ended. Slow, no penetration, no real threat. I wonder what Arteta is thinking he has to do? I honestly have no idea where to start with these players. But that’s why he’s a manager and I’m not.
I’m wondering what it will take for Tolaji Bola to be called up to the first team. He is our only natural left back who is currently fit and starts regularly for our U23 team.
One thing is clear today: except Martinelli, none of the young guns including the not-so-young guns like ANM is ready for the big step up!
Xhaka
Chambers
Saka
Take a bow guys! Very good game today!
And Martinelli pls!
Saka and chambers definitely
Ljungberg’s team selections and substitutions have been utterly disastrous from start to finish. Picking his U23 favourites ahead of Lacazette and Pepe today was just brutal.
Have been away, so missed the game and all the online reactions etc… Liked the bold, decisive line up. Liked a lot of our play, the positives ARE beginning to show. Bit worried about Reiss, though; I’ve doubted something about him for a while now – he has talent, that is unquestionable, but is his desire lacking!? Not comparing him to Sancho, but the basics are there for him to have leapt forward as much as he has… Give him more runouts, i suppose!? The Ozil decision, obviously due to his sub reaction last week was a good sign. I… Read more »