It’s the final Premier League game of the season today, as we take on Watford at the Emirates.
The Hornets are desperate to avoid relegation. We’re desperate to avoid injuries ahead of the FA Cup final and to earn as much prize money as we can.
Here are today’s official line-ups.
Arsenal: Martinez, Maitland-Niles, Holding, Luiz, Tierney, Xhaka, Willock, Ceballos, Pepe, Aubameyang, Lacazette
Subs: Macey, Sokratis, Cedric, Kolasinac, Torreira, Smith, Saka, Nelson, Nketiah
Watford: Foster, Femenia, Kabasele, Dawson, Masina, Hughes, Doucoure, Welbeck, Sarr, Pereyra, Deeney
Subs: Gomes, Mariappa, Cleverly, Chalobah, Cathcart, Pedro, Gray, Quina, Pussetto
A back 4? Maybe giving Chelsea something to think about before the final.
Our LEGO haired maestro is at it again!
Do we want Leicester to beat Man U today just for the laughs?
Despite the Brendan Rogers teeth and pikey Vardy thing……nothing will make me happier than the those who took our Dutch skunk from us too lose!
Actually I am confused but Chelsea out of top 4 is better for us(less confident in FA cup). I hope they both lose and Utd finishes fourth and Chelsea fifth.
Well it’s prudent for Arsenal to want Leicester to win today. A lot of ‘IF’s’ here, but – If Man United finish 5th, but won the Europa League, then 5 English teams would get Champions League (Liverpoo, City, Chelsea, Leicester, United). So if Arsenal lost the FA Cup final, as Chelsea would already be in the Champions League, then league positions 6,7,8 would get Europa League (Wolves and Spurs, and then one from either Arsenal / Burnley / Sheff United).
If United win Europa league they replace team that finished 4th. Better still in spurs finish 7th ana we win the FA cup we replace them in Europa
Yes it looks like the BBC article that I read is wrong (no surprises there). England can only have a maximum of 7 teams in Europe, even if that means 5 in Champions League and 2 in Europa League. https://www.premierleague.com/european-qualification-explained
Yes, ManU are the more longer term rivals.
ManU in EL and Tots out of Europe (when we win FA Cup), is the best outcome we can hope for.
Obviously
Strong indeed…coyg… let’s finish of this awful season with a good win
Looks like 4-3-3? COYG
Not according to Arteta. But then the interviewer said “so it’s three at the back“. Mikel said “wait and see” and ran off. Legend.
Hoping the new kit we’re wearing is lined with cotton wool
Rotate the bollox out of it….. or not.
Come on boys, send that prick Deeney down where he belongs.
But he will go down with our Welbeck.
I’m sure another PL team will pick him up.
No Bellerin in the squad! I hope he’s not injured.
Calf strain.
So no good bye match for Özil and Guendouzi??
I would say that Ozil probably isn’t leaving and neither deserve one
Fucking stupid!!! Let’s hope none of the key players get injured or sent off.
Why is he taking this gamble?
May be 5.4 million as blogs said .. but I do tend to agree with you .. if there was one dead rubber to give some folks a rest . This was one
I would rather go into the final ahead of a good team performance with players we might expect to play against Chelsea. Plus 5 million quid richer. That could be an extra player next year. Hopefully he can take a few key players off at the 60 min mark.
My sentiments exactly. Watford are fighting for their lives – they will be scrapping for every challenge. An uncomfortable 90+ minutes. It’s a gamble from Arteta – and, if you ask me, a totally unnecessary gamble. Fingers crossed we can remain injury free.?
Momentum and a week until the next game?
Agree, a young coach trying to prove sportmanship.
I guess he is trying to make the 433 work with Joe on the engine room.
When rotating too many together it’s not actually a valid test.
I’d like to see Watford drop out of the PL today.
Let slip the dogs of war!
I like this. There’s six days till the final and we need to get our rhythm back, and to match test a midfield 3. May come in handy against Chelsea.
Nope. Way, way, too many first XI players for my liking. Blogs starting XI looked just fine to me! Just praying now for an injury free afternoon. Although a win would be good and sending that fat mouthy cunt and his fucking cojones down to the Championship would be the icing on the cake. But, top priority Arsenal – sensible passing, no hospital stuff.
Deeneys cojones ready to drop?
After Holding gives them a well placed blast!
Hope Auba & Laca are only playing in the first half as we sure need them for the FA Cup Final. COYG!
I think we’ll see rotation all round. Buzzed to see AMN in there ahead of Cedric, but where’s Hector?
I’m glad we’ve gone for a strong XI, we’re often very sluggish in games after a couple of weeks off. Any potential for injury here will probably be outweighed by the whole team hopefully being sharper next weekend
I hope Willock plays deeper today, rather than the almost second striker type position he’s been filling lately
He needs to play in a position where he has more time on the ball to generate a rhythm and confidence. He’s being made to play on hard mode at the moment
I’d be interested to see Ceballos in a more advanced position instead, see if he can be a more creative influence if his defensive duties are relaxed a bit
If ceballos in more advance role today gives positive results,why not against chelsea
That kit is horrible!
Winning chelsea against all odd on my mind
3-0 up and have just lost 2 goals.
Sorry, but this is simply piss poor.
We bossed them in the first and seemingly scored at will to then more or less handing them the run of the game in the second. We survived this by sheer luck. How did that happen?
Luiz is bad. His positioning is awful, he’s uncommitted on the pitch, and he’s a liability. I’m confused by how much faith and how many minutes Arteta gives him.
I never want to see him in an Arsenal shirt again. Sadly he’ll be assisting his old team mates next weekend.
Me too. Luiz is a liability.
Because, who else does Arteta have at the moment? Chambers injured, Mari injured, Mustafi injured, and for some reason Sokratis hasn’t been involved at all.
What on earth is Kolasinac still doing in a team like Arsenal,to always backpass the ball to the keeper and put arsenal under immense pressure? Thank you so much TANK…goodbye,we need to make Emirates a fortress and not where every FREE player comes to hide. Rob Holding,thank Monsieur Wenger who brought you into Arsenal when he did but truely,we are saying good bye…look for another club where you will be missing tackles and letting in opposition’s into our box. Please Kroenke,ensure we sign Upermacano,Partey and all the needed introductions. Let halfbaked players,who apparently joined Arsenal on a free,leave for other… Read more »
We’ve got Özil
Mesut Özil
I just don’t think you understand…
He earns 350 grand
For sitting in the stands
We’ve got Mesut Özil!