Saturday, December 14, 2024

Gunners unchanged from Old Trafford: Arsenal v Aston Villa teams

Arsenal take on Aston Villa at the Emirates this evening, looking for back to back Premier League wins after last weekend’s victory at Old Trafford.

Here are the official lins-ups.

Arsenal: Leno, Bellerin, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney, Partey, Elneny, Saka, Willian, Aubameyang, Lacazette.

Subs: Runarsson, Maitland-Niles, Luiz, Xhaka, Ceballos, Pepe, Nketiah

Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett, Luiz, McGinn, Trezeguet, Barkley, Grealish, Watkins.

Subs: Steer, El Mohamady, Taylor, Nakamba, Hourihane, El Ghazi, Davis

Follow the game on the Arseblog live blog

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Jules

Now let’s beat them like we did at Old Trafford.

Anonymarse

Few more goals would be nice, for us

Jules

Excited to see Partey and Elneny in midfield again. Was so nice to see us dominate and control the midfield after what seemed like ages back at Old Trafford

Johnny 4 Hats

What’s the point in resting Runarsson in the Europa if we aren’t going to start him at the weekend?

Assshavin

You dont need to rest a goalkeeper.

Still love wenger

Whoosh!

AmakeAgreatA

Resting eh? top faith/banter you got there…

Karol Chren

troll detected 🙂

SB Still

We’ve got to get the 3 points today and get in touch with the top.

COYG, we can do it.

Biggles

Yes, we do really – and let’s hope we score more freely than we have done in the PL.

Man Manny

Let’s do it again, guys.
3 points please.

DB’s first touch

No room for Willock on the bench??

Eche

Eddie should have drop for Joe on the bench

DB’s first touch

Except Eddie is nailed on to come on for Laca around the 70th minute isn’t he

Cultured Determination

Or xhaka or ceballos.

Chamakhyungpark

Willian and Willock should swap roles.

Futsboller

I was anticipating this lineup but at least Willock on the bench to come on in the 60th and get the ball rolling if the narrative wasn’t heading for happiness.

I like the idea of keeping the team together that worked so well, but Aston Villa are a different animal than United: it requires a different approach. Let’s hope we work that out with the same personnel.

Futsboller

Let me update my comment after watching that foul first half — how can you play the same squad, with the same setup as you did against ManU at Old Trafford at home against Villa? How can you not reward Willock for his performances in the EL with a bench spot in this game?

I hope our second half delivers a much-different message than the first as I can’t believe what I’m seeing right now.

Elbon

You were completely right, and Arteta hashed this terribly. Poor from him tonight.

PeteyB

It’s seems a shame given his performances, but at the same time you can see a reason for all the other bench sitters being there. Maybe Nketiah you drop and when Laca has to be removed you move Auba central.

Jack

What has Willian got to do to be dropped to the bench?!

Alex

He is here for football reasons.

Tombo

Pepe and willian both playing crap but pepe is scoring and assisting. Pepe gets called out and willian gets praise for ‘progressing’. Very strange relationship he has with them both

BillyKrystal

Looking forward to his usual anonymous showing and then trodding off clearly satisfied with a mediocre job.

AmakeAgreatA

We can’t think about the 11 players in isolation, it’s all about how they fit in the team…Willian I think is in from the start, for how he combines with Bellerin..parterships are more important than individual quaity.

Riku

William does not lose the ball is tidy on the ,like Pepe can on occasion. Which can make a break from other rvteam

Deano

Agree about Willian does nothing for us. Not keen on Lacazette at the moment either, should have done better with that header.

King of Zamunda

I would have thought Willock at least makes the bench… Oh well COYG

Teryima Adi

Strong line up. We expect El-Partey to boss the middle of the pack. COYG !

JBF

I prefer ToMo personally

Anonymarse

Why not combine the two

Tomo Elpartey

JBF

Sounds like a hell of a guy

AlexNuggz

William getting another start, he must have Arteta nudes! Being serious though, he hasn’t contributed since Fulham so really needs to step up. I dont get Arteta here, you see Willock play two MotM performances in a row in Europe, granted against minnows, but he isn’t even rewarded a spot on the bench, then Willian who has done nothing for 7 games is rewarded a start. Sends the wrong message imo.

Tanned arse

Yup, double standards setting in. Willian and lacazette appear to be allowed to put in sub standard performances as long as they run around. It’s easier to accept being left out when others are performing, less so when they’re not.

Der32

If Villa plays a low block, Willian might come in handy with his tight possesion and eye for pass. He hasn’t been great since Fulham, but it was his pass to Bellerin that gave way for the penalty. Let’s support our new signing, he’s only trained with us for a couple months!

Lack of Perspective

Not quite getting the willian hate. Yes hes not setting the world alight. Definitely fulham is best performance. Arteta himself said he played well against united, maybe the instructions he is being given are being executed as intended. Which might blunt him compared to what a fan might want, but might giving the manager what he needs for the team to stabilise. The team as a unit is improving. Against united we looked as stable as i think ive ever seen us. He was in the side. He is consistent and reliable. If not exciting at the moment. Im quite… Read more »

Alex

Shame Willock didn’t make the bench and personally not pleased enough with Willian to see his place seemingly guaranteed after multiple weak performances.

Still, 3 points and I’ll be very happy. Last game of the weekend when our rivals do well is HORRIBLE

Paul Roberts

I’m sorry to jinx it but I feel it’s coming to the time when we give someone a spanking. COYG!

Tombo

Always think it, never say it 😂

Billy bob

Why is willock not even on the bench? How can willian be ahead of pepe? Not feeling overly confident about this especially as we struggled against this lot recently!!!

Torterrier

I am pretty disappointed not to see Pepe start ahead of Willian, and also would have liked to see Willock on the bench at the very least.

Why are the media talking up Sp*rs’ chances of winning the league? I find it laughable, they don’t win anything and they haven’t exactly had the most challenging start to the season but have still messed up when cruising in games.

Anyway, COYG

Martin

Well they were top of the league for 20 mins 😂

Jeremy

Because the media never learn. They want it to happen so badly but fail to understand that they should report what they think will actually happen rather then what they want to happen.

N10

Arteta simply doesn’t rate Pepe. What else can we conclude?

Biggles

Yes, and there have been several press reports to that effect as well. The problem is I don’t see how we can use him primarily in the EL or cups given he cost a fortune in fees and salary. I don’t think he’s anywhere near justifying either on the evidence so far (and probably never will be as we hugely overpaid on his fee), but he needs more game time if only to confirm things one way or the other.

Cultured Determination

Very happy that we are moving away from a xhaka- reliant midfield.

Jeremy

Can Willian do something today rather than float around the pitch offering nothing? There we go…hattrick incoming 🙂

Frog

No gervinho? I mean Pepe

Andy

More like Glen Helder

Biggles

After three: “There’s only one Glen Helder”.

goonero

No Xhaka in the XI makes me happy enough! Hope they can really go and put Villa to the sword now.

Biggles

Looks a good enough selection. First and foremost, we need to win – pretty obvious, especially as several of the sides above/around us have won. Second though, I think we really need to win “well” if possible. We’re just not scoring enough goals – as most (but not quite all, oddly) of us recognise. Excepting the trip to Fulham, we’ve six in as many games. That’s appalling for any side with PL ambitions, if not this season then fairly soon, unless it has a rock-solid defence (like, say, the Liverpool or Arsenal of old, or Chelsea more recently). We don’t… Read more »

Bodie CI5

Anything other than a 3 nil win shall make me happy, ok 2 nil might make me happy,,

Lacaubapepe

Effin VAR gets it right for the first time !!!

Thierry Bergkamp (non negotiable)

Do you have a link?

Bryan

Relieved

Billy bob

What an uninspiring start to the match from an arsenal point of view!!!

Bergkamp2Wright

Willian is utter shit.

Hank Scorpio

He’s not that good

Billy bob

Why did we sign him? Pepe was showing signs of progress at the end of last season, so “will-i-aint at the races” should never have been brought in, especially as we have Nelson who would be a much better backup option!!!

Bergkamp2Wright

I genuinely have no idea. Basically killing the progress of a home grown talent for this shit show.

3 year contract!

karl

You have to wonder how long Arteta will keep playing Willian against all evidence of anything useful.

TotsOfJack

We’re making Barkley look like fucking Ronaldinho ffs.

Naked Cygan

Absolute bollocks.

Justno

The old elneny is back

Billy bob

I had a bad feeling about this game and the first half hasn’t gone anyway to change that opinion – we really need to bench will-i-aint and Laca, awful!!!

Bergkamp2Wright

One team is up for this. The other is us.

Billy bob

Put Auba central, Saka left and bring on Pepe and xhaka or Ceballos!!!

Rick_Sanchez

Actually, we are not too bad. But there is absolutely no movement up front. Villa is very clever defensevly, so someone has to make runs.
Honestly, I don’t really see what Willian brings to the team. He seems so slow and switched off at times.

Rick_Sanchez

Yeah, my assessment was not accurate. God, so boring again. Maybe I was tricked because we had some chances.

Naked Cygan

45 minutes of disgusting, slow, 2nd to ever ball, stupid performance. This is not the same team s last week. Bollocks tactics.

myrtle

I can’t believe he hasn’t changed it for a home game
This team is as slow and passive as it gets
Auba hasn’t touched the ball in the box yet-a-fucking-gain

karl

It is slow ponderous football without taking any risk.

I never enjoyed watching Spain, I don’t much care for Man City and George Graham is starting to look cavalier. At least we used to win then.

Bryan

This process ! Hmmmm😐😐😐

Biggles

Loads of possession, one shot on target, and a goal (albeit an own goal) behind. Not good enough. The attack appears (still) to be toothless. Hope things change pdq in the second half – perhaps a “super-sub”?

Justno

Is willian still playing for Chelsea?

Bergkamp2Wright

Is he still a footballer?

truj

Arteta is a decent midfielder

Billy bob

It gets worse!! Partey off, presumably with an injury as there is no other explicable reason for such a move!!! But why no Pepe?

Johnny 4 Hats

Willian and Laca for Willock and Pepe.

Saka moves forward and Auba central in a 433.

Bergkamp2Wright

Neither Willian or Laca should be 1st choice, they offer next to nothing

Rick_Sanchez

Nope, he brings on Eddie who doesn’t bring anything to the table. Poor Auba, 3 shots inside the box this season.

FMT

Playing three at the back against Aston Villa?
The less said the better🙄

Rick_Sanchez

Boooooring

Billy bob

What a relief Eddie and Pepe are coming on, hopefully at the expense of Willian and Laca!!! Probably too little too late but I can’t be doing with more turgid performances from those two!!!

karl

Every time we get a breakaway, the players slow it down and pass backwards while Villa reset.

backsakcrack

The question then becomes why are we setup to play on the counter at home?

Greg in Seattle

Ceballos is slowly turning into a very unappealing player.

Hank Scorpio

My eyes hurt from watching

Rick_Sanchez

I’m done paying money for this crap

truj

Come to my place and you can watch it for free. But without me.

Rick_Sanchez

At least someone can make me laugh 🤣

Bergkamp2Wright

Absolute fucking shit show.

Zero creativitys, zero energy, zero tactics.

Really fucking Emery.

truj

We need a manager…

Bergkamp2Wright

Players believing their hype after scraping a win against a 2 bob utd team.

FMT

And the humming starts…

Lacaubapepe

Arteta is a bleeding cunt! Wastes Auba at the wings for 70 minutes every match day before suddenly realizing that Lacazette is shit and Willian is useless!!!

Hank Scorpio

They must be doing the ‘non-negotiables’. Keeps picking the same duds in the same formation. A minor step up from Emery at best

Der32

That catch by Emi and the quick release for Grealish for the 3rd goal. We were outdone by the better team. Arteta still has miles to learn.

Lacaubapepe

Nah, arteta hasn’t been to school yet. So fucking overrated !

Deano

Basic direct football taken us apart. We have made Grielish and Barkley look like world beaters today.

Rick_Sanchez

To be fair, Grielish is a darn good player

truj

When our defense gives him a standing ovation.

Elbon

There was one sequence towards the end where they got down our right side with just basically straight forward passes between their players, and ended up in our box with a blocked shot. Poor from Arteta.

truj

Boooooooooooo!

StuArse

F*ck this nonsense. Boring as hell football, as passive as we have ever been and still no movement up front nor creativity in the center. Off to bed, can’t be bothered with this sh1t any more.

truj

Maybe I will watch women^s football, the miss kick, like our Auba does it tonight.

FMT

Best defence in the league, and then…BANG! Concede 3 goals!

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