Sunday, December 22, 2024

Xhaka returns, Saka starts ahead of Pepe: Arsenal v Sp*rs team news

Arsenal take on Sp*rs today at the Emirates, looking for three points at the expense of the old enemy.

Here are the official line-ups.

Arsenal: Ramsdale, Tomiyasu, Gabriel, White, Tierney, Partey, Xhaka, Saka, Odegaard, Smith Rowe, Aubameyang.

Subs: Leno, Holding, Cedric, Tavares, Lokonga, Maitland-Niles, Martinelli, Pepe, Lacazette

Sp*rs: Lloris, Tanganga, Sanchez, Dier, Reguilon, Ndombele, Hojbjerg, Alli, Moura, Son, Kane.

Subs: 7 other twats

Follow the game on the Arseblog live blog

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Duno

Fair enough. I believe we will win. But if we don’t and Xhaka does something stupid then Arteta will have absolutely no complaints.

Johnny 4 Hats

We also have the potential to totally change gears on the 60th min if things need freshening up. I’m personally fine with this. But I absolutely get people’s desire to see a fresh, new look Arsenal. I think Arteta sees Xhaka as his captain. So those of you who can’t stand the sight of him, I’m sorry. You don’t need to look any further than the team photo. Auba on one side of Mikel, Xhaka on the other. If he does well, let’s give Arteta some credit after the game too. It might just be the right call in a… Read more »

Viju Jacob

Really? The blockhead nearly gave away a penalty to Kane, especially when he knows Kane goes down easily in the penalty area. So many numpty fouls too, so quit the Xhaeffingka train already

Johnny 4 Hats

No he didn’t. That was White.

If you just complain about our players after an NLD win, you really need to find something else to make you happy.

Johnny 4 Hats

When you write a long winded, considered and passionate comment before a NLD but get put in the approval queue.

Ah fuck it, I’ll shorten it.

Come the fuck on you mother fucking gunners.

I actually think that was better.

Lord Bendnter

I feel your pain Mr 4 Hats

gooner

You can almost think Xhaka is a spurs player from all the hate he gets on here

Bleeding gums murphy

I wish he was 😂

leon

He brings it on himself..

UGooner

Well it’s not all hate. A lot of it is frustration, and we cant say its unwarranted.

I would have Lokonga or even Odegaard there and Pepe on. But I hope he has another one of his good comeback games. And hopefully opens up more space for Tierney and finds him. Could pressure their full back cause Spurs been exposed there at times. COYG

The Far Post

So far so good. Please more of the same in the second half 🙂

Duno

It’s been beautiful: fucking excellent. Oh my!

el nino

Lets do these cunts

DPK

Can I update this a million times ?

DPK

Upvote even !

Jules

Should have been lokonga for xhaka. But otherwise great. COYG let’s wreck these shits

Kareem Mohamed

100%.

Lokonga has had a better season than Xhaka.
Deserves to start on merit.

Very disappointed by Mikel.

Corona X

Who downvotes this? Does anyone actually like Xhaka? 🤔

Brady’s bunch

Clearly someone had an absolute mare whilst trying to reach for the like button

The Beast

Xhaka was good today. Thought the line up was spot on (hind sight being 20/20 & all)

Ghost of Fabregas

It’s a damning indictment of this club’s management that Xhaka is who we have to turn to – as an immediate starter- after everything that has happened

Anders Limpar

FUCK YOU XHAKA – Just getting it out the way so I don’t have to scream it later when he does something ridiculous/irresponsible/brainfarted….

Red-Wing

Funnily how while I can totally relate to your (internal) screaming, this was low-key my number 1 line-up for today or at least I would be able to make a good case for it.

Xhaka-Partey make for solid and experienced midfield pairing with enough flair, speed and creativity in the final third with the players ahead of them.

I’m just as sick and tired of Xhaka’s stupid mistake, but I see what he can bring to the team in such a match. Fingerss crossed he can keep it together, I choose to believe ahead of this derby!

COYG!

Red-Wing

Wanted to correct a typo but then I saw there’s too many of them. 😅 Excited for the game!

thw14

He has never, ever been anywhere good enough to justify his calamities. He is not a creative passer of the football, however much half-baked statistical ‘analysis’ wants to pretend otherwise.

It doesn’t matter if we win this particular game, this is a horrendous decision. Any sense of accountability for actual performances goes out the window.

Anders Limpar

Credit where credit is due he was very decent today! COYG FOYS

Brady’s bunch

Fuck he’s back 🙈

Sean

Xhaka does something stupid, gets banned/stays out of the side for a few games, comes back in for a big game, everyone has a meltdown, he surprises everyone by being actually being pretty good, then doesn’t have a significant brain fart for another few months. Now please, let’s not have that cycle broken today…

Brady’s bunch

I’ll take that 👍🏻

Anders Limpar

At no point was he pretty good, he maintained his level of mediocrity while the rest of the team floundered around him, thus creating an illusion of relative improvement.

Brady’s bunch

I’ll take that as well

Cranky Colin

Heel b as cool as a cucumber

Brady’s bunch

Or as limp as a lettuce

goonshow

I probably speak for most of us when I feel there’s one name on that starting 11 I’d rather not see there.
Also kinda feel Pepe is the sort of mercurial touchstone for a match like this – but pretty he’ll come off the bench at some point.

A M

he did the same last time out, and it was his pass that led to the winning laca pen
fingers crossed he can make an impact off the bench when needed
COYG

Pythagros

LET’S FUCKING GOOOOOOO

Give youth a chance

Of course Xhaka starts.

And to think I was looking forward to this match…

Thierry Bergkamp (non negotiable)

Xhaka is undroppable

Man Manny

Good line-up. Let’s get the 3 points.
COYG!

Their new right-back Emerson dropped after 2 games.

Really looking forward to Tomiyasu up against Son.

Ghost of Fabregas

Who’s got the strongest bench?

Appels&Pere

I have Willian feelings when I see Xhaka in the starting line up.

Djouroureallylikeit

Come on man that’s really harsh.

Al Alontos

I guess almost everyone suspected Xhaka will start. Hmm

Virginia Gooner

Xhaka free kick goal incoming. Followed by some stupid comment about how he does his talking on the pitch instead of an apology for being a twat and getting sent off against City.

A M

hope xhaka doesn’t do anything stupid and with partey effectively anchors the midfield
hope saka thinks he’s playing wimbledon on wednesday night
hope everybody has a fucking blinder and paint north london red
COME ON YOU GUNNERS LET’S FUCKING GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴

A M

saka on wimbledon night cuz he had a really good cameo on the right wing then

Rocky07

Would like to have seen Lokonga play, but can understand Arteta going for Xhaka, experience will be important today.

Brady’s bunch

We’ll never move on the until we move him on

Nzini

That’s what people said about Ozil

Brady’s bunch

How’s he getting on 🤔

Bleeding gums murphy

Ozil could play football

PEA14

I am really hoping MA prove us wrong with his Xhaka selection

Nostalgic Gooner

Welcome back Granit. MOTM today. You always play well after your red cards. Good luck boys.

Cyprus The Immortal Gooner

A player we were trying to sell a whole summer cannot be dropped even after he hung his team up with a stupid red and then the team without him went ahead and won 3 games without him in the team…

I would have said it’s ESR ahead of Pepe, not Saka ahead of Pepe.

Saka is practically a guaranteed starter these days.

Jean Ralphio

If we can control possession like we did last time, then we might win. Their front three won’t make this easy. Harder than it looks but I’m quietly confident.

Bleeding gums murphy

Straight back in. Hard to believe this project, process narrative when Xhaka walks (excuse the pun) straight back in. Would have loved to see lokonga partey in the middle. We could win with this line up. The persistence with Willian, now the persistent with a midfielder who no team in world football were willing to pay more than 12 million for makes me think Arteta just doesn’t learn. Since he has been out we have not conceded and won three in a row. Rant over. COYG

truj

Come On You REDS!

Badaab

xhaka will never learn or improve if there are no consequences for his actions. is it going to cost arteta his job? more and more people are saying it might!

Ryman

I AM SHITTING MYSELF…. Oh yea and the NLD is today! Just please beat these fuckheads.. please.

Naked Cygan

I don’t like this line up much. I would play laca up front and push Auba left or bench him. I would rather have Sambi over Xhaka. Pepe should start over ESR. Goalkeeper and defence is spot on. Hopefully we will get the 3 points.

He’s got no hair but we don’t care...

Xhaka. Really? I will always be behind our beloved Gunners but FFS how does he get straight back in? Pathetic.

Nostalgic Gooner

Xhaka is underrated. We usually miss him when he’s not playing. It’s not his fault Arteta can’t make better use of him. You saw how good he was at the Euros. With Arteta, I don’t really know if players are good or bad or if it’s the system. I just support the team, and hope we either win or eventually get a better manager. Win win.

Sagebrush

But we did not miss him these past three games

Murphy was an Arsenal Fan

I simultaneously wish to grimace atthe mere mention of Xhaka in the team and remember him doing well with Partey last season. Why didn’t we sell him off to Mourinho exactly?

JackofAll

Coz they were offering no real money and we were only interested in selling if it was a really good deal….the idea we were desperate to sell is wrong from everything I’ve seen/read….I think we were willing to sell at the right price but that’s as far as it went.

Murphy was an Arsenal Fam

That’s true, but it isn’t like Xhaka’s getting any younger or faster. Doubt he will get us even that much next time around.

TBF, though, he did well for Auba’s goal. And Auba did his best Henry impression too

Le Bob

Leaving Pepe out feels like a mistake. Easily our most dangerous player who has been putting in defensive shifts as well

Kareem Mohamed

ESR has been our best attacker this season (while Saka has slowly been getting back up to speed).
Was happy to see Pepe dropped…and it turned out to be a good decision.

shokim

Praying there’ll be no brain farts from he-who-shall-not-be-named. COYG!

Sagebrush

I think he-who-shall-not-be-named got a spell on MA.

Billy bob

Win this we go 11th, win convincingly we could go 10th – the climb up the table begins

Takeshi castle

Just Laca instead of Auba as he is technically more sound. Other than that the team is set to win! CoYG

Baichung Bhutia

That is an extremely attacking Spurs team. I would have loved Lokonga or even AMN to start to give us some mobility. Fair enough Arteta has gone with Xhaka – but you live by the sword or die by it.

Nzini

Here is to a good game from Xhaka

TUMANG

Fuck Mikki and his pat dog Xhaka.

Not exactly sure what manner of dirt Zhaka’s got on Arteta, but it’s gotta be of the serial rapist variety.

Sagebrush

😅 True

karl

Mikel’s record of trusting in experience hasn’t served him well, but let’s hope Granit is looking to make up for his most recent mistake in a positive way. Arteta deserves a few crumbs for all the support he’s shown!

SarcasmB0T

Seems like Xhaka starting is Arteta’s only true non-negotiable.

Let’s hope he finishes the game without getting sent off or conceding a penalty.

COYG!

shokim

2-0 to the Arsenal in 27 mins. I’m loving this!

Brady’s bunch

😎😎

Man Manny

3 – 0 at the break!!!
Xhaka has been brilliant.

Billy bob

What a first half, best I’ve seen in years 👍

Arsenal's Resurrection

Wow!!! Thank you very much the God for granting my wish come true of a magnificent performance by Arsenal and a decisive defeat of the Spuds. The Gunners slaughtered them roosters lol. Can’t believe my eyes did Aubameyang really won 6 headers? Lol. Smith-Rowe, Saka, Odegaard, Partey, Tomiyasu, Gabriel, Ramesdale and Aubameyang were Outstanding. Arteta’s selection and tactics were Superb. My vote is 10 for each player. 10 for Arteta. 10 for the amazing Arsenal fans at the stadium. So super happy, joyous, ecstatic for the magnificent win and so happy for the players, manager, staff, and all the Arsenal… Read more »

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