Arsenal are back in the Champions League and face PSV at the Emirates this evening to kick things off again.
Here are the official line-ups.
Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Rice, Havertz, Odegaard, Trossard, Saka, Jesus
Subs: Ramsdale, Hein, Smith Rowe, Nketiah, Kiwior, Cedric, Tomiyasu, Jorginho, Vieira, Nelson, Elneny
PSV: Benitez, Teze, Bella-Kotchap, Boscagli, Dest, Veerman, Schouten, Saibari, Bakayoko, Lang, de Jong
Subs: Drommel, Waterman, Sambo, Ramalho, Tillman, Pepe, Til, Babadi, Lozano, Van Aanholt, Vertessen
Strong team. Let’s go gooners! We’re back!
What a squad we have now! Be interesting combinations with Havertz, Jesus and Trosssard on the left
Got down voted to the hills after Saturday’s game when I suggested Ramsdale being dropped was a clear indication Raya is the new no1…
The tactics column on the main page today was brilliant. Says a lot. Raya is as good as it gets anywhere in terms of passing, he’s also better serially. Those are two pretty huge factors for controlling teams that want to counter and play “direct”.
*aerially (crosses, command of box)
Yep, read it. Bad news for Ramsdale, he’s the new domestic cup keeper
And still getting down voted. LOL. Wonder how many games Raya has to play in a row before everyone sees what’s staring them in their face
I only downvoted you because youre obsessed with downvotes
Brilliant 😉
I was going to say “don’t cry” to your first post but decided not to, until now. 🙂
Dont you think Arteta might be true to his word and offer plenty of game time to both keepers, depending on the circumstances/opposition? Brighton do it pretty successfully. I dont understand this obsession to insist a player is done because they are not in the first team.
“Depending on circumstances”. Except both Raya and Ramsdale are very similar. It’s not like you have two totally different archetypes here, they are similar but Raya is better with his feet and that’s what Arteta wants.
When it comes to keepers this is generally the rule. When AR replaced Leno, Leno was done.
That was a different situation. Leno was injured, Ramsdale came in, was very obviously far superior to Leno, and became the undisputed number one. Today, we have two excellent keepers who could both be number ones for pretty much any club in the world. Arteta will find a way to manage them so they are both happy and want to stay.
Completely agree.
All the stats and data stuff is nonsense. You’re telling me we wouldn’t have beaten Everton if Ramsdale was in goal.
Utter bollox.
In Ramsdale we could have had a Seaman type No1 for 10 years. Raya has 5 max and AR isn’t going to stick around for that.
I am beginning to believe people like you will still complain even if we win the UCL EPL, what do you guys want please! We love Ramsdale but he was one of the reason we drop some point during our tile charge last season. He transmitted some energy that didn’t help the confidence of our defenders
You’re right, but we just don’t want to hear it emotionally.
Wow! Honestly thought they’d rotate a little, give Ramsdale the CL game, but no. Raya is our new number one. Sheesh. Superior footwork, calm af. Not the “excitement” of Ramsdale but I guess stability is what ya want in ya keeper.
Yep…would have bet doughnuts on Ramsdale starting today. Sad for the guy – but Raya looks tough to get out of the team.
Why tough to get out?
Raya will make mistakes, all keepers do. That aside, AR doesn’t exactly make loads to warrant being replaced.
Arteta knows.
Exactly what I had expected – Raya starting. I expect Ramsdale back at the weekend, though.
Raya will still start.
Two keepers on the bench!
He’s thinking of subbing the keeper at some point like he said the other day.
Yup. I guess if you make a keeper sub at 60 minutes you need to have an extra back up just in case
PSV have 2 keepers too, and every other team playing in CL tonight. It’s almost as if there might be a rule…
I almost want to make a bet that every team playing in the Europa League and Conference League tomorrow will also have two keepers on the bench.
And ‘Cedric’ no better than last season , subs that is!
It’s a pretty huge bench! Even Cedric and Elneny are in
This is us…
We’re actually one player short on that bench. You’re allowed up to 12 in European competition.
It’s always the same for European matches.
you’re allowed 2 keepers on the bench in europe, its not anything fancy or innovative
Actually, you’re REQUIRED to have two keepers on the bench in Europe.
The exact line up I expected, but with Ramsdale instead. Let’s go anyway
I predicted we’d beat Everton 3-0, so it was the exact score I expected but with one goal instead.
Cedric!
I’m wondering why Havertz gets the nod? Not in a critical way, just would love to know MA’s thinking. Has felt like Vieira has been playing himself into the team and doing well enough to stay there.
My guess is because Torssard places less direct than Martanelli and Jesus will come deep to get the ball and Havertz will be playing striker a lot of the game.
Yeah this is a great point, cheers
Maybe Vieira gets the NLD
I fully expected Havertz to start today… I think it was just a case of taking him off the firing line for a bit on Sunday.
Strong team. But I’d call this not great news for Ramsdale.
The players that were responsible for getting us into the Champions League deserve to play in the Champions League. What does it mean for Ramsdale when all his mates from last year play, but he’s dropped?
Arteta says we’re trying to keep all players “happy”. This is exactly opposite that imo. This feels like a morale sapper. There’s something else going on.
Such as?
Ramsdale when he was brought in kicked Arsenal up into being title challengers I don’t like what I’m seeing with him & I can see it with ESR & Fabio too ! No quibbles about the football side of the team but I’d question what this does to morale & connection with the fans ? Raya is a superb keeper no doubt but pretty sure I’ve recently been Ramsdale would be the highest transfer fee if any keeper in world football at present ? He’s done nothing wrong to merit this !
Bloody spell checker !!!
First CL match in like 7 years, yet people are more inteterested in Ramsdale losing his place
While I feel bad for Ramsdale and was hoping he starts, you can’t be sentimental in top level sports. It’s like saying using same players that got a championship team promoted in the epl. If there’s a chance to improve, you have to do it else, you go straight back to the championship.
I get what you are saying but honestly if Arteta went with these type of feelings we would probably wait another 20 years for a title.
It’s a new era, and there is an absolute Goliath to be overcome (MC). Standards have to be driven up all over the pitch. I think even Ramsdale understands this.
As predicted by Blog earlier today.
Feel sorry for Ramdale, he’s done nothing wrong to be deserved to be benched.
If Raya is the league keeper fair enough but Ramsdale should be getting champions league, league & fa cup games otherwise he’s going to leave & that would be a massive mistake.
Nothing wrong except for not being as good as David Raya.
You say that based off of one game in which Everton blasted shot after shot at our goal?
Ramsdale had 2 clean sheets in the last 14 home league games and his stats in the end of last season and especially this season are terrible. So Ramsdale did a lot wrong. Maybe he didn’t do many very obvious mistakes but if you actually look deeper, he is leaking goals and he is a liability.
Which is why he was voted the best keeper in the league last year? 🤔
Ramsdale always showed impeccable attitude. Top top professional
And he will continue showing that attitude this whole season, no matter how many games he plays.
This is us… That’s all able bodied on the team sheet. (Timber, TP5 & Nelli injured)
If the decision to drop Ramsdale for the 2nd game running was purely for footballing reasons, why is Kai starting ahead of Fabio?
Ruthless Arteta not starting Ramsdale in the CL. Oh my! Nevertheless, let’s go Gooners!
PSV are a high pressing team. Raya is great at breaking the press and launching long passes. It’s a tactical decision. The problem for Ramsdale is that Raya’s skillset just suits Arsenal better right now. He has to adapt or be left behind.
oooofff that is harsh on Ramsdale considering his contribution to the team for the last two seasons..
I’m a little sad that Granit isn’t here for this one. But you know he’ll be watching.
This is not right. It’s not like Ramsdale made any blunder(s) to merit this downgrade.
Not sure what’s going on with this goalkeeper issue, as in what has Rambo done to be benched? Think Arteta mentioned something like “I did the same when Leno was keeper” (bringing Rambo in for competition). And the rest is history. All this talk about rotating keepers mid-game, like he’s trying to reinvent the game. People will say “ahh there’s no room for sentiments in elite sport blabla”, but I don’t know. I feel like Rambo having been an outstanding servant and one reason why we are back at his stage AND hasn’t done anything to be benched, should’ve been… Read more »
neither this match or the NLD is being broadcast in the US- have to use the dumbass apps- yet bayern v united is on FOUR channels
OK, so explanation on the keeper front from Arteta apart from ‘all positions can be rotated’. OK, so when will Ramsdale get back in? Why not tonight? I bloody hope he’s back for the game against the scum on Sunday.
Begin your thumbing down….NOW!
COYG!!!
I read up on Peter Bosz a bit. Made his name with a Europa league finals run with Ajax. On the back of that, he became the new Dortmund coach but flamed out in a few months. He had a middling spell at Leverkusen (coached young Kai!) and is now back in his native Holland where he got his start coaching and playing for Twente. He favors a high energy, high line style which won him a lot of fans when it worked at Ajax but wasn’t so good when it left the back door ajar over and over again… Read more »
4-0 domestically and beaten 4-0 by us today
The four teams they’ve beaten in the Eredivisie by a combined score of 13-1 currently occupy positions 13 through 16 of an 18-team league. The reason they have 28 goals in 9 games in all competitions so far is that they’ve played 9 crap teams so far.
Nah, don’t like this Raya situation. It stinks of “coaches pet”. We finished 2nd with Rambo. Other players made mistakes and are starting our 1st CL game in years. What has Raya proved at Arsenal in a single game?
Raya is the goalkeeping coach’s pet. They’ve known each other for years.
Looking at it from a profiles perspective, the cold truth is that there’s nothing Arsenal needs right now that Ramsdale can do that Raya can’t do as well or better. Rambo has the edge perhaps as an instinctive, high volume shot stopper and also has a bigger leg, but those are not qualities Arsenal requires of their goalkeeper. Raya is better at accurate long passer than him, better at breaking the press with his floor game and may also be better from crosses. The proof is also in the pudding. We were after Raya before we signed Rambo initially in… Read more »
I get all that. Stats tell us he’s good. I simply make the point the Ramsdale has played 60+ games, getting us from 8th – 2nd, and he’s dropped a handful of games into a new season in our 1st CL game in years. It’s more than ruthless. It’s sh*t.
Somebody stick a fork in Trossard, he looks done now.
Thanks Mikel.