Wednesday, October 9, 2024

No Saka, Jorginho starts in midfield: Arsenal v Man City team news

Arsenal take on reigning Champions Man City at the Emirates this afternoon.

Here are the official line-ups.

Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Jorginho, Rice, Odegaard, Trossard, Jesus, Nketiah

Subs: Ramsdale, Tomiyasu, Kiwior, Partey, Smith Rowe, Havertz, Vieira, Nelson, Martinelli

Man City: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Ake, Gvardiol, Kovacic, Lewis, Silva, Foden, Alvarez, Haaland

Subs: Moreno, Phillips, Stones, Grealish, Doku, Gomez, Akanji, Nunes, Bobb

Follow the game on the Arseblog live blog

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Johnny 4 Hats

Ok…..

COYG!!!!

Johnny 4 Hats

Spurs W
United W
Chelsea W
Liverpool – winning
Newcastle – winning

I really don’t want to lose this game

Badaab

Liverpool- now drawing

Johnny 4 Hats

This comment is the exact reason I’m not a football manager.

But I must say I’ve been feeling sorry for Jorg so I’m super happy for him he gets a start In a game of this magnitude.

Just really hope Arteta knows what he’s doing.

Thierry Bergkamp (non negotiable)

Chelsea’s results don’t concern us

Johnny 4 Hats

I think they’ll concern us more than United and Spurs results come May.

TeeCee

Nah. Can’t see us down in the relegation scrap with Chelsea come May.

Eric Blair

Man Utds neither

Dada

Liverpool drew

Ealing

Good news is Martinelli on the bench

TechGuyNiran

I feel like we have not really appreciated Martinelli enough

For me he is just as important as Saka

Thierry Bergkamp (non negotiable)

Gooners appreciate him, but Saka is the Hale End chosen one

Sakatatties

Let’s fucking beat these dickheads! Long overdue

Sagebrush

There is your answer. Jubilation.

Bleeding gums murphy

Oh dear. Was praying for a miracle and saka martinelli Jesus front three. With Jesus shunted out left to play nketia in the middle I think this team wins against city once in twenty matches. Here’s praying it’s the once.

Dna

Trossard on the left?

Bleeding gums murphy

The only hope in the other 19 games is staying in it till 70 minutes then putting some subs on and nicking it. COYG

RVP

It happened something like that!

Doghouse

Fair comment Mr Hindsight

Alex

I’m afraid I agree with all of this.

Man Manny

It’s about time this City voodoo was put behind us, Saka or no Saka. One point is the minimum.
Good to see Martinelli on the bench. He may come in handy later in the game.
I am cautiously hopeful. Of Wolves could do it, so can we. COYG!!!

Eric Blair

A draw would do nothing to the hoodoo, if indeed one even exists.

Vieiraera

Gutted for Saka! This means that for all the noise, he isn’t fit! Nketiah and Jorginho starting gives me the creeps. But I guess we just have to trust Arteta.

Bleeding gums murphy

Agreed. Jorginho can be very good so let’s pray it’s one of those days. Nketia disables any forward fluency and fluidity we have. He’s just not good enough at this Le el I’m afraid. Hopefully he scores hatrick today. Wouldn’t change my mind but would certainly make me very very happy.

Dada

I want to trust the manager but I don’t see how we are winning with line up

Santi’s Phonebox

Me either but shit happens sometimes.

Arsepedant

Don’t get a job as a fortuneteller.

Thierry Bergkamp (non negotiable)

Jorginho and Rice would give stability in the middle

truj

Irony?

truj

You were absolutely right, Master

Hurensohn

I’m gutted for the team but it’s Saka’s own fault. Last season KT played for Scotland with an injury and ended up out for much longer. We all slated him for nut pulling himself out.

Likewise Saka shouldn’t have played vs Lens. He needs to learn too.

Fatgooner

Well done, Arteta! You’ve wrecked Saka and taken him out of the biggest game of the season.

And you’ve picked the wrong forward line. Average Eddie won’t win you the title.

3-1 to City is my prediction

Dna

That’s the spirit

ObiKing

To be fair Eddie has been average. We need an upgrade come January. That doesn’t mean we don’t want him to do well.

JuiceJ

Eddie has 2 goals and a penalty win in 6-7 games, that is a stat of roughly 0.5 goal involvement per game. Numbers some expensive Brazilian up the road can’t boast of in 3-4 times as many games. Or the expensively assembled blues. Yet we continue berating our very own.

Bleeding gums murphy

You are seriously using richarlison as a comparison to say nketia is good enough. We want to win the league. Lord help us.

JuiceJ

Not really but appealing for Eddie’s support and perspective. The man is not as awful as you all want us to believe.

TeeCee

You also need to consider the all round game. Eddie doesn’t dive anywhere near as well or as often as Richarlison. He also doesn’t kick people off the ball like Richarlison does.
So, apart from the headline stats, very different players. One’s a nasty, weasel-faced bastard and the other’s Eddie Nketiah.

Badaab

His nickname is little Eddie, fats.

Frog

Pretty negative comment fats, unfortunately, you’re probably right though.

Santi’s Phonebox

Nope, he was wrong.

Rochester

He’s always wrong. Just wants the attention.

JuiceJ

Here is a random thought, you can just not watch Arsenal.
Saka is an employee of Arsenal, him getting injured is not news but part and parcel of being a footballer, he may have played today and got hurt what would your excuse have been then? Eddie won us games before, he just might do it today. COYG!!!!

EmileSmithWhoa

I predict 3-2 Gunners and that no matter what happens you will explain what is wrong about it.

89 again

He usually shuts up pretty quickly when we win

Hurensohn

It’s Saka fault too. Last season KT played for Scotland with an injury and ended up out for much longer. We all slated him for nut pulling himself out.

Likewise Saka shouldn’t have played vs Lens. He needs to learn too.

JuiceJ

Saka may have had a foot injury going into the Bournemouth game and also into the Lens game. But both cases he played on and helped the team and only had to sit out because of a hamstring injury. This is a new injury completely unrelated to his alleged foot injury. This coulda shoulda woulda and assigning blame stuff is not helpful for anyone. Injuries are part of the game, gutted he’s out but here we are, let’s appreciate the team we have today and back them to do us proud. We could have breakout performers today. Let’s back the… Read more »

Bleeding gums murphy

You don’t know much about injuries hey.

JuiceJ

I know a foot injury is not related to a hamstring injury as much as a back injury is not related to a toe injury. If he was fit and the team needed to win and the doctors approved it then he had to play. Would you rather sit him out when you want to win when its clear he’s our most trusted with delivering danger to the opposition?

Des Lynam

Eddie goal today confirmed!

Francis

You have always be negative fat but wishing your team to lose but the game is the height of it.

Scrubbychubby

Just zip it next time maybe, hey Fatgooner? The relentless negativity is just ridiculous.

Santi’s Phonebox

Wrong as feckin usual.

Badaab

Ugh. Jorginho against a hard running side never a great thought.

Anon

He did well vs Newcastle. Has Odegaard and Rice in front of him.

Badaab

He also made some mistakes that costs us goals this season in exactly the same circumstances. I’m not worried about the other players, just jorginho’s physical presence and pace (or lack thereof).

Anon

He has but he tends to be good in the big games

Badaab

Nld is a big game and yet…

NorthernGooner

that game was lost/drawn in the first half when we didnt take our chances….should’ve been out of sight by the end of the first half

Badaab

ten mins in and jorginho is on a yellow because of lack of pace… against a hard running city midfield. big games indeed!

Arsepedant

Care to revisit that comment now?

JuiceJ

I would have gone with Partey but here we are, here is to hoping we get the best version of Jorginho today. COYG!!

Carlos

This is the first time in two or so years where I’m absolutely livid with Arteta. ARGH. I hope it’s not a long time for our starboy, perhaps a blessing in disguise if he misses international duty.

ObiKing

Arsenal need to buy a proper right winger in January. COYG

Anon

Could cost us the title not doing that in the summer tbh

Badaab

And another midfielder.

ObiKing

We have enough central midfielders, I would get rid of Elneny and bring back Patino.

Badaab

We have 3 midfielders over 30. Partey is injuJanuary. And will be going to afcon, jorginho isn’t a long term solution, and elneny is entering the final year of his contract. We need, at minimum, one central midfielder in january.

Scrubbychubby

Partey and Jorginho are 30+ but who cares? They’ve got plenty of life left in them yet. For those three midfield slots, we’ve got Rice, Partey, Havertz, Odegaard, Jorginho, Elneny and also potentially Vieira and ESR if they are deployed there. Asking for more than that is not realistic.

Daveod

Not elated with the line up, but the crowd will be loud as long as we get to the 2nd half on level terms we can make some subs and push for the win

Daveod

Wow…….I nailed it

Arsepedant

Yes. Yes, you did!

SaintLuci

really hope Raya and Jorginho are up for this. mistakes in the last games must be playing in the back of their minds and might affect confidence. would have preferred Ramsdale in goal…

let’s see how this goes ..

Leon

Thats us fucked then, isn’t it?
What is the betting he will turn up for England?
And Nketiah up front…

Unknown

Let’s hope Arteta has a plan and team can execute it. Looking at starting line up I’m honestly not sure where goals are going to come from. Trossard maybe? Ødegaard? Solid defence and play counter attack? Nketiah and Jesus have been way too inconsistent for me for both to start. Let’s hope team is motivated and gets it done today.

Alex

I’m not in love with this line up. And I’m not happy with a substandard player (Nketiah) pushing one of our best players out of position. I think it’s stupid.

Bleeding gums murphy

Could not agree more.

JuiceJ

Eddie is the best to play today he can make runs in behind and that will be useful with City’s high press. Good GJ moves wide which means he creates mayhem and affords Eddie more space to exploit with his runs which have yielded 2 goals and a penalty so far this season.

Bleeding gums murphy

Yeah right. He’s run about and put in a tackle that got the crowd up. Any top player leaves that ball for odegarrd to run on too. Really poor and as for that shot he had 😂😂

Tony

Why not Havertz up front? We won the community shield with him there and it would surely be helpful having a tall target man up front.

Badaab

even havertz in the 10 and jesus in the 9 would give us more fluidity, but we insist on playing jorginho to mark alvarez, city’s form player

JuiceJ

Havertz lacks confidence and goals, and lumping it up towards him hoping he can hold it and bring others to play is nothing but hope. Eddie despite the obvious hate by some fans, has 2 goals and a penalty win. Far more goal threat than he’s being given by some fans. Aside from the front three there’s nothing better considering the injuries we have. Viera is no winger and his defensive work is lacking same with ESR’s defensive work. City keeps the ball well some defensive stability is needed. Im not sure of Jorginho ahead of Partey but Arteta knows… Read more »

Hurensohn

Agreed Kai > Little Edie vs City.

Dlo

Why not Nelson?

FMT

This is a game begging for Partey. I presume he is not fit. Rice, Partey, Odegar midfield would be more assuring and mobile. Not fully confident in the Jorg inclusion. The lineup does not fill me with much confidence. I wish the boys all the best out there today. COYG!!!

For my heart’s sake, I’ll sit this one out😬😬😬

Jeremy

Im sitting this one out too. Would rather enjoy the sun then 90 minutes of the inevitable. If we pull off a miracle I’ll enjoy it just as much…but afterwards. Win win.

Arsepedant

Oh ye of little faith …

Gunner1971

Bottlers!

at Rice and Beans.

Sad for Saka, proper game changer in the team. Hope it’s not serious.

On the other hand, happy he didn’t hand Havertz a start.

Ps.: I’m eager to see the said ‘rotation’ and Rams starting a game again.

RockyRog58

Hmmmm ? Not sure ???? Jorg in there to stop Alvarez & Haaland supply lines fine but up front hmmmm ?

JuiceJ

There’s nothing else to offer, personally the front three are the best we have considering the injuries we have. Can’t throw in Martnelli right away, maybe 30mins towards the end. There’s noise of Havertz up top which is laughable considering his no goals and lack of impact in a much deeper role.

EmileSmithWhoa

What is his strategy? It seems Arteta may be skewing a bit towards a slightly more controlled counter attacking strategy? Jorginho tends to provide a bit more control, more possession against a team that thrives on ball control. Nketia possibly using his quickness to get behind or at least be more of that kind of threat. With Trossard a bit more playmaking and offensive nous at the expense of some height and muscle from Havertz, this may be the choice due to MC suspension? Is this also done with the idea of compensating for our injuries and fitness by bringing… Read more »

EmileSmithWhoa

Also, is this intended to shift our most expensive & versatile? player into a more controlling and offensive role like Xhaka provided? I do wonder if there was or is a primary objective associated with this lineup? Is there some weakness in the MC lineup Arteta is after?

He’s got no hair but we don’t care...

Very happy Havertz is rested but would like Arteta to be man enough to say that Raya is his No1 and the rotating thing was bollox.
COYG!

TeeCee

I’m not happy at all. I reckon Havertz is the best alternative to Saka that we have.
Almost like Arteta has some sort of personal geas against playing Havertz on the right..

Eric Blair

Guess it wasn’t worth playing him midweek after all.

But fuck it, we’re not a one man team, let’s smash these bastards!

Henrik

Noooo!!!! NOt Jorginho. Hes gonna cost us the game. 🙁

Arsepedant

He was one of our best players today.

batmanvanpersie

saka being out feels surreal, he was practically a fixture. not really expecting much from todays game. maybe for the best. the question is will city’s defence be in trouble because nketiahs in the room?

He’s got no hair but we don’t care...

Not even 5 minutes in and Raya already has made 2 mistakes.

He’s got no hair but we don’t care...

Make that 3.

He’s got no hair but we don’t care...

FFS bring Ramsdale on!!!!

Pathetic blind faith by Arteta in Raya. What one things have justified this faith?

Deano

Raya is scaring the hell out of me.

Earlcourt

I miss Ramsdale everydale

TeeCee

Hey Mikel?
You know that thing of yours about subbing goalkeepers?
Now’s a good time, before Mr Walkabout succeeds in giving one away.

Unknown

Just going to say this if Xaka makes that tackle Kovacic just did that’s a straight red.

TeeCee

Kovacic is going to be sucking Michael Oliver’s dick for months to pay this off.

Unknown

I have a feeling MC owners are buying a nice gift basket for Michael Oliver just about now.

TeeCee

Yeah. The first one being yellow, rather than red, you can sort of argue the toss about.
The second one? Never mind Granit Xhaka, Mother Theresa of Calcutta gets a fucking yellow for that.

Der32

Any other player not wearing a City jersey, that’s a red. The Arabs have been moving like mad to placate PGMOL.

Hopefulgunner

Raya does not look comfortable. Have a bad feeling he will cost us this game

He’s got no hair but we don’t care...

Eddie really is almost no threat to man city. Oh how we with the money on Havertz was spent on a striker.

Billy bob

Raya has been pants first half so why ain’t he been subbed?

mrugunner

Boring boring boring arteta
Except the scares of raya

Vieiraera

Pep’s made 3 changes including kovacic to avoid a 2nd yellow. What does arteta need to see to sub Nketiah and Jorginho? Nketiah is sleep walking as usual. Jorginho is slow and on a yellow.

Kavit

Cogy love my team

Havertz earnt that 65 million

Fuck yes

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