Arsenal are away from home again in the Premier League, taking on Brighton at the Amex Stadium.
Here are the official line-ups.
Brighton: Verbruggen, Igor Julio, Gruda, Pedro, Adingra, Baleba, Ayari, Ven Hecke, Estupinan, O’Riley, Veltman
Subs: Steele, Lamptey, Webster, March, Enciso, Georginio, Moder, Minteh, Mitoma
Arsenal: Raya, Partey, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Rice, Jorginho, Merino, Nwaneri, Trossard, Jesus
Subs: Neto, Tierney, Lewis-Skelly, Zinchenko, Kiwior, Odegaard, Kabia, Butler-Oyedeji, Martinelli.
Maaaaan. Really worried. Will be dull game.
I think if we win this game with this starting XI, we are 100% going to push Liverpool all the way.
But that’s a big ‘if’. IMHO, this is the weakest starting XI we’ve put out all season (bar the league cup).
Lez do dis.
Quick shout out to Crystal Palace and all those opposition fans that said clown car Chelsea might win the league.
Bubble burst. Time to forget about insignificant teams. It’s us and Liverpool.
But three points is an absolute, absolute must tonight.
COYG!!!
Don’t jinx it! City won 4-1 and seem to be getting back into shape, and now they’re only 5 points behind us even after all that crisis. Seems highly improbable, I know, but we’ve seen what a 5 or even 8 point gap is against those lads even in March. I’m done with counting them out till it’s mathematically impossible.
Chelsea are total DLLDs (draw loss loss draw)
Dunno, that’s just about the tallest, most physical back line we could possibly have – 5 massive strong players (including Rice) in front of Raya, will be tough to break down. Unless Brighton get lucky I think we’ll need only one goal here, and we have an in-form Jesus or an up and coming Nwaneri to do it in the 1st half, and some serious weapons off the bench if it doesn’t happen by the 2nd.
See, the first part of my prediction has come true. Now let’s see if we can keep a clean sheet here… COYG
nope :/
Is it me or did Jorginho go to Nwaneri straight after his goal to lecture him that he should’ve squared it to Rice? Was giving him that Italian che vuoi hand gesture, haha
I have doubted Arteta and been proven wrong far too many times too keep doubting him.
Well… told yaa guys.
Go Gunners!
I think if we win this game with this starting XI, we are 100% going to push Liverpool all the way.
But that’s a big ‘if’. IMHO, this is the weakest starting XI we’ve put out all season (bar the league cup).
Lez do dis.
I think this line up rightly respects the opposition. Solid. We have no right back so we’re being conservative and seeking to keep the ball as much as possible. It is putting a lot of faith in the front three to create and capitalise on chances, so let’s see what they’ve got…
Solid maybe but we might struggle to create and get out of our own half.
Nah I think we’ll have the ball in their half for most of the game – but as you rightly point out will we be able to create chances? I’m none the wiser on that front – but I do think we’ll be solid and should control the tempo with that line up
I feel like Calafiori might actually be the midfield’s saviour tonight.
I can see him being the wildcard that moves into CM to find space and line breaking passes. Jorginho, Rice and Merino can all be a safe.
So maybe some trailblazing runs from Riccardo might just make the difference.
Well, he is certainly gorgeous enough to impact this game, and I expect him to do so
Could be a dashing Italo-Brazilian trio for us if Martinelli plays comes in for 2nd half, alongside Jorginho too. Plus feel like Martinelli’s had his best performances this season with Calafiori behind him on the left side, looking forward to seeing that tonight.
I hope so. I just I want a win. I was saying the other night on ganecast that I’m starting a new job on Monday I wanna be on high next week.
I think we will win. I don’t think it’ll be pretty – but you only have to look at our right hand side and what Brighton have up against it to know that it could be a very long night… No recognised right back and a 17 year old winger making his second start in professional football… If there was any game to rest Ode and play three CMs who can defend, it’s this one
Hmm interesting, understandable given illness and how many games we have. Hoping we can pull this off today and get ahead early!
The weather might be a larger factor in the team selection than illness today.
Must strengthen squad depth at left back this January.
Brilliant 😏😏👏👏
Why left back. Cala, MLS, Timber, Kiwior, Tomi Zinchenko and KT before he goes but that’s where you think we need more strength? Very curious take
Then I saw or bench again and I have to apologise my friend. Hats off. You really had me in the first half 🤣
Great joke, but how many of those left backs can stay fit baring MLS?
We might finally get to see the Zinchenko as a left 8 (or MLS) experiment happen!
Set pieces! Just like I called last game 😜
Come on you Gunners!!!
Apart from front 3 everyone is above 6 feet
Add Jorginho to the list under 6 feet.
No Captain ? Ouch..
A lineup that could do it, and if not, there’s enough on the bemch to make a difference…
Oof. Not liking that midfield. A bit stodgy.
No Saka, no Martinelli, no Odegaard, no Havertz, no Timber.
Hm. I always think we are going to win. But I find it hard to see how this starting XI are going to gel.
I think if we win this, it’ll be due to players coming off the bench as apposed to the players that start. Can’t see it being too pretty either. God, what a negative arse I am!
Good luck all!
COYG!!!
I think Jorginho is going to be very important in this game.
Looking at the line-up, I think I will be happy for a draw.
Why isn’t Odegaard starting? Our next match is the home Carabou Cup tie with Newcastle at home so would rather have him rest in the first leg of that one than an away premier league match with our not being able to drop any points to stay within shouting distance of Liverpool. Wonder if it is due to illness or just to give him a rest.
The Newcastle game is massive – they are on great form and it’s a viable route to a cup – do not underestimate the value of winning that first trophy as a group of players together – and if we beat Liverpool in the final then it would send a message for the final run in of the season
Complete bollocks. We are in a title race: this game is massive. The league Cup is a third-rate competition.
Hang on, wasn’t it you saying recently that we should take the league cup seriously?! For the record, I don’t think he is resting ode, I think it’s tactical
Sandcastle are a first half team- they park the bus and time waste in the second. If we can contain their runners in the first and make them play our way, it shouldn’t be an issue (of course if they’re allowed to foul with abandon and use their hands like they did today against the spuds…)
A definite lack of left back cover on the bench,
slightly concerning.
lol. You almost had me there.
I am not a coach but on FM I would have moved Cali into the RB keep MLS on the left,TP in mid. And hope Calia experience will carry the day….?
At least it’s not a full strength Brighton against our lineup
Zero creativity with this midfield. Mish mash lineup.
Not a lot of choice, with Odegaard ill, Timber suspended to Partey has to play RB
Agree, not a lot of choices but we had to gamble. We were already behind Liverpool by 9 possible points before the game, now it’s 11 if they win their games in hand. 3 shots on target is not good enough. Hopefully we will have better luck in the cup competitions.
Zero? Jorginho by himself offers at least a little bit of creativity, so does Nwaneri, and apparently Merino too judging by that assist.
I can already predict Odegard and Martinelli coming on 60th minute for a desperate goal to save our season. Have watched too many Arsenal matches.
…well I don’t love it.
I don’t hate it.
Trossard and Rice long range strikes 2-0 to the Arse.
Yeah I get Ode hasn’t been on top form lately but still does enough to be included, can’t think it’s a form problem but more of an injury or illness one, with Partey at right back who’s been very good this season this is going to be a little more trickier than I thought, lets hope Miki’s game plan works, 3 points 🙏
Hmmm. Have a bad feeling it’s L or a D at best for us today with this lineup. Hope I’m wrong.
Did you change your name?
Not intentionally!
I think line up is loaded to control middle of the park and stop Brighton’s transition game since we don’t have a lot of attacking options at the moment. I still think that our front 3 can score and create chances in this game and cause them issues and we can come out of this game with a win. Let’s get it now.
If it’s not the PGMOL/VAR or injuries, it’s a virus, the club have kept pretty quiet about its effects but it’s clear Arteta is trying to spread his squad out so as to have something in the tank for 2 games a week.
Gotta dig in a grind out the 3 points…
In this case it turned out to be all three of PGMOL, injuries, and a virus.
Not what I expected!
This line-up really worries me. Remember Bournemouth away earlier in this season? Where is the creativity in midfield? And Trossard starting usually doesn’t work.
Interesting that Havertz is still “unwell”But I’m personally glad that he’s not in the squad: Arteta would have put him in midfield where he doesn’t belong.
Prediction: Odegaard will be on the pitch by the start of the second half.
Strange lineup.
Red card
I do agree with Trossard starting and being mostly as useful as nketia was when he started. Let’s see. Hopefully he has a blinder today
A bit worried about TP-Ethan axis. But it’s probably the best MA can make under the circumstances. I also hope we haven’t sacrificed creativity for solidity in the middle. Not sure why merino starts over odegaard. All in all, we must get all 3 points to keep hanging on Liverpool’s coat tail.
All the right backs are unavailable but all the left backs are
Can see a clean sheet for us with 4 defensive mids on.
We should have our left back chase the ball like a mad dog and then bring on a new one after every 18 mins.
And united doesn’t even have a single left back… lol
🤣
Hmmmm…what a lineup. Expect the most cagey game of the century…😄
0-2 to the Arsenal!!!!
Hoping that we make the most of this game today with the team we’re putting out. Expecting us to play a high intensity physical game given the squad today.
2 jorginhos?!?
Man Tomiyasu injury has really screwed us for depth when it comes to RB position, now we have to play arguably our best midfielder out of position.
White has been so ever present that the fact that we’ve been missing depth at right back for a couple of seasons has really flown under the radar. Thank god for Timber.
Martinelli is the only sub that could be used to make an attacking change. Let’s hope the first 11 make an impact!
Is this Nwaneri as the 9??
It’s a case of rotation, betting on fresh legs over continuity. I understand the consternation to some extent but our opponents today are winless in their last 5 and sit 11th in the table, and Odegaard has played an incredible amount of football since his return from injury. We can’t afford to burn him out.
Brighton are the most exuberantly high pressing team in the land. My bet is we go over them to Merino and play the second balls, then counterpress from there. If we don’t play into their strengths this could be a straightforward win.
kind of what you said but with Rice making deep runs and creating overloads on the right quite a bit…
Ethan seems like he’s taken Mikel’s compliments a bit too much to heart, about how he takes responsibility and tries to make things happen. By all means do that, but pick and choose your spots a bit more young lad. He’ll learn.
Nwaneri should stop dribbling into people already!!!
Just waiting for him to pick up a second yellow
The crowd bought that, because Anthony Taylor is as spineless as he is hairless
It’s frustrating to watch how long we take to restart the game, even for an Arsenal supporter. A simple throw, corners and free kicks take forever . . . all the while risking a yellow card with no discernable upside. I mean why are you wasting time in the first half? Just restart already ffs! It needs to stop.
Because they’re not actually wasting time. There’s a fair bit of discernible upside to making sure you take your corners right, as we’ve seen throughout this season, and a fair bit of downside with throws in our own half
There is training for how to take corners right, and its not during a game. Nwaneri’s corner deliveries were below par today, and he got booked for time wasting. The downside of being booked for time wasting outweigh any upside. We’re missing Timber today partly because he was booked for the same reason.
I don’t disagree that we should do it quicker and avoid getting booked, only with your point that there’s no discernible upside and that they’re doing it to waste time.
It looked like Ode was one of the ill set during the brentford game – hopefully he’s about over it.
Also crazy how much less control and open the game becomes without him on the pitch.
Anthony fucking Taylor.
Twice
He gives middle aged, bald bastards a bad name.
Premier league referees must show their incompetence. And always in an Arsenal game!!!!!
This is really sad
It’s clear from mid of second half of our players are truly boiled over
Schedule f**ed us. There’s no reason the Brentford match should’ve been scheduled for Jan 1st instead of along with everyone else 2 days prior.
What a time for sickness to sweep through the camp. We are not catching a break this season are we?
While the club has been extremely unlucky with injuries, some of the performances have very very poor. That 2md half was disgusting.
Sickness? Only one player was missing due to this.
Jesus has reverted back to form and we are still playing sideways, always passing, dull football.
If we don’t get players in this month and change things up then that’s another year over.
Can someone please do something about PGMOL. They’ve cost us atleast 6 points this season i think? Brighton x2, Man City. I can’t seriously believe that this is actually premeditated and corrupt, but i am soon out of other ways to explain it.
Also. What is Merino bringing to the team? I really want him to do well but.. its just he’s so slow. Slows down everything, losing the ball, making fouls.