Arsenal take on Liverpool at Anfield tonight for the second time in a week. This time, it’s the Carabao Cup 4th round.
Here are the official line-ups.
Liverpool: Adrian, N Williams, R Williams, Van Dijk, Milner, Grujic, Jones, Wilson, Minamino, Jota, Salah
Subs: Kelleher, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Gomez, Robertson, Origi, Elliott
Arsenal: Leno, Cedric, Holding, Gabriel, Kolasinac, Ceballos, Willock, Xhaka, Pepe, Nketiah, Saka
Subs: Runarsson, David Luiz, Tierney, Elneny, Maitland-Niles, Nelson, Lacazette
#freesaliba
Shit, is this four at the back?
Finally, a back four!!! I imagine Xhaka might take on that role of playing very deep, to cover and allow Willock/Ceballos more freedom to push forward.
Klopp is taking the game seriously enough to start Salah and that forward three (Jota, Minamino) are going to be hard to contain, hence, I think, why Leno is in net.
I think perhaps Arteta has learnt that playing Kola in a back three is about as useful defensively as having an extra central midfielder…
That was my initial thought…. but it could be Saka left wingback. Kola left of 3.
Wouldn’t that make it a 352 though? It think the formation will be malleable but I don’t know about two up top. But who knows with Arteta!
Agree Wenger would have started him ..that’s the point of this cup
Can we loan out saliba again?
guy missed french final for not even sitting on bench in carbao !
Nah, if he needs more time to integrate that’s fine by me. No rush with him, we’ve got defenders for now too
He was still expensive and hailed as the saviour…
It’s just a master plan to lower fans’ expectations to appropriate levels. Once Arteta decides we’re happy to just see him play without any savior hopes, then he gets his chance.
Or something along those lines. I’m in the U.S. and our government sells us a new conspiracy theory every day, so I’m sort of conditioned by this point. The tin foil hats Trump sent to us get a little uncomfortable at times, though.
Leno? Odd.
Just realized it’s four at the back, that’s a bit concerning if the thought process is we might need our best keeper yikes
That’s a 433 if I’ve ever seen one! Finally mixing it up
Kola???????? ………….. why.
Is he the only replacement for Tierney? Still hoping we would sell him for 11M.
Carabao Cup is why.
We are trying to sell him.
Three midfielders at last! We are going to have 35% possession instead of 25! 🙂
Hehehe
4 in the back and Saka in the front three or Willock part of a front three with Saka and Cedric as wingbacks?
Probably a bit of both depending on the phase of play I’m thinking.
So is Leno going to play every game for us this season?
The new boy has just arrived!
He needs games to get back to match sharpness after a lengthy layoff.
Another chance for kola to show his great (enter word) skills!!!!
COYG
Even if Kola had the game of his life, against Salah its a disaster.
I don’t like him. I’m not gonna pretend to support him. I was glad to hear he was moving on, now I’m annoyed
I think Kolasinac should have started last weekend.
Xhaka again can’t we start enlmy ahead of he?
Is Saliba that bad?????
free mesut
Pretty strong team. COYG!!!!
Liverpool rotated a lot more than I thought they would, but still a strong lineup.
I guess it’s down to whether our replacements from the PL game are better than theirs – they are going to have to be. We are having better luck in cups at present so fingers crossed we may get a result at Anfield this time. Defeat for us will be a bigger blow than for them so that may be a factor of sorts. As the actress said to the bishop, all will be revealed.
Off topic but Arsenal women playing now…BBC2 UK
I’m not interested in pretending to like it tbh
Hate to break it to you but that’s still 3 at the back with Saka in that hybrid wingback/attacking mid role
Leno
Cedri Holding Gabriel Kolasinac Saka
Ceballos Xhaka
Pepe Nketiah Willock
Nah?
Yeah, you’re probably right – a shame. We need to vary our approach and this would be a good game against good opposition to try something new. Alas.
It’s a back three of Kola, Gabriel and Holding.
Haha….. I tink Mesut is finished
Can we sign Jordan Nobbs for the men´s team please?
Bloody love watching Saka play. Special talent that kid.
Good chance to put some players in the shop window. Idiots on twitter complaining that kola is playing and Saliba is not. Aren’t we trying to free kola for money?
Second half just starting, is it just me or has Rob Holding been brutal?
I think it’s you but it could be me.
I think it is just me he’s been good second half ??
My god this is dull
55min no short on target yet… Why gooners.
Xhaka’s inability to turn with the ball is a major handicap and it’s badly affecting our play!