Arsenal kick off the Europa League campaign at Rapid Vienna this evening.
Here are the official line-ups.
Rapid Vienna: Streitiger, Stojkovic, Hofmann, Barac, Arase, Ljubicic, Grahovac, Ullmann, Kara, Ritzmaier, Fountas
Subs: Unger, Sonnleitner, Schick, Petrovic, Alar, Knasmullner, Greiml, Kitagawa, Sulzbacher, Ibrahimoglu, Savic
Arsenal: Leno, Cedric, Luiz, Gabriel, Kolasinac, Saka, Partey, Elneny, Pepe, Nketiah, Lacazette
Subs: Runarsson, Bellerin, Tierney, Maitland-Niles, Mustafi, Nelson, Willock, Xhaka, Aubameyang
Let’s have a good night tonight, COYG!
Classic that we have enough defenders to stock two whole teams yet still have to field our current first choice in EL. Also feeling increasingly sorry for Nelson. Looks like this season will be a step back.
Three teams if 433
I’m more surprised that AMN isn’t start at RB or LB.
Strong team and strong bench, I’m sure there will be lots of rotation. Wish there was still 5 subs, I really like that rule.
Yeah me 2 thought he was guaranteed.
Although Willian may help us in the short term, this is the trickle down effect his signing has for prospects like Nelson.
Was very strange signing tbh especially 3 years
What do Arsenal fans really want?
It’s not 1st choice def bellerin and tierney missing also changes throughout, camt go too weak were not good enuf
Hmmm would rather AMN over cedric and Nelson for Laca but come on!!!!
Interesting to see if Laca and Nketiah can work together. A few unusual selections. Thought we would have rested Saka for sure for AMN. Should be a fun outing nonetheless!!
Maybe AMN starts Sunday?
442
Interested to see what formation he’s playing with Nketiah and Lacazette starting up top! COYG!
We seem to be experimenting at the moment
Partey will allow a 4 4 2
No partey pun?
Thank the heavens!!
Is it 4-4-2?
It’s never 4-4-2….
Interestingly the official formation given IS in fact 4-4-2 😁.
Lol thank god partey came so we can lol
It’s 10 outfield players with lots of interchanging and covering
This is the most concise explanation I’ve yet seen!
Looks that way…at least on the ball
Thank god. I always knew with partey that wld be the plan
Makes sense. It’s a strong side not really surprising as the Europa League is one our three realistic targets (along with the two domestic cups). Let’s hope we turn in a really good performance as, overall, we’ve been pretty underwhelming so far this season and we need a boost to kick start things in the PL.
Partey will help for sure and allow us to play 4 4 2. Dont forget weve already played liv and city away and west ham
Same way as ended V City with Eddie wide and Laca in the middle .
Saka in midfield trio , flat back 4 .
Good spot
The official Arsenal twitter said we have both Macey and Runarsson on the bench. You can’t be too careful
All the Champions League teams had two keepers on the bench the past two nights. Must be some kind of UEFA directive this season.
Just hope we get everyone starting with they goalscoring like Pepe, Partey, Luiz freekick, some for Saka and Eddie
And i think it is now time for Leno to step up and score
0-7 COYG
So when is Runarrson going to get his 1st start. If Leno keeps playing he’ll be more exhausted than the outfield players.
Do we have the 5 sub rule in the Europa League at least?
I wonder how a player who is static for at least half of the will be more exhausted than those who run for about two thirds of the game.
I remember reading, before Martinez left, that Leno had told Arteta he wanted be THE Keeper and play every game. Not having a cup keeper as such. I think this reinforced the decision to sell Emi. I wasn’t surprised that we went for a clear no2 instead of a keeper that could compete with Leno.
I didn’t know that, thanks for the insight.
I’m sure I’m not the only one that wants to see what Runnarson is capable of.
I’d think that this match would be the most difficult of our group stage matches. So we start Leno now, then let Runnarson start an easier match, probably at home, possibly not until after we (hopefully) have clinched advancement.
That’s actually a great point. The opposition are a lot more difficult than I initially assumed
This is what I hope it looks like:
Leno
Cedric Luiz Gabriel Kolasinac
Elneny and Partey
Pepe Laca Saka
Eddie
4231
Looks like 3 4 1 2 with saka at left wingback and Pepe in the middle behind Nketiah and Laca. We can switch to 442 and confuse the opponent. Again, we are experimenting and maybe that’s why we have more experienced players in the 11.
I think we got to get Saka up the field into that hybird no.8 role , higher up field without being LWF is most effective position for the top class Saka .
Let him grow into a no.8 in these games .
with all due respect we should only be playing 3 at the back v Top teams and Kolas got too be good enough to play LB on its own merit .
Well, wait see but WLM spt to be at the nketiah side but nevertheless… Winning is our priority
I love it! Lets bring this cup home
Strong line up. Let’s bang in 3 quick ones and get Saka off for some rest.
Wow. Reading that back sounds horrible.
I am slightly worried with Leno playing all our cup matches at such early stages.
by the by .. do we have a 4-4-2 ish thing here? Neither Laca nor nketiah are exactly winger material
I agree but I can imagine Eddie to be on the wing like he was against City
Lacazette is actually a converted right winger. He played there initially for Lyon.
442 maybe?
Saw ESR travel in the Arsenal pictures yesterday but he’s not on the bench. Reminder we’re allowed up to 12 substitutes (and can use 5 in a match).
Cant wait til we can kick on next seaon with so much free wages at end of season. Surely auaor and another creative cam
I like Arteta, but I feel he has got issues with team selection, why play Lacazette and Nketiah together? Why not play Nelson instead? And why’s that backwards ball passer Kolasinac in the team today! Eish!
Just piling up yellow cards and going nowhere!
Partey is busy (but has just got booked). We’re still underwhelming though – just “flat”, as in the PL. We need something spectacular to get going.
I didn’t realise there would be fans in the stadium. Definitely the highlight of this group stage.
This referee has a yellow card addiction😁
Trust the process pmsl
Thrilling stuff.
Arsenal are currently the football equivalent of “all mouth and trousers”. Three yellow cards and one shot (I think) on target in 45 minutes. Not good. Arteta’s managerial skills will need to be used firmly during the break. I don’t know what’s got into the team since that opening game in the PL. Since then we’ve really been pretty poor overall – little flair, few goals and a leaky defence. Hmmm.
What the F is Arteta doing?
Send in the clowns
Don’t bother, they’re here. Judy Collins
I have an image replaying in my head, of one clown leaving in a small car to another clown school, and five minutes later an even smaller car arrives at our clown school and ten new clowns get out.
Sideshow Bob c’mon
There is a lot of leeway Arteta gets, due to A) not being Emery and B) the FA Cup, but am I the only one who feels like there’s a lot of very recent history repeating?
That my responsibility spiel Arteta brought out? Yeah, not with You-Know-Who, but this is an abjectly bland performance, matching British food in general. No compliments to the chef.
And Leno’s having as bad as a game as he’s probably never had.
And Auba’s scored again. Damn the rules here anyhow during the game.
That’s done. Man, was it torrid. 3 points, and top of the group with Molde
You think villa would take Leno and £10mill for Martinez?! Sigh….
I suspect we have run out of any transfer luck
From bad to worse, 1:0 down and we look all over the place. Still plenty of time etc. but it’s a strong (on paper) team and really should be giving a better account of itself. Auba has come on (not surprising, but his goals have dried up recently). Anyway, fingers crossed.
Just bad luck that we’ve been drawn in the group of death. Hahahaha, FFS
Sent in the big guns
I’ve been in the stadium and it’s been a great night out. Even 3000 fans made a good noise. Now I’m hoping even more that things are getting normal.