Arsenal take on Man City in the Carabao Cup quarter-final at the Emirates this evening.
Here are the official line-ups.
Arsenal: Runarsson, Mustafi, Gabriel, Kolasinac, Maitland-Niles, Elneny, Ceballos, Cedric, Willock, Lacazette, Martinelli
Subs: Leno, Tierney, Mari, Smith Rowe, Pepe, Balogun, Nketiah
Man City: Steffen, Cancelo, Dias, Laporte, Zinchenko, Rodrigo, Fernandinho (C), Bernardo, Mahrez, Foden, Jesus.
Subs: Ederson, Walker, Stones, Sterling, Gundogan, Aguero, Torres
That midfield is kind of depressing but not alot of options so we go! Love to see Balogun and Smith-Rowe get some game time tonight. Where is Nelson though? COYG
Somehow feels like another roll of the dice to see what comes up.
I do think Cedric and AMN are better choices as wing backs if we’re playing 5 at back as they won’t maraud too much, but feel 442 is a better formation to allow for a creative midfield.
Laca at top with Gabi wandering?
Ok. I don’t hate that.
Mind you, any team without Willian feels like we’ve got peak Henry and Bergkamp upfront right now…
People say we should be competing in the league with the likes of City. But when their league cup starting XI is better than our Premier League starting XI, you have to doubt the validity of that claim.
Don’t get too excited. You know he’s just being rested so he can get his guaranteed start in a far more important fixture.
Leno is starting and is on the bench too, Blogs?
He’s just that good.
Runnarsson is that bad?
He’s bloody awful.
This could get real ugly with him in goal. I fear for Arteta, heavy loss here and people will lose their minds.
Runarrson is starting
or even Runarsson
Leno starting in goal AND on the bench.
A real diamond geezer.
Leno both on team and om bench.
Starting Gabi, I hope he knows what he’s doing.
Two hopes and Slim has left town.
2 Lenos!
And i’ll be happy for the rest of my days
Interesting to see Leno both in goal and also on the bench.
Fixed!
Great to see Martinelli start and Balogun on the bench!
How can I pick a team that excludes Smith Rowe
HE IS NOT THE SAVIOUR OOO!!!! yall be going on about as if dude is messi, mans got a decent highlight reel for huddersfield but it is not as if he lit up the league last season
He might not be messi but it’s about time he got a start. Especially given this is a meaningless game and furthermore just in case you missed it, most of our senior midfielders are complete shit
I would love for him to start but we have seen this too many times we putting too much hope on a kid and if he doesn’t play well we turn on them.
You know you need to start somewhere, right? At his age Modric was in bosnian league, loaned from Dinamo Zagreb. Then you work your way up. We haven’t even seen enough of him to say such stuff. He is real potential and it would be exciting to see him develop through a run of games, that’s all.
No Xhaka. I think he’s eligible, right? I mean, Gabriel is in the lineup despite his Premier League red card, so I have to assume this is intentional. Could Arteta be waking up? Or does he think Xhaka should only be allowed to Xhaka in more meaningful games?
xhaka starting against chelsea. Bye bye arteta.
Xhaka had a 3 game ban, this is the third game. Gabriel had a 1 game ban, that was Everton.
that’s how that works…haha
Isn’t this his 3rd match suspended?
Decent enough team. The worry is the people not starting will start in the weekend game – Willian, Nketiah, possibly Xhaka. Also what’s the percentages of win for this one? Think Blogs should include that in every team news.
What’s the formation?
Back 3 with Kola as one of the 3 and Willock right?
Back 4 with Maitland Niles forward on the right?
8-0-2
Not sure why we didn’t sell Leno along with Martinez, seeing that we already have a Leno
Top comment, made my day!
No Nelson but two Lenos..
That’s higher algebra for you
I think we can accurately say their team is considerably stronger than ours.
Also, why is Mari on the bench? Why did we buy him if he’s worse than Mustafi?
Maybe he’s in contention for the weekend.
CBs don’t tire that much and surely he could start both games. Don’t think he will use him against chavs.
I would have sold Leno and Martinez, and kept Leno
I suppose Willian needed a rest before the Chelsea game because he’s been working so goddamn hard for the team.
For Chelsea you mean?
unpopular opinion but hear me out… playing WIllian in the Chealsea game makes sense from a tactical and psychological point of view. Probably no one in our team (with the exception of Luiz) knows their defense better than him and he might also have something to prove against his old club, same as Walcott and Iwobi had against us in our last two games.
The issue is that he doesn’t seem to have anything to prove to his new club.
Mustafi?! Just stop playing him at the expense of others who will be here next season!
That rules out saliba then
I do not want to be pesimistic, but what if, Mustafi, you know.. stays here for another.. noooo way, right?
Names out of a fucking hat!
Why isn’t Mari playing? He can’t be good if he’s not even in the Coca Cola cup 11 and Mustafi, who is kind of crap, with expiring contract gets ahead in the pecking order.
Another chunk of money pissed away.
At least Willian isn’t on the pitch.
Oh I bet his spirit will be there 🙂
Seriously, why did Arteta buy Mari on a long term deal if Mustafi is still preferred over him even in a Carabao cup game. I used to back Arteta but it’s too difficult to defend some of the decisions and acquisitions that he has made.
Do we know it’s Arteta behind that deal or was it another of Edu’s “Hey Mikel, here’s another player you didn’t ask for. His name’s Pablo and he comes highly recommended by my pal Kia who as it happens pocketed a nice little earner from the deal.”?
Still, looked less of a clown than mustafi when he played. Would prefer him starting and mustafi sent to north pole to pack presents for Santa Claus. Would probably side tackle him as well.
Is this where Martinelli limps off banjaxed before the first half is over?
3% chance.
In the first half. However in the second half it was 100%.
See, you were wrong. It was just after second half started.
Willock over Smith Rowe. What’s the point? Willock has had so many chances and been so extremely average against premier league opposition. We have a creative midfielder, so let him play. Free Smith Rowe.
What’s happening on the training pitch so Saliba can’t even get on the bench or is he just earmarked for a January loan? and why? WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY… WHY ARTETA WHY.
EVERYTHING IS JUST WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY
I AM LOSING MY MIND WHYYU SO SERIOUS??!?!
On the positives I’m quite curious and interested to see AMN in that RAM role.. and of course Martinelli back
No problem with Willock playing, but it should be for one of Ceballos or Elneny. Chin up. With Arteta guaranteed to pick Willian and Xhaka against Chelsea, the end is in sight.
I agree, Willock doesn’t have the close control, creativity or mastery of space to be effective as an attacking midfielder against top level opposition. Maybe ESR doesn’t either – but how will we ever know? I would like to see Willock in a deep midfield position though. CAM is a very hard position to play, especially in this team, he’s been playing on the hardest settings. Playing deeper would give him more time and space on the ball. And the fact that he can at least cover ground and isn’t a total negative disaster zone on the ball should make… Read more »
Why isn’t ESR starting? We are really taking a piss out of our top young players. If he cannot start in carabao cup, even if it’s city, where can he start??
He’ll want to leave and will show his quality somewhere else if we keep doing this.
It’s Jesus birthday in a couple of days. I’m sure he’ll want to put a good performance in. But fuck him, Lets do these cunts
I see he’s resting his Willy for the EPL.. Far too important to risk even on the bench. pepe is the kind of player.
Chambers not ready yet? Do we really have to give Mustafi another chance?
Maybe he’s just put in the shopping window?
No one’s spending money on Mustafi when they can just get him for free in 6 months
Chambers and Saliba might actually be good players for us but need games
I was afraid they might risk Partey
Mustafi and Lacazette again…..(smashes his head against a brick wall)
No Willian !!! keeping him fresh for Chelsea !!
Saliba? SMH
Why does Arteta play Mustafi and Kolasinic over Saliba and Chambers. Both have proven time and time again they are nowhere near good enough for Arsenal and have no future and then you have Saliba, rated as one of the best young defenders for France yet has played zero minutes. If we had good quality defenders I’d understand but we don’t. Also frustrating Smith-Rowe given no chance to start. Watch Arteta select Xhaka again for the next game too.
Who’s captain?
Mainwaring?
MA
Mustafi and Kolasinac starting is incredibly bad. They should both be packed up and ready to be moved on as of January 1, not starting matches for us, good lord.
Three minutes gone and a goal down. Why am I really not surprised. We’ll see what the team is made of now.
We won’t see anything. They’re made of nothing.
I’m better than Runarsson I’m serious…
Lol didn’t take long. I’d happily take a 5-0 in this meaningless game if it hastened the inevitable
I’m very scared of horror movies, only one I watched through was Wrong Turn, and was able to watch 20 mins of The Exorcist. This, I think, is the latter.
Has Runnarson caught any shot on target since he joined us?! He seems to evade the shots…😃😃
City have so much of the ball, without any pressure, even in final 3rd…even when and after they scored!
Unbelievable.
This is hard to watch.
It’s shambles
It’s never fun.
Martinelli
FFS!!!!!! Arsenal luck.
Or he was just having a lie down?!
What the hell were we doing keeping him on after half time?! Just not worth taking even the slightest risk
We are a total shit show, the kid looks like he could be a worldy and we’re gambling on his progression.
Just another bad mark against all that’s going on at the club. Unbelievable how badly run we are.
LUCK?!? This has fuck all to with luck. He’s coming off a brutal injury, so his minutes need to be limited. He’s clearly hurt at the end of first half, but the stat-spouting Guardiola wannabe sends him out again?
Fuck off.
Errrrr. My comment was made when he was initially injured. i.e. before half time, so him getting clipped by the keeper was bad luck.
Leaving him on was ridiculous, he absolutely should have come off.
Yeah, I realized that right after I’d posted my reply.
Sorry, I got a little carried away there.
But just to be clear, the “fuck off” was never directed at you, it was meant for Arteta, who’s fast becoming a clear and present danger to this club.
I don’t get playing a relatively strong/senior side, leaving out the likes of Balogun and ESR, and yet giving Runarsson a start. I thought we’d got rid of that daft cup keeper thing
Makes no difference who is in goal. We are just shi*t.
Runarsson wasn’t the right standard and nobody else wanted him. You have to wonder what the motivation is to sign so many average players on high wages recently. We are paying through tv subscriptions and merchandise, but it certainly isn’t worth it.
I don’t mind the cup keeper thing, so long as the 2nd choice is of a certain standard. It keeps the 2nd choice fresh and interested in case they need to cover for the 1st choice. And keeps the 1st choice on his toes too, should the 2nd choice perform well + gives him a mental break What is a problem is that we’ve signed someone who doesn’t even appear to be professional level, let alone elite level. This is emblematic of the lack of judgement, professionalism, ambition, and plain fucking effort that has plagued our club since we became… Read more »
I know our GK coach recommended Runarsson. But how many people along the chain had the power to veto this transfer? That is where our problems lie.
Sack them all
They had all been fired – that’s the issue.
Balogun is hardly going to sign a new contract if all he gets is 5 minutes at the end of a pointless game we were never going to win. Perfect opportunity to play the young talent.
In posession… Back pass, back pass, keeper, lose the ball
This is some comedy gold. Think arsenal is planning to change their whole business model, instead of playing football we will be in stand up comedy and reality tv comedy business presented through acting as a football club. It will be announced Jan 1st.
Banter years are truly and well behind us, this is uber banter level!
Will Ferrell as our new manager, makes sense to come forward finally
It’s truly embarrassing.
Oh well at least it’s only Chelsea at the weekend.
As if 2020 wasn’t bad enough, we all get the shit sandwich of supporting Arsenal thrown in as well…………
Yes, it’s not stopping, chelski will run riot with us, lampard is not that good but they are much more serious and have invested in some top players this summer.
I know this isn’t news to many of you but Mustafi and Kolasinac cannot defend.
Let’s make one of them captain, especially if they don’t feature in our long term plans. Ffs
When you see the energy and attitude Martinelli showed, it is obvious what most of the other players lack. It is not so much talent, but lack of application and effort.
Where do we sign some more Martinellis?
Why would this club sign Martinelli’s when there are more Willian’s available for way more money?
Exactly, I love old shit chelsea players. the more the merrier.
Bet agent willian can’t wait to assist his old pals at the weekend.
There is not much to say. He needs to go if he has any love for this club.
If the owners have a little brain left then we need a new manager, release some deadwood and bring someone in (if there is anyone who wants to come). And unleash the youngsters until the summer. If someone of them comes good then, we all know what should be done. The other, up in the market. This situation is embarrassing.
But Macey cannot be worse than this guy! Why did we buy a goalkeeper that cannot hold the ball, very short and dodgy with his feet yet we have goalkeepers in the academy that I believe cannot be worse!!!
This is shocking
Sadest part is it’s not shocking at all.
The goalkeeper coach recommended him, if this is what he thinks is a goalkeeper then they should both fuck off together. I can’t believe we spent money on such a dodgy keeper and nobody stopped it? Like the Willian deal, who oversees this shit? We will lose a whole lot of problem players in the summer when their contracts run out, the trouble is we’re busy replacing them with more rubbish.