Arsenal begin their defence of the FA Cup today, taking on Newcastle at the Emirates.
Here are today’s official line-ups.
Arsenal: Leno, Cedric, Luiz, Mari, Tierney, Elneny, Willock, Willian, Pepe, Martinelli, Aubameyang
Subs: Runarsson, Chambers, Maitland-Niles, Xhaka, Saka, Nelson, Smith Rowe, Nketiah, Lacazette
Newcastle: To follow
Subs:
No balagon! I really want him to sign… so this doesn’t bode well
If Balogun doesn’t want to play for Arsenal, then he should be somewhere else, we need people that want to be here now.
Glad Partey isn’t being rushed back for this.
Yes, I want him to sign too. However, the FA Cup is our only chance of a domestic trophy, possible any trophy, this season and this is potentially tough opposition, so I can understand MA not including him this time around. He’ll probably get a run out in the PL as a sub if things are going well.
Shouldn’t get a chance before he’s commiting his future to us. Simple as that. Can’t let a 19 year old kid take your club hostage to get the deal he wants. Yes, he seems to be good, but the chances that he’s Henry’s second comming are pretty low. So, relax. If he wants to leave, bye bye.
Probably more like Eddie Nketiah second comming
Don’t know where all this Eddie is shit stuff comes from recently. Must be the newest trend on this internet thing. Boy is 21 and has scored some good goals for us already and is the U21 record goalscorer. Will he become top class? I don’t know. I’d say, nobody does at this point. Should we do our everything to support a young lad from our academy to get there nevertheless? Absolutely.
No idea where you get holding the club hostage. He’s a kid about to commit to his most important contract. He’s seen the manager bring oldies in that have taken youngsters’ places. Plus he’s hardly been given any playing time this season. So he’s looking at what his best options are and if other clubs are tapping him up and assuring him of a route to their first team, that’s just what happens. It’s up to Arsenal and the manager to convince him he has a great future.
Let’s see what happens. I hope he does stay because he’s got great potential and given the dire financial situation we’re in he could save us a lot of money in the transfer market. Overall, I don’t think we’re so flush with talent that we can let youngsters who obviously have it go in quite the cavalier fashion that you seem to suggest.
We won’t win any domestic trophy playing the disinterested Luiz and Willian alongside the inept Cedric and Pepe.The only positive is that he’s not selected Leno’s useless understudy…No Martinelli now either!!
Yet we include willian? Not sure that says we really want to win this competition again
Reiss is still around which is good news….hopefully.
Is it good news though if he stays rest of this season and still never plays? We’d all love to see a bit more of him, but a loan is best if MA not going to use him.
I still think he’ll sign. Right now, his agent is just doing his job to get the best deal he can for his client
Would have done AMN instead of Tierney
Yes definitely expected AMN to start. Nice to see Nelson on the bench and a big chance for Willock to impress. Auba hat trick incoming.
Martinellis just collapsed clutching his ankle- Nelson starting now. Hope it’s not too serious but will be good to see Nelson play again.
Perhaps AMN is leaving? Don’t see why he has been frozen out again, honestly.
Frozen out?
Not in the manner of Papa or Özil, of course, but AMN certainly hasn’t seen enough action to justify having any summer transfer blocked.
I think he’s played more than you think season, especially in the EL, and there is a lot of football left to play. He’ll get in there yet.
Not too confident looking at that team. Here’s hoping though
Willian to play the 10 that ESR has been playing? Or 442 with Gabi and Auba up top?
Teta don’t do 2 up top
Seems to be a 4231
Hope Pepe (I appreciate his skills) and Willian can show they can play as well as Saka and ESR respectively (assuming Willian will play in the middle).
I can understand it, and the obvious need for it, but I’m not sure how I feel about rewarding shit performances with giving the player an opportunity in their preferred position 😕
Would have had AMN instead of Tierney but happy with that team. Presumably Willian in the ESR position.
A mixed bag
Guess Balogun is leaving then…
Well, not necessarily. There may be several reasons why he’s not in the team. I really hope he signs as he’s certainly a talent, but I doubt that playing against Newcastle or not will swing it decisively one way or another – or it shouldn’t anyway. We’ll see.
And I think we have to accept at some point that his re-signing with us is beyond our control — the club, the fans, the manager, the players, can only do so much. He might simply want to shape his career elsewhere.
Yes, there’s always that to consider although I think on balance that reports suggest (for what that’s worth) that he does want to stay with Arsenal.
Strong front three, let’s see if Willian can do anything as a number 10.
Rest of the team not the strongest but Bruce has only won 2 of 28 matches versus Arsenal, so hope that continues…
Cedric over AMN seems odd…
Everything about Cedric seems odd.
Kia must have made some calls to his pals.
Poor AMN. Surely today was the day to give him a chance in the middle….
The right hand side looks to the the weak element – Cedric, Pepe & Will-i-aint!! Surely AMN should be playing?
We are going to strugle with this lineup
Finally willock get a run out as a 8!
Yes, it looks like Arteta is evaluating some of his backup options (how does Willian look in the #10, how does Willock do in the #8), but Arsenal should be careful not to take Newcastle too lightly — Almiron and Joelinton and Carrol do have goals in them and we’ll have to be firm in defence.
He did not do well. He was having a ‘mare in the second half before Arteta hooked him.
Quite relieved that Runarsson isn’t playing.
Great to see Willian starting
Haha
Not sure if you’re being sarcastic but I’m curious to see what he can do at #10. Playing next to Martinelli may also raise the tempo of his game.
He had half an hour in that position v Sheff Utd and did well. Hasn’t had another run there since which seems odd….might do him good
Think Willian could be a decent option at 10. Would’ve liked to see this happen when we were 4 up against West brom rather than starting
Great to see Nelson back again. Hopefully, Willian and Pepe will have a good game and boost their confidence.
So that’s Balogun gone then.
Great job, everyone, you’ve wasted another asset.
He shouldn’t start until he signs, he’ll get enough chances if he signs, if not..bye bye.
More like bye bye transfer fee.
Playing the tough guy is easy online, but in the real world, there’s a often cost.
In this case, the cost is in the millions of pounds.
Give Tierney a break ffs!
It’s an odd selection with AMN needing minutes the other way. Guess arteta knows what he’s doing *shrug*
Quite a positive team, like it, especially Willian now clearly second 11. Be great to see KT in the heat in his tee shirt!
Like this team but kinda feel Tierney should be rested.
There have been some “interesting” battles against Newcastle over the years, up to and including several finals. I don’t think it will be easy (although I hope it is) and it’s our only hope of a domestic trophy – so fingers crossed.
Looks like arteta has gone with a few members of the ‘b’ team for this one – Luiz, Soares and Willian. Hope he hasn’t under-estimated a Newcastle side well capable of creating an upset
Dani? Covid? Hope not…
No Partey in the squad – must be being saved for Palace next week.
Been a gooner for over 40 years ,let’s tie up these loose ends ozil in or out so we can build on the amazing young lads we got,Rowe martinelli willock,and dont let Balagun go ,gooners smash the geordies
Balogun not in the squad. Looks like he’s on his way. I’ve always felt that two of him, Nketiah, and John-Jules would leave between the this and the summer window. Looks like it’ll be him and John-Jules. Arteta tends to be straightforward about how he feels about players and he’s always expressed good vibes toward Nketiah. Looking forward to watching Willock today. Feel like he needs to start showing his Europa form in other competitions. Very surprised he started Tierney over AMN. Expected Tierney to be rested today, but he’s tough enough…don’t think it’ll be a problem for him to… Read more »
Tierney should have been rested
Luiz and Willian instead of Chambers and Nelson. Why?
Will be interesting to see Willock in a deeper midfield position though
Does this mean Mustafi is going?
Fingers crossed
Martinelli has to pull out… Got injured in warm up
All those young players named as subs, yet I looked and my first thought was “that’s a strong bench”
Back to picking “Favourites”…A side which has a spine of Luiz,Elneny,Willock and Willian would struggle to beat any motivated team.Throw the terminally lazy Pepe and the inept Cedric into the mix and Arsenal are going to struggle to hold on to the FA Cup. Presumably Balogun is almost certainly leaving…and who could blame him.Neketiah is never going to be a striker capable of scoring more than the odd tap-in in the Premier League.His standard is Under-21 level .. as I also remember was that of Francis Jeffers.Similarly I cant honestly see why AMN would wish to remain as Arteta presumably… Read more »
Willock can run into forward positions from the midfield, in much the same way that Ramsey did, if not of the same quality. We have missed that sort of a player, and if he develops, that would be great.
That said, AMN surely deserves better than to play second-fiddle to Tierney (NOTHING ABOUT TIERNEY, OBVIOUSLY) when instead he could have competed with Xhaka/Elneny in Partey’s absence.
Cheer up, try and enjoy the ride!
Martinelli injured one warm up
Willian starts. No FA Cup defence, then?
More like no right wing.
If this goes on and remains goalless, is it going to penalties under COVID rules or something?
WTF. ESR Red
Martinelli injured in the warm up! Nooo!!!!
Thank God Willian is back!
Fucking hate Roy Carroll
Andy?
Him too
Willian. Wonder where he is playing
Not here.
A question asked by many Gooners. Given we’re paying him a reported £7 million a season (whether he plays or not, I assume) I guess that MA is trying – and it’s a hard slog I admit – to get as much “value” out of him as we can. Still, the good news is that his contract only has three and a half seasons left! Open the champagne!
If the bloke consistently plays shit and he clearly does then their is no value in playing him at all.
And why he is playing
Tierney is so advanced over Nelson and Willock with decision making. Those two they either need to start more for us or get loaned and gain experience that way.
Anyway, Go Gunners!
Cedric Soares needs to be taken off
Any news regarding Martinelli’s injury?
Willian is pure shit. Purest of the pure!
And shittest of the shit.
Seen enough of Willian now.
Why are we using KT this much? He might get injured again, he’s too important now to play this much, and in FA cup. We need him for the league, or at least replace him with AMN around an hour mark.
Emile! You pretty little sweet mfk💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻!!!
Every attacking player has been completely useless this game.
Bellerin. Trash. AMN. Trash.