Arsenal take on Everton tonight at Goodison Park, looking for three points after the disappointment of the Old Trafford game.
Here are the official line-ups.
Everton: Pickford, Coleman, Keane, Godfrey, Mina, Allan, Doucoure, Gray, Townsend, Gordon, Richarlison
Subs: Begovic, Kenny, Holgate, Delph, Iwobi, Tosun, Gomes, Gbamin, Branthwaite
Arsenal: Ramsdale, Tomiyasu, White, Gabriel, Tierney, Partey, Xhaka, Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli, Lacazette
Subs: Okonkwo, Holding, Cedric, Tavares, Sambi, Elneny, Pepe, Nketiah, Aubameyang
fuckin hell say what you will about Granit mans a fuckin beast…
“hoping to be back in full training by the new year” or smth like that. I mean well done is all i can say! hopefully the partey-xhaka duo does us well, it’s probably the most promising midfield duo we have and they’ve always done decently together. COYG!
Agreed, but damn, I don’t think this is at all fair to Sambi unless the latter is carrying a bit of a knock and needs a rest.
The lineup has to sting for Auba, too, but he knows why. I hope it sparks this team and the captain into their best form.
Arteta has to put in some minutes into Xhaka’s legs before Partey’s departure to AFCON.
Yes, you could argue he could ease him into action more continually though.
Don’t get it either (Sambi not playing). He was near flawless against Newcastle.
But I get the Auba swap. He shouldn’t just be picked because he’s fit. Form has to play a role.
Sambi not playing is definitely a bit baffling. Maybe he’s not fully fit, he certainly didn’t do anything to get dropped.
Sam I is playing well and earning his spot, but if we look at it objectively he’s probably way ahead of his expected involvement. It’s a very busy stretch, so he’ll definitely get his playing time.
He’s 22yo. People treat him like he’s 16…
If anything partey is lucky to be starting after the last game.
Or it was the wrong decision to break up the konga-partey last game?
GX might not play the full 90 today, at least I hope not. Sambi should be coming in the second half. Xhakha can be eased in over the whole of December now.. That’s sweet!
Think Xhaka would not last the whole 90. Looking for Sambi at half time or 60 min. Is ESR carrying a knock? Have not been following the news.
I believe it’s a possible groin issue
There are enough games to go round. Lokonga will have his fair share.
It’s not about fairness, it’s about getting Xhaka ready to contribute also.
I see reason with Arteta.
It’s just mental for me. Lokonga has man of match performance against Newcastle and not started since. Xhaka walks (excuse the pun) straight back in.
I’m more surprised that partey wasn’t dropped for xhaka than sambi was
Partey-Konga have been building something – a few bumps (liverpool) but some excellent games together. Almost like Arteta broke that up last game to open precisely this pathway for Xhaka…
I really thought Mikel was learning from his over-dependence on mediocre “experience”…[sigh]…
AMN hasn’t played a minute since he won MotM either. Pretty weird slecetion priorities from Arteta
AMN should be demanding a transfer. Waste.of his time staying if having done nothing wrong, he is behind someone as limited as Elneny again.
We’re playing at an absolute snails pace in this first half. Pedestrian. Just asking to concede on the counter or through the press.
Ohh dear me. No more Xhaka, please dear god above. It’s not even the new year. Win, lose or draw, I’ve had enough of this bloke in our shirt.
Typical Arteta rushing back his safety blanket after one defeat. Sambi has done nothing at all to deserve being dropped.
He has the tenacity of a venereal disease
And the speed of a three legged dog
And the temper of my older brother
Saka also – always seems to be back playing after little injury scares
Is this a joke? Xhaka is really playing? wtf?
Xhaka? WTF?
But ESR missing so we can’t do the Xhaka and ESR chant….
Quite suprised to see that many changes tbh
good to see kt back! hopefully the xhaka-partey midfield works out well, and let’s hope we score 3 or more goals. don’t like the lack of goals even in games we comfortably win in, more goals are good for the goal difference and all
COYG 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴
And just like that all Sambi’s good work is forgotten. Great to see Martinelli starting again tho and Laca up top, Come on you Reds
Ahhh, just as I predicted.
Can you let us know Lottery winning numbers too 😉
Sure, I’ll get back to you right after the draw.
I hope it’s a win, not a draw.
Very very Interesting Lineup. Feeling Confident. Welcome back Xhaka
Xhaka starting? Blimey.
Glad he’s dropped Auba, it was justified. I don’t hate that front four
Wow, was not expecting this line up, good see Tierney back, he will have something to prove, good to see Martinelli keeping he’s deserved place.
Thought he might have tried Pepe up front or alongside Gabi. Fan of Laca but not sure he gets in box enough to hit with early passes.
LETS GOOOO!
Decent squad to win the game. I think Xhaka has been rushed. But good to see him on the pitch
Who will be Captain?
Who else!?
Xhaka
Most likely Lacazette
Wow! Obviously “non negotiable” doesn’t apply to Xhaka.
Mikel’s pet walks straight in.
Does the decline of our season begin here?
Huh?
The fabled Xhaka-Partey axis starts tonight. All will be well again.
So much hate bruh
Arteta has a death wish everytime he plays Xhaka and doesn’t seem to learn his lesson. The last time he brought him in straight after a red card + Covid and the last got injured. This is getting ridiculous and God help us.
It’s the type of decision that he cannot win with. With Xhaka our ceiling is very clearly capped (4+ years of evidence). Pick him and we have to win. If we win he’ll feel justified and keep playing him and we’ll fall back into this mediocrity of shaping a team around his strengths and weaknesses which limits how attacking we can be, forces us left and slows our tempo. Xhaka is the crystal meth of drugs: Once you’ve had it you can never stop even after years (3 month injury) without it
Well said. Thought there were positive signs with partey and Lokonga. Liverpool withstanding
Or, with a more settled defense behind him Xhaka’s passing might add the ability to play forward between the lines, supplying Odegaard, switching play, and giving the link to attack we’ve been sorely missing.
Honestly I don’t know which of these scenarios will play out. Probably neither.
Konga has looked every bit the passer of Xhaka and 1000x more mobile. I’d pick him all day everyday if I had a choice between the two.
Well, in hindsight of the last couple matches, throw Partey in that pot and then think about what ails our mids. Xhaka did more to calm that area in 1 match than Partey has in almost all his appearances this season.
Lokonga has more drive and energy for sure. I definitely want to see him play, and will be happy if he succeeds Xhaka. But he also has left us stretched a bit and unstable in the back at times.
Hope we pile on the misery rather than help kickstart their season
Yes to everything but ESR not in the squad. Hopefully it’s just so he can rest.
Elneny over AMN?
Weird.
Is Leno injured too?
Yes, although the cynic in me sees a timely groin strain ahead of transfer window.
I like that he’s getting minutes because we will need him come January. Whether he’s ready for them we’ll see tonight. For me though the future is definitely not Granit Xhaka and if we think it is we won’t be getting very far.
Very pleased to see Saka in as well. I wasn’t looking forward to a lineup without either Saka or ESR starting
and FA Cup starts away at Forest.
OK, downvote me for trying to keep people aware of our next chance of a trophy🥴
Sak, Lac, and Xhak.
Don’t talk bollocks. 😉
AMN not even in the squad. He could have been lining up against us today!
Just like Iwobi isn’t?
Might well be later in the season along with Leno – somewhere
Where is Leno?
Groin injury.
What kind of internal procedures do they have at the PGMOL?
Mike Dean, a Tranmere Rovers fan, is refereeing a league game involving another Merseyside club. Not that it’s THAT big a deal but I thought match refs were limited to only officiating games outside of their fan-hood rivalry.
Smith rowe out with injury? Hopefully just a precautionary measure
Leno out?
I think he wanted out in the summer window.
Can’t explain it but for some reason when I saw Gabriel I thought Paulista. That was a really scary few seconds.
Back to playing horseshoe football I see
So dull.
KT looks well off the pace.
Arteta actually sent out nketia to warm up when saka was injured. What a fucking this man is
https://i.makeagif.com/media/9-05-2015/tXhguB.gif
Trying our best to gift them a goal.
Thinking of walking out, dire first 27 minutes.
Disgraceful, how that is not a red is unbelievable.
Mike dean
Attwell a joke to.
Arteta is a joke.
…aaaaaand then the goal is disallowed
……aaaaaaaand then we score….
Was it our first shot?
If he doesn’t cut off a limb it doesn’t count
Just a flesh wound
Wow!! What sh it tactics… everything is going wide…so predictable.
Why is Mike Dean allowed to referee Arsenal? They could be given a penalty.
I love the effort Tavares has put in but hes still raw and for a while I’ve said I want the solidity and safety of Tierney back at RB. His crossing is one of the best attacking weapons we have. Its invaluable and leads to goals consistently. He has to start. But Tavares is no slouch and its incredible to have that depth.
Think Martin Tyler’s going to cry
Xhaka very lucky that goal was 2 inches off side. He was a pilon in the build up to that.
He was mia
And an absolute pilon for the winner. So glad he’s back.
The winner was all about Gray, sometimes the other team plays better. Everton would have been very unlucky not to win the game.
Yellow to Xhaka
How can nketia come on in front of Pepe and Aubamayang. He ain’t good enough as it is and he leaving. Mental
Wonder why he has sidelined Pepe for so long
Replace Xhaka with Sambi now before a 2nd yellow, Arteta
Replace Arteta me thinks
If only our manager had had your foresight…