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Confirmed Arsenal Line-up to take on Unai Emery’s Aston Villa

The teams are out for today’s early kick-off, with Arsenal travelling to Aston Villa as we look to return to the top of the Premier League table.

Mikel Arteta hasn’t been one to rotate heavily this term, but he did make two changes ahead of our tie in midweek (one of which was forced). We predicted that White would return today, but a deserved first start for Leandro Trossard wasn’t in our expected line-up.

Do you disagree with any of today’s selection?

Patrick

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153 Comments

  1. The player that should be benched at the moment is Nketiah imo, Mattinelli and Trossard can play together alongside Saka.

    1. Martinelli needs rest

      Plenty rest even

      Nketiah is loosing chances, flopping opportunities BUT Martinelli’s creating nothing – nothing is happening from him

      Arteta has really gased him out,
      Somehow close to empty
      He’s need the rest for a long time

      1. How did arteta gassed him out. This same excuse all the time, saka has been playing every match for the last 3 seasons and hes always contributing, compare martinelli starting matches to saka and tell me arteta gassed him out again. Have said it before and I’ll say it again, Martinelli is good but not as good as some of our fans made him out to be. Saka is by far superior to him. Martinelli does this every season, he will be on form for some months and boom goes off form when we need him the most. The boy needs to work on his consistency, he’s a talent no doubt but he needs to develop his game more

        1. So is Klopp mistaken too about Martinelli? Pep as well I guess. Is Martinelli off form? Yes I’d say.

          But to insinuate fans are wrong about his talent as well as 2 world class proven managers? C’mon now, let’s be honest.

      2. Does Martinelli need rest? Perhaps Trossard does too, don’t see any difference between him and Martinelli.

        Perhaps instead it’s Zinchenko inverted that just kills attacks on the left, rather than both Martinelli and Trossard forms dipping when playing with Zinchenko.

        Think tactic may be the issue at this point, not the forms of 2 LWs.

  2. Nkethia worries me, his lack of footballing ability disrupts our free flow attacking play. Good lineup though, let’s get all 3 points. COYG.

  3. Should have left Tomiyasu IMO

    Ben White’s been looking out of ideas and slow, let’s get Tomiyasu up to speed

    Asides the mistake he was very agile going forward – had a very good shot on target and another that was good also

    He needs the trust

  5. It’s great to see White return to the starting line-up and Smith-Rowe ready on the bench. If we can’t score in the first half, maybe Smith-Rowe can play in Odegaard’s position

      1. It could be like that, by moving Odegaard to Xhaka’s position and let Smith-Rowe play on the right side of the pitch

        But we need Xhaka’s aerial ability to score from set-piece, if we can’t score from open play

          1. Very few, but he’s always a threat in set-pieces and at least he will attract the opponents in those situations

  6. Good team, but would have loved to have seen Tierney start as left back.
    Come on you gunners let’s get back on track today.
    Love you forever.

  7. It’s a mistake to leave Nketiah in. He looked as poor as Tomiyasu against Man City. Personally IMHO I would have liked to have seen Martinelli centrally. Seasons ago he looked very dangerous in the middle. Nketiah needs a rest…badly. It’s good to see Leo Trossard starting.

    1. Agree completely.
      Fair enough dropping Martinelli, but how in the world does Nketiah stay in the lineup?

      Missing headers, poacher only, like we’re playing with 10 men at times. Not good enough needs to be replaced this Summer.

      Rather see Balogun and versatility next year over Nketiah TBH.

    2. I expect Nketiah to be rested in the next game else, it will get was for him, since he’s played every 90mins since Christmas day

  9. My only disappointments are to see Tierney not in and Nketiah not out,with Martinelli getting some proper service.

    1. Agree with you Ken on Tierney. What does he have to do to get game time.
      I still think Nketiah needs the game time even though I am in a minority.

      1. This is how you all keep saying, drop white for tomiyasu and look what happened. Now Tierney for zinchenko.
        You all just like new thing until it comes and you realise how poor they were b4 been dropped.

        Live them to the coach he watched them in training

        1. You’re right

          Ben White has needed the bench since but it’s not against Man City u now call up someone who has not started in a long while

          He’s not even been used as a substitute in a while – then u start him in your toughest match

          These Aston-Villa type of matches
          are the matches to shuffle your team

          He should be using every subsequent match to try at least one person

          Next Match Tierney can start ahead of Zinchenko

          He should have been doing that (at least just 1 change) before they on the bench become too rusty and before the starting-11 becomes too tired

        2. So should we throw Tierney away? Or we wait till zinny gets injured suddenly throw him in and ecpect a miracle from him. There is no reasonable explanations why you should freeze out your bench players when you know that they will be needed one way or another. Look how rusty tomiyasu was against city abd that is because of lack of game time….
          Rotate this guys the bench players is as important as the 1st team players

  10. If Nketiah misses headers like he got against Man City, bread and butter for strikers…we are ******. Against Man City, Tomiyasu and Nkketiah were worse than useless. Why hasn’t Nketiah been dropped? We are becoming predictable. Martinelli would cause Aston Villa big problems if he was doing his thing playing centrally.

    1. He caused a goal
      Asides that Tomiyasu was not worse nor bad

      G.Maghalaes was like our worst player against Man City, he was mentally scared of Haaland

      Haaland bullied him every single time, I watched Zinchenko one time tackle Haaland and get the ball from him

      And was surprised when G.Maghalaes couldn’t at one point when Haaland never shield his ball and it’s easy to take it off him

      Gabriel was the worst that day

      Struggling against Saliba, Haaland finally decided to stick to troubling majorly Gabriel in the second half,

      He bullied him, hit him, get past him, got a penalty against him, had an assist from his side, scored from his side

      Gabriel was shockingly disappointing

  11. Good lineups but now days Arteta like spoiling my mood with his substitution by bringing in P. Vieira when we are in need of a goal, yet when he comes in he doesn’t create any chances or score any goal
    #Arsenal _Forever

    1. Hopefully you watch the game he created one.
      This players need game time to adapt,not that they are not good enough but do the coach trust them to come on and make an impact.
      Players should try and take there chances in other for them to get game time period.

  13. holding on the bench why that’s 6 CB in match day squad give some young lad a chance holding will not come on so why must a striker in youth teams,Eddie wouldn’t hit a barn door with a bazooka

  15. Whatever is the starting side, nothing but a convincing win to wrestle back the top spot, even if it is just for a few hours.

      1. What did you expect saliba to do… he moved him wide to a difficult angle the keeper shouldn’t be conceding goals from such angels

  20. Our defence is the problem. The goalkeeper have let in too many goals. Need to change goalkeeper. We may let in many goals. Hopefully we can still be top 4 in this season.

    Kiss title goodbye! The bench is thin!

  22. Worst start we could ask for just now but cmon heads get on and get back onto this game , honestly replace Eddie upfront for crying out loud,put martinelli there

  24. This is the best season and good chance to win the title when some normal top 4 teams have not so many points.
    1. Chelsea seems to be getting stronger after such spending.
    2. Liverpool is getting well as their strikers start to click.
    3. Man U is getting momentum and their manager is the right choice.

    1. He still make Arseanl consistently top 4 for so many years except his last 2 years. Neither Liverpool, Chelsea managers or even Man City (if Pep Guardiola leave) achieve it.

      1. A champions league spot he just goes to write attendance i prefer to lose out on few occasions while winning the trophy

        1. If you know our history, we only spent after we paid the stadium. We are the few or may be be only profitable EPL team for consecutively many years. I have bookmarked some articles.
          MIRROR: Arsenal financial results: 6 things we learnt as Arsene Wenger’s economic philosophy pays off

          When I came to JA, I said I don’t blame the managers but the owner. If the owner can come out money during those years to buy good players, we can win many titles.

    2. If Arsene spent half of what has been spent on this team, he would definitely have won a few more titles before retiring. Man was balling without heavy spending. Respect what he did because not even Pep could have under the same conditions. I am happy that many are learning now how great a manager he was for Arsenal.

    1. We have been struggling 2 clean sheet at the emirate. Yet when you point it out the so called supporters will tell you to shut up that you are an entitled child. Our good goal difference came from winning many games at first half of the season not because our defense have been outstanding.

    1. It’s not about teams learning to play us. Its the manager looking so predictable.
      No partey no victories

      1. You have the gut to criticize the manager which is a taboo here. You are inviting an army of attacks! I hope you survive the attack and escape wholesomely.

        You can only criticize Arsene and not the current manager.

        1. He is too rigid..
          Too predictable…
          And limited ability to manage football at top level..
          Lost of ideas now

  35. This is the collapse that happens every year and exactly why some pundits said we won’t win the league.

    Guess this is why they are paid for their views and like many on here simply are not.

    1. I hope we start the winning momentum from this match. This is our best chance. We have to wait for a few years again if we miss. I hope we don’t like Liverpool to wait 30 years.

      We sold the world cup goalkeeper.

    2. Like a limited few, I am a realist and could see this coming as we don’t let our emotions get the better of us, but rather look at matters concerning Arsenal objectively.

      Don’t mistake this for not caring deeply for the club as, I and the limited realists truly do.

    2. Zinchenko making Martinelli look ordinary. The same happening to Trossard now. Why on Earth MA keeps pushing him

  38. Happened exactly what I said after the City game:

    Villa has been terrible for 2 matches straight and lost, but somehow Emry will find “dactics” to beat Arsenal.

    Arsenal are proving all the haters wrong with this meltdown. Players and manager should be ashamed of themselves.

  39. Won’t even finish 2nd be lucky to hold on to 4th place at this rate that’s what happens when you don’t have enough quality in depth no game changers from the bench and without partly very weak in midfield the wheels have well and truly come off!

  40. We can win this, need some changes. Take Nketiah off and bring Martinelli. Nketiah is giving us nothing. There are more goals in this game. Let’s back the team and safe criticism for later.

  41. We really look poor at the back without Partey – I can’t see villa scoring either of those goals with him on the pitch

  42. Your all moaning and the problem has been so obvious for ages
    Most of these players have played every game they are drained

    We should have strengthened in the window it was obvious

    Nketia is not a player that wins you the league
    And our best midfielder is out again
    White Saliba Gabriell they don’t have that edge

    Don’t blame the players blame the recruitment

  43. I can’t tell what’s Xaka and Nkeitah’s roles at the moment.

    They should be pulled out and play ESR/Nelson/Martinelli now!

  44. No, this does not happen every year, because we have never been so far ahead at the end of January. At the moment Nketiah is playing like an Under 21 against weak opposition. He cannot hold the ball up, fails to find a team mate with a pass, and lacks the determination to get there first. To say nothing of the header against Man City. Also Ramsdale is initiating ridiculous stuff at the back. How about concentrating on solid defending?!

  45. Should have paid that extra for Casedo, that can be the difference as many pointed for us not winning title if GOD forbids it happens. We have known for seasons that this team struggles without party but what do we do nothing. No idea what Edu n Co are smoking at Emirates.

    1. I don’t believe that was even an option. Brighton refused to sell, there was never any suggestion of “paying a bit extra”.

  46. Zinchenko’s loose ball in this game and the previous ones should warrant a benching time, but we don’t have another inverted LB like him. Maybe try Tierney one more time there, if we lose this game

    Ramsdale always concedes from tight angles, so Arteta had better replace him with Turner in the next game. We can’t concede from such angle too often

    It was a very entertaining game and I still believe we’ll win the game. Our substitution could be the key to do it

    1. I’m not as optimistic as you for this match. I only hope something happens and we win! This match is too critical. We lost 5 points due to wrong VAR and the same VAR referee Lee Mason. He left after his mission completed.

      We can win the title if we start to have wining momentum and a few points separate us from Man U & Newcastle. Man City cuts 10 points for unfair financial power.

    2. Caicedo was the only midfielder in the world who could’ve made the difference? Some sound scouring there then

  48. When will the officials get a hold on time wasting, time for world cup time added procedures to be implemented

  49. Compare Watkins vs Nketiah…man vs boy. We are playing with ten men. We need Martinelli to cause some havoc in the middle and replace Nketiah….otherwise we will suffer. Odegaard is not effective today.

  50. Keep the game going but get right into this battle, that referee has been all for villa so far it’s terrible, start the 2nd half strong take the battle to them and get some organisation in defence what’s happening guys.

  51. Everyone dont say bad words about MAand edu thecrecuiter in chief,otherwise we will be atracked be the lap it up mob,we were 5 points in front best chance to win the league in 19 years,shouldve made statement signings not dilly dallying and haggling for penies,because we knew we ll collapse with no partey,what we do ? We buy jorginho chelsea left overs again.

    1. It’s better to pass your point without being disrespectful to others. That “mob” is also entitled to their views.

  52. Why can’t the coach play Martinelli in the number 9 position then play Tierney at left back. This team needs something different, we can’t be doing the same thing that has failed to give us result recently.

  55. If we do not win today then City will run away title pretty easily…
    And then we will start race for 2nd place against Man Utd

  56. A few changes that I’d prefer: Tierney for Zinchenko, Gabi for Eddie. We need to start utilizing the acres of space Emery has been affording us. Zinchenko should look to release the ball faster to Leo instead of those sideway passes that are just slowing us down.

  59. When is epl gonna come down hard on these time wasting tactics? Once a gk gets sent off the rest will fall in line.

    For faking head injuries a mandatory time out.

    1. Yes…
      We know Martinez from Arsenal time about time wasting..
      He did so well in that in our FA cup triumph..

  62. My reply to Gundown:

    If you know our history, we only spent after we paid the stadium. We are the few or may be be only profitable EPL team for consecutively many years. I have bookmarked some articles.
    MIRROR: Arsenal financial results: 6 things we learnt as Arsene Wenger’s economic philosophy pays off

    When I came to JA, I said I don’t blame the managers but the owner. If the owner can come out money during those years to buy good players, we can win many titles.

  66. Arsenal need to monitor this Bailey guy.
    He is been decent for Villa…
    He is just 25
    And he could be decent back up for Saka

    1. But Jorginho is playing well..
      His vision and long range passing is better than Partey
      Jorginho and Partey can both play together

      1. The tempo with which partey controls the game, calms everything down, and the rate at which he recycles the ball is unparalleled.

        1. That’s why I am saying Partey and Jorginho can play together with Partey as protector and Jorginho as deep line playmaker

      2. Thanks for the comment
        I want to see a midfield partnership with
        1 Partey and Jorginho
        2 Partey and Zinchenko

  73. My worry is the ease with which we concede goals and allow teams to frustrate us. We need to get back to the basics in term of defending. Whether we are leading or not you just have the feeling the opposition will score and get back into the game. We could have finally scored the winner!!!

      1. Actually I think Partey and Jorginho can play together…
        Partey to just sit ahead back 4 and protect them and Jorginho as deep line playmaker…
        His passing vision and passing range is much better than Partey..
        Today also he found few superb behind defence passes to Saka and Nketiah..

  82. That assist by Viera to Martinelli is dope. What an intelligent well-timed pass just before Martinelli strays into an offside position.

    We need to get back to the basics though in term of defending.

    1. Actually Viera’s passing is really good..
      The only problem with Viera is that he always need one extra touch…
      And that attracts players towards him..

  83. Conqur with Kedar’s view, Partley and Jorginho started as midfield. Don’t forget that Jorginho is in Italy national team not for nothing and UEFA Men’s Player of the Year: 2020–21.

  84. That’s my boys battle till the end and never ever give up, but we defi need to sort out the Eddie situation upfront

  85. No leaders, no winners, no mental attitude, no plan B!!!! 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
    Eat your hearts out all you fans who said the above – what a fantastic way to ram it all down your throats.

    COYG and what fantastic support from our fans yet again – 100% behind MA and the squad.

      1. Don’t mind the so called fans always predicting doom! Arsenal fans are the most negative fans in the world. Pathetic!

  87. Gone the gunners extremely proud today, I like Tom hanks movies and him as a actor but he will be going away without a smile now lol

  90. After read all the comments during games ,I feel relieved arteta make all the decision correct..stick with zinh..he scored the equaliser.two sub combine for the easiest game we could ever scored..but I don’t think I could score that goal because I’m slow as snail so ming still catch me before I could shot that goal..the only way recieve the ball and hit it toward the goal..ball is faster than men

  92. Hope Arsenal can go on to win the title this season. My heart has been broken too often in the past 💔.

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