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Confirmed Arsenal line-up to face Aston Villa

Arsenal's Brazilian midfielder Gabriel Martinelli (C) celebrates scoring the team's second goalduring the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Everton at the Emirates Stadium in London on March 1, 2023. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)

So, Arsenal have yet another Final today. Every week is becominbg more and more like a League decider (well if we lose it is, so there is absolutely no room for error.

Sp today, we will find out how Mikel Arteta feels about saving some of his best players for the big Munich game, or put out his very best available XI and not worry about midweek.

Daisy had a stab at choosing the starting XI earlier, and she went for the ‘full strength’ option.

She gave us a 4-3-3 formation of:

Raya

White – Saliba – Gabriel – Zinchenko

Odegaard – Jorginho – Rice

Saka – Havertz – Trossard

So now we are just waiting to see who Arteta chooses, but with the mutterings this week, I, personally, think that Gabriel and Jesus will NOT be starting, and I think Jesus will be on the bench, while Saka (who needs to keep his incredible starting run going) to start the game, but I don’t expect him to last much past half-time….

But we will see just as soon as Arteta declares his official line-up.

And here it is!

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Tags Arsenal v Aston Villa

143 Comments

  2. surprised, didn’t expect that

    looks playing Jesus up top and pushing Havertz back to midfield #8

    Zinc worries me, for me I would have played Tomy for a shut-out of Villa

    this is the formation from the first half of the season

  4. Wish the gaffer would have unleash the Croydon kid this afternoon, but it is what it is.

    Hard not to collect the three points presents here on a platter regardless of team selection.

  7. Interesting formation and i think very close to what arteta would have wanted to play at the start of the season without injuries.

    Zinchenko inverts into midfield, havertz pushes upfront into space and jesus drops back to participate in build up like he usually does. Also havertz can combine with jesus up top sometimes to create overload.

    Plays to both players strength and weaknesses as havertz has a great notion of picking up space to run into or occupy but that sometimes leaves us light in midfield when we lose possession. Jesus habit of dropping into midfield to combine which is his strength but leaves the forward area vacant and clogs the midfield.

    only issue is they haven’t played together much so don’t have that connection.

  9. OT: Liverpool put to the sword, steering down to the Jaws of defeat for the second consecutive time at Anfield.

  10. Liverpool are losing. I hope we won’t face the same fate, because Emery would likely employ a counter-attacking tactic

    1. Arsenal won’t lose at the Emirate. It would be a shame for Vila to do double on Areensl this season that won’t be a mark of champions.

  11. Interesting selection. Even without Luiz they have some quality player, I will not be surprised if McGinn with the help of Tielemans both sit quite far right to maintain pressure on Zinny with us playing with Rice as the only defensive midfielder.

    If we maintain high possession we should be perfectly fine with this selection, but we can’t give away counter attacks

    1. It should not, but it will be, because the focus will now be on us and the fact that our mentality is suspect

  18. Great performance by Crystal Palace.Liverpool is a great team ,but I am happy because I am a passionate supporter of the Gunners

  19. We’re going to beat Villa with almost any team we put out

    They’re not a defensive side – the type of teams we love to play

    And they’re not on a Super-High High like the last time the played them

  20. I knew they were twist and turns to come but not at Anfield, where games are won before a ball is kick.

    1. Out ??

      3 points difference

      We still got Chelsea, Old Trafford , White Hart Lane

      What are you saying ?

      1. Neither we or Man city will make them catch up easily. Not this season. But we have to win first this game.

        Also based on they way they are losing lately, they are going to lose more.

  22. Bayern had a single chance and scored, we’ve had two (three including the Havertz 1 on 1 that turned out to be offside) but still can’t score

  23. We are doing the same annoying match as the reverse one. Dominating them but missing load of chances.

    1. Some great chances missed. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, imagine a top striker instead of Havertz or Jesus! Still, we can still win this game if we just relax in front of goal.

      1. Well on the other flip side we are creating more chances because of their playstyle. Look how villa defender are numbfounded who to mark with jesus n havertz constantly switching positions

  24. We wasted many chances

    Magalhaes made another error. Luckily, Watkins’ shot wasn’t accurate

    If we still can’t score after the sixtieth minute, I would replace Havertz with Martinelli and move Trossard to the left-sided AM position

    2. This, to me makes sense

      Get our best finisher in that spot that’s seeing many chances

      Just saying we all know Arteta won’t tactically substitute Kai

  25. Havertz can be released 100X and still not figure-out how to finish it off

    He needs to know he’s not physical enough to be met by defenders

    When released he has to control – shoot
    OR cut the oncoming defender
    He’s too lanky to allow defenders meet him on the ball – they’ll just get it off him so easily

  28. For everyone questioning why we still need a striker, this is the reason.

    I also much prefer Havertz in the front 3 much rather than the middle 3….just doesn’t work as well. No I’m not attacking him so just calm down

    I’d bring Partey on next to Rice which will allow our attackers to push on more. They are a pretty quick team even at the back so our pace isn’t dominating like it often does, this looks like a game that needs Martinelli’s pace and just hope he find his form but at least his speed can cause issues.

  29. Haha a Sanogo 2.0 who somehow by your view accidentally has led the league in goal contributions for some period of games in about a month and a half nice try.

    1. A month and a half is a threshold nowadays? The great players whose performances reflect on their salaries, do it for years on end week in week out. And they do it 300 times better.

      I don’t think he is Sanogo 2.0 but I think he is a poor man’e Ozil in his last years at Arsenal. Ozil at his worst, is still way better than Havertz when the highest paid player tag is concerned.

  31. Also when you watch the world class best striker in the world Haarland in games versus Arsenal and Real Madrid and he is completely nullified you realize that one could use those games to say he is useless but goes to show you cannot be brilliant at all times and whatever great striker people want us to buy how can you guarantee they would be having a great game today.

    Luckily coaches and management are not as reactionary game to game.

  32. common sense who says it is a threshold just that a Sanogo 2.0 would not pull that off in a month and a half let alone three seasons should be common sense really and I will not engage on that any further.

  33. Zincheko gives the ball away too much and we need changes

    Since the internationals rice has been average and looks leggy

    If we had a decent striker this would be all over

    1. We are nowhere defensively with Havertz in the middle 3, the tactics just don’t work as we saw earlier in the season. Need Partey on now and Martinelli

  40. Maybe I’m blind, but the way I see it, Jesus and Zinchenko have done what they were brought for. Thanks for the memories, and sell them asap.

  44. When you have line-up where Havertz start in midfield and Zinchenko starts in denfense; don’t expect to win.
    The first half of the season taught us this.
    Laid bare in the first leg against Villa and against Newcastle most especially.
    We need more control and creativity from the midfield, some a Partey and a to some extent Jorginho offers.

    It’s best left to Arteta the reason why he chose this route again today.

  50. Finally Jesus is off , although I would have preferred a like for like replacement here. This game I’d precariously balanced to say the least.

  55. The starting line-up shouldn’t have happened. It is in forgiven having a fit Jorginho and Partey and still forcing Havertz into this midfield.

    2. Havertz has cost us the title. Some will still say he’s better than Cesc. Ohh, how I will I meet my mates tomorrow 😢😢😢😢

  60. Arteta for all his qualities acts too smart for his own good. Why make so many changes when everything was working so well and against a team so dangerous.

  61. And just like last year, Arteta has bottled it up just after a contract extension 😔😔😔😔😔😔😔

  63. Nonsense from arsenal. So disappointed with the way they played today. No zeal at all in midfield or attack.

  65. Damn, PL over. I wasn’t expecting to lose today but more likely to lose points in the Spurs/Chelsea/United matches.

  67. Raya go away plz your a clown the dogs in the street know it except arteta of course

  68. Not one player today was good enough. What effect will this have on our season. Doubt we can beat Bayern. We will be tired and deflated too. Once again we buckled and Unai Emery can take the credit for the start of it.

  69. What the hell???? This is unforgivable. Zinchenko should never have been on the field. What a joke against joke team Aston Villa.

  70. The dominance in the first half, all the lost chances and lack of interest from the coach to bring off Havertz has cost us another opportunity to win.

    Until when again?

    1. More like kudos to Unai and Aston Villa I myself kept wondering how we got to 80 minutes and they’ve not allowed us into the game at-all

  72. We seem to see that we loose a lil chemistry when we change that first 11

    I also thought the lineup was okay

    But Kai is obviously better for us upfront than in the midfield

    We’re more dangerous with Martinelli starting and a known solution on the bench in Trossard

    1. We were are shit
      We played like cowards today the worst ever. No way will we win anything with this attitude never ever the worst performance in 25 years

  74. Aston Villa won us at Villa Park and now at Emirates Stadium, it was never a fluke they won in the first leg.

    What will say about this in my office tomorrow men?

  75. Starting line up cost us, we had months of evidence that Havertz in the middle 3 just does not work. For those sensitive souls I am not scapegoating Havertz, he plays well in the front line, we don’t function properly with him forced into the middle 3!!!

    Raya shouldn’t have come out that far, ESR had narrowed the angle very well so that the keeper could stay further back.

    We should’ve made changes much earlier, you could see it wasn’t working. Partey should’ve come on to sit with Rice in front of the back 4 ESPECIALLY with Zinny in the backline

  77. Agree it was a pitiful challenge by Smith Rowe but some extra cover by Jorghino might have helped.

    1. Raya is so many miles from being a world class keeper you would need a boat, plane and train to get to him. His spacial awareness and positioning is the worst. He’s a liability.

  80. This is not on players. I support Arteta for all he had done but this one is completely on him. He couldn’t motivate the players, even after Liverpool lost. Same as last 2 years

  81. Fact is, Aston Villa deserve the win. Could have had 4 goals today. We started well but never truly had a grip on the game. Villa wanted it so much and Unai got the better of MA again.

  82. This is a big disappointment. ESR should have fouled Watkins at that moment. Poor team selection by Arteta. Trossard and G.Jesus should have come off the bench. Anyways, 6 games to go. We need to win our next EPL game.

    1. Actually ESR had narrowed the angle perfectly as he should have, Raya should not have come of of his line….there was no need

  84. Bottled it once again, City’s to lose now and they won’t lose a game. Absolutely sick of this feeling, so close but so far

  86. This has got Mikel written all over it. one of his dirty little arts, for the best reasons though.

  90. Seems this game meant a lot more to the elder Spaniard, he may not have been too impressed on how he was dislodged from the Emirates

  94. Don’t know why but I said to my son, we never capitalise on the opportunities other teams, in this case Liverpool, present to us by losing ahead of our game. Picked the national winner today should have put a bet on this result as well.

    1. Havertown was brilliant for a number of games now. Why change that? Did you ever expect Giroud to play in midfield?

      Arteta tries to outsmart everyone but ends up making a fool of himself. Soo stupid

      1. I wouldn’t say brilliant and certainly not what we needed when we needed a goal scorer and went gave Chelsea £65m.

        Same as Jesus and Zink, for the prices too defo better options. There is a reason City were happy to take 45m/30m for the two of them.

        Ramsdale also has been screwed over too, Raya has done one good thing and that’s save a Pen in the UCL, nothing special and had been made to look better as our defence has been rock solid apart from that left hand side.

        Haverts can’t play in the middle and Mikel showed his inexp in doing that in a must win game. Jesus should not be starting in this team, same as Trossard better off the Bench to make an impact.

        Just my opinions on what I see. Mikel has us playing good football bit if we win nothing again this season after having another advantage and didn’t take it then that’s in him.

        Let’s see how we do in Munich this week, our season coukd be well and truly over as I don’t see City dropping any points from now until the end of the season plus now rhe GD is 5goals. City score that most wknds

  96. Feels Very Funny Too Me Though 🤣

    That The So Called Title-Race Has Now All Ended

    The Best Team Now Tops
    And That Same Team Has The Easiest Run-in

    1. Can’t stand him think he’s a dud. There is a reason pep sold him and that fake striker Jesus

  98. Wait afew seconds for the anti MA invective to stink this site out.

    Not from me of course but all the regular anti MA enemies will be out in force.Sigh!

    1. @jon fox
      In all fairness Jon, he did give them the ammo to use against him. Jus sayin 🤷🏾

    2. I personally am not anti MA but I choose to criticise any player/manager who makes a mistake or many mistakes. I understand fans feel a certain responsibility to show faith in their favorites even when they make mistakes but what’s wrong with fair feedback the way you see it.

  99. Jesus and Shevshenko should not have played. Partey should have played in order to release Rice. Not buying a world-class striker will bite us back many times.

    1. Ever since he’s come back from injury Zinchenko has been awful. He’s been giving away goals left right and centre.

  100. Arteta tried something by changing the team when he didn’t need to and it didn’t work. Maybe he had one eye on the Bayern game, who knows. But you also have to say the players he put on the pitch didn’t take their chance and make it happen either.

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