Arsenal can be thankful to come into today’s FA Cup final without any new injury worries, having lost so many players since the return to action, but Chelsea on the otherhand have some doubts.
The Blues have been without Marco Van Ginkel and Billy Gilmour for some time now, but they currently have doubts over two of their most influential players in Willian and Ngolo Kante.
Arsenal remain without the likes of Calum Chambers, Pablo Mari, Shkodran Mustafi and Gabriel Martinelli, but may well welcome goalkeeper Bernd Leno back into the playing squad.
The German has been nominated on a three-man shortlist for Arsenal’s Player of the Season, but even if he does prove to be fit, I feel like Martinez will still get the nod to start after an impressive few weeks as number one.
Predicted XI:
Martinez
Holding Luiz Tierney
Maitland-Niles Xhaka Torreira Saka
Pepe Lacazette Aubameyang
I feel like Maitland-Niles might be given the task of keeping tabs on Christian Pulisic, who is proving to be a handful for our rivals in his debut campaign. Having Bukayo Saka on the alternate flank would also allow us to switch wing-backs without issue in case Chelsea were to move the American to the right in the absence of Willian.
The front-three more-or-less picks itself, with Nicolas Pepe having begun to show why he was worth his hefty price-tag in recent months, while Laca has seriously improved his form in recent weeks since getting regular minutes.
This game will not be an easy one to win, but if we keep organised in defence we certainly have a great chance against the Blues.
Do you think Ceballos should get the nod over Torreira? Who else deserves to start ahead of my selection?
Patrick
We actually need creativity at the middle of the lack. So Ceballos should be ahead if Torreira.
Willian and Kante will play, for sure!
Ceballos starts for me, other than that, spot on, Patrick! COYG 🎗
I bet Arteta will not start with Holding we want to win the cup
Why would you field torreira in such a game?
Torreira would be the last player I would have in the team whether it be a normal game or this most important game. We need to show other clubs we can’t be walked over!!
I’ll like Nelson to replace Pepe and Ceballos for xhaka. Others good to go
Holding is not in the eleven if we want to win the cup we should go all out and press and keep pressing we beat Liverpool that way
Personally think it will be end to end ,hopefully in our favour seeing we have more to play for that’s Chelsea .
3-1 Arsenal COYG
Why not
This team is the best lineup in the moment in my opinion.
If Giroud is playing I’d go for this.
——————-Martinez——————
-Maitland Niles—Holding—–Teirney-
————————Luiz——————-
——-Nelson—-Xhaka—-Celebos——
—Pepe——————————Saka—
—————Aubameyang—————-
If no Giroud then this.
————–Martinez———–
-Maitland Niles-Holding-Luiz–Teirney-
—–Nelson——Xhaka—–Celebos——
—Pepe——————————Saka—
————–Aubameyang——————
For me Giroud and Pulisic are the danger men. We need some speed on the left to handle Pulisic. We need someone in the zone just a bit higher in central defence to handle Giroud.
I’d like us to play with intensity. One touch and then release the ball. Play the ball around quickly in attack. When we lose possession close them down quickly, force them into mistakes. I really hope we don’t play possession based again. All this knocking the ball left and right across the field or going backwards gives them the chance to catch us on the counter. We saw what can happen when doing that in the Europa League final.
The less set pieces we can give them the better. Set pieces late in a game can win them.
I forget. COYG!!!
Playing both Xakaand Torrera to me is not good, because we don’t have number six again outside ,Danni should start,and for sure we need more new faces this transfer Party and coutinoh and center back
Holding was in the lineup when we last won the cup and he is starting today. Ceballos starts not torreira and Bellerin too.the rest are ok
Torriera….. Noooooo…….