Probable Lineups

3-5-2
4-2-3-1
© WhoScored.com

Probable Lineups Statistical Comparison

(39) 22 Goals 53 (73)
(26) 18 Assists 39 (54)
(6.5) 6.7 Average Ratings 7.1 (6.9)
37.7 Average Age 35.3
186.4 Average Height (cm) 182.2
(0.9) 0.9 Shots pg 1.1 (1.1)
(49%) 51% Aerial Duel Success 49% (51%)
(0.6) 0.7 Dribbles pg 0.8 (0.9)
(1.4) 1.2 Tackles pg 1.4 (1.4)
* Values in brackets (x) are overall player statistics in Premier League.

Missing Players

Watford
Arsenal
Player Reason Status Rating
Brice Dja Djédjé Out N/A
Isaac Success Doubtful 6.39
Player Reason Status Rating
Per Mertesacker Out 6.72
Gabriel Paulista Out 6.9
Danny Welbeck Out 6.57
Carl Jenkinson Out 7.03
Alex Iwobi Out 6.72
Aaron Ramsey Out 6.72

Team News

Watford
Arsenal
  • Brice Dja Djedje is sidelined with a foot problem for Watford, while Isaac Success is a doubt for the Hornets ahead of Saturday's welcome of Arsenal.
  • New signings Younes Kaboul and Roberto Pereyra are at Walter Mazzarri's disposal, though may be eased into competitive action slowly following their arrivals.
  • Ben Watson is available having served his one-match ban.
  • Olivier Giroud and Mesut Ozil could both make their first league starts of the season having come off the bench against Leicester last weekend, with Theo Walcott and Francis Coquelin dropping to the bench.
  • Rob Holding should keep his place in the backline after an impressive in the 0-0 draw with the Foxes alongside Laurent Koscielny.
  • Per Mertesacker, Gabriel, Danny Welbeck, Carl Jenkinson, Alex Iwobi and Aaron Ramsey all miss out through injury.

Prediction

  • Watford fell to a 2-1 home loss to Chelsea last weekend and followed that up with an extra time defeat to Gillingham in the EFL Cup on Tuesday. The players are still adhereing to Mazzarri's demands and play Arsenal at perhaps the wrong time.
  • While the Gunners have failed to win so far this season, they looked in far better shape against Leicester last weekend, holding the defending champions to a 0-0 draw. With Ozil and Giroud now fully fit and available, the duo should make a huge difference in the final third.
  • Watford's poor start to the campaign, therefore, could continue with a home defeat this weekend.
© WhoScored.com

User Predictions

Comments (40)

 
  • Can't really take too much from this game. Oezil made an impact despite being maybe 85% fit. I still don't think playing Alexis in the 9 and Xhaka as the (lone) DM against the big teams will work but it makes a change having some choice in the squad. Getting our first win was important, hopefully it is the catalyst we need. Praying Perez and Mustafi hit the ground running and Walcott continues his form.

  • Ighalo actually have played three shots already. Poor to say its zero and he's dribbled at Least 5 times today

  • Ighalo giving me plenty of Joy here today

  • Özilworst man so far ...But he dosn`t seem to be fit yet

  • @neumi17 If you are smart you look at the time I wrote that comment. Up to the 40th minute he sucked big time!

  • @neumi17 even though he set up penalty and scored a goal, not bad

  • @SynystePL How doyou set up a penalty ?

  • You guys know your preview page doesn't work, right?

  • @What4 I mean lineup page, not preview.

  • 1:1

  • I wont be suprised if this ends DRAW 1-1

  • Lucas Perez is way much better than some think. The addition of him along with Mustafi would significantly improve the squad. Koscielny and Mustafi could form the best CB duo in the premier league in my opinion of course.

  • Gooner fans, Lucas Perez has better stats than Mahrez last season and should he join Arsenal we'd get a very good striker even though he's not relatively known. £17m is a steal! Sky mentioning Arsenal will finalize tomorrow. I am not too much bothered about Mustafi. He'd still be a short term solution to Arsenal's defense as I see Koscielny and Holding as the future CB's! Perez would be a very good addition and he's a better striker than £60m Lacazette!

  • @albgunn- Well, firstly Mahrez is a winger and not a striker so they aren't direct comparisons. Perez will play as a #9 and he converts his chances only 2% better than Giroud. That's in an easier league. In the Perez vs Mahrez comparison last season (Mahrez's stats first): GOALS: 17, 17. SHOTS/GOAL: 5, 5.94. CHANCES CREATED: 67, 72. RATING: 7.84, 7.1. So, as you see a better conversion rate and playing as a winger every game. When you factor in the fact Mahrez will be 3 years younger at the end of the calendar year (25 to 28) and the fact he has proved himself in the prem, he is clearly a better player. World class potential, Perez nowhere near. Perez should be the bench striker for a club like Arsenal, not the starting #9. Lacazette is a great finisher. Given our problem was converting chances last year, he would suit us better but we need a typical #9 who can hold the ball up and convert at a goal every 5 shots. I haven't even heard of a bid for Morata despite being out of favour.

  • @SteveHyland Lucas Perez is not an out an out number 9. even though we both know him little now, Perez is a forward and has played everywhere upfront, only last season he played a typical number 9 at Deportivo where he had best season. Mahrez's relatively more minutes and better team obviously make him a better player but Deportivo is like Sunderland of La Liga. Only Perez stood out last season and he was considered by Barcelona this transfer window. Mahrez's and Perez's stats last season are equal. 17 goals/10 assists. Mahrez played in a team that finished 10 points above second team and Perez finished 15th in la Liga.

  • @albgunn- Before last season, people would've rated Deportivo about the same as Leicester. You are ignoring the fact Mahrez was a big reason why Leicester actually won the league. It wasn't just him of course- Vardy, Kante, Drinkwater and a solid defence were important but Mahrez influenced most games he played last season so it isn't just the quantifiable stats. Where the respective teams finish doesn't matter in the stats I'm comparing (conversion rate primarily). Perez did stand out as the best player at a crap team but it's all relative. He more than likely stood out BECAUSE he was at a crap team. We need somebody who can finish chances considerably better than Giroud whilst being able to bring others into play, hold the ball up and get in the faces of central defenders. Does that sound like Perez to you? I want him to do well but it seems like a typical cheap-skate Wenger signing to me.

  • 1-2 Arsenal Ozil Motm. I hope we have signed Lucas Perez by the time this game starts.

  • 0-0; 1-1 :)

  • please start Cazorla in midfield, Xhaka was poor in his firs start but he needs a few games probably, would be amazing if Cazorla started in the middle with Coqulin, Their partnership last season was immense! I think Arsenal will play a full team here, Koscielny with Holding in CD, Ozil Nr 10, Sanchez and Walcott on the wings and Giroud upfront! Arsenal must come home with a 2/3:0 final score!

  • @albgunn- Cazorla is club captain. If he is 100% fit he will start. Xhaka has looked exactly like a player coming from a lesser division. He is young enough to adjust although I still don't see why we signed him given he is neither 100% DM or 100% deep-lying playmaker.

  • @SteveHyland @SteveHyland Xhaka will come good, he's best suited as DM where Arsenal have been lacking for years, a guy who sits back and defends, breaks up play and sprays passes. He's got a very accurate left foot and is a tough tackler. Closest to him we have Coquelin but Coquelin is poor in ball delivery. I'm hearing whispers Lucas Vasquez is on the way and he'd be an amazing forward should he sign!

  • @albgunn- He isn't a DM though, which was my point. Coquelin is a DM, Cazorla a DLP. Xhaka is almost directly between both which means if you want to have the same balance you had in the Coquelin/Cazorla partnership then you probably need a right footed version of Xhaka sitting next to Xhaka, if that makes sense. Playing Xhaka/Cazorla will mean you lose a bit of the defensive solidity you get with Coquelin/Cazorla whereas playing Xhaka/Coquelin will mean you lose the creativity you get with Coquelin/Cazorla so in that regards it was a strange signing. Xhaka's discernment in the tackle is worse than Coquelin's and that is the only thing stopping Francis from becoming a world class DM. I don't disagree with his passing, although he is at least as good as Matic in that regard, but he is a better DM than Xhaka and Cazorla is a vastly better DLP than Xhaka.

  • @SteveHyland Xhaka has always played that role at Basel, Monchengladbach and Swiss national team. Xhaka is DM by trade and the task to move the ball forward primarily falls on Cozorla who has never been a midfielder in his career and he's always played in a forward position, only last season Wenger paired him with Coquelin in midfield where Arsenal probably had the best spell of games in many years with that set up, beast Liverpool, City away and Bayern in huge games where Cozorla came out MoM almost every game until he got injured. Xhaka is the polished version of Coquelin, Wenger doesnt like players who destroy, thats Jose's type of player, Wenger prefers a player who can play the ball in tight spaces and Coquelin unfortunately doesnt have that. Watch Xhaka vs Pogba France vs Swiss Euro2016 where Pogba literally was in his pocket and had to tear Xhaka's shirt because he found no way past him! Xhaka was the a Captain of a CL side aged 23 and best Swiss midfielder for years now.

  • @albgunn- But that is my point, Xhaka isn't good enough to be a pure DM in the premier league so you lose defensive solidity that you would get with Coquelin/Cazorla when switching to Xhaka/Cazorla. This isn't up for debate. It's true you get a better passer but that has never been our problem, defensive frailty has been and the DM is seen as part of the defence in modern football, well should be at least. The fact Wenger doesn't like destroyers but Jose does is partly why he has won 6 titles since Wenger won his last. Xhaka could be the perfect fit for a particular team but I just don't see how he is an upgrade to Coquelin in the role ARSENAL need him to play. I also don't give too much credence to being captain of a mediocre side at a young age or being the best young player of a country not exactly known for producing great players I'm afraid. It's inconsequential. If he were German & captained Bayern then yes but Basel/Switzerland? Hardly important imho.

  • @SteveHyland Signing of Xhaka is quite intriguing as we've discussed before. He surely isn't DM and from what I've seen, he isn't ready to play alongside Cazorla from the start in big matches. I would call him simply no. 6 player, probably best suited with 4-4-2 alongside (another) defensive minded midfielder. But to specify he is closest to deep-lying playmaker, although he is different to Cazorla who usually plays that kind of role. Right now he's most useful in situations where we really need to score a goal as he helps us to move ball more quickly than our other midfielders and even offers decent ball recovery. Wenger has often taken Coquelin off and dropped Ramsey in the bottom when we've been chasing a goal but Xhaka is much more ideal player for that. Against Watford he should be ready to start though. In time I could see him being converted to more traditional DM role, in his best he can offer much needed toughness to our midfield.

  • What is latest about Debuchy. Is he still leaving? Any idea?

  • @Valor regardless Bellerin aint vacating that RB spot for anyone out there! Debuchy was a good signing but his confidence was ruined when he came back from injury

  • @Valor My guess is that most teams don't want to pay his wages so he's still at Arsenal. Need to get rid.

  • As for this game, I would assume Giroud will start. The Alexis experiment hasn't worked and wont ever work. Oezil will also start so we will have our first choice midfield at least. Walcott deserves to get the nod ahead of Chamberlain on the right wing, although I would bring Chamberlain on late to run at tired defenders. It's important he gets regular game time. Holding seems to have been given the nod over Chambers so the team will look something like: Cech, Bellerin, Holding, Koscielny, Monreal, Cazorla (c), Xhaka, Walcott, Oezil, Alexis, Giroud. I would hope Wenger doesn't think we'll need a DM sitting next to Xhaka being this is Watford, not Bayern. No disrespect to them, the game will be tough but we'll dominate with whichever midfield 3 from our squad we start and if we fail to win the game, it will be due to failure to convert chances; leaving too much space for them to counterattack into and/or the Deeney-Ighalo partnership getting the better of our CBs. I'll go 2-1 Arsenal.

  • @SteveHyland I completely concur with your line-up. Watford currently play with 3 CBs and the full backs drop deep often. Means they are likely going to sit back and defend and try to hit us on a counter. I am confident we are going to create the chances, but are we going to convert them? That being said, Holding looks like a very good signing for Arsenal. Not surprised as I've always had the feeling he will end up ahead of Chambers, if not Gabriel.

  • Well, it looks as though the Mustafi deal will fall through and Icardi has signed a new 5-year deal to stay at Inter. I stuck up for Wenger after fans booed him during the opening game and I still think he should be given until the window closes before anybody calls for his head, but it's looking increasingly like he'll have to do something we he has never done in his Arsenal career- pay over the odds. We have missed out on a number of signings over the years because Wenger didn't want to pay the asking price. That's commendable and when you look at how easily other prem teams have been shafted over the years- particularly City (and on a couple of occasions by us :-p ), it's impressive he has that level of nerve. However, I feel either he abandons his principles in order to make us title contenders or he finds his position untenable. As long as the players are excellent ones, the fans wont care about the outlay. You can always make more money as a football club.

  • @SteveHyland He will never pay over the odds - we're signing Lucas Perez who's release clause is 16m GBP. He's not a bad player and a fraction of the cost of Lacazette. We may also go for Topral instead of Mustafi as Leverkusen just signed a CB. Valencia are selling Alcacer to Barca so are in a better bargaining position.

  • @Overmars- I read that earlier and I really hope it's false or if it's true, falls through during the medical. Perez is a 1 goal in 6 shots (at best) in La Liga. In the prem that will probably translate as being Welbeck finishing level not to mention he is already 27. Not even on the same level as Giroud let alone an upgrade. I would rather us play 1 of Holding/Chambers than buy Toprak. Wenger will have a hard time convincing Arsenal fans with Perez & Toprak when Morata and Koulibaliy should've been bought. Ultimately, frugality could be his downfall.

  • @SteveHyland Morata will be expensive and highly unlikely to be sold after he was given a 'presentation' when Madrid bought him back. Koulibaly will also be expensive, Napoli have already rejected a 50m + bid for him from Chelsea. I don't think Mustafi is as good as Koulibaly, but it looks like we will get him for around 35m and his wage also won't be too high. There's still a small chance we will go 'big' for a Striker as we have the cash, but it's unlikely. A guy like James or Isco is more likely, and maybe we would get either on a loan with an obligation or option to buy.

  • @Overmars- But since then, Morata, has been out of favour and looking every inch the player who wants to leave. I don't expect us to make a bid for him because when faced with the best (but more expensive) option and the cheaper one, Wenger invariably chooses the latter- as you know. Fans would've been far more pleased with us paying £50m each for Koulibaly, Mahrez, Draxler and Morata than £35m for Xhaka, Mustafi, £17m for Perez and a loan for Rodriguez at the start of the season because it would've made us guaranteed contenders. As it is, when you factor in City's squad in particular, we are living in hope once again. Ambitious clubs and managers don't care about the money (as long as we stay within the UEFA ins vs outs limit). Wenger and Arsenal clearly aren't ambitious. 4th is good enough for us and if we happen to fluke a league title then it's a bonus. At City, it's expected they win the league. If we lose our next home game after these mediocre signings then Wenger better duck.