No more Benitez for Newcastle but Steve Bruce. Mr Bruce is a good manager and is in position to produce some positive work. There are some injuries for the home team. On the other side Arsenal which also has some important injuries (I doubt that Lacazette will play) is a better team therefore I will bet in favor of Arsenal: Arsenal to WIN and Over 1.5 goal in the match at 2.65 is ok for me.
Ozil, Kolasinac aren't playing on Sunday(due to attack on them). I think Laca also won't play. Pepe for sure won't start in 11. Torreira is a doubt cuz he returned lately from holidays. I believe Dani and Nelson will play. I wouldn't expect fireworks from Arsenal, we need our best players to show real power. 0:1
@alxdru- Ha, it's not beyond the realm of impossibility that the security services would be involved but I think it's more precautionary. Two men were arrested today.
Although Unai Emery has used the 4-2-3-1 extensively in preseason, with all the injuries and possible injuries (Bellerín, Holding, Tierney, Ceballos, Pépé and Lacazette), it may be best to use a 3-4-1-2: Leno, Chambers, Luiz, Sokratis, Maitland-Niles, Torreira, Xhaka, Kolašinac, Özil, Aubameyang, Nelson. That way, the poor positioning of Maitland-Niles and Kolašinac shouldn't be as exposed and they can play higher up the field; Luiz playing as the MCB will enable him to move into FM when we have the ball; Özil won't need to defend; we won't have to play Mkhitaryan and we can have a high press on the Newcastle CBs with two very quick players up front. Last season the back 3 offered no discernible benefit, defensively, over a back 4 but with so many probable starters injured or not fully fit, it may be prudent to adopt a "least bad" formation. The 4-2-3-1 would probably be Leno, Chambers, Sokratis, Luiz, Monreal, Torreira, Xhaka, Mkhitaryan, Özil, Nelson, Aubameyang.
@SteveHyland This is the reason i'm not very ”excited” by the transfers Arsenal made.If one of the first team player is out , Unai is forced to change the formation (with few exceptions) which leads us to the same bad positioning in defence problem we had last year.You can't expect from a defender that plays in different formation every month to intercept,tackle,pass the ball forward etc.Arsenal need to stick with 4 at the back all season if they want a strong defence.So Pepe ,Laca ,Auba even Ceballos don't fit in a 4-2-3-1 formation or 3-4-1-2 For me the best formation will be 4-3-3 with Ceballos between Xhaka and Torreira and Lacca -Auba -Pepe in front three
What a boring match
Early stages suggest this could be a frustrating match for both sides. Pepe to come off the bench and scored the winner. Arsenal 1-0.
2-2
No more Benitez for Newcastle but Steve Bruce. Mr Bruce is a good manager and is in position to produce some positive work. There are some injuries for the home team. On the other side Arsenal which also has some important injuries (I doubt that Lacazette will play) is a better team therefore I will bet in favor of Arsenal: Arsenal to WIN and Over 1.5 goal in the match at 2.65 is ok for me.
Arsenal by1. 1-2 or 0-1.
Hayden - start, Saint-Maximin - bench. Ozil & Kolasinac - rest.
@Andrii @Andrii Ozil and Kolasinac didn't travel for security reason. Why would anyone need a rest on the first game of the season
Both to score. Arsenal double chance. 1-2 maybe correct score.
@StickandMove I would be shocked if Arsenal do not keep a clean-sheet and win 1-0.
X2 draw can happen
Ozil, Kolasinac aren't playing on Sunday(due to attack on them). I think Laca also won't play. Pepe for sure won't start in 11. Torreira is a doubt cuz he returned lately from holidays. I believe Dani and Nelson will play. I wouldn't expect fireworks from Arsenal, we need our best players to show real power. 0:1
@fantazyboy- Just read that on SSN. It is actually due to intelligence suggesting that there is a new attack planned on one or both.
@SteveHyland so is better for them to stay in London ?some 007 plot here
@alxdru- Ha, it's not beyond the realm of impossibility that the security services would be involved but I think it's more precautionary. Two men were arrested today.
@SteveHyland with more players sitting, what are your thoughts on Arsenal to win?
Although Unai Emery has used the 4-2-3-1 extensively in preseason, with all the injuries and possible injuries (Bellerín, Holding, Tierney, Ceballos, Pépé and Lacazette), it may be best to use a 3-4-1-2: Leno, Chambers, Luiz, Sokratis, Maitland-Niles, Torreira, Xhaka, Kolašinac, Özil, Aubameyang, Nelson. That way, the poor positioning of Maitland-Niles and Kolašinac shouldn't be as exposed and they can play higher up the field; Luiz playing as the MCB will enable him to move into FM when we have the ball; Özil won't need to defend; we won't have to play Mkhitaryan and we can have a high press on the Newcastle CBs with two very quick players up front. Last season the back 3 offered no discernible benefit, defensively, over a back 4 but with so many probable starters injured or not fully fit, it may be prudent to adopt a "least bad" formation. The 4-2-3-1 would probably be Leno, Chambers, Sokratis, Luiz, Monreal, Torreira, Xhaka, Mkhitaryan, Özil, Nelson, Aubameyang.
@SteveHyland This is the reason i'm not very ”excited” by the transfers Arsenal made.If one of the first team player is out , Unai is forced to change the formation (with few exceptions) which leads us to the same bad positioning in defence problem we had last year.You can't expect from a defender that plays in different formation every month to intercept,tackle,pass the ball forward etc.Arsenal need to stick with 4 at the back all season if they want a strong defence.So Pepe ,Laca ,Auba even Ceballos don't fit in a 4-2-3-1 formation or 3-4-1-2 For me the best formation will be 4-3-3 with Ceballos between Xhaka and Torreira and Lacca -Auba -Pepe in front three
If Pepe doesn't start, I think Reiss Nelson will. I hope so, at least.
2-2