Dani & Kola did their hamstrings. And Pepe came back late so he's supposedly iffy. The defense probably picks itself, assuming everyone's fit (Kieran, Luiz, Sok, Hector... or maybe Rob kicks out Sok if he too was away with Greece?) Same for base of midfield (Guen, Torreira... praying that Xhaka continues his "rehab" on the bench or out of the squad) Attack is where it gets interesting... lots of potential permutations
The team seems pretty obvious. probably be this- Leno Bellerin Chambers sokratis holding tierney Xhaka Luiz Guendouzi Kolasinac -------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- Auba Auba off for Mavropanos to shore up the defense, if Arsenal go behind.
Prehaps a boring 1-0 or 2-0 win , a goal from a set piece and one from Aubameyang. Or a listless boring draw after going ahead. I really want to get up early and go to the local Arsenal pub and watch this but instead I'll nervously and quietly watch the non entertaining football match at home. #Emeryout
Hopefully Emery decides to try something different, go with a back 4, Torreira as DM, and put the most attacking players on the wins, CM and ST. Instead we will probably see whats effectively been a 5-4-1.
We go 3-4-1-2 at home against a team that lost 9-0 at one point this season. Should remove a defender and bring in Pepe for a 4-2-1-3.
This ought to be a win, that doesn't mean it will be. Emery is a weak manager and Xhaka is a big personality (in fact it seems like he's a homeless man's Roy Keane), so the last two games we've gone from having an identity based on fouling and being shit to having no identity at all. In the fullness of time that's probably an improvement, but so far we've looked kind of preseason as we've gone without Xhaka. Now we've had a couple weeks off and we should have had enough time to figure out some kind of post-Xhaka identity, but supposedly Emery has done his penance and is ready to come in from the cold, so we can't even win for losing.
Wouldn't it be nice if Auba & Laca refound their chemistry and joy today? And as I write this Auba tries to spring Laca... just a tad too strong a pass.