Oh yeah, didn’t think Ramsey could be available. Quick comeback for him.
Too bad that there isn’t a way to sign new players when you are 4 or 5 starters down to start the season. 
2 Likes
Wenger wants the transfer window to close before the season starts, so with that being the case Arsenal will conduct their business as such.
Expect lineup as follows:
Cech
Bellerin - Chambers - Gabriel - Monreal
Xhaka - Coquelin
Ox - Ramsey - Sanchez
Walcott (sadly)
2 Likes
Now that it’s a bit closer to the game, I’m predicting it will be something like this:
Cech
Bellerin Chambers Gabriel Monreal
Xhaka Elneny
Chamberlain Cazorla Alexis
Walcott
Won’t be surprised if Holding pushes out one of those CB’s though.
I can see Holding playing. Even in the short time he’s been here, he looks a better CB than Chambers.
1 Like
I think you will find it’s against the rules to start with 9 players on the pitch.
5 Likes
Liverpool are impressing me, they have three or four players in condition, ready to start to play against us. Especially on attack, Manè, Lallana and Firmino are ok. I don’t know if our youngers will be strong enough to stop them.
I’m little bit worried…
They’re definitely reaping the rewards of having dog shit international players.
Yeah it’ll be a very tough match, not looking forward to it. They’ve got lots of pace, directness and power their shape is looking very solid as well as their pressing.
Even if they’re are no new players before the match I don’t think the atmosphere will be toxic from the start but another opening day home defeat would not go down well. Wenger seems oblivious which is quite troubling
Liverpool looking very sharp against Barça, 3-0 up! I think a full pre-season under Klopp will reap serious rewards.
Next week will be very challenging indeed.
1 Like
Pre-season means nothing
2 Likes
4 Likes
We don’t need to make them bigger than they are, but on paper it’s a difficult match for us, because of the pressing Klopp usually utilises and the fact that that front five can run for 90 minutes. We struggle with that kind of dynamism and pace.
4 Likes
I actually think playing a team like Liverpool on the first day might be a good thing.
Preseason is just a marketing campaign, nothing more. Our players fly around the world, take cute pictures of the famous locale and get pampered on long ass flights. Then people wonder why we come out on the first day soft as baby poo and get twatted by the likes of West Ham and Villa.
The trophy can be won and lost within the first few weeks, we need to have our shit together.
1 Like
I remember when Chelsea lost every pre-season game, and then went on to win the league. So unless you play a friendly with your best starting lineup, it’s hard to see where you are compared to everyone else.
Liverpool pretty much played their best lineup today, and it showed.
1 Like
Probably a good thing we play this game so early to get it out of the way, because they look great.
It’s a bit late for new players. The time to get new players is the pre-season, so you can tinker with the lineup, see how they fit with certain players around them, etc. Sure, a deadline deal is better than no deal, but why come out weak? Liverpool and Leicester have circled the Arsenal game as a win.
The atmosphere will be quite tense and will turn toxic in a hurry if Arsenal come out like they did last season.
Why does Arsenal roll the dice like this? No serious title challenger would.
I’d rather play them when they stink.
Yep. This season figures to be quite tight for the top 4 spots.
Seems that every other club understands this, but Wenger. So, how will that atmosphere be at the Emirates when Liverpool come in and rick roll us? And then @ Leicester, another top 4 challenger. Pretty nice of Arsenal to field weakened teams against direct challengers for a top 4 spot to start the season.
Hey, I guess we can look forward to some deadline day panic buys.