Arsenal Corner

For the first time since 1998, Arsenal play a Port Vale side that sit 19th in League 1 this Wednesday. Arsenal needed penalties after a 1-1 draw to go through that night. Personally, I’d love a few more goals this time around. I think we’re due a nice, easy, injury free game and Arsenal’s opponents should…*ahem*… vale in comparison (sorry).

The team picks itself is not something that can be said of Arsenal this year. Not just due to squad depth, but also Arteta loves a curveball (See Merino upfront, or….Merino as a 10).

However team selection should be interesting for this match. Injuries will force Arteta into starting some names he’d really rather not, and that comes with some difficult decisions ahead of what will be a challenging tie against Newcastle this weekend.

I think we’ll line up something like the following:

Goalkeeper:

Kepa will make his competitive debut & become the 325th player to play for both Arsenal & Chelsea in the last few seasons.

Defence:

This is where it immediately gets spicy as somehow everyone is either injured, returning from injury or in need of a rest.

No doubt we would have seen a first start for Hincapie. However he has to go through his Arsenal ritual first of immediately getting injured despite being perennially available in Germany. Calafiori needs a rest so Lewis-Skelly will make his first start this season.

Somehow that likely means Gabriel at CB alongside Mosquera. There could be an opportunity for Marli Salmon to make the bench but perhaps this game is just a little too soon for him. I mean Arsenal can’t play a 15 year old right?….right?

At right-back. Timber needs a rest & White probably requires caution. I’d expect both to feature. White to start.

Midfield:

Another area where injuries will be a factor. Norgaard will come in assuming he’s fit – I think he is. Nwaneri is an easy pick here for a game that should suit him.

And then what? Ideally you wrap Rice in cotton wool and play Merino. But Newcastle away is exactly the sort of fixture Arteta would look to start Merino in, who by the way is also our back-up striker with Gyokores due a rest and Havertz out. That leaves you in a weird place. Despite that I think he’ll start.

Attack:

What’s that? Injuries here to? You guessed it. This would have been a great opportunity for Madueke to get his first G/A for Arsenal with Saka, in theory, ready for Newcastle. Rumours of doing his ACL are fortunately wide of the mark, but still, this 1 in 1 out policy we’ve got going on right now is mildly infuriating. I’d love it if that meant a first start for Dowman though – who would not become the youngest player to play in the competition, Google tells me that is instead Harvey Elliot.

Next, Martinelli has earnt himself a start. We’d all love to see him upfront, but that’s not how Arteta does things, so the left wing will be his. I think no chance Gyokores is starting this game which leaves just Trossard upfront.

Special note for Eze here. I think this would be a great game for him, especially since he didn’t start against Man City. But I think he’ll start against Newcastle.

That leaves us with this:

Goal: Kepa

Defence: White Mosquera Gabriel Lewis-Skelly

Midfield: Norgaard Merino Nwaneri

Attack: Dowman Trossard Martinelli

Ultimately though, Arsenal’s squad is so deep & Arteta gets a kick out of ruining a line-up prediction, so I have absolutely no idea.

I do love a score prediction though. Going for a 4-0 win

What do you think? Let me know your line-up & score predictions in the comments.