Arsenal Corner

What’s up, happy Friday! It is once more, the weekend, and once more we need to wait till Sunday to watch The Arsenal play. 

That has left me debating whether or not to get my fix by watching the Liverpool game on Saturday. There’s only so many 83+ minute daggers to the heart one man can take. Nevertheless we’re all gluttons for punishment and I’ll be fixed to the TV. Surely they can’t keep doing it right?……right?

Speaking of 83+ minute winners. Arsenal go away to Newcastle and I would absolutely take one of those right now. 

We’re obviously far too early in the season to throw out terms like ‘must-win’ game. But lose and Arsenal are 8 points behind a Liverpool team that are comfortable front-running and have a lamped-genie on retainer. 

Clawing those 8 points back would be a task. Despite how fragile Liverpool have looked this season.

This will be a tough game. Newcastle have become a bit of a bogey team in recent years and not just because it’s frowned upon to send off Bruno and Joelinton. 

The last time Arsenal won at St.James Park was in 2023. Since then we’ve lost 3 on the trot. 

That said, this feels like a good time to play Newcastle. Their summer was one to be ashamed of. They’ve lost their star player at a time they thought they were on the up. They have some injuries and the only team they can score against is Liverpool. 

Arsenal should be bolstered by returning players. Saka, Saliba and Odegaard should all be pushing to start, and with an easy-on-paper fixture at home to Olympiacos mid-week, we don’t need to worry too much about rotation.

Here’s how I see us lining up:

Goalkeeper:

Raya – no further analysis needed

Defense:

Finally some rest for Timber mid-week will see him return to the side. What he’s been able to do since coming back from an ACL injury is nothing short of incredible. Easily one of the best right backs in the league. 

Mosquera has filled in nicely so far this season, but the rest of the defense picks itself. Saliba, Gabriel and Calafiori. 

Just a note on Saliba and his shiny new contract. As important as any new signing. He will become the best CB in the world. He’ll be playing for Arsenal in his prime years, rejecting Real “remontada” Madrid in the process. What an incredible turnaround from where we were a few years ago.

 

Midfield: 

Same as Timber, Zubimendi will return after some much needed rest. Despite playing more minutes than expected mid-week Rice will also return. 

For the final position. This is the sort of fixture Arteta gets a kick of out playing Merino in. Has he learnt his lesson that it doesn’t work? Probably not. That said if Odegaard is fit he starts, and it feels like he’s fit.

 

Attack:

Despite getting kicked in mid-week, Saka should be back in the starting line-up. He’s struggled to get going so far this season. Integrating new players doesn’t just impact the new players. If we’re going to win the league we need him at his best. He’ll get there.

Gyokores will start up-front because we have no-one else. Which is a shame. Havertz would have started this one, they’d be able to share minutes. Both Gyokores and Arsenal would have looked better as a result. 

Finally, will Arteta reward Trossard’s mid-week goal with a start? I hope not. I wrote about this after the Port Vale match. Trossard & Martinelli are finishers now and that’s okay. Eze has been great so far and still has levels to go. He’ll get the start.

Score prediction:

Said at the top I’d take a dirty, horrendous, glorious last minute set piece deflection off of Joelinton’s face and I’m sticking with it. Newcastle 0-1 Arsenal.

What are your line-up & score predictions?