The Arsenal v Shaktar Donetsk, 8pm Tuesday 22 October

[Mac76]

0-3 Danylo hatter

Saliba can play this one which is good, maybe we use Kiwior instead of Gabriel to give him a rest

Saka shouldn't start in this one and preferably isn't on the bench either

While to avoid those two extra games we really need to try to win this one, that doesn't mean we shouldn't change things around a bit, assuming Shaktar are as mediocre as everyone seems to think they are

plus to have any hope against Liverpool we need to be at best to our full capacity

So maybe something like this:

Neto

Partey Saliba Kiwior Lewis-Skelly

Jorg Rice

Sterling Nwaneri Martinelli

Jesus


I know it won't look like that but he needs to play some people into form and not overtire others

[HCZ_Reborn]

Who holds up the ball up front in that lineup ?

[Mac76]

In theory Jesus as he has shown in the past he is capable of doing that, but I know you will say he tends to drift all over the pitch and isn;t on great form

We won't play this lineup and it's probably a bit too ropey tbh but these guys are all on the payroll because they can supposedly do a job for us and with Liverpool coming up we need to rotate

that said we do then have four days clear before the Liverpool game so we can play a few more first teamers than this

[Marc Overmars]

Need to ensure this is a formality and good prep for Liverpool. Absolutely do not need another disaster heading into the weekend.

Huge games coming up and if we don’t play ourselves back into form we will be in the gutter.

[Letters]

I hope we win, tbh.

It's on Prime so should be able to watch most* of it.

*I have some stupid parenting group, it's online so I can still have it on in the background.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

This is surely a guaranteed Zinchenko start.

[Mac76]

This is surely a guaranteed Zinchenko start.

If we want to lose then yes

[HCZ_Reborn]

Went to the game the last time Shatkah came to the Emirates (back before Russia started paying mercenaries to cause unrest in the Donbass) in 2010. 5-1 game…a day after that prize winning Turnip Adrian Durham derided Arsenal fans for clapping Eduardo after he got a goal for his new team. We were 5-0 up, we had already won the game, and we were showing a bit of class because a player that had recovered from a reckless challenge that could have ended his career, still had a career. It’s not like we’d have applauded if it had been the winner, plus it wasn’t applauding the goal it was applauding a former player. Dickhead

[HCZ_Reborn]

Two changes from Saturday with Martinelli in for Merino (with Trossard going to the No10 role presumably) and Jesus in for Sterling.

Saka still not available which is worrying for Sunday (not to say I’d have started him tonight). Not sure who is on the bench

[HCZ_Reborn]

No Timber on the bench which doesn’t bode well for Sunday (where the preferable option would be to stick Timber on the right and shift White over to centre back)

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Arsenal: Raya; White, Gabriel, Saliba, Calafiori; Rice, Partey; Martinelli, Trossard, Jesus; Havertz.
Subs: Neto, Setford, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Jorginho, Merino, Sterling, Butler-Oyedeji, Lewis-Skelly, Nwaneri, Monlouis, Robinson.

Shakhtar Donetsk: Riznyk; Konoplia, Bondar, Matviyenko, Pedro Henrique; Krysiv, Bondarenko, Sudakov; Zubkov, Eguinaldo, Sikan.
Subs: Fesuin, Traore, Franjic, Stepanenko, Shved, Azarov, Tobias, Ghram, Gomes, Kevin, Pedrinho, Newertton.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

If we want to lose then yes

Glad we avoided defeat recently.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Eduardo. :(

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Come on Arsenal. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Strong start from us so far.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Calafiori. :haha:

What a miss.

[Letters]

Calafiori. :haha:

What a miss.
Exactly what I came here to post :lol: :doh:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Wake up Ben White.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Havertz and Trosssard. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

OG!!!!

[HCZ_Reborn]

Crikey this has been poor. Almost as a matter of muscle memory the ball keeps making its way through to the right hand side but unfortunately we’ve got Jesus there. Anyway 1-0 OG

[HCZ_Reborn]

:lol: the stadium announcer giving the goal to Martinelli. Don’t think so mate

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Yellow for White.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Unlucky Havertz.

Jesus did well getting it back in too.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Jesus will never score again.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-0 HT. Should be more.

Jesus has looked like a footballer at least, so signs of life there.

Partey has been brilliant I think.

[HCZ_Reborn]

1-0 HT. Should be more.

Jesus has looked like a footballer at least, so signs of life there.

Partey has been brilliant I think.

I think you’re being generous with Jesus, he looked like half a footballer for about ten minutes

Agree with you RE Partey playing a more advanced role this evening and his passing and pressing work have been excellent

[Marc Overmars]

Some nice work from Jesus.

Hopefully a bit more ruthless in the final third and get this done early in the second half.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

White off for Merino, probably to avoid the red.

[Letters]

We are pretty inept up front.
A lot of good play but when it comes to putting the ball in the net, not a clue

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Good ball in by Martinelli but not much direction from Trossard.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Partey shifted to right back. Shame he was doing well in the middle of the park

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Moving Partey to RB isn't what was needed tbf.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Martinelli finds the middle again.

[Letters]

Martinelli finds the middle again.

It’s 8 yards wide, stop hitting at the ‘keeper you prick!

[HCZ_Reborn]

I feel like that’s the first time tonight the ref has blown for a foul in our favour

[WMUG]

Second time Gabriel's bailed us out.

[Marc Overmars]

Pretty crap second half so far. Not done enough up front and now inviting pressure.

[HCZ_Reborn]

I think moving Partey to right back and bringing Merino on has made us look shit

[HCZ_Reborn]

Although Calafiori was poncing about on the ball, that was definitely a free kick

[Niall_Quinn]

Utter bollocks. Back to the bad old ways. Tip, tap. Why is Partey on the pitch when there are kids that could be given a run out? You play Partey if you are deliberately trying to avoid moving the ball at pace. And now Sterling. Another absolute shit-kicker. Play the kids instead of the old has-beens.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Jesus off, Sterling on.

[Marc Overmars]

Calafiori’s dicking around has led to a knee injury. :rolleyes:

[Niall_Quinn]

God get rid of your girly beads and get on the pitch!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Is this really a pel?

[Niall_Quinn]

What the hell is this? What a waste of time.

[Marc Overmars]

That’s got to be a penalty!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Pretty fortunate for us, nobody had asked for it. :lol:

[Marc Overmars]

Penalty it is. :lol:

[Niall_Quinn]

That's a joke. They've ruined football. Nobody even mentioned it until VAR stuck its nose in again.

[HCZ_Reborn]

I think that’s a really harsh pel

[Niall_Quinn]

Justice done.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Trossard has it saved, don't get why he was taking it.

[dazthegooner]

Shit penalty

[Marc Overmars]

Trossard has it saved :haha:

[Niall_Quinn]

By accident.

Now they are going to do another VAR check! LOL

[Marc Overmars]

Absolutely dreadful penalty to sum up what has been a terrible second half.

[Niall_Quinn]

How can you set a positive tone for the Liverpool game when the PL has already rigged the result?

[Letters]

Justice done.

Correct. I hate all these bullshit penalties.
Defenders basically have to have their arms surgically removed these days to avoid conceding penalties

[Niall_Quinn]

Correct. I hate all these bullshit penalties.
Defenders basically have to have their arms surgically removed these days to avoid conceding penalties

Or wear a light blue shirt. Very effective.

[Marc Overmars]

I have no idea what we are doing. This is prime Wenger collapse territory.

[WMUG]

Why on Earth was Trossard on the penalty and not Havertz?

:blink:

[Niall_Quinn]

What kind of performance could possibly be expected if you play Rice, Partey AND this Merino bloke all in the same eleven? It's kind of obvious. And why have Havertz on the pitch at all if all you are going to do it try to thread tip tap BS at 1mph through ranked defenders who have time for a cuppa?

[Letters]

Or wear a light blue shirt. Very effective.

:lol:

[Niall_Quinn]

And now Jorginho for Trossard. Who are we playing, Real at the Bernabeu?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Good save from Raya.

[Niall_Quinn]

Raya saved the day there.

[Niall_Quinn]

Still time to bring Kiwior on for Havertz or Martinelli.

[Marc Overmars]

Good save. Raya switched on when it matters.

[Mac76]

Utter bollocks. Back to the bad old ways. Tip, tap. Why is Partey on the pitch when there are kids that could be given a run out? You play Partey if you are deliberately trying to avoid moving the ball at pace. And now Sterling. Another absolute shit-kicker. Play the kids instead of the old has-beens.

He really should have done, they need to get experience somewhere and this would have been a good game to do it

I'm really fed up with Arteta's conservatism

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-0 FT. That was a horrendous second half.

[Niall_Quinn]

These putrid performances don't do anything in the long run. It's a win and 3 points in this farce of a league (that isn't a league apparently). But when you let performances drop to that level it gets harder to pick it up when a serious challenge is in front of you. Nothing good about that performance.

[Marc Overmars]

Dreadful really. Clearly got complacent and couldn’t switch back on when they realised it wasn’t done.

Shite, Liverpool will destroy us if we’re anything like we’ve been against Bournemouth and tonight.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Second to almost every ball in the second half.

Jesus was shit but he was less shit than Martinelli yet the latter stays on

Have to hope that Calafiori hasn’t fucked his knee

Merino looks like he wouldn’t be out of place in the Ukranian league

Sterling is an embarrassment

Lewis-Skelley looked like a rabbit in the headlights

Shocking performance