Brentford vs Arsenal 01.01.2025 KO 17:30 GMT

[HCZ_Reborn]

Team to play Brentford: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Partey, Merino, Odegaard; Nwaneri, Jesus, Martinelli
Subs: Neto, Kiwior, Tierney, Zinchenko, Lewis-Skelly, Jorginho, Rice, Kabia, Trossard

I don’t even know where to begin. What’s happened to Havertz.

Stop Playing Partey at 6. Stop playing Merino at all…if he’s got to play, play him as a sub after we’ve taken the lead…he’s too slow to play in a creative position and his passing isn’t good enough.

If Havertz is sick/injured, Jesus should have been played on the right with Nwaneri next to Odegaard

I’m not confident

[Mac76]

I'm not yet a huge fan but I expect Merino's there to give some solidity, Brentford are quite a physical team

Good to see Nwaneri start but seems a weird match to pick as opposed to Ipswich at home...

As for Havertz it must be an injury or personal reasons, I can't see a reason for him being out of the squad otherwise

[HCZ_Reborn]

Nwaneri was presumably picked because of the injury/illness or otherwise unknown reason for Havertz’s absence. Otherwise he’d presumably have stuck him up front.

Merino isn’t especially that good physically either, he may have looked that way in Spain but doesn’t look especially like he’s confident being pressed.

I don’t know. I honestly can’t remember the last lineup I had much confidence in. Arteta for me, just does not know what he is doing

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Team to play Brentford: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Partey, Merino, Odegaard; Nwaneri, Jesus, Martinelli
Subs: Neto, Kiwior, Tierney, Zinchenko, Lewis-Skelly, Jorginho, Rice, Kabia, Trossard

I don’t even know where to begin. What’s happened to Havertz.

Stop Playing Partey at 6. Stop playing Merino at all…if he’s got to play, play him as a sub after we’ve taken the lead…he’s too slow to play in a creative position and his passing isn’t good enough.

If Havertz is sick/injured, Jesus should have been played on the right with Nwaneri next to Odegaard

I’m not confident

Brentford: Flekken; Roerslev, Collins, van den Berg, Lewis-Potter; Norgaard, Janelt; Mbeumo, Damsgaard, Yarmoliuk; Wissa
Subs: Valdimarsson, Schade, Jensen, Meghoma, Konak, Maghoma, Ji-Soo, Yogane, Arthur

[Mac76]

Nwaneri was presumably picked because of the injury/illness or otherwise unknown reason for Havertz’s absence. Otherwise he’d presumably have stuck him up front.

Merino isn’t especially that good physically either, he may have looked that way in Spain but doesn’t look especially like he’s confident being pressed.

I don’t know. I honestly can’t remember the last lineup I had much confidence in. Arteta for me, just does not know what he is doing

Sort of my point really, he's given Nwaneri too little game time up until now and here he is now making a very rare start against the team with the joint best home record in the league

[McNamara That Ghost...]

I'm alright with our team tbh

Odegaard and Nwaneri presumably will interact a lot. If he's on the right of course.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Sort of my point really, he's given Nwaneri too little game time up until now and here he is now making a very rare start against the team with the joint best home record in the league

Again I wasn’t disagreeing with you, he should have started against Ipswich but just stating that presumably he’s only starting now because of another player being unavailable.

[HCZ_Reborn]

I'm alright with our team tbh

Odegaard and Nwaneri presumably will interact a lot. If he's on the right of course.

That’s not the problem I have. The problem i have is Merino starting and Jesus playing up front. In the absence of Havertz I’d sooner have Trossard up front

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Come on Arsenal.

[Mac76]

nasty tackle on Martinelli goes un-carded - after all it's not as bad as kicking the ball away is it