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Bola & Lacazette start: The 4-2-3-1 Arsenal line-up Freddie should pick vs Liege

By on December 12, 2019

joe willock arsenal

Arsenal need a win over Standard Liege this evening to guarantee top spot in our Europa League group. Here is the line-up I’d like Freddie Ljungberg to select…

Balo starts

The home defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt two weeks ago means we need to match their result or risk finishing second in the group and ending up with a tougher draw in the knockout stages. Ideally we would take a strong squad to Belgium but we play Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday so Freddie has rightly rested some key players.

Kieran Tierney has been ruled out for around three months with a dislocated shoulder so there is no point risking Sead Kolasinac. We don’t really have any other senior players who can deputise at left-back so we’ll have to promote a youngster. Tolaji Bola trained with the first team on Wednesday and if he’s travelled I’d go with him. Otherwise, Zech Medley – who has definitely travelled – could fill-in at left-back.

With Rob Holding still two weeks away from recovering from a knee injury, I hope we stick with Calum Chambers and Sokratis against City. Therefore, David Luiz and Shkodran Mustafi should start against Liege in the middle of the defence.

Hector Bellerin has been ruled out with a hamstring injury that he felt during the warm-up ahead of Arsenal’s win over West ham. Hopefully Bellerin will be back at the weekend so Ainsley Maitland-Niles can continue at right-back tonight. If he’s not in the squad, then youngster James Olayinka could get a start.

Willock alongside Guendouzi

I hope Freddie sticks with a 4-2-3-1 formation but we have limited options in midfield as Granit Xhaka has been ruled out with concussion while Dani Ceballos remains on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.

alexandre lacazette

Joe Willock should be recalled and hopefully he can put-in a morale-boosting performance as he’s been poor lately. Ideally we’d rest Matteo Guendouzi for the City game but we don’t have too many alternatives so the Frenchman should start in Liege. If he isn’t in the squad, then Robbie Burton could make his full debut as Lucas Torreira should be rested.

Lacazette returns

No doubt Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will be rested and Nicolas Pepe has been ruled out with a knee injury. Gabriel Martinelli has made the trip but I hope he starts against City and isn’t risked today.

Mesut Ozil is also expected to be given the night off so Emile Smith Rowe is in-line to start in the attacking midfield position while I’d like to see Bukayo Saka and Reiss Nelson on the wing this evening.

Alexandre Lacazette was left out of the win at West Ham so he should lead the line up front with U23 star Tyreece John-Jules an option from the bench. This is the Arsenal line-up I’d like to see:

football formations