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Tierney and Odegaard recalled: Our Arsenal line-up vs Newcastle

By on November 26, 2021

kieran tierney arsenal

Arsenal take on Newcastle United at the Emirates on Saturday lunchtime. This is the line-up I’d like to see Mikel Arteta select for the match…

Aaron Ramsdale will be bitterly disappointed to have conceded four goals against Liverpool but the scoreline would have been a lot worse if not for his saves so he should retain his place ahead of Bernd Leno tomorrow.

Nuno Tavares kept his place at left-back for Arsenal at Anfield despite Kieran Tierney’s return to fitness and it’s fair to say the decision from Arteta backfired spectacularly. Tavares was woeful against Liverpool and was at fault for at least two of the goals so there is no doubt Tierney should be recalled against Newcastle.

Otherwise, Arteta should stick to the usual back four with Takehiro Tomiyasu at right-back while Ben White will continue alongside Gabriel at the heart of defence. The likes of Rob Holding and Cedric Soares will battle for places on the bench.

I think Arsenal really missed Granit Xhaka’s presence in midfield against Liverpool as we were badly exposed in the middle of the park. Albert Sambi Lokonga is a terrific prospect who’ll have a big future but he was out of his depth at times last weekend.

Unfortunately, Xhaka is still on the sidelines with a knee injury and I don’t think Ainsley Maitland-Niles is the answer to our problems so Lokonga should continue alongside Thomas Partey tomorrow.

Odegaard in

Alexandre Lacazette has done reasonably well in the No.10 role recently but I think Arsenal missed Martin Odegaard’s presence on the ball last week so he should be recalled this weekend with Laca dropping to the bench.

Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka were unable to have an impact in the final third against Liverpool but they should still keep their places in the Arsenal attack versus Newcastle.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also had a game to forget at Anfield but it was a difficult match for our attackers as we struggled to create many clear cut chances against a top Liverpool side.

So I’d stick with Aubameyang up front supported by Smith Rowe and Saka meaning the likes of Nicolas Pepe and Gabriel Martinelli will have to settle for places on the bench alongside Laca.

Here is the side I hope we see:

football formations

One Comment

  1. Stephan Luc Larose

    November 26, 2021 at 7:10 pm

    Need to see AMN in the lineup, Smithe-Rowe is wasted on the wing, play him centrally. Auba has zero ability to hold up and doesn’t have the pace to run in behind like he used to. Use Laca, or even Nketiah instead.