EPL | Arsenal vs Liverpool | 14th of August at 16:00 (GMT)

[Gooner n Proud]

Its quite unbelievable when I hear people claim Arsenal lack depth going forwards when in actual fact we've got more options than the majority of teams in this league, so many players have impressed during the pre season its difficult choosing a team to face Liverpool.

Cech
Bellerin Chambers Monreal Gibbs
Xhaka
Chamberlain Cazorla Elneny Iwobi
Alexis

So difficult leaving out players like Campbell, Ramsey and Walcott whilst Coquelins been rock solid for us in the last 18 months or so but we really need that understanding between Elneny and Xhaka to build up as they could form a tremendous partnership.
Perhaps my only issue with this line-up is there aren't many players who run in behind so perhaps putting Ramsey in over one of Iwobi or Cazorla would balance the attack.
Chamberlain starts purely because of the X factor and unpredictability he provides.

Arsenal 2
Liverpool 0

 

[yybecause]

Alexis

Iwobi Cazorla Ramsey

Xhaka Elneny

 

[1 other person]

Cech
Bellerin Chambers Monreal Gibbs
Coq Mo/Xhaka
Ox Santi Alexis
Akpom


I wanted to see Ramsey have another go as 10 and a midfield partnership of Xhaka and Cazorla behind him, but I think that whatever CB-pairing AW will have to choose either way will be too exposed.
Preseason or not, Akpom was our top goalscorer and deserves the nod for this one.
Ox tracks back and Theo doesn't. With Bellerin going forward and Pool pressing high, it seems the most logical solution to me.

Plenty of goals, not sure who will take the winner though..

I'll be watching this at a Pool supporters apartment, so fingers are extra crossed!

 

[Penn_]

Its quite unbelievable when I hear people claim Arsenal lack depth going forwards when in actual fact we've got more options than the majority of teams in this league, so many players have impressed during the pre season its difficult choosing a team to face Liverpool.

I think most fans are concerned with the quality of forward options not the depth. If Alexis' ankle isn't right and he gets injured we have no one near that level.

 

[Rimaal]

Its quite unbelievable when I hear people claim Arsenal lack depth going forwards when in actual fact we've got more options than the majority of teams in this league, so many players have impressed during the pre season its difficult choosing a team to face Liverpool.

Our pre-seasons always impress and then we lose the opening match.

 

[redanddread]

Tricky one this, early season & all. Got to go with an Arsenal win but difficult to predict who exactly will be playing in either defense or upfront or in the midfield!:confused:

Arsenal 2-1

 

[redanddread]

Our pre-seasons always impress and then we lose the opening match.

only recently - we were usually pretty rock solid on opening day.

 

[Mark Tobias]

Our pre-seasons always impress and then we lose the opening match.

That is really not true. Yes, the last couple of seasons have gone that way but in years before that we have smacked our opposition in the opening game. There is no real trend here in terms of how we start. The only trend I pick up is that we are not consistent for the whole season no matter how we start.

Looking at it again, 'smacked' is a slight exaggeration. But in the past ten years we have lost 1, drawn 4 and won 5. Not great and could be improved upon.

 

[samshere]

Thank heavens we play at home.

 

[Gooner Zig]

Remember when we smacked Everton 6-1 at Goodison on the opening day, good times, what a start to the season that was! The football we played was scintillating.

 

[carlito'sway]

Good stuff!

Crystal Ball
The Lazy Pundit’s Guide To Critiquing Arsenal

1. Pre-season – predict Arsenal to finish 5th or lower.
2. The season ends – Arsenal finishes higher than your prediction.
3. Post-season – Dodge and weave on your prediction by pointing out Arsenal should have done better.
4. Repeat, repeat, repeat…..

http://www.forbes.com/sites/bobbymcmahon/2016/08/10/2-premier-preview/#420ebf631870

 

[SA Gunner]

Come play English Premier League Predictor with me on SuperBru! It's free and loads of fun. Just click here:

http://www.superbru.com/premierleague_predictor/pool.php?p=11609641

Pool name: Arsenal Mania - PL 2016/17

Pool code: vatsdubs

 

[Aevi]

I might not be able to catch the game, absolutely gutted

 

[Ghoulfest]

Hopefully we get absolutely hammered so Wenger is forced to sign someone, not like there's anything we'll get from the season other than top 4 anyway.

If he still doesn't sign someone, hopefully Mahrez and Vardy embarrass us by scoring braces against us the following weak. This won't hurt us though, as we'll still get top 4 (probably).

At this point, losing would be more like winning. So come on Liverpool, do us a favor.

 

[Aevi]

Hopefully we get absolutely hammered so Wenger is forced to sign someone, not like there's anything we'll get from the season other than top 4 anyway.

If he still doesn't sign someone, hopefully Mahrez and Vardy embarrass us by scoring braces against us the following weak. This won't hurt us though, as we'll still get top 4 (probably).

At this point, losing would be more like winning. So come on Liverpool, do us a favor.

Nah, better to win with a mediocre performance in attack to prove the point. Losing isn't worth it.

 

[YaGunnersYa]

The fact our CB options for the 1st game of the season are Chambers, Holding and Monreal is disgraceful. The level of negligence here is shameful. Wenger is a joke.

So easy to make us a good team. Buy Mustafi and a good striker and job done. But this leech continues to stunt our progress with his deluded, dated and senile views. ****ing fuming at Wenger and this money-hungry, circus of a board. **** off.

 

[carlito'sway]

The fact our CB options for the 1st game of the season are Chambers, Holding and Monreal is disgraceful. The level of negligence here is shameful. Wenger is a joke.

So easy to make us a good team. Buy Mustafi and a good striker and job done. But this leech continues to stunt our progress with his deluded, dated and senile views. ****ing fuming at Wenger and this money-hungry, circus of a board. **** off.

Dude, are you ok?

 

[Highbury Rock City]

Hopefully we get absolutely hammered so Wenger is forced to sign someone

Everyone's entitled to their opinions. But these kind of comments should be a bannable offense... Or something.

 

[carlito'sway]

Hopefully we get absolutely hammered so Wenger is forced to sign someone, not like there's anything we'll get from the season other than top 4 anyway.

If he still doesn't sign someone, hopefully Mahrez and Vardy embarrass us by scoring braces against us the following weak. This won't hurt us though, as we'll still get top 4 (probably).

At this point, losing would be more like winning. So come on Liverpool, do us a favor.

 

[Dennis_Bergkamp_10]

Must win game this, even without maybe Kos, Giroud, Özil and a new signing. If we want to be champions, we can't afford to drop points at home much. Need to make the Emirates a fortress.