Which Arsenal players go to the world cup?

[OnlyOne]

With the World Cup kicking off in just over three weeks thought I’d look at how many of our squad is likely to feature in the tournament.

Our current squad is:

Aaron Ramsdale
Matt Turner
Karl Hein

Kieran Tierney
Ben White
Gabriel
William Saliba
Rob Holding
Cedric Soares
Takehiro Tomiyasu

Thomas Partey
Bukayo Saka
Martin Ødegaard
Emile Smith-Rowe
Fabio Vieira
Albert Sambi Lokonga
Mohamed Elneny
Granit Xhaka
Oleksandr Zinchenko
Catalin Cirjan

Gabriel Jesus
Gabriel Martinelli
Eddie Nketiah
Reiss Nelson
Marquinhos

Of those the following have played for a nation at the World Cup.

Ramsdale
Turner
White
Saliba
Cedric
Tomiyasu
Partey
Saka
ESR
Lokonga
Xhaka
Jesus
Martinelli

So that’s 13 players in total. ESR is probably not going to be fit enough to even make the England squad and probably wouldn’t get selected anyway due to other more in form options.

Of the rest:

Ramsdale - Seems to be a set third choice after Pope and Pickford. Pope was chosen above him against Germany

Turner - Picked up an injury but if fit seems likely to start for the USA

White - Hard to predict Southgate and there’s a lot of injuries at RB. If he sticks with a back 5 at the WC probably means Trippier starts at RWB. Maguire playing again for Utd probably means White would be on the bench but may be a chance for him at CB if he’s ahead of Guehi and Coady and Southgate doesn’t decide on Dier - Maguire - Stones

Cedric - Not played for the NT since March 2021. Unlikely to go to Qatar as Dalot and Cancelo are in great form for their clubs.

Saliba - Likely to go to Qatar now that Varane is injured. Less likely he’ll start ahead of “bigger” names like Kounde, Upamecano and Kimpembe.

Tomiyasu - Nailed on starter for Japan if fit

Partey - Nailed on starter for Ghana if fit

Saka - Will go to Qatar if fit. Less sure if he’ll start. Competing with Foden, Sterling and Grealish for a starting spot but the last two haven’t impressed this season. Unlikely to start over Chilwell and Shaw at LWB.

Lokonga - Not included in Belgium’s squad for last round of fixtures. Unlikely to go to Qatar unless injuries as Dendoncker and Onana are starters for their PL clubs.

Xhaka - Nailed on to start for Switzerland if fit

Jesus - Will be on the plane for Qatar if fit. Unsure whether he’ll start as Richarlison is preferred and has a chance to be fit for the tournament. Also competing with Firmino who’s been in good form as well this season.

Martinelli - Borderline case to make the squad despite great form. Has tough competition in Rodrygo, Vinicius and Neymar. Anthony probably shades him as well due to National Team experience.

Other chances:

Gabriel Magalhaes - Even though he’s not played for the NT there’s a good chance he gets in the squad. Very unlikely to play as Thiago Silva, Eder Militao and Marquinhos are all ahead of him.

Eddie Nketiah - Was supposedly recruited by Ghana but their FA has now ruled out selecting him.

Fabio Vieira - Yet to make his senior debut but named in the 55 man squad. Unlikely to make the final 26 man squad in a stacked Portugal side.

So that means we’re likely to send a maximum of 10 players to the World Cup and of those only four are likely to start every game.

Partey and Xhaka are the only really key players of those four this year so let’s look at their groups.
Group F
Brazil
Switzerland
Serbia
Cameroon

Switzerland are second favourites to qualify for the next round after Brazil. Cameroon are a solid side though as proven at AFCON and Serbia are no mugs either.

If the Swiss qualify that’ll likely mean a last 16 match against Portugal who would be slight favourites. Get through that it’d likely be Belgium, Spain or Germany who’d be strong favourites.

Group H
Portugal
Uruguay
Ghana
South Korea

Bookmakers have the Black Stars to finish bottom of their group which does look tough on paper.

Despite a poor AFCON tournament they did get past a heavily favoured Nigeria in the qualification playoff and have a stronger all round squad than South Korea. They have a history with Uruguay as well after the notorious 2010 quarter final.

If they do manage to qualify they’d likely either play Brazil if they finish second or Switzerland if they finish first.

Both Switzerland and Ghana probably have a ceiling of last 16 this time round which would mean Partey and Xhaka would be out by December 6th. If they somehow get to the quarters then it’d be December 10th.

In that worst case scenario that still leaves almost three weeks until our next league game. It’s a worry for Partey rather than Xhaka to play three games in a space of a week due to his fitness record but seen as neither Ghana or Switzerland are pre-tournament favourites there’s a good chance they’ll have plenty of recovery time.

Basically all this means we’re in a great position after the World Cup to get back a well rested squad. We don’t have any players who are nailed on starters for the contenders and only two first XI choices who are likely to start for underdogs.

Surely no one is reading this crap?

 

[Riou]

Depth wise, Gabriel and Martinelli will (hopefully) have to wait until the next World Cup to make the squad...Brazil are very strong.

Is there any chance Jesus doesn't get injured but still doesn't go?

That would be absolutely perfect for us.

 

[GoonerJeeves]

That's an advantage with Ødegaard. There is zero chance of him going to a World Cup or the Euros. If there was a Nordic Cup we'd get pumped by Åland or the Faeroe Islands.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

What about Lokonga with Belgium? He might make the squad even if unlikely to start.

 

[A_G]

Depth wise, Gabriel and Martinelli will (hopefully) have to wait until the next World Cup to make the squad...Brazil are very strong.

2024 Copa America will be their next target I imagine. Might even see one of them in the Olympics that year too like Gabriel last summer.

 

[A_G]

That's an advantage with Ødegaard. There is zero chance of him going to a World Cup or the Euros. If there was a Nordic Cup we'd get pumped by Åland or the Faeroe Islands.

Now that the Euros have expanded to 24 teams and the WC will be 48 starting in 2026, it would a massive failure to never qualify with Haaland in your team.

 

[GoonerJeeves]

Now that the Euros have expanded to 24 teams and the WC will be 48 starting in 2026, it would a massive failure to never qualify with Haaland in your team.

Massive failure would not be something new.

 

[drippin]

What about Lokonga with Belgium? He might make the squad even if unlikely to start.

Dendoncker and Onana are surely ahead of him for example. Can't see him going with the minutes and performances he has.

 

[Rex Stone]

Surely no one is reading this crap?

Cut me deep man

 

[A_G]

Athletic have got Jesus as a certainty:

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

Gabriel does seem he not going to world cup. Tete already made his decision he taking one of Dani Alves Verissimo or Bremer instead .

This is incredible how these guys ahead of Gabriel specially Alves this guy basically retired this Verissimo guy was injured for a year.

 

[Clrnc]

I can give him Bremer but Verissimo is bang average. Ridiculous.

I know he wants Alves there just for a presence in dressing room so yeah

 

[A_G]

Shame for Gabriel, hope it doesn’t knock him mentally.

 

[Sapient Hawk]

Shame for Gabriel, hope it doesn’t knock him mentally.

How old is he? 23-24?

If he manages to stop being rash & tone down his inner nuttery to a rolling boil (fat chance ), he'll still have a chance at the next 2 in 2026 & 2030.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

Even if Gabriel will go he'll be backup for Marquinhos Thiago Silva and Militao so it's useless he go just to sit on bench let him earn well deserved rest.

 

[freeglennhelder2]

Karl Hein gets a deserved rest

 

[Riou]

Athletic have got Jesus as a certainty:

If Saliba doesn't go to the World Cup and gets a full rest instead, then you may as well start carving Arsenal's name on the Prem now to be honest.

 

[africe]

Deschamps would need to have an IQ in the negatives to not take Saliba to the WC.

 

[albakos]

Athletic have got Jesus as a certainty:

If Saliba does not get picked, I hope France go out in group stages. It would be a shocking decision not to pick him based on the superb performances he showed this season.

They would also continue the nice "tradition" of several previous winners getting knocked out in group stages.

France - knocked out in 2002
Italy - knocked out in 2010
Spain - knocked out in 2014
Germany - knocked out in 2018

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

Deschamps would need to have an IQ in the negatives to not take Saliba to the WC.

Saliba is going and very likely starting with injures France are having.

The IQ in negatives should be about Southgate if he don't take White.