Newcastle vs Arsenal, Guy Fawkes Night 17:30 BST with a bonfire banger

Bring Back Kerrea Gilbert

Drop Eddie. He's abysmal away from home, and against these wankers he'll probably have four touches in total.

Drop Zinchenko too.

Midfield will have to be Wasteman Kai, Declan, Odegaard.

TambourineMan

Not looking forward to this one. Feels like this will be the game where the shortcomings we've observed, but so far got away with, get exposed.

Burnwinter

            Raya
White Saliba Gabriel Zinchenko
            Rice
    Ødegaard    Havertz
 Saka    Martinelli   Trossard

I know Havertz is shit, but it honestly feels like that Martinelli, Trossard, Havertz triangle should be dynamic for us on the left, as all three can be useful across at least two of the three areas of the pitch.

It would be very pleasant to be able to drop Zinchenko but we would suffer too much when we get on the ball.

QuincyAbeyie

For me, Tomiyasu in for Zinchenko while Trossard and Martinelli switch places.

goon

Havertz 9, Jorginho and Rice in midfield. Winning the midfield battle will be key here and we can’t afford to have anyone in there who won’t might not be up for a battle, or isn’t technically secure enough to make them chase shadows.

Clrnc

Jorginho will be overrun

goon

Clrnc

More so than Havertz? He’s not been great this season but he was arguably MotM in this game last season, and this time he has Rice around him to cover the ground he can’t.

Sicario2 - Tier 1

Clrnc

Re-watch the same fixture last season. He was brilliant in it and that was only a few months ago.

Burnwinter

Jorginho would be suicide, he's been shown up repeatedly by his lack of athleticism in recent times. Newcastle would target him ruthlessly.

We need Rice's grit, engine and awareness at 6 for this and, dare I say it, Havertz's wounded-giraffe-alike lead-legged tackling

KingslandBarge

              Raya
       Saliba     Gabriel
   White     Rice      Tomiyasu
     Ødegaard      Havertz
   Saka    Nketiah     Martinelli

Qwiss

KingslandBarge yeah I'd go with that.

Temo we've never once seen Zinchenko in midfield for Arsenal have we? Its weird, feel like he'd do the Xhaka job really well. Has a lot of the same flaws as Xhaka that would be limited by pushing him up there.

The idea of putting Havertz up top is madness. He has one shot on target all season and thats his pity penalty. Hoping he can do a job as a 9 seems to be the new "oh he'll be great at popping up in the box with late runs from midfield". He was a shit 9 for Chelsea and people are still expecting this guy to surprise them.

Panda

I feel like this is going to be as miserable as our last Saturday 5.30pm away performance. I'd happily take a draw. The slow passing at the back with their intense, high pressing is a recipe for disaster.

Sicario2 - Tier 1

Panda
I disagree. This is the best time to play them as they are ragged by injuries and we will play with a point to prove following our exit from the Carabo Cup on Wed.

The last 1730 KO was just after the int break and may have caught us by surprise a little. I think we will be ready for tomorrow.

Temo

Zincenko at left 8 (has no one mentioned this yet? Better than Havertz going both ways)
Trossard false 9

At least we won’t be carrying any passengers in possession. If we serve up the slow football we usually do, this game will swallow us early.

Panda

Sicario2 - Tier 1 I really hope you're right!

lorddulaarsenal

————————Raya
————Saliba———-Gabriel
White————-Rice———-Tomiyasu
———Odegaard——Zinchenko
Saka———-Havertz———Martinelli

Mirth

I'd like to see Zinchenko at number 8 too although it says a lot that your left back has a better technical level than most of your midfield options

lorddulaarsenal

Mirth that’s more of a nod to Zinchenko’s ability. He’s sublime on the ball

QuincyAbeyie

Mirth not really, it depends on who that left back is. Walker himself said that Zinchenko was the most technical player at City.

lorddulaarsenal

Quince who’s your preference to start up top?

QuincyAbeyie

lorddulaarsenal I'd go with Trossard and Martinelli out wide, but Havertz isn't a bad shout.

Temo

Qwiss Well Arteta was counting on Havertz as his unconventional new joker in the pack and he should be realising rapidly that the experiment we paid 65m for doesn’t work. Zincenko is more mobile than Xhaka, and more nimble with the ball against low blocks. He wouldn’t have the same presence off the ball, but it’s better than having Havertz, or Jorginho (as the DM) in there. Also he already has a good understanding with Martinelli and Jesus.

I remember seeing him play in midfield for Ukraine (I think against England) and he looked so assured. He brings something that Odegaard doesn’t in the same way Fabregas brought something Ozil didn’t, and vice versa. Both could unlock defences but the former was more suited to doing it in static passages against low blocks. Same here I think.