Dugout Discussion

Lacazette on the bench as Emery sticks with a three-man defence

Arsenal take on Tottenham Hotspur in a 14:05 GMT kick-off at the Emirates in what will be Unai Emery’s first taste of a north London derby.

The Gunners are unbeaten in the league since Gameweek 2, while Spurs are on a five-match winning run away from home in the top flight.

Alexandre Lacazette (£9.6m) – the most-sold FPL forward of this round of fixtures – has recovered from the groin injury that forced him to miss last Sunday’s win over Bournemouth but is only among the substitutes, with Emery naming the same team that defeated the Cherries on the south coast.

That means Arsenal will once again line up in a 3-4-2-1, with Hector Bellerin (£5.4m) and Sead Kolasinac (£4.9m) deployed as wing-backs, and Alex Iwobi (£5.5m) and Henrikh Mkhitaryan (£6.7m) supporting Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£10.9m) in attack.

Mesut Ozil (£8.2m) is not in the match-day squad, with Arsenal reporting that the German midfielder is suffering with a back spasm.

Mauricio Pochettino has made only one change from the side that defeated Chelsea in Gameweek 13, with Juan Foyth (£5.0m) replacing Jan Vertonghen (£5.9m) in defence.

That means starts for Dele Alli (£8.9m), Son Heung-min (£8.3m) and Christian Eriksen (£9.2m), as well as Harry Kane (£12.3m) in attack.

Kieran Trippier (£6.1m), as expected, is missing through injury.

Despite their unbeaten run, Arsenal haven’t kept a clean sheet since the 2-0 win over Watford in Gameweek 7.

Goals haven’t been a problem for the Gunners, though: Emery’s troops have scored at least two goals in ten of their 13 league fixtures this season.

This is Spurs’ ninth away league fixture of the season and most of Kane’s attacking returns (five goals, two assists) have come on the road.

Arsenal XI: Leno, Sokratis, Holding, Mustafi; Bellerin, Xhaka, Torreira, Kolasinac; Iwobi, Mkhitaryan; Aubameyang.

Spurs XI: Lloris; Aurier, Foyth, Vertonghen, Davies; Dier, Sissoko; Eriksen, Dele, Son; Kane.

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1,579 Comments Post a Comment
  1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Foyth to give away a pen

    1. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Trippier ain't playing. He'll be safe IMO

  2. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    The Audition game

    1. Team Cruel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Where's Simon Cowell when you need him

  3. Ha.
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Come on Kane

  4. Team Cruel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Is he listening to Boom Shaka Laca?

  5. FlockofSeagulls
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    You think having Sterling, Sane, Son and Shaqiri all in the same midfield is too risky?

    1. Supersonic Marv'
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Shaquiri is a minutes risk.

      1. Supersonic Marv'
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Sorry for the spelling.

    2. Hulk Smash
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Yes

  6. jia you
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Kane cappers unite 🙂

  7. Arctic monkeys
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Hazard Mané Richarlison F.Anderson. Who would you lose for Sané ?

    1. Toby Lerone
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Mane

      1. yakirh
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Playing Burnley next, are you sure?

  8. lilmessipran
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Still not sure whether to get rid of Haza , his fixtures after city look pleasant on paper, auba's look better though.. :/

  9. chaser123
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Anyone considering Holding?

    1. TheTinman
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Koscielny back soon. Will he still start?

    2. Supersonic Marv'
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      There is a joke here if someone's bright enough.

      1. Kasper the ghost keeper
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Hold on, someone will get it

        1. Supersonic Marv'
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          Not bad.

  10. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    People hating on Alonso. Strange. The only times he has blanked (2pts or less) this season are:

    CAR, LIV, MUN, tot

    You would probably only expect more points from the Cardiff game out of those.

    1. MTPockets
        5 years, 3 months ago

        So far = 2nd for overall points, 2nd for value. He's staying for me

      • Holmes
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        I may finally get him after Man City 😮

    2. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Auba heads over

    3. Pacer.
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Arsenal are gonna get tonked

    4. TheTinman
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Goals almost guaranteed here I think

    5. seewhyaxe
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Worth getting Kola?

      1. Dead Lift
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Yeah

      2. jia you
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Could be great if Emery persists with WB's, I'm in the market with money itb to replace Jonny so he fits the bill nicely in a couple of GWs time!

    6. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Audition for me boys (Kane, namely)

    7. Gudjohnsen
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Ings to Arnautovic for -4?

      1. Sánchez
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Should be worth it over next month

    8. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Aurier going mad at foyth

    9. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Penalty

    10. L'Aeroplanino
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      PEN

    11. My Name Is Pepu
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Aurier losing his s*it on Foyth.

    12. seewhyaxe
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Wow Mike Dean awarding a penalty to Arsenal?!?!?!?!?!?!

      The world has changed!

      1. Dannyb
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        This

    13. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      OMG auba

    14. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Auba G
      Xhaka A

    15. Arteta
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      AUBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

    16. TaiwanHC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Is 52 points with Salah (C), Richarlison and TAA any good?

      1. Unliklinho
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        So bad I would quit and never come here again

      2. MMN
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        It’s a huge green arrow

    17. EgyptianKing
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Think Robertson starts today?

      1. Hazz
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Derby. Definitely.

    18. lilmessipran
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Welcome to the team Pierre emerick auba

      1. Dannyb
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        He scored a pen, calm down lol

        1. MMN
          • 10 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          Who normally takes pens?

    19. L'Aeroplanino
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Mike Dean giving Arsenal a peanlty. Is this real?

      1. TAT
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Must be dreaming! 😀

      1. 007 [RoboKlopp]
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Nice one mate

    20. Stevie B
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Hazard -> Sane or Mane?

      Other transfer would be Agüero -> Kane.