Arsenal - Nottingham Forest

[Sniffer Dog (Admin)]

To be played on Saturday 12 August 2023.

At the Emirates Stadium in North London.

Kick off is at 12:30.

COYR!

[McDurban]

The time has finally arrived.
Football, football, football, every weekend, every day, nothing but football.

[tugger2018]

I would take a 1-1 now

[ac_vodka]

Hopefully not a 5-0 tonking.

[Mcforest]

Well here is hoping we play with some sort of structure and style in this game. Play anything like the friendlies and it will be over before the halftime whistle. I assume he will ditch the 3 at the back due to the fact none of the defence can pass a ball and play a deep four to stop the space for the running down the wings. Then put the extra player in midfield to cut out the supply line to the front 3 and match up arsenal in the central areas so we not overrun.
I should be excited about football being back but right now this season feels it will be tougher and go closer than last one.

[ac_vodka]

I share that feeling but I suspect others will be struggling also - Sheff U, Luton, Wolves, Everton. I think Burnley will do well. We are no way near ready and have failed to recruit ( appreciate lots of mitigating circumstances ) and the weight of expectation this season will be much heavier despite being hamstrung with poor recruitment choices.

[wassy04]

There's a lot of negativity around at the moment. Bit of a disappointing off season so far and yes I'm sure we'll lose all the opening away games.

However, there are lots of reasons to be optimistic. Danilo, Yates, MGW, Brennan, Taiwo, Mangala, Felipe. This is an excellent core of youth and certainly better than Sheff Utd and Luton. Add in Wolves/Everton struggles and Burnley/Bournemouth and it should be easier to stay up this year.

[Sausage Roll]

Michael Oliver will be ref for this match.

[Sausage Roll]

So how does everyone see us lining up for this match? I'm working off the assumption we'll have completed the Turner signing and he'll be allowed to play, we won't have signed anyone else and the injured players won't be ready to play (obviously I hope those last two assumptions are incorrect). Anyway - here's my prediction:

--------------------------------Turner-------------------------------
----------Worrall---------------Boly-----------McKenna----------
Aurier---------Danilo---------Yates--------Mangala---------Aina
--------------------Johnson------------Gibbs-White--------------

Subs:
Shelvey (G)
Williams
Powell
Biancone
Freuler
Kouyate
Elanga
Wood
Hwang

Three centre-halves, wing-backs, three in the middle and no out-and-out forwards but Johnson and MGW most advanced.

[wassy04]

So how does everyone see us lining up for this match? I'm working off the assumption we'll have completed the Turner signing and he'll be allowed to play, we won't have signed anyone else and the injured players won't be ready to play (obviously I hope those last two assumptions are incorrect). Anyway - here's my prediction:

--------------------------------Turner-------------------------------
----------Worrall---------------Boly-----------McKenna----------
Aurier---------Danilo---------Yates--------Mangala---------Aina
--------------------Johnson------------Gibbs-White--------------

Subs:
Shelvey (G)
Williams
Powell
Biancone
Freuler
Kouyate
Elanga
Wood
Hwang

Three centre-halves, wing-backs, three in the middle and no out-and-out forwards but Johnson and MGW most advanced.

I think this is probably it, if I was picking the team in this formation though I'd go:

Turner
Aurier Boly Worrall
Williams Yates Mangala Aina
MGW Danilo
Wood

[optimistic_red]

So last year was a famous 5 - 0 spanking.
Our team then was
Henderson
Aurier - Cook - McKenna - Lodi
Yates - Freuler - Kouyate
Gibbs-White - Awoniyi - Lingard
The scored within 5 mins, then earlier in the second half.

[McDurban]

I'll go with

----Boly-----Worrall---McKenna---
Aurier--------------------------Aina
----Yates----Mangala----Danilo---
------------Gibbs White-------------
---------------Awoniyi---------------