Arsenal v PSG: Arsenal lineup updated

Three points for a win, two for a win on penalties, one for a defeat on penalties.

We know that PSG won’t have some of their world cup players back yet such as  Neymar, Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappe.

Some writers are gong for an Arsenal team similar to the one put out in the previous game but with the addition of Ozil.  This for example is the team from goal.com

Leno;

Bellerin, Papastathopoulos, Mustafi, Kolasinac;

Ramsey, Smith Rowe, Mkhitaryan;

Ozil, Lacazette, Aubameyang

It is possible of course, although I suspect that having taken many other players with the touring party Mr Emery might want to give more people a chance to start.

But this starting line up has appeared in lots of different “outlets” – the Standard has an identical selection, so either they are all copying each other or Arsenal have slipped the news out to the mainstream media without telling Untold!  Shock horror!

For example why not have Cech start in goal and put Martinez in as the sub keeper at half time?  If he is the third keeper in the squad he’ll need games, and will at the very least be the sub keeper in some Cup games.

On the other hand this argument breaks down when one looks at the stats from the last game, as we more shots, more shots on target, more possession, greater passing accuracy than Atletico Madrid and still only drew.

There is not too much news coming out of Arsenal except that Smith Rowe could not take part in full training on Thursday due to a small blister.

Here is the squad with the players who played in the first match marked in red, in order to show all those yet to start a game.  The players marked in brown are those now selected for the first time (just three of them).

The players in plain old text would be the ones yet to have started a game after two matches if the line up above is correct.

Goalkeepers: Petr Cech, Bernd Leno, Emiliano Marinez

Defenders: Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Hector Bellerin, Rob Holding, Calum Chambers, Sead Kolasinac, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Shkodran Mustafi, Jordi Osei-Tutu

Midfielders: Mohamed Elneny, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Aaron Ramsay, Mesut Ozil, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Matteo Guendouzi, Emile Smith Rowe, Joe Willock

Forwards: Alexandre Lacazette, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, Alex Iwobi, Reiss Nelson, Eddie Nketiah

So if that is the team then the ones yet to start a game would be

• Cech
• Martinez
• Chambers
• Mavropanos
• Osei-Tutu
• Elneny
• Maitland-Niles
• Willock
• Nketiah

With some there may be a case of not yet being ready to play after the world cup, but I wonder why Maitland-Niles isn’t given a starting place – unless of course it is a case of the manager not seeing him as fitting into his new style of play.

We shall of course see in good time.

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