Significant changes predicted in midfield and in attack that will.propel Arsenal in the final of the CL

By Danong 

Arsenal are back in action on Tuesday, hosting Atlético Madrid at the Emirates Stadium in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final.

The first leg ended all square, with the two sides playing out a 1-1 draw at the Wanda Metropolitano. Tuesday night, however, a winner must emerge, and Arsenal will be hoping that on familiar ground, they are the ones who come out on top.

Earlier in the season, when the Gunners hosted Atletico in the Champions League league phase, they thrashed them 4-0. A similar result on Tuesday night will book the north Londoners a place in the 2026 Champions League final, set for the Puskás Arena in Budapest, Hungary on Saturday, 30 May.

On Saturday, Mikel Arteta reintroduced Ricardo Calafiori and Bukayo Saka in his starting 11 in that convincing 3-0 win over Fulham, with Myles Lewis-Skelly replacing Martin Zubimendi in midfield also proving another astute tactical call.

Against the La Liga outfit, Gooners will be hoping Arteta produces similarly sharp thinking to outwit Diego Simeone.

Notably, the Arsenal boss is boosted by the availability of both Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard, a significant lift ahead of such a high-stakes occasion.

With the returning duo back in the squad alongside the formidable side Arteta fielded on Saturday, Atletico have every reason to be worried.

Arteta could opt to play:

Raya

White, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie

Rice, Odegaard, Eze

Saka, Havertz, Trossard

With this line-up, Arteta would be making some bold and necessary calls, the most significant being up front, Havertz for Gyökeres and choosing an attack oriented midfield by dropping Zubimendi for Odegaard. 

While Victor Gyokeres reminded everyone at the weekend just what a deadly finisher he is, Havertz represents the better option against Atletico. The German international's movement and work rate suit the demands of a tight two-legged tie far better.

His technical brilliance, alongside Eberechi Eze and Odegaard, could prove the key to unlocking Atletico's typically resolute defence, creating the openings for Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard to capitalise on.

That line-up should comfortably be too strong for Atletico, and could see Arsenal take a decisive step closer to European glory.

I hope Spurs win tonight!

 By 1970s Gooner 

The reason is pretty simple. City play Villa at the Etihad on the last day of the season, 24th May. You would ideally want Villa to be up for this game and try and get a result there.

But if they manage to hang on to the 5th place they hold right now or win the final of the Europa league (if they beat Nottingham Forest and qualify) then they will have very little incentive to be competitive for this game.

The final of the Europa League is four days prior to the last game of the season.

So I hope they loose tonight to Spurs, lose more games slipping away from European qualification and also fail to qualify for the Europa league final.

Time to add more creativity in the team. Predicted 11 Vs Fulham

By Danong and 1970s Gooner 

Arsenal are back at the Emirates on Saturday night, hosting Fulham as they look to keep their title charge alive.

Hoping to quench their thirst for league glory, it surely needs no emphasis that the Gunners simply cannot afford to slip. Only a win will do, with Manchester City breathing down their neck.

Bukayo Saka is back and trying to find his rhythm, whilst Ricardo Calafiori also returns. However, Arsenal will be without Mikel Merino, Jurrien Timber and Kai Havertz.

Even so, Mikel Arteta should have a capable enough side to dispatch the Cottagers. He could go for:

Raya

White, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie

Rice, Zubimendi, Odegaard

Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard.

Alternatively if Odegaard cannot shake off the niggling knee problem that has followed him since the away game at Brentford there is the more attractive option of starting Eze. This will provide a more attacking threat as well as a player who can come up with a magic moment to win a what could be a close game.

There is the more attractive option to start both Odegaard, if he is fit, and Eze in midfield. Under this scenario Zubimendi will be rested for the second leg of the Semi-final against Athletico Madrid.

Against Atlético Madrid, Arteta made one brilliant tactical tweak, deploying Declan Rice as a six.

That adjustment made Arsenal more defensively strong and balanced, something the Gunners have been crying out for. Against Fulham, it could lay the foundation for yet another important win.

Raya

White, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie

Rice, Odegaard, Eze

Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard

Earlier in the season, when these two sides met, Arsenal came out on top with a 1-0 victory. Last season, too, the boys in red and white did not lose this London derby, winning at home and drawing at Craven Cottage.

Surely, when they absolutely need to beat Fulham, you would back Arsenal to do so.

Then the hope will be that Everton have enough in them to halt Manchester City on Monday at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Arteta's perfect tweak to get Arsenal firing on all cylinders against Atlético

By Danong 

The Champions League semi-finals are here, with Arsenal heading off to Madrid to face Atletico at the Wanda Metropolitano.

With Premier League and Champions League glory both at stake, the boys in red and white will need to bring their A-game across these remaining fixtures.

Mikel Arteta and his squad will be hoping to build on the weekend's win over Newcastle, which saw them reclaim top spot in the league.

Bukayo Saka returned in that 1-0 victory over the Magpies and produced an eye-catching cameo, while Kai Havertz, who was withdrawn with a muscular issue, is not likely to be available. Eberechi Eze, who also picked up a muscular issue against Newcastle and could not finish the game, is similarly set to be fit.

Similarly, Martin Zubimendi felt unwell at half-time against the Magpies but should be fine to return, though Mikel Merino and Jurrien Timber are likely to remain unavailable. On the brighter side, Ricardo Calafiori could be back, a welcome boost.

All things considered, Arteta should have a pretty decent squad to call upon on Wednesday night, and could opt to go with:

Raya

White, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie

Zubimendi, Rice, Odegaard

Saka, Gyokeres, Eze

This line-up should certainly have enough to take care of an Atlético side whom they put four past back in October's Champions League league phase clash.

That said, Saka and Eze should drown Viktor Gyokeres with chances, and hopefully, he brings his scoring boots. Arsenal needs goals badly. This is a game where they must really step up and put an end to the worrying run of just one goal in their last seven competitive outings.

That said, having kept an impressive eight clean sheets in this season's Champions League campaign, securing a ninth on Wednesday night would go a long way in helping the boys in red and white put one foot in the final.

Arsenal have it in them to finally get over the line and bring glory back to North London. Predicted 11 vs Newcastle

By Danong 

Arsenal are back at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday evening as they host Newcastle in a Premier League Match Day 34 fixture.

Last time out, at the Etihad Stadium, the North Londoners hoped to cushion their lead at the top with a win over Manchester City. Unfortunately, though, they could not deliver. It was a tight contest, but City managed to nick a 2-1 win and as disappointing as that was, things got worse for the boys in red and white midweek when the Cityzens beat Burnley 1-0 to go top of the table.

Against Newcastle, Mikel Arteta will be hoping his side rises to the occasion. He will be hoping they can bring their A-game and shake off their poor league run, having lost their last two league games. Their performance against City last Sunday was certainly encouraging. 

His team will know that a win on Saturday returns them to the top of the league and puts pressure on Guardiola's side.

Looking at their opponents, Newcastle have simply not been at their competitive best this season. The Magpies are winless in their last three league games, and the pressure on Eddie Howe continues to mount.

Newcastle are in a tricky situation. And Arsenal have no choice but to pile on their misery, going for four wins in the last four meetings.

Eberechi Eze, Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz are all back fit, and Arteta has been able to rely on them.

Bukayo Saka and Ricardo Calafiori will also make the matchday squad for the Newcastle game and may get some minutes but Jurrien Timber will likely miss out.

Even without Timber and Mikel Merino, Arteta can still field a pretty decent side.

He could opt to go with:

Raya

White, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie

Zubimendi, Rice, Odegaard

Madueke, Havertz, Eze

This line-up, set against a Newcastle side who will be without Anthony Gordon and Joelinton, should be more than capable of taking care of business.

A healthy win would be important for Arsenal's title hopes and should set them up perfectly for a strong finish to the season.

Notably, Arsenal's remaining fixtures come against sides in the bottom half, while City face teams in the top half in their run-in.

At their best, Arsenal have it in them to finally get over the line and bring glory back to North London.

The tactical tweak Arteta must make to unlock Arsenal's ruthlessness

By Danong 

Last summer, Arsenal secured one of the deadliest strikers in Europe, signing the red-hot Viktor Gyokeres.

The Swede arrived fresh from a brilliant 2024-25 campaign. He scored 54 goals in 52 games. These impressive numbers had Arsenal convinced they had finally solved their goalscoring struggles.

Yet despite his 18 goals in 46 games, some Gooners feel the attack is not performing at the level it should. The frontline is still misfiring, and things have not improved as expected.

So, what do Arsenal need to unlock an efficient attack? The obvious recommendation is for them to sign a dangerous left-winger, and maybe bring in another striker. 

But none of that may work if Mikel Arteta fails to address one fundamental issue: his midfield.

Arteta wants a midfield built around a number six and two eights. But in constructing that unit, he has erred on the defensive side.

When fully fit, Arteta's preferred midfield trio is Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, and Martin Zubimendi.

Zubimendi is a natural six, but so is Rice. The Englishman himself once admitted as much to TNT Sports, via the Metro:

"I think my best position is probably as a number 6. My biggest strength is breaking up the play and taking the ball from deep. I do get excited when I play number 8, though. I get to show the other side of my game. I didn't stop running tonight!"

With both Rice and Zubimendi most comfortable as sixes, the tactical solution is clear: Arteta must be bold enough to settle on just one of them in that role.

Playing Rice alongside Zubimendi, without the attacking full-backs that teams like PSG and Bayern Munich have, certainly suffocates Arsenal's creative play. 

But should Arteta commit to one holding midfielder, the Gunners would have fewer creativity issues. This is particularly true if two natural tens were deployed as the eights.

Arsenal's ambition has long been to surpass Manchester City, but in doing so, they have overlooked an obvious tactical set-up. The Rodri–Bernardo Silva–Kevin De Bruyne midfield should have served as the blueprint for the Gunners' rebuild in the post-Granit Xhaka LCM era.

Instead, they have played two defensive midfielders with just Odegaard as the ten. This setup has further suffocated Arsenal's creativity and forced the team to prioritise caution above all else.

Looking at the current squad, Arteta has four defensive midfielders in Rice, Zubimendi, Cristian Norgaard, and Mikel Merino, with just two number tens in Eberechi Eze and Odegaard. The balance is skewed, and it is showing.

Arsenal must reshape their midfield. With their world-class centre-backs William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, they can play one holding midfielder and two number tens without being exposed defensively.

Reverting to such a system would help this Arsenal side generate more chances. This approach would give them a greater opportunity to win games with the ruthlessness they crave.

It may take time and sacrifice to perfect this tactical approach. But if Arsenal are serious about developing that fear factor, it could be worth it.

Starting this player, how to bypass the City block and the attitude needed to win

By Danong and 1970s Gooner 

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has equated the clash with Arsenal as the Premier League 2025-26 final.

Last time the two met, City tactically exposed an injury-plagued Arsenal side, fashioning a 2-0 win that clinched the Carabao Cup.

Much has happened since then; Arsenal have been knocked out of the FA Cup, suffered a defeat to Bournemouth, yet also just did enough to secure a Champions League semi-final spot. 

But all of that is behind them now. Arsenal need to deliver, find their rhythm and keep winning if they want to keep their title hopes alive.

Six points ahead of City, who have played a game less, a win would give Arsenal a comfortable cushion at the top. A defeat to the Manchester Blues, however, would cut the gap to just three points, heaping further pressure on the boys in red and white, because should City win their game in hand, the two sides would be level on points.

Arsenal have no excuses but to bring their A-game. Injuries, though, will still be a concern.

Bukayo Saka is confirmed to miss the game. Noni Madueke came off with a knock against Sporting CP, though Arteta was hopeful he would be fit. Ricardo Calafiori, Jurrien Timber and Martin Odegaard all remain doubtful; even so, given the sheer magnitude of the occasion, Arteta will surely field the strongest side he possibly can.

We could see Arsenal line up as follows:

Raya

White, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie 

Zubimendi, Rice, Eze

Madueke, Havertz, Trossard

Why Havertz over Gyokeres:

Havertz can drop deep and link up play far more effectively. Gyokeres is a fine finisher, but with Havertz leading the line, Arsenal's attack would be more fluid, creating the space for the wingers to attack. The German could keep the City defence occupied before Gyokeres is introduced from the bench to prey on tired legs.

That said, in the Carabao Cup final, City caused Arsenal problems by exploiting their weakness in playing out from the back, something Bournemouth also capitalised on. 

Starting Havertz would be logical as one option for Raya would be to go long to Havertz. The Arsenal number 10, say Eze, and a winger should move up closer to him and give support moving the team further up the field.

Alternatively Raya could chip balls to either wing as City in their four man press involve their wingers and/or their full backs leaving space behind them. 

If Arteta has found a solution to that vulnerability, City are certainly beatable. However implausible an Arsenal victory may seem after the recent dire performances that have been served. 

Especially if the Arsenal players play with gusto, confidence and belief. 

This statistic augurs well for Arsenal in their game against Sporting

By Danong 

Arsenal are back in action on Wednesday, with the Gunners hosting Portuguese heavyweights Sporting CP at the Emirates Stadium.

Yes, the Gunners head into this game with an advantage, a 1-0 lead in the tie, but that is arguably the trickiest lead they could hold in a Champions League knockout clash.

Sporting have reached this stage entirely on merit, and should Arsenal slip, they could easily turn things around and knock them out. Notably, the Primeira Liga outfit have failed to score in just one competitive away game all season.

Arsenal fans simply could not handle a Wednesday night Champions League heartbreak, not after that disappointing Saturday defeat, losing 2-1 to Bournemouth.

Mikel Arteta and his side will need to bring their A-game, yet doing so will be made harder by the absence of several key players.

A disappointing update from Arsenal's training ground confirms that Declan Rice was nowhere to be seen in their latest training session.

The Englishman joins a growing absentee list that already includes Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber, Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino, and Riccardo Calafiori.

Even so, Arteta can still field a strong side that should be capable of handling Sporting.

That team could look like this:

Raya

White, Gabriel, Saliba, Lewis-Skelly

Nørgaard, Zubimendi, Eze

Madueke, Gyökeres, Martinelli.

It may not be the strongest line-up Arteta has put out, but it should carry more than enough quality to deal with a Sporting side that will be without key men Ivan Fresneda and Luís Guilherme.

Worth noting, however, is that their captain, Morten Hjulmand, returns for this game after missing the first leg through suspension.

What augurs well fir Arsenal is that Sporting have got a bad record in Europe when they lost the first tie losing 13 of 14 such ties. 

Three Arsenal wins and three draws, Sporting have never managed to beat the Gunners (over 90 minutes and extra time) and Wednesday is unlikely to be the day that changes.

Arsenal aim to lay St Mary's ghosts to rest with this patched-up line-up

 By Danong 

Arsenal return to action with a quarter-final FA Cup clash against Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium.  

St Mary’s has long proved a difficult ground for the Gunners. In their last five visits, they have managed just one victory, a frustrating record given that, on paper, this is a fixture where Arsenal should be odds-on favourites.  

Even so, while Arsenal are expected to prevail tonight, they will need to bring their A-game.  

Southampton arrive unbeaten in 14 matches, enjoying their best run of form in recent memory, and they will be ready to put up a fight. Arsenal, therefore, must be prepared for everything thrown their way.  

Fingers crossed, most of our key players are fit, especially after several withdrew from international duty with injury concerns.  

From Mikel Arteta’s Friday press conference:  

- Jurrien Timber and Martin Odegaard are in contention. 

- Eberechi Eze and Piero Hincapie are ruled out with no timeline for return.

- Noni Madueke is sidelined, though expected back within days.  

Ideally, Arteta should field this line-up:  

Kepa  

Ben White, Mosquera, Gabriel, Lewis Skelly  

Norgaard, Havertz, Odegaard 

Dowman, Gyokeres, Martinelli  

Despite injuries forcing notable absences, Arsenal should still have enough to dispatch Southampton on Saturday night and book their place in the semi-finals, one step closer to clinching a record 15th FA Cup trophy.  

Losing the Carabao Cup to Manchester City before the break may have ended hopes of a quadruple, but the treble dream remains alive. Victory here would edge Arsenal closer to that ambition.  

Securing the FA Cup, Premier League, and Champions League would be a fitting and deserved way for Arsenal to crown this season. 

This Arsenal player set to play pivotal role in the League Cup final

By Danong 

Tonight, Arsenal could be one step closer to making this a historic season. All they have to do is beat Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final, adding the League Cup to the trophy cabinet as they also look to capture the Premier League, the FA Cup and the Champions League. Lifting the famous quadruple however unlikely that may prove to be. 

For the Gunners, games against City are rarely straightforward, yet they have not lost this fixture since 2023, going unbeaten in six games across all competitions.

Of those six, however, Arsenal have managed just two consecutive wins.

Tonight, they ought to make it three.

Martin Odegaard, Jurrien Timber and Mikel Merino were all expected to miss out through injury. Yet when pressed on whether captain Odegaard and Timber could return this weekend, Arteta replied: "Yeah, we have another session, let's see."

Fingers crossed the two are available as Arsenal need to be at their strongest to dismantle the Cityzens.

All that said, here is how Arsenal are likely to line up:

Kepa

White, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie

Zubimendi, Rice, Eze

Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard

If it all clicks, this side should have everything needed to take City apart.

A City side that has kept just one clean sheet in their last eight away fixtures, and that is not the half of it. They have also conceded six first-half goals across their last four games.

Eberechi Eze is a player well worth watching in this fixture. He scored for Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final last year and, over his last nine games, has racked up six goal contributions: four goals and two assists. 

Tonight, he could yet prove to be Arsenal's decisive player.