ARSENAL PREVIEW
The Lads are back at home on Saturday night, yes I said Saturday night, when we face our biggest test of the season so far in just the fourth weekend of games. Travelling north are none other than the Premier League Champions, Arsenal. It’s the ultimate in acid tests but can the Lads rise to and show the rest of the division that Mikel Arteta’s men are as beatable as anyone?
LAST MEETING
Ironically, the last meeting at the Stadium of Light was also a Saturday night fixture. It was the first meeting of the Clubs for nine years and everyone thought, as they are on Saturday, that the North Londoners would come here and blow us away. Former Arsenal player Dan Ballard put the Lads into a 36th minute lead when he drove the ball past David Raya, who hadn’t conceded a goal in his eight previous matches.
Arsenal responded with an equaliser from Bukayo Saka just nine minutes after half time and then went ahead 16 minutes from the end when Leonardo Trossard beat Robin Roefs from range. Yet the Lads refused to buckle, and after Raya had denied substitute Brian Brobbey once, there was nothing the Spanish goalkeeper could do as “Big Bad Bri” poked in a leveller in the fourth minute of time added-on to secure the Lads a well-deserved share of the spoils.
OUR OPPONENTS
Last season was an exceptional season for Arsenal as they won their first Premier League title since their “Invincibles” season of 2003-04. They also made the Final of the UEFA Champions League, losing to defending champions Paris St Germain on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Their squad is littered with internationalists in every position and are the benchmark that everyone wants to defeat.
They have started this season as they mean to go on, winning every match that they have played in regardless of what competition they are. In opposition colours is Bruno Guimaraes, yes that fella, and he’s bound to get quite the reception he deserves considering whom his previous club was.
THE LADS
Once more I almost got the starting eleven right, eight correct this time out. But with the big names all rested up, then RLB is going to take them on with the following side. Safe to say that “The General” (Granit) is not going to need any motivation for this one, he would love it as much as anyone if the Lads come away with the win.
Roefs
Mukiele ----- Danso ----- Ballard ----- Reinildo
Xhaka ----- Sadiki
Meunier ----- Le Fée----- Fofana
Brobbey
REF WATCH
Saturday night’s man with the whistle is John Brooks of Melton Mowbray. John has been on the Premier League officials list since June 2021 and was the man in the middle when the Lads came away a 3-1 win last season with Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium: the last away match of the campaign where both sides paid tribute to the legend that was Bradley Lowery.
