Arsenal vs Aston Villa match thread

[Toronto Villa]

He seems to be trying to shoe-horn both Ings and Watkins into the side.

not trying. Doing

[Risso]

FFS Smith, I hope you don’t end up looking like a massive div by the end of the game.

[London Villan]

I hope Dean’s right and I’m wrong. But that looks poor.

[Bobby Boy]

Very disappointing selection. Effectively a 5212 really. Deano doubling down on this set up. Our bench looks strong and he'll be calling on them early I fear.

Dean doesn't do early subs. Let's hope we're not calling on Bailey to rescue the game.

[N'ZMAV]

I'd have dropped Watkins and Tuanzebe and started Bailey and El Ghazi and gone 4-2-3-1

[brontebilly]

Surprised by this. Can't see why we need this formation in this game.

If I was Hause I'd be well pissed off that Tuanzebe is ahead of me.

Let's see what happens.

To be fair, Hause is unsuited to playing with 3 CBs. We saw that at Spurs, ball at his feet is not his friend. Unfortunately it doesn't suit our other CBs either.

When a manager gets as pig headed as Smith has done tonight, they better hope it goes their way.

[Fred Crump]

I don’t have a good feeling about this at all. My Gooner brother thinks we are there for the taking and having seen that formation I have a feeling I might be avoiding him for a while.

[Rigadon]

The 5 at the back thing HAS worked this season.  And it hasn't worked at times too.  I'm not tactically savvy enough to know why, but assume it's related to the opposition shape and intent.  If that's right, you would assume Arsenal away would be a similar proposition as Manchester Utd away.
   

[Sexual Ealing]

Very disappointing selection. Effectively a 5212 really. Deano doubling down on this set up. Our bench looks strong and he'll be calling on them early I fear.

Early subs? At Aston Villa?!

[achilles]

Trying to be positive but 5-3-2 might work better against the 'better' teams rather than against the 'weaker' teams?

Although I think Axel is very lucky to still be in the side after last Saturday and Watkins needs to step up as well!

UTV

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I can only assume Axel will be playing as a defensive midfielder, protecting the back four, breaking up play and supplying the midfield with a short pass, the kind of 10 yard pass he made to Mings every time he had the ball against Wolves.

Only a madman would persist with 5 at the back and Dean is no madman.

[markeeeebeeee2005]

Last season we conceded on average 1.2 goals per game, 1.5 this season. Why switch from 4 at the back that looked so solid?

[olaftab]

It's simple really. Play Ings and Watkins with either Bailey or Traore alongside and go back 4.

[steamer]

Not an Axel fan

[markeeeebeeee2005]

For another stat - their Thierry Henry statue looks 0% like Thierry Henry.