This the starting eleven to end Arsenal's Munich hoodo

By Danong 

Arsenal travel to Munich on Wednesday night for one of their toughest tests of the season, as they renew their rivalry with Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.

When the two sides last met at the Emirates, the Gunners won 3-1.

Mikel Arteta and his side would love to repeat the feat.

To do so, however, they must change the narrative of this fixture. In five away meetings, Arsenal have never beaten Bayern, who have won three of those games, with the other two ending in draws.

Bayern are unbeaten in nine games this season and have just thrashed RB Leipzig 6-1, so they arrive in the best shape. For Arsenal, though, that will not matter, because these are the battles they relish.

Arteta will be raring to go as he looks to outwit Vincent Kompany and secure a famous win in Munich.

Arsenal definitely need the speed of Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres to put the Bayern defenders under pressure, which is why the two start ahead of Eberechi Eze and Kai Havertz.

Lewis-Skelly also starts ahead of Bruno Guimarães, bringing some more solidity in midfield and more progressive passing that Arsenal lacked against Nottingham Forest, when Rice played alongside Guimarães. Crucially, Arsenal need to be as direct as possible.

To do that, the Arsenal boss must field his strongest line-up, and none could be stronger than:

Raya

Timber, Konsa, Gabriel, Calafiori

Rice, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Odegaard

Saka, Gyokeres, Madueke

Hopefully, that is the line-up Arteta selects against Bayern.

That said, Jamal Musiala will miss Bayern's clash with Arsenal on Wednesday night because of a muscle tear. Meanwhile, Michael Olise is suspended, and Manuel Neuer is a doubt, which should give the Gunners a massive boost.

Tricky trees, tricky game. This is the team Arteta should select

By Danong 

After a comfortable 3-0 win over Lille in the Champions League, which preserved their 100 per cent record in the competition, the Gunners now return to the Premier League to continue their title defence.

They do so with a trip to the City Ground to face Nottingham Forest.

Arsenal's last few visits there ended in draws. This time, however, a stalemate will not do, not if the Gunners want to stop City extending their lead at the top.

Heading into this weekend's fixtures, the Cityzens held a three-point advantage, so the plan is simple: avoid dropping points and deny City any further breathing room.

That said, Forest are opponents Arsenal should beat comfortably. The Tricky Trees are yet to find their form under Oliver Glasner, collecting just five points from six games. Mikel Arteta and his side should therefore exploit that and punish them with a vital win.

Arteta can play his part by fielding a formidable line-up, but first he must settle three selection dilemmas. Does Bruno Guimaraes or Myles Lewis-Skelly start in midfield? Does Jurrien Timber or Ben White get the nod at right-back? And does Eberechi Eze start ahead of Noni Madueke on the left wing?

With Forest expected to defend compactly, Arsenal's team selection could prove crucial to breaking them down. If I were Arteta, this is how I would approach it.

I would go with Eze on the left wing. Forest will roll out a low block, and Arsenal will need his creativity to break it down.

At right-back, I would rest Timber and start White to manage the Dutchman's workload.

In midfield, meanwhile, I would pick Guimaraes over Lewis-Skelly. The Brazilian is a low-block dismantler, and Arsenal need to be more progressive and vertical from the first whistle. He offers exactly that.

That means Arsenal should line up:

Raya

White, Konsa, Gabriel, Calafiori

Guimaraes, Rice, Odegaard

Saka, Havertz, Eze

It is a formidable line-up, and one that should take care of business on Sunday evening.

The four key changes to the starting eleven Arteta must make to hand Leeds their first defeat of the season

By Danong and 1970s Gooner 

Gooners cannot wait for this international break to end and for the Premier League to return.

That 3-0 loss to Brighton still aches, and only a convincing victory will put things right.

If Arsenal is to jump back to winning ways, the players will need to be at their absolute best, because a stern test awaits against Leeds United.

Still unbeaten in the league with two wins and three draws, Leeds are proving a tough nut to crack this season. Even so, the English champions must overcome them to close the gap at the top especially with Manchester City facing a stern test against Liverpool.

Team News

Cristhian Mosquera is expected to be fit for the Leeds match, provided there are no setbacks.

Kai Havertz’s injury, which he picked up while playing for Germany over the international break, although not expected to prove very serious, means he's unlikely to be risked for this game. Especially taking into account the serious hamstring problem he had last season.

Christos Tzolis is also expected to miss the fixture after the hamstring injury he suffered while representing Greece. He is set to be out for at least a month.

Piero Hincapié, Ben White and Marley Simon all returned to training. This doesn't mean however that they will be risked to start. Jurian Timber however is one step ahead of them as he started the Netherlands game at Greece two days ago.

That said, which side might Mikel Arteta select to stun Daniel Farke? He could go with:

Raya  

Timber, Konsa, Gabriel, Calafiori  

Myles Lewis-Skelly, Rice, Ødegaard  

Saka, Gyokeres, Eze

Looking at this line-up, Eze has a massive opportunity to show the quality he displayed in his final year at Palace. If he is to break into the side, this is his chance. If he doesn’t show up then Arteta can bring Madueke on on the left hand side and it would be interesting to see him terrorise Leeds from that side with his speed on the ball.

Gyokeres now has the chance to get a run in the side and bring his goalscoring form on the international scene into the Premier League. This means that Arteta will need to prepare the players to play at Gyökeres’s strength by playing the early ball for him to chase and look for him in the box. 

A midfield of Martin Ødegaard, Bruno Guimarães and Declan Rice proved against Brighton & Hove Albion that it lacks the chemistry and balance Arsenal have seen with Myles Lewis-Skelly.

That Hale End graduate brings something different. He brings midfield physicality, defensive security, and energy going forward. More importantly, the engine room looks compact when he plays there. He is difficult to play through and can support both phases of play.

With him at the centre of the park and Eze in the side, the Gunners could hold the key to beating Leeds and starting a winning run of games.

The starting eleven for Brighton but with a twist

By Danong 

Arsenal are back in action on Saturday afternoon, heading south to take on Brighton at the Amex Stadium.

Unbeaten so far this season, the Gunners will be hoping to keep that record intact. However, they face one of the fiercest Brighton sides they've come up against in recent years.

The Seagulls have made a decent start to the campaign. Despite a defeat to Chelsea on matchday two, Fabian Hürzeler's side have shown they mean business, netting more goals than anyone else four games in.

This Brighton side won't sit back and hope to survive. On the contrary, they'll believe they can hurt Arsenal.

Sometimes the most compelling games are the ones where both teams walk onto the pitch believing they can win, and this looks like one of them.

Arsenal have won the last three meetings between the sides, and they will be looking to make it four.

With that in mind, here is the line-up that should give Brighton a reality check:

Raya

Rice, Konsa, Gabriel, Calafiori

Lewis-Skelly, Guimaraes, Odegaard

Saka, Havertz, Tzolis

The big talking point will be at right-back. Ben White remains a doubt, Jurrien Timber is being carefully managed following his return from injury, and Cristhian Mosquera is edging closer to a first-team return.

Consequently, Declan Rice could fill in at right-back, before shifting back into midfield once Timber comes on as a second-half substitute.

That said, when it comes down to it, this is exactly the type of match where attacking quality, composure and sharp decision-making will make the difference.

The real reason Gyökeres is sitting on the bench?

 By 1970s Gooner 

Victor Gyokeres has sat on the bench for Arsenal's first two games of the season. Arteta did not even bring him on at the later stages of those two matches. Isn’t that strange?

For the game against Coventry the game was done and dusted by midway of the second half and Arteta surely should have given Gyokeres minutes that he surely needs to get up to speed. 

Similarly at the Villa game Havertz was dead on his knees in the latter stages and again Gyokeres was by passed when the open spaces Villa were leaving behind would have suited him perfectly. 

And he is obviously not carrying an injury otherwise he wouldnt be on the bench. So what is going on?

A plausible explanation is that Arteta may be saving him in order to either sell him on or use him as a makeshift in a part exchange transfer for a new forward coming in (Alvarez ?)

If this is so then expect Gyokeres to come back into the reckoning once the window closes and of course if he hasn't been moved on beforehand. 

Change of style expected from Arsenal tomorrow

By Danong 

Arsenal kick off their title defence on Friday night with a clash against Coventry.

A convincing 3-0 Community Shield win over Manchester City last weekend should have set the tone for how this season ought to pan out.

The Gunners ought to be dangerously sharp in tearing apart opponents while also being rock-solid and impossible to break down.

While Frank Lampard and his side will be looking to upset Arsenal, Mikel Arteta will be looking to stretch his brilliant record against the Chelsea legend.

In the six meetings between the two, Arteta has won four times, drawn once and lost once.

Keen to protect that record and to send a message to the rest of the League, the Spaniard will be setting his team up for a more open attacking display aiming for as big a win as possible. 

Arsenal are expected to welcome Bukayo Saka back into the starting line-up, though Declan Rice could be given more time to recover and may again feature as a second-half substitute.

The starting line-up should look like:

David Raya

White, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori

Myles Lewis-Skelly, Guimaraes, Odegaard

Tzolis, Havertz, Saka

Arteta will also have a pretty decent bench to call upon should he need to switch things up. It will be interesting if Martinelli was on it...

Unfortunately, though, Arteta will still not be able to call upon Jurrien Timber and William Saliba, who both remain out injured. 

Understanding between the lines, during his game presser, these two maybe longer term absentees than we thought so. And this may explain our acquisition of Konsa...

Either way, Arsenal go into this game with a strong team and should have little trouble stretching their five-game winning run over Coventry to six.

Arteta makes Vinicius Jr a personal promise as Lewis-Skelly dilemma emerges

Arsenal are closing in on a deal for highly-rated Blackburn Rovers striker Igor Tyjon.

Alan Nixon claims that the Gunners are close to striking an agreement worth around £ 2 million for the eighteen-year-old to sign for them.

Tyjon will prove a fantastic addition to Arsenal's setup, as his pace, movement and eye for goal should see him excel.

Elsewhere, Manchester United look set to test Arsenal's resolve over Myles Lewis-Skelly.

The Red Devils are on the hunt for a left-back and a midfielder, and they may see Lewis-Skelly, capable in both positions, as a tempting transfer option.

Apparently, the suggestion is that a move for Bruno Guimaraes could block Lewis-Skelly's pathway at Arsenal. As a result, the player may grow keen on a move, and a tempting bid could see Arsenal sanction his departure.

However, having let Christian Nørgaard move to Everton, Guimarães would effectively be replacing him rather than Lewis-Skelly. Therefore, Lewis-Skelly should still stay, as he can play a key role. With plenty of games still to come, and with Declan Rice unlikely to feature heavily at the start of the season following a busy summer, Lewis-Skelly can prove useful.

Meanwhile, in pursuit of Real Madrid star man Vinícius Júnior, Arteta has personally told the Brazilian that his Arsenal project will be built around him.

Interestingly, this comes just days after we covered a piece revealing that the attacker had his team assess which club he fits best and Arsenal came out on top.

Vinicius Junior advisors indicate he fits Arsenal best

By Danong 

Arsenal may boast one of the most formidable midfield pivots in the Premier League if reports from Thursday evening prove accurate.

It emerged across various outlets that Arsenal are closing in on a deal for Bruno Guimarães, with the Gunners expected to pay north of £70 million for the Brazilian.

Should the deal go through as expected, it would represent a massive coup for Arsenal, who would then possess a midfield pivot to be envied by every one of their rivals.

Declan Rice would finally have a partner who complements him, someone capable of shouldering build-up responsibility while still allowing him to operate as the deeper-lying six.

Moreover, both players share a knack for crashing the box and finding the net from the edge of the area, and both rank among the game's elite set-piece takers. In short, this would be Mikel Arteta's dream midfield.

That said, while Guimarães arrives, Ethan Nwaneri appears to be heading out. Arsenal have made the bold decision to let him leave, with Matteo Moretto reporting that the youngster is now "not untouchable."

AC Milan hold an interest, as do RB Leipzig, though European clubs are not alone in monitoring the situation; Fulham and Everton are also keeping tabs on developments.

Arsenal remain willing to sanction a permanent departure but do not wish to relinquish their hold on the player entirely, so an interesting clause may well feature in any exit deal.

Meanwhile, Vinícius Júnior, according to Hand of Arsenal, has been advised by his representatives, following an analysis of where he might move next, that he suits Arsenal's tactical setup.

Consequently, a switch to the Emirates could well represent the best path forward for him.

Is Vinicious having us on?

By Danong and 1970s Gooner 

It is now merely a matter of days before Bruno Guimaraes can finally make the switch from Newcastle United to Arsenal.

On Saturday, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano reported that serious talks would take place this week, with the Gunners set to offer more than the initial £70 million they had lined up for the midfielder.

As fans look ahead to how these talks pan out, it will interest Gooners that Newcastle boss Eddie Howe seems to suggest that Guimaraes' future is out of his hands entirely. He told the media over the weekend:

"Look, I do not know what is going to happen with Bruno's future. That is for other people to, one, speculate about, but also conversations that I am not part of."

That aside, over the weekend David Ornstein dropped the bombshell that Arsenal are toying with the idea of signing Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior.

If there is any remote chance this deal can happen, Arsenal should go for it. One big concern surrounding the move has been whether the English champions can afford Vinicius' hefty salary.

However, sources suggest the Gunners are willing to meet the winger's wage demands, meaning it could now come down to Real Madrid's willingness to sell and Arsenal's willingness to splash the cash. 

The latest news on this however is that Real Madrid and Vinicius representatives are to meet in order to come to an agreement on a new contract with improved wages of course. 

This may in fact stink of a deliberate attempt by Vinicius' entourage to use Arsenal's interest for the player to draw Real back to the negotiating table. Dont be surprised if in a few days time Vinicius is kissing the Real Madrid badge...

Elsewhere, as Arsenal focus their energy on Vinicius and Guimaraes, they may well miss out on another top target in Alex Scott. The Gunners are known admirers of the AFC Bournemouth star, and if they truly consider him a must-have, it may be time to act, otherwise they risk losing him to city rivals Chelsea.

The fact that Berta has not made a move for Scott up to now shows that the capture of Guimaraes may be considered as very likely...

Guimaraes agreement reached as Arteta moves to offer key man for top attacking target

By Danong 

Arsenal are finally set to approach Newcastle United as they push on with their pursuit of Bruno Guimaraes.

According to Fabrizio Romano, personal terms are already agreed; now all that remains is a club‑to‑club agreement before the Brazilian midfielder swaps St James’ Park for the Emirates.

The Gunners are expected to table a £70 million offer, though many feel that will not be enough to convince the Magpies to sanction a sale. Even so, it should at least bring both sides to the negotiating table.

Meanwhile, as Arsenal hope to strike a deal for Guimaraes, Chelsea, as per Simon Phillips, are also keen on the midfielder. Even then, the suggestion is that Arsenal remain favourites in the race.

Speaking of favourites, The Mirror report that Manchester United have now stepped away from the Alex Scott chase. The Red Devils cannot afford to pay £70 million plus for the Englishman, and that U‑turn reshapes the battle for the Premier League standout. It is now an Arsenal‑versus‑Chelsea fight for Scott. Notably, Chelsea have already seen a £60 million bid rejected, with Bournemouth determined to resist a sale.

Elsewhere, keen to find cover for William Saliba, who is set for a spell out with a back issue, the English champions have, according to Caught Offside, been offered the chance to sign Sporting CP’s Zeno Debast.

Although the move is yet to receive Arsenal’s green light, it is one to watch, especially with uncertainty surrounding Saliba’s return after he opted against surgery in favour of rest and rehabilitation.

Furthermore, as per Gary Jacob, Mikel Arteta is desperate for Arsenal to sign Julian Alvarez.

The Argentine is his dream attacking addition, and Arteta wants him so badly that he is willing to include Viktor Gyokeres in a deal to bring the Atlético Madrid striker back to the Premier League.

On a brighter note, Christos Tzolis has already been unveiled as an Arsenal player. All eyes now turn to what he can deliver. There is plenty of expectation on his shoulders, particularly with the need to replace Leandro Trossard’s goals. Yet with 22 goals and 29 assists last season, he looks well equipped to step up.