I’ve just got a feeling that Pep…

…will revert to an old, familiar-looking formation for this big fixture regardless of-whether Haaland is fit to start or not; as the Spaniard continues to confound most of us with both personnel choices and ‘formation tweaks’.

There’s a blog announcement at the end of this posting…

v Arsenal

Emirates Stadium

Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:

(Number correct from the starting line-up in the last game: 8/11).

Fluid 4-1-5-0 / 4-6-0:

_______________________________________________

 

____________________Alvarez_____________________

Grealish__________________________________Mahrez

 

____________Silva_____________De Bruyne_________

 

_____________________Rodri_____________________

Ake______________________________________Walker

___________Laporte_____________Dias_____________

 

 

____________________Ederson____________________

Subs: Ortega, Gomez, Lewis, Akanji, Phillips, Gundogan, Foden, Palmer & Haaland.

Ederson has the gloves.

I’m fairly confident, as much as I can be with so many defensive changes implemented by our manager, that we’ll see Nathan return to the starting 11 and that we see also starts, once again, for Aymeric, Ruben & Kyle.

Rodders to ‘go again’ also after a much improved display in our last outing; Jack, Bernardo, Kevin & Riyad to provide the attacking-creativity and, here we go…I think we might see Julian join those in a ‘false 9’ / dual role ‘attacking 5’.

Stefan continues to provide keeper cover, while Sergio, Rico & Manuel are the defensive replacement options in ‘the 9’. Kalvin, Ilkay, Phil, Cole are the midfielders / wingers on the side and should he bit fit to take part at all; Erling is the back-up striker for this one.

Notable absences:

-       Benjamin Mendy – Suspended by the club until further notice.

-       John Stones – Out for around 2-½ weeks with a hamstring injury.

Do I agree with Pep’s (predicted) line-up?

I actually like the look of this predicted 11 for this one – it should give our hosts some headaches from all angles if it all ‘clicks’.

Result? Good question. Again…if we ‘click’, I can see us coming away with all-3, very-vital points. However, I think they’ll be goals at both ends and I’m having this one down as a draw.

Last season’s, corresponding pre-match prediction and result:

Prediction: Draw

Result: Won - 🤞 again for the same prediction & outcome…

(Pre-match blog posting from that game)

Expected weather conditions during the game: After a lovely, bright sunny day ‘down there’, clear skies gives way to cloud that might produce a little wet stuff just prior to and during the first half. It should dry up in the second 45 though. 9 or 10C with a light south-westerly breeze keeps the temperature not too bad at all for a night match in February.

There’ll be no blog-posting for our next THREE fixtures after this one due to a much-needed week’s holiday.

Of course, I hope to keep up to date with all things match wise but I suspect that I’ll only get to listen to stuff on the radio for our next two matches but most-certainly hope to be back home to watch our league fixture on Saturday 25^th February, which will be the 4th of FIVE back-to-back away fixtures in three different competitions in just 14 days!

Solidarity