Quantcast
Home   >   Opinions   >   [Image] Pepe starts as Ljungberg picks Arsenal’s best 4-2-3-1 line-up to face Norwich

[Image] Pepe starts as Ljungberg picks Arsenal’s best 4-2-3-1 line-up to face Norwich

By on November 29, 2019

Rob Holding arsenal 2019

Freddie Ljungberg will try to get Arsenal’s season back on track when he takes charge of his first game as interim manager with a trip to Norwich on Sunday. This is the line-up I’d like Freddie to select…

Defence

Emery has been playing a back three recently but Ljungberg is expected to revert to a flat back four and I hope he does away with Sokratis as his form has been woeful this season. David Luiz is also a doubt with a rib injury so this is an opportunity for Freddie to start Rob Holding and Calum Chambers at the back.

Kieran Tierney should keep his place ahead of Sead Kolasinac at left-back and I hope Hector Bellerin passes a late fitness test to start at right-back having missed the Frankfurt game with a hamstring problem.

Bernd Leno should keep his place in goal with Emi Martinez dropping to the bench.

Midfield

Let’s hope Ljungberg has a solution to our midfield problems as Arsenal have been so open through the middle under Emery. Granit Xhaka made his comeback on Thursday night but I hope we see Lucas Torreira starting alongside Matteo Guendouzi on Sunday.

nicolas pepe arsenal

Dani Ceballos remains out with a hamstring injury and isn’t due to resume training until mid-December. Joe Willock is a big favourite of Freddie’s following their time working together with the U23s so I wouldn’t be surprised to see him involved.

Attack

Ljungberg played a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formation when he was in charge of the Arsenal U23s so I expect him to play one of those systems with the first team and they both suit the players we have available in the squad.

If he’s going to stick with Mesut Ozil then I expect a 4-2-3-1 with Ozil in the No.10 role and I pray Freddie is ready to bring Nicolas Pepe back into the team as he’s been poorly used by Emery in recent weeks.

Obviously Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette should start and I honestly think this is Arsenal’s best front six. We’ve never seen Auba, Laca, Pepe and Ozil start in the same game, but let’s hope that changes on Sunday.

Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka and Reiss Nelson will all be options from the bench and Ljungberg is expected to give youth plenty of opportunities while he’s in charge.

This is the starting eleven I hope we’ll see from Arsenal:

football formations