Torreira Debut? – Arsenal v Lazio

Today’s friendly in Stockholm is Unai Emery’s last chance to get the measure of his squad before next weekend’s Prem curtain raiser against City.

The biggest question and most enthralling prospect for the game is whether we might get a look at Lucas Torreira in an Arsenal shirt.

Who will start the game at centre back? Mustafi and Sokratis looked less than convincing against the chavs. Time is running out for an obvious settled partnership to emerge. Perhaps Calum Chambers might feature in his preferred position?

Ramsey is out with a perfectly timed tightness in his calf. The Beast is out for 8 weeks. Interesting to see if ESR gets another chance. Xhaka alongside Torreira could be fun.

Up front I’d like to see Auba and Laca in tandem as it offers up the most chances of scoring goals.

Cech

Lichtsteiner Chambers Mustafi Monreal

Mkhitaryan Torreira Xhaka

Ozil

Lacazette Aubameyang

Hark at me choosing a team for a friendly. How preposterous! Maybe choosing players I’d want to see start against City,  more like.

I know virtually zero about SS Lazio but they finished 5th in a Serie A which appears to be re-establishing some of its former strength, so they’re no mugs.

COYRRG

64 Responses to Torreira Debut? – Arsenal v Lazio

  1. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    I’ll definitely hark at you for selecting our two most prolific goalscorers. Hark

    Thanks Chas

    Also hard not to agree we appear some what away from a settled CB partnership, what with understanding being such a key component.

    I’ve just re-signed up with liveonlinefooty, so ready for this evening and the new season.

    Tough call leaving Ouzi out

  2. chas's avatar chas says:

    Ouzi in for Xhaka would suit me fine,

  3. chas's avatar chas says:

    The game is live on AFC.com for the plebs among us.

  4. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    When does the window shut, and does it apply to all transfers ie in and out of the Prem. regarding European teams or just within Prem ?

  5. Eddie's avatar Eddie says:

    thanks chas for the post and for reminding me that the EPL starts next week! I thought it was 2-3 weeks away.

    Like you I don’t know anything about Lazio, I checked their team and manager – still no recollection of ever hearing of any of them.

    I don’t think it is necessary to play the strongest squad, more pragmatic approach of testing different combos of new players is my choice. But I am not the Boss.

    I want to see Matteo, definitely. I think he will be the most refreshing change at the Ems, he will get the things moving, I don’t expect any new found enthusiasm from the ‘old’ squad players, they are likely to do what they did before – bare minimum. There has to be some ares kicking and injection of testosterone

  6. Eddie's avatar Eddie says:

    raccoon is so silly 🙂
    May (wearing a suit on holidays) and Macron on holidays together is strange, very stange.

    Is Macron showing May a wall he started to build in Calais?

  7. Eddie's avatar Eddie says:

    The Arsenal board are happy to sanction a £25m deal for Besiktas star Domagoj Vida provided the Gunners can shift Shkodran Mustafi or Danny Welbeck in the coming days.

    nobody will buy Welbeck, no way

  8. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    Morning Eddie

    One thing I’d like is to see a Captain emerge this season, and as I like them to be either midfielders or defenders, said leader will have to come from a new recruit.

    Does Torreira bark, or maybe Sokratis?

  9. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    Danny is way better than Ollie 🙂

  10. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    Ok, ok, I know, Lee Chapman is better than Ollie 🙄

  11. fred1266's avatar fred1266 says:

    Lazio has lost one of there main attackers in Felipe Anderson so not sure how effective they would be without him

    There main man is still immobile

  12. fred1266's avatar fred1266 says:

    Windows closes Thursday 9th for premier leagues club but other European club it closes next week,

    So we can still have some drama with barca wanting ramsey and we will not be able to sign a replacement

  13. fred1266's avatar fred1266 says:

    Some prem clubs was interested in welbeck hopefully they still are

  14. fred1266's avatar fred1266 says:

    What drugs are you on micky, has danny ever scored a scorpion kick I think not

  15. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    Well Fred

    Used to be weed, hash, coke and sulphate but nowadays ibru , paracetamol and assorted blood pressure shit

    Look, Ollie makes Danny Welbeck look like flippin’ Pele. Anyone who knows anything about football can see that, to say nothing of the fact that anyone who likes a big oaf up top is a trophy-at-any-cost ape

    All clear?

  16. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    bugger, 🙂 Fred

  17. Erik the Red's avatar Big Raddy says:

    Back from maneuvers. Missed all the lovely weather and a bucket loads of goals.

    And I will miss tonight’s game 😦

    Thanks to all for the fine posts over the last few weeks

  18. GunnerN5's avatar GunnerN5 says:

    Thanks for the post Chas, I hope we get our first look at Torreira today, somehow I like the idea of him and Xhaka teaming up together.

    Seems like injuries are taking their toll on us even before the season starts.

    It will be my 71st season of watching and supporting. For a while I was nervous about reduced coverage of the EPL on Canadian TV but to my delight they are showing all ten games on the first weekend.

    Welcome back Raddy.

  19. Eddie's avatar Eddie says:

    torreira is Uruguayan, so if he doesn’t bark he bites. good either way

  20. GunnerN5's avatar GunnerN5 says:

    An old lady gets on a bus and sits down near the driver.
    She leans across and gives him a handful of peanuts.
    The driver thanks her and eats the peanuts.
    Shortly after she offers him some more which he takes and eats.
    The drivers asks the lady why she is giving him all of her peanuts.
    She replies, well you see I’ve got no teeth so I just suck off the chocolate.

  21. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    Team to face Lazio: Leno, Lichtsteiner, Chambers, Holding, Maitland-Niles, Nelson, Xhaka, Torreira, Iwobi, Lacazette, Nketiah

  22. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    Great to see Torreira, sad not to see the “A” Attack

  23. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    Erik

    Have a migraine right now. Makes an awful lot of sense.

  24. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    Subs anyone? Not on Sky

  25. GunnerN5's avatar GunnerN5 says:

    At your service Micky.

    Subs: Bellerin, Sokratis, Mustafi, Mavrapanos, Elneny, Mkhitaryan, Ozil, Guendouzi, Smith Rowe, Aubameyang

  26. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    Thanks GN5

    All Guns present and correct

    Lock and load 🙂

  27. GunnerN5's avatar GunnerN5 says:

    Aim shoot and fire………………..

  28. GunnerN5's avatar GunnerN5 says:

    I hope that Iwobi comes of age this season.

  29. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    Oh he will. He was making huge strides towards the end of the last campaign. Game time will be a problem of course

  30. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    I hope everyone else’s video on afc.com is still just making noise

  31. GunnerN5's avatar GunnerN5 says:

    Yep strange choice in music…………..

  32. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    19:01 eh? still noise

  33. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    ah ha at last 🙂

  34. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    Strip better than Biscay

  35. fred1266's avatar fred1266 says:

    Iwobi come of age lol good one

  36. chas's avatar chas says:

    Excellent from Iwobi.
    Suck on that, Freddie. 🙂

  37. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    Oh no Fred, you’re not down on Alex as well are you? 🙂

    Hey, is Granit skipper, because he’s doing a lot of talking and flapping his arms about. Like it

  38. Eddie's avatar Eddie says:

    cracking game, keeps me on edge
    what a team!! fantastic

    when is the hairy one coming on, please let it be soon or I’ll fall asleep

  39. chas's avatar chas says:

  40. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    Eddie is lightening fast over the first 2 or 3 yards. Fact 🙂

  41. chas's avatar chas says:

    Ouzi coming on.
    Hurrah
    Wake up Eddie

  42. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    ha ha what ever floats your boat 🙂

  43. Aaron's avatar Aaron says:

    Holding got beat on easy header, made a horrible inside pass instead of going out wide. (And I like Holding)
    Chambers looks good. AMN put two crosses on a plate, but Eddie sort of cruised in, instead of going full blast towards goal.
    Iwobi missed from very close and did not hit his shot anywhere near goal.
    Will be happy to see some subs come on.

  44. chas's avatar chas says:

    I think Holding has been excellent, so far.

  45. chas's avatar chas says:

    Bang

  46. chas's avatar chas says:

    Guendouzi is different class.

  47. Aaron's avatar Aaron says:

    I really like the French youngster, turn, dribble, burst into space, and lane split. The Arsenal have missed this.

    Chas, agreed but those two errors should have been goals for Lazio.

  48. fred1266's avatar fred1266 says:

  49. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    First time I’ve seen Guendouzi

    At 19 and costing about £8M, well, wow…how the heck did we do that

  50. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    The squad has definitely more…err..muscle? Socratis, Lichtsteiner, Torreira

  51. fred1266's avatar fred1266 says:

  52. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    First time I’ve seen this new look squad, and I’m very optimistic going in to the new season

    Can see this lot winning far more games

    Need to decide on CB pair then play them for 10 games

    so many options from midfield forwards

  53. LBG's avatar LBG says:

    Ouzi MOM
    Hector’s positioning defensively all wrong. Hope Dick can sort him out .
    Solid if unspectacular performance. “Champagne Moment” Miki’s protection of ball and turn.

  54. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    Bell never has been an exceptional winger nor an exceptional defender

    More like a super fast track suit model 🙂

  55. LB's avatar LB says:

    Didn’t see the game but another win is always good.

  56. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    True LB

    Selection of the XI to face City is going to be fascinating

  57. chas's avatar chas says:

    NEW POST

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