In thinking about who might start for Arsenal against Brentford FC on Saturday, you already know the goalkeeper slot is certain. David Raya is ineligible to face his parent club, given his current contract status as a loanee. So that means Aaron Ramsdale, or earlier this season lost his starting place to Raya, comes back in between the sticks.
Will he make the most of this opportunity, and keep the starting gig this time? Or will Mikel Arteta keep Raya as his first choice after this match?
Arsenal vs Brentford FC FYIs
Kick: Sat. Nov. 25, 5:30pm, Emirates Stadium, London, UK
Arsenal Preview Content: Full Injury List Team News Starting XI Prediction
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
Result Probability: Arsenal 53% Draw 25% Brentford FC 22%
PL Form, Standings: Arsenal WLWDW 3rd, 27 points Brentford FC LWWWL 11th, 16 pts
There are some other interesting lineup questions to consider here as well. Do you rest Gabriel Jesus entirely, or maybe have him come off the bench and play a few minutes? What about Kai Havertz, who has seen a shift, on the club level, from the final third to the midfield, on occasion?
And on the international level he’s moved further back, with Germany now playing him sometimes in the LB position. Hmmmm….interesting. Finally, we expect to see Leandro Trossard in the starting lineup.
Arsenal Starting XI Prediction vs Brentford FC
Aaron Ramsdale; Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Oleksandr Zinchenko; Jorginho, Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice; Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka
Prediction: Arsenal 1, Brentford FC 0
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now, while writing for the International Baseball Writers Association of America. You can follow the website on Twitter.