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Arsenal vs FC Vorskla: Predicted starting XI – Bernd Leno time!

By Josh Sippie

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 12: Unai Emery, Manager of Arsenal gives his team instructions during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Manchester City at Emirates Stadium on August 12, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 12: Unai Emery, Manager of Arsenal gives his team instructions during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Manchester City at Emirates Stadium on August 12, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) /
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Arsenal are giving us a double dose of action for weeks to come, starting with the Europa League opener against FC Vorskla. Here’s how they should line up.

Arsenal, Unai Emery
Arsenal (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) /

Arsenal are starting to find their footing. After two initial losses (although one should have been a draw), the Gunners have won their last three, two of which have been away from home, which was their biggest sore spot all of last year.

And now, things start to get more complicated for Unai Emery, who is going to need to draw a line between Premier League players and Europa League/League Cup/FA Cup players, with transitions possible and, hopefully, likely.

It all starts against Ukranian side FC Vorskla at the Emirates, where what is expected to be a massive squad rotation will result in what is equally expected to be a massive, conclusive victory. But nothing is guaranteed, and it will take awhile for Unai Emery to convince the fans otherwise.

Related Story. 5 Players To Watch vs FC Vorskla. light

However, when you start looking at the squad that the Gunners figure to put out there, it’s an inspiring sight. So let’s get to it. Here is the projected starting XI for the clash. We start in goal, where I’ll try to keep my excitement contained.

Keeper

I literally, literally cannot wait to see Bernd Leno in the net for the Gunners. If you haven’t been following Pain in the Arsenal’s coverage of him (well, mine in particular), the let me fill you in. After every week, I was adamant that Leno start. Even at the start of the season, I thought it should have been him.

I’ve tuckered out recently, but the point is, he is finally going to start! And with it, we are finally going to be able to see what he is capable of. And, as mentioned in a previous article, it stands to reason that he won’t see that much action, but he will have things to do, and if he can do them without a shadow of a doubt, I will have no choice but to take up the charge to get him to start.

In the meantime, and before I get too carried away anointing him the second coming of Jens Lehmann, let’s move on to the fullbacks.