Arsenal vs Brentford: Predicted starting XI for League Cup opener

Centerbacks

There are four centerbacks (to my knowledge). Those four centerbacks are Shkodran Mustafi, Sokratis, Rob Holding and Konstantinos Mavropanos. Sokratis is hurt, so that excludes him, which might be a hang-up as he started against Vorskla.

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Konstantinos Mavropanos is also in a questionable state, presumably injured, because he hasn’t made a single appearance (not even on the bench) all year.

Shkodran Mustafi is a first-team regular in the Premier League, but he also took a bit of a knock against Everton and it wouldn’t be advisable to start him in this one, if it can at all be avoided.

And then there is Rob Holding, who is likely going to be seeing more Premier League minutes with Sokratis out. Holding is the only of the four that seems likely to start, and even he has his question marks, as he needs to be fit as a fiddle for the oncoming Premier League responsibilities.

I would love to say that Mavropanos will start next to him, but again, it’s unclear what is wrong with him and if he will even be available.

Meaning that it may be Holding and Mustafi by default, which actually makes me pretty nervous for the state of this defense.

Remember that time we loaned out Calum Chambers? Yeah… me too.

Let’s move on to the midfield base.