Arsenal vs Napoli predicted XI: Coping without Granit Xhaka

Front Three

It’s a 3-5-2, yes, but I purposely separated the third member of the midfield and put him with the attack because that’s where he is going to be spending most of his time, even if he is asked to help out in a midfield that may potentially need the help.

Which is why I don’t have Mesut Ozil starting. Maybe he deserves the chance at redemption, hell, he probably does. But these are desperate times, oddly enough, and as such, I have to try to think like Emery, and he wants an active starting XI and that isn’t Ozil.

I see Henrikh Mkhitaryan getting a centralized start as the No. 10. It’s unlike him, and honestly, I was toying between this and starting Ramsey here, with Guendouzi paired with Torreira and I’m still not sure what made me go with this other than more attacking ability across the board.

Ahead of Mkhitaryan, we all know what to expect – it’s time to reunite the dynamic duo of Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the starting XI. It was working so well before that it just has to work now, doesn’t it?

It’s a starting XI that can do damage, even if they may need a little help preventing damage.