Pain in the Arsenal
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Arsenal vs Valencia predicted starting XI: You ready yet?

By Josh Sippie

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 23: Petr Cech of Arsenal gives instruction to his team during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Everton FC at Emirates Stadium on September 23, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 23: Petr Cech of Arsenal gives instruction to his team during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Everton FC at Emirates Stadium on September 23, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) /
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Arsenal have a big one on their hands here, and they are going to need their big guys to see it through. Here is the predicted XI vs Valencia.

Arsenal, Petr Cech
Arsenal, Petr Cech (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) /

Well, here we are again. Arsenal‘s backs against the wall, only one way into the Champions League, and a dire need to get the job done, lest this summer become something truly unenjoyable.

There are only two more matches that matter. This second leg against Valencia, with a nice 3-1 cushion, and the final against either Chelsea or Eintracht Frankfurt, neither of which makes me quite as nervous as this second leg against Valencia.

I think that’s a good thing?

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The thing about this Valencia match is that the last Valencia match was supposed to be a turning point. And then Brighton happened and we realized that it was nothing like a turning point at all. It was just a complete separation of competitions.

But that could also work.

All I know is that if we can get through Valencia here, knowing that the match against Burnley essentially means nothing, then if momentum truly does exist, we can take it into the Europa League final and hopefully show that we are much better than our inconsistencies would lead some to believe.

Unai Emery will yet again have his work cut out choosing the best possible starting XI to ensure that his side doesn’t surrender the goals required to see them out of this competition, but on the bright side, he will have most of his team at his disposal.

The biggest absence is Aaron Ramsey, who really puts a damper on the projected 3-4-1-2 formation that he has turned to when he needs a result. I hope that he has someone else who he trusts as an energetic No. 10 like he trusted Ramsey for, though I don’t, so I’m not sure why he would.

We’ll bother with that when we get there. Let’s keep assuming the 3-4-1-2 and get into the predicted XI.

We start in goal.

Keeper

This is Petr Cech‘s competition. he has uttered a rallying cry and I have the utmost faith that he will do his part of the job to see this match through to safety.

But now we have to talk about the defense.