Arsenal vs Portsmouth predicted XI: Rotation, rotation, rotation

Defense

Mikel Arteta has made his defensive stance incredibly clear. His guys are Shkodran Mustafi and David Luiz. Everyone else is just playing for second. But we also know that Arteta is fair and if provided evidence that someone else is better, he will take it.

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Given how sparsely Arteta has used Pablo Mari, it only makes sense that he would have to use him here. When you bring a guy on loan with an option to buy, you have to see enough of him to know if you want to exercise that option or not. When Mari wasn’t out there in the first leg against Olympiakos, I was skeptical, but there’s still time to get caught up.

Speaking of getting caught up, Rob Holding desperately needs an opportunity. His career at the Emirates is crashing and burning and it’s such a shame to see given how good his standing was just before this lengthy injury.

At fullback, I can only hope that Ainsley Maitland-Niles can break through his exile to get back into the starting XI. Opposite him, Bukayo Saka will likely retain his spot since no one else is healthy enough to give the young man a break.

On to the midfield.