Arsenal predicted lineup vs Villarreal: Tierney and Aubameyang?

Arsenal take on old friends and foes on Thursday as they travel to Villarreal for the first leg of their Europa League semi-final. Here is the predicted lineup.

Don’t be confused by old friends. This is not in reference to Unai Emery, who despite being a dreadful fit for Arsenal as manager never gave anything but his all for the club, but is indeed referring to Francis Coquelin! The Coq!

The foe element does, of course, relate to Emery who Arsenal fans had to suffer through for the best part of 19 months. The current plight has hardly been an insignificant cough and more closely resembles the slow removal of about 3,000 plasters, but the ongoing torment can be cast aside briefly should Arsenal and Mikel Arteta secure a positive result.

On Tuesday evening their chances of doing so were limited, only to be boosted significantly on Wednesday morning following news of returns for key quartet Kieran Tierney, David Luiz, Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who are all in contention for Thursday.

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Arsenal predicted lineup vs Villarreal: Kieran Tierney and Gabriel Martinelli to start in Europa League?

Having been mulling over his selection choices, Arteta was visibly ecstatic to reveal the news in his press conference, and knows the squad at his disposal is strengthened ten-fold to leave Estadio de la Cerámica with a smile as big as the one he tried to suppress.

If only it were as simple as that.

Luiz has not kicked a ball since March 21, Tierney suffered ligament damage and hasn’t played since April 3, Lacazette can’t be rushed back too soon after a hamstring tear and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang won’t have featured in close to three weeks after contracting malaria.

They are all ‘in contention’, thus physically able, but none of the quartet will be match fit, which must play in Arteta’s mind not least as this is a two-legged affair.

Should just one, maybe two, of those players be available to play then it will have a big impact, especially in defence, where Tierney could return to left-back and allow Granit Xhaka to shift into midfield.

So many decisions to make but which will Arteta plump for? Here is our predicted lineup.

Goalkeeper & Defenders

Bernd Leno (GK) – Arteta will probably have been the closest he’s come to dropping Leno to date for this one. That clanger against Everton is certainly not his first this season – potentially not his last – yet there is just no way he’ll throw Mat Ryan in here for his first European fixture with Arsenal.

Calum Chambers (RB) – Chambers has now wrestled his way into the first choice right-back at the club, even though Hector Bellerin had started all Europa League knockout fixtures this season up including the first leg against Slavia Prague. He only did so on that occasion because Chambers was injured, and the Englishman subsequently returned to the fold for the reverse leg. He is the starter now and Arteta will keep him in.

Rob Holding (CB) – Despite Luiz being in contention and also boasting all the distribution traits his fellow central defenders don’t possess as skillfully, Arteta might opt against breaking up the partnership that helped concede only two shots on target in the last two outings.

Pablo Mari (CB) – It’s generally a big give away that the player who does the media duties ahead of European fixtures will be starting on the day. Even without Mari joining Arteta in the press conference, his leadership ability and composure in possession would’ve made him a shoo-in ahead of Gabriel, who looks like he needs some time off.

Granit Xhaka (LB) – If he’s fit, Tierney starts.

"“I don’t know if he’s going to make it tomorrow but he wants to be as close as possible to that pitch to give himself the best possible chance,” is what Arteta said."

Knowing how vital the Scot will be, even if he only plays in the second leg, caution may be taken in regards to selection on Thursday which means another start at left-back (more like left centre-back) for Xhaka. The pacey threat of Samuel Chukwueze is a concern, however.

Midfielders

Thomas Partey (CM) – He just needs to stop shooting. When he does, fans won’t turn on him as much as they do and focus on what he does bring to the team, not what he doesn’t.

Bemoaning the wayward passes made against Everton (Saka misplaced more) and cringing over a ballooned effort over the bar detracts from him making the most tackles, most interceptions, most progressive carries and two key passes in that game. He needs to stop shooting – like, really needs to stop or put in some serious work in training – but the criticism is overboard at present.

The best midfielder in the squad starts in Spain. While he hasn’t been great, he hasn’t been anywhere near as bad as suggested.

Dani Ceballos (CM) – It all depends on whether Tierney starts having ‘trained like a beast’ to be in contention. Working on the basis he doesn’t, Ceballos comes in.

Nobody was particularly impressive in either the Fulham or Everton outings, but by Ceballos’ standards the past four matches in which he’s started has been among the better patches of form he’s shown at the club. Impressive in some and OK in others, he’ll have to maintain this level at the least.

Martin Odegaard (AM) – Coming off the bench against Everton – and not misplacing a single pass during that time – Odegaard’s return from injury puts him straight into the side. Arteta will need that intelligence in the right half-space to build triangles down the right, which he will aim to do with Calum Chambers in support.

It may help, too, that Odegaard is familiar with Spanish football and has a degree of insider knowledge into how players operate in that league. Even if he didn’t, Arteta will still play him.

Forwards

Bukayo Saka (RW) – Looking off the boil recently, even if Saka hasn’t hit his usual heights he’s Arsenal’s best player and when fit, he starts.

With Odegaard in the team and looking to occupy the right half-space with Chambers supporting, it gives Saka freedom to drift infield where he can link with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang or make runs in behind the Villarreal defence.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (ST) – Who does Arteta go for? With Lacazette having been superb in the previous round it would feel strange to drop him, yet with Arteta having his creative trio fit and available for this clash he will prefer to field a striker making the runs beyond as opposed to dropping deep.

If Lacazette starts then one of either Gabriel Martinelli or Nicolas Pepe has to play. With the manager adoring his technically secure group of Saka, Emile Smith Rowe and Odegaard, the system could be more akin to that seen at home to Leeds.

There is a worry over how sharp Aubameyang will be after contracting malaria, and it is presumed that even if he starts he won’t be close to 100%. However, given the personnel available, he should get the nod.

Emile Smith Rowe (LW) – Like his fellow Hale Ender, Smith Rowe has been unusually quiet of late. Unable to stamp any authority on the games against Fulham and Everton, the addition of Odegaard into the side could see him return to his best, like as witnessed against Slavia Prague, even though the Norwegian wasn’t available.

Again, on the basis that Tierney won’t play with Xhaka not overlapping, Arsenal need someone on the left with good ball retention and who is effective in the counter press. For those reasons alone Smith Rowe will start, before even venturing into his outstanding ability.