Arsenal predicted lineup vs Watford: Sambi & Balogun starts?

Arsenal are in action on Wednesday as they take on Watford in a behind-closed-doors friendly at London Colney, another hastily arranged fixture to make up for the club having to cancel their trip to the USA.

Some Premier League opposition! Having played Hibernian and Rangers and then faced Championship Millwall, it’s fortunate for Arsenal that they have some neighbours who happen to be relatively decent at the game of football.

Given London Colney and Watford’s training ground are literally separated by a fence, there is probably a way of squeezing through a bush to make this the closest London derby in history. Sort of.

Busy working away in the transfer market to sign a goalkeeper, maybe a right-back, a central midfielder, an attacking midfielder and quite possibly a striker, the lack of travel needed for this game and the one prior means Mikel Arteta won’t be far from his office when Real Madrid call to say they’re accepting £20m for Martin Odegaard. We can hope.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• Mikel Arteta provides Gabriel Martinelli injury update after Everton win

Arsenal predicted lineup vs Watford for pre-season friendly with Folarin Balogun and Albert Sambi Lokonga in line for starts

Arsenal will extend a big thank you to Watford (who actually drew 1-1 with Stevenage yesterday and will balance their squad out evenly for this one), in a fixture that should make for a enjoyably competitive encounter.

Will we see a first start for Albert Sambi Lokonga? After an impressive first 45 minutes in an Arsenal shirt there will be plenty of fans eager to see him given the nod from the off. It could also be the same for Nuno Tavares who was on the bench against the Lions, in which case supporters may see two new signings in a starting lineup. What a time to be alive!

Most will get a run out for this one with crunch pre-season ties with Chelsea and Tottenham to come before the opening day of the season against Brentford, but it could be a different looking team from the one that beat Millwall 4-1.

There could be a first appearance of pre-season for Bernd Leno in goal and potentially another start up from for Folarin Balogun. So, who’s up for a predicted lineup for a behind-closed doors game? We all are.

Goalkeeper & Defenders

Arthur Okonkwo (GK) – Given the nod from the start in all three of this pre-season’s fixtures, with Leno just returning from his holidays it looks like being another outing for Okonkwo in net. After his early blip he’s settled himself and looked vastly more comfortable against Millwall.

Cedric Soares (RB) – Like a few of the choices for this game, they may come down to who started last time out. Calum Chambers scored and assisted last Saturday and got more minutes than Cedric, so it could be roles reversed.

Rob Holding (CB) – The options are fairly slim in this department with William Saliba enjoying some sunshine in the south of France and, interestingly, Ben White completing the second part of his medical not far away from where the game is being played.

Pablo Mari (CB) – Again, slim pickings for this position with Gabriel out injured.

Kieran Tierney (LB) – Facing Premier League opposition, Arteta might favour bringing Tavares on later into proceedings and giving Tierney a run out from the off.

Midfielders

Thomas Partey (CM) – It may only be pre-season, it may only be three matches and none of them have come against Premier League opposition, but Thomas Partey has looked sharp. Importantly, he’s looked fit.

There are no excuses for the coming campaign. Injuries, his late arrival and being part of a generally woeful team give him some respite from the criticism but he still didn’t reach the heights expected of him.

Early signs are that he’s on track.

Albert Sambi Lokonga (CM) – Are fans guilty of getting carried away just as much as they’re guilty of jumping to conclusions? They most certainly are. Football fans are a fickle bunch. Which is why seeing Sambi play 45 minutes against Millwall is already confirmation that he’s the signing of the summer.

We jest. What he is though, is an exciting prospect. Having initially felt like the dynamic with Partey may not work it could be used more than expected this season.

Emile Smith Rowe (AM) – It’s going to be a huge season for Emile Smith Rowe. As everyone prepares their predictions for 2021/22 there are plenty who will have him as the breakout star, and possibly even the Player of the Season.

Looking fit as a fiddle in pre-season having enjoyed the summer off, the new No. 10 looks set to get the nod on Wednesday.

Forwards

Nicolas Pepe (RW) – Another player who has looked sharp in pre-season, it’s clear that Pepe has undergone a shift in mentality under Arteta’s reign, pretty much since the moment he got that red card against Leeds.

He works tirelessly off the ball and unlike his Brazilian teammate, kept himself in shape over the summer. Just like Partey there are no excuses for the Ivorian this season not to be surpassing his league goal contributions. On the basis he gets picked, that is.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (ST) – Along with Okonkwo the captain has started all three warm-up matches, but is yet to find the back of the net.

His misses (which were not great) have been highlighted and done a disservice to his overall performances. Aubameyang has been involved more in the link-up play, showed clever movement and remains quick off the turf. Everything looks good except for hitting the back of the net, really.

Nobody will remember the positives if he doesn’t score, however. So it’s great news, then, that he will today (bonus prediction).

Folarin Balogun (LW) – Fans don’t want to see Flo shunted out to the left but they may have to make do for this game. Like at Ibrox, out of possession he picked up a left-sided berth but then when Arsenal won the ball back he was able to join in with the five-pronged attack and support Aubameyang in a front two.

Strong, aggressive and full of self-belief, someone like a Watford could do with a player of his ilk on loan next season. He could certainly pick up a bit of the rough and tumble from Troy Deeney, that’s for sure.