Arsenal predicted lineup vs Watford: Smith Rowe or Martinelli?

Arsenal bring an end to an agonising ten day wait on Sunday as they travel to Vicarage Road to take on Roy Hodgson’s Watford. Here is the predicted lineup.

These gaps between fixtures are not enjoyable. It’s the result of Arsenal leaving themselves with just the Premier League to compete in, and while there are clear upsides to it, from a spectator’s point of view the time drags on.

So how nice of the those in charge to hand Mikel Arteta’s side three games in six days later this month? Indeed. But before then it’s struggling Watford away from home, a game where the manager has a few selection choices to ponder over.

One blow for the side, again, comes in the form of Takehiro Tomiyasu.

Arsenal predicted lineup vs Watford: Will Arteta select Emile Smith Rowe or Gabriel Martinelli for Sunday’s Premier League clash at Vicarage Road?

The Japan international has been dealing with niggling calf injuries since December, and having sustained an injury to his other calf this time, he will miss out.

In the forward line is where it gets interesting.

A debate that will rumble on likely for the entire time the pair are at the club together – unless one of them moves to centre-forward – there is a decision to make over whether Emile Smith Rowe or Gabriel Martinelli will get the nod out on the left.

Both are fit and firing with the Gunners’ No. 10 recovering from a stomach bug that kept him out o the Wolves game, so all eyes will be on who gets selected to start by Arteta.

Goalkeeper & Defenders

Aaron Ramsdale (GK) – It could be a frustrating afternoon for Ramsdale. Watford aren’t a team who like to press high, thus limiting the goalkeeper with what he can do in possession. As for goalmouth action, they don’t score a lot either. The latter point is a welcome one, however.

Cedric Soares (RB) – The best spare wheel in the whole garage? It looks set to be four league games on the trot for Cedric, who is enjoying something of a renaissance in Tomiyasu’s absence.

Benjamin White (CB) – He keeps clocking up the miles this season. No player has featured more than White this season, and you’d back that to remain the case come the final day.

Gabriel (CB) – Following his mistake against Wolves, now is the time for Gabriel to rectify that after a performance of general sloppiness from him.

Kieran Tierney (LB) – With the new system and a more attack-minded full-back on the right, Tierney’s role in the team has changed. He’s still getting to grips with it.

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Midfielders

Martin Odegaard (AM) – Has been utterly magnificent since around mid-November onwards, and his form will surely see him scoop the Player of the Month award for February.

He is a joy to watch and against the second worst defence in the entire league fans will be licking his lips at the magic he can conjure up.

Thomas Partey (DM) – It will hopefully be a quiet game for Partey with most of the play happening in front of him, but that also entails that he has to help facilitate it. His two No. 8 partners will spend a lot of the time higher up the pitch and it will be on him to spread the play either side with his usual zip.

Granit Xhaka (AM) – While Xhaka isn’t confined to playing higher up the pitch, against a leaky Hornets side who aren’t expected to have much of the ball it is where he can expect to find himself most often.

He’s been in excellent form of late and there is little reason not to see that continuing.

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Forwards

Bukayo Saka (RW) – One of the most pleasing aspects about the win over Wolves last time out was that other players stepped up in the absence of the usual ‘Saka and Emile Smith Rowe’ prominence.

Saka still made a vital contribution in the game, but it wasn’t him at his incisive best. Wolves don’t have an outstanding defensive record for no reason. Against a side who play compact and leave spaces either side, Saka will have joy running at his opposing full-back.

Alexandre Lacazette (ST) – It would mean the world for Lacazette and the team were he to get on the scoresheet in this game.

He is someone who always puts the team first, but there have been moments where it looks like his confidence is low and making the net ripple will give him that extra boost (we still count the Wolves winner as his goal, mind you).

Emile Smith Rowe (LW) – In terms of who to select between Smith Rowe and Martinelli, one way to look at it is who would you rather bring off the bench later on against a woeful defence tiring out?

Martinelli’s pace and trickery can wreak havoc on back four pieced together on loose change, while Smith Rowe’s tactical intelligence can do the business earlier on.