Tomorrow afternoon sees a much needed relief from all the transfer speculation and gossip, as Arsenal play their first pre-season friendly against League 2 side Barnet.
The fixture has become a regular in recent years, with the Gunners opting to play the game as a part of the agreement which allows our Reserve team to ground share at the Bees Underhill Stadium. Not only is this a traditional encounter between the two sides, but it is also common for Arsene Wenger to deploy many of the youth players as he plans his squad for the coming season.
Last year saw a whole array of talents take to the field during the second half, and this year promises to be no different. New signing Aaron Ramsey is set to make his debut after signing last month, as will Carlos Vela who has had to wait over two years to finally pull on the red and white.
Manuel Almunia, Gael Clichy, Bacary Sagna, Denilson, Nicklas Bendtner and Theo Walcott are the only first team inclusions, with the majority of the boys set to take part being under 19. Jack Wilshere and Wojciech Szczesny are both in the squad, despite playing in Steve Bould’s Under 18’s last year.
Mark Randall and Jay Simpson have both returned from loan spells with points to prove, and several Reserves regulars will be fighting to remain at the club, with prospective new employers set to watch on. Wenger will have key choices to make on the wings, with either Armand Traore or Jay Simpson to get the nod.
Predictied Starting XI
Almunia (c)
Sagna – J.Hoyte – Nordtveit – Clichy
Simpson – Ramsey – Denilson – Walcott
Bendtner – Vela
Both sides can make up to seven changes each, and it’s expected Vito Mannone will have the chance to showcase his abilities after his promotion to the first team. Henri Lansbury has not played a competitive fixture for nearly six months, but he is also believed to get some game time, as is last years goalscorer Nacer Barazite.
Steve Bould will be taking an Under 18 side to Derby for a friendly tomorrow evening, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas will skipper the boys, with Francis Coquelin believed to be set for a debut.
Prediction: – Barnet 0-2 Arsenal
What do you think? Leave your predictions in the comment section below.
Article By – J.Sanderson
i am expecting an easy win as this barnet team are no good at all. walcott will score a hattrick without a problem and it could be 10-1 again like couple of years ago.
Almunia (c)
Sagna – J.Hoyte – Nordtveit – Clichy
Walcott – Ramsey – Denilson – Traore
Bendtner – Vela
Subs: Wilshire -> Walcott, Mark Randall -> Traoré, Barazite -> Bendtner, Lasnbury -> Ramsey, Rodgers -> Sagna, Mannone -> Almunia
Prediction: 5-0
Goals: Vela 5″ 34″, Bendtner 28″, Walcott 55″, Barazite 78″
Mouhsin -Wow, i will hold you to that ;)
Remember guys this is just the first game of pre-season, so it wont be our usual flowing football.
I’d still say it’ll be 3 or 4 goals to the Gunners. I expect Vela and Walcott to score.
I agree with Mouhsin’s starting line up, but not the score i think it’ll be tight. 2-0 Vela Bendtner
Really looking forward to it i’m in the east stand going to get the new shirt after work. Still a toss up between Vela and Nasri!
First comment on the site btw just like to say great site, it’s an integral part of my day! great positive, optomistic articles! a change from the doom mongers, cheers!
It would be amazing if Vela scored, waiting so long for his debut, and then bagging a goal – a true fairy tale.
Im just excited to see Henri Lansbury back, i thought he was great in the final minutes against Barnet last year.
I think arsenal shal win 2-0. n jay simpson will be red carded.
any idea what time?
JS – okay I hold you to yours too who do you think are going to score the two goals you predicted?!! I think they will start great, with Walcott, Bendtner and Vela causing havoc in Barnet’s defence. Than they’re gonna try to controll the game with some fluent passing. When the subs are made and the players get tired the game will get slower and Barazite is going to show some individual class at the end of the game… :D
Mouhsin – haha ;)
Hmmm, I will go for Bendtner & Denilson. I agree that we will start well, but fall away towards the end. I just feel from the games i have seen over pre-season so far, that we will only be running at around 50% of our potential.
meow – i will add the full details of that now.
Dave – Get a Vela home shirt and a Nasri away shirt!! :D
Is Mannone any good? because I don’t rate Almunia and Fabianki doesn’t look impressive either.
I think it’ll be 2 or 3 – 1. I can see Bendtner getting a goal, but can see barnet scoring cos i can only see 2 players in the arsenal squad i would consider centre-backs – g.hoyte and nordveit.
JS – I think with the players that left (Gilberto, Hleb, Flamini) the youngsters will be extra motivated! So I hope their going to give more than that…
For everyone who will attend the game have fun I can’t wait till 9 of august to watch them play Sevilla :D
Almunia
Sagna Nordtveit J Hoyte Clichy
Walcott Randall Denilson Traore
Bendtner Vela
But could easily be Ramsey in for Randall.We will win but could be tight early on but then we may get a few a few Barnet fat boys appear.Interesting if they stick to 7 subs, one probably a goalie that means could actually be able to judge some players. Not going this year was there last year and seem to remember e few mor big guns. Ade etc. Theo needs to show something early on this year. A goal for Carlos would help him settle. 4 – 0 to mighty reds!!
I don’t think it will be a free scoring game. A tight 2-1 will be likely. I hope Vela gets a goal to get his confidence up for the start of the season, and congratulations J for the 6 month blog.
ita gonna be a 4-3-3 with
almunia
hoyte sagna nordviet clcihy
ramsey randall denilson
vela bendtner walcott
i predict a 4-o triumph
goalscorers- vela walcott bendtner and barazite
why won’t it be our usual flowing football? we won 10-0 or something one year!
I hope simpson starts proven at league 1 so this should be a walk in the park hope he starts
IM GETTING FEED UP WITH GIVE THE YOUNGSTERS A CHANCE THATS AN EXCUSE FOR WE AINT GOT NO MONEY SIMPLE AS THAT
Yes we have no money. We spend as much on wages as Man U, we have closing on £3million match day turnover. We are expanding our business intrests in the states and in in asia at an ever increasing rate, not so long ago we were named the richest club in england. we have no money?
not to forget something like £30million in TV revenues of course
lennox, stop being so pesimistic, true Arsenal fans support the team and don’t moan about a couple of players leaving. We have a great future with some excellent talent and if we get a few players through the youth team as we have already seen into the first team this is fantastic and what arsenal spent money on the academy for. We are not a feeder club for Barcelona if you think selling players that are surplus to requirements means we are a feeder club or a selling club. We still have Cesc, Clichy, Sagna, Kolo, Van Persie, Rosicky, Walcott etc.. etc.. Appreeciate the fact that in the past 10 years we have witnessed the best football in the country and in europe, top draw talent and players playing at their best…this shall continue!
Come on the Arsenal.
Wenger will buy someone else, so calm down.
Well looking forward to the game tommorrow will be great to see the youngsters and Vela and Ramsey make there debuts. Is Nasri expected to play against the team we are playing on tues JS?
Mouhsin your a man after my own heart as ive got a Vela home shirt and am going to get a Nasri away shirt :D
almunia
sagna j.hoyte nordveit clichy
walcott ramsey denilson simpson
vela
bendtner
subs: randall mannone traore barazite etc etc score: 3-0
bendtner 35 vela 60 denilson 85
why is nasri not in the team
J, are you sure we can only make 7 substitutions? I know that is an international friendly rule, but I don’t think it counts in club pre-season friendlies. Portsmouth the other day, played a completely different 11 in the 2nd half in their friendly against Exeter.
I also remember last season that we made more than 7 subs in the friendlies against Barnet and Genchlerbiligi (sp).
JohnV – Thnx man I think the away shirt will be great with Nasri set to shine in it! cheers mate!
do u think denilson will make it at arsenal? Personally no. We have many players that can play CM that are or potentially better than him though he is still a good player however DM is not his position and the last two matches of the season showed that. I think he will make a good living at one of the good uefa/champ league clubs in La Liga.
I dont Moushin Ive been looking forward to this Nasri signing for months now, But I was also looking forward to Vela coming aswell, But I always said that if we get Nasri that I would get his name on my home shirt and Vela on my away shirt. I think both players CAN go on to be great players for the club.
ahassan06 – I think you’re wrong he may not have progressed as expected but this is a guy who captained the u18 brazil side. He has taken longer to adapt but he still has the quality and talent to become an Arsenal regular and eventually break into the Brazil squad. I like his style of play he maybe not tenacious enough to be a DM but he sure has a good reading of the game. I think if the kid has a good pre-season he will be a big suprise this season :D
I truly believe Vela will have a great season a bit slow start ,but will surprise the world. He has speed and vision and can pass!
Looking forward to watching Mark Randall. He is the one in whom i expect the most.
Denilson hasnt progressd this season but the main reason for that was the niggling injuries he kept getting. They meant that he couldnt play a significant part in the season. Personally though i feel Merida may well take over Denilson in the pecking order in the next year or 2.
j, great line up really looking foward to this game, but i am in france do you know where i could watch this game, like a link on the internet would be great. thank you and congratulations for you six months… i have been looking a this blog daily since mid march i think and i really like it.
I agree Moushin that he is a good player with good potential however I just feel that he has too much good players ahead of him in terms of potential. e.g. Ramsey, Randall, Lansbury (maybe a DM), Merida and of course Fabregas. Also Diaby can play there so alot of good, hard work needed. Good Luck to him I say.
I swear spurs fans make me laugh, they win one little carling cup and all of a sudden they carry one like they’re Real Madrid or something. I just hope we do the double of them again and they finish 8th. Just to prove that their 5-1 win was a one off.
I foresee a huge storm would stir and mess a havoc in Barnet territory. I predict Arsenal 6-1 Barnet. Vela- Man Of The Match, draw the first blood with a hat trick…
By the way Dennis Bergkamp started his internship at Ajax today leaving a good impression on the players. Meanwhile Ajax set to snap up Ismail Aissati from PSV and I’m relishing to see Bergkamp guiding him to become a great player. PSV are fools for letting him go and not giving him the appreciation. I still remember his debut CL game against AC Milan when he was 17 years and 64 days old. He came on and nutmegged Maldini haha :D The man who gave him that debut was ofcourse legend Guud Hiddink.
Anyway Bergkamp is going to be Arsene Wenger’s successor, he will carry on Arsene’s vision of football…
LOL please… Dont compare Spur to Real Madrid. When we say Real, we imagine their great achievement and glory they deserved. Spur? It’s nothing…
what made me laugh was on setanta sports denilson apparently said “Barca were after me last season ” That must be a joke coz denilson has been injury prone he needs to be fit and have constant mathces likewise with diaby. I think Wenger should give mark randall a chance hes a carrick holding midifleder type with great passing ability.
I thought your allowed more then 5subs in a pre season game
I think the line up will be
Sagna J hoyte Nordtveit clichy
Simpson randall denlison Traore
Bendtner Walcott
Guys, what time is the match on?. If it’s in later afternoon i think i’ll be able to get ArsenalTV before then. If not, i’m sure my illegal friends can help out..
By Illegal i mean P2P sharing newtworks :D
Denilson is class. Last season was disappointing for him but he has bags of ability. I think he could be a quality DM alongside Fab but I’d like to see Diaby made first choice there. He’s the closest thing we have to Vieira. While other players have come and gone over the years, everything we won in the Wenger era was with Vieira. We’ve won nothing since.
Are Barnet going to bring on a 50 year old twat as sub like last year?
back from Holiday (it was crap, sun burned 3 times, peeled 3 times, and this mornin got stung on the lip by a wasp and its swollen up…so im pissed), and i return to find Hleb and Gilberto have buggered off, Gilberto, thanks, i appreciated u, Hleb, good riddance, enjoy the ice cream.
Cnt wait for the friendly. Ill go 3-0 to the Arsenal, duno who’ll play thou. J’s prediction is probably close.
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is rhys murphy playing at all this game does anybody know?
its will be one team match and will end 0-6 with Carlos scoring hattrick
carlos vela is not playing he is off taking his vacations, but who will replace him? barazite,simspon? and on the right wing if simspon goes up front whos gonna take the right wing?