BREAKING NEWS: Live coverage of the second half of the Arsenal vs Lyon match.
As the final game before the season truly begins, it is highly probable that Arteta will utilize his strongest available squad. Nevertheless, there remains a possibility that my predictions might be entirely off the mark.
Considering that Saka is returning from a period of rest, I expect he will participate in at least half of the match to gradually reintroduce himself to competitive play. Up front, I foresee Martinelli and Havertz continuing their usual roles. Ideally, the midfield trio would include Rice, Partey, and Odegaard, who have consistently been our reliable central players.
In defense, I predict that Rice, Saliba, Gabriel, and Zinchenko will once again make up the backline. It’s plausible that Arteta might still have reservations about Timber’s readiness for a starting role, which could affect his choices.
Regarding tactics, it seems unlikely that Arteta will unveil any of his strategic innovations to our competitors during this game. He might choose to employ a different lineup and approach in the second half, which would allow him to test various tactics without disclosing too much to the opposition.
At this point, we can only wait for Arteta to announce the official lineup, which will be revealed shortly.