Supporter frustration surrounding a lack of transfer business has built during the first two weeks of the season as Arsenal lost at home to Liverpool and was then held to a goalless result by champions Leicester City.
Arsenal looks set to finally crack open its dust-smothered checkbook and make some necessary additions to its squad, but any new signings won’t arrive in time to aid the club’s quest for a first Premier League win of the season at Watford today.
With Arsenal already five points behind in the title race after only two games, Arsène Wenger needs a victory at Vicarage Road.
After progress in the transfer market, the mood around Arsenal is newly buoyant. Now it’s up to the players already at the club to ensure they get the three points required to keep this positive momentum going.
Here is the predicted line-up for the match against Watford:
Goalkeeper: Petr Cech
Defence: Hector Bellerin, Rob Holding, Laurent Koscielny and Nacho Monreal
Midfield: Granit Xhaka and Francis Coquelin
Attack: Theo Walcott, Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez and Olivier Giroud
Bench: David Ospina, Kieran Gibbs, Elneny, Wilshere, Chamberlain, Santi Cazorla and Calum Chambers
Provisional Squad: Cech, Ospina, Debuchy, Bellerin, Holding, Koscielny, Chambers, Gibbs, Monreal, Coquelin, Elneny, Xhaka, Cazorla, Wilshere, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil, Sanchez, Walcott, Akpom, Giroud
Aaron Ramsey (hamstring), Alex Iwobi (thigh), Gabriel (Ankle), Per Mertesacker, Danny Welbeck and Carl Jenkinson (all knee) are still missing.
Watford have lost all six of their games against Arsenal in the Premier League, although they did beat the Gunners last season in an FA Cup quarter final match (2-1).
Watford’s form in 2016 is also a plus point for Arsenal. The Hornets have won just two of their 10 Premier League home games in this calendar year with those coming against now relegated Aston Villa and Newcastle. They have also failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last 13 games in the top-flight.
What do you think? What line-up would you like to see start?
