This XI, featuring the past, present and future of Arsenal highlights once more the Gunners’ strength in depth…
We are almost quarter of the way through the Premier League season but still a few top players are waiting for their first starts. Some more patiently than others…
Five England internationals are yet to make an XI other than this one, while around £175million worth of attacking talent waits in reserve…
GK: Aaron Ramsdale (Newcastle)
Having two No.1s rarely works and Ramsdale must have expected his opportunity to take the gloves off Nick Pope before now. But Pope has had a positive start to the season in Eddie Howe’s net, keeping as many clean sheets as any other keeper, all the while showing no signs of succumbing to injury. So, for now, Ramsdale is sat waiting for Pope to lose form or fitness when really he ought to be playing.
MORE: Who is the best goalkeeper in the Premier League this season?
LB: Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal)
Lewis-Skelly has more starts and minutes for England than he has been allowed in the Premier League so far this season. Which is no criticism of the left-back – Mikel Arteta just prefers Riccardo Calafiori right now – but it does offer another reminder of the Gunners’ strength in depth. Lewis-Skelly was given a run-out in the Champions League against Atletico and he hardly looks to have suffered for sitting on the bench.
CB: Victor Lindelof (Aston Villa)
Of course, it was something of a panic signing when Villa handed Lindelof a two-year deal on deadline day. The Villans were hampered by PSR restrictions and the chance to sign the Sweden international for free was evidently too good to turn down. But he is very much the fourth-choice centre-back and might now be regretting turning down those Saudi riches for the Villa bench.
CB: Diego Coppola (Brighton)
Just three appearances from the bench all season will not satisfy the Italy international if he intends to be at the World Cup next year. Coppola made his Azzurri debut as a starter in June but he hasn’t seen game time with the national team since the summer. Seventeen minutes, two of them split across wins over Manchester City and Newcastle, will not sustain his international ambitions.
RB: Antonee Robinson (Fulham)
Yes, we know Robinson is not a right-back, but we have an abundance of left-backs (Andrew Robertson is another) and, since Robinson was being linked with a big move in the summer, he could probably do a job on the other flank. The USA defender has also had some knocks and knacks but he has been available for at least half of Fulham’s Premier League games so far.
CM: Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United)
It seems like one of Mainoo or Ruben Amorim will have to go, and many United fans would have preferred the manager to make for the door, certainly before the win over Liverpool. It certainly feels like something is broken at Old Trafford if there is no use for one of the best academy products in recent years but there is no obvious place for Mainoo in Amorim’s system if the manager does not want him at the base of his midfield.
CM: Christian Norgaard (Arsenal)
Seriously, what did he expect?
AM: Emile Smith Rowe (Fulham)
We could have gone for Ethan Nwaneri here but Smith Rowe gets the nod to serve as a reminder to the current Arsenal teenager that starboy status comes with no guarantees. Smith Rowe has featured in every Premier League game for Fulham this season, but each appearance has come off the bench for a maximum of half an hour, with Josh King evidently preferred by Marco Silva.
LW: Kevin (Fulham)
Silva is teasing us here with Smith Rowe’s successor as Fulham’s record signing. Kevin has offered some tantalising glimpses off the bench since joining the Cottagers on deadline day but no starts as yet. After losing three on the bounce, now might be a good time…
RW: Jadon Sancho (Aston Villa)
Sancho has been a bit busy lately sorting out his Tiktok security settings and avoiding his rapper girlfriend’s manager, so how can he be expected to have played more than the eight minutes he’s toiled for Villa so far?
CF: Joshua Zirkzee (Manchester United)
United buying three forwards was always likely to limit Zirkzee’s involvement this season, despite being able to play everywhere and nowhere in the attack. There are sure to be offers from Italy, almost certainly loans, in January while West Ham are being credited with an interest. Italy it is then…