Country: Wales
Before we get started can we all marvel at the magnificence that is the Vitória logo? Thing of beauty that.
Anyway after yesterday’s great result it’s on to the Europa League. You can imagine after last night’s shambles that Emery is thankful for this game rather than a tough CL match.
Haven’t got a great knowledge of our opponents tbh but I’ve had a look. They finished fifth in Portugal last year and their manager Luis Castro was poached by Shakhtar Donetsk.
Currently they’re coached by a guy named Ivo Vieira who took Moreirense to their best ever league finish last year and seems to be bit of a rising star in Portuguese football.
As a team they had to work to get to the EL this year, getting through three rounds of qualifying. They hammered teams from Luxembourg then Latvia before dispatching Steaua Bucharest in the playoff.
Star players so far in EL qualifying and the league seem to be their Brazilian winger Davidson and their 20 year old Burkinabe defender Edmond Tapsoba who’s got 5 goals this season for them. Might be worth seeing how he gets on.
They’re in decent form, currently fourth in the league, seven points off the top.
As for us, you’d imagine it’ll be full changes again. Nelson is definitely out and you can’t imagine he’d go with Saka after playing 90 minutes yesterday.
If I had to predict a team I could see this:
Emi
Hector - Holding - Mustafi - KT
Torreira - AMN
Özil
Martin Nelly - Laca - ESR
I don’t like that team because I’d rather a lot of those guys would start vs Palace but I just can’t see it.
A big win isn’t going to really put anyone at ease but if we do I’d advise you savour it. We have a run of games that I’m not looking forward to at all.
We got one point from our next three opponents in the same fixtures last year. Don’t forget about our Anfield trip as well, slight chance that this could potentially be the last win of Emery’s Arsenal career...
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