Benfica vs. Arsenal: open thread

Benfica vs. Arsenal
Kickoff: 2:45 PM EDT, Today, August 6, Lisbon, Portugal
TV Coverage: Arsenal.com/Arsenal Player (subscribers only)

Arsenal travel to Lisbon to play their final preseason warmup today at the Estadio da Luz. There are a number of key players missing from the squad, and Arsène Wenger explained why in his press conference for the official site:

"Walcott is back in training but he is not ready just yet," he began. "Wilshere is injured on his ankle and it is very difficult to set a concrete deadline on his comeback.

"Nasri has a muscular problem. Cesc is just coming back from injury and he is not ready to play in the game. Diaby is out and Koscielny has a small muscular problem.

"Bendtner and Eboue are not in the squad because they might be going out of the Club.

"Koscielny and Nasri might be back for the start of the season. I don't think Fabregas will be ready to start the season because he has been out for a long time and has had no games. Walcott might be back and, as for Wilshere, it is very difficult to say."

So. That leaves a probable starting lineup of (4-2-3-1): Szczesny; Sagna, Djourou, Vermaelen, Gibbs; Song, Ramsey, Rosicky; Arshavin, van Persie, Gervinho.

The subs bench is a little thin, obviously.

The official lineup: exactly as predicted above.