Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Flamini, Wilshere, Ozil, Cazorla, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sanogo
Subs: Fabianski, Monreal, Jenkinson, Rosicky, Gnabry, Podolski, Giroud
Bayern Munich: Neuer – Dante, Thiago, Martínez, Mandzukić, Robben, Boateng, Götze, Lahm (C), Alaba, Kroos
Subs: Starke – van Buyten, Rafinha, Pizarro, Müller, Contento, Schweinsteiger
Well, that’s a surprise….
Wasn’t expecting that. I would imagine Guardiola wasn’t either.
Nobody expects the Sanogo inquisition!
I get that reference, but it’s funny you chose that one because I think a Sanogo inquisition has been going on since the poor guy arrived.
Is playing Sanogo today going to do to Giroud what Fabianski did for Szczesny last year? Hope so.
Giroud brought this upon himself really, Arsene trusted him well enough to let him be our no.1 striker for the season, all he had to is continue the way he was playing and abide by the club rules especially in a title chasing year with real belief we can actually do it. Arsene must feel betrayed by him. Hope Arsene handles this in the proper manner I know he would. Coyg tonight!
I wouldn’t have predicted this either, but from a purely tactical standpoint he’s a lot more mobile than Giroud is and potentially a weapon on the counter-attack. Also, his holdup play seems decent enough(as opposed to Podolski), and he’s willing to use his pace to run about and harry, chase long balls, etc.
I may have missed something (probably) but I don’t remember him harrying the opposition until Podolski stepped it up. After that it seemed to me that Sanogo was all over it. Doesn’t really matter though…maybe I’ll have to watch a replay!
Hopefully he’ll get in immediately and spend himself all over the pitch making it miserable for Bayern.
The side of me that admires Bayern is a bit sad not to see Schweinsteiger starting.
We really need Jack to be on top of his game!
COYG!!! COSanogo!!! COJack!!!
Who was? Least of all Bayern, I imagine. I don’t care if we lose 0-10, 0-20, I could still hug Wenger all night for springing this on use. Sanoga is awful but awful in such a good and interesting way. It’s brilliant, amazing, so much better than taking the dreary option and playing a tired and out-of-form Giroud. Whatever the score is, I’m excited. I love daring risks.
Good thing Sanoga isn’t starting for us.
I must say I’m pleasantly surprised to see Ox and Yaya start. Now I remember why Wenger said – ” heroes will be on the pitch and not on the bench”.
It’s good that we dropped Giroud on the bench, not top form and going through turmoil in his personal life.
I’m feeling slightly nervous about Wilshere , maybe Rosicky would have been the better choice, but overall I’m happy with the line up, has pace(ox) and unpredictability(yaya).
Just got a text from my sis who’s at the stadium. they’re not just booing Robben cos he made the most of the challenge but because he spat on Sagna when Bac was on the floor. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anything more racist. Makes john terry look like a samaritan
Holy shit.
PLEASE PLEASE MR. POSTMANNNN
I hope Mr.Yaya wakes me up tonight !!
Yep… same team as usual, pretty much picks itself…. wait… WHAT?!?!?!?
Duh!
My exact thoughts.. this can go 2 ways. Sanogo is praised as the hottest prospect and is compared to a young Zlatan or all hell runs loose in the Emirates. I hope its the former.
Bold 😀 But no Rosicky?
Giroud is in the doghouse?
Err, whack my Sanogo?
Sanogo, wow.
Is this team news for the match vs FC Bayern?
Is this just because Giroud has been a naughty boy???
http://cdn.caughtoffside.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Wenger-Spend-Smile.png
Shiver me timbers!
Good Luck Sanogo, Would of liked it if Rosicky started he’s not an end product machine but he always turns up in the big games and TRACKS BACK.
He does track back, but this way we’ve got some real pace up front – and Bayern don’t like that and won’t be expecting it. Look, whatever we did we’re likely to lose. If we’d played it safe we’d definitely lose. With this crazy plan – dare I say it? – we might even win.
Sanogo to score a hattrick in our 4-1 win. Well, one can dream
Is this team news for the match vs FC Bayern? :O (surprised)
Its actually F.C Bournemouth. Phew I was worried we were playing in the champions league for s second there.
I’m backing sanogo to score tonight imagine what a debut could be for him in the champions league wow . COYG
Wait, what? as good as he played against Liverpool, is him who we need for this game?
Damn. Wenger has balls of steel. I hope Sanogo does too…
Sanogo has balls of reinforced titanium, saw that against Liverpool.
He’s a tough boy no doubt.
Very surprising line up but we must believe. COYG!
crickey
I guess 3 goals in his last 3 starts isn’t good enough from Podolski…
I bet this really is Podolski!
But Giroud was in form recently, been scoring everywhere…..St James, The Emirates, Room 469….
Haha its a home game,thats why!, we all know Giroud likes to play away from home 🙂
I wonder why the number 69 came to mind in room # 🙂
Because it’s most likely Bendtner’s number next season….
I’d heard he was more likely to drive the No 15 bus!
Let’ s get behind the team whoever is playing !!!
come on arsenal make us proud
We don’t know what sanogo will do bayern certainly won’t ! Com on arsenal
i’ve refreshed this 5 times. i’m still seeing sanogo -_-
I presume that this is because Giroud hasn’t got his personal problems straightened out? I would have wanted to see Poldi start.
I’m presuming that this is in the same manner of drop against Sczez, Wenger gave Giroud as many chances as needed and we all know that he’s been lacking on the goals. Seeing as how defense is the prime concern this game, it could very well be a drop to straighten out Giroud’s attitude yeah…
And by ‘same manner against Szcez’ I mean that he had reasonable confidence in Fabs to play a good game instead.
Let’s hope this works!
very good point there…. yes, by all means, I’m hoping that Sanogo has a great match. After coming back from lengthy injury spell, it would obviously do him a world of good.
Risky but could pay off, just glad I haven’t cut my fingernails for a while because might be one of them nights!
I do not see this arsenal overcoming the europe power horse
Giroud must have really messed up eh?
Yaya Sanogo is a go go! Coyg
Holy crap sanogo
Definitely wasn’t expecting that, but all the best for Sanogo. This is such a big match, and I honestly think we can perform. (And how about that for a bench!)
Oh dear, Wilshere starts. Not good, not good at all…
Why?
Wah? !?? Big move from the boss.hope we celebrate it later on when he absolutely destroys the Bayern defence.The kid’s definitely got talent.Even the most pessimistic Arsenal fan couldn’t disagree with that
I do not see this arsenal side overcoming the europe power horse.
One things for sure, we have better subs
Love Ox in starting XI but leaving out Lil Mozart is a huge misstep
I was expecting this. I can imagine Wenger telling the gangling lad, “This is your chance to confine Olivier to the bench for the rest of the season”. And if it doesn’t work out, no one expected Arsenal to beat Bayern anyway.
Nail Biting Episode 2: The French Striker Enigma and the German Warriors vs. The Bavarian Army.
If Arsene doesnt bring Poldi at 60 mins I will-
well who am I to comment…
Poldolski does not have the work rate necessary for us to compete tonight. I really like Poldi, but we all need to get a little perspective about how the team operates and his preferred style of play. They’re not entirely compatible.
Have to disagree I think Poldi has put a good shift in last couple of games. Last year he would never have given that penalty away because he wouldn’t have bothered tracking back. Using the work rate excuse is a bit thin these days as Santi doesn’t put a real shift in defensively if it were TR7 I’d see your point more.
And his fitness his terrible too. He was bent over with his hands on knees, gasping for breath, in the first half of the Liverpool game.
We will need someone to hold play up front and Podolski doesn’t offer us that. So nervous!!!
Goontag it’s called match fitness.
Another evening in the doghouse for Giroud
Of late, wilshere just gives the ball away cheaply and then yells at his teammates. Apparently some call that “fighting spirit”.
I call bullshit.
all cos Giroud is a slag
it is a very bold team. Bold as courageous.
Good start 4 real
Muller on the bench though, happy about that!
Personally, I really like this move. I like Giroud a lot, but he’s been a detriment to the team the last few weeks for whatever reason (head not in the right place, well and truly tired) and Sanogo is going to run his socks off for us tonight. Plus he gives us a ‘dump and chase to clear our lines’ option that Giroud won’t. We’re going to set-up to counter attack tonight anyway….not to mention I thought he gave Skertl more than he could cope with on Sunday. COYG!!!!
Surprised like most people. But sonogo is an unknown quantity to most of us let alone bayern. Bold move from wwenger.
It may not work but can only applaud the boss as giroud is out of form and we need a fresh approach. he had a decent game against Liverpool and deserves another chance to find his feet.
rosicky for high press?? i really worry about possesion now
Blimey now that’s a bloody good bench!
No Frimmy I said Bench!!
Wut wut wut?!we have to keep possession in this game and u play ox instead of rosicky.and it would be best if we put someone experience against a scary team like bayern and u put on sanogo.if u are trying to prove a point of not buying a striker in the last transfer window then u are mad to gamble in this game.i think wenger is just trying to prove himself why he bought sanogo which is kinda sick.
COYG! Mind game, creativity is all we need
Chambo!!! Great lineup. Is there a better guy to see on the bench than rosicky. Much love. Spirit of napoli.
Am I the only one who’s not surprised? HFB and Rosicky are the guys you play here if you want to fight out a 0-0.
A 0-0 wouldn’t have been acceptable to old Arsene, and I think this is just further evidence that Le Professeur is back in form this season.
Sometimes you just have to gamble . . . COYG!
PS. I hope things work out for you, Olivier. But if they don’t, come visit me in NYC. 🙂