Arsene Wenger has revealed the latest team news ahead of Saturday’s trip to Stoke.
There’s good news in that Thomas Vermaelen is fit again after his calf strain, while Mesut Ozil is back in the squad having been rested for the win over Sunderland.
However, the manager has admitted there are doubts over both Nacho Monreal and Kieran Gibbs, meaning the captain could be thrust back into action at left-back, a position which hasn’t always suited him.
That presents something of a risk, playing all the club’s centre-halves in one go, but the absences of Gibbs and Monreal are not yet 100% confirmed. Both players will be assessed further before the team travels tomorrow.
The lack of any mention of Laurent Koscielny leads us to believe he’s fully fit.
Earlier in the week Kieran Gibbs agent said he could be fit for this weekend. Beyond that there are no new injury worries to contend with, other than the ‘lifers’, which means the boss has a good squad to choose from ahead of what will be a very difficult game at the Brittania Stadium.
Don’t see Verm starting (that too at LB) after missing more than a month through injury. Probably Flamini will play there and Verm will come in later
I reckon he will play Sagna and put Jenkinson at right back
That’s what we should’ve done in the 2nd half vs Bayern Munich after their first goal.
Poor Nacho had to constantly deal with three world class Bayern attackers (including Lahm) by himself. Had we done this (Jenksinon on the right and BOTH Sagna and Nacho on the left) think we could’ve kept it 0-1 heading to Munich.
Jenkinson at rightback vs stoke? Nope. Would rather flam play LB and Bacary strong tackle at RB.
I agree. I want Flamini in the middle of the park for this game, not playing LB. His tenacity will be crucial, I think. Jenkinson should be just fine at RB, and Sagna is a god who can play anywhere.
I’m not convinced about having Verm at left back, especially after the lay off he’s had, let’s hope one of the lads improves in time!
Good news
The more fit bodies we have now, the better. Come on Tommy!
Play Ozil at left back. Might make him realise how important it is for midfielders to track back.
Look at his running and movement from the Bayern game. Come back. Try again.
I think possibly the reason he covers so much distance is that he gets pulled out of position so easily and is slightly naive tactically. It’s great he covers a lot of ground, very commendable, but is he using his excursions positively? In my opinion, not enough. He has played in two leagues where 2 clubs are completely dominant. Unless you’re playing Barca or Munich, you don’t have to concentrate 100% of the time and I think as a result he switches off and loses position in certain games. And the system we’re playing means everyone has to defend. Even… Read more »
Aye, his defensive positioning is a little ropey, but his positioning everywhere else on the pitch is so good that I’ll let him off.
He’s not a defender for christ’s sake. Since when has Messi been judged on his defensive positioning?
I’m not so sure I would consider Mesut Ozil, former playmaker for Real Madrid and creative mid for Germany to be naive tactically.
And more attention should be paid to how much he actually DOES track back, especially given one of his key roles is as a countering outlet.
Once again, we did not buy Ozil to Defend…
No, we bought him to create goals for others, something that has been in short supply over the last few months.
Add to that his questionable penalty taking abilities, lack of goals from open play for an attacking midfielder and he tackles like a five year old girl it is understandable that some people question the £42.5M investment.
Personally I’m a little underwhelmed at this stage but I do think when we have some pacier attacking players, with better movement (Ramsey, Ox, Walcott) he will start producing.
In short supply Oezil is 1st in chances created in Europe including his first 3 matches and 2nd behind only David Silva in clear cut chances created and averages something like 5 key passes a game.
Waiting for Ozil to shoot is like waitng for a sex scene in an ancient chinese kungfu movie..
Özil has created more chances than any other player in top five European leagues in 2013/14 and has the highest games/assist rate of any player in the PL history. But you just keep being an idiot and jumping on media bandwagons.
Miki, I’m not jumping on any media bandwagon, I don’t have too much interest in the TV pundits or written press they are all fairly anti Arsenal. I also don’t care about his stats, I know what I see with my own eyes and as I said I’m a little underwhelmed. I didn’t say he was shit, or crap or a waste of money, I just feel that for his reputation and the money paid his impact hasn’t been what I hoped for. Hopefully he’ll be like many great Arsenal players, better in his second season. As for calling me… Read more »
Ozil at left back???? What have you been smoking?
@jude amedu. Really sick of hearing Ozils stats. Come to the Grove and watch 90 mins of football. I don’t care if he creates 4 chances a game if for the other 86 mins he wanders around like a lost lamb. Stats aren’t going to win us anything, turning up and committing yourself may just.
I’d love to see more goals and assists from Ozil. However, watch Ozil carefully next time he plays. Spot the amount of times he’s free to receive the ball. Now bear in mind that the opposition will be aware of his talent and will be trying to mark him out of the game. He’s still free to receive all those passes though. Either everyone who marks him is rubbish or his movement is persistent, intelligent and very very hard to defend against. He’s no lost lamb and he’s not playing as badly as people would have you believe.
I’m more tired of regurgitated opinions than stats. Against Bayern Ozil covered the third most distance. What was a lot of that doing? Chasing ghosts pressing the other team up the field higher -fruitlessly once outnumbered- and providing the most reliable outlet to relieve pressure on the back four (or rather 7-8). He then took his lumps carrying the ball without assistance up the pitch over and over with no options. Is that not committing?
If the goal is more people to get stuck in we might as well bid for some Orcs.
Its not really a coincidence that Ozil looking tired has come at a time when so many of our fans are on his fucking back! Climb off it!
Couldn’t agree more, I’m a season ticket holder and hate seeing players booed by their own fans. And we do it more than most. But on forums such as this I think it’s acceptable to air certain grievances. We all know Ozil is absolutely world class and every player has off days but he needs to man up because his good performances are becoming more and more infrequent. The Sunderland game is as good as we have played in 2014 and he wasn’t in the squad. Don’t see why he should be in the starting XI for the Stoke game.
His fall of form coincided with injuries to Theo and Ramsey, for a very good reason. His creation of chances depends on having enough players in the team to make those runs and latch onto the through balls that he provides. Without those two our capacity to make those midfield runs which are extremely important to our game are diminished. Both Ox and Rosicky can make runs but Wenger trusts neither of them in the pivot – in case of Ox it’s “not yet” and in case of Rosicky it’s the crazy slide tackles that he is still prone to… Read more »
@mpls Dude, have you had a stroke? You’re not making a great deal of sense there buddy.
@miki Yeah good point mate. When we smashed our transfer record to sign mesut, no one could have conceived that our two most injury prone players may be out at the same time and as a result our new signing would be unable to link up with our other players. I feel sorry for the guy. Rosicky, Ox and Santi must just be impossible to play with.
Jose Mourinho would be proud of that statement
I’d go with vermaelen for this one if he’s 100% fit, even if he’s been out for a while. He would give us added height for the set pieces where jenkinson isn’t great in the Ariel duels.
Yeah, definitely Ariel doesn’t like Jenkinson much, he’s got no chance.
play bellerin at left back hes played there before.
In every successful season there’s always a random player who steps up and bangs an important goal or two. Wiltord comes to mind. Koscielny last year. This season I thought it may be Bendtner but now I’m thinking it could be Vermaelen or Yaya. They seem to have the mindset.
I think sagna LB jenko RB will be wengers best option at this moment.. Playing a returning vermaelen against a team which uses more of the wings is a big risk!
I’d play Verms at LB fer sho, because we need Flamini’s stealth in midfield against Stoke. Won’t start Wilshere for this one as he doesn’t look to be 100% since last game.
Sew, left back issues loom do they? Interesting.
Any word on Ramsey how long more will he be out for
“2-3 weeks”
I reckon..
-Scesney
-Jenk-mart-kos-sag
-arteta-flam(This pivot rarely delivers but i think wenger is left with no choice if wilshere is not fully fit,perhaps rosicky-flamini?)
-oxlade-cazorla-podolski
-giroud
Yea ozil on the bench, comes in 2nd half against a tired stoke and play those decisive through balls
Bellerin on the bench maybe, if Gibbs and Nacho are out…
Happy 12th Birthday Arseblog!!
I really hope Wenger doesn’t put Vermaelen at LB. He’s just come back from a long injury to play against Stoke in a position that is one of the most demanding. We can’t afford for him to get a setback as he’s our only recognised defensive cover for Per and Kos.
I’d put Bac or Flam there if our LBs are out.
Tbf, it being Stoke they’re not loaded up with tricksy wingers to turn him inside out so maybe his added aerial presence would be nice.
I generally agree though, might be a little rusty.
Sagna Mert Kos Flamini. Simple.
So you’d play a back five kev?
Hahaha……now for your medal.
I play left back…..
…..left back in the changing rooms!
(Order me a coat, I’ll get my taxi)
When did we sign SIMPLE?
*gets coat.
I don’t know, but if we’re talking about Simple Simon we could do with him in half time catering!
Part of me wonders if Vermaelen was just being ignored by Wenger, like he sometimes does, and now we desperately need to use him because we’re running out of options he’s fit all of a sudden
We need to be pulling together and putting all Ozil-mongering effort into finding the hole into which Ramsey has fallen!
Maybe once we’ve found him, pulled him out and returned him to the Emirates we should divert that effort into persuading Bac to sign a new contract.
Any idea about Kallstrom? anyone ?