Brighton: Stockdale; Bruno, Greer, Dunk, Bennett; Holla, Ince; Calderon, Forster-Caskey, Baldock; O’Grady
Subs: Walton (GK), Hughes, Rea, Chicksen, McCourt, Colunga, March
Arsenal: Szczesny, Chambers, Koscielny, Monreal, Gibbs, Flamini, Walcott, Ramsey, Ozil, Rosicky, Giroud
Subs: Martinez, Mertesacker, Bellerin, Coquelin, Cazorla, Alexis, Akpom
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THe back four doesn’t give me much assurance.
what would you prefer:
Bellerin, Chambers, Monreal, Gibbs? I really thought Kos would be rested, but BFG has played just about every game.
Where is Ospina? Hopefully rested and not an injury.
I’m more suprised to see gibbs and monreal start. I can only take that to mean Bellerin isn’t fit enough to start and with Paulista coming in a done deal, we can afford to take more of a risk with the two left backs than we can at right back with Bellerins fitness.
Seems like a decent starting 11 w chances given to walcott and ozil (prob through the middle) to prove themselves. Hope to see akpom today as well. And finally some rest for our BFG – well deserved!
I’m not sure about Ozil in the middle though. It’s been ages since we last seen Rosicky playing out wide (if I’m not mistaken), so my guess is Ramsey and TR7 in the middle and Ozil out left. We will see, I hope I’m wrong.
Was hoping Akpom would start, it would be a reasonable first step in convincing him to sign a new contract. Here’s hoping he gets at least 30 minutes to impress.
Koscielny captain?
Rosicky
Or TR7 perhaps?
Rambo would be captain, has been in the past.
That looks a weak team on paper. Ramsey Walcott and Ozil are all just back from injury.
Ramsey started the last game Walcott is in training since a few weeks and Özil should be able to destroy Brighton using his own, wreanched of leg as an axe to rip their defence apart. Just for throwing Terry’s head as disruption at the goalkeeper and celebrating in showing a replay from yesterdays Chelski’s second half performance on the big sceen.
11 internationals, wonder how many Brighton have?
Only concern is Kos playing the opposite side of central defence than usual.
Behave yourself
Would’ve liked to see Akpom get a start up front. Ah well I’m sure he’ll come on at some stage, COYG!
Man enough for the job id say. Bench is strong.
He loves his boy Ramsey uugh
Not happy with that! Start your best team put the game to bed then give people game time!
3-1 le arse.
Alexis gets the most deserved rest in the history of football
I bet he’s not happy though!
Yeah said before in a rare interview if hes subbed or rested that its like having a football taken from me as kid
So now Szcz is our GK for the FA cup games, how quickly things can change. Szcz you need to improve and fight for first choice GK, start from today’s game.
He’ll be stuck in. No doubt about it.
Last weeks stand out performers getting a much deserved rest!
Can’t wait. A win today will cap off as near a perfect weekend of football as anyone could hope for.
If it doesn’t work, subs before 70 mins please?
Should do the trick. They’ll be well up for it though especially after a good win in midweek.
Did I miss a “midweek” game Damm it! 🙂
Nice line up, would have liked if chambers was given a shot in central defence though, his composure in the first few weeks of the season was reminiscent of varane, plus, could be the long term answer to per, partnering gabriel….COYG!
Gabriel is Kos’s height and We’d have the same problem of a pairing similar to Kos and Verm. We would need someone taller.
With the exception of chambers, this is a starting 11 we could have fielded last year
Ozil to start on the left with Rosicky down the middle? Interesting.
No repeat of yesterday, please
Strong enough team but don’t like monreal and Gibbs on the pitch. They are all we’ve got on the left-back position.
Apart from that, this team should do the business.
Glad to see the prof is taking defence of the Cup seriously and not following mistakes made by City and the Chavs yesterday. Pity we could not of signed our new defensive purchase in time for this game. Very attacking line up but we must not go all gung-ho and keep the focus from last weekend. CYG
I have a concern about the pace of chambers and wonder how the Achilles of koscelny will hold up
That’s a lineup that says this match is being taken seriously. A little unnerving that both our left backs are in, but good balance in the options from the bench. I expect a professional performance today, not a Man City hangover, please!
I like this team alot. Good players who want to prove themselves is the golden standard for matches like these.
Rosicky and Ozil are both quality players who’ve been starved for playing time. Walcott generally does well versus lesser teams too. Resting Mertesacker makes sense, and after Chambers horrid performances this is the game to let him back in the team. Gibbs need match practise too, and with Monreal having done pretty damn decently at CB that reshuffling also makes sense. Giving Flamini a game makes sense too.
We will this game 🙂
Agreed, but it looks like Ozil will start on the left with Rosicky in the middle.
decent lineup with a goodlooking midfield, but i wonder why we play a lopsided back four when bellerin on for monreal would see everyone in their favoured positions?
also, dont jump to conclusions on the gk situation yet. ospina might be unfit…
Looks like Ozil is playing wide again
Chambers should have played CB and bellrin RB and hope ozil playing no 10
I predict a scrappy affair with flaminni’s deflected shot and a koscielny close-range header off a dead ball deciding the tie.
Good enough squad. But who plays left – Ozil or Rosicky? Gibbs and Monreal on the pitch? I hope they both go through unscathed.
We should win this.
I ain’t trying to be negative here, especially considering how well the 4-1-4-1 worked last time, but I think considering the change of opponent and our personnel it would’ve been slightly better to return to that 4-3-3 thing that we’ve been doing. I think it would make more sense playing a 4-3-3 in games, where we are more likely to be holding most of the ball and thus setting out be more attacking and adventurous and keeping the 4-1-4-1 for opponents, who (constantly have and) are capable of ripping us to shreds on the counter when we commit too many… Read more »
The team is looking great. The early goals by Theo and Ozil will give them freedom to play “the Arsenal way”. Kieran and Calum dangerous on the flanks. TR7 and Ozil exchanging smartly
Wow, great prediction!
No mert and we let in two goals
Walcott and Ozil each score on their return to the starting line-up, and Rosicky another great performance with a wonderful goal and assist. Nice to see Wenger having selection problems as a result of quality options rather than injuries.
but have to admit, the result was closer today than it should have been.