Arsene Wenger has given the latest team update ahead of tomorrow night’s game against Ludogorets in the Champions League.
It’s the first time Arsenal have faced the Bulgarian side, and after the 3-2 win over Swansea at the weekend, there are no new issues and no injuries besides the absences of Olivier Giroud and Aaron Ramsey.
“We have exactly the same squad as faced Swansea, everyone is available,” said the manager.
On the two aforementioned absentees, he continued, “They continue their preparation, and they continue their sharpening up. They’re not far away.”
Given the opposition, there’s some suggestion the Frenchman might rotate his squad a little, but in typical fashion he was giving little away in that regard.
“At the moment I am just looking at how players recover, what is the next game, and ‘how do we win that game?'”
So, there you go. It should be a chance to give some players a run-out, but there’s also a bit of ‘If it ain’t broke don’t fix it’, so let’s see what happens.
i think we’ll see Oooooooooospinaaaa
I really wish to see Lucas start. It’s been a while……
yes, i want that too, we could rest Alexis, and Lucas can show us some skills
and of course, some goals 😀
Rest Alexis?? He’ll put in a transfer request
I say transfer him to the fookin’ couch and let him think about what having his legs fresh means to our season!
Chamberlain, Elneny, Gibbs and Gabriel should get a start I think.
i would be very surprised to see anything but the squad that faced swansea, with the exception of coquelin for xhaka.
then maybe if its all going our way 60 minute subs of alexis, theo, then ozil.
forgetting about the ridiculous cech for ospina.
Might make sense to play Xhaka tomorrow night because he’ll be missing the next few Premier League games anyway. That way we can keep Elneny or Coquelin fresh for the weekend.
Think only one game missed
I’d say Xhaka to start since he’s not banned by the CL and hadn’t complete the full 90 minutes vs. Swansea.
I want to see Perez! It’s been a month since he scored those 2 sweet goals against Nottingham Forest! Hoping we can be winning this one comfortably so he can be brought on as a sub in the second half.
Or maybe he will start I hope he will, and we will winning by 2-3 goals come second half as Alexis really need a rest. And hope to see ox instead of iwobi he was also tired.
I´d like to see him start a game, personally. Maybe bring Walcott on as a sub if we´re not ahead by the 60 minute mark.
70…Wenger loves a 70th minute sub
alexis and theo got hatrick in first half then lucas start in 2nd half
the perfect scenario
So Xhaka to start?
Keep our Coq fresh for he next three domestic games…
Or do we want to give our Coq a little work out? Being out of practise is never good
If we want to extend our run I’ll think he’ll start with his Coq out!
Would love to see Lucas have another go! Looked sharp against Nottingham Forest and Alexis could always use a small break even if he doesn’t want to
Is this rotating too much:
Ospina
Bellerin Holding KOS/Mustafi Gibbs
Xhaka Elneny
Walcott Iwobi Ox
Perez
Bring on Ozil/Sanchez if we need ’em.
If I ever need a reminder of why Ozil’s my favourite player, it’s that horrible sinking feeling I get when I don’t see him in the side. Even for a straight forward home game. In a completely hypothetical line-up!
totally agree, but we have to rest him once in a while…right? haha
I don’t see why we don’t give Coq the start and take him off with 25 to go. Elneny should get a start too. Nice to see Perez get some minutes..maybe rest Bellerin for debuchy. Ox for theo?
We have 3 quality CDM Now XhaKa , Coq & Elneny . So happy that Wenger having this wonderful headache . Remembering the Legendary CDM we used to have few years back as Song , Eboue , Denilson , Flamini & Frimpong
Think Vasanth was making a joke here lads…
Perez, Elneny, Gibbs and Gabriel/Holding should start this match. But the shuffle shouldn’t cost us the victory. We can’t afford to even settle for a draw.
Lucas to start and I’d back him to score. He deserves a start and Alexis deserves a rest. However, our tenacious Chilean wont listen to reason and we probably have to appease him until he (hopefully) signs a new contract.
Perez, akpom and Ox please! with Mo Elneny, Xhaka, Holding, Gabriel and Gibbs to be given the chance
It’s chancey but I’m with you. And I also think we would then have the strongest bench in world football ready to come on haha
Akpom is injured, isn’t he? Some kind of serious back pain?
It’s a Champions League guys not a league cup. We need our best legs on this, no matter the opposition.
We are not belittling them. But some of our league cup opposition is better than out opponent tonight
*our
Absolutely. Ludogorets are there on merit. We can’t take them lightly, look what happened when we did that last year against Dinamo Zagreb and Olympiakos. For the CL games we should be putting out close to our best line-up every match, until we’ve won the group. Then we can play the kids.
Mo Elneny please! Such a quality player!
Good time as any to rest monreal
I think this is the single most important rotation (other than giving Alexis a rest, if that is possible). First, Gibbs is not a big drop-off. Second, the left side has had less cover from Iwobi than Bellerin has had from Walcott, so Monreal has had a lot of work to do. Third, Gibbs deserves playing time (this is different, and less important, than the fact that Gibbs is very good–the first point–but it is still a consideration).
three changes max for me, these would be Ospina, Gibbs (i think he deserves a start and to nudge Monreal a bit who hasnt been at his best this year, Perez for Alexis, with a long patient explanation to the Chilean as to why he must occasionally be rotated. Wenger’s Coq may be a little stiff and could be seen as something for the weekend. otherwise ox for iwobi at 60, and elneny for cazorla , holding for a centre half should it be needed. but then i am bottom of my fantasy football league…
Alexis needs a rest, I think.
Shouldn’t rotate too much. But I think this would be a good game to see what Lucas can do.
Would love this line up:
OSPINA
Bellerin Holding Kos(Gabriel) gibbs
Elneny Xhaxa
Ox Ozil Akpom
Lucas
Criticize please
We are not criticising! 🙂
Any of our 23 look well good.
That would be borderline disrespectful to Ludogrets. I mean I can see that many changes for the league cup. Champions League especially when we have to top the group? Not a chance!
For a start, I believe Akpom is injured. Overall, probably too many changes. Ludogorets are not Championship equivalent. They managed a creditable draw away to Basel, so there’s every chance they are in fact a better team than Basel. I think we should play close to our best line-up until the group is clinched. THEN we can do eleven changes.
I’d make 3 changes at most, don’t want to mess with the team too much and end up with a draw or loss, putting unnecessary pressure on the final three games of the group
Ospina
Bellerin(70) Mustafi koscielny Gibbs
Elneny Zhaka
Walcot(60) ozil(60) Iwobi
Lucas
Sub.
Ox(30) Gabriel(20) Carzola(30)
Santi needs a rest too
And Kostafi, though a bit risky to take them off
About time Lucas got a start, this would be an ideal game for him too showcase his skills !!!
I don’t really count Ospina, Gibbs, Xhaka/Coq as changes. They all get regular playing time and/or are starting UCL players. So, 2 on top of that sounds about right. Happy to leave it to the manager, but I’d love to see Perez get a go. Maybe also Ox for Iwobi, but Ox gets good minutes, so not a big deal IMHO.
Where’s Danny Welbeck?