Lucas Perez will be back in the squad for Wednesday night’s EFL Cup game against Southampton.
The Spanish striker has been out of action since the 2-0 win over Reading in the previous round, but Arsene Wenger has confirmed he’ll return to action tomorrow.
“Lucas is in the squad and we will have a mixture of youth and experience, but still 90 per cent of the first-team squad,” he said.
Some fringe players like Gabriel, Rob Holding and others will play. Olivier Giroud misses out with what is described as a minor ‘groin’ problem, while Mathieu Debuchy awaits the results of a scan to determine the seriousness of the hamstring injury he suffered against Bournemouth on Sunday.
Wenger described the French international as distraught, and it’s feared he could be in for another lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Some good news there. After all, Lucas won the last time he played against Southampton.
ok, how about this as our team:
Ospina – or maybe Martinez
Jenks Holding Gabriel Gibbs
Coq Elneny – a little security in the middle
Ox Ramsey Iwobi
Lucas – if healthy
Subs: Martinez, The Jeff, Xhaka, Theo, Mustafi, Monreal, Sanogo? haha
Is Akpom injured or has he just fallen off the radar?
Akpom has a fractured vertebra and is out indefinitely.
i always think about it. why dont we play iwobi in place of santi. that has got to be the most like for like replacement for santi. he has played there and did a good job for us once i think and can do it again.he is strong , tactically astute and rarely ever lose the ball and can pass the ball out from the back . i think iwobis best position is in the midfield in no10 or centre midfield , he lacks pace and directness required for a winger .he will eventually replace ozil at no10 if im… Read more »
Perhaps at 10 but at the moment Iwobi lacks the defensive discipline to play where Santi does in the middle of the park.
At #10 definitely. The deep lying playmaker position Santi has been doing, not so sure. His area that needs most work is defending right now and we don’t want that weakness right in front of the center backs. Best to work on that wide where there are more backup layers if he doesn’t track his mark.
Back from injury in just a little over a month, while he was expected in 6-8 weeks.
Something off about this, but I’m not complaining.
Giroud’s ‘minor groin problem’ has got him in trouble with his Mrs before now. I blame Alexis and his on field breeding programme this time.
I’m hoping that 90% doesn’t include the first XI – with so many games coming up I would be disappointed to see Özil and Alexis anywhere near the stadium
I cant imagine they will be in the starting 11.
I think maybe Wenger was referring to Elneny, Ramsey, The OX.. maybe Xahak too? or Le Coq didn’t play on the weekend so maybe he will get some game time. I know its ‘only’ the League Cup but we are on a nice unbeaten run so we should try and keep it going.
I think Le Coq is being given a good long rest, and he won ‘t be back until the West Ham match. David C above has probably got most of the line-up right, although it will be Martinez in goal and Macey as his back-up. I can see Maitland-Niles and Elneny in front of that back four, same as the Reading match. Ramsey will get a rare start in his favoured position, most likely flanked by Iwobi and The Jeff. I imagine Lucas will start up top. I can’t see a whole lot of regular first-teamers being on the bench,… Read more »
Yeah, probably be a good time to give Ramsey the opportunity to play in the number 10 position. You could be right with Le Coq too – but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him somewhere in the match day squad.
I guess the front line picks its self really – the only guessing game will be whether he gives The Ox the nod or Iwobi (and or the Jeff)
I recall arsene wenger mentioning the reason the likes of ozil and Alexis are able to play so much is because they never train. These matches are basically it. Correct me if I am wrong.
Hopefully he can embrace the dog breeding thing fully, so it mite keep him occupied in “that” department!
I feel sorry for debuchy. He was showing signs of giving Bellerin a good fight for the RB position in the 15 mins he played.
Martinez
Niles Holding Gabriel Gibbs
Elneny Xhaka
Ox Ramsey Iwobi
Lucas
Lucas seems to dominate the EFL Cup games. I am pretty confident, we will win.
Given what happened to Debuchy, I’m hoping Lucas doesn’t play more than 30′. Let’s ease him back in to game action. We’ve got a busy schedule coming up.
Hoping Xhaka starts, I reckon him with direct pacey players like Ox or Perez in the same team is tatsy.
Gotta feel for Debuchy.
The thing is, knowing Southampton, I think if we field a weak team we might lose. But u know what, I really don’t care much about this Cup. So I would put Martinez in goal. Centerbacks would be Holding plus Gabriel, even though neither of them have the leadership qualities needed in a CB partnership such as what’s provided by Kos and Mus.
Carl for RB
Captain Gibbs for LB
ElNeny and Coq and the Jeff
The Ox, Lucas or Akpom, Iwobi
Akpom is injured and will not play for at least another two or three months.
Welcome back Lucas. Please score a goal or two. No pressure.
Awww gutted no Oli! We need to keep our unbeaten record and quadruple trophies going!
*RUN I meant!
I wouldn’t prioritise this game TBH would you? The BIG game is on the weekend. Lucas should be given a chance to lead the line. I’d rest Alexis frankly and bring him on when need be. Ditto Ozil and Giroud. Jenko in at Rback. GIbbs at LB. Gabriel should hold with HOlding. Iwobi and the Ox maybe on the flanks with Ramsey as central fulcrum. Base of midfield should be Coquelin and Maitland-Niles. Maybe the Jeff instead of the Ox, certainly he should feature at some point. But Ox should be given more time to play. IMO. Ospina in goal.… Read more »
Always interested to see what Wenger’s choices for matches like this will be. It’s a balance of playing the strongest team possible with being smart about the fixture list coming up. I hope Lucas can go a half and would like to see Elneny and Xhaka at holding mid again. I think Iwobi will get a chance to play since he didn’t play on the weekend and Ramsey needs all the game time he can get right now to get back into form. Would be nice to see Ox get a run too.
We shouldnt take this game likely. Southampton is a decent side that will cause us headaches if we don’t start on the front foot. Agree with AW, 90% of the 1st team, maybe one of the big boys on the bench just in case.
Giroud sitting out this one but clearly a way more useful striker than many imagine.
His goals per appearances for Arsenal is 2.33
Contrast this with Van Persie at 2.02 and Adebayor at 2.26.
Like criticism on Metersecker and Flamini, I’m not sure what some of these ‘critics’ are smoking.
So you’re telling us that Giroud scores more than 2 goals per game.
Maybe you’re the one who’s smoking something?
Got your argument back to front methinks. Figures may be right but Giroud scores every 2.33 games which us far worse than RVP at a goal every 2.02 games.
Having said that, I do like the beardie bloke and think he is far better than he is given credit for.
Chance for Theo to play up front. Iwobi and Ox flanking him. Perez should do last 20 mins. Elneny, Xhaka, Ramsey in midfield. Gabriel, Holding, Mustafi, Gibbs. Martinez. Southampton are no easy side any day, but we are at home so I guess we should just about go through without our heavy hitters.