Arsene Wenger has provided the latest team news ahead of tomorrow night’s crucial Champions League clash with PSG.
The Gunners know a win would see them top the group, and after the 1-1 draw with Man United Aaron Ramsey and Theo Walcott sat out of training today, but both are expected to be ready to face the French champions.
“Everybody has recovered from Saturday,” said the manager. “We had Ramsey and Walcott in recovery, but they should be both ok for tomorrow.”
There was also an update about Lucas Perez, who returned to light training today.
“Lucas is back,” he said, “and he us ahead of schedule, but not yet training full time with the squad.”
Wenger also said he has yet to decide if Olivier Giroud will start against PSG, or if he’ll continue with Alexis Sanchez up front.
“He has recovered completely,” he said of the Chilean, “he had the bandage [against United] because he had a bit of tightness.”
Tight
Of course he’s gonna tell the manager hes “recovered completely”. ” Yes boss, I feel like a newly born child, Le Papa is that you?”
Plz start Giroud up front. I’m quite sure he’s earned it. Plus, Giroud has a nack of scoring vital champions league goals.
But pull him if he gets a yellow. Give no openings to the UCL refs.
Giroud must start!
Ramsey shouldnt’nt start. Start Granit, please Arsene….
I liked this only because I feel Ramsay’s best position is no. 10 where we have Mesut. I’d love to see these two start alternate games in December when games come thick and fast
Ramsey is a waste of space.
Rotate him with debauchy
Sanchez on the bench with iwobi, Theo and Giroud please Arsene!!
I meant them three to start, not on the bench with Sanchez haha
#Giroudmuststart
Start Giroud and if we’re ahead keep him on for the 90mins. Only bring on Alexis if we’re behind and after Giroud has softened up the PSG defence!!
How fickle you all are?! Giroud has always been a superb ‘super’ sub but really, start him over Alexis?
I recall only a few months ago everybody was crying out for him to be benched.
His form has earned him a start. Nobody has said he should start ahead of Alexis, who can play on the left.
Not instead of, but with him. There’s definitely room for both of them in the starting 11. Why not take advantage of the handsome one’s current strike rate. He’s in good form and has a point to prove. This is a big game and he’s scored vital goals for us in the past.
No one is suggesting that Giroud should be the long-term #1 striker over Alexis. I think most of us who want him to start tomorrow see him as having earned a start and also an opportunity to rest a player who is vital to the success of our season.
We should have enough firepower to beat PSG with Giroud… or get at least the 1-1 draw that will most likely see us win the group anyway.
Also, I disagree with the thought that we should play Alexis on the left tomorrow. It’s important to properly rotate our striking staff rather than play both. Bring Alexis on the bench if the game is not going well and at least he won’t have to play a full 90.
he was definately not 100% fit in the Utd game his running statistics prove that and by wearing the bandage is obvious he is in the red zone as Wenger often refers to, he needs to be on the bench and hopefully we will not need him, but i feel Wenger will play him because he feels we need to top the group with a win but the cost of injury is too high what price do we put on him missing till January tooooo much
What position are we in for this game? Can we afford to sit this one out for the sake of saving Sanchez and, like you say, saving him for the rest of the season? If so I think we should spare him.
I think I’m right in saying that we need a win or a low-scoring draw to top the group and avoid a group winner in the next round. We’ve already qualified.
Having drawn with PSG 1-1 already, a 0-0 draw should, I think, put us through on away goals scored (head-to-head), and a 1-1 draw on goal difference in the whole group. But a 2-2 draw, PSG top the group. Anyone confirm that?
My favoured line up for this game:
OOOspina
Jenks – Kostafi – Gibbs
Coq – XHaka
Ozil
Chambo – lalala Giroud – ALexis PACINO
So you want to start the game with a man down? so, so Glad you are not the manager!
Kostafi is The boss and Mustafi mixed up
I think kostafi refers to two players m8
kostafi is beast enough to count as two, in my opinion
Daaamn Daniel, back at it again with the poor reading
Forget Ramsey a bit to create space for giroud. Allexis to play left wing with theo on the right.9 giroud,10 ozil, xhaka and francis 8 and 6.
Ospina
Gibbs musta kos nacho
Iwobi coq Ramsey xhaka ox
Alexis
Giroud and Walcott from the bench
Gibbs on the right would be some sight, the most left footed player in the PL probably.
But this way he can cut in to pepper the goal with shots! Because that is totally the job of the right back!
I’m a bit worried that Wenger is letting Sanchez call the shots regarding his fitness due to the contract renewal saga? Wenger can’t really win, if he pulls him out of the firing line Alexis will have a full strop on, as is his way – and then contract talks are on hold. If he keeps playing him and his hamstring twangs then we lose him and again there will be no hurry from either side (I guess) to do anything. Being that we will need to know that any potential (and I know this is very pessimistic) injury isn’t… Read more »
Actually Nacho to be replaced, he has been a suspect of late. Chamberlen to come on at half time.
Giroud should start up front with Alexis on lw because he is good enough there better than up front
Ospina Jenkinson Mustafi Koscielny Gibbs Coquelin Xhaka Ozil Ox Alexis Giroud.
Gibbs has been decent when he is given a chance and monreal is having problem with pace and please don’t want to see ramsey playing in wings because we have proper wingers now who are playing well in that position… Start Alexis and rest him for the next two games and keep him fresh for the game against west ham… #COYG
Ospiiiiinaaaa!!!
Jenko – Kos-tafi – Nacho
Coq-Xhaka
Öz
Theo – Giroud – Alexis
Bench: Cech, Gibbs, Gabriel, Elneny, Rambo, Ox
And Iwobi also on the bench, please. Great starting line-up.
Olivier Giroud isn’t World Class (whatever that may mean) but he is a fantastic striker who is strong, holds the ball up well, brilliant in the air and a prolific goal scorer. Why so many Gooners can’t see this is beyond me. Fickle, perhaps. I love the man and always have done – give him a hundred year contract please Mr W, start him tomorrow and top the group come 10pm.
Giroud for us has had great purple patches (like now) then has long goal droughts, but that’s arguably partly down to tiredness and overuse. If we can rotate him – and with Alexis and Lucas we can – then really he should be our starter I reckon. The early success this season with Alexis and Walcott seems to me more likely to be a temporary blip.
I’ve always been a big fan of Giroud (if only he had pace!!!) and am totally perplexed by his sudden increase in popularity with us fans. Only a few weeks ago everyone was gushing over Sanchez playing down the middle. We all love Sanchez because he’s fucking great and boy how hard does he work?!?! However, Girouds stats are equal to Sanchez and I honestly feel that we look more threatening as an attacking force when he plays. The data from the Sanchez down the middle experiment is still at the embryonic stage and has yet to convince me. I’d… Read more »
Giroud on 2 reds in a row… don’t think that start is gonna happen. I say give those PSG sluts each a dirty sanchez and leave them with a dirty taste in their mouths!
Sorry for the first post, I don’t usually get carried away like that I think the moment just got the better of me.
Would expect
Ospina
Jenko- Mustafi-Kos-Gibbs
Xhaka-Ramsey/Coq
Walcott-Ozil-Ox
Giroud
I think Ox is more suited to provide service to Giroud than Iwobi. If Alexis starts then would like to see Iwobi start too. Would be nice too see maitland-Niles at RB again but this is probably too big a match for him to start..
I don’t get all this nonsense that there has to be a Plan A with Alexis and a Plab B with Giroud. How inflexible are we mentally? We can start BOTH of them. Or we can start Giroud. Or we can bring Giroud on earlier so he has more time to effect the game should the more mobile option fail to materialise anything substantial. Alexis is going to be tired after his antics with Chile. Why do we need to start Alexis? We had him against United and we failed to even muster a single shot on goal till GIroud… Read more »
I think the back line should remain the same for the PSG game. Probably in the middle, I would start Coquelin and Granit first and then put on Ramsey if we still haven’t broken down the deadlock or are chasing. In front Ozil. On left flank either of Alexis or Iwobi. There is no Aurier so this is a good opportunity to get at them. On the other flank, Ox has made a case for himself particularly as we lack the sort of attacking threat/width we get with Bellerin. Although Walcott can also be effective. Up top, I’d start Giroud.… Read more »
Team should be:
Ospina
Bellerin Mustafi Kos Monreal
Coquelin Xhaka
Theo Ozil Sanchez
Giroud
And if Wenger prefers to keep starting Alexis up top and bringing Giroud off the bench, then Iwobi comes back.
In the absence of Cazorla we must play Xhaka. Ramsey should not play wing or CM except in emergencies- understudy for Ozil only.
Of course. JENKS not Hector. Man that’s an annoying injury.