Arsene Wenger has provided the latest team news ahead of tomorrow night’s Premier League game against Watford.
The Gunners won with a heavily rotated side at the weekend, hammering Southampton 5-0, and there was obviously some caution with that selection.
Players like Mesut Ozil, Francis Coquelin, Olivier Giroud and Aaron Ramsey were rested but are back in contention for tomorrow night.
“We have some people to check from Saturday,” he said. “Everyone who stayed behind is available for selection, bar Xhaka, so I will have to check that today who plays.”
After two goals against the Saints, the Arsenal manager was asked about Danny Welbeck, and said some caution is still needed as he makes his way back from injury.
“He looked very sharp, but we still have to be cautious. Physically he is ready to play, but we will have to manage the times when we use him, and when we we rest him in the next month, and hopefully he’ll be fully fit.
“To play like he played on Saturday, you have to work hard, it’s not a gift of god, you have to go through all kinds of suffering.”
Exciting times!
Tomorrow’s game is another perfect opportunity to gather some more confidence and gain some more momentum before the Stamford Bridge game.
P.S. Great banter between the lads in the gym yesterday, good environment to be involved in for sure!
At 100 years old, Arsene could still be speaking in this peculiar fashion:
“To play like he played on Saturday, you have to work hard, it’s not a gift of god, you have to go through all kinds of suffering.”
Wenger via the microphone to Bould ,” at least try to look a little nervous Stephen”
The subs bench is going to look very strong! We have a great record against Watford, so 3 points looking likely if we play with the same attitude as against Southampton.
Anyone hear anything concrete about Elneny? I’ve heard calf strain and calf tear. Hope he doesn’t miss a tournament win considering he appears to be the nicest of chaps. Obviously want him to play for us too.
Saw Elneny yesterday celebrating Egypt’s goal on the touchline with his teammates.
He appeared to be dressed as a sub; so perhaps his injury is not severe…
Nice one.
I turned it off when our boy wasn’t playing!
matiland niles chance to stake a claim in the first team is opening up. like elneny but maitland niles could has the potential to become a top central midfielder
Can anyone tell me who was sat next to Arsene in the stand to his right on Saturday? You wouldn’t mess with him!
Boro Primorac, Arsene’s best bud (and first team coach).
Thanks Andy.
Hadn’t seen a recent picture of him.
Coquelin, Ramsey and Özil all injured? You know nothing, Keown.
(Though to be fair to him, that’s exactly the kind of attention-seeking rubbish BT Sport would probably tell a pundit to say.)
I reckon front three of Sanchez, Giroud and Walcott, with Ox, Perez, Welbeck and Iwobi on the bench. Oh my, that depth!
Iwobi, Giroud, Alexis and Ozil should definitely start as they were rested one saturday.
Doubt I’m the first person to have said this, but it’s gotta be Iwobi in for Giroud with Alexis up top. Giroud always does a fine job for us, but we’re heading into the most pivotal stage of the season, and we need our most fluid attack firing again. With Bellerin linking up with Walcott for the first time in months, let’s get back to what made us so fun to watch in the opening part of the season. Having Giroud, Welbeck, Perez and Ox in reserve will be massive for us.
I think Giroud will start as Watford will probably park the bus and we will have a tough time breaking them down without Giroud. I also agree that Alexis up front is our best formation (or other of our mobile strikers) but we had difficulties breaking down teams that defend with 10 men even with Alexis eariler this season. We have a good record since Giroud returned to the first eleven although we haven’t played our best in all of the matches. Also, if we start with Coq-Ramsey we need the long ball option as those two aren’t the slickest… Read more »
Also, remember you have to keep an eye on the Chel$ki match. We schooled Chel$ki with pace in October, and Spurms killed them with pace a couple weeks ago. I expect to see Walcott and Welbeck in for Giroud and Iwobi against Chel$ki, with Sanchez going up front.
The problem is the combination. Yes, we’ve the best bench in the PL by far. But there’s no proper combination, like Saturday’s one. I promise you that you wont see that same team on another match for a while. If we could keep to a combination that works, we can rotate the squads more often in order to confuse the opposition and win games. Its painful to see the big shots tired and not giving it, while you got such a bench. We will get to that point, hopefully. I wish we play the same team on the PL matches,… Read more »
I reckon for the Chelsea match use welbeck up front alexia on left and Walcott on the right welbs and Walcott worked really well together against Southampton another top partnership along with Sanchez and Ozil, Mustafi and Kos bulletin with Walcott too!
I think any 11 we pick from our squad is more than capable of beating Watford. I just hope we turn up with the right attitude from the start. No game in EPL is a walkover. COYG
Unfortunately I’m stuck here in Greece, but those of you who will be at this game make sure you get behind the team properly. Be vocal and patient. All we need is 1-0. COYG!!
Another 5-0 would be nice! COYR!
i wish i was Boro Primorac
we really do (almost) have 2 pretty great staring teams:
Cech
Bellerin Must Kos Monreal
Santi (when healthy) Coq
Walcott Ozil Iwobi
Sanchez
Ospina
Gabriel Mert Holding Gibbs
Xhaka Elneny
Ox Ramsey Welbeck
Giroud
Doesn’t work like that in reality.
And you forget Lucas. How could you?
Bouldy has three more games to break the zipper and chilax
We got watford and chelsea coming up and all you care bout is his coat.Come 12-30 sat where will ur mind be on his stpud coat or the bridge.I want the points not the coat
Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.
The puppet master. Some incredibly peculiar people who like to convince themselves that Bould is in charge. I guess they haven’t heard of the magical device known as the handphone. Wenger has a gods eye view from the posh seats which maybe gives him a better perspective and prompts him to sub earlier. But make no doubt, he picked the team against Sotn and in effect won it before the contest had commenced , convincing Zoolander that he had the really really good looking best youth team in the league.:D I expect the Watford match will be a different affair.… Read more »
…the 1 player i want to see get another start is Lucas Perez.
First of all, Keown’s comments were for the prior game. The injury lists changes by the game if we are lucky.
Secondly, are most of you watching the games? Iwobi has done nothing to get such preference from Wenger. He loses the ball in possession too many times to make up for the good he brings. Plus he does not defend. Oxlade Chamberlain should start before Iwobi.
Call me crazy, but I want to see some Ox Coq in CM tomorrow. Ramsey Coq hasn’t been too effective, and i’d like to see if these two can form a good parnership. I also want to see if ox can string a couple of those performances together.
Why can’t Wenger use the same team and replace them when we have kill the game. Those guys marked and recover balls quickly.Alaiede hold the midfield well…… Ozil or Ramsey don’t marked and they play sluggishly. Peres has ball vision to put ball through and quick unlike Ramsey.
Arsene is the gaffer…COYG!