Arsene Wenger has given the latest team news update ahead of tomorrow’s crunch clash with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Midfield is the big issue for the manager, and with Granit Xhaka, Santi Cazorla and Mohamed Elneny all unavailable, the last thing he needed was to lose another one.
However, a calf injury sustained by Aaron Ramsey will keep him out for around three weeks.
“From the other night we lose Ramsey,” he said, “for I would say 21 days. Giroud has a test, but he should be all right. Maybe Welbeck will come back into the group, that should be it.
“Chamberlain has a test today, but he should be all right.”
Asked about the midfield problems we have without four senior players, the manager highlighted some of the young talent who may be asked to fill in.
“We are a bit short at the moment but we have young players who can do a job in there,” he said.
“We have Adelaide, Maitland-Niles, Chamberlain, Iwobi can play in there. And Elneny comes back on Sunday, so we have some strength still.”
Only Arsenal can have the best squad for years and still be short of midfielders for the trip to the champions-elect.
We’re in February and you’ve already declared them champions. Jog on wind up merchant
Champions-ELECT… bit of a difference, mate.
He/she declared them Champions Elect. And I think most would agree that’s reasonable.
The fact that this is the case in February is largely the fault of our team in fairness.
That’s not what champions-elect means.
No-one uses ‘jog-on’ these days. Do one.
To be fair, i think the guy is just using a more ‘diplomatic’ word to avoid blog’s robot police (comment filter)
“Jog on”, “do one”.
Am I reading a script for a Danny Dyer movie?
It’s do one you mug isn’t it?
I’m pretty disappointed and let down again. Makes me sad being a season ticket holder for more than two decades I’ve had some real lows over the last 10 but Jesus Watford was the nail in the coffin for the league this year again.
We really miss Santi he’s a big miss for us and completes the triangle with ozil and Sanchez that quickness thought. that was one we couldn’t lose it we really had ambitions to win the league. Because let’s face it you need a full compliment and a bit of luck to win the league.
welbeck should definitely start on Saturday. Anyone agree?
Cech
Hector Kostafi Nacho
Ox Coq
Ozil
Welby Alexis Iwobi
Cech
Bellerin Kos Mustafi Monreal
Maitland-Niles Coquelin Ox
Özil
Perez Älexis
Ćech
Gibbs Koscielny Mustafi Bellerin
Oxlade-C Coquelin
Walcott Özil Perèz
Sànchez
That won’t leave any width against a narrow team
My head says were going to get a hiding
It wouldn’t be a surprise to anybody
We’ve got form for beating them 3-0 and losing 0-6 and everything in between. Though I agree sadly, I think we might get annihilated.
Comment: CECH,
BELLERINE, GIBS,
MUSTAFI, KOSCIENLY,
COQ,OX,
WALCOTT, PEREZ,
OZIL,
SANCHEZ
Wellbeck Sanchez And Walcott. If Wenger goes for Giroud I might just cry
If AW goes with OG, I won’t bother watching!
Perez deserves a place in there imo
start Perez, Wally, Sanchez and save Welbz/Giroud as impact subs?
although Welbz offers better defensive coverage than Wally or Perez…
Totally agree
Cech
Bell Must Kos Mon
Coq Ox
Ozil
Lucas Sanchez Iwobi
– trust me on this, this will be the lineup guaranteed
“Maybe Welbeck will come back into the group”
The Boss doesn’t seem to intend to start him.
If he should is already a different question (and my personal answer to that one is “no”).
We must have one of Walcott, Lucas or Welbeck on the pitch at the start. We need speed on the flanks – incisive speed that threatens to get in behind. Giroud up top with Iwobi and Alexis cutting inside into jammed traffic all day long will not work and will only result in a slow start.
With depleted midfield options we’re going to need the bypass option. Nobody has been effectively playing off of Giroud up top so we should forget about the target man holdup play as a 90 minute strategy and go for fluidity and speed.
Theo didn’t make many decent runs against Watford when he had the chance. He was just jogging along right next to his marker.
I’d play Welbz over him.
Agreed – Luiz is often flat footed when attacked at pace as exposed by Man City. He thrives in aerial battles as does Cahill. We need to come short AND go long and we also need to stop defending with 11 men. Leave someone up the field to keep them honest.
Front four of Ozil, Iwobi, Alexis and Lucas please.
Beat the crap out of the Chavs and reclaim our lost glory! COYG!
We can give a tough fight against Chelsea if we go all out pace with ox gibbs Bellerin theo danny and alexis all starting.. If not then same old same old… Hope for the best.. #COYG
Bring in Perez over Giroud.
He looks itching to go. He will link up well with Sanchez.
And they both have Zs in their names – must be a good omen.
Only we can start the season with 6 international centre midfielders then come February we have one semi fit for the biggest game of the season.
If the shit refs didn’t let every team kick us off the damn park every game we wouldn’t have so many injuries all the time.
How many of our players are out with impact injuries?
Santi comes to mind. Bellerin was out with an impact injury from a certain sp*rs player.
Not saying I agree with the comment a 100% but a little more protection from the refs would not be out of the line.
I don’t care how they do it or who with. I just wanna beat that lot tomorrow. I hate that filthy club!
I hate Chelsea and I have a problem going to the bridge. We are now in deep trouble but anything can happen.
The Jeff – it IS time…
If Victor Moses is playing then stick Sanchez on the same side, should be able to create a few chances then.
Also, I read somewhere that Wenger has given the squad 2 days off before tomorrow’s game, good decision or madness?? I can’t decide…..
Claiming this game as ‘The biggest of the season’ is absurd, we are nowhere near competing for the title. The ‘big’ games of the season for Arsenal would be in march-april when we’ll have the secure our spot in the top four…
This is a massive game. If we win, we close the gap to 6 and show that Chelsea can be beaten AND we’ll be level with the Spuds (assuming they win). A gap of 6 points against a team as hard to gain on is a big deal and so we should take advantage of any opportunity to close that gap, especially after failing to do so last weekend.
Elneny’s fitness is a doubt hes not 100% fit but because its the final they will play him and we will get the worse effect of that and the way our luck is at the moment he will be injured and out for 6 weeks, we still seriously need to look at how others like chelski and Leicester last year played the same teams week in week out with very few injuries, consistency and fluidity is what AW says but changes,tactics and attitudes are not balanced, not feeling the love for chelski away lets keep the glimmer of hope going… Read more »
I’m not going into this game with a lot of hope honestly considering recent form.. That said, I won’t mind seeing Ainsley played with Le Coq.. he can unlock a new level or ___, being an optimist I’ll take the former.. besides starting The Ox from the go may have dire consequences seeing him limp last game.. see what happened to Rambo.. hope he comes back more decisive..
I know it happens every year but how unlucky can we be with the midfielders? Start the season with 6 senior options and have maybe 1 left for a trip to Stamford Bridge.
If only we still had SuperTommys spring renaissance to rely on.
I really hope Ozil has a big game tomorrow and shuts everyone up.
Cheq
Bellerin kos mustafi Gibbs
Ox coq
Walcott ozil perez
Sanchez …lots of pace going forward ..god for bid we are losing with 30 minutes to go ,play a front 4 of Walcott..perez..Sanchez..wellbeck..
No, we really want Iwobi on the left, he’s on fire there at the moment. Keep Lucas and Welbeck on the bench to change things about and bring on fresh legs. Maitland-Niles should be available in case the Coquelin-Chamberlain partnership misfires. Giroud as super-sub if we need a late goal. Hope Mustafi’s learned his lesson from Tuesday.
Apart from the Lucas/Iwobi thing, I agree with your starting selection. Bellerin and Walcott are good together; Walcott with Alexis in the centre (false 9?) works well too.
Blogs – I see there was no mention of Bellerin? Is it safe to presume he’s fit to start this one? Wenger never keen on bringing back his most mobile players until he feels they are close to 100%. Seeing him on the bench again would be as big of a blow as any for me going into this game.
If this squad want to show the whole world that they have title winning potentials and placate the fans to some extent (for the Watford horror show) ……then they have to win this, period!
Whoever he picks had better play with some fucking urgency.
Sanchez needs to start at striker with Perze or Welbeck (I would go with Welbeck if healhty) on one wing and Iwobi on the other. We need to play with the speed and intensity we did against them earlier in the season and that doesn’t happen when Giroud leads the line. It’s been proven again and again this season that we play our best overall game (attacking, defending, creating chances, etc.) when we play with a jump in our step from the beginning of matches and that has only happened when Sanchez is up top. Giroud can revert to his… Read more »
Why risk Wellbz to start and injure himself in a high intensity game, he can come on later in the game. I will go for Sanchez starting up to, Iwobi and Perez, they have the right attitude, Ozil at the centre
Giroud can cheer them on from the technical area like Ronaldo at the euro finals! He seems to have the aptitude for drama…
And Giroud will start……
No question …..
Arsene is stubborn
Seeing as the middle is in complete disrepair, why not just go hell for leather and not really bother with a midfield at all. We may get annihilated, which may be the case anyway, or we may even end up giving them a bashing. All out attack, whatever happens happens. Should be interesting.
So I’d go for the following:
Cech
Bellerin Mustafi Koscielny Monreal Gibbs
Welbeck Ozil Iwobi Perez
Sanchez
Listen..i don’t care who starts. They are all top players. I want 3 points.
Yeah they looked “top” on tuesday night
Wenger should use the team against Southampton. Those guys really play well.. they marked.. very well not allowing any gaps. Alaide.,Niles.,Perez were good defending and attacking.This is a game of strength and Ozil isn’t good for this game.,he’s slow and has no strength for challenge .Welbeck should start and Ox,,.Walcott…Alexis..,Iwobi.,Perez.,..Alaide..Niles,..Mustafi.,Montreal…Koschienly,….Bellerin..,Czech .
Coquelin Chamberlain in midfield. Hope that relationship works because Coquelin/Ramsey has been hot and cold. This area of the pitch will be key. Chelsea look stronger in this department at the moment. Ozil will have to put in a defensive shift as well or the lads behind him will be swamped. Other player I’d like to see out wide is Lucas. I think he is on point with the tempo of his team mates now and he brings something extra for us plus has a clear head in front of goal. On any other day I’d say start OG but… Read more »
the Ox can do a good job or even use Holding in that position.
Why start Coquelin at all? He had a string of good games coming back from his loan spell at Charlton- since then he’s not been that impressive. Don’t get me wrong, i admire his attitude, but he is so far off in terms of quality. Many fans have been eager to point out Ramsey as the weak link of the two, and i agree that he’s not up to the task. However Coquelin is not that much better.
I’d rather M-Niles start tomorrow beside Ox.
In before everyone gets on Ox’s back because he makes a mistake in midfield, leading to a goal against us, even if he hasn’t played in midfield forever.
I guess Ozil will be playing. My advice is he be versatile from the deep midfield and not limit to final 3rd. He creates space for opponents to explore when the he doesn’t track back. More so too many bodies in the final 3rd may not work in order to beat Chelsea.