Arsene Wenger has given an update on the fitness of a number of players ahead of Sunday’s Community Shield showdown with Chelsea.
As expected, Francis Coquelin’s ankle injury sustained against Benfica on Saturday means he’ll miss the trip to Wembley.
Gabriel has returned to first team training for the first time since the final day of the Premier League season. The Brazilian injured knee ligaments against Everton on 21 May but needs up to three more weeks to fully recover having started to run again.
Alexis Sanchez could play a part in the game, but the boss is wary of overloading a player who only returned from his holiday at the weekend.
Despite sitting out today’s open training session at the Emirates both Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil should be fine for the weekend.
“We have everybody available to choose from,” said Wenger, before clarifying what he meant.
“Ozil and Ramsey weren’t in full training but they should be alright.
“Sanchez I haven’t decided yet. Coquelin is injured. We don’t think it will be too bad.
“Gabriel starts to run again now but needs two or three weeks before he can join in.”
Presumably, there’s a doubt over the availability of Shkodran Mustafi who also just returned from an extended vacation and Jack Wilshere who is on the mend after a broken leg.
Santi Cazorla and Joel Campbell are long-term absentees, while the likes of Lucas Perez, Mathieu Debuchy, Carl Jenkinson and Kieran Gibbs are unlikely to get a call-up in while the club looks to offload them.
Cech
Koscielny – Mertesacker – Monreal
Bellerin – Xhaka – Ramsey – Kolasinac
Walcott – Ozil
Lacasette
??
Giroud and Alexis cameos on the cards as well.
Welbeck has to play. People make fun of him for his scuffed shots but anyone who understands the game over 90 minutes and not moments will know how good he was towards the end and in pre season. Blistering pace. Stretches defenders (havoc for Chelsea in that fa final)
He’s a beast and is maturing nicely.
I do like Welbeck – but ‘maturing nicely’? The lad’s 26..
He missed two years and was played out of position a lot by United. When he does score he can score some belters too.
Hard to say where he will end up.
The bench methinks…
Obviously that’s possible …
I think he is only 22 in Rosicky years
I agree with you completely. Welbeck is maturing well. It’s important to note that we suffered in his absence.
Was that for his goals ? Lol.
I don’t like to go against a positive comment, but we have to go with reality here. He’s a good player, lets just see it as is and not fool ourselves into thinking its anything more.
Spot on the money. Nowhere near as classy as Giroud in terms of technique and finishing ability, but what a great player he is to have in your team. Lokomotive Hammersmith were terrified to press the ball or play a high line against us in the FA Cup final because of his pace and physicality, for the first 60 minutes of the game they barely got in our half!
Wenger seems to be a big fan of his too, he always gets game time when fit.
There’s one other really positive hope about Wellbeck. He does not generally have poor technique–only when finishing. Which means it is possible that it is all a matter of confidence. If so, then he may (may, not will) turn into a 20 goals a year player, because he certainly has all the other qualities.
My thoughts exactly. Once he gets a goal, people may just be surprised to see him banging them in. He just lacks confidence at the moment. Stop making fun of Welbz. Remember he who laughs last…
That’s the thing he seems to have all the attributes to be a really good striker
He cannot score from literally in front of the net
Artro
Wellbeck is better than Giroud with the ball, may be not as good with lay offs but he has more bite, can run with the ball and can dribble. Wellbeck is equally good both facing and back to the goal.. while giroud is not great when running towards goal. But, as far as belters go.. Even Alexis will struggle to put out contenders to compete with Giroud.. he has scored and has been involved in some absolute YouTube treasurers..
Well you know how things go. Last preseason our,arguably, best two players were Iwobi and Campbell and when it came to the start of the season Walcott started so who knows!! COYG!!!
Kosh is going to miss the first 2 prem games… so why not give Holding or Chambers a game in there to allow more time to bed in?
Because they are only recently back after the U-21 Euros?
Give them a half each and let them fight it out!
Holding didn’t play at all.
Have to agree. Glorified friendly against the reigning champions makes perfect sense for a Chambers/Holding run out. Mert and Holding know what it takes and with Mustafi or Monreal to make up the three we are in good hands(feet). 🙂
Cech
Koscielny – Mertesacker – Monreal
The Ox – Xhaka – Ramsey – Kolasinac
Welbeck – Ozil
Lacasette
Koscielny always plays with Per on his right – being a LCB and all.
The OX a must in preference to one game in 10 Walcott
Wasn’t Chamberlain the best player for Arsenal towards the end of the last season? And hasn’t he (once again) had a pretty good pre-season.
Should that not mean that he gets a place in the starting eleven?
Would personally put him in the Walcott slot.
Ox should start but as right wing back. He edges Bellerin for me. Should be a great competition between them for a starting spot this season, just what we need.
Exactly right.
Even though I think he would do a great job over there, we finally need to find him a regular position in the starting 11. And this one isn’t it, since the two positions behind the striker are pretty much reserved for Alexis and Ozil in the long run. Dont give him false hope only to shuffle him to different position the week after once Alexis is ready.
Wilshere looked pretty sharp in training, I must say.
were you at training Stuart?
I watched the Live stream because I had nothing better to do with my life.
Don’t be down on yourself. There’s a lot worse thing you could be doing
I jest. Was a pleasure to watch.
That’s nice
Time to wash your wig.
Cech
Koscielny Per Monreal
Chambo Kolasniac
Rambo Xhaka
Ozil
Lacazette Giroud
I prefer Walcott to Lacazette. Laca on the bench.
outrageous comment….
I just really liked the Giroud-Walcott partnership in the Emirates cup and would like to see how it fares the second time. Laca needs time to settle into the team.
Arsene doesn’t spend 50m on a player for him to sit on the bench just to start the guy who said he’s not a striker last season up front.
It took a while to make Granit a regular on the starting lineup
Laca won’t start.
What wizardry is this???
Cech
Koscielny – Mertesacker – Monreal
Ox – Ramsey – Xhaka – Kolasinac
Ozil – Welbeck
Lacazette
Welbz guy with those 3 fake air assists to Lacazette though.
Seems about right. I wonder if at some point through the season we might see, against weaker opposition, Giroud and Lacazette together as a classic striking pair either 3-5-2 or the classic 4-4-2.
– Cech
Bellerin, Kos, Mert, Monreal
Ox, Xhaka, Ozil, Alexis
Laca, HFB
Or
Cech
Kos, BFG, Monreal
Bel/Ox, Xhaka, Rambo, Alexis
– Ozil
Laca, HFB
Out of interest, assuming a fully fit squad, how would you al line up? Some really tough calls & of course opposition dependent to some degree, but I think I would go:
—-Cech—-
-Kos–BFG–Nacho-
Ox-Xhaka-Santi-Kolasinac
-Ozil-Alexis-
—-Laca—-
This.
Not sure if you have Ox in there because you think he’s the better right wb? James and Andrew seemed to pretty easily rate him well below Hector in this week’s arsecast, but i have to say i think Ox is stronger in that position right now. He is by far the best crosser of a ball we have in the team (well, maybe Ozil and Alexis are too) and we need him out there for his forward play from right wb. I love Hector, but he almost never delivers the telling cross. Ox does it time and time again.… Read more »
Firstly, Hector looked miles from match fit against Sevilla (and was taken off at the half time). Secondly, I actually think he is the better option at the moment. He’s the best on the team when it comes to take ons, his bursts forward are lethal and he finally showed some end product in the last season. His defensive contribution is on the rise as well. And I don’t think Hector’s defensive skills outweigh what Ox offers going forward. To get the best out of him, he needs his place on the pitch week in week out. He’s starting our 7th… Read more »
James and Andrew are huge fans of Hector and therefore are, often egregiously, biased in his favor. Hard to make a case against the fact that, at the very least, Ox is at same level as Hector at RWB right now.
I prefer Ox to Bellerin at right back too. Bellerin isn’t the greatest going forward, sure he has got some speed, but the guy can’t cross a ball to save his life, kinda part of a wing backs job don’t think you. Besides if we have 3 centre halves sitting behind Ox, let him go forward and attack, that’s the whole point of a 3 at the back system, to let our wing backs attack and not be exposed. So why play Bellerin there when probably the best cross of the ball in our team is available. I am with… Read more »
Slow down chap. There’s a reason why Barca made him their top target this summer. You make him seem like an amateur.
Cech
Kos, BFG, Holding
Bel, Seri, Xhaka, Kol
Lemar Sanchez
Laca
I hope trialist gets a start
Koscienly is suspended remember.
Cech
Holding mertesacker Montreal
Ox xhaka Ramsey kolasinac
Ozil lacazzete iwobi
I like Chamberlain, but Bellerin is faster and creates even more havoc.
Per was rusty in the Emirates cup. Enter Holding.
I am a great fan of Iwobi, Arsenal’s Hazard in the coming.
Cech
Holding – Koscielny – Monreal
Bellerin – Ramsey – Xhaka – Kolasinac
Ozil – Lacazette – Iwobi
Giroud comes in at 70 and scores the winner.
We have everybody.
Several players unavailable.
He’s had a mare recently.
You know what he’s like
To be honest, any seasoned Arsene watcher knows that when he says everybody, he means everybody expected to be available is available.
It must be tedious to give so many of the same interview 😉
Cech
Bosscielny Per Nacho
Ox Xhaka Ramsey Kolasinac
Özil Welbz
Lacazette
Would be a nice morale boost to beat Chelsea and win the Community Shield Cup #gotenoughcupsmate?
We are really light at the back to start the season next week. Kos is suspended, Gabriel is out hurt. Holding / Chambers still getting back in pre-season as is Mustafi. I really hope I don’t see ElNeny playing CB against Leicester
“We have everybody available to choose from…”
“Apart from I can’t or I’m not going to pick Sanchez, Gabriel, Sanchez, Mustafi, Cazorla, Debuchy, Wilshere, Perez, Jenkinson, Campbell or Gibbs, and Laca’s definitely on the bench” 😀 😀 😀
Other headlines from Wenger this week to include:
“Up might be down and black is probably white, that’s the way football is going and it’s ideal for the team…”
I assumed that Alexis would demand to play and any absence from him would allude to him ‘playing up’. Looking forward to match day all the same. We’re going to see some great football this season that we can be certain.
Cech
Holding Kos Monreal
Bellerin Kolasinac
Ramsey . Xhaka
OX/Sanchez Ozil
Lacazette
Arsenal 4-0 Chelsea
So no Alexis still…
Where Mustafi?
Keep forgetting that Campbell is still an Arsenal player.