It’s a chilly willy Europa League night in Northern Sweden as Arsenal take on Östersunds FK in Ostersund.
The temperature is about minus three billion, the pitch is artificial, and if you stay really, really quiet you hear our players hamstrings starting to freeze over already.
Still, here are tonight’s official line-ups.
Östersunds FK: Kelta, Pettersson, Papaiginnaopolus, Gero, Sema, Edwards, Widgren, Nouri, Mensah, Mukibi, Ghoddos
Subs: Anderson, Tekie, Bergkvist, Hopcutt, Aiesh, Sundberg, Islamovic
Arsenal: Ospina (c), Bellerin, Mustafi, Chambers, Monreal, Maitland-Niles, Elneny, Iwobi, Mkhitaryan, Ozil, Welbeck
Subs: Macey, Holding, Xhaka, Kolasinac, Willock, Nelson, Nketiah
Hooray, AMN with a chance to prove himself in midfield (I assume it’s not a back 5).
COYR!
I’m excited to see AMN in midfield as well. But as for the balance of the team, who is in the “No 8” role? Elneny and AMN both strike me as DMs. It would have been nice to see AMN line up with a Xhaka or Willock.
I am happy to see Xhaka on the bench for once. Please let it be.
Sorry looks more like a back 3.
Monreal -Mustafi- Chambers
Makes sense bc Koscielny is not in and he is about the only player strong enough to hold with Mustafi in a back 4.
AMN and Bellerin more like wing backs.
Elneny holding.
Iwobi – Ozil – Mhki just beind the main striker.
I get the Xhaka backlash. But I think the problem is Xhaka being played as a DM when he’s clearly box to box. His mental lapses always happen in the defensive half. But, let’s be honest, he’s great at going forward, spreading out balls, and has a cracker of a shot. He’s not a DM, he’s a No 8.
No coincidence that his best game in the last couple of months came when he was paired with Elneny, which freed him up to support the attack.
Whatever! I think it is a big mental relief that we have finally put an underperforming player on the bench.
hes probably on the bench to save him as hes played a lot of games recently, Wenger will put him back in when its deemed a tougher game. He just doesn’t drop players for bad form thats part of the reason we are so poor.
I understand Xhaka not being a traditional DM. A lot of players have come through arsenal and have not played in their natural positions and have gone on to have great careers here.
Xhaka constantly not having any situational awareness and constantly getting caught in possession has nothing to do with being played out of position.
He’s too slow to be a box to box…. He can’t be better than Ramsey at that! That’s not a valid xhaka problem imho
My thoughts. No Sean….so could be, with Iwobi doing Jacks job. Hope not.
#ReleaseElneny
I hope the players are careful on that pitch. Looks like 1970s astroturf….
The conditions are the extra man for Ostersunds. Very tricky.
Ah, the ’70s. I was born in ’73, totally oblivious to all the great porn that was being made in that decade.
Ospina as Captain?
Why not Nacho?
Agreed Truly bizarre. Nacho the only logical choice.
There’s your answer. We don’t like doing things the logical way.
kkk that’s true
regardless of who’s captain tonight
Let’s hope for a 4-0 win for us
Welbeck hat trick (i can dream right?)
Why should Nacho be captain?
Ospina can see the entire pitch.
Probably best to have him shout orders and organise the defense a little particularly for set pieces.
makes sense.
Monreal is not unblemished. Last 2 -3 matches he was good going forward but was caught too high. Not entirely his fault as it is systemic but I hink people again blow him up to be more than he is.
He doesn’t shout orders or organise his defence ever. In 40 years watching Arsenal he’a the worst keeper I’ve ever seen on set pieces. An armband won’t chance that
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Don’t know!!!
I’d like Nacho to skipper but Ospina has captained the cup side on a few occasions already, has captained Colombia and is well thought of in the dressing room
Is he? What are you basing that on, I’m really curious? (that he’s well thought of) cos from what I can see the defenders have no faith in Ospina, Kos particularly.
Fi-NA-LLY!
Is he really in midfield? That teamsheet does put him in the LWB role.
James Olley snapped a picture of the team card and it has AMN in midfield. ??
Oh Just a minute I rejoice too quickly to finally see AMN in the middle of the park. It might be a back 3!?!?!?!
Is there any logic to giving Ospina the captaincy? Wouldn’t it be a nice show of trust and confidence to reward ozil with it (for singing his new contract), or monreal (for his general brilliance)? And why am I so mad about this?? It doesn’t matter really but still!!!!!!
did you just make up the name of their players? 😀
I was also wondering that.
I might be in a minority but I’d love to see Ainsley with Xhaka and Ramsey in midfield
Hmmm, shame jacks missing, we need someone with creativity to create some chances for welbeck
I have my reservations .
OTOH it is Ostersunds.
He needs to be very conscientious tracking runners into the box. (as the rest of the team).
This looks ore like a back 3 with Bellerin and AMN at full/wing back.
Elneny in midfield with Iwobi, Ozil and Mhki just behind the main striker.
We should be wary of Mukibi and Ghodos. Just saying!
Making me alot happier than it should seeing Xhaxa
on the bench.
Finally…. The line up begs for optimism. Can’t wait to see AMN boss the midfield and Iwobi maintain his form. Our biggest threat would be the elements today. Welbeck please ear one in…. Maybe two more with any part of your choosing…. If you ain’t too cold that is…. ?
If only we had signed the best LB in bundesliga last summer. Oh wait…
Come to think of it, he’s probably on the bench because the pitch is artificial he’s just come back from injury. Good call in such circumstances then…
Went through the same thought process. If he’s getting eased back into action, ok with me. Still would like to see him back on the pitch soon.
ospina…..a leader of men
After seeing the CL knock out round makes Arsenal fan’s even more depressed.
Watching Liverpool and Spurs and the unmotivated shower of shit that is Arsenal FC makes you think what could be once Wenger has gone.
That is what eight million a year gets you…
I’m consoling myself with the notion that Harry Kane will breathing in the Madrid air come next season….still through his mouth obviously.
Ok! So excited to read it before the match. Please come back and post this after the match and maybe you will get some likes ?
Ospina Captain!
People playing in their natural positions what is this madness?? ?
Ooooooospina!!!!