Thursday, December 19, 2024

Welbeck comes in, no Wilshere: Arsenal v Man City team news

Arsenal face Man City in the Premier League this evening, just four days after losing to Pep Guardiola’s side at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final.

Not exactly the opposition we’d like, but there’s not a lot we can do about that.

Here are the official line-ups.

Arsenal: Cech, Bellerin, Koscielny, Mustafi, Kolasinac, Xhaka, Ramsey, Ozil, Mkhitaryan, Welbeck, Aubameyang

Subs: Ospina, Holding, Chambers, Maitland-Niles, Elneny, Iwobi, Nketiah

Man City: Ederson, Walker, Danilo, Kompany (C), Otamendi, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Silva, Bernardo, Sane, Aguero

Subs: Bravo, Stones, Laporte, Jesus, Zinchenko, Toure, Foden

Follow the game on the Arseblog live blog

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Daft Aider

The line could be worse I guess

Daft Aider

line up that should have been….

_Arsenal_2004_Formation

4_2_2_2

Milky

Where’s Jack?

Stringer+Bell

Ramsey and xhaka in middle. It’s a one in ten chance with two above average but not good enough players in midfield. We could win and then Wenger will feel vindicated and justified to continue playing them. Could it be slowest midfield we have ever had?

Smart-arse

As usual, zero punishment or change in approach. Joke

Jean Ralphio

It’s four at the back so that’s good enough

Anonymarse

What exactly do you propose? Play the u23s?

Mayor McCheese

Does it matter who starts at this point?

ArsensArmy

That’s just the point. It doesn’t matter who Wenger puts in the starting 11, none of them give a shit what happens and tactically they are clueless. But xhaka and Ramsey are going to get overrun. I would love do dribble through the holes they will undoubtedly leave open in the middle. City must have given Cheshire Cat smiles when they saw those two in the starting lineup.

Ididntpay

That bench…

Sheffield Gooner

I’d like to watch a 7-a-side, their bench vs ours. Just to take my mind off the actual football situation…

Anonymarse

How about their bench against our first team? That seems fairer

Araj

The bench is a very interesting comparison actually. Both the backup goalkeepers are first choice for their respective south american national teams. So thats a very similar profile. Both teams have young centerbacks on the bench: Stones (23), Laporte (23), Holding (22), Chambers(23). But the difference in profile is massive. City’s 2 are established first teamers while Arsenal’s two aren’t even considered to have the potential to be as good as City’s. Maitland-Niles, Iwobi, Foden and even Zinchenko can be considered midfield academy products. Again, there is a big difference in potential there. For all the good reviews he might… Read more »

ramgooner

100 million between Stones and Laporte. Chambers and Holding cost 20 million but not a big difference when it comes to talent. It’s clear our defense needs coaching and get rid of part timers like Koscielny and bring in a couple of new Cb’s

ArsensArmy

Stones and Laporte are miles ahead of chambers and holding.

SB Still

So, that’s a back 4? We know the rest of the formation is fluid anyway hehe

David C

Mustafi rewarded with a start…

I would have included Elneny or AMN in the midfield 2 and let Rambo play wide right in the 4-2-3-1.

COYG! Win, lose, or draw please play with some passion today.

EZD

Problem is, who could we drop Mustafi for? No good competition at CB

Gunner in Canada

Holding. He played so well in the FA Cup, don’t know when he has played poorly

PeteyB

Give holding some playing time? A week ago I would have been asking for Chambers but he got done for goals in cup final and against the Swedes.
Catch 22 when developing young defenders I guess… of course it would be nice to see more evidence of off field development

Paul

Jack’s head not “in the right place” then??

Paul

I think down voting a question is a bit harsh! You lot….lol

Greg

Injured. Can’t take chances

Damobot

Sticking with Xhaka!!! I don’t get that. I don’t hate the guy, in fact I like him but if you are not playing to your maximum then you should be benched, period. Elneney plays well every time he comes into the side and plays his heart out but Xhaka is put ahead of for what reason I don’t know. He changed the shape yet again which is rubbish because 3 at the back suits us playing against bigger teams but if Monreal is out then I guess there is not much you could do. Last time I said we won’t… Read more »

Lanre

Only player who put in his best on sunday now out of the team. I do love Arsene’s reward system.

Daft Aider

completely delusional………

Lord Bendnter

I have a fishy feeling something happened between Wilshere and the club management, behind closed doors…

Daft Aider

was reported to be a disagreement over his contract elsewhere

ArsenalManitou

Back 4 I like but I would have preferred Elneny or AMN to Welbeck in a 4 3 3 (4-3-2-1 if you like). This effectively looks like a 4-2-4 and I’m worried we’ll be overrun in midfield. Again.

Honest gooner

I think we will lose 2-0 atleast

london

Worse squad depth we’ve had in past 20 years

Paul

We sold a load to buy the last two players. Sam’s ranches don’t grow on trees you know?!

Chippys chip

Sam who? Kroenke out wenger out half the team out. 0-3 again 73mins pathetic

Chippy87

Wonder which Mustafi will show up tonight, the one that can sometimes defend or the one that really really can’t?

Greg

The man is not for turning

Calm

No Iwobi or Elneny. These guys have been more consistent than most in the last few games and yet still cannot get a look in either match. Some may say Iwobi is not good but i definitely play him ahead of Welbeck as he can make a shot for himself and takes them too besides his interplay. Elneny has done nothing wrong last few games and is arguably our most consistent midfielder who actually knows how to play the midfield role. Smh… but still COYG!

Chidi

I might just play ✊?✂️to decide whether to see today’s match…. With myself… ?

bdagooner

That bench sums up Arsenal at this juncture…

Hi-brid

It’s fair to say I’m pretty worried about this one. Could be merciless if they score early. I’m fearing an absolute hammering of 8-2 proportions (if we can get 2).

Anonymarse

Looks like we decided to attack them. Worth a shot.

Lanre

Lot of empty seats @ the emirates

Canuck Gunner

Not televising the game here on the west coast of Canada, but they are replaying the last game of the Invincibles season. I’m sure that’s way better to watch. Ahh, the good ol’ days.

Canuck Gunner

Viera just made it 2-1 for the Gunners. What a pass from Bergkamp (as usual). And in current time, it’s 3-0 City. I obviously made the right choice to watch this replay.

Canuck Gunner

Game over! Arsenal 2 : Leicester 1. After being down 1-0 at half time. Pk by Henry and winner by Viera. The Invincibles reign!.
Now unfortunately need to get back to reality (and work).

He’s got no hair but we don’t care...

I have never said this before about my beloved Arsenal but I hope we get tanked by at least 5 or 6 if that results in Wenger leaving the club tonight.

Ealing

It’ll be like shitting bricks

Ricardo

Man… the pain we endure now…

Anonymarse

I thought we turned up tonight. Unfortunately so did they.

Couldn’t do much about those goals

Pete

Lol, no of course not. No pressure on the ball, no one from midfield tracking back, no organisation. On the ball, Arsenal are misplacing easy passes all over the place. The players look lost and don’t give a shit anyway.

Voldermort

difference is apart from pure class is when we broke they took one for the team and took our man down and earned a booking, we just don’t have the brains to do that and let them run rings around us.
Saturday they were average and still turned us over tonight they are brilliant. sad sad days

Dusko

Brains?? With two sqiptars from Kosovo (Xhaka and Mustafi) and a Bosnian (Kolasinac) ?? You are not probably from former Yugoslavia 🙂

Nketibag

There’s no such thing as couldn’t do much. Again Kolasinac doesn’t show bernard onto his right. Xhaka just lets silva run off the back of him.. Then we lose a ball in midfield and theres nobody between there and the centre backs.
Unavoidable?? wake the fuck up!

Billy Bob

3 goals down inside the first 45 minutes!!! I can see this being a hammering of epic proportions!!!!

Hi-brid

I’m not sure whether it’s better or worse than Sunday that we’re playing with some heart today and still getting thrashed.

gooner of Oz

Well that escalated quickly

Anonymarse

They are too good for us.

To be honest i don’t understand everybody booing, that isn’t going to help. Support your team ffs.

gooner of Oz

Which team? theres only one from where im standing

Pete

Maybe the boos were for Wenger?? Duh!

Voldermort

Maybe its a case of you have to be there, paying ridicules money for a ticket, freezing your bollox off, having the nightmare of getting home and then up for work in the morning only to be ripped by every other football fan at your place of work only to do the same thing again and again and again.

Chippys chip

Season after season after season…

Espen

The midfield protection is sorely missing.

Billy Bob

Oh dear all three of those goals is embarrassing, as for the missed penalty!!!

Goontang

What a joke. Out of the top four race at the end of February.

Petits Handbag

Its March…..but your point still very much stands

Chippys chip

At the current rate of decline we will be struggling to stay out of relegation zone in 3 or 4 seasons.

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