It’s Unai Emery’s first North London derby as Arsenal boss, and he knows a win today would put his side ahead of the old enemy.
This is the team he’s picked to do the job today.
Arsenal: Leno, Bellerin, Mustafi, Sokratis, Holding, Kolasinac, Xhaka, Torreira, Iwobi, Mkhitaryan, Aubameyang
Subs: Cech, Lichtsteiner, Maitland-Niles, Guendouzi, Elneny, Ramsey, Lacazette
Sp*rs: Lloris, Aurier, Vertonghen, Foyth, Davies; Dier, Sissoko; Eriksen, Alli, Son; Kane.
Subs: 7 other twats
Let’s find another Ozil excuse today. There’s more to this than meets the eye
4 weeks not playing as he is not playing for Germany any more. It’s an injury or something big is happening with him.
Why does it seem like some fans are hellbent on making up excuses on Ozil’s behalf. Common sense tells you we knew what was up with Cazorla, Diaby, RvP, etc., and we could easily explain their respective absences. This, ostensibly, is all shrouded in some kind of mystery, and when that’s the case you better believe someone’s causing problems behind the scenes
https://gph.is/2f3XxVF
The classic ‘back spasm’
No Ozil again! Hope the lads are up for it! COYG
Where the hell is Ozil?
According to BBC: “Mesut Ozil is missing after suffering a back spasm in training appaerently”.
Interesting that they added the word “appaerently” on there…
I am beginning to suspect Mesut is nicking a living after all.
I’m no professional footballer but I suffer from sciatica which I think Mesut may have going by the injury. It’s not nice. But….for a North London Derby I would play. Its a harsh reminder toe that we the fans love the club more than the players.
The whole not playing Ozil thing is getting silly now. We need our star player!! He’s been great in so many games this season and I think we really needed him today.
“So many…”? I’ll have what you’re having
We signed him up for his billions of social media followers. So his Job now is probably to bring his media crew and mobile phone around wherever he goes.
So the fact that he was the most creative player in the Premier League in the first 5 years he was with us was not the real reason
With corners and free kick? Just asking
but first he needs to follow what emery is telling him to do. he is doing something seriously wrong if he is not even in the squad, whether it’d be not following clear instructions or refusal to adapt to the way the team plays. ozil clearly needs to ditch this act and start playing for the team. i am so glad somebody is finally doing this, as opposed to wenger to keppt induging him for years which resulted in arsenal loosing there competitiveness
Struggling to remember a time Mhiki contributed more than Özil. This is fucking stupid, not even on the bench
they are as bad as one and other
I’m with you there Mhiki has done absolutely zip to be in the side, let us just prey that we are both eating humble pie at the end of the day.
I’d speculate a falling out with Ozil based on the fact he’s unlikely to make it off the bench in this formation.
I’m fully expecting a back injury to be the official news though
I hope this is because Ozil is injured
Before arsenal fans go on conspiracy mode, it’s worth noting that Ozil and back injuries is something we saw under Wenger too
Only on specific occasions that coincidentally were away matches against physical teams
Or before the World Cup, which prevent him for training the days before the first game. He may have a real problem you know, like Koscielny with his Achilles, you know, before he consequently ruptured it. I know they are well-paid professional, but hey, they are human too. Money do not ease the pain.
Ozil? Injured? Laca from the bench to slot the winner! COYG
You called it!!!!
aged well
Kudos!
Alright can you tell me what’s going to happen against manure on Wednesday? Not that I’m thinking of placing a bet or anything….
Not good for Ozil. Something going on behind the scenes. But 3 points will justify it! Coyg!
Balls of Steel selection for his first NLD!
Slightly Worried about Mkhi and no Özil – trust Emery though.
Go Gunners!
i really hope this works out. with three at the back we defend better in the box but we are ceding possession at key areas like midfield and wings. if they get there way they will be sending crosses all day long for kane and alli
WOW…something is clearly going on behind the scenes.Bench is one thing,out of the squad for one of the biggest match of the season is something else altogether.looks like Emery opting for Mkhi’s workrate.Anyway,let’s trust the coach for now and back the team! #COYG
He’s clearly had enough of these prima donnas from his PSG days. He won’t allow a repeat…
When did Özil behave like a prima dona?
Looks like Kolasinac is going to be playing inside left forward again!
Same set up as last week, need to be a better performance this time.
Agreed. Spurs aren’t going to be scared looking at this line up on paper. And sticking more centre backs in doesn’t make us more defensively solid as we discovered last week
I’ve been called stupid, I’ve been told I don’t understand football, but I’ll say it again “Ozil will be moved on at the earliest opportunity” He hasn’t looked hungry since the ink has dried on his new contract, he’s certainly not worthy of a starting spot based on his form since last February, he’s the definition of a player who’s just cruising. He should look at moving to the states, he can go somewhere warm, he won’t need to put in much effort, as technically he’ll be a cut above, and he won’t need to take a cut in wages.… Read more »
If you question his physicality and work rate, the MLS is no place for Ozil. That said I’d more than gladly take him at my club!
That lack of creativity in the center is worrisome. We’ll be playing up from the right wing, then when they threaten to close us down, we will pass it back, through the the CBs and then down the left wing and so on…
It’s not about injuries and types of players in the squad, I just hate this formation.
Why is Mkhi playing? On merit? On form? For Fks sake why is everyone so fixated on Ozil and not worried that Mkhi is playing again????????
Ozil being left out has prevented talk about mkhi, no idea how he’s still playing
I hope Ozil is injured or we got an offer for a January move for him. This is a player who has performed in many big games at home. We are really unstoppable at home when the team clicks and gets into gear. He has a great record of having beaten every top 6 side convincingly since he has been here. Utd have gotten 3-0, Chelsea 3-0, City 2-1, Pool 4-1 and Shit we beat in ever game in his first season. Physically he has played in England for 5 years now, tactically Unai must find him a spot or… Read more »
COYG
It’s the 3 points today that’s important, not who didn’t get to play (that’s for individual players to worry about more than us).
A win today will take us into top 4 and the next match will be a good opportunity to consolidate it.
If Emery really doesn’t like Ozil or doesn’t think he fits, which has to be true unless he’s injured, is there anyone who is going to offer him these kind of wages? I just don’t see where we go from here.
China… Apparently!
Hmmm…line-up feels underwhelming. Common lads!
I must confess Emery has got balls of steel in the queer case of Mesut. Baffling, but what do I know.
It’s a bit weird that there was no mention of it yesterday evening in the team news on the official site.
Don’t know what to think of this reacurring issue..
Since wild eyed speculation is the order of the day, I’m going to guess there is a bigger underlying injury or health condition he and the club are not at liberty to discuss.
On a side note, Chambers is playing pretty nicely against Chelsea. I am a bit concerned that Ranieri seems to prefer playing him as a centre mid though.
Emery tried it too, if that’s where he ends up then so be it
How is Mhki continuing to start….Ozil has had some mysterious back injury for over 18 months
gutted Ozil, Nacho and Lacazette not playing(from the start) in one of the most important games of the season. But also Lacazette can give the game a whole new spin when he will come in, it wouldnt be like that for example if laca starts and henrik is on the bench. Still confident. Spurs had a tough game midweek while most of our players were rested. Hope this Ozil story(if its a story)doesn’t affect the 11 on the pitch. COYG!!!
Back’s problems can be very handicaping and not easy to cure. If a disc “slides”, it can be impossible to operate.
But well, why trying to understand the human body when we all know Özil is a diva, Emeri is right, the Mail knows better and so on.
No Ozil….should have been in the eleven
If we sell.hum.whom are we gonna replace his skillset with???…damn
I’d give Rambo the big contract. He was first in there sorting out those scum fuckers after Dier goal.
Why has spurs formation been defined by semi colon but not arsenal’s.
Arsene squirms in his pundit chair as I tap, poor show blogs lol.
Wow…some of you guys are so negative! You’ve been beaten before a ball has been kicked. Glad the players don’t share that outlook. We can beat that sorry homeless lot with ease!
Laca should have started.
I’d say he’s still recovering from injury, we’ll see him later
muscle in the middle, gonna be shots from outside box. iwobi must play out of his skin.
Ozil never turns up to the big games
Can’t believe Mkh is starting. Also, iwobi, really? A sub player at the moment, should develop further that way. Ozil is obviously not injured, this is some powerplay from Emery, which, although justified surely, we are not using our best player in such important matches. This doesn’t look good. Writing this at 1-2, obviously a bad gameplan by Emery at the moment.
This over reliance on average players like Iwobi, Bellerin and our back three will cost us. If Ozil isn’t injured, he’s better any day than Iwobi who will like to dribble anytime he has the ball other than finding a pass like Ozil would.
Bellerin average?!!!
So you got that wrong
Best NLD in quite some time. Don’t you just love a striker with an eye for goals…
What a game!!!!