Arsenal vs Monaco Preview, Line up and predicted score by KJ
We were all excited when we drew Monaco in the CL and we’ve improved our form drastically since that – meaning we are in the perfect situation to face one of France’s best teams and yet it will still be a difficult game.
Monaco are known as the “boring team” in Ligue 1. They have scored very few goals and opt for defending with their lives and scoring on the break. It is working for them and it can frustrate the best of teams but this tactic means that getting an early goal completely destroys their game plan. They aren’t used to chasing games and we could punish them massively if we are able to get that early goal.
We are fortunate the Mesut is in great form as he’ll be the key to this match. His forte is opening up teams with his phenomenal passing range and he’ll do that against Monaco as they sit back. I also think that our ability to counter attack is going to hurt the Ligue 1 side as they try and get something to take back to France with them.
Predicted Line up:
Ospina
Bellerin – Mertesacker – Koscielny – Monreal
Coquelin – Cazorla
Walcott – Özil – Alexis
Giroud
I expect Ospina to keep his place as he hasn’t done anything massively wrong but I’d like to see Szczesny back.
I expect Bellerin to start as he’ll add a lot of width in comparison to Chambers and that will be vital at stretching Monaco.
Walcott to start over Welbeck for me as he’ll occupy positions in between their centre back and full back which can damage them if the right pass comes in.
Alexis to play on the left which isn’t his best position but he is good enough to affect the game positively from most attacking positions.
I expect us to get an early goal and comfortably win 2 – 0. It’s paramount that we don’t concede.
Kash
ospina bellerin metresacker koscienly monreal coquelin rosicky carzola ozil alexis giroud COYG 4 VS 0 AS* MONACO
u’d Love 2 see szcesny back as 1st choice?…it seems to be a thing of succession … Szcesny replaces fabianski (Fabianski becomes back-up) now ospina replaces Szcesny (szcesny becomes back-up) …Bingo!
They will be tough to break down, they conceded just 1 goal in the group fixtures….however I think we have too much for them going forward….a nice earl goal will do ua good because it will force them to come out and play….I cannot stress how important a clean sheet will be for us tonight, its almost as good as a goal because I certainly back us to score away from home, a clean sheet at home and an away goal or 2 should see us through…….Arsenal 3 – Monaco 0 tonight
i hate it when fans Look at the opponent team/injury list and just predict stuffs like (ArsenaL FC) 5 : 0 (opposing team) …..we all know…. HaLf the whole Time, the scores don’t usually end that way….now, they’ll slate me 4 bashing their said optimism
4-0 for Arsenal, sanchez hattrick, i had a vision !!!
They will bash me more. When Coq came into the picture we were playing good football again. I know Ozil looks better, but I feel as a team we haven’t been as good with him back. He’s quality. Love him. Hope he scores, but I’m less optimistic. I think maybe a draw today
Sanchez play best from LW in my opinion opposite to what you think, I will go with same XI and same score. If we win 2-0 at emirates I think it will force them to come out when we go to monaco, which can only give us more chance to win there too. #COYG
Szczesny don’t deserve to be back to XI, as Oooospina is a better and more matured keeper, doing what he needs to do. I wonder why he want szczesny back, just because he is szczesny oh what?????
Monreal and mertesacker are the only weaklinks in the team. I would much rather see chambers and gibbs but apart from that the team looks very decent
yoYo my fellow gOoOners.
Tonight is a pretty crucial game, im pretty much confident we’ll turn them over.
Im particularly interested the battle between coq and konogbia(whatever his name is) th ought to be interested. Welbeck been playing well, but he needs to add goals ASAP, Mr Kane is overtaking. He should shoot and use his pace an be direct. Sanchez I believe will get that explosive form.
Am I the onllllly one that thinks Walcot is one of our most crucial players?, his actually my 2nd or rd favourite player, he either scores or assist, he just needs to work harder.
Anyway cant wait for tonights game.
COYG!!!!!
Oh I forgt to mention
OXY is back, can you imagine (sanches,walcot,ox and welbeck) in the same lineup? that is devastating, Ozil will prob have a field day,
AnywhoooOooOOoO COYGs
After Monaco we get 12 man Barca we should start training with 10 men
Wellbeck was at the press conference, that and his current form suggest he will start.
So what exactly you think is Sanchez best position…….cos like Muda, I also think the he plays best from the Left wing.
I think as much as a clean sheet is imp, we have to win the game…cos if we fail to score at home to a defensive minded team, imagine how difficult it’ll be to score in the away leg.
I think we need an early goal to upset their style, cos I see them being happy with a 0-0 scoreline.
For fluidity on d left wing n a little solidity @ right back i’ll go for Gibbs and Gabriel. Ivanovic is working well @ right back for Chelsea. I think Gabriel will. This is a critical stage, our defence needs to be Astute to progress.
4-2-3-1
13. DAVID OSPINA (GK)
5. GABRIEL (RB)
3. KIERAN GIBBS (LB)
4. PER MERTESACKER (CB)
6. LAURENT KOSCIELNY (CB)
34. FRANCIS COQUELIN (DM)
19. SANTIAGO CAZORLA (CM)
14. THEO WALCOTT (RW)
11. MESUT OZIL (AM)
17. ALEXIS SANCHEZ (LW)
12. OLIVIER GIROUD (ST)
3-0 to the gunners.
Szczesny don’t deserve to be in the XI, Ospina is still better off and more skilled. I will prefer Gibbs ahead monreal and an early goal will be ok for us.
Ospina
Bellerin – Mertesacker – Koscielny – Gibbs
Coquelin – Cazorla
Walcott – Özil – Alexis
Giroud
Ars. 3 – Mon. 1
Sub. Ox, Welbeck, Gabriel, Roscisky.
Well, the key to this game is not only scoring the first goal, but a second one as well. I bet Monaco would take a 1-0 loss as well as a draw, so if we get the first goal early, expect Monaco to still sit back. Don’t know if this is true, but it may be so. We must be cautious, cause even if they don’t score much, they know as a fact tonight they must be clinical.
I really hope we get these 2 goals early on, 1-0 wouldn’t be a good result for us. Hope we win 3-0, really hope so, not saying that will be the result but if we do things well, it should.
COYG!
We will win 🙁
I think we’ll roll them over and win comfortably at 4-1….hopefully!
2-0 first half and Monaco will be defending in the second half. In the return leg, they will try to overturn but they can’t score 3 and it will end 1-1. Arsenal through on 3-1. Then anyhow we’ll get through the next round and find ourselves in the semi final where the team will take us for granted and will pay for it. Don’t underate Giroud now. He is no longer a lamp post.
Some rotation will be in order. Walcott for Welbeck and Gibbs for Monreal.
Hello fellow Gunners.
My line-up would be the same as KJ’s only with Gibbs starting at LB.
2-0 final score.
Alexis and Giroud goals. COYG!
I don’t understand why Monreal Is rated so higher than Gibbs now. Monreal just played a match a few days ago and it wouldn’t be much of a downgrade if we started Gibbs instead.