Arsene Wenger has confirmed that both Mesut Ozil and Danny Welbeck will be part of Arsenal’s attack against Ostersund.
The Gunners will be looking to put the fixture to bed in Sweden this week,, but will have to do so with some key players missing.
Alexandre Lacazette has been ruled out for the next four to five weeks, while Laurent Koscielny, Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey have all had to be left out of the squad, and with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang cup-tied due to a somewhat controversial ruling, we are left short of options.
This has left the Gunners boss to make a decision on who will be fielded in the starting XI, and Mesut Ozil finally looks set to make his debut in the Europa League, with the manager confirming him as one of his starting line-up.
Arsene said: “Yes, he will start. We want to do well in the competition.
“When you go in a competition it is to try to win it, no matter where we are in the league. The pressure might be higher but we try to go as far as we can. We go into direct knockout, so of course the risk is higher.
“We are ambitious in the competition, so yes we are more experienced than we were before.”
Eddie Nketiah and Danny Welbeck look to be his only options for centre forward, and the latter appears to have gotten the nod.
Wenger added: “Up front is where I prefer him personally. He has an opportunity to do well.
“From what I have seen [at training] today, he is sharper than for a long time.”
Is Welbeck better as a striker or out wide? Should Wenger have let Nketiah start instead?
Pat J
Having Danny Welbeck still in this club shows how truly bang average we are.
You can’t have a world class player as 3rd striker. Welbeck is behind Aubameyang and Lacazette in the pecking order. Giroud left because he didnt want to be third. All top teams have average players on their squad. Also, we can’t afford to fill our bench with world class or even just high quality players either.
agree you can’t have a WC as a third striker but you could always have a young striker with hunger and potential knocking on the door, welbeck is definetly average but lets hope he’s been working on his finshing. also if he was sold in the summer i wouldn’t lose any sleep, but he’s wearinng the shirt so all the best in sweden!!
after spuds unlikely comeback and liverpool and man city utterly destroy teams in the last 16
we got minus 28 degree weather against ikea meatball fc on a thursday
truly eating humble pie
but be honest do we belong in the champions league?
i for one am glad the premier league is now being feared by europe
an not taking the piss anymore
heres hoping we do most of the work in the first game away
Doesnt matter. Will still play 1 million side ways passes around the box and invite pressure. Welbeck is tall strong and fast. All 3 of our strikers are pace strikers who will thrive on fast through balls. Its also what walcott needed. If the opposition is smart they will counter attack us and force errors. However I do think we will beat them. I hope we give chambers and holding a run
We probably will get through but not holding any hope of a comfortable victory tomorrow we’ll probably need the home game next week to wrap things up, we just aren’t clinical up front and we don’t have a defence we look like conceding from every attack.. I’m actually worried about the Swedish bricklayers we’ve taken enough humiliations in Europe and domestically surely we can’t stoop even lower ? Hopefully the sideways and backwards passing pays off tomorrow night and if we get a chance or two maybe they will surprise us and SHOOT! Got a feeling Mr Wenger will go with El nino I mean Elneny and the Swiss Xabi Alonso in the middle of the park we can’t afford to live dangerously against the might of Ostersunds! If we don’t get the away win tomorrow I’m in favour of the Gunnersaurus taking over until the end of the season ?
O dear how the mighty have fallen. What ever side you stand on, Wenger in or out. It will not be long until his time is over. The man seems to have no dignity. He lost his magic a long time ago. I remember the days of ‘Arsene Wenger’s magic he wears a magic, when he saw the FA cup he said I’m aving that’
He is so frustrating but I can admit I think the man is a genius and we will never see a manager like him ever again. Time to accept the curtain is closing Mr Wenger. Take a bow
That magic hat disappeared along with David Dein unfortunately and Wenger’s obsession with ticky tacky football using players the size of hobbits in one of the most physical leagues in the world. It was destined to fail ?
Spot on, John Wick re Dein “the power” behind the throne and Wenger’s attempt to be Barcelona “light”.
?
guys what happened to kolasinac? why no reiss nelson? these 2 got more cahones than whole team combine,,,
Good question, kronologik. Arsenal cannot afford to be over confident on a freezing night in Ostersund.
Why the fuck would eddie nketiah start ?. Does this guy have a clue ?.
Might surprise us, if he steps up and bring his goal scoring in the under 21’s to the first team.
@john wick,
“Wenger’s obsession with ticky tacky football using players the size of hobbits in one of the most physical leagues in the world. It was destined to fail ”
Really? Please how tall are Bernado Silva, David Silva, Aguero, Sterling, Sane and Gabriel jesus? Yet they have excelled in tippy tappy football in the EPL!
Look for another stick to beat Wenger with, I have no doubt you’d find one easily.
@Abel….spot on
Wenger will line up something like this:
……….Ospina
Bell..Must..Cham..Monr
…….Amn…Xhaka
Nelson…Ozil…..Mhki
………Welbeck
But i think he would play Elneny instead of AMN