How will Arsenal line-up without Alexis Sanchez?

After the international break, Arsenal have a seemingly “easier” run of fixtures, but I am seriously hoping that we have Hector Bellerin and Oxlade-Chamberlain back in the squad as well as we were looking very thin before the break. The game against West Brom is coming up at the weekend, and with Alexis Sanchez certain to be lining up for Chile against Uruguay very late tomorrow night I am pretty sure he will be too exhausted to face West Brom, and truthfully he needs a longer rest than that if we want him to recharge his batteries for the second half of or season.

So let me speculate on how we could line up without him. Assuming that we get no new injuries this week (and Koscielny doesn’t suffer a relapse with France), we should have our strongest defensive line-up in place once Bellerin is restored to the line-up. (Debuchy won’t be happy).

As Wenger experimented with Gibbs on the left wing with such spectacular result against Tottenham, I think Le Prof will stick with him for the moment… we don’t really have much choice to be honest. As for the right slot I’m not sure if Wenger will give Joel Campbell another chance to improve his match sharpness. I would say he hasn’t been too impressive for me, but neither was The Ox before his injury either. Cazorla obviously got over his dizzy spell as he scored for Spain against England, and I expect him to stay in the starting XI.

Here is my selection…

Giroud

Gibbs Ozil Oxlade

Coquelin Cazorla

Monreal Koscielny Mertesacker Bellerin

Cech

Anyone disagree with that?

Tags Bellerin Campbell Gibbs

23 Comments

  1. It would be a slap in the face of Campbell of Wenger prefers playing a full back in place of him. He is a left footed player and i am sure he can do a job at LM if Ox goes on the right. So my prediction is:

    Cech
    Bellerin – Mertesaker – Koscielny – Monreal
    Cazorla – Coquelin
    Ox – Ozil – Campbell
    Giroud

    Subs: Macey, Debuchy, Gabriel, Chambers, Gibbs, Arteta, Flamini

    1. Look at that bench – 2 defensive midfielders and 4 defenders. Absolute madness. I’m not slamming you, this is how it looks right now with our injuries!

  2. Alexis should be rested. His RPM is in the red line. I don’t think Ox can be fit to play. I see an improvement of Debuchy from Spuds match. So, I wonder if Arsene push Bellerin to the right winger. The kid is even better than Gibbs. The line up I prefer will be like this :

    Giroud

    Gibbs Ozil Bellerin

    Coquelin Santi

    Monreal Gabriel Koscielny Debuchy

    Cech

    1. While this may work very good it is a very risky approach for both Bellerin and Gibbs. They are taking the full back position in the squad. In today’s game a player able to play multiple positions is worth gold. But I wonder if switching their positions game after game will have an impact for exactly the position they hold in the team actually. It also giving the message : i have no one better on that position so you will have to move from your current place to that one.
      It is a risk but probably Wenger knows best what to do.

  3. Sanchez needs rest but its not necessary that Wenger will rest him given the lack of attacking players atm. Wenger will probably prefer Campbell over Gibbs simply becos it’s in his nature to give players continuous chances to shine! Gibbs will not start but will b used later in the match. Much of the attacking lineup depends on how many players return from injury, until then everything is just an imagination.

  4. I dont see AW starting Gibbs at LW ahead of Campbell – maybe as a sub but not from the start…Alexis needs a rest – but he should be in the bench atleast. Its not like we have alot of good attacking options on the bench with our injuries..

  5. I really hope our injured players return quicker than usual.

    Id love for wenger to try a front three of walcot ox and sanchez like just for three matches…
    Yes I know , we’d miss ramsey, but in the lesser type games ya know….it would be a deadly option..

    lets pray for the world, it really has barbaric vile people, to take away innocent lives……

    Ya’ll watch the charity match, beckams still got that swivel on his toe and ronaldiho still embarresing people…

    Arsenal pleeaaseee return…..its been to long

  6. Guys sanchez problem is not about being tired his main.problem is giroud!!
    I know lots of you will disagree withe me so you need to be good memory and remember all the time that alexis activated the beast mode giroud wasn’t on the pitch
    The first galf of last seanso when giroud was having an injury and this season when walcott was playing l
    Admin please make an article about how many goals alexis scores in presence of giroud on the pitch

    1. As much as i wanted to prove you wrong (cos i hate dissing our own players) but You could have surprisingly picked up on a fact – PL only: Sanchez has scored in the 3 games that Giroud hasn’t started and came on as a sub..

      1. It’s because Sanchez plays best when the team relies on him, he thrives on being the main man in attack, it was the same in Barca. But when he plays to accommodate the striker his goal threat reduces, it doesn’t mean he’s any less of a player it just means he’s a team player and let’s the striker get the goals.

    1. Personally I would like to see Ox with Coquelin since Wenger stated he has a future in midfield and he’s impressed there before

      Giroud
      Cazorla.Ozil.Campbell
      Ox.Coquelin
      Monreal.Kosc.Mert.Bellerin
      Cech

      1. Definelty a no for Ox with Coquelin, he looses ball to easy that puts pressure on Coquelin. I think Arteta for start has good distribution and experience Gibbs left Campbell right at least we will know if the players can perform when squad is week. Later bring on Sanches Gazola leave third sub for any injuries or tiredness CB

  7. We all know that Campbell is not that fast or pacy he failed to connect with a alexis ball when he should have passed it in the danger zone instead trying to control it against Spurs and secondly his pressing was inevident which gave Kane to score. Gibbs is not good in defending but is a good attacker and his legs can be useful with Alex, so therefore I agree with the man. Arsene could have played Sanchez on the right with Gibbs on the left from the start which was Arsenal’s problem.

  8. @dragunov762, I concur. The Boss should continue to be flexible with his starts as Occasions demanded and not to be rigid with his starts. This starting flexibility will confuse the opponents as they can’t plot any game plan to successful counter move against Arsenal as our starting XI and Subs keep varying from game to game as the Boss tries to build up a steady starting XI. Yes, all things being equal, why will these Gunners starters not start against the Baggies starters this Saturday?: Cech; DebuchyDeAbreuKoscielnyMonreal; CazorlaCoquellan; BellerinOzilGibbs; Giroud. Bench: Ospina; ChambersRhino’FlaminiArtetaCampbellAdelaide. But the big question is, wouldn the Boss agree to take this gamble of starting his 2 full backs as wingers for the WBA game? Yes, why shouldn’t the Boss agree? The gamble will payoff for Arsenal handsomely.

  9. after seeing the proposed lineups in the the comments and in the article, let me say that i am happy none of you manage arsenal football club.

  10. I reckon we will see Flamini / Arteta in the starting line up,
    I doubt that wenger will risk Bellerin or The Ox,
    Rushing them back could be fatal.

    Cech
    Debuchy, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal
    Coquelin, Flamini
    Campbell, Ozil, Cazorla
    Giroud

    1. Ooooops!
      Just remembered that Campbell will be the last one back from international duties!
      So he may not start either!

  11. guys AW may rest Alexis but he will definitely sit on the bench
    having Ox Ozil and Campbell in the team a bit risky in an away game as non of them defend properly
    so probably Admin’s team is the best or replace Ox with Campbell if OX is not fully fit
    the team is much better than the one met Spurs so a comfortable win?

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