My best Arsenal starting XI (without Alexis!) What is yours?

WENGER’S BEST SQUAD SET UP FOR 2017/18? by

As we close in toward the new season, there are a few things that are clear to us. We are buying to build a new squad where our play will be based on three back players rather than four. We are buying the best possible players to fill up the roles in our new system. We know that Arsene Wenger is in hot pursuit of one Thomas Lemar to fill up some important role in the squad. Wenger has the knack of shifting players around and squeeze some talent they never really thought they had in their new placed positions. I suggest it should not be any different even now.

What we may not have known which I want Arsenal fans to start realizing is this – Alexander Lacazette was NOT brought in as a replacement for Alexis Sanchez. If he was, we would not be giving Alexis a whopping 300,000 pound a week offer for him to stay and we would not be trying to force him to stay and see out his contract.

Lamar may not be coming to play in the wings as we seem to be suggesting. Lemar was really NOT the afterthought after Leicester placed a huge price tag on Mahrez. I think Wenger wanted both to play in the new star studded Arsenal first XI.
So after trying to assess what could be in the mind of one of the most tactful coaches today, Arsene Wenger and my own imaginations I have come to the conclusion that watching the objects moving into place, this is what we should end up with as the first XI.

———————-Lacazette——————-
—————Ozil————–Ramsey———-
Kolasinac—–Xhaka—–Lemar—–Walcott
———-Holding-Kosienly-Mustafi———-
————————-Cech———————–

Lacazette at centre forward is a huge upgrade from the Giroud molding we have had to work with in the past few years. He will score lots of goals if we give him the best service. With Alexis and Ozil behind him, Lacazette could blossom into Europe’s hottest scorers. And that would be Wenger plan A. But as things stand, Alexis does not seem to be sold to the idea of staying for an exciting season, without Champions League. That is why Ramsey is his REPLACEMENT in my mind.

Ramsey – We all know what he is capable of closer to the goal mouth and with freedom to operate. He did it well with Wales and looked every inch the super Rambo we know him to be during the Euros. In Arsenal molding, Ramsey would do an Ozil successfully enough when Ozil is not there. Well, in my imaginations – Ozil and Ramsey can do two Ozils and two Ramseys…and behind Lacazette… Mouth Watering! If any of them goes missing in action – Iwobi is waiting in the sidelines.

Lemar – is the new Santi Cazorla in my mind. We all saw when Santi walked into Arsenal and the struggles we had to try and get him to his best position. He was a left winger, a right winger an Ozil as well. When Ozil came Wenger struggled to find the space for the two and settled for a more withdrawn role for Cazorla, which proved a masterstroke. Well Lemar is of this school of play too. He can virtually play in any spot across the midfield. He has some of the Cazorla standout capabilities too but of course Cazorla is Cazorla! But Lemar can play the role very successfully and build his own stature from there. He has the passing range, the shot from range, the eye for an odd goal, the intelligence to start off attacks from deep inside, the capacity to battle for the ball from impossible tight spots. He would lionize Xhaka and Arsenal from the Cazorla spot.

Walcott – he is a cat of nine plus lives. He has managed to remain relevant to Arsenal first team even when people ruled he was dead and gone. Right now people are saying he has no spot. What if the guy playing best from their right now leaves to go and spoil his career at Liverpool? Oxlade Chamberlain is perhaps the biggest beneficiary of Arsene’s change of tactics at the tail end of last season, he has just excelled as wing-back for about just three months – and now he thinks he should trade that for a hand and foot. Well Walcott, if he concentrates, may just pick up the spot and do what Walcott does best – make lemonade out of lemons provided. After all he has been a master right winger and even if he dribbles poorly, he can beat players with quick vision and flash pace. He is a bit more experienced now and more mature in his approach to the game and he may just turn out to be the right wing keeper.

Kolasinac – the left wing has been looking like the weak link in the new set-up. Nacho Monreal is not growing younger and we have experiences with older players. Gibbs just does not seem to be able to light up the confidence. Kolasinac should have it easy to turn this position into his own and he has the skills to do so.

I think I do not have to belabour analysis of the rest of the players who will be playing at places we know they have excelled already.

This squad has potentials. For instance, if Lacazette does 25 goals, Ramsey 15 goals, Ozil does 10 and the rest of the squad does 40…we will be at 90 goals. We never really gotten into scoring 90 goals in the EPL so this squad could just achieve things we have been dreaming about.

Can you pick a better line-up?

Nicholas Oyoo

49 Comments

    1. BREAKING!! ??
      PSG in London for talks.
      Le Parisien claim Sanchez has been targeted as manager Unai Emery seeks a strike partner for Edinson Cavani.
      They claim he could go for as little as £35.5m (€40m) – a snip in the current market but a fee that reflects his contract status.

    2. Did you read the headline or just keyboard happy?
      “My best Arsenal starting XI (without Alexis!) What is yours?”
      Anyway Walcott at right wing back is beyond joke of the century.
      Rambo-Xhaka works so don’t break it up. Lemar for Walcott perhaps… His finishing in pre-season has been woeful and his last goal came before the switch to 3 at the back?
      Cech
      Mustafi-Koscielny-Monreal
      Bellerin-Xhaka-Ramsey-Kolasinac
      Lemar-Ozil
      Lacazette

      1. I must admit that It flew straight over my No neck ? ? my keyboard is melting from the Hot weather, I got to get my happiness in before my thumbs burn, speed glimpse reading sucks, hey?

        Anyways, Big up to Cech, who gave the youngsters a ticking off for their over excited celebration during the presentation of the ICC trophy. Petr Cech refused to lift the cup into the air and was clearly heard telling his young teammates ? “This is not the trophy we lift, guys, “Let’s lift the big one at the end of the season. Not this one!”

      2. I can guarantee that Ramsey will be injured at some point or lose form and Xhaka might serve a suspension so having ELNENY and COQUELIN as our back ups is laughable. We need someone like Goretzka with vision and ability defend as well.

      1. Calm down Lemming ?? your acting as if I just ran somebody over and drove straight off! .. Jeez ?

  1. That line-up is a bit all over the place! Lemar in central midfield? Walcott as a wing-back, and ahead of Bellerin (who is a natural wing-back)?

    I would definitely stick with the 3-4-3 formation, and we’re not far off having a quality starting XI:

    Cech
    Mustafi, Koscielny, Holding,
    Bellerin, Xhaka, ?, Kolasinac,
    ?, Lacazette, ?

    Sanchez should go if he wants out, and I think Lemar is a decent replacement. We badly need to replace Santi, and Ramsey is not the answer. If we’re going to pay nearly 300k p/w for a player then I’d prefer it on someone who performs in the big games, Ozil goes missing too often in those types of high pressured games. I would say get another CB as well, but I want to see Holding given a chance, and like Xhaka, I’d give Mustafi at least one more season to see what he can do.

    1. That a double anchored attacking Midfield position. It’s what sanchez has been playing on lately and offers freedom to hide through the wings one in a while…Sanchez enjoyed the freedom…

  2. ………………. Cech……………………
    ……. mutsafi…. kos… monreal………
    Bellerin…..Coq…..xaka…………kol……
    ………………ram……….ozil…………….
    ………………..lacazette…………….l

    1. Im ok with That lineup if we sell alexis and font get any other player…besides, i think that escenario and that lineup is worss than what we hed last season

    2. …………………………………….cech…………………………..
      bellerin………….mustafi…………………..kos…………………….nacho
      ……………………………..ramsey………..xhaka……………………………
      ……………………………………….ozil…………………………………………
      ………blank…………………………………………………………………iwobi
      ……………………………………..lacazette……………………………………

  3. Martinez (gk) / koulibaly, mustafi, kos (cb) / ramsey, xhaka (cm) / lemar (lwb) / bellerin (rwb) / ozil (cam) / lacazette , aubamayang (st) only 3 more signings ❤️

  4. Wenger ain’t letting Sanchez go. He hasn’t forgiven himself for Van P*ssy sale to Manure.

    Sanchez Lacazette
    Ozil
    kola. Bellerin
    Xhaka. Lemar
    Hold Kosc. Mustafi
    Cech

    1. 343 formation.
      …….. …… Lacazette…………………
      ……. Alexis……………………………..
      …………………Ozil……………………..
      ……….Lemar……Xhaka…………….
      Kolasanic………………Ox/Bellerin
      Koulibaly………Boss……..Mustafi
      ………………….Cech………………….
      4321 Formation
      ………. …. Lacazette……………….
      Alexis………………………..Mahrez
      …………………..Ozil………………….
      ……….Lemar……….Xhaka……….
      Kolasanic/Koulibaly-Mustafi/Boss/Bellerin.
      2 quality line ups with quality on the bench. Defensive cover, offensive cover and midfield cover.
      C.O.Y.G

    2. I literally have no idea how it took about 30 posts before somebody chose the clearly best line up

  5. Strange Lineup to say the least.

    Lacazette(Giroud)
    Lemar(Welbeck) Ozil(Walcott)
    Kolasinac(Monreal) Xhaka(Coquelin) Ramsey(Elneny) Bellerin(Ox)
    Kos(Gabriel) Mustafi(Mertesacker) Holding(Chambers)
    Cech(Ospina)

    Iwobi, Bielik, Cazorla, Youth Promotions (Nelson, Maitlin, Akpom, etc.)

    OUT: Wilshere, Gibbs, Jenkin Debuchy, Perez, Campbell, Sanchez

    I think Ramsey will come through this season with the change of formation. One of his best attributes is knowing when to get into the box in an attack.

  6. ………………… Cech
    Koscielny… Mustafi… Kolsanic
    Walcott..Ramsey..Xhaka..Welbeck
    ……………. Lemar… Ozil
    ………………. Lacazette

  7. Alexis will go to psg I’m predicting close to or just under 40m.
    All the were not letting Alexis go talk is just to try and call the bluff of any potential buyers and get as much as we can.
    Wouldn’t suprise me if Wenger rang Psg himself lol.
    I think he’d rather sell cheaper outside the league than to MU MC etc.

  8. Plausible 30man squad BUY
    Lacazette (Giroud)(Walcott) Lemar.Goretska, Van Dijl
    Lemar (Welbeck)(Iwobi) +- 130million
    Ozil (Adelaide)(Nelson)
    Xhaka (Coquelin)(Wilshire) SELL
    Goreska (Ramsey)(Carzola) Opsina,Debuchy,Chambers
    Kolasnic (Monreal)(Maitland-Niles) Perez,Gibbs,Jenkinson
    Bellerin (Ox) Elneny,Sanchez
    Kos (Holding)(Bielik) +- 130million
    Mustafi (Gabriel)
    Van Dijk (Mertesacker)
    Cech (Martinez)(Macey)

  9. With current personnel:

    Iwobi——–Lacazette———Walcott

    Ozil

    Xhaka—————–Cazorlai

    Kolasinac Bellerin
    Holding——–Mustafi———-Koscielny

    Cech

    With potential transfers:
    Lemar——–Lacazette———Goretzka

    Ozil

    Xhaka—————–Barkley

    Kolasinac Bellerin
    Van Dijk——–Mustafi———-Koscielny

    Cech

  10. If psg want alexis and vice versa, then I would request a player or 2 in return. Aurier, rabiot, draxler, marquinhos, moura, verrati, krychowiak, matuidi,
    Di maria, cavani, pastore have all been linked to us in the past and would all be improvements on 1 player or another in the current squad.

  11. My best would be:

    _________Lacazatte_______
    ______Ozil_______Iwobi____
    Kolasinac___Xhaka__Ramsey___Chamberlin
    _____Mustafi___KOscienly____Holding
    ___________Cech_________

  12. I think your line up is very realistic other than Walcott. NO way is walcott playing there ahead of OX and Hector. No way!!

    But where I agree with you completely is Lemar in CM. Without a minimum of 3 very creative players in our team, we are not able to play the Arsenal way. Lemar is to resolve this. With Ozil and Lemar as super creativity players, add Ramsey and Xhaka to that and we should create chances.

    But again that is why Alexis is very important. because without him in the team we only have Lacazette to finish things off. Add Alexis and you have both a finisher and as of creativity.

    So this team

    Cech
    Mustafi Koscielny Monreal
    Bellerin Xhaka Lemar Kolisinac
    Ozil lacazette Alexis

    This is what I think Wenger is working towards. If Cazorla is available mid season then I can tell you for free we will have a team in our hands!

    1. I think you will be surprised about Lacazette for creating, he may not have had a load of assists but that was mainly down to Lyon, Lacazette has made some great key passes though.

      I would say Lemar is worth putting in the AM role due to his ability to score, as you said, we need people to score.

      Lemar got 14 goals last season and you want to put that in CM and in a position that will not get as many opportunities to score then moan about needing players to score…

      Confusing.

      1. Goals for Arsenal are more important. who scores them really does not matter much and Lemar can create goals for the likes of Ramsey, Lacazette and thise players rinning through the wings to score. he will also get in the end of things once in while, watch Santi Carzola break out season…he scored through link up with the offensive players…Lemar would do that too

  13. IF we include Lemar then my team would be in a 3421 is…

    Cech
    Mustafi/Kos/Holding
    Bellerin/Xhaka/Ramsey/Seo
    Lemar/Ozil
    Lacazette

    Plan B of 4231 for me is

    Cech
    Bellerin/Mustafi/Kos/Seo
    Xhaka/Ramsey
    Nelson/Ozil/Lemar
    Lacazette

    Yeah I know I put a kid in the Plan B team but Nelson deserves some consideration IMO, he might flop at the higher level BUT he has done enough so far in pre season to be considered a real contender for more than 1 or 2 games this upcoming season. Might turn into our own version of Lemar…

  14. Stop knocking Walcott. Show some respect to the longest serving player at our club. 100 goals in 10 years as a winger isn’t bad. Plus dealing with injuries and formation changes. Walcott saved our club once. Remember fans begging Walcott not to leave after rvp left. It’s was the Walcott , giroud connect that landed us champions league football. In addition to him getting better at the defensive side of the game and being the only good crosser from the right side we have you fans need to chill with all the Walcott hate. Think if Walcott went to Everton or west ham . We would have to deal with that pace. How would you feel when he’s killing our left side. This year we caved in to Alexis attitude and missed out on champ league spots. Never missed out when all we had was walcott and giroud. I won’t seeing the authors line up get a try

  15. Lacazette——————-
    —————Ozil————–Ramsey———-
    Kolasinac—–Xhaka—–Lemar—–Walcott
    ———-Holding-Kosienly-Mustafi———-
    ————————-Cech——————

    wow … wake me up next May

  16. ……………..cech…………..
    Monreal…. Kolcieny….. Mustafi….
    Kolasinac …….. Matic…….. Xhaka…….bellerin
    Lemar……. Ozil…..
    Lacazette

  17. i think chambers is a better cb than holding….holding is reliable may be but chambers is more talented…calm on the ball, and can swing in sweet crosses from RB too, can score with his head and has a giruu like beard!!!!

  18. This is an incredibly difficult question to answer for a variety of reasons, most importantly because over the years our once vaunted “beautiful” style of play has become a shadow of it’s former self, only to be replaced by a less than stellar “plug and play” mentality where players play out of position and adjustments/substitutions are rarely forthcoming before the 75th minute…if you look at our current players, very few would make sense in the traditional Wengerian system…at present, we don’t have the personnel to move the ball quickly from deep-lying position, efficient one touch midfielders that can make the necessary through balls or the disciplined and pacey forwards to stretch defences into wide positions, without the aid of the backs coming up into the final 3rd, so that we can attack the defensive lanes in the same clinical fashion we did years ago…on this current squad, we have only 1 central defender on staf, Mustafi, who seems to have any prowess in the offensive zone or who can even pass two zones through so that we can advance play quickly out of our own end(I have seen some inklings that suggest Holding might have some offensive qualities but too early to tell)…unfortunately Mustafi has a tendency to get himself in trouble when he gets overly aggressive on the ball…from our backs out wide, we’ve seen pace from the likes of Bellerin and Gibbs and the spirited albeit offensively stunted play of Monreal, but none of these players possess the skill-set required in the offensive zone for the new Wenger scheme which requires deft touches, timely runs to the baseline and consistent crossing, especially when Giroud was playing and his ratio of scored goals per clear chances was relatively low(better last year though)…obviously I like Bellerin’s future prospects, as you can’t teach pace, but I do worry that he regressed last season, which was obvious to Wenger because there was no way he would have used Ox as the right side wing-back so often knowing that Barcelona could come calling in the off-season, if he thought otherwise…as for our midfielders, not a single one, minus the more confident Xhaka I watched played for the Swiss national team a couple years ago, who truly makes sense under the traditional Wenger model…Ramsey holds onto the ball too long, gives the ball away cheaply far too often and abandons his defensive responsibilities on a regular basis(doesn’t score enough recently to justify): that being said, I’ve always thought he does possess a little something special, unfortunately he thinks so too…Xhaka is a little too slow to ever boss the midfield and he tends to telegraph his one true strength, his long ball play: although I must admit he did get a bit better during some points in the latter part of last season…it always made me wonder why whenever he played with Coq Wenger always seemed to play Francis in a more advanced role on the pitch…as for Coq, he is way too reckless at the wrong times and has exhibited little offensive prowess yet finds himself in and around the box far too often…let’s face it Wenger was ready to throw him in the trash heap when injuries forced him to use Francis and then he had the nerve to act like this was all part of a bigger Wenger constructed plan…he like Ramsey, Xhaka and Elneny don’t offer the skills necessary to satisfy the quick transitory nature of our old offensive scheme or the stout defensive mindset needed to protect the defensive zone so that our offensive players can remain aggressive in the final third…on the front end, we have Ozil, a player of immense skill but stunted by his physical demeanor that tends to offend, the fact that he’s been played out of position far too many times since arriving and that the players in front of him, minus Sanchez, make little to no sense considering what he has to offer(especially Giroud); just think about the quick counter-attack offence in Real or the space and protection he receives in the German National team’s midfield, where teams couldn’t afford to focus too heavily on one individual…this player was a passing “specialist” long before he arrived in North London, so only an arrogant or ignorant individual would try to reinvent the wheel and/or not surround such a talent with the necessary components…in regards to Ox, Walcott and Welbeck, although they all possess serious talents I see them in large part as headless chickens who are on the injury table too much, lack the necessary first-touch and/or lack the finishing flair to warrant their inclusion in a regular starting eleven; I would say that, of the 3, Ox showed the most upside once we went to a back 3, but even he became a bit too consumed by his pending contract talks before the season ended and that concerned me a bit…if I had to choose one of those 3 players to stay on it would be Ox due to his potential as a plausible alternative to Bellerin in that wing-back position should we continue to use that formation…in Sanchez, we get one of the most committed skill players we’ve seen on this squad for some years but that could all change soon, if it hasn’t already of course…strangely enough, even he doesn’t make sense given the constructs of the original Wenger offensive model because he holds onto the ball too long and he will give the ball up a little too often in the offensive zone…a fact that is largely forgotten due to his infectious energy and the fact that the numbers he has achieved seem to justify the means…finally, and in many ways most crucially, Giroud, there is nothing about this team or the offensive system that Wenger has traditionally employed that would even suggest such a player would make sense as a starter…too slow, too inefficient and way too easily dispossessed…once again, I think he has some special skills and, at times, has showed some world-class qualities but he’s lack of mobility is an albatross around the necks of our offence…so when you ask who would be our best starting 11, I don’t have a clue because of the 5 or 6 players that truly deserve a place in this side, 1 just arrived, 3 aren’t under contract beyond 2018 and the other was just sold to Juve…man, this is theraputic because following this team is like an addiction to heroin without the benefits

  19. —————–Lacazette——————-
    —————Iwobi————Ozil———-
    Kolasinac—–Xhaka—–Ramsey—–Bellerin
    ———-Holding-Kosienly-Mustafi———-
    ————————-Cech

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