No Xhaka but Ox and Coquelin start in strong official Arsenal team for Ludogorets

Arsene Wenger has not made too many changes to the in form Arsenal team for this Champions League match against the Bulgarian club Ludogorets, despite most people thinking it should be an easy win and with a heavy fixture schedule for the Gunners to cope with in the coming weeks.

The changes he has made also seem to be intended to bring in players who have a point to prove as well, in terms of getting more regular game time, so Arsene Wenger will be hoping that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Kieran Gibbs and David Ospina show him tonight why they should be in the team more often.

Apart from those three and the expected return of Francis Coquelin, however, the boss has stuck with the players that have been doing us proud of late, so while Iwobi, Monreal and Cech get a rest, or miss out depending on how you look at it, the likes of Ozil, Walcott, Alexis Sanchez and Cazorla all start.

Ospina
Bellerin, Koscielny, Mustafi, Gibbs
Coquelin, Cazorla
Walcott, Ozil, Oxlade-Chamberlain
Alexis Sanchez

Subs: Cech, Gabriel, Monreal, Xhaka, Elneny, Iwobi, Lucas Perez.

I thought that a few of the big name and key players might get a rest today and the big surprise, for me at least, is that Xhaka is not starting as he will not be available at the weekend because of that debatable sending off. Is Wenger punishing him a bit? As long as Arsenal win, do we care?

Bob.

39 Comments

  1. Big chance for OX and Gibbs to show some quality. Sad not to see Perez though..

    Strong line up, seems like Wenger learned his lesson last season with the first 2 matches with Olympiacos and Zagreb.

    Arsenal to win 3-0, COYG!

  2. If I wasn’t such a loyal fan, I would have liked Coquelin to pick up a little hamstring problem during tonight’s game, just to show how ridiculous starting him today is.

  3. glad Gibbs is starting considering Monreal’s form and Iwobi finally gets the much needed rest…. which Walcott was also rested… he is the most fragile Arsenal player.

    1. I like this line up, I think he’s rotating the right players, and sending a message to Iwobi to up the defense, he might have to compete for his job if AOC shows good form. Walcott can rest against Reading, Ox can start on the right then. Koscielny and Cazorla should be rested against Reading, and perhaps Monreal again — they are our older players and we should get them rest when we can. Kos as a CB doesn’t need it as much as the others, but he still should get some since he’s had nagging injuries in the past.

      Also, Holding should play against Reading, paired with Mustafi.

      side note — Monreal becomes Montreal with my spell checker!

  4. We still need to be very careful. Opsina saved us a couple times already, we can’t keep playing that high line against their quick forwards.

  5. Ludogorets are playing amazingly well. I have never seen their game before so I thought they might park the bus at Emirates but they are domination possessions and Passes. They were unlucky not to score. We have to be very careful and don”t take them lightly .

  6. My BEin sports shows every other match but Arsenal match channel is Scrambled… they must be Tottenham supporters on duty tonight!
    gooooshhhh!!!!!

  7. Wenger should subs Alexis with Lucas. Sanchez needs rest, he is most imp player for us. Also, we can see Lucas as well

  8. Good to see Ozil on defensive duty even when we are 4-0. Second half is going as good as it could be

  9. It’s nice to have all our attackers (wingers, cam and Cf) on the score sheet

    As I am typing 5-0

  10. Lucas is fast….

    If i didn’t loved Arsenal so much i would have felt bad for Ludogorest… they play the Arsenal way

    Ozil \00/

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