Official Arsenal XI and preview of HUGE game v Atletico Madrid

It is almost time to find out whether the Arsenal team will step up to the plate after the announcement that ASrsene Wenger will be ending his long reign as manager of the Gunners, by giving Le Prof the send-off he deserves with a European trophy.

It will not be easy, though, even if Arsenal do perform at something like our best, as the opponents today are the Spanish side Atletico Madrid, who under Diego simeone have become one of the toughest teams in Europe. With a few fitness and injury concerns to boot, Arsenal fans know that tomnight’s game could go either way, so we need the 11 players Wenger has picked to do a great job for us.

Ospina
Bellerin, Monreal, Koscielny, Mustafi
Wilshere, Xhaka, Ramsey
Ozil, Welbeck, Lacazette

Subs: Cech, Holding, Iwobi, Chambers, Maitland-Niles, Kolasinac, Nketiah.

So Petr Cech is fit enough for the bench after a slight hip problem but the boss has opted for Ospina. Kolasinac jas also been passed fit but is on the bench, while Mkhitaryan has not even made that. It is a strong midfield that will hopefully give Arsenal control and the front three on their day can be pretty devastating. The question, however, is whether this is our day or not? COYG!!!!!!

Bob.

90 Comments

  1. we need to play above our level, i cant see anyone of our players getting in their side. so fingers crossed we grow balls and compete

  2. it looks with the players available is the best choice. hope to shoot on sight and not walk with the ball. gooner = forever

  3. As long as Iwobi doesn’t come on at any point I still have hope

  4. we are winning by a three goal margin. I don’t care about the team selection even if it’s our B team( do we even have one) coyg.

  5. The best that are available.
    On their day we can win and we will win.
    Lacazette is no push over now

  6. Hmmmm…

    Considering form, and performances against quality opponents, I am surprised with that selection. I would have loved to have seen:

    Ospina
    Chambers Koscielny Monreal
    Maitland-Niles Xhaka Wilshere Kolasinac
    Ramsey Welbeck
    Lacazette

    I have only selected Xhaka because Elneny’s injured, and Maitland-Niles is at RWB. I know people may laugh at my selection, but the team picks itself. I haven’t selected Mustafi, and I do not even need to explain why, for all those who watch him regularly. He’s our worst defender by a country mile! Ozil is a quality player, there’s no doubting that, but when does he ever turn up in a big game? I honestly cannot remember. Bellerin offers nothing in defence or attack, and has been awful all season. Like I already said, it’s only injuries that have kept Xhaka in the team as well.

    I would love for us to sit deep, make a back five, allowing Atletico onto us, and then hit them on the counter.

  7. Without Coq and the now-injured Elneny, Xhaka will for the first or second time this year start as the sole defensive midfielder.

    Unless everybody else defends well, this could be a disaster. Was hoping for a 3-4-3:
    Cech
    Kos-Mustafi-Monreal
    Bellerin-Willshere-Ramsey-Maitland/Kolasinac
    Ozil-Laca-Welbeck

    I predict 1 – 3 or something like that.

    Hope I’m wrong. If we start well, maybe the lads will be up for it.
    COYG!

  8. In a New York bar … two days ago it was packed to watch lpool … quiet today which I think is one reason for wengers departure … our best 11 … so I just hope they show up coz Madrid are a serious proposition

  9. If we dont concede, we stand a big chance, but unfortunately, we usually concede…good luck to the boys…coyg!

  10. The quality of a side is the full sqaud, AM bench and ours of deary deary me!
    Sorry but to compete we so need to spend this Summer.

  11. The game was open and we were on top of them. Now they’re gonna sit in and this is gonna slow things down.

  12. @rkw.
    I hear you but wrong continent isn’t it, if you were in shanghai, Bangkok, Tokyo I think you might see a bigger Arsenal crowd.
    Also CL is always going to get more following the El yes?
    Coyg!!!!

  13. Athletico players falling all over the place to win a foul and time wasting already. It reminds me of the cup winners cup final against Valencia in 1980

  14. The men thing doesn’t always help.
    Can put negative pressure on a side as immediately they are expected to win.

  15. I think Wenger was doing a fantastic job these player are useless which of team are down to 10 men what happened to world class ozil

    1. Wenger is their father, he did no job. These people can’t press, can’t play direct football, can’t tackle, can’t score, all under the tactics and supervision of Wenger, who’s fault is it now?

  16. I guess simeone won’t be getting an interview now then.
    Gazidis wouldn’t have that sort of thing here!

    1. No true Arsenal fan wanted Simeone.

      His football is the least attractive, worse than even Mourinho’s, and the man himself is the biggest scumbag of all coaches. He would be perfect for Chelsea.

    1. Bellerin good but ospina no, he is hesitating too much and his distribution is bad. If he continues like this we will concede. The guys are up for it today, no bs sideway passing, continue and we will score at least once. We need to win this match because a.madrid dont concede goals at home.

  17. Well the half finished off with our lot looking tired even though it’s the opposition who are a man down.

  18. The team need two player that can dribble too predictable these kind of game prove that Ramsey and Jack wilshere is very average nothing special no Cutting Edge a player like Wilfried zaha would do wonders for this team

    1. I’ve been saying for ages we need a proper winger. We have about 4 or 5 playmakers but no natural wingers. Ozil isn’t one, neither is Mkhi, and Welbeck started as a CF. Not even sure what Iwobi is supposed to be.

    1. We need to pass less and shoot more in and around the 18 yard area…
      If we can’t make it happen beautifully there’s nothing wrong in forcing a mistake or two

  19. Why do we keep insisting on zonal marking? They have 10 men so we should be pressuring their players and forcing them into making errors.
    It’s so frustrating to watch since we allow them to pass the ball around without pressure and waste even more time.

  20. so far IMHO Atletico de Madrid is winning 0-0 Is Wenger is going to wake up?
    with 10 players and Arsenal only shotted 5 times to the Atletic goal

  21. We came out fast and had to score as we’ve a weak attacking bench.
    Whilst they have torres and Costa chomping at the bit to come on against a tired arsenal.
    That’s his master plan all along.
    Hold on all game until we’re tired and then bring on the big guns.

  22. We would require another couple of goals and clean sheet because of our dreadful away record and their top home form witj firepower of Grizemann, Torres and Costa…

  23. @kedar91.
    Normally I’d agree but this isn’t normally anymore. When have last seen us play like this? It’s the wengers leaving effect.
    It’s been a while but we’ve travelled before and played well away.
    I for one didn’t see this coming.

    In fact I wonder what he thinks tonight?
    Kind of my team and stadium have to come to life and it’s because I’m leaving, cheers then….

    1. Not necessarily, but scoring away at Atletico will be difficult.

      Depends on their approach.

      Let’s face it, the combo of Mustafi Kos and Ospina was bound to fail a couple of times.

      1. we’re bound to concede at least one in Madrid because were terrible. So we have to score once to force extra time. And that’s us only conceding once. had to win 2-0 today to stand a chance. It’s pretty much over. This Arsenal team is no good.

  24. The most Arsenal game ever to end Wenger’s European home match LMAOOOO. All the possession, one mistake, game over. 2nd leg looks pointless now, let’s be honest.

  25. Complete loss of shape and discipline that near the end of the game. Couldn’t we feel them coming out and into us.
    That’s crippling and probably puts us out.

  26. and that is why wenger is off, defensive frailties have been our downfall for years but never been addressed.. another match were we dominate and concede.

    1. its not unlucky when it consistently happens. Arsenal cant defend even when there is one attack to stop an entire half.

  27. Now diego simeone will park the bus at Madrid Because we need to score at any cost…. So we will attack and we will keep ourselves open at back and tje Simeone will parl the bus and Madrid will hit us on counter… A goalless draw would be enough for Madrid….

  28. Lets just give up now.
    Thanks Wenger.
    Please kindly piss off now – don’t wait until May…
    Having no manager is no different to having you…

  29. So pi**ed off… had a golden opportunity from the 9th minute to win the game…. and end up drawing. The start of the week from hell… what’s the betting we’ll lose at Old Trafford then get dumped out next Thursday. That defence had better be sorted over the summer. Plus I’d love Oblak

    1. Yeah and I would love Neymar and Salah but it’s not going to happen.
      We will get some donkey like Arteta or Vieira and regress back to the George Graham days – the BAD days.
      I have no confidence in Anyone at Arsenal.
      And getting shot of Wenger now would be the best thing – having no manager and having him is pretty much the same thing.
      Season OVER…

  30. Why did even bother, its been a while since i cared this much, now i feel terrible, oh my arsenal, smh..

  31. Playing with ten men, still no tempo, no pace. Whenever Ramsey got the ball, the tempo was always disturbed. We saw poor Xhaka and Poorer Mustafi again.

  32. If I was kos I think I’d sneak out he stadium and gk home in my kit rather than step into that changing room.

    Hit it sideways, sky it anything but trying a little flick back over your head?!? So naive and lacking g concentration and leadership from Kos even Ospina should have been calling the danger.

    Highlights lacazette whooping up the crowd and ozil screaming at bellerin at the end. Ozil was on it tonight.

    One thing though no one expects us to go through now and we can score an away too, I bet we will!

  33. Well some of us expected it, just because Wenger said he’s leaving doesn’t mean Mustafi wasn’t going to mess up or that our defense will become better

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