Official Arsenal XI and preview for FA cup v Watford

Can Arsenal take one more step towards that 130 year old record of three FA cup wins in a row? And can we continue the turnaround in form began at White Hart Lane a week ago and backed up brilliantly in Hull on Tuesday? It will not be easy as Watford are pretty much injury free and Flores has named his strongest possible team.

Things are not quite so easy for the Arsenal boss, but even with a trip to Barcelona just around the corner Arsene Wenger has given the Gunners just about the best possible chance of going through in the FA cup by naming big players like Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil from the start.

He has changed the full backs to bring in Chambers and Gibbs but with Mertesacker paired with Gabriel in the centre it is a strong looking back line. And with the energy and defensive abilities of Francis Coquelin and Mohamed Elneny offering further protection the boss has acted to cancel the counter attacking threat of Deeney and Ighalo.

Ospina
Chambers, Mertesacker, Gabriel, Gibbs
Elneny, Coquelin
Campbell, Ozil, Sanchez
Giroud

Subs: Macey, Bellerin, Monreal, Flamini, Iwobi, Walcott, Welbeck

If things do get tough then Arsenal do have good attacking options on the bench in Walcott, Welbeck and Iwobi as well as good cover. Come On You Gunners we need to get the job done today!!

Tags Alexis Giroud Ozil Sanchez

156 Comments

  1. Lets win this good, then go and get a good result vs Barca and trounce Everton and make Leicester and spurs start looking behind them.

    Cause we ciming for u

  2. Gibbs looks stronger game by game. Almost scored a screamer in the last game. Hope he bags a hat trick today! COYG!

  3. have to miss game for missus and her folks.
    so pi**** off

    coyg. this is our trophy to lose
    we can do this

      1. You stop this!! … “We Got This”…
        Before you kop this ? ?
        Ospina droppped this ? ⚽
        Wenger flopped this ??

        ?
        ?
        ?
        ?

  4. I thought Iwobi was going to start. I think he’s very impressive, and along with Cambell offering good attacking threat-

    Particularly as Sanchez wasn’t banging in the goals (hope thats changed after he’s recent goal) .

    1. It looks like Wenger is playing most of the players who didn’t play against Hull, and resting the ones who did.

      1. I mean playing our important players such as Sanchez, Özil and Coquelin since they didn’t play against Hull.

  5. Strong line up, happy to see it. I spent the morning bitching about how Arsene was going to play Iwobi over Ozil, I thought it was a bad move because this game is bigger than the Barcelona one. Iwobi over Ozil, where did I ever get that idea from ..haw?

    Campbell, I’m sure people in here are happy to see that one too. Giroud over Welbeck, well he scored two and needs confidence so Ill go along with that. Mertersacker, Kos didn’t make the bench so no choice unless people would like to see Chambers. Chambers at right back, imo he will be a top utility player one day but right now right back is not his forte. I am not really worried though and am happy seeing him get games because that is what they need in order to fulfill promise. Gibbs at left back, I actually think we have one of the best second choices in the division and believe he would make most teams first eleven so stamp of approval here. ElCoq duo, the new Sunny & Cher. Alexis, eager to play well and I look forward to seeing him do just that. Come on Arsenal.

  6. COYG!

    WE GOT THIS!!

    WE GOT THIS!!!

    WE GOT THIS!!!!

    WEEEEEEEEEEEE GOOOOOOOOT THIIIIIIISSS!!!!!!!!!!!!

  7. Mert and gabriel are a liability we need at the very minimum 2 CB’s. but first we need a new manager

    1. Hmm I know. Let’s change the manager and all the players and move to Spain. We could call ourselves Barcelona and you could actually pretend you are a supporter.

    1. Elneny needs to put on his shooting boots and open his eyes. He missed 2 clear cut chances.

  8. Gabriel’s tackle could have resulted to a harsh punishment. He needs to be careful. We don’t want a red card situation.

  9. Gabriel is too wreckless …. Problem is wenger and bould have no idea how to teach team to press … It’s shocking managerial failure plus against well organised defences giroud offers minimal threat on the ground .. Welbeck better against this team

  10. ozil should have 3 assists till now and arsenal 3 goals. shocking performance infornt of the goal

    1. true, mesut is on a different planet, reminds me of the all star playing school children, must be demotivating for him

  11. gabe is a red card threat everytimeon the pitch, ozil has sublime skills today, he deserves an A+ forward, elneny looks active, as does campbell, giroudsplay style does not duit me, so tough to analyze, he is not a poacher, not a goal creator, not sure what he is, but one thing he is not is consistent

  12. We are by far the worst team when we dont have possession and the frustrating thing is that this has been the case for years and our manager has not addressed it.

    1. We also must have the least intelligent players in our team, apart from Özil. Always touch too many when simple one touch football could open the defense split open.

    2. Spot on … Only a new manager can change this … But wenger’s refusal to invest in quality attacking options now clear .. Ozil must be unbelievably frustrated … On the positive elnenys link up play was good if not his composure in front of goal

      1. Offer Everton $100M for Lukaku and Stones or please quit pretending that EPL and Champions League silverware is the clubs ambition.

  13. It’s amazing how much better Ozil is than any other Gunner on the pitch, actually for the sake of Arsenal terribly depressing.

    WTF has happened to Sanchez, shadow of himself since returning from injury.

    And we don’t miss Ramsey, other than the Egyptians 2 bad misses he is playing the B2B position CORRECTLY. Like his influence on the game

  14. I miss Bosscielny
    Not been impressed with central defense
    I’m sure the lack of goals will change I’m second half (hopefully) too.

    But 0-0 is not the end of the world, we have a second half to improve and win it. But I want to win it today. No replay please. We already postponed West Bromwich

  15. want to see iwobi and jeff, but wenger want give the youngsters a chance to play, knowing that the fa cup is his last resolve to save face

    1. the american commentator said before the match, afc should fir wenger, the others were shocked, but there is not much to be generous about not truely beating watford at home….

  16. Holy Crap. PSG is winning 7-0 Away
    Ibrahimovic hat-trick . Not too shabby for a 34 year old.
    Also goals by Cavani, Rabiot, Pastore

  17. How can someone even say Per has had a bad game? He is literally the one holding the defence together right now.
    You people will soon realise his only liability is lack of pace.. Gabriel just cant partner koss. Never.

    1. inagree, per gets a bad rap every match, even when we have a clean sheet fans crush him, never understood, defense not our main issue…

  18. Where is our defence Arsene? Are these the top players you go on about every year you deluded fool.
    Wenger out

  19. admin, and your fellow akb fans who claim to be football fans, are you watching, do you think that this is acceptable

    1. It’s a game of football and anything can happen. The game is not over. Do you think arsenal have a god given right to win every game 5 0??

      1. you smoke to much, the time where arsenal won games to 5 goals are long over. do you enjoy the happenings in the pitch right now?

  20. they know they can score on gabriel… we need to bring on more second rate scorers… looks like sanchez packed it in for the season, 8 pts behind w this squad… lucky to stay 4th place…

  21. What is Giroud doing in the box? Why is EVERY SINGLE defender always stronger than him?

      1. I’m not saying we’re low table. I’m saying in THIS game, our defence looks low table worthy.

    1. 2-0 guys, this is Arsenal, and the fool said we are in 3 competitions while this was the only one we were in, we wait for our thrashing from Barcelona and call it a day

  22. This team, along with new manager, needs 3-4 new players. Even Sanchez can’t be dropped because we don’t have anyone to step in.

  23. The amount of time and space Watford have in our area is embarrassing. Fine the lot of them including wenger for this disgusting performance

  24. WHAT DO YOU CNUTS NOT UNDERSTAND? WE CAN TALK ABOUT PLAYING WALCOTT, WELBECK, GIROUD, ALEXIS ALL DAY LONG. WE ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH BECAUSE OF WENGER. 1ST SHOT ON TARGET IN THE 50TH MINUTE!!!! WENGER OUT!!!!!

  25. mark my word, giroud the great is going to destroy ronaldo and messi’s combined goal scoring record this season

  26. Out of the fa Cup and CL within the span of 4 days hahaa! I’m optimistic by nature but Arsenal keeps managing to destroy any hope you put in them.

    1. Giroud you f’n idiot trying to do fancy flick with his instep rather than just put his feet there

  27. for the ones who bet money, watford will score another one. have a go and make fortune with our missfortune

  28. In this previous article,the author posted a YouTube of Lukaku’s goals vs Chelsea,hope you are ready for the backlash on their own fans page….

  29. ok, i have supported wenger, not ethusiastically, in am no akb, but I have not called for him to leave, but i finally have seen enough, my main reason, his reluctance to spend, to put quality where there is obvious deficiency, i have never seen such unwillingness to change what is obviously broken, its time

  30. Pure vintage Arsenal…….out of the FA Cup,Champions League and EPL in the space of a week,its nothing new.

  31. 2-0 loss to Watford, FA Cup disappointment

    5-0 thrashing to Barca, CL predictable ousting

    2-0 loss to Everton, EPL title gone

    Arsene @ $8M a year…. PRICELESS

  32. Arsene isn’t worried, 4th place is all he needs to get his 8 million a year. We don’t matter to him, and we never will.

  33. same old story and pattern. always out of all competitions in one weeks time..always and nothing will change..thank you wenger.we fans get hurt but you never even care about how we feel

  34. Flores played the two strikers perfectly knowing that one is reckless and the other is too slow.
    Playing according to your opponents formation and style of play is what a manager should be doing. Any team and i mean any team can beat Arsene wenger no matter who he has in the starting 11.

  35. It’s over Johnny
    It’s over

    I feel like crying
    Please make a comeback. 17 minutes is still enough team. All will be forgiven if we do it.

  36. I wanted wenger gone z5 years ago when it was clear he would not deliver but surely there is no doubting He has demolished this team over last 3 years …no passion no style and obvious lack of quality … There is simply no way a serious club can keep a man like this at the top … Chances are this will spell melt down in league to … But whatever happens it will be a worse season than last … I for one will not be sad to see the back of him

  37. Even if by some miracle we still save this game, it just dreadful o watch this team, 10 passes inside the area, OG no place to be found OZIL is losing it out of frustration Bye Bye Ozil good luck with your new team.

  38. I guess Chelsea won’t be the only ones who will be out of the FA Cup and Champions League in 2 games.

  39. The Yank counting just his millions laughing @ the lot of us calling for change.

    Nothing will change @ the club my friends, nothing

  40. There are no excuses after this game … No refs injuries weather debts …. Nothing ..just a manager who is past his sell by date

  41. @admin,
    You a re correct that it is not our god given right to win every game 5-0 which is probably why we hardly ever do it.
    What us fans do expect is for the players to put in some commitment.
    What we do expect is to win the occasional trophy which is not much to ask from the 7th richest club in the world.
    What we do expect is for the major shareholder to give a rats arse about something more thean the bank account.
    What we do expect is our manager to have the decency to stand up and take the blame when he F##s things up.
    Look at the stadium which is over 90% full every game and tell me which other fans would be there after heartache year on year.
    WE DEMAND CHANGE
    KROENKE, GAZIDIS, WENGER OUT

  42. Pathetic performance yet again at home. We lost Ramsey in the replay to Hull for what?? Been absolutely toothless infront of goal today.
    How can this Arsenal team not break down a Watford team? There’s no excuse for it. It’s disgraceful.
    What has Pantilimon had to do in goal today to stop Arsenal? It’s a shame the season can’t end now. It will save us fans a lot of embarrassment…..

  43. I DIDNT EVEN WANT US TO SCORE BUT NOW IT STILL PAPERS OVER THE CRACKS WHICH IS WENGER- WENGER OUT!!!!

  44. we dont deserve ozil. what a player. comon arsenal you over payed. f…..ks. score another one

  45. look what is wrong with arsenal and wenger. only in the last minutes we are turning up to play ball. just imagine if we would play from the last minute with this urgency

  46. we play w energy the last 8 minutes? really, wenger go and take that big worthless CF with you…

  47. One upside to an FA cup loss is absent an unlikely EPL win, Arsene is out. And about time.

    He has had a better run than 95% of managers, steered us ably through tough times, accomplished a lot but he is DONE.

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