Official teams and preview of Arsenal v West Brom

I expected Arsene Wenger to make some changes to the Arsenal starting line up for the final game of the Premier League season today, at home to the in form West Brom of Tony Pulis. But the Frenchman’s XI is still a bit of a surprise, with both Theo Walcott and Jack Wilshere coming in.

Almost as big a surprise is that Wenger has dropped Olivier Giroud to the bench and put the star of the season Alexis Sanchez through the middle. Also, it is Aaron Ramsey that drops to the bench while Santi Cazorla keeps the box to box role alongside Francis Coquelin.

Whether Laurent Koscielny is still a bit under the weather we don’t know but the Frenchman has been replaced by Gabriel while Kieran Gibbs keeps his place at left back. There is great news as well with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain taking his place among the subs after a long injury lay off.

Ospina
Bellerin, Mertesacker, Gabriel, Gibbs
Cazorla, Coquelin
Walcott, Wilshere, Ozil
Alexis

subs: Szczesny, Koscielny, Monreal, Flamini, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Giroud

This is a big game for the two England internationals, with Jack given the coveted number 10 position and Theo on the right as they attempt to save their Arsenal careers as well as force their way into the team for Wembley next weekend.

Tags Walcott Wilshere

144 Comments

  1. Walcott starting! Is he the right winger or striker? According to Flashscore he’s starting as striker.

    Anyways, hoping he plays well. Can’t stand the fickle tit boys coming here bashing our players after one match.

  2. No real striker on top, Özil out wide? It looks to me like Wenger’s playing 4-2-4-0 instead of 4-2-3-1. We’re either gonna win big or really struggle to find the net.

  3. what’s wrong with wenger, why is sanchez starting again, can’t he be rested and he has been out of form and with the FA cup final he should have rested him and where is rosicky and chambers also. Why is he playing wilshere, ozil and cazorla together.. seriously wenger will never change when it comes to rotation and balance of his squad, some people just never get to play. I actually believed we can win the league again with wenger but i am starting to doubt that.

    1. Do you want players going into the final after some bad bad displays or would you rather they go in on a high with some goals to boot.

    2. Even if we win today my opinion won’t change. Playing all this Cm is not the answer. Its either Ozil or cazorla and its either Rambo or Jack. No need trying to fit them all together. last game we had Cazorla ozil rambo and jack and yet we din’t score a goal. having creativity doesn’t mean the team is balanced.
      Chelsea swansea United Sunderland have all crowded the midfield and make it difficult for us as we have no width. Wenger needs to be bold and make the big decisions.

      I also felt Sanchez Ozil and cazorla would have done with some rest. Sanchez has played almost every game and its only natural that he slows down a lil. But Wenger sees them in training everyday so i respect his decision.

    1. Gone already I hope. Love when he’s playing but enough is enough. We are a professional football team, not a fair play charity team.

      1. You must’ve missed it when he said he doesn’t want to be paid when hes out injured.

        1. No I haven’t. Even though he hasn’t been paid, he’s taking one squad place in our team. A place which could be filled with a young, upcoming player (like Bellerin has been this year) or just a squad player actually can contribute to our cause.

          What possible contribution can he do what we hypothetically would regret, if we get rid of him?

  4. where’s rosicky man? surely the dude deserves ONE game instead of playing people out wide.

    1. Wenger destroyed Rosicky. First Rosicky comes to Arsenal from Dortmund as an AMF. Wenger then converts him to Left Winger, in which he then starts to shoot less at goal. These days he hardly even shoots. Why not give him a run at AMF and rest maybe both of Cazorla and Ozil. So many of ou rplayers will go into the Fa Cup final out of form anyway.

      1. Rosicky isn’t destroyed. He is still an amazing player, injuries have forced him to change his style over the years.
        Also if you were to ask Rosicky if Wenger has “destroyed” him he’ll likely laugh in your face as with the amount of injuries he has had over the years not many managers would have stuck by him and no other big club would have kept him around. He has also just signed another one year extension because Wenger knows he is still a good player and Rosicky wants to stay at Arsenal… if he was “destroyed” he would have left years ago.

  5. No matter the line-up, we must pick loopholes. Giroud out and Theo in, Ramsey out and Sanchez play, etc., still complain. When has CR7 been rested when he’s fit? Sanchez likes playing. Ok, me, I did not want Ospina for this game so am complaining.
    @ Admin. Where is Hafiz? I hope you have not censored him. We need his crackers some time.

    1. I agree with Sanchez assessment. I like to think he’s the kind of player who doesn’t need rest. I’m sure HE himself knows when he’s fit than any of us keyboard-managers.

  6. would have liked to see Zelalem on the bench. Put him on in 80th minute or something. Dont really care bout lineup. I hope this doesnt mean Wenger thinks Walcott can actually play striker though.

  7. Now, that’s what you get with Walcott. Goals and assists. Always believed in you Theo 😉

    1. HEAR HEAR! Theo always dangerous, scored against United now again today. Vital player.

  8. wow!!! you telling me we had that all year long? and we chose to sit him down for donkey giroud?

  9. i have to say it again … Theo is the one and only who gives us the little extra special thing that can make us a real world class team

  10. Oh Theo. You’ve spoil things. Wenger will not buy a top striker again. Why did you choose this last game for this exhibition?

    1. Where were this English guys? I was talking about Theo the Wilshire came up with his own. Anyway, lets enjoy the game.

  11. sign him a new contract right on the pitch…….. THEO deserve to stay at the emirates….. I tell u!…sign him quickly!

    1. so we’re judging defenders on assists now just to make mertesacker look bad? Or was your comment just a joke. Pray it’s the latter.

  12. Maybe a preview of what we can have next season. Jack has playing good recently apart from the goal, and theo just shows his quality. He gives that thing that Giroud doesn’t, spark up the attack. Don’t get me wrong I think both are good but this shows that variation gives results, it may be the last game but it proves a point I believe

  13. and who did they both thank? Shad Forythe.

    mark my words, our injury woes are a thing of the past and all teams should be scared.

    1. U silly. Jack is arsenal till he dies. Watch Rosisky interview and he says how jak is one of the leaders of the team how he is one of the fighters. he talks about Jack Per rambo and Flamini as leaders. U want to sell that quality to Man city? What a way to help your rival win the league. we are not broke anymore. we don;t have to sell SILLY.

    1. Maybe it’s the fact that your usename is True.Gooney when you berating a true gooner who plays for us with his heart on his sleeve. Stop slagging off one of our own, even if he isn’t on form.

      1. How can u be a true gooner and you want to sell jack at thesame time? I hope jack becomes our gerrad like of figure and spends his who career at Arsenal.

    2. Apart from Theo, he’s playing the best football in ages, moving fowrd with the ball.You watching the same match??
      Wislhire is amazing.

  14. Who ever is at the Emirates – can you get a chant going please? I can hear a pin drop

  15. We leading 4-0..

    Stoke winning Liverpool 5-0 😀 😀 😀 No European football for them if Tiny Tots win today.

    1. Uhhhhhm so then you think Villa will be in Europe? That’s not very optimistic

  16. Well done Theo. Wenger take him off in the second half, I do not want him to miss another FA Cup final.

  17. 5-0. Liverpool fans are probably getting consoled from their Spurs friends right about now

  18. For the good of beautiful game, I will always go with Walcott. I just hate hold up play.

  19. And people keep jumping on the bad wagon calling for Walcott and Wilshere to be sold.. Just lost in the moment fans..

    I keep saying it and will keep saying it.. Wilshere, Ramsey and The Ox are better EPL midfielders than Ozil.. They just need to stay fit and you will see what I am talking about…

    Good half but we have not been challenged by West Brom..

    1. None of them are better than Ozil are you being serious? Again, Ozil has created the most chances in the side this season. Wilshere has two good games the whole season and he’s better than Ozil? Ramsey had a poor first half of the season, and a patchy 2nd half, Ox wasn’t the most effective player first half of the season either. Maybe if you mention Cazorla this season you have an argument, but the players you named are not near Ozil yet.

  20. Our home support is the most terrible in world football. Absolutely embarrassing.. I wish I could afford watching the Arsenal again. It’s a joke the atmosphere at the Emirates..

  21. I just hope arsenal won’t go down tempo in the 2nd half. Recently we only play one of the half.

  22. If I were Arsene Wenger I’d feel so embarrassed right now. Walcott has been great.

    But let’s spare a thought for Steven Gerrard. Ouch. Really. Ouch!!

    1. Let’s laugh you mean. lolololololololol.
      There’s a Liverpool on arsenaltv that trolls us gooner’s, i said to him “You’re Stocke in disguise”
      I take that back!

      1. You get the sense Stoke let Gerrard have that goal, their defence just kind of sat back and let him have it.

  23. another Ospina error. Why do i find myself saying that every other game? Too short, shouldn’t have lost that. Flawless performance besides the goal we’ve conceded.

      1. From our recent games he shuld’ve made saves against United and again against Swansea. These are points that make all the difference in a title race.

        1. just no; this goal was his fault, those other goals were not easy saves that you seem to be making out.

  24. Did our players just only can perform one half or half season. No wonder we are always short.

    1. from the get-go I’ve always said he’s merely an improvement on Szczesny. Want to win EPL and UCL, we need somebody who is world class. Ospina has done a great job this season but if Cech becomes available Arsenal should get on that.

    1. We can afford to go into 1st gear. We’ve won this easily.
      Here come the Giroud hate comments.

  25. Sure it’s Ospina’s fault but really I’m not that bothered. I’m curious why Szczesny didn’t start if he’s now our FA Cup keeper. Fabianski started the last PL game before the FA Cup final last year, costing Szczesny the outright win in the golden glove competition too I might add. Would’ve thought Szczesny would start today, but really I’m not that fussed. We’re still comfortably winning after all.

    1. I don’t think anyone out there, Ramsey, sanchez, all just like the goal glory. Some time I quite piss off with ozil, he should more selfish, please learn from Ramsey, especially Ramsey.

      1. I agree that the guy needs to shoot more, but he has always said he likes assisting. Could’ve had a couple today.

  26. Chelsea goalie concided 3goals against this same opposition last week and he has let in another today.
    But the mouthy one keeps benching cech the justarsenal and media favourite 😉

  27. commentator is a noob saying….. “tony pullis at 4-0 at half time probably thought the worse and thought the game would end in double digits… 6, 7, 8 or 9… DOUBLE digits”…. needs to go back to school. lol

Comments are closed

Top Blog Sponsors