Pick your Arsenal team to face CSKA – 5 at the back?

Everyone is saying that Arsenal need to be very careful in tonight’s Europa League match despite taking a three goal lead to CSKA Moscow, and Arsene Wenger has made it clear that he won’t be taking any chances. “We have an advantage, the best way to build on the advantage is to try to win the game, we play with our best possible team, have a positive attitude and try and win the game,”

So he will play his best possible team he says, so which starting XI is likely to take to the pitch in Russia tonight?

The good news (for me at least!) is that David Ospina is still not fit to play and Peter Cech will start in goal. As we are defending our lead I believe that Le Prof will play with 5 at the back, with Koscielny, Mustafi and Monreal as the back three, and Bellerin and Maitland-Niles as the wing backs.

Xhaka has the flu and has left behind in London, so I expect Wilshere and Elneny to take turns at helping out the defenders, leaving Ramsey more space to go forward to help Ozil and Lacazette up front.

It is a very defensive line up but when we have the ball Bellerin and AMN can bomb forward to assist our attackers and get some crosses in for Lacazette. Wenger says that he is going to Russia to win, but I doubt he will be encouraging his players to go on all out attack, especially in the first half.

So this is my expected line-up….

Cech
Bellerin Mustafi Koscielny Monreal Maitland-Niles
Wilshere Elneny
Ramsey Ozil
Lacazette

What do you think? Is this the best side that Wenger could put out tonight?

25 Comments

  1. No point of overthinking this CSKA have to try and score 4 goals to beat us they will be trying to pile on the attack from the first mnt which means they will be wide open at the back which we can take advantage with our fire power and creative midfield,

    don,t think we should go five at the back in fact we should go 3-5-1-1
    Cech
    Chambers Mustafi Koscielny

    Belerin Ozil Wilshere Elnely Ncho

    Ramsy

    Lacazette

  2. Love the line in the article about Bellerin and Niles bombing forward to put crosses in for Lacazette. When do we ever cross balls into the box?

  3. 8 @ the back

    ……………………….Cech
    Bel/chb/kos/mus/Elny/Hold/Mnrl/Kolsc
    ……………….. …..Wilshere
    …………………….Lacazette

  4. Your selection here appear PHYSICALLY too defensive and which is TACTICALLY suicidal considering the facts that (1) Apart from elneny, monreal and niles that are reliable, the rest defenders/defensive-minded players here are just average and consistently errorneous. (2) CSKA attacking prowess is relentless. (3) If we choose to defend that much, definitely we must be experts at counter-attacking pattern, and we are not. And why is welbeck missing here? At least he indulges physical, attacking and defensive presence.

  5. Mustafi and Wilsh ere should not start but will. Holding and Maitland Niles should start but won’t.I suspect we will scrape through but no doubt we will concede one of two goals.

  6. Yes author, that is the most possible line-up

    3-4-2-1 or five in the back would be perfect for counter-attack

  7. Wenger, and his loyal band of followers have ZERO excuses for not winning the EL. Why? Because we’re given the financial excuse EVERY season, as to why we cannot compete. Well Arsenal are the dominant club that’s left in the competition, in regards to finances, so we should be winning it given Wenger’s, and AKB’s logic.

  8. Cech
    Bellerin – Chambers/Holding – Koss – Nacho
    Elneny
    Rambo – Jack
    Ozil – Welbz
    Laca

    I’d probably drop Mustafi? He’s made a few mistakes this season and we need to start being ruthless with team selection… I know, I know lol
    I would like either Chambers or Holding to get a chance, both had good and bad performances but who hasn’t in the team! But, it might be best to play Mustafi in this game and drop him for the next league game? ??

  9. ………………..Cech
    Bellerin..Mustafi..Koscielny..Monreal
    ……Ramsey..Xhaka..Elneny
    …………Ozil………Iwobi/Danny
    ………………Lacazette

    Wilshere’s been poor and he looks tired, I think he’s on the cusp of an injury, at least no point risking him. He’s a good option for if we need to add some pace into our passing late on.

  10. Cech
    Ballerina, Kosceilny, Mustafi, Nacho
    Ramsey, Xhaka, Wilshire
    Ozil, Lacazette, Welbeck

    Sub: Macey, Iwobi, Elneny, Nkeitah, Nelson, Kolasinac

    It will be a draw in Moscow

Comments are closed

Top Blog Sponsors