Arsene Wenger will be determined that Arsenal keep up the momentum that we have been building since the slow start to the season which saw the Gunners take just one point from the first two Premier League games. Looking at the fixture list coming up over the next few weeks you would expect Arsenal to take maximum points from the next three games, but it is vital that we get off to a good start this weekend.
Hopefully the fact that we suffered a surprise defeat at home to Swansea City last season, a match that Wenger has suggested ended our hopes of winning the title, will ensure that the players do not take this match for granted, even though the Welsh club have only taken a single point since the opening day.
They have caused a few scares to the likes of Man City and Liverpool though, and they came close to taking all three points off Chelsea, so I reckon that Wenger will be fielding his strongest possible side, but the question is who will be in it?
The back four should be unchanged as the central pairing of Koscielny and Mustafi are playing well and are looking like a really solid unit, while the full backs do their defensive jobs well and also add width and threat to the attack.
With the news that Olivier Giroud is still not fit to play I assume that the boss will have to risk Alexis Sanchez, despite his late return from international duty with Chile in South America, and I see no reason for him to change the front three at all so Iwobi and Walcott should also start.
Mesut Ozil´s fitness has been confirmed so he is in, but there is a little more doubt over the central midfield. Wenger could stick with Granit Xhaka and he could play him in either the deeper lying or box-to-box role. We also have Mohamed Elneny, Santi Cazorla and the fit again Francis Coquelin.
I think it will be Cazorla plus one, but which will it be? What would your starting XI be?
Bob.
I think coquelin for xhaka might be the only change that is made, coquelin has been amazing this season and i feel he deserves his place in the startimg xi, for now at least.
He’s only back, I’d say he’s more likely to get some minutes from the bench.
I think perez should start upfront dat give Sanchez rest,dou e can come in as a sub…I go for coquilin nd carzola
I wouldn’t rest anyone for this game unless they look a little off in training. Ludagrets and Middlesborough at home is when I would start resting a few players. Swansea can be difficult as we know and I agree that the players will have last season in their mind so should take this game very seriously. No change from our last line up.
I think Sanchez should start on the bench with Lucas at centre-forward.Then if its not working Alexis willbe dying to get the field by half-time.
Xhaka should start until Coquelin gets fully fit
play the same team: Cech,bellerin,mustafi,Koscielny,monreal, xhaka,Cazorla,: iwobi,ozil,walcott, ; alexis
why are some fans so obsessed with rotation like this even though they know we almost dropped points against Burnley n now face our boogey team.
. if u must, u can rotate against Ludogorets and even that must be more than 2 or 3 players rotated including Ospina
What you are not understanding is that majority of our first team x11 have been playing and travelling a lot regardless of who you are that will definantley have an effect on them. The biggest player is sanchez and he has travelled the furthest, yes he is absolutely crucial to us I 100% agree but due to fatigue is it worth risking him getting injured???
£17mill for perez if he can’t do a job against Swansea at home then why was he even bought?
Surely it’s times like these when the squad depth helps the starting x11 out.
Yes perez is no where near on the same level but if not now when is he going to be given the chance to prove himself I’m the premier league???
Ozil is another I have no doubt joachim Lowe took him off at half time due to a niggle, Santi can cover him to start off also
Don’t risk them if we don’t have to, the depth of the squad has improved and we should be confident in that fact not taking anything away from the opposition as we all know it is going to be a very tough game.
………………………………..perez………………………….
Iwobi………………..Carzola……………………….Walcott
…………..Xhaka…………………..Elneny……………………..
Monreal…..Laurent……..Mustapha………….Bellerin
…………………….Cech………………………………….
Subs: Ospina, Coq, Ox, Gabriel, Ozil, Sanchez, Gibbs
There is NO WAY Wenger will drop Ozil!
My x11 would be
Cech
Bell kosc must non
Xhaka santi
Walcott ozil iwobi
Perez
I personally wouldn’t pick sanchez even if he wanted to play, way to much travelling and less recovery time. Wenger listened to him last season and look what happened he ended up injured due to a build up of fatigue, Wenger needs to show some bottle and for his own good tell sanchez he starts from the bench if needed bang him on simple as.
Let’s see if were not over reliant on the likes of ozil and sanchez now, were all saying squad is best we’ve had etc etc when are we going to trust the squad to see what happens ??
If changing one player stops us winning at home then I think we all have our answer “Same old Arsenal” lol
Cech
Bellerin/Bosscielny/Mustafi/Monreal
Xhaka/Cazorla
Walcott/Ozil/Perez
Alexis