On the heels of a disappointing defeat at the hands of Barcelona, Arsenal travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United in a hugely significant Premier League encounter. A win for the Gunners will keep them on track for a title challenge and will also effectively knock the Red Devils out of the race for the top four.
Now although the Arsenal side more or less seems to pick itself nowadays, there is most certainly one change that has to be made. Irrespective of whether Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain recovers from the knock he took during the game against Barcelona, Danny Welbeck must take his place on Arsenal’s right flank.
The Englishman has been immense since his return from a serious knee injury and his versatility certainly gives Wenger quite a few options in attack. Judging by his performances since returning, Danny seems hungry to make an impact and playing him against his former club will give him an added incentive to put in a match-winning performance.
Should he start on Sunday, Arsenal will have two genuine goalscorers playing on the flanks, with Sanchez coming in from the other side. Unfortunately, Theo seems to have suffered a dip in form so I really feel the opportunity has duly presented itself for Welbeck to step up and make the difference for Arsenal.
Having missed a vast majority of the season through injury, the former Manchester United star is fresh and raring to go, and he will need no extra motivation going up against a club that let him go considering him as surplus to requirements. After the Barcelona game, it is safe to say that the Ox certainly will not be starting, so I really hope to see Welbeck get the nod over Walcott and Campbell when the Gunners make the trip to Old Trafford.
Anurag
The Ox is definitely out, his injury is a lot worse than first thought… Some reports are suggesting a month out with double ligament damage! …. others are saying that he could even miss the Euro’s due to his injury.
Anyone that saw it,would know that it was a stupid injury that was brought on himself!
Time for Campbell to shine again!
Hopefully, he will linkup well with Danny and keep our title dreams alive!
back to the way it was supposed to be…… More chances for campbell
but why do my guts tell me wenger won’t bench giroud until something like an injury hits him?
I think i know why….. Wenger wants a Lethargic giroud to bang in more goals and become that 20+ goals a season wonder….and so will continue to play him no matter what!
giroud needs a 2nd CF: that’ll be welbeck, esp versus MU.
[giroud can head it down in the 6yd box for welbeck]
Giroud, Welbeck
Sanchez,Ozil,campbell
Cazorla
monreal,koz,gabriel,bellerin
cech
i’d put campbell bc he’ll be fresh.
Excellent formation, but Carzola will never be CDM anytime soon even if it’s vs Man Useless
Can any1 rem watching us play a fast free flowing match with Giroud upfront ?
I respect Giroud but dislike how Arsene prefare in to d pacey guys upfront. check ds…
Againt Bayern (1st leg) Pep had to bring Alaba to CB while defending deeper cos of Theo. (dt gave Ozil even more space to impress). In d 2nd leg Pep played with Alaba in LB nd d defence very high up d pitch (mostly arround d center circle).
My point is Ozil nd Alexis flourish in free flowing play but wt Giroud its like dey are held back.
Wenger cant play Giroud against big teams always agreed theo is not in great form but its no coincident that Alexis have mostly scored wen theo is playind centre.
by d way Rambo should just gv Ozil d ball for God sake dts our play maker instead of trying too hard to make d difference.
here’s a giroudless counterattacking formation; let MU have 60%:
theo,
sanchez,ozil,welbeck,
ramsey,coq
monreal,koz,gabriel,bellerin
cech
Speed comes from the wings, knock downs come from OG. Danny had a pretty good knockdown last game as well.
Cech
Hector Per Kos Monreal
Ramsey Coquelin
Welbeck Ozil Sanchez
Giroud
We must thrash them 4-0, 5-0, 6-0….but it has to be emphatic to make a very loud statement – we are going to win the EPL!
these are the kinda predictions (4:0 , 5:0 etc)that Leaves a bitter taste on my palate
and then we end up seeing things Like FT 0:0 …..do u think we’d be playing against kids on the day?
We just need a WIN….however that translates…..the scoreLines don’t matter *serious face*
@SoOpa AeoN
It’s not a prediction…what I am suggesting is we must make a big statement and I can think of no better way than to hit a clutch of goals – however many – against a Manure side which IS in fact littered with kids, a makeshift backline and who would’ve played on a Thursday evening.
I guarantee you…we win 1-0 or 2-1 and the lingering doubt about this Arsenal side will NOT go away.
Nothing BUT an emphatic win will be enough to really super-charge our run to the title. This is a great opportunity to do just that.
0-0? That’s generous.
What of 0-3? Or you’ve never seen that happen?
If they play like they did against Barca in the first 70 minutes, then yeah, definitely. Hopefully a proper revenge for the bashing from a few years back.
agree, lets not think about 4:0 etc. sets crazy expectations & pressure (esp since we’re not scoring hardly at all nowadays — but it will come! )
the more i think about it, the more i like the theo up front: lets shake things up a bit; give giroud a rest [he was really good coming off the bench anyway so bring him on min 60]
the #1 thing we cannot do is be caught on the break. that stuff is getting old.
we play better at counter style anyway, let MU have 60%; let them come to our 40yd line and then counter. the amount of energy required to play barca 70min will last us all 90 on sunday so i think we can beat MU. i also think we’re not far from finding our scoring boots.
A team that has Giroud starting upfront will not be beating anyone by 4 or 5 goals!
Very true
Starting upfront with 2 others you meant?
@TJ
4-0, 5-0, 6-0…is not a scoreline we see Arsenal winning by anymore.Even against weak opposition and it aint solely the strikers fault.Liverpool can win 6-0 with 6 different scorers. We need more goals from our midfielders too. Payet, Mahrez, De Bryne all score goals.
This team we have is more than capable of producing that kind of result – I have absolutely no doubt in my mind about that.
This team doesn’t need major surgery (this season)…the difference between a goal and missed opportunity oftentimes is a very fine margin…2-3inches here and there. I would be worried if we weren’t creating the goal scoring chances but that’s not the case. We are creating lots of chances; we are getting shots on…it will come & i believe it will be this Sunday.
The pressure – the only pressure is the one the players are putting on themselves right now. They are very hurt, their pride has been hit hard…so now let’s see how they respond as a truly united professional side which wants their pride restored.
14 manure players are out of this meeting……..including shrek
this is no extra bonus nor a guarantee for instant victory…….haven’t we seen this kinda movie way too many times?
How we throw away good opportunities to the wind….and end winding it up
The emirates is not a Fortress and there’s no home advantage….we have been humiliated here way too many times….and must go into this game like wounded animals if we are to get something out of it…. We haven’t travelled anywhere for a game in the past few weeks…..and so the Issue of jetlagging won’t be brought up as excuse
Remember, from now on, every game played will be a title decider….one false move …..and blimey!…..its goodbye 2015/2016 EpL campaign
but i hope it doesn’t come to this and we will take this game to manure and play it out like our lives depends on it
I rest my case!…
rest giroud: put theo up front.
and welbeck on wing: lets play the counterattacking style we were doing so well late last year.
coq is back so that’s a big wall back there:
theo,
sanchez,ozil,welbeck,
ramsey
coq
monreal,koz,gabriel,bellerin,
cech.
i’d like to see elneny get 30min on sunday.
giroud can come on at min60 and he’s great off the bench.
Ok, we lost, the barcelona game is gone as not many, not 2 or 3 clubs can hold them from doing their magic as we’ll always be arsenal who bounces back from disappointment to an absolute stunning performance. this is another day to be a true gunner.
Against manchester, I’ll say…
Cech,
Hector, mert, kos, monreal,
Coq, ramsey(tired of him though)
Campbell, Ozil, Sanchez
Welbeck.
I see arsenal winning 0-2 or more cos we’re not going to concede. I predict d same scoreline in the return leg against barcelona, n a penalty shootout which arsenal will win. COYG. keep the faith
Is the answer because Giroud is sssssllllooooowww and Walcott just a holographic projection?
Dybala starting to look good already for Juve. Wish it was we who bagged that wonder kid!
welbeck must start
Did You just call Oli and Welbz two genuine goalscorers???
Our striker now r Giroud or Wek. Theo is not contributing anything. Our major problem now is that our midfielders Sanchez n Ramsey even Ozil can’t score anymore. Am not happy d way Sanchez play, like to hold ball too long, pass not accurate. Something has to b done. Against Man u webk on d wing Giroud cf. Giroud may not score but his total contribution to our game is immense.