Arsenal vs Villa Preview, predicted line up and score line by KJ
We have a good run of Premier League fixtures until the end of April and that means we have the opportunity of really staking a claim for that third spot. Villa are in dire form and are struggling to score goals meaning this is likely an easy win for the Gunners.
Even though it seems like a foregone conclusion for the fans, the players can’t go into the game with the same mentality. They must be prepared for the worst and really put Villa to the sword whenever they make a mistake.
We will need to dominate possession and should be able to do that with Özil back. Alexis is injured which is a bummer but this may help with our possession based game providing Giroud can net us the goals instead of the Chilean.
Predicted line up:
Ospina
Bellerin – Mertesacker – Koscielny – Monreal
Coquelin
Walcott – Ramsey – Cazorla – Özil
Giroud
It’s a fairly predictable line up.
Ospina will keep his place as he’s yet to put a foot wrong.
Bellerin will start at RB again and deserves it after a thoroughly good performance against City.
Mertesacker and Koscielny will partner each other and they should prevent Villa from having a sniff at goal.
Monreal over Gibbs simply because he’s been our best defender this season and deserves to start until he makes a mistake.
Coquelin over Flamini is pretty obvious. He’s in better form and can actually pass a ball.
I’ve gone for Walcott over Rosicky as I expect Arsene will want some pace in the team and with Oxlade-Chamberlain and Alexis out, Theo is the only one to provide that. Wenger may opt for Rosicky but that will prevent us from being strong on the counter.
Özil to get his first PL start in 3 months and he’ll be class, even if he’s played out of position.
Finally, Giroud to start up front with Welbeck coming back next week. Giroud has been very good since his return and I can’t see Danny displacing him until we start getting mid-week games again in late February.
This should be an easy win. 3 – 0 to Arsenal.
Kash
Walcott has to play, he makes the oppositions back line push back towards their own goal . This allowes our other more creative midfielders like ozil cazorla and rosicky to roam around in loads of space which is a disaster for the opposition.
I agree with the lineup and think walcott will net a couple, easy win for the gunners
Hope theo and mesut have a blinder today, hopefully swansea do us a favour later on
Praying Alexis is fit for the big one next week.
He is fine and will be OK. I honestly think managers often fabricate these niggling injuries as a cover for wanting to rest a player – there is less come back if the game doesn’t go to plan and the media don’t get so excited with stuff like “Gunners Not Respecting Villa and Leave Out Star Man”.
Spuds and Utd win, we have as well, can’t drop points against smaller clubs now.
Beating City away means no side
home or away should terrify Arsenal.
12 regulation wins.
Home.
Villa. Leicester Sunderland
Swansea WBA. Everton Westham
Away
Palace QPR Burnley Hull Newcastle.
2 tough home games. Liverpool/Chelsea .
2 tough away games. Utd/Spurs.
Rosicky > Ramsey for this game.
No place for Ramsey in starting line up based on performances on the pitch …. Would still like to see akpom given a shot at starting and villa as good a team to see what he has got to offer … And give cazorla a box to box role not on wing which even wenger must know is a waste of his talent …. Walcott starts only because better options are out
Bellerin mert kos Monreal
Coq cazorla
Walcott ozil rosicky
Akpom
I’m a tosser, I meant Rosicky < Ramsey
dont be so hard on yourself
Rosicky was really brilliant in the FA Cup – deserve seems out of form. I’m sure he’ll come around eventually, but today I’d bench Rambo and play Mozart.
Coq is one booking away from a ban so if he plays he could miss spuds game. I’d play Chambers there.
As I understand the FA rules FC is NOT one card away from a ban – there are cut-off dates for yellow card accumulation for good reasons. 31st December was the cut-off so FC’s yellow card count is re-set and if he reaches 10 YCs before 2 April he will receive a ban – if not, another reset and then he tries to avoid 15 by the end of the season. Obviously wouldn’t be fair if the 5 yellow card rule ran through the whole of the season – a player getting his 5th yellow in the 37th game would hardly warrant punishment – hence the “re-set” dates.
The cut off dates for receiving a sanction as a result of accumulating cautions are:
31st December 2014
Second Sunday in April
End of the Season
Coquelin is NOT one card away from a ban
thefa.com
So what’s this “Reus wants to play for Wenger” drama out there in England.
Feels weird that that he would want to play for Arsenal only now that his team is battling regulation and after he got “rejected” by Bayern.
Agree with the lineup, and I really think this should to be the game that Theo explodes. He should make sure the story line on Monday is about him. COYG [greg style]
Thanks for clarification Jonestown
And has Monreal become #1 over Gibbs?
You only have to see who is more of a full back Monreal.He attacks well and defends well been outstanding so far even in back four Gibbs through injuries has not been confident in defending hope he comes good soon CB
hoping for a gunners victory today! 3points would be so crucial for us to stay in the hunt for a top 4 spot! Would be an asset to us also if swansea do us a favour by beating southampton! Coyg!
If Coquelin is certified to be not one card away from suspension, the boss may start him for the Villa game visit.
Wenger said we r aiming for the epl title, i think so too
My biggest fear is the ref Anthony Taylor who stuffed us up in the corresponding fixture the previous season.