Arsene Wenger was handed a massive blow this week with the news that the Arsenal defenders Laurent Koscielny and Nacho Monreal would not recover from their respective injury problems and so the boss was looking at having to cope with the in form Newcastle United with a real headache at the back.
With no Arteta, Wilshere or Diaby and with Chambers suspended for that harsh sending off at Stoke, the manager has got to be adventurous and somehow find a back four that can give the Gunners a platform to go and beat the Magpies. One good thing is that the course of the game is likely to see a lot of Arsenal ball possession and a strong and organised Newcastle defence.
But we still need to be solid at the other end and for me that means we need players as experienced as possible, especially in the middle. So I would use Hector Bellerin in one of the full back positions and bring either Kieran Gibbs or Mathieu Debuchy into the middle to partner Per Mertesacker. Who knows, maybe that is why Wenger played him at left back in Turkey.
Bellerin is obviously going to be better at right back, but I have no idea if Debuchy has much experience or ability as a centre back. If not, then it has to be Gibbs and at least that would keep the giant German on the right side and not mean yet another switch.
The question is whether this makeshift defence can cope with the likes of Papiss Cisse….
Bellerin to RB then Debuchy for his experience at CB with Mertesacker and Gibbs as LB
Bottom much worry, assuming that ramsey and flamini are fit I would keep the same shape (433) that we played on tuesday. Galatasaray are not too disimilar to Newcastle and the directness was a joy to behold.
I would make a couple of changes though
Szczesney
Bellerin Mertesacker debuchy gibbs
Ramsey flamini chamberlain
Sanchez Welbeck podolski
Martinez ajayi oconnor cazorla rosicky campbell giroud
With injury doubts about ramsey flamini sanchez and rosicky I would have a number of youngsters on standby. zelalem niles kamara sanogo akpom
This is a comedy now……playing with 3 full backs at back…. Thats is so facking depressing
“Piss up in a brewery” springs to mind.
Lucky for us, the real gooners, Wenger does not complain and does not get depressed (well, I wouldn’t for that load of money either but that’s another discussion) by these issues. Hope he works it out somehow because if there’s anyone capable of sailing this tight ship then is gotta be Wenger. Not like we have other options though.
Seems like the fitness coach is as useless as the defensive coach who’s as useless as the coach who’s as useless as the defence. Is that all?
You couldn’t be more wrong.
Recovery times are drastically reduced this season, Theo was injured with the England team not Arsenal, the new guy said it could take a year to make some players right again because of the poor practice in the past, he is doing well.
Bould is a great defensive coach and when allowed to coach the defense his way we are much better, Wenger won’t let him do that and interferes in defensive coaching and won’t buy any of the defensive targets Bould has advised.
You should do some research re Wenger banning Bould from defensive drills before shooting your gums off!
We need to play Diaby at CB.
He has the height 6′ 2″.
But if he jumps he may hurt is legs or feet or ankles or..
as per the previous topic………. Someone (not gonna mention names) stated that we all were asking for mertesacker to be our captain plus he doesn’t know why we hate him this much……. Here’s my reply to that
(1) we don’t hate mertesacker.
(2) we hate that he’s been allowed to become an almost regular starter despite his very low velocity and sluggishness.
(3) we hate his overly dependence on a koscienly to excel.
(4) Football is evolving into a formula-1 style and the last thing we need is a slow centre back (as a starter).
(5) talking of aerial balls and flying Loops…Lately, mert have found it unable to Jump.
(6) He slows down the game, doesn’t tackle, rarely intercepts too…half if not all of his passes are either to the keeper or sideways (risky me think)…
So here’s my point DON’T SELL MERTESACKER……….. Make Him a Bench Captain (can come in handy)
(7) sometimes he thinks himself to be a striker and is caught out of position, wondering upfront (especially at corner kicks).
Flamini filled in as our make shift left back during the champions league where we made it to the final and I am sure with his experience he would be a great option, defensive midfielders read the game well and his distrubution is better than MERT .Who knows he cold end up surprising up all and end up being our own* Macherano* I would play Gibbs and Debuchy at full backs as we need their ability to get forward cause the only way we gonna beat this sturdy looking Newcastle defence is by taking the game to them and start like we did in Turkey.
Just my 2 cents
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Debuchy Mert Flamini Gibbs
CoQuelin
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Alexi Giroud welbeck