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….