I think that everyone connected with Arsenal would have liked to have the Germany international defender Shkodran Mustafi fit again and available for our next Premier League match, especially as it is going to be on the road against the runaway league leaders Man City.
However, Arsene Wenger has given us the bad news about the injury hit centre back, with sports injury website physioroom.com reporting that the German is not due back in action for the Gunners until November 18th, when we play the home version of the north London derby. That will be a good game to have Mustafi back for, but it will mean that he will have missed this whole period of club action between two international breaks.
The question is, will Arsenal be able to cope against Pep Guardiola’s free scoring City side without free scoring our most expensive defensive transfer ever? Assuming there are no more problems to hit the Gunners in the meantime, we can be pretty sure that it will be a back three of Koscielny and Monreal either side of Mertesacker up at the Etihad and that back line has not been great in the last two games.
However, I do believe that they have got what it takes to give City the blues, especially as the nature of our opponents will surely sharpen up their focus. It is also likely to mean that Arsenal are more defensively disciplined and sitting deeper, which helps to avoid the well known problem of the BFG and his lack of pace.
Per has bags of experience and defensive quality and we need him to show it all at the weekend, but that is exactly what he did in his last big game against EPL rivals, when he helped us to beat Chelsea at Wembley to lift the FA cup. So is the loss of Mustafi really such a problem?
Bob.
It doesn’t matter.
I don’t rate Mustaphi that much. His blunders cancel out his brilliance.
Not getting hammered is a good result for us
Doesn’t matter whether it’s Mustafi or Mertesacker, one’s a bit quicker the other’s got more experience, I’d still settle for a point, however I don’t know if any of you can remember my post from a few weeks ago when I pointed out how Sky Sports help their beloved Manchester United with their midweek fixtures. As usual, Saturday 12-30 this week, then Benfica followed by Chelsea on Sunday 4-30. Again maximum rest between games. Sour grapes? No, just genuine facts
I just can’t see us giving Man City “The blues” in this fixture. It would be fantastic is we could, but they look so much better than us at the moment. But this is football, so I guess you never know!
*if (We could)
I’d rather have Mustafi in the side…
Mertsacker’s experience is very valuable. People criticized him playing in the FA Cup final and he was excellent and helped us win. I would start Metsacker because of his experience and Holding’s lack of experience. Mertsacker can’t be a regular starter as he is too old to play in and out every week but he can play a match here and there. Mertsacker also has loads of experience playing with Koscielny. Furthermore, we will be playing with 5 defenders: 3 CB, Bellerin and Kolsanic.
We should start with Mertsacker and then bring on Holding for fresh legs. Mertsacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Bellerin, Kolsanic
I also think we should play Coquelin instead of Xhaka because of his defensive skills. Play Coquelin, Ramsey, Ozil/Wilshere in Central midfield.
Just my opinion
Beating Mancity is very tough right now…..with or without Mustafi
Just hope arsenal will play their normal game against them…then they can win.
Footballs a funny game city certainly have been the standout so far and we have been hot and cold. On our day we could well do it. All I’m asking for is a confidence building position solidifying draw. We’ve shown out better without our big names many times this year. And if Wilshire is fit and stays fit we have the edge we need. I’d like to see some squad strengthening in the next window for sure. But cmon the gunners we can get the results we have skill just need the attitude and as in any sport a little luck.
Your gonna get nothing hoping for little luck. What we need is a new Manager and about half a dozen players in and half a dozen out. Typical armchair fan
I will rather have mustafi and koshieny but when the best is not available the available becomes the best .mets can do a good job on a good day all we need to do is to pack the midfield because that is where the battle will be won and lost
I think the man city match is the kind of games where Jack shows his real self. Remember his game against xavi and iniesta of Barca?
Guys listen,
It is going to be a matter of game plan.You are aware that MC will want to hit us on the counter with Sane and Sterling on the flanks.
We should therefore play deep deep for MC and when we lose the ball, we should look for it wholesomely and try to possess it.
Bellerin and Kolasinic should be more disciplined and protect the always slow Per and aging Kos.
Play front of A and Lac and let Ozil go deep to supply counters for us and we defend tightly when City is in our final third….I tell you city will regret why they met Arsenal on a sunday afternoon.
hello…am not a manager, tactician or anything…but to stop city you need to crowd the midfield…there is no way we will beat city with lacazette isolated upfront, sanchez chasing shadows trying to press city backline instead of playing deep to nullyfy them getting the ball into dangerous areas…city fullbacks or wingbacks(delph and walker) unlike other fullbacks they tend to carry the ball infield hence outnumbering opposition in midfield thereby giving de bryne and silva ample time to pick runners in sane and sterling..
Arsenal should play a 4 -3-3 system to match up with Man City. They must try and nullify the threat of De Bruene and Silva by man marking them with Elneny and Kolasinac leaving Ramsay free to put pressure on Fernandino who can lose the plot under pressure.Sanches should play on the right wing to expose their makeshift left back and in the absence of Welbeck , iwobi should be used to track the over rated Walker.The back four should be Bell,Holding, Koscielny and Monreal Xhaka and Ozil should be benched as they do not have the defensive qualities to cope with the attacking power of Man City Mr Wenger will not of course adapt a horses for courses attitude but whatever team he picks,and I suspect he will play the same eleven that scraped through against Swansea ,he and his team should kneel and pray before the matchThey will need some divine intervention
if wenger will try to dominate like he did at liverpool we will get hammered. city will destroy us on the counter, as xhaka, ramsey, ozil and mert will prove useless.
in out last 30 or so games away at the top 6 teams we won only 3 games and lost most, because of those insane tactics.
we should sit deep the try to counter. anything else and we should expect something like the 8-2 to united.