Arsenal boss Unai Emery has had to field a makeshift defence amidst his injury crisis, with Nacho Monreal shifted into the centre.
Mohamed Elneny was another who could have potentially found himself dropped back into the centre-back role, but he has found himself given a starting role in midfield, possibly to give his side extra protection.
Mesut Ozil returns for the starting line-up to take on the Bluebirds, and is promoted to captain in the absence of Laurent Koscielny, who has succumbed to injury, with the likes of Aaron Ramsey and Petr Cech also not in the starting line-up.
🇨 @MesutOzil1088 captains the side tonight 🔴#ARSCAR pic.twitter.com/EvUwKVJx2V
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) January 29, 2019
There was a nice gesture in the programme ahead of tonight’s match, including the name of Emiliano Sala in the squad for the visiting side, after the striker signed for Cardiff only last week before going missing on his flight over the channel, and is yet to be found.
I imagine the visitors will play with some mixed emotions today, and I expect there to be a tremendous amount of respect shown with the thoughts of Sala in people’s minds at present.
That does not mean that our team will be taking anything for granted today, and you shall expect plenty of goals.
This line-up fills me with confidence despite the make-shift defence, and I’m going for a 4-1 win.
What are your predictions?
Pat J
One of the worst arsenal teams I’ve seen over the years
Won’t be surprised if we badly lost this.A lot of money needed to improve squad depth
Nothing like being a pessimist. Hate to imagine What you thnk about life….the world is nigh
Go and find some faith
The boss has no money and we are dealt with the squad he has inherited give or take a few
If we lose tonight then I will join you in the world is nigh..but I don’t think so
Chin up and think positive thoughts
Oh dear am I being a pessimist?
Watching the match what do you make of it?
Right now (half time)
The world Is nigh…?
45 minutes for them.to save my bacon
Don’t bother eating humble pie or apologising.
Wasn’t great but 3 points is all that counts right now. Back on chelski heals again.
Believe some players need to be moved on in this window as they were pretty poor all season.
2 days left to do it in so can’t see.it happening
Elneny, Torreira and Guendouzi? Not much creativity there! Let’s hope Ozil can pull some strings tonight!
Guendouzi showed that he can make nice through balls
Ozil might drop deep to run from the opponent’s defenders as usual
Hopefully Ozil is up for it first and foremost, you just never know what Ozil will show up! I would have preferred some width, I actually would of gone with Iwobi but Emery knows better than me! COYG
Elneny, Guendouzi and Torreira against Cardiff, seriously, what are we doing?
??
Cardiff at home…this is Ozil’s level these days. Haha! I wonder if he’ll knackered again, like he was after 15 minutes against Utd.
Very pleased Xhaka dropped, annoyed Mavro not starting, and very worried about Lich.
15? He was knackered warming up ?
idc who gets us the three points, just get it done today. If we struggle against Cardiff today I’ll cry. And this seems to be a makeshift starting XI. Xhaka is being rested if anything. Also, I still trust Jenkinson more than Lichtsteiner.
Very True, I don’t know how some still aren’t aware of Xhaka being a mainstay under both Wenger and Emery. Whether I agree or not, he is usually one of our most selected players, he started more than most (if not all) others, going back quite a ways. I also don’t care so long as we get the job done, a top performance would be nice, but right now points are all that matter.
Bench-proof Xhaka is finally out of the line up. Please El Neny, make us forget him.
Xhaka is not too useful if he cannot assist or score from set-pieces
He still doesn’t impress as a deep-lying playmaker
Hopefully it is 4-1-2-1-2:
……………………….Leno
Lichtsteiner . Mustafi . Monreal . Kolasinac
………………………Elneny
……….Torreira ……………….Guendouzi
………………………..Ozil
…Aubameyang ………………..Lacazette
Just got to my seat!! To see Ozil warming up… beautiful!!! ?
Lichtsteiner starts…. Oh that ain’t so beautiful
Sorry sue
But you have rose tinted glasses for ozil.
Not good enough I am afraid
I cannot believe Emery has selected Lichsteiner.Is AMN unfit?This must be the worst back four in the Premier League.
I think Emery wants to keep his fighters (Maitland-Niles, Iwobi, Xhaka and Ramsey) for the Man City game
We are playing the worst team in the league and starting three defensive midfielders. Maybe Emery sees this as a warm up for Sunday. Having said that, we’ll probably score 5.
There is more speed in a retirement home than our back line. Another eventful evening.
Anyone knows where I can watch the game.
Newcastle are getting Almiron, we’ll get a look at him at least, hope we don’t regret, as he’s relatively cheap.
Glad to see ozil back and Elneny for Xhaka
Disappointed to see lich
Total sportek link 5
Arsenal are playing at second shift they get close to the main area and they passing backwards 10 minutes first half and nobody is shooting …….
could be the rain????
I’m sorry bit you just don’t leave a fit Ozil on the bench. He makes Arsenal fc much more enjoyable to watch
We are shit.
My goodness! So much moaning and negativity here. It’s draining!
Why is Elneny Playing? Oh no, why is Emery playing Torreira and Guendouzi together?
Litchsteiner over AMN, is Emery okay?
Oh, we are so loosing this match..Blah blah blah
Can we just chill for a bit?
Yea I am chilling, but we are still shit.
I can not believe it Cardiff are feeling comfortable playing with discipline
and Arsenal running like chickens with no ideas no will waiting for something to happen ………39 minutes first half
We are playing shit but as usual Mike Dean robbing us at least 1 penalty. If it was Liverpool and diving Salah would have been 2 penalties already.
It’s not going to be difficult to fire those Cardiff players up, I thought this might be a difficult one. We need someone to show a bit of quality, just make it happen, whether that’s Ozil, Guendouzi, Torriera, Lacazette, just step up man and force the issue.
At least we won the last 2 minutes of that half. Brilliant!!!!
Lichsteiner to score today.
?
Ha ha ha ha sure he will is the only one
Not seeing the game, but we’ll see Ozil spark into life if Emery brings in Iwobi (and doesn’t remove him)
Both are incomplete packages
One has all the dirty work but no finishing
The other hates dirty works but can thread that last pass after someone else does the dirty works
But the Ozil lovers will only praise the assister but not the goal opportunity creator
You got to be kidding me not mustafi now. It’s a freaking curse to our defenders. No team in the world can do anything against that amount of bad luck.
This is very very poor. It shows we are really a mid table team and squad.
Don’t mid table clubs play some blinder sometimes.
Cant watch this shit any more fn chocolate men.. …………huddersfield is a better option or Alkrington Stanley.
Aubameyang is he playing???
Nice sub Emery. Iwobi is the only player who can move with the ball with. Until we can buy a better winger he should be starting every game alongside Ozil. People should stop saying Ozil can’t defend that is not is primary role in the team beside we have been conceding recklessly without him playing. Sign quality defend the won’t hear, sign a good winger infact any winger, we don’t have money. What a selfish board
typical, play shit and go ahead via penalty. Meanwhile up at Old Trafford…
The stuff Auba!, cool as you like.
If we bottle this and United draw or lose, then we are absolute s***t
If we win this and united draw or lose what are we then????
then we are sweet?
?????????
Ooh yes!, lovely stuff, Laca!!!!
La La laca laca yessssssssss revival!!!!
Well done boys, you give them something for Emiliano Salla.
Now we are not s***t. Manure losiñg
I like ???
Well done lads.
United is down 2-0. City is drawing with Newcastle and Fulham came 2 goals down to win. No city is losing to NC and we won despite not playing so well. I’m a happy gunner tonite
city losing. trouble for us Sunday ??
LOL!
They know how to lose back-to-back these days