It looks like Arsenal’s north London rivals Tottenham are going to win again as they are currently 2-0 up at home to West Brom and the Gunners must follow suit in our away game with Swansea City to keep up with the spuds and keep in touch with the current league leaders Chelsea.
Thankfully for the Arsenal fans our injury situation is looking better and so even though Arsene Wenger is still unable to call on the likes of Walcott, Bellerin and Gibbs, he is able to name a strong Arsenal XI for this must win match.
One of the two big decisions that the Frenchman had to make was up front, where he has rewarded Olivier Giroud for his recent form and goalscoring exploits with another start. That means that our Chilean superstar Alexis Sanchez will operate from the left flank with Alex Iwobi on the other side of the front three.
The other selection issue was about who would replace Bellerin at right back and the boss has gone for Gabriel, although the promising young Ashley Maitland-Niles is on the bench alongside Lucas Perez, Danny Welbeck and the Ox. Ozil and Koscielny are back and with Xhaka and Ramsey in the middle there is plenty of quality in our team.
Cech
Gabriel, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal
Ozil, Xhaka, Ramsey
Iwobi, Sanchez, Giroud
Subs: Ospina, Maitland-Niles, Holding, Reine-Adelaide, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Lucas, Welbeck.
Will Arsenal be too strong for the Swans?
Bob.
A)
Wenger concedes title race not in Arsenal hands now
Exit rumours swirl around Arsenal duo after Swansea defeat
Piers Morgan leads calls for Wenger sack after Swansea catastrophe
Title now effectively a 3 horse between Chelsea, Liverpool and Spurs
B)
Alexis Sanchez is world class Shearer finally admits after Swansea masterclass
Rule Arsenal out of the title race at your peril ~ Goal
Arsenal win show they’re genuine title contenders
Title race thrown wide open after impressive Arsenal win
Is it A or B?
Let’s hope it’s B. Although I wished Perez was there instead of giroud!…. If giroud don’t score,, bench please!
Because setting up your team mates with a won aerial then passed to another team mate who then passes to another for a score is worth putting on the bench.
No because he will slow down the game and Alexis through the center will probably glue the ball to his FOOT s…. U know the foot that u use to play Football… and create much much more chance….I mean look at how much small chances we create when giroud is upfront…almost every game he played in we struggled to score until he nicks one at a vital time….Plus Perez has contributed as much as giroud or probably more with the minutes he got!… Don’t get me wrong, giroud should play, but he should do so as a super sub!
1. Lucas on the bench again…wow..so we paid 17 mill so we could bench this guy..???
2. Iwobi over Lucas ??
3. Ramsey in the XI because we dont have any other options.
4. No Welbeck in the XI. How long before he can start a game?? And isnt he a better option than Iwobi on the wings. Iwobi doesnt track back and cant defend for life.
5. Giroud upfront again.
Have a feeling this will be another one of those games where we have all the possession but cant score. Then Swansea will sucker punch us with one counter. Would have preferred Alexis uptop with Lucas and Welbeck on the wings.
I mean look at the bench! No midfielders there! And we loaned jack coz we had surplus!
The guy who has been out for 9+ months should start straight away.
Perez should start just because he cost 17 mil and despite being a doubt for this match through injury.
Giroud shouldn’t start despite scoring 4 games in a row and assisting on top of that twice last match.
And let’s just shit on Iwobi because why no.
You mean the guy who has already been training with the first team for a month now. The guy who came on the pitch for the last 10 mins against Preston and almost scored a goal. Please tell me when will dat guy be fit enough to start a game, in May??
Perez should have started not because he cost 17 mil. but because he scored a wonderful goal in the last Pl game and provided the assist in the FA Cup. He has not put a foot wrong but still gets overlooked for Iwobi.
Giroud shouldnt start becuase he slows down our attacks. We dont play the fluid passing game when Giroud is on the bench and he is much better coming off the bench in the last 30 mins.
Shitting on Iwobi because he is actually shit when it comes to defending. Never seen him track back or win the ball in our half. Moreover it is painfully obvious he is not a winger and his best position is in the centre. If you have to play Iwobi put him in the no. 10 role.
I reckon Perez was bought for two reasons, maybe more but I wont go into the other ones. First off our terrible injury record, and Perez is flexible, capable in different positions. Secondly, Walcott looked finished after last seasons showing, Wenger wanted to give him another chance, but he didn’t go for broke like in previous season. Perez was for just in case, and extra competition. Walcott has stepped up, so I don’t agree with you fully, but you make some good points. @Roe-Hahn#Gooner
Hopefully B but history leans towards A ?. Should we win today, Spurs will be playing Man city and Liverpool in the next 3 games.
Congrats to Admin. That is the exact team he predicted a few hours ago.
Personally I would have preferred the Ox instead of Ramsey but otherwise it is good enough to win convincingly.
I’m not liking Alexis been taking away from the centre, how many games now. I read this morning that Alexis is best player in league right now, he scores or assists every eighty something minutes, next was Costa. That came about because he was involved in everything through the middle. It’s almost like Wenger regrets it now, because he became one of the very biggest players around, meaning he’s worth the money he asks for. Giroud is a solid player, but we have a bonafide star. Also we’re away from home, you usually get more counter attack chances when away.
Ah come on people, look at the difference when Alexis moved centrally in second half. I’m not knocking Giroud, he done the hardest part today, he broke the deadlock. And he’s on a five game streak, six now.
But look at how different Alexis’s game is out wide, compared to an archetype role in the middle. Huge difference. With Giroud, it’s a case of, either he’s on the end of something, or else he’s not.
I know we wont sign anyone this Jan. but with Cazorla injured, I would have loved if we signed Siggurdsson. Can play anywhere in the front three,Cam as well as CM. Excellent from set pieces and can create goal scoring opportunities from deep midfield. Better option than Payet in the CM role IMO. We could then bring back Wilshere in the summer and sell Ramsey.
Perez should be starting games. Iwobi has been poor recently, how he keeps winning his place back in the team who knows.
Perez might as well just slap in a transfer request, head off to China where he’ll actually be appreciated, and triple his wages at the very least. It’s the Campbell situation all over again. Campbell played well at times, given the little time he had on the pitch, but was always kept behind the woeful Ox and Walcott by Wenger. Similar story with Podolski, and now Perez. Iwobi has been poor this season. So with Giroud starting, surely Perez would be a great option, because he could whip in some excellent crosses with his deadly left foot. Won’t be seeing that from Iwobi.
YES!!!
Perez is outstanding almost every outing but is never rewarded for his great play. Sad.
Chaka already making mistakes. He needs to build some confidence.
His reaction as well. Slow to turn especially under pressure.
I hope I’m wrong but just can’t see the Xhaka-Ramsey partnership clicking anytime soon.
That would have been the first goal! We keep passing the ball around and not testing the opposition goal keeper.
Our midfield is shambolic..We need Coquelin back ASAP, i’d rather have Bielik replace Xhakha or Ramsey! I really want Xhaka to do well but but he seems to lack a lot of confidence defensively. 15 minutes in and we once again look poor…
That s right Ramsey xhaka iwobi is one if the worst midfields in recent arsenal history … Not one is a top EPL team standard … Wenger has learnt nothing from last 2 games … 25 minutes in and not a shot on goal
This team can not win the PL title. Too many mistakes. No direct play. Have to pass the ball a million times to have a shot on goal. I see Swansea getting a goal.
We make every lower table team look like Barca.
Only Arsenal can do that.
Good to see Ozil back,
Ramsey and Gabriel are the weakest links here,
What’s the odds on both of them costing us the points today?
Xhaka and Ramsey really letting the team down.
True, there doesn’t look to be a sufficient guard in front of our defenders, and the passing forward by both player is slow and easy, except for that one ball by Ramsey before the goal. What happened to Xhaka’s quick precision passes, he was excellent on fist day.
Iwobi is not a winger! Come on man, if you’re starting Giroud up top then Alexis and Perez has to flank him.
However lazy ozil is … The guy is class
Would never dream of letting him go. His song says it all, “I just don’t think you understand”. Why sing it if we don’t believe it…
Thank you Giroud!!! Let’s add ore now please!!!!
????????
Giroud, strikers finish, nice pass by Alexis.
We look so average when Ramsey plays centrally and giroud up top. Neither should start. Put Alexis back in the middle and let’s get our dynamic fluidity back.
Ramsey is utter sh@@@ …period .. Can’t believe he is still an arsenal player then again Iwobi in same mould and xhaka seems to have regressed with more game time … 4th place junkies facing a period of cold turkey if this continues
Iwobi played great when it was theo and Alexis up top. I think he would do great with Lucas and Alexis. There are no spaces centrally for him to get on the ball with giroud always standing there and Ramsey making runs ahead of mesut. The movement and fluidity with Alexis up top and mesut running in behind would create more space and unpredictability in our movements for everyone to play.
As for xhaka, I don’t recall the last time we had a Center mid play well next to Ramsey. Sell this guy already. He epitomizes what was 4th place Arsenal.
Thank you referee, good spot. Scared this crap out of me.
Ref got it right. I thought it was a penalty until I saw the replay.
This team has lost pace. i assumed that playing Og has made an impact as he’s not mobile and we expect to play long balls. on the contrary, when Alexis is in the centre we are more mobile and seem a more enjoyable team to watch. Alexis is stuck in 13 goals since moved to the side but i do believe If we get Payet in Santi position , we will be really get money for value as Payet can play also on the right or left plus free kick master. I’m falling sleep watching this game even if we score out of run. The team needs an injection of Pace and motivation but
Could still end a draw. Not convinced!
Average 1st half. We MUST get Alexis on the ball more, he’s been too isolated this game. Ramsey, every one of his touches look heavy, and we just seem to have a lot of trouble getting the ball forward, and it’s not because of Swansea’s pressing, it’s just poor passing and lack of players making runs. Hoping for a better 2nd half, but happy Giroud found the net again and hope he’s okay. Swansea had better chances, but we got the chance that counted.
Cannot believe how sluggish Arsenal are yet again in the first half of a game. We are very lucky we’re up against such a poor team, because we should be behind, and got lucky with our goal.
I hear the Ox coming on for Giroud. Why when he’s coming back from an injury and Perez has been playing well and scoring?
Absoloute disgrace of a half. Better team would’ve punished our mistake.
No dynamism in the team, like majority of the season. Watch how some of the players have a good 20 minutes in the game in 2nd half. Most of these players are part time.
Get Welbeck and Perez on.
got away with that.
Stone wall penalty
Ramsey has played decent so far tbh, he gets a lot of stick for nothing sometimes. We just notice his mess ups more because of the target on his back. let’s hope Giroud isn’t injured!
Every touch under the slightest bit of pressure looks rushed and not composed at all. Runs around like a headless chicken
Lucas on left
Ox on right
Alexis in middle
with Ozil behind
hope subs made early in 2nd half
No to OX. Play15 minutes then his tired.
If Arsenal win, you will hear the stats giroud has X amount of goals in Y amount games.
I hate this stat for any player because it’s misleading. It counts goals from sub appearance but excludes Sub appearances.
More of the same please. I’ll be pissed if they go back in shell.
We deserved that goal, would have liked if Ramsey had scored his one. Excellent almost assist by Alexis, Vision.
was that an own goal? Thought if the original shot is going on target, then attacker gets credit, hm….
Back heel outta bounds for no reason. He represents 4th place Arsenal.
LOL Iwobi don’t stop
So technically gifted. Classy even. And he’s just 20
Iwobi ….I can’t stop scoring, I can’t stop scoring, I can’t stop scoring this way. Call me Mr Raider, call me Mr Wrong, call me a pal of Manny Frimpong.
OK, I’m loving this.
That’s more like it. Sanchez the best player in the team.
Best in the league, so the paper said this morning.
OG scored lol
Alexis baby, nobody has more, loving it, love when this dude scores.
Is it just me or have comments dried up on here since we started playing well?
No it’s not just you, 10 fold in here not long back. What’s that all about.
Not dried up lol but definitely the comments are less full of moaners….
Alexis is at the top of the scoring table now
Just three goals from his best season ever with us.
Hope he wins golden boot
Hmmm.. `okay Alexis i get it you wanted to play the full 90mn but this just looks bad and will fuel the rumour mill more
Welbz with some confident feet and touches is nice to see
I want this clean sheet!!! ..Mustafi unbeaten, is he a love-child from the Invincible era.
Well done team! Win the next few games before Chelsea.