We already know that Theo Walcott will not be on the pitch or on the bench for Arsenal tomorrow as the Gunners play host to the old rivals Manchester United. Hopefully though, Arsene Wenger will be able to start with Danny Welbeck up front but the 23-year old may be ruled out with a hamstring problem picked up on England international duty.
Assuming the worst then, how can Arsenal line up for this vital game that we really need to win and simply cannot afford to lose? With no Walcott or Welbeck, Arsenal have lost a huge amount of pace up front and we really need that pace to give the United players a real worry about pressing forwards and pressuring our shaky defence. But without Welbeck, it looks like Olivier Giroud will start as our centre forward and whatever the Frenchman brings to the team, it is not pace.
So I think we might have to shuffle the system a little and move Alexis Sanchez back out to the right forward position, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on the left. That would give pace, power and work rate on both flanks, giving United problems, runners for Giroud to link up with and also protection to the Arsenal full backs.
It would also mean that Santi Cazorla could pull the strings from his favourite CAM position, with either Ramsey or Wilshere bursting through or playing balls in behind the United defence. And if Wenger plays a 4-1-4-1 formation, then either Arteta of Flamini can sit and protect the back four. Here is my team, unless Welbeck is fit to play of course:
Szczesny
Chambers, Mertesacker, Monreal, Gibbs
Flamini
Alexis, Cazorla, Wilshere, Chamberlain
Giroud
What do you think Gooners?