How Arsenal will line up for MLS All-Stars clash?

We already know who will definitely not be in the Arsenal XI that will start the pre-season match in the United States against an All-Star MLS team in the early hours of tomorrow, with Arsene Wenger having to do without a number of his key first team players for one reason or another.

So the Gunners will be facing a strong and match fit side without the likes of Mesut Ozil, Olivier Giroud, Aaron Ramsey, Danny Welbeck, Alexis Sanchez, Laurent Koscielny, Gabriel and Per Mertesacker. This will almost certainly make it a difficult game for the Gunners that do start but it is also a great option for them to impress, but who will make the Arsenal team.

The lack of defensive options against a team that could start with strikers like David Villa and Didier Drogba could see Arsene Wenger turn to the experience of Spanish left back Nacho Monreal in the middle, with either Calum Chambers or Rob Holding alongside and Petr Cech in goal. That would leave Bellerin, if fit and if not Debuchy, and Gibbs to fill the full back positions.

At some point I would like to see Francis Coquelin get a chance in central defence but to start with him I would put him in front of the back four to protect our weakened defence. Again depending on fitness levels I would love to see Granit Xhaka start in the middle as well, with Elneny or maybe Wilshere to come on as needed and depending on how the match is going.

Then we have the coveted but difficult number 10 role. Jack is an option as are Iwobi and Jeff-Reine Adelaide and all three of these could also play out wider but I would like to see Campbell start on one side. The centre forward options are thin on the ground and it surely has to be either Walcott or Akpom.

With quite a lot of youth and inexperience already I would go for Theo and this would be my starting XI.

Cech
Bellerin, Chambers, Monreal, Gibbs
Coquelin, Xhaka
Campbell, Wilshere, Iwobi
Walcott

What do you think, Gooners, and who would you pick?

Bob.

Tags Chambers Walcott Xhaka

18 Comments

    1. My starting XI for next game:

      Cech
      Bellerin – Chambers – Holding – Gibbs
      Xhaka – Wilshere
      Oxlade – Iwobi – Campbell
      Walcott

      2nd Half:
      Martinez
      Debuchy – Bielik – Gabriel – Monreal
      Coquelin – Elneny
      Gnabry – Adelaide – Willock
      Akpom

  1. Hoping JW and TW can have injury free seasons. I also hope that the defense can really gel. LC won the title by taking all 3 points in 1-0 games towards the last month of fixtures.

  2. santis back!
    xhaka first look!

    feck sake i have work early cant stay up wanna watch it.

    1. Arsenal does not buy stars
      we make them. So to prove it
      here is the starting X1
      for the 2016/2017 sason.
      Martinez
      Elneny Bielik Holding Willock
      Coquelin Zelalem
      Campbell Iwobi Aelaide
      Akpom.
      The 6 million dollar side 🙂

      1. Eleney, Campbell, Coquelin, Iwobi played well for us last season
        Zealem played well last season for Rangers
        Rob Holding played well for Bolton. He was voted Bolton Wanderer’s Player of the Season

      1. appreciate it bro, gonna look to you for them stream links this coming season 😉

        you reckon we’re getting anyone? ive got totally lost in the transfer madness, should have stayed in colombia for extra few months

    1. It looks like we’ve now stepped-up our interest as Sky Sports News are citing Sky Germany as saying that Arsenal are in talks with Valencia over a potential deal to sign the defender this summer.

      The news outlet says that while Mustafi has a £42.1m buy-out clause in his contract, Valencia will be willing to do business for an initial £25.3m plus a further £8.4m in add ons taking the potential deal to a total of £33.7m.

      Sky Sports insists that Arsenal are yet to table a formal offer but they say that the 24-year-old’s agent is due to fly back to Spain to try and thrash out a move to north London this summer.

      1. wow not like wenger paying that much for a defender.
        fair play if it happens
        he an otamendi were an excellent partnership,
        kos an mustafi sounds alright 😉

        try not to get my hopes up….

  3. Hope Holding start with Chambers. I just want to see if he can fit in senior team or need to send on loan. I don’t care if we loose. More interested in seeing how Holding and Xhaka perform and waiting for Santi’s magic.

  4. Hey pals. Is there any app you guys knw of that will allow me see the Arsenal game with my mobile phone?. Its midnyt already over here in Nigeria…Or the Arsenal app?.. Buh m not yet a registered member.

    1. The Arsenal app isn’t showing this game live I think. You may just have to wait until replay is available. Arsenal twitter says it will show up tomorrow.

  5. Mustafi? Available, versatile and cheap (a la 2016 transfer values)
    Varane? Not available, a bit versatile and will cost us probably 2 “Sanchez”
    Murillo? Not sure he wants to leave inter Milan anytime soon
    Ruddiger and rugani? Good and cheap options but their clubs won’t release them
    John terry? Cheap (almost free), versatile (on the pitch and on another man’s bed) and he will definitely want to join arsenal (have u seen arsenal footballer’s WAGs)…

    After everything, I think mustafi is our best bet…

    Hence, Wenger won’t get him… Really sad!!!

  6. Its all official apparently.
    Lacazette 30 mill
    Mahrez 39 mill
    Mustafi 33 mill.
    102 mill.
    “After all we can buy Rooney and pay him 200k p/w”.
    Or will it really be?
    Yedder 6 mill
    Zelalem Free.
    Holding 2 mill.
    8 mill spend
    “Because we need to be disciplined”.
    Can’t wait to see “the truth will out”

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