Arsenal News Arsenal previews

It’s time to pick Arsenal’s starting XI against Wolves

I cannot imagine that Unai Emery will field anything but his strongest eleven against Wolves on Wednesday night. Now is not the time to do any more tinkering, I understand the need to protect players but we have just two competitions to navigate, the Premier League and Europa League and it makes no sense to rest players because, simply put, every game is a cup final and you never rest players for cup finals.

It is a given that he will start Bernd Leno in goal but it is the defence that Emery has to get right and that means he must drop Mustafi, it would be unforgivable for him to play that huge liability and so I expect a back three of Sokratis, Koscielny and Monreal.

As with Mustafi, it is unthinkable that the boss will risk playing Jenkinson again and so that means a starting spot for Ainsley Maitland-Niles with Sead Kolasinac on the other flank, those two have generally proven to be reliable in those positions.

There is no way Elneny will be selected and for that matter Guendouzi, though it would not surprise me too much to see the latter picked. I expect the central pair of Xhaka and Torreira to be given the nod with Ozil in front of them both.

That leaves Lacazette and Aubameyang up front again though knowing Emery he could instead go with just the one and find a spot for Mkhitaryan but I am doubtful.

So, my predicted eleven is as follows.

Leno
Maitland-Niles
Sokratis
Monreal
Koscielny
Kolasinac
Xhaka
Torreira
Ozil
Lacazette
Aubameyang

Now, that is our best eleven, but Emery does have his own way of doing things and so Iwobi, Guendouzi and Mkhitaryan may easily be selected but as long as there is no place for Elneny, Jenkinson and Mustafi I will be happy.

What team do you want to see fielded this evening?

Posted by

26 Comments

  1. Agree with your team except Iwobi instead of Kolasinac – the king of the back pass. He knows he’s totally incapable of beating a man so panics if there is an opposition player within 10 yards of him when he received the ball and passes backwards or sideways. He couldn’t beat a traffic cone one on one – unless the cone had been heavily sedated. At least Iwobi tries to go forward and a couple of games ago he forced his way into good positions and made excellent passes into the box which if converted would have given him 2 assists. Prefer a trier to a non-trier every day of the week.

        1. You want to use Iwobi as a left wingback? Interesting idea, but it could be working or not working

          Belgium tried it with Carrasco in World Cup and it did not work well

  2. Definately the one you’ve put above is da only first XI that can win us all da last 4 games. 100% +++ any GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONER who needs to see us winning da remaining fixtures will select da same 11. All da best Goooooners 4 tomorrow night game vs da wolves.

  3. Wolves would most likely have use 3-5-2 with five midfielders. Hence Emery might use 3-4-2-1 with Ozil and Mkhitaryan behind Lacazette, to have more midfielders and win the battle in the middle

    Actually I want to see Arsenal utilize the flanks with two wide forwards, because Wolves’ wingbacks tend to move forward. Aubameyang/ Iwobi can provide the penetrations on the sides and Lacazette could be the main link/ decoy/ false nine:

    …………………………….Leno
    Maitland-Niles . Sokratis . Koscielny . Kolasinac
    ……………………………Xhaka
    ……………Torreira …………….. Guendouzi
    …………………………Lacazette
    …..Aubameyang …………………… Iwobi

    1. If there’s one thing we do NOT need it’s a defensive line up like the load of b****cks you’ve just put up. Would love it NOT to see Kola or Mikhi in the freakin’ squad, let alone in the starting line up.

      1. It’s not defensive

        Xhaka is a deep-lying playmaker that created the most forward passs and Guendouzi was proven to be able to produce sharp through balls if he is accompanied by Torreira/ Xhaka

        Kolasinac might not be a dribbler but he is a bully. No Mkhitaryan in the line-up, only two fast wide forwards that hopefully can threaten the opposition like Salah/ Mane or Sterling/ Sane

        1. I like your line up but I think it would be better to switch Iwobi with Lacazette as I’ve never seen Laca play CAM. After that, swap Iwobi with Mkhitaryan who I feel has more technical ability to feed through balls and dangerous ground passes to our attackers.. at least through the center. Lastly, please please please drop Guendouzi. The boy is absolute garbage and does not have even an ounce of talent. I will be overjoyed the day I see the back of him.

          1. I don’t want to see Guendouzi tonight.. or Elneny… or Mustafi…. or Lichtsteiner….. jeez the list is getting longer!!
            I’m so glad Sokratis is back ?

    2. Defensive formation
      You have to remove one of Guendouzi or Xhaka and put either Milky or Ozil in that central attacking midfield….

      Kolsainac is a liability
      Monreal is far more reliable anytime any day

  4. Some of the line ups put forward are ample testimony to the fact that most loud mouths know nothing about formations and tactics. We are fans and not coaches/ managers so just wait for kick off and cheer on the players that our manager will select..period. COYG

  5. I believe without Jenks, El Neny, Mustafi and Guendouzi victory will be possible. If Emery decides to have a brain fart and includes those jokers again we will almost certainly fail.

    1. Purely 4-2-3-1 formation…

      Emery tactics has been defensive for quite a while now..
      We are now ugly to watch this days
      This is not the Arsenal i know

      The fans don’t even care again
      All most of you want now is to win by all means…
      The best form of defense is to attack
      and not to jam-packed the first eleven with defensive minded players…
      That alone will encourage the opponent to get forward in numbers and attack you
      Am so much dissapointed in Emery
      He thinks by been more of defensive
      The team wont concede goals
      Very foolish thinking..

  10. What puzzles me is we’ve bought seasoned international footballers,some in their prime and some maybe past their prime but they’re all error ridden.Errors you’d expect from inexperienced players.
    Tells me,as with the previous management,this new management can’t organise a defensive wall.What also worries me is the budget Emery has to play with next season and the’profit is king’attitude of the Yank owner.
    Anyway,Wolves next fingers x.

  12. ………………..Leno
    Niles Sokratis Koscielny Nacho
    …………Torreira Xhaka
    .Iwobi mkhitaryan aubameyang
    …………….Lacazette

    Cech, Kolasinac, Mavropanos, Guendozi, Willock, Ozil, Nketiah

    With out question Out of my club in the summer
    Cech, Ospina, Macey, Iliev, Lichsteiner, Jenkinson, Mustafi, Bramall, Ramsey, Elneny, Welbeck, Asano

    Those 12 departures will not boost the coffers enough (may be only 3 or 4 bringing in a fee, around 35-40m but will obviously reduce the wage bill, by around 650k a week) and can pretty much be replaced from within by the likes of Martinez, Okonkwo, Pleguzuelo, Mavropanos, Willock, Smith-Rowe, Nelson, Nketiah.

    But to add more quality, more money will need to be raised and sad though it may be, we might have to consider selling Koscielny, Monreal, Chambers, Xhaka, Ozil and Mkhitaryan. All 6 could command a fee around 90m and would take about 1m a week of the wage

  14. the boss will risk playing Jenkinson again . Arsenal fans are the most stupid fans have even seen .I recall we cry for the boss to play Jenkinson ,just because he did not play well ,his now the worse player on earth.u expect him to do magic after been on the bench for months.as for kola ,he played badly that day his now the worse player now .must we win all our games all the time araenal nonsense fans.you guys just critize your players all the time .do Messi always have a good match all the time be wise Arsenal fan

Comments are closed

Top Blog Sponsors