The options available to Arsene Wenger when selecting his Arsenal line up for today’s game against Sunderland at the Emirates stadium are smaller than they have been all season and with three key players in Alexis Sanchez, Santi Cazorla and Francis Coquelin being on the injury list and after the Gunners’ recent struggles in the league, what should have been an easy three points is now looking like a tough and pressure filled match.
At least the prof was able to call on Laurent Koscielny who also limped off at Norwich last week and so we have our strongest back four starting and with Petr Cech behind them Arsenal should have a strong platform to build on.
Wenger has gone for Mathieu Flamini instead of Calum Chambers but the Frenchman needs to keep playing at his highest level to keep his place. Aaron Ramsey is back in his favoured central role but he has a lot to do to replace the skilful Spaniard in the middle.
As expected, Wenger has not risked Theo Walcott from the start but he is on the bench and could play a key part in the game. Hopefully, though, the forward three of Giroud, Campbell and the Ox can make use of the brilliance of our assist king Mesut Ozil and get the game won before we need to call on the subs.
Cech
Bellerin, Monreal, Mertesacker, Koscielny
Flamini, Ramsey
Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil, Campbell
Giroud
Subs: Ospina, Debuchy, Gibbs, Gabriel, Walcott, Chambers, Iwobi.
How we could do with an early goal to0 settle us down and a heavy scoreline. COYG