From the Arsenal team selected by Arsene Wenger for the away leg of our Champions League tie with Barcelona, it looks liike Arsene Wenger was torn between giving it as good a go as possible in the Nou Camp and accepting that our chances are negligible and keeping some first team players fresh for the trip to Everton in the Premier League on Saturday.
Because while the boss has included the likes of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez, he has also left names like Coquelin on the bench, with Flamini preferred alongside Elneny in the central midfield area. Koscielny comes in to strengthen the defence and Wenger has gone for the pace and aggression of Gabriel next to him instead of the stature and experience of Mertesacker.
Up front the news is that both Danny Welbeck and Alex Iwobi start with the England international replacing Giroud in the centre forward role and with Iwobi starting on the other side to Alexis Sanchez with Ozil to provide the ammunition.
Ospina
Bellerin, Gabriel, Koscielny, Monreal
Flamini, Elneny
Iwobi, Ozil, Alexis Sanchez
Welbeck.
Subs: Macey, Mertesacker, Gibbs, Coquelin, Campbell, Walcott, Giroud.
Barce are strong as you would expect, especially up front but they have lost Pique to suspension and if we can get at their defence and perhaps grab an early goal, you never know…