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Official Arsenal team for West Ham – Cech on the bench

Arsene Wenger really is keen to stick to the winning formula that Arsenal have found either side of the recent international break, because despite him being fit enough for the squad last week and this week, the vastly experienced keeper Petr Cech has been left on the bench by the manager who has kept faith with David Ospina after the Colombian international’s impressive performances with Cech was on the injury list.

That was the one change that most people expected Wenger to make, but instead we have the same starting line up that put four past Watford without reply last weekend. So it is another chance for Arsenal fans to see the up and coming academy graduate Alex Iwobi, with Alexis Sanchez on the other side and Danny Welbeck through the middle.

Arsenal also have a great new central midfield partnership of Elneny and Coquelin, but with the fit again Aaron Ramsey on the bench it will be interesting to see if they both finish the game.

West Ham have gone for the big and powerful Andy Carroll up front and so Gabriel and Koscielny will have their work cut out, especially from set pieces and crosses into the box, but hopefully we will be able to restrict the number of those by controlling the game and making sure that most of the goalmouth action is at the other end.

Can the Gunners keep up the pressure on Tottenham and Leicester?

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132 Comments

    1. One match in particular last season, I remember Ospina done brilliant in collecting everything that came in aerially. I think it was a job on Benteke, he was couched to do so.

    2. Ospina playing for columbia did a double save against messi and aguero, thats the best goalscorer in the world plus the best in the PL. If the defense do their job Ospina will be fine. He was best goslkeeper in PL last season according to the stats, by a long way.

  2. I hope we concentrate our counter attacks well. Because this is Leic and Whams game plan but a team like ours should be able to play them at their own game. I just wish some mid to lower place clubs treated them the way they treat us, congest and break quickly. Also I wish that we never got our win against Bayern, instead just went out of the CL. Playing with a full weeks rest is helping us keep the same eleven each week, as it did for Leic.

    1. I take your point about CL but same could be said about FA cup, it is why we have a big squad.

      Leicesters aim this year was to stay in the premiership, get 40 points asap.

      We are a big club, yes we want the PL most but to attract top players we need to do well in CL and win some domestic cups. RVP left because we did not win things and he could not see us winning things in the future. Basically lack of ambition which we now know comes from the top based on Kroenke’s comments at the conference in USA.

  3. ospina v aerial threat? even If chech was playing it is the same. we have to stop making silly fouls near the box and do not let them cross the balls..it is a defensive cohesion from keeper to the back 4 and 2 dms so let’s hope they focus.

  4. @Trevor. I remember the game but it was aches in goal. Never seen Ospina commanding aerially. #flapianski2

    1. Last season in PL, goals conceded per 90 minutes played., for every two goals ospina conceded then courtous, hart, de gea conceded three. The defense overall must have been able to deal with aerial threats.

  6. We’ve made a horrendous start and just got lucky the ref called an offside for a clear onside West Ham goal!

  12. For the luck lovers out there. We are arse hole lucky not to have been trailing before we scored.

    Nice finish by Ozil.

    1. Where’s the captain-like figure that should’ve prevented the slack inbefore the first goal even? Roy Keane is right

  29. DISASTER AS USUAL..WHY? WHERE IS THE COACH ON THE LINE SHOUTING AT THEM IN THE FIRST GOAL? STILL DRINKING WATER? COME ON MAN..YA KIDDING ME?

    1. Just shut up, Wenger was on the sideline shouting the whole half. Two personal mistakes starting from Iwobi ended in the first goal and the corner conceding. Lack of experience but if he would have been benched all of you would shout crime.

        1. So what? He gave two goals assists the other way. Not like I hold against him, he’s young. But picking on Wenger for the two goals is as silly as it gets.

  30. PROBABLY THE MOST MENTAL FIRST HALF IVE SEEN THIS SEASON

    IM NOT TAKING OFF CAPS LOCK -!!!

  33. Even after scoring 2 great goals, the first half goes down the drain by completely bottling it in 2 minutes. West Ham now has the momentum. Wenger needs to have a good speech during half time, otherwise we are screwed.

  34. not MERT..it is a defensive errors coming first from not dealing with the crosses..Carroll is there for this..and in the last 5 mins we throw it as usual..no leadership to SHOUT CLOSE DOWN QUICK..REFLECTION OF THE SEASON..OFF THE PEDAL WHEN WITH SHOULD KEEP GOING FOR THE 3rd..now A MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB..THEY WILL COME FROM THE OFF AND WE AS USUAL PASSIVE PASSES…they got 3 at the back..I guess with THEO in for ewobi to inject more pace as their full backs are creating the crosses…but hey I’m not a coach.What a shame if we throw this game.

  35. because West Ham have equalized I am hoping that Billic keeps 3 at the back and hoping we finish the chances we get in the second half… though the way West Ham have been set up looks like they will get at least one more goal too, so I think we will need at least two more goals to win this.

  36. Why going gung ho at 2-1? What happened to the arsenal that could slow the game down and control the ball? Shocking! Apart from the two lapses we’ve looked good and totally dominated.

    1. i agree after going two up bring george graham into the dugout
      wenger could sit down and create a app for zips or something

  37. Probably a fair score at half time …we were awful in parts and excellent in parts .. They work harder and have a clear game plan they stick too … Big lesson for iiwobi but welbeck is absent and too easily bullied … Could go either way … But at end of the day you get a team in the managers image and that is certainly true of us ..

  38. Andy Caroll is the last striker you want in your box when you’re under pressure. Hope we can score 3 in the second half to win it 5-2 🙂 #hopeful

  39. Shambolic defending, typical Arsenal bottling the moment they grab a 2 goal lead.

    WH in the ascendancy, second half is going to be an exercise in want and desire….

    Doubt Arsenal will answer the bell

    Love Billic

  40. Hope as we praise Iwobi you can see he was the cause for at least the first goal. Then gave the ball away again that eventually pressured us into conceding the second. We play in sectional patches, firstly our front line were drawing blanks now they’re firing and now it’s the defenses time to crack. Crazy how that works with us…

  41. Yep!…. The tides have definitely turned mr Admin ?

    2 nil up then we go and conced 2 goals in 2 minutes ??
    Unbelievable!

  42. guys lets not get on wengers back- this isnt his fault

    defensive error
    iwobi error

    lets get behind them for second half-

    SUPPORT!!

  43. gabriel sat back and watched that second goal, should be 3-2 actually, not feeling confident about the 2nd half,

    1. lUV GABRIEL SETBACK? IN THE CROSS LECOQ DUCKED, ARE WE WATCHING SAME GAME? AND AS FOR IWOBI? I’M NOT ATTACKING THE BOY I JUST SAID WE NEED DISCIPLINE SPECIALLY WHEN YOU HOLD ON THE BALL..WE NEED SOME PACE AS THE FULL BACKS ARE CREATING THE PROBLEM. IF WE LOSE, IT IS CURTAINS..TO WIN, WE NEED MORE GUTS AND FOCUS.

  44. The last thing we want to do right now is let them come out confident after those 2 goals. Bring them back to reality quickly.

    1. Caroll will get a second yellow. Bring in Walcott. Personally I would not take Iwobi out after his mistakes because it will shatter his confidence. Let him learn. Title is anyway far far away. Besides, we never know what would have happened if West Ham goal was allowed as it should be. Let’s calm down and support.

  45. Welbeck needs to score regularly to keep Giroud/Theo out. That’s what he’s put there to do. He has been on the fringes of the game so far.

  49. This is the gaffer’s fault. Everyone knows Andy Carroll’s strength is aerial balls. I would expect Mertersacker to start instead of Paulista. Just wait till Mr. Arsene brings on Ramsey. And trust me, you wouldn’t love to see Ramsey in such a fast game.

      1. I never said a word about Iwobi on this site except the fact that he did two mistakes. That’s it. Actually three, last goal also started with a ball lost by Iwobi. I never overhype or kick players. To me the team is the most important asset.

  61. damn…. Ospina prob would have saved that if Gabriel didn’t head it 🙁
    though also surely Carroll is one foul away from his second yellow?

  65. MONREAL? IT IS COLLECTIVE S… WE SHOULD COME OUT BUT NOT FOCUS AS USUAL..PACE IS NEEDED IN THAT SIDE AND NOTHING IS BEING DONE..HERE WE GO AGAIN..THROWING GAMES THAT COST US THE TITLE..NO MORE ARGUMENTS..LET’S HOPE IT IS NOT A TRASHING.

  70. come on wenger . bilic tactical switch has them higher up the pitch

    ffs caroll is destroying us

    show ur managerial prowess- prove yourself!!!

  71. THERE IS NO DESIRE..THERE IS NO GUTS..THIS IS WHY LEICESTER IS WHERE IT IS..COME ON MAN..YOU ARE 2 NIL UP AND BOTTLED IT BIG TIME..MAKE A CHANGE QUICK TO GET AT LEAST A DRAW.

  74. what sort of rubbish is that… “if he wasn’t already cautioned it would have been a yellow” (?!)… if it’s a yellow card it should be a yellow freaking card! jeez

  75. and this is why arsene has to go, because he should have done something by now to try and turn the game around, and bringing on ramsey is probably not the key, unless we want to see our midfield flooded and concede even more

  76. RAMSEY COMING IN? WE NEED PACE ON THE LEFT SO THEIR FULL BACKS DUNNO COME FORWARD..THEY ARE PUSHING US AGAINST THE WALL..COME ON.

  79. Ag game is over, westham look more likely to score.

    Now no more title talk, mathematics is overrated, mathematical chance lmao.

    Tottenham will beat us for first time

  80. Until we get a manger who understands how to press we will never move ahead …. Reproduce after error

  81. Emenike have not scored a PL goal but will score today. Every mediocre player becomes world class against Arsenal.

  83. now their entire team minus carroll is defending in the final third… we operate so damn slow and let them set up defensively… how nice of us

    1. So… that’s why wenger subbed him off? ?

      Yep! .. Arsenal are back!
      Wenger subs are beyond a joke! … we are leaking in goals,
      So what does he go and do?..
      He takes off our two DM’s ??

      Oh, how the spuds must be laughing at us! ????

  88. put up a strong striker up front and arsenal is done for…. it seems like apart from a new coach we need 11 pairs of balls for our 11 baby gunners

  89. To take some pressure off we need giroud on and time for some hold up play. Got to change something.

  91. To take some pressure off we need giroud on and time for some hold up play. Got to change something

  97. Ramsey form is irrelevant; Wenger plays him anytime he’s healthy. Ramsey should be a last chance desperate change. The more he plays the less i like him. Monreal due for bad game and he’s having a shocker.

    I expect Giroud and Walcott to come on and defeat will be complete.

    Hairdryer anyone? Perhaps a drubbing needed to put in perspective. Arsenal need more quality

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