Arsenal News Champions League News

Official Arsenal XI and preview for Dinamo Zagreb

Arsene Wenger has made wholesale changes, six in total, to the Arsenal starting line up for the opening game in the Champions League group stage. Going on form and reputation, tonight´s opponents Dinamo Zagreb are the weakest team in the group and with a massive Premier League clash with Chelsea coming up early on Saturday, you cannot blame him.

The players coming in are no mugs either, with Ospina, Debuchy, Gibbs, Arteta, Giroud and Oxlade-Chamberlain all more or less unlucky that they are not regular first teamers already, so as long as they are properly prepared for this game and the boss gets his tactics right, there is no reason for us not to be heading back to London in a few hours with all three points.

It remains to be seen exactly how the players will line up but this is a fairly educated guess.

Ospina
Debuchy, Gabriel, Koscielny, Gibbs
Arteta, Cazorla
Chamberlain, Ozil. Alexis
Giroud

Subs: Cech, Monreal, Chambers, Flamini, Coquelin, Walcott, Campbell

This is a big game for the club captain Mikel Arteta who needs to show that he can be a viable alternative to the brilliant Francis Coquelin, while both full backs will also want to impress the boss in order to challenge for their places in the first team.

I really do not know a great deal about this Zagreb side other than that they did an invincibles season in the Croatian league last season, so hopefully Arsenal are on the ball from the first whistle. COYG

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Tags Arteta Chamberlain Gibbs ospona

223 Comments

  1. disagree with this line-up
    we have chelsea at the bridge in 3 DAYS! early kick off
    rotation wenger

    dont get his logic here

        1. Alexis is one of those players who probably could play all 60 games in a season (like Ronaldo and Messi).

          After the West Ham defeat this lad stayed at the Emirates doing sprints. He’s not going to get worn out from playing games in a week. Besides he can always be substituted after 60-70 minutes. Özil, I belive, will be substituted Wenger-early.

          I’m surprised for the amount of changes. Anyhow, good line up, Bellerin and Ramsey not even on the bench – they are sure starters for Chelsea then. Of course I want to win but wouldn’t too much for a point. These Eastern European away matches are always tough.

          1. iv got a bit of vendetta with chelsea cos of what happened on wengers 1000th game,
            that game is the one for me. want all personnel available an rested
            abit ott maybe

        2. All those Giroud c*ck suc**er should come here and tell me this guy should be putting on an arsenal shirt .
          Simply made of the wriong stuffs

          1. WHY THE F*CK ARE WE PLAYING ARTETA ?!?! WHICH TOP CLUB IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD DEPEND ON HIM ??! HE WOULDN’T EVEN MAKE IT INTO EVERTON’S 1ST TEAM !!!!! GOSH I’M F*CKING PISSED !!!!!!!!!!!

      2. Walcott better than giroud .
        The fear of a counter attack is your first line of defence and Walcott does gives you that counter attacking option .
        Giroud does not .

    2. ok he has rotated abit…ahem
      but still! ozzy and alexis

      play or second string!

      europa league winners 2016? we can do it lads

        1. dude i want us to win europa league
          does no one wanna win in europe??

          im not underestimating zagreb- just tired of this competition an never competing

              1. Come on muff just get behind the team. This is a big game and we need to win. Plus wenger rotated pretty perfectly and you still complained

                1. Yeah ur right. Was at the emirates for anderlecht an monaco. ..perhaps have unresolved issues there.

                  Sorry lads…

                  Whoa one goal an one man down.
                  lets fight lads. Goal back COYG

  3. I’m happy with this lineup

    Ox on the right
    Ozil in centre
    Alexis on left
    Absolutely perfect

    Giroud should do fine but Walcott will be on bench just in case
    Arteta should do fine but Coquelin on bench.

    Walcott, Ramsey, Coquelin, Bellerin, monreal should all have enough rest for Chelsea

    Very happy
    COYG

    1. Also, How cool is it too have Ospina as number 2 GK. He will play matches like this when we have a congested week and probably FA CuP AND League cup matches

      Ospina will do great

  4. I hope Ox, Debuchy, Gibbs, Ospina and Arteta have a big game…. They hardly start so they need to show us what they got today…..Lets bring our A-Game against Dinamo. COYG.

  5. This line up is underestimating Zagreb and we all know that in the champions league there are no easy games!

    1. How is it underestimating?

      Ospina, OX, Debuchy, Monreal are all internationals, you’re making it sound like they got promoted from League One.

    2. How is it underestimating Zagreb?
      Most of our key players are there and nearly all but one of our WC players are playing ie. Koscielny, Cazorla, Ozil, Alexis

      Also, when you have 3 away matches within 7 days, you neéd to have some rotation

      It’s impossible to have the same 11 for every match. They will be too tired to perform at their best and more susceptible to injury

  8. Nearly got my prediction for the line up spot on with full backs n d.m was also hoping ozil or santi would be on benched instead but not bad, still think this team is more then capable of beating them. Just hope the likes of ospina,arteta,gibbs,debuchy give Wenger a real selection headache for the weekend with some outstanding performances because if they don’t them bench seats will have their names on them for quite some time. Think Giroud even though he scored over weekend needs to have a really good game no more “sitters” he cant keep doing it and think he will get away with it.

    COYG

    1. Over OX and Walcott?
      Why?

      I don’t mind Joel playing in League Cup but I’d prefer OX or Walcott over Joel in CL any day.

    2. Ox will do fine… maybe bring in Joel for Alexis or Ox… after 60-65 mins.. but only if we are in a strong position…

  11. I personally think the lineup is good enough for a win. Maybe I will be proven wrong, but it looks strong enough

    We need some rotation as we have 3 away matches within 7 days. We can’t play the same 11 for each match.

    Probably in Chelsea match Cech, Mertsacker, Walcott, Coquelin, Monreal and Bellerin will play.

  13. walcott needs games, he should start on the right and would give the option of moving him to the middle later if needed

  15. A perfect night would be Arsenal, Olympiacos and Tel Aviv all winning but I will settle with just an Arsenal win lol.

  28. I dont even enjoy watching Arsenal anymore,,,,,,,, Admit it we played better during the fabregas nasri era,, so slow these days,, should have got a LB CDM AND STRIKER,,, Gibbs awful in general, looks lost when he runs with the ball

    2. Spot on … Wengers failure to bring in 2 quality ayers then has cost us ever since … Wenger is old tired and has been ., his teams will always reflect his personality

      1. Damn just saw the update. I didn’t think it could have gotten any worse for Giroud so quickly after being booed by the French fans, I guess when it rains it pours…

        1. How is going up for a ball while someone undercuts you a foul on OG? Then what is up with our supposedly fans here?

  46. Own goal and sending off

    Have we even had a shot on target yet either?

    Wenger: “We can win champions league”

      1. Until the next worst display.
        Bad in game management by Wenger . He should have ltaken the lamppost out earlier

    1. I’ve wanted to play ozil as a false 9 in a 4-3-3. I’m honna send an article to admin but now is not the time for a false 9 with no walcott he’s the only 1 to run in behind

  48. Arteta should go to the USA or Dubai FC. Giroud . hahahahahaha

    we needed a DM and a striker. Both have had a Stinker. One man to Blame. Wenger.

  51. To be fair first yellow card was not a yellow card, and second was questionable, as is the ref. They have time and time fouled and stopped our build up play, yet no yellows from the ref.

  52. I dont blame the team, i just blame wenger! Hes the only person who cant see what we need in the team…. The sooner he leaves the club the better!

    1. Completely agree
      He should have been sacked straight away for not signing a striker in the first place
      I cant wait until he is out the fcuking club!!!

    1. Not trying to be funny but I agree with you regarding strikers period. A straight red is understandable after a crazy tackle or something but to get 2 yellows for pretty much making the same mistake twice is hard to justify…

      2. Goddam… Two soft yellows, but no excuse for the first one. Don’t mouth at the ref in the CL, you get away with it in the prem, but not here.
        Ox… Track bate mate, can’t give your man that much space, no excuse.
        Not understanding the Arteta hate. Has done nothing to justify the way people are rating his performance so badly.

  55. Okaaaay.. ???
    Giroud was on a mission to get back to the dressing room before the rest of the team!
    He must have spotted a fit hot croatian tart hanging outside the corridors ???

  56. Ox at the halftime whistle looks like we have already lost. What a loser. Pick yourself up and fight!!!

  58. It’s matches like this when I wish Wenger had gone for Martinez and Kondogbia in the summer lol

    Anyway, a nightmare first half
    If we can end up with a draw we will be very very lucky

    I’m feeling soooooo sick in my stomach
    I haven’t eaten dinner and don’t feel like eating after this display

  60. Dump Arteta…his legs are past it and get Coq. Lot more defending to come in second half…hope the deluded one takes off his rose tinted glasses and reacts

  62. from this match, we all know against ultra defensive team, giroud is no no…

    faxk…. donkey….. ruin our play so bad….

  63. Btw Chelsea 2-0
    That’s like twisting the dagger that’s already impaled our flesh tonight

    Nightmare in Croatia. Well first half at least

  68. Put Joel on for Ox. That guy seems overweight. He only give 40%, not reaching full potential. Then have Sanchez up top, our best finisher.

          1. I’ve been saying Giroud is shit for three years… yet supposedly my opinion is still wrong despite it being 3 years later and were still waiting for him to lead us to the promised land… and we’ve actually seen him play…

  69. Is time for some fans to find excuses now, make me laugh of your excuses than watching the game. If ox can’t perform when getting his chance than he is not even fit to be on the bench. Most of the players are so lethargic, like having a hand over.

  70. If we want to win this game Walcott and Bellerin now start of the second half we need to make up for man down so we need both of our sprinters for attack and defend

  72. I swear Wenger said he would have signed ANY player in Any position that would have been an improvement to what we already have????,, why didnt he sign anyone then, Kondogbia would have been an improvement to arteta and cazorla, and they’re getting old anyway

  74. Arsene with his bunch of white walkers, lol, the akbs have all gone into hiding and subtly thumb down comments, waiting for another “statistics show that we can win four trophies” hahahaha

  81. See

    This shows exactly why Wenger failed this summer
    Instead of getting a Top striker like Cavani, Martinez, Dybala, Lacazette and a Top DM like Kondogbia, Krychowiak, Schneiderlin
    Wenger keeps faith in Arteta and Le Donkey

    This match is a direct consequence of a failed summer transfer window

    Arteta, Flamini and Giroud are simply not good enough to win us CL or PL

  86. Wenger thinking andd putting ll eggs in one basket regarding Chelsea…
    it came to bite him…
    he gambled and is losing…again

  97. You happy Akb’s. Does it seem that Wenger has a clue what the hell is happening?

    In what do you guys actually trust?

  98. i knew it when i saw all the comments…even from here and articles …people were only thinking Chelsea…
    now…well..lets keep on thinking Chelsea cause at ten men…no striker…and 2 down…Arsene better win the league…
    UCL is over

  100. God we suck tonight. But then again it’s the champions league so it comes as no surprise, we never even mount a serious challenge we just make up the numbers.

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