With all of the usual suspects in the Premier League picking up three points at the weekend, there really is no leeway for Arsenal at home to West Bromwich Albion. Anything less than a win will be seen as a failure and will increase the pressure on our already under fire manager.
Arsene Wenger and the players will know this so we expected a strongest possible starting line_up from the Fremnchman and we expect the side he picks to be up for the fight against a Tony Pulis side that will be well organised and hard working.
The good news for those Gooners not feeling too confident tonight is that Arsenal have won the last six home games against the Baggies and Pulis has lost all 10 times he has brought a team to face us. Still, a good balance of pace and power, steel and skill and, of course, defensive solidity and attacking threat is what the Gunners need tonight and this is the team the boss has selected to give us what we want.
Cech
Koscielny, Monreal, Mustafi
Bellerin, Xhaka, Kolasinac, Elneny
Ramsey, Lacazette, Sanchez
Subs: Ospina, Mertesacker, Wilshere, Ozil, Giroud, Walcott, Maitland-Niles
From this I assume that Ramsey will be playing in a more advanced role, possibly as a number 10, with Elneny and Xhaka in the centre and a strike pairing of Lacazette and Alexis.
It certainly looks pretty solid and Wenger has good attacking options on the bench, but it would be nice if we could get an early lead because the nerves will be on show if we don’t. COYG.
Bob.
3-4-1-2 ?
No. 3 4 2 1. Sanchez is behind Laca
WOW! Ramsey plays the Ozil role………thumbs up to Wenger!!! Coyg!!!!!!!
What has Ramsey displayed that tells you that he’s technically gifted enough to excel in the 10 role for Arsenal Football Club and lead us to the top 2 in the league? This is not Wales and watered-down Euro championship where 3 teams for the group advance.
Iniesta, David Silva, Luka Modric, Thiago, old Cesc, Koke, KDB, Coutinho – all the technical ability required at that position, of which Ramsey is not close.
If you want to tell me that Mesut isn’t the way, I’m more open to listening to that than I’ve been the last 3 years – though I still think he would thrive with Santi and Le Coq behind him and dynamic 9 in front of him — but don’t try to convince me for one second that Ramsey is the answer. Can’t consistently properly weight a final ball, doesn’t consistently make good decisions, isn’t technical enough to consistently retain possession in tight spaces.
Hope we get these 3 points tonight though regardless. COYG!!
Where he is playing tonight is probably ideal for him – can drift centrally, can run in behind, doesn’t have to defend a whole lot – but make no mistake, in a 4231 he is not good enough to be our 10. His play has shown us that.
Would love to see Wilshere get some action in this one….
Me too
Wait 2 strikers up front? for real?
I still think Ozil should start. Or, under what situation should he come on and replace whom?
He has one good quality, he used to shooting when close to the goal otherwise in that position i prefer Jack Welshire than him
Ramsey
iwobi injured or too lousy in training??
Wenger been flexible? We shall see if Ramsey plays the no 10 role or on the flanks..
Nail in the head there mate with that comment!
COYG solid line up let’s get all 3 points
good team out there today…now lets gun down WBA, and can someone kindly provide a link for the game.
asante
Good line up.
Hopefully Aaron will have freedom to make runs into box, with Elneny providing defensive cover
Ozil is not fully fit. But I really don’t rate Elneny, and our team doesn’t have the attacking flair especially at home!
Ozil is just back from injury so is being
eased back, no surprise.
These days the front 6 play any where
at any time there are no defined roles.
Arsenal will win easily v a weak
and out of form WBA.
The EPL is returning to the same top 6 as always.
Deja vue all over again…again.
very happy about this line up with the players available, Ramsey should cause problems in that position. my only concern is WBA will come and play 11 behind the ball and hope to win it from free kicks. we need an early goal
Ozil wants to go to Man United so i don’t care about the fact that he is not in the starting line up !
Ramsey’s skills is good for an attacking midfielder role so i think he might be good there.
Will
Expect Alexi pointless runs, moaning and whining and doing his best to sabotage our game.
This ain’t very good!
How many more times are Elneny and Xhaka going to give the ball away?!
And the refs a twat too.
Uh he should of awarded an obvious penalty on Mustafi but didn’t.
Arsenal are very fortunate to be leading at the break, WB had the better scoring chances.
Ramsey, El Neny, Xhaka are so bad in midfield it’s
comical
Why is everyone (including Sky Sports) going on about this, when it was an even more stone cold penalty on Sanchez, and no comment whatsoever?????
Proper MiD table tear up
Liking this . Two equal teams going at it
Should be losing .
Lol
Dominated by west Brom at home
Coyg
Couple of mid table teams thrashing it out on a Monday night .. Not pretty … Sanchez and lacazette give us that bit of quality they lack …. can’t have Shaka elneny and Ramsey as the creative spine … Lack power skill and drive … Could be 3 1 down .. So dodged a bullet this half … Ozil or wilshere on in second half .., possibly both by end of game if WBA continue to be comfortable mid field
I think the problem is elneny.
He has to be taken off or otherwise we are losing this
Glorious football being played.
Ozil on for Ramsey.
Walcott on for Sanchez or Lacazette.
A token run out for Wilshere
when the game is won but not before.
Same old Arsenal very very average with 2 not so average players to help steer us past the very very average teams. The creative midfield area is somewhere that seriously needs addressing and the worse thing is it doesn’t have to cost a fortune, i dont have a particular player in mind but a young Spanish midfielder with the Spanish attributes good ball control dribbling and distribution with abit of tenacity would be ideal, or alternatively Wilshere. Simply put Xhaka Elneny Ramsey are decent premier league player maybe top 10 player but if we want to be a top four club or title challenger we need more.
up to now! Arsenal are not creative on the third part of the field. Ozil should play and Xhaka can course problems towards Arsenal by poor pass
Super Nacho to the rescue, bellerin should learn to clear the ball from West brom his clearances are mostly central or weak and create danger. Elneny isnt making enough forwars run especially in counters and uncharacteristic high number of lost balls.
Maybe putting wilshere for elneny , sacrificing some supposed Def solidarity which elneny has none today for better ball control, passing through making us even weaker in set pieces. Decisions Decisions, go for the 2-0 or hold on to 1-0. Earn your wage wenger
Afraid ? West brom try to get alexis sent off, ref is shit completely against alexis and will not hesitate to be the star
Have to say Monreal having a good game
Elneny as well has been excellent
Xhaka actually worse than elneny … Hapless performance can’t have both on
Change before too late
Great turn from Ramsey
Thank you mr ref
Ref won us the game
A lot of empty seats ?