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Official teams and preview of Arsenal trip to Everton

This is a big game for Arsenal, with last season’s away game at Everton being one of those that Arsene Wenger, his players and the fans would like to put behind them as quickly as possible. But with an even more important game against Besiktas in the Champions League on Wednesday, it comes at an awkward time for us.

But the Gunners are determined to stay as loyal as possible to their football philosophy and to be fair, we have not really got the players to park the bus, so the boss has gone for a pretty attacking and creative line-up, with the big news being that Alexis Sanchez gets his chance to show what he can do in the centre forward role, with Olivier Giroud dropping to the bench.

Another surprise is that Calum Chambers keeps his place in the centre of defence, but even more surprising, to me anyway, is that Koscielny misses out with per Mertesacker coming in. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain gets the reward for his impressive recent cameos with a starting role today, and Mesut Ozil returns to the number 10 role, unless the German plays on the wing with Jack Wilshere in the middle.

Szczesny
Debuchy, Mertesacker, Chambers, Monreal
Flamini, Ramsey
Chamberlain, Ozil, Wilshere
Sanchez

We have a pretty strong looking bench as well, which may be needed as Everton are able to name a full strength side apart from Ross Barkley, and are likely to cause us some real problems today. I would love a win, of course, but realistically would be more than happy with a share of the points.

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Tags Alexis Chamberlain Ozil

472 Comments

  2. Left side is so weak.
    And to be honest, physically we are one of the weakest teams in the league!!!!

  5. If this does not wake arsene up to buy top quality players we need to improve our squad,I seriously don’t know what will. Sighs….

  12. Our left side attack and defence SUCKS! we should strenghten our left side. And ox should learn to shoot on target.

  13. Arsenal players are really undisciplined. we are not playing as a team. no one is sticking to his position.

  15. We are a joke… Sanchez is the only player doing something.. He is the striker but defending, tracking back while the likes of Ozil, Ramsey, Flamini, Whilshere are just joking and being liabilities..

    smh

  16. Why can’t we perform against decent teams, we have better players.

    Maybe our manager is the problem

  18. Wenger honestly thinks that this is an improved team, he’s either senile or kidding himself. Either way he needs to get his cheque book out and bring in some quality cos we’re way off when it comes to being a championship winning side.

  20. I’ve said it before I’ll say it again – Mertesacker = Sh*te!!
    Shows today Kos has been covering his ar*e for ages.

  23. And you all got excited when Sanchez arrived??? why cant you understand that with wenger in charge the same mistakes will always happen!!!!!

  24. Shameful display. I really dont understand how in some games ramsey can be brilliant and in some he is a liability. but its the entire team that is so extremely passive. terrible performance after 45.

  26. Kinda knew we might lose but was hoping for a draw. I was thumped down when I said this team will not win the major titles. Our team does not play with urgency and no attempts at the post. Somehow wants to pass the ball into the net. Wilshere should be sold or loaned out. He stopped delivering years ago. We desperately need a strong DM with good passing abilities.

  28. This is good.

    Surely this will open Wenger’s eyes how thin our squad is.

    I believe everyone got over confident about the Sanchez signing and thought we could win something with this team but no, we can’t.

    Cazorla + Monreal duo is horrendous so it was right to bench Santi. But with who Wenger? With Özil who as ALWAYS played through the middle. First mistake.

    Second mistake: our tactic to walk the ball to the net. That makes Distin look like Hummels. Only guy shooting is OX and honestly I don’t know what he has been doing at the practice because he is shooting major planks.

    Wilshere off, Özil to his natural position who any blind manager and fan can see except Wenger, Campbell on the left. Mertesacker possibly off as well and Koscielny in.

    1. WENGER will never open his eyes he has lost it a long time ago he see’s the game different in his own little world. Should have got rid of him at the end of last season. I say his plan was to get a draw here win the second leg in the champions league and keep the cheque book locked up in his safe.

    1. Why Monreal? Ozil as always getting away with it.. Why aint he helping Monreal out?

      Sanchez a striker has been all over the pitch chasing lost causes, tracking back to help Debucy etc..

      When are you ever going to blame Ozil?

      1. goonster, totally correct mate but on this forum it is blasphemy to say anything negative about Ozil who is supposed to be the best thing since sliced bread.

  30. naismith was offside

    and stop talking sh#t. its just one half of the second epl match. a team doesnt becomes bad after just 45 min

  34. Stop blaming the officials….yeah it was offside but we have been shit, we will get decisions going our way during this season to level it out! We just havent been good enough full stop….bfg not good enough, monreal not good enough, ozil hasnt been good enough

    1. Aye, can’t blame the officials – mistakes happen. We got outplayed anyways. We could get offside calls our way if we would have any counters but we don’t. It’s hard not to flag us offside when we are walking the ball to net.

  35. soo, when everton become a big clun in england???…. a shity performance of many players, in special of the midfield.

  36. Midfield getting totally outmuscled and overrun.. Sanchez is pleading with his team mates to push on and close down (like his old team mates did) but we just don’t have the desire or muscle to achieve this..
    Long afternoon for the lads unless something drastic happens.. Ramsey not getting into the game… Such an unbalanced side.. Wenger is losing the plot..
    Some bad decisions.. Can’t blame it all on the men in black though…

  38. Flamini isn’t gonna protect the back 4, and Mertesacker isn’t gonna cut it on a top 4 team. Kos has clearly been covering Mertesacker’s weaknesses for some time now.

    We diick around on the ball way too much, another game where Wenger has got it wrong by sticking Ozil out wide and limiting his effectiveness.

  41. i dont like to make excuses,but the officials are having a laugh we cant even touch their players cuz their getting free kicks left,right and centre and where the linesman was just looking i do not know lukaku is a big clumsy c##t that gets away with fouling every defender he plays against sh#t needs to get sorted if we lose fairly then thats fair enough but the refs always seem to be against us i cant believe it……

  42. And we were talking about the title… I’m heart broken, going to lock myself inside the house….
    Please god let Arsenal win, or at least draw this one. Same mistake as last season. Getting raped on the counter by the stronger teams. We need at least a cb, st and cdm. There is going to be 3 other teams challenging for the 4th, hope wenger knows what his doing

  43. Am so glad Arteta and Giroud are not playing right now. This team has been collectively playing badly for a while now. but all you hear from fans Giroud is a goat And Arteta out.Not fair people, identify all our problems, Only correcting them as a whole will solve this debacle

  44. It feels like Chelsea and ManC are favorites. If we need to compete then we need to play with courage and chemistry. No mater who we sign if we are out of form then we cannot compete.

  45. Why cant wenger get the fact WE NEED PACE ON THE WINGS!!!!!!!!!! Wilshere OFF,,,, Campbell, OX on wings,,,,Hard workers,,,,FFFSSS

  46. This is embarassing. 4-0. Same old arsenal against top 5 teams.

    go buy DMF and CF. Our fwd looked so freakin confused after passing the half field.

  47. Bollocks. Mertesacker was fouled and Naismith was offside. Standard.
    Doesn’t change anything though, the players needed to stop pissing about and start playing. Campbell on NOW. Wilshere off NOW. Özil into the middle. Don’t care if he’s just come back, he can play the whole 90. Second half
    Szczezny
    Debuchy Chambers Mert Monreal
    Flamini Ramsey
    Ox Özil Campbell
    Sanchez
    This match proves we need at least 2 more players. DM and natural LW. I’d grab Di Maria and any big bastard that can play in the middle.

  50. And you lot were naive enough to think we had a chance?! You all know full well we always get thrashed by decent teams away and stop hyping over Joel Campbell like he’s the answer to all problems, he’s nothing special, had a couple of good games for Costa Rica and a good season for Olympiacos, he’s really going to be nothing in the prem.

  52. i think we can still come out with a draw or a win but wilshere needs to come off and move ozil to the middle. one problem i have noticed in this arsenal side is that they do not stick to their positions defensively, on the counter they are slow to take back their shape. Before the game i said i was scared of our left side.. how can you put ozil in front of monreal against a fast and good side especially after what happened against everton last season.

  54. I have seen this movie before. I think it is the one where Everton beat Arsenal 3-0. Has anyone else seen this movie or is this the sequel? Ridiculous. I am truly speechless.

  55. If Arsenal pull off a draw, I won’t be disappointed because it will be a hard fought away draw against a team fighting for top 5.

    Obviously, a win would be amazing

    My philosophy is root for your team during the match. There is plenty of time to criticize after lol.

    Keep hope and faith. Stay positive

    We have come back from behind many times

    COYG

  56. Decisions aside, that second goal was just like all the thrashings last season. Too many men committed forward, centre backs exposed.. Everton’ full backs all push forward, the difference is they have midfielders that protect their centre backs from being broken against.

    Disappointing first half, we look toothless in attack.. I’d like Campbell to come on for Özil or Wilshere.

  57. Being saying for ages.. Monreal is championship standard.. Debuchy not much better…. Ozil not coping defensively with Coleman.. Wenger has his tactics totally fekin wrong AGAIN!

  58. In recent years Arsenal have had 2 consistent midfield players….Nasri and fabregas.ALL and i repeat ALL present day AFC midfielders cannot be relied upon.Today they are brilliant.tomorrow crap..
    Wenger should have gobbled Fabregas up as soon as he became available..in any sport in any world consistency is key

  59. It’s like we have gone back in time With Ramsey again, doing useless skills again like he did two seasons ago.

  60. Jamie Redknapp & Glenn Hoddle saying pretty much same things on Sky that we are:
    Mertesacker not been good
    Foul AND offside on second goal
    Ozil shouldn’t be on the wing

  61. FFS we are shaaatttt why play ozil on the fking left man this is bs.
    wenger needs to get hs finger outta his assssssssss

  62. Anyone who says we can win the title is deluded, we need 2 more world class signings before we have a chance of finishing second in my opinion.

  63. At least those of saying that a team with mert and Monreal at the back is a train wreck in waiting are proven right…..Jesus wait til we have to play teams with real attacks…. Arrogance and stubbornness do not produce top flight teams and wenger has both in bucket loads …. Germans and Ramsey off at half time and try Campbell and cazorla…. May as we’ll lose by 4 at this pont in season but at least have a f****** go

  66. Don’t like this formation, almost a flat 5 in midfield with Ozil wide left. Ozil isn’t a left winger. We need to play Flamini and Ramsey deep central with Ozil ahead of them, Ox wide right and Wilshere wide left (we need a left winger)

  68. Hardly any of our players know where they’re meant to be playing. This is Wenger’s fault. Ox should be the right winger but he keeps finding himself in the middle and offering no width. Wilshere and Ramsey are guilty of this too. Wenger needs to give em a right b*llocking for this.

  70. OK. Everton are really the better side in the first half.
    -Ozil and Mertesacker still really rusty after long holiday.
    -Didnt see any creativity in our midfield, wilshere-ramsey were really poor.
    -Ozil always cut in instead to crossing from the flank, that left coleman plenty of space going forward with lukaku.
    -Physically we are weak (whole squad besides sanchez n debuchy).

    I hope to see the change in the second half..
    Campbell – giroud – sanchez
    Ozil
    Ramsey – Flamini
    Monreal – Chambers – Mert – Debuchy
    Szecz

    1. Sturridge ST, Balo ST, Coutinho AMF, Sterling RW

      Özil AMF all his life

      And he’s playing LW at Wilshere’s expense

      Hmmmmm…

  72. This is the problem, Gibbs is decent but made of glass (not much different to the rest of our players) so therefore Monreal always has to step in and, to say the least, he’s f*cking dreadful.

  73. No chance whatsoever if we play like that. Season will be over before we get halfway. I fu ckin hate tiki taka. Just SHOOT that fscking ball.

  74. I’m hoping Wenger makes an inspired substitution at the beginning of second half and not late in the match.

    Also, please keep Sanchez in the match.

  75. I went into this match being pretty sure that we would lose, and possibly by quite a margin. This result at halftime is no surprise at all. It is the EXACT SAME way Arsenal were set up last season. Wenger plays our players out of position (this time Özil), because he didn’t address the key problem that is the absence of a left winger. Yet, we have FIVE right wingers (Walcott, Alexis, Chamberlain, Gnarby, Campbell)!
    Second goal beautifully shows that we are too weak physically. We have been needing a DM for years now! Wenger doing nothing. Instead three guys with the physiques of schoolboys (Flamini, Wilshere, Ramsey) running around aimlessly. With this squad the season will be a desaster. That is as certain as Everton leading 2-0.

  77. I can’t get over 2nd goal, the more I watch it the angrier I get.

    a foul and offside which resulted in the goal.

    Wenger needs to make noise about these officials.
    Against top teams we never get benefits

  79. The team set up was crazy, and it shows the importance of a big man in the team, you can not be playing a small forward line with a small mid field and what a game to bring Ozil in and refuse to play campbell, i said it from the team selection, wrong game to experiment against a strong team , at least we make them look good

  80. Should take Wlshere off, put Ozil in the middle and bring on Campbell.

    Should also consider bringing on Kos for Merts at this point, he’s been shaky at best.

  82. Third consecutive game of the same thing. Pressing the opposition, having a lot of possession, but no one to make the chance and no one to put the ball in the net.

    Everton’s defence have put a big shift in first half though, expect them to tire second half.

  91. Wenger’s long long history of abject misery and failure continues.

    The hope is gone replaced by the notion that the £35 million spent on Sanchez could have been spent on Costa but instead we get the donkey as Wenger has a history of signing donkeys.

    I can say with utmost confidence that Saturday 23rd of August marked the point where everyone including the players realised that Arsenal are not good enough to win a damn thing this season or any other season in which Arsene Wenger was in charge of the club.

    Any manager with his finger on the pulse of the team would realise that Jack Wilshere brings absolutely NOTHING to the team other than calamity and laziness and when you play players out of position they are unlikely to perform to their best.

    Oh and a top class manager like Mourinho or Ferguson would actually do the thing that is completely alien to Wenger and that is strengthen in the close season – strange concept I know but is a major factor in seeing your team improve.

    Well done Wenger – build the hope then destroy it with your managerial incompetence.

  98. How NOT to come back from 2 down at Goodison:

    – bring on Giroud
    – take off Sanchez
    – not use Campbell
    – keep Wilshere on
    – keep Ozil on the left

    🙁

  99. I do not blame the players for the scoreline. I blame Wenger. I have said it before our squad is no where as good as the other top 5 teams. If we do not fix what needs fixing we are not finishing in the top 4.

    Wenger is just tactical naive. Who the heck would play Ozil as left winger when it is know that he doesn’t track back and Monreal is a shit LB.

    I am tired of arsenal always playing with a self-inflicted handicap. Flamini has been out of the game. You can’t win only pretty players. You need that spine,the steel in midfield. The team as no true leader (especially in the midfield).

    Please Wenger buy us a ST,CB and CDM ( and if we can afford it another LB). I know people will say that we have alot of strikers. Yes we do have people who can play in that position but none of them is of real quality. Stop making excuses wenger and listen to the fans for once. It is the same thing every year and I am f-king tired of it. Maybe, just maybe, we need new blood at Arsenal. Maybe we need a new manager who will try to fix the squad and not patch it up.

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