Official teams and preview of Reading v Arsenal

The Arsenal boss has stayed true to his word about treating the FA cup semi-final today with all due care and attention, despite the fact that our Wembley opponents Reading are only a Championship club and a mid-table one at that.

So Arsene Wenger has resisted the temptation to make quite a few changes to the Arsenal starting line up that has done so well for us since the turn of the year. The main talking points are Debuchy starting ahead of Bellerin, the inclusion of Szczesny in goal and the replacement of Welbeck for Giroud in the centre forward position.

So the rest of the big names like Ozil, Alexis, Ramsey, Cazorla and Coquelin all start, which will be good news for Gooners dreaming of a second successive year of celebrating the famous trophy. Reading have some pace and threat in their own attacking line up though, so our first choice pairing in central defence will have to be on their toes.

Of the other players coming back from their respective spells on the sidelines through injury, only our England international midfielder Jack Wilshere has made the squad, which once again highlights just how seriously the manager is taking this game. Hopefully his players will do the same.

Szczesny
Debuchy, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs
Coquelin
Alexis, Ramsey, Cazorla, Ozil
Welbeck

subs : Ospina, Gabriel, Monreal, Flamini, Wilshere, Walcott, Giroud

Arsenal have no specialist right back on the bench and I hope we don’t regret it and I hope it doesn’t mean that Bellerin has a problem. Let’s make sure that all the action is at the other end of the pitch to our goal and it won’t matter. COYG

Tags Debuchy welbeck Wilshere

132 Comments

    1. On behalf of the entire Justarsenal family, I hereby approve this team selection with Wenger as the head coach.

  1. Good line up. Expect to see Giroud and Walcott to come on at some point as well. Bring them on around the 75 minute to stretch their tired defence with Theo and give Giroud a chance to grab a goal before Chelsea to keep his confidence high.

  2. Nice to see WelBeck playing centrally.. He always gets into good position but couldnt score. He will improve next season for sure.

  3. Wenger said everyone is available except arteta and Ox, where is Chambers and Bellerin. I saw chambers photo in training pics but not bellerins

  4. Personally, I would have preferred Giroud up front but I’m sure Welbeck will do well

    Only player I’m worried about is Szczesny but hopefully he will do fine.

    I am happy with the Lineup. It’s definitely strong enough to Win. Can’t complain about Wenger’s selection. Now it’s in the hands of the players to perform well.

  5. Guys, I saw Barca vs Velancia match. Ottamendi blocked Messi each and every time. He is quick, depends superbly. I dint see him much but in this game he outclassed all Barca defenders. He is MOTM for me.

  6. Nerves are a jangling, hope we patient and the defense isnt naibe. Scary to see both debuchy and gibbs come in with the girrafe in the middle. Coquelin is going to have to be on it today!

  7. Bfg stepping up wirhout kos scary with mert on the pitch, would have preferred Gabriel all day long!

  8. I understand all the neutrals want an underdog win, but this BBC commentary is as if Reading are an English team playing away in the CL to Barca or someone.

  9. Well that’s two head injuries for Arsenal so far where the red hasn’t stopped the game. Appalling refereeing. When someone has a head injury, you stop the game straight away, that’s the rule.

  10. as said, ozils playmaking is world class, alexi holding up, picking the spot, going under the legs, fantastic football boyz!!

  11. Everyone seems to be getting caught in possession. Not moving the ball quick enough. If they’re pressing high, play the long ball…

  12. Mistaje starting gibbs and debuchy. Sche poor ramsey a passenger. Hope we see a substitution soon, walcott or giroud. We are poor today!

  13. Getting really fed up with the ref STILL ignoring all their fouls. They should’ve had a red card for the foul on Alexis. It was violent conduct off the ball. Yet there wasn’t even a yellow.

  14. Gibbs
    Ramsey
    Schez
    All poor
    Coq keeps giving the ball away
    Debuchy is so rusty
    Ozil class
    Santi class

  15. Debuchy is clearly not ready. Why wenger is bringing him on for a game this important is ridiculous.

  16. This is ludicrous, Debuchys shirt is pulled so he stumbles, he then receives an elbow in the back as he stumbles so he sprawls on the ground, the ball is taken off him and NO FOUL!!!!!! What does it take? An amputation?

  17. Alexis is knackered, Ramsey is slow, if Welbeck is coming off for Giroud then we have zero pace.

  18. Another blatant foul on Ozil – pulled him back AND studs down the Achilles for good measure – no foul according to the ref – Absolute joke

  19. When they come hard, we should go harder than them. If the commentator don’t like us than we shall win the cup and stuck in their as* mouth

  20. Horrendous football by Arsenal
    Reading are playing admirably. They are working their socks off.

    Our finishing has been off
    Ozil gave a great chance to Gabriel but his header was way off
    Ozil shot way over the crossbar

    Wenger has to seriously consider starting Ospina and Giroud IF we make it to the Final

  21. Think I’m going to turn the commentary off – It’s really annoying, they’ve been fouling us off the pitch – they should be on several yellow cards yet nothing, they are playing with an extra man in the form of the ref

  22. Seriously just use one of the sub’s as Ospina. If we are going to penalties then Woiwack is useless.

  23. Arsenal are going to lose at this rate. Should have had Ospina in goal. Szczney needs to be offloaded.

  24. So many missed chances! We are giving these guys exactly what they want. We cant take it to penalties

  25. Debuchy, Alexis, and Özil look absolutely run out. We’ve only got one sub. We have to use Walcott. Why? Reading are completely run out too, Walcott’s pace will kill them off. Why Wenger hasn’t used Walcott I don’t know… Who to bring off? Either Özil or Alexis.

  26. Don’t you all think, reading arise defending is worse than the early us but we didn’t take the chances.

  27. Why change up you’re best 11 that has been on a hot streak? Putting you’re number 2 goalie and starting with fullbacks who haven’t played for ages in such an important game is ridiculous.

      1. Irrelevant. It’s a semifinal, they earned their spot just like us shouldn’t matter if their a league below us

  28. This game is awful to watch.
    Gibbs is no where near monreal. Dude has no clue how to defend n when to go forward and attack. He thought he’s playing left wing all the time!
    Szczcny. man, martinez would have saved that goal. The back is shaky af with his presence.
    This team wont be able to win the final even if we can scrap through reading.

  29. If I’m Welbz I’m livid as Ramsey popped up in my CF channel the entire game. Get theo on and let’s get some width and proper positioning back.

    The one chance Welbz gets to play through middle and he’s forced out wide through the run of play in the final 3rd

  30. May have been lucky but we deserved some luck ….. finally!

    Really p’s me off how the whole of the BBC commentary team are feeling sorry for the Reading keeper’s howler but not Szczesny. Don’t understand why Keown and Wrighty aren’t backing Arsenal unless they’ve been brainwashed by the BBC as well.

  31. You know even with that goal, Federici has still played better overall than Szczesny

    Actually our performance has been poor almost everywhere.

    Ozil and Alexis have been exceptions.

    Come on Alexis. Get the hattrick

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