We will not know until tomorrow which 11 Arsenal players will be chosen by Arsene Wenger to start our third Premier League game of the season against Liverpool, but it could be a crucial selection, even this early on in the campaign.
A win against our Premier League rivals would not only keep the Gunners in touching distance of the league leaders, but it would also land an early blow on Brendan Rodgers and his players, whose confidence is probably quite fragile after last season´s struggles.
We already know, or can guess, that Rodgers is planning to make it a tight game, with little time and space on the ball for Arsenal to make the most out of our creative talents. So as well as needing to control the possession of the ball, we need to use it very well, while also making sure that we are not left too far forward and exposed to the counter attack.
Not easy really, but with Santi Cazorla and Francis Coquelin in the centre of midfield, I think we have the perfect blend of tenaciousness, tackling, reading of the game and technical ability. The young Frenchman also told Arsenal Player this week that he and the little Spanish magician have forged a brilliant understanding of each others´ games.
Coquelin said, “It is easy to play alongside Santi because he is such a great player. We had a good chemistry last season, but there are many great players at this club that we can all play with each other.
“That is the great thing about this squad; anyone can play and we can still get a result.
“Last season with Santi was something special because we got a lot of praise, but the most important thing is that no matter who plays, we can get the result.”
Is there any real question of whether these two are the midfield pairing that must start against the scousers?