Arsenal are on an excellent run at the moment and we really should have had four wins in a row under our belts if Aubameyang had been a little bit cooler on Saturday at Wembley, but it is what it is and we just have to move onto our next game in Rennes on Thursday.
Obviously Arsenal have another massive game against Man United on Sunday, so Unai Emery will be continuing his policy of rotating as much as possible on Thursday to keep our biggest stars fresh.
The certain starters are Petr Cech as our cup keeper, Aubameyang because Lacazette is suspended, and Lucas Torreira who will be suspended for the United game (unless we appeal very quickly), and I think Mesut Ozil will also be a starter after only playing 20 minutes against Tottenham.
Otherwise I think Kolasinac, Maitland-Niles and, hopefully, Denis Suarez will also get a game as they were unused subs at Wembley.
So here is my extremely rotated side which will still be strong but will keep us fresh for the big game at the weekend
Cech,
Jenkinson, Sokratis Koscielny, Monreal, Kolasinac
Torreira, Guendouzi, Maitland-Niles,
Ozil, Aubameyang
Does that team look good enough to get a result in France?
In a word yes.No Mustafi, no Lichsteiner and plenty of legs in midfield I like it but I suspect Emery will be reluctant to start Jenkinson against a very decent side.Personally I would like us to play with a flat back four with our two Greeks at centre back.We need a fit Kocielney against Man Utd.
Grandad, Mavropanos hasn’t been included in Arsenal’s Europa League squad, because of UEFA’s “home grown” requirements.
Firstly, I want emery to stick to the 4-2-3-1 formation and emphasise discipline to kolasinac who scares me defensively especially as a full back. So my prefered team would be:
—————Aubameyang
———-Iwobi—–ozil—–suarez
——-—guendouzi—torreira
-Kolasinac.sokratis.mustafi.jenkinson
———————-cech
I think we need to rest koscielny because we need him for the man utd game and his fitness isn’t what it used to be. I would also have preferred mavropanos to play instead of sokratis sonhe can rest but we need the latter for his leadership in an important game like this, hopefully he’d be alright to play against manutd. Suarez needs to start though, it’s high time he showed what he can do and mhki need to rest too. We just don’t have anyone to replace iwobi on the left, an idea will be to push suarez to the left and play niles on the right? Gosh, we need wingers!!
Yes, Mkhitaryan needs some rest before facing Man United
Iwobi is the only reliable left winger currently and I’m worried he would be overworked
Therefore using Suarez as a winger might be worth the gamble. I hope he has adapted to how his new teammates play
U do know there is just one defender in this XI… just sokratis.
The rest are only defenders on paper.
Mustafi is a calamity as well as Jenkinson.
Kola is an attacker
Yes, Emery would most likely use a three CB formation, most probably 3-4-2-1 again
I would keep Ozil for Man United because it is a home game and Rennes is an away game. Also Mkhitaryan because we need his energy and he might want to prove a point against his former club
……………………………Cech
…………….Mustafi . Koscielny . Monreal
Jenkinson . Guendouzi . Torreira . Kolasinac
………….Ramsey ………………….. Iwobi
………………………. Aubameyang
Cech
Jenkinson mustafi koscienly kolasinac
Torreira guendouzi xhaka
Iwobi ozil
Aubameyang
We should allow of one Xavier Amaechi or Bukayo Saka to start if they have travelled with the team and also give Suarez the start this time around.This would be helpful as it would afford us the chance to rest both Iwobi and Mkhitaryan for the Man Utd match.
About Amaechi, I heard Bayern Muenchen are after him
Arsenal should not lose another hot prospect after losing Gnabry to Bayern and lost the chance to sign prodigies like Mbappe/ Sancho
let Mkhitaryan get some rest for the weekend game
OT How fitting that the spuds are playing football today, on pancake day – being the bunch of tossers that they are ?? couldn’t resist that
Sue-it was often noted that the late Jimmy Hill had a chin that could get pickled onions out of a pickle jar.Harry Kane could grab two at a time-one with his chin and one with his nose.
Not a lot of people know that Jimmy Hill died of having his chin stuck in a pickle jar, stopping him breathing. I was told that by Michael Caine actually! Though I may be lying!!
??
Love it Phil ?
Unless Dortmund miss their chances Spurs are going to be beaten badly today.Could be bad for them.
They can’t overturn a 3-0 deficit can they?? Just said on Sky no team has gone out after leading 3-0 from the first leg
But barca went out after beating Roma 4-1, never say never sue
FOYS COYG
Fingers crossed Malik
I would like to see Mavpro or Mustafi alongside Soks I believe it can work.We should rest Koscelny.play either Monreal or Kolasinac but not both.Lastly Suarez for Mikki,he should rest in wait for the Mancs.(4,2,3,1)
Czech
Amn…..Sokratis…..Mavp….Kolasinac
…,………Torreira……Guendouzi
Suarez……….Ozil………..Iwobi
…………….Auba
So apparently Davinson Sanchez has nothing to answer for, nor does Danny Rose, Harry Kane before him also nothing to answer for! Pochettino seems to be escaping a ban as well! The Fa are an absolute disgrace, had that been Emery and 3 of his Arsenal players you could bet your life they would all be serving suspensions now.
???
????
Cech
Jenkinson Mustafi Socrates Kolasinac
Elneny Torreira
AMN Ozil Suarez
Aubamayang
……………………..Leno
………..Mustafi..Koscielny..Mavropanos
Maitland….Torriera….Guendouzi….Monreal
………..Ramsey………………Ozil
………………….Aubameyang
Those are the lines I would be thinking, but I have no idea what Emery will be thinking, I am not even sure on what formation he will use. He is not an easy man to read. He might even think about resting Guendouzi and Xhaka for the weekend, and bring in defensive minded Elneny. He might want Ramsey for the weekend, or Ozil and surprise people, then Ozil with an opportunity to shine. The switching between GK’s thing, I am not a fan of this type of selection. I believe you should have a no1 and he should start in all games that are crucial. The other cups, I don’t mind, but the moment you get to latter stages, I would pick a no1. I reckon Emery will go with Cech though.
Mustafi is a liability, how many penalties has he gave away? TO MANY!!!!
Personally I would take Mustafi to Rennes. I would leave him there afterwards too. PLAYERS OF HIS STANDARD SHOULD BE NOWWHERE NEAR OUR CLUB. And wouldn’t have been were it not for Wenger and his long string of rubbish CB’s brought in ever since Senderos way, way back.
Spot on JF and Bur.
Ajax are 2-0 up ?
Come on Dortmund… we’re waiting!
—————-Cech
Niles-Sokratis-Koscielny-Kolasinac
——Torreira-Guedouzi
Suarez—-Ozil—-Ramsey
———–Aubameyang
.
Sokratis-Koscielny need to keep building on their impressive partnership. After the Utd game we wont play an EPL game till April so enough time for Kosciely to rest.
Niles needs games in RB.
Kolasinac ddnt play vs Spurs so he should play against Rennes.