In 48 hours time Arsenal will be getting ready to run out at the RheinEnergieStadion to face Koln, but as the Gunners have already qualified for the next rounds I can seriously see Arsene Wenger picking an even weaker team than usual, although he will be keen to keep most of the unbeaten second string side together as long as possible, and of course a win will guarantee us top spot in the Group although the chances of anyone catching us is rather slim anyway…
Koln have been dire this season, but their beating of BATE 5-2 in their last Group game has given a chance to try and come second in the Group so they may be trying a bit harder than the Gunners but honestly it doesn’t matter very much. We were a little disappointing against Red Star in drawing our last game so a win would be ggood to keep the second team in good spirits.
There will be a couple of enforced changes from the Red Star match as Olivier Giroud is on the sidelines, so I’m hoping that Wenger will give Danny Welbeck a run out although maybe the full 90 may be a little too much right now. Maybe Nketiah to share the game time?
One other guaranteed change is that Ospina will return in place of Macey. I’m also hoping that Calum Chambers can get a run out as well, alongside Holding and Debuchy, after his long break through injury, while Elneny could be finally moved back to his favoured midfield role.
So this is my idea of our line up on Thursday …
Ospina
Chambers, Debuchy, Holding
Nelson, Maitland-Niles, Elneny, Willock
Walcott, Wilshere,
Welbeck
Simply don’t care… Still enjoying d spuds bashing!!!…
I’m watching the highlights again right now! Love It! I’d like to see Welbz play. Get a good result & I can go to darts a happy gooner!
Mertz in place or chambers, coquelin and iwobi needs playing time also.
good to see debuchy getting back to full match fitness, not saying hes the best player but we really him as cover if bellerin gets injured
Also coqulin has started to annoy me, when he first had his resurgence to the first team he was the ideal CDM we needed , intercepting tacking, quick simple passes to the team, tracking back, marking the real deal but these days he tries to play like a CAM taking on players, dribbling and SHOOTING despite never actually scoring once for us. He needs to find that form that he had two years ago cos hes looking mediocre at best again
Totally agree with you! Coquelan is not the same player he was 2 years ago. I thought he would improve not get worse. A good example of his horrible form was when hazard scored that amazing solo goal against Arsenal last season. The coquelan of 2 years ago wouldn’t have let hazard pass him, and not with that ease! But the sad thing is he is actually our best CDM. I don’t think you can really call Xhaka and Elneny true CDMs.
Ospina
Debuchy, Mert, Chambers, Holding
Nelson, Elneny, Willock
Walcott, Wilshere,
Welbeck
Na mertz in place of holding. Holding has been pathetic this season and chambers needs game time. His career has stalled at Arsenal since he broke out at RB for us but then was replaced by Bellerin for a shocker at Swansea. Since then he has barely featured for Arsenal. He also improved a lot at Middlesborough so I would like to see him play on Thursday.
why not play a team with just english players.