Arsenal has a chance to win both the Champions League and the Premier League. On Tuesday night, they will turn their attention to the Champions League. They host Bayern Munich at the Emirates Stadium for the first leg of their quarter-final match.
All Gooners would like Mikel Arteta to field his strongest lineup. However, with a demanding game schedule coming, the Arsenal manager must make some difficult decisions about who will play and who will not.
To make things simpler for him, I think he should consider benching these two players on Tuesday night.
1. Gabriel Jesus:
Kai Havertz, who has been fantastic leading the Arsenal assault, may have just taken Gabriel’s No. 9 spot. Since the March international break, he’s been playing from the wings; he’s shown glimpses of brilliance but has been wasteful; he does everything well but fails to convert his chances.
He could lead the assault against Bayern, but it would be ‘criminal’ to bench Havertz at this time, so the Brazilian should sit out. While Gabriel Martinelli has not started an Arsenal game since suffering an injury in the team’s 6-0 victory over Sheffield United, I don’t see why he shouldn’t start alongside Havertz and Bukayo Saka in Arsenal’s assault on Tuesday night.
2) Oleksandr Zinchenko:
As an inverted left-back, the versatile Ukrainian was a revelation, providing powerful attacking support from the wings to the midfield. However, teams appear to have broken his game and discovered a way to expose his defensive flaws. In a game like Brighton, they saw him as a weak link in Arsenal’s defence and chose to target him.
In a series of games following the winter break, Jakub Kiwior impressed at left back. While exhaustion may have caught up with him, he brought out another dynamic in Arsenal’s left wing that could be useful against Bayern. While playing left back as a traditional fullback, Ben White at right back dazzled as an inverted fullback, a tactic that helped the Gunners flourish. Arteta should bench Zinchenko in favour of Kiwior against Bayern Munich.
Benching the two, Arteta could field his strongest line-up to smash a Bayern Munich club that has provided the Gooners with disappointing Champions League nights in recent history, but it is now time for a timely revenge.
Darren N
ADMIN COMMENT
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Kiwior in for Zinc at LB – Zinc has been found out, defensive weak link, will get targetted, does not give enough attack to justify risk
Partey in for Jorginho – nothing wrong with performance, even an assist from the by line, more about keeping fresh legs in the oldest [two] pairs we have
Martinelli in for Jesus – Martinelli pace is a bigger, Jesus started last two, Martinelli not had that many minutes in last month
i would also consider resting Rice but he has been dreaming of big CL nights like this and will been devastated not to play, may be sub with ESR on hour mark
What do you mean by saying “You would consider resting Rice?”
Arteta has to field HIS strongest 11 and any suggestion that resting anyone is not a good idea imo.
Not many weeks ago, Arteta had very little choice due to injuries. This enabled the likes of Kiwior to stake a claim which he has done admirably. ESR was eased back at Luton and didn’t put a foot wrong.
A great position for Arteta to find himself in. To know that there are top players available on the bench is fantastic. It’s not just 11 players anymore
Martinell Havertz Saka
Odegard
Rice Partey
Ziny Gabriel Saliba White
Raya
This is my personal choice. The LB position is the weakest link imho. But I thibk since we are at hime with a full stadium let’s gi for it. Tiny on the front foot is brilliant. Not so much going back but let’s take the game to them. On the return fixture maybe tomiyasu as he is very solid in lb.
Rotate the team at the weekend against villa. The likes of Rice Saka Havertz could well be rested maybe even ben white.
Villa the bigger game for me, zero margin for error, even a draw can ruin things (e.g. Liverpool)
whereas CL we can draw tonight with little to no harm done, even lose and have a second chance
no second chances in PL
Rice, Saka and Havertz start every PL game along with Odegaard, Saliba, Gabriel, White and Raya – those 8 our most important players
Arsenal 1886, I much agree, as I consider winning the Prem to be , by far , a greater prize than winning what is still effectively a cup competition, despite being wrongly named as a Champions LEAGUE. It is not only for club champions , nor is it a league. It is a charade TBH!
It is NOT a league and is merely a cup comp with its name wrongly.used.
Leagues are far more prestigious, esp the PREM, than any cup comp, which is what the CL ACTUALLY IS!
To be clearer still, despite what others may think, I believe any chance we have to win a so called CL is at best remote and I DO NOT THINK WE HAVE A SERIOUS CHANCE.
However, if we are knocked out by BM, it willbe a blessing, albeit in disguise to some Gooners but not in disguise to me.
To my mind it would be a huge help in our quest to win the league. I do NOT hope we lose against BM , nor do I think we will, but IF we were to lose ,it would be a great help in our PRIME quest, to win the all important Prem.
Agreed! But for this season only, i would love it when our club is tagged “Champions of England” by end of this season, while we upgrade it to “Champions of Europe” next season onwards. COYG!
Martinell Havertz Saka
Odegard
Rice Partey/Jorginho
Kiwior Gabriel Saliba White
Raya
This is my team choice
I’m sure bayern will play counter attacking football, they’ve got fast wingers, playing Zinchenko might be an issue, with Sane/koman/Gnabry on that wing, also I don’t think Smith-rowe in midfield is a wise choice, Bayern have muscle in midfield,
Well I just want us 3/4 goals up going to alliance arena.
Most have seen that Zinchenko’s time at LB is up. Kiwior and Tomiyasu are both better defenders, and Timber will be even better when he returns to play LB.
We need to score goals and hopefully face them in the 2nd leg with a 2 goal advantage.
Very interesting end to the season; immense competition in the CL, and a tough path to finish the PL.
Can someone please tell Arteta to jettison any crazy experiment in his selections for now. Let Jesus and Zinchenko sit out on the bench. While starting Martinelli, Harvertz and Saka upfront, Kiwior or Tomiyasu can start at left back. Baryan is still a dangerous team not minding how their season has been.
Zinchencko should be dropped and sold. He just not good enough defensively. Arteta MUST NOT play Zinchencko in the last seven games of the premier league,if Arsenal may go on to win the title. Jesus must be replaced with Martinelli, as Havertz keeps his place based on current performances.
Yes 100% fact that’s the way is supposed to be.
Far from selecting Jesus and Zinchenko, I hope and think there is a good chance both will leave this summer or at very worst only one more year away in summer 2025.
Neither are IMO, of any regular PROPER use for the level and RELIABILITY factor we badly need.
Too often injured, not sufficient productivity and both were bought as stop gaps, rather than as long term team building blocks IMO .
That is how I feel and I much doubt I am alone either.
I agree with those sentiments….the two signings from City did massively well last season to put Arsenal in the firing line 12 months ago. They cannot be blamed for the shaky end of season This season , neither player has been as consistent with their displays at offence and defence respectively.