So the next game in Nasty November is coming up on Sunday as Arsenal face Bournemouth at the Emirates, and Arsene Wenger has a few decisions to make on who starts the game. First of all we have the choice between Monreal and Gibbs for left-back, and I feel that Monreal will get the nod as Gibbs played on Wednesday and was not so impressive to keep his place in the starting line-up.
The bad news is that Santi Cazorla is still waiting on a return date from his achilles injury, as Wenger told us today: “I don’t think from the other night we have any injuries, so everybody should be available. In cases like Cazorla and Bellerin, they are still out. We have nobody coming back.”
On Wednesday Le Prof chose Ramsey, which did not please the Arsenal faithful, but he could play him again (he normally does!) or choose Xhaka, but is he ready? As Arsene said: ‘He is adapting to a different league and a different way of playing, but overall I’m happy because every day he is focused,’
‘Maybe he hasn’t been starting that many games.
‘But he is adapting well to the new league and I am happy with him.’
But does that mean that he will be playing on Sunday? Can anyone really see Ramsey being dropped to the bench? I don’t think so!
Also, as Le Prof said, Bellerin is still far from starting, so will he stick with Jenkinson or will he bring Debuchy back to the fold. The Frenchman hasn’t played for us for a whole year, but started (and scored) for the U23’s last week. What do you reckon? I’m going for Jenkinson, who Wenger sees as the long term backup option, but there is always the Ox….
What about the front three? Wednesday saw Alexis, Giroud and Iwobi start, but should Alexis return to the centre and Giroud go back to the bench? Or should Iwobi and Walcott start with Giroud to give the overworked Chilean a rest in what should be a straightforward match.
Normally at this time of year we are asking ‘who is fit enough to be picked’ so it is good for Wenger to have the selection headaches, but who will he rotate to keep all our players rested and raring to go?
If all our closest rivals win on Saturday then this could be yet another must-win game to stay in touch…
Admin
Against Bournemouth I would like to see:
Cech
Jenkinson Mustafi Koscielny Gibbs
Xhaka Coquelin
Ox Ozil Iwobi
Sanchez
Subs: Ospina, Monreal, Gabriel, Elneny, Reine-Adelaide, Walcott, Giroud
If we can’t rest Alexis in an easy game like this, then when can we rest him?
Come on Wenger its time to start using our massive squad and making sure everyone’s fit for the long slog to May.
And what about Ozil? Doesn’t he need a rest?
Wenger loves Ramsey so let’s see if he can cover Ozil.
Ramsey and Mertesacker gonna start always by default. My bad, now that Merti is off its going be only Ramsey. Good job wenger for freezing xhaka off on the bench. For f…sake play the man as he hasnt started a game from who knows when.
I don’t think there are a lot of choices really
Cech
Koscielny, Mustafi
Choice between Monreal and Gibbs
Jenkinson for Bellerin or Ox?
I am not keen on Ramsey and Eleney at the moment, so I would play Xhaka with Coquelin
In attack: Theo/Ox, Iwobi, Ozil and Alexis up front (or Alexis on left, Giroud up front)
This is the side I would like to see AW put out….
Cech
Mustafi Kos Nacho (yes…play a back 3!)
Xhaka Coquelin
Ox/Theo Ramsey Ozil Alexis
Giroud
Mustafi play at RB and CB…so won’t be a problem for him and Nacho has played on the left as a CB. AW has experimented with this in the past couple of games. If the Cherries opt to play with 1 striker, it’s more than enough cover. The back 3 are not slow by any means.
Let Ox or Theo provide the natural width on the right, same again with Alexis.
Alexis can drop in next to OG12 and Ozil can drift wide left to deliver the quality crosses into the box or the defense splitting diagonal pass.
Cherries would have to defend deep which brings into the play…allows him to link up, be the target man or give us use of the 2nd ball.