Will Arsenal boss really drop Alexis and Ozil against Tottenham?

Even though I think that Arsene Wenger was right to lay a lot of the blame for Arsenal losing away to Man City before the international break on the referee and his assistants, the fact is that we have now faced three of last season’s top six and have earned just one point from those games.

So I can understand why the pundit and former Arsenal striker Charlie Nicholas is looking at the way the Gunners got that point against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and suggesting in a Sky Sports report that Arsene Wenger drops the club’s two big name stars Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil, because they were absent from that game as well and it seemed to work out pretty well for us.

Nicholas said, “If Arsenal are serious about winning these big games, I would go with Alexandre Lacazette and Danny Welbeck and leave Ozil out and Sanchez out.

“Are they two of our best players? Of course they are, but they don’t do enough in these big games.

“Welbeck isn’t as talented but what you’ve got to do against a back three is move them about to create chances, while Lacazette is our best finisher and sulky Sanchez doesn’t like playing out wide.

“I’d play Alex Iwobi as well. People will question me for leaving those two out but it worked against Chelsea.

“I’d have Aaron Ramsey in central midfield with Granit Xhaka, but my concern is that Wenger sticks with his principle of playing two holding midfielders, even though he doesn’t have the right players to play in those positions.”

I think he has a point, to be fair, but will Wenger really risk going into a crucial north London derby without his most creative and his most potent player? The boss has showed a tendency towards surprise selections in big games and so he may consider making changes to the expected line-up.

Leaving both Ozil and Alexis out, however, would surely raise eyebrows and would certainly raise questions if the gamble did not pay off. Would you drop both or either one for this match? And do you think Wenger is ready to risk it?

Bob.

10 Comments

  1. Yes, Sanchez and Ozil on the bench. It’s not like they want to play or us anymore,
    but our manager is deluded so they will DEFINATELY be starting knowing that Welbeck, Lacazette and Iwobi would put in 110% but at the end of the day it comes down to COMMON SENSE!

  2. I don’t think Wenger would drop Sanchez and Ozil. Arsenal also need Sanchez’s creativity and movements to score against Tottenham.

  3. Cech
    Bellerin Mustafi Monreal Kolasinac
    Ramsey Wilshere Xhaka
    Iwobi Lacazete Alexis

    Play back 4.
    koscielny & Giroud Injured.
    Sub: Ozil, Coq, Walcott, Welbeck, Mert, Niles, Holding, Chambers, Elneny

  4. This is the worst Arsenal squad in decades.
    Not for talent but for attitude.
    That is what happens when its full of foreign mercenaries like Sanchez and Ozil.
    They could not give a toss about the club or its fans – money is their only motivation
    I cannot wait to see the back of them…
    Have a talented English backbone with players like Nelson.
    Trouble is while the existing manager is in place preference will always be given to the mercenaries..

  5. Stop banging on just about Ozil, and Sanchez! It’s Wenger, and club’s fault regarding the situation with those two, and people need to remember that Wenger lost the dressing last season, so it’s more than just Ozil, and Sanchez. We know Bellerin, and Mustafi want out as well, not to mention how many others!

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