Tough game for the gunners, especially when considering the distance of the travel, and that they play 3 games i 6 days. Probably a draw, or a close win by 1.
I want Jack Wilshire to oust Xhaka of first team and this game is his platform! Jack is an amazing midfielder when fit and on song. Xhaka I believe lacks dynamism and key midfielder attributes. Watched Kante and Bakayoko playing Atleti last night. They don't have the long range passing Xhaka has but they are much more complete midfielders than Xhaka. A fit Wilshire and Ramsey in Arsenal midfield would be awesome! COYG!
@albgunn- Xhaka in CM playing next to a Goretzka/Seri type dynamic box-to-box midfielder who is naturally adept at the defensive side of the game would be ideal. Xhaka was very good against Chelsea and while Ramsey is good in CM when he is focused on the defensive tasks, his mind wanders too much and his natural inclination is to get forward. Because of this, both he and Wilshere are at their best playing as inside forwards in our current formation where they can focus more on attack than defence and Jack will avoid so many of the circumstances which have seen him injured. We need Goretzka or Seri before we can play both Ramsey and Wilshere behind Lacazette though. Too many defensive holes otherwise.
@SteveHyland yes I understand you but I can't make out what type of midfielder Xhaka is. He's not a DM. Not an attacking. Can't tackle. Cant, dribble, no key passes. He can only shoot a long range but needs a lot of space to do it. Arsenal have never played with those midfielders. In my eyes he's limited as a midfielder. He has lapses where he is lost within his own box and misplaces simple passes. Xhaka and Ramsey are limited as creative midfielders. I like Ramsey more cos he is the best box to box in the league when on song. I feel Wilshire is the best we can see close to Cazorla! Arsenal have no creativity from the middle
Not sure where my initial comment, posted yesterday went, by the computer did cock up. Anyways, my predicted team was 1 away from the XI Wenger actually put out (I thought Niles would ply in CM next to Elneny and da Silva LWB with Willock on the bench). As it was, the team put out looked perfect in the first half and we realistically could have been 6-1 at half-time. We were in complete control until the 65th minute mark where lack of match fitness (at this level) took it's toll. Our pace and dynamism dropped, we kept losing the ball, were unable to press or launch quick counter attacks having won possession back. Completely understandable given how much game time the relative XIs had under their belt but because of the physical, and maybe also mental, drop from us it made the game look closer than it was. Wilshere in an advanced role was excellent, and that is his best position.
Arsene Wenger has picked a youthful squad and left a number of high-profile players behind, as he tries to navigate a tricky run of three matches in six days.
Alexis Sanchez, Alexandre Lacazette, Mesut Ozil, Laurent Koscielny, Aaron Ramsey and Granit Xhaka have all been rested ahead of Sunday's match against to Brighton, while Alex Iwobi is out with a thigh problem.
Youngsters Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Reiss Nelson could be handed starts, while Josh Dasilva and Eddie Nketiah are likely to be on the bench.
Tough game for the gunners, especially when considering the distance of the travel, and that they play 3 games i 6 days. Probably a draw, or a close win by 1.
I want Jack Wilshire to oust Xhaka of first team and this game is his platform! Jack is an amazing midfielder when fit and on song. Xhaka I believe lacks dynamism and key midfielder attributes. Watched Kante and Bakayoko playing Atleti last night. They don't have the long range passing Xhaka has but they are much more complete midfielders than Xhaka. A fit Wilshire and Ramsey in Arsenal midfield would be awesome! COYG!
@albgunn- Xhaka in CM playing next to a Goretzka/Seri type dynamic box-to-box midfielder who is naturally adept at the defensive side of the game would be ideal. Xhaka was very good against Chelsea and while Ramsey is good in CM when he is focused on the defensive tasks, his mind wanders too much and his natural inclination is to get forward. Because of this, both he and Wilshere are at their best playing as inside forwards in our current formation where they can focus more on attack than defence and Jack will avoid so many of the circumstances which have seen him injured. We need Goretzka or Seri before we can play both Ramsey and Wilshere behind Lacazette though. Too many defensive holes otherwise.
@SteveHyland yes I understand you but I can't make out what type of midfielder Xhaka is. He's not a DM. Not an attacking. Can't tackle. Cant, dribble, no key passes. He can only shoot a long range but needs a lot of space to do it. Arsenal have never played with those midfielders. In my eyes he's limited as a midfielder. He has lapses where he is lost within his own box and misplaces simple passes. Xhaka and Ramsey are limited as creative midfielders. I like Ramsey more cos he is the best box to box in the league when on song. I feel Wilshire is the best we can see close to Cazorla! Arsenal have no creativity from the middle
@albgunn nice
Please don't play Monreal here. He's an important player and shouldn't be played in second string squad in Europa!
Anyone else think Giroud was horrible in this game? Can't wait for him to be sold tbh
Not sure where my initial comment, posted yesterday went, by the computer did cock up. Anyways, my predicted team was 1 away from the XI Wenger actually put out (I thought Niles would ply in CM next to Elneny and da Silva LWB with Willock on the bench). As it was, the team put out looked perfect in the first half and we realistically could have been 6-1 at half-time. We were in complete control until the 65th minute mark where lack of match fitness (at this level) took it's toll. Our pace and dynamism dropped, we kept losing the ball, were unable to press or launch quick counter attacks having won possession back. Completely understandable given how much game time the relative XIs had under their belt but because of the physical, and maybe also mental, drop from us it made the game look closer than it was. Wilshere in an advanced role was excellent, and that is his best position.
congrats wenger
Ospina,Holding,Mertesacker,Mustafi,Willock,Elneny,Nelson,Maitland,Walcott,Wilshere,Giroud
Wenger OUT !!!
Arsene Wenger has picked a youthful squad and left a number of high-profile players behind, as he tries to navigate a tricky run of three matches in six days. Alexis Sanchez, Alexandre Lacazette, Mesut Ozil, Laurent Koscielny, Aaron Ramsey and Granit Xhaka have all been rested ahead of Sunday's match against to Brighton, while Alex Iwobi is out with a thigh problem. Youngsters Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Reiss Nelson could be handed starts, while Josh Dasilva and Eddie Nketiah are likely to be on the bench.
1-2 Arsenal