Not 10 reasons why we will beat Saints + my Starting 11ish

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I like to be honest, not just about my thoughts on The Arsenal but in life in general, so here goes, I aint got too much of a clue about half the players on the pitch tonight. So here’s what I do know…

1) Wenger always rest’s his 1st choice keeper for these games, so expect David Ospina to start, the first Colombian to play for our club.

2) With the biggest home game of the season coming up this Saturday I don’t want to see any of the defenders who have started so far this season risked and that includes Bellerin who sadly is likely to play due to no-one else.

3) Diaby – People seem to remember him as versatile midfield general, I have even seen someone say he can play CB. The truth in his whole 9 years and 40 odd injuries (@ £50k a week) he had 3 or 4 decent games for us. We and him would of been much better off claiming on the insurance years ago.

4) Southampton have had a great start to the season and will fancy turning us over tonight.

5) First team squad players who should get a run out include – ~Podolski, Campbell, Rosicky, Coquelin (yes he is still with us).

6) Hayden and Ajayi from our Academy may get there first games for the first team.

7) Akpom is also listed as in the squad tonight

8) Well done to the club for yet again having sensible ticket prices for tonight’s game, £10 lower, £20 upper.

9) Wenger has never won the League cup.

10)  Wenger knows he can’t take any risks with any defenders tonight after failing miserably to reinforce that part of the squad this summer.

A starting 11 pure guess – Ospina, Coquelin, Hayden, Ajayi, Bellerin, Flamini,Diaby, Rosicky, Campbell,Podolski, Akpom.

 

 

10 reasons why we will beat villa + my starting 11

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1) Szczesny – After praising him in most of the 10 Reasons this season he goes and has a few mares, so far this season he has conceded on the first shot he’s had fired at him in every game. I still trust him tho.

2) Our defense is strengthened with the return of 19yr old Chambers after his sore throat, I’d still rather see specialist Bellerin at Right back and have Chambers on the bench if needed.

3) Jack and Aaron 2 top class young British midfielders, both have the lot, both struggle to look good in the same side, could today be the day they click ? They both need to take more responsibility in protecting the defense, one needs to drop back when the other goes forward, they can do this without impairing what they give going forwards, they just need to think more.

4) Santi, stories I heard in the summer was he wanted to return to Spain, but was blocked, another player who can destroy teams on his day and he should be bought in today.

5) Ozil, play him down the left or the right or down the middle, just dont expect him to track back.

6) Alexis one game soon he is going to hammer a team, I’d like to see him running onto more balls than having his back to goal

7) Welbeck today’s the day, lump your mortgage on him scoring.

8) Villa have 10points from 4 games, conceding only 1 goal but scoring only 4.

9) Villa along with Chelsea and us are the only unbeaten teams left this season.

10) Wenger knows that we have been pretty poor this season so far, he has to pull it out the bag today or there will be a meltdown.

My starting 11 – Chesney, Bellerin, Kos, BFG, Gibbs, Jack, Ramsey, Santi, Ozil (free role) Alexis, Welbeck. (4-2-3-1)

 

Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil to be dropped for Aston Villa

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One of the best things about having 56437 attacking midfielder’s in the current squad is that it allows us to rotate, to chop and change, to rest players when unfit, or take them out of the limelight when out of form. And that is exactly what needs to be done against Aston Villa.

Both Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil have had poor starts to the season. In the last 2 games against Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund, both have looked well off the pace. We have a whole host of attacking midfield options, it is time to use them.

Tomas Rosicky
Jack Wilshere
Mesut Ozil
Alex Oxlade Chamberlain
Aaron Ramsey
Santi Cazorla
Abou Diaby

Seven options for 2 central midfielder positions (note I say central midfield, more on this later). We should rotate against Aston Villa.

Mesut Ozil has not looked the same player since the Munich away leg, where he clearly injured himself in the 1st few minutes and hobbled through to half time. I wonder if he has ever had the opportunity to regain full fitness.

He was rushed back to the first team for the last 4 league games of the season, as well as the FA Cup and then played in all 7 games of the World Cup, over 625 minutes in total.

The World Cup Final was on the 13th July, Mesut Ozil’s 1st game back for Arsenal was 23rd August. Just a 40 day break. He then broke down again in training for Germany, missing their friendly against Argentina and Euro 2016 Qualifying match against Scotland.

Despite the injury, on the resumption of the Premier League, he was straight back into the Arsenal starting 11 for the game against Manchester City.

Mesut Ozil has always been a confidence player. Anyone who has followed his career would know when he is on the top of his game, he is one of the best in the world, but when his confidence is low, his head drops and he doubts himself.

He is clearly not ready to play physically, and mentally he looks shot. By taking him out of the firing line this weekend, it gives him time to recover, both physically and mentality.

ps: I do not accept the “He can’t play out wide” reasoning for his bad form. He won the World Cup playing on the wing, and has played left wing and right wing throughout his career.

As for Aaron Ramsey, he is another one who looks unfit. He was an injury concern against Manchester City, but ended up playing, and repeated the feat against Dortmund mid week. Had he sufficiently recovered? It did not look like it.

The problem we currently have is Arsene Wenger is trying to mould a formation round the players, rather than play the players in a set formation. This has led us to play 4141 to attempt to accommodate Oil, Alexis Sanchez, Ramsey and Jack Wilshere. It has not worked.

Aston Villa should also see is a change of formation. Drop the current 4141 and return to the 4231/433. What this would mean is that one of either Wilshere or Ramsey does not start. Wilshere is in the form of his career, Ramsey looks off the pace. So it is simple, you play your inform, fit players. That is Jack rather than Aaron.

It then works the same for Ozil. He is unfit and out of form. Lets give Santi Cazorla a run in the side. Take Ozil out of the firing lines. Against Aston Villa, I would line up:

Szczesny
Bellerin Koscielny Mertesacker Gibbs
Arteta Wilshere
Ox Cazorla Sanchez
Welbeck

Essentially, you get into a scenario where it’s either Wilshere OR Ramsey; Ozil OR Cazorla, with form and fitness taken into account.

Both Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil are top draw players, with the ability to change the game at any point. But they are both clearly out of form. We have other options in the squad, time to use them.

Keenos