Ludogorets | She Wore A Yellow Ribbon

After beating the chicken farmers 6-0 at home, Arsenal have a chance of securing Champions League knock out qualification with 2 games to go tonight.

With Ludogorets missing the half dozen day labourers who have been unable to get the day off work at their London building site, tonight really should be a walk in the park.

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A victory for Arsenal, and as long as PSG avoid defeat against Basel, will see Arsenal through to the next round for the umpteenth time in a row – I lose count; but I do not really care as we never win it.

There has been a lot of chatter about what side Arsenal should put out tonight:

Looking ahead to Spurs, would; Ospina, Jenko, Holding, Gabriel, Monreal, Elneny, Xhaka, Özil, Ox, Iwobi & Giroud be too weak for Ludogorets?

— FK (@fkhanage) October 29, 2016

I am of the opinion that Arsenal should put out the strongest line up possible.

Firstly, the point about Spurs. We play today, we then play again on Sunday – 12 noon (pubs on Holloway Road open at 10am). That is a full 5 days between. Plenty of time to recover before Spurs. Obviously anyone carrying a knock after Sunderland should be rested if not fit to play, but there is no need to rest anyone before Spurs.

After Spurs, we are then into another international break (thanks UEFA!). We do not play our next game until November the 19^th against Man U, so there really is no benefit resting and rotating now.

I would much rather we go and win this game, then rest and rotate against PSG and Basel.

But we want to finish top of the group you all cry.

Let me get something straight, I really do not care about finishing 1^st or 2^nd. At the end of the day, you have to play the top sides in the Champions League at some point if you want to win it. If you get knocked out in the 2^nd round, the QF or SF against them, it does not really matter if you do not win the competition.

The only benefit of getting a bit further is a little bit more money. And a few coefficient points. There is no difference between getting knocked out in the 2^nd round against Bayern Munich or getting knocked out in the QF against Bayern Munich.

And finishing top does not guarantee an easier draw. Last time we finished top (2011/12), we played AC Milan in the knockout stage. We lost 4-0. There side contained the likes of 32 Abbiati, Mexes, Thiago Silva, Van Bommel , Seedorf, Ibrahimovic and Robinho.

As things stand, if we finish 2^nd, we could face the likes of Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid or Juventus. But we could also face Napoli or Monaco.

Meanwhile, if we top the group, we could end up with Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund or Sevilla. The other sides could be Copenhagen or Besiktas.

So it does not make much of a difference finishing 1^st of 2^nd.

Also, looking at Arsenal’s upcoming fixtures, PSG is sandwiched between trips to Man U and a home game against Bournemouth, whilst a visit to Basel is after West Ham away, and before Stoke City at home.

Between the next international break and Christmas, Arsenal play:

Saturday
Wednesday
Sunday
Wednesday
Saturday
Tuesday
Saturday
Tuesday
Sunday

9 games in 29 days. A hectic schedule. Win tonight and it means that 3 of those 9 games we can play a 2^nd string. It might be sacrificing top spot in the Champions League, but it gives us the best chance of getting top spot in the Premier League.

To those out there today (I imagine you are all in bars and not reading pointless blogs) enjoy the game. I am in now way jealous that I decided to go Sunderland away rather than visit Sofia.

Up the Arsenal.

Keenos
Follow @KeenosAFC

On to the next one, on to the next.

6 wins from 6, next up to face The Arsenal Juggernaut is Ludogorets of Bulgaria. And we can fully expect Arsene Wenger to shuffle his squad to keep players fresh.

According to UEFA’s coefficient points ranking, Ludogorets are the 3^rd worst team in this years Champions League. Only Copenhagen and Rostov are ranked worse. UEFA rank them worse than awful teams such as Legia Warsaw, Celtic and Spurs.

Half their side are Bulgarian cow farmers, and they plan to go to Wickes in Edmonton to pick up the rest of their players, offering £30 a day. Cash.

Let’s be honest, it should be a walk over (or will probably eat these words and have loads of opposing fans tweeting this blog to me when we lets slip a 2-0 win). And that is why Arsene Wenger is likely to rotate his squad.

Cup keeper David Ospina is likely to keep his Champions League place. Unlike last year when he decided to catch the ball then carry it into his own net (was he ever investigate for betting irregularities?), he has actually performed well in the Champions League this year. A MOTM performance against PSG followed by a clean sheet against Basel. I could play in goal against Ludogorets and keep a clean sheet. In fact I would not be surprised if I face their players in 5-a-side at Chingford Goals on Thursday.

Carl Jenkinson is nearing full fitness, but a return against Ludogorets might be a little early, too much of a risk. He will be pencilled in for the League Cup (is it still called that?) tie at home to Reading. Hector Bellerin will continue in the side.

At centreback, I expect one to be rested and rotated. I do not think Wenger will be tempted to leave both Laurent Koscielny and Shkodran Mustafi out. Taking into account Koscileny’s previous injury record with his back and achilles, a mid week break will do him now harm. Expect Mustafi to partner Gabriel.

As discussed at the weekend, Nacho Monreal is struggling. Kieran Gibbs will be given the chance to force his way back into the first team.

With Granit Xhaka set to be suspended for 3 games, the Swiss hardman will get a start in the Champions League. I am sure in Wenger’s mid-term planning he would have scheduling the game against the cow farmers as one for Xhaka to miss, but circumstances mean it is now pointless resting him.

Alongside Xhaka will be either Francis Coquelin or Mohamed Elneny. Both were probably likely to start tonight, but Xhaka’s suspension leaves space for just one. It will be whoever Wenger plans to play instead of Xhaka in the next couple of games. My money is on Elneny as it is only Middlesbrough at home this weekend. Cazorla will be able to give a rest to his tiny but talented feet.

At the top of the triangle, Wenger will play Mesut Ozil. When a player of his quality and fitness is in the type of form he is in, you just leave him in the side. And with no Aaron Ramsey or Jack Wilshere, and Santi Cazorla and Alex Iwobi in need for a rest, Ozil will play.

Wenger is likely to give a rest to Alex Iwobi on the left hand side. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will be given the chance to show he still has a future at Arsenal after his Goals on Sunday interview.

On the right hand side, expect Theo Walcott to start. With Alexis Sanchez upfront. I only say this because I have just looked at the official pictures of Arsenal training ahead of the Ludogorets game and both are wearing a green bib. Olivier Giroud is not yet fully fit, although he is back in full training – expect him and Aaron Ramsey to start against Read – and Lucas Perez seems to have gone AWOL. Where Perez has gone is maybe another blog.

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