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Who is in line to start v Nottingham Forest

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Who is in line to start v Nottingham Forest

When Arsenal have been drawn with lower league opposition in the early stages of the FA Cup, Arsene Wenger has rotated his squad.

This policy has proved correct for Wenger, as he has never been  knocked out of the FA Cup at the 3rd round stage, and only ever once lost to a lower league side – the 5th round defeat to Blackburn Rovers in 2013.

I have spoken before about how Arsenal should prioritise the cups over the league in the second half of the season. That winning silverware is more important than finishing 4th.

That being said, Arsenal have a very busy January – from December 28th to February 3rd, we are due to play 11 times. That is just 36 days (I think). With FA Cup games, and the League Cup double header against Chelsea, we need to rotate the squad.

We play Nottingham Forest on the Sunday, then Chelsea in the League Cup semi-final on Wednesday, before visiting Bournemouth next Sunday.

Wenger will want his first team for the Bournemouth fixture. It will be interesting to see how he shuffles the squad for Nottingham Forest and Chelsea.

Will he play 2 separate sides? The first XI in one fixture, the 2nd XI in another? Or a mixed XI with key players split across the 2? Or will he play his second XI in both the Nottingham Forest and Chelsea games, giving his first team a 10 day rest before Bournemouth?

What is for certain is David Ospina will start in goal against Nottingham Forest. I imagine he will also play against Chelsea.

The make up of the team will be further confused by the formation.

In the last round of the League Cup, we went to 4 at the back with Rob Holding partnering Calum Chambers. We have recently returned to 3 at the back in the league.

With Laurent Koscielny likely to be rested as he continues to have his career managed due to a troublesome Achilles, we will certainly see Per Mertesacker return in the middle of the defence. I doubt Wenger will risk Shokdran Mustafi – who is still returning from his own injury issues.

Having played the last few games, I would not be too surprised if Chambers drops out with Rob Holding starting alongside Mertesacker. Partnering Holding and Mertesacker in a back 3 will either be Krystian Bielik or Julio Pleguezuelo.

My opinion is that whoever does not start between Holding / Chambers and Pleguezuelo / Bielik will be in line for a start against Chelsea (with Mustafi coming into the middle).

It will be interesting to see what Wenger decides at wing back.

Mathieu Debuchy will be in line to start ahead of Hector Bellerin on the right. On the left, Sead Kolašinac and Nacho Monreal are almost certainly out injured and, with Ainsley Maitland-Niles on first XI duties our options are limited. Utility youngster Josh Dasilva might get the nod, or Wenger might choose to go for someone like Chiori Johnson.

I do not expect Granit Xhaka or Jack Wilshere to start in the middle of the park. Wenger will surely go for the experience pairing of Francis Coquelin and Mohamed Elneny. Do not be too surprised to not see Wilshere until the Bournemouth game.

Another interesting talking point will be who plays behind the striker.

Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez will both surely be rested. The worry is Wenger will go with Theo Walcott who does not suit playing narrow, behind a striker. But he does need match fitness, even if it is to prove he is ready for a transfer. Personally I would prefer to see Reiss Nelson get a wrong out.

Alex Iwobi was dropped for the game against Chelsea in the cup, he will surely come back in, playing behind Danny Welbeck.

All in all, it should be a strong XI filled with internationals. Beating Nottingham Forest should not be a problem.

Expected XI:

Ospina

Holding Mertesacker Pleguezuelo

Debuchy Coquelin Elneny DaSilva

Walcott Iwobi

Welbeck

Now I am off to Hooters

Keenos

Nottingham Forest Result & Chelsea Team News

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Nottingham Forest Result

4-0 was a result that certainly flattered Arsenal.

Whilst we were deserved winners, Nottingham Forest created a few chances in the first half. Enough to worry Arsenal. Enough that Arsene Wenger should not be entirely satisfied with the victory. Another day, had one of their early chances gone in, we could have had a different story, a Sheffield Wednesday story.

But another stunner by Xhaka put us 1-0 up at half time. And the second half we controlled, dominated, wearing down Nottingham Forest. A penalty by Lucas Perez and a wonderful solo goal but the game out of sight.

I only realised it was 4-0 this morning. In the 91st minute my stream died, so I went to bed, missing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s wonderfully crafted 4th goal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2PkULBJugw

Can much be read into a victory over a side currently 13th in the Championship? Probably not.

Emiliano (or is it Damian?) Martínez did little wrong. But also didn’t have much to do. He is now 24. David Ospina will surely not be round much longer at Petr Cech’s number 2. Did Martinez show enough that he could potentially step up next season? Inconclusive.

The surprise pick at right back was Ainsley Maitland-Niles. He of the angry mum, who was banned from Arsenal’s training ground after an “assault” and caused her son to be exiled at Ipswich by Mick McCarthy. You have to think the lad has extreme talent if Arsene Wenger is willing to stick with him despite the behaviour of his mum.

Maitland-Niles is not a full back. When I have seen him play in our youths, he was a winger, but often used inside. On loan at Ipswich last season he played 1,116 minutes on the right wing, 704 minutes in the centre of the park. He is a big boy, with a good touch, and good passing range. He can also travel with the ball. At just 19, I see his future being in the middle of the park. He played well.

The game gave Gabriel 90 minutes to get his fitness back and 90 minutes in an Arsenal shirt for Rob Holding. It also allowed Kieran Gibbs to get some match time in. Giving these guys a run out is important so that they are ready to be called upon.

Granit Xhaka and Mohamed Elneny have given Wenger something to think about for Chelsea. Both are aggressive, cover the ground and can pass well. Meanwhile, despite his goal, Oxlade-Chamberlain showed that he is not good enough for Arsenal’s level. The same errors of trying to take on one too many, perhaps Championship opponents is his level?

Chuba Akpom and Jeff Reine-Adelaide looked good in parts. One too many pirouette for my liking. Both could probably do with a loan move in January to a Premier League side to prove that they have what it takes to be part of Arsenal’s 1st team match day squad on a regular basis in 2017/18.

As for Lucas Perez. A well hit penalty followed by the type of goal which showed strength, balance and composure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAPCi3hOh0A

I think it is important not to read too much into his performance as it was just Nottingham Forest. I have seen people label him the Spanish Jamie Vardy and better than Olivier Giroud. This is a little bit too much too soon.

Vardy hit 24 league goals last season, Giroud has 82 goals in 191 games for Arsenal. Two goals against a mid-table Championship side is not enough to be compared to these two.

Saying that, it was a good outing for Perez. He looked sharp, quick and two footed. In the short term (with Giroud back) I can see him playing wide of Giroud on the right. I expect us to start again with Alexis Sanchez up top against Chelsea, but Perez, like Xhaka and Elneny, would have given something for Wenger to think about.

This time last week I was in Paris, sleeping off 24 hours of beer. Up to that point I had not missed a single game this season, home away or in Europe. I have now missed the last two games, both away victories, with Arsenal scoring 8. I am back for Chelsea. Sorry lads.

Chelsea Team News

Whilst writing the brief summary of the Nottingham Forest performance, it got me think about what side we will se against Chelsea this Saturday.

Petr Cech will start in goal. But there are plenty of positions up for grabs.

In defence, Hector Bellerin and Laurent Koscielny are shoe-ins. But will Wenger be tempted to return to Gabriel? Or has Shkodran Mustafi already shown enough that he is Koscileny’s undisputed partner in life?

Nacho Monreal has underperformed this season. Looked off the pace. Did Gibbs do enough against Nottingham Forest to force his way in? Unlikely.

The likelihood is Wenger will start with the same back 5 as he did against Hull. Meaning the above 71 words are pretty pointless. Filler. To get the word count of the article up.

The centre midfield is a more interesting debate.

Francis Coquelin and Santi Cazorla have looked good this season, complimenting each other behind Mesut Ozil. But Granit Xhaka is our best central midfielder. And Elneny performed solidly alongside him last night.

Does Wenger go with the tried and tested Coq/Caz partnership? Pr does he drop one for Xhaka, a risk in such a big game.

I actually think he might play the 3 of them. A central midfield with Coquelin and Xhaka deep lying with Cazorla just ahead. This will push Mesut Ozil out wide on one side with Alex Iwobi the other.

Playing Xhaka and Coquelin together will give the team a lot of solidity in the middle of the park. With Cazorla just ahead of him, we then have a tight midfield 3 that should be hard to penetrate, but still has creativity.

Mesut Ozil on the right is then giving a free role. It might damage us defensively as he will not track back as much, but it is the way you accommodate him. With the extra power in the middle of the park, his defensive frailties can be covered.

Likewise on the left, Alex Iwobi is not the best defensively. You are basically saying to Iwobi, Ozil and Sanchez (who will surely start up front): “You 3 attack, the rest will defend”. With Cazorla also given the time to get forward.

Likely line up:

Cech
Bellerin Mustafi Koscielny Monreal
Xhaka Coquelin
Ozil Cazorla Iwobi
Sanchez

Keenos

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Hull Away, Penalties, Santi Cazorla, Alex Iwobi & Nottingham Forest

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Hull Away

Hull away was the first game I have missed this season due to buying tickets for Frankie Boyle at the Pleasance Theatre on The Cally. Frankie Boyle was average. Arsenal were excellent.

4-1 away from home in the Premier League is a great result in anyone’s book. At the time, it took us to second place in the league. After Everton’s result, we currently sit 3rd. Not bad for a side who have seemingly had a very average start to the Premier League season. Written off by the media after just a few games.

In comparison, Liverpool have had an excellent start to the season. Talk of a title challenge. They sit below Arsenal.

After a tough mid-week away tie in Paris, a trip to Hull was a potential banana skin. Mike Phelan was named Premier League Manager of the Month for August. It could have been one of them tough games up north after a mid week jaunt to Europe.

Arsenal were helped by Jake Livermore thinking he was playing beach volleyball on the Copacabana Beach, but you feel Arsenal would have run out winners no matter his decision to handle in the area.

An Arsenal game would not be an Arsenal game without us on the verge of drawing a game we were dominating, and the penalty for Hull is worrying. It was the umpteenth time this season we have let players in behind our defence. It happened against Southampton, numerous times against PSG, and now against Hull. We are holding a high line, but the high press then gives plenty of space in behind. Luckily against Hull, whilst we were punished with a goal, we still came out with 3 points.

It is still mystifying why Granit Xhaka is not starting. And with no place for Olivier Giroud (a hurt “toe” – is he David Haye?) or Lucas Perez, the starting 11 put out by Arsene Wenger was baffling once more. Maybe we will see these guys come into the team against Nottingham Forest (more later).

4-1, away from home, after a European away game, up north, taking us into the top 3. Yesterday was a good day.

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Penalties

Why did Santi Cazorla not take that penalty? I was confused, you were all confused, even Arsene Wenger was confused. We won, so it is not a big issue in the short term. But in the long term, it needs to be sorted out.

Arsenal have now had 4 penalties in their first 5 games of the season. After last season having just 2. Incidentally, Leicester won 13 penalties last season. It was a big part of them becoming champions.

Of the 4 penalties, the record is now scored 2, missed 2. Both were scored by Santi Cazorla, the misses were by Theo Walcott and Sanchez.

We need to take advantage of penalties.

Santi Cazorla

Penalties apart, Santi Cazorla needs to be sat down and made to watch the video of yesterday’s game. He should be feeling very lucky to have remained on the pitch yesterday.

After being booked, he committed a further 2 challenges which could have resulted in yellow cards. It was one of those scenarios where had he not been booked already, he would have got a yellow for both.

It is not the first time Cazorla has walked the tight rope after being booked.

Playing deep, in the middle of the park, he needs discipline. But as a naturally attacking player, he does not have this natural discipline. He has a tendency to lunge into his tackles and, once already been booked, he needs to learn that he can not do this.

We saw him sent off against Chelsea last season for this exact reason. Already booked. He lunged at the ball, was beaten to it by Cesc Fabregas, and got a second yellow.

The commentary on that is completely accurate.

“After already being booked, you’ve gotta take responsibility…you don’t go in for that challenge…you have to stay on your feet”.

And yesterday was a similar scenario. After already being booked, Cazorla committed fouls in the 2nd minute of injury time of the first half, and after 2 minutes of the 2nd half starting. Both fouls were needless, and given away in Hull’s half. He could have seen red, 10v10, for pointless challenges.

He needs discipline.

Alex Iwobi

https://twitter.com/KeenosAFC/status/777164304223199232

England must be kicking themselves for letting Alex Iwobi pick Nigeria over England.

After playing youth football for England up till U18s, Iwobi elected to play for Nigeria and made his senior debut on 8 October 2015, replacing Ahmed Musa in the 57th minute of a 2–0 friendly defeat to DR Congo in Visé, Belgium.

At just 20, we have a star on our hands. Gifted on the ball, ability to spot a pass, strong and quick, he is becoming a player who has it all. For England you could easily see him on one wing with Raheem Sterling on the other. England’s loss is certainly Nigeria’s gain.

Above his national team, he is ultimately an Arsenal player. You can now make an argument that he should be one of the first players on the team sheet.

Once Giroud returns, we should be lining up with Iwobi and Sanchez each side of Mesut Ozil.

Over the summer Wenger made the decision to let Serge Gnabry and Joel Campbell go. Iwobi’s form in the opening few games of this season justifies this decision.

Some will say that Arsene Wenger has lost his touch with young players. The development of Iwobi and Hector Bellerin shows that he can still develop a young player.

Something else labelled against him is that he often drops a young player on form when an established star returns from injury or is available. Yesterday on our bench where senior pro’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Mohamad Elneny, Granit Xhaka & Lucas Perez. Iwobi started. And repaid the faith Wenger had in him.

Alex Iwobi is a player.

Nottingham Forest

On to the League Cup.

Would I be right in saying many fans are now more interested in the League Cup than the Champions League?

They are certainly getting bored of the Champions League. The away section at PSG looked like a college day out. Mainly filled by students who had not gone back to university yet. Whilst going to Nottingham Forest, it seems it is more of a normal away support, and many who have not gone away for a few years who have done their time following the club.

Nottingham Forest away has more of a draw than PSG away.

It was the same with Sheffield Wednesday last season. Plenty of older faces who you have not seen away for a few years, dusted down their gear and went to Hillsborough.

Maybe it is the chance to visit an old school ground at a legendary club is what interests. But there is certain more excitement over going to the City Ground over the Parc de Princes.

And hopefully, unlike Sheffield Wednesday away, we return with a victory.

The side, as always in the League Cup, will be a B / Youth Team. With one eye on Chelsea at the weekend and games coming thick and fast, it will be a chance to rest and rotate.

Expected line-up:

Ospina
Bielek Gabriel Holding Gibbs
Elneny Xhaka
Perez Ox Akpom
Giroud

Keenos

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