This is why we miss Walcott a lot this season. Oxo can play a similar role but is he quick enough? As I said earlier, I would play Bendy and try and get a goal(s). Playing for a clean sheet is good but we need to nick a goal to improve our chances.
I'd drop Cazorla in favour of podolski or Rosicky due to their high energy levels but otherwise I'd keep the team fairly untouched.
It'll be interesting to see our MF pairing for this game, because on the whole I think Arteta has been pretty average this season, giving the ball away too many times and slowing the game down. I think Wenger will go with a Wilshere/Flamini pairing and that should inject some good energy into that area.
I think Arteta has looked poor when partnered with Wilshere. When combined with Ramsey I thought they complimented each other perfectly but Jack lacks Aaron's discipline at tracking back and covering the ground. People keep accusing Arteta of being slow (and true, he's no speed merchant) but it's hard when you're constantly left short. Personally I'd go Flam/Arteta and rely on pace from AOC and creativity from Cazorla and Ãzil. I think if we're to have any hope of getting something from this match we need to be incredibly disciplined.
You've got a point about Wilshere though, he can end up being bossed / kicked about in MF and always looks like getting a red card / injured in those types of games. I think it comes down to him still not being fully fit though, so that he's a yard short against the top sides. We could really do with Ramsey being back soon and such a shame that we don't have Walcott available for these two games.
Exactly - I always find it amazing that everyone says it's best to play the first leg away - grab a clean sheet at home and it really puts the other side under pressue for the return.
Regardless of what anyone thinks about our chances in this tie we cannot start with anything less than our strongest 11, its the champions league and the holders are coming to the emirates. To rest keys players is completely disrespectful to the champions league (and bayern munich) and think about how the club would look after repeatedly promoting the importance of qualifying for the champions league every season. This season we have brought ourselves back to the summit of the epl, what top teams give up at the first KO stage of the most difficult club competition in the world. Theres a reason no team has every won it 2 years in a row since it changed from the european cup. This is our last midweek game until march 11, in that period we have sunderland and stoke in the league and everton in the fa cup, our squad looks stronger with podolski oxo and sanogo regaining fitness. If wenger plays a weakened team then he will slaughtered, playing sanogo of bendtnar ahead of giroud is madness, we need to ball to stick up front, sanogo is a good option to give us something different in the last 15-20 mins. Its these games that the top players want to play in, if they are fit then the best players should play, i'm sure they can get through 90 mins against the holders.
The problem with this though is that 'strongest 11' is a subjective thing. Form, fitness and positioning all come into play. Our 'strongest 11' changes depending on the opposition also. It's not an easy thing to work out.
Funnily enough, Jack has also looked more comfortable when Flamini has played alongside him. The Arteta-Wilshere axis just does not work, and thankfully we won't see those two playing in the same midfield tomorrow.
i think we have to play a team full of energy and confidence. Oxo has played well on the wing and provides the pace that no one else does. Szczesny Sagna Mertesacker Koscielny Gibbs Flamini Wilshere Ox Ozil Cazorla Giroud People saying drop Cazorla for Podolski or Rosicky make good points, but the fact is Cazorla is our best chance at a goal and has to play. Ozil can make a goal from nothing, which we'll probably need and Giroud is still our first choice striker if his heads in the right place. If we need to that gives us Rosicky, Podolski and Sanogo to bring on and pressure Bayern at the end of the game.
To a point, but Ozil despite being nowhere near his best still has that ability to change the game in an instant and has done so plenty of times for us already this season. It was always going to be difficult adapting to the PL for a player like him and I think the best is still yet to come.
Total load of bollocks. Ozil has had great first season, he has lead the assists charts for most of the league, he has rotated at the top of the chances created league with silva and on occasion hazard, has contributed a handful of goals, hand a handful of quiet games and then has been arguably the best player on the pitch in our last two games. Hardly average. If ozil has been average then the vast majority of the league have been absolutely terrible. I'd bet he also has a fantastic pass completion rate with the majority going forward. Ozil has had one quiet patch all season and it coincided with us having no players making runs beyond the striker and opponents back line, coincidence? I think not.
He's done ok, I havnt seen a £42m player yet though. Next season will be when we see if it was money well spent or not
I can't believe anyone wants Bendtner to start. This is a player who couldn't force his way into the SUNDERLAND starting lineup!! And you think he's our best option against Bayern Munich??! I have my issues with Giroud but he's considerably better than the Dane.
