-----------------------Ospina------------------------- Debauchy--Mertesacker---Koscielny--Gibbs ----------------------Coquelin------------------------ ----------Ramsey------------Ozil/Car-------------- --Walcott-----------Giroud-----------Sanchez-- I think that's our strongest side but its hard to pick between Ozil and Carzorla. Also Rosicky is making a good claim for a starting place at the moment.
I would definitely start Walcott as well. Both he and Sanchez will give Spurs a nightmare. Ramsey will almost certainly start although I would rather start Rosicky.
May not be a popular opinion but I think if Ox is match fit for the Spurs game, he should start ahead of Walcott. Walcott's starting to gain some form but he's still not quite there yet physically and he still has rustiness with regards to his ball control. Chamberlain's pace, power and strength would give us a lot of joy against either Spurs fullback, in my opinion, and we'd be able to stretch the game more with his width. So for me, if Ox is fit: Ospina Bellerin Koscielny Mertesacker Monreal Ramsey Coquelin Oxlade-Chamberlain Cazorla Sanchez Giroud
I reckon starting Ozil and Sanchez would be a good move. If they can manage to both play together we would be ****ing insane in the amount of chances we create.
Im surprised ppl want to start monreal over gibbs - i know monreal has done well the last couple of games but we are far more dangerous attacking with gibbs and hes a faster and better defender. Id start walcott and sanchez with one of cazorla and ozil creating for them - the beauty is that all four of them can/will play left, right and in the centre throughourthroughout the game so spurs will be hard pressed to pick them up
So has Ozil, plus the assists, so i think he will bring more to our game by creating chances and keeping ball retention. If Sanchez is fit, he can offer what Walcott offers, hitting Spurs with pace on the flanks. Sanchez might not be as quick as Walcott, but overall he is a better winger than Walcott as he has better strength, better dribbling, better tracking back-defending, and better composure when he is running at defenders. With Walcott at the moment, as he getting back to fitness after a year out, if he isn't being played through on goal utilising his pace, I don't see him offering much in comparison to Ozil who can keep our passing movement-flow good, and as I said help create goals. I'd bring on Walcott as a sub after 65 minutes as that's when he can use his fresh legs on tired Spurs players.
Monreal has been great so far at LB in the last couples of games, so he deserves to keep his place in the side really. And Monreal's attacking play has been good too, against City he was good in his attacking forays, it was him too that won us the penalty that set us on our way to the win. You're as good as your last clean sheet, and in 4 of our last 5 games in which we have kept a clean sheet, Monreal has been a part of that defence, so it'd be unfair to drop him now, the last 2 games Gibbs has started we have conceded 4, and Monreal didn't start in either of those games, obviously it's not all Gibbs' fault but the point I am making is that Monreal has been the one involved in defence when we have been keeping clean sheets lately, so would be really unfair to drop him, plus again Monreal was involved in our 2-0 away victory at City, so he's proven he is more than good enough-capable to be starting ahead of Gibbs in massive games.
Yep, he definitely has. Now that I think about it, it would make more sense to bring Walcott on in the 2nd half. Arsene will more than likely have the same line up this Saturday with Sanchez in for Walcott.
Apart from his goal, I don't think Theo did much today. I'd have (also best XI): Ospina Bellerin merts Kos Gibbs Coq Ramsey Ozil Santi Sanchez Giroud
Yep, Ozil, Santi, Sanchez for me too with Ramsey and Coquelin lying deeper. Bring on Walcott or Ox if we need an injection of pace later in the game.
I guess in his ultimate starting XI Wenger sees Alexis as a the main striker in a Barcelona-like attack line. That means No Giroud. Anyway, his task is not selecting Ozil OR Cazorla, but build the team around this tandem and figure out how these two can play together. Also, Monreal deserves a place ahead of Gibbs. As for Bellerin, I will not be surprised if Barca will come calling for him. He is quickly becoming a more important player for us than Debuchy. And probably by the summer he will worth more. He is the future. At least one problem solved - Chambers could be shifted to CB
For me Sanchez is too good in other areas of the pitch to have him leading the line. Giroud is doing that job really well and Sanchez is more of a playmaker/winger who can also carve out his own chances. Agree regarding ozil and santi though. They should both play in MF and we've got formation options that support that with either two deep lying MF players or a 4-1-4-1 The player who has become really key to all of this is Coquelin.
Amusing interview with Bellerin on MOTD last night explaining his good English and the slight cockney twang that he has. He's already a Londoner so Barca can go and wipe their ar5es.
