please log in to view this image Venue: Emirates Stadium Tuesday, February 25th 2015 KO Time: 19.45 BST please log in to view this image Head to Head Against AS Monaco: Played: 1 Wins: 0 Draws: 0 Losses: 1 Goals For: 0 Goals Against: 1 Goal Difference: -1 Last 6 Meetings: Arsenal 0-1 AS Monaco (Emirates Cup) please log in to view this image Team news: Wilshere, Oxlade-Chamberlain Arsène Wenger has revealed the latest team news ahead of Wednesday night's match against AS Monaco: on the team news... The only uncertainty I have at the moment is Jack Wilshere but everybody else is available. He was rested [at training], because he trained hard until now. No, it's not a setback but I don't think [he'll play against Monaco]. on whether Oxlade-Chamberlain has returned to full training… Yes. Starting XI: please log in to view this image Bench: Szczęsny Gabriel Monreal Chambers Rosický Oxlade-Chamberlain Walcott
I think Monaco will play less intense that the Palace game today, so hopefully it will give players like Santi, Ozil and Sanchez a chance to shine.
It sounds like an excuse, but the pitch was ****ing awful at Selhurt Park. Definitely suited to a long ball game and not our quick, slick on the floor passing game.
Quite a bit of our counters were sullied because players slipped due to the pitch as well. 2 or 3 slips I could excuse but I counted at least 12 from our players. No coincidence.
Really? Santi is our most in-form player and you were tempted to put him on the bench on a CL night Think Welbeck will be playing instead of Walcott (hoping not thou).
I gotta say, I was really worried about Sanchez towards the end, he got his studs caught in a divot in the **** pitch and went down in a heap - just before Santi put the ball out for one of their injured.
Monaco won't press us with high energy like how Palace did today or how Spurs did a few weeks ago. We seem to struggle against teams that press us high up the pitch so that's something we do need to work on, but for this match, it shouldn't be an issue. They are defensively very sound so I don't see this being a high scoring game. I'd like us to have a two-goal advantage going into the second leg, though. I reckon we'll win 2-0 with a solid albeit unspectacular performance.
Having a quick scroll through their last few results, they seem to keep an awful lot of clean sheets and all their games are very narrowly won/drawn/lost. I think we should know what to expect when they come to the Emirates. They will be set up to defend deep in numbers and hit us on the counter. I just think that if we're focused, we will have too much going forward for them and most teams in the French league don't have the calibre of players we do so it'll be a different proposition for them entirely. We won't get ample chances though so the ones we do get we will need to take and be ruthlessly clinical.
I also hope we show a bit more composure on the ball, keep possession better and keep them under pressure - obviously the pitch didn't help today, but even so we haven't done that since the Bradford game.
Don't know how we should line-up for this one. If they press us high like Palace and Spurs did, then I would play Wilshere and Cazorla ahead of Coquelin, with Ozil and Sanchez on the wings. The extra midfielder will give us better ball-retention. However, if they sit deep and defend, then line-up like the OP says, as our strikers will move around constantly, giving Santi and Ozil more space. Anyone watch any of Monaco's games? How do they like to defend against the better sides?
I feel like Santi is more suited for the teams that let us have more time on the ball but Rosicky/Wilshere would be more suited for high pressing teams as they squeeze up to negate even Santi's influence despite his silky feet. That being said I've gathered that Monaco aren't one of those higher pressing teams so Santi stays in the team. Jack or Rosicky can come in for Everton as I feel they'll press higher up plus to rest Santi
Watched Monaco a few times this season and they are very strong in midfield, some defensively sound midfielders who give their defence plenty of protection. Playing at a higher tempo and isolating their defenders is the key, also have to stretch the play, because if we just look to do everything through the middle, then it could be a long night. So the wide players are the key for me, I know he only returned to training on Friday, but I would start the OX. He can be hit and miss with the final ball, but he stretches the play and is willing to run at his full back.
+ 1 Really looking forward to it. Champions League nights have got a great feel to them, plus this is a game that we've got a real chance of progressing from. If we get through, then it could really push us on for a proper shout at this comp
It's not just about the nice feeling of progressing, I'm just glad to be in the competition, playing in Europe, to have European nights, basically the whole experience of it is great. Hopefully the crowd on the night will be just as excited and pumped, a good atmosphere will help our cause.
