OXO was training with the squad today, so he's back, Wilshere was rested for training and unlikely to take part tomorrow according to Wenger. Good to have the OX back, he can be another body in midfield if we need him.
Ox is all about taking players on and splitting the defence. Even if his final ball isn't always great, just running at defenders is sometimes enough to pull the oppo out of shape and allow spaces for other players. Ox is a player who makes things happen, so he will always be dangerous in that sense.
Exciting times when we have most of our squad available so late in the season. We have a really good chance of going on a good run!
Looking forward to this one, always love champions league nights, there's something special about playing in the competition. Playing top teams from other countries with all of Europe watching. Big occasions even if it's just the early rounds! Monaco have struggled to score this season after losing there two main goal threats and only scored four goals in the six group games. If we keep things tight they will struggle to find goals so we can't go to over the top attacking. That said if we get a two goal cushion I can't see them overturning it, so it's probably worth going for a couple of goals. I'd go with: ----------Szcz--------- Bellerin--mert--Kosc--Monreal ------------Coquelin-------- --------ozil----Cazorla------ *****------Giroud-----Sanchez ***** - not sure if Walcott, oxocube or rosicky is the best option here. I'd be tempted to go with rosicky to crowd the midfield, but oxo or Walcott might good good options as oxo will pull there defense out of shape and Walcott gets in behind and is deadly in front of goal. Monreal has been good recently so I'd keep him in though I'm happy if it's Gibbs too. Ospina has looked a little shaky in the last couple of games and it might be good to give him a night off. Give Szcz a chance to play his way back into the team and show him he's still trusted for big games so his confidence isn't hit too much by his absence from the team. And with Ramsey out I think our best bet is to play both Cazorla and ozil in the middle, Cazorla with more duties to get back and help coquelin. When Cazorla and ozil play together it's a joy to watch, they are both so talented and read the game better than others. And Sanchez and Giroud (10 goals with 12 starting appearances) pick themselves!
We still have Arteta, Ramsey, wilshere, debuchy and diaby (lol) out. We look much stronger at the moment and it's great having the options we do, but we still have 4 (5 if you count diaby) first team players out, 2-3 of which you'd expect playing every game when fit. We have a lot of quality in this squad, I'm much happier about the state of the squad than I have been since prior to fabregas being sold. But we still need to keep our injury list down!
This is what happens when you strengthen the squad. Even with all those absentees, we still look very strong. I'm looking forward to seeing what our star players can do in Europe, especially Ozil, who should excel against a more skillful/less physical teams in Europe.
Liking that lineup but will Wenger play OXO? If h does then he may play Sanchez on the right. But I think with all our options on the right, we need to see what Sanchez does on the left and have Walcott playing on the right. Gnarbry is also training with the team but I'd be surprised if he gets a look in. Playing both Sanchez and OXO beefs up the midfield and possession but Walcott brings in a clear goal threat. Maybe bring Walcott on the second half against a tiring Monaco? Monaco better have a very quick, quality left back, as he'll be facing some serious pace from us! We could have a field day if the mans slow...
A bright start and stamping our authority on the game in the first to 10 minutes is crucial. Champions League is such an unforgiving environment (as City found out) so it's essential we take the game by the scruff of the neck. it's Monaco ffs so this really should be a 3pt game.
True but we have bags of experience under the leadership of Wenger. City are still naive in the Champs league, that's why they still keep on struggling.
Starting XI: Ospina, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Coquelin, Cazorla, Sanchez, Ozil, Welbeck, Giroud Subs: Szczesny, Gabriel, Monreal, Chambers, Rosicky, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott
Very attacking. All 3 strikers, 2 attacking mids, both of our attacking fullbacks. Got to be wary for the counter attack.
Monaco XI: Subasic, Elderson, Wallace, Abdennour, Toure, Fabinho, Moutinho, Kondogbia, Dirar, Martial, Berbatov. My God, how many teams does Toure play for!
I'd imagine Welbeck is starting due to our mainly attacking midfield players, welbecks work rate will help when it comes to tracking back and closing down. If we only had one of santi or ozil in the middle with Ramsey for example next to coquelin, then it think we'd see oxo or Walcott on the pitch. I thought we might see rosicky but seems he's gone for a more traditional forward/wide player.
I can, Oxo clearly not fit enough and Walcott's all round play has been utterly average since coming back from injury, our midfield with Cazorla and Ozil is not strong enough defensively, so we need one of the attacking players to do some defensive work, and Welbeck is that man.
Of course it makes sense for Wellbeck to start. He offers a better all round game plus he's defensively better than Walcott and Chamberlin. It's a no brainer really.
Good to see Gibbs and Bellerin starting. I think it will help to keep Monaco in their own half and should give us some good width down the flanks. Kos and Mert along with Coq will have to be really disciplined though.
I disagree about Welbecks all round game is better than Oxo/Walcott, I think he's great if you need to press the game, with a high work rate. But Walcott tracks back well, and Oxo is forever running up and down his flank. But Welbeck loses the ball quite a lot, has an occasionally clumsy touch or makes the wrong decision. While I feel Walcott offers more of a goal threat, which effects how much pressure the team come under and both keep the ball better than Welbeck. I like Welbeck but just feel he needs to polish the rough edges, and as a result the other two are better. I don't feel a high work rate automatically means a better player.
I gotta say that is the strongest bench we've had for a fair while - for example our bench against Barca in 2011 was - almunia, gibbs, squillaci, denilson, rosicky, arshavin, Bendtner! What a difference...
