please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Venue: Emirates Stadium Saturday, January 30th 2016 KO TIme: 15.00 BST please log in to view this image Head to Head Against Burnley:Played: 93 Wins: 42 Draws: 20 Losses: 31 Goals For: 228 Goals Against: 195 Goal Difference: 33 Last 6 Meetings: Burnley 0-1 Arsenal Arsenal 3-0 Burnley Arsenal 3-1 Burnley Burnley 1-1 Arsenal Arsenal 3-0 Burnley (FA Cup) Burnley 2-0 Arsenal (Capital One Cup) please log in to view this image Arsène Wenger has revealed the latest team news ahead of Saturday's FA Cup fourth-round clash against Burnley at Emirates Stadium: on the team news… Mertesacker is out because of the red card, and everybody else is available, apart from Jack Wilshere and Santi Cazorla. After that it is just a question of selection and decision-making, that is the key. on Wilshere and Cazorla… Jack and Santi are progressing well but they are at least a few weeks away. But these two apart, it is just about competitiveness and match fitness. on Welbeck… Danny Welbeck is not completely ready but he is not far. He needs a game or two because he’s been out since last April. The Stoke [under-21] game is too soon because he only had one session with the team, and that is too short. on Coquelin and Rosicky… Francis is available to play now because he has passed two weeks of full training. Tomas is also available for selection. please log in to view this image
Cup game comes at a back time, would have much preferred a league game to be able to get us back on track.
It would be good to see Elneny start this one, I can't see Rosicky playing this one (seeing as he only managed a half of U21 football last week/few days ago), but it would be good to see a midfield where Ramsey is pushed forward into the 10 role (lessening his defensive duties and the impact when he loses the ball), with Elneny sitting next to Flamini/Chambers. This might give us more stability/protection (good time to test it out), while we'll still have the threat of Ramsey, Theo/Giroud/Campbell/oxo (whichever two play and I'm assuming Sanchez will play for gametime.
I would play Chambers RB, we can't play Bellerin every bloody game, plus we have 3 games in the space of a week next week, Burnley Saturday, Southampton Tuesday, and Bournemouth Sunday, so I'd save Bellerin for the league games. Gabriel can start alongside Kos so they can get acquainted with each other since they will be playing alongside each other for the next 3 games, so the cup game is the best game to pair them up. In midfield I'd go with Coq-Elneny, I think Coq could make it since he has been training with the first team now, Rosicky in the number 10 role, Sanchez-OXO out wide, and Giroud or Walcott up front.
I was hoping that because it wasn't particularly nasty it wouldn't be a full 3 match ban even though it was a straight red, but it must be. Damn! At least it's Burnley, Bournemouth and Southampton he's missing, and although I'm not taking any of those teams lightly (especially after what Southampton did to us before) and there's no good time to lose a 1st teamer, at least none are derbies or title rivals...
3 match ban is for violent conduct or dangerous tackle (often accompanied by a red) but 1 match ban is usually for red card via two yellows or foul and last man (as in merts case)
Maybe give Gabriel an extended run in the side now, see what he can do, he's done well, so deserves his place in the side.
Cheers to GC and Piskie for the info, good to have Merts back - though I can see the argument for playing Gab for a more mobile back 4 that can push up higher. Burnley is the best game out of the next month for him to miss and get a rest as well. I was very disappointed with Theo against Chelsea, it was his chance to demonstrate why he should be chosen ahead of Giroud and instead he had a poor game. I think Giroud should start with Sanchez and Oxo or Campbell on the wings (Oxo ain't been great but surely Campbell needs a rest?).
If I had it my way, Mertesacker would be benched for at least the next month because the tackle he made on DC and the way he did it is not acceptable. I know that's never gonna happen though, especially as Wenger blamed Costa for getting him sent off (which also pissed me off because it shows that he's absolving the players of responsibility). As long as we continue to play a high line and Mertesacker starts, teams are going to try and put a nifty striker on his shoulder to get in behind and they will make sure their playmaker will look for that through/lofted ball because they could expose his lack of pace. Normally I would say Mertesacker's reading of the game makes up for that, but I'm beginning to question it. Either way, I'm glad Gabriel is coming in against Burnley and I'm hoping he starts against Southampton too because Long, Tadic and Mane will stretch us. Mertesacker is not the right player for that game.
Daily Telegraph reporting that Welbeck will start training today but is two weeks away from a first team return
What Wenger said to the press and what he may have said privately to Mertersacker are two different things.
Good game to blood Elneny in. Perfect time for us to rest some players and rotate. Bellerin and Monreal off for Chambers and Gibbs.
I agree that it could be a good time for Gabrielle to stake a claim in the team, but it's not as if he's infallible either, or that Merts doesn't bring lots of positives together with his negatives. So I hope that our defence isn't unbalanced in the short term as Gab has the potential to be excellent for us!
