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, February 20th 2015 KO Time: 12:45 BST please log in to view this image Head to Head Against Hull City: Played: 16 Wins: 12 Draws: 2 Losses: 2 Goals For: 32 Goals Against: 12 Goal Difference: 20 Last 6 Meetings: Hull City 1-3 Arsenal Arsenal 2-0 Hull City (FA Cup) Arsenal 2-2 Hull City Arsenal 3-2 Hull City a.e.t. (FA Cup) Hull City 0-3 Arsenal Arsenal 2-0 Hull City please log in to view this image Arsène Wenger has revealed the latest team news ahead of Saturday's FA Cup fifth-round tie against Hull City: on Laurent Koscielny… Koscielny is doing well. He has a test this morning and he looks positive. on Gabriel… He is running outside. He is out for Saturday. on rotating the squad… I will, as always, play a team who has a good chance to qualify. The normal squad is involved on Saturday. It is a normal squad and we’ll play a usual strong team. on if Elneny could play… Elneny is fit. He is one of the players who could get a run [out] there. He’s mobile, he’s a very good player. He’s adapting at the moment and I think he’s there now. We’ll certainly see him against Hull. He has a chance to start. please log in to view this image
Question is who are fit? I hope we will see a rotated line-up with a strong bench to ensure the win for we need all our players against Barcelona to get a result and keep the momentum going and navigate the United fixture which has always been tricky for us,we might lose in the end to Barca but we better do so closely so that Arsene can close in on yet another double.
I'd imagine that Elneny, Gibbs, Ospina & Chambers will start - though whether Chambers plays CB or DM. I reckon Welbeck will get 20-30mins off the bench and one of Campbell or Oxo will start as well. Though perhaps both if Ozil is rested and Wenger changes the formation. Wonder if Iwobi will start, he's looked good when given the chance...
Assuming Gibbs is fit, he should get a start. Maybe play Elneny along side Flamini. But being at home we might be able to be very offensive in MF. please log in to view this image
That line up does look good, though it's a lot of responsibility for Iwobi as he'll be taking over Ozil's position and most of the ball will be coming through him!
He is good enough in my opinion. Or we could play Ramsey, Elneny/Coq and Ox in MF. Welbeck, Theo and Sanchez as a front 3. In a 4-3-3 ----------------Ospina--------------- Bellerin--BFG--Chambers--Gibbs ------Ox--Elneny--Ramsey---- --Theo-----Welbeck---Sanchez
Rotate rotate rotate. This is a super crucial time for us in the league so no injuries to key personnel. But good to see some of our other players get a run in. Like to see Gibbs, Elneny and Iwobi get some game time!
Ospina Bellerin BFG Chambers Gibbs Elneny Iwobi Campbell Walcott Welbeck Ox Expect a lot of rotation between Iwobi, Ox and Campbell as well as Theo and Welbeck rotation
Well,its hull city and with other 10 players to help him out he should be fine,remember once upon a time we will be playing full teams of youngsters and where else shall we blood them then?The lad is pretty good as well and i also feel Campbell is being a bit shafted but it is a relief to see the Ox back in form.. Ospina Bellerin Per Chambers Gibbs Flamini Elneny Iwobi Campbell Walcott Sanchez would be my preferred line-up.
Hope Iowbi starts, really like the look of him, has a bit of Rosicky about his game, in that he increases the tempo of our passing every time he gets the ball.
Hull City are top of the Championship and as we saw from Burnley, the sides chasing promotion to the Premier League aren't pushovers. I don't think we should make wholesale changes from the last game, but A87's front 4 look good so I wouldn't mind going along with that. Chambers at full-back still concerns me because he gets skinned very easily and doesn't close the ball down. And Ospina, though he is a good shot-stopper, his lack of height will always concern me. I think we need to approach the game realistically. We have a good chance to win this trophy for the 3rd season in a row. And whilst I want us to give Barcelona a good run for their money and try our hardest with the best XI possible, we have a far better opportunity to progress in this competition than the Champions League. I just don't see us knocking them out over two legs, their front 3 are too good. So I still want to see a relatively strong side being put out for this game because Hull won't be a walk in the park. I reckon it'll be similar to the Burnley game.
****, so it means two of Bellerin, Merts and Kos are definitely playing then, only question is if Chambers plays CB or RB
I'd rest the likes of Ozil, Giroud and Sanchez for this game, but I wouldn't make wholesale changes to be honest.
I'd rest the majority of our key core players. Personally our target should be the title and we shouldn't risk it.
I know what your saying, my personal worry is that if we don't rest players like Bellerin, Ramsey, Monreal ect for this game then they'll basically be playing every game until the end of the season - which is a long time! I suppose it's fair enough that Merts and Kos have missed the odd game already and CB is the least demanding role, but I def think we need to rest Bellerin as the risk of burn out is greater than the risk of a poor performance from Chambers. Coq has had a rest and I suppose you could argue he needs game time, but then so does Elneny, as does Welbeck (who I think Wenger said would start anyway) and Giroud definitely needs a rest.
Injury doubts affecting Gabriel and Kos mean that Chambers will probably play CB, leaving our options to rest defensive players a bit limited
