I don’t know about you, but recently has it felt like Arsene Wenger is trying to prove something with his starting XI?
Think about it, he’s starting an out of form Alex Iwobi against Bayern Munich in what was our biggest game of the season, then the Sutton United game threw up more questions.
Why Danny Welbeck wasn’t seen to be fit enough to start against a non-league side, but was instead used for an Under 23’s game is beyond me.
In fact, since the days of using Giroud as our ‘plan B’ I really don’t think we’ve seen our strongest possible XI fielded, and that worries me in what has been a defining season.
But whilst all of the attention is on Wenger’s future, let’s not forget that there’s some massive games still to play, and all of that starts on Saturday afternoon!
Goalkeeper: Petr Cech
He’s had enough of a break to start putting things right, and as much as we call on Wenger to drop the veteran, we should face it that he’s our Premier League goalkeeper. For that reason, we can do nothing but get behind the man we worshipped when he first joined.
Full-Back’s: Hector Bellerin and Kieran Gibbs
Wenger said it himself, Gibbs has been performing better in training than Monreal and by the looks of things, that form has carried out onto the pitch too. Monreal was poor against Sutton United for the majority of 90 minutes, plus Gibbs needs a warm-up for Wednesday.
Centre Back’s: Shkodran Mustafi and Laurent Koscielny
Koscielny is back fit and healthy after a slight scare during the Bayern Munich game, which means we’ll get to see our once formidable partnership back in action. In the return leg we lined up with Chambers and Holding at centre back so this will be a completely different story.
Centre Defensive Midfield: Granit Xhaka and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
How many of us would’ve seen these two together at the start of the season? The Ox has been in superb form in his new position and the hard-hitting defensive back-up that is Xhaka will allow the midfielder to move forward at will.
Right Midfield: Lucas Perez
Everything he’s done this season he’s given 110% and has the results to prove it. We’ve seen comments suggesting he wants to leave at the end of the season, so unless Wenger wants to throw £17m down the drain it’s time to start putting some faith in him.
Centre Attacking Midfield:Â Aaron Ramsey
With Ozil out with flu, it’s sort of the best of a bad bunch to replace him in the number 10 role. Iwobi likes it in the middle but hasn’t done enough to show he deserves a place. Chamberlain could push forward but this is a position Ramsey has dreamt of playing for the Gunners and whilst he’s fit as a fiddle, he must take his chance.
Left Midfield: Danny Welbeck
It’s got to be done. Wenger stated there’s a chance he’ll start the forward in this one and I think it’s worth every shot, but I would play him on the wing to start. If things aren’t working we can always swap him with Alexis, but I just want to see something new and different from Walcott/Iwobi on the flanks.
Centre Forward: Alexis Sanchez
Our top goalscorer and level with the Premier League’s best strikers right now, the winger has pretty much carried us for most of the season. With it drawing to a close, I kind’ve feel like he’s now focusing on his own targets to get that Golden Boot.
My 4-2-3-1 Line-Up: Cech, Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny, Gibbs, Xhaka, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Lucas, Ramsey, Welbeck, Alexis
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