Midfield
CM: Jack Wilshere
We saw against Manchester City on Saturday just how big an influence Jack can have in games. His performance was flawless, breezing past Man City’s star players, assisting Alexis Sanchez’s wonder goal and lifting a delightfully delicate chip over a helpless Joe Hart to claim a goal himself. I’ve put Jack in the centre midfield positions because I believe he can do a job as a box-to-box player. It is imperative that he is allowed the freedom to burst forward and create play, but he loves a battle as well and without a good defensive midfielder in the team, he’s going to need to be ready for a fight.
CM: Aaron Ramsey
Ramsey will be in a similar situation to Jack. We saw last season how good he can be going forward, especially when it comes to scoring goals. However, due to me sacrificing both Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini, Aaron will have to work with Jack to go forward and defend. There is no reason why the pair can’t build up an understanding and fill in for one and other. One bursts forward, the other sits back. Aaron, like Jack, doesn’t shy away from a battle. The combination of both of them doing the dirty work as well as the pretty work could blossom in to a great partnership.
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AMC: Mesut Özil
Wait, What? I’ve put Mesut Özil in the number 10 role. Who would have thought it? I don’t think there’s an Arsenal fan out there that isn’t gasping for air after shouting at the TV, “STOP PLAYING HIM ON THE WING!” It’s no secret that his mesmeric talents are being completely wasted when he’s stuck out on the left. He needs to be in the middle, threading balls through the eye of a needle so that the attackers can run on to them. In this formation, with Jack and Aaron in centre midfield, Özil would get to play in his position. The position that he is the best in the world in.
RW: Theo Walcott
Pace. Goals. Pace. That’s what Theo brings to the team and I can’t wait for him to come back. There isn’t a defender in the league that Theo couldn’t humiliate down the wing and in recent seasons his finishing and final product has improved immeasurably.
LW: Alexis Sánchez
The Chilean international has hit the ground running at Arsenal and whether you play him on the left or the right, he doesn’t seem to mind. He’s determined, tenacious and knows where the goal is. The combination of Alexis and Theo on each wing has the potential to devastate defences. Both are ‘speed demons’ and with Özil relishing the No. 10 role, they’ll have plenty of balls to run on to. Click below to reveal the best Arsenal striker in my XI.