With pressure on both the team and the board, Arsene Wenger will take a chance in Thursday night’s Europa League opener by making nine changes to the team.
As well as bringing in a whole host of youth players, some familiar faces in the shape of Alexis Sanchez and Jack Wilshere are expected to play at least 60 minutes.
Wilshere will make his first appearance in an Arsenal shirt in over a year after spending a successful season on loan at fellow Premier League side, Bournemouth.
Meanwhile, Wenger will be watching from the sidelines as he fields a starting XI that are all fighting to be a regular name on the team-sheet during the season.
Here’s how the Gunners are expected to line up this evening:
Goalkeeper: David Ospina
He’s been waiting in the wings for a while and after committing his future to the Gunners, the Colombian will get his chance to perform at the Emirates.
These are the games that will matter for his position at Arsenal not just this season, but for years to come as he’s still yet to prove he’s a worthy number one.
With an unfamiliar defence lined up in front of him it will be a challenge at times, but his concentration at set-pieces can’t afford to drop as that will be Cologne’s main outlet for attack.