by Bulldog Drummond
A foreshortened final piece in our review series for this match as some of us are off to London for jolly jaunts and exhibition visiting.
So straight into the teams…
And speaking of which let us not forget that we also have a game on Thursday, so we’ll be pacing players and hoping not to exhaust anyone. What’s more that game on Thursday is against the second best team in our Europa group, and it is away (although not as far as the last one), so I can’t imagine anyone getting three full games between now and next Sunday (when we are away to Palace at 1.30pm).
The full squad looks like this, with Sokratis the only injury doubt from this list for tonight’s game
Leno, Cech, Martinez, Bellerin, Lichtsteiner, Holding, Mustafi, Sokratis, Monreal, Kolasinac, Maitland-Niles, Xhaka, Elneny, Torreira, Guendouzi, Ramsey, Smith Rowe, Iwobi, Mkhitaryan, Ozil, Welbeck, Lacazette, Aubameyang.
That’s 23 players if I added it up right (not always the case). Here’s a possible team for tonight.
Leno
Bellerin Mustafi Holding Monreal
Torreira Ramsey
Ozil Mkhitaryan
Lacazette Aubamayang
Or you could write the forward line differently and have
Leno
Bellerin Mustafi Holding Monreal
Torreira Ramsey
Ozil
Mkhitaryan Lacazette Aubamayang
Another way to play this with a slight change of personnel is to have
Leno
Bellerin Mustafi Holding Monreal
Torreira Xhaka
Ozil Ramsey Aubameyang
Lacazette
That sort of line up would give a group of guys playing around on the beach selected as seven from this group: Martínez, Lichtsteiner, Kolasinac, Sokratis, Guendouzi, Elneny, Smith Rowe, Mkhitaryan, Iwobi, Welbeck.
I personally suspect Maitland-Niles won’t be rushed back – we might see him on the bench for Thursday but I am guessing nothing more than that with a possible return put in for next weekend.
That is now it. It is now time for the big debate: from the East Midlands is it best to go down the M1 (major road works all the way through junction 14 to 15, and constant heavy traffic) or the A1 (major road works at the A14 intersection and everything reduced to a crawl)? And here’s the thought. Whoever in the government agreed to the proposal to have both sets of road works running at once, so that both main roads into London from the north are screwed up?
Can you imagine a government allowing this to happen? Well, actually yes. And those of us from this region face it all the time. Which is why I write this article early on and set it up on the timer. By the time you read it I will be sitting in the traffic jam (and don’t get me started on the train alternative).
But at least now the roadworks have been allowed to start, something could be done to make the traffic flow more readily. Indeed one might ask, who is the Secretary of State for Transport?
Hang on. Wait a minute. Oh look.
It’s the right honourable Chris Grayling. The man who claimed expenses for a flat in London while having a constituency home just 17 miles away from Parliament and spent £5000 redecorating the flat all at the taxpayers’ expense. He then compared the Moss Side region of Manchester to the TV series The Wire. The man who said that it ought to be legal to discriminate against gay couples. The man whom when justice secretary effected a ban on books being sent into prisoners because it made their lives too soft. I could go on and on and on but it just gets worse. We have a turnip in charge of transport. Who’d have thought it?
And what does this have to do with football you may ask? Well, just you try getting from the East Midlands to Arsenal for a match and then back of an evening, either by train or car. And then you might appreciate why just once in a while, I get a bit cheesed off.
Anyway, that’s it now. Just in case you missed anything from the earlier articles relating to this match…
- Arsenal v Leicester: they have two wins at Arsenal in 42 years.
- Nelson at the double (to coin a phrase) as Arsenal could (maybe) reach 3rd.
- Just how good at predicting are the very best predictors? Today’s results in advance and the squad for monday.
- Leicester worried about referee for monday, and the Arsenal v Leicester stats
- Matchweek 9 – The Officials
Tony it’s funny when I read your piece complaining about how bad your government behave what about me that’s a Nigerian? What do I do?
Who is this Medley that Emery is having on the bench for Leicester tonight? I’ve not heard of him before. And Emery has surprised me with the reshuffling of his team he has out tonight to start the match against Leicester. Lichtsteiner is given his first Premier League start this season. And Smith-Rowe is on the bench for the match. Goodluck to Arsenal.
Amazing officiating – cards only given to Arsenal. The Leicester fouls are obviously not deserving of a card.
Also regarding the Holding handball.
On the first aerial duel, Maguire jumps with his hands on Mustafi shoulder. Then Ndidi jumps while throwing his left arm on Holding throat. How many mentions will there be in the media of those 2 obvious Leicester fouls?
Alan Smiths refusal to say anything good about Arsenal is matched only by the referees refusal to give a Leicester player a yellow card.
@ Macky on behalf of his fellow countryman sat to my left. Shalakabuya!
The handball that the pundits were claiming was because Ndidi was pulling Holding down. His arm is clearly on Holdings shoulder. There is very little made of the foul on Miki just before Ozils goal. It was a card for Evans definitely even if the penalty was not necessary.
Oh boy Hector doesn’t need reminding. And Ozil I said Inshallah how many times; he needs no reminder. Strike of half time. Team talk – that was sh*t, get wiser Hector, swap out Xhaka for Ramsey. Wait and see about introducing Auba.
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How lucky. Perfect time to score and we’ve been lacklustre.
IWIT we have been so lucky this season aside from actually deserving 3 points at the bridge, maybe, well for that woeful finishing, 1. If he can bring on Auba to seal this, Unai has run his squeaky bum time luck to the max. But he’ll know he got it wrong and blagged it.
We should possibly be a man down and 2-0 down.
I personally accept they should be on a couple yellows, bit think in hindsight he knows that it was a second yellow and penalty but not wanting to rock the boat for a spftish yellow I guess at he didn’t and is compensating.
It’s not right but at least he’s trying to be fair.
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We need to sure up defensively add pace and the win will come.
The match was tough in the first half of it. But thank God for the Mesut Ozil equalising goal for Arsenal that cancels out that Bellerin’s own goal for Leicester. If Arsenal make the game tougher for Leicester to play in the 2nd half of the match, they will beat Leicester hands down in the match to take all points.
What a classic move Ozil to Bellarin cross to Auba bang!! 2-1
And thanks guys. But what is that almost the changes. Bit not Aaron, he must be as pissed off as I am. He’s a loyal guy; to a fault.
And Auba on bang bang. Supplier. Hector again? AUBA TEICE AND Mesut doing his job.
O had words with? Mesut, Hector, Auba? I said, a bit and then just #makearseneproud, o tagged Aaron and on his birthday he bench as him.
Is he trying to push him out, for being too loyal? Because as best O can see, that looks it.
I try and try, but I can’t. He gambled and blagged it, seeing what 3as obvious to me.
He got so lucky, game over. He’s not got the dressing room and is hampered by it.
People are playing for either Arsene, the horsey, pride or because That’s what they do.l, Xhaka and Mustarfi are playing because they are selected and need a reprieve.
Interesting times.
And I confirmed a fair bit with today. As I suspected. A little shocknwoll sort them for Sporting, Palace will keep them honest, but with one eye on Liverpool they won’t want to let the momentum slip.
MOM Hector for delivering after a bit of a wobble! He’s growing up fine.
Thanks God for Aubameyang brace that saw Arsenal won the match 3-1 collecting all the 3 points in the match. But is Lacazette erratic for Arsenal Arsenal in the PL and can’t be relied upon for efficient delivery in games for Arsenal? Arsenal would have won this match by 4-1 or 5-1 had he converted some of the numerous goals scoring opportunities for Arsenal that fell to him in the match.
Thank God for Aubameyang brace that saw Arsenal won the match 3-1 to collect all the 3 points in the match. But is Lacazette erratic for Arsenal in the PL and can’t be relied upon for efficient deliveries in games for Arsenal? Arsenal would have won this match by 4-1 or 5-1 had he converted some of the numerous goals scoring opportunities for Arsenal that fell to him in the match.