There were always going to be some changes made by Arsene Wenger to the Arsenal starting XI for this third round FA cup clash with Preston North End, but the boss has kept faith with the competition that has been so good to him and the club and gone for a pretty strong Gunners side.
So although he has rested the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Laurent Koscielny, Wenger has given Arsenal a good chance of getting through to the fourth round by including big name players like Olivier Giroud, Aaron Ramsey, Mustafi, Gabriel, Monreal, Xhaka and the Oz.
The only player included who is not really a first team regular is the young Ashley Maitland-Niles who comes in for Bellerin at right back. Ospina in goal is a quality replacement for Cech and even Rob Holding has had to make do with a place on the bench.
Ospina
Maitland-Niles, Mustafi, Gabriel, Monreal
Xhaka, Ramsey
Oxlade-Chamberlain, Iwobi, Lucas Perez
Giroud
Subs: Martinez, Jenkinson, Holding, Reine-Adelaide, Dasilva, Willock, Welbeck.
It will be great for the Arsenal fans if we see the return of Danny Welbeck in this game and looking at the subs bench you would think there is a good chance of that. As long as we do not need him to rescue a dire situation then it should be a good day for the Gunners.
Bob.
Strong line-up and shows we are taking Weston seriously. I hear they are a decent and very physical side and we shouldn’t estimate them but we need a convincing to help the players and fans gain some confidence back, COYG
Weston? ? that’s as bad as Bob’s Oz who’s apparently in the line up ?
As i said they are a decent side lol. Arsenal fans always being cocky
We r not a strong line up without either sanchez or ozil
Sanchez and ozil are the only players who ‘create’ goals constantly. Everyone else is pathetic, useless passing
Taking it very serious, he wants to win something this season so I don’t blame him. Something is better than nothing, as the song goes. We’re the kings of FA cup, Liv have Euro, Manu have league, we have the famous old cup. Come on you Arsenal, come on you Arsenal, come on you Arsenaaaal.
Looks like a strong side. Glad Lucas is on the Left
Happy with any score as long as we win
Every match we need to take seriously
Last thing we need is a loss or draw
Hoping for a big win.
Maitland-niles should prove he deserves to be second choice behind Bellarin for now.
Iwobi will rock that number 10 role again.
Welbeck will come on to score(my wish)
#COYG
Not holding my breathe. Will not be shocked if they choked.
I like the look of our bench too. Welbz on bench instead of been thrown straight in. Wish Wenger had done this in last game with Ramsey and Mustafi, ease them into it. Mustafi still at development stage, Ramsey can be liability at best of times against good opposition. Xhaka and Coquelin are still feeling each other out so it was too much too soon. No need for it either with sufficient CBs and wingers numbers wise. Costly, it reminded me of that game Cazorla played which turned out to be one too many, unnecessary. Xhaka at the time picked up red in previous game so everyone believed he would play and Cazorla would be rested for weekend game. Not to mention all our midfielders were fit. Arsene mentions yesterday how Cazorla was the dominating player at the time, just made me feel angrier when I heard that.
I’m feeling very delusional today,
I’m going for a Arsenal 5-3 win with Perez getting a hat trick ??
Mustafi to get sent off and Ramsey to pull a Hammy ?? (hamstring)
?
?
?
I see the game and its embarrassing. People like Ox and Ramsey don’t value the jersey enough.
Did not create a single thing. We always blame the manager but I am not sure what can the manager do if the players are just not good enough.
Sell Ox and Ramsey. At 65k/wk they are a disgrace.
Xhaka needs to buck up. He exposes the defence. Currently we don’t have a mid-field.
Honestly like I said the lack of hunger is embarrassing- shows our class without Sanchez and Ozil
arsenal have the best squads in the league lol we should be dictateing the game no quality
lol,
As expected ?
Jesus fn Christ our defense is sh**e. Bould needs to be sacked
Arsenal Football Club. A place where you can steal a living.
Fantastic pass and a bit of luck getting the rebound right to the striker. Should be a good match!
Hopefully it will be Preston’s only goal and we sort ourselves out
But a terrible start 🙁
No urgency no composure. Who is the premier team here?
Weston ?
Come on Perez! Good day to seal a starting spot…
without alexi we are lucky to be mid level in the table, sorry to say. pay that man, pleze, this is hard to watch,
Poor poor play. Is this young right back tuned in?
Let’s hope for a draw
Waken those w…ers up
Is this a joke? Are some of these players really improving this club?
No look at the state of them.
Expecting two more goals from preston.
Why should we be paying good money for these usless lazy pr…s
these British players at arsenal are useless
wow, we can not even get pocession let alone a shot on goal…
OX should stop taking on players
Arsenal’s new white away kits look good.
Oh s#@t….
Dreadful. MY looks out of his depth. Mustafi or Gabriel rb and holding on?
Where is our midfield?
Playing ST with Giroud.
No ozil cazorla sanchez = hard work
Fn hell ramsey
Our players are so arrogant its disgusting really.
Sell Ramsey to China tomorrow.
Sell him to anyone.
oh, should be 3-0,
As i said average mid table players.
Liverpool tottenham united chelsea mancity better than us at all corners
You arecorrect. Not premiership players at all. Bye bye Sanchez and Ozil.
Yes mid table, in CHAMPIONSHIP.
Headless chickens. Do not deserve to be on the same pitch as Preston. Are you happy wenger? Are you happy cos sure as hell I ain’t.
Ramsey and xhaka are useless
amongst others,
Every team now knows the key to beat us home and away is to simply put pressure and watch us crumble
It is embarrassing.it is poor, it is average. WE DO NOT DESERVE THIS. SHAME FROM TOP TO BOTTOM. we should have been 3-0 by now. NO PRIDE, NO GUTS, NO RESPECT FOR THOSE AWAY FANS , FOR US SUFFERING THIS KIND OF GARBAGE. Enough IS Enough.
But this has been going on for the last 6 years. Things need to change in the board room and management team
i am typically an optomist w regards to arsenal, but as i said before, i really do not see a top 4 finish this season, this based not only on our team, but the competitive position at the top of the table, hope I am wrong,
being outplayed by bournemouth for most of a game was disappointing but being outplayed for 45 minutes by a less than average championship team then surely even the junkies on this site can see the writing on the wall …. even if we win …. so let me see …. to sell list … gabriel monreal ramsey xhaka (i have been trying to give him the benefit of the doubt but 35m… really) chamberlin iwobi giroud … strength in depth … LOL …
Arrogant manager arrogant players. Pure dung.
Can’t believe people actually rate Ox. Prime example
of a player that is all hype.
Sack Wenger, Bould and everyone who kisses their arse.
Sell Ramsey, OX and Monreal. They are pretty much done for our club.
Start fresh.
Uhh Gabriel has been our worst defender. Montreal has been correcting his mistake
When fans come here and give their honest assessment of Arsenal they get slated for being negative. The only positive so far is that it’s still only 1-0. Even with Alexis and Özil we have slowly regressed season after season. We’re halfway away from getting knocked out by a lower division team of our only realistic chance of silverware. Sorry I don’t see Chelsea, Liverpool, Man City and even Man Utd or Spurs allowing another Leciester to claim the title this time around. Champions League, HAH!
Ramsey controlling midfield? Useless..MIles on RB? Deluded coach as there is no RB in our academy or U23 who can step up and we have to improvise? KIDDING ME? OG Captain? there is no Leader in this Team not even a Motivating Coach. Conte,klopp or Simeone would change the whole team at half time and loan many of these over rated players. PRESTON? If we lose this game WENGER has to have the DECENCY and QUIT.
Gutless….????
What a loadddddd of rubbish.
Even Wenger can’t believe the ? his watching ? and their young keeper is either laughing or smiling every time we attack.
The Arsenals circus clowns are definitely giving the Preston faithful their money’s worth. Let’s hope it’s the lion act up next, in the second half.
Ramsey and xhaka in midfield .. laughable.. can’t believe this will be our midfield pairing for the next 3 games
I now fear we have wasted some millions on Xhaka. Folds constantly under pressure…
i mentioned that 2-3 weeks ago, was blasted… that tackle last week in the box was titally uncalled for, it wasnt even a mistake, also those 35 yard shots well over target on build ups, just take the air out of the energy…
I blame the fans who called xhaxa the new xabi.
He’s not cut for the premier league at all
STOP POINTING at xhaka. we got crap players on the pitch who have been there for 10 years and still do not make the grade. the guy just came to a different and stronger league.
thats better, high quality from ramsey,
Great start now keep it up.
Takes us 45 minutes to start playing… finally
clearly mustafi said ” eff you” to pearson on that tackle, lol! you could hear it
Much better half so far come on! Don’t let us down again
has theo spent 80% of his career at AFC on injury? just sayin…
Useless Ramsey makes any player partnering him useless.
Lol xhaka alone has made many mistakes for no reason when Ramsey was not on the pitch. Enough fanboying. Neither of them are good today, Ramsey’s goal doesn’t excuse his terrible play today.
That young MY seems to be in a different time zone.
Now Gabrielle will get a second yellow.
Wenger should take xhaka off before he concedes a needless penalty
Even if we win it’s low energy soulless football with no creativity … So like the manager I guess … Sad state of arsenal football club … Bayern must be shakin in their boots
Should lend iwobi to PNE looks at that level … May as well see welbeck fir 15
iwobi on their level, agree,
Ramsey,wenger ,Ox useless !!!
we are not title challengers with this utter garbage. sorry fellow gooners..PATHETIC as its best. OX? Ramsey? how much we can wait for these few?
Wenger out!!!!!!
Wenger sees Lampard in Ramsey.That’s an insult to Lampard.
well, the two players asking for big money are certainly worth it, if this is our squad without mesut and alexi, we are in trouble… last year this was about the time giroud started his 14 match without a goal run, will he repeat?
no, thank you!
There’s got to be a Chinese team out there willing to shelve out 20m for Ramsey … Wuhan united?
Guanzhou gunners?
Thank you
Finally 🙂
Call him lamppost call him donkey, the only thing Giroud ever lacked was pace. Always a role for him at Arsenal. Take him over quite a few others hands down.
great goal giroud , credit where its due !.
So Wenger says there are no better players out there that can improve our team than those we currently have?
The Deluded one !!!!
Credit where credit is due, giroud needs to be thanked by his teammates for saving them from embarrassment. Having said that we are piss poor. I am not even joking, we are looking mediocre . I don’t even feel like celebrating after seeing how city and united destroyed their opponents.