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Official Arsenal team and preview for PSG – Giroud starts

One of the big decisions for Arsene Wenger as Arsenal prepared for this evening’s potentially decisive Champions League group game against PSG was what to do about his forward line. Despite the fact that Alexis Sanchez has been doing well in the new role of centre forward it was getting increasingly hard to ignore the claims of Olivier Giroud.

It turns out that Wenger has not been able to do so this time after the French international star’s latest heroics off the bench which rescued a Premier League point against Man United, as the big man will lead the line against the French champions tonight.

Perhaps the manager’s decision was influenced by the absence of the marauding right back Serge Aurier for the visitors and convinced him that the Chilean forward could do a lot of damage on our left flanks. The player to miss out, though, is the right sided Theo Walcott so I assume that Alex Iwobi will switch sides from his normal position.

Another change for the Gunners is at left back with Gibbs coming in to replace Monreal. The biggest surprise for me is that Aaron Ramsey keeps his place after a pretty poor game at Old Trafford, with Xhaka and Elneny on the bench and Coquelin to protect the back four.

Ospina
Jenkinson, Mustafi, Koscielny, Gibbs
Coquelin, Ramsey
Alexis, Ozil, Iwobi
Giroud

Subs: Cech, Monreal, Gabriel, Xhaka, Elneny, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott

The PSG side is much as expected with Cavani leading the attack and Lucas Moura offering a threat but they are without the dangerous Di Maria so that helps. With Matuidi, Verratti and Motta all starting, though, it looks like they will try to stifle our fluency and keep the ball. Can Arsenal’s attack break them down and secure top spot? Course we can. COYG!

Bob.

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Tags Alexis Ramsey Sanchez

110 Comments

    1. Absolutely-despite what people say, I would’ve been far more comfortable playing Xhaka in Ramsey’s position, as he offers some of Santi’s skills plus he offers leadership there as well. Saw Chris Coleman speaking on Ramsey, and how he was playing a Chelski-esque system to allow Ramsey to roam like Hazard, but provide adequate cover when he doesn’t track back. It would seem that is the only way Ramsey would fit into the team.

  2. How Ramsey keeps getting into the team I will never know, anyway lets hope for an improved performance tonight.

    2. @otunba_007
      Thats where match is going to be won or lost…In midfield. Ramsey is going to have to put in a “Santi-esque” display.

  6. Ramsey was poor because he was playing on the wings , I don’t get the critics .

    Let’s try playing Xhaka , Elneny Coquelin as left wingers , then we see how they cope.
    Ramsey is highly rated when he plays in the right system in the middle. Xhaka may need time to adapt to the league and the pace with which we play .

    Coquelin is head and shoulders above xhaka as a Dm. Coq is highly underrated because he came from the academy and didn’t cost a penny.

    1. @galen
      Ramsey is a professional footballer. His problem is his discipline. He knows that playing on the wing does not mean drifting into midfield and occupying another team mates space of play. He and Jack have that same problem. They want to be the playmaker instead of doing as they’re told.
      We’ll see if he gets it right tonight. Or if Francis is left to fend for himself in midfield while Aaron drifts into the box, and stays there while 2/3 midfielders overload Le Coq…
      I see nobody commented on Ox”playing out of position” at RB…

    2. “Ramsey was poor because he was playing on the wings , I don’t get the critics .” I think that’s the whole point. Ramsey is poor on the wing but he was put there anyway and favoured over players more suited to the position because Wenger wanted to force him in the squad. It comes back to what people are most critical of, Wenger’s favouritism. Ramsey is coming back from injury and he is favoured over Xhaka who played good against Spurs. He has reduced Xhaka to a 30 million pound bench warmer instead of making Ramsey earn his way back into the starting line up he gets the all clear before he’s even finished taking off his hospital gown.

  10. The game tonight will fall on the shoulders of Ramsey he has to keep an eye on the midfield runners and stop them together with Coquelin else we will suffer the same way we suffered against barca PSj are a bunch of good midfielder s the job will be to contain them

  21. Here we go again. From starters very static. there is no mobility up front so PSG is trolling the game. PACE IS NEEDED IN THIS GAME PLEASE OTHERWISE AS USUAL SECONDS.

  24. Hmm. We’re hardly controlling the ball. It’s useless to play Giraud if you can’t control the ball better as a team. We should’ve been set for counters and played Walcott.

  25. We need Xhaka in central midfield NOT Ramsey, Wengers fault again. Ever since Ramsey has returned we’ve been unconvincing, coincidence?

    3. Ozil did nothing for 44 minutes and he’s our main chance creator yet somehow we end up at “Xhaka should’ve started”

  41. Yeah we’re not creating too many chances, but this season we’ve been efficient. Will take it over creating infinite chances and not taking them.

  42. not deserved equaliser but it is an equaliser n matter what..woeful half..Two changes needed asap. Xhaka for LeCoq to avoid leaving us with 10 men for clumsy challenge and Theo for Iwobi as we need an injection of pace…10 mins to go take Jenk out and bring Chambo.

      1. bet on it. the first clumsy challnege fro LeCoq we will go down to 10 men. it is a preventive measure. we need tu push the up the field too much space for them to roll the ball around and we chasing shadows. Bring Theo for Iwobi and move him to the right then swap alexis to the left.

      2. DID YOU SEE WHAT i SAID EARLIER? NOW WHEN WE LET THE EQUALISER IT IS WHEN HE IS DOING THE CHANGES? BROAD TACTICAL INEFFICIENCIES AT IS BEST

  43. Yet people who hate Giroud will quickly forget goals like this

    Anyway, great Way to end the half. Even stevens and we have the momentum

    Come on Oliver, give us a hattrick 🙂

    1. our wingers gave him zero service at all who half. In fact, Giroud was the one who won the ball back for that Pen. People watching this game and going to blame the scapegoats automatically even when they are doing nothing wrong and the poor performance doesn’t come down to them. Cavani scored b/c he got good service and made a good run. Giroud hasn’t even had a run to make because the crosses have been so terrible.

  46. Another ordinary performance. Was it me also who though Sanchez was angry for not getting to take the pens.

  47. Ramsey should have rolled on the ground when cavani pushed him… straight red and game set match arsenal

  49. Cant remember that arsenal ever played such poor football then lately. We are not eable to creat nothing, no good one twos, no good long balls, no shoots on goal, and every counter attack fails as our players are not quick enough and often end up passing the balls backwards.

    We do also have a strange style of defending, allowing the opponent way to much free room. Every cross is an accident about to happen. sigh.

  50. The more the season goes on the more concerned I get with our midfield. We have to quickly find the best 3 that complements each other there with the right balance.

    1. what exactly are you talking about?. Are you watching, or had you made up your mind to say that before the game?

  56. arsenal playing really well i the second half … touch wood … hairdrier treatment by wenger???

  69. If they are still level on points after the sixth match, do PSG top the group on away goals in matches against Arsenal?

        1. at least we wont get Bayern, lmao. Just avoid Barca/Real Madrid and no Big 3. (we never seem to get Real btw… not complaining tho haha)

  70. terrible game. Arsenal of old. Useless Ramsey and Giroud slowing down play, the one because he back passes all the time the other because he is slow and off side a lot, falling behind deservedly, playing great in the beginning of the second half, failing to put the game away when 2-1 up only to concede.

    We just can’t bring it for 90 minutes and wasted Sanchez on this game.

    Anyone notice Giroud and Sanchez didn’t connect after the first goal?

    Sanchez is gone this summer. He so doesn’t want to play with this average, unambitious manager and squad. Can’t blame him.

  72. team with Jenko and Gibbs on the flanks very average for god sake..very average game overall.no intensity no ideas no pace

  74. Anyone happy with this performance? it has been 3 in the row..Something must happen in November isn’t? we have to get back to the Iwobi-Alexis – theo up front and haka must be in the middle. Please Santi, HECTOR we badly NEED asap.

  75. Could see that happening all the way when we stopped pressing after we got the goal. How many times do we have to lose with not being ruthless and finishing a team off, before we realise that sitting back and trying to hold onto a lead does not, and never has worked for Arsenal?

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