Proud Preston Preview – Part One
Jan 5th, 2017 by 'holic
Arsene Wenger’s press conference this morning (do watch it on arsenal.com) was interesting to the extent at the strength of the team he hinted might play before going on to list a veritable who’s who of top players that will not be playing on the day. It meandered a little so I’ve done my best to work out who will start on Saturday evening, a full seven days before we go to Swansea for our next League fixture.
Defensively Petr Cech will hand the gloves to the cup-tie goalkeeper, David Ospina. The Columbian has not let us down in the Champions League this season and deserves the opportunity to impress again. On the basis that we have nobody coming back Per Mertesacker and Kieran Gibbs are out, as is Laurent Koscielny who was struggling when substituted against Bournemouth. That suggests we will perm two from Skhodran Mustafi, Gabriel, or Rob Holding to play in between Hector Bellerin and Nacho Montreal.
The midfield pairing in front of them probably picks itself. Mohamed Elneny has jetted off to the African Cup of Nations, Santi Cazorla is not close to returning, and Francis Coquelin’s injury at Bournemouth is expected to keep him out for three to four weeks at this stage. That leaves Granit Xhaka plus probably Aaron Ramsey to start.
The front four will give Arsene a couple of sleepless nights. He wants to rest Alexis, and Danny Welbeck is probably only ready to start on the bench. Theo Walcott and Mesut Ozil won’t be ready and then there is the possibility that Lucas is ruled out by an ankle knock he received at Bournemouth. Olivier Giroud has made so few starts he must surely lead the line. Alex Iwobi could get the nod to start behind him, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on one wing, and if Lucas fails to recover in time there may be an opportunity for Jeff Reine-Adelaide on the other.
The bench may be packed with young talent around Welbeck unless Alexis is taken ‘just in case’. Should Iwobi not last the distance again we will need someone to step into Ramsey’s shoes so he can play further forward. An opportunity perhaps for Rob Holding, if not starting, to get some match fitness?
I’ve seen suggestions that we may go with a much weaker starting eleven than that I have guessed above. Arsene’s insistence that he will go with his best available eleven, bar two or three, is taken as gospel by this trusting old soul.
Pop back tomorrow evening for the rest of the preview, and of course the ‘holic pound.
Classic Football Shirts
You will recall I mentioned we have a partnership agreement with @ClassicShirts starting this year. Today the January SALE started at midday, and it runs until Tuesday 10th January. You simply need to use CFS2017 at the checkout to get 20% OFF. There are already some cracking deals on here. Do check them out, thank you.
28 Responses to “Proud Preston Preview – Part One”
From the previous drinks below the chevrons:
Clive, the 1999 Preston cup tie also afforded a rare glimpse of Alberto Mendez, a German midfielder who managed just 11 appearances, five off the bench, in his five-year Arsenal career. Mendez was taken off in the 70th minute to be replaced by Fabian Caballero, a Argentine on loan who made three subs appearances in his Arsenal sojourn, but never started a game.
Holding playing both defence and in midfield? I knew he was talented but this should be something to see. 😉
Ned, Didn’t Caballero go on to be a goalkeeper at Man City, or would that be another gentleman? 😉
Nice stuff H.
A double conundrum. What team will be picked followed by what Arsenal will turn up on the day??? Who knows?
Thnks Ned
Must admit i don’t remember either of them.
I wonder if Moyse while at Preston in 1999,ever imagined he would one day walk out at Old Trafford as Manager,albeit briefly, of one of the biggest Clubs in the world.
I see we are already active in the transfer window,as TTG mentioned in previous drinks,we have pulled off a big coup,snaffling a 20yr old left back from Hednesford Town,right from under the noses of the other big clubs that were after him,MK Dons,Scunthorpe and Grimsby. !!
So Silent Stan has reportedly purchased a prestigious winery in Burgundy — evidently produces the Queen’s favorite red — for a cool £85M ! AW’s reaction has to be, “Mon Dieu! Why not use for players?”
Clive@4: That makes two of us….
We’d only get one and a half decent players for that sort of money, BJ, whereas AW is probably expecting at least a dozen bottles from every vintage. Which would also be a certain return and less of a gamble!
I take it we’re only playing the North End of Preston? I hear the Southern suburbs model their play on Clive’s Ramblers…
Nice preview Guvna. I reckon you’re pretty close with your team selection.
The last time we went to Preston in the cup, Moyes had his thugs try to kick us off the park. I remember Manninger getting some pretty rough treatment without any intervention by a permissive ref. Moyes never really got any more sophisticated.
I suspect this won’t be a cake walk either. They will see us as a big scalp and this match as their FA Cup Final so if we don’t turn up with the right attitude and a strong team, we can wave the cup goodbye.
GO WIN, ARSENAL.
I’d put Maitland-Niles next to Xhaka – at least he won’t go wandering all over the park.
UTA.
I’d rather have Rambo in the Mesut spot and have no problem play a CB alongside Xhaka, if indeed two DMFs are necessary against a Championship side. Why not have another forward and go all out for goals, ideally early goals so we get the job done and can relax?
Ospina
Bellerin Mustafi Holding Monreal
Xhaka
Chamberlain Ramsey Iwobi Welbeck
Giroud
Nice to see that Stan is using the TV and season ticket money well?
If it’s a toss-up between buying footballers and buying wineries I might be torn myself, Steve.
Do you think there would be pictures of the vintage wines of days gone by? They would be right next to the non vintage but the next best thing?
I am pretty sure the only thing Caballero managed to do of any note in an Arsenal shirt was to clump a Port Vale player in an FA Cup tie and not get sent off for it.
Or was it Preston? It was Preston… definitely
Has anyone seen cba lately? I think I spotted him … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5ECXb0Xquc
Maitland-Niles next to Xhaka. Good pick Noosa (#10). I’ve only ever seen him once but he impressd as both effective and reliable.
“Proud Preston Preview – Part One”
but surely it would have been just as easy to say
“Proud Preston Preview – Primary Part”
and make the alliteration complete if the title a tad more contrived
oh well
Firstly, thanks for the stats Ned in the last drinks. They indicate someone who takes the FA Cup seriously although later in the competition ( e.g. United 2008) we put in very anaemic performances and went out without a whimper- but we had Gallas as captain then, a grievous mistake.
Enjoyed the preview Holic. It’s so annoying that we have virtually a team out when all our rivals are close to full strength. It’s never any different and we get so many soft tissue injuries that I’ve lost complete faith in our conditioning and medical departments.
If all clubs were handicapped to this extent we would benefit from the depth of our squad but they never are. We have a week before the Swansea game so I hope a good solid Cup win can be sorted but Im a bit gloomy given recent performances away from home.
In the 1999 game Petit was exceptional and Boa Morte had his best game for us. Let’s hope we start better than we did then.
Poor cat, it’s the missus’ job to feed him but his vocal chords are giving out as she sits calmly eating her breakfast saying “After I’m done I’ll feed him,” prompting more weak mews in the background.
Ramsey and Xhaka need to play together and hopefully form a partnership for we dont have anyone else to play there on a regular basis. So as tempting as it is to play niles or even Bielik, i would play the mentioned two if i were Arsene.
Danny should get some game time and if he can play a sustained part till May( touch wood), Ox will start and sincerely wish Lucas shrugs off the injury and plays for he deserves to.
Tough game on a poor pitch, 2-1 to us sounds just about a shout.
to them as has a slow cooker
greetings brethren
*secret handshake*
.
bt8
sorry
i hate cats
.
snooty cunts
snooty indeed, cba.
There never was a more snooty cat than the one presiding here, unless it was the other one.
and
chris
i fuckin saw that !
yer not too old de go over my knee
ya cheeky wee upside down skitter
?
.
everyone nose this is me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjFMBsppBVc&list=RDzjFMBsppBVc&index=1
yup 8ball
never met the cat i didn’t not like
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pblSU5M1d1Y
Esso ? My favourite Squeeze track. Played it every night on the jukey at the old Nags Head in Maidenhead, now sadly gone, but once my second home.
*Bares breast to cba* Slow cookers rule! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>