The Young Guns Chance To Impress In European Competition
Feb 21st, 2018 by 'holic
After our very solid three goal triumph in Ostersund last week, and with the Carabao Cup Final to look forward to on Sunday, Arsene Wenger hinted that a very young team supplemented with a few wise heads will start the second-leg on Thursday evening.
David Ospina has been confirmed as the starting goalkeeper for both Thursday and Sunday. Henrikh Mkhitaryan, cup-tied for Sunday, will start as well as Danny Welbeck. It’s unclear if the manager will start any first-choice defenders? Konstantinos Mavropanos trained with the first team and could be in line for a first team debut, possibly alongside Rob Holding, with Calum Chambers and Sead Kolasinac starting in the full-back berths.
Ainsley-Maitland Niles may get another opportunity to play in a holding midfield pairing with either Granit Xhaka or Mohamed Elneny. It would not be a surprise to see Mkhitaryan flanked by Reiss Nelson and Joe Willock playmaking behind Welbeck.
In case things take a turn for the worse on the night it might be an idea to have the likes of Hector Bellerin, Skhodran Mustafi, Nacho Monreal, Jack Wilshere, and Alex Iwobi on the bench with Matt Macey and Eddie Nketiah. Ostersunds didn’t look a bad side after the opening half an hour last week and we will have to strengthen if they find a way back into the tie.
Mesut Ozil is ruled out after spending a couple more days in bed with illness. The boy is a wonderful footballer but he needs to up his intake of vitamin C. Aaron Ramsey did return to training today (Wednesday) but is considered ‘a bit short’ for this match. He may yet feature on Sunday depending on his progress in the coming days.
Asked about his approach to the competition in his pre-match press conference the manager outlined his priorities.
“We have to focus on the Premier League. The Europa League is one of the priorities we have, but ideally we want to come back to the Champions League through the Premier League.”
Whilst we will understand that he has to say that the top four horse seems to have bolted and will take some catching. This competition is our best chance of returning to the top table of European football despite the fact that some very difficult opposition lies in wait from the last sixteen onwards.
The ‘holic pound
Ostersund have nothing to lose and I’m not expecting us to keep a clean sheet, but I am hopeful that an admittedly weakened Gunners line-up will feel they have a point to prove and will produce a performance. I’ve grabbed the 19/2 offered by one High Street bookie against a 3-1 home win.
It will be a little warmer at the Grove tomorrow night than it was in Sweden last week, but you will still need to wrap up with temperatures set to drop to two degrees. As ever, have a good one ‘holics.
56 Responses to “The Young Guns Chance To Impress In European Competition”
Think I’ll wash my hair tomorrow night.
We already have the pictures:
https://i0.wp.com/realmumreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/sebamed2.jpg?w=600&ssl=1
This is a two-legged banana skin. As you say, ‘Holic, Ostersunds didn’t look a bad side after the opening half an hour last week and they have beaten some decent opposition along the way. The young guns will have to look to their mettle.
If we can’t keep a clean sheet at home against Ostersunds maybe we should drop down another tier or two?
Good opportunity for the youngsters to show their stuff tomorrow night,and i am expecting a professional job finishing off the plucky Swedes.
The round of 16 games fall very nicely for us,with the first leg sandwiched between Brighton away and Watford at home,and the 2nd leg played on the Thursday before the FA Cup 1/4 finals,and with Leicester in the last 8,we will have a free w/end.
So a kind draw would be very welcome.
Dorset mick,
Hope all well with you,and that you have not had a setback after the dispiriting loss to our friends and neighbors down the road.
Clive@5,
I’m feeling fine at the moment, thanks, despite the disappointment of the no-show at Wembley. Time for the team to put things right this weekend.
Good to hear Mick.
Sunday will be interesting.
This City side is infinitely better than the one we beat in the Cup semi final last season.
It’s all about belief at the end of the day,as we certainly cannot match them for technical quality across the park.
We are clear underdogs,question is will our lot play like they are not expected to win and lose accordingly,
or will they say,” fuck this for a box of bananas “and play like their lives depended on it,and give their long suffering supporters something to hang their hats on whatever the result.
I’m not going tomorrow and don’t know anyone who is. I’ve yet to see a home Europa League game but should we progress I promise to do better. I think Holic is about right. We can take care of this without risking our better players but some strength on the bench would be a sensible precaution. 3-1 seems sensible but I hope we keep a clean sheet and give good exposure to our young players if we can.
I think Ozil’s ‘illness’ is an excuse to keep him out of the match . It’s a big opportunity for Welbeck and a chance for Mkhi to shine again .
COYG
Agree with most of the preview
Guvnor, except I’m expecting a
clean sheet even with a fairly
makeshift defence.
Hopefully a goal or two for Danny
and one from Nelson to see us
through
Nice preview, Guvna. A large daily dollop of Vitamins C and D should be mandatory for all our players from September to May.
BtM and I will be there cheering on our blend of fearless youth and wily experience to a convincing victory, warmed by a pre-match dish of pasta, a fine bottle of Primitive and a glass of Montenegro on the rocks.
COYRRRs
Pile on the pasta boys, it is supposed to be a chilly one as I read somewhere. Most of all, enjoy.
I read we will wear blue At Emirates tonight. Strange that is.
Cheers H!
@12
We wear so many strange kits
these days, it’s annoying really.
But I suppose I don’t buy any of
them anymore so I mustn’t
grumble. Also i heard it’s not
good to tell young people what
to wear.
@14.
Screw that. Dinosaur suits all round!
Who knows what will happen? Who knows who will play and which Arsenal will turn up? With this bar’s Scottish version of Waldorf and Statler sat in the upper tier and GSD sorting out the kit then there really is no knowing.
As Toyah once said. It’s a mysterwy, it’s a mysterwy…
So after TGSTEL for Bendtner, should we adopt OOTGMIF (one of the greatest minds in football) for Sol Campbell?
Probly not.
Doesn’t feel like a game day does it?
*reaches for the Vosene*
Arsenal XI: Ospina; Bellerin, Chambers, Holding, Kolasinac; Elneny, Maitland-Niles; Mkhitaryan, Wilshere, Iwobi; Welbeck.
Bellerin playing is a surprise. I thought that Wenger would keep him fresh for the Citeh game.
come ooooon
yeah
football time
!
Never fear. Xhaka is on the bench.
Which is a cause for lack of fear in itself.
Shambolic defending again and after three scares, Ostersunds are behind by two goals.
Citeh must be licking their chops against this defence.
Ostersunds are ahead by two goals. Sorry. 0-2.
???
??
?
You have got to be fucking me…
Being made to look like a pub team at home by a pub team team whose season ended 4 months ago…
Keep adding to that legacy…
We can’t pass accurately and keep giving the ball away. They are better at passing and ball retention. Chambers is hardly a defender and is a disaster waiting to happen. This team is the worst Arsenal team I have ever seen.
Worse than a pub team.
Why did we sign Chambers again?
There will surely be no saving Wenger if the unthinkable happens tonight. If he had any integrity left at all he would resign immediately, should we go out to this bunch.
http://www.savewenger.com
(a work in progress)
Thought you were doing your hair this evening Cynic
With our defence, nothing is unthinkable, especially this season. I hope today doesn’t turn out to be the mother of all disasters. We are pathetic. No creativity or potency in attack and no defending at all. Pits.
Chambers is being left exposed by Elnenny and AMN. The real culprit here is Kolasinac. Might be his last game for Arsenal.
pubic hair?
Kolasinac scores, finally. Uff!
Well that’s the nerves gone then.
Until Ostersunds score again 😉
Thought you were doing your hair this evening Cynic
I’ve done it.
The washing machine has a quick wash cycle 🙂
Chambers and Holding are being let down by others. And by others I don’t just mean their team mates. Wenger and the coaching staff have let them down.
The plucky fightback against the mighty Ostersunds begins!
First game since going away on hols and missed the first half however it was probably a good choice after seeing the score line. Did I miss anything?
Chambers and Holding both don’t have pace and with our high line defending they look desperate.
Still the better team though
Iwobi showing his pace
Stadium looks empty too
they r actually paid for this?
Jesus not this again come on!
We’re supposedly giving Danny Welbeck a contract extension.
*shrug*
Danny just doesn’t have a striker’s instincts.
I like Welbeck. The injuries haven’t helped him.
Even I like Welbeck. He is good at running with the ball but he is just not a striker. He doesn’t hit the ball cleanly and appears to score off his shoulders, shin etc. His attitude, however, is great.
Danny Welbeck not up to standards required, says Louis van Gaal
amen
If we do get through then there’ll be about 5 teams who’d fancy their chances against us.
Thats how low our stock has sunk.
We lost to a pub team and are lucky to win on aggregate. Worrying point is that they looked better than us.
I actually thought we could win the Europa league as well! What a deluded twat i was!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
“… about 5 teams who’d fancy their chances against us….”
Five!?
Milan, Zenit, Atletico M, Athletico B, Lazio, Dortmund, Marseille,
Sporting, Lyon…