Squad Depth Could Decide Our Trip To Leicester
May 8th, 2018 by 'holic
Arsene Wenger spoke of his desire to win the last two matches at his press conference ahead of Wednesday’s trip to Leicester. For that to happen we need to gain our first two away wins in 2018, and with no possibility of improving on or losing sixth place you could be forgiven for thinking that the dreaded handbrake might be applied. If the boys can produce another performance like Sunday’s against Burnley then we should nail down those six points.
We will definitely have to do it without Laurent Koscielny, Mohamed Elneny, Santi Cazorla, and Mesut Ozil. The latter has a ‘back injury’ and is unlikely to play before joining up with the German World Cup squad. The manager also suggested he will closely check the players who started last Thursday and on Sunday. That could rule out Hector Bellerin, Granit Xhaka, Jack Wilshere, and Alexandre Lacazette.
Let’s imagine what that leaves us with. Petr Cech starting behind a back four of Calum Chambers, Rob Holding, Konstantinos Mavropanos, and Nacho Monreal. Ainsley Maitland-Niles forming a new partnership with Aaron Ramsey and in the engine room Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Alex Iwobi and Danny Welbeck behind Pierre-Emerick Aubamayang.
If we were to choose our opponents to try and break our 2018 duck on the road it would surely be Leicester, again whom Arsene Wenger is undefeated in twenty-two matches. They will be missing as many players as us so we know their squad strength is due to be severely tested again. They have lost four of their last five Premier League matches, securing just a solitary point from a home match against Southampton.
The ‘holic pound
Will the spirit of Sunday and the desire to send Arsene Wenger to his next port of call with a smile on his face resurface? Let’s hope so. On the basis that it should I am backing 1-3 to the Gunners at a boosted price of 15.3/1.
Very brief tonight I’m afraid as I have to record this week’s A Bergkamp Wonderland Podcast which may appear as added content to this post late on Tuesday night. Have a good one tomorrow, ‘holics.
51 Responses to “Squad Depth Could Decide Our Trip To Leicester”
Very little to disagree with Holic. I think Laca may start as he only did seventy minutes on Sunday and he may choose to put in another youngster or two from the start but I feel very positive about our last two games. The team will try hard to end Arsene’s tenure on a high note just as we did our home programme on Sunday. It would be helpful to end our away hoodoo before the new season.
We began the season against Leicester and are virtually ending it against them. I think 3-1 sounds about right but if Laca and Auba both start with Mkhi supplying we could marmalise them even more heavily.
Koscielny out until December at the soonest, says the gaffa.
Balls. Mark Hughes keeps up his jammy record of never getting relegated.
As the question was once asked, “How dare they try to end this beauty?”
#4 was unrelated to Southampton not getting relegated. Personally, I was all for it.
Swansea going down, Cardiff coming up.
At least the Welsh factor will be about the same.
Sadly we lost 1-0 to Porto in the final o& tye Premier League International Cup . Some of the boys who might have played may well be in the squad for Leicester tomorrow
Welsh factor experts? Time to weigh in. Or not.
What happened to feisty Friday?
We could try tantric Tuesday in its place …
But it’s almost Wednesday in your parts, I think.
Nice preview H
Another 5 nil please. Let’s see the boss go out in style.
Team looks about right Guvnor.
There’ll be no Osei Tutu as he played
last night so probably Calum then if
AMN is to play in the centre. I
suppose Willock in the centre is
another option.
Anyway, the score could be anything
but I think we should win. And Auba
should help himself against a struggling
defence.
I’d have liked Hughes and Soton to
go down too but I suppose 2 trips
to Wales would’ve have been harder
work for the away support.
Although Huddersfield are away to
Chavsea and home to us, whereas
Swansea have only the routed
Orcs left and a better goal difference
so it’s not a done deal I think.
Swans in with a better chance than I thought then.
definitely, what with the Chavs
needing the points and our solid
away form….oh
I wonder which game their fans
are more hopeful of getting the
needed point from.
probably not a gooner alive who makes it through this without shedding a bit of a tear: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BiY2DYlysXQ&feature=share
Fine preview Guvna. I’d be very happy with that selection and scoreline though I suspect TTG is correct and Lacazette may get a start alongside BamBam and Mkhi.
This, rather than the critical (for relegation candidates) one v Huddersfield will be the game to give the youngsters a run out if Arsene fancies giving them a bit more top level experience.
Another 5-0 would be very nice too.
Tottenham will “die trying” to qualify for the Champions League, says manager Mauricio Pochettino.
I wish them every success….
@15…started welling up at 2:33 & haven’t really stopped yet!!!
Everything about the boss is class.End of.
@15. More tears here.
Great tribute to a great man.
Merci, ‘olic !
for the penultimate last preview but one, in the words of our old coal man ?
And where is And Leicester (sic) when you need him ?
Apparently, Claude Puel once launched Arsene Wenger into the air with a block tackle during a training session, when the former was Monaco’s own version of Peter Storey, and the latter was in his first season as Monaco’s manager. Could get interesting on the touchline tonight if they both have equally long memories ……
Performance levels should be decent tonight if players are doubg it for Le Boss or p, indeed, trying to make an early televisual impression on the new manager, whoever and wherever he may be.
For gambling Holics, if not gamboling Holics, Sky Sports reckon the odds on Massimiliano Allegri have shortened to 11/10.
Even with my non-existant familiarity with the world of betting odds, it looks like, if you’re not on it already, you’re too late !
Oh dear, I seem to have a touch of the TTGs ……
doubg = doing
which was followed by an additional and accidental “p” before the comma
The iPad keyboard is not a thing of beauty ?
whistling past the graveyard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaPoBhiMkgs&list=PLPZyRYNXbYOE13Nv0j5UqohGfir3-pOkW
‘Ere – j’ai entendu that, monsieur.
UTA!
wenger out!
Some really dreadful defending let’s Iheanacho a free hit in the box and he scores. Away form continues.
Movrapanos gets a red for bringing down Iheanacho. The match is going from bad to worse, a man down and a goal down (became two but for Cech’s fine save) all within sixteen minutes.
Mustafi on for Welbeck who is sacrificed.
COYG.
dinos out!
Missed the red was a correct call by the red?
Nothing to worry about. 1-0 Down, ten men , Mustafi back to rescue us . Let’s build on our away record. What? You say we haven’t got one?
This could be a long night
That was a nasty slide tackle on Mustafi
By the ref I meant in my earlier post ooops
@24 too soon !?!??
ATG: red card was a bit harsh as miskick and take down was a good ways out from goal. The other defender (Mustafi) would have had a shot at getting over, where, knowing Mustafi, would have cut Iheanacho down in the box for a PK and a real red card.
I have seen the future and it is not Mavropanos
Get in there !!!!!!!!!!
Aub!!!!
YEAH!!!!!!!!!
33
That’s right. Lets write off another player. One mistake and they’re out.
Good job Auba, shot ourselves in
both feet but at least we’re making
a game of it.
Barack,
Tha lad is young come on
Penalty for Leicester. Mkhitaryan commits a silly mistake. 2-1. Leicester are really lucky today and we are giving the bloody ref chances to decide everything in their favour.
that about sums it up ksn
Bad clearance from Mustafi and Mikhi should’ve known better with that foul. But I think we play very well despite one goal down.
Nkethia on for Iwobi, who has run himself into the ground.
Bugger.
On to Huddersfield.
Totally agree, Ambydex, the boys have played beautifully and shown commitment that we have always demanded of them. We would have won if only the decision making and the final ball had been better.
3-1 now and they are celebrating like they are the better team.
Terrible start did us in.
Meh!!
Sumps up our away form really not disciplined enough, silly errors costing goals
I hope we win at Huddersfield to record our first away win of 2018, OM.
Huddersfield holds on to secure safety. Have to give them some credit I guess but ffs they’ve scored a total of 3 goals in their last 9 games and to have a team like that in the premiership is embarrassing.
I’m behind on my stream I think I will give a rest now
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is it just me ot Iwobi really play very well tonight? Made lots of positive penetration with the ball and combine well with Mikhi who also played very well tonight.