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A starting 11 Arsene Wenger might want to consider

  • Jay Ryan
  • Sep 8, 2017
  • 7 min read

Arsenal F.C are probably in their most controversial period since the Terry Neil days, for anyone who is able to remember those days. They have two out of three games, they had a terrible transfer window considering they haven't actually addressed problem areas, they struggled to get rid of dead weight players on high wages and to add insult to injury Mathieu Debuchy is still on their books! I personally enjoyed watching him every time I watched him and hey when you consider how bad Bellerin has been this season maybe it is time to bring Debuchy in for one last chance. Anyways the biggest controversy against Liverpool, two weeks ago, was the fact that Arsene Wenger chose to play Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlain after he had just refused a new contract and left his two summer signings, Sead Kolisnac(A left back who was voted in the Bundesliga team of the year) and Alexander Lacazette(Arsenal's record signing) on the bench. To add insult to injury, he played Bellerin, a right back, at left back and Danny Welbeck as the main striker. Welbeck is a good player, but he probably has one of the worst conversion rates in the league and when you consider Lacazette had the best conversion rate in Europe last season and Olivier Giroud scores pretty much every time he plays Liverpool, it just does not make sense why Wenger chose to start Welbeck ahead of the French duo. HIs choice of players back fired drastically and his team went on to get hammered 4-0. There were so many wrongs and so many players not playing for the team it was actually a disgrace.

In this post I am going to play the role of arm chair manager and give my opinion on each player that started against Liverpool. I will also chose a team I think Arsene Wenger should really consider based on the current situation at Arsenal.

Team VS Liverpool:

GK Cech - Has his moments, but I still rate him and he does fight for the team every week. He actually kept the score somewhat respectable against Liverpool.

LCB Nacho - Always puts in a shift, even at centre back, but at least he shows more fight than others. He got absolutely roasted against Salah though.

CB Koscielny - One of the instants in Wenger's teams. I do not think he is captain material and against Liverpool I lost a lot of respect for him! Rob Holding probably had the worst game of his career and when he really needed an experienced figure putting an arm around him, Koscielny was nowhere to be seen. Thats how it looked on TV anyways. Apparently Aaron Ramsey called him out on his captain abilities as well and I side with Ramsey on that one.

RCB Holding - He was sold so far down the river by Wenger its not even funny! How the hell do you leave him Isolated against one of the best wingers in the league!! Wenger put Oxlaide-Chamberlain in front of him, a player who should not have even been in the squad! I felt sorry for Holding, but on the bright side he is an awesome defender and provided he finds a decent manager soon enough, he will be an England legend! He needed Per Mertesaker next to him, simple as! Against Chelsea, they were immense and I put that down to the fact that he had someone with experience guiding him through the game.

RWB Oxlaide-Chamberlain - Ever want to see a player throw a game, watch him against his new club. He was shocking! But of course we all know why he has no interest! He was always one that would try no matter what, when given the chance! In six years all Wenger has done is hold him back! So good luck to you Ox! Clop should get the best out of him.

LWB Bellerin - Yet another shocking performance, I can't say he has impressed me this season, but I do rate him based on previous seasons and let's be fair, Barcelona don't try poach any random players. I saw a post yesterday that Martin Keown once coached the Arsenal defense and mentioned that when he noticed a defender making the same mistakes over and over again, he wanted to go through the video with the player and point out the mistakes. Wenger refused and said it was not a good idea. NOT A GOOD IDEA TO SHOW SOMEONE WHAT IS WRONG WITH THEIR GAME!!!! How the hell are they ever going to fix it if they don't know about it!!! This will hurt Hector in the future!

CM Xhaka - What a waste of space he has been this season! He has actually given away more goals than he has created this season! Its still early and I think he is good so hopefully he comes right, he does seem like a team player and a player who could be captain one day!

CM Ramsey - Utter waste of time! He is the most selfish player the squad has on offer! How this guy is a guaranteed starter I will never understand! He passes when he should shoot, he shoots when he should pass, he passes backwards when the team needs to move forward. The amount of times I have seen players nick the ball from him in midfield is actually a joke and on top of that he can't be bothered to hold his position! He must have dirt on Wenger or he is related to Kroenke!

ATT Ozil - Mr lazy in my opinion! I hate his attitude, I hate the fact that he just gives up while chasing back and I hate the fact that he can't be bothered with the fans after a game! The only time he has any balls is when he posts a social media rant at ex players and pundits. However, against Liverpool Him and Cech were the only players actually trying to put up a fight. He should be benched though, he needs a wake up call and he is also one who isn't signing a deal so until he signs the deal he should not start a game! He needs to show more of what he showed in the second half against Liverpool.

ATT Sanchez - My dad and I are both Arsenal fans and after watching his first season, my dad already called that Sanchez wouldn't be with us for long! Sanchez is forced to play players who couldn't care less every single week! Last year he was pulled up for his tantrums and his attitude. He is the bad egg apparently. Listen if I was in his shoes I would be in punch ups weekly with that bunch! I am glad we didn't sell him, even though Wenger did his best to get the deal over the line on deadline day. He will still fight for Arsenal this season, but he won't be the Sanchez we saw last year. I would like to see him dropped as well. He also hasn't signed the deal so he should not be starting ahead of players who do want a chance in the side. I personally think him, Ozil and the Ox were hoping for a new manager. I think Wenger signing the new deal actually made their minds up!

ST Welbeck - I love this guy, but how the hell do you start him ahead of your record signing and even Giroud for that matter! Welbz really has no clue where the goals are. He is a beast, until he reaches the box and then all sense is lost! I can't understand it, but this goes back to players not being made aware of their problems. Surely a manager with any common sense would say "I have a great players here, he works his socks off, he has pace, he has skill. If I can just get his finishing sorted he can be a 20-plus goals a season striker!!" Not Wenger though, he probably doesn't even let Welbeck practice his shooting in training!

This is the team I would like to see start in place of quite a few that started against Liverpool:

GK Cech - He is our first choice and that won't change.

CB Mertesaker - We need a defender who will actually communicate with his team mates. Even though its his last year, play him in the middle where he can just hold a position and play Monreal/Mustafi and Holding either side of him.

LCB Monreal/Mustafi - I am not fully convinced by Mustafi yet, but if he had a defensive partner who talked to him, I think he will be solid! As long as Montreal is not in centre he is one of the best players for Arsenal.

RCB Holding - Arsenal's best prospect at the moment. He needs experienced heads around him. He has a headless chicken for a manager, so the least Arsenal can do for him is not bury him on the field with a player in Koscielny who couldn't care less!

RWB Bellerin - When he plays at right back he plays well. This might shock Wenger, but playing a young right back at left back is a stupid move. Play the players in their actual positions and their quality will rise!!!

LWB Kolasinac - Why he was on the bench against Liverpool, none of us will understand, but it was a typical Wenger move! This dude is going to be good for Arsenal, but he will also want to leave once he realizes Wenger only chooses his little yes boys instead of picking a team of men who can win things. Use him while you have him Arsenal!

CM Xhaka - This is basically because I feel Arsenal has no one better in this position until Santi Cazorla comes back. Elneny is good, but not good enough to be a creative mid.

CDM Coquelin - Arsenal need balls of steel and someone who can actually stay in his position! None are better than him when it comes to hard tackling and actually breaking up play in the midfield for Arsenal.

ART MID Wilshere - Even with all his injuries and his temper I would choose him ahead of any other Arsenal play all day long!! He can do the job in that position, he is creative enough and he will actually defend when he needs to!And you can be sure if you give him a contract and he will sign it!

ST Giroud - I have said since Arsenal got him they need to play two up. I am in no way comparing him to the Ice man, but Giroud has those flicks and the little touches that I have not seen since Dennis Bergkamp! His problem is his conversion rate, just like Welbz and guess what, Wenger has not rectified it!!

ST Lacazette - Arsenal have needed him since Henry left! Stop playing him on the wing and play him just off Giroud and he will win golden boot every year, regardless of where we finish in the league!

Sanchez and Ozil do not deserve to be in the Arsenal starting line up. The fact is they will both leave next season, so why prolong the agony? Leave them on the bench for emergencies and Euorpa league trips to parts unknown. See how much they enjoy playing in the reserves.

 
 
 

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