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My Preferred Starting XI To Face Chelsea

By on October 28, 2013

Arsenal take on Chelsea in the fourth round of the Capital One Cup on Tuesday night.

Jose Mourinho has back-tracked on his earlier comments claiming he’d play an entire youth development team for the game in protest at having to play this fixture just two days after facing Manchester City in the league.

They will still play there back-up squad but we’ll most likely still see the likes of Juan Mata, Demba Ba, John Obi Mikel and David Luiz play, so it’s going to be a tough game.

As for Arsenal, expect Arsene Wenger to rotate as he always does for this cup. We still have a few injuries with Theo Walcott, Lukas Podolski, Abou Diaby, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Yaya Sanogo out, but we should still be able to field a competitive squad.

Thomas Vermaelen is almost certain to start in defence alongside Carl Jenkinson and Nacho Monreal, while one of Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker will also play. My pick would be Kos and give Per a rest.

Mikel Arteta is suspended and Mathieu Flamini is injured, while Jack Wilshere has also been nursing an ankle knock so it will be interesting to see who the boss opts for in midfield.

Arsene has just confirmed on Arsenal.com that Emmanuel Frimpong and Gedion Zalalem are out injured, Thomas Eisfeld is a doubt and youngster Isaac Hayden will definitely start, so I think we’ll have no option but to play Wilshere alongside him. Who else is there to play centre-mid?

In attack I think we’ll see Ryo Miyaichi, Serge Gnabry and Tomas Rosicky with the ‘Great Dane’ Nicklas Bendtner starting up front in place of the rested Olivier Giroud.

So here’s my line-up:

It’s certainly competitive and has a good mix of youth an experience, but will it be good enough to beat Chelsea’s star-studded reserves? We’ll have to wait and see….

What do you think of my line-up? What would yours be?

13 Comments

  1. Sid

    October 28, 2013 at 4:30 pm

    Eisfield should be fine to start, so stick him in central mid with hayden playing instead of the rested Kos and Per.

    Not ideal, but needs must.

    Reply

  2. Wilgienho koroma

    October 28, 2013 at 4:32 pm

    Heavy task for arsenal

    Reply

  3. Savage

    October 28, 2013 at 4:34 pm

    Really hoping Gnabry will be fit. With most of our injuries in wide positions, we have very few options in those areas.

    Hayden is the surprise package – nobody expected him in the last game, and I thought he put in a very mature performance.

    The way Wenger is talking about Frimpong as lacking competitive experience (which is no different to Hayden), you can assume he’s done at the club.

    Our bad luck at drawing Chelsea has evened out by having their game so close to the City game as to force their hand.

    Reply

  4. TomJ

    October 28, 2013 at 4:54 pm

    I think Santi will start, he looks like he need some gametime

    Reply

  5. Agbesuyi Francis

    October 28, 2013 at 6:05 pm

    All d best to my gunners! Blc d game is going to be tough.

    Reply

  6. Francis

    October 28, 2013 at 6:34 pm

    Nomather how arsenal prepare 4 chelsea they must loose.

    Reply

  7. paul

    October 28, 2013 at 6:52 pm

    Am not going to predict but only to wait for the 90+ minutes to decide,very tough game indeed hope will not get some more injuries from that incounter.

    Reply

  8. T2T

    October 28, 2013 at 9:19 pm

    We´re starting to struggle with injuries – again.
    Diaby, Flamini, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott, Podolski, Zelalem, Frimpong and possibly Eisfeld and Gnabry…

    If Eisfeld and Gnabry are OK, they should both start. My priority is, with quite a margin, the upcoming game against Liverpool on Saturday.

    Reply

  9. Harris

    October 28, 2013 at 11:54 pm

    I think winger should make it possible for arsenal to win this game because if we lose we will be wiped out for capital one cup.

    Reply

  10. Harris

    October 29, 2013 at 12:11 am

    I need cazorla or ozil in our match against Chelsea despite having strong game on Weekend because it won’t be happy if we lose it .reverse is the case when we lost this cup year 2011 because winger didn’t put the right players on that day. So, we should be wise.

    Reply

  11. Rubert Tabi

    October 29, 2013 at 10:06 am

    We must win this game. My line up should be Fabianski. Monreal. Jenko. Vermaelen.. Koscielny. Jack. Eisfield. Santi. Rosicky. Gnabry. Bendtner

    Reply

  12. Precious philip

    October 29, 2013 at 12:41 pm

    Let Arsenal use there key players for this game and beat chelsea today

    Reply

  13. Okwera Oryem

    October 29, 2013 at 3:31 pm

    At Least Rosicky Gnabry Vermalin Arteta Il Contain Chelsea Hardcores

    Reply

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