My Preferred Arsenal Starting XI To Face Aston Villa

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We’re at Villa Park to take on Aston Villa on Monday night and the players will have revenge in mind following our 3-1 defeat to the Midlanders at the Emirates on the opening day of the season.

The big injury news of the week saw Theo Walcott cruely ruled out for the rest of the season after rupturing a cruciate ligament in his left knee during the final stages against Tottenham last Saturday.

Questions are now being asked about how Arsene Wenger is going to replace the England speedster and my personal view is that Santi Cazorla could switch over to the right side with Lukas Podolski starting on the left of our attacking three.

Serge Gnabry was excellent against the Spuds and I’d have no arguments if he started again on Monday, but I feel he’ll be among the subs along with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – who is fit again after recovering from his knee injury.

Mesut Ozil is back from his mini break and will start in the ‘hole’ behind Olivier Giroud – who is also available again after recovering from a minor ankle problem.

Thomas Vermaelen is out with a knee injury but Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny would have started anyway. Kieran Gibbs has a small chance of featuring but Aaron Ramsey is out with a thigh strain.

Another big question is who will start in the centre of midfield and while Mikel Arteta is almost certain to play, I would prefer to see Mathieu Flamini given a run-out. With Jack Wilshere likely to start, we need some pace in midfield and Flamini is a lot quicker over the ground compared to Arteta.

So here’s the team I’d go with:

That team should have more than enough to see-off Aston Villa. COYG!!!

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13 Comments

1. 

   samuel

   January 10, 2014 at 8:46 pm

   wenger pls buy striker….time is runny

   Reply
   • 

     doggydgunner

     January 10, 2014 at 10:42 pm

     Pls help me tell him o

     Reply
2. 

   fredrickumorodeiwori

   January 10, 2014 at 9:39 pm

   Wenger pls hv pitty for arsenal fans, buy a world clas striker.

   Reply
3. 

   Peince Joe from Nigeria

   January 10, 2014 at 9:46 pm

   Please Wenger, don’t give us in Nigeria a heart attack, buy a striker to boost our strike force in front of goal, we are tired of reading your interest in so many players coming to Emirate without you signing any one. l hope you and Kreonke are not playing us any joker again? lf you really meant business, by now we should have seen a new face at the club.

   Reply
4. 

   Ian Hawthorne

   January 10, 2014 at 9:50 pm

   The return of the Qx is most welcome but there is a man who goes by the name of Jackson Martinez who is itching to play for Arsenal. Please go get him

   Reply
5. 

   George steno

   January 10, 2014 at 9:58 pm

   Bedtn & giroud canot deliver;wenger,pls get a super striker

   Reply
6. 

   abbey akogun

   January 10, 2014 at 10:21 pm

   pls baba giv us 1 striker n 1 center defence

   Reply
7. 

   Dom

   January 10, 2014 at 10:24 pm

   Gnabry had a brilliant game against Spurs, he should be rewarded with a starting role in this game. I don’t think Podolski should play a part, honestly I think this will be his last season with us, possibly being replaced by Draxler in a swap deal. Cazorla had a good game against Spurs as well so I think he should go back on the left with Ozil in the middle and Gnabry on the right, with Pod and Oxlade available on the bench.

   Reply
8. 

   Eria

   January 11, 2014 at 12:34 am

   i have liked your line up.the good thing is that I’ve watched on several times ozil switching to the right Frank so carzola can remain behind Giroud
   but we desparately need a lethal finisher this month

   Reply
9. 

   Indoarsenal

   January 11, 2014 at 12:59 am

   Why should we playing flamini and Arteta against villa?? Anyway they seem uneffective when play together. I prefer to play Arteta/flamini and Wilshere with ozil as attacking playmaker, while caprolactam/ podolski and gnabry play from the wings to support giroud. And pls don’t loan Ryo, he can be a useful backup since he can play from both left and right wings.

   Reply
10. 

    hendrix lombola

    January 11, 2014 at 3:05 am

    i dont like the way groud plays instead must b on bench not starting place,he haz lazy to mark and hasnot target at a goal,hasnot space,speedness and bad passes not eligble to wear arsenal jearsey,coz he is a frenchman not gud to us the gunners diehards

    Reply
11. 

    stanley

    January 11, 2014 at 7:51 am

    Hendrix lombola…. I totally agree with you. Giroud is not a striker. I feel ashamed seeing him in arsenal squad. Mr wenger is only playing french game and is the reason why he is not interested in Jackson Martinez who is capable of throwing Giroud to the bench. Wenger wake up and stop that bullshit you do with the minds of Arsenal faithful

    Reply
12. 

    emmanuel

    January 13, 2014 at 4:15 pm

    Wenger pls try and sign two world class strikers to be sure of the trophy. I remain Arsenal fans for life.

    Reply