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Sanchez Up Front: My Arsenal Starting XI To Play Besiktas

By mac14 on August 19, 2014

Arsenal face a crucial Champions League play off first leg away at Besiktas tonight. Here is my preferred starting eleven for the game:

Goalkeeper: No change needed here, Szczesny will start.

Defence: Kieran Gibbs has been ruled out for three weeks with a hamstring injury so Nacho Monreal is going to have to start at left-back. Thankfully it looks like Laurent Koscielny is fit after aggravating an Achilles injury so he should continue alongside Calum Chambers at the back.

Midfield: This is going to be a tricky away game so I’d stick with the trio of Mikel Arteta, Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey in the middle of the park. Jack wasn’t at his best but this will be a great opportunity for him to bounce straight back. While this is the three I’d go with, I wouldn’t be surprised if Arsene brings Flamini in.

Attack: I’d like to see Alexis Sanchez start up front with The Ox coming in on the right hand side. Yaya Sanogo didn’t travel as he’s got a hamstring injury and although the likelihood is Olivier Giroud will come in, I’d prefer to see Sanchez through the middle with the added pace of Chamberlain down the right.

Here’s how my side would line-up:

It’s highly unlikely Arsene will pick this side, as he’ll probably start Giroud and perhaps Flamini in place of The Ox and Wilshere, but whatever team we put out we should have enough to secure a positive result ahead of next weeks second leg at the Emirates.

15 Comments

Immer

August 19, 2014 at 9:47 am

Why do people keep have santi in their team ? does no one see how usless he actually. shocking again at the weekend !

Santi is the type of player we need to ship out and the sooner the better. his return is dreeaful !

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Adidijah kevo

August 19, 2014 at 9:59 am

Flamin must play. He is a good player.

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- Ozzie
  
  August 19, 2014 at 3:52 pm
  
  Flamin must calculate his tackles and avoid those costly sent offs. he is a great player but must avoid cards just like Arteta. we have to win the match at all cost like what Wenger has said
  
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Dave

August 19, 2014 at 10:00 am

Good line up but wud rather have Flamini & Rosicsky replace Arteta & Wilshere respectively in Midfield…
SZECSNY

DEBUCHY CHAMBERS KOS MONREAL

FLAMINI

RAMSEY ROSISCKY

OX CARZOLA

SANCHEZ

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- francis magombe
  
  August 19, 2014 at 10:15 am
  
  yes,arteta and welshire should be replaced with flamin and rosiscky
  
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  - mr inc
    
    August 19, 2014 at 2:26 pm
    
    honestly i think the formation is perfect
    
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- Michjael A
  
  August 19, 2014 at 11:53 am
  
  Great Setup. Debuchy needs the combination play and Industry of Rosicky to thrive. For Pace, Speed, defensive Stability and creativity, Ramsey-Flamini-Rosicky gets the nod. Think vs Mancity. Carzorla on the left creates goal scoring options with sanchez.
  
  Reply
GoonerEris

August 19, 2014 at 10:12 am

Immer, if “people keep have Santi in their team” then maybe, you need to stop and ask yourself why this is so. The ANSWER: because he brings more to the team than any other midfielder we have fit and helps team balance. Santi is a soft touch for fans who find it easy to pick on the man because he fails to reach the lofty expectations of fans; however, the manager thinks he is good enough. That’s more important.
On the line up, I feel it would be Flamini with Rosicky coming on late on. Campbell too would get some game time tonight as he has the experience to thrive in CL. We need some experienced heads tonight too, so I am not sure Ox would start.

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mbiko

August 19, 2014 at 10:39 am

flamini shd start b4 arteta..wilshire on bench

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Uzor

August 19, 2014 at 11:07 am

I kinda agree with Immer. Santi has been annoyingly off and on… Well, the time for him to have a place on the bench is near. With theo n Ozil as starters…

Today’s game will most definately have Giroud up front.

My line Up:
Szceszny
Debuchy Chambers Koscienly Monreal
Arteta(c) Flamini
Ramsey
Alexis. Giroud. Santi

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bc

August 19, 2014 at 11:15 am

I get a feeling the front 6 could look almost completely different with Flamini Coquelin rosicky campbell chamberlain and giroud all starting.

Szczesney
Debuchy chambers koscielny monreal
Flamini Coquelin
Campbell rosicky chamberlain
Giroud

Martinez, miquel or bellerin, arteta, Ramsey, wilshire, cazorla, sanchez.

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Immer

August 19, 2014 at 12:06 pm

GoonerEris, Santi no way a soft touch for the fans and seems he can not do no wrong in most peoples eyes, he offers more then most mf at club ? what exactly does he offer now dont get me wrong his talented and on his day can be good but how often is he decent ? doest`nt track back, when we conter attack more often then not, he gets ball and slows it down or loses it or comes back. he was woeful last year and does`nt look the player of first season so get rid !

I would rather have campbell on the left for the pace and counter attacking option, sanchez right and Giroud as you`ll need him to hold up ball and play rambo and co in

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Immer

August 19, 2014 at 12:20 pm

I agree with everyone about Arteta, wrong choice for captain and shouldn`t be starting in first 11, players just seem to run past him and slow to get an attack going, big mert should have got the nod as captain and rambo as vice captain (so stays at the cub when madrid come knocking next year )

PS I how disgusting watching Fab play for the scum last night !

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minze

August 19, 2014 at 2:30 pm

no probs with d formation for wenger knows wat he is doing

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rubbish

August 20, 2014 at 8:52 am

nonsense! Giroud is terrible and will always be!

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