Quantcast
Home   >   News   >   TEAM: Giroud Out! Arsenal’s Line-Up To Take On Southampton

TEAM: Giroud Out! Arsenal’s Line-Up To Take On Southampton

By on December 2, 2014

Olivier Giroud Arsenal

Arsenal welcome high-flying Southampton to the Emirates on Wednesday night. Here I’ll offer the side I’d like to see Arsene Wenger pick for the game…..

With Szczesny not expected back from his hip injury until Friday at the earliest and Ospina still nursing a thigh injury, Martinez will start his third game in succession in goal. The youngster has done very well so far, keeping clean sheets against Dortmund and WBA, so hopefully he can put in another fine display tomorrow.

Monreal and Gibbs are both doubts for the game after suffering knocks at the weekend. Gibbs doesn’t look like he’s got a chance as he didn’t take part in training today but Monreal did so hopefully the Spaniard has done enough to prove his fitness.

Otherwise the defence should stay the same with Koscielny alongside Per in the middle. Debuchy is expected to be in contention to face his former side Newcastle next weekend but this game comes too soon so Chambers will continue at right-back.

Wilshere and Arteta are still out so we have little option but to stick with Flamini and Ramsey in midfield. Not for the first time this season, I’m calling for the boss to revert back to our 4-2-3-1 formation. It’s only a slight change on the way we’ve been lining up of late, but I prefer Rambo a little further back where he can offer some protection to the defence but also make his late runs into the box.

Cazorla has been superb in the last two games so fully deserves to keep his place, and obviously Sanchez should also start in attack.

Giroud started his first game in over three months on Saturday so I don’t think he’ll be fit enough to start again tomorrow. Therefore, we should put Welbeck up front again and start The Ox on the right wing. He was rested on Saturday but unfortunately picked up a knock when he came on, but he did train with the squad today so it looks like he’ll be passed fit to start.

Here’s my team:

The big question marks are whether Monreal and The Ox are fit. If they miss out, Bellerin should come in at left-back while I’d play Giroud up front with Sanchez on the right and Welbeck on the left – as we lined up against West Brom.

What team would you put out for the game?