EPL | Arsenal vs Middlesbrough | Saturday 22nd October 15:00

[Rex Stone]

On a really good roll right now, after one of our best ever CL displays yesterday we've now got an out of form Boro side coming to visit.

With City playing on Sunday as well as Chelsea and Utd we have a great chance to go top and put some pressure on our rivals.

Obviously Xhaka won't be available and Ramsey probably won't either so it looks like we'll see Coquelin and Cazorla in the middle again. One of the few times I can remember in recent years where the competition for places is so high. Even though Iwobi hasn't put a foot wrong, after his game last night maybe Ox should be given a chance.

Also Gibbs looked really solid yesterday where as Monreal had a bad game against Swansea so lots of interesting choices for Wenger to make.

As for Boro they're on a pretty dire run of form right now. They haven't won since August and despite having a few decent players it looks like it could be a long season for them. Their major problem seems to be goals, they've only scored more than one goal once in the league and that was against Sunderland. With their struggles creatively it's pretty obvious they'll go for trying to nick a point.

 

[razörist]

I I I... I was creating my first match thread but you beat me to it.

I'll post it here then, with some minor changes.



Our fifth EPL home game of the season sees us playing against newly promoted side Middlesbrough. Currently 17th in the table, Boro enjoyed a promising reintroduction to the top flight with 5 points in their first three games. However, they have only taken 1 point out of their last 5 games in the EPL, and are dropping down the table fast.

One player to watch from Boro is Spanish targetman Alvaro Negredo. With only 1 goal in 7 starts, his return to English football is not going well. Karanka, Mourinho's ex-assistant, faces a difficult choice regarding Uruguay playmaker Gaston Ramirez. With already 4 yellow cards Ramirez risks a ban if cautioned again, with a crucial game vs Bournemouth around the corner. One player we do not have to worry about is Callum Chambers, who's ineligible to play against his parent club.

The head to head with Boro is in favor of ourselves, with almost 63% of the games at our place resulting in a win, with an average of 2.44 goals for and 0.95 against.

Hopefully we will finish them off early, so we can sit back and enjoy our beautiful football and watch our rivals lose.

 

[Ewarwoowar]

4-1 to the Arsenal is me being generous,, Santi most probably rested for whom else but Mo, cech obvious, then the same as vs Swansea.

Edit- forgot to mention Coq for Xhaka obviously!

 

[africe]

Gibbs, Ospina, Chamberlain and Lucas have all been performing well recently and should be close to a league start, but I think we'll see an unchanged side (barring Coquelin for Xhaka), seeing as there will be another chance to play them against Reading midweek.

 

[Rex Stone]

I I I... I was creating my first match thread but you beat me to it.

I'll post it here then, with some minor changes.

View attachment 1416

Our fifth EPL home game of the season sees us playing against newly promoted side Middlesbrough. Currently 17th in the table, Boro enjoyed a promising reintroduction to the top flight with 5 points in their first three games. However, they have only taken 1 point out of their last 5 games in the EPL, and are dropping down the table fast.

One player to watch from Boro is Spanish targetman Alvaro Negredo. With only 1 goal in 7 starts, his return to English football is not going well. Karanka, Mourinho's ex-assistant, faces a difficult choice regarding Uruguay playmaker Gaston Ramirez. With already 4 yellow cards Ramirez risks a ban if cautioned again, with a crucial game vs Bournemouth around the corner. One player we do not have to worry about is Callum Chambers, who's ineligible to play against his parent club.

The head to head with Boro is in favor of ourselves, with almost 63% of the games at our place resulting in a win, with an average of 2.44 goals for and 0.95 against.

Hopefully we will finish them off early, so we can sit back and enjoy our beautiful football and watch our rivals lose.

Ah sorry man! Leave them to you or whoever from now on!

 

[razörist]

Ah sorry man! Leave them to you or whoever from now on!

No! Don't be like that, your threads are good! When its meant to be, its meant to be.

 

[carlito'sway]

I I I... I was creating my first match thread but you beat me to it.

I'll post it here then, with some minor changes.

View attachment 1416

Our fifth EPL home game of the season sees us playing against newly promoted side Middlesbrough. Currently 17th in the table, Boro enjoyed a promising reintroduction to the top flight with 5 points in their first three games. However, they have only taken 1 point out of their last 5 games in the EPL, and are dropping down the table fast.

One player to watch from Boro is Spanish targetman Alvaro Negredo. With only 1 goal in 7 starts, his return to English football is not going well. Karanka, Mourinho's ex-assistant, faces a difficult choice regarding Uruguay playmaker Gaston Ramirez. With already 4 yellow cards Ramirez risks a ban if cautioned again, with a crucial game vs Bournemouth around the corner. One player we do not have to worry about is Callum Chambers, who's ineligible to play against his parent club.

The head to head with Boro is in favor of ourselves, with almost 63% of the games at our place resulting in a win, with an average of 2.44 goals for and 0.95 against.

Hopefully we will finish them off early, so we can sit back and enjoy our beautiful football and watch our rivals lose.

I see your vote again....The day we lose I will come after you!

 

[carlito'sway]

Our conversion rate in the EPL. Almost freakish %. The interesting part is that it has been pretty constant since August. We keep it above 20% this season and we will win things.

 

[Johnny_Blaze]

It's almost as if our recent proficiency in front of goal correlates with having professional wasteman Olivier Giroud out of the team.




(I like Giroud as a backup striker - but the guy is profligate)

 

[carlito'sway]

It's almost as if our recent proficiency in front of goal correlates with having professional wasteman Olivier Giroud out of the team.




(I like Giroud as a backup striker - but the guy is profligate)

Actually, I will look at the stats again, Giroud may have been our most proficient scorer last year (highest conversion % iirc). I am delighted with the new set up with Alexis as a CF but I truly feel that Giroud is getting a bad rap here. Underserved.
Profligacy was an overall problem at AFC last year and others may have been worse culprits than Giroud (Walcott in particular).

 

[Jack the lad]

Actually, I will look at the stats again, Giroud may have been our most proficient scorer last year (highest conversion % iirc). I am delighted with the new set up with Alexis as a CF but I truly feel that Giroud is getting a bad rap here. Underserved.
Profligacy was an overall problem at AFC last year and others may have been worse culprits than Giroud (Walcott in particular).

Giroud will come off the bench and score some vital goals this campaign. That is 100%

 

[tap-in]

Actually, I will look at the stats again, Giroud may have been our most proficient scorer last year (highest conversion % iirc). I am delighted with the new set up with Alexis as a CF but I truly feel that Giroud is getting a bad rap here. Underserved.
Profligacy was an overall problem at AFC last year and others may have been worse culprits than Giroud (Walcott in particular).

I am a Giroud admirer and he does get some undeserved stick on here at times. However, if he comes back in we lose the pace in attack. The reason we are so potent at present is that all of our attack can counter even if they are all back defending.

With Giroud we have to leave him up there, this draws defenders to stay back and makes a counter attack less likely. If we were forced to change any of the attack, I would bring Perez on before Giroud just to keep the pace. Giroud is perfect to come on and protect a lead. I think he will look to leave next summer.

 

[tap-in]

Cech will be back, we may rest Cazorla, if so I would play Mo with Coq. I think Iwobi will be back in for Ox but Wenger may well decide to give Ox another game. I'm happy either way, I thought Ox was good vs Ludo and got a lot of underserved stick from some on here.

Would also like to see Perez get some more game time.

 

[Taylor Gang Gunners]

Going to this game .

Will be good to see some of the lads from uni too, buzzing for this weekend.

Think we'll see the same team against Swansea, with Coquelin in for Xhaka. That said, I could see Wenger starting Ox again after his performance, it's a do or die season for Ox in a sense, whereas Iwobi's future is here without a doubt.

Would like to see this;

Cech
Bellerin Kos Mustafi Monreal
Coquelin Santi
Chamberlain Özil Walcott
Alexis​

Subs: Ospina, Gibbs, Gabriel, Holding, Elneny, Iwobi, Perez.

I'll go with 4-0. Walcott, Özil and an Alexis brace. Middlesbrough are only above the relegation zone on goal difference, and are struggling to score goals. I like Karanka and I hope they stay up, but it wouldn't surprise me if Boro came to play.

I expect us to pick them off quite clinically, Chambers who's been in good form for them will be ineligible against us, a partnership of Gibson and Ayala can be exploited.

COYG!

 

[Ewarwoowar]

Going to this game .

Will be good to see some of the lads from uni too, buzzing for this weekend.

Think we'll see the same team against Swansea, with Coquelin in for Xhaka. That said, I could see Wenger starting Ox again after his performance, it's a do or die season for Ox in a sense, whereas Iwobi's future is here without a doubt.

Would like to see this;

Cech
Bellerin Kos Mustafi Monreal
Coquelin Santi
Chamberlain Özil Walcott
Alexis​

Subs: Ospina, Gibbs, Gabriel, Holding, Elneny, Iwobi, Perez.

I'll go with 4-0. Walcott, Özil and an Alexis brace. Middlesbrough are only above the relegation zone on goal difference, and are struggling to score goals. I like Karanka and I hope they stay up, but it wouldn't surprise me if Boro came to play.

I expect us to pick them off quite clinically, Chambers who's been in good form for them will be ineligible against us, a partnership of Gibson and Ayala can be exploited.

COYG!

I am with you on all that, including the possibillity of OX and the 4 goals, I gave 1 to Boro through empathetic generosity, cos I'm like that(is there a halo'd emoticon, uuugh nope).

 

[GoonerJeeves]

Boro looked dreadful against Watford. We should win this one...

 

[albakos]

Karanka is a Mourinho disciple, so he will certainly park the 6 wheeled bus in front of his 20 yard line.

This is a must win (obviously), but I feel we're in for a frustrating match.

A boring 1-0
Sanchez

 

[Uncle Good-Advice]

One of the best matches I've ever seen, end-to-end stuff. Had it all. From admiration to frustration, from disbelief to total joy. Probably our best line-up ever (bar Cygan ), fantastic goals from both sides, wonderful comeback and record 42nd game unbeaten. This was Arsenal as its finest

 

[DanDare]

Don't know why people are dropping Iwobi. He's been performing consistently this season and I'd argue improving as it has progressed.

Ox has not.

 

[Rocky]

On a really good roll right now, after one of our best ever CL displays yesterday we've now got an out of form Boro side coming to visit.

With City playing on Sunday as well as Chelsea and Utd we have a great chance to go top and put some pressure on our rivals.

Obviously Xhaka won't be available and Ramsey probably won't either so it looks like we'll see Coquelin and Cazorla in the middle again. One of the few times I can remember in recent years where the competition for places is so high. Even though Iwobi hasn't put a foot wrong, after his game last night maybe Ox should be given a chance.

Also Gibbs looked really solid yesterday where as Monreal had a bad game against Swansea so lots of interesting choices for Wenger to make.

As for Boro they're on a pretty dire run of form right now. They haven't won since August and despite having a few decent players it looks like it could be a long season for them. Their major problem seems to be goals, they've only scored more than one goal once in the league and that was against Sunderland. With their struggles creatively it's pretty obvious they'll go for trying to nick a point.

I think it is time to show faith in Ox while he's sharp. Give him some rotation with Iwobi and Walcott and try to prevent the slumps coming later. The first 11 is fit and in form and has cohesion now but the benefit of the modest changes he made in the CL was he kept the cohesion whilst he integrated the fringe players knocking on the door and got the performance and result he would have wanted given that most of the first 11 played.

Wenger saw Gnabry force a move and he won't want to lose another good player like Ox if he can avoid it.

Only problem is, same goes for Lucas who's never had a chance. I obviously hope he chose to play Alexis against Ludogorets so he could leave him off the plane in the away game and give Lucas a go.

Gibbs could take Monreal's place I think if Monreal has a slump or picks up a knock. At Monreal's age, any significant time out and Gibbs could hold on to a place. If Wenger rests Monreal at any point in the league now, it will be a combined help in terms of reducing fatigue for Monreal and sharpening his mental focus because he knows that Gibbs is ready (Same for Iwobi, Walcott, and the CMs). Gibbs can see that if Arsenal buy a young left-back and move Monreal on, then he could get a couple of seasons of first team football while the youngster develops.