Name our strongest starting XI for the season

[eye4goal]

--------------------Cech
Bellerin--Mustafi--Koscielny--Monreal
---------------------Xhaka
------Ramsey--------------------Cazorla
---------------------Özil
------Walcott/Perez--------Sanchez

Against parked buses I'd play 4-2-3-1 with Giroud upfront, Xhaka and Cazorla in CM.

 

[nick gould]

----------------cech---------------
-------Holding-----Mustafi------Nacho-----
Ox------Ramsey-----Xhaka--------Sead------
------------Özil---------Sanchez-------
-----------------Laca--------------

Mustafi is in the middle because Wenger prefers a ball playing defender in there. Yes Kos is not in the starting 11 and I will probably get attacked here. Kos is our best defender in a back 4 mainly because in that formation there is no protection for back 4 and Kos has played with no protection for most of his playing career and reacts well to it. In a back 3 however it was easy to note that when he missed games we seemed to player better, we never really missed him whereas in a back 4 the team collapsed without him. By the way even Gabriel looked impressive in a back 3 so in my opinion if we are keeping the new formation then we don't need to add central defenders.

My biggest concern is that teams will start targeting Xhaka in the same way they targeted Carzola and left Lecoq free. If they did, building from the back will become a challenge. We would need a Seri.

 

[OSBK]

----------------cech---------------
-------Holding-----Mustafi------Nacho-----
Ox------Ramsey-----Xhaka--------Sead------
------------Özil---------Sanchez-------
-----------------Laca--------------

Mustafi is in the middle because Wenger prefers a ball playing defender in there. Yes Kos is not in the starting 11 and I will probably get attacked here. Kos is our best defender in a back 4 mainly because in that formation there is no protection for back 4 and Kos has played with no protection for most of his playing career and reacts well to it. In a back 3 however it was easy to note that when he missed games we seemed to player better, we never really missed him whereas in a back 4 the team collapsed without him. By the way even Gabriel looked impressive in a back 3 so in my opinion if we are keeping the new formation then we don't need to add central defenders.

My biggest concern is that teams will start targeting Xhaka in the same way they targeted Cazorla (not Carzola ffs) and left Lecoq free. If they did, building from the back will become a challenge. We would need a Seri.

Good point but playing 3 at the back it would be very hard to pressure xhaka as his out options are much higher than santis were. When santi played in cm our fullbacks were already gone and santi had 2 cb's to pass to or try and play a hard ball forward.

If we revert back to a flat back 4 I would be worried for xhaka.

 

[Zaza]

Cech - Bellerin, Koscienly, Mustafi, Kolasinac - Xhaka, Santi, Ramsey - Alexis, Lacazette, Özil

 

[Mark Tobias]

Me
Kos
Özil
Alexis

 

[Linson]

Cech
Koscielny Mertesacker Mustafi
Oxlade Xhaka Cazorla Kolasinac
Özil
Lacazette Sanchez

​

I honestly think we should try playing with two up top.
These players make a decent back five but so also be able to pile died when needed.
Özil and Cazorla would be pass masters and Sanchez gets the person up top to help.

Perfection.

 

[Hunta]

Cech
Koscielny Mertesacker Monreal
Ox Ramsey Xhaka Kolasinac
Özil Alexis
Lacazette
​

If you disagree you support Sp**s.

 

[FinnGooner]

Cech
Mustafi Koscielny Monreal
Bellerin Cazorla Xhaka Kolasinac
Özil Alexis
Lacazette
​

Ramsey in when Cazorla not fit. Zero English players, which I find very sad but what can you do. Ox the closest English starter replacing Bellerin

 

[Mark Tobias]

Cech
Koscielny Mertesacker Monreal
Ox Ramsey Xhaka Kolasinac
Özil Alexis
Lacazette
​

If you disagree you support Sp**s.

Yup, honestly for me, we can;t get better than this. Maybe a fit Santi would get in but this is it for me.

 

[balthazar]

Cech
Mustafi Koscielny Monreal
Ox Cazorla(Ramsey) Xhaka Kolasinac
Özil Sanchez
Lacazette

 

[ASM]

Cech
Kos - Per - Nacho

Ox - Cazorla/Welshere/Elnenny - Xhaka - Kola

Özil - Alexix

Lacazette

And for me its arguably the best starting XI in the league. Plenty of impact subs as well making a very strong bench

 

[tap-in]

Cech
Koscielny Mertesacker Monreal
Ox Ramsey Xhaka Kolasinac
Özil Alexis
Lacazette
​

If you disagree you support Sp**s.

Yes I would go with that. I would be tempted to have

Holding---Kos---Monreal but Per's height and exp is important.

 

[say yes]

Cech
Koscielny Mertesacker Monreal
Ox Ramsey Xhaka Kolasinac
Özil Alexis
Lacazette
​

If you disagree you support Sp**s.

Came in here about to post the exact same XI.

Glad I'm not the only Per fan. Nelson coming on for Alexis every game at the 60th minute until he signs a new contract.

 

[Carlo Marx]

Nelson coming on for Alexis every game at the 60th minute until he signs a new contract.

 

[Garrincha]

Four at the back...

____________Cech

Bellerin __Mustafi __Koscielny__Kolasinac

_________Xhaka___Wilshere

____Alexis______Özil_____Iwobi

____________Lacazette

Three at the back...

_______________Cech

_____Koscielny___Holding ___Monreal

Chamberlin___ Xhaka ___Ramsey______ Kolasinac

_______ Alexis ___Giroud ___Özil


I would really like to see the 4-3-2-1 with Lacazette. Feel it would function better now & has a much higher ceiling that our three at the back formation.

 

[tcahill]

Four at the back...

____________Cech

Bellerin __Mustafi __Koscielny__Kolasinac

_________Xhaka___Wilshere

____Alexis______Özil_____Iwobi

____________Lacazette

Three at the back...

_______________Cech

_____Koscielny___Holding ___Monreal

Chamberlin___ Xhaka ___Ramsey______ Kolasinac

_______ Alexis ___Giroud ___Özil


I would really like to see the 4-3-2-1 with Lacazette. Feel it would function better now & has a much higher ceiling that our three at the back formation.

3-4-3 fits the majority of our players so much more though.

My ideal right now is;

Cech
Mustafi Kos Monreal
Ox Xhaka Ramsey Seo
Alexis Özil
Lacazette

 

[nick gould]

Four at the back...

____________Cech

Bellerin __Mustafi __Koscielny__Kolasinac

_________Xhaka___Wilshere

____Alexis______Özil_____Iwobi

____________Lacazette

Three at the back...

_______________Cech

_____Koscielny___Holding ___Monreal

Chamberlin___ Xhaka ___Ramsey______ Kolasinac

_______ Alexis ___Giroud ___Özil


I would really like to see the 4-3-2-1 with Lacazette. Feel it would function better now & has a much higher ceiling that our three at the back formation.

Holding is too inexperienced to be the middle man in 3 at the back. So far Wenger has clearly shown that if both Kos and Mustafi are fit he would play Kos on the left or right with Mustafi in the middle. Come on guys Mustafi is our most expensive defender and a Germany international so Wenger will fit him in there as the first choice central defender: the middle one.

 

[balthazar]

Interesting the there is such a high degree of agreement amoung members. The only question is really Ox vs Bellering and Per vs Mustafa vs Holding.

 

[Jury]

Cech
Koscielny Mertesacker Monreal
Ox Ramsey Xhaka Kolasinac
Özil Alexis
Lacazette
​

If you disagree you support Sp**s.

It kind of picks itself like this. Bellerin and Giroud are possibles for Ox and Lacazette, but I'd go for Ox and Laca too at this stage. Makes me a little bit excited to be honest. I might need to go for a walk.

 

[Kroket]

Cech
Koscielny Mertesacker Monreal
Ox Ramsey Xhaka Kolasinac
Özil Alexis
Lacazette
​

If you disagree you support Sp**s.

Assuming Mertesacker can last the season this is what I'd want to see in the big games.