Premier League | Stoke City vs Arsenal | 19/08/2017 | 17:30 BST (16:30 UTC) | BT Sport

[GoonerJeeves]

So it begins....

 

[Jonathan Mccombie]

alot of different variations could be tried for this game, i would pick this team:
cech
mustafi mertesacker monreal
ox xhaka coquelin kolasinac
Özil iwobi
lacazette
but i feel wenger will pick welbeck over iwobi and place ox at left wing back and bellerin at right wing back with mertesacker dropping out and kolasinac moving into a back three with monreal and mustafi

 

[albakos]

Must win



I assume we'll start with similar lineup to Leicester, but Wenger might opt for Giroud in for Welbeck, and play a 3-5-2

 

[say yes]

Lacazette
Welbz - Özil
Kolasinac - Xhaka - Elneny* - Ox
Monreal - Per - Holding
Cech

Ramsey if fully fit.

Mustafi to come on second half and build some match fitness if we're winning.

 

[GoonerJeeves]

We should have a good chance here. This fixture does not hold the same worry as in Pulis' days. In addition we are physically more competitive now than when we ran our "youth project".

 

[FreakySami]

I'm in Lisbon and need a place to watch the game, anybody know any?

 

[youngmul]

CECH

MUSTAFI MERTERSAKER MONREAL

BELLERIN KOLASNIAC

RAMSEY XHAKA


Özil WELBECK

GIROUD

This team lacks pace and thats okay for this fixture.Mustafi and Mertesakers declared fit by wenger so i'd have them in from the start...I think its going to be a really hard game..they are going to try and bombard us with crosses and lump every free kick into the area. This is also the reason i'd go with giroud ahead of lacazette from the start. We need to make sure we dont concede in the first half and we need are real experienced side in this one. 0-0 half time is ideal...We manage to keep it level until 60-70 mins we'll win the game when we bring lacazette the ox and iwobi/walcott on fresh...Dont expect it to be easy on the eye or anything like last season against them. Think more the last decade at stoke. If we try and win the game early, the way we have been defending, we'll go behind, be chasing the game and i fear weve used up all our luck for this month on leicester.

COME ON YOU GOONERS!!!!

 

[Red London]

I'd like to see:

cech
mustafi per/holding monreal
chambo coq xhaka kola
Özil laca welbz

bring on giroud early in the second half if we are struggling

start ramsey if fully fit

i didnt like the look of kola LCB the other night, I want him exploding down the left wing against these inbreds

 

[Jonathan Mccombie]

I'd like to see:

cech
mustafi per/holding monreal
chambo coq xhaka kola
Özil laca welbz

bring on giroud early in the second half if we are struggling

start ramsey if fully fit

i didnt like the look of kola LCB the other night, I want him exploding down the left wing against these inbreds

completely agree kolasinac much better as a wing back, physical force like a hurricane when he charges at the opposition

 

[Tir Na Nog]

Think we should win this, think last seasons comfortable win should be enough to stop the bogey ground stuff in relation to this fixture. Stoke don't look anywhere near as intimidating as they've done in the past. Shaqiri is hardly going to bully any of our defenders for ****s sake.

 

[Red London]

completely agree kolasinac much better as a wing back, physical force like a hurricane when he charges at the opposition

seemed suspect at times defending the other day, it could be down to not being used to the new team and league.

but his attacking is already exciting and I wanna see him annihilate stoke

 

[Jury]

If we win it'll be a 3-2 or 4-2 job.

 

[ggunner12345]

Cech

Mustafi Mertesacker Monreal

Bellerin Xhaka Ramsey Kolasinac

Welbeck Özil

Lacazette

 

[Sanchez11]

Stoke aint what they used to be west brom are the new stoke! Besides wenger has hughes number!

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

Stoke city are not used to be the side who are tough at home their squad is full of average players. We'll be much better defensively because Mertesacker and Mustafi are back so even in set piece we'll look more solid.

Cech
Mustafi Mertesacker Monreal
Ox Xhaka Ramsey Kola
Özil Welbeck
Laca

With our attack who look really fun to watch lately we'll win 3-1.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

Ox and Kola going to have fun stoke fullbacks are very slow

 

[blaze_of_glory]

Kolasinac is gonna destroy these jokers, let's be honest.

 

[SmellsLikeTeenSpirit]

This is not an arsenal Team, where is the technique and where is the flair? How can someone want to see **** footabll again with coq giroud ramsey ox and kolasinac all starting, we aint crystal palace.


Chech
Mustafi - Mertesacker - Monreal/Seo

Ox/Bellerin - elnenny/ramsey Xhaka - Seo/Ox

Özil - Welbeck/Iwobi

Laca

Imagine Sanchez playing and this is the most balanced team we have had for a long time.

it isn't an ideal line up just a reaction to what happened against Leicester. Özil was a ghost and we really struggled in defence. Ramsey, Giroud, Welbeck and Iwobi are all in good form so any of them can start on saturday and now we have the chance to see Kolasinac in his natural position.

But nevermind the starting XI what's the point of the " flair " if we haven't been in contention to win the league for over a decade?

I agree with Henry when he said that Xhaka can bring the best out of Lacazette. Arsenal should take a more direct approach to be more effective

 

[cannonade]

Yousif's team with Alexis for Welbeck if he's able. Giroud will feature there somewhere too, I suppose.

 

[Ewarwoowar]

I'd put Holding(doubt Wenger will tho') straight back in the mix if Per is in the middle, having two left sided players as CBs did nothing for him against a very proficient counter attacking side. Strange how people including media have all of a sudden expected us to steam roller a Leicester side that has had great successes against the top 6 sides in the very manner they did vs us in recent times. The distance between Holding and both other 'pretend' CBs at times was pretty ******* shocking as well, that he was isolated, but with an experienced proper CCB in Per with his cool head and experience, well we know Holding with Per has been sound in the past.

Stoke to a degree will be a little of an unknown entity with some vital ins and outs making it difficult to assess how they are going to gel, but I am very doubtful they will carry anywhere near the threat the foxes did and believe they will be very subdued in the attacking department and concentrate instead in buffering our attacking intensity, which should limit them in attacking.

I feel they may play narrow and target our midfield pairing after our outing with the foxes showing we were vulnerable here, so taking it up the wings should be the outlet, but will probably have to cut inside in the final third to cut through their lofty defence as high crosses from the wing will most likely be nullified.

I'd Like to see balance in our side so, Ox RWB, Kola LWB, Monreal LCB, I think Coquelin could do a job here to enable Ramsey to ease back to full fitness, Welbeck has to start for me to batter them physically and has shown some great incisive build up play recently, much like vs foxes tire them out for the super subs, though I would not be shocked if Wenger were to start Giroud, with Welbeck giving way(hope not).

I think with the attacking flair we showed vs Foxes duplicated we score early here and win pretty convincingly 4-1.