Loss Champions League Group Stage: RC Lens 2 - 1 Arsenal | Tuesday 3rd October | KO: 20:00 BST | TNT Sports

Prediction

Lens 0-2 Arsenal

 

[Dokaka]

I think if you argue against rotation for this game you should also forfeit the ability to moan about not making subs to avoid injuries etc. Lens are absolute poverty right now, they sold their two star players and replaced them with kids and their performances in the league reflect that.

You need to be able to win this game with a heavily rotated starting XI, otherwise there is zero point in having a deep squad. The whole point is being able to compete across several competitions and not just have a list of players ready to step in when a starter gets run into the ground.

There is literally not a single player in this Lens team that would get into your match day squad.

 

[Gooner Zig]

I think if you argue against rotation for this game you should also forfeit the ability to moan about not making subs to avoid injuries etc. Lens are absolute poverty right now, they sold their two star players and replaced them with kids and their performances in the league reflect that.

You need to be able to win this game with a heavily rotated starting XI, otherwise there is zero point in having a deep squad. The whole point is being able to compete across several competitions and not just have a list of players ready to step in when a starter gets run into the ground.

There is literally not a single player in this Lens team that would get into your match day squad.

I'm not against rotation, I'm against Europa style rotation where we pretty much change the entirety of the first XI.

I don't think any of Zinchenko, Saka, or Rice should be starting vs Lens; I would like to see ESR, Nelson and Vieira start. Tomiyasu and Kiwior deserve minutes too.

 

[Rex Stone]

I think if you argue against rotation for this game you should also forfeit the ability to moan about not making subs to avoid injuries etc. Lens are absolute poverty right now, they sold their two star players and replaced them with kids and their performances in the league reflect that.

You need to be able to win this game with a heavily rotated starting XI, otherwise there is zero point in having a deep squad. The whole point is being able to compete across several competitions and not just have a list of players ready to step in when a starter gets run into the ground.

There is literally not a single player in this Lens team that would get into your match day squad.

They’re relegation scrappers in France ffs. Look a sh*tter team than Bournemouth by miles.

Only guy I recognise is @A_G FM hero Brice in goal.

 

[A_G]

They’re relegation scrappers in France ffs. Look a sh*tter team than Bournemouth by miles.

Only guy I recognise is @A_G FM hero Brice in goal.

They have that pervert Elye Wahi up front who is meant to be good, also ex-Leicester CM Mendy and one of Pardew’s French Newcastle boys in Haidara.

 

[Rex Stone]

They have that pervert Elye Wahi up front who is meant to be good, also ex-Leicester CM Mendy and one of Pardew’s French Newcastle boys in Haidara.

How did I miss Haidara ffs!?

Was a Championship Roberto Carlos for my Bristol Rovers side back in the day on FM

 

[Rasmi]

I think if you argue against rotation for this game you should also forfeit the ability to moan about not making subs to avoid injuries etc. Lens are absolute poverty right now, they sold their two star players and replaced them with kids and their performances in the league reflect that.

You need to be able to win this game with a heavily rotated starting XI, otherwise there is zero point in having a deep squad. The whole point is being able to compete across several competitions and not just have a list of players ready to step in when a starter gets run into the ground.

There is literally not a single player in this Lens team that would get into your match day squad.

Your last sentence don’t matter. It’s one of games away from home in round 2 of group stages in the CL. How about we win the group early and rest players later stage of group games? Also you can moan about subbing if the game is won like Bournemouth. Arteta waited 24 mins to sub saka after going 3 goals up. We need better game management from him

 

[Sparrahork]

I think if you argue against rotation for this game you should also forfeit the ability to moan about not making subs to avoid injuries etc. Lens are absolute poverty right now, they sold their two star players and replaced them with kids and their performances in the league reflect that.

You need to be able to win this game with a heavily rotated starting XI, otherwise there is zero point in having a deep squad. The whole point is being able to compete across several competitions and not just have a list of players ready to step in when a starter gets run into the ground.

There is literally not a single player in this Lens team that would get into your match day squad.

Well said. I find it incredulous that so many are against any form of rotation for this game. Didn't we establish the wheels fell off last season as we ran some into the ground and when they did get injured / lost form a massive gulf between them and the back ups?

We have addressed the back up situation, wide scale changes are not needed but keep these players match fit and give them a chance to prove themselves.

Typical rasmi trying to agitate by suggesting this game is a bigger one than the city game, not by a long shot and he knows it.

Lens are in poor form and struggling in a farmer's league, a team containing half nail on first teamers and half those knocking on the door shouldn't have too much trouble.

 

[NieThePiet]

I think if you argue against rotation for this game you should also forfeit the ability to moan about not making subs to avoid injuries etc. Lens are absolute poverty right now, they sold their two star players and replaced them with kids and their performances in the league reflect that.

You need to be able to win this game with a heavily rotated starting XI, otherwise there is zero point in having a deep squad. The whole point is being able to compete across several competitions and not just have a list of players ready to step in when a starter gets run into the ground.

There is literally not a single player in this Lens team that would get into your match day squad.

Thats not the point.

Players like Saka, Ødegaard or Saliba are dreaming of playing in the CL since years, it's their first time ever for them. Absolutely no chance they would like to sit on the bench if they are fully fit. There is never a guarantee that you will play in the CL again, especially in the PL.

You still can rest players if you do most of the job in around 60 minutes and then you can sub off Saka and others. Only because the individual quality of squad players is better than the one from the starters from Lens, it doesn't mean the team performance form Lens can't be better. We survived with a rotated team against Brentford, but had a lot of luck/clearances in the second half.

 

[Dokaka]

How about we win the group early and rest players later stage of group games?

That is not how the human body works ffs I'm sure Saka would be delighted with the idea of getting a rest months from now as he's recovering from a blown up hammy because he had to play against French relegation fodder.

 

[Rasmi]

That is not how the human body works ffs I'm sure Saka would be delighted with the idea of getting a rest months from now as he's recovering from a blown up hammy because he had to play against French relegation fodder.

Rest saka and play Nelson there. Sub White, Saliba and Ødegaard second half. Everyone else should be fine. Lens finished second 1 point behind psg. Don’t be fooled by their poor start. They also won last 2 league games

 

[Rex Stone]

We’ve arguably had tougher Europa League groups than this one.

 

[Batman]

The game against City has to be the priority. I'm not saying we play Cedric and Elnenny but to suggest we approach a match with Lens playing the same strength of squad we'll need against City is silly. Anyone on the brink fitness wise needs to be preserved for that fixture. We're going to walk qualification in this group. We need to put a marker down in the league this weekend if we want to win it. Even in the case of a poor performance against Lens(which won't happen even with a sqaud missing a few of the first XI), we've got 4 matches to make up for it. We don't have 4 matches against City to make up for it if we push players who are half fit too far and they lay an egg at the weekend.

 

[Macho]

I'm just amazed that anyone has the time to watch footy beyond Arsenal

I tend to watch as much prem matches as I can but typically burn out halfway through the season if I am honest.

The guys that get me is the ones that watch multiple leagues I dunno how tf that is possible.

 

[Dokaka]

Thats not the point.

Players like Saka, Ødegaard or Saliba are dreaming of playing in the CL since years, it's their first time ever for them. Absolutely no chance they would like to sit on the bench if they are fully fit. There is never a guarantee that you will play in the CL again, especially in the PL.

You still can rest players if you do most of the job in around 60 minutes and then you can sub off Saka and others. Only because the individual quality of squad players is better than the one from the starters from Lens, it doesn't mean the team performance form Lens can't be better. We survived with a rotated team against Brentford, but had a lot of luck/clearances in the second half.

They already popped that cherry against PSV though?

What you say is fine but I feel like you're also forgetting the other side of the coin; If rotation doesn't happen against absolute poverty in Europe, then where does it? What do you think the bit-part players will feel if all their prospective minutes are tossed aside to placate the feelings of the guys ahead of them?

If this game is too important to rotate for, then every game is too important.

Games like these are where big clubs flex their muscles by lining up with squad players and still dominate. It conserves energy, gets the squad players involved in proper competitions and everyone is happy.

 

[Gooner Zig]

I tend to watch as much prem matches as I can but typically burn out halfway through the season if I am honest.

The guys that get me is the ones that watch multiple leagues I dunno how tf that is possible.

I even struggle to watch an Arsenal game on the weekend uninterrupted, my kids are hanging off me and badgering me

 

[Dokaka]

I even struggle to watch an Arsenal game on the weekend uninterrupted, my kids are hanging off me and badgering me

Sit them down and explain that dad watching Arsenal and ****-posting on A-M is part of the non-negotiables of parenthood.

 

[Macho]

Cause I consume a lot of football on my laptop my kid assumes I’m working.

Covid babies eh.

 

[Sanchez11]

They beat Vieira's Strasbourg this weekend, which is also were Arsène was born...they need slapping up by us now!

Lens was our first ever Champions League match (after it got rebranded) and were we scored our first ever Champions League goal too back in 1998...love my pointless nostalgia!

How many of the current team would get in this first 11...

...need @GDeep™ opinion on this the most?

I remember this game, miss ITV cl nights!!

 

[Dokaka]

Cause I consume a lot of football on my laptop my kid assumes I’m working.

Covid babies eh.

Scenes when your kid starts school and screams "COME ON YOU ****ING PRICK" at his laptop in class because that's how dad "works"

 

[NieThePiet]

They already popped that cherry against PSV though?

What you say is fine but I feel like you're also forgetting the other side of the coin; If rotation doesn't happen against absolute poverty in Europe, then where does it? What do you think the bit-part players will feel if all their prospective minutes are tossed aside to placate the feelings of the guys ahead of them?

If this game is too important to rotate for, then every game is too important.

Games like these are where big clubs flex their muscles by lining up with squad players and still dominate. It conserves energy, gets the squad players involved in proper competitions and everyone is happy.

We just rotated last week in the Carabao Cup, thats the games where you can rotate. We still have early in the season, it's not like they are exhausted already. Except of Saka all from the starters look fully fit and fresh, so there is no need to keep them out.

I would rather get good results in the first 3-4 games in the group stages and then you still can get 2-3 games where you can rotate some players, because we luckily have an easy CL group.

I think we only discuss about rotation, because we play City at the weekend. But thankfully from Tuesday until Sunday is a lot of time, so I don't think the play time will make a huge difference. If they are such a poverty club, we can do the job in 45-60 minutes and still get some more rest for these players.