UCL R16 1st Leg | Bayern v Arsenal | February 15 19:45 GMT | BT Sport 2

[ggunner12345]

Ribery is out of the game

 

[serenitynow]

It is not going to happen, but it is the strongest lineup that I think we have for those r fit for this game:

Cech
Bellerin holding kos Monreal
Ox Xhaka
Perez Sanchez welbeck
Giroud

Wenger just have no guts to play youngster like holding, but indeed is much better than muatafi and Gabriel

Take a break, mate.

 

[LGooner98]

Ospina
Bellerin mustaffi kos gibbs
Ox. Eleny. Xhaka
Welbez alexis Lucas


I am big fan of Özil but he's been ineffective lately, so i will exclude him. However i dont think wenger will bench him. We will probably see iwobi, theo , monreal and coq starting as well. Same formation as usual

 

[mm76]

Ospina
Bellerin mustaffi kos gibbs
Ox. Eleny. Xhaka
Welbez alexis Lucas

no way Ospina or Gibbs - and refs are harsher at this level than in the Premier League so playing Xhaka is a gaurantee we'll finish with 10 men.

Agree with a start for Lucas though

 

[bojed]

Ospina
Hector---Mus---Kos---Nacho
Ox---Elneny---Xhaka/Gibbs
Perez/Theo---Sanchez---Welbz

Of course this won't happen at all.

 

[_reed_]

I bet we'll see

Ospina
Hector---Mus---Kos---Nacho
Xhaka---Coq
Sanchez---Özil---Iwobi
Giroud

 

[Penn_]

Ospina
Bellerin Mustafi Kos Monreal
Coq Xhaka Ox
Welbeck Alexis Özil

 

[The_Playmaker]

The concept of a cup keeper is ridiculous. Both keepers know they are getting a certain amount of games irrespective of performance. What motivation is there for either of them? Ospina isn't even a number 2. He plays all the cup games and knows he will be unable to play Premier league games. Every top club has a keeper who is number 1 and the number 2 tries to displace that keeper. If not, or no injury occurs, he doesn't play. That's the life of a keeper. Not at Arsenal though.

 

[Trilly]

------------Ospina
Bellerin Mustafi Kos Monreal
----------Coq Xhaka Ox
------Welbeck Özil Alexis

Alexis and Özil to interchange which still allows Alexis his freedom. We have to play Welbeck, these are the kind of games he's perfect for. Will put in an excellent shift on the wing and with his pace there's always a chance.

Özil while off form will still be vital for our ball retention in the final third and who knows, he may just turn up against his Germany teammates. I have him at false 9 because he pretty much shares that position with Sanchez anyway and more importantly it allows us to have three in midfield. Good idea from @Giroud

Not a big fan of Coq but with Xhaka and Ox relatively near him I think/hope his flaws in possession will be covered for and his ball winning is essential. Having said that I wouldn't mind Elnenny in his place. Xhaka is an excellent distributor and physically there isn't any CM who can deal with the Ox, always good to have an extra body in their anyway.

Ospina may not be as consistent as Cech but in a game like this I think you need someone like Ospina who can pull off performances like he did at PSG.

 

[Silvinho's ball bag]

A huge advocate of dropping Özil in general, but I do think we will need his final third quality and delivery in this one, since I'm sure we won't create too many chances.

Having said that he needs to be out wide. Cannot be arsed to see us totally overrun in the middle again.

 

[Penn_]

The concept of a cup keeper is ridiculous. Both keepers know they are getting a certain amount of games irrespective of performance. What motivation is there for either of them? Ospina isn't even a number 2. He plays all the cup games and knows he will be unable to play Premier league games. Every top club has a keeper who is number 1 and the number 2 tries to displace that keeper. If not, or no injury occurs, he doesn't play. That's the life of a keeper. Not at Arsenal though.

Could use the same logic with Cech getting all games but a poorer back up.

 

[ArtetaCognition]

Most of the people here who read my posts (aka nobody) will know that I think we need a new manager at the end of this season. My unwavering love for Wenger does not extend to a belief that he should be our boss forever - football evolves and we need to freshen things up.

With that said, I seem to be one of the most optimistic Gooners around when it comes to this game. It feels like the first time in a long time that we've played a match that actually matters and I think the players will perform in a way that reflects that. Bayern are a great team, of course, and their problems have been amplified. What is noticeable, though, is that they aren't putting up 4 and 5 goals on a regular basis like they were last time we played them. Obviously, this is vital for our chance of success. I hope we go there and play a rugged, defensively compact game.

I don't envy Wenger for this one. Özil, on form, hasn't been great. But with the news of Xabi Alonso being out.. that likely means Thiago drops to the #6. I want players in our attack who can finish more than create.. and therefore, I'd be looking at Lucas Perez (RW) and Welbeck (LW). If he decides to play Özil, then he will be #10 with Alexis in front. If not, Alexis at #10 with Welbeck up top and Walcott on the left. I think we'd have success with Theo pinning back Lahm.

These players need to be ready to defend first and foremost and counter attack when given the opportunity. All it takes is 1 goal and we're in a ****ing great position and when you look at Bayern's defence.. you don't see a lot of pace.

 

[Silvinho's ball bag]

How do you upload a Lineup Builder team into a post here?

 

[Wryer]

I just hope to see a proper game plan. If we intend to just hold them before coming to the Emirates, then set up and defend like you mean it. Just don't go in with a half-arsed strategy to want to attack in numbers and still want to keep it tight. We don't have the players' maturity nor the in-game tactical nous from the manager to do that.

The first step to winning a UCL tie is to know our limitations.

 

[Mark Tobias]

I am feeling a win here. 1-2 to The Arsenal. And then we'll get hammered at home 0-3.

 

[vantoure]

We got ****ed badly by referees against Liverpool in the next round, hard to forget that one

Walcott is the only survivor from back then (unfortunately), he made a legendary run for that Adebayor goal though.

Ha, can't remember ref issue vs Liverpool. What happened? Need to get my anger back on .

Meanwhile, I think we may win (voted same). Or lose or draw. But that's me, I'm an incurable optimist with arsenal. Still haven't ruled us out of the league, totally.

 

[A_G]

Ha, can't remember ref issue vs Liverpool. What happened? Need to get my anger back on

In the 1st leg, Kuyt took Hleb out in the box, clear penalty not given. Pretty sure Babel dived for their penalty at Anfield as well.

 

[Kroket]

In the 1st leg, Kuyt took Hleb out in the box, clear penalty not given. Pretty sure Babel dived for their penalty at Anfield as well.

Dutch ref for that first leg as well, did good old Dirkie Kuyt a solid there.

 

[Lookin' for a new Baby]

Most of the people here who read my posts (aka nobody) will know that I think we need a new manager at the end of this season. My unwavering love for Wenger does not extend to a belief that he should be our boss forever - football evolves and we need to freshen things up.

With that said, I seem to be one of the most optimistic Gooners around when it comes to this game. It feels like the first time in a long time that we've played a match that actually matters and I think the players will perform in a way that reflects that. Bayern are a great team, of course, and their problems have been amplified. What is noticeable, though, is that they aren't putting up 4 and 5 goals on a regular basis like they were last time we played them. Obviously, this is vital for our chance of success. I hope we go there and play a rugged, defensively compact game.

I don't envy Wenger for this one. Özil, on form, hasn't been great. But with the news of Xabi Alonso being out.. that likely means Thiago drops to the #6. I want players in our attack who can finish more than create.. and therefore, I'd be looking at Lucas Perez (RW) and Welbeck (LW). If he decides to play Özil, then he will be #10 with Alexis in front. If not, Alexis at #10 with Welbeck up top and Walcott on the left. I think we'd have success with Theo pinning back Lahm.

These players need to be ready to defend first and foremost and counter attack when given the opportunity. All it takes is 1 goal and we're in a ****ing great position and when you look at Bayern's defence.. you don't see a lot of pace.

I like your post except I don't understand the bold part. I thought Watford, Chelsea and other matches in the league when we could have gone top with a win, mattered. No?

 

[CurryFlavoured]

Ha, can't remember ref issue vs Liverpool. What happened? Need to get my anger back on .

We were denied a clear pen for Hleb in the first leg and Babel got a soft penalty to basically give them the winner iirc.