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PREVIEW: Gala v Arsenal: Team News, Line-Up & Prediction

By on December 9, 2014

Mathieu Debuchy

Arsenal are in Istanbul preparing for tonight’s final Champions League group game against Galatasaray.

A 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund two weeks ago booked our place in the knockout stages of the competition but we still have a slim chance of progressing as group winners.

Dortmund are currently two points clear but as they boast a far superior goal difference, we’re going to need to beat Gala and hope Anderlecht win in Germany to secure top spot.

That scenario is highly unlikely to happen, so Arsene Wenger has rightly decided to rest some key players for tonight’s game.

I totally agree some of the boys need a breather but the problem is, another defeat tonight and it just increases the pressure on the bosses shoulders, so let’s pray we can come away with at least a point.

We were terrible during the first half on Saturday but Galatasaray were extremely poor when we thrashed them at the Emirates, so we could still get something from the game, even if this is a difficult place to visit.

Team News

Wenger took the unusual step of naming his starting eleven for the game at his press conference yesterday.

The good news is that Debuchy returns after a three month lay-off so Bellerin will revert to left-back.

Podolski, Campbell and Sanogo will all start in attack while Szczesny will come back in between the sticks.

Koscielny, Cazorla, Sanchez, Welbeck and Gibbs have all been left back in North London so join the likes of Walcott, Wilshere, Monreal, Ozil, Rosicky, Arteta and Diaby in missing the game – with those players all still injured.

With so many of the first team unavailable, Arsene has called upon our youngsters with Chuba Akpom, Gedion Zelalem, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Stefan O’Connor, Alex Iwobi and Glen Kamara all named on the bench.

Line-Up

This is the starting eleven Arsene confirmed yesterday:

Prediction

It’s difficult to know how this new-look side will gel tonight. The defence is bolstered by the return of Debuchy but Chambers and Per are going to have to up their game if we’re to keep them out, as they were dreadful at the weekend. Unfortunately I do see the home side scoring at least once, but hopefully we can nick one at the other end too. I’m going for a score draw.

Galatasaray 1-1 Arsenal   COYG!