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4-3-2-1: Xhaka finally axed: The Arsenal XI that should face Man City

By on March 1, 2018

mohamed elneny arsenal 2016

Arsenal desperately need a win when we welcome Manchester City to a very snowy Emirates this evening. Assuming the game still goes ahead, here is the team I would like to see Arsene Wenger select….

Goalkeeper: Cech

Ospina has started in the recent cup games but he hasn’t done enough to show me he should replace Cech full-time so I’d recall our number one this evening.

Defence: Bellerin, Koscielny, Mustafi, Kolasinac

There are understandable calls for Mustafi to be dropped after his schoolboy error against City last weekend but the problem is – who could replace him and do a better job?!

Mertesacker is on the verge of retirement and Chambers/Holding have failed to prove they are ready to command a first team place yet so I think we have little choice other than to stick with Mustafi alongside Koscielny.

I don’t think the back three worked on Sunday and we have to win this game if we’re to stand any chance of getting back in the hunt for the top four so I’d switch to a back four tonight.

Bellerin will obviously keep his place at right-back but Kolasinac is set for a recall on the left as Monreal has been ruled out with a back injury.

Midfield: Elneny, Wilshere, Ramsey

Xhaka needs to be dropped as we can’t continue to carry him any longer. He’s not a defensive midfielder, he’s not a box-to-box, he’s not creative, he’s not an attacking midfielder….so what exactly does he do other than play simple passes sideways?!

We look totally unbalanced when Xhaka is playing, particularly against the better teams, so I’d bring Elneny in and tell him to sit in front of the defence and he can even drop back to make a three/five if needed.

I’d then go with Ramsey and Wilshere ahead of Elneny. It’s important that Aaron and Jack strike an understanding that only one can bomb forward to join the attack and the other needs to sit and help out Elneny defensively, otherwise the midfield will be over-exposed.

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Attack: Ozil, Mkhitaryan, Aubameyang

Mkhitaryan is back in contention after being cup-tied at the weekend and hopefully he’ll be looking to impress as it’s been a mixed start to his career at the Emirates following his move in January.

Like all of his team mates, Ozil wasn’t at his best on Sunday and we need our German playmaker to step-up and put-in a top class display if we’re to get anything from City tonight.

Aubameyang had a frustrating game at the weekend as I though he just wasn’t given any decent service with the midfielders wasting several opportunities to use his pace to get behind the City team. Hopefully we have more joy this evening.

Lacazette is still out injured so Welbeck will be our back-up striker on the bench while Iwobi will also be another option in attack.

This is the team I hope we see:

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