(The not-so-temporary quite-official) Gooner Thread (Part 1)

Looking forward to Swansea:

             Szy

Sagna Mert  Kosc  Gibbs

      Ramsey  Flamini

Ozil     Arteta     Gnabry

         Giroud

I think wilshere will play as he was rested midweek.

But I think arteta and gnabry will probably sit out - arteta cramped up yesterday and gnabry looked absolutely knackered by the end of that 120 mins. Be great if Rosicky was available as he can do a job out wide, but I'm not sure he'll start after a lay-off. I'm still going with the Monreal/Gibbs both playing idea, so on that I'll pick;

                   Szczesny

Sagna-Mertesacker-Koscielny-Gibbs

             Flamini-Ramsey

        Ozil-Wilshere-Monreal

                     Giroud

We could play another midfielder but I feel we'll lack width completely unless we get someone out wide who likes to play on the touchline.

With the above team, we could see ramsey fill in wide-left like last season as well, with wilshere moving back to alongside flamini and ozil in the hole

Yep, wouldn't be surprised to see that paulm. We have really limited options out wide at the moment; Gnabry is knackered and Ryo is quite clearly not up to this level (imo)

I think we will be in for a right struggle at Swansea

be a good marker for  the team however

updated

Rosicky not available this weekend, and ramsey faces a late fitness test but is expected to be ok

Rosicky - possibly available for Napoli at home (Oct 1)

Cazorla - possibly available for W.B.A. away (Oct 6)

Walcott - probably available for Norwich at home (Oct 19)

Podolski - possibly available for Liverpool at home (Nov 2)

Zelalem - possibly available for Liverpool at home (Nov 2)

Oxlade-Chamberlain - possibly available for Southampton at home (Nov 23)

Diaby - available approx January/February

how unlucky have our injury clusters been

first our defence was missing

now they're all back, and the above list consists only of central midfielders or wide forwards

I think it will be this, with Gnabry the question mark having played a fair bit, but can't see what else will happen (unless Gibbs and Monreal both play).

Szczesny
Sagna
Mertesacker
Koscielny
Gibbs
Flamini
Ramsey
Ozil
Gnarby
Giroud
Wilshere

subs: Fabianski-Jenkinson-Vermaelen-Monreal-Arteta-Ryo-Bendtner

Nice little video on Giroud's movement (albeit a bit obvious if you've been watching the games). Do you guys think he's the answer? I quite like him. His finishing is great, and if he can up this season to 25-30 goals on all comps he can really be our leading striker. In saying that, I hope we bring in another striker and get rid of Bender next window - I just wouldn't be concerned if it was a striker to challenege Giroud.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24223029

Szczesny
Sagna
Mertesacker
Koscielny
Gibbs
Arteta
Flamini
Ramsey
Ozil
Giroud
Wilshere

Maybe.

We're really lacking for wide players atm

TOTL!!!

Such good results today.

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRSENAL

WBA A , Canary H , CPalace A

all possible. 

random punting moan, backed WBA to finish higher than the Chq Book Champs this season, but chickened out of this mornings game given how poor the City game was. I thought there was no way they'd lose 2 in a row. 

Napoli game is on ESPN Wed morning. Do I need to go to work?

I need to go to work if I want to watch it. Gave up sky  sport, so need to be in the BB to watch ESPN games, unless I want to rely on dodgy streams.

Well that was bloody exquisite! Stoked we got the result, especially Gnabry getting his goal. I love that both goals were absolute quality passing.

Here's to a big match against Napoli, this team must be feeling bulletproof.

great great win, pretty stoked with Gnabry's effort. Napoli will be tough but at the moment the team spirit will get us through anything. Ramsey has been motm for just about every single game this season, that's insane. Apart from liver all the other teams dropped points which is lovely :)

on a sidenote this is funny https://arsenalist.com/f/other/gif-atletico-madrid-goalie-pretends-to-be-hurt-shameful-and-hilarious.html

oh god i hate him

Haha Piers Morgan, that's funny. Taking the piss or just an idiot? 

Napoli is going to be a big test this week. Arsenal need to keep this momentum going and make the most of the home game. And Ozil needs to outshine Higuain. Guess it's another sopcast stream for me - hope I can get a good one. I've had good luck recently with great video quality, just usually happens to be in Russian!

Hard to pick the team for Napoli...

Do you break up Per and Kos? Or do you stick with them.

Give the other full backs a run?

Midfield is again tough, but surely Ozil, Giroud, and Ramsey will start.

But when will Ramsey get a rest? We've got Napoli wednesday, then WBA on Sunday, then Norwich Sunday. We're averaging 6 games a month, which is fairly hectic.

There is an international break in between the WBA game (6th Oct) and the Norwich game (19th). So for Napoli and WBA I'd hope to see best available for Napoli and probably not too many changes for WBA, they'll be up for it after their result at Old Trafford. And then hopefully we have a injury free international break and we're in business again.

I think Rosicky is available this weekend too. Cazorla after the international break.

Yeah I did have that in the back of my mind. I've probably tempted fate there!  

I think Ramsey is so fit he can go for a while longer, Giroud on the other hand seems to be like we need an insurance policy of starting someone in his place in the WBA game, Akpom or Bendtner.....

In saying that about Ramsey other than missing the goals he scores isn't a great feeling having Arteta back to give him a rest when appropriate :)

Watching Arsenal tv - everyone see that it's a celebration this month of 100 years in Norf Laandin?  Do you think we should send an extra coat/hat/scarf down the Seven Sisters?  Must be cold in the shade down there...

Or was sending them David Bentley gift enough?

Ramsey's fit as a fiddle at the moment, reckon we play him for 90 tomorrow and either rest him for WBA, or take him off early in that match. Wilshere is starting to get his mojo back a bit, he could do with a start in the middle of the pitch i reckon. With arteta back, and rosicky/cazorla imminent, the midfield stocks are coming good. 

I would probably go un-changed for napoli from the swansea game. Perhaps start Rosicky for Gnabry, but only if tomas is fit enough. Maybe look at resting Giroud, he is starting to look very tired and it seemed odd he wasn't pulled off at Swansea - perhaps Bendtner has been told he'll start this one. 

i think we go for out best starting 11 tomorrow as it was more of a must win game then WBA, the more interesting thing for me would be weather arteta fits into our best starting 11? and that's purely down to the flamster doing a cracking job so far, i never expected him to be as good as he's going. Maybe Arteta to start tomorrow and Jack on the bench and against WBA Jack to start with rambo on the bench. Once santi,theo,poli and ox are back it will make things really really interesting, Theo could get a few games as striker once he's back 

So anyone else reckon we only really need a striker now?

DMF, keeper and CB appear to have resolved themselves - with flamini being awesome, viviano being signed, and sagna being great at CB (as well as TV5's return from injury)

If we were to buy a striker in jan we'd be in pretty freakin awesome shape

Good call. Arteta is 31 and Flamini is 29. My preference would probably be to promote Coquelin to a position of higher importance in the squad (and cut frimpong loose). Coquelin's starting every week in the bundesliga at the moment and playing well by the sounds of it. 

Surely that young DMF has to be Coquellin? Same with Miquel for our young CB?

I still want one more defender Paulm. Given we've got Sagna moving into CB I think we need an experienced RB to rival Jenkinson. Having 2 solid LB's battling it out we need the same at RB.

was never clear on why Mig and Coq got loaned out this season anyway

can I postpone tomorrows work?

Bentley and Adebayor should be more than enough! Especially when they were fortunate enough to give us the league twice at their sharkhole.

First team in North London too for the record.

My starting midfield with everyone fit:

                            Flamini                      Ramsey

                                               Ozil

anyone heard from Stuart Robson lately?

Here's a pretty picture

"WWWWWDWDWWWLWWWWWWWWW"

That's our record in all competitions since that night in Munich

now that is a thing of beauty.

he was commentating on an arsenal game on PLP recently

was an unpleasant surprise

Few surprises in the line ups:

Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs; Arteta, Flamini; Rosicky, Ozil, Ramsey; Giroud

Higuain doesn't start for Napoli.

Reina; Mesto, Albiol, Britos, Zuniga; Inler, Behrami; Callejon, Hamsik, Insigne; Pandev.