How Arsenal Should Line-Up This Season With Our New Signings

The transfer window has officially closed, and I don’t think any Arsenal fan will be sad to see the back of it.

For the most part, it has been an extremely frustrating summer and we all know who we’ve been linked with and who we failed to sign. But in the end, like it or not, we have signed Yaya Sanogo, Mathieu Flamini, Emiliano Viviano and Mesut Ozil.

And with the new signings completed, how should be line up this season?

Here is my suggestion for our first choice starting eleven in this campaign:

new-signings

In goal, I’ve obviously gone with Szczesny. After the Aston Villa game, his form has been outstanding and if we’re going to slate him for the opening day of the season then he deserves all the credit for improving his performances and getting his act together. I haven’t seem much of Viviano but having him and Fabianksi waiting in the wings can only help Szczesny and provide more competition for places.

At right back, I have somewhat controversially gone for Carl Jenkinson. The reasons are two fold. Firstly, I just believe he is ready to make the step up. Every time I’ve seen him play he looks confident, assured and completely unphased. Many people forget that when Sagna was injured at the start of last season, for me anyway, Jenkinson was one of our best players. He’s looked solid whenever he’s played this season and can only get better. Also, his crossing and range of passing is better than Sagna’s. And the second reason is that Sagna is leaving at the end of the season so we can just use him as cover for the right-back position and in the centre and concentrate of building for the future with Carl.

The rest of the defence picks itself. Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker are our strongest defensive pairing and Thomas Vermaelen is good enough cover. At left back we are particularly strong, with Gibbs our first choice, Spanish international Monreal as cover and even Vermaelen can even fill in if required.

In midfield we have a quite the conundrum. For the there midfield spots, we have Mikel Arteta, Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey, Santi Cazorla, Mathieu Flamini and Abou Diaby. Jack and Diaby struggle to complete a full season so I’ve gone for Arteta in the “defensive” role, alongside Aaron Ramsey who has been excellent for the last season and a half. Then we have to put Santi Cazorla in there as he is the creative hub of the team.

In attack, our options have been boosted with the arrival of German international and Arsenal saviour Mesut Ozil. We also have Theo Walcott, Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud as our attacking options, as well as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who can play wide or in midfield. Personally, I’ve gone with Ozil and Theo supporting Olivier Giroud. Theo’s pace and improved crossing mixed with Ozil’s creativity, guile and eye for a final pass should mean Giroud isn’t short of goalscoring opportunities. Also, with Ozil’s arrival we should see less of a reliance on long balls to the target man and more passing on the ground, meaning Podolski could thrive down the middle as well if required. Obviously Podolski can play out wide as well with his pace, but for me Giroud is the man who is bang in form.

So there you have it. We basically have sufficient cover in all areas of the pitch (helped by playing one or two players in different positions like Sagna and Vermaelen) and with a fully fit squad Arsene has a few selection dilemmas. The only area I am slightly uncomfortable about is the main striker role. If Giroud gets injured then Podolski is our only recongnised centre forward, and we know he’s already out for the next 10 weeks. If the big Frenchman gets injured now (God forbid) then we are really up shits creek without a paddle.

 

40 thoughts on “How Arsenal Should Line-Up This Season With Our New Signings

  1. Mate, Ozil is the best No. 10 in the World, period. That’s where Wenger and any sane person would play him. Cazorla never played the role before he got to Arsenal he was always played on the wings. They’re both super intelligent players so I’m sure we’ll see plenty of interchanging and incredible link up play as well as end product. Ozil is like a magnet to the ball, he just has an ability to find space, receive the ball, turn and do unbelievable amounts of damage. Excited barely covers it 🙂

     
    • Peter Tosh obviously your not taticaly aware. Wilshere Ramsey and Cazorla sounds very nice but where is the defensive cover. Look what happened against Villa, Wilshere and Ramsey were shocking in-terms of their defensive cover and shape. Arteta or Flamini will offer defensive responsibility and shape, to the Arsenal midfield. Ramsey,Wilshere and Rosicky , should be rotated around the likes of Cazorla and Ozil. Arsenal could even afford to rest Cazorla and Ozil at times and start with Wilshere and Ramsey infront of Flamini or Arteta.

       
  2. Much as I want to go with this line-up, I do not agree that Jenkinson should be picked before Sagna. His performance against Totenham is mixed. He was easily turned over by the left flank of Totenham in the early minutes of the derby and could have resulted in disaster. He is progressing and should still learn his trade under Sagna. I would still want Arsenal to get one each of extra striker and defender in January 2014 to make assurances double.

     
  3. Also worth mentioning that I think Flamini should get his chance, he’s the only natural leader and warrior in the whole group. His aggressive in your face attitude, energy, work rate and organisation and motivational skills are so important for a group that is still a bit “nice”. When he was last here in 2008 I though he was the real Captain of the team and the heartbeat of midfield allowing Fabregas and Hleb the ability to focus on pretty, attacking football, thankfully it looks like 5 years away hasn’t changed him, if anything he’s more experienced and wily

     
  4. Ramsey will play in holding mid role and Wilshere will play where you have Ramsey.
    Arteta will be used but mainly off the bench as will be Verm’s and Ryo myiachi and The Ox.. and Jenkinson and when Podolski comes bk the will be coming off the bench alot aswell.
    Cover is there now with Ramsey finding his position and form and with Arteta as cover not bad at all !!
    Looking at the team now and before it wasn’t bad at all …….
    One thing maybe surprised me was that we didn’t get a striker but we have Giourd just hope the man can play all season long on his own !! hard to do but possible !!
    I think January Window will bring a Striker and i wouldn’t be surprised if we opened the wallet wide again then… 🙂 Lets see shall we !!
    In Wenger we trust !!

     
  5. if i were as to line-up my team, i we propabley in goal, cszeny jenk, per, kosiceny, Gibs, arteta, flamini rosicky, ozil, cazorla giroud

     
  6. i would put sagna for jenks anf defo have flamani in that line up hes a give th
    e side a bit of aggresion bout it and hard tackles he was smashin the the yido scum all over the feild when he come, come on you gunners !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

     
  7. and giroud will be top goal scorer this year he scored 14 last year and it was hes first year 20 + trust excited , ozil wat a signin!

     
  8. I think the best possible arsenal line-up is;

    Sczcesny

    Gibbs Koscienly Merstacker Sagna

    Wilshere Ramsey/Flamini/Arteta

    Ozil

    Cazorla Walcott

    Giroud

     
  9. I Prefer;keeper:szce sagn,per m,koscie,gibbs,arteta,rosick,ozil,carzola,walcott,giroud. Bench;keepersfabian,vivaino, jekinson,monreal,vermael,ramsey,wilshere,flamini,chamberlain,podolski,sanogo…

     
  10. My dear Gunners, any compos mentis homo sapiens would play Ozil in midfield as a result of his profound creativity, while you allow Cazorla the chance to manipulate things linking from the wing to midfield. I really think Flamini should be our pillar deep in midfield, while Arteta plays the 10 he is a master at.
    Undoubtedly, Walcolt’s pace cannot be overemphasized and Giroud is turning into a delight.
    However, Wilshere, Ramsry and Rosicky should be the best midfield substitue in EPL.
    Flamini Arteta Ozil Walcolt Cazorla Giroud Am loving Arsenal till market and noise part ways. Gunner all the way!

     
  11. I would rather go for a 4-2-3-1 formation which includes: Szczesny; Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs; Flamini, Ramsey; Cazorla, Ozil, Walcott; Giroud… We should be a team to be if everybody remains fit. #COYG!!!

     
  12. I agree with the last response. Ozil would have more influence in the middle of the pitch. However, it would work perfectly if Cazorla and Ozil could have an understanding to rotate from time to time, confusing defences and creating more chances.

     
  13. We actually have more depth in the squad than it first appears. I’d like to have seen another signing or 2, but when you consider how many players can play 2 or more positions well, we are not to bad off.

    Starting at the back, Sagna is a right back, but he has looked OK in the center. Verm is a good backup CB, but can play on the left (perhaps Verm will even win his starting position back). Then you have Arteta who isn’t even supposed to be a defensive midfielder but has done to job so well. He can rotate in for Cazorla, Ozil, Wilshire in a more attacking role now that Flamini provides cover in the defensive midfield department. Meanwhile Cazorla has proven he can play in the middle, but before Arsenal played on the wings. Ozil should stay at number 10, but he is obviously versatile enough to play out wide as well. Rosicky can also play through the middle, or out to the side. Podolski and Walcott can both play on the wings or as striker if need be.

    Again, it would have been ideal to bring in a couple more players, but overall we have a very good team with quality to rest and rotate in every position.

     
  14. ozil will be in the middle and cazola on the wing.they would interchange.sagna is still a world class rb.i think he would be first choice.wenger bought ozil to play behind the strikers.he will be the tactician.he will be the guy who penetrates and distribute.he partership of him and cazola will wreck havoc.walcott will benefit,because his diagonal runs behind the LB and CB will be goal opportunities.

     
  15. bender is coming back.he would be an option also.lets face it .the guy has good technique,size and he can head the ball.i saw him score 2 goals in CL play.just got yo get his head right.

     
  16. You have all had the wool pulled over your eyes yet again by wenger. Out of the so called 100 mil he had to spend,wenger spent40 mil of it. He has spent 40 mil in a window before but not just on 1 player. Don’t get me wrong i am glad to finally see him break the bank for 1 player its about time. But he still did not invest the full amount of money he had at his disposal. Ozil is a very good player and Im glad we got him. But a striker is needed and a defender. Wen we had adebayor fabregas nasri and rvp did we win the league or any trophies to that matter. No we didn’t and the fact that he spent 40 mil on 1 player doesn’t make us title contenders with only 1 striker and a week back 4 with no cover. So in my opinion we have been cheated again

     
  17. falco,cavani,all the world class talent went to other leagues.wenger did the prema favour in bringing a worjd class talent to the prem.the january window is not far away.we can go back for a striker.we are a better team now.

     
  18. If I am not wrong Ozil is right foot and I think Carzola is better be in left Ozil in the middle he is fast and strong then can help our defense also.

     

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