Stoke at home should be a comfortable 3 points and hopefully we build on the last couple of wins with a clean sheet and another fluid attacking performance.  

If he's fit I'd put Bellerin right back in to sharpen him up for the next two games. The only other questions are do Perez and Gibbs keep their place after impressing and does Coq come back in?

I thought Aaron and Xhaka got better as the game wore on and given we're at home it's tempting to be a little more bold, but I'd stick with Coq and Xhaka with the next two games in mind to help them form an understanding. 

I'd also give Theo one last chance to impress. Maybe seeing Perez score a hattrick will refocus the mind. I'd stick with Nacho for now too, as he was pretty good himself at the weekend. 

With that in mind, I'd stick with the West Ham team with Hector coming in.  

Wenger is rotating well this season. He is keeping the players fresh and minimizing the chances of injury. Alexis and Ozil can't be afforded much rest but then at most big clubs the best players play a lot of games.

I read today we are unbeaten away from home for 9 months now. I don't think this team has imposed itself at home yet though. We need the Emirates to be far more intimidating. A title winning team needs its home performances to be better than we have shown. Let's start against Stoke, tonk them by a few.

Stoke have a pretty shifty forward line these days with Shaqiri...think that warrants bringing in Coquelin, and then letting Xhaka dictate from deep alongside him.

Ramsey can continue to be eased in via sub minutes and the occasional start.

I'd go with this team:

Cech - Gabriel - Mustafi - Koscielny - Monreal - Ramsey - Xhaka - Walcott - Özil - Camberlain - Sanchez

I'd sub on Lucas and Coquelin/Elneny in the second half, maybe give Iwobi or Gibbs a few minutes too. Think the latter one in particular deserves it after the Basel game.

Something like that. Maybe Coq in for Ramsey.

Would be strange to put Perez back on the bench after his hat trick. Especially with Theo in poor form.

Segway wrote:

Would be strange to put Perez back on the bench after his hat trick.

I think it's too soon for him. He just returned from injury and played the full 90 yesterday. He looked like he was running on fumes towards the end. There's no way he can start twice in four days.

If Ramsey is fit, I would like to see him start again with Xhaka. I think we can start that combination at home. Coquelin can start the next two away from home at Goodison and the Etihad.

I'd have Perez, Ramsey, and Giroud on the bench. Keep the competition real in midfield, don't think we should be playing anyone into form at this stage, too risky and is it really worth it? Coquelin/Xhaka seem like first choices to me, with Ramsey and Elneny both vying for the Coquelin role whilst having utility across the pitch. Xhaka is still not hugely convincing, but his forward mid-long range passing is world class, and honestly it completely transforms our game.

MistaT wrote:

Stoke have a pretty shifty forward line these days with Shaqiri...

Their front line is rubbish, they don't score much at all.

Rohit wrote:

If Ramsey is fit, I would like to see him start again with Xhaka. I think we can start that combination at home. Coquelin can start the next two away from home at Goodison and the Etihad.

Home game against a midtable side who'll sit pretty deep so I'd go with Ramsey too.

Klaus wrote:
Segway wrote:

Would be strange to put Perez back on the bench after his hat trick.

I think it's too soon for him. He just returned from injury and played the full 90 yesterday. He looked like he was running on fumes towards the end. There's no way he can start twice in four days.

Agree there. Will be great having him and Giroud as options from the bench though.

Their away form's been better than their home form, this could be a tough watch.
Hope we avoid getting stuck in a draw as they've drawn quite a few - definitely a team against whom it is important to score first and early.

Klaus wrote:
Segway wrote:

Would be strange to put Perez back on the bench after his hat trick.

I think it's too soon for him. He just returned from injury and played the full 90 yesterday. He looked like he was running on fumes towards the end. There's no way he can start twice in four days.

Good point. It depends on Perez' fitness of course.

Ramsey signaling he wanted to get subbed off against Basel makes me suspect he at least won't start this one. This worries me! We could desperately need Ramsey to find some good form rather than another period out with injury.

Forget Ramsey, Coquelin or any other player.
Gabriel at RB is the most important decision.
The man does not cross the halfway line but can defend his position.
I like Jenks as a person but you are not a RB if you cannot defend.

Other than the obvious changes to the back line, I'd love too see the same team that played yesterday.

Cech

Gabby Musti Kos Gibbo 

Ramsey Xhaka

Perez Özil Chambo

Sánchez 

Segway wrote:

Would be strange to put Perez back on the bench after his hat trick. Especially with Theo in poor form.

I think I might still be a bit biased as I wasn't really convinced by him as our attacking signing but I don't think it would be strange at all. Even with his hattrick (and fair play to him for scoring one) I think his link up play and combination with others was and still is far from great and considering our leage form and all, I wouldn't change the team from the one that won the West Ham game. Wenger doesn't do it too anyway.

Cech - Gabriel - Mustafi - Koscielny - Monreal - Coquelin - Xhaka - Walcott - Özil - Camberlain - Sanchez

A safe bet.