FC Zurich vs Arsenal | Thu, 17:45: Page 2 - The Arsenal discussion community: One More in the Tolly

FC Zurich vs Arsenal | Thu, 17:45

HomeSteak

Shady wrote:
Claudius wrote:
Rumour is Mikel wants to go quite strong. Probably to keep the team focused, especially after the United loss. So expect something like the team Goon put up. Maybe with White in place of Gabriel because I believe Gabriel, like Xhaka, has played every minute of this season.

Maybe Mikel should find other strategies in his management toolkit to keep the team focused, rather than risking key players in a B-level competition, which we should be able to qualify from with our squad options.

I agree. The EL will fuck us up in the league, thats a fact, it happens to every team. Play as few guys from the first 11 as possible.

Turner

Tomiyasu - Holding - White - Tierney

Ode - Lokonga - Vieira

Marquinhos - Eddie - No idea.

Claudius

I don’t buy this. You still have 3 or 4 days between European and domestic ties no matter which competition you play. The issue is less likely around European scheduling and more around the depth and quality of teams that usually find themselves in a Europa spot. They usually won’t have enough to compete on both fronts.

banduan

We should go in strong for this, because next month is gonna be hell and we need to be able to rest players then not now.

Burnwinter

Shady wrote:
Maybe Mikel should find other strategies in his management toolkit to keep the team focused, rather than risking key players in a B-level competition, which we should be able to qualify from with our squad options.

What I really want is to hear that our rotation of players is based on careful anticipation of our needs plus actually modelling and measuring their physical condition.

If we can say with confidence that a player without consequential injury or pain issues should be able to play at full tilt against both Zürich and Brentford, I'm fine with it … I just want us to be basing decisions on something more than Arteta thinking "be really nice to get a win because I didn't like losing at United after we were a bit tactically naïve and I made those ill-advised substitutions" …

Seems there's a creeping element in the gaffer's management where he protects his own feelings at the expense of the players—preferring not to rotate and risk a poor result, not to question his tactical approach, not to deal with difficult player relationships. It's not definitive and it complements lots of positives like consistency, optimism and stability, but it persists.

Claudius

This is what I would go with

Martinelli - Nketiah - Marquinhos
------- Xhaka ----- Vieira ------
------------ Lokonga ------------
Tierney - Holding -- white - Tomi
------------ Turner -------------

No need to play Zinchenko and Odegaard given recent injury. Bring on Saka, Jesus, and the kids as needed.

Qwiss

I think I'd go the same but maybe with Cedric and Ramsdale in for Tomi and Turner. Don't feel we need to give a keeper on Turners level European games. Ramsdales never played in Europe so let him get a feel for it. With Tomi I'd rather just give him half an hour and then start him at the weekend.

HomeSteak

Cedric is out injured.

Qwiss

Then just Turner I suppose.

Burnwinter

Vieira and Nketiah getting a start should galvanise both players.

KingslandBarge

Quite irritated the likes of Smith-Rowe, Elneny, Cedric and Nelson are not available when this is the circumstance when they are meant to come in particularly handy.

JazzG

Need to bounce back strong today, the Utd game was a setback but we showed a lot of positive football that game and need to focus on that.

Burnwinter

Actually feel like the pressure is off. No one's going to claim Zürich will measure our quality no matter the result, and the result won't decide our European campaign, which isn't all important anyway.

Not saying we shouldn't run out to win it though.

Bring Back Kerrea Gilbert

KingslandBarge wrote:
Quite irritated the likes of Smith-Rowe, Elneny, Cedric and Nelson are not available when this is the circumstance when they are meant to come in particularly handy.

ESR and Nelson are fucking useless. Cannot be counted on.

Burnwinter

Time to beat down the Swiss for Queen Liz by the sound of it …

Clrnc

Turner, Tomiyasu, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney, Xhaka, Lokonga, Vieira, Marquinhos, Nketiah, Martinelli.

Good team, good rotation and still strong. I like it.

As expected, without depth in CM Lokonga and Xhaka will have to play every match. Martinelli have to play more too without winger back up

KingslandBarge

Had Zinchenko in for Martinelli, would have liked that gamble but otherwise expected. I want to see method and cohesion in that midfield or we'll inevitably play down to their level or worse

Claudius

Clrnc wrote:
Turner, Tomiyasu, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney, Xhaka, Lokonga, Vieira, Marquinhos, Nketiah, Martinelli.

Good team, good rotation and still strong. I like it.

As expected, without depth in CM Lokonga and Xhaka will have to play every match. Martinelli have to play more too without winger back up

Shiiiiiit. I was off by one. Arteta and I are on the same wavelength. I must be a genius.

KingslandBarge

sounding like a cult member in too deep 🙂

Qwiss

Excited to see Marquinhos and Vieira.

Clrnc

Turner is nervy as hell

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