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Arsene Wenger has confirmed that Per Mertesacker is back in Arsenal’s squad for tomorrow’s game with Bayern Munich but it’s not yet clear who will partner him in the centre of defence after it was confirmed that Laurent Koscielny sat out today’s training session.
The German and Frenchman had been expected to partner each other in the middle with Thomas Vermaelen moving to left-back due to the absence of the injured Kieran Gibbs and cup-tied Nacho Monreal.
Having admitted he is ‘uncertain’ as to whether Koscielny will participate the boss now needs a contingency plan to counter Bayern wingers Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery.
Given the scarcity of options young Spaniard Ignasi Miquel looks the most natural candidate to take over at left-back although Wenger could be tempted to utilise Sagna on the opposite flank and hand a start to Carl Jenkinson on the right, despite the latter’s rusty showing against Sunderland.
Who knows, he could even go 2006 crazy and start deploying a midfielder at left-back just like he did with Mathieu Flamini when Gael Clichy and Ashley Cole were sidelined on the road to Paris.
It’s got to be said that at this stage none of the options looks particularly satisfactory, so it’s fair to say the boss will be hoping Koscielny makes a swift recovery in the next 24 hours.
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I have doubts about all our defenders
I’m I wrong for feeling cautiously confident about coquelin at lb?
He actually did a terrific job there when we had the full-back crisis last season.
Oh dear, as if the loss to the cunts wasn’t enough.
Am I the only person excited about tomorrow’s game? I keep reading negativity everywhere. We’re playing in the last 16 of the Champions League, everyone thinks we’ll lose, our backs are against the wall, one of the biggest and most historic teams in football will be our guests. Come on!!!
Aye COYG!
mate i’m really excited. been talking to my mates about the barcelona 2-1 win at the emirates and got a good feeling. Excuse the cliche but you just look to the next game.
that said, what a useless performance on sunday, All will be forgiven if we get at this bayern team and do ourselves proud
C’mon Arshavin, stick the ball in the back of the net like you did against Barcelone in 2011!
Oh wait… the bloke’s gained two stone and hasn’t played since October…
Not as useless as the performance on Saturday though
Exactly. Regardless of what you think of our chances, I expect fellow Gooners to let the Emirates roar. Show that the Highbury spirit lives on. Even considering the (insert superlative) circumstances of Arsenal being Arsenal. It’s the least what you can do as proper supporter.
Being abroad limits my support but I sure won’t act like the bandwagon so called supporters.
I like your optimism but its ill placed!
I just hope we get Top 4.
I would go with Bac-Mert-Verm-Coq, but thats just me eh.
If Kos aint that is.
aint fit***
Verm would be out of my team if Kos is fit.
I would do away with mert. For all his glory, he has cost us some silly goals in the past. Weak tackle, once beaten for pace, forget it…..goal!. Slate me all you want but verm-mert is the best we can do at arse. Summer addition of hummels would be nice too!
Pick me please
Here’s 60 grand, now please do not go anywhere NEAR the Ermirates again this week.
My excitement is changing into fear.
Fear of total annihilation and humiliation, hope that wilshere cazorla and podolski turn it on tomorrow
Thomas Muller plays on the right for Bayern. He’s been great this season, one of the best Bundesliga players by all accounts.
Robben is on the bench, and may he long stay there.
Hopefully next season we will have have signed a top top centre back to play alongside Per. Verm and Kos aint good enough. We’ll win tomorrow though
Kos has been poor all season and our best performances have been with TV and Per, so that’s a positive for me. The question of the left back position is obvious – stick Sagna there. The real question is the RB – Jenkinson or Coqeulin?
Considering that Sagna played like Martin Keown ON STEROIDS when played out-of-position against Sunderland, I’m all for playing Sagna out-of-position again: this time at Leftback versus Bayern.
Jenks can play Rightback. That’s his position not Le Coq’s. For all his effort on Saturday vs. Blackburn, Le Coq looks like a young bloke more interested in making an good impression & NOT fucking-up, rather than being genuinely interested in helping the team winning the fooking match at all costs.
Kos has been poor all season
biggest myth ever
makeshift LB up against Thomas Mueller, with Robben to come off the bench if needed. Help.
Let’s hope they are appallingly arrogant and complacent and think they just have to turn up to win. A Bayern version of us on saturday would do nicely.
Verm not bad lb not going to be lo SDt up field
Gervinho at LB.. At least that’ll result in a lot of Row Z clearances..
Hahahaha! That made my day!
Sagna to CB, Coquers to RB?
Sagna Left, Jenks right for me.
Yes Carl’s a bit raw, but he’s going to need to start stepping up at some stage. Far too big a game for Miquel to make his first start of the season in.
Vermaelen looks like he’s about to nut Arsene, either that or he’s taken one too many pills…
i say play wenger at LB tell him to imagine the ball is a water bottle
Or he’s zip
It’s a big decision for Wenger…..do we lose 3-0 or 4-0? It all depends on which back four he chooses.
Ideal would be Vermaelen/Sagna at LB, but knowing Wenger, it would be RAMSEY fo shiz.
I’d pick Miquel at c/h it’s a massive game that just might make him a star. Big Per is going to have to be awesome though.
How about verm-mert-bac-jenk?
please, let this be a Wenger mind game,
Too big of a game for Jenks or Miquel in my opinion.
If Kos is out, Sagna switches to the left and why not throw in Ramsey at RB? He looked better there than he had in midfield against Sunderland.
Ramsey can be our Flamini of Champions League past. God knows he’s got a similar engine to Flamster.
Tie for big bad Bayern to fall!
TIME FOR BIG BAD BAYERN TO FALL!