Nov 23
Team Predictions: Arsenal v Standard Liege
Arsenal have gained one player since the defeat to Sunderland on Saturday — Kieran Gibbs.
The England Under-21 star was rumoured to have sustained a broken metatarsal during the international with Lithuania.
However, Gibbs was diagnoised as only having heavy bruising to his foot, meaning he can return to the line-up for tomorrow’s penultimate Champions League group stage match against Standard Liege.
“We have the same players available plus Kieran Gibbs is back in the squad,” confirmed Wenger.
“It is a surprise [he’s back], especially if you compare that with the first phone call I got that looked like he had a broken metatarsal. So it has been quite quick but it was just bruising.”
Wenger revealed that the Gunners’ will continue to miss the height of Nicklas Bendtner and Abou Diaby, while Robin van Persie is also a long way off a return. Goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski is set to play in the Reserves on Wednesday.
Gooner Talk’s Predicted XI
Almunia
Sagna – Gallas – Vermaelen – Gibbs
Fabregas – Song – Denilson
Walcott – Eduardo – Vela
Leave your score and team predictions in the comments section below and enjoy the game tomorrow evening!
A free, live match stream will be available on FootballStreams at kick-off.
how come you don’t have arshavin starting? I think the front 3 will consist of rosicky – eduardo – arshavin
I think Arshavin will be rested. Vela should be given a start ahead of Rosicky, as he’s unlikely to be involved against Chelsea.
I think sagna will be rested too and maybe gallas.
Mine would probably be:
Aluminium
Eboue Gallas Vermaelen Gibbs
Fabregas Song Nasri
Rosicky Eduardo Arshavin
if you play your fist team against liege, then no one will be fit for a must win Chelsea match on sunday, and they already look tired. Also non of them deserve to play after their lazy performance on saturday
And learn how to spell Almunia
my prediction is
Almunia
Eboue,Senderos,silvestre,Gibbs
Fabregas,Song,Denilson
Walcott,Eduardo,Vella
Score Arsenal 4-0 Liege(Eduardo,Fabregas,Walcott,Denilson
With Arsenal only needing a draw to advance, I’d imagine Le Boss will rotate quite a bit for Standard Liege. Wouldn’t be surprised if he went with something like the following:
Almunia
Eboue,Senderos,Silvestre,Traore
Denilson,Ramsey,Nasri
Walcott,Eduardo,Vela
The Arshavin problem is a groin injury, but I hope this starting XI:
Almunia
Sagna – Gallas – Vermaelen – Gibbs
Fabregas – Song – Nasri
Arshavin – Eduardo – Rosicky
Score: 2-0 (Fabregas & Eduardo)
Subs: Walcott & Ramsey
I agree with Gary, Arsenal only need a point so I want be surprise if the squad look like that, my prediction.
Almunia
Sanga,Gallas,Sivestre,Kibbs.
Ramsey,Senderos,Denilson
Walcott,Vela,Rosicky
Senderos might be questionalbe were I have put him but with Song gong to ANC
it might not be a bad idea to see how he holds out there.
agree, however me thinks eduardo will start ahead of either vela or rosicky…
AW and Arsenal need eduardo to regain his goalscoring touch if we are going 2 beat the chavs, so i think vela will be played on one of the wings
think it would be wise to rest gallas as he seemed to take a knock against Sunderland, so i’m going 4 senderos or silvestre in for gallas..
my XI would be:
Almunia
Eboue – sendy/silvestre – vermaelen – gibbs
nasri – cesc – denilson (if he’s fit)
walcott – eduardo – vela
Gained “won” player?
Changed, thanks.
Eboue will start. He is fairly vital to our play at home in the Champions League
why not let players like cesc, gallas, song rest for a while? we don’t really need the magainst a bad side like standard liege.
these players have played 2 games week in week out for a while now and need to rest or they will get tired during the latter stages (like 2 years ago). Also, let’s give them a bit of rest so they can come out fresh against chelsea
I dont think Dudu will be risked for a one-point-required game. I also think Arshavin, Gallas, Vermaelen, Sagna, Cesc and Song will get their much deserved rest. If we claim we have a good side with good depth, then Arsene shouldn’t be afraid of unleashing our second 11, albeit with Rosicky and Nasri to provide some cutting edge. The big guns may seat on the bench, and it’s at Emirates for bloody sake
Almunia
Eboue Senderos Silvestre Gibbs
Denilson Ramsey Nasri
Walcott Vela Rosicky
Bench: Wilshere, Fabregas, Eduardo, Vermaelen, Sagna, Song, Mannone
We better be resting players because Chelski will rest all their 11 starting at the weekend.
Totally agree.
I don’t think aw will change it to much cos what cud happen is that wen it comes to the Chelsea game arsenal players cud of list there edge, plus with the players missing we need games to gel this new team together differently the front three anyway. So this is the team I personally put out
Almunia
eboue-gallas-vermaelen-Gibbs
song-fab-denilson
walcott-arshavin-rosicky
eduardo worries me, he hasnt looked half the player since his injury, and i am allowing for his long lay off. he has lost pace for sure
almunia
Eboue – Gallas – Vermaelen – Traore
Fabregas – Song – Gibbs
Arshavin – Vela – Nasri
why can’t gibbs play in the hole?? he’s played there for england and i fancy Wenger to go with him in the centre with song and cesc. unsure on the front three though, vela will be there but wenger only knows who else!
I’ve got a feeling we might see one of the reserve players against Liege. My guess would be Eastmond or Merida, or maybe even both. I think Gallas might get a rest ahead of the Chelsea game aswell.
Almunia
Eboue Senderos Vermaelen Gibbs
Fabregas Eastmond Denilson
Walcott Eduardo Merida/Vela
At the moment we have a mixture of players needing a rest ie Gallas,Sagna,Arshavine all due to Internationals, others need match practice i e Nasri,Rosicky,Walcott, Vela and Denilson due to long term injuries and others who should not be risked unless absolutely necessary ie Fabregas and Vermaelen. The team would then be Almunia,Eboue,Sanderos, Silvestra,Traore,Nasri,Denilson,Rosicky, Walcott,Vela,Eduardo
Play a strong team to win, so that the players go into the Chelsea game with some confidence (they have five days to recover), guarantee top spot in the group and sent the Carling Cup team to Greece for the final game so that the regulars do not have a tiring midweek journey to make.
I think Arsene will go for his strongest possible XI in the first half bar SOng as there is a risk he may pick up a yellow card and be suspended for the match vs Chelsea. However I dont really want Arsene to play his strongest team, as due the huge amounts of playing time (already) some of our players have conjured ups has been immense. I’d definitely rest Sagna and Gallas due to their epic amount of playing time mid week last week. This would be my team:
——-Fabianski———-
Eboue–Senderos–Verma—Gibbs (if fit enough)
Rosicky–Ramsey—Denilson
Nasri—-Vela—-Eduardo
That team, especially at the Emirates- is more than capable fo giving Standard a good hiding, so long as we get our defensive duties sorted out. We definitely need to give Eduardo some time, as his form this season has been considerable below par and he needs some goals to his name. If we have a considerable lead i suspect Wilshere and Merida will come on. Also i’d liek to see Watt get his debut in the champions league.
Should be a good game I am going tomorrow aswell. Don’t know why just see someone like Wilshere or Merida starting.
Almunia
Eboue Gallas Vermaelen Gibbs
Song Fabregas Nasri
Wilshere Eduardo Vela
i think our line up wud b
almunia
sagna gallas silvester gibbs
denilson fabregas nasri
walcott vela rosicky
I don’t think Wenger will go with either a completely first-choice nor completely second choice starting 11. I think he will rest the players that played World Cup playoffs last week and give a shot to some of those coming back from injury. Also, he certainly won’t change his CB pairing of Gallas and TV5, as those are the most important players, considering that their backups haven’t played a single first-team match this season (excluding Carling Cup). I think Wenger will have learned that finishing 2nd in the Group Phase by getting too willing to give fringe players playing time at the tail-end of the phase in years past. Thus, my guess is:
Almunia
Eboue-Gallas-Vermaelen-Gibbs
Fabregas-Denilson-Ramsey
Nasri-Eduardo-Vela
—————-almunia——–
–eboe—senderos—-vermaelen—gibbs–
—————–song———–
———fabregas—-denilson—-
—rosicky——————nasri–
—————arshavin——-
bench:vela,eduardo,ramsey,walcott,merida,silvestre,sagna.
a
————-Almunia—————
-Eboue—-Gallas—Verminator—Gibbs
—Fabregas—-Song—-Denilson—–
—Wallcott—–Arshavin—-Eduardo—
At 1/2 time, vela should be put on for eduardo
James H, if Song picks up a yellow card in the Champions League, it will have no impact on him playing against Chelsea in the Premier League. Cards obtained in the Champions League have nothing to do with the Premier League and vice versa. Nevertheless my predicted line up:
———Almunia———–
Eboue–Senderos–Vermaelen–Gibbs
–Fabregas—Denilson–Nasri–
Walcott—-Eduardo—Vela
I think Gallas and Sagna will definitely be rested. We should win this game with a clean sheet 3-0. Gunners4life!
James H, Yellow/red cards in champions league matches are not carried over to the PL. So it doesn’t matter if Song gets one – won’t stop him from playing against the chavs.
Aw shud blend youth nd experience @ 1st half then sub the pros at halftime if scores r convincin
i think we can replace v.perse but i don’t think we can replace the best defender in the world now.VERMALEN. i think he should rested 4 blues.
does anybody know any live streams for this match??pleaseee
My team would be:
Almunia
Eboue Senderos Verminator Gibbs
Ramsey Song Denilson
Walcott Eduardo Rosicky
Almunia
eboue-verm-gallas-gibbs
nasri-cesc-song
walcott-eduardo-vela
I think Sagna will surely rest, so will Rosicky and probably Arshavin. It’s hard to guess the team for a game like this but I would think that Vela and Walcott will start. Would like to see Merida start as well, even in place of Fabregas. If Merida and Ramsey can torment sides like Liverpool than they can win Standard with one hand. It’s an easy win, we shouldn’t risk our best players although we need some experience alongside. A win today and we can let Cesc, Gallas and co. stay in London while our CC team goes on a 4-hour flight to Greece in two weeks time which is, funnily enough, 4 days before Liverpool who will be fighting there shoes off in the CL.