Arsenal
Arsenal Team News: Wenger Names 8 Players Who’ll Feature vs Red Star Belgrade
Arsene Wenger has named eight players who will feature for Arsenal during our Europa League clash with Red Star Belgrade tomorrow.
Arsenal will look to put one foot in the knockout stages of the Europa League when they take on Red Star Belgrade on Thursday evening.
Ahead of the game, Arsene Wenger has been speaking to the media at his pre-match press conference this evening and he’s given the latest team news with an insight in to who’ll start tomorrow.
The boss confirmed he’ll hand Mathieu Debuchy a surprise recall for the game with the forgotten defender set to make his first appearance of the season.
Debuchy has fallen out-of-favour over the past two seasons and was expected to leave in the summer but it looks like the 32-year-old will make a rare start against Belgrade tomorrow.
Wenger also suggested that Debuchy will be joined in defence by Rob Holding and 18-year-old Josh Dasilva with the teenager set to make his full debut for the club after impressing for the U23’s.
Dasilva is being called upon as Shkodran Mustafi and Calum Chambers are injured while Laurent Koscielny picked up severe cramp against Watford so the boss isn’t taking any risks with Per Mertesacker or Nacho Monreal.
David Ospina was fully expected to be restored between the sticks tomorrow but it looks like he’s picked up a knock as Wenger confirmed the Colombian hasn’t travelled so Petr Cech will start in goal.
There will be plenty of changes in midfield as the manager hinted to reporters at his press conference that youngsters Joe Willock, Reiss Nelson and Ainsley Maitland-Niles will all feature tomorrow evening.
Olivier Giroud will also get a recall up front while Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott are expected to get another chance to impress after performing well against BATE in our previous group game.
The boss has been asked about @MatDebuchy….
? “Hopefully he gets through. He will certainly start tomorrow.”#RSBvAFC pic.twitter.com/kSzpdwGCqp
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) October 18, 2017
Ospina hasn't travelled. Cech in goal. Dasilva likely to start at centre-back, Giroud up front.
— James Olley (@JamesOlley) October 18, 2017
Seriously scratch team tomorrow. Dasilva expected to start in defence with Holding & Debuchy. Willock, M-Niles & Nelson also set to feature.
— Charles Watts (@charles_watts) October 18, 2017
So the boss is going to play a weakened side with a number of key men rested for the Everton game and it’s an understandable move as we should easily qualify from our group and we desperately need a positive result at Goodison Park this weekend.
