The nerves from both sets of supporters have been interrupted temporarily by the team sheets being handed in. The big question was whether Alexis Sanchez has defied the odds or not and made the squad after injury.
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Tottenham (a) Thoughts & Line Up: Özil vs Rosicky dilemma & Coquelin Importance
It's an interesting change really. Both Alexis and Welbeck like to close down the opposition and pinch the ball back, the same cannot really be said for Walcott and Özil. But in the transitions those two players can be match winners for us, especially if they are able to combine together after a Coquelin intercepting for example. Tomas Rosicky is exactly the type of player you want at White Hart Lane. A player with experience, ability to keep and use the ball well. Not only that but the desire to win the ball back, an advantage he has over his two team mates. Not only this but Rosicky scored twice in three games against them last season so you'd think he'd be quite up for this game. But I am probably wasting words as I just don't see Arsène leaving anyone out to include the Czech. We shall see, it would be a big call but a call I'd understand for sure
Alexis Decision Must Be Made Without Emotion / Coq & Akpom Sign
Defensive wake up calls, Spirit of 98 & Good Akpom news
Aston Villa (h) – Counter Attacking Arsenal Click / Bellerin Seizing Chance
Theo Walcott intercepted Cazorla's through ball to Giroud to jink inside a defender and curl beautifully into the corner. Best piece of defensive work he did all day. Chuba Akpom came on along with Tomas Rosicky and gave us all a hint of what he can do. His work rate and movement looked good but perhaps he was a little too eager to score. Understandable given the nature of the game and the time running out. It was nice to see his team mates trying to set him up.
Arsenal Vision Post Match Podcast – EP14: Arsenal 5 Aston Villa 0
Aston Villa (h) “I thought he was comfortably the best player on the pitch” – Q&A
It's hard to choose as everyone was fantastic but I think I have to choose Özil. Even without that assist which should be x-rated as the dirtiest and kinkiest kind of football porn ever (trust a German to produce porn like that) I think he had an outstanding game. He interchanged positions with Theo and Santi with consummate ease and exceled in each role. Far too often he is lazily accused by the media - and some of our fans who are foolish enough to believe them and ironic enough to lecture you on "watching players" when you point out his statistics - of not working hard enough and not putting in a shift. The action-man performances of Alexis this season have delighted the media because they love a player who can put himself about which
Aston Villa (h) Confirmed Line Up: Theo and Özil keep places / Gabriel on bench
The Arsenal line up is out and I suppose there are no real shocks. Theo Walcott and Mesut Özil retain their places more than likely in wide positions. David Ospina comes back into goal. I wondered if Gibbs would return to the side but it's nice to see Arsene stick with players on top of their game. Monreal deserves his place and perhaps gives a bit of defensive balance assuming that Bellerin on the other side will be pushing forward to join attacks more than the Spaniard. New boy Gabriel starts on the bench which was to be expected.
Aston Villa (h) Thoughts & Line Up: Collective attack vital as Alexis misses out / Gabriel
Arsenal are not the only Champions League regular to fall on the Villa sword of late. Chelsea and Liverpool have taken sucker punches to the chops in recent seasons. You'd have to think that is largely down to the type of personnel the Midlands side have in their ranks. Gabriel Agbonlahor, Christian Benteke and Andreas Weimann are all good players on the counter attack and I can think of more than a couple successful Villa counters on us over the years. So with that in mind, we are going to have to be good whenever we lose the ball. The likes of Coquelin and Ramsey who I both expect to start will have to be switched on, especially the latter who does like a stroll towards the opposition penalty area. I mean who can blame him, it's not as if he hasn't had plenty of success doing so