Arsenal: Predicted Starters To Face Sunderland

Arsenal are happy to leave November behind them. Next up is Sunderland. With so many injuries plaguing the squad, it essentially picks itself. But we’ll do it anyway.

November is just a nasty month for Arsenal. They could not find any sort of success in the month and will be happy to see it left behind for December. With so many opportunities missed in November, the Gunners will need to rebound with a massive point grab in the cluster of games this month.

First up is Sunderland. The Black Cats are sitting on top of the relegation zone by two points, but it is not at the point in the season yet where the bottom feeders are more deadly than ever. It is too early. Sunderland should not pose a threat, but then again, neither should’ve West Brom and Norwich City. Arsenal absolutely have to learn how to put away the small teams so as to avoid more missed opportunities to go to the top of the table.

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The injuries are massive for Arsenal. Alexis Sanchez is out. Santi Cazorla and Francis Coquelin are both out three months. Add those three to the list we already had and this Arsenal squad is going to look nothing like the squad that sat tied for the top in points.

But this is still Arsenal and remember what happens when they get backed into a corner? Eventually they will lash out. With a squad that looks to be heavily geared toward offense, goals should be created pretty easily.

With that in mind, let’s gets started with the predicted starters, starting where we always do. At keeper.

Petr Cech

Not much needs to be said about Cech, yet we build him up every week. As long as he is healthy, Arsenal can hang with the best. It just is not easy to beat the guy.

The Czech stopper has been eyeing that EPL clean sheet record for weeks now. It looked to be on its way against the Canaries but it was not to be. Facing Sunderland at home should be a different story.

Moving on, we get to our full backs.

Hector Bellerin and Nacho Monreal

Here are two more guys that, as long as they are healthy, Arsenal is in good shape. Both Spaniards provide fantastic overlapping ability and give the attack that added dimension to fluster opposing defenses. Hector Bellerin’s injury was overcome rather painlessly and we would all like to leave it behind us.

Meanwhile, Nacho Monreal is still an unsung star of this team. His near-flawless defending rarely leaves Arsenal in a bind.

I have accepted that the center back pairing is never going to go my way. So I am going for reverse psychology.

Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny

I have said it a million times, but I will say it once more. Gabriel Paulista should be playing alongside Laurent Koscielny. But for some reason Arsene Wenger sticks to the pacey Per Mertesacker as the captain and last line of defense. It makes me nervous and at some point it is going to bite us. But until that time we have to deal with it.

Laurent Koscielny was part of the injury scare, but as long as he is healthy, he is starting. I could foresee a situation where Wenger plays it safe and puts Gabriel next to Mertesacker but that duo has suffered from miscommunication before.

Next up, that battered midfield.

Mathieu Flamini and Aaron Ramsey

Who else? If Arsene Wenger tries to outsmart himself and start Ramsey on the right, I will lose my mind. Ramsey needs to be given another chance at the central role that he never lost. An injury is no reason to dub someone inadequate for a spot. Ramsey can rise to the occasion and spur Arsenal towards the top of the table.

Flamini has been pretty respectable lately. His defensive skills are impressing and he is not getting caught ahead of the ball too awfully. He’s no Francis Coquelin, but he will do.

And now our wings.

Joel Campbell and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

A 23 year old and a 22 year old starting on the wings for Arsenal. This should be fun. Joel Campbell has been the most consistent of the two by far. He has actually displayed surprising composure when it comes to maintaining possession and not getting overrun.

The Ox still has some learning to do but his potential to be prolific is grounds enough to be excited.

And finally, our attacking duo.

Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud

As long as we have Ozil, we will have chances to score goals. The only problem is that it is primarily up to Giroud, Campbell and the Ox to score them. Then again, Ozil has been scoring his own goals lately, so maybe our primary threat is shifting a bit.

Next: 10 Worst Signings Under Arsene Wenger

Mesut Ozil is a genius and a magician. That is a scary combination for the opposition.

Olivier Giroud needs to return to his scoring ways more than ever. The Frenchman has not scored in two games as he still sits at seven goals. Time to fix that against Sunderland.

Arsenal Predicted Starters To Face Sunderland

By Josh Sippie | Dec 5, 2015