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Arsenal: One Big Takeaway From Serge Aurier Exclusion
By Josh Sippie
Arsenal has received from odd, but good news as Serge Aurier was prevented entry into the UK. There is one massive benefit to this.
When looking ahead to Arsenal’s match-up against PSG, there are a ton of potential clashes to analyze. Can Kostafi keep Edinson Cavani at bay? Can whatever amalgamation of midfielders that Wenger puts out there cope with PSG’s speedy command center?
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Moving forward, can Ozil find space and can Arsenal create from wide angles with Hector Bellerin and with the potential of Aaron Ramsey playing wide yet again?
All of those things we should have confidence in. Arsenal looked strong in Paris, so welcoming PSG into the Emirates should breed similar results with a better score line. But there was one potential match-up that was weighing on my mind as hazardous.
Nacho Monreal was recently turned into burnt toast by Antonio Valencia. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen the Spaniard chasing after someone so much. It was disheartening after such a fantastic performance against Tottenham.
While I have advocated for Kieran Gibbs to get the start, this is Arsene Wenger, and it should be expected that Monreal starts again.
The idea of Serge Aurier coming at Monreal for 90 minutes makes me incredibly nervous. Aurier is PSG’s version of Hector Bellerin and has proven himself to be a fantastic attacker. So good, that he even jumps up to play midfield at times.
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His blinding pace would leave Antonio Valencia behind and his ability to create for himself and his team mates was going to leave Monreal in a very delicate state.
Fortunately, we may not have to face that at all. In a bizarre turn of events, Aurier was denied entry into the UK because of his visa being revoked suddenly, having been initially granted back in October.
Aurier was convicted of assaulting a police officer by elbowing him and was sentenced to two months in prison and a fine of €600. This conviction is what the UK authorities cited as the reason behind their “about-face” as PSG puts it.
A spokesperson for PSG was obviously rather upset and claimed that the authorities of the UK were tarnishing the good name of the Champions League.
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Whatever the reasoning behind this, Arsenal benefits massively because Thomas Meunier, the second-choice right back, is nowhere near the attacker that Aurier is. Meaning that the Gunners could have free reign on that left hand side.