Arsenal vs Bournemouth: Ideal Starting XI Including Aaron Ramsey

Olivier Giroud and Mesut Ozil

Let the debate begin – do we stick with the big man, Olivier Giroud, or do we revert back to Alexis. At this point, having Giroud up front has a rising success rate while the Chilean’s success rate is dipping. We here at Pain in the Arsenal are split but I still favor Giroud up front.

Bournemouth is visiting the Emirates, they are going to sit deep and invite the pressure. You can’t expect Alexis to find space in a match like that because he has often faltered in previous attempts to do just that.

Let Giroud be the bison in the China shop, busting things up in the box and creating space for everyone around him. The last thing we need to see is another attempt to dink the ball around the box, waiting for space, only to surrender the ball and let the Cherries strike on the counter.

Meanwhile, Mesut Ozil really needs to do something. I have no doubts that he has been suffocated lately and unable to create for himself, but something has to change. Sneak out wide, drop deeper, something. Our star man cannot be consistently snuffed out.

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This is what I would do. My ideal starting XI’s are starting to look pretty similar, but that’s because I see the pain that his offense is in and I want something to change. What would you do differently, Gooners?