Never mind it is a local derby, Arsenal needs to attack Tottenham like a wounded animal this afternoon if they are to be taken seriously as Premier League title contenders.
Truth be told they looked like second class citizens at the Allianz Arena midweek as they were given a master-class in attacking football by Bayern Munich during their 5-1 loss to Pep Guardiola’s team.
If any solace is to be taken from the game it is that the Gunners faced probably the best team in Europe at the minute and will have hopefully seen from tapes of the match where they went wrong, so they can put it all right before this afternoons meeting with Spurs at the Emirates.
Goalkeeper
Probably the easiest decision of all for Arsene Wenger to make given what he had to say about the 33-year-old former Chelsea keeper midweek claiming Cech keep easily keep playing top-flight football for the next five years.
Defence
Unfortunately for Arsenal, Spaniard right-back Hector Bellerin is still nursing the groin strain that kept him out of the Munich massacre, so that means the 30-year-old Mathieu Debuchy will again be given the chance to show Wenger why he should start over the young speedster. On the left side of the pitch we expect Nacho Monreal to keep his place in the team despite the midweek loss. Who to play at centre-back alongside Per Mertesacker remains a dilemma for Wenger with normal first choice pick Laurent Koscielny described as being only 80% ready to return to the starting line-up which means that Wenger will have no choice but to play Gabriel following a week in which the Brazilian would like to forget. If Wenger was being coy just to through Spur’s manager Mauricio Pochettino a curve ball as to the French defenders availability you can be sure of Koscielny getting the start if fit to play.
Midfield
In front of the backline will once more be Santi Cazorla and Francis Coquelin with the little Spaniard needing to help press the attack while Coquelin looks to snuff out Spurs midfield aspirations of trying to control the midfield. Alexis Sanchez will of course start wide left while Costa Rican forward Joel Campbell should do better on the right where he will have an easier task that he did against Bayern Munich. Playmaker Mesut Ozil will need to produce the magic in what we all know is going to be a tightly fought contest which is why we are backing the tiny German to score anytime at odds of 11/5 with Bet365.
Attack
Olivier Giroud could prove to be the decider in what is bound to be a very physical game, but should the big Frenchman find the kind of goal scoring form we have seen from him in the past; it would be the perfect opportunity to take the spotlight away from young England star Harry Kane.
