Hull City vs Arsenal (16/17)

Team news:
Arsenal: Petr Cech will return in goal for Arsenal after David Ospina played in the UEFA Champions League in midweek, while Theo Walcott could return from a knee problem. Aaron Ramsey remains out of contention.

Hull: Dieumerci Mbokani will be in the squad and could make his debut for Hull City, who have suffered no new injuries since Matchweek 4.


MANAGER
Mike Phelan is still officially only Hull's caretaker manager, but having worked wonders with a limited squad at the start of the campaign and winning August's Manager of the Month award, there is speculation he'll sign a permanent contract soon.

Phelan rose to prominence during his spell at Manchester United's assistant manager during the last half-decade of Sir Alex Ferguson's reign. Although not spoken of as highly as former assistants like Steve McClaren and Carlos Queiroz, Phelan has stressed his desire to become a manager in his own right - and is now proving he has the ability.

FORMATION
Phelan has named exactly the same starting XI in all four Premier League games so far, although with those 11 players he has the capability of playing either 4-3-3 or 4-4-2.

4-3-3 is most likely, with powerful Uruguayan forward Abel Hernandez leading the line, and Adama Diomande powering forward from a left-sided starting position. However, Diomande can be fielded as a second striker, with right-winger Robert Snodgrass dropping into a deeper position alongside David Meyler, Tom Huddlestone and Sam Clucas in a conventional midfield four.

DANGERMAN
Huddlestone remains a very useful midfielder. Not the most mobile, he's nevertheless excellent at spraying long diagonal passes towards the flanks, and Hull sometimes look short of ideas when he's pressed aggressively.

STRENGTHS
Hull boast two very good attacking full-backs. Right-sided Ahmed Elmohamady charges forward with power and also offers an aerial threat, while left-back Andy Robertson offers great crossing quality.

Hull also have one of the Premier League's best dead ball specialists - Robert Snodgrass netted a crucial free-kick equaliser in stoppage time at Burnley last week, and his whipped, dipping left-footed shots are a real danger.

AREAS TO TARGET
Hull started the season with very few players, and midfielder Jake Livermore has been forced to deputise at centre back. He's performed well so far, but Alexis will surely look to test his pace.

Hull also began last weekend's 1-1 draw at Burnley with no fewer than five new signings on the bench. If they start on Saturday, Hull might lose some of the cohesion that has proved useful so far.

Read more at http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20160915/scouting-report-hull-city-v-arsenal#k3xT7FRJCvilU3M7.99

Wenger today said he sees Xhaka as a Box-to-Box midfielder and that his current selection is "not about quality but about pairs that work well". Which *bleep* unbelievable but there we go. Expect Coquelin-Cazorla again tomorrow with Xhaka sitting on the bench probably wondering why the hell his manager thinks he's a b2b midfielder.

Xhaka a B2B lol? Don't know what Arsene sees in training which we don't.


I don't know what team he will play. Can't predict it anymore. Not expecting Giroud to start but he probably will.

Perez might start? Sanchez LW? Walcott RW?

Oxlade probably won't start.

Hopefully we see Elneny-Xhaka/Cazorla but who knows

What I'd like to see:


Probable XI:

Actually hope Giroud starts. Can't handle Sanchez upfront anymore.


Iwobi needs to keep his place

He plays as a CAM for Switzerland sometimes but that's because they have no one else.

Arsenal will win today. Convincingly.

Rumours that Xhaka, Elneny and Perez will start

stop leaking team news

Jay29 wrote:Wenger today said he sees Xhaka as a Box-to-Box midfielder and that his current selection is "not about quality but about pairs that work well". Which *bleep* unbelievable but there we go. Expect Coquelin-Cazorla again tomorrow with Xhaka sitting on the bench probably wondering why the hell his manager thinks he's a b2b midfielder.

My theory gains further traction

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:

Jay29 wrote:Wenger today said he sees Xhaka as a Box-to-Box midfielder and that his current selection is "not about quality but about pairs that work well". Which *bleep* unbelievable but there we go. Expect Coquelin-Cazorla again tomorrow with Xhaka sitting on the bench probably wondering why the hell his manager thinks he's a b2b midfielder.

My theory gains further traction

Wenger has gone through a brain transplant sometime in 2013?

I agree.

Why did we sign Xhaka and Lucas again?

LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Our bench is actually stronger than our first team lel.

Why couldn't we start Gibbs ffs

Well at least Oxlade-Chamberlain has been dropped. He was replaced by Walcott sure but he at least knows how to score a goal sometimes while Oxlade-Chamberlain is completely useless.

urbaNRoots wrote:

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:

Jay29 wrote:Wenger today said he sees Xhaka as a Box-to-Box midfielder and that his current selection is "not about quality but about pairs that work well". Which *bleep* unbelievable but there we go. Expect Coquelin-Cazorla again tomorrow with Xhaka sitting on the bench probably wondering why the hell his manager thinks he's a b2b midfielder.

My theory gains further traction

Wenger has gone through a brain transplant sometime in 2013?

I agree.

Well that and that Xhaka was only signed to prevent a repeat of last season when Cazorla got injured and you had to play two DMs.

Not particularly convinced you'll see him start alongside another CM consistently

Hull are there for the taking so far, where is the punch

Ok it's not rotation. Wenger is just seriously delusional.

Mustaphi lol

you can see that we are not used to playing a high line

Hoping this Urugayan striker fares the same as the one on tuesday

need to make the most out this Hull all over the place so far. lool. look at the space and time they are giving us in midfield

Ozil ffs