Everton vs Arsenal

Wednesday, 7.45 UK time, Goodison Park.

Probably one of the toughest games of the season. It is always a tight battle in this game, but we have reasons to be positive.

1- We are unbeaten in the league against Everton for the last 10 games.
2- Everton are in a pretty bad spell, drawing 5 of their last 6 or something like that.
3- We made the double against them last season with two 1-0's.
4- Theo is back for us.

I am sure we have some tired players but I don't expect many changes from Villa. I'd go with:

Szczesny
Sagna - Per - Kos - Gibbs
Arteta - Santi - Jack
Theo - Gervinho - Poldi

I think Wenger will go for the fresh Gervinho for this game which I am happy with. Giroud has been very good lately but did seem rather tired towards the end at Villa (hence his substitution).

I am fairly confident for this one, I am going for a 2-0 win.

For me Giroud must play unless he is in that dreaded red zone. It's always tough going to Everton but we simply must win there.

Theo Walcott is back in the Arsenal squad for tomorrow night’s trip to Goodison Park.

The England international has missed the last two games having picked up a shoulder injury against Sp*rs, but will make the Everton game and is likely to start ahead of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on the right hand side.

From Arseblog

-----------------SZCZESNY---------------
SAGNA--MERTESACKER--VERMAELEN--GIBBS
ARTETA----------CAZORLA-------WILSHERE
WALCOTT---------GIROUD--------PODOLSKI

That's probably the team we'll see start tomorrow. Wish Arteta or Sagna had been made captain instead so that Koscielny would be able to start on a regular basis, but whatever. With Ox, Gervinho, Ramsey, and Arshavin all on the bench most likely, we can at least make attacking subs if we need to.

Just no to Gervinho up top, I'd rather Walcott there, but away at Everton, you have to have to big man up top. Rest is pretty standard, would continue to leave TV on the bench, no point in breaking up a good CB partnership

agree, giroud in front ...

Wonder if Wenger will break a center back partnership that has kept 2 consecutive clean sheets. In the Recent Performances thread, they look so calm winning the balls . If I were him I'd play Mertesacker and Koscielny and Gibbs and Sagna as full backs.

Great to see Gibbs back in the team. Santos was targeted and couldn't handle it and although Vermaelen did alright there, having a LB that is really comfortable getting forward adds so much to our attacking play all around... I know we were quite stale at Villa but for me the rekindling of the Podolski/Gibbs/Cazorla threat on that side was a huge positive.

That said, I really hope we don't see Gervinho up front. Why not Podolski in the middle with Gervinho out on the left? Just makes so much more sense to me... even if Gervinho's movement/pace is good for getting in behind, I'm almost always shocked to see him hit the back of the net!

Giroud has to start IMO. We need all our big men against Everton.

A win there will be a very good result but a draw won't be the end of the world, United lost there.

Gibbs will not start! Vermaelen at left back and Koscielny will partner Per!
Arsenal team tonight: Szczesny; Vermaelen Koscielny Mertesacker Sagna; Arteta Wilshere Cazorla; Podolski Giroud Walcott.
I see Wenger is reluctant to break a good center back pairing and at the same time, can't really drop his captain for 2 consecutive games. Let's see how this pans out! The rest of the team makes sense, and the sooner Rosicky returns to full fitness, the better! Well duh, isn't that stating the obvious? Cazorla will get burnt out soon and if we substitute him in games with Rosicky, that'll be great or rotate him from time to time. Plus the Czech gives us other options in midfield. He can even do the Jack role.

podolski missing from the squad...injured?

More likely rested, Wenger has said he wanted to give Poldi a break and he has tailed off a bit of late

If Poldi's not starting on the left, then why isn't Gervinho? Why Ramsey?

From Arsenal.com

Team in full: Szczesny, Sagna, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Gibbs, Wilshere, Arteta, Ramsey, Cazorla, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Giroud.

Subs: Mannone, Jenkinson, Gibbs, Coquelin, Rosicky, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Gervinho.

2 gibbs, 2 chamberlain, no lukasz?? wtf is happening?

no theo as well?

We're gonna lose this, aren't we?

As per arsenal twitter,theo starts

Yes theo is starting

Theo starts! Much better

And podolski is ill

Walcott is on fire this season! Finally has come of age, and what do u know its when he just has 6months left with us on his contract!

kos out already? Damn!

damn injury .... fingers crossed its not a long term one . on a positive note sweet goal

Why must we always make things difficult for ourselves around our box when winning the ball there

Game not on tv. Need to find me a good stream.