Atletico Madrid v Arsenal (03/05 BT Sport 1, 20:05)

[Cripps]

Welbeck

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

At the game I thought Welbeck was fouled just before Aleti's goal. Just watched the replay for the first time on tv and I still think it was a foul on Welbeck and I think he actually played well in the first leg. Yes he missed a chance but he wasn't the only one.

I fear Henrikh is no more likely to be a direct goal threat than Wlebeck is and Welbeck is good in the build up play too. I don't think the choice (if one needs to be taken between them) is a actually a clear cut one.

[Niall_Quinn]

i like Welbeck and think he is worth having in the squad because we aren't going to have 25 superstars. Also he is our 3rd highest scorer which isn't bad as he has been injured a fair bit this year.

Anyway AMN should be given a go ahead of Xhaka, and anyone should play ahead of Mustafi. Mikki will play unless he is injured

Atleti are disciplined, organised, committed. We need to be the same - as hopeless a task as that seems. But in order to get even close to what's required we can't have the players that are most prone to fucking up starting. Welbeck is one of those players. Either he'll miss a sitter or he'll lose the ball in an horrific way and put a chance on a plate for the opposition. That's too big a risk to carry into the game when you compare it to what he can give us, which is not much.

Sure, he has scored a few. But how many chances did he need? If he must play (and I fear that's the case) it should be in the central role and he should be slapped into understanding he needs to be in the box challenging every time we get the ball wide. His best attribute is probably his heading ability, which is still 50/50 hit and miss. But he's quite good in the air when he gets it right. I just don't want him to play at all though.

I don't know why Wenger can't or won't see these things.

[KSE Comedy Club]

At the game I thought Welbeck was fouled just before Aleti's goal. Just watched the replay for the first time on tv and I still think it was a foul on Welbeck and I think he actually played well in the first leg. Yes he missed a chance but he wasn't the only one.

I fear Henrikh is no more likely to be a direct goal threat than Wlebeck is and Welbeck is good in the build up play too. I don't think the choice (if one needs to be taken between them) is a actually a clear cut one.

It was a foul, clear as day.

Trouble is, Welbeck dived 3 times before that trying to win a FK - so when he was actually fouled, the ref didn't believe him and waved play on.

[Niall_Quinn]

At the game I thought Welbeck was fouled just before Aleti's goal. Just watched the replay for the first time on tv and I still think it was a foul on Welbeck and I think he actually played well in the first leg. Yes he missed a chance but he wasn't the only one.

I fear Henrikh is no more likely to be a direct goal threat than Wlebeck is and Welbeck is good in the build up play too. I don't think the choice (if one needs to be taken between them) is a actually a clear cut one.

Maybe he was fouled, maybe not. But what was he thinking when he took on 4 defenders anyway? Where was he planning to go? You know exactly what would have happened, even if he was successful. He'd have checked back and then laid it off. So why take the risk at all? It was idiotic play. It's not the first time he's lost the ball high and put us under pressure.

Of course if Kos wasn't in complete moron mode it wouldn't have cost us so dearly. But our forwards have an extra responsibility to ensure our defenders aren't caught out because we all know what our defenders are capable of. Calamity.

[Cripps]

We need players with brain cells for this game

That rules out Welbeck

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Losing the ball though...however daft, in the oppositions third should not a goal result.

What I hadn't quite appreciated was just how clown like Mustafi's slip up was that meant he failed to cover Kos's sheepish arse.

[AFC Leveller]

My starting 11 would be:

Cech
Bellerin
any other CB but Mustafi
Kos
Montreal
AMN
Ramsay
Jack
Ozil
Mkhi
Laca

However, Wenger will probably go for:

Ospina
Bellerin
Mustafi
Kos
Monteal
Xhaka
Ramsay
Jack
Ozil
Iwobi (or Welbeck)
Laca

My team would get a draw at least, Wenger's will lose 3-1.

[Globalgunner]

We need players with brain cells for this game

That rules out Welbeck

We could have had Lucas Perez coming on that LW for us. A proper striker instead of an English lad with a great smile.
Wenger is a muppet.

[Goonermerree]

My hoped-for possible lineup - i'm thinking three at the back - as i'm sure you can tell...

Ospina
Bellerin
Mavropanos
Holding
Chambers
Monreal
AMN
Ozil
Mkhi
Nelson
Laca

You'd play Holding and Chambers?