The Arsenal v Bournemouth, Saturday 3 May, 5.30pm, Emirates Stadium (and on TV somewhere if people can be bothered to watch)

[Mac76]

So forget second-place trophies, forget 'momentum', we need to rest players and focus on next week:

Neto

Nichols White Kacurri Sweet

M'Hand Zin Tierney

Kabia NBO Sterling

I'd genuinely love to see that side, it would be refreshing and give these kids some great experience - we might even, like, win...

In fact the only one I'm not sure about is Sterling

[HCZ_Reborn]

I admire your persistence on this topic but for two reasons I disagree

The defeat on Tuesday makes me want second place more not less, and with respect I simply don’t care about all the reasons given as to why I shouldn’t care. I do care, I do want it….there we are.

Secondly I think in order to get anything next Wednesday (I think the tie is over, but of course I think we should try and do everything to defy that belief) I think we need to treat Bournemouth like a dress rehearsal. I don’t think it’s a case of simply putting Partey back in the team, it’s a case of taking Odegaard out of it and giving the players a chance to play together with the same team we will go with on Wednesday. Being hyper focused on preventing injuries, I think arguably could play on the players minds.

But so this would be my team


Raya, Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, MLS, Partey, Rice, Saka, Martinelli, Merino, Nwaneri


Get the win, show that this is a purposeful lineup and then worry about resting players

[Marc Overmars]

We will wake up from our slumber?

My guess is no.

1–1 or I think we may even lose.

[Mac76]

@HCZ

I agree that's probably the other way to go, as we've seen resting some and playing others just makes a mess sometimes, part of the reason I'd genuinely like to see my lineup is that the academy players actually do play together regularly and know each other

For the momentum lovers here, the problem with your lineup is that if we have a bad day at the office and lose say 1-3, how's that for building confidence?

That said he'll obvs go more your way, though while he may not start Ode but he'll play at some point (though I agree with you 100% he needs to be dropped, it's what a more experienced coach would do)

[HCZ_Reborn]

We will wake up from our slumber?

My guess is no.

1–1 or I think we may even lose.

First game of the league season where we are playing a team where we lost the reverse fixture. It’s so strange that the league campaign has been a disaster in so many ways but yet we could potentially lose the fewest amount of games in a season for almost twenty years

[Marc Overmars]

First game of the league season where we are playing a team where we lost the reverse fixture. It’s so strange that the league campaign has been a disaster in so many ways but yet we could potentially lose the fewest amount of games in a season for almost twenty years

Would happily take a few more defeats if it also meant converting a few those draws into wins.

Draws are the silent killer.

[Letters]

I'm not even going to waste a "I hope we..." on this one. I do hope that, but the PSG game is the last hope for this season.
Sigh.

[HCZ_Reborn]

I'm not even going to waste a "I hope we..." on this one. I do hope that, but the PSG game is the last hope for this season.
Sigh.

Help us Qatari Sports Investments, you’re our only hope!

[Letters]

[IBK]

I admire your persistence on this topic but for two reasons I disagree

The defeat on Tuesday makes me want second place more not less, and with respect I simply don’t care about all the reasons given as to why I shouldn’t care. I do care, I do want it….there we are.

Secondly I think in order to get anything next Wednesday (I think the tie is over, but of course I think we should try and do everything to defy that belief) I think we need to treat Bournemouth like a dress rehearsal. I don’t think it’s a case of simply putting Partey back in the team, it’s a case of taking Odegaard out of it and giving the players a chance to play together with the same team we will go with on Wednesday. Being hyper focused on preventing injuries, I think arguably could play on the players minds.

But so this would be my team


Raya, Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, MLS, Partey, Rice, Saka, Martinelli, Merino, Nwaneri


Get the win, show that this is a purposeful lineup and then worry about resting players

I agree with this. There are 3 remaining league fixtures and if we are very lucky 2 CL matches to go. This is not the time to try to avoid injuries. As you say we need to be as sharp as possible going into next Wednesday's game in Paris.