All this CL being the ‘highest platform in competitive football’ stuff just seems like an empty trivial sentiment that doesn’t really hold true especially when you look at the wider context of this particular match.
imo the pragmatic and best long term approach would be to try and negate the lack of winter break through proper rotation of our best players.
The champions league is arguably the toughest competition in world football.
We must put out a strong side and show the tournament and our opposition some respect.
Win, lose, draw, 1st, 2nd. Whatever, just do our best and try to build form and momentum.
This is what big name players are for. This is what finishing in the top 4 is for. Fuck man.
Weighing up the pros and cons, Ozil and Sanchez should definitely be rested imo.
But part of my logic is that firstly PSG will blitz through Ludogorets and secondly that the available squad should be good and professional enough to win this game without them.
Even having said that, I have some doubts as over the years our team has buckled so spectacularly without our star players in these away games.
But losing without them isn’t as bad as winning with them but tiring or injuring them, impacting the weekend fixture against Stoke.
Even in a two horse race, the chances of a PSG win have to be considerably higher than 9 out of 10.
If Wenger takes any of Sanchez, Ozil, Kostafi or Walcott, he’s daft, but he obviously won’t do that.
Basel need a positive result to guarantee Europa League, knowing that PSG will defeat LudoRaz. So Basel will come at us with a decent motivation and win the game, pretty sure of that. We should play as many yoof as we can and as many players that won’t be harmed by a defeat.
Worth noting Basel are running away with the league but lost 3-1 to young boys on the weekend.
I’m unaware if they fielded a weaker team in prep for us or if they just got schooled, but no doubt their is a frailty in that team that we can exploit.
So maybe the option is to win early and sub Ozil and Alexis off if we can pull a couple of goals clear. If not, then we know they were needed.
My guess is that they are looking ahead to our match. It is a huge match for them because if both they and Ludo lose and finish on two points then Ludo will go into the Europa League on head-to-head away goals. Basel has won seven straight domestic titles and are cruising to number eight this year. Doing well in Europe is important for them and they are going to be really up for this match unfortunately.
Ah thank you for the update. Excellent knowledge
Just had a look. Seems like they played their regular team to me. But perhaps their mind was on this game.
Should definitely field a highly weakened side, but won’t.
I would be playing a total reserve starting 11, even if we win this game we will be coming runners up in this group to PSG.
Course he will, to not do so is just completely illogical.
Enlighten us as to why. I fail to see the grand logic in tiring out our paper-thin depth for a maybe 1% chance of qualifying first. 
Fuck this game. Don’t want any of our key players playing. Want them rested for Stoke on Saturday afternoon.
Considering that the other teams are fighting for the EL spot we shouldn’t be throwing this game tbh. Put out a team that is capable of beating them, put in a professional performance and then take off everyone that really needs rest.
With the team we currently have we should be able to do so.
Damned if we do, damned if we don’t. We need to rest some key players, but some of our backups haven’t performed when they’ve needed to this season. I can’t see us going as drastic in terms of lineup like the Southampton game, we need a balance of both.
It would help a lot if Giroud is available for this match and give Alexis a small break. Not entirely sure if Ozil will get rested, but we shall see.
It’s an odd game, where I hope we do well, put PSG under pressure and get a result, but the odds of results going our way just seem so unlikely, it hardly seems worth the bother either to go full attack.
In any case, I see us coming away with a 1-1 draw.
I think you’ve taken his post in completely the wrong way.
Indeed. Particularly important that Oxlade-Chamberlain is ready to play on Saturday.
Cheers, you’re right.
Sorry Robin, love.
No one is saying actually throw the game I want the 11 we send out to give there all. It just should be a reserve 11 as we don’t have much to gain out of this game and as for the teams fighting for the EL spot that really isn’t our concern.
Sadly yes. Wenger seems to have a thing for him even though he’s awful.