Arsenal starting XI to face Newcastle with NO Podolski
After scoring the first and last goals for Arsenal in the final Champions League group game against Turkish club Galartasaray midweek, Lukas Podolski was probably thinking that he had a good chance of starting in the Premier League tday for the visit of high flying Newcastle.
But I think our German striker is set to be disappointed and the hamstring injury to Aaron Ramsey has certainly not helped his cause. It means that the Welshman will probably be replaced by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as Arsene Wenger has very few pother options in his fit and available Gunners squad.
With the Ox dropped back into central midfield and with Olivier Giroud very likely to start in the centre forward role, I expect that Wenger will choose Danny Welbeck to play on the left of our front three, as the 23-year old offers more pace and work rate.
O do hope to see Podolski come off the bench at some point and remind us again just what an awesome finisher he is, but this is the Arsenal XI that I think will start the game.
Szczesny
Bellerin, Debuchy, Mertesacker, Gibbs
Flamini, Chamberlain, Cazorla
Alexis, Giroud, Welbeck
