Every fan loves to see their beloved team have a fully fit team. Players of every shape, form, skill, age and potential are all at your side’s disposal. However if you’re an Arsenal fan, this is never the case. Arsenal have been cursed with injuries to key players since the dawn of time it seems; when one player returns to the team, another one is out with another hamstring injury. But what if this didn’t happen? Arsenal have one of the biggest and most impressive squad selections in the Premier League, so who would make the starting XI if the entire team was fit?

Let’s start with the goalkeeping position. Wojciech Szczesny has been the number one 'keeper for the North London side for the past three years, however the arrival of Colombia 'keeper and captain David Ospina in the summer questioned whether or not Ospina would be taking the number one spot Szczesny has held for the past three years. As the season progressed Szczesny showed signs of error and immaturity, most notably against Southampton on New Years Day, and an alleged report of the 24-year-old being caught smoking in the showers after said loss.

This was the final straw for Wenger and Szczesny was dropped to the bench and Ospina took the goalkeeping spot. Ospina has looked impressive so far in between the posts, with clean sheets against Manchester City, Stoke and Aston Villa, but the Colombian is prone to errors as well, and at six foot, his height is a concern for a goalkeeper. So who do you pick? Despite his errors, Wojciech Szczesny is still in most fan’s view the better keeper, so for that, Szczesny claims the goalkeeper position.

Ospina is currently standing in for Wojciech Szczesny.

The defence is the easiest area of Arsenal’s starting XI to decide. Kieran Gibbs and Mathieu Debuchy take the two full-back positions and Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny make up as the heart of the defence. Calum Chambers could be a possible candidate for the centre-back position but his age and lack of experience compared Koscielny and Mertesacker means he misses out. The same goes for Hector Bellerin, the 19-year-old right-back has been impressive in Debuchy’s absence in recent weeks, but the French international is far and away the better player and right-back.

Now we come to the most challenging part. The midfield. Arsenal seem to have more midfielders than QPR have players over the age of 30, so picking five to fill out the 4-2-3-1 formation Arsenal have used over the season is a challenge. The first holding midfielder going into the team is Aaron Ramsey. The Welsh wizard has been nothing like he was last season, in which the midfielder scored 10 goals in the Premier League and the winner against Hull City in the FA Cup final. This season Ramsey has only scored three goals in the Premier League, however Ramsey is in contention for next year's Puskas Award when the midfielder scored a 30-yard first time volley screamer against Galatasaray in the Champions League. Despite his goal tally, he has been an important player for Arsenal this season and has exceled as a defensive midfielder.

Next to Ramsey in the strongest XI is Jack Wilshere. Now before you get your pitchforks out and start shouting, “Where is Coquelin!” let me explain. Coquelin has only been a part of Arsenal’s team since January since returning back from Charlton on loan, and whilst he could be the answer to the club's defensive midfielder problems, the 23-year-old still has a lot to learn and yes,in time, he could become the defensive midfielder the Gunners have been looking for since the departure of Gilberto Silva. Jack Wilshere on the other hand always seems to add a sense of magic to the Arsenal team, and before his injury against Manchester United in November ruled him out till February, Wilshere was one of the best players in the Arsenal team; Paul Scholes even hailed Wilshere at the time as ‘England’s best player’ in his column for the Independent. Wilshere might not be the best defensive midfielder in the Arsenal team, but his passion for the Arsenal and ability he posses is what makes him make the second defensive midfield spot.

Only one player can take the right midfield position, and that of course is Alexis Sanchez. The Chilean winger came to Arsenal in the summer for £35 million from Barcelona and I think it’s safe to say that he has been one of the transfers of the season, scoring 18 goals in 31 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners, and it is only February. I could had chosen Theo Walcott and Oxlade-Chamberlain for the right midfielder role but neither of the English wingers feature in this squad, showing just how much depth Arsenal could have if their team was at full fitness.

Santi Cazorla comes in as the left midfielder of this strongest XI side. The Spaniard seems like he can play almost anywhere in the midfield. Left, central attacking, right, you name it he can play there. Cazorla has been one of the best players in the Premier League this season and the 30-year-old was even announced as Arsenal’s player of the month for January. Cazorla helped Arsenal win their first away game against a top four team in Manchester City with a penalty and an assist in a 2-0 win against the champions.

Completing the midfield is German international Mesut Ozil. When he isn’t being played as a left midfielder, Ozil becomes one of the deadliest passers of the ball in the league, being able to open up any defence with his incredible range of passing and amazing vision. The 26-year-old has spent most of the season on the sidelines after the midfielder picked up an injury in November that ruled him out for four months. Since returning to the side in the New Year, Ozil has improved massively, scoring three goals in four games and assisting five times as well to help Arsenal reach the fifth round of the FA Cup.

Finally we come to the striker position. The two candidates for this position are French international Olivier Giroud and former Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck. Both strikers are very different. Giroud is more of target man who can hold the ball up and finish the ball well, but Giroud also posses incredible technical ability and passing, however the striker lacks pace which in the modern day is a major disadvantage. Welbeck is a striker who likes to play of the last shoulder; his lighting quick pace makes it hard for defenders to catch up with him. However with Welbeck, you have no idea what you’re going to get with him. One day he could have the finishing of Thierry Henry, the next he could shoot the ball wide from six-yards out as if he was Nicklas Bendtner. Another disadvantage of Welbeck is that he makes a mess of the easiest of chances. Welbeck could dribble pass the entire defence of a team and as soon he is one-on-one with the keeper, he will trip over his feet or blaze the ball over for a goal kick, for this the final place in the team goes to Olivier Giroud.

VAVEL Logo
About the author
Dylan Walsh
Student at the University of Brighton, 20-years-old, Twitter: @dylanwalsh_