Winning Group A is out of Arsenal's hands so should Wenger rest his star players?

Match Preview: Basel vs Arsenal - Champions League - 28.09.2016

Tonight's match against Basel represents quite the conundrum for our manager. With PSG 99% confirmed as group winners there seems little to gain from starting a full strength team. It would take a miracle for Ludogorets to get a result in Paris but if the do and Arsenal played an understrength team there would be hell to pay. Wenger is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. Arsenal's squad players desperately need minutes to get them ready to chip in over the hectic festive schedule but there's still a tiny chance we could top the group. Or so the logic goes.

When you compare all Arsenal betting odds via SmartBets it's clear the Gunners have little chance of topping the group which is why I would have encouraged Wenger to select a youthful team, had I any influence over such decisions, and was so surprised when he announced his squad is practically at full strength for this fixture. Wenger has stated he picked his squad for stability and having finally found a little something they were missing throughout November, **cough**Xhaka**cough**, with an emphatic 1-5 win over West Ham I can see why he wants continuity.

However, I'd be inclined to play as second string a team as possible in this match and just go for it. We're already qualified so whoever plays can do so with freedom and matches like these, with little or nothing to play for where we can give vital minutes to our squad players, do not come around often. I imagine Arsenal's next opportunity to really shake up the team will be against Preston in the FA Cup. The festive period is vital to any successful title bid. Come through Christmas and New Year relatively unscathed and the path to the title really opens up.

Francis Coquelin will be unavailable after picking up three yellows in the group matches so I expect Elneny will slot in next to Xhaka who has added the vision and passing quality we've missed since Santi's injury. Both players would be facing their old club and where Granit's brother still plies his trade. Both players could do with more minutes and David Ospina will continue in goal but throughout the rest of the team I would like to see some changes. 

Lucas Pérez or Giroud could feature and if either do I'll back him to get a goal here. Özil and Alexis could do with being rested so I'd like to see what Ramsey would do if trusted to perform in the same role for Arsenal as he does Wales. On the wings I'd like to see Jeff get a run out and Iwobi to come back into the fold and get some confidence back.

So should Arsenal play a weakened team? With Stoke to play at the weekend is there not an argument that the league should take precedent over Europe? I think we have to rest our best players tonight and think most would agree but whatever team Wenger chooses I think we'll be disappointed if we don't win.

LAST 3 MEETINGS

This is the second meeting between these two clubs. The Gunners won the first meeting 2-0 in September thanks to Theo Walcott's brace.

FACTFILE

• Arsenal have won all five of their previous competitive encounters with Swiss clubs.
• Basel has only lost twice to English competition in Europe (W4 D5), Arsenal in September and against United in 2002.
• The Gunners have only conceded 1 goal against Swiss clubs in 5 previous fixtures.
• Basel have won their past three Champions League home games against English clubs.
• Arsenal average two goals per game against Swiss sides.
• Basel's scoring record against Premier League sides in the Champions League ended with an Arsenal clean sheet in September.
• Arsenal have lost three of their past 38 home games in the Champions League group stages, winning 29 and drawing six.
• Basel are winless in their past five Champions League games (D3 L2), scoring just three goals.
• Arsenal have qualified for the Champions League knockout stage for the 17th consecutive season.
• Basel have lost only two of their past eight Champions League home games, those defeats coming against Real Madrid and PSG.
• Arsenal have not been unbeaten in a Champions League group campaign since 2005-06.
• None of Arsenal's past 40 away games in the Champions League has ended goalless. Their most recent 0-0 was at Slavia Prague in November 2007.

INJURIES

Coquelin is suspended. Cazorla, Bellerin, Mertesacker and Welbeck are all out.

STARTING XI

Ospina, Gabriel, Mustafi, Holding, Monreal, Xhaka, Elneny, Walcott, Özil, Giroud, Alexis.

GOONERSPHERE'S PREDICTION

Basel 1-3 Arsenal

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