sam-caddick said:
It's interesting seeing that Arsenal have only played three pre-season friendlies going into this game and two of them have been at The Emirates this weekend, us on the other hand are going into this game having played six friendlies with 4 of them in different parts of America so I am intrigued to see how both sides play.
I actually think had we made the final tomorrow against United it might have been a game too far. A derby two days after a game with the Community Shield against Arsenal less than a week later, I think that's too much for pre-season.
Jovetic and Navas have to start because those two have been the outstanding attacking players in the past few weeks.
I think Clichy will play right back because Sagna will have only been back a week, and despite him as well only going to be back a week prior to the game I think Kompany will play but not for 90 mins, I don't see us winning with one of the defensive partnership we have seen during pre-season.
I take the view that Jovetic and Navas don't need to start, because they don't need the game time as much as other players (although Jovetic will probably play because Negredo and Aguero aren't fit) . And Sagna's need to play is greater than Clichy's. The main problem Pellegrini has is that a number of players that need game time play in the same position. Juggling Sagna, Zabaleta, Kompany, Managala, Demichellis will be tricky. Ideally Pellegrini wouldn't want to use all of his substitutions on defensive players.
But the game should be used purely as preparation for the PL season.
The result is irrelevant.