We need to have a chat Mr Wenger
OSTERSUND defender Ronald Mukiibi hopes to get his opportunity to quiz Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger about some of his team selections when the mismatched clubs meet in the Europa League.
Yesterday’s draw paired the Premier League side with the Swedish club that former York defender Graham Potter has taken from the fourth division to the top-flight Allsvenska in six years.
Mukiibi is a lifelong Arsenal fan and had admitted before the draw that a match-up with the Gunners in the last 32 would realise his “dream”.
But the February trip to London might also offer the 26-year-old a chance to take the French manager to task over tactical choices Mukiibi has disagreed with.
He said: “I want to exchange a few words with Wenger and ask him why he sets his team up as he does.
“Maybe we can talk about my own future during the conversation? If I have a good match then...”
Mukiibi is not on the side of those who want Wenger to call time on his long career in London, though, saying: “No, he can stay. But I still need to talk to him about those starting line-ups.”
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Borussia Dortmund Atalanta Nice Lokomotiv Moscow FC Copenhagen Atletico Madrid Spartak Moscow Athletic Bilbao AEK Athens Dynamo Kiev Celtic Zenit St Petersburg Napoli RB Leipzig Red Star CSKA Moscow Olympique Lyonnais Villarreal
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Recalling how he felt as he watched the draw unfold, the Swede said: “I started laughing to myself. We will play the team I’ve followed for my whole life. Who could have predicted it?”
Away from Europe, Petr Cech admits Arsenal need to address their slow starts in the Premier League.
The Gunners fell behind early at Southampton as Charlie Austin gave the hosts a third-minute lead.
Eight days earlier Wenger’s side found themselves 2-0 down to Manchester United with just 11 minutes on the clock. United went on to win that game 3-1 while Olivier Giroud came off the bench to head home a late equaliser and earn Arsenal a share of the spoils with a 1-1 draw at St Mary’s.
Those dropped points leave Arsenal a point outside the top four and goalkeeper Cech said:
“One thing that is really gutting is that we lost the game against Manchester United in the first 10 minutes.
“We could have been 3-0 down after 10 minutes again at Southampton and this is something we need to improve.”
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Real Sociedad FC Salzburg Partizan Viktoria Plzen Steaua Bucharest Lazio Ludogorets AC Milan Astana Sporting Lisbon Ostersundsv Arsenal Olympique Marseille Braga
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