Martin Keown described Arsene Wenger's team selection as "a gamble" ahead of Arsenal's FA Cup tie at Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
Wenger named a team including Mathieu Debuchy, Rob Holding, Reiss Nelson and Chris Willock as the Gunners started their defence of the trophy they won at Wembley in May.
Of those named on the bench at the City Ground, only Calum Chambers has played Premier League football this season and with Wenger serving a three-game touchline ban Keown feared for the visitors.
He told BT Sport: "I can rarely remember when he's taken this much of a gamble, he's not even on the bench himself.
"You think about shortage of experience, in that team there's not one regular first team player playing.
"Walcott - is he coming the the end of the line now at Arsenal? Welbeck - is he the same player?
"It's a gamble today, but Wenger sees it another way. He says 'look, I believe in these players'."
