Although we understand that winning the Premier League is the main priority for this season, every Arsenal fan wanted Arsene Wenger to play his strongest possible starting line up for the visit of Bayern Munich last night. He did just that and boy did it pay off, but it may have been one game too many for our human dynamo Alexis Sanchez.
After his amazing exertions against Man United, the Chilean had some serious travelling and two full international games, very little time to rest before facing Watford and yet another quick turnaround for the Champions League clash. And as his all action game is based on energy and work rate, there is only so much his body can handle, as the boss stated in his post match comments on the Arsenal website.
Wenger said, “Alexis, you could see he was a bit jaded physically tonight and he still pushes himself so much but he finished exhausted. The two games with Chile, plus travelling, plus Watford, plus tonight, it is too much.”
With Alexis being a key player for Arsenal, we cannot risk him picking up an injury so Wenger will have to be very careful as he prepares the team to face Everton. The forward may well show his remarkable powers of recovery once more but if not then we need to find a way to cope without him and the injured Ramsey.
For me there is a clear option and that is to bring our super sub Olivier Giroud back to the centre forward position with Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain either side of him. The Frenchman´s form and confidence has returned and the two wide men would still provide us with great pace.
And if the game is not going as hoped against Everton, we could always use Alexis as another super sub. What do you think Gooners?
Bad news.
My suggested team:
Cech
Bellerin – Mertesaker – Koscielny – Monreal
Coquelin – Cazorla
Walcott – Ozil – Ox
Giroud
Subs: Ospina, Debuchy, Gibbs, Gabriel, Arteta, Flamini, Campbell
Listen Baby Please
Everton is a big match. If we win and City draw or lose against United, we will be at top of the PL. #1
We may even increase our 8points lead over Chelsea because they are playing away @ WH
It’s a huge match and off the back of Bayern win we could potentially be on a long winning streak
I say don’t rest anyone unless absolutely necessary for this match.
LBP: if sanchez is jaded he MUST be rested. i , for one, would like to see OG and TW play together , esp now since TW has changed and both have confidence. i think it would go well versus everton. it would also be a chance for OX on the left, to play himself into some form.
@almostawinner Well halleluja, I’ve been saying that all along. IT will be exiting to see.
@BabyPlease,
I don’t mind if we remain in 2nd, until we meet City in December 19th.
We have a big task to proceed to CL’s knock-out stage, this consumes lots of our energy, physically and mentally. More important, if I can expect, is that the 3rd, 4th and 5th are not as close as of today. Hopefully, beginning December 19th we can focus to chasing City, without the stresses of being caught by anybody below us now.
Am I asking too much?
I don’t think “jaded” is the right word. The word has a negative connotation regarding attitude. It suggests Alexis is fed up or disinterested. I doubt that.
But if the man needs a rest, he needs a rest. But who knows, by Friday everything may look different. In the end, only Wenger can really make that determination so we will have to trust him.
jaded is bad english, he is spent
Giroud right now is on the top of his game , scoring a goal in every game! I am hoping his prowness continues against everton, and he bags a goal or two come this weekend! Coyg!
@BabyPlease
City are 2 points ahead. They have to lose and we have to win plus beat MU’s goal tally on the day in order for us to take top spot…
@ baby please
Nice one buddy hahaha you became automatically a character here.
Did you take the “baby please” from the Scarface line from the police Nan Mel to Tony montana?
Why not just play Campbell on the left and continue to use OG as Mr Impact Sub…
Your suggestions is reasonable. And if Campbell had shown any decent form lately it would be logical to start him at LW. Sadly, however, many of his recent performances have been lacking. (He did score for Costa Rica during the break, I believe).
Most importantly, I just don’t think Wenger trusts him at this time – and Wenger makes the calls.
He’s earned a start. Everton are a very well drilled defensive side. Magicians in midfield, big man in the centre and pace on that flanks. Can’t go wrong.
If we take Alexis out we have only 2 players in our squad that can play on the wings at the moment – Walcott and Ox. Campbell is there of course, but I can’t see him playing, and Welbeck is injured. Could try pushing Bellerin up to RW. He used to play there after all and isn’t half bad at attacking.
But to me this means 1 thing: we cannot lose Alexis to injury. If he needs rest, we rest him.
Iwobi as well.. The kids been killing it. See his goals vs Bayern’s u19’s? Absolute class.
I agree in regards to Alexis. Our chances obviously improve with him on the pitch, as with Santi and Ozil, but we still have enough threats to seriously trouble them and give him a rest.
Yes Iwobi ..or Adelaide are very useful looking cadets. Also Sheaf, what a strike on the ball he has, and is strong plays it safe and a decent tackler. I think he is closer to AFC first team squad than Beilik is. Id like Wenger to consider him if we get a couple injuries in Coq area. He’s seems more of a CM than defensive but looks to me like he could play there, in a mold of Arteta but stronger and quicker.
Im still hoping that guy ( mr energy) alexis sanchez plays a part, even if its a few minutes against everton at weekend! When he is on the pitch, something is bound to happen! Coyg!
To be honest, a perfect day for me will be three points and Sanchez getting a full weeks rest. He’ll be heading over to Germany soon enough and at times he looks to be our only player who chases everything down with a real purpose and intent. Boy does he deserve a break!.
Get Walcott to move his a*** a bit more. He still doesn’t do enough for me on 140 grand a wk.
Yeah….. He’s played what? 15 or so games since spending a year on the sidelines?
If you were expecting him to come back and be a 140k player straight away that’s simply naive. His work-rate has improved dramatically, as has his positioning.
So how many games should it take? Remember he came back from injury at the at the back end of last season. People say Arsenal need to get Walcott into the game. Why does he need to be bought into the games by other players almost every time? If you’re on that much wages you should be able to create your own chances and have a bigger impact. He is good but not as good as most Arsenal fans make him out to be.
There’s nothing wrong with having a striker or forward who’s reliant on service that plays in the squad we have currently. An extra yard of pace or the ability to create space for yourself with strength (on the weekend Giroud was holding off Boateng like he was Phillip Lahm.. He was marking him for his goal as well) is just as deadly in the box as the ability to dribble past someone 1v1.
I don’t care how pretty the goals they score are, and I don’t care if the skill level required to score isn’t up to your standards. Our strikers are paid so much to get goals and set up others, and they both will and have been. In big matches as well.
Someone please correct me if I’m wrong.. But Giroud’s got a great scoring record against Everton.
3 clean sheets in a row, definitely hoping no changes to the defence. Santi and Le Coq should have an easier game as we should see a lot more of the ball.
If we play Ozil behind Giroud with Ox/Theo/Campbell (who should all be relatively fresh) on the flanks and instruct them to track back at every opportunity it should be enough to trouble Everton and remain solid at the back.
Iwobi deserves a shout as well. The goals he’s been scoring in the u21’s have been brilliant, high work-rate and would surely be keen to impress.
We can’t expect our best players to play 3 games consecutive weeks in a row without acknowledging that it’s a gamble. We’re without Ramsey now which is a big blow.. Alexis has pushed himself to the limit based on those comments, and he’s not the sort of player to reserve energy during a game. Great opportunity to give him a week and a half off.
I think we should rest alexis no matter what he says, when players are fatigued like that he’s more prone to muscle injuries and I’d rather him play the last 30 minutes than miss the next 1-2 months.
I would go along with those changes, I would bring campbell into the squad in place of the injured Ramsey, but also 3 defenders on the bench is one too many for me, if flamini is fit I would bring him to the bench. Remember though, Sheffield Wednesday away is coming up, hopefully a chance to give those missing out a chance. Ospina, Debuchy, Gabriel, chambers, gibbs, arteta, flamini, campbell, chamberlain, iwobi giroud should all start that one. With 5 of the first teamers dropping to the bench along with Macey and kamara, that team should beat Wednesday leaving us only 2 wins away from a spring date with Wembley.
Gk cech,ospina…..perfect
CBs kos,mert,gabriel……perfect
LB monreal,gibbs…..perfect
RB bellerin,debuchy…..perfect
CDM coq,flamini,arteta…..need better backup
Cm cazorla,ramsey,wilshere….perfect
CAM cazorla,ozil.roscisky
RW ramsey,ox…..need better statter
LW alexis,campell…..need better backup
ST giroud,walcott…..needs better starter
So my concluaion for arsenal to be a real complete team that have big strong squad ready to win the champions league we need 4 players
2 starters as St and RW and two backups at DM and LW
I highly doubt any big names will be looking to move in January unless we see a shock exit from the CL. Being cup-tied is obviously a big deterrent.
Sergi Samper though…. I’m quietly hoping he turns out to be one of the under the radar January steals Wenger’s pulled off in recent seasons (Monreal, Gabriel). He voiced his discontent at a lack of opportunities and Barca don’t even seem to be putting him on the bench.
Can play both as a defensive DLP and a DM which we only really have in Arteta who’s on his last legs and offers something we don’t really have in our other midfielders. World-class potential and would allow for different tactics and set-ups for years to come.
DLP? But I’ve never seen samper play how good is he? I’d rather us get an older DM some1 in the 27-28 yr old range who still would challenge for a 1st team spot but so coq can learn from him.
And Welbeck is coming back I’d like to see him get time on the LW when alexis needs a rest or if Ozil needs a rest and we play alexis off the ST
Great comments from my fellow fans. The truth still remains that Wenger still makes the final call but truth must be told. I have always wanted Ox on the right wing along with Sanchez and Ozil in the middle with Walcott striking. To me that’s some speedsters hard to contain. Sanchez for sure needs a REST. Start Giroud as striker, walcott on the right and Ox on the left.
If Alexis is not playing against Everton, then we need to bring in Oliver Giroud yes, but change the system into 4.4.2.
—————–Cech
Monreal, Konsienly, Merteserker, Bellerin
-Carzola, Coquelin, Ozil, Ox-Chamberlain
———–Giroud – Walcott
Coquelin will have extra work in playing infront of the back four. infact the entire team will have to defend as unit.
However, here is the lesson for what to shop for in January. If Coquelin get injured we have problems. We need a similar of better quality signing in there for replacement. If Sanchez get injured again we have a problem. Can we sign a player who can play with similar impact from both wings who will take over the right wing?
Tough one. I am for don’t change a winning team but…we Def can’t lose Alexis to injury .
Maybe one change and that’s it….don’t start changing for players for rest.
Just one
While Giroud has his scoring boots on we should take advantage of this time to give Alexis a rest, I think OX n Theo are more than capable of doing the job on the wings. But like the Watford game, I can see Wenger starting Alexis and bringing him off around the hour mark. We’ll see… COYG