We on JustArsenal were completely dumbfounded when Arsene Wenger agreed to let Francis Coquelin extend his loan period at Charlton a couple of weeks ago, but t seems the Frenchman has finally seen sense and recalled the France U21 international ahead of this weekends game against Newcastle.
Coquelin is very versatile and, although he is generally considered to be a midfielder, he can also play at right-back or centre-back if needs must. So, as we said at the time, it was a no-brainer for Wenger to recall him during this unbelievable injury crisis affecting nearly ALL our defenders.
So it is a relief to see him back in training with the Arsenal squad, as revealed by this photo in HITC this afternoon, but with Aaron Ramsey being the latest addition to our players on the treatment table we will still be hard pushed to field a team with a proper defensive make-up.
Here is the latest official injury list from Arsenal.com:
Aaron Ramsey Hamstring
Jack Wilshere Ankle
Theo Walcott Groin
Mikel Arteta Calf
Nacho Monreal Foot
Laurent Koscielny Calf
Tomas Rosicky Thigh
David Ospina Thigh
Mesut Ozil Knee
Serge Gnabry Knee
The BAD news is we are facing a Newcastle team in full confidence after ending Chelsea’s unbeaten run last week. I know the Gunners usually pull something out of the fire when we are under ressure, but this will definitely be a massive test on Saturday.
COYG!
What line-up would this lead to?
Szcz
Bellerin-Merte-Coq-Gibbs
Flamini-Ox
Sanchez-Cazorla-Podolski
Giroud/Welbeck
I dont really see any other possibility in the back 6, unless we’re gonna play some U19 players. It will be an interesting game tomorrow!
debuchy?
bellerin_debuchy_per_Gibbs
flamini_Chambo
Sanchez_cazorla_welbs
Giroud
knowing Wenger there’s no way he will bench one of og or welbz, +Sanchez and welbz can both help in sorting out our troubled defense.
Don’t think will happen. I believe Wenger will play like that :
RB-Debuchy,CB-Mert,CB-Gibbs,LB-Bellerin
Then OX & Flamini moved in the middle with Cazorla while leaving Podolski, Sanchez and Giroud forward.
Except Podolski this is a very good defensive formation and I believe we will rely on Sanchez burst next to Giroud on the counter. Now, tell me if I don’t know better than Wenger !
3 points, please. Bring it anyhow.
Szczesney
Bellerin – Debuchy – Mertesacker – Gibbs
Flamini – Chamberlain
Sanchez – Cazorla – Podolski
Welbeck
Would be my starting lineup, Giroud to come off the bench if need be.
So many injuries and Wenger stilll says we will not buy a player if d squad is fit !!!!!
and we began to think dat d situation cant get any worse.
Three words: Arsene Knows Best.
Arsene knows best, but he ain’t doing d best!
He hasnt changed… still side stepped having to admit basic errors. To be honest im still struggling to come to terms with the fact of bringing in no defensive recruitment besides CC and a GK.
How can the manager of a club think two senior CBs are all thats required… and also never replace Vieira Gilberto properly to this day.
I was fully behind Wenger right up till this season… was annoyed with fans saying that i loved Wenger more than my club… i never let it get to me as i believed that Wenger was ready to spring to life as soon as the funds where sorted and that hed start buying players similar to the ones of old. Players who have a strong character and a fighting spirit and who are physically well endowed. Instead i see him not bothered with the physical aspect of the PL like as if he believes winning it with small technical players will show everyone we where just unlucky over the last ten seasons and it wasnt just about the money. Making those errors this summer and just after a season where many believed we could win the title if we just purchased a top striker… its unforgivable… not to mention pundits still say we havent replaced Patrick Vieira. I do believe we should have brought back David Dein and this could be a reason as to why Wenger has looked so underprepared all too often. Barring Deins comeback i dont see us ever reclaiming the title under Wenger. I hope im wrong
CC, Debuchy and a GK
Did Ramsey decide to score those 2 goals against Gala with his left, because his right hamstring was making him little bit un-com-for-table?
No, have you ever had a hamstring injury? if his right hamstring has gone, its his left leg that would feel it when stretching/kicking.
@sevenitti
I would prefer
__________Welbeck
______Podolski Sanchez OX
________Flamini Cazorla
Gibbs Mertesacker Debuchy Bellerin
__________Szczesny
Cazorla is an excellent central midfielder.
I love your starting lineup
I wish you were manager lol
Any sensible manager would use your formation but alas we lack one.
But, Wenger is very stubborn
I’m sure Wenger will:
1. not start Podolski
2. Start Giroud over Welbeck (I don’t have a problem with that)
3. Play Cazorla on wing
4. Somehow I have a feeling he will screw up the defense
Wenger may:
1. Not play Bellerin and play someone not good at CB and put Debuchy on wing.
2. May play Welbeck on wing because he played there for United and also Wenger Has mentioned this in previous press conferences
I despair 🙁
Is Diaby now assumed permanently injured so they don’t put him on the list
I think we have given Diaby enough loyalty over the years.
I don’t know if this makes me a bad fan, but we can free up salary money by letting go of a player that gets paid to play very few games
At some point you have to say enough is enough
I will be playing ‘morrow
You better put in a 100% shift Newcastle are in good form
hahah
I pity you. HRD will bring you on 3 minutes to the end of the game.
Can this fool recall Fabregas too ….can’t stand CHELSKI’s bragging about how they snatched him from us.
Maybe to fill up the bench, since we had in unfit Koscielny last weekend. How can a manager who has been at this club this long, not see that there was a deficiency in defence in the summer? You learn form your mistakes not continue making them.
“he is generally considered to be a midfielder”
His wiki page as well as Transfermarkt say he is a DM, didn’t do a lot of research did we OP…
Yeah, most of his pro career he’s played CDM. But I think I’ve seen him play fullback as well, never a CB though..
Eh? In case you didn’t know, DM stands for defensive MIDFIELDER, and the reason I said “generally” is because he has played more games for Arsenal as a right-back!
Who needs research when you’ve watched every Arsenal game for 45 years……
Little bit typo @admin. I think you missed a decimal point between 4 and 5.
@Twig
Remember
…….. ADMIN COMMENT. Hey Sumo don’t start all that again. I explained all that years ago and am certainly not going to start again now!
And yes I DID go to my first Arsenal match at ten years old. How old are you?
Really believe we should definitely get Carvalho and Van Dijk in January. I know some are saying Carvalho isn’t worth the amount but he along with Van Dijk have what we’ve been missing for years now. Both in their early 20’s with massive room for growth and I see us as the team that will bring the best out of these guys in the near and long future. Watched atleast 2 games with them playing and I’m sold. For me Carvalho to eventually replace Arteta and Van Dijk to do the same with Mertersacker who coincidentally are in their 30’s… Make it happen please Wenger.
I just wanna see le cog get a chance to play plzx wenger we need someone with pace and strength in that dm and I think he can grow in the just give him a chance..
Which part a Mo Bay yu come from?
Salem mi boss ypree
Fi real, Pitfour mi come from
Oh ok seet deh repect bredda
Well we are well and truly f*cked at Anfield next week! We never ever have a fit squad to face the big teams, we’re a f*cking joke, our players are made of glass, it’s a disgrace, how can they get injured this easily, absolutely pathetic, a bloody disgrace! I’ve had enough, Wenger makes things ten times worse, this club has turned into a laughing stock, this season is over for us and it’s not even Christmas, half the squad injured as per usual, what the f*ck is going on?! Our football club has now been ruined.
What i have learned from watching Arsenal play.
Every game against the biggest team ( 1 ). Cl or not, is a 0% vs 100% chance to win.
Every game against a team of ( 1-4 ) is a 30% vs 70 % to win the game.
Every game against a smaller team of ( 4-9 ). is a 50% vs % 50% chance to win.
Every game against a smaller team of ( 9-14) is a 65% vs 35% chance to win. And so one.
This is what Arsenal has become, and this is not something i made up but direcltly from the observation of the present and past games. That for, Wenger simple needs to go, and that as soon as possible.
What the hell is causing these spontaneous and random injuries, I just can’t comprehend this. It must be Wenger’s training Methods or he doesn’t train them enough or the players are just weakling delicate flowers who snap easily.
I’m absolutely livid, honestly, I don’t pay ticket prices to see half the bloody youth team play against full grown opposition in the premier league.
I think Arsenal still has the highest prices in the PL (I hope I’m wrong)
A bit cheeky for ending 4th place and winning 1 trophy in a decade. Also, the stadium is paid up.
this season is simply a joke. im at a loss for words
It is, I agree. The only thing on our side is time. There is still a long season ahead of us. Hopefully we some changes in the mean time.
It’s a joke and a tragedy
If it was a movie, it would be a dark, dark comedy
Got this off Arsenal.com and I don’t know how to feel about this, if you know Koss had been carrying an injury why wait until the last week of the window to do something. I just hope by then we aren’t already royally f***ed with the injuries we have now.
on the January transfer window…
There will be very little activity [in general], because all the big clubs want to keep their players, and it will be as usual quiet in the first three weeks and a bit frenetic in the last three or four days.
on solving defensive issues on training pitch…
If everybody is fit and available, we don’t need to go on the transfer market. But we have to consider that there could be a question mark with Koscielny’s fitness and we have to go out on the transfer market..
I’ve been saying this all season. WE ARE DOOMED!
But we can overcome it if the players all show some damn heart on the pitch. Go out there and give it their all. And ffs show some cohesion on the offensive end
This game has very serious consequences which could see us fall to 7th or 8th in the table. In a weird way I want us to lose so wenger can go buy what we need in January 😉