BFG – Arsenal’s bench is vital to title challenge

Without Santi Cazorla out of the game, Arsenal were getting battered from all sides by Tottenham and not getting any service to our isolated forwards, so Per Mertesacker was very pleased when Matthieu Flamini replaced Santi at half time, and even more pace was injected into the team when Kieran Gibbs entered the attack force.

It was very important not to lose ground on Man City before the international break, so to come back from a losing position keeps us up at joint top in the table. Per is pleased that the substitutes helped them to regain some energy to fight back. “We want to be involved throughout the season, competing at the top until the last second,” the BFG said. “We promised ourselves to do better than last season, not to drop a lot of points too early.

“It’s an interesting position but we still have room for improvement. When you look at the first half we need to manage to play a lot better. We lost our creativity and our way to play a bit, but how we came back shows that we have got a good mentality and level of character in the squad. That’s important for the Christmas period coming up.

“Santi felt unwell in the first half and that was a bit of a disappointment for us, that he couldn’t continue, but what Mathieu and Kieran gave us when they came on is what we need. It’s really important that, even if we suffer sometimes, we can come back. We showed mental strength.

“The energy and creativity those players who come on give sets the tone and gives us goals. That’s massively important. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks we’ll get more energy because it’s important while having injured players.”

It is always an advantage to have fresh legs on the bench, and the contribution of Flamini and Gibbs was a very pleasant (and very welcome!) surprise. If they would like to assume the role of supersubs this season, that will be fine by me (and Mertesacker).

Tags Flamini Gibbs Mertesacker tottenham

21 Comments

  1. Its a shame that we are injury hit this hard (please no 1 come with we should have signed more no1 could see 9 players out at this point)

    We have to look to the brighter note

    1. Like BFG said we should great heart and spirit to grab a point those are the type of matches that in the past we would have lost

    2. We have players coming back afresh and with the break hopefully a few others can get a good rest.

    3. Wenger is changing tactics during the match and trying different approaches to win

    I hope that we can keep up the pressure and go into the match with City level or above them (to claim 1st)

    COYG!!!

    1. We have the same problem every season… This is why you buy more players – for squad depth (take Bayern as an example). Like it or not, but thats a fact.

    2. I actually don’t agree we have previously seen that arsenal can get injuries of up to at least 8- 10 players at a time.

      Do your research on injuries in the previous seasons.

      Signing more players would have saved us from overplaying players like Ramsey etc

      Sanchez wouldn’t be jaded.

  2. If the reports are true that Bellerin, OX and Ramsey are to return after the break, it will do a world of good for us.

    Bellerin alone will tempo our attack 200%!

  3. Well said Mertesacker!
    Now get your arse on that bench and lets see if that makes your legs any fresher!
    ? I very much doubt it ?

    Some good news!… Debushy has hinted that he will be looking to move on in the January window, apparently
    Roma are interested ?

    1. Fatboy, well said, you literary took the words right off my keypad….the earlier we start playing Kos and Gab together the better for the team, Per should be a sub or alternative when one of the 2 gets injured…and we should defo sell him off in the summer

  4. The Epl has become soooooo average, its shocking. The Cl and the uefea leauge just prove it aswell.

    Arsenal is competing not bec we have become better, but others have become so poor.

  5. OMG………. IF Theo had been there for those 2 headers. ONE of them wouldhave been in , for sure !! Giroud, you are a donkey!! HE misses more chances than it is possible to ignore,put him out on loan, and get someone who can score, for crying out loud.

    1. Theo will never be in position to take those two header theo cant hold and push players like giroud so stop the hate he is playing well

    2. Are serious or you are joking? Since when did Theo score with headers. It was bad that Giroud missed those chances, let’s not forget that he is the please who had scored most goals with headers in the league. He has been on top goal scoring form scoring in almost every game and bailing the team out in many games including against Bayern at the emirates. Yes Giroud need a genuine striker to compliment him if the team is to win this season. Theo is aspiring to be a striker but he is not yet one and it’s still an experiment which might either fail or succeed.The wise thing to do if Arsenal is to win something this season is to buy a genuine striker.Theo can stick to the wings where he is already well established as a winger.

    1. Lol. He was like. ”I am not feeling good, no? Playing to much boss, no? I will die sooner bec of you, y no?

  6. £35 million should be enough to sign two proven premier league players in the January window:
    Wanyama and Vardy!
    Has anyone else noticed the difference when Wanyama is playing for Southampton? They keep more clean sheets!

    Add to that a cover for Bellerin and we will certainly be challenging for the league title this season!

      1. Would Wanyama replace Coq? He plays similar. Classie is no replacement to Schneiderlin. Campbell was all alone on right and kept giving ball away. He’s not there yet especially with Debuchy. We need strength up top. Alexis is exhausted. No decent back up for him. Same old story.

        1. Noooooo!
          Wanyama would only replace the position that Cazorla is being forced to play, therefore freeing up Cazorla to play in his rightful position where he was chipping in with the goals.
          Plus,this would give us more options to rotate and rest our attacking midfielder’s.

    1. Agreed Wanyama would be the perfect buy, but Wenger had chance to sign him from Celtic.but he dithered. Looks more likely to be with Spuds next season.

  7. I’ve gotta say Flamini helped change the game yesterday. He brought on some aggression and fight. Something that was lacking badly. Shocking first half. But both sides could’ve easily won that game.
    Let’s hope we get some players back after the international break and beat west brom.

    COYG

  8. Paulista should be playing alongside Koscielny after international break. Also our set pieces are much better since the Everton game, so this duo alongside Giroud will be dangerous in set pieces, that is a great plus for our team. Mertesacker hardly heads the ball in attack or when defending corners.

    Look at our most recents goals, most of them have come from crosses or setpiece crosses.

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