Arsene Wenger has given the Arsenal fans all the latest on the injured Gunners during the press conference ahead of the Premier League clash with Aston Villa at the Emirates on Sunday. You can see the whole thing on Arsenal Player but I am just looking at what the manager revealed about the injury situation of some of our key players.
So I will start with the bad news and that is that our versatile and dynamic England international Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is not going to be available as we thought for this weekend. In fact he is not going to be able to play against the spuds in the north London derby next weekend either, so hopefully his team mates like Ozil and Walcott can step up and ensure that the Gunners do not miss the Ox too badly.
There is more bad news from Wenger on the fitness of Alexis Sanchez who is struggling with a hamstring problem. The Chilean will have a test tomorrow but the Frenchman suggested that he would not be risking him anyway, although it does sound like he will be up for the trip to White Hart Lane.
The news on Danny Welbeck is not too bad as he also seems certain to be ready for the derby although Sunday is too soon. Again Wenger said he could risk him but suggested that he wouldn’t.
The best news is on Jack Wilshere, who the manager revealed was ahead of schedule and was nearly finished with his fitness training and ready to join up with the squad again, meaning he will be available for the FA cup and Champions League games.
And with Wenger hinting the other day that Mikel Arteta was only a little behind Jack, it looks like Arsenal will be heading into the business end of the season and some crucial cup games with a much stronger squad than we have been able to call on so far this season.
Regardless of whether Alexis passes his fitness test, I don’t want to see him play. I don’t want an Alexis Sanchez that is just barely clinging on to fitness. I want an Alexis Sanchez that’s rested and ready to destroy Tottenham next week.
In the conference Wenger hinted that Sanchez and Welbeck (who is available but at risk of inflamation) will not be risked. I imagine Sanchez will be on the bench at most, Welbs maybe the bench but unlikely and Paulista(!!!) to start on the bench. Walcott to start.
Luckily we have a good squad depth at the moment, and I think Cazorla and Giroud will do it for us.
Am thinking Cazorla and Rosicky
EMIRATES STADIUM to Host BraziL vs ChiLe? ………. Money for Kroenke
Said by the same person who wanted Wenger fired mid-season. GO FIGURE
Agreed. Frankly as long as Ospina, Coquelin, Kos and Santi are on the team sheet I don’t give a monkeys about the rest – and I mean that in the nicest possible way you understand.
We have the momentium so let it go on
Arsene has long been saying that it is important to rotate players, but without destroying the momentum and quality.. Well in 2 weeks time he would have a big selection head, which obviously he would love to have as well.. Santi, Ramsey, Coquelin, Ozil all competing for that 3 midfield places.. And they are all in top form as well.. With Zelalem, Crowley and Bielik lurking ahead for a move into 1st team in a couple of years time, I think Wilshere’s place is not safe anymore in the team.. He had to get back that Barca form real quick..
Where the hell is Gnabry???
Agree with Mick, make him rest (he’d probably want to play on one leg). We need him against Spuds, and so don’t want him to aggravate what may be a minor tweak!
Also with other players coming back more quickly than anticipated, dos this mean new medical team is starting to pay-off?? Especially as we see Chelski, United, Southampton being hit by injuries now
CYG
Sanchez – Hope its not too serious and I hope this is Wenger’s way of resting him (should things not go our way after leaving him out the media would have a field day). Whether his fit or not starting him from the bench would be okay.
Ox – Good player and has potential to be WC someday if he keeps improving, adding an end product to his play and AVOIDING injuries at all cost. Its not his fault really but I hope these knocks stay off him. At first I thought its due to his stile of play (very fast) but there other fast players such as Bale, CR7, Sterling, etc who also play at great speed but are less injury prone. Anyway I hope he make it for the Spurs game. Good chance for Theo / Ozil / TR7 to get a place in the team.
Welbeck – good to hear he will be back soon. Hope he comes back better and give OG a running for his money. Competition and rotation is key especially in February (lighting and a scream).
Arteta – Get well soon captain and hope your hair is still perfect too. Le Coq this gives you more chance to state your case while Flamini this gives you chance to squeeze out another 1 year at the club should you improve your performance.
Wilshere – come back soon lad, the team is improving and others playing coming to the fold this is no time to play with Diaby.
Debuchy – We miss you, hope Bellarine continues his wonderful form while you are down.
Diaby – Just no comment
Bad news on Ox, he was looking good playing with Santi Coq Rosicky Sanchez. Dont like the idea of us relying heavily on Theo and Mesut as rushing them could easily misfire. Hopefully Rosicky or Walcott will have guns blazing for spu and Sanchez too. Big three points this next match, would hate to have done all that great work up in manchester only to throw it away on sunday, or having to go to spu without these points.
The news on Jack Wilshere is pointless, there’s really little chance he can get back into this team now.
This is what i think should be Sunday’s line up:
———-Ospina———–
Bellerin Kos Mert Monreal
———-Le Coq————
Walcott Rosicky Santi Ozil
———- Giroud———–
Bench: Shez, Chambers, Paulista, Flamini, Ramsey, Alexis, Akpom
Ramsey may get the nod over Rosicky from Wenger, but i don’t think he deserves to.
That bench though..!!
with Wilshere, Welbeck, Ox, Arteta coming in even our bench would look world class..
All of them won’t be fit at once
”Applause” at your optimism mate.. 😛
Why on earth would we want to sign Mandzukic?
Hoping for a city win or draw
Difficult one isn’t it? Winning the PL is close to impossible and whilst 2nd place is improbable I would prefer us to get closer to City rather than worry about Chelsea. Having said that seeing Chelsea lose is only behind an Arsenal win as the most pleasurable footballing experience I get these days.
City to draw for me.. Only way saints can move up to heat things up.. Only way both can drop points as well.. City’s momentum has dropped a bit, but winning at Chelsea would serve them enormous good for their confidence.. Chelsea with Cesc, Costa and Luis out will find it difficult..
I think this time we have no alternative but using Ozil on the left, because of ox, Welbeck and Sanchez not playing. We could have used Campbell today lol
This is my team for Villa.
Ospina
Koscielny
Mertsacker
Gibbs/Monreal
Bellerin
Coquelin
Ramsey
Walcott
Cazorla
Ozil
Giroud
Bench- Szczesny, monreal, Paulista, Flamini, rosicky, Gnabry, Akpom
To be honest, it’s not the worst possible team we could have. And the bench is good to. There is no need to risk anyone
I think we will still win.
If people don’t want Ozil, we can play Gnabry or rosicky.
Gnabry is not match fit yet
Now that Chelsea bought Cuadrado as easy as it gets … Hope no (big) bids for Schuler or Salah
Almost invariably, when all us fans are sure we’ll beat the next team easily, disappointment is what we get. Hope our stalwarts don’t get too cocky. Respect Villa and they won’t punish us, or else there might be a repeat of last season!
Wenger said highly unlikely that there will be any more signings.
He also said if someone of quality is at my door, I will open the door. Not exactly sure what that means as quality players have wanted to play for us ie. Fabregas, Higuain, Sissoko, Jackson Martinez, Dybala, Vertonghen, Messi 😉
Anyway, Chelski have just signed Cuadrado
I think if United have signed Hummels, then Chelski, City and United have had a slightly better transfer window than us (Cuadrado, Bony and Hummels) but we have had a decent window also with Bielik and Paulista