Arsenal began their quest to win a third FA Cup in a row on Saturday against Sunderland, and although Arsene Wenger made big changes from his first choice side they still carried the day with a 3-1 win over the Black Cats.
Hector Bellerin had a big part to play in two of the goals and after the game he made it clear that the Gunners were going all out to create history in this competition. “That is the goal of the whole team,” he said on the official Arsenal website. “We love this competition and the fans love this competition so we need to try and do our best. We are trying to get the third in a row.
“We knew it would be a hard game. It is always hard in the third round of the FA Cup. We had a tough opponent and a lot of changes so we had to adapt to that. We didn’t start really well but the team responded like it should. It was a great effort by the team and it was very nice to get through to the next round.
“They started pressing really high and we knew we had to be a bit safe when playing the ball. Sometimes we make mistakes and that is normal but we knew how to respond to it. The team was up to the challenge. We didn’t rush the game and we knew we had to be patient. It is nice to get the three goals and that is confidence for the team as we have a difficult week ahead.”
We now have two tough away trips to Liverpool and Stoke City coming up in the next week, so Wenger will have to make full use of the squad to keep fresh legs on the pitch. Bellerin doesn’t think this will be a problem. “The legs are fine and we have shown that we have very good players on the bench,” he said. “The rotation helps us get good results. We have a lot of games and they are all hard games but we have to respond in the way we did today and I’m sure we will be fine.”
Liverpool had an even bigger glut of games than Arsenal lately and believe it or not they even have more injuries than we have, so there is no reason why a fresh Gunners side cannot stay clear at the top of the table. The game at Stoke may be a bigger worry…..
Like AW said”AFC is the best doctor. When other teams are about to play us, they’re physio room suddenly empties out”
That is how it seems. The reality is that Arsenal consistently top the injury table in the PL. This cannot be coincidence, its down to something and we need to find out what it is and put it right. If it is something out of our control like other teams trying to ” kick us off the park” then pressure needs applying to the FA to get adequete sanctions in place and referees to act accordingly.
I find myself looking at opposition teams and thinking, good their player xxxxxx is injured and not playing. I find this distasteful, actually being glad that someone is injured. Perhaps if we did not have so many injuries I would not feel like this.
I can only blame Wenger for signing and keeping around injury prone players. Wilshere, Rosicky? Guaranteed to be out half a season every season. Walcott? Gibbs? Arteta? Ramsey? Minimum 3 months every season. If you look closely you will realize it is normally the same lot in the injury room. I understand every player gets injured but then again why do Arsenal injuries take so long? All I ever hear Wenger saying is so and so is running but not ready..I always wonder..if you can run then why cant you play! Or what else is someone required to be able to do in order for Wenger to say you are healed?
Well said Jonm…
Well said.
I would be over the moon with the treble but I would be content with the more realistic double (EPL and FA cup).
Though rotation alone minus key ingredients such a consistency, focus, desire, passion, team work, staying grounded, defeating injuries and taking our chances means nothing.
A good example of a player who has taken up rotation combined with the right attitude is Joel, compare him now to our game in the Capital one cup. Hope all players have his desire and will to step up into the starting 11 (I’m talking to you Ox, Chambers, Debuchy, Ospina, Arteta and Gibbs).
its already our trophy. no ones won it more.
but to be frank im so lovedrunk on the idea of the league, i want arsenal to sit at the big table again with the grown ups
off topic.
r.i.p. david bowie
an icon has left the building
Yeah the league should key. I’ve already started playing for a victory parade right here in Zambia. Yeah our club is that big with a large following.
@muffdiver
“This is Ground Control to Major Tom, you’ve really made the grade…”
R.I.P. Dave Jones
We deserve a seat at the table. But we gotta take it…
Treble: Is int it too much optimism.
For rotation, teams needs big squad and considering our injuries how can you say that we have big enough squad to rotate.
Ever game Sanchez is tipped to return but its jut not happening and I am really worried.
We can not even getting Elemny to be with us quickly. He needs to adjust our playing style and condition in England.
We must fully focused on PL only with this thin squad. We have been in that potion before also but collapsed due to further injuries
I was really happy to see Wenger rested ozil and Ramsey for the FA cup games .
Hope sanchez back soon
Treble? Geez, I’d be over the moon by just winning the league title!
Question: do Arsenal first team players practice twice a day?
LOL exactly what I was thinking. Treble? Good Lord, calm you t**ties you crazy lot!!
The League Title ‘ll do
Tomas(Lil Mozart) Rosicky is back in training…A damn good sign.
I assume writer is referring to winning the FA Cup for the third time in a row. Not League, FA Cup and Champions League, I suppose that would be a double treble!
If we can get our injured players back and no more injuries to critical players then PL and FA cup is possible. Champions League, not a hope unless we get the luck of Chelsea.
Let us not get ahead of ourselves
Let’s take it one match at a time
Don’t forget we are playing a team in CL that has two Balon d’Or nominees
Its not impossible to beat Barcelona but it won’t be easy. Messi, Neymar and Suarez is an awesome front three
I actually believe we have a better chance of winning PL then FA Cup this season. The FA Cup is a knockout competition so anything can happen. We are number 1 in PL in January with Alexis, Rosicky, Arteta and Wishere coming back soon
Right now are biggest rivals are Man City and Leicester City. If United sign any top players they could challenge too
But I believe if we focus hard on each PL match we can win it
I think myself and every fan alike knows exactly what sort of tactics each opposing team will use against us, very few try to play flowing football its either 1) park the bus and counter, 2) High intensity and press us up the pitch, 3) extremely physical and kick our main player/players .
I know for a fact as do all you guys both Liverpool & Stoke will be using 2,3,
Will we adjust to tackle we all know wenger wont, ” massive games the way i see it could define whether we actually really really want the league, Lose them and i dont think we have any realistic chance.
Hope wenger sets up according to the opposition and not his usual “we play to our strengths” rubbish.
My Line up
Cech,
Bellerin, Gab,Kosc, Monreal,
Flamini(Sitting deep & not thinking hes messi the clown)
Campbell,ramsey, ozil, ox
Walcott
This team purely becuase i believe klopp wont play benteke and go for firminho up top with lallana and milner on wings, and when teams press us thats when im abit concerned about Mertasacker otherwise he would be in and also the counter attack.
Walcott up top for his pace and to create more space for ozil in the middle & pace on wings aswell for the counter.