As we headed towards the end of the busy festive football period, Arsenal were looking good, but also looking ahead to what appeared to be a tough run of games over the first month of the new calendar year. It is so far so good for the Gunners after winning all three matches following the disappointing Boxing Day loss away to Southampton but it does not get any easier from here.
In fact the next three games are possibly our toughest run of the season and that is why Arsenal were really banking on getting the Chile international forward Alexis Sanchez back from the injury list. Liverpool at Anfield and Stoke City at the Britannia are two of the toughest Premier League away days so the news reported by Arsenal.com that Alexis has suffered a setback to his recovery is a big blow.
Arsene Wenger revealed, “We think he will be short for Wednesday, he has a chance to be available for Sunday [against Stoke]. He is always keen to play. If you listen to Alexis, he can always play – even when he is injured. We try to be cautious. With a muscular injury you never know exactly how big the risk is but he is very close. If you look at him training he is very close.”
So he might well not be fit to face Stoke at the weekend and that makes the next two games a lot harder for Arsenal. But will this Sanchez setback prove to be a problem in our challenge for the Premier League title?
he was supposed to be out for 3 weeks but it looks like it is going to be 3 months. Our medical staff are just that, pathetic! so mad with wenger’s lies
Don’t get me started on how furious I am with Wenger!! Top of the league, CL group stage miracle, convincing start to the F.A. Cup campaign!! Grrrrr… it’s like he doesn’t even care about the fans!
lol! Classic Arsenal injury..am not even surprised. Let us just remember we all saw it coming…everyone but Mr Players-are-there-to-be-played-not-rested.
If it would be after Sanchez he will play tomorrow. I believe Wenger is doing good not calling on him now. A non fit Sanchez is just as good/bad as a non existent Sanchez. Pick your battles. We can put in a good performance without Sanchez and there is no guarntee he will not break again. Why take a chance? I would actually keep him home even for Stoke, we know what happens there. Just make sure we take some 5 points from the next 3 games and we will be laughing.
5 from 9? Against stoke, Chelsea and Liverpool? They’re tough, but one at a time.
sancho must be given enough time to heal coz we got more important games as the season progresses,we have got UCL,FA, and. the EPL so one step at a time
Liverpool are very vulnerable right now and honestly, we should beat them. Risking Sanchez against a Coutinho less Liverpool won’t make much sense. The Stoke game is always harder going by our recent results there, so I’m hoping he at least makes the bench then.
If he is not fit, He shouldn’t play….He might break down again and that will affect us in the long run. I believe the players know we have to fight together as a team if we wanna achieve great things this season. whoever plays should give His all….
Liverpool will be without some key players. Coutinho is out for some months if my guess is right. I feel its gonna be a tough game anyhow. I just hope we get the maximum points.
Stoke are a boogey team this season defeating Manc, Manu and Chelsea @ home…Defeating them will be huge………
Arsenal All The Way.
I dint see the word” setback”in wenger’s report, he is just being careful with his management..its all about defence for these tough away games, if we defend very well and respect our opponentsn surely we will win these matches without him, since his injury we lost only one..when he played we lost to west brom and drew to Norwich, so he doesn’t guarantee victory.what if he scores three goals and our defence concedes another 4 goals like we did at St.Marys??just be disciplined at the back we will create chances and score..Am so happy Rosicky is back..he will be massive for us
One of the very few players with fear factor we have is Sanchez. In fact he’s about the only player in our armory that can do the unthinkable at any point in time but that doesn’t mean we should rush him cos of the difficult fixtures we have now. I’m positive even without him the least we’d have from these two games is 7 points. Stoke and Liverpool for me is 6 points sealed and I’m sure Chelsea won’t do a double on us. Let’s believe in those players we have in hand and we’d definitely be there even without our best players.
Sanchez absence wont affect our chance of Wining at Anfield, although i would have loved to have him fit for the match.. I think Iwobi should be given more first team chance, i think that Lad is ready for first team football, he has d ball skills to hurt any opponent, d burst and Change of pace, d ball control and is physically strong. I wouldnt mind to see him start at the left side against N.Clyne…..lastly am so glad my favourite player in Arsenal is back in full training…. i fell in love with Mozart right from portugal Euro 2004…I have missed watching u Dazzle my heart….Jack Wilshere, i wish u Quick recovery.
I fully disagree with this article….We are playing wonderful football right now (even our lost to Southampton was due to the team been tired and also flamini not been fit enough to play week in week out) I would much rather Sanchez rest for the next 2 weeks and come back against Chelsea or bring him on for a run about late against stoke.
The 2nd half of the seaosn is on the way we need him we manage for the last 2 month without him and him coming back along with 1 or 2 other first team players could be like us signing new players in Jan (i know Wenger says it alot but this season I believe it due to the way we have survived without them)
Like I said to my friend I want to believe but do not want tot get ahead of myself. Lets stay focused 1 game at a time.
COYG
Arsenal need to let Sanchez rest for more time as the matches are tougher in the 2nd half of the league, and these teams like Spurs,City and Barca will force Arsenal’s hand into pressing but with the team being rejuvenated with atleast 2 signings the team can afford to give more time to the injured players.
as the lads said wtf?where did people get “a setback for sanchez”??wenger said that he was being careful with sanchez,this setback thing is just newspapers,websites trying to come up with some sensational headlines when they don,t really have anything new to come up with!!wenger can never win really can,t he??when players are tired and he plays them he gets the blame for their injuries,when they are injured and wenger is being responsible&sensible by not rushing them, straight away people gets on his back slamming him & the medical staff!what is he supposed to do then?i truly believe that we can handle liverpool without sanchez and would rather have him fit&rested for the stoke game where we can expect a physical game so he needs to be 100& no less against them!!