Should Arsenal have made so many changes?

Every single Arsenal fan in the world is aware that we have to play Barcelona on Tuesday, but we are also aware that the chances of Arsenal winning the FA Cup for a record third time in a row are much greater than progressing any further in the Champions League, so perhaps we should have made less changes?

Wenger was asked about his selection after the game and he was adamant the team should have been good enough. “I played a team that, in my opinion, had the quality to win the game today. The Barcelona game was not in my mind today. I rested Ramsey and Ozil completely, because they’ve played many games since the start of the season. When I can do it, I do it. Mesut Ozil was a bit sick over the week, so I decided to leave him out completely. Ramsey has played many games, so that’s why I kept him out.”

Wenger was then asked if it was a shame that both teams (Hull made 10) had made so many changes, especially considering the winners would go through to the quarter finals of the Cup. “A shame? No,” he replied. “because that would mean that the players in the squad are not good enough, which I don’t think [is true]. If you look at the players that played in our team, Ospina, Chambers, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, they are all internationals, [as are] Elneny, Flamini, then yes, Iwobi. People want you to give a chance to young players. When you play them, they say ‘it’s a shame’. Up front we had Walcott, Welbeck and Campbell, all internationals. People always want you to buy more and more players. When you play them, they say ‘why did you play them?’ I think the team was of quality and that’s not an excuse.”

Yes the players were individually good enough, but the problem is that they rarely all play together. You know the famous “cohesion” that Wenger is always going on about? Maybe if he had made, say, six changes and then took off three of our first team once we had built a lead? Would that have been more sensible?

Tags Chambers Elneny Gibbs

25 Comments

    1. flop of the match were our subs………..None with a single outfield impact

      How they came on looking so Lethargic and uninspiring!

    2. Chambers was OK. But he got the typical Chambers yellow card as well. Until he stops bear hugging players when they try to get past him, he shouldn’t be anywhere near the RB spot.

  1. Silly post, Ozil and Ramsey last week looked out on their feet! Totally overplayed due to injuries! Thought we looked quite sharp for most the game! Let’s not forget motm was their keeper and if one had gone in and hull came out of their shell to score we would of had space to score more! Thought the front 3 all tried hard, sometimes it just doesn’t happen! I’ve seen our first 11 play a million times worse! It would also be ironic that people on this site would criticise dropping Giroud lol

    1. Wrong mate.
      Poor finishing lately from AFC…wrong timing …instead of shooting they choose to pass the ball and instead of passing they choose to shoot….just luck of composure and guts!
      Thats why every avarage goalkeeper who plays against us makes him MOTM or lokks like class.!!

  2. Would Barca have been locked out by a parked hull bus?

    I think the answer is no.
    Why you say?

    Well, I think because the quality throughout their team is much greater overall with greater technical and creative capability.

    When there is a wall in front of you, just passing the ball from side to side won’t get you anywhere. That’s why Ozil/Ramswy were truly missed, as although it doesn’t always work they have the vision to think out of the box. You need ‘penetration’ (oh er matron) in the form of vision and guile. You also need sharp (I.e clinical) tools that are precise and effective. How many chances does Suarez need compared to wellbeck/giroud/walllcott or Campbell?

    We’re I think we are truly lacking is in forward and wing play. Yes, when on song Alexis can be effective as can the Ox et al but they (perhaps apart from AS) aren’t IMO at the same level of ‘consistent’ class and quality as the BFC players.

    1. +£1 offer for Suarez…jeez!!

      Now we pay Walcott,Wellbeck bucket loads of money a week to be ‘OK’.

      Vision comes from management and owners too!

    2. @aot
      Guess you don’t watch Baca much…
      Atletico parked the bus on em and then hit em for 4. Barca had no answer for it. And liga 2 team Villanovense parked the coach and held em to a blank also. And please save the £1 Suarez “LIE”No matter how much we would have offered LFC, they were not that stupid as to sell him to us…
      Carry on.

      1. No I don’t watch cows (baca is Spanish for cow), but I do know Barca are more creative and decisive and also have a winning mentality throughout the club (especially the owners who transmit this need down to the kit man).

        You don’t win what they have won throughout their history by not being this way.

  3. Come on they are training together on a daily basis and know each other’s game inside out. It’s the same old problem, trying to walk the ball into the net and no one taking responsibility for shooting.

  4. It would be more accurate
    to say we had 1 in form
    international on the field, Kos.
    The other 9 are low level
    internationals most of whom are out of form.
    Rosicky + Arteta over the hill + Wilshere always injured
    Sanogo Gnabry Wellington in the wilderness.
    15 players, more than half the squad who contribute very little
    despite commanding 40 million worth of salaries.

    1. Davidnz, you say that as if Arsenal is the only club who have recurring injuries and players at the tail end of career also youngsters who may or may not make it even though its likely they never will. All clubs to a certain degree will have these issues esp the clubs who pay the highest salaries.

  5. Since our defence kept a cleansheet, you can’t moan about the 3 key player’s that were missing from there and if you think that Ramsey and Ozil would have made a difference then you are mistaken.

    Out of the 11 saves their keeper made (a new record) against us, how many shots/attempts were straight at him?

    Whenever we see photos or read Articles regarding our players during training, its always the same thing, blah blah was all smiles…. blah blah was joking and laughing about,
    The photos are mainly of standing around or a little jog here and there!…. How about some shooting practice ffs! ?
    It’s plain to see that there isn’t much being done during training sessions. ?

  6. “Ramsey has played many games, so that’s why I kept him out.”

    Ramsey has played many games alright, perhaps a bit too many for what he currently offers the team right now.

  7. We lack players in this squad that have the courage to shoot from outside the D…we need some coutinhos here at this club to force results even when the tiki taka fails….i was nevertheless impressed by elneny and welbeck.

    1. Tiki taka is always ineffective. This from the mouth of the man attributed to creating it:

      hTeeTeePee://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/players/lionel-messi/11162958/Pep-Guardiola-I-hate-tiki-taka-its-rubbish-and-completely-pointless.html

      We need teeth as we are currently no more than a dog without any. Better strikers/wingers of true class would have had us well ahead in the PL by now.

      Still, let’s make do on promising youngsters (walllcott) or potential goalscorers (wellbeck) whilst other clubs actually invest in their team and club to be the best ‘on’ the field.

      #pennyPinching

      1. @aot
        Pep created “tiki taki”…Ctfu
        Johan Cruijff would hugely disagree with this fake azzd statement.

        1. As he says himself. Tiki taka is passing the ball around without any real threat or aim. His team’s did a little more than this to bag the trophies they have.

          Cruyf never liked the new bread at Barca anyhow so he Probably would.

  8. In hindsight yeah he maybe should of had one or two more of the regulars in the team. It still would have been a risk though because the players he mentioned have indeed played many games. Giroud Ramsey Ozil Alexis, these are the ones the media are talking about, but imagine an injury to any one of them at this stage of season. I think Arsene made the right call, we haven’t gone out of comp and we have given some much needed rest to players who might actually need it or benefit from it.

    1. Sanches may as well be injured with his contribution, he can’t kick with his left so why play him.another Gervino ?

  9. Yes we should have won the match, but we did not lose. There was nothing wrong with the changes made, we just could not beat the keeper and our finishing was poor. I actually like the team that Wenger put out today, i guarantee you is that same team start against Hull in the replay we will be victorious.

    Now on to Barcelona which alot of teams fear, as an attacking unit they are awesome, but pressing a Barcelona team will cause them to make mistakes, because their defense is not all that. I am really looking forward to Arsenal making a lot of non believers eat their words

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