It was hard work for Arsenal and a very close run thing against a confident, tough and well organised Southampton side, especially with their keeper having one of those nights when it looked like nothing could beat him. But the Gunners kept going and Alexis grabbed us a deserved winner and made it three wins and three clean sheets in a row.
So now Arsenal can start to feel confident that we are strong in all areas of the pitch and can look ahead to the next month and the chance to make up some ground on the teams above us. And we also have some key players returning from injury in that time, with Theo Walcott and Wojciech Szczesny possibly this weekend followed by Mathieu Debuchy and David Ospina and then Mikel Arteta all before christmas.
But I do not think Arsenal can afford to wait for the return of all these players before starting to rotate the first team players, because the risk of injury increases every time the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Danny Welbeck play in every game and usually for 90 minutes. I would be tempted to rest Welbeck and start the Ox against Stoke on Saturday to start the ball rolling.
Then next week’s trip to Turkey for the final Champions League game with Galatasaray gives Arsene Wenger a chance to rest Alexis and if Debuchy is back, either Calum Chambers or Per Mertesacker. We don’t have much choice in central midfield, at least until Arteta is back in a couple of weeks, but Ramsey and Flamini have not played too many games so far and so should not be a problem.
But imagine if we lost Welbeck, Mertesacker or even Alexis, it could spell disaster for this busy period which sees Arsenal play away to Liverpool, West Ham and Southampton with a home game against QPR and an FA cup game all in the space of two weeks. So do you agree that the boss needs to give them a rest before the games come thick and fast?
With who? Everyone is injured.lol
UP NEXT : Stoke city……… Time to pLay hard ball….. Someone’s gonna get injured….. Oh dear Lord, pLs NO!
Southampton played like Stoke City yesterday. Wanyama should have got a red.
Stoke = grubs..
@afcFan apart from injury, then theres wenger (the guy who never rotates)
its only a matter of time until Alexis picks up an injury. Then all hell truly breaks loose.
I think Welbeck needs a breather and Podolski shoud start in the weekend. Would like to see this against Stoke City
Giroud
Podolski Cazorla Sanchez
Ramsey Flamini
Gibbs Kosc Mertz Chambers
Martinez
It’s a decent lineup, but I think we can also afford to rest Sanchez, especially against these hackers. We have Rozza, and Campbell who are dying to get some playing time.
I would definitely use some of the players that have played very little football. Campbell podolski rosicky, sanogo, and giroud immediately spring to mind as they are already fit and could be rotated with the front 4 that have played a lot of football welbeck cazorla chamberlain and sanchez. Hopefully Walcott and gnabry might also be fit soon? When arteta (and may be diaby?) is fit he can be used to rotate with ramsey and flamini,. When debuchy and hayden are back in a week or so we have to consider resting chambers and mertesacker, plus bellerin has to be considered. That pretty much leaves only wilshire and ozil who are definitely out until 2015 so haven’t mentioned them or the keepers as rotation is not really necessary there.
Nice lineup Twig. I just wish we could find out if Chambers could do well in Flamini’s role. With DeBuchy coming back it might be the perfect time to see if he can be the DM we need. That is if a replacement isn’t in the works for the next window.
How about:
—- Giroud – Sanchez
Podolski – Flamini – Ramsey – OX
————- Back 4
——— Martinez
We have the height and hold up play of Giroud, the finisher Podolski, pace of OX and got-it-all Sanchez. Let Flamini and Ramsey protect the defense (and Aaron actually playing the CM role, not CAM). Will never happen this line up of course but would be nice to see it.
Well, Cazorla has been our best player in the past few games. Are you dropping him or resting him?
Have anyone noticed how giroud is playing like a man transformed? He should definitely start against stoke! Coyg!
Come on gunners lets get another 3 vital points against stoke on saturday! Coyg!
Carthorse GIROUD was and has been the biggest pile of shite for the past 2 years but.. But he’s actually been sorely missed of late and we now have alternatives up front – he has proved his worth.. Is this because he’s actually quite good or our general build up play without him is lacklustre and one dimensional..
Im still not convinced and get the impression Wenger just fumbles his way through games- because if pelle had connected how we know he can instead of putting that left foot volley into row z then the outcome would have been very different.. Saying that, Forester was absolutely outstanding and were it not for his amazing save from giroud then we probably would have won it more comfortably..?
Also I’m a huge admirer of wilshere and his tenacity and desire to do well for arsenal – but is it a coincidence we start winning without him..Overrated..only time will tell..
Rotating the squad is only good if you have injuries if you are on a losing or indifferent run.. Mourhino plays his best team every game so not rotating hasn’t hindered their progress to the top of the premier league!
The problem Wenger has is that he failed to strengthen in the areas we were weak in and now we have a farcical situation of players playing out of position and or getting injured doing so..
Unfortunately we are playing catch up and once again hoping for other teams to slip up to allow us a chance to make the top 4 ..
To do that we need walcott diaby and Ozil back playing soon to drive the 2nd half of the season.. Or (a miracle January transfer window where we buy 1 DM,1CH)
Hmmmmmmmmm
@ptn
And if the keeper had not saved any of our shots, we know how it would have turned out.
See how that works?
They got off 6 shots-1 on target- saved be Emi
We got off 19shots-8on target- 7 saved by Forster(u know where the 8th one went)
+20 goal season and he is a big pile of shite? You’re having trouble seeing past well, Phil Thompson’s nose.
Yes without a shadow of a doubt. I believe gnabry and rosicky are available and we know campbell and poldi are champing at the bit to get some game time. I’d not make wholesale changes but rotate using the above mentioned players starting with the stoke game as we know how they like to kick lumps out of us! I wouldn’t start sanchez in this game as he’s too valuable to get injured ! Have him on the bench.
Sanchez won’t be bullied by Stoke,that’s for sure.
1st name on the team sheet without a doubt.
COYG
Ox, TR7, OG12, Santi, Rambo, Flamini (he’s a danger for a red in this game!). The rest are the same.
OG12
TR7 Santi Ox
Rambo Flame
Nacho Kos Per CC
EM
Lots of flexibility to change it up with Sanogo, Welbeck, Sanchez on the bench.
On Chambers at the DM role – I would try that out in the FA cup early rounds provided we get a lower league opponent. Small steps there…wouldn’t test it in the EPL or UCL. He’s best blooded into that role by Arteta and not the FLAME!
On the flip side…AW has probably conceded 1st place in our UCL group (BvB only need a draw at home. Anderlecht nothing to play for) and will play Sanchez and Welbeck v Stoke…perhaps rest them for the trip to Turkey.
We’ll know soon enough…
Szczesny and Wilshire can stay injured for a few months… What I know Martinez has 3 clean sheet. He deserved to stay on the first 11. As for Wilshire , can’t remember If we had a win when he start for the team. What I know for sure, 3 wins in a row without him.