I doubt that I was the only Arsenal fan to be surprised to see the Arsenal team sheet for the away game against QPR last night. Arsene Wenger had strongly suggested after the weekend win over Everton that he would have to make changes.
The Frenchman has been saying for a while that his team have been dropping off a bit in the second half of games, as the pressure to win and the injury situation have left the boss with little choice to keep playing the likes of Mertesacker, Alexis and Cazorla.
So why did he start with all three of these overworked Gunners and only make two changes from the team that beat Everton? I think it is the growing pressure in the fight to finish in the top four. As revealed in a report by The Mirror, Wenger is looking down as well as up in the table.
With all the top seven teams winning this week, Arsenal in third are only seven points ahead of the spuds in seventh. The manager knows that with 10 games to go, a lot could happen and a little dip in form now could be disastrous.
Wenger said, “It’s hot up there because everyone won tonight. We can only focus on our performances and keep going. Ten games to go, six at home, four away. We just need to focus on our performances.”
So with Man United still winning despite uninspiring performances and with Liverpool really hitting form, I think Wenger is worried about every game and could not bring himself to rest the big players. I wonder if the same will be true of the FA cup game on Monday. Do you think Wenger´s focus on the FA cup has wavered because of the tightness at the top?
There can still be some few changes and maintain the quality of the team, I.e Walcott, chamberlain, Monreal. My biggest concern is that I no longer trust szczesny.
Plus Ramsey too!
Dont understand the disslikes. Arsenal>All players
It shouldn’t.
We are a big club right? Don’t big clubs use their finance and the manager his abilities in such a way as to make competing on all fronts possible?
After all we are not Monaco or anderlect or tottenham are we…
V Man United. (What I think Arsene will play)
Ospina
Chambers Per Kos Monreal
Coq Ramsey
Walcott Ozil Welbeck
Giroud
My team v Man United.
Opsina
Bellerin Per Kos Gibbs
Coq Ramsey
Oxlade Cazorla Sanchez
Giroud
sanchez must play v manu. ozil is in great form, will play. giroud just keeps going, he stays. i think ox will be on a wing, bc walcott doesnt track back, vs di maria that could be fatal, if he s on the wings. kos and per in the middle. sz will be in goal. coq and ramsey or coq and caz (he seems tired) in the pivot. özil in the 10? i think:
OG
Sanchez OX
Öz
Ramsey
LeCoq
Gibbs Kos Merts Bell
SZes
i’m not sure how nacho is doing injury wise. i don’t trust chambers pacewise vs di maria (i know maria can play more centrally too). szes is our cup keeper atm, so if hes fit, hell start.
No Ramsey, he is playing Shi^t. Rosicky can do it better.
@true.gooner lol ha ha ha!! That’s how I seems to be able to read what he wrote, maybe that’s not what he meant ha ha ha ha!! I don’t care if Wenger get an attack abt EPL… he needs to keep this only 1 chance of us gettin trophy this season plus a Bragging RIGHT!!!! Classic say so.
Couldnt find the part Wenger ignoring FA Cup in the article…..
next article please
Two players I’m worried about against United are Szczesny and Mertsacker. Szczesny will need to play as well as last season. Mertsacker will have a tougher time with United’s midfielders and forwards than he did with QPR.
I would personally play Ospina and Chambers instead. However, that would probably destroy Szczesny’s confidence.
I think Walcott or Welbeck, Sanchez, Ozil and Giroud should start. Monreal should start over Gibbs.
Szczesny should be sold…and we should bring in Cech or Casillas to compete
I think it’ll be the same team as played against QPR, except maybe Ramsey instead of Rosicky. I can see Welbeck getting a start too since it’s his old club and all, but I prefer Giroud up top, and I really don’t like Welbeck on the wings, especially as he’ll be desperate to score at Old Trafford.
its all about the tactics……
Utd will be parking the bus and have something special for us…
but Will Wenger Change his ways???
We had a 5 day rest between games. Players are finding form and nobody seems particularly fatigued except the players he tried to rest. I don’t see him as losing his sight on the FA cup at all – I think he’s trying to squeeze the best out of his players and make a final push for a good finish to the season.