It was not just the new Arsenal signing Granit Xhaka’s place on the subs bench for the first game of the Premier League campaign that was a surprise to many Arsenal fans and other football watchers, because our Spanish midfield maestro Santi Cazorla was also left out of the starting line-up, despite having played the full 90 minutes of a pre-season game the weekend before.
Aaron Ramsey was the player selected by Arsene Wenger against Liverpool and he had only played about an hour of pre-season after returning from his Euro 2016 heroics for Wales and it now appears that this was a risk after he picked up a hamstring injury and the boss suggested he was not quite ready.
Thierry Henry in the TV studio seemed a touch baffled by Wenger’s decision not to start with Xhaka, after the Switzerland international midfield star was the only big signing of the summer. From what the boss says he will only spend big money on players that will improve the team so why not play Xhaka, especially if Ramsey was a risk?
Perhaps he was worried about how the new Gunner would cope with a Jurgen Klopp heavy pressing side on his EPL debut. I can understand that, but then why not play the brilliant Spaniard in the role he has performed so well over the last year or two? I do not get it, do you?
Well it’s done now…… but I’d hazard a guess he wanted an established central midfield partnership with strongest possible defensive qualities (Coquelin/Elneny) infront of an untried, young, emergency centre back pairing. It was then a straight choice between Ramsey & Cazorla for AM (both with their own fitness concerns); AM is Ramsey’s favoured position (albeit Ozil is the number one choice when fit) but Cazorla has played in a less advanced role for some time.
That was a repetitive question was it? It doesn’t need answer. Arsene’s golden boy always ahead even if better players are available. Ramsey might creative enough for Wales as EURO 2016 displayed, but not at Arsenal. He still want to repeat that one season wonder rather to play as team play maker. Two risk that AW taken before L’pool game. One, Ramsey’s fitness. Second, our strategy.
We are not going to miss him anyway. Cazorla, Elneny, Coquelin, Xhaka, and incoming Ozil will guarantee midfielders deepness. All my worry is about those two young CB’s.
Basically we can find a lot of baffling decision from Weneger, not just this but a lot to come, this happens to every one from whom people lost faith.
Almost every one wants Weneger to go , even a kid will understand those cheap tactics will never work.
From Henry to wright to all , all are baffled with Wenger, decision and if you start conversation , points after points will come
I am waiting for Wenger to go
Other players that played at the Euros even in the final played for their teams in the PL and had NO PROBLEM WHATSOEVER; so the issue is not why Wenger risked him but why do the players get injured so often. That’s a problem inside Wenger’s backroom and is not bad luck as it keeps repeating season after season
It was a foolish decision with a predictable outcome. It seems to me that many of our injuries are a result of rushing players back too early or over playing players. We all predicted Sanchez injury last season when he had been over used. And I read some interview with a well known witness coach warning Wenger not rush back players.
Expect many more muscle injuries this season.