I know that I keep going on about this but it is really starting to annoy me now. Arsene Wenger keeps banging on about how Arsenal have 25 players in the squad and every single one is important to our attempt to win the Premier League, but when he actually NEEDS to rotate he simply doesn’t do it!
I thought he started quite promisingly back in December when we played West Ham on a Saturday, then on the Tuesday after when we played Basel he made 7 changes. We won the game 4-1 and I thought “well done Arsene”. But the following week we beat Stoke on the Saturday, but when we had to go to Everton on the Tuesday, Le Prof only made ONE change and we lost.
I would have thought that would have made it obvious that rotation was the way forward, especially with the talent in the squad, but no, yesterday was just two days after our win against Palace, Wenger only made 3 changes, and one of those was forced as Elneny was off to the ACN. Now I have read this morning that Le Prof even risked playing injured players in yesterday’s game. He was quoted as saying in the Independent: “It was a physical test and a mental test,”
“Congratulations to them but, as well, it is too uneven to have only two days to play against a team who had over three days of rest.
“Hector Bellerin had a knock, was uncertain to play, that is the problem when you had 48 hours. We had three or four players who we had to wait on till the warm-up.
“Koscielny, Gabriel, I did not start Oxlade-Chamberlain as I could not take a gamble with him. It complicates the job a lot but we have to shut up and cope with it.
“Koscielny was tired and had cramps in both legs, that is why I took him off.
“I’m ready to play again tomorrow as long as I play against an opponent who played today as well.
“That is what I call fair. All the rest, we have to play when we are told to play. We want to play against a team with the same time of rest and preparation as us.”
Is it fair that Arsenal have 25 quality players to choose from? Against Eddie Howe’s squad of unknowns? Yes Bournemouth had three days to recover, but as Howe said after the game: “I’m not going to deny that will have had an impact on the game but that’s why you change the squad,” he said.
THAT IS WHY YOU CHANGE THE SQUAD! Get a grip Arsene. Stop moaning and start making use of ALL your players!
Darren N
Ozil sick. Walcott injured. Coquelin injured. Welbeck not match fit. OX touch wood. Bellerin took a knock. Elneny with Egypt.
There wasn’t much opportunity for rotation to be honest.
Holding could cover for Kos, Gabriel for Bellerin, Ramsey was already on the wing for the injured Walcott, why is that can be seen as a good replacement on the wing even though Perez and Ox were around? but the defenders could not cover for the injured defenders??
Easy to say that now, isn’t it? If we started Holding, Gabriel instead of Bellerin, a few other guys, we would’ve lost the game 5-0, and then all hell would break lose because Wenger didn’t put out his best starting XI. So take it easy, keyboard warrior. 48 hours between games should be illegal. And IMHO, Wenger and the guys did good given the circumstances.
Pretty much the only sensible comment here, and I usually don’t agree with Twig.
One needs to remember that Wenger doesn’t pick his teams based on form, ability, fitness, or who is suitable for the opponent on that day. He has his favourites, who are guaranteed playing time whatever their situation, and for the others…I suppose it’s just who he fancies on the day. Wenger hasn’t the guts to bench big players who don’t perform, unlike what a lot of other top managers are doing.
I am a big fan of Ozil, but he does need a little spell on the bench, especially in the big games where he just goes missing. But Wenger won’t do it, thus, the team suffers. Conte feels his system is better suited without Fabregas, so he benches one the best midfielders in Europe. See the difference?
Have to agree on that. How is it that now when we have Cazorla, Elneny – both out for the match we play Ramsey, our only fit CM who should not start, on the wing?
Meaning for the wing we had: OX, Sanchez, Perez, Iwobi and maybe even Maitland-Niles.
For the CM role we had: Coquelin, Xhaka, Ramsey.
So Wenger decides to play ALL midfielders at once?! Well genius, now Coquelin is injured and our only remaining central midfielders are Xhaka and Ramsey.
In short: play players on their natural positions you donkeybrained maniac!
Cheer up guys 🙂
Bournemouth 1 Everton 0
Bournemouth 0 Tottenham 0
Bournemouth 4 Liverpool 3 😮
Bournemouth 1 Leicester 0
Man U 3 Bournemouth 1
Chelsea 3 Bournemouth 0
Man City 4 Bournemouth 0
I think we should compare ourselves to the big guys, except Liverfools ofcourse, but you compared Arsenal with Everton, Leicester? we should aim higher, it’s called ambition
We also beat Bournemouth 3-1 earlier in the season, so what’s your point, bran99?
Exactly, Twig (can’t believe I’m agreeing with you for the second time in one day). Bournemouth is not an easy club to play against. Not to mention that they got a little more rest than we did, and even though it doesn’t seem like much, it’s huge for players to have that extra 24 hours to recover.
—————-Sanchez——————
Perez—-Cazorla—–Ozil——Welbeck
——————Coquelin—————–
Monreal–Kosicleiny—Mustafi–Bellerin
——————Ospina————-
? Dangerous team. That is my fully fit starting 11. Everyone defends when not on the ball except ofcourse Ozil.
All I know is that the man between the sticks has to change. He is not saving us 15 points. He is costing us more than he is saving.Not even one penalty saved and we faced many this season.
You can telll people on the side who have religious beliefs they believe that the team is world class on no matter what evidence you provide the stick with the assumption ignoring the evidence they have no regard the fact some of have been saying this for along time that the team was not good enough.i will name some players who are overrated ramsey jack bellerin Francis ozil Wolcott Chamberlain iwobi cech. koccielny monreal theses are all overrated players I’m not saying that there not good but overrated