What will be Arsenal’s biggest challenge from now till the end of the season? by SE
Arsenal, after enjoying a decent start to their campaign, will want to start producing results once the ongoing international break culminates. The first month of the campaign can be tough and, with many players returning from the World Cup in Brazil, it was always going to be an impediment to start producing results from the word go.
Having said that, Sanchez has slowly but surely clicked into gear; Chambers’s verve and panache is out there for everyone to see and, with the likes of Gibbs and Walcott to return from injury, Arsenal have at least a couple of more gears to switch to. Let us also not forget that Ozil’s best is yet to come, and Arsenal would want the German firing on all cylinders.
But, overall, what will be Arsenal’s biggest challenge from now till the end of the season?
It is so important for Arsenal and Wenger to identify the competitions they want to vie for. Yes, it’s academic that any manager would prioritize the Premier League and the Champions League; but, with the League cup commencing on the 23rd of September, there might be a temptation to play your best side, as and when a Premier League heavyweight confronts you. Wenger has to refrain himself from playing his best side in all competitions. There’s no reason why he shouldn’t play his first choice XI in most games, but squad rotation is tantamount to what Arsenal are trying to achieve this season.
During August, he had the luxury of playing one game in a week, and, although Arsenal were involved in the Champions League playoff tie, it was easy for Wenger to play with a settled lineup. However, he might not be able to use his key personnel in all the games come next week; add to that, he can’t compromise on results, either.
As soon as the international break culminates, Arsenal play the defending champions of England at the weekend; a couple of days later, they face an away clash against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League. And that’s where Arsene Wenger has a colossal challenge to rise up to. Does he play the quartet of Sanchez, Ozil, Ramsey and Welbeck in both those games? It’s going to be tough, isn’t it?
Final Thought
The answer is straight forward: Rotate the squad, without compromising on the results. There were times during August when he overplayed Sanchez; Ozil, during the game against Leicester, wasn’t finding his best of touches, but still played the whole of 90 minutes. Don’t think he can afford such a pattern once Arsenal return to action next week. The likes of Chamberlain and Rosicky need to be given game time, for Arsenal’s cause and the players themselves.
Suhith