A positive and optimistic view of Arsenal, the current campaign and the chances of Arsenal winning the Premier League title in next season might not carry as much weight when it comes from one of players in the Arsenal squad, but the reason suggested by Per Mertesacker for the struggles of the Gunners this season is the same one suggested earlier this week by the West Brom boss Tony Pulis, our awful injury record.
Pulis spoke about the number of key injuries that Arsene Wenger has had to cope with, as an earlier Just Arsenal post explained, but our German defender was much more specific in his own comments and pointed to the amazing effect and positive impact that our Chile international forward Alexis Sanchez can have on a game if he is fit and in form.
Our BFG also spoke in a Sky Sports report about being left out of the starting line up and insisted that he was not bitter about it and accepts this sort of thing as being part of team sport at the top level, despite the fact that he did not enjoy it and is relieved to have been in the team again on Thursday.
That game arguably saw the best we have seen from Alexis since he was ruled out with a hamstring problem in November and Mertesacker suggests that even though the team picked up a decent amount of points while the Chilean was in the treatment room it is clear that a club needs it’s best players to have a good chance of success.
He said, “There are a couple of things we missed, but he is obviously one.
“When he was out, I think the statistics were not that bad for us, I think we played 10 games without him and won seven. But obviously if he is on the pitch, he creates space always for other players because he draws so much attention and that is the key to any team.
“He is a key member of our team and, if he is fully fit, he makes the difference and that is always the case. During the time he was out, I think we had quite a good record, but over the whole season normally we need him healthy.
“He is the type of player who makes the difference and, even when he is in Chile playing two qualifiers, he will be back on track in the right time when having just two days’ rest in between. He is that type of player who gives everything to the team. Those team members are well appreciated.
“Obviously you are disappointed, but I will never drop the respect for anyone here, even when I’m not playing. I’ll keep working harder. It was a good time for me. If you change a little bit of your perspective, you see how other people feel.
“”But we have got 25 players, everyone wants to play and obviously the boss has got a lot of headaches with his selection. With players coming back, it is going to be tight and good competition. That is what we play for.”
Do you agree with the German that Arsenal can challenge for top honours as long as we don’t lose our top players to injury?
sadly Wenger’s deluded optimism is getting to his average players
its why we rarely ever hear from Sanchez……he’s a winner know knows what takes to be one
BFG, Ramsey, Ox and the rest of the selfie kings….they talk too much and make too lil sense
Our players are too soft like Theo, Mertesaker and Ramsey. We need tough players like Vieira, Petit, Keown and Adams.
Oh Jesus! Some of these players boil my blood. Just shove a mic in their mouths and they can yank all day. BFG is that kind of a person who would know more about space than football.
“I think he makes a difference. If he was fit I think it would make a difference. I think if he was playing he would make a difference. I think if he farts he would make a difference.”
BFG and Wenger are like those old retired bozos who sit all day in the porch doing nothing but have the highest opinion about every f%&^*ng thing. JUST GET OUT!
Hahahaha
BFG, Giroud and Theo should be sold at any cost next season.
Selling unnecessary … Just dump them outside the stadium next to a very large PLEASE TAKE sign … Better still force them to take Cantonese lessons and dump em in tiananmen square .. Either way a good 7 or 8 players need to be gone over the summer if we are to,stand any hope of improvement next year
Keep
Cech Bellerin Koscielny
Chambers Monreal
Elneny Coquelin
Ramsey Ozil Sanchez
Iwobi Campbell
Release sell
Ospina Macey
Debuchy Mertesacker Gabriel Gibbs
Arteta Flamini Rosicky
Chamberlain Walcott Giroud Sanogo
(Cazorla Wilshere injuries)
@Davidnz, we have no reason to sell cazorla coz apart from this one he has been one of the most injury free players we have around.
WILSHERE too has to stay at least till the end of his contract if things improve then he can stay longer but if not then he can go, the is actually class and he put his heart to it unlike welcotts.
And finally we can’t afford to let both per and gabriel leave at once, 1 has to stay as 3rd choice behind the BOSS and the new CB.
I agree with you on the whole rest.
I will sell Campbell to be honest. He still doesn’t convince me.
So who convinces you? BFG? Arteta? Flamini? Giroud? Ramsey? Walcott? tell us who? Gibbs?
Sorry, but this is just drivel!
“Can we compete top four if we do not loose our top players”..something the author asks and Per never suggests!!
And per “waggle, waffle waffle erh. Waffle, waffle waffle erh keep fighting…waffle waffle”
We may loose our top players, not to injury, but to more ambitious and therefore successful teams. No doubt though, we will not be able to loose the host of mediocre players and deadwood that along with wenger and Stan have been holding this club back for too long.
Per needs to concentrate more on packing his bags and finding a new club along with a load of other deadwood players at the club. Why does he always have to speak, he is one the main reasons we are where we are! Shut up and leave already…
The funny thing is that only the flops talk too much in this club,even Wenger talks too much at any press conference. He should quietly release around 8 players in this club,then quietly resign. I just wish that Evil infectious Stan Kronke would sell his shares,he has no element of success in him,no sport clubs,teams or organisation he’s in involved with ever records success….
Who cares what BFG has to say. He is singing the same song that Wenger keeps slurping out,only he does it more slowly. He wont go back to Germany because they got rid of him. If he thinks that by constantly chirping he is showing loyalty to his boss,then he is mistaken…If it’s possible he is making it worse because most of us have even less respect for him.