Can Arsenal afford to rest key players for Europa League?

It may seem like a daft question about Arsenal resting any of our regular first team players for the Premier League match against Stoke City this weekend, what with Burnley having moved to within two points of the Gunners after their win at West Brom, but I reckon that Arsene Wenger will be considering it.

The reason for that is that winning the Europa League this season is the only realistic way Arsenal have to claim a place in the Champions League next season, and that is something that would take a whole heap of pressure off the shoulders of the Frenchman and probably make it easy for him to stay on as manager again for another year.

Even though the players have until Thursday to rest and recover for the first of our matches with CSKA Moscow, which is also at home and so requires no long haul travel, it is vital that the Gunners put the two legg3ed tie to bed as we do not want to be going to Russia needing a good result.

It does not matter too much whether we beat Stoke by one goal or six, so you would think that we could afford to go out without a completely full strength team. Would you risk it? Will Wenger?

Bob.

23 Comments

  1. Its actually NOT a daft question because unfortunately Wenger makes daft decisions sometimes. Sometimes he gets the lineup all wrong or he thinks he can still finish in the top 4 so may not play our best players in Èuropa match.

    Europa League matches should have priority over Premier League. Sadly, We wont finish in the Top 4. We are 13 points behind. Just being realistic

    Also, i would be happier if we do to Moscow what we did to Milan and win big in the first match. Its a home match, so i dont want us going into Moscow behind or even level

    So YES rest players for Europa
    Getting in Champions League is important to attract top players

  2. The league is dead, and that was using our best players, who have also had it easier this season, barely playing in Europe! We’ve been so shocking with our first team, that we might as play our reserves in the league from now on, and rest our so called ‘quality’ players for Europa.

  3. These guys can play twice a week nps do Man. City players look tierd and they played more than our players so no rfest no one and start thinking like winners.

    1. city always rest 2 or 3 players….they have a bigger squad

      a pair of fresh legs coming in against a jaded opposition team in the last 15mins make a big difference

  4. Do we have key players? Messi was rested and when things were going downwards, he was brought in and changed the game. Do we have someone of that caliber? If NO, then we have no key players, whoever plays will have no difference if they also don’t play. Just average team giving average performances, let’s chill with resting anyone, they are all equal

  5. Just coming off a 2wk break and you talking about rest? Rest for a team that’s hardly broken sweat this season? Please don’t wind me up.

  6. I’m not sure they can.
    At the present time we are 36 points behind City – our two worst seasons over the last 60 years was the 1960-61 season when we finished 25 points behind the spuds (12.5 wins behind) and the 1994-95 season where we finished 38 points behind (12.33 wins behind)
    Should we fail to win the EL which is a real possibility and we finish 40 odd points behind the leaders it will surely spell the end for not just Wenger but for a lot of people at Arsenal – Bould and the backroom staff for sure and many of the players.
    Talk about a catch 22 situation Wenger finds himself in.
    All of his own doing…

  7. some will say i am not a real fan, but i hope we get out of europe and take 7th place in the league, if this means getting rid of ARSENE. If tukhil is the new manager we can challenge for the epl in the next season ✌?

    1. go support city….

      a real fan will support the club regardless who the manager is, what position it is at or even how many times it relegate or change manager etc….

          1. Who does have the spending power of City?
            Arsenal being 36 points behind is nothing to do with the spending power of Manchester City.
            Its about managing the team you are paid 10 million a year to manage – identifying where improvements are required, strengthening the team and adapting tactics that best suits them – its called management see?
            Its not about throwing the towel in just because one team can outspend everyone else – besides spending huge sums doesn’t always.
            I understand we cannot spend 500 million on players.
            Everyone understands we cannot spend 500 million on players.
            But spending 500 million on players is not the guarantee of success you seem to think it is.
            Am I getting through to you at all ???

            1. ME-you are correct.We should not use City’s spending power as the reason for why we are SIXTH in the league with Burnley crawling all over us.It has been Wengers total mis-management and nothing else.

  8. Arsenal have nothing to play for anymore in the league.
    Stoke are fighting for their premiership lives.
    It would not surprise me if we lost today – this Arsenal team have no spine for a fight and Stoke will fight.
    They should not be underestimated…

    1. true….

      sometimes we are very complacent and only get serious when we are a goal or 2 down…..till then its too late….opponenets would have park the bus and have 11 players at the post

      1. Sometimes we only get going in the second half! Not today though hopefully, been waiting 2 weeks for this!! COYG!!!

        1. A lot of the time we only show real fight when the game has ended.
          How many times have players come out after a heavy defeat and talked about working harder, fighting harder etc. etc.
          Always far too late…

  9. How far can we fall, before we get rid of Wenger? We are seriously discussing whether we risk falling behind Burnley. That says it all.

Comments are closed

Top Blog Sponsors