It really hits home how badly Arsenal’s injury list is affecting the squad, when Kieran Gibbs admits that he thought he was probably the most likeliest to be sent on when the Gunners were searching for an equalizer against Tottenham.
Gibbs was asked after the game if he expected to be used up front, and he replied: “Possibly, because in the last few games we have not had midfielders. It has been difficult for the boss with options so in the last few games I have been coming on, and I knew, looking across the bench that, probably, even though I’m a defender I’m one of the more offensive players on the bench. I was happy to come on in a big game like that and get a goal.
“The boss has been struggling with options especially in midfield and up front, so I think a few of the boys were tired having played last weekend, midweek and today. It was a chance for me to bring on some fresh legs and do everything I can to try and help the boys.
“In these types of games you can’t give up when you know what it means to everyone in the club and the fans. I think they were great for us today and spurred us on. You have to come on in those games and give everything you can to try and get the boys going.”
Wenger’s gamble worked, as Gibbs scored just four minutes after coming on the pitch, but it could hardly have been expected as the 26 year-old had only ever scored one other League goal in his eight years at the Emirates! An inspired choice, but then again Wenger really didn’t have any other options!
Injuries are not to blame for poor results but a lack of depth is,it goes back to the transfer window when we didn’t sign any outfield players knowing full well we are always affected by injuries
I know this shouldn’t make me mad but it irritates the hell out of me for people to keep saying we don’t have depth. I mean is it that hard to look up our first team squad? On our bench was chambers, Gibbs, ospina, flamini, arteta, iwobi, gabriel. WE ARE MISSING welbeck, walcott, wilshere, Ramsey, ox, rosicky, and bellerin. Those are not only quality options but they are all different which allows up to change up our playing style.
The only argument you can maybe make is an “upgrade” over our back DM and maybe our RW’s
Sorry mate you can’t justify not buying any outfield players when even a world class team like Bayern Munich added Vidal,Costa,Coman where did they find these players?Yet Wenger said there are no good players out there
Bayern sold shaqiri, schweinsteiger, Dante, pizzaro and the list goes on and on. How many players did we move on? And vidal is so overrated hence why he doesn’t start the important games when there team is fit. Who could we have realistically bought in the summer enlighten me
You said it all,yesterday I looked at the spurs bench then ours, I was embarrassed
Who would have thought we would have at least 10 players side-line at this time of the season?only GOD
Every sensible person expected it injuries to set in at a point (Except you and Wenger). Injuries are part of Arsenal squad. It happens every season. How many many matches do Ramsey, Theo, Ox not to mention Wilshere play for us in a season? I mean these players barely stay fit. They play 5, 6 games and the next is injury with some lasting as much as 6 months or a whole season. Remember someone tagged Wenger “naive or simply arrogant” for not reinforcing in the summer.
Neville had to explain further because many took his meaning up differently, he said the players are naive and or arrogant for playing into the hands of opponents he said they were not learning anything from the learning curves and they should be matured enough to do so without being tutored on it every week. In so many words.
Coquelin was motm he was doing everything he could in midfield cazorla just left him out to dry. Monreal what a game he played he is SO good and cech was excellent too. Also so happy for debuchy to shut up these arm chair fans by putting in an extremely solid performance. He is quality he just needs game time to build fitness this isn’t fifa
Can’t agree more. Cazorla was out muscled and when this happens to him, he loses focus and cannot control the game like he usually does. Let’s be honest, Spurs don’t have many midgets in their team so it is easier for them to bully us on the pitch. Coquelin again was outstanding and besides working his a$$ off and making some key tackles and interceptions, he showed some good individual skill on the ball.
I felt Debuchy had a fair game, not as bad as some are making out. What I did notice though was that without Ramsey we are lacking that extra creative ingredient in the midfield. Notice how most of our opportunities came from crosses and long balls? We don’t usually rely on this tactic, as when Ramsey is on the pitch, our passing game in the final third is a lot more cohesive and we are able to penetrate teams a lot better on the ground. Ozil for me was MOTM. Besides his incredible vision, his defensive game is looking a lot better too and he is trying.
On the negatives, I still think Mertesacker is a liability. It is just too easy for players to get around him and when the opposition counter and I see only him and Kossie, I shudder. He is also too lethargic on the ball especially when a team like Spurs is pressing high up the pitch it just adds unnecessary pressure on Cech. What is most annoying about yesterdays game is that we could easily have won 3 – 1. Giroud missed two clear cut chances, both headers unchallenged. There is NO excuse for him this time I’m sorry. I mean I like the guy, and he can score some decent goals in the box, but he is just not good enough to be our no1. CF.
I do agree with a lot of your point and I’ve said it a bunch I don’t like cazorla as the cm in the big games where we don’t dominate. If wenger wants to play him there then go to a 4-3-3. And Ozil was EXCELLENT he created 7 chances while the whole Spurs team created 9 let that sink in….
You say we miss ramsey but I think we’re missing walcott. I’ve noticed since his injury were creating much less CLEAR goal scoring chances his pace and movement was sorely missed imo, this game was screaming out for walcott as the ST. Numerous times sanchez or alexis had the ball after beating a guy and looked up to see giroud making a run but not having the pace to break away from the back 4. I’m not knocking giroud cause I like him, but with walcott we are much more free flowing and create more CLEAR cut chances.
I’ve also been a big admirer and fan of mertesacker but in games like this where we play higher up the pitch I think gabriel needs to play instead of him. I do believe he is quality and that he contributes a lot to this team but there are times where I feel he’s asking to much of Koscielny and wearing him out.
am happy it’s international break, we nearly broke apart again.
I think with Bellerin in the team last night we would have won. But still 3 wins and one draw in EPL since the last break is very good. we are at joint top with easier games ahead Ramsey Ox and Bellerin are back after the break and Walcott a week later so we should be all positive. and no point to discuss past transfer windows it is past we can discuss it until eternity and still we have this team to play with.
To come back with so many injuries and a tired team against a very good spurs shows mental strength and commitment
We are joint top of the league and we’ve played liverpool, everton, Chelsea, Man U, and Tottenham. We have some favorable fixtures the next few games and we’re getting back players after the international break but it’s all doom and gloom like half these people say
we dont need to be remimded that this is afc.Most importantly the manager needs to realise that.If he thinks that that yesterday was a proper result then he is gravely mistaken.All players must give 100% on the pitch,thats why I am thoroughly dissapointed when some articles state that that was a point gained.Not only was that two points lost but a place dropped.
managers who are hungry take no pleasure in such result.If everyone showed up yesterday we would have truly won.Everyone forgot they were playing for a big club.Time for you to step up monsieur wenger with your players and get going
Just tell me again, all fans here at JustArsenal, wanted only two “outfield” players which were a ST and a backup DM, right? Let’s add a CB to the list, for argument’s sake. How would have that balanced our right side which got decimated by injuries? Would it have provided any solution to balance our right side? How would have a “ST and a backup DM” covered for any of Ramsey, Ox, or Bellerin? Just now because it can’t, fans are using the “no outfield player” argument.
Also, Giroud can’t score a goal and suddenly he becomes a donkey? So tell me this, Aguero goes missing for first 4-5 games in the starting of EPL, no one bats an eye, he gets 5 goals in a game, everybody chants his name to death. Same about Rooney, only the worse part is, he only got 1 goal in PL to his name. But hey, why are Man Utd fans not calling him donkey because he is THE GREAT ENGLAND/MAN UTD STRIKER Rooney.. His fame/past performances for Man Utd is keeping him in the team, otherwise he wouldn’t start even a game in today. Ohhhh, totally forgot. The world class striker DIEGO COSTA. “He will tear the goal scoring record come next season”. “We should have got Diego Costa”. “He is NOT a one season wonder.” What happened now? He is struggling to get a goal right now, not against bigger teams, but smaller teams too now? Oh, and if he is struggling to get a goal, he started to show his frustration by literally diving(against Dynamo Kiev) and bullying players(against Stoke match). Luckily he collided against Shawcross, who would beat the hell outta him.
Learn to respect Giroud at least, because other than him, no one is there to back him up with providing the goal scoring support ON THE FILED. If he goes down, I would really struggle to find where are goals will be coming from?? And I am not saying that don’t criticize him, but at least don’t call him a donkey. Because this “donkey” got us two goals against Bayern Munich, and the crucial goals (the deadlock breaking ones) against Everton and Swansea when it really mattered. Even world class strikers miss some chances, that doesn’t makes them a donkey.
With a new ST,Walcott would have played in the RW position meaning Ox and Ramsey would be bench players and therefore Ramsey would not have been overplayed to a point of him getting a hamstring and Ox would also be available…meaning the right wing position would have better options than a guy who has started less than 5 games for us.
Hope you get it.
So, him playing at RW wouldn’t have got him injured just like in COC game right? If Walcott was fit, why wasn’t he starting ahead of Ramsey in last season. Same for Ox. How he played so much less than Ramsey and when he got a chance he got injured?