The debate among Arsenal fans about Arsene Wenger´s team selection for the opening Champions League game away to Dinamo Zagreb will go on, especially if the players that he rested with Saturday´s Premier League game in mind cannot get Arsenal a good result against Chelsea.
But we better get used to it Gooners – because the manager will be doing it again. In fact, he will be doing it next week when we travel to our hated North London rivals Tottenham for our first, and possibly our last, game in the Capital One Cup this season.
We might have even more changes for that as even though it is a local derby, it is way down on Wenger´s list or priorities and is always used as a chance to give some young players a go in the first team. But perhaps there is a way of rotating the squad without weakening the team too much and I think the key to that is in midfield.
It is clear that Coquelin is the man and will start all of the big games as long as he is fit, but there is still a place for Arteta and even for Flamini. Our captain was rustier than a bag of nails that has been left outside all year and I´m sure he will improve, but he has not got the legs to be an effective holding midfielder on his own.
So you cannot play him and Cazorla together but I think you could play him with the more defensive Ramsey, who has a batter engine than Cazorla as well. That pairing may well have worked in Zagreb and I see it as a good alternative to Cazorla and Coquelin.
Then there is the forgotten man Flamini. He could also play alongside Cazorla and do the defensive side while the Spaniard runs the game with his passing and movement.
What do you think Gooners?