Injury blows for Arsenal AND Bayern Munich but which is worse?

Just when it looks like Arsenal have caught a break for a change, like when PSG messed up their final game in the Champions League group stage to let Arsenal steal in and finish on top, lady luck remembers that Arsene Wenger is on her hit list and she strikes back, such as giving us the German champions Bayern Munich as a reward for topping the group.

So on the eve of the first leg against Bayern in Germany, Arsenal were handed the boost, reported by Metro, that the Bundesliga side had been hit with an injury to one of their key players Xabi Alonso.

That good news was swiftly followed by the bad news in another Metro report that the Gunners had suffered an injury blow of our own, to the Spanish striker Lucas Perez. Typical. The 28-year old forward sat out training with an ankle problem and is almost certain to miss the big clash with Bayern.

Which of these injury problems will have the biggest effect though? The former Liverpool and Real Madrid midfield star has been a key figure for Bayern this season, starting 17 of their 20 league games. He is their lynchpin in central midfield and sets the tempo for their play so we can hope that his absence will be a big blow.

But despite the fact that Lucas has been a fringe player for the Gunners so far, I am concerned about losing him. He did score a hat=trick against Basel in our last European outing and he has become one of the players the boss turns to in times of trouble.

There was also a theory that Wenger might drop the struggling Ozil for this game but losing the Spaniard decreases the options if we ware to do that, so his injury could have a big impact and we are, as usual, already missing key players like Cazorla and Ramsey.

Which do you think will prove to be the most telling injury?

Bob.

7 Comments

  1. Arsenal fans will be unhappy with today’s lineup when they see it. I’m sure about that.

    Ozil to start
    OX to be dropped and brought on in the 78th minute when we’re trailing 5-0

  2. Nothing against Lucas (I wish Wenger would play him more) but is this a serious question? I think Alonso’s injury just edges it by a landslide

  3. If the news is true, I think Alonso’s injury is more costly than Perez. We can easily project a balanced team without Perez, but Bayern will miss Alonso hugely. That gives us room to press them in their own half.
    I just want Wenger to start Welbeck, Sanchez and Walcott as the 3 up top with Ozil behind to give the final pass. Xhaka will also be important to give long range passes from deep. Those 3 can press from front and protect our fullbacks.
    For possession’s sake, I know Wenger would go for Iwobi instead of Welbeck or move Ox to the left to accommodate 2 of Coq, Elneny and Xhaka.
    This team has it in them to beat Bayern tonight, the only thing that can stop them is lack of confidence.

  4. Perez missing makes no difference whatsoever, as Wenger rarely uses him anyway. Perez only got about 14 minutes against Hull, and didn’t even make the bench for the Chelsea horror show. Ramsey ISN’T a key player, and his absence is actually a blessing in disguise, as Wenger cannot pick our worst player of the season for once!

    Our only problem is Santi’s injury, which means Bayern are more depleted than we are. Then again, Monaco had something like five players missing, and still stuffed us at the Emirates. What I’ve realised over time, is that the old injuries excuse, which AKBs are so quick to bandy about, only applies to Arsenal.

  5. When asked if an offer of more than €100m (£85m) came from United, Jan-Christian Dreesen, the club’s executive vice-chairman replied:

    “There really was such a thing”.

    “Then came a fax from England. For us, however, a sale of Thomas Muller was never discussed.”

    Morals:
    Man utd a club with ambition.

    Bayern Munich a club with spine, culture and ambition too.

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