It is becoming ever more unlikely that Arsenal will be able to mount a serious title challenge in the Premier League this season, failing to capitalise on a first defeat of the season for Chelsea being the latest low point in an already disappointing season.
And with it looking likely that the Gunners will draw another one of Europe’s top clubs like Bayern Munich or Real Madrid in the first knockout phase of the Champions League, our hopes of another trophy seem to rest on the defence of the FA cup. So to say that our early exit from the Capital One cup is a blessing seems strange, I know.
But the truth is that the way the Arsenal squad is suffering with the ever growing and changing injury list, having next week off could be absolutely vital for the season as a whole. Yes Man United have had about the same amount of injuries as us, but they have a bigger squad and have not had the eight Champions League games in midweek to deal with, while Chelsea and Man City have not suffered the injury problems that we have.
This is now a key part of the season for Wenger and his players, with a period of Premier League games and the first rounds of the FA cup to deal with and it could be the most important part of our campaign. So the chance to rest and regroup next week and prepare for a big push is just what the doctor ordered.