Proof Wenger’s transfer policy NOT cause of Arsenal injury woes?

I am writing this article before Arsenal take on Olympiacos in the final Champions League group game. As well as hoping that the Gunners can pull off a massive rescue operation and get through to the knockout phase, I will be crossing my fingers that no more of the Arsenal first team are added to the injury list after the match.

That injury list is clearly an issue and not a helpful one to our hopes in Europe or the Premier League and after it just about doubled in the month of November at the same time as our results hit a wall, a lot of Arsenal fans as well as those critics in the media always ready to gloat over any Arsenal misfortune were quick to lay the blame squarely at the feet of Arsene Wenger and his transfer policy of, well not making any transfers.

But there is evidence that this is not really fair on the Frenchman. After all, injuries are a part of the game and the numbers show that the club has improved the situation since last year. People will still point to the injury problems we have got now, with seven players out of action, and say that they could have been avoided if Wenger had spent more money on reinforcements in the summer.

But could they really? The injury list on physioroom.com suggests not, because no club has spent more money than Man United over the last couple of years and their story is worse than ours, with nine first teamers in the treatment room. Two other big spenders are Man City and Liverpool and they have exactly the same number of players injured as Arsenal.

The problem is that no matter how big a squad you have, the pressure of winning means you often play your best XI anyway. So can we stop blaming Wenger and the Arsenal medical staff and accept that an injury or seven is just part of the game?

15 Comments

  1. I think it gets blown out of proportion a bit…
    Definitely a case for Sanchez and Theo’s injuries with overplaying and a lack of warm-up. But a bit harder to point the finger with Coquelin, Cazorla and Wilshere that were injuries caused by collisions.
    We’re still getting results though. 2nd in the league and qualified from the CL group stages. We could definitely be in a better position, though looking forward it’s not nearly as bad as a lot of fans were/are suggesting. Theo, Ramsey and Ox are back, with (fingers crossed) Welbz, Rosicky and Wilshere soon to follow. It leaves us pretty deep christmas onwards, with hopefully some business done in the window..

    1. With Giroud’s and Campbell’s forms, I’m curious how Wenger will use Welbeck when he returns to fitness.

      1. Personally, I think he’ll remain an impact sub unless his performances off the bench deserve a start. In Sanchez’s absence Wenger seemed to prefer the work-rate of Campbell and added goal threat in Theo as opposed to the direct threat of Chamberlain. I was pretty sure Ox would keep Campbell out of the first-team if they were directly competing but Campbell’s been very impressive and is seemingly building on confidence every week!

        1. Its right time for Ox to learn from Campbell, since he wasn’t able to learn from Alexis and Walcott. My point is that: if you are playing in the forward line then you most be productive, whether goal or assist. Chambo needs to be more so.

      2. I will try welbeck as a DM especially in games we need to shutdown . He is very good at going shoulder to shoulder and winning the winning. He also has good contribution. Only his composure in front of goal is lacking

    2. Theo overplayed? Maybe 5 years ago but not last or this season. Sanchez does not count, he decides when to play and when not to play. You can’t tell him to sit on the bench.

      1. @Budd, he was referring to Alexis when he mentioned over playing, as for walcott he mentioned lack of WARM UP, just that he didn’t say ‘Respectively’

  2. @josh37. Campbell also seems leaner and fitter. I think he may have shifted some weight.
    Just a few games and he looks sharp.
    I’m so pleased for him as he’s been patient and professional.

  3. Gooners after the euphoria of our GREAT ESCAPE now it is time again to turn our FOCUS in WHAT IS NEEDED TO GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL. do not come with the same LAME excuses that IF WE HAVE ALL OUR PLAYERS FIT THEN WE GOT A CHANCE because is VAGUE and SAME OLD STORY YEAR IN YEAR OUT..we know CONSISTENCY IS THE KEY TO BE TOP TEAM and we lack of it but also we know THAT A DM IS NEEDED and ST to be able to win the EPL.So let’s start and hoping we get these two KEY POSITIONS COVERED IN JANUARY.any suggestions WHO? Mine are Carvalho/ Bedner and Lacazette or the Dortmund star ( all young and with more to come ) . GREAT TEAM PERFORMANCE BUT SHOULD BE LIKE THIS..MY HAT OFF TO CAMPBELL ( AWESOME ) can OX learn how to track down and pull a shift like he did? well DONE FELLAS…NEED TO BE CONSISTENT.

  4. I think we are overlooking the main issue here. Injuries are inevitable, but what concerns me is who and for how long our players are sitting out of action. It is the same players over and over again – Wilshere, Rosicky, Walcott, Chamberlain (and Diaby before we finally let him go). The first three are ALWAYS injured and hardly spend anytime on the pitch. Chamberlain is slowly becoming one the of them.

    Arsenal have to make a very tough decision, especially for players like Wilshere and Rosicky. Are they really worth having around getting 60-70k a week missing most of the season? I admire them greatly, but by the time they do play after a lengthy injury, it still takes a bit of time to shake off the rust etc, becoming a liability in the process. They are good players, but not irreplacable. Wilshere could be sold for a huge amount ( we could get between 30m-50m for him) and be replaced with a better midfielder who is far less injury prone and actually make a decent contribution to the team and its goals. I’d say if Wilshere had the quality of Iniesta, Silva, Ozil, etc then it would be worth keeping him around, injured or not. But right now he just doesn’t have enough going for him to justify us keeping him. Am I being too harsh? Rosicky too is another player, passionate, but almost in his mid 30’s eating up the wage bill whilst using up squad space which could be better utilized on a younger and better player.

    It always amazes me how there are some players out there like Messi, Ronaldo, Suarez, etc etc that play every single game in every competition and hardly ever get injured. Arsenal just tend to harbour injury prone players and something needs to be done about it.

    1. @Big Gun
      Spot on Gooner. AW is too loyal to players who let him down every season. I don’t care how much passion a player has for the club. It does not count if it cannot be utilized to help win matches…
      We need players who can be counted on for more than a handful of matches “every” season.

Comments are closed

Top Blog Sponsors