Most of the Arsenal players (the uninjured ones anyway!) are now away on international duty, and Lukas Podolski was the first to tell his country’s press that he didn’t understand why Arsene Wenger rarely played the German frontman, despite the overwhelming injury problems at the club.
Now we have Thomas Rosicky also expressing his frustration at not being used by Le Prof, which is even more bewildering considering the bad form of most of the midfielders Wenger persists in selecting.
Rosicky said: “I understand that I am 34 years old and that it probably plays a role, whether I like it or not. That’s without a doubt,”
“However, I’m not in physical decline. When I played for the national team against Netherlands, I ran 12 kilometres and according to the tests at Arsenal I’m in the top five in terms of speed.
“Wenger and I are on good terms, so I do not really know what it is. It is purely a coach’s decision. It’s not my decline. My health is fine too. Of course I want to play, but there’s not much I can do about it.”
The Czech midfielder played some excellent football last season and played 39 games in all competitions, but this year has only started in the League Cup defeat by Southampton, and has been a sub just three times in the League.
Wenger has come under fire for his tactical choices and substitutions this season, but why have two such brilliant experienced players like Podolski and Rosicky (and Campbell I guess) in the squad – but fail to utilise them?