Just two days ago, Arsenal were humbled 4-0 by Southampton in our worst defeat of the whole year, and we would expect Arsene Wenger to try and refresh the side by bringing in some fresh faces. Playing two games so close together is usually a recipe for disaster, especially as the starting XI looked tired and listless against Southampton, but Wenger seems to disagree and has hinted that the same team will start again this evening.
“When you lose a game, [the media] say: ‘Why don’t you change?’ – but when you lose and you have changed, they then say, ‘Why did you change a side that has won in a convincing way?’” Le Prof told Arsenal.com.
“Why do I use this team? Firstly because they win, and secondly because 80 per cent of the players that play are not overloaded with games and look well.
“If you look at the number of games Mathieu Flamini, Aaron Ramsey and Joel Campbell played since the start of the season… even Olivier Giroud for a long while didn’t play games and Theo Walcott also has just come back.
“These players are not overloaded with games. It is not like they have played 25 games.”
Wenger had already named an unchanged side for the Boxing Day match, and although some may think that our manager is showing loyalty to his players despite our disastrous loss, but the fact is that we don’t really have that many options to bring in, especially if we are trying to improve the side….
Do you think that Wenger is risking burning out our players by not rotating?
This team beat City so nothing wrong with it.
They just needed a kick in the backside to perform consistently.
Lets hope Wenger did and the team starts playing their best every match starting with today’s
If its true that wenger wishes to Name an UNCHANGED side from the soton game against Bournemouth, then i have no choice but to term him a “rigid idiot”
But we can only wait and see!
we were drained by a physical an fast side in southampton. we have had after the travelling home a days rest….
now facing an in form duracell 11…
unchnaged side ….
sounds shaky…but hey if there at there physical peak…should be fine….i said if …lol
I think Gabriel should come in for Mertesacker and Theo to start as CF.
Hahahaha what!……… 11 bunnies?……… Hell to the NO………. Might as well just choose to watch the match in a Time-Lapse definition
The Only thing that is consistent, Is Wenger’s dribble with riddles that’s full of contradiction and reverse psychology counter attacking! ??
If only he could transform that BS! onto the field of play,
Instead of just sitting in the dugout with his face buried in his hands, when things aren’t going right.
Back in the day, we were able to fight back during a game, where we were 1 or 2 goals down, but nowadays there is no fight or belief, it’s just easily accepted and the response is put off until the next game!
I wonder, after that unexpected stuffing from Southampton,
Is there any air left in this team to perform a bounce back against Bournemouth?
Today we start anew and beat Bournemouth
Like Cech Said (and he has experienced winning PL and CL) we need to play consistently at Our best To win the PL. I’m not saying play brilliant every single match but give 100% always and do whatever you can to avoid losing when not at your best.
Even when a team doesn’t play well a great team will still manage to produce a win. Last season Chelsea were consistent but still won tight matches against lower teams. But that’s okay because a win is a win. They concentrated on winning mentality
Gabriel’s FB page stated he’s “happy to be back”. So he’s starting?
Looks like Elneny transfer is almost done. BBC’s David orstein also confirmed it today.
AW may prefer ramsey on the right rather than left flamini on the bench.
Wenger will be mad to play mertesacker again and I would like to see ox start
Well…. is he mad ….. Koscielny and monreal on the bench.
Gabriel and Gibbs replace them ?
what a prize xxxx!
Just hoping for a good game